001for the 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. >> All right. Um, minutes from September 3rd. I I just gave Candy a correction. Just a date with ramenformational things that I said >> another one in the last page. It should say policy instead of police. >> She said policy instead of it should say policy instead of police. Oh, okay. On the last page, very little off the very top. Okay. Um, I will make a motion to approve the September 3rd minutes with those minor adjustments. Second. Any discussion? All right. All in favor? >> I. >> All right. We're on to public comments. Um, I can't specifically limit what
002people are going to talk about, but if you're going to talk, if you're here for the stage property, there will be an open forum for that at that point. If you want to talk then if you want to talk about it now you I can't stop you. Regular public comments are open. Okay. No public comments and then there will not be a board discussion or any public comments. Facilities update. Good evening. >> You we got our new proposal for our change order from Dirt Dynamics that I passed out to you. price is over the original $8,500 allowance that was granted last week. So, the board needs to decide our next step. >> So, what does this include? Because again, these these estimates that we're receiving show the scope of work. So, that's what we keep
003running into. There's no scope of work on these estimates. Just says labor and equipment to do what? >> Labor and equipment for the jackhammering. >> Um, >> so this replaces the last one, >> the $4,000 one. >> Chris, do you want me to read the cost breakdown that you sent me? >> Um, yeah, sure. >> Okay. So, um, Chris had sent me a cost breakdown on yesterday of the totals on here. So, labor for concrete was 1780. 10 yards of concrete delivered at 193 per yard is 1913. Bracing supplies 221. Total cost for concrete backfill altogether be 3914. So those added up. This cost covers the labor to prepare the holes to be back filled with concrete around the bases, setting the bases and bracing them to hold the plum and level while concrete cures.
004Uh and then returning to strip the bracing and begin back fill. If it is decided to eliminate concrete backfill, the cost for the original change order plus the change of two hole locations would be added, which would be 1407.80 for the first change order of 4815.40, bringing the total to $6,222.40 if the concrete back fill is taken out. >> And that would just count for the change in the two holes, >> $1,400 to dig two holes. That's his price. >> Um, wait. Hold on. I guess we I'm reading it as if you eliminate the concrete back belt, right? And the change order plus the two new locations is 1407. >> The prior change order plus 14. >> No, we're not going with any. He said the total bringing the total to $6,222 is what his
005email was for the cost breakdown. >> So basically these estimates had a scope of work on them and we wouldn't have to have this back and forth. We've been asking for that since the beginning since the original and we got a change order that didn't include it. Now we've got a second change order that still doesn't. It's all based on a conversation you had. The price just keeps going up. >> Did he give an indication of why the two holes would cost more when they hadn't dug the two that were there prior? >> They've already dug the two. There's one hole is in perfect condition. The other one has a ledge. >> Okay. So, it was one It was one hole. They'd have to redig. >> Two holes. We changed two locations, >> right? But
006the one wasn't dug when we went around, >> right? It needed to be chipped. >> So then they're charging $1,400 to redig one hole essentially. >> Two holes plus chip. >> Well, it's >> potentially chip more. We don't know until we excavate. >> Okay. So the two holes aren't dug. >> No, they're not. Nope. because he his original change order he didn't want to go by until he got approval for everything >> because it changed the scope of the project >> because it came over. >> So So again, $1,400 is to dig two holes >> and chip them. I'm assuming >> no to dig two holes. Yes. >> That's unacceptable. That's way too much money. >> Okay. >> That's crazy. Um and like I I got that price $103 $193 a yard. They're marking that
007up. You know, like I said, I mean, when I called for the price, it was 155 a yard. So, when I based it, I said 160 a yard. That's, you know, >> talking about concrete. >> Yeah. I remember you saying 173 and he tried to he tried to get call multiple times the next day and he never got through. I told him to carry whatever number he got. >> I thought when you did the math it was like 1875. >> Yeah, >> sounds right. >> So they're 1913. That's pretty similar. But but what about the additional the labor? Does that make sense? 1780 for labor. >> Well, if they have to do all the prep for it and then put the So, he's got to put bases in them. He's got he's got to plum
008and level and then he's got to let it cure and then come back and strip the basing or the bracing for it. So, there is labor to it. It's not just dumping it in the hole and then >> So, what needs to get braced? Because those ballards are going to get put in the hole. >> He's putting forms in. must be put >> for the ballards in the hole because you I thought about that after you said that last time. They're not going to put the posts on the ballards and stand the entire thing. >> No, >> they're going to put the ballards in and then put So, what is there to brace? >> Honestly, I don't feel safe putting a 1600 lb ballard in the in the dirt with no support and expecting it
009to stay plum. I don't think that's going to happen. that thing will topple one way or another before the concrete sets up. I believe honestly I think it's a great precaution to asssure that it's plum for $221. Uh yes, $221. I think that's cheap insurance. >> Well, it's not $221. It's all the labor, too. >> And the labor. I I think that those ballers could be back filled to a certain extent. >> We only have two feet. >> We only have from the bottom of the ballard. We can only go up two feet before the cond we would have to cover the conduit hole. We can't do that. We have two feet of area to cover. [Music] So, I'm not I'm not surprised around 10. That was my original that feeling when we talked about
010last. >> So, we >> I thought we thought it was going to be 85 and that's why we approved 85 on the outside. I think the big thing we didn't consider too much though is the additional charging that brings it up. >> I think it's very excessive especially again not including Jack. So this is come back to us again. >> Well no my schedule I want to per I want to go to the contractor and say you need to excavate this hole before there's any before you bring on a chipper. I we need to know what's below because if it's a nice clean hole, bonus. If it's not, you've I got to have assurance that he can take care of everything in one day. That's what he's allowing for chipping. One day, not eight hours,
011not nine hours. He said he will stay until the chipping is done. >> Catch me up for a second. How many light posts did we start with and then did we add to it at that? >> No, we just moved to the original locations were directly under the trees. You would have had to cut off like half the tree. >> So, how many is there to >> We're just writing them a blank check every time that we give approve a change order. >> What would you like to see >> some push back from you to tell >> on what? I don't think any of his numbers are I don't think any of his numbers are wrong. >> Excessive for two holes. >> Okay. Well, that's fine. If you think so, I can go back to
012him and I'd be glad to say, "Hey, I want a breakdown of why you're charging 1407 for those two holes." >> Just to dig them. It's not to chip them. Just >> That's fine. I I like I said, I I stand behind his number, but as a board, if you guys feel we need more information, I will get more information. I can't push back on anything. I don't >> I want you to advocate for us instead of just for him. >> If I felt there was a reason to advocate, I would advocate. But I don't think his $10,173 for a change order with all we're asking him to do is not wrong. I'm an advocator for this school. I've been here five years. I've I'm kind of upset that you actually came out and said
013that. Honestly, I think my reputation with this school board, past school board members is very good compared to what they've had in the past. >> I would agree with that. >> Personally, I take it as an attack. >> It's not an attack. I think that there's there's been a lot of oversight on this project already and I think there's opportunity to have that conversation. >> Sure. I will I will ask him for why that number is it is why it is as it is. Anything else? >> The entire project the entire his entire quote originally was $7,000. Do all that trenching in seven holes. >> Yep. >> So without backing two holes. >> Yep. >> And it's 1400. >> I will go back and find out. >> Well, we we added you added 3,000. It
014ended up being 3,000 additional dollars plus 800 something. So I think it ended up being it actually was probably almost $11,000. But the 3,000 was not really for the excavation. It was for the light. >> Correct. >> So was the 800. So we had approved 8,500 in addition for shipping and additional excavation >> and concrete work. >> So essentially what's happening this is not this 10,000 is not on top of the 8500 that we approved. >> No, it is instead of right. So you need an additional >> so I believe it's $1,300 over the 85. It was $1,637.20 over the $8500 that was allowed at the last meeting. >> And then if I'm hearing you right, this does not include any issues they would run into with digging those two new holes. >> That is
015correct. Well, >> well, although he was considering that he had to chip one of them. >> It does. Basically, it covers the cost of excavating those two holes before we do any jackhammering or as the jackhammering is being done. So, we know that okay, there's we need to jackhammer these two holes >> that I can't have a hard time seeing coming back to ask for additional dollars after this for >> I agree. Yeah, it would only be one additional >> because one of them's already included in the original. >> Correct. >> Right. The chipping, right? Yeah. It's just the chipping of one, >> but we shouldn't do any chipping unless we're excavating those two holes to make sure we're safe. And if anything needs to be done, it can be done that day. >> So,
016if anything additional needed to be stripped, there will only be Yes, >> one was already accounted for. >> Yes. >> And if neither one needs to get excavated, >> there should be some. >> I mean, needs to get shipped. Are we are we going to save anything on the >> I don't believe so >> because we're paying for a full day of >> We're paying for a full day of a chip with a chipper. >> Yeah. >> Oh, because they'll have it here just in case they buy it, >> right? It's not an hour leave or a half a day. It was a full day. Um, okay. I really do not want to have another emergency meeting about this project. Um, I will make a motion to approve an additional $2,000 for the parking lot
017lights. Total total will be 25 >> above the 8500 that we approved at the last meeting. So the total for change orders will be 10,500 10,137 he has on here. I mean we could make it specific to 10,137. I if you want to do that math. >> No, I just I don't think $300 is going to get us anything. >> Yeah, I mean that's probably true. >> But and I I I only would say that because the 300, you know, it's not going to get us. So we potentially would have to come back anyways. >> Correct. >> So unless we're going to approve like a much greater number, which I don't think we should do. I say we just do that number and tell them that's all in. No matter what happens, if that other
018hole needs to be chipped as well, that gets included. >> I just don't want it to be misconstrued that we're approving 10,137 today and we've already approved 8,500 last week. >> Oh. Oh, yeah. Yeah, sure. >> But that was too complicated math to do in my head. So, Although I think Chris >> was 8,500 exactly before. >> Yeah, >> that's what we approved. >> Okay. So that that difference is 1,63720. >> Okay. I will amend my motion to approve an additional $1,63020. >> $3720. I'll second it. >> Okay. Uh discussion. >> I I just like to make sure that Chris talks to them that that shipping is going to be included that there's going to be no addition on this. >> We'll find that out. >> All right. All in favor? >> I All opposed.
019Okay. other facilities updates. >> I have >> Okay, >> great. Thanks for >> um do you want to >> actually I'm sorry. Can I add one more thing? Yes, you're right. >> If everything can go as planned, he plans on chipping this Saturday. If he can get the equipment and the excavation will happen on this week, then we will go to setting ballards and concrete. So, um, hope to be concrete Tuesday or Wednesday of next week if everything falls in the plan. I'll keep Jessica and Christine updated on the schedule. >> Great. Thank you. Thank you. >> Can I put the um thing up? >> I added it. I added one slide about [Music] There were none. >> Don't high. How high can you go? >> You want this? >> Yeah. Yeah. It's just one
020slide. >> Oh, gotcha. >> And we don't even really need this. >> If you try the one that's lit up. I think that's what I've seen up there. the kids. I know. >> Okay. So, um, thank you. I assume most of you are here about stage road properties. So, thank you so much for joining us. So the school district purchased uh the stage door property which is slightly over 75 acres in July of 2001. The warrant article um says that is to be utilized for a new school facility. Uh that has not happened and I don't know that it is going to happen in the near term. So the school board has been discussing for a few years what we should do with the property. Um we're starting the discussion a little early this year.
021We had thought about putting something on the warrant article last year, but we started the process much too late and we, you know, couldn't sort of decide what direction we wanted to go in. And so we're opening the discussion to get lots of feedback from the town because what we're trying to figure out is if we want to put something on the warrant article for March, what will that be? The options that I sort of see are we don't put anything on the warrant article, we just retain the property. We could conserve the property. We could sell the property at fair market value or we could transfer the property to the town. Um, which could be for fair market value or under. So, we're would love to hear from people about what they would like
022to see happen with the property. The school is limited and what we can actually do with the property. We purchase it to be utilized for a new school facility. So, we could build a new school and that is essentially it. We're also limited by RSA. The school board doesn't have the authority to make money on a property like this. So, we couldn't lease it out to someone and make money for the school district, unfortunately. Um, so we our decisions really are do we keep it, do we get rid of it, and if we get rid of it, where does it go? So, that's all I have to say. Does anyone on the board have anything to add? No, it's good. >> All right. So, we'd love to open the public forum um for anyone who
023has thoughts. We did receive a lot of emails that I think I fored to all the board members. Um >> you might want to mention what those were about. >> Yeah, let me find some of those if someone wants to come. >> I think I printed them all out if you would like >> because there were a lot. Okay. Um, so we have should I say their names or doesn't matter? >> I don't think there's anything private in there. Okay. So, Robert and Colleen Ca would like to see the property conserved. they don't believe that there would be a huge impact to taxes because um you know if we sold it to a developer it would really just be the property tax that we would collect on it and they don't think that is substantial
024and then if we sold it and they developed houses that could impact uh the number of students that we already have at our school. We did get a proposal from Craig Houston who is the director of the parks and recck program. He would love to see the land be transferred to the town to be used for a uh parks and recreation facility um for the community, a multi-use community enrichment. Um, Savannah Logan would like to see the land be used for sports fields or an indoor dome that we could be that could be rented out. Um, a track for cross country and track, walking trails, um, soccer fields. Um, Cole Lerno would like to see it put in conservation. and the emails that we've gotten so far. So, anyone is welcome to come up. Um,
025there are a few number of people, so I'm not going to put a time limit on it, but if we can be a respect on each other's time, that would be great. >> I have a clarifying question like the person who runs the ring with hand. >> Sure. >> So, you said we can't make money, so we can't use it as an endeavor that you make money, but we can make money off the sale of it. >> Sort sort of. >> Okay, that's sort of I think there are several caveats to that. We can't um we could take the money. It has to be utilized for the taxpayers. So we could let's say put it in a trust fund for our building maintenance. So if we took the money, we we can't take the money
026I think and I don't know offset a budget, >> right? could in the spirit of what the the land was purchased to put a high school which I'm in total agreement with everyone else who would I think we're never going to need it up to this point and I've been here 25 years and never seen a moment and I have a lot of arguments against it but um it was it was bought originally and the whole purpose was to create a larger a place where children are educated. So for me selling it, taking the funds and using it for replace those four replace the well know what I the words the modulars >> nothing like I'm not I'm not on board with what they proposed before but something in the spirit of put a structure
027we own we're paying for those this is what the money is for that is almost the same purpose we're just building it >> right >> here instead instead of there. So when we're making money off it. >> Yeah. I mean I don't disagree though I will say that I don't think the fair market value for the land will make much of a dent in an addition project. >> It will make >> it'll make some dent. >> It may it's really not going to pay for an addition. It's not going to pay for anything like I think they put not that I think it's going to pay for really anything. But if we could be utilizing that for funds, I think it would soften the blow for taxpayers. >> Right. We have this lump sum of
028money we can put towards it possibly there would be down the road other funding streams. I mean we have the school the school is the size it is today, right? >> Because of different grants and whatnot. So that would that's just my take. I would love as somebody who lives very very close to that I mean and a taxpayer I think like the inner Deerfield is a fabulous addition to our community. So seeing something along the lines of that versus yet another subdivision um that over 55 housing would be I would think so perfect >> um because it's not adding kids but it's adding space for people who live here to possibly move into as they age and keeping what the community looks like right now. Thank you for having this question. >> I'm not
029sure if you said your name for the minute. >> Lea Thompson Sharon. >> I like that one too. That's my >> graphic. Thank you so much. I I have a clarifying another clarifying question while we're doing that. In your list, you um you transfer the property to to the town. You then I think suggested that it would be at a at fair market value >> or less or >> or less. And so I guess I'm I'd be interested to know your thinking about that given that the taxpayers have already paid right >> $375,000 for this property. So if it were to I mean clarifying the transfer to the property to the town option would be helpful. >> Yeah. I mean I don't I don't pretend to know what to do. I I also don't know.
030I think that was the amount that was approved for the sale. I don't actually know how much we bought it for. Um maybe it was 375. I don't know. Um but yeah, I agree with you. I wouldn't want to tax people twice. Typically, when that transfer happens, it's usually for like a dollar, >> right? >> Because it's already tax. >> Not a bad price. >> Doesn't mean we have to do it that way. But that that has been my experience is that usually it's a transfer of a dollar. >> I'm not making I'm not making that promise right now. just be good. Yeah, I if that if the town if people in town felt strongly that they wanted to transfer the town, I think that would be reasonable. Other comments all Whitmore, North Road. Unfortunately,
031I got a good amount to say. Um, so you did invite the select board here. I don't in any way represent the select board. I'm just a guy on North Road talking right now. All right. So, uh, let's see. We know that the residents of Deerfield want lower taxes, right? And I see this as a rather unique opportunity to make a pretty big dent in our taxes. So, we have a 75 acre property that is ideally situated on an already busy road, right? Um, we already know that I mean we we were thinking about putting a school in there and obviously it fell apart and just uh point of fact the original price of that was 12,650,000. So a lot cheaper back then but uh >> Oh to build the high school. >> Yeah, that's
032what the cost was. It was 1991. >> So it I can't stress enough how unique I think this is. um what I would like to see done. So, number one, I mean, we're just, you know, bleeding tax money, number one. Number two, we have a large property. We're obviously going to have multiple habitat types in there. Some are going to be more valuable than others. Um, you know, just as far as biodiversity is concerned, conservation is concerned. So, I don't know. Has there been a study done that has mapped this out? >> No, not this. Not that I >> conservation commission. Has this been known? >> I've got a comment for later. >> Okay. Um I think that would be pretty useful to the town. Um because that would make you know that would obviously
033determine what aspects of this property could be used for what. Um so I think ideally what I would like to see uh is for the number three not to be sold. I mean a onetime payment would be a drop in the bucket to you know the tax wos of Deerfield at this point. And wasn't it like 475 that was valued at recently? >> Yeah, that's the most recent account assessment. >> I mean, yeah. I mean, that's not going to suit us at all. >> Not much more than they paid for it years ago. >> Yeah. So, what what I would like to see um is the transfer to the town >> and then have a townwide effort to then determine what could be done because obviously it sounds like the town has much more flexibility
034than the school, you know, because um we'd obviously have to get the legality of everything, but uh you know, then could we develop portions of it um and we need to know, you know, we'd have to some have someone come in, whoever the expert in the field is, and say, "Okay, you have ledge here, you don't have ledge here, you have wetland there, you don't have wetland there and determine what could go where. So, this is just the very very beginning of a long conversation that needs a lot of research, a lot of mapping and a lot of input from everybody found at this point. And ultimately, I see this going to obviously a warrant article, you know, when we come up with with a plan for it. Um, I would personally like to see
035um sort of some sort of small development going there, some sort of, you know, a business park or whatnot. I mean, 75 acres is a huge chunk of land to work with. Um, you know, I know that a big concern in town is we don't want to take away from the rustic nature of Deerfield. I mean, when you have 75 acres, you can tuck it in there pretty good and, you know, have it not even really noticeable from the road. And we could also leave a pretty substantial buffer to any of the property, you know, because obviously I wouldn't want, you know, that's going in right next to me. But if we can leave enough space in between um so that's not really noticeable while still tucking it off the main road. Seems like that
036would be a you know pretty good deal. Um people might say it might not generate a lot of tax revenue and any tax revenue is better than no tax revenue to say the least. And we're not getting anything off of this right now. Uh another thing that ran through my mind is this would be a good location. We're always talking about we need more uh you know senior housing. Could be put a 55 plus community in here. Um, I would not like to see it divided into smaller lots because that would bring in more kids which would fill in an already, you know, school full of kids. Um, but if we were bringing individuals without kids, seems like that would be a, you know, kind of a better better, uh, better idea, especially since we
037need that that sort of housing in town. So, uh, that's, you know, me personally. I would like number four and, uh, I'd like to see a huge town con, you know, conversation going on this where we come up with something that would benefit the town, get our taxes down, and, uh, make use of this property that's just been sitting there. I got a question. What did you mean by we're just bleeding tax money? >> I mean, so instead of us actually benefiting from this, you know, getting tax revenue from it, it's just we're not getting nearly the tax money we could be getting off it by actually utilizing it. >> Right. That's what I mean to be clear. We're not >> Yeah, we're not >> It's not costing us anything. >> It's not generating. Yeah.
038It's not generating. How long till we have this for what? Like 20 >> nearly 25 years. 25 years of missed opportunity basically, you know. So, it's a bummer we couldn't put a school there, but I mean clearly we could do something with it, you know, and generating tax revenue, generating local jobs. I mean, that's that's a big deal. So, that's I hope we can come together and do something useful with it. >> Thank you. Jared Msina Raymond Road. Uh I also am sitting here as a private resident this evening. Uh one thing I know is I actually have firsthand knowledge of this land. I own abiding property to it. Uh the only way that the town both school board and the municipal end of it can guarantee that it won't come at a cost to
039the town with more tax. uh >> burden >> with more tax burden is to leave it as it is as it sat for the past 20 years. It actually hasn't cost the town a dime. Uh nobody's even made an effort to log it and do forestry management on it, which is a shame, but it hasn't cost us anything. We're all very well aware of the tax implications of houses uh the additional maintenance the trash the students and very seldom do what we get in return offset what the actual burdens. So using it residentially probably won't work. Uh the town is in no place to be in the real estate business or trying to manage land and property. So I feel like that's out. Um, and I drive around and I look at all of the
040vacant commercial real estate in Northwood, Eping, Raymond, and I don't see a high demand for any kind of commercial frontage or real estate. I had some very lengthy conversations with some representatives out of Raymond over the past few days and they're all basically guiding me to say put in conservation and cherish your wooded forests because they've all drank the Kool-Aid. They put in their 55 pluses. They put in their uh workforce housing. They put in their small commercial developments. And at the end of the day, there's no return. it actually just comes at a cost and a burden to the residents. Um, there's also something that I don't know if anybody remembers, but there's a very good possibility that in any event that that property isn't being used for a high school, the gentleman who
041sold it to the school board originally has first refusals to buy it back for what he paid. Uh, I'm not sure if anybody remembers that, but I've been told that by more than one person. And that would probably involve digging up 20some year old paperwork, if not meeting minutes from when that transaction took place. >> Got it. I mean, yeah, we have not explored all the legality. I mean, I'm reading things where we're talking about, you know, people want to put in domes and there's a lot of >> uh grandiose ideas, but at the end of the day, I just watched a board have to struggle over a $1,400 change order. We are in no position to take on a project of any type of undertaking like that. Uh, so the only way the school
042board and the town can guarantee that that property won't cost the town long-term tax money is by leaving it as it lies. And uh, personally, I don't care if the school retains it. I don't care if they transfer it to the town for a dollar and put it into a town forest, which would be wonderful, but uh, I don't see how selling it or developing it would assist the town tax-wise. in any way and that's it. >> Got it. Thanks so much. Can I just ask a question? Did the select board have a discussion about this as >> n >> and I'm here. >> I know you said that. I just wanted to know if >> there was a consensus, >> right? Yeah. >> Yeah. Nothing has been discussed at the select board level. >>
043Thank you. Other thoughts, ideas, suggestions? you [Laughter] >> um I'm not ready to make any statement about our direction other than to support the process and I'm really appreciative of you all opening this up to the community so that the best what's best for the town can be realized. because without that again we all have our own personal ideas. Um and I should stop >> you can >> because I just said I want to I really benefit from hearing other ideas rather than just promoting what I think should happen. Um um just two general comments there and thanks for reading the emails. It's helpful to know, you know, what feedback that you've had from others as well. And I think there's a big difference between uh conserving a property because it has conservation values versus
044conserving the property because they don't want development. Um, and so I think we, you know, creating a a discussion points to to help people, uh, sort that out and and be honest and clear about what the priorities are. Um, I think that's important to know like what are the conservation values of this property. Um and secondly, it is way way way overdue to have a conversation about the cost of kids to a community. Everybody is on the page of kids costs us money. And there's been many um through the University of New Hampshire uh different you know institutions and organizations that have studied this and it is we carry this myth forward and so you'll hear more about that from me and not uh I think it's time that this would be a good time
045to again just have the facts and have an open honest conversation about this rather than just having that be, you know, people's reaction because we've lived with that thought for years and years. And that I'm not saying that wasn't the case at one point in time. But um so that's >> so and I just to add to that and I need to follow up um with you or Patty because Patty Patty Sherman had participated in voluntary study on behalf of Deerfield. >> The board allowed it maybe two or three years ago >> to study our population growth and things just like that. And I there I think there is a study and I think it it is what you're saying that it doesn't add as much to the tax burden as far as the kids
046go as we once thought. >> Right. And I I know the Association of Realtors uh did a study and I felt I wasn't convinced it wasn't a strong argument and so there's more to learn about it. But I I would like to bring that to the table um just so that people can have uh again just not reacting to what we've always believed to be true when it it may not be. So So thank you again. >> Great. Thank you so much. Mhm. >> Other comments roads. um not here in my personal capacity and that the conservation commission has briefly informally without any uh debate really taken just a first look at it and um because and I should I wish I had my hat on because I I turn it around and speak for
047a moment as an energy committee member uh because they have looked at that property as a potential solar farm kind of thing. Um, which has, you know, a number of of um possibilities, I guess. Um, but the um in looking at it, some of the solar companies were a bit hesitant because they thought it was, you know, a little wet, a little ledgy. So cost it would be a high cost and and maybe not a great u setting for for that. Um there's also energy sort of energy market issues that would impinge on it. So, um, so back to conservation, um, we took a a very brief look at it and it's not near other large conservation. It's near the a little bit near the Rick's forest. Um, but there not a lot of conserved
048properties around that. But this would be a great anchor property for a sort of a southern tier bearbrook to put away wildlife pathway. Um there's more of one in the north of Deerfield. Um, it contains a small portion of the highest ranked habitat in the state, uh, designation, which I think is on one of the the I don't know exactly what map it is, but they're the digital maps. Um, and about a third of the property is in highest ranked in habitat in the region. So, it the property's got conservation values. um that uh would be attractive to the to the conservation commission. I don't know what the forestry commission feels, but um the uh um and then a large remainder of the property is supporting landscape to to those. So um I mean all
049in all um it it it is an attractive property from a conservation perspective. Um yes I think majority of the properties map it says an appalachian oak pine forest small number of small marsh shrub wetlands and peakments of scattered throughout and um most of the properties identified as either a priority habitat or a potential wildlife quarters I was mentioning earlier. So uh and that's according to the New Hampshire fishing games wildlife quarters map. Uh so the answer from the conservation just a initial look from the conservation is it's pretty nice to for that and um now I'll um um yeah I I think that's um now putting a more of my personal hat on um in response to some of the prior comments. Um I I do know that um if u if Deerfield were
050really a great commercial uh opportunity place, you know, location, a lot of that would have happened already. We don't have sewer, we don't have water. Uh there are a lot of things that developers can get, you know, developers and businesses can get elsewhere, but this is not going to get here. So the the the real um I think the real expense of of trying to take this into a commercial direction is just um you think a you think a new school was expensive, okay? you'd uh I think you'd have uh you'd be surprised by how painful that would be. It's just um I think and and anecdotally in talking to a number of people there's a there's a I think a lot of passion around this in town. >> Um and um so that that's
051important. I I think it would be terrific and this echoes a couple of prior comments. Uh if I don't know if it would be just a school or a school in the town or because the planning, conservation, energy are all town functions. Um and so some sort of working group to to sort this out would be uh would would facilitate the kind of conversation was mentioned earlier. Um I don't think I don't think there's anybody twisting our arms to your arms I should say to to do anything immediately. So make time your friend and uh you know come up with something that the town is happy with and I think that's uh that would be a a not a clever but a smart way to do things. >> One question. >> Yes ma'am. >> Do
052you know how many conservation areas there are in the field right now? How many acres? How many areas? >> Um, so I do I have it memorized? No. Um, but I can Yeah, we that know that that information is is out there. I I don't know that it's on, oddly enough, of course, a lot of the a lot of that kind of information is on the planning board website, but um yeah, I mean, it's it's a it's a checkable fact. >> Do you know how many acres there are in Deville? How many what >> acres? >> How many acres? It's 51 square miles. >> Yeah. A very small portion of that is uh is water. That's the way that you know our density is our population density is at about 100 just as unlike most
053towns around us. Arrol, hasn't there been there's been research too about um when you put land in conservation use, it actually saves the taxpayers money. Can you speak to that? >> There's Well, I um so a previous speaker was talking about the the the I don't know what they were speaking about and I I'm not questioning it. I just don't know. uh the the cost of of education, the cost of of children. Um we all know they're not cheap. Uh but >> in any shape or form >> personally or across the board, it's it's a universal. Um but there has been some scholarship um arguing about the uh the benefit of conservation uh to a community uh dollars and cents wise. I' I've asked about that and I've been told there's more recent um sort
054of scholarship on that. I don't know if it supports the same theme. I think it I think it does generally speaking. Uh just logically you can get there. I mean you know uh the cost of services >> is is is higher when you have more people and nobody's ever happy with the services they get. So you know >> expensive and make people unhappy at some level. Um but but I think I think the difference in the two kinds of of scholarship really has to do with the the structure of the arguments and not the not the result. Do you see what I'm saying? >> I'm gonna put you on the spot a little. Mr. Conservation Committee, >> can you explain? I think when people talk about conservation, there's this idea that we are going to
055give away the land. Are there My understanding is there's various ways to go about it. We could transfer it to the town for a dollar for the purpose of a town forest or we could engage >> forestry commission. >> Forest. Yeah. Um we could engage a conservation group who would purchase the property. Is that >> um well there you know it's it's as long as it is broad. I mean the the the the net on conservation is that somebody either donates or uh sells the development rights to a property. Okay. uh what happens beyond that is really between the buyer and the seller. So I I've got a couple of properties in in easement. uh very different easements um ones with the federal government >> uh which surprisingly is actually um very lenient and I
056mean very very tough when it comes to the conservation side but the other uses I'm at it you know um the um the other property is um was actually the rights were purchased by Bearpaw and the town uh some years ago probably 20 years ago now. I can't really I wasn't I wasn't in town. Um but I studied it when I purchased it because I was concerned about u you know the easement terms. Uh and and that you know every easement's different. So some easements you can hunt on. Some easement holders demand that you can hunt on them. >> Some don't. Um US government doesn't care one way or the other. um some prohibit some kinds of activity, some kinds of but ultimately what you're doing is you're restricting the ability to develop um develop
057housing really on it. Uh a lot of you restrict other items u you know solar, wind power uh any kind of structure, permeable, impermeable surfaces, stuff like that. Um and there are exceptions to to easements, you know. So um that the easement holder can give. So um you're not you're not giving away the land. The land owner retains the underlying land. >> There are simply restrictions placed on top of that uh by the easement holder. >> And so those that's a negotiation. >> Okay. Every you know you know about negotiating >> sometimes. >> Um so yeah. So you can the terms and conditions apply. >> Yeah. >> Different different every time. The only thing that is consistent really is that >> is it you're not you're not building it generally. >> Yeah. I mean I've
058seen >> and mining mining coal mining in particular in >> do we have coal? >> Uh >> that was one of my ideas >> build a mine. Um, it doesn't talk about Bitcoin mining, but uh, but yeah. So, I mean, you generally there are restrictions to what you can do, but generally very few. >> Got it. Yeah. I mean, I've seen around town the like Bearpaw, for instance, sign saying this is a Bearpaw conservation area. >> Um, so I wasn't quite sure how that works. So, that's a good explanation. Thank you. and and and Southeast Land Trust has has uh I think they all have I don't think they have the same kind of easements but they have different forest society has a set of of restrictions that they like to follow has theirsel has
059theirs so you know it sort of depends on and and they're funded differently the USDA is funded pretty well um you know zelt is is you and the other land trusts um just don't match up and even though they're they're well funded it's not the same ballpark >> and sometimes when you put something in conservation um it also requires stewardship somebody needs to be the steward of it is this true >> so yeah so that's actually um yeah absolutely I mean the land owner is the land owner and when you when you sell uh an easement you do take on obligations to do that. >> Um, and that's so the the USDA easement I am particularly concerned about because they can come after me as much as they can come after somebody who who threatens
060to land. >> Uh, so but they're, you know, they're they're good to work with in my experience anyway. But there are certain things. There's a plan that you all of these these u land trusts and the USDA um encourage a well I don't know if they require I a a management plan for the >> for the forest >> uh or or for the land actually a forest management plan generally speaking but for wetlands it's a little bit different. I don't think they necessarily require one, but they can encourage one, I think. Um, but yeah, so that that gives you and that's a bit of an upside in the sense that a lot of them you can you can harvest. So if you you know, depending on what's on your land, you can you can generally
061you can pursue on on a non-wetland ement, you can pursue agriculture. So you can you know you can do things. I don't I mean I don't know if the school can >> um >> but we'd have to look into it. >> Well, yeah. I don't know what the what the restrictions on a on a school will be under RSA, but but just broadly speaking, um you know, an upland easement allows agriculture as defined by the state. And so, you know, the definition of agriculture is is actually not all that narrow. >> It's very broad. area. I could have a horse farm >> on the property. >> So, if there was a piece of land that was donated and no longer owned by the original land owner, it was donated to say Bearpaw or one of
062the others and they would then need stewardship for somebody to look after it. Correct. >> Um, so there two there two kinds of things. There's land ownership and there's stewardship. When you have an easement, you you >> you have to you you're participating in a stewardship plan. through through that if you're if you're the land owner if Bearpaw were to be given the land, right? >> They'd be the owner and they'd be moni they'd be stewarding it both as a as a they wouldn't be an easement holder anymore. They'd own a fee. So, but they'd be the the u the party that that was responsible for the land, you know, in that sense. which I don't remember, but in the past maybe it was brought before the taxpayers to ask for money to pay for
063stewards on certain parcels. I don't know. Is that is that a thing? Was that a thing before? >> What do you mean? >> If if they didn't have any money in their coffers to pay to steward it and they wanted somebody else to come in and steward it, but they weren't going to charge a fee. Is that before a vote? I I feel like I heard something like that years ago. Well, with the with the Clifford I don't know if there was a with the Clifford property there was I mean I haven't really studied any but my easements I'm involved with um but the monitoring or the stewarding I guess of it um if I mean there are foresters and land management companies who would do that kind of thing. Okay. Um I'm actually working
064a little bit on something that's sort of related to that because when you have an open h open uh space housing development um oftentimes the open space doesn't actually have an owner per se that um you know that looks after it which is sort of a problem. It's a statewide problem. Um but um I mean you can get somebody to look after typically the land owner you know looks after it. Am I answering your question? >> I don't mean not to be answering your question. >> Sorry. >> I have a question. I a resident asked me last week or told me last week and I didn't get to do any of my own research. I'm sure you'd be able to tell me is um that when land in the town is taken out of current
065use >> that the town actually only gets 1% of that fee. >> That is inaccurate. >> What's that? >> That is inaccurate. >> Really? >> When land comes out of current use as I and I'm not a lawyer and I don't play one on TV. Uh but um >> and I don't know anything about that. But the land use change tax, when you when you develop a a property that's in current use, it comes out of current use, something called the land use change tax, right? >> There's a whole RSA on on that. Um, and every town makes their own decisions in terms of of who gets the the funds from that. Typically, uh, when a land comes out of of of current use, um, the town ends up starting to collect money through taxes
066and and and and so forth, uh, from the pro new property owner. Uh and so the land use change tax typically most towns in in the state ends up going to the conservation fund to help maintain other properties that help maintain the rural character of the town. >> Right. That's what I was saying is that only one in our town. I think it's only 1% goes what is it? >> 5%. Okay. 5% goes to the general fund. >> It's 1% from the deliberative. >> 5% goes to the It's 1%. We need to collect more money. >> I thought it got changed. No, no, it's 5% goes to the to the general to the general fund. >> 95% goes to the conservation commission >> and with the with the >> with that the conservation commission does
067a number of things. Right now we're we're um u conducting a the natural resources inventory which is part of the master plan process for the town. We're also um undertaking a uh uh trails inventory which is getting started on that to increase the u well to manage and increase the uh perhaps I should say perhaps the u trails um offerings in town um which we have very little sort of knowledge about as a commission. Um, >> I would also argue that the conservation commission is part of the town. >> It is part of the town. Yeah. But but but it's so the conservation fund is separate. >> No, no, I understand that does go to benefit the town. >> Yeah. But it it's but in that sense it's more like a it's more akin to
068a trust fund, right? >> Because the funds only as it would in a trust fund only get spent on the purpose for which uh they're designated. They're not in the general fund. It's we can talk about this a little bit later, but it's sort of like impact fees. Impact fees do not go into the general fund. They go into an impact fee fund and only be spent on impact fee related items. Same with conservation. Conservation fund only can be spent on conservation related items. Now again, there's an speaks to that. >> I >> but the number is 5% not 1%. >> I also don't know. I looked at the tax card briefly today, but I'm not sure if the land is in current use or if it's just not taxed because we're a nonprofit entity.
069So, I'm not sure that it's in current use. So, I'm not sure that land use change tax would come into play here. >> I I uh well, you'd have to it would have to go into development >> if that's when it gets assessed. I think is when it goes into development. So you got a long way to go before you and typically land use change tax is is um is paid by the person who develops right >> the the property. So >> I think [Music] it's been 100%. It's been 50%. >> Oh yeah. No, I was just they collected over $100,000. >> What's that? I was told that they collected over $100,000 last year. >> There's development going on. Lot of development. >> A lot of development going on. Yeah. >> Um I don't know.
070No. The the So the when you say you mean this year or last year? >> Uh I can't remember. >> Last year it was nowhere near $100,000. Uh so far this year, >> so so far this year there's been land use change tax uh assessed and I don't know if it's been collected or not of $103,000 uh of 13 I think 13 parcels this is listed in a in a select board meeting recently but 13 parcels uh came out of uh current use into uh uh into development and that was 103,000. So, a portion of that, the the the proportionate share of of that was less than $100,000 for the uh for the conservation commission. >> Anything else? >> They didn't do any bio blitz over on the st property, did they? >> Um, it
071wasn't planned. It was bio blitz was here at the freeze town for Thank you. Can can the school put it into conservation? Because I mean it sounded in the beginning like it was presented to build a school on it. So cuz and then I'm hearing someone say that, you know, if we do decide to get rid of it that the seller could possibly have first refus refusal. But I also wonder is the school I mean it said we're limited what we can do with it. >> I mean we would have to I don't know we'd have to get all this reviewed by rule council. >> Yeah. We're still in the process of finding all the historical documents too. >> Yeah. >> So that I find more clarity as we have find more documents. I was
072I'm kind of wondering about a partnership if the school can do a partnership with some of the like the conservation commission or some others where students do some of the work and that it will be an education service but I don't know it says specific >> right because you're already >> welcome shares the light share. I don't know why I have these brain freezes. Something you just so many times in this last conversation, you kept saying stewardship of the land. I moved here in December of 99. I remember right after that road that there is actual road that runs out that property and then I didn't pay much attention at that point in town. Of course, it got sold to the town and somebody came and dumped a big pile of dirt right at the
073base of the road and >> still there. >> It's still there. Um, and gradually over time it looks worse and worse. Every time I pull out a metal road and take a left, there's an eyesore and I'm sure kids are growing back there. They're drinking. They light fires. There's trash. There's a sort of debris. Um, I don't know or recall in the last close to 25 years ever seeing anybody who actually goes back there in any sort of maintenance cleanup. I mean, it is just a neglected um on a weekly basis. As I drive by it, there's people who in their shop. I'm quite sure there's people go to the bathroom behind there and all sort of assorted. So it would be very interesting to see regardless of what the outcome of kind of a
074larger conversation is maybe paying a little bit of a somebody possibly giving a little love to take have a community day that people walk up there and even see what we're all you're talking about because it is it's that big pile of dirt at the end of the road. But what's actually back there and come up with a plan that even in the meantime >> be a volunteer day where everybody takes a blue trash bag, >> right? and you know come up with some plan like that that's we're worried about it being taken care of later but it's hasn't been taken care of for the last >> yeah and there has been several >> decades from the school board no sort of forest management or land management that I'm aware of so >> I can't
075recall the time I've ever seen even a couple cars parked in that general area I mean you have to park on middle road and kind of walk over there's only spots for one or two cars but >> even that doesn't happen. I don't walk my dog up it because I don't want her pause cut or something. At least we could have it a clear path. There is a road back there. >> That's Thank you, >> Jared Msina Raymond Road. Uh all the back and forth and the use of the word stewardship and conservation sparked two more things. Uh, one of the things that nobody mentioned is there is a historical significance right near the end of that property. There's actually a marker. Believe it was uh the home of one of the first Baptist churches
076in Deerfield. >> Um, probably not a huge deal. Don't know exactly where it was, but it was enough to uh get a marker. The other thing is for anybody who doesn't have a keen eye, this property actually has quite a bit of uh frontage. not direct frontage, but within about 15 ft of the Lamprey River. And while the topography changes throughout, it's essentially downhill. So things like hearing soccer fields that require chemicals and fertilizers and uh any kind of commercial or industry being in there would definitely raise an eyebrow. Uh the only way we can guarantee we don't have issues like that are by leaving it in conservation, leaving it woods. Uh aside from that, you know, who who knows what could happen? Who knows? But a good engineer could get passed in there. They
077could put a they could put in a nuclear waste site for all we know. But as it lies now, there's no threat to the town and the residents both financially or it's just woods. Thank you. I got to say my name again. >> Um, you can ask the noteaker. Do you know that this is more? >> So, I think um really there's a lot of questions. I think it would be really useful for everybody in town if the as the board gets documents, you could compile them into something that the town can access. >> Yep. and uh you know take this slowly and care because you only get one shot at it whatever the outcome is. So >> I don't think there's a huge rush. I just know that we wanted to continue the conversation
078that we started last. >> Yep. You know I don't know how you let everybody get access to these documents. I don't know what what you format you put them in but >> we could put it on our website. I think I'm started that process actually this my admin assistant. >> Yeah. And if we have, you know, boards in town, whatever commissions, boards that have information pertinent, maybe they could feed it into there, too, either directly or indirectly, just sending it to you. >> Y >> two additional comments. um one um whatever h I mean it's it's a good thought that school may want to look into taking care of it seeing what's out there and and and sort of assessing it. I don't know how you all would do that but that'd be a good
079thing to do. Uh the other thing is um the gazette would be happy I'm sure to to uh help with any any educational u either housing of documents or um you know providing an educational resource since it is a 501c3 with public education as its purpose. Happy to help with that as well. >> Thank you. And I have a item I'd like to add for consideration on the list of the property. That's >> it. Yeah. >> Because I haven't heard it mentioned and I know the purpose of this property initially was to be used for educational school. >> Um just adding it to the list for consideration is that this is an agriculture community. Um the thought of potentially putting an agriculture center or technical center for kids. It could be a regional type school
080or program um for trades and agriculture might be something to consider as well. And you might be able to do dual use depending on how big that is. You keep some of it in conservation and have it be >> and is available. So, got it. Thanks. Other comments before we close the public forum. All right, we will move on to the next agenda item. >> Thank you all for coming. >> Thank you. >> Um, you're welcome to stick around. I won't be offended if you leave, but um, we're going to be doing a budget budget breakdown, so drop in. It's going to be very fun. Um, so this is the second time that I have prepared a what I'm calling a budget breakdown. So the school budget, as we all in this room know, is
081very big and getting a packet of information is very overwhelming. Um, it's hard to sort of tell what is in the budget, what we're paying for. So the budget breakdown is sort of the my best attempt at categorizing the various parts of our budget. Um if you want to go to the next slide, there is a big caveat that I always give which is reasonable minds can very much differ on how to categorize things in the budget. So I I went through line by line and categorized each line into where I thought make sense. People could certainly organize it differently. When you get our budget packet, it's organized differently than how I'm presenting it tonight. Um, for instance, I'll give a small example. Um, special education busing. I have included it in the category of
082transportation. So, you can see our total transportation costs. Some people may say it belongs in the special education line. That's totally fine. We can You know, we could make this presentation a hundred different ways and I do break down the special ed costs later. So, you will see it broken down that way. It's just in my mind, it is a clearer image of our different costs doing it as I did, but again, we might all disagree. >> And this is very much ahead of time. Budget season really won't be until later, October, November. >> Correct. And this was for our current year budget. So this is for the 2526 default budget. Um this is not for the upcoming budget season that that work will kick off in October, November. So the total 2526 default budget
083was 20,481475. That represents an increase with the parah contract. So it's slightly more than we saw at the ballot because we had to factor in the PAR contract that was subsequently approved um as a separate one article separate election. Um so the in the total increase was over $1.5 million for the default budget. >> Go to the next slide. >> Not only because of not only because we we don't worry we break down the increases. Don't worry. >> Okay. So this is the budget breakdown by category. I know this is very small. Um we will publish the presentation so that you can see it. Um so this is sort of my best attempt to break down the biggest chunks of our budget. So DCS teachers, staff, salaries, benefits is 45% of our budget. um high
084school tuition, second highest student services and guidance. So that's special education um services or counseling or all sorts of things that are student services go in that one. Transportation. Um then we have administrative. So we have our portion that we pay to the SAU for administration. We have insurance. We have attorneys fees. Um there's I think school board has um costs not many but we have some that all goes in administration. Then building maintenance and operations is our third lowest and then food service in our lowest is a little confusing. It's the curriculum library cog and tech. So I would love to see more money put into that personally but it is our lowest category. of funds. Next. Okay. So, this is salaries for DCS people by position type. So, the vast majority of our
085um staff, the the money for our staff goes to regular education teachers. Um and then the next chunk is special ed teachers. We have special ed paras principal and admins make up 5%. Guidance and nurse make up 4%. Um maintenance 4% library and tech 3% regular ed paras is 2% specialed admin so we have a special ed um coordinator and a special ed secretary make up 2% sub interns and tutors are 2% and then co-curricular um salaries are make up 1% of the budget >> of the salary line. correct of the salary line. So, and you can see so um the salary total is 5.7 million and then the benefit total is 3.385 and that includes insurance, training, course reimbursement, stipens and retirement benefits, right? So, what accounts for the budget increase? So, I took
086line by line all of the increases from the last default budget and I categorized them um into these various categories. So, the $ 1.5 million budget increase, 36% of that is because of high school tuition costs and then 30% is increases to special ed services. Um 26% are uh DCS teacher staff salaries and benefits. So some of that is the par contract but certainly not 398,000 of an increase. That is for CBA costs. That's for insurance costs. That's for any sort of salary and benefit increase. There was an increase in food service costs. Um I think everyone has seen food service increase. Uh transportation that cost is likely because of our contracts that go up every um every year could also be some special ed um transportation costs that increased um administration. So that is
087I think that chunk is largely the increase from our um SAU uh contribution. So each school in the SAU um splits the SAU fund one budget based on the size. There's a there's a formula. Um so it says how much of the fund one budget that each of the schools pays. There was a decrease of $7,000 in curriculum, library, and co-curricular. And there was a $21,000 decrease in building maintenance and operations. That some of that might be because there were one-time expenditures. So, in a default budget, things carry forward unless they're a onetime expenditure or um we paid for it in the trust fund. >> Right. Right. >> So, yes. So those were the drivers of the budget increase. Okay. Special education breakdown. I will refer everyone to our special education presentation that we did
088last fall for a much deeper dive into special education costs. and we can if there is interest revamp that presentation because I think it's really important in an area that people don't understand the funding for that well. So special placements make up 43% of our special education um program that is private placements for students with unique needs that can't be met at DCS and it also includes high school special ed services um DCS staff. So those are our teacher, our special ed teachers, case managers, paras, occupational therapists, speech language pathologists. They make up 25% of the special ed program costs. Contracted services. Um so those are staff that we don't have here that we have to contract out. So there might be PT, PAR support for students not at DCS. um behavioral specialist, school psychologist,
089vision, hearing and SAU administrative services um for special education that is 18%. Transportation um this is special ed transportation. The the K through 12 program makes up the vast majority of that. So that's transportation that's outside of the eight eight buses that we have. Um and then there is some for summer programming as well. Summer programs are extended school year services at DCS and also at special placements. So we see some students here over the summer. We also have special placements for them outside. That makes up 2% of our program costs. Then supplies and tech are less than um 1% of the program cost. I didn't include um in the special ed presentation that we did, we did a breakdown of um how special ed is paid for. And the answer is generally that is
090paid for by the taxpayers. We do get some funding from the federal and state government. I didn't include that here because revenue sort of factors into our budget but also not really. So I don't want to confuse the two topics. um you know, we don't really consider revenue when we're talking about what our expenditures are going to be. The revenue comes in when we're figuring out the tax impact or the the tax rate. Um but it is an interesting um point of reference because I think there there is some idea that the state and federal government reimburse our entire program cost, which is nearly $6 million, and that is not close. I think it maybe reimburses 15%. Um that was at least the calculation from the last presentation we did >> which is available on
091the website >> available on the SE website. >> Um they don't have >> that 50% from the state and 50% no combined total >> I think. So when we did the presentation, our program costs were estimated to be $5 million and we received revenue of $700,000 for those programs. So how how those things are funded is complicated and we can go we'll probably will go over it during budget season again because um you have to pay a certain amount before you get any reimbursement and then there's a whole formula of that. But we can go over all of that if it's helpful. Oh, the program costs, I will say, for special education don't include the fringe benefit costs for staff. Um, I I don't have a way of figuring out the fringe benefits for the
092special ed staff. We don't break it down in the budget that way. So, it is likely slightly higher. I mean, more than likely slightly higher than $6 million. And your costs for special education match your percentage of your population that is identified as well. So you guys have roughly around 20ish% of your student population identified and that's about how much percentage of your budget especially which is about where that's how you want it. >> Is it well if this was 6,000 and the budget's 20,000 that's 30%. >> No your overall budget >> Oh isn't the overall budget 20,000 or I'm not >> 20 million. a meant >> well. So I was referring to the first slide that first slide she Kendra broke down regular ed student services student services was roughly about 20% overall budget.
093>> Yeah that doesn't include transportation I was saying if you do the math from what you have which is about six million >> 6 million out of 20 million is 30%. Yeah. Right. >> Yeah, it's roughly. So in Deerfield special ed population isn't necessarily 20%. I think it's a little bit larger. So it's not far off from where you guys are at for your student population. >> How do we There's been a lot of questions about the the uh DCS staff versus contracted services. I mean, I would assume that contracted services would cost more money, but how do we how do we figure that out? See if it would be a >> if we contracted things out versus having people in. >> Yeah, I mean, we could certainly ask um that we have an expert
094here. >> It depends on our percentage of need. So, say we have a student who has physical therapy needs. Let's say we only have five kids who need physical therapy services and it only ends up being an hour a week. We there's no way we're going to be able to hire our own employee for one hour per week to provide those services. It's just not even that's not possible. Um, so we would have to contract out because people who are physical therapists have to have certain degrees, certifications, all those things. So, we would contract out with an agency to pay for that one hour a week. And that's just an example. I'm not saying we actually have an hour a week. Um, so we look at the services, how many kids we have, those if
095we can make like a part-time position, we can make a halftime position for that position, but if we can't fill it, we have an obligation to contract out to fill that position because those services are legally required. So the question was, is it cheaper to contract out services than having staff? >> It varies. So it would be cheaper to contract out services if it's only for an hour a week because in order to hire our own physical therapist, we'd have to go through a whole bunch of stuff and it would still probably end up being that cost or more uh because of that specialist nature and >> Right. Right. Right. Right. Exactly. So in general I always say that the contracted services are probably going to cost us more but it's not like a landslide
096more because it just varies on the type of service that is needed how specialty it is and you know how much we can fill that type of service in our building and depends on the kids needs. So, but in general we try not to do contracted services as much as possible because you have less say over that employee as a general in general um their performance and the costs. We we can't control those costs as well as we can if they're our own employee. >> So, we try to avoid contracted services. >> I also imagine if you hire the person you have more consistency, you know, year to year they that student gets to know the person, right? >> You have less control over those results. Yeah, you can. Yeah. >> Y >> Okay. >>
097So, what why is that um benefit cost not known? >> I mean, I'm sure it could be known. It would depend year to year on which staff are taking benefits. It's certainly not the case that all of our staff take benefits. So, I can't there's not like a per staff cost for benefits because I don't know how many of our staff take benefits. Um, >> also different plans, >> right? And there are different plans. So, I don't know, you know, we don't break it out in our budget of regular ed staff, benefit cost, special ed, benefit cost. When you include like things like FICA and things like that are also included in there, right? So, the way that it's grouped into the budget, it doesn't delineate what type of staff. It just says all FICA
098>> goes into this line. All health insurance goes into this line. We could go back through and look at who has what service plans, but that would be per employee and it still would go straight into that line. Like it doesn't it all gets grouped into those single lines. It doesn't get broken out. Um we could delineate that out. just don't do it that way in the >> right the information that I had when I'm making this >> and also I mean it could change like someone could get married halfway through the year and now they need a family plan for health insurance >> so we could give a rough estimate maybe but >> I don't know that we could specifically say the benefit cost for the special information is somewhere >> we have the
099>> we have to collect it yeah >> it just isn't going to be presented that way in the budget that's all >> right right So we can absolutely delineate how much each of our employees is contributing to that cost, but it's not going to be presented in the budget that way because those lines are identified as like a health insurance line is a it doesn't disgregate special edgen. It's just a one budget line. But we absolutely have a cost per individual >> of those benefit lines. That's just in our back end of our system, not in the actual budget. Okay. Um, upcoming budget season information. So, if you want to follow along with the budget process, which I encourage everyone to do, it's it's, you know, highlight of our year. Um, the 2526 budget is
100is currently up on the SAU website. Every week when we review the budget for DCS as well as the SAU, I believe all of that information will be made public on the SAU website. So, um, anything that we're talking about budget-wise gets uploaded to the SAU website because we want people to look at it. Um, importantly, there are two full SAU budget meetings. So the SAU budget is its own beast. We have the DCS budget and then the SAU budget is its own whole thing. So the executive board, I believe, already received the their first draft of their budget. They're already working on it. the there will be full SAU budget meetings, which means all board members from all five districts go and fight about the budget on October 8th and October 22nd. Those are
101open meetings. Um, not well attended generally, but if people want to learn more, I would definitely encourage people to come. The October 8th meeting is going to be much moreformational in terms of how to read the budget. it is there are different funds and it gets very confusing to understand. I sort of I sort of know it now after three years or so. But um and if you have questions, you can feel free to reach out and I can explain the best that I can. But if you're if you're interested in the SAU budget, I would definitely encourage the October 8th meeting. They're not traditionally televised, so I would go in person if you want to learn about it. Um then the schoolboard meetings we start this is my best guess by the way of
102our budget calendar um based on history. Oh >> wow. We'll see how accurate I was. So I I think Okay, you can just tell me. >> Well, you read through your dates and I'll let you know if they're >> So what I My memory is that midocctober we received the principal's budget which is DCS staff DCS building stuff um sort of it's very DCS specific and then Amber business administrator comes in November the first meeting of November and reviews the entire budget um December or November 5th. Yeah. All right. Nailed it. November 5th. Um and then we as a board go through it November 5th and then the 19th. The final budget meeting for this board will be December 3rd. We have to get the budget over to the NBC for their work to start
103on December 9th. So we have to get them the budget before that. >> Correct. My request, and you can do whatever you want, but my request is if we're if we're proposing any big changes to the budget that require a lot of calculations that we do it before December 3rd. And I say that to save us an emergency meeting. So on December 3rd, we need to approve a budget amount that gets sent to the NBC. If someone on December 3rd, for instance, made a motion to, you know, not have a this staff position anymore, it would take a lot of calculation to figure out the impact of the budget because it's salary, it's benefits, if applicable. There might be other things that we can't calculate in the meeting. So if we that motion was made
104on December 3rd, we'd have to have an emergency meeting to then after Amber had the chance to calculate what the new budget amount would be. We'd have to have an emergency meeting. We'd have to do it by Friday so that we can get the budget to the NBC. >> So my request is make motions if you're interested on November 5th or November 19th. And basically if you want to change something in the budget all you have to do is make the motion or I mean we could talk about it and if there's consensus then we can make the motion. Um then the we delivered the school budget to the NBC. There's a series of meetings all November um where the NBC can make additions or subtractions to our budget. December. >> December. Sorry, I don't
105know what I said. Um, >> hours. >> Yeah, the NBC public hearing is January 13th. That is the public's opportunity to come and give input before the NBC votes on the final budget numbers that they will present at deliberative. The deliberative is early February. I don't know if it's the first or second week. >> I have it. It's February 7th. Hoping that's accurate. >> I wasn't sure if it was the seventh. Last year it was like around Valentine's Day it so um I wasn't sure if it was the first or second weekend I had surgery so it was around the eight night >> yeah somewhere somewhere around there. Okay. Um next slide. So, um, in making this and while we're going into budget season, there have been a lot of ideas that have been thrown
106around about how to reduce the budget if that is the goal of this board. I have taken the liberty of of creating a non-exhaustive list of ideas that have been mentioned. Um, I don't want it to be interpreted that these are my ideas or that I am proposing any of these, but I just wanted to lay it out. Um, so if someone wanted to make a motion about the budget, there are things that need to be considered in terms of the budget. They're not always that straightforward. So these are things that we would need to think about if someone were to propose it, for instance. So, I don't we don't need to go through these ad nauseium. Um, and we certainly don't need to debate them tonight because no one is making a motion about
107any of these things right now. I wouldn't think. I mean, you could, but um, so I'll just go through them very briefly. So, um, we could get rid of high school busing as a general premise. >> What? Why do you have the, um, asterisk at the end? >> You know what? I meant to take that off. >> Okay. Um, I think it was like, oh, this is a this is the cost, but also there's other things to consider, but then every single one of them was the cost of other things to consider. >> And so I forgot to remove that. >> Oh, thank you. Um, so, right, so you could potentially save $195,000 for three high school buses. However, we still need to provide transportation to special education students. So, we could have to weigh
108the cost and benefit. So currently a lot of our special education students are on regular buses. So would cutting 195,000 actually save money if we have to special bus um specialized students? >> I don't know. Um eliminating a kinder class. Um that could save the salary of one teacher plus benefits if they take benefits. Um, and then you know, are we able to meet the needs of our students with larger kindergarten classes? Will we need more staff in the remaining rooms to help with larger class sizes? So, things to consider. Um, eliminating the preschool. So, the way that the preschool is set up is that um, and Jess can speak more to this than I can. We have to provide special education services to three and four year olds in the least restrictive environment. Um,
109and we have the preschool program because in most situations that solves that problem. We have um a special education teacher in the classroom who is teaching preschool along with the regular education teacher. So there are two teachers in the preschool. there's a regular ed teacher and a special ed teacher. Um, so if we got rid of those two positions, we would still have to provide and contract out special education services for three and four year olds plus the cost of transportation. Um, and it has to be in the least restrictive environment. >> You also we we um make some money from that. >> We charge tuition. I I don't know how much that goes into the salaries, but that's something you have to think about, too. >> Yeah, >> you would lose the whatever >>
110lose whatever revenue. So, we charge tuition for nonidentified students to attend preschool. So, it we have grant funding for some of the preschool program. And in order to do that, we have to maintain a ratio of roughly 5050 identified students and regular education students in the preschool. So we charge tuition for the nonidentified 50% of students in the preschool. >> But we would still be responsible for those services. >> Correct. >> And special ed services. And you risk your >> but yeah. But we're not responsible for that the transportation for for the non >> Right. Oh the plus. But you still haven't >> would either way. >> Yes. Correct. >> Yeah. >> Jess, before we started doing this, didn't we have uh we we had special education service. We had people that went to their
111homes to provide that service or >> Yeah. You still have your personnel cost. You don't save on your personnel cost because you still have to provide the services. >> And transportation would probably be more because right now it's in Deerfield, so a lot of parents do drive their children. if they were to go to another outside of the district preschool program, we'd have to provide that transportation for them, >> right? And then there there's also been talk about sending like could we send our students to the SAU preschool because there is an SAU preschool that is in Allentown. >> Allentown. >> Um I mean we could certainly look into it. We would have to pay obviously for all of our students to attend and transportation >> and car seats for all those babies >> and
112so >> don't that if um we're sending us special ed preschool kids say to Allentown >> we also would be we have to still have to make sure there's a roughly 50/50 with our other preschool kids >> the so like let's say we inundated them with >> we would have to hire two teachers, >> right? So, let's say Yeah. So, let's say we have I don't I'm making numbers up because I don't remember off the top of my head. Let's say we have 13 identified preschool students. Us or the SAT would have to find 13 regular red students to maintain that ratio roughly. Um so, that's now 26 more students that are going to the Allentown preschool. So, we would have to hire more teachers at the Allentown preschool to accommodate that influx of students.
113And whether they could have it still at Allentown, I don't know if if the space is now getting too large or there's now too many students. I don't know. I don't I don't know the answer. And so, but at this time, if parents didn't want to send their regular aid preschool children >> to they don't they're not required to send them. That's >> No, I My child didn't attend preschool here. >> Correct. >> No child is even students that are eligible for special education are not required to attend. >> Right. >> But we're required to provide their services. Correct. Right. >> Which might be in the home or something. Right. Another town. >> I mean, I remember back before we had the program here, you might have because a parent works in Manchester, they might
114have their child in a placement in Manchester. So, >> send Yeah. You So, you'd have to send people to that program to provide the services for that child in Manchester. And at one point it used to be trying to use the people we already had in the building. So you might have a speech pathologist drive to Manchester, provide services for that child, and then drive back to Deerfield to try to provide services for other kids in the building, but then you lose all that transportation time for that person to be working with students. >> Well, and you're paying for it. We I mean we came up with preschool because it saved us a ton of money >> when the first started it. That's why we did it. Saved us a lot of money. It made
115it easier for us. And we also had we had some say in how the kids were being educated as well. >> It's also an investment in those kids future and their your prevention of further intervention when they get here in kindergarten or first grade and they didn't have those early interventions. I mean the chances of need them needing more expensive services are highly likely if they didn't have those early interventions. >> Okay. Half day kindergarten. Um we again are required to provide services for students in kindergarten who have been identified. Um it's there is probably some cost saving in having them in the building so that they could get services here, but I don't know for sure. Um so if we offered half day kindergarten, I think it would only be two teachers if we
116had there are four kindergarten classes currently. So if you only have half day, I think that that would only be two teachers. Why? Um, but then can we adequately prepare students for first grade with that model? And then transportation costs may increase because we have to offer busing. So there would be additional bus runs. So if students are only half day, we'd have to bring them home and then we'd have to bring the next set of students in. So those are bus runs that are happening during the day that we don't really pay for obviously. All right. Next. Um, okay. eliminating an art and or a music class. Um, so some considerations for that are are we still able to meet state requirements if we only have limited staff to teach those top those subjects?
117And then I think a bigger issue is how will we meet this the collective bargaining agreement terms without those prep periods for teachers. So if students don't have a special every day, let's say, cuz you know, one art teacher can't accommodate every can't have a student every single minute of their day because that would be a violation of their CTA. So we could we I don't think kids would have a daily special class. So then how are we allowing the necessary prep period for teachers if the students are not in their special that day? And also are we doing students a disservice by cutting these programs or the amount that we would potentially save? Um my biggest concern that is music and your literacy scores. Um those typically go hand in hand. >> Yeah. Because
118music increases your literacy ability. I also wonder like for music, if we only had one music teacher, what would happen with band and chorus? And I know something >> I know it would probably not be offered during the day. And so I know it was brought up at one point of well why not have it in the afternoon after school? Well, one that could eliminate some kids from being able to participate, but also I would think you would have to pay Yes. the music teacher or the person who did it a stipen for doing it after school because it wouldn't be part of their >> extra benefits though. >> We have assuming they'd be willing to do it, >> right? >> Yeah. >> But we don't I mean I don't know. It could be the
119case that no one is taking benefits. So I I don't know. I'm not that swayed by benefits, but people can propose whatever they would like. >> Like I never took the health benefit through the school. >> I think it's less. >> I think one year I took it because Jeff went back to school, but all the years that I taught here, I I never use the health benefit. >> I think it's quite um cost prohibitive for a lot of people. I think that the I think less than 50% of our staff take benefits, health health insurance benefits is my memory. Um fluctuate through the years of course. Yes. >> Yeah. I was saying the stipen you can't really compare a stipen with the salary with benefits. >> Right. I understand. >> Right. Right. That's so
120if you had one teacher with benefits even if they took it or not >> and they collected a statement on top of that for providing that after school service can't compare what that second cost to us would be with another salary. >> Um so there has been chatter about eliminating math reading specialists or interventionists. Um, a lot of these like the potential savings is a huge range depending on what you want to do. Um, but so the math and reading specialist and interventionists currently help develop and implement curriculum across grade levels and provide additional support to students. How would we offer additional support for students without these roles and who would assist with curriculum creation? Well, right now you have a tiered intervention system in place so that that these people are an integral part
121of so you remove them and your tiered intervention system would have to be completely reone and you may not be able to meet the needs of those kids who are doing tier 2 tier three interventions >> like yeah >> who are performing at grade level >> and would there just be cost somewhere else someone to look at. Um, next. Okay. Increasing class sizes, eliminating grade level teaching positions. Um, I think a big consideration here is do the physical classrooms accommodate larger sized classes and also will we need to help do we need to get more staff to help with larger class sizes? You know, is it the case that it's reasonable to have 25 plus kids in a I think I've already done all that math. >> It's not right. >> I'm I'm putting out
122the things that I have. >> You do have that information. So, we can bring that up and present that. >> Um pay to play for extracurriculars. So, we currently spend about 65,000 for the cost of co-curricular salaries, supplies, and officials. Um, I it would be cost prohibitive for students. There's already a lot of fundraising for the sixth and eighth grade middle school trips. So, I'm not sure that that would be a very um wellreceived idea to cut costs. Um, eliminate administrative positions. We hear a lot that there are too many adults in the school. Um, besides the principal and assistant principal, there are three administrators, I think. >> Three. No, there's three including >> Well, there's two. There's a >> principal specialist. >> There's only those are the only administrators. >> Yeah, there's just three.
123>> Oh, okay. I mean, sorry. I'm not administrative staff. >> Oh, that's Oh, yeah. Yeah. Sorry. Yeah, I mean supporting those administrators. >> Correct. >> But there's Yeah, but there's just >> But there's three three administrators. administrative is it >> or whatever we ought to call them. >> Yeah, now I understand what you're saying. >> Yes, sorry. Like support staff. >> Y >> so the secretaries who answer the phones um >> special ed assistant secretary and receptionist. >> Okay. Um, I don't know how the work would still be completed if we eliminated any of those positions. And if we're asking staff to take on other parts of that workload, are they are we going to offer them raises to compensate for the extra workload? Okay. Next, um, we've heard this over the years is that
124the SAU costs are um, extreme. That's not my phrasing, but um, so leaving the SAU or establishing our own SAU, I do not know if there is potential savings there. I think there would have to be some serious studying to see what services we would have to pay for and potential savings. I know that um Northwood and Nottingham I think recently dissolved their SAU and they have their own individual SAUs now. Do they have cost savings? I have no idea. Um I the town would need to vote on this issue. So we can't really do anything about it this budget session anyway. You could put something on the warrant if you wanted to explore it. Um but I don't know that there would be savings. Um single high school contract. I can't say if it
125would be cheaper to go with a single high school contract. It would depend on what school is selected. And again, this issue should be voted on by the town in my opinion. So we I don't know that we could tackle this for this budget session. >> Well, I think you have some of that data. It was cheaper when you had a single contract and then your high school costs increased when you went to >> Well, right. But if if the town decided, >> if if the town decided we want one school and it's going to be coound, then it's not going to be cheaper. >> Those costs were going up, right? year because there was a the rate was unknown only one year was known the first year was known the subsequent years were not
126>> I have to look up the >> I don't with that because there was a contract >> right and if you look at the contract before that's not true and if we never got to have a long-term contract again because the voters didn't want it so we never got to that point where we actually had a contract so I don't agree with that and it was like 15,900 was the start whereas co brown was always like 20,000. So I I just don't agree with that as a fact. I know I've heard that before, but I want to pull out all the contracts and check, but we never had a final long-term contract with conference. So what are you comparing it to? >> That's there's no >> Yeah, they have one and the one before did
127not do that. >> Right. And I I looked previously at um when we were doing all the high school stuff, but I think there was a historical um increase of around 3.5% every year for conquered >> and I don't know that the language in the proposed contract changed wildly from that. So I don't think >> we had anticipated um that conquer would have gone up that much. >> It got shut down very fast. So to say that that contract was the same. We didn't have a contract. >> Yeah, that's not what I said. I was I didn't I was talking about what the the contracts that were compared. So the ones that we had >> the one that we had initially, the long-term one didn't it only had that like 3.5% each year increase. I
128don't think it was specifically spelled out, but there was a provision where it looked back on five years of costs and that that was an increase actually from the previous 20-year contract of only three-year look back. So, we anticipated that it would be 3 3.5% or less. >> Well, I think either way, I mean, your your taxpayers were very clear that they wanted that choice and that was a cost that they were willing to incur. So it'd be an awfully quick like boomerang to go back to trying to go back to a single conference. >> Quite frankly, I mean, if we really wanted to save money, we'd send our kids to PE, >> right? >> So they just have a set cost. These are our cost. This is it. There's none of that. All extra
129stuff >> and they're very low. >> Yeah. So I think that's it. Questions, ideas, suggestions? I mean, I don't I don't think we need to get into the meat of our budget tonight. We don't have a budget in front of us. Um, but, you know, we we constantly hear that the we need to cut costs. We need to um lower taxes, which I don't disagree with, but I don't have a great answer of how. I think um I mean one thing I'd like to know is I'd like to know more about like how you said that tiered system works in special ed and you know like how many case managers do we have for each grade level and when did we end up going to three math interventionist literacy was because of COVID and we
130got the grant money and we included a position and then we just never got rid of it like I want more information on that. >> Kristen and I have already been talking about a lot of that stuff so and we'll that'll definitely be coming out you know as we get into October and we start putting the numbers together. Okay, great. All that data. That's that's my request. >> And if there's anything that we're ever missing you're like, "Oh, I wish I could see that." Just just let me know. I'm happy to provide whatever you're asking for as long as I just know a few days ahead of time. >> Right. >> Um one other thing is um is the teacher contract next year? >> Next year. >> Negotiations are next year. >> I just am.
131But um I did I did put together I used the state website of the average teacher salary and I compared Deerfield all the SAU schools and local schools in the area and there was a huge bump in a year for Deerfield and I will send you that what I put together. I guess I just like to know why there was such a huge bump in the average salary for Deerfield. It was pretty substantial. And then this is data from the state. So maybe it's incorrect. Whatever. I just would like to >> Yeah. I was going to say I did my own calculations based on our roster. Yeah. >> And I don't know what data they were using, so I can't say that their data is incorrect. >> My average was much lower. >> Yeah. I
132And I don't know if maybe it's because there was a new contract because the masters plus 45. Maybe that made a difference. I don't know. But I just like that explained to me. >> Sure. >> So I I'll send that to you. >> Okay. Anything else? I just we didn't receive this ahead of time. So >> yeah, totally. Um >> but we have a lot of time to talk about it. So still up with the budget. You can just put it on the next meeting or whatever, right? We will be talking about the budget nauseium. >> Yes. Yes. >> It's going to be for a while. >> And if you have specific questions about the presentation, let me know. Happy to answer them. Um, it's really, you know, the purpose of it is just to
133paint a picture of what is in our budget and and hopefully >> Well, this is a bird's eye view. This is not >> totally. >> Yeah. This is like the 40,000 foot view. >> Totally. >> There's a lot to the budget. 180 lines, I believe. Okay. We'll move on to the New Hampshire School Board Association proposed resolutions. Um, so for those who aren't familiar with this process, the New Hampshire School Board Assoc Association every year has a delegate assembly which is on October 25th. >> Already registered. Ellen is our delegate. um school boards had the opportunity to propose resolutions to be voted on by the delegates. So the resolutions are essentially advising the New York school association of the direction that they should take in a lot of legislative action and I don't know what
134else they use legislative action. Yeah. Yeah. what they should keep their eyes on and pay attention to and get involved in. >> Yes. So, the proposed resolutions, we have to vote on each one of these whether or not our board supports it or not. We are not doing that tonight. I wanted to make sure that people had enough time to review all of the proposed resolutions and we are going to vote on them at the next meeting. Um, so just wanted to draw your attention to all of those >> and I can I make a comment too. Um, so when you look at them also like schools propose resolutions. There's one in here where three schools propose the same idea and they pick the one they like the best. But um, at the bottom it'll
135either say that they agree with it, they disagree with it or they have an alter like if they disagree they may have an alternative resolution. Change the language a little bit. So you just have to kind of go through that. >> Yeah. So the vote will really be do we support the proposed resolution? If not, do we support the alternative resolution if there is one? >> Yeah, that's how they vote. >> Um, >> sometimes the schools will just say, I withdraw my, you know, we go with you. >> Got it. >> So, Ellen will go and then represent our votes at the delegation. So, however we voted, >> she will then vote that way. And >> sometimes they change the language a little bit. So just having some discussion about it lets me know which
136direction we're headed so I can make a decision to vote if it gets changed a little bit. >> Anybody's welcome to attend. Anybody can register as a guest. You just can't be a voting member. >> So if anybody wants to go, >> you're more than welcome to go and register. Um you just won't be able to say what the Deerfield board's vote was that only elev. >> It's very interesting. Um okay. So next meeting we're running on those. So um think about them. Um 2526 board goals. I don't think >> Yeah. So the in the drive the board goals are in a separate folder. >> No no that's fine. It's okay. I should have uh put it in this folder probably. Oh, I see them. >> Yeah. >> Okay. They're right here. >> I can't
137I reviewed them today, but I was >> They're in the drive, but in a second. >> Should they be the 24 25? >> Yep. So, those are our ones from last year. >> Maybe 24 22 23 goals 23 24 >> this year. >> Did you guys not do goals last year? >> We did. We did. >> Okay. What is the driver doing for us? >> Oh, yeah. No, we did. Um, I can try and find those. Okay. >> We don't necessarily have to compare it to our current goals. We can make up new goals. >> What are So, this is 25 26 goals. So, you're saying we have 24 25 goals? >> We do. >> Right. >> Somewhere. >> So, my the reason I brought this up is It's weird. >> Yeah, we're in the
138school year, right? >> We should we should create goals. >> And we kind of made it a goal to revisit our goal here. We failed at our goal. >> We have not been doing that. >> Correct. >> We need to do that. >> It's I'm just trying to think of where the goals could be. I I can find that. Okay. Well, if people have goals that they would like to propose or eliminate, >> do you have the goals with you? >> I don't know. Don't get excited. >> I don't I'm >> I know we reviewed them some >> I'm a paper person so >> sometime last year. Yeah, I was just thinking that just bringing it up for the next >> for sure, you know, stuff. >> Yeah, I thought I had them somewhere. Um,
139yeah. So, I think it is helpful to circulate the goals from last year if we can find them as a starting point. Again, we don't have to use any of those goals. um at all. We can create entirely new bowls or you know do whatever >> you found them. >> I think we we had something in there about um getting presentations from the different >> which we did accomplish which we have accomplished yet >> and I think we wanted to hear from students at the high schools which they haven't quite done yet. Y >> those are some I was thinking of. >> Did you say you found them? There were some facilities based goals. >> I will add them into the drive for next meeting. >> Okay. >> To talk about next time. >> Yeah.
140>> So, yeah, start thinking about goals um so that we can create our goals for this school year. >> So, last year's will be in the drive. >> I'm adding it right now so we can look at those and then see. >> Okay. Next meeting. All right. Uhformational items, audit update. Oh, that's in the drive. >> That >> um I just wanted to So the audit update was given at the executive board for all of the districts. So I just wanted to make sure that you like Deerfield got to see their own audit update. So that was in there. Um all of the field work like act all the actual auditing is done and caught up. That's all done. The report writing that our auditors are doing currently is where they're still behind on but
141we are Amber put in there when the expectation was. This was given to us by the auditing firm. They expect to have the FY2223 report to us by the end of September. It's currently under review. Um, so that should be finalized by the end of September and that'll be done 23 24. Um, we expect to have everything finalized no later than March. And then they're starting last year's uh or this year's audit from last year's numbers in November. So they're coming to do field work in November for FY2425 that just ended. So we'll be fully caught up by the end of this year with everything including current numbers from last year. >> Um, and I see that. So, since we've been talking about this, the FOI 2122 I think has been completed. >> Yes. >>
142I I've not seen it. Um, so wondering if we can get the 2021 and 2122 >> posted on the SAU website. >> Yep. I'll tell 2223 is not We haven't got the final report done yet back yet from the auditors. So, as soon as that comes back, I'll have them do that. But that 2122 I'll check with Amber to see. Okay. Because I think the on the website the most current audit is 1920 >> I believe. >> Oh, so we still we need 20 21 posted as well. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> 2021 and 2122. >> Okay. >> All right. So, >> can I sure >> just ask like so how did >> they get so far behind? >> So, I I'm just >> No, no, no. That's a great question just because I had
143another board ask me that same thing and obviously I wasn't here when that happened, but I did >> but I did um pose that question to our business administrator. So, I asked her her for that this morning. So I should have an answer very shortly around the actual reasons why that got behind in the beginning. I believe there's several reasons. I think COVID was a small part of it but also like we we own part of that is like a there was a lack of accountability at some point there that those audits weren't done. So, um, because in >> I don't know the actual reason though >> because in this town report each year >> there's a letter that says I thought it said that >> you know an audit had been done isn't or
144am I dreaming you know there's something and that's always yes an audit has been done and it's signed off >> so that's why when all this came up I was like then how come in the town report >> Yeah. Well, the town audit. >> No, there's under the school, too. >> You're talking under the school section. >> I mean, I'll look I'll look up on school, you know. >> I mean, I hope it didn't say that. >> Well, that might be a different kind of audit. >> It could be. And that's I guess from my understanding. I'll look that up. I'll go into an old >> We go into an old town report. >> We can read it and see. I'm pretty sure there's something about the books have been looked at and >> okay
145>> yada yada so I kind of was like this is in it every year >> I can certainly look into that >> and I we're currently working on I just asked for her to do that this morning >> right and it could just be because I know they closed for books every year. So it maybe it's just on >> that. I don't know. I'll look in an old report as well. >> Send it to me too and I can see what you're looking at and then I can go look at previous ones too. And you know this is >> you guys have one of your policies right now is policy DIIE which is in regards to policy or around um audits and the practice of that. So this kind of formalizes that you will annually
146have that it will be a schoolboard policy that you annually have a pol or an audit of your books every year. So that's I mean that's clearly but that's put a bow on it all. Right. But that's part of being part of the SAU. The SAU takes care of that for us. It's not >> we go out and find somebody to audit it. It's the SAU >> assassinated books. >> Yes. I'm just saying a policy. You guys having a policy kind of just ties that little accountability >> bow onto there is like giving you kind of teeth to make sure that audits are being done and you're >> saying not that Deerfield has to do their own audits. The SAU will absolutely doing those audits. But >> um >> yeah, I imagine it's probably required
147by >> It is. It's required. >> Yeah. But >> makes not everyone has read all the education statutes as it turns out. There's a lot of there's thousands of pages. >> Okay. Um I did want to add an additional item toformational items. So Arrol had emailed Jess and I about impact fees. Um, and I would love for you to come up and chat with us about them because we will ultimately need to make a decision on what we want to do about impacting. >> Um, I sent the email because the town um, last March voted to spend $20,000 on impact fee update. Now, uh, last impact fee update was in 2013, so we're 12 years behind. We're assessing impact fees on new construction at 2013 rates and based on 2013 um, proportional um, use, which
148is what impact fees are based on. Um, so the town voted to spend $20,000 on u new uh studies because every time you have a new impact fee or every time you assess an impact fee or revise it, you have to actually have statistical uh study backup people perform. You know, we have had ours on the town side done by Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission historically. uh but other people provide them. And um so the reason for my my uh my inquiry was that we're having that done this year. Um actually on the uh and it's a it's a planning board function. So it's not a town it's it's a planning board does things for the school and for the town even though it's a town body. Um, so, um, historically, that's why I came
149in and asked last time if you'd if you had a, you know, done the CIP, which apparently had nobody reached out to you all. Um, but you can't if you have and you do currently have a 2013 base impact fee that that you benefit from. Um, but you you can't spend that money unless you have a CIP. Now, in the town side, that's a bigger issue than it is, I think, here, but I mean, because I think I believe you all do you do the work. Okay. >> But I didn't know if you were interested in having Southern New Hampshire or you want somebody else to do an update because your your numbers are from 2013. >> That's why I wrote the email. Um, they're just entering in on doing uh Southern New Hampshire is
150uh and full disclosure, I'm I'm a commissioner to on the Southern New Hampshire Planning Commission. That's I'm aware of it. I'm sort of working with Nate Miller who's doing the work up there >> uh to to get it done. >> Yeah. >> So So when you get the impact fees changed for the town, it's not doesn't affect us. We have to get our own impact fees changed. >> Well, it's all one thing. And then >> Well, town money and and and and school money are two different things. So, so, you know, >> um, so the the, you know, in theory, it's $4,000 to get your your your um, it's less than a change order to get your >> um, but um, yeah, it's the school would would fund, I believe, their impact fee work. Uh
151the town department, the town only has two departments, believe it or not, currently assessing impact fees. One for the transfer station and one for the highways. >> Even the the police and fire don't have their own impact fee. Parks and recount have theirs. >> Government buildings don't have theirs. >> Um and the library doesn't have an impact fee. So they got no money out of the the development process that's that's taking place in in Deerville. Uh the nice thing about impact fees is I mean first of all it sort of forces planning because you have to have a CIP in place >> and I my personal view is that the budget issues that that the town is facing is isn't really a budget issue. It's a planning issue. They haven't had they haven't been forward
152thinking about you know capital development or capital funding for a long time. They've been trying to do capital funding based on operational budgets. It's never going to work, right? So you you can't pay for a six a six wheel or plow truck out of out of operating monies. So uh so the nice thing about impact fees is that all the money that's raised through impact fees segregated from every other town dollar not in the general fund. They they are accounted for separately. They're actually returned to the developer, whether that's the homeowner or the home builder or a private developer with interest if they're not used. They can only be used on CIP um approved projects. So, uh it it just it's nonsensical not to have impact fees. And when the new town administrator got here,
153she looked at our impact fees and said, "You got to be kidding. You can you can at least double the money that is available to the town to to, you know, to pay for things that need to be done." So that's why on the planning board, we're we're we're pressing for that and and getting, you know, people are putting in their their um uh their CIPs and we're getting our impact fee study done to be ready for next uh building season. Um, Southern New Hampshire is starting the work for the town and um, we'll have the the studies ready for probably February, just in time for next year. Um, so hence my my email sort of to put it crashly, do you want in? You know, it's going to cost $4,000 to to do that.
154Um, and I my guess is the benefit's not going to be my I think you're going to get paid back pretty fast. >> Who who determines if uh the approves CIP projects? >> So the process uh the process um on the CIP side the all the CIPs go to the planning board and the planning board ranks them and then puts them up to um the select board. >> So we would need to have school projects I I don't know how it's worked in the past. >> We used to be we used to be part of that. I know when I look at the plan, >> we collect your taxes. So >> yeah, we had stuff in there. >> What? >> There is a ciper school. >> Okay. So we haven't seen it. It hasn't come
155to the planning board. >> Um but it'd be great if you could send it so we can include it in the package. Um my my email wasn't about the the CIP, but it was about a related item which is the impact fees. You want to have one. >> I just wanted to know that part. >> Yeah. >> The town is the town is paying $20,000 for a a study >> for actually to present >> for five different studies actually. Um and uh so the five different departments can get impact fees assessed. Every time a CO is issue, the impact fees got to be paid. >> And um so yeah, right now as I say there is a CIP for the school, an impact fee for the school. Uh I don't know how much you collect.
156You don't know who you you have that number? >> Not off top of my head. I can get it though. I know it's hard because it has to be something that we're fixing because of an increase in students >> like the gym floor. The gym floor. >> Yeah. It's all based on >> bleachers. Gym bleachers. >> Yeah. I was looking at it earlier. >> It has to be because of not just wear and tear. >> So how big is that? Nice. >> So, I'm gonna I'm gonna have it digitized so that I'm gonna have it scanned, put into a folder so that way it's accessible to the board. >> Yes. >> So, I will we'll get that done. >> I mean, the good news I mean I believe the town administrator has actually simplified the
157the CI the CIP form um into one page. M >> so I don't know if you need that sent to you or >> that would be great. The one we have is two pages at Y. >> Yeah. >> But it's it's it's really simple. Definition of a capital asset is five is is a fiveyear useful life and $10,000 in cost. And so anything that is above that that you want to put in for um you know you you and then typically you put up a a trust fund if it's a it's a large item >> and you you you fund it over time and then you HVAC I mean it's exactly that that kind of thing right you're putting money into that funded >> so my understanding is the $20,000 for the five departments is
158you're asking for $4,000 from us to go towards that 20,000. Is that what you're talking? >> No, it's it' be an addition to it because the the 20,000 was voted on the town side >> and and the school didn't have a a warrant article on for impact fees when they were doing it. Um, so you know, it's so that's that's the you said earlier, do you want to want to be part of that or I mean I suspect the school could probably uh have their own study done by somebody else if they wanted to, but I mean Southern New Hampshire's going to be working on on Deerfield, so it makes sense, I guess, to do it. Um but um >> and you need to know that tonight. >> Um ASAP and not you know I
159asked Nate about when they're going to send invoices out there invoices out need to know what work they're if you want and there was a contract associated with it and they would they would send that to you >> enter into that. >> What are what are we like at the rates we're at right now? Does that does that money get you said it's every time a CO is issued that money? Okay. So maybe if we could get some data of like what we have what we you know what we got this year or something like that. It's been quite a bit of building. Um, yeah, lot of lot of development, not necessarily all that many cos, but um, so Jess, did you have your meeting with Karen Clement or was that coming up? >> I
160met with her last week. >> Okay. And was this part of that conversation at all? >> Not yet because I didn't have our full CIP. So, we're gonna we need to meet again. >> Okay. So, >> yeah, I think >> I was confusing that. So, what is what does that CO stand for? certificate of occupancy. >> Okay. Yeah. >> Yeah. So, every time the way the RSA is written is you can't you can't certify it without getting your impact fee collected. >> But >> yes, >> I don't think it's the case that we get the money every year. >> No, >> the school. >> Um I don't know. >> I feel like we have to apply. There was like a application. >> I think so, too. You have to apply for it. It has to
161meet like you said it's got to it's got to be something that it's because we have increased population like why would HVAC be part of that? Why would that >> if you um so it's not good for you can't use it for maintenance open parks and wreck is is is going to do an impact fee have an impact fee study done um and they can't include open fields for instance >> uh can't be for maintenance. It has got it's got to be a capital it's a capital improvement project funding mechanism. So, it's got to be for instance, if we had water and sewer and needed to increase the size of our waist a water wastewater management plant. >> If we had put in a new well, >> if you'd had a a new if you
162Yeah. uh if it was based on what the study does is it it establishes the proportionality of the impact on the school of new development >> and then it funds a legitimate approal share to assets that the school is putting into place five years $10,000 or greater. So it's it's you know >> and if the school doesn't use it within a certain time frame it goes back >> it goes back to the developer with interest. >> So I guess I'm just trying to figure out you know what it is that we're receiving recently compared to >> I don't know what the school has received. I have no I have no clue what the numbers are. I know on the on the town side when the uh new um town administrator got here, she looked at
163it and said, "Huh? You kidding? It's $5,000. At least 10." I mean, that was and I haven't asked her for a breakdown of of of what the numbers are per but it's right now it's uh my guess is you're you're part of that $5,000 per per house that uh because the three that that have been done are school, highway, and transfer station. So each one of those if they I guess I'm guessing that those departments apply for them as you say because they do have to certify that they are for >> right >> the correct for the correct reason and if the money as I said the money doesn't get spent over that period of time if you don't have an active capital improvement plan that you're implementing which this town hasn't been great at
164okay then those that money will go back to the >> so I think the most recent project that we've done. I mean, this all just predates this board, but was the gym floor in COVID times. Um, we used impact for that. I believe I'll get numbers from Amber just to make sure. And then, um, after I finish compiling all the CIP stuff together, I'm going to meet with Karen again. So, I'll reach out to her, meet her again to kind of go over that. Um, and then happy to fill out whatever you need for CF information >> for the uh planning board. >> Yeah. >> If I can get my planning board, the planner to return my phone call. >> Yeah. Happy to do it. >> Yeah. Yeah. And I I this is all when
165you go to the the land use RSA, this is all it's you know, master plan is item number one. uh CIP is number two and then uh impact fee is a it's it's a lot later in the in the statute but it it is what's called an innovative method of raising monies to meet those uh land use requirements >> in the statute. >> Any other questions? >> No. Does anyone want to take action on this tonight or do we want more information before we decide to expend $4,000? >> Where would that come from? >> Great question. That would be the TD, right? I have no idea where you pulled that from right now. That would have funds set aside. >> Yeah, I look like a trust fun. >> I tied to those improvements. I sort
166of doubt that there's a trust fund that we could pull from for that purpose. >> So, someone just said that it's 20 2,168 for CEO that the school receives currently >> 268. >> So, half of I'll verify that a portion is a portion. >> Yeah. I just you know to give an idea I think what said before without knowing the numbers that we probably you one house >> right >> I mean in theory >> but we really and and the other thing is right now you were talking not that it was relevant to the conservation issue but the the the current use issue when LUCT you know the LUCT number tells you how uh properties are are being developed. Now, of those 13 um LUCT charges this year, about half of them were were actual
167I I don't know anything. I don't know details, but I do know that about half those numbers were like $1,500, $2,000, something like that. Small numbers. So, it may have been improvements or or something like that that somebody added onto their their property. But the other the other half dozen were 10 12 15 bigger numbers. So uh there were about in six or seven C you know LUCT U. Now the LUCT isn't it's it's sort of the opp sort of the other end of the the scale here. LUCT gets charged when you break ground. Okay. So when you when you when you start developing I don't know if it's when you clear trees or when you actually you know put a sh put a excavator to the ground to start building your house but that's
168when the LUCT gets assessed. So all of those six or seven LUCTs uh in in 2025 are probably going to you know be later COS. I don't know how soon but you know they they >> I thought it was when changed ownership. >> What's that? >> I thought LUCT became >> it can be I think when you changed ownership. I don't think it's when you start. >> Uh well it's land. It could have changed. This was a while ago. >> It's land use change tax. So every time the assessor >> take it out when you take it out of current use, it comes straight out of current use, >> right? >> Uh and that's when it that's when the assessor looks at it is when it comes out of current use, right? >> So whether
169that's due to a change in ownership, >> a lot. >> Yeah. You you hive off a lot. You're in that business or you were were in that business. You hive off a lot. If it's for a building lot >> and you can't put it into current use because of propquity or size, then you you get assessed to a land use change tax, >> right? You don't have to Well, back then you didn't have to break ground as long as the the lot you cut away was not large enough to go into another current use. >> Yeah. Well, okay. That's situation. >> And it I mean it's typically most developers like to move pretty quickly. So, so when you when you when you subdivide pretty much as soon as you can you you start digging. So
170maybe that was I think there's there's case law that that I remember relating to when you start digging as oo. So I'm I'm not going to stand by that. >> It's quite a lot. >> Yeah, there's a lot of there's a lot of land, you know, case law on that. So, so it's when the idea of development starts materializing, I guess, >> and the the lot size no longer is in the current use >> or or qualifies for current use. Yeah. And that's when it gets so so that's at the beginning of the process. The impact fee is at the end of the process when you've done all that work and have built the house and you want the CO and whoever's done all that work has got to pay the LU the not the
171LUCT whoever bought the land probably bought paid the LUCT and is hoping to you know it recovers it from the price of of the house >> and there was some LUCT uh issued after the new assessments because They assessed land and saw that it wasn't currently meeting current use. Right. Like >> I've seen this in the board of selective meetings. >> Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. Yeah. >> So, if they survey your property and there's an RV parked on it, they're going to take it out of current use. >> Yeah. If there's a if there's a structure on otherwise qualifying, you know, 10 acres plus lot, they can Okay. And the definition of a structure comes, you know, whether it's an RV or I mean, >> yeah, you can get into the weeds on that stuff,
172but >> yes, >> the whole idea is that the LUCT is at the beginning of the of the building process. impact fee is at the end of the building process and >> okay so does anyone want to take action tonight or do we want to wait >> I feel like um if this is going to be that good of a thing you probably want to move on quickly >> I would probably agree I do not know where the funds would come from >> do I think that we have $4,000 somewhere in our budget seeing that we just $600,000 over last year. I'm sure we could find 4,000. I just I don't know where it would come from. Essentially, what you're going to have to do is you're have to overexpend a line by 4,000 and
173then hope that you have revenue to offset that. >> So, yeah, not >> rules on building renovation improvement trust. >> It depends um what the language of the trust was when it was set up. So we generally define what it can be used for when it's established. So we would we generally rely on the trustee of the trust fund to tell us what the definition is. I mean we have it somewhere also but um yeah so but we don't have to decide that today if it's coming out of a trust or if it's coming out of the budget we can >> we just vote that we want to spend it and see if we can find a place in the budget to take >> if we decide later in the year things are getting really
174tight we can see if we could transfer it from a trust fun line >> do we need to pick the line no we'll do that make sure it aligns with where it's supposed to go All right. A line that makes somewhat Sorry. Um All right. In the interest of moving this along, I'm I'll make a motion to expend the $4,000 for the impact fee um study. Second, >> discussion. All right. All in favor? >> I 5 Z. Any opposed? >> Okay. Right. On policies, we can do this pretty quickly. So, um I'm Nancy and I met just to kind of go over and we were very good. We put minutes. >> So, um >> those on the next. >> So, for the third reading, we had um BEDG, which is the meeting minutes, and EH
175A use of generative artificial intelligence. And we felt that given we haven't heard any more comments from anybody in the comments at the last meeting that we move to that we think that those should be adopted. So I I guess I'll make the motion for that and we can have conversations. Okay. So I move that we approve BEG and EH A policies. >> Second Kendra. Okay. discussion. >> Okay. All in favor of approving BE DG and E H A G I >> I >> 50 Z and then the second reading we had talked about possibly approving things on the second reading if there's really no big issue and uh so we looked over their their four on that one BHE which is school board use of email and other electronic communications um I think the
176only eye openener we talked about was you didn't realize that on social media and I'm sure you don't have correct more more than three people on that social >> commenting on a single change. So that's really important to make sure that you're not doing that. Um DI the audits which Jess just talked about that IKFG career exploration readiness pathways and credentials and KFD use and location of automated external defibrillators. So we were fine with all those but we do have a caveat on one of them and that's the career exploration readiness pathways and credentials. We just wanted to make sure that our approval is contingent on the removal of the high school language that policy >> would only be K to 8. >> And we also wanted we just wanted to say that we strongly
177suggest that the DCS administration make sure that all the teachers at DCS are aware of policy because it really could affect their curriculum. Depending on the grade level, it's a little bit different each one. So, um, given that, I I'll move that we accept BH E D I E I KFG and KFD with the contention of the high school language. I will second Alan and Kendra um discussion about any of these policies and this is to adopt them, not to move them to a third, right? to adopt them. Try and streamline it a little bit so we can get through more policies. >> All right. All in favor? >> I Okay. And then that was 5 Z. >> And then the last one is uh the recommendation to have the following policies withdrawn. And that's
178really because they're being replaced by a new policy or they're fully covered under different policies, which is what Nancy and I both agreed with. So, I will move that we uh with withdraw policy BHD and policy EJ EA. Right. I'll second Kendra. Um discussion. Okay. All in favor of withdrawing BHD and EGA EA I 50. >> You guys might make a good dent in your policies. >> Yeah. Okay. >> I was going to say, so will you get the new ones? >> Next on the docket will come up for October. >> Okay. And then what we'll do is we'll wait until we have the discussion because you've all read it for the first reading and then we'll get together in the second reading if there's changes. And if it seems like it's okay, maybe we'll
179just after second reading. >> Great. >> All right. I mean, yeah, obviously there might be one that are more complicated. continue on. Sure. But if we can move along, but yes. >> All right. Public comments. >> Can I make one? >> Absolutely. >> Sorry, just cuz I'm sitting here taking a minute for Trish. Candy at Old Center Road. Just because I heard your conversation about looking at the elementary school budget and making cuts or trying to control the budget is what has brought me forward, plus some comments about high school and high school choice. Um there was a time where high school was separate from the elementary school budget and so you felt as a taxpayer you had a little bit more control over what was being presented to you regarding the high school budget
180because that person on the board went to that high school and negotiated. Um uh Superintendent Bickford stated that this is what the town voted for as far as choice. So that must be what they want. I just want to make the correction and it's she wouldn't have this knowledge, but there was a warrant article nonbinding uh where we voted as a town that we did not we thought school choice was great as long as it didn't raise our taxes. Um that has not been the case. Um the statement that Penrook is cheapest and Ellen, you're not the only one who has said this. Our state rep has said this. So, that's where our children should go. I have nothing against Penrook Academy. My son graduated from there and um kudos to that school for putting
181up with my son. Um and his record still hasn't been broken on the uh cross country team. So, he wanted me to mention that. A great coach, great experience. But that may not be where people want their kids to go in comments. And I've been wanting to address this on Canon, you brought it forward because when I've gotten up and said, "We had this non-binding referendum about school choice." I've had others get up behind me and say, "Well, well, the contract that we have for conquered was good the first year, but then it went up." What I want to say to all of you is as the only piece of our budget that we can control is what's happening in this building. You have no say as far as high school. high school can go
182up and up and up and the only place that you're gonna find the way to alleviate anything to me as a taxpayer is what's happening at DCS. I have sat here for years in this building. I have seen positions cut. I have seen hours cut so that people don't qualify for health insurance. It hasn't helped my tax bill at all. So, as I have said in prior meetings, this is a state issue. This is a federal government issue. as I listen to uh Jeannie Manard. Can we not afford kids are expensive but can we not afford to invest in kids because they do pay and make what our country is in the future. So we have to question whether you know the expense is paid if that is your job. Um, so Canon, back to
183your point was is that when it came to a vote, we were not presented a 10-year contract from conquered, a 10-year contract from Penrook, a 10-year contract from CO Brown, or a contract of school choice. It' be it'd be a ton of work. I sat here. I saw what the board members did. But high school is what is hurting the elementary school budget. We need to own it. But let's be careful what we take away from with our elementary school students because what they experience here, they are going to take to those high schools. It is going to get them scholarships into college. as far as the music and art is concerned. My sister-in-law worked for a company and all they hired was music majors. Um, and software company. Uh, I could go on and
184on, but it's late. You guys, we all need to go, I must say. And thank you so much for your time and energy. It's not an easy job. Thank you, >> Carol Street. Um I really just have a clarifying question. In the second set of policies that you um adopted, the first one was B A what? >> B E D G B E D. >> No, that was the first B as in Harry E. >> B E on the second slew of Yeah. >> Yeah. Second SL. slow use of email and other electronic >> right and that's replacing the BHD which I remember that I just didn't write it down >> sure >> um and I have to I have to echo the u the the comment of the prior speaker um I'm I mean
185music is a language ultimately and um you know we we don't really teach languages as as they did when I went to high school, certainly as we did in the 19th century where you had Latin and Greek and other languages that you studied. The reason you studied those languages was to learn how to think a different way than your basic way of thinking. And so I'm awfully glad that music is staying because it helps you it helps you think outside the box, right? It's very important. Don't don't go away with it. You want to argue that? >> Yes. >> I understand that. I understand that. >> But that's >> I'm just kidding. >> Are you doing nonpublic? >> We are. >> I'll wait. Get that too. Thank you. >> Okay. Uh, no more public comment.
186So, I will make a motion to go into non-public session pursuant to NHRSA 91- A 3 section 2 subsection B and C. >> Can I get a second? >> Second. >> All right. Roll call. >> Yes. [Music] >> Michael, thank you for staying. >> Of course. [Music] Drive safe. There's no lights in the parking lot yet, so be careful. Don't fall in a trench. Thank you, Canon. You too, Michael. [Music]