001meeting to order. Uh the Byron Independent School District number 531 at 6:00 on September 15th. Uh attendance roll call please. >> We have Jeremy >> here. >> Alicia >> here. Kelly >> here. David, Krie >> here. Lisa here. Nadia >> here. Okay, if you'll rise and face the flag for the pledge of >> allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> All right. Vision. Byron Public Schools, a community of learners committed to making the world a better place. Mission: learn, share, innovate, and inspire. Priorities are to personalize learning in the pursuit of academic excellence, inspire students and staff to develop their character, share their talents, and apply their learning, and maintain excellence in
002resource management. Uh portion of the meeting for visitors. Did we have any signups? We did not. So, we'll move on to approval of the agenda items. Any questions or discussion on the agenda? If not, would I entertain a motion to approve? >> Make a motion to approve the agenda as written. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. >> Agenda is approved. We'll move right into the superintendent report. >> Okay. Um beyond what's written, I just I just wanted to highlight a couple of things we've been working on. Um, I really want to highlight the great conversations that have been happening at the negotiating table with um, both the parents and the teachers. I think both sides um, have enjoyed a good amount of shared understanding and
003being able to articulate what they're looking for. Um, also be able to push back on each other a little bit and say, "Hey, we have concerns about that." So kudos um to the negotiating team for being willing to engage in conversation as opposed to passing papers back and forth. Um I think it's a good culture move. So I recognize it usually takes a little bit longer, but it pays off in the end. So um especially for the students in the room, Ann and I have been working on snow day plans and how to call off school in the most effective way possible. So, um, it's really important to have a nice plan and a protocol because that morning is is is one of the very few super time constrained things that we do. Um, and
004when the decisions made, there's a lot of things to do one right after another to make sure that communication happens. So, we're trying to make a good plan right now. Um, as far as the referendum goes, as you all well know, website is live. Um, I've received, I think, maybe about 10 or 12 questions or requests for presentations at this point. Um, everything has been, um, positive or neutral, I guess I could say, at this point. Um, as you all well know, we've been doing, uh, started community meetings. Alicia and I went on Wednesday to the basketball one. I felt like we were very well received. Um, there was a lot of really good questions. Um, I don't know. Do you I don't want to put you on the spot. Any other comments on that?
005>> I agree. I feel like it went well and >> yeah, >> everybody is very grateful for the information and said that that was a step in the right direction. >> So, I know that it's last minute, but I am in desperate need of some help tomorrow afternoon. I have at 5:00 I'm going to be at the high school um before the JB volleyball game starts um for maybe 15 20 minutes to run through the presentation. I just I need a wing person there to to be able to collect questions so that then at 5:45 I can be down at the middle school at 5:45 to do a a presentation there. Really the the name of the game is less going to be run a presentation on your own and it's more if people are
006there and they still have questions just collect their questions get their contact info and then I will follow up with them. some of the questions you might be able to answer and if you want to do that that's fine but it's more about collecting them so that you could give them to me if that makes sense. So um we don't have to use the board's time right now to kind of navigate push through that but maybe afterwards if you feel like you're available um please talk to me so that I can and I feel like I need at least two of you. So again I'm sorry that it's a little bit last minute but I wanted to take advantage of the homecoming crowd and the and the volleyball game and Tuesday night's kind of our
007our night next week >> and that's it. Yeah, like 5 to 5:15. >> Yeah. College at the high school, if you were there from like 5 to 5:45, that'd probably be great. And then if uh somebody at the middle school, if you could be there probably like 5:30 just to help cover in case I can't quite get there at 5:45 >> from like 5:30 to maybe 6:30. >> Okay. >> Or more like 6:15 because I'll definitely be there to >> Can you make it up? I can make the high school. My son has a football game that I'd love to go to, but if I told Nate that I can skip it if no one else can. >> Yeah, I can do the high school. >> Okay. >> I'll double check. I may be able
008to. >> Okay. >> Prevent you from having this. >> Okay. So, >> thanks. >> Okay. Cool. Um, the other thing is, uh, September is school board appreciation month. >> Believe it or not, there's a month to appreciate the school board. Um, and I have uh and we can hand them out at the end, but I have some tenderly written handwritten cards in my blue ink um for each of you. And then afterwards um we got some cookies for you as well to um >> make you the school board really does pay off, believe it or not. But anyways, on a on a super serious note, just um I just want to thank you for giving me the chance to work with you. And I want to thank you, especially um as you've had to navigate
009some really difficult decisions and probably had to confront some really awkward and terrible conversations and some people who probably haven't been super nice, but then also recognize that there have been a lot of people that have been super nice to you and it's really amazing to to work and be connected with the school. So, um, on behalf of all the staff and the students, thanks for being willing to be out front and and lead, especially in tumultuous and contentious times. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Thanks. >> Um, oh, sorry. No, we are doing the referendum update. Sorry, I'll be quiet. >> Do you want to Item on the agenda, so I'll be quiet. Is there anything further on the referendum you'd like to discuss with the referendum update? >> Um just uh
010a notion that came up in the budget committee today. Um and and Nadia and Nisha can jump in whenever they want, but um we at the budget committee have been looking at a tool that we can use to better analyze and understand our budget, the entire school district's budget, and compare that budget with other school districts that are of our similar size and composition. One of the major downfalls of school budgeting absent a tool like this is the only thing we really have to go on when it comes to our budget is our previous year's budget. And as you all well know, there are sometimes where you can't put faith in the previous year's budget. And that creates a real situation when you're trying to plan the budget into the future. Um, this program provides
011us with the understanding of we're able to go every expenditure code and compare how much we are paying year-over-year versus up to six other school districts that are our same size. And we're able to determine, okay, well, it's we're paying a lot more than all these other school districts. Is that a good or a bad thing? And in some cases, we want to make the investment in that in that idea. But in other ones, we're only doing that because that's that's what we've always done. And nobody's ever challenged that notion or said, "Well, why what is it that we're getting with all this extra money?" Um, it was uh it was my intention to to slow roll it. I I do like putting the accelerator to the max and the throttle as fast as we
012can. And so I do intentionally try to slow things down so that everybody has a chance to process and think through it. Um but at the budget committee today um they felt that trying to sign on to this tool sooner rather than later might also form a nice talking point when it came time for the referendum to be able to talk through well hey here's how we've changed our expenditures and here's the evidence of that and here's another here's another tool that we have deployed to try and make it so that um board members, superintendent, staff and the community have a better understanding of what our budget ends working. >> Um I don't know if Alicia and um if Nadia either wanted you two want to talk a little bit more about it. >> No
013pressure. >> So the information that isn't still is availably is publicly available information from the Minnesota Board of Education where all the schools submit their annual reports and that information is put together. So to one on one hand we do have access to the same information but this tool summarizes it and like puts it in a digestible format that is easily to access and like to compare across different areas. Um so yes it does make um I think it's a good addition. However, it's all about who will be using this tool, right? So if we have if you know you're prepared to use it and and have it kind of you know on your desktop all the time open so that you can respond to all the questions that the community will be uh asking
014us about different expense items and how it compares then yes it would be a great addition. If it's just something that's going to you know not being will not be used as widely then it's not going to help us. So what is our commitment if we are to pursue with this? What is our commitment for utilizing it? >> Yes. Is there cost involved? I'm assuming >> there's a cost. Yeah. And the cost is really two paths. But I and I want to talk about that. But to add to what Nadia said and it it is it is wisdom what she says is like if you aren't going to use the tool to inform decisions, it ends up being a waste. um the data that it pulls comes from the audited numbers that come from all
015Minnesota schools. And so in a sense like that that data depending on when you end up looking at it um and interpreting it could be as far as a year old. But the advantage to it is these are audited actual numbers year over year over year including the ones that you're doing. So, I don't necessarily know, just to be totally honest, I don't necessarily know if this is the sort of tool that we would use day in and day out consistently, >> but it absolutely would be a consistent tool when it came time to work through a revised budget, which we will do after the audit begins, but then also um or after the audit ends, excuse me. But then it also would be a very powerful tool when it would come time to set
016next year's budget, the 26 27 because we would see, well, here's where our budget is sitting right now. Here's the news that we know from the state for increased revenues or increased expenditures. And then you can compare all that information with the audited results from not only Byron, but all these other schools. Yeah, I feel like two members of the budget committee in particular were adamant that we would be fools not to do this. One who works in industry and one who works in local government. The um representative from the city said the city uses similar data and this price is much much less than what they have to pay. So that was reassuring to hear too. >> Sean, I know you're familiar with the program. Have you used it before? >> I haven't used
017it before, but uh I I can definitely see some utility for it, especially as I start looking at revised budget and like Nate said for next year's budget. >> Would that help us forecast a long-term budget in any way? >> No, >> probably not. >> Okay. >> It's just so it's like by line item of your expenses >> for when you're looking at similar schools, similar to population. So are they are our expenses approximately on the same line? And if they're not, you know, if there's like a big difference, then you would like need school administration to dig in why it is such a big difference. >> Right. That's true. >> Right. >> So, as far as the cost, there's really two paths. Um, the first path is the traditional one where you pay a
018$10,000 setup fee and that is where they are loading up the the system with your data and then they're also uploading the data from the the most recent audits from the the state into the system. And then every year after your setup year, it's $2,500. and that $2,500 expense pays for the upload of that year's data. The other option is because there are many school I shouldn't say many, there are between seven and nine school districts that are um uh that are set up on this system in our area. Um, and he has offered instead of paying10,000 and then 2500 that you can pay it's it's a $4,500 setup fee and then you agree to like a three or four year commitment and every year is that $4,500 fee >> for my understanding was that
019was for like for four years you'd pay the 4500 free and then the fourth year is free. Right. That's right. >> And then after that would you revert back to the 2500? >> I think it's the 2500 after that. Thank you. Thank you. I didn't explain that, right? >> So, it's the same cost. It's just spreading it out, right? >> Yeah. >> You're only paying just a couple hundred more over the 10,000 if you're if you break it down by 44,500 a year. >> Yeah. I I think technically, like Alicia said, I think technically it ends up being the same price. It's just it's more of a question of are you paying it up front or spread out over time? And what he was trying to do with the one that was spread out over
020time was a couple of the districts that are signed on to that are in, believe it or not, more financial trouble than we are. >> And he was trying to make this not such an ownorous purchase when you're trying to dig out of >> the issue that you're in. >> So will this save time for you, Sean, at certain times during the year? >> I don't know that it would necessarily save time. I think it would be more of um it would provide more informed decision making. >> Okay. >> I personally feel like especially after we make our strategic plan like we can it'll be such a key tool to communicate with the community that yes, we are compared to our peers prioritizing spending our money here and we're not overspending in these other areas.
021>> So right now if we didn't go with it we would have somebody would have to do all the comparisons manually. It probably just wouldn't. It's probably not feasible. It probably would. It would just be guesswork. We don't really know. >> Okay. >> If we were >> But didn't Nadia say it's public record? >> It is. But it would take >> So, it's public record. And when I share the story when I was writing for this job last year, that's what I did. I went on their website. I just pulled out all the financial statements from the industries that I thought were comparable. And I was like comparing line by line like what's going on where it takes time. It's not user friendly. It's there are things >> if we have if we can ask
022our student population for like a project to like like drop all of this data in Excel and set up all the you know tables and everything that needs to be there to like replicate the same. I'm sure people can do it. it's not that big of a deal. >> But um this so it's an Excel tool, right? >> But what why we think that this approach is makes sense is that this Excel tool was prepared by um a school superintendent who has gone through several kind of budget reductions over his career. Um I think he published a was it he defended his doctor using information. So it's it's just an kind of a view at those numbers and those comparison from a perspective of a person who is experienced in looking at that data day
023in day out. >> It also includes coaching by him like if we if there's any specific Greek report or question we come up with we can submit it to him and he would it sounds like he would be available to help us synthesize any report he put together too. And you said there's seven to nine schools around our area or >> Yeah, just in our area, but there's there's quite a few across the state that are are jumping on especially especially now as most districts are looking towards a time of budget reductions and and tightening of belts. >> Yeah. Could you reach out to some of them and just see how useful the tool is? >> Yeah, I was um in a in my previous district I I had already done so because we were
024we were thinking about navigating this way. It's not been >> Yeah. No. And and a couple of them just said like this tool is the only thing that has like in some cases the districts got ahead of it soon enough where they um they don't they won't ever need like an operating levy. They won't need to go for a referendum for their voters. Um and a couple of them um are saved themselves. They pulled themselves out of SOD or prevented themselves from going there. So, um, anyway, the there's a lot of there's a lot of, uh, there's quite a bit of buzz around this thing. Um, and he doesn't really advertise. It's really just word of mouth. Like, >> is that a company or just a single guy? >> It's really just him and then
025he he's hired a a computer programmer and an assistant that helps him manage the data and the contracts and such. >> How how long's he been doing this? Well, he's been the superintendent at Bell Plane for 10 years now. I think this is either his 10th or 11th year. That's probably not super important. And then he had started it while he was um uh an administrator at Still Water. >> Okay. >> He might have had one stop between Still Water and and Del. He kind of has the Ryan Serest look where it's like he's he's stayed that same age for like 30 years. I'm sure he hasn't changed though. >> Or Dick Clark if you want to go >> earlier. >> None of those guys know who that is. >> Maybe not even >> they
026might not know Ryan see. So in regarding that this is a discussion but >> what would be the process to is that a vote is >> if um well if we're having a discussion on it um and I we dropped it in the referendum debate mostly because at the budget committee the the committee felt pretty strongly that it's not worth waiting >> and going slow like I was intending to do. um but that their their recommendation was as soon as you can start using this report and getting the data uploaded um don't need the board's vote necessarily to take action but more um more just wanted to get your feedback and thoughts on it >> and that if if you felt good about it that I would um I would move forward with it. I
027feel great about it and I think it will be fun as a side note too just to know that information >> and it's also I should add it's not also about like finding things to cut >> right >> like he he's also very deliberate about saying this is also a place where you can see we aren't spending enough in this area compared to other districts and this this can like Alicia was alluding to >> we want to emphasize this and if you want emphasize this and you're you're paying less than or the same as every other district, >> there's an argument to be made that you aren't emphasizing that whole set and so you can now strategically guide some of those dollars. >> Okay. Any other comments or or feelings on it? >> Cool. Thank
028you. >> All right. Move on to our financial updates. >> Very timely, right? Okay. So, here's our our uh monthly wall of text where we're comparing uh this past month to previous years. So, uh looking at our revenues, we're up a little bit from last year, which is a nice little nice little change. Um nothing really substantial to report in the in the revenues there. Um, so as as I go back and look at the expenditures by program, we are a little bit ahead of where we were last year, but we're behind where we were in 2024. So we're kind of like right in the middle there. >> Um, to kind of build off of the previous discussion, these areas here where where it's looking at expenditures by program, that's essentially what that program will
029do. you can have it look at uh the expenditures by program or the expenditures by object. So um all in all um some of the things that I noticed as I looked at this they were all easily explainable like u one particular expenditure was coded in the right place right away as opposed to journal entrying it at the end things like that. So overall, I'm pretty happy with where the financials are um through the end of August anyway. So really hard to see a lot of huge patterns at this point in the in the year, but uh uh keep an eye on it that way if something does uh start to show itself, we can kind of get ahead of it before it gets out of control. Um, at the risk of putting Nadia and
030Alicia on the spot again, were there any um any discussions from the budget committee when we looked through this stuff that you feel like we should highlight or bring to board? >> Not that I can think of. Well, just as Sean said, right right now because it's early in the year, we don't really see any patterns of this. >> So, it's pretty much comparing that line year to year to date actual um comparing that line row, I mean column to what was done last year. So the year to date actual computers here that's kind of the utility of this view right now and yeah it should help us spot huge changes from last year >> right to N's point if one of these one of these lines was significantly higher than the previous years then
031that would be something to dive into and see if there was a reasonable explanation as to Okay. Any questions or discussion on the financial report? Do we have any old or unfinished business? Then we'll move on to the prelim preliminary tax levy. Okay. So, here we go. This is the levy 25 pay 26 tax levy. Um, who's driving this thing? >> I got it. >> Yeah. Okay, you can go to the next one. So, just as a reminder, um, mid to late August, um, we go through and put in some basic information into, uh, MD's website. Things like, um, leases, we adjust, um, our pupil counts, um, things like that just kind of as a baseline for them. Um, in early September, they release a lot of reports about 45 pages now, I think, that
032tells us everything that that we can levy for the levy limitations and the certifications. Um, we're required by September 30th to uh for you guys to approve the preliminary levy. Um, every year we always uh levy to the max. Um, that's that's to provide greater flexibility. Okay. If you levy below the max, you there's very few reasons that you can raise it, but if you levy to the max, you can in theory reduce it if you need to. Um, unfortunately with our levy, the state tells us what we can levy. They give us all the numbers. So, there's not a lot of wiggle wiggle room that we have here at the local level for that. Um, also here at this point, we would set the date and time for the truth and taxation meeting. Um,
033according to my calendar would be December 15th at uh 6 o'clock, but that'll be for you guys to finalize. So then between now and uh the end of November, uh we'll review the preliminary levy. The state continues to make adjustments as we go through this um ahead of the uh that truth and taxation in December. uh the truth of taxation meeting in December. Also, um we'll discuss the current year budget again, where we're at with that, as well as the public will have a chance to ask questions if they have any of those. Um, of course, uh between now and the end of November, uh we'll have the referendum vote. So, that could change this preliminary le significantly. So um and then in then in December then you guys have certified the final levy 25
034pay 26 levy. I brought in some different things that uh can impact the changes in this um if the state were to change levy formulas but that's obviously not done right this time of year. Um, as as it shows up there, the issues that are determined by the district is the voter approved referendums, capital projects, things of that nature. Um, these are just some things that go into the overall percentage of what the levy looks like compared from year to year. >> So, we'll go on. This is the general fund. So, preliminarily, um, the levy would be $2.9 million. Last year it was 3.1 million. Um a big driver in that is um change in enrollment. Okay. So we made sure to adjust our enrollment numbers for this year as well as the future years
035to more accurately reflect our current situation with our enrollment. Um when Stacy and I were doing this, um I don't want to put the numbers too close to where I think they're going to be. I want to go a little bit lower so that we've got a little bit of a cushion, right? That way if there's if we if we uh put a number in at say 2235 and it actually comes in at 2260. Yep. We're surprised. We're surprised in a pleasant way. >> We don't want to put 260 and then get 235, >> right? >> That's where things go off the rails pretty fast. So, we go to community education. Next one. um 126,000 just under 127,000 down from 160 last year. And then next one is our >> Oh, sorry. >> You missed
036one. >> That would be our debt service uh 5.8 million up from 5.6. So that's just uh five payments. So overall, assuming in a vacuum, if property values didn't change, none of that happened, this levy is actually a 1.09% decrease from what was levied last year. >> Okay. >> So again, that's completely a vacuum, >> right? And if the referendum passes, that will not affect this >> this will be vastly changed. >> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. And will that take effect when the referend when we actually start getting the money or how does the timing shape? >> So this one is we're levying it this year. U taxpayers are paying it in 26. The referendum is paying in 26. We don't see those dollars until 27, >> right? >> So I guess it would it wouldn't
037directly impact this one. >> Okay. So our next steps is uh we're recommending to approve to adopt the um maximum proposed preliminary tax levy and then you guys will act on the final one in December where they'll have where taxpayers have an opportunity to ask questions and they also have to set the uh officially set the taxation. Okay. So this is maximum but the numbers that you use for assumptions are still under um or underestimated for strategic reasons right? >> Correct. >> Okay. So the number of students is 22 something right? >> Currently 2283. >> Okay. >> And this is based off of that this is based off of the that exact number. >> Okay. And then community education budget is down because of >> every everything is down because of >> number of students.
038Okay. >> Thank you. >> Because this year's budget was actually based on 2309. >> So we pulled that number down >> for this. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Any other questions for Sean on the preliminary tax levy? As it is an action item, we look for a motion. >> I make a motion to approve the max allowed amount for the preliminary for the tax levy for 2025 to 26. >> Okay, >> does that make sense? >> Second preliminary in there somewhere. >> Okay, second. >> Motion and a second. Any further discussion? All in favor say I. I. >> I. All opposed. Motion carries. We'll move on to take action on closing the extra checking account. >> Um so this was an item that as uh Sean and his team continue to investigate items in the budget
039and try and um bring things in alignment with standard practices. This was another item that came up. So I'll assuming Sean's voice is still in good shape. >> Sure. >> I'll hand it over to Sean. So, um, the sec the secondary checking account was done to account for student activities and fundraising accounts, okay? Because there were concerns that those accounts weren't being handled adequately. >> Um, one of the first things that I wanted to do when I got in here was get those numbers into the hands of the people that were custodians of those accounts. And that's been done. So everybody that manages those accounts knows right now what account balance they have >> and those accounts will be reconciled on a month-to-month basis. So there should never there should never be a question >>
040what do we have in our account? >> Okay. Um that was done for a couple reasons. One these these people shouldn't have to call or email the business office say how much money do I have in my account? >> Right. Um, number two, it does put a little bit of responsibility on them to make sure that they're recording the receipts, recording their expenditures, so they can see on a given basis, right? >> But it also provides us with checks and balances on our end because we're they're entering the information on their sheet >> and we're looking at what's in our accounting software. So if there's something that they have on their sheet that we don't have on the software, we can we can investigate that right away and reconcile any of those potential issues in
041real time. >> So the other the other part with this checking account is it doesn't matter whether we have two checking accounts or 10 checking accounts. At the end of the day, all of our checking accounts combined have to agree with what we've got in our accounting software. This one just happens to not have any real activity through it and it's costing us five bucks a month. >> And it's another thing to worry about. >> It's just it's just another just another line on the back. >> Yeah. >> Any other questions for Sean on on uh closing this account? So, in light of the um community perception of why that account was opened, do we need to do anything in addition to this to make sure that the community is aware of why it's being
042closed right now? >> I think we do. Yeah. And I think um one thing that we had kind of started to do unofficially was add like a board update in the newsletter like at least once a month adding a board update to the newsletter that you send. I feel like that could be a really good place to for us to write about it. >> Yeah. >> And these are also recorded too. So what >> Yeah. Yeah. >> So, bottom line, with proper checks and balances in place, which we now have in place, >> this account isn't necessary. And if we're being completely honest, it probably wasn't actually doing what we thought it was doing in the first place. >> There there was there was nothing there was no activity in it all year. >> So,
043whatever the initial intent was, right, >> wasn't necessarily being followed. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. Any discussion or would look for a motion on that? >> I make a motion to approve the closing of the secondary checking account. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All oppose. Motion carries. Moving on to the school sponsored fundraisers for 2526. Um this is part of the the governance that you do. Um, every year the school board approves the the fundraisers that um that we're going to tie our tie our name to, so to speak. So, any questions on any of the fundraisers? >> Yeah. No discussion or or questions. We look for a motion on the school sponsored fundraisers. >> Make a motion to approve the school fundraisers as listed here.
044>> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. >> Motion carries. Move on to closing grades two and three for 2526 for open enrollment. In August, you approved um closing down most of the grades and um the administration felt like there was still some room in grades two and three. Um but now that the school year has begun, we're continuing the practice that we've had in the past of closing all the grades down once you get to the September board meeting. So, and this is for open enrollment. Again, uh obviously if somebody moves into our borders, they we obviously have a space for them and their children. Okay. Any questions or discussion on the closing the grades. >> Do we have a motion? >> I motion to close
045open enrollment for grades two and three for the rest of the school year. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. Motion carries. Moving on to taking action on the school board committees. This has been um part of a discussion for let's call it a month or month and a half now. Um and as um we work as a school board together to try and provide better governance and more strategic planning um we agreed to alter some of the standing committees that we have namely that the finance and facilities commission the the finance and facilities committee would be called the budget committee and then we'd have a separate committee called the facilities committee and then um instead of having a meet and confer refer committee and a
046personnel committee. We would instead call a um or create the negotiations committee which would handle the duties of the meet and confer committee while also handling negotiations with um with our various um employee groups. Um the personnel committee, which in times past would help handle sticky human resource situations, um will no longer be involved because that is a managerial right for the uh district administration. >> Any questions or discussion on the committees? So with this opening of one committee and closing of another committee, are we going to reassign people to those different or at least to that those changing committee? >> Yeah, I think um at least the way I've perceived it, the the personnel committee um those those uh board members who were assigned there were are already in the negotiations in the meet
047and confer committee. So, nobody really ends up having to change chairs, so to speak. It's just this there's a there's just one less committee, I guess. Instead of there being a negotiations slashme and confer, and a personnel, there's now just a negotiations that handles negotiations, a meet and confer, and the duties of the personnel committee are now gone. >> Put where there where they should be. >> Yes. Any other questions? >> The only thing I would add is of course in January the school board has that timed out as an opportunity to reconstitute, reassign the committees as you all see fit. So, >> um, anyway, >> Nick, can I ask a question then about that? Because remember, um, I so I sent you a text the other day about the city council meeting and I
048could not make it. Yeah. >> And so could there be an alternate? >> Absolutely we could. And I think I think a lot of times what what happens is you create a a person to be a representative and then you have an alternate. And then if neither of those folks can go, >> then it's kind of just hey, who's available? And you know, like like we did that night, you know, I it just so happened that that night I already had three of them here with me and we were negotiating. And so there there weren't there just weren't many board members available beyond the two of you that specific night. But I think I think the way we handled it is totally fine where it's just we have a person, we have an alternate, and
049if nobody can go, let me know and I can try and wrangle a substitute up. >> Okay, sounds good. >> Okay, look for a motion on the schoolboard committees. >> I make a motion to What are we motioning on that we >> approve them as presented? approve them as presented. So, it's one. >> Sorry. >> Okay, we have a motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. Motion carries. We'll look at uh the Rochester risk her professional hire. Um, normally we handle these things in the consent agenda, but because the person that we're hiring for this job is a um is connected to one of our schoolboard members, um, we're having this be a separate issue. Um, just for the record, I want to assure everybody that correct and proper
050hiring procedures and practices were uh were considered as we as we navigate this position. Okay. >> Any questions or discussion on this hire? >> Would look for a motion on this. >> A motion to accept the personal recommendations of the hire of Jeremy Dani for the Rochester professional. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All oppose. Motion carries. Now we'll move on to a resolution. >> Hold on. We had to offer an opportunity to abstain as well. >> Oh, yes. I apologize. >> Thank you. Sorry. >> Um action on a resolution appointing election judges and absentee ballot board members. This is one of those functions that uh nobody really sees and nobody really knows until you hang out with Ann for a couple of days about an election.
051So, um these are these are those folks that are required by law to assist us and provide oversight and balance to make sure that the election is done properly and in a legal manner. Um, thank you so much to Ann for doing all the leg work of finding these people, talking to them, trying to coordinate who can do what, when, where, why, and how. Um, and so this is um this is the official action to make these people part of our um part of our election team for the referendum. >> Start at where? >> Uh I don't know, Ann, where do we need to start? >> Resolution relating um I would do Um, yep. On page two, resolution relating to that resolved because the first page is just your signature. >> Okay. So, relating to
052appointing election, right? Okay. Resolution relating to appointing election judges and absentee ballot board members for the November 4th, 2025 school district special election. Uh, Carrie Delaney. Uh, duly qual. Can Do I say that? I can skip that. >> Okay. Be it resolved. >> Yep. There. Okay. Be it resolved by the school board um of Independent District 531, Byron Public Schools, Minnesota, as follows. It is hereby found, determined, and declared as follows. The following individuals, each of whom is qualified to serve as an election judge are hereby appointed as judges of election for the school district special election on November 4th, 2025 to act as such at the polling place listed below. Um, the election. Can I skip that? The name parts or do I go through them all? >> I'm not sure what has to
053be right into the record. I think it's >> you can you you can just skip over them. I mean, you can read them all if you'd like, but you can skip over them. >> Yes. >> Okay. The election judges um above shall act as clerks of election, count the ballots, cast and submit the results to the board for canvas and in the manner provided for other school district elections. The following individuals, each of whom is qualified to serve as an election judge, are hereby appointed as absentee ballot board members for the school district's special election on november 4th, 2025 to act at such at the absentee voting location below. The following individuals, each of whom is qualified to serve as an election judge, are hereby designated to deliver absentee ballots to hospital patients and residents
054of healthc care facilities in accordance with Minnesota statute section 2203b.11 subdivision one for the school district special election on November 4th, 2025. >> All right. So, that resolution, do we have any questions or discussion on it? And if not, we'll look for a motion on that. >> I make a motion to approve the resolution appointing elect election judges and absentee ballot board members. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. We'll have a roll call vote. >> So, Nadia, >> I Kelly, >> Jeremy, >> I >> Alicia, >> I motion carries. We'll move on. Do we have a zed up? >> Yeah. >> Yes. Yes, we do. So, school is back in session um on September 2nd. Uh oops, one second. Let me grab my Just a second. Hang on. Um the I I think I
055mentioned it before about the resurfacing on Highway 57. Um it is impacting traffic flow. So, just in case you um need to go out there, we talked about the uh new high, there's a new hire orientation that was on um August 19th and welcomed 15 new staff. Um Zed cabinet had the retreat. Um first day of school was 9:2. First Zed cabinet meeting was on September 4th. Um and then there was a Zed superintendent council meeting on September 10th. Our next meeting is on the 18th. And you just recently had a little tour, didn't you, with the um a whole is that a meeting of all the soups around? >> Yeah, that was last week. >> Yeah. >> Well, my tour was a while ago, but but the superintendent council met last week. Yeah. >>
056Okay. Um and that we just went over new hires mostly, but everybody's happy to be back in school and >> Okay. Do we have a city council update? >> We do. So, um, Gary and I could not make it, but Justin Blum sent this text. Um, he said, "We voted on the preliminary tax levy. We voted to not raise the tax rate for the fifth straight year." However, property taxes do go up if the county increases your home value. We are looking to hire a recreation. Okay. So, next, we are looking to hire a recreation coordinator, which will be an internship to help increase recreational opportunities for people of all ages in our community. >> Um, >> is that like for at >> up at city hall? >> Oh, okay. >> Yep. So, they'll be
057up at city hall like planning events. Okay. >> And so, your legs back. Um but they're um they talked to Mano State and there's a bunch of people um that are interested over there. So yeah, I think it's going to be good. >> Uh we accepted bids for the construction of six concrete pickle ball courts out by the soccer field. >> So that's exciting for all the pickle ball players, >> which there's hundreds of them in. So >> yeah. >> Okay, moving on to the cons consent agenda. Any questions or discussion on the consent agenda? >> If not, would entertain a motion to approve that. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All opposed. Agenda is approved. We'll move into donations. Our treasurer is not
058here. Does somebody volunteer to read our donations this evening? I can open here. Have to read the beginning stuff. >> No, just the donations. >> Okay. So, Kelly Peterson, $1,000 to the food pantry. Uh, let's see. Potter Mom's Bunko Group. >> $200 to the food pantry. >> What's bunko? >> Okay, thank you. >> Um, St. John Baptist uh Catholic Church, $54 for school supplies. Gaming American Legions. What's Gaming American? >> Full tabs. >> Oh, okay. >> $2,000 to Bearpacks. Harvey Berg, $100 to the food pantry. And Harvey Berg, $100 to Bearpacks. >> Okay. Do we have a motion to approve those as presented? >> I make a motion to approve um all the donations as pro pre presented. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Roll call vote, please. >> Yep. So Jeremy, >> hi.
059>> Lisa, >> hi >> Alicia. >> Hi >> Kelly. >> Hi >> Carrie. >> Hi. >> Nadia. >> Hi. >> All right. Information and miscellaneous items. What is is coming up on our agenda? Um listening session 5:30 October 6th. School board work session at 6 o'clock on the on the 6th. Budget committee meeting at 4:30 on October 19th. And then uh school board meeting 6 o'clock on Tuesday, October 21st. bed is a Tuesday, not a Monday. >> For the listening session. >> Um well, >> I think we had the opportunity to sign up, right? We did sign up. >> I got >> David and do we need to set a date for the truth and taxation meeting for me? >> Yep. looking like no one. >> It's like my Super Bowl. >> For the October
0606th meeting, is everybody planning to be here? >> I think so. >> Okay. Because I then I'm not going to be here. I'd like to go to the um the my who just gave those to me. But um it's a suicide prevention uh youth youth suicide prevention event at um the old cinemagic and so it's something that I'm part of and I would like to attend that >> uh to to just discuss uh the regular board meeting in December would be December 15th. Uh, can we get a motion to approve that as our truth and taxation meeting? >> And we would need to start that truth. Did you want to do it at 6 or did you want to do it before? >> 6 is fine because if we we I don't I don't think
061we can do it any earlier than that. If we set a different time, say we set 6:30 or something, >> regardless of where everything's at >> in other discussions, you have to stop and start that. So, it's just easier just to start it right away. >> The past has been just Yep. >> normal time. Yeah, the 15s just >> right. We have to approve that as a we need a motion to approve that. Yep. >> I make a motion to approve the the truth and taxation meeting on December 15th at 6 p.m. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> All opposed. >> So that is there which brings us any other >> brings us to our adjournment. I make a motion to adjourn. >> Motion and
062a second. All in favor say I. >> I. All oppose. We are not yet. All right.