Board of Education Meeting 4/4/17

001April 4th, uh, 2017. We're starting at about 7:05, so we're a few minutes late, but um, I want to thank you for coming, expressing your concerns by the looks of of it. And I'd also ask you to, before I forget, silence your cell phones um, and notice the locations of the emergency exits, please. Um, I would like to have a moment of silence. Uh, we have some staff members who've lost loved ones. But more importantly, um, if anybody got to watch the news earlier, there was a, uh, chemical gas attack nerve nerve agent in Syria. And they showed pictures of kids like foaming at the mouth and coughing and really broke my heart. So, I'd like to have a moment of silence for the people in Syria as well. We please stand for the flag

002salute. Pledge allegiance 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. >> In accordance with the provisions of the open public meetings act, a public notice of this meeting has been sent to board members, all district schools, the Herald News, the trends, the record, the messenger, West Milford's town hall, and the county superintendent's office, the board attorney and cable vision of Warwick. And it has been posted in the administration building. Copies of the board meeting calendar resolution were provided to all local media, town hall, township, library, and all district schools. Roll call, please. Mrs. Francisco, >> Mr. Bailey, Mr. Sid, >> here. >> Mr. Drew, >> here. >> Mrs. Brier, >> here. Mr. Foody, >> present.

003>> Mrs. Fritz, Mr. Huber >> here, >> Mr. O'Brien >> Mr. Rob. >> Mrs. Fritz is just >> Nicole just walked in. Uh purpose of this meeting is to review the 201718 district budget and to take action on HIVs. Um we normally have our budget and finance committee meeting um would have been tonight but uh we decided to have a committee meeting of the whole and that's why we called the special meeting. So, um, Glenn, would you care to read the resolution for executive session, please? >> I move to approve the following resolution. Resolve that the board go into uh, executive session. What time do you want to do it? >> Uh, let's say let's say 8:30 >> at 8:30 p.m. to approve, sorry, 8:30 p.m. for approximately uh, 30 minutes for the purpose of

004discussing uh, HIVs and matters of attorney privilege. >> I'll second that. The executive session minutes will not be released until such time as the privilege of confidentiality is no longer applicable. >> I'll second. >> Thank you, Terry. Um, all in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Thank you. Uh, petitions and request. Petitioners requested to speak prior to the meeting will be first with five minutes for each petitioner for a period of 30 minutes and then time permitting other petitions and requests limited to 5 minutes per petitioner will be allowed until the 30 minute period transpires. Petitioners speaking during petitions and requests are asked to address topics listed in the agenda. All speakers are asked to give their full name, spell, or last name and provide their address. speakers may not use the names of

005students during petitions and requests. I see that um we did have Jamie D'Vor um asked to uh be put on the agenda. So Jamie, it's it's all yours my friend. >> Hey, good evening everybody, members of the board, president, staff. Actually on this side, you get a little nervous when you're standing at this mic. I don't know. This one was a little safer there behind the desk. Um, tonight you guys are going to talk about um the budget. And just so the public knows, this is like this is like Godzilla versus whoever. The budget is always a big discussion uh compromise. There's, you know, there's there's all stuff going on. There's wants and needs. And the budget is very important because the people who we elected as board members make that decision for us on

006our behalf. The uh the staff of course wants to ask for as much as they can because they could use that money. They could use always use more money. And the uh taxpayers of West Milford are crying out that hey, our taxes are high and what's our what's our return on investment? Are we getting new fields? that we're getting uh scoring higher on the tests. People don't mind paying, including myself, we work on we work on a budget. Everybody works on employer. Um it's tight and the budgets around the state and the country are tight because we're in we're in and you can see in West Milford by how many houses are for sale that West Milford is in tough times, too. So I'm asking each and every board member where that money is going

007to how much benefit are we getting for that money. When you guys vote for pay for that some people pay more than others. It's tough for people you know young difficult to every year and have to pay more and more and more. So I hope and you guys can all make a decision together and come up here for the district that's going to meet those requirements. This isn't a free-for-all. This isn't a just a big pot. Every be conscious about do we need an increase or do we want an increase? 478 million whatever it's at now billion she's done it when I was on the board and we're so again these board members it's the only like that but we have to say in this budget and it also puts pressure on numbers because when

008you guys come in low they look bad you know if you guys come in high and they're like, well, you know, we're doing our job. And so, just be conscious about what you're discussing and voting for cuz in the end, it's almost like buyer's regret. After that vote, it's done. Budget's signed. So, please be cognizant. Thank you. >> Thank you, Jamie. >> Is there anybody else who would like to speak? >> Yeah, we have to. >> Okay. Yeah, that's right. You sent the email. >> I'm talking on behalf of the budget. Um, I'm a parent from Upper Greenwood Lake School and I'm here tonight. >> Currently, my daughter is in Miss Conflin second grade class and having and I was very concerned at the time because I knew she was behind in her letter sounds

009and recognitions and I knew she was going to need a little extra. I immediately brought my concerns up with Mr. Novak who was the principal at the time were going to be big for kindergarten. Luckily, we had a few last minute over the last some students. I've expressed concern every year a time when just yet. We still have 43 students enrolled. which are allowed our students. Keeping class sizes smaller is everyone's number one goal in this even lower than ours. This is very promising the way it is. If the proposed budget doesn't pass, we all know that someone somewhere is going to have to pay to keep things the way they currently are. And that may involve cutting staff to make up for it. If we keep digging a hole, how do you We're here

010tonight looking toward um for that same reason. Um if the proposed budget does not pass that we would when my son who is currently in fifth grade um third grade many of the kids by surprise and their maturity to handle UGL is very unique because we have apects of teaching years in Pearl Miller Middle School in Kennelan before I had my son. My goal as a teacher was always to plan lessons in lab to meet everyone differentiated instruction just keep her head above water. The second grade by being manageable. Mrs. Compton has been able to give her some one-on-one instruction when she struggles to master a skill and I'm so thankful for that. In support of all our schools district, we're here tonight to simply say that we hope that this is put into consideration

011when reviewing the proposed budget. Is there anybody else who would like to speak? Do I have any time left? >> Better keep it short. >> Um, when you guys discuss this tonight, can you please explain to everyone that just because the budget doesn't increase means that we're going to be cutting um staff? I'm not advocating by any means to maintain the budget and then class size is smaller. It's I voted for that they're learning and how they're going to study. So I'm not advocating for any of that to the public. So it's not a scare tactic to everybody say, "Oh, if you don't make the budget higher, that's it. Think about this. Let's talk about where you can make logical cuts if you have to make any cuts at all because we do have surpluses

012and steady while still maintaining all the programs and the staff and sports programs that we like for our kids. So, I just wanted to close with that that a lot of times during budget there's scare tactics on both sides. Everyone's like, "We got to cut, we got to increase." And somewhere in the middle is where it lies, where it's fair. Thanks. >> Thank you, J. >> Anybody else like to speak? >> Seeing none, move to close petitions and request. >> Second. Thank you. Um, all in favor? I >> any opposed? >> Okay. Um just to real quick reiterate what um Mr. Dever had said, >> last year we had a 0% increase and we made darn sure we did not affect any of the programs for our children. And and that's that's key. I I

013think that uh you know when you said that we had a 0% tax increase and we're dig we didn't dig a hole you know we just we crossed our tees and dotted our eyes. So I just want to make sure that everybody understands that this board is very cognizant of the fact that we're here for education but we're also got to realize the taxpayers's abilities to pay. So, um, with that, um, Steve, I think we're, uh, moving on to >> Can you do education first and we get that? >> Well, we we're going to we're going to do that, Steve. All right. >> Afterwards. So, um, >> all right. >> Uh, certainly. Fine. Great. I would like to we've got a few things on the uh um uh budget agenda that we would have discussed

014in a smaller committee meeting that don't necessarily have anything to do with the budget itself. And so I would like to put those after the general discussion regarding the budget. Okay, Steve, >> real quick, we need to uh adopt the motion or adopt the agenda as presented. And one thing I did notice I I did notice that we're missing budget and finance discussion on this. >> Yeah. >> Yep. Looking for it. >> So, we're going to we're going to add that one in >> before education >> because we just go we just go right into education with with nothing on there with regards to So >> we can add that before it's >> Yeah. And just after we adopt the agenda. So um everybody will put on after adopting the agenda budget and finance to

015discuss the 201718 budget >> and then change the uh education to 11 and the German to 12. >> Yes. And are we going to do old business and new business or >> No, not really. >> No, it's really it's really >> we just did the uh budget and then we had two hits kind of pop up. >> Just checking. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, we'll uh will it who's going to make the motion to adopt the agenda? >> Motion to adopt the agenda as amended. >> Thank you, Steve. Thank you, Glenn. Any discussion? Um, all in favor? >> Any opposed? Okay, Steve, I'm going to um turn it over to you for budget and finance, but I would if before we do that, there any comments uh with regards to the budget that any

016board member would like to make before we start this discussion? I I don't know if this is the comment to make now, but in December when the auditors spoke before us, one of them told us that we had a 2.9 million surplus that we could use for taxpayer relief and you know, I would hope that we could remembering that I hope that we could do that. >> Any any comments? Go ahead, Steve. >> I' I'd like to uh uh reiterate what what Mr. Demer said um that when we looked at this last year where to cut, we did not cut anything related to education projects. And uh I think uh I don't pretend to speak for the board, but having talked to everybody, I think every one of us agrees that education is our first

017priority. >> Absolutely. uh and that uh uh being careful with taxpayer money uh comes after that. There is no question that class size makes a huge difference in the primary grades. Absolutely huge difference. Now, on the other hand, it doesn't make as much difference in uh high school and middle school. And uh for example, it does not make as much difference as a good teacher in in the upper grades, but in the lower grades, the kids need that attention. I don't think anybody intends to do anything that that would would impact what we've got. I think we've worked very hard to get the class sizes we've got in our schools and it seems to be working well. We're getting the kids off to a good start and uh I think we want to continue that.

018There seems to be sort of a general confusion in the United States that you know almost everybody you ask says they want to improve education and this is particularly true in in politics. Everybody wants to improve education and they think that spending more money will improve education and the reality is it does not. You have to spend it on the things that actually improve education. The education department was founded a little less than 40 years ago and spending on education during that time has gone from 20 billion a year to 80 billion a year. Um, educational performance has remained flat on average. Although educational performance among black Americans has improved, but we've spent a lot more money. We haven't really improved education. What has happened is that America's standing compared to our competitors, OECD nations,

019has gone from the top of the list to the bottom of the list. So, we're not doing well. And it isn't because we're not spending money. We are spending money. We needed to be careful about where we spend money. And I think the best example that that I could give recently is uh uh Mark Zuckerberg, the chairman of and founder of Facebook, gave $100 million to New generously. Again, now what a great guy to do that to improve education. And that money was uh uh just to be honest was wasted by Newark. Money down a rabbit hole. Not a an iota of difference in performance on math and and English test. I'm not surprised that Newark did that. I would like to think if we got some kind of uh uh bonus like that that

020we would do better with the money, but the whole point is that just spending money doesn't do any good with that. Would you mind reiterating for for me what we're spending money on in this budget that's going to improve education? I know there are a couple of projects in particular that will do that and I guess it could be either Barbara or Dr. Adams. For the most part, this is a maintenance budget, which which means that um the programs that have been in place in the current year are are being continued next year. >> Um and we're also uh increasing our professional development and capstone program which Dr. Anon will talk about. >> Capstone is a smaller program doesn't affect the whole district. I mean ideally it will affect more and more each year as

021students even the little kids as they cycle through the high school they'll have that opportunity to be part of the AP capstone program. We're working on a uh solution to expand the preap program at Macapin. Uh we think we can probably double the participation there. Uh and most importantly we're investing in our staff either long-term in professional development technology but most importantly rehiring our staff. So that's one way we can invest in education is to bring back the teachers we have working in this year and make sure they're back with us in September. So that's probably the most critical thing we can do. It's a labor intensive industry. It's not autom, you know, used to have a thousand people working. Now there's 50 and 100 robots. It's or or whatever. This is still the type

022of industry where people matter and the right people matter even more. So, I hope that answers some of your questions. >> Uh, if I can add to that, I know my understanding is that we have put some money in the budget for the biology program and microscopes and and some equipment for biology classes. >> Um, >> we also are hoping to renovate both green houses, one at McPin, one at the high school, which is deeply tied in with our new focus on STEM in both buildings. So if you look at our school district with 13 grades, six grades will be positively affected with a renovated STEM uh renovated greenhouse grades all students in grades 7 through 12. >> Great. Thank you. I can jump in. >> Uh and if I could reiterate about the AP

023program, even though we're starting small, uh from what I have read and what I have observed in my discussions with people, um uh expanding the AP program to all students and conducting more classes is one of the things that you can do to improve educational performance. kids who take AP classes, the the the people who developed that have spent millions of dollars to find the best ways to teach those subjects uh to generate materials and kids who take AP classes perform better in math, English, so on and so forth. So to the extent that we can do and that includes by the way inner cities kids who you would normally think of as being AP kids if they take the AP English instead of the regular English they learn more English and they do better.

024So we're we're kind of getting started with that and it works. It will improve education. I would encourage everybody to to ask their kids to take those classes and be challenged. I think we've adjusted the grading scales to make sure that we're not penalizing kids who've decided to challenge themselves by taking a harder class. They'll still get uh a normal grade. So, I just, you know, I couldn't be more supportive of that. Um I can say that that I'm a little disappointed that we're going up in in the budget by so much and um uh we've had a decline in enrollment and we don't have more education uh projects. uh professional development I think is an excellent thing to do uh given the the size of our district you know giving our teachers better training

025uh is is just you know that's money well spent that uh uh can only do better. Uh personally I've discussed several times that I would like to see us adopt a new math program. We've discussed it a little bit. You want to do it next year because it takes a while to put in place. I can tell you that within a week I could find out what math program the 25 best districts in New Jersey have. Having done those kinds of studies for McKenzie, you just call them up. You say you're the director of whatever the heck it is. And even though you you only get about half of them the first time, they call you back. We could find out what the best math program is and we could do that within a week.

026And then you call them back and say, "What did it take you to put it in? How much did it cost? How much uh training time did you have to have?" I would not give up on trying to do that for this year or or at least doing enough of a study to figure out, you know, whether that is something that we could do. Would be aggressive to do it this year. I would be happy to spend money in the budget for improving mass force in West Milford. You know, I think I've heard from citizen after citizen that, you know, there there are plenty of good things that we're doing, but the single thing we want the most is improvement in math and English, you know, period. End of story. So, let's do it. Let's

027get about doing it. I know we can, you know, we can make progress. So, that's the one thing uh I'll say about that. >> Okay. >> The uh one other one other aspect of the budget that we didn't point out was the renovation of the STEM lab at Macan. um significant technology, furniture, uh electronics, infrastructure, uh everything that goes into turning that into an empty space for the floor. >> We're doing that in this budget though, aren't we? This budget cycle right now that we're currently in, >> it's been an ongoing >> ongoing thing. Yeah. >> We started last year with cleaning up the space. We added a few Chromebooks this year and some furniture that they found in different parts of the building, but we're in the process. >> So, now we want it

028to be >> Yeah. No, understood. But I mean, we don't have a set figure that we're spending on that in this budget. >> There's some tables and I believe there's some technology. >> Okay. >> To make it a room that can be utilized. >> Okay. >> I I will just tack on to Mr. Drew's comments that I would be very much in favor of um an accelerated, you know, you know, attempt at getting the math program improved uh especially at the higher grades. Um what we originally wanted to comment about though is it's recognized that school climate and culture is has a direct relation to higher academic scores and uh Dr. Dr. Edmon, you had spoken a while ago about a program you knew about that um could be utilized in the high school to

029help help uh boost the uh the climate and culture there to make it a little more positive, maybe help help the academic scores that way. And did that make it into the budget? >> Well, we uh that was the Rucker's uh UMDJ DESACS development safe and civil schools program. We're using a I guess you call it a sister program now with the character what is that Dan character.org And what's the other >> adventure? >> The other New Jersey Association of Social Emotional and Character Development. >> Yes. New New Jersey Association of Character New Jersey Association Social Emotional and Character Development. >> That's a mouthful. I can never remember that one. Fashion. So, we we looked this came up. I guess it was early in the school year. Uh maybe even late in the summer now,

030I'm thinking. And we were looking to have a survey administered in the fall with all of our children, all of our staff members, all of our parents who are really use our services to see what we're doing well, what we're not doing well, where we can get better. And we did that survey probably November. We got the the baseline data uh right around the new year, I guess it was, or maybe even before the new year. So that was year one. That was our baseline data. really. It's not high, it's not low. It's the first year we've used this. So, I've always found that if you're going to do a survey annually, it's best to use the same survey. So, you can measure growth year-over-year. So, to switch uh surveys every year, you you just

031couldn't measure. It wouldn't be a valid comparison. And uh the DSC pro program was great. Um this program to me, they're they're just as good. It's six in one hand, half dozen in the other. But it was a collaborative process that we uh elected to use this program and I'm confident we'll have some positive results. >> Mr. Surveys, a couple weeks ago, we asked for the breakdown of the the survey by school and question. >> I neither have I, but we we need to >> move on budget. I mean is there so many things we could talk about that distract us from our main focus here. Will you comment >> pretty much my sentiment is I appreciate the ideals but I my understanding is we talk numbers today because we have a lot of numbers

032to talk about. So >> thank you >> Barbara. I know that there was some email. Can you just level set for us? >> We have microphones. We can't hear you guys. Um, can you just help level set for us kind of where we're at just so that we kind of make sure we're all on the same page? >> Um, in uh March when we >> in March uh when we presented the preliminary budget, we were at a 3.8% um increase in the tax levy. Um, since that time, through some discussion, we've um been able to trim out about another percent. So, we're down to about 2.7 right now. We're expecting a um decrease in the health benefit uh costs. Um, we won't have that exact number until the end of April, but we're anticipating at

033least a $300,000 decrease. So, um, the 1% decrease in the tax levy since the preliminary budget incorporates a $300,000 adjustment to the line item for um, health benefits. Um, >> will you have the final number before? >> No, our final number. >> Not before. I don't think I'm not anticipating having anything by April 25th. I did speak to our insurance broker um yesterday. He is um the the the year just closed. Um they are waiting for uh because they did market the plan. So, they're waiting for responses from other carriers to see if there's any interest. Um there might be one carrier that's interested, but that has other uh issues that go along with it. So um but we do know that um it won't be worse than the $300,000 that we expect to remove

034from the budget. And then there was some other um adjustments um that you and I spoke about. Uh so we're down to 2.7%. >> I think I think um to make it easier, Barbara, could you give us a list of what you've cut from that 3 point from the initial budget book you handed us a 4.5% tax increase. Um what have you cut out of that budget? >> The 3.8% 8% is is things that we trimmed out along the way. I can't tell you exactly what was changed from the original point 4.5 to 3.8, but from that 3.8 on, I have to track every change because every change that we make has to be sent down to the county office. >> Well, we I mean, you know, >> county approved 3.8. So every change we

035make lower >> I I understand that but you know we're going to sit here and and try to trim this budget a little bit and if we can't be told where you've taken money from um to reduce it I think we're down 2.7% you said >> then everything that we've earmarked for for any type of further reduction >> you might have already done already >> Jim >> go ahead Steve I I may be able to answer that. Obviously about every 500,000 is 1% reduction. >> Understood. >> So the percent that we got from 3.8 to 2.7 includes 300,000 on the health benefits. It includes 100,000 on uh uh I believe natural gas. I believe it includes u um some money on repair and maintenance account. >> Right. Yeah. and we talked about what I could

036tell you what Mr. Drew and I spoke about last week along with the 300,000. >> Um I was just wondering, excuse me. I know that at um >> All right. I think I had my hand up about five minutes ago. >> Excuse me. >> Uh just want to cut in. I think and I'm I you know I'm sorry I had to do that but it seems like after about three you know it started rolling around the room it seemed like I wasn't getting any attention over here. I think the bottom line here is that if we were to try to vote on 2.7 I certainly wouldn't vote on a increase of 2.7. I I I think it's up, Barbara. Uh we need your help to support, you know, exactly um what you could do for

037us. Um you know, we need to bring it down. Um, you know, just like what uh Jim had just said, you know, we need to really understand for that 3.7 uh down to the 2.7 exactly what what we're getting for that type of percentage of increase. Um, because I'm thinking this year the most, you know, like 0.5. So >> go ahead, Terry. >> Um Barbara, when we originally did this budget, you had uh put in for six new buses. Did you cut any of those buses? >> Yes, we did. >> How many buses did you cut? >> So um after much discussion, we are down to we removed the six 54 passenger buses. >> Okay. Um what and what I did was from the original budget that was presented with the 650 for passenger buses,

038we took out $25,000. That's a lease purchase item. So those um are financed over a 5year period. So you're not going to be paying that $650,000 upfront. So we took out uh in the 3.8% there was um $25,000 removed for purchase. Now for for let me could you explain that there was $125,000 >> when we removed >> you removed only 25 so we're getting how many buses then >> so and I said and I said that until we had a final that was still fluid >> right the tenative plan now is to buy two 24 passenger vans one minivan on lease purchase and buy one truck for the shop which would be a straightup purchase I think that's why >> so we would be least savings is great. We'd only be least purchasing the bus,

039>> the two buses and the truck, >> the minivan is paid out that's purchased >> knowing knowing that we were going to have this meeting and these discussions. Um did did you think that any of this was important to hand out so that we realize what you guys have done? I mean, we're going to sit here and and try to work on this budget and you're making changes and you're not letting us know what changes you've made, what cuts you've made, where who I mean, it just it makes this meeting harder for us to do when you're not telling us what the heck is going on. I I don't understand. We we set this meeting up so that we can have this discussion and we're not being told. Cool. >> Honestly, if you're not in

040in trying to make this a educational process for us where we're included and know what's happening, it's much easier for me to just say no. >> Yeah, >> it really is. So, my my I have a second statement. Can we just go section by section because there are things that kind of stand out that I'd like to know about. >> I I have a question. I thought we were required by law to cap our budget at 2%. Is that >> 2%? But we bank two years, Barbara. Bank, >> right? Correct. Because for two years, you only increased it 1%. So you had 3% back. >> Yep. >> I'm just worried about the tax rate because the town really socked it to the the taxpayers with their budget and I just I just don't want to

041do that to our people. I mean, we can save teaching positions, we can save programs. If we can restructure administration, I see that as a way of of saving money, and there's got to be other things that we can cut without affecting our kids. Go ahead. Will has his hand up first, but >> so just for my understanding and the public's understanding, correct me if I'm wrong, within a three-year window, you we can essentially go up 6%. >> And that's why you exactly what happens, right? So that's where we have these holes in the budget. We didn't go up the entire 6%. I don't consider that a hole. I consider it austerity when >> No, that's not a hole in the budget in this one. >> That's how it's been explained. The hole in the

042budget, the hole in the budget comes when you use the fund balance that Mrs. Dwire was talking about, the 2.9 million. When you use that amount of money to fund your current expenses, which is your your daily costs that at the end of this budget year, if you don't have 2.9% again, >> then you're going to have a hole in your budget. 2.9 million. >> So if we if at the end of June of 2017 the excess fund balance is $2 million instead of 2.9, then you have a $900,000 hole in the budget that in order to maintain the same thing that you have, you have to come up with $900,000 additional that you didn't have. >> So perhaps the same thing that we had was too much for what we can handle. All right,

043I want to really >> I was just going to say that I without any other guidance, I think Will's idea of going section by section's not a bad idea. that might be the most logical thing to start with at least. >> Um, >> just quickly as a are you able at a high level even to help everyone understand where the biggest chunks of that increase to say, you know, it's covering these three buckets that we understand kind of where it is because I think some of it's out of our control a little bit. Some of it's capital improvements, things like that that we have to, you know, salaries, things like that. salaries, benefits, you have insurance costs for your general liability and you know those things were we're changing carriers this year because end of

044our three-year cycle. Um you have uh are a lot of the capital projects that are the capital projects that are in here are being funded by the the excess fund balance or the the 2.9 million. a portion of that 2.9 million is funding the capital projects. And the reason for that is because when you've completed a capital project, you don't have to do it again next year. So if you don't have an excess amount, if you don't have 2.9 again, you're not looking for it to fund your everyday expenses. So that's the rationale of using your excess funding to um finance capital projects that need to be done. I I real quick want to make a comment to Steve and then I'm I'm going to turn it over to you. Um partly what I saw

045in this budget, we're we're as everybody knows, we voted on getting a an LGA done and it's a local government energy audit. Um that paperwork was just submitted this past week. I think it was Thursday or Friday. >> Last Wednesday. Okay. um we'll have an answer on that within 30 to 45 days. And that that answer that 30 days isn't calendar days, it's business days. So, we're going to have an answer on that in either 6 weeks or 9 weeks, which brings us to the middle of May to the beginning of June. Not anywhere near enough time for us to have this included in the budget. Now, we've got a a window project in the budget um that can be done under this LGA, which by the way, we're not paying for. The state is

046pays for that 100%. Um we can then do what's called an EIP. It's an energy savings improvement plan. And we do that plan to upgrade things like lighting, windows, things that are going to save us energy. and we pay with our existing funding so we don't have to tax the residents further. We got 1.4 million in this budget for projects that would go under the EIP and actually a little bit more because there were some lighting upgrades that that were we take that out of the of the equation. >> Excuse me, Mr. Foody. Is that under operations? >> Uh, no, that's in the business office. last page in the business office. And when we take that out now, it's $450 windows, 850 roof, almost 100,000 in architectural fees. That's $1.4 million. That's something that we

047can pay for with existing funding instead of having to raise taxes to do again and again and again. And I would much rather be paying for this with what we got than constantly going back to the watering hole and taking taking out more buckets of in this case cash, not water. But I me personally, I think that is the the smart and responsible thing for this board to do cuz it frees up it frees up us having to ask taxpayers for more money. There's there's things in this budget that we can take out again that don't affect any of the educational programs in this district. And that's kind of where we should be where we should be going. I know when you start adding these things up, it you know, pretty soon we're talking about

048real money. So, Steve, I'm going to I'm going to push it off to you. Is >> how you want to >> you want to go by sections or >> um I mean perfectly fine to go by sections. There are a couple of accounts that I think we should look at very specifically. >> Yes. >> Um and uh um uh you know so we'll do that and then if you want to go by section that's perfectly fine. To answer your question uh briefly uh Mr. One of the areas that we have a very large increase in spending over prior years is in special education and uh that is partly because we have quite a few new kids in the district who have specific needs and frankly you know as you much as you might like to

049spend less we >> microphone that we can't hear you >> one of the areas where we have a big increase over prior years is in funding for special education that reflects the kids we've got in the district and that's money we've got to spend no matter how much we might want to spend less. So, you know, we just can't do anything about that. So, some of the other big hit areas are employee benefits and having the real number makes a huge difference. I I is there any way you can pressure them to get a real number? >> So, we just don't know. All right. >> But I as we spoke 300,000 is definitely coming out. >> Okay. We have a number that it won't be higher than that. Okay. It might be lower than that

050between now and June 30th, but we know it won't be higher than that. So, we'll budget >> the budget for that greed or or support Mr. Foody's uh assertion that we should not be budgeting for the items that are going to be covered in the LGBA. If we had done this a bit earlier, we would know exactly what what the recommendations are. Uh I would like to know exactly what the recommendations are before I budget a lot of money for that. When we get to the other end of that, which is unfortunately after the budget process, there are a number of options. Some of them may be uh uh uh partially state financed. Some of them will be funded out of future energy savings. I know, for example, there's a lease purchase option. And what

051I'd like to say is that where we're making capital improvements to capital, not teachers, not educational programs, not anything else, but buildings, buildings have useful lives of 10, 15, 20, 30 years. And you know, I have learned from the finance industry that when you are for long-term assets like that, you should do it with long-term liability. So asking us to pay for that completely out of one year's budget, making the taxpayers pay for it entirely right now is poor financial management. We should put this all together, figure out how much it's going to be, and then look at our options. We may want a lease back, we may want to finance, we may want a bond. If we've got other roofs or windows or whatever that come out of this, we should look at the

052totality of that. And as we saw last year with the roofs, a huge expenditure, you know, $8 million originally, and I think we came down off of that, but we financed that over the period in which we were going to use it. so that we weren't smacking the pack taxpayers for it in a single year. Nobody does that. You you get a mortgage for your home. You go buy a car, you get a loan to buy the car, you fix your roof, you get you probably get a a second or something. So, anyhow, that's what I'm thinking we should do. We should get the totality of the capital projects and pay for them over time when they'll be used. Okay, >> great. Um, Mr. I have you recognized. >> Yes, Jerry. >> Um, I don't

053understand why we didn't, well, I wasn't on the board at the time, but why the windows and the roofs for these schools in question were not combined in the bonding um for the roof of the high school? Is there another is there a way that we can What's your opinion on doing another bond referendum for these items? Just so just so that the board is aware, we can bond for these items under the EIP with our existing funding. And we don't have to ask the taxpayers to do that because we're doing it with existing funding. >> And and that that's kind of the whole big key to this ESIT program. We got windows at Westbrook that need to be done. We got windows at UGL. We got windows at Maple Road. You know, we got

054the the roof. That roof, I don't know why it wasn't included. uh with the roofing because we vote we got 8 million in approval and although it wasn't on that referendum >> maybe we could have done so I don't know >> it would have have been we would had to go redo the question go ahead >> yeah and that's all a good point uh is it was my understanding that immediately we would be taking that 1.4 for off this budget um for the roofs, the windows, >> right? >> We need to com combine that and figure out how we're going to pay for it. Not saying that we we don't need it. Um however, if we take the 1.4 off, right? It's 2.7 minus the 1.4. We're at least getting to a number, a reasonable

055number that the board would be more in tune to pass. You have 2.7% and 1 >> million. >> Yeah. Okay. I'm sorry. Right there. >> Yeah. What percentage? What percentage would that be? >> 2.7% is real close. >> Right about there. >> Right. >> It'd be real close to 2%. All right. Now we're talking. >> No, that's close to 3%. 1.5 million is is about 3%. There's a little >> 2 Barbara that 3.8%. She indicated that she >> 2.7 >> 7% >> would be >> was a reduction of 5%,000. >> So >> right there >> so we're we're about a million450 >> we were at 3.8% 8% we were we were at 2,31,000 >> 431 and then if you take off the 560 >> you're at 2.4 >> we're at 2.4 million >> it can't

056be >> barber the 3 the 3.8% 8%. >> Okay. >> When you're looking at numbers, it's already >> pressure and a crowd is >> I'm prone to error. You took about 560 off. You said >> 560,000 >> right to bring it down. >> 1.47497% >> 1.474 million. >> Okay. is what we'd be raising taxes now taking >> that's about 3% >> yeah it's 2.7 2.7 we take off >> emergency >> what we could do under an LGA >> okay >> the capital project you're talking about >> would be the roof the windows UGL the architectural fees with that now Barbara it's it's my understanding too that you took out the paving at the transportation garage. >> Did you also take out the $3,200 for the line striping? >> Yes. >> Okay. So, if we take

057out just those two items, actually three because the architectural fees, >> we're at a million395. >> What are we? We're >> Jim, are you saying >> 50? We're 50 $60,000 away from making it flat. Now, if you go to operations, >> how much away are we? 60,000 something like that about >> 30,000. I'm going to have to give you a >> Do we have the figures on the the funding that we're getting in? >> We have >> Are we down? >> Do you have the funding the federal? >> No, >> it's probably going to be flat. state. >> I think you talking about state. >> Our federal funding we believe is going to be down. We were told the budget for a 15% cut. >> The federal government never spends large money. >> Always every

058year. >> Our numbers go down every year. >> It may not go down by 15%. Maybe it goes down by 12%, but they advise us to budget for a 15% cut. >> Who? >> The federal government through the state. I I'm going to I'm going to go >> Stephen looking at our auditor's report. Go back at 2007 1.4 million. 2008 1.6 million in state aid almost.7. Um 2009 almost 1.5. 2010 we had 3.8. >> Um 2000 2011 2.4 4 2012 2 point almost 2.2 2013 1.6 and then for the past three years from 14 15 and 16 we're just a little over 1.5 million for each of those three years. So although we're we're we've gone down when you look at the couple of high years that we had um you know we stayed pretty

059flat for the past three years. Wouldn't we expect that to go up when we give them the actual number of special education children? >> No, that's two different things. >> That's Yeah, that is that's extraordinary. >> That's a state source. >> Is that >> Yeah, but would that not go up? >> That has >> not necessarily gone down. It's gone down significantly. >> Has it gone down because um we had a decrease in enrollment? Does that have anything to do with it? No, >> it's gone down for a couple reasons. back, >> but also they're funding a smaller percentage of your eligible costs. >> 6 years ago they were funding 85% of your eligible costs and now they're about to 63%. >> Real quick and then Nicole, I'll give it to you. our extraordinary aid.

060Going back and looking back um at our board secretaries reports for the past four years 15 and the 1516 school years it was 750,000. >> That's what my budget is. >> Yep. This last year it was in there 850,000. Um, so although we might be losing state aid, the numbers aren't telling me that. So, um, >> you know, there's some things that we can do here. We've got some light fixtures at Maple Road. There's 22,000. Again, this would all be done under an ESIT because that is that is one of the things that that we were told would be our biggest payback would be going and replacing our lighting and doing LED lighting. We actually have money in the budget for Apua for new fixtures to to accommodate new LED lighting we were trying out

061down there. But we we we were told, if you remember, we get paid back in any lighting projects. We're paid back in like six months. That helps offset the windows and other projects that take a longer period of time. So, you know, there's there's 22,000 um that we can an additional 22,000 that we can pull from the budget. There's a couple of incidental items and then we can we'll be at a flat increase. And again, we haven't affected anything to do with any of the children. It's the smart. It's the smart you you budget that way at home and we should budget just like that here. You know, we're the stewards of the the taxpayers in the community. We have to we have to be that way. I did say, Steve, that I would let

062Nicole speak before you had your hand up. So, >> I'll be quick. I think I just having trouble with that fine. I just throw the >> I just want to clarify because I know we talked about that he said before and and it's a little new to me so I may not fully understand there was some concern about that like is that do we not find out what that funding is until after the fact so it's not guaranteed I think you know I certainly appreciate that this is a good area to cut and I think it would could make sense I think two things is I just want to understand what if we don't get that or if that's not something we end up being able to use what is the current condition like how

063urgent are these things and are we just putting off something that could be done later or um just putting off something that is eventually going to need to be done sooner than later because it's deteriorating so poorly. I mean, I think it's a spend smart situation, right? You have to make sure that the buildings obviously while not adding value directly as education affects the children and the environment that they're sitting in and things like that. So, I think it's a it's a great area to look at, but I just want to make sure that I understand >> the the roof was Steve and you remember this was the roof was thrown at us at the last minute. it wasn't in our list of things and and to Rodney and and Will they've been talking about

064for a year now. Give us a list of all the projects that we are going to need to do and we although we got a list it's it's it's not the list that we should have. We should have a 10-year plan and when we get through the first year then we add on to that another year is what we see coming down the pike. But we need to we need to get we need to get things in order. Go ahead, Steve. >> Um, that was exactly what I was going to talk about before you even ask your question. >> One one of the critical questions here is if we don't do that in the budget, >> bring it closer to you. >> If we don't do this in the budget, are we just kicking the

065can down the road and we still have to do this at some point? Because that isn't good either. And and the answer I think is that I want to find out what the totality of the list is that have some impact on on energy. And at that point we have several find methods of financing. I I'm not advocating that we just put it off and leave it for a future board. I think let's find out what what the list is with this audit and then we can look at there many ways we could do it. We could do a bond. Worst case is we we take the whole thing on ourselves and we do it as a bond which makes more sense than paying for all of it in one year. We could also do

066a lease purchase where you you know it's one of the options that they talked about. It would be behave more like a bond where we would be paying for it over time frankly out of the energy savings. So it probably wouldn't even cost us more or we can do it purely as part of the ESIT program where we get some funding for some of that and again we're paying for it out of the energy savings. So what I'm saying is we have a choice where we can just give a bill to the taxpayers right now to pay the whole thing or we can take our time look at the whole project and then fund it in an appropriate way that doesn't smack the taxpayers this year for it. So, I I think it's just absolutely

067a no-brainer. We're not saying kick the can down the road. No, we have to make repairs to our schools and and do the things that we need to to provide a safe, warm environment for our children. And we're not saying that we're we're going to do it that way. We're just going to get the whole list together. And I'm sorry we don't have it now, you know, but get the whole list together. And then we have a variety of options about how to finance that that make more sense to the taxpayers. and we will still get the work done. So that that really is now here's the question. Is this the kind of thing that we could vote on here or we just wait for the next? We could we from what I understand and

068when I spoke to Joe although we're not voting on the budget this evening that final vote on the budget comes on April 25th we can direct the administration to make these cuts so that when we come to that budget meeting and vote on April 25th that they'll have already made the adjustments pulling out these you know the the >> So do we need to take a vote to direct those particular cuts? So, we can we can make a motion to pull the to pull those items from the budget and direct the administration to do so for the budget meeting on April 25th. >> Should we discuss all of these things first and then make a motion that >> summary of items? >> Don't they just direct us to do it? They don't >> No, we'd

069have to we'd have to vote on it to direct. >> Correct. >> I don't think so. >> No, I'm going to say vote. We do. >> No, it's not it's not a formal vote. It's a you're telling them to do that, but you don't have to do it by a a formal >> Okay. Don't we need to have a majority in order to tell them? >> All in favor >> to do that or we have to do a rose vote or >> straw >> or straw poll. >> Okay. Well, be be be before before we jump to that. Um, >> Barbara, the the the exact dollar figure before you said was a million what >> the with the 560,000 that we took out? >> Yeah, it's a million470 something like that. 1 million 474974 >>

070474974 >> number again >> 1,474,974. Now, if you take out the million395, we're down to $79,974 as a tax increase. Now, if you take out the 22,000 for the Maple Road lighting upgrades, you're at 57 735. Did you make a strong motion? >> Well, I don't know whether we need to proceed with I've got a couple of additional accounts where I have no fear that we can cut the account without affecting the education or affecting our ability to pay our bills. >> I'm I'm going to there's there's one under education. Um believe it was education might have been might have been personnel. Let me go get my notes real quick. It was under personnel and it was on page eight. It was an additional 15,000. Um, >> it was a merit incentive >> that shouldn't

071be there. >> It was never discussed. We can >> This was discussed in >> I I do not remember I do not remember that at all. >> I remember saying it shouldn't be there. >> Who's discussing personnel? It's not really. There was no decision made, but it was discussed. >> Now, we can't actually allocate that money without a vote of the board when we get there. Is that right? >> What do you mean? >> So, the the amount of money in there would not be spent unless the board specifically approved the >> Yes. Correct. That 25th. Personally, I have no problem leaving it in there and then deciding when we get there whether we've uh >> but the 15,000. >> Isn't this the but isn't the point to kind of >> let's the the whole

072point here is to discuss the budget and make some adjustments where we can. Um cuz at this point, Steve, you take out that 15, we're at 42,7. >> Okay. Then let me discuss the other accounts which have more impact than 15,000. But if we get to a 0% increase, I mean, that's ultimately the goal. >> Wouldn't you agree? >> We Yes. We had originally discussed uh Barbara removing 100,000 from the budgeted amount for natural gas, >> right? But I am showing that that is still uh as as much as 225 I'm sorry 125 more than would be reasonable to expect to pay for national natural gas if we had normal inflation. Now I think you can take any account and say well but it might be more you know yes it might be more. I

073don't see anything on the financial markets that indicates that the Russians and the Saudis are any less likely to continue to try to pump natural gas into into the world market. In addition, the US we're starting to frack again. So I think if anything the pressure on natural gas prices will be downward, not upward. I would say oh well you got to leave some some slack just in case so on and so forth. And as we discussed before, as I go through this entire budget, the way it was was was submitted originally, I believe we have 3.2 million excess. So even though if if we wound up and we miss missed on that account by a little bit, there are a whole bunch of other accounts where we might be 5,000 or 10,000 or something

074like that that aren't discussing in in you know this group or anything like that. So being more aggressive about in particular natural gas um um oil and I think the electricity uh I don't feel bad about that because I think you know all appearances that the producers of those commodities are just falling all over themselves to produce more. So there's some possibility that price grief, you know, now we're going to start digging more coal and whether we, you know, uh, uh, burn coal in West Milford or not, the United States will be doing that. And it's a, it's a complimentary replacement good for natural gas and oil, I just see nothing but downward pressure on those prices. The last thing in the world, I think, is that we ought to assume a 30 or 40%

075increase in those prices. And even if that happened, there's other slack in this budget. >> So the actual amount I'd like to to come down another 100,000 on the natural gas account, sorry, >> the oil account um which is golly 71700. Um uh I think that we can we can come down 30 50,000 on that. >> We took out 25 that was part of the city. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Yes. >> Didn't you say 120,000 natural gas? So you >> I I believe actually that the that the natural gas account was two that we got in the original budget was 225,000 high. >> Barbara agreed to come 100,000 off of that. I think we got another 125,000. And that would get us to what I think will be still more than we'll pay on natural

076gas. But I don't feel in any way um um bad about coming in with a number that in total >> you're not worried about >> it is 225,000 less than what we budget. >> Yeah, we we should budgeted $175,000 more for natural gas in the operations um section of the budget. Well, alls I know, Steve, is I I've looked at I've looked at this and I know we're we're we're both trying to do the same thing here. Um, so you took off a 100, so you're down to >> But I'm saying I want 200 out of that. And then there's a repair and maintenance account 717400 that um >> which line is that and what what section? >> I don't know. I just don't see it. I don't know where it is in the book.

077Barbara probably knows it's uh count 11 00002614201717400. >> Is this in the operations part of the budget? >> Probably. >> 261 what? >> 261-4201717400. >> Yeah, that's the repair maintenance. So, we budgeted 327,000. >> In 2016, we only spent 180. >> In um 2017, it looks like we're going to spend uh a similar amount, 200,000. So, we're probably 130,000 over on that. >> Yep. So between the energy and the repair and maintenance account, I'm I'm seeing >> I mean >> 250,000. So we don't even have to argue about 15,000 here or 5,000 per copier or whatever. >> So repair man support for a 0% tax. Why don't we just >> kind of if the board would like to see a 0% tax levy increase, you can direct Barbon out to >> I'm not with that.

078What's that? >> I'm not comfortable with that. >> Zero. >> A zero. >> No, I'm not comfortable with just getting a zero back to us because there's so many items here to discuss. I'm afraid of not where it's going to come from. >> But in a sense, I am afraid of where it's going to come from. >> Well, we don't want it to come from education or teaching. >> You're saying input into where the money gets allocated. If if we take out if we take out the million395 >> which is for the windows, the roof and the architectural fees that leaves us with $79,000 $79,974 to get down to that 0% increase. 79,000 is about 16.7 >> I mean but if you take out again you know Alex we got lighting upgrades at Maker Road

079>> 22,000 then you're down to 57,000 >> that's 0.1 >> you're you're down to 57,000 I mean that's it is it's low.1 maybe 0.12 whatever it is but we can there's plenty of spaces I look at I look at the merit incentive. I look at and I had asked uh Barbara earlier when she had supplied me with the fuel that we bought and I had asked her if that was for all of the district vehicles, you know, maintenance buses and and she had said yes. But then I found another 15,000 in the operations budget for for fuel. Um, so when you begin to take out these items, >> you're in a negative. >> No, you you when if if you go merit incentive, the sidewalks that I see and that 15,500 in in in operations,

080you're you're negative about $3,200. >> Uh, what sidewalks? The one that was >> Yeah, but you got you got in there. Well, let me get to that section of the budget real quick. Former, I believe that was in business. That might have been in operations, but let me check. I think it was operations. Fun repairs and maintenance. >> Operation last page. Page eight. >> No, it's page 83. >> It was Yeah. What was that under operation? >> Yeah, that's PG. page eight of eight. What I saw in there was >> 46,140. >> Correct. And you have in here demolition, removal, and replacement of 100 ft by 7 ft of sidewalk at $15,380 quantity three. >> There's three sections. There's Oh, okay. Because you I mean it would have been easier for me to understand that

081if you were just 300 square 300 feet by seven and done. Okay. So that could stay that and then if we need to do that that stay in we can get down to zero and and and be safe that we're not affecting any of the kids. I this does this still doesn't take into account the fact that I bet you we're going to kick the can down the road and not do anything about Hillrest and we're going to be paying for Hillrest. >> Let's not talk about Hillrest yet. Let's get through this. >> Actually Act actually that's that's on for discussion as part of the second half of this. So we'll get to that. >> We're not that's not the word I would use. >> All right. said uh in a in a in a

082nutshell direct the straw vote to direct the um administration to get to a 0% tax increase. >> You want to make it like a zero to one% >> what >> like I'm just worried about >> I'm worried about keeping the curriculums in place. >> We're not affecting anything. I think we have to outline what we're talking what items we're looking I think we can't just free I think we should outline the big ticket three or four items that we talked about so that we're not leaving it up to chance. >> We're we're at when you take out just those those three items you're million 395 we're at 79,000. You take out the lighting for Maple Road we're down to 57,000. >> Um if you do that merit incentive you're down to 42. So they can

083take 42 or >> they don't agree with that though. >> What's that >> that merit the 15? >> Yeah. >> I don't know anything about that. So I >> Neither do I. >> Right. So I'm saying like why would we just yank that without really everybody talking about it I think. So I don't want to leave that those pieces to chance without us talking about it without discussion. I don't think that's fair. >> It um it was put in the budget. I don't ever remember discussing it in personnel. >> I don't either. >> And Terry doesn't either. And you know, >> Debbie's not here. So >> Debbiey's not here. She would know, too. >> Um, >> we have we have personnel tomorrow night. >> Tomorrow night, we'll discuss it. >> We'll discuss it then >>

084in greater detail tomorrow night. >> But we're down if we do the the roof, the windows, and the lighting at Maple Road. We're down to $57,735. >> Steve, please do something about the uh natural gas and the electricity account. You know, I think that you can reduce another 100,000. >> I I mean, I look at the another 15,000 in in fuel costs and you're down to 42. And I mean, there are so many places that we could trim 42,000 that doesn't affect anything that has anything to do with education. >> Well, to Terry's point, I mean, I take that super. I don't want the cuts to come out of educational programs or teacher salaries or or anything like that. So I'm saying if we specify these non personnel non education account then you know I'm

085I'm completely for 0% frankly in my adding this up you can get below that. All right. So then from the roof windows and the likes and the architectural fees, >> any additional cuts that don't affect personnel or education >> and the natural gas and >> Well, that's the natural gas. Barbara, you said you'd already taken that out, correct? >> She wants more. >> There's room for another 125 out of natural gas and 50 out of oil. Steve, >> well, I say hold the line in that Well, J just we just you know we're I'm happy we get down >> that gets us to zero education in any way which is I'm 100% agree. I I'd like to hear what else Will has on his list because I'm still I'd still like to see uh a

086certain position put into the budget. >> You're talking about cuts. What could you add? >> Actually, >> we're just cutting out extra. >> We Sorry. >> Yep. We um >> we gave uh Alex the opportunity to think about it for a couple of weeks and he was going to get back to us and that was supposed to be tonight. >> Um have you had any chance? >> Yes, it is. Have you had any had any chance to I know you you sent Gwen an email with some >> I I just want to make sure we're all on the same page. We're all talk what we're debating is the same. >> So, you know, when you say HR position, you're talking about an administrative position almost like in some districts they call it an assistant superintendent

087for personnel or >> assistant director personnel, something along those lines. uh the priced head usually associated with that position salaries you know 125 benefits another 25 so ballpark $150,000 just a ballpark number >> y >> little bit lower a little bit high yeah whatever that's a good ballpark are we talking about this in addition to our existing staff or in lie of >> I think that's I I understood it to be in addition to Yeah. >> I don't I don't believe we have anybody performing that function yet. >> I mean to our additional to our existing staff. >> It would be an addition to our existing staff. >> Correct. >> That's that's my >> Excuse me. Can I just say something? Go ahead. >> We have a director of education. We have a superintendent. We

088have a director of special services. We have a business administr administrator. We have people in the board office who handle benefits, payroll. Terry, >> we have people. I know, but I'm I'm furious about this. I'm not voting for it. >> Well, we'll just just for uh for giggles, we'll talk about it again tomorrow night because we'll we have personnel tomorrow night. We'll just talk about >> bring you ear plugs. Okay. Go ahead. >> You're allowed. You're allowed. I mean the fund the trend over the last we'll say about seven or eight years for school districts is flat state or declining or flat state aid declining for the most part federal aid except for that one year of the stimulus boost a lot of pressure on local taxes just because your other sources of funding have

089dried up. That's sort of across the board. So districts across the state have been trimming administrative positions just to not affect the grade three position or the grade four position at various schools because those probably direct uh affect children more directly than a personnel administrative would. So there's not a district in the state that couldn't use administrative help right now. Over the same I think I said 8year period the workload has gone up. So the number of administrators in any district has gone down. But there's now additional reports that get filed every year. The state asks us to do, you know, this many more reports. This many more reports, you know, without taking away the old ones. They just keep adding. So the workload has gone up. The people doing the work has gone down.

090So there's not a district in the state that wouldn't benefit from additional administrative help, West Milford included. My concern is, and especially now that we're going to be, it looks like we're going to get a 0% tax increases, funding this position in the long term is going to prove to be very difficult, uh, without raising our revenues, our local revenues, which are taxes. And when you put your fund balance, which I think we're going to do, we're going to put our fund balance to support our budget. there could be a rather gaping hole that we're discussing this time next year for the 18/19 budget. So, it would help us. Can we afford it? If we raise taxes, we can. We put revenues in the budget, we can. If we're willing to do that long term,

091we can. But if we're not willing to do that, we can't. And it's just really a question for the board because it would help the district. However, we need money to pay the this person and the worst thing to do would be to fund it in this year's budget and then a bill for these last two 0% tax increases going to come due 12 months from now. Bet it. And if there's no money to support the position next year, what you've done is hire human resources expert for one year and it's going to be tough for anybody to make a positive effect in in one school year. Really would be. So that's a question for the board to consider. So please consider >> will stand up first. >> I don't necessarily see it that much.

092>> Let I'd like direct everybody's attention to education office page one. >> Well before before >> will hold up I'd like to u do two things first. Um delay executive session for another 15 minutes. Okay. Um, do I have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. All in favor? >> I. >> Okay. And, um, two, I'd like to vote real quick on getting down a 0% tax increase. we can further the conversation. But all in is the board then in favor of going zero without you know pulling those main items the lighting projects the roof the windows >> architectural fees and directing the administration to make the >> cuts in the energy >> cuts in well she she anywhere where it doesn't affect personnel or education of the kids. So specifically the energy teams have a

093lot of slush. >> She if she I'll give her the leeway on that. Uh 57,000. >> No, it's 125 in gas and you're not understanding. We're we're at a million474 when you take out those items. We're down to 57,000. All right. >> That she has additional to get to the zero. So she can take that from >> wherever she feels like. As long as it doesn't affect personnel, it doesn't affect education of the kids. >> Well, essentially, if you add those two things in there >> Oh, I know. I mean, >> hold on a second. Let me finish my second. If you add those two things in there, you're almost up to $150,000 that you would need for and will >> Go ahead, Steve. >> Well, I think you guys should discuss that personnel. >>

094Absolutely. >> Yep. And and we will >> the other thing that I really want to hear the next time we discuss this is something about what it would cost us to put in a math program for next year. At least do a bit of research. It doesn't mean that we're going to do it. But but please do some research on that because I am you know what I'll be more than happy to spend the money on math improvement at West Milford even if it requires a tax if if we actually get math improvement. So can we please look at it? >> Well we are going to look at it and it's a very >> important matter not something I want to rush into and >> we're off next week we come back we're ready for

095the next board meeting. This is something we're going to have to really get a committee of educators together to discuss what we like about our current math program, what we don't like, where we'd like to improve, what are other districts doing. This is a fairly extensive process and you know, of course, while we're doing this, teachers are in their classroom every day teaching their children and we're heading into next week. >> No, I I heard that he's going to do it next week and have the answer for us on the 18th. So it it's a little more lengthy process. So this is not something that can be done rushed. And I think if we did it in a rush, we'd be doing ourselves, our children, our parents, our teachers a disservice just to rush into

096something on a knee-jerk. Um there's definitely I I'd like to look into it, but I'd like to do it the right way. I don't want to just jump in and rush into it and throw out a number. >> Can we discuss this privately? Maybe I'll spend some of my time on it and I'll >> I think it's perfect for ed committee at some point. Yeah. >> Well, I'll I'll discuss it committee tomorrow also, but uh we've done a lot of that work already. Um when I began last year, we started talking about um the current um go math program has been in place for a number of years. Reasonable cycle is about five years for a curriculum program. Um, working with the math supervisor, we've talked about looking at how we phase out that program

097or keep that program depending on what we see. We know what the programs are that are out there. They're math and focused or Singapore math and their envisions. You talk to the top 25, that's what they're using. So, um, we've talked about, uh, different processes for implementing curriculum rather than a, um, last time we had a windfall in money for whatever for whatever reason. I don't use the word windfall, but I did. um where we purchased a K5 program all at once and we saw some of the growing pains of >> removing a program, replacing a program one year. Uh so we're working to take a look at the long-term, you know, I talk a lot about terms of a five-year plan. Part of our five-year plan is also looking at the program and what

098can we train our kindergarten teachers for that we can implement in kindergarten that we can then follow through cohort as they go. So, it begins with talking about kindergarten and what sort of math program we're looking for to go forward. If our current program is the right one, that's the one that we're going to we're going to go with. Uh, but that's that's the work that we're we're in the process of getting going. So, um, reviewing that that long-term goal really begins with that that phasing in. So, we we know what the programs are that are out there. We've we've done that work. >> Do either of you mind if I have a discussion this week with Mr. Novak about this? because I tell you right now is not improving math performance unless >> we

099have committ and while you're talking about a long-term plan for math which is you absolutely have to do and that's the right way to do it. You also have to come up with a short-term plan as well to to help the students that are already in the program that we've got that's not working that well and helping them because there's a lot of kids that are struggling. I mean, I know some students that were started out as honoral, the high high level students and got into the math program at higher grades and went right off the cliff. So, um there's something that's that's dysfunctional. It's not quite working. And we need to think of a short-term plan to help those students and and get them ready for college or or jobs or whatever may be

100because I'm hearing from the community that some of our students come out of the high school and they they can't work a cash register and at basic arithmetic for making change things like that. So we need to do a short-term plan along with the long-term plan. Please >> that is education committee >> please. >> Yeah. So, we'll discuss that vote on this. Now, I'm just saying I really would like to hear something about math before we vote on a final budget. If we can't do it, that's fine. But let's let's not drop it. >> All right. >> It's not going to be >> real real quick then. So, we're all show hands in favor of the 0%. >> Okay. >> All right. Um, well, we're going to we have to go into the executive session,

101but I I want to give you your uh your time at the mic. So, >> okay, >> let her rip. >> Thank you. >> So, directing everybody's attention to education office section page one and the line is purchase tech services health. So 2014 the orders around $8,000 2015 9500 then >> this is page one of three under education office so 2014 orders 8100 2015 9450 budgeted in 2016 38,34 >> that's okay I have two books in front of me I'll get to our current budget Oh, you're >> I'm making a point with with this in entirety. >> Okay, >> everybody on that line. >> I don't see it in page one. >> It is the third line on page one. >> I see in the new budget >> purchase technical >> I have another budget

102book too, but this lead to >> 15. Okay, >> I have a second book. >> I I see where you're going with this cuz I got it parked in mine as well. Go ahead. >> Okay. So I have an older book >> 2014 8100 2015 9450 was spent budgeted in 2016 $38,345. We got the grand total back and that came to $10,570. It's a lot of money that wasn't spent. And that's the point I'm trying to make. So with with that simple arithmetic, we could probably knock that number down with the current future budget of $32,710. >> Cut it in half. >> Probably in half. >> Yep. >> Easy. >> That's what I've got. >> And there's plenty of other items like that. >> Mhm. >> You could go down, you could go down four

103lines. 2600 22 2576 12790 and then we're back down to 6,000. So there's there's numerous >> I I have to say something. >> Go ahead, Jerry. >> This these lines that you're talking about are medical substance screenings, employee students, AAA on site drug testing renewal, independent psychiatric evaluations. These are things that we have no control over, these are things that are I mean when you have a student who has a problem and they sent him out for an psychiatric evaluation, we're required to pay for that. >> No, Terry, I don't I don't think that that's you know he's looking at the historical record as well. >> No, but I would like >> if you don't mind me just commenting on that. Go ahead. >> So I understand that that account is under the education office.

104However, Mr. Dr. Novc and I work closely with that account as I oversee the nursing department as well as the independent psychiatric evaluations that are you know taken from there. So if you look at last year, yes, I agree with you that there was money that remained. But when we looked on the special services side, it would not it's not accurate to only look at this item without comparing it to the independent psychiatric evaluations that we do on the special education side or for general education students because we sometimes have to transfer money between the two accounts as things fluctuate throughout the year. So, what I would say to you is in the next few weeks, the board will see a transfer request that is going to come my way to you due to the

105fact that now my other account in the special services side is now at zero. And now I need to borrow from this account about $8,000 because we are short for general education students because you cannot predict what the needs are going to be for students yeartoear. and what we projected that we noticed that there was a trend of students that were general education that needed these types of evaluations that the district is responsible for doing and that's why we we budget for it under education on the general education side but we kind of share the services with that. So I just I don't want you to think that that money is just um you know predicted in a way that was not justified or data based in our decision to increase that amount and you'll

106see that in a transfer that's coming down in a few weeks. So wouldn't it simply be easier to fund the other account? >> Pardon? >> Wouldn't it be easier to fund the other account? >> I believe that the reason why we have it in this account and or you can explain it further to me, but I believe it was in this account because it is like considered a purchase health service for general education students versus most of the accounts that are on my side are for the special education students um and can be a part of like an IRS process to me. But I think it's just an accounting thing. But we have if you look at the historical part we have transferred money in between usually in the later part of the year as

107we need things. So >> towards the end >> toward towards the end of the year. >> So the money actually could stay in the special education. >> I mean you could in theory like basically what I'm saying is that it's not going to be a savings to the board because if you don't put the money here you're going to have to put it in my accounts you know on the special education page. >> Can I do it? So, I mean, I guess she always knows where it might be for general legis. So, you know, you can't you can't make your budget line so tight that you have no flexibility cuz quite honestly, you don't know what's going to happen 14 months from now or 16 months from now. >> So, I think it's unfortunate that

108you seem to think that, you know, we're going to be able to stay within the confines of that budget. tell you at least three years back that >> it's not being used in the general education funding. It's being special education that this is the case. >> What we've done over the last few years is try to we've added account numbers so that we could try to delineate where the services are being performed. At one time, because we had a smaller population that was using these services, they were all part of the education department. Then when when Dr. McQuade came on, we started to accounting process. So that this way when decides after our audit is completed and we get our certified tuitions, the tuitions are the and per and what your per pupil costs are

109for your different grade levels. So, they use the accounts that we charge things too in order to determine those numbers. So, we've been trying to clean up that process. >> I think in some ways you can't what's you can't bite your despite your face, right? You have to I mean these are not huge dollars and I think you have to trust the administration a little bit to know that you know you you can't predict every single thing and I think you know we have to have some faith that there could be the year that you use a little more and use a little less but that that has to be there. I mean that's just good budgeting. It's not I don't think it's wasteful. I think it's smart in some is not a sneezing number.

110I think when you take out the actual it's not quite that much, but >> and she's saying she's going to need some of it into her other budget. So when you take that out of the equation, it's it's not it's not that much. It's not that much extra. >> There's other places within here to transfer to. This is just an example of an account. >> And it could be that if there's a little excess there that, you know, maybe there was somewhere else that we went slightly over and so it balances out a little. >> There was $2.9 million of excess. So >> where did that come from? That's not excess. That's >> surplus. >> Little here, a little there. >> The $2.9 million that was designated in the order. >> My mic is on

111you. >> Closer. Maybe a little closer. >> The $2.9 Can you hear me now? >> Okay. the $2.9 million. Um, a bit of it was the health benefits because we had underestimated the amount of employee contribution that we were going to receive in the fourth tier of uh the employee benefit contribution year. So, just to recall, we had a four-year phase in and when we got to the fourth year, a number of people started to wave their benefits because their contribution became so high. So, we had extra money left in our employee benefits account because on the average, it's about $25,000 a person. So if you have an extra 10 people waving their benefits, you're picking up approximately $225,000 $250,000 depending on what their salary is and what their employee benefit contribution would have been.

112So there's a lot of variables that we have no way of predicting 18 months out, even 14 months out. even, you know, it might happen in September because they have a life event that they could either wave or now all of a sudden we have to start picking up the costs and they never had benefits last year. So, there's so much give and take in the budgeting process that you can't cut your numbers that closely. That was only one area. But we also had a significant amount of money left in transportation last year. Uh probably close to a million dollars. And this year we cut about $230,000 out in salaries plus um >> fuel cost too. >> Mhm. >> And fuel costs as well. You you Well, you cut the >> but not in transportation.

113>> Yeah. But you cut the number of what we were paying last year compared to what we were paying this year for fuel. >> Yeah. But that's in the operations account, not in the fuel. Not in the >> That was in transportation. >> Transportation. I think we still have the same amount. We're budgeting $2 a gallon. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> But from the previous year, it was $3. Yep. >> Yeah. Because the the the costs were high and now >> now we're down to about $2 a gallon on our on our our gas. So there's so many variables, but there were two those two areas contributed greatly to the $2.9 million in fund balance that you know excess fund balance that the district had. >> It didn't even explain half of the I believe that

114having a surplus is healthy. Absolutely. But you only explained 1.3 million according to what I was listening to >> process. No, it was close to $2 million right there between transportation in the health benefit. >> No, there was about No, there was about a million dollars in health benefits and about a million dollars. >> I I gave an example of about $250,000, but I said those were the two areas that we had large remainders or variables from the original budget. And it was because in large part from the health benefit contributions this year in the current in the in the future budgets 1718 we're budgeting $2.8 million in health benefit contributions to offset our eventual costs. That's pretty close to what we're going we're anticipating that we're going to get. So there should be very

115very little um difference. And if you look at the $300,000 that we had talked about earlier, there's really not the the increase in health benefit contribution for 1718 is minimal if not flat. So you could only do so much. You don't want to leave yourself short because if you end up in a deficit situation, >> it's not going to be pretty. Um, >> and and one other thing, you also need to make sure that the revenues that you're using to support this budget come through because if you budget a million dollar in expenses and you budget a million dollars in revenues and you spend your million, but you only get $800,000 in revenues, you have a $200,000 deficit. So, there's two sides that you have to look at. your expenses, yes, but you also have

116to make sure that you have the revenues to support those expenses. >> So, can we hold another vote to when they come up with the 0% budget that we get the list of what they cut? >> I think government does she'll automatically >> I didn't know I didn't know a couple of the items that were happening. I don't I'm on the budget committee. You can put I can put that in the PowerPoint for >> uh the public hearing >> as I >> can we have a copy of it before the meeting >> everything has to be tracked from the time of the preliminary budget everything every has to be tracked or increase >> every line item >> why didn't we get any information before this >> because >> we haven't had a budget finance meeting

117>> since not only that >> but you tracked it so it should be boom right There should be in any document. Excel. >> Boy, I'd love to have an Excel document of this budget. >> Steve's got it. Don't you have an Excel? >> Because knowledge is the original. I have one also. No, but I I take Bill's point in illustration completely is that if we need money there money, there is money in the budget for to be had by trimming a little here and a little there where there's excess that won't harm us. And I think that was Will's main point and and I I think it's absolutely true. >> So, do we have an answer on the HR position then? >> We're going to discuss that tomorrow. Okay. I mean, we can bring it

118up for discussion again before we got two meetings, a workshop and uh the next budget. >> Well, we have to advertise the budget >> if we're going to vote on that. We have >> It's already been advertised. >> I mean, no, the actual budget has to be in the newspaper. >> The advertised budget is what the county approved. No changes. The advertised budget is what the county office approved on March 16th. >> And what we approve is what whatever changes made, >> right? And whatever gets approved on the 25th is what gets submitted to the county with the spreadsheet showing the changes from the original approval. >> Yes. >> So we would have to vote on something like that. Any any changes that would affect the budget before the >> parlament? Thank you. I was

119under the impression, and perhaps I'm wrong, but at a previous meeting when the HR position was voted upon, it was voted no. Why are we bringing it up again? Because certain people want their way. I I just I have a problem with that. Thank you. >> At the that meeting, if I may, that meeting, two of the people said they weren't sure because they hadn't thought about it ahead of time. >> What? It's an abstension. It's a no vote. >> What what we what we did decide to do was have Dr. in the morning get back to us. He did >> and he just did it. >> Well, we got to discuss that as to whether or not we want to do that or not, but we'll do that in personnel and come back to

120the board. >> All right. Um, it is now 5 to9. I'd like to go to executive session if everybody's okay with that. Um, so we can so we can get out of here. All right. Uh, G, would you read the resolution for exactly? Shouldn't take us that long. Okay. I'm not sure. >> As long as we stay on track. >> I I actually don't think it's in there, but I'll I'll wait it. Uh, I'll move to go into executive session at >> 8:55. 8:55 p.m. uh for the purpose of uh for approximately 30 minutes for the purpose of discussing HIV's matter and matters concerning kind of claim privilege. Uh that's pretty much it. >> Yep. All second. Thank you, Will. Uh all in favor? >> I Any opposed? Okay, we'll we'll retreat to the back

121room. Thank you for coming. >> Oh yeah, >> no, I think I asked my question for you. >> I'm sorry. Are you still going to be able to do anything about the uh >> AP? That's not going to cut it. >> We're good. >> I'm in the rain. So, you know, we have >> It is uh 9:15. We're back from executive session. Um and this is Dwire. >> The microphone is yours. >> Thank you. Okay. Move to move to affirm the results of the HIV investigative reports for April 4th, 2017 E16 and 2017 E18 as unsubstantiated. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> Okay. Seeing none, roll call, please. Parker. >> Mrs. Dwire. >> Yes. >> Mr. Hubert. >> Yes. Mrs. Fritz, >> yes. >> Mr. Sidowitz, >> yes. >> Mr. Drew, >> yes. >>

122Mr. Foody, >> yes. >> Motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? I didn't think so. >> Thank you everyone for for >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Actually, you could have wanted to stay. No, unsubstantiated. >> Unsubstantially. >> Yeah, you did. >> You said go home to your families. Go home to your bed. >> I That's what you're That's what you want to hear. >> Almost the whole side of the room is safe. >> I'm I'm sitting in between it. >> You're on the on the outer end. I don't like to walk around. Kate was probably