Cold Spring Harbor BOE Budget Adoption: 4/22/25

001May I have a motion to open the meeting, please? Heather. Second. Bill. All in favor? And now I need a motion to go into executive for the purpose of personnel and legal uh negotiations. Okay. Alisa second. Heather. All in favor? Thank you. Oh, hello. Hi. Okay. Hi. The board has returned from executive session. No actions were taken. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance. To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Um, and I'd just like to take a motion to return to public session. May I have a first? Lisa, may I have a second? Bill. All in favor? Thank you. Okay. So, we are now going to have the budget presentation for adoption. All

002right, welcome everybody. April 22nd. This is um our budget adoption for the 2526 um fiscal school year. So little just update on the New York state budget because state aid is a component of our budget. The state still has not passed a budget. It was due on April 1st and they are still negotiating that budget. Again, all indicators are that state school aid is not one of the items that they are um in controversy over. Therefore, we don't expect a significant change in state aid when they finally adopt the budget. So, at our last meeting on April 8th, we began um with where we stood on March 11th, where our budget was. This is just a summary of what happened at April, April 8th, some of our discussions. So, we discussed that the budget increase

003was $1,619,000. And we then went forward with these were the items that the board wanted to discuss at that meeting on April 8th. These were the expenditure and program adjustments either that were organically through the budget process and additional ones that the board asked us to look at. And here we and this was really where we started our April 8th meeting. But another important component, we're going to come back to this slide also, but another important component of that meeting was the board deciding where they wanted to land with a tax levy because it addressed how we were going to work on the expenditure items in the budget. So, a discussion ensued at the last meeting between the board as to option one and option two. And what that means is option one was did

004the was the board inclined they they kind of land the you landed in conversation at a desired 1.75% tax levy. But then to achieve that, the board considered either appropriating additional designating an additional fund balance which would have brought that to 1,925. You see that off on the left. And then the board discussed the merits of that, what that would mean long term. And they went through those discussions. That was option one. Option two was instead of appropriating or designating additional fund balance, would they address the expenditures that were in the budget and bring the expenditures down? So those were the two options or a combination thereof. And that's where we spent most of the time. It was a long and very productive meeting. So we're going to go back to the prior slide. And

005as a result of that meeting, oh I crossed this out because the board made the board in discussions was comfortable with uh reducing expenditures and having those conversations given some of the unknowns in the future that may be happening to public school finance and as they were discussing those and and you guys discussed those at the table. So then we went back to all of the considerations that were in the budget that night and we literally talked about them one at a time and um I'm going to talk I'll just go over them you know overall you know globally when we went over the possible changes we didn't go over the the budget that you said all the pieces of the budget this budget is assuming that the 79 million that we never really looked

006at closely is being spent properly and that I need you to attest to all of us and all the people in this town that there's no waste in that 79 million because we never looked at it and we're looking at a small little piece of expenditures and debating whether we want a a math coach or not. How do we know there's not waste in the 79 million that we didn't even debate or discuss? That's so let's not say we're looking at the entire budget. Mark, I just want to say I just want to say that I Can you hear me? Um, I had a lot of questions about the budget after that meeting and I did talk to Joe because I had a question about like $132,000 that is spent on travel conferences. Um, I

007had a question about contractual expenses which added up to be almost 300,000 things like that. And Joe went through the codes with me and it you know it does seem like you know obviously we have we didn't go through every penny. No $79 million. Yeah. Well that's my question every year is why are we where how do we always have $4 million left over at the end of the year too and then we're saying we don't have money to pay for field trips. I just I don't it it blows my mind. I literally I don't remember. Maybe I I was on the phone with one of you after the last board meeting. I I don't I wasn't here for the last board meeting. I don't understand how we get to this point where we're still

008nickel and dimming. We're raising taxes. We're nickel and dimming the community still and then we're going to have overages. I I just don't get it. Well, the cushions and the fencing the I mean, I know that's this year's budget, but that's when do we decide on that? We didn't decide on it. Good. Because I'm not I I watched the meeting. We didn't decide. Um No, no, I said when do we decide on that? When is that supposed to We didn't decide on that. We'll direct that. Don't worry. Okay. Um Okay. So I I mean that that was my question too after the last meeting is why are we just looking at what we're going to give or take off of the current list and not what we already have every year. That's well yeah there's

009the cut that we don't use but we we keep asking for where the cushion well that's the one component but the other component is the existing expenditures. Yeah. Which we're just saying. I agree. They're all good. $79 million. Yeah. And we're not even broaching that. I don't know. I just found out we pay consultants six figures. How many of those do we have? One. I only know of one consultant that's here. That's it. Okay. So, we have one consultant earning. That's all you know, though. Maybe there's more that we we're not that we don't know. I just I don't know how I'm supposed to do my fiduciary responsibility to spend the tax may payers money when I don't even know. We're we we spent hours and hours debating $1.7 million and we didn't even broach

01079 million. So I honestly again I call on my business experience and whatnot. No one does that. It's like you you look at the entire set of expenditures and you go down and you say do we need this do we need that not do we need an IC cse chair maybe we do but under this circuit under under just looking at here and then the we're doing a tax levy it's it's very troubling to me but if this is how it's done because it's my first year then it's how it's done but I got to tell you I don't think this is the right way to do it well it's not I'm I'm going to add a little bit have just to backtrack a little bit although I can't see this very well. Joe, does

011this say February 11th? Right. This one down. This one when we started the process. Does it say present right here? Yes. Give it a second. It's probably loading. Just going to go fast. Not that bad. Okay. When we started in February, we talked about how we would see each of the details of all of the $70 million in the budget and all the presentations that all of the buildings and departments did. Unfortunately, in February, whoops, sorry, we ended that meeting without the four buildings and athletics doing their presentations. So, those we started there and then we went into March and we finished the balance of those six presentations for buildings and grounds, admin, and all the other groups. And those presentations, marked, to answer your question, had all of the details of all the $70

012million that you're you're speaking to. So, this just laid out how you're going to see the $70 million and the details of what's built into each of those items. And then we had the individual presentations here for each of those. I don't even know which one this is, but I'm just clicking one because I'm sure that's somebody's. This was the technology one. And um so when technologies presentation was completed and I think Rihanna was here to answer you know those questions. This was her budget and each of those buildings or departments had in it their details of every one of their line items. Hang on. Just trying to get there because it's loading. Every one of their line items and what they bought out of that money on the right hand side. Okay. And so

013but Christine, I see your point. Thank you. And we did we had that snowstorm and we didn't do it and we said let's all read them and we get the big we get a big binder with every single but to Mark's point the question is in our binder as you go through like Kate had to call Joe and say what is this $130,000 for travel what does that mean like we don't we have no time where we actually can sit and do that so I think for the future we can't we should talk about how do we pull that apart? Do we need a separate board committee? Do we need something where we're looking at these all of these items prior to the meeting in February where people are saying here's what I want to

014spend next year too what I want to add and here's where my budget will change just to see do we think that this is a reasonable place to be putting so much money right and to have a plan for what it looks like with ICT too we are all I mean ICT came about because this board wanted it right And if there's a plan that's presented to us over four years, 5 years, what that looks like and what the growth is, then that helps us to make other decisions, too. Can we afford to cover the Washington DC where I think Mark's point is that we don't have enough information on all of the other pieces, long range, short range, and we do spend it's a it's a good point. We do spend a lot of

015time talking about this much of the budget which is how it always has been and that's it's just looking at things from a new perspective now. not someone's fault that that's how it's been in the past, but how can we do it better? That's our responsibility, right? So, I just I had put in Friday notes the way we had done it maybe yeah five years ago. I forget when when things changed maybe probably started around in COVID. We would hold two it could have been three budget work sessions starting at six o'clock and each building would present and you would get what we called the budget book. It was actually every item. It may not have said pencils, pens, maybe even supply, general supplies, thousand dollars. It maybe was in that exact detail, but it

016really was fairly detailed of the information was on there. And each principal go I'll just say it started. Gusil was the first person. They would be sitting there. You had their their budget book with all the information in it. You ask whatever questions you had. They could answer because they're the best person knowing what they're purching, what they're using it for. They're done. They go home. Next would be Lloyd Harbor Westside. There we go. And you had all that information, exactly what you're asking for, the exact detail of where the money is being spent. And you asked the person who made that budget and you had that's the person exactly. And we talked about it doing sort of flipped where you would read it at home then so they didn't have to just read slides

017because that takes a long time. There were no slides. Okay. Right. Oh, you're just looking at the book, right? You would hope you look at it before come with question before and that person would be able to answer here's exactly what we're looking to purchase and why. So, but I guess we're and to Christine like what would your recommendation be then moving forward for us to better understand the other portion of the budget because you're the expert who knows what this budget looks like right inside and out. I would definitely recommend that each of the budget builders, the principles, the directors that you hear directly from them how they build their budgets, what's important to them, what they're continuing to support, what changes they have. And it actually does provide an organic picture of what's

018happening in the district. Money equaling student programs. I was saying like you really want the money conversation to equal the student program opportunities. And really hearing it that way um is is is really a very comprehensive way to look at the budget, understand the budget, and also be comfortable in what it's supporting. So, um, I went through the budget book because when I found out we pay a consultant six figures, I went through the book to see if we have the detail where I could find that. And could you show me because I never found it. I was saying, so Joe, you were saying that you would years ago you would give it out ahead of time because like I think Mark, that's supposed to be in curriculum instruction and we don't have anything in

019there. Yeah, we used to get like an inserts for inserts for them. My first year we'd bring our binder. You'd bring your binder with you to the meeting and then and now this is I mean I'm the person and I think Bill too who's like stop giving us paper. Can we all put it put it all online? But if there was some way to have it, whether it was like in a password protected portal for us or if it's all public, if it could be public, whatever it is, so that it could be read thoroughly in advance because we are I think missing sections. Yeah, because you made this statement that we it's all in there if we just And then I Okay, but it's not though. And that's the problem is we're spending money.

020I it's not I mean it's one thing if it's in a book and I I'm like I'm not reading it then that's on me but it's not even in the book and then um some of the things in the book we just don't have no way of knowing. So is it the building's head or the building head they go in and they decide what they want and then they build that budget and send it to you. So they are re-upping things they want again or they're making changes. they have full autonomy to change their budget. You give them a dollar amount and then they make those changes or they just write whatever they want and send it into you. How does that work? They build their budgets. They get the um I'll call it the

021templates on the way we want to see the budgets built and then they come in they meet with central office on their budgets what their reasoning is for what their additions deletions whatever their reasonings are for their budget requests and that makes its way through the budget process into their line items in their budget. How do they know how much to spend? They ask for what their needs are first and then we go we go from there. So if their needs are something new, let's say there's a new program we're rolling out, they build it in and then we discuss from from really a little higher level perspective how much of those needs. So you're cutting things before we even see them. Not really at Cold Spring Harbor, but that is that does we we

022align them to our goals and make sure that our goals are happening. You understand they have no budget, you're saying. So then but they coming close. I don't know how they they're continuing the initiatives that they have because that's what we're supporting and any new items they have or things that we would bring forward to the board and say we're looking to expand the ICT program. We're looking to so even though they might build it in, we then parse that out to be something to discuss with the board. Okay. Um in in the past we have seen uh you know different buildings put together like wish list items you know and we were able to go through you know kind of pick and choose what we wanted you know what we thought was important um

023you know I feel like we didn't really get that this year you know none of the you know I mean I remember Mark asking you know Miss Cosway um you know if she could have anything what would she want you know or if Mr. Dan Busky could have anything. What could he want? Um I just think it's important that that stuff should be in there moving forward. So we did their due this Friday from again this is going forward. It wouldn't been for this budget. Right. Right. And somebody we talk like next year a threeyear a fiveyear. Oh hello. Hi. Okay. Hi. The board has returned from executive session. No actions were taken. Please rise for the pledge of allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which

024it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Um, and I just like to take a motion to return to public session. May I have a first? Lisa, may I have a second? Bill. All in favor? Thank you. Okay. So, we are now going to have the budget presentation for adoption. All right, welcome everybody. April 22nd. This is um our budget adoption for the 2526 um fiscal school year. So, a little just update on the New York State budget because state aid is a component of our budget. The state still has not passed a budget. It was due on April 1st and they are still negotiating that budget. Again, all indicators are that state school aid is not one of the items that they are um in controversy over. Therefore, we

025don't expect a significant change in state aid when they finally adopt the budget. So, at our last meeting on April 8th, we began um with where we stood on March 11th, where our budget was. This is just a summary of what happened at April, April 8th, some of our discussions. So, we discussed that the budget increase was $1,619,000. And we then went forward with these were the items that the board wanted to discuss at that meeting on April 8th. These were the expenditure and program adjustments either that were organically through the budget process and additional ones that the board asked us to look at. And here we and this was really where we started our April 8th meeting. But another important component, we're going to come back to this slide also, but another important component

026of that meeting was the board deciding where they wanted to land with a tax levy because it addressed how we were going to work on the expenditure items in the budget. So a discussion ensued at the last meeting between the board as to option one and option two. And what that means is option one was did the was the board inclined they they kind of land the you landed in conversation at a desired 1.75% tax levy but then to achieve that the board considered either appropriating additional designating an additional fund balance which would have brought that to 1 million 925. You see that off on the left. And then the board discussed the merits of that, what that would mean long term. And they went through those discussions. That was option one. Option two was

027instead of appropriating or designating additional fund balance, would they address the expenditures that were in the budget and bring the expenditures down? So those were the two options or a combination thereof. And that's where we spent most of the time. It was a long and very productive meeting. So, we're going to go back to the prior slide. And as a result of that meeting, oh, I crossed this out because the board made the board in discussions was comfortable with uh reducing expenditures and having those conversations given some of the unknowns in the future that may be happening to public school finance and as they were discussing those and and you guys discussed those at the table. So then we went back to all of the considerations that were in the budget that night and we

028literally talked about them one at a time and um I'm going to talk I'll just go over them you know overall you know globally when we went over the possible changes we didn't go over the the budget that you said all the pieces of the budget this budget is assuming that the 79 million that we never really looked at closely is being spent properly and that I need you to attest to all of us and all the people in this town that there's no because it's already contracted. But how much how much of that budget can actually be negotiated or eliminated? You're saying 85% cannot be eliminated, right? Well, that's what the assumption. Most of most staff is collectively bargained. Not all, but most are collectively bargained. So, once we reach agreement with those units,

029we have we have set agreements there. I'm going to ask a question which is going to be annoying because talking about $80 million. I'm going to ask you about this $382,000 that in the last meeting was decided to not use. Is that right? the this green part here, the trips, the storage unit, the is that comes out to $382,000. So, behind you. Yeah. So, the decision Yes. Okay. So, can I ask about and this is why I'm asking about the fencing and I know that's this year's money and I know we're talking about next year's. Sure. But if we as a board are approving or not approving some of that fencing, is there money left over from this year that gets rolled into next year at all to do some of these things? I just

030hate to bring up people's taxes and then say we weren't able to do this these small items when we're talking about millions of dollars here. the money at the end of the year, it it doesn't roll into for the next gener operational budget. It has to be placed right in one of its designated. So, can we place it somewhere so that we can use it to cover some of these costs if, for example, this board isn't behind spending whatever that was, 226 over $200,000 on fencing. I mean, that's you couldn't use this year's money for next year's items. You'd have to amend the final budget. You'd have to amend right here. You'd have to amend this budget um to include those items in the proper line items. And then you would adopt be adopting a

031budget here that has a different total expenditure line and then we would have to have a different total revenue line. So we would have to amend. Yes. You'd have to make amendments obviously. Yes. But my question is is there still wiggle room here on April 22nd at 8:15 p.m. to have that conversation? And should we be talking then about when we're talking about big picture, should we be finishing our conversations about what we're spending this year before we plan on what we're spending next year if we think we're going to have money left over? That piece I'm not understanding, Alex. So if we think if we think after we decide on the budget for next year, we're going to go back and say, "Well, now we've got all this money left over. What should we

032do with it? Should we spend it on fencing? Where should we put it?" Are we doing it backwards? Should we be talking about whether or not we're using that money at all? And if not, should we be talking about amending this before we move forward tonight? That is a decision that you would have to make. But the money for this year, the revenues from this year and the expenditures from this year match this year's operational costs. We really wouldn't be able to just use this year's money in next year without just making changes to the final budget. Changing we do amendments. Could we just talk about our current year's money now and see if we have anything left in the cookie jar and then make amendments and fix some of our to amend next year

033future issues to amend next year's budget. There are two options. You can either do transfers amongst the codes that already that are exist for items that that come up. So you transfer money Yeah. amongst the codes that are there. The only other option is to amend the budget for an ordinary contingent expense that the board deems a contingent expense. Okay. So, but my question is should we be talking about do does other people follow what I'm saying? What I think you're asking is there every year we have reserves. You said every year we have reserves. Sure. The reserves then then then get applied, you know, but she's she's asking how much do we have in reserve right now before you apply that, I think. Right. And then we're going to talk about whether or not

034to spend some of it after this. So, why don't we should talk about that first? Yeah. And then know if we have money that we could amend the budget with to cover some of these things that we're saying we don't have money for when later in the night we may find the money after we've adopted this. It just seems backwards to me. The only the only thing I want to point out because we spent a lot of time on this last meeting. Whatever's left this year, I fully agree we could pay for something for this year that maybe we don't have in the budget like a field trip, right? But I think one of the pitfalls is that 1.2 million designated fund balance which is plugging the budget for next year that comes from this

035year. But you you're not guaranteed to have that much money. No, I know that. So, but so if we have this money left over right now, the $230,000 left over for fencing this year, chances are it's probably somewhere in next year's budget, too, is my guess. I thought that was all from this year. That is all from this year. I Yes, it's this year's money, but repeatable. No, it's non-re repeatable. It's non-re repeatable. Are we sure? Where did that money? I'm asking. I'll let answer. We have identified that we believe we'll have a surplus this year and we're talking about what next year's surplus would be. We're predicting it now and we're saying will it be approximately what it is this year? Um same conversation. What's the surplus? What's the surplus? As we discussed in

036February, we estimate the surplus at $3.5 million. $3.5 million reserves. So $3.5 million is our surplus this year. So she's asking including or not including the fencing money? Well, once we do some of these purchases, that's going to change. The three million Does that include the three and a half million that you're saying now? Does that include the $230,000 for fencing? Yes or no? It was done before the fencing. Okay. So, it's two it's 37 million 3 uh yeah, we we said we're going to be between two and a half and $4 million is our range. We estimate that's where we're going to be and that will change it in the reserves. So, now we're up to I'm sorry. It's going the opposite way. It's going down. The 3.5 million is without fencing and other

037things. If you want to put fencing in this year, your excess will be 3.2. It doesn't It does include the fencing then the 3.5 that estimate was done before the fencing conversation. So the fencing would come out of that, correct? Okay. Okay. The opposite direction. Got Thank you. And the 1.2 million comes out of that as well that we're plugging for next year. Right. It the 1.2 million replicates itself as we spoke about from year to year. So that 1.2 million is a constant right now. And but where does it come from? It comes it comes from excess from this year. Yeah. Operations that end with a net zero or surplus operations. Either of those. So if we're talking about the 3.5 million just to simplify things and you're taking fencing out. So now you're

038down to 3.25 million. And then Bill's saying if you're taking out the 1.2 two now are you down to two million the one no the 1.2 2 million does not come off of that bill. It's a constant from year to year. So you see this slide right here when the board was discussing option one and option two. Seems like a different answer than what but what you I agree. Yeah. That money has to come from somewhere. It's not from taxes. It's not from state aid. It's coming from this year's excess that we're spending next year to not increase taxes. Yes. But but if we didn't have any budgeted in addition to the 3.5 million, is that correct? If you didn't have any excess this year, let's say we ended exactly at zero, okay? You still

039have all the fund balance and reserves that we have on our books and records, okay, with none of them depleting. When we start to get to an operational deficit, you're either declining your reserve balances or declining your fund balance, which is designated or undesated. So the the seessaw occurs when you are at a surplus or a deficit. So you're right. I'm right. You're right. It's 4 something million. We're saying that we can't pay for field trips. Field trips. I'm just I I just I'm trying to wrap my head around it because I thought that the answer that was given at the last meeting seemed Did you think it was wrong or that there was a miscommunication of sorts? I thought there was excess this year. I watched the meeting. There was we didn't get to

040it because we ended at 1:00 a.m. But okay, we we were deferred the conversation about if there's excess money this year. I thought we were going to go back and talk about what we could pay for this year. We did not at the time want to budget those things for future years because it might leave us with no excess. Right. We were going to do that year to year based on our friendship. This number is budgeted anyway is my understanding. So it wouldn't in it that this money wouldn't come out of that. You're saying the field trip? Yeah. It if you wanted to designate an additional one to the $1.2 $2 million whatever say it's $200,000 for field trips, right? Your designated fund balance could be $1.4 million for the 2526 school year. Okay. If

041you wanted to So, well, this year this expenditures for the field trips for this year have happened already, right? For the most part, there's a few left. Washington Washington DC is still happening, right? Right. Um the music trip is happening still. And you can rebate people. Oh, the music trip's not happening because Oh, the change of the date. Oh, I know physics is happening because that was a conversation at my home tonight. Are there really a hundred kids who take physics by the way? That's what we are. No. All right. But I do want to just point out that when I went over it with Joe the contractual expenses, there are we do I'm not saying we shouldn't pay for those, but we do pay for a lot of field trips because No, I know

042we do, but I'm just my understanding has always been different than where the meeting landed, the last meeting when I was not here. So, I just wanted to be clear that I think that the way I understand it is correct. Is that right? Yes. That we're really more at like four over, not 3.5. That's I don't think we know next year. No, we never know next year's, but every year for the last few years since I've been on the board, it's been about $4 million. How How much did we put in reserves this year? Well, our from from last year's budget, from the previous year's budget, how much? Our reserves for last year was a negative $8 million just because of CVA. So, if you callull out CVA, it was about $5 million. That you

043have to callull out CVA. Okay. So, if you call out CBA, it was almost $5 million. Okay. Something that it was going to decline over a period of years. That was that was when the remember that that was state aid. That was the state aid and the Yeah, that was last year. Oh, that the based on enrollment you mean? No, it was it was last year. It was the state aid, right? The state aid was projected to go down if the governor adopted the if she got rid of the harmless. Yes, the whole harmless. That's right. Yes. So, that is not projected to decline over a period of years. It's going to be a consistent. We also get very little bit. We all know Yeah. This year looks like it's going to be the 2%

044to hold harmless, but they haven't passed. But that's what it seems to be at this point. Okay. May I ask just just to manage the time here, can we go around and have a discussion about whether or not we want to talk about before we complete this next year's budget if we want to talk about what money we want to finish spending this year. That would be the first item. And then the second item would be whether or not we want to take another look at these few 382,000. And I know it's just a drop in our big bucket, but just to make sure we're being guided in the right direction on that expenditure too before we adopt a budget. So Mark, are you comfortable if we pause and talk about finishing out this year

045first? I think we should. Okay. Kate, what about you, Heather? Lisa, yes. Bill. Okay. And then are we also comfortable then relooking at just that little portion of money here, this 382 after we have that conversation about possibly amending of the 382. The the number of items behind you that are approved are in the but only items. Okay. So, just the field trip items. Are we comfortable then reopening the discussion on field trips? Bill, yeah, we can talk. Yes. Lisa, yes. Heather, Kate, Mark. Okay. Okay. Just so everyone feels heard. Okay. And is heard. Okay. Thank you. So, can we pause and quickly talk about other items that we'd need to approve to spend money on for this year's budget so we understand what we have left and I know we're not done spending so

046that gets complicated but does that make sense? Do I need to take a motion to do that? I think you there's actual resolutions that are crafted by like if you're talking fences and like security cameras. I don't know what else items that you're considering, but those are formal resolutions that have been that are being drafted. I think um Joe mentioned in Friday notes as their piece. They're on the May board meeting. Okay. They're they're going to be scheduled for adoption on the May because there's environmental impact uh resolution that the board has to pass and and and then the actual declaring it an ordinary non-contingent expense since it wasn't built into the budget originally. So, so those resolutions have been drafted by the attorneys for the May meeting. Okay. But if we don't need them

047to draft them, we could say hold off on that. You could you could not pass them. You don't have to do them. Yes, you have to do them. Okay. So, can we I don't need to take a motion now then to change gears. Is that right? And open a discussion on I don't I don't What are those two resolutions? So, one is the fencing and what was the other one? Security came. Security cameras. Oh, security cameras. Okay. So, I don't need to take a motion to switch. No, because you I think you'd have to take an action on the resolutions that that is not on this agenda. So, I guess maybe Are you suggesting we talk about it now and wait until May to vote on it? I I we could because we don't have

048the resolution here. But if we decide that we're not going to move forward with it, then we don't have to. Oh, we could we could then we could give it to you in May. Right. Not we could take it off the agenda. We could have a shorter meeting in May. Yeah, I think we should. Okay. I did have a comment on fencing. Yes. Um just the entrance to Westside on both the the main entrance and the back entrance part of the fencing plan I believe and Mr. Smith, correct me, included a a very strong gate, which I think you've been asking for. Um I I think um we should discuss possibly, you know, doing that's not fencing. That's different. And and right now they block it off with cones when kids are playing. Um I

049think a a a strong gate that kind of fencing I think makes sense. It's not fence. It's a gate. But um does anybody have any thoughts on that? Well, I think that was a safety issue. Right. Right. The gate was I think that's a great idea. That seemed reasonable. Right. The gate was designed so students often use that parking lot circle, say where the cars drop off, right, to play. Yeah. Uh so instead of just having cones where I've seen people drive over the cones, I have to say they've been on their phones on a big large truck and they've driven over. I've seen it. soldier there's a gate to it really right it was a safety thing a funny story about that it wasn't anybody here uh it was safe and this allowed that

050to be the area for kids to to play in west side and on the back circle is there also a need for a gate there or just the front where the that would be where the buses go I don't believe we put a gate you don't need a gate there just in the air airplane entrance talk. Yeah, just clarify. So Mark's talking about Westside School and which gate you were recommending from a security standpoint. Sure. So that would be the Steuart entrance with Hatch is a circle that would get a gate, but the Laurel Hollow Road entrance would not. Correct. And kids don't play back there. They don't. No. No. And the same I guess would I'd ask for Lloyd Harbor or Kuso. Do do they need do they need those kind of gates um

051across roadways? Well, those skates definitely make it safer, especially in the area, uh, you know, west where they're playing right there. You know, those cones aren't sufficient. The kids don't play at go in the street at all. And at Lloyd Harbor, they don't play in the They have so much more space. They don't use that at all. Yeah. So, right here, this is where the cars drop off. So, this is this would be that strong gate. Yeah. Where they couldn't get through here, right? And they they use this to play. This this is not used for play whatsoever. And then this would be there's a piece there fencing here and fence it all around. But I think that gate would be well money well spent. Yeah, that gate's very important. I mean obviously as we

052talked about the last meeting, it's a balance between the aesthetics, security, and the budget. So that's decision. Can I ask you a question just from a security standpoint too? Um, I also work in schools and um, my understanding in some of the, and you hate to say this, but active shooter training that I've been through is that sometimes it's beneficial for kids to be able to run away through fields and trees. Would fencing all the way around actually prohibit students from being able to escape if they were on a field and somebody was out there? I don't think it prohibits them. I mean, you're looking at trying to stop them from coming in. Also, we will have gates out there, you know, access gates to get out because you have to think about that's very

053important also. Um, but we haven't seen that historically. Okay. Right. Where they're fleeing and being gated in. That's not something you're seeing in that. Making me nervously historically. So, it's all about risk management obviously. Yes. No, I I know. And it's topic. Yeah. Unfortunately, in my business prior to this, all I saw was the bad. So, I know that's what my brain is. So, uh, you know, if I perceive a risk, I make a suggestion, but I understand there's a balance again between budget and aesthetics. Um, yeah, and I don't not even I think children's safety would be first over budget and aesthetics for all of us. Yes. And safety also. Definitely. I was I was looking at it's funny. I was looking at the Lloyd Harbor I mean uh yeah, the Lloyd Harbor camera

054today because I try to monitor the cameras every day a little bit and I'll pass these around. Thank you. They kick the soccer ball into the parking lot. You go and you see the last the last three pass the child actually kicks the ball in the parking lot, runs into the parking lot as in as in between the cars in the parking lot. So that's a risk, you know, as a risk manager. I see something like that. You could pass those on. I just took some quick snaps. That was three goals in 43 seconds. It was So that yellow piece there would prevent them from kicking it into the parking lot. Is that correct? So over. Okay. Correct. Yeah. I had to get my parents here. Okay. And you'll see in the photos. Not only

055do they walk around the perimeter, which also brings some of this in, but I didn't know they're in class. And I have a guard out there. I talked about monitoring this more closely, but I saw that, but he's very busy, too. He's trying to watch this, trying to watch this. So, but I was I was surprised myself. three minutes three times three different kids kicked the soccer ball I'm sorry into that um area and when one kid went between the two cars to get it that was really a concern what what kind of vehicle gates would these be though I mean they're the the triangular ones right no the yellow is vehicle gate no yellow is vehicle gate that would be the heavy duty it's a vehicle gate if we do all the fencing right

056yeah but if we don't do all the fencing and we just had fencing that blocked the parking lot. You wouldn't need a vehicle gate there because people could drive there. Is that for parking on the lawn or Yeah. Um so fence there makes sense. A fence there makes sense and a gate at west side. And then can we see how do they park in the field though if they put a fence? So no, if they just put a fence Sorry if you could go back to Lloyd Harbor. Yeah, just right there at the parking lot. Those are gates. No, if if they were just fences there, they can just drive. Okay, that's what I was asking. Can't they? I mean, that's my question. I think that's where you drive. Well, if there's a Do they

057park in the field that often? You know, it's it's used a couple of times a year occasionally. Colonial day. Yeah. On days like that. So, I mean, there's not a lot of spare parking. Fans can also they can just park at Kate's house. Your grass is too good. So what we got other campuses? Goose. Yeah. So can we So Goose Hill, what is is your recommendation for there's no problem with kids running into the parking lot here, right? You know, anything close to risk. Okay. Sure. Yeah. That's my first concern. Okay. Again, fencing is just a basic level of security. So, security, which I understand, but height after four, five, six feet, it gets more secure. So, so looking at that, oh, there. And then you maybe where the yellow is and then to the

058right and then you got all the the parking gate for the car. Yeah. And then everything's sealed off at least for the kids to the park. But we talked about two. First we were talking about gates that prevent from street hunt. That was the initial and then we said would do we want to do the entire exact we're talking this anybody coming from the public space going these houses. This is pretty dense brush. This this is our exit uh that we allow to get back to uh the street over here. Uh and right over here, these are um the wooden kind of like stable type like it's three pieces of wood. So it's not very right. So we talked about this initially and then I think we talked about wanted the highest level of security.

059That's what we went to here. I think Alex what you outlined is so we'd like to see options really maybe even a fa phase one phase one yes phase one maybe we could look at and we should be just really clear because I think one of the problems that happen after board meetings is we have all these conversations and we all think we're very clear but we have like six different opinions of what what was said here. So, West Side, the fence that prevents or allows for the kids to play, the gate that allows for the kids to play in the street at Westside, that would be number one, right? So, this here, that there. And then existing, that's existing. Okay. And then at Lloyd Harbor, is that the next slide? at Lloyd Harbor fencing

060on the parking lot right there and then do we want to include this here like it blocks kids don't I think tend to go over to that side for recess I mean I think it's if the a point is just to block them from running after balls into the parking lot well they walk the they watch they walk the track right they love that back. Um, but there was a volleyball net in that. Is there I don't know if they Cararissa use it. Where do they go? Yeah. So, they're over there. Um, the only other thing I would say about fencing is they love to play soccer. the balls going into the woods, um ticks, um deer cutting across the field, like our nurse is wellversed in tick removal, unfortunately. Um so that's my only

061other thing about having a back stop because they don't always get it in the net, but they love to play. Wouldn't it be a lot less expensive to have deer fence then than have this fence, you know, that mesh or whatever that keeps the deer out rather than No, it's not less expensive. Not necessarily. Okay. But yeah, the the parking lot the gym the gym students are the PE students are typically the ones that are over near that that parking lot. Recess happens more um this way towards the sports court. We did just move the soccer nets um more towards the parking lot because we're giving the section of the field a little bit of a rest. We kind of um sectioned it off to make the supervision a little bit easier. Um you know,

062it's a really big area if we let them have access to everything. But yeah, I think the the parking lot fencing w would be would be great um you know, if we're going to do it in phases. And then just to consider um the ticks are are a problem and and they often are running into the woods after a ball or you know somebody likes to duck in there and you know be funny for a minute. Um so that is something that is that we're we're seeing. I'm not a tick expert but well I have had lime disease more than once so maybe I am. But I think they come with the mice though too not just with the deer. I think that that's who typically brings them and right bunnies. Yeah. Um, okay. So,

063good. Okay. But so, phase one for the parking lot and then something to look at in the future. What are you just Yeah. Oh, good. Look at this. It's organized, Joe. Good job. Now you've got our attention. Yeah. Interactive. Anti-C prototype somewhere. Yes, we do. The an anti- tick. Yes. We got some details, right? Kelly Callahan, get her in here. I have a connection. I can ask. Yeah. And the only other thing I would mention, and we can look at this at the walkthrough tomorrow night, the exterior doors that students are using right there by the parking lot, they're using that to exit onto the field. So, considering, you know, we that they don't have to walk by classrooms that way. So, that's another area that they're kind of exposed to the to the classroom

064or to the parking lot. Um, you know, they're with teachers, they're walking around, but they're, you know, they're exiting that door um pretty frequently. And this is correct. There's two spots and one handicap spot there. Is that all that's Yeah. I wondered if we do you could do a little fence there that would you're losing two spots or three spots maybe that would help with the the flow of students out of the building and not having access to the parking lot. Yeah. Do you understand what I'm saying? And then if people needed to park on the field or something, you could go up to that righthand corner and come down. We would need something here. I I I'm I'm not sure on the distance is that's going to be good traffic. This pattern was you

065kind of come in and come out here. That's what that was because that's how it's worked. I would have to see what the distance here would that be viable for in Well, at the high school you have one entrance. Yes. Yeah, that's what we have here. That's what the doors are. So, we're looking for this circled and possibly up to the building. That's what we're looking for, right? And gates that swing open big enough to to allow for vehicles. Yeah, you do want to have gates there, not a full fence. So they would be top to bottom. Top to bottom gates, not the vehicle gates that are like triangular, right? I don't think anyone's saying that they'd be like the mechanical gates like welcome to my home, but just like a fence like that can

066open. I question is it fenced gate like the ones you wanted to put at the high school at the circle were weren't they the right those were like the the triangular ones that are open at the bottom that wouldn't stop a soccer ball. No. So we would need like a fencing like a fence like a kid. That is what I'm thinking of. Yeah, like that work. Like a pool gate but big enough to get the car through. Is that what you're thinking? Lisa is saying this is for at the junior high school. But we're talking about this or that. No, but that top one is a vehicle gate. So we keep talking vehicle gate, but that No, we're saying put a put but you could make a panel that swings open of this. Well, that's

067what I'm saying. I'm making sure it's that and not the top vehicle gates first with the fencing and to her point the ball will go through it. Right. What am I looking the fencing in the lower left corner that's that's regular fencing. You would put in what's called a double leaf gate look like. So that the gate would look like the chain link fencing. It' be a double leaf gate be two openings five or six feet. It would open to 10 or 12 feet. That's for vehicle entry. So, it' be consistent with not having a barrier gate that people could go through. The barrier gates are more for driveways where you just don't want a vehicle to go into the driveway, but you still want people to walk all around. Okay. Thank you. All right.

068So, Lloyd Harbor phase one, this bottom fencing here by the parking lot. This one. Go back. This one we're going to do, we're going to move this to something. something like this estimation. Okay. Right. With two with the two, right? Yes. Okay. So, Westside's done, Lloyd Harbor's done. Goose Hill. So Goose Hill, the recommendation was also to fence off at least in phase one the parking lot. Right. Right. Which makes sense. You trace down. Yeah. And then where the yellow is, there'd have to also be the swinging gate. Right. or I'm using gate loosely here, but the panel of fence that can open for when you need to park cars on the field, right? Whatever would be appropriate, maybe. Okay. Okay. And then do we have the high school too here? Okay. So, junior senior

069high. The proposal was for vehicle gates to close the circle and to close the back there and over here. This is like the English park. This is the back of the fieldhouse and this is the front. Okay. Any idea what the vehicle gates cost? I was going to ask what the pricing is on the this My aura ring told me it's close to my bedtime. Got a notification. We already hit the over on the over under for the meeting. So, oh, I heard you say 8:30. Good luck. Boy can dream. Every time I leave my house, I'm like, I don't think I'm going to be late tonight, kids. I know your husband laughed at me on the train when I said it won't be that late. Is there There's not a presentation with the pricing

070broken out on these. Okay. All right. thought I mean I only watched the last meeting but I thought it was like and this is going to cost this and this is what didn't it you didn't have that conversation for the fencing as a top line number oh that was all it was 22600 yeah just okay You have anything? Okay. All right. Okay. So, should we put a pen in this while we wait for you to come back with the number? Um, we could I mean since be something we would vote on at the next meeting, you could definitely have all the pricing. Yeah. I think we'd like to know now though a sense of Yeah. What it would how much we'll have left over if we don't spend it. It really should be part of

071the presentation. Are we going to talk about school by school? What it would cost? Other capital projects that we're going to be looking at in a one to three year range. We're gonna talk about right now. Yeah. That what talking about fencing? Just any other be the time like because when we did the walk through I was there with Bill. Um we were interested in looking at fixing and improving upon the cafeteria and the senior commons. Um, it was something that appealed to me. I don't know, Bill, you as well. So, if we're talking about fencing, yeah, can we discuss that and the speed in which we could do that? Yeah. Anthony stepped out. He stepped out to get the pricing on the fencing. So, did you want to talk about the other projects, Heather?

072Sure. Um so when we did our walkth through we looked at the senior commons and the way it looks now and we had just discussed some ideas for improvement. Uh Mr. Danuski also took us through the cafeteria and how food service is done with the traditional serving lines where there's not that much space behind you when you're waiting for food. Um and we just discussed some improvements to that area and I think it's something we should look at. I definitely think that area could use a little love and all the students I think would at one point benefit from it. Yeah, I mean I think agree come up over and over again. Yeah, I think that's a I think if we have money this year that would be great, but to me that's a longer

073term project because I think we need to plan out because for example that one of the items we talked about was uh possibly reestablishing an outside entrance from the senior commons, but then we would need fencing, right? So, we're back to fencing discussions. It used to be here. The whole building used to have sliding doors. We could go in and out. There used to be I remember I came back and they were all taken out. Kids used to go out here and eat in this area. But you're right. But if we did that, we would want to put a fence in this area. So, when kids go to Oh, I thought it was in the back by This is the cafeteria right here. This is the senior. Oh, you're right. You're absolutely right. Thank you,

074Bill. But we could also talk about the phasing. But yeah, it's not 100 feet. Oh, you're saying by the parking lot. Yeah. Quarting this part off so we go out to eat here. 100 feet. I'm guessing that's not going to be really a big cost considering what we're talking about doing. I guess the reason it's a more complex discussion because it's easy to add a gate and say we're we're good even if we do nothing else. I think this is a bigger plan. Yes. And I think this is where we get into the weeds in a tricky way, right? Where there's so many projects that we should be thinking about and planning for in a purposeful and thoughtful way and this is just something that was proposed. So then it becomes right the highest item

075but it's not really what we discussed as collectively knowing all of the issues what we consider top priority right that's your point I was just thinking of long range planning so we're talking about the money that they're planning on spending this year right and whether or not we want to approve them spending money that they're already planning to potentially spend this year and then how we could repurpose it. So, well, could and that's that's what part of the wish list will be coming this Friday. But could some of that money then if we have money left this year then be appropriated to capital improvement fund to be used for exactly what we're talking about. That's where we put it say we're going to Yes. Right. And obviously that the kitchen and that is a has

076to be done in that 10e time frame. There's no other time to do that work. It has to be done during the summer, right? Should we be thinking about anything else that's expected like within a couple years or no? Well, we we'll have that list to see what Yeah. we're thinking of and that'll be part of the walk through tomorrow west side to get that feel for what we want to do. Yeah. The the lunchroom and senior comments has been the same for the 28 years I've been here. Oh, good. Anthony, we're just talking while we wait for you. So, if you have it, come on down. Yeah, I'm using the I'm using the high school as reference because that's the only place we priced out barrier gates and three gates in three locations about

077$7,000. So, I think that's that's a a general each. No, no. Uh total for all three. Those barrier gates are $7,000 for three. Yeah. We want four. Put them everywhere. Um Okay. Yeah, it's four. It was four actually in this proposal. So is that for four or for I have three locations. I believe one Oh, is this this is one here? Is that right? And then two, three. Yeah, it's Well, that seems reasonable, folks. Right. Is everyone in agreement? Yeah, I'll get more information on pricing. You can say that. I don't want to take somebody's other opinion away. So, well, but everyone can have their own opinion. It's okay. So, I I concur. Seems like a no-brainer. Okay. Yeah. $7,000 for that. I mean, so and then is there any way Hold on. Don't sit

078down. You don't have the pricing on the other on like how much it was per section of fencing or something, right? They didn't give that to you or No, it's the whole yard or No. Um, was it $36 per linear foot? Yes, that was about Yeah, that's that was for the 6ft fence and 4 foot fence was 24. I think you're correct. 24 28. Okay. So, I guess if we're trying to figure out how much money we're actually saving by only doing what we've just identified as phase one, we'd need the numbers run for the next meeting for phase one. But is there any way to make an estimated guess based on the numbers that we have in front of us right now just for the purposes of this meeting? Little back of the envelope

079math here. I I I would probably need to use Google Earth and try to put it together to get the to get the measurements, but we don't have the Don't we have the measurements from the company for the They have the full run pricing. Oh, they have the full run. We don't have it section by section. No, it's done as the the entire piece of work. So, if it's 2500 feet, they have that. They didn't break it down into each area. I'm on the west side. Sorry. Okay. Where do you want to go? Lloyd. So, Lloyd Harbor. Okay. Okay. So, I see. All right. Change. Okay. So, I mean looking I mean we eliminated so much like 70% of the fencing. Would you say we've eliminated? Probably that maybe more. So, just to be conservative,

080would we even say 65%'s been eliminated and then back out the $7,000 and then back out 65% of what's left and then does that give you the number? Does that seem right? Generally 200 good enough for I think you're talking about 45,000 sounds about I think we're coming in at Okay, that's about that's probably general. Yeah. Well, just to be conservative and make sure that we're not going and and one thing I want to make sure we're clear on. We were talking the front being 4 foot fencing. Am I correct? Correct. Okay. Not six. Yeah. I reached out to 17 school districts. They all pretty much one district had all six foot. One district had all four foot. The remainder had a combination of four and six foot and four was the front on the

081foot. Just so you have all the information you're thinking about. pieces and I know it's two and a half times the cost. If you're just doing parts to keep kids from playing soccer that's the foroot is good and it's good no matter what it's better than what we have. If you do a 4 foot chain link versus a 4 foot ornamental, if you're chaining the whole thing, looking at the security aspect, the ornamental is a little safer. I did find a study where took 3 seconds to breach a 4oot chain link and over a minute to breach a 4oot ornamental, but it's times that I want you to have all the information. No, that's great. Thank you. We love all the information. Okay. So, you can't put put those fun colors in a ornamentals. Okay,

082that's true. Um, so if we think we'd come in, what did we say around $45,000? Is that right? And what was the total price originally? 230 26 32 232. So we think we'd be left around 190. Is that that we didn't spend? Does that sound right? 85. How much do you think that we not defensing? 65% you said 65% would be 150,000. But then minus the 7,000. Yeah. 146 276 plus $7,000 is what we save. Well, we're going to spend the 7,000 though, not save it, right? Yeah. Yeah. That comes to 79,000 for the I think that's going to be high, but 79,000 is what we're coming in. Okay. So, it's going to come in below. That'll come in below, but just for the purposes of So, so let's say it's $80,000 out of that

083220. What else could we do for the school district this year with the remainder of that money then? Well, I was comfortable with the Washington field trip or Has Philadelphia gone, too? Philly went. Philly went. No. Okay. Oh, not yet. Oh, Philly usually doesn't go until May, right? Yes. Yeah. I just happened to look through all my camera roll recently. Yeah. They probably paid for it, though. But that's to Mark's point, we could give them their money back, too, right? I mean, right. They have all the meetings. Yeah. Meetings and plannings. So, could we do Washington DC? Philadelphia. Washington. What else? We're We're estimating 135. That's roughly a thousand. So, how much did you pay this year? 930. 930. 930 times. How many kids? I think it's 128. I could be off by one. I

084think that's what the number is. 130. I think we estimated 135,000 for next year,000. We put in 35 20,000 uh 128. So that's one round up 120 120. And then Philadelphia, where's this list? Oh, okay. So, that wasn't on this list. Great. Okay. Thank you. Um, we didn't talk about there's the Broadway shows, Thrills and Thrill, Trills and Thrills, sorry. This year though, Great Adventure Physics and Crestwood. So, 120 is DC. We had 140 left over. So, we have 20 left. DC. Yeah. I think it's tricky to just pick one trip. Cash the checks ready for DC. Probably I almost wonder if you go like I would close half of DC and then the other trips or something to get hit more grades. Yeah, let's do that math. So if we do epidal here 95

085That's not prove math anymore. 108 is if we do everything. What is it? 108. If we do half of Washington DC and then two broadways music. Oh, if we split everything in half. Music isn't happening. Music's not happening. Wow. Let's see. It's $200,600. Half of it is $100,300. So, without music, without the trills and thrills. Yeah. Okay. Trills and thrills. It's about $100,000. That's 100. Yeah. So, we could do 50%. 50% of the trips. What is everyone comfortable with that? Yeah. Yeah. We're good. Half of the trips. I just wrote a check this morning for physics. So, that sucker up. Well, you got to pay half. Make a new one anyway. Don't stop payment yet. All right. So, Christine, are you is that for 2425 this current year? Yes. The trips that are remaining, right?

086Which is looks like all of them that were on the list actually. Is that right? Are the Have the Broadway trips gone soon. But you guys go soon. Oh, Lloyd Harbor went. Okay. So, can we is about to go. Like when you get here check so what happens the government oh I didn't get that physics is due tomorrow so oh like your star refund most of DC has been collected I would imagine 95% of the checks I've been so how do we give the money back I just had to give them so much money I want to cry unfortunately to return the money every parent has to fill out a W9 form and provide us with there. We We just need it uh if it for recordkeeping purposes it's required and then we would issue

087them a refund. What if we commit to paying next these trips for next year? You don't have the money next year. W this money can't be No. Can you make it? No. It's really not a big deal. People decline then they decline, right? Yeah. If the building can't get them to give it, then we we couldn't refund. We wouldn't be able to refund them. But it's not really a big deal. people fill them out all the time. It's it's your name and address really and you sign it. You give them a deadline. Yeah, we would have the building um clerical staff assist with that because they know the families and they offer it to people if they don't want to do it. If they don't want their $35 back, then more fences, more fences, buy

088another soccer ball and ft fence. All right, great. Okay, so are we comfortable now with that? Yep. portion of it. Okay. And then the other portion of it was actually so what I was talking about was next year's trips also, which I know we just said we don't have the money for, but I think before what we said was that actually that designated fund balance. I'm going to get back into this was the $1.2 million is not the same as the $3.5 million. They're different funds. So, we would technically be able to afford putting those trips back in for next year at full possibly. Is that right? Well, I wasn't a fan of preunding them. I'm more of a fan of like waiting till the end of the year January on the calendar and saying

089I like that. Look, we have three million still. Let's Okay, but can we do it in January and not now? Is everyone comfortable with that? Yeah, Kate. Yes. Okay, good. Okay, we'll know our aid at that point. I love this guys. Great. Yeah. All right. Is that Sorry, I didn't mean to blurt that out, but I I think that's a great idea. No, blurtain. Blurt it out, Bill. We don't want to be here all night. Just blurt it out and then we can look in future maybe something we do incorporate or slowly put in. Yes. Let's If every year we say, "Oh my gosh, we're able to pay for these every year." Then we'll know this is getting silly. Okay, great. Okay, Christine, back to the presentation. All right. So, are we okay with all

090the decisions we made on April? Then we're good. Okay. Mark, hold on. He just said, "Well, I'm going back." Mark, we're doing just to go over, we're doing a hybrid model, right? So, that's I think everybody Can we just go through it one more time? Sure. So, the decisions that were made everybody okay with Yes, that's a good exercise. Yes. Yes. Was a hybrid model of her ICT. Want me to do it more or you? Yeah, but I think we should kind of go one. It's not that many. So, I think Sure. probably wait for Kate and then come back and do it together. Okay, we'll wait. Um, so when will we know on the K the extra teacher for for Goose Hill? Yeah, we're likely. We're at either 99 or 100 right now. So,

091it's like, what are you saying? Like 97% chance of happening. I What would happen is nobody needs to register going forward, which that it's always tricky. Could you have five parents say, "I'm going to hold my child back because they're going to be very young and we could be at 94." That's the what we need is kind of have that here's our drop deadad date by this date. I'll just pick July 1. This is the definitive unless before we see we're at 110, we know it's a done deal. Well, and we probably want it before that for to get a good teacher. Oh, yes. I was just Yeah. Picking. Yes. Yeah. And kindergarten has is always the trickiest of the of the of the dates. Uh the already registered for school unless the new entrance

092is in. Um I mean, I had a son. We we were thinking about holding back, not holding back, holding back, and we let him go and it and it worked out. I could tell you we we've got in the preschool, we've got kids that are signed up for to repeat preK who are deciding whether or not they want to be a kinder. So those could So it's it's always and we're so you know we're small. Remember like three weeks ago we were at 84 like well we got plenty of space. Don't worry about it. There's no problem. And then yeah, I think parents really it got warm and I realized it's coming around the corner and I better register and they came in. There's not a lot of inventory as far as houses go right

093now, which is interesting, too. Okay. Interesting. Yeah. But we do have the room if we had to add another kindergarten class. What we'd have to do if we add another kindergarten, then we would have to see where we put the UPK. So we talked about t administrative meeting and we're going to discuss that what what these possible solutions would be. There's always a possibility as to what are the choices we want to make and what are the ramification of those choices. So we're thinking about that now. Were the parents told for UPK that both classes that like prior to registration were they told that both UPK classes would be at Gus Hill or they doesn't matter? We said that it would be likely, but it was not not a definite decision because we were still

094waiting for sections to be settled. Right. So, that could affect whether it could for some people some students participate. Okay. So, okay, we were just waiting for you to return. We're going to go through them. No, that's okay. We're going to go through these items just one more time and make sure we're all in agreement on where we landed on these. Okay. Take it away, Christine. So um the first decision that the board made is that they preferred the hybrid model for ICT um for next school year. And that hybrid model was grades four, five, and six, five, four, five, and six full-time at both schools. and grades one and grade one full-time, a full-time program in grade one. So, that was the decision um for for the ICT expansion. The ICT program needs at

095the high school have the board discussed and and it was discussed with PPS and Dr. Shy an additional 0.9 FTE needed for the students coming in for seventh grade and that was approved. Can I just ask a question about the math? Is it just um who who's gonna teach the math class? Is it Oh, okay. All right, then. Great. We also um discussed and the board approved class size reduction at Lloyd Harbor and Westside, second grade at Westside, and fifth grade at Lloyd Harbor. We also discussed that there's additional interest at the high school for occupational education um programs for our students and that was about $75,000 and the board approved that. I just Sorry, one question about that. I think it's so cool. Is that for to bring programs and knowing how many students

096are already enrolled in it or is it like open to other people enrolling? I'll speak to it if I'm wrong. J correct me. The students have gone through their course selection process and they selected courses and these are both programs that are offered and they would be going off-campus for those programs. So great. Thanks. Yep. Great. We discussed the cse chair um and that resource and you'll notice here from that meeting till today um we are the board approved a CSSE chair but now we're discussing that kindergarten enrollment has increased from our last meeting and um we may need to meet use those funds for an additional kindergarten class. So on that, if we go with a CSC chair and then um the enrollment doesn't break, now you have a CSSE chair, but you're right

097on the precipice. So next year you might be looking at another teacher needed now. Now you can't substitute because you have a cse chair and you have another one. if you I I think that's kind of um dangerous planning because you're locking unless you're going to get rid of the cse chair right away or we just increased again overhead um of you know FTE. So, but Joel was also talking last time about there might be teachers who are retiring that we might not need to replace, right? Wasn't that a com? Right. But we're seeing as our right now we're in the 100 105s at the elementary as those start going up through the levels we we're going to see retirements and there will be points where we may not need to retire need to replace

098the teacher. Part of that are the splits where they go to Westside and who goes to Lloyd Harbor. Uh it looks like we're going to start to soon see instead of having four sections at Lloyd Harvard, they're seeing three. That's what it it appears to be as when we have 100 students. Um you know, we we talked about these are those ugly numbers when you have 61 kids or 60 kids and that's your break. You you want to always see like the 65. It's a clearcut uh when you have the 59 before September starts and you're right on the edge. But that's when we're a small district and westside sometimes is the and sometimes I even detrimental if we have you could have 28 kids in a grade too much for a class but I

099would say 14 is probably too small. There's not enough mixing going on with kids. You could even have a 26 and it's but that's the nature of the beast of a small district like we are here that sometimes we're dealing with those like we say ugly numbers. So then we discussed at the last meeting a math coach and you'll actually see two line line items here. The board did not u was not inclined to improve to approve a full-time math coach and then a discussion ensued about a point to FTE as we roll out a new math program here in the district. So that is what um the board approved at that last meeting. the Lloyd Harbor. Moving on, the Lloyd Harbor ICT contingency position that's identified here was a sixth grade class at Lloyd

100Harbor that we are watching from April 8th until now. Um, as of today, it looks like that contingency will be utilized and we will be having to hire that teacher for that sixth grade. We will have to have two ICT classes um in the sixth grade level. The next the next two um items that the board did approve was high school reduction in class sizes and math 78 reduction in class sizes. Um they were they the board did discuss and approve and we also had a discussion at the last meeting since scheduling was pretty finished where we where the district stood at some of the additional FTE needs at the end of the high school scheduling process. And those two FTEEs, I think if memory serves me right, Jen, it was 1.9 is was the

101additional FTEES that the district needed. So, um, we're right in line to what to what was here. The board was not inclined to approve any additional purchasing resources, so that was removed. We moved down to other items the board asked us to look at. We discussed leave of absence in the districts that we do know of that are coming and the additional costs associated with those and the board the board approved that. Um as discussed tonight, the six field trips that are listed, we'll discuss them next school year as the school year progresses. And the last three items the board did approve. It was a storage unit for athletics. We had a conversation about storage needs for athletics and this is an estimated price to lease a storage container and to get what we need

102for that. The next was um the network operations center. We call that the knock and hooking that up to the generator for the new addition that is at the high school and um the cost associated with that $50,000. And then the last is for administrative costs, miscellaneous administrative costs that we discussed and the board approved those. Okay. Does anyone have questions based on what we just went through? Now, Mark, questions. Um, I just did Could everyone explain to me just the CSE chair again why we're doing that? Well, it sounds like we're doing a kindergarten teacher in lie of in lie of only if it breaks. It's already hit basing it on Joe saying it's almost like it's a definite nothing's definite. It's we're at 99 or 100 today and we still have and if

103things change we're have we have a cse chair. So I just want to make sure I understand. We should we should talk about it should be reflected more as a kindergarten section possible cse chair backup I just want to make sure yeah if we spend the money I want I want to make sure that's a good that is a good so can we change it to be reflective of then additional kindergarten teacher if we can call it a contingent position if you'd like if we can call it a contingent position if you'd like and and that just leaves it open to need. Yeah. Right. But then Mark has a question about what the CS So you were saying if we don't break, are we going to have are we going to hire a cse chair?

104I think that's your question. And then will we will we be able to maintain that person if we then need to add another teacher in the future is your question, right? Well, we probably will maintain it because we'll just it'll be in the Right. It'll be in that $79 million. Exactly. Yeah. Yeah. That will never get questioned again. So that's why Right. No, it's a good question. Yeah. So, yeah. So, um I of all the positions we want to add in this district, if we do add a cse chair, is the board is that what we want to spend $132,000 on? And if so, just hit me with it. Why? Why are we doing that? Well, I mean, Nicole came up and explained it to us two meetings ago or three meetings ago. Do you

105want to come up? Okay. and and another one that I was at. So, yeah, basically her day easier. She does a lot. That's what I want to hear. Yeah, hers is legitimate. The reason for the proposal for a CSC chairperson and I know chairperson the terminology can mean different things for different people because we do have chairpeople at the high school and that's very different than this position. So this position is really assisting the department of chairing meetings. We have over 260 students with IEPs, 92 students with 504s. Most of my time and Kristen's time is devoted from January to the end of May of just being in meetings. I do not want to take that away from my responsibility or Kristen's responsibility because there is an added value of working with parents. But we

106are expanding the department. We need to have sustainability. I don't see the infrastructure in the direction and my vision moving forward. So by assisting having this person work under myself and Kristen, uh this person could do a couple of things. One is the preschool is growing. It has nothing to do with the UPK. We have a number of families that are coming in especially after COVID that have children with special needs. I am chairing all the preschool meetings. that is over 40 meetings not including any students within district. So that would be something that I think would be a great benefit for families because they are they we would have more time with someone to help them find services and to also chair meetings in a more timely manner. We're doing the best that we

107can. I'm working you know late evenings. Um, but I'm concerned of the high quality and just in the direction if we can't do it next year, I will be putting this on year after year. I know it was something that my predecessor had, but I do think we're in a very different position in the direction that we're going with special education and the vision and the mandate that I received from the board of education when I was hired. So, that is the reason why it's on there. I could list duties specifically for you uh in regard to what that person would look like. It could be uh someone that's just chairing meetings, but also it's about helping families coordinate services, especially at the preschool level. I am visiting all the preschoolers because it's my my

108value that I don't want to have meetings without without knowing the kids. So, we are doing these things that are high level and I just don't want to cut back on the quality. I asked Cararissa to be here because also too, you can hear at the building level the amount of support that our staff need as we're developing the ICT programs. Um, Dr. Chev, can you give me an average of how long is one cse meeting? I can I can give you what I think, but I'd like to be more accurate. So, typically a meeting could be 45 minutes. I would say within Cold Spring Harbor, it could be about an hour to an hour and a half if it's a re-evaluation meeting. if it and keep in mind that every family mandated one meeting

109a year. We also have re-evaluate re-evaluation meetings and initials and a number of parents do request meetings throughout the year. Um so that's so I asked her that question because you know there is a lot as building principles um that we we consult with Kristen and Dr. Shy about and we rely on them and we ask them and and we we ask them for their support and they they do a great job but they are truly very very tied up for for much of their this is a very very heavy season. If you'd like to see Dr. Shy you need to be a part of the meeting that she's in or the three meetings for the entire day. So it it is it is a challenge. Um for sure this would be an asset to

110and I know you know the other principles could also speak to this. This would be an asset to all of our staff and and our principles um and certainly our students and our families to be able to have administrators who are able to truly support us administratively um and in bettering our special education programs and and certainly strengthening our ICT. It was a wonderful first year. I I come from a district that that had a wonderful ICT program. I see great things happening already in year one and we're just getting better and better. Our teachers are excited. Our parents are excited. Our kids are excited. I just want to really make sure we're riding that momentum to to, you know, bettering Cold Spring Harbor for what we know, you know, we are and what we

111know we'll continue to be and and and grow from there. So, that's hopeful. Um what it sounds like though is we're going to get given all that we're going to get a kindergarten teacher. So perhaps we can um I think you said it's tough to find someone part-time for that role. Is that it? because maybe we could part-time that they can do the meetings and how and support but it's not the full um I think the benefit of a full-time person the benefit of a full-time person is that it's our own person when we hire somebody part-time a lot of districts and we can do this they will hire a retired person many times that could be extremely expensive even more so than if we hire our own person because they they would be considered

112a consultant and the and the cost is extreme. Um I did mention at the last meeting an a idea of the possibility if we could not put in in the budget about somehow uh paying at least part of the course through grants. Um but again I know there was questions that came up about the sustainability you know after year one but I do know that that's how districts do things. I do know other districts have at least contracted through Boseies someone in to have meetings. It's a different culture here though, so I don't want to have a stranger come in, not know the kids. I'm going to have to do a lot of the beginning work with that versus working with someone. Um, so there's pros and cons to it all, but I, you know,

113I just ask the board whatever you can consider. You know, I do know there's a lot of difficult decisions that you have to make. Nicole, in the grants, do they cover the full cost of the position? It all depends on the amount. Okay. Uh, so I do know like right now our grants within our district, you know, is a certain percentage of personnel that's already taken into account. Um, so we would have to look at that. But I I did put certain things in that in my previous district because would it be worthwhile then to say if we could find grant money, let's try it for a year and see how that is working and then if we don't get grant money for in the future, we can decide whether or not to have it

114again. I mean, is that feasible? But if the grant doesn't cover the whole position, then what? Right. it it would have to be part partly out of the general fund and partly out of the grant fund. We would have to see how much how much money we don't have we don't know the allowances for next year right now. Um but we can look into that. So I just want to clarify this cse chair would do prek through 12th grade. They would be doing they would be assigned meetings uh across all the grades as well as prek meetings. Uh, and then that would allow myself and Kristen to be more in the classroom and working with staff. But that would also include it would be prek but also two-year-olds and three-year-olds as well, not just prek.

115They would do the preschool meetings, correct? So, you're talking about the early intervention district, right, Lisa? Yes. Yes. Yeah. And we honestly we don't have a lot of a lot of work. It's so much prep for every meeting. I mean, I think about the time you spend just on my family and they're involved kids, right? Thank you. Um, so that's a tough one. Um, what do people feel about this? Well, I have a question. Yeah. This kindergarten teacher, do we do we um think that that's going to be a teacher that we need to move through the years with this grade? Could this be like we're talking about a cse chair trying it out? Why can't the kindergarten teacher be looked at as a one-year thing like a like a leave replacement type position? We

116we could see and once they once they go into a second grade kind first grade and following we could see a first grade then we see is 94 whatever pick a number we know we would be down one section right or if a teacher is retiring well we're not you know depending on the numbers what do they call electrician or whatever like then you know I feel like we're looking at the cse so hard as maybe let's try it out whereas why can't we look at that kindergarten teacher as possibly one year exactly I mean we we have very good sizes. So if we see that in a grade as teachers retire and even if someone doesn't retire, we see a grade is down and we don't need that sectioning, you know, we we we

117don't have to ask someone back. You know, they they get excessed. What do you think? You think it's April 22nd and we're all crazy? No, I'm thinking two hours and 30 minutes we have by law to How about Nicole and I can work together a little bit maybe to see what grant monies could support either way if something is you know what you said provisional for key teacher or for cse or trying them out we can try the the um the factor though to just consider right now is federal all of our most of our grants almost all are federal dollars and there is a lot of um talk at a federal education level uh you know in in Washington as to what's going to happen with grants are they going to be specific to

118right now we have title grants and we have um idea grants for special ed so what's going to happen in the future we don't know but we can work together we don't even have the allocations yet um and we can see if we can support that on a trial basis I hear what the board's saying is like we would make it work on a trial basis if it because the state has to approve the state approves as the agent for the federal government the use of your grant money. So if they would approve a teacher who's going to do reading supports and they may not approve a CSSE chair, well then we can put a reading teacher in and that could free up funds to do a CSE chair. But we could work together on

119that. Could we put that math? Yeah. Oh, I thought you were saying that though. Okay. Okay. So, we we would be able to work in the confines of what's allowed in the grant for the purposes of the budget. Do we think it's feasible we open school in September? We could feasibly have a kindergarten teacher and a cse chair without adding more into the budget. At this point, I think we can take a look at our federal grant money. Yes. Okay. Is everyone comfortable with or even if we get a partial grant, we don't have to pick up the full cost and we may have money that we can reallocate. Right. We've had classes other classes break over the summer that we weren't expecting and we've been able to figure out how to pay for that

120teacher. Yes. Yeah. There might be some faster scheduling things that fall out in the end that we haven't completed yet. Okay. So, are we comfortable leaving this in as a sort of flex contingency now, but with a real effort to make both happen if needed? Wouldn't you want to leave a plug in like at maybe 180,000 there? If you're going to get that way, you're budgeting for potential grant money, cse chair, and the kindergarten teacher. Because if you leave it in this way and you you get some grant money and you need the kindergarten teacher, you're underfunded. But I don't know if the grants would cover the teacher. None of the cover but it's whatever it's saying. If you only get like 50,000 in grant, you need 130 for a CSC chair. You're short. Are

121we going to be short 50 or $30,000? So why not make it 180 instead of 130? Well, we we would work together to see how we could work, you know, how we could work in where that might come from. We would report back to you as to, you know, there's a lot of months between now and September as to how everything falls out with with the scheduling of students and classes. But we have to adopt a budget though. Now, you have to But it is just a spending plan and that plan has mechanisms to change the plan in the budget. We always seem to find money in the summer. It's built that way. Yeah, it's always there. Very good. Go with it. Okay. Are we comfortable? Yeah. Okay. So, but we're comfortable as a board

122saying what we'd prefer is even if the section breaks that we try to make that cse position happen if we can find some grant to offset at least half of the cost. Is that where we landed? Yes. Everyone agreed. Okay. We'll work together. Yep. Okay. Great. Okay. And everyone else is comfortable with everything else that was on the list. I move pass. Any questions? Bill Lisa, no. Heather, no. Kate, Mark, you had a good question. Okay, great. Okay, so here is the final then. There were no changes to um the prior slide where we had discussions from on April 8th. So, here we are on April 22nd. This is the final budget that the board will adopt tonight. I think it's the first agenda item on the agenda tonight. You'll adopt the budget and um

123you will also adopt the property tax report card just so you know um oh let me let me just let me just speak here. This is the balance budget. This is the four this is the sources of revenue that will support the spending plan that uh you will adopt tonight. And um in addition this is at the 1.75 levy. This is the expenditure plan we discussed 81,976,000 and then what happens as a result of that is um the property tax report card gets filed with SED and that is basically a summary of a lot of things that happened. You'll notice there that the tax levy changes are represented here. The budget changes are represented here and this is really just a summary of some of that information that the state gathers but it's required for

124the board to adopt that. So, you're adopting um the budget and the property tax report card which is represented here tonight and moving us forward. Oops, we're still moving us forward. Hang on. So, at our next meeting on May 13th, we're required to hold a budget hearing and we'll hold that budget hearing. It's really just to go over a summary of what the bud the adopted budget is and what the public will be voted on when they go to the polls on May 20th at the um fieldhouse. So the hearing is for the public to ask questions. I as a daughter my my father was a social studies teacher. So as a daughter of a social studies teacher I always give the following analogy. when the person would stand in the town square on the

125box and say here ye here ye. There will be a um an election on May 20th and here is what you'll be voting on. That's really what the hearing is. It's not there's no changes that are allowed. It's just identifying what you as a board have adopted as your budget. Thank you. Welcome. And that's it. Any questions? Any more questions? No. Anyone else? Nope. Okay, great. Thank you, Christine. Okay, this is our first audience to visitors. No one, we don't have visitors, so we'll move on. Um, so now we're going to move to the budget adoption. So, shall I read this? Adoption of the proposed 2025 2026 budget and property tax report card resolved that the budget estimate to be submitted to the voters and filed pursuant to law shall be the budget presented at

126the budget hearing to be held on May the 13th, 2025 in the total amount of $81,976,259 as set forth in the printed document entitled 2025/26 proposed budget and the budget proposition as set forth in the published legal notice shall be placed on the ballot at the May 20th, 2025 annual meeting. So now, shall I take a motion to adopt the budget? May I have a first, please? Bill, may I have a second, Lisa? Any questions? All in favor? Thank you. Congratulations. Thank you. Um, we will now move on to personnel recommendations, even though I'm not happy about it. Um, we've got two resignations here. Did you want to say anything? We've got Candice. Unhappy to see Candace leave us, but I'm happy that she's moving on to something she's going to that she wants to

127do here. Um, it's been wonderful working with Candace. It seems like sometimes we say it seems like it's been 10 years and it seems like it's been a day. Um so good luck. 10 really good years. 10 very good years. Good luck and um yes, good luck. Best wishes for you, Candace. We know we'll still see you at Cold Spring Harbor events though, right? Yes. And then Mr. Joe, Mr. T. Yes. Oh, Mr. T. fizzed teacher most of his time at Wood Harbor, a little split between sometimes a little at Google, he's done a little at Westside. Um, yeah, he's he's the legend. He is Mr. Tate. Uh, he's sad to see him go, but I I'm happy for him with his many many years of service in the district. He was in my fun

128run video. Oh, that was a fun video. We should bring that back. Maybe we could play it at his retirement. Perfect. Perfect. The video you dressed up. I have that still. Oh, good. You can play it for him. And then um so I need to take um you can do all personel you can do all recommendations together as as a slate then. Okay. So um because we're also adding Alexandra Pillo as an elementary teacher teacher at Goose Hill. All right. So may I have a first Heather second bill. Any questions? All in favor? Thank you. Other matters. Um should we've got here cultural arts contract and a theater? Oh, they're both cultural arts contracts. Okay. Um may have a first. Oh, Lisa second. Heather questions. Question. Yes. So, how much are these for? I usually

129write everything down and I didn't today. Um what are so we we contract with these cultural centers and they we send kids there. They come into us. So these are both presentations we have here through Boseies. Okay. Very good. Thank you. I I I usually have everything and I I apologize. We can get it. It's all good. That's fine. I mean and they're not huge numbers. No, they're usually they range from $900 to $1,500 typically. Yeah, very good. Great question. Okay, cultural arts is paid a lot of cultural arts stuff is paid for by um the lit lunch. They raise a lot of money, but this I don't funds are set aside just for cultural arts events. That's where all the money comes from. So, story faces is $1,500. Thank you. And I don't see

130I'm sorry. I don't see a price on the living faith on the living voices in but it's in that range you believe? Yeah. Okay. All in favor? Wait, I think Lisa still has question. So, cultural arts funds several things throughout the district. These particular events are constituted as cultural arts events through the district the district side. Yes. Different money. Okay. Okay. All in favor. Thank you. Okay. Now it's the western suffices vote which I think we have to be careful on because last year we voted no but it went into both as we took no action which is a different my recollection is last year you abstained. Yeah we I thought we voted no voted no action. What? No we voted no. We voted no on it. in as abstained. It went in as abstained

131cuz I got a call from them afterwards asking why we abstained and I said we didn't. We voted no. That went over like a lead balloon. But um so so let's be clear. Okay. So let's be clear because again I don't know if anyone else had a chance to review the budget but again it was they went significantly over the approved budget from last year. Did anyone else look at this? And so the budget that you're voting on actually doesn't even to seem to be what they follow. Then it just gets increased and then you're voting on an increase on the secondary increase if that makes sense. So do we get a bill on the budget? How does that work? Yeah, the district has to pay the administrative costs that are allocated to the 18

132component districts, but that's for the administrative costs of both these when you sign up. services that they offer, you're paying the total cost of the service that you're signing up for. So, just to add a little clarity, I um my understanding is the board's voting tonight on the administrative component of the Bosey's budget only, right? But the total Bosey's budget involves many different services they offer. Let's say some of them are programs that students are placed in who have special needs. They begin the year off in their program side of the budget identifying a cost for an estimated 10 kids. And if 15 kids end up in the program, they then um revise their budget. But every district who signed up of those 15 students is paying the full cost for their student who was

133who was placed there. That's my understanding. But my understanding is you're only voting on the administrative component of their budget, not the program component. And that's all we vote on. It's it was laid out in in this in the flyer. Okay. All right. Well, usually Phead say this, but it, you know, hate to make a blanket statement, but it usually passes, you know, whether we vote yes or no. So, we could we could say we want to vote if we feel we don't that we're not educated enough on it or, you know, Well, what was the administrative increase this year? 2.2%. For us, it's $2,90 increase. What's the total budget for administrative charges? Uh 4,722,478 and we find their services to be helpful. Helpful, right? We we get aid on the things that we do

134use with Boseies. So they were helpful to us also in our superintendent search. Um we did use their admitt like we used services from them in a way that was was very helpful. All right. It's good to know. So I feel better about 2.2% okay. Which I think it was last year, wasn't it? Yeah. Very high. Um, vote number one. So, there's only there's three people running for election and are there only three seats? I think they're all on a post. They're all on a post. Yes. It's nice when that works out. Yes. Um, so, okay. So, should we take this as a slate then? Is everyone comfortable if I make a motion to vote in favor of Do we need to vote? Do we have to vote individually? It does say select three. Okay.

135I just think you have to say the candidates names to be safe. Okay. So, let's vote. Number one, the BOC's vote. Are we comfortable moving forward positively? Yes. With a budget Bose's vote. All in favor? A first. Oh, a first. Sorry. Okay. First, Heather. Second bill. All in favor? Thank you. Okay. Now for the individual candidates. May I have a first for Eileen? Hers Lisa. You're a big face was funny. Okay. Second. Heather. All in favor? Brian Sales. May I have a first? Heather. Second. Lisa. All in favor. Peter W. First, Lisa. All right. Second, Heather. All in favor. Great. Thank you, Lisa and Heather, for carrying us over the finish line. Um, audience to visitors. Um, and now a motion to adjourn. Heather, Lisa, all in favor. Thank you. Great meeting everyone. Thank you.

136All done.