Petersburg City Public Schools Live Stream

001Testing one, two, three. Testing one, two, three. our budget work session. The date is March the 11th. It is Wednesday, March the 11th. The time now is 5:02 p.m. Miss Davis, if you would call the role, please. >> Mr. Steven El Pier, Senior. Mr. Hal B Miles >> here. >> Mr. Kenneth El Pritchette >> here. >> Mr. Tori Tucker >> here. >> Miss Joyce Proctor, >> Mr. Bernard J. Lundy Jr. >> here. >> And Mr. AJT Dance, Senior >> here. >> Thank you. Board members, we move to 1B, approval of the agenda. There's only one item on the agenda to approve. Is it moved by Mr. Dance? Is there a second? >> Mrs. Tucker. Okay. At this have a moment of silence. Okay. Moment of s. >> Thank you. We be led in the pledge

002of allegiance by Mrs. Tucker. Stand, please. I pledge algiance >> 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. >> Okay, thank you. Next, we move to number two, our superintendent and staff report. >> Thank you, board chair and school board members. This is our second part part of our um superintendent's draft proposal draft FY27 budget. And so I'll bring up to I guess where he's sitting I will have Dr. Greywood um to present the proposed draft budget for this work session. Dr. Greywood. Good evening, board chair Pritchard, Vice Chair Tucker, Superintendent Brown, esteemed members of the board, Petersburg community, and my f fellow PCPS colleagues. Tonight, I will walk walk you through the superintendent's proposed

003FY 2027 budget with updated information since our last work session two weeks ago. This is a work session, so my goal is to provide clarity. I'll walk through what is driving the budget, what has changed, what it means for our staff and students, and what decisions lie ahead. Next slide, please. We begin with the Code of Virginia because it grounds the entire process. State law requires the superintendent to present a needs-based budget. Not a capped budget, not a negotiated budget, but an estimate of what is required to operate the school division. That's important context this year because the needsbased request includes a significant increase in the city transfer and a major investment in our classification and compensation plan. We will connect this slide back to both the revenue section and the compensation section later. >>

004Dr. Greywood, can I interrupt you a second to talk to technology? Can you turn the volume down just a little bit and take all the reverb off of it because we getting getting an echo in here. >> Okay. >> Can you do that? >> Is it because >> and in addition to Dr. Greywood, as he said, this is the updates to the budget. And so, if you notice in the presentation, we've added any of the major ask that we are including in our budget. We tried to provide more um more definition, more examples so that the board and the community is really clear about the funding that we are requesting and what it means if if it's approved. Hello. Is that better? Okay. So, I'll go over uh the second slide. State law requires the

005superintendent to present a needs-based budget, not a capped budget, not a negotiated budget, but an estimate of what is required to operate the school division. Thank you, sir. That's important context this year because the needs-based request requires uh a significant increase in the city transfer and a major investment in our classification and compensation plan. We will connect this slide back to our revenue section as we move along the presentation. Next slide, please. Our agenda follows the logical flow of the budget. the statutory framework, strategic priorities, the FY27 initiatives, enrollment trends, the K3 class size reduction, revenue trends, VRS and LCI impacts, cost drivers and health insurance. We'll talk about the&M uh assessment and progress. Um, we'll talk about shortfall mitigation and vacancies. We'll also talk about the classification and compensation plan. Uh we'll talk about

006capital improvements plan and we'll discuss the budget calendar. Next slide please. The PCPS 5-year strategic plan. Typically the strategic plan precedes the budget. This year the plan was finalized during the budget development process. So we built the FY27 budget in alignment with the priorities the board has now adopted. Every major investment you will see compensation, staffing, operations and facilities is tied directly to the strategic priorities you approved. Instructional quality, staff stability and safe modern learning environments. Next slide, please. The FY27 initiatives. These are all add-ons to the FY26 budget. New investments totaling approximately 3.2 million. Key key points. The evergreen compensation and classification implementation. 2.8 million ensuring a minimum 3% increase for every employee and addressing long-standing inequalities in our salary structure. two additional code RVA seats to expand advanced opportunities for our students, one

007FTE operations coordinator which is essential as we restructure operations and prepare to build a new school after school activity buses and drivers directly supporting student participation and access. All almost all of these investments are studentf facing or instructional in nature. The large health insurance increases is being absorbed by the division. Next slide please. Enrollment history and forecast. Enrollment is one of the most important drivers of state revenue. We have been in a long-term period of decline. From 2016 to today, enrollment has fallen and gone up and is anticipated to uh decline in FY27 and 28. A declining enrollment environment requires conservative budgeting and careful staffing decisions. We cannot build a budget on enrollment we do not have. Next slide, please. K3 class- size reduction grant. This slide explains why we are losing approximately 2.2 million

008in K3 class size reduction funding. Under the new Cbased eligibility rules, divisions must meet strict student teacher ratios. We do not meet these ratios, so we will not qualify for the grant next year. This is a major revenue loss and one of the reasons the FY27 budget is tight even with the increased request to the city. Next slide please. General fund revenue change FY 24 to 27. This slide shows the revenue story over four years between FY24 and FY26. Our baseline general fund revenue grew by nearly 12 million. That growth allowed us to stabilize operations and make key investments in FY27. However, revenue will decline by about 262,000 even after including a 2.9 million increase in the city transfer for compent class adjustments. Two additional notes. The 2.9 million city request is tied directly to

009the evergreen compent class study implementation. Construction of the new school will require about 53 million in budget authority which will be added to the capital projects fund not the operating budget. We will need coordinated conversations with the city on the mechanics and timing of their capital authority. Next slide please. General fund revenues. Here's the general fund by source. State revenue decreases by about 3.2 million. City revenue increases by about 3 million. Federal and other remain essentially flat. The net result is a 262,000 decline in general fund revenue. If the general assembly provides additional funding during reconciliation, we are cautiously optimistic that will help stabilize the FY27 budget, but we have not built the budget on money we do not have. Next slide, please. Food service and grants. Federal revenue increases by about 1.4 million. This

010reflects about um both current year performance and the addition of 700,000 for um our relationship with Tahara. If federal revenue continues at levels current levels um we will be in a much better position going forward for grants. We expect grant revenues of about 11.8 million in FI27. This is steady modest growth that supports targeted programs but does not replace core operating revenue. Next slide, please. This is a recap of all funds. The total FY27 budget across all funds is 139.1 million, 61.8% increase. That increase is almost entirely due to the reactivation of the capital fund uh projects fund for the new school. The operating funds, general nutrition and grants, show modest changes consistent with the revenue slides you've just seen. The big jump is capital, no day-to-day operations. Next slide, please. For VRS reduction and

011LCI change, local composite index, the VRS employer rate drops from 14.27% to 12.2% 2% saving us approximately about 385,000 in FY27. The local composite index increases from.2076 to 2152. That shift reduces state funding by roughly 440,000 and increases the local share by that same amount. It is not a loss in the sense of disappearing revenue. It is a shift from state to local responsibility. The dollars still have to be paid. The question is who pays them? Next slide, please. Cost drivers. These are the major pressures on the FY27 budget. The Evergreen Compan class study accounts for 2.8 million. Liability insurance goes up by 5%. Health insurance would go up by 28% which is approximately $2 million. Salary increases are embedded in the company class implementation. The 28% healthcare increase is significant. We are absorbing that

012increase in this budget, but we will need to explore plan design changes and long-term strategies in future years. Next slide, please. Health insurance options. This is new from um two weeks ago. Uh health insurance, we have explored options through the local choice TLC. If we were to opt for TLC, local choice, the immediate savings from moving to TLC are relatively small, about 200,000. We um we recommend establishing a health insurance reserve of 1.2 2 million if we do this in case we decide to exit TLC because if you enter the TLC pool and choose to leave um there's always a penalty and we estimate that to be 1.2 million net net we think um the gains from entering the TLC are not significant enough to warrant um the 1.2 million um exit um penalty. We

013are also looking at Anthem deductible increases. For example, uh we can increase our deductibles to 1,000 or 2,000 which would generate savings, but we need to model the impact on employees before bringing a specific recommendation for FY27. The key message is the division is planning on absorbing the 28% increase and we need to position ourselves to absorb future increases going forward. Next slide, please. for Alvarez and Marau um identified several areas requiring um sustained improvement. We went through the uh details last time. We have made progress in several of these areas, but some items, especially position control and finance staffing are still in development. The budget you see tonight is built with those recommendations in mind even as we continue to strengthen our internal controls and processes. Next slide, please. budget revenue shortfall mitigation. To

014balance the FY27 budget, we implemented several mitigation mitigating uh strate strategies. We eliminated a 500,000 development reserve budget development reserve. We removed one-time FY26 costs from the baseline and we deactivated vacant positions which I'll cover on the next slide. These steps do not reduce services. They align the budget with recurring needs and avoid overcommitting in a tight revenue year. Next slide, please. Job vacancies deactivated. We deactivated 16.5 vacant positions. This does not generate cash savings in the current year. It prevents future cost increases. If we filled all 16.5 positions, the cost would be roughly about1 to $1.5 million. As revenue improves, the forced positions, uh, we would go in and try to, uh, prioritize positions that we can restore. Next slide, please. House and Senate amendments. This slide is new. At the state level, all

015branches of government are now controlled by one party and current proposals suggest additional K12 funding may be forthcoming. We have modeled the House and Senate amendments as scenarios, not guarantees. One scenario is closer to 1 million with some ear marks. Another is closer to 2.5 million with more flexible revenue funds. We remain hopeful, but we have built this budget on the information we have today. Any additional funds will be brought back to the board with clear recommendations. Next slide, please. This is the timeline ahead for our budget. Tonight, work session, the second work session on the superintendent's proposed FY27 budget. There'll be a public hearing in March March 18th and um there there's going to be a joint budget meeting with the city on March 31st. April 1st is the statutory deadline to deliver the

016budget to the city and May 15 city council approval deadline and the board would adopt the budget in May. We will also continue to monitor the general assembly and update the board if additional state funds become available. Next slide, please. To recap, this is a needsbased budget as required by code of Virginia. Everything you saw tonight reflects what it takes to operate the division responsibly in FY27. The budget is fully aligned with the 5-year strategic plan. Every investment supports instructional quality, staffing stability and safe modern learning environments. Our FY27 initiatives total 3.2 million and nearly all of them are studentf facing or instructional in nature. The largest component is the evergreen class and comp plan which ensures we remain competitive and address long-standing structural issues in our pay scales. We continue to face declining enrollment

017which directly reduces state revenue combined with the loss of K3 class size reduction grant. We are absorbing more than 2 million in loss funding next year. Our revenue picture shifts state funding decreases by 3.2 million while the city's support increases by about 3 million. Even with that increase, our net general fund revenue change is a slight decline of 262,000. Our major cost drivers includes a 28% increase in health insurance about 2 million and 2.8 million needed for compent class study. We have taken responsible steps to balance the budget eliminating um a $500,000 budget development reserve, removing one-time FY26 costs and deactivating 16.5 vacant positions. These actions pro protect classrooms and avoid reductions in student services. The 53 million in budget authority for the new school will flow through the capital projects fund. We are aligned

018on our CIP and fund balance strategy so that we the net income can be reinvested in facilities through a clear shared plan with the city and we remain cautiously optimistic that we may get additional revenue from the general assembly. In short, this is a responsible, transparent, student centered budget that addresses compensation, protects classrooms, and positions the division to move forward while navigating a challenging fiscal environment. Thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you, Dr. Greywood. We'll move next to um board members for questions before we go into the CIP. Any questions for Dr. Greywood? >> Mr. M. >> Yeah. Um the grant for this that >> for the number of certified teachers we need that how much was that grant that we couldn't we didn't qualify? >> 2.3 million. And how many >> Can you hear

019me? Can you hear me now? >> Yes. Okay. I was leaning back before I got to relax. Okay. All right. Uh the grant was 2 point what? >> 2.3 million K3 class size reduction grant. >> And and how many teachers do we need to meet that? >> Not how many we have. How many how many are we short? >> Over 60. Okay. Wow. That's a lot. Um well the other question is um the healthc care what's what's the between the um with the Anthem and and changing that deductible how much would that save us? Um the the administrator is running actual numbers for us, but a back of the envelope uh estimate from what we've seen would save us about 600,000. >> 600,000. That's not that much. Okay. Um what I really want to ask

020is um two things. One of them is each department. We talked about waste, how they could cut cut where they could be more more most effective and things that they could live without and whether it's um um and how to reduce waste in each department. Some departments might not have nowhere, you know, no way, might not have that much in there, but everybody know what they doing well at, what they not doing well at, what we're being effective at, what's not being effective. We talked about, we've talked about the um the attendance and certain things that we doing in attendance are not effective, other things are. So, if it's not effective, we and you know, we don't want to keep spending money on something that's not effective. Just like I talked about truency, we're not

021proc if you go down to juvenile court, they're not processing these tru truency cases at all. So we got to re reook, we got to revisit how much we going to put into investing in truency instead of investing in something that going to help the attendance in a different way. whether it's counseling or some other position that we can put that person put a person at to be more effective because in certain things it's a waste because we know what they going to do when we get down there to um ju the juvenile court and the juvenile system and it's not being effective. So we got to everybody got to look at ways and everyone going to have to do what the superintendent did when they when it come to recruiting these teachers. She did

022excellent job at at recruiting y'all and she talked to you and brought you in here. Sometime people not looking for a job. Some of you might have been looking for a job. Some of you not looking for a job. Well, we got to get some of those people in here that's not looking for a job and sell them on Petersburg. We have to do that as individual. We can't wait for the superintendent to do it, the HR person to do it. When you run across someone that's in education, sell them Petersburg because we got to get them in here. It's not going to work if one person working on it. I'm telling you that right now. There's too many people in here that can talk to people and that can know people that's in education

023and get them in here. So, I'm not going to put all this on HR. I'm telling you because HR didn't recruit you and HR didn't recruit him and HR didn't recruit him. She recruited you and we got to recruit somebody too. So if we want Petersburg to be the best, everybody got to get involved. And and that including principles, assistant principles, counselors, everyone. They know people and they know who's in education. They know who's good and who's not. And we got to get them in here. So, and the ones that you know that's not doing it that in positions where we can live without, we got to curb that, cut that and and focus on the things that making Petersburg great and because there's a lot of waste in here too that we're not being

024effective and not helping the system situation. So, I would like to say we can get 60 teachers, but that's a high order and I'm not putting that on any individual, but we get but as a whole, we got to we have to do something. We can get we can get them in here. I believe if everyone work on it, would you agree, Dr. Lane, that's all of our jobs, right? Okay. So, if I come to you with a name, I want you to go for it for it. I'm going to push somebody your way. Okay. you some some new grads coming out of college, but that didn't apply. I'm gonna give you the information and we and and if they come, fine. If they don't, at least we tried >> and but we have to

025get this under control. And um and it's and I'm I'm charging everyone, including myself. >> Sure. >> Um about the um we haven't gotten to anything other than just the budget right here. So, I don't have any more questions at this time to >> Yes. Mr. Chair, can I respond? >> Yes, sir. >> Okay. Um, in terms of um being more efficient, Mr. Miles, I think that's um across the board, all chiefs, department heads, principles, their task is to operate their uh departments and their teams in an efficient manner. Everything is subject to be, you know, to be evaluated and uh cut if it doesn't fit the bill. We have a strategic plan that we've put in place. The board has goals that they've set up and everything we do here should be in alignment

026with those and anything that doesn't is subject to be cut and everybody within the division should be thinking alike. In future, one of the plans I have is that we would have a zerobased budget. Every year we'll zero everything out regardless of whether it has been funded before. It needs to be justified. We would have a brand new budget every year that's based on the needs of the division as of that time. So it's in development but as of now the way we budget it just lends itself to a lot of um a lot of fat that we haven't critically looked at and evaluated as whether it's needed but going forward we would incorporate that in the budgeting process to make sure we reduce a lot of the um unnecessary stuff. It may exist there,

027but we need to move in that direction going forward. >> But I think Dr. Greywood, I think the conversations that we've had though, we've been looking critically. I don't I I think that this year when we had the budget down, the budget um revenue changes. I think we sat down as a cabinet. Do you not agree? We already did that. We did that started that process and we started looking at every single budget for how many days? We looked at everything. Everybody talked about is this necessary or is it something that you want? >> And so we started that process this year with 26 when we had to find the 3.5 million. >> Yes. >> Right. >> And so we went through and cut for the remaining half of the of the um of the

028year and for this budget when we looked at central office budgets because we didn't touch school budgets. We didn't touch school people in that way for the most part. We looked at exactly what you need to operate and then we cut it. >> Yes. So, I think um some of the you know um whatever fat or whatever you want to call it, I think we cut around because there's still lots of departments where you got missing people and you got missing things in order for you to be able to like we're not operating at a full deck >> in a lot of places. So, I just want to make sure that that's clear that that's not what you're saying is we're just going to be looking deeply into that process. We've been doing that process

029even more just starting this year with this budget. >> Yes. Um, we've done a lot of that, but at some point, Miss Brown, I appreciate the clarification that has happened. I don't want to make it look like there's a lot of fat in the budget, but we need to align what we're doing with the budget with the strategic goals and the board goals so that if we're doing something that's not aligned, we need to do less of it, cut it, and focus our attention so that we're focused on what we need to do for this division. >> Yes. And we'll be able to do that now that we have an approved strategic plan. And when we build FY28, we have the strategic plan side by side along with what initiatives that we said we're going

030to focus on because we've already been we already have the five and we already have the objectives. So now we know for example when we say we want kids to have objective number six in priority number one student achievement wellness and support it talks about increasing apprenticeships field trips extracurricular so what you should be looking for in budgets is that we've increased money to be able to do that and now those are the kinds of things am I correct Dr. Agrewood. Exactly. >> I just want to highlight that that's what we mean by alignment in order to be able to do that. But it can't just only happen in central office. Alignment has to happen in our schools. It has to be across the board aligned to what we say we're focusing on at in

031our strategic plan. >> Absolutely. That should be the basis of our budgeting. Yes. Thank you, >> Mr. D. Mrs. Tucker. M. >> So, one one question. So, staffing and finances under critical issues. >> Can you repeat please? um under critical issues where one of the recommendations was staffing and finances. What is your current number of staffing and what would it look like to be fully staffed? >> Um like off the top of my head, maybe nine or eight. And um we we were almost fully staffed. We only have two critical positions that haven't been staffed yet. We have an assistant director of the budget which we've cut. We can operate without that uh individual. We hired a procurement agent who left us a few weeks ago. We still need to fill that position. It's a

032critical need for the uh for the division. Some of the staffing hires that have happened in finance are as a direct result of the&m report. certain things that we faced in finance and the overall functioning of uh the finance and accounting function. What has happened in the past is that we were not fully staffed for some reason. Certain people left. They were never replaced. And what was happening is we had individuals in finance who were performing three four functions that were in direct conflict with whatever their role is. and that presented control and um some serious problems in terms of internal controls and audit findings. So we've fixed that. Our posture is different. We don't have individuals doing you know role you know performing functions that are in conflict but we need the purchasing agent

033and the assistant director of the budget to make sure we are fully compliant. >> Thank you. Um, thank you, Vice Chair Tucker. I also want to um follow up that follow up with your question with the fact that we also in finance have people that could walk and retire tomorrow. We have got to put a plan in place because we have to have succession because we've had one person doing the same job and doing a great job for 40 years. If that person walks out the door, there is nobody underneath them that we've hired because we don't have a position. So that you got to train the next person or you're just basically starting over from scratch. And that is not that to me that doesn't put our school division in a healthy position. And

034so when Dr. Gray was talking about staffing. I don't know the answer to that, but we've got to be able to have something where all of that knowledge doesn't walk out the door because somebody can go home. And that's a position that we sit in. Am I correct, Dr. Greywood? >> Yes. Um there's risk. >> And so even though we may he may have people in those roles, but there's no backup, right? So like for example in um payroll we have Nicole but she also has a payroll specialist. So um you know she is learning all the things that Nicole does. She works very closely with her around payroll right and so as a part of the study we don't have any system in place to support should a person walk out the door. We

035still have to operate so that it doesn't it's not contingent upon the person sitting in the role that there is a structure there's another person who has the knowledge or we have a system that can carry on making sure people are getting paid even if something should happen to a person and that's also a staffing issue that we're not um where we need to be. Am I correct Dr. Greywood and Miss and Dr. Lane? That is also a part of it too as well. Part of part of my role is to manage risk. So some of the risk we face is that certain functions in finance are being performed by only one individual. They're the only ones that know how to perform this function. Um, before I got here, I think we ran into a

036situation where somebody left and as a result caused some issues in I wouldn't want to go into details and as a result uh some money, you know, the school division was out some money and it became an issue here. This is something we need to manage and we need to balance it and trade it off against how much it's going to cost to get people in place to have backups and the like. The current revenue situation we face doesn't allow for the type of spending and backups we need we have in finance to make sure that we can mitigate fully mitigate it. So we have to do some tradeoffs and figure that out. So that's what's going on. And if I had my way, every role in finance would have at least one backup for

037continuity, but the funds don't currently exist for that. So I'm constantly having to decide what risk can I take and what can I accommodate and have other plans in place for it. But in a perfect situation, every role in finance would have at least one backup for continuity because the division has to operate every day whether somebody comes in or not, whether somebody retires, whether somebody something happens to them on their way to work, that type of stuff. But we don't currently have that. I'm constantly thinking about this. I'm balancing it against the budget to make sure that I don't do it and then we, you know, we can't operate the division optimally. >> Mr. Lendy, >> as as we look at this thing and and we we talk about the strategic plan and we

038begin to talk about group jobs with similar requirements into the same salary grade and showing internal equity and consistency when hiring, transferring, or promoting staff. We hope that we bring in people that actually can see what we're talking about. If you begin to do that, you start feeling that we might be conquering the correct people. But in doing this, we have to become believers and what we're looking at. >> Thank you, Mr. Lindy. I have a couple couple of questions. Dr. Greywood, in your presentation, and I I know um Mr. Wallifer is familiar with this, we are not seeing in the presentation the spending for per pupil. >> Did you Is that in your presentation? Cuz I couldn't find it. >> It's It's not here. We can We can do an assessment of per pupil

039for next for the for FY27 or are you talking about actuals for >> talking about this budget that we're going to present to city council? >> We will include that in there. It's not in the >> They need to know what we're spending on per pupil cost. >> Absolutely. We'll do a calculation. >> Okay. >> Of the total budget. We'll we can include it. It's not in here. >> Okay. Yes. >> And and and and I heard what you said your response to Miss Tucker and I'm Miss Brown. I'm I'm going to give you an assam assignment. >> Can you reach out? Can you all reach out? You Mr. um Wallifer um Dr. Greywood reach out to Hopeware, Prince George, Denwitty, and Colonia Heights whose school systems their numbers are roughly around ours and tell

040us the makeup of their finance department, the actual positions that are in their finance department. >> Hopewell, Denwitty, um, who else? >> Well, Denwitty, Prince George, and Colonial Heights. >> Okay. >> Every position that they have in their finance in their finance department. One more. Um, >> real quick, your question on per pupil is a good question. >> Uh, kind of back of the envelope, it's about 17 mo, excuse me, 17,900 per. That's not precise, but it's pretty close. >> Okay. And you, that's actually a Code of Virginia issue. That is something that we were supposed to produce and post um within 15 days of the adoption of the budget by the city council and posted on our website. That didn't happen last year. I don't believe it happened in 2004 either. >> Okay. >>

041So, that's that's something we've been talking about. >> Okay. on the um you shared that we're about 60 teachers short, which we know for K through three. Can you also in your budget I'm I'm I'm unable to tell and I'm not sure if Dr. um Long Lane is is able to say it also, but can you share with us what part of the budget of the 27 budget have you dedicated towards recruit recruitment for those 60 teachers? because I can't see it in the budget. What how much money has been set aside for next year to recruit for those 60 60 plus teachers? >> We've we've talked about initiatives. We we had um last year we had set aside some money to recruit teachers that hasn't been fully expended. >> We're talking about increasing that

042from 7,500 to 8,000 this year. and >> and Dr. Lane has some specifics. >> Dr. Greywood, did we not include um that we were going to put a certain number toward the $8,000 bonus? >> Is that not in Isn't that in there? I thought that there was going to be a certain number that's not in there anymore. >> It is. Mr. Great Mr. Wallingford is shaking his head. >> It's in there, but it's not explicitly uh on on the list. We can provide uh the the detail. Yeah, >> he has it. He He say he has What he's saying is it's it's in there, but we can't see it. >> Yes, >> that's what you're saying. >> Yes. >> Not on slide 16. >> There's no specific line for it right now because of the

043way the budget is built, but it's in here. Yeah. >> How much was it? >> 80. You mean 8,000? 8. >> We've actually increased it. >> 8,000. That's what I thought. That was the hiring part of >> Excuse me. and that was Dr. Lane. And so if we got more money from the state, which we're expecting to get more money, we can add to the bottom line, but it was for Dr. Lane to offer. And we're only targeting K3. Is that correct, Dr. Lane? I mean, fully certified. Thank you. Fully certified K3. And yes, specific to K3, there are other um initiatives that are in place to recruit and retain. Um not all of it is on the general um fund that she has in place that may not be visible. >> So they're saying

044so you're saying $80,000 to recruit. >> So if we did 60 teachers at 80,000, we're only giving them a a $1,300 bonus. I'm I'm confused. >> It was never for It was never for 60 teachers. That was never the amount. I think what happened >> question was for the 60 teachers. That's my question. >> So yeah. So our attention was never the 60 teachers. I think we took in the conversation. I think board chair I think the conversation was around how many did we do this year and how many we wanted to target. So we did not look at the 60 teachers um board chair to get to provide bonuses. We did not that's not what we did for 60. >> That was my question. >> Yes. Even if we had put >> question was

045how does your budget of for 2027 reflect the 60 teachers that need to be hired for next school year? That was my question. >> It's the um the 80,000 that we've put aside last year when we tried to >> 80,000. >> Oh, >> that was not for the 60 Dr. Greywood. We did not. So the teachers for the 2 point for the Petersburg, we should have always had a certain number of teachers to earn the funding for the K3 class size reduction. Over the years, we've never had the appropriate amount of teachers. And so when we figured it out this year, we knew that we needed to do something different so that we could try to get the money back. So it's 60 teachers is what I'm hearing. Dr. Greywood, I know we talked about

046it. I don't remember the number. I think when we did this, it was around getting the certified teachers, but it wasn't board chair preacher for 60. Your question is, how does $80,000 get 60 teachers to give them a hiring bonus? Am I correct? Is that what the question is? Because So then that doesn't work. What are we doing to recruit? And where is the amount that we included in the budget for 60 teachers? Is that right? for 60 teachers, it's going to be close to 500,000 that we need to add to the budget. Even if you were to put that amount up for the entire 660 teachers, we may not be able to recruit all of them. We can put some money aside for what we realistically think we can um we can recruit for,

047but certainly we've we've discussed it and it may not be reflected specifically as a line item. >> So we did Dr. Grey, I just want to make sure and I know this may not answer your question board cher, but I know you'll um so let me make sure. So when we did this when we had this conversation cabinet, what we had was we looked at the numbers that we hired this year for just general teachers that were fully certified. Originally, it was 50 teachers that we asked the city for money and you all approved to pay an $8,000 bonus. Of the 50, we were able to recruit 18. Is that correct, Dr. Dr. Sorry. I think we were able to recruit 18 additional licensed teachers out of the 50. When we were looking at the

048budget, I think they put in there 410 as a starting point until we got more funding. And so we had for 10 was the number. Is that correct, Dr. Wallingford? Mr. Wallingford and Dr. Greywood. >> I'm sorry. I was >> But Mr. Dr. Greywood, our conversation was around 10. Is that correct, Dr. Lane? 10 was the number we put in for the bonuses. We never talked about putting in a bonus for 60 teachers. >> Correct. >> That's correct. So that's not which is what Mr. Pritchard's question is. >> I so Mr. Pritchard really good question first. >> And so we also Oh, sorry. And we also the compensation and classification which started teachers and which is going to provide we also looked at the compensation and classification as a way to get teachers into Petersburg

049because we're going to start at 60 and then of course everybody's going to be brought up. So that was another strategy to get teachers. I think we talked about it, Mr. Wallford. You disagree with me. You said that in Prince William. Never disagree. >> I had the same. >> No, we had the conversation because I said to you if we get this compensation and classification, we should get more licensed teachers. And you said that you argued with Prince William because that was their stance as well. Remember that conversation? So that was part of what we thought we could be more competitive, >> you know, but we only planned for the 10 teachers. That's what we plan for. >> So, if if I could jump in a couple >> based on the funding, sorry, >> couple

050of things real quick. The bonus, the 80 $80,000 we added to the bonus, that's in the budget already. That's why you don't see it on the initiatives page. Okay? That's in the current year budget, too. It's just a bigger number this year. That's the first thing. Second thing, Dr. Elaine and I spoke to this and and other folks on the staff. Um the superintendent talked about the idea because we fully expect we're going to get some more money from the state that we would kick in some more money for bonuses. Um Miss Brown just mentioned the class and comp study. The class and comm study is a huge issue here for really two reasons. One to to get Petersburg competitive. Okay. We will be depending on whether other localities do, we will be uh I'm

051going to say this and Dr. Lane, jump in and and kick me if I'm wrong. I believe at $60,000 we're going to be the highest entry salary in the metro uh Richmond area. >> That is fantastic. That is a massive deal. So to your question, Mr. at those things. Um, in addition to that, uh, the the question you're really asking is what money are we putting in to try and hire these 60 teachers? There's already a recruitment budget that that Dr. Lane has. It is clearly not large enough. I mean, for us to try and get 60, we were just talking about whether 60 is the right number or not. It sounds like a big number to me honestly, but it is. Um, for us to get 60 teachers, that's a challen we could we

052could have three staff members focus 100% of our time on trying to hire 60 teachers. That's a lot. So, um, it's not as much as we would like. If we get the the I guess it was the Senate side. If that comes out, uh, no, maybe it was the House side, the House side with the $2.5 million, we can actually kick a little bit more money at that issue. So, those are some of the things that we're, you know, uh, the legislative session ends on Saturday. The conference, uh, should be finished tomorrow. um how quickly we see the information from the conference. Hopefully, it'll be on Friday. So, we'll be able to bring back at the next meeting specific information about additional revenue and how that revenue might be spent. >> I got a question,

053>> Mr. Miles. >> Just for overall, who who in here drive the fathers to to come to work? Anybody drive over 50 miles to come to work? No, not you. I not trying to think about you. I I need somebody. Anybody in here? How about 40 miles to come to work? Anybody drive? But everybody don't live in Petersburg, right? So, somebody drive what? 25 miles. 25 miles to come to work. Okay, that's common. So, let's let's take that 25 mile radius. So we going down to Blackstone, going down past Sussex, going down towards Emporia, going down towards um Sir, all over the whole Richmond area right there to recruit or people that don't have to relocate to come to work. And believe me, at our rate of pay, they're going to get more money and

054they going to get that stipen. We not I'm not looking for nobody new. I'm looking for somebody experienced that want to improve themselves that that want to do a little bit better in life and coming to Petersburg you can do a little bit better in life because we're trying to improve ourselves. So the thing is that's where we need to focus and you know running all over the country trying to rec recruit teachers is not going to be the way we we got certified teachers within that 2530 miles that would come to Petersburg if we treat them right and pay them right and give them the opportunity to to to come here. But we got to go get them. They're not right now. They might be comfortable. We show them a little bit more, a

055little bit better, a little bit more courtesy. The way they going to be treated, building a team. Everybody want to be a part of a winning team and feel comfortable. And it's the way we got to de develop the character of the team that we build and people feel good about being a part of our team. That's very important. Nobody want to come here and be treated treated poorly. We want to treat them with high esteem and we want to bring them in that way and keep them that way. So the thing is that's what we need to focus on because if you people that got to relocate that's a big decision. People that don't have to relocate and can do better for themselves. That's that's that's e that's that's an easy decision. >> What

056I wanted to ask though because bringing in certified teacher and Miss Lane could help me right here and you can help me and Dr. Brown can help me. Um getting certified teachers is not the only thing. We need certified teachers in the right positions and see because we got certified teachers that not teaching they in different positions. We need certified teachers in that K through three and most of that grant focus on K through three. Is that not true? So that's what we need. Now how many teachers do we need? I see Bernard getting ready to jump in. I need you to jump in. But anyway, how many teachers do we need in that K through three that we short? That's what I'm talking about. >> That's what gonna affect the grant the most. How

057many teachers do we need? >> That's the 60. Oh my god. >> Talking about >> Oh my god. >> Talking about that the whole time. >> Oh boy. I should have kept that question to myself now. >> We need 60 and K through three. Is Is that what we That's what we short or we just That's the number. That's what we short. >> Oh my god. Mr. Miles. Um, >> that's a lot. That is a lot. >> Part of the reason is that those classroom sizes, part of the reason that we need so many is those classroom sizes are smaller. That's the whole point. So, it elevates the number of teachers you you need. That's why I was over there talking to Dr. Lane going that math doesn't work out. It does work out. Um

058actually because we're putting you know uh I forget the numbers Mias 21 and 19. Is that what it is? 21 and 19 instead of 25 26 27. >> The lower the grade the lower the number. Right. >> Well for the K3 class size it's at Walnut Hill you have to have a 21:1 ratio and at the other three you got to have a 1 to19 ratio. Okay. So you're talking about several students per class that actually have to move into another class and that's what makes that such a challenge. >> Yeah. But >> and Mr. Miles, Mr. Miles, remember when Dr. Long Lane would give us the HR report and I would always ask the questions how ask the question, how can we lower the teacher student ratio? I would always ask that because we

059have to monitor our K through three. That's why I'm asking that question all the We need a low. We need the the lower the ratio, the better opportunity we going to have to teach those kids. But we got a lot of challenges. >> Miss Tucker. >> So I I just have a quick question. So I know we are talking about the hiring bonuses, but we have teachers that are leaving K through three. So what are we doing to keep teachers in K through three? Is that budgeted in or we just gonna let them walk? Like what is that look? What is that looking like? Because you know there's a transition every at the end of every school year. Some teachers stay, some teachers go. So what are we looking and I know we I know

060we talked about the competent class study and I do believe that once it is approved, but that is still 50-502, right? So I believe that you know that is going to be a significant reason for people to come in and stay because once once they see the numbers it's hard to resist the numbers right and it goes up every year but what are we doing like to solidify those teachers that are in place now like to keep them there for K through three >> and Dr. Lane um vice um vice chair Tuker also um Dr. Lane, I know that the K through three is it some of that is assignment from principles. Am I correct? And so, you know, um cuz cuz typically what happens is we don't do we typically hire teachers for a

061grade level. You can be hired at a elementary school and be placed the principal can place you in any grade level where they need to be placed. And so when you say that they're leaving um and I'll let Dr. Lane, jump in. But I just know that one of the things that we've been looking at is um because as a former principal, you typically want to have, if we talked about, you typically want to have your teachers at your grade levels that are tested, right? And so it's hard sometimes to pull a principal that has a great um fully licensed teacher that's in kindergarten. You want to move them to fourth grade because you want to move them where the tested grades are. But this grant is saying that you need to keep your your

062certified teachers in your lower grades. And so that is a balance that's hard for a principal because you're like that means you're going to have you could have more unlicensed teachers in the tested grades and your um licensed teachers. But again, a as you work in any school system or any school division, it is a hard balancing act because again, the foundation helps when you get to fourth and fifth grade. If we do a good a better job in kindergarten, first and second, and third grade, that's where it is. But you still got to but that but it's hard for principles and leaders everywhere because they don't want to put them in those grades, right? So, um, but to answer your I'll let Dr. Lane, um, talk about, you know, anything because I'm not with

063everything, but I I'll let you jump in, Dr. Lane. >> Testing. Right. Um, good evening. So, the classification and compensation study is a huge part of our retention strategy if it is to move forward. And some of the things that I'll talk a little bit about in the presentation are putting in measures where as teachers receive additional education, they're eligible for additional compensation. So, we added a couple of things in there when they get more credit hours such as the masters plus 18 and masters plus 30 to help with that initiative on top of the years and the steps being equivalent. So, that's one strategy that we're utilizing. Another one that we talked about the last time I had the opportunity to present was about career progression. So we want to see what are our

064teachers actually interested in doing beyond what they're doing in the classroom so we can create pathways for that. So we recently as of February 25th rolled out a survey to all employees to see what is it that they're interested in. Would they like dual certification? Are they interested in going into administration? And so far we've had about 85 individuals to respond. And so we held our firstformational session on yesterday and we had two participants. It was a parent uh report card pickup day um to come in and get some additional information from us. We're also increasing the amount of information is going out to staff from partnering institutions that are havingformational sessions. So some of the ones that are coming up are around national board. Um there's a career switcher one that's coming up at

065Regent so that we can continue to provide them with education about what is out there and what's available. So our goal is to number one assess what it is that they want and two provide opportunities and financial support through some of our title 2 funding for them to get that and then create those pathways where they would want to stay within the division. U in the past we've been able to provide some retention bonuses but due to the circumstance that's not an initiative that we're using this year but there's not any really concrete data that shows that a retention bonus is going to keep staff. I think one of the things that Mr. Miles pointed out about the way people are treated is one of the best things that we can do to try to

066empower our employees. So, we talked a little bit about culture before. Um, and some of the um the schools are doing amazing jobs is creating those exciting cultures for their schools. We're modeling that at the schoolboard office by putting on initiatives to help inspire and we look forward to some future collaborations to help put the fund back in school because while it is serious business, there does have to be some level of balance to ensure that we have happy people that'll create happy students. >> Mr. Lindy, >> I I still believe that um when Mr. Pritchin and I were with the um Right Point graduates. It was very important to see as many people that wanted to be involved with that early childhood setting. It was basically about 45 or more that were interested in

067that and that could have been a great winner for us. Instead, we missed that boat. But those were a a lot of people that were finishing coming in ready to be prepared for us. And the numbers were very high. They really were very high. And they seemed to be some very intellectual people that were ready for the classroom. Mr. Bridget, >> sorry. Sorry. Um, thank you, board member Lindy. Could you expound on which boat we missed? I wasn't sure. I know that you're talking about graduation. Are you talking about um a fair because I know we've been working with Breitpoint. Um I think before um there was a recommendation that we connect with them to make sure that we got um so I'm trying to figure out what did we miss so we can >>

068you just I was pinpointing the fact that I could see those individuals that had come down from from graduating and they really were in a good position to help us and not just us but other areas in in in this early childhood setting because we do need a lot more teachers in that setting. It is very important that we get that setting because that's where we shape and mold and you can't do any better than to get that and to get an opportunity like that so that we can shape and mold because it can be easier for you to go to the next step rather than to go to the third step or the sixth step. go to the step that's going to give us the best we can get so that we can build

069on that and let people see what we can do. >> And this is for Westview. Is that right? This is for Westview for the early childhood. >> Okay. Thank you, Mr. Miles. you know, um, when we talk about I I love that we're having this conversation about how people are treated because, um, I don't I don't like the way we treat HR in the way we use HR because we try to use HR for discipline. HR is not for discipline. HR is for service and to make sure that all the policies are covered out, covered fair, for recruiting, for different things like that. um the people that and and a lot of our people look at HR as discipline. It's not discipline. It's it's about human resources. And the thing is is that and to

070make sure that the policy when a employee have a problem or is disciplined and they want to know if they being treated fair, they can contact HR and make sure it follow the guidelines. So HR shouldn't be telling people you you getting this, you getting you getting that, you getting that and this is the discipline. They shouldn't be doing that because you what you're doing. You're making her the bad person when she's not a bad person when we're administering this this thing and we got to stand up for what we believe it should be done and how we're going to manage the situation. How we going to deal with the employees and not shift it to someone else because a lot of our employees feel like I want to go to a job because they

071going, you know, she's she been viewed in this um content. And the thing is that's not the way you should be viewed. you if if if they got a problem, I don't care what it is, they should be able to go to HR. If they they whether it's um the way they work, the way they live, a financial problem, a drug addiction problem, whatever it is, they should they should be able to go to HR and receive whatever help we have available, whether it's a EA uh employees assistant program or whatever our employees look like. Central office is all is you go down there, it going to be some discipline or somebody going to look at you or view you a certain different way. We got to change that culture in our school system because

072people are not going to come from help come for help or go come to us with their problems or what's going on if we continue to be viewed like that and a lot of people don't come forth because of that. So the thing is is that we got to have u being make sure that we viewed the right way. Everywhere I work if I had a problem I go to HR. If I didn't know whether we're being applied right or done right, I go to HR. If I had something on my record, I go in there and say, "How can I get this out my record?" And HR might get in contact with my boss and say, "Hey, how long you going to keep this in this record?" Okay. If we have no more problems,

073we'll leave it in there for 12 months, then we'll pull it. I come back 12 months. I ask HR, "Did you pull that out my record?" We had to have develop a relationship of working good together and and positive together where that a lot of things I don't see happening. And the reason why because of past history, not your history, but I'm talking about what happened in the past and the way our employees feel good about where they work. If you don't have nobody to turn to or nowhere to go to for to get a good answer that going to be supportive, then that's not a good place to work. And we got to change that because a lot of times people look at that and say, "Hey, um, she gonna do whatever she tell

074her to do." No, no, no. HR is independent. HR going to make sure it's done fair. It going to make sure it's done in a positive manner, in a good light. It going to make sure that you're being supportive of the policies and the employees and and people need to believe that. And so the thing is is that you're in a tough position, Miss Lane, because you coming in with a lot of bad history. that's ahead of you that the employees don't look at HR like that. You understand? So when people going to stay here, it's about relationships. It's about the climate. And we have a lot of people and I don't know why some people leave cuz they might leave because they I have no resource, nowhere to turn. So if I feel bad

075about how how this is done, who do I talk to? HR. And they're going to tell you whether or not if it it's in line with school policy and whether or not you're being you has and it going to be kept at HR. It's not going to be going all over the place. Okay. They told me I was wrong, I was wrong. Told me I was right. This is what you the conversation need to take place. We got a lot of employees feel like they don't have nobody to talk to when something happened. And we got to change that because we have good people leaving or resigning and we don't know what happened totally. Why they resigned? Because they're not telling us and they leaving going up to other places for no more money. And

076I know that because I just talked to Dr. K about my daughter leaving her school system for no more money, going to another school system because somebody complained about her hair being natural. And I think I told y'all that before. I thought that was so unfair. So she she didn't leave for more money. She felt that they was addressing her and HR can handle that. Said, "No, we're not going to talk to people about their hair being natural because we need to make sure everybody have an atmosphere where they can express themselves in a proper way, professional way, and feel comfortable." So we want everybody to feel like they have a voice. But I think a lot of our people are leaving because maybe they don't feel like they have a true voice. But we

077got to develop that. We have to because we want people to work for us. Just like you recruited this excellent staff, we want to be able to to do the same thing inside the schools. And it's us to the administrators of the schools. And that's very important. Not the people that's sitting here. It's the administrators of the school to create that atmosphere and us to make sure that atmosphere exists within HR in the central office where they can come to central office and get a decent response. We have to do that. But we're not going to get there without a whole. It got to be the whole everybody got to be on board with it, you know. >> Thank you, Mr. Miles. So we can move on to C cip. >> Oh he was finished.

078Where are we? I thought we were Oh, he's question. You know what pay his questions. I'm sorry. >> And Mr. and I Mr. Wallenford wanted to um K3 class sizes. He wanted to revisit the numbers again really quickly. clear that those numbers. Oh, next slide, please. The K3 class size reduction grant requires a 1:21 ratio at Walnut Hill. >> And for the other schools, it's 1 to19. >> That's the K3 class size reduction grant. Nothing else. Okay. And so that inflates the numbers about the number of teachers you need by about 20 probably about 20%. And that's what creates that Mr. Miles that large number because it made my eyes bug out too. I got to be honest. >> Are we good? >> No. I thought you was going to tell us that the number

07960 was wrong. >> I'm confused. >> I wish it were, but it's not. So, so with that number, that 60 number, is that what we need right now or is that what we need based on the class size reduction grant? >> There's a a formula in the system when the K3 application is completed. And my understanding, and Mr. Brown, please correct me if I'm wrong, is you put numbers in until it tells you that you meet the criteria. So when the information was broken down to us, the number was 102. We needed 102 licensed teachers in those grade levels. When we looked at how many we had, we had about 39, which gives us about 60 that need to be licensed. So what happens is when we look at all the teachers that are in

080those specific grade levels, we only have 39 of them that have a license. So while there may be a person there, there's not a licensed person. So that don't count for us. Did I get that correct, Mr. Brown? >> So with the So with the number that Mr. Waller just gave, that'll be an additional 20 positions added to that 60. >> Could be. We're in the process now of establishing what those numbers are. Okay, thank you. Thank you all for your feedback and your questions. Um this is great conversation board members. Thank you. So we'll now so as a part of the budget um so we talked about the funding um the funding um parameters and so now as a part of this budget you know that we are asking for the increase of about

0812.8 8 million for a classification and compensation study that was done in 2025 by the Evergreen um group. I've heard all your questions before. I know that we had um I think Abby, is that her name? Ally came and she did a whole full um presentation that probably was overwhelming. And so what I wanted to do was break it down and make it real plain, right? So that the main components of what does it mean if this is approved? What does it mean for Petersburg? What does it mean so that if someone calls you and we're going to try to give you talking points if approved, what does it mean if we if you all adopt the classification and compensation study and include it in the budget and you go to the city council and

082you propose that that they help they fund it. This is what it means. And so I want Dr. Lane to please walk you through some specific things so hopefully it'll help you understand what does it mean for an employee if you say yes to the compensation and classification. Dr. Lane. >> Thank you, Miss Brown. Good evening, board chair Pritchette, Vice Chair Tucker, Superintendent, board members, colleagues, and community. Um on the screen you have before you the strategic plan goal two that we are focusing in on um from an HR perspective regarding this classification and compensation study and that is talent acquisition development and retention specifically looking at objective 4 which is to increase the retention of staff by working to implement a robust compensation package. What that is going to do for us is it's

083going to group jobs with similar requirements into the same salary grade ensuring internal equity and consistency when hiring, transferring or promoting staff. So to elaborate, uh what that will do for us is where we have um staff classifications that are on one scale and they may not have anything in common with each other where their salary should be common. In looking at our peers, what we're going to be doing is regrouping to ensure that the salary range matches the scope of education and experience required for those specific position classifications. uh and then I I'll have a couple of examples uh in the presentation. Uh additionally, what it's going to do for us is help us develop a robust modern classification and compensation system that is transparent, competitive, and equitable. Next slide, please. Uh as has

084been stated, everything in HR uh revolves around policy. So, as we look at this process, the specific policies that we'll be focusing in on are GCBA staff salary schedules, GCBA, adjustments to staff salaries, GCBB, supplementary pay, GCEB, classifications of employment, and GBN staff hiring procedures. And ultimately what we want to produce is our own Petersburg City Public Schools classification and compensation salary guide book that will help drive the salary decision makers that happen when staff are hired, promoted, or transferred in Petersburg City Public Schools. Next slide, please. To look at where we are currently, we have two scales. They're both called the unified scale, but there's one that's specific for teachers and one that's for all other classifications of employees. Currently annual increases are not based on years of experience. Increases are added on the

085entire salary scale based on an approved percentage. So based on what I could find each year if there has been any increase it has been in totality. So the entire salary scale had a certain percentage added and then that is the increase that employees receive. Salary placement guides were not documented to determine salary placement consistency. The last one that we were able to find was from the year 2015 2016 and it was specific to teachers and all job classifications are not currently listed on the salary scale. Next slide please. Our goal in this is to update all salary scales with defined ranges where each will have a minimum midpoint and maximum salary. We want to be able to provide salary grades and steps for the teacher and unified pay scales. And we also want to

086be able to provide placement guides. The salary grazing steps are critical for us as we talk about position control because it is going to help us to automate our system on the back end of Keystone so that each year when it's time for us to move forward, we can have a ECP which is a estimated cost projing completed. That's going to help us drive the budget and help us ensure that our staff are continuously paid equitably. Next slide please. >> So Dr. Lane, just to clarify again, just to double tap. So with the new proposed teacher scale the scales if you go back to the slide before they will be based upon the teacher and unified scales will be based upon steps. Is that correct? >> Yes ma'am. >> Okay. And that's going to be

087different than what we currently have now. Okay. That's the recommendation from Evergreen. Okay. Next slide please. So before you is the new proposed teacher salary scale. Again, right now the salary just moves at a certain percentage at the end of each year. In this proposal, what we will request is that we want to include salary increase, excuse me, each year and as teachers increase their educational attainment. So, if we want to start our new teacher salary at $60,000 um as Mr. Waller stated, that will put us, if not number one, certainly number two in region one salaries. So, as you look at this example on the screen, you'll see that the grades there that I talked about in the slide before 2011, and it goes up incrementally in the minimum, midpoint, and maximum. And you

088can see the degree levels. Of course, as a teacher, you're required to have a bachelor's degree. We already have in our current scale where a teacher that has a master's degree or a doctorate degree can earn additional compensation. But as I fored, we added in the 18 credit hours and the 30 credit hours or EDS is another opportunity for teachers to earn additional money as they remain in the classroom. >> So Dr. Lane, as a point of clarification, so will we still be adding So we would still be adding the masters and doctorate or would already be inside of the pay scale? it it will be based uh the way that the degree levels are set up there. Right now in our current teacher scale, it reads horizontally and it'll say based on your months

089of employment um that you are a bachelor's 10 months, 10 and 1/2, 11, 12. So it will read the same way, but it will also include the masters plus 30 and the doctorate/ specialist and that masters plus 30/eds. >> But we give a stipen now. So it won't be a stipen anymore. Is that correct? >> Correct. It's embedded in this hour. But when you look at it, if if I'm outside looking in, I'll be able to see if I have a master's degree, here's what I'm getting. So, you won't get it twice. >> Next slide, please. >> Um, Long Lane, I can't remember. I don't remember all the policies. If you go back to that last that slide you were on, I can't remember, but I do know about the bachelors, the masters, and the

090doctorate. I do know that we have that how much you know what they will receive. Is that policy? Because if that is a policy, then the master plus 18, the master plus 30 needs to come to us. We haven't seen >> is what point in policy just so I'm clear. >> The bachelors, the masters, and the doctorate and I thought it was in our policy that showed how much you would get. >> Um, not that I have seen in the policies that we have. Um the policy specifically that talks about salaries is GCBA and GCBA which pretty much tells us that any salary changes need to come to the board. And so that's what we do. But I have not seen anything that states explicitly if you bachelor's degree, master's degree, doctoral degree, it has

091to be this. >> I'll check it. I have it somewhere. Somebody sent I I knew >> okay >> because we get that question and asking are we doing are we giving them this money every year and I remember sending you something in writing but but go ahead. >> Okay. All right. Next slide please. So the next salary proposal scale is for the new um proposed unified salary scale and this also increases in alignment with their continued years of service. So individuals who will fall under the unified scale will be those that are in non-teer or teacher related positions such as counselors, librarians, instructional coach, and they're not on the administrative scale which I talk about next. So that's going to be a lot of your support staff, pair professionals, uh custodians, maintenance, um those specific

092types of position, food services, a lot of operational office staff type positions that fall on that scale. But again, currently anything that's not on the teacher scale is on the unified scale. So on this scale again, you'll see the grades over on the left which progress uh by your classification of employment. And then you will see that there is a minimum, midpoint, and maximum for that range. And we would also like to propose that those years of experience also um equate to them receiving a salary increase each year that they remain in that same classification. Next slide please. The last and final new proposed scale that we would like to present is the administrative scale. The administrative salary scale will have an open range which means that it will not be equivalent to steps but

093we will have a salary calculator that evergreen will provide to us in conjunction with review of the candidates's educational attainment and experience which will help determine the salary. This will allow us to be competitive when attracting administrative talent to the division. And these are positions that start at the supervisor range and go all the way up to right now the top is an assistant superintendent but now we we do have chiefs and so we would need to add that to the salary scale. Next slide please. So now that we've had an opportunity to look at the proposed scales I wanted to give an opportunity to look at a couple of examples of some things that could be potentially shifted if we do move forward with our new scale. So you'll see on uh the left

094to the right of your screen depending on your viewpoint example one right now we have individuals who may fall into any of these classifications of teacher assisted instructional assistant pair professional sped aid or intervention support but essentially those roles all fulfill the same duties. So what we'll be looking at in streamlining our scale is moving any classification that's over in those titles over to one standard title of an instructional assistant. Second example that you see on that table is if you we have individuals who may be secretary, senior secretary, administrative assistant or the like. We want to have one standardized title of administrative assistant. What this will help us do is again ensure that we group those classifications appropriately, but it will also help us to provide levels so that we have pro career progression

095and individuals are clear on what it means to be a level one and what it takes to move to a level two which can create opportunities for high earning potential. Over on the other side, for example, too, when we look at our food service department, we have food service associates, but they're in two categories on the current scale, which are defined by hours worked versus levels one and two, which supports our career progression model. So, what we would like to do is move from individual that's a food service assistant to a food service assistant one, from a food service assistant because again, it exists twice to a food service assistant too. And then we have a food service associate that's seven hours and a food service associate that's 7.5 hours. So again, we would like

096to designate that as a level one or level two because that creates some career progression that individuals can understand exactly where they fall, what it takes to move to the next level and create career pathways. Next slide, please. The teacher unified scales again will provide step increases based on years of experience in the same classification. What this is going to help us to do is it's going to realign an employes salary within their current range based on how long they have worked in their current classification. This is a very distinct uh measure that we need to communicate to employees in a way that they can receive multiple times because what we want to ensure is that when an employee is going to receive an increase, if we look at this example that's there before you,

097if they have a 30-year career trajectory, because our scale is from 0 to 30 years of experience where an employee is with within 15 years of the experience, they're going to be at the midpoint and then they have 30 years, they will be at the maximum. optimal. So we do have some employees who have already gotten 30 years of experience. So they will be at the max of the range. In this specific example, if we had an administrative assistant that was hired in 2006, but they became a teacher in 2016, they have 20 years of service in Petersburg, but they only have 10 years as a teacher. So when we look at improving and increasing their salary their new salary will be based on their 10 years in their current classification which would be teacher.

098So again if we move to this model this is something that we will have to ensure that we overcommunicate to employees so that we can try to dispel any questions or discrepancies about how the new salary was calculated. Next slide please. So again Dr. Lane, they get credit for the number of years within that particular job classification. >> Yes, ma'am. >> So, as I finalize this portion of the presentation, want to reiterate that our goal is to get our teacher salaries at $60,000. That employee salary increases will begin at 3% and will average 6 to8 6.8%, excuse me, in alignment with the projections from Evergreen. That means some will be more than 6.8%, 8% some will be less but the minimum across the board would be 3%. For as we look at our resident teachers

099which are our teachers that do not have a license issued by videoe we would increase the flat rate salary that they receive currently from $46,500 to $47,000. Some salaries that will remain the same will be substitute pay rates. Based on our research, it looks like that work was done in the fall of 2024. So we would keep those ranges. Our part-time hourly rates will remain as they are on the current salary scale and all of our stipens for additional duties such as grade chair, department chair, club sponsor, athletics would remain the same. The $1,200 master supplement or the $1,900 doctoral supplement will remain the same and that is applied to the unified scale because it is built into the teacher salary as well as the administrative scale. and our additional duty supplements will remain at

1002.5% of the minimum of the salary range for the job classification which is a process we implemented this year. So anytime a person is serving in an secondary capacity outside their normal duties and we bring in a request for them to receive additional compensation we use the formula of 2.5% of the minimum salary for the additional duties that they will be performing to calculate how much they will be receiving in that additional capacity. That concludes my part of the presentation. Happy to answer any questions that I can. >> Any questions, Mr. Miles? >> That compensation study covered all the compensation study covered the all the people >> the people that get paid by the hour >> hourly. >> This is salarated. >> It just outside contract get paid. Okay. >> Full time. Yes. >> Well,

101well, we do have all the people that full-time, right? >> We have what we call part-time regular, which is one of the classifications, but they are non benefits earning folks. So, they're still classified as part-time because if they move into full-time, we would have to offer them benefits. >> Okay. And the compensation studies, they say it would cost us, this would the increase would cost us what? 2 point some million, >> 2.8 8 million to implement the new classification and um compensation study because that's part of it is the money but the other part is also classifying as Dr. Lane just showed getting everybody grouped on the right scale getting them in the right you know grade steps if you are a teacher and unified um Dr. Lane is it is that the master supplement

102the doctoral supplement was that always a part of the unified scale or is that going to be new? >> No, that is what we currently do. >> Okay. So we will continue to make sure that whether you're on the teacher or the unified you get your supplement which is the 1,200 and the 1900. >> Correct. It's just in the um the teacher salary it reads exactly as that. So it shows bachelors, masters etc. Okay. Any other questions? Okay. Thank you. All right. Thank you, board chair and school board members. We will now have the final closing pieces related to our FY27 proposed draft budget. And so I will now turn it over to Dr. um Jay Martinez, our assistant superintendent of operations to talk us through our 2024 2029 capital improvement plan for Petersburg City

103Public Schools. Thank you, Board Chair Pritchette, Vice Chair uh Tucker, um cabinet, superintendent, uh community. Um I just want to give a quick overview of uh our capital improvement plan. Uh on May 1st, 2024, the board formally reviewed and adopted the 2429 CIP plan. This comprehensive 5-year roadmap outlines our commitment to maintaining excellence in our facilities, enhancing safety protocols, and ensuring our infrastructure evolves alongside our student population. This plan is now being positioned for an update to remain responsive to our evolving facility needs. Uh before you, you have printed copies of the following two documents and which can also be assessed via uh digital links provided. And I just want to uh remind the board that on May 1st, 2024, you approved um the current 2024 through 2029 capital improvement plan. So all of those

104projects that are on that particular plan was approved on May 1st, 2024. And we can bring that up real quick just to quickly go over it. Um just so the board can be reminded what was approved. So, it'll be the uh this one right here. So, just real quick and then we'll go to the other link. Okay. So, while um there Okay, there we go. Thank you. Technology doing an outstanding job. All right. So, real quick, the board approved this May 1st n uh 2024, right? So all of these projects was um approved to move forward, right? Okay. So if we go to the next link, I'm going to update the board on what has taken place and uh we'll review uh some amendments we would like to make to that capital improvement plan. All

105right. Okay. So what I want to make clear to the board and to the community um uh the original project cost column, right? So in the first link there was a project cost column and the in the following table denotes the estimate that internal staff meaning the the staff that uh put that capital improvement plan together. U they project that those projections was based on available resources prior to the May 1st 2025 submission. It is important to note that estimates are vital when budgeting for future planning. These are typically developed through master planning and collaboration with architects and other professional consultants. Right. All righty. And the next note um well let's go to the next page. Okay. So 2025 fiscal year 2025 school year uh 2425 um we can just quickly go through this real

106quick. So everything that's in the green was completed like for example we'll talk about the first project. All right. So on the capital improvement plan that was approved. It was detailed as um exhaust system. what we were able to do was and it was projected at $50,000, right? So, um that eternal staff didn't project those costs correctly. Um and um so what we did was we completed a phase of that exhaust system by replacing all of the exhaust fans right throughout the division which um cost about 259,000. All right. Um, and then you can go easily go down line line by line and see what was completed and see uh exactly how much um it cost. If you go down to that red one where it says not completed, that was a project called HVAC

107upgrades, right? And the justification was for deteriorating control wiring causing false readings at Petersburg High School. Right? So that was a two-phase um project that they wanted to do or the board wanted to do. So if it's not completed in 2025, uh we push it over to 2026. All righty. So next slide, please. Next slide. All righty. So now we're are on fiscal year 2026. So if we're following along on this, right? So this is what was projected for 2026. Okay. Now, this is exactly what was approved by the board. Everything on this table. Um so if we look at window replacement, right, the original projected cost was $200,000. That is definitely not how much it cost to replace windows at elementary school. All right. To include um terrorists and escalation um at minimum it'll

108be at least $400,000 per school. Uh depending on exactly what we want to do, what we want to make district standards um across the schools um it can reach to almost a million dollars uh per school. But it's going to be difficult to have an actual estimate until we have um actual um uh architects and and actual um subject matter experts to uh give us the absolute specs for that. So we're working on that. So if you look at 2026, all of the projects here are still in planning, right? And we what I want the board to understand is if I and my team we start um estimating projects that's going to be done in 25 26. I may have that estimate now but just it's just like buying a car, buying a house. I

109can look at that estimate now but if I wait 2 3 years before we do it that price is going to jump up. Right? So typically what we do um in this field we want to make sure that we adjust escalation cost. So the board will always know that yes it's estimated at this cost but if we do it in 26 or 27 escalation cost is already included. All right next slide please. So here in this um light yellow rose um we want to amend this CIP plan by adding what um what has been told to our team and the operation advisory committee. uh what we would like to add and for the board to approve. For an example, gymnasium locker room and weight room modernization, right? What is the justification? The justification is it

110addresses gross safety hazards and ADA compliance deficiencies, right? And that cost is at estimate as of right now is going to be about $2 million. Um next, athletic field scoreboard replacement. Um it needs u an upgrade. absolute upgrade. Um, and that includes in installation. Um, so that would be at around $125,000. Right. Next slide. So, not to get redundant, um, the board already approved everything that you see that's in planning or that's in white. This is 2027. We can scroll down to the bottom part where it says the yellow piece. Can can you scroll down just a little bit? Yeah, there you go. Make it a little bigger. Um and that is to modernize the auditorium um seings and curtains. Um justification is um broken seats and un uh broken um uh technology um unserviceable

111interior seating. Um, and to include the u the capital and the technology in there will be around $330. $330,000. And then if you go down Okay, I think >> that's at PHS. Correct. >> PHS. Yes, ma'am. Right. Yes, it's at PHS. So, and then cafeteria furniture and equipment upgrades about $100 here at PHS as well. 000 100,000. Right. Okay. Next slide. 2028. In 2028, we want to amend it and we want to include energy efficient lighting. Um that was recommended by VOE. Um that's going to be about $2 million here at PHS. Next slide. So now we're in 2029. Um if you observe our asphalt divisionwide, concrete divisionwide, um we should have an annual program to assess this a these asphalt issues. So we won't ever be in this position again, but we have to

112um replace and maintain um the asphalt as far as parking lots and and the catwalks and whatnot. justification, life safety, uh it's deteriorated asphalt, pavement surfaces across multiple campuses, and that's about $1.6 million. Concrete will be $66,000. And if we go down, this is just just a quick summary, pretty much is is completed. uh 2026. If you look there, um these are all of the capital improvement um projects that was previously approved by the board. If you see what was proposed, 2026, gym weight room modernization scoreboard 2027, the proposed will be to modernize the auditorium and cafeteria equipment at PHS uh 2028. The proposal will be to amend PHS energy efficient lighting uh phase 1 in 2029. Um we will be adding asphalt repair and concrete repair. And I just want to make the board

113aware that um this is a plan, right? So typically we would like to um have a master plan, right? And when you have a master plan um you get subject matter experts together, architects, engineers, um surveyors and we assess the whole facilities of every the whole division assess every facility and we understand exactly what is what it costs um to replace to repair. Some of that has already been done but it needs to be done at a higher level with a little more um detail. So we'll take that plan right and that plan will be astronomical. That master plan would probably touch 800 million 900 million. So we'll look at that master plan and the team will say look this is what we want to do in the first 5 years and we'll introduce that

114um to the board as a capital improvement plan. Now, we want to put things on a capital improvement plan. Um, not hoping that we can get it done, but we need to understand that VOE will have grants. And they'll have grants. It'll just pop up all of a sudden and say, "Hey, we have $2 million." And the only way that the divisions can get it is if it's on and approved by your board on your capital improvement plan. So, um um some of these amendments that we're putting on here um are based from our operation advisory committee. Um and um so hopefully we'll be amending this again um next year with a little more insight of exactly what we have here. If there's any questions, Mr. I hope the board understood exactly what he was

115uh referring to when he said it could be 900 million. Uh if if you have it in your plan to do, you can apply for these grants. But if you have something you need done your plan, you cannot get the money. So you got to plan ahead to approve the projects he want to do. So if the money become available or grant become available, he can apply for it. But if you don't do that, say, "Hey, we don't have the money that we what we did in the past and we're not going to approve it." Then you're cutting yourself short. So I hope everyone listen to every word he said about the future because the only way you going to get what you need for these for for our constituents is to plan ahead. And

116that's what exactly what took place in this capital improvement plan right here. So I hope everyone is listening because we we this is the direction we need to go in. I don't have any questions. I understood everything that you put forward. >> Mr. Dans, >> I don't have any questions. No question. >> Mrs. Tucker. >> So I have two things. Um I agree with uh Mr. miles when he say that we need to be ahead. So for me it is always about being proactive instead of being reactive. And so I actually agree with doing a master plan because when you get new people that sit up here, I do understand that there have been people to come in and they've assessed all of the buildings. I have not seen those assessments. So I would like

117a plan to see just exactly what we need to do so that when we have situations that come up just like Mr. M said when grants come up we can apply for the grants. So I think that is an amazing idea and I know it adds a it add a little bit more work to what y'all have to do but I would love to see a master plan so that we can see exactly what needs to be done to each individual building and we can do a take a holistic approach. we can, you know, not just individualize and go in and we say, "Hey, we're going to fix the parking lots um on PHS when we have holes at Cool Spring and holes at Vernon John." So, I think it is important to just take

118a big look at everything that is needed for the divisionwide. Um, and also I did want to ask because I do see that the CIP thought out it could it be amended based off of the needs of today. I want to know and and because I know that the board approved it. So being that the board approved it, could it could it be amended um based off of what is needed and um because I do know like you know we had the incident with Veron John's that was a right then need. So, you know, are there grants out there that we can be applying for applying for now? How can we be proactive when it comes to getting these grants? Um, and is anything on the table as of right now? >> M respond chair.

119>> Yes. >> Absolutely. Uh, vice ch uh vice chair Tucker. Um, couple things. One, the master plan. Um, there's different levels of master planning, right? Um, I want to sit down with operation advisory committee and show them exactly um what I've done in the past. Um, and um because it can get pricey um and it takes some resources, right? Um or it can be at a at a lower level. I I provide I I like Miss um Brown says, we'll probably go Corolla for now, right? But um let me get with our advisory um committee and um um have them bring up to you exactly what uh into the board how we want to move forward with the master plan. Um I think it's excellent. It can be amazing. We'll have dashboards available so you

120can hit the dashboard and you can look at Blandford and you can see exactly what Blandford needs and how much it would take to replace the whole building or whatnot. But we can't just like what Mr. M says, we cannot move forward. VOE is not going to respect anything that we're doing if we don't have a plan in place. Um, that's number one. And also, we need to be mindful of exactly what's the difference between capital improvement and basic maintenance repairs and deferred maintenance, right? Um, two totally different worlds. Um, so, um, when we, uh, repair like a main breaker or whatnot, you know, that's a maintenance repair, right? But now on the capital improvement side would be hey we need to um we need to modernize theo that whole that whole wing for Vernon

121Johns or we need to uh modernize the whole underground electrical work or or whatnot or um something like that. So as far as what do we have on the table? Yes, there is a grant on the table. Um, but remember most of these grants as of right now comes with a matching piece. So that's what the that's the board would have to approve just like for an example the scap grant, right? Um the scap grant was only approved if the city approved it. So the state took up 30% of it only if the city would pick up 70% of it. So, for an example, if I can get a grant to modernize PHS and say, "Hey, I need $10 million." The state would be like, "No problem. We'll give you 3 million if the city

122would pick up 7 million." So, that would be a board action, if you will. And to answer your last question, um, Vice Chair Tucker, um, as far as the amendment piece, yes, the board is being presented this as a first read, if you will, and then it will be it will come back as an action to amend this CIP as amended 24 through 29. And then almost kind of like a strategic management plan, and 29 will come with a brand new CIP 5-year plan, but you can absolutely amend it anytime the board uh, pleases. you good? >> And one more thing, and this CIP also has Walnut Hill as part of the CIP plan. >> Perfect. So, I definitely appreciate that. And I I did want to just throw it out there. I do know

123when we had the community meeting um the war three community meeting it came up um what are we doing like for the other buildings and I know Westview was one of the key topics um and and you all have done a lot you know for Westview so I just think it it is important for our our families and our community to see that it's not just we're getting a new community school for just W three Wed Hill but they actually get to see that you all are working around the division to unify everything that's going on in the division So, I think it'll be great to put out to put something out, you know, and just say, "Hey, just like this with the dates attached to it." Um, but just so that, you know, the

124community can see that, you know, that you all are working. >> Abs. Absolutely. Uh, vice chair. Um, thank you. >> That's exactly what a a master plan will show. The master plan will show. Um, these are the projects that, uh, we we'll be moving forward towards, right? So, um, it's exactly the direction that I hope the board takes. >> Mr. Lundy, I'm good. Also, any other questions? Is that That's it. That is it. Okay. >> Thank you, board, and school board members for allowing us to come back and talk through the budget. I hope that you were able to get greater detail about the major things that we're asking for in the budget. Before we leave tonight, I want to make sure that we are clear because there are a couple of decisions that we

125need to get feedback from the board specifically. Can we go back to the slide related to healthcare because we need to decide at this moment, you know, moving forward related to our next steps because we do know that it is the board's desire that we continue to provide with our employees that we will absorb all of the increases with healthcare. Now we are very clear that health care costs are soaring and so given that absorbing 28% every year is very difficult. It's very difficult and so what we wanted to do was bring out two options this evening to make sure that you all took a look. And so we are absorbing the 28% um this year but the cost can continue to skyrocket. And so what we wanted to do was take a look at

126two different options. And so we worked with uh the Pierce group who is who are the consultants who I think historically worked with Petersburg. Is that correct around healthcare? And so we are excited that you all voted to bring back Anthem which I think has been great for our employees. It's been wonderful. But what we know now is we're going to have to make some decisions if we want to continue to do the things that we've been doing for our people. And so the first one, as you heard tonight, we have the option of the local choice, which is of course it's not a lot of savings based upon the Pierce group's um calculation. Um and then of course once you get in, and I've heard that from other superintendents, once you get into the

127TLC, the local choice, you must have money in reserve because if you decide the first three years, okay, the local choice is doing fine for us, but you know what? We could do better or there's something cheaper or we want to change because it's not working out. you got to pay sometimes 1.2 million just to get out. And so that's what the local choice is. And remember that's because the local choice means if there's a lots of other school divisions that are in there that are small, their rates are depending on if you got 20 school divisions, it's depending on 20. And if one comes out, now you've reduced the cost. Now it's 19. So that means everybody else's cost goes up. And so that's why they are charging you to get out because that

128means that would help supplement the cost that the other um the remaining um 19 would pay absolutely >> and so that's one option but of course the savings is small but our other option if we want to continue with Anthem which is a first rate health care system health care we have to look at our deductibles and so I you don't uh you know uh last week I called um Boychie Pritchard and asked because I know that he works >> for the state of Virginia and we wanted to really look at the Commonwealth's deductibles and so he was able to share what the Commonwealth provides as what their deductibles are and they're much higher than what we're proposing. Am I correct? And so just so that we could still be low, you know. So we

129are proposing tonight the other option that we'd like for the board to um give us feedback on and decide we need to go up on our deductibles. And so that means our deductible would be 1,000 for single. Is that correct? And then if you are more than single it would be 2,000. And that is still less than lots of places and the fact that other localities this is exactly what they've done. And so I wanted to bring that tonight for the board to decide so that we could determine next steps and we could move forward. But we must make some adjustments. We either need to join TLC so that we can continue to absorb or we need to adjust the um deductibles because I don't think we've adjusted deductibles in years and years and years

130it seems. Yes. >> Uh go ahead. >> Okay. um that took with the local choice with the 200,000 saving each year and you stay in there for 3 years, you still wouldn't save up 1.2 million. So that's not really a choice. So the thing is is that you over 3 years you won't even come close to 1.2 to about you know I wouldn't give too much weight to that. But with the deductibles, um, they are low because my deductible is 2500. So the thing is is that that is low. I don't know how we was able to maintain that low for all these years and stay like that because that's not normal for I'm quite sure. What's your deductive? >> I think mine is about,000. >> A thousand. Okay, that's pretty good. Well, we not

131going to ask them no more questions. I'm gonna pull up I'm gonna pull up something. >> We're gonna leave him out the equation >> from a better company. >> Well, the thing is is that um the thing is is that um it's not whether or not it's a better company because it um because my my company were worldwide just like yours, Ivonic Goldmith, the third largest chem the second largest chemical company in the world. So, I don't know if it's any larger, but the thing is is that it's what you agree to when you take your health insurance. And with my health insurance, I pay no co-ayments for dental, no co-ayments for medical, and no co-ayments when I go to a specialist. But if I get treated and then I had to pay something then

132to go towards that $2,500 co-ayment. So, um, and then then if I then if you go back for a checkup, you don't pay any co-ayment after that. But the thing is is that each policy is different. I don't know the policy, but I know my that deductible is low. So, uh, you know, $2,000 doesn't look high to me at all because a lot of people don't have that to begin with. So, we kept it low for a long time. Mhm. That going to help the price. How much would it You said to be announced. What would be the savings if it was $2,000 or $2,500? about 600,000 >> 600,000 a year. >> Yes. >> Yeah. >> And to to add to what you just said, in my entire professional experience, I found that smaller companies

133offer better healthcare. >> That's true. >> Com is going to look again. He sent me the information from the Commonwealth. And so we were estimating the Commonwealth is 1,53,000. And so that's what the estimate is. And that's for Commonwealth employees. So 1,000 and 2,000 is still less than what state employees potentially have to pay. And this is not unusual. And so again, the other localities had already increased theirs. And so, you know, I needed to bring that back so we could have a decision so that we could go ahead and let the Pierce group know um what we needed to do so that we're prepared moving forward that as health care costs increase because we've decided that we're not going to pass that along to our employees. We have to absorb it. So imagine you

134eventually absorbing 50% increase. That means it would be nothing else you'd be able to pay for but just healthcare. So, I wanted to bring that for discussion and for if the board could um determine what what direction do you want to go so that we can move forward. >> So, Mr. Chair, you just looked up that number 1,500 and 3,000. >> You said the first the first 1500 of medical expenses. >> Uh-huh. >> 1500 and 3,000. >> The family is higher. And just to just to provide additional context, our administrator PISE group has looked at our peers around uh region one and the state. They've told us that we're one of the if not the lowest deductible and it has stayed that way for a very long time. Our current deductible is 250 and 500.

135So they said we have to make an adjustment because it hasn't been done in years. >> We have to that's a requirement in order to be able to >> I can't talk to >> that's still low. That's still low because again the state is 1,500 and 3,000. Let's not get to >> we were trying to incrementally not but typically some other school divisions went right to it 1,500 3,000. My recommendation is the Anthem. So it's my recommendation that we go with the Anthem deductible increases to a,000 for single and 2,000 for more than single and family. >> Yes. every year. >> Every year. >> Yes. >> Hopefully it'll get better. >> If if the healthc care went up 28%, let's say it goes up 55%. That means we have to absorb all of 55% for

136every employee. That means you're going to be cutting everything everything in order to afford to do that. So, we need some different options. So, my recommendation would be that the board consider adopting the 1,00 and 2,000 deductible um for and that allows us to keep Anthem good health care that the commu that the the the the families I mean um our our employees love. You all changed it back to Anthem. You took my recommendation. So now let's get it to a point where we can manage it. And Mr. Superintendent, I hope that everyone understand exactly the sacrifice central office is making to absorb that um the change in in the healthc care and and to make sure that everyone is aware of it. Not saying that you don't want to rub it in nobody face,

137but they need to know something. You make a sacrifice to do for others. They need to know that this uh central office made a sacrifice to do for them. And hopefully they'll feel good about it. But uh I supported the change 1,00 2,000 100%. >> Thank you, Mr. Mr. Miles. Any other board members? I mean, I'm I mean, I'm not not going to give my opinion yet because we have not had a public hearing. >> Yeah. >> I want to hear what employees have to say before I make a determination. >> They got to be involved. They have to be a part of. They're the ones who have to pay. We need to hear from them first before we decide on which way we're going to go. That's what other school divisions have done. Well,

138I think she was asking the question which one we going to go with. I would say we'll present Anthem, not the TLC TL. Wait, is TLC? >> So, that's why you know or do you want the people to choose? >> We want to hear from them. >> Okay. You want to hear feedback? Okay. I thought the question was which one should we, she asked us which one would we recommend? >> Are we going to have a meet a meeting? >> Yes. It's going to be at >> She already shared her opinions. Okay. There's a meeting next Wednesday at it's a public hearing at 4:00, but also after this meeting tonight, we are putting a link online for employees to give their opinion on the um public hearing. Anything that they want to send to us

139to Miss Brown that they can go online and put it in there. They're going to give us the questions and everything, but they also would have an opportunity next Wednesday at 4:00 to come before us and tell us what they like and what they don't like. >> And that's Wednesday. >> Legit. >> And that's at the regular school board meeting, >> right? It's before we start at 5. They're going to be from 4:00 to 5:00. They have an opportunity to come and give their um opinions. >> Okay. And then after that, >> then we have to decide. >> Okay. So, we'll have to decide. >> We will send a draft. I'm right. We can send a draft budget to city council, but >> we may end up having to make some changes. I mean, we

140have to make changes anyway. If they don't go along with what we're presenting them, they have to come back and they have to change it. Change it before we can vote on it. We'll have to start over. So, M Bridget, that's a great point. I guess the the TLC, I guess, do we need to say anything else to people that need to give feedback because the TLC you may or may not get Anthem. So, I don't know. Is there anything we need to tell them so that they can give us feedback on it? Because I don't know what what what would they want to know. So, Dr. Greywood, if you could answer that. I'm not sure just in case as they're looking again. for the TLC option. Um, there's six options in the plan and

141every time you enter the pool, the risk profile changes. We're only going to save 200,000 going in. And there's always a potential that you could leave. And every time you leave, there's going to be a penalty because the risk risk profile changes fundamentally. And based on our analysis, this is not a good option for us. We're going to save 200,000 going in and there's going to be all these restrictions. The current um increase would be about 28%. Going in. We're not saving 200,000. The increase is going to be less. It will be about 1.8 million for us. Still high. >> So, Dr. agree with. Is there any way possible with this presentation that you Mr. Wallifer that you could add a link for employees to click on to learn about local choice and to click

142on what you've learned about Anthem? Is there any way where they can see the amounts? >> Okay. >> Yes. But the >> for the Antim one is just our analysis. >> Okay. Yeah. >> So we have not gone. So you have not we have not met with our what do you call what is the person called? >> The admin. >> What is the person called? >> Pierce group. >> So we haven't met with the peers group on Anthem. We have not >> we've met with them on both of these. They the ones providing us this detail. >> Okay. So where is the where is that layout? Did they give you anything in writing? >> Yes. >> So where is that? >> We we have that. We could share that. >> So it can be shared

143with the employees? >> Yes. >> Okay. That's what I'm That's what I'm asking. >> They basically wants a link to Yeah, he wants a link created. >> Provide what they shared with us. But remember, the Anthem one is not final yet. This is back of the envelope uh calculation. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Have Yeah. Let's share Let's share what we have with >> So So would you Mr. Chair? >> Uhhuh. >> So if it's I just want to make sure I got this right. So if you not in favor of TLC, why would we even present that as an option? That's what I don't understand. Why would we we even present that as an option? Because that's not something that as a um costsaver is um what we're trying to do here. So do we

144want to say okay this is an option and but but we don't want you to choose it or this not going to save us that much money what what are we doing here when we make things available we want to get them two good options so the thing is is that if if um if anything is debatable f option is what their deductible what they want is a deductible not not TLC see whether or not we want to go with the 1,000 or 1,500 as an individual like the state or 3,000 or whatever for a family 35 what whatever it is. I don't see the purpose or the usefulness of presenting an option that we don't want or or not going to help us um in the in in the dollars and cents that we

145think of far as a cost savings. So, what do we want to present to the public? What do we want to make their options, you know, as an option? I mean, because this right here, they they presented it to us, but we got to decide, right? >> He's presented to us, but it's but it's also made public now. I mean, so he needs to bring it back and present it to them also. I mean, it's it's it's public knowledge now. So, why are we going to take it off and and not present it to them? He presented it to us and it's being recorded. >> That's all right. It's being recorded. But you you >> I mean I mean and he still can say the same thing that this you know even though here are

146the choices let me explain to you why it's not going to work for Petersburg. Why can't he do that? >> He did the research and he brought it back to us. That's what I'm saying. >> Right. But we got to decide what we going to present what we going to make the options. >> Mhm. And you saying anything that he did the research on, you want to make it option. >> Now, let me ask this. Does everyone as a as a group has to go with TLC or or everyone has to go with can they can't have both? They can't choose back and forth. One end if if it got to be all or none, right? I just want to make sure that's perfectly clear. All or none. You know, some places you go, you

147have options. you can pick your own insurance and they'll give you the difference. This is not the case here. It's all or none. So, everybody need to know that's that's right. So, okay, >> Miss Tucker. >> All right. >> So, my question is when we have the public hearing and everyone decides they cast their vote data, this is what they want. If they choose TLC, how do we move forward? >> Right. It's they're just expressing their opinion on the budget and it's the school board that gets to decide. >> School board vote on the >> make the final decision. >> We make the final >> they need to read they need to read up on what we're presenting. >> I agree. >> It's feedback. It's a it's feedback. >> Yes. >> It's feedback. So when

148they give their feed, right? So when they give their feedback and say they choose TLC, then the board then comes back and say, >> Mr. Chair, >> yes, Mr. Daniels, >> I can somewhat good evening everybody. I can somewhat agree with Mr. Miles and and Miss Tucker. Um, it's obvious that we absorbing 20 28% increase, that correct? >> Yes, ma'am. >> In health insurance. So we we're not passing that on to our employees. So, um I'm in agreement that we should make this information available to them, but still the best possible choice would be the anthem >> because we're giving them 28% increase. So, >> I think we all agree with >> Yeah. >> to leave it on there, >> see it, right? >> Then we make the decision. We all agree with that, >>

149right? >> It wasn't just Miles and Tucker. It was all of us. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. That's it. Anything else? >> If we're done, then I move to adjourn. >> Thank you, sir. Is there a second? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Opposed? >> Wait a minute. >> Oh, what happened? Oh, he's not finished. >> Mr. Brown, >> were there I texted you there were one or two other questions I wasn't sure if we wanted to get feedback on >> and fund balance. Yeah. So yes. So okay. So additional feedback on CIP. I think we said that we were going to bring this is just the first and was going to come back for a second. Any the amendments? I think you asked about changes that could this be amended. So it'll go

150back to the the comm the >> you asked if it could be amended, right? >> Could it be? >> Okay. And and so I thought we were going to bring this back a second time because it has to be adopted again, the new version. So we can send >> so question city request >> add what >> usually >> working >> usually the CIP goes along with the budget the proposed budget >> and that but for clarity this CIP is unfunded right now. Yeah, that's every year. >> But that's but that's every year we send our CIP to them to show how much we need for capital improvement and we never get funded. >> We did fund $2.4 million for the CIP. In the 27 budget, the way it's structured currently, there is no funding for

151CIP. I understand what you're saying, Mr. Bridget. It's the way we've done it in the past. >> I just I just want to be clear on that. >> We can always ask which I thought was what your point was. >> We can always ask for the extra I think it was $2.6 million. >> How was the money in? I'm confused. How was the money in? He said we funded this year, >> but it wasn't in the budget. >> Okay. Okay, >> that's what you're bringing us. You're not asking for >> Mr. W. So, Dr. Greywell, we didn't ask for any CIP money in this budget this year. Is that correct? We did not include CIP in there >> because we had to balance the budget. >> That's exactly correct. And so if there was additional

152funding that we get, >> if there's additional funding that we get from the state, right, we I think we got the feedback from Mr. Dance around adding something to the budget. Is that correct? That's what I remember. So this year we did not build in CIP because we had to balance the budget. So you're asking if we're going to ask the city for additional funds for CIP. That's not what we brought to the city. Additional funds were around the compensation and classification >> in place of the CIP >> in place. We're not do we're asking for the 2.8 8 million for compensation and classification because I understood that if there were any additional funds that were left over from FY 25 that we would ask for those funds and I think also the reserve because

153we didn't talk about we were asking the city for a $3 million reserve >> fund balance >> because we're bu fund balance I'm sorry not reserve fund balance because we're building a new school and the fact that we know that that fund balance would go to all it would go for all capital improvements and so am I correct that's what I understood and so in this budget we did not build in CIP that's one of the things that we removed in order to balance the budget so so if we get additional funding then we can consider right adding back funds which is what I I think Mr. Dance said at the last meeting, we can addition additional funds even if it's not a full 2 whatever million. We can addition put some funds in the

154budget for CIP, but understanding that we're asking the city to be able to maintain a $3 million fund balance that's only to be spent on capital improvement projects. And so if we have money left over from the annual audit, then the first document that we're going to go to is this document. once the board approves it and we will use those funds to do some of this work. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> That is what I understood the plan to be at this moment. And we did not put that in the budget. We asked for 2.8. So am I I want to make sure that I'm clear. So we're not asking for CIP funds this year because we had to balance the budget. >> Yes. But if we have additional revenue, >> we can

155put some >> we can consider putting it back putting some funds back in which was the recommendation >> from the last feedback session. >> Right. >> Can we get you to clarify that that's the case, Mr. D? I think the main thing that we want to achieve is that we want to make the city aware of our needs so they can be clear on what we need to do. A lot of things we need to do. Um I am in agreement with that three $3 million fund balance. So that is included in the budget. Is that correct? >> It's not in the budget currently. >> Okay. Okay. Well, my my understanding is that we would have a $3 million fund balance to do capital pro uh capital projects. >> We we need to bring that

156up in conversation with the city. We started that last year when we presented the budget. We indicated that it would be appropriate and helpful to us if we had a three $3 million fund balance in order to operate the school division. We have a meeting a joint session with them on March 31st. I this is something we would recommend to the school board to bring up in discussion so that we can make progress and try to figure out how that works out. >> Right. >> In a meeting we had with um the the city manager, >> the the the mayor and vice mayor I think some weeks ago. We had brought this up in conversation, >> right? But ultimately, I think between the city council and the school board, that decision needs to be made.

157But it is our recommendation in finance that in order to run the school division, a $3 million fund balance would be very helpful. >> And and any un um make sure I get this right, Mr. Wallford. Any unused money or rolled over money would go >> would go into CIP. >> Go into CIP, right? So we'll just continue to do what we have been doing. Push come to shove. If we have any rolled over money, we'll just put it in capital improvement projects. March 19th, I think I'll be here, right? That's what I was going to ask him. Also, Dr. Greywood, hold on for a second. Dr. Greywood, where are they with our audit? We getting ready to turn a budget in and we don't even know what our surplus is. >> Mr. Pritchette, this

158is something I've been following up with Mr. Foley. I'm going to call him right after this or email him. He has assured me that he would be sending this and we still haven't received it. It's been at least two weeks since that has happened. He's done. We've provided him everything and he needs to send that to us so that we can review and provide him feedback and respond to any things that are present in the audit findings. I think we're good. We just need to go through that final phase of finalizing the the audit. >> Yes. >> Okay. But I'll continue to pursue him and provide you feedback. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> Motion. Well, we already all in favor for German. >> I oppose. Motion carries because I think Okay.