001I'll start with any comments from the audience. So, we're back on schedule. >> We're ahead of schedule. Uh remarks from the chair. I do have a few a few comments tonight. Uh the first is just to thank our select board members, our finan members, our town administrators for joining us tonight. Um we'll have a solid, you know, hour to discuss finances for this upcoming year. Um the budget season, um it's important to us that we have these engagements with you and that we start early and we continue to have these engagements with you through the process. And so um you know, it's our commitment that we're going to ensure that we work with each of the fin select boards so we have a successful budget uh come the spring. So looking forward to the discussion.
002Um, in case you guys haven't noticed, Erica isn't here tonight. Uh, I think most of you know that Erica handed in her resignation um about two weeks ago to me. Tonight, we'll talk about the process for replacing uh for finding a replacement for Erica. Um, but if she's watching from home, I just want to say thank you to Erica for all of her hard work, her commitments, her contributions. uh you know in my mind she was a sort of a um a post a child school committee member and so I really appreciate everything that she did and um she has big shoes to fill. So, unless just with all the things going on with the government, >> we can't hear you back here. >> I'll try to project more. >> Thank you. >> Just with
003all the things going on with the government shutdown and government happenings right now. Um, I just wanted to point out this is a great opportunity for us to look back at our community and find families in need. I I know I've seen a few families visiting their food pantries quite often. I know there's families out there that need that support during this government shutdown and especially, you know, uh with our children. It's a great opportunity when we can, when we have the resources to do so to get them engaged in the community and to um to help to show them that they can help as well, right? And so, uh just consider ways that you can help during these hard times. >> With that, uh we will shift to the student advisory board. Hello everyone.
004I'm Ethan Savon. I'm the current SAB at large. I am a sophomore from Boxford. And um here are the updates since our last meeting. Some upcoming events is Masco football. The sixth seed has its first playoff game this Friday against the 11th seed Melrose at home. Some current events are field hockey, our NEC champs, and just won their first playoff game against Noral Burrow. Yeah. Uh, boys soccer, the six seed, just won their first playoff game against Chelsea, the 27 seed, 3-2. Girls volleyball lost in their second round of playoffs against Canton. And girls soccer beat Melrose in the first round of playoffs. Some past events are varsity football performed what Salem news is calling the Masco miracle, coming back to be Marblehead 42 to 43. coming back from a Marblehead 42 to 25 lead
005going into the fourth quarter, making it the first time that Masco became NEC champs and has beat Marblehead. >> And varsity golf are NEC champs and are the runnerups to the state championship. And homecoming was last Thursday. It was great. We had a large attendance and everything went smoothly and that's all I got. >> Questions, comments, >> well, you know the deal. You're always welcome to stick around and partake in the fun or if you have other things you need to do tonight. >> So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. With that, we will shift over to our discussion of FY27 budget with town officials. I welcome you guys to come join us at the at the table. >> Sorry, >> he's sending me a deck. >> Definitely easier to hear if you're
006in the too. There's a big area that catches all the sound >> faster than yourself like I'm sending it to you from the Sure. Now let's hear that first. >> Well, he's Mike's hopefully again coming through. >> While we're waiting, did did everybody receive the enrollment report that was sent out over the last couple weeks? Okay, >> who did UPS did? I know Matt's there, but I believe >> I think my only opening comment is um the we have the DCI that's DCI subcommittee that's still established. Uh they meet semi-regularly with uh Jeff and Mike. Um they're talking through early budget discussions right now. Um Joe will probably have some thoughts as the lead of the DCI uh for the group in a little bit. Um, but I would say that budget discussions are ongoing
007uh within the within the DCI right now. As a full school committee, we haven't discussed much at all yet. >> I'm going to try it a different way. It's not coming through. This is an slightly older version, so bear with the >> Is this one of the documents you sent to the Toppsfield people earlier this morning? >> No, it's not. >> Okay. Um, sorry for this you just sign in with your board for the minutes. So, make sure you're acknowledged correctly. >> Sure. Yeah, that one should have sent. >> I guess we could start by doing some introduction, I guess, and at least start that process. So, I'm Chwell. I'm the chair for final. >> Costa Pacis Middleton select board. >> Dan Vontac, Boxford Fincom. >> Michael White, chairman of the Boxford. >> Barbara Jessel,
008Boxford Select Board. Michelle Mercier link Topsfield Select Board. >> And then also we have um John >> John Ericson Finance Committee. And we also have our town administrators, representatives from the town administration sitting behind us who are choosing to support us from behind. Um Mike did I don't know if it got to you or just trying to make sure I get saved in the right place and we go Right. Um, we met last year or later later in the process and I'm excited I think we're all excited to meeting earlier and talking through this. Uh, we wanted to share some of the challenges and realities and opportunities that we are as a as a community. Some of this information is similar and it's based on what we had from past years uh and the budget
009the um as some numbers have been added and updated some are still based on budgets but if we can walk through it and the first page reiterate three towns is somewhat unprecedented if you think about it last year was the first time that the three towns sat together with the school committee as an entity and I hope it expresses and understands that as a group We all four of these entities, the three towns and Masco have some very challenging financial situations in front of us and we're trying to find that balance. Everyone is and we recognize that but it's something we need to continue to look at and it will continue to be a challenge. Topfield, Masco, I mean Topfield, Middleton and Boxford all represented Masco and that's where how the tri town came about.
010So we all recognize that Masco is a core lynch pin across this organization this commu these communities and the community but the towns are struggling to balance needs and affordability across all of the areas. We need to consider the whole community. The leadership's concerned that education costs are growing at an unsustainable rate and consuming greater proportions of our overall budgets. in 10 years gone for ha half of our entire budgets to twothirds of the budgets for each of the towns. We love the community and we in the tri town but there's some difficult discussions that we got to continue to have and continue to evaluate. Uh the towns all three of the towns are effectively at their levy capacity. What that means is that anything over new growth and 2 and a.5% so new growth
011is a new house or an addition to your house or a new store or building. Anything over that requires us to do an overwrite for all three of the towns. Topsfield is right is actually at completely at that le levy limit. Oxford and Middleton are effectively there as well but sufficiently close. Our guidelines just so you which were delivered later earlier today from Topsfield are two and a quarter% for each of the three entities. So that's the elementary school, the town and and Boxer and um Masco. The sum of those plus our health insurance known exp increases totals the entirety of our what we're allowed to collect next year this year this coming year without an override. Boxer and Middleton are close to that as well. Um but I believe their guidelines are going to
012show it about two and a half%. But in all three cases above those guidelines really means an over. Uh last year there were a number of challenges we had uh and we but we addressed them all as a group. Um that included an $830,000 override for Boxford plus a $19 million debt exclusion for Middleton. It was a $1.9 million override for Toield. It was a $1.8 8 million in override and $2.5 million in uh water enterprise expenses for water mains and replacing those. And for MASCO, it was a three $3.3 million increase of which 700 was funded by END, but that brought your END to humanity, which means there is in all probability unless something miraculous happened, there's I suspect there's no END opportunity for you all this year. Um, next slide is where we
013are facing now. All four of our entities are facing health insurance. Um, after a 19% increase for mass for Top Shield last year, 19% we're looking at a 12% this year. It's 31% in two years and it hasn't been four or five% before that. This is a big part of our all of our challenge and problem. Uh Boxford also has salaries and commitments to fund the DPW um take on debt. Middleton has a public safety town hall additional debt that they've just approved and will start acquiring. They've got water system as does Topsfield due to P PAS and an expectation that that's going to have substantial impact to our towns uh for their water uh funds and fees. Substantial means 20 plus million dollars. mass economic uh I top sealed health insurance salaries PAS agreement
014and our similar to END our stabilization funds are at their minimums right now which means there's nothing to pull out without putting ourselves below our guidelines which would put us into question with our bond ratings and then pensions and OPED uh costs are continuing to eat into our accounts ASCO has a health insurance salaries that we're aware of the 2026 END for operations large capital ask that's coming um I heard some good news through the grapevine on at least part of that a start for that it's a positive but we have to do it and your END are at minimums I feel like I'm the negative person here right now but last year's budget from our perspective $97 million. Town assessment was 36 some of the town assessments was $36,397,000. Uh 1,53 tritown residents this
015year that are being serviced uh inclusive and this number is budgeted because we weren't able to get actuals but uh 69 out of district students uh and out of district placement rather. Uh this equates to about a $31 million 31 excuse me $31,600 cost per student educate and the cost to the towns of $24,000 a student to operate the school cost us $31,000 a student. Staff enrollment did increase by five students and staffing levels were reduced by four and three quarters. That still puts us at a 34% drop in enrollment. I'm sorry, that's numbers off. It's a 24%. That's a typo. 24% drop in enrollment. And uh and but and staffing levels correspondingly have dropped by 4.5% over the past 10 years. And again similar >> question that staffing enrollment is that educator staffing or
016special ed staffing? >> From our perspective as a town >> it is not incumbent on us to evaluate whether it's teacher special ed janitor administrator that is part of your role. What we're highlighting is that the total number of employees to run the school and the which is our largest expense item, >> right, >> has dropped by a total of four and a half%. >> So even if they're pretty much mandated by the increasing special needs of our students, that doesn't factor into your calculation. >> It's this is it factors into the cost and the resulting cost, but it doesn't >> just want we're not judging We're, you know, should you put it here, here, how to do that? We are asking for you all to look at it >> and look deeper, but we're
017not, you know, it would when I'm not skilled enough in any of this stuff to evaluate should I put someone in special ed or, you know, resource somewhere else and or what's the number of students that a teacher could support or a staffing needs. It's not our we don't I don't believe that's any of our places. By putting that number up there, it's frankly suggests that you do. >> Well, what I'm stating it's facts. Your enrollment has dropped by four and a uh by 24% and your staffing level has moved down by 4 and a.5%. >> You can explain why. It's not incumbent on me to do that. What I'm looking at and seeing is and what we're seeing is we went from 288 students 13 years ago and we have dropped a total of
01811 staff since that point and we're at 1500 students. So I guess maybe a different way of saying it, maybe more direct, right? Is is the theory for you guys that if the enrollment is going to drop by 24% then the then the um employees should drop by 24%. >> I don't think 24. No, I'll speak for myself when after I'm done people will speak for themselves. I'll speak I don't think 24. No, but certainly more than four. You've you've gone down by 500 students and you've dropped 11 staff. >> Yeah. >> Everybody else I mean there any >> I I think we're going to if we finish well we could do it any order you want however once we finish this everyone else I think last year would they each person then spoke for
019a minute. >> That's okay with me. >> That's okay with you all. >> Um moving on. uh just the uh there a couple other just highlights. This is just the this slide is from last year. It was here last year as well. It just shows numbers and adjusted for the actuals or the actual budget not actuals for the budget numbers for 2026. And this is where we get to the number of students in the past 10 years which is 471 and the overall students which from their high point in 2012 was 288. Um and your staffing at that point at all of those points was 255 and right around 256 255 and this year by budget it's down to 243. So 12 people 11 and a half. Um the other item is we all know
020out of district placement it's a challenge and that's an incredible expense impact to us um in in Topsfield exclusively because there was a expectation last year or a belief by the elementary administration and school committee that a curriculum change was going to have a direct impact and benefit to the element to the reducing out of district placements throughout and special ed placements, not just out of district. Um, the town included a $200,000 override to fund that curriculum um above what their budget ask was. We funded that because we felt that there was an opportunity and a belief that that might reduce it. I think that's a message what we're trying to get across is spending money now to save in the future if it's if you can convince people is not a bad thing at
021all. Um and in that case my hope is is it would help it have a benefit here in the longer run. Um but in 2012 you had 32 students out of district. That was 1.53% of the population. this year based on budget again this is budget based on where we were we don't have the actual numbers 69 or 4.6% 6% are out of district. Almost 5% of the population for uh in essence, sorry, respectfully, this is going to be a little inflammatory. The school has chosen to say we can't service you. >> No, >> I mean it's uncomfortable. >> Absolutely. Because you you have a choice. You have a choice to say no, we can provide services. You have a choice. >> Let's just stop that, right? No, we don't. We've had this conversation. Sorry,
022Matt. that. But I'm furious at that statement. >> That inflames me and that is not the truth. >> You should explain why. >> I was actually just looking at the presentation from last year's budget because I I had a feeling something was going to come up but and I will pull it up because here I go. There were um just getting to it. Hold on one second. >> And I don't know if you have it in front of you, Mike. 41 >> 41 students >> never set foot in masc >> but there's a choice along the way with that that >> there's no choice >> there is there's not >> there's not >> decision I think offense this whole presentation this is very accudatory >> we don't get it >> and I haven't even seen
023this yet just coming ranting off random numbers it's not helpful >> these are the same numbers that were here last year and these are the numbers that we presented each year I >> think we disagreed with them last year we did that's no >> so having the out of district placement. At the end of the day, the school has the choice to say, "No, we're going to fight this." I'm not advocating that you should, but the act of choosing not to fight any of these means that you are saying and accepting that you are not going to be providing that service. >> Yeah, I you are accepting it. That's I guess guys. >> Yes. >> To me for guidance, right? Great. It's a great point of order. It's okay. I I appreciate the passion behind
024this. I really do. It's just point of order. Adrian, >> so I think the challenge we're having right now is that and I'll try and speak as loud as I can because I know I have a soft voice. Um, it it feels a little bit like you guys are presenting our data to us. We haven't even seen data from our administration at this point on our budget, on our actuals, on any of it. And so putting this out here prematurely feels a little wrong because you're setting a tone based on a false premise. And you just said before this that you're not an expert on this. Certainly, we all do our best to be as knowledgeable and informed as we can, but every single one of us had to understand how out of district placements
025work. And we came in with our own ignorance and biases that we had to repair as members of this committee to represent our communities. The things that you're saying out loud right now represent that same ignorance and bias that we all maybe came to the table with that hasn't quite been resolved. There are not a lot of choices with out of district placements. There are parents that can advocate for their child and the district has to honor the decisions that are made. We can't decide to invest $3 million in legal fees to keep as many kids in district as we can or you guys would be on our case about that too. So, I don't think it's about choice. I think it's about understanding the children and making the best decisions for them. And there
026are a lot of parties who are inputs to that. And I think that this approach is very reductive and it does no one a service, especially the children who have these needs in our community and deserve the education that should be afforded to them. So I understand why everybody's inflamed. I understand why you guys might feel defensive about this because you have an enormous responsibility as well. But I would caution everyone to just let the numbers be what they are and not point to any particular solution, especially if you're not sitting at this table every two weeks like we are because it's incredibly complex. So, I've been sitting here trying to um decide whether to interrupt you like every other statement to tell you what the numbers really are or to wait until the end
027to try to give you what the numbers really are. what what do you prefer? Um because I don't want to be confrontational about this. I want this to be cooperative, right? So, you've done your analysis and you're coming in with these numbers and I'm not saying it's a bad analysis or anything like that. You're working with the data that you have. I have some data that you don't have. Um so, I guess what all I'm asking is I think the situation's not nearly as bad as you're coloring it to be, I'll say. But you wouldn't know that. So I don't I'm not finding fault with what you're saying here. Right. You're now you're analyzing what you have. Um all I want to say is should I wait until the end or would you like me
028to chime in immediately and give you some of the numbers as to what they what they really are, what they look like. >> Yeah. >> Michael White, Boxford Finance Committee. Um I agree. I don't think you should get hung up on numbers right now. >> Yeah. I would take issue I think the reason why we're here on November 5th, 6th really November um is because in the past at least in my experience this process has sort of been rushed and for the past five or six years if not more I've been hearing this is unsustainable, this is unsustainable, this is unsustainable and I go well it's funny we've been sustaining it for five or six years so obviously Every year we say it's unsustainable. We have sustained it. But I'm here now because after hearing
029that five, six, seven, eight years, I'm at the point where I'm saying to myself, this is unsustainable. And I will correct your numbers. Um, enrollment is not down 24%. It's down almost 30%. It's like 28.4%. And if you go back a few more years, it was like 30%. Almost 600 students. it would fill the auditorium here. And I think it was a really great question about shoot if if enrollment goes down 20%, do you think students could go down 20%. Anybody knows that's no one wants that. No one ever suggests that in business and anything else like that. It can't happen. But I think why we're all here on this beautiful Wednesday is that this is really serious and and I think the boards, the select board, the finance committee, town administrators are scared silly
030about what's going to happen at Masco. And there's I I do not envy you the decisions that you have to make, but I think I think we're here to say please try to make tougher decisions uh that will help the budget than you have in the past. That's that's I think what we're saying because we're here. I mean, prior to that, you know, we'd show up in January, February, you know what? Here's the budget. Oh, yada yada. We don't like it. But here we are in November. We're here because I think we're a lot more serious and I think all of us have had feedback from a lot of people like when is this going to stop and talking about stopping I will stop talking now. So I I appreciate that Mike and and you
031know like my colleagues I don't know if I agree with the numbers or with the sentiment that we can control this or have a say in it but what I what that does evoke in me is that we have a challenge without a district and I can tell you that we're committed to serving the students in the tri town whether it's here at Masco hopefully or if it has to be somewhere But it is in my mind a frustration, right? It's a challenge. It's a number that we wish wasn't so high. We have had some discussions over why it's high and how can we help that number and serve more of the students. And so I don't want it to be lost that we're having that we've had some of those discussions. I I don't
032agree that we can con that we can say no to them or we can choose where they go. But what we can do is we can continue to have discussions as a school committee on how we can in a more broad way support a larger group of the you know larger set of needs across the tri town. So but it's not lost on me the the frustration that and the and the challenge that it presents. So Costa, >> you know, my message and I think Middleton's message is that the FY27 budget is going to be more challenging than the FY9 in the midst of the 2008 recession. Back at that time, you know, Middleton had unused levy capacity. It had substantial new growth going into FY27. We have no unused levy capacity and our growth
033is about 250,000 which is about a third of what is we usually have. So anything that increases our assessment by more than 2.5% cannot be funded in the omnibus budget. it will have to go on an overhaul. That is the message we've also shared with the Middleton Elementary School and their administration will present to the Middleton school committee a budget with a 2.5% increase and will describe what the program would look like. the if the school committee want is finds that unacceptable it will to add anything it will either have to have find the funding or know that it's going on an overall one of the frustrations with school budgets prior to this year both at the elementary and at Masco is it starts with adding up the expenses and then sending the taxpayers a
034bill instead of starting with what's our income and how can we fit our expenses into that income. That's what each and every one of you do does for your household. You start with what your household income is and you fit your expenses into that. Do not add up your expenses and go to your boss and say I need an 8% raise. You just thinking about my own budget process at home sent me off in a different direction. But um I appreciate why everybody's in this room tonight and you all added another meeting to your e evening schedule. And so I think where we're getting our feathers ruffled is it was feeling instead of the spirit in which I know you all came here of collaboration and crisis management, it felt accusatory. >> And so I
035appreciate Mike's level setting. Can I finish? Sorry. First time anybody's ever said that. >> Oh, I appreciate you all the time. So, um I think what you're asking also and raising the issue is we are in a situation of crisis management. We see this happening in districts all over the state, all over the country. We see our neighboring districts having to resort to horrific measures that are impacting children. Right? I don't need to give examples. We've all read about them. We don't want that to happen here. There are things that are out of our control and there are things that um you know we're advocating for at the state level at you know the legislature. We're trying to find other solutions. We're trying to do a little bit of what you were saying is like
036okay we're not just adding up our expenses and asking for a raise but we are find other funding sources. I think what we need to try to do is dig deep and be more creative than we've ever been. And this collaboration is the spirit of that. We need to and some solutions are tossed out now and then, but we're all busy and we do start the process too late every year and it's a little harder to do that. So, for example, like you mentioned, the investment in a curriculum that could potentially stem the tide of some of the outofd placements or other resources. Maybe we need to be digging a little deeper and finding more creative solutions to service the children in district and not just say we can't service the children here. Maybe we
037need to also think about marketing so that some of the other uh outofd placements that occur and that are presented to us parents feel more confident and comfortable in what the services are at. I am a parent who has had a child who needed a lot of services here and a lot of people recommended I send my daughter elsewhere and she was well serviced by this community. Not a lot of people have that faith or know that. I think we have a terrible marketing job here. We don't have great communications. We we know we need to improve. I think there are a lot of investments we could make that would pay that might be a little bit difficult for the budget now but would pay long-term dividends. I also felt that way about the start
038time. I think if we had invested the money in shifting the start time years ago, we'd see a lot better mental health in the 7th through 12th grade. But nobody had the appetite for that, particularly the golf team that was worried about not being able to get in 18 holes with a later start tank. But I won't go off on that tangent right now. But start time and investing in different busing system. I did a calculation what 10 years ago on that and we would be having a significantly reduced number of outofd district placements because a lot of them are mental health related and we would have a different mental health >> um situation here at Masco had we made that investment. So I think that's what we need to do is invest the time
039in more creative solutions in understanding each other's numbers and trying to stem the tide of crisis that is upon us. So, I appreciate the collaboration, but we I feel like we almost need like a half-day retreat together with educators who can also present solutions because we are armchair educators in this room. We're not the teachers who are on ground with the students. We're not seeing all of the situ there's a lot of confidential situations too that we can't solve for at this table. So, is there a solution that can be more collaborative, more hands-on, more operational than pointing fingers at we're not cutting enough, we're not I mean, we don't even have a financial system here at Masco the elementary school invest in one. We don't have one here. So, getting the actual numbers is
040like pulling teeth. like we need to in and we're afraid to ask for the investment in a financial system and for what the implementation of a new finance system at the mass economic level would entail that would be a great start to invest to save money in the longer term is going to we need an investment in time and resources now >> so how you spend how Mascow spends the money is not really my concern it's the amount of on you because we can only give you 2 1.5% more than we gave you last year. How that spent when I was sitting on the school committee, I cared about that. As a select board member, it's really your decision, you know, how to best spend it. And you know whether it's cutting this staff or
041adding here while cutting there, however it is, I'm just telling you that anything Middleton has to pay over two and a half cannot be fit into the omnibus budget. And you know you both of you you know raised that new curriculum that points out another part you know challenge for Middleton since Middleton did not adopt uh the MBTA 3A zoning. Oxford and Toppsfield received a 50% reimbursement through a Prism grant of those uh that curriculum. Middleton did not precisely because it did not. We have lost other grants because of that. So we are in that. >> So even more challenge you like undo that. I mean >> trying to not go trying to go forward you can but not look back can't go back. >> That's so Masco shouldn't be punished because of of >>
042it's still two two and a half. I think this, you know, these impacts go toward our more of our capital budget than our operating budget. So 2 1/2% is 2 1/2%. That's what we can raise more from our taxpayers without their consent. Mhm. >> Just can I just put just a sec just everybody's talking about two and a half%. Just to put a number on that. If the the towns pay about $36 million, 2 and a.5% is a $900,000 increase. So, I think you should guys could keep that number in your head. And uh that's that's all I'm saying. $900,000 is 2 and a half%. If I Now the struggle you guys have though is 710,000 of that is END money that was spent this past year if you look at your straight operating budget.
043So you're working at a place where 700,000 of your 900,000 if you let a level budget you have that hole. >> So you're right about that and a lot of that has to do with the out of district placements and the delay in the reimbursement timing. I think um I just wanted to correct a couple things just because I think we're actually quite a bit off on some of these numbers and just so we're speaking from same baseline. So the student population for >> 2025 sorry actually went up relative to last year and that shows it going down. >> That's a type of No, that's so these are fiscal year. Okay. Yeah. >> So this year it went up by three to 15 >> 03. >> Went up by five >> to 1503 >> and
044it was 1498 last year but showing a bigger number. >> No, it's not. >> I don't think so. >> Not seeing October 24th says 15. >> No 1558. >> Yeah, it's Jay. You transposed something here because it's you know what this is? These are the the FY budgets. >> 1712 shouldn't be there twice. Yeah. So, for what it's worth though, I mean, the enrollment enrollment has stopped declining. It's going back up. And as far as out of displacements are concerned, they've stopped increasing and they're going back down. So, it was 67 last year. This year, it's down to 61. And if you look at the numbers, >> year by year by year, what we're looking at is a COVID bubble working its way through the system. And you can see it in each year. And
045you know there's no guarantees looking forward on anything of course because we could hit get hit with 10 out of district placements >> because somebody moves in the town and they have 20 kids for some reason. Who knows, right? >> But um if you look at historically the the 12th graders that are out of district and the um age out crowd that's beyond 12th grade, about twothirds of those kids come back the next year. So if you add up, you know, the 12th grade and the and the overage the next year, twothirds of that is the out of is the aged out crowd essentially. And if you look at the way their numbers are going, if the trends continue, in my opinion, we're going to be going down by about five a year and we
046should be settling back at where we were historically given the size of the population we have now, which is about 45 students. It really looks like that when you look at seventh grade, eighth grade, and what the numbers have been like. And in talking to the elementary um uh special ed uh instruct or or uh coordinator, whatever his position is, sorry. Um so I think that's all great, but the problem is we have this bubble, right? And we have to pay for it every year no matter what. And that's what you're seeing in in a lot of the numbers over these last few years is budgeting. >> And that was >> not that we we you know we we love spending more money. It's kind of >> and that's what the over a lot of
047the override last year was. A significant part was attributed to out of district placement. So in if what you're saying is true that means that that's going to be a pressure relief valve this coming years. Great. >> Could be. It could be. Right. >> Problem is the cost of tuition are going up. So even with fewer students, you don't know if there's really going to be a big savings or not. And right so there's challenges there. >> Part of that was the permission the state gave two years ago for in a massive increase. That's pain that we hit last year. Um and hopefully that's been attenuated but we'll again we'll see I think and so on the out of district I understand and we can the trending is something I have no knowledge on nor
048do any of us. On the staffing, I'm curious because you are there concerns on the numbers we have on the staffing. >> On the staffing side, if you look over the last 10 years, um I I didn't go back uh to being of time like or or to when Mike was a baby. Um but uh let me let me tell you what the numbers were. >> So the previous slide has what we had up. So this is comparing FY16 to FY25. I haven't updated it for this year, but from 16 to 25, we went from 1972 students down to 1544. That's a 21.7% decrease in students. >> And in that time, we reduced teachers by 17%. >> So we're not doing teachers, we're doing staff because things >> but you had just asked, you know,
049you said you understood that there be 100%, right? And and our point was what we're talking about here is controlling staffing levels to the right level and the things we control are the teacher staffing level because all of the special service stuff for the most part is required by law. There's there's not much we can do about it. Um and I you know we we need to work within the confines of what we're faced with to try and come up with with a number that everyone agrees can can live with I guess is really the right right way to put it. But I just want to make sure you understand that this is not about staffing growing out of control because we're hiring a bunch of teachers we don't need. You know, we have all
050these people that really we really shouldn't be here. I mean, that's not what the numbers are really saying. It's saying that we've got these extra services mandated by law that are driving the numbers and we're not being reimbursed for them by the state the way that we really need to be. and and to me that's where the long-term solution is on this stuff. Not from the towns. It's got to come from elsewhere, but we don't have it yet. >> One quick question on that just to there was a reclass you guys did somewhere in that cycle where there was a significant number was 10 or 15 or 20 uh support people went from being general support to being special ed in one year in your counts. Um let's see if I can find it. the
05117 >> was it >> 17 18? >> Yeah, sometime in there. Is are is that considered was that a recclass part of your numbers? It's just the one thing I want. >> It's a it's a data blip that we don't we have no records for because I think I inquired about it last year. >> Are we going to do we get a point and fight over this? Are we going >> I think you're that's you're fair. That's >> Yes. Thank you. Um I mean I think the you know this is this is unfortunately reminiscent of the discussions that we had last year and quite honestly that was a failure. So I don't want to repeat that. Um and and how those deci th those discussions went. What was that um we shared with you our
052staffing data which had educator, special ed, you know, every other you know category and no matter how many times we presented it and whatever additional you know backup we provided you know from my perspective you continue to do what you're doing today. And with all respect to Chay, I respect you beyond, you know, >> we want to get to balance, >> but I but I just felt that that it just fell on deaf ears and you kept putting it all together inappropriately. Um, and and you know, because if we don't have the special ed staff to treat the these kids in in in in district, guess what? We're going to be doing some more expensive out of district placements. And guess what? That's going to be a hell of a lot more expensive than what
053we're doing now. So, so you know the fact that our population requires a certain amount of you know in district support um and arguably you know we should have more but to bundle all that together and make that the yeah the key point of the discussion of our budget that you know population has gone down total staffing has gone down what's the problem? That's just not helpful. It's just not helpful. >> So, I've sat on both sides of this table and I've seen and heard the frustration from both sides about the other side. So, I completely understand what's going on here. I think we're getting too much into the weeds on the numbers because we can argue numbers forever. We can argue numbers over does this one count or this one not count when we
054talk comparing it to staff and all that. The bigger issue is what discussions and decisions are being made. They're going to make substantial change in the way we think. And we've had these discussions at the Masco table for years. And there's been a lot of frustration on the Masco school committees that we talk about this and nothing ever happens. And I think this is a year that something needs to happen. I was very optimistic last year, not at this meeting, but at the meetings that followed where there's some really good discussions by you guys of things that could change and then almost nothing happened. I'm not going to say nothing happened, but almost nothing happened. And I think we need to get to the point and we're willing to work with you on try to
055make some of those things happen. If if you come back and say we want to make this major change to save some money, maybe staffing, maybe it's not whatever it's in, but you can make those changes. You'll have our support to fight, you know. So, and I'll be honest with you, I was part of the whole um school change of school time thing and I don't think we fought that enough to get it through and I think we learned a big lesson whatever that was 10 years ago. You know, I think you we all of us would be on your side to help you fight to what you need to get. And I I'll be brutally honest and this may hurt me in the long run. I was sitting on this side with all those
056parents and teachers last year when we were talking about music and performing arts. So, I was in the middle of them. I wasn't detective like you guys were. I heard a lot of stuff going on there, but I was willing to fight those people that that that side of the argument to get something done that was going to be better for the for the long run. I think we need to stand up and fight for some big things. And I think you'll get more of us on your side if we see that you're actually doing that. >> I don't know these guys agree, but that's how I feel. Mike wants to go to Melissa and Adrian. Um >> he's a really smart smart guy so I I agree with everything he said. I also want
057to and it's not nearly as important what Dan just said is in a and I'm from a business background yada yada you know we we all know this fixed and variable that's why you can't reduce staff and all that but I look and in my mind I keep on thinking there's from I think 2008 there's like 600 less students walking around in these holes that's 1,200 less legs,200 less shoes getting things dirty 600 less potential people going to the cafeteria, 600 less this, 600 less that. And I I don't see 600 less people going to guidance that I see all this a huge, you know, almost 30% reduction in that activity. Yet this how we deal with that and the expense that deal with that haven't changed. And I understand everybody has their own little
058kingdom and victim or whatever you want to call, but I think this where Chris and every everybody here is pretty bright. And if they look at it, you look at it with fresh eyes saying like, well, you know, the cafeteria used to serve a thousand people. Now it's serving 700. What does that mean? What is that? I mean, I don't know. Maybe you you need whatever the same staffing, but I don't know if it's been looked at. I don't I just don't know. But I I never hear anything about it. So I probably wrongly assume it's not looked at. But I don't think it's looked at that closely or more recently. And that's again, as I said, this is very minor from what Dan said, but I I think it's part of what Chris and
059other folks have said about taking a fresh set of eyes and looking at that. That's all. >> So >> yeah. So, I something that Dan said um sort of struck a thing and I I think we all have to take a step back. I appreciate that you recognize that we did a lot of work last last spring. Um and ultimately it was our decision to determine what budget will best serve our students and we made that we made that after two months of budget work. Um, and we ultimately felt that what our budget was would serve massive students and our communities the best. Recognizing also because I know that I always get mad at Bill for for taking sort of more of a conservatively financial approach sometimes, but that's okay. Like I'm recognizing that that
060he recognizes the population in our town who don't have children here and >> um, >> and we need to be mindful of them. So, I appreciate that perspective, but we did the work and ultimately as a school committee, you guys are looking at raw numbers. We're looking at the fact that since 2008, education has changed immensely. Our students have different needs. Our our the services that we're required to provide are different. So taking those numbers like isolated and silos for our purposes, we've done the analysis and we're saying towns, we believe this is going to serve our students the best and we we recognize the numbers and we know that we all have hard jobs and we're all doing this not because we're getting rich out of sitting at these tables because none of us
061certainly are. And but I just want to be mindful that we have to also recognize that we're not going against you and we're not it's not like we're not thinking or trying to think outside the box. We are just trying to do what's best for our students and our school and our and ultimately when our schools succeed our communities succeed and we can bring in more tax revenue. So >> Adrian Chris. >> Okay. So, in the spirit of collaboration, bringing forward creative solutions, how many of you were here on the night of October 23rd for the chapter 70 listening session? >> I >> thank you for anybody that went, listened, provided testimony. If you guys haven't had an opportunity to listen to some of those or participate, please do because as the towns, the reason
062you feel such a burden is because public education is underfunded and they've made promises and have not fulfilled them for year over year over year. So, we're chronically underfunded despite what's promised legislatively. And if you can't participate in any of the remaining ones, there is a virtual public comment on November 18th, and I'm happy to send the link to all of you so that you can either submit testimony or at least listen to the other districts and what their their towns and and their school districts are are dealing with, too, because I think it's incredibly informative and helpful as member towns for you guys to be aware of all the challenges, right? We have challenges at Masco. We're doing all right though compared to a lot of other districts >> to to answer to respond
063to that. >> Yeah. >> My suggestion to the fincom that this group when we're putting together these guidelines is that the two and a half% number increase is not on your total budget. >> It's on your community contribution because that's us. If you can do things outside of the community contribution that's outside of the two and a half percent. So if chapter 70 goes up >> you get all of that. It's not like you only get, you know, it reduces our contribution. We're trying I I suggest this and I think they all agreed support it that we only want to look at that one line >> and not the big number and there's a difference there. We we've always I think historically always looking at the big the big number. We're saying no only the
064community contribution line. >> So there's other things you can do. When I sat on that side, we always said, well, let's increase user fees, which will lower community contribution costs and that puts the burden on only some parents, not all parents. Now, we're saying two and a half% is 200% community contribution. If you want to increase user fees, you get all that money. >> Doesn't change our number. I to me that was a fair thing and I and we all agreed. >> Adding to >> and I just think that helps you and answers some of those questions. Adding to it, it also gets you out of the enrollment number confusion. That's our problem to solve. So the fact that numbers split from here to here to here, that's for us to solve that that by
065doing that if top seals numbers which are going to go up again this year just because of the fiveyear swing which actually has benefited us for the last couple of years. Um we're going to get another small bump instead of the massive bump we would have gotten three years ago. Uh but we're going to get another bump that's going to we're going to have to find a way to absorb that in above the two and a quarter. But that's our that's our problem to solve and we'll probably be like last year something that we have to put on an override that we explain explicitly >> is due to >> as due to the enrollment >> shift enrollment shift >> and that's something we can speak to. Um there is one ask I do have on
066the next page or this which is separate of the budgets which is timing the budgets. Um if I can get that it's a top one there. Mask and I the law says you have to give us the budget at no later than 45 days beforehand. The problem is we also have a law that says we have to mail the the warrant 30 days beforehand and we have to get it printed before that. So what it puts us at if you deliver on the 18th, we have one meeting to take your budget, elementary schools budget and the remaining budgets from the towns, put them all together in one meeting and in that same meeting write our letter and in that same meeting approve it. It's not enough. So, we're respectfully asking to just for a week,
067an extra week, if you can try to get us a budget on the 11th, please. Otherwise, we literally we get the you have your meeting on the 18th. Our meeting is on Monday the 20th. >> 20. >> Yeah. And you I mean, you've seen that you and there it's not only that it's fine. World's there till 1 in the morning. That's >> Sorry. That's not >> but it's a you're trying to make decisions six hours in on something that you've had finalized for a day or two, couple days. It's not a good decision- making process. So, it's a big ask. >> I just wanted to clarify when you you're asking for an increase amount, it's not per town. It is the overall assessment you're asking for. >> Yeah. >> Right. And is it 2.5 what
068you said like because I've heard 2.25 thrown out. >> So what >> right >> that's going to translate into more than 2.5 for tops of course. Yeah. >> Yeah. We recognize that traditionally we all three towns both tried to work at this together and realize we're in slightly different places, right? In terms of uh the tightness of the budgets and where we are and if something comes back to us, if our numbers we find in the coming months that our numbers are off, we have to pivot to that. Meaning if we find that our estimates are optimistic or conservative, we have to pivot to that and that will reflect it. But the goal is we're we're going to have to do an override for anything over two and a quarter. They're going to have to
069do an override for anything over two and a half of that number. >> Chris, did you want to jump in? >> I was just going to make a point because um looking at the numbers just so we're clear because I know you're saying uh The general education staff here has gone down over the past decade by 16.8%. Cracking close to the 17.8%. Where the overall numbers are not aligning with what you would expect is that we have added 13 special education staff to serve people who were staying in district. So, I just want to make that note while we're talking about all the numbers. I think that alleviates a little bit of the mystery. Um, but I do want to just reiterate my uh desire to find additional time that isn't a late night where
070we could all come together and think about creative ways to find uh new new opportunities for saving money or making investments that will have a longer term uh savings implications for us. Thanks, Jeff. >> Just a couple of small points. You >> suggest you do what kind of things would you like? Why don't you just decide something tonight? >> I'm sorry to say something like that, but why don't do it tonight? >> I don't think there's anything on the table tonight. Actually, >> no. Any other business? >> And I'm just saying just I mean every everybody here >> AI reduce an administrative position, right? Are we using AI for forecasting, analysis, you know, predictive energy management, doing enrollment numbers, like you know, are there ways that we could use AI for note takingaking in meetings
071and like >> I mean personally this sort of brainstorming conversation just isn't a productive use of >> for tonight, right? >> Well, setting up a setting up a time and stuff not to now, but setting up some sort of just I understand corrupt and I apologize. I'm I know my kids tell me I don't explain myself very well. Don't listen to example and what I meant was why don't you at this meeting decide what you were going to do to set up some sort of structure to talk about this. I mean I think that would be great. I mean I I mean I I don't want to be part of it because you guys know what I think would be wonderful and and I know that I don't know but I'm guessing everybody in this
072room or everybody in school committee has certain ideas that are probably really a little bit out of the box or whatever and make a bigger box or smaller box to think out of the box whatever that analogy would be. But uh I think it's it's something that I've heard in the last I think I've been going to meetings off and on for five or 10 years and I've heard about this but I've yet to hear about going off you know off in a corner for a couple weeks in a row for a day whatever just to get something done and I at least when I've done it in my business life some really great things have happened and uh so if you could schedule something like that it might be really a good thing. It
073might not, but it might. >> Mike's got some more work to do. >> Give us more homework. >> So, I mean, why don't we think I'm going to give the mic to Jeff for a second here, but why don't we think about what that could look like and see if we can come to a closure on it in the next, you know, 10, 15 minutes. Doesn't have to be perfect, right? We can we can adjust it, but let's see if we can leave it with it. >> I'm just following the same point. You know, I think Dan made a great point. you know, structurally there, you know, I think we I've been pushing this since I started five or 10 year vision of what the school would look like. I mean, the challenge we have
074is that the budget is year to year and getting the time to do that. But just to level set whatever we do for that, you know, if we decide we want to change the structure of the school tomorrow, that's not going to have any effect on the budget for this year. You know, the budget isn't going to be the budget. Correct. >> Right. I think but if there's if if changes are made that show that's going to result in something down the road I think that's definitely something >> instead of only looking at what we can do in the short term because we'll never get to those big long-term savings. That's one of my frustrations. But just people in the room to hear that you know we could change the whole structure tomorrow and the
075budget for this year is not going to be impacted. This is all long-term strategy which it's probably due, right? And outside of laying people out, that's basically the the lever we have. You know, as you all know, you know, some of your issues or your challenge is that the majority of our budget is contracted in place and infrastructure. So that's why I get a little frustrated when I hear this. We're almost going down, but the staff is the same. We did an analysis last year of student toteer ratios and they haven't moved all that much. >> The building does not change size by the number of people over here. So Mike, to your point, like the cafeteria and the 600 people less, you still need the same amount of cooks and same amount of cleaners.
076There's a minimum staff that has to stay regardless of student population. And that's always going to be there. And we're also contracted into electric increases, healthcare increases, the same as the towns are facing as well. And you know, as much as the budget is here, the amount of space we have to operate is really what 20 25% like you know, the overall budget. So, you know, a small impact has is leveraged. So, we're talking huge huge impacts to teachers and staff for any cut and that's where I find it frustrating. We get these kind of analyses that show you have all this money to play with and we really don't. We have >> we're not so I'll speak for I'm not saying you have money to play with. I'm saying there are hard decisions that
077to be frank the same conversation happened with someone different seven years ago with me. You're sitting here. >> That's it just the pro and that was when we were going from 2,000 down to 1,800 and so respectfully it's hard decisions one way or the other and you've chosen to make them in a certain way. The problem is I mean the last thing I'm going to say and leave it is that Top Seal the last override last year passed by 42 votes. It's tight. And that's that's kind of the town saying we're here, >> you know? I mean, think about 42 people. That's that's a that puts you imagine if that happened and now you have a budget that it doesn't get through and what you all have to do at that point. So, we need
078to work together on that aspect and try and >> just my last point, this is not a Masco issue. This is a national education funding issue. You know, chapter 70 is is broken. We're not getting same from the states. inflation is out of control and you know this cost of actually maintaining teaching students is going is going up in general. So you know your pain points are the same pain pain points we have >> you know like Melissa said you know I'm not willing to sacrifice student quality um just to you know to avoid an override. >> Okay. >> So so when we think about it we also have to think about the fixed income people that actually are the ones that are funding this school. Think about why your property dollars happen when a
079school collapses. >> Oh, um the funding the the the resource that funds the school is the person whose family my daughter's been out of the school for four years. We went to Toppsfield and for for seven years from fifth grade to 12th grade she did. I still owe money and I my taxes are a little higher. I still owe money to the schools for my one child half of the school year submit thing because you know it's not till someone moves there till their kids are first kid is 12 years out is eight years out of school before the average taxes are covering have paid off what the cost of the school was. So the parent so this is a cycle that if the parents don't stay Yeah. We'll get our enrollment back up because
080everyone that comes in is going to but everyone that comes in is going to cost more or we're going to be having $31,000 this year. It would be $31,000 average expenses. That's what the average C total or I'm sorry 24,000 because of the town's number of that would be the average taxes this year. >> There's a there's a couple folks who haven't had a chance to give them a mic. I'd like to give Bill Mike one more time at the end just to share his last thought and then I might summarize. So >> yeah and we have no idea. Is this the end of your presentation? >> The wondering whether we were third and wait. >> Oh no the >> end with the ask. >> Thank you. Just real quickly, the the um you know,
081I I remember quite clearly when when this our second override last year passed by just 41 votes. Obviously concerned about that. Um and and certainly view that as a you know warning that that you know there's some limit to this. But there's another way to look at it which is subsequently it was passed by the other two towns and what would have happened if the other two towns had passed it and Topsville hadn't. What would have been the implications to Topsville at that point? There would have been they would have either had to have a another town meeting or just go ahead and make some other substantial budget cuts. So um it's it's a cautionary tale that cuts both ways in my opinion. I just wanted to so when you talk about you if one
082passed by 42 votes that's only 21 people because if 21 of those 42 people vote the other way it wouldn't have passed. >> So it's not 42 people it's 21 people >> not 21 22 however you want to cut the number but it's it means it's a much smaller number than that so it's even scarier. I think what I'd hope we take away from this though is the three towns are coming as one and I think that there's because all three towns are hearing the same thing in their towns. It's not because Topsfield oh they can't everyone else here because Topsfield's complaining. All three towns are feeling the same >> pressure, stress, and impatience or or resistance to continued overs and t I'm sorry, not even continue, continued tax increases that we had. Our taxes
083went up at 10 almost 10% this year. Yeah, >> I was just going to just make one final um comment on to what Chris had said about having a communications problem and sort of a crisis management situation that we've been in the last couple years as me. I'm a special ed parent. I have two boys that are on the spectrum. And with the out of district placement numbers for me, I know one of my goals is to get communication into the elementary schools sooner because as a special ed parent, the reason you may go out of district is because maybe you don't have confidence for whatever reason it may be in the school or in the town for for whatever reason. So if we have a communication problem, we need to and I want that
084to be one of my goals and one of our goals is to get our special ed department communicating into the elementary schools sooner and earlier so that families feel good about what we have here because we do have great things here. I mean, I have a son on the spectrum who is doing the afternoon Excels program. I never even thought he could do that. He's playing old school video games like Atari and Super Mario Kart and things like that. I never thought he would be able to do that or that Masco had that until like 3 weeks ago. I had no idea that Masco offered that. So, we do have a communication problem. So, I I know that we are working on it and that is one of the goals that I know we've had.
085We've talked with Brad Denton to do that and to help that number if we can. It's just one tiny piece of a giant puzzle. But I know that is a goal that we're trying to do is to get confidence back in the elementary school families so that they will stay here and maybe that number hopefully that number will go down for the right reasons. So I just I don't know if that helps but that is something that we are working on and that we we know we have to keep pushing for. So >> uh it was me. >> I got Trevor. Chuck is it? I'm sorry. And Lisa. So if it's okay, Lisa and then Chuck, is that okay? >> Thank you, Matt. Can you guys hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um, and thank
086you all for coming. Sorry I can't be there. I had sinus surgery uh today, so nobody wants to see my face, but thank you for all being there. Um, one point that I think it's important we addressed early on, um, and was a big point of confusion for us last year, having learned only in the second week of March, that the towns were no longer funding us based off the previous year's member town assessment and rather the total budget itself. That the two and a half we were given was off the total budget and not the town's assessment from the previous year. So Middleton last year it was any dollar we spent over the previous year was placed on an override. Is that the case again this year? It wasn't sounding like that based off
087what Costa was saying but not in the room. So Jess, can someone make that clear? the uh last year we're talking about a a budget increase and because of the way the parts some of the budget is based on the five-year enrollment average some is split by the net school spending uh ch and because that those two formulas worked so much to the benefit of Middleton. A 2 and a half budget increase resulted in would have resulted in virtually no assessment increase to Middleton. You know what we are saying now is two and a half on the community assessment. So we don't know how those two parts of the formula will work either to the benefit or to the harm of each town. I think they will come uh each town will be much closer
088to if the assessment increases 2 and a half I think each town will be close to that 2 and a half. Topppsfield will once again be a little higher, >> but you know if the overall community assessment increases by 2 and a half% and the two formulas result in Middleton's assessment increase going up 2.6%. We will do everything we can to fit that 0.1% in the budget because it doesn't make a lot of sense to have an override for such a small number. But if we can't fit it, that's a different story. And if it goes up more than 2 and a half% the overall community assessment you know will put the you know the size of the override will be accordingly larger. >> Can I can I say I I appreciate what you said.
089I'm not sure if I from what I can understand if if in fact the towns pay about 80% of the budget say $36 million or whatever. Okay. Rounding if it's a 2 and a.5% increase on the towns and the other $9 million does not increase. That means that on a $45 million budget it's only we're asking you to stay have only a 2% increase. 2.1 >> in your budget if the other numbers don't and that's a that's going to be incredibly difficult for you guys especially since and I I can understand why you did it but taking all that money out of END taking a nonreur financially it's not a was not a a long-term great move but I can it was very expeditious and all that but uh if in fact there's no increase
090and who god knows what's going to happen in chapter 70 and I was at that meeting and I I didn't see anything much useful coming out of it for me just words and uh I think that's when I look at 2% increase I I do not envy your position about looking into that um unless there's some sort of miraculous increase in funding on the other $9 million. I think I think that was his question but I'm not sure that I >> I think The way I look at it is I I try to make it easy by saying just look at that two and a half that community contribution line. That's what you got to work with. You can play with the other numbers to make that come out right. But then after that there's
091two different things that happen on the town side. One is how the uh not what's not the word allocation the contribution by the town spreadsheet comes out with you know so there's a bunch of variables that change things and then come up with three town numbers >> and then the towns have to take that number and put it into their budget process that has you know state money coming in and new growth and all these other things that they can do to see where they can fund everything. So just like you need to look at how you can fund everything through community contribution or other sources, the towns have to do the same thing. And then we have to figure out individually if there's overrides anywhere, town government, elementary or mass. So there's a lot
092of other variables that happen. One of the reasons would like the information all earlier. Yeah. Because it just there's a lot of pieces that have to happen there. >> But if you guys can concentrate on that community contribution line, that's all you need to worry about. won't worry about the rest. Does that make sense? >> Talking about the town assessments, not >> town assessments. >> Because when I hear community contribution, I'm thinking about chapter 70 and the way that all >> No, community assessment. To be clear, it's not the individual town's community assessments. It's the sum of the three. >> It's the sum of those three. It's that one line, >> second last line on the budget line. >> Yes. At the bottom. Yeah. Right. Lisa, please. Thank for your patience. Hopefully. >> Well, now
093I feel like we're taking a step back because my question my um point of uh order was a relevant a while ago. Um but I just wanted to say and might correct me if I'm wrong, but you kind of shook your head was when you were looking at the people that the school employs and who we could be getting rid of. Uh Dan, what you were talking about um the people that run the lunchroom, right? We're not but you right, but correct me if I'm wrong because you kind of shook your head. We don't actually employ >> Yeah, we outsource all that. >> Well, that those are >> not our I I understand Mike's example, but that's why that's why I didn't pipe up, but we don't we don't employ cafeteria workers. >> It's a
094contract contract. So I and I >> could have small contract if if there was appropriate >> but just you know if if the volume decreased substantially. >> Yeah. It's it actually when the lunches went free we more than doubled the amount of lunches we serve per day because the state the states paying for the school lunches. So, we went from a pretty small use to, as I said, was two plus times the amount of lunches served every day. >> The other thing I want to say is, and and Joe kept saying it last year, too, was we have a teachers in the next couple of years that are going to be retiring. So, there was a very there was money there. And what did you kept saying? The pain is short-lived. Like it's selfcorrect. >>
095Yeah. Again. Yes. So right now it's hurting but the people that could be end up losing their jobs or those teachers that we want to retain that we will need in the next 3 to five six seven years because those higher paid teachers are going to be retiring and leaving. So that bubble is that the salaries that cap is going to be coming down. So, we need to keep that in mind too that that's not going to be as painful hopefully again in the next five or so years. >> Yeah, the trends are working in our favor, but we can't take advantage of them for another four or five years probably and then this gets easier. But Michelle Mercy link slboard said that earlier, but just to get it back out there. I think some
096of the information that you're saying right now would just would be helpful to have. I mean, I think that's what the importance of this meeting is is so that you can share the information so that we have better information to make decisions. You have better information from our side to make decisions. And some of the information that you're saying now, I would love to see that. Just Yeah, I'd love to slice and dice. shared it last year during during the budget process, but I shouldn't finish. We have 16 17 people sitting at the table where >> I'm happy to send it to you. We did present it at uh town meetings last year talking about uh teacher salaries and where we were on on the pay scales and how many people were over here versus
097I've got all the information. I'll send it to you. And the out of district stuff is really really new. I mean, we got the the latest numbers. I think it was last week. Can't remember when I was away or here in town, but I think it was the end of the middle of last week or early last week when we got the newest numbers. And it's the first time we've seen it go down. And I've got six years worth of data going back where you can actually watch the numbers moving from grade to grade. And you can see the spike started because of COVID. The sixth grade class, the seventh grade class, the fifth grade class. all of a sudden it went up and then a couple of years later, boom, eighth grade, seventh grade,
098they've returned to where they were historically. So, I feel confident about that myself, but you know, there could be another pandemic around the corner. You can't you can't bank on it until it's here, right? >> Thank you. >> I'll send you what I have. >> Thank you. >> Okay, >> Chuck, please. >> Thank you. Um, when I came in, there was a slide on out of district placements. So, I know it was a topic you took up and I appreciate your comments about initiatives uh in that regard. One of the questions I've always had was you have sixth graders that are going out of district that you never see, you never interview each other and you have six schools of sixth graders that you find out are out of district that you then have to
099pay for. It seems to me that operationally there should be some way that your special ed department, special ed director or administration can reach out to those I guess three sixth grades um in the three towns and find out if those pupils and parents have an interest in interviewing here at MAS. The reason I bring that up is I am aware of a of parents who were going to send their sixth grader to not a district placement and decided to speak with the administration at Manchester High School. And after they did speak with the administration in Manchester High School, they realized very quickly that Manchester High School was a better fit for I I can't I I can't be sure it was a ninth grader or a seventh grader. Quite honestly, I don't know how
100that how that's high school structured or or not. But that student and parents decided that uh Manchester's program was going to be better than the out of district program at a tremendous savings to the district and that student graduated from that program. So it's if we're looking for sums of pockets of money, I think we have to look at operations and how we may be able to amend those operations to take advantage of something like that. Um I I don't know I don't know how you do it. I appreciate your comments on it. >> Yeah. No, I think that's worthwhile. Um, it it would be really nice if if all of the administrations of all the uh the cities and towns were able to get the state board of education to say before you can
101send your pupil out of district, you must interview with the local district and and maybe some of those out of district placements will remain. I don't know the laws, but I'm just throwing that out. I don't know if you can comment on that. >> There's there's a requirement for a team meeting every year. So there so that does happen. Um but once a student is in and out of district placement, the parent has to agree to move them back and generally that does not happen. >> I was thinking before they moved them in. Yeah, it's it's a lot of times like as I said that yeah, there is no requirement that there's a meeting that that takes place with the school before there's a unilateral placement is what we call it. Can >> I add
102a comment? >> There's there's been some discussion uh with members of uh Triontown Elementary School Committee about trying to have more cooperation on this topic. So, you know, we talked about having this off-site brainstorming session, and I'm sure that would be a topic that that would come up. >> My simplest, it doesn't seem really difficult to have someone from Masco talk with some from each of the elementary schools in really I mean, just call up and what do you have? send me, you know, >> we do >> like it seems incredibly easy, but then again, I think most things are incredibly easy and >> like we do we do that all year. >> Well, that process. >> Yeah, >> we're going back and forth without even high school knowing it, you know, it it were
103just there was nothing that could be done. But I, >> you know, so >> I'm sorry. I would say that there probably isn't the level of coordination from kindergarten through 12th grade right across all of the elementary schools with Masco here. I think Masco talks to like the fifth graders and the sixth graders. Sixth graders mostly, but I mean there might be fourth graders and third graders that are in need of specific services that we don't have. And if we can put them in place within the next that you know by the time they get to seventh grade they can stay in district but it might take longer than one year to put that in place and if you wait until they're in sixth grade it's too late right? So that kind of coordination is
104is the kind of stuff that I think people are talking about. So so uh there's only a couple other people haven't had a chance to share any thoughts. I don't know. And if you'd like to share anything or John, if you have any thoughts that come to mind before >> No, no, it's it's been said. >> Not at this point. >> Okay. All right. Uh I'm just going to share a couple thoughts before we wrap up this topic and you guys are welcome to stick around. We're going to go through the um through the enrollment report after this. But um first, thank you. Thank you guys for coming. Thank you for preparing material even if we disagreed on the material. Thank you. I know it takes time to do that and process the numbers and
105everything like that and synthesize uh you know your perspectives on it. Um, I will say even, you know, if we disagree on the numbers, we we see the trends too, right? We we know, right? We know our enrollment numbers have gone like this and they're starting to come back up, right? We may disagree on how we've handled educators or the staff in general, but you know, we we know what we've done. We know the challenges of the town too, the towns too, right? We know it hurts when we raise our hand and say, "Yay!" and support an override because we know what it means to our own taxes. We we feel the pain. We understand. Um we also know that to get to 2 and a half% it's going to take some drastic measures, right?
106And I I don't know if I can sit here and honestly tell you that we're going to get to 2 and a half%. But we've asked the DCI to look at a few drastic things, some more drastic than others. Um I don't think we're ready to discuss that quite yet. Um, but you know, trust us that we're of the same mindset. I will make the most uncomfortable comment of the night and say that Mike will not be here next year and we will have a replacement next year. And me personally, I'm aware that I don't know how many drastic measures I want to take with an incoming new superintendent. Right? I know for me, and I won't talk about my interview questions, but I am very curious to know how the next superintendent is going
107to archetype this building for academic success and financial efficiency, right? So, um we're doing that DCI is doing what they can do with the chips that they have right now. It's certainly a multi-year process, but it's not lost on us that we have a problem this year and we need to work our butts off to do the best that we can to for the taxpayers of the tri town. My last comment is I love where Chris went earlier. Thank you, Chris. Right. Um I know that we went sideways a little bit there. Um I don't think there was any ill intent or anything like that on either anybody at the table. Right. And so um Chris, I really appreciated what you said about collaboration. Um, I'm not going to drag this on. Mike, I really
108appreciated the the idea of trying to walk away walk away tonight. I would ask um you guys, the school committee and the select board and fin members if you'd like to send me um your ideas on how we may have a bit of an offsite on this topic. Um, and I would propose, you know, at our next meeting we close on this topic two weeks from now. It doesn't have to be a long discussion, but if you can send me your ideas between now and then, I'd appreciate it. Um otherwise thank you guys again I appreciate >> one question it's I should have asked it earlier all separate of operating budget you we got you got the the funding for the thing could you give someone give if today's not the day just give us
109a sense of what you think's coming this year for the building support and if you don't have it we understand it's a it's a last week I think >> so there's um a couple of um we refer to these things as type three projects. So smaller dollar item projects. Um one would be um improvement of the softball field and the track. We've got a problem with title n um compliance there and potentially ADA uh issues as well. Uh that's one. Second is um let's see other small project I can't think what it is but there's one other to look so so there's >> small one right >> then there's there's obviously the turf field but we don't think the turf field will be coming to to to a town meeting this year um because well
110we don't know I should say we don't know and the reason why I say that is because the Masco sports committee needs time to raise money once it get, you know, once the plans get approved. And so I don't think we can sit here and and say that they're going to have the chance to raise as much money as they can by January when we're we're trying to put our budget together. So my guess is that might still be another year out if it gets approved and everyone agrees to go forward with it. And then there's HVAC and uh the roof. And um I don't know if it's been really reported yet, but we're getting invited into the MSBA program. And step one of that is actually pretty low dollars. It's just um a designer
111and an OPM, which is something that we tried to get out of the towns two years ago, >> but just for a schematic, >> but this do a schematic study. So it's it's low dollars this this year to start we believe >> which will be reimbursed a certain percentage of that. >> I I know why I thought there were two projects because initially we were looking at uh improvements to the track and the softball field as separate things. It's kind of all just going to be one and the tennis courts >> and the tennis courts getting rolled in as well. >> But it's not going to be, you know, $10 million. It's going to be one maybe >> plus who knows we don't know >> we don't know it's not the 50 million 50 yeah
112it's not one or whatever then >> thank you >> at at some point yeah at a certain level maybe all three towns can fit their share into their you know times free cash or whatever but once it gets beyond a certain amount it can't be done that way because the capacity is not there. >> And that's, you know, the MSBA. I mean, that's that's that's a project they probably want to bond anyway and roll it all into, you know, roll the bands into one bond after, you know, when you're into construction and completed. >> The MSBA, just as a reminder, right, um, we did get invited to it. Um we get invited to the first phase as we were talking about schematics. The expectation is we will continue to get invited to it as we
113go face to face to face but it is a face to face to face process and so we count on now is the initial phase >> and the MSBA has agreed to start the clock for us um the first week in March the 90-day clock so that we do not have to have a special town meeting to appropriate the money for schematic so it'll just happen it'll should be that should be on the warrant for town meeting Um and then um the the interesting thing is Jeff's not here tonight to say this. He spent yesterday morning on the phone with MSBA. We're in the first group of heat pumps. So they don't have a lot of answers to our questions at this point. And there's a lot of we're figuring this out too because you
114know we have to have a number we have to have a estimate estimate for a construction number to then go work backwards on percentages to say what you know would be the schematic and OPM dollar amount. That's something that is you know usually they base that on past projects which they don't have any at this point. So um which you know we're going to keep working with them. One of the nice things is we also as part of last year's uh capital budget um did commission a study for um heat pump conversion anyway and we went ahead and did that. So we should have that study back in the next month or so think probably closer to January. That'll give us a ballpark figure to start working with. So it'll be another data. >> It's
115exciting. Will they give us a higher percentage since we're the guinea pig on ecom? >> I wish I haven't even told us a percentage yet, you know. >> Hope it's 40. >> Yeah, which which would be really nice. I mean, we're talking about tens of millions of dollars in reimbursement if this if that's the case. So, >> congratulations for being uh invited in. >> Yeah, that's great. >> That's great. >> Still have the parallel study going on as well. >> Yeah, that's other others. Thank you. >> All right. Now that I've lost big control of the agenda, >> take that away. >> We'll go right into the enrollment report. >> All right. So this uh the first >> slide in this deck um shows the enroll resident enrollment distribution by town and this these are
116the numbers that we use to build the uh portionment numbers for um for the budget for the FY27 budget. So if you look all the way to the right uh the three asterisks at FY27 see that Boxford is at 37.47% 47% which is an increase of uh 23%. Uh Middleton will be at 32.33% which is a decrease of.76. Uh and Toppsfield will be at 30.2 uh which is an increase of 0.54%. Um so these are the that's the 5-year rolling averages um of the uh enrollment numbers as as you can see on the process. I'm going to take some slides out of order here. >> Hold on a minute. >> Yeah, >> detention. But going back to this first one, so the uh October uh 2025, October one number, there were 153 uh resident students
117uh enrolled in at Masconamit. Um slightly up from October of 2024. Um this is this next slide is the total uh enrollment distribution by grade. Um so this actually includes um the non-resident faculty students. There are three of those um 52 non-resident choice students and one foreign exchange student um in the October 2025 numbers. And as you can see there, from October 24 to October of 2025, we are actually up 15 students or 1% on the 5-year change. Uh a decrease of 9.7% and 168 students. Um this is the one actually I wanted to look at a little bit more. This is the back to the resident enrollment by town. Um so you can see for um the current for the October 1, 2025 um Boxford is at 562 students. Um Middleton is at 475
118and Toppsfield is at 466. Um Boxford is a decrease of one student from last year. Um, Middleton is an increase of nine and Popsfield is an increase of three. Um, so we net out at plus five. That's 14 or 1503 where last year was 1498. Um, see, trying to see increase of one faculty student and actually nine choice students uh increase year-over-year. We looked at that one. Um this next one looks at um some of those you know we've reconciled the enrollment numbers from year to year. Um so you know so we had the 1544 students in October of 2024 uh you know 1559 in October of 2025. Um you can see the change the deltas there uh by grade. So we had uh 225 students graduate. Um we added in 279 students uh for
119the resident grade seven. Uh we added 10 students in grade seven for school choice. Uh six students in grade nine for school choice. uh we had eight student uh 52 students uh transfer out of 8th grade uh into uh between that uh 8 to9 transition and then three other students that moved or or left the district uh in other ways and you can see the eighth grade transfer the breakdown there 30 of the students went to Essex Tech two to St. John's Prep, five to Pingri, three to the governors, and then 12 oneoffs to other all other places. Um, that's a quick question. >> Yep. >> Um, our limit was 10 for >> 10. >> Um, was there a wait list for Do you know? >> Don't know about grade seven. I'd have to find
120out. I think I think we did get I know we had to do a lottery. So, we got more than we had more than 10 applications. I don't know if we finished up with a weight list. Are you asking about grade nine? >> No, seven. I was just because there there was the 10 and I was just curious if >> Yeah, we we we hit the max. So, and I, as I said, I know if we receive more applications than um seats that we have, we have to do a lottery. And so, we did do that. So, I know we have more than 10 um applications. So that anybody on anybody who was not in that initial 10 would have would have been put on the wait list and see this to Yep. Just back
121on foreign exchange student. What how is that handled? It's just great. >> Yeah. Well, it's it's part of the host family's taxes. Good point. All right. >> Yeah. Here for five weeks. I should >> It's got to be an all year foreign exchange student, right? >> All year long. >> I believe so. Yes. >> What happened? >> Yes. >> Do we do such a thing? >> We do. >> We have one right now. >> Where are they from? >> France. France. >> Okay. today. >> Um let's see. And then this is a projection for October of 2026. Um and this is based on the straight line uh data that we use um that we're looking at um you know going from 1559 to 1545 um you know a 1% decrease of about 14 students. Um
122so again looking at relatively flat uh enrollments yeartoyear from 25 to 26 in the projections. What's your What is the number you plug between eight and nine? >> Uh what did they plug? >> Do you put a formula in there? >> Yeah, I think >> he Yeah, I'd have to look at So, it's 273 and grade 8 to 228. So, we're looking at about 55. You know, it's between 40 and 55 is usually what we 45 and 55 is usually what we get. >> So So 45, >> but last year there was a very small senior class 225, right? >> This year it's 270. So you're you're losing 45 more students no matter what. >> Right. But then we're looking at the the grade seven numbers coming in. >> So we got a big sixth
123grade coming. >> Yeah. I have to pull it back to the state. Those are here. Um grade six, there's 286 residents. Um and then generally we we generally add about 15 students um coming in to grade seven from grade six. Although the interesting thing was this year we did not we didn't hit that number for some reason. But in the past years, you know, it's been about a fif to 15 student increase um you know there. So that's that's the number there that we're using. All right, let's make up a few minutes here. Um, the process for filling vacant boxes for the committee seat. >> What? >> Process for filling vacant committee seat. And the reason why we're talking about this is because I don't think that we've been doing it right past. So, Yeah,
124because this just these pieces are actually from um I didn't share sorry are from our uh regional agreement section 1C is called vacant ies and then uh school committee policy BBE which is unexpired term fulfillment. Both are relating to filling uh vacant seats on the school committee. >> So Matt, in what way do you think we haven't done this? >> Would you mind summarizing? So yeah, my is I have not been involved in this in prior with prior seats. I mean the school committee members took took on took this on themselves. Mhm. >> Um and I somebody have to correct me if I'm incorrect on my understanding of what happened was that the um school committee would solicit applications and then the school committee would interview those people on their own from that town. >>
125Not the entire school committee. >> No, the the members. So that it's this this process is run by the the remaining members from that town >> and their select board. My understanding was that the applications were taken by the school committee members from that town. They interviewed the candidates separately and sent the name to the select board to be voted on. Is that >> what happened last time? I that's at least as I said I was not part of it so I I couldn't be wrong. >> So we did that's about right. >> We all had their select board member. >> Yeah. So that's I I think that that what we've done in the past is the members from the town on the school committee uh solicit applications as you said interview candidates and then
126bring their preferred candidate um or more than one if they want but their preferred candidate. And we have a joint meeting and each person gets one vote. each of the school committee members and each of the members of the select board and so we jointly appoint the new person >> which sounds like >> that says in line >> doesn't isn't that what it says >> that sounds has it under control >> right >> there's also a to kick this process off that we have to follow >> yeah well it's just the school committee has to select as solicit application so that was what's at the bottom of this was a past notice But um the new appointment's only until >> the new appointment is only until the next election. >> Yeah. >> So the seat
127becomes vacant >> next May >> in Boxford in May. >> One year term. >> The term just goes till May. >> Uh >> the appointment is till May and then the election is for a one year. the election is till the is to finish the end of the the current term. My question that's how I joined the school committee and >> yeah that's what the the person the last the person so elected will fill the seat on the committee until the next town election at which time a member will be elected to serve the remainder of the term if any. >> So as I said there Erica's term expires in 2027. So the you're right the election will be in May of 26 and then it'll be up again in May of 2027. >> Wow.
128Lucky lucky press one year one year. >> That's my question because >> had to do that. >> We have it's up. So you lose the stagger if you're not if you don't do that. >> But yeah certainly value in doing it. We're gonna have three people getting elected next next year in >> So the next so the next thing that has to happen is Oxford solicits. >> Yeah. I mean this is this is an old one from Carolyn when Carolyn Miller was was sort of quarterbacking this um back in 2021. >> Trying to remember how we posted it though. >> I mean I we put it we put it out to >> Barbara. Did we post this through the town website as well? >> I think we did. >> We could. I think we should.
129>> Yeah. >> We're seeing on social media. And >> do do we as a school committee post that? >> I sent I I believe I sent this out on the parent link to all of the families in the district when it happened. So, we would do that and then you can put it on the the website and >> Okay. >> Instagram and whatever else. >> This is how Erica >> got her. >> Yes. Yes. Initially, yes. goes out. >> I mean, this this email is the Carolyn Miller. You can't build her. >> All right. Sorry. I promised. >> Next step is boxwood's going to solicit inputs by Mike's going to put it out on the current newsletter. >> Tell me. Yeah. Tell me what dates you want. >> So, who can take the action or
130can the three of you four of you >> who who should be the >> coordinator on what the message is? That's fine. >> Jeff is volunteering. >> I did the last one. You >> Yeah, I'm I'm due. Reach out to Robin and I'll coordinate with you guys, right? And you'll coordinate. >> Yeah, just all I need is just to fill in the dates and everything else. So, when do you want them by and who who should receive them? Who would be you? >> May 1st. >> May first. >> Yeah, that's the other question. When you want to do that, >> that's within 30 days, doesn't it? >> Uh, it says that it has to be you had to notify the select board. So I think we just did within 30 days >> and in reality
131>> and you're supposed to give at least one week notice by the committee to the select board so the voters of the town may have the opportunity to state their candidacy. The two governing bodies will meet to fill the vacancy by roll call vote. So you know so you have to give at least a week's notice. I think last time we did two weeks. We said >> probably >> you have a two, you know, anyone within two weeks applying and then we went from there. >> All right. So you guys can go figure out my sorted out a few weeks on it and then >> Okay. Thank you guys. Thanks Jeff for taking the lead. Appreciate it. >> All right. Uh first reading of policy GB. >> Too many GBC. Interesting. Is Trevor doing it?
132>> I can do it. Okay. >> I don't see him on anymore. >> All right. So, this is a um policy that it was updated in um 2022 by mask and somehow we missed it in our review when we did the policy manual. Um and the we had most of the policy but um Mask had added that by state law raffles and games of chance must may not be organized by schools as a sponsoring organization. So Masco can't hold a 50/50 raffle. Um and then employees of the district aren't allowed to participate unless they do as members of a sponsoring organization. So, a teacher or a staff member can also not um hold a lottery. And then all gifts and donations to the district must be accepted by a vote of the school committee. Um
133so I recently learned that that last line might go against what our policy is for community booster organizations. So, um, >> we were recommending this, but, um, in the boost, um, >> isn't there a dollar number? Is that >> Yeah, it's $250. Um, I I'm >> So, we need to run this by our attorney or what? >> No. So, in the So, we we didn't have a dollar amount before. I'm just looking for it now because I didn't think to look at it. Just occurred to me now. >> I'm trying to understand. So, this line says all gifts and donations and that and what does our policy say at above a certain amount? Is that >> does it does it I think it's a $250 threshold. >> Okay. So, that's where the discrepancy is. Yeah.
134I don't know if that's because then that would be a lot of I don't know how often that happens that it's a donation under $250. >> Yeah. or if it >> do you know why I mean we seem to see a lot of donations is it are we just not >> do we need to pull this >> what >> I mean are we >> no it just occurred most that >> it was just a thought that came to my head how unless you're looking it up or >> I don't know um so it's under the students support organization guidelines and it says that um was it um it's donations greater than $350 when it comes from a student support organization? So, I think that we could um personally say all gifts and donations to districts
135not from student support organizations must be accepted by a vote um subject to the student support organization guideline must be accepted by a vote of the school committee. Can you answer that? >> I mean, that's what the >> Yeah, that's what the students >> is the threshold. >> You need to run it by Alicia. >> We So, we're not at that. We don't review them with Alicia anymore. >> Okay. >> They just did our whole manual. So, >> but we have a student we have a student we have a policy on um >> I mean I'm okay with accepting it if we're comfortable that that's the the right answer. So just >> yeah I'm telling you that's what's in the student support guidelines. I only know this so this after my meeting I had to
136look up theater boosters so that's the only reason I know. Yeah. And I didn't run I'm not the chair of the budget of the uh policy. So I just it came across my >> I'm glad it did. So is the source I see it's crossed out at the bottom of this about source mask updated 2025. Should that be crossed out or is that actually correct? >> Um no that the source should be crossed out. We compared our two policies. Okay. Okay. Okay. Do we have a language we're comfortable with? Um I would suggest saying unless governed by I'm just looking to see if I can find the um we may want to pull it and then we have a meeting on Friday that I can have Trevor. So, did this wording come straight from mask?
137Doesn't mean it doesn't make sense. Raffles and Games of Chance may not be organized by schools. That's the sponsoring organization. But then it says you can enter that activity if you're a member of a sponsoring organization such as a school >> or community organization. >> Community organization. But school organization is is really part of the school, isn't it? I mean, it it >> No. So like the boosters could run a raffle with the school. >> The way that it's worded, it should be clear if you ask me. I think it's poorly done, but it's contradictory a little bit, but but it is what it is. >> So was the last word this for tonight or >> Yeah, I'm going to I'm going to request that we just want to take a vote on it. >>
138Do it again on next meeting. and I'll let Trevor know. >> All right, Mike, over to you. All right. So, first off, we've talked about this a little bit already, but uh last Wednesday, October 29th, the board of directors of the Massachusetts School Building Authority invited uh Masanomatic Middle School and Masanomatic High School into the schematic design phase uh of the accelerated repair program. Uh the district submitted a proposal proposal in April uh to replace the roof and to convert the heating and cooling systems to heat pumps uh at both the middle and high schools. Uh the accelerated repair program supports improving learning environments for children and teachers, reducing energy use and generating cost savings for districts. Uh the roof and heating cooling systems have been identified as in need of repair or replacement for
139several years. Uh the roof was last replaced in 2001 with an expected 20-year lifespan. Uh and the district completed extensive short-term repairs to the roof in 2019 uh that were expected to last approximately 5 years. Uh in inconsistent heating and cooling is greatly interrupted uh the district's ability to create conditions conducive to learning. Uh two current boilers in the middle school are approximately 60 years old and in danger of failure. Um, the high school's boilers were installed in 2001. Uh, the lack of a functioning HVAC control system also hinders uh the ability to maintain appropriate classroom temperatures. Uh by entering the program, uh Masconomic can expect the uh MSBA grant funding uh to significantly reduce the impact to taxpayers and voters in Boxford, Middleton, and Topsville will be asked to support the funding for the
140schematic design phase uh at their spring uh annual town meetings. If approved, the district will develop schematic drawings and cost estimates for the roof replacement and the HVAC work. Uh and that should take about 14 months to complete. Like could we just pause for one second? I just want to recognize the work that Mike and Jeff did on this. I mean >> uh I you guys remember the package that we submitted. It was extensive and I know that they've supported multiple visits from the MSBA folks and um it you know this is just this is a game changer for us. >> So um we should talk a little bit more about how we want to advertise this. This is a great news story. my little notes to ask >> be big come budget season next
141year. But just on the record want to say thank you to Mike and Jeff for all the hard work they went into this. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, Mike. >> Next up, uh next Thursday, November 13th, uh we invite parents of prospective 9th grade students uh to attend our annual eighth grade open house. Uh the event was designed to help students and families joining Masanama Regional High School for the 2026 uh 2027 school year uh to learn more about what we have to offer. Uh during the evening, parents will hear from their principal, meet department heads, and explore some of the many clubs, activities, and athletic teams that we have here available at Masanama. Next up, uh earlier this week, uh assistant uh superintendent Jeff Sans and I met with the design team from Vision
142Sports Design uh to review the latest uh draft of the designs for renovations to our outdoor track, our softball fields, and our tennis courts. Uh the plans include elements to address handicap access issues around the stadium uh and to bring our softball facilities in line with the baseball facilities. Uh the plans will be reviewed by the uh school committee's capital and budget working group on November 21st. Uh and with full school committee uh sometime after that this winter. So not a million dollars. >> I just want to say that he told us during our last meeting that it was was like in hundreds not like $600,000 or something. >> I didn't write it down but >> Okay. But just so that everyone knows the softball stuff is a title n issue. >> Yes. Long. >>
143Yeah. So that they are not the facilities are not equivalent bas. So um this fixes that. Um actually we'll take a look at it. They're actually going to move the varsity softball field to another place on campus that that's a little more conducive. >> So you don't have to walk through the outfield. >> You don't have to walk through the field of the other of the other game going on. and um you know scoreboards and um you know dugout facilities still natural grass so we don't have to worry about concom um but yeah just a a facility that you know we can be proud of and is as I on par uh with the baseball facility on that case the track is a a full um tear up and lay down new surface along the
144current track Um, and then some uh grading issues around the stadium to uh address some >> accessibility, >> very steep curves and >> steep hills and weird curves and things like that. So, >> great. >> And then tennis is actually uh resurfacing the current courts and actually adding one uh which is actually what is the standard right now for high school tennis. I think it's we have four right now. Five is what you really need for a to run a match. So, it's a fifth court and resurface all of them. So, >> great. Thank you. >> Uh and then just uh the next uh the parent coffee schedule for uh November uh is the high school will be on November 14th um and at the middle school on November 21st. Um those are uh those
145Friday mornings from 8:30 until 9:30 and so we ask parents to report to the main office for that. >> Are you getting good attendance for that? >> Uh it's generally low >> a couple. Yeah, I think three or four is generally numbers. >> Okay. Uh and then coffee. >> We have we take good coffees a lot of times. It's zooies. Um just uh we're getting into the winter season, so we want to talk about the school cancellation notification procedures. Um those uh cancellations or delayed openings uh will be first communicated through passive means uh such as uh my Instagram feed and local news media outlets uh and then later through direct direct contact through the Blackboard communication system. Um and once the decision is made to cancel uh or delay the start of school, we'll
146use the following outlets. Uh and as I said, direct communications through Blackboard, which is uh the telephone and email systems. Um we would do that prior to 8:30 at night if we make the if I make the decision uh to close or delay school on the evening prior or at 6:00 in the morning if the decision is made on the morning of uh the cancellation or delayed opening. And then media communications will go out as soon as the decision has been made regardless of the time. And I shoot for before 5:30 on the morning of uh cancellation. And you know, as I said, uh look at Instagram. Um and then we do the major media outlets, WBZ, uh WCVB, HDH, so channels 457, channel 10, uh channel 25, and NECN. And then we also put
147it to the uh MASCO website under superintendent news and announcements. High winds tonight, guys. So the phone will be by my bed. >> Hope hopefully we don't lose power. >> Did a little earlier today and tell you that >> uh yesterday it flashed a few times during the day. Um so which I was keeping my fingers crossed that we made it through and we did. So but again tonight we'll be another one where we like wake up in the morning and say do we have power? Um, so just thinking about it and just some, uh, community notes. The 8th annual Middleton Turkey Trot 5K. Uh, there's a sign up there and that's on Thursday, November 27th, which is Thanksgiving. And then the Tritown Council is also offering their uh, Ski Bradford program uh, for our
148what'll be our stu it's all students in uh, grades uh, three through eight in the tri towns. So our seventh and eighth graders will be eligible to do that. Next we have Thank you, Mike. Sure. Thanks. >> Okay. Uh, superintendent search update. >> Um, we're we're cruising right along. Very productive subcommittee. Thank you everyone for being so fully on board and committed to getting this work done. It's a heavy lift. Um, we have the role posted on numerous sites. So the um superintendent position is posted on the MASCO website. It's referenceable from the homepage. It's also on um several other professional sites like school spring which automatically post to Indeed. Um we've got all of our partner organizations like um mask mass association of school superintendent um and several others that I don't have off
149the top of my head but I can share them. Um, so it's posted in no less than six different sites, so we're getting good coverage um on the job posting. In addition to that, we have the posting up for our community advisory committee. Um, so that is also on the MASCO homepage. It's gone out on the newsletters and will go out again this week. Um, it's gone out on our social media. Um, anybody that wants to be involved as a member of the Tritown or the Masco community um can utilize the link from the homepage to submit through the Google form or email me directly. A lot of people have been doing that. Um, the team that we are looking to build includes um kind of a cross-section of the the Masco tritown community. So,
150one middle school teacher, one high school teacher, um one administrator from Masco, one parent from each of the member towns, one town official from each of the the member towns, and then obviously the subcommittee as representative of the school committee. Um just to refresh everybody's memory on that. Um and tonight's meeting was for this uh school committee meeting. We worked on um drafting discovery questions and thinking about the evaluation rubric. So we are prepared when our interviews start. >> What's the deadline for submission? >> Letters of interest for the community advisory committee are due Monday the 10th and then the superintendent posting is open through November 30th. >> Great. Thank you. We've advertised. So, um I'm sure you're getting interest from parents in the broader community. Some >> a couple. >> Okay. >> There there
151has not been an enormous flood of how do I get involved? There's been >> drips and drips. >> I don't think I've had a dozen people. >> Okay. Have you have you reached out directly to the select board of income for a representative yet? >> I have not, but I do plan to do that. >> Okay. And then I see Nico's in our audience tonight. >> Um, >> spread the word. >> Is there a formal mechanism you guys are using to advertise to middle school and high school teachers? I mean, I would assume that the principles putting it in their newsletters would communicate it, but I can certainly coordinate by way of them or admin or I I don't we usually don't have direct communication with faculty. So, >> yeah. No, I just want to
152make sure that the message is >> not just not just um we're looking for community members, but we're specifically looking for to teachers, right? I mean, Nico, I don't know if you have a suggestion for us. Let's put you on the phone. of getting word out to the teachers. >> Yeah. In terms of recruiting, >> I think the most the teachers know uh that the search is commencing in terms of how we want to structure who's going to be part of it. I think we can have a conversation on that and figure out how best that. So, I didn't know how many people you wanted to be part of it, but I think we can certainly talk um about what that looks like and then I'm certain there will be people who would be uh
153willing to be part of that. >> I think I heard her say one middle school teacher, one high school teacher. >> Say it again. I think I heard her say one middle school, one high school. >> Yeah. Yeah. So that we can certainly fill those positions. Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So Nica, you know, I get in touch with Adrian. Thank you. >> Thanks. >> Yeah. And if anybody has questions, >> um, we also said one admin. So how do we reach out to find out is who in the administration would >> I've had a number of admin reach out. Oh, >> okay. either with their own interest or with questions. So, it seems like they're looped in. >> Great. >> Yeah. >> Very good. >> Thank you guys. We're moving with urgency. >> Yeah,
154of course. >> Okay. If there's no other questions, uh press on subcommittee reports. Um, yeah, community relations. >> Bless you. Bless you. Um, so we we've just been upkeeping with getting out good news for Masco. Did you know like things that are going on? We will do an MSBA announcement. We'll work with you and write it up how you want us to get that information out there. But I think um sharing things like what's going on for example with sports or clubs at the school and just letting people know how they can be a part of it like when we had that um the athletic update that was sent out was great so I could just shorten it and send it out and let everybody know if they want to come cheer on the team
155no matter what team it is golf soccer volleyball um things like that just trying to rotate through. Um, also we're working on sponsors for the holiday senior citizen concert, the lunchon. It's going to be Friday, December 12th from 12:00 to 1:15. So working on getting at least two sponsors or or more if we can get from all three towns um for that. And then our next working meeting is going to be December 8th at 11:30 on Zoom. Our next community dialogue will be here November 19th at 6 o'clock. Um and we're going to try to theme them out if there's a topic that is big, you know, like the superintendent >> superintendent. >> Yeah. Superintendent search. So, um we're going to try to organize it a little bit more so that if people want to
156talk about that, they can come in person and and talk about it. So, just try to keep the flow of good news and updates going um out to the tri town. I I really like that idea because I think having your topics pointed towards something like a superintendent search >> it helps it keeps the helps keep the community from obuscating the process when they have an issue. >> Right. uh and just reminder community right to there's a >> chain of commands and when you've exhausted all resources from the chain of command >> that us but want to make sure that they're uh >> they're respecting the chain of command too. >> Um Joe, do you think the DCI can help with some fun facts around the MSBA? >> I think it'd be great if we
157did a whole posting on it. >> That's what I want to do. what it means, what it doesn't mean, the impact is what's that >> maybe digest >> might not be fun but >> that's what I would have said too fun fact that it be clear that this is one step in a multi-step process to getting full funding that it's it's not a guarantee of millions of dollars of reimbursement at this I'm going to >> committee member who can take care of this for us. >> So, sounds good. >> I just think, you know, we we have to continue to say this over and over and over and over again as we get to >> Yes. >> Right. Without question. >> No, it's a good it would be a really good thing to get out
158there. So, anything that we can do for that be great. >> All right. So, thanks Joe for volunteering somebody. Well, you you all know I've got a Topsfield spincom member under my roof. So, um I had well and I initially said, "Oh, did I tell you that we got accepted into this program?" And then when I fully read the the the letter from the MSBA that I read, >> not quite so fast. >> So, I had to quickly retract that statement. have been working to be sure that it was very clearly stated what the limitations of this initial invitation are. >> They definitely qualify that all the time, but as long as we follow their process, it's pretty much going to happen. >> Yep. >> Okay. So, maybe a couple other things that we didn't
159bring up or discuss yet tonight. Um, capital related. So, one of the things that Jeff has done is he's gone back to Stantech and asked for pricing to change field two from artificial turf to grass. The reason behind that is um we think that uh the consom in Boxford will be more likely to approve the project if field two is grass. Uh, I had some community members reach out to me and suggest as much and uh, so I think this likely needs to be an agenda item for us to discuss in detail at some point in the future. Um, I think this is up on the 20th, the next Conscom meeting. Is that what we pushed it out to December? >> Oh, it's December. Okay. >> December >> the 4th. So sometime between now and
160then we need to discuss an open meeting and decide whether we want to spend this money go down this path because I think that's a critical part of um hopefully getting approval from the uh conserv uh uh just budget-wise uh I don't know what numbers have and haven't been shared. Jeff has has thrown some preliminary numbers at us. I think they've been sent out to everyone and this was before we got the enrollment numbers. Uh so everything is subject to change, right? Um but it's going to be a challenge to get near the numbers that the towns are asking for. His initial level funding numbers came in at I think a 4.9% increase in overall budget which translates into an even higher number to the towns. And I did some initial calculations and you know
161it it depends on how what the baseline is that you're looking at. I'm a little confused after some of the discussions tonight from where I thought we were versus where where they'd like us to go. but it could be significant uh um cuts to get there. However, I will add that Jeff has been fairly conservative in his estimates um in terms of projecting large insurance increases. I think he was expecting out of district to stay the same or go up perhaps. So, you know, I don't know what his new numbers are going to look like. Maybe the the hole is not as big as we thought. Um but we'll we'll see where it where it goes. >> Go back to back to the truck for a second. >> Yeah. >> So the the ask to
162stand tech for field two to be grass. It's not that we would replace field two with grass. It's just that we wouldn't do touch in that place. We'd only be doing one field. Is that right? >> Right. But you still have to redesign the storm uh water drainage system. And so it's >> field >> Yeah. for field one. And so that he's getting an estimate on the cost of that and then we can discuss that on committee and decide >> yes >> whether that's something we would want to go forward with. It's not clear that we could go to conscom and say we're just going to make it grass and that's good enough. They might want to see the whole plan and so therefore we might have to spend the money in order to get
163a decision. >> We're just going to leave it as grass. >> Yeah. There wouldn't be anything done to fill too. >> Right. I just want to make sure a couple times we're going to make it grass. No, it's grass. We're going to make it grass in the design. We're >> making the plan grass. The plan is going to be the >> plan will eliminate field two and two is out of scope. >> Not going to go spend a million dollars. >> The plan is going to be grass. >> We have like a project manager that's like working with the town to determine that. Like that's our best option. So the I mean I I don't want to speak for Jeff completely or for Mike completely, but I believe that's what our attorney is >> working
164with council on this. So yeah, >> we're going to this is going to come up soon. >> Yeah, I think that's it. Um, I just want to add, um, the minutes for September 26 are getting posted. I'm waiting for Bill to say yes. Maybe you already did. I sent an email out on that today. >> Did say >> they included our our goals for the year. Um, I'll form the committee. You guys can all let me know if we missed something for some reason. Um, and I guess I'll leave it at that. >> Thank you, John. Thank you, DCI. Jeff, >> we just met yesterday as the the vocal committee. Um there's only two of us now. So, uh and at least one of us is stretched a little thin. So, >> what stretch a
165little thin with the superintendent search? So, we sort of taking a decision to kind of back off some of the we had some big goals. We're going back off those for now and we're going to spend most of our time just working with community relations just get get our voice out there and get a little more visible. Um, one of the other things we're going to do is, um, the ACE student group. Um, we're going to try to do a open listing session with them as well. Um, probably virtual because it's they're here during the day and we're so um, that's the appreciating cultures ethnicities club here at Masco. So, we're going to do a little just one-on-one outreach with them because they're um, you know, right in our wheelhouse. So, they seem open to
166that which is nice. So, yeah. So we'll be partnering with community relations pretty heavily moving forward. Give Kendra some more work. >> We are also >> Yes, that's Yeah, >> basically >> they're adopting me basically. >> Thank you. >> Get some economy out of this group. >> Thanks. Y policy a meeting on Friday. Can I where is it? >> Nice and leazison updates. I mean we had a big meeting tonight. >> Yeah. >> went well. >> I mean I went >> lively discussion. >> I say went well >> our first meeting of the field. We had just just a a get together just to say hi and get to know each other a little bit better as elected members of the community. Thank you for coming. >> Um and um it was it was just
167kind of nice, you know, just around the table. What do you what do you do for your day job? What keeps you busy? Like just get to know each other a little bit. Um and then, you know, share thoughts and concerns about all the work that we're trying to do collectively. So, it was a nice way to kind of prime conversations and um get ready for budget season. So, thank you for the idea, Boxford. I think you guys do the breakfast thing. So, talking >> no. >> Oh, liaison. Um that's where we are. Uh I mean I've had a couple discussions with Sar Guido over the last couple of weeks in conjunction with um the Conscomons. Um I would say they're starting to get energized about raising funding again. um you know she's hopeful that
168if we go down this path of changing that we're going to get a decision relatively quickly and she's eager to engage with big donors as well was at our last BCI meeting um I think she's probably going to keep coming um as long as there's there's progress on this. Um, so I mean that was just nice to hear. Obviously, maybe not obviously to some of us, but you know, she restated they can't raise $12 million if that's the price tag, but she does think they can raise a decent amount of money, you know. So, she sounds optimistic and like I said, energetic about it, which is was nice to see. >> Yeah. Um, yeah, from a Middleton perspective, I continued to threaten to set up breakfast with continued to be delinquent on that, but I
169have crosspass a couple times with um, Costa and um, just in preparation for tonight. So, we'll have to think a little bit more about if we want to get a breakfast scheduled with that. All right. Now, consent agenda. We don't have Trevor here to get make the motion. Trevor's like the designated consent agenda >> to read it. >> You just did. >> I just did. >> I think I did. >> Second. >> Meeting minutes. >> Sorry. >> Uh warrants 1,459,5001.91. Basketball booster donation. Thank you. basketball boosters and uh to gift the class of >> Thank you. 1975. We have a motion. >> It's a good year. >> I already made a motion. >> Made a second. >> Forget with the program. >> Trevor is not with us. Trevor, you there? >> Nope. >> All right.
170Anyone against? I understand. We have one more motion for the motion to see. >> A second bill. >> I right. Thank you everybody. Ready? Four minutes late. I'm sorry. >> Pizza everybody. >> Those gluten-free cookies are so good. Those cookies are amazing.