School Committee Meeting 5/14/2026

001Thank you. Good evening and welcome to Shasheen Tech uh school committee meeting of May 14, 2026. Um all members except Miss Vuse are currently present for tonight's meeting. just um we should have pledge of >> allegiance. Allegiance wasn't on there to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Notice we didn't have that in. Okay. All right. Uh public comment. We have nobody signed up so we're going to move on here. Okay. Um so Mr. Macintosh would you at this time I can make one. >> I know at the last meeting we talked about um if the board went against with the recommendation of the superintendent on there that there we would need to give

002out a reason and I didn't think that was correct. So I talked to Howard and told Dr. Howard and we're both in agreement with that you do not have to give a reason. I'm not saying we're not going to go with them tonight. I just want to clarify that there was a question on that and resolved it. >> And just again just to build off that. So that that is specific to assistant superintendent and again we when we read through the language and how it clarified for us um it that does not pertain to the support services or or the business manager. If we ever choose to get an assistant, then it would be a different story. >> Different story. >> Quick question. Also, so both of these candidates we're going to see tonight, they

003both went through the promises and they're both but they're both agreed upon by the committees, >> correct? >> So these are the ones that they suggested. >> The committees. So the director support services, there was a review committee. Three finalists were forwarded to me. I interviewed all three of the finalists and then I made the final recommendation to this group. After those interviews, the business manager committee, we all met and I again I think we kind of agreed to do the candidate that we wanted. Um, and there was no there was no follow-up interviews after that. So, they were a little bit different because I didn't run the search committee for director support services. Um, actually, Principal Cook did a great job. brought the three candidates forward for media interview. >> And just by way

004of clarification on to Bob's question, there were there were 17 candidates for support services. six. There were six interviews that were conducted and then the committee >> identified three finalists that were then recommended to the superintendent and also I believe the superintendent andor um the principal were going to be doing the reference checking in connection >> identify and Sarah was represented us as I told you when on the search committee for support services Charlie and I represented us on the search committee for the business manager. We were took the list of candidates, decided who we wanted to interview and um brought it down to three and then made our recommendations to Tony. So that's where we stand folks. >> Brian and Sarah, I think >> Brian and Sarah, I'm sorry. >> That's what you said

005though. Did I say Gwen? >> I'm sorry. I didn't say I said to answer your question. Yes. Yes. And if I could just add, I being on the support services committee, I was really impressed with Jess Jess's leadership of that. I mean, her facilitation was really quite stellar. >> Absolutely. >> And I've been on a number of different committees over the years and really it was very well done and um a number of sort of anonymous polls. There were, you know, and lots of conversation. So I felt good about the process. >> Thank you. Thank you, Sarah. So the way we'll do this, um Tony will bring the candidate in. I believe he'll speak. >> I'll introduce. Yeah. Yeah. and they'll have a chance to give an opening statement. >> Y >> and what I

006want to do is go around >> to the all around the table here. If you don't have a question, just say um I don't have any questions. You have question, please ask. You go go around as long as we can, as long as you want. And then at that point there, um if you feel everyone's feeling satisfied, then I will ask for a uh a vote a vote. And we'll do the same thing with the business manager. >> The vote while the person's here. >> No. Yeah, I was gonna say yeah. Thank you, Sarah. Okay. I know. Thank you for claring that. Clarify. >> Just to build up Bob's question. So, just so I understand. So, the business man the search committee for the business align with your choice but the other one three candidates

007were presented. I'm just curious why were the two committees done? >> Because Jess ran support services. I mean, I I guess I could have run both of them, but then I think I would have been accused of trying to be the overlord of all these selections, which I also didn't want. >> All right, we'll do that, sir. Thank you for that. We'll do that and then we could depending on time wise, we could take a break before the next one. The other one explains this at 8 o'clock. >> Yeah. And I just I would just to piggy back off what Ron said. I mean, if if somebody asks a question and there's something that you want to know, it kind of dubtales on that. I think it's also more than appropriate to to ask a

008follow, you know. >> Absolutely. >> If Ken asks something which then prompts Taran to think of something once, you know, the candidate's not answering Kent's question, I think it's more than appropriate, you know, for somebody else to follow up and say, based on that response, you know, I can you explain this to me or I don't understand what you meant by that. So I think I think there's plenty of opportunity to have some good conversations with both of >> I don't know. >> Yeah, that's a good that's what I was going to ask her too. >> Just wondering about that when I see somebody's they've earned the degree I Okay, I'm just throwing that out there. Why don't you ask that? >> Okay, Tony, take care of that. Thank you so much. I saw I

009saw that Sarah thought people uh you know see them >> anyway processor seats the table whichever you prefer. Great. Thank you for coming. Thank you for having >> So it is at this time it's my pleasure to formally recommend uh Amy Peral was her response. >> Okay. Like Dr. Peral >> I didn't know how you would be addressed >> for consideration as the next director of support services at Shasheen Valley Technical School. >> Thank you. >> Turn it back to the chair. >> Thank you Macintosh. Um so Amy, welcome here tonight. Um the uh purpose of this meeting is to uh ask the uh members of the committee here. Uh we'll ask um any questions they have of you. Um we'll go around as long as we can. We want um do you want to

010give an opening statement? >> Um I asked both candidates to come with their own opening statement so that um we hear it directly from them and not necessarily from me. The floor is yours. >> So, good evening and thank you for the opportunity to speak with you today. I know that you have all seen my resume, but I would like to tell you a little bit about the impact those places and those students have had on me. I started my professional career after finishing undergrad. I worked in group homes and therapeutic schools in Los Angeles, California. At the time, some of my residents were the same age that I was. Um, I was green as green could get. Um, I was the new person and as you can imagine, these kids have seen a lot

011of people come and go. And trust was not something that came easily. It had to be earned. I worked with students who were in and out of juvenile hall, often gang affiliated. I worked in both the group home and the therapeutic school my students attended. It was both the best job and the hardest job I've ever had. I saw students go through life events no young person should ever have to experience. But this job showed me that I could make a difference, but also it proved that I could make an even bigger difference if I developed a larger clinical skill set. So I moved back to Massachusetts and I began my master's degree. Um, I still worked in group homes, but I wanted to become more clinical in my practice. um working in group homes

012during the day and going to classes at night. Um I honestly at that point in time thought I'd be in the nonprofit world forever. That's just what I thought that I was going to do. Um but then as part of my graduate program, I had to complete an internship and I was placed in an elementary school. Um didn't take long at all for me to fall in love with the public school setting. Um it had an energy and a sense of community that I hadn't experienced before. Um, and after that internship, I never worked at group homes again and I've been in schools ever since. Um, after completing masters, my goal was to work in social work. Um, but this time I found myself on the west coast again. Um, as a school social worker,

013the setting couldn't have been more different than the settings I'd previously worked. I worked on top of a small mountain in San Diego County. We had snow days. Um there were three distinct um student groups at in the school community. Students were either from ranching families that had been there for generations from one of three Native American reservations whose families had been there even longer or they were children of m migrant workers who might have been there. Very different. Um, in such a rural area, the school served as a primary source for many services, including mental health support. So, I worked with both the elementary and middle schools. Um, none of those student groups I described were especially trusting of counselors. Um, so once again, success came down to building trust and relationships, not only

014with the students, but also with the parents and the close-knit community that was understandably wary of outsiders. Um during that time I began to explore different models of school-based mental health centers. I collaborated with outside agencies to bring additional resources into the school, learned how to write grants and collect data to support those efforts. And after five years, my family moved back to Massachusetts. No more moving after this. I worked in Fitchburg public schools for a year and a half as a special admin administrator before coming to Minute Man where I have now been almost 13 years. Um during the my time at Vinaman, I have held several different positions and had a few different titles. Um the first role I ever had was special education supervisor, which coincidentally I was taking over the position

015from Jeff Albert. So throughout my various roles, I have learned a tremendous amount about vocational education, which I love, school governance, and special education laws and regulation, which I also really like. Um, these experiences have provided countless opportunities for growth and leadership. I have presented at town meetings, um, participated in writing policies with the policy subcommittee. I've contributed to the MSBA project where I was able to provide input on special education programming and design. Um, and while I truly value all the opportunities Minute Man has provided me, the experience I find most rewarding are the moments where I get to work directly with the students, parents, and teachers to better understand how a student learns and to ensure that they have the environment where they can succeed. Um, I would be honored to bring my

016experience, leadership, and dedication to this role to work alongside the staff, families, and school committee to continue to develop programs and services that support the well-being of all students. So, thank you and thank you for your consideration. >> Thank you, Amy. Um, I'll jump in right now. Um, I'd like you to speak to your experience with the mediation and PRS complaints in your in your um tenure as a support services director. >> Um, I I like the mediation process. I actually use it um I recommend that my team chairs use it a lot. um I don't think it's utilized as well and I think it actually really can help like a neutral party. The way they do it or way I've experienced it is they put the school staff in one room, they put the

017family in another room and mediator goes um back and forth. And I think a lot of time the school and the parents are saying the exact same thing and they just can't hear each other and having somebody say it maybe in a different way or just not being a school personnel it makes it it just makes a difference. Um and I've always found it very helpful. Um I've always had parents agree to it because of the way I explain it. I like say we want to work together but we're stuck and so this person's going to come and help unstuck us. Um and they usually like that idea. Um so I kind of a big fan of mediation. Um PRS complaints not as big a fan. Um and I haven't had um as many. I

018actually um am just finishing up one now. Um but yeah, we haven't had a lot. Um, I do I've some I've had some that are big where I have had the lawyers help write the response and I've had some that are medium and I've written the response. Um, I actually I don't get scared by PRS complaints. I don't think it's something to be scared of. Um, it doesn't mean you did something wrong. Means the parent thinks you did something wrong and it's your chance to explain it. and you send in the documents and if you've done your job you show how you've done your job. Sometimes you get a you know a corrective action plan back and it's you know um more of like a compromise sometimes like a small one I had I the

019compromise back was that the student got a few extra hours compensatory counseling services. Um but the parent response in the beginning was much longer than that. Um, so I think PRS is a scary word in the special ed world, but it's it's not that scary if you do if you're doing your job well all along. >> Sure. >> Then it's not a scary thing. >> Yes, I know. There's a lot of parents in support services. When I was a teacher here, I did a lot of students. I know a lot of parents, yes, they want everything. I know that. And but a lot of people are happy. So, thank you. I'm going to ask uh Stacy to jump in please. >> Um I know you mentioned that you got to work with Mr. Albert a

020little bit. >> I followed him. >> You followed him. Okay. So you didn't really have too much. So he came up I I mean I'm sure you're familiar maybe Soore right is the program. Are you familiar with that work that he has put in to this um bridging program that we've had? >> It's the bright model. We just we have a little different acronym for it here. Yeah, we we have the same problem program. We have um it's the real room. We have a different acronym, too. It's the re-entry after extended leave. Okay. So, that's our real um and I actually started that minute man myself >> via the Bright program. Okay. >> Um so, Brookline, I think originally was Brooklyn. Yes. We I used to go to meetings there. Um our model is slightly

021different because originally like the the model was to have a counselor in there. Um we have a very high mental health population at Minaman and most kids already have a counselor in addition to their guidance counselor. So more counseling wasn't necessary. Um so we have a par profofessional that works in there as a tutor. Um the students we also have a lot of hospitalizations for mental health. So what we were seeing years and years ago that once a student went out for a mental health hospitalization almost always the transition back was too hard. It was you know not something that they could do and they ended up going back to their sending district for a therapeutic program where it really wasn't a student that needed a therapeutic program. It was a student that needed some

022support and a little bit of time. So now we we have a it's mandatory we have a re-entry meeting after every hospitalization. It's also if you're out for um we had a kidney transplant this year like um extended medical leave but we have a re-entry meeting. We talk about the work that was missed to make a plan to make it up and it's very it it's very like an IEP student centered. So, some students want to get right back in. Some students want to, you know, make up some of the like go to some classes that they're not too far behind in and then stay in the real room for the classes that they're behind in to get help getting caught up. Um, most everybody wants to go to shop. So, that's that's easy. Um,

023but I I've noticed I didn't I don't collect it as much anymore, but at first I used to collect the data of like looking at how many students went out to hospitalizations and came back and stayed versus came back and struggled and went back to their sending district. And it was amazing the the stop of going back to your sending district. We still have students that need to go back for a therapeutic millu and whatnot, but those specific students that were out from a hospitalization and came back because of that bridge program and they stayed and successful and graduated. It's very also I pay a par profofessional to kind of run it. It's like efficient. It's affordable and it provides these kids a safe space to transition for it all day long. Awesome. >> That's

024good. >> That's great. >> Any followup? You okay? >> I'm good. Thank you. >> Um, good to see you again. And you may have inferred from uh some of the comments and questions during the uh the first interview you were here for. Um, that the department that you would be asked to go into is one that I I think it's safe to say has generally been perceived as being very successful, well done. You you've inherited a position from Mr. Helbert before. um which may make it in some ways harder or more challenging in certain respects than taking over a department or a program that's been in turmoil. This this has clearly not been the case. Um any general thoughts on on how you do that um smoothly transition if if uh given the opportunity to

025a department where a lot of folks have been very pleased with how things have been done. they've been spoken very highly of of their leadership and sort of what you think about taking on that assignment. >> Um, I think it's great to come in where you're not charged with fixing things right away. Um, I think for me my I I'd love to just to get to know the department. I like to know what the service delivery model is, get to know the strengths. Each every special education teacher has a different strength and look at watch what they're doing, observe, get let them get to know me. I think that's really important. Um, and let them know I'm not coming in to change anything. I I'm not my my goal isn't to shake things up or,

026you know, fix something that's not broken. However, coming in with a fresh set of eyes is always helpful. Um, I've been at Minute Man so long that I probably don't see what could be improved on because I'm in it. So coming in with a fresh set of eyes, I'm something might be great, but that doesn't mean it can't be better. So I think part of it is coming in showing and giving the respect that's due to a program that's already doing really well and staff that are already succeeding and then communicating that I'm here as a support and I bring my you know knowledge and experience to help continue to support and you know as time goes on maybe there's a hey have you thought about doing it this way or um I've done it

027this way and it worked really well or some or they want to ask me about all things that I did that didn't work really well like um I think when you're already at a successful place I think people are a little can be a little more open to like thinking outside the box and having you have time to have those discussions on you know the whatifs because you're not fixing things all the time and you're not behind the eightball so there's a little more time for um discussion on how to do things better. >> Thank you Tara. >> Hello. Thank you for coming. As I said have a question for you about communication >> and by what by that I mean um talk to talk to us about communicating with parents, communicating with staff. um

028you know this is a situation where none of the kids are going to be in the special ed classrooms seven day five days a week full days they're all going to be leaving for shop if not a bunch of their classes so um communication parents communications with ad with academic staff with vocational staff with CPACS and then also as an sort of another part of that is people come to a vocational school and they don't disclose that their child has an IEP on their application, which is good, but how do we make sure that a parent has some sense of what they can expect from the school where you're not going to get if my kid's autistic, how you going to help me? they're just applying and you just want to share general information so

029that parents coming in know what their child you know obviously we want everybody to succeed but that the parent can feel confident that their child who does services is going to succeed. Talk to me about communication. So from the admission standpoint, I think being present at every open house and event that you hold and being noticeable like big sign, come ask me the questions, I'm here. Um is very helpful I think for two things. this our last round I and I think the lottery has had brought a different or expanded the type of students that were applying for us anyways and the parents that came into open houses and both things I had parents that thought that didn't know that students on IEPs could go to a vocational school at all. I was like tell

030me about your student like they'd be perfect. Um and then also the flip side of students who need more services than we can provide in a vocational school or at a prevocational level and not yet ready for our vocational programs. Um I think in a in terms of communication being honest and straightforward but compassionate at the exact same time. Um, the worst thing ever is having a student come to Minute Man or Shasheen and not being successful and having to go back. It's devastating for the student, for the parent. It's it you don't ever want to see a student fail. So, I think being open and honest about what wonderful services we do have and what services aren't the same as, you know, at your comprehensive school. Um, I think there's many different types of

031communication. I think there's the introductory letter that I send every single parent to introduce myself at the beginning of the school year. Um, I think there's department meetings and um where you direct people and then there's conversations that you have in the hallway about like, hey, this stumped me today like what do you think? and it's kind of a off-the-cuff conversation. Um, I am a very straight shooter. Um, I definitely have a like I'm going to give it to you reputation. If you ask, I'm going to tell you. Um, not much for sugarcoat when it comes to like direct conversations. I think that gets in the way. Um, but I'm also have a very, I think, strong reputation of I'm honest and I have reasons for why I do things and I'll never make a

032decision where I can't tell you exactly why. Um, so you might not agree with my decision, but you will 100% understand it. You will understand why I did it, where it came from, the data I used. Um, and we don't always have to agree. And the same thing with the with parents. I think making it clear from the very beginning that Shashene and the parents both want that student to succeed like there's nothing no other goal and we might not always agree exactly how that happens and that's okay. Um and that's when we have discussions sometimes that's when we bring in mediation. Uh it's just being compassionate, reminding people that you have the same goal and you know reminding people that although emotions get high and people get defensive, that's not what is helpful. And

033again, we all have the same goals. So let's try to work together. It doesn't mean we agree all the time, but there there's a you have to have a piece of compassion in all of it. So, I think my communication style is very straightforward, but there's empathy there. >> I want to thank Brian and Tara for stealing my questions. >> Um, just quick quick question. The transition from any man to just wondering why. >> Oh, professionally. >> Yeah. >> Uh, that's actually my question. >> See, you still question. >> Sorry. it. This is this is a director of student service job. Like I get to do special ed all day long. To me, there's nothing more like rewarding than that. Um the job I have now I love. I love Minute Man. I thought I

034was going to retire from Minute Man. Um and there's lots of really fun parts of my job, but the most rewarding part of my job is special ed. and this came up and um wasn't something I was expecting or actually looking for. But the opportunity to stay in vocational education and work in special ed and have those two pieces be my focus every day is incredibly exciting. >> Thank you, Bob. Charlie, you stole my question. Um, like all programs are always changing and evolving and things like that. Tell me some things you do to make sure you stay up with everything that's going on. >> Um, sure. I think first you have to know your clientele. I every year I make sure I know exactly I tr I look at the trends of the disabilities

035coming in. You know, it's it changes. It's changed in the tenure that I've been at Minute Man. seen many more students on the spectrum come in than we did 10 years ago. Um I think you know going to trainings um MPY partnerships for youth holds a lot of training. They hold a lot of trainings in our building which is super convenient. Um but then I think staying up to date talking to other special ed directors the um through MAVA the the current special ed director group administrator group is awesome. um we have you send an email out and you get answers back really quick. How do you do this? What does it look like there? And our populations are very different across the, you know, the state. Um and even within special ed are, you

036know, presenting disabilities or concerns are different. Um but again, it's like that fresh set of eyes if you ask somebody like, hey, this is what I'm working with. So, I think communication and not being afraid to ask for help. I'm part of a, you know, I attend special ed conferences and trainings, especially when they're about special ed law. Um, I find that interesting as well. So, I think that, you know, you can't stay in your office all day long. You have to like get out there. You have to see where your kids are struggling. I mean, I think that's part of it is what's working is great and but what's not working and then you go in and you research and you look of different models and you might go visit other schools and see

037what is other people are doing. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Me >> Sarah. >> So, hi. >> Hi. >> Yeah. Um maybe talk about professional development of of your staff. Do you do that at Admin and would you be doing that here? Do you know or >> I I don't know. >> Okay. >> Um I do do it at Minute Man. Um professional development is a is is a funny thing in my experience at schools. Your staff tend to not think you're a subject matter expert if you work at the same school as them. Um, it is I can bring in a present a presenter and I would say the same thing and they would think the presenter is more um qualified to give the information because they're coming in with the title of presenter.

038So I found that over time that people tend to pay attention a little bit more when you bring in new people to talk about it. So I every year I um it's twofold. It's the general education staff, vocational staff, what do they want to know or what do they need to know? And then special education staff like where do you want to deepen your knowledge or is there a new you know presentation you've never seen before or um in your classroom a different dynamic that you want more information on. I think there is a lot of good professional development and there is not a lot of like not good professional development. I'm very picky when my staff want to go on like take a day off for professional development. They have to like explain to

039me what they're going to do like what they're going to learn, how they're going to bring it back and um share it with their colleagues. It has to be something that's going to benefit the whole school or a whole department or a whole student group. Um it's not just a day that you can get out of school and go hang out in Boston or something like that. Um so I think there's internal PD that you do in the school and then I think there's external PD sending people to conferences. I this year tried really hard to send two teachers to um a train the trainer model for co-eing and all the teachers I wanted to teach were coach were that I wanted to send were also coaches and couldn't get the time timing right to

040send them they were going to I was going to send them to California who doesn't want to go to California um but couldn't get it to work but I think sometimes sending small groups of people away to learn something also has added benefits of camaraderie and things like that. >> Sounds good. >> Kent, >> yeah, I'm just going to build on Bob's question. So, I'm I know you mentioned you're transitioning for like potentially from Minutemen to here. So, I guess I'm just curious like, you know, I guess like a two-part question. What kind of attracted you to this role coming to Shasheen? And then on top of that, I was just curious like you've worked your way up to an administrator role and what's driving the change to go back to special because you kind

041of like you work your way up. It's been a minute and done well. I'm just curious like what's driving the the >> change. >> Um I'm trying to think of how to say this all quickly. >> Um four superintendent ago I became assistant superintendent. I loved that role. Um, I I went from director of special ed to assistant superintendent. Keep in mind, no one replaced the director of special ed. I kept it all. So, I've always overseeing guidance, health services, and special ed no matter what title I had. Um and I under that current superintendent I learned a lot was um presenting at town meetings. I was learning the budget. Um not quite sure whether I was interested in a superintendency or not. Um we've had now we're on number so that was four ago.

042In four years we had four superintendents. We're now our superintendent that we have now is on year two. Um in between I was a uh I was a SPE director. I was asked by the interim superintendent to be an assistant superintendent again so that the next superintendent would have an assistant superintendent. Um and all the historical knowledge that I had and now my current superintendent has been there two years. Um, I think I shared all my historical knowledge that I had. She had a working partner that could talk things over. So, I think that um I serve the role of what what I was asked to go up to. Again, um I I can be an assistant superintendent and I like it. Um, I think my heart has always been in special ed and um,

043like counseling and mental health and as a assistant superintendent, the amount of time that I get to coach teachers is drastically cut. the amount of time that I can provide clinical supervision because I have an advanced clinical license so I can provide actual supervision to um clinicians that are in grad school like I can be a supervisor. All of those things are drastically cut when I'm an assistant superintendent and they're filled with other very important things. Um, but like I said, I I only knew about this job through hearsay. I actually I didn't even know Jeff was retiring and like we're in the same circles. So, um, I was just maybe I'll just throw my hat in the ring and see. And then honestly over the course of this process digging in deeper and thinking

044like weighing the pros and cons and it every single time I come back to this is what I love every single time and I don't feel that I'm giving up anything to come to be a special ed director. I actually feel like it's a opportunity to do more to me. It is. >> It's great. When >> so you're obviously coming in and following some big footsteps and you already know the guy. Um, but how are you going to come into the department and build trust and accountability with the exist, you know, the staff that's there because a lot of them are going to be probably concerned, you know, a new boss and I'm just curious how you're going to manage that and do you have a plan in mind like to get to know them

045and you make them feel at ease and so they understand like what your goals are and yes, >> so I plan on meeting like individually with every staff member as soon as I can with their schedules and whatnot. Um try to have a schedule before the first day of school of when have that laid out during the summer before people come back. Um but I do want to meet with them. I want to learn from them. That's similar to the question of an a you know very well-run department. >> Make sure that they know that that's you know where what that I respect that and that I don't have any interest in coming in like ruining their flow and whatnot. the trust. I gotta do my job. >> And when they see that I know

046how to do my job and I can do my job well and that I'm an asset to them, to students, to Shasheen, the trust is going to be there. Like, um, I think any new person coming in, the staff that they work with, they just don't know you. And I could be the dumbest person on the block. Um, and staff don't they just want someone that knows what they're doing. And I think as and that takes time to just show them that you know what you're doing and that you're here for the right reasons. Um, I mean I I will I want to get to know them. I want them to tell me their impressions of the department, what works well for them, what areas they need support in, all of that. Um, but all

047those conversations theoretically they they won't be, but they could be lip service. Like the really what it is is you being visible, you being available, you being out visiting the classrooms, um, having open door policy, showing up and showing that you're going to do the job and you're going to do it well and you want them to be part of that journey. And eventually that trust is developed, but it's over time and it's through actions. >> Sounds good. >> Amy, I just want to follow up. How many current staff or uh support service staff at minimum right now? >> Just in special ed or >> just uh teachers? >> Teachers just 12. >> 12. Okay. And what are we incomparable? >> I think I think we're closer to 20. >> 20. I'm just curious. Yes.

048Say it. Okay. Um, does anybody have any follow-ups? Good. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Just this is sort of a silly question perhaps, but um, so you follow you go and visit students in classrooms probably, right? In your role. >> So do you go into the vocational rooms and the shops as well as the academic ones? Absolutely. >> That's more important to me. That's more important. But to see where they're working because they're high school kids. We're looking at transition, high school employment, employability skills, all of that. I don't see that in an English class. I see that in the vocational area. >> So, you have a good relationship with the vote teachers as well. >> It's I think it's more important to make sure that they know that we're resources and available and

049here to support them as well. >> I I was just curious. So, like I mean you come from a vocational school, but I'm curious like you know I have two kids in the Bronc, middle school to a high school. But I mean I guess I'm just curious what's your plan to work with sending district staff? Like can you kind of walk through like what your plan will be to work with and you're dealing with different towns that have different needs. So, I guess can you guys just kind of touch upon what your what your plan is to build relationships with with that staff in those schools and you know and and you know parents from different towns. >> Yeah, absolutely. Um I when I started at Minute Man we had 16 sending school districts. Now

050we have nine. Um so I invite our sending school the directors over. Everyone likes a good lunch in the restaurant. Um I go and visit all the programs. Um so that when we are exchanging students sometimes as it happens I know what will use Burlington like I would go to Burlington and Burlington High and meet with the sped director and learn about all the the whole array of programs that they have. Um and so that when if by chance and a student is coming here um or in Washington that's not working and they need something else, I know what Burlington has. I can work collaboratively with that special ed director. I I call as soon as I think something might be a placement concern, I'm on the phone with the SP director of the sending

051town saying, "Hey, heads up. Just this this is coming down the pike. It might be I have a few things or I'm going to do a 40-day assessment, figure it out, but I just want to kind of let you know so and so is presenting like this and I'm gathering more data. So, I think being proactive with them huge. Um, nobody likes to be like, hey, he's going to show up on your doorstep tomorrow. Um, so even if a parent unilaterally pulls a kid, like if I know it's there's a struggle, I'm going to let them know. So even if they do just end up on their doorstep the next day, at least they have a heads up that there was a struggle. Um, so I think back to the communication proactive like, "Hey, hi,

052I'm Amy. Like, can I come meet you? Can you do you want to come here and you want to go grab a coffee at, you know, Dunkin Donuts or whatever?" Just to get to get to a level where I can pick up a phone and be like, "Hey, like what's going on? Um, tell me the story of this kid." Like it works both ways. It works when kids are coming like during the transition meetings and coming here and I look at an IEP and I'm like, "Oh, I don't know about this." You pick up a phone and you call and they're like, "Nope, they're ready for the next level. We did an Aval. It's like it looks wonky on paper, but like no, give the kid a ch a chance. I think he's going to

053be great." Or the other way around of like and they're like, "Yeah, we weren't sure. We gave it a try, but here we have to go back." So proactive early communication, checking in food, not just calling when a kid's struggling. >> Sounds good. Anybody else? >> You want to make any concluding? I'm sorry, Tom. >> So, um, you have a student and they're freshman and and they're struggling a little and you're not quite sure that that we can give them the services that that you provide. Um, how Very nice. How hard do you work to try to keep them? You know, obviously talking to student the student wants to be here, but you're not, you know, you're you're concerned about the services needed. Like what do you do? Um, well, first we see if there's

054anything else that we're not doing currently. Like what of what can we do right now in here within our limits that we have that we're not doing and try that up. um is a student just struggling in like one class is it a vocational is it just struggling in vocational area and the academics are fine is it the wrong shop do they need to shadow a different shop um so first looking inward because sometimes it's an easy fix that works and then after that I think it's um gathering data whether or not it's having your own school psychologist um do get an updated eval if they haven't and if Baldin and you know three years is coming up move it up do it right then and there um and then depending on whether it's the

055skill set of someone in-house um I do a lot of like contracted services I think um like functional behavioral assessments are really important transition assessments tell a lot vocational assessments tell a lot like if they're at a prevocational level um I wouldn't say that I fight to keep them I say I fight to make sure that they're in the place where they need to be and that is based on the data. And so you have to have good data and then I advocate that they are somewhere where they can get what they need. It's not always here. Vocational education is amazing. It's not for everybody. >> Thank you. >> Anybody else? You want to make any >> I I think you've learned as much about me as I you you could have tonight. Um I'm

056very excited. It would be an honor to come join this team. Um, yeah. >> Thank you, Amy. >> Thank you very much. >> Thank you again. >> Thank you. Okay. So, ladies and gentlemen, we have all had our questions hopefully answered. Uh um she's a very strong candidate. So, uh I um if anybody else has anything else to say, please say it now. Otherwise, I will call for a vote. >> Quick question, Bobby. So, there were three candidates for this position. The Tony, and this is why you picked this over the others. Who were the other two just out of curiosity? >> Um u one was George Clement um who is the former principal in Minan and is currently the executive director for Lab Collaborative. Um and the other candidate was Bethany Keane who is

057the current uh support services department chair here at SH. >> Any reason why her over anybody else? >> Uh it really came down to experience. I mean, she's she's done this job for a dozen years in a school that has like a 50% special ed population. Um, I mean, I think everybody's familiar with the communities that comprise Minute Man. Um, you know, she's obviously had some experience dealing with with difficult conversations and and and parents and u liaons and advocates and all of those things. Um, honestly, I I think um I came down to the final two candidates. I think both of them are capable of doing the job and I just I felt more comfortable with somebody that has done it for more than a decade and I think um brings a an interesting

058and and outside perspective to what we do here. Um you know one of the things I mean um Mr. Albert came from the outside has made some pretty substantial changes in the department and I think has made some pretty robust improvements. Uh Mr. Carlson has come in to lead the guidance department. Um I think he's done he's done good work over there. Um >> good thing >> Mr. Pigeon came to I mean Mr. Pigeon came back to us but he came to us from Whittier. Um I think he's brought a different perspective that's really helped the team you know so Miss Johnston um you know again came from came from a comprehensive school setting but like we've made a lot of progress in in our academic programming. Um and I think that you know she

059was kind of a change agent. those sometimes having somebody and again I think I think this Peralt said it tonight sometimes you bring that lens and it's just a little bit different. It doesn't mean it's better but it's you know then you ask questions that are different because people that have been here for a long time we're I think we are all guilty of it our personal lives and our professional lives you get used to the way it's done. Um, so yeah, it was it was it came down to experience. >> Thank you. >> Any other comments from the >> I understand the search was done differently, but the hiring committee did they they presented three, but was there any I mean, maybe we can't go into that, but was there any with the candid

060that was chosen? I mean, I understand the business manager was a different process, but I guess I guess to build off of Bob's asking, was there any alignment? >> Like they presented three candidates. Was there any concerns with the candidate that was presented first from the hiring committee? Maybe we can't. >> There was no concern. >> None. None whatsoever. >> No. In fact, not that I'm aware of. >> To the extent that there was a ranking or whatever, it was almost dimminimous differences >> between the candidates. I think we felt that any of the names that were sent forward >> um could could be successful with very different backgrounds. And um I'll speak for myself, I found the the input of the members of the special education staff in particular to be really interesting and

061I learned and just a lot about the building, listening from them. And this is a difficult situation because when you when you have a a department that is working so well and things have gone well um um there's obviously you know some uh some tension involved in that. So I you know I understand the the um recommendation that's being made but I think yeah in sending those names to the superintendent there was a sense of these are all these are three really strong candidates. We're lucky to have this pool because we've all been involved in procedures around here. We didn't have the depth of of people that we did on this one. >> I I'd concur with Brian. >> Thank you. Thank you for your work on this. Hearing no more discussion, I will now

062entertain a motion to enter Amy Peralt's name into nomination for the position of director of support services. Is there a nomination? >> So move. >> Is there a second? Second. >> Second. Motion has been made and second. I will then call for a roll call vote. Miss Huberty, >> yes. >> Mr. O'Donnell, >> yes. >> Gillis, >> yes. >> Fury, >> yes. >> Mford, >> yes. >> Shot. Yes. 90 on the affirmative. Amy Perau has been hired as been hired as a director of support services position at Shashene Tech commencing on July 1st. >> Yep. pending contracting contract successful contract. >> Thank you, Tyran, for having my back. We will then discuss that in a future item on the agenda. Thank you. Um, do you want to take a short recess? >> We can. The

063next candidate scheduled for 8:00. Um, do we want to >> ask your question about how that happened or >> it was just a different process that was >> Oh, yeah. No, you look Let the record show. >> Josh, can we um do a short intermission to let people get up? >> We'll take a short recess. The chair will recess the meeting at uh 7:54 and the record show Miss View entered the the room. Miss View just in time for the good still. Thank you. Okay, we uh I'm calling uh back into session tonight's um school committee meeting of of May 14th, 2026. Uh at this point here, we are going to interview the candidate for the position of business manager. We will discuss as we did our candidate for support services uh questions committee will

064be able to ask and uh and then we will discuss um our potential vote. So at this point here the candidate is thank you Hi, >> how you doing? >> Nice to meet you all. See a couple of you again. Um, so it is my uh pleasure to formally recommend Mr. Ian Goslin for the for consideration as the next business manager Josh Valley Technical School. Mr. Chair, I'll turn it back to you. >> Thank you, Mr. Goslin. Um, we will be asking you a series of questions, but I at this point here would like you to, if you choose to make an opening statement. >> Sure. Um, I got some little notes, but uh just to keep me on track, but I didn't I didn't print it all out. Um, born and raised in Lawrence,

065two educators. Um, went to Lawrence High, ended up going back teaching in Lawrence, taught Lawrence for 11 years. One brief I took six months off and went taught Southern California, but other than that, 11 years teaching in Lawrence. Um, mostly eighth and ninth grade inclusion classes, uh, science, special ed. Well, I wasn't a special ed teacher, but I had inclusion classes. Um, and then I moved over to um, as somebody would say, the dark side to administration. And, um, I became the assistant principal over at the Giltt Middle School, which is right in the middle of the Hancock projects in Lawrence. And um I was there for about five years which time I did go out to North Middle Sex Regional High School for one year as the um headmaster and the commute was killing

066me and a position at the Tenny Graham School which in Mthun which was a half a mile from my house opened up. to the supervising principal of a school of about 1,400 kids um about 150 staff members. Um so I applied for that and I got that. I was there for three years and two of those three years the superintendent kept asking me to go take the masol program. I guess certified to do business. Um, which I did. And after three years as principal, she convinced me to take over the school business manager job, school business administrator, whatever you want to call it. Fast forward, that was about 11 years ago. Fast forward, say seven, eight years ago, they decided that um they were going to give me transportation and they were going to give

067me facilities and they were going to give me a bunch of departments um added to my slate. So, they changed my title from school business administrator to assistant superintendent. No extra money, no extra nothing else. Um just a title change. I'm not interested in titles. I don't care what my title is. Call me Ian. Okay. So, um, that's where I am. I've learned a lot where I am. Um, I I will backtrack just a little bit. I, um, I did serve four years on Mthoon School Committee. Um, I did serve, um, forget it was two or three years as a treasurer at the Lawrence Teachers Union. Um, I've had kids. My second child went to the great Lawrence Oak. I'm a proponent of vocational education. I don't believe education's cookie cutter. Not Not all kids

068need to go to college. Not all kids need to go to military. You know, they need to do what fits them. So, I'm a huge proponent of that. I'm ready for a change. Uh superintendent in Mcthan resigned. They're looking for a new one. It's time for them to bring in the new leadership team with the new superintendent. I figure this is a good opportunity for me to, you know, go out and see what else is out there. I have been interested in chashing tech for a while. I did apply a while back to be uh principal and I lost out to Miss Cook. Uh um and so there she is. You left. >> She's um so this is the first time I've been in this room. So um I welcome any questions. Uh the first

069I will tell you the first roundabout in the interview um it's a little scary for me to be honest because everything was what's your experience with vocational this or regional this and and I'm like h well I've never been really in the business office of those. However, I did my homework. I think I did my homework when I left and I realized that a lot of what they're asking me I do anyways. I just call it something different. So hopefully I have answers. Um, I like to present. Well, I like to think of myself as approachable. Uh, straightforward. I'll be the first one to tell you I don't know if I don't know and I'll go find the answer. Um, I'm not better than anybody else. I'm not on a power trip. Um, so I'm

070here to work hard. I think hard work and honest communication is how you get things done. And uh, >> welcome to any of your questions. >> Thank you, Ian. >> Thanks for having me. Um Charlie and I had the pleasure to meet you before during the interview process, but I'm going to ask you, what do you see as an area of growth of the business office here at Joshua Tech? Um through my homework, I found out that you guys still sign POS. Um it sounds like it's really paperheavy. Um and I actually got a question on the first interview about using Munis to kind of streamline, make it a little bit more efficient, signing off on approvals, etc. electronically. I mean, I think from what I understand, be using munus for a while. I think

071that that's lowhanging fruit, a matter of getting them out there to set the system up, train us. I mean, I I think that's a no-brainer. Um, having read through your audit and um, you know, talked a little bit. Um obviously something needs to be you have to pay attention to cash and uh reconciling you know and I get I asked that I got asked that question in the first interview and wrapped around the regional and vocational I was a little skittish but um in Mthoon for years we were on the city and us were on different financial systems so every month we had to reconcile every account and when I say every account we're talking the general budget as well as every grant every revolving account, food services, um we had to reconcile every month.

072If you let a month go, you you're asking for trouble only because it snowballs. It snowballs. Now you're looking back. All right, was the error this month? Was it last month? I found a lot of times the error is when the deposits are sent well when the deposits are sent to the bank or sent up to the city. You know, we send it up on the 30th of the month. So, we're posting it on the 30th and it's not hitting the bank or the city until the next week. And a lot of times it's just a time difference. So, I I now our accounts receivable I tell them not to send anything up the last four days of the month. Wait till the first of the month, send it up. We make sure everyone's posting

073in the same month and uh it it avoids a lot of um issues. So, >> sounds good. Having not met all the business staff or actually worked with them, um I I can only go on what I've seen and what I've dug up. >> Um but I'm also not I'm not coming in to redesign the to redesign the whole world. Uh um I need to see the culture. I need to see how things are working now and really look for those efficiencies and you know opportunities to cross train. I don't know how much cross training you guys do, but like my accounts payable girl right now is working doing um receivables. So that should one of them be out or somebody has to take a vacation, there's there's somebody who can also do it. We

074have two pay payroll girls who one does professional status staff, the other one does um non-professional staff and but they know each other's jobs. So that somebody's out the world doesn't stop. So >> thank you. Well, I'm going to start on this side. Gwen can have something. >> Um, yes. So, welcome. Um, I, you know, we've had some issues in our business office, which I'm sure you're aware of. And I'm just curious in your current role and maybe in one of your previous roles. I'm assuming in your current role is where you were you've done most of your business office. >> All of it. >> Okay. So, uh, can you tell us about like either like a financial or operational crisis that you managed and how you how you got how you fixed it. >>

075I don't know which one I would tell you about. Um I'll go there even though I wasn't planning on it. Um back in FY uh FY18 um the district went a deficit. um superintendent hired positions that were cut from the budget and there wasn't enough oversight on where when those positions getting cut. So I saw it coming. I saw well I saw it during budget season and kind of let the right people know. Um, and then mid mid year I went to the vice chair because the mayor and the superintendent were telling me they had a plan and I didn't believe them. And when things go bad, who do you look at? The finance guy. It's my my butt on the line. So, I did go to the vice chair and I said, "Hey, just

076let you know superintendent's planning on going in the hole by this much." I had it almost to the dollar. Um, and she's going to tell you that it's all for special ed. It's all for all the for things that nobody wants to cut and that wasn't accurate. So the whole world came in Department of Ed, Department of uh Labor like came in, investigated everything, sat through um Jay Sullivan, investigated the whole thing. I was found nothing, no malice on my part. um superintendent was left shortly after. Um however, I still have the trust of the staff. I still have the trust of the school committee. I still have um I did send an email to my school committee to let them know I was a finalist here. Um so I wanted them to hear from

077me, not from anywhere else. And um six of the seven reached out and asked me how they could get me to stay, >> you know, and um they I my office is a it's a cliche open door, but literally I have two doors in my office and they're always open and it people coming in constantly. I always ask school committee, you have a question, come ask me. You want to go over the budget, come, you know, if you see something on a warrant that you don't understand, call me, text me. Um, I I pride myself on getting back to people and talking to people. Um, getting them to the answers need. You need to when you're dealing with other people's money, you need to be as transparent as possible, you know, and I mean, that's

078my goal. And like I said, if I don't know something, I'm going to find the answer, but I'm going to be transparent about it. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. Thank you, Kent. >> Yeah. I guess just what's your kind your plan for like I mean you kind of touched upon it like you're an advocate for uh vocational education but it is kind of a different animal as far as I guess what's your plan to kind of >> learn I mean like you said you have the building blocks and a lot of it is the same but there is some key >> Oh absolutely I'm going to I'm going to need to take some classes I know there's a class that they're um >> they're offering the state's offering it meets twice once on June

07918th and once on September 24th and it's specifically around EMD. Um, you know, I hope to sign up for that and take that. Um, because that's just something I haven't done. Um, I don't think it's necessarily going to be brain surgery. You know, it's just it's the unknown to me right now. Um, I've already reached out to the school business administrator over at um, Northeast Tech. Uh, he left Melrose and went to Northeast Tech. Um, so he didn't know what he didn't know. So, I'd be going through a similar thing with him and he's offered to, you know, work with me, sit down with me, go over things with me. Um, you know, but I'm also open to absolutely any help, any suggestions. Um, I know I'm going to have to learn. Um, I think

080I could do it. I think, actually, the more homework I got, the more homework I did, the more excited I got. I was like, I'm ready for this challenge. I'll just follow the other Gwen kind of touched upon it. It's pretty obvious, but it's we're coming in while still in a challenging with a lot of moving parts. I guess what's going to be your plan to kind of you know, like you said, there's coming into a business office that has certain ways of doing things and you can, as Gwen said, you can you've done your homework on what you've seen. So, I guess what's kind of plan to hit the ground running? >> I need to be meet with everybody. I need I they know everything I don't know. You know, the only way I'm

081going to get it from them is by talking to them. You know, whether it be individually, groups of two, however they're comfortable. Um I got to sit down and say, "Hey, what's working, what's not working, you know, what are the issues, what the you like, um give me a little, you know, and it's going to take them a while to come up to me." Trust. It takes a while to build trust especially when you know you've lost it or but they've I'm going to have to learn from them and I mean face to face approachable you know I I'm I'm not a I got you guy like I was just thinking about um we created this I know you guys are Google district >> Microsoft so sorry >> sorry uh With Google, you can Google

082share share the docs. Same thing with Microsoft. >> Yeah. Oh, you can. All right. So, anyway, I only use Excel for the most part. It work >> but in my business office. So, like I kind of So, I used to keep track of all the utilities. So, every building, every every month, you know, all all the meters, whatever. I know how to do it. But, you know what? Somebody else needs to know how to do it. So, I dial back to my teacher days and it's like, you know, okay, I do it. So, I I brought in my accounts payable girl and said, you know, let's show you. I'm going to show you how I do it. Now, we're going to do it together and now she does it, but it's all on a shared

083Google sheet so that I can check it, she can check it, you know, I can look for errors. Um or she has a question, she can say, "Hey, can you look at you know, and um I find I mean Google has been my friend in a lot of areas, but um it's those kinds of things that I think there's I'm willing to bet there's a lot of areas to use technology to make us more efficient." So, um I don't know that as a fact because I haven't really been into them, but um we just scanned all our special all our IEPs. Um, so they're all in a they're all in the cloud. They're all secure. We don't keep files anymore. Those are um we just scanned all our HR documents. So everybody has their own

084profile in frontline where all their documents are attached. It automatically sets up, you know, an alert, sends them an alert when they know their certification's going to expire, you know, things like that. So it's like streamline efficiency through technology and you know training. >> Sarah, >> so so I'm curious about your transition from being an academic um principal, dean, whatever to business and and how that went for you and and the thinking behind that. I mean, clearly you said somebody asked you to sort of take courses or what not, but was it a good move for you professionally? >> Sitting here now? Yes. Um, when I first moved, I hated it. Um, I'm a people person and um, I miss seeing the kids. I miss seeing the parents. I miss standing out there at bus

085duty. Believe it or not, I miss lunch duty. you know, like I just I miss seeing the everyday hustlebustle of of a school. Um, actually when I was principal, they they used to rotate who got summer school, you know. So, we have five four gram schools and they would rotate. One year would be the marsh, one year it would be the 10. So, when I was principal, I would go to the superintendent and say, "Can we please have it again?" So, the three years I was there, we had summer school because I mean, what's the point of being in school if there's not kids, you know? So it was hard at first where I wasn't getting that but I found the opportunities to go out and you know go visit the principles you know what

086do you need what don't you need don't you know I I found opportunities to go out there and the more I stayed there the more comfortable I became and the I mean when I took over transportation and I took over uh facilities now I'm not lack talking to people um I notify I I notify parents I call parents. I deal with complaints. I So if you'd asked me 10 years ago, I would have told you it was a bad move. Right now, I think it was a great move. >> And it was 10 years. You've been in your >> I've been doing this for about 11 years. >> I might come back. >> Charlie, >> can you walk us through the development of the process for the of a budget for uh start to finish?

087>> Yeah. Well, you got to start with the stakeholders. I mean, you got to get your department heads and your your shops and your and and you got to I hate to use the word wish list, but get their wish list because we know sometimes it's a wish list. Um, you know, you have to start there. Then you have to meet with them and go through and see what is a need and what's a want. I'd be I'd be wondering if um I was looking through your FY27 budget as well as your 26 and um I had seen the the capital capital budgets and I'm wondering like you guys have it out till like FY30 certain things you know what kind of documentation do do you guys have to like say hey you know we

088have a maintenance truck that's got 147,000 miles on it it's due next year like is there a things documented so you can go and look and say, "Hey, you know these or is it I'm hoping it's not year to year, but maybe it is. Maybe we need to put a process in." Um, but again, the budget process, you need to go to the source, find out what they need, what they want. Um, you also got to look at like class size, you know, um, you know, maybe, you know, maybe there's English classes that are running eight kids a class and well, you could probably do it with one less teacher and have 12 kids per class and still be in a good place. is there's always areas for savings but um so get it from

089there you have to come to some kind of consensus um obviously meet with the um the budget subcommittee you know and go over all those needs at some point you got to bring it was it January the deadline to get it to um yeah I mean I mean right now I'm sure you guys see the news like we're in a a budget mess right now um and We're constantly I literally sat down today and had to cut I don't know $800,000 in in staff, you know, and we're going through every program and saying, you know, well, can this second grade classroom go up to 23 kids? can this kindergarten class go up to, you know, and those are tough decisions and that but it's part of, you know, part of the budget process and um

090at the end of the day when you have what you think is a a final budget, I envision myself, the superintendent, any other department heads or reviewing that document together to look for errors, to look for mistakes, look for any things that might might better represented a different way. You know, just, you know, I was I was I don't know who did your budget, but I went through the FY27 budget and as I'm reading, I'm thinking to myself, oh, well, I would have done that this way or I would have done that just, you know, the way I think doesn't make it the right way, you know, but I would totally envision having as many people look at it before it actually goes public just to, you know, prevent any mishaps. It's good, Patty. >>

091Okay. Um, I'm never mind. I was going to say something fresh to you. >> That's okay. >> Because I can take it >> because you keep calling the women that work. >> I'm sorry. You know what? I thought of that. I'm like, >> you can't do that. >> I was gonna do that later. I don't know why I just Okay. And >> all right. Um, November state report. End of the year report. >> End of the year report. How often are you late or how are how important do you find that you should be pretty much on time with that report? >> I feel like it should be on time. Um I can tell you that every year for the last five years I ask for a 30-day extension. >> Um sometimes I don't get

092all the numbers from the city side, right? So, I'm usually chasing down couple numbers around uh short-term bands or circuit breaker reimbursement and things like that. So, usually I just ask Jay for a 30-day and I've always had it in before October 31st. So, that's it's due it's supposed to be due September 30th. So, um, what I did do though, whether you want to look at it or not, um, I did grab what I could, last five audits for the end of the year from Mthan, and I noticed they're written, they're they're the same company you use now, but they're written differently, but if you wanted to peek at them, um, FY20 might be the most worth looking at because it actually has some, um, recommendations Um, and there's no sense in having an audit

093do and getting done and getting recommendations if you're not going to do something about it, you know. So, um, usually when they do the end of the year report when they bring, you know, like there was once that I I actually have been keying it myself for the last four years. So, I I do all the data entry. I pull all the reports. Um it used to be done by um a staff member, but as soon as they say, "Oh, looks like you you put in this transportation cost twice." I go in and I do an amendment right on the on the website right away. So you'll see actually see in here that they sites not it's not really a site. They they give us a recommendation and then the last line says an amendment

094has been done for this already. So it um but I will pass this around. I don't have 25 yet. They're still working on that. But if you if you if you're interested, if you're not, just pass it right back. >> How involved are you in Well, as you mentioned, we do paper POS. All right. >> And someone enters something. >> And so if it turns red, that says the account I work. >> Yeah. Oh, good. says the account was uh over >> spent. >> Does that person who put it in tell you or did they override it themselves or how would you like that to be done or how how I know how it should be done but how would you say it should be done? We had it when we we've only had ununice

095I think this is our third year we have FY 24 25 26 um when we set it up um I'm the only one that has so if there's a secretary or somebody putting in something that is overdrawing a line they can't >> so then I get a phone call and say hey I can't put this PO I said well that's a problem then so either we need to move some money >> or you know we got to figure it out so Um, nobody should really be overriding it, >> you know. >> All right. >> And I apologize. I apologize for that comment, those comments. >> First, thank you for coming. Um, just quick questions. You're going to be working with a lot of different people on budgets and different things. How do you how what's

096your strategy for, you know, getting a good working respect to all these people? How do you deal with disagreements. >> We're all going to have as long as it's a professional disagreement. You know, that's okay. We're here to disagree. You know, you're going to see it one way, I'm going to see it another way. It's not personal. I don't get angry. Um, you know, sometimes you have to try to convince them. Maybe you can't. Um, but it's never I've never been in a situation where like I've lost my temper or you know said something snide or um I recommend you watch school committee meeting Mthun just just once and um you can see you see how well I hold my tongue um you know not and and I I shouldn't say that because the school

097committee has been absolutely good to me. They they they never give me a hard time. date. However, sometimes it's tough to hold it. Um, but yeah, I I don't foresee any issues working in groups, finding consens consensus, you know, maybe maybe maybe it's not black and white, maybe it's gray, you know, maybe we can find something in the middle the way everyone's, you know, everyone can feel like they got to win. >> Thank you. Yes, Bob said. So, we have five sending towns and all five have fin ways and means committees that are pretty upset with us right now for varying reasons. Some reasons, in my opinion, more valid than others, but some reasons extremely valid. >> Um, they all want a lot of answers. They all want a lot of um they want more

098involvement than they've had historically. Um, and they are feeling very uncomfortable with our processes that they're not convinced that we've done the work we need to do to fix things. We've done work we haven't in their mind. A lot of them are not going up. >> Um, how are you going to work with five towns who are all going to come at you next March with a ton of questions? >> Well, if next March is the first time I meet them, I haven't thought. >> Yeah. Um, I would I would envision going and saying, "Hey, I'm the new guy of the block. Tell me what's wrong, you know, and that's their opportunity where I'm not to blame. No one else is to blame. Like, tell me what's wrong. Tell me how I can help fix

099it." And at least build that relationship where again, I might not agree with everything, but you know, listen to them. Probably a lot of valid points. At least to them it is anyways. regardless. Um, have to meet them and and see where they're coming from. And so when March rolls around, we still might have disagreements, but hopefully they're not going to hate me because at least we have a working relationship, you know, um, and hopefully build built some of that trust, you know, and you know what, they they want a little more input. Well, maybe they get a little more input. I mean, yeah, paying the bills, you know. I mean, >> thank you. You're welcome. >> All right. >> Um, thanks for being here. Um, one question regarding the department that you currently oversee.

100How many men and women are assigned directly to work under you? >> Assigned directly. So, I oversee food services. So, I oversee the director, the assistant director, but then under them is >> Sure. you know, 54 cooks or, you know, um I oversee facilities and maintenance. So, I have um a head of facility and maintenance and then 56 custodians under them. Uh roughly um the business office, I have two payroll, I have an accounts payable, accounts receivable, and I have a a secretary. Um so, that's I mean I work with them every day. Um trying to think what other departments I Well, I am the transportation department. So there's that. Um I think that's it. I mean I do a lot more. I also oversee facility rentals as well as the ice rink, >> you

101know, and everything that goes along with that. Um so quite a few people at the end of the day are under me, but I like to say I work with them. It makes my girlfriend crazy when we go out and just people say, "So, what do you do?" I said, "I work for the school department." "No, but what do you do?" I said, "I work in the business office." She's like, "Just tell him you're the assistant superintendent." I'm like, "No, because I'm not into titles. I like No, I I work with these people. They they don't necessarily work." >> Have you um in your Mun years had any need to deal with the Mass School Building Authority project? >> Um not an actual project. They did come in and review all our s all our

102buildings, all our systems, looked at our HVAC and all of that so that they come up with a comprehensive report on how well or how unwell our buildings are maintained. Um, so we did work with them and those inspections. Um, but I haven't actually done a building project with them. Uh, we just I don't know if it's public yet. We just got a grant from um, Mass Green Communities, whatever it is. So, we're looking to put uh all new heat pumps and CDC controllers. I hope that means anything to any of you. Um, but it's an overhaul of all the uh heating system at one of our grandma schools to the tune of about $1.7 million. So, we just got notified of that yesterday. It was supposed to be a press release today. So, hopefully

103it went out before I said it on TV. >> If I may, just one followup to to Terren's question. um in in deal as I'm sure you do in the city have to deal with your city council >> finance department. Um how do you deal with the situation where maybe somebody's encroaching on more the educational end of the system or you because they're secondguessing how something is done educationally or whatever the case may be. Um, I'm sure you're diplomatic and handle a little, but uh, >> honestly, um, they're entitled to their opinion. Um, at the end of the day, I mean, they they're going to vote on our budget. So, I mean, I it's not worth it for me to beat them up because they, you know, um, they want to control more than they

104can. You know, it doesn't necessarily stop what we do, right? Yeah, we're still going to go and do what the school committee re actually I'm a member of the charter commission um which I don't know if that means anything. So the one has a city government called charter and it's recommended that it be reviewed every 10 years for any changes whatever hasn't been updated since 1994. So they got together a committee. I'm the sole school department representative on board seven. It's a it's a public committee just almost like a school committee um televised meetings etc. Um I am the one school department voice and everyone else for the most part are city councilors, mayors and there's there's a real tug of war. I'm trying to hold my ground because they're really trying to I feel

105as though they're trying to deplete the authority of the spook committee, you know. So, professionally, I I do it and but you know, sometimes it's a 61 vote, you know. Um, and I put my I put my concerns on record in a very professional and, you know, tactful way. Um, and there's never been any tension or but you just have you you have to stand your ground without being nasty, you know. >> Thank you. I deal with that a lot. >> So my questions, I don't know. I have a few, but so my questions you you've touched upon a lot. One of them was what Taran said. You know, we're going through these budget processes and we're we're really getting beat up. So definitely having the the communication piece from the towns and I and

106I I agree like you said if you're meeting them at town meetings or budget like right there's a there's a problem. Um I think this is something that we need to address like ASAP headon and they would really they they want to see that they're waiting on our next steps. Um so I definitely just want to put that piece out there that that's something that's very important to us. The sooner the better because them seeing me as an outsider still >> would probably benefit everybody. >> I think they're going to welcome you to be honest. They they want us to get this together. >> That's what I mean. So like it's >> you know at at this point I'm not part of the problem. >> No. >> You know what I mean? But you you

107wait six months now I'm part of the problem, >> right? >> You know. >> Um and also just like the regional piece. I think that's something I know you you're willing to like work on, but I think that obviously is something very new for you and and very important because obviously that's going to play a role in in all of this that's you know different as well. Um and so I learned something the other day even though I do have a student in Burlington as well. their um budget was 228 pages where of course you saw ours not that I think ours has to be 228 pages but I also think they're looking for more like I I'm think all the towns are looking for more but I know what I've been told from our

108ways and means that they're looking for more as well. Do you looking over our budget like you feel like there's definitely room for improvement there? >> There's always room for improvement. I mean no one's perfect. Um, I mean really it's got to like it's got to be a h happy medium. Like you you got to go ask and see what they want and see what's reasonable and what's not reasonable, you know. Um, was it maybe four years ago we had a school committee who wanted, you know, every staff member's name, what they're making >> like not names. I didn't see any names. >> Oh, we have I didn't look I didn't look close enough then. >> Yeah. No. >> Um, >> yeah. So, I don't know if we need to necessarily put names, but um,

109we do put a lot of, um, staffing detail in there. >> Um, is that the kind of stuff they're looking for or >> I mean, they didn't specifically say. I just noticed that, you know, versus ours to the And again, like we're we're a high school. They're, you know, they're >> K through 12. Like, it's it's different. I certainly don't expect them think they're expecting that from us. I think the jump I think they're looking for consistency and flow because you're basically going from multiple business man to an interm to now. So it's like I think the issue this year was it's kind of like won't use the term cobbled together but there's a lot of like things that are different and it's been raised what they used to. >> Yeah. They're used to and

110there's looking for consistency you know that like to your point multiple checks to make sure that it's all ties out throughout the book you know the level of details there so they can look year over year. I mean, this year is kind of a challenge, but I think that's you're looking at a department, you're seeing like change, you know, if it's, you know, 70% of that is percent of your overall schools instructional, like they're looking for the to know what those details are and the granularity for that. And I think that's >> I'm wondering I mean, the first thing I would ask them is that they they know a regional school district, a vocational school district that has a budget they like. You know, you don't always have to reinvent the wheel. It's, you know,

111you you like just use North. >> They can also flip that and say basically, >> so we want something similar to that. Well, okay. Well, I have somewhere to start. >> Yeah. Well, I think that's what we need to also like they can flip the script and also say what other schools other like for example, there's other ones that we could >> leverage and reference. So I think that's another thing where they're going to also say okay yeah I can give you feedback but I'm also going to look from the other side to say what is basically have you looked at other templates in the vocational >> or be able to go to them and say hey these are the ones who we we think would work what works for you like it's sounds doable

112to me >> Ian for you Charlie will echo this um you checked a lot of boxes in my opinion it's an understatement that this budget season has been rough Taran and I from BCO will tell you that there are times that I'm on this school committee going, "Why do I do this? Well, I want to talk to my wife and she's like enough and D." I I So anyway, sorry. I just I'm just spilling >> because I spent more time with Tony than I really want to, but that's another story. But anyway, I just appreciate all of us working and this we know that going down the road and we told the finance committee, especially Mura, we're gonna we're going to straighten the house out here and um so that's where we're at here. Um

113and I I think that um you know, we're getting through this finance committee's we're trying to work with you. >> Honesty and transparency. Soon as they think you're hiding something from them, you're dead in the water. >> You're not. And the book, >> you know, and the books the book and my tenure on this committee, this book has grown in size. You know, we just recently stated that I mean, yeah, we listed names and salaries only because Bara wanted to know that. Fine. We're not hiding anything. This is we want to tell you, but every year when we go in front of these people, they want something else and we try to find I know, you know, they ask you a fine tooth comb. So, um that's that's the document we have here. So, is

114anybody else have any follow-ups? >> Sarah, you're first. >> Yeah. So, I'm I'm actually curious. So you mentioned that you there's certain things about being part of a vote school that is going to be new to you in terms of dealing with finances and END is one of them. >> So what are there other ones that you sort of >> not really I mean the reconciliation I just I was thinking of it differently. Um I don't I don't I never reconciled to the bank necessarily. I reconciled to um the city which is who's reconciling to the bank on their end. Um so no not really. I mean it's the END. Some of the end of the year report may be a little different where it's um transportation reimbursement. We don't get transportation reimbursement where I

115am, you know, things like that. I don't it nothing overwhelming at all. It's just I feel like some of the terminology is is different for the same thing and I know there'll be some some little tweaks on actually I just saw another um training for end of the year report for >> vocational schools. >> Yeah. You had mentioned that was a followup. So you had mentioned something that you would be attending. >> Yeah. >> And what is that? >> Uh the first session is I believe it's a half day on June 18th and a full day on September 24th >> and specifically related to vocational >> specifically the END which is regional. >> Which is regional? Okay. >> Y >> okay. And are you confident you feel like you'll be able to understand it all?

116>> Yes. >> Uh did you want to answer that? What um financial software are you using? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, you're prepared to move us into the >> Yep. >> I am century. >> Since since I've done the end of the year report every year, I I'm pretty comfortable with the chart of accounts, the Department of Ed chart of accounts. Um I try to keep a good eye on uh making sure things are spent out of the right account so that when you report it out to the state, it's in the right area and those kinds of things. So, uh, yeah, I'm very confident and now I'm not going to tell you I'm an expert in mun by any stretch. But I am not afraid of it and I've been using them for the

117last three years. It's the only thing I have right now. So, >> okay. >> um, there was one other thing I just wanted. Do we have a do we have a budget for upgrading our system, our software systems and all that? >> There's a big increase in the 27th. >> 27. Okay. Um, and another thing to speak to echo what everyone else was saying about the town meetings. I I really think you need to be a little bit like a politician and you need to go to the town meet not well you have to go to the town meeting but I think I liked what you said about meeting with the towns early because if you've waited till >> March then it it's too late and they're going to be pissed off because we didn't

118get them something that they want in that book. So, um, playing a little bit of politics, I think, would serve us well. >> Well, first of all, something. >> However, I will try to never come across as a stuff. >> Yeah. >> You know, I don't want to be un unauthentic either. >> No. you know, >> just that you can have conversations with them and, >> you know, present our budget in a way that >> they're happy with so that we can get these things approved >> or at least respect me enough that they're not going to beat the crap out of me in public. >> Yeah. >> Do you know what I mean? Like, you know, may maybe they got to be, you know, disagree with me or whatever. Let's have that conversation on

119the side, you know. >> Okay. And I think conversations with the town managers are huge. >> Yeah. >> Because they they you know they they set what's going on. Anyway, Ken, did you have something? >> No, I just touched upon people touch upon I mean one thing that's been asked for and I think it's for potentially you and everybody in this room and super is is what the plan's going to be. So I think I echo that like you know and and basically what's the strategy going to be if you did start in this role to work with a lot of politics. >> I got to figure out what has to get fixed first. >> No that's what I mean. >> Yeah. But absolutely I mean >> but that's but that's one thing is like

120that is one thing just more less of a question more of a statement that has been stated by finance committees like what's the plan and my statement has always been these are the things we've accomplished and I've had my own arguments. I've said it's not like one guy in particular, me and him are great friends now. Not really. But point being is he used the word ad hoc and I took offense. I said maybe not organized as much but I don't think ad hoc. So I think that's what we need for next year going this year for next year is what that plan's going to be holistically >> and I think that is something needs to be put on paper and presented except in in building relationships with that would be something that >> and

121I I would love to a meet with the staff here um as well as meet with them to see you know what do they see as broken you like just from their point of view it may be broken but maybe they're not seeing exactly everything that's going on. I mean, I I kind of have to investigate the whole situation and, you know, come up with a plan. So, Brian, um, one thing I neglected to ask your when you were describing sort of the, uh, flow of services that are come under your ospaces, um, is human resources a completely separate function in the Mthuan system or does some of that come under you and >> it's completely separate. >> Okay. uh in in function they're separate. Their office is right next to mine. I meet with

122the HR director every day. Um usually around disciplinary issues, investigations. Um she needs another administrator in the room to do an investigation. she usually pulls me in or or vice versa. >> Okay. because we have had some discussion about whether we need to make that a distinction distinct function here and take it away from the >> well I will tell you that um probably 10 years ago the auditors told us we had to separate it >> and um that payroll could not because at the time I believe it or not payroll was under HR >> and they didn't like the fact that HR was pretty much deciding what people made and and paying them as well. There was no like checks and balances. So the auditors made that a a recommendation and and that was

123fixed ASAP. So now payroll falls under me and HR falls under the human resource director. >> Thank you. >> One more. >> So one of the key things we did and it's been recommended as a regional district was a hiring of a district treasurer. So to me that's a key function you know on day-to-day basis END like separating cyber affiliation separating for years like separating the accounting from the actual banking real world. So I guess can you just expand upon this is like a employee of the school committee and you know we think we did a pretty thorough job hiring. I just want to see how you go about work. I mean, it's part time, but how you go about building a relationship and kind of just talk like because that's a that's probably different

124than what you've seen. >> Oh, it's it's definitely different than what I've seen, but it's no different than talking to the accounts payable girl, you know, you know, >> shoot myself in the foot. Um, no different than talking to any other office member. Um, I would I would need to get on like a monthly um go over the reconciliations together. I did see in one of the audits that um not all the cash accounts were even accounted for. >> And first of all, you need an extensive list or comprehensive list of everything. And even if there's very little or no activity in and out of that account, needs to be accounted for every, you know, every month. Um so I mean I' I'd have to sit down and see, you know, what does she do

125now? What does she or he do now? Um you know, where where do they see the the gaps? What needs to be tightened up? How can I be a resource to them? I mean, I I I I feel that's kind of my role is to be a resource to other people so they can get the the heavy lifting done. >> Well, I think it's a key thing too is basically separating so that the district treasurer can present the bank like trust banking and present that so everybody has an awareness of what's going on to your point transparency and build build that trust and then the separate pieces >> more on the accounting and kind of the budget and you know budget to actual like preparing. So that's another thing I think we from a board

126oversight would have to work with with potential this I think that's you know thanks for this. Hey, thank you. >> And I think Ian, I always look for a business manager and an administrator that's very approachable um with someone who's in this building for a long time. And I don't I would like department heads to be able to talk with you, meet with you, um and be able to communicate with you. I mean, especially when we do budgets and that you would be able to, you know, um be able to handle, you know, accept the request or deny them and >> and everybody, you know, would be on the same page and they wouldn't be afraid to go see you and they weren't. That's just my personal pet peeve. >> No one's afraid to come

127see. >> That's what I'm saying. I know. I know. you've seen it at the largest scale in McDor. Here we are. We just one building here. >> Um so that's just things that I've noticed over the years and working with different people. Anybody else? Tin >> um talk to me talk to us about audits and do you have will you if we hire you can you bring do you have knowledge of some auditors you've worked with in the past that you've liked to work with? Um, I work with CBiz right now. Um, which is who you guys also work with. Um, I have a different representative that deals with me. I don't know if that's because they might split it off, you know, regional versus, um, and believe it or not, before that, who was

128it? It was um, well, the short story is whoever it was, the person I dealt with, her name was Rebecca Gamsy. CMS when we left that auditing firm, she went to CBiz and now I deal with her still. >> Yeah. >> Um I just personally and I think many members of the committee have the same thing. Yeah. I mean auditing is a very difficult task and and and I've talked with Kent who deals with this stuff and his job. But I know all of a sudden like they're the only their only business in town. I think it's kind of monopoly. I don't know. I mean uh there are other people out there. There are other people out there, right? I I had a conversation with the business administr administrator from Tritown and uh he uses

129a different >> okay >> auditor. I mean they're not technically a regional >> okay >> um the grand schools aren't the high school is. Um and I also talked to um the Tony Picone over at um Northeast and they use a different one as well. >> So that's good news because I >> and I I I don't I mean when I first heard the word auditor when I started I was like oh no like they're watching me. And like they they they could be your best friend of your worst enemy. I mean, we should rely on them more often to like help us with the END and make sure that we're doing it right the first time rather than planning all our errors afterwards, >> you know, things like that. I mean, something to think

130about >> be an ongoing discussion, not a once a year. >> Right. Exactly. >> Exactly. you know, and even if it's, you know, maybe you have C biz who does your your end of the year report every year, but maybe there's another auditor out there that, you know, you work with as like kind of a consulting, you know, comes in and helps you and make sure all your paperwork's done and your eyes are dotted, te's across. >> Sounds good. >> Just thoughts. >> Any other uh questions from anybody? Good. You want to make a closing statement if you choose to? >> Um, okay. just let me um I'm actually getting really excited about it. Uh the more I talk about it, the more excited I get. I think it's time for me for a for

131a change. Um change lifestyle. I mean, I'm on TV, so I'm not and I'm sure my boss is watching. So, um um lifestyle, life balance. Um this would be a good move. I am um pretty much 247 um you know, which which is okay. my phone never stops ringing and um some of the people on the first interview committee like I can't go to a restaurant on the phone without talking about bus stops and you know um or the budget or you know everyone has a you know a reason why the budget's the way it is. Um so I mean I'm looking forward to it. I I think I'd be a good fit here. Um I I don't have a whole song and dance. So um thank you for giving me the opportunity and I

132hope to hear from you soon. >> Thank you so much. >> Thank you. >> Those are those. >> Thank you very much. >> I'm just going to turn my Nice to meet you. >> Oh, thank you. Thank you. >> Nice to see you. >> The one thing >> on the committee. Sorry. >> Need water. >> Stay hydrated. That's it, baby. Tony, thank you for that. >> Um, yeah, that's great. I know Sally and I were very impressed by his presentation and uh his experience checked all the boxes. Um we had three people brought we brought out after the initial process we brought three people. So I don't know Charlie you want to add anything to that? >> No I just say I was very impressed with when we had the submit I was even more

133impressed with them today. >> Yeah >> because he answered a lot of questions we asked himself. Anybody else want to say? >> My only concern is that I just worry like we might I just don't want to end up here again in six months and >> I feel >> he said a couple things that I was like I'm not 100% sure on because the END is a big problem and he doesn't have the background in that. I know it's just one component of the job but I I do worry a little bit about that. So >> I think we'll be okay there. I know that was >> I mean I know he said he's going to take the >> concern. I know that's >> I like that he said that that you know he he

134was not afraid to say I don't know this and I've already found this solution and I mean I think you know we follow up you know we hire and we say you know we want to see that you've signed up for this class you know please report back to us about it when you go in June because you know we want to hear what you learn because >> you know we can always learn more about >> Thank you Tom a very experienced administrator in my opinion that's what we we're very happy to ide it's difficult this day and age Tony will tell you to find business managers to find superintendent you know so anyway that's uh that's where I >> um and I think Gwen's point is well taken um I thought hearing as much

135as a specific class hearing about establishing already apparently a mentorship relationship with somebody from a regional regional vote is important because I think that's something that hasn't always been done in the past. Um I thought that that was a good thing to hear that you know that and or inspo relationships that that was encouraging. Would it be ideal if somebody had, you know, MSBA experience as well? And we may have to think about how that affects, assuming we get to the point where we're fully fledged into a building project, how we may be less likely to rely on the business manager to do certain things in connection with this, you know, but uh otherwise I thought, you know, the approach and I thought, you know, as people have said there's clearly meeting some of the

136de needs and expectations of our member finance committees. >> Exactly. And they they're watching us and we keep assuring them and we're going to we're going to move forward. Not bad. But so I will annotate a motion. >> But I just for I think I think Gwen brings a good point. I mean it does check a lot of boxes as far as experience but there is some things like END which is a major thing. you know, going in the MSBA. I'm not entirely talking to people in my town probably the same guy like basically like that that is a big thing where they're kind of so that is you know those are two yes he's an experienced administrator but you're going into a cycle that's basically liked is a mess budget's got to be redone

137building relationships managing like I mean I mean maybe a different bet but I can tell you the people I've talked to they say the the business manager plays a key role in the MSBA. So I think that they have to so whether we want them to or not. So I think those are two things. So there is positives substantially but there is also you know um you know the D not having the vote background and not having MSBA. I mean, you kind of got to weigh the positive and but to Tony's point, there is >> other people it's a smaller pool and if you >> you said if the person's willing to learn and work through that, I think that's >> out of out of all the candidates we had, we had one that had

138vocational school and END experience and that individual had already >> accepted another position or done before before we even got the process. So, I mean, we did we did get a good what I think was a good response. We had a lot of people apply for the position, but if you're going to hold out for somebody that has END experience in a vocational school, I don't know that you're ever going to find somebody at the level. >> Tara, do you have something? >> I wanted to ask Tony why, and I'm not saying names necessarily because I don't know if that's appropriate, but why did you pick him over the others? >> Again, I and please Ron and Charlie jump in. Again, we're looking for somebody that was experienced. And while, you know, I I did

139kind of a checklist summary box of like, you know, we we wanted to have somebody with END experience. We wanted to have somebody that worked at a vocational school, we wanted to have somebody that had done MSBA. Um, but again, you know, going through that process, conducting the interviews, um, I will tell you, I talked to all four of his references and all four of them raved about how collaborative he was, how creative he was, how good he was. it it really um not just managing but like stretching grants and you know and being creative about how to how to finance different things that were needed in the city. Um, so I mean I think we from my standpoint, we originally went down that road from the experience point, but talking to his references, they

140all just talked about how dynamic he was, um, how willing he was to to work with with stakeholders and to meet with people. And like everybody kept going back to and I think he said it during his interview. He approaches stuff like teaching like I'm going to sit down with the finance committee and you know how do how do I get them to understand what we need to do as a regional school takes it as a teaching opportunity but also listens and and you know so again I I just thought there was there was a lot of positive feedback about it. >> Thank you. Well, I was agree indeed is my number one me rant rave about that and that was but none of the candidates really checked all the boxes someone did but it

141didn't happen that way. So when you're looking at even though that's my top priority I'm looking at all the other boxes who is the best fit and the like you said what they've been doing and he just seemed to and he he certainly appears like he's more than willing to learn and capable. Mhm. >> So that's kind of why I lean towards him as well. >> Okay. >> I forget if it was Sarah or someone else that asked him about like how he got into the role and was that you and you. He made a few comments and I was like, "Oh, that was a little like he actually sounded like he >> wasn't happy in the business role. >> A little bit reluctant." >> Yeah. So I don't know that kind of made >>

142but he loves it now. So >> and then like Patty said the girl comment I was like oh okay. But beyond that, >> that's Patty. >> No, I agree with you. >> We have people who will correct him quickly if that happen. >> I don't mind because I'm just But anyway, >> I understand. But then that comment about the >> the um you know, I think any it speaks to his his personality because you can tell he probably loves people. Yeah. Being out in the hallway. >> Right. Sure. And I think that's >> I wanted to sign him up for lunch duty when he >> get him in. Get him in the manager on lunch duty. Get him. >> Not a problem. >> Yeah. So, I mean, he definitely seems like he'll be able to

143make it work and get along with people and hopefully that type of attitude will be collaborative and >> Sounds good. >> I think I jump right in. What you think? >> And I appreciated his honesty. >> You know, I didn't like business manager at the beginning, but I do now. if I see a problem, I'm gonna say something. You know, you know, the whole story he told about the superintendent that was going to go over budget, you know, he didn't just wait and see what happened. He was proactive. He reached out to his school committee and let them know he was the finalist here. >> I like I like that honesty. >> Got anything else? >> All I was going to say is because he didn't have E and D experience, right? And I that's

144why I asked him about the timelines that you know >> do you make your timeline you know do you get your reports on time >> because there it's similar it's kind of >> it's very similar you know it's >> that was good okay I will accept a motion at this time for the position of school Ian Goslin for the position of school business manager second >> second by roll call Stacy >> yes >> Brian >> yes Bob, >> yes. >> Kelly, >> yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> Ken, >> yes. >> Glenn, >> yes. >> Chev, yes. 10 100 10 Ian Goslin has been contact nominated petition school business pending negotiation. Thank you, Miss Gillis. Okay. Thank you, folks. Item five is next on our agenda. >> Take a break. You want to take it?

145>> I say we get it done. Keep going. Let's do it. >> Thanks. Thanks. >> We're going to try to move on. Kent, I appreciate that. >> Thank you so much. Um, item five. Okay, here it goes, folks. Excessive deficiency certification. Um, I saw this a week ago Tuesday. I called it uh as we went on the uh the cable show, Taran, we called it Christmas in May. So, and everybody, you know what kicked me? It was kind of funny. We walked to the VAT. Everybody knew it before we did. Like, okay. So, anyway, >> anyway. >> Yeah. And and I had a couple people reach out to me about that. This is automatically sent to all the town managers as well. So, just for future reference, as soon as DOI certifies this thing, they

146let us know, but it also gets pushed out. So, I'm sure it was So, um, we know you would try this. You were tired of hearing from us. Charlie and I, you know, Charlie said, "No more, Charlie." But anyway, folks, I know it's, um, let's, let's hope we never see this problem again. The purpose of this memo to us from Tony, dated 51426. Purpose of the memo is to request that the school committee formally accept the department of revenue certification of the district excess and defic deficiency efficiency balance of 2,74,67245 for the current fiscal year is can someone read the motion please? I make a motion to accept the Department of Revenue certification of the district's excess and deficiency END balance in the amount of 2,74,672 and45 for the current fiscal year. >> Is there

147a second? >> Second by Sarah. We're just going to do it. All those in favor excuse me discussion. Sorry. Sorry. Quick clarification since I think we we know that there is we believe there to be a mistake a scribner's error >> in the number that came from do >> yes >> because either that or the uh >> thank you for >> class of 2026 has a lot more in their budget than we >> and everybody knows >> thank you um >> so >> thank you >> this is the number as presented by do however we are in the process of letting them know. I just want to get >> I did reach I did reach out to do um the our rep our rep was out of the office today. Um based on what we've

148been able to find so far, it appears that the number that we submitted um was 18,000 whatever it was. It looks like there was an extra six inserted into the piece when do entered it. I do not know if will re certify this. I do not know what do's process is. I do not know if they will correct this or they'll tell us that we have to wait until we certify the next balance. Um but again, I do have well I have an email that's not a call. I had an email into her. Um I hope to get back from her in the morning. She is usually very good about responding anytime we reach out. So >> Okay. And let's just to be clear, as far as we know, the number that was submitted to

149them was correct. Yes. And it's they're sending it back to us with the error. Just so that's clear. >> It it appears that it was a clerical error on do's part. >> We go from 18,000 to 180. >> It looks like there's an extra six that could dropped in there somewhere. >> And I know um >> I guess that leaves the question, why if there's an issue, why are we voting to certify something we don't know is accurate? >> So I guess that's the question. >> You need to certify all you can keep is 5%. If they if they make a modification to that, it's going to change the amount that gets returned to the sending communities, which is not what we're discussing tonight, which is not what we're going to vote on till the

150main meeting. So, at that point in time, that may change the the dollar figure that has to go back and what each for community's aotment would be. >> It will not change the 2,74,67245. >> That's the number we're >> Okay, we can't keep any more than that anyways. So if if they credit more money back to that account, it will increase the amount we have to return to the Senate communities. It will not decrease that amount. >> All right. >> Okay. But they've confirmed that the number basically >> they have not confirmed anything. I have not got a >> respon that's my point is are we confident? You're saying that's basically my point is the 2.7 can only go up. It can't go down. So that's my point is are we confident that that number

151they're saying is because there's back and forth. I I can't answer that because I do not have a I do not have a determination from DOI. That is not my decision. >> I guess that's my point. Why are we >> But we can't keep more than the 2,74. If it goes up because of this mistake, it's only going to be more money >> Back to the communities. This number isn't going to go up. If anything, it's going to go down, but it's not going to go up. So, I feel confident that we accept this number and move along. You're >> saying accept the number, but you might have to come back for a revote essentially. No, not on this. >> No, >> only on the amount of money going back to the town. >> Well,

152you don't get a vote on that. That goes >> Well, but that's the only >> number is going to be discussed at the May meeting in two weeks. >> All right. The motion's been made and seconded to um >> accept the Department of Revenues certification, the Indian amount 2,74,67245. All those in favor say I. I. opposed. >> Thank you. >> Do we have a count? I didn't see the count. >> I thought I >> Yes. four, >> five, six, seven, eight, >> 19. >> But, but I guess just to make a side comment, like we've all been talking about this for a year and we have yet to see a like I said, ask the business manager candidate, like the towns have been asking for a plan and they are right in the fact that

153it's not ad hoc, but what is the plan? So, it's the same thing with END. We keep saying this, but I have yet to hear what the plan is basically to fix where it went wrong. and what is the plan to fix it going forward? That is my ask. >> So, what I've been told by do is a lot of the stuff that's been showing up on these reports is timing. If we do not have an invoice to back up the purchase order by September 30th of the the corresponding year, we are not allowed to keep that balance that that it it gets impounded. It gets what whatever you whatever term you want to embargo there's there's a term for it. When we come back in the following year, if we can show that we

154have the corresponding invoice, then that money gets unmbared and gets added back into the END certification for the following year. So, we don't lose the money. What ends up happening is do says based on what you've submitted to us, we've determined you need X number of dollars held out or held back for these liabilities that you're showing, but you haven't shown us an invoice that they've been paid. >> No, I I I get that. My point is is like what are we doing as a plan? Like are we going to engage CBiz? Are we going to engage like that would be helpful to know in writing? >> I have a meeting with Department of Revenue, our representative and her boss on June 1st. Yep. I I I and I think I've responded to this numerous

155times. That is as soon as they would come in. It was as soon as they could make that work. I'm sure they're busy with stuff this time of year. I do not have an answer to that and I will not have an answer to that until after that meeting. >> Again, I I don't know what to tell you. I don't know how to fix this. If if I did, I would have fixed it four years ago because all I mean I've taken a ton of grief about this >> for years and I want it fixed and again if I knew >> we all we've all taken more this year than so it's been >> I want to have it fixed. I don't know how to fix >> but that's later but that's later in the

156topic too. That's one of the key things of everybody to understand in this room when this business manager starts if that's potential what the plan is. We expect a plan from administration telling what that plan is and that needs to be presented with the town. All the finance people and I everybody I'm getting sick and tired of getting phone calls and all this stuff and politic and I'm willing to do that but I got to know that people meet me halfway. So if I'm getting fed, sorry, I'm not going to use the word I was advised by Tara not to use the sword, so I will abide by that. But if we're doing this, I expect next year that I that that is what they've asked. What is the plan overall? So I'm willing to

157go and work with people and support and all that and go out and vouch, but I need that needs that is one of the key asks that they have asked for is a plan. >> Okay. But but let's let's because I feel like sometimes we talk and nothing gets done, right? And we're on the same page because we got beat up by the same people >> that there is asks and you you said it earlier, you know, their asks and we talk about that later. >> We will talk about it. we will be very clear and that will help form a plan >> and that I think because I when I talked to Tony I feel like there was a little miscommunication about what that ask was >> and we when we get to it

158we will just make sure that it's clear because I know that that's what you're trying to convey because we've talked about it a lot as well. >> Um and you're right those things need to be clear and hopefully we will all we may not but hopefully we Yep. >> We can be on the same page. And now I feel like after trying just to not misconrue, just be very clear of these asks, we we will we need to come up. You're right. We need a plan. But I think that we >> But also, Stacy, people need to also stop saying that these are we're creating rivalries with it. Like >> I know, but we're not. >> No, I I get that. But but I get that, but that needs to be also building that bridge.

159So people may think I'm nuts, >> but in the conversations I've had, that is a key thing. >> This is why we need our plan and we need to agree how we're going to get to our plan. >> All right, let's bring it back on the agenda. Let's bring let's bring it let's bring it. Okay, good good spirited debate. I love it. All right, folks. Item six. Item six is the fiscal 26 budget increase and transfer to the stabilization fund. And the purpose here um >> just just a little just a little explanation to this. Um I do not think it is my place to determine what this number should be. That's why this says insert amount. Um that is a committee decision. Uh we've been talking about, you know, we need we need $1.5

160million to pay for the feasibility study. Um again, we can you can you can go with the 1.5, you could go 1.75, you could go to two. I mean this this is completely and again this is something that the committee has to discuss and decide. If you go a little further into this or actually if you just read down through this this is going to be deposited into our capital stabilization fund. So whatever money we move into that capital stabilization fund we can use for anything that's related to building repairs, building upgrades, this project, hiring architects, paying engineers, other things like that. So I know and and again I I've played this whole thing out in my h in my head as well. There's some apprehension about taking all the money out of END and

161putting it into this account, which I understand, but I think if we're honest, the majority of issu the majority of short-term finance issues that we're going to run into are going to be related to this building. It's going to be related to heat, power, water, uh whatever it may be. So, in my mind, again, I think moving money into this and then once it's in this capital stabilization fund, it is a vote of this board. That's all that's required to spend the money out of that fund. If you move a lower amount of money and then and again END is only good till June 30th and then we have to start the certification process over. But let's say June 15th we have an issue. That means the committee has to come back together again. They

162have to vote to increase the FY26 budget again by whatever amount it is that they want to move. My recommendation would be to move as much as you are comfortable with into this capital stabilization fund because I really think in a short-term emergency it's going to be building and facility related. But that again that's just my opinion for this article or this um request. So would we Okay, if I read this correctly, we're not going to move the whole amount or >> you can you can completely update. I think I think I'd go with the whole number. >> Okay. But >> going going back to the earlier questions about the scriveners error >> at a do, >> does not that mean that that number could be at some future date >> reduced by roughly $100,000

163>> and therefore would it >> be it could be increased by that amount >> or it could be increased by that amount. But since it could in theory go either way, um wouldn't I be suggested to take at least $100,000 off of this number? That would be one thought. >> Devil's advocate, we only take 1.5 leaves us about 500,000 ballpark. Putting aside descriptive error in that 100,000, what happens to that 500,000 if we don't put it in stabilization? stays in the account and then once July 1st hits we have to go through the END certification process again um again and they'll look at you know what do we what do we have encumbered or what have we issued a purchase order for and again anything that we can't document or or provide an invoice or

164a payment record for will then be deducted from that end of year balance. >> I I think the answer we're looking for I don't know if you will have All right. So, let's say we leave $500,000 in that >> because we can leave it in there up to the 2 million or whatever, right? And so the next year when they certify it and we get all kinds of money left over, we still can only >> you can still only keep 5%. >> Right. And so that 500,000 might be gone just because >> it get returned to the towns, >> right? That's what I wanted to understand because I >> Okay. >> So, if we wanted to move everything except the 100,000, it would be about 1.9. >> I mean, obviously, we need an exact number,

165but >> but later, I mean, when you find out about that money, we could move it. Do we move B and D again or no? >> You could, but every time you do it, we have to send notification to the sending towns that we're increasing our budget. We and we we've amended our budget up by the amount that we plan to. So I honestly I think this should be a one-time thing. >> All right. >> Okay. >> So the cleanest thing to do is take the whole amount. >> I say take the whole amount. >> Okay. >> And then what happens if we take the whole amount and it gets lowered by 100,000 because of the scriers error? You have to find it somewhere else. >> Yeah. Then it's got to come from somewhere. >>

166It's gonna have to come someplace else. >> So I would say move 1.9. >> I mean again you could do 1.75 and leave $250,000. I mean this is this is completely the decision of the board. >> One to me. The reason I'm saying 1.9 is it seems a good compromise. that 100,000. >> It leaves the 100,000 if we need it, but it doesn't leave money on the table. >> 174,67245. >> Okay. >> I think we should take out the 100. >> Should I make a motion? >> Make a motion. >> All right. I'll make a motion that we move $1.9 million into >> the stabilization fund. >> Well, you got to you got to first you got to move it into the FY26. We got to we amend the FY26 budget. >> Read the recommended

167motion to make sure >> uh this is the >> increase to this. Go ahead. I make a motion to increase the fiscal 26 budget by $1.9 million utilizing the district's certified excess and deficiency funds and to approve the transfer of 1.9 million from the fiscal 26 budget to the district's capital stabilization fund. A second. >> Second by states. Any discussion? We all comfortable? >> Good. Sound good? All those in favor? >> I unanimous. Okay, that's fine. All right. So, let me just gather my thoughts here. So, if this goes one Okay. All right. Do down the road says, "Oh, yeah. We made an adjustment." I I do not think the do is going to amend this certification. I think they're going to tell us we have to wait for the next cycle, but >> Okay.

168>> I don't want to speak for them and I have not had that conversation with them yet. >> So, when they come in, I'd like to have that. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Well, I I hope to have an answer by that that piece tomorrow. >> And then June 1st is just to talk about what what do we need to do here to get >> it's an extra cautious move, but I think in light of some of the input we've received from our Sunday communities, uh caution perhaps is appropriate. >> Okay. So, we'll we'll Okay. Thank you, Brian. We'll um we'll air on this. Okay. We'll be cautious about that. Okay. Great. Item seven, folks. So now that we have the funds available and we've transferred them from ENV into our operating budget and into the stabilization

169fund, now this committee has to take a specific vote to fund the MSBA study from the capital stabilization, which is the word he is here. Again, um I put in here no less than 1.5 million. That's what we've budgeted. Um I I will defer to the committee if the committee wants to put wants to vote a higher number than that. That is that is your purview. Um again we I think we you know we may have to revisit this once we get information back from OPMs and project architects. Um I mean this is this is the best estimate that we have based on the information MSBA supplied to us. Um, but again, if people think that we should move more money than that to have a little cushion in there, that is a decision that

170the board needs needs to. >> So, as far as getting money from the town for the feasibility study, that's that's how it's gone. >> Yeah. >> If we approve this, we do not need to. >> I know. I understand that. I just want to make sure before apologize. >> You're fine. Just want to make sure that we're >> Yes. So based based on the results of the last two votes um I will be notifying both Burlington and Bill Ricka tomorrow um that we will be withdrawing our warrant article requests for those two meetings. Um and then what will happen um early next week I will draft letters to Bedford um Tukbury and um sorry Wilmington um and telling them essentially thank you for your support. Um you know we we found the funding source from

171our own uh excess and deficiency fund. Um we do not need the funds that you've allocated and then depending upon how they you know whether it was free cash or whether it was a stabilization fund then they can return that money back to their coffers. Um, and they don't we we will never be out asking for that. >> I know it's a new I know it's a mute point at this. I'm just curious what was the outcome with Turks on that vote. >> Uh, we still haven't I still haven't got an answer. Um, we've reached out twice or three times and again the last thing I heard from them is they were waiting for Department of Revenue to weigh in as to whether whether that was uh >> majority of two. >> Yeah. >> So,

172we have no as of yesterday. I still don't have an answer. >> We'll find out. Okay. So >> I was so shocked when the guy called the IR. >> So pending that answer will be depend on if you're saying thank you but no thank you. >> Yeah maybe yes >> well a several majority did support. >> And just to throw it out there I mean we went through this in our town so just everybody's aware it's a gamble. I mean our town blew $1.5 million. So we're not on good footing here when you're going into a feasibility study that most didn't support. So yes, we bypassed in high school. But my point is is like they got the support for the feasibility study. >> We really didn't. We're going to pay for it, but we're

173going to have to face off with the same people for the school. So we're not on a good foot here. So we're going with a big gamble. >> Okay. I know, kids. I know. All right. Let's just We're going to give it a shot. Here we go. Anyway, um okay. So the um if someone could read the proposed >> well you guys do we decide what's an amount of no less like the wording of the >> you have to have an actual dollar MSBA will not accept no less >> so and that's what they gave us 1.5 million is that from recent >> that was based on recent ones that they gave us >> at this point how recent >> August right >> since that was December well they gave us the information in August

174but the projects They're all now two or three years old. >> Yeah, I >> I think it's phenomenal. >> I Yeah, I have been concerned that the 1.5 number was a little low >> in the current marketplace despite a suggestion from one of our finance committee friends that there really hasn't been any uh inflation in the construction related world. Um I think that came from your town. >> I'm not sure. But anyways, there has been a significant amount of inflation in the construction related and this is construction related even though it's not construction services. I would think that maybe we want to go at least 1.6 or 1.7 just to be and we still run some risk but and we need and on fairness based on the way OPM companies work they're all going to

175know the number. >> Right. Right. If it's too, they'll know >> and they'll they'll compete a little bit >> on the on the number, but they're also not going to com they're not necessarily going to come in if it's a number that's disproportionately low. So, it's Yeah, because they've said from what I've heard talking to people is the OPM, they will come in even if they're going to lose a little money hoping they're going to get the bigger >> prize at the end of the day. Yeah. >> Yep. >> So, they don't mind lose gambling, shall we say, losing a little bit if it cost them more than what we're offering, >> right? >> But we still have to draw a hard line and say we're only going 1.5. That's it. And if you don't

176want the job, don't bother. >> Stick the 1.5 or >> It makes me hesitate that the numbers are a couple years old. I think I'd say 1.6. But I am not in the construction field. So >> those of you that are maybe there are others that know have a better sense of what the inflation is whether >> this is not something that's like >> what's the difference if you go higher and you say 1.6 and it ends up being 1.5 the other 100,000 just stays on the table. to Tony's point can be used for >> building. >> I just don't want to go too high because it sounds like the OPMs are going to to some extent >> shoot for the number what the number we have. >> I got a great too. I mean

177it's a good thing not just this year but future years because like to build some money in that fund as well for so that's so whatever money's left over is a good thing. So that should be going forward. I think it should be an allocation to that. >> We paid for the feasibility study, but we also have ongoing >> next year's END. We could transfer money in. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> So what do we want to do? >> 1.5 1.6 higher lower. >> It's like a game show. >> Well, again, if the money's going to come back, I do 1.7. >> Don't leave. Yeah. >> I mean, it sits in the fund. You're right. So 1.7. We move any authorized up to 1.7. It comes back at 1.5. It just stays in the account.

178>> We go out and do the bidding. We don't have to tell them we work at 1.7, >> but they'll know. >> They'll know. They'll know because >> they probably don't know. >> Different company. So, they're all trying to figure out how much lower is this? Is this company going to go do this? >> How about 1.6? >> Why don't we do this, Tom? You want to make the motion at 1.7? Does everybody comfort >> or 1.6? sex >> just a clarification this process um because Bob referenced the bid it's so called QBS or qualifications based system process so it's not strictly price it's a convergence of price and quality therefore and there's you there's I don't know there's probably half a dozen companies that are really active in the the school market like this,

179they their qualifications are going to look comparable. They might give you a little bit of wiggle room on on the price. You don't have any obligation to go with the the lowest price one. You can sort of mer you merge essentially your sense of their qualifications and the price. So they all know they have to stay kind of close together. >> It's the same group of companies like they represent SBA. It's like it's like >> Yeah, they're right. They're all MSBA approved and there's probably half a dozen to 10 of them that >> they probably are watching. >> I just don't know the number. >> So the company that's so this goes out they bid on this. Is there a committee that's put together to decide who goes who? Yeah, my understanding is we have

180more O we have more input and say in who we hire for an OPM and then I believe MSBA has or maybe I'm mixing them up. Well, we have more say over the architect and MSBA has more over over more more say in the OPM. It's one or the other. So, one of them I believe were given three votes out of 13 or 14 and the other one I think we kind of can >> lead the charge if you will for the direction we want to go in. >> Okay. >> But this sentence the building committee will >> Yeah, this this will absolutely go through the building committee. MSBA has a whole template, a whole process that we have to follow. There's not much flexibility we're going to have in this >> RFP and the

181whole thing is all kind of >> temp it's all stuff. Yeah. Are >> you the chair? >> He is. Charlie is showing >> up. All right. Thank you. >> We've had two meetings. Okay. Listen, >> there are OPMs that we met at the conference last November that are already emailing us. >> All right. Great. Let's stay on the track here. All right. So, um listen, let's let's stay stay focused here. What do you What do you want to do, Karen? >> I want to go lower, not higher. I want to I don't want them to if they do know what we have. I just don't think we should offer it up. >> I agree. >> You want five? >> 1.6. >> No, I want to get 1.6. >> I think let's go 1.6. >> I

182vote that the Shasheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District here Pry appropriates the amount of $1.6 $6 million from the capital stabilization fund for the purpose of paying costs of a feasibility study on behalf of the Shasheen Valley Re Technical High School located at 100 Cook Street Rick Mass 01821 including all costs incidental and related there to the study set amount to be expended under the direction of the Shasheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District School Building Committee. The district acknowledges that the Massachusetts School Building Authorities Grant Program is a non-entitlement discretionary program based on need as determined by the MSBA and any cost the district incurs in excess of any grant approved by and received from the MSBA shall be the sole responsibility of the district. >> Is there a second? Second. Second by

183Charlie. Discussion and none. All those in favor? What was non unanimous? 10. >> How come the uh when we did this motion at the towns, it was the word was allocates. >> It depends on which town you were in. >> Each each one had specific language based on the funding source that they that they provided to us. Yeah. And I and I think just so it's out there again um I think it was also some inconsistency with the town. I I know in some towns it was much clearer in the wording that they approved that END funding was a possibility and therefore any money they voted was possibly not going to be used. Some were clearer on that than others and some just kind of stopped. >> Okay, folks. Thank you. Um item eight. >>

184Item eight, folks. Uh >> I I asked Go ahead. >> Yeah. Um, and again, just just so every I I kind of wanted to be on the record. Um, I'm sure any of you that that have watched or paid attention to stuff, um, we have not I have not or whatever whatever term you want to use have not responded publicly uh to some of the suggestions that we've heard um from our local finance committees and ways and means committees. Um, I don't know that we necessarily have to have a real in-depth conversation about this. I guess that it's going to depend on where it goes. What I did want to share and because I don't know that everybody has seen this or heard this or been privy to some of the communications um based on

185the last communication that that we got that I got um which was Saturday May 9th um there's four things that this um >> who is it from? >> This is this is from a member of the Burlington Ways and Means Committee >> from Burlington. >> Yeah. who has been in contact with Wilmington and Bill Reka and Tperry and stood up at the Burlington town meeting on Monday and said that so these are the four targets goals whatever you want to call it. Okay. Um one clear budget document which key numbers and increases are self-consistent. We we are currently working on that um with the with the the no well with the amended budget vote in Burlington on Monday night and started the 30-day window for us to revise and resubmit the budget to our towns.

186That was a second town that had done that. Um so we are working on that. Um I have a meeting set up um on Monday with the president of TMS. I'm going to actually have him come in and um anyways so we we are working on that. That format needs to go back out. Um, we I got the message loud and clear. I think all of you got the message loud and clear. There's things in that document that didn't track correctly. We had two different people working on developing it. I don't know that there was the quality control that we needed to have. Um, I did have a conversation today with our district treasurer, Mr. Williams, and I asked him that when we do prepare this this next revision, draft, whatever you want to call

187it, um, I'm also going to ask him to look at it. Um, again, I think he's going to bring a different lens from the the revenue expenses side to make sure the stuff matches up. So, we do have a plan for that. >> It's a legitimate request. >> Yeah, I think it's a very legitimate request. The second one is to hire a permanent business manager. Um, the committee just voted um, you know, pending outcome of contract negotiations. We are moving forward with that. >> They, uh, a plan for establishing accounting and financial u, uh, standard operating procedures and resources. Um Paul has been working on that. Um I did connect with Paul again on Monday about putting something together that's a little bit more formalized. Um I know he's working on that. I I can't

188say exactly where he is in the process, but again we we will have an update for that as well as we move forward with this. Um and then the last one which um I'm going to be honest that I I had a different interpretation than I think um and I'll explain that in just a second. The last one is a plan for reconciliation of past accounting that'll give the new business manager solid foundation for success with resources to support that. When I first read that, I read that as the work that Jim Williams is doing um you know, as a district treasure trying to reconcile accounts, trying to get everything kind of up to date uh in having a conversation with um our two Burlington reps on the school committee. Um the intent behind that,

189my understanding the intent behind that was actually to have a third party come in and kind of do that and kind of validate um yes this everything this is the starting point everything is on par um you know that we we are certifying is not the right word but we're we're saying this is we we're establishing all these accounts and everything is where it needs to be. um as part of that um we are going to have to obviously find some money in the 27 budget um you know to allocate some funds for that. So um the chair and I have talked we have a budget subcommittee meeting scheduled before um the May school committee meeting. Um we may want to do budget and facilities start capital planning as well. We might might make sense.

190>> The 19th, I think it was. >> We 26th, I think. >> Yeah, we're not going to go the 19th cuz Taran and I are going to go to Bucka Town Hall. >> I had that one on my schedule, but we moved it to the >> We're going to do the 26th and I'll get the notification out. And we may invite everybody. You say you want to invite facilities to >> facilities, capital planning. >> I mean, we may I mean, part of this is we may want to look at some of the capital stuff that we have in there and make some changes. >> I'm I'm good with that. Yeah, because we >> it may make sense to just >> correct. I I know when when Tony get a >> 26 at five or six

191o'clock. >> Start at five o'clock. Well, >> wait. Five o'clock. Okay. >> I Yeah. Um I think earlier than later if everybody could do that. Um start talking about because we have >> there's some stuff to go through. >> I don't want to have to rush rush rush into a regular meeting. We end early. We end early. So we'll uh put that out there 26 to 5:00. We have a regular meeting scheduled for 7:00. If you're working into your schedules, we'll invite everybody in because um Tony and I when we felt that news for, you know, the Burlington news was was not what we wanted to hear. Um we as I started looking at things and kicking around some things. So I'll leave that for further discussion. Um, so anyway, but um, >> I think

192another thing we need to look at, Ron, like I talked to our town manager and there was a couple issues in ours and like the thing we did talk about CBiz, I think we came about probably the wrong way because it's more of audit. our town manager had recommended a firm that uh >> Clifton Marson Anderson that they would come in and do and I think that's something we need to look at is basically >> yeah can we pick our own or do we have to I was curious about >> I don't think it has to go through 30 I mean you could put out a bid if you wanted to but I think also you know >> my understanding and again I I can I can double check with Julie again in the morning

193my understanding on that is I believe that's an exempt >> just like legal services and architects and other things like that so we could we could tap them on the shoulder. >> Yeah. And their town manager said like he gave me the name of another firm but he said or another person but he said if you want like the full audit that that's really the one that's you want to know. >> I've been playing full tag with him today because I I was going to call him and try to find out. >> I appreciate that Kent. Um yeah I know we're gonna we're gonna get somebody getting air quality and >> can I just say something about all of this? >> Go ahead. I guess I've been on way too long and I spent too

194many years with Charlie Lions going to finance committees and they never gave him any trouble. I mean, they would question him and and that was it. It's like, hey, this is our school. We run it the way we want. Now, the problem is we used to school comm schools used to be autonomous. I don't know if everybody knows that. town meetings couldn't vote down a school budget, any school budget. And then all of a sudden it started they all started to be happy together and then, you know, so now they're real close with the regular school department. We are our own entity. This is like our own town, you know, and that's what they forget. Yes. For whatever reason, we go through them to get our budget approved and you know where it says clear

195budget document. All right. I would go back a few years to see how our budgets were done before. What was the difference or see what like you said uh Burlington's like 200 pages or something else. >> But don't think that they got off easy because they did not. So they they are not I don't think they're they Burlington did not get off easy either. So >> we're still a different entity because we don't go through the town per se. >> I think they honestly understand that. But I think times are different. And I I know I'm not even saying I think I know that if we do not become partners with them in this next year will be way worse for us. That has been a clear message that has sent and and honestly why

196do we not want to set up our business manager for the whole success? >> Think about it. I mean we >> there's also been a lot of stuff point out Patty like Paul Paul touched upon it on one of the things where he said like Munice has not been utilized >> right I get that and then there's like I mean I talked to Julia Fentro about the audit bid we had which was really good she did a fantastic job in the initial one we had >> and it's basically the timelines Tony pointed out like END really needs to be certified in the same fiscal year the auditor came in and I asked the guy as he sweated or twitched. I asked him basically you you need END to basically get certified before you do your

197audit. So that's why like I don't think you can always use the past of a as as what we need to do going forward because there's been a lot of stuff brought up that leads to questions. So I agree with you. He pro it is different but I think times have changed and there has been a lot of stuff brought up that does question you know you really do need to make a change and I think having an outside consultant come in and do that so it does support the business manager allow them to take that over and reconcile and I mean the funds are what are the funds it's decades or years of like it needs to be done and it'll increase confidence and at the end of the day it's the same thing

198with building school. Yes, we bypassed the feasibility study, which is okay, great. Let's all air high five each other by the end of the day. You still got to face off with these towns basically to fun. >> We do. Okay. >> And that's about building relationship with people. Do I agree with all the finance? I mean I mean one guy of mine I argued with the guy directly about like you know thousand kids versus 300 kids or 1300 or you know uh tell your story was my favorite like like the MSBA doesn't care about like I said basically it's like me in the grocery store line and I asked the people behind me 20 they're going to say year over year and I appreciate one guy in our in the finance brought it up and

199said pulling out of the MSBA is basically not a is is a terrible idea Right. >> Whether is the timing the best, no, but hopefully, like you said, you make changes, you improve, you realign with them, and but it's still a 60-year-old school. >> Well, I I have to tell you something that happened at at Tukbury. All right. So, they gave us all kinds of crap and whatever. So, because we had made a mistake or whatever, they blamed us for everything. The next day at the the special town meeting, they actually had to ask for a 10-minute recess because they had to look at something they had already voted on and relook at it because they made a mistake. We all sat there waiting for them to do this and it's like, "Oh, I guess

200people make mistakes or people just, you know, and no one said a word. Everybody sat there like idiots. I was going to I was going to be the only one who said, "No, I'm not voting for them to have 10 minutes." I didn't. >> But the business manager that came in tonight hit the nail on the head. It's all about transparency, right? All that stuff. You got to work with that. And this is the key year to make or break. So, I think that's >> I just quickly >> I kind of understand what Patty's saying as far as we don't want every five different finance committees trying to tell us what to do, >> right? for so so to speak. But that's all reasonable stuff that we were going to do anyways. I have no

201problem with it. But if they you know they don't get the oh we want them to do this and then next year they come in. >> I don't think the vast majority of the people if you watch a lot of the meetings I don't think I mean again there's some that are whatever you can make your own determination but I think the vast majority even the guys in Burlington like we're they are saying we're willing to work with you and support you. So I agree there's always going to be outliers. There is town meeting, whatever board you're on, there's always going to be outliers. That's probably me board, whatever separate issue, but point being is is the vast majority of those finance people are saying, "We're willing to work with you and do what needs

202to be done." And I think that's a partnership as we go forward with a new school. >> Doesn't matter just a new school, but going forward just budgets. I think in general and and a lot of the stuff they've raised is valid concerns. >> And that's what I said and I agree with all that. I'm just saying going forward I I hope they don't think they're going to come up with some ridiculous thing next year and I think we'll agree to it. >> If I we're going to get sort of an immediate test and to focus on the immediate issue. Um >> those are we we don't want to be trying to guess on five diff well at least four different towns or three different towns um identification problems. Some legitimate issues were raised. I

203appreciate the fact that one one finance committee member articulated put gave at least a road mapap and that's great. Um what we want to avoid is a situation where we are sort of guessing does that road mapap meet the needs of each of these communities because having watched all of the finance committee meetings and the town meetings we were getting some very nebulous you know it wasn't a case of somebody saying you're 2.3% over your budget. It was there was a lot of nebulous well we want to see this a little bit and some that were completely not clear but if a member of a finance committee such as Burlington is taking a lead um in court and he even though I think that they one should not be speaking for the other. I don't

204think anybody should be at a Burlington meeting saying, "Well, this is how I think um I don't think he was Bryant." What he was saying in the time can can I >> No, but but but you're mis you're misstating the facts. >> I'm not I'm not misating what he said, >> but that's not But he wasn't. >> Right. >> His points, as I've just said, were well made and well taken. >> Yep. And to the extent that any of us may feel a little bit of variety of feelings about the a coordinating among that's the reality we're dealing with right now is so it would be helpful if we have a sense that there's somebody who is sort of taking a lead position at articulating specific things that need to be done. Um because again

205I heard somebody our town is in a different a little different position uh both the finance committee and town meeting position. >> That's fine as long as we have a sense of confidence that that person that they're taking a lead and we can follow that guidance. But what we can't afford to do based in terms of the the number of weeks we have available to us without causing four new or five new town meetings >> is we can't be getting separate inputs from finance committee boards of selectmen and town managers in multiple different communities and if I had just watched the meetings I would be that would be where we're at. So to the extent that someone's trying to make an effort and whether that includes coming to a budget meeting with us, coming to

206some rep, all well and good, let's get it let's get it done. But we again the subjectivity of of Burlington must be matched up with Tukesbury if if that's the route we have to go at this point. But it has to be that way. we cannot be uh playing a whack-a-ole game here for the next five weeks. >> Well, I I think the the the realities of of how we're structured and organized and the fact that the October 1st numbers drive each community's assessments every year, we're never going to be able to do that. And you know, it's like we can't be and and I forget where we were because they they've all mashed together at this point in time. It's like you can't tell us that every community is going to have a 4%

207increase because that's not how the funding formula works and that's not how the state does this. Again, if you want us to say, you know, you want to say, hey, our our target for your overall budget increase is this amount, that's fine. I'm going to use Burlington as an example. The other night, we were sitting in the meeting. People were asking why the budget went up. Burlington's enrollment went up over 20% last year. It's on target to go up, I think, 22 or 23% next school year. You can't expect a 4% budget increase if you're sending 20% more kids. >> Burlington Public Schools, if their enrollment went up 20%, they wouldn't be in that 4% guideline that that the town is is targeting. So I I think part of this and and again having Ian

208on board I think you know he he can also help deliver this message. Part of this is understanding that we you know we respect this. We understand you have budgets. We understand there's all these financial pressures but we also operate differently and you know we we can't if if Wilmington tells us they want 3.25% and Bill Raa says they want 2.75 and Burlington says it's 4% that's not going to work. But again, if we all want to work on, you know, here's a target increase, let's work within this. Everybody can get on the same page. I think that that's going to make everything that we do that much easier. >> But I think just to clarify, I've had we've had extensive convers Sorry to cut you out. I'm going to cut you out. My point

209was I'm trying to say that I can't speak for all, but I think what they were trying to do was not to overtake. Again, I think they were trying to work and coordinate to get this put. Again, whatever. Everybody has their own way of doing it, but I'm just saying in the conversations I've had, >> they've been in the times we've talked to them, it's been genuine. So I I feel like cut you off. I'm just saying >> pretty much genuine. And I appreciated the fact that in Burlington, the the sentiment was, "Oh, your budget looks okay." >> And I because I think that's a big issue for us in the next few weeks is um we have a couple towns that have already supported it. Um and and so one approach to this would

210be we stick with with the number. Another approach is this is where we don't we want to avoid getting into too many scenarios because another town says well maybe you need to enhance your number to have more oversight. And I don't know if I don't necessarily think that two or three of the other towns feel that way. I can think there's at least two towns that says we voted on a budget at at our town meeting. That's it. >> We're done. >> Okay, we good. >> Yeah, I I just wanted to put that out there >> discussion of uh >> we'll obviously have more to more discuss. >> Okay, so we'll um we'll have a >> makes feeling better. We sat for an hour and uh the town meeting kicked around at one meeting a

21130-minute discussion about how documents weren't posted online. you know, that's on the website. And then there's another 20 to 30 minute discussion about uh >> I don't know how late you two stayed last night, but I believe I have 6 hours and 45 minutes into Burlington Town. Yes. >> So, now we don't have to go with our team. >> Now, we don't have to go. >> Plus the plus the finance committee. >> And none of you were allowed to speak. None of you were invited to speak. >> No. >> Well, yeah, we need >> Can I just ask one? I know you just said we're going to have more discussion around this and will that discussion include votes on things like this third party thing. >> Yeah. Yeah. Just cuz we but I think I

212think that'll help. >> I just wanted to acknowledge this and say yes we heard you. I think these are reasonable. I think other people have said >> meony and Tony did talk to like me and Tony did talk and I think if you have a firm that's an expert in that area and you say the Burlington town manager town manager they both know this firm and they've used them and they recommend them I think that will pull a lot of weight shows you're serious >> I think and again the only other additional concern is is timing if someone says hey that district fairly says the district needs to do some things great if they suggest that They want to do something that's a fivemonth project. >> That's not gonna happen. >> That's a That's probably

213not. >> No, that's what we told them. That's why my argument to them back then was like this is you like and my one thing that my one friend there his term ad hoc which was like maybe better organized but like I we tried to highlight the things like the district treasurer business manager change in auditors you know trying so it's like there was positive so it's like >> you know >> and they all recognize that it's not like it's not >> no they were very clear about that >> something it's not the first time this has happened we'll work through it >> no they're very clear and even when a member if the audience stood up and was calling for an attorney general investigation or something. >> The finance committee was very good in

214saying no that's not our situation. >> Let's go move on. Karen, what else? I'm just curious um of our of then of our finance committee of our budget committee's thought is the hope that at the meeting on the 26 there will be an an alternative suggestion that will be brought to us as a whole committee that night so that there's a chance that by the end of the meeting on the 26th we'll have a a revised budget to share with that would be great, but I think that's a very optimistic. >> Yeah, I'm just wondering if that's realistic or too optimistic. >> That's too optimistic. I think we're going to talk about things and then >> So, we're talking the 26, probably have another meeting. >> Yeah. Yeah. Let's just um we'll put that on

215hold there. >> We may need to have another meeting to have a vote to meet the 30-day requirement. >> Okay. I was just trying to >> Well, uh We'll just get through this. Everybody just uh take a breath and we'll get through this. Be patient, folks. Okay. Um All right. Item nine. Uh I need a motion to enter executive session purpose two as general laws section 38 section two. to conduct strategy sess sessions in preparation for negotiations with non-union personnel or to conduct collective bargaining sessions or contract negotiations with non-union personnel namely the business manager and director of support services we adjourn you be returning for anything >> there's nothing for us to vote on I don't believe so I think we'll just adjourn we'll just adjourn for I mean we'll just return for authorizing

216you to be not return for adjournment. Is that all right? >> Okay. Is there a motion? >> So move. Second. >> Second. Okay. Roll call. Stacey. >> Yes. >> No. Yes. >> Yes. >> We are in executive session at 9:58. >> Thank you, Josh. Um, we are back in regular session. I'll entertain a motion to adjourn. So, second, second by Mr. Hutchkins. All those in favor. >> Thanks, folks. Have a great night. >> You too. >> Thank you. >> Curriculum. We'll see you on Tuesday. I land myself. >> I want to tell you a cute story.