001Yeah, I just saw that. I was like, >> good evening everyone. Welcome to the GFW public schools independent school district 2365. Time is 606. >> 606. um March 16th. Stand for pledge of allegiance. >> I aliance 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. make amendment to the agenda tonight. >> Yeah. So, resolutions B, C, and D can now be combined into one resolution, as well as the addition of the secondary building in Winthrop being added to the resolution. And we get a first and a second to agenda. >> I'll make a motion to approve the amended agenda. >> Second. Okay. All second. >> All in favor? Recognition? Public comments. There's nobody right. Uh consent
002consent agenda action items. Um we have a first and a second to approve the consent agenda. >> I'll make a motion to approve the consent agenda. I'll second. All those in favor. Um approval regular board meeting minutes. App finance report of activity account review and approval of personnel hiring resignations. Nice. All we have >> transformational items superintendent report. >> Yeah, it's been a very couple of busy weeks here. Um it's been about a month since the middle school high school students came and joined us and things have been going really well as we work to um align both the buildings into one prek through 12 facility. It's been very exciting with that. Uh couple of things is a few weeks ago I was able to go and visit with legislators up at the state capital
003and have conversations about um GFW's story and exactly how the decisions being made in St. Paul are affecting not only our budget but they're also affecting um our operations and our teams that we have here as well with a lot of mandates and other policies that are on the table right now. There have none that have really advanced beyond this point because things are moving very very slow in St. Paul at this point. It's a split house and the way it's split right now is on Mondays and Wednesdays I one party has the gavl and then on Tuesdays and Thursdays the other party has the gavl. I didn't know we could do that but it's very slow very painstaking movement happening there. Um couple of things that are happening financially that are important to us
004is the first is that compensatory funding which is the free reduced lunch meals. Uh this passed back in the 2025 legislative or 2024 legislative session and districts have been held harmless for the last two years. Um just for references, those are those free reduced meal applications, the paper forms that we used to ask families to fill out. Now the state law changed so they're directly certified through the counties and the paper forms have gone away. meaning there's not really an incentive anymore with free with all school meals being free. So for us it's about $150,000 in decreased revenue from families not doing the direct certification process. There's not a lot we can do with that. Um just because it is a county managed service and it's very difficult to get that through. Um, another thing
005that's happening right now is, um, two years ago, K12 funding was tied to the inflationary formula through the school district. Typically, school districts waited anxiously towards the end of May to hear whether they were getting a 2% or a 3% increase on the funding formula. Few years ago, the legislature passed um passed a law stating that it' be tied to the inflationary factor. So, we know right now that next year we're getting 2.69% 69% increase in general education aid. However, right now there's big debate over whether or not that inflationary factor should remain and we should go back to the old way of doing things, which is very difficult for school districts to plan and budget. We're not sure where that's going to um stall out or not. The other piece with that is that
006funding for special education. Last year, the legislature was tasked with creating a blue ribbon commission focused around cutting $250 million from the special education funding that goes out to school districts. Um, working with the federal government, there's really only two areas that school that can be cut from special education funding without violating federal law, and that's ADSIS and special education transportation. For us, if they decide to cut ADCs, it's about $560,000 a year of reimbursement. Special education transportation's $180,000. So, we are going allin. Um, I'm having lots of conversations with other superintendents. We are planning on being as present as possible at the in St. Paul um throughout the rest of this legislative session, making sure that we're finding ways to tell the story about what access funding does to support our students. um as
007well as special education transportation. For us to lose $560,000 in revenue is pretty pretty damaging for us, let alone $180,000 in special education transportation, too. Um so, working through that, stay tuned. Like I said, things are moving very, very slow. I did email all staff encouraging them to please contact their legislators and talk tell them what, you know, what their thoughts and their feelings are on this as well. Uh tomorrow morning uh we're fulfilling a promise with Mindot that we would start educating our students around school safety. So we've got um state t state troopers coming in to do a presentation for our 10th, 11th, and 12th graders about driving safely on the roads during the last blizzard when we had to do that sudden early dismissal, which I was just like two weeks ago,
008I think, when we got them in here at 8:30 and then we were out the door by 11:00 because we knew it was getting bad. the uh law enforcement sat across the street and they counted at least 12 had students that didn't have headlights on um when they were out driving in the midst of the blizzard and stuff. And so we've got some statistics that we're going to share with them as well. I also want to thank our three local police chiefs because the two days after that blizzard, we brought all the student drivers down to the gym and the police chiefs told them exactly what they witnessed and what they've been seeing out there on the highways as they've been driving in town. So, that was really exciting to have that partnership, too. Uh,
009our auction of items at the old elementary school as well as the stadium bleachers went very, very well. Um, we brought in about $130,000 in revenue uh just from the auction alone. Um, later tonight, we're going to talk a little bit about what we're going to do with that money to help offset some of the budget reductions that we have to do next year as well. Uh the big news last week with the old Winthre building was that a pipe burst inside the wall and flooded most of the office area there about 2 to three inches of standing water down in the basement as well as um went down the elevator shaft and filled about a 5ft shaft um that our elevator was kept in there too. Thankfully, no one students were there. Um, quite
010honestly, like we still wouldn't be in school at the middle school, high school right now because it's still drying out and they're still trying to get the damage assessment done. So, we would have probably been modifying the calendar for an early spring break at this point. So, I'm glad no one was there. I'll keep you updated as the insurance claim um starts to move forward. Uh I also want to thank uh local SIEU284 which is our union with pair professionals secretaries and food service staff. Uh we wrapped up negotiations. Thanks Ken and George for being a part of those negotiation process as well. So that'll be on the agenda later tonight. But they were really great to work with and um there's a really good conversation around that process too. So I want to thank
011their leaders. And then I also want to talk a minute about um Dasher. So, Dasher, we've had a number of employees that have quit um in the past couple weeks. Um and so looking at that with um our upcoming budget discussions, I was able to go to a presentation at Renville County West Schools with a lot of other superintendents and buildings and grounds directors, and they have autonomous robots that are able to do floor scrubbing and sweeping um of the floors and the gyms. and one of the sweepers can actually suck up a pop bottle without any issues whatsoever. Um, we dumped a gallon of mud on the floor and it was able to suction it all up without any issues as well. I did ask for some pricing. So, for us to get two
012autonomous robots plus a handheld floor scrubber is about $19,000 per year. Um, which is a really really good deal. One one thing that I've been monitoring with Dasher is I've been watching the employees on the floor scrubber and I've been seeing quite a few hours spent cleaning up the mud after the elementary kids come in from the playground or um sweeping the gym floors which is a giant gym floor space now and working towards that as well as the commons area. Um so my belief is that we'll be able to look at some budget reductions as well as if we were to move forward with an autonomous robot package. Can that do the gym? >> It can do the gym floor as well. >> Yep. So, I'm not quite there. Renville County West bought a
013uh autonomous robot that ms the lawn. I am not quite confident with robots having blades yet, but I'm okay with a mop and a squeegee. That's my own date. Oh Busy. >> It's been fun. Sounds like it. Um, policy committee. We didn't have a meeting and later tonight we'll be doing a second reading on three policies. That's a door. All we have for that FRP. >> We didn't have We didn't have a meeting last time, did we? >> We need uh Riverbend. >> Yeah, Riverbend. Oh, yes. Um what's the alternative learning class is steady numbers. There have been seven in-house graduates which was good. The U of course Riverbend like any school system looking for different instructors and employees and having trouble hiring pair of professionals right at the moment. Uh let's see the Raptor
014section had 21 students this time. So they're pretty much filled as they have been. They're trying a new approach for virtual and I believe it's going to include the in in-person conferences too but trying to get more parents to come in to make it easier to make it accessible or uh which not just easier but more gratifying I think along the way that's one of the major issues and the other the other thing that we did discuss and they have hired a strategic planning company or organization. So, they actually have a contract doing it. We just finished a strategic planning, but they actually hired a company to do it. So, that pretty much sums up Riverbend for last month. One of the problems is by the time I get to this meeting, it's been a
015long time since I did. >> We'll have to tell Doug to do it the night before. That's a really good idea for getting parents engaged. >> We should look at that. >> The Riverbend changing the dates. >> Well, we should look at virtual conferences. Do we have that? >> No, I think it's all in person. Yeah. >> They have good attendance in a couple of the areas and really rather poor in others. is trying to work on that which I think is excellent the whole way around. >> Okay. community engagement committee. >> We just met um mostly what we talked about Allan covered. We talked a lot about floor scrubbers and uh plan with that. We talked about winter building and issues that win building is experiencing. and just had a high level conversation about
016the sale of grounds between Winthra football stadium and the given building. I think there's one more topic but I >> was close enough. Yeah, >> it was a it was a real power hour. >> Yeah. >> Um elementary school, middle school, high school principal reports. Yeah, they submitted paper written reports as well as our student council members did too with >> So they're in our >> Yeah. Well, they're in they're printed out these dash. Okay, that was in the packet. saw off date. >> Yeah, Madison and Steel put those together and it's a paper packet as well. >> Executive executive board. >> Is that a forgettable committee? didn't have a meeting >> apparently. >> Enrollment K through 12 of 541 which is up three from last month I believe. >> Yes. >> And we retained
017some kids too which was pretty good but we were able to keep them. >> They moved but they wanted to still come here. Yep. >> Good to hear. on to action items. Um, policy 802 was in our board packet. >> Yeah. So, I put this on the agenda um because we do still have quite a bit of excess items over at the elementary school. Um most of those are either broken or obsolete and no longer of use to the district. Um we can try to um either one throw the broken stuff away um or we can try to get rid of it following district policy and procedures. There's a lot of books and stuff that we need to um distribute in policy 802 actually spells out exactly how the superintendent administration are to dispose of
018surplus books as well as any surplus items that are there as well. So, I put this on the agenda to show that we do have a policy in place on how to get rid of obsolete and um broken furniture that's been paid for by the taxpayers so that we we've got this. And then also with that um is approval for me to list a couple of items in a sealed bid auction rather than going through K bid um this time around because I do recognize that some of the things that are listed have either sentimental value or they could be kept here in the district. Um, so for instance, the scoreboard at the Winthrop football stadium, the goalpost at the Winthre football football stadium, all the fencing and posts that surround the stadium, uh, the
019flag pole that was out there um, in the end zone, and then fencing and post surrounding the given elementary playground. I'm looking for approval to list those as a sealed bid item. Um, and then we would open them up at our a before our April board meeting. So, all the bids would be due to the district office by April 16th at 12:00 PM and then they'll stay sealed until a committee, I think FFLP meets that night. Um, we would open up the bids and then the high bidder would be able to receive those those items. >> Is there still playground equipment at the given? >> There is. Um, we told the buyers of that because of the snowstorms and stuff coming in that they could wait to pull the equipment. >> So, it's all been
020sold. >> Most of it's all been sold. Yeah. I'd have to look through the specific. We've got a packet of what's been >> I was just thinking with regard to the fence along the highway and that kind of thing. I think it'd be wise to keep it there. >> Keep the fence. Yeah. You know, fencing can go at any time. >> Yes. And if you got kids playing at any time during the summer does keep them off the highway anyway. >> Okay. Yeah. I guess I didn't really think about the >> Well, if we're going to get 100 bucks for you, it might be whatever it's called. depends if you know there >> do do kids play there in the summer? I never drive by as much as I don't know. >> Yeah, there's some
021there, but this thing on the foot was going to be gone, right? >> That that may change. What should we get for that playground? Only 3,00 bucks or something. >> I'd have to look cuz they itemized like the big the big system went and then all the little sub things like the Mario Growound and stuff. My mom was upset she didn't win the bid on the merry goround. But so >> um but I'm fine pulling the fencing off that list and just keeping it until the a later date. I mean chainlink fence will always sell at some point. What's important to me is that um there's no manpower related on the district's account to remove that fencing is what's most important to me because that would cost a lot of time, energy, and we most
022likely have to find a contractor to do it versus if we sell it and say these are the terms and conditions, you have to remove it yourself. >> That sounds fine to me. Yeah. Can I get a motion and a second for listing those items for sale? All the rest of the items. >> Yep. >> Yeah. I'll make a motion to list those. >> I'll second. >> All in favor? Which We kind of talked about at the beginning already. Basically lifting the three lots that are given for sale as excess items. Can I get a motion and a second to list the three lots and give them for sale? I'll make a motion to list the three lots. We can do all lots at one resolution >> and it's a resolution. >> Yeah. >> Well,
023that makes it a lot faster. >> Much faster. >> C. Well, C would be turned into the Winthrop building then. He is Winthrop football stadium. approve the 2025 through 27 contract agreement with SEIU. Oh, >> actually let's start with the um the resolution acknowledging those three properties as excess and then mechanical revol. Yeah. So, we just need a motion and a second on the resolution and then we'll do a roll call vote. I'll make a motion to approve those three resolutions. I'll second. All those in favor roll. >> Stair. >> Yes. >> Breeze. >> Yes. >> Rosen. >> Yes. >> Turtle. >> Yes. >> Just like that. They're sold. No, just kidding. You buying? Nope. Okay. And then letter E, proof 252.7 contract agreement with SCIU local 284. I don't think we need any discussion
024on that. >> Uh, not unless you want me to run through it again. >> I mean, we were there George, but I would make a Motion to approve that. I get a second. >> I'll second. >> All those in favor? Second reading of policies 410 through 5 410 530 and 615. Great discussion thoughts. Very good. Motion on a second. I I'll make a motion to approve the what was it? I'll make a motion to that. I'll second that. All those in favor of being achieve achievement and integration board packet. There any discussion? >> Do you want me to hit on it really quick? And sure. So achievement and integration goals are for districts um and there there's really two parts. There's interd district goals as well as intradist goals meaning that school districts are encouraged
025and are supposed to um if you meet a certain threshold with a percentage of your student body um to team up with neighboring school districts. Historically in the past we've teamed up with Sibly East in athletics and activities. um Buffalo Lake Hector Stewart reached out to us this time around and said, "Let's do a career fair together um hosted at GFW." And so that's the district that we would work with on those intra district goals. Um the plan in order to unlock this funding, which is about $67,000 in additional revenue to the school district. Um you need to number one is reduce the disparities in academic achievement among all students in specific categories of students excluding categories of gender, disability and English learners. Um reduce disparities and equitable access to effective and more diverse teachers
026among all students and increasing racial and economic integration. Um what we have used these fundings for this funding for historically is to um offset the cost of having two sections of kindergarten teachers. And we do that by submitting a plan um based largely around our Hispanic and Latino students on it reaching academic goals with reading and math. Um and we do that through the two-way dual immersion program. Another area that we do um utilize this funding for as well is working on our science, technology, engineering, art, and math courses as well. And like I mentioned before, um hosting a joint career fair with Buffalo Lake, Hector Stewart public schools to make sure that college and career readiness goals also hit the achievement integration plan for our students. >> So that's why they are pulled into
027this Yeah. grant. >> Yep. So because you need the inner district goals which for us would be working on the reading and the math um and STEM activities and then the out of district goals is partnering up with another neighboring school district. >> Is the funding for these segregated? So you can receive partial funding for working with the neighboring schools and partial funding for the dual immersion or it's just one group because they're very separate items. >> Yeah, I've never seen it separated out into two separate buckets. Um they just kind of tell us this is the money that you could apply for or qualified for. Um >> and you can't do it through one or the other of these. >> Yeah. They require it all to be wrapped into one achievement and integration plan.
028Yeah. >> So like I said, we use it to offset about 57% of salary for a kindergarten section teacher. Yeah. Now, we have two districts listed, Buffalo Lake Hector and East, >> and we only mentioned Buffalo Lake Hector here with a plan there. Is there a plan to continue athletics with Sibly East or >> Yeah. Yeah, that's kind of a chicken and egg situation because we need the cooperative agreement through the state high school league as well to be approved and move forward to. So, um, which I don't see it as an issue. We use them mainly. We do it mainly with our theater programs and stuff at facilities. Yeah, it's an interesting I've never been in an achievement and integration district before. So, this has been an interesting experience completing this application. Um, I
029do know there's a lot of districts that are looking at this right now, too, as a way to unlock some funding for them, too. >> Can we work with neighboring districts? We can work with neighboring districts at any time. >> Yeah. For things. >> Yeah. I've got a great relationship with neighboring superintendents. We do a lot of stuff together. Um, honestly, there's a group text with 14 people right now blowing up above a two-hour late start tomorrow. So, we talk all the time. I'm sure we could do a lot of cool stuff. I know Buffalo Hector Stewart asked if the stars didn't align, but they wanted to come to our career fair this year, too. So, um, and work together on stuff. And you know, we have agreements with New Public Schools on um wrestling
030and other activities too. So yeah, any other comments? Can I get a motion to approve the achievement and integration report? Anyone get a motion to approve the I'll make a motion to approve the report. second. Do we want to have some more discussion around it or >> I have one more question. >> Yeah. >> Is there a deadline for this? I apologize if I did not see the package. this week. >> Yeah. So, I know it's an interesting um I know it's an interesting grant application uh or not grant application, funding application. Um, I do know that this has been around since at least 2023 is the last record that I see of this achievement and integration grant existing. Um, and I do know that it is from an interesting equity, diversity, and inclusion center
031from the department of education. But I do find know financially it does help us offset significantly the costs of a kindergarten teacher. It helps us maintain two sections. Um it does work to support our students as well as our neighboring school districts with achievement and integration goals as well. Um it is it is a bit of a different stretch. I do understand, you know, when we think about education, we want every student and we want all students to achieve and this report and this application specifically calls out underserved and underrepresented students. And I know that's a difficult conversation to have, but um it does help us a little bit with our funding. There are parts of it that I like and there's parts that I don't think are very beneficial to the district. >> Okay.
032>> Has there has there been a noticeable uptick in achievement that is >> I think particular categories. >> I think it's it's not hurting. Um I don't I wouldn't say it's necessarily fully beneficial. Um, >> other than funding. >> We all like free money. >> Yes. >> Hard hard to turn down money. >> Yeah. And I, you know, I do want to point out too, like this is not anything um that sets programming that we've got in place in stone necessarily. What it's doing is challenging the district to look at um minority populations within the district student body and how we can specifically achieve those goals. We're trying to test school tests out too. >> Yeah. So, it's a it's a check for school district to ensure that we're making not just looking at certain
033groups within the school district and instead we're looking at all of our students to support them. >> So, it would help everybody's test scores. >> Correct. >> Theoretically. Yes. So, >> well, if it increases supports then for everybody. It does increase supports. Yeah, like I said, we use it to offset the cost of um maintaining a two section school with our grade levels. >> Makes sense. Other discussion I think we have a motion. We need a second. If somebody's gonna second. >> Yeah. >> Do I have a second to approve the achievement integration report? >> Second. >> And I'll second. All those in favor of approving the achievement intergation report approved financial year 2027 budget assumptions packet also Do you want me to run through it really quick? >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, I want
034to first point out that this is not authorizing administration to make um reductions of singular positions or looking at positions. What this is is um a board approved packet saying administration, this is the hurdles that you have to face when setting next year's budget. So in April, we want you to come forth with the ultimate overall reduction. And these are the assumptions that I'm going to build a budget along with staffing reductions based off of. Um enrollment for K12 is estimated to be at 526 students. Open ed is estimated to be at 140 students in grades K through 8. Special education expenses will increase by 5%. State aid per pupil unit will increase by 2.69%. Salary and benefits will increase by 3 to 5% per year. The compensatory old harmless funding will be removed and
035the district will see a negative adjustment of $152,138. The old elementary and middle high school will continue to be online, meaning that it's fully um functional with utilities as well as internet and phone service um with estimated annual expenditures of $224,561. That's based off a three-year average of both those buildings with their utilities. Um, now I do know there are some reduction measures that we can take with turning down the heat and not using as much water as well. The boiler systems there are very inefficient. Um the other piece and you can see on the whiteboard behind us um our crazy person's scribblings here about how phone, internet, um water and other utilities are all interconnected when it comes to this. Um and ultimately what it all does is flow down to our property insurance.
036You know, if we shut the water off to the buildings, then we kill the fire alarm system so it's not charged anymore. what is our property insurance going to look like? If we cut the phone line system, then it's not going to be able to call out. If we cut the um cameras or the the Wi-Fi, then we're not going to be able to have our cameras functioning. And so all those interconnected pieces really start to add up. Now, one thing with that, too, is yes, we can turn down the heat on these boilers to the best of our ability. Um, but we found out too that now that these buildings are vacated and students are no longer um on the premises, we no longer qualify for federal e- rates which help support our phone
037and utility and phone and electricity and other bill Wi-Fi bills. So that we're anticipating about to double. So that's why I left it at 224,000 um because there's a lot of unknown with two vacant buildings right now. Another factor for next year's budget is that summer unemployment mandates will be cost approximately $65,235. This used to be covered by the state when they rolled out the summer unemployment for hourly employees. It used to be covered and the state ran out of money. So now it comes to the local district um to figure out the cost for that. Our portion of paid family medical leave act mandate will cost the district approximately $168,000 a year. >> Yes, sir. any discussion on that at the legislative level on the burden that it's putting on certain >> we we've
038had a lot of conversations. Um Republicans are adamantly opposed to the paid family medical leave act. The Democrats are still um fully supporting it. I'm not sure it's probably because of all the fraud happening at the state. there's a lot of pressure to terminate the program completely and move on, which um for us when you look at $168,000, that would be greatly beneficial. >> Um because we do provide benefits. We do provide opportunities for employees to take family medical leave and um sick leave and ESST. >> So, are we able to opt out if we get a qualifying plan? >> No, we're not. It's a payroll tax that pay medical leave. I thought there was the option if you had a qualifying plan that was approved by the state that you could get out of
039that. >> Not that I've seen. >> Can we look into it? >> I can ask and yeah, take a look. Um, one thing that we did as a cost-saving measure with the paid family medical leave act is um we're not allowing top off for employees. So they can be reimbursed through the state for 90% of their salary and then um could technically use the other 10% from sick leave or other option or vacation leave to make their salary hold to 100%. Um but we stopped at at 90% so we're not allowing employees to top off. So that one I I'm very curious to see where that goes this legislative session. Um there the districts have been screaming about this for about 2 years about how unfair it is to um us. Rural Minnesota has done
040a really really good job of advocating that this program is not beneficial in any way. And I'm not sure if you saw last week um the retro or the metro school district have now joined the conversation. So for the metro counties that all have school districts, it's about $223 million. So, I mean, there's districts like Stillwater that are facing a 7 $800,000 paid medical leave bill. >> Ouch. >> Yeah. So, we're hoping to get some momentum now that the metro districts have joined the conversation. Um, and see where that goes. I am not very excited on the fact that every other day there's a different party in charge of the gavl on whether that moves forward or not. I and there's a lot of hangup at the state capital right now over it too. So
041um there we'll have to see that's a wait and see situation but I'd love to be able to opt out of it. I'm sure it requires a lot of work, but it would definitely be worth $168,000 to try. >> Yeah. >> Um, capping out curriculum updates and subscription expenses at $50,000. Again, bus purchases or leases will be capped at $100,000. We did this last year as well. Um, we do need to work on our fleet. Um, we have an aging transportation fleet and so this one's a difficult one because a new bus is about $160,000. Um, most likely we will end up needing to lease those two buses again and possibly a third bus um for the time being until we can figure out a way to buy. >> Do we have we looked at
042any used buses yet? I've asked around on some used buses um and I've been told they're pretty much at the same age and status as we where we are. I also got a full lesson on buying out of state buses. Um Minnesota requirements on school buses are completely different than other states. Um, so there's things, right, figures, right? There are things like making that if the bus doesn't have a um certain thickness plywood floor, they'll take the Minnesota Department of Transportation will take the bus out of the fleet and it's not able to be used until that floor gets replaced. Well, now you're talking about gutting a bus um to put a subfloor back in. >> So, when they produce a bus someplace like Superior or whatever, this company Uber, they aren't the same all
043over. They make them for Texas and they make them for Minnesota. They're different. >> They're all different. Yeah. So, Minnesota also has stricter rules on the fenders that go down too. Like we need to be a certain length on our fenders versus the other states. >> We're nuts. >> So, I let me tell you, I have gotten a full education on Minnesota's bus laws. >> So, how does the New Orleans were leasing too? They go out to Texas and they buy Minnesota bus and make buses. Well, they were in Texas one time buying bus and we talked to them. But then they probably brought them back and they had to retrofit them. So, in order for us to put, let's say, let's say we went to Texas and bought a bus, we'd have to bring
044it back here. It would have to sit in the garage and be inspected by the Minnesota Department of Transportation, who would then be able to take the bus and say, "This doesn't meet compliance. This doesn't meet compliance. You need to gut your bus and get it back into compliance." So then at the end of it, let's say we spent $100,000 and we put $60,000 into fixing this bus up over a period of a couple months is probably what it would take. We might as well just bought a Minnesota manufactured bus. >> Well, yeah, it's um it's an interesting process. >> Anything happen with CO? >> We were advised not to purchase those buses. >> They're not in good enough shape. >> I did look. Yes. Well, salt salt will do that, you know. So, um,
045but like I said, I kept it at $100,000 just in so that we could potentially lease up to another bus being sides the two so we could get up to three buses and replace one of our most aging fleet um members. I think that one right now has about 216,000 miles on it. And an average bus lasts about 170 to 200,000 miles. So, it's any day. Um then the next piece of this is um directing me to set aside $50,000 from auction proceeds um in fiscal year 27 and 28. So this is for the next two years to pay for general supplies and equipment etc like their classroom budgets and other materials. So we would take $100,000 and move it into the strategic fund balance um and then move $50,000 each year to help offset
046some of those costs too. you know, we've got the revenue from the auction now that we could we should be using it towards our operating expenditures at this point. >> So, all that being said, this is reductions of approximately $375,000 to be made for next school year and subject to change based on action from the Minnesota legislature. Hopefully, positive action um where that number goes down. However, um I believe you should direct me to bring forward a proposal that cuts a minimum of $375,000. >> I have two questions on the assumptions. >> First question is this is just high level the assumptions. Additional assumptions can be added as you put a budget together. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Okay. Then this other one is the elementary and the middle school high school will continue to be
047online with estimated annual expenditures of 224,000. So I think one of the bigger questions is do we plan to have those for a year? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> To plan to have them for at least another year. >> Yeah. That's the >> not going to change. Yeah. Um, what I struggle with with both those buildings, um, is we know it's very difficult to sell an old school building, let alone sell two of them that are seven miles apart from each other. >> Um, so really we're competing against ourselves, you think about it, to sell one of these buildings. Um, I would love to now that it's been determined as excess property to get the given elementary building sold as quickly as possible. Then we can look at I want to say the
048given elementary was like 110. It was definitely the cheaper of the two buildings when it came to utilities. It's a lot more energy efficient. Um but that drastically moves our needle quite a bit. >> So for anyone listening at home, I have an elementary school available for sale. We can sign the purchase agreement tonight. We've got to shut them schools down as fast as we can. 225,000 and that's based on the last three years. We have to we have to shut everything down as soon as we can. Yep. So >> that's why my question was it says annual so we we plan to have these for another year. >> Yeah. >> I think that's going to be a hot topic around the time. >> Yes. I I think it would be irresponsible of us not
049to budget to happen for a year. >> That is the quickest way to get our fund balance below 12%. >> So that's a big chunk. >> Yep. I will make a motion to approve the budget assumptions for fiscal year 26 27. >> That was you Mark. All those in favor of approving 2027 budget assumptions. >> Motion to adjourn. Oh, the motion. You only get five or six of them a year. You're capped. We got to be quick. I get a second. Give me a second. I'll second. All those in favor of adjourning. Meeting adjourned.