2024-01-08 | Special Board Meeting

001Welcome everyone to the All right. Welcome everyone to the Taylor School District special board meeting of January 8th, 2023 where our mission statement is to educate, engage, and empower those we serve. And our vision statement is that we will be the innovate innovative destination district where all succeed. This meeting is called to order at 6:00 pm. Miss Shufelt >> here. >> Mr. Wright is here. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Heath >> here. >> Mr. Myers is absent. Mr. Thomas >> here. >> Mrs. Thomas >> here. >> Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the stands one indivisibley andice for all. Correct. >> Item number item number three, revisions, approval of the agenda, policy 0166. Is there a motion to approve

002the agenda? >> Motion by Mr. Thomas. Is there a support? >> Support by Mrs. Thomas. Mr. Wright is a yes. Miss Black. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Heath. >> Yes. >> Mr. Myers is absent. Mr. Thomas. >> Yes. >> Mrs. Thomas. Miss >> Eufelt. >> That carries 5 Z. >> Moving on to item number four, our discussion discussion item. Tonight we have the district utilization plan questions and answers. At this time, I'm going to go ahead and read a statement. And this will be the kind of grounding rules for tonight's Q&A. Thank you to all those who could be with us here tonight in person and online. We understand the importance of keeping you all informed and providing an opportunity for you to be heard. Tonight's audience participation will be for those who wish to

003speak, whether it be in person or online. We will begin We will begin with those in person. If you would like to address the board, please step up to the microphone and state your name and address for the record. After those in person had had the opportunity to speak, the opportunity will be given to those online. Please take into consideration common courtesy and keep your comments to three minutes or less. We will provide and assist with timekeeping so each speaker will be able to monitor their own time and know when to conclude so all who wish to speak will have an equal equal opportunity to do so. Tonight we ask that each member only have one time up at the microphone so that way we are able to provide everybody the equal opportunity to speak

004as well. You also will have a computer up there because I know it's hard to see the screens sometimes when you're speaking. So, you'll also have a screen up there that'll show the time as well. There are any questions at this meeting that we are unable to answer. For those in person, please see Shauna over here. She'll have you fill out your form. Uh that way we're able to provide you those answers if there are any questions. For our online audience, we have provided a link to the Google's online form for you to submit any questions that we're unable to answer. All right. Um, unable to answer. So, if you go into the chat box on your uh screen in the Zoom, we should be able to uh you should be able to click that

005and be able to submit your questions there. All right. Um, we will start with those in person, but at first I believe that we wanted to provide an update, >> correct? Yeah. >> Okay. Um, oh, you can you can line up if you want. We're going to give a little update though, too. So, um, we know that following the last meeting on December 20th, uh, we provided the opportunity for this Q&A before we had the vote. Someone's at the door. Um, and so we really wanted to listen and provide that opportunity for everyone to speak tonight. So we did postpone that vote to the January 10th meeting which is this Wednesday. Um, and from there we've actually provided a lot of opportunity for the community members to uh ask any questions they have through the

006Google form. Uh, we've been going through those and thoroughly answering them as many as we can. Um, I know we haven't been able to answer all of them at this point, but we will be continuing to go through that form. Um, a lot of the feedback that we have heard, uh, is centered around a lot of fear around the preschool. We know that a lot of that staff in that building. Um, they're scared because there is a timeline with the licensing. There is requirements that have to be in the building such as bathrooms, the air conditioning, the classroom size, um carpeting for certain programs, the POI accessibility, the playground. There's a lot of different factors that go into the actual preschool program that a lot of people don't understand or know about. Um much of

007it sets it apart from running a normal elementary school. Um, we understand that through that process you have to submit for your state license, which is done through the state of Michigan. It takes I can speak into the microphone a little bit better. Is that good? All right. Uh, we know that the website says that that could take up to six months to get a licensing for your facility. We know that there's a lot of factors that go into that, including having a fire inspection, having the state come through and do a walk through. We know that those factors all play a key role in ensuring that the licensing is done. What the district did as part of this plan was provide a buffer in the contingency that the district did not get the license

008that Kenyan would remain vacant for that following year. That was what is presented currently to the community. the purpose of leaving Kenyan vacant for that year. Yes, we are going to be doing renovations, but it was also in the case that if we needed to, we would keep the Kenyan building there for an additional year, keep the Johnson program where they're at for an additional year and move both programs in the following year. So in year two, that way if needed, we would be able to upgrade the Eureka Heights building to meet the needs of our preschool program through not only the Google form, but through social media, because I was looking on social media, seeing a lot of the comments, knowing that our staff have been very, you know, they're worried. They're worried about

009us being able to achieve that in the timeline that we have provided. We went ahead and uh we're going to be amending the utilization plan to keep Johnson as the Trilly Early Childhood Center for an additional year, keeping Kenyon where it is at for an additional year. And then in the year two of that plan, moving both schools into their new homes. During that, during the first year, we will convert the Eureka Heights building into that early childhood center for them to be able to be moved into that building and to ensure that the licensing is there. So, the changes I just want to reiterate, the changes that we are proposing to make to the plan are that the Early Childhood Center would move into Eureka Heights starting the 25 I'm trying to get my

010years right. 2526 school year. That would be the start of the new early ch childhood center at Eureka Heights. Kenyan Elementary would remain at Kenyan for one additional year. So for the 2425 and they would move to their new building which is the current Johnson building for the 2526 school year. So, I just want to add to that as well, like one of the things as we've discussed and we've been figuring out is that um basically the needs for what Eureka Heights would need for preschool programming would be more extensive in what we have to do than what Kenyon would need for turning to a middle school program. And so, we're taking that into account and making that adjustment. >> Um, so we just wanted to provide that update before we began this meeting. we

011will open the floor and have the Q&A. So, uh, Eureka Heights will still close at the end of the school year, but all the building moves will happen in the second year. Oh, so we're actually working with John Ross right now to identify specifically what those needs are. I know that there was a meeting that was just had regarding the print shop and being able to adequately move it to this location as well as adding that garage door so that way the equipment's able to get in and out. Um, we know that there's a lot of things specifically to this building that we would have to do to make sure it's adequate for the uh machinery that is used in that print shop. >> I contacted Larry Bond this morning or this afternoon and he's

012with >> Canon. He said our guys shouldn't move that stuff in the print area. >> Okay. >> Because it have to be taken apart and moved individually. >> All right. If our people move it, you'll lose all your warranty on it. >> Okay? >> If they move it, there will be a slight charge. I'm inviting all the board members to go over and see the PRC. And what's over there? There's only one exo board member that's been over there. >> I I've seen you, sir, over there. I came and said hi. >> Yeah, but you didn't see the whole operation, I don't think. >> No, I haven't seen you around the machine. >> I invite you all to come over there and see what is there. before you make your decision. I appreciate it. >>

013Thank you, sir. >> Mary Souza, 26640 Beverly Road. Um, my questions are how much are these measures that you're taking, how much are they going to save us to move and demolish buildings? >> What was Can you repeat that first part? >> How much are the measures going to save us that you're doing right now to move and demolish buildings? And where is the money coming from to demolish those buildings? My next question is, how many years is it going to take us to pay off the debt at five to6 million a year? How many years is it going to take? The other one I have is what legal steps are going to be taken to hold the previous administration accountable for what they've done? Because someone needs to be held accountable from that administration

014for putting us in this situation. Those are that's Is that it? Okay, that's it. >> Cool. So, um to answer the first question, how much is this going to save? Working with our finance department, it will save the district anywhere between $2.5 to $3 million in total out of the deficit. Um >> so that helps go with the second question because you said how long will it take? So that is going to take that operating deficit of six million. That should cut it by half right there. And we also know that over the next so many years through attrition uh we're going to have to address some of those other needs. So as uh people retire from positions, we are going to look at our staffing issues and see where we can uh make sure

015we're still at meeting that uh projected class size of 28 students in a class. um but still get us to where we could cut positions and still be at 28 because currently our numbers are lower than that uh districtwide per class >> in some buildings. Correct. >> In some buildings it is higher. So >> what this does, it allows us with the redistricting of the boundaries, the reconfiguration of the buildings, it allows us to get those class sizes to that point. So, how long it would take specifically to get to that completely wiping out that six million, that's going to vary depending on the rate of retirements and the rate uh that we are looking at these positions. So, um it could be pretty quick depending on if we have a high amount of retirements

016at the end of this year. Uh again, that's why we approved and we're uh you know, put out an incentive for people to notify us of retiring by February 2nd. So, we have an idea how how much quicker that timeline will be. >> Okay. And and I'll add to that by doing this plan what it does is if we were not doing anything that means that that full six million would be leaving our general fund each year which meant that we had about three two to three years before our full fund balance was gone. So we had about two to three years if the district did nothing as it stands. Each year we're operating in a deficit but the actual fund balance of the district would be gone. What it does is it expands that

017time frame of when that fund balance will be gone. Um and with the attrition that means that there would be eight years of attrition that we would need to cover the other half of the deficit because again closing the build closing the buildings reutilizing the buildings is saving us about 2.5 to 3 million. So what was the total debt that he got us into? >> So it grows each year. So for this upcoming year, we are operating at a $4.8 million deficit for this next fiscal year. And then each year it climbs. >> So and the thing is we're not actually in the hole as of yet because we have a very healthy fund balance, but we also know to be fiscally responsible for this community, we have to make the adjustments now and not

018wait till that's gone. Like we can't use that as the the saving grace for the next five years. And the state recommends or the state really says that your fund balance needs to be above 5%. Right now where we'll end this fiscal school year in the school district, our fund balance will be at 50%. So we do have that healthy cushion to be able to buy us that time with this closure. It provides us more time and then through the attrition the retirements that's how we'll be able to curve the rest of the remaining deficit. >> Okay. >> So um Oh, I was just gonna answer your other questions. Go ahead. >> So, specifically to where is the money coming from for a lot of these alterations >> when the bond was passed. This is

019what was submitted to the state. This is what the voters passed. Each school, every school in the district was allocated a certain amount of money. The most of majority of the bond money was going towards the high school and then the renovation of the middle school. But there was was still an allotted amount per elementary. It was between 1 to 1.5 million. It kind of depended on the building because some are larger, some are smaller. So, it kind of depended on the size of that building. What we would be doing is using that allocated money for that building and we would be putting it towards those alterations. And in addition, with this plan, we would be taking two buildings offline. That money that was allocated towards those buildings, we would disperse towards those projects at

020those other buildings that we're proposing. >> Okay. And the demolitions. >> Yes. Yes. That's part of it. >> Yes. >> Of the bond money that you >> Yes. Oh, yeah. The demolition of building things was part of it. >> Yes. >> You had always planned on demi demoing buildings. So, specifically, you ask us for the bond. >> So, yeah, specifically a line item in that bond. It was specific towards building demolitions. What was submitted to the state of Michigan? Submitted to the state. So >> for the high school and then also for like buildings like Eureka Dale and those other buildings that were vacant in the school district. >> So that wasn't in the bond that you put on the ballot. >> The bond language specifically puts in there a line item that allows us

021to do it. The plan that was submitted to the state allotted that money towards demolitions. >> Okay. Okay. But that wasn't in the word wordage that you put towards the bond when you put it on the ballot. So you may have put that in there, but we didn't know that you were going to demo any buildings. When we approved that bond, that bond was the demolition was to go to Kennedy's. >> I'm not I won't sit here with you, but >> Yeah. No, and I think what you're saying is because if I remember reading the where the bond language uh states like there is a catch-all uh bullet point in the bond that allows the district quite a wide amount of latitude into how we spend the money and those kind of things because you're

022right like the first bullet point was the high school, second was the middle school and the third one is what gives us the ability to work on other buildings and it's pretty broad as to that could be adding on that could be renovating what's inside that could be demolition. It just gives it that broadbased uh ability to use that money >> and that's how we're able to do the alterations that we're proposing with that money >> is to do that. We just we just ma'am we just ask that you have to come up and speak specifically at the stand. >> Okay. Okay. I'll I'll deal with that one later. So what legal steps are you taking towards? So to answer that question, as we've been going through it right now, our uh new CFO is

023still reconciling our SR3 dollars. We're trying to narrow down specifically where that money was allocated towards and what it went towards and making sure that the amounts are corrected. What we have discovered so far, it was not an illegal use of the funds. What it was was the state put out a recommendation, don't use your funds for this. And what our administration did is they submitted an entire plan to the state that did just that. The state of Michigan did sign off on that plan. And then with that, the state of Michigan said, "Yes, you can do it." So then they did it. >> Well, that's too bad because I I really think he needs to be held accountable for what he did >> and now he's just going to move on and have no

024consequences. >> And the biggest >> he needs consequences. And the biggest thing that we're doing is right now we're looking through all of that SR3 grant money to see specifically if there were missteps or mishandling or anything of that nature. Okay. So, >> thank you. >> Yep. >> Lisa Ash, um 7206 Courtland Avenue, Alen Park, Michigan. I am a preschool teacher, so I am glad to hear about what you're thinking of holding off with the preschool. I do have one concern with that is is that um Mrs. McKenzie has already pointed out Eureka Heights is not big enough to hold us. So that causes a problem with all the classrooms that we have. And just to let you know in case you were unaware, RHSA has changed it. We do have to take students that

025are in pull-ups, so we have to potty train them. And Rhysa's pushing for us to go five days a week with the kids. >> Yeah. >> So, all right. So, moving past preschool, my other question is with all these closures and redistricting, um, it will require more students to be bus, you already don't have enough buses or drivers. So, where do you expect to get all that from? And then in our presentation that we had to attend, why you say that with like the money and there's issues. Why are we hurting students by moving them around when minus you because you weren't the president at the time, but the rest of you were here, the school board members, you voted on it over a year and a half ago. We're topheavy. If you look online

026and compare us to Brownstown, they have just as many students as we do, if not a little bit more. And our district has one superintendent, two assistant superintendent, a director of state and federal, four school improvement coordinators, a resilient director, resilient co coaches for marketing director, family resource director, ELLL director, special ed director, assistant special ed director, special ed supervisors or food service director, assistant food service director, security director, pupil accounting director, transportation director, utility director, assistant utility director. If you look, Wood Haven does not have we're topheavy. I've been with the district since 2002. I've been laid off for a number of years. I did the 10% pay cut, did all of that stuff. And to me, from what I heard from another colleague that had a building I will not name, their resilient

027coach just sat around on her phone not doing what she's supposed to do. Why are we so tough, Kevin? If we're hurting for money, why aren't you cutting some of these spots instead of going after moving around kids and doing everything else? I mean, this is not acceptable compared to another district that has just as many students as we do, if not a little bit more. >> So, yeah, >> I was gonna say, too, I'll follow up. >> Okay. So, uh, to some of that right there, like I will say, uh, I believe and bear in mind I just came in as an interim and now I'm just getting into the permanent role here. Uh, there's lots of things we have to look at and look at what our return on investment is and see

028what we're actually getting for what we're putting out out there. So, I think that's going to be things we have to review all throughout the district going forward. Um, so we know that that's going to help us get to that amount as well as we start to go through and say like, okay, is this really being used the way it's supposed to be? Is this really being used effectively and efficiently? And if not, then we have to make those questions as well. So, I think that's all things that we have to look at going forward. >> Okay. I mean, obviously, I'm not stating I want anybody lose their job, but I feel the teachers are the meat and potatoes. >> Not saying that maintenance isn't as well. And I just want to add, I know

029you had to get it out there, but talking to other colleagues and you talk about wanting to up us with our mental health and help us out. I think going on break for you to do that meeting when you did and we went on break. If you think that teachers were not thinking the whole time they were off worrying about what is going on, especially for us at preschool because it made it sound we weren't even on that PowerPoint presentation. So it made it sound we're wondering do we are we going to be closed for a year? What are you going to do with us? So I just want you to think about that. I don't think that should ever happen again before we go on a break. Thank you. >> Thank you. piggybacking on

030her. Um, my name is Courtney Anderson. My address is 715 West 7th Street, Monro, Michigan. Um, recently moved. I lived in Taylor for 12 years before that. Um, I find I find this very interesting because uh while she says that that you guys gave us this task over break to think about, to me that's disgusting um to start. And I find it interesting that you're all up there smiling before this whole meeting while we're all sitting here freaking out. Um little bit disrespectful to our faces. So I'm going to point out and say that while I looked on break though, I'm actually glad you gave me two weeks because I'm a researcher. I like researching things. And Kyle, you said at one point when you were running that the district need to be held accountable

031for their choices. And this was in your running campaign. I could pull it up. It's not verbatim. Um, and yet you guys are saying that as of right like right right now they've done nothing illegal in the past. However, the ESR grant money because I looked into it because there are these two tiny little icons that sit on the district page like most parents know what that even is. Nobody even knew you could click on that. So that's kind of sad. said that it was for, and this is what Griff Mills wrote, was for face-to-face learning, ELLL, homelessness, foster children, um, mental health. None of those things um, at all mentioned salaries or putting in new positions, um, moving Maryanne Seir from assistant superintendent over to the COVID person. That was nice. So, you hired

032in another position and then had to hire somebody else as the assistant superintendent. Then you hire in security. You hire in security that's not even trained. They know nothing about Alice training. They're given a pamphlet and I've asked our security. They were given a pamphlet. So now you've got a bunch of basically adults like me running around the school saying they're going to protect us. I don't really feel safe. Then we have the fact that you guys have three dean of students as well. one of which you just hired in at like $90,000, but we're we're, you know, close to being in debt and all this. Um, and then on top of that, there's four principles at the high school. Four. That was interesting to me. Um, so then we talk about moving the preschool.

033While we all know we're the stepchildren, we're fully aware of it, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it. We know that we're the last, we're not technically a required school to go to, so we know how you guys feel about us. Um, if we move, you will move us from a four-star rating program that Lee McKenzie worked for years because we were on probation when she came in because of Amy Fesler to get our program where it is today. And we're the stepping stone for you guys. If we didn't have us, good luck with the kids that are coming in because I'm telling you, I've got four kids kids in this district and I'm honestly worried with the new ones coming in because they're all COVID babies. Um she did touch on not having enough

034classrooms. Um let me see. Also, our idea grant that we get um at the preschool is meant for special ed to be kept with their um age students so that they can integrate. So just think about that. Um and no, the bond money was not used for demolishing those buildings because I have looked at the bond. Um, it was allocated $1.5 million and like you said around1 million to be used for these schools. There was furniture that was supposed to be purchased as school as well. Where'd that go? That's interesting. Um, also the exact allocated amounts of the ESSER grant, I cannot find exactly what it was used for. Um, I tried to call the CFO before break who did not answer the phone to get some clarification on that so I could do more

035research. I also want you guys to be aware of and I found this extremely interesting. Have you guys looked into Plant Moran? Do you guys know that they have a lawsuit against them? Do you know that people bought cemeteries from another person and hid those fundings? So I I don't mean to cut you off. I know that this but we do are at time and I do want to respect the people that are behind you. >> That's fine. So >> if we could just I'll let you wrap it up. >> This is my last thing and I'm done. >> We were gonna spit we're going to stick to the three minute rule because we do have an entire online audience as well. So I do want to give them >> people here >> online audience.

036That's fine. So >> just know that you might want to look into flavor is all I'm saying. We're gonna be using them for our pot. Good evening, Caroline Pat 6860 Jackson. One of the It's my turn. Thank you. >> Um, isn't one of the reasons combining the schools is because of the percentage of capacity in each ones of the buildings? Like we have a lot that are 60%, 70%. Is it the state that says we have to have 80 at least 80%. Or is it 90%. I believe it's 80, isn't it? >> 80% is >> that was one of the reasons why you're talking about trying to combine the buildings together, right? Okay. I just want to throw that out there. Um I have a question in regards to the buildings that you're talking about

037after the students are moved and about being demolished. Um Randall and Taylor Parks for two, excuse me. Have you thought about selling the property with the building on it? Or did you want to keep property and do the green space like you did with the Bartlett Old Racko and Monroe School and excuse me, and maybe even Eureka Dale at the time. Um, I know the buildings, you know, people think that the buildings are really bad, but I think like Randall building is right. I don't know if the church next door would take it. I'm losing my voice. Sorry. Um, you know, and I don't know if there's any stipulations on selling any of those those two buildings especially. Just curious, you know, I just want to throw it out there that maybe you could sell

038the property with the building on there and not have to worry about demolition cost and you would be getting money coming in. Um, the other thing is if I know you had talked about before with the PRC and the um IT department coming over here and I know you mentioned about the doors and things. So I we were kind of looking at the high school. Um once the two junior highs are together, the high school will be empty and it'll be used as a athletic facility. Correct. Are you talking about maybe tearing some of that down? You know, I I know this is not etched in stone, but I'm just throwing this out there because if possible, they already have door garage bays over there. And what a short distance to move the IT department

039right across the parking lot into a certain area of Truman and be able to use those doors right there for their hyos and their, you know, and pallets of computers, Chromebooks. I you know I was involved with the Chromebooks when everybody was on Zoom and there were just tons and tons of pallets of Chromebooks in that building. So I think that's what you know Bill was talking about. If you come over and see what's in that building, you'd be shocked to say it's not just guys in an office with their computer and Bill at the print department, you know, with his machines come over and actually see what's in that building. You would say maybe we better not bring it over here because we don't know where we're going to put it. >> But I

040like the idea of the bay doors already there. And if you're not going to use that building, then leave the IT and the print department where it's at until the middle school is put into that building, >> you know. Um, and then even, excuse me, even think about, you know, we're not getting our auditorium, you know, or our pool, but maybe even use that facility and I don't know how much it would cost or what the square footage or anything would be as maybe that could be where our auditorium would be built. have a sporting event here and you've got our auditorium for for graduations and that there too. Just some ideas to throw out to you guys. >> Thanks. >> And to Miss Pats to answer the one question about the demolition with the

041school building and selling it. The issue becomes in this school in this community selling a school building like that opens it up for a charter school to move in. And that is one thing we don't want to provide or open up. specifically probably two years ago, there was a church that reached out about purchasing Eureka and they submitted their plan and it was to open up a private school on that end of Taylor. So, leaving our buildings open, um, a lot of those companies, they have shell companies that buy them and then they sell them off to the charter companies. And so, what it just does is it opens it up to us having more charters be built in the city. >> You just have to be careful, I know, because there's a lot of

042>> Yeah. Yeah, underground things going on. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hello, Stephanie Pratt. Address 2443 Hayes. At the December meeting, there were a number of questions that you answered with, "We're working on that. We're talking about it." And I do appreciate that you've taken the time to adjust your plan already. I'm going to ask you to consider doing it again, though. Is a building utilization study going to be done on Johnson? >> Is a building utilization study? >> Yes. the utilization study, you said it had to be reworked because of the licensing requirements. I was wondering if that was actually still going to happen. >> So, specifically to the Johnson building, when I looked at the classroom square footage that was done into the utilization stud, sorry, the utilization study,

043>> but that was with elementary school numbers, not preschool. >> No, Johnson was part of the utilization study. So, the actual the plant Moran one that was conducted a year ago. >> Can we see those numbers? >> Yeah, we're more than welcome. It's on the district website I believe as well. The actual >> I did not find Johnson on that list. >> Well, the presentation is it the presentation that you saw or is it the actual utilization study? >> I don't I didn't see the utilization study. >> We can actually post the actual utilization study but the square that >> be helpful. >> Yeah, the classroom square footage for actual Johnson is 22,350 square feet of classroom space. At Eureka Heights, it's 21,000 classroom square footage. >> Okay. How many rooms does Eureka Heights have?

044Because I could also not find a building plan on Eureka Heights. >> They have 17. Johnson has 18. >> They have 17 rooms. >> Yes. >> Okay. I've been told by people who'd worked there that they only had about 12. >> No, they have 17. >> Okay. But is any part of your construction plan to add on to that building? >> That's something that we're looking into actually right right now. That's why part of the issue is we can't put out an actual design of it because right now we're still getting those pricings on if we were to make it the exact same size as Johnson to add that additional room what that cost would look like >> because by the next semester we're going to have 16 active classrooms and close to 290 students

045which is more than at least three if not four of the current elementary schools in the district. Mhm. >> Moving us to a smaller building just doesn't make sense in my head. >> So, yeah, >> because if we have to close any of our classrooms, you are in effect laying off staff. None of us have job descriptions that fit in any other building in this district. >> So, we can't just take our job and go elsewhere unless we're going to a different district, which most of us don't actually want to do. um when that plan is issued, is there going to be a cost estimate and a timeline given? >> Yes. >> Okay. Is there any reason that we should have faith in that timeline when we look at projects like the kitchen that was

046supposed to be put in over the summer and is still being worked on in January? >> So, the main thing regarding those projects is we're going to be working with Plant Moran and then we're going to be hiring those construction uh engineers to start those projects immediately. It just depends on when the board actually approves that plan because we can't initiate anything unless the board actually has an approved plan. >> Okay. Um who who made this plan? >> Who made this plan? >> Yeah. Who who came up with the plan? Like who all was involved? >> So when we discovered the plan uh when we discovered the deficit when it was brought to our attention in September, uh that was really when we hit the ground running um on trying to discover specifically what needed

047to be done. >> Okay. My question is who's we? because >> there were a couple of your board members >> I can answer that question. Okay. Specifically in that one-on-one meeting, well me and then the director of HR when that was presented by the previous CFO, it was brought to me. I then brought it to the administrative level which that was I think Mike's like third week in and then it was brought to our CFO's attention which >> we started out by re-checking all the numbers was essential to to knowing what we were actually doing. But so that first set of time was really trying to make sure we had this right and we that we weren't going to you know you know tell everyone the sky is falling and was not actually the case.

048So that we had to spend the time to do it right. >> If we have a 50% buffer then the sky is not exactly falling. It's just dripping a little bit. >> Yeah. >> Okay. My concern is that it sounds like there were only three of you involved in making this this entire plan to shift everything in the district around. >> So I can answer that question real quick and then after that the time is up. >> Yeah. >> Um so once the plan was created, so not only did we look at the utilization, when I say we, I'm talking about me, the cabinet, uh the administrative team, we then brought a proposed plan to the unions. the unions were able to look it over. They were able to provide their feedback and then from

049there we came back and we made alterations to that plan. We then showed again the union leadership, the administrative team, the board, um all of these individuals were a part of that. And then that is when we then narrowed down specifically what does that timeline look like for all of these alterations? What do the building alterations look like? Um what will the utilization numbers look like? And we went and dove into that. And then from there, that's when we then presented it to the community or to the staff and then to the community. >> So, >> I understand my time is up and I'm just going to mention there were a couple of your board members who seemed a little surprised by the plan. >> So, appearances can be deceiving. >> Thank you. >> Hi,

050my name is uh Tessa Martinez. My address is 8126D. Um, I want to start off by saying how important Johnson is and not just for the GSRP program, for the ECSE program there. I had my first baby when I was 23 and around 6 months, I realized something wasn't right. Not having anywhere to go and with my pediatrician saying, "Let's uh wait and see it out." I did a little Google research and I found a program called Tote. And for those of you who don't know what TOE is, it is a special needs program for infant to toddler children, they usually max out at the age three. And TOE comes to your house. They give you therapy at your house and you go to their facility and they work one-on-one with the parents there to

051give them kind of a direction of where to go. Once you max out a tote, you are referred to Johnson. I cannot tell you how important Johnson is not just for GSRP but the ECSE program because my daughter wasn't able to talk until she was three and when she was three she entered the Johnson program. The Johnson program offers therapies there that and we are the only program for preschool for special needs. We just also brought in the pohid and for those of you I'm sure you know what poh is we don't they offer speech they offer occupational therapy they als they offer physical therapy we just added an addition on to Johnson for the pohid the numbers we are supposed to be getting in from tote so right now we have 77 special needs

052kids right now by April April we will have a hundred and it is growing. We just added classrooms as you heard. We have already talked about the building sizes. You say that we have like 18 rooms right now. >> Right now we have to share our sensory room with our therapy people because we don't we our space is still small even though you're saying that we have ample amount of room. While moving to Eureka Heights with talking with my team, we feel that we are afraid that we were going to lose space. We're going to lose possibly having our sensor room and also just jamming in the kids, you know, in those rooms. GSRP is also super important to our ECSE program because like my daughter, she went there and we get them from ages

0533 to five. My daughter stayed there until she was five. She was also her last year integrated into GSRP. That's what they do. So the work that they did there, she was able to talk. They helped potty train her. They helped to get her eat certain foods that she was not able to eat. I just want to really drive home the importance of the building. I think a lot of people are upset because we weren't on that plan. And I know it may seem trivial to you. We go to work every day with those kids. We love the kids there. But for you not to include us in a plan and be like it'll be all right. I really just want to drive the point home that you talk about boots on the ground. We

054are the boots on the ground with those kids there. >> I appreciate it. I just want to let you know the time did end. So I do appreciate it though. But we do have to give the opportunity. >> But I do want to say that how you guys said, "Oh, we uh did you guys a favor by holding off the vote. You did us dirty. It would have looked really bad on your part had you voted and not inform any of the parents because you gave us about what an hour and a half before that board. >> I do want to let you know the time is up. We do have >> it was an hour and a half before that board said that you could we have other people that are need to speak.

055>> Okay. Thank you. >> James Prout 9846 Catherine and I'd like to yield my time over to Courtney. Great. can't get rid of me that easily. So, I'm curious why because I've even wrote some more stuff down. Um, why weren't all the board members involved? Because if you can't trust, you said like you didn't want to tell everyone the sky is falling. If you can't trust the people you put on the board to tell and to give all that information to to make an informed decision with multiple minds, two of which were teachers. That's a little concerning. Can you tell me why they all weren't involved >> once we have all the questions? >> Perfect. Awesome. I'll keep going then to not waste my time. Um, also, why are we putting two elementaryaries next to

056each other? Blair Moody and Kenyon will be next to each other. That was already done years ago and it was a problem. there was an issue with students um going to to both schools and because we are a open district and we um accept students from other places um that became a problem. Yeah. So um so I also wanted to again touch on plant man. You guys seem to be using them a lot and they were supposed to be used for our bond. Um, did you know about any lawsuits against them? Um, that's another question that I have if you could answer that. And also, um, Kyle, you just graduated college. You are a baby. I'm sorry. I might sound rude, but it's an honest statement. I have kids that are almost as old as

057you, and you haven't had a job in this district yet. you you worked on the board during all of this stuff going on, which you state you knew nothing about, which is quite interesting that you wouldn't do checks and balances against your own superintendent. Um, which I thought that's what the board was for is to balance those things. And then also, um, real quick, I know that Mike likes to give, uh, history stories, so I'm going to give you a little one. um many many years ago in 1776 Britain was over here and Britain was doing some pretty nasty stuff and so what happened their people rose up and they fought against them. I'm going to tell you right now this will end up being a recall if you guys are not even more transparent.

058There is not enough stuff for me to go through. The esser grant is not broken down enough for me to tell what's what. There's money going every which way and not enough for the people to actually see where it's going. So just think about that. We are the revolution and you guys are Britain to us. >> Go ahead and answer. >> Okay. I just want to give I guess I want to open it up to the rest of the board because the question was stated that why weren't all the board members involved. I guess I'll open it up if anyone wants to speak um to that and if they were they weren't I just >> you said there was a meeting with you Mike and HR and then it was held off >> for the

059CFO the exit interview for the CFO that happened with me the HR director >> right but when she asked that she asked who was part of the plan >> of this whole um >> changing of things. >> Yeah. And that's why I said from there it got brought to the administrative level. From there the plan was developed, brought to the board. The board was part of the planning process. Then it was brought the proposed plan to the unions and then the unions were able to provide their feedback. The unions then pro we went back changed made alterations based on that feedback. brought it back, came back with numbers, utilization, building, you know, alterations, what we're proposing. >> A lot of the times the board's not in that discussion. We just get into we're not that

060a lot of the time. >> Don't you think that's important that you guys are a part of that discussion? >> Ask other districts. >> Sorry, can you speak? I'm sorry. >> If you ask other districts, I got friends that are in boards at Wood Haven and stuff. They're not brought in that either. It's the president, the superintendent, and then CFOs and all that. >> And then you go over everything together as a board. >> They present it to us. We look it over and then we vote. That's all that the board's for. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> The board is not involved in this stuff. >> Got it. Also, the whole Plantaran thing. >> Yeah. So, I'll be honest with you. No, we hired Plant Moran, I would want to say two, maybe almost three

061years ago, um, right after the election of the bond. Um and so from there, no plant man does not share that with us. Um we signed into a contract with them related to the bond. So there's a contract between them. >> You might want to look into it because they they were sued because they didn't audit properly on these graves that were sold and the people that um bought them were actually pocketing the money and making families pay for the plots to be kept up. And there's lawsuits now against the families of the graves because they did not appropriately audit. >> Okay. >> So, for a financial company to not even be auditing things the way they're supposed to be, I find it a little >> stressing that they're in char auditor for our finances.

062This is they we use them for the utilization study for seeing how we're best using our buildings and our properties. Our auditors are Morgan and Taylor, I believe. Yeah, Morgan and Taylor. >> Morgan and Taylor. And I also want to say that the plant Miranda that she's probably referring to, um, that's not the company we're using. >> No, we have Plantaran Cresa, which >> Cressa. >> Yes. >> They split apart. >> Yes. >> They're not affiliated with the Plantaran Auditing Company. >> Yeah. >> Oh, >> yes. >> Also, I did call you. >> Sorry, this was from previous. You guys never answered. Y >> I called you and tried to get some information from you break. >> You know what? I missed your call, so my apologies. Um if you send me an email, I

063can get you the information that you need um regarding the ESSER grant. It's public information. >> Well, the stuff that's on the ESS grant is not broken down enough. It's kind of a blanket statement of where the money went to, but it's not very specific. >> You know what? Uh the Michigan Department of Education requires a certain format and the district follows the format. So if you have any questions about it, you know, we can sit down and I can, you know, try to go through some things with you. But there's a spec specific format that every school district has to use and the district has used that format >> and that's fine. Um, and then to your point about um me not having a job in the district and sitting on the board as

064a board member, you can't be employed in the school district. >> I'm just saying you've never worked at a school. >> I I agree with you. I gra I went to Taylor schools K through 12. I graduated. I substitute taught for about a year. Um, I was born and raised in Taylor and I was elected by the Taylor citizens. Um, I was appointed at first by the board and then was reelected by the city. No, I elected you. I was here. >> So, um, that's how I got my seat. >> And I'm a little disappointed is all I'm saying. You were here during Griffin. You were here during Ben. >> Uh, I was not here during Ben. >> Okay. You >> saw the aftermath of Ben, I guess. >> So, >> I just wanted to

065make that point. So, thank you. >> So, I'm saying >> thank you. >> Courtney Prout 9846 Katherine. Um, most of my questions were answered by everybody else. I had a couple questions though. Um, speaking on the resiliency program, just asked a question with that one. Is that ESER funded as of right now? The the whole res resiliency program that's ran by Emily Graham and my question was that is that ESSER funded because that came in the middle of COVID during these ESR funds. >> We can answer a lot of those questions at the end. Y >> um if so, I mean we're obviously going to be switching that one over to general funding and is that really a good use of funds if it is. Um, another question is sixth grade academy brought up a

066good point a minute ago is we already tried that once, right? Break was sixth grade academy once in Taylor and it failed and we ended up moving them back into the middle school. So why are we doing that again? Making that another sixth grade academy in Kenyon basically the same concept already had before. Um, again most of my questions were already answered. Um, okay. Okay. And then also Griff being held accountable. I keep hearing that from everybody on Facebook. I'm sure you guys are all in those groups that it's all griff and griff griff griff and the old administration. But were you guys not given a five-year projection? I mean, was there something that came up that you guys were given that projection saying we're going to be in a deficit in this many years

067and you guys didn't look at that? Again, checks and balances is the board's job to look at that and see, you know, where we're going to be at after the funds run out. And I get it. ESR funds were can be used for a lot of different things. I'm an employee at a school. I'm ESRE funded. my funding runs out this year, but my district had a plan to switch me to funds. Um, so I'm going to move to a general fund this year. Looks like Hillary doesn't have that have that plan. Um, but the question I have is nobody knew this was going to happen. I mean, what did everybody think was going to happen when the funding ran out? We're just going to let go of all these employees. Um, and I guess

068Oh, the other thing is the underutilization of our buildings. I'm just curious as to why this isn't underutilized and you guys moved the whole entire board office to a giant building and this is a good use of utilization for our building. I mean, you guys all fit over there, but now we're all here in a giant large building. So, why how is that a good use of our our money or our funding and we're going to take our kids and crime them into Johnson, move them from Kenya, put them into Johnson and small classrooms, um small parking lots. I know there's some plans to fix a parking lot, but >> I guess how are you guys sitting so happy over here when our kids are going to be shutting the buildings. Um, and then finally,

069the $9 million that's being allotted to the high school to turn it into a middle school. What where's that money going? Because when I called the board office on that Thursday when I first found out about all of this through a teacher who sent me the video, um, she had sent me the video knowing that my daughter was going to be affected by this. And I looked at that video and I noticed, you know, just looking at all your guys' powerpoints and all that stuff. There's $9 million being aotted to turning our high school into our current middle school campuses. So, I called the board, asked the board. The board uh I'm sorry, I called the the board of education. I was told by two people in the board of education that this was not

070our bond money being used to make these conversions that we weren't using bond money. And that was told by the secretary as well as the um secretary from your office. Rachel told me the same thing that these w not our bond money being used. So in that case, if we're not using our bond money, we can do all of this with the funds that we currently have. Where's that bond money going? >> So we can get started on answering some of the questions. Um if Miss Graham wants to answer the question about resiliency program, how it's funded. >> Sure. It's a mental health grant through the state that funds the resiliency coaches and the resiliency director position. >> So it has no correlation to our ESSER or our general fund that program. It's all specifically

071a separate grant from the state. Um for the sixth grade academy um I was a student at the sixth grade academy. Uh I personally I can't speak about the time because again I was a student at that point in the district. Um I just know that at that time though the program was said to be unsuccessful fail um I know many students during my time loved that program. We thought it was an amazing amazing program. We had two amazing administrators that ran it. Uh Michelle Hernandez and Matt Hall. Um I know they have talked about how amazing that program was for our students. Um I think it was a great thing for the district to do. Uh I can't speak as to why uh they closed it. I know at the time the district was

072facing facing financial uh decisions at that point as well. >> Correct. And that's what I was going to add on to that. And bear in mind I was not at the you know central office level at that time in my career. I was a a building level administrator in the district. Uh not at sixth grade but a building level administrator. And it it did not have to do with the program not being successful. It had to do with uh financial issues and consolidation at that point. And that was why the decision was made to move the the sixth grades into uh the current middle school levels. And in the structure we're we're proposing here is not necessarily the wouldn't be identical to what we did with sixth grade academy anyway. The idea is we're still

073running a full middle school kind of like we are now. It's just housed between two different buildings on the same campus. So it wouldn't look exactly like that. Um, but there's research studies in education that show for those transitional years, particularly sixth grade and ninth grade, having an area where even though they're interacting with the rest of their classmates in the field buildings and electives and in those other items, um, is beneficial, but it is also beneficial to keep some of those core classes where they are inmies and they are kind of on their own. So, this lends to that uh, concept as well. >> And I'm not disagreeing with that. I do agree with the the sixth graders being separated. I just don't understand why we were moving back to what we've already done

074before. >> We've already seen that it didn't work. So that's my question. >> And then to your question about this building being the board of education. Um at the time before the board of education actually moved here, this was housed as the board annex. So we did have special education, people accounting here. Um we had special ed ancillary here. Um >> staff >> I think when that that was the idea. Yeah, we had resiliency here at that time. Uh we had the homeless liaison. We had our uh marketing specialist here. Um and then we had that building. That building only housed our HR, our finance, school improvement, and then our cabinet level positions. Um and so what our plan was because of the bond and because of the high school that is the location of

075that high school, we are going to be knocking the board of education down. We had to move to this building. Um, that was also a way to combine both the annex and the board of education to make one building and not have two separate buildings where our district's administrative teams were separated across the district. Uh, prior to that, I know before this building, they were at the uh, Titan Taylor Junior High um, building and now Career Center North building. Um, so we've always had the board of education split in different areas, not for the whole history of Taylor, but for a long part of uh the 21st century. That's how the Taylor school districts ran. This is the first time it's been in one building housed under one roof. >> So, every admin level employee

076will be in this building housed. >> They are. That's where we're headed. >> That's where we're headed. Yes. Yes. Because we still have on top of that, we're talking with our uh PRC about that relocating. uh we're talking about different bringing all those individuals here to house it under one roof >> as it should if we're going to use this large of a building. We should be putting everybody in one spot. >> And and I will say because you did ask the question about the middle school, the $9 million. So essentially that's still going into the middle school use. It's just at a different location that's going to be used. So it's going to be used on Kenyan West uh to bring that up to to what we would need. >> Now the the full

0779 million being put into that middle school. I think it would depend on what everything costs out at. Um, so it may not be all 9 million and if it's not like that money can be used for other projects. >> Exactly. But it's going to be how that prices out once we >> So I guess also really fast too. What about the playgrounds that we just put into Kenyon? Are you guys moving those to the new location as well? >> So we're already in talks with the company when we uh actually when this plan was being developed that those were questions we wanted to make sure that we had answers for. the companies that put them in said absolutely those are easy to transfer to the next building. So they would be able to come

078in, take them out, put them in before the start of the next school year. >> And what is the where is that going in Johnson's location? I mean because if you look at Johnson and Moody, we had that tiny little area in front for that the little preschool playground. >> So the original playground at Johnson, there used to be one in the courtyard. That's where the current playground is right now. Uh uh but there also used to be an additional playground off to the side of it. Um that's where the up I believe it was the upper al playground used to be when it was an elementary school. So >> so that is what um the current plan is for the middle school is what we would do is we would take that $9 million

079put it over there but to answer your first questions those playgrounds would also move with those elementaryaries. >> Okay. >> And then the last was the projections you guys oh >> I mean do you guys answer for that one? I just I'm curious as to know like when we when that came about the projections for the esser funds running out >> the esser funds so when the board was presented with the sesser funds we were not presented with a plan of how like what we were given is what we were like shown is really there was no deficit there was nothing of that nature that was presented to us what was presented to us was that this is what we're doing um and then after that that's when we disc I mean really it truly

080because when I met with the CFO, it was this is where we're headed. Then we discovered how it was through the SR3. Um and then from there the board was never presented at all a plan of if they since they did put those positions under SSR3 what that plan was like you said your district had a plan that was never presented to us but we were not aware that 98% of the ESSER funds were for positions because that application was submitted to the state by that administration and per our policies we don't have anything in our bylaws that says the board has to be presented grant applications anything like that submitted. Um I know that's something that the board's looking at altering because of this and because this is something we need to >> I

081mean according to what she said that they were submitted in a specific format. That specific format says absolutely nothing about any people being purchased. It shows technology. It shows um some mental health things. Like that's why I asked about that program and there's nothing in there about people being purchased. I guess that's kind of where I'm the most like upset about it is like we we didn't think to look at that to see exactly what was being I mean kind of turned an eye and hope that Griff was telling the truth. >> So I know that's what we're right now reconciling. We're going through specifically what did the application say that we were putting money towards, what did the district actually put the money towards and making sure that is it is it aligned? If

082it's not, what is the recourse of that nature? >> And there will be I mean legal action taken if it if it went in the wrong direction >> if there's a legal if there's a legal activity. Absolutely. Yes. >> I mean, you said 98% of the funds of our >> 98% of SSR 3 was used for salaries. the third installment, not the first, >> which is insane. It's not not illegal, but it's insane. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Y Rich Pratt 2443 Hace. Um Kyle, like you, I went K through2 and Taylor schools. Um I went through in the 70s and 80s. So I was there the year school didn't start in September because of funding. I took all my books home from high school because of the millillage didn't pass. They were closing the

083other high schools. We're going to two shifts. So, I understand that this is very hard. Um, my question is, you laid out the timeline. Did you follow the Open Meetings Act? There are no minutes from any of those meetings that indicate that the board was aware of this deficit. There was no indication in any minutes that the board asked for this plan to be put together or that the plan was put together for the board. If a quorum of the board is together to discuss any board business that has to be publicized that has to be made available to the public. I found nothing on that. So you mentioned illegal activity. Has this plan been handled legally? We've talked a lot about transparency at the last board meeting and what I'm seeing is illegal lack

084of transparency because nothing was addressed per the open meeting act which I know people on council who said well we can't get together and talk about these things because if we do it has to be public it has to be there has to be minutes it has to be an agenda I see none of that on any of the board information online that is my question >> that's your Okay. So to answer your question, all of this was done in a legal format. So there was never a time when the board met outside of a public meeting with more than four individuals. There was not a time where the board discussed this plan um as a full group or a full body. A lot of this was one-on-one individual. A lot of this was me

085speaking with the cabinet level uh cabinet uh district cabinet. And then from there, a lot of it was uh discussed during meetings, during the close sessions under attorney client privilege. Um, but I can't really go into full scope of what that is because it's close session and it's protected. >> How can it be attorney client privilege if it's not related to a lawsuit or there's not an attorney in play? This is >> because there's multiple there's the state of Michigan has multiple points of what you can go into school into close sessions for. uh school closures or school sales or anything of that nature is one of those. So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> All right. Hi, my Gregs 15542 leader. Okay. So, my question was we decided to put the high school

086at North Line because ease of traffic instead of at the OTC because it was a bigger easier to get in and out. So combining the sixth grade academy, which I do love the sixth grade academy, and the middle school together instead of taking it to Hoover or the high school doesn't make sense to me. Second, behind Hoover, they got that new development. Are you guys looking to sell Hoover? Third, our are what are our our I don't know how to say rate. Our millage rate for the bond compared to Wood Haven bonds. How do we know how many extra bonds what Haven has to Taylor and what the miller rate is? Um, and is not all the bond language on the state of Michigan website. And catch Sooner, you already got playgrounds, you already addressed.

087And going back to West and Hoover, doesn't make sense to me. West is an over older building. Hoover is a new newer building. You've got ease of access. You've got Ingster right there. Plus, you got Beverly West. You only got the two side streets. That doesn't make some sense to me. Titan Tit the career center in Titan. So, once you move everything out of the career center building, is that going to be demolished with when we get the new high school? Um, so let's talk about Taylor High. You're talking about demolishing it when we get the new one and keeping West instead of keeping Hoover, correct? Is that what we're thinking? >> I just want to make Is that all the questions before we >> um on money? Oh, and just because you're young doesn't

088make you inex inexper not qualified. Oh, and then everything went to in crap in August. Correct. >> September answer that after. >> All right. Taylor Higher selling. I think that's it. >> Okay. So, do you want to go first? >> Uh, well, I was going to jump in with the uh because you asked a lot about the Hoover versus West and that choice being made there. Um, so essentially, um, when you're thinking about the traffic patterns there, I mean, as it currently stands, when you're running Kenyan and West at the same time, and I'll go back to when I was, uh, a teacher at West, we were up to about 800 900 students uh, in that facility at the time, and then you had that, you know, 400 and some at Kenyon. So, it was

089always been able to handle the amount that it would handle now as a combined facility. like I'm less worried about that >> sets. >> Well, yeah, I say that's that's a whole another >> uh item, but I would say like in terms of the traffic piece, like it it can handle those pieces. Uh as for uh when we're talking about using those choices, the issue with Hoover becomes even though it is a newer facility and it has a lot more of the upgrades and it has those things, it's truly the size. it it does not have the uh student capacity that a combined Kenyon and West would. And even just on flatout capa comparison for size for students between uh Hoover and West, West has the the bigger student capacity. >> Okay. But again, what

090with our climate the way it is and everything, I'm talking about it gets hot in West. It gets darn hot. >> Oh, yeah. We moving our kids to an unairconditioned school instead of to the high school the to the high now or to Hoover. You're >> you know it gets hot in west it gets hot in all of them. >> So I can answer that one specifically. It goes back to the building size. Um when we look at Hoover those students not all the middle school students can fit in. >> And why aren't we taking them to the high school? So, the reason why we're not doing that is because when we looked at the utilization rate, the high school couldn't fit about 2500 students in it. We're expected to only have about 980 to

091a,000 kids. So, that means that the half of that building would be vacant, okay, or empty. >> My other question on that though is most of our parents moved in here in the 70s. They are still here. They're going to start dying. People are going to start moving in. What happens when the growth comes back? Because that's why one of the reasons why we have low is because all of our parents moved here in the 70s. They're all still here. They're 80s 90s between 70 and 90. So what happens when them schools when when them housing starts selling and then you start getting more kids back in? >> So I can tell you that really currently in the city of Taylor the way that the school district is sized there's 12,000 right now school age

092children in the city of Taylor. Correct. >> Only 5,500 of those students attend Taylor schools. So more than half don't attend Taylor schools. So the the not right now, I would love to say that we're having such a high influx of kids that we can plan and expand and make sure when we move those kids into that high school that it's not at a 42% utilization, but it's at the state recommendation of 80% to 90%. We can't say that. And financially, that would be gambling the district's finances on this notion that we're going to be able to gain another thousand students at that middle school level. We can't take that because financially the school district can't go down that path with the situation we're in. >> And and I'll say this too because we've kind

093of had this discussion because that is a big what if. Um I will say at the elementary level, we do currently have two other elementaryaries that are still in our possession that we lease out currently. So, if that were to be the case, and I would love for that to be the case, we do have that ability to start to handle that bubble if we had to do that because and granted those buildings would need a lot of uh tender loving care like they would need some updates, but uh we currently have two buildings that are also in our possession. >> Okay. >> And then do you know the bonds the difference? >> Yeah, I was going to say I was looking back at my questions that I wrote down here. Um, I'm gonna say

094offhand I don't know what that comparison would be to Wood Haven Brownstone, but I'd be glad to look into it. And >> you see what they have a sinking bond to a sinking fund, too, I think. >> Yeah. Yeah. I say they have >> And that goes strictly for repairs. Correct. Correct. >> And I think they passed two bonds within the last 20 years. Correct. >> Well, it might have been more. We >> I know it's been two bonds in the last 20 years, and that's to do all their upgrades to the schools plus the sink and f bond fund, too. >> Two. >> Okay. And then the the our bond issue, whatever that's on the state of Michigan website, correct? >> The Yes. So, it's all transparent. I mean, I believe and pass it

095over to our CFO. >> Well, the um PQ application, we can give you a copy of it. It's all um state information. in terms of what was passed for the school district, you know, um $130 million bond was passed, >> you know, >> but that's on the state website and it tells you where it's what's allocated for what. Correct. >> You know what? I I want to make it clear that the PQ application is more detailed than the um the the election language. It's not going to you're not going to see all the detail. >> Correct. um you know when you go to vote um the design is you know you only get you know vague information and so much information and the PQ application is a little bit more detailed but we still have

096wiggle room to do you know what we need to do in terms of the bond which vets back to what you voted for >> okay and let's get back to Hoover one more time >> no I was going to say I was looking at my my on here so we are still utilizing Hoover in the plan like that's going to be where Randall is relocated to. So no, no intentions of selling. >> No, they just developed around. >> I know. Absolutely. >> They're eyeing that. >> No, it would become an elementary school under this plan. >> So, all right. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Hi, my name is Cindy Lupro. I live at 6470 Wedell. So, I'm in the Taylor Parks area. Been there 30 years. My kids went to school in Taylor. My

097grandkids went to school in Taylor. >> Can you just >> Oh, thank you. Um, so I'm here not as an employee, just as a taxpayer. Um, family, uh, Taylor Parks, we've been putting band-aids on Taylor Parks for years. Last year, the money came through. We put in playgrounds at these schools. Well, yeah, that was nice. It floods every time it rains. You can't they can't use the playground half the time. Um, and I understand it's the oldest building in the district and it's not ADA compliant. I I knew that when my children went there, we had issues with children who went to school there with my children. When we demolish these schools, what are we going to do with that property? Is it going to sit like Monroe School and become just an empty lot?

098because then can't we use that for something else and make some tax money out of it, you know? Uh I don't know. I mean, I'm just asking when I saw these plans, I was a little What about these elementary schools? Why don't we put sixth grade back in elementary school instead of doing a sixth grade academy? My grandson went to sixth grade academy here at break the first year they did it. It was I It was not a good experience. Um, it was a nightmare parking. It was a nightmare picking up. Um, it was just it was not a great experience for him. Um, and so therefore that bled into the family. Like I said, I'm here just as a taxpayer. Those are my concerns. I do I I really feel for the Johnson people.

099Um, so that was that. Let's see the property. What's it going to do to my property value when I no longer have a neighborhood school? And where are my where are the kids from Taylor Parks? I I didn't see that. I mean, I did see it, but I can't remember. Where do where are they going to go to school? >> So, um, with the kids from Taylor Parks, they would be going to, uh, what is currently Hoover because that's going to become Randall Elementary. And then they would also go to Moody. So, some would be going uh to Moody, the others to to >> So, so specifically the neighborhood you're talking about right by Taylor Parks would be Blair Moody Elementary. Yes. >> And the other piece I wanted to say like because you had

100mentioned like Monroe School and some of these uh plots of land that that we do own. So over the course of time uh it depended on how we either came into possession of the property or how we demolished the buildings were there that have dictated how we've used them. So for example like wearing elementary which is one of the ones we still own and we lease out. Um that's still in our possession because there's deed restrictions in that property that state it has to be used for a park or a school. So, it's something we've held on to and it's been in our possession. Um, a place like Monroe Elementary, we used grant funding from um the Department of Housing and Urban Development to do that demolition. Uh, as part of that using that grant

101money, we are tied to certain items uh and how we can actually sell it and who we can sell it to. So those kind of properties we end up in our possession and they've stayed the way they are because we're restricted uh by different ways that we did that. >> Person that's that's good to know that that's happened. >> Yeah. Um as for Taylor Parks because we're talking about using bond money to do that. We wouldn't have that restriction on what we do with the property at that point. Um, so it would be something we would be looking to um sell whether it's for developing houses, whether it's something the city might be interested in for the park. Like we'd be open to to whatever we can for that development. >> And would that would

102that go to the population for a review before that was decided on? Is that something that you guys would decide on without us ever having input? >> So any sale of land would have to come to a board meeting. Yes. It'd have to be done in the public setting. Yeah. It would but it wouldn't go to a vote or anything like to the >> I mean it would come but it wouldn't go like out on us. >> No no no no. It would be a vote. >> I don't know anything about this stuff. I'm just kind of getting my feet wet. >> Yeah. >> And trying to figure out my kids went to Taylor schools. My grandkids I have grandkids coming up. >> Yeah. >> Who just moved back into Taylor who will go to

103Taylor schools in couple years. >> And so I invested in this >> on that aspect of it. Um what about did you talk about sixth grade going back to elementary school? Was that something that was considered at all? >> So when we're looking at the utilization um that would be a difficult item to do as we're looking at uh best using using the buildings as they are. So um and that would be something that most districts do not have that model currently. >> Some have gone back to it. Well, some in in a lot of them they're doing like the fifth, sixth, and then the seventh, eighth, or they're they're getting creative in those kind of items, but uh it's still the common practice that they sixth grade is in with the seventh and eth.

104And some of that is, you know, educational research shows that when you are transitioning kids multiple times, then you start to have more issues and you have to build more uh interventions in place to make those transitions successful. So the idea is there's still going to be part of that that complex with the seventh and eighth graders. And yeah, as I say, there's a little bit of a transition there, but the idea is it's it's lessening those amounts by by doing it. >> I know my daughter teaches in Redford and they've gone back to sixth grade is at elementary and ninth grade is back in junior high school. >> Oh, they moved to ninth grade. >> It's not middle school anymore. They've gone back to the junior high school uh setting for them. And I

105know when I was a parent and my kids moved up, I had girls who were going 12-year-old girls who were going to school with 15 year old boys and then I had 14-year-old daughters who were going to school with 18 year old boys and I wasn't happy about that situation. So, it was just something to think about to put those kids back. >> Yeah. I just want to note the time has expired. We do want to give the people behind you the opportunity. So, I do want to thank you. >> Thank you. Rhonda Dana, 12720 Robert Street, Taylor. And as you know, I'm a resident here, former student, parent, board member, and teacher. And um I taught at a lot of these elementary schools. As a matter of fact, I taught at Johnson when it

106became a preschool. And when I first started teaching here, we didn't have a preschool program. and I think it's a gem that our district offers and I really like what you had to say about what it offered for your child in particular. So I know that this board recognizes the value of the preschool and even what you said is you're kind of bursting at the seams now. So an opportunity to go to another building and perhaps have expansion I think might really be a good thing for your program. I just want to add >> I I want I >> needs to stay between the board and >> Right. Yes. So I just wanted to uh comment like when we moved there were two elementary schools there. There were never any problems that I was aware

107of. It was to move for the necessity to create a place for the preschool program because it had operated in different buildings over the course of the time. Also, this sixth grade academy was an asset to the district. I it was a very strong thing and I know that it um left because of for financial need, but parents and staff were very happy to have that program. So, to me, it's kind of exciting to bring it back and to still kind of insulate those kids, but give them an opportunity to have some transition time, too. And then I I know that there are a lot of really hard changes, but I look at what the alternative is and I was part of the district when we all took a pay cut and I never recouped

108it. And I would hate to see our district go into receiverhip like Inster did or the difficulties that Wayne Wesland is having and to have to lay off staff. And I really think it's a wonderful opportunity for a classroom to be capped at 28. That's below contract size except for kindergarten which is 28. And then your vision statement is to be the innovative destin destination district where all succeed. And even though these changes can be really hard and our district has a history of being reactive and doing things that have not always been favorable, I think these are really exciting opportunities where every single building will be touched in a positive way to provide more for our kids to not get rid of any of our staff and to provide pro provide more for community.

109So I'm really excited at the opportunity to see what this innovation brings. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. Charlene Eden, 25203 Crowley Street. And I guess I when I hear about all the money issues, I know they've had big money issues not that many years ago. And I just think that we as as you as educators need to look at the bigger picture and possibly look at a study for consolidation with other schools. I mean, what's the most important thing for you is to educate in your teacher church salaries. You have to take care of those that are in the classroom. They need extra help. So, that's where the focus needs to be. And how has Plymouth Canton done it? How does Wald Lake and Commerce Township do it? I think it would be

110worthwhile for you folks to go out there and see how they're how they're doing it. I mean, educating is not like it's been in the 30s and 40s. I mean, you've got mental health issues. You have te teacher salaries, benefits, uh, security, technology. How can you manage that on what you have? I really think forward thinking is the way to go with it. And I think a study would be really helpful to the school district. >> Thank you. Jennifer Griffin 14815 Champagne Alen Park Michigan and am I loving my time to Lisa Ash? Couple things that I forgot. So it's great to have more room but we have to start completely over from a fourstar program and you're going to also be closing two schools. So, where are all the principles and teachers going in

111that whole mix? And then you have to understand where I'm coming from, having been in the district since 2002 and all the promises and saying we're going to do this, we're going to do that. And I don't mean it to sound sarcastic, but when you say you want to keep Johnson open us there for another year, no offense, we'd like it in writing, timestamped and dated for us because we've had stuff come back. >> And then we're curious where what was going on with all this furniture. Johnson was never included. You have to understand for us at preschool, we realize we're your stepping stone that all these kids move up. It's already been shown 82% leave us stay in Taylor. 20 to 30 of those kids last year came from out of district and stayed

112and decide they liked it because of what we gave them and kept in Taylor. So we feel like we're the stepchild that no one ever looks at or ever. I'm going to be honest for quite a few of you within the last couple years minus you too. I understand you. I've never seen any of you guys come and step foot in our building and take a look at what we do for this district. All the hoops my principal jumps through with licensing and everything. And so we really, you have to look at it. We have people that work for our district. I already know my monitor is one of them. She lives in Dearborn Heights. She chooses to have her son. So you get money from that. Go to our program next year. He's going

113to be she wants them at Moody. And then her son will be coming to us the other one next year. There's money for you there. And then with uh we had other ones that have gone to Moody for a couple years, left us. Her next child stayed with us and she lived in Lincoln Park. If you move us away from Moody next door, you do realize with all the special ed that Tessa talked about, Carly, our speech teacher, goes between the two buildings. So, you're not going to have that. And my monitor is already saying, if they move us, how am I going to have my son stay in this district, go to Moody, and then I'm going to going to be all the way over at Eureka Heights with the other one, plus she'll

114be working there. So the furniture, we would like to know what was going on with that. We were never included in that. And yes, we know it has to be lower in a special size. And also out of curiosity, the whole boot system gives a more sense of security than just locking our doors. But why is it had been why why is it not fulfilled the whole way? We're not connected to the police department. That's not activated. so we can get started on answering some questions specifically if you want to answer where the staff's going. Yeah, cuz um so when we had the meeting before we went on break, uh I did talk about that uh come this January, my priority is now to start looking at how we are going to uh place administrators

115and then how are we going to allow um the teaching staff to to move from any buildings that are closing this year into other locations. And uh in terms of the teaching staff, there is contract language that is in the TFT contract that we have to follow. Um in addition to that, we've already started to open up dialogue uh with the TFT leadership to to start talking about what that's going to look like. Um quite honestly, we're not ready to announce anything yet because, you know, that was just today where I started that those initial pieces of looking at the staffing puzzle. Um, I really would like to work with them and have uh a working document of how we are going to specifically uh move staff into new buildings. Um, but that's going to

116take time because because there are other factors we have to consider as we do it. We got to look at how many people are going to retire. So that's going to affect how many openings are in other buildings. We have to look at uh exactly how we are going to build the schedules at each elementary school. Um, and essentially as I've talked with my cabinet is we have to accelerate all those processes because we cannot leave staff uh sitting in the wind here. Uh, it's funny, we were just talking about this in my office today because you keep mentioning 2002. That was my hire date uh at Taylor schools as well and I went through 10 layoffs and took the 10% pay cut and I know exactly the pain you were talking about. >> I'm

117not trying to be because it's not it's different on members. I know tons of shady stuff that has gone down in the district as I'm sure you do with mismanagement of money and people doing stuff they shouldn't do. >> Yeah. >> So that's why and >> Okay. So then >> so so like I said with that in mind like so having lived that that's why this is important to me that we get this part right and that we do this correct by our our staff members and not by our employees like because it is difficult. We were made promises. We were promised that we were never going to be in this boat again. And unfortunately, we have to clean it up again. And that's why, at least in this way, we're trying to be out

118ahead of instead of waiting till the last last minute because when we had to take that 10% pay cut, we were put on a deficit elimination plan with the state of Michigan and it was do it or you you are going to be be done for essentially. So, um, that's why we're making these decisions now. And I it's got to be fair to everybody as we go through that. >> To the next point about the furniture. So since the start of the B when the bond passed, the district initiated a committee. Um that was the previous administration. They put together an entire committee to work with uh staff ac staff across the district, administrators, all these different uh uh parties to look over the furniture. Uh they got testing sites for the furniture. They got

119they sent feedback forms. Um I know when Miss Dana was on the board, she was fighting for us to be able to have model furniture for our kindergarten class. And there was push back on that because we know that even at an elementary level fifth grade furniture, which is different from a kindergarten furniture, you can't say, "All right, we're modeling furniture at a fifth grade class. Do you all like it?" And the kindergarten teacher's like, "I don't know." Like that doesn't work for us. um since that committee has been going on. Um I know current to this day they're just finalizing their actual proposal for the district. Not sure because again that's not brought to the board's level until it's ready for presentation. Um that is all done through the cabinet level. Um all done

120through the plantaran uh and then the committee as well. I know for example uh the furniture that they did have proposed originally and why it's been taking so so long. They originally got that model furniture and put it in the schools. The feedback was bad. People did not like the furniture. It was not quality. Kids were throwing their desks across the room because it rolled across the room. And so then what they did is they went back with that committee and they had to redo everything basically and start from scratch about looking at new furniture. And what they all echoed is just get us what we have now just newer and so I know that is as much as I have knowledge of um until it comes >> where we're at. >> I I just

121wanted to share that that committee is uh live and well and so we have um we've already met with them once uh to discuss I know storage was also an issue um so we're going to be meeting with them to continue that discussion. The furniture is still going to happen. >> What else? >> Oh and then the boot system. So, specifically to the boot system, I know that the district has assigned a representative. Miss Marshall, I know you've been overseeing the project. If you want to give an update, sorry, sorry. Okay. Over the break, I was um dealing with the boot company and the chief of police and we are going to be tied into the police department. But before we do that, there's also a police officer that has a tablet. And on the

122tablet, it shows any school that goes into a lockdown, but the police are immediately notified through the tablet. Once we get tied into their IT department, then it'll be through the dispatcher. So, they they do have a way to know when our boots go off. And they do have access to get into the schools now. So, I don't I'm sorry. I don't remember what the other question was for the boot. and I've been here since 1999, so I feel everything that you're saying. >> Thank you. >> Were there any other questions for the boot that she didn't answer? Um, oh, >> they came in and took away the teachers ability to have a lockdown on on >> table and I'm just wondering like why that happened because if we're outside if something happens outside um

123the company came in and took our ability to have a lockdown initiated by a teacher off of the tablet that they gave us. So when we go outside, if there's an issue outside, we have have no way to pull a boot to have to have a lockdown started or initiated anymore. >> Right. I and I was unaware of that because that was the reason that you had a tablet is because if you were outside, you would be able to to do the tablet. >> We can definitely look into that. >> Yeah, we're definitely look I'll definitely look into that because >> they just did that like last like the Thursday before break. They just >> Oh, yeah. was very new. >> Yep. I'll definitely look into that. Yeah. No, no, you that was the reason

124that we had tablets and so and I know that some people don't want to even take them outside. However, that's why everyone has a tablet. >> We Well, I'll just let you know per our principle to keep with licensing, we take it out. Though it doesn't work right now, we still take ours out, >> right? So, okay. Thank you. I definitely will check that. >> Thank you, M. Hey, Jennifer Ferguson Bearinger 23636. Um, first of all, I wanted to just point out that I so I've got two kids that have gone through the district from preschool all the way through, they graduated, they were class of 22. Um, my youngest started in preschool and he's still working his way through the district. Um, but we've got a lot of really good programs here and want

125to make sure we don't lose those. And mine all started with Johnson and Johnson is an excellent program and it's a great stepping stone for the kids and the kindergarten teachers will tell you there's a huge difference. They can tell which kids went through that program and which ones don't. Um and my youngest actually had to go through the TOE program in Brownstown first for speech. He had an expressive language delay. He went there for speech um because Taylor didn't take them that young. It started on his second birthday. Taylor at three ta it took I don't know if they still do but at three Taylor took them in at Meyers for drop in speech and then at four at Johnson where the the speech followed through. >> Okay. Okay. So, and that's great. So

126then you know those parents don't have to drive down to Brownstown or anything either. So I mean whatever we have to do to keep that program please let's keep that program. Um, there's a big difference I've noticed with the board and you guys are talking transparency and stuff and I was here when they were talking about the sixth grade academy. I was here when that went up for a vote. They was when they closed the sixth grade academy in Kennedy. Both of those, it was financial reasons. The program was wonderful. My nephew was the first one through the sixth grade academy. My daughters were the last ones through it. The program was amazing and the turnout we had that night to try to keep keep the board from closing it was like we we overflowed

127the room. It's It wasn't the program, it was funding. You guys said that we've got what 1,200,500 kids in this in the city and there's like 5,500 that are in the schools. We keep going through this whole thing of cutting. What are we doing to fix it so that we keep our kids? And and one of the differences I've noticed at least with the board and stuff and Kyle, especially since you've taken over as president is when we met up here for like the sixth grade academy and stuff and then closing, the board came up, they had their discussion, they made their decision after they voted on everything, then they had their public comment. You guys give us an opportunity to come up and talk and you set up the special meeting tonight to let

128people have a chance to have their voice and hear it before you make your decision so that it's an informed decision being made. The other thing that they've done in the past is they won't let anybody out. There there's no dis discussion. You come up, you present your case, you say whatever it is that you want us to say and somebody might get back with you for an with an answer at some point in time. You guys are taking the initiative to have the discussion and answer the questions that you can. So those right there are huge stepping stones in progress that we've made over the years. Like I said, we, you know, my my kids have been around forever with the district and stuff. Um, so please continue with those things because that's going

129to make a difference as far as getting us where we need to be. Um, so as far as the ESR grants, you guys said that it was submitted to the recurring funds were submitted to the state. Um, it didn't go to the board as far as like a line item for approval. What are we doing to prevent this from happening again? What kind of oversight are we putting in place to make sure something like this doesn't happen again and put us in this type of a situation? Um, you also said that the board wasn't made made aware of that projected deficit until the former CEO's or CFO's last day. Why was it not until then? Was why wasn't that reflected in previous financial reports? Was there some kind of cover up that took place? Was

130there some kind of wrongdoing on someone's part? Was, you know, something inaccurate? Why, I would imagine, I mean, if it's if it's showing the deficit that far out, why wasn't that being shown and why wasn't anybody aware? because if there's something that that happened there that shouldn't have, then there should be some legal action happening there to make sure we're pursuing that. Um, as far as the properties, and I know somebody had asked a little bit about this, where a lot of our properties in the district when we've closed them and stuff, there's been deed restrictions where it's gone back to the family, it's had to be a green space, whatever. So, as far as Taylor Parks and and Randall, both of those we own free and clear then and we can demolish those buildings

131and sell the properties. >> Yes. >> So, is the profit is the plan to sell those properties and is the profits from that worked into your budget as far as what you guys are trying to figure out to make up this deficit? >> So, I I will say the plan is to sell it. Yes. But I don't know that we could have a projection because it would depend on what it's getting sold for, who's purchasing it. Like I look think about Taylor Parks like um what we would if the city were interested in expanding the park like that would look different than I'd say if a developer's going. So there's lots of things you have to >> right now as far as you guys figuring out what these what difference closing these buildings and stuff

132is going to make. The sale of the properties aren't factored into it, just the demolition. >> Correct. It's it's the operational cost. So, there could be some additional money coming in that could help to offset some of the deficit. >> Okay. Um, and as far as making a decision on selling those, that would be announced ahead of time at a board meeting as far as >> what's taking place because like I'm in the Randall neighborhood that affects my property value. My brother's Taylor Parks, you know, like I >> Yes. >> who knows what we're going to end up with in the neighborhood, you know. >> So, I just want that was all the time. So if we can start answering the questions. Is that okay? >> Just two more really quick things and you can

133continue with the questions. That's okay. Please. >> Um as far as West staying the middle school, >> we can't we have to honor the fact that we've kept it to the three minutes. >> We still have online participants. Okay. >> Uh I wanted to jump in because I I think think it's a great question to say like yeah, we've talked about loss. We've talked about cut, cut, cut, and that's been the history of what we've done. Um, you asked the question, how do we change that? How do we turn that around and not talk about cut, cut, cut? Um, the biggest thing I've seen in my career is it's about living up to what we put out there and say we're going to be the innovative district because it the places that are gathering and

134getting students to come to them, it's because they are doing some innovative programming, innovative items. Um, I will say, you know, when I was here and we were merging Kennedy and Truman and there was the we were hoping to put in the the career academy model and we were hoping to just reinvent the way we were essentially doing um the high school process. That was the biggest I've ever seen in my career where people were interested in what we were going to do at the high school level. Unfortunately, it fizzled out and it never came to fruition. uh and unfortunately it was after I had left the district at that point as well. But uh it's doing those things and we're going to have to do some innovative and different programming that is going to

135draw people to to want to be part of our district. And trust me, those are long-term vision things I have uh in my mind of what I want us to see going forward. However, I've been saddled with the I have to deal with the elephant in the room that that's come first. And but to your point, like that's the stuff that's going to make that that difference. >> And as far as the elephant, what about TMP? Were the estimates that they gave us accurate as far as those costs and stuff of the buildings and everything? >> So, I'm going to go to your other questions. I'll mark that one down. But specifically, um, when you're talking about what are we doing to not have this happen again, um, I have already initiated conversations with the

136board's legal counsel. We're looking through the policies. We're making recommendate recommended policy revisions. Um, unfortunately, it can't be on the 10th um because we're not prepared for it yet. But we're looking at fine-tuning our policies to ensure that when we have a grant application, for example, in the district, one of the proposed ones is that instead, right now it's just at the superintendent level is that him or his design is able to sign off on these applications for grants. It would then revert back to the super superintendent and the board or the board president or treasurer would sign off. So that way we're able to actually see because that was that's the biggest oversight here. That application was submitted. We were not aware of what was submitted for that application. Um that's one of the

137proposed policies. Uh per our bylaws, we have to do two readings and then we have to vote on it on the second reading. Um other policies that we have in place, we're going from a bianual, one of the proposed ones is a bianual financial uh presentation to the board because they usually have the amended budget presentation that's done uh usually March time, >> February, March. >> Yeah. And then usually you have your budget presentation that happens in June. Uh moving to more of like a quarterly financial budget update. so that way the district has the opportunity to ask more questions related to the budget because that's when we're presented with that information. Um those are kind of some of the things that we're putting in place to try to put a little bit more of

138oversight on this because of this. Um unfortunately the way I mean it the system was built the way it was and the result of what we're in is because of the way the system was built. We're looking at fine-tuning it >> and I have talked to the board as well about reinstituting uh standing committees that used to exist in the school district particularly the finance committee of the board of education because typically the finance committee was you know there was uh board members involved superintendent um but then there were other uh district leaders uh such as union presidents then they would attend that committee meeting and you had yet another group that had some >> oversight of it but uh again that was something that practice went away uh in the past few years as

139far as I'm aware. >> And so prior to like my arrival, I know that the committees that Mike's talking about, those were dissolved in the district. Um that was before even my time on this board. Um and so looking at like Mike said, bringing those back so that there are more oversightes. Um a lot of that was removed prior to this. So, as far as those th those going into place or being removed, would the board have the final say on making sure like could this a new superintendent come in and just decide to dissolve all of that where there is no more oversight or is there someone that's got to sign off on that? >> No, that would that would have to go through the board now. So, >> okay. >> Um, sorry. >>

140What was the other Can you repeat the other question that you had >> the TMP and the estimates that they gave us? >> So, compared to other districts and stuff and I mean I don't know anything about construction but I was very involved with the bond and stuff and my understanding is what they were telling us as far and I know everything changed with COVID with prices but prior to that even apparently what they were quoting us isn't accurate as far as what we could do with that money. Do we have any recourse against them? Has anyone looked into it? What's happening with it? >> Okay, I think >> you might know this one better. So specifically when we hired well TMP was hired here on before my even arrival on the board um what

141they were done what they were hired to do was carry us throughout that um election period. So they created the PA is it the PAQ >> right >> PQ application >> the PQ application that is what was submitted to the state in regards to the bond that's what TMP was hired for so when they came in we hired them to create that entire PQ application that broke down the amounts that broke down specific things what had happened since the election as we all are where the inflation has hit >> what once was costing us in 2021 21 is not costing what it is now in 2023. We know that that inflation rate is going down, but we still know that it impacted a lot of those costs. So, what they once were able to do

142because back I remember when we were going through the bond campaign, they were saying $300 a square foot. Well, at the height of inflation, it was at over $400 a square foot now because of the cost. We know that they are monitoring those markets. they're constantly evolving because again inflation is constantly a fluctuating thing. Um but the biggest thing that we've seen is that because of that increase in cost across the whole world. I mean really that is what has driven those costs up and that is what has brought that value of that what that $130 million could have bought us when that PQ app was submitted to the state. No longer we can afford because we have all of this increased cost. So that's why at each of those meetings you've seen us discuss

143the high school and specifically those factors that were you know the auditorium the pool and those different things. So that's I don't know if that answers but it's the fluctuating of that. >> Yeah there are some signs that some of that is starting to recede and come back down too uh this point as well. Yes. Okay. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. Doris Shandorf 25223 Baker what is happening 2324 what schools are going is Pine going or >> you're talking about at the basically at the end of the school year essentially so we would be looking at uh Eureka Heights uh closing Eureka Heights and then the other would be uh moving the utilities out of Pine. >> Yes. >> And where do you plan on moving the utilities? >> Uh Career Center. Yes, the career

144center north, the old Titan Taylor Junior High building, the front side of that building on the main floor is where we would be putting those student or >> have you seen utility department? >> Have you been to the utility department to see what's in the utility department? >> So, I have actually walked that um and I've actually seen some of the rooms. Um, I know Jack and Patrick have invited both me and Mike out again as we have gone through this plan to really map out how that move would happen. So, >> okay. Because it's not going to fit. >> Yeah. >> If you're just doing from the stairway at Titan to the gym, that's what you're talking. >> No, we're talking about the whole front end where all those classrooms are as well. So,

145the full >> robotics >> full front uh row right there. We would be the old robotics room at the old career or the career center would become that new robotics well revert back to the old robotics room >> which is in the warehouse. >> No, they had a room actually in career center south as well. So >> Okay. So Pine is still on the chopping block. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> And did you say that all the departments are located here in the annex? We're in the process of getting them all located here because right now we know we have the ancillary special education staff on the upstairs of Career Center North. We're already in talks about if we're going to be moving those over here to the actual board of education office. So, >>

146okay. Thank you. >> We're only allowing one time coming up. So, um is there any other inerson Unfortunately, no. It would have to be up at the podium. Uh we you can still submit the follow-up questions through the online form, though, and we'll be able to get those answers. So, uh we're going to go ahead and close our inperson and go to the online. If you're an online participant that would like to speak, we ask that you grab the raise hand symbol and then we'll be able to unmute you, our moderator. Hello, Emily Stton, 6445 Troy Street. I'd like to thank the board and our superintendent first for all the work you do in the district. Uh, changes are not easy and I know there were some hard decisions that needed to be made. >>

147Is there someone that's unmuted? >> Emily Stton, >> you can't hear me. Um, >> did you mute Emily? >> Did I'm sorry. Did you want me to speak? >> But we couldn't hear you. Okay, Lynette, are you able to? >> Yes. Can you hear me? >> Can you hear me? We are having technical difficulties. Hello, are you able to say anything? >> Yes, my name is Dana Long. Uh, can you hear me? >> Are you guys able to hear me? >> Um, Matt, the recommendation is if we mute ourselves after we unmute them, will that help or not? Yeah. Let's see. So, for a little bit of context, um they are unmuted, but Zoom does not recognize them as talking or else they would have that little yellow outline around their name, and that outline

148is not showing up. >> So, is this a Zoom issue? Spotlighting only does camera work. Um, is there any are they trying to fix that? >> Uh, Donna Long, are you able to speak to see if we can hear you? >> Yeah, can you hear me? I am speaking. I'm not sure if you guys are able to hear me. We can't hear them. >> We're trying to work through it all. Yeah. See? Hello, this is Lynette. Can you hear me? Oh, >> do you hear someone? >> Can you hear me? This is Lynette. Uh for our online audience, they're still trying to work through the technical issue. >> The online audience can hear Lynette talking if that's helpful at all. I was gonna say, am I able to join it by my phone and just

149put it up to my microphone or if I join by my phone? Oh. Um, I'm I'm gonna try to attempt to hold the phone up to the microphone. If I have feedback, but I can repeat the questions as they're said. So if we want to continue ahead >> Hello, this is Lynette. Can you hear me? >> Yeah. >> Yep, Lynette, we can hear you. >> Okay. Um, my address is 7287 Mayfair Street, Taylor, Michigan. Um my question is um do you know what's happening or what is going to happen to the Truman building or the high school building as of now when the new building opens for the high school? >> So can you repeat the question? >> Lynette, was that your only question? Um yeah, I think that's right now uh just uh a

150question that I have as like a lot of the other questions were answered for me. >> So just for everybody in the audience so you know the the question was what is going to happen with the current uh Taylor High School Truman building? >> Yeah. Oh, so right now what the district is doing is we are looking at proposals for what we could do to the building. We know that with the there's a lot of feedback. It's like we know that with Okay, we know that with moving middle schools to uh West and Kenyon instead of the current high school, we would still have to keep the pool at the Truman building as that would be the only pool in the district that's operational for competition. Uh that is because at the new high school,

151we wouldn't be getting a new pool. And so, we know that we'd have to preserve that part. We know that um we're looking at preserving the gym portion of the building as well. That's because the proposed plan has our middle school athletic competitions taking place at the current high school. So they would be utilizing the gym. They would be utilizing the weight room. They'd be utilizing the baseball field, softball field, football field. Those would become our middle school athletic competition sites. The pool would be used by both middle school and high school. And then what we were looking at doing at West is a lot of those facilities would become then just the practice fields for the teams. So we would have a practice field for the football team. The gym at West would become

152the practice um practice gym for the middle school teams. Um and then uh put a practice football field in the back as well as we have the baseball and softball diamonds that need a little bit of TLC, but those will be coming from the practice fields for those as well. Um and then at the rest, so current plan is to preserve at least the gym and the pool. Uh, moving forward from there, we're looking at different ways we may be able to utilize that building um or demolish parts of the building. I know Miss Pat suggested something um it's definitely something that we're looking at. Um I know uh part of the proposal too um was keeping both of the cafeterias too. So that on top of not only hosting our uh middle school athletics,

153it could also become an activity center. Um, we know a lot of outside organizations utilize our spaces specifically like North uh North Line Church has their holiday party at our buildings. We know Special Olympics uses our uh gyms. We know that there's other community organizations that utilize our buildings. So, we would center them around that building. So, it'd be more of an activities building and complex. So, that way it's more community draw and bought in. >> Okay. I was just we had a lot of people concerned about like even being said that the they're growing the swim program and that all that was going to be like cancelled. So that was a concern of mine. Hang on a second. >> And then also I just wanted to say I appreciate um all of um you

154guys and your candid um nature of like coming out with things and um talking with us. So thank you for your time. >> Thank you. And was there a question prior to the last statement you just made? You were away from the board, so we weren't able to hear it. Um, no. I was just very concerned. There was a lot of people saying that the swim program is pretty much done at that point and so I was just wondering what was happening to the pool. So, I'm glad you're keeping it open. And that's it. And that I appreciate. >> Okay. Thank you. We appreciate it. If we could go to the next one. Who is >> Hello? Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh my name is Emily Ston. My address is 6445

155Troy Street. Uh I'd first like to thank the board and our superintendent for all the work you do in the district. Uh changes are not easy and I know that there were some hard decisions that needed to be made. I am a parent um in the district and I'm also a teacher in the district. With that being said, in the last meeting you mentioned that utilities would be moving over to Clear Center North and that it wouldn't affect the programs um because it would be moving in the front section of the building. There are currently three other programs in that front section including mine. Um there's also the gym which is used by the POHI and Crosscat postsecondary programs as well as JOTC. It's used for CPR training, um, out of district tours, meetings, PBIS

156celebrations. Is there a plan showing what areas of the building you would be occupying? >> So, oh, I just want to ask, is that all the questions? >> That is all the questions I have. Yes. >> Okay. So, as we've started to explore the move of the utility, we're looking at specifically what is the amount of space that they would need for the building. We know that they would be located on the main floor. Then what we would do is we would try to open up the upstairs second floor for that to be the programs. We know that we just put the money into renovating that space, but as the plan has evolved, we're looking at making that more of a CTE space on that second floor um for the programs to move towards. >>

157So I'm not necessarily like a CTE program. Um I have >> Are you part of the program? >> The adult transition program. Y >> that's located on the first floor. >> yeah. >> So what we would be doing specifically for the PACE program is we would be looking at >> oh >> adult transition program >> pace is at the high school. >> Okay. Thank you for that correction. I appreciate it. Um, so what we would be looking at for the adult transition program, we would be looking at finding and retrofitting that space to fit the needs within that first floor and looking at the different programs that we would be able to place on that second floor of the career center north. >> Okay. Because we have the full kitchen and laundry and everything that

158we would need already there. >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. Who is >> Hi. Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can hear you. >> Hi. Hi. Okay. I wasn't sure. All right. So, my name is Anna Long. My address is 6147 Insta Road in Taylor, Michigan. I am I just wanted to open up with I'm a parent. I also work in the district. Um, I just kind of wanted to address you guys to because I had a few unanswered questions as well as concerns. So, a few of them I'm going to start with Johnson. Uh, so that's where I work and the parking lot. We've been asking for that for many, many, many years. It is very small. I've been told, uh, Eureka Heights is much smaller. Um, and so

159I'm just not sure how if we do end up moving how that's going to work out considering we have a lot of staff members as well as uh our parents. They have to park. They cannot, you know, just drop them off like other schools. So, they're going to need extra parking for them because they have to literally get out of their cars, walk in, sign them in because of the students for their safety. So, that was one kind of concern that I had as well as uh the rooms which have already been addressed. They're much smaller. Um I did want to point out that we do have cats. I'm sure you guys know that, but we would need room to store these as well as lay them out for the children to rest during their

160rest time throughout the day. Um, and then I know you guys know there would be extensive renovations at both Johnson as well as Eureka Heights in order for it to occur because of the height difference and everything else. I know our principal, she's amazing, she's wonderful. She has had a whole list and I know she's already kind of address these with you. So, I just hope you are, you know, taking these all into consideration. Um the there's a few other things that is in regards to other schools. Um Hoover is another one. So with the fields, I know they have been sold off because I have family who lives in the area who lives literally right across the street and they protested it and it was sold. So, I was wondering where the playground equipment

161would go if it was going to be, you know, like uh turned into an elementary school. Um, and also the two middle schools, the principles, the teachers, everybody there is amazing. They're wonderful. I've never encountered a bad, you know, anything there. So, I am really hoping that there is no job cutings because I know there's two middle schools, counselors, principles, assistant principles, secretaries, and I know there's going to be a sixth grade academy. However, I'm not sure that all those positions would need to be in a sixth grade academy. Regarding secretaries and assistant principles and counselors, I'm not sure if sixth grade academy would need that. So hoping that's not in the agenda of what's to come for them just because again they're are great people. Um and then the uh other question is where

162will the playground for Taylor Parks go? Because I know you said they're all moving, but if Randall and Taylor Parks are combining into Hoover, which I believe is the plan, that means there's going to be two playgrounds. Are they both intending to go into Hoover? and if so where. And the last thing I believe that I have is just a consideration of um that I really hope you guys could take a minute just to recognize another alternative that may be a possibility such as um allowing ADA buildings that are in like adequate conditions, not like horrible conditions. I know there are some that are just beyond repair and that's totally fine. I get that. But there are some that are probably still in pretty good shape. So instead of shuffling all of these different schools

163into different schools, different locations, like I'm just suggesting maybe look into the possibility of keeping them where they are and busing students who schools are closing, being demolished, maybe busing them into the schools that are being kept open. So I believe that's everything that I wanted to say. So >> we can start answering some of the questions. Um, >> thank you. >> So yeah, I can start off because I know the first one you brought up was the uh parking lot uh situation when we go from Johnson to Eureka Heights. Uh we did have this discussion um with utility uh to look at what the size difference is. Um the sizes were pretty close, pretty comparable when we had that conversation. Uh the big difference at Eureka Heights is that it is a much more

164accessible lot uh than what you currently have at Johnson. Getting into in Johnson is uh a concern with the way that design is. So um we know that piece, but in terms of size, and I want to say that was even said that there was even more spots available, but it was pretty close. So specifically the parking lot at Eureka Heights, the difference is that we would be renovating the parking lot at Johnson to fit both Moody and Johnson staff. Um so that's why that parking lot expanded specifically to Eureka Heights. It is a smaller parking lot than Johnson, but part of the alteration plans was to expand the Eureka Heights parking lot so that it could accommodate even more than actually what the current Johnson parking lot has now. Um I believe the parking

165spot difference um is roughly about 20 to 25 parking spots. Um but we would be looking at expanding the parking lot at Eureka Heights for that. Um in addition for Johnson and Moody or the new Kenyon and Moody if the plan is uh approved that would be reconfigured so that way we're able to have different traffic flow in and out of the building. Um as well as adequate parking for both building staff. Um >> yeah, trying to back my notes here. Oh, um Hoover, you mentioned about the uh playground locations. So, what was sold from the Hoover property took about a third of what was the track and the football field. So, there is still a lot of land that exists around that property. Um but it is going to have to be looked at

166the exact locations of where we would put that. And it would be both of those uh playground sets because we know that that's going to be our largest elementary school that we would need both playgrounds uh moved to that location. >> And there is I mean to reiterate what Mike was saying was there is significant green space behind Hoover still. Not all of that green space was sold off to that company. There was a sliver of land that was sold, but the district still owns significant amounts of land behind that building. And so there's a lot of green space that could easily fit both playgrounds. Uh specifically, I know you asked about the Taylor Parks playground that would be moving over to uh the new Randall, which is the former Hoover, as well as the

167current Randall playground would move over to that building as well. >> Okay. >> Um and then Oh, I think that was it. >> So, I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Uh can I ask you one more thing? Uh the time has run out. So >> Okay. >> Yes. I appreciate it though. Thank you. And please fill out if there's any questions that were not uh able to be said, please fill out the online form. I believe that's in the chat box right there. Uh and we'll be able to get that answered to you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Can we please send that resend that into the chat box? I don't think I don't see it. So, all right. >> Hello. We can hear you. >> Hi, my name is Nerissa. My address is 14313

168West Point. I have a a question in regards of Johnson Elementary preschool special education program. I would like to know what will be the changes and what's to come. >> Uh specific to Johnson. >> Yes. For the special education program. So, the proposed plan would have both the special education program and the GSRP program move over to the current Eureka Heights building. >> Okay. >> Would that impact the class size? >> Uh, currently the district right now what we're doing is evaluating all of the alterations that would be done to that building. Um we know currently that there are uh similar classrooms that are at the Eureka Heights building that are at Johnson. Um the John Eureka Heights building has 21,000 square feet of classroom space. The Johnson building has 22,300. So that is something

169the district's taking into consideration and looking at specifically when we see the classroom spaces in those buildings. Um what the class sizes would look like. Um, it's all based off of square footage. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. I believe the form was just resent. I don't know if people can Oh. iPhone number eight. Someone's >> Hello. Know who's speaking? >> Hello. Can you hear me? >> Uh, yes, we can hear you. >> Yeah. Hi, it's Bob Murray. >> Oh. 97 Hi 9731 Sharon Street Taylor. Uh I'm both a resident obviously and a teacher at the career center. >> Uh the reason uh I'm speaking with you tonight is I'd like to get some clarification. I know Emily just spoke with you in regards to her adult transitions program in our building. Again, she's

170not a CTE, but she's in a CTE building. And here are my questions for you. Um, utility. Uh, I know I heard a couple people say they've been to utility. Utility um is a part of the district that houses equipment, uh, plow equipment, uh, vehicles, trailers, uh, those types of things you'd find in any utility department of any school district. So, my questions are, where are you going to fit the people? And I'm not sure how many employees they have, but I know they take up 10 or 12 uh classrooms at Pine Street. I'm not sure where all the vehicles would go. I'm not sure where uh the equipment would go. Um to me, in front of the board annex or the Taylor High North or whatever we call ourselves now. Uh I'm not sure

171if that's that's a viable option. So that was number one. And number two, Emily, she does have her class. It's the very first class as you walk in the front door. Uh because she has students that uh need access uh quick and access to the door um whether it be for bathroom use or uh they are on in wheelchairs or what have you and she does utilize that gym. So, we just hired, so I hear starting tomorrow an ROC instructor and right now our ROC program is housed or was housed uh in our career center building and that is a CTE program. Um they used um the hallways, they used the exterior of the building. For those of you who don't know, there is an area in the back that that my class did uh

172probably 10 years ago. It's kind of like a challenge course or an obstacle course that they used uh a lot. Uh they use the the gym of course. Um so my question would be where would they go? Uh, the other thing that I think is important to know is that I'm not sure of any other school in this district or any district around here would incorporate both a utility department right across the hallway from students. Um, years ago, we had a company come in, I don't know what company it was, and uh, spoke specifically as to not having people in the building that are not related to the school. Well, utility, yes, they're their employees, but we know that vendors come in, salespeople come in, deliveries are made, etc., etc. I'm not sure of the

173security uh of of intermingling the public and utility uh with our students. um questions like we just spent I'm going to approximate 50 to thou 50 to maybe 60 $70,000 and making all the changes in our two buildings and I'm just hearing tonight that we're going to move robotics back and put utility there. I'm not sure why we went through all that expense and futility of moving people if we're going to just move people right back again. So my final question is uh I've been over to the board office. I'm very very impressed with what's been done certainly in the front of the building uh where administration basically is located and where you're having your meeting tonight. But I got to believe there's a whole bunch of classrooms back there and I don't know how

174many there are and I've really never been in the back of break. Uh, can any of those classrooms or a wing along with maybe the ashvault parking that's already there be a viable option for utility? Again, kind of putting administration, everybody uh who helps run the district in one location. Uh, those are my concerns and those were my questions. So, thank you. >> You want me to start? >> Okay. So specifically specifically to the question around if we could move utility to the current board of education. So the entire main floor of the board of education from the back of break all the way to here is being utilized. Um we know that uh with moving additional like special education ancillary over uh we're going to have to make a few room alterations. But the

175way that it's laid out now, almost every room on this main floor is being utilized um or planned to be utilized with the move of um other district administration administrative staff. The remaining classrooms that are left uh there would be not enough space to house all of the equipment that utility has. Um, in the discussion about the equipment, uh, if it moved to the career center north building, um, a lot of the vehicles, a lot of the equipment would be housed at transportation, we would just have the actual departments and supplies be located inside that building. >> Uh, I would say because I know you mentioned the JOTC as well, um, some of the programming we're looking at going into the upstairs of that building. Um, as I'm trying to process through being, you know,

176having been a high school principal, um, I would think that something like JRTC is something that could go to the upstairs. Obviously, they would still use other facilities that are on the first floor as needed in that, but the actual classroom programming could be on the second floor. >> Uh, Mr. Murray, was that all of the questions you had that >> uh all that? Only ones that pertain to the the subject matter of today. So, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Hi, are you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Hi, my name is Mckendra Gray. My address is 9354 East Picwick Circle in Taylor. Um my question is regarding the current students at Eureka Heights. Um specifically the cross categorical classroom um the special education room and then the sensory room. Um I know

177the students are being divided between um two of the existing schools. So are there specific plans to keep those two um specific rooms intact? >> So uh that is a great question. I will say that uh as a administrative team um as we move forward, we are looking at uh basically how we have our special education programming laid out through the entire elementary level and we are doing an audit and evaluating of what's the best way to actually uh use our spaces and the best way to uh categorize uh the needs of our students. So all that process is kind of going on at the same time as this. It's separate from the utilization piece. Um, but it is something that we know we uh we're going to find the best fits for all those

178programs. Uh, but as of right now, I couldn't say that it is exactly going to be at that uh location. Now, those programs obviously those rooms will still exist, but we're we're re-evaluating it currently >> like what building they would be. >> Correct. >> Thank you. iPhone 8. iPhone 8, if you're able to unmute yourself, can you please do so? We've been trying to unmute you. >> Hey Kyle, it's Courtney Fr. I was at the meeting a little bit ago. I was just trying to see if you guys could send over that link for the um uh additional questions. >> What was that? >> I was just trying to see if you guys could get the link in the chat for the additional questions. Every time it pops up, it goes away. >> It keeps

179disappearing. >> So, if you can't find it on that chat box, if you go to the district website, there is a tab for the district utilization that's right on the top. If you click that, it'll take you straight to that form. So, it'll take you right to the access. Believe >> how quickly do are we expecting. >> Oh, you just muted yourself. Uh, Miss Pratt, >> sorry, I would not let back unmute again. Um, how quickly do you guys get responses back for those um send them through? So, since we've been off of break, we've answered about 30 of the 50 questions that were submitted over break. Um, we're trying to get to as many answers. So, we're actually every day, uh, we've been going on there and trying to answer as many. So, um,

180it just depends. Uh, once we get to that question, uh, there's been over 50 submitted, but like I said, we've gone through and answered already almost 30 individuals. So, uh, it's just every day we're, uh, chipping away at doing that. So I would say give us at least uh depending on the influx of questions at least a week or at least 24 to 48 hours to be answer. >> Okay, I appreciate it. Thank you. >> Good evening. This is Michelle Hodkinson, 16201 Lauren. Um, I would like to take a moment to thank everybody on the board for their diligence and their hard work. Um, change is really hard and I believe that everybody is doing this with an open heart and no agendas and I want to thank you for being so transparent. I would

181also like to recognize the the people who are in buildings that are closing. Um, I know it's really tough if you're in a closing building to hear other people talk about plans for your building and they are handling it with poise and grace and I'm just so proud to be a part of team Taylor. Um, something that I would like to mention that I'm hopeful for is, uh, many of our Meyers families do struggle, um, going over to Johnson. And as somebody had mentioned early, if earlier, if you ask a kindergarten teacher, um, can they tell the difference between students that have had preschool opportunities and those who haven't, you can really see differences. And many Meyers families struggle to get to Johnson because of transportation. Um, I'm really excited and hopeful that if it

182is moved over to Eureka Heights that more of our families will have access to get over there um within traveling distance. It's a shorter amount of distance. Sometimes gas is short. Money is really tight. So, I'm excited for this um rainbow amongst the rain. And I just wanted to also update you that the score of the game is 14 to3 Michigan. >> Thank you. Hi, this is uh Kimberly Williamson 10581 Birch, Taylor, Michigan. Um, just wanted to point out real quick, I worked on I voted for everyone except the two appointees and I do have the utmost respect for you guys doing your job. I just have a couple questions. Um, when you guys were approving budgets, was the line items for the ESSER funds just in grants or was it um pinpointed as ESSER

183funds? Um, since you guys have found out about it, how much money is being spent this year? Um, Esser money is being spent this year for this year's budget. Um, what percent of the total budget budget is taken up by ESSER funds? um what salaries is it being spent on and how many new positions were created because of the money and would these positions still have been created if we didn't have those money in our budget? Um also the utilization rate for um Taylor High School, how come that never came up when we were discussing the bonds? And lastly, when you guys were doing the contract for TFT, which I think we needed to do a contract like that to become competitive, I understand um close sessions um for legal reasons when you're negotiating, but

184at no point did anyone ever say, "Can we afford this in the future?" And was this part of the er funds being in the budget the reason that you guys approved that contract? And that's about it. >> All right. I'm gonna I might ask you to repeat them unless Mike got all of them. But >> you got some. I think you got some of the others. So we'll >> Sorry guys. All >> good. >> So specifically when uh I mean I can pass it also have u Miss Hill answer the question specifically when the board has presented a budget. Um the question of is it presented line item by line item and specifically >> uh the state requires school districts to um submit a budget to the board on a functional level. >> Yeah. >>

185so we are not privy to the line item by line item uh site that is not sent. The state of Michigan just says that you get a template which is like a basic overview of the budget, but they leave it to the finance department and cabinet to go line item by line item and to work with the specific departments and schools. >> That is correct. >> So, and I know you asked a lot about the specifics of positions created and what exactly was in that uh ESSER application. Um, it's quite lengthy. I I couldn't go through it all uh where we're at, but essentially from when we look at SR 3, this wasn't the case for SR one and SR2. SR1 and SR2 had specific positions that were created and that were dissolved before they

186would hit the general fund. Uh from the nearest look, when we're going through SR 3, these are not newly created positions that were in there. They are positions that have existed uh within the school district and have existed within the school district for quite some time. uh and I'll just cite the example of media specialists uh being included in there and we've had media specialists here at the district. So the nearest thing to say about that money was that uh it was using salary and benefits to cover existing positions and that's the part we are rectifying and that's why there's going to have to be this absorbing into that general fund because you know those are positions we've had we've always had there there's no way we have any intentions of cutting those positions. So

187we have to find the way to pay for it. And specific to the amount uh for this year that was allocated from SR3 to the budget, um >> there is 10 $10 million left and um SR3 funding for the current year and that will be used on salaries and benefits because um SR3 the district was awarded $28 million. $13.8 $8 million was expended last year and we need to expend the exact same $13.8 million worth of salaries and benefits for the current year, but we only have $10 million left of ESER funding. So, we'll absorb about $3.8 million this year and then also other activities that we'll do for the rest of the year. And then specific to the utilization of Taylor High School um and why was that not presented um when we were

188going through the bond? That is a great question. Um I think that is something that even us as a board um TMP or plant Moran has said that um that is something that TMP should have done. Um, we know that when they went through the actual building of the bond and the PQ app, um, they had to submit a utilization study. When we look back at that number, it was not done appropriately. And so that utilization, when I say not done appropriate, it was done appropriately, but it was not done accurately. And so that's why later on we as a district hired on uh TMP to conduct a utilization or yes plant Moran to do the utilization study for the district. Um I think that that information would have been crucial to decision- making when

189we ha if we would have had that. Um I can't speak as to what those steps were leading up to hiring TMP. And um again, prior to my arrival at the board, I know that we were already signed on for the bond um and it was jumping right into the uh campaign of it. So that is something. And even then, you know, sitting in the committee meetings, um those numbers weren't presented to us. I know, uh the bond committee, we sat there and it was community members, people from all over Taylor, um parents. >> Yeah, I was part of it. Yeah, I was part of it, Kyle. So that's why I'm asking. I never heard those numbers. So >> and and what was presented to you all in those meetings is what was presented to

190us. Um and so that's what we based our decision- making on as a committee on what the proposal would be moving forward for that bond. So >> okay. And then my last question was, and like I said, the teachers deserve it and we need to be competitive, but at any point did anyone on the board say we can afford this contract or was there any projections or forecast? I know Darl mentioned earlier he talks to other people on boards in um the other communities. Well, I've talked to a lot as well and not one of them has ever made such, you know, big decisions, even budget decisions, not seen any projections like five-year projections and stuff. So, um, and I guess my last question is too, do we ever get in our financial audits, do

191they ever audit the projections or the forecast or is it just for the past years? So the last question or I can speak on the first part and then Miss Hill can speak on that second part. Um specific to the first part um when we discuss we can't discuss and open uh negotiations as they're covered by uh close session um and legally we can't divulge any information around what was discussed in close session. I can I can tell you that the district and board were presented with uh projection numbers, but it was the first time seeing it um the way that it was when the CFO had his last day. >> Okay. All right. And in terms of our five-year projection, um after the first CFO um projected a deficit, I went back through the

192numbers and I also uh projected a deficit and our current auditors agreed with me. And um you know um districts create a five-year budget projection because you know if you don't create a budget projection you don't know where you're going to be you know in the next year. So at the close of the audit the district had a $25 million fund balance but that is that was as of June 30. But if you look at the current year, that sounds really good. But you know, you have to weigh in the fact that we the ESRE money is going away and we have to account for that. So, and then in accounting for that, it produces a a a operational deficit that has to be covered by the general fund. And here we are. >> And

193when our and just to clarify, correct me if I'm wrong, Miss Hill. When our auditors do our audit of our district's finances for the previous year, what they look at is just that year. They do not look ahead or behind. They're looking to see if what you spent in that previous year is accurate and is accounted for and everything is legal. Um, >> that is correct. >> Yes. >> They just look at the current year. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thanks, guys. We appreciate it. Can you hear me? >> We can hear you, Miss Fields. >> That well. Thank you. Kathy Fields, Wood Creek Taylor. Um, a little a little history lesson for the superintendent, only not back that far. when we did have the finance committee meetings which were

194open to the public that's when we would get reports from um the CFO of line by line expenditures then it would go to the board the entire board with the recommendation of that committee and board members sat on that committee. The problem I see is that went away, policies changed. Um, all kinds of garbage went on under the previous administration. Is there any intent to reinstate those committees? There was a committee for everything. then there wouldn't be a question on the budget at all because your CFO would be sitting there to answer questions that board members or whoever was involved with that committee would have. That's my only question. Oh, and you're never going to fit utility where you think you are. There is no way. >> That's all, >> Kathy. And I will say

195like when I first realized the committees weren't in existence anymore was we were having the board meeting uh where you know the Michigan Association of School Boards was doing the uh training with the board back in October and uh they were talking about what protocols do you have in place and that was one of the first things popped into my mind was board committees because they do oversight and all that. uh and realizing that night that those didn't exist, that was one of the first things I came back to board and said, "We absolutely need to have committees back in place for this exact reason." >> And that is one of the that is one of the proposed policy changes that we'll be bringing to the board um in this January is reinstating all of

196those committees that were once in the district. >> And those were also uh for public as well. >> Yeah. That way, if any residents had any questions or concerns or wanted to know what was going on with the budget and the monies and the expenditures, they could go there and sit and hear exactly what was going on. >> Yeah, correct. >> To me, that's true oversight. But under the the previous administrator, oversight was deleted and gotten rid of. Yep. >> Thank you. Hi, can you hear me? >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh, my name is Danny Mcnet, uh, Irving Street. I was just curious on um when the school when all of the elementary schools make their transitions over to new buildings and everything, how are you going to handle um any influx of in district

197school of choice students? >> Are you saying in addition to what uh we currently have for in district school of choice? >> Yes. So you're closing two or three elementary schools re rerouting students. So for a new student or a student who um is school is closing and going to a new building um how would you handle in in district school of choice? So for my child to go to a different school? >> Yeah. So I I guess the best way I can answer because there's lots of little pieces like that that we're still going to be working out the details on. But in the projections, if it's somebody who has currently already uh gone through the process of in district school choice, we factored that into our uh projection numbers for the new locations.

198So if it's somebody who's already went through the process, they would still be in that case. Um once we have a you know a solid idea of what the numbers are and what the capacities would be trying to stay at that 28 uh ideal that 28 students per classroom then we would look to where we can uh open that up and have the ability to have other students uh take advantage of the industry school choice. But we would have to get an assessment of exactly what seats are available uh to do that properly. And we're we're going to be uh working like for example if there's an ind district school of choice kid to Kenyan um and they're not in the Kenyan boundary that we have accounted for them to move with that building to

199where they're going. Uh specifically I think the question was geared towards the buildings that will no longer um exist. Those are the things the fine-tuning things that we're going to be having to work through with our people accounting department. Um and then Mike at the cabinet level. um to offer options to the families. >> Okay. Would this be something that we could start applying for um let's say next year? My my school of my current school is Randall um but with it moving over to where Hoover is located. Um it is not ideal for my family situation. So we would like to do in district school of choice for my youngest to go to a different elementary school. So, I'm just I guess just trying to stay ahead of everything to make sure that he

200can still >> Yeah, once that information is released, we'll definitely put it out to all the parents so that way they're able to actually fill out the forms and go through the process. Um, but like I said, we'll try to honor all of the current in district school of choice enrollments for the buildings that are remaining. >> Okay. All right. Well, thank you All right, moving on to item number five. Item scheduled for the next agenda, Wednesday, January 10th, 2024. We have our good news and our student representatives and it is also our organizational meeting for the district. Moving on to item number six, board member comments. Are there any board member comments? I'd like to thank everybody for coming out voicing their opinion regardless of how it goes. It's not a I I appreciate

201it to hear the feedback from whether you're administrator, past teacher, current teacher, um the parents, I have students in the school district as well. Um so gives us a lot to think about. I appreciate Uh I'll just echo that statement is thank you for participating. I think this is where a lot of change happens is people coming and speaking to board members getting engaged. Um I think that we all sit here and we seriously truly want to take the information, the suggestions, the concerns. We take that to heart. We know that that is something that concerns you. It's something that you are passionate about and we want to be able to respect that. We truly do. uh we are here to listen. You are the people that we represent and we want to be able

202to represent you all. So, thank you for being here. Thank you for participating. Thank you for taking your time on the day that Michigan plays the championship game to come and speak and care about the schools, the Taylor School District. That means the world to us that there is passion and care for the school district and it's shown here by the people that are online and the people that are here in person. So, thank you. Thank you all. All right, moving to adjournment. Is there a motion? >> Motion by Mr. Thomas. Is there a second? >> Second by Miss Shufelt. Miss Block is absent. Mr. Heath? >> Yep. >> Mr. Meyers is absent. Mr. Thomas, >> Mrs. Thomas, >> Miss Shufelt, >> Mr. Wright is yes. That carries 5. The Board of Education special board

203meeting for January 8th, 2024 will adjourn at 8:46 PM. Have a great night.