001Everybody, please stand for the pledge 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. Amber, would you please note um board members and admins present? And then um board, you have an agenda in front of you. Are there any changes? No. I would entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve the agenda as presented. I'll support. >> All right. All in favor say I. I >> motion carry 70. >> Okay. Next up, we have um a consent agenda with the approval of minute meetings for the regular board meeting dated June 16th, 2025. The close session regular meeting um June 16, 2025. Approval of accounts payable um 715,569 and 999 cents for the month of
002June 2025. the approval of the treasurer's report um dated June 30th, 2025 with a balance of 6,1 91,923 and 85. Um the approval of the new hires and resignations. We have had a very what I would say successful hiring season so far. Um, it's been very efficient, which I've appreciated. The principal team has done a really good job with getting their colleagues in and their teammates in to be able to get some interviews knocked out. So, it's been good. Um, we have Sam Bivas. He is our middle school social studies teacher. Um, Haley Hawks left to go to North Carolina. I think he was one of the Carolinas to be with her h they're moving there with her new husband. Um, Katie Bryant, that one I didn't know. Amber Bryant. Um that is Eastern Service
003Area School Psychology Apprentice. That's why I that one. >> Beautiful. >> Jen Chick is our uh lead special education coordinator. So we shared her with Climax. She's been here before. She's been shared before. I've identified a need for us to have our own special ed coordinator. Um and so we have brought her on full time and um she's already rocking and rolling. So Kathy Delpena came in this morning. She's going to be a title one para. We've got Jenna Dornoff who is our band director. Uh I think this is going into her fourth year. So I've appreciated her communication so far. Um I think she's done four years and whatever. >> Anyway, Lisa Guth, she is going to be a part-time special education provider at the middle schooltime TC to help. We don't have a
004school psychologist that does all of our testing for special education evaluations. So, she'll be taking on some of that evaluation um paperwork to help the providers and um in lie of a school site. She's coming from New York. She's originally from Harbor Creek, so moving back. Danielle Lance, uh that is actually needs to be scratched. She declined the position today due to insurance. Um Jessica McIntyre title >> special education at the crime. >> There we are. And then Tatiana Murray is our new behavior specialist over at the middle school. Uh she's coming from Washington Ryder, I think. And then Kate Smith, she is one of our employees already. However, she is undergoing an internship. So we're able to bring her on with a little bit more responsibility and to really enhance our virtual programming. So
005um we just have her the payroll now differently. And then Nicole Sparks is our counselor over at the middle school. So the team has been busy. resignations. I mentioned Haley and then Kayla Piersma is going over to Hastings where he was headhunted from his old um where he did his internship. So, he's going back over there. He'll be in a team setting, not just an individual. So, that will suit him well. And then we have no retirements. >> Um at this time, I would entertain a motion. Oh, I'm sorry. Um, I'll entertain a motion to approve the consent agenda. >> I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented. >> I'll support. >> Okay. Roll call vote, please. >> Corsy, >> yes. >> Gillette. >> Oh, yes. >> Got my ear. >> Yes.
006>> Davidson, >> yes. >> Wils, >> yes. >> Shu, >> yes. >> Stein, >> yes. Motion carries 70. Next up, we have reports. Community input on agenda items. >> Community stay home. >> Come over. >> Can't blame them. >> Do you have to give me your spiel? Um, well, I just need you to just state your full name for the record and >> Okay. Kim Jangowski. Um, representing GA tonight. As you consider bargaining with GAA, I'd like to leave you with a few things. One, the current district proposal is a pay cut for many. Some steps are only $378 a year. Um, we have one that's only $81 of a raise each year. The cost of living increase is set at 2.5%. We're experiencing large insurance increases. 2025 rates forced us to double deductibles. Because
007we're small and because of the hard cap, we shouldered almost 100% of the increase for 2025. And Blue Cross Blue Shield expects another 8 to 10% increase for 2026. So with the changes we made last year, the only thing that would be potentially available would be to double deductibles again to 8,000, which is not feasible. You have teachers working second jobs, teachers forced to live with their parents, teachers like me unable to have needed surgery because I can't afford the deductible or the co- insurance that I'm now faced with. Healthy teachers help students meet their potential. We're not a corporation saving money for shareholders or to line the pockets of a CEO. We are a family. Family takes care of one another. Please take care of your teachers so we can take care of our
008students. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. And then um Tony is not here. So >> I have the border report in front of you guys that I printed out. It's got the updated strategic plan for year three. Um, as I mentioned, we'll have our four goals up top that will remain the same, but underneath that second column, I'm sorry, that second row, we'll just have updates. So, we hired a behavior specialist at the middle school to help meet some of the whole t whole child needs that are definitely uh shining bright at the middle school. We're we're we're in need of some um just some structure, some consistency. And so we're hoping that alignment between Miss Pratt, our new counselor, and Miss Murray, they'll be able to uh keep that going strong or
009create that to be something strong. Our admin team and behavior team is working um through the there's a book called Lost at School by Dr. Ross Green and it really just talks about how do you get to what are the factors that are causing behavior. So I'm asking my dean behavior team and administrators to go through read that book go through the training. It's a six week throughout the year training to really learn on how to teach ourselves but then also our you know support staffs that are needing that how to okay well what's the reason is what why this is going on so that then we can address that without just a a rubric that we follow. there's more there. That's important, but there's also a need to understand the why with some of
010our harder cases. So, um I'm hopeful for that. We're increasing student and staff relationships through meaningful connections. Uh we're going to do I had a teacher reach out to me. She's like, "Let's do Ram Grams. We send out postcards to uh families. Can we do Ram Grams?" So, Audrey's designing that. We're going to get them printed at Kesa and I'll distribute those to the teachers at back to school. So, most teachers send their own thing anyway, but this will be United Front. Um, so that that's just another little love letter from GA. Um, Ram family networking. We have an ice cream social tomorrow at the primary uh from 12 to 1. So there'll be ice cream and some picnic blankets just to get together. We have Ram Jam coming up in September. That is our
011first home football game, varsity football game. Uh we'll be revealing the Mascal statue at that one. So that's when we'll have our tailgate, which is a fun uh way to kick off the school year. >> What was the date on that? >> Uh September 5th. It'll be in the August 1st newsletter as well. Um, bond conversation, bond coffee conversations. I want to get with you guys on that and start brainstorming, but I want to that's something I want to hold over the next few months. A couple different dates with a couple different of you to be able to have um over at Coffee Clutch. Just some conversations with the community around the bond. And then uh real world and problem based instruction. We've got uh we just hired our mentor coordinators today and that we
012started that program last year where our teacher leaders are actually leading our mentors and our mentees. So that's um getting started again for this school year and then we've got our fame and districts uh improvement team that is going to be coupled into one. So we're not meeting a thousand times during the school year but we're meeting more intentionally um to to be with that team. Okay. when it when we talking about budget, you know, to Kim's point, it is right now it's ugly. Our school of finance department is just ugly and it's it's tough because it's hurting the people that you you love and it's hurting, you know, how we do business and education, which is blindly right now when it comes to finances. So, we uh I'll talk a little bit more in
013negotiations, but right now we are just kind of at an unknown as to what we're going to get for funding, and that's all I can say at this point. Um, academics, we extended our NWA testing, kindergarten through 10th grade. So, that's a touch point throughout the school year. You could do a fall, winter, and spring to see growth, measure the growth that we're making versus trying to look at MSTEP data or SAT data down the road that doesn't really apply to that group of kids anymore. So, we're excited about that >> through 8th grade. So, there was really no measure for high school. That was my biggest part of coming in as a high school principal is like what do I use for growth data other than failure rates which we've really focused on those
014and we will still but this will help with the academic lens um bond project. So I was able to meet with Tower Pinkster and we he had some just different ways that we can communicate around the bond. What's the language? How do we want to do that? He's going to get me in touch with towers. What's it called? Um, what's Nicole at? >> It's a communication area. >> Communicate the communication marketing person. That's what I was looking for. Thank you. So, since Elite doesn't have one of those, we're using towers. Um, and so we're her and I are getting in touch this week so that we can figure out what is a game plan look like. We brainstormed a couple different ways. You can see the bullet list here. Ways to communicate before I get
015to the dates. Website handing out. We're gonna they're going to create a website for us that we're going to link onto our website that they'll manage and change as things and numbers change. Um and then that way everybody can go there for information. We're going to have handouts and display boards which you guys have seen in the last process. Um a draft presentation for us to use when we're sitting with the community that they'll provide for us and then social media post scheduled. We need to decide if we're going to make a video with towers person or if we're going to make it on our own. And then using climax obviously is another mode. And then these are our upcoming quick like getting in front of people dates up above. Um July 21st we have
016to do the authorization this evening and then you see the dates that are coming up. So really just having opportunity for that bond information to get out there so that we can start addressing questions and excitement concerns etc. How are we are like principles reaching out to certain people or certain parents to be on like the guest committee or >> so I'll go back up to that bullet point. So uh Tower and I had which was Sean partial had conversation which I need to speak with you guys on is whether we want to do anformational committee or if we want to do a yes committee. So I don't know. So the difference would be like the school can do information >> which we can provide information provide information provide information or we can go say
017hey this is why you know we can we can exceed if we do more than $500 we have to register with the state. If not then we can just have a group of people that are figuring out how to make that committee a yes committee. um with talking with Sean, he says he thinks that this situation and the the way that we're in that we could we would probably be okay with anformational committee, which is what my gut's telling me as well, but I would definitely take the input of what you guys are thinking. So, I think that we're in a really fact-based bond that there's not a big shiny thing that we're trying to sell here. So, um I think providing our community with information is is going to allow them to make a
018sound decision. And then for transportation, we received the titles from the buses that we purchased. If you guys can recall, the 136,000 agreement is now um in our I have to bring those to Secretary of State and then they'll be all final, but they are filled out. Communication plan around uh transportation for the coming school year. If you want busing the first day of school, you must have all of your information by August 8th. I'll say it again for the record. Um, so we I've been in close communication with transportation about they're making phone calls. So if they've noticed that somebody doesn't have information in yet and they they were on a route last year, Lynette's reaching out to them proactively. Um, I said good. That's the way we are going to do business. Um,
019that's how we want to be as servant. And then we're I'm going to attend the bus meeting. I have requested that our transportation department has open door policy, has very servant leadership style happening going forward with our bus drivers. I want them to feel as a family as well. Um, so that's a that's definitely a goal for this school year. So, I'll be attending that meeting to kind of have eyes and ears and listening heart ready and available. August 13th, donuts from the drivers are going to go around at 9:00 a.m. in the morning, give out donuts to the kids, and then letters are going home the 15th with the final route information. There will be information in that letter to contact the garage if and when there's needed uh changes or anything of that
020nature. Guys, are you hearing me yet? Facilities, multi-purpose furniture. We got some new multi-purpose furniture. I was at the lineman challenge and saw that it was outside on the turf when I got there. I was like, you taped it, Hatley? Like, you're lucky. I love you, man. because I don't know if that tape came off of there smoothly or not. Um, but it's nice furniture. They're skinny tables. You can put them together to be bigger tables. We got new chairs that are nice. So, that will be our opening day will be in the multi-purpose room so that we can celebrate that. Um, definitely meeting with Mike and Frank coming up here next month around expectations. We've got great furniture from sports boosters. I walk around the building sometimes and I see a random chair out
021being used by nonneed. So, I want alignment of what's being used, inventory, and then checkout system so that we're not just blowing through our products. >> Um, what else? Food ser Well, it's definitely Frank's on top of that as well. So, food service, weekly distribution, close to 200 meals, I think David told me like two weeks ago. So, that was kind of chaotic at first, but I think people are like, "Oh, I get it now." And it's been received well. Athletics has been smooth this summer. Um, I do have a potential baseball proposal that I will be sending to you guys. um just to put eyes on, start asking some questions. I'll get Jeff here at one of the meetings so we can see about getting that going. We have some time, but I think
022it'd be about a $4,500 investment to be able to like we did girls softball, implement baseball. And ironically, I got a email from a parent today or text message on Facebook, could we put together a middle school baseball team? I was like, impeccable. So, >> has the um softball participation really increased middle school? >> Yes. Yeah. I think any and all of our youth programs that we put in place have impacted our district tremendously. Um food service already did that. Uh stuff the bus. If you guys see their supplies over there, there was a bus that was over at Walmart. People dropped off items which was awesome. So we'll get those organized for our RAM store and then back to school open house uh for needs for the kids. And then there were a couple
023just events this summer. Reading at the McKay Library in Augusta, the Gailsburg Charleston Library here in Gailsburg. Um so yeah, been productive. I have a question, >> sir. >> How many buses in total do we have both owned and leased? >> That's a good question. I can look up the spreadsheet. Off the top of my head, I was we were at 14 that we are running through auxiliary. So, I think now we have 16. I will get that for you. >> I just memorized cuz I have >> Yeah, I don't have them memorized either. Um, okay. Next up, we have business items for discussion. The state aid operating notes, cash flow borrowing. cuz you were >> Hello. And I love your attire today. >> I love it when you wear. >> You don't have anything
024wise to say. At least look good, right? >> I don't want to hear myself anymore. Thank you. >> So, uh this time of year, um we go through the process of borrowing, uh some short-term funding for cash flow purposes. Um it's pretty common in for public school districts to do this and the reason why is because of the timing of our expenditures compared to some of our revenues. So um you guys visualize the budget. Much of our local revenue is comprised of tax receipts. Those start flowing into the district in about late January. Um, so almost 6 months into our fiscal year is when we start receiving those funds. The state aid doesn't start flowing into the district until October 1. So we have July, August, September expenditures before we start seeing some revenue. So,
025it's that timing difference in when we start seeing some of the big cash items flowing in versus our expenditures out that creates this cash flow issue that we borrow um funds for to meet and then we pay it back within a year. >> Those funds all been budgeted? >> Yes. I mean to the extent that we don't really budget for the the loan, we budget for interest costs. uh because the loan will come in and then we'll repay it. So, it's not really an expenditure, but the interest that we pay that has to be budgeted. >> The reason I asked that question is because one of the items coming up is this $1.7 million loan. And I'm trying to figure out how that happened. It didn't get budgeted for. That's the only reason I'm asking
026the question, and we'll bring it up here again in a minute. But, um >> yeah, that's what this is. This is the $1.7 million. It's called a state aid note or cash flow borrowing. Again, it's not a it's not an expenditure >> per se. >> Is this something that happens every year? >> This happens every year and it's something I always bring up because money >> school financing. It's weird. >> so every school district is forced into the position. >> Not every school district. Not every school district float a loan for millions of this small district, but in a big one, you're talking millions of dollars. >> What was the amount we did last year fund this short window of time >> last year? >> This is crazy. Who came up with that? And the
027whole fun thing. We all >> 1.6 and then the year before was more though. Correct. >> Mine as well. >> I It's always in that 1.5 to 1.7 range. It varies a little bit from year to next. >> May I talk a second? Okay. Um, so this is something when I first came in I was confused about as well and it is something that I always joke about saying at some point I hope we're healthy enough and our we can treat our teachers enough to where they need to be to where we don't need to take a loan with the state. So, if we had a higher amount in our um what's it called? Fund balance, then we wouldn't need to do this, right? We would have enough money to work with without saying, "Oh
028my gosh, this happened. We don't have money to pay everybody." >> So, at some point in time in my lifetime, it would be nice to say we are all healthy enough to where we don't have to spend extra money in interest to be able to make sure we can pay everybody because then we're saving money, right? But at this point, we're not there yet. And that's what this is for. when I saw it originally that that was something that probably should have been accounted for in the in the budgeting to carry through the year. And that was kind of why it raised a question. >> It is. It is, Gary. It's it's anticipated. It's not budgeted as an expense because it's not an expenditure. So, we're borrowing the money and then within 12 months, we're
029going to repay it back. So, it's just a cash flow borrowing. It's not it's not long-term borrowing. It's short-term borrowing. So the expense that we budget >> is the interest. >> So we anticipate, you know, maybe paying a 4% interest. So that we budget for that's partially offset because we can invest our excess cash. So our cash flow varies throughout the year. Some months it's higher, some months it's lower. If we have excess cash sitting around, we invest that. And right now we're still earning about 4%. So that 4% that we're paying out is offset by some investment earnings as well. But we don't budget for the loan because it's not an expense. >> But just to be clear, that's going to be used to pay ongoing expenses like salaries, benefits >> until our funds
030come in. Correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It goes straight to that. It's not it's not a new loan for something special. >> No idea this thing operated. But this is crazy. This is just totally crazy. It's >> uncom. Yeah, it is. >> In the long run, it makes sense. And thankfully, interest rates are where they are more beneficial than they were when I first joined the board because it does help offset those costs a little bit. But again, down the road, it' be nice to be in a healthier situation where we don't need to worry about that. >> And I don't want to put you on the spot. If you don't want to answer, that's fine. But like what um fund balance are we looking at to not have to borrow money? >> Probably at
031least a 20% fund balance. >> Yeah, that'd be a good >> And that used to be the target a long time ago. I mean, I think it's a target now, but we're doing good to stay, >> but it's difficult when insurance rates keep going up and everything else for everybody. It's a whole picture. >> Just go back to the board superintendent board report >> and these are going to throw that out there. >> Thank you. >> So, good question. I like those questions as a >> I mean, but thanks a newcomer. I mean I just if this is an ongoing thing then but lobbying the legislature to change the rules here so that none of these districts have to get caught in this thing because that's just you know I did the math and if
032somebody buys this issue with let's say even at 4% they're going to make a pile of tax free money >> and I mean >> it's great for them but um you know it's not great for the any of the district >> so we need we remember like fall they have the um legislation meeting of what we want to um make the goals for the year. So, we need to remember this when we go there and make that, you know what I mean? Like they take the top 20, but put that on the list. >> Thank you. Hold me accountable to make sure that we >> The whole big picture. >> Any other questions? >> Thank you for being here. It's not your fault. >> Thank you for educating. >> That's all. >> Thank you, Bella.
033>> Well, you have to have $1.7 million. Okay, you're gone. Now, >> um, next up we have the Gailsburg Gustoa virtual academy course log for 2025 2026. >> So, you'll recall two years ago, maybe three two years ago, we brought you the U curriculum from virtual academy so that we could get that approved so we could have uh students doing GABA. Um, this these are just some updated courses that they are offering now. So, we just wanted to get that in front of you so that you could see what those new courses are so that we could get that approved and offer them to our students. >> Yes. >> We don't require any we're not expected to have any kind of minimum enrollment into any of these classes, right? >> No, I just wanted I
034didn't think so, but >> Excuse me. >> All right. Next up, the special school election. So, hold on one second, please. >> So, we have a Amber, is this the only piece of paper I have? >> Yes, cuz then there's the resolution that they have. >> Um, I didn't resolution, >> right? They have. So, this is the Where's the the proposal? The ballot proposal. >> It's in that packet of stuff that big. Oh, I don't have that. Sorry. >> I do somewhere. >> From the board packet then >> I got it right here. >> Are you looking for the front, please? >> Right there. >> Want me to read it? >> Yeah, please do. >> The whole thing. I mean, you got to get I can't project from here. It >> says, "Shall Dillsburg Augusta
035Community Schools, Alamazoo County, Michigan, borrow the sum of not to exceed $1,200,000 in parenthesis and issue its general obligation unlimited tax bonds. Therefore, in one or more series for the purpose of remodeling school buildings and facilities, equipping, re-equipping, furnishing, and refernishing school buildings and facilities, erecting a new transportation facility. Acquiring, installing, equipping, and re-equipping school buildings for instructional technology. and preparing, developing, improving, and equipping structures, facilities, and sites with a question mark. And then there's someformational. Do you want me to read that as well? >> Um, does anybody need Gary to read that as well? >> No. >> Okay. >> No. Thank you, Gary, so much. So the language for what we have to do is certify that we are okay with that language and get this signed off so that we can get this
036um to the state by August 12th or >> to the county clerk. >> So it's permitting the bond proposal calling the special election the ballot language that's >> I have a whole bunch of questions. Can I go first so that >> yes >> anybody else who wants to >> let me say right at the beginning I'm not opposed to the proposal what I have difficulty with is the way the speed and the lack of definition >> that has occurred in this whole thing and I want to just rep stop and go back and come forward and and you'll see why I'm here. So sometime back in November of last year, um Bob Nton, a financial guy, apparently came to a meeting says, "Hey," and he was right to do this. Hey, you got an opportunity
037to have a bond issue with no millage increase. That's part of his job. And what happened was that concept got jumped on, rightly so, I guess, and it's moved forward. So, so then what happened is I showed up in January and Sean from Tower of Pency made a presentation. I voted no. And the reason I did it was very clear is I had no definition of what was going on, >> right? >> So, time moves forward and then last and there's still been I I don't know about you guys, but I haven't been provided any specifics. It's all been in generality, so to speak. So last month um we had to vote on another proposal and at the time we took and I voted yes and at the time that vote was taken I didn't
038have the information that was sent out. The reason I didn't have it was the agenda got changed a couple times and it came on Monday and I didn't look at my email until after the and when I got the the stuff and I so I start reading it when I came to that $5 million for transportation I said you got to be kidding me. I mean, this is crazy expensive for 16 buses. I didn't know that at the time. And I said, you know, I haven't seen any plans, specifications, no nothing really. >> And and so now we're here today. And the problem we've got is we have because of timelines, we have to vote today to get this thing on the ballot or in the alternative, and this is just me and the way
039I do things is that I do things very quickly. I'd like to have the information, know exactly what I'm doing. Uh, and at this moment, we can't do that. And what I'd like to cuz I want to be forced into an uncomfortable position here because based on what I've seen and know, I can't in good conscious vote, yes, today to put this under my belt. What I would rather see us do, frankly, is to postpone this thing until next May where we can get all of these, you know, specifics and know exactly what we're going to do, be able to present it. There's some benefits to that in a way because less people show up in May typically to vote at those elections. You got a better chance. And here's the bigger deal. If if
040you put it on in November and it fails, and if it fails by a big margin, it's going to be tough to bring it back. um it will just be real tough. And I'm throwing this out only because as it sit I still got no no specifics on. I'll give you an example. Some guy from the community walked up and said, "Hey Gary, you got a 11 million bond issue. What are you going to do with it?" The only thing I can say is you spend half of it on a bus garage and I'm not sure about the rest. And that's not a good answer for somebody. Gross. >> So anyway, >> this is my two cents where I'm trying >> I'm not opposed to this. I'm trying to be practical and as I said
041a long time ago, if you're going to do something, >> I want to see it succeed, not blow up because we don't have the specificity and I've had myself. Thank you. Well, and one thing that um I think that we could have conversations about, I don't know if it's at this meeting um or at one of the community meetings, but as the location of a bus garage because that hasn't been decided, right? >> The only thing and I Gary, I feel I feel that as well is like what does it look like? We don't know that stuff yet. At this point, what we've had is Tower and Elite come in and they've said it's it's it's not I think we're in actually an okay spot. So we we don't have what it we don't have
042the product yet because we don't even have approval yet and so that's what we have to get first. That's part of the process. But we know that we've got to get roofs fixed and we went from a so when Tower and Elite came in they calculated out 17.2 million or something like that of needs in the district, right? So, we had to go through this spreadsheet and find where we can cut, we can cut, we can cut. And part of the transportation was going to potentially have some storage for athletics in there or some storage for maintenance. We had to take that stuff out so that we can make the transportation what it's needed, what we need, and then have funds for the rest of the roofs and things like that. So, 10 million isn't
043that much. It's a lot, but it's not that much in the schemes of what we need done. 5 million for a bus garage to house at the moment. 16 bucks. That will blow somebody away if you tell them that. They'll go, "You got to be nuts." >> Gary, I've asked you to come to the bus garage a handful of times. Have you? >> I'm not saying we don't need one. I'm not saying that at all. >> We need one. I'm saying $5 million, which is half else half of the total. That's shocking for some expensive >> and try to put it in perspective when you don't know what you're getting. That's the only point I'm trying. >> That's very valid. I would like to say when we did the last bond after it was approved
044we held all those different meetings where the community came in and then that's when we actually started >> but you said though this is the only like okay so we were building the football field we knew where we were >> we knew where it was going >> and I think that that might be hard for some voters they're going to want to know the location of it cuz everything else that we've built we've known the location now the last one the the football field was very vague like you're saying and we were able to do turf. Um so because it wasn't spelled out that we were doing grass. In the past they had put that we would do grass. >> Um so we wanted to be careful not to get ourselves back in a corner.
045So we have to do certain things. That's why it's very vague. >> Um >> Chrissy's point is is exactly what I said. you're voting on something, but you don't know what you're doing with precis. And that's my problem because that's just not the way I I've done things. I like to know and and the rest of us that's responsible and I want to be responsible. So this is kind of a dilemma because of the timeline >> and I'm just saying but it's not because we do it. >> That's that's the unknown, right? It's it's taking the steps and then once we get there then we determine all that. wait until May, you're not going to get more information between now and May, you're going to be in the same space just down the road. >>
046And the part that I do think is responsible is like when they held those meetings to decide on, you know, what the outside of the addition to the primary was going to look at. They had community members in there. So that's one part you can sell is that, you know, there is community input the whole way through from, you know, step A to step Z, whatever it is. So, I mean, that is one part that you can sell and say, you know, like you get to help us decide how we're spending essentially part of your money. >> And when it comes to dollar amounts, the dollar amounts in general worlds are are wicked, right? So, when we go from consumer at home to even like business like what I have to now school, the cost
047of doing business is completely different because it's held to such a different standard. And so when we look at a bus garage, I might be like, "Oh, that should be a couple hundred,000." It's completely different in the school world compared to a consumer world. Um, and so I think that's a sticker shock on its own cuz it's not like it's a Taj Mahal for them, but there's so many drainage things they have to hold up for. There's there's the decommission of different things. So it's so generalized, just like if you're looking through a microscope, okay, I'm on a, you know, a low power lens. And when we get farther down the road, that's when we get to that high power lens to say, "This is where we're at now, and these are the finite items."
048So, there's so many ways to critique how this is going to look and how much it's going to cost as we get farther along. But generally, practice looking at it. They're saying this is should be generally a 5 point something million dollar job to do it from start to end with oil, with fuel, with everything from beginning to start >> u or start from the end. I feel like though you're like you want that model to show somebody like this is what it's going to look like and this is going to go here. Is that kind of what you're saying though? I don't know that >> in part. Yes. But I mean we we're talking $11 million and I know in generalities where some of it's going to that 5 million sticks out as a
049sort of thing. Here's the problem. when you have no specificity and step into a layman's shoes for a minute. What it allows you to do is anything you want to do when you don't have any and that's the danger right there. That's how I'm looking at this from the average guy's perspective, >> but it's going to be so limited by the amount of money that we're asking for too. I mean, you can we can do we can build any type of transportation building you want to build like with any kind of materials or anything like that, but that's what the the committee that's made up of different people decide including community members. >> This is the classic excuse me for saying this is classic Nancy Pelosi. We got to pass it and then we'll tell
050you when what's in it. I I I totally get what you're saying >> and and you're right from from the outside perspective, somebody who puts as much thought into it as you've traditionally put thought into it, it does look >> sus. >> We're not putting a break room in there. >> You got that in the original. We're taking that out. >> I got no problems with the building. I got no problems putting it here. I have problems with the lack of specific. Has anybody seen anything >> that doesn't get done at this point? It doesn't get done until it gets voted. I hear you. I do hear you. >> Could we be helpful in the sense of what we're expecting? So now this is what we're expecting for how much we're putting together for this
051bond. If it's passed, what are our next steps and how to differentiate what that means? And that may help you to see we pull in community members along with admin along with teachers or whoever this might be. And that's when it gets broken down of the absolute needs and what money we have to work with to get those funds done. So we've all seen this like but maybe Sarah were you involved with the last >> not as a board member but as a community and I was still >> but like we all like when they come like the the committee will design the building and they will say this and then the board comes to the board and we approve it and that's not you're not going to see it before then like sorry >>
052but so the the needs are there we know this dollar amount is what is going to be allocated for it and if this bond gets passed because the school needs it and technically ly bonds ago before I was even having kids in school, they proposed to have a bus garage area for them and that was over here. But that wasn't it wasn't affordable and they've been only doing the bare meet and necessities to get the the school caught up until this last bond. And that's where I feel like in my world I like to say I'm not going to try to just catch up to the last school in the running. I want to go one step above them. And so when we had the option like for the field to get done, that's like
053me getting an ultrasound. and I'm not going to get someone that's 20 years old if I have the option. I'm going to try to catch up to the people ahead of me. Um, same thing with this. So, previously we just said, "No, we're not going to do a bus garage. We're going to try only to do meat potatoes because we can't afford to do anything else." And now at this point, we need to because we have these buses that are so expensive to take care of. >> Um, I would say it was very irresponsible of us not to do it in the last bond. Um, so like when that got looked at and everything that we did. No, but no, no, no. But financially looking at it fair in May. That's what I'm saying. >>
054Is it fair on your end to provide as much transparency as we can provide based on the amount of knowledge that we have? Do you know what I'm saying? Like we can only give what we have. Are you requesting that we give as much of what we have as we can to the public? Is that kind of because I feel like your concern is more from the public angle >> of how to explain it. >> Yeah. So I mean should we be explaining that you know we we do keep the not the language vague for this reason because you know costs change and we may have to scale something back. >> I mean is it fair to do that >> and we want their input we want them to have some say. So >> the
055problem most people me included have with government is there is just there's a lot of reckless spending and nonaccountability. I'm just trying to to be more precise. That's what it stripped down to its essence and the legal terminology. And I tell you, I've been doing it for so long. I don't know how to do it differently. And this is a problem for me maybe, but that's how I am. >> Well, I'm wondering how we overcome that. >> Yeah. And that's what I'm, you know, a little bit maybe insight on it. And maybe this is my lack of sharing, but I just didn't think we were at this part yet. So when I sit down with Tower, we we talk about how we want our transportation. We say, "Okay, it needs to be this many square
056foot. We wanted to add a new maintenance section for storage for Frank." And so we said, "Okay, this is how big this is going to be. This is about how much we can get from this." We've already had to shave that part off just because we know that numbers wise, we've got to do that. But like this document up here, Gary, can you can you look up on that screen? This is what we're going to get more information on this. It's really hard to see up there, isn't it? >> Hard for me to see, >> but like it shows the director's office is this many this footage, and then it calculates out how much that cost is, and then it gives us just the basics of just the bare, I guess, materials, if you will.
057There's no specific design of what that looks like at this point in the game. There's just numbers on needs, how much uh materials cost, and then how much size we would need of that. And that's all we have at this point in the game. So you have like the basic square footage of what we're expecting. >> Yeah. Like we said, okay, does it is it fiscally responsible to take down the current bus garage? No, it's not because it costs money to do that. So, we're just going to leave it and then we're going to say, "Okay, Frank, why don't you take over that stuff your that space with your maintenance stuff from that point and then we'll get that, you know, tuned up just a little bit if we can afford it. Tweak it >>
058and then Yeah. And then that way the transportation is going to be smaller so maybe we're not spending all of that." So, I mean, we're but it's such I mean, it's been me, Sean, and then just the people that we've had many conversations on at this point because it's not even we can't go build it if we don't have the permission first. >> Is there some reason why we can't postpone this until May? >> So, I thought through that as you asked it, but it doesn't change this process anymore. >> No, you're right. It doesn't, but it it allows time to sort out all this other stuff. Now, your costs are going to change a little. No question of that. >> It gives you the opportunity to know exactly what you're going to do with
059created a mill increase if we waited. >> Well, that they're not also going to continue to work on it if it's going to if they're not moving forward. So, they're only going to put so much work in it for free. >> Yeah. >> Right. Before we get approval and then they're going to get specificities. So, we don't lose money with them doing this if it doesn't pass. But they're not going to get specificities and put more money into it unless we have it passed and we have a job for them. >> Well, and there's no way to predict like so our last bond when it passed and then the COVID and everything the prices were way higher than we thought. So that that's some of the reason why they do don't do this because there's
060fluctuation in a lot of the stuff >> and the interest rates and everything. So even if we wait till May, it's not going to change the process for you to get what you want. >> The the plans and specifications don't come until after Correct. And then and then we're all a part of that creating that we have the initial is just the name which we've talked about the roofs, the boilers, the chillers, the I mean but we can't say specifically this is exactly what it'll be because they refuse to put it down on paper and then get handed their butts when they're $3 million short. >> It's kind of like if you're going to say, "Okay, we're going to build a two we're going to build a two-story house. We're going to have three bedrooms
061and a bathroom. That's all you're going to know." Well, you can't even know that. You're building a ranch. >> We're going to build We're going to build this house. We're going to build a house and this is how much it cost. You say yes to building one story >> down the road. We'll say, "Okay, this is where the bedroom's going to be. This is what color wallp usually I said last time there's community involvement." And I assumed there would be this time and there might not be because this is all maintenance kind of stuff. So, >> there should be for the bus ride. >> Yeah, I think. >> Yeah. I don't know. I just wanted to just that >> who here doesn't trust Newton? >> We're hired. We hired her to do a job. Her
062job is to get as close to where she can be and say this is 11.7 million. That's what we need for this bond. That's going to give us the zero increase and be able to move forward. Her job is to get that dialed in as much as possible. Do what's best for the school district and get us to say, you know what, all right, I trust you. We made a decision to put you in that role. I'm going to vote for this to move forward and then we are able to get the everything hammered in. That's when we get to sit down at the table and really go toe-to-toe with elite. That's how it works. Right now, our job is to say, "Do we trust you? Do I have a specific question about what I
063can and can't do with the money and other than that, our job is to say, our employee is doing her job well, and we're going to do what we need to do for the both." >> I absolutely love what you're saying. Can I add to it one thing? timeline. The only other thing in my brain that changes now versus waiting till spring is the more equipment we have to postpone and put maintenance in that we could replace that needs it is taking money out of our general fund and then we can't pay our teachers what we want to pay them as well. So the more things we can get past in this bond that needs true fixing that we're wasting money in maintenance just tweaking it along which is a lot of money the long
064more we're wasting and we can't put it where it needs to be. So, I feel like it's a need that the more we're putting it off, the more we're wasting and we're not giving people the money that need money. >> I feel the pain. I get it. Yeah. >> It's ridiculous that we can't have plans and stuff sit in front of us and say, "Okay, this is what our bus garage is going to look like if this passes in November." >> Gary, I asked, "When can we go out and look where it's going to be?" Like, you're crazy. This is where we're at. >> We've all been through it. >> No problems with any of it. It's just this it's it's like I said, it's the lack of details and specificity. I can't just kind
065of how I am. >> It'll come. You never bought the mystery box up and back. >> I tell you, you know, I'm doing all kinds of project. >> I love the dollar mystery bag. >> Everything is done very precisely. You don't have any problems. Everything works. And so that's the reason why I do it that way because I found out a long time ago if you keep doing it, it keeps working. And rarely do you have problems. As you said, it is very different when you're building like a corporate building or a school building because just look at the amount of toilets we had to put out there for the stadium >> and we're subject to somebody else's process at the end of the day. >> So, you might not have gotten the answers that
066you wanted, but are you ready to move on? >> Thank you for allowing me. >> Good conversation. >> You should feel good about what you're doing. So, >> okay. Next up, we have the district strategic plan year three. doing good. >> I thought we did that. >> Yeah, I put it in my report. Oh, >> I just had it. It's going to be You guys can all get a copy of it. We're going to get it out at back to school. It's just ready and ready to go. >> I appreciate you sticking to a plan and and being that broadcasted out. So, I appreciate that. >> I appreciate you getting it in front of us already. >> Yeah, I know. >> Um communications. Um Kim, do you have anything else? Nope. >> Okay. Thank you.
067Um business items for decision. Um a handbook. >> Yeah, we skipped the handbook. >> Primary school handbook. >> Oh, thank you. Primary student um student parent handbook 2025 2026. >> It is updated. >> Good. >> We the others are working on theirs the first week of August. So >> um did Sean get back to us on if you go to your bars to that bar the updates under >> oh >> the updated staffing change um took out unexcused abuses he temperature for the health department guidelines end of the school days now 255 now 254 something to do with Jason clock hours um and he added um a clause about parents picking up their kids early. Um they need to wait until the students are at the school. >> All general stuff. >> Any questions? >>
068Beautiful. >> One full minute. >> It's probably was like that and it just never ever got updated on the last. >> Fair enough. >> Jim, do you remember when the primary went from 254 to 255? >> I don't even know. Jonathan 253. So now >> serious business right there. >> Sometime after I left because we're still 253. >> Okay. So we did um public participation um business items for decision state aid operating notes cash flow borrowing resolution. >> Yay. Yay. >> I would entertain a motion. >> I'll provide a motion to approve the state aid operating note resolution as presented. I'll support. >> Do we have any further discussion? >> Roll call vote, please. >> Davidson, >> yes. >> Smeltzer, >> yes. >> Shu, >> yes. >> Gillette, >> yes. >> Corsy, >> yes. >>
069Wils, >> yes. >> Stein, >> yes. >> Motion carriage 70. Next up, we have a Gailsburg virtual academy course catalog 2025 2026. I'd entertain a motion. I'll make a motion to approve the My Virtual Academy K through2 course catalog, including the new courses added for the 2025 2026 school year as presented. >> I'll support. >> Any further discussion? I just want to add it's always exciting when we get to offer new classes. So, >> I was really excited. >> Yeah. >> Roll call vote, please. >> Shu, >> yes. >> Smeltzer, >> yes. >> Davidson, >> yes. >> Horsey, >> yes. >> Wils, >> yes. >> Gillette, >> yes. >> Beverstein, >> yes. Motion carries. 70. >> Don't mind me. I'm stretching the back cuz it's seized. >> Next up, we have the special school election.
070I would entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve Christy Corsy to sign and submit a copy of the certification of Bry certification of ballot proposition to the election coordinator and county election clerk. >> I'll support. >> I thought it'd be weird if I did. >> Any further discussion? Roll call vote, please. Shute, >> yes. >> Gillette, >> no. >> Davidson, >> yes. >> Corsy, >> yes. >> Smeltzer, >> yes. >> Wilts, >> yes. >> Eberstein, >> yes. Motion carries 61. Next up, we have the primary school student um parent handbook 2025 2026. >> Is there a tour? >> Wait. >> Oh, okay. >> The bond proposal resolution. U motion to approve the bond proposal resolution as presented. >> I'll support. Any further discussion? >> Vote, please. >> Smelter, >> yes. >> Gillette,
071>> no. >> Davidson, >> yes. >> Corsy, >> yes. >> Shu, >> yes. >> Wils, >> yes. >> Everstein, >> yes. Motion carry 61. Now we can move on to the primary um school student parent handbook 20252026. I'd entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to approve updates to the primary school student parent handbook as presented. >> I'll support. Any further discussion? Roll >> call vote, please. >> Davidson, >> yes. >> Gillette, >> yes. >> Smelt, >> yes. >> Shu, >> yes. >> Horsey, >> yes. >> Wils, >> Yes. Motion carries 70. Um, next up we have um close session scheduled. So I would entertain a motion. >> I'll make a motion to go into close session under section 8C of the opens meeting act for the purpose of negotiations discussion. >> I'll support.
072>> Um, do we need a break or do you want to go right into session? >> I'm good. >> Okay, we'll go into close session at 6:54. We have board comments starting with shoot. >> Uh I am so excited overall how our school is coming along and my son was lucky to participate in the alignment challenge the other day and oh my gosh the family and the 20 plus schools and it still felt it was just so organized and so wonderful and I loved it. That's all I got. >> It was so good. All the feelings >> but it was good. Honestly, it was a good day for them to do it because they were working their little butts off >> and I didn't feel I felt short. >> Oh, there were so many tall
073people there. >> Wow. >> These kids are giants. >> I try to figure that one out. >> I know. It was cool. >> Yeah. I mean, I'm going to piggy back on that. Uh the line challenge was awesome. I'm just, you know, not a lot going on right now. So, I'm really excited for the upcoming football season. I think at varsity level at least. I don't know about JB, but I'm excited. >> Can I add one thing, too? Yeah. with this lineman challenge. If we did not have turf, that field would have been ruined. FYI, >> if we don't do it on the if we didn't have, they don't do it on the field. >> But it would have been so muddy because we had rain right before that and then with all of those
074equipment items they were utilizing, it was just so cool to have a safer area for them to utilize and it did not get ruined. >> Sitting spots. >> Oh, we're good. We're good. >> Sorry. um what you had said earlier about you know your um your team doing the hiring. I was in the band director interviews and Teresa did a fantastic job. Like I can really see like the great leadership um trickling down to your admin and I just really how great of a job you did. It was a very long day. Um but we're very excited for the new band director. Um, next Friday is our last day of band camp and at 3 p.m. if anybody is available, you can come on out to Nashville Fields, find yourself a seat in the stands
075and preview our show, which actually just got changed today. So, we're very excited. It's going to be a fun show now. So, Friday 3 p.m. Friday, 3 p.m. August customer service. >> You said 3 p.m. on Friday. So, and then afterwards they do the whole shaving cream fight and get hosed down. >> Not on the turf. >> No, no, no, no. That's >> going to clean the beads. >> Are you Are you getting both fire departments this year? >> I'm Thank you for letting me. Yeah, I'll do that. I'll go. >> That's all I have. >> Not anything. >> I got a couple things. Hey, thank you for coming to the library. >> Sure thing. >> Totally like I saw. Oh, screenshot. Um, they will go in the evidence folder as soon as I remember.
076It's a home safe. Where did they go with that? But yay, if they can come to the library to Augusta to Gail for this year, just so you know. >> And hey, if you ever get the opportunity to see the Augusta Museum open, which sometimes they open at car show, which I believe is August 2nd, it's coming up the car show. Um, they have a car show, too. >> Yeah, it's it's a cute little museum that we have. And I believe there's a one of the old things in there. So, do they always have a car show? Car shows every >> I haven't seen that information to put in my newsletter. I saw the golf bonding for Gail. do like a healthy. Yes, please do. >> Oh, yeah. Everybody all gets us done by the
077fire department. There's always like food. They do like fire extinguisher stuff sometimes and then there's just plastic cards. So, that's our big thing. And I'm happy to be working with some t-shirt designs. So, now that they've got a new show to the desk today, I'm going to go home and spend this week coming up with a t-shirt design hopefully before it. So, I'm happy >> our sixth year doing that off. >> Yeah. Nothing. >> Nothing. >> I got two kids that graduated already and I >> He's like, I'm done. >> For all the summer stuff here, it's been nice to listen to Chuck Hadley over the mic say you can blame Chuck Hadley for making that mistake again. >> Oh my gosh, he was adorable. >> So, it's it's just neat to hear the cheer
078because obviously I live right behind the school. So to just hear all the things going on and not have to be a part of it has been kind of a blessing. >> It's a little lovely when your schedule throws up. >> It starts in August with football for third and fourth grade. >> Uh so I'm excited for that. But it's just it's really neat to hear the things going on. You can hear more excitement. Maybe I just missed it because it was down at the primary for so long, but it just feels like there's just a lot more going on, a lot more good things. So it's really cool. >> I have three things. Okay. >> First, I realize the minutes tend to be generic, but I would request that they specifically state that my
079votes on the bond proposal were solely due to the process, not the proposal. Second, um I fully intend to help in these meetings you're going to have and I'll be offended if you don't invite me when somebody asked me what are you doing here because you know then it becomes self-evident. And the third thing is I think Lindsay's doing a great job. >> Oh, thank you. You're >> welcome. >> Appreciate it. >> I was I'm glad that you said that because I was gonna ask if people asked why you voted no. >> That's exactly what you tell them. Yeah. It's the the the process is crazy to me. That's it in a nutshell. I don't >> I agree with you, Gary. Tell them Lindsay said that, too. >> Just be clear. That's what you tell
080them. >> Okay. Thank you. >> That's what I'll tell them. So we took a group of um third, fourth, and fifth graders and sixth graders to Susicle at the Barn Theater. We had about 20 kids show up and they got to go through the stations and see back behind the stage and everything and meet the actors and actresses and then we had Barn Pizza, which if you haven't, they have they do have the best pizza and then we got to see Susl. I think everybody enjoyed it. Um we didn't lose any kids. That's always good. and we're going to do another we're going to take the middle school to see my fair lady um in a couple weeks August 7th I think. >> But that was fun >> and thank you for all your hard
081work this summer. >> Um I have I'm struggling right now with just like workload in the sense of like I'm waiting for everybody else right now. Amber and I were discussing this earlier like we're full till kind of people and like we're everybody's off in July. So I'm like where's this all these things and so I just have a different type of anxiety I've never had before as a principal I could make my building come alive right but like as a superintendent I'm waiting for everybody's stuff. So I'm struggling with that right now but I'm self-aware with it and come August we'll be ready to rock and roll. But yeah it's just been a weird feeling. So if I seem off that's just kind of what I'm feeling right now. can't do everything you want.
082>> Discussing the wine of the month for you. >> Amber quick thank you for registering. Make sure the uh cont. >> Oh yeah. So >> yeah, you're doing a great job by the way. >> Thank you. >> Shout out. Shout out to you. >> Um I want to let you know too um so Lindsay brought it up, Philip brought it to her attention about the budget for um our expenses for um conferences and classes and stuff. So we've been looking at that. That's why I asked for workbased transcript. Um looking at what classes are um refundable basically and maybe making some changes to that. Um obviously that has to come to the board for a vote. So I just wanted to kind of I've talked to a few of you guys, but I wanted to
083let let you know that we're looking at that >> fundraiser managed. >> I Let's go clean people's houses and mow their lawns. I'm not kidding. >> I got I got a riding I can use my lawn. I just mentioned the other day I need all the help. >> Hey, you have teenagers that offer you help. >> Okay. at 7:27. The meeting is