001Okay. So, next uh we have the approval of the agenda and I believe there is a slight change to that. So, Dr. Shoemaker, do you >> Yes. Yes. We just it's not to the agenda itself, but what is changed is we've removed F100R from batch six and so it will be added to batch 7 and what F100R is it's a guideline for internal controls. Batch six is heavily centered around finances uh and then financial procedures within the corporation. So uh that one needs a little bit more it's it's a guideline. It's got some inconsistencies uh in there and we're we're make you know we're finalizing that one. So that will be added to map seven and that will be finalized in October instead of today. >> I move that we approve the agenda as amended.
002>> I'll second. >> All in favor? >> I uh next we have the approval of the minutes for the regular session on August 11th. We had all those in our packets. Uh any questions or changes to to that uh to those minutes for that meeting? >> No. I move we approve the minutes the last meeting. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> uh that'll bring us uh to our next item uh the routine consent items. Uh approval of reports that's for travel monthly personnel uh bill list numbers payroll claims and donations as well as field trip requests. Uh we were provided all this information in our packets. Uh are there any comments or questions uh regarding these items? >> I feel like I should ask something but I don't. >> I move that
003we uh uh approve the routine consent items as presented. >> All in favor? I >> I uh next we have corporation extracurricular uh receipts and dispersements as well as the uh fund reports. Uh this is not something that we approve but we uh we do go over those so we can ask questions if there is anything that we need to uh bring to light. So does anybody have any questions or comments on those? All right, we will move right along to new business. Uh, letter A, retiree recognition. And at this time, I don't believe we have any. So, we'll move on to uh item B, which is the approval of the or the review to be approved. Uh, final reading of the new school board policies batch number six as amended. Just again could nod
004to Megan to look at those. My goodness. >> The move we present is as as uh amended. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> uh the next thing we'll move on to is uh item C. That is the first reading of new school board policies batch number seven. Do we have any questions comments on those initially? All right. If if uh we don't have any uh questions or comments, I'll ask for approval to approve the first reading. >> Make a motion to approve batch seven. >> Second. All in favor? I >> uh the next item is letter D and that is the resolution for schoolboard policy F275 uh gift cards. So this resolution um is so that we are um attesting that we will comply with Indiana State Board of Accounts standards and
005procedures. So that's exactly what this says is that we will when we have a gift card, we give it away, we'll have somebody sign for it. There will be accounting for it. We'll have strict accounting and so uh schools do that some with students. I know that we do that at the beginning of the year for the back to school festival uh for teachers uh etc. So um it's nice that we can do that, but we're just saying that we're going to comply with the state board of accounts procedures. Okay. >> I move that we approve uh F275, the school board policy. >> Second. >> All right. Uh all in favor? >> I I >> The next will be letter E, the resolution to authorize litigation for social media companies. So this is very similar
006to the to the resolution we passed 10 years ago with vaping. Um, and I think our our total proceeds there was around $64,000. Um, and I don't know what the projection is for this, but it's a resolution that would make us eligible for the social media um, uh, litigation against social media companies. and they cite um you know uh poor sleep by students uh and and I think that um I won't go into the details of it but um there's enough research out there that says that um using social media uh at young ages um is not helpful it's actually harmful as a matter of fact one of the um one of the slides ironically that we're going to put together um from the lip co coalition they actually talk about the harms of social
007media and setting barriers or boundaries for that so this This is just so that we would be eligible to join that that um um lawsuit. >> So action. >> Yeah. So at this time I've asked uh for a motion to approve this resolution. >> So move second. >> Motion by Josh, second by N. All in favor? >> I. [Applause] Uh next we'll move on to letter F which is the 21st uh CCLC elementary after school grant. >> Yeah. So we've got Rachel Thor here. We've got um uh Grant Folton and uh I'd like for them to uh talk about our grant. It's a it's a four it's a four-year $1.4 million grant for three uh schools. And um and there if you have any questions um after that then you can you can ask them.
008But this is one of the things that's new that we've added this year that we're excited about. Um and with anything, you know, it takes a little bit of time to get some traction and uh it's new so people are just understanding what it's about. So we'll be around for four years. Hopefully we'll be able to renew it. It's federal funding. Um it's one of the things that I really wanted to bring in place because I've seen um this program uh yield tremendous results for our students in the past and uh specifically in our title one schools. is kind of one schools, you know, I know the board knows, but those are schools that have a higher free introduced lunch. So, it really gives them um an edge and um gives them um another opportunity
009to learn in a different way. So, who's going to start? Rachel's going to do the boring stuff. >> Well play. >> So, as Dr. Shoemaker said, we have $1.44 million over four years. this being the first of four years and um recent legislation um has indicated that our house and senate are both in agreement that they want to continue this funding throughout the duration of this period. I know that at one time that was up for debate at the federal level. So our legislators are saying that they believe in after school programming and want to see that continue both in Newcastle and throughout the country. So that's a real plus. Uh in Indiana there were only approximately 20 school districts or nonprofit organizations because they can be awarded to both school districts and nonprofits. There
010only about 20 awards given this past cycle and we were one of those. So it's a pretty competitive grant in the state of Indiana uh funded through title 4 part B funds. And with those, not only are we creating highquality learning experiences through project-based learning and a lot of hands-on experiences, but uh we're creating some new jobs here. So, there are four full-time jobs created through this opportunity. >> Who did the application process? >> Uh it was a team effort. Ultimately, I I put fingers of keys um and typed it out and everything, but I got a lot of input from Mr. McDaniel, from Mr. Burden, from Dr. Shoemaker. Um but at the end I >> thank you >> had the joy of you know putting pen to paper or fingers to keys um to
011do that. I've won >> appreciate you >> won several of these grants um over the past decade or so. Uh it's a really a lot of great opportunities. Um like I said, there's some jobs created as as a result of this. And one of those jobs is the director of this program, uh which is a requirement of the grant. And so our full-time director is Rachel Thornnehill, uh former teacher here in the district. And I'll let her talk about some of the fun things we get to do instead of the boring legislative things that we have to do. >> So we um just started week two today. Um last week was our first week. We are doing things such as STEM activities. We're doing um movement and fitness. Um we've got two full curriculums for
012those things built into the program. And then we offer homework and tutoring as well um for these kiddos. Um it's free for our students. We offer transportation home if they need that. Um so our buses are available for any students. Um if not then there's uh families can pick them up from the buildings. Um we've got about 40 students enrolled total throughout the three buildings right now. So hoping to see about 45 to 50 students per building. So um just continue to spread the word and um we also will have a summer program. We'll be affiliated with the YMCA this summer. So that's another bonus that they'll get to um also take part in. So they'll get to go the morning hours from about 8 to noon. Um we'll kind of piggy back off of
013what the Y already has in place and um get to partake in some of their activities and then the busing again will pick them up and take them home during that summer programming. So >> what are the hours again? Right now we're 3 to 6 pm um just after school and then in the summer it'll be about 8 to noon. So and we're still hiring for some after school. So if you know anybody that wants to work that 3 to six time, send them my way. >> So she's the coordinator overall and then each building has a site coordinator too that's based at that building and their hours overlap. So they actually get there what time? 11, >> which gives them time to work with the principal, be in classrooms, be with kids, check in,
014things like that. >> Yeah, >> sounds like an awesome opportunity. >> It really is. Yeah, my kids are really enjoying it and getting to have some fun hands-on experiences, especially that STEM portion. Um, I had a lot of STEM experience at Parker um before I left and that was really where I like to see physics. So, um, see them kind of take things into their own hands. So, it's been really cool to see them doing this so far. >> No questions for for Rachel or for myself? >> Can do you have anything planned for like I know that there's a summer component. Do you have anything planned for that yet or we're we're a ways off from that. So, >> we're we're a ways off. >> That's probably a curveball. I apologize for that. >>
015No, you're fine. >> It's it's one of the more exciting things about it that we're going to be able to to meet with the kids over the summer and extending opportunities to them. So, >> one of the things really stressed with the 24 CCLC, which that title four part B grant, uh, is a lot of student voice and choice. >> And so, there's a a huge emphasis placed on not just having engaging experiences, but actually listening to what kids want to learn and how they want to learn it. Because this is not as rigid as a school day. It's a little bit louder, a little bit messier, a little bit more chaotic, kids are getting sticky, they're getting dirty, and that's what we want. Um because it's we're we're asking kids to stay at school
016for an extra three hours. And a lot of kids don't want to. But what what the research indicates right now over the past 25 years of 21st CCLC programming nationwide is that kids who participate on a regular basis in these programs not only have higher test score and academic achievement but they also have higher um rates of attendance. So it reduces the chronic absenteeism when you have a kid who wants to stay after school. So by providing engaging learning experiences that are sometimes disguised as fun, >> uh it has a lot of far-reaching impacts at the school day just by engaging these kids in a three to six environment. So and there's a lot of studies and research I'm not going to bore you with tonight. Um but if you ever do want a cure
017for insomnia, I can send some to you. >> And what's the age range for these kids? >> Third through fifth grade. >> Fifth grade. It sounds like a tremendous opportunity. I would think families would want to. I mean, it's child care >> on steroids. I mean, it's the best. >> And we we try to avoid >> child care just because it has a connot. But it just has the connotation of babysitters. But there's really a lot more engaged learning happening than just a typical child care center would have. >> It sounds like a great engagement opportunity for after school. I didn't mean to call you out. We just want to make sure it's known that to the public that this is much more than childare. While that is a key component of the program, there's
018a lot of learning going on. >> I would think when families find out about the opportunity that they they would be >> much to the education day. >> These are the same schools. We also still have the before school piece of the Y. So there's that support there still too. >> Great. This is one of our new exciting programs for this year. We also have another one that we'd like to highlight, at least one more that we'd like to highlight the teacher and that's the achievement center. So, we'll um we'll we'll do that either on October or November as well. >> I would like just throw that out there. We have so much great stuff going on. You know, I I think I don't know if I'm speaking for everybody, but I would take a
019few minutes out of the meeting to hear about, you know, what our higher ability kids are doing or what the leader in me is is about. >> You see a lot of leader in me in the pictures here. But yeah, you're right. >> Just just to take a few minutes in the board meeting because we've got some really neat stuff going on and I think it's >> I would like to learn more about what's happening. >> Am I tiny? I don't know if anybody feels like they want to spend a few more minutes. >> I I will say I looked at the agenda. We almost added two on this time because you sometimes the agendas are quite lengthy and so we just kind of gauge it, but we felt like this one we've got time
020on. So, thus they're here. >> So, thank you. >> All right. Um, moving on. We got the uh Mr. when Daniel is up the exciting >> That's right. the buildings, grounds, and transportation. >> The uh athletic restrooms, um the new building that will be out there by Neil Field. Working with Pride Mark on that one. Uh waiting on the state plans to be approved. So, we have to send those off. We have to wait for them to come back. But we are uh those should happen any at any point at this right now. So, toward the middle of September, hopefully we'll have uh work started in the career center. We met with career center as well as Pridemark. So, they're meeting together and the kids get to be invited to all of the uh progress
021meetings we have with the contractor and the architect. So, it's going to be a pretty neat experience for those students. But, we have met already uh with the building trades teacher as well as uh Mackenzie Jackson um the center director about how all that's going to be coordinated. So, excited about that opportunity. the high school restroom project. Um they are completing the install of the partitions actually starting tomorrow and then we're waiting on one last component to arrive. Uh some some changes to uh the doors that they needed to make. So those will be coming uh in a in a in a while as well and finishing that project up. The track project uh we're working with the company uh Target, the company that we are contracting with to identify the best way to proceed
022for that uh to start in June of 2026. We have a few options available and I know we'll be talking about those as we move forward. Uh we want to thank of course the community for the patience with the fieldhouse u but making a lot of great progress there. Um and should be in the next couple weeks ready to go and then the pasman gym as well. Putting a mural up um this week, one more mural on the wall and then uh the bleachers will be done uh hopefully tomorrow. Uh so some exciting things going on for our athletics in the middle school and the high school. We also uh are starting the process of designing the career center roof and so that bidding will take place in October and that project will most likely
023start in June of next year. We did have bus inspections this last week. So our our regular inspections took place with the state police and uh everything went really really well. They were very happy with everything and uh thankful for all the work that Richie Broyals, his team um and um Russ put into Russ Biker put in to make sure those buses are ready for us uh to to take our kids every day. So that's it for me. Any uh questions or comments? I think it's important, you know, something that has been brought up is the the fieldhouse. Uh that process has been uh kind of cumbersome and it's to no fault of anyone really. It's just kind of been the situation with humidity over the summer and the the untreated wood uh expanding really
024caused delays in that. So that's that's why this is kind of stretched out longer than anticipated. Uh but like uh I know Mr. McDaniel uh Dr. Shoemaker uh myself and others I check in on the progress on that daily uh probably for the last two months. So I know they're tired of getting text messages from me about it. Um but that's we're almost there. We really are. And uh everyone has really kind of pulled together to try kind of make that happen. Especially the volleyball team who's been you know the one mo most heavily impacted along with other other sports uh when we had to limit the access you know for basketball and football uh just to help keep the humidity down so that they could they could >> get it to where it fit
025together properly. So we're almost there. Stick with us and it's going to be well worth it with uh the end result. So, I agree. They're going to start painting on Wednesday. So, that's that's exciting. >> What's the finished date for Casin Jim? >> Well, so the bleachers should be done tomorrow afternoon and then um they won't do the floor until uh fall break. So, they'll do the floor fall break, but it's going to be usable until that point because it's just the old floor. So, they'll they'll refinish that during fall break. Um so, by the end of the week, um it should be completely usable. Okay. Will there be any practices over full? >> Uh we will we'll move those to the auxiliary region >> and the fieldhouse should be done by then too. >>
026Fieldhouse projection is 19th. >> Yeah. >> I don't think most of the middle school teams practice on >> the first week of October. >> Yeah. >> Not normally. It's the sixth I think. >> I mean high school I think does but >> at least All right. >> All right. So, it's my turn. Um, I just want to start off by I see Officer Kog's here and I got a couple of comments um in regards to safety. Uh, we did get the Homeland Security safety grant and that was $90,000. So, we'll put that toward um the salaries of our SRO. We got fantastic SRO. So, appreciate your work on that. And we've got a good, you know, we we we have typically four SRO's assigned for the corporation. Yeah. Um uh the number that sign up
027are is about four. It's it's four quite a bit. So that's really good. Uh three or four years ago we weren't even getting half that. So um we feel >> fulltime or those are just >> how many how many SR 16? >> 16 total part-time SRO full-time Newcastle officers. Yeah. And then >> work at the school in their days off. We've really grown the program and >> we have five open positions for the first semester. >> People are signing up. So yeah, that's great. >> Um also we we applied for the um school violence prevention program and uh we did receive that grant and that that helped pay for security cameras. So um and those are being installed and you'll you're going to see some of the installers from ERS here in a little bit
028here. So, um, you know, I'm going to have to turn this on for it to work the best optimal working. So, the first slide, um, got Holly Drummond's, uh, a class, FFA officers. They visited the, uh, middle school and a classes, um, Friday to discuss the impact of their club on personal lives. And, great job that they did. So, um, and they talked about what it's like to be in the club and, um, in FFA, uh, in high school. So, uh starting the kids off with a little bit of information there. I did mention that we had the live coalition present. Over 400 seventh graders from across four districts came to middle school uh to see the inflatable brain and the students learned how substance abuse um or substances can impact negatively impact the brain
029as well as um setting barrier or um limits on um social media and boundaries. That is huge huge thanks to Pierre from Medical Inflatables and Ricky Barton for making the day possible. And here we have well that really needs no explanation. It's it's one of the coolest things this time of year. But those students are tiny Trojans. Uh and they welcomed the Chrysis Mickey and Elsa into their classroom and they they are uh really excited to see them fly away. Disney breakfast. >> Next, we've got donuts with grown-ups and that's at Wilbur Wright and looks like a fun time had by all. It's a grown-up party and that was the first fam jam at Wilbur Wright. Next, we've got Newcastle Inclusion. FFA shared their club programs. The high school life skills and the education career
030center has been learning about disability laws to assure assure ADA compliance uh and equity and access for all of our students. Next, we've got library lessons. This is actually Miss York, Westwood's new librarian, candidly introduced the c the kindergarten classes to some very important life lessons right away. Don't Don't eat bees. It's great advice. Habitat house. Um >> habit house. >> A habit house. I'm sorry. >> We're not building a habit. >> Yeah. >> I mean, we're good, but we're not. >> So, um this is principled on like we were saying earlier, the the leader and me and it's the eight habits uh representing one of the leaders in each habit or yeah, each of the habits. So, habit houses are more than just colors and names. They represent leadership, teamwork, and living to eight
031habits every day. Uh, Mr. Dy's new hairdo. I wonder if Mary Jane let him keep that. I don't know. Looks good. But that is a colorful, beautiful picture, isn't it? It's like a rainbow. >> Kudos to that staff for going that that far. Um, leader and me. Uh, against again, we have leader and me. It's a theme. Uh, Westwood took an approach to the leader and me house sorting this year. Uh, they each got to drop the Plinko disc to decide their fa fate. Everyone loved the random outcomes. So fun had by all popper poppers. That's from Riley. Um that was a third grade STEM experience and their mathematical figures and precise timing led to extreme vocalization within the classroom. >> Does that mean chaos? >> It mean it means it it means it was
032loud. It's one of those uh uh interactive activities. Farm to table. This is Eastwood students. Uh, and Indeed does a great job with this every year. Uh, they had an agricultural contest. They learned some fun corn facts. Uh, and the silks on each ear are attached to individual kernels, meaning a pesky silk for each kernel. And each one um has about 800 kernels. Um, I I hope they talk to them about corn sweat because it's real, right? We learn we learned that, didn't we? information about silks >> here. Here's the career center. And I don't know why I wasn't invited to this. It looks tasty. They they did eight um types of pancakes with uh tweaks from uh for each of for the ingredients. So, they had um the pancakes made from scratch, box directions,
033butter, soda, water, protein mix, gluten-free, and gluten-free with soda. So, some of them look actually delicious. So, kudos to them. And this is this is cool, too. Um, and this is we've got two students here um that graduated from the adult ed. And one of them, Nicole Brooklyn on the left there. Um, she actually has uh several students. Um, she has five five kids >> and she graduated with her her high school diploma. Uh, and she wants to be a teacher. So, I think that is a very cool story. She's already a teacher. She's got five kids. So, um, but it's that's a great start. So yeah. Yeah. So good for her. And then uh Jesse on the right. Uh he he just talked about um uh his time and and the struggles he went
034he had. He went through an expulsion. Um kind of dropped out for a little while, came back and is really proud of his achievement there. And we're proud of him as well. >> Uh Pika. Um next we've got those students are are helping um with that is Habitat for Humanity. Uh, and so, uh, they enjoyed a root beer float and a little bit of time away from, um, their normal presence. I didn't say that. >> Uh, so I thought this one, you know, I'm going to read this one in its entirety. >> So, ERS uh, emergency services wireless camera installations become begun at the high school. Installing 95 cameras inside the school has been a large process, but the staff decided to stay forever. The staff, the crew has fallen in love with our students
035and staff. They said they've never been more welcomed by corporation. The students have come up and chatted with them in hallways, asked how they can make their job easier by offering to redirect hallway traffic, curiously asking about details of their work, and has offered snacks and drinks. The staff has been extremely wel welcoming. is ask the the students about their own lives um or ask the the employees about their own lives. In other corporations, kids have I'm going to leave this part out, but you know, been not so kind to them and have even stolen from them. Uh and they uh >> and they said that they've been treated as if they were invisible. The manager, which is second to right, said they would drive an hour and a half for the rest of their
036lives if they could work in a positive work environment like this. >> Oh my gosh. >> I just thought, you know, to all visitors and just think this is this is one of the best places on earth and sometimes you know it takes a visitor to to know that and to point that out. So really grateful for their work. >> Um Principal Lunchon that was fun. Um Mr. Hammond did a great job. Dick Blog did a great job as well. Uh had a lot of fun. A lot of great people. Um I will say um you know um and the the music department for as young as it is in this year. Oh my gosh, those kids are talented and did a wonderful job. So, um I will say I'm I'm concerned about um we
037need we need to get more more people involved and um it's just we need to keep this going, you know, and and a lot of the people that are pulling a lot of weight um are veterans, you know, they're they're they've been here. >> Okay, I'm just saying. Um, and so we we just um Yeah, Miss Pribble's here. So, that was a good day, wasn't it? >> Yes. Sorry. >> Um, it's just a good group of people and we need to recruit some of the the next generation to to pull the weight and I don't know how we do that, but I think it's it's imperative u because so many great things are happening and it's because of support like this. And then distinguished alumni. Um, that was a great what a beautiful day for
038parade. It was absolutely spectacular. Um, you know, Phyllis, 99 years old, you know, looks great. And, uh, Stu, M, Dr. Stucey, um, actually gave a nice speech about butterflies and, um, the day before and Dick did a fantastic job. Uh, and we had a really good outcome on the game, 35 to nothing. So, that was a fun fun experience. And back to the prairie just a minute. So, I I I know. I know. I know. It's terrible. I know. >> I know. It's kind of the inside joke, but you have great board representation and then uh you know the the whole thing. So, all right, >> man. I I it was not pain. >> Go ahead and take >> this year's driver did not run. >> That's right. Okay. >> This year's driver. >> Good
039job, N. >> And that's it for my report. >> All right. So uh next we'll move on to uh the approval or the budget uh portion of the meeting uh which would be to approve the transfer from the education fund to operations fund. >> Yes. So the monthly transfer um total $315,000 this year and that's from the education fund to the operations fund and that would cover um expenses from office. So I just need approval to make that transfer. I move we approve the transfer from the education F to the operation F. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> And then next we have the public hearings for the uh budgets and capital projects as well as the bus replacement. >> Yes. So we'll start off with the 2026 budget hearing. Um this is just
040um information only. We'll the board will vote on this in October. the the notice as well as the bus replacement plan and the cap capital projects plan are all online. So, um they can be viewed any time after this meeting um prior to the October meeting as well. Um but starting out um the funds being looked at is the debt service, the education and the operations. Uh a budget estimate is listed that would be um expenditures um and would not exceed that amount, but that also doesn't mean that that full amount would be spent. Um moving over to um levies raised um on the debt service. Again, these that's property tax only. Um as you'll see in the operations fund uh a 6.8 and a budget of 10.6. That's because of the transfers from the
041oper um from the education fund into operations that makes up that difference. Um, so and then you see what what we currently levy for the te the debt fund and the operations fund and you'll see an increase in both of those funds. Uh, partially due to the additional debt we're taking on. Um, but also on the operations side, there's a 4% increase in the amount that can be levied each year. So, we're taking advantage of that and capturing those additional dollars. Um, total tax rate, there will be an increase this year. Um that's due to the net assessed value. We had we had a drop this year after several years of an increase. There was about a 2.5% drop. So um any questions on the budget as a whole for any of those funds? I
042I think we've done this to some extent before, but with Senate Bill One, everybody talks about this and I I don't know that it's it's well understood, but the operations come from the property tax. >> Correct. >> Okay. And the reason that we every month take education funds and put them in the operation fund is because we have a shortfall. >> Correct. >> Do you want to elaborate on that any? Well, I mean starting back in 2010, I believe is when the circuit break it breaker came in to and there was an impact of credit. So, you know, we would levy so much dollars, but due to the 1% 2% 3% u caps on different properties, there was a shortfall in what we were receiving over time that amount. I mean, I think when I
043my first year, I think we were like at 600,000 and I think last year it was about 2.5. And if you look on this report, it shows that our our circuit breaker credit will be estimated at just over $3 million. >> And circuit breaker means tax cap, >> right? So you have a property, there's a there's a for all units within your your district. So like you live within the city, there's a city, there's a county, there's the school, there's a library, there's a township, and I'm probably forgetting something, but all of those units make up a a tax rate for your property. Um, but no matter what that that tax rate is, your property as a residential cannot be more than 1%. So anything above that is is a loss to the units proportionately
044based on your your tax. >> Property taxes have gone up recently, but it's not the tax rate that went up, >> right? It's the net assessed value. >> It's the net assessed value because of inflation, >> right? As a corporation, we try to maintain our our our um our debt rate so that we're when old debt rolls off, we roll on new. So, we're not trying to increase that. But you're you're absolutely correct. >> Well, and I know people's eyes are glazing over. But I think we talk about Senate Bill One and we talk about property tax and every month we move money around and I think every once in a while we ought to say, "Okay, wait a minute. This is what's really going on." Mhm. >> So, I appreciate that. >> Sure. >>
045You want to say a word about inflation? >> No. >> Okay. >> My team won't let me. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> And I will say on the debt side as well, like that's an estimate. Um, we haven't finalized our lease payments for this 2024 issuance. So, that that may go down. It can't go above what's listed. So, it's been padded a little bit just to make sure that we um make enough room for the additional payments that we can afford uh with the >> certainly appreciate what you do. >> So, we'll end that hearing or we'll we'll close that hearing unless there's questions. >> Okay. And then moving on, um so within the operations plan, um is uh two we kind of dive a little bit deeper in going into what we call
046the capital um projects plan. That would include equipment or infrastructure projects that the corporation may do within the next three years. Again, if it's listed or the amount that's that's listed isn't necessarily the amount that will be spent. is just kind of giving some um transparency to the public as to what what those funds are used for. Any questions on the capital projects plan? I I I have a comment and that would be um just in consideration the the buses um that we the 83 passenger buses by Bluebird um diesel buses they're up to about 200 to 212 somewhere in that range,000 per bus. So that's up considerably from five years ago. you know, I'm going from memory, but that might have been maybe 120 um 150, something like that, five years ago, and it's
047it's a lot more. Unfortunately, when we um dispose of the buses when they run through their um their life cycle um and we run them as as long as we can safely run them, u typically what happens is the bottom rusts out. Uh we can keep them maintained sufficiently, but the bottom rusts out and at that point we've got to retire them. but we'll get um $2,000 for them, something like that. So, it's it's scrap metal. >> It's frustrating, but that's where we are. Um so, that's my comment on inflation, but it kind of adds, you know, into the operational expenses. It is not getting cheaper from an operational standpoint. >> And then our final hearing this evening is the two 2026 bus replacement hearing. Um we currently have a fleet of 35 buses. um
04832 regular size or full size and then we have three mini buses for activities uh with a minimum useful life for each bus of 12 years. So this plan just shows a, you know, an example of the of a snapshot of five years. And obviously if you have 35 buses and the minimum is is 12, you're replacing about three buses a year at on, you know, like again a minimum. We have a we have a really good maintenance um department and mechanic on on staff. So that sometimes, you know, has has lent to being able to extend those bus lives out further and uh opening up some dollars for us to use in other ways. But for this sake, um, you know, we're looking at three buses per year. >> Any questions on that plan?
049>> Okay. Well, we'll reconvene in October and finalize the budget then. >> The next part of the meeting would be uh public questions and comments. If you have those, just uh please stand, state your name and your address, and you will be given three minutes if you have any comments. >> All right, I do I have one comment. >> Nope. >> Three minutes. >> I'll probably get in trouble for this one, but today is a special day. If you're not if you don't know today, >> huh? >> Literacy day. That's a that's a second. >> Well, we would like to wish a happy birthday to Dr. today. >> Should we sing? >> Absolutely. We should sing. >> Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, Dr. Happy birthday to you. Thank you. >>
050Very nice. >> Thanks, Kelly. >> Okay. Yeah. Thanks, Amy. >> And with that, we will adjourn this meeting. >> All right. Thank you. >> How many? I I can't cuz I don't Yeah,