001All right, good evening everyone. Uh, thank you for joining our special meeting on this June 30th uh, 2025. We're going to call this meeting to order by the starting flag. Can we turn off our Present. Oh, sorry. Present. Miss Cook and present. Miss. Robert. President Ivory Presbyter Second. Any comments? Pardon me, Madam President. I can barely hear I'm sorry, my mic was unmuted. Now, what we're going to do is we're going to open the um open the meeting up to public comments on the agenda items. At this time, um if anyone is in the room, you can come to the podium. Please state your first name and last name. Uh the barrow that you represent and you have the floor to speak on any public comments from the agenda. Miss Fab. Hello. Good evening. Uh,
002Marie Luis Faber, Landsdown resident. Um, so I just wanted to reiterate again, I had mentioned this at Thursday's meeting, but I would really strongly want the board to think about, and I realize there's a lot of push on raising taxes, but when we look at it, and I believe the number might have been shared, and I don't really remember, but it wasn't very big. when we're looking at the increase of taxes between the 3.5 or 3.9% versus 5.9% which is the max that can be raised to right this is it's something obviously if you're you know trying to get through dayto-day on pennies it's a huge number but in reality it is not when we're looking at the we were talking I believe in two years we're paying a million dollars on the current bond
003if we're looking to add another bond That's what but we're going to two million a year. So then we have to keep raising taxes into the future. That's like the long term, right? Instead of focusing on what's happening this year and trying to fix that and put a band-aid on it, we need to look more long term. So I'm really asking you all to consider that 5.9% tax increase something that's more sustainable for our school district that we don't run into these problems. I realize maybe that's not going to solve these things. Anyway, I just also wanted to share the concerns of our young people. So, my daughter is in going into eighth grade next year. Um, she was in the room at the finance meeting on Thursday. Uh, on her way to camp on
004Sunday, she was talking to her father and asking questions about what is this bond? What does this mean? What about my after-school programs that are so important to her where she gets to connect with friends to actually talk which isn't doesn't really happen in the classroom. There's no time for that. This is where the kids grow in these afterchool programs. Academics is of course important but if we can't let these kids have this connection we're we're creating hollow human beings. And so again, you know, the the vitality of trying to keep these afterchool programs going is more than just like, oh, it's a fun thing for them to do after school. No, this is a a vital piece of their growing up that these kids need. So hopefully you all take that into consideration. Thank
005you. Yes. And thank you, Miss Saber, for that. Um, just wanted to say something that um, what we had discussed in our meeting, you said the 5.9% um, and then you talked about the bond, having to take out the bond, but we would have to still do a percentage and still take out the bond. If we just did the 5.9%, we still wouldn't be able to live off of what we had. Okay. So, we So, I just wanted to make sure you were aware of that. we still would have to go after the bar to be able to uh trust the state regardless of what we're doing. Yeah. Well, I'm sorry if I'm running over time, but again, I'll I'll bring it up too that you know, what are we doing again sustainabilitywise on trying
006to get more dollars into the school district? So, what are we doing on fundraising? Like, has anything you know, this was brought up, I think maybe two months ago. Have we had any grant writing issu uh you know initiative started? So there has been a fundraiser fundraiser initiative actually one of our board of directors miss Val who's on the call uh this was with regard to start capital projects they were running a um dinner and beyond it was a um a dinner that was occurring at Kfield but not enough tickets went off to Madame Chair I can barely hear you. So we are working on um different fundraiser ideas as well. What about grant rates like solid grant projects that are going to support the school district? So um so what I will say to
007you is that at our next education meeting if you can please come to ask to talk about that and we can answer those because there has been a lot of grant running that has been done and we and we can be able to answer that at education meeting. Okay. All right. Thank you so much Miss All right. Are there any other uh public comments on agenda items at this time? All right. If Okay. What's um Anna uh please unmute Anna? Anna so she could have the floor. Anna, you have the floor at this time. Unmuted. Can you hear me? Yes, we can hear you. Okay, great. Um thank you so much. I am from the Yen Burrow and I'm going to take a different view with regards to what's being done. I know that we've
008taken a look with regards to the overall budget and you've cut a lot of different things, but I really do think that we need to take another look with regards to what you're doing with regards to the buildings. Um, I know that there's a plan with regards to renovating buildings, building new buildings, but that has not really been getting us what we need with better scores for the students. but our taxes and the expenses keep going up. So, I'm thinking that we're not really spending the money in the appropriate fashion and that we really do need to take a more of a better look with regards to where we're spend spending the money. Everyone wants the students to get what's best for them, but I think that we are spending money in areas that are
009not actually helping our students. Um, and you're also continuously raising taxes. that has to stop at some point in time. There are a lot of people in the different burrows that make up William Penn School District that are getting older um that are on fixed incomes. There's a lot of other people within the burrows that are on unemployment. Um there's a lot of people that cannot afford food. Um, so asking for additional money with regards to taxes, what you're going to end up doing is having a lot of people in the different burrows that make up Williams Pen School District actually leaving the area, moving out of their homes either because they can't afford the taxes or because they see what is going on and saying this is this is not going to be sustainable.
010So we need to find a better way with regards to how we're handling and what we're looking at with regards to the expenses. Thank you Anna for your uh comment. Um I just would like to say that uh I would like you to come to our budget and finance meetings where we discuss where uh money is allocated. Uh we also have a list that each board of director receives uh to review where money is allocated. uh when you come to our budget and finance meeting uh to the answers to your question with regard to where we are spending money and what are we putting money into could answer that uh so you won't think that we're putting money in the wrong place. I've I've looked at the information with regards to where you're spending money.
011I think that a lot of what has been done has not helped us increase the scores with regards to the students. And yes, I have seen the data. I have been to some of these meetings. So, I I think that you really do need to take another look. We can't just automatically approve whatever people are asking for. Um, some of the things that you're cutting shouldn't be cut. Other things that we're spending on shouldn't be spent on. And I it's not just my opinion. There's a lot of other people within the different burrows that I've spoken to that feel the same. And we're not accomplishing what we're supposed to be accomplishing, which is increasing the score of the students. Well, Anna, thank you very much once again. And and since you brought up scores, um
012I would like you to come out to our education meeting to see our scores actually have improved. Um but I would like you to come out so you can see uh what our our scores are and um that because um I would like you to feel as though that your dollars are being spent in the right way. But I also would like you to understand is we are we did win a fair funding lawsuit. So just to start off, the money was not fair in the beginning of how much money we're getting from the state. So you're telling us basically to spend quarters and we're playing with pennies and it it doesn't work in that way. We were not we're we already sued the state. We did not receive the funding that we we were
013supposed to receive from the state for the lawsuit. So we're not playing on the same level field as everyone else. So I I just I I appreciate your comment. every everything that you're saying is definitely being heard, but I would like to you to come out to a budget and finance meeting and education meeting so you can see where our test scores are going and also if you can see where money is being allocated and that we're utilizing the money in the most effective and efficient way. And I had sent I had sent previously to the interim CFO to ask for a town hall meeting with regards to everything that had been going on with regards to the money the millions of dollars that we were in deficit what expenses we had paid in duplicate
014where that stood and nobody wanted to hold that meeting. So yes, I'm aware of what's going on with regards to the the burrow and the school district. Thank you very much. Thank you. Um uh do we have anyone else? Thank you. All right. Um if that is um all from public comments, we are now going to go to u budget item four um adoption of the 2025. Can I get a motion for adoption of of 2025 2026 general fund budget? Um this is a recommended a action resolved that the budget of the William Penn School District as repres as as presented totaling 134,571 134,570,748 be adopted having been printed and presented to the board and advertised in accordance with social code. Be it is further resolved that the William School District Board of D board
015of school directors of Delaware County, Pennsylvania hereby authorizes the appropriation and expenditure of funds as itemized in said budget during the fiscal year commencing July 1st, 2025. The necessary revenue for the same shall be by 3.9% real estate transfer tax levied and assessed by resolution imposing the same for the fiscal year. commencing July 1st, 2025 and by a school tax on real estate which is hereby levied and assessed at the rate of 32.86 mills on the dollar on the total amount of the assessed valuation on all property taxable for school purposes in the William Penn School District Delaware County, Pennsylvania or at the rate of $32.86 86 on each $1,000 of assessed valuation of taxable property. Any comments, questions, or concerns? Yes. I'd like to move that that be amended to reflect only a 1.9
0161.5% increase for the tax year. So, Bill, you would like So, uh, we would have to motion amend. Yeah. So, we're going to have two. Yeah. It's going to be an amendment, but we're You need a second. You need a second. Can I Does anyone want to second that for 1.5 with bill? Motion. Okay. All right. Motion filled. Okay. Now, are there any comments, questions, concerns with regard to the 3.9% board of directors at this time? All right. Uh Keith, can we get a um roll call? Please. Thank you. Oh, no. Madame Chair, I mean, Madam Secretary, I could not hear. Okay, we'll speak into the everybody make sure you hold the mic to speak in for your vote. I apologize. Um I'll repeat the motion. Okay. On item number four on the special meeting
017budget, um the item is the adoption of the 2526 general fund budget and I'm calling for a roll call vote. Miss Hoff, yes. Mr. Wright, no. Miss Richardson, yes. Mr. Tong, yes. Mr. Callahan, no. Miss Henry, no. Miss Roberts, yes. Miss Ivory, and Miss Boykins, yes. Thank you very much, board of directors. Um, at this time, we are going to go to the next item on our agenda. It is the homestead exclusion resolution and this motion is to adopt the 2025 homestead exclu ex exclusion resolution as attached. So it is a um a PDF attachment to this. So can I get a second? So motion second. So here's someone miss. Thank you. All right. Any comments, questions, or concerns? All right. Hearing or seeing none. Um all those in favor? I I All those against.
018All right. Next, we're going to go to uh trans 2025 train resolution. Can I get a motion to approve the 2025 training resolution as prepared by bond council uh board of directors? This was for the uh 9 million um that we have second. May I speak on this? Well, I was going to say any comments, questions, concerns, Miss Hall, you have the floor. Yeah. So, this trend is necessary uh because our legislators have not passed the budget. That is the only reason it is necessary. Um, and that's unfortunate. Uh, and this is not to place blame. It's just a fact. We don't have a budget today. Um, and we needed a budget. In fact, legislators went home um today. So, they will not be working on the budget tomorrow, Wednesday, or Thursday. So, our best
019hope is sometime next week. Um, we're all unteers here. Um and and that's a hardship to us, right? Folks have vacations. We want to go home, too. Um and uh it's very very unfortunate and I hope something is done in the future to alleviate. Thank you. Thank you, M. And I do want to say too, just to add on to that, this trend helped us go through September. You know, this allows us to be able to do that. I want that's understanding that what this does for us just so people won't think but just we're really doing this to be able to help us be able to open and start up our school year because of the fact that we are in a budget crisis with them not being able to improve the budget. So
020I just wanted to explain every Mr. I'm sorry. Can you confirm that this money gets us to September? Yeah. Okay. Thank you. All right. I'm sure it's necessary for transable. No problem. All right. Uh sorry. Okay. How much is this? This one is the 9 million. This is the 9 million. 10. Okay. All right. All right. I'm calling a roll call. Yes. Everyone, I'm sorry. Everyone, please speak into the mic. Okay. I'm calling a roll call vote on item number six on the agenda, the trans resolution. Miss Hoff, yes. Mr. White, come back to me. Miss Richardson, yes. Mr. Tom, yes. Mr. Callahan, yes. Miss Cook Henry, yes. Miss Roberts, yes. Miss Ivory, yes. Miss Boykins, yes. Circling back to Mr. Wright. Yes. Thank you. Motion passes. All right. Thank you, board of directors. All
021right. Next, we're going to go to the adoption of the Act 93 agreement. Um, this motion is to approve the four-year agreement for the Act 93 employees. Um, can I get a second? I move. No. Can I get a motion? Second. All right. Any comments, questions, or concerns? All right. Hearing or seeing none. All those in favor? I I. All those against. All right. Thank you. Uh, next. Can I get a motion for the adoption of school safety officer agreement? Um, this Thank you so much. This motion is to approve the three-year agreement contract for school safety officers beginning uh the school year of 2025. Second. All right. Are there any comments, questions, or concerns at this time? Um, yes. I just would like to know what would be presented for in our It's in
022our update. One second. Yeah, it doesn't this year. And hold on. Let's look. You got it. You okay? Any com any more comments? Go ahead. Okay. All right. Um, for everybody online, if you heard that was a 2%. 26 27. Yeah. 26 27. Yep. All right. Um, all those in favor I I All those against. All right. Hearing or seeing none. All right. With that being said, I just want to say thank you um board of directors uh for coming out tonight. Um Mr. Regal, it's nice to see you. Welcome to William Penn School District. Thank you very much. We look forward to working with you and um thank you very much to the Huh? Where's my hand? Oh, hold on. Okay, Joe Moore. Richard, I'm I hope I'm saying that correct. You have the
023floor. If we can unmute, Joe Moore, hello. Yes. So, I just have a question. So, are we I guess you have voted to raise our taxes, our school taxes. Yes. So, we voted a 3.9% increase, which if you have a house value of at $153,000 uh $153,000. It is $150,000. Um that will be 29 $29 increase on your taxes. Okay. And do we know why we're raising our taxes and where is that money going? Okay. So, Miss Joanne, uh we have been having several meetings uh discussing our budget. Um we have education meetings and also uh in our budget and finance meetings, we explain and show a breakdown of where all money is allocated. We've also different community discussions to discuss this. I would like to welcome you to uh one of our budget and
024finance meetings. um when you get the opportunity um they're also via Zoom and then also our education meetings so we can talk about where allocation of funds are going. I appreciate that. I thank you so much for your response. Okay, no problem. And also, Miss Joe, Miss Joe, uh you can also uh go online to see a list of our budget items so you can see. I will do so. Thank you. All right, Madam Chair, would you share that she can review some of the other reports? Yes, if someone can. Um key someone if someone can post Oh, right. It's right on the website. Never mind. So, if you go to the district website, Miss Joe, um you can be able to look on the past meetings and there you can find the presentations as
025well um showing the actual allocations of where uh the funds are being spent. Yep. I don't know if she's still on there, but thank you. All right. So, thank you everybody for coming out tonight and thank you board directors. This means a journ.