001questions all right I think we are live and yes okay thank you so much um good evening everyone thank you for joining us for a special meeting of the Adams 14 Board of Education on Thursday June I think we are oh live and I have Echo um 2023 before we begin may we have the translation information for our Spanish speaking audience thank you madam presidentes conference thank you so much Guadalupe um I'd like to call the special meeting of the Adams 14 Board of Education on Thursday June 29th 2023 to order we have a few items to consider as we wrap up the current school year and prepare prepare for the next school year first on the agenda is roll call Ramona can you call Rocco please Ramadan here Mrs Estrada here is Lovato Here
002Ms Molina Missouri here thank you um we have a quorum so we'll go ahead and proceed and apologies for the Thunder that you hear in the background but we're in the middle of a thunderstorm here uh next on the agenda um is approval of the agenda may I have a motion to approve the agenda as presented a motion to approve second hi this is Estrada hi Ms Lovato aye Ms Molina Ms Zubia aye thank you that passes uh next on the agenda is approval of the consent agenda consisting of items agenda item 2.1 through 2.8 may I have a motion to approve the consent agenda a motion to approved thank you I'll second sorry oh that's okay uh Ramona roll call please Mr Amador hi Mrs Estrada hi Ms Lavado aye is excused hi thank
003you um to quickly review the consent agenda items that were just approved our 2.1 Personnel actions 2.2 was approval of resolution 23-005 the official notice of intent to participate in the coordinated election on November 7th of 2023 2.3 approval to purchase battery backups for our public address systems 2.4 approval of contracted services for the fiscal year 2023-20 form 2.5 approval to purchase news Nutella I'm probably butchering that a supplemental project-based materials to support our secondary students 2.6 is approval to purchase read interventions for Adam City High School special ed and System 44 which is foundational skills for our linguistically gifted newcomer students 2.7 approval to purchase language live as an intervention program for our Middle School students and 2.8 approval to purchase Services uh replacing the sewer line at our Adam City Middle School there's
004additional information on board docs if anyone would like to review that next on the agenda are our business items we have a number number of financial related business items before we consider the agenda items I would like to invite Dr Lauria and Mr Moss if you'd like to add some information or provide an introduction thank you madam president members of the board um this um this item 3.1 is um is uh a um for you to consider for a for us to participate in the district for us to participate in the state treasurer's interest-free Loan program so Mr Moss can give a digital um a little brief explanation on on that item foreign thank you uh Madam president uh members of the board Dr Lauria um this this loan is interest-free and whenever we have
005a cash flow problem which we haven't had this last year I'm just anticipating in case we do we do this just to give us authority to do the loan do that and then pay it back once the uh property taxes in March April May Come in it just pays it right back off so that's kind of what it is I know I uh had given to Miss Lewis that uh all the documentation and stuff so if you have any questions please ask and just to add a little bit more context for the public sometimes we'll always every every year we receive our taxes from the city and uh sometimes if there's a delay for this you know in in us being able to get those funds if there's a delay in the the transfer in
006those funds it could result in a cash flow uh problem so those this uh interest-free loan will be there um in the event that it is delayed and we do not have time so we will not be um in trouble paying our bills and our teachers um and then as soon as we get then the taxes in and we can access those funds then immediately that would be paid off yeah great thank you so much um do you want to address each agenda item as we go through them or um did you have additional information before we dig into the agenda items um not for 3.1 unless you want to go through all of them or if you want to take action after each we can yeah and then I'll just hand it back over
007to you okay thank you apologies we haven't met virtually for gotta get reactivated here um so with that may I have a motion to approve agenda item 3.1 which is approval of resolution 23-004 authorizing the participation by the district and the state treasurer's interest-free Loan program second no go ahead thank you any discussion board members I just wanted to clarify this is only if needed it's just giving you the um the the green light in case it's needed and then we can talk more about it if it happens to be utilized correct correct okay thank you that is correct I think my only note is just I'd like to thank Mr moss and our team for looking out at our uh cash flow projections for the year and just ensuring that we are covered um
008because I know the timing of our our tax revenues is a little off and I think that'll it'll be helpful to have that extra cushion I actually hope we don't have to use it but uh it's just we almost had to last year and we didn't even have this stuff so I I'm just kind of preparing us each year for now on in case we need it we got it I appreciate that thank you and Madam president members of the board if we have to use it then uh the board will be informed okay correct thank you all right um Ramona would you please connect real quick thank you I'm sorry Mr Amador hi Ms Estrada I Miss Lovato aye Ms Molina Ms Zubia I great thank you all next on the agendas 3.2 approval
009of resolution 23-006 the proposed budget use of beginning fund balance for fiscal year 23 24. um Dr luria would you like to give an introduction to this item yes Madam president members of the board um this is a a resolution that if if at any time uh as a superintendent I have to use or I would ask um we have expenses that will need to come from the fund balance as a superintendent I will have to come to you for you to approve that the fund balance or the community is basically the savings account of the district the fund balance every year uh if there's any leftover rollover monies that will go into a savings account basically which is the fund balance and for any superintendents to use any amount of that fund balance then
010a resolution needs to be approved by the board uh in that fund balance by by Statute there needs to be a certain amount a percentage of the entire budget of the district which is five percent which equates about um four million dollars plus uh the the table minimum so it adds to about eight million dollars so for our district because that's that that is um different to every District it all depends on the the total funds that they receive the the um Revenue that they receive every year uh for us is approximately eight million dollars uh for you and the board in the community what you need to keep an eye on is that the fund balance never goes under eight million dollars uh we currently have the fund balance approximately about 21 million dollars
011uh this uh the resolution um however will make this fund balance stay at 21 million next year because the funds that we are asking to use which is approximately six million dollars is the rollover from this year um so um approximately six million dollars we're requesting to use this year to balance our budget as it was shared with the board and the public during study sessions in the previous board meeting um there are a couple of factors that have an forced us to to go into our fund balance one of them is the decrease in enrollment uh that we have had for many many years and for many years we haven't quite adjusted uh our expenses to the income that is based on student enrollment or the revenue but the district is projected again to
012lose 266 students for the next fiscal year and it is budgeted and this will be budget in the in the new budget if we can use a front balance uh once we get the October count however we can we will be providing an update to the board on how um the the enrollment would impact the district this year in uh you will see an amend uh you will see in January a new budget which is going to be the amended budget based on the enrollments because right now although we can project how many students we do not know exactly how many will show up another reason that that we experienced this year that cost um the district to use approximately eight million dollars over uh six seven million dollars uh in unexpected expenses um was
013um the result of the harmful and negative State Board of education's orders not only the resolution or the order to to dissolve the district uh or to go through the process but also the uh the spring uh removal of the accreditation uh that resulted in a lot of expenses that we were not expecting uh such as a high number of vacancies which resulted in high number of or large amount of substitutes uh engaging in contracts to ensure students have um or had certified teachers through online programs so a lot of expenses that were not allocated so um we are asking you for consideration to allow us to use six approximately six million dollars to balance the budget and uh in our next item when we talk about the budget I will um be sharing with
014you a little bit of how we um the actions that we have taken to bring some cost savings to the district and ensure that we start adapting to to our enrollment additional things that you know really resulted in as you recall about two months ago saying that we now we're finding about 15 million dollars in the deficit is um lack of appropriate um bookkeeping that we inherited and we are discovering now as we go through the process but our our team our staff and our new CFO have done a phenomenal job really looking and cleaning all that bookkeeping and allocating monies where it needs to be allocated that brings us down to um six million dollars that is basically the rollover from this year so the fund balance it goes to the fund balance for
015a moment but the fund balance will stay at 21 million uh Mr Moss um is there anything else that I I missed um please please go ahead no I I think you've uh said it all um you know we've gone through the slides but three times four times so I think you guys uh have a good understanding where we're at and so um I'm pleased that we can at least get to this point we're still working um we are uh looking daily at other areas and still doing position control and looking at things that have been doubled up in Staffing wise I mean we're still finding that I see like today I found one person that was doubled up and I'm like how can they be paid out of here and also paid out of
016here so those are things we're just finding out and uh we'll just like Dr Lauria said we'll keep billing the the onion and hopefully we get until here before you know December and and give you guys a really good budget and uh January yes so maybe Madam president I was going to be sharing cost savings and actions um but I think I can add it here because it will give a little bit more context um two months ago when uh that was uncovered the 50 million dollars deficit uh we engaged in a restructuring of central office we were doing that already um as we prepared for next year and to ensuring that there were that three things happened uh number one the goals of the board in the uh India strategic planning process that we
017engaged with the community were were being met uh the second uh part is that we had resources um that really moved closer to the students in the third one that we had Equitable practices um as far as not not only how we um and not only for students but also for our staff and that meant uh doing a whole in a deep study on um the titles of individuals dialogue individuals job descriptions connected to those salaries and those job descriptions and also minimum expectations sometimes required by law sometimes um that uh we would after this were considered were um were appropriate and um and uh we went through a an intense process that resulted in salaries and benefits uh Savings of 3.7 million dollars uh so I'm very pleased because this is at the central
018office mainly central office level we did also work with the school principals uh since uh January on balancing Staffing at the schools there was no criteria for for balancing we worked with them so that we ensure that our students in every school um in the student teacher ratio was appropriate and we worked with principals there we also with the principles worked on balancing even our custodial Staffing at each one of the schools using the square footage and algorithm between square footage and enrollment of the students so um uh going through the through the titles or or job titles or descriptions also ensuring that there's a criteria that ensures that um that there's Equitable um or there's Equity amongst um um our jobs and job duties and salaries for our staff so Sellers and benefits as
019I said resulted always result in a a savings of 3.7 millions that actually is going is moving closer to students now funds that we can use closer to our students uh contracts and purchase Services uh thus far is resulting also in savings of 3.5 million dollars additional so added to over uh seven million dollars both together and um as Mr ma said we continue looking at at contracts uh services that were purchased with uh or during covid programs applications technology purchaser and covet that may that is not no longer needed so we are going line item after line item will continue doing that um the rest of the summer and in the fall for for you to see a much more um balanced budget uh when you when we amended uh we're also looking at
020for at Food purchases at all levels especially for adults that we're not talking about about good purchases for students and ensuring that the funds again go closer to the students and um as Mr moth said a alignment between HR uh in finance departments position control in high enough staff and um in salaries or payroll I should say so um so we're coming to you uh with our resolution um in in a couple of items with for you to consider the adoption of them of the budget great thank you so much Dr Lilia and Mr Moss um may I have a motion to approve item 3.2 approval of resolution 23-006 proposed budget use of beginning fund balance for the 23-24 fiscal year a motion to approve second thank you any discussion board members um I also
021quickly wanted to know um I'm sure Ramona you noticed but uh director Molina has joined us since I just want to make sure okay um I I have a a couple of items I'd like to to say uh regarding this item and the rest of the items I just I want to commend our staff I know it was very difficult to go through all of these Cuts all of these changes um I'm hopeful that our um Position will be better in lines to to serve our students I think we've uh when when I joined the board and as a parent I felt that we needed to take a look at the equity within our um staff job descriptions um pay um so I it's a lot to happen all at once but I think it's
022been long overdue um and I also think it's a great time to be really digging into all the service contracts to make sure that we're um paying for what we need and getting what we need to our students and then the only other thing that I would like to add is I I think um given the unfunded State mandates or the management um entities as well as the removal of our Charter Authority the removal and given back of our accreditation I just really urge our community to pay attention to what's happening at the State Board level because it does directly impact our art district um and that's all I have to say about the agenda item any further discussion all right Ramona real call please commodore aye Ms Estrada aye Ms Lovato aye Ms Molina
023I Miss Zubia aye thank you next on the agenda we have a couple of resolution 23-007 fiscal year 2022-23 supplemental budget and appropriation may I have a motion to approve almost into approved second [Music] um any discussion all right Ramona Rocco please hi Ms Estrada hi Ms Lovato aye Ms Molina I Miss Zubia hi thank you next on the agenda is approval of resolution 23-008 uh proposed budget appropriation for fiscal year 2324. may I have a motion to approve I'll motion to approve one second seeing none uh Ramona please Mr Amador aye Ms Estrada aye Ms Alvaro aye Ms Molina Ms Molina foreign ER we might be having technical difficulties I think we're okay continuing on Miss Zubia hi thank you and um to Ramona and uh Mr Salazar I don't know how we follow
024up on that the technical difficulties during a vote um so you you would you would counter as um yeah you you would counter as as excused okay yep it looks like she dropped off okay thank you uh next on the agenda 3.5 approval of resolution 23-001 proposed budget interfund borrowing for fiscal year 2023-24. I have a motion to approve oh motion to approve thank you second thank you any further discussion board members seeing none uh Ramona roll call please Mr Amador hi Mrs Estrada hi Ms Lovato I miss Molina hi sorry Ms rubia aye great thank you all that passes unanimously finally um this concludes our last meeting for the 2022-23 school year um before we adjourn I'd like to thank the entire Adams 14 team our partners and my fellow board members for their
025work and dedication to our students I'd also like to thank our students for pushing through this year I know there's been a lot going on um we've all been through a lot that I'm I think preliminary and embargo data show that we're going to have a lot to celebrate in the upcoming week so I'm excited about that um and just wanted to thank you for your support and dedication time um board members is there anything you'd like to add before we move to a journal event I would like to Echo what Madam president said Thank you to everybody uh and also our community folks that still support us and support our students aiming through all the ups and downs we've had this past year I appreciate everyone's support because at the end of the day
026it is about the students it's always been about the students and it will continue to be about the students at least I can speak for myself that's why I'm here um I I you know I can't speak for all my other fellow members board members but I have seen how hard and how dedicated they are as well to really it being about our students and being student-centered and student focused and I know we've had some very tough challenges and I'm sure our our team our executive team and Dr Lauria on all her team I should say have done an amazing job and have done the hard work and I know it's uh it's been difficult it has not been an easy ride this year for anybody so I want to say thank you to everyone
027for continuing to support like Madam president said continuing to support Adams 14 but in the process it's not really just Adams 14 you're supporting our students and our families that truly need our support and will continue to need our support so thank you to everyone thank you director Zubia uh director Molina did you have your hands up please go ahead uh yeah much I was going to ask yes uh first my apologies uh disconnecting here uh got caught in that storm um so I again I just also Echo what both of you have said and also uh I I really want to thank the board uh and my colleagues it's been an honor for me to sit along you guys and everyone here to serve our students and our community uh thank you so much
028for allowing me this opportunity to serve uh uh to be to to be a public servant servant alongside with you all um and I asked the community to uh along with us to continue to protect public education in Adams 14 and and throughout our state uh so again God bless you all and I look forward to serving the students and the families and our staff and our community uh again muchas gracias I will just add that um I am just very proud of all of the work that um has gone on in Adams 14 um from the board the superintendent to the staff to the students I think that we have had um like it's been mentioned earlier um a tough year and um we are doing all the right things now and I'm just
029super excited to see where we head next year thank you fellow board members and staff great for me to end a meeting um without anything further may I have emotions to adjourn Mr Amador had his hand up oh no you guys are getting all motion to adjourn the meeting and it just thanks thank everyone for a great year that we did with all of our improvements Madam president members of the board and if I may jump in um I just I just um as a superintendent um also feel so proud of the work of of my team um of every teacher every family for believing and continuing um uh trusting us with the education of their children I um in especially I want to thank you a very uh focused board um five members of
030this community that are extremely extremely committed to uh just doing what is right for children sometimes very difficult decisions sometimes uh heart decisions but the right ones for students um because the the strong belief of this board and I know that um and believe that with all my hard ears that the students deserve that so um I want to thank you for your courage our changing history you are changing history and um that is difficult so um I I just wanted to thank you for having me as your superintendent and um um assured to you that you will continue working hard there has been a lot of distractions uh from from the stage with the orders that harmed Us in so many ways and not only our budget as I shared today but also our
031community so I will continue hard it will continue working hard in in focused on on our students and I want to thank you because um without your support in in your clear guidance and a focus and vision we would not be able to accomplish any of the things that we have accomplished and the things that are coming so thank you a team excited for next year um thank you so much we do have a motion to adjourn um mass for a second okay there's a tie in there somewhere from honor roll call please Mr Amador hi Ms Estrada aye Ms alvado aye Ms Molina hi Ms Zubia aye thank you everyone I hope you all have a great summer um we'll hope to see you for our first meeting of next year um which is
032scheduled for August 8th uh please watch our website uh for communications on any future meetings we might have um I'm sure everyone knows there's a lot pending uh legal wise and we will do our best to keep you updated um I really hope you all take the time to take a little time off rejuvenate reconnect with your loved ones and your friends um and we are adjourned we'll see you soon thank you have a great summer you too thank you bye adios thank you Zach thank you Guadalupe thank you thank you everyone for being online thank you Mr