001There you go. Good afternoon. I would like to call the March 24th, 2026 informal meeting to order at 10:03 p.m. Right. Mr. Johnson, would you like to start first? >> Yeah, surely. I just passed out uh one page out of the 2200 pages of the agenda from the value adjustment board. Um this just gives a little bit of information. On the one side it says value uh historical information petitions filed withdrawn settled heard granted and if you take a look from 2009 to 2025 um in 20 2025 we went up to 433 which is roughly a 10% increase from 24 which was roughly a 10% increase from 23 and we heard a total of 111 out of that are roughly 25%. And if you turn it over in the back, it has uh what the
002fees that were paid for the special magistrates that actually heard the taxpayers concerns. And our our share is two fifths or $22,242 up about 10% from last year. So we can only anticipate it will go up probably another 10% this coming year. Uh that they don't meet again until o till till August. So it this is it for the year. Um that I don't know the dollar amount. I had that but I didn't bring that document with me and Kelly couldn't find it in the 2200 pages of how much taxable revenue was reduced. That's also available. That can be available. >> So, we don't know how much we actually as a district loses as lost because >> I I don't have that information. It's it's in the packet. I just don't have it. I can
003find it or Kelly can find it if she has nothing to do one day. It's only 2200 pages. >> Mark, do do you know um on the one the ones that were granted? Yes. Is was is there a commonality >> within those >> grantes that >> I I'm I'm going to go out on a limb and say it probably was houses that were damaged due to storms that reduced the value of of the structures on a property because we all know the prices of homes have gone up and they've been sold back and forth. May maybe there was a misapplied uh homestead but I'm going to say the bulk of it were over assessed so they reduced >> okay it would be nice to I think to know what >> I could >> what foundational
004>> can probably get that from Randy Murk >> um not even looking back there was until the last what five years four years there haven't been that any uh granted. And so I wonder if you know if it is the the weather conditions that created this issue. It it would be nice to know. It'd be nice to >> I don't want you to go back in 2200 pages and try to find it. >> Yeah, it was in there and I actually brought the wrong paper when when I copied it and I did have that information. I I want to think that it reduced uh the uh taxable value by maybe on the outside $2 million taxable value, not not the tax itself. I think it was something like that. It wasn't greatly significant, but it
005was there. And a lot of these claims are brought are brought by um I'm going to say absentee landlords because a lot of them are brought by attorneys from southern Florida. So they're not by residents themselves necessarily. >> Okay. >> A lot of they try >> if if you just look at the previous clump there, the number granted was really >> quite small. >> They expect it to go up more next year. That's just what you know the trend is there. >> We haven't had any storms. >> The trend the trend has gone up at 10% a year. Take a look at it from 22 it's it's 328. You add 32 to that you get 366. Add 36 to it you get, you know, roughly uh 398 and 10% of that brings you up to
006433. So, if it holds its its steady course, we'll probably have about 475 this coming year. Now, how many get heard and granted, you know? >> Yeah. Go back go back to 2010 when you had 354. >> Go back to 200. >> You had seven eventually get granted. >> I don't what what >> that's 10%. >> Mr. Myers, >> I think I may be able to shed some light on the criteria. Uh one one consideration obviously is the valuation that they they they're they're objecting to what the property appraiser you know is appraised the property at. Uh there are exemptions that haven't been taken into account by the property appraiser homestead exemption or something like that. There could be portability issues where you know you're supposed to take that with you and somehow it wasn't
007uh you know it wasn't transferred. And uh there's also like classification like you you have the property not classified properly but most of them are about valuation where you know the the person is disputing the property appraisers's determination of what what the homeless were um and it would be that the key as you say I mean both of you the idea of knowing exactly you know what the amount was that was reduced you know yearover-year because you can look at the number of petitions and that suggests something, but it's I think more important to look at the numbers. >> Yeah, that that was available. I just happened to to copy the wrong page and didn't bring it. Um I spent half the night last night down in Banget Point with my stepson. So, couldn't breathe.
008All right. Any further discussion on that? Okay. Who would like to go next? M. Rodriguez, do you have anything? I >> I got something that's coming up this it happened last year. It's happening this year with with the dates between the uh awards nights, nights of excellence and the graduations. Seems like the schools are not coordinating and all of a sudden at the last minute we're getting dates and then the dates are changing because even at the same school, two things are being scheduled at the same time. I think that needs to be addressed somehow on on a district level and maybe get a better district calendar out there so we don't have these all two two events on the same night and everybody's on the same page with 25 schools and all of them
009hitting with graduations and this or that all of a sudden um has changed their dates three times. Central has a problem where they're having uh I think ACE awards and and an ACE dance and ROC awards on the same night. Now they're changing the dates again. So I I would like to see better coordination for all these end of the year uh experiences or at least get them sooner than we're getting them now. We're talking about dates that start in the middle of April. I I have things I'm scheduled for uh the second week in third week in April, I guess it is, going out and they keep on changing the dates. That's craziness that there has to be a way to do that even in the same school where they know what's going on.
010And I think we we should address that somehow. I don't have an answer for that, Mr. >> Just something that just popped into my feeble little brain as we're talking. >> Okay. So I think it's it's difficulty like you said even at a school level sometimes there's overlapping. Um I guess I'm assuming you don't want multiple things on the same night because you want to go to everything. Um I know that I can't as one person go to everything. So I I gave up on that. But I do have someone from staff or cabinet that we assigned to go. I know that I mean I don't know if we're ever going to get to a place where they don't overlap. It would be nice. It would be nice at a school, but it's hard enough
011at a school level. Um I don't know if I'm going to get 25 23 schools to be on a calendar where something's not overlapping almost every night. >> But the point I'm making is sometimes they don't even know the dates >> and they they overlap at the same school at the last minute because nobody knows what the other department's doing. >> Yeah. Yeah, >> I think we should have something and set a date where they have to turn around and announce when they're going to have those award nights, when they're going to have their proms and their dances and everything special and for the end of the year. So, we know what we're doing so we can set our schedules and make our priorities. Yeah, I agree. I don't go to everything, but I do
012go what I can go to. >> Yeah, but I think they do announce them. It's just sometimes they change them. >> That's the problem. Mhm. >> If the coordination was made better or if they had to have a date certain, they'd pay a little more attention earlier and get a date and say, "Okay, this is what we're going to do." >> Okay. >> Uh, you know, I don't know how we work that out, but I think we could work it out. >> I I we have asked schools and they're working on developing their um I wanted to call it frontline calendar, but their um parent square calendar. I couldn't think of the name of the company. the parent square calendar that's on their website. Some schools you look at they have an events a calendar
013an like central has an an events calendar on their parent square and it lists a lot of different things for parents and community members know what's going on at the school others not so much. So, we've asked um around the time that it came up about board members knowing what was going on and um I met with the lead principles and asked everyone to create an events calendar. That's what they have to do is at their school they have their school calendar then they have an events calendar. the events calendar is linked to the parent square so that the not everything that's happening at the school and parent conferences at this time and this going on is on this calendar and this is linked to parent square so it'll update their calendar more and then
014you guys are able to or me or whoever are able to go to those calendars and see what's going on at that school to see if you want to go to some of those things. Um so I have started um I've asked them to start doing that. I got to check to see where they are. That was right kind of right before spring break when that happened. So, we'll see how that goes and if they're updated. I'm not saying that addresses your concern. Um, but it may help. And >> I think if if if they have maybe we give them a date certain to get their their final dates in for all those awards and and the different, you know, dances and proms, whatever they're holding, so that we all know what's going on. And
015so the schools, the other schools know what's going on. It would be easier if they all had it arbitrarily just the eyides of March. Just they got to have it in or it doesn't happen. >> I believe the school base, the principles have that already in place. I mean, >> they should. >> We scheduled a year ahead and they kept the same dates. >> They're changing dates right now at central from the ROC awards. And right the second one, Kelly, >> the ACE uh ceremony, ACE celebration. >> Why are they in conflict if they are both at the same school and they have that a calendar in advance? >> Because somebody's made a mistake, Mark. >> No, but it happens all the time. >> But it I'm okay. It can happen. Yes. I'm just telling
016you, we used to schedule a year out. So when the staff came back in August, they already knew when all of these things were taking place. And then they we would replicate it for the next year. So we had a regular routine of who was doing what and when. >> That makes all the sense in the world, but it's not working because this is not the first time. And last year it was like every day there was a change in dates and times and place. And I'm not even going and that's >> well awards nights, you know, nights of excellence. And >> I have to agree with Mr. Johnson. As far as I have reached out with our superintendent and with our secretary and I've had this discussion for the last several months with them
017of us not knowing what's happening and where it's happening and when it's happening as well as everything coming over spilling into each other. So I don't disagree. I think we could do better. I think that all of us are trying to make an effort to be at these functions and a lot of times I know that I've heard from all of us when we speak, we didn't know this was happening or we didn't know that was happening. We didn't even realize it and then I'll call our secretary and she didn't know it was happening. She's left out of the loop, too. So, I do think that he's on to something. I don't think it should be totally dismissed. I think that no one's doing it deliberately, but as schoolboard members, I think it's important that
018we're able to have a master calendar, a schedule, and know these dates. And also, like he's saying, it shouldn't overlap. The significant important things should not overlap with something else that that's important, too, because all of us are trying to make an appearance and to be there because this is the role as a schoolboard member, but it's very hard when we don't know when it's happening, where it's happening, or the dates all get changed. So maybe >> but it sounds but it sounds like Mr. defender has a good path laid out and it's a matter of >> it's getting better getting it >> so ago Kelly put out four four changes five changes for for one or two things that were happening the date was changing so we didn't even know what time the board
019meetings were because they kept on changing it was set for nine o'clock then it was 11 o'clock then it was one o'clock no it's 9:30 it's 10 o'clock we there's got to be a little more consistency to I don't know about you. I mean, I still work and I I schedule things around what's going on. And if I schedule something, sometimes the work I schedule, I can't change once it's it's set. >> So, we got to have a better way of getting a schedule out that's in set in stone at a certain point so we know what we're doing. >> And everyone's trying I >> and yes, they do. some somehow the management of that is not is lacking and we need to get tighter on it and figure out how and I'm not you
020know I'm I'm not pointing fingers but we need to to get it tied down so we know what we're doing when we're going to do it and again you know how look at last year graduations we had to run from one to another because they were so close >> we have no control over the weather but that's my sponsor. What did you say? >> We have to do that this year, too. Go from one graduation to another >> this year on Saturday, right? >> Yeah. >> On a Saturday, we're doing and Friday, I think we're doing back to >> again. I think there's also just so there's so much in May the awards going on. It's almost it's impossible to not have stuff overlap. So, I think as board members, we kind of have to
021you go to one and I go to another or split up for some of the for some of it. >> Yeah. I don't think that's the discrepancy if I'm hearing him right. >> I don't think he cares we all have to split it up and figure out who's taking what. I don't think that's the problem. I think what he's saying is is that >> they move dates. I get it. >> The need to know basis on >> I don't even know that moving dates is primarily the problem. I think it's just that none of us are involved on there's not a master schedule to where even Mrs. Pogue when I spoke to her and she'll confirm this she said I don't know I don't know what's happening at all the schools I have no idea
022in order to be able to put it on our calendar so then we can pick and choose right so I'm okay that overlaps >> can you imagine >> I'm okay that >> the calendars 23 schools >> well we're talking about the high schools primarily >> okay five high schools that's Try to imagine >> trying to combine all five high schools into one calendar. >> You guys will just be beside yourself. >> Well, I think that the step is that each each school has that updated on parent square. if I can get that done. And then what we talked about is if you if you if you would like to as a board, then you can look at the high schools or the middle schools and even the elementary schools. They won't have as much. Elementary
023won't have as much. Middle will have the middle amount and high schools will have a lot on their calendar. Or you can say to Kelly, "Hey, can you put what you think might be on a master calendar for us from these websites?" That might be possible, too. But there's going to be things that Kelly thinks is important or that she thinks you may not want to go to that you want to go to. >> Correct. Correct me if I'm wrong, Mrs. Poke. Wasn't the conversation that you and I had before. You were not even aware. you weren't made aware and you were left out of the loop. >> Yeah. No, I agree because >> I think that's what he's >> Yeah. Because we were we were relying on invitations like sending out an email to
024you guys inviting. I'm not saying they shouldn't do that, but there's another layer now of a calendar. So, there's a calendar of events and then if there's things that they want the superintendent or board members to go to, they should invite us personally also. >> That's what I told them. >> But also have it posted on on Parent Square so we all can see on their site. that the major events >> agreed >> the major events coming up at the end of the year are the five high school graduation, the five nights of excellence, the ROC awards, the ACE awards, and I don't know if they give one and I guess for the IB bachelorette awards, we should have those made in stone by the first day of school in in August. We should know
025those dates and they should be date certain for the end of the year and everything else should revolve around them because I'm finding those dates are changing. I go to all the ROC awards. Now they're being moved around because all of a sudden ACE says, "Well, we're going to use that date or somebody else wants to use that date." >> All right, Mr. >> and that's not there. We should as a board establish the major events and the dates they occur at w with with of course with the input from the principles and work it out from there. Then everything else is importance is the wrong word but I'm going to say less importance. You know the less can fill the others can fill in the gaps but let's set it up so we know
026what the heck we're doing. What you're describing is the big rocks exercise from Franklin Covey. So you put your big rocks in the bucket first and then you fill it with all the smaller rocks and they fill in between. So what I'll ask the high school lead principal Ed Lorose to do is for them to get together this year over the summer come up with some dates at the end of the year that's mutually exclusive for these events. It doesn't mean that they're not going to change. I can't help that. Um, but at least they'll start mutually exclusive and they'll have that conversation for those big things at the end of the year as much as they possibly can put it on that parent that event calendar that'll go on parent square also and notify
027the board about them. Um I think some of these events I mean I know there's some changes that have happened like with ROC in particular there's some um new things that came out about head from headquarters for ROC about uniform wearing uniforms and things like that that they have um suspended for the near future. Um, so that'll affect some of those the changing of command and things like that of those ceremonies that are coming up for our ROC units. >> Okay. All right. >> I'll explain. >> Are there any other board members that want to speak today? >> Mr. Rodriguez. >> So, I just wanted to say thank you for the opportunity to attend Cosmo on behalf of Fernando County. I did present alongside Grenol. Um, I was able to learn how their platform is
028helping modernize school facilities. Um, I think nearly 40%, if I have the statistics right, of our K12 schools were built before 1970 around states. You know, a lot of the schools are older schools and they were designed as shelters. Um, not really intelligent systems. But with the granol and with implementing their program such as we've done at Chocati Elementary um they can transform these buildings into a connected digital platform um and they can manage it through a single plat a single platform. So like your car it needs an oil change and if you see on the you watch your sticker or you look and it tells you it needs oil you go get it changed then your engine does not blow. So, I think it's extremely imperative to have an operation system such as this
029because it gives the alarms and it lets you be um proactive instead of reactive. So, it lets us know when we need to replace our filters. It lets us know all different things that are happening within our components of the system before we have a major catastrophe happen that cost us somewhere sometimes millions of dollars. So, I think um this long-term planning without replacing the existing systems and having all of this already there um we had some food weighted wastage um at one of the schools. Had we have had the right thermostats in the coolers, it would have sent an alarm. We would have known we could have pulled the food. So, there's a lot of things that we can do that's going to save us money opposed on the front side than waiting on
030the back side. Um, I think also it was really neat to learn that we can use this whole system as a STEM education utilizing the building as a living lab so that the students can clock in and they can see everything real time. Um, and they're able to have if they're wanting a career in plumbing, HVAC, electrical, they can also navigate the portal. So, I think it's neat the whole component of us being able to get a handle on it before something a catastrophe happens and it's a big expense as well as students can also dial in and they can follow alongside and they're able to learn as they go. So, I think it was really neat. We had a lot of breakout sessions. Um, some of them were a strategic plan. It was a
031district-wide model was a session bringing culture of growing leaders for our schools. Another one was superintendent selection, the right process and the right fix. Uh, another one was what it takes to work well with the school board. So, it was um it was a nice um conference. Did you have something, Mrs. Bonnet? >> I think Mr. Johnson wanted to comment on it or question program you're talking about and Mrs. Dal, you probably know more about sounds like that Honeywell energy uh that was in in place in this district for about 10 or 20 years where where they did certain upgrades and then they maintained the systems. >> Um know about what he's talking about from the past. >> The what you're talking about is an energy audit that they did and they would what they
032do is they put in controls, right? and they um sell it as you save the money on the electrical the energy consumption and that pays for the control. So it's a zerocost effect is usually how they do that. So we don't have honey well we have train uh sensors and things and I think the difference that we've talked about between the two systems is the way I understand it that what we have in train shows us what's happening now live in the system I think what you're talking about with the other system it has a more predictive measure to it a preventive so again another Franklin CVY concept being proactive instead of reactive is that this you might know this compressor is down or it's forecasting this compressor is going to go out in two
033months because it's at the end of its life cycle and it's vibrating a certain frequency or whatever. Um that we can maybe order that compressor so it'll be in when it goes down then we can replace it or something so that we can be um so that's the component that I'm interested in what I know about these two systems and the difference between them. But we do have train in a lot of almost all of our schools. I wouldn't say 100% but the controls are there. So that if an air condition is not working, more I think reactive or is not circulating correctly at a school, we can see that on a computer screen and send people out to fix it. This is, I believe, correct me if I'm wrong, but the way I understand
034it, it just kind of adds another layer to that of predictability for the future. Like this filter, this this compressor is drawing a certain pressure, so the filters need to be changed. Is train able to do predictive? >> Has has anyone >> I haven't heard of that. I think if they did, they would have probably be trying to sell it to us, but I haven't asked that that particularly if they do predictive um or not. >> The one who had the was the master that was UPS. If you remember, even not that long ago, they were still driving trucks built in like 1948. They lasted for 20 and 30 years. They they turn around and and every so many thousands of miles, boom, the oil was changed. The brakes were done whether it needed it
035or not. Every day the vehicles were washed inside and out. They had a whole thing. They when they when they scheduled their routes, they they preferred right-hand turns versus left-hand turns. Everything they did was preventive maintenance. They got years and years out of their trucks just like our our bus driver, our our mechanics do with the buses. They really stretch them. But they were the masters at that just like you said that that's all preventive preventive medicine in a sense. >> Have we looked at cost? Have they gave have we has he >> right now they're doing a pilot at Chocachy. So we're going to look there and see where to go from there. We have a meeting that we're going to set up to talk more about it. They just got the passwords I
036think. >> Yeah. >> Couple months ago. >> We're at the beginning stage. Yeah. So we'll see. We want to first see the benefit and see what that does for us. >> Yeah, I'll ask train but the sensors that are at Chokachatti were put there. It doesn't is there's there's no cost to us for that. So they're >> and then we also have to be mindful that facilities and maintenance has to stay on top of the program and what I see is happening is during the session we were able to log on real time and we have um little red buzzers lit up everywhere and there's all kinds of things we could be assessing and checking but no one's really doing that. So, we have a meeting scheduled so that because the system's only as good
037as somebody that's behind it that's going to pay attention and make sure that when this stuff's going off that we actually fix it. So, >> all right. Is that all you had to do? >> I do have one more thing. Um, one of the classes that was extremely um, informative and sad allin-one was the um, sexual cybering. Um, not real sure the definition of the of the course. I'd have to pull it, but it was a gentleman and um, he's a senator as well. Um, and it was his son. um he's going around and he is doing these um talks everywhere and he is speaking on behalf of his child that was 17 and he took his own life. Um and how much you can really put these in schools and get out there for
038these children of somebody asking for a picture or somebody for his son. Um there was a young girl supposedly that sent a picture of herself to the boy and then said, "Send me one of you." and he did and really it was not a girl and whoever it was behind the internet. Um what they wanted Yeah. Well, they wanted money. They started they wanted all types of things and it just kept going and kept going and kept going and at the time um the father was um an elected official and they were saying we're going to put this out all over. We're going to put this about your dad. We're going to do this. We're going to put your pictures out. and it was just too much for this student to be able to bear
039and he's young and instead of going to his parents, he was ashamed and didn't know how to deal with it. And as it continued getting worse and the um people kept reaching out and putting demands that he was not able to meet, finally he just um took his own life. So it was really sad um to and it all happened in the house around midnight in the bathroom and he shot himself and it was just a travesty and it was something that this family will never repair from. they'll never recover. Um they did find out the group that it is, but these groups are out there all over and now he's going around trying to advocate for schools to implement this stronger than the little bit that we do touch on it. There are different
040programs and I'm getting with him on this. So, we're going to get together and try to figure out what we can do in our district to be able to get this information to our students to where if we can, you know, educate them on that these things happen and how um you do not have to be embarrassed and you don't have to not have somebody to go to and you don't have to put yourself in that position to where um you feel like you need to take your life. So it was really a good >> eye opening and it all they're they're using AI now and making fake videos of students like taking the picture of them >> and using that as the same. >> So when I went to um the other coast for
041>> FSBA, we had a lady come in and talk about AI and how much their kids are actually using AI so much that they're having relationships with them. >> Yeah. and like disconnecting from their family members because of the relationship that they're having with AI. And you don't think about it that way as an adult. Like I have Alexa's Echo and I'll yell at her and my husband's like, "Really?" You know what I'm saying? Like I don't think of it. But as for a kid, they're actually making these like they're their parents, >> right? We just have to we need they need to be educated. >> We're fortunate where our sheriff is aggressive and and in computer texting and all we have to do is develop a program to make the students feel more comfortable
042to either go to the to the SRO and have that reported or or >> they can use for to a female in in the school, right? >> I think we could do something, but I know the sheriff is very aggressive about that. One thing one thing that stood out for me was when they were deciding after this had happened and after the burial and the funeral was over, the wife had said to him, he said, "I want to go around and start doing this." He says, "I want to go to conferences. I want to speak. I want to make a difference." And the wife struggled with it because she said to him if he took his own life because he was so embarrassed of what he did and so ashamed and he couldn't come to
043us and he couldn't turn to anybody and he was that um scared and that um embarrassed. Why would we now expose his secret to the world when we lost him because of that secret? And he said to his wife, "As much as that makes sense from one level, on another level, if we don't do this, then we're not saving any other students." And this is exactly how students feel that they couldn't tell anyone because they were so ashamed. So he decided, you know, of course with her blessing, you know, after they discussed it multiple times, um that the right thing would be would be not to keep this quiet, would be to go around and expose and use their son and show other students that there is a way. And he said the travesty of
044it too was that he always spoke to them. He said, "I had a great relationship with my son." He said, you know, he he had dabbled in this or this or this. And he says, "I knew all those things. We had sat down. you know, there wasn't nothing really personal and too private. We had discussed so many different layers of personal things between he says. So, it just shocked me that he didn't feel he could come to me for something like that. >> Didn't he have a sports scholarship or something? Was this is it the same child that had the sports scholarship? >> No, he wasn't in sports. He was artistic. He has a bus, like an old Volkswagen bus that he takes on tour with him because he's stickered. The the son >> I
045was talking about the son had a scholarship like had signed to go to college. No, that's a different one. >> He was artistic, the son. Okay. >> He had a bus. The um the father had a bus that they were um restoring for the son and he was more artist. Everything was artistic and he had stickers and the way he got through of how he felt was stickering things. I forget he calls it something. Kids go around and sticker stuff. It's called something. So the whole bus is covered in stickers and he uses that bus now when he tours everywhere he goes. >> I would be interested to hear after your meeting. Yeah. come back to us and let us know >> what he has to offer. >> Thank you. >> All right. Any further
046discussion? I have a few items. If not, >> yeah, you go ahead. >> Okay. All right. So, um, I did a followup on the concession stand for Nature Coast and we are getting quotes on that and hopefully by this summer they are going to have a trailer so it can be portable and move from the football field area to the baseball field area. So, that's exciting. And then um I live near Mariner and they are putting a light on Mariner, a turn light, a turn signal on Mariner and Landover. And when my husband first took county commission, I said, "Please get us a light there." And then when the um they built all these apartments, I said, "Did you ask and re-evaluate?" And so they did um a traffic study and decided to put a
047light in. And it took two and a half years to get the light in, but the light is going in. But in the process of that, if they've put these big concrete poles and they dug up part of the sidewalk and made this big mess, which they're cleaning up, but it left the students a very small area to stand when crossing from the theater at Springstead to the high school at Springstead. And so I called Jeff Rogers about that because driving by Mariner is now more like a very busy highway. It's and you have students a a bunch of students standing on, you know, at the traffic light trying to get across. There's multiple, you know, students and it it's it's quite scary. It's a safety hazard in my opinion. So I called him and
048asked, "Is there anything we can do? Can we look at maybe doing um a bridge, like a safety bridge of some sort for the students to walk over, a pedestrian safety bridge? And he I I honestly thought he thought I would be crazy. Um and he said, "Wow, I agree 100%." and that he would he's meeting with a committee and they're going to look at trying um look at different funding methods and what it would take to possibly build like a pedestrian walkway from Springstead Theater to Springstead. So, I don't know if it'll happen, but it's in the works. Um or it's being discussed. >> It was the cost. >> It's the cost >> that was the problem years ago. >> Years ago. >> Yes. There's several grants, but he said the problem with the
049grants that I sent him are that they take like years to receive the money from. >> Well, it was it was and we're talking long time ago. 15 years ago at least. It was north of a million dollars. >> Yeah. >> And we thought we could get it done when they redid Mariner, added the lanes on it. >> No, >> it was just incredible. Had we have put in at that time for the grant, if it takes that many years, maybe we would have it right now, right? >> It wasn't an option. >> Yeah. And it has to be um wheelchair compliant. So, they'll either have to put in like an elevator or make the ramp longer, which will take some of the parking. >> Yes. They we looked at it from the the ramp
050part because we couldn't do an elevator and that ramp extended >> too far way a long distance. So there was a lot of things that just >> came into play. >> Yeah. But >> well, he said he would entertain the idea and look at it for me and re-evaluate it and maybe >> maybe he's got some spare money that he maybe >> maybe make this happen. >> Yeah. >> Well, if he does, he better come out with a swimming pool. >> Right. Right. >> All right. So, I have more. Um, >> no ball after a little bit. >> Sorry, friends. Okay. Um, so I also have the YMCA is putting on a food drive. Um, they are partner partnering with um the sheriff's department, the county commission, and they're trying to do a competitive um
051fundraising. They want to raise up to 5,000 pounds of food for children in the summer. I know that we do provide food for our children in the summer, but this um is they provide seven days of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Um and they want us to pair with the sheriff's department, our schools, to raise um food at a food drive, and see if we can beat the county commission and the county government in a race against each other with who can bring in the most food. So their their mission is >> it's so it's supposed to start April 6th through the 15th, but I'm going to need >> um Mr. Pender to if if everybody wants to go on board with it um discuss that and see if our schools >> I I thought the
052United Way was having a couple's dump tank. >> This is for the YMCA. Um I'm not sure. >> Her husband >> Oh, me. Oh, you're talking about the kickball? Yeah, that's a little different. >> So, I'm I'm having a call on Friday for principles. So, I'll add this to my list to talk to them about see if we can get some >> there and they will arrange for pickup of the food um from the schools. So, >> yeah. Okay. >> They usually are pretty good about different fund drives, food drives and stuff like that. So, I'll I'll announce this to them and see if we can get some traction with it going. >> Okay. and they were reaching out to the sheriff's department to see if they would join us in this mission. >> There
053comes a free Friday for the kids. Bringing them much as much canned goods as you can to get free Friday. See, >> maybe one of the half days. >> Yeah. All right. And then I have one more um item to discuss. So, I think we do a really good job of having a rotation for our courts to redo our courts in the gymnasiums. Um, we budget for it and we rotate it to make sure that they stay really nice. However, I feel like we are lacking in having budget and plan for our tracks and our courts. And I would like to re-evaluate that because Here we are spending like Brooksville, Hernando High just spent $500,000 to resurface and redo their tennis courts. Had they been maintained every eight years, it would cost maybe $10,000 to
054resurface those. So, we'd like to have some type of budget line item or some type of schedule um where we can rotate them similar to what we do with the gymnasiums, with the floors in the gym. We've been discussing this for years and the same thing with Central High's track. >> It's just a disgrace. This stuff is just >> So on the agenda tonight, we have the courts for Wikiwatchi. So here we are. We're going to spend a million dollars for the courts and the and the basketball courts there on the agenda tonight. And then in eight years, those are going to need to be resurfaced. And what are we going to do? We're not going to we're going to because it's not going to be on a rotation until it's to the point they
055can't be used. And that's what the history of what we've been doing is we wait till these courts are unusable and then we're like being reactive instead of proactive. >> But we're going right back to the same thing in this district that we need to tighten our belt on on many multiple topics when it comes to the granola. What I just said, how we're piloting that program at Choca Chatty. All these bells and buzzers and whistles are going off and I was able to see it real time and right now all those bells and buzzles buzzers are still going off and no one has assessed it. No one has figured out what it is. A filter, whatever it is, we're just leaving it. So, all these red things are going off like crazy saying, you
056know, I need I need uh tuned up. I need looked at and we're just turning a blind eye. It's almost like no one bothers until we until a teacher calls principal administration and says we have no AC. The minute they say we have no air and they're having to leave classrooms and uproot kids, that's when we go and we act. And I feel like it's not intentional by no means. I don't I'm not saying I'm not pointing a finger at anybody in our district, not one person. But what I am saying is I agree, Mrs. Hawkins, we have to get a handle on being proactive, not reactive. And the same thing has happened when we see that central high track and we see all the all the different schools and all the the the um
057ports and all the different things. We just let it go and we let it go and then we let it go and then here we are and it's a >> have to redo the whole thing. >> Right. I think though if we >> still has a cracked slab in the boy's batting cage. It's cracked in half. You know how dangerous that is? They put a rug over it to hide it. That's not the answer for these problems, >> right? >> The answer is to repair them. That's been that way for at least three years. There's there's a history of of slips going into maintenance. Replace it, replace it. Nothing gets done. >> So, I I'm proposing maybe for us to develop a district-wide rotation and maintenance schedule for the courts and tracks similar to what
058the gyms are. Um maybe establishing a dedicated budget line item for the ongoing resurfacing and preventative maintenance. I think we need preventative maintenance all the way around everything in the facility. >> Even when it comes to I'm going to add some stuff you're not going to want to hear, but even when it comes to pressure washing, something simple at these schools. If anyone wants to take a tour with me, we can go on a tour and look at some of these schools. It's easy. It doesn't take a lot and it doesn't cost a lot. But it's just I'm not sure how the departments are we Mr. Pender, do we just not have the people? Are we just in a position where we have no help? The other thing is is the um stadium inside the
059gym, the gymnasium. I gave a shout out to Hernando High. That is the oldest stadium inside the bleachers, the wood ones. They are the prettiest. They are the cleanest. When you go to our brand new schools, they're filthy. They're dirty. I don't even want to set my purse on the on the much less me sit down on it. It's just it's really bad. And this is all the time. So I'm there and with all these parents and I feel embarrassed as a school board member when all these parents are sitting around me and everyone's commenting, everybody's discussing it and it looks horrible. So something has to be done with facilities, maintenance, whatever department, Mr. Pender, whoever it is, but we do need to figure out because we're on campuses constantly and we can look around
060and we can see so many things that are unkempt and it just looks nasty as long as well as the stadium bleachers. when you're sitting on those bleachers, those seats are horrible. And I don't understand why. Is it because we have nobody? Do we not have a rotation? Do we not have >> We need like a comprehensive inventory and condition report. We could even call it >> $750,000. >> No, you can use you can use Brian Reagan and his team to go do that. And you could also have with with the athletic department, you can have Cupchick go and help with the facilities department possibly as far as the fields go. >> Let's just say that and help him create this and save 750,000. >> So, I've set up a meeting to discuss this with
061Brian and Steve >> um >> to discuss this idea that you had >> I agree. >> I can have him do a presentation. >> I'd like to have a presentation with this department and or whoever you feel is in charge. >> I have both of them, >> but that's his job. I don't think that it is is our for us to pay somebody else to do that report. I think we have enough people here that are educated well enough and know our facilities well enough that they can do it. >> Well, if we don't have people that can't uh operate a pressure washer and cannot pick up trash and take trash cans and I mean it's simple stuff like that. Anybody's welcome. Any of you can come with me to any of these schools and
062I will point out everything I'm discussing with you. It comes to the roof over. We'll have a roof over and it's a shorter one. It's not it's maybe 12 foot tall. You can stand back and see the whole roof. is disgusting. It would take me and a pressure washer with one hour to make that roof look so much better. So, I am a little concerned. I Well, I'm a lot concerned. I've been saying this over and over for a long time, but nothing seems to get done. But all these schools, there's so many things that could be done and it could be fixed and it could be addressed, but do we not have the personnel? I'm just it's I don't know. I don't know why it's not happening. You know, may maybe over the summer
063from what you're talking might the pressure washing might be good time >> over the summer my kids might be the time to do it because the classrooms are empty and the campuses basically are empty. >> That's some of the dirtiest times as well is maybe have the condition report for each school, you know, the inventory and road schoolwide. I mean, there's so many ways we can do this. >> We should have come here and let's talk even if they don't have a plan together so we can brainstorm it. >> Okay. Okay, >> Miss Bonszik, >> I have no comment. >> I mean, do you guys care that our schools don't look as pretty as they could? You know, the principles the principles can only do so much. The principles are running a school. They're running.
064>> So, I have stated about and me and Mr. Pender talked about different things recently with campuses after our last appeal and different ideas. So, I agree that there are things that are not getting done that should be getting done and >> and I don't feel it's the principal's fault, >> right? It's a work in progress. I guess you would say, right, Mr. Pender? >> Room for improvement and it's a work in progress with those kind of things that you're stating like pressure washing and keeping our campuses up to par clean. Um, >> it's just and then the maintenance of the field. >> The maintenance of the field and stuff. And I agree with you, Miss Hawkins, that uh Dustin should be one that goes with everybody and looks at our he is our athletic
065director and looks at our fields and looks >> come up with a rotation plan on which one >> have an idea of what needs to be done. Yes, I would agree with that. that have the athletic director the individual schools don't you know earmark a percentage or a piece of their their budgets for that for the main >> and again I will tell you that people will say well we put work orders in and nothing happens and and and it's a whole it's not just one thing right so that's something that you have to look at too when we're discussing these things so it doesn't fall just like you said there's no one to blame it doesn't fall in the principles it but there is there is someone to blame because somebody has to be
066supervising somebody. >> Now, now on a positive note, there was a work order put in for for Hernando High School for lights in the front office. I went in there today before I came here and oh my god, it's so bright in there. Thank you, Steve. It really looks good at Hernando. >> Well, I can say if you send something to Mr. Crognali, it gets done right away. >> I want to So, I want to say that Mr. Kromnali, you're sitting on this back row, you're listening. I call him for everything. And Brian Reagan, I call Brian Reagan for things that Brian Reagan has no reason that I should have to call him, but he is a man who will always step in and go above and beyond, and he makes sure that it gets
067done. So, between Brian Reagan and Steve Pnali, those two get calls from me all the time because I concur with the rest of you as board members saying that they make it happen. And they do. Every time I call Steve, he makes it happen. Now, I will say I call other people that are in charge and it falls on deaf ears and they make a promise and then I find out I get another phone call that says it never happened. No one ever came by and I was promised that they would address it and it never happened. So, I have to turn around and call Mr. KNAI and tell him, "Can you please get involved?" >> The other one just walked in, Mr. Reagan. >> And I will agree. >> And I I believe that
068>> I will agree with you, Steve. every time. I don't care. You call him, it's done. >> Agreed. >> And I think that they're very capable to call him for everything. >> And I think that they're very capable of creating and maintaining a comprehensive inventory and condition report of our schools and our fields and courts. >> It's not the principal's job. The principles have a lot. Why do they have to make sure that they reach facilities and maintenance and do all of these type of things too? This is what we employ. >> That's a super That's a supervisor. these different departments and these different department heads and these different supervisors to do. And I feel like it's not happening. I do feel like for a long for years I've been saying this and I'm just
069really tired of going to these functions and us looking being an embarrassment and I go to other counties because my children all compete in sports with against other counties and they look great compared to us and it shouldn't be that way. >> So let's be proactive is what we're saying. And I'm sorry you guys don't want to hear it. >> Thank you. >> All right. Do we have any further discussion? >> I have one more thing before you close this. >> Miss Bonsai, >> you talked about this nice >> um what uh for the concession stand for Nature Coast. >> Oh, okay. It's a trailer. It's not a truck. It's a trailer that they move like kind of like a food truck that they can move from. >> Are we are we going to be
070one for Central High School also? >> Not currently because They have a concession stand. >> They do not have a concession stand. Central High School does not. They use food trucks. >> Mr. Pender, I also think that I was also told that Sorry, I I'll chime in for him. They want to make sure that this works well. They want to buy one and make sure that it works well and that the kinks are all out and that it's a good idea before they purchase two. >> Okay. Well, I recommended using an old bus and turning a bus into a concession stand for each of the schools, too. >> Interesting conception. >> Go ahead, Mr. >> We thought of that. Um, but the problem is is turning it in with all the fire codes that you
071would have to have. The trailer comes with that already with the fire suppression systems and all of that that we would have to retrofit one. I mean, it's not like you're just putting it out on the side of the road. It has to meet code and school SREF and everything else probably because it's going to be on a school campus. Maybe not F SRFE, but certain fire codes and stuff like that that are related to that. So, we thought that a had a that a trailer that's set up with all of that in it already would be a more economical way to do that. And then that could be moved just like you said for the bus or whatever to different fields and, you know, as they have events. Food nutrition is also looking at
072that possibility too. At the same time, >> would we necessarily need it to be a permanent structure as far as >> like you just said, we could like like you just said, we could move. >> So when you say does Central have one? Central doesn't have to have one per se because if we have say three in the county, those three could move around for all the different sporting events. Yeah, I think that would be a little bit of a I mean, if it works, if it if it's successful, it might be better to have, like you said, if we had three maybe that they could share and they could stay at high schools. But I would think that like a high school, >> it's it's easier to move school like from Nature Coast football
073field to the baseball field or or some other field than across schools because a lot of times they have >> events at the same time. >> I'm just concerned. I'm just concerned with cost. >> Yeah. No, >> at this moment. >> Well, I think we have concession stands at every place except maybe two Central and Nature Coast. >> So, there's concession stands there, >> concession buildings, >> but I know building a concession building would be I mean, we were going to build a bathroom somewhere and it was >> like $300,000 uh at I think it wasn't it Wiki Wikiwatchi field, wasn't it like $300,000 for a two stall bathroom? So you can imagine a concession stand. So >> yeah, they're not cheap, >> a building. >> All right, we have two more minutes. >> Okay.
074Um, so let's circle back. Are we Did we agree that we are going to have the um facilities and maintenance department come before the board so we can have a discussion? Mr. I think along with the athletic director, >> I would like to think about that before I bring it to the board. >> We we would I think the board would like to see them both facilities and the athletic director together and work out a plan for a potential preventive maintenance plan. >> I know, but that gives I need an opportunity to work that out. I'm not saying I'm not going to bring it to the board. I'm just saying I need an opportunity to work that out because >> you got two weeks. >> We you have five different priorities of what needs to
075be done across the district and we only have a certain amount of money. There is a list of priorities for half cent that have that's been developed by a very similar process that you're talking about as far as our team going and looking at what the needs are at schools across the district. Not at a particular school, across the district. And then those have to be prioritized by what's more important, a track or a roof, an air condition system or a field, a sidewalk or heating? >> But why are you why are you not want to come before us and us have these conversations? Because I feel like regardless, we still should be able to sit in a room together, all of us, and as board members with Sunshine Law, we can't do that. He's
076just asking for >> I'm just asking for some time to to get everything together. I'll bring it to a board meeting for us to discuss. >> That's not what I understood. I understood you were gonna you wanted to give that some thought and to me I don't want to give it thought. I don't care when you do it but I want it done. So I guess what I'm saying is we should be able to have this conversation because of sunshine law. We're not able to. So we have to do it this way. And I would like to have them sit here with us and us be able to go over this. We have been in a disarray with schools for years and years and years and there's only one way to fix it and that's
077us have these conversations >> and if we're able to I I just feel like the way you have worked it this is the the way we have worked making the gym floors rotated I feel like we can have some sort of plan if we start now to help maintain what we have as far as the athletics as I'm going back to that if you can do it with the gym floor there has to be a way that we can figure out to to do it and and you're asking for time, >> but I don't want to coddle. I'm not in the business of coddling now. I'm in the business of let's be effective and let's fix this. We have schools that we need to be able to make sure that these schools that you can
078set your purse down and that you can actually sit on without having to put something underneath you because you're going to get gum all over your pants and you're going to get >> that that's a that's a maintenance issue that should be addressed over the summer. But I agree that we should start organize a rotation so we can rotation the preventive maintenance and then in then build into that the replacement part. That's what they Timber Pines has a reserve of $10 million. >> They've had that since the time they opened and the assessments are rather low per per per family. And the way it works is they have they have a replacement fund where they replace items based on lifespan and then they have a maintenance program to do the do the maintenance on a
079regular basis and that's how they elongate and get the best use the best bang for their buck and and it works. >> There's never been a special assessment in Timber Pines. >> But I have a question. We've been having this conversation for several years, the the years that I've been on the board and to no avail, it hasn't changed. So today, having this conversation, if we really want to make a change board, then we have to be able to speak to the group. We need to all be able to devise a plan, come up with something, and actually make a difference. So, I'm tired of us just discussing it. I've brought it to your attention. I brought it to everyone's attention numerous times, and it doesn't happen. I'll be at an event and I send
080you pictures. I'll be in an event and I send everybody that's involved in a thread pictures along with you, um, superintendent, and no matter what, it still never gets fixed. So, I understand that everybody is working and everybody has different specific jobs they have to do, but somewhere along the lines, they're not being delegated to somebody overseeing it and making sure things are getting done. So we're >> when do you want him to bring it back? What what he asked for time. So how what's the time frame that the board is requesting of him >> brought back in time enough to to see some of the cleaning that >> this year before school's out >> uh completed before school starts in August or get the majority of it done before >> right? When you when
081you're start starting a conversation that has to do with maintenance, then you also are going to have the conversation about employing more people because that is the issue. It has been the issue and it is a very difficult one to solve if you don't add employees. So everything that you all have mentioned is going to be money agree money. >> I don't agree. You can come with me. you can come with me and we can go for a walk to any of these campuses and it's not it's because maybe they don't have enough >> not being delegated and somebody's not oversee it. Susan, if it's done over the summer, we have enough employees who don't get paid when they don't work, who take off are off for the summer. Why not? >> You have to
082You have to Mark, you have to maintain all year the summer. >> We need to get it to a starting point. If we get it to a starting point and do that deep clean, if you want to call it that, and start at the beginning of the school year with a fresh look, then it'd be easier if it's maintained going along. We got a whole bunch of employees who don't get paid when they don't work. They're not all teachers. There's half our employees do not get paid when they don't work. Why not give them the opportunity to pick up income over the summer? >> I mean, that's more money, right? >> So, >> all right, Mr. Pender, >> we have done that for >> several years of the painting crew. We have the painting crew
083come in over the summer. They help the painters to paint some of the issues. I know you brought up pressure cleaning and I think I know the pictures you sent me what you're talking about. Um so our maintenance crew um our employees um most of them at a school level can't get on a roof and do pressure washing. That has to be uh a different certification with lift certifications and things like that or contracted out and things like that. I'm not making excuses. I'm just telling you what's involved with it. It's not just feet up. It's >> two foot down. So, at the end of the day, it's just dirty. We have a lot of dirty stuff. And you guys can I'll get the group whenever you want and we'll go around and I'll show
084you exactly what I'm talking about. It is absolutely cups that are down in little areas that I could stick my hand through and pull the styrofoam cups out. And it's um tissues and paper and just junk. And it's just junk everywhere. You know what? It's a broom. It's a broom to sweep. It's areas that's never been swept that's just piled up with leaves this thick in the corners that look disgusting. Have you ever went to a bank drive-thru and that bank, say, has been closed down or you pull through somewhere to get out to go to another place and you see where it just looks unkempt because no one's been there and you have leaves piled up and you have everything just it's just a mess. That's what it looks like on so many levels
085of so many things. So, at the end of the day, it's stuff that does not require money. It just requires some elbow grease and it requires people being involved and people going out and people putting an eye on it and just checking off the box that somebody used a broom and somebody put some elbow grease behind it and somebody actually picked up the stuff and cleaned it. It is dirty. So, I'm not going to sit here and make exceptions. I'm not going to make an excuse. I'm not going to keep my mouth shut. I've been keeping it shut. I've I've been doing it behind the scenes and the other board members are tired. They've been bringing it up. It got brought up today. I do concur. I will agree. I absolutely feel like it's not
086fair for these principles. They're trying their best to run a school. They're trying to do all they can and then you have all of that too and it's not their fault. So, we do have departments that are slacking. Period. They are slacking and they could do better. And I'm saying for a fact they could do better and it needs to be done better. So, yes, I'm embarrassed as a schoolboard member when I go to these functions and these sporting events and I have parents saying stuff and they know that I'm a member and I'm sitting there. It is embarrassing. >> So I'll bring that back in May. >> Okay. All right. And at this time at 208, I'll call this meeting. Oh, Miss Rodriguez has one more thing. And then >> concerning impassing the union,
087I am very glad that we reached an agreement. Um, and I just want everyone to know that I will continue to advocate for increased funding from the state. Um I am on that committee and so I think that we can improve teacher pay. Our teachers and staff are incredibly valued for all that they do. So um we will continue fighting that good fight. >> Thank you. >> All right. And this meeting is adjourned at 2:08 p.m.