001Right. >> Okay, everybody. We're going to go ahead and start at 7:31. I'm calling the meeting to order, please. Uh, Mr. Drew, roll call, please. >> Miss Haywood, >> here. >> Miss Lmer, >> here. >> Minky. Miss Phillips >> here. And let's do 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, I was anticipating a guest, but I don't see him, so I guess he's not going to make it. Um, Harrisburg Schools welcomes anybody to the to our web to our web call here. Um, and uh, I think we can go ahead and skip it since nobody's here. Is that okay? All right. Now, we see nods everywhere. We're going
002to go to a motion to adopt the proposed agenda, please. >> Uh Susan Moose, >> Second for Casey. Um roll call. Mr. Drew. >> Miss Roland Miller. >> Yes. >> Miss Haywood. >> Yep. >> Miss Phillips. >> Yes. All right. And Mr. Dur, today is your show. Go for it. >> Good luck with this one. Yeah, this is a day of uh caveat after caveat. So um twice a year by law the board has to approve a forecast. It used to be the five-year forecast. Now by law current year plus three years now I will still present five years and that's what I will submit because I think for levy cycle planning and other reasons it makes sense. Um but by in the law specifically the reason for the conversation is to engage community and
003the board and talk about long-term financial planning. It's also the basis for our 412 certificate which means any contract that we that we sign I have to ver testify essentially that we have money to pay out the contract. So if we're negotiating with OC right now you know we could not agree for a contract with them and our forecast shows that we have the money for and then this is what the state uses to identify districts at risk. So like last fall when I filed our forecast right after the the levy I got a letter said you were precaution because of your forecast it didn't include the levy in there at the time and then it's also been politicized and used to justify tax collections. So the the county tax budget commission which by the
004way I'll be running out of here today going to board meeting all the school treasures in the county are meeting the tax budget commission to talk about some of the stuff that we're going to talk about today. So, um, couple things. Number one, it's a snapshot at this point in time. It's not cast in stone. Some people think it should be, but obviously factors change and we'll talk about that. Now, most of the time it's not significant. I suspect there'll be some significant changes after this is approved at the regular meeting between now and fall that we may have to update this. And it's based on a particular set of assumptions. That's where I want to spend my time today. So the board understands what the assumptions are in the forecast. And obviously state's budget
005is on a bannual basis. We know for this next calendar year what it looks like. We don't know anything after that. And it's always a work in progress. I use my forecast. I'm in there all the time play. I have so many scenarios sometimes I got to keep track of which one. But but I use it for negotiations and other things. look at financial decisions and there's lots and lots of places out there if you want to get information about that. Every district's forecast and assumptions once they're filed are on on um Department of Education's website. Okay. So, let's start with the beginning. So, we we've had a couple big things happen since the last time we had Levby pass. >> Yes. and and then recently we've had some property attachment for >> legislation. So
006I'm going to start kind of just give you a big picture look on what that impact is. So prior to the levy, this was our cash balance trend. You can see in 2028 we were negative. This is what put us in pre-fiscal caution. Okay, so this is before the levy. We were good this year and next year, but after that we were we're not so good. Pass the levy. Thank you very much. And this is our trajectory. We're good through 2030. Though 2030 would be tight and that's about a $49 million difference on 2030 between as a impact of the levy. >> Wow. >> Okay, great. Sitting good. The board's going to have some time to work on some of these issues, you know, long-term funding and then the property tax reform bills. And I'm
007going to caution you. This is our estimates at this time because the county auditors don't know how to calculate this stuff completely yet. But right now it looks like based on these changes for us it's a it's a it's about 11 million swing. So where 2030 we were good, we're going not so good. So So just recognize that's the the impact. It doesn't look like much, but obviously that the gap between October and the levy is 49. So that little is 11 million. So it is it is significant. >> So you're saying at the at the end points the difference in 2030 from what we were having and and the what the taxes might do is that's the 11 million >> 11 million. Okay. And then it's not all it's it's almost all due to
008tax reform, but not all of it. We'll talk about it after. Okay. So, just want to give that's the order of magnitude we're talking about. So, let me walk through and and I'm not going to spend a lot of time on everything, but I want to hit some of the key points. So back in October in the fall forecast that going back to that graph and I I and Denise and Casey I do this to kind of there's so many numbers and try to kind of put a pin on some numbers kind of our bench and so 2030 while far out it's kind of like so we showed a positive cash balance of 4.8 8 million in 2030. That's after the levy passed now. And and so it includes our so it include our fixed
009sub levy in November. But and at this point we assume that we're still going to have the traditional 200 mil floor. Okay. So that has so now with our update February we're looking at 2030 being a negative 6.3 million. That's 11.1 million swing. And that's what I'll focus on today. What the really what the changes are there. Um if you compare the two red boxes, look at total revenues, you'll notice that you see revenue growth, you know, really from this year almost 77 million to 87 million. We're going to go from 77 million to, you know, 82.8. That's the most of that is the impact of the property tax form. Okay, it's not all but it's it's most of it on the expense side. If you look over the forecast, at least for early years,
010there's not a huge change. In fact, in some years, a little bit less than new forecast. But if you look out in the last year of the seed, a $1.1 million increase, that's primarily we'll talk about capital spending when we get to it. We're looking at James and I are looking at our PI money, looking at what we got to do to some of our older elementaryaries. Can't ignore them. Now, whether or not we do it out of general fund or find some other method to do it, I threw it here as a benchmark because in a way it's my way to kind of tweak the board say we're going to have to talk about this and address it. The last thing obviously is our is our um year-over-year you know this year you know
011right now I'm optimistic we about break even that may change a little bit next year positive and then we're in deficit spending again with the minute. So that's the big picture. Let's talk about it. So still on the property tax, there were four bills. There's really three bills that impacted our revenue. House Bill 30, House Bill 335 that limits the growth on inside millillage. 186 that limits outside growth inflation. The kicker with that one, it's retro active in 2023. I'll show you what that impact is. And then 129 includes fixed sub levies in the floor calculations. So no longer being on a 20 mil floor because we have two fixed sum levies that are off that floor. There is some there's not going to be no revenue increases. We'll still see some revenue increases from
012new construction and we'll see some revenue increases on inside millillage up to the rate of inflation but it's relative it's going to be relatively small. So let me see if I can show you the impact. So excuse the previous three years you can see we're at the 20 mil floor inside millillage which has been inside millillage forever 4.3 mills we're outside effective millage 15.7 adds up to 20 okay so we were we would have seen growth like this were we're going to be an update here this year we would have seen some revenue growth because of the update but not since they changed the floor calculation we won't see that growth the New GDP allowed growth is 13%. This back to 23. We had a 25% increase at 23 and with this new legislation, it's
013limiting it to 13%. And because um we were at the floor, there was no way to change millillage. So what's end up happening is um our taxpayers are going to see about a $2 million credit, which means most taxpayers will hardly notice it. But there will be a but there will be a credit um and it'll happen in the second half payment. This is part of the thing that's uncertain about the revenue flow because um in order to get tax bills out um the auditor said we'll deal with that in the second half which is our next fiscal year. And essentially taxpayers going to get a $2 million credit that would have come out of our pocket but the state said hey we'll keep you whole. We'll take the money out of the tax holiday
014to do that. We're not sure how they're going to do it yet. We're guessing. Okay. Um continue on this property tax. So I have in the forecast you'll see 18% projected increase in valuations this year in the update year. We'll be limited to 9.2% on inside millage growth. Okay. So it didn't so whether I forecasted 20% 25% it doesn't matter. The only benefit we're going to see is is um up to 9%. Now it does impact our our our wealth calculation with the state because we'll because the full wealth calculation will include the entire valuation not what we're funded on. So we're going to look wealthier but not be able to get additional revenue from it. Um, as a result, what's going to what we're projecting is in this tax year, so going effect next
015year, our inside millage will drop from point 4.3 to 4%. For four mills, that's a first. Inside millage has always been untouchable. That's not the case anymore. Our outside millage, which was a 15.7, Mills will drop to 13.2. So that 20 mil floor that we used to be on is no longer there. We'll now be at 17.2 mills. See that's the that's the gap that we lose in natural growth on property tax. And the last box here is our fixed sum millage. That's not that's nothing new there. Fixed sum millage and we generate fixed sum. So we are at 16.8 mills. with next update we we expect um mills to drop to 14 and a half bills but our revenue stays flat. It's a fixed sub level. Okay. So it doesn't necessarily um revenue our
016revenue loss are from these these two here. The last what I'll say is you look at our effective millillage. Now we won't get to the 20 mil floor but we'll see how fast our effective village drops total effective village drops over time. >> Before you that just help me understand because inside millages that we get the part that the county gives us versus the city versus does that millillage that we're no longer collecting go to another entity within the county? Now on the books we are still showing 4.3 >> which is going to be effective. >> It's going to be effective. >> Okay. >> And there's by the way there's also a half mill of inside millillage that goes to PI for technology that rate will drop also. >> So so so techn we'll still
017get the same amount of revenue. It just we used to get some natural increases on the technology side. We won't get that anymore. Yeah. Okay. So that's the impact on property tax. Let's go through how it run. Again, you see this true cash days. Again, that's kind of our benchmark good for the next this year, next two years, fiscal year 29. We're going to have to have some serious conversations and we'll have to have a plan because our our policy says if we're ever falling below 60 days, we have to have a plan to correct that. All right. So, we've got some time. So, you know, we have a time to take a breath here, but this was talk about here long-term financially as as well as permanent improvement stuff are all going to be
018tied into this over the next year. And so, I would suspect that our um new fearless leader and I will have to be working very closely at dealing with this. So, so um okay, so for I'm going to go through fairly quickly on some of these and really focus on things that are changing. Stop me if you really want to go in any more detail. >> Okay, >> profit tax right now um on valuations increase are higher than inflation. Again, we're going to be limited to whatever inflation or growth. New construction about 1% per year. That's where we've been. It's about 13.5 to 15 million a year in new construction. Okay, this number here, that number I think could end up being lower because our first half tax, the bills you just all received now
019that I've assumed our collections would follow normal trends, but because some people pay their full taxes for the full year, they'll be advised not to because in the second half you're going to have that tax credit. So, I don't know. We don't know what it's going to do for collection. So, I suspect that number could be lower. Don't know what it is. I have no way to estimate it. The county auditor has no way to estimate it. Fact is, we're in February and I haven't got a tax advantage yet tells me they've not collected very much so far. So, just know I think the overall impact will be what I have here is accurate. I just don't know. It may be split cash flow-wise between the two fiscal years. And then right here, this is
020the impact of the tax credits. I'm assuming, and I don't know this to be correct. We don't have any data, that that $2 million I am not going to see come into revenue line there, but I'll see it in the state reimbursement of property tax credits. So, you see that jump from 5 million to 7 million. That's that making us whole on the tax credits. But again, I don't know if that's the way it's actually going to happen. No one knows at this point. Department of Taxation doesn't know. So, just know that this fiscal year revenue could be understated and next fiscal year may be a little bit higher, but I think they'll end up being a wash. Does that make sense? >> Okay. and you know and and I don't know that we'll get
021any more insight today the tax budget commission because I don't think I think all the county auditors are struggling with how to do this there's some clarification they need department of taxation has not released some information they don't know how to do it either okay revenues pop I don't see any major changes there that's just that's tangible personal property tax from utilities we get a little bit of pipeline money but that's mostly electrical income tax. This is the second place where there's some trend. We've seen a soft a little bit softening. We've been growing about 5% prior to this year. Right now, we're looking at about a 3% growth. And so, over the next four years, that's about 1.5 million. That difference between five and 3%. So, I I've gone a little more conservative on
022the income tax. Now that could, you know, maybe we get this income tax payment in um June and I'm going, "Oh my gosh, I'm being too conservative." I don't know. Just so you know. So, we're still growing on income tax, just not as fast. So, of that 11.1 million, 9 million is property tax and about one and a half million is being conservative on income tax. It's part of that partly being conservative because I remember in 24 that that randomly dipped due to the collection. >> Yeah. >> The withholding side where those of us if you have a school tax with health paycheck that's predictable. It's the non-withholding. For example, this last income tax payment we we just got um I had $105,000 in refunds which is higher than normal that people pay school taxes
023and got a refund. didn't live in the district or whatever the case may be. So that typically happens on non withholding and stuff. So I don't it's just not right now and you was predictable until 2014. Um okay school funding you tell me. Uh essentially it's flat. I have no indication of what is going to happen. Um, I'm assuming we're going to be relatively flat. We'll see, you know, we we've had an enrollment decrease this year, but I don't see that. We'll still see some well, you know, 50 students a year, but right now it doesn't impact anything because we're not far we're not funding out a formula, you know, we're essentially we're getting what you got is kind of really where where we are. Um, and and the in the governor's race, I think,
024will weigh heavily on where we end up with that. Why the dip in 29? >> Like um probably because we're probably assume assuming that the um like the uh performance and the enrollment falls off. So this is just so you know our our state funding um the basic so with the funding formula they're not there's no update base costs. So that that black bar stay the same. The black line is our share of that. The orange line is the state share. So if this holds the way we have it, we'll be down on the base cost state to be 10%. All right, we got a little, you know, so just and the other way to look at this is this is this. How's that for grammar? Um >> the green on the last four years
025there that is guaranteed. So essentially, I'm assuming that we're going to be kept whole and they're not updating the formula. They're not updating the base cost, but we said, "Oh, we'll make sure you don't get any less money on the base." And um that's what that guarantee is. Essentially, our costs are going to go up, but the base costs are not going to calculation. So, we end up getting and we're getting wealthier, right? We'll be we'll have these valuation increases. So, our share would actually be less. But again, I don't know. I mean, it's just like I think it's staying flat like at 29 maybe that we don't have that dip. But, uh, the the fix is comparable funding plan and funding it. >> Wasn't the guarantee though, part of the ones they were trying
026to go after the guarantee this past year. >> Yeah. But they they want to get rid of guarantees. On the other other hand, they're saying we're going to keep you hold to whatever this level is. Right? So there's a conflicting argument there because if they don't, then go back to what we showed earlier. Then their overall funding of public education is going to fall like a rock and and maybe they'll do that. They don't like guarantees. I get it. We don't either. We just want to make fun for every student and have base costs increase as our costs go up. So that's a big unknown. Restricted funding, not really expecting anything major shifts there. That's um most of that is the biggest single chunk of that is threshold costs. That's for our expensive kiddos. I
027shouldn't say that. It's probably I can't think of a better term than that, but our our higher needs kiddos and that. And um and we get some obviously some career career tech funding for programs at the junior high >> and and state reimbursement. No significant changes there. Um and then just that jump in 27 reimbursement tax credit. One thing to watch out for, I don't think Wood County has the appetite for this, but with the new laws, they have the ability to piggy back on discounts for homeowners. It's not reimbursible, though. So, the county could give a bigger reimbursement, but we we would just lose the revenue. So, they county commissioners have the ability to discount property taxes without a reimbursement to the district. Some counties are doing it. Um, Wood County, I don't think
028has the appetite for what I'm reading, teach things I'm reading. Now, fortunately, Wood County, we have we have leaders in the county who have kids in public schools. Um, okay. And all of the revenues, the biggest portion of that is interest earnings. And obviously, our cash balance has dropped. interest earnings are um fees and um tuition are the other big components of that. Okay, any questions on the revenue side? Takeaway is obviously tax reform and and assumptions on um income tax and state funding are the three biggies that you got to watch. expenditure side direction personnel is our biggest cost not adding new positions is built so there's no new positions built into the forecast today I put an asterk on this because people seem to think that it is something that's cast in stone
029there's a situation we may have to add right there's a case load issue or other services that we have to provide we may have to revisit that that situation So I can't say we would not ever recommend that. That's right now there's nothing built in for that. That makes that's kind of a distinction there I want to be careful about. Um I can tell you you know Don's in the process of looking at filling a bunch of openings through retirements. The high school did a great job reviewing all those to make sure that there's no other alternative that we couldn't shuffle things around. So to the board, I'll tell you that the administration is working hard not to fill things just because there's an opening. All right. Now begin personnel committee for example to get
030into the details on that. But I just want you to know that um it's even though the levy has passed, it's not wide open west. The also the assumption is this last year we had an exempt administrative salary freeze that that would be lifted and then the rest of the increase are really due to inflationary increases on base steps. It's our normal built-in structure on increases going forward. Um benefit side um really no changes to retire retirement as you already know at 5% insurance premium increase this year. Um looking ahead I've got 9% based on our current claims pressures. Um we'll be hard I don't think we'll be at 5%. So I got 9% which is closer than national average bill and obviously and retirement and health insurance are the two big ones. purchase services
031again inflationary driven 3 to 4% typically most of our purchase service around 3% special education I have 4% built in just a minute one new expense going to come in in 27 calendar year 27 is the city is planning storm water assessments will be the it's going to be somewhere between $30 and $50,000 a year additional expense now on you know $8 million doesn't necessarily show up in there, but it's in there. Just let you know that that is a single new expense that we're having >> that's ongoing. How many years? >> The city needs money to be able to develop a storm water capital system. And we are the biggest. It's based on it's based on roof square footage and parking lot square footage, right? So essentially run off. We're the biggest Um, >>
032doesn't Yeah, that takes that's why it keeps closer to 30,000 rather than 50. >> That's what's so just it's kind of a heads up. um supplies of materials again mostly inflation inflation there is there will have these little bumps enrollment but it's you know it's small it's small amounts but it's it's really those really inflationary increase we got a bump you know when you have winters like this and we have to bump it up for salt purchases >> capital this is the area of the biggest change over the fall. You know, I had one of the things we've had some conversations redistricting among other things has allowed us to delay >> buying additional portables at least another year. So, we don't have the potential buying portals until 2029. However, you know, we could we have
033issues particularly title to Frank that we need to make some significant improvements in carpet Frank for example, doors, windows, locks at at toes. The buildings are maintained and Frank by the way piping at Frank trying to get out of the floor all those things. And those are not little dollar amounts. Um, so we're going to have to talk about how we're going to do that because unless you're going to put a building project in a bond issue there, we got to do something. Um, James and I are talking about his PI money is spoken for, right? I mean, because roofs and parking lot suck up most of it. So, I have built money into the general fund for at least purchase to do some kind of major project. Now, it's a placeholder. It's subject to
034board approval, but I'm just putting out there. So the increase in that last year is somewhat poor, but also knowing that we would need to make some of the benefits down there. So you know, again, my challenge to the board is going to be we got operating fund challenges out, but this capital planning, facility planning is a big deal. We've kind of put it off waiting to see we do a building project, but I don't you know where are we on that decision and five of you with some help? we're gonna have to wrestle with >> is that 2.2 then saying that we're purchasing portables. That's them. Okay. >> Yeah. I built in more money in there. The jump here in 27 and 28 particularly are due to we've done some kind of oh we
035need to do a $5 million project. I'm doing a lease purchase over 10 years. So now what end up happening actually that would end up probably moving down here in these other lines but I put it up here in the capital line because depending on how we finance it right we don't you know we in theory have money we could finance it ourselves right now but then shorten our levy cycle by another year but that could be a board decision that you'd rather put it on capital and then go you know do another operating le which capital PI is normally easier easier to you guys understand all but this is again right now it's a placeholder it's not a commitment but um I don't think we can ignore it now if you tell me Randy
036take out the forecast we won't want to deal with it that's your call but I don't think that's the whole >> just ignore it can we just ignore it >> head in the sand um and the last big item was is these are our technically they're not debt paid in our in our life we'd call them debt. There's no really major assumptions here. House Bill 264 project last payment is in 29. So that 340,000 comes off the books at 30. And then um right now then the share is the general fund um is paying for the last bus lease that we just did instead of PI because again PI is stretched. Depending on how things go, we could move that back and forth. And then we did a energy project, the high school that did
037all the LED lighting across the building. That's split between general fund, commodore fund, and PI. So, for example, this building's expenses are coming out of the Commodore fund. The high school portion is coming out of PI. The rest of the district's coming out of out of general fund. So, we split we split that cost up. But, you know, and we are again, we're s we know we're saving money on on electrical costs, but again, $50,000 on 8.8 million is hard to see. >> And the last item is other objects. No major changes. And just so you know, again, I sound like a broken record on this. That is bulk of that is fees to the county auditor department taxation. So, for collecting our taxes. So, that goes up as tax collection go up. So, okay,
038bottom line, here's where we we are. Oops. >> So, anyway, that's, you know, you're looking at a crystal ball. A lot can happen right over the next, you know, several years, but we just got to be cognizant of, you know, 2029 is going to be important decision to get there because we're we're going to we end 2029 that way. It does not does not look well for 2030. And for example, and we'll work this out. If there's an appetite, let's say, to replace our fixed sum levy with an income tax, we probably need to want to pass that a year earlier than we need to because it takes longer to collect. So, we need to have those conversations cash flow that out. The appetite is, you know, again, that's one of those decisions important to
039talk about. That's last hard earned and welld deserved. We're right back in that cycle here earlier than we want to be. >> So again, um, and there's more property tax report coming down the road. So >> the 20 mil, do you think it's in our best interest to try to get back to the 20 mil? >> Well, >> or is it just they're making so many changes it's not even worth? Even if we got there, our funding would be so decreased unless unless we had this huge increase in valuation. The other thing is our growth would be limited to inflation. We got there naturally and we were financially fine. Yeah. Because that we'd see some property tax growth. But um right now you get we're at 30 mil. We're 10 mills away from 11 mills
040away from it. That's a lot of revenue. So um and and put and put things in perspective um half percent income tax is about equal to seven or eight mills. So this you know we're we have a half percent today and it's done well but that was passed at a time. We are very unusual to have a a wealthy school district have a income tax. friend of mine's district. She's in rural district. They had 2% income tax, but they're high farm value, low income, and so tax, you know, taxing income, whatever's better. And they were actually going to turn money back on income tax until property tax reform that even impacts everyone. >> Any other questions or comments on this? It just might be interesting at some point to do a forecast where we truly
041pull out all the capital expenses, whether it be the portables, whether it be the repairs on Frank, all the things that we're not doing and look at another PI levy, whether it's making one we have continuing adding a PI levy and then looking at the operating budget to determine what we need because I I think we heard pretty clearly from the public last year that that PI levy was very tangible, very clear, and that there was some disgruntlement that we still have capital expenses mixed into the operating. And so I I would say it would be interesting to kind of play through what it would look like to pass whatever we would need to truly take care of the properties we have, which I don't think is realistic right now. Um, and then look at
042our operating expenses and forecast that out. That's just that's where I'm thinking right now. >> And you can we can do that because because we'll have a PI PI levy is going to come up in here too, right? So that's that's in that the cycle of what we're talking about. And the other thing is we could do a you could do a bond dev >> or um without building a new school, you know, and or you can pass a PI levy and use that money to as a to fund a lease purchase. There's there's some things you can do, but you're going to have to pass a funding stream, finance, whatever you whatever that is. So yeah, because you looked at you pull that out, you think about this, let's say we go back to
043in these past years of 400, these aren't any major these are just maintenance stuff mostly and c there's some equipment purchase in there, right? So I don't put zero in there, but you can see that, you know, cumulative impact is you're you're out here, you know, $4.5 million, 5.2 2 million. It doesn't quite get you balanced. 2030 gets pretty get you pretty close. >> Yeah. Because I think if if we've lost with the tax reform about eight months, it looks like about eight months worth of income, which pushes us a year earlier into the levy, we get that. >> We don't really even need a full year to get another year before we would have to go for an operating. So that would that would be my question is whether we could >> get back
044to where the operating was still back in 2029 versus 2028 which is really what we're looking at right now. We can serve a lot of that as a good conversation. >> Anything else? So process-wise, um, we have finance next week. I don't know we'll have any significant updates by then but then at the regular board meeting you'll be asked I will do a abbreviated presentation at the board meeting unless unless there's something you you want me to cover. So, you know, for example, I'm going to spend some time on the property tax reform, public forum, and the impact in those kind of things, but um I won't spend as much time as some of these other items that that we have here unless unless um something's changed. Um I wouldn't expect it, but maybe I'll
045we'll learn something in the next week or so. was uh Susan's suggestion. Would you be doing that during this finance meeting or meeting last month? Would it be too soon this month? >> I think >> sounds like here's my my feeling and Katie your focus right now should let your superintendent superintendent on board. I can work on some modeling superintendent I can sit down and work with you because it's not three independent decisions. You got BI levy, you got this levy, you got facility planning and we need to co coherent strategy for all three of them to have the conversation. >> Yeah, >> because I don't think we're we have to be in a hurry. I think it's urgent but not necessarily emergency. >> I think that's a big seed to get out. I think
046that's a good seed to plant that starts the process. So that's I think all those ideas as they come to mind. This is this is a good forum in a work session to kind of vet some of those what ifs. What if we did this? What if we did that because we're going to have to look at a variety of things and treasure will also have to look at a variety of things especially as you think about master planning and how to extend obviously we want to do that for the public. We want to get that operating out as far as we can. So is there to do that and still not have our schools in bad condition. So I think that's that's the issue is this can't there are there are projects here that
047can happen there are just there are projects that are really pressing. >> So you know we we certainly can model that now >> you know but recognize that PI levy cycle um still have to get through 27 and 28 >> well and the way that we'll talk about a PI in the future is a little bit different allies going forward we'll talk about had in the past because even if they're what we think of as a renewal or something that you know nothing new honestly we're just because of the new laws that >> traditionally if you're above the 20 mil floor moving a millillage to inside inside millillage to PI um is not you lose revenue if you're at the 20 mil floor it ends up being a good I'm not sure what the ramifications
048are. I have some conversations with bond council if it makes sense. You could we could move inside millage or still have all this other outside village but there's some other strategies to know there's a political cost to do some of these things but I think focus on PI trying to maintain our buildings it's different. So but we can work through all that. Yeah. My feeling right now is we're planting a few seeds for future conversations. Get the forecast in. Things are going to change between now and summer. We're going to have to, you know, superintendent at that time. There's other things we can start that board's comfortable with that approach. That's how we see. But we we'll still because I still want to model income tax impacts and some other things that longer conversations. The
049nice thing is we have time to have a conversation. >> We need to model what's actually going to happen when they tell us what's actually >> Yeah. Yeah. We got to wait. We don't know what's going to happen. Yeah. Um I would take so the uh again I think my my message would be is we have sign significant issues that are urgent they're not emergency right so and they're serious but we got set priorities can't do well at once you got big challenge you know that we're in March and with that. >> Thank you. >> All right. >> Well, welcome new members to a wonderful financial forecast. >> Well, but you know a whole lot different. >> It's actually it's doesn't look good, but it is good the short term. We've not been this comfortable
050for a couple of years, but we're only comfortable for a couple of years and we can't be can't be >> get too comfortable. Um, so anyway, >> and while we're comfortable is when we need to be planning for when we're not. >> So there's there's the wisdom of what he's doing. >> We'll get the grief about, oh, you didn't plan and all this other stuff, but we don't. >> Okay. Well, Randy, thank you for all that work and explanation. I appreciate it. Um, are there any questions from any of the members? Is coffee in order for most of you? Okay. All right. Um, Dr. Anston, I'm going to assume that you want to do number four in the calendar updates. >> Sure. Mrs. Price could jump in at any time. Obviously, we've had a couple
051of snow days um and more than a couple. Uh so we were looking out at uh our language in our calendar which actually said that if school had been cancelled five times by February 16th that it would become a remote instructional day. A lot of families because that's a four-day weekend on our calendar plan to go away. We also staff that plans to go away during that time and I think we were looking it's just not happened before. So we were kind of looking out and thinking about the impact of families and started to look at our longer calendar and said is there a way that we could change that? So a couple of things we want to change on the calendar is just to take off that potential makeup day if schools been cancelled
052five times. But in the event and this notice went out in the event that another snow day would be called we would swap an inservice day. So uh that would that would require that students come to school on a day that was originally scheduled to be a teacher inservice day and uh then we would it doesn't matter to everybody else but we actually are going to move that day into May which was already also scheduled inservice day but for families that weren't planning to be here in March they would be here in March and then we would also need to change the calendar to take that potential makeup day off for 26 and 27. So, this is uh this is something that we need board action on because we're changing our calendar. Mrs. Price, did
053I forget anything? >> No. Um, and just to kind of piggy back off of what Dr. Ansat said, um, when this calendar was originally adopted, which we typically do two years out, it was before we had those additional inservice days built into the calendar. So, we didn't have the same options to to do this previously, but because of the that was a cost-saving measure to be able to save on professional development and sub the cost of subs for that to build in those additional days now that we have additional inservice days, we have a little more flexibility to say instead of doing remote, we can go ahead and swap those days. >> I think uh I've had a couple of emails about, you know, why can't we just flip to remote learning? So, I'll address
054that on Friday in my Facebook live a little bit, but I do want to just say here, remote learning is just difficult for everyone. And I know it's like, oh, we just flip the switch and you turn on the TV and there is your teacher. That's not at all what it is because that's not the way life works. So, we don't have cameras set up in our room. We don't have all of those going on all the time. And it's just a much more difficult it's it's it's a lot of planning on the teachers part. It's families that have to have internet. They have to have their kids on their computer. Our elementary don't take the computers. So, there's just a lot there's a lot of logistics that goes into it's not the flip of
055a switch. It takes long-term planning. >> So, in the addition, it says that it would be changed to um a student instructional day either in person or remote. >> It does say that in the language just giving us some flexibility in the future. >> Okay. And would that be it'd be a district-wide decision though either all we would anticipate in person? Yeah. I do want to just acknowledge that the PEA was uh the teachers union was >> super easy to work with here. Um they were also very willing to make this swap. So we appreciate that. This will impact if we have another day this will impact their planned PD day. So they were very flexible with us and I appreciate that. It's great to work with a union that is so flexible. So at
056one more day then we're looking at >> if I if we have to call again and I do not want to do that under any circumstances trust me. But I also you know obviously we've had a very wintry winter >> and if it keeps up we will have to do it. So >> okay >> so we're at four days. >> We're at five. >> Well we're at five. Yeah we're at five. So if we hit another day then we will have we'll have to go. >> Okay. >> Also we're on hours now. So the the the formula for what you actually are required to make up based on minimum required attendance is is different. We haven't triggered that. Um and we wouldn't trigger that for a for a couple more days yet. Mainly half daycare
057kindergarten is where it becomes a problem first. But we want facetime with kids. Um so you know that's why if we have an opportunity to bring kids in and have face-toface instruction um you know that's preferable over having to do a remote day. You just don't think the kind of learning that goes on during a remote day is effective. >> Yeah. >> In the I mean in an emergency that's great but >> over the long term great none of us ever want to go back to it. So ever. >> So if they lose a PD day then is that what gets make made up the next year or is that just gone? Uh, so the PD day that would be lost would be the PEA's planned day. And so what we've agreed to do for
058them is just next year they can have that date. They'll get that date back. So they'll get that day back. So it it's already planned into the calendar for next year anyways. So it won't it really won't impact us. It's just a one of the days that would have been a district day would become would become a staff day, a PD day. >> The district day was March 6. Kids will come now on March 6. All the stuff planned for March 6 will go to the May May PD day. >> That's going to be a busy day. >> They're always very busy. >> They are always busy days. >> So, we need to um get a motion to approve the calendar updates. >> Uh Laura >> second. >> Casey second. Um, Mr. Drew, roll call,
059please. >> M. >> Yes. >> Miss Haywood, >> yes. >> Miss Roland Miller, >> yes. >> Miss Phillips, >> yes. Motion passes. Um, and we're going to be throwing in board discussion before we either adjourn or go into executive session. Um well and and so I've got a couple of things on here that I would like to talk about. Seeing as how it's 8:22 right now, um we're doing really well. Um the agenda um minor changes that I sent to y'all. Were there any questions or suggestions or whatever about that? >> Can I suggest we send those via email because it's really hard for me to see what you sent on my phone because it was sent in a text, right? or did it? It popped up in my phone differently then. Okay, I apologize.
060>> Okay. >> Yeah, something like that I will probably always send as an email. Text is usually, "Hey, I need something. Respond as soon as possible type of a thing." And a phone call means now. Um, Susan, >> yeah, I guess so. Last year we spent a lot of time talking about kind of what our purpose was, being clear about that ourselves. um trying to be very clear with the public what our roles and responsibilities were and what they weren't and we ended up after a lot of discussion and I'd say over two retreats we were slowly modifying where we list we really had as the core of our agenda our three committee areas which is where our primary work is finance community engagement and student achievement um I I guess I was really surprised
061to see us just revert pretty much back to the old agenda and I was wondering kind of what the thought process was in making those changes back after we had kind of modified and worked to really have had in the center of our meeting for me best meeting practice is that you want to kind of have something to warm up with and then in the middle you put you know where your media discussion is the things that we really need to be talking about as a board and I feel like that that's been shoved a lot later and we've kind of lost that core organization around our three committees. We've moved up in the order the superintendent committees which really is interesting information but it's not the core of our work and our discussion should
062really to me be around and what we talked so much about last year is finance, community engagement and student achievement. So, I was just really surprised and I guess I'd like to hear some more thoughts about why the agenda has been changed back to what it was before. >> Well, it hasn't been changed. This is this was something that um we had talked about as as um Katie and Brooke and I were working on this. The thought was basically flow. Um the finance committee which is Ry's was within his reporting. Superintendent committees are no less important than any other committees and made sense if Randy has his section of the agenda and his committee reports than when Katie's doing her reports. It made sense to have her committees in there as well. Um, and I
063think it made it a little bit more clear that those are her committees. Um, it also kind of broke it up a little bit because over the years, this is no board comment here, but over the years we noticed that just a slew of board committees uh, reports I've noticed other members kind of glazing over. and if we're glazing over, so are our constituents that are kind enough to be listening to this. And I thought, okay, that's not a good idea. Um, so it was kind of a way to break it up a little bit. And um so we've got you know finances is up there and and we changed changed the order of the um the superintendent report and public comment um so that the people who are here hear the superintendent's report. Now,
064if if the superintendent's report is really thick, if it's really like a deep dive like what we're doing today for Randy, then it kind of made more sense. Well, maybe on those reports as she sees it coming up, maybe we'll reverse that. But, so that that can fluctuate. That may that may or may not happen depending on what's what's going on and what she needs to tell us. Um but that was kind of the logic in that was to break them up a little bit, put them in the flow with the people who are responsible to them and then our board committees um would come in after after that. So it was keeping keeping that together and getting them up our committees up before the consent agenda. I remember a point in time where the
065board committee reports were after the consent agenda and if that was something that you wanted to do, we could do that which would break the committee reporting up even further. Um, can I ask question? >> Absolutely. Go for it. being new and not having been at many meetings or understanding the flow. Um would it be possible to see a side by side um like a document where you're kind of explaining this is how it was this is how it is and these are the changes and why >> and that's exactly what I did in in doing this. That's not what I gave you. I gave you guys the the final result. Yeah. And how I did that was going up to if you look on your board docs and you go to the little arrow
066that says meetings. >> Yes. >> And you click down on that, you see on the left side it's got the years. >> Pick a year. Any year. >> Any year. >> Yeah. Any year you want. Um so I started actually >> last year's were different. >> Yeah. Last year's was different than what I'm proposing. last year was different than what we had done in 24 which was different a little bit than what we did in 23. So they they kind of have changed a little bit but you could pick on I would say anything from 21 on would give you an idea of where we were what we did last year and what I'm proposing to kind of monkey around with the flow. So, it was a suggestion and and what I didn't realize was
067that Brooke creates a template for the entire year. >> So, I thought if we if we wanted to try this, our February meeting would be a good place to try it and see how it how it felt to us. Did it make sense? Did it work well? Did it work well with the um community? Um did it work well with recognitions? We'll have recognitions in February, right? there should be some something. Um, and I'm assuming that we might have public comment um, at that particular point in time. >> I think I think what I'm really hearing very honestly is a really different like that we're coming at this from two different understanding of the purpose of and I I was trying and what we talked a lot about last year was trying to move away
068from reporting. I I think we can all read minutes. We can all I you know we all tend different committees. We all have minutes. We can give some highlights. But we were really trying to structure the meeting so that we were really discussing what does community engagement require of us right now. Um you know bringing ideas from that committee. uh student achievement. We continue to struggle to kind of find a ground in there of um kind of the feedback between the board and the committee, but that can continue to be worked on. But I I don't see the purpose of our meetings is to hear reports from one another. I hear I feel that the purpose of our meetings is for us to be able to discuss the strategic issues that are in front of
069us. Whether it be funding, whether it be the curriculum, whether it be um you know, right now community engagement, we're not really doing anything. That should be something that we really spend a lot of time talking about, I think, so I think it's I think we're coming at this from two different understandings of the purpose of board meeting. maybe that I I guess I would suggest maybe the agenda holds until after the retreat when we have more time on Saturday to talk about what our you know what is our core purpose going to be for the year. What are our objectives? I mean I I believe that we could work on things beyond just hiring superintendent right now. I think we could work on more things than one. um you know what are our goals
070for the year and then structuring the meeting to allow that discussion time to allow because that's again through the two retreats last year and then some of those changes we were trying to say this is our work and this is the core of who we this is why we need to be together I I can read reports in my home in my jammies I don't need to be at so I I I that's where I question what is our purpose and how do we structure a meeting that is designed to meet that purpose >> for Casey and for Denise. Um on Saturday we do spend quite a bit of time on what our purposes as a board that's really what the retreat is about. So, um, I will add, if everybody's okay with it, at
071the end of the meeting, I will add once we've got through the entirety of it, Phil's part is done. Um, I can add a section there that where we can talk about this, we can put this discussion there because I think everybody will have a better feeling for what our direction is after that meeting. Does that sound reasonable? >> Yeah, I acknowledge that the president has the right to set the agenda. I'm not if So if you want to go with this agenda, go for it. But I I do think the question I want to raise then is what's the purpose of our meetings together >> and that certainly should become clear on on Saturday. Okay. >> All right. Well, there's some new things for you altern. Then if you if you two would be
072if you if that's something that you want to do, check and see what it was with other ones, please call me with questions before >> just to be sure because I did try to do that and I apologize that I got to get used to Gmail looks exactly like my text messages coming into my phone. So I thought it was a text message, but when I tried to look at it with my very poor eyesight, um it's just moving things around. It's not nothing's being taken off the agenda. No, actually we've added a couple of things, you know, like the board discussion and um a lot of it was just really moving it around and reorganizing it. >> Okay. So, that was that was more or less the gist of it. Um, one other thing
073that I wanted to propose to y'all um is I don't know if you talked about it over the weekend, but we are in a new cycle to try and earn the Ohio Boards of Distinction Award. We are primed to earn this award. Um it is intense. It is very difficult to earn it. But um on Saturday I'm going to though I've marked mine up. I can draw make another copy of it. We have the potential to earn this award. It takes takes some organization. It takes some forethought because the cycle just started in January and we have to have it completed I think by September of 27th. I was looking at the one that just finished and it was a little confusing but I think I've got the right the right dates on it. But
074we have the potential of earning this award. We are we are trying for it. So on Saturday, I will bring copies of this and try to explain it a little bit more for you because some of the things that are on here that earn us points towards this award are things that I have always wanted to do and um things that I think that we have already started doing like with Katie and Ry's onboarding for YouTube. That's a that's a huge point thingy right there. So, it's it's something within our grasp and I would like to be able to uh work on that for us. Um, does anybody do you guys want to mention anything about your weekend? You donated an entire weekend to learning how to be a board member and meeting new people
075and what did you think of it? >> It was good. It wasn't a waste of time. It was a lot of reading slides which I don't know. I feel like I could have done that. Um, but I think that it was going through financials was helpful. Um, and school funding and things like that. Um, I would have liked a little more interaction so that I could really meet people and I don't think there was a lot of time built for that. >> There wasn't enough time for that. That's too bad because we had >> Yeah, that's very very important. did you you should be getting if you didn't already fill out a um a comment feedback thing. Be sure to put that on there. Um her comment to me was that this is a really
076lively group and I said oh awesome. And then when we did when we did the questions it was crickets and I said uh oh what's going on here. Um so that's that's good to know. That's good to know. I'll definitely touch base with her on that. Um, are there any other any points of discussion? Why are you very quiet? Do you need more coffee? You drink your >> No, you're fine. Okay. All right. Um, and for operations, did you find somebody to take your place? >> I was going to ask Denise, are you able to go? I know that you were >> When is it? Sorry. >> It's this Friday. When did you text her or call her? >> It's been a while ago. >> At 8. Friday at 8. Friday. >> I should Oh,
077I think I have it on my calendar already. >> Yeah, I already have it on my calendar. So, yeah, I apologize if I didn't communicate that. >> Yeah. Um, okay. So, we got that covered. Um, if there are no objections, could I have something? >> I want a secretary. Um, is there um if there's no other discussion, do I have a motion to move into executive session? Which was that? Oh, I'm looking at the wrong shutdown. I'm looking at the one that I'm proposing. That doesn't help. Um, wait a minute. I got to get to What happened to the one that There we go. >> Yes, guys. I got to go all the way back here. I was in the wrong one. Okay, there we go. Executive session. There we go. We need an executive
078session to approve to enter into executive session for the purpose of sorry appointment, employment, dismissal, discipline, promotion, demotion or compensation of an employee or official or investigating of charges or complaints against an employee, official lency or student requests of a public hearing. Do I have a motion to so go into >> Laura? >> Second. Casey second. Mr. Drew, roll call. >> Miss Mickey. >> Yes. >> Miss Haywood. >> Yes. >> Miss Phillips. >> Yes. >> Miller. >> Yes. We will now be going into executive session. Can we stay here or do we need to just stay here? Stay here. I just need to stop >> to clarify. There's no um action being taken after executive session. >> There is no action being taken after executive session. >> Stop the recording.