001at 607 workshop 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. So the purpose of this meeting workshop is to discuss the concerns with the with the budget um and figure out um ways that we'll be able to make this budget for us. >> All right. So um I was gracious enough to make this amazing plan um which actually helps quite a bit with covering almost all of the shortages. Um, so I'm just going to go through and kind of read to you guys what we're looking at. So, one of the proposals that she made um was to eliminate um an unfilled special education teacher position um as of right now for this year, which would
002be $164,900 savings um to change the nurse position to reduce the number of hours per day. Um is there a requirement per law that number of hours in nurses have to have a nurse. >> Correct. >> Okay. So, um that reduction would be a 72,000 $212 savings. Um have you based what hours you want? >> Yes. So, um if you want me to I can speak to you. >> Yeah. >> You can start wherever. Um, so we're faced with the need to reduce our budget. Um, the bottom line being the $6 million. Um, I collaborated with the SAU to come up with this this proposal in an attempt to try and minimize things that kids would feel. So, we wanted to make sure that for your average student here at MES that they would have
003the opportunity um to go about their business as much as possible. Each of these things though does come with a cost um to the building in addition to the cost savings. So the first one is a position that we have not had filled. We had a half a position this fall not filled um and we have a full position not filled this winter and spring. Um this increases the amount of work on our two remaining special ed teachers. Um but it has not been something we can fill and so we can say that we can operate under these conditions. It's hard. Um, our special ed teachers are working as hard as a person can during meet the service hours for kids meet IEPs and um ensure that they are um helping kids and fulfilling their
004legal obligations. So, so I would say with that one um it seemed like since we are currently operating without that that made sense and and we do know that that is benefits and salary. >> Okay. Um, with the nurse position, we're proposing reducing it to five hours a day. A lot of that cost savings is with benefits. I was looking at a 10 to3 position. Um, I'm thinking about the times of day in which kids are at recess, at lunch, and having snack in order to minimize um concerns with choking hazards. Um, obviously recess incidents um and try and make sure that we had somebody on duty. that will put the strain on the building between 8:30 and 10 say >> do you have students that are taking meds in the morning that they're administering
005>> um currently to my knowledge we do not first thing in the morning unless a kid has missed a dose at home and the parent has directed us to give meds >> okay that is something that can fall underneath the principal or their designated correct correct yeah um so it is something that I can't in court um I will say that I um am also aware that we MS services between 8:30 and 10 that that building is staffed. >> Okay. >> Um I don't think that's an ideal scenario. I am nervous about it. Um but that does save that amount of money um with benefits and hours. >> Okay. Um the next line I'm just sort of taking over. I hope >> No, you're totally fine. You did the work. >> Uh the next line
006we looked at was special ed support staff. We have two positions that are not filled due to a change in late November. >> Okay. So, the student is improving and no longer need >> uh the we no longer need those two positions um because of a change in student. >> Okay. >> Um one position is grant funded. So, I do not believe that needs to come out of the operating budget. >> Okay. >> Um so, that saves um the 91,700. >> Okay. Um this one's hard. The next one is our head custodian position. So, um, eliminating that position entirely and replacing it with a part-time position with no benefits, so it would be four hours a day, decreases our staffing from 16 hours a day of coverage essentially, there's a little bit of overlap, to
00712 hours a day of coverage. Um, I can't anticipate all of the ways in which that will impact the building. I can't anticipate I think it's going to be hard and that's hard. So there are parts of that job that I don't know how to do or am not aware of, but I'm committed to thinking about the whole school and what will kids ultimately um feel. Um I am not sure if we'll be able to find someone who wants to work for our benefits, but hopefully we can. Um this this is this is hard, right? This is hard. This is the elimination of position that exists already. Um I will say that the things that go into this job for the history. Yep. Yep. Um >> are multifaceted. It's a big job. And so saying
008we are no longer going to have this job could have a very big ripple effect. Um but the elimination of that job and replacing it with a part-time position will save us $76,000. Our next one is reading specialist. Um we have something called the title one entitlement grant. My goal would be to fund $50,000 of that position from title one funds. Title one funds are a federal government grant. I cannot predict what the future will hold with the federal government and grants. um we have that money this year and um I I am hopeful within a day or two we'll be in the process of applying for a waiver to have that money carry over so that that we can fund that for a year. And let me just pause and say um a lot
009of the changes that we are proposing here are changes that are not sustainable long term. These are changes that are meant to get us through one difficult year and then be able to figure out and spend the next year planning for and figuring out for um the reading specialist position is essential. It is one of the positions that is required by the state. Um so it's part of the minimum standards. I will share that we have tremendous growth in our kids reading abilities because we have this position fully funded and full-time. So that is essential. Um the remaining items on this list um we have some some elastic book fair revenue that we can support the library for for a year. So you'll see that that's small change $3,500. Um so we can get through
010and spend down that revenue that has accumulated over years. That's not a one year thing over years. And so we can spend that value down in order to purchase books for the library next year. Um, we can't do without replacement furniture and new furniture for a year if we need to. This summer I spent um some of that budget on new chairs which I think are not breaking. So, we have some extra chairs and that's like the number one thing that we often have to replace as student chairs. So, we may we may be fine there. Um, and then I removed the contracted services for middle and high school 504 plans. Um, they were not used this year or last year. So, I thought that would be a what we could cost. All of this
011comes up to $448,397. Um we uh sorry, that's the amount that we need. My total proposed reduction is more than that so that we have a starting point for talking and I think like I I put this out there to you all um knowing that we have something really special here at MES. Um we have a community of learners. We have a safe place for kids. Um, we have people who are all in, my staff are all in, four kids. And so this was really hard. Um, and I understand the necessity of it. Um, and I hope that when we make the plans for this year, we're thinking about students first. And when we think about next year, we think about how we can um ensure that kids are getting their needs met. and that
012we are planning for all of the changes that are coming our way with um contracted services, special ed question marks about how funding the state of the future will will continue. >> Well, again, I applaud you because I know how you um and I think you do great things and I think that like you said, I think this is a rough year and we have to get through it and this is not sustainable. Um, I think that is huge. I think that is one thing that I really hope that people take from this is how much of a risk we take when we're taking away a teacher um at being able to provide kids with what they need to continue to grow and develop. Um, the nurse may understand is I think for me the
013the biggest concern is the custodian. the nurse. Yes, I think that that's nerve-wracking. I understand, but I think that you've done great things in processing out that there are EMS services available if need be um to get us through. Um but I am really concerned about the head and I really think we need to figure out how to not eliminate that uh or she make that change. I think it places the school at a great risk um for maintenance. it puts us at risk for additional um additional fees for having to have things prepared um without having someone here all the time. Um what are you guys' thoughts on >> I completely agree with the studying position but I I feel that we do need a fulltime nurse. Um as somebody who recently went to
014work on Monday and got a call 5 minutes after the office 45 minutes away that I need to pick up my kid. I think that having them here in the morning is very beneficial because we don't need to come because um a lot of money would have to come for an upset. I think that the I mean we have people here that can support I think that it's not ideal but those hours are when you're I mean I think if we if it comes down to to make decisions. I think the custodian is a greater risk to the maintenance of the building. Um the school owners where they have no one having medications. I think you're going to be talking about like people coming in with fevers or nausea and things like that. I think
015that in a hinch that could be managed. I mean, I think we can figure out a way to not do it. This amount is this for the highest that you were hiring someone with the most experienced based off of the salary or um I believe that figure came from the midpoint. >> What was current? >> Yes. >> So, for the current the current >> if we were to cut it, sorry, not budgeted for this year. >> No, I mean um that's right. So, the mid average So it's not enough for cut to cut them down to not receive benefits. position, we would have to make them part time of doing that because at full time the IRS requires so I'll open up to public I don't know because I agree with you, but I think
016it's >> obvious. >> This is Heather. I have a question about the specialist staff. >> Go ahead, Heather. >> Is there? >> No. >> Okay. Does anybody here know how much we're spending the special lines on the two parents that we were contracting out for? And do we still need them? Because then we should be eliminating both of those not just from the internal but also the contract out for that. >> Do you know so I'm not sure what she's asking >> the positions that this Heather do you want to say that again? The two positions are they are you contract? >> Yeah. Are they in the contract that would not be in the way? So these are district position. So they'd be in the way the regular special education wages and then contracted services
017would be in the line in special contracted services. >> I didn't hear the answer but I know deliberatively talked about the fact that there were the two positions posted. Therefore, they were being provided under contracted lines at a higher rate. >> Those have additional those are two. So, those are two different parents. Yeah. It wasn't these two to be in place of the two and it sounds like the change here came from a change in the itself. >> Okay. >> Does that answer your question? As long as we're not going to open it up to public input for um the same regular rules that usually apply, three minutes per person. Um go ahead. >> Thank you. Um, if the nurse position got cut for the five hours, would there's always the potential to maybe have
018a open discussion with the fire chief who's done a fabulous job of being able to staff the department in the morning to maybe see if they would be willing to come down for a couple of hours. Um, it would be a good opportunity for the kids in the to get to know some of the paramedics there, but then also kind of give everybody that peace of mind. Um, that's always a thought and I know he does have some paramedics, so he's got the higher trained level people. Um, and then in this budget, the default budget, does that include the pay for the board? because that's about almost 10,000 that we could say without eliminating a position. And then my last question or comment or however um it's kind of the third reel that no one
019wants to talk about, but health insurance potentially shopping and seeing if there are more cost effective health insurance options because right now we're paying $625,452 for health insurance. So, if we potentially found a health insurance company that was cheaper, this could alleviate us from having to cut a position. >> We will definitely take that consideration. Is there any other public comments? >> Just get your name, please. >> Yeah, you just in curiosity, what were some of the ideas that you came up with that you said, you know what, not a good idea or this just missed the cut and why did I just miss that? Am I or um so when I considered building this proposal really didn't want to touch kids have the impact so some things that we had discussed were half day
020kindergarten instead of full day kindergarten which is um not great for kids outcomes. Um we thought about collapsing our two fourth grades into one. The state of New Hampshire asks for a maximum class size of 30. We currently have 31 fourth graders. So for fifth grade that would be 31 kids. The school board can give a waiver for that. That is not in anyone's messages. Um we talked about reducing um staffing positions that mandated could be part-time. Um one of the things that is incredible about this school is that when there is anything going on in the building and a kid needs support, a staff member on their prep or a staff member that does not have a student at that time steps in to help. And in thinking about my role as the principal
021and some of these other cuts that had to made pondering cutting staff that provide behavior support before a behavior becomes a big deal. That to me felt like a dangerous and slippery slope. Um so those were all things that that I mean everything was on the table when we pondered this. Um but these were the things I landed on that I felt I could insulate kids from the best. Thank you for that question. Any other questions? >> Could could be a pool, but are there other grants we could apply for or motions by the public? for grants. Anybody can make our town's voice meter and say we have a higher than average special education needs percentage student population. We get more grant money for this. >> Um I I can talk about that. That's not
022directly related to staffing. Um so we did receive ite grant which was a state of New Hampshire grant that allowed me to upgrade our camera systems, our walkies and some of our access control for the building. So that just got signed. So I'm just mentioning that right now. >> Um so that y um we are exploring these things. Um one of the challenges that I run into when I think about grants and it has been especially challenging this year as a new principal stepping into this world is that um I'm going to say most but the answer might be all. um can't supplant things that you already have done in the building. So for example, title one has been a grant-f funed position in the past. It has never been out of the operating budget.
023So I can shift money into that for a reading specialist. I cannot ask for a grant for a reading specialist because that has been part of the operating budget already. So there's these restrictions that make it a little trickier. Um, and I am not an expert in grants, so I can't speak much more than that. So, you're trying to figure this stuff out. Absolutely. I am question. >> I am always great. Thanks. These are nutrition, correct? We just >> we're connected. other public input. So, um I just kind of to touch back a couple of meetings ago when um Jonathan brought up the Medicaid reimbursements and all. Um I don't know how much we could potentially be getting back if all of the billing was being done. Um, but maybe it's a good opportunity to
024educate the parents um of the kids that are receiving those services about why they why we why the school asks for it. Um, I'll be honest, when I enrolled Ben um, and I saw the paperwork for that, I had questioned it and I was just kind of told, don't worry about that, you know, don't worry about it. You don't have to fill it out. um versus taking that time and that opportunity to explain how beneficial it is for everyone. Um I'm not sure um but I've been kind of like reading around and and looking at other um towns and and such, but I'm not sure if I was reading somewhere that private insurance could potentially get build. um the school would only get what the insurance reimbursed. The parent wouldn't be responsible for like the
025deductible or co-ay or anything like that. Um I think if that is a possibility, we should potentially look into that. I mean, myself as a parent and somebody who pays a lot of money for my health insurance, um I'm already paying for it. So, if I had the opportunity to hand over my insurance card to you and say, "Here, bill for my kid services that he receives, um, and I don't have to pay for my co-ay or deductible. You're just getting that money and it's saving money in the budget and in my taxes, I would be all for it." So, I if that could potentially be looked into. And then I think just better education to the parents of how it's beneficial. >> So the what we got from you from the district, the yellow
026paper. Yeah. Um, has anything been done yet? I know that she had to kind of play with it a little bit to see where cuts might be moving. Do you have anything with that? >> Um, I don't believe so. I think she annotated this one to look to that. Well, I think we I don't know how you guys feel, but I think it needs to be a combination. I again applaud you for this. This is great. Um, but I would like to try to figure out how we keep the custodian full time. And if we can figure out the nurse, that's great. But I think definitively figuring out how to keep the custodian, I think that's just a huge risk. ID, did you look at all um 118? >> Um that gets tricky because we
027and Caroline, please correct me if I wrong. Um students who have special ed services identified for preschool, um we have to send them somewhere. So that would require us to tuition them into other districts. Right now, our peral cost is far lower than any other school in our area. So, I don't uh I did not explore that avenue because it seems like a net loss. >> And we don't charge a fee for nonidentified students every day. We do, but it is minimal. It's like nothing. >> No, that is a full-time position that we will fund partially through the title one grant. >> Okay, perfect. Thank you. And just from my perspective, I agree with Rebecca keeping the full time investment. I that's important to have during school as well. >> It's figuring out how to
028come to 70ish I'm struggling with looking at where to cut verifications on the figures from 1100 on >> the cover from 1100 on is what I'm looking for in order to be able to convert >> the other board. I think we need to meet with Kathy is really where we're at to figure out get a little bit better information about where we can pull from other places because it's just the lines. That's not super easy to do because she put some notes on like certain things. We talked about before doing solar panels and potentially getting a grant for that. I mean the electricity line is 31,632. I don't know what's still out there for grants. I can see if I can find something more about that. There was we talked I talked to Kathy about
029that at one point. >> Rebecca, you can talk to Kate Bazard. >> Who is it? >> Kate Bazard. She's on the conservation. She came a few months ago to the school board asking about the electric bill. Um she was working with the solar company. Do you have a phone number that you >> I'll get it for you. >> Does this budget reflect the new pay scale for the bus drivers? >> Is there a way to pause that? >> We'll have to figure it all out. I think you you said it was already. >> Yes, that's the default correct. >> So that's part of the regular I know we talked about this but um is our telephone just for landlines or is it for cell phones? goes to the front office and your office, but um
030are there other so I'm going to say more or less because there's a handful of spaces that just have one but more or less we have connectivity in every room in the building so that if there's an e in the office. I'm a little 18,300. So, it looks like our actual last year was 28,000. line 27 on the second page. I don't have that copy on me right now, but um what is the line for like four books because from the math workbooks. I know we waste a lot of paper with those because my my kids books often and most times there's only a little bit use out of those maybe purchasing all the books. That was another thing that we had considered cutting that line is consumables. You want me to read the number?
031>> So, it's the 1 169 1100 640 books and it probably, you know, I do hope you have the paper on paper on paper and then the copier that is in here as one of our services in the notes. I just didn't know like if it's just a fixed or if it's Can we I think that's a good idea to potentially know how much I'm sorry if this was mentioned and I just missed it. Is that 11,640 that we're spending on that 610 line? >> No, that's the the 640 was the line. It's 4,500. >> It's consumable books. It's 100 and then the 640. It's on the second. Do you have the page that they sent us? >> So it's the second page is what halfway down. >> No, we're looking at the consumable books.
032So the workbooks that they're buying instead of buying those books at the 4500 seeing if we can make copies where they're they're not really utilizing the books. I can just add it's a little more complicated than that because different grade levels might do more or less with each book and that is a curriculum supported book with our math program. So certainly we could be using the website and making copies of the pages that we want but We are part of that is that is our is that I'm gonna say yes to that. That is a that is a question mark because if we were switching to online accessing that portion um so it is not a one but that's a great question. So the phone that we have the same 12,000 when just cheaper. Okay.
033I don't know. online. Yes. We can show that's probably there's the ability to I don't know if you guys have any other ideas. I think what we have kind of limited what we can determine where we can I mean, I think our bottom line are so low on our like OTP supplies is only $1,000. Like everything is so low. guidance is $500 for supplies. Health is $500, which is not really work without discussing the possibility of putting back, but it's something. >> Yeah, I think we have to consider all um the change of keeping the fulltime. >> Yeah, I agree with you. Are you asking for a dollar value for those positions so that we can see what the difference is? >> Yeah, if we left them the way they were. >> Can I figure
034that out? >> Well, it's adding. >> It's more complicated than that. That's true. >> Yeah. I am not I'm not the VA >> because part time she still benefits. >> Okay. >> So it's not exactly what we would do. >> Yeah. While I'm just to think about I feel like I just hear um my staff feel very anxious about not having the answer and um even though we are not discussing cutting teachers cutting parents cutting additional people besides what's on the sheet right now um if I can just speak on behalf of them they're here because they are worried and I don't want to put them in a situation where they worry for any amount of time longer Because when teachers are worried, they look for other positions and these people want to be here.
035So just something else to consider for sure. So just are we looking at um you're looking for alternatives to cutting the Yes, we would like to we would like to avoid if possible cutting making the change to the head custodian and leaving it the way it currently is. >> Um, and the same thing with the with the nurse to leave the position the way it is and where else would you be able to pull from to to make up to those deficits. >> I mean, this is this is just my perspective. I'm not looking at any other baseline for teachers to do that. >> No, >> this is a question for me. Are we looking to continue cutting the areas that I identified or we going to put it back to the voters with those
036two items in a slight budget >> in the budget? I see what you're saying. >> The six million that's just so for my I'm looking at I'm not looking at it at all if you could add the 6 million I'd be looking at. So Caroline, if we were to do that, because we have not done that before, to do a special election like we did with when we were doing the um >> Yeah, >> we could pre-present to the to the U voters leaving those two positions the way they are, but making the cuts we did in the other area. So basically, >> yeah, >> maybe 140, >> but to be fair, the special education positions, they're not needed right now, but it doesn't mean that they won't be needed later, right? >> We haven't
037had I wouldn't say they're not needed right now. We just haven't had >> but they may be essential here a new student comes in. >> Yeah, there's so in terms of parents >> that is dictated by student need and if the student has a need staffing we have right now we have to add that person back in and we don't have Can you point out for us what I know we had only um approved to take so much from it but with the original anticipated cost was actually left because it was a little bit left but there was yes I think it has over 350ish 370ish and the board 200 so there's guessing over 15,000 I feel like I feel like we need more though like the proposed amount was like that was my concern
038like what the actual amount that they originally proposed. >> I know we didn't >> if we can find out what what's left if we had to withdraw everything. And since we are so tight with our figures, I wonder if it looks Well, >> that's the required formula for so that's what the district is allowed to budget for that. Did you hear her answer? >> Right. >> That's my concern is that >> the Right. Well, the note signed now already says that the actual cost last year was 28,136 and we've only budgeted for 18,000. I just want to thank Ivy for the thoughtful way that she went about looking at this and proposing these tests. I do really appreciate all the effort that went into that and that has facilities. I really do appreciate all of
039that time and energy and really consideration you put into these course. >> So if we repropose to the uh to the town to reconsider with those two changes, what's the process on that? We would make that decision at our next board meeting. You'd have to make a board decision. Um you'd have to And it had to be posted with the same appropriate number of days. Seven days to hold that. So, but we would want to make sure we get the actual time. >> Yeah, for sure. public hearing as well. >> It would be just like election. >> Yeah. >> Same time frame and same process and then you'd have to pay to do it all. >> Sorry, I looked into it. Can I just say before you guys go down that route to make sure
040cross the te's and eyes's. My biggest concern is the cost of the health insurance. And my fear is is with everything that's happened with this insurance through the state and the huge increase and the huge costs that other town like some other towns have had to pay like well over a million dollars. >> Yeah, it's really slowing >> compared to everyone else. But my fear is is that other towns are going to jump ship from this insurance because it's so expensive. And then the cost is going to go up and then what if we get hit with another bill in the fall and they say you owe us $80,000 or $100,000 and we're just continuing to go down this this rabbit hole. Um, I I really think I know it's I know it's like the
041purple elephant in the room that nobody wants to discuss, but I really think it's worth looking at all of our options. If, you know, if this was car insurance or anything else and we got stuck with a big price tag, we would be saying, let's shop around at least and see what our options are. If it saves a position, if it makes working, I mean, I think if you come to if we have to have another election and everything is not properly exhausted, you're going to alienate the voters more. >> I appreciate that. Can you get me a prepay what we're actually charging for >> the um >> Yeah. You guys gave it to us in the process. So this number is we about six students accessing. >> What is our max for the space?
042Uh I would not be comfortable more than eight students in that space. very small and that's pushing it because some of that adult support we are supposed to maintain a 50% special population. >> Isn't there also supposed to be um non special ed school in addition as many special%. >> Can you just say your name? Sorry. Is that something that helps us with the quality of insurance and how that impact those? position. >> So either way, >> I appreciate >> any other sense to me. >> Okay, why I'm not the business administrator. I am not. So I have um in the notes I've highlighted questions that the board has um that include um electric, solar, fuel, workbooks and copying, phone service and internet. Although I didn't know that federal process but we'll provide that information
043cost for prepaying and um we can give you some information about the health insurance um as far as if there was a process which I know that you engage in a little bit. Um, so we can have that information for you. And then also the amount. If the nurse were to be full-time and the custodian were to be full-time, what is that amount? Um, and we can give you that information for your next board meeting. That would be great. >> I think anything that you guys can get us sooner would be fantastic, but Anything else? I was just if I'm not allowed to ask or but I just wanted to know if the teachers being the ones in the student in the classroom with the students are there any ideas that you have of things
044that can that's a really question >> I will I will just say that we all emotional is what I do. We love it here at MBS. We love our students. That's how we're all here. We just want to keep what makes this school special. I think on behalf of the board, we applaud you guys and we appreciate everything that you guys do every single day. And this is not I think everyone is just in a hard position and I know that this has created such a divide in this town and I don't think this town is against you guys. I think it's just everyone is tight and everyone is trying to figure out how we figure it out. So I know this has been really hard for you guys and we appreciate all that you
045guys are going through. We will do everything we can um to find creative ways like Ivy has done to to make sure that it doesn't impact our kids and you guys as much as possible um is it possible to have no impact? Absolutely not. And you'd be absolutely lying to you to say that there isn't. I mean, even just knowing that you're not going to have that special education teacher is going to have an impact. But we do appreciate you guys and we will continue to do everything we can to figure out what we can between us and the taxpayers to to keep everyone where they need to be. And we will work as fast as we can to get you guys as many answers as we can because I know what it's like to
046sit in. Um, you can correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems like it's only been last two, maybe three years that we've been in charge for a lot of the special ed stuff that was part of our tuition, including the the extra teacher that that we've now voted on twice and voted down. Is that is that an accurate depiction? >> The teacher has been present. Yes. >> So, I'm wondering what what has changed other than the superintending? I'm not aware of because aren't we paying as much in tuition as the other towns that send their kids to Kingswood? >> Yeah. I mean, the the tuition rate varies per town. >> Where where do we stand? We're we're in the lower side. >> I think Middleton compared to all of Kingswood >> because we we
047started at a much lower point. So when we started the stacker to go up, our our increase was much less than other towns. So there are other towns that are paying the 20 27. Ours is still I think we were at 17 something. Yeah. So, we're paying we're still paying significantly less than >> but still we we have the cost. We're getting build for different special education um programs that we want. >> And I don't want to get into this a whole lot, but I think I've kind of spoken to this a little bit. So, there are there's a pupil rate. The need for this special education teacher that we presented twice is coming from the fact that I truly believe it would create a saving for the town. Um, having a child that's been
048up in the middle school um, with an IEP, I feel that there could have been a significant cost savings if we had someone that was actually here in this school and transitioned with my child to be able to advocate for the IEP that was in place when she was here. Um, that created a lot of issues when we went up there and her services not being made. They didn't actually need her services. So, there created a lot of issues up there. that I think would not have been the would not have created the cost of the town to actually fight for the services that needed to happen if that makes sense. So I think because there's such a limited access to um case manager at the middle school um they have such a huge case
049load that there are things that are falling through the crack. So I think in the long run that position would actually create a cost savings because that would be handling those services rather than us paying someone else to do them. >> If that makes sense. >> I'm just having a hard time understanding if you looked at the cost to the town special education over say the last three years. >> There's been a lot of grant cuts in the last few years for special education too with federal funding. That I think that's a huge thing that this what our town is going through is not only this like we are not unique. Every town in the state of New Hampshire is going through this. I mean, everyone is having budget shortfalls because of the cuts to
050education and cuts to special education. So, I think that's something to consider. Um, I think our town has worked very diligently and the school has worked very diligently. We have one of the lowest per pupil rates in the state. Um, do I think that there's always opportunities to to try to do even better? Yeah. But I think that the reality is that um we are not we're not alone in this. Everyone every school district is facing the same thing this year. Um and yes, special education costs have gone up and funding has gone down. You have more students identified um today and more students that are qualified for special education services than they were before. So I think there's always opportunities. We can always look. But I think things like this position that we can
051we presented twice would actually present a cost savings because I think when you look at these students that aren't identified sending a student out of district is astronomical but if you can meet that student's needs by having someone to support them it can create a huge cost savings so I think that it's something that we will consider to continue to present um and encourage the town to consider because I think though you have that sticker shop of buying that that employee the cost savings that it would cost because You talk about these special education students going to court and fighting and all those things. Those all are astronomical costs to the town. Whereas if we have someone that's in place to support them, we won't we may not get there. We may be able to
052just take care of what needs to happen and get the students the services they need. Well, I understand what you're saying, but I think the the sticker shot is >> between the half a million last year and a half a million this year, that's a pretty hard hit on the tax. >> I agree. >> And some people, you know, are getting home or not. >> The older people on a fixed income, which we have, you know, quite a few of, I think, and that's what you're seeing. It was pretty obvious the way the boat went where where people's minds are at. I would like to make a comment. Um, I'd like to thank you, man. I can tell that uh you know, you're you're truthful in what you're saying. You uh you know, you care
053about our children. I'm sure it was uh hard on you and uh I appreciate it. I only wish that uh the SAU and the school board shared your sense of fiscal responsibility. >> Okay, I'm going to close public comment and I do make a motion to close the budget just to Thank you guys. It would have been nice.