001Not >> draw yourself. Please stand 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, liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Uh please be advisor this meeting we will we will be you utilizing video conferencing for attendance and participation of Daryl Hazen who is one of our board members. Um he is located at 301 Colt Highway Farmington Connecticut. Um the public has the right to attend the meeting there or here. So just letting everybody know. All right. Next on the agenda is the updates from the PTA. from CPA. Um, so the last month has been kind of busy. Um, we did have our first globing. Overwhelm my success. We had over 300 people come with all
002the families. Everybody had an awesome time. I don't think there was really any hitches. So, we're going to try to move forward and have one in the middle school, high school, and see if it does any better. But I think this is going to be one of those it was just a fun event. It wasn't a fundraiser. Um so it was just a time to get together with all the kids and families just to see everybody. Um we had we had a rubber ducky day um January. It was just a fun day for the school. Um and it was in the elementary school. I just didn't have enough time to get up to the or the high school middle school. Um so we provided rubber ducks for all of the kids and teachers and some
003of them had lucky duck symbols on the bottom. if you had one of those, you got a special prize. And Dennis Tolman um humored us and walked around in one of our inflatable duck suits for a little while. The kids really enjoyed that. Um we do have a Aderondex Thunder fundraiser going on on the 18th. We have 100 tickets to sell and we'll also be doing the um Chucka Puck um fundraiser. They have their uh we have park coming up in March. We have a lot of different activities going on. Our um theme this year is adventure adventure and reading or choose your adventure and Laura Cigura is ahead of that and she has really outdone herself this year. So I look forward to updating you with all those events at the next meeting. We
004are planning on having a parents night out. Um it's a paint and step held at the Stillwater American Legion. We're aiming for the end of uh February, but I might have to push it back just depending on how much time we have to get the word out. And again, it's not a fundraiser. It's just time for the parents to come out and just have fun without the kids for a little bit. Um we are looking to do a middle school family night as well. Um and this is just we're aiming to have just families come and play volleyball or basketball together. Um trying to get a hold of my middle school families. It's really hard to get a hold of them, but once we can see what they want to do, we'll have that planned.
005And then we have a tentative craft fair planned for the middle of um April. Miss Tolman did just um get back to us with some of the stipulations and shouldn't be a problem, but we're going to discuss it at the PTA meeting tonight after this one. And hopefully, like I said, we'll have more updates on that. And then we're going to try to have a craft night for the kids um probably April at this point. I don't have a date, but that's going to be another um canvas and cocoa. So, family uh painting with um cocoa and cookie syrup. Is that all right? Any questions? >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Okay. The next item on our agenda is the introduction of our new school uh resource officer, Joshua Stella. Would you like to have
006anything to say or >> um I'll get it to my session? >> Okay. >> You want me to go first? >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Hi, I'm Josh Stila. I'm the new resource officer here. Uh I was selected out of Saratoga County to come here to this school. I've been a law enforcement officer for about 10 years. Uh spent five of those years in Troy. Uh working for Troy PD. I still to this day feel like that's why Mr. Mariana picked me. Um it is but uh I've spent the last four and a half years in Saratoga County Sheriff's Office. The last two and a half I was the school resource officer for St. Mary school over in Boston Spa was a smaller school about 200 students. I wanted to branch out work with
007higher uh level kids uh middle school, high school. Uh so I decided to come over. I had my eyes on Still Water when I knew Shawn was getting close to retirement. So, uh, kind of had my my eye on a place and went for it here and I'm excited to be here and can't wait to help you guys, you know, develop one of the best safety programs in the state. It's what I was able to do with St. Mary's and I want to do that here. So, any questions? >> That was great. >> Awesome. >> Okay. Um, next is our public input on agenda. items. I want to thank everybody for joining us tonight. We're about to start the public's uh comment part of our meeting, but first a quick reminder. As a board, we
008believe it's essential to hear your thoughts and concerns. To make sure we have time to discuss your feedback and get input from the administration, we will not respond to your comments tonight and we'll follow up with an answer at the our next meeting or via email from an appropriate staff member. Please keep in mind that it is the board's policy that we don't discuss student or personnel issues during this time. We take those concerns very seriously and we ask that you follow up with the proper administrative channels to resolve it. Finally, please be respectful of everyone. Let's make sure everyone has a chance to speak without interruption and when you speak speak, please state your name and address for the record. So, does anybody have anything to say on the agenda items? Any comments? I
009hope this is the right time to speak. U my name is Lee Fear, 30 Gracemore Road. Um and I'm just here again because I saw girls lacrosse was on the agenda as one of the communications. Um and I was just here again to hopefully um encourage you all to give this a a good thought and um and put as much into it as we can. Um, we have some girls that are very excited to play lacrosse. Um, we've had an amazing relationship um, with Mechanicville and the boys lacrosse team and I'm hoping that we can still explore uh, that as an option either now or in the future. Uh, because like I said, this the boys have been very strong. Um, the team and and that relationship. Um, but I also wanted to make sure
010that I was giving you guys the opportunity to ask us any questions um, as a lacrosse community. Uh, because we do have a lot of resources out there. So, if there's anything that you guys are seeing as a potential roadblock in moving forward with lacrosse, we would be happy to help you. Um, whether that's space, resources, coaches, um, anything that you need, we're happy to help. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. >> Anybody else? Okay, moving on. Um, we have consent agenda. I need a motion to approve the consent agenda items exclusive of board member board minutes of the 12126 board of education meeting and CSEA recommendations. >> So moved. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carry. Now we're on to the superintendent section. >> Okay. Just a a couple
011of things. Um I'd like to just do a shout out in recognition of a few of our students who had um who performed this past weekend in the uh all county chorus festival up at uh Skylerville. So, I want to shout out uh Caleb Harisonson, Sawyer Lewis, MZ Gonzalez, Elizabeth Thai, Maddie Doney, and Destiny Rogers uh for for a great performance. And an extra shout out to Sawyer Lewis for being the first Stillwater soloist at the allies festival. So, congratulations to all. Great job. Um, another thing just want to mention, um, I know you guys got it in my Friday report, we had a little bit of a a situation after school, um, where we had an inadvertent lockdown uh, called into effect. And as trying as that was, and I'm not saying it was
012a great thing because I think some of our students and uh faculty members, it wasn't a planned drill and something like that. You know, everything everything kind of hits you all at once. And um so I will say in retrospect, there's a silver lining to everything. Uh, Sheriff Spilla or excuse me, Deputy Spilla called a meeting, you know, wanted to ask the administrators and everyone involved have a meeting on Monday and we went through some some of the things, you know, troubleshoot where we had some uh kinks in the armor so to speak and where we can improve and I thought that was a very um informative meeting and I think we can really build on that and I didn't know I know Josh is working the basketball games so I was going to tell
013him that uh that was his actual trial test. So we let it out of the bag. It really was just a test for him. Uh but he was good. So what always happens is the SRO's come to work early in the morning and they have a designated contractual hours. Uh and they leave after the elementary buses roll. So he was uh I think down on Stratton when he got a phone call, you know, tested our systems with the um parent square or whether it was a emails that go out and so he had to do an about face and he came back like heightened and um he jumped right in. you know, we got together with the principles and being in correspondence with Rebecca down there and we kind of had to handle it all
014all together at once and Josh wasn't shy. He was was very impressive. So, >> that's it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Next on is our business administrator section. >> Uh thank you. One uh one attachment I have in addition to the warrants is a copy of the governor's aid run. I had to do a little enlarging on the copier because uh it's not the most conducive system to use, but uh it is basically the same as the finance committee talked about. You know, we're looking at a 1% increase in foundation aid and uh an overall increase of about $65,000 in state aid for next year. Most of which comes from the UPK grant, which is accounted for separately. uh and doesn't necessarily help us as a revenue. Um so that's a challenge that Superintendent Mariano
015and I continue to work through. And along those same lines, um staff administrators have been notified that there is a spending and hiring freeze. Uh that's an attempt to control spending this year in anticipation of, you know, a challenging year next year. Um certainly people choose to resign and you know if a position is you know absolutely necessary it goes through the proper administrative procedures and you know there may be a posting for that but overall we're working diligently to control the spending here. Um, also NISBA is going to be um just to to attach to what you're saying, NISBA's going to be holding some advocacy um days. I think it's February 4th or not February 4th. Um, next week, I think I'll have to look the dates. I'll email them to everybody. But there's
016al there's a um an online virtual um session that you can attend. And there's also they also h uh have stuff downtown at the capitol as the advocacy day. Um it's going to be really important for us as board members and to get the message out to the community to write letters to our representatives because $65,000 is not a lot of money for an increase. And um you know hopefully when the legislature comes out with their uh state aid runs we will be seeing more hopefully. But that's not a guarantee. So, we need to really pressure our representatives to see if they can't come through. Okay. Anything else, Michael? >> No, thank you. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Uh, no. Next is a student board member report out. Anything going on? >> Um, I think
017people are settling into the new semester pretty well. The only complaint I heard was with midterm week. It was a little different than the previous year's first few kids off, but for the most part, that went well. As far as activities are going, I know student government is on their second week of the four week big sale that we've given close to the food bank for has a meeting tomorrow. So, I think we're working on more fundraisers for that. For the most part, I think everything's going well. The semester started off well and schedules are pretty solid. >> Thank you. >> Okay, on to personnel. Um, I need a motion to appoint Elizabeth Mins Garer as a permanent lunch recess monitor effective February 5th at $16.54 per hour per CSEA agreement. Elizabeth has full fingerprint
018clearance. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carries. Anybody have any questions? All right. I need a motion to pro approve the resignation of Cam Cameron Jones as night cleaner effective January 23rd, 2026. So move >> second. >> Questions, comments? All those in favor? >> I opposed. Motion carried. I need a motion to appoint Harrison Reed as substitute for the people personnel department effective February 2nd, 2026 at a rate of $150 per day. Mr. has full fingerprint clearance. >> Questions, comments. >> Um, for those of you who don't know me, my name is Harrison Reed. I am uh acting as the uh DPS long-term sub for the remainder of the year. Um, a little bit about me. Um, I am actually not new to the district per se. Um, I've been with the
019district for a couple years now. Um I completed my student teaching here over the past two years with uh Lisa Pluskin. So working a little bit with the student body. Um Still Water is not kind of a um alien to me and uh it's been a great experience that I've had so far here. Um I look forward to building on that experience with my time as the long-term sub. >> Thank you. Thank you. Okay. >> All right. So, we have no action items. Um, we have committee report outs. The finance committee met. >> Sure. So, uh, finance committee met for January on the 21st. Um, we went over quite a bit actually. Um, but, uh, I shared out some notes, the minutes for the meeting. Um, but I'll just touch on a few things that
020we talked about. Um the Washington there was a letter shared with us the Washington County tax levy increase of 16.97%. Um which was just you know mailed out to Saratoga count or I'm sorry Washington County residents that that's what's happening. They don't get a vote on that. Um we also discussed an initial fund balance report um as of the end of 2025. That will be changing as we move forward. Um, but we are projecting to run a deficit of 1.1 million. And just as a reminder, last year we ran a deficit of 1.2 million. Um, so if that materializes the way that we project, we will be under the 4% um unfortuned fund balance which we have previously been well over. Um, we discussed the electric bus mandate. Um, and just as a reminder, all
021purchases after 27, um, July 1st, 2027 have to be electric. And by 35, so July 1st, 35, the whole fleet has to be electric. Um, there's options to get two two-year waiverss. Um, in order to do that, we have to do this electrification study through NAERTA. Um and we've taken the steps to um contact Burns and McDonald to perform that study. So just as a reminder, this is not to move forward with electrifying the buses. This is to hopefully postpone and get those waiverss and be able to postpone it. Um >> can you tell us how much that study cost? >> The the study is estimated to cost between 40 and $50,000 with NICER paying 75%. in the district were maybe from 8 to 10,000 >> to your waiver. >> Yes. >> Um we had
022a preliminary discussion uh for the estimate for the the tax levy. Um and that is still under discussion. So we'll be discussing that further in the February meeting and beyond. Um Mike and Joe also brought a possible option of how we could gain some revenue for the district. Um, and that is we're looking into accepting special in uh special ed students from other districts. Um, and we could get tuition from those students. Um, somewhere between 33,000 and 46,000 per student. Depends on the the age and grade of those students. Um, so we're looking into that further. Um, we went over some of the past seven years, uh, tax levy limits and then what the actual tax increases were, noting that we have not raised as high as we could have over those years. Um, meaning
023that we've we've also lost that increase like because it compounds over the years. Um and then also Mike had touched on he shared the governor's uh budget which is also attached to the agenda today. Um and then we just you know just in closing that the upcoming year is going to be a challenge. Um and we're looking at every possible way that we can to reduce that impact to the community and the students. The next meeting is going to be hopefully, excuse me, prior to the 2nd February meeting, which is the 25th. So hopefully the 25th at 5:00 p.m. >> Anybody have any questions? >> 225. >> 2:25 at 5. Questions? >> Thank you, Melissa. That's great. >> Okay. Um, board items of interest. We're going to start with girls across. Um Joe, if you'd
024like to start with the discussion. >> Yeah. Um a little rewind. Uh about a year ago, we were in conversations with Mechanicville uh to combine and start a to merge and start a modified girls lacrosse uh team. Um some things didn't shake out. Um I think it, you know, it it didn't happen. It didn't shake out. I'm not gonna speculate as to to why or what and it was not anything over bad feelings or anything like that. Just didn't work out. And so we were going to do it this year. We were at least have conversations that obviously it's the board that would make that decision. Um, and he began the talks and I think what happened is I mean in a spirit of a of a true merger is schools merge to get enough
025uh athletes and then you're supposed to split back uh back to your your schools and um I think mechanicville thinks that they're going to have enough uh interest at that level um so they don't really need a merger uh which is great for them and it'd be great if we we could get to that level as well. Um, so we're having discussions now. Myself and uh, Mike Kenny are are trying to talk numbers. I know we sent out a survey and he got some responses. I'm not sure how true some of those surveys. Some of some of the kids that answer are, "Yeah, I'd be interested, but I'm not sure." And there's also kids that might have been absent that day or just didn't fill out the survey and they might be interested. Um, so
026we're not exactly sure where it is, but we are trying to figure out where where is the sweet spot. where would we get uh the most um the most input the most interest? Um it's could be a modified level where you know we can have seven, eight and ninth graders. Um we do have that option to include ninth graders in that. Uh could it be um a JV team and I forget what they call it now but it was what they call selective classification. So the younger students would have to do some testing in order to play up. But wherever we can try to get that to the right spot where we can get enough interest and we can financially we can swing it and we can get a coach and uh that's probably going
027to be a little bit of a question because you do need if you're not in New York State, if you're not a certified teacher, there's some extra coaching classes that have to be done with fingerprints and uh things like of that nature. So we're in those conversations right now. I'm glad we're speaking about it tonight just so I can keep you guys in the loop on that. Um and I'm not sure where that stands for Mike and I are, you know, we there was no February 1 deadline uh because that's varsity mergers if there was a merger, but he still believes if we get something and we have enough interest, we may be able to get something scheduled, not the the losser schedule or whatever, but he would go out and solicit schools and teams
028and try to get So we approved a program for 2425 uh and then following your mechanical >> I think no last year we were in conversations about to to make sure it was in our budgets for this year. >> Well we but we did approve going forward in 2425 >> the because that's when we approved it one of them. I know that. >> Okay. And then the following year, you know, there was nothing done because mechanic >> approved 24 for the next >> Yeah. And then >> well, no, we approved for the 2425 school year. And then the next year we um we didn't do anything because Mechanicville, you know, was not, you know, they didn't want to do a merger because they couldn't financially. Um and so now we're we're looking at doing just
029us because the bank club does not want to merge with us. So, um I would assume that we need to approve this again going forward if we want to do this. >> Yeah, it's not it would just to have a team. Yes. To add a team. >> Yeah. >> We could take care of that here. I think we could do all the you know, we could probably take action after we find out if we have enough interest from the community. >> All right. So, at this point, we are moving forward to see if there's interest and see if we can get all the our ducks in a row to have a cross for a bus crossing here. >> Okay. How else is doing that? Putting it out on like the family. >> Yes. Having them
030sign up to see if there was that interesting forward. >> Mike may want to reservey or put it on family. I think again we're not sure the numbers. Uh that's why I I know that the youth organization revolution is obviously what started this you know um I don't want to say the conversation but start brought that sport to our young ladies in our community. So, um, you know, if if it's okay, um, we'll have some communication. Mike Kenny will probably be able to reach out. I know hopefully have some historic numbers which target the the levels that the grades of the girls that we have now and um, we can maybe talk to whether it's those girls individually, see if they're interested, but we want to get get that going as as soon as possible.
031Is it is there a possibility to merge at the modified level with like Skylerville? Like what do we know? What kind of >> Yeah. >> Do they have a team? Do they have that? >> I don't know what their situation is. Um but yeah, any merger is possible. They haven't reached out um to talk about that. I don't know what levels they do have. Um but maybe that's the next thing. We can't if we can get our numbers here and and just build something internally. >> How many would they >> I would like 14 and I believe we have the numbers. I don't know if you want to >> we we had we had 11 uh at the modified level. >> So if I don't know if procedurally if we can ask the members have
032those numbers ready at their you know availility. >> I apologize I know I have five children at home, so I apologize for the delight. Um, but I was just I just have a couple questions to what you said. I really do appreciate you hearing this, you know, on behalf of everybody and I know looking forward to moving forward. Um, I heard you say 14. I believe we have that for a modified level. I can verify that for sure. But if this is the case, what more would I mean surveys if it's not working? We send communication home and parents square because then parents can talk to their kids surveys. I think it gets kind of lost sometimes because maybe the girls are a little confused. I I think we have to work at the modified
033level. I know that there's several seventh graders that are very eager and I I did hear you saying if we can keep it here, that's wonderful. But if there is an option to merge, I know who's a ballet way over if that's an option too to include girls, right? I just if this can happen this year, it would be everything to these girls. You could be on the class, you know, they missed this opportunity, but these incoming girls for modified. This is the year that we really should give them the opportunity. If it's 14, the five of us sitting right here can promise you 14. >> I mean, do you can they give us a list? Yeah, we can we can we can talk our teachers ask. >> Yeah, I I can get maybe some
034phone numbers and I'll just give them to uh Mr. Kenny tomorrow and we can fit names and and you know obviously wouldn't be 100% commitment but that sounds great. That sounds great. or should participate in sports. I know when I was a senior in high school, seniors were exempted from the during the season which they played. Is that limited to seniors? Is that available? Could we use that for increasing participation levels? So, you're asking if that we can do a waiver for students that are playing in sports out of a gym class. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Different different schools have different views on that. Um, do we do athletic varsity waivers? There's varsity, there's seniors, uh, Mr. Hayen, they they there's various ways we can do that. I know from where I came from, um,
035it was a little bit harder a little bit harder to keep track. And I think the the FET coaches and I don't want to speak on behalf some of the the athletes that were in season wanted uh they were the most eager to perform and get involved in Fizzette. uh not saying I guess like that. >> I actually participated because of that. >> But uh and similarly maybe we could enhance is there a lacrosse segment of that that we could enhance or or roll up to kind of build up some interest. >> They do do lacrosse and PD classes. So, >> I mean, that's something we can look at. Um, >> because with this new graduate of a portrait of graduate, um, maybe there's a little bit more leeway for students that are in sports
036to, you know, get out of a ped class because, you know, other things they might want to do during the school day. So, I mean, that's something that we could take a look at, I think. Yeah, if everybody agrees. Yeah, that'll be I would think you know building level decision with conversations with our athletic director, myself and you know >> Mr. >> Yep. But going back to the lacrosse um so I mean do you think it would be uh fruitful for Kenny to reach out to Husk Valley and possibly Scotville to see um you know >> if if a merger is something that we're interested in I would like to give our girls in our community the first option and >> if we can have those numbers I would I would want to do it
037I would want to >> I would say talk to Revolution first and see what numbers we're looking at and then we can look at the option of talking to Pusk Valley, Skylerville, any other surrounding schools. >> All right. So, you need 14 to play >> to to build a team. I correct >> 12. There's 12 on the field at a time. >> Okay. >> 14 is good. 16 is super comfortable. >> Okay. >> And you really don't want more than 20. >> Did Did we say that uh Who's Valley already has 14? >> No. No. I just thought if it needed to be more than that, we can't live in our own district. That would be an option. We have several >> Yes. >> There's there's not a day that Mike doesn't come in my
038office. Um there's not a day that Mike doesn't come in my office. Uh and recently it's mostly, you know, one of the topics of our conversation is always this. So, it is not on a back burner. um this board is is eager to have this conversation and and and see where we can go with this. So, um we're g we're going to have these conversations. Mike will be in. We'll be reaching out to you guys very soon and we'll see where those numbers lie. And if it's a if it's a survey through Parent Square where parents fill it out or whatever, as long as we know, he may even be able to pull the kids out of his head to have conversations with them to see what their interest is. just a concern at this
039point. There's they're registering for spring sport. So I'm almost wondering if adding to the registration team how many would show up on the registration might be you know and you might even as long as we >> Yeah. And we we had that conversation as well but I didn't >> want without the blessing of the board. >> Sure. So I will do that. >> Um I think it's Joe. We'll just let Joe, you know, I don't think we need a motion right now to do anything, but you know, Joe will look and then give us a an update of the next coordination. >> Has there been a coach that's been identified or somebody has been identified that has expressed interest in coaching? >> There hasn't. >> It might. Well, it's funny you say that because I
040just looked at him and smiled >> because Yeah, that's what he does. >> He's like, well, we'll see. I'd like to get a coach, he said. But so so possibly and and again that would be the conversations if there was coaches in the in the youth field if there in the youth program if they're available at certain times and are are willing to go through uh the coaching there's classes and stuff because you know obviously has to be approved through teaching so on. So >> any other comments or questions? So I I think the consensus here is to move forward and try to get this done, you know, in the still level. So >> okay, great. Thank you. All right. Any other person have or any board member have any other report items of interest?
041Yes, Rob the it's locked. It says private. You got to get on and watch it. >> I don't have a problem. If you go if you go to the school's website, just click on the link. It >> Yeah, that kind of said I watched it once. >> It was I think the last board meeting there wasund and something so far I looked at last week. If they have an issue, just have them contact the >> technology or a principal me. >> Yeah, >> we'll just I I don't I don't know. Nate, have you had any calls video? >> Yeah, we saidund. >> Anything else? Any other boards just >> I sent out an email earlier about the next policy committee meeting being meeting on next Wednesday at 5:00 pm. I didn't want to keep putting
042it off. I know like people like to meet before the next meetings and stuff and if I did that would be to March. So if we can more than welcome to be here. >> Thank you Amy and Darl. Were you having a program committee meeting? Yeah. Uh if we're trying to line up the next meeting looks like two meetings out on that. >> Okay. >> So So I'll take the next available premium slot. >> Okay. >> You can send out an email to that effect, please. >> That's fine. Can um on the subject of the uh the meetings videos uh if you had an old link if there was if the video got posted for any reason the old link would not load. So maybe that was difficulty people were having um we had the
043three videos that have posted over uh 400 views. So it's it's astronomically being received and consumed by the people in the community. So uh I'm really happy about that. Uh, I'd like to put a quick link for the meetings and for the live action huddle games right on the main page. I know I know, you know, we probably don't want to make the main page too busy, but you do have to dig through to certain pages and know where to go to navigate to find these links. And I'm constantly asked for people to send me for me to send people a quick link. So, I I often navigate myself, copy a link, and send it to them. But uh a quick and easy button on the homepage would be great. >> And that's that's for
044huddle. >> Yeah, for huddle >> I'll talk to Natalie and >> Okay. Thank you, Darl. Anybody got anything else? >> One more. I just wanted to thank Bruce and Bruce an outstanding job getting the school back open and you guys back open one of our members here. He gets helped out always nice to say finance planner >> multiple talents multient. Yes. >> Thank you, Michael. >> Yes, Michael. Thank you. I remember when I saw your painted lines and and the the driveways, though. >> Did you just throw your tie over your shoulder? >> No, no, that was sad. I was in jeans and >> I don't believe that. >> Jack Tra. Thank you. Uh, anything else? >> I have something quick. I would like to thank, you know, both your Vicki Mandu and Vicky Shirley
045side and and Carrie Wanuk. Uh they welcomed me into their classrooms on Friday and uh to observe. It was great. They do they both do a great job. They're, you know, fantastic teachers and uh I enjoyed myself until the uh till the lockdown. >> Yeah. But thank you both and thank you for everything you do for the kids. >> That's great. any any of our board members that are interested in going into the you know the classrooms, please, you know, let our principles know and we can do that. So, okay. Anything else? Nope. Okay. Um I'm going to make a motion that we um go into executive session to discuss the STA negotiations. >> Excuse me. Wasn't there one more public in >> Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Yes. Public input. I wasn't going to
046speak until what happened. No, I'm not in favor of these electric buses. I know I thought we talked about it before the cost, the uh safety, all these things. Are we going to do we have to do this? >> So, it's a mandate. So, there is a mandate in place, but what we're doing is to hopefully postpone it because um I think I don't want to speak for everybody, but we are not excited about it either. Um, so, so the moves that we're making are to remain in compliance, right? Because we would get the waiverss and be able to postpone it a little bit. >> But as of right now, it is a it's a state mandate. >> It's the law. >> Yeah, it would be the law. >> What does that mean, though? >>
047It means that after July 1st, 2035, any school bus we purchase must be elected. >> Oh, 2035. Yes. >> 35. >> 27. 27 is the actual purchase. you can get the waiverss and then by 2035 it has to be fully >> the whole electrified. >> You don't even have a choice. No choice. >> But we are hoping that >> there's a lot of people out there that are pushing against this. There's the for >> if you're looking for a committee, I'll be hon >> Don't tempt me with a good time. >> Everywhere we go, we hear people that, you know, I mean, I've even heard from school districts that have these buses and say they they just they break down all the time. They don't work, you know, blah blah blah. So, um we're hoping
048that maybe with the new elections things might change so that, you know, maybe this will, you know, school districts I I mean, I understand the logic behind this, but it's just not feasible for school districts like us. I mean, we don't even have the infrastructure to charge buses. So, I mean, it's not >> just we're not the only schools that wouldn't be in that position either. >> And so, it's it's not just, you know, >> I mean, all the rural schools, it's got to be hurting them. >> Oh. Oh, and I I can give you a little bit of insight. uh last year's retreat we went to school and I attended the electric bus workshop and the overwhelming the buses that received you know the schools that we see incented to purchase the buses they
049went through it winter time especially like this winter but the the uh the travel ability they couldn't even finish routes >> because they had come back and recharge and they do the charging time to get to the next >> and with this cold weather they wouldn't even start. >> Absolutely. Just a disaster >> and a very costly >> I mean no matter where I go as far as you know going to you know seminars or anything with NISPA everybody everybody's against this. So I you know and and they're fighting tooth and nail to to stop it. So >> but where are you going to get some money? Say it again. Darl, >> are there any options on the electric bus for range extenders? Some electric range extenders are >> I don't know, Darl. We haven't
050even gone that far. That's funny. >> To my knowledge, there there is no such option. Uh, ironically, uh, SED will approve electric buses with supplemental diesel heaters to keep the bus warm. So, that's kind of >> funny. >> Their solution is to purchase more buses in your fleet to cover the after school runs and so on and so forth. >> Or more expensive batteries. >> Yeah. And the taxpayers will be paying for this. >> Well, and that's with the consideration that you just said that the price of the buses is how many times more. So then what happens when it doesn't pass? Is the state gonna foot the bill for all these school districts? >> No. No. They they have clearly stated that they will pay this much and that's it. And it's not hardly
051anything. So >> you need to get more than 65,000 in additional >> that won't even cover one bus. That won't even cover a portion of >> 500,000. >> Yeah. So >> you cover. >> So we don't have the infrastructure. Nice and many energy companies say they don't have the grid capacity. They're not even capable of providing the energy to do that in rural communities and many of the rural communities are having the same conversations the same issues. So >> you know what happens when the power goes out >> in the village too for a bus. >> So >> is it possible to push the the request for the waiver where we don't have to pay the what have you said $68,000 to have somebody >> I think that's part of getting the waiver. >> Yeah.
052Like we have to do it. The waiver is based on a point system >> and that's how you get the most points is to have a study. >> I would just say not by >> Well, I think that's the general plan is to just ride it as long as we can with gas diesel and hope that the state comes to its senses. >> We'll see. >> Okay. Anything else? Anything anything else? Any comments from the public? >> I probably went over my three minutes, >> but that's okay. >> You had time saved up. Yeah. Yeah. Nothing. Okay. Now, I'd like a motion to adjourn into executive session for the SDA negotiation contracts. >> Huh? She raised her hand. >> Somebody back there raised their hand that I didn't see. >> I just had one question.
053Um, I know we kind of did a girl. I just had one further question. I make a phone call this week and I have to make what would be the next step? I can't approve anything right now, but would you put it out there that you're looking for a full straight leg because the personal coaches have come forward because it's not a definite parents that name this right because it's not a definite they don't want to get their children's hopes up and then they can't play the sports that they love. So say I do the call to you know Mr. this week and say, "Here's what he needs the numbers. What would be the next move?" >> We will expedite everything. And when you call him, call him Coach Kenny. Kind of sublimate. >> Unless
054you have somebody that you know of who wants to go through. We're very hopeful and all of us here are all about Still Water. So, if we can build the team here, that's that's wonderful. That's the goal is we want these young ladies to be able to move forward just like the boys have the opportunity with 14 of them ready to modify is definitely the level that they need to grow the experience and grow into the program. So I you know I know we've had some missed opportunities but the movement forward is here and the time is now. So I really appreciate hearing this out and I will call coach Kenny this week. Before you leave, can you leave your name and and a number with um Miss Price and I'll get it to Mike
055Kenny tomorrow? >> Yes. >> First thing. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Okay. Now, a motion to adjourn it to executive session.