001Okay, welcome everyone to the August 7th um regular board of education meeting and kind of second official for Mr. Feder. Welcome and joining us. Um we can um call the meeting to order at what is it to 6:01 and raise to say the pledge of allegiance please. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay. Quick roll call, please. Kate present. Megan present. Kathy Grant might be attending virtually. We're not sure yet. Ara >> here. >> Valerie here. Sarah Thompson >> here. >> Christopher Wilson is absent at the moment. Also got FedEx. Hello. >> A notebook replaced by a computer. >> Came to paper. >> Yep. Yep. Right. >> It's so weird.
002>> I'm looking like what is that thing? >> G keeps trying to print stuff out for me like please don't bring it to you. I'm going to give it to you. I know that. >> You'll get us all turned around soon. The mission statement for the board of Valentine Board of Education's mission is to provide our students the skills essential to reach their highest potential in a safe environment for learning as they aspire to become responsible, respectful, and civic-minded members of society. We commit to help educate, challenge, and inspire each child to excel as lifelong learners who can adapt constructively in an everchanging multicultural and technological world. Just so I know, we do that at the start of every meeting. Um great. So there um aren't any guests or public comments that we see or
003heard before. So um we can move right along to the consent agenda. At this point, if we have a um motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> Motion second. Second. >> All in favor? I >> I Any opposed? None heard and motion passes. Now we can move along to the administrative reports. I think we just have Mr. Feder's report, the superintendent report. >> All right. Well, I wanted to share with the board and anyone watching that uh over the last month in the first month, I've been spending a lot of time trying to learn doing a lot. Uh, I've met with uh Tracy Hansen, our first selectman. Julie Zalinsky, our finance director, uh, Madera, Township Treasurer. I met with a a fellow superintendent, Roy Sitinger over in Preston. Um, Dan Murphy, our board
004attorney, and various groups of different personnel in the district leadership positions in the district, um, teachers and, um, pretty much anyone who's willing to come and say hello. Um, and it has been truly a great learning experience because the the big the big challenge of moving from state to state is the different rules that exist. And I was talking with DD about this and I was comparing it to like if someone goes to play Monopoly at someone else's house and they've made new Monopoly rules. Like that's that's a game that almost everybody has their own in-house rules about Monopoly. So, if you keep playing Monopoly the way you play Monopoly in someone else's house, it's not going to necessarily work. You're going to you're not going to play the right strategy. So, I'm learning Connecticut's
005Monopoly rules. How that was going and the biggest part of that really is uh related to finance and how the township and the school interfaces, which is completely different from New Jersey. Completely different. Um, and as a result of that, it's been um pretty cool to learn um how in the end, while it's completely different, it isn't really all that different. In the end, we spend money to do good things for kids. We manage money to make sure the taxes are managed. We work together with a town to interface on anytime there's a chance to interface and save the town money and still do great things, right? So, all of those things are not different. How you get there is different. And I think one of the key takeaways so far that um I've shared
006with anyone who would listen at the township and they have all listened. So thank you to all of them. The the terminology of expenditure only budget was not registering and I call it my New Jersey brain. That just wasn't making any sense to me that >> Hello. >> Hi. We can hear you. >> Oh hi. How we I finally got in I think. Okay. I'm at work, so I might have to leave it in a posting. >> Okay. >> Do you have a quorum? >> Yes. Yes. >> Okay, good. So, um well, we operate on the expense side of the budget. um the township operates on the revenue side as well as the expenditure side but it isn't what I'm finding is it does connect it's just how you connect it so I'm learning how
007to do that and that's been great Julie Zillinsky um can't remember if I remember today I think it was yesterday um absolutely wonderful in supporting my learning Tony Madera Tracy Hansen have been excellent and of course all the ladies in the office are continuously stuck with me um trying learn this stuff is is they know what they're doing and I'm I'm I'm you know fumbling through it. Um but that has really been important and u I think I'm in a very I think I'm in a very good position. I didn't think I'd be this far to be honest with you, but it's been been through the help of all these people. Um, so that that's been the focus for me so that when we get to budget season, we can maximize all the elements that
008go into a budget to continue doing great things for kids at the the lowest cost for our taxpayers. And so I think there'll be contributions to based upon what I'm learning from everybody. So I thank them again publicly. Um uh one thing I'll share with the board so you are aware this is my final month of um two districts at the same time. So my schedule is still a little bit wonky. Um as I explained to Kate um with that said I I air on the side of more not less when it comes to here. So, my schedule this month um up until now I you know u I'm working through the 11th and then I'm going to come back on the 22nd through the 29th. The reason is I want to be here for
009the whole first week of school. And so to to get to get there, I need to f kind of fumble around some other other dates in my calendar. But um rest assured I I I will always be doing everything. Doesn't matter if I'm physically here or not. I still do whatever has to be done. So, but that's my physical time is up until the 11th. I'll be here Monday and from the 22nd, which is Friday, all the way through the following Friday and school starts with teachers on 25th. And so, I would never want to miss that and getting to meet all the kids and stuff. So, good stuff. Um I think all this other stuff you kind of have it's just um just getting through I think for me the ba the basis I
010wanted to share was really about the financial side and learning um the various roles and having these supports has been it's been huge and uh Kate answered the phone when I called which is cool. So do appreciate it. I know. I was explaining to him just I don't obviously want to overwhelm Scott either because he's got a lot of things he's got to pick up and a lot of appointments because he's got to make time for all these these different groups. And I'm so happy that the the town hall has really been, you know, awesome and helpful and as I knew they would be, but it's just it's knowing that you have we have such a strong relationship of of needing to work in that space. So the expenditure only is unique and um but
011anyway so I said feel feel free to call me that's fine you know like I'm I'm totally willing to call me regularly and um you know I just pick up when I come. So we we've had our our our good catchup. So that's that we're all on a good good foot forward which is is is great and um yeah excited to push ahead on the agenda because we've you're pretty solid on all of it. So that's great. >> Good stuff. >> That's better. >> Okay. Any specific questions for Scott before we move ahead? >> Then we can move on to old business. Um yeah, the central office building name. I know um Tracy was kind of she was inter. She was asking a few questions around it. So that's still kind of ongoing and I
012um that's on me to just bug her about. So we're It'll be a fall followup. Um item number two, the school lunch prices uh for 202526, I think. Um >> yeah, sure. Scott has a >> So it's it's definitely not a a great spot to be in. Uh welcome to volunteer everybody. Um however, inflation is real. Um the cost of product is more, the cost of staff is more. Um, so in talking to some surrounding places and meeting with Tom Okconor and Amy, um, I'd like to recommend to the board not a 25 cent increase, but a 15 cent increase, which would match Preston, our neighboring district, to have lunch become to 390 rather than $4. Right now, it is 375. Not that I think 15 cents is meaningless, but in the aggregate for the
013district, the 15 cents adds up a lot when you add up all the number of lunches we serve. And uh we leave breakfast where it is, leave everything else where it is. Um but allow us to recoup a little bit. Uh we have to stay we have to stay in the positive on this account and this will help us uh make sure we do. So the recommendation to the board is to increase it by 15 cents. And that would be the motion um that you might want to discuss. Um and uh I would stop there for a minute and see if there's discussion or what you all think about that. >> So that's adequate coverage for all like you mentioned before inflation. >> Be able to do it. >> You be able to do it.
014>> Okay. It's a little bit better than we left off last time. >> That was the idea. Can we do a little bit better? >> 390 >> because there'll probably be some more next year. So, it kind of gives a little bit of that buffer maybe up to four next year depending on >> that's kind of rip the band. >> The reality is there's not a lot of places to reduce expense. So, the it's we're we're we're already kind of cut pretty thin. There isn't massive amounts to say, well, we're not going to do X. We kind of don't already do more than we need to do. So, it isn't it's really just a matter of the cost to do business. And the cost to do business involves like any other business that anyone else
015is in. It's staffing costs and product costs. And to say we're only looking at about a um 3% increase is about what the world is seeing right now. And uh we think it's reasonable and measured. be great if farmers had product that they could donate to the school and help that a little bit. >> Yeah. >> They have all kinds of rules from the state, >> do they? So, it's not even like we can do our farm farmers market and then bring the rest of it in. There's >> I mean, I I would I would love to explore and see what's possible. It's probably not as easy as that. It's probably not as Hey, I'm going to drop off the lettuce today and just have us start doing that. It's probably not that simple, but
016maybe there's a way. And we certainly have the forums, >> right? >> You know, >> I know we were just even spitballing and this goes back to like nutrition and different committees and things we've talked about and you know, the >> the amount of cucumbers that we produce in this area, you know, that's what kids like to eat. So, why not why not grab all the cucumbers or apples or something, you know, apples and zucchini sticks, something, right? But it's we understand there are >> and Tom knows that too. But >> I I'll speak to Tom. So Devi, if you could just make sure I speak to Tom and find out um what the rules are or what the requirements or what it might take and then we can see if it's even viable, if
017it's viable. >> They might be doing some of it, too. >> He knows Karen sometimes he has Karen pick stuff up from locals. >> Yeah. I I thought Karen was doing that especially for some of the really >> lowhanging fruit, right? like that. But I mean, even supporting some of the farms, right? So, I mean, there's both farms in Bellen Town that are saying like, you know, come buy our cucumbers while in the fall. Why can't we do that at a cheaper cost than buying it elsewhere? >> Um, and support kind of the farmers that are around here, too. >> Interesting. >> Yeah. >> So, that would be if if there's no other discussion, that would be just a motion. >> Motion second. All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? None heard. Motion passes
018to approve the increase to 390 for just the full >> lady behind you. Kathy was saying yes. Kathy, you were saying yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. Well, thank you for doing that extra due diligence for us to to get us more comfortable on the the state of the union with that. Okay. Uh item number uh now we're on to high school choices number three. Um we have policy updates for that. So um >> do you want to start? Yeah. Why don't we just >> So we have two policies that address this. Um 511-11 and uh 3340. you have already um had a first read on 511.11 but nothing to do with 540. So as I shared with you in the update, we are able to actually pass them both tonight but we want to go
019over with you um is this a good time Kate Sarah to just um as I talk about this to kind of include our conversation from today? >> Yeah. So we did have a meeting um today um with the this is the committee is called the junior high school choice or high school >> transition transition team um consisting of teachers uh Amy and Sarah Kate and myself Jackie who is a retiree but still still hopping in there. Um >> so as has been discussed at the board level um there's some changes coming down the road and these changes are coming down the road um without really much impact to the community which is nice. I think that people might think it's a bigger impact than it is. And I think that's what we're going to help
020try and explain through a very um uh deliberate communication structure that we went over today to all of our constituents in the town. And um the LST is one where we would be removing designation from certain schools. I want to explain what that means. So removing the designation from let's say Ellis Techch does not mean a student cannot go to Ellis Tech. What it means is in 2028 we would stop transporting at this time. That sounds scary, but the reality is we have transportation for the next three years, which means if a student was to get in next year for the 2627 school year, they would still have transportation. And as there's no cost to LST, there's no impact at that point. However, we want our parents and students to know that in their final
021year, there would be no transportation. Now this was the result of the state moving to a lottery system for these tech schools and um for this year for example while we had applicants for LS Techch we had no students get into LST if that maintains and nothing changes in the state we could reach the point where we're transporting for30 to $40,000 one student and while you'd hate to ever take away an option for a student without another option in its place, the district can't afford 30 or $40,000 for one student for transportation. Even though the the tuition is free, the transportation would be overwhelming and could be problematic. The good news, and we'll explain this again in a full presentation to to the parents and impacted students and and community is the board has every
022right to revisit this. And I would be encouraging the board to revisit this should things change with students getting enrolled or they state changes their process or we start having students getting in. So there's nothing that stops the district at any point from changing its designations. We also don't want to not encourage students to apply knowing that as long as you talked about the rules before. As long as you know the rules you can play. So if a parent knows they might be responsible for transportation at a certain date and they want to take that, they can still do that and you are allowed to continue it as a designated school for that child because we're adding a little thing to the policy and we're reading it out loud to you. And that is students
023attending any high school not on the district's designated high school list where there is a cost for tuition where there is a cost for tuition will be required to be disenrolled from the volunte school district. That means if your if your your student wants to attend school X, which is not on our designated list, and it costs $10,000 a year, they can attend, of course, but they're no longer a volunte. If there's no tuition, which is LS10 for example, they can remain a student, but it's not a designated school. The reason would be if you make it a designated school, you have to provide transportation. So this allows the best of all worlds. It allows a student to still apply and enroll. It allows the board at a future date should you see there more
024students are getting in to revisit your decision. Your decision is being made and I'm from an out this is I'm still an outsider a little bit on this but in evaluating the decision it's very sensible. I know there will be people that might not but you know fully understand it. We're going to help understand things around us so they see that there's not really much being taken. It's the same way for marine science magnet. The difference from marine science magnet is that school will become undesated and but there's a tuition so that school would not qualify to allow you to stay a volunteer student. >> Just so I understand what is what is the reason for having them disenroll? What is that? >> So um a student that is no longer involved at all in
025your school district must disenroll. >> Okay. So if you want them to if if your child was going to a private school, >> they can't go to a private school and be enrolled in volunte we're opening a bit of a back door for Ellis Tech and any other tech school that you do not have designated. >> So they can't or we we're choosing not to have them. I I guess I'm just not familiar with what does that mean that you're like what are the benefits that those students are losing as of not being I mean obviously they're losing the benefit of the transportation and the tuition to a to a correct which doesn't matter because they're going to a private school or whatever but what does outside of those two things what what does that
026mean if you go to a private school for example then that's your designated school >> you've made a decision to not have your child in the public school system. >> Yeah. >> And I've made a choice to have my child in the private school system. So whatever Volunttown does for students does not pertain to that student. That's the way it is now. >> So we're not changing that. That's that's not new. >> The new line isn't about who disenrolls. >> It's opening a back door to let >> it can still be right. >> But are there benefits to being enrolled >> for the district? It's it's good. I mean any any state aid, any sports, anything that they still might want to do as a member of volunte school district could still happen for them,
027but that doesn't exist for a private school. So, just hypothetically, and I don't I don't have want to get I won't get into the weeds too much, but I'm just hypothetically thinking. So, we don't say we don't have obviously high school, so we don't have like high school sports or something, but say down the road we decide we want to work something out with Griswald where all of our high school students can play on Griswald sports teams. >> Somebody who's choosing to go to a private school would not get that benefit because they are not enrolled as a volunteer. and they wouldn't get it then. >> Okay. So, it's it's those extracurricular sports that it's the >> they already don't >> understood. And realistically, all of the all of the high schools we send to
028have their own sports team. So, it's not But I'm just trying to understand like what that means. >> It's it's really it's just a backdoor >> for >> and then we would likely revisit and redesate if we needed to like make sure that that happened. That's that's what I was saying about even Marine Magnet like we we're similarly thinking about it. Um you know they're they similarly have the the lottery system. We we've got lower enrollments, very few people getting in. Um you know so financially it's it's harder and harder to justify that. >> But if we do get, you know, there change in their application process or whatever and we want to revisit, >> we can go back to the designation and and then that disenrollment stuff all goes away, you know. But it's
029it's got to be the case for Texas. >> The disenrollment language was not about removing anything, >> right? >> It was about maintaining, >> right? >> Yeah. I just I >> a little bit. Yes. >> Well, and I mean it it's I feel like it's so because we have so many choices, we don't really ever even need to talk about this. So, I just it has never really come up. So, I was just kind of curious. >> Well, what you've done though, you're taking something away technically as a designated list. >> So, but you're not trying to take it away. you're trying to manage the physical side of it without losing it. This was a way to do that, >> right? >> And allows you to maintain the student >> even though without having to
030transport. >> The tough thing though is the parents encouraging their students to apply for those knowing that even if they get in, they're not going to have the transportation. So, >> you would only do that if you're prepared for that outcome. >> Correct. that what I'm saying is we're going to see the numbers of actually applying to Ellis dwindle because they know which then hurts us on the back end because if we could have had those students get in, we wouldn't have had to pay those tuitions which >> I mean >> which I think if it wasn't a lottery. >> No, I I totally I get I totally get why we're doing it. It's just it's unfortunate that it's like >> it's like this >> either it's going to just the gift that keeps on
031giving kind of thing of like okay well now we can't have kids get in so now we're going to have did we take it away so that means kids aren't going to be applying which mean right like it's just it's sort of a snowball >> but if kids do apply and let's say you know miraculously seven of them get in for that year then I think that that's a revisiting no absolutely Absolutely. I just I'm curious if you know are the teachers going to be still really encouraging that applying to >> Ellis. They're coming to the open house >> and >> so we're going to still like heavily encourage that. >> We still can keep them in because um there's no harm to the district in any way. And whenever there's no harm, open up.
032Open up. And you know, eventually either the state can change the rules or our students figure out a way to beat the system >> and we start getting kids in. Um then you revisit. Right. >> To your point. Well, some parents know they can't provide transportation. Therefore, I'm not going to put my kids through getting in and then not being in with God. >> Correct. >> And that's that's very real. Right. So you're you're trying to bridge as much of the gap as you can knowing it's not perfect, >> right? >> And that extra line was really just about helping, >> right? Just helping eliminate the barriers to have people continue. >> The worst barrier would be the lottery continues to go. You don't do this and we are paying $40,000 a kid to have
033that kid go to a school, >> right? That's That's what you >> But they can apply they can apply to Ellis and also like go to NFA too, right? So >> Oh, yes. >> So it's not like they're they're not putting all of their eggs in the tech basket, right? They can >> they can shoot their shots to go to the public. >> Yep. >> Okay. All right. >> So that's exactly correct. >> Early enough, too that they can kind of make >> Yeah. It's more just the education of like the teacher saying, "Hey, if we have two students that get in, it's going to fiscally make sense. So, please continue applying if that's something that you want." Right? That's the conversation. >> Part of what we talked about today was the the roll out
034of communication, >> which is those kind of things. >> So, we talked about communicating specifically to the students, specifically to the parents of of future students, specifically here. We're going to take the presentation we do for the families, scale that down for for board consumption >> and that would be the town and of course we have to communicate to the schools that are impacted. >> Sure. >> So we have a plan in place or the forging of a plan >> which will be implemented starting in September and we think it'll be helpful for the community to do the understanding side and um you know I I you'll hear me say a lot of things over and over again. the the goal of of how I've always tried to operate is like the goal is understanding.
035Agreement is gravy. >> Sure. >> So if you if you if you try to pro you try to prove something which is trying to get someone to agree with you, you present differently. If the purpose is to help build understanding whether they agree or not, then you're you're in a better position, >> right? So if people can at least understand why the board would even be talking about these things, it it makes it easier to you still might not like it, but it makes it easier to understand. And but the board is already building two back doors into this to help kids. You're doing everything you can and being fiscally responsible at the same time, which is hard to always do. >> Yeah. >> Um in this particular case, it it works out pretty nicely.
036>> Yeah. Hopefully this the challenge with getting in will just make it so that people aren't applying so much and then we'll because my understanding is it goes to a lottery when there's more in request enrollment basically that they can support. So then >> eventually it'll level itself out and then they'll open it and then there's always going to be this if I had to guess but >> not quite sure actually how that system functions yet. So, >> I mean, you would think that everybody in this town pays taxes to the state, so we should at least have a slot or two that our kids can go. That's for another day, I guess. >> That's funny that that's what it was um in in New Jersey and the we would have >> every town, >>
037two spots or whatever. >> Got one qualifying spot. You had to have a qualifying, >> but one qualifying spot to each of the five magnets similar >> and that's different. Yeah. >> Completely different. 52 towns around the county >> and everybody in that got at least one if they qualified. If nobody qualified, >> well then you didn't get someone in school >> and that's how they did it. But maybe they'll they'll continue to grow >> and and play with that. But that's some of them. The other one which you know learning again with this um seems like a really really really smart move. Killingly a has no students. Doesn't seem to be of interest to our students. So the team went out and found Lechyard. Am I saying it right? Lechard. Ledger >> it says
038leard >> try to spell their mascot at the same time. >> So Ledger >> we're going to be adding Ledger. So at this open house our students will learn that Ledger is now an option. >> Killingly will be removed. Um again zero impact. Um and they for what I hear I've not visited yet but Ledger seems like incredible opportunity for our kids. QVCC again, no students, no real impact, eliminating that as an option. Um, and Marine and Ellis we just talked about. Um, that leaves everything else as is. Um, are recommending uh from the committee today that the board know they should be revisiting Ellis within two to three years, Marine within two to three to four years so that you are keeping in mind enrollment. And what I'm hearing from Megan, I think there's
039there's agreement the idea of making it clear to kids that they could apply for these schools. >> Keep encouraging >> and and that's something that they should do and that they do have so that no one believes um that if I get in my mother says I can't go then I don't go to high school. >> You still get to go to you know one of the other ones which is important that they hear that over and over again. We think it take it for granted what what becomes reality for a little kid you know an eighth grader. Sorry. Even a parent, even a parent, you know, I've been trying to explain some of why this decision is like, you know, I don't like it any more than anybody else does, but you just can't
040justify >> and even for planning and budgeting purposes, it's like you don't know. Will we get to have a kid get in? Will we not have it? Like it's just not >> fiscally responsible to some point you you won't be being fiscally responsible, >> right? >> At some point. >> Exactly. If we even have kids get in. >> Mhm. >> If we have kids. >> Correct. we might be looking at this in five years and we have no kids that are there and >> it's the same as QVC or qu you know killingly where it's like we just don't have any kids there because nobody could ever get in. So what I suggest is a motion to approve um second read and adoption of 511.11 and a motion to approve the first read wave second
041read and adopt 3340 >> motion. We need to >> this is amended. >> So as 501 as amended >> as amended. Okay. Yeah. Second. >> Both of them. >> They both want that all in one motion. >> I would do one motion for both. >> Okay. So all in favor >> I opposed none heard. Motion passes. >> Okay. >> I know. Number four, creat. Yeah. >> See, Jen, I'm working very hard. >> Well, while I'm eating sour dough, >> which are excellent, by the way, >> which are absolutely excellent. Hi >> Sammy, if you're watching, you need the recipe from Valerie. >> I'm going to ask you this. >> Um, so the tradein estimate, so as you know, we are purchasing four new buses, 377 passenger buses and 141 passenger bus. Those buses, um, original
042hope and estimation of the tradein of four buses was that we would be obtaining $120,000 in trade. Unfortunately, that's very optimistic, but we are only going to be receiving $24,000 in trade >> for all four >> for all 180,000 mile buses, eight eight nine year old buses. >> Fair enough. >> It's what they are. Um, we would be trading those in to the company we are purchasing them from. I have obtained two estimates um for loans and I tried to get a third. So any future ones from new banks would take too long. So I'm too late in the game to be able to get any more quotes. So but I heard great news from um a bank I spoke to today and that bank actually said the bank that we're going to go with
043he doesn't even know he could even come he don't he doesn't think he can match it anyway even if he was able to do he wasn't sure he could match it. So even though that that bank is not viable because of the time frame, he was very complimentary of the rate we had. >> So that was good. So but here's the question. So we budgeted $99,000. Um due to the um the lesser amount on the trade, if we stick with the five-year, which was the original thought, we'd be overbudget by about $15,000 annually, which means uh we'd pull 15,000 from somewhere else to cover that. that would be done in 5 years. The rate we're looking at is a 4.76% rate. Um, which was great because the week before it was higher for only 5
044years and then it went down to 476 for 6 years, which usually the longer you go, the higher the rate. So, those are two very positive things. If we go with a six-year, we reduce the expenditure from 99 to 92, therefore freeing up $7,000 to be reallocated amongst our budget. Um, the six years is not unreasonable. Currently, the township has vehicles on lease in seven years. Oh, I say lease, it's really a purchase. It's just it's business terminology, but it's a purchase. >> I'm sure buying a car, you'd have a fiveyear loan and 16-month loan, and you'd pay it off. You'd own the car at the end. It's the same. Um, so as of right now, I there's really not much more to do. Uh, I'm looking to close this out on Monday and move
045forward with a five or a six year. I have them both sitting on the table right now. So, it's a comfort zone for how you want to look at that. Um, it's a one-year issue in the budget because the following year, of course, we would budget the loan amount to be exactly what it is. Right now, I can't readjust the budget. uh finding that much money. Um can't tell you how hard it would be, but I'm not sure it would be simple. Um I think the sixth year might be the right move for us for this round. And um knowing we're going to be doing this again, >> probably the next year within two years. >> That's my question. How is this So this is for four buses. >> We know that we need to
046replace more than just four. How is this decision going to impact that? Does that mean that we're pushing out the remaining ones for for six years now and now we can't purchase again? >> It doesn't. >> Okay, >> that's good. So, right now, um putting together a full accounting of all the maintenance on a bus. So, we're going to be maintaining all of our records. I'm going to go back as far as Crystal can go back. Um, she knows this is coming because we want to see exactly what we're spending per bus on our maintenance because there is a break even point where it's no longer viable to keep a bus. I have a feeling what we're going to find we're keeping these buses too long. Therefore, you're you're you're at the cost negative on
047owning the bus, right? >> So, that's going to tell me more about what we need to do next year. But what happens if we're looking at we're spending 15 to $25,000 per bus on maintenance? You you're swapping money. You're moving money from the maintenance account, which is what Adam did to buy these buses. We reduce the maintenance account into a purchase account. So, you can do the same thing again. We just I just want to make sure I have that accurate. So, if it's two buses are currently costing us over $20,000, I can replace them for $23,000 and replace them for $23,000. That's what I need to do. That's why I was curious like what is the impact of this lengthening going to be when we know that our buses are becoming outdated and we
048know that for the safety we're going to need to >> but we'll know we'll know now for the future >> how long we should be keeping a bus how many miles we should have on a bus before we decide it's no longer cost effective to maintain the bus then it also allows you to purchase differently you can actually do uh balloon payments uh on your buses and then sell them when the balloon payment is ready so we do that where I am now we keep buses for five years, we sell them every five years. We don't keep buses past five years. And when but we lease them differently. >> So we don't pay an equal amount. We pay we have a buyout after five years and we never do the buyout. We sell the bus
049instead because we know what the bus is worth in a general market based upon how much mileage you put on the bus and we know what those buses sell for. So I'm going to try and institute something very similar so that we're always ahead of the game and are prepared to do if it's one bus, two buses, three buses, we can manage those expenses within the budget through maintenance and purchase plus talking to the town looking at how we can use capital money to do some of this as well. So that was another conversation I had with Julie which was very positive. So, since we're on the the transportation piece, have has there been any discussion with the town about using their garage to be able to maintain >> some of our buses? >> D
050brought that. So, there's no mechanic at the garage, >> right? >> So, they have a garage, so no mechanic, >> right? But if we could get a if we could hire a mechanic to come in just to service the buses. I think that one of the discussions that was had was the the cost of two bus drivers going to drop off a bus coming back >> and two buses buses or two bus drivers drop off come back. >> Right. So what would would there be a cost savings if let's say we >> D asked me about this I don't remember this but >> yeah you know let's say we have a right so I was trying to look for the word no that's perfect you know as a contracted service we have a mechanic who
051comes in and says you know Saturdays are >> I'm going to work for for you guys and and service all of the buses but be able to do that out of the town garage so that we're going to >> cut back on the >> Now I understand what what my task is. >> Yeah, I think it's maybe just like a financial analysis, just model the two. >> I can tell you what we're doing now with the repairs. I'm signing purchase orders, too many a day. >> So, that's what brought me to we have to we have to get under the skin of >> what we're spending on these maintenance things and is there a cheap way to do maintenance? >> We definitely don't have enough buses to hire them and we know that. But maybe
052>> maybe there's a way to do what you're talking about. I don't know what the garage is outfitted for, but I can find out. Yeah, it might just be is your routine maintenance, but you still have to send it if there's like an >> Right. Now we have to do it if anything. >> Correct. Now it's everything. But now if you if you're doing like monthly oil changes, I don't know if you want >> I think we do everything. >> Corvalis and Garry's. >> Oh, Cor. Okay. >> Garry's for tires. Corllas. >> So we go to different places for different things >> and we buy our stuff from other places. >> But I mean even if we just did the oil changes. >> That's what I'm saying. routine like if it's once a month or
053beyond beyond warranty. >> All right. We're not mechanics or other on the transportation committee right now. >> Yeah, exactly. >> I just gone. >> Now you have to get up and do it again. Listen, I'm ready. >> That always happens. >> Just leave it. Leave it. It's not a big deal. >> Can I just ask one other ask as part of the transportation committee that is not the transportation committee? >> Um Can we like once school starts, can we just keep an eye on those signs that we painstakingly spent like a year and a half trying to get that mostly don't work? Um, at least when I drive. Does Has anybody ever seen those things work >> that are supposed to tell you that you're going too fast or you're like I swear they literally
054never work, >> but I've never seen it work knowing this. just try to have the town hall up. >> Yeah. >> Coming from Rhode Island, >> the town >> this town, not not county. >> No. So, the town had to It's a state road, but from what I understand, the town had to do all of the install. >> We had an electrician, I believe, that the town hired come and >> unwire wire. >> Um, but I don't think they worked at all last year. They may have blinked. Did they blink? I remember saying they slow down when the truck in front of me but they don't work. We can all they don't work. >> They flash at me when going. >> Yeah, they flash but >> you get one little circle. >> I saw that
055one circle. They did work at one point. >> Sometimes they work, sometimes they just the majority of the time they don't work. >> I'm going to bring us back to >> Sorry. Not transportation. >> I'm going to bring it back to >> Are you good with six years? >> Yes. Yes. Do you need a motion for that? >> No, I don't. >> Sorry. >> Just wanted to add >> transfer. I just wanted to make sure that how that do affect >> I mean 5 years is better than six, don't get me wrong, >> of course. >> But >> the interest rates like 4.7 is good. It was it was it was a good rate for six years. >> And cost savings out of our current budget. >> Well, allows us to spend eight elsewhere rather
056than find 14 from somewhere else. So, it's a big it is a big difference. So >> I told him how some, you know, Adam would work through certain years where he would just pay down certain payments. >> Yeah. He would take extra money. >> I see angles for all that. Yeah. >> It's just Yeah, it's good practice. So I think I think doing six is just, you know, more a budget friendly way to do things. And then we >> Yeah. I mean, if we throw the extra seven at it, then you're at five and a half. >> You could do that. You could just drop it off. Correct. >> Okay. >> All right. Thank you, everyone. >> All right. So then we have um item number five is the town approved budget for 202526. So
057we'd like to thank everyone that's watching and all the community for going out for that um that last final vote in July to to push push forward our final um final proposals in the budget. It's it's a meager number, but we'll we'll do our very best. And thoughts on our our future with this? >> Yeah. So, um, >> number I'm gonna spend a lot of time on this. So, not don't worry, not today, >> but in general on education because that's that's the biggest part of a budget is people understanding how this all works. Why, you know, generally anyone who's in charge of other people's money will generally be accused of mismanaging it. That's the way it's the nature of of because it's impacting them. And when my money is I have to spend more
058money. um it's someone's fault. The the idea behind this is is to educate on how that isn't a fault. It's it's a it's a reality, but not because of malfeasants, mismanagement, all that. It's understanding what goes into a budget and the realities of all of our lives, how things are more the next year than they were before. >> So, um I've had good success with that in my career, and I'm looking forward to um doing that here. And what I really found, I think I have a partner in the town with this as well, which is nice. So to be able to do it because uh in learning how it functions in Connecticut, the town oversees all of it. Now in New Jersey, it's a complete split. School district is 100% separated from the town.
059The finances, the decision-m, everything here, the decision-m on the school is separated, but the finances are somewhat intertwined. So I think there's real benefit in in strong communication and building understanding and not having people agree that they want to pay more taxes. We will not win that battle. I just found out from Julie yesterday. It's a personal problem. My daughter, who we registered her car in Connecticut, should not have done that. >> You guys pay tax in Connecticut on cars. We not pay tax in Jersey or Rhode Island. Big mistake. So, I have to buy that car back. >> Give her a dollar. >> As we are, what >> we're now paying our car taxes. >> We just got this three days ago. So Julie actually went on to the Mansfield tax site and printed
060out both bills. We didn't pay last year, so we didn't know there was a bill. >> So yeah, so I have two bills to pay. >> I actually put them on my daughter's lap. Said, "Here, this is these are yours." >> You would have found out when she went to reregister it. >> Yeah. So we found out now. So, um, anyway, um, it's really it's an I'm going to work hard and, uh, with all of you and with the township in any way that that makes sense to really spend time education with education on the budget so that um, really we can we can get to common language and common understanding of why it costs more certain years and has nothing to do with because people are taking trips to Hawaii or people are doing
061whatever. It has to do with the realities of um things cost more. And uh the other concept of economy of scale um going down one or two students or three or four students doesn't save you money. It just costs more each. It just costs more per student than it does. You can't reduce expenditures because one student is no longer in a classroom. A classroom of 20 costs the same as a classroom of 19 to educate. And that's another hard concept that non-educators would be like, why? No, it should cost less. >> Logically, so it absolutely costs less. In reality, it absolutely does not. >> So, um, you'll have to sit through my presentations. I apologize in advance. Some of them do get a little lengthy. Um but you will see love and passion in them
062because I do get into this and it I find it extremely valuable for the community board members, staff to fully understand um what makes up the 7.379 million in this budget. So >> more to come. >> Okay, >> we have to approve the motion right now. >> I don't think >> is that a standard practice thing >> once the town approves it every year. We've always done I don't have I don't have a town approval so I don't have to >> final board approval and I don't >> you confirm it. We do. Yeah. Okay. So motion to approve the confirm the town approved port of ed budget of 7,379,927. >> Okay. Second >> 1.07% increase from last year. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? None heard. Yeah, I just Okay. Hi.
063>> Okay. I thought that was Yeah. Anyway, okay. >> So, um updated >> now we have the updated faculty and staff report. I think it's just >> Yeah, I saw that we got an intern, right? >> Exciting. Mhm. >> Amy, >> I don't think I made this list yet, but I saw it on the >> Yeah, Amy speaks very highly of it. >> On the on the personnel side, the new business. Are we are we on the new business? >> Do we need to do anything with this? Anything else? >> We don't have anything to do. It's just it's just been provided FYI. >> Okay. >> New business. So again, I'm going to bring this up again just I br once the first time, but just to see where you guys think with this. So
064all of these five motions are pretty standard type motions. >> Um I don't know how do you do you generally want to do each one separately, discuss each one or is that like the desire or is that just how you know to do it? >> That's just how we know to do it. Is there a different >> That's a major change. you know, I think where there's something to be I know we've had a couple of discussions, but generally we just we just pass them. Yeah, >> just go through them. Yeah, I I think our previous discussions just on like looking at the list of people we're approving as well like around coaching is to make sure that we are including paid and non-paid coaches which I don't think is really a thing for this
065season but within like when we get into basketball there's often a head coach, assistant coaches, there's volunteer coaches >> they have to be approved >> and making sure that all of those names come through and they're approved and if they're outside that they Amy usually I think handles the background check. So I think the the board's assumption is that the names that are coming through have gone through. They've been background checked. >> So the board approval isn't that isn't an option. You have to board approve them. >> He's talking about this question of where >> what you're talking about. >> Yeah. So if you have them under new business, >> It could be under consent. Yeah. >> I I don't actually don't care. I just was asking how you prefer it. I just wasn't sure
066if this is just the only way you've known to do it or how you prefer. >> I think I think if it depends if it's like these type of things where their coaches I for it's hard you know like you're like oh we're going to you know stand out for a teacher not a you know like that's what's hard. Yeah. I think my only thing well it's always in basketball season. I always ask do we have all of the coaches because that seems to be the you know so I think like I don't know that it matters where it is necessarily but that's one of the things that I usually check on >> and you can leave it as that actually as there's no there's no wrong nothing wrong. It's not like it's good or
067bad. I'm just asking for preference because you could keep it as consent agenda then you see them all. They'd all be on your consent. You' see it exactly the same. They just wouldn't be a motion for each one. >> I think those in the town like to hear who's coaching their children's teams. >> Well, there you go. >> Yeah. And I think in a consent agenda, you're missing that. >> You would not hear that. Correct. >> Right. So, I think that for the for those in the town that >> Okay. Leave it as is and keep moving. >> Yeah. Perfect. >> You're talking about just the personnel or you talking about all the new business >> budget transportation. Just the personel. >> Oh, okay. Just personnel. >> Okay. reason it could impact the kids's, you
068know, teacher or their, you know, somebody that's their bus driver or whatever, you know. >> Um, >> and for new parents, it puts a a name to the person, you know, like I mean, we all know Amanda Gul, but if you're a new parent in town and you don't understand like how much she puts into all of the performances and the musical, you know, department, I think that this is a good place for parents to be able to hear that. >> There you go. Okay, >> perfect. All right. >> Okay, we have a motion to >> for the board to approve Amanda Gold as the music director. >> Motion second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? Not heard. Motion passes. A motion for the board to approve Andrea Kelly as the athletic director. >>
069Second. >> All in favor? >> I have to make motions on these. Is it because there's a pay associated with it? >> Yeah, that's that's my that was the point. So >> that was my like also >> it's like you expect the music teacher to do music >> maybe. >> So the the it's but it's exactly that >> you're going to go through each one make an individual motion but to Valerie's point >> you're saying if you consent agenda you would not be saying the names. >> Okay that's fine. >> So this allows you to say the names. >> I don't know if we you could do it differently. You might be able to do it where one motion to approve. Yes, >> you could do one motion to approve the following >> and then
070you can still read the following one. Makes sense. >> There's a middle of the road compromise. >> Perfect. We like it. >> All right. But for today, the way it is, you're going to go through normal. >> Okay. >> Do you want me to use different accents for each one? >> Yeah. We just want to make these meeting shorter. >> Um, well, we got through Amandra. Great. There we go. Motion a motion for the board to approve Peter Tran as head soccer coach. All in favor? >> Motion. >> Any opposed? >> Motion passes. A motion to approve the board for the board to approve Kristen Pelin as the assistant soccer coach. >> I don't know. I'm not sure. >> The sister. That's my sister-in-law. >> She's joking. Hi. Yes. Gorgeous. >> Wait. Hold on. Hopefully.
071That's interesting. old. >> Is she actually your sister-in-law? >> Yeah, she is. >> You have to recuse yourself. >> Abstain. >> Oh, you have a conflict. >> A conflict of interest. >> You can't vote to approve money going towards the family. >> A family member. >> That makes sense. >> Abstain, Christian. >> I need a different second then. Second. >> Thank you. >> All in favor? I >> no no no nos and motion passes any um >> wait can I actually say something as are you are you also related to Kristen >> I'm not I'm not voting >> right we don't have a quorum if it's just the three of us >> you still have a quorum >> usually included in that >> yeah the qu the quorum is for the meeting >> for the
072meeting itself okay but we so we can have only three votes on a motion then okay >> you vote whoever terms vote. >> Okay. Okay. >> This might come up a lot. >> That's why we have these motions >> that does. So, so there's something called a >> um a necessity. I forgot the term. There's um there's something called something of necessity where if there's enough conflicted, >> you call the doctrine of necessity. The doctrine of necessity allows you to bypass the proper number of votes. >> Okay. >> So, you have one, two, three. Oh, Kathy just >> I don't think she's either. That's why I was asking. >> Oh, I thought you had still a four. I didn't know you weren't voting. You weren't voting on someone. >> Ky whenever we do all in
073favor or whatever, you are included. >> Yeah. I mean, I can be I was obsing myself for Kristen as well >> because she's family, right? >> She's family. >> So, you Yeah. So you >> So it's just the three of us >> abstain to to you know um >> conflict. Right. >> Yeah. It's um nepotism. >> But is the three of us enough to pass that motion was my question since there's not four. >> Well the doctor of necessity one of you is enough. >> Should you have a reason and so we're going to say yes for today. I'll double check it. But um even if you don't have enough you you >> on she just blipped off. I'm sure >> you can still apply the document. have to be able to pass >> board
074business >> even if there are conflicted people that cause there not to be a majority. >> Okay. Oh, there she is. >> She's trying. >> So, once Kathy, we solve that anyway. >> Oh, there she is. >> Okay. >> Do you want to go to the the last one and then we'll come back to that one? Okay. >> So, a board uh to approve motion to for the board to approve Jackson Buffmck as the Sacred Heart University intern. Motion second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? None heard. Motion passes. So, so what what what what I I've done in the past with this is if we know there's a vote coming that you can't vote on, we would try to give you that information ahead of time. So that we avoid an
075accidental vote on putting a board member in a position where they voted on someone who's a family member to which >> is you know not not supposed to do that. So yeah, >> not trying to be >> how many times I mean like how how family is family. >> There's rule on that. I have to >> Yeah, I want to find that'll be and K will have all that. K will have K will have >> family. >> I was going to say cuz everybody everybody somehow around here. >> Not me. >> Not you. Right. Just >> because that's what it is. It's a there's like so for example technically if you're >> as we can get >> if you're if you're um well don't go the coach part it could be worse >> if if
076um you have a let's say one of your children or rel direct relatives a sister or brother child worked in the district you technically can't vote on my contract. Yeah, I heard >> you would have had to recuse yourself from the vote to elect your superintendent, your principal. Anything to do with the principal, anything to do with anyone who supervises the person, who's that person? So, the question of how deep that goes, we'll find out. >> So, see you hire a new superintendent, you're stuck now because you're going to get all this stuff from >> You're the only one voting then because we all have kids in the school. >> No, no, no, no, no, no. >> Oh, not a kid in the school. Works. Works >> works. Works works. >> Yeah. Yeah. Got it.
077>> If think of it this way, if your Megan, if your husband works in the school >> and I supervise. >> Yep. >> You you voting the husband, you voting on my evaluation >> impacts him. >> Well, it did. If you if you give me a bad evaluation, you would never do that. But if you were giving me a bad evaluation, >> that would be negative for him potentially, right? So, there's rules in place to to protect board members from ever the appearance of impropriety for lack of another term. But did Kathy agree? >> Kathy, can you hear us? You might need to unmute yourself. >> Yeah, cuz her she's muted. >> I can't do it for her. >> If you ask her though, it should pop up on her screen. She's still mute. Sorry.
078>> Oh, you can ask her, but she has to unmute on her end. >> My brain is fine. >> Well, does she need to be a second? >> Generations. >> Oh, she's unmuted. >> Well, I don't think we just need the quorum to meet. We don't need a quorum to >> vote. Yeah, >> but they need Kathy. >> We can use the >> doctrine of >> Yeah, we can't hear you. But um they just they just need a second to a particular motion to approve Kristen Pelinin as the assistant soccer coach. Would you be willing to be the second on that? >> Just vote. >> Just a vote. Yes. >> Okay. All right. Thank Thank you, Kathy. >> So, recovered no matter what. >> All legitly. >> Okay. >> All in favor? Motion passes. >>
079I'm not talking anymore at this point. >> Take you anyway. >> I didn't eat a cookie. >> This is why we can't have these things. >> Unfortunately, we unfortunately we all like to learn. So, we're just like, really? Please explain it more. Like, so interesting. >> Were not supposed to do that? I'll find out to make sure that Connecticut is not different. I I doubt you're different. >> It's Robert of learns. I doubt on this issue it's different. >> Okay. Budget preparation for, you know, the following budget season. Let's do the timeline. >> So, I gave you the timeline. Do you want me to go over that here as well or you have it? >> Quickly review it just really quick. Um so basically >> uh start in September we just uh we look at
080the function object report we do all of our transfers but it gets meaty um around February >> January we get meaty and at that point I'll be presenting uh histories um specific line items that are of concern um looking at how we're budgeting to see let's say we budgeted Ed. Um, let's use the buses for example. We could either choose to maintain the $99,000 budget to Valerie's point and add an extra $7,000 to the each year's payment like you do on a mortgage pay you know an extra you know pay every two weeks instead of every month and uh we could do things like that or next year we'll reduce the budget to be the cost of the loan. So it'll be an adjustment based upon that. I'm going to go through every line, which
081I'm sure they did every everyone does that. Go through every line and um making sure I'm also going to do another step by mine here. I want to look at every every it's going to be lengthy, but it'll help me learn um looking at how each category the money is being spent. Um I had an experience once where we were ordering this paper. There was a newsprint value. you might know about this kind of paper, newsprint paper, >> newspaper paper. >> And um it wound up that the way they did ordering, this is my first principal ship. The way they did ordering in that school was the custodian handled the ordering of the basic supplies. And so apparently there was a teacher at some point that liked this and it was purple. It was like
082a lavender. God really likes this. I can send you to the closet. It's probably all still there. And there was this paper and it came in in cases. And we needed the room, the closet, because we needed to add a small group room. And so we're going through this closet. And the back of the closet like that looks just like that are packs, stacks of this boxes of this paper that no one's t no one's used. Well, that teacher retired 10 years prior. >> But the just kept ordering the same order over. >> So So um now if I I knew Valerie back then, I would have sent her all of the paper. >> It's Christmas. >> All the pretty paper. Um uh so it just helps >> it'll help me to do that and
083it also looks looks at how we spend money on things like the maintenance of the buses and and all that. So it's laborious >> but for the first year it'll be very helpful. >> So that'll just be a part you'll get that after I've done it. You don't >> also the maintenance of like the technology because we've run into some stuff like with the boards and all of that >> furniture >> surprises and surprises. >> Yeah. It just helps it really helps me understand how we spend money >> rather than just look at the at the at the um the one sheet. >> Excellent. >> Yeah, that's great. >> And then we have the transportation software. The easy was it called? Easy routing >> software. >> So that was brought up during our um our
084transportation cons consultation report. Yeah. So, it's a small investment actually, you know, $4,000. It would be for next year. Obviously, this year's over uh $4,000 and we we you might just find you can save a bus. I mean, imagine imagine if you can actually save a route. >> 4,000 is nothing in comparison. I don't know if we will, but it might speed up even how much we spend getting our routes ready. Yeah. >> So, that costs us money in in personnel. >> Are you saying it's not an option for this year? Because >> we've already done it. Routes are done. So by the time he even got this up and running, we'd have kids would be walking to school for the uh foreseeable future. So we do >> but >> it's probably why Ann was
085very like what do you think about this and the whatever may my meeting or something like that. She's like how about this >> cuz I need time to look at it to be honest too fast. >> We we made that. Yeah, we made a good choice just to >> just do some >> and let's look at it. But if it's really only four, at this time I write where it was all the costs. If it's really only $4,000 a year for routing software, that's really good. >> I don't even think it was $4,000 a year. I think it was an initial 4,000 and then that was just like a yearly subscription if I recall. >> Like two or three different >> and there might have been some interest >> town sharing too. >> Fantastic. Well,
086>> yeah, but like you said, >> we're going to be looking at it for the purpose of getting getting um um digital or electronic eyes on this rather than be all human, >> of course. So, >> okay. So, we need a motion. >> No. >> Oh, okay. >> Just just an update. Okay. >> Um I think I was kind of pushing that cuz I was What about that easy router? But at least there's more >> detail with that about when we need it and um >> we have time right now which is good. >> Okay. Annual due process notification. Um and say normal notification. >> Yeah. >> That would just be required requires a motion. >> It's on the school website, right, D? >> Yes, it's already posted. Jamie has it. She's going to check
087with department heads to make sure they're in compliance with everything that's listed in this, but it's just one of those things. Yeah. Got it. >> I'll make a motion to acknowledge receipt of the due process notification. >> Yes. Okay. Second. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Any opposed? >> He hard. Motion passes. Okay. And now the school medical adviser for 202526, Dr. Geller. >> Make a motion. >> Second. >> All in favor to approve Dr. Geller as the 202526 medical advisor. >> Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. Any opposed? None heard. Motion passes to approve Dr. Gutler. Thank you for another year of service to our children. Okay. So, um, our upcoming meeting dates, the regular board meeting is this is the 11th, September 11th at 6 o'clock here. Um, I did
088want to give you all I mean, if if you want to just take one of these, this is the um the sign up sheet for the cave conference. So, just just take it. So, in case you're you're thinking that you might have the day to to give on Friday or I think I think Friday is the best day, but they do do stuff on Saturday, too. But just it gives you the link of like, you know, what the agendas look like and so forth. >> Um, I will definitely be there with Scott and Kathy sometimes comes, but >> um, >> Come join us. We'd love to have you >> Friday, >> but we're not going to Mystic Pizza. Just putting it out there. Yeah, I'm not going to miss a pizza. Not okay. No, >>
089sorry. Drawing the line. >> Correct. >> No, but not that. >> Oh, I Mr. Pizza, too. A little closer. >> Take one off the table. >> Mr. Pizza 2 is better. >> Fine. >> Not if you want pizza. >> Did you watch the movie in? Chill your words. I know. >> They have great garlic. >> Yeah. >> Anyway, um Okay. So, any other questions or concerns we need to bring up for tonight? >> Not motion to adjurnn. >> Motion to adjurnn. >> All in favor? >> I so fast today. >> Motion passes to adjourn at 7. >> What is that? That is 1212. What? >> 712. >> For the record, what >> Oh, that's for Kathy to sign. So, she's not sign. Sorry.