Thompson BOE Meeting - January 12, 2025

001checking in on you though. >> We're gonna call our meeting to order at 7 o'clock. >> We'll start with the pledge of allegiance. >> Um Rick, you want to start us off? >> Pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All right. I have a semi lengthy update, but I promise this will be the only time that this happens. All right. Um, I hope everyone had a restful, safe, and happy new year. As we begin to hit our stride to the end of the school year, I hope our students, parents, and residents alike take part in attending many of our upcoming events such as the mystery theater dinner on January 23rd. Tickets are

002available. See Danielle. Um, we're kneedeep in basketball and indoor track. Be sure to cheer on our athletes. It's also budget season. We always request participation from towns people. Our schedule is posted on the school website and is included on the board of finance portion of the town website as well. Our next budget meeting is January 21st at 6 p.m. in the middle school media center and is available on Zoom. We will have, you'll notice an update to our agenda in regards to adding a section for board member cond comments. Um, we're also going to be trying discussing items differently. Everyone at the table will have a chance to comment, including our liaison going forward. Um, at least once with the caveat to try not to repeat prior comments or piggyback further on other comments. Um,

003as well we have several teachers with donor choose requests. Be sure to search the website and if you wish to assist, please do so. As an update, we've made I've made several communication attempts to 13 local districts um to have our boards come together to put more pressure and notice to our state and federal representatives regarding our issues with economic cost sharing and special a education costs. To update, I've met in person with Palert, Scotland, and Hampton. Um I did that on Saturday and then um I am meeting up with Woodstock at the CE legislative breakfast on Thursday and my hope is that if the boards come together collaboratively we can finally make some change and that's my update. Great. So finance director Mr. Seglitz >> oh sorry citizens comments we'll start on Zoom. Uh

004if you are on Zoom, I ask that you have your name listed rather than it being listed as iPhone, etc., etc., etc. If you can't change the name, if you could please note in the chat your name going forward, anybody on Zoom? I don't see any. And then we'll go to citizens comments in the room, please. Please state your name, your address. >> State Department Road. I just want to reiterate a comment I made last week. I think not evaluating the budget that's been presented to the board. Um, is a mistake. I understand the frustration. You worry about the pennies and then the budget gets cut by half million dollars. Doesn't seem to make sense. But I do think you need to put the effort in to do the best job you can to a

005good budget up the chain. >> Anybody else in the room? >> All right. And all right. So now we'll move on. Finance director update. Hi everybody. My comments will be much briefer this week than last time. Uh revised budget of 21.8 million is remains unchanged. Uh year-to- date spending currently projected at uh currently is 9.8 million, 45% of the budget, a little bit behind where we were last year at 47.6. Incumbrances, however, are ahead of last year at 11.9 million 54 and a.5% compared to 51%. Uh, a little change uh in the in the numbers from here on out in the report from last time around and I'll explain that as I go through. Projected uh spending 21.7 million 99.6% of the budget uh compared to 98.2% in the prior year. Um, we have incorporated

006uh the estimated 2026 special ed excess cost payments of $140,000, the remaining IDEIDA funds which typically go towards special educator salaries of $222,000 and the seed grant which was recently won by the district Melinda couple months ago. >> I remember right. >> Yes. And that is for a new programming or new staff. >> Correct. So that gives us a better feel. We were trying to make our projection for the fullear deficit in special ed as close as we could. One thing I want to caution the board and the audience, anyone else who may listen to this down the road, as we all know, special education is extremely volatile. So this is our best shot as of right now. Obviously, if students with high needs move into the district or out of the district, it could

007change incredibly in the blink of an eye. Uh so as of right now uh we have uh two departments projected to be over budget. Pupil services currently the projected deficit after all of these items we just talked about above is $274,000. The drivers however remain unchanged. It's out of out of district placements uh projected at 380,000 and RBT and related spending of $66.5,000. Uh, as usual, this is partially offset by lower than expected special education transportation costs. Uh, and the the ESY line, I keep having to repeat it every month, but that won't change because obviously ESY is is over with. So, that's this month's financial report. Any questions, >> Heather? Um, so the the amounts that you had in bold, um, have these been received yet? >> No. That's why typically we do not

008include them in our projection this early in the year, >> right? >> However, with the communications that are going back and forth with the board of finance, >> it we really need to we know on some level that we're we're getting these in. Okay. >> Uh eventually, >> do we have like a supposed time like an expected anticipated >> special ed excess cost? The first payment is usually February and in June for the final payment. Um, the idea funds are are due to us. The timing of when we utilize those, we we usually tend to hold on to those till the end of the year to try to balance things out a little bit. Um, and the seed grant is new this year. So, >> so that's something that that it was great news. Um,

009but uh >> the commissioner is going to talk about it on Friday, so we'll have more detail as to when the check is coming, >> right? But we so we haven't received the monies there but it is we have been awarded it and it is for this fiscal year. So it figures into the math >> for the communication that we want to have with the board of finance. >> But but and it's but it's it's more um consistent in terms of making more consistent and then giving us our money unlike the um construction project where we're behind by several cycles at this point. Right. >> So this is this is pretty much it'll come. It's just it's not the same volatility. All of these will come. The one the one that with a little bit

010of uncertainty, I guess we could say, is special ed excess cost. We had we had estimated 170,000 going in, but we gave that a haircut to try to be >> not disappointed when we don't get the 170,000 I guess is the way to say it because unfortunately the last few years as those formulas change um that reimbursement only seems to go down a little bit. So we did reduce our estimate a little bit for purposes of this exercise. >> Yeah. And the other driver with that is as more students are kept in the Bradley program, the cost goes down. We don't meet the threat threshold, right? >> Uh or we keep students in class because it's um the least restrictive environment. So >> thank you. >> Few variables there. >> Justin, >> has the excess

011cost has that formula been settled for this year yet? The reimbursement percentage? >> Yep. >> Yes, >> it had. Okay. Do we know what that percentage was this year? >> Uh Chris, Daniel, >> No. Um I can get it for you, but it it is um a higher threshold with a lower reimbursement. >> Reimbursement. So on both. >> Yeah, I could get the percent. >> Just wanted to know if we if that had actually been settled before we estimated a number. >> That number 140 is is pretty accurate based on the students that we have that exceed the threshold. Thank you. Sure. That's all I got. Trust me. >> Anybody else have any questions for Mr. Staglets? >> Thank you. Thank you. >> I don't know if it's on. >> Um, >> it's not yet.

012>> Mr. Burch. So, the good is that uh the HVAC project is moving along as we expected. Uh we're still waiting on several pieces of equipment that we're expecting to show up uh sometime in January or February. We made some good progress over the Christmas break. We've got uh balancing scheduled for next Monday on the 19th when school is closed. We resolved the issue with the slippery floor in the gym by getting the heat up and running. So, everybody seems to be happy there. We are moving forward now with I guess the best way to put it is trying to fine-tune the system and work the bugs out. Uh, as I've said before, it was an extensive project. There's a lot to it. Uh but day by day, even though you don't see people around

013anymore, we are getting through those things and uh we're getting that stuff under control. I think in the end it's going to be a good product. Everybody's going to be much better off for it. It's going to be much more user friendly. Uh and I think it's in general, I think the project has been a success so far. >> Then there's the bad. >> I was about to ask what that was. So, so the bad is that uh we discovered I want to say well it was while school was closed we discovered that the generator is once again losing coolant. So we had uh we had craft power come out and take a quick look at it. They verified what I believe by looking at the exhaust pipe and that is that the coolant is

014going out the exhaust. So that comes down to the good of that might be that it's a bad head gasket. The bad might be that it's a cracked head or a cracked block. Um we all are pretty confident that it's a head gasket. The generator is 20 years old. I would say this year or next year. It's got 600 hours on it. Um, it's one of those things like many of the other systems in the building. They're aging. They're getting past their useful life. So, the next step is to do a solid evaluation on it. Determine exactly what's going on. That is three days work for two men at the best. probably a week's work might be a a better estimate. Um, we uh we don't have a quote on that yet, so I can't

015give you a number. Uh, but we all know basically what outside labor costs when you have them come in. So, we're looking at 3 to 5 days for two men to get the answer to what's actually going on with the generator. I'm pretty confident that it's a head gasket and it's going to be able to be repaired. The next thing is timing. I don't want to leave the facility again with no generator. Um, so my recommendation is is that we wait, we do this April vacation and the repairs will be executed during the summer. At this point, the generator runs fine. It runs every week on Wednesdays. We're going to do a full load test next Monday just to make sure that it performs under load. Uh but maybe not everybody, but a lot of

016us have probably had that car that always has a gallon of antifreeze and two quarts of oil in the trunk. And as long as you remember to keep putting it in, it'll be okay. That's what our hope is. Uh I I guess it's you know a matter of rolling the dice on it but the other the other option is to take the generator offline start working on it when my associate has told me we don't have any money. So that becomes that problem. Uh, the other bit of bad news, and this is news even to Melinda and Bill because I didn't get a chance to tell them yet, but um, one of our one of our pair of dump trucks has breathed breathed this last. It's done. Uh, they're both 2001s. We got them from

017the state when the state had used them up beyond their useful life. Um, and one of them now, uh, has a torsion bar that's attached to this frame and it's broken off and there is nothing left to weld to. So, that one is finished. Uh, so we're down to one. Uh, and of course our new truck, which our new truck runs fine, and we have uh, actually so far this year, that's all we've used to plow because we've only had two inches of snow at a time. we get a foot of snow, then we definitely need that second truck. >> Okay. Any >> Okay. >> Any questions for Mr. Burch? >> Bill, do you end up calling on the town then to help plow if you need it? >> So, the t So, the town

018will help us in a in a jam if we need it. Uh, but the town is pretty flat out trying to keep the roads clear. Uh generally what happens is uh Joe will send uh send trucks up to keep the fire lanes open until we get here and then once we get here then we take over and clear the site. Um on that note, I know that Joe is looking to get a new one truck in his budget this year, in which case his plan is to pass his down to us. um as opposed to having to go out and buy a new truck and get one that's got a few years on it but way more life than those two 25 year old trucks I've got now. Heather, >> um, going back to the

019generator, um, if we do, as you suggest, wait till April vacation, do the exploration, then fix over the summer. Um, will we be able to make sure that whatever the cost associated for the fix over the summer is part of the budget if it's done in April? >> The budget's in. >> I'm saying, have you included this? No. Right. >> The budget. This is not none of this. This is so here here we are and this happens every year. >> We build the budget in October and November >> and by the time it passes in May, June, July, August, uh we have already racked up so many unforeseen >> right >> costs that it's just an exercise. And and the reason is there's never anything extra, >> right? >> There's I I think I think

020I carry maybe 10 or $15,000 in contingency for these unexpected things. $15,000 will not even cover this generator, let alone anything else that happens. >> Hypothetically, hypothetically speaking, how much ballpark would a new generator cost? It's not that we're looking to buy one or we could afford one ever. >> So So I I don't have that answer. >> Ballpark. >> I I couldn't I I couldn't even guess, Matt. Okay. So this gener So this generator So first of all, this generator owes you nothing. >> Uh yeah. >> Um it's a it's a 600 kW generator. The original the original plan for the building project back in 2003 2004 was it included um I think it was a 25k generator that was just going to run the emergency lights in the new parts of the building.

021We got a deal with CLMP at the time they bought you that generator. >> Okay. >> They paid for it. >> No kidding. Uh the deal was we had to be a member of the demand response program, which we were. And that just meant once a four times a year they would call me up and say, "Okay, start the generator." And we did. We never got called on for a real emergency. Um but they not only bought the generator, but for I want to say 10 years, we got I don't know like $120 a month off the electric bill for doing that. Uh, emergency generation is no longer a part of the demand response program. So, they're not buying us another generator. I can tell you that. Uh, so I couldn't even offer a guess

022what a 600kw generator would cost you. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Justin. >> And to answer Matt's question, actually just did one for work. They're about $300,000 just for the piece of equipment, >> right? >> Not including rigging and installation. um balance of the rest of the building >> any any I mean we the HVAC project everything looks good you said we lost the dump truck everything else building wise we're holding it together with duct tape and bubble gum >> today >> okay >> you know there are a there there are some things there are some things that that you're looking at in the probably not too distant future that are real problems on the horizon that everybody needs to be prepared for. >> The the burglar alarm is no longer supported. >> Yeah. >>

023So, I I think we've talked about that before >> and when that goes down then, you know, either you have no burglar alarm or you have to do something about it. Uh the camera system, we've looked into that. Uh because you know after the tragedy at Brown University, the investigation said some of the problems are with grainy cameras. Well, our cameras are all pretty much 20 years old. Uh they were great when we put them in, but they're 20 years old and they don't have the best resolution. The access control system is once again it's reaching its useful life. It's wearing out. uh the the master clock system, all these clocks that are on the wall that all say the exact same time because they answer to some satellite somewhere. Well, we've had problems in

024the past where it's time for the clocks to change and the clocks don't change because they didn't get the signal. So, we've learned how to, you know, reboot it, get it up and running again, but one of these days it's not going to work. >> Well, that's in our capital plan. So, All those things are in our capital plan, >> right? >> Yeah. Okay. Thanks. >> Yeah, we'll talk about those um on the 21st. >> All right. Move on to the approval of minutes for our regular meeting on December 8th, 2025. >> I'll make a motion to approve the minutes. >> I'll second it. Any discussion on that motion? >> Justin, any discussion? >> I'm going I'm sorry. >> Yeah. No, it's all right. >> Heather, no. Matt, >> no ma'am. >> Kristen, Daniela, Rick,

025>> Maddie, no. All right. All those in favor? Oh, sorry. Kathleen, my apologies. No. Okay. Um, all those in favor of approving the minutes say I. >> I. >> All those who oppose, any abstensions? Motion passes. >> All right. Subcommittee updates. There. Um, there haven't been any subcommittee meetings. Um, I do have a finalization of subcommittees. I'll send that out this week. So everybody will have their subcommittee assignments. I do know there's a policy meeting scheduled for January 28th. >> Yes. At 6 p.m. And then >> negotiation is on the 29th >> or not yet. >> or some of the other dates to be determined. And then there's a communication subcommittee meeting on >> February 26th. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, that's it for subcommittees. Superintendent report. >> Okay. Um I just wanted to um

026uh bring to the board's attention that uh Jimmy Burgess um has submitted his retirement. As you know, he was um formerly the daytime custodian at the middle school. Uh Jimmy's been with us for many, many years. And um we want to wish him um a good retirement. We did invite him to come this evening, but he does have some family issues that he needed to attend to. Uh, Bill, I don't know if you have anything uh you want to uh inform the board about uh Jimmy's departure and how you're filling that position. >> So, we at this point we we can't fill the position because he's not gone yet. >> Correct. So, so we have temporarily filled it with um one of the evening custodians is filling in for the next uh five weeks I

027guess at which point we will post that position and they will you know all buy to see who gets the day job because that's everyone's goal is to have the day job. Um and then we will have have to fill an evening position. We have a substitute right now that's been with us for over a year that I think will probably want that evening position if we decide to give it to him. Uh and then we I guess we'll be looking for more substitutes both long-term and short term. Uh labor is labor is very is very tight to say the least. Tonight I have three people for 400,000 square feet. >> Thank you. Thank you. And uh Jimmy, if you're out there, um happy retirement. Thank you for everything you've done for the district. We

028so appreciate everything you've done for us. I don't know if he's there, but um he's been great to work with since I've been here. So, we wish him well. The next Yeah. Um, so I typically ask my kids how school is and what's going on. I don't get much information from them. His retirement, my daughter came home highly upset that he was retiring. Told me all about it. There were students crying because he was retiring. So, please let him know that he really touched a lot of kids, made um a difference in their daytoday life. I was I'm like this is what you were telling me about when I ask every day how was school and I get it was fine I don't know so no job here is too small um everybody matters in

029this facility in all our facilities and um you know I was really touched to hear that you know my kid came home and was like oh my god I can't believe this and I'm going to miss him and we were crying and I was like wow so um Jimmy best of luck and uh you're going to be truly truly missed by middle school children. And if you know middle school kids, that's saying something. So that's >> um so um I would like to invite uh Deb Ma to the microphone. Um Deb has put together um a very comprehensive overview of the food service department. Um I think this is the real first thorough look at the inner happenings of food service. Um as you know Deb just started working with us um what in June

030of last year. Um and she has thoroughly assessed the department and has put together a really nice presentation. She reviewed it with me the other day. Um, I will say that it does exceed our presentation limit by a few minutes, but I think you're going to find it extremely >> talk fast. Make up for it. >> Okay, De, we're going to turn it to you. >> Yep. It doesn't want to pop on. >> Give me two minutes if you want to. >> Okay. Well, everybody has a So, the first thing is I want to start off with um Bill had mentioned uh at last month's meeting that um we had a deficit in the cafeteria. >> So, and it wasn't a mistake. Um it's just a little clarity. So, when um at the end of

031the month when I get a total of how many meals we serve, I it breaks it down by free, reduced, and paid. And I have to enter that into the state system. You have 30 days to do that. So that means the state's not doing anything with that until after that 30 days. So it basically takes 10 weeks for us to get those funds. Um I still have to buy the groceries. I still have to serve the kids even though I'm not getting it. But at the end of the year it catches up with us. So it showed I did a revised budget um uh snaps of the November one when it showed the deficit. But we really had uh almost $64,000 that were coming in >> that it didn't show because it's not in

032units at that point. So we're actually not at a deficit in the cafeteria >> outside of the health care costs. >> Yes. >> Here we go. Here we go. So through um so through November we actually instead of a deficit of 45,000 we were actually above almost 18. >> Okay. Does your clicker work now Deb? >> Yes. I did I >> Perfect. There we go. >> Okay. So I just um so then um I gave you a uh summary of our year-to-ate expenses through December. So, um, just so you know, the lunch is sold. That first item there, in case anybody is wondering what that is, that's when kids bring actual cash in on the register and what parents pay online for my school bucks. Okay. Um, your state, your breakfast, and your lunch programs.

033Those are uh pretty clear there. So, um, I put a pending revenue so you could see what our November and December claims will be. There isn't a question that we're not going to get the money. It's just going to take 10 weeks to get it. each month. Okay. So, we are uh above water a little over $36,000 in the cafeteria minus the health insurance at this point. Um then um we had talked uh Bill and I last month too about how things have changed a little bit. So, I went back through um back to 22 so we could see what your free and reduced percentages were. I I wasn't here but you can see um the bigger difference is that in 24 um we had dropped from 66% down to 80 48% in the elementary

034school and during those two years because they were over 65% which is really the break even point to be a C which is the community eligibility provision which means that we would give free lunch and uh breakfast to the students it really has to be at that 65% % in order to break even. And then we we jumped down to 48. We're back up to 50. Then we actually went up a little bit this past year to the high school from 43 to 52. So at this point, we don't have a school um that would be eligible for C that we could, you know, take advantage of that. So what I started to do um was try to get a handle on what the kids like and I was trying to do a little bit

035more scratch cooking. So every month we do like a taste testing in the middle school and the high school. So we did some homemade chicken bacon ranch quesadillas, homemade sloppy joe's. Uh we did shepherd's pie bowl. We didn't make them as a casserole because a lot of kids don't like their food touching still. So, we just kind of assembled them on the line. So, that's why we called it a bowl. Um, in the elementary school, um, what seems to be a great hit is having breakfast for lunch. So, on Tuesdays, we're trying to have a pattern. So, we do pancakes, French toast, waffles, breakfast sandwiches, and they come with two sausage links, and then tater tots, which is the the meal. Then, we're trying to do some familiar items. Everybody gets um those lunchables at

036the supermarket with their kids. So, we're using bento boxes to make Lunchables with ham, turkey, hard-boiled eggs. We tried a little hummus at the high school. And it has the all the components in it. So, they could just snack on it like a lunchable. And we made uh McGriddles, which are the pancakes versus the English muffins like McDonald's. So, the similarity of what you're calling the foods. Then I just gave you some pictures what our line looks like daily with fresh fruits and vegetables. Some of it we cut up and bag it so it's easier for the students to eat them. So looking ahead to February and I keep forgetting to click it. Danielle's got it. Yeah. Bad nerves. Um we're going to be doing a Big Mac wrap, which is like a Big Mac

037from McDonald's, but we'll be putting it in a wrap. So, we'll be taste testing and then we're celebrating uh Rio Grande Brazil uh with the rest of the school on the 13th. So, we will be having uh Kacharo Quente hot dogs, which is the hot dog. You're going to we're going to slice it and we're going to sauté onions and peppers and put it into marinara sauce. And we cook the hot dogs in the marinara sauce, put it on the hot dog roll, and then sprinkle potato sticks on top of it. Guess the kids love it in Brazil. So we will have regular hot dogs that day. >> So then there was some questions last month about the negative lunch accounts. Um so I just tried to answer some of them. Um students are not

038allowed to charge any of the alocott snacks to their account. Uh students are never refused a meal uh unless it's uh a directive from the parent for many reasons. Uh emails go out every week. I did not send them out uh right before Christmas and this week will tomorrow uh will be my first week since the holidays just the added pressure. Letters are mailed home to the students with high balances along with an uh application for free and reduce and a self-address stamped envelope making it easy for them to apply and come in. Phone calls are made. Most of the time they don't answer, leave a message. So, I took a negative lunch account uh report and I took the names out of it for confidentiality, but I just wanted to to see what the

039$2,800 looks like. So each line item is a student. Okay? So you're free. You say, "Why does a free student have an IOU, a negative account?" It's because they applied and was approved for free, but it wasn't before they started incurring debt. Okay? And that's the same for reduced. So you can see there's one student at $114 who was just approved a few weeks ago. when a child is approved for free and reduced. So say today is the 12th of January, I can go back and credit and get the funds from the state up to the beginning of January, but I cannot go back previous months. It's not allowed >> calendar year only >> for the month. So if somebody was approved today, I can credit back to the beginning of January their debt, but

040I cannot credit any debt and get funds from the state for October, November, September. >> Yeah. Typically, we have always those students that qualified for free, we we absorb those costs and uh didn't it was difficult to get it anyway. Um so you know since I've been here for those students that qualified for free mid year we kind of made it a wash. >> Yeah. So in addition for reduced um last year and in previous years the state picked up the 40 cents that it's costing and a lot of those you know uh 24 $18 are those 40 cents per day. It comes out to about $72 a year if they don't pay the 40 cents for the reduced price per meal. And then uh on the paid category over there, um those are students

041that are required to pay for their meals. They could have applied and been denied or not applied at all. So that's where the majority of your debt comes from on that part there. So we're doing uh free breakfast to students and we're absorbing the expense within the cafeteria budget. That is actually a picture of some fresh baked doughnuts that we have a couple times a month with powdered sugar. We're doing uh two to three days a week we're doing a hot breakfast in the morning. So how I came about to do that. So on the next sheet the production uh for breakfast for each month I put in what we're getting uh for free $2.94 reduced $2.64 64 and a paid meal we only get 40 cents reimbursement. So I took the number of breakfast

042that we did the previous year and came out with an average between the three reimbursements of what it was average cost per breakfast. So I'm trying to stay so it's a $181 for this year uh on average so far. So, I'm trying to keep the breakfast expenses with the whole grains and the fruit right around that dollar five so that I can add in the salaries of accepting the deliveries, putting it away, prepping the meals, um working the register during breakfast. So, I've actually been keeping track of all the uh breakfast items that we've been serving. Um so on the next one you can see so far to date through December we had spent $26,000 little over on um groceries. Our salaries at 93 and our total so our state reimbursement so far in the

043breakfast is 37,000 and we've spent uh between the two almost 36. So we're breaking even. So it's not costing >> incredible. It is really. >> Yeah. >> So, we're we're limited. You know, a pumpkin a slice of pumpkin bread is about 43 cents. Our average fruit is about 25. Uh we're trying to use our canned fruit and put that out that we get through quantities from the government that we have. Um we are putting fresh apples, our oranges. Um we are putting cereal as an alternate every day on top of the menu item for breakfast. um which comes with a cheese stick um because of the requirements. So just a cereal and a cheese stick and the fruit we're coming in at about 84 cents. >> So we're able to use a little bit of

044those cents to do the breakfast on two or three days, especially during the winter months. >> Deb, does that include milk and juice? >> Um juice is considered a fruit. >> Oh, okay. >> Yeah. So, um I did give you um a summary of what we're getting for reimbursements. Um and we are in the severe needs. We do get the uh two extra cents on it because we had um a history for two consecutive years. But I I showed that to you because I want you to see on um on the breakfast production if you could look. So, we did 8,928 free meals and we got $26,000. We did 8,698 paid meals, but our reimbursement was only 3,400. So, that clearly shows you that we really need that 65% to be a C to offer

045free meals to the students. This was just a the only way I could show it to explain it to you. >> Yeah. So, I guess this is my bad news, >> which is the kitchen equipment. I just wanted to share with you over vacation, I went through all the equipment in all three schools, uh wrote down as much information that I could find on them. Uh serial numbers, got in touch if I couldn't figure it out by the serial number, the date of purchase, and the age of the equipment. um our steamer uh which is an essential piece of equipment in our kitchen um and our serving line are in dire need of uh upgrading. Um our that would be my first priority. I did show you some examples of the serving line. So the

046first it's it's long. So the first section is a refrigerated unit that we store the milk in to serve which does not work and the parts are no longer available. So we fill that with ice packs. We get like ice cubes. They come on a acrylic sheets on a roll and you cut it to fit it and we freeze them and pack it so that we're compliant with the board of health. The next section is another refrigerated unit that we have our fresh fruits and vegetables in. Those next two, they don't work either. So, we're packing those with ice trays. My bigger concern, because we can keep stuff in with ice, is um the serving line, the hut wells, which is that bottom picture. That's what they look like. So, you can see the circles

047on them because those are the coils that heat. We put water in it. They don't self drain. So, we have to empty the water manually and suck it all out with rags every day. Um, so you can see that there's so much rust buildup underneath of them that that's when the pans are hitting them. I'm afraid that if they don't uh if they go, we will have to reroute the students to get hot meals to other cafeterias within the school or just serve cold meals to the middle school would be the two workarounds for that. the serving line. I could not get an actual date on it. Um because based on the serial number, it is over 50 years old. >> I think it was they don't craft it past 50 years old. >> Yeah,

048that's crazy. >> So, just one of those red flags of some some issues. Um and that is the steamer. I don't sure if people know what the steamer is. So basically um in the back of the door there is a grate with holes and the steam comes through with the water and we do pasta, rice, mashed potatoes. We steam all our vegetables in there. It's almost more important than an oven. Um pre-made um hamburgers we steam in there so they stay nice and moist. It's used on a daily basis. And I'm not sure if uh any have new members. Um the middle school kitchen is the only kitchen that cooks and then the food is put into hot boxes and wheeled to the other two cafeterias and served from there. So we have one central

049hub right here that we do all the processing in. >> And you said the steamer has worked right now either. >> It's working. Sounds like popcorn's popping when you hear it. Um, we do have two ovens down right now. Um, that the convection oven fans, uh, the motors went on them. Um, I do have a tech coming in to fix those um, on Wednesday. So, my last item is I am a member of the uh, school nutrition association um, and one of their benefits is open cafe. Um, and what it is is I invite uh, and it's scheduled for January 26th. I invite other directors from other schools to come out and observe our three locations. Uh, take a look at our workflow, how we're handling things. We sit down, we round table, they offer

050suggestions or, hey, that's a great idea. They bring ideas back for their school. I would go to some of their schools and do the same thing. It's just looking at future ways of improving within the department. >> And Deb, could you touch base on the audit coming up? >> Yes. Well, that was another reason for the open cafe. Um, I'm from Massachusetts. Um, so the things the way things were handled are a little bit different in Mass than Connecticut. um that's another reason for them coming out so that they can in advance observe if I'm doing something uh that would be of uh an issue with the audit coming up in April. So we'll have a representative from the state. He will come out here for 3 days. He will go through all of our

051um inventory rooms, our refrigerators, freezers to make sure that we don't have anything that is like say from Mexico. Everything has to be US. Uh we have waiverss on a few items like our juice, bananas, uh clementine, and pineapple because we just can't grow them here of course. Um they go through all we in advance we give them our menu for the month of February, which is what we're being audited for. Uh we provide all our recipes, child nutrition labels, our uh formulation sheets to show uh what our meat meat alternative is. um making sure that we're in compliance um with our free and reduced applications. They're about a thousand pages of paperwork that's necessary between now and then. So another reason again for having to open cafe >> and then not to extend your

052presentation any longer. Um but last week we did have a meeting with the emergency folks from the town. You want to talk a little bit about that? >> Yes. So now I'm putting a manual together for the town. So, we'll be using the kitchen in case there was an emergency in town. So, um putting instructions on um how to use the equipment, uh food safety, um the menu basically would be what we would serve to the kids because that's the inventory that I will have in stock. So, I will have to change the menu in this book every single month. Um God, there's just so much with that that I haven't even touched base on. Um I will try every effort to get here. Of course, this is my manager Chris Murphy here tonight and

053uh she's an alternate two for the emergency management that would come. They are going to do a trial run um and come out with CS and allergies and all that other stuff too that I have to put in this book. Yeah. >> Justin, >> which kitchen? >> Middle school. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, that's the only one we can cook in. I I I just needed it on the record. >> This is usually only about two or 30 hund cereals on hand. So, >> yeah. So, >> Heather, so if there was an emergency and the kitchen were to be used and our lovely staff were not available and they had to use the manual, who who exactly would be cooking? >> Volunteers from Okay. So, random people. >> Yes. Okay. >> Correct. That's why the

054importance of having staff here. >> Okay. >> Because we don't want any of the equipment >> broken. >> Exactly. because we need to serve kids when we >> and also what about from a liability standpoint if a volunteer were to burn themselves or catch the place on fire. >> Well, that's like anything else, right? Um you know, it's it's an emergency. They would handle it through the town um because they're working for the town. We've offered up our space um as an emergency shelter. Um and we're trying to um organ Greg has been trying to organize uh that aspect of things like getting the CS here um straightening out what we're going to do as far as it can't be a free-for-all going into the kitchen. There has to be some organization around how they

055approach the equipment, what the menu is, uh where the food is, you know, taking things that are not um taking the more more uh the foods that have to be used first, that kind of thing in the inventory. So, there was a lot to it. Um and so Deb agreed to with everything else on her plate, she agreed to put together um a manual to keep there. Um, and she'll review that with um, John and uh, Steve um, down the road. >> Yeah. So, I would replace the venue every month. I would replace the inventory and the book every month so they knew what they had on hand to and we would keep track of it all because we would need to get reimbursement, >> right? >> Yes. Yes. >> Hold on. Anybody else? >>

056I had a question on something different. Um, since we are now no longer considered a severe Does that mean we lose the rate next year? >> Two cents. >> I know it's only two cents, but we will be losing >> Two cents is a lot, right? I mean, >> I know. >> Okay. Yes, >> Justin. >> Middle school kitchens on the generator. >> My freezer is Yes. Oh, which I did put on the um the budget report, too. I did inventory on hand is a little over $20,000. We typically keep uh 8 to 10 days worth of frozen food on hand, >> especially during the winter because if truck breaks down, I can't get a delivery on a Friday for an item that I'm cooking on Monday. >> Steve uh Benoy did say he was

057going to look to see if there was any possibility last time he did that for us to see if there was possibility that there was some FEMA money associated with uh fixing the generator. um he's waiting to get the quote from Bill and find out what exactly is wrong with it before he can see, you know, and pursue that. Um I think last time it wasn't feasible. >> There was nothing. >> Yeah, >> I guess my thought would be as we grow as a and this >> excellent presentation. I don't want to get off topic into the whole emergency side of this, but as we grow into a larger need for an emergency shelter, >> does it make sense to see if the town can cover PMS on this engine? >> Right. The periodic maintenance

058costs on this engine as it becomes >> more of a emergency service like if we lose power, we're using our kitchen, we're using our food, we're using all this stuff. our staff who who's done all the work to order it and all that. I think whatever the generator PM is monthly, that's something we should potentially go and ask our our town to to cover or at least our emergency management team. >> Agreed. >> We're having that conversation. Um actually had that conversation last week. So, not necessarily about your generator. Thank you. Um but uh we are receiving kind of a surprise sum of money from the Fed that someone had put in for for storm relief from three years ago. So we can have that conversation because this is going to be an emergency shelter

059spot. Um yeah, that generator does serve a purpose in that setting. So we'll have that conversation. >> Okay, great. >> Y >> excellent presentation. >> Any questions? >> Outstanding. That's my job. >> Thank you. >> Enrollment update. Um so um last month we our total enrollment was 775 students. We currently have 777 students. Um we have one additional student at Marriott Fischer for a total of 328 students. Our number didn't change at the middle school. There are 280 students there and we have an additional high school students and that number is now at 168 for a grand total of 777 students um enrolled on site um in our schools. That's not including the students that are outplaced and um at uh Killingly and QMC. So um that's the number of students currently on site. Okay.

060Any questions on the enrollment report? >> Okay. Non-lapsing account. >> Nonlapsing account. >> Okay. So, um, in my briefs this weekend, I did give you, um, a summary of what is in the non-lapsing account, but for the public bill, if you could, um, uh, talk about, uh, the funds that are in the non-lapsing account, and then I can talk to you about um, the expenses that I am proposing against that. So, Sure. So there are two uh non-lapsing accounts. The first of the two um was created under I guess what we should call the old rules. Uh and it is u access to those funds is uh limited. I guess you have to appeal to the board of finance to use those funds. In that non-lapsing account, the district district currently has $47,285 and that

061money goes back quite a ways. It's got to be five or six years anyway. Uh the second account is the under the new rules, uh which are I think two years old at this point, two or three years old. Uh and the remaining balance in what I call the BOE controlled non-lapsing account is $97,154. This primarily goes back to you may remember that two years ago uh when things actually did break our way when it came to special education numbers and in a very rare rare year we were able to put some money aside into that account and we also the board also returned approximately half um back to the town to help with the surplus position. >> Um >> that number was around 250 wasn't it? >> That's correct. 67 I think >> 270

062>> 267. >> So the sum of those two is $144,439. >> Thank you, Bill. >> In addition, um, which is the next item below that, it kind of goes hand in hand. The state has allocated I don't know what the acronym for DRIP is, but it is it is basically a DRIP uh for all the needs that we have. Oh yes, district repair improvement project. Um, thank you uh Daniela. Um and um there's a $70,000 allocation to Thompson Public Schools uh to be used for um facilities capital um accounts. So if you take the two non-lapsing and the drip funds um that is a a number of $214,439 um that is available I guess as uh funds that we could tap into for some expenses. So, in my briefs, I explained that we do have

063to um have a discussion around reconciling the FY25 budget. Um there was a deficit in that budget of $65,000. That was primarily due to overexpendures and special education. You remember um last year we froze everything early on. I want to say the end of September. Um there was a lot of things that we did not purchase that we had budgeted for. Uh there were things for students that we didn't um purchase. Um we froze everything. Um but we still ended up um with $65,000 in the rear. Honestly, >> I am shocked that that number isn't a lot higher. Um but truly we did not spend anything um that we had budgeted for. Um so that 65,000 um deficit um the discussion needs to be made here tonight about how to reconcile that. And you can

064um Bill is here to answer any of those questions. Um I did get a quote. Um the lockers at the high school have continued to be a problem there. It they've been in our budget to be painted year after year after year. One of the bank of lockers, which is right outside the business and shop area, that whole strip of lockers, um they are they they they are the biggest eyes sore when you walk down that corridor. However, painting them is not going to fix the problem because if you open up those lockers, they're completely rusted out. Most of them don't have a floor. Um, and I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to put my backpack and coat in there, even if the outside looked nice. So Brian Santos did me a

065favor and um he had someone here and he sent pictures of the lockers and he got a quote uh to have 100 new lockers installed in that wing uh it would cost uh $48,200. Um it doesn't fix the other lockers that are don't look great, but it gives us a hundred new lockers that can be usable um by our students. So that's something to talk about this evening. Deb just brought forward the new um serving line, the one that you saw with the heating and the refrigeration. She got a quote on that for 72,000. And that steamer, which she's talked about, um that quote came in at $32,893. So if you total all of that up, it's $218,93. Um and so the discussion tonight really is um can we um reconcile the FY25 budget? That's

066one item. Can we make a decision about the lockers and then um take a look at the serving line and steamer? Um and those are the things that I just want up for discussion and possible approval this evening. Chairman. >> Okay. So, I don't know how you want to take it. Bill, do you want to talk about the deficit of FY25? >> Well, that would be pretty brief. I mean, obviously, it's still under audit, but that number has not changed, uh, as of yet. Uh, and we're pretty we're pretty far down the audit process, but that, you know, an audit's never over until it's over. Um, so that's about the all the color I can give you on that at the moment. I reached out to the auditors today for for an update. I I

067did not hear back from them. It's a pretty busy time of year for them, too. But hopefully I'll hear back from you soon. >> Justin, >> um, what happened to the 25,000 that was set aside by Board of Finance? Is that gone? >> That's a good question. >> Bill, >> sorry, I'm like an elephant. I got a good memory. >> This one, this one might be well might be a little longer answer. >> So, You may recall two or three years ago, the the the town moved from a a dedicated um I think there was a library roof fund to a to a more combined municipal repair fund. um as part of the budget process, just like any other expense, uh the items that sort of get tossed around uh to work on, you might

068you might remember the uh Riverside Park lights were one of the things that folks talked about regularly in that what that municipal repair fund is really meant to be is a repository for transfers over a number of years. It's basically a capital savings account. it was expanded beyond just municipal roofs because there are innumerable needs that pop up at the town and the school uh that nobody really can foresee. Um I mean Bill Bill talks about them every month. Um the Riverside lights still aren't done. So the $25,000 that you're thinking of Justin was one of the items when they were talking about making contributions into that fund. That was one of the items that that money could potentially be used for. What I want to emphasize to the board is that the money that

069goes into that fund, although it may go in with sort of an intention to do the lights or to do any number of things, that is a pool of money that can be mobilized to fix whatever emergency pops up. So it is not specifically earmarked for any one thing. So although when that contribution was made, $25,000 towards the lockers was one of the items, um to get that money out to do that work, you would have to petition the board of finance just like you would for any other project. Now, that doesn't change the fact that they it definitely was discussed on the way in. But just for frame of reference, last year, if I remember correctly, when the when the budget process started, we had intentions of funding that account with 150,000 bucks. By

070the time the budget passed, I think that was down to 50. Um, so there was a laundry list of things that made up that 150 and and only 50 ultimately made it in. So, I I will be working up a current balance on that fund um as part of the the upcoming budget process. Um, but the remaining piece, the four or $5,000 I think Melinda is something that the board could approach the board of finance and request, you know, hey, you know, at one point we had a thought that 25,000 was in there was to help and we're we've come up with some grants and some other awards and we're we're four or 5,000 bucks away. Could we could we get there using those funds? But that that's something that you don't have an explicit

071claim to uh but you could petition for. >> And Bill is referencing the total number of um lapsing account and drip grant uh versus the expenditures. That's where he's coming up with that number. >> I thought that it was voted on and motioned to put that money into that account. >> I' Kathleen's raising her hand. >> Kathleen. >> Yes. Um I would suggest that um we write this stuff up. This is I don't think we're going to decide this tonight in the time frame that we're allotted. Um this is something that the the finance subcommittee and any other members of the board. We should have a special meeting of the finance subcommittee to deal with this. That is my my opinion, my but u my suggestion because this is something that typically that the finance

072subcommittee would would uh consider and and analyze and then bring it to the board for their decision. >> I don't disagree with her on that. My only concern with that is the cafeteria equipment, which to me seems to be dire. >> Yeah, that's a health and safety issue. >> Yeah. But even even that I mean if we if we subcommittee meet within the next couple of weeks the timeline on ordering that >> for what it's going to take to come in >> is is going to be >> I think I think we can meet on it make our recommend make the finance committee can make the recommendations to the full board and we could have it approved in February or whatever those numbers need to be. >> Okay. >> Heather I just have a random

073question. Um, so the 100 lockers, how many lockers are like in dire straits without bottoms? >> No way. >> You don't know that? >> I'm looking at you. Um, I know the the senior wing has a good bank of lockers and then they're not so bad down near the library. It's that it's that that bank outside of the shop and then uh the other cross hallway. I'm just wondering is this is this like 25% of the damaged lockers, half of the damaged lockers? 10%? >> We can we can we can >> I'm just just curious, you know. >> Yeah, they're the the worst of the lockers, >> right? If I go if I go back and look at the quotes I got last year, I could give you a number. >> Okay. Yeah. Um we

074were just looking at just >> just replacing that one wall, >> Matt. >> So I don't have >> It's not all of them. No, no. I just was curious if it was even getting close to half. >> I see what you're saying, you know. >> Yeah. So, I'm looking at 168 students and 100 lock place. I don't I don't have the high school layout memorized. I didn't have any kids went into the high school. >> Is that a semi-entral location where 100 kids could use those and they'd be happy? >> Yeah. >> And then we just need 68 other workable lockers. Well, the other 68 U probably in that senior wing. Um, and then so so we so we've got it covered that everybody could use a decent >> Okay, so that that sounds like

075a viable use of locker money is is replacing that bank ofund. >> We had a quote from last year. I think it was like 91,000 92,000 to have them Oh, you got a new one. Um to have them painted. Um, but when I um was reminded about what the inside looks like, um, uh, you know, no, no student is going to put their stuff in there. >> No, you're not going to >> slipstick on a thick >> Yeah. >> It's gross. >> Y. >> So, thank you. I'm I'm glad we cleared that up. And that would be a good use of a 100 lockers. And >> All right. >> I mean, more than half would be getting a new locker. >> Yeah. Right. >> Yep. Good question. >> I will say that from Deb's presentation,

076the steamer seems like it's limping along and could die at any moment. And if that's a critical piece of equipment, that's something we might want to discuss. I understand sending it to the subcommittee, but Justin's right, lead time on those pieces. Um I think Bill said it wouldn't be feasible to put the serving line in until the summer anyway. Um so uh we can postpone that. Okay. >> But um I think you are right. The the equipment in the um cafeteria is something that we need to address especially that steamer which I had no idea was utilized that way >> because you're a superintendent, not a cafeteria person. Yes. She wouldn't let me near it, I'm sure. >> Purchasing of this equipment um that I'm familiar with, you get a PO and you send it

077out. You end up paying X amount to get the ball rolling and then a certain amount when it's delivered. Is there 20 30% down and then 60 70% on delivery such that it' be two parts? Bill, you familiar? or you got to pay 37,000 out of pocket and then get it in 12 weeks and then you're >> we have a working relationship with >> we don't we don't usually we don't usually pay pay for the equipment until it's installed. >> Yeah, that would make sense. >> So we would have to approve the money before it would be okay for >> Yeah. So it's set aside, >> right? >> But it's not out the door. So, I guess the funds that the board could think about is the non-lapsing account that is not restricted >> as

078well as drip. >> Yeah, >> it sounds like that's a good use. >> As well as drip. >> I was thinking drip. >> I'm not sure when drip is coming. >> Oh, >> um uh I don't know. Um I'm hoping to get some answers. So, we do have a commissioner's call on Friday, but that's coming from a different agency. It's not coming from the Department of Ed. coming from um the the uh construction side of the state. >> Yeah. Because that's moving much faster. >> Yeah. >> So, >> Matt, >> so the our we'll call it our non-lapsing account is 145. So, conceivably we could cover that. >> Ours is 97. >> Okay. No, no, you're right. >> Ours is 97. And then we still have 65,000 in last year's special ed costs that we

079need to account for, too. >> Yep. It's not but yes >> yeah that's >> can you just remind me again what are the rules for the >> nonlaps of finance controlled one do they have to be facilities or can the special ed funding come from >> I thought it would correct me if I'm wrong but I thought it was it was special ed and facilities >> and facilities either for the restricted account >> yeah where the non-restricted if you wanted to buy a set of textbooks with that you Okay. >> Still on the horizon is the generator repair, >> right? >> We were just told about plus anything else that decides to blow up because winter's not over yet. Knock on wood bill. I'm sorry. >> Yeah. Yep. So, you want a motion to approve

080the $32,893 for steamer from the Make the motion >> number two. >> You can make the motion. >> Okay. I'm going to make the motion to spend the $32,893 for the steamer out of the BOE controlled non-lapsing account. All right. So there's a motion on the floor >> to encumber $32,833 93 for the steamer out of the BOE controlled non-lapsing fund. Is there a second? And with no second that's going to die. Sorry. >> Sorry. Take care. Well, you have to have a second to the motion in order to have discussion. >> Belinda, do those the 72,000, the 32,000, and the 48,000. That's labor includes materials and labor. >> Uh the the lockers I know is um I don't have her quote in front of me as far as installation for the steamer and the

081um serving line. Um Bill, do you know? >> I haven't seen the quotes. Yeah, I've got the quotes. I haven't seen >> I would prefer to see the full quotes before we make a decision on that. >> I'll make the motion to table this to a finance subcommittee meeting to be put back on the primary BOE agenda for the February meeting. >> Okay, >> I will second that. >> Okay, any discussion? All in favor? I >> I >> the discussion is I'd like to have the quotes in front of us before we schedule subcommittee meeting >> for all for all those items >> on paper. >> Um >> I'll also send you the list of move on which sub go forward. >> All right. >> So one question yes which one is the board of

082ed because it says non-laps account and then restricted. Which one are you saying is the board of ed one? So the board of ed one has the balance of 97,154. The board of finance restricted one is the 47285. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Okay. So the next thing on uh under my report is um the development of a strategic plan. Um when I first came, we developed a five-year strategic plan for the district. Um and um you know, we tracked that strategic plan along the way. We made it very public. It was a um you know we tried to bring in community members to develop that strategic plan. Um once that was underway and well underway, we diverted from the strategic plan and we actually put a lot of time and effort

083into building our portrait of a graduate. And when we built our portrait of a graduate um uh the attributes um under um comm um independent, knowledgeable and community connected are the action steps that we have been taking um to make district-wide improvement. We also have a district-wide um alliance plan that is uh monitored by the state. Um each school has their own set of goals. Um but we're at a point now where we've got three buckets of um improvement efforts, but it should be all put into one plan. And so, um, rather than go down the road of doing that big community outreach for a strategic plan, I'd like to draft a strategic plan, um, inhouse, bring it to the board of ed, um, and have the board of ed review and change it, add

084things to it, but basically hone in on what exactly are we doing? So, taking those bits of the alliance plan for schoolwide, district-wide improvement, making sure those goals are in there. Um, the other goals or the attributes of the POG, making sure that those are also reflected in the strategic plan. The strategic plan, like the POG, is supposed to be the foundation from which the community builds the school department. and folks at the board of finance and the board of selectment and the community at large need to be aware of that plan and as we move forward um I believe that it might be your foundation to maybe nudging some of our facility goals, our instructional goals, our staffing goals. Um but I would like to start to work on drafting a strategic plan this

085half of the school year. uh getting it to the board so that maybe during your summer workshop you could really pull it apart and work on it but give you something to work from rather than develop a strategic plan like we used to do back in the day which took hours and hours and hours of work. Um internally with um especially when we went through the whole reconfiguration um discussion uh there's a lot of expertise that lies within the community within the school system. uh so to develop a good plan and then have it um you know developed for the next five years so that there is a future guide uh for the district. So I wanted to bring that to your attention. If you um allow me we'll start to draft something so that

086by the end of this school year you will have a document that you can work on over the summer change it add to it. Um but then as of um the next school year, you'll have a brand new fresh updated strategic plan to implement in the district. So I don't know what anybody's thoughts are around that. It's just that we've got these plans, but not everything is centrally located. And it's a good tool to use, especially when going through budget and uh communicating with the community. Not to say against it. >> Yeah, I I have no problem. I think it makes sense. Would that something we have to approve of you to do? >> Not approve. I just wanted to bring it to your attention that I'm going to do that work, but I'm not

087going to follow the traditional structure of doing all this community outreach and all a bazillion meetings when >> we have plans in three different buckets that we need to combine into one plan and then let the board weigh in on um you know they if the board wants to add anything to the plan, but it's something that's going to carry you for the next five years. So, um I think um you know doing some internal work first and then we can make it more public and we could have you know get it out there to the public in case somebody wants to weigh in on it and certainly do that. But I just want to stop drafting it if you're amendable to that. >> I I think that's fine. I don't think we need to

088micromanage that piece of it. >> Okay. No, I but I do think it would help us if we got a schedule like an outline of what you're planning to do and then a schedule of how you're planning to accomplish that. >> Okay. >> So that we can kind of make sure that we're checking in with you appropriately, >> right? That it's proceeding. >> I think that's a fair >> Yeah. >> way to go about it. >> Okay. >> All right. So the first item will be is a plan of putting together um uh a um strategic plan committee. So if there's anyone interested in serving on that role um I'm all ears. Um and that's in the community and anybody out on Zoom as well. >> Maybe offer it at those parent >> I know

089there's like the parent coffee house at the middle school right doing that. >> Yep. >> Maybe offer at some of those and see what >> and PTO's and that kind of thing. Yes. I'll get the word out to see if there's anybody that'd like to participate. >> Okay. >> And Danielle's been doing some preliminary formatting. Um, so she's already got a template that she's building. Um, so, uh, I think that you'll have something to really work on over the summer when you do your your summer meetings. >> Okay. And then the next thing is um we have an opportunity through um the superintendent's professional organization um for um um it's a NEAS uh not NASDAQ NEAS accreditation and um basically it is to as you know we're going through the accreditation process at the high

090school. We are having our visit in March. Um, the school has been going through a 4-year in-depth study uh of school schoolwide improvement, naspby and another one of those buckets that we want to add into the strategic plan and some of those recommendations. But anyway, um we have an opportunity to apply for and I wanted to bring to your attention uh that um I'm going to talk to Larry and Kim about the opportunity about getting and you know applying for and seeing if we are one of I think 11 districts that they're going to select um that they're going to give some financial support to go through the accreditation process. Um it would be nice if we could get the other two schools accredited. we would be the only district in the region to have

091all three schools um accredited. I don't know of any other middle school or elementary school that is um NEAS accredited. Um I think we're doing some really amazing things at both schools. Um and it would be nice to do a >> girl raised me hand >> deep study around that. So, um I just wanted to bring it >> serious. >> I just wanted to bring it to your attention that I am going to apply to see if we can as long as Kim and uh Larry are on board and and and the staff because it is a lot of work as you well know. Um but I think it would be beneficial to the district uh to go through that process and have outside teams come in and evaluate um both schools. It gives us

092great insight and we get a great report. Um so um I'd like to dip my toe in there and see if whether or not um we're chosen, but um I wanted you to be aware that I was going to put that application in. Um it doesn't cost us anything right now. It might a little bit down the road when you have to host teams, but we already have that money built into the budget under the high school. Um so uh we could keep that moving forward um in the budget. So, >> and then final thing under my report, I sent you a draft letter. >> Hold on, Matt. Did you have a question? >> Quick question on on me ask uh would it be a different cycle or it would be a whole different cycle

093for the elementary >> would they be doing at the same time or I I >> I don't know the answer to that because I've never in my career of 45 years I've never gone through that process outside of the high school. Um so, What does that get us? Sorry. What does that get us? >> Well, it says that we're accredited against a set of standards, right? High quality standards for education. It doesn't really get us anything except that two things. >> It it it nudges the school to do a deep dive in evaluating their school. Um secondly, it gives us a very good report to work from on school improvement, which you've get an objective team coming in and evaluating that. That is always, you know, I open the doors for that because, you know,

094obviously even Deb is doing that in the in the kitchen, you know, having other people come in and taking a look at what how we're operating and what we're doing and making suggestions to make it better. What spun out of uh the high school's two-year visit was the whole Tiger Block thing and how successful has that been? Um, so anytime somebody can help us along the way, I say let's throw our hat in the ring and see. We might not be selected, but I felt like I wanted you to know that I was going to put that application in pending Larry and Kim's input. Certainly want to talk to them because they're going to have to lead the charge in their schools. >> Okay. And two little things. I I run an accredited lab so

095I know all about accreditation. So, I wasn't, you know, obviously questioning the value of accreditation, just didn't know about the other the lower schools. And also, >> um, >> that would really kind of thumb our nose at the state and our our uh >> uh status, our our uh alliance status, if we had three accredited schools and the state's calling us, you know. >> Yeah. Alliance. Let's hope what I can't wait till FY27 comes along and what we shed that designation. We will be an alliance district, however. I'm certain of that unless they change the rules. >> So, >> okay. Thank you. >> Plus, we don't want to lose that funding. >> Yeah. >> It's a catch 22 on that one. >> Yeah. >> I think it would be good for the town to see

096if we were three schools, right? Everyone talks about how bad our schools are to have all three >> accredited. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> It'd be kind of nice. Um I just like I like the process of the self-study. I just think it's really important. >> Um we can always do better, but uh really pulling apart against a set of standards. I think it it's important and it will help feed the strategic plan whenever you can revise your strategic plan against the NEOS reform. So, and then finally, I did send you a draft copy of a supplemental appropriation request uh to be made to the board of finance. I have a placeholder on the board of finances agenda for Thursday night um to put in for that appropriation. Uh we don't have a final number. So,

097Bill and I talked about it and we felt like an April 1 date we would have a better handle on where the deficit was projecting. I will say that the last two weeks of school last year, what two or three families moved in without placed kids and then we had to add to the budget. if you remember all of that. Um, but at this moment in time, I am going to tell you and I told you last week during budget workshop, freezing the budget is going to do little to offset that deficit that we're looking at right now because we stripped the budget of anything that was in there. So, there's little left to I we can freeze it. Um, but there's no big equipment that was left in the budget anyway. Um, so it

098was down to bare bones. So, um, we're at a point where I don't think we're going to make it and there will be no more non-lapsing money to plug that hole. Um, and we find that and we've got guidance from Steve Sedor, our attorney, that we have to follow section 10-22 of the um, Connecticut rags and follow the procedure. As you recall when we spoke to the attorney, um, the town then has to um go out and figure out how to um, provide the board of ed with those funds. It may mean for this town, and I don't know the rules on the town side, but it may mean that they have to go out for referendum. If the referendum fails, then the board of ed does have recourse legally. Um, but we can't plug

099the hole this year for the overages and special ed because there's nothing left in the budget to plug it with. So, um if I have your permission, I will send that letter um and make sure that tomorrow to um the recording secretary for the board of finance and get on the agenda and explain to the board of finance on Thursday um the need for that those funds although we don't have that final number. >> Hold on, Justin. >> Motion to transmit. >> Second. Any discussion? >> Um, my only discussion point would be >> we've got a serving line that's going to put us in some hot water, no pun intended, health-wise if we mess up even the littlest of bit on that because we're dealing with 50-y old equipment. We've got a steamer that's of

100the same position. We've got ovens that are of the same position. And we've got the locker thing coming. So I what I my only concern with transmitting this would be we've got we're we're trying to earmark and we've got the $65,000 FY25 deficit that we have to make up for. So I I think full transparency is necessary to the board of finance to let them know that we're already looking at clearing up some things that are already on our decks. th those especially the non-lapsing funds are not going to help us with that with with your current supplemental appropriation ask. >> A and on top of that, we're going to take that $25,000 what we thought was earmarked from from a locker perspective and probably assume that on our own budget and deal with that

101in house. >> Heather, any Matt? No, I was gonna say basically what Justin said. >> Kristen, >> Danielle Rick, >> is this still what I wrote down like $500,000? This I wrote a number last week, the allocation you were talking about. >> Yes. So then um >> and that does not include the 65,000 deficit you were talking about. >> That's separate. Bill Bill Bill wants to say something. >> Yeah, that' be fine. So last month's special ed uh estimated deficit did not include those three items that I mentioned. Every month I would specifically mention it didn't include special ed excess cost. IDA is something that also happens every year and seed was brand new this year. Um, so that what why we included those to get you from the 500 to the 274 is because

102last month when we were talking about this, we weren't trying to come up with a number an estimated deficit to approach the board of finance to to do a supplemental allocation for. Normally, it's very early in the year for us to be pulling to be considering those amounts because we typically, especially with special ed excess cost, we wait to see what we're actually going to get. That should be a conservative estimate of what we're going to get. But unfortunately, you never really know because it depends on things like the the mix of kids and how how many of the of the high need kids go above the threshold. Because remember, if the kids if the students don't go above the threshold, you get zero in reimbursement dollars. >> Hold on. Y >> Kathleen, did you

103have anything you wanted to add? >> Yes, I do. Thank you. Um, I think we should caution the board of finance and and I think they're well aware of this that this number we are required by state statute to to inform them as soon as we know that we're running the deficit. But for them to go out to referendum to prove this amount that we're telling them now is too early because that number could change. This is not a number fixed in stone at this moment. And and and I know Melinda that you will make them aware of this and they are aware of this. I mean um that number as of last year it changed almost the last the last month of the year for us when we were preparing the budget. We had

104to add more money to the budget because of some students coming in. So if they if they want to go out to referendum, um we're just making them aware of this because it is required of us by state statute. >> Thank you. >> What What is the date you expect to have that number then? June 12th or something at the end of the school year. I I don't understand. We were I think Melinda had already mentioned we were hoping to have a a a firmer estimate in early April. However, to Kathleen's point, if students move in, which happened in May and >> Yeah. >> It was very late in the year. >> Uh obviously the impact of those students on the current year budget would be relatively small. Would probably be about onetenth of the

105full amount if they moved in, you know, May or June. Quick math there. Um, but it it really I cannot emphasize to the board, I mean I I know the veterans on the board know this and the audience, this can turn on a dime. And obviously the town has no control over who moves in and who moves out. The the the impact is stunning. Okay. Thank you, >> Matt. >> Uh, to kind of clarify, I don't I don't know if >> trying to see the list. >> I don't know the exact numbers, Rick, >> but and and Bill, if if Dr. Jones was here, he would know, but essentially there there's a a threshold you have to meet. So, let's It's >> 4,000 >> $104,000. So, if we had 10 kids at $100,000, we're on

106the hook for a million dollars. >> All right. Boom. Once it goes above 104, we get pennies on the dollar for that money over 104. >> So they're not giving us a lot >> around that. >> Yeah. Last year's reimburse. >> Yeah. So it's it's really, you know, so if a kid's costing us $20,000 or kids costing us $100,000, we're on the hook for all that. >> The full amount. >> No. With no money coming from the state. >> Now there is there is >> looking at two buckets of money here. Some of what you said adds up to about 214,000 if some money comes in and you want to spend 218 on some equipment already, but there's a half a million dollars. You're talking about special ed and 65 deficit. >> So I'm like,

107who who are we asking for that money? >> The town taxpayer. >> Yes. >> Okay. Well, we have town reps here as well, and I'm kind of curious how we lining this out and said, "Okay, select B, we're coming to board of finance team for half a million bucks finance." >> Yeah, it goes through >> and then you can >> if we want to buy this equipment out of the other cash, how do we push that forward? >> Do we wait till something's broken or do we take the step and we go after that steamer? the stuff that's broken is is almost it's essentially >> dead. So this the 218,000 versus the 214,000 that is essentially >> money that we already kind of have. >> Yeah. >> And or going to have soon separate from

108special ed. >> Okay. >> Not related to special ed. And it's things that we need to buy just to keep this pool running. Right. And hopefully we have a good ice machine >> and hope. Yeah, >> we just special ed special ed. >> There's always a silver lining. >> Something that we can budget for every year. In one year, was it two years, three years ago, one year we budgeted for X amount and not as many kids showed up or some kids moved out of town. We had extra. And that's where that ex uh >> the 97,000 >> that's where that that's what that's from. I mean, we gave some of it back to the town already. >> Um, but special ed, we just can't we can't predict it. We just can't predict it because

109one kid moves into town, two kids move into town, a family, and it's just it just and we >> Well, it just sounds like there's a couple sets of rules we got to live by. A lot of one's that special ed thing, >> and then the other's the equipment that we want to try to keep the dayto-day going. So, so what Melinda was saying about we've frozen the budget because it there's nothing left over to kind of dip into. So if hypothetically speaking we had $500,000 of field trip money laying around. We could just say, "Hey kids, you're not going on field trips this year. We have to use that $500,000 for special ed." >> But there's no shortage. >> There is no field there's nothing there's no field trip money. There's no Rick. there's

110nothing left to pull from because for years years decades we've been every time something happens in the budget uh say, "Oh, hey, we're we're short $100,000 on special ed. Oh, kids can't go on a field trip this year. Oh, we can't buy any more more books." >> Boom. That's so Oh, oh, we can't replace >> the the We can't replace the serving line. We can't replace the >> steamer. >> The steamer. couldn't all that stuff is all been deferred for decades because a special ed >> not only but a lot of it it just because every time we have a couple extra dollars like oh there's a special ed overage we got to >> put it there >> that's what freezing the budget means from Melinda is we we've oh hey we we had we

111wanted to buy textbooks but we can't >> so that's what that means and it's always it's every year except for one >> and that's where we're coming from and that's Yes. Welcome to the board. Welcome to the board of education. >> Justin, >> can we just So, my quick math here has it at about 700K is where we're going to sit in total. The the 140 for the SE ECG payment, the 222, the 60, and the 274. >> Right. If I add all those up, it's around 700 right now, give or take, >> which is I, if I remember right, about the way we were >> last year. Yeah. >> Yeah. We were I think last month it was six almost it was close to six last month. >> Yes. >> Um I just I

112think >> I'm sorry Justin to explain the delta between the two. >> Yep. U the development that we're talking about right here with changes in needs without obviously we can't get into specifics in here here that happened in December to the tune of >> just under $100,000 >> and it was related to I don't want to get service exactly we have to be very very careful there but that exact negative development in terms of the budget we saw it two three weeks ago at this point. Yep. And and that and you're seeing it in the numbers. There's no reason that couldn't happen again this month, >> right? >> And next month and the month after that and the month after that, right? We could easily go from a $700,000 deficit to a $1.4 million deficit

113like that. I I want I think it's important that when we transmit this both in writing and verbally on Thursday that we let the board of finance know that we have taken steps to offset that total $700,000 number as it sits today. But those steps that we are taking are it. >> That's it. >> Yeah. I mean applying the grants to that the excess cost the seed money the uh IDA um brought that number down. Um my last correspondence with the board of finance was it was like a half a million dollars but it brought that number down. Doesn't mean that that number is not going to jump back up. The difference between this year and last year is we froze the budget at the end of September, early October. We didn't allow anybody to

114buy anything that they originally put in their budgets. So all that stuff that teachers put in their budgets or equipment or whatever Bill had in his budget, none of that got bought because we were already running a deficit. Fast forward to this year, we stripped all that stuff out of the budget last year when we were building the budget. And so, uh, and then of course the referendum delayed purchasing and so purchase orders didn't stop flowing until October. Um, and so we're at a point now where because we stripped that during the budget process, there isn't those pieces of equipment or, you know, large uh, curriculum purchases left in the budget to offset special ed. So there's nothing I can tell you that's in that budget right now that we could rely on to even

115fill that hole. >> I just I just want to make sure that the board of finance understands that the number we gave them last month when you were talking about it versus the number we're asking for versus the number it really is this month less the offsets that we've already applied. >> I think the draft letter explains that. >> I just want to make sure that it's abundantly clear and that it's not a set number either. It can go up that it's >> Yeah, >> I pray it goes down. >> Bill and I will do that presentation in tandem on Thursday. >> We'll definitely and and they they won't be surprised. They understand it. >> I know that. I know. I just want to make sure. >> I I want to be on the record.

116I get it. >> Yeah. >> But the town will probably >> Oh, you said you said it was 274. >> That's And that's my concern. >> Oh, it's 350. But you said 274 on that meeting and that's all they're going to see. >> And that's my concern if come May 1st we get a couple more students that move in that need some of those additional services and then it's already out there at a specific number and now we're like nope. And then you have a section of the population that'll be like you lied. >> So my question is >> I don't know how to fix that. Me neither. I know. And so I mean there's the other side of that which is we we put in the supplemental request for every single dollar >> that

117we're currently over >> and if we happen to be able to supplement with the 140 the 222 and the >> then we can draw that number down then >> identifying that it's all there >> I don't know the right way to look at this right it's it's >> show it all >> ask for little show it all ask for it all. I I don't I don't know the right answer to this because the the public perception of this is going to be you guys can't manage the board of ed can't manage their budget. What the public what the public doesn't understand I know everybody in this room does but what the public doesn't understand is we have zero control over this part of our budget. When you look at every other dollar in our budget

118in the other areas we manage it pretty much within a half a percent. this is the only area that we regularly struggle in whether it's high or low and I think I don't know >> and I could tell you in my conversations with the other board chairs we are not the only district that is struggling with this. There are other districts that are $600,000 over spent in special education. There are others that are even higher than that. We there's no until the state starts doing some auditing of the special education programs and making sure that we're getting one the services that were paid for that those programs whether they're privately run or not are audited appropriately for the fees that they're charging because they are accepting taxpayer dollars. Unfortunately, that's going until they start feeling

119the pressure for that. There's it's going to be the same story every year, unfortunately. And it's >> Well, and we're 26.51% of our district. Last year, that put us like I don't know, 15 16. This year, we're 40th, >> right? >> Yeah. All right. We have a motion and a second on the floor to move forward with the supplemental allocation. All those in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? And any abstensions? That passes. I'll be there on Thursday. >> Good. Thank you. >> Uh any old business? And new business? Reappoint of our BOE recording secretary. >> Okay. >> I'll second that enthusiastically. >> I'll second. Any discussion? >> No. >> All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? >> Sorry, Danielle. >> Your sentence has been >> probation not great.

120any correspondence that anybody received? >> Um, we just uh received a thank you note uh from a teacher who um became ill right before the Christmas break. Um we sent uh flowers and uh from the admin team and the board of ed and she sent us a letter of appreciation >> and they're good and on the men. >> Yeah, they coming back everything >> I hope within reason. Yes. >> Okay. All right, second round of citizens comments. Start on the Zoom. Any citizens comments? Going to say no. All right. Any in the room, please state your name and address. Going once, going twice. Board member comments. Maddie, anything? No. Rick, any comments? >> No. >> Okay. Daniela, >> no. Kristen, um, I just wanted to say that I appreciate your attempt to streamline the meetings

121and keep us on topic because we can get a little a little far off and keep people here a little late. So, I do appreciate your attempt in that. And also, I just wanted to say that I was very impressed with everything that Deb has shown us. She was extremely efficient. The presentation was very comprehensive. It was the most from the cafeteria I've seen in my time here. So, I really appreciated that and think that she is doing an excellent job. >> I will second that wholeheartedly on Deb. U that was fantastic. Um also I always appreciate when members of other town boards show up and thank you and thank you. Thank you. Um and um not to make it a conversation, but to to to follow up on what Mr. Herbert said at the

122beginning of the night, I I do understand and respect what he said. And just by approving it uh at our budget meeting doesn't mean we didn't or won't look at the details, but the details >> um are probably already down to the bone and that are already down to the bone. But yes, we will continue to look at it um individually and as a group, but uh just to get things moving along. So, thank you, >> Heather. >> I said what I needed to say before. >> Okay, Justin. >> I'm going to echo what Matt said about thanking the other board members that are in the room. Um, I do want to be clear and and make sure that my motion last week, although it has caused a few uh additional tums to be taken

123before bed, um, it was fully intended to get the attention on our budget as needed. >> Um, it also I did analyze it while I was sitting here at the table. It's $265,000 over last year's original ask after contractual salary increases. We're not asking for the world. We're asking for what we really need. It's a fiscally responsible budget. I that's so to to say we didn't go over it at all, I think is uh not fair. Uh we did spend some time on it and those of us who are aged in the process um understand where those numbers are coming from. >> That's all. >> Kathleen, do you have any comments you want to add? >> Nope. She's good. All right. >> Thank you, Mr. Bolty. He is he was there in spirit. So, um

124>> softball coming up tonight. All right. Motion to adjurnn is by Justin. >> Second. >> We're done. Thank you. >> It was in her. It was in her um superendent