001All right. Uh we'll call the meeting to order here at 8:05 a.m. Uh we have a couple things to discuss, but we're going to start first with the um uh the department budget expenditure adjustments uh down under new business. >> Thank you. Um as uh as we have started the year um in July and August, we um thought of our expenditures uh by not filling vacancies. we have identified some funds that were back into the budget uh that were represented in uh Assistant Superintendent Katie Blake's Q1 report. Um and the goal of those um funds being redirected was to ensure that we were able to stabilize the budget for the entire FY26 school year as well as uh if anything came up that we could fund in use uh monies for that support student achievement
002or support any caps then we would try to use those in that manner. Um we don't have a lot of money to do that with but we feel like we need to be respectful of uh asking our principles what they need. uh in light of the uh academic outcomes uh as released by the spring 25 MCCAST data uh we had discussion with principal of Tucker Elementary School Celeste uh OAG and she has come up with some nonmonetary shifts and practices that will strengthen her team uh in order to identify and support and take action steps related to those students not meeting with success in grade level and also two of which would require some additional funding for the school here. Um, so we're we're very thankful that her educational leadership is uh demonstrating urgency on
003behalf of her school community. She's in her second year. So last year definitely was a uh a state of the state year for her at Tucker and uh she has truly demonstrated a clear vision of what she thinks will be supportive of uh better student outcomes at Tucker for students who not being hit. Um the document in front of you is a memo that she drafted to uh myself. We had met with her several weeks ago. This has been an iterative process. Uh but I'm coming to the finance committee to uh have you review this document. Um, and we will ask Celeste to come to a school committee meeting to uh talk about her action steps that might be helpful to let the community know that we are addressing issues like this in a more
004specific and targeted way. Uh, in related to uh the um uh issues that revolve around um money would be we have grade level grade level facilitators at every elementary school. That is one teacher per grade at every elementary school received $600 to be the uh facilitator of information related to student outcomes and uh curriculum work between the principal and the directors of curriculum. The goal for uh Celeste is to increase that stipen from 600 to a,000 and increase the workload uh that would allow them to form a instructional leadership team at Tucker. Uh Celeste would really like a team of people to be able to sit down weekly, meet with staff weekly, uh as opposed to having those grade level facilitators drop in every other week just to talk with teachers. This is actually using
005that stipened position as a tool to build a instructional leadership team uh with her and Caroline Morton. Um so they can actually have dedicated and consistent meeting time with teachers uh driven with driven by some of the grade level facilitators and orchestrated by Celestein and Caroline. We are uh seeking an MOA with the Milton Educators Association to increase uh the stipen from 600 to a,000 as a pilot this year uh with the demonstration of the uh increase of duties. Uh we hope to have that signed. We will provide them an MOA. they've already uh have heard this and uh tenatively agreed to entertain it and and approve it. So, we think that will work. So, that's only $2,400 for this year. That that is a $400 increase times the six grade level facilitator is equaling
006$2,400. The second request uh is the Tucker team chair right now is a 6 employee. Uh she is a special educator. She has a lot of experience and we would like to add a 0.2 of her salary which require her to come in for an extra day per week which would be both three days a week, four days a week. Uh not just to do more team chair work but actually to use her special education expertise to be in classrooms working with teachers. She understands every student's IEP because she's the administrator of that IEP. and her consult and her work in classrooms with educators uh would go a long way in supporting the students that are uh in are in most need at the charter school. Her salary um as a point two of her
007salary for the remainder of the year. Assistant Superintendent Blake calculated this down to if this starts on a certain date, this would be the cost which is $15,1663. And again, this would be a one-year initiative to put her to a point. 6 to point.8 uh in order to her support uh with students on IEPs and work work with classroom teachers uh in consultation with special educators as well. Those two things combined with targeted increased support from district leaders. We are already having our unit B content people assigned to Tucker for certain days, but consistency in meeting time and targeted conversations about curriculum assessment and um the data that we're seeing coming out of Tucker um which is a non-cost of the district, but a really big strategy that's a little different whereby our UNB folks
008have schedules that they go through the schools to interact with staff, but we really wanted to ramp that up and make sure that it was dedicated to certain things, have a targeted agenda, and also have targeted times. So, um that's that's definitely a um an increase in support that's targeted in specific. The increase of the elementary inclusion specialist, we're rearranging that individual schedule to also be targeted in time. they would come in and do work and leave uh like they do in most of the schools. But Celeste wants that person to have extra time and talk to talk about what was observed, what the work looks like, what the what the strategies are, how that supports the student support team work uh that she does in addition to her other work as a completion specialist.
009again rounding the supports consistently coming in at certain times for specific functions that support direct targeted support for students not meeting. Uh we'll also target common uh planning time at the grade level. Uh that again is not a monetary cost but something that she would be doing in a way that's very specific this year in using uh that time more efficiently and effectively. Um the desired outcome, as she notes in the back, is the strategic response aims to strengthen the student achievement and growth, improve instructional quality and consistency, and strengthen school leadership coherence over the three-year period. So, we are uh asking for uh $2,400 to extend uh the work of our grade level facilitators. We'll work with the union to solidify that through a number of agreement. And we're also asking for $15,163 to
010create a 4-day work week victory for the team chair totaling for this year only $17,5663. And I believe in my conversations with assistant superintendent Blake if there are some revenue sources that we might be able to target with these funds. Um I think some folks might say, "Is that it? That's all the money that she needs." I'm sure that we could do more. We gave her more capacity. Uh but this was her initial start at trying to make some clear action steps towards uh targeting students who need more support to treat. So uh we would also from the bigger picture of the work in the strategic actions that as as the principal is doing around academic outcomes. This this very well could be a very good uh school community presentation, not really related to the
011money or related to money, but more importantly about as a community letting everybody know that we are prioritizing this work, targeting this work for specific reasons and some students need more and uh we're willing to make those adjustments so we can reach them and give them more. This is also an exercise that we're going through with the other five principles. We'll find out what that would look like maybe this year. uh but more importantly definitely on our 27 conversations as well questions for members. >> I just I one question and it's it's doesn't it's not about um the cost. I think this is great. It's really um I'm appreciative that she's taken the effort and looking at ways to address this. Um, and to your point, it could be a good model or or a
012nice way to look at it across the other schools as well if there there were a similar need, but I know that this I know that there has been um an ongoing need to tucker for this sort of thing. So, I think so I appreciate it. I did have one question just about the difference between um the work being done by the team chair, [clears throat] excuse me, versus the inclusion specialist. >> It sounds similar. So I know that so it sounds like the team share has a specialized background and I'm not sure if the inclusion specialists are they typically have a their BCBAS or if they are so are they looking are they both looking at it through an academic lens? Are they doing something similar? guesses my question. >> Yeah, I think the
013inclusion specialist runs student support team. >> Uh so is in an intricral part of hearing what students what teachers concerns are about a child and what some of the planning could be to make interventions happen before we need to to a different time process. Um we're asking her to reschedule her week and her day to spend more time in Tucker to actually support the implementation of that and observe that and follow through the the team which has no cost. Team chair will do something similar in the sense that we want more eyes in the classroom that look at the teaching and learning that the educators are doing with children through a lens that uh through that special education lens to see where that sport can be um employed in a way that would be helpful
014to teachers on top of having our math director there, our ELA director there, our science director there. So this is uh really organizing the school in a very consistent way led by the principal and not just going on not just going in buildings to talk about math with the grade level teachers but specifically looking at it through the lens of some very clear questions. What core standards will you be teaching in that lesson? What is the learning target goal of that lesson? So they'll all be talking about, you know, they'll all be going in the same direction each in and um so they're similar in in scope, but uh but they're uh there's more there's room for more folks to be in if there's any overlap and that would be a good thing. >> I
015[clears throat] think that's great. You think it's it's great that it's their specific workforce. >> Yeah. as opposed to just putting people in research >> and in there in I want to make sure I give it credit for principle orchestrating the work and setting the tone for the work and having goals for the meetings and structures in the work. Uh so it has a lot of clear direction as opposed to educators getting in the room and talking about it. play direction and play goals uh that are connected to students in shifting in shifting strategies in supporting teachers in that work who are already working hard but the direction would be helpful >> appreciate it Nathan any questions >> um yeah just a couple thanks John for walking us through that and I don't I don't
016have the memo in front of me so I could be missing some some stuff Um, I think I have just two more governance related questions. Um, because I I I'm supportive of the spirit of this. First one, maybe it's for Mark. Do do does the finance committee need to vote on and approve an al a reallocation like this? Um, at just at the, you know, I took it. It's it's about 17 or $20,000 of additional expenditure. Seems small. Um so just kind of wondering about that. Um and second, John, on the as I understood it, it sounds like the the stipened increase for the I forget what you called them, but the the grade level leaders from $600 to $1,000, um which is modest. Does that um does that set any kind of precedent for
017the way that other stipens are designed for other just other stipended work um that we should that we should be cognizant of? >> Uh so I'll I'll start with that question first. So we we will be meeting with the union specifically to let them know that this is a pilot for the year. They'll sign a one-year MOA. Um, and then we will decide if it works for Tucker, would any other school like to do it. We might scale it up to a district-wide um uh uh measure. And that would be that would actually be discussed in our t big table negotiations that we just happen to be having this year. So, we could cement that by the time this uh negotiation ends. uh if we were ever to look at raising stipens in any way
018uh out of a negotiation cycle, this is exactly how that would happen. Went right up on um I have a one pager for the union to talk about what the change in work would be, what the additional tasks would be, and that we're respectfully asking those people to do those extra things and reimbursing them for them. So, uh this is kind of the strategy that we would always use if we're going to increase anybody's stipen uh for a certain activity. That 600 was based on an every other week cadence of meeting and the the making it go to a thousand now would be an every week cadence of work that they be responsible for. And this in um in the second the initial question about uh the school department has bottom line authority around how
019they expend their dollars. uh there is uh policy language I think in the Milton school committee that when those uh shifts are done that it needs to be brought to the finance committee similar to how we did the Q1 >> where we we made shifts in August by not filling vacancies and Katie came back and showed the committee exactly where those dollars went uh as part of a transparent approach to how the budget would work and what we started off projecting as our budget for FY26. If anybody if any money has moved in a direction, it's uh it's it's respectful to inform the school committee that those dollars are taken out of one line and gone to another. So that's why we'd be here today. Uh and these funds, I think some of them may
020be resting right into Celeste budget. >> So we start talking about revenue source, Nathan. uh it it might be actually easier than we think because I think I think Tucker has some stipend or coverage money that could be utilized and then we can >> but I think that that's an express conversation that we always want to have with the school. >> Can I just add to that? >> So the policy school committee policy is budget transfer authority. It's policy um DBJ and um the request for transfers and it's between the cost centers. So, as John had said, um some of the funding may already be in the Tucker cost center. It may just be that we're reallocating it from one area to another. Um and the language just says that it has to be submitted
021to the school committee as part of those the um quarterly report. So this any of the changes that we talk about today would be reflected um in the quarterly report that's presented to you all here at finance subcommittee and to the full school committee in January. So the Q2 quarterly report. Yeah, I think the this one and last one is we all asked us to vote on the last one, but I think that was more because it was a larger larger change in sum of money and you want to make sure >> committee is general body kind of agreed with that this being much smaller. It's just kind >> and and and also um so from a financial standpoint that's absolutely correct uh Mark and Katie but from a from a leadership perspective we want
022to make sure that you're aware of the targeted action that we're taking and where we're moving funds to do it. You should be aware of that. Um and you know we consider this the action steps that are needed. uh and so that I I I consider this something that we would also just want to be aware of in general that that's why maybe uh so we come to a a meeting in December or maybe the second one. >> Yeah, I think broadly speaking this is great. I think it's something that the we've been I'll speak for myself like been hoping for to see like what what is it that we are changing over there in order to help address kind of learning gaps and was so glad when Celeste came in and hopefully is providing
023some stability and glad she is kind of developing this vision for probably help to try and turn things around and respond to the needs of kids and so love loves that she has this plan love that we're able to support it love that it's a low a low budget impact in this time where we know we don't not flush in any way, but glad we can support this. I had a a cost I think similar to connected with Nathan's around just the siphons of if this was to roll out to districtwide because we were saying there's a one-year thing. Um do you all have a sense of how many grade level facilitators there are district like what? >> So there's one per grade. >> Okay. >> Uh at the elementary level only. So that would
024mean kindergarten 1 2 3 4 5. So there's six times four. >> Yeah. Okay. >> And again, short money. >> Yeah. And the history on grade level facilitators is a whole another conversation and how they utilized >> uh in their original uh having put them in place back in 2010ish. Uh this this is also a conversation broadly about how do we want to utilize their role uh in conjunction with the curriculum folks that we now have in place at the elementary level. uh in conjunction with the support that we have with assistant principles. >> Uh 15 years ago there were no curriculum folks in the elementary level. There were no assistant principles in grade level facilitators was our first attempt to puncture that >> um role into letting educators support educators around talking about teaching
025and learning sequence of the work in data. >> Then over time I think the curriculum folks have come into play um which is perfect. Uh but remember the the hardest part about our elementary curriculum work is that um Brian Cully is responsible for 13 grades of math >> and at the elementary level every teacher is a teacher of math >> whereas at the middle and high school he might have a total of 14. >> So all of those folks trying to do curricular work at the elementary level have to meet with every single teacher. >> Uh the grade level facilitators act as that important. um uh sergeant underneath the general to go out to the craze and say, "Is this working for you?" Brian and I met. We met with everybody. How's it going for
026you? What does it look like? And I'm a kindergarten teacher and we're kindergarten teachers. We can meet on that during our common planning time and we can they work as a an extension of Brian's work, an extension of the principal's work, uh which helps because it's just the the volume of staff that needs to be addressed and the consistency and the communication needs to be uh enhanced. And so they they provided this role that I think could grow and this is a model that I'd like to increase. But it also makes me think about how we organize our curriculum work right at the other level which is another conversation. But uh I do believe that educators working with their fellow educators as leaders uh goes a long way in consistency in how great level of
027teachers approach the work. I also think the clean chair request and maybe you remember from last year I think this was something that she had asked for within the 26 projects. >> Yeah. Really weren't able to include it. So this is not also new to us. And I think um with some of the supplemental funding that we received from the federal government during that pandemic, that role was increased because it was identified as a need and that need hasn't gone away. >> It's just that that that funding has gone away. And so that's why it had to it was reduced back down, but obviously the need continues. So >> how how does that compare? Do off the top of do other schools do they each have one per >> yeah so >> one FT >>
028so we uh other schools have one FTE each uh by volume of school but then when we did a case load analysis the club's case load students and IPS is actually lower than the target um so we did talk about how do you move anybody around and uh this is a larger conversation about this some special education functions that are controlled central from a central office perspective OT speech they go with a they go with a c with a service deliver right so that could change by a year so they're used to going to three days of tucker two days of glover or one day at cunningham and they're all supplementing the work of the total case load um adjustment counselors and team chairs have been more school-based because they get to know families they
029get to be in a part of the building but then when you have a case load drop at the and you have a case load maybe go up anywhere else then you start to figure out we have to address that differently. Uh that's combined with the fact that our team chair position has been a rollover position that the the clover didn't have a constant team chair for two years in a row. So they were piecing it together with a special educator and adjustment counselor doing the work. That was last year. So we wanted we just hired some we wanted to keep them in the role to solidify it. We hired a team chair who's had three team chairs in three years. The collibot, the one that started left on September 15. So, we have a
030vacancy there. So, we're recognizing that that position is hard to maintain. We're thinking about providing a more uh clerical support so they can do more professional work. So, we're uh thinking about piloting. Can two of the schools share someone that can help push out the letters, do the schedule, do the calendar, so the so the team chair could be a special educator and be more involved in the execution, the understanding and having the meeting in a way that makes sense uh for students and families. So that's something we're going to be considering for the next year. Uh so right now uh where we we thought about asking the Tucker team chain to be part of the solution for Kolkata. We still haven't hired a full-time person for >> Polar but because this is something that's
031unique to what Tucker needs, we're not going to do that and we're making this we've already created a plan B for the colle. >> Uh but this is a high position to fill and it's always filled with a position as an educator who's experienced. The two finalists for the college card position were highest step because they usually your most experienced special educator who then has a good handle on how to run the meetings and so uh but even and we always say yes to that. We we hired an expensive person for September and uh they didn't feel like they could get to support the position. So that feedback like an exit interview was like wow we start doing something different around supporting that position. uh if we we also are meeting with our team chances
032to identify within Tucker as well but you know Tucker inherently has a full-time nurse for a small bill their adjustment counselor is full-time for small they have an extra math interventionist for a small so there are added resources there by the structure of how we do the work um that move towards trying to take action steps to ensure that point students achieve a grade level which was our five priorities. This is an extension of trying to exercise number four priority to take further action steps in order to uh make sure that we're addressing the needs of student tool. Any other questions on this? Uh again, we don't want to vote here. We're not voting. Sorry, Nathan. I was just saying I don't have any more questions. Thanks. >> This will go in the folder by
033the end of the by in the next 15 minutes. Nathan, if you want to take a look in the >> uh great Thank you, John. Appreciate that. >> Uh we are going to move slightly back up the agenda for our guests, Tom McCarthy, and do a view of capital um budget requests. Right. Thanks for having me. Thank you, Tom. >> And while while Tom's here, I always like to say uh good things about folks who've done a lot of work. Um Tom's work this year, and I know Katie and Tom worked last year together, but uh every need that we call Tom about, he addressed us immediately. his ability to execute the Cunningham Library uh project over a course of 11 weeks, 10 weeks or eight weeks was phenomenal. Um and we truly appreciate his
034ability to not only look at the big capital things that are being done and the big picture work, but he's also uh with Bob Mayhew, his counterpart, um intricately involved in support of the supervision in uh content and support of the custodians and facilities that uh practices that happen at the school. The schools look great. The guys are happy. Uh it's a great crew. The work gets done and so uh just to say out loud, Tom, thank you very much for all your work. I really appreciate it. It's been a lot of good work. Look forward to working with you this year. Appreciate it. Thank you. Um just to bounce that back is the guys do all the work. So the the custodians do a fantastic job keeping clean with the limited resources. And so
035I highly give them right back the kudos that they deserve. So, we're sitting uh where I'm What page do you want to start on? I'm on this page. It goes right to the the blocks of expenditures or where do you want to start? >> Yeah. So, I have a just summary that I this is the summary that I turned into the capital committee. >> So, that what I think that's what I said. Do you? >> Yeah, we I think I have it. So copy of the fiveyear capital request form >> the technology memo. >> Yeah, this is fancy. [laughter] So should we maybe we can just start with focusing on the FY27 list. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. I mean because that's basic I mean in my experience with this here and and [clears
036throat] other times. Yes. >> Yes. >> Um that's when we I my position is fortunately on the capital that that's that's a nice bonus here. So I kind of see and understand what they they're talking about. Quite frankly when we get together on our meeting 27 is the only thing we really talk about >> because that their job is to look at what the requests are for this year and the town administrator comes up with a list that he recommends and then it's discussion from there. So that's why it's you generally loaded up on the fiscal year coming up as you can see. >> So So Tom, can we speak to at some point uh you know folks would say out loud uh that's a big number. We are we even going to get that
037number? Um and is the philosophy that if we don't express what we need then we will never get what we need. But and if we don't get the full amount, it's always good for the capital committee and the other folks that that that we work with the different boards to just know what the needs are, >> right? So my take on this is to basically the reason it's loaded up and it is a big number. We probably won't get that number, but you've got to tell them what the needs are because unfortunately stuff happens, right? So, you know, if if it's on the list and it wasn't funded and then unfortunately it fails, at least we were ahead of the game and said, you know, kind of brought this up. So, when if we do
038have to ask for MC funding or whatever it takes say we understood and we explained that this was here, that's why I have pretty much excuse me, everything on there that you know, I mean, I can't think of everything, but we're trying. And just a kind of an outline is I ch I've been changing I changed a little bit last year work with Katie and moving more to a district-wide concept on this. >> Um [clears throat] not to play on words but consolidate. >> Yeah. because some of the stuff is is very specific for a school, but then you got like general stuff like um plumbing or HVAC boiler upgrades, um renovations, some of that stuff is is better off districtwide because for example, we have a a water tank that just went at county
039colliecart. We don't have that in here. I mean, we have in the past we put plumbing for a specific school, but what if that was in for the T and the problem? So, I'm trying to switch it and make it more district-wide. So, that's you're going to see that develop over the years, but I definitely moved more of it into this year. So, I I guess to get back to your point, John, this year, I'd basically say this is what I think we need right now. And um one of the things that um in over time if anybody asked, well, how long has this been on the you know, how long has that been that water he had been on there or that whatever >> need be on there? Always having the the documents back
040to and say I we've been meeting two years on this and you know this went you know why is this an emergency? It's an emergency because we didn't fund it and we've asked for it two years in a row and I understand you can't fund everything, but it has been an ask. So, I always like to have that trail of breadcrumbs to show that we've been consistently requesting funds for certain things because uh when capital things go, it's a big deal, >> right? You can't not replace the water heater. You can't not do the elevator at the Tucker, which we did this summer. You can't not do those things. So, and and that's the first thing the warrant can be asked when rightfully so when we come with an emergency expenditure. Well, did you was
041this anticipated? Yes, we've had on a budget capital for three years and we we all had to make decisions. I get it. But yes, it did go and that's why we're coming to you for $100,000 for an elevator shift to change or whatever. So, the documentation is helpful um to to just be very explicit about the the need being questioned over time. And from a funding perspective, I think this really speaks to um if something happens during the year, we don't necessarily have it have a um a choice whether we want to defer it. Like we need to fix it immediately. And so in order to do so, in some instances, we have to fund that through the operating budget where the money wasn't appropriated in the operating budget because it truly is a capital
042expense. Whenever that happens in the operating budget, any unanticipated expense, similar to some of the other areas that we talk about are going to potentially when we just talked about cost allocation and having to transfer money from accounts, it may potentially be taking from other areas. So, I think it's just really important that the schools our priority is always right, the teaching and learning side, but we can't do that without the lights on, the heat working. And so it's just trying to balance how do we make sure that we're taking care of every aspect so that financially we feel like we have sustainability that we're not having to pay for major expenses from the operating budget >> which also speaks to uh the theme of the year which is revolving constant. the facilities [clears throat]
043revolving. Everyone always has to have a balance in order to uh address the needs that happen throughout a year that that are not uh on the radar screen or or are on the radar screen but not funded in capital that need that need to be paid for need to be done in a way that doesn't impact general instruction for students. So, uh, again, the the this theme of making sure that we have a budget that's sustainable, that it's all like levers in place through robing accounts in order to let the teaching and learning happen like the duck going across the pond, nice and easy. But below it, there's a lot of paddling going on. Paddling is the use of different pieces of money to make all those things ready for kids to come to school.
044and facilities is a big part of uh what those needs are that can be unpredictable or not as flood funded as needed. So that report >> Yeah, thank you Mark. Um Tom, thanks for this. I just have a couple of questions about the information up on the on the screen. Um one is I'll just give them both to you. Uh the first is it looks like there's three or three to four million projected over the next five years. Are the amounts in the later years do they reflect assumptions about cost increases or is everything in today's today's dollars? Um, and my second question is, you know, in my in my other life, uh, which I'm driving to right now, I spend a lot of my time waste deep in millions of dollars of deferred maintenance
045that, you know, you know, we got whatever x millions of dollars in deferred maintenance. We chip away at a million this year and we add a million. Is there is this inclusive of deferred maintenance or are these like the top priorities and you have some other spreadsheet with $12 million worth of deferred maintenance that's like sort of you're chipping away at slowly. >> Um so to answer your first question I do my best to project out what I think it will cost and I mean let's jump all the way to the end. FY31 it is a guess. Let's be honest because no one as you know hearing what you do is you cannot estimate from never mind year to year month to month at this point. Um so that's how we we try to estimate
046it and we're trying to best guess going out. That's why we I I really focus on the upcoming year and trying to get my best numbers for this year and understand what we need and what I think it should cost. Um, as for deferred maintenance, a lot of this is trying to stay ahead of what we have in front of us. And as you can see, it it's pretty spread out. And I talked about trying to get it all done at districtwide. There will still be specific stuff for for each um school, but we we're trying to stay ahead of it, but again, there's there's stuff that just comes up and you just don't expect it. our water heater at Cunningham Collie. It's in there under, you know, hump plumbing and in and um heating
047upgrades, but get in the estimate, it's not going to cover it even if we got it for one, never mind if we had a couple in a year. I think one of the things you had said at a previous meeting is that you guys have done a lot of work at like there's been a lot of ongoing maintenance work that [clears throat] has allowed us so that we're not you everybody's really been on top of like making sure that the HVA systems C system and the other systems have been maintained so that we're not like >> it's not like oops you know what I mean it's not like eyes were off it for eight years suddenly has so I languages which is >> which I really give credit to Bill Richie. Right. So Bill Richie
048set this thing in motion and I'm just trying to keep it up to his standard and um we actually because of a capital account that we got last year. We continue to fund was the RTU uh units for the we did a study. We just had a company come out and look at I'm going to try to get to every school, but I had to do one to figure out what it's going to cost me, but it didn't cost as much as I thought. They come out, they did the the survey, and they're going to give me a number on some PN. But one of the points they made was that our maintenance of these units has been great and they're really doing a good job keeping them going. It's a bunch of small stuff.
049It's nothing big in the in the near future, which is great. That's our one school. Hopefully we get the same report for everyone, but that was the ones which was the Glover, which is the oldest. >> So, we're going to go to Tucker next and hopefully get the same report or at least close. I again I give credit to my guys to my HBAC Tech young guy and is absolutely on top of his game. Mhm. >> It's nice to have the um to have the trades staff that are on staff so that they can take care of it as well, that we're not always contracting out. Um and I think here um it's unique in the fact that we received the MSV funding so that all the buildings were remodeled or built um you know
050in the 20 25 year ago range but then that's when things start to go right and so >> they're all at that critical age which makes you nervous but >> Bill did a great job and and our PM has been working. So, we're going to continue to do that. >> Yeah. And it just becomes so much more expensive if we're not funding the preventative maintenance and that deferred maintenance will end up costing us so much more. So, that's why I think that again speaks to everything being on here at a district-wide level is we want to make sure that that funding is readily available. >> So, question did you want to go? Uh, no, you can keep going. I have some questions. >> Did Nathan done? >> Yeah, you take it. >> Um, my So,
051one of them that's the big number is the um lighting. >> Yeah, >> the field >> field lighting. And I know that this has been an ongoing issue to the point too where I think >> we've even you had conversations like you started half an hour like wait you know so that one just I mean from a number of reasons just seems like I mean I can't imagine that it's it's >> um >> efficient in the sense of like the cost all of it like I think it's just like >> I have to imagine there's not a cost an efficiency cost in replacing it that we would actually like saving money in some way but also just like lights going off in the middle of the football game is not you know so >> not
052at all. >> Has this one been on? >> This has been on for several years. >> So last year I thought I and I did it again this year hoping that the Copeland Foundation might help us out. I haven't heard back. I don't I forget when they meet and make their decision, their fall decision, but um we didn't get it in the spring, but it's back here. I'm hoping for that. and I'm working with Eversource and a vendor to try to get some rebates. >> Um, well, last year it was grants and we know the town wasn't big in grants last year. So, anyhow, we didn't get the funding anyhow, so I guess it didn't matter. But, yeah, that that is a hot topic because you're right, >> it's not efficient at all. It's killing
053us in energy costs plus the the the cost to maintain it. It's the ballast over there. We've changed them a few times because we're trying to keep them going, but they're $1,100 a piece and we can only change the bottom ones cuz there's there's two sets. There's two at the bottom, a set at the bottom, set at the bottom. We can't reach the top. So, we're calling a contractor. I know the ads asked to go have somebody come in and change like nine. I think there's nine or 11 lights out. That doesn't make sense. If you're going to bring them in, you change them all. That's just how it works. doesn't make sense to change them all if we're going to be changing the heads. It's it's it's a balancing game. But you're right, it's
054the money we're putting into this thing to keep it going is doesn't make sense. >> And it's not just used by the schools. Like the fields are a community use, right? So, um we have youth programs, we have rentals that are generated by um use of the field. So, it's dark at >> 3:00, >> right? Yeah. So, >> I've been witness to the lights. I coached rugby up here and we had a game and the lights went off. And I literally I think I was only in this job like a week when it happened. I was like, you got to be kidding me. So, yeah, it's not cool. Shut them down for 20 minutes. They cool down and you usually get the rest of the game. But again, it's bad luck. It's bad luck for
055the district. >> That's right. and the community given like having um if you're having folks come from other towns, we just wouldn't be able to >> play the game appropriately. >> Post appropriately. >> So that's probably if they ask, sometimes they ask, sometimes they ask, sometimes they ask formally, sometimes they ask just informally [clears throat] at the meeting. >> But that is probably my number one priority because that has to be fixed. Um I really appreciate this as always. Um I think I did raise concern on the like I understand the logic and appreciated that going in sharing kind of all the all the needs. I think we all understand we're not going to get that through 8.1. I was looking at the past couple years in the request last year we asked for 1.5
056separate from the Cunningham right >> which is a larger capital one but we asked for 1.5. we got less than half of that, you know, like 650. Um, and then the year before, I think our initial request was 2.7. I haven't pulled up the warrant to see exactly what we got, but so we are we're not getting kind of what we want. Um, I think that your logic of playing it all out makes sense. I do wonder if just like within this document it also makes sense to include some type of note of like this line was first raised in FY24 like just like have something like that that make that even clear because I'm having to go back to kind of all the other excels which which exists and are able but to tell
057the story to the capital committee um and ultimately also this is case this isn't sent out to town meeting but uh capital committee the town administrator right and those folks who kind of >> yeah So, um on because you have it, you click at one of those tabs down the bottom. >> Yeah, >> there are narratives there. And that's a good point. >> We can um I can add something to that effect. I may have done that. >> We may also have the spreadsheets too, like a way that we can just indicate it in the in the grid because I think we have our versions. >> Yeah. I mean, >> I'm I'm all for this in these narratives. It's it's a lot of work, especially like this list. Every other department in this town probably
058has a fraction. I mean, even the consolidated list is is a fraction of this, >> but obviously we're talking, you know, six schools and a lot of stuff. That's why another reason I'm trying to consolidate it, but >> unfortunately, I it's probably the rare person that's reading all those narratives down below. Yeah. >> So that's why I take the point it's I think it's it's we're fortunate that this position not necessarily me but this position is on that committee. So you can bring that up because I certainly make that point >> right >> when we start discussing it. >> Yeah. In my mind it's like maybe a row of like first raise or something. Yeah. For certain of them. Yes. The problem with that sheet right there or the whole thing, Mark, is that is
059the format that you get and that is the format that you use. I you can't >> deviate because it comes back to me [laughter] >> because they get mad at you. >> Um yeah, I meanwise, I think a lot of the stuff that y'all talked about with lights, I totally agree and we talked about that two years ago in the facility. >> Um a question just process-wise, uh facility advisory committee also kind of reviewed this, talked about this. >> Yep. And then I assume that when you talk to capital and capital's going to tell you to um you know force like publics related to this number that it's going to go back to the advisory to like talk about what your your recommendation of like what you're prioritizing what you're not um that kind of
060thing. See how much we get. >> Yeah. I I So our first capital meeting is next week actually. That's good because that's kind of early. So maybe I'll get a a pulse on what what they can hear. >> Yeah. Do you also have a pulse on what the other like GPW recommendation on the town because that's always part of it is >> Yeah. I mean >> this portion because like overall our total capital bonding last year was 5 point >> and that's usually kind of where they like to stick. They they don't like to go too much more than their average, so to speak. Right. >> But our our tech requests this year also about what we've asked for the past couple years. >> Yeah. So, um I don't I I don't know. I TPW
061is probably the only one I have any kind of inclination about. And I have to say I I don't foresee them looking for a lot of equipment because they've gotten a lot of equipment. However, I know what their capital 5year plan looks like cuz I put it together two years ago. So, I know there's some expensive items on that sweep >> to the tune of probably somewhere around 350,000. >> A back truck is probably up to a million dollars now, which if you bought that five years ago, probably could have got for 350. >> But now it's it's just it is what it is. And it's supplying them. Everybody knows the MS4 permit, not to get into all kinds of logistics, but the MS4 permit is telling people that you can't use those little clamshells
062anymore. >> It's coming. I don't know how soon, but it's coming. >> I love when I'm vegan. >> Um >> I still keep keep a close eye on it. It's right there. I can't help myself. >> Um okay. Uh, so we are not voting on this. I [snorts] didn't vote agenda. >> I don't believe so. >> Yeah. So, we don't mess that up. >> My only question on this, I highlighted a couple of things for myself just to kind of um again the the only one that I think that and Katie and I talked about was the field. >> Exactly. >> The track replacement and the field replacement. Um, I put I moved that back because of the fact that again reality and and I've been in those meetings and you know if we put
063in for you know that would bring it up to close to $5 million um requested where do they pay because they that's how they do it basically try to balance it out say okay let's give them this this and this and >> I mean between the field the track the bleachers the Heights. You're essentially looking at a refurbishment of Brooks Field, right? >> Yes. >> Right. Everything on here except for whole >> even have Oh, yeah. You don't Everything except for like the snack shack essentially. What do >> Yeah. >> So, yeah, that's a I don't know if it makes sense like you can just frame it for them that way. Yeah. If it makes sense to break it up or do that as a larger >> Yeah. holistic capital improvement to Brooks field and
064maybe that's more interesting the Copeland Foundation too of >> you know your field your namesake field has kind of fall apart like >> yeah all this >> their field house >> well they have the big sign over there but I guess yeah their name's not on it but they donated towards that >> oh no that field I was telling Katy said the the district other than paying for it when it was first constructed >> the district has never paid for that field to be redone. Oakland's done it every time. >> Three times, I think. >> The need is definitely coming up, too. So, we're seeing some maintenance maintenance expenses for the turf itself, and we just want to be very careful with that to look at the useful life because we're definitely getting there. And
065we've talked about it's really like the health and safety of the kids. So anytime that field turf comes out or whatever vendor comes out and slices into that field because they may have to like fill in the the um whatever the pebbles are. Yes. The crown are like it it definitely the integrity of the entire field um it just deteriorates. And so I think that that's something where like I feel pretty strongly that um just given a useful life in how old the field is and the track as well, that's something that we just need to prioritize because when I see those the um expenses come in for some of the maintenance we're having to do, it's like it's just something that we can't ignore anymore. Um, and I think it's also something that that's
066going to take some planning, right? You can't just like say, "Okay, now we got the money. We're going to do the fields right away. We need to potentially talk about design and um the whole bid process." So, we just want to make sure and that's a again a summer project that we want to get ahead of in December or January so that everything is lined up and ready to roll so that we don't lose access to the facility as well. So, I've kind of been [laughter] bugging Tom about that because I just think that it's it's a again a community asset that is really important, highly utilized, and something that we just need to like prioritize. >> The only time you could really do that is I mean it's going to impact somebody at any
067time to do it and you can't do it in the winter months. >> Summer. It's the summer. So if we are not asking for the funding this year, we're asking for >> May 27 >> to your point bid, you're talking 2028 soonest. So this that's still a threeyear kind of time horizon. >> Yeah. Okay. Um are from the replacement are you just needing to replace the um the covering and the infill or also the the cushioning underneath it? >> Um subsurface. >> It would be the surface. the subsurface. So, the one thing that they did right was drainage subsurface. So, basically, we just got to replace the tarp out there. >> The carpet. >> Yeah. The the track needs to be >> Yeah. That's got to come out. It's been repaired a couple times. I
068don't know if you were around 15 when they decided they were going to plow the track. And >> long story, >> plow the track. >> Yeah. But >> they let's say let's just say they didn't listen to somebody that told them how to do it and they thought they were going to be wise and try it with a regular file. Didn't work. >> Yeah, >> they destroyed it. And Bill had to do some major repairs. Very costly. But it did just repair business. >> So the tracks needs to be replaced. >> And you have to do the track. you have to be thoughtful of like the timing of the track and the field because the field is I'm pretty sure here um attached to the track, right? So, you can't >> when I was in
069North Ed, we did the field first and then the track and they had to cut into our field >> to do the track and it it really like impacted the quality of the field. So, it's just we just have to be mindful of the timing. If we can't do it all at one time, we would have to prioritize doing the track first and then the field. >> Yeah, I just have to I'd have to look at that closer because I think you would do, you know, because I wouldn't >> because the tuck >> Yeah, tucked into the but there is there is an edge. >> I know there's an edge. It's a little aluminum bench, but I don't know how much of a difference that makes. >> Yeah, normally they have like kind of concrete,
070>> but they have to take it out and in order to do that, they have to cut in the seams and then fold it over to do the track. >> Yeah. Question follow. So is there any way to and then is there any way to look at it the same way as they looked at like the Cunningham renovation the Cunningham like look at it as like that whole piece as >> you know a capital project like the field the lights everything that is >> addressed as more >> yeah I think the way it was laid out like this is what kind of take the curse off of the slap head >> yeah no I I agree But I think $7 million rather than >> But I think if you look at it like >> if
071you think about the the Cunningham project, it was a space needs that had to be addressed. Right? Right now we're talking about like safety like we're at that point where it's >> an issue like a whole area is I don't know if kind of framing it that way. Does it I don't know. I mean just does it do you realize the impact of it more when it's like this is this whole area but to you know >> yeah no I think there could be some like with story you're able to do all this I think if you cut out the LED light like the whole thing is not getting replaced I do think the idea of cutting in LED light at least trying to get it done sooner because you do that kind of as
072a oneoff unless you're slip in some refurbishment needing to replace the poles which I don't think you're >> just a h which is which saves a ton of Yeah, thanks a lot. Um, so yeah, I generally agree with that. Have you all have you talked to parks and wreck? because I think that'd be the other place that like talking to capital and getting their support with something like this again whether this year or next year as it relates to kind of this larger refurbishment to just get like parks and recogn like hey this field is not in good like condition right that you got lacrosse on it you got football I mean football on it you got cheerleading on it you got like all kinds of programs soccer >> um so just just as again
073to like build support towards this this need because I think it is going to as you have here two and a half million is not a small capital need >> and so more people that can talk about certainly can talk to box see I don't just honestly I just don't see them banging the table for themselves never mind somebody else >> I think it it might be a good idea to even just have even if we tried to get some initial money to do start like the design. that >> may help us >> just because there's they can you know somebody that a designer will be able to come out and say to us like oh no it looks like the integrity of like a surface is okay it's just the carpet and >> yeah
074here's a project proposal actual you know cost estimators that you know have documentation behind here >> that says like here's what we're expecting. So we're not in a situation too with Cunningham where we we had enough and the second amount that would also be >> rough. >> Yeah. >> I mean that's something I can look at too is just maybe get some >> design. >> I I don't know if they have to design. I mean that's a standard pretty standard operation laying that out. So I don't know if this because you're not doing just drainage or anything like that. What would it be that I almost I was almost saying like have a designer come in and we say here's our athletic complex. We know that we're going to need like turf, track, potentially bleachers,
075maybe the um >> that's the only design we bring bleaches into the play because you talking um >> and then um and then depending on what they say like this may be something where depending on the cost we have to hire an OPM because an OPM would have to come in if it was over >> 1.5. Mhm. >> Um I just think the more that we can be proactive about it because I like with Cunningham we were kind of you know just having that designer that can give us a pretty good cost estimate rather than us saying like we think it's going to be >> yeah not good. >> Yeah I I completely agree with that. think push the bleacher replacement kind of out the or kind of consolidate those three things on separate but
076just say like this is [clears throat] we'd like some we'd like to bring in however much money got to bring in the designer >> to investigate to be able to give a greater cost prediction would be >> so move the bleaches back to FI28 and couple it with everything >> I might say like Jeff. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Like Brooksfield Brooksfield refurbishments which is like and then under that even it's like all right here are the three three components we know need to be >> and then we need funding for a designer for the Brooksfield refurbishment. That'll better solidify those numbers for us. And to Kitty's point like maybe there's something else that we're missing when they come in. >> Yeah. That gives me time to because those narratives at the bottom that they ask
077for are just for this year. >> Yeah. >> So that gives me time to build a better narrative there. >> And then to your point, maybe maybe not necessarily the parks, but maybe the youth organizations. They use those they use those parks does camps, but the youth organizations are out there all the time. >> Yeah. >> Get some support from them. Okay, fair enough. >> Uh, any other discussion on facility capital needs? >> Thank you, Tom. Appreciate you. >> Thank you. >> Um, quickly, we also had I know we're past time. Um, any particular questions folks have on the technology capital needs request? Uh it seems to me that I'm just looking at broadly what they did is which again I found helpful is take like last year's request document put that at the bottom
078so that highlight in red hey here are the three things that didn't get funded from last year and now we're highlighting that these are the three things we're asking for again I'm sorry I'll have this a screen share because Yeah, it's all done with the last one. >> Okay, >> thank you. Have a good day. You too. >> Right here. >> So, FY2526 needed to replace our Ford's network hardware at Pierce hardware colle that got funded. So, now we are pushing that over. >> So, yeah, >> that's my understanding. So, that's That makes sense. I guess my question would just be if they're not going to give us the full 1.3 um, you know, out of these three things, what what is that going to be said back? >> Yeah. >> I believe that John
079met with um Bob to review this and I'm sure that they had some of those conversations. So, um, I would have to just to see like what they talked about going through. I don't even want to guess because I'm not sure where we are in the life cycle of the end user. I know we try to iteratively do that. And so, um, no, I think obviously it would be impactful for us to like not do that one year, right? Um, but I do know that we also received some supplemental funding um, a couple years back to be able to replace some devices. So, um, I can double check with John and get more information before we discuss. >> Yeah, I just to the point where Tom saying he's on so he can speak well to
080facilitates like I'm not sure who actually is on the I mean other than Lizzie being there but she can't speak directly to it. Um, so you know, yeah, what level of detail? I think as long as Lizzie is pretty well informed to advocate on our behalf or again, >> Bob or John are attending these meetings advocating. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> I think that'd be helpful. >> I mean, the network I can always just I mean I would just speak to the network replacements. It's a very similar conversation to what we talked about. We talk about deferred maintenance for facilities. any type of deferred maintenance for the network and for technology is going to have a really significant impact to teaching and learning. >> Again, similar to facilities. So, and so much of what we do
081in schools these days is based around the technology that we use. Um, and so again, I would have to get more information where we are with kind of the replacement cycle for the networks because I know HIPPA has been trying to work on that iteratively by location as well. Um, but it's just it's a it's a pretty hardy it's a pretty significant need and unfortunately those numbers are >> just and those numbers are assume to in addition to whatever funding we're already applying for and getting through >> sole funding necessary to cover those costs. >> Yeah, I think the e- rate we've been utilizing for some of the devices for like the enduser devices. So, um, and you only get a certain percentage of - funding, and I don't even have been following -ate closely,
082but I'm not even sure how long the program is going to last. We'll continue to get that funding. So, um, just all something to consider. >> Any other questions folks have on this? >> Okay. for me. I think I need to like look at the spreadsheets on my own in more detail. >> Yeah, I'm sorry. I realize I wasn't screen sharing on that. >> No, it's okay. It's I I I need to look at it on a proper screen, too. >> Um, and I think the only one >> that know that they talked about this when it was part of the replacing the phone system. I think my question would be based on some of the things that they've said so far like is that something that can wait for Yeah. because he was saying
083that like >> um like you can't get the part like they've had to go like eBay to get parts for this now. So >> I guess I just my thing that I would question is >> is he comfortable pushing that out 40 years? >> I think that's a good question. I know just from my own personal experience like anytime there's weather or something it does tend to impact the bones. Yeah. Um, and I have had conversations with Bob about like, oh, the only place that I can get this is from this vendor. And we're fortunate that Bob can research and he has the skills to be able to like do the workarounds. Um, because it's not something that we can just reach out to a vendor and it's technology that's currently supported that we can
084say, "Hey, this would be great." They say, right? We're just not there. So, I think in four years, >> who knows? That just seems like a long way for a phone system that's that's >> great. [clears throat] All right. Um, next up is uh budget coordination committee report. Um we met uh last Friday generally kind of talked through a bit about some of the policy discussions um of policy drafts that the town administrator was putting together uh and had gotten some feedback on. There's another working group to continue talking about the forecasting kind of policies procedures um for the town this Friday. So it's a lot of kind of that the policy work related to policies that the select board is looking at and adopting. Um and then so we trying to give select for
085feedback that group was kind of select feedback time feedback on that. So that's mostly else anything that you would add? >> Um no nothing for me. Um that pretty much covers it. Um, Mark, are you So, I cannot attend either of the working group sessions. Are you able to attend any of them? >> I >> No pressure. I'm not I'm not asking you to attend in my place, but I'm just I want to make sure we have a we have a way to plug in. >> Yeah, I I'm going to try to um they're in person. That's the part I'm I probably can't do in person on the Friday, but I was going to try and call into it. Okay. >> Um All right. Um meeting minutes don't have we're up to date except for
086last meeting and now this one. So nothing on that. Uh upcoming meetings next week we are meeting on revolving funds policy continuation of that discussion which we able to dive into quite as much. Um and then the 19th we have a list for the first reading of the 27 draft budget. Uh the 26th was obviously the day before Thanksgiving. We are not going to meet. Um so our next meeting after that would be the 3rd of December. Um if we so choose. I I think probably what we're not going we probably won't have any other budget updates although maybe but we won't be at kind of like the second reading yet. Second reading would be the following week on the 10th. So I might suggest we hold the third just to continue the conversation on
087the revolving bond policies. So be surprised if we knock all that out uh in one week. Um, so that would be my my proposal and then we'd be back on the 10th for budget conserv. >> Uh, that's it. Anything else that folks feel like we need to talk about at upcoming meeting finance-wise? If not, then I will take a motion to adjurnn. >> Is there a second? >> Second. >> Uh, we'll do a roll call vote. All in favor? Nathan? >> Yes. >> Amanda? >> Yes. >> And I'm a yes. >> You're journ. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good night, Nathan.