001So I can comment. Um I know that um I I came at it at the very end of that. It was pretty clear that you guys didn't want that to be reduced and that was something that Andrea felt was important. So after the meeting um we when people were kind of mingling um I heard Andrea say that she was going to reach out to them within the next few days. Melissa, were you standing there when she said that? I think she did say she was going to do that but I did haven't heard clarify them. She was going to reach out to them and say that that yes that that that was a priority over say the onion huts. So, just so you know, so um so we could let me double check to see
002if she did indeed do that, but my understanding from the board was that they they kind of wanted to support Ambry and what she needed out of that, which is a a full-size covered Yes. or private private foundation. Yep. Yep. And they seek grants as well. So, yes, we're not responsible. Nope. We assisted I went to like five meetings, but they already know. Yes. But they still I mean we it has to be something that we as a district approve of and can maintain and and those kinds of things. So they're only doing four of these and yeah, it's a it's an interesting story. Yeah, for sure. For sure. So, so I I believe she said she was going to contact them. I'll make a note and reach out to her to see if she
003did indeed. And if that is clear because I think what we approved was that it could go out it could go out to bid, but it sound like they're the ones that made the decision on what we don't need to reduce the cost and I don't think well we just approved them going out, right? And on on there, just to say also that they there's been some turnover in that organization. And so um so the new folks might not have quite understood that that was a priority to begin with when they started as they transitioned over. So I don't want to say that they weren't but the actual been communicated to them. Um, Andrea was going to, but I'm gonna double check to make sure that she has. Yeah. That that she's that that's prioritized.
004Okay. Got Okay. Do you see changes that should have been made on the minutes? No. No. I just to clarify what we approved. Then it was just to go out to bid. So when they get the bid, then they would probably have to remove some of the parts of the of the project or part of the project, right? Because they have a limited amount of funding. And so we just want to be sure we were involved to decide what to eliminate. Yeah. And um they had done that initially and again with the transition of people in that organization I think they they just needed some clarity from us. Okay. Any other questions on the consent? We have two board members who were their last meeting and so I'm not going to make any mo motions
005during this meeting. looking at you. So, we're the ones that get in trouble even Well, I haven't been arrested for you. I do sometimes hesitate to not be the one to second. Well, I would take a motion to approve sent I make a motion that we approve the minutes from the chin to meeting and I'll second it. Oh, thank you. Moved and seconded. I post name. Motion is passed. Good with that. All right. board reports recognition board bits. Sorry, start. Um, who would you like to get us to start? Um, I mentioned a ton of stuff I had done last but one. Oh, I was so inspired by the um what are the three letters the acronym? I'm I'm going insane. Uh for the talented gifted that I went to meet with her for four
006hours only. Yeah. On my birthday. A special thing to do on my birthday. You both like talking. Yeah. But I had a lot of questions and boy she had a lot of answers. But it's so exciting. How's Florida with that? You know, I I don't know if she they said it um then at that meeting, but when when Val put that plan together, that was really coveted across the state. And they used it, I believe, as an example for other school districts across the state. Yeah. Um to build their tag plants on. Well, I could tell it was well, one really thought through, but very insightful. And she told me a bunch of stories just made me cry, you know. Um, this little boy who's dirty, he never gets enough to eat. Um, you guys
007kind of have a handle of his horrible life situation. He's in second grade, but his teacher notices when they have a math assignment, he's done in 10 minutes and everybody else takes the hour. And so she took him aside and now he's on a big accelerator. She's already talking to him about the kind of careers he can have as a math. So I was really touched with and I think she might be okay. Good. You have anything else to add? No, that's that I did a couple other things, but you'd expect me to So, can I comment on it? Just we got a 10page report on on it. It's really I had no idea how what the program was and she's been with the 17 years. I think I hired um Bow when I was
008at the middle school as an associate principal. and um we had expanded our reading program and um she she's actually from Lake Havsu, Arizona, grew up there and made a big move up here and we hired her as an instructional coach at the middle school. So she was an instructional coach for us and she went wanted to go back into the classroom. So she was um back in the classroom. um she was teaching uh first first and second grade and then was a coach again, instructional coach again. And then when we decided when we got the SIA dollars, um that was a priority for both us and the community was to really focus in on TAG and and we had decided then that we wanted to put some money towards hiring a person that that's
009all they did to really, you know, expand how we were offering TAG um across the district. And so so Yavich has been an educator for more than 30 years. Nobody in the community knows of this. We do some really smart things that nobody's aware of. And I know they're not engaged in the first place if they're 60 plus and they don't have children in the school. They only pop back up when we're closing down a school. I swear they went, you know, I mean, was really the biggest engagement I saw related to the great big school thing. So, we need those kind of stories about CAG. Yay. Karen's gonna um share a bunch of that uh as we go into July and some of the things that we are doing, some of the things that
010we have plans to do. Want to help our make sure that our new board members understand like what we're doing, get your input on what we could do better and so on and so forth. So, she's gearing up for that come July. Good. Yeah. No. Oh, I just have one quick story. So, at a graduation event, we sat with Annabelle and her son doing it the word word word searches. Word search. He could do like one every one minute or two minutes because my wife works on it. She says she well, she keeps saying, "I wish I could do that." But that was amazing. Well, well, he's autistic and so he's able to look at the entire page and see the word done. That's back to special skills. We need skills. So then I would
011opportunity to visit called brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and uh they live on the west side. Oh boy, are you guys having the same problem we are, man? They're they're looking to hire or fire people right and left. And I said, "No, we used our money wisely." Yeah. And we're not doing that. And of course, they know me and they don't know if I'm joking or not joking. Said, "Wow, you guys really did do that." Said, "Yes, we have a great superintendent." So, thank you, Nikki, business manager. Thank you, Kevin. And it it is um heights are very very tough and and we have some work ahead of us too. We just with the the changes in our federal um education stuff and but we are but we are definitely and we are scaling back and we're being
012cautious and careful for sure. But um compared to what's happening across state and nation, we are really still healthy and in in good shape. So we'll still continue to be precautionary and and do what we need to do now so that it's not a bigger hit later if more more rough things come our way. Just wanted to say thank you guys for that. Yeah, that's all I have and we will move on to the finance report. I have a few things this this month. Speaking of budgets, I have the the um budget approval um on there. I made those changes where we added the two grants, one for 300,000, one for 340,000 um for the state grants. And so other than those two changes, everything else is is the same from the budget committee meeting.
013So that's on there. Um um by the way, I just wanted to say that that um I thought the budget committee had a lot of really good questions. Um it tells me that everybody looked over that budget. They didn't rubber stamp it that they actually spent the time going through it. Appreciate Devon getting that budget out early enough for all of you to have that time to review. But um but I thought that um you all had some really good questions and were and thoughtful questions and it it was it's a good process. Yeah. Well, you know, I came in to talk to you about it for a minute and I I knew what had been state, federal, and local from your last year's budget didn't seem like it was changing a lot. No, there's
014a few additional grants and maybe some that cut back, but it's generally about the same, right? So, that was incurred for my remedial ability to look at it, you know. Yeah. The big change is from uh the salary negotiations that took place and we updated those. But then then the next year 2627, we already have those in place and so next year should be even more streamlined. So, yeah. Um and then also you'll see the audit is in there that did get complete. Um so as of about two weeks ago um and so um the the new auditors have already reached out to me and we've we've scheduled preliminary audit and and then the the main audit will be in September. Um they want to come out here and meet with the staff and and
015do some questionnaires and I think that's great because I haven't met with an auditor yet since I've been here. So, so they're they're committed. Yep. Yep. And they've been in communication with um with the old auditors and and um and so Yep. So excited notify them. Notified the old auditors. We wanted to wait until the finally done. We've been three years and this um but he did let the authors know that we were no longer going to services. Okay. I haven't heard that. I wrote an email um to their last week. Yeah, last week. Can I give context for for you guys coming on? We we had um an auditing firm that we've had uh six years um when Mary Joe was here hired this firm and um during COVID uh they got behind on
016audits and for a lot not just us I think the ESD they did the ESTs they veil NISA a bunch of a bunch of school districts and then they just never catch up and so everybody Everybody kept saying, "Well, you your guys you're not getting your audits done." It wasn't our fault. It was it was them. We kept asking them and pushing them and pushing them and they and then unfortunately the first couple years they they withhold state school fund dollars until that's done. And finally, I think OD kind of pity. They got the the drafts and then released it. it it probably cost the district a little under $200,000 just in interest. And so finally um they finally completed draft forms of the of two the two years and they still hadn't finished this
017year's audit and we just kept on them kept on them kept on them and in the meantime went out to bid and hired a new firm but we didn't want to tell the other firm because we wanted the audit done and so anyway so so the good news is it is fine finally done and the new auditors have been awesome so far and are raring to go to get our same they've committed several times. They they committed um that they would have the 2324 audit done January 20 or January 31st and um and they got it to the state the the draft but then we just barely got the audit. We can have it. Yeah. Yeah. Are we gonna talk more about that now or should we wait till we Oh, might as well do
018it do it now. Um, yep. With the audit, um, there were there were three three things that No, there's there's lots of different suggestions and comments they had in there and those are good suggestions. Um, but three main things I wanted to to talk about. Um I guess the the first one um during the 22 23 audit know we're going through um you know a lot of um a lot of construction and and stuff and so I keep track of all of the expenditures um on a spreadsheet and so I have all the construction in progress on a spreadsheet. um for 2223 I had all there but it it didn't flow to the summary page and so when I gave it to the auditors they they audited um it and looked at the summary page
019but but didn't include construction on the 2223 audit and so then when I was doing the 2324 audit I saw that that that construction of progress was missing um so I let them know I said hey this this wasn't in last year's audits so we need to make an adjustment to include that plus here's this year's yeah um construction in progress and um and so they said it was big enough where where it was um um a finding because of the size of that of that um thing. So, so it's one that that I was able to catch and let them know about it, but it's a finding because it was because of how big it was because had so many construction projects finding on the 2223 2320 223. Yeah. Yep. Not on the 232.
020Well, it's on the 2324 audit report because of that adjustment, but um but it's from the 223 audit. Yeah. So, that was that's the first one. the uh the second one. Um I've I told you guys about this. Um I knew we discovered this back in October, but the default dates in I visions in our accounting software. When I pull the trial balance, which is all of the transactions for the whole year, the default dates go from July 1st through June 30th. That's why I always run run that report and July 1st through through June 30th. Um, what I didn't realize was I needed to push that June 30th date back until September because we have we have several invoices that come in after June 30th. Yeah. For the previous year that Yeah. And so
021when I was running that report, I wasn't capturing all of those those numbers. So, so in the 2223 audit, they made some adjustments um to to get the balance the balance where I said it should be. And um and I I didn't realize that was the issue. But then this last year, their ending balance wasn't matching my beginning. And so, um so I looked into it and that was wise because that report was run um off. And so, so they mentioned here they had several adjusting entries. And that's why is because they had to capture all of those transactions from from the July 1st through September for the private for the previous year. Stra actually been incurred prior to June or No. Um that were Yeah. services were performed prior to June 30th. Yeah. Correct.
022Um or that we received the the items prior to June 30th, but then we got the invoice in July or August for June. So, so we look at that pretty closely with the cut off dates and and um but but now now I now I'm you know I'm catching these little little things and and now I know run the trial balance past the date and and uh so anyway so that's on there as well um as a as a finding um because of the um how many entries and the size of that. Um the other one it's uh it's on a it's it's pretty minor for the amount. It's $2,400, but because it's on a federal um funded program, it's a it's a finding. So what happens when I reconcile when I reconcile all the
023grants, I have it all in a spreadsheet and I have, you know, what we spend on all the grants and and what the grants for. Um I calculate what the indirect costs are and then I I claim the final amount. Um, and then and typically I I trace that to the accounting system to make sure that it all matches. There was one entry I made that was um that should have been an expense, but I I duplicated the previous entry I made. Anyway, I I recorded it as indirect and not as an expense. It was $2,400. And so I overstated indirect costs on by by $2,400. Um, and so because it's a it was on the IDA grant, so because it's federally funded, um, that's a that was a finding as well. And so, so
024those are the three findings on the 20 four 23 24 audit that the kind of from the previous audits, but kind of all in this year's. And so and so then the audits request that I um that I share um the district's plan of action of what we're going to do and and so a lot of it is just checking and and trying tying things back to um the the accounting system. So the trial balance that and that's pretty easy plan of action because I'll run the dates through through September 30th. Um, for the indirect one, I I am making a um a practice to always tie my spreadsheet that I keep. So, my spreadsheet was correct. It was I visions that was incorrect, but tying always my spreadsheet to I vision to make sure
025there's that check place. I I usually do do that, but but on on this one, I I missed that. Let me see if I can phrase this right. Did the auditors just tell you these things are messed up or were they able to tell you I think what happened is this? They say it's messed up and then I go in and I dig. They don't even and I try to find No, I I I dig and figure out what was going on. They once I figure it out, they kind of walk through and try to understand and and give suggestions. Um and so they but they don't do any drinks. They They leave it up to me and which is good because I know the the book more and so Yeah. Deon, could I ask
026when did we get the 22 23 audit and when did we get the 2324 for the new board member? Yep. Okay. Two years ago we got in October. Yeah. Talk about why didn't you do Well, they never got the audit done. Let me I'll I'll go back a year even. The 2122 audit we got done in September of 24. So just this last September, the 2223 audit we got done in I think that was the October one that you're referring to. And then the 2324 we got done in June. So the auditors submitted it to the state, the draft to the state. So we're able to get our our funding from the state. Yeah. But they had they had a lot of auditing still to do. Um I didn't realize how much more auditing they
027had to do. They told but they they weren't honest. They told us, "Oh, it's almost done. It's almost done." And then they did a a ton of requests for Devon. Yeah. And some of the stuff they requested they already had. That's what's was frustrating is is like he'd be like, "Well, I gave it to you on this date, but because it's been drugg on so long." So, they weren't really very honest with us when they said, "Oh, we're really close." Clearly, you weren't close because you requested a whole bunch more stuff. And um and had had those been timely and they had done them appropriately, we could have probably avoided a couple of these that you know what I mean of their suggestions because we would have known. Yeah. the the data the audit January
0283125 we got it two weeks I mean July June 30th we got it June 30 they say we encounter significant complications and delays receiving requested information used in performing the audit which is not true and we and you know that's that's a frustrating on my behalf on our behalf because Devin had um because I'm on almost all those emails and when they would send him a request for information, he would usually have it to them within 24 to 48 hours. I have all the emails to to prove that. So that's just kind of covering themselves. Is the trial balance. That's me getting all of the the number to them because I gave it to them in like September so they can start auditing. But then they didn't they and so then you know I was
029we're doing audits and questions back and forth but they came back to me at the end of October saying you know these my your ending doesn't match your beginning. And so they gave it to me. So I I figured out what was going on and and there was a lot of back and forth. And so by the time I realized the dates on that balance, we were into it was like the first week of November. Um and so I gave it to them back in September and and uh and that's actually the one of the first things you do when you audit is you check ending and beginning and then you go from there. Um but they didn't do that until the end of October. So, and so they're referring to me getting them the
030trial balance late um because of that finding when I actually gave it to him in September, but the after I found this issue, it was probably beginning of November when I finally got him the the working trial balance. I guess respond to them about these things that aren't correct. you know, we've considered Devon and I had this conversation because we've been so frustrated with them. Um, and uh, you know, do we refute this? Do we, you know, blah blah blah blah blah blah. And at this point, I think we're just so done with them. It's still an a good audit with it's Yeah, it's an unmodified opinion, which means it's a clean audit. It's a clean audit. But at this point, I think we just are so want to be done. Stephan knows the truth.
031I can prove it. Yeah. Just in emails because that's how our the communication with them has all been via email. So, um, so I know it. I don't I don't want to spend the time looking back. I want to move forward. I know what his performance was. I know he didn't keep them waiting. I'm okay just moving on and I think if I could now the new firm should have the audit done by November. Yeah. I was going to ask so the September will be for the 2425 school year. Okay. Yep. Yep. They should have it done by the end of the year hopefully. And they were awesome. That was one of the things that when we interviewed them they they asked us why are you going to a new firm and we just said
032here's the reason why. So they have been actually already pushing him. They wanted to start the audit in May. in May and encouraging. we drove our feet and I said I and Devon wanted to start it in May but we that's why we just kept pushing because we we really didn't want them because in order to start that audit they had to reach out to the old firm and we didn't want to give them like if we started making you'd have to do projections I'm assuming then or for they would start testing like payrolls that have already taken place and so they would test the payroll back in October okay or look at invoices back so you wouldn't have to do projecting out through June 30th. Okay. Nope. And then um and then when we
033do the actual field work, that's when we would go through June 30th and and do that. So preliminary stuff. These auditors never do auditors. Yeah. They're out of bend and it's sens. Yep. Yep. And even during the interview process, I asked them um what percentage of your audits are done before December 31st and they said 100%. They said actually most of our audits are done before November 30th but uh but 100% of their audits are all done before December 31st and and that's what yeah and they were they were confident they're knowledgeable they already had suggestions of how we can um improve and and and do better and and um they were just really impressive. So and that was like yeah we interviewed three different You have anything else on your financial? Um, nope. That's
034it. Any more questions? Excuse me. No, we will. No, I will. This is the first time I haven't asked about a payment, so I like it when you ask about how we're spending a All right, we'll move on to the superintendent report. Um I I don't have much. Um just that um I think I I talked about excuse me are um uh the legis mostly about the new bills that are passed um specifically that that impact us. We did as a statewide educational entity um they did pass a a record setting amount which is 11.36 that goes to the state school fund um which is great but remember that half of that went to PERS almost half of that went to PERS because we have a side account and so um they they decreased that
035by I think 1.86% 6% with a bill passing and so on and so forth. Um but we took um any money all those dollars that were left over from that specifically and put them towards a compensation package with our um three three groups. Um and obviously as part of that you know that not only did it go towards compensation that we we dipped into our beginning fund balance. So next year it's going to little look a little wonky because um it won't be a balanced budget next year and the reason is is because when we get funded for a bianium we get funded 49% the first year 51% the second year so we dipped into that not a lotund,000 about 600,000 or 600,000 sorry um but we have a significant beginning fund balance that we've
036saved up over time for that reason. um and then it'll be balanced year two. Now, we still have some other things that we're watching with um uh whether or not what federal funding is going to look like for us because obviously we have uh lots of federal programs and as of now the feds have not released the money for some of our programs like um our migrant education and a number of others and we have staff that funded that way. So, we've been watching that that carefully. Um, uh, some other things that, um, that happened in the legislature, um, were that there was an accountability bill passed by the governor, which, um, I, you know, I'm not worried about at all. Um, honestly, when I wrote in to our local legislators, our representatives about supporting
037that bill, my concern was about some of the measures that they're going to use that um because we rely so heavily on growth for our students because we have so many kids, our kids are all starting in different places. Some some have are already reading when they come and writing their name and and talking in complete sentences when they come to us in kindergarten. And some of us come to kindergarten and they um they can't hold a pencil and some of them aren't even potty trained. So we we rely on on that growth model and those formative assessments. We've developed a lot of formative assessments and I was concerned about um not being able to utilize those formative assessments as part of this and so they've included some of those options in this. So, accountability
038bill, it'll um the metrics are going to be third grade reading scores, eighth grade math scores, um which if you recall um that's a newer one and if you recall the presentation that Steve Wy did on those and I think we'll probably bring that back and share that with our our new board members because it's so I mean you guys remember it's pretty shocking about the data that he put together in regards to that. So, we'll probably bring that out and show them because eighth grade, remember, was the big difference, I guess, as it was. Um, I think AJ, were you on the board when we did that presentation, too? It's pretty pretty shocking. Um, ninth grade grade on track, which we made a huge increase this year with that already. uh four and fiveyear
039graduation rates, um regular attendance rates, and then it had some um stuff about uh interm assessments and things like that. So, that's coming. Um and um let's see what other notable bills um just stuff about like climate education. Um, and um, they they are I don't I'm not sure where some of these landed because I haven't checked because they just finished up the session over the weekend. So, um, there were other cuts to to special education funding and early child and things like that. So, um, wanted to share that with you. And um the one thing I did put in here is and probably more as more of a preview is um I put a um put together a little article or it's more of a summary. It's not an article that I wrote about
040um online education growing in popularity and um the potential for that um has a funding stream for us. What's the impetus for that increasing popular so that parents can Yeah. So that's what I that's what I put in here for you guys. So it's it's about flexibility and convenience for families. It's about personalized learning. It's about, you know, some parents um are it's just about school safety, right? when you have when when you have a school shooting, you automatically have a percentage across the nation where parents pull their kids out of school. Yeah. Um you have things from access and variety. Um there's a lot of different things that go into that, but since co uh particularly it's really taken off. And so, um, so we're going to share some stuff, uh, to to with
041you guys and and the new board, just some research that we we put together and and, um, just as a preview to see where we want to go with that. So, um, so yeah, and that is all I have. Do we want to do let's do the let's so I have one more thing and Nick and I real quick you know last year when Oregon instituted that there need to be two new classes personal finance and we already have those development. Yeah. And then people were like yeah we'll have the history teacher do that and they're like no it be dedicated that still exists. They don't hold programs like that in one year. Nope. No, actually they just uh sent that out as a reminder. So, OD sent that out as a reminder to all
042districts that that needs to be implemented in the new graduation requirements. We didn't have to imple We implemented it a year or two ago. So, it's already happening. So um so the last thing I I have is um so this is our last meeting for two of you and um I just um as Blanca said the last supper um I just I I say that um how much I appreciate your kindness. I I think we all appreciate your kind kindness, your thoughtfulness. Being a board member is not easy um ever. And um it's it's always a balance, right? Because you're serving your constituents, you're serving this community um and and what they're telling you, but but really what you're doing is you're serving kids, right? We're serving kids. And um I appreciate so much that
043you um in your decision making put kids first every single time and um that you and and and that's even when it's hard, right? when people um aren't happy or it's inconvenient for them that you you do it um and you're steadfast in your belief of serving kids and I and that's um most important for us. Um I appreciate that you took the time to understand and learn about our operations. you took the time to um learn about policies and procedures and our systems and really understanding how our schools work because it's easy to stand on the outside and say they should do this, this, this, and this. But you showed up for those events. You talked to those teachers. You you learned from those kids and and um those administrators and that's that's really
044important to understand how our system works. and appreciate that you were always there to honor kids both here in the boardroom but also honoring those kids in the buildings and at events. Um I know that both um our teachers, our administrators and our community appreciate that. Um you listen to them and you encourage them, you praise them and um very much appreciate that. So, you will be missed. Um, I've already asked you both if you would like to participate. Um, one of our requirements uh from the state is to put together to convene an equity committee um which um unfortunately is not a popular word right now across the the nation but um in Oregon we will convene um an equity committee and that will be a committee to the superintendent. It originally came out
045as a committee to the school board and then they had some push back on that because those had they were worried about um having to be a formal board meeting with with all of that. So they just changed that legislation to be um a committee advisory committee to the superintendent. So they did they didn't have to go through and have the postings and the all the things that go along with with public meeting laws. And so um so I had asked both of you if you would like to participate in that if you would both be great on that. And and um we um the requirement is to have that committee can be by September September. Great. I'd love to be We appreciate it. We have a little something for you besides the flowers and
046the last dinner cookies. One of those for more years. [Music] Thank you. You guys have to wait. You served on the board four years. And blankie, you have served on the eight years. Eight years. Well, we appreciate it. Thank you. Miss you. Thank you. Come back anytime. Thank you. Everything I learned. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I was very grateful that everybody's so kind, respectful, and had to spend some time holding my hand through all Andrea. Andrea is amazing. And I was the culprit that wanted my board packet printed before my love that he came on board. So I can say, "Oh, that might just make me have a laptop and call board. It's all accessible there." But I'm old. I'm older. I'm quite a bit older than you. You like to write, but I like to
047I like to write on my stuff. middle question. So I So I'm I'm interested in knowing from the time that you ran for the board and got on the board, what is something specific that you learned about the district that maybe was a misnomer or something that you thought was one way but really was something else? What What have you learned about um to a kid. Why didn't they let him into the Why is that football program? How how can football bump into basketball? Because then our kids don't have time to practice for basketball before the first game. And and those are all the sports millions. And that's why I'm always harping on This is so smart. Why are even Pam's food programs to everybody what Melissa does Annabelle stuff is amazing. I mean bringing
048these teachers in just how these kids are administered to and they're administered to I think individualistically where they're not just grouped. Perfect example is the little second grade math genius. So I think it's a really smart you're really smart administrators or as head of administration cuz we're always evolving. It's not boring because there's something to deal with that's new all the time and how well the funding is managed. Like these schools that took all that co money and hired all these people they have to fire now. Well, I keep always marveling at how can we build another building? How can you afford to put a million dollars of windows into that high school? And so I've really I'm on the Oregon Arts Commission, right? Their budgets haven't increased for 19 years. So we uh reviewed
049the director for the first time this year. And so you have talk about what you think. What would you do if you were in that position? I said on the surface it looks fascinating to me based on what my interests are but it's just a stagnant still thing. We keep like trying to make excuse me stuff up to do so that we feel like we matter here. You're always you always dangling some carrot in front. Now now we have to start looking at this whether it was we got to build a sixth grade, we got to really focus on whether or not we would be smart to change to grade-based schools. So, it's really motivating to be on this board because not only do you give us new priorities, new concepts to deal with, um,
050it just keeps us so engaged and I think it's helped me focus more, which makes me care more, you know, about it. You're I think you're I'm serious. Who could do this crap? We have amazing people that work here. People care so much that um I I learn that the community has no idea about all the great things that I have and it's very difficult to share everything because it's a lot too and um sometimes our community concentrates like he said on little negative things but to me that doesn't have any meaning because I know what's happening at you know at all levels and how committed you are and your administrative team and I have a lot of respect and I admire everything that you're doing for for our children. Yes. I also learned that
051um in my work experience I have worked with um poor migrant families. Um, I have worked with drug addicts, with sex offenders, with and I had never experienced the lack of respect that some board members had or that for people who are to me that were shocking because I couldn't understand that was a tough time and it's in the past and the future looks bright and it's And thank you all. And I just handle one add one thing. Um people just parrot each other. You know, somebody tells you something, it's gospel, politics, all that way. Transparency is not an issue. We can't meet three of us together separately. Every meeting is a public meeting. nothing gets discussed that we just voice down community members throats, you know. Um, and I told people, you know, if
052there had been really significant backlash to this gradebased schools, we won't just fly in your face and do it. Maybe we come back try to come up with a stronger argument. But that's a newspaper coining not coining that phrase but pinning that phrase on us. We we will forever strive forever strive to be better to be better communicators to try to show people what we do. um to share with people what we do. And that is uh in my um 13 years in this position has been a um a goal to to be better communicators to to show to be better, you know, more transparent. And you know, um, several years ago, I think it was when Taran first came on and we were trying to pass a bond, um, we had I had found
053in one of the cupboards a big um, container of they were old um, notebooks and they were full of old surveys and um, different kinds of things from the back when number one they were trying to pass bonds back in the 80s and um 90s and then they also just did district-wide surveys and um what was what struck us most I think when we started going through that those things were the exact same things were said about the school district in 1980 that they are said that they say about it now in terms of those kinds of things Yeah. And so um that was um really eyeopening to me and and um and so it's it's why we will always strive to do better and look for opportunities to do better. And I really um
054as much as we're going to miss you, I'm also really excited to be able to have three people on the board that are that have grown up in this community and were here in the 80s and the 90s, but also that can bring new um ideas and energy for that, right? Because we do want to do better, always want to do better. And um and you know, some of that's education and and some of it's just having a fresh idea on on how we can do that and how we can we can um break that cycle of of people thinking, you know, it's one way. Um and and we hear that and I I hear that from people who, you know, um have said, "Man, it's not what I thought it was going to be
055when I what I heard." And so on and so forth. So So um we we'll we'll always work on that. So but we do appreciate your service and and your insight and look forward to continuing to work with you in the future. Well, and what a blast we are, right? Comment and you've been through a excuse me, a lot as a board member and man, but I have a friend from Vale from 1963 named Chuck Winter and he was recently, I guess, retired as as a president of the Idaho Senate. and Chuck um and and we talk every month or so, but he said, "Mike, elected to the school board is one of the most difficult elected positions there is." He said, "You may not believe that, but he said from what he's heard." So,
056it's kind of what we, you know, and I think a lot of it may be communication. People really don't know. So, it it we need to spend time doing it. Thank you. Thanks so much. I'll just finalize that. My thanks for all that you've done. Uh I've done the two years with you. Yes. Thank you. We've done you before that, but uh it's it's been I'll just say I've been met in the streets many times to say, "How's it going? Are you okay? I got a great board. Why Why would this be bad?" So, I mean, you guys made it easy on on me and uh Mike, you get to stick it out with me. So, can I interrupt? I keep interrupting like I do. I guess so. Thank you very much for Thank you
057helping me through my first couple years. You're a great leader. Yes. It's been helpful to have you because you understand. Yeah. You understand what's needed and I always say I don't know how Nikki does it. I was telling I don't know and I I go that's a lonely position. Yeah. Yeah. Because we're very good at expecting from her and who gives back. Yeah. Yeah. As board members were not much different and you guys have been in those lonely parts of well as the ones where we get together and enjoy ourselves. Thank you. Other comments we will move on. Do we have any public comment? No. No public comment. We will move on to business. Uh first part is the approval of the 2023 24 financial audit. Do you have any additional comments that you would
058like to make that have been made during your business report? Does anybody have a question for Evan? Oh, excuse me. I have no questions. I would enter. or well I guess I might comment sorry if I get the right comment part of it I think is we're imposing a property tax again the in the state of Oregon that candidates exceed $4. So, our rate is now 3.9293, just under $4, which brings in Guess I'm not sure what how much we get from property every year. It's It's in the budget, but we get um Yeah, it's about 5 million more than five million local that's total revenue. I I know it's about five is about five million. And then if I could just to comment that we the superintendent and everyone here is careful on how
059money is spent. And so I'm going to ask we our average in the savings account we'll call it which is in the Oregon investment pool that pays uh two years ago n5%. It went up to over four I think it's now we're at 3.83. 83, but we have average about 15 mi million year round in that. So, a lot of the districts have to lay off folks because they're out of money. Well, our money is managed very carefully. Yeah. And it results in a lot of interest. What we lost on from the auditor, we didn't have that money to put in to get interest on. that my only comment. No others comments. I would entertain a motion from one of the two of you. I would make a motion to approve the uh audit. I'll
060second a motion. Motion made and seconded. All in favor say I. I. All oppose. Nay. Eyes have it. Motion's passed. Next one on there is the budget hearing. Adoption of the 20 25 26 budget. Um went through that seems like a while ago. Now it's up for approval. Any questions? No. No questions. I would entertain. Oh, you had your one comment that you made regarding the budget the the minor the changes with the added funding. Correct. So, we have that included in this adoption. Correct. So, I would entertain a motion to approve the 2025 2026 budget. Sorry, adopt, not approve. I'll make a motion to adopt the budget for the AC school district. Motion made. I'll second. Motion made and seconded. All in favor say I. I. All oppose. Name. Motion is passed. Approval of
061the budget documents for 2025 2026 which is the open budget hearing. Oh, whoops. Sorry. I knew you would get Oh, get there. Sorry. No, you're fine. Uh, we will open up the budget hearing for community is now open. Is there anybody on the audience that would like to make comments on our budget? Hearing none, I would take a motion to close the budget. I make a motion to close the budget hearing. Motion made. I'll second it. All in favor say I. Budget hearing is closed. Resolution 24-16 adopting the appropriate and appropriating budget 2025 26 school year. I take a motion or excuse me, is there any questions? That's when I should have asked about the property tax. That's quite all right. That's my only question. Maybe the the next one 24-17. Oh, there we go.
062Okay. hearing no questions. I would take a motion to pass resolution 24-16 adopting a appropriating the budget 256. I will make a motion to approve or adopt and appropriate and appropriate budget for 6 resolution 416. Motion made. I'll second. Motion made and seconded. All in favor say I. I. I. All oppose. Nay. Motion has passed. Resol resolution 17 imposing the tax and categorizing the tax. So would that be the rate of 3.9293? That would be the rate of 3.9293. U my understanding though is that has not changed since 1991 because of legalization. Correct. And we can't change that. No. Correct. We can impose as much as we or up close as much as we want. Still have to oppose. I would take a motion. I'll make a motion to imposing the tax and categorizing the
063tax resolution 2470. Motion made. Second. Motion. Seconded. All in favor say I. I. Motion's passed. Resolution 24-18 establishing ending fund balances balance policies for 2024 2025. To approve the resolution 2418 establishing ending fund balance policies for 2024 and 25. Uh seconded motion made and seconded. Were there any questions? I just comment that those what the funds are is the student body fund, the technology fund, chromebook reserve, equipment replacement, and building improvement fund. Those are the four. Yeah. Funds. No other questions. Uh all in favor say I. I. I. All oppose says. Motion has passed. on to topics for future board meetings. I think the only thing I heard throughout this meeting was that we would get Steve Wy in for data test data data and testing for a review for us old board members or
064should say old. Then our new board members coming in who are old because they were in the 80s. Any of you been born in the 80s? We're all born in the 80s. We went to school in the 90s or 20 years. 20. We're all way past. We're all at 20 or more. Years. 21. Charlie's Angels. But you should also add add to that list an occasional moment of admiration towards that on the agenda. Is there anything else that you have? Um couple things. Um obviously um in July is when we do all of our resolutions for the year where we name our you know designate our newspaper, designate different things. So those will all be on the agenda. Um we're going to um uh I I mentioned earlier that Taran's going to is preparing um
065communications report just like she did for you guys last year. Correct. I think we did that in like around July or August by remember August. Um and that's just kind of a culmination but also sort of an upcoming plan things like that. Um and then of course we wanted um we usually start out when we have new board members we like to do training. So we'll coordinate that with you guys um and do a maybe a work session training for that. Yes. With those trainings, I would like to go over the the finance reports and the budget as well. All of us have stuff. So, that's what we're gonna we'll just schedule that with you guys to see like if you guys have some available dates. Right now, our board meetings are on the um
066fourth Monday. And so, we actually thought about just doing it ahead of that. So, like the earlier in the meeting. Yeah. And it can be just a work session because you won't be sworn in yet. Or we can start, we can have a quick meeting, swear you in, and then do the work session. Or we can just do the work session and then swear you in at the regular meeting. But I know that with everybody being so busy, we try to keep those aligned with days that you already know you're going to have something and connected to if that's good for you guys, that's kind of what we do, what we've done in the past. So, we'll try to keep it on that same date if that works. So, you don't have to schedule a
067completely separate date. Um, and there was one more thing, but I can't think of it uh that we talked about. Um, Dang it, don't come to me. I suppose but those are the those are the things. Okay. Okay. There is nothing else. We will entertain a motion to adjourn. Motion to make seconds. All in favor say I. I.