001ready. >> Thank you. >> Right. Good evening everybody. I'd like to call to order a special workshop meeting of the board of education being held on May 26, 6:30 p.m. in the district boardroom. And we pledge, if you don't mind, we're going to take a brief moment of silence to remember Terry Olivo, former district superintendent of Holsteries, who's recently passed away by United States of America stands one nation under God indivisible andice for all All right. Thank you everybody. All right. So, I just want to get into a few things here. This is a unique meeting. First of all, thank you for everybody who's here in attendance. It's turned out to the board meeting. All right. I wanted to just go over a few things. I wanted to just start initially with our goals. So
002our goals are to appropriately adjust the budget according to the board and community concerns. The result of having a budget we can stand behind with confidence and an intention of having it pass. The budget was prepared of course of months. We had six presentations. We went from the macro down to the micro. Um we share a lot of concerns that were raised. Thank everyone for bringing them up and our intention is not to draft an entirely new budget but to just really focus on some of those items that were flagged that we agree need to be adjusted. So first of all that is our goal of this evening. Secondly I just want to tell you a little bit about the format tonight of our meeting. So right now we're just going to have a brief
003word comments. I have a few announcements. If anybody else wants to chime in they can. Then we're going to start our budget workshop. Our budget workshop is going to consist of an open conversation at this table where we're asking for feedback and to talk about points about line items that may be disproportionate and to hear recommendations, make some adjustments, and hopefully also fill in the gaps with information that may not have been recalled or presented in a way that seems very familiar to you. That may have been just in passing. day by day as board members. So there will be back and forth conversation. None of those points will be necessarily to defend or support exactly what the end result is going to be. We are going to give the feedback to Mr. Bonovi, Dr.
004Carter, Miss Lamar for them to make adjustments and then to represent to us was something that we can get behind and adopt. After that portion of the meeting, we will have privilege of the floor. So, anyone who has signed up and come to the podium share their comments in the same fashion like any other meeting with privilege of the floor. If for any reason your questions have been answered and you'd like to, you know, take back on that, no problem. and then we'll close with more comments to then talk about more specifically in that portion um maybe the timeline and then also the contingency budget. So, we just want to get right to work on the stuff that's concerning and dig right into those matters. All right. Okay, before we move on, does anybody have
005any other just general comments to add before we get going here? >> Just one point to something you mentioned in your address that we were looking to revise the budget, make it something we stand behind, but not kind of detonated and reconstructed. And I just want to be transparent, clear, lack of better term, for everybody who is either here as a meeting or taking part of it. Obviously, we are under a bit of a time approach at this point. The uh timeline to get this done is motion more rapid than would be a full budget. So I do implore I I know during last meetings pretty much the floor I heard some good suggestions that I absolutely think would be valid in the full budget season. I just don't want anybody to get discouraged. Maybe
006something they suggested not being adopted for this condensed timeline versus, you know, a full budget preparation season. And I want to encourage people to take part in that and and to make suggestions, look at the last meeting and not be discouraged if something on the short time has been. >> Great. Thank you, John. And again, anybody with that, I think we'll go ahead and jump into our workshop here. And I'd like to recommend um when I say I'm just going to refer to you three. So, hope everyone would like to field the question instead of me pointing it at you directly. >> Um I think we need to jump into superintendent budget line with that. I think clearly is the the elephant in the room for lack of a better expression. And I think we'd
007like to just have a little clarity how we landed there, what we're looking at and and kind of work through that and see how we're going to. >> Sure. So, as people uh saw it saw in the budget from last year, so the budget of 242 was uh Dr. Coz's base salary that was from last year. um that was not adjusted going into this this year. So that kind that was still in the budget from this year. So moving forward into next year, uh we the board has not hired a superintendent as of yet. So, we just needed to kind of add a placeholder for a superintendent's salary to try to include to be truly as as transparent as you can because 242 is the salary, but understanding with all the benefits the cost to
008the district was $323,000. That's how much with benefits >> that was that's for Dr. Coat. >> That's for Dr. Coats. >> That's what we spent when he was here. >> Correct. >> All in. 323,000 and change. Yes. So this year um my salary uh contracted by the board was 260,000. That's with no benefits. Um I am retired so there's no health, there's no TRS. Um you do have to pay FICA. Uh so that came out to 27980. So it was $43,583 less than last year. So the and I'm not defending myself. I'm just giving the realities of a superintendent salary. >> And so I just want to add to that again. This is open discussion. So if anyone jump in, right, the Tom and P conversation. >> Sure. >> Um I'm glad you brought that
009up because we did know that going in when we approved, you know, the salary we're recommending that we were going to see a savings >> with that from the all-in salary plus benefits and all that stuff, >> right? So budgeted is um the 285 that would probably that would conservatively probably bring it um you know a little close to 323 but um which what Dr. Coats was depending on what benefits you have to get. So again it depends on if the person needs single plan a family plan if they have if there's life insurance if there's a cell phone uh stipen. These are all things that are, you know, there's the industry standard of what a superintendent makes. So I I know like the and and some people brought it up and I'm glad they
010did. So there's an average salary for superintendent in New York State. Absolutely. Um but that differs in Orange County than in New York State. an example of what that would be with the benefits if you hired someone next year approximately what the total dollar compared to you know the numbers you just presented for inter >> but I think Dr. Carter had prepared some numbers for us in one of the duck that >> we did. Yes. >> As well about like what those comparable salaries are just in our county alone >> not including the big big at all. >> So there are five on the document. >> However, those five are base salaries. It does not include anything Mr. about what I've just discussed including benefits >> that was just based out without any >> I
011understand school bus full of kids whatever it is how is uh for us who are the education can you explain how the contribution to retirement is different because is it by tier is like how how does that number vary? Is it based on the amount of time they've worked in education? Like just so common folks can understand it a little better. >> So teachers retirement system is the one that the superintendent would belong to rather than the employees retirement system and that is just based on their salary and it is a rate set by the state and it is collected in the following year that they are paid. So we budget for that ahead of time. And the rate is used on an employee that is not retired. So if somebody were to be hired
012that was not retired previously, then we would have to pay those benefits. A retired or interarm superintendent that's previously retired and continuing to work, we would not have to pay. >> So it's 9%. >> Okay? So you have to pay n any district in New York state if the person is not retired they have to pay 9% of the salary into the retirement system. >> Okay. So it's it's a direct reflection of what the actual salary is. >> Yes. >> So correct >> outside of health insurance which is its own >> it is yes >> it's its own equation to figure out if we looked at these base salaries for compar county school districts that I believe Mr. Cart. So thank you for that. Um if we were to add 90% that would give us
013a pretty good idea. >> That would give you an idea without any other cell phone all >> just just because when you hear a superintendent salary of 244,000 but the total compensation being 323 I believe. >> Yes. >> Like uh too I want to get an idea of what the all-encompassing number is at least get closer to this >> but the TRS rate just so you know to changes each year. >> So you know what I was seeing from that chart also is the base salaries were ranging in some of those districts between 240 and 270. >> Yes. >> Right. And that's base salaries alone. I believe the 2723 2023 couple years old, >> right? The most recent years. >> Yes. The most recent salaries we can get was were from 2023 in general. So
014Bose seeds used to collect superintendent salaries years ago. They would have a list of kind of current agreements, but over the years school districts for various reasons don't want to share publicly their superintendent sound. So Bose's many years have stopped collecting. They still do other lists of people but not the superintendent. So that's why it's difficult. So these are three years old again and I want to call it any particular district or name of a superintendent but they do range from about 240 up to 270. And the most recent is 2023. So that's a threeyear-old salary. So even if you, you know, tacked on a 3% that's another 9% of that. >> So I just have a question for the 285. So I did my own research today and I I put this out pretty
015late just try to figure out where 285 was. Um it looks like nid.gov puts out a rate setting unit but it's one year old and it sets it up. I don't know what a beds region is. Anyone know what a beds region? >> All right. I'm not in the education field but it's beds region. So I guess we're in region three which is mid Hudson. Yes, for in the Mid Hudson region >> which the superintendent median salary that they give for this is again it's a year old but we're at 284987 which is only a little bit shy. Did we use this for a calculation? It hasn't been asked of you and I know I didn't. >> We did not use this but I just used it from my common knowledge of superintendent as a
016whole. >> So and it looks like the upper Hudson which is not us which is way upstate is the lower figure of 233. >> Yes. But the mid Hudson AR is and it goes goes dramatically up obviously from suffic. >> So this is what I would like to do. >> Hop in. I don't know what to say. I wrote a lot of jokes. Um I'd like to see the basic salad drop, right? I'd like to see that result happen. And I'll tell you why. Um going into this, you know, just to separate the uh superintendent search and selection from the budget for a moment. I'd love to be in a position where I was at or lower than what we were all in for the prior superintendent. I'd feel as a board member that that
017would be a responsible decision. If I could be at or lower, I'd be okay with that. Having the base salary lower kind of puts us in that range. If we do end up needing to have the extras based on whatever that decision is, that's not going to all of a sudden put us up there. And hey, let's be honest. Even at 285, not defending it, we're saying that's what I want, it's it's still a negotiable item, right? So, if we have someone that we're negotiating with that needs all of the benefits and everything else, for me, the line item wouldn't end up. So, I'd like to see it reduced. I'd like to see that line item that money is put somewhere else. Right? Another big thing we heard was, you know, student centric focus. I'd
018love to see how if there's X dollars moved from there as the base where that can go to other places. I think that would be important and I I feel okay with that. >> But if you want to end up optimally in the general area of the previous superintendent, then you should just leave it at 242 sense. >> Yeah. I I I also don't want to be unrealistic with anything though like >> so >> I I I don't want to say yeah 240 and then every other base salary here is 250 and then who's going to get a job for less agree I don't know I don't want to give that impression >> I don't I don't want to spend so much time talking about hypothetical salary but the I guess I have two questions
019one how how come I think was it 224 whatever the previous salary was how come that was reflected as a budget? Does the bud budget not change during the year? So like it was 244, we hired a new room at 260 and then when we do comparative math on the new budget, it's not comparing 285 to 260. It's comparing 2. Yeah. So does that number not change? And if I mean the suggestion we'll leave it at 242, but we're paying a superintendent 260. I don't know. Like >> I didn't go to Harvard, but that math did the math for me. >> You're absolutely right. Uh so what we do is we do budget transfers during the year to cover any codes that do not have any budgeting in there for them. And when this budget
020was prepared that was last spring at the latest in April of 25 at that point we did not know Dr. Coats would be leaving. So it was based upon his salary and since that time we've hired an interim at a different rate and I you know include not including benefits was a big difference. So that is why you see that number there. The other point is that you don't see a change in the benefits piece. Actually you do see a change a reduction rather than an increase or a change. Does that make sense? Because the salary may have increased in the salary line. In actuality, in actuality, the health insurance line went down to your clearly. >> What's what I can't comprehend is um that the budget we're comparing it to for last year is
021not reflective of what we actually spent. >> Correct. >> So, how many other instances do we face that? >> Right. So, I totally I I totally get what you're talking. So, so I guess the question is when we're looking to do the budgetto budget comparison, >> uh instead of looking at what the initial budget was for the 25 26 school year, what we would like to see or what everyone should probably see is what the actual would be. Now, we understand that that would be a snapshot in time, right? Because we're still living in that budget, but what is that snapshot of if we're grabbing making up a date like March 1st as like, hey, this is what we're going to be presenting to the board and the public, it becomes a little bit more
022realistic because we understand there are budget transfers. Some are done internally because policy allows for some are done on the board of ed. we all know because we approved those on the agenda. So I think for us it I think what John is saying might make sense I don't want to speak for everyone here but it might make sense if we do a real time hey what did we actually set it for and what's that comparison because then you wouldn't have some information and ultimately would help you build the budget because you know that hey last few years I got to transfer x00 into this budget line we've been underfunding theater for the last three years. Like, let's make it realistic. Is that what you're trying to say? >> I think that was a much
023smarter way to say. >> No, I appreciate it. >> And sometimes you'll see in the public budget, not the public budget, but the budget that I shared with you for the April 21st update. There are explanations next to different items throughout that budget because I look through every code. We went through every code together as a team and made reductions where we felt we could because historically there were no um they weren't reaching the total expenses in that budget. Then there were other items that we didn't have enough expenditures budgeted for that we had to increase and you'll see those have large jumps in the percentage increase. There may have been a new position created that we didn't have before. That certainly show a large increase. So I think that's a great idea when we're
024comparing the budget to what is a in a workshop. And >> yeah, I think I think that helps too a lot with stat because as student needs change, you know, I feel like another hot issue, right? And I think as the year goes on, we do often end up bringing in more aids or different aids based on the needs of the student. And I think when you compare the again the old budget and you know the old budget is new budget if we make up big numbers 1080s and we hire five during the year and then when you look at the net on this budget it's based on 10 not 15. So I think that that's important for everybody to see >> and you would see too throughout the year the budget transfers we've had
025to make between codes because last year we did have some of those aids were coded to a general ed code rather than the special ed code. So you will see in the beginning of the year when we're starting to make salary payments in September you have to do budget transfers for that purpose too. But that's not something we looked at when we're developing the budget with you as a group. So, and then the other thing is is that the public budget is what we have to produce in accordance with stated guidelines and that doesn't have our budget transfers in there or the adjusted budget line in that product. Yeah, I think uh you know for indigenous history we've all sorry I think we've all learned a lot through this process but I think that when
026there's things that clearly don't align with what the budget looks like we got to make sure we don't over because those are the things that you know training to talk about supermarket right supermarket has been hot lately So those are things that come up and I feel like we often hear an explanation because you know at this table you're like well that's >> yeah I think two really good points there I think for future planning having that budget that reflects maybe that as comparative analysis and also to your point about the stuff that we hear on that dayto day is so open making sure that that's does get translated along the way some of these things may have been hit in some of the prior presentations, but you know, sometimes need a little more. Um,
027you brought up a good point about aes, and I know that it's an item I think we'd like to talk about a little bit about staffing, but before we pivot in that direction, I think that was a good segue. I'd like to go back to um salaries for a moment. And that poses question. Sometimes we have salaries, maybe more specifically for contracts that haven't been negotiated yet, right? You have maybe one group or another that has a three-year contract set. You have contractual obligations. You done what is, you know, and then we have some standalone contracts, right? We have our central administration. We have our non contracts that appear as these individuals. how and I know the process that you explained to us is similar in nature that just like we've looked at the superintendent
028salary we've also looked at comparable salaries for the other central office staff. How can we plan in the budget something that may be, you know, more appropriate to, you know, be a placeholder for what that not yet negotiated salary is as opposed to something that maybe comes across as an 8% increase where maybe that increase should 3%. So I I'm kind of asking, you know, a roundabout question here and want to hear your thoughts. >> Place. >> Yes. And I think sometimes what happens is somebody is entitled to other items in their contract such as longevity bumps which will show an 8% increase when in reality they're getting 2% or 2.9%. So it's in instead it looks like five or 6%. But that's because of another item in their contract or a stipen so to
029speak. It's similar to um it's found in all the contracts, not just the admin contracts, but throughout the uh contracts in the district. So, it is I don't want to say it's misleading, but it can be misleading because they're not seeing base salary only in that line. >> So, there's also a stipen that they may be earning for service they're doing or now they've been with the district 10 years which then entitles them x amount more dollars because they've hit a 10ear threshold. And certain positions have step increases because you don't talk about you know full disclosure. So it might be a only 2% pay raise but seven is another whatever%. >> So I I wouldn't mind asking that that that point in in the realm of salaries just kind of be scanned through one
030more time just to make sure we didn't overinflate anything. And you know if it is yes steps and stipens that are all kind of appropriate to the work that's being done we can feel confident in that and nothing appears misleading if there's a 7% or an 8% uptick. >> I just want to make a final comment. So the reason why I looked up the nicer numbers I was trying to think I'm someone looking for a job somewhere right you usually look at comparables you want to see you know what the salary range is. So, I want to do that independent with the salary range for this area because we're obviously still looking for a superintendent. My only I'm not I listen the public 285 is high. I agree with that. But my fear is um
031244 is lower than anybody here, even pretty much anybody that we see even at 23 salary rates. So, we're still looking for somebody. You know, you you don't want the Walmart superintendent either if the market is different. So we we we have to come in the middle and I think we're cutting ourselves short. It worries me going to 244. It does. I think there's got to be a happy median somewhere in the middle there that's going to be enough that we can attract someone that's suitable. Um but just to say we're cutting it to zero worries me to be able to find someone that's suitable. So but I don't say we go high. We got I think we got to work through >> for any positions. One position is in the district. So, you know,
032the goal of most school districts is, well, look, I don't want to be the high. I don't want to be in the low. I want to be in the middle. >> That's generally kind of >> I think measure big point is that the budget does not represent necessarily somebody's salary. It doesn't represent the contract. It represents exactly that, like what we're budgeting to potentially spend. And I think that maybe misconception like approving the budget does not improve for somebody especially they don't contract position. >> That's that's a great point. I'm sure I could have brought up different levels, but we never kind of give 285 up front anyway. It's just a to use with make sure we didn't go over that. That being said, that's one of those things that I understand because I sat
033at this table. >> If I was reading it online with no guidance, >> I'd have the same reaction. Are you kidding me? >> 100%. And I'm not going to lie, I sat at the stage online. I kind of had to I was like, wait, no, that's not what we said. You guys have done questions. But that overall information >> um any more comments on on salary items? I think the message might be clear what we like to do. >> So, so and just one question at the I missed the public portion last time but um So, somebody might have asked this. I know I've been hearing it and and I know what works, but um I think it might be good to just kind of ask the question of okay, so say we have one
034number in there and we bring somebody in less, right? So, now there's there's a delta there. So what occurs to that money that was earmarked for the upcoming school year that that is no longer going to be set for you identify that person I think for any person you know we're talking about the superintendent but it could be for other positions um you know that money is you know that's what we're using for transfers and that is the money we do end up at the end of the year with fund balance and that's what might end up as fund balance. That That's how you build a fund balance. >> Thank you for bringing that up. >> What's our fund balance now? >> The current budget >> the current fund balance. We're at the end of
035the year >> hanging around. So, we're going to be able to appropriate the 3.7 that came in from next year's budget plus an additional um was it $900,000? No, 1.2. Oh, sorry. So, and fund balance is we're going to be appropriating 5,46,51 to support the current budget, the 2627 budget as we had proposed. any changes that you make tonight, if we change that total number, the bottom line will change the amount of fund balance that we use. And we do have 4% as well. We always want to leave 4% of our budget and that's the allowable amount by law and that is for our what you want to call our rainy day funds, but we were also looking at hopefully going out and working on a capital project. So, we would like to put money
036into the capital reserve fund to help offset any borrowing costs and whatnot as well. So, it would have less of an impact on taxes. >> Right. So, that 3.75 that you used last year and that we're proposing to use this year, that's fund balance. So, that's where that money comes from. It comes from an excess funds from various lines that you didn't spend all that money that goes into fun. But then but we need to maintain it's just like in our lives you need to maintain some sort of savings um and it's not for a rainy day. The the issue is that we know for past many years um we have not raised all the money we need from the from the revenue state revenue. So we need to put fund balance in. It used
037to be around 900,000 that we put in over several years ago. now in the thousands up to 3.75 million and that's not a good enough put additional 1.2 2 million. So it's about 4.9 million really of reserves and fun. So you do need to save that money. We're going to need it for next year. >> Is that money also linked to a roof that we have to do emergency repair? that's that's you know light and that and so we have some sort of with that when I go to type projects >> right and small the um the asbestous abatement we had to do in our building last summer that would fund balance >> um we also spent um additional funds in the controls project for in between the amount of time that we originally budgeted
038for that and it was finalized just like everything else the cost of Everything seemed to be growing exponentially very quickly. So >> the flood we had here >> and the flood as well. >> Yes, we had that flood. So some of that's not all discovered by insurance but we do have insurance certainly that can go towards the flood. >> Right. Great. Maybe we can pivot off that topic a little bit here. Um like to back to what you were saying, John. You know, we had a lot of talk over the past year or so about number of aids we had working in the building and you hear 11 people, 20 people, 30 people, I forget the number, but it could seem like a lot and especially if it's in your building rework or your student
039goes. I'd like to just kind of revisit that for a minute and understand just the timeline of that because I think it's I want to know that we're in line with where we should be or are we overlooking something right? We talk about oh 20,000 here 20,000 here is that another you know so if maybe you could give a little bit of a recap of where we were and how we've navigated through there that would be great >> Dr. since you were more involved in that. >> So I know at the the very beginning of Michael, >> can you bring it closer to the very beginning of the planning phase last school year, we collaborated as an entire administrative team to talk about program services, um equipment, supplies, everything that we pretty much have done
040this year. And we look for ways to save money without truly damaging our instructional program or extracurriculars or services provided for children while also maintaining all the services that were mandated. For example, our one to one particular classroom for ratio purchases and so on. Uh and so collectively we came together um and decided that you know in a very unfortunate budget cycle our best option at that moment in time to avoid damaging program was to look um at our classroom aids and aids that were not mandated by IEP or anything other. So at that point in time um as we continued to develop the cycle we knew that we had four aids that were retiring or resigning. So those became immediate attrition and then we got 23 others uh and those 23 others were maintained
041on prefer preferred eligibility list for future purposes if necessary. And so that that truly is how we arrived at that number regarding our our teacher rates throughout the district and making those decisions. And I know that our administrative team is also willing to speak to that if you'd like to continue. >> Just has there been any replacement with those? >> Sure. >> Yeah. So throughout the year, we've had um other positions popped up by way of IEP needs. We've also had resignations. We've had some movement within. So each time a position became vacant or newly created available, we immediately went to the preferred eligibility list um in order of course and reached out to those individuals until that particular position was filled. We follow that sequence each time, which is exactly how we're supposed to
042follow. Um we had 18 of the 23 initially approved to be on substitute teacher aid list. There were those who decided that they did not want to unemployment start throughout the course of the school year and actually I wouldn't say rather quickly but you know probably right around the mid of the year we rehired 15 of those aids granted not in in the identical position but 15 were rehired. There were five that we reached out to that declined offers. Uh we actually had one of who became a teacher in another school district. Um we had others who said that the hours they were able to find something with more hours and then we had a few three who actually accepted and later resigned. And so currently we we do not have a PL list for
043those aids. Each of those aids have been contacted offered positions. Um and we've also since July 1st which does feed into the use of of the PEL um we created four class positions and three one to one aid positions of course driven by CSE IP. So that is the current status of what we went through by way of last year. So you mentioned that we had hired back >> 15ish if I got that right. >> 15 are still working with us today and >> but not necessarily in the same position. Out of that 15, how many actually went back to a classroom position? >> Uh so I would I would have to go through and contemplate that to give you 100% accurate. But I know looking at what we rehired, there are actually two, if
044not three that moved into a position and then out into a clerical position that opened um through New York helps. But when that happened, those positions were also filled um with aids. Um and so you know, you have internal movement to cover that with existing aids. And then of course the the uh seven total classroom and one to one were addition. So quick math that's about 60% of these that were left over rehired. Is that correct? >> That's correct. >> They rehired at approximately the same salary that they were getting. >> Yeah. Everything is everything is governed by CSEA contract. It's negotiated. Um 5.75 hours. No no benefits traditionally. All part of the contract. >> I didn't mean to cut you off. heard you were saying something about sharing some information >> administration wise or
045>> Dr. mentioned that. Yes. >> Okay. >> If you'd like to hear from the uh building administration certainly just about the aids and kind of just >> that answered my question. So >> yes, >> you know, so I guess the other again this is all really quick, right? So we had our meeting Wednesday. Thursday was a working day with the team here and then today was a day for the team. So you know we're scrambling to talk about stuff. Um, so I guess one of the things that I'd like to see and again anybody else chime in is just, you know, how confident do we feel that in terms of, you know, positionwise where where we need to be comparatively if if we feel good about that, I feel okay with that. I think when
046we talk about future, the most important thing is to realize that with, you know, the initial 27, there were spots aids were, you know, they were removed from those spots. Some individuals did not regain a classroom aid, for instance. The individuals were rehired throughout the district. But our goal was to maintain those mandated services and to honor every IEP that required aids, whether it be for one purposes or classroom ratio purposes. And so we we are right where we need to be by way of regulation, by way of mandated service. Um there are still individuals who once upon a time had an additional um help in the classroom that may not have that. So I'm not trying to paint the picture that every every aid that was hired is right back to where they originated.
047Uh I'm simply saying by way of a preferred eligibility list. That's the process that we initially went through. The rehiring process is as it was described with a few additional positions created and hired as a result of services needed. So I guess I would just have just a followup question last meeting I requested just information on do we have any building leaders that feel that they have a need or do they feel that they're appropriate for what they have for their classrooms? >> Sure. Um we had spoken today uh at cabinet and you know we talked openly and honestly about where we're at. most important piece was to acknowledge that we we collaborate to make those decisions that it you know it wasn't a one-sided um decision on on any one side meaning you know
048from central office or building level. Um we acknowledge that you know the building level could use all all of the help that they can get any day of the week, right? Everyone can use additional assistance, but again we acknowledge that we are in full alignment with IEP needs and mandates, regulations are met, all requirements are met. Uh and so for what what we need to ensure and if we're using appropriately, we feel that we're in line. And I and I believe if if we were to ask for a theme, you know, they would acknowledge also that sure we would some people didn't like my wants. I would want more rates. Absolutely. Um we do have to remember that, you know, we're already.8 million, you know, kind of infusing into the budget. So for each position
049that we bring back that's adding to the shortfall personal but that's just the reality. >> Yeah and I think just to second what Brett's saying we have the confidence and it was a collective working with you know the building administration and we have what we need that mark great. more I think wonderful I think if it was collected that that's important regarding positions anybody want to All right so we're talking a lot right now about I think reasonings why we lend a room but ultimately I think what we want to get to is making sure we have some type of sense of how we can tweak things in the budget to, you know, make sense. I think we made it pretty clear with salaries. You know, one of the points that came up and, you
050know, I think we all kind of agree it's it's a small particular point, right? You have $2,000 cut from a theater budget. That stuff has to go back. That's just $2,000. Um, and I know it's only been two days working on this so far. >> Have any of you here seen any other opportunities where we have possibly seen some cuts from any type of student club service where we can kind of roll that back? >> Were there any other areas that you noticed that we can go ahead and start? >> Right. So, we made the adjustment already about $2,000. Um, and there was a discussion about a total. So, you know, we would have decided that uh, you know, the dose would be put that's a teacher on special simon from the social state department.
051Put that person, you know, that person back in the budget seemed like a an easy way to save money. But again, that's eliminating a person who has a job as opposed to attrition. That's very different. So attrition again for everyone that means someone has retired and they're not being replaced. Um and something that has an impact but um because we recognize that all staff say you know that so attrition is a reality that at some point you might have more teachers than need in a particular department or grade or area. So um you know we could you know I would you know ask the board you know you might want to maintain the dose position and then that would bring that would maintain that social studies teacher and you know there's no guarantees but you
052have you know there's going to be retirements you know in the next few years in various departments anticipated you might see these savings at that time. So that would be a recommendation you guys would make would be to keep that TOSA position for now and that way we can maintain that position we currently have >> in social studies without moving them and then that mean that maintains it then there would be no need for any sort of technology because the post doing that by limiting the toast. So there's a large block of work that gets done by that person someone else would have to do. It can't just be no one is doing this work. So we've had a excellent and lengthy briefation on all the things that the technology department does and that's you
053know predominantly the closest job doing a lot of that work. So leave a big hole. So by you know maintaining that person you know you maintain the social studies teacher and then the optimum time to make cuts is when there's retirement not necessarily you're losing a person and so then that also >> that savings would be you know a little over 100,000 >> then that eliminates any need for a >> technology director position >> correct >> and then what happens to the services that we wanted to pull back uh from Boseies that we felt we were you know >> I would still I would still recommend about 90,000 you know I would still recommend that there still is a plan to do that internally so between you know car the TOSA um and you know
054possibly another teacher assisting you I think that all the communications get get done and what we would need is um we would initially need to have probably the lowest level I think it's about $5,000 $6,000 um we would need capital deoseities to maintain our website because they host our website okay because that's going to take time for us to transfer our website over to parent square so parent square maintains websites but it's not like it can be done over you flick a switch. So you would need to do about $6,000 to caposis the maintenance of our and then on the website and then it would probably take a few months. But when we were ready you know in two three months then it would get reimbursed you know be prated reimbursement of that money that
055we from the capital and in that sense that would be really maintaining with through parent square and through our own staff maintaining the website the pictures the stories the videos No, no, just listen. If it if it saves money up front, then we can do it through nutrition in the future. I'm okay with that. I know that we're looking to save some money in other areas. We take a bigger picture, but we spoke about part of this. So, we have to look down this good. Um, there's also talks about the cost of technology. Uh, this will ultimately reduce it from what you're from what you're saying by transition the website over. I think there's a bigger cost of technology. One of them that being listen we were just hit with the somewhere not that long
056ago. There's other facilities that have so we we can't really loosen too much up at least my opinion on that to have a secure uh district but suggestions are good thoughts from the rest of the board on that issue. I support was suggested. >> Yeah. And and and I think that I'm just going to go back to that that question again. I I I want to save that $90,000 we're paying both season. And if that means that somewhere budget line item, it means that there's now some type of stipen because the work wasn't covered 100%. If we can cover it and distribute it, great. We can build it into the workflow of one or two person for three and not have any extra stipens. Wonderful. But people are doing the extra work and there's a
057couple of thousand in stipens. I don't mind seeing that when we've saved 90,000. >> We're controlling it. So then I would just continue to ask you're processing that information. If we do have budgetary line items where we're saving, where can we dump that money back into a student driven focus? Right? So, we've only talked about one specific item here, but there might be other areas where we can make sure we're, you know, feeding back into that as well. So, and and maybe maybe uh we can think about that. We can get back to him for a sec because I just I do have a question about legal um and it and it shows that we're looking to double last year to this year. But I know last year we had a lot of things going
058on and our legal fees were astronomical. So, so I understand why. So I don't understand um the increase of this year to to next year unless that's a matter of well it wouldn't be a transfer between we wouldn't need it. We didn't hit that. So I I I don't know. I'm looking at you, but it could be for anybody. I'm not sure why. >> It's because of the capital project. We would need to have bond council in the line for that for the bar. So, I increased the line for that purpose as well as an increase in the legal line just for the increased potential. So, it's a placeholder. I think we've seen a dramatic drop in legal fees just because of um less things going on also. I mean I'm not going to make
059it sound but you know a knowledgeable superintendent knows the law also. So we don't necessarily have to be calling the lawyers all the time. You know people can call me and I say yes no call the lawyer from that on that one. So, you know, I try to put a control on it. So, we're not just calling the lawyers every moment. You know, the second they pick up the phone, clocks on. Even if you talk about the mentor and keep stuff, they're charged. >> So, I try to avoid that and control that. Are we able to I know that I think it was the last board meeting maybe the meeting before that we talked about reducing putting the reducer hours due to that and this may have been too close to the budget season to
060really take effect but now we have a little couple extra weeks. Are we able to take a pencil to that get a better >> item of where we were? The other um reason why I still left put another increase in is because we're still using our old law firm for our tax um sort of some of those the older ones are going through our older law firm. So we we and we also received invoice from them. They're unfortunately a little slow to build us. So we got hit with a bill for about six months when building. But overall, yeah, as far as way down, >> I was just I was going to actually say what brought up was let's just look at that a little bit deeper because I know we were keeping that just
061in case, but in that realm, we're in a much better position than we were a year ago or two years ago. So that's good place to be. >> Maybe a detail on something right now. to be clear, this is like, you know, um on the how many how many budget lines were inflated due to the capital project because I understand I think we all support the capital project is ultimately needed >> but in a year where potentially facing a contingency budget maybe this isn't the year to have it in there. I would love to know how many how many line items are inflated due to the flow of that capital project and you know is that a situation that maybe you know some taxi but we've had some uh successful cases recently where um we
062had sort of more money allocated than we needed. So maybe that's that maybe those funds need to be purchased towards the capital and maybe presented as a more tolerable number next year. >> And just for the public, the capital project is not just us trying to spend money, right? We we have buildings that still need roses that still have leaks. You know, the the more that you don't fix that, the worse the buildings get, worse things happen. So instead of chasing little things, at some point you have to try to make a hard decision and make some major repairs. One of the things we talked about was which is big in the public is the tennis courts at the middle school, right? A lot of public used it. It's in it's it's been in horrible
063condition was uh maybe taking a look to fix that. So there's going to be some major issues that it's tough. Everyone, you know, we're taxpayers too, but it's what we we got to try to, you know, keep our buildings in shape. And then we also have this building that we're looking at that we're maintaining a large building that uh we need it. So we were trying to game save the district money but then also save up money through repairs and through fixing. So just anyone that's hasn't listened to it just so you're aware we're not just throwing stuff out just like let's just spend money for for no reason. Uh we're trying to be stewards of all the buildings and the districts at the same time. >> And I'm glad you brought up some of
064those specific points a little bit more because those are the types of items where they're talked about just little by little at the board meetings because it's building towards a plan. There's no definite plan laid out there yet. There's the age old problem of I can't hang anything in the classroom. Why? Because there's involve and it's safe. It's been reviewed by professionals. It was, you know, put into the five-year improvement plan by the architects. You know, all third parties are good. We're good. But time can't do anything, right? That's an age-old problem. And at one point in time, you had to say, "We have to do something, right? Graph's falling out of the stairs. Got to fix the graphics." So, those are good points, but I agree with you. I I think now is not
065the time to have any more, you know, hopeful budget items. And and you know what, as the plan comes to more fruition, I think, you know, we heard a lot of folks get behind the idea of having a new gold bus. A lot of folks are behind the idea of let's fix the tennis court at the high school before it goes, you know, all the way out and it goes twice as much. I think people get behind stuff like that when they see the due diligence that was put into it to ensure it wasn't done halfhazardously. It was negotiated. It was a good cause. It was rightful. And I think folks get behind that. >> I I think just echo your point that I think that's what's needed, right? We're going to go out for
066capital projects. That's part of this process. But if what we're presenting in the budget, we present what is represented in relation to that capital project. I think it's helpful. just think that sometimes, you know, that spreadsheet has a lot of lines on it, right? It's easy to say this number's way down. But like legal for instance, I know a huge part of that was for the capital project and just I think it skews the public's opinion of what we're doing. >> So off the top of your head, can is there another line item that might come to mind where there might be some more area where we can cut down a little bit? Yes. Um the um budget vote costs under the 1060 codes for the annual meeting, those were doubled because of the cost
067for a vote. We would have to have another vote for the capital project. So all of those costs were budgeted for. We also have a financial advisor that helps us plan this capital project to make sure that doing what we can to maximize our cost allowances in the buildings. So that line item also was increased. I have those I know everybody's been taking notes here sitting around this table. Um any other direction where anybody would like to up next that we haven't necessarily got into conversation? So, it's just something that I I was brought up and I saw public and not with the large amount of money, but I'll I'll bring it up is uh because we we did as a cost savings is the live stream of YouTube. There there is there was a
068cost savings of doing that. Uh not only the technical and and a person uh having to do it, but uh there was another one we we were just to be honest, we were having some issues at some of the meetings with people breaking policy, saying things they wouldn't. We had to shut down meetings, shut down the video, do things and that cost legal, right? We we we have to make sure that we don't get the district sued. So, it became an issue. I'm not going to talk to you out, but the reality is it became an issue. I'm had to speak up and and anyone that comes to these meetings I just want to chime in. I want to chime in and say thank you to everybody who has spoken in the past year because
069that hasn't happened. Thank you. the last meeting there was a lot of folks talking privilege of Florida. Thank you for the respectful concerns and just following those policies because yeah you have to spend legal money on that. It's absurd. So stop live streaming that there's an issue you can avoid it. So >> that's what that was. Just wanted to bring up why we just spoke about legal when it was fresh that that yes, it was costing us legal hours, right? Buildable hours and uh so that was an additional cost that includes the the actual man hours and and uh the equipment to do it. >> And just to clarify, the meetings are recorded lost time. Correct. >> Very true. >> Correct. They're recorded and they're posted. So there's about it ranges but you know around
070a 4,0003 to $4,000 savage not watching recording it. >> And what's the turnaround time for it to be posted once it's recorded? >> It's usually two days. >> Yeah. Mr. Riger, would you uh just give me that number, please? It's as soon as I get the green light or anybody else gets the green light. I always ask for are we ready to post it moren or somebody else >> and great but it's pretty quick. >> I mean it'll be it could be at nine o'clock tonight if you want it to be when we're done with the meeting. So I wait for admin direction. >> I'll just make a request tonight of all nights. Yeah, let's expedite the uploading of the video and not to step over anybody, but >> let's do that tonight. The ball
071necks. >> All right, thank you. >> This is likeing the things, but I know when we were live streaming. >> Did it create lat? >> No, that's how the room was built. >> Seems to be better. >> People have said that like part of the reason that we're always having so many issues was based on lives. didn't know if that was true or not. Mr. >> We can uh we can discuss if we wanted to reexplore that there's I've learned it more >> from our vendor >> addition to the capital project my donation >> I'll donate the $12. Yeah. >> Um, I was just scanning through the notes here, trying to be mindful of the time. I'm sure we can sit here talking forever. A lot of notes I made, I think, have been brought
072up. Other big points we haven't hit yet. >> No, but I I I do want to go back because um I wanted first. Um, so so again for me um and you know, when we talk about percentage increase and and I voiced my opinion at the beginning, but I think for me it's a matter of when when we get the next budget and it it it's it's going to be about what are we giving back to students kind of what you're saying. I've talked for the last, you know, five years on, you know, what what athletic programs are we looking to, you know, spearhead that might be, you know, an advantage to us, right? Like what other academic programs, right? So, um I know that again you had mentioned, you know, the 48 hours of
073business hours since our last meeting, right? They had today and Thursday, right? So I know you know Maji just talked about the toa position but like what other programs or classes that are sustainable right because that that has to be a part of it like what's sustainable um could we look at it when when this budget comes through and and we said hey all right we're chipping away chipping away chipping away you know is it 3% is it 2.8% 8% like is it 3% with hey we're adding this class this class this class is it we're adding this program you know I think it was I and it could be back in the budget this year I I don't know and I didn't get a date for it but um you know I know we
074cut the bowling program at one point right I don't have a kid of balls right but I do know that there was a small group of of kids that did right and um and and those kids had reached out and it was just kind of like one of those small things where all right like it might only be a dozen kids but for those dozen kids like like like that it it it matters right so for me and and I'm not looking for an answer tonight right because we're going to have to set up another meeting um it's going to be hey what did you do here and are there any additional programs that we're keeping we're keeping it at this or we're adding like hey the high school's going to off of this right
075I don't know like obviously those are conversations you have to have with you know amongst yourselves you have to have with the principal you know you need teachers to teach that um but I just want to make sure that you know we're go is moving in a direction of setting us above other districts because I do feel like we kind of hit that point and I'm not seeing a lot of new and grown programs done, but I want to see a little bit more. That that's that's for me. Um, so yeah, so I just wanted to make sure that was clear and I know kind of went along what you were saying, Tom, where like what's student center activities and they don't have to be like maybe it's just more activities that are oneoffs, right?
076So, >> so I'm sure we're going to hear plenty of comments from the public which I look forward to, but listening to the message we received last time, it wasn't so much the tax levy that defeated the budget, right? I don't think it was, oh my god, I cannot believe that you asked for money%. I think it was the buckets and if anything, you know, this process of education, but I think everybody notice those apologize that didn't but like a lot of times we're budgeting money for things that are contingencies right it talks about having money in the legal budget for potential capital project talking about having money in the superintendent line for potential hire I think it's okay I think you know I think everybody speak for all of but um I think everybody
077would be okay if we said hey we found this $50,000 let's put this in a bucket for potential official programs, right, that we know we can pull from later on because I know at the you know the building we hear all the time like I would love to do this where you get money from and but if that money doesn't get used at the end of the year it goes into a reserve fund and you know or you know maybe the the balance that we have in reserve and we carry the same budget item but we have money for growth for student centric uh programs I think that I think it's I am not a believer and I think I said this privately to a bunch of you guys ask me like it's you know
078the budget's like a credit card you don't have to use the whole limit right you have it because that's you're prepared for the worst um I think it's okay to have some money bucketed though for studententric things I think it's it's okay to say hey I got I have my my Christmas money in my top stocks for something that I really want that's okay right money on roofs and asbestous and legal fees and all the boring things that only the adults in this community care about. There's a lot of stuff that the kids care about that we don't always have funding for. We had a we had a student here last week who came and spoke about >> first ever >> first person ever who talked about how >> you know to him and what
079that did for him as a student and you know to go back to even something as simple as that right if it's sustainable and it was something that was coming before because of participation there is a desire again great does that look like and there's one more thing we offer. I think that type of stuff goes a long way. And just to reiterate that again because I've been saying with every one of these line items, I think when we reconvene and I think it will be important to talk about next meeting and the timeline before we have the privilege of the floor here, I think we'd really like to kind of hone in on on some of that stuff. What does that look like? What those options might be? And and in that if there
080were any other line items that were cut, right? Tell me this was cut because the cost is less. No, no problem. This is less because we didn't need the new equipment this year. We were on an equipment cycle last year. Perfect. That's fine. You know, so does a comment along the same lines for I know that there was there was a note on it. Someone commented about a cut in fine arts or something on the art program. or that may have been personal. It may have been on the side. Did we have any kind of cut in that in arts program or fine arts program? >> Art supplies >> for supplies itself. >> What was that cut? >> It was in the theater. >> Was that the only I I was taking as two separate
081things. So I'm not >> there was a there was a well but there was a supplies there was a supplies line item cut and again that's appropriate because we no longer print like here in the boardroom. We don't need $3,000 for handouts. Great. I'm okay to hear that. >> Yeah. >> If that was paper that you print handouts on. No problem. If it was now we don't supply ink anymore. Yeah, give it that spell back. >> Yeah, I would think it was supplies that would be a different different. >> I just want to comment on what John was saying too about being student centered. Something that's come up for us that we've heard is about the enrollment going down, but yet why are isn't the budget going like the numbers going down? And I just
082think and I've said it before about student needs don't equate necessarily to what the enrollment is. and just looking at and thank you for sending us the documents about um special education needs because that has grown substantially and I think that that's very important for people to know that just because the enrollment is down the needs of the students aren't down and it's important that we always keep that in mind also. I don't know if there was anything else you wanted to talk about that. >> Yeah, but I think those line items alone ever is going to say no don't give them legal services. No one will ever say that. >> Those line items are up a million dollars. we have needs and then your cost of living goes up, cost of materials goes up,
083right? Even if you just had a cost of living increase in a salary of a little tiny percent, whatever that was, it goes up. It goes up. And nobody wants a, you know, 60 kids in the classroom. So, I think there is a balance in all of it. There's there certainly is. But yes, magically, these things aren't just going to get cheaper. There's one point I understand from an administration that is that money everybody for so you know I don't want that to be a literal request I just philosophical >> and just going back to you know the bucket of money it seems like you know we all want as much as we can do for our kids and some of the cuts changes that we're looking to make tonight. Some of them may be
084longstanding, whether it's, you know, the superintendent salary, whether it's from the TASA change. Um, and those might be permanent changes. There's another bucket of money which we talking about no longer postponing capital project which increases legal fees. At some point, those are going to come back. So, that's not an ongoing supply of money that's going to be used, unfortunately, to fund those things because then the following year, we're going to see huge increases. So we kind of just have to be mindful of that maybe on the next presentation maybe different items for money that's there going forward and money that we have now for a year but it's probably the need to come back in. >> I totally I agree with what you're saying and I just think that we talk about capital projects just
085the more information we can ever give it. I mean this budget notwithstanding, you know, obviously I think we all feel agreement with the community at some level over some of the items in it, right? Um our community is typically very supportive, right? They pass back to the capital project and following stadium those things historically with community support. I just think that rather than these line on a spreadsheet just needs to do all of us, myself included, we need to do a better job of explaining what it is and where it's going to get us. >> And I just think that I don't think the numbers scare anybody. Yeah, I think we brought that up, you know, in that first meeting when the budget didn't pass was, you know, just really thinking about it, going through
086six budget presentations and looking at the very broad strokes and how things are shaping out. And even through all of this, if you shook out $100,000 and realized that's.1% of the budget 0.1, that one line means a lot to that one person whose child is in this program or whose teacher used to have an A, but doesn't happen anymore. That one line item means it all. And I think you're right in forthcoming budgets, there's going to be a way that we're going to learn from this and improve. And I'm glad we did this workshop tonight. you know, I think is really important. Unless anybody has any other more specific points, I'd like to talk about the timeline a little bit, where we need to go next in terms of scheduling meetings, what that meeting is
087going to look like, and then move into privilege. Sound good? Okay. >> Mhm. >> So, we have our timeline here and correct me if I'm wrong, but June 2nd would be the absolute latest. >> Yes. So, what I would suggest is that we have another regular board meeting on the first two different to adopt the budget. that would be to have a budget presentation explaining the uh changes in the proposed budget and then that night you get if you still want to make some changes that can be done right there and then you would adopt that budget and then the next night which is next Tuesday the 2nd you would have the budget presentation the public presentation to hear public hearing the budget >> and then that would be the whole meeting Tuesday just be
088the public hearing And >> so that that would give us the time to get all the legal notices out because the vote is on the 16th. That's set. We can't change that. >> Is there any way to do that meeting and public hearing on the same meeting as opposed to two? >> I I think you can. Yes. And I don't know if you're asking, but I have a board meeting that night, so I know I can't come Tuesday. Um, so I think that's why you're probably asking. I don't I'm not looking to complicate things, so I want to make sure that we have enough time. Um, >> so so I don't want to hold up, you know, hold everyone up first. I would definitely rush if I understand correctly, everything would be decided on first.
089>> Yes. So just so I understand too understands on the first we get the you know we we see the budget the revised budget you know maybe makes suggestions at that point the public would see the budget at that point as well. >> Yes. Okay. If they're at the meeting or watching it when it's shortly posted, I would just if it was all in one night, the way I see it working would be >> Yeah, you would have it certainly by the end of this week. So, you have time to look over the weekend that would be posted and then we do a presentation. then you would adopt it and then your I think your brother would need to then formally do another presentation officially of the adoption. I think that's what we should plan
090on. I I think that we've been very vocal about what we'd like to see changed. We our goals are looking to reallocate funds not of millions of dollars. Let's be honest all these line items we've talked about collectively. What does it all add up to? I'm feeling confident that maybe we have enough thought direction that we can get there in one night and then review it if we have it the board by the weekend and we review it in final comments. I think it makes sense. Is everybody in agreement Monday the first >> we adopt it and then we go into a budget presentation meeting. So we'll do a double letter. Great. Great. Then is everybody available? >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay. Then we your meeting >> on Monday the we do everything on Monday
091the first >> everything Monday the 1. >> That also gives everybody the night free on Tuesday if you don't have a meeting to make sure you attend the festival of the arts over the high school which is >> arts and music all night long. It's briefly >> if we like posting rules and all of that. I'm just worried that if on the first we get in this room and we don't feel what happens very quickly. We have to adopt on the first no matter what. >> I think I think we're going to know that by Friday when they submit all of the documentation to us because you don't have anything to do Saturday or Sunday. >> I think if we see anything dinner. >> I'm just trying to figure out what grocery stores >> grocery
092store is other grocery. >> All right, so >> clear on our our thoughts. Quick recap, salaries, superintendent, uh some of the legal fees, investment that have been salaries, those uh all of those items and then where's that getting filtered to where's that money go? Any service cut, what was put back, where we can if it was cut rightfully we had the reason we're good to go. Okay, great. Just to clarify, so this is remaining at 3.06 lower rate. I mean I assume I want to operate at least we discussed >> I was writing down some notes but you know I think all of us in our cut off passing conversation tonight but that represents a reduction but I don't that's not a spreadsheet change all items I think that if we can reduce the number
093right I think absent identifying a program that was cut something that we feel is, you know, should be supported that we have rejected $200,000 extra aid and maybe 300,000 in the tax. I think that's something that we need to look to cut from the budget unless we have an educational services type a or need. Sorry. I think that's something we should look to to take advantage of. Also, I know several people have signed up for voting to the floor reflection of the community, but I look forward to hear from the community too. What's more important than the services of a number of it's not all or nothing, but I think that is an important part of the process. I mean from everything we've heard say everything from the majority of what we've heard it hasn't
094been 3.06 is ridiculous it's blasphemy it's untenable it's it's that it's 3.06 6 and there's so many things that are affecting the lives of students. Um, so I I do >> I was trouble last time for doing question and answer this time. >> Let's not let's not do question and answer directly. >> I think if anybody who signed up for privilege would like to comment on that point, I think it's fine. I just I'm going to say my opinion. I do agree with Brett that if there is a trimming of X dollars and we needed Y to replenish and there's something left over. >> I don't mind it coming down a little bit. >> Maybe it might come down. I mean, we're all taxpayers. >> I mean, if I remember like from 36 to 2.8
095was 150,000. >> So, depending on where that money falls, how much we shaved off tonight. >> Exactly right. Exactly right. I do like the idea of the bucket, right? There's a bucket for the bulk of those doesn't exist anymore. Just the examples. I like that might not be. It's 2.9. >> And just make sure we don't leave the tax fund beyond a safety measure. That's that's agreed. So that's in there just in case some people can appeal their taxes. Major corporations can appeal it above. It's kind of beyond us, but if so, we're responsible to reimburse. It's small law. Nothing we can do about it. So if there is a savings there, I think we should, you know, put that towards the budget like I said reducing the budget. Great. Anything else? All right. Fantastic.
096So we'll go ahead and move over to the floor. Um, and you know, just like last time again, thank you any who's here or who listened who spoke last time. It was so appropriate, heartfelt, um, stuck within the policy and that really is much appreciated. Just as a reminder, you know, not to speak about individuals or students by name or title and please try to keep it within four minutes. You know, I'm just I'm not going to be running the timer tonight, but please, everyone did a great job of that last time, so let's keep it up. Uh yeah, we will go ahead and get into the floor. All right, first I have Thomas. >> Good evening. Just got to press the microphone button there. There you go. >> Good evening. >> Me, too. I
097think it's pretty obscure. I think my concerns have been looking at managing administrative budget where I think there are maybe some places where you could question the need for assisting principle in this budget um for change in the salary of existing principal this year from 10 months to 12 and from the superintendent looking at disappear in those three things and they're not students at all as far as I know so I that's what I look forward to that being one of the considerations and you go on. >> Thank you. Thank you very much. All right. Uh I was looking for the non-signed version. We have James Lango. That's right. I pronounced it. Okay. Give the guy a break. >> Exactly. >> Good evening, President Mus and members of the board. Um, I appreciate that you
098did uh this workshop meeting for all of us and for your continued engagement during this challenging time. Um, because there was a comment directed towards the audience. John, I'll door dash you this weekend. So, let me know what groceries you need um at your house. Anyone else feel free to let me know. Um, my name is Joe Connell. I'm a district resident and a parent of two children currently attending our beloved ocean schools. The one thing I wanted to hear a little bit more of uh today um in the conversation especially hearing some of the other comments of those who thoughtfully commented last week was just what is the sustainable and agile long-term thinking. Um I think I may have heard um Mr. Weeden mentioned that there is an update to the state aid allocation.
099Um and so I'll definitely want to see that being clear how that's reflected in the current budget. I didn't get full transparency on that. Um, and I definitely relate to uh Miss Johnson's comments about enrollment being projected to decline. So, the enrollment decline is 3% from 2712 students to 2,627 in the proposed budget. Obviously, that like numbers can change. I also do recognize um working in an education environment that I think a way to think about student needs um relates to students going to a gym. So, if you have 2,627 students going to the same gym that 2712 went to, but those smaller number of students go to the gym more frequently, the equipment gets used heavier. Um, and so I often describe when advocating for for staff in my role that what we have
100to think about is how does the equipment used, not just the number of the equipment. I don't think the conversation got to that level. Um, and I really want a budget um, and the work to think about how is it that we're preparing the students, not just thinking about what is the overall number. And I think that should be reflected in the communication to the community. I do also want the the the board to consider thinking about what is the long-term personnel plan, especially administratively, right? So, if the declines are in the elementary areas, when my kids were in school, there was one principal per building. I believe there are now two per building. And if the high school's bigger and the high school numbers are similar, like there should just be a look at
101kind of like what is the administrator to student ratio as well as what is the teacher to student ratio. So we shouldn't just be talking about numbers and hypotheticals, but we should be looking at what is the needs of the students and how do they move through buildings. And if we're hiring from an agile perspective, then we're thinking about how can we move as our students move. Um, and then we talked about reserves. I heard some some comments from the assistant superintendent that there would be some savings, but the budget put forward to the community in March shows a decline of 15 million to 14 million in the restricted fund balance. So that still shows an overall decline and what the public had the ability to see. So transparency and understanding if there is some
102money that's being saved, but our overall restricted fund balance is going down, we have less money in our savings account. And as a community, we want to build our savings account. That's what we as family members each want to do for our kids in the community that we that we serve. And then the the last thing I wanted to mention is that I would encourage the board to think about the question of transparency. The public response to the board vote shows there is interest in more transparency based upon every single person who is here today. And so whether that means live broadcasting of meetings, two meetings a month, reading resolutions out loud, there is a desire based upon the response of the vote for more transparency today and more meetings is a great step forward
103forward and I do encourage the board overall to consider that. I appreciate all of your time, dedication, your weekend ahead. Um and good luck with the process. Thank you. I look forward to supporting. >> Great. Thank you. Right now we have James. Not sure if I got that right. >> Wonderful. Thank you. Um, thank you. Um, quite a long time ago, I was superintendent here long before most of you were sitting here. I think all of you were sitting here except for he's even older than I am. the uh >> I'm going to file complaints, >> but I just had a couple of uh one one thing just in my I I don't know my 20 years or my 40 years of working with school budgets. Um when a budget is voted down, uh it's
104important and it's kind of what the the last guy was speaking was saying. It's important to recognize that there are some people that are angry. Okay. I don't I don't know why they're angry. Um I think that uh some of the comments that I saw kind of focused on on the superintendent salary, but I think that's just that's symbolic. It's like they're they're they they feel like something's going on and they don't know what's going on and they're angry about it. So, communication, communication, communication. Talk about what you're doing. And I think uh there was a little bit of a discussion toward the end about whether the overall percentage increase is going to go down or not. Um my my always my advice to uh school uh districts that I work with is if you're
105having a second vote, it should not be on the same budget that you um you voted that was voted down. That is basically saying not a very nice thing to the people that voted no. saying, you know, hell with you. We're just going to find find more people to vote yes. You might even be able to do that, but you've made some real enemies if you do that. So, that's just one thing I would I think it's it's important for that number to change. It doesn't have to change a lot and there needs and it should be but it should be explained and uh I think that's that would be a very important uh message as part of your budget presentation. This is not the same budget that was budget that was voted down. These
106are the kinds of changes that we've made. The discussion tonight reminded me after 10 years of retirement that school budgets are very complicated. You know, just listening to you guys talk about all the different little pieces that you might want to be able to move around, maybe reduce that. Um and and I think it's important that that the message that go that's given on u Tuesday night in the budget presentation is as simple as possible. Uh complicated explanations annoy people. Um just two other things. Um about a week before the budget vote and I have no idea what the context of this was. There was a front page thing on the Times Herald Union that said basically Gan and Newberg were the two districts that didn't meet some kind of federal standard. I don't have
107no idea what that was about, but there were only two districts in Orange County that were singled out as having a problem. And I don't and I think it I think that could have influenced some voters as well. uh if you're not so I think if if goan is doing well academically you can't just say it you've got to prove it got to say you've got to show show that it's doing well and and along that line one more thing um there there was a number of con discussions tonight I think uh Billy you you had you were saying about if there's a little group of kids that really need something we've got to put a pro we got to put a program for them you don't always improve things by adding a program. Um
108that the quality of what you're doing matters more than the quantity of what you're doing. And I think that I don't know how well you you're measuring the quality of what's going on in the district in any area, but that's something that should be primary and it should be primary in your message to the community. this we have we have high quality programs. I mean I remember when I was in Gan there were things like reading recovery at the elementary level. There was a uh open enrollment um um high school uh US history program that was phenomenal. It allowed and you didn't have you didn't have to be at the top level to get into the program. it was and it was very difficult. Science Olympiad used to take regularly take on the take on
109the national uh fighting at the national level. Those kinds of things are really important and the community needs to hear about them. I don't I I don't see a lot in in the indie in the uh in the Chronicle about the accomplishments of uh you know I I see I see the accomplishments of the sports teams. >> Yes. I don't see anything about the academics and the academics are what matters. That's why that's why you're here. That's why why the district exists. Um just one last thing and this just shows shows how complicated things are. You mentioned um cutting the technology coordinator and and that that work would be spread out to already existing people. Most of the already existing people that I know have a full-time job and sometimes more than a full-time job.
110When so when you're when you're making that kind of a shift, you got to know what's going on because um I I personally I can't imagine a school district without a technology coordinator at this point in in uh uh in in in the the evolution of technology. But that that's a job. It's a full-time job and if it's not if if it's not gonna have a person doing it, there better be a very clear description of how it's being handled because uh I I I would uh personally I I would I would not recommend that, but I know you're in the business of trying to reduce your budget, not not in not increase it. But um uh those are just a few thoughts. I've been out of the business for a decade, so I'm I
111have no idea what most of what's going on, but I wish you well. It's clear to me from listening to the discussion tonight that you're very serious about trying to take this budget situation that you find yourself in seriously and I wish you well. >> Thank you very much. Next, we have Tara Connell. Good evening. I just want to preface this first with whatever I have to say isn't against like an admin position or isn't against a teacher because you're all greatly appreciated. It's just trying to figure out how to make things work and suggestions along the way of like whether it's Facebook comments or social media comments. Some of those things haven't been said tonight. And so it's to bring light to communi to conversations that many of us have but might not be
112comfortable to bring to a mic recognizing that you don't give names or you'll see where I'm going with this. So but the first thing is just to add to your comment about us not celebrating academics before I go into my notes. I think you're right. We don't celebrate honor role even anymore. It's not out like we don't celebrate our kids. And we're saying tonight student centered student centered. But why aren't we celebrating that about our kids? we where I don't it's one thing that's a conversation among many parents is where is it and not just going to the website but putting it in the putting it in the newspaper or the kids getting an email of congratulations our kids are working hard they're taking AP classes college credits eighth grade they're working in honors classes
113in kindergarten first grade they're working hard as well like we need to celebrate their academics so I just wanted to add it to that because I thought that was a great point just to add to some comments some have already been said there are some questions and some of mine are questions and not necessarily how to fix the problem but to many of us go feels admin topheavy and it's a comment that's made all along that we feel top heavy and in a declining enrollment why is an assistant principal needed an SAS it doesn't the math doesn't math to many of us and not that you have to answer that question but it's just something that a lot of us are thinking about and sometimes it feels as though we move administration to different roles
114and then add more administration when those are some of our highest salaries in the district. So again, the math doesn't math on that. Are there cuts other cuts? Are there other areas where cuts could be made? We cut custodial summer staff employment for students, but have we ever considered giving students certain jobs like scorekeeping at basketball games? From my understanding, scorekeepers make a lot of money. Um, but can we make it more of a student position of scorekeeping or the technical jobs like Mr. maybe Mr. predictor as a director of technology could give this job of working at a at school boards to a student. If our students um you know do those extra roles also the other question that parents have is when those roles are given to teachers does that add to their
115retirement? So then doesn't that make their retirement topheavy and aren't they adding to their retirement which then makes us have to give more money to teachers in the end when we could save money and give that money to our students? If our students can be sports refs, firemen, handle money at stores or start their own businesses, there are definitely jobs our kids could do within this district and a way to maybe self cut money. The vote wasn't just about the superintendent race. It's about the superintendent process. It used to be a district that involved the community in the process and it feels as if it's been done behind closed doors all year long. And in all those processes you've mentioned tonight, you've said that we've asked administrators, but what has been asked to the teachers?
116What has been asked to the students? They are the ones living the Genan Central School District every day. They are the ones that have the voice that see everything that goes in day by day. Something near and dear to my heart, which I spoke to about two meetings ago, is the booster clubs in the parent process in the parent community. The interim superintendent implemented new guidelines for the district to oversee the eighth grade dance, junior prom, homecoming, and other school dances, yet simultaneously created some roadblocks for booster clubs that have historically provided free support and supplemental benefits to students. And at a time when the student when the district is facing a budget deficit, energy should be directed toward identifying cost-saving solutions rather than implementing procedures that complicate volunteer efforts and added insufficiency inefficiency. In
117addition, there was a note in the in the district policy manual at the end of section 500 code 52 that was added which states any event hosted by a district approved club in which a fee for attendance is charged that requires paid of services such as district employees and community members the sponsor club must incur the costs. that happened. Well, that part did not happen this year, but for the class of 2026, I'm the president of the um Goan Booster Club of the class of 2026. We were guaranteed all of the money that was profited from homecoming. It was 13,91 and we now that was sent over to our castle this year. Let me see where I was. Here we go. This year we have 175 registered seniors coming to our all night party at
118the castle. We need that $13,91. And if any of it is cut, that will cut our all night party. An event that where students are encouraged to party all night long rather than engage in other unnecessary activi events. It's not that cut isn't happening to our class this year, thank God, but it will happen to next year's class and all the other classes which you all have students in. That's really going to hurt them. This year's uh online party is costing us between 55 to $60,000. You can't cut from those funds. If you're saying right now how much student centered you are and how much student centered you are, that decision is not student centered. Additionally, there's an increase in needs of special education and I've been a firm believer of being proactive instead of
119reactive. It's why I work in early intervention and preschool. My comment isn't necessarily going to help with budget thinks as someone who works in EI and preschool, but I suggest that the district research why the increase is happening of special education needs and what could be done to properly address it instead of just adding extra aids and extra support. But it's kind of like what you were saying, what are we doing to address the problems or the issues? A few weeks ago when I was speaking, a senior spoke before me and gratefully mentioned that SAS SAS needs BCBAS. That's board certified behavioral analysis or assistance. So, do the extra aids and support generally address the needs and behaviors that are now seen in our children or is there something that we should be looking as
120to why this increase in special education is happening? And although we are not required by state, we could be pioneers with screening kids as they enter into the UPK. There are kids that are going into UPK that are not identified who did not go through CPSSE which is the preschool special education program or do not have a diagnosis or the parents didn't know that there was something going on that needed to be have be have services and then they are going into a regular preschool classroom and then there are identifying challenging needs for the go but then those kids are in those preschool classrooms and they're having identifying needs later on rather than putting them in an early intervention and preschool process. And then the identification then gets passed into kindergarten and then you're adding
121more and more and more. You could see these needs at your UPK. So by identifying the challenges and needs of our go students earlier would then be our own form of early identification which may offset the need for one of our one for the needs for one-on-one aids and special education needs in the future. Thanks. >> Right. Thank you. Unless we have Terry to go. >> Hi there. Um, okay. I'm just going to apologize because this is going to be all over. As you guys were talking, I was um taking notes, so just bear with me. Um, I just want to say you guys talked about the 3.06% increase. Again, this is my viewpoint only. I didn't have a problem with that. I think my problem was how the money was um allocated into different
122buckets. So, um, John, thank you for clarifying. I understood when you guys talked about that percent raise for the superintendent, it wasn't going to him at once. It was this range. So, I appreciate you like elaborating that. I don't know if everybody actually understood that, but um with that, I think um we have to have like whoever gets hired for the superintendent, there needs to be some sort of measurable goals and accomplishments. I think that's what we're looking for to see, right? It's the most important job in the district. um the success of the district kind of lies in their hands. So for us it's um yes, we want the most qualified. We don't want somebody who's just going to come in here and you know collect a paycheck. We want the best interest, somebody
123who's going to fight for the programs um have the teachers best interest, have the children's best interest, have the taxpayers best interest at heart. Um, I know last year we let I think it was 25 aids go and then Dr. Carter said we were able to hire 15 of them back. So clearly there was a need. So I'm not I guess I'm confused why we let them go and then realize we did in fact need them. So we rehired them back. I think we need to look at that. I think we need um I think the district needs needs aids. I think they need maybe a little bit more training. I think the teachers are overwhelmed sometimes in these classrooms with the, you know, the large classroom settings. Um, so I I want to see
124more for the teachers. I want to see more for the students, but I definitely want to see more for the teachers. Um, I can say my kids have had amazing teachers. Some of them are here in this in this room and have helped my kids along in in ways that I can't even explain. Um so I think it's important that we also recognize the teachers right recognize the students academics we recognize students for sports but I think we also need to recognize um some of the teachers as well um capital improvement I don't want a building to not get fixed because it has a leaky roof. So I definitely think that should not be something in the budget we should postpone the tennis courts. Yes, they're a sore sore eye. Um but at the end
125of the day the teachers and the kids safety in the buildings in this building um is a priority. Um let's see what else. Um we talked about uh that enrollment was going down. So um I understand I think I was shouting who said it that um needs just because enrollment goes down doesn't mean needs goes down. And I think we need to figure out what those needs are looking forward into the future and address them. Um I was actually reading something the other day like Governor Hokll has proposed in 2028 that all UPK4 will be universal, right? Everyone get in. I think right now it's a lottery. So that would be a line item in our budget. And then how are we allocating that? Who's how are we paying for that? Are we keeping it
126in the building? Are we outsourcing it? Again, there's just a lot that I think we need to look at. And I think the budget that was presented, I think people just saw it as administrative and not down to from the teacher, down to the student, down to what we can offer. Um, Billy talked about adding programs. I just want to say the internship program is phenomenal. I think things like that need to be added or I mean that's there. I mean, maybe grow, but things like that need to be offered um to students. We want to set Goan apart. Like, we I love Goan. I think it's a great school district, but I think we could be better. And I think we need to be leaders and act first so that people kind of look
127at us and be like, "Oh, wow." Like, we want to follow what Goan is doing. And right now, I don't see that. And that's that's my biggest concern. >> Thank you. >> All right. Thank you again. We really do appreciate everybody's comments and in a meeting like this, it is hard to kind of do what John was saying and not just instantly respond. You know, meetings aren't necessarily formatted that way, but you know, I think that uh you made a lot of really good points and we appreciate that. You know, please keep in mind, please send an email if you've spoken in public session because there may be something that you share you'd like. your question answered in a response, send an email. We want to make sure everybody, you know, has, you know, answers
128to those things. Um, our weekend's already booked. So, all right. So, on to our next item here. Back to any board member comments, agenda items. Any further points of discussion? break. >> Okay, great. So, you know, I just I just wanted to share really one thought in closing. Our goal tonight was stated clearly in the beginning. We do want to revise this budget to make everybody feel good about it that works. We don't want to flip it upside down and just have something that doesn't work. We feel like we could get there and we just we implore you in all of you, the community, please go out and vote. No matter how you do it, please exercise your right to vote. Just get out there and do it. The voter turnout numbers were low. Please
129do that. Be mindful of misguiding information. Everybody has a right to have their voice, but misguiding information builds misguided perception. Please seek clarification. Something doesn't sound right to you, go to the source, write an email, ask about it. A lot of folks rely on their favorite social media platforms and get misguided information which builds misguided perceptions. Please be cautious of that. We welcome everybody here to speak. Please ask the questions, get the information. If you feel like something's not adding up, we want to make sure you have that information. It's okay to disagree. It's okay to have different opinions, but please don't vote in spite. If you go out and vote in spite, you're only hurting one person, the students. I'm hoping the best of our ability we get something to deliver on Monday that
130we feel great about, we feel the community can embrace. I don't want to get into talking about a contingency budget tonight, but if we had a delta of $100,000, which was over.1% and we ended with a contingency, we had to now cut instantly a million. That's another 900,000 that we've just stripped from our students. Not that our way has to be the best way. Please keep that stuff in mind. We're hoping to do the best we can to serve the whole community and deliver passable budget on Monday. And again, I just want to thank everybody for coming, sharing, and and listening at this workshop tonight. All right, we need a motion for executive session. Got John and Brett >> be resolved. The board of education will enter into executive session intend to reconvene meeting everybody.
131have in