001[music] And I say come over, come over, [music] come on over, you'll say. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the town of Portland uh and board of education podcast. We have a joint podcast and we have the two uh head honchos in the room and uh from the board of education, obviously, our superintendent of schools, Dr. Charles Britain and our first selectman, uh Mr. Michael Pelton. So, hi guys. How you doing? >> Good. >> Uh, did you survive the snowstorm? >> We all survived it, didn't we? >> It's been something. This has been a real winter. I I feel like we haven't had a winter like this in Connecticut since maybe like 2016 or something. >> Oh my god. >> These are the these the snowstorms that I remember when I was growing
002up. >> You know, but first, shout out to the town crews and and Bob and all the the custodians. They're they're doing a great job. I got to tell you that the they're they're as soon as the snow's coming down, they are on it. >> Yeah. Yeah. No, the guys are out there and uh you know, they you know, you should be proud of them. They're all giving their all as far as that goes. Putting in a lot of hours, >> lot of hours, >> you know, as far as that goes. But, you know, hey, keeping the roads open and keeping uh sidewalks safe and and so forth. So, uh, one thing that we do want to make sure that people, uh, you know, make sure if you have a fire hydrant near your house,
003please, if it isn't shoveled out, please shovel it out because, uh, that they are, it's an integral part of our, uh, fire protection system and the firemen would certainly appreciate. I know the firemen on Tuesday night, drill night, were out shoveling fire hydrants, but help them out. If you see a fire hydrant that's uh, covered with snow uh, 3T perimeter around it, we would greatly appreciate it. So, fantastic. So anyway, all right. So um basically we have um we had a joint board of education board of selection meeting last week. >> Yes. >> Yeah. Last week. And uh >> so we have um the uh we were going to have a special one tomorrow, but that got postponed. >> We were Yeah, we're going to have it next uh next week at the regular time.
004At the Yeah, we may do an hour before at 6 o'clock next Wednesday. We'll do a special meeting just on the school project. Um the numbers that we were getting were delayed. So we want to make sure we have all that. >> Okay. >> But we'll discuss that next week. So we'll announce that uh tomorrow sometime. >> Fantastic. So okay, starting with you, Charles. I know you you have [laughter] uh you're up very early on snow days. >> Yes. >> Okay. 4:15. >> So tell tell me your process on how you how do we get to where we got? [laughter] >> Oh yeah. So, you know, that's that's one of those I got to tell you that the the days some of the ones are easy to call. Like if it's a the blizzard of
005the century, we can decide the night before and everybody likes that. But the days that you're not sure, it's up at 4:15 and lots of conference calls and with superintendents and area groups and, you know, we do our best to divine the weather. But hey, it's also conversations with Bob and the town crews here, get get a sense of where we are. Um, yeah, the B we need to let the bus company know no later than 5:15, 5:30 if they're rolling on time or if they're delayed or >> Right. Right. >> closed. But, you know, it's it's been a winter. It's I'm tired of up a lot of early mornings. >> Yes. >> But, right, it's good. Right now, our last school day is going to be Monday the 22nd. >> I'm going to ask
006the board next week to consider giving back one of our March PD days. It would be nice to end on Friday, June 19th. >> Um, all right. But stay tuned on that. >> But that doesn't affect the graduation. >> No, the graduation is set for the Monday. >> Okay. Yeah. And that's June 20th. >> Uh let me tell you exactly. I'm back up a couple days. It is. Hang on. I got it right here. It is June. No, my bad. Hold on. June 15th. >> June 15th. Okay. Okay. There we go. All right. >> And before we talk about the consolidation, one more shout out. A couple weeks end of March here. Adam's family at the high school. >> Yes. >> Can't wait. be there or be square. Yes, our uh our uh my my
007piano teacher Dan Halbec is going to be in the pit playing piano. >> That's March Friday, March 20th. Saturday, March 21st. Go to the the website, music booster, the music website, and you can get your tickets. >> I've already got my tickets. I'm ready. That's a great choice. >> Cannot wait. >> I thought you were going to be Wednesday. [laughter] [laughter] >> Anyway, okay. So I obviously Charles, you know, you're with the the the the timeline and where you have to let people know you're damned if you do if you're damned if you don't, right? You know, sometimes you get into a situation where, you know, you make the call and say, "Oh, well, you know, it's it's it's like the weather man, you know." So, uh, >> it is new, you know, but I
008would just say to anybody, >> my nightmare is that that pink line on the weather maps. You know, you have the blue, which means snow, >> you have the green, which means rain, and then the pink. >> And, you know, the pink line always seems to be going right over Middletown of Portland. >> Of course, >> it moves >> and that's it. Because if it's rain, we're good. Yeah. >> If it's ice and snow, >> we're not. >> The job would be too easy. >> That's it. >> It would be too easy if that didn't happen. and and you know, we're always going to air on the on the side of caution, but you know, we don't want to be too cautious, right? I mean, we don't >> we don't want to have kids sitting
009home if it's rainy 40° out. So, it's it's hard, but I got to say I'm I'm I'm batting about 100 this year. I think I think >> why not? >> I've made the right calls. There you go. So, um >> but I got, you know, Bob and great great people around me telling me what's going on and and you know, especially Mr. He has an incredible sense of the challenges in Portland with all the back roads and Penfield and Eisenlass and all the unique areas of town that we have to consider. Um, >> well Bob brings a lot of experience. He was once our public works director. So you get a whole different perspective from that side. So So Mike, on your on your your snow days, tell us what your snow days are like.
010>> It involved a lot of shoveling and a desire to have a snow snowb blower. though. [laughter] >> Yeah. You know, thing is, uh, you know, the the highway guys, uh, I know, uh, Mike Lrina does a great job with the highway guys and getting everybody out on time and so forth. So, um, I mean, typically, what are your calls as far as, uh, you know, decision making wise? >> So, so the biggest challenge is is uh, obviously, uh, Dr. Britain's deciding on the schools. We have to decide on what we're going to do with the with the town buildings. Yeah. Um sometimes we can open late uh and our our crew can get there on, you know, can get there. Uh schools are different. You've got school buses, you've got safety issues. So, so
011that's the biggest decider. But, um the thing I like about this last two storms that we've had, if there was a silver lining, is all the crews worked really well together. So, Bob, uh you know, Dr. uh Dr. Britain's group um our public works, they all communicated the night before police getting cars off the road. So, um, there's more avenues now to communicate the message to the residents in town with social media. Sure. Uh, with everything else. So, getting the message out, I think, was easier. Um, having people communicate or communicating with people as it was going on, right, uh, was very helpful. So, it made it a lot easier. So, people knew what to expect. Um, the roads were prepped ahead of time. Uh, if they had questions, they could reach out to us.
012So, the communication, I think, was what made it work. And, and obviously, the crews, most of them have been in town forever. Yeah. Knew the roads. They were able to get that done. >> For sure. Well, I I think uh I know prior to this snowstorm, we were getting really close on salt, weren't we? >> Yeah, there there's been a a salt shortage nationally. Uh we had we we got hit by it. Um or we almost were out of salt at the last storm, but we were able to get enough in there. But uh yeah, there was an issue with that. >> Yeah. Yeah, but we uh we dodged it. Now, unfortunately for budget wise, both storms that we got hit were on weekends. So, uh that creates a little more financial issue, which is
013a nice segue into perhaps the next topic. When you sneak into Tom's office and say, "Tom, >> yeah, >> I got good news and bad news." >> Yeah. Yeah. The good news is it's it's only going to snow lightly. The bad news is it's snowing on Sunday. >> So on Sunday. >> Yeah. You know, so forth. But yeah. Uh yeah, that's that's always the challenge. That's always the challenge. You know, when you're dealing with uh you know, the public and and you know, obviously, you know, as both of you know, um you you've got the you're damned if you do, if you're damned if you don't and so forth. So, uh, you know, getting those, uh, you know, roads safe, obviously for, you know, for public safety and and, uh, police and fire and so
014forth. Um, you know, parking bands. I think that was that was something that, uh, you know, we really have to get out there on and, you know, advise people get off the roads. >> Well, I think it's parking bands, which this on this storm, it was it was much better. There were very few cars that were out there and we were able to either talk to the people in in in the house to get them to move it. Um but sidewalks um continue to be an issue in both storms where people just weren't shoveling sidewalks afterwards. Yeah. And they normally have 24 hours after the storm. Yeah. But there are certain sidewalks, for example, on Route 66 between Walgreens and Adams. Yeah. >> Um that's an area that a lot of folks walk and you
015don't want people walking on the street on there. So we we had some issues with that this storm as well. We're reaching out to them to make sure. So if anyone's watching or listening, please shovel your sidewalks. It's a responsibility. It's for safety and uh we need to do that better. Well, just so you know, I think um Nate and the ground screw handle most of the buildings, correct? Okay. They do the buildings and obviously the the public works does all the roads and you know the uh the parking lots. So So anyway, >> uh okay. So that that covers the sidewalks, that covers the roads. Um getting down into uh the school consolidation. So right >> who wants to go first? >> All right. Well, I I you know, I did I I hope
016folks were able to watch. It was it was a little longer than I think you know it's not most riveting TV right but there up on the website is a presentation I made at a joint board of ed board of selectman began probably about hour hour and a half um but it it was a lot of detail right and >> the headline here is that after many years and considering oh my goodness every possible configuration of grades and which schools might close and and what needs to be done there is now I think um a plan that I I'm hoping everybody because I know that that board of selectman hasn't voted on it yet. The board of education did vote unanimously to support this >> and I really am hoping that the board of selectman
017also supported >> give a unanimous right. I think that that this is the one that that I hope we can all get behind. >> Yeah. Um, and part of the the challenge here is that the elementary schools have have reached a po a point where just doing capital improvements on them doesn't make sense, right? That pretty much every major system, architectural, structural, life, safety, security, everything would need to be done. At that point, you're you're essentially it's like walking into a house and taking a look in at it and saying, "Hey, can we fix it up or is it a a you know, full gut or is it a tear down?" Yeah. >> Right. >> I don't think we would say that the schools are a tear down, >> but they're a full gut. They're
018they're a full renovate. I mean, and that means when you do that, just like in house, roofs, windows, uh electrical, plumbing, HVAC systems, school security, you do everything. >> Yes. Yes. The benefit of doing a renovate to new as opposed to capital is that the state incentivizes you to do that with an awful lot more reimbursement. >> Okay. >> Um >> so the the numbers work out so that uh on Valley View. Yes. >> Uh you know you're you're looking at well over 70% reimbursement from the state. >> Y >> and at Gildersleeve you're up close to 60%. >> Okay. So, and so financially it makes more sense to to do renovate to news and um you get a better product long term and >> it's it's everything I mean it's it's the entire you're
019basically walking into a new school. >> So basically when just to roll back to to bring our viewers up to date now when when the first reimbursements came out they weren't they weren't nearly as high. So >> no the state has has chain raised the reimbursements. Okay. >> Um, particularly for for Valley View, which I'll talk about that one. Um, there's a big push in the state of Connecticut to open more seats for early childhood learning. Anybody who has kids knows how expensive Oh, yeah. >> birth to three and then preschool and kindergarten can be if if it's it's not public. It's it's Hey, there was a time when my wife and I were paying more for daycare for our two kids than our mortgage. Very expensive. Yeah. >> Um, so the state wants public
020schools to open seats for prek. >> Mhm. >> And they've incentivized that by increasing the reimbursement rates by 15%. >> Okay. >> For an entire pro project if you include in that project pre prechool seats for kids. >> Um, that's that significantly increased what we would be getting in reimbursement for Valley View. >> Okay. So the plan for Valley View would be to turn it, I should say, back into a preK2 school. >> Okay. >> There was a time, not that long ago, I think it was only about 10 11 years ago, I think it was the year before I came here, 11 years ago when Philip O'Reilly was the superintendent, the Valley View was a pre-K2 school, but it was only a preK2 school because there were portable classrooms on it. >> Correct. >>
021And at that time, the portable classrooms had >> fallen apart. They're not permanent structures. They they're essentially trailers, right? Y >> um and that they deteriorated to the point where >> they needed to be removed. Yeah. >> And when they were removed, the decision was made to move second grade from Valley View to Gildersleeve. Um and then since then, Valley View has only been preKK and one. >> Okay. So the plan now is if this bonding referendum and and it is supported by the community turn valley back into a prek2 school and completely renovate to new the entire school. So it's essentially a brand new prek2 school and that would cost the town of Portland a little over $14 million. With state me reimbursement you'd be getting about a $44 million school. >> Okay. >>
022So great deal. Like it's it's a no-brainer. >> Yes, >> it is a Valley View is is >> you know and I'm I'm starting to see pictures of what it will look like and the architects are putting out the renderings. They're coming soon. They'll >> it's it will be a beautiful new school. >> Nice. >> Part two of the plan would be to turn Gildersleeve into a grades three to five school. Okay. >> Now, interestingly enough, at one time Gildersleeve was a grade three to five school. >> Okay. So the idea here is to turn it back into a grade three to five school. And again, very similar, not as much reimbursement, but essentially for about $23 million, you're getting a $54 million school when you factor in the reimbursement. Again, brand new. >> Nice.
023>> Brand new school. >> This will take about five years to accomplish. >> Okay. >> Then the idea is move sixth grade to the middle school where there's enough room for them. Okay. >> And to have a grades six, seven, and eight middle school. Now, here's an interesting thing. Portland used to have a grade six through eight middle school, >> which used to be the biz. >> Y. >> So, this plan really has us going back to the future. >> Right. Creating a pre-K2 Valley View, which it once was. Creating a 35 Gildersleeve, which once it was, and creating a 678 middle school, which you once had. >> Yeah. Um by doing that then you would consolidate from three elementary schools to two brownstone we need for five years to use as swing space which
024saves us a ton of money. Y >> right. Um, at the end of five years, the the plan would be initially turn it over to Parks and Wreck Food Bank, expand the lease with Oakill, but then consider the impact of the new Nordic Spa and and otherwise a plan because it it's big that you need more things in it than just those entities. >> U, but figure out what to do with Brownstone in the long term. >> Sure. >> The value of that is at the end of this plan, we have two brand new schools which are beautiful. Y >> good for the next 25 years. Y >> that's what the architects build them to. 20 to 25 years. You're not going to need to do a lot of work on them. >> Y >>
025and you'll have, you know, something a community decision about Brownstone >> and you'll have grade six at the middle school. >> So you'll consolidate from three elementary schools to two. And the savings from that are very significant because right now they're in order to run a school you you need people in the school to run them. >> Sure. You need administrative staff, custodians, support staff. So, by consolidating, I've projected that you can reduce a principal, two certified positions, a nurse, two secretaries, a custodian, um a large bus because we're not transporting kids as far, overhead from electric and heat and upkeep and salt and, >> you know, copier leases and telephone bills and internet, right? >> I've I've projected the savings there is right around a million dollars, maybe a little higher, maybe a little
026lower depending on Okay. >> what health insurance plans people take. Yeah, >> but in general that means then that a million dollars in overhead savings can be reduced from the board budget. And I've asked the town to consider how to use that money to invest in capital projects until it might be needed to start paying back money that's borrowed for these projects. >> Right. >> So all things considered, if we do our job well this May, we are Mike and I are working now with financial planners. The last piece of the puzzle is how much it will cost. Yep. >> But it's I think people will find it's reasonable. >> Yes. >> We're gonna go back out to a referendum in May. If that works and the voters approve this, which, >> you know, I'm
027going to be having a lot of town forums over the coming months to, you know, help generate some interest in this. And >> all things work well. >> Yeah. >> Next year would be no change while we apply for grants and hire architects and put building committees together. The year after that we would mothball turn Gildersleeve into preK2 turn g brownstone into three four five move the sixth grade to the middle school >> and for two years it takes gut and renovate to new valley View. >> Okay. >> Then we cut the ribbon on Valley View. Brand new school. We move prek2 from Gildersleeve to Valley View. Empty out Gildersleeve. Just move the guys down the road. >> Y >> and have them do the same thing at Gildersleeve. >> Y >> two more years,
028>> right? Then Gildersleeve is done. Move three through five from Brownstone to Gildersleeve. And then five years later, cut the ribbon and there is a a hopefully a plan at that point for what Gildersleeve would become. >> Sure. Yeah. >> What what I like about the plan too because we've been involved in so many committees have we had over the last six years or so? many many for many many years behind. I what I like about it is it finally right sizes our school system. Uh we've had one extra school effectively for the last you know 25 years uh and longer. Um the high school middle school project created extra space up there that was never >> utilized fully utilized. So >> well they overbuilt >> they overbuilt uh and there was a lot of
029stories behind that as well. But we have a chance to uh get two great schools out of it using state funding that will go somewhere and I would rather have our tax money that goes to the state for projects like this come back to us for a project. So >> reimbursement rate I think is hitting the sweet spot. It gets the schools build up the safety uh needs right now. Um it adjusts for this for this the decline in enrollment that we've had over the years as well. So it right sizes it for that and it keeps the school that I think people want um on Main Street to remain either a town building or something else. But we don't want kids on that school, especially young kids. I know that was a big thing
030for you uh to you know to have second or third graders there was not an option. So I like that. And >> in 5 years we're going to be a different town. We're going to have Brainard Place fully in place and all the tax money coming in from that to be able to fund some of this. We're going to have uh the Nordic Spa up and running later this year, but they will have had a couple years to have an impact. And then the riverfront properties, we're still working on doing something with that. So, we may have other So, all of that is going to uh work to make the town uh be able to afford more of this, be able to bring more businesses in town. I really do think we're at an inflection
031point in town. Yes. And this project can take advantage of that inflection point. And to me, it feels like a once in a generation moment. >> You know, the pieces are falling together. they, you know, and timelines are falling together. You know, obviously Brownstone, you know, that that was has been a an edifice on Main Street for for centuries. Okay? You know, uh I never went there. I went to Catholic school, but you know, uh you know, it was the type of thing that you I know when we renovated uh the uh the town hall school uh and Charles, we've talked about that that school laid boarded up for 16 years. You know, while people were, >> you know, trying to figure out should we tear it down, should we build it new, should we
032whatever. But, you know, obviously that was uh you know, people wanted to uh renovate that and I'm glad they did. I mean, it's it was it was a good use of money. Uh but you know with the Brownstone school on me we we were always short of gym space and you know that Charles you know as far as that goes we've got a beautiful auditorium which you can use for public forums and you know uh and you know like you say the park and wreck now Mike what what you know obviously if we move for the food bank out of the senior center and and the park and wreck and and so forth you know what would we do with uh the PD? >> So we we've looked at different options on Main Street. So
033I I have to answer that with another couple things. So, uh, we're looking on Main Street right now in terms of, um, fixing up in a number of ways. Maybe, uh, you redoing the street, minimizing some of the traffic there, doing some other improvements. So, making Main Street a more, um, businessfriendly area is part of the plan. So, we have three, four, five years to get that in place. And I think that will make that property more usable for other functions, perhaps for leasing out to other businesses. But, it's they're historic buildings. We want to keep those. Yes, we want to honor the history of the town, but it gives us time to do that. So, we have the luxury of four or five years while the project's working on to get that done. And
034we have the luxury of having the people that are interested in doing something with those buildings or or businesses that might want to do something developing and cultivating that. So, I think that I think that's a I think that's an upside. Uh years ago, that might have been a downside, but we have that time to do that. Um and with the things going on, we have more things that can gel, but there's a lot of opportunity. There's businesses that will want to be on our main street. or new restaurants and other places. So, it will be very attractive. >> Yeah, absolutely. You know, uh you know, the other thing too, you know, while while you're talking there, Mike, you know, uh give us an update on on Brainard Place and you know, uh the health
035spa and so forth. That's some huge changes in town. >> Huge changes. So, the the Nordic Spa should be open up this November. Um they're already taking applications. So, if someone's looking for a job, let me know. I will connect you with the people up there. But, they're already starting to interview and kind of pre-check people. um they were they're expecting and I know I've talked about this before, they're expecting anywhere from 100 to 144,000 people a year visiting that site, which is that many more people coming to town. And you layer that on to uh the exploration park that brings in 80,000, 70, 90,000 people a year. That's a lot of people coming to town, which again is going to make Main Street more valuable, which again is going to make the Brown, you
036know, our brownstone school even more attractive to a developer or for whatever we're going to do with it. Sure. So, but yeah, so Nordic Spa's on track. uh Brainer Place right now they are on track to complete the project by 2028 which is only two more years. So they're they're full speed ahead on all all the last two phases of the project. Uh Jersey Mike is going to be opening up in about a month or two. Uh they're hiring for that but uh the third building they'll probably lay the foundation for that assisted living building sometime end of the summer. Okay. >> So that's going to happen and that'll be a bigger building with the restaurant on top. Yeah. So those plus Berdon is looking to expand and do additional work there. um you know
037the the the airline trail we're expanding that um the river access project that will actually be uh we'll you'll be able to bring your kayaks or canoes onto the river in May sometime there'll be a ribbon cutting then so now >> yeah they're working on the roads already been built down there the the parking lot's been laid out um but once the snow clears that's happening so all these things will kind of kind of gel together >> sure so yeah >> well I I'm understanding now the first residential tower that's pretty much rented now >> yeah it it's It's most of it's rented out. They just got a CO for the top two floors of the second building behind. It's got one extra level cuz it's a little bit lower in the ground. They can
038go a little higher and they should have the CO for the other two floors in about another two weeks. >> Nice. >> So, yeah. So, it's really moving along. It looks really good. >> Okay. >> Now, Charles, that that building I know people had a lot of auda, you know, what what was that going to how is that going to impact the school system now? You know, I don't think it's going to be any appreciable. >> One student >> really. Yep. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It's not it mo we to actually we talked to the developer a while ago. Most of the the apartments there are um studio onebedroom or twobedroom and uh you you generally won't get kids out of the studio or onebedroom right >> you you might get some out of the
039twobedroom and we we looked at similar developments and there's one I think it was in Brookfield that had about 22 23 kids out of it. >> Yeah. >> Um >> but this one we checked our checked our enrollment. as a matter of fact, there's one one student um who who's come coming from there. So, it's not it's not really a not really a family, although I I know there's a daycare center going in to one of those which I I can't wait to learn more about. That's fascinating. They have a big one, too, right? >> Big one. They're going to be in the sage house, one of the historic homes. So, that's going to be great. >> Nice. >> So, one note I want to add about Brainer Place, too, that ties into the school
040project is is obviously that's a big project. It's 50 million plus. probably is more with inflation because it's taken so long. But that project with the with the tax abatement that we gave them to come into town, we're going to start seeing more and more taxes from them over the next 5 years. It'll max out in seven years and that's about the time that any bond that we get will start kicking in. So, so collectively we will be able to afford this um the bond costs um as the town grows and that's a big part of it. So, I'm guesstimating I'm guessing it'll probably throw up about a million dollars of taxes between Brainard and the spa by the time the Brainer uh place is fully in place. So, that's going to go toward our
041grand list and our grand list is on a very nice trajectory to grow. >> Well, I mean, that was one of the uh you know, conversations, you know, kicking around the the reimbursements and so the tax reimbursements because but you've got people with just just in car revenue that that moved in there that we're collecting on now. >> Sure. >> You know, so that's that's awesome, you know. Sure. >> As far as Yeah. >> Yeah. It's really It's neat even in It's amazing to me and and again this is my 10th year here, right? How much the town has changed in just the past 10 years and I understand change is hard in some respects, but right >> I these are great things. What what an incredible >> I I drive by regular cuz I'm
042always at Brownstone. That Nordic spa is amazing. Holy mackerel. >> They're putting 40 million plus in that. Oh, if you see if you see where it's all framed up, it's going to be beautiful right there. That that is going to put Portland on the map, right? I mean, the closest one is on Norwich. You get a spa like that here. >> Yeah. >> It, you know, now my stress goes up when I think of 100,000 people driving by Brownstone every day. So, you know, we're going to have to, you know, work with with our visitors to make sure that our that things go well for our kids at at least in the time that that we're using Brownstone. So, that's a little object there. But when this is all said and done, you know, I
043think five, six years from now, people are going to, you know, really look at Portland in a in a very different way. Very positive changes. >> Well, you mentioned Brookfield. You know, they they had increased 20 students. I think we could even afford 20 students >> easily, you know, in our school system. So, it's not like >> we're not we're we did several demographic studies. were projected a very slow 0ero to three% increase over the coming years. You know, I don't want to, you know, put a for sale sign out in front of Portland, but we we with these two new schools and and the capacity we have at the secondary school, we could easily add 15 to 20 more kids a grade level and and and be okay. Um there's any concern about outgrowing
044our footprint. It's just it's not there. And you just there just aren't that many housing starts >> in Portland that that would generate that many more kids. >> 100%. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> One of the interesting things about this too is um years ago when we did the high school middle school project back in 2003 2005 >> that was a $39 million project in today's dollars would be we almost $6970 million. Yeah. So the town back then for half the grand list was able to do a project that effectively is about the same size as what we're considering. Yeah. and we're in a better position to do that. So, so again, it's part of the tailwinds that makes me feel confident. So, once we get all the numbers by Monday, we should have those. We'll
045share those um starting next week, um I think residents will be comfortable in the affordability of it. I think they'll be sold on the need for it. I think they'll be I think most people will agree that we need to kind of rightsize our schools. So, one extra school that we can get rid of and do something good with is is a good decision and layer all the things that are going on in town. As long as we can afford it, and I think we can. Yeah. Then I think that'll be something that um I would I'm going to be advocating for what I think is the best for the town. And I as everything I know right now, this makes the most sense for the town. >> Yeah. Well, and that segus quite nicely
046now into what we're all working on now is budgets. Okay. So, you know, and you know, we're putting budgets together. Obviously, you know, both of you have been working together as far as, you know, crunching numbers and so forth and you know, you know, how's it going to raise taxes? So, you know, who wants to go first? >> I I I will go first on this one. >> Absolutely. >> So, so I have until Monday to uh put the budget together that I'm going to pres be presenting to the board of selectments. So, I've been working over the last two months on the various numbers. Uh we have several complications. Um we have a big jump in insurance that's affecting the entire town. >> That's the elephant in the room. >> That is the elephant
047in the room. And it's not just Portland. It's not just Connecticut, it's nationwide. There's been a big jump in insurance because of some things that have happened nationally in terms of how they've done some changes and put some pressure on the insurance companies. So, so we have for example, I I believe it was almost 19% >> 19.7% which is huge. Um, and it impacts not only that but everything else when it comes to people costs and u u our town budget is half people the board of ed budget is like 2/3 people cost. So, so the people costs are significant, but uh we're looking at every possible line. We're looking at every savings. We're looking at at smart sizing, certain thing. We're looking at ways that we can combine services. So, we're looking at every
048possible way to keep the budget so it's functional. It does everything we need to do, but we're spending the money as wisely as we can. >> Sure. And Charles, you've you guys have already approved your budget pretty much. >> The board of ed approved there. So, it's going to the board. There's a couple couple things to Yeah. I mean the the the benefit side of it is you know it's shocking right shocking and and and there's a lot of things that influence that including usage and and >> you know I we're we're coming upon another national wrecking reckoning with health insurance. This >> every superintendent I talk to is talking about 30 40 50% you know it's it's something out there. I don't I'm not an insurance expert. You know, I know the last time
049we tackled this with the Obamacare was a big big national drama, you know, but it's time. It's time again because, you know, these increases aren't aren't sustainable. I mean, they're just I mean, they're they they're they're oppressive. Um, >> we're doing our best on the board side to offset some costs. We have, you know, the other one that that has gotten better, but is still influencing us is the special education costs. Yes. >> Um those we've been able to stabilize with some we have a very talented director of special ed who is working hard to to manage those costs and and >> um we're also hoping this year out of the the state legisl the state hasn't increased >> um what they give us in terms of their their cost share for education since 2013.
050It's time for them to raise that base amount. Um, you know, I I think, you know, a lot a lot of first selectman and mayors would be looking to the state and saying, "Hey, we we need some property tax relief." Sure. Right. It I think all of us could get behind those things and I I know there are clever ways to do it. >> Sure. >> At the local level, I just would mention too that um you're going to hear more about some additional revenue streams we're trying to open by leasing some areas of our facilities. And I'm really excited about a program uh called our transition program that we're looking to move to a Main Street location that could become so awesome that we're getting tu students tuitioned into town to it. Nice. >>
051Which would bring in additional revenue. >> Would that be similar to Open Choice? >> Similar. Yeah. So we these would be for 18 to 22 year olds. Okay. Who um are are transitioning from high school to the world of work. um that you know we would would have a place for and then develop relationships with local businesses and it's just a really cool program. >> I was very excited about that program. >> Years ago when when I was in high school we had the EBC program which was kind of similar to that because you know they had uh you know half a day of academics and then they put them into the workplace. So that's but it it gave kids you know that that weren't necessarily um academically you know well-incclined. Okay. Uh ways to
052develop skills and and and work within the system. Sure. >> Yeah. And then the one thing I would just just add that and again I I want to be careful how I say this because everybody who I'm going about to talk about are people that I know and value as colleagues. >> They're good people. But >> you know labor is expensive now. >> You know nobody works free. >> No. >> Right. and and health insurance is still an obligation of employers to provide under our our current sets of statutes. Um the only way that you can really reduce a board of education budget is to reduce people. Yes. >> Because we don't we don't spend a lot of money on pencils and post-it notes. You know, our our money is always wrapped up in the
053people that provide the services. >> Yeah. Yeah. That's why this consolidation long-term for the town that that million dollars a year that I talked about in savings from wages and insurance right you take that million add 3% a year >> to that over the next 20 years >> either we keep the three elementary schools and have to pay that for the people >> or we take that out of the budget you don't see that savings every year but you're not paying it right >> right So the reality is over 25 years if you take that that labor savings add, you know, a 3% number to it. >> Sure. >> That would knock off probably twothirds of the cost. >> So it's either you're going to pay for the bricks and mortar. >> Yeah. >> Or
054you're going to pay for the people to be spread out. >> Um >> that alone. Um and again, it breaks my heart because I don't want to lay anybody off. No. But the only way you can control costs short-term and long term is by reducing people. >> Sure. Sure. And the other it's a double-edged sword because, you know, in order to retain good help, you've got to pay competitively. >> Correct. >> You know, so that's the that's the other, you know, elephant in the room if you got, you know, if you want to maintain good people, you've got to be competitive as far as for compensations. I'm so so glad you said that because >> Portland absolutely is in competition for teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, secretaries, bus drivers. >> Sure. >> With everybody else within a
055three mile radius. >> Yeah. >> And generally speaking, you know, we've done a little better recently, but you know, fortunately, it's a great place to work and people come here and stay because they love it. But, you know, that's that's our job of of creating a great place to retain people, but to recruit people. >> Yeah. Well, that's tough. Well, I mean, Portland historically, okay, throughout the years has been one of the lower paying districts in the state. >> And it still is. Okay. So, and like you say, if you want to maintain and most, I mean, we've got great teachers and a lot of times those great teachers were, you know, they grew up in this town, they're vested in this town and so forth, but if you got, you know, you want to
056get some new and rising stars, you got to be able >> and and we see that on the same side as us on public works on grounds. Our police, most of our police, if they wanted to go somewhere else, they could make 20, $30,000 more, but they choose to either come here after their first career or they just like it in town. It's a good it's a good place to work. Yeah. uh you know it's different than maybe a bigger city where there might be a different dynamic there. So so we're able to attract the people that want to stay but is it I I feel that pressure every every month in terms of uh if someone leaves filling that position is difficult. Yeah. >> Uh you know because there's a lot of competition out
057there. >> Yeah. Well I mean I was a prime example of that. I mean I worked for the town for 50 years. I've had offers to go other places for significantly more money but you know you get to say I grew up in this town. I've got vested interest in this town. Do I want to, you know? No. You know, so you got you got stuck with me for 50 years. [laughter] >> Oh, that's crazy. >> Plus 20. >> So yeah, you know, it gets to a point where you have to run things frugally and you know, to go from there and and you know, you're going to be doing more uh uh presentations and obviously we've got the budgets. Yeah. >> Obviously the budget workshops. >> Yeah, we have budget workshops coming up. Um
058what I would encourage anyone listening or watching uh budget workshops come out um ask questions find out more details. We'll have the budget on the website shortly uh for the school consolidation project. We will be talking to everyone everywhere. We'll be at the senior center. We'll be at the Valley View Gildersleeve uh inviting parents to come there and check out the schools. Uh Dr. Britain will be giving uh guided tours. >> Yeah. Can I give those dates? >> Sure. Absolutely. um Monday, March 9th at um 6 p.m. I'm at Valley View. Okay. I'm inviting anybody that wants to come. I'm going to start with a tour. Okay. >> And and show pictures and and and review, you know, not in great detail, but in in in a level of detail that people will understand what
059we heard from from the two companies that that did the facility analysis. People can see the HVAC system or lack thereof, the roof, you know, take a look. I mean, I want people to to see the current condition of the school, >> right? >> And then we're going to pivot very quickly to the vision for what it will look like, >> right? >> If if folks support this plan, >> right? >> That's that's Monday, March 9th, I'll be be putting that out in social media and and more to come. >> The very next Monday, I'm going to do the same thing at Gildersleeve. >> Okay. >> So, I want people to come out, look at the parking lots, look at the playground. Sure. Look at the lack of a man trap. Look at the windows.
060You know, look, we won't be able to go up on the roof. I wish we could, but I'll show you some pictures of it. Like, >> yeah. >> Take a look. I'm happy to show the school and and and Bob will be there and we'll we'll talk about, you know, some of the the challenges of an old building, right? >> Wow. >> And and then we'll show what it would become. So, we have some we'll have some great pictures and floor plans and some hopefully ways that people get excited about what this will become. you you'll have to talk to Dylan. Maybe you can put the drone up and take some pictures of that. >> We did that. I got lots of video. >> So, you know, that's that's something, you know, pictures worth a
061thousand words. So, Monday the 9th is Valley View. The 16th is going to be uh Gildersleeve. Um and then the following weeks we're going to have two or three meetings at the middle school in the Cath in the um auditorium right after the Adams family strikes the set. >> Okay. >> Um just for people to come out, ask questions. Well, we we'll we'll do the do general overviews, but I want everybody to be comfortable with this. Sure. >> Um >> so that you know I think that you know if people would invest themselves they'll they'll see they'll I mean >> if you don't if there's any question about whether what I'm saying is true. >> Yeah. >> Please come and and believe your own eyes. >> Proof is in the pudding. >> Come look. Right.
062>> Or talk to any teacher, secretary, custodian, anybody that works in the schools. now. >> Yeah. >> And they'll give you often maybe some colorful vignettes, but a general sense of of the the the condition of the facilities, right? >> Um and again, I'm not trying to, you know, scare anybody or or or raise any red flags that >> it is what it is. >> It it is what it is. And and >> you know, I am worried that that if we don't have a plan >> soon, you know, within the next five years, six years or so, >> Yeah. um you know that that I don't want to have >> well we you know and again we we can't keep kicking the can down the road you know and that ultimately that's you know
063it's been you know aging infrastructure is is nothing new in this town or any other town in in the country and so forth but you know you mentioned the state you know as far as funding in the state goes you know uh fiscally speaking uh state of Connecticut is in really good shape you know uh so hopefully uh uh Governor Lamont will uh open up his pocketbook and you know >> well he already has the these reimbursement rates >> are are such that we are going to be a for $41 million on the town >> we are going to be able to do $17 million worth of work. Yeah, >> that oh my good that like when when we looked at those numbers, especially when the preschool things came out, that's >> that's incredible, >>
064right? Versus the alternative, which is you just fix things as they break. You try to anticipate and you're just paying dollar for dollar. Yeah, exactly. >> Where maybe you get 25% back on on some things, but no, it's it it really is it's it's gotten to the point where something has to get done. We've had a lot of smart people look at it over the last bunch of years and I think the timing is right on a number of areas. >> Yeah. Charles, just just touch a little bit on on just how the the canopy at at Valley or at Gildersleeve fit into that something. >> So, um we had a really hardworking group um that met for many hours um last spring. Yeah. Looking at you, we went line by line through these reports
065to understand where we were. very very long nights of of looking at this. And one of the things we were looking at with Gildersleeve was um we we recommended capital improvements not renovate to new because in a capital renovate to new, excuse me, we would had to demolish parts of the building and nobody wants to see that. We don't want to give up square footage, >> right? >> Um and that was why that committee had recommended capital improvements not renovate to new to save all the square footage. When we looked further at it, the architects came back to us and said, "There's a awning attached to the building, but it's outside. It's what the kids stand under when it rains." >> Yeah. >> It turns out that that square footage, it counts. [laughter] So, by
066removing that awning, we were able to save square footage. Now, hey, a lot of our schools don't have awnings. It if it rains, we'll keep the kids inside or or give them an umbrella, >> right? >> It's okay. It's it. So when we found that out very quickly the calculus changed and we said >> you know now let's leverage the state reimbursement do the renovate new and give up an awning. >> There you go. That's a no-brainer. >> No brainer. >> That's a norainer for sure for sure. >> No. And [clears throat] and the other thing is you know I am I I hope people are listening I hope people listening to this. I hope people come to these it has been >> very quiet. Well, you know, >> I I haven't heard I haven't
067I haven't heard anybody yet saying don't support this or we don't need this. It's I'm hoping that that people are are like all of us saying it's time to do something leverage this chance with the reimbursement rates because they won't always be this high. Right. >> Right. They could go down. >> Well, you know, because to your point, >> the the state is fiscally pretty healthy right now. >> Yes. And and that's why the reimbursements are what they are because, you know, the state recognizes their responsibility to fund education. Let's get it now because there's no guarantee that if the fiscal winds change, >> they won't pull back on it in the future. So iron is hot. >> Yeah, >> iron is hot. And and I tell you anecdotally, um virtually everyone that I talked
068to, if I can explain the problem in the project, most people say it makes perfect sense. the the biggest question is is can it can we afford it? What's it going to cost me? So, what we should have next week is what's it going to cost Dave Kaminsky per year for taxes or Mike Pelton or whoever else is in town. I think that number we'll have by Monday and we'll be able to share that. But I think that's the number that most people want. But I think the number is going to be affordable, something that works with our budget and gets us a rightsiz school system. >> Yes. and with all this like you know economically what's going on in town with the spa and you burn your place and yada yada yada and I
069think again with the spa and that's going to hold open up a whole new uh opportunities for developing that riverfront. So that's going to could could attract a lot more uh e economic muscle, you know, as far as that goes. Possibly a hotel, possibly, you know, boat launch, whatever, you know, and so forth. The list goes on. So fantastic. So anyway, >> all right, guys. Thanks for much for coming in. I really appreciate it. And uh >> you know, I think uh you know, I I really like having the both of you together. >> Our pleasure. It's fun. Nice. So, I know we've done, you know, uh, individual podcasts, but I think this makes a lot of sense. And I think if we can get this on a schedule to, you know, periodically, you know,
070get together maybe months. >> Yeah. Well, let's definitely get together one more time before a bonding referendum. Yeah. Like I think all the details of the numbers. Yeah, that'd be great. >> Yeah. After they get the numbers out and go from there. For sure. For sure. So anyway, I know a couple of people have mentioned to me on the uh uh you know when is when when do they normally are they going to plow the recreation park? Is that going to be a regular thing? >> It should be a regular thing. They plowed it last time after a day. Yeah. >> Uh but they should it should be plowed either now or it's going to be soon plowed. >> Okay. All right. Because I know people when are they going to plow? I need to
071walk and you know whatever. >> Well, pretty soon the snow will melt off the track. >> Yes. Yes. >> You'll be back up there for that. >> Yes. Yeah. Hopefully, you know, after I have my back operation, I can get back in the swing of things. Man, I had my MRI yesterday. I'm like, God, that was painful. Unbelievable. So, >> must have been fun, huh? >> No, it wasn't. It was not fun. It was not fun. So, my daughter was sticking me out of the car on a walker in the whole nine yards. So, anyway, >> uh anyway, hey guys, thank you so much for coming in, ladies and gentlemen. I think uh we've touched on a lot today. Uh okay. And again in the house uh is our uh combined board of education town
072of Portland board of selectman podcast with Mr. Charles Britain and Mr. Mike Pelton. So guys, thank you so much for coming in sharing your wisdom, your wealth and and and go from there and we're going to do this again uh uh in a in a week or so or a couple of weeks. >> Sounds good. >> All right guys, that is all. Got me exactly where I'm supposed to be.