June 18, 2026 KLSD Board of Education Meeting

001Good evening. Tonight is Thursday, June 18th, and welcome to our board of education meeting. Would somebody like to make a motion to return to public session? >> Motion by Marjorie, second by Bill. All those in favor? 70. >> Thank you. If everybody would uh would wouldn't mind joining me for the pledge of >> 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. >> Thank you. Um, so the first item on our agenda this evening is a very exciting presentation from Assembly Member Berdick. >> Well, thank you and it's a real honor and pleasure to be here and uh it's my honor to also be a resident of the town of Lewisboro after some 30 years

002in Bedford where my wife and I raised our children. But then I guess it was about six years ago that my wife said, "Chris, you know, three bedrooms we haven't used in five years. It was time." And so we actually fell in love with Oakidge. And so we have a two-bedroom condominium >> there. And so we've been in Lewisboro residence for about three and a half years now. >> And and we love it. We're having a great time here. And so it really is my honor to be here to present a proclamation to recognize the outstanding work of the robotics team. They just knocked it out of the ballpark doing so well in the first ever, as I understand, world competition. So I have a proclamation which I would like to present to Hudson Lutz

003as trustee on behalf of THE ROBOTICS TEAM. GO TO THE PODIUM. This is where you have to listen to the people who know where all of that. So, here we go. Is this right or is this the right position? >> Hold on one second. There you go. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. Congratulations and please convey my congratulations to the team. >> Thank you. >> These things don't happen without the support of the community >> and without the support of a terrific board of education. So my congratulations go to all of you too for your leadership in making this sort of thing happen. So thank you very much for interrupting your proceedings so >> thank you for coming. This was great. You know, it's just another example of on the heels of graduation, prom, you know,

004our upcoming moving up ceremonies. We just have so many good things going on and just so grateful to the community, also for supporting all of our endeavors and everything that, you know, we bring to our students. So, thank you. >> Are there any board announcements? just want to say what a lovely ceremony it was for the John J graduation. It was my first my first time attending and um I was really um blown away by how sweet and um impressive both at the same time the the community is. >> Yeah, we're so fortunate to have Carammore. Like what a more beautiful setting could there be? >> Musical the musical um presentation, you know, musical um acts, the the choir. It was just lovely. >> Dr. Siciliano does a great job. student speakers. Everything was so

005impressive >> and it never rains on him. I just >> Anyway, yeah, it's always a great day and it was just so nice that the kids chose the circle as their symbol and it it was a thread throughout the uh ceremony how they talked about the importance of circles and how it really defined their experience and I just thought that that was so wonderful. >> I thought exactly the same. I mean, my children come home talking about their circles in the middle school and the high school all the time. So, in my um sample size of two, I knew how important it was to them. But hearing it as that thread throughout graduation, it was >> remember our first I think my first year on the board, we actually uh went to the middle school

006and joined the circles and I thought that was a great experience to be able to do that. >> Completely agree. And we'll just add a special thank you to Mrs. Mushio who was a senior class advisor and all of the members of the faculty including Jim Panzer whose messaging and remarks were just such a special contribution to the day in addition of course to Dr. Sicciliano being the consumate master of ceremonies and so many faculty members and staff members were in attendance to support that production which is an elaborate production and the PTO partnership and um so many community partnerships that support that effort. So, huge thank you to our staff and community for coming out to support a beautiful, beautiful ceremony >> and congratulations to our seniors >> and congratulations to you and your

007family. >> Thank you. >> Um, so next we are welcoming to our table again. >> No. Uh, yes. H2. So, we'll go ahead and pick this up right here. And myself and Lisa will join a little bit on this first piece. We've got Mike here. Uh, actually, we have two mics here tonight. And they're both Mike L. So, just in case you wonder, and then we've got Nile here with us tonight, too. So, uh, the purpose of tonight is to go ahead, as the board know, the team came earlier in the year looking at the initial look at that five-year requirement by the state of New York for a building condition survey. So we'll going go ahead and hit some highlights on that component and then we'll go ahead and speak a little bit and

008now where that product will go to identified as our finance team as we start thinking about how do we work this in the next five years to as do as best as we can to maintain the quality of our buildings they exist today. So if it's all right I'll go ahead have Mike Lancier start us off. So thank you Mike. >> Absolutely. Good evening um board. Thank you Dr. Blanch. It's a pleasure to be here tonight uh presenting really the culmination of almost a year's worth of work for the H2M team uh and numerous meetings with Dr. Blanch, the visa, countless countless hours with Mike going through a lot of different uh complicated information. Um but really where we are now is uh you know we're closing the chapter on one portion and we're opening

009up the next chapter to decide really what the ne next steps are going to be. So my name is Mike Lantier. I believe I've met everyone in this room, but for anyone online, um I am an engineer by degree. I've spent really all of my career working with uh school districts and as well as municipalities for large scale uh large scale construction and capital improvement planning projects. Uh similar to this, I work with school districts for from the initial conception stages all the way through project completion. Um with me tonight, I have uh Nile Ashburn. He is a senior architect with H2M. He leads a team of architects out of our Westchester office as well. Um, and then behind us, as I continue to get into the slides really of just who H2M is, is

010a little bit of background information. It's not just the two of us. Uh, when we work on projects like this, it takes a large array of a skill set uh, and expertise to talk about all the different building components that we might encounter as part of this process. So, behind us, uh, already with the initial phase of really creating your building condition survey and submitting it and creating your five-year plan, there's another team of probably at least 15 other architects and engineers that have been involved. And we haven't really gotten into the design portion of any of the work yet. And we've had a number of different architects and engineers as well. Uh, H2M, we're just considered a multi-disiplined architectural engineering consulting firm. What that means is we just really have every type of architect

011and engineer under the roof uh with the exception of of a couple like mainly I think nuclear and we even have chemical engineers at at this point. So a wide wide variety of engineers uh needed to really get all types of work that a school district would need to have done. Um are the teams that are supporting uh primarily Katona Lewisboro our Melville uh which is also our headquarters suffer New York and then obviously our Westchester office which about 20 minutes away. Uh so the team of familiar faces, myself, it's Nile and then u Megan primarily she has been very heavily involved on the Lewis Burough elementary school process as well. >> Let me just mention that I'm a resident of Kona and uh both of my kids graduated from your school. So and and

012Kes so appreciate that. >> Yeah, thank you. Um this next slide I include uh just to give some pieces of information about the current facilities and the ages uh of the building and and and the size of them in general just so we can talk about scale as we move forward and the age of the buildings. Most of the buildings uh throughout the district were constructed in in the 60s. So you know as we're getting as we're getting up there in age uh a lot of the utilities um are original to the buildings. the infrastructure uh has been very well maintained over the years and we'll get there as I get through the the process as well. Um it's very clear to our team that a lot of thought and effort and strategic planning has

013been put into the facilities uh to really help benefit the students as well as you know the community for years to come. But like everything else uh in life things do reach their age and that's kind of what my team is looking at. Um, so as far as square footages go, uh, your high school is obviously your biggest, uh, at just under 200,000 square feet. So in perspective, that is, um, about a 100 times larger than than an average house. So we're talking about a lot of a lot of square footage. Um, so we start as we get into the capital improvement process, I'll talk about kind of what has led us to where we are today. Every five years, the state education department requires uh your architect and engineer of record to complete a

014building condition survey. Uh as part of your building condition survey, there's really two components. One is a formal uh document that gets electronically submitted to the state and that talks about your building condition at a at a very high level. Um how much time do we think is left for your major infrastructure? Uh do you have all of your life safety components in place? Is there anything that an architect uh needs to make sure that they're including uh as a priority to make sure that before you go ahead with any other capital improvements, you're making sure that you're including these very high priority items and it's something that's documented to the state and the state will reveal it uh every every time you submit on a capital improvement project. They'll look at your building condition

015survey and make sure that you don't have any outstanding items that really need to be prioritized. Uh then the second part of that is your capital improvement plan or it's also called your five-year plan. Um five-year plans turn into a capital improvement plan just because it's ultimately dictated by the financing behind it. So if it's can't finance it in five years, your priorities then end up getting pushed into the following five years and then would inherently be on your next five-year plan. Um so we completed the building condition survey portion. your inspections were due by the end of last year, which they were, and they were submitted to the state in March of this year, and they are fully uploaded to the state. They have been for some time. Um, we then go in and

016and prioritize really every single item that was noted along the way, and those items are anything that an architect has seen as something that should be considered, anything that specific types of engineers have seen that have been considered. That also takes into account anything that Mike has considered as well. You know, Mike knows your buildings very well inside and out. So, we take his uh issues and his recommendations and his concerns very seriously and we kind of take a a detailed look at everything that has been uh suggested by Mike as well. And then building administration as well has a say in it and ultimately we meet with the team here to to to talk about it. Um it's pretty much prioritized uh for this district is prioritized by interior, exterior, site work, HVAC, athletics,

017sustainability, and then your building envelope. Um the board did receive, I believe, the breakdown of all the itemized uh uh components. We don't include that in here because we'd be here for a week and a half probably reviewing all of the items. Um, but there is a detailed Excel sheet that really ultimately becomes your working document. That's that's really um I'm sorry. Yeah, an Excel document. That's what I'm referring to at the bottom as your five-year capital improvement plan. This this really becomes a working document. This is something that uh we use to prioritize our our financing off of. It's something that we keep track of the projects being completed and it's a document where we would add other priorities. if something comes up and it's a higher level, it can be added to this

018document to make sure that that that we're we're we're keeping track of everything. And then like I mentioned previously, the prioritization is ultimately based on the available funding um that we're able to determine moving forward. Uh the building condition survey, I mentioned that's something that's required by the state every five years. uh it allows us to take a very detailed look at your buildings uh to to to really strategically plan moving forward. Um it also it's it's really some it's it's a mechanism to ensure our school's environments too uh just to make sure that we are uh keeping track of where everything is and the condition of everything and making sure that we're implementing any any any known improvements that that we want to include. Um and again we just we say it's It's the

019goal is really to create the inspiring inclusive spaces that reflect the high value of of your community uh to help with the education of of your students. Um the goal of meetings like this one on our end is to answer any questions that might come up and really help on that community outreach process. Uh we're involved with it day in and day out on the construction side. We know that there's a lot of community members that aren't. So, we're here to really help facilitate that process. And uh your architect and your engineer is really your your your third party. We're here. We're in an independent consultant. Uh we have no stake in ultimately what the values of the construction is. We're here to make sure that we're putting into place a code compliant solution for

020a need that the school district has presented. Um, next really really why why does the plan matter? It's the biggest thing is helping the board to make decisions. I know that facilities are just one component that board of eds have to deal with and it is our job to provide you with a really concise uh easy to follow formula that helps you to make educated decisions uh about your facilities as well as your your your financing behind it as well. Um it's important too to realize uh that this investment it and that's what it is. It is an investment in your facilities to move forward. It helps protect your assets long term. Um again, I'll mention because it is important to note that you know while we while we talk about items that need to

021be improved, it is very important to realize that the district has been very very involved with maintaining the buildings thus far. Um as I get moving forward with some of our priorities, actually perfect timing. On the next slide, we go into how we prioritize and um very important in this district, priority number one, which is your life safety items. We didn't find anything uh that was of immediate need. Uh that's not the case in every school district, but in Kona Lewisboro that, you know, I'm happy to say that that that was the case. It it speaks a lot. Um the second priority are your your health and property protection. That's what maintains a functional environment. And so that's like your building weatherization. Um it's not life safety related, but it's it's helping to to to

022protect uh the the users of the space as well. Um your priority three is is your systems that uh are getting older. It's your preventative maintenance items. Uh it's a lot of your infrastructure that you want to be proactive about replacing. Um and then your stage four or your priority four are are your strategic enhancements. Those are really items that that don't affect occupant health, but they may add um to help elevate your student experience. Um I'll get into the themes. Uh really overall where we are um with the the the required funding for every item that we have in place that's on our list, we're at about $127 million of all-in project costs. Uh and in a couple slides I'll get into the breakdown of of where that number comes from as well. Um

023but at a very high level uh it's the aging infrastructure was a high was a high dollar value item. So that's like your roofs, your your weatherization. Um and those those items do just come to age. They have they have a specific life expectancy. Um and then and then your HVAC equipment as well and air quality are are are typically a higher priority item. Um, and then we're seeing also the need for being proactive for your flexible and your really your modern modernizing some of your learning environments. That's something that we're always keeping an eye on as well. So now really for the very high level of where we are with the uh with the costing of the project, we have this broken down by school uh by building um by uh all your support

024buildings as well. And then it's prioritized across the priorities two, three, and four. And then everything is is totaled as well. Uh in the other document that the board received that's itemized, this is broken down even further uh and includes more information on a per item basis for everything that that's included. >> So I have I have a question. 127 million just always kind of gets me because we do maintain our building. So this is that number represents something that would be like if you were bringing it back to a pristine brand new you have every wish list kind of taken care of. >> So conditions >> we always see the wish list always continues to grow but uh any items that were presented to us as something that the district would want to consider

025is included. So I would consider those like a like a wish list like not a mustave u but there are those items that are included. And is this out of line of what you see in other districts? Like if >> Not at all. And that's why on um on the documents I I I I star the priority four because that's your your budgetary item that can grow and shrink uh you know exponentially in in really either direction depending on where the board decides they want to focus. >> Can you go back to just to for that same question? Yeah. So, I'm reading that I'm I'm also reading the detailed ones, but I'm reading that to say we're kind of in a good space for the fact that we at least do not have any priority

026ones. >> Right. >> Correct. >> Absolutely. >> Which is unusual. >> Yeah. >> For for school districts to have no priority ones. It it go it shows that there's very good >> uh maintenance uh programs here and that that you have avoided that >> right >> skillfully. And so then my next kind of question comment is some of the things that I'm reading in some of these buildings. When was this plan developed? Because some of this looks like stuff that we've taken care of in the capital project that we're currently in. >> So correct. Um uh on one of the following slides I I mentioned that as well. So, uh about $2.5 million has been accounted for on the last proposition. Uh and those items still are included in here. Uh in the detailed item,

027those are starred as well. Um and there is nothing that's included in here that was also part of your previous uh capital plan. >> Well, but in Kona Elementary, it says library improvements. Don't we have a new library in Kona Elementary? So, I'd have to jump in to see to see exactly what that is. But, yeah, it wouldn't have been if it was something that was previously funded, it would not have made its way into this document. >> I wonder if it was something that fell off. >> The alternates >> from the some of the alternates. >> Thank you so much for for this and thank you uh Mike and Lisa for the excellent work that you do in keeping our buildings in in great shape. For many of us around the table, this is

028our very first time going through a process of putting together a five-year capital improvement project and understanding what a building condition survey is. And so, this is a like an educational moment for so many of us. And we appreciate you being here and being willing to answer our questions. I wanted to understand a little bit um the prioritization in terms of their priority two, priority three, priority four. How much of that is an art versus a science? How much of it is you look at something and there are very clear sort of guidelines that tell you this is a clear number two versus number three like >> it is fair that's a good question. It is fairly clear um of what determines a number two or a number three. Number two is is an item

029that without uh without resolving or or or or updating or upgrading whatever that item is, then the district is going to at some point within the next five years, uh most likely have another failure that's going to cost more money than than than that actual work, like a roof. Uh if you did not if you had large areas that were that were leaking as part of your roof and you didn't fund a roof replacement, eventually you're going to have a catastrophic failure that's going to have interior components that's going to have some environmental concerns as well. Yeah, I know the cost um is is overwhelming. It's a lot to look at and what we take into consideration when we put our costs together. Um, number one, it does use prevailing wage rates. Um, which adds

030which which do add to the project. >> Can you explain that? What what is prevailing wage rate? Because I feel like that's came up a lot also with LES, which we're going to touch on later, but >> yeah. So, tell us all what that means. >> Absolutely. So any any project that is using public public funds um is required to follow prevailing wage law which is set by the state. Um so there's actually hourly wages wages that the state tells us contractors have to pay for. >> It's different than a minimum wage. This is a prevailing wage which I assume is much higher than minimum wage. >> Yeah. public. It's public projects versus uh private private private uh as long as if you're in a private industry, as long as you're hitting minimum wage, that's

031your only requirement. Then it's up to the market to dictate what your hourly range wage is. >> But in public work using public funds, that is not up to an individual employer or an individual school district. It's up to the state to >> Right. We can't go we can't go shop around and try to find a better deal on the on that in regards to the wages. I just want to help. >> So, in regards to the wages, you can't. Um, but the p the way that we publicly bid the projects inherently does put that into consideration. Um, but where you do see it, you you shouldn't see much of a difference on the labor costs unless a contractor for some reason is using an innovative project and he's able to cut his his actual

032manh hours down. Um, >> but The hourly wage is the hourly wage. It >> it it it is the hourly wage. Yeah. And if you have a a plumber, for example, doing plumbing work in this district from contractor A to contractor B for the same amount of time, you should see that same amount of of of being charged on the project. >> Can you give us any idea like percentage-wise how much more that is per hour? Like do that just vary against to the job? >> It's it's a lot. >> It's it's it's public knows. >> Yeah, it's 50%. >> 50%. >> So, if it's a if if you're if in private it's $50 an hour, you'd pay >> I guess it's a 100% of you pay $100 for that hour. >> Okay. >> And

033this these estimated improvements ad keep in mind that prevailing wage. When we're estimating these improvements, we're keeping that that is why it appears so much more than what I'm doing at my house. >> That's a large portion of it is the prevailing wage. Um but the other items that we do include right now um we do include contingencies because there has not been any design work done. We know that there's going to be unforeseen conditions that we end up encountering as we go through not just the design process but also as we get into construction. Um so we include 5% in design contingency. We include another 5% for construction contingency. We have to include escalation. Escalation unfortunately is always the big known. Um there's about 11.4% 4% that gives you about two and a half

034years on a normal escalation um period. Uh and then we include 10% for bonds and and insuranceances that the district is going to have that the contractor is going to have for the project in in whole. Uh and then you do have you do have other we have 12% for your fees. That's for your architect fee, your construction management fee, your legal fees, any marketing fees uh that could be associated with a project as well. What we don't include in that $127 million though is state aid that that that that's received uh on on eligible projects. Um for the work here, um it gets it does get complicated with what is aidable and what is not. The general rule is that if it's a site project, uh it's considered like an incidental. It's not eligible

035for aid. But the state also does allow for certain projects to be tied to interior projects. So you can get a portion of of that aid as well. So it's not 100% of your projects. Realistically, it's probably about 70% of your projects that are eligible for aid. Uh your uh state aid is 25.3 if my memory is correct. >> That's right. >> Um for 2526. That number does fluctuate. And what that means is that uh over the uh a project cost, let's say it's a hund00 million project cost and 70% of that, so $70 million is aidable, you would get 25.3% of that $70 million spread out over the following 15 to 18 years. Again, depending on what that what that project is. So 70% of the project roughly and that covered 25% of 75%

036covered. Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm sorry that there's a lot there. >> Divided by 15 by 15 or 18 depending on >> I was told there'd be no math. >> Just trying to break down for myself and others tuning in. >> Yeah, there's a lot. So um on the right side of the screen I just have a couple really quick examples. Like in this case we have $84 million of direct hard cost. That's what you would expect for a contractor to pay for their labor and their material only. And then after on top of that, you'd have about $32 million of your incidentals or your general conditions, 11 million of escalation to reach your $127 million. Um, the question also comes, well, where the heck do these numbers come from? Uh, we have all these

037itemized numbers, like is someone throwing a a dart at a wall and coming up with these numbers? So, it's not the way that we come up with these numbers is a few different ways. Um, H2M, we have the benefit of of working in many school districts across really the tri-state area and we often have a number of different projects that we're receiving bids on. So, that to us is the most accurate number that we have because it's pretty close to real time. Um, if it's something that is a one-off project, uh, or we don't have recent bids, uh, we do two things. We work with the construction manager as well. Um, that's really on every on every on every project, on every item to give their third party opinion, but there's also software and and

038and and information that's available to us. Uh, the biggest one that we use is just called RS Means. Uh, it's a software program where we can put in a scale of of work. Uh, and then there's a factor for the location of where we are. Uh, and then that will help give us examples of what it's saying. software that's updated depending on where material prices are going basically daily. Um so that's basically where these prices come to. But ultimately what determines what the district pays is the outcome of that public bid process. Um we have the ability to make sure that we can can spend a you know as efficiently as we can all of the money that's available and that's approved. Um, and that's by, you know, scaling projects differently, making sure we're we're

039offering different options on projects. Uh, so when we do receive the publicly bid numbers, we can all make an educated decision and a recommendation to move forward that that really benefits the district the most for what you're paying. Um, and it's a full transparent publicly bid process. So now I'll just quickly move on to the individual schools. Uh, this is just a very high level. Um, I have the information of the building background, the size, the year on the on the slide as well, and then the breakdown of the dollar value. So, the high school is your largest investment plan to be expected. It's it's your largest square footage. It's your largest site as well. Um, your major work included for the high school is your roofs, uh, air, uh, HVAC, uh, laboratory upgrades, and

040then ADA or or accessibility upgrades. >> I'm sorry, what do you mean when you say lab? Like the laboratories. So, uh, your science labs mainly, but also, um, some of your STEM labs, I'm sure, were included in here for for some interior upgrades as well. That could be flooring, finish upgrades, casework upgrades. >> Got it. Because weren't the science rooms just redone? >> Yeah, we're in the process of doing C-wing, which is, but there's still upper queue, which there are science rooms up there that still need some ventilation work, right? A little >> plenty of different areas to >> Exactly. Correct. Hudson. Yeah. Um the C-wing is under construction. >> Yeah, we didn't include any any any any items to be included as part of that C-wing. >> Thank you. you take a moment to

041talk about the roofs only because I know we're about to start with our APC installation and so I just wanted to have um a general sense of um you know how do these things uh align in terms of do have we determined that we have to update roofs that we had planned to go ahead and put um >> panels on or are those other roofs that we don't have planned. So just want to understand a little bit of that. We we worked very hard with energy and Honeywell to prepare for this >> and they knew that we were going into a building condition survey which would include capital planning for roofing. >> We looked at warranties, we looked at ages and we looked at logistics and we also talked about future planning including quick creating

042concepts which would mean I cue up Honeywell and say I've worked with H2M. We're talking about capital. Dr. Blanch and Lisa are talking about this area. We want to use creating concept one over a-wing. >> Can you just to help me? I don't know. >> What that means is if >> you could pack it up quickly, get it off the roof, replace it, and put it back >> and put it back for a very, very low cost. >> Okay. >> So, what we're trying to stay ahead of that, it gives us it gives the district the ability to exhaust the warranty to its full potential and it gives us the the ability to jump into capital if we want to with minimal disruption. Got it. >> Mike gave them all. They went through the age

043of the roofs and they looked and they they they strategically are placing the arrays on our younger, if you will, portions of our roofs as well as they looked at the materials of their foam, the various the life expectancy of those various materials. >> And then also with because they have like a 20-y year life, >> I believe at least 20 years, right, to raise. So knowing that a lot of the roofs may are going to age, you know, age out sooner than the arrays. So then we also have a plan of how we can get them off quickly. So we put them back on. >> Yeah. >> Um so there's both a short-term and long range plan. >> Yeah. Got it. So >> we're going to be sharing I'm sorry. We're going to be

044sharing the documentation with H2M that we worked out with Energy and Honeywell. So they look at our warranties, MRIs all the documentation uh so they fully understand what our plan is and how they could utilize their building condition survey in the manner. So everything like you said it should connect and make sense and not be problematic. >> Got it. But so EPC goes forward and in the instance that we need to replace a roof after the we can create it and sort of >> get that done. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> That's one thing we >> Good. like the creating thing. That was that was perfect. That was great. Yeah, that was good. I was like, I think I know what that is. So, thank you. >> Quick creating. >> Thanks for the explanation, too.

045Appreciate it. >> Yep. >> Then moving on to the middle school. Uh your second largest investment. Again, this included uh a number of roof replacement and then uh envelope repairs as well. Uh the interior upgrades was a commonality and then and then increasing program flexib uh flexibility. And there were a number of HVAC improvements included at the middle school as well for about $38 million. And then as we move into your elementary schools, uh you're really going to see the same thing across all of your elementary schools. It's it's it's a more of a preventative maintenance thing. Uh the elementary schools were all in good shape. Some of the components were becoming antiquated. So it does just become more of a more of a a program maintenance. And you'll see that with the heavier priority

046threes and priority fours that are included. So Katona Elementary School 11.1 Meadow Pond Elementary School about 12.2. This one also included some additional windows as well. >> But as you pointed out, priority 2 is 2.1 of the 11. So um and then three and four are lower priorities and four really is like we say like that is like the pie in the sky like you know the ideal school. It's not even just a matter of like being pristine and everything being brought back. It's like it's enhancements to the environment. >> Correct. Exactly. Um when we go to Meadow Pond uh 12.2 if I didn't get there already that was the windows I'm sorry. Um and then increase meadow is very similar across the elementary schools. Um increase Miller, I'm sorry, was uh 10.7 million. A

047similar spread across the priorities as well. And then we get to Lewisboro. Right now included in the capital plan. We do have a TBD included. So we do not have a dollar value associated with uh Lewis Burrow Elementary School. that's just pending some additional conversations including uh the presentation to follow this one uh as well. Um it's important to note that as we did walk through Lewisboro Elementary School um when when the previous surveys were done in 2015 and 2020 uh the majority of the building did have an unsatisfactory rating. uh and currently it is unfortunately we do have to give that building another unsatisfactory uh rating as we look at it in the building condition standpoint uh for a few reasons. The the biggest one is like your building weatherization. Uh the the the

048the roofs are not weathertight anymore. The building facade is not weathertight anymore and that that that does create an issue as we move forward and it just does not allow occupancy at the space. Um there are a number of support facilities. Uh we did spend a number of time going through them. Uh that that's that includes your bus garage that's over at uh Katona Elementary School. Uh the Shady Lane building which is very interesting be beautiful building. We did we did look at that building as well and we put a cost to there if the district was looking to reoccupy that building as well. Uh there are two wastewater treatment plants that the district owns and and has uh outsourced the maintenance portion of it, but we looked at those as well from a capital

049improvement standpoint. Uh you also have your O andM buildings, your transportation buildings, and uh your modular buildings, which were all included as part of this uh this capital plan. It's uh very important as we move forward and we talk about the financing behind it to recognize the state aid which I talked about before and then what ultimately is uh an impact on your local share or or your taxpayers. Um your state aid like I mentioned 25.3% about and that's your financial assistance for eligible capital improvement projects. Um it's based on it's a district it is a district specific ratio. uh depending on uh different demographics uh within within the area as well as your project eligibility. Um I mentioned that your reimbursement is uh 15 to 18 years following project completion depending on the type

050of project uh the project and um it's designed to help reduce that overall project cost of capital improvements. um your local share. So any anything that's not covered by the state but is is uh that does go into construction does have to be covered through local funding sources. And that is your taxes uh either on a yearly basis for smaller maintenance projects or if it's a larger capital improvement plan, it typically is administered through through a publicly approved bond. Um that debt is then borrowed at a low interest rate because of the good financial withstanding of the school district. Uh and then it's it's paid o over a number of years um to to help reduce that that that burden on the taxpayer. >> I this is not so much a question for them but

051a question at large. Um this is just to clarify for myself because as Barbara just said this is our first time being involved in this. When we vote on this in the consent agenda, we are just voting to send >> I don't think we're we're we're voting >> 11:03 the resolution regarding acceptance of the 5-year capital improvement plan. So, I'm just saying that we are only voting to send the the capital improvement plan to the state. We are not >> already. You're just accepting it. >> We're accepting their recommendation. That's what I'm saying. I just want to make sure we're not >> because you can say I don't like it, >> right? >> Take it back and bring come back again. >> So, we're going to say hopefully it'll be an acceptance piece here that

052and again it's just like Yeah. So, that way it then kind of goes into our board of ed record and then we can confirm that that then kind of stamps that in place. So, exactly it's more of an acceptance of that from the board level like any of our reports. Even the next one tonight, you know, it's kind of that it's just more of a acceptance of the report. The state requires it that's there, >> right? But in this case, if for whatever reason there was something different, the board felt like I we needed some more peace, then we'd say great, we'll come back at another time and and do that. So, >> but it does not commit us to spend no any amount of money that is because we went into the whole tax

053thing. So, I just wanted to clarify that. >> Yeah. Formal vote we see is um it's just a way of the school district maintaining a record that you've embarked on your facilities master plan. >> Any additional rebates on um on the HVAC work for for energy efficiency or >> so some of them are and depending on the time and the type uh they would be included in a project >> heat pumps or whatever. >> Yeah, if it made sense there there are rebates that are eligible. I I I hesitate to talk about them because they're always changing and um sometimes there's reasons why we're not eligible for certain things. Um but but they are and they're looked into and they're typically included. >> And the um acceptance of the of this um five-year capital plan

054also is important in terms of it's attached uh to our applications for any other project. So when we apply to do the $2.5 million of capital transfer work, any part of it that that has to go to SED, this this plan actually is sent to them as part of that and referenced in in those applications. So it allow it helps us to go forward with the things you've already approved. Uh but it does not, as you say, encumber the board with with an obligation to spend any particular amount of money here, >> especially because you don't have priority one items on the list. Mike, I just have a quick question. Um, ales, you said unsatisfactory rating. >> Les unsatisfactory. Yeah. >> I have Yeah. >> So unsatisfactory and failing are the same >> because in

055sed because I'm looking at our BCS right now and I see and and I was looking at the one in 2020. 2020 lees was because there's excellent satisfactory unsatisfactory failing. In 2020 it was unsatisfactory. Now it is failing which means it cannot be occupied. >> Okay. I'm sorry then. Yeah. So that would be I just want to clarify if that's what put on the building condition survey. I I thought I was under the impression that >> I just want to make sure everyone is publicly aware of the difference that the build where the building was 5 years ago. >> Yeah. And that's >> Thanks Mike. despite despite everything that you've put in there and do appreciate you keeping that limping >> lock the life expectancy of of roofs like you said and your building can

056only stay tight for so long without doing excessive >> that's a great point. Yeah, >> we would we would uh list it as unsatisfactory when there was still uh items that could be done to bring you into a satisfactory position, but once it does go into the failing portion, it's significantly more of an investment to bring it up into an occupiable state. >> Thank you. >> I have a question about the numbers for Shady Lane, the 1.6, and it says envelope and future use. And then in reading the report on page 15, it looks like it's um that number is for improvements to be made to the property because I just some question in June of 2024 there was um the committee presented a recommendation to the board to take the building down and the

057costs were and realize that was two years ago. So everything's doubled, but the cost at that point was 325,000 >> spitball back of envelope cost. >> Yes. >> So that would be the cost for demolition. And that's not what we included in here. We came in there um >> we actually weren't weren't I wasn't aware that that that there was the decision to to move forward. But what we did, we looked at it as if you wanted to occupy it, what's the minimum items that we would look at to include that. >> Okay. Thank I just wanted to make sure that I know costs have gone up, but I didn't think it >> No, you're still you're still right around that cost for a demolition. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. So, as we

058get into the recommended approach as we as we move forward, you know, first and foremost, it's just obviously your building weatherization, it's your it's your roofs, uh it's your facade work, uh to make sure that you're you're sealing, you're prioritizing keeping keeping your your buildings functioning. Um, next is is upgrading your infrastructure for your core uh as well as your HVAC components that are reaching your end of life because that's something that does directly affect uh occupant health moving forward. Uh, and then after after that core work is completed, those are really your level twos. You would do your interior improvements with also really layering in your enhancements. There's always going to be priority items for either new technology or spaces that have just really reached their end of life. So, we'd look to sprinkle

059those in as as funding was available for them as well. Uh, it's important to remember, too, um, you know, a lot of times we'll get the push back and say, well, we just don't want to spend anything. We don't have any money to spend. Why? Why are we going to why? Let's just say no to to spending anything. But the issue is is that those costs just continue to increase. uh construction costs go up, labor costs continue to go up and then the cost of borrowing money can usually goes up as well. Um so so things to consider. Um and then it's your failures too as as as you have critical failures. You can't then plan for for preventative maintenance. You can't schedule when you're actually going to do that work. And you can have

060a critical failure that requires you to close portion of your buildings or close full buildings. uh that could have been planned for a time when the school was just not in session. >> J. >> No, no, not at all. We won't see that. We won't see that here. Um then really as we get into and we and we we finish up the the presentation, we talk about the next steps. Um it's it's it's really refining that project phasing and priorities, what we've given you is really a fairly allincclusive manual to move forward. Um, but I also don't have have access to the checkbook to decide how we move forward. That's really what we're presenting to the board. And, you know, as we talk about where we think the financing and when the financing can happen,

061then we rep prioritize and and and move some of those items two forward, move some of those items three forward as well. Um, that's where we align with the capital funding strategy. we engage the community, which is, you know, one of the most critical portions just uh to make sure that we answer any questions that may come up um and and that we're listening to any needs that come forward as well. And then ultimately, it's that going to the state to with with any of the projects then and and going through that construction duration. And then Mike, just with that piece where you had mentioned kind of engaging with our board and our communities to move forward, we we do have um a standing committee on our finance committee. So that's where this document now

062goes to our finance committee with our board reps on there as well as our community on there. So we've got a good half a dozen or more community members that are on there. So, um, again, thank you for us getting prepared for the 26 27 school year because now this will shift to that committee and just like they've done with the last 5-year plan to help us stay away from that one rating which that team is used to. So, now they'll get the refresh look and they'll continue on that path. So, we do have that community u conversation as that is a board standing committee. So, thank you. >> Um, sure. >> Sorry, I had a couple more questions. >> Yeah, it's great. So Rey, one question for you is so understanding this process >>

063for you know we as a board received the the more comprehensive spreadsheet with uh detailed work by building and by priority and so forth and to the degree that trustees have questions about specific items whether there's something that we might think you know why is this here I thought this was previously addressed what is the right way for us as a board to be able to channel these questions so that we're all um you know >> line basically. >> Yeah. Most straightforward way to do that is to send that to myself and Lisa and then we can follow up on that with that level of detail. Um because it's your you're you're looking at um if you're putting out for bid projects and those components you say hey here's what this is what I'm willing

064to pay for my car and you already know as the car salesperson. So we want to make sure that that information is a spot that we can go ahead and directly have that and get that information to the board without saying exactly the cost of those components. But if there's any of those questions, myself and Lisa can grab those and we can go ahead and kind of pull those details uh back up to to snuff. And then certainly working with the detail with our board committee on the finance part is those would come forth. We fully anticipate some of those will come forth with whomever is on the board is representing the finance committee. They're going to be picking this up and say, "Okay, that's part of our new charge. Let's look at this. Help

065bring clarity to that part as well, too." >> There's a couple of different avenues we could approach that with. question for you guys given your experience working with so many different school districts across the state. Um what can you share with us considering that for many of us this is the first time of what great looks like in terms of community engagement and a su successful process where a board and a community really are able to hold hands and and get to a place where um you have a real excellent outcome. like what are some of the things that you've seen that that the best school districts do when it comes to this type of planning? >> It's a good question. It's also I mean it's a tough one too because there's just so many

066unknowns with it. Um it's it's making sure that you're offering the these meetings like this uh you know as you as you're making the decisions you know as frequently as you can and and and you vary the times and you vary the means of where they are. So you'll have different community conversations uh in different locations. That's a community center, sometimes outside in a library, sometimes your your senior centers as well to get the information out there. And then it's educa educating the public, putting this information uh out there of what's included uh and ask for any feedback. Um it's I say it's tough because sometimes you don't get any feedback that you're looking for. Um so you just don't know. And part of that is is is the board, you know, we ask the

067board to to to have a feel. Uh ultimately, the board represents the community. So, we ask if if you don't feel like you're getting that kind of feedback that you're looking for to kind of go out and try to talk to leaders within the community for for for more ways that you can get them more engaged. And this district has uh in the past um augmented the facilities committee with larger group of um community members uh uh to to uh help help the board sort of filter through the process. I I should maybe mention that I was once on that committee as a community member uh before the last bomb. >> Well, we're glad to have you here now in this capacity that you have all of this institutional history. It's really helpful to us.

068So, thank you. >> A subcommittee, you mean? Uh, no. I I mean I it was just a facilities committee which has has community members as well as um and if you're >> you know as you're >> chewing on this very large report um you know it's it it may be helpful to the board who has many other duties and committees to deal with to sort of farm out some of that filtering through the the the report to choose what to do to to a facilities committee. Obviously, this is a lot to process and, you know, a lot of committee work to be done. Um, but like just generally speaking, you know, hearing that the roofs need to be replaced is definitely, you know, a a big deal. How long do we I mean, obviously they

069weren't priority one. How long of a phase is priority two? Like, h how long does the board have to deliberate? >> There's Yeah. Um, you know, there's there's it's a varying uh it's a varying degree of roof failure across the district. Uh, Mike's very proactive when he knows that there's a leak, looking into it, trying to repair it. Um, so there's no catastrophic failures, but there's some roofs that do need to be considered within the next year and then the following year as well. >> And year to year, the priorities can change as you as we go along. >> Things We have to deal with it. >> Yeah. But I think >> and they have because as recently as our prior BCS and correct me if I'm wrong, but >> roofs were not part of

070the equation for the most part for John J. Middle School and John J High School where right now we're looking at millions of dollars of correct >> potential costs and priority too. They were not even part of the BCS in 2021. >> And I think you're going to see a very diverse portfolio of of what we've looked at even though you'll see high numbers on the roofing end. I think that goes without saying roofing is expensive. But when you look at everything we captured, everything they captured as the team of engineers and architects and everything I captured in facilities with the help of department heads, principles, you're going to see a little bit of everything on the list. That's why it does take forever to go through this list. >> It does cover everything you

071can think of. And and a short answer on the question of how long the board has for any priority 2 item is essentially it it's varies and it's one to five years. If it if it's going to fall within this fiveyear period, it's in that category that you should be addressing it. So it it totally varies by building by roof of each building because some of these buildings have multiple multiple wings and parts. Um but then one other factor which I think may be reassuring is that there are improvements in the roofing technology since the last time these roofs were done. And uh you'll see some improvements in HVAC performance because you may use a white roof where it used to be black and the building just reflects the sun instead of absorbing heat. So

072there are and then they'll also just last typically last longer although these are complicated issues in terms of what is specified and what the warranty period is for any particular product that you specify but there's hope that that it might last longer next time than it did this time. One just footnote question and maybe process question and primarily because tonight we have on our agenda consent agenda 14.11 um the next opportunity for the board to take action as a result of our community thank you community approving Proposition 2 um to be able to spend money out of the capital reserve. Um so from a planning standpoint if tonight's uh more comprehensive document becomes the planning document for the finance committee let's say to begin to really um pour over we have articulated by school the

073various expenditures and sort of the high level summary but I appreciated that on your earlier slide in the presentation tonight you captured I think what we would describe as like Katona Lewisboro's values which or you know sort of buckets prioritization which included interior exterior site HBAC athletic sustainability and billing envelope. Um and with regard to the athletics piece, what is the process for now deciding how the money gets spent on either the priority twos or the other items. um because I don't think that the comprehensive document that you've provided to us provides kind of an executive summary if you will. So I'm just sort of looking to connect the dots between the executive summary and tonight's item on the consent agenda and asking the question like what happens next there? So, um it's it's that

074that financial piece that's really the next step. Um as we determine what the funding potentially could look like over the next two years, then it's would be sent back to my team to say, "Okay, we have this amount of money to spend. What would you recommend should be our priorities? Where do you think we have the most advantage of the different items?" and and we would give you a suggestion, but then we would listen to your feedback as well because it may not necessarily be a priority for for for you even though we see it as a priority. >> Thank you. >> Um I just finish up this presentation with a few pictures. We have thousands upon thousands of pictures. Um but uh just starting really with some roof work, some facade work, some of

075your boiler infrastructure, uh some interior curtain wall replacements, um some some dooring, some some door frame upgrades, some store saddle upgrades, again some facade work. Uh you'll see storage. Storage is an item that we discuss in the capital improvement plan uh time and time again as well within the district. And then uh flooring is another item. So, we have a few a few pictures of flooring as well. Uh you'll see some more pictures of bathrooms, shower facilities, uh some CA kitchen or cafeteria items. Uh that could use upgrading. Again, some more facade work. Uh flooring, some gym flooring, uh issues, uh cafeteria, general space upgrades, and then roofing uh as well. Just another roof and vent picture. >> Turkey buzzard roof you got there. Y um and then that's where I conclude this portion of

076of the presentation. If there's any any more questions at this point, I'm happy to answer them. >> So, thank you for the opportunity for um you know, myself and and and and H2M to be part of this capital plan. We're we're happy to answer, you know, any questions that you may have at any time. And it's been a pleasure working working in the district as well. >> Thank you, Marjorie. Thank you for raising the roof from last year. And I just want to say how fortunate we are that we have at least one trustee that has gone through this rodeo before to help us along. Um, thank you. >> All right. And our team's going to stay here for a little bit, but we're going to shift to the next piece of the conversation in

077relationship to this work and we'll see if we can get the uh next slide piece up there from the back to Rich if you don't mind. We'll shift that over to the ales path forward update. So, thanks Um, and then Mr. Lavoy, if you wouldn't mind if we could maybe grab that remote if you could help me. >> Yeah. Oh, no. You can give it to Mike. They they don't usually give it to me. It's okay. I I've come to grips with it now, Mike. I appreciate it. So, thank you. So, and this was a little bit shorter in the slide piece. So, um, again, just what we're coming back is looking about where we are with that path forward with ALES as we spoke about tonight here a few times. Just want to go

078to the next slide and we'll talk a little bit from that June 4th meeting where we had some conversation regarding some of the facility realities and concerns. Again, you you have seen tonight where we just identified that that um campus is at a failure rating and so where it's not occupiable anymore. Um again then we spoke a little bit about that day about decommission planning a little bit about how do we re-engage with community some of the proposed timeline. So tonight hope to go back and look at some of those timeline decisions, progress on the information gathering as well as some of the information where we're looking at the PK request for information going out for RFI and then some of the upcoming decision points. So we'll head to that next slide. So, wanted to

079share this piece in particular because this does give that kind of where uh Marjgery's helped all of us and Barbara's mentioned before about kind of going back and kind of see where the starting point of this was. And so, thinking back, you know, over a decade now from when that campus was identified, we needed to close for a myriad of different reasons. Again, our Mike Lavoy obviously was in the district at that point in time. And you I won't grab all of these bullets by any means, but if you look at a few of those again where the reality is is that the school closed. We're looking at that point in time and we had a Lewis for utilization committee that convened tw back in 2015 and then we look at additional committee members that

080did that to make that kind of really obviously tough decision and I would say that it was the decision there that needed to be made. What looking back is easy for me. It's 2020 declaning enrollment. You made the decision. Reshifting the your your elementary boundaries. Made that decision and you look back at right now we've been able to go ahead and maintain three outstanding elementary schools and middle school and high school. And then coming out of that, what are some studies for future possible opportunities? And again, you can see not just for a couple of months, but over a few years, the district partnered with real estate and explore possible opportunities with different real estate folks coming in and looking at what could you could you possibly consider in doing that. So that group spent

081a number of years on that work and then shifting to the kind of the review of that again looking at the finance committee looking at where that now the going back again to our finance committee that has been always involved in this work. the usage of the ales and usage of shady lane. So as we walk that piece forward continued discussions to ultimately where that phase four is again that property review establish clear ales and shady lane targets. So even to the adopting the charge that subcommittee of the shading piece then specifically in June of 24 where the committee determined removal of the shading building while preserving the property and then also that they should be retained for future district use there for that property and then specific to ales five key areas that were

082identified for further exploration. And then in that spot that as we know of just shortly thereafters then the update came to the board committee re-engaged and when that committee re-engaged for purposes of allees that is when the significant adjustment came from the state with now a funding uh support for UPK what was4 $5400 to $10,000 which as we know when we spoke before was anticipated to be into law now is law and is part of the most recent budget that was passed by the state. And so that's an overview of kind of where we're at. And then in stage five is now we're in a space where the concepts we brought forth pieces were identified. I think it was the fourth scenario where that piece at the last um budget and vote and decision vote

083here in May uh was a differential of a 22 vote that missed the ability for us to go back and take the initial piece of looking at what should we do in the next spot. So, I just wanted to go all the way kind of back to that spot, not hit everything. And this is not a list of exhaustive lists either. I just try to grab a few keys before we head on. Caroline, any thoughts on that? >> Yeah, I was just curious when the when in the 2021 is that finance committee presents their findings to the to the BOE. The the conclusion was that continuing to lease it was not profitable to the district. Correct. Like, talk to me about >> So, >> those pre I wasn't here for that. >> Yeah. So, at

084that point, the decision of the finance committee was to not sell the property, >> right? >> Um, they were renting it, but the cost to rent the revenues were not were starting to not keep up >> not keep up with any improvements we could make on the building. The leasing was not a it was not a um long-term possibility, >> right? And so if you look at our first discussion when Julia brought it up um when we when we started talking about forming the ales committee, Rory was chair of the finance committee at that point and actually when the first discussion about having another committee came up he said we've already done this >> um you know the finance committee you know we just keep kicking the can down the road. So when the new

085committee was formed again in 2024, it really was this time it's it's to the point now where repairs are going to exceed our revenues clearly and we now need to really make a decision. We there there's no more band-aids that might could put on the building anymore >> and we're failing now. So >> neither here nor there. But I was just curious. >> Yeah, much bigger band-aids. Yeah, but it there was a pretty robust discussions along the the way um over the last two years about we just keep saying we can deal with it later and >> later is now here. >> Yeah. Yeah, we're here. >> Well, well, to be clear, we weren't saying that we'll deal with this later, right? We weren't taking in the money to to deal with it. >> No,

086I'm saying like back in 20, you know, 2015 201 14, it was like, oh, we'll we'll deal with it later. We're okay. >> 2020 I I want to clarify for the people watching. It's not that we put off something that we could do. We couldn't we couldn't make those improvements at the time. >> Well, and we also couldn't as fiscal stewards. You can't That's what I mean. >> Yeah. You can't put the money into a school where no students are, >> right? Even though the building was occupied by lees, we weren't charging them nearly what we would need to charge them to have kept the building in a good space. We even looked um early on in the committee work we we talked about a long-term lease having somebody come in and basically take over

087control and financial wherewithal of the building. Um and there was a lot of discussions about that, but then it's like, well, do you have to repay the person who's put all that money in? You know, it's it's our building. And so that that discussion went around the circle for a couple of times in our meetings. And at the end of the day, we're like, that's just not where we want to be. And you know, there's just too many problems and liabilities um that would go on with that, >> right? And because of our good partnership with the town, we weren't charging them nearly the rate that we could have charged for that type of building. >> Right. >> You you would certainly see that. And I think at least mentioned at our last uh board

088meeting when we talked about when that shifted to a multi-year piece lease to then went to a monthly because the board clearly saw us like look it continues to go ahead and become extended life. It's beyond life expectancy. So we can't say oh great you got it for the next 24 or 36 months. It's we we can only step it out a few months at a time. And again, as we heard from the team earlier today, now it is at a failing state, >> right? >> Which again, the team can speak much better than I can, thinking back to a building that at the 2013 time point in time. You would have been saying, okay, pretty clear in the next 3 to 5 years, you're doing roofs. Now, you haven't put a new roof on

089there in, you know, 14 years. We would not or should not be surprised of where we're at now. >> Yeah. >> I think we have the question of whether or not we were negligent in having people in there. And I just want to point out that we were not negligent in having people in there. People were aware of what the condition of the building was and we were doing this on a month-to-month basis. >> And if I could just say over the past five years as the tenants were there, >> operations would handle emergency service repairs. They became exorbitantly expensive and washed away what you would call that neutral >> balance of having them in there for such a low cost. we're actually eating a lot of the cost with these major failures and they're

090only going to get worse. >> And when you start talking about the roof, >> that's like not attainable out of the on andm budget. >> So, >> you know, and I know one of the discussions that's come up in the community is, well, we should just sell the property. You know, we don't need it at the moment. There's no other land if we would need it. Um, and Marjorie, I was as I was going back looking at notes, I know at one meeting you actually raised the fact that selling it could be actually detrimental to our tax cap um whereas it would be a one-time infusion >> um and then it would affect what we could bring in for a tax cap um in the future. >> Yes. I mean it would be revenue mean

091there would be a way to amateurize it. >> Um and but it would actually it would affect our >> we would have this influx of of revenue even if it was amateurized over 15 years or whatever the case may be still it would be a large influx. >> So it would reduce the levy because we would have this other source of revenue. >> We would have another source of revenue. >> So I mean there was there were a lot of discussions that went on. You know, our first charge for Lewisboro was a three-month charge because, you know, Rory's like, "We've done this. We just need to have a quick decision." And as we started meeting with our community members who were phenomenal, um, we realized there really was no easy solution. Hard was hard in

092in this decision. And, you know, any solution that we were looking at was a seven minimum seven figure and multi-7 figure back then. Um, and we talked about that often at the table. Um, >> and Lorraine, I just want to piggyback on the point about once you start reducing that levy, it's like to get, you know, when that one time or even if it's, you know, for a certain amount of time period of time, once that revenue goes away, we can never catch up again to um to that tax levy. That's why we always talk about managing our tax levy and you know keeping our debt stable because that's a exclusion in the tax levy limit and the tax cap calculations. So it's just something you have to be cognizant of of one-time influctuations of

093revenue and and just overall for the district. I mean that was like during COVID that was a big thing that all of us looked at and we talked about um about what we were going to add and everything with those dollars because they're onetime influctuation influx of dollars. Also, you know, there there there could be a time that some kind of affordable housing is built or something happens and our population goes up and the need for the land if we were to have sold it would be >> correct me if I'm wrong, but you just it's eminent domain, right? Like you just go take the land you need for the school and it's not fun >> for the community for the people who own that land. >> That's a that's a horrible process and thing

094to do to a community versus just saving this property. Yes. Um do you >> agree? Yeah, >> and and I'm and I'm I'm just following up on some of the other pieces where I know the idea of like even where do we go forward with this now and how to use a campus and how do we think about the UPK that still lies ahead of us and so you know some handful of uh pieces I've heard is that you know like the idea of the fifth grade moving to like the middle school and so that's a piece like thinking about with our architect team here tonight the reality of okay that's that initially might sound like that may be a piece that you're okay, but it's it is by no means uh something that doesn't

095have impact from a uh fiscal side. And so when you think about if you have to create oh move our four sections out of one of our schools, move them to the middle school, you think you'd have four sections behind, we wouldn't. The reality is is you you have now to go back in, you have the reality of the restrooms that we do have to deal with. Then as soon as you touch any of those rooms, your gentleman can speak to that. Four doesn't equate to four, you you're definitely going to lose one. You might very lose two classrooms. So four will actually generate two. You're talking about now across the three schools. You don't capture all of those classrooms, you're losing um classrooms by thinking you have moving to the middle. >> So you're

096saying space-wise if I lose four fifth grade classrooms that that only really equals two preschool classrooms by the time you give them the correct square footage and put in the bathrooms needed. And that's where then the cost of okay then when you think about then we're going to add classrooms. >> So that's only six per elementary school. >> Yeah. Basically. >> Yeah. >> And they're not even talking about the educational impact of you know >> middle schoolers on the bus with >> Yeah. And fifth graders in the same building as eighth graders >> and that's where just from an again operational piece too of like the cafeteria pieces. That's a very different part that you'd be looking at. Even the physical education setting arrival and dismissal procedures that you're looking at fifth grade children they

097have their generalist classroom teacher throughout the day. You're not on a rotating schedule piece. So there are significant changes and things. Schools, all kinds of schools shape it up. I've been in spaces where they met a K1212 building, but it is designed from that from the get-go. You got your 9 through 12 kiddos in here. You got a space over on the side of the middle school. and you got your K through five little ones coming in. When you're starting out from the designing standpoint, absolutely. But and we were designed as a K through five neighborhood school, but we we had four as we've spoken about tonight. We have three now in those neighborhoods across our community. You'd be shifting that whole piece to now your K through four. So your student leaders in essence

098at the elementary school and from a um developmental and a social kind of of of development space now moving those students into that middle school level that was not designed to do that. You're talking about where do they eat? How do they eat? Our cafeteria is fully filled all day long during time of lunch with our middle school children. And you're if you wouldn't be designing a campus like that during fifth grade. Nothing is impossible in my mind. It's just this would be a very very large test do and it is by no means costneutral of anything. You're talking again seven figure numbers to try to go back into these spaces and into every building. So I don't know if the team wants to speak to any of those son of challenges from an architectural

099engineering side. >> I mean you did you did a great job of really summarizing everything that we would say. Um, the only thing I would add is that it's just even if the space was available, which we're not seeing that there is easily dedicated space in the middle school at all by any means. Not even just talking about classroom space, not even talking about cafeteria or any of the other the like gymnasium spaces or anything like that. But the process of trying to upgrade a building to change the classroom dynamics would is going to be ex extremely um uh cumbersome and and and and disruptive to different areas of of the school. You know, you're talking about having to close down an entire wing for probably close to a year and a half time period.

100It just it it offers uh an incredible amount of of of coordination and and and that that that does inherently affect the operations. >> And when you talk about um availability of classrooms, if I'm understanding correctly, so I know there's been confusion that it'll say, let's say the middle school is at 80% capacity. What I'm hearing you say is it doesn't mean 20% of the building is empty. It means that within those classrooms there may be more capacity if we were to increase class sizes significantly in order to get more people in the building. >> That's exactly what it means. It means that you have enough enough seats available to increase your capacity by that 20%. >> You know, and another good example is Meadow Pond, the changes that we've made over Meadow Pond over

101the years, there's almost an entire wing taken up now with our special education programs, our OT rooms, our PT rooms, our um small classes. So where that used to all be classrooms for gened, those are now space for not only our students, but they're also revenue producing in that when um Eileles and her team find a student in another district that's a good fit for our program and our program is a good fit for that student, they're now joining us and we're gaining revenues there. But there's a whole wing that's now no longer available because we've made we've invested in these changes for our students. >> I would also just emphasize the disruption involved because essentially every school other than the high school will be impacted by the idea of moving the fifth graders to,

102you know, shifting around fifth graders and making room for UPK in each of the elementary school buildings. And you con you would contrast that with the uh the previous idea um uh that where all of the work all the disruption is in an unused building >> uh as opposed to all the disruption is in every kid under 8th and on down is being disrupted. >> Yeah. And in addition to that we just invested a lot of money into the flooring in the elementary schools. All that would be for not we'd have to renovate and take out the stuff we just installed. >> Uh which isn't great. >> Yeah. So just to put sort of a period on this question of moving fifth grade to the middle school. It might seem simple when you think enrollment

103declined at some point. We you know we had schools that were fuller at one point. Can't we just This sounds like a simple solution but when you start to really look at it both in terms of space requirements, educational requirements, disruption, cost, it is really not anything close to simple and in fact probably the most disrupt disruptive option on the table >> and class size. >> Right. Right. >> Our classes were much bigger thousand more students. We weren't at 18 19 kids. >> Right. Can we talk about costs briefly too? Like you know it was $6,000 for $6 million, excuse me dollars for four classrooms addition at increase Miller. So you're talking around that if not more to take those fifth grade classrooms and turn them into preschool classrooms which aren't even enough. But let's

104say we made those six classrooms 6 12 18 million plus the renovations at the middle school to have it be a place for fifth graders. Um you're you're at bond already. >> Yeah, >> it's probably going to be more because the addition at Increased Miller is an addition. It's new clean slate. You don't have environmental concerns. You don't have to worry about asbestous or anything like that. You don't have to worry about existing conditions that are problematic for reconstruction renovation. So, I'd say it's probably more. >> So, even probably more expensive to move the fifth graders and renovate in both places. All well, four. You're renovating at four schools then. >> Yeah. New construction is predictable, I think, for architects. Renovations aren't. >> And the older the building, the less predictable it is. And so,

105of course, KES would be the most uh disrupted because >> when was that when was that building built again? >> 1939. >> So, um because of the nature of the construction of that building, it just does not lend itself to changing 700 square foot rooms into 900 foot rooms. you're talking about moving, you know, bearing bearing walls, not not working within a steel frame. >> Yeah. >> So, whenever the question comes up again on June 18th, for about 30 minutes, we have gone through all of the reasons why this does not make sense financially for the kids and so forth. >> I think I'd like to stay on this though for just a minute because I think we've done a really great job asking questions about the infrastructural barriers to implementing UPK at each of

106the elementary schools. And I wonder what our administration thinks about the inefficiencies from a pedagogical educational standpoint of offering UPK across the three elementary schools. And I'm wondering whether we want to just go even a step further in talking about from a delivery of UPK standpoint. And I know we've just issued the RFI and maybe we're going to learn more about this from the RA RFI. So, I don't mean to get ahead of our next conversation, but you know, once we make the decision that we're just going to decentralize how we implement, at that point, why wouldn't we just implement at the local sites of prek providers, period? And is that what other school districts are proposing to do? Because many school districts don't have any kind of luxury to talk about finding space in

107their existing infrastructure. it wouldn't even be a conversation of the board of education, you know. So, we're I think entertaining questions that have been asked and wonderings in our community. Um, and now I think we're hearing some answers for the again infrastructural and cost barriers to that model. Can we talk for a minute about this other model? And I really value your thoughts on all of that. >> Yeah. And and so that'll be a part of kind of and we'll just skip to the next slide if it's okay because I can just pick it right up there where Marjorie led us. So on that next piece, you'll see that that number two there of information for that prek um component has gone out. Lisa's team has sent that out for a request for information for

108the anybody that is interested can go ahead and and help us understand the cost and and Lisa's team did ask and I'm going you presented it in two different ways kind of we were asking for that if you don't mind sharing that Lisa. >> Yes. So asking if um what would be the cost if you provided the facility space or if we provided. So, we're asking for those two scenarios. And um and again, if um it's a if it is a private daycare, we still have to allocate at least 10% for that collaboration with the CBO. So that again, so that takes money out of that budget because there always has to be a minimum 10%. But if you're working with the CBO, then that's already included in that. So >> you say that again.

109So there is a requirement in the UPK legislation that there is collaboration between the school district and community based organizations. So um the CCC is an forprofit is considered C it is considered a CBO. Um but there is you are required to spend a minimum of 10% on collaboration with the CBO and that is a requirement of the grant and of the legislation >> because it is a val because they want it again to be like a community you know it's a part of your community so that's you know just seeing that model of >> so am I understanding that 10% of our 250 ballpark 250 spots would need to be administered by a CBO >> it wouldn't have to be administered it would just we would have to allocate 10% >> of each $10,000

110>> a minimum a minimum of 10%. So if it was a so there is a collaboration between the district whether it is again from a planning of um of the program or however it works out. It's just typically that's why um school districts tend to work directly with CBOS because then you don't have that part of like having it in a private and and then also having to pull in a CBO and a third party because you know Julia and her team you know um you know because we because we decide the curriculum as a school district even if we are contracting with another space it is it is our curriculum that we dict that we say that is going to be incorporated into that when we work in collaboration with them, right? And and

111I I think to answer your question, the more that there are, the less like uh coherent it would be when we have just one partner, it's easy. If we had it within our own walls, that would be probably the most efficient. Also, for the transition from preK to K and we could have the greatest oversight. right now is kind of a collaboration with their existing practices and we try to inform them to the degree that we can on on what is current and support them in whatever ways we can with what they need. >> Um but the more fractured that becomes if we were to scatter throughout multiple community based organizations um I I think the the >> coherence >> yeah the less coherent and effective it could be potentially and to answer your other

112question about other districts like there isn't a lot of space out there and people seem to be scrambling a bit to try to create partnerships if they don't exist. The not all community based organizations have the space either. >> So, it's a real challenge to find the skin. Did we send out the RFI to just nurse uh programs in our >> We sent it to everyone. >> Regional. >> Our registar our registar provided a list of all of our um all of the daycare preschool programs that our incoming K use and that she does outreach for. And then I also got a list from um state ed that they have of community based organizations that they get from the OSC office of children family services and um because last week I was at you know

113my organizations conference and someone from state ed was presenting on UPK and there were quite a bit of grumbling going on because it's not that people don't want it. just that it is really it there is especially in this part of the state it is very difficult there there isn't a lot of programs and um you know in the buildings existing there isn't the space in buildings existing it's denser population so >> so I can imagine that all the other districts around uset are going to be sending out to to this weight and poundage monasteri and country children's center and kona kids >> and I send to private I send to all everyone because we want to have the greatest amount of information to provide back to you to say this is this is what

114the landscape truly looks like >> and we look forward to hearing that back. I I hear two two concerns with that model of going into the community and one is the the difficulty of coherent of having a coherent pre prek consistent instruction happening at so many organizations that then we're responsible for oversight obviously not as much oversight as we give our current staff teachers but oversight um and I do have want to put a pin on like I do think the community probably could use some some understanding of what our curriculum and what we mean by that. I think there's a lot of fear of losing play-based instruction, which um would not be the case, I don't believe, with our program. I think it's developmentally appropriate for preschoolers, but I want to I think there's

115a lot of questions. So, I like putting a pin on that. And then in regards to the space, um I think people are very confused about the square footage conversations. We have square footage requirements for building a units. Those are different square footage requirements for ACBO to have preschool. Um, but then there's also when we say there's a lack of space, and correct me if I'm wrong when I say this, but if we have $10,000 now per head, um, there is a minimum square footage requirement per student that that student needs in in that space. So then you it's a bit of a math situation where sure I have a teacher and a room and an aid, right? a teacher in aid and I have space, but that space only qualifies for up to, let's

116say, 13 kids or 14 kids. That's what we mean when we say we're out of space. Am I hearing that correctly? Because then I have to have a teacher for five hours and an aid for five hours for if I only can fit 13 kids in that space, that's 130,000 to pay that teacher in the aid. I might I might be going off on a tangent, but I think there's a lot of nuances to the square footage that is confusing to the community, including myself. Like when we say we're out of space, I mean, what does that mean? like in CBOS's like I mean we're gonna find out what they say but oh >> well I think if I'm tell me if I'm going in a different direction but I'm thinking when we talk about

117space at CBOS any CBO that has tons of space available would not be running a viable business right now >> right like if they're sitting and they have room for 50 kids they wouldn't be able to operate in their current space because it would be half empty so from what I'm hearing you know if we could cobble together space here space there's space there. Um, it also makes me think of the equity issue that we were talking about from the beginning um, with this program where we said right now we're only able to accommodate I guess essentially one-third right of families that are looking for UPA. I wonder if we are kind of peacemealing this together. If that then becomes an equity thing of this family wants this space because it's closer to their home

118now. This family wants that space and it's not fair for them to have to travel more. And I wonder if we're creating more inequities by having so many partners. >> Yes, I think so. I think I'm also trying to say that it is a financial difficulty for some of the CBOS to to pay for it given that it's five hours and a that amount per kid and the space limits the amount of kids you can have for that teacher and aid. I guess that's what I'm trying to say, but I I could be wrong. I could be here. >> No, I think there's a lot of pieces running through here. So, one of those I would say that and kind of Lisa would mention it as well too, but kind of in the the idea

119about the grant, there's different lure for teachers for prek as well. And so, if you're not at the right lensure, we will not receive the $10,000. So when you say space, there's not as many licensed >> um not at the level that we would >> and we don't know that exactly yet until we get the RFI back. But that's a different >> certification rate. So it's it's a higher level of um reimbursement with the N2 certification versus a teacher a non-certified teacher providing education in that program that we receive a lesser amount from the state. So it's a higher allocation when you have a certified teacher providing um the education. >> So that's one piece. And then another piece I think I heard in there was just like we have now with our partner now

120we have the 9 to2 school day and then our partner now currently does what's identified as a wraparound right >> and so that wraparound allows that business model to work and so the dollars come from the district or state to the district to kind of take the middle the wraparound experiences allow for that business to have a effective strong business model and in this case the reality is everything that I have heard through a number of families amilies and we'll continue to hear is that there are waiting lists as they currently exist right now in our community for the 2-year-olds and three-y olds or four-y olds. And so if we're able to create a space where the four-year-olds may come to our campus, well then that allows the three and the 2-year-olds to expand within

121the re within our area. And so the ability for us to have it be a win-winwin is there. So now our our community based organizations will win, our students will not be able to do that. and then we'll win as be able to use and and save the space for a community. So there is a clear business model that does allow that for what we're living right now. It truly actually expands that. It doesn't shrink it. >> Yeah. >> I think you had something there too. I'm sorry. >> It I thought that that was the second part that you were going to answer and you did answer this very well before. I may have forgotten and I was wondering if this is part of Caroline's question. There was a community question about why do we

122keep saying 900 square feet as opposed to and so if you could just >> also bring our team in here too. So any one and Lisa can speak to it as well. Anytime we we basically touch one of those spaces you have to now meet with what are the requirements for this age student. >> Yeah that's a clear requirement dictated by the state. >> Well but there was a question you you had answered this. There's I think it's for one of the grants you have to have 900 because I think if they're in the private facilities maybe they can have 700 square feet >> if well part of it is is if also if we touch and if we need to get um as we spoke about the aid aidable rate we have to get

123that aidable rate as well too to get access to those dollars on any it was the rate maximizing the the building aid on the program >> right but I want to clarify then when we say there's not we anticipate we're hoping We'll see what what the RFI returns. Really, we were kind of guessing. But when we say lack of space, we're not talking about the square footage then. We're talking about literal >> just available. Available seats. >> Exactly. >> There aren't there aren't enough classrooms. There are enough space, physical space, >> those seats. >> But I'm saying that is also limited by the amount of kids you can fit in their classrooms, too. And the the number of kids you can fit in for the hours and the math of of can a salary, you

124know. >> Yep. Right. That's why the Louiswis bro it's a double space issue then is what we're saying >> but space also physical space these providers are missing the physical space that it would require to service the amount of kids that we were talking about both end >> and the finance committee actually when we were developing and researching this and developing the RFP and everything Bill went he went he hit the streets and started asking people I'm not program seriously about can you you know would you be available ble to pro, you know, we were trying to find who we should send the RFP out to and and they were said, we don't have the space, we don't have space, we don't have all their programs and all the all their classrooms were taken. >>

125When I looked to go back to work, I could not find uh full-time care for my son. It's not it's not it's a it's a huge problem in this community and and what we were talking about was providing the the 9 to2 preschool and allowing the pro provider a provider >> to provide the wraparound care. So it essentially becomes a daycare center, early learning child center, but also daycare for our working parents. >> If that's what they chose to do, then they'd have that option. >> But that's the abs. >> Absolutely. >> There is definitely a need. >> Yeah. >> And I think I'm going to go back. I know. Thank you, Margie, for asking the team. I was going to go ahead and see if I grabbed you for a second because one of

126their pieces I don't want to miss in here. We have students right now that are four-year-olds that need special education services. And so how we're delivering those are are you're going into all these different spaces where this centralized would provide some different opportunities. I know we briefly had a chance to talk about that a little bit now where some OT services and PT services and those things are delivered and even the hope would be if we get some of our most intensely needed ch children here instead of heading to Rockland County or something they're here. You wouldn't mind speaking to that just a little bit because you know better I don't you've seen where our and we're doing through the prek spot right now. we've got children who need services and they're scattered across the

127community and so now having this prediction go ahead and share that. So >> sure. So we currently have about 60 students that are in the CPSC >> about 60 students maybe more that are in the CPSC process or under the CPSC which receive special education supports. Um and some of them are in centerbased programs and as we mentioned there's very few programs in our area and for the most significant um disabled students they do have to travel um either down county or even as far as um Rockland County for those particular programs. How many students did you say? about 60 >> 16 >> 60 6 families in our district that are ser having to find services >> CPSC for different some of them just get related services some of them do have centerbased programs so

128the services can vary depending on the the disability >> we're ensuring that 60 preschool students receive services at this time >> either centerbased or related services >> or related services >> and and if just for the group just related services such as >> that's what you were referring to speech and langage services, OT or PT. >> So, those may be services that they get in their home. Somebody goes to them or they go to a school or to a doctor. >> They're not in a center based. Um, they're getting it whatever preschool they're in or in their home. Correct. >> And are we are are we providing that or are there other third party providers for that? >> Third party providers. >> Some Yeah, most are third party providers. >> So, this would allow your

129department to to centralize the No, >> no. The services will still be provided through a third party provider. It will just be for um they'll have more options to be locally >> to be locally and not traveling. Their families don't have to travel >> and socialization, >> right? >> I think those are the the pieces that I was hearing. I really appreciate the board to have that conversation. And I I I know some of these pieces we've kind of had a little bit before, but the reality is again with our architect team here, it is it is not from a financial spot. It's it's like and I like the way you described Mike. The reality is you you could be spending more going there is because as soon as you start having to go ahead

130and take down weight bearing walls and things like that, it's not going to be anything that's less. So the idea about if if that's a spot, then it it so I'll get on to the map then. So the next space will be looking like for some of the facility pieces. So that's assessing building conditions. Again, we'll continue to work with our architect team and their engineering team to see exactly where that would look like. And then we spent a little bit of time of talking about that tonight. The reality of us going in and moving that does not exist. So that will then based upon tonight's conversation allow us to focus in on the leases piece as we will look at bringing more further information to the board on that spot. What could be adjusted

131or what would it take? And so the reality is is that right wrong or indifferent now if we're if we're able to move forward if we do determine to go back and see if we're going to do that we're going to have that information as well as we'll have the prek information from our local groups before our July 30th meeting. So we'll have that and then we'll have the fiscal analysis. So what are some of those cost realities that come in place and tie into this work. So that's where ultimately on that fifth one is that kind of deliberation there. we'll start that on the 30th and ultimately walk us to the uh August one. >> So, I think what I'm hearing and and I think we touched on this before is your team is

132going to go back and look at ales and and some of the opportunities that we have with the construction piece there, right? We talked we talked about that. >> So, part of that just kind of like they did in the first time, we'll be asking again. And so, we said the team broke down like section A, section B, section C, section C. we're going to go back again and just check those numbers because the numbers the team developed were based upon a 2027 start. So, we need to give them a chance to go back and look at that. So, yes, we will go back and then bring that back on the table and saying here's what roughly each one of those elements does cost. >> And since we're going back in to look at that

133and you had said before and I know it's not going to be the same as our, you know, our SEP or C, what's that SCP? I know it's not going to be the same as that, but there was like the dream, what we would love to do if we had to do it. This is what it could take to make it work. Could we get something like that? Right? Like some some options. That's a map of it. But could we then break it down and say, "Hey, this is what would make everything that we're talking about ideal. This is would make it work for UPK. This could make it work for some other option. Right. >> So, I think that that's the intent where we would be able to bring back that information relatively straightforward

134because there are some things that like aren't an option. We have to do the roof on all those. >> Yeah. >> And so, those are pieces and Mike's team is already and our team has already identified like the slate roof. It's the original. >> Yeah. >> It's like 85 years old. >> Like, okay, you're going to have to fix that. And other ones are on their same. So, we'll be able to bring back those spots and say, well, can we replace this part of the roof in 20 more years? reality the youngest roof over there for example is at the um gymnasium and I believe that's a 96 that right 93 >> 03 is the new gym but that's a three tab shingle roof >> right >> they don't that's not a long >> no

135it's like you got in your house basically you got your three tab so we'll be able to bring that detail for you and that'll be part of the fiscal analysis we can look at that >> and we'll also look at different components in there so the board can in essence >> say okay let me play the chess board here a little bit and we'll have some wrong number. Okay, slide this off. Tell tell them what we're getting there. Slide this back on. So there'll be an opportunity to look at. >> Exactly. >> Okay. >> And some of that is in the survey. Right. >> And those are some of the questions that'll be asked from our survey piece. So from our community um right now we've we're we've got my understanding we've got that survey

136going with an outside group that's come forth and they're doing that lift for us. So they've identified that survey, they got created, sent it out. I think there's already over 500 respondents who have completed so far. The mailings are starting to show up in mailboxes here today and over the weekend and things like that. So, we'll anticipate getting a bunch more of that. So, that survey then will come forth. We'll have a report from that group for the July 30th meeting. Also, as part of that survey, there was a question if folks would be interested in more of like a focus group. So, that team is going to identify whom might be a part of focus groups. I think right now they're planning on running six of them. If you recall kind of when we

137did our PCG group on special education same model we did a survey we did focus groups they're going to run that all that data will also be available for us on the 30th so that's again that idea about the community survey one RFI coming in two facility fiscal analysis will be two and three that will feed into the July 30th meeting so Mike if you don't mind sliding to the next slide there for a second so here's a little bit of update progress on that so the surveys out and being completed As I mentioned before, um we again will have that ready for the July 30th meeting as well as all of these. The next one is the idea about the survey volunteers that's built inside of there. So that's already being populated. Monday actually

138we do have a kind of a open conversation or an FAQ kind of piece with our community on that one and I believe we have two of our board members will be there that night. We also have NY will be there on that night as well too from that from our partnership there and Mike will be there and myself and Lisa will be there. to kind of open that up as much as we can to just be available to what wonderings that folks might have on that one. And then we'll continue with our facility analysis as Arwin you were just saying in the fiscal analysis working with architects and our team internally then that data set will be also brought forth to that meeting >> you know. Thank you. So go ahead. >> Um so

139for this like July 30th meeting like like we were talking about before like the priorities like what we would have is one of those like you're saying like let's say we don't add like the gym for example like is that is that what you're talking about? Yes, that's a great example. We say okay with the gym, without the gym, tell me the differential and that's where our hope is to work with our team that we the our architect team can give us pricing in that and even some details with the gym like current model was it was attached. What if it's not attached and so those are some pieces that we can have the basic Lego building blocks and the numbers align with it >> and we can have that conversation. That's a great example.

140Thank you, Hudson. Yeah, >> you know, one option we haven't really talked about is, you know, we talked about moving some to the middle school and then expanding those. But one option we haven't talked about is constructing new classrooms at the existing elementary schools, which maybe could work for increased Miller and maybe could work for me pond. It would be expensive, six million plus based upon what we just did over at Increased Miller, but that would never work for Katona because there's just not the space there. I think Mike is up for that. I'm not >> that might get him a resation. >> Not interesting. >> And again, I think that's a very a very clear spot. Again, back to building of 39 and things. It's just not and I really like the way our

141our architect engineer team identified too. So, as soon as you new construction feel much more comfortable with that, you get into virtually, especially with that age, you have no idea what you're getting into. >> I do want to acknowledge the community's desire to see the preschoolers stay in their community. it is an easier commute when you're dropping kids off. Y there's no busing for preschool being provided. And so the idea of somebody driving from, you know, deep in Kona to lees, I understand that. And well, I'm I'm curious to see if there's a community based enough community base to balance some there, some here. But then it does bring up equity issues. And I also think when you talk about each elementary school, another additional cost is like a preschool playground and fencing because you

142can't have preschoolers, four-year-olds the runners, you know what I mean? Like they got to be in small, they need to be contained. You're talking another another playground an additional cost. Um, but I do want to acknowledge that that does sound nice and I and and we we hear of the community that >> they value their their community based organizations and the idea of staying >> near their their home elementary school community. Um, but it doesn't sound like we have we'll see what the survey says. does not sound like we have a good solution for that at the moment. >> It is nice that is in the center of our >> does help. >> Yes, it does help. It does help. >> It's not way out >> and as Hudson so nicely put, it's nice that

143they would get to meet uh families that they'll eventually all be at the middle school together too. It is, >> you know, provides that. But I just wanted to acknowledge the community that we're not we we do hear that. >> Um if you don't mind next slide, Mike, I appreciate it. So, just we've kind of hit these pieces, but I'll just do this very quickly again of the overall uh kind of survey components that we've got uh coming forth. And so, as as Stacy mentioned, we've got that out to the community right now. Um and then we'll shift to the next one, just a little bit about the target on the 30th discussion there. Just kind of where we're trying to wrap up community feedback. We'll have the survey results, fiscal considerations. We'll be looking

144at some of the realities and potential paths as we had just talked about. So kind of just describe it as those kind of Lego pieces and where we want to go with cost related and then some of the facility considerations as far as our stewardship there and any associated with any long-term management pieces we have. So for whatever reason you didn't >> Oh sorry >> thanks Mike. Next slide. >> Sorry. >> No, that's not bad. I didn't say anything. So thank you. >> I saw fiscal consideration. >> Yes. >> So thank you. Um, so we've got this group here. So then the facil the considerations there then if for whatever reason what we still have some obligations like we talked about before uh bringing a campus offline you're going to have mothballing costs. You're going

145to have all those things. So that'll be a piece we want to have there as well. And then what are maybe some prek opportunities that might be looking there. We'll look at the RFA pro RFI process and that'll generate the key questions that come out of that one. So at our 30th really that's going to be a full pretty much a full working session on this topic. So >> at that time, can we also I mean this is I don't know if everybody agrees, but I do think that there was also there is also misunderstandings or a lack of understanding maybe just in general about what a preschool day at UPK means. And I'm not saying we should compare it to other models, but what does that like? I think there's a general community curiosity

146for families who paid for nursery school that were playbased or Montasauri. Um I don't like what does the UPK model how many hours is that? I mean that's five hours. I think I initially when we started this conversation honestly thought it was three. It's five hours. Um and what kinds of you know things are we doing to get kids ready to kindergarten? Why are some of those things important? Why has New York State prioritized? Like could we could we give a little bit of like the academic side of what and and and you know social emotional like what do we mean when we're going to run UPK? I think that is a curiosity from the community. Um >> we can certainly work with Maggie as our colleague who you've met at the board table here

147before. She helps lead the UPK underneath the Julia's direction. >> I think there's just >> we can bring a high level look at that level look now. We don't have to dive into too many details but I think that you know that was something that came up is like you know how does this compare to what I'm I'm what I'm used to you know >> it's no it's very helpful. I think it is because one of the things we um were anticipating as we move forward in the the design of that folks are familiar with like Head Start program for sure outside of Chicago they did a pretty in-depth study of how that that design was at that was a centerbased base significantly larger than our center but where we were looking at our design

148we would break that into neighborhoods that is part of when you would have a large space like that you would break those into neighborhoods you may have two or three classrooms that would join together and you would have these neighborhood pieces that came out of the clear research that from that study shared that yes, that's how you would approach it. When you do a build a centerbased piece, you do a little bit of neighborhoods inside just like you do an elementary school. Now, like here's a first grade wing, here's a second wave, third wing, but here may be, you know, the purple team and the gold team, whatever. >> If we're all in one building, what does it look like? And what is the what are the benefits of UPK for students and and what

149do we mean when we say we're we're helping guide collaborate on the curriculum? I think there's just a lot of Y level ones on that for sure. Great. Thank you. And then just last one is that timeline. See I said it that time Mike I got it. The last one is the timeline here already going back June. We had our conversation here tonight in the last board meeting July 30th where we just talked about initial findings and some of those conditions and then on that 27th really coming out of that with more discussion but direction from the board based upon all those findings kind of where do we want to move as we would move forward and then thinking about in September we're going to be needing to implement that direction wherever the board needs

150to give that to the community and to the administrative team about how do we go ahead and align the future work with that. So, so um I this was awesome. I really appreciate our our our board allowing for this level of conversation take place. I really appreciate our architects and engineering team stay here for for the second part for nightc. Thank you very much and thanks for not giving us a letter this way. So, >> well, I sound like I'm in good company if they don't give you the remote next time. So, >> thank you, sir. >> All right. We're going to go. Thanks, J. What's that? >> Where do I go? >> Julia Jul now. Everything is right with the universe again. >> I asked for Julia to have it ready. You can have

151it if you want. >> So, we're going to kick this one over to Neil and our >> end of the year ERJC report. Thanks again, everybody. >> Yeah, thank you very much. Thanks, Neil. >> A very hard pivot to ERJC, our E equity and racial justice committee. And just in case the board and the community is unaware, um ERJC is comprised of teachers, students from time to time, parents, community members, board members, support staff, and administrators. Uh I've been meeting uh with the RJC committee for the better part of the last five years. and two years ago um with Ray's arrival it we certainly took on um kind of a different approach and approach where we're landing tonight which has been very helpful and given it a lot of direction. So I have a couple

152notes to read before we go to the first slide um because I think it's really important just to give some background and context and what ERJC uh experienced as a group. uh we've been meeting since October of this year and then five six times the year before uh with Ray's arrival. This presentation reflects a culmination of over a year's worth of ERJC meetings where all stakeholders and their diverse expect uh perspectives were welcomed. Thanks to the invaluable partnership with our co-f facilitator Coutura Proctor from Boseis, we thoughtfully discussed a wide spectrum of issues, specifically beginning the 2526 school year with the goal of creating consistent district-wide acknowledgement calendar. Although the co-creation of a consistent district-wide acknowledgement calendar ultimately evolved into a formal goal for us this year, its roots its roots can be traced back

153to thoughtful and authentic conversations that began in the winter and spring of 2025. The handful of slides you're about to see are pretty much identical to how we commenced each one of our ERJC meetings. The concepts and frameworks contained within these slides anchored our discussions, iteratively moving us closer to the goal of co-creating a district-wide acknowledgement calendar, which eventually you'll all see. As a primer, we started with the widest lens possible by grounding ourselves in the New York State culture responsive sustaining framework, then progressively and narrowing our focus to pillar two, which is belonging. the goals embedded within the pillars, our own ERJC mission and vision co-created with all the stakeholders in the spring of 25 and ultimately our statement of purpose relative to the acknowledgement calendar aligned and authentic to who we are. So

154you had a little bit of a primer and now we can go to the slides. So from that uh 60,000 aerial uh foot view, this is a one page out of a very large document that is comprehensive researchbased by peer-reviewed um academics in the field of culture responsive sustaining uh education. Uh New York State created this framework in in um cooperation and in consultation like I said with many scholars. There are four main components there and you can see that's welcoming and in affirming environment starting at the top left high expectations and rigorous instruction, inclusive curriculum and assessment in the bottom right there. Ongoing professional learning and support. Again, this is one page of a many page document. If you have a chance to look at it, it's actually really well organized and really well

155written. Um, in each one of these four main categories, there are I'll call them like elements, variables, things that you can do as a student at at sort of elementary to secondary uh for teachers, for support staff, for building leaders, for district leaders. Um, and uh we we found it really helpful and is an anchoring kind of document for us in in our discussions in the RJC and kind of where we always started our meetings. We really focused in though on that welcoming and informing environment and within that you'll see that there's um a lot of things we do in the RJC and the things we discuss are really also kind of intuitively in this document as well. Just you can go to the next slide. Um I was expecting it to show up on

156mine. No no no no. Thank you though. So um before we uh dove into our conversations led by um or co-led with Coutur Proctor, we reminded the group um that we're really focusing in on pillar two belonging. Uh so fostering an inclusive and connected community where everyone belongs and thrives and then connecting that also to the profile of a learner and the inclusive and connected partners there and I can make everyone feel that they belong and I can foster respectful relationships and value everyone. One of the I think concepts that we did not put up here but I think it's worth talking about because it came up at every meeting at least this year certainly in years past about 40 years ago um there was like a poet scholar who um her name is Reine

157Sims Bishop and she wrote about uh windows and mirrors and we used I think that metaphor came up a lot about the ability to have the windows and and having taking perspectives of other people like looking out and the mirrors uh finding your own identity and the things that you experience within your day as a student and staff. Um so I think I feel like Julia that that feels >> that too with fish tank to study intentional design. >> It's very helpful. Yeah. And it's it's something that people can grasp onto. >> So moving to the next slide and u kind of cascading into more specific about pillar two and belonging. We really focused down on that empowerment action that we created I think probably last year which is identifying monthly celebrations of diversity, equity,

158inclusion and belonging themes and activities in all schools. That empowerment action I think really came out of the meetings not only where uh Dr. Dr. Blanch went around the district, but also um actually in this room with ERJC and asking the administrators, the teachers, um the support staff, the students that came and the parents uh what what are some of the things that are that are that's a consensus that we think that we might need for the school district and that so that came up as an empowerment action u when we created this document. uh cascading kind of unfolding um even further is our equity and racial justice committee mission statement, our vision statement and our focus area. So, it's worth reading the mission statement which is we the equity and racial justice committee will

159advocate for underrepresented groups by amplifying voices, promoting equity and belonging and fostering inclusive spaces to ensure equitable opportunities for the uh for the success for the success of all in the Katona Lewisboro School District. Uh so that is our uh reason for ex existence, our vision statement kind of where we want to go and then our focus areas. We reviewed these in each one of our um time together just again to ground us before we dove into some of the more um intimate group work that we had people do and into the more I think some of the really constructive and productive conversations that we would have sometimes um and groups of four or five and then we'd always bring it back and have the whole group uh discuss and have uh conversations again and

160I mentioned that word iterative because we went back and forth we take a couple steps forward and I don't want to say backward um but then okay maybe have to rethink something and then we take a couple steps forward and then eventually we land on um a calendar which you'll see in in in a moment just in the past um month the group back in April had thought that we really need to create a statement of purpose for the acknowledgement calendar so that's what you see here and I think again it bears um reading the KSD D acknowledgement calendar is an invitation to reflect, learn, and connect with our community and beyond. Our schools are stronger when students learn about the communities, cultures, and histories that shape the world. It creates space throughout the year

161to deepen learning and to prepare our students to engage with empathy, curiosity, and respect as global citizens. Guided by the commitments in pillar 2, we believe this work brings us closer to our shared humanity. This is not exclusive. This is a beginning, not a finish line. It will grow and evolve, guided by the voices of our students, families, and staff. When we say this was co-created, it truly was co-created. We had two or three groups that worked kind of separately in that April meeting and we we um u put them together. Couturo Ray and I worked offline between April and the June meeting and we didn't just kind of just combine and just mix and match. Uh but we really took the spirit and the concepts and what and what people were really trying to

162get at and presented this to the group just last week and we did some more words smithing and this is where uh we ended up um and something very important that they wanted uh that to be read and to be known to all of you as well as to the community. And I think it's really important I think we kept coming back to this is a beginning. It's not a finish line. And we also use the the concept that like there's um like belonging and creating a sense of belonging is not a scarce resource. Um and I think I I was talking to one of the principles about this and it's it's thinking of it as if you have a pizza, it's not that you're cutting up slices and making the slices smaller. It's that

163you you're adding more dough and making the pizza bigger. and and that's kind of some of the the things that we've been talking about to kind of conceptualize belonging and that the calendar you're about to see um is part of ERJC and it's part of and what we're thinking about as um a full community as well as um when we get you can actually go to the next slide that the implementation of it because I think that might be a question um is really going to be at the school level. So what Katona Elementary does will look different from Increased Miller or Meto Pond which is invariably going to look different uh just from developmental reasons at the middle school and the high school and looking at Hudson over here and and we've had a

164couple conversations I think together Ray and I and next year really wanting the students to be play a much larger role um in ERJC and what the calendar might look like or what again back to student voice and and in that mix of co-creation and we're um really u thinking about changing the time of ERJC which we were usually had a meeting time of 6 7 >> 6 to 7:30 something like that so we're thinking about backing it up closer to 3 3:30 so then it's a it's a lot easier for students to kind of end the high school middle school day and and join us we're still working out some of the details >> neon I I don't want to forget you had also worked with uh Miss McDonald to high school. >> Yes,

165I did. >> To get students voice in here and if you don't mind walking it through because I know you brought this to the kids and that's really what I think was part of the motivation. We need to move this down so we can get the kids work consistently at that meeting. >> Correct. Yeah. So, thank you for reminding me. So, in May, uh, Miss McDonald and Dr. Siciliano and I met with maybe about 12 to 15 students. Uh, we offered some pizza and we we said, "Oh, sorry. Oh, sorry. I had pizza twice. So, I did totally unintentional. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry. I'll bring uh ring sacks for you. >> Um and and so with that meeting, we we really said to them like, "Please criticize. We want your feedback. We want

166to hear what you're what you're going to say. We're not going to um resist what you say. We're not going to offer counterarguments. We might ask clarifying questions to help better understand." and uh they were amazing and wonderful. So they offered a lot of uh different critiques about the calendar itself and we shared that with Coutura Proctor, our partner at Boseis and that worked into even I think a little bit of that um statement of purpose that you saw as well and we we just need we want more of that and and it was great to be with the students. It's always great to be with the students and it was during the student day. Um, but we're missing their actual voices at ERJC and we we've just been in cahoots with I think we

167just need to create a system that allows more student part direct student participation. Always happy to go and talk to students and always happy to um uh have Mallerie help take copious notes on what they said. Um but but more important to have um students there and when we have it's just been so powerful for the group because it anytime the student speaks the room is silent and it changes the whole complexion of the conversation and what to do and and we we just want more of that. Um and um so this is again where we are today and I and just going back one slide if you don't mind. I'm sorry Julia. I know you thought you were done. >> No. Um again it's it's the beginning and that we receive a lot of

168feedback from students that hey this isn't working this doesn't feel good or whatever it might be then then it goes back and we we talk about it and it's again it's iterative and um we're we're I think everyone would agree that we're of that growth mindset where it's about growth and it's about change and we're happy to rethink. I think I'll just leave it there and if you have any questions, we'll try to answer them as best as we can. >> Um, so I don't have any questions and and Hudson, I actually don't want to cut you off, so if you look like you were getting ready to speak. >> Oh, no, that's all good. >> You sure? >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um, I have comments and I have such an immense amount of

169gratitude for this. Um, darn it, I didn't want to do that. Um, so years ago, the district actually had a diversity, equity, and inclusion committee and I came to one of the first meetings and >> it was very disjointed. I don't want to criticize anybody who might be watching who was part of that. >> Sure. >> We never they never seemed to get to that purpose statement. So, thank you very much for that purpose statement. is if anybody's looking at this and they don't understand why we are engaging in this work, >> this is why it is so meaningful to see yourself represented in the things that you are learning and in your student body. And it means so much to me because I multi-racial background my children when my boys, not my daughter, but

170when my boys were in this school district, >> they were one of a very few minorities in their graduating class. And I naively thought that they're they're happy, they're comfortable, they were they really were. This was a great place. We we always felt very accepted here. But when both of my sons went to college, they both said to me, "It was nice to be around people who looked like me." >> Yeah. >> And >> that's why this stuff is so important. Damn it. I really didn't want to call you. >> No, it's okay. >> Um, so thank you. Thank you for the hard work that you're putting into this. >> No, no, it's it's it's an emotional topic for sure. Yeah, it really is. Thank you for sharing. Thank you for sharing. Yeah. >> Oh,

171something for sharing. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, I was just going to say I appreciate you wanting to include students in this and I really think that like people are going to want to be involved just because like community culture day every like it's it's it's like students at this point. >> Um, and I really think that there's going to be a lot of people that want to be involved. Um, and even in like whatever each each month each event like is just keeping like students involved in all of them. Uh I know at the high school this year for like Black History Month, um we had like every day like there was something that was like read about like like a person. Yeah. Um it was like students reading them and people listen more

172when it when it is coming from students. So I just think like keeping them involved in everything. So thank you. >> Yeah. So maybe we can connect and and but we really want your ideas and and your help. So that would be amazing. >> Yeah. >> Hindsight is always 2020 and to have a committee about equity and racial justice without our students who are living it in the high school not being involved. I don't know why we didn't do it before, but thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah. Our pleasure. >> I was really struck when I looked at this earlier in the week about the universal human rights being included. Um because I think so many of us expect these calendars to have the things that we know and we've heard of and everyone has heard

173of women's history month and >> sure >> you know universal human rights I think not only captures more you know there are many people who won't necessarily feel that they fit so neatly into some of these other boxes but also being where it is in December at a time when you know so many are celebrating and so many are suffering and you know to take that moment and look all of us where we're not divided, where we are universal is so thoughtful and I really thank you. Yeah, I think I think you captured the spirit of that conversation and the group of people who put that forward as a possibility. So, so thank you for seeing that. Appreciate that. >> I also appreciate you uh starting really high up on our our our values and

174how this is just one of many empowerment actions in the belonging. Uh, you know, I think it's important for people to know because they they do this one is a very visual piece of what we do. Like the the PTO's have it on the bulletin boards and it it comes home in little packets from the kid, you know what I mean? What what activities the kids are doing in the school. Um, and and definitely is a visible piece. Um, >> but I I want to acknowledge that it's it's one of of many pieces we're doing. I really appreciate you providing that lens. So, it's not this is not just a a celebration month. This is a very meaningful part of of of many curricular um and other activities we're doing to create belonging here. >>

175Yeah. Thank you. >> Thanks for >> Yeah. >> providing that. >> Yeah. Our pleasure. Yeah. >> So there couple things I wanted to mention both related to our graduation ceremony which were such nice moments the two of them. One I just want to recognize and gratitude for Mr. Panzer because it was such an unexpected and nice moment when he just started speaking in Spanish and acknowledging the families that might have been there celebrating their their children who might not understand most of of what was going on, but just acknowledging their presence, acknowledging that they're part of this community and that, you know, we see them and and we're happy to have them with us. And then the other part was one of our student speakers talking about circles and talking about how they learn through

176circles to to what to do to make sure no one ever feels invisible. And that line really stuck with me. And I think that it's in these little moments when students say different things or when a faculty member thinks about, okay, who might be feeling invisible in this room right now and how do we acknowledge them and show them respect? Um, it's these little moments that really show us how this work comes to life in a way that that really makes a difference. >> Agreed. And it can be when they're done well, they can be spaces for healing for for all parties. >> Yeah. I wonder if there's like an opportunity just to make this like more visible like to students like make sure everyone knows like oh this is this month like and like

177understand the recognition like I don't know maybe like a banner something that could just go up like every month so that like students like it's not like like this is going on like there's like maybe three like a few events like related to it just so everyone knows like I guess just the theme of it and just like making that visible to everyone. >> That's why we need your help. Well said. >> Our students are always so >> Yeah. >> intelligent and thoughtful. >> Thank you, D. Appreciate my pleasure. Thank you. Thank you. Yeah. My pleasure. Our pleasure. This is great. Looking forward to uh seeing what each school does with their each month. >> Yes. Yeah. >> A lot of discussion tonight. A lot of good discussion. Um thank you. Uh public comment. Anybody?

178Nobody signed up for public comment, but if you'd like to do >> you mind do you mind if I say before we get to the consent? Yeah. No, no, that's okay. I know we didn't have a chance to connect. >> We got somebody come around for a comment. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> No, it's okay. Oh, I'm sorry. >> Yep. Yeah. >> Hi, welcome to our our meeting. Um, everything said here is uh pursuant to our code of conduct. Kim uh will be setting a timer that will give you three minutes to speak at when you have about 30 seconds left. the yellow light will blink and there will be a sound and then at the end of three minutes um it will go red. Uh we most likely will not respond to any of

179your comments tonight but we will take it under advisement and maybe come back to it at a future meeting. Thank you. If you could start with your name and um that would be helpful. >> Sure. My name is Sasha Bett. I'm a resident of South Salem um and I want to discuss um or introduce Proposition. So the defeat of Proposition by 22 votes was a decisive discriminating civic act by voters who declined to authorize 24.5 million in new debt before this district. >> Okay, >> we want to >> Sorry. >> Thank you. >> Start again. Sorry. >> No problem. No problem. So >> sorry, Kim. thing doesn't want to play. >> You use a phone. >> Just use a phone for two and a half minutes. Got it. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Thank you.

180So again, my name is Sasha Berdett. I'm a resident of South I'm a resident of South Salem. And uh so the defeat of Proposition 3 by 22 votes was a decisive discriminating civic civic act by voters who declined to authorize 24.5 million in new debt before this district has demonstrated a plan for the obligations already on its books. The largest of those obligations, the 241.3 million unfunded OPEB liability reported in the district's June 30th, 2024 audited financial statements, does not appear in vision 2030, does not appear in the 2026, 2027 budget book and does not appear in tonight's 5-year capital improvement plan either. Tonight's agenda gives this district several opportunities to begin closing that gap. Residents deserve to know four critical things. First, on item 11.03, the five-year capital improvement plan, why this plan is

181not paired with a multi-year financial plan showing how it will be funded and how the resulting debt will interact with OPEB obligations and other long-term commitments. Residents deserve to know if and when such a plan will be published, and if it cannot, why. Second, on item 11.06, 06. The KLTDA settlement being voted on tonight. Whether this settlement includes plan design modifications affecting future hires, tighter eligibility, higher age thresh thresholds, retirey cost sharing that bend the long-term OPEB trae trajectory. Third, on items 14.06 through 14.08, the benefit related reserve resolutions at what at what dollar levels? EBR, the ERS reserve and the TRS reserve are being funded this year and whether those levels reflect a serious preunding posture. Fourth, on item 8.02, the ALES discussion, the district's own published materials are inconsistent. The preK and community

182center proposal page, still live today, tells voters that ales demolition would begin approximately 5 years from now if Proposition 3 failed. The allees path forward materials released after the vote say decommissioning begins in September 2026. Both are on Kelly on the school's website. Neither acknowledges the other. The prevote page also quotes 7.5 million to mothball and 3.5 million to demolish figures that do not appear in any postvote district document or in the budget voters just approved. any any future ales proposal must accomp must come accompanied by a reconciled sourced multi-year financial plan or the next vote will produce the same result. This town demands more than a mere vision. The voters have affirmed they require a fiscally sound plan and and decisive modifications to the retirement benefit plans for future hires on new collective bargaining

183agreements. Um, this will this will benefit this will bolster the budget, keep jobs secure, and demonstrate true true fiscal responsibility. And please remember, bargaining is a procedure, not a veto. I hope my questions cause appropriate and muchneeded discussion within this board's deliberations and within the wider community it serves. They are not indictments. I thank the board for its service and welcome, Trustee Isacson. >> Thank you. Any other public comment? I will at this point close public comment. And Neil, >> yeah, I'm sorry. I just want I wanted to introduce someone in the audience tonight. Melissa Keys Pay is on the agenda and she is going to be the new special ed teacher at Increase Miller and we just wanted to welcome her tonight since she's been sitting here. Thank you for being here and and

184welcome almost welcome to Katona Lewisboro. >> Thank you. >> Nice seeing you. Yeah. >> Welcome to the family. >> Uh next would somebody like to make a motion uh to move the consent agenda? Motion by Marjorie, second by Bill. There any discussion on the consent agenda? >> Congratulations. Thanks for being here. Yeah. >> Any other discussion? We take a vote. All those in favor? 70. >> Congratulations. >> So, Lisa, I don't know if you're okay just to speak a little bit to some of those uh kind of transfer pieces we were talking about a little bit earlier. >> Yes. Absolutely. Um so in regards to the um the what we are proposing um for setting our reserves or the not to exceed amounts essentially is what we're asking tonight because we haven't closed our books

185yet or anything like that. So these are all based on projections but for the debt reserve specifically reserve fund which is used to pay um future principal and interest on outstanding district debt to and to reduce taxpayer burden the local share. We recommend um appropriating $10,000 from that reserve and um and uh also that reserve uh may increase by up to 1.2 2 million and that is a combination of interest in a restricted specific it is specific because of um because of IRS laws and everything um uh specific um excuse me bank account as well as the premiums we received at the band sale which was approximately $265,000 and um and the bond sale which was right around $1,000. So those um so it will increase by those amounts and again it will be used

186to offset future debt that any any um anything in that reserve. Our taxertiary reserve is used to pay court-ordered property tax refunds resulting from successful assessment challenges from um from those who live within the district boundaries. And um we are asking that or we're recommending that that reserve be funded at a level not to exceed 2.5 million. um that is actually approximately 35% of the exposure to the district. So there's not the complete exposure of all of the current taxertiaries that we have quote unquote on our books or that are pending. Um, and this also reflects a $100,000 increase, which again is um includes interest. Our um our EBLAR or employee benefit acred liability, which is specifically we actually cannot use that for um to pay uh retirey health benefits. But what it is used

187for is to pay for acred employee leave payments and other contractual benefits that we pay upon retirement or separation. Um so it's anything on in our contracts and the resolution we are uh requesting that uh $248,000 be appropriated against um the 26 to fund the 2627 or offset the 2627 general fund budget. So use as a revenue source for that budget. And um we are also requesting that the reserve sealing not to exceed 1.8 million. And again this um does reflect $85,000 $86,000 of interest that we have received in that account. We keep these um reserves all in high interestbearing accounts in NAF and NClass that um have restrictions on when we can move the monies and everything but it it maximizes the amount of interest that we receive on these accounts just so everyone

188knows. And I'm sorry I think um I neglected to mention that um I'm sorry I think uh you're I think there is a tax certary appropriation as well um 14.05. >> Thank you. And for the tax sherry we are requesting that we appropriate um go off. I'm sorry I don't see it in slow. Yeah. Well, look at my I'll look at my fund balance sheet. I'll come back to that. Um for our ERS for our retirement contributions, this um this is actually used to stabilize our employer contributions to the New York State local employee retirement system. It's now called LRS, but it was referred to formerly as ERS during periods of rate increases. For example, um currently for next school year, the um our contribution rate to the retirement system is increasing by two percentage

189points of um and that is the amount of um that we pay based upon salary the salary of those employees and um again we are recommending appropriating 477,000 from that um ERS account or reserve to support the 2627 general fund budget again to offset the local share of that budget. and um was setting a ceiling of not to exceed 3.25 25 um $3,250,000 and also we will see a net increase of 16768,000 of interest again received earned on that account. In terms of our TRS sub fund and that is for our teachers retirement system again to stabilize our contributions over the years we are recommending um appropriating 1 $140,000 to support the 2627 budget to offset the cost for TRS contributions and um to fund at a maximum level of 4.979 and what that um

190is actually is 10% of last year's um the prior year's teacher salaries. So that is a maximum that you can fund that TRS um that TRS reserve. Our unemployment reserve again is used for unemployment claims which can fluctuate um during during the year and you know from year to year. So, in order again to protect us from those unexpected um increases in unemployment costs uh and to offset the cost for next year, we're uh recommending appropriation of 250 or excuse me 25,000 from that uh unemployment reserve. And to set it at a level not to exceed $450,000 and uh again, I'm estimating about a net increase of $46,000 um in interest in that account in that reserve account. for our liability claims and this is used to cover certain specific legal claims and liabilities including

191special education related or other claims against the district. Um we recommend a not to exceed level of $1.7 million and that is again um we um consult with our special education attorneys and um that we do an assessment of the total exposure to the district. Again, we do a percentage of the total exposure to protect the district um and not having any fluctuations or, you know, pulling down any um money from the general fund. And also um again, so we're looking at about um $123,000 roughly not to exceed um amount. And that's a combination of um funding it because there is an increase of um liability right now and exposure to the district as well as interest earned in that reserve. and our capital reserve. We are asking that it be set at the maximum

192allowable for that reserve which is $2.5 million as um and this is again it's used to finance the voter authorization capital which thank you for authorizing us to um to utilize this reserve the capital improvement renovations as well as other facility projects without borrowing. So it saves us the interest um that we would pay when we borrow. And um so that would uh represent about $151,000 increase including interest. Most of it is actually earned interest and then the balance we will transfer with excess funds to get it funded to the maximum allowable amount. So, are there any questions about any of the reserves or their use or >> I I I know we all thank you for stepping us through the action that we just took when we voted on the consent agenda. I'm noticing

193that you didn't mention our OPED reserve. Oh, >> and I thought that maybe we could just decide in the future to have a little refresher on Gazsby 75 and when the um regulations changed around school district's requirement to include disclosure of OPED liability in the financial statements, but how that really didn't change anything with regard to a school district's opportunity to reserve reserve for OPED liability and I'm not asking you to do that here on the spot because I know that's not on our agenda this evening because we don't have a reserve that we're >> we're actually not allowed to reserve for OPED is again that is not allowable reserve and that oh was it probably 15 years ago maybe Gatsby 75 came out and they require us actually to put on our long-term so

194our um governmental financials the total liability that we will pay over time for the next who knows how many years of um health insurance but it is that to it is not the annual liability and that's the thing that's really important we pay as we go for health insurance the other thing they require us to do is also to put liabilities on our financials for the New York State teachers retirement system and the New York State employee retirement or local retirement system LRS um again those liabilities that we place on our financials they are very well funded. They're excellently funded. Retirement systems that school districts, the reality of a school district ever being required to fund these state systems is not a reality. But yes, he does require us to put those liabilities on our

195governmental financials. So that number is >> so is that almost like double counting? >> It's for trans. It is it's it's >> it's almost like double counting because for I'm sorry, Marjorie, go ahead. Well, I wanted to just say thank you because I really wasn't asking you to do that here tonight on the spot and that was so lovely of you, but yeah, I really appreciate you just providing that quick primer. I don't even know that we need to have further discussion on that topic tonight, but um I was teasing when I said that you hadn't stepped through the funding of the OP reserve and thank you for, you know, clarifying for all of us that we're not allowed to have one and I think in the future we can have more conversation just to

196bring everybody up to speed. um honestly just to sort of step through in in more detail or in a a slower manner what you just said so helpfully. So thank you. >> Also we were discussing even when um our auditors come in October to present our financials as well as they can like step you through like all of it but it really is um it's much of it is not true liability. >> It's it's to provide you know transparency around future liability but it's It's it's not it that that requirement didn't change our opportunity to um save for or fund that future liability. We are however responsible for >> our annual obligations to our retirees and and that hasn't changed. >> Exactly. >> What has changed over time is that we do have a a

197reserve for >> TRS >> and now I can't remember for ERS. BRS is TRS is is relatively the most I would say the newest reserve and that's probably about eight years old now. >> Thank you Lisa. >> You know this class of 1977 is pretty amazing. We've been talking about them for the last couple years. So our next item is 15.01 to recognize the gifts of Carl R. Kramer and Jill Jill Sigfrieded Kramer donation of $1,000 to fund the class of 1977 scholarship. And they've got a big one coming up and Marjorie, you're going to make a motion to accept that gift. Yes, please. >> And somebody and Barbara's going to second it. All those in favor? >> I um this is also now moving on to time for our board dialogue and discussion. It's

198been 2 hours and 46 minutes of dialogue and discussion. >> Um I do want to recognize that we are coming unbelievably to the close of another school year and um I would like to end this school year on a note of gratitude like we started at at the teachers opening day with a with a note of gratitude. Um, first I want to thank all my board colleagues for all the tremendous amount of work and time and effort, thoughtfulness and caring that's gone into the school year. I think it's been pretty amazing. I want to thank the administrators. You are tireless in your pursuit of excellence for our students. Um, everything that you do for them and for us does not go unnoticed. Kim, that's tripled for you. um you are the backbone of our organization

199and we really appreciate um taking on double duty this year and doing so with grace under fire at all times. Uh, I want to thank and I I hope I'm not going to miss anybody, but all of our dedicated bus drivers, monitors, custodians, facilities, um, on and m coaches, guidance counselors, greeters, uh, SRO's, security, um, secretarial staff, uh, we couldn't do it without all of you, teachers, um, and administrators. It's just there's so much that goes on behind the scenes that most people wouldn't even know. And I think as board members, we get a special bird's view into everything that you do every day. All of you taking care of our children and putting them first and foremost. Uh you all truly make a difference in our lives. So thank you. That there's no other

200board discussion. I will uh talk about some future meetings. It's hard to believe that there's future meetings still. >> Um oh uh Thursday, June 25, we will have a board of education meeting at 8:30 a.m. in the district office. And then our first meeting of the new year will be July 6 here at 5:00 PM in John J. High School Library will be our board of education reorganizational meeting. And uh that brings the year to a close and give the final comments to you Ray. >> Great. >> Thank you. Uh just again I want to reiterate thank you so much for just the just a really fluid open conversation tonight. So I think it helps us prepare for everything we need to do and facing ahead of us and so the more knowledgeable we are

201as a collective team and then going back and revisiting things and bringing forth. So again, it was just I think a I know it was a long night and I just wanted to say uh thank you because it really helps us be best prepared for there's always challenges coming our way, but we're we're we're a good place. So thank you everybody for your weekends. >> Thank you. >> And uh who would like to make a motion? Motion by Arwin, second by Stacy. All those in favor to adjurnn 70. Thank you and everybody enjoy your summer.