FCPS School Board Action Meeting - 2/23/26

001Pap. Uhoh. Thank you. out. down. Nat. Do it. Okay. Good evening everyone. I'll now call this regular meeting of the County Board of Education to order. Miss Jackson, good evening to you. Will you please take role? >> Good evening. >> Tyler Murphy, >> present. >> Amy Green, >> present. Monica Mundy, >> present. >> Penny Christian, >> present. >> Amanda Ferguson, >> present. >> Thank you, Miss Jackson. I'd like to welcome everyone joining us for tonight's meeting, both in person and on our broadcast. First time on our agenda, board member Monica Mundy will lead us through our observation moment of silence, followed by the pledge of allegiance and reading of our district mission statement. Board member Mundy. >> Good evening. Please join me in a moment of silence. And please rest for the pledge of allegiance.

002Thank you. The mission of Fyet County Public Schools is to create a collaborative community that ensures all students achieve at high levels and graduate prepared to excel in a global society. >> Thank you, board member Mundy. First order of business is approval of the agenda. I'll entertain a motion to adopt tonight's agenda. >> I move we adopt tonight's agenda as presented. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bormer Monday. All in favor? Any discussion? All in favor, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 5. We like to open our schoolboard meetings by celebrating our talented students. And tonight is no exception. So, I'd like to invite our FCPS athletic director, Jackie Gordon Devault, to come forward and introduce our spotlight for the month of February. Good evening,

003members of the board, Superintendent Ligins, administrators, students, and guests. As I reflect on being acclimated to the district-wide athletics purview, I'm continually thankful to the board for recognizing and supporting athletics as an essential pillar of our worldclass educational experience. As you know, as you know, much of my role as a district athletic director includes the direct support of the students athletics uh programs and the a advocacy for student athlete experience in various ways. But there are these unique opportunities in this role where I get to highlight some very special moments. So this evening, I have the pleasure of coming before you to proudly share the incredible ways that our student athletes and coaches represent FCPS in a different way. This showcase will highlight the Tates Creek girls basketball program and their bigger than basketball event

004hosted on January 22nd. Tates Creek hosted its second annual game against the Kentucky School for the Deaf, KSD, an initiative that has grown to include students from other schools in our district. An event that began as a way to offer the team different experiences to learn and grow off the basketball court has evolved into a rewarding and impactful moment that bridged the gap between two communities and brought them together. Our head girls basketball coach, Jana Cosner, prioritizes the four C's of champions: communication, commitment, community, and character. Her focus on developing the whole player truly embodies the spirit of leadership and an example for other coaches to follow. It was stated by KSD staff with gratitude, "Many coaches can teach the sport, but it takes a special leader to teach humanity." the time and intentionality that

005each student athlete put into learning American Sign Language, engaging with their peers from KSD, and participating in this game demonstrated empathy and respect for others. I got to witness firsthand how this experience allows our FCPS student athletes to use their athletics platform for community inclusion leadership, fostering relationships that extend beyond the court, and inspiring future career paths in special education and American Sign Language. The students from Tates Creek High School that you will see featured in this presentation include Caori Elie, a freshman, Karen Sullivan, a freshman, Maya Barnett, a sophomore, Addison Durham, a sophomore, and Alexis Bazelle, a junior. The Tates Creek girls basketball program is currently playing in their first round district game tonight and so they will not be with us. However, as a very special addition to this showcase this evening, we

006have been joined by third grade students from Sandersville Elementary, Molly Gould. Molly got to attend the basketball event. She got to attend the basketball event at Tates Creek and interact with the players through sign language and take pictures with both the teams and the coaches. Her attendance at the basketball game and her attendance tonight is a testament to how how athletics goes beyond the scoreboard and makes an impact on our district and community as a whole. So after the video plays, Molly and our district interpreter, Katherine Bryant, I have a prepared a message to close out our presentation. For me, sports is bigger than just X's and O's. It is a platform for us to see others, build community, and build relationships. When opportunities present itself, sometimes you have to take a leap of faith

007and step out and take advantage of the moment. It all started in the summer of 2023 at summer camp. One of my players stopped me and told me, "Hey, coach, I'm having a hard time hearing it." From that moment, I started observing how she played and how she could hear me throughout the game. I wanted to make sure that I held myself accountable for making sure that she could hear me in the game. Later on in the summer, I got an email from the Kentucky School of the Deaf. I saw this as an opportunity for me to have this moment to have a game and I just wanted to make it a learning process for our students so that they could not only just be prepared for the game but also learn more about American

008Sign Language and building a piece on empathy as well. one of the students that was able to attend is the only student at her school that that uses ASL. And for her um just watching her during the game and her enthusiasm, excitement being there, she felt included and she was our why. I feel like I found that I can be an example or a role model and tell other people that they should learn sign language too because it really did have an impact on me. Just having an opportunity to set that positive example for our community really did change me. This experience taught me that other people speak in different ways and that I have to be open and to how communication can vary in different ways. >> It just really taught me that we

009have a privilege to be able to communicate openly with people. It is important for all people to be seen and heard. Seeing the national anthem done inside and the cheerleaders and the dancers all do it just made it all seem more than just a basketball game. It makes these deaf students feel like they are welcome in those settings. To see these girls want to learn and want to communicate and want to be able to talk to them without an interpreter there, it's always heartwarming. Sports becomes more than a competition when it is something that includes everybody and makes others feel welcome, loved, seen, and heard. It really truly is bigger than basketball. No, you're you're welcome to add anything. Very good. Very good. Thank you. Thank you. We appreciate you being here and sharing this

010empower powerful story with us. Thank you. Thank you for all your work. Thank one more round of applause. At this time, I'll turn the agenda over to Superintendent Ligans for the superintendent report. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy, and thank you, Jackie, supporting our student athletes. That was beautiful. Um, our athlete program is an important role in connecting our students and our families. And so we're happy to interrupt some of our fine arts with some of our other uh programs as well. Uh, to accommodate student um, the students this evening uh, with the board's acu essence. I would like to take our superintendent's report out of order and begin this evening with the celebration of the three MLK Unity breakfast essay winners. Chief of Staff Tracy Bruno, will you lead in this recognition, please? There it

011goes. That is going to be tough to follow. We'll try our best. Good evening, Superintendent Lian and board members. We would like to start the superintendent report tonight by highlighting three exceptional students. Each year, County Public School students have the opportunity to submit essays for the Martin Luther King Jr. Unity Breakfast held in January. This year's theme was embracing love, peace, and respect. We are pleased to announce that all three of our top essay winners are from the School for the Creative and Performing Arts, commonly known as Scappa. Before our first place winner reads her essay tonight, I would like to acknowledge all three students. students, please stand when I call your names. Uh, coming in third place was Emily Beck. Here you go. Emily is a fifth year Scappa student. She's a band major

012playing the flute at an incredibly high level and she's a vocal minor. Emily just finished playing and singing with Scappa's middle school symphony and choir that presented at the Kentucky Music Educator Association annual conference in Louisville, Kentucky. Emily was also selected for KMEA's junior a Kentucky junior high chorus, a highly coveted statewide choir. Emily is also a Scappa speech team member. She will be competing this week at the state tournament in declamation and impromptu. So, let's give Emily one more round of applause. In second place was Justina Dwon. Justina is in her fourth fifth year, excuse me, as a Scappa student. She is a wonderful piano student and a piano major at Scappa and a literary arts minor. Justina competes on the Scappa math math counts team and the speech team. Justina is competing this

013week at the state speech tournament in the categories of oratory and and improv improvisational duo. Let's give her one more round. And last but certainly not least, is Nora Badin. Norah is in her third year at Scappa, having joined the school when she was a sixth grader. Norah is a wonderful pianist and a Scappa piano major uh and a vocal minor. She competes on Scappa's math counts team and speech team. She heads to the state speech tournament this week to compete in the ex extemporaneous speaking impromptu and improvisational duo. So, let's give her one more round of applause. Now I'd like to welcome Nora to the podium to read the winning essay to the board and the audience tonight. Unity is like a piano. Each key black or white waiting to be played in harmony.

014What song will we create together? Just as a pianist brings balance to contrasting notes, our communities find harmony when we embrace our differences and celebrate each person's unique voice. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of a world where people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character. This vision reminds us that respect and understanding are the true keys to harmony. I remember watching someone sit alone while others played together and it reminded me of how I used to be left out. Since then, whenever I see someone on the sidelines, I deliberately invite them into games, conversations, and activities. Like the pianist uniting black and white keys, I try to ensure every person has a place in the melody of our community. Every act of inclusion doesn't

015just make a moment better. It strengthens the harmony of our entire community. By choosing to include those on the sidelines, I try to live out King's vision of a beloved community where each person's presence strengthens the song we share. Dr. King also wrote that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere which reminds us that the harmony we strive for must be defended not taken for granted. Peace is not passive. It requires intentionality, action and courage. And though challenges remain, his hope that we can reach the mountaintop encourages us to continue playing our part in the symphony of unity. Unity is not a dream. It is the music we make when every voice is heard, every note is valued, and every person is included. Just as a pianist can transform simple keys into a beautiful

016composition, each of us can shape the world into a piece of harmony, one deliberate act of love and respect at a time. Thank you. >> Thank you. Congratulations to all three of our winners once again. You guys want to take a picture? >> Let's get a quick picture. Let's get a a picture of her. Thank you so much. Congratulations again to our winners. Uh, next on our superintendent report this evening is our February kids champion recipient. Uh, at this time I would like to ask Chief of Staff Tracy Bruno to come again to present this award. Right. Once again, good evening, Superintendent Ligans and board members. We're excited to to continue our partnership with Fork Bank, the proud sponsor of the FCPS Kids Champion Awards. Thanks to their generous support, each monthly honore receives a

017special token of appreciation in recognition of their outstanding service and commitment to our students and our schools. This month, we are honored to recognize not just one individual, but several exceptional teams whose work ensures our schools operate safely and efficiently every single day. The February Kids Champion Award is presented to our transportation leadership team, maintenance team, and grounds and custodial support teams. These dedicated professionals work behind the scenes to ensure buses run safely and on time. Facilities remain operational and our campuses are clean, safe, and welcoming for students and staff. Through winter weather, early mornings, late nights, and unexpected challenges, they have demonstrated unwavering commitment, professionalism, and care. While their work may not always take place in the spotlight, their impact is felt in every classroom, every school, and every student experience. Because of their

018dedication, our students can focus on learning, growing, and thriving in environments designed for their success. Thanks to the generosity of Fort Bank, each member of these teams will receive a small token of appreciation in recognition for their of their service and dedication. We invite you to watch a special video created by the FCPS creative media team highlighting these teams and their incredible impact across our district. right now at Mary Todd where they're having a meeting inside. I'm not sure exactly what they think the meeting is about, but it's some of our grounds crew, um our maintenance workers, our custodians, um some of our transportation folks, the folks who are out here doing the work of clearing the sites, clearing the snow, and preparing our buildings to get back ready for school. But before we go

019in and surprise them, why don't you take a look at all of the amazing work they're doing? All right, here we are now and it is completely clear. The sidewalk is cleared. Um, you can see some salt down and the driveway, this big concreted area up here is cleared off. This took a lot of work. Looking at this one, quite a bit of snow. You can see still on the grass, the snow and ice. But this is um one where we have student drivers, one of our high schools. And so having all this cleared, man, just looking at the work that's gone into this, I'm just so impressed. Okay, they've cleared this sidewalk, but this morning it snowed again. And so now it's snowed. They're going to have to come out again and do it.

020And this is thick ice. I've did some of the the picking. And it is it's hard. It takes manual labor to make this happen. And so our folks are working so hard. So hard. And it's cold. >> So I know that some people may not know each other. Well, hello everybody. >> All right. >> Thank you all so much for being here, but you're actually here for another reason. Um, the last two weeks at least has been extremely grueling to get our buildings together, to get our sidewalks, our parking lots, everything together to try to get kids back in the buildings. I'm not sure if you guys are aware, but we have a monthly kids champion award that we give out. And this month is all of you and all of your departments because you

021guys are the real champions doing the work. So, thank you. We have transportation leadership team. Come on up and get your thing. We have two for grounds, one for grounds uh support and one for custodial support. Come on up and grab it. >> Thank you. and our maintenance team. Come on up. >> Thank you, >> guys. But seriously, thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I drove around today to look at all the things, looking at our buildings, looking at our parking lots, looking at um our our sidewalks. Man, the work that's being done. Thank you. Much appreciated. Absolutely. All right. At this time, we invite representatives from our transportation leadership team, maintenance team, and grounds and custodial support teams to please come forward. There are additional members of these teams in the audience. We kindly

022ask that you stand so we may recognize you as well. Let's give them another wellround well-deserved round of applause. Congratulations to our February Kid Champion honores. Congratulations. We can get an extender for you. Thank you, board members, and congratulations, champs. We're we're so honored to be able to recognize you. Um the teams uh those teams truly are the backbone of what we do every single day and to make sure that our district uh is up and running. They're the silent uh many behind the scenes really doing a lot of great work. Um, at this point, next up, I will have the pleasure of introducing our chief of student belonging and success, Dr. Serea Matthews, to present the annual PG People's Equity Award. Good evening. Thank you board members and Dr. Ligins for this opportunity. In

0231997, under the leadership of equity council chair, Mr. PG peoples. The district made a bold declaration that fairness in education is not optional and opportunity is not negotiable. The inaugural equity award was created to recognize individuals who did more than speak about justice. They worked, advocated, and disrupted systems so that every student could thrive. Today, across our nation, the word equity is debated, deliluted, and sometimes deliberately misunderstood. Yet here, we remain clear. Equity is the disciplined, courageous work of ensuring that every child, regardless of their zip code, race, language, ability, or income, and it does not determine their destiny. When the Equity Council committee reinstated this award in 2022, it was not simply a restoration of tradition, it was a reaffirmation of our values. We named this award for Mr. PG Peoples because he embodies

024moral clarity. He understands that equity requires persistence, humility, and unwavering belief in the br in the brilliance of every child. He did not wait for comfort or consensus. He led the way. And so each year as we present the PG People's Equity Champion Award, we do more than honor an individual. We declare publicly and unapologetically that in this district belonging matters, access matters, outcomes matters, and courage matters. And tonight, we celebrate someone who carries that legacy forward. This year's award will be presented by former ECC members Dr. Danny Everett and Mr. Brett Nathaniel. I ask that you please come and join me at the podium. Thank you, Dr. Matthews. I like seeing Dr. Matthews as the ring leader for recognizing all the uh folks that we just awarded the last thing to uh as one

025of the ECC members who voted to reinstate the equity champion award as the PGP PG people's equity champion award. I'm honored to acknowledge this year's recipient. Join me in congratulating Dr. Basel Tushun, executive director for Global Lex. Dr. Bazelle Tuson is a servant leader, a friend and a B bridge building who dedicate his life's work to empowering refugee and multicultural families consistently transforming the ideals of equity and inclusion into everyday practice for our students, schools, and the broader Lexington community. We present to you Dr. Belan, our 2025 PG people's equity candidate. the board. Come on. Thank you, Vasel, for your work to advance the learning of all students. Um, next up in our superintendent's report, we will learn how our community partnership with Black Soil is impacting students at Sandersville Elementary. Uh, our executive director

026of public engagement, Miranda Scully, is with us this evening to introduce our guest. Good evening board members, superintendent board members, superintendent lians and our community. Tonight is my pleasure to spotlight a partner dedicated to nourishing our community, Black Soil. Their mission is to provide affordable farm fresh produce while supporting local Kentucky farmers through their innovative sprout mobile pharmacy market and that's pharmacy with an F. They bring a rolling food oasis directly to communities addressing food and transportation insecurities. By fostering health and economic growth, Black Soil is a vital partner in our commitment to student and family well-being. to share more about their impactful work. I'd like to welcome Black soils executive director and FCPS alone Ashley Smith to speak about their farm-to-school market collaborations. She is joined by two students from Sandersville Elementary, Alen Green

027and Graham Bowen. >> Thank you so much, Miranda, and good evening to the board and superintendent Ligins. As she shared, my name is Ashley C. Smith and I'm going to share a little bit more about our Sprout mobile pharmacy market. Towards the end of the presentation, you'll hear testimonials from families uh at Sandersville. Together, they will share the impact through their testimonials. So, on the cover page here, you see the actual Sprout Mobile Pharmacy Market. It's a bright yellow truck that bounces all around Lexington Faget County as well as the entire Commonwealth of Kentucky. So I would welcome you to advance any additional questions or comments or feedback towards my email ashleyblacksolky.com. For any inquiries around scheduling Sprout as well as joining our weight list, please email our marketing team at marketingblacksky.com. So Sprout really

028drives our mission and vision. It's very simple. We go out into communities, whether they are food insecure, food deserts, subdivisions, rural and urban. We work to really transform food access for these communities. This innovative traveling initiative, we call it a rolling food oasis, ensures that underserved, food insecure, and transportation insecure areas access fresh, nutritious, locally grown produce. So we work in partnership with Kentucky farmers and community groups and really at the core we serve as a bridge and we've done that since 2017 celebrating nine years of service. This August we feature on the Sprout mobile pharmacy market Kentucky sprout produce seasonal um local locally driven and sourced meat, whole lowfat chocolate milk, fresh farm eggs, fresh bread and different goods that we're featuring in a brand new way this season. So we do all of

029this to promote access to nutritious food while fostering health, community connections as well as economic growth. So we are also proud of our one-of-a-kind farmer curation. So everything that you see with Black Swell is really farmer driven and centered. Farmers inform us of their product availability as a part of our seed to shelf commitment, which basically says before you put the seed in the ground, where will where will your product end up? So we commit to purchasing their goods and we match those opportunities or the market share to the appropriate uh opportunities there across Kentucky. So this dynamic makes Sprout the only mobile market in the state of Kentucky to be 100% curated by local Kentucky farmers. So again, we're so proud to be an economic engine for local cooperative economics. And here featured we

030have Cleanley Market, Miller's Farm, and Majestic Greens based across Laroo, Lincoln, and Warren counties. So in 2025, we had our first inaugural year of the sprout season. We partnered with 30 local Kentucky farms and we were so thrilled to have nearly 60 missions. We had nearly 1,200 transactions to date. We ended our season in November of last year. We ran from June to November. Through our partnership with Fyet County Public Schools, specifically with our family resource coordinators, we served um nearly 900 families with $5 vouchers. And I'll share a little bit more about what those are. And these were utilized across um over six sprout missions. So we really work to have affordable and inclusive pricing. Our accepted tenders include, you know, cash, debit and credit, Vimmo, Cash App, the $5 vouchers, as well as

031our Black Soul KY gift cards. You see some customers here shopping. We're also very proud to ensure that Sprout is accessible. So, it is also ADA accessible. So, leaders within the community reach out to us and we work in partnership. We'll use our families at Sandersville Elementary. Our champion, the um there, Mr. Damon Ston, really helped us pilot our $5 voucher program. This allows folks basically to use our closed currency of allowing folks to come to the shop, not only our brick and mortars located in the Garden Springs Shopping Center and on Florence Avenue, but within the Sprout Missions. So, we're able to work with communities through other crises such as gun violence, healthcare, and transportation insecurity. You see an example of our $5 voucher, which basically serves as our close currency. We treat it

032as cash. Folks can use that on the Sprout truck, and you'll hear a little bit more about those during the testimonials, and they can basically combine those for as many $5 increments as they need and shop with ease, convenience, and empowerment. So product availability is based on our season. We are really excited to help people eat local year round. So what we grow here in the state of Kentucky, whether it be in mid to late July, sprout missions would include watermelon, while in October and November, sprout missions would include a variety of apples. And we keep a rotation of different seasonal produce throughout the year. This allows folks to experiment at ease and dignity without judgment. Um the ability to try different types of fruits and vegetables and be really excited about that. So we

033really pride ourselves on a grabback model. Again, thinking of the price consciousness that many families are facing right now. We serve families regardless of financial ability or need. We see folks of all walks of life come to the Sprout truck and so they're able to fill up a 5, 10 or $20 bag and really base it on the number of individuals within the household. In 2026, we have increased our number of community partners to 13 as well as nearly 100 missions coming in close at 94 missions across Lexington. So, talking about Faget County Public Schools, again, we want to give a huge shout out to our talented and dynamic family resource coordinator teams. Um, we will be we start off our pilot programs featuring once a month appearances. And you'll see once we get to

034the Sandersville schedule, we're there twice a month because again, the demand, we were really working to keep up. Um, we would like to grow sustainably. So, we're starting off our once a month visits or missions at Mary Todd Elementary, Julius Marks Elementary. Um, then we'll be with Sandersville. And again, we'll hear from those families momentarily twice a month, June through November, Letown Middle School. In addition to um our schools, we're also visiting faith communities, um apartment buildings, focusing on medically vulnerable communities. So now I would like to really turn it over to our families who have been able to visit the Sprout Mobile Pharmacy Market. Um we had a great time piloting so many different initiatives in partnership with Sandersville Elementary. So now we're going to invite uh Mike and Graham and Niki and Alen.

035They're going to share a little bit more about their experience and how the truck directly impacted them. So let's welcome them together. Um, hi. So, I just want to say it has been great um to have this in the communities. Um, I know in Sandersville um when it launched last June, it sold out within 30 minutes. So, it was great to have it in our community and um it was nice just seeing all the parents involved, seeing our community and we also had it at our open house at our school and it brought like a lot of people and they seen what we needed. So, I was very thankful to see what Black Soil as well as Mr. Son, he has been such a great resource for Sandersville and bringing things that we need at

036that school. So, we are glad that our community As many of you know, food is part of being family. And so Graham and I take it as our own personal chopped kitchen. So we get all kinds of different produce that we can experiment and get different foods that we wouldn't try like bond meat or curry or something like that. Um, so yeah, like he said, we would always go every time we get the chance, we would go to Blackwell Market. We would see the truck. We'd go there. We experiment with all kinds of stuff like pickles and all that. And we would bas like every time we go we would always go home and we would be like okay so what are we going to exper experiment with this side >> and what's been your

037favorite so far? Um my my favorite part about that is um like my favorite So my favorite meal to make from that um all the fresh produce and all that is bon me because like there's all those like fresh stuff just put in one hot dog bun and just chuck it in their mouth. You're making everyone's mouth water right now. Um, I really like having different produces that are fresh and especially make my favorite things out of it. especially like the porn and stuff because not every place that you go to will have stuff like that and having it at different schools, especially um Sandersville, um helps and our school gives certain stuff to certain people and um I think that it's a really good thing that we have it and that we're going to

038continue to um have it over the years. Well, thank you again for listening and for our families giving their testimonial. Again, here's my contact information. We invite the community and other stakeholders with FCPS to reach out so we can continue serving more families to eat local year round. Thank you again. >> Thank you all so much for the partnership. Thank you so so much. And um thank you to the students and the families that came out to to help share their stories. Um last but certainly not least, uh we're excited to honor the learning center which was recently honored by the Kentucky Department of Education as a program of distinction. Um Tracy Bruno will help lead this recognition. Good evening once again, Superintendent Ligins and board members. Tonight I have the distinct honor of helping

039celebrate a campus that is one of only six programs in the Commonwealth to be recognized by the Kentucky Department of Education as a 2025 2026 alternative education program of distinction. The learning center opened its doors at the start of the 200910 school year with 50 students who were not experiencing success in a traditional school setting. The school's acronym was chosen intentionally to acknowledge that some of our students just need a little extra TLC to thrive. Today, the program serves 190 students with innovative personal learning, vibrant learning experiences, and strong community partnerships, which are the underpinnings of two opportunities that make the learning center unique. Once a week on working Wednesdays, TLC students go out into the community for career experiences, service learning, or educational enhancement. Once a semester, students prepare for their defenses of learning

040where they present portfolios uh of their academic and experiential learning to community partners and receive direct feedback. The program of distinction designation honors alternative education programs that go above and beyond in meeting the diverse needs of students who may not thrive in traditional school settings. Selected programs have shown measurable success in areas identified as part of the alternative education program quality indicators rubric. Only 3% of the 219 special programs in Kentucky were chosen as program of distinction award winners this year. But perhaps even more telling is the fact that this this is the sixth time the learning center has earned this honor. Principal Brian Kennedy is out of town this evening, could not be with us. But please join me in welcoming assistant principal Jana Walter, school counselor Katie Disney, administrative assistant Elizabeth Banks, and

041behavior coach Katrina Mater to receive the certificate on behalf of the learning center. Let's come up for a picture, please. Let's give him a round of applause. Well, that concludes my superintendent's report for this evening. I will now turn the meeting back over to you, Chairman Murphy. >> Thank you, Superintendent Ligins. That was uh a lot to celebrate. So, thank you so much for everyone who came to join us for those recognitions and well done everybody. Um, next on our agenda is a time for public comment for members who have signed up for items that are on the agenda. uh board of education policy 01.45 states members of the public may address the board during the period set aside by the board without submitting an item for the agenda. No action shall be taken during

042this portion of the meeting on issues raised by employees or the public unless deemed an emergency. Uh speakers at the beginning of the meeting who have signed up prior to the meeting are invited to speak on items that are on the agenda. Speakers will not be allowed to make any disparaging or critical remarks about individuals or employees of the district. Instead, those issues are processed through the district's complaint procedures, which afford the individuals to whom comments or complaints are directed the opportunity for response and due process. Furthermore, members of the public are encouraged to model civil and respectful discourse and conduct. This is not intended to be a time for debate or direct engagement with the board. However, the board will take the public's input in consideration when making final decisions this evening. Um, at

043this time we have uh two individuals who have signed up to speak uh in accordance with established procedures. Uh, one of whom has received yielded time and I just need to confirm the presence of those individuals. Is Heather Herby here? Thank you. And is Jerry Pebbler here? Okay. And Amanda Preston? Okay. Okay. And then um so that means our two speakers this evening are Matthew Ve and Ryan Davis. Mr. Ve uh you will have nine minutes and you may approach the podium and the timer will begin uh and appear on the screen behind me. >> All right. Thanks for the time. So, I'm going to address the agenda item where we are transferring millions of dollars from the building fund to the general fund. But before I do that, I want to I need to

044kind of let me kind of frame this up and paint this picture for kind of where where we've come from to get to where we are today. In 2023, the school district had a beginning balance. So, call it cash in the bank. a beginning balance of 103 $13 million. That's fiscal year 23. Beginning balance of $13 million. That's spread out over the general fund, building fund, food services fund, special revenue fund, and the capital outlay fund. $103 million total beginning balance. this district, this leadership, superintendent, financial teams here since 2023, they have spent that beginning balance down to 15.6 million. They say 27 million of it is in the general fund and that's what they consider to be their contingency fund. But that $27 million contingency fund ignores negative ending balances in the special revenue

045fund and the food services fund. There's a negative $12 million ending balance in the special revenue fund and a negative $1.3 million ending balance in the food services fund. And so we have disagreements about how you how you define the contingency fund versus relative to board policy and relative to state law. But on your on your very own munis documents, which adds all the numbers up, the ending balance or or sorry, the beginning balance for the fiscal year 26 was $15 million. So they spend it down from $103 million to 15. And why that matters is because they are in serious financial trouble. Serious financial trouble. Every month I come here and I've given a budget update. How are you tracking? How is your spending tracking towards your budget relative to how your spending spending

046actuals happened last year? So for for the period seven, I'm getting all these numbers directly from district documents. In period seven, which is the se, you know, through seven months of the fiscal year through January, the general fund expenses are up.7%. Relative to the same period last year, your budget was a negative 3% decline. And so that's a huge gap on an $800 million budget. A three and a half point or 4.1 4.2 point swing is very large. If you if you're if you continue spending at this pace, if you continue spending at a 7% increase year-over-year, your general fund budget will be over well, you will overspend your general fund budget by $27,784,000. You're going to overspend your budget. So, if you overspend your budget, where does that money have to come from? Two

047places. It comes from two places. One, you either luck out and get more revenue than you expected, or two, you use the contingency fund of $27 million. So, you're on track to overspend by 27 million and 700,000. You have a contingency of 27. So, you're going to be broke, flat broke at the end of the year if this keeps up. So, why does this matter? What what they have done? And I I came here three weeks ago, two or three weeks ago to the last meeting and I said something weird's going on in the budget. You've overcolcted general fund property tax revenue by $19 million and you've undercollected building fund property tax revenue and that discrepancy cannot be explained by normal timing of revenue collections. Can't be explained. So they're funneling money from the building

048fund to the general fund. I I laid that out for you. It's all in the numbers, plain as day. And so what did they do this month? What they did this month is they they just changed the budget. They just changed it. A budget that was approved by this board. All five of you approved a a budget back in September. That budget was submitted to this. Well, I'm sorry. Three of you approved a budget. Two of you voted against it. Three of you approved it. That budget was approved by three of you. a majority vote. That budget was submitted to the Kentucky Department of Education, and that's a budget the district should live by for the whole fiscal year. But this month, they just changed it. They took $21 million from the building fund revenue

049budget and they just moved it over to the general fund because the general fund is in trouble. Big trouble. Big trouble. So, they just moved it over. And they did that on the recommendation of their auditing firm, LBMC. I hope somebody's in here from LBMC today. They did this on the recommendation of the auditing firm that said that um based on a 2007 nickel tax that was passed, a a tax that was passed in 2007. This is the document internal control related matters. It says that management was unaware that the budget should be coded in general fund, not the building fund. We recommend that the excess funds allocated to the building fund be transferred to the general fund. I mean, is this some kind of joke? Are you trying to tell me that auditors hired

050by this district just missed it for 19 years? that a nickel tax passed in 2007 has been miscoded for 19 years. 19 years it's been miscoded. I mean that's unbelievable to me. I mean these are the auditors that you guys hire. Has has the have the financial experts for this district and the financial experts that you guys hire missed it for 19 years? So, let let's just say let's say that you did miscode it and it's just one big fat oops, right? It's one big oopsie, a 19-year oopsie, and that that money is supposed to be coded to the general fund. But do you know what it's supposed to be spent on? Construction, property purchases, building renovations. But in this document from LBMC, it says the original intent was related to debt service, maintenance, and

051operation related functions for schools. That's not what they said 19 years ago. In 2007, here's a couple quotes from you, quotes for you from 2007. Uh Mr. Peoples was uh referenced tonight for the equity council, the equity award. Mr. Peoples was commending the district in 2007 for raising the nickel tax and he said it was to be used to support construction and renovation projects. The the district officials in 2007 they quoted themsel they they gave a quote to the to the herald leader that said the money was to be used strictly for school buildings. If approved the money could be used for renovations and construction at up to 25 schools. So, what are you actually gonna what are you planning on doing with it? Now, so they not only do they move the revenue over

052on the on the budget side, the revenue, you can also see where they parked it on the expense side, they put $2.7 million in business support services, $1.7 million in plant operations and maintenance, $3.2 million in student transportation, 2.8 in debt service, and 6.7 million in fund transfers. So, just ignoring the fact that it was a 19-year oopsie on where the money should be coded. If it's going to be in the the general fund, you can't spend it on student transportation or business support services or school admin support. It's got to be built spent on construction and building related expenses. When is someone going to get fired in this district? When is someone going to get fired? It is unbelievable what is happening. Unbelievable. Thank you, Mr. Vid. Our next speaker this evening is Ryan

053Davis. She'll have three minutes. On August 9th, 2024, an article came out in the Herald Leader. This article stated that in 2022, the board of uh the board tasked the equity council with recommending school naming policy that reflects the district's current values. According to the article, the council was also tasked with comparing current school names and mascots to see if they were in line with the policy and recommended changes um and recommending changes if they were not. The policy, as I could find it, includes recommendations must be prominent figures of good character, a person who contributed to the history and progress of the Lexington area. As I am not aware of any updates on the work of this committee or director from the board, I'm here today um because there is a school in our

054district named for a person that here today in 2026 does not fit the school naming policy of a good of a person of good character, having engaged in and profited off the trafficking of human humans by enslaving black men, women, and children at their state in Ashland. While he may have contributed to the progress of the Lexington area for only some people, right, um he also actively fought using his position um as a politician, as representing the state of Kentucky, fought to stop abolition efforts across the country. As a social studies teacher, I know how important our honoring and our history is, but more so I know how important it is to learn from it. As a mother, it's important to me that my son knows that when you commit crimes against humanity, you will

055not be celebrated as a local hero and have your name on buildings. The time to change the name of Henry Clay High School has long passed. But with the renovation of a new building, you all have the opportunity to change the name. This, as Dr. Matthews just said earlier tonight, belonging matters. Please, I urge you to make this more than a platitude that just to make us all feel good about ourselves and take the necessary action to change the name of Henry Clay High School. And with my 40 seconds left, I also want to say that if you really want to show apprec appreciation for our custodial Browns bus drivers, food service, and even our pair of educators, you might consider giving them a livable wage and also a collectively bargained employment contract. Thank you.

056>> Thank you, Miss Davis. That concludes this portion of public comment. We do have individuals who have signed up to speak on matters that are not on the agenda that we will hear from after our action items. Next on our agenda is approval of routine matters. This time, uh, I'll entertain a motion to approve the minutes of the February 9th, 2026 planning meeting of the FA County Board of Education. Is there a motion? >> So move. >> Motion by Bormer Monday. Is there a second? >> Second by Bormer. Christian, questions on approval of the February 9th minutes. Any discussion hearing? None. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. 5-0. I'll now entertain a motion to approve our consent items as listed. Is there a motion? >> I move we approve the consent

057items as >> motion by board member Green. Is there a second? >> Second by board member Monday. Question is on the consent items as listed and that were discussed at the planning session. Any discussion? >> Hearing none. All in favor of the consent items, please say I. I. Motion carries 50. At this time, I'll turn it over back over to Dr. Ligins to take us through the remainder of the agenda. >> Thank you, Chair Murphy. I would like to invite our executive director of financial accounting, budget, and benefit services, Rodney Jackson, to come forward and present our monthly financial report. Good evening. This is the monthly financial report for the month of January 2026. In this month, you're going to see two different variations because I want to explain what's going on and clarify some

058things that have been said tonight. The first being, yes, the board approved $690,000 budget, $690,000 million budget. Accordingly, if we applied expenses and revenue against those, those are our percentages that you see. As stated earlier, as part of the audit, the auditors had a management comment that we were written up on as a district related to 2007. This came across looking at the seek data sheets that we've been looking at for years and it showed a different number. And when I question came up and asked about it, they said, "We've seen this. The others admitted seen this for years and then said to us very clearly, we thought y'all were just being more conservative in doing it." Say, "No, we didn't realize. We thought everything that would was approved by the board related to a

059recall nickel, we should put it in there." And then they wrote the recommendation about that we need to fix this information. As I reported to you at the time when the audit was done, I said this was going to happen. explained how much it was going to be and went forward with that. So we made that change accordingly as reported this month and you will see that according to our policy how we do that management agreed to do this to ensure the return of the funds and use the accountability related to what they said it's going to be used for there is one error in the report that I'm going to show you here in a second that the zone vehicles that's the only item that I be there that was uncovered after I looked

060at it closely at the transfers and realized that the budget team had miscoded that one and we will correct that next month and that's a $3.2 $2 million. But if you look at our seat sheets, just look on the KD website, you will see very clearly that 44 million is the amount that we're supposed to have in building fund and has been coded incorrectly for these years. If you include the new amounts which is highlighted in yellow and you see where $78 million and then the fund balance and changes related to related to the percentages change 59% comparative year-over-year and expenses 38% year-over-year. During fund comparison, our ending fund balance is 158.3 million which is roughly 22 million higher than this time last year. Even with a slight cost increase due to the inflation of

061salary district has spent exactly 30% of his budget. Excuse me. Identical to the percentage spend at this point last year. We have collected 24.5 million more in revenue compared to January of last year. Note this is probably 17.3 million has impacted our budget in several categories as is going to be displayed here later. To comply with the audit management comment related to tax levy must be reporting general fund not building fund. If we remove the beginning balance from this collection, we see it collected at 390.3 versus 350, which is 39.5 million more in revenue than January last year. This is the graphs depicting that and you can see 2026 is more than 2025. And you take out the beginning balance, you see it reflects that accordingly. We also presented to you on expenditures. Looking at

062the revenue breakdown, it shows um as also was reported wrong last month by somebody saying that it was 107% in Avalor taxes. It was not 107% related to beginning balance. As you can see, we are 99% related to the current budget as was the board that approved earlier. Comparing side by side, you can see the report showing side by side to reflect. So you can look at it for analysis, but I will get into deeper analysis to this later. General fund revenue year-to- date total operating revenue is over $418.6 million which represents 61% of the board's working budget. Some revenue streams are currently collecting at a lower percentage of the budget. This primarily due to a timing difference. As an example, OLT increases drastically in the spring and summer months. Tuition for out of district

063when scenarios exist. We have that and then miscellaneous funds has budgeted gain fun sale of Southside Technical Center. others related to capital funds transfers that can be used for property tax insurance and maintenance on behalf is not physically sent for this district to report until after the fiscal year. There will be the same amount of expenses and revenue which needs a net zero to adjust our ending fund balance. This reflects the new balance of 78 million by itself as far as the budget and you see it's 59%. General fund revenue after the audit shows year-to- date total operating revenue is over 418.6 million 59% of the budget adon taxes n3% from the 99% budget in this category increased by $21.1 million per the audit management comment note category other decreased by approximately $3.8 $8 million.

064You can see that right here related to expenses of other expenses that we have. I also did a sidebyside comparison for you to review for your disclosure as I go through the rest of the slide. General fund expenses total general fund expenses sit at roughly 260.2 million which accounts for 30% of the working budget. Instruction is the largest single expenditure category which can be considered scope and scale of 404 million. This ulision 31% is allocated budget with over 125.4 billion spent. Fund transfers significantly exceeded their initial 800,000 budget with over $4 million spent which was 505%. When you change it to what we have related to the working budget changed to $78 million, you see the percentage drop by 1% to 37%. The after audit adjustments that are just reflected total general fund expenditure sitting

065roughly 26.2 which accounts for 37%. Again with the scope 404 million 125.4 spent in instruction. Business support services changed to 55% as budget impact increased by 4.8 million. Plant operations maintenance changed to 52% as increased by approximately 3 million. Student transportation changed by 44% as a budget impact increased by 3.2 2 million. This is the one that needs to change that we'll be reflecting next month. After applying the audit adjustment fund transfer is more in line with the budget with over $4 million at 54%. This is the fund as he was talking about earlier. You also know the $12 million saying is hold this because fund two is a reimbursement account. We should never have money more than that. And it's something that also came up related to audit that we should also be breaking

066even as we collect funds. But it's always going to be at a point that we are negative and the money comes in because it's after the fact we do not get it in advance. As we talk about the tax summary, you can see we have 19.5 million, we've expended 9.2 million, and we have 10.2 to go. This is 48%. Because of the change, I'm sorry, Mr. Tyler, you move to the side just a Okay, right there. Sorry about that. Um, we have budgeted $5.9 million and 3.4. The reason this drop is because we got the $1 million or so related to the grant that says we get about 20,000 per location that we have a officer at. So that adjustments was made to this budget to reflect that accordingly. Safety tax, the district spent about

0679.28 million of the 19.5 which 48% spent a large allocation safety tax for mental health professionals and n nurses at 5.34%. 48% of the 11 million budget was spent there. 245,000 budget for tax collection 100% spent. Additionally, there are 3.45 million in year-to- date safety expenditures operating outside of primary safety a lotment for safety tax funds. This is related to our investments. You can see we have approximately $3.6 million that we have outstanding that's going to be coming in related to investments. The takeaways from that is that scheduleled investments are projected to yield 3.58 million in total income for 202526 and there be about $1 million more than projected. The checkpoint analysis is a promise that we do every month to go through more detail about what's going on. Things to consider actuals budget appropriation

068available budget and remainder year as well as percentage use. No encumbrance are included in monthly financial report. Thus the commerce are included in the percent that save percentage utilization offers a quick effective status check related to current budgets as we be more proactive and more for not thinking about what we're going to spend or we're going to be at. So related to salaries 11 out of 24 is what we should be at for less than year round staff which is 48.83%. So functions like instruction while the teachers are paid for. If we're with the amount or less, then we're on track. 58.33% is for year round employees like myself and that's where we should be on those categories such as 2500. So anywhere between if you have a hybrid, you should be around 52%. This

069explains that in more detail for you. Purchase schedules vary. Uniform spending plan will reflect approximately 58.33% utilization as of period 7. However, as previously discussed, upfront costs such as contract, subscription, subscription renewals, registration, initial supplies, facility emergencies, and so forth increase during it. Additional use of rollup codes allow some flexibility in departmental spending. The scale matters again because the lower the dollar amount, it can be a larger percentage based off of the dollar. So $100, if you have $50 of that, it looks like 50%. But if you're talking $100 over $1,000, that's a less percentage. So the scale matters in that aspect when we're talking about these numbers. Also up under policy 4.1 fiscal management part of the budget transfer report which state once a working budget has been approved in September, budget transfers within

070the general fund in excess $100,000 between function codes shall be reported. That's why we're reporting this information to you accordingly this month. The function code 1000. This pretty much details everything I said to you last month with the exception of a note being that technology expenditures are over budget in a few series including 500 600 700 where overall the technical expenditures are within a districtwide tech instruction budget. Another example of the impact of rollup codes related 2100 student support services note 0300 series reflects 97.9% the major influence is 50% 2.35 million is encumbered and 2.35 million is also utilized for Lexon health department for the fiscal year 26 health services function 2200 everything's reflected as I reported to you last month you see we are on target utilization with 49.4% spend most of it has

071been spent on curriculum and paying benchmark curriculum associates and status function 2300 as we discussed last month the big driver here is related to um tax collection which fluctuates during the year the fluctuation occurs when we start to collect taxes and it's submitted to us this happens October through the rest of the year but the big increases you will see always be October through practically the middle of February thus will start to die down but 4.9 million other 5.7 million we dedicated to that is now current function 2400 um administrative support again it's a mixture of 12 month and less than year round and 45.6 we're on track there function 2500 business support overall utilization 58.1%. Note 0581% used as a reduction from the prior period due to second nickel adjustment which I just discussed

072with you. The major influences insurance premiums were paid in fiscal year 26 the beginning of the year approximately 5.7 million or about 65% of budget series 0700 series reflects 94% used the major influence tech software purchases renewal cost paid and some budget but which were there not in line item budget but purchase within the departmental budget and 0800 series reflects 99% major influence of the retirement fees we're 81% which 617,000 you recall last year we was $2.7 million so we're definitely doing a a job related to this because of how we were managing retirement and looking at error reports plan operations note per the a comment budget amendments related to the second nickel post in January stabilized most lines indicating per 4.1 l to mer maintenance cost and then also related to 3700 series large

073impacted by sonetrol and the 290,000 other $535,000 budget and 300 for $1.8 $8 million 2700 monitor overalls 44%. Which is good. Other instructional on track overall budget 48.4%. Also good and community service 52.7 all the funding will expect to be at this time. Fund transfers are actually in excess of budget mostly due to the transfer to $2.2 million that I told y'all last month's related to 600,000 net that we have between that and actual program. The transfer budget per policy 4.1 was increased due to the second nickel adjustment. The general fund will approximately use $6.7 million of these funds directly for a debt service. The funds break down the current categories of 31% 47.1 for student support and so forth. Again, the big one outliers the district administrator support because the sheriff tes and the

074timing. Additional key points. This is the breakdown of all the areas. If I had a red light, I would show it, but it's the 3.2 $2 million that we have to change. I discussed that with the budget office that we need to fix. So, it'll be going from one area to another. You will see it again, but it still would net out to be the same amount that you will see here. Property taxes are trending ahead of schedule related to revenue. A note 78.1% of 2026 received will go to fund 320 and overall 95.2% of the budget amount has already been received. It's also by law. I'm required to put a 100% of whatever we have in building fund has to be put into the account. I don't have an option of being less than

075that. It has to be 100% of what's there and we would do that. And again, motor vehicles trending about $2 million right now head utility tax as reported last month. We do not know the impact of inclement weather to the funding source, but it's important to know that we adversely could be affected by expense side as the revenue received is not dollar for dollar with the expenses that we pay. However, we still expect to see up tech uptick, excuse me, in utility tax revenue. Investment earnings. Our investment earnings again looking very good. We have $1 million more than what we budgeted. Seek revenue is currently trending. We projected budget. Inter fund transfers currently trending less than last year. This is due primarily to less federal grant funding for indirect cost. That was a trend that

076indicates that we will be budget in that amount. Medicaid funding was moved from 110 1997 to 4810 because we figured out what was going on there and is $1.6 million 73.2% of as of this month. So we expect to make the $2.2 million budgeted sale of assets and our license tax. We're looking at invest revenue again um we're looking at stuff related to Unity Group which is making up the $232,000 there. Key facts expend slightly higher by 2.3 million this year and last the same point. However, in relation to budget expenses, 38% for both years comparing both years. Revenue 24.5 million. Incumbrances committed but not spent not are down 100,000. Audit results coding was reflected relate to fund 320 per policy 4.1. There is no financial signal of overspending. The district's cash position materially stronger

077than last year. Spending is flat year-over-year. Revenues are higher. Cash balance is stronger and commerce are lower. Budget executes ahead of schedule. In short, taking together all this information, we are a better position than we were last year. A few things to point out. This whole report is to make sure everything is very transparent to y'all. That $3.2 million that I told you, we could have had changed it, but it was already by the time we have to get submit everything to the board. There's a timing issue. I can't say that over and over and over. We meet that timing and issue to get everything to the board on time. But if by the fifth of every month, we got to get these reports out and done to get them in time to get them

078and submitted. There are things that happen, but once they're in there, they're in there. We make changes accordingly and if I see the errors, I will tell you when I go from there. So that is the change to help go from I report it to you. Um the funds will be used as prescribed and if anything changes, we will let you know. Is there any other questions that I have that you have for me, please? >> Uh, thank you, Mr. Jackson. Any questions? >> Board M. >> Thank you. So, I had several notes here and um you hit them all, so I appreciate that. The one I did hear you talk about was increase in technology costs. And so, just in a general space, do we have a feeling about what that looks like? Is

079it um a a refresh cycle? Is it just um a normal cost but the individual items are a little bit higher >> this year? There's some um we are where we projecting to be. I can tell you we're going through budget discussions right now with individual departments and there'll be some detailed discussions about what that looks like going forward with replacement cycles and so forth. >> Thank you. Any other questions? Can you briefly explain and and you've touched on this and I appreciate again the format and and the monthly checkpoints um why school districts evaluate spending against approved budget by category versus raw cash flow totals and and how this the checkpoint analysis helps us gauge where we are and how we're progressing. Well, the best way I can describe it is the cash is

080truly what we have on its but then you have receivables money that we're expected to receive and go from there. So that can also be adjusted related to the fund balance. Um when you're talking about food service, food service is lack of better terminology right now is struggling what we have. So we're not putting pressure on them to pay as fast as we normally would to say this is what's due, but we are analyzing everything related to that. There's some real hard decisions we have to get into in this latest budget season. How we going to address food serving and that again with fund two related grants is reimbursement. We pay it out then we go back get it back. We paying attention what's going on across the the nation federally related to federal grants.

081We literally get emails that sit there and say stop. We're not going to be able to pay this because it is related to DEI in some way or something else. So then we got to figure out how we going to address and deal with that situation whatever else. But then the court turns around and over rules that sometimes and then it comes back and we get the money. So right now everything that we told wasn't gonna get we turn around and find gonna get. But there is delays that cause that. But it's more scrutiny related to everything that we send and we send out something that comes back and they say well you need to change this. We send it back again and you have to change this. But these are reimbursement grants. We're going

082to get it. We have the information but it's going to keep on flowing in that perspective and goes from there. >> Thank you. In my understanding um on the February 18th budget finance and account >> committee meeting you shared the December report that board saw correct uh can you share the feedback of that group as far as this particular format uh the use of the checkpoints etc. How was the reception? >> The perception that they gave me or the wording that they gave me this is very detailed report. The numbers are the numbers you know this is information that it shows very detailed. This is more than information that normally people would see. So, we're going more above and beyond. But again, from the transparency state and what we know that the board wants to

083see, I want to make sure we give you every single thing that we know it as we know it at that point in time. Again, the only unknown I have right now is that I really don't know the impact what's going to happen related to the ice storm. So, how much that's going to cost us in overtime, what's it going to cost us and things we didn't expect to pay for whatever else. as we monitor that over the next month, month and a half, we should have a better understanding of that and when I know that you would know that. >> Very good. And I as we continue these conversations, I would be very curious um and welcome especially to hear the feedback of the um the BFAC group on recommended improvements and so forth

084because they are also part of our audience, right? This is not just for the board, it's for the community. Um so feedback and recommendations they have on the the information presented. Uh also on board inform the VFAC committee that there will be a retreat at some point that we're going to discuss and they'll be more than welcome to come to sit and listen to that. But there is no funneling money anywhere. We're following the policy what we can do and put it where it's supposed to be accordingly. >> This is just a transition year. There will never be another report like this where you see side by side. We just had to comply with the audit or then we'll be in non-compliance. So it's going to cause bigger issues for it related to federal grants

085and other grants. >> Very good. Any other questions, board members? If there are no further questions, I entertain a motion to accept the monthly treasures report of revenue and expenses for the month of January as presented. Is there a motion? >> So move. >> Motion by board member Christian. Is there a second? >> Second by board member Green. Is there any discussion? Hearing none. All in favor of approving the monthly treasures report, please say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? >> No. >> That motion carries 32. Dr. Ligins. Thank you board members. That concludes our action items uh underformational items this evening. The agenda includes five written reports for your review. It includes the running board approved contracts, the monthly construction update, the personnel changes for February, the school activity funds report, and the enter

086fund transfer report. This time, I'll turn the meeting back over to you, Chair Murphy. We do have a need to go into close session this evening. >> Thank you, Superintendent Ligins. Uh at this time our agenda is set aside for members of the public who wish to address the board on any topic of district related concern that is not on the agenda. Uh this is not intended to be a time of for debate or direct engagement with the board and members of the public are encouraged to model civil and respectful discourse and conduct. Uh we have not including not including uh yielding we have 10 individuals who have signed up to speak uh during this portion. So I will ask each of them uh to keep their remarks uh of course unless they've been yielded

087time uh to 90 seconds. Our first speaker during this portion of the meeting is Matthew V. You'll have 90 seconds. While we're waiting Christian Oh, here he is. Okay. You you guys are having trying to have a math fight with a math nerd and it's it's not going to end well. You you two two things I got to address. Mr. Jackson said that your expenses through period 7 were at 38% of the budget, which is a identical to the percent spent last year. I I can't explain to you guys in one minute how how you do year-over-year analysis of spending, but your budget requires a 3.4% decline. spending exactly what you spent last year as a percentage of your budget is not a 3.4% decline. This is basic math. This is basic mathematical analysis of

088year-over-year spending numbers. You guys approved a budget that had a 3.4% decline over last year actuals. Through period 7, you are at 7% up. He's calling it identical, but it's 7% higher than the same period last year. Being identical to last year is not what you want. You need to be 3.4% down on a $800 million budget. A 3.4% decline is almost $30 million for the general fund. >> Thank you, Mr. uh V. Our next speaker is uh Bella Benningfield who has time yielded from Jonathan Hollinger. Is Jonathan in here? Okay, very good. And you will have three minutes. >> Hello board members. My name is Bella Benning. >> Bella, I'm sorry to interrupt you. We just need to pull the microphone down. We'll restart your time. Thank you. >> Hello board members. My name

089is Bella Benningfield and I'm a seventh grade student at Brian Station Middle School. I have been in the dual language immersion program since kindergarten. I plan to follow through through high school. I I would love to play on the Brian Station High School girls lacrosse team, but my request to play up has been denied due to FCPS policy. Additionally, my middle school does not have a girls lacrosse team, but they do have a boys. Uh the FCPS high school athletics handbook states that middle school students may participate on the high school um on the high school in their school of residence area only as defined by the high school board of education. However, the KS H sorry KHSA bylaws allow districts with multiple high schools to establish any feeder pattern as long as restricted to

090one per student. This creates an unfair situation where I am not offer given an equal opportunity to play on my middle school or the high school I plan to attend. The se um I'm requesting a motion be made by at the appropriate time in your meeting tonight to amend the athletics handbook policy to allow middle school students and magnet programs to play up at the high school connected to their current program. The season starts March 3rd, so I would appreciate your quick attention to this issue. If you have any questions, I'd be glad to answer. Thank you, Miss Bingfield. We appreciate that. Our next speaker is Christian Adair. You'll have 90 seconds. >> Good evening, board superintendent. uh briefly. First of all, the board when you guys were elected, you guys did a long search

091to find Dr. Ligins. I remember that. And uh you did so based off of his u obvious off his record before he came here. So, congratulations on that. Since he's been here, we've had measurable outcomes. Our students are achieving better. That's another measurable outcome that's been pretty good. In addition, the superintendents here in Kentucky obviously recognized him as one of their own and gave him recognition for the work he's doing. That's a huge success. Then nationally, out of more than 300 superintendents, they also said he's a top four candidate around the country. So, I want to congratulate you on that and this board and those successes. Those are measurable outcomes. I'm sure you guys all recognize um a few seconds left. I don't think Henry Clay would want his name on that school either because

092he doesn't believe in the diversity that we reflect today. So based on respecting Henry Clay, I think it's a good idea idea the lady brought up to change that school name. That is includes my time. >> Thank you Mr. Adair. Our next speaker is Justin Royal who has had time yielded from Christy Carter. Is Christy Carter in the room? Okay, you have three minutes. >> Thank you. Three minutes. Excellent. All right. Schools should not be named for anyone that if the children of the school were sitting in front of the school's namesake, the historical actions of the name stake sake would violate your own terms of which you name your schools. Henry Clay owned over 100 human beings. He helped legislate the fugitive slave law act of 1850 which basically said and added on to

093what the constitution had written that if you are a slave and you get to free territory you are to be returned to your original condition of servitude. He authored that. He sent Charlotte Dew to his daughter in Louisiana after she sued him for his for her freedom. Sent her there for 10 years away from her daughter and her husband for 10 years because she was searching for freedom. He vigorous vigorously opposed abolition. He deprived black people of even learning to read, let alone the educational process. 42% of the students at Henry Clay High School when they walk in that school tomorrow morning would have been owned by the man whose own legislation is the namesake of the school. He is said to have freed his slaves would have been and and I quote him an

094inhumanity and cruelty since many of them were aged and helpless children. That means he had raised them from the time they were kids to the time they were old and taught them and gave them nothing especially in the especially dealing with education. Frederick Douglas said, "In all Frederick Douglas, in all the broad lands which the Constitution of the United States overshadows, there is no single spot, however desolate, wherever a fugitive slave can plant himself and say, "I am safe." When you name schools in this district for slaveholders, then years later name a school for a former slave, what you're really saying is we respect the ability of the slave to overcome the oppressor. However, as a community, we're aren't we aren't quite ready to stop honoring the oppressor. We must stop honoring the oppressor. I

095don't care the tradition or the name or whatever he did for certain groups of people. And to quote Frederick Douglas one more time, why are we afraid to give odium to the slave owner? That means great disgust. You are compelled to give disgust to that man as a result of his own actions. It is time to change the name of the school. >> Thank you, Mr. Royal. Our next speaker this evening is Larry Moore. Mr. Moore, you'll have 90 seconds. On December the 8th, this board approved $121,650 for an operational audit and engagement with Weaver and Tidwell. I requested a public open records for an executed management letter and scope of work. Did not receive that. So, can the board clarify whether a fully executed agreement exists and when will it be made public? My

096question is, what are we paying for and where can the public see that defined? In that group of documents I got, Mr. Clark said the pay county is moving to a zerobased budgeting system, but they have pluses and minuses. However, a zerobased budgeting process involves strong internal controls and a material weakness and a significant deficiency or formal findings that those controls do not exist. Statements have been made by the board and the superintendent regarding the district's financial strength based on fiscal 25 audit. True, LBMC did issue a clean opinion, but a clean opinion only means the statements was done in accordance of GAP by management. It does not eliminate a significant deficiency or material weakness. They're not caused by staff turnover. They are caused by failed internal controls and failed management oversight. Thank you. >>

097Thank you, Mr. Moore. Our next speaker is Frank Hall. Uh Mr. Mr. Hall, you will have 90 seconds. Gratitude and thanks for the programs that our kids can take advantage of from aviation, HVAC, truck and engineering, music production, law enforcement, and a host of others. This gives employment opportunity to our kids right after high school. County Public School is not limited to wood shop and metal shop and dissecting frogs. I remember contemplating wood a metal shop when I was in public school system and when I saw the metal shop instructed with two fingers cut off, I said I take my chances in New York City streets. Fed County Public School not only opport not only provide opportunity for our kids to be successful, it provides for local businesses such as mines. I've been given I've

098been awarded several work opportunity that provides for myself and my employees means of financial uh to provide for our financially provide for our family. So with that said, remember let's try love over hate. Let's try to understand and not complicate. Let's unclench our fist. Offer a handshake to a Fed County Public School board member and let them know what you appreciate. It is written. Stop looking past the logs in our own eyes to find the specs in County Public School Board members eyes. Remember, they're not here to see your kids fail. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Hall. Our next speaker this evening is Heather Cherry. Miss Cherry, you'll have 90 seconds. >> Okay. Mr. V, do you want an additional 90 seconds? Okay. So, Dr. I I'm I'm very concerned about the advice that

099you're getting. You you you you've responded to all of this all all of this these financial happenings by saying that you're getting more involved with the finances of the district. You're having the financial people report directly to you. I I am legitimately concerned about the advice that you are getting from your finance staff. ju just just based on the the the mathematical facts that that have been presented here today I'm very concerned and just just as an example I mean you you call me out by name well not by name but the the gentleman or some person has said this I'm looking at period six documents I have period 6 and period 7 documents from last month and this month last month you had collected 107% of your budget you had collected $286 million and

100your budget was 267 7. This month you've collected $286 million, but you've re but the budget was increased to 288 million. So that's how you go from 107 to 99. If if Mr. Jackson doesn't understand how the math works, I am very concerned about the advice that you are getting from your financial staff, Dr. Ligins. I'm very concerned because you you guys are in trouble. The budget is in trouble and if something drastic doesn't happen, you're going to run out of money. You're going to run out of money. That's how you're training. You're going to run out of money. >> Thank you, Mr. Ve. Our next speaker is April Taylor. Uh is Isaac Looney here and Emily Morris. Hey, you have yielded time, so that's four and a half minutes. I'm here today as a

101parent, as a taxpayer, as someone who expects the school board and district officials to make decisions that are in fact in the best interest of all the children FCPS serves and not just the most gifted. As someone who can do basic math, and as someone who has repeatedly put my body and my freedom on the line in the name of equity and justice. During his tenure, Dr. Ligins has deflected calls for accountability by claiming that the calls are racist and are only happening because he is black and gay. I stand before you as a black queer woman who is a lifelong Lexonian. And I can assure you that calls for transparency, democracy, and accountability are not grounded in race or sexual orientation, but in the basic premise that mass should math. that children and not

102cushy executive level jobs should come first and that democracy is a basic tenant of American life that must be upheld and protected at every turn while strongarming people into showing up to support him and bringing out long lines of black preachers and upper crust bourgeoisi people to sing his praises so the kickbacks and backdoor deals can keep happening. SCPS staff have been organizing and the public has been paying attention. We notice there are no working-class people defending this mess. But those embedded with the power structure in this corrupt city continue to shuck in chive and tap dance to keep the crumbs coming their way. In a district where the lowest paid classified employee makes just $16.33 an hour and some bus monitor subs make as low as $105 an hour. Lukans and the boards have

103been board have intentionally engaged in union busting actions attempting to pres pre prevent FCPS workers from being able to enter a collective bargaining agreement. An agreement that would benefit not just staff but students as well as transparent democratic processes ensuring living wages a supportive school environment and justing be justice being a tangible part of students and staff's everyday experience with FCPS. An agreement could both raise wages and standards and ensure programs like the McKenna Vento program are housing more than just four students in six months at a time when more people face economic insecurity than ever before. Rather than listening to the students who are most impacted and can least afford to have their programs cut, Ligins and the rogue school board that can never vote any other way but three to two has intentionally

104not listened to parents and students and has has overtly obuscated the democratic processes laid out for teachers having the opportunity to unionize while also dismantling sightbased decision-making councils, further eroding democracy at the school level. Rather than calling Tyler Murphy's NEA conflict of interest what it is and preventing intimidation and bullying from administrators towards those seeking to unionize, the administration their and their minions have doubled down. After sharing egregiously wrong information with the media last spring regarding the unionization process, district legal finally confirmed the actual process in November. Since then, Ligins has claimed he would meet with AFT and union reps only to continue engaging in invasive tactics that have yet to yield any material results that clearly show he is union busting and does not genuinely care about democracy or the fact that workers rights

105are are human rights. Tyler Murphy has violated the basic rules of democracy and the legal steps laid out for unionization by voting against the democratic process to unionize on three separate occasions. As someone who knows what union busting looks like because I was fired for successfully organizing two unions, these actions cannot be read as anything other than the union busting tactics they are. One of the union organizing efforts I led was at the historic Highlander Center in Tennessee where Martin Luther King Rosa Parks trained during the civil rights movement and where popular education became the foundation for the citizenship schools that made the voting rights act a success. Making sure black people all over the country had the literacy skills they needed to vote. I can assure you workers rights, human rights are not about

106race but but about those at the top who are drunk on power and use that power with impunity to hurt those who can least afford it while running from accountability. What is the truth? The truth is Ligins and the bloated central office staff still have no plausible answers for how to plug a $16 million budget shortfall in a contingency plan that also has millions in missing funds. I've sat in schoolboard meetings and listened to district finance staff give four different definitions for the same accounting line item like the meeting wasn't recorded or people did not have ears. And I'm going to forward down here and I just want to say that justice is what love looks like in public. That's a quote from Cornell West. I don't believe you all love our most vulnerable students

107or our least paid staff. They deserve a living wage and our students deserve staff who are better taken care of. >> Thank you, Miss Taylor. Our next speaker is Ross. >> Before we move forward, >> Dr. Ligins, >> first of all, I'm not sure if that previous speaker was within the protocol of our guidelines, but I would like to make it very clear, I've never asked one person, madam, to come to a board meeting on my behalf. People come here because they love our students and they love the the the outcomes they are getting. >> Please refrain from commenting. >> Never ask anyone. Um, and I'm not sure what you consider um, low class, high class, or bougie or whatever the phrase you used. Um, there is no shortfall. There is no missing funds. There's

108no $16 million shortfall. There's no missing funds. Uh, according to the record and of the >> Please refrain from making comments while the superintendent is responding. never ever used my race or any other thing personally about me to uh to defend myself. So, if you're going to come up, I >> please refrain from commenting. Please. >> And if she can't stop it, um you have every right to remove her at this time. Thank you. >> Refrain. You are you please refrain. Please do not comment while people are speaking in the dis. Public comment is for public comment. You had four and a half minutes. We listened. We appreciate your comments and we'll move forward. Our next speaker is Rosyn Akens. Miss Aikens, you have had time yielded from, let me make sure here. Uh, Richard

109Kane and No, I'm sorry. >> I think it's Roy. >> Roy Woods. Yes. And I see Mr. Woods there. You'll have three minutes. >> Thank you. Uh, to Dr. Ligins and the board. I feel like I need to go into a word of prayer. But uh tonight I come on be in uh the spirit of ma Maya Angelou who said you may write me down in history with your bitter twisted lies. You may trod me in the very dirt but still like dust I arise. So tonight as we're celebrating Black History Month and the celebrations that we've had uh this past year with our superintendent, I just came tonight to encourage him and to say uh Dr. Ligance, we thank you for all that you've done these years. The addition of new schools, facility, and

110mag uh magnet programs. Uh Tate Street High School, Rise, Greenale Elementary, Harrison Magnet, Breen Ridge Magnet, Lexon Middle and Crawford Magnet. Thank you uh for the mentoring programs that you do uh for new principles and firstear principles that are being successful. We're excited that we no longer have lower performing schools. Uh in the last two years, we haven't had one and this year we only had one uh low performing middle school. I appreciate you for volunteering on Saturday at programs that benefit Fyet County Public Schools like at BMW. I thank you for the equity advances, the recruiting of highquality teachers at all of our schools. It has been 30 years since we started the equity council and finally in the 30 years we're finally seeing increase academically for brown and black students ELELLL and socially

111economic deprived students and we want to celebrate you for being uh selected superintendent of the year for the Commonwealth of Kentucky. One out of 100 you're number one out of 171 uh superintendent. And then on top of that, we want to celebrate you that you were one of four finalists for superintendent of the year for the United States Department of Education where there are thousands of school superintendent. I asked Miss Jackson, would you put the little thing up? I I'm a Not everybody's a listening learning summer demonstrators. Will you put the cards up that I gave you put them up? Did I give them to you? I gave you some cards. Would you please place those cards up? These are all the things I just talked about that I want to celebrate with Dr. Ligins

112where it said the equity. Would you put those across there for me? >> Yeah, my time's running. >> Set those cards up. Just set them up. Yes. >> Thank you. Just Thank you. That's the addition of the new schools. All the things I assume these are for folks who are visual learners like me. mentoring programs. Oh, thank you. Thank you, Miss Ferguson. All right, superintendent of the year. This is for those of you who are visual learners. But more importantly, this is what I want to say. When you look at those, this is what the Lord will do. He will prepare a table before you in the presence of your enemies. Thank you. >> Thank you. Our next speaker this evening is uh Richard Gaines. And you have time yielded from Danny Ever. Uh Sarah

113Gaines. Is that right? And so that will be four and a half minutes. Is Danny ever here? >> So that will be three minutes. >> No problem. Board members, Dr. Lian, thank you for this three minutes to share briefly with you on tonight. When we arrived in Lexon in 1996, Mr. PG Peoples, the late Reverend Bob Brown, uh, Reverend Dr. CB Aikens, and Roy Woods began sharing with me about the inequities that existed between different groups of FCPS students. A group of community leaders had challenged the Fed County Board of Education to do a better job by their students of color because the achievement gap was unacceptable and it was growing. Now here we are 30 years and 10 superintendents later and the achievement gap is narrowing and students of color, ELELLL students and socioeconomic

114disadvantaged students are achieving at historic levels. Although I am pleasantly surprised, I really should not be because we have a leader who has been recognized as being in the top four of 14,000 superintendents across the nation. I'm grateful that Dr. Dr. Ligins has been laser focused on academics for education is a superpower that every student should possess. But unfortunately, much of the good that happens academically, athletically, and artistically at FCPS has been overshadowed by operational snafuss. I look forward to hearing the audit reports, and I respect Dr. Ligins for taking responsibility as the leader of the district. However, when we look at the organizational chart, we know who the budget director and the finance director report to. It is my hope that this board does not ignore the fact that in order to ensure he

115is well informed going forward, Dr. Ligins has restructured the organization and both of these positions now report to him. Again, the sign of a great leader is one who acknowledges when improvement is needed, swiftly begins to make changes and commits to not repeat repeating those same mistakes. Our superintendent made it to the final four in Kentucky especially. That means something. Let's work together to ensure our students remain our focus despite personal differences. Our children are what matters most. May we stay focused on the children. Thank you. >> Thank you. And that concludes our this portion of the public comment period. At this time, I'll entertain a motion to make the agenda dated February 23rd, 2026 on which action has been taken in this meeting a part of the minutes as if copying the minutes verbatim.

116Is there a motion of that effect? >> So moved. >> Motion by board member Green. Is there a second? >> Second by board member Mundy. Any discussion? All in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 5-0. Um, at this time, the board does have a need to go into close session pursuant to KRS61.810. Uh, section 1 paragraph K. Meeting is required to be conducted in privacy by law. Uh, KRS61.810 uh section 1 paragraph C for the discussion proposed or pending litigation. Kas 156.557 section paragraph 6 uh section C preliminary discussion related to the evaluation superintendent and uh for discussions that may lead to personnel action of an individual individual pursuit of care 61-80 section 1 paragraph C and F. I'll now entertain a motion to enter close session for those stated

117reason. Is there a motion? >> So moved. >> Motion by Bormer Monday. Is there a second? >> Second by Bormer Christian. All in favor say I. I. Motion carries. 5-0. The board will reconvene in open session if necessary, taking any action required percentage discussions conducted during close session. It is 7:57 p.m. We're now in close session. Heat. uh time to speak. We're going to briefly gavel back into open session. Uh give the speaker their 90 seconds and then we'll go back into close session or Okay. So, we will do we have board member Monday. Is she okay? At this time, I'll entertain a motion to exit close session. Is there a motion? So move. >> Motion by Bor Green. Is there a second? >> Second by Bormer Christian. All in favor of exiting close session,

118say I. >> Any opposed? Motion carries. 40. The board's returned from close session. We're going to reopen public comment. Uh Miss Preston had signed up to speak. She was uh left off the list. Um so I will give you 90 seconds. >> Thank um so I just want to be clear. I work How do I Is it good? Okay. Um, so thank you. Um, I just want to be clear about where I come from. My expertise. So I work human resources leadership. My entire career is centered on accountability, ethics, and leadership standards, especially when someone holds a position of significant authority and public trust. So the independent investigation that was conducted by Lee Lapro clearly found that Dr. Lianfeld to fulfill core functions of his role as the superintendent related to financial oversight keeping the

119board properly informed in any organization public or private. That level of failure is not a minor lapse. And not only did he fulfill like fail to fulfill the role, he also had an executive coach written into his contract to help him handle the demand of the superintendent role. So really, there's no excuse for this to have happened. The investigation also makes it clear that with the knowledge that Dr. Ligans possessed at the time and potentially some board members as well. Nothing about the handling of the budget reflects good faith, sound judgment, or ethical leadership. From an HR and governance standpoint, Dr. Lian's negligence and behavior are in direct violation of his contract. This is not a subjective opinion. It is a documented conclusion supported by the investigation. So, if this board recommends anything other than

120termination for just cause, serious questions will and should continue to be raised. >> Thank you, Miss Preston, for your time. That concludes that portion of public comment. At this time, I'll entertain a motion to enter close session pursuant to KS61.810 section 1, paragraph K, meetings required to be conducted in privacy by law. KS61.810 section 1 paragraph C for the discussions of proposed pending litigation. KS56.557 section C paragraph C preliminary discussions related to the valuation of the superintendent and for discussions that may lead to personnel action of individual employee pursuant to car 61.810 section 1 paragraph C and F. Is there a motion? >> Some moved. >> Motion by board member Mundy. Is there a second? >> Second by board member Green. All in favor of close session for the state of reason say I. >>

121I. I. >> Motion carries 50. It's 8:03 p.m. We are now in close session and we'll return an open session and take action if necessary. Hey, hey, hey. up. W. of the world. The world of the world. Papa. Uhoh. Hey. Hey. Hey. down. Hey be. Hey. Hey. Wow. I only feel I only Hey, hey, hey. up. What the world? world. Papa of the world. Hey, hey, hey. Wow. down Heat. Heat. Heat. Hey, Heat. Hey, hey, hey. up. Hey world. wall. Papa of the world. by everybody. Everything. down. Do you do Heat. Hey. Hey. Hey. Where's that? Heat. up. of the world. The world world. Up. Uhoh. Heat. Heat. be. Hey. Hey. Hey. Heat. Heat. Heat. up. What the world? world. Papa Uhoh. Heat. Heat. Do you feel down? Hey, hey, hey. Heat. Heat. N. Hey.

122I only feel baby every up. W. of the world. The world of the world. The world up the wall. up. Uhoh. of the world. Hey. Doo doo doo doo doo doo. Heat. Heat. What do you mean? Okay. Uh, thank you everyone. Uh the board left close session on a motion by board Green or Board Member Christian, a second by board member Green, a motion to 50 at 9:43 p.m. Uh the board uh continues our work and evaluation on um uh the appropriate next steps and we will be setting a special meeting for Wednesday, March 4th at 5:30 p.m. and more information will be forthcoming on that. Um, so with that, I'll entertain a motion to adjourn the session of the Fay County Board of Education. >> So move. >> Motion by Bormer Green. Is there

123a second? >> Second by War Bundy. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Motion carries. 5-0. Thank you all.