001Good evening. Can I have a motion to open the meeting? A first. Lisa, a second. Alex. All in favor? Can I have a motion to move into executive session for the purpose of discussing personnel and legal matters? A first, Lisa. A second, Alex. All in favor? >> Thank you. >> The board has returned from executive session and there were no actions taken. Can I have a motion to open the meeting? A first, Alex, a second, Kate. All in favor? Let us all rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Hi. Um, I'm going to take a motion to add audience to visitors to tonight's meeting.
002Uh, may I have a first, >> Mark? A second. Alex. All in favor? >> I can. This is audience to visitors. Members of the public may come up to the microphone um to speak on agenda and non-aggenda items. In order to allow everyone the opportunity to speak, please keep your comments to approximately 3 minutes. Please state your name and address when you come up. Lastly, this is not a forum for any comments regarding students and staff. Should you wish to raise any issues on these topics, please submit them in um writing to the superintendent of schools. Good. Yeah, like >> just your first name. Great. >> Uh, time for >> just your first name. >> It's on recording. >> That's right. >> Yeah. Um, Emma and a singer. >> Um, I'm here to talk about
003um Mr. Hawkware is the correct >> I'm sorry to interrupt you, but we we can't speak about um personnel or staff. >> Can I say band teacher or >> No, I you would have to submit any uh questions in writing to the superintendent of schools. >> Okay. So, should I send an email or? >> Yeah, that'll be fine. >> I'll email the board. >> Oh, of course. You could always email the board of education as well. >> Okay. Is that just our one? >> Yeah, we perfect. Thank you so much. >> Yep. Thank you. >> And then you're >> Thank you for gentlemen. >> Thank you. >> Um tonight's meeting is a budget workshop and we will be hearing presentations from pupil personnel services human resources business office and transportation athletics. I am now inviting
004Dr. Nicole Shy to present the budget for pupil personnel services. Tony needs some key ling. or some >> good evening board of education central administration. Can everyone hear me? >> Yes. >> So I wanted to start the presentation. Um, we can go to the next slide like that. >> And now this is not >> I just thanks. >> So I wanted to start the presentation this evening with thanking the board of education. you had a vision three years ago um that we made a reality and the vision was in regard to expanding special education supports for all children and we were able to expand within a three-year period co-eing classrooms for our elementary schools. So, as you can see with the timeline, um, with your support and finding funding sources and really with the plan
005and design, we were able to start off with year one with the launch and the roll out, which was very strategic in regard to the monies that we had and the needs that we had. And we really started to look at what was the student need. And we did roll it out with a part-time ICT model with a special education teacher and a teacher assistant for grades two two sorry two to two to six for Lloyd Harbor. But for Westside it was 3 to four. And that was really based upon student need of where we saw the students requiring those supports. And then last year we had a long conversation in regard to expanding it based upon feedback from our staff and looking at what our needs were. And we did see that there was
006a higher need for our upper elementary schools which was four to six. And we expanded to a full model. And if you recall we did go with a hybrid model of maintaining the part-time teacher in the class for the lower grades. We also were able to expand Goose Hill full-time which is very excited. And we have gotten very positive feedback from the teachers as well as the parents. For next year, what I am proposing this evening as you can see it will be year three implementation and also an evaluation year uh since we will have the program in place for three years looking to see the effectiveness of it by continued surveys from staff and families as well as just looking at how our students are doing academically. So, as you can see, we will
007have a full day ICT model for grades 1 to six is what is being proposed this evening. We do have some changes in regard to White Harbor. We have a large cohort of sixth graders going into seventh grade next year, which you'll hear this evening about expanding the secondary ICT sections. But what that allows us to do is utilize our existing staffing for fifth grade ICT. So we are proposing based upon the student need to have two sections of fifth grade for next year and reducing sixth grade to one section which will not have an impact in regard to staffing for second and third grade which is part-time right now. We are looking at full-time model. So that would be an increase of a part-time special education teacher based upon Westside's needs right now and
008the students going into Westside for next year. We are not looking at running second grade ICT um based upon student need. That may change based upon cse recommendations, but that's what we're proposing based upon the data that we have right now. This is just a snapshot of some of the highlights of the budget. We did look at the budget line by line starting at zero really looking to see where we can have a course savings and be fiscally responsible while at the same time making sure that our special education programs are not sacrificed. So as you can see from the lines uh there are some decreases and some of the decreases that you can see in regard to equipment and supplies. We did we did add a lot of money last year because we had
009an expansion of the ICT programs. So we were ordering furniture, different supplies, digital boards, those are no longer needed as a greater uh need as this past year. So we are reducing that. Keep in mind that we do have grant monies that also can be supplemental to those costs. In regard to tuition and boseies, as you can see, the tuition lines are pretty much staying the same. Um, it's a slight deduction. Uh, and this is actual tuitions that we are paying right now for added district placement students. Um and of course, you know, including an increase based upon what those needs are and what those tuitions would be. So that's already accounted for in that tuition line. We are not looking at increasing our added district numbers at this point. It's really based upon maintaining
010the students who are out of district who need those programs in addition to any projections that we have coming up for CSC meetings. as it relates to um the other professional tech services. As you can see, that's an increase. I just wanted to share what that line includes. That that line includes all of our related services if we're contracting. So, vision services, um mobility services, OT contracts, PT contracts. So based upon our increase of special education students within the past couple of years, we are having an incoming uh kindergarten uh section of of classified students as well as as I shared the secondary 7th grade. Those are our two biggest cohorts. So looking at the projection of what they need for related services, we did increase that and also that also includes um other services
011such as our ICT training. We have done an extensive job with the training and the coaching for future years. We are putting a significant amount of money in that code, $50,000 uh in addition to any grant monies that we can utilize as well. But we wanted to reserve that money exclusively in the special services budget to be earmarked for next year. Then as you look at the Boseies line, there is a slight increase. Um we do not have any students currently that are placed in Boseies but we do have Bosey's contracted services that come into our schools and provide services to our staff as well as our students. In addition to that uh this year we have included the occupational education services at the secondary level. That's new of what's placed in the special services
012budget. So that's a slight increase to that just to make sure that all of our students, especially our classified students that are going through some vocational programs are taken care of for next year. As you see with the 2830 codes, um these are for PPS staff, which includes ENL teachers, social workers, school psychologists. The membership fee on the top, you could see it went down, but that's because we're just trying to keep things clean and we did place some of the memberships for our mental health staff on the 28 code. So, that that has been increased. In regard to general supplies and and travel, all of that remains the same and that is also supported through our 611 and 619 grants as historically has been done. Any questions so far? So, as I was sharing,
013just in conclusion, these are the general highlights of what we're proposing for next year. We are looking at second and third grade to be full-time next year. Uh, we are in the midst of having CSE meetings. Um, we are looking at specialized pullout reading classes for our students with IEPs. Um, we done a lot of work this past year of training our our teachers in regard to specialized reading programs. We do have some students who have some significant reading issues such as dyslexia that ICT has been very effective, but some students do need a specialized pull out reading program. So that ex that expenditure is included into this budget. And then the expansion of the secondary ICT sections as I shared prior with our incoming seventh grade um as well as the co-eing professional development
014added district placements and I didn't want to emphasize it this budget does include all of our current special ed programs. So even though I mentioned ICT because this is something that is a new initiative we also are maintaining our resource rooms, our consulting teachers. So all of the services are accounted for in addition to really looking at how many students we're projecting for next year based upon our classification rate. So that's in a nutshell. If anybody has any questions, I'd be more than happy to answer. >> I have a question. Um for the second grade IT at Westside that would be running, what happens to those students if there are students that have special education? what what do those parents do with those kids? >> Great question and this is something that I've been working
015closely with the West special ed. So what we are thinking and we have not had the transition meetings from Loose Hill to Westside or Lloyd Harbor right now. Um what we are looking at is we would have to create a specialized program for that student. Okay. So if a student does need a program, uh we have two choices, two pathways that I want to propose to our families that may be in that situation. One is we are going to have the ICT at Lloyd Harbor. So that is one option. If if the committee feels that ICT is an appropriate placement, then we would have that student or students go to Lloyd Harbor. Um or we would be creating a very individualized program for those students. So, their needs are going to be met. It's just
016in regard to how we're going to do it and what the parent feels comfortable with. Uh I know many families have siblings, you know, and they don't want to separate their children. Uh but we want them to make a very educational informed decision about it, but we have plans and I have plans in this budget that if the child or children or group of children are not going to Lloyd Harbor, then we have monies to create an individualized program for those students. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Did anyone like any questions answer? >> Thank you >> very much. >> I will now invite Mr. Bonnie Taylor to present the budget for human resources. Good evening. Thank you. Um so tonight I'll be in uh introducing the budget for the human resources department. Um there has
017been a slight incre well a significant increase um in our budget because we are looking to add uh two programs that we think will improve the efficiency of uh district operations. Uh so the first is uh time piece. Uh time piece is a real-time software system designed to track employee time and attendance. Um it is a finance manager product. So it seamlessly integrates with our invision uh um finance software. Um this would help us eliminate uh paper time sheets uh in regards to attendance and overtime. Um the system automates time collection and payroll related service processes reducing manual injury, minimizing errors and increasing overall productivity. Um by improving accuracy and oversight, time piece helps organizations control labor costs and enhance employee accountability. Um this was a recommendation uh by our internal auditors to move away
018from paper time sheets to a more electronic automated system. Um this would be in this would only be for our security custodial maintenance and grounds and clerical units. Um they already signed in and out with time. Um so it would be a seamless transition. Um this is one of So if you look at the costs um the initial the initial cost is really the clocks. The clocks are a significant outlay. uh we would need one in each building and two in the junior senior high school just because of the size of the building. Um and then the setup cost, the training uh and then there is a recurring cost uh that would be uh for each each year. Uh the next system I I'm looking to implement uh I talked about this earlier in the
019year when we when I presented on the board of education goal for the human resources department um is uh schoolfront. Uh schoolfront is a human resource management system. Uh it's a web-based platform uh that will allow us to streamline our HR operations. Um the recruiting side of it is called recruit. Um so um I don't think we can get away from Olas just because it is a commonly used platform for most job seekers. However, Recruit Front would allow us to expand our reach. Um it is what's called search engine optimized which means when people search for specific jobs, the search engines will drive them to Recruit and to our ads. Um, it also integrates with social media and job boards like Indeed, Monster, things like that. So, it would expand our reach um at trying
020to attract the best candidates for our positions. Um, it also would eliminate a lot of the paper processes uh on our onboarding. Um, all of our paper processes would then move into an electronic format. um it would allow for the entire onboarding process to do be done seamlessly in um an electronic environment. Um this was also um a recommendation of our internal auditor to um put our processes into an an electronic format to you know allow to help with our benefits and HR onboarding um process. Um, there is an upfront cost which is the $11,500 setup cost and train for train setup and training. And then there is a an annual recurring cost for this platform. So the next two slides are uh new staffing uh for the 2627 budget. Um I've divided it up
021in two ways. Um, I divided it up in elementary and secondary and then I invite I divided it up into needs and wants. Um, so as I'm sure the board is aware, um, the increase in students coming into Goose Hill requires us to expand our kindergarten sections. So, we are going to need a kindergarten teacher for next year. Um the salary that we chose is our best estimate based on past hires. Um it could be higher, it could be lower based on the years of experience of the person that we hire, but this was a best estimate to to to budget for uh for next year. Um the other salaries that you will see for aids and TAs are based on the year one salary for that position. Um, in addition, we also would need
022another kindergarten teaching assistant to help support the seven sections that we would have next year in kindergarten. Um, we are, you know, Miss Libertini and the building principles worked very hard to ensure that next year all grade levels K through six, including our ABA classes, will have three periods of PE per week. Um, in doing that, that would require us to have more staff at the elementary level in physical education and health. Um, right now that would be a part-time PE and health teacher. Um, that would allow us to to cover all of the sections of PE. Um, as Dr. Shim stated uh we are moving to full-time ICT in grades 2 and three so that we will now have ICT classes full-time in grades 1 through 12. Uh that does require us to hire
023a part-time special education teacher. Um again, Miss Libertini and the building principles worked very hard to increase recess for next year. Um because of the increase in recess, uh we do need more building aids um to deliver the students from lunch to recess and then from recess back to the classrooms. So we are asking for two building aids um across the three schools for next year. Um and then finally uh we will need three I'm sorry >> Two in total. We have a >> sending out. >> We have um a position. >> Yes, we have five minutes with a resource. >> So, we would need and not only because of the increased research, but the increased sections, we would need a building aid at Goose Hill. Uh we're adding a building aid at Westside. There
024is a position that we have had a hard time filling at Floyd Harbor that we will fill. So, they also will be getting an aid, but that is already in the budget and it wouldn't be a budget to budget increase. >> Okay. Um we do need three special education aids and that is cse driven the cse driven needs uh for students. Um the want the thing that we are asking the board to consider um is a 0.5 music teacher at the elementary level. Uh the music teacher is a request to support an increase in the number of music students we are seeing at the elementary level and to create smaller lesson groups. Um as M Libertini had presented in her uh presentation, we are asking the board for a full-time literacy coach. Um it is
025not a reflect the total at the end of this presentation because it is in the budget for this year. We did not hire anyone this year but it would not be a budgetto budget increase. Um the re you know as Miss Libertini had stated earlier this is to continue the work that we have been doing in improving our literacy practices by driving the science of reading K to6. Um we are also as Miss Libertini had stated in her presentation asking to increase the 2 math coach to a 1.0 math coach. So that would be a8 increase. Um, and this is to help our teachers with the changing practices and to align with the new math program that we brought in this year that will expand to K through 6. Uh, and then last would be
026a science specialist. Um, and this is would be an additional science specialist to work with Julie Glass um to help our stu our teachers support our students with hands-on science instruction that would help increase our um student state test scores in science. Um at the secondary level uh we as Dr. Shemp stated, we are um seeing an increase in the number of ICT sections at our junior senior high school. Uh this requires us to hire a special education teacher at the junior senior high school to support the sections of ICT for next year. Um and it also based on a cse required addition for uh the special education aid. Um the once at the secondary level is um we had asked for a directors and chairs clerical position. Um this was a want to add
027an additional clerical. Um however in discussions at uh the in in discussions uh we have that had we've had the recent retirement at the high school. Um and it will allow us to restructure the duties of our high school clerical staff. Uh we can hire this position as a replacement. So, it would not be an addition to the budget. It would be replacing a current position. Um, and that would save the money because hiring a new clerical would be at a lower salary than the person currently uh employed. Um, and the last would be um Mr. Bongino was asking to take his part-time clerical to a full-time clerical uh so that he would have two clericals in the athletic department. Um, even though we are a small district, uh, we have the athletics program of
028a much larger district. Um, and this position would support Mr. Bonino and the current full-time clerical and ensuring that our athletics program runs efficiently. Um, as I at the end of the slide, um, you have the what we need and what that would cost to the budget, what we want and what that would cost to the budget, and then what would be the total cost overall. Does anybody have any questions? >> I don't think so. Thank you very much. I just have >> So the um >> these cost, you know, we're saving money by spending money, which is is that really the case or is this just >> like these we're annualizing $46,000 a year roughly by bringing on technology? Are we saving more than that? >> I mean, I couldn't speak specifically. Um, but
029I do know that with the new overtime rules that have been imposed by the federal government, it is very difficult to manage those costs and make sure that we are not only complying with the law but also making sure that our people are being paid appropriately by using a paper system. Um this would allow us to make it electronic so that there are multiple uh stages of approval and you know making sure that it is in alignment with what is actually being the overtime that is actually being used um compared to what's on piece of paper >> and Brian would it track like personal days and six >> it would track all that protects both the institution and the employee which is very important I think I think it will definitely pay for itself. >>
030Yeah. >> I mean, I can't I would never be able to give you a dollar amount, but by tracking time and attendance, it it definitely would pay for itself. >> And the time spent, too, going through all the paper, I would think. >> Correct. It is very inefficient. >> Giving somebody on your team back quite a bit of time to get >> correct. It's not only my team, but it's out. We work very close together between payroll and HR. Um, it is a lot of manpower. >> Very important. I've been asking for this at my own job for years. >> And I think also >> we had it at my previous job started. It's a real um gives peace of mind to the employee as well. >> Correct. I think also help us be able
031to look back over years at certain events what time was used see if we're judging appropriately and we make make a note we needed more we needed less supervision like >> we'll be able to accurately you know I would say the 2728 budget we will be able to more accurately estimate the amount of overtime that we need to budget for because we will have actual numbers that are accurate based on the time and attendance coming from 90s. >> And are these um new hires? Are there any are they absolute new ads or are there any people stepping away? So are these >> No, these are just new these are just the new staff. This is not including a replacement. That's you know this was only new additions to the staff, not replacements. >> Not factoring
032in retirement. So those are I didn't add I didn't because that's not a budgettobudget increase because those positions are already in the budget this year and uh have been budgeted for next year. >> And some of these are enrollment driven, right? I mean we we're going to need another teacher when we have too many kids to fit in kindergarten. >> We have 13 I believe students in kindergarten which is which is which is seven sections which is an increase of one section from this year. So, we're going to have 13 sections of kindergarten and first grade and an ABA section at Goose Hill next year, which is I think since I've been here, that's a two or three section increase at GUA, which is good for the district. It means that we have, you know,
033parents moving in. We have kids coming into the school system and it will carry through as they those kids move up. >> There's not a lot of inventory. There must be families with a lot of kids. Yeah, but I think it may also be a reflection of our UPK program and that's offering, you know, and how families are taste of what retention. >> And I I think it's also important to note especially how we do our secondary scheduling. We just don't go out in May or whatever say we're having five sections of this period on the story. We really take into account all the requests that students want to take in classes and we build it that way. We really work to give the kids and in a small district >> that's challenging. I can
034remember you know previous directors of guidance coming in and talking well five more kids just throw them in one of the 20 sections of English we have three uh it's a challenge and things move a little bit so we put a lot of time and effort and I have to say we've been a little bit delayed the snow days hurt us and then in a little incident at westside that kind of put us all on the brink 21 days ago uh but uh we really do a good job in making sure we give our kids what they ask for >> so they're signing up for classes now >> they're done and that would they just finished. >> We actually on Monday met Libertini, Mr. Dan Busky and I met with all the directors and chairs
035and started going through the requests from students and deciding how many sections of each course we'll have. Once we now that we've done that, we'll now start matching staff with classes um so that Miss McCleas can begin building the high school schedule for next year. >> How many signed up for the revamped Italian offering? I would have to look I three four three four >> four >> shocker. Okay. So because I notice we don't we're not hiring a language teacher or anything. So that's going that's going to be cancelled, right? >> I think it's hard to run it if you don't and then think about the sequence because then you're committing yourself to not just that curricular year but multiple years. >> No, I'd be surprised if it ran. I I actually expected it to
036fail. >> So that's too bad. All right. Once again, >> we really didn't try. >> We didn't really try the right way, but we tried. We We gave it definitely good lip service. I'll give you that. But that's not how you launch the third language of the district when when when we won't even get into it next. >> Thank you, Mr. Taylor. >> Thank you. Thank you, Brian. >> All righty. Um the business and transportation budget. >> Sorry. >> Thanks, Alison. >> Okay. Thank you to the board of education uh for your continued support of our budget development. Uh and I'm excited to present the uh business office and the transportation office budgets. Uh so this is just a review of our budget calendar. as it stands right now. Uh today uh is the last
037day of our um departmental and building budget presentations. Uh and then we move to uh budget adoption. So the business office has seen a modest increase of one point excuse me increase of 1.6% uh from this year to next year. Um the business office budget includes not just the funding for the actual uh operations of the office but it also includes all the related employee benefits. So that includes workers comp uh all the different insurance um that we get uh and um anything that is employee related. So that's included within the business office budget all benefits. Um the largest driver in any budget is staffing. Uh so that's where you see the largest increase in the uh business office budget. Um the employee retirement system is a number that we just get from ERS. So
038we don't really have any control over it. They send it to us and they say this is going to be your contribution for the upcoming school year. Uh social security contributions are um a function of salaries. So we calculated based on uh 7.65% of salaries that are projected for next year. health, medical, and dental insurance. Uh we currently are looking at an increase of about $730,000. Uh we estimate an increase of 8% in health care costs. Um this is always a little tricky because we know what it the health care costs for the calendar year of 2026, but we do not know what the health care costs are going to be for the calendar year of 2027 until that year is approaching. So, we always have to do our best estimate with that and uh
039we want to make sure we're budgeting appropriately for it. Uh and then we have other employee benefits. These are the non-elective contributions in various um contractually obligated um areas. And so we're looking at an increase of of 35,000 there. Other increases in the budget are increases in travel and conference. So, it's so the assistant superintendent for business, myself, can attend the two major conferences that occur each year upstate uh to learn and grow with my colleagues. And there is an annual purchasing conference that I think is essential for us to attend uh both myself as the purchasing agent and whoever it is that is in is actually doing the purchasing in the office. I think it's incredibly important for us to go both for compliance with general general municipal law 103, but most importantly to
040really make sure that we are doing our due diligence to get the best pricing with everything that we uh that we procure for the district. Um we are required in order to get uh services from Boseies. any services that you see within the budget, we're required to pay a base cost in order to, if I put it in air quotes, belong to BOSIES. Um, so right now we're looking at an increase of about 7% and that's been placed, I'm sorry, 9% 9 and a half% that's been placed in the budget. Um, every year we have to go out for a tax anticipatory note and this is just a function of revenue flows within the business office when we get the actual tax payments from the two towns and when we have to make payroll. So
041this is every district has to do this. Um, we have no choice. Uh, this year we borrowed approximately 10 million. We estimate having to borrow about 12 million next year. So this is the respective increase in the tan and um we do subscribe to various insurance policies. We have our major one with nicer the New York State insurance reciprocal but we also have other smaller policies cyber security crime um extra health coverage. So um we're looking at an estimated 14% increase because we have not gotten the pricing for all of those policies uh as of now. Um before I talk about a purchasing agent, it just is important to note that we um have seen a decrease in TRS from this year to next. So uh the contribution was at uh 9.59% and we know
042that next year will be 8.24%. And again just like social security this is a function of salaries. It's a percentage of the projected salaries. Um, so the one item that I added to the business office budget is a purchasing agent. Um, so as you know, we lost our clerical who was um, doing a combined position of employee benefits and purchasing. So there's nothing like living it to know that you really need it. So what's actually happened is that prior let's say prior to that even happening um because the position was combined there were other functions that should have been sitting with employee benefits that were parcled out to other members of the business office. So we have somebody doing Medicare reimbursement. our treasurer is doing um billing for for uh right now for um all
043the benefits and has taken on other roles that should be in the benefits office. So we have like a decentralized approach to benefits which is not optimal in terms of making sure that you are running a cohesive benefits administration office. And then what ended up happening when the person left is that I became the the sole purchasing agent. And you know, again, there's nothing like living it to know that there is so much that goes into not just following the law, but also creating bids to making sure you're getting the absolute best pricing for all the things that you're procuring to really mining the different contracts that are out there through the offices of office of government services through shared services like Omnia um and through like Eastern SuffK Bosey's bidding process which we subscribe
044to and other national bids that we are allowed to use that comply with New York state law. So, it's because of all of that that I think it's really imperative that we consider splitting the positions, having a separate benefits administrator and having a separate purchasing agent. And that's not even talking about the upcoming capital projects that we have. So with with all of the capital work that's coming up, I think again having that designated purchasing agent is going to really help ensure that we're working in cooperation with Mark Design Studios to really go out and get the best pricing that we can for everything that we're trying to do to improve the infrastructure of the district. Um, and so it's for all of those reasons that I think that um, I would appreciate if the
045board would seriously consider um, the importance of separating those two positions to really make sure that we are operating at optimal capacity in both areas in the business office. >> If I could jump into and then with the incident that happened at Westside, Allison and her team and many other people have chipped in to make these purchases for the building to get back up and running so quickly. It is really a yman's task. It is unbelievable the amount of supplies and items that we need to order to make sure that the building opens appropriately and everyone has chipped in and Allison has really been there every day. She's with me every day at the building during our meetings because there's just so much uh to make sure that we get this open and I just
046really want to thank everyone. I want to thank you Allison. Thank you. >> Thank you so much. I appreciate that. It has been truly a team effort. Um, and I have to say having I don't think that there has really been any district where there's been a disaster of this size where the superintendent has been on site multiple times every single day. Um, so you know that's truly something to be um, you know, made stated publicly as well. And I think that's actually been essential and key to moving the process along and getting our students back as fast as we have. Um, and I've watched it firsthand, so I can I can say it's truly made a difference. Uh, so moving on to transportation. Uh, transportation is a very large part of our budget. It
047is 7.45% of the overall budget. Um, there is a budget to budget increase of 7.69%. Um, this is largely contractually driven. So we have a small amount of an increase that we see because we've moved to the web-based version of Transfinder, which is our routing program. And just like Mr. Taylor stated, this was one of the recommendations from our internal auditors to improve the efficiency of our transportation processes in the district. Um, so this year, Dawn has been doing a tremendous amount of work training and getting ready for that and we are going to move to the web-based version for the following school year. So, it's been quite the effort and uh she's really done a tremendous amount of work with that. Um, so our contractual obligations, um, in our 5-year contract, we are in
048year two of our contract with Huntington Coach. Um, so we're going to be looking at a 5% increase in our busing services as per that contract, moving into year three for next year. Um, Dawn and I did meet recently to really scrutinize the budget and make sure we were looking for efficiencies. We're actually able to cut a couple of the vans that we had planned, which is great news because it's less that the board of education has to consider um taking from the wants side of the budget because I I do want to emphasize that the needs are in the budget. Um you know, we did budget the way that the board of education requested. We included everything that we wanted knowing that we can't have everything that we want. Um but we were able
049to find some other efficiencies in transportation which was great. Um we do have an increase in field trips. Um so what happened was that we had um an actual expenditure in 2425 and when it was examined the amount that was budgeted for this year was actually under what we needed and the board of education may have noticed and will continue to notice that we are doing budget transfers into the field trip line to make up for that underbudgeting. And so we really the increase that you see of 60 sorry I didn't have the glasses 65,000 is to really get us back up to what we should be budgeting for under the field trip line so that we don't have to do those budget transfers next year and then we will need we are projecting two
050additional vans uh next year for the increase in our kindergarten students. Lisa um in the budget you have a line item for matrons at $4,23 a month. What is a matron? >> A matron is a a person who is on the bus. They're like an aid that comes on the bus that um we sometimes need for our students who require some additional supports on the bus and that's usually provided to us by Huntington Coach. >> Okay. Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. Of course. Of course. Are there any other uh transportation questions? >> Yes, Kate. Um so I know that um Sissan that New York State has moved forward with the electric bus mandate, right? They're not backing down as of now. Um I understand this isn't in the you know we don't need to
051consider this for next year but what um okay there was some sort of waiver that we could fill out to extend our time on that. Do you know anything about that? >> Yes. So this is a point of conversation of the business officials um often. So, um, with all of our our research into it and and Joe and I, uh, did a lot of work and we've discussed this, um, at length, the waiver, when you look at the waiver, it's really for districts that have their own fleet >> and we don't have our own fleet. Um, we've also been discussing this with Huntington Coach. So, you know, right now, um, there hasn't been any movement um, in terms of Huntington Coach. I think they have a couple of electric vehicles, but they are aware of
052the mandate. Um, and you know, they're aware that we're going to have to when our contract is up, we're going to have to make sure that we're complying with whatever the rules and regulations are at the time. >> And do we have an estimated uh number on that >> of the cost? >> Yeah. No, I mean there I would guesstimate just the busing goes from about $250,000 per bus to purchase to close to $500,000. The repairs are astronomical and above there. There aren't parts. I I sat on a uh with the fed with the feds about I think it was actually the week of the first week of March uh with people from around the country and they were talking about the difficulties with electric buses finding parts sourcing them out >> and they're not
053going to be able to build all the buses to make the mandate. >> I just don't want to come close to >> I don't want to be last minute with this. I want it to be something that we're talking about now, planning for now, budgeting for now. Hopefully we won't need it in the end. we maybe we won't need it, but better to be prepared. So, I understand it's not something that you're talking about for next year. But I'm very concerned about that for the future because um it could double >> triple our cost. A >> a local district he's made it public. Kings Park built uh for four buses, electric buses to bring in electric and their bus depot was right along the Long Island Railroad and there's an overhead high-powered line. >> I
054think it was 4.2 to a 4.2 or 4.3 million simply to break the power in. Now, Huntington, Boston, other buses, they have busy yards in neighborhoods. So, they're not not only fighting getting the power, there are people not wanting the power lines brought in, expanding them. You can't keep more than two buses next to each other without having a concrete or cement divider in case there's a fire. So, these yards have to be expanded. Uh there are many bus companies think they'll just throw in the towel because there's no way they could do it. The lifts have to be all done over because the buses are almost twice the weight. The tires wear out five times as fast because they weigh more. >> This is a conversation for another day. I did. I I know.
055But I'm saying I had a conversation today with Gene Thatcher who said, you know, you should always call upon local elected officials too to help. And perhaps this is a bigger conversation to have then because some of these discussions don't just involve the school districts, right? They involve neighborhoods. >> And yes, >> perhaps that wasn't But I I'm just but I'm just saying while while we're having this conversation, let's also make sure that for a non-budget discussion board meeting that we talk about ways that we can >> also wanted to mention it too so that you know people watching or anyone that would come there aware that this is possibly going to be something we see in the budget that could take away from other things. You know, I don't want this to be like
056just thrown out there and people like I didn't know about this. So, I want it to be something that's discussed. >> Thank you. >> And uh it's scary. >> It is. And Mr. Pow is having an issue with the local bridges that the budget can't drive over. >> Um it truly wasn't planned out to staff this mandate. >> Shocker. >> Well, it's it could bankrupt other districts, too. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Thank you, New York State. >> Thank you for bringing that up, Kate. And and we will continue to have those discussions. I I I agree. I think it's really important that we keep that on our radar and that we don't sleep on it because it will become a huge expense for the district. You're right. It will greatly increase our contract costs with
057whatever bus company we end up with at the end of this contract. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Absolutely. >> On on fully appreciate the logic behind having a purchasing agent and that we can actually save probably a lot of money with an effective purchasing agent. This would be only in in in your jurisdiction of responsibilities the agent would work. But like one of the things I always wonder about is I think and I maybe I have this wrong. We're asking the business heads or the heads of each each um department to police their own fiscal responsibility and their budgets to make sure that they're spending their portion of you. You don't sit there, right, and go through to find out if we're getting good prices on on things or costs within these other budgets, right? So
058right now, no, because that requires a tremendous amount of time. But a purchasing agent would do that. So when I was in com and we had a designated purchasing agent and I was the director of science, she would call me sometimes. I mean, I was pretty good with going through the bids and I always tried to get the lowest prices, but I knew she was doing her due diligence because every now and then I would get a call from her and she would say, "Allison, I found this in such and such a bid. is this beaker or will this, you know, triple beam balance scale, will this work for what you're looking for because I can get it for you for $50 less. >> And sometimes she would, you know, we would discuss it and
059it wasn't what I needed and so we had to pay the higher price, but other times it saved us some money, which was great. So if we're buying a tractor, they would they would review that that so it would be throughout the that >> absolutely >> and we used to have that person but we know why wouldn't we have someone like that? >> It was combined. So we had we had somebody who did both purchasing and employee benefits. And so um you know I had conversations with her before she left but again it's it's really I've been living at Marf. I've been the purchasing agent and while I'm doing my due diligence and making sure we have three quotes for everything and checking all the paperwork and making sure the contracts are attached and that
060we are following, you know, general municipal law, >> I'm not able to go out to all these various bids and say, "Are we truly getting the best price for this item?" >> That a purchasing agent can do that because that's one of their sole areas of focus throughout the day. >> Thank you. Absolutely. >> So, I just wanted to revisit our reserve funds uh that are available for budgeting. So, um just to be clear, this does not include the capital reserve funds because those have very specific um uh rules attached to them um and are uh generally for you know um very very specified projects that the board of education votes on. Um, but we are suggesting for the following school year that we allocate money from the reserves the same way we did for
061this year's. >> I think it was 4.2 or 4.2 or 4.3 million simply to break the power in. Now, Huntington, Boston, other buses, they have busy yards in neighborhoods. So, they're not not only fighting getting the power, there are people not wanting the power lines brought in, expanding them. You can't keep more than two buses next to each other without having a concrete or a cement divider in case there's a fire. So, these yards have to be expanded. Uh there are many bus companies think they'll just throw in the towel because there's no way they could do it. The lifts have to be all done over because the buses are almost twice the weight. The tires wear out five times as fast because they weigh more. >> This is a conversation for another day, but
062I did I I know, but I'm saying I had a conversation today with Gene Thatcher who said, you know, you should always call upon local elected officials too to help. And perhaps this is a bigger conversation to have then because some of these discussions don't just involve the school districts, right? They involve neighborhoods and >> yes, >> perhaps this isn't. No, no, but I I'm just but I'm just saying while while we're having this conversation, let's also make sure that for a non-budget discussion board meeting that we talk about ways that we can >> I also wanted to mention it too so that you know people watching or anyone that would come there aware that this is possibly going to be something we see in the budget that could take away from other things. You
063know, I don't want to be like just thrown out there and people like I didn't know about this. So, I want it to be something that's discussed in Q >> and uh it's scary. >> It is. And Mr. Pat is having an issue with their local bridges that can't drive over um it truly wasn't planned out to have this mandate. >> Shocker. Well, it's it could bankrupt some other districts, too. Yeah. >> Yes. Yeah. Thank you, New York State. >> Thank you for bringing that up, Kate. And and we will continue to have those discussions. I I agree. I think it's really important that we keep that on our radar and that we don't sleep on it because it will become a huge expense for the district. You're right. It will greatly increase our contract
064costs with whatever bus company we end up with at the end of this contract. >> Okay. And >> absolutely on on fully appreciate the logic behind having a purchasing agent and that we can actually save probably a lot of money with an effective purchasing agent. This would be only in in in your jurisdiction of responsibilities the agent would work. But like one of the things I always wonder about is I think and I maybe I have this wrong. We're asking the business heads or the heads of each each um department to police their own fiscal responsibility and their budgets to make sure that they're spending their portion of you. You don't sit there, right, and go through to find out if we're getting good prices on on things or costs within these other budgets, right?
065So right now, no, because that requires a tremendous amount of time, but a purchasing agent would do that. So when I was in Comarmac and we had a designated purchasing agent and I was the director of science, she would call me sometimes. I mean, I was pretty good with going through the bids and I always tried to get the lowest prices, but I knew she was doing her due diligence because every now and then I would get a call from her and she would say, "Allison, I found this in such and such a bid. is this beaker or will this, you know, triple beam balance scale, will this work for what you're looking for because I can get it for you for $50 less. >> And sometimes she would, you know, we would discuss it
066and it wasn't what I needed and so we had to pay the higher price, but other times it saved us some money, which is great. So if we're buying a tractor, they would they would review that that so it would be throughout the that >> absolutely >> and we used to have that person but we know why wouldn't we have someone like that? >> It was combined. So we had we had somebody who did both purchasing and employee benefits and so um you know I had conversations with her before she left but again it's it's really I've been living at MARF. I've been the purchasing agent and while I'm doing my due diligence and making sure we have three quotes for everything and checking all the paperwork and making sure the contracts are attached and
067that we are following, you know, general municipal law, >> I'm not able to go out to all these various bids and say, are we truly getting the best price for this item? >> That a purchasing agent can do that because that's one of their sole areas of focus throughout the day. >> Thank you. Absolutely. So, I just wanted to revisit our reserve funds uh that are available for budgeting. So, um just to be clear, this does not include the capital reserve funds because those have very specific um uh rules attached to them um and are uh generally for you know um very very specified projects that the board of education votes on. Um but we are suggesting for the following school year that we allocate money from the reserves the same way we did for
068this year. So, we are suggesting that we allocate 250,000 from our employee benefits acred liability fund, 900,000 from our New York State um employees retirement system fund, 900,000 uh 1 million, a little over 1 million from the teachers retirement system fund and 250,000 from our workers compensation fund. And this will help to um increase the revenue side of the budget. This has been included for the board of education uh in previous Friday notes and if you look in um the diligent folder you will see a separate spreadsheet that breaks down how we have calculated out the revenue side of the budget. Again just as a reminder revenues must equal expenditures. We have to present a balanced budget to the taxpayers. So again, just wanted to revisit that we do have um healthy capital project reserves
069um that we have cap reserve 3 which is currently closed and we have $3.4 million in that capital reserve. We have capital reserve 5. We currently have just shy of $7 million in that reserve. Um there's a cap of 15 million. We can continue to fund that and the board of education uh can consider utilizing this reserve as a way to forward fund capital projects and perhaps not go out for a bond unless we want to do large numbers of projects at once. But it is a way to fund our projects through uh budgetary allocations that were not used for one reason or another from year to year. And I mentioned that because we just did recently have a a revised building condition survey completed by Mark Design and he also created a five-year capital
070plan and within that and again there are some wish list items here. So um but his total was 63 million. So that's quite a large number. Um and you know so I just wanted to point out that this is a fiscally responsible way to work towards completing those projects. And of course it is a fiveyear capital plan. Not all of it is meant to happen within one year. Um, and there are some of those projects that can be done with our existing H funds um and voter approved allocations. >> His budget was 48, but then this is assumption of of a price appreciation to 63. Is that >> Yeah, that was on his side. I got it from the summary page. >> Yeah, we were talking maybe 60. So, it's more like 63, right? And
071then how much are you looking for us to put in the reserves to preund this 63? >> That depends on the fund balance, Mark. So that does depend on what we end up with at the end of the at the end of the school year. And then um you know it's up to the superintendent to make his recommendations to the board of education about where to put that fund balance so that it best serves the students of the districts and maximizes the taxpayer um you know investment in improvements in the district. >> So in the past we always had like a $4 million cushion in our budget. Um were you seeing that like every year we'd have a over collect about 4 million. Is that right? Uh I think I I want to say last
072year it was a little over was it three and a half I thought give or take. >> Okay. Um so current projections are 2 and a half to three million this year as as our um uh funds that were not expended. Um but that does change from month to month. Um so you know I don't really I don't have a a number for you right now except a I have an estimated number. I thought that and again these are this is like pulling numbers out of the dark right now but I thought that >> it was we thought it would be three and a half but it ended up being more like five >> some of that money >> at the end of the year >> right so that money was I'm I'm subtracting out
073anything that would go into the unassigned fund balance which is like our savings account and we want to keep that at 4%. you know, the maximum allowed by law is 4%. And that's that's um really, you know, prudent fiscal planning to keep that at 4%. >> Right? But that's what was extra at the end about five >> and then right so I'm really talking about once we fully funded the assign unassigned fund balance. So thank you for that distinction, Alex. You're absolutely correct. So this is the my estimate is again with the understanding that we are going to fully fund the unassigned fund balance so that we stay at that 4%. >> Then any other questions? >> Okay. So this >> I have I have a question. Sorry. So, the only thing that's making me
074nervous as somebody who likes a schedule is I know April 14th is our budget adoption meeting, but I in my memory, haven't we had like another meeting before that where we've talked about the tax cap, we've talked like I I just don't want to be behind the eightball in that meeting and then feel the pressure that we have to make a decision then. Does that make sense? Don't we usually have a meeting >> public one of the public meetings? >> Yeah. So there's >> there is one more meeting after was that April 21st. >> We can still meet we can still make a final decision there so we could talk about they want a maximum tax cap where we want to go. >> Okay. Because News Day put a very high number out for us
075that we haven't even talked about it and they put was it 3.9 out. >> Right. So that's Yes. And that's yeah, >> that's that was that was a because we were able that's because we increased our transfer to capital. So that changed our tax cap calculation um to 3.9%. Um and that's what we've been basing the budgeting on. >> So you have been basing the budgeting on 3.9%. Which is way higher than we normally go. >> That's our maximum allowable tax levy increase at this point. I think that's important for people to be aware of. >> Sure. And we we can wait until April 21st to um have the board of education vote to adopt the budget. That's our last date that that the board of education >> have another meeting coming up right after
076the break where we could discuss. >> Correct. >> When did I ask a question though? When did our >> 21st email >> when did our tax cap allowance jump up when so it jumped up um it changed uh when we were uh calculating it the date to submit it to OSC was March 1st and the change to the transfer to capital line occurred the week before so it was after the initial budget budget presentation to the board of education and we've included it in all of our Friday notes. >> Okay. um and all of our any anything that we've >> communicated regarding the budget. >> Okay. So, it's in there. It's absolutely in there. >> Thank you. >> Of course. >> So, we have two possible dates. The April F8 date that's in here and
077then if needed just because I I'm glad we talked about it because I don't think and I do read the Friday notes, but it's always a lot of information. Um >> for people listening at home, it can be like a 100 pages, right? I mean there's >> sometimes >> um so it's it's not just like a cheap major um but uh >> so just so people are aware that >> the budget is being based on a 3.9 tax increase and our tax increase over the last few years has been under two. Right. So that would be a a big jump up. >> Yeah. >> What what was the total dollar amount of the proposed budget? 83 was it? Uh the total proposed budget is um if we stay cap I'm sorry just >> at that
078at that figure what what did that get us to? So if we um go to the cap um then our total budget will be uh approximately 84 million. It's about 84.8 million. >> And and does that include all the wish list items? >> No. No, we are currently at 85.2 um with everything in that's with with everything in. So we we currently have to cut to get to the maximum allowable tax credit which >> and does that factor in how much contribution towards you know funding future capital expenditures? >> Um >> we didn't intentionally put money into the budget to do that. Um we are we are I guess considering the fact that there are a number of items within the budget that are estimates and some will come in below and when that does
079happen that money would then be put towards future capital projects. We didn't intentionally put money in the budget aside from the transfer to capital funds um to which which would be extended hopefully you know shortly since we have >> architects. There were always those you know bills like you'd have to have the money to pay your bills at the end of the year. I could only imagine if what happened in the Middle East happened three months earlier with a hard winter what our heating bills and how much more we would have to spend there. So, we're always trying to make sure that we have enough to cover our bills. And as we discussed, we have a lot of work ahead of us. So, this would help us not to do a bond, have money in
080place. Again, you want to budget here, but don't always want everything to come in less. You know, when you go through the store, you think you're going to spend X, you hope you're going to spend less. >> Yeah. But we talked about funding the 63 million out of general revenues spread out, and we're looks like we're we're putting in none into >> Right. But but as you correctly stated, Mark, that each year because we have estimated areas of the budget, we've had unexpended um funds that were already collected by the taxpayer, you know, from the taxpayers that that money would then, you know, again, we're we're we're considering and we discussed it as at the facilities committee, taking that money and putting it into the capital reserve for future projects. I still think if we
081add in all those and other things, which could happen, right? Um I don't even think we're going to get close right to $63 million. >> No. >> Um I don't think so. I mean, uh some of those projects we'll be able to complete with existing H fund money because the voters have right the voters have approved projects that fit within what's on the building condition survey. So, we do have some of those funds and also the board of education can opt to go to the voters again to to reassign those capital funds that we have in the H fund. And again, that's different from the reserves. That's not the reserves. That's the So, you say to do this project, >> it's still not going to get us close to 63 million in the middle. >>
082No, but I I again, this was Mark Design Studios. But it's not even a lot of that wasn't the only like um call it seven or 8 million were wish list >> but he estimated the cost of the roofs. I don't know if you remember him talking about that because he was actually not able to get up on >> could be worse maybe. No, but the um >> luckily the westside roofs look pretty good. We we had a chance to take a look at it. So >> and and uh I think people will be pretty displeased with a over 3% tax increase anyway. So that's another thing >> we have to consider is we know we have a wish list and then we even have items which um are going to become wishlist items probably
083cuz I don't I don't I don't know where people um come out at that large what was it 3 what >> 3.9%. Oh, all right. That was news to me. Um, which that's why we have these meetings. So, >> that's a big number, right? >> Yeah. Huge number. We weren't able to discuss it. >> No, that was in the Friday. We we discussed the tax, >> but we've had other budget meetings since then, too, where we could have discussed it as a group. It was I only knew about it because of the news day. I mean, I I'm sure it was in the Friday notes. I must have missed that but it it was published for the public that that's our tax. >> So it's it's we say we'll pull that from OSC. Yeah. So
084and we're required to put in you know a number at that time. >> So that by us though >> it doesn't you're not bound by it like that's our maximum allowable tax. So you're not bound by that right. But if we're basing on what are the wants versus the needs, you know, like what are the normal operating? >> But I think you're saying even just the needs >> for the bud are putting us >> right because you just said that a 3.0% budget increase, we'd still have a shortfall, right? It would be a less than what 3.9% would have a shortfall. >> No, yes. 3 current budget 3.9 budget. Let her say it. Let her say it. No, that's okay. um the with the current budget we're we're already over 3.9% the current expenditures are
085over the anticipated revenue. Now the other option that the board of education has is to allocate additional funds from the reserves. You know the the amount that we have suggested to the board of education is to utilize 1.2 million from the appropriated fund balance and to utilize uh 2.46 46 million from the appropriation reser to appropriate those from the restricted reserves. So you know we're we mimicked what what has been done in the previous um couple past couple of years um to augment the revenue side of the budget. The board of education has the you know latitude to suggest a higher amount from the restricted reserves. But that I'm just putting the options out on the table. I'm not, you know, these are what you can do. Um, >> I'm going to be here the
086whole break. So, um, you know, for the most part. So, >> well, not to create work that it's going to be a lot of work cuz you're creating. Do we really need a zero increase budget? You're never going to pass a zero increase, right? So, why don't we give ranges that are most likely to be passed? Um maybe a 1% a one um what what are the breaks you'd like to see? >> Last year it was 1.9 right >> 1.58% >> maybe >> 1.58% was your increase in your tax >> you want to do a budget that increases it 1.25 25 to sorry 1.7 y what are the breaks you >> I don't think we've gone above two how many years has it been I know since we on the board we haven't gone above
087I don't think >> how about 1.25 25 1.75 and two those three breaks >> don't maybe I'm just confused but that whole thing we were just discussing before so based on our current budget without just not even increasing with the needs or the wants just our current budget we would need to increase by 3% or I'm misunderstanding here >> no what I'm what I'm saying is that if we go down to a tax levy increase of 3% >> okay >> with the current budget that's existing Now in terms of the expenditure side, we would have to cut of the expenditures uh a million a little over >> you have the needs in this budget >> every right now this budget has need has all the needs and all the want so you're talking about the
088budget that you just you're potential not the actual current budget that's >> I'm not talking about 25 26 year I'm only talking about the I'm sorry I'm only talking about the 2626 seven school budget >> and I think >> I mean at one point I did talk about how much we anticipate having a fund balance that was the only reference that I made to this year's budget. Got it. >> And I think we could also include those things that are like ab contractual items like this is this this is going to be we know what this cost will be that that's not >> Mr. Bino has to give his presentation after this. >> Forget it. >> Let him play in the dirt. But but we'll have a component like you know things that are contracts
089that are going to change. I mean that that can change salary so on so forth healthare that's what that is >> and then we'll build from there. >> Yeah that's shock but is everybody comfortable and you have an understanding of what >> I do. I do I'll also explore with OSC um you know even though we had to submit our tax cap calculation by March 1st uh my understanding is that can still be changed. So you know there is also the option >> approve that though >> the tax cap you approve the you what you what the board of education approves is the um levy that goes out to the community. >> Yeah. So uh the tax cap calculation is is just the tax cap calculation but again there are drivers of the tax cap
090calculation and one of them is the amount that you plan on spending of new tax revenue on capital projects and again we call that the transfer to capital fund. So in anticipation of the work that we would have to do Joe and I did in Joe and Eric and I did increase that which again increase the maximum allowable tax levy cap. So we could explore decreasing the transfer to capital line to decrease the maximum allowable tax levy cap which will also take money out of the budget. So we can explore that. Yeah, we as well. >> But going back we were saying before and I think you had said it Mark if we're trying to do a lot of work out of current funds that is transferred to capital >> that's transfer >> by spending
091by doing a whatever spending it >> bond is different. It's expensive, right? But but by by doing work out of current, it raises what a tax cap can be, >> right? So So by by allocating that 1.34 million in transfer to capital, >> that's what raised the maximum allowable tax levy, >> but it also is going to enable us to do a lot of that work. >> That's the thing is if we do a bond, it's expensive to borrow. There's a lot of cost. So, if we can do it within the tax um in in terms of the tax collection, it's cheaper. We still need to get the money at one one way or the other. So, you're saying if we leave the tax cap high and go up to the cap, then that's a
092way to fund that 63 million possibly without a bond if we have other. >> But you're saying no, that it's not even with that. It's not even going to get us close. You just had that conversation. I did. I did. But but what I No, you're you're absolutely right, Alex. And but Mark is also right because the board of education can make a decision to substitute the wants that people have put in with designating money to be placed in the capital reserve. So that is allowable. you can have a line in your budget to um raise funds from the taxpayers to fund a capital reserve because you've already established the capital reserve and you've established the cap but that's still taking a lot of these things out of the budget then >> that would be
093replacing it because I think what Mark was saying I'm not saying that Mark was wrong but what I think Mark was saying was that his impression was that we would be able to do that without cutting out these other things that have present it to us with a three this 3.9 tax increase. >> I was just trying to figure out a way we don't do a bond because it's so expensive to borrow that way. And um if we could do it through, you know, maximizing the tax levy and also applying fiscal responsibility to expenditures. I I'd like to look at the the numbers of how we can not have to go to a public vote on a bond to pay for facilities, but I don't know. We have puts and takes when I won't get
094into it, but there's we might be able to get there. Um, right. Some of the things that we when we had our five-year plan, a lot of them were roofs, which Mark design has been a little occupied right now. as to look at the other buildings that some of them we know are years out. Uh I mean there are a couple ways again we can be very transparent as Allison said we could we could say there's x amount of dollars will be used for transfer to capital at the end. We can also be very any dollars left over we know we will then transfer. So we're budgeting here if we have x amount of dollars left over that is going to go here. We're ahead of the time. Um there they're I mean with with
095an $83 million budget, you know, we talked about if we change that to $83,000 having 1% is having $830 left over. I mean, it's the same ratio. >> Well, if you want to get a lot of people to the polls on election day, you should link the 3.9% because I'm sure people will come pouring out. >> Yes, no doubt. But at the end of the day, um, >> what happens when they, if they vote down the budget, Allison, remind us, >> we have two options. We can go straight to contingency budget, which is, uh, no increase in the tax levy. All equipment comes out, all non-contingent expense, all non-contingent expenses come out. Um, we're obligated to, um, make sure that we satisfy contractually um, negotiated uh, raises. Um but uh really anything new comes out.
096Um and then or we could have a second vote. So we are allowed to have a second vote where the board of education um either goes to the voters with the same exact budget or goes to the voters with a revised budget and a revised uh tax levy. So there are two options. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other questions for Allison? Do you think it would be more palatable to do a smaller raise and then a bond? Is that I mean, we're getting to the same place just in a more expensive way, but do you think that would be better? >> I think I'd have to explore the bond option to really be able to give you >> give us more information on that because the bond is also more expensive but temporary as
097opposed to >> Right. But we are already in we already have a bond that we have money uh left in right now. We have you know seven plus we right we already have debt service on the books for that. So you know there's a lot of implications for going out for another bond while you're still paying for an existing bond. >> Yeah. Not this minute. Right. >> So I I just I I would be remiss if I didn't say that. I don't think that that's I I appreciate all the asks and I think we can do what you're asking for in terms of presenting other iterations of the budget. I don't think within the cycle of this budget by April 21st I could give you a well-informed >> answer regarding a bond. >> No, that's
098fair. Okay. Are people okay with a 125 175 and two 2% increase those cuts or do you want to see different cuts? I think instead of two, I would even do 1.95 just because we haven't gone over. I mean, unless people want to do one that's two and a half or something, but >> I think we should say or maybe even just a 225 or something just to see what that extra push like what's different between >> each scenarios on where you just want that. >> Well, how much work is each cut? I mean, seriously, is this uh each cut like days of work? >> I I I don't I don't know, Mark. I appreciate the question, but um I I just don't I just don't know. I mean, it's it will be the entire
099>> Yeah, I mean, next week, >> we have the estimated cost for these things we're looking to add, and roughly each percent is about $860,000. I guess misa Lisa brings up the point. I think where we may have had a disconnect while we're all screaming we like bugging our eyes out at 3.9% is that in the notes we were given dollar amounts for the levy and not percentages. >> I I definitely included the the actual print out um and I I >> in here. >> Okay. No, no, no. um in Friday notes, but you're saying that you were you never had 3.9%. Um like in the the notes we received on the the third at February 13th when we first started talking about the OCS submission for the tax levy, we talked about maximum allowable
100tax levy, OCS, but it was all dollar amounts. It wasn't percents. So I think that's kind of where the disconnect was that you know we weren't translating that amount in our head to percentages where we were like oh that's what that means you know like you gave us and you know I mean this is >> okay this is why we're having >> you know um in the future if it was dollar if it was percentages >> yeah and included percentages that might be easier for us to comprehend. >> Um, so in in the Friday notes, I know and again I know that this is you really would have had to have scrutinized and I I agree it could have been more transparent and I do very much appreciate that feedback, Lisa. Um, I did provide
101a chart. Um, the the first initial run of the of the budget where we were way over um close to a million dollars needed to be cut just to get to the maximum allowable tax levy. And there were colored bars where I gave a couple of scenarios and it said current maximum tax levy at 3.92%. But I'm not I'm not I think it I agree with you could have been clearer and I agree also with Kate and Alex and I think we we can really revise the our budget presentation um you know schedule and what is presented to the board of education. Um you know I'm not I'm certainly not absolving myself. I didn't create that budget calendar. >> No one's upset with you. No one's upset with you. It's just we're just trying to
102figure out how we could >> But I but I just I a loud talker. >> No, no. And I I but I don't disagree with you in other in other you know I've seen it being been done that way in other districts and I I think you have a point. I think it's good to have at each budget presentation like in addition to having the departments and the buildings present to have a budget recap. >> Yeah. >> You know at every presentation to have an overview. Exactly. So I think that's really good feedback and I think we should absolutely put that >> I think we work that into our schedule next year >> to more meeting but I think it's for everyone to be transparent to see where all the money is being asked for
103and where it's going. So I go ahead okay so when you do the the pair down list I I guess you'll work and your team will work. Um, >> I'm definitely not doing this. >> Yeah, it's not fair. And then we already talked about doing this. This isn't I also think it we we should try to be um friendly to a staff in the sense that not have five cuts. I mean, I think cuz this is going to be a tremendous undertaking, right? >> So, I currently have 1.25, 1.75, 2, 2.25, and 2.5. That's what I wrote down. I don't know what you >> That's a lot. Say that again. >> Okay, sure. I know I said that really quickly. I currently have 1.25, 1.75, 2, 2.25, and 2.5. >> I could suggest. >> Let's
104do a 195. I think just under the two. >> I like the 195. >> What if we did like right 125 95? >> That was what I thought. that you guys wanted to come over two >> and then just one over two like maybe one or >> yeah 2.4 four. Yeah. >> So that's four iterations. I'm saying which is a lot for you probably. >> I think we should narrow it down to three. What do you think? >> And I think we should do one I was going to say over what we did and one under what we did last year. So we're do one 2.25. What did we do again? >> 1.5. Is that what it was? >> It was 1.58. >> We have a thing in close one. My tobacco gauge. So did
105that. >> I wasn't at the meeting and I thought it was too high. Just to let you know where I stood. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. You thought 1.58 was >> you and zero. >> Yeah. I was not at the meeting where it was um adopted. I was >> just zero is very difficult with contractually obligated >> by we had another meeting. >> Yeah. I don't think zero is realistic. >> Zero is very difficult with contractually complicated races. I know again personnel being the the driver, >> why didn't you just leave it flat, which is the only reason I think it's nice for us to have had the presentation, but I think we had that at the beginning of the season, the budget season. We had that already >> This year, so I don't think
106I need to do that again, right? I mean, why don't you do last year's 1.95 and, you know, something in the twos? Okay. So, I'm hearing >> and if you really can't get there, we'll have to have another conversation, right? Okay. >> So, I'm hearing 1.58 1.95 and then do you want 2.25 or 25 or somewhere in between or >> what are you guys saying? >> Did you read your in between? >> Guess 2.25 is in between, right? Between that and that >> what are you saying? Like 2.375. Whatever you want. Honestly, it's it's really up to the board of education. >> I know that. >> I personally don't want to go to but but I mean I don't want to go to 1.58. So I don't I hear yet. I know. >> Um >>
107so what is it? 1.5. >> She's budgeting 3.9 >> 1.95 >> and then 2.25 sounds like the max people would even listen to, right? >> But what you say >> 2.25? >> Yeah. 2.2 then. >> Okay. 2.25. 25. Leave it there. >> 25999. >> But we could always adjust that day. We could have prices adjusted. >> Dylan's going to go to college and be like, I had to sit in this meeting. Someday we're all crazy. It'll >> Dylan's going to be an expert in budgeting. Oh, you're very welcome. >> One day when she holds a home and she's paying her taxes. >> That's right. Thank. >> Yeah. Dylan, every year the budget is present to us a little bit differently, >> you know. So, we're still trying to Right. >> Oh, >> okay. Mr. Bino
108100%. >> Yes. >> President. It's 8:05. >> Ready? Mr. You know >> the superpower. attract team. >> Yes. >> Beautiful. Yeah. >> Is this all you're asking for? >> I mean, Mr. Bunino, your timing is good. Your budget is like >> Well, I was going to start off with a little bit of a joke, but a lot of the things that are in in my budget or that would be would be a wish list. So, there were a lot of things that I didn't kind of converse about, but they're not in the actual budget we're talking about right now. Um, >> so realistically, um, the first item that you see there, uh, the portable shot clocks that are on the floor, >> um, this year, uh, with the weather in the winter, we had a
109couple of issues with the roof in the fieldhouse. And if we for example had to move a game in the middle of a game, we are we are very fortunate and the back of the fieldhouse is a legal court, but it does not have shot clocks. Um it's usually played with junior high teams and having those would allow us to move the game in an emergency. The other thing is that more sports are becoming um by all to have shot clocks. uh we have them on our fields but you they're just to have a backup especially that they're now asking uh junior high sports to be played with them JV to be played with them and when a day like today where we had like six games going on on our fields that's tough to
110have all these types of shot clock. So having these would be a great backup and having I it's four total so there's two sets and this would allow us to use them out on the grass and use them in the uh the gymnasiums as well as they are multi-purposed can be used for wrestling matches and things of that nature as well which we do two big ones. The second thing, storage containers. So those are not the action. Those are just uh containers I would like to put out on all areas of our facility that would at least support every program having their soccer balls, their field hockey balls, uh agility ladders, um AEDs, things of that nature locked at all different facilities so the kids and the coaches don't have to transport them all over
111the place. especially um walking to the softball field, walking to the upper turf. Uh baseball needs one. They've got more equipment now. Things of that nature. It would just help beneficially to clear out some stuff in uh that we hold in the fieldhouse and the new gym the uh and then once you certain size storage containers, you need to have push bars, platforms, and the like. So, we're trying to work with them for the state to help Mike and the athletes out >> to make it clear like I do have and submitted pictures and I mean I have other ideas of having nice sheds and big storage facilities in different areas. But as I learned this year after last year's conversation, they have to go to SEDD. there has to be approval and after the
112last I so now I'm trying to just get something in place for the currently and then we can continue to have these conversations about bigger projects. The uh the third is important bodies that has to do um we have just finished negotiating and uh our lease and uh rowing association and and crew back at Eagle Do um but without providing two portaotties for the fall uh not that it's boy boy girl but it's just to give them two we have 44 kids now in the spring but we had 30 in the fall right so the program has resurrected rejuvenated rather word. Um but that would need we would need to purchase those for my budget. They would go from August to November. Then they're taken away. They would come back from March through June. The
113>> Are they like a rental where they come and service them? >> That is correct. That's why the prices >> price there. That includes what the servicing would be. >> Okay. And is that like weekly or something? >> Yes. Correct. So, and these stay at evildock. >> They will stay right behind the boat house. Um, one of the gentlemen, president of the road association and I have uh looked at it and we got permission of where they would go and then we don't have to worry cuz the kids take a bus at 2:45. They go till 5:00. So, and without having any ability to use a bathroom is not okay. No. >> So, that's why that's there. >> Aren't there bathrooms at Eagle? There's bathrooms at Eagle Dock, but they're closed off season. >> They're
114closed a lot of the season end of >> But how much are we paying to use that we pay? You guys should have a key to be able to open and get in. I'm just saying >> I um that's a great comment. I'm not disagreeing. Um but that's a conversation that uh >> negotiation we we discussed with them. I don't know if we want to get into contract here. I could definitely share what they share with us about the executive that we want to talk about talk about this. No, >> like >> I mean the contracts printed for people to read >> they they were very apprehensive to allow us to use them. They said they are fragile at best and they they didn't think they could take that type of use. I can just
115tell you what this is what they said to us that having 40 kids or so and and staff using it daily that they can't use that capacity. >> I had a problem with that contract. I didn't like it. I feel like they're taking advantage of us. >> Well, we can't so many people use that beach every day all summer long. They have huge parties down there. Okay. Well, all right. >> Noted. Pointy. >> Thank you for coming up with an alternate. And then the last is um so we have had a few for several teams. Some of them have been generic donated. Uh we then the booster club had purchased a tent that uh actually flew over and at lacrosse game last year at Hofra and broke someone's truck. So I was thinking now with
116all of the sports that we have the number of events that we have home away to buy and customize that's not what I would get but that would be the size four generic tents for all athletics won't be a sport on it. It would say coach with harbor athletics excellence and every team would have the ability to use it. So, if you go to uh cross country, if you go to a track meet, uh we're having a big one on Saturday, um the third football season, what whatever. And I would just run a schedule like I do. And I figured 4/10 would pretty much suffice for the season. >> Four tents would be enough if at one time. Well, I would I would not expect to really if if I went through the athletic schedule
117and I'm just doing this really off top of my head like on Saturday, we would require two of them for our own track program. No one else would need it. We don't have anything else going on. So, two would just sit. >> Football is once a week. Um, you're not using this type of tent for a traditional like soccer game. this would be when it's raining and I want to cover the stu the student athletes. So I would think four would be sufficient. Um I would also use the year to assess the schedule and then add more in the future budget. I can say at track meets I I have noticed that calls for Harvard is not as the kids call it they have they I wouldn't even say what they call it but um
118I think with the track team they do a lot of waiting around and on rainy days they don't have a good tent. Um so I'm glad that we're putting this in as an item. I also think it's great that other teams can use it because I I the other districts when we're at these events have nice tents. like why isn't it cold forever have one? So I think this is great but I like it even more that everybody can use it. >> Absolutely. And the way that and if you see the tent it is the designed for the inclement weather purposes. That's why the sides are there. So if you have a beautiful day, you don't need to put the sides up. >> There's one in the front too. >> Yeah, you have it all.
119It defect they block you all in. It's it's very similar to the ones that we have that the booster club purchased. But the one that the booster club purchased that has been rotated around was destroyed in the spring >> and they didn't decide not to purchase another one and that's where this conversation developed this year and that's why I'm bringing it up. >> So that's so those are like the equipmentish big items that um um I'm looking for for the future. And then in here, so just to go over some more of like the bulleted items in like my Excel spreadsheet, there are I have a code that's called contractual expenses. Um, so I wait for ice hockey. Uh, that is for the now for the league fees and uh the practice times and I
120it's been working very smoothly. Um, Huntington YMCA is where we swim uh for the fall and the uh winter. Um, Island Extreme, which would require a contract. All of our golf courses that we use, we go to a beach club for tennis in the fall. Liu Post um is where we have our swim meets because the Huntington Y is not as only um where we're only able to practice there. you can't actually host a swim meet there. New this year is we're going to be covering all of the costs for the cheer choreography island extreme um and all of those uh components that lead up to their regular season as well as hopefully a bid to nationals. Um this is new uh this has been a conversation that uh so it's been now this will
121be year 14 and I have basically spoken that every code of conduct myself except for my first one and through the work with um Mr. Lini and uh other district office administration. I would love to bring in a guest speaker for our students to listen to. Motivational. This will not we will still have our traditional components of code of conduct that I can go through quickly and get to my points. But I think that the students to hear a different voice would be um extremely beneficial. >> What does the lady say? What bus isn't coming in that video? I love her. >> Yes. I that was a um she say coach Lawson from Duke and she's like that bus isn't coming but it's the best bus. It's like the it's the easy bus. The easy.
122It's going to get easier. >> Life is hard for her. The easy bus. >> You think it's going to be easier. The summer's going to come. It doesn't work. >> So I just think another message would be great. >> Um I just want to be clear so no one you don't even have to ask. The reason it's high school is I do allow everyone to come to any of the two code of conducts they can. The message is more for a high school student. My plan for the junior high is to have our high school kids deliver the code of conduct this year. So there's a reason that I didn't want to have it for both. Um and then of course obviously there's some uh costs that are coming that are covered by the booster
123club which obviously I thank. Uh, I actually spoke with Eric today. Um, the Luxo project system for the gym floor. We also were looking at the four-sided schoolboard, not necessarily have to replace the whole thing, but change the lighting and the bulbs. So, these are just going to be some ongoing conversations. >> Um, with first of all, that's amazing that the booster club wants to cover it. Um, are they aware that it other than athletics will be using are planning on using that? 100% and that actually is their ultimate goal. Um that I've had conversations with them that yes, it's called the Seahex Seahawks Athletics Booster Club, but the more that we can do even when we start bringing out this the portable video scoreboard and other things and promoting the arts to play everything
124that is the ultimate vision to have it be uh globally for all of cultural opera um students and everything that they do. Great. >> Um, >> fantastic. >> The last thing I know was already presented. Um, and I think uh both Miss Fulton had even talked about it. So, we have a lot of records here and we are going to be coming and facing a a bigger problem soon that I will have to talk to the board about and uh the fieldhouse is running out of space to put banners. I guess that's a good thing, but that's historical. I've I've had many conversations with a lot of people and unilaterally making a decision on what we're going to do is I'm not looking to take them down like so this allows to put things into
125an archives and put them digitally. It would be like having a television when you walk into the fieldhouse and a new gym. every single athletic program. You press the button, I can put records back to 1950, pictures, state championships, counties, whatever it they help do it. It's it's a a software. Um, and Locus Valley, Garden City that I that's where I saw them. It is outstanding. And by the way, doesn't only just have to be athletics. I mean, I could put anything up there that the school wants on. So it can be beneficial to many things, but it's a digital record system. So like our swim program for example, like track has one. We haven't put it up yet, but we did buy one from their own fundraised money. But like swim, we have a
126kid who gets the a 50 freestyle record. We still have like the old white little pegs that go into like a black wall. Like you plug them in there and then they fall off. They're like under locking key. That was what went on in like back many years ago. This would be totally upgrading it and everyone can have it. People that come back when we have the walkthroughs, when you have reunions, all of these people's stuff would still would be up there and I have all the archives. I just have to submit it in and then they would input it all for us as well and it would be there forever. So, thank you for that consideration as a extra. And other than that, there were the only other things that are on a spreadsheet
127that I did highlight like in green is really just more like coaching positions that do fluctuate from year to year. I didn't add anything, but I just wanted for my own knowledge and to explain to everybody like that there are times when you have two teams. You might have one, you might have uh you know started flag and uh you have other sports that are going. So like sometimes they do fluctuate, but the money is there and it's all already built into the contract. So I didn't add any specific positions >> and since you're asking for so little after we just said don't you can't spend any more money. But you have uniforms and all that. That's in your regular budget, right? Yeah. Yeah. That's in your standard. Everything that you see in green has
128uniforms >> uh for teams that haven't done new mostly junior high coming up soon or this year rather that's what's in there primarily also replacement AEDs um >> we have athletically uh every team has one um but I'm also looking to put them maybe even outside uh where they would also be there um but I always have put replacement AEDs on my Um because you never know if they're going to break. So you always want extras. >> Okay. >> So that's all in >> Great. I figured as much wanted to make sure you were asking for enough after we just told everyone that we should cut the budget, but >> Okay. >> Can I just be really picky for a second? >> You can. >> So you have a line item on your budget for
129awards dinners, $7,500. What does that cover? >> All county athletes and the coaches to go to the dinners. to attend. >> But to attend? >> Yeah. >> So, we shouldn't be paying to attend the dinners is what you're saying. >> Not while I'm asking. I Well, no, you should not be. >> But they're not every sport has always submitted them to me. >> Now, I want to make it public that everyone who's an allcounty award winner by a coach association >> and the coaches. >> They submitted W9. I put a requisition in and they pay for the athletes and the coaches. >> Okay. >> So, if you did pay for your one, it will no longer happen. >> Okay. Great. Thank you. >> You're very welcome. >> Good question. >> And I I just want
130to be clear. I was all county and higher. Otherwise, we'd be paying for a gazillion, right? >> So, that's where I wanted to start with. >> What is that? So, that's just okay. So it's not like scholar athlete. >> Well, I guess realistically we could take a look at that and state that based upon a sport that like if you're going with two athletes and two coaches, I would say that could cover it. I'm just trying to keep it cuz there going to be some sports that have 20 kids that are going, >> right? >> And I want to make sure that I have enough to cover >> everybody. But I'm also, it's the first time I'm making this a major thing. And so I'm also going to have to monitor it and then say
131maybe next year I say I need uh you know 10,000 >> but I want to it does it's one of those that fluctuates. It's no different than sorry my the banners I put in there awards I don't know what we're going to win >> but if it's all in that same code I probably can use some of those monies for those various different things. >> Okay. >> Am I correct in that? >> Yes. Great. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Mike. >> Great. Thanks. >> All right. We now move to other matters on pages one through two. We will take this as a slate for items through Oh, for five. For items five, A through C. May I first Kate a second? Alex. Any questions? Okay. >> All right. All in favor? Okay. I'm going
132to take a motion to move to executive session for purposes of personnel and legal. May I have a first? Kate, a second. Lisa, any questions? All in favor? All right. The board has returned from executive act um session. No actions were taken. I may I make a motion to adjurnn. May I have a first? L second.