001A motion please to amend the posted agenda to move item number two which is public comment to the final agenda item of the evening. Please >> I'll make a motion we move that we turn the meeting. >> Thanks. Do you have a second, please? I'll second that. I'd like to uh propose another uh motion that we have one BSA 313A uh for the board to meet in executive session to discuss personnel and board members. >> Okay. Um let's let's take those two at one at a time. So the first one >> correct >> we have first and second uh to amend the amend the agenda moving public comment to the end. Any discussion on that >> hearing? None. All those in favor of amending the agenda as described, please signify by saying I. >> I.
002>> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Nope. Okay, great. So we've moved that. Um Clint, >> I do have I'd like to make a motion to um to have executive session 1BSA 313 which allows public tender to discuss appointment employment or any public officer or employee. I think uh we have some things to talk about as a board and issues that executive sessions. >> Okay. Um do we have a second for that? >> I'll second. >> Great. So we have a first and a second. Any discussion about the uh motion on the floor to amend the agenda as described? Uh do you want to recommend where we stick that in? >> Oh, of course not. >> Okay. So, how about >> do you anticipate action meeting to be taken? >> Maybe. >> Yeah. It depends on Okay.
003Well, how the conversation goes. >> Let's move that to How about we do that at just after FOYI just before public comment? >> I think we should go after public comment. >> Okay. Again, >> you want to >> Sure. Um, do you want to modify the motion just so we make it official? >> Yes. Jen, I'd like to enter executive session through three VSA through 3A um after public comment in today's meeting. >> Cindy, you good with still seconding that? Great. Uh, so any discussion on that hearing? None. All those in favor of amending the agenda as described, please signify by saying I. >> I. Any oppose? Any abstensions? No. Great. Um so now we have 11 agenda items. Um the first one we're going to move to is pledge of allegiance. So I would
004invite anyone who can to rise with us. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America >> and to the republic for which it stands one nation under God, >> indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Thank you folks. So that brings us to the consent agenda which was published with three sets of meetings as well as a nomination form to approve. So um first of all are there any suggested modifications to any of the sets of minutes? Hearing none all those I would entertain a motion please to approve the consent agenda as published. >> Second that we'll call Glenn and Jeff. Um any discussion on approving the consent agenda? >> Hearing none. All those in favor of approving the consent agenda please signify by saying I. I >> I any
005opposed extensions? Great. So, that has passed. Next, we move to finance. And I will admit, I just don't recall offh hand whether or not the treasures report was posted. So, I'll see if I can pull that up. Um but we also have um the matter of a donation to Bennington Elementary School to consider as well as a tractor bid. Um Sandy, I'm going to look at the tractor bid first. I know you raised the question. Was the question answered? >> I did not. >> Okay. Um would you Okay, let's first deal with the with the u the matter of the donation. So we we need to formally accept any donation that's made. We it's never been an issue. We're always happy to accept donations, but we need to do it officially. So I would understand
006a motion, please, to accept the $500 donation that's being made to Bennington Elementary School. >> Thank you, Glenn. >> Thank you, Sandy. We have a first and a second. Any discussion on that? What's board? >> Yeah, sure. It comes in annually from uh it's a >> the trust >> yeah trust I think it's Bruce Leman >> Leman >> um so it's it's an annual payment that comes in just for Ben in general >> um they get to do with it whatever they care >> how does that work I mean can pound apply to any of these grants that go to all >> it's not a donation >> it's like a bequaf >> if I'm pronouncing Yeah, he's been doing it for years. He was independent board since if Beno was his own Ben district. >>
007So, >> yeah. And know and we, you know, we frequently run into individuals or organizations who for one reason or another want to make a specific donation to a specific school. We've we've never said no to those. Well, I know you wouldn't you I wouldn't want you to say no, but I'm just just in the the time that I've come back, I've never seen any of it ever be donated to pound on. My understanding is that act 46 is well one. >> So, we're one district for sure. I think the notion is for for money to go to a specific building. I I I've never spoken to the the the trustees of this this annual grant that comes not grant this annual bequest bequement that comes in. Um, so I I don't know sort of
008what the origins are or what the intent is other than they have specifically identified the school. >> There is Williams like Williams College. >> I was just going to say every year we get a donation. Powell gets a donation from Williams that's a significant even more than this that is yearly that just comes to Powell. So we do we do get we do uh have an advantage of that as well. and Rene. >> Yeah, I think Yeah, there must be something on the ch. So, yeah, I think that was the other. >> Oh, don't trust your mother. She has a broken shoulder. So, um, >> my goodness. Can you believe that? Anyway, anyway, >> I'm out of here. Thank you. It's been two weeks. >> So, we we had an issue with the posting. So,
009the the official warning that went out named the start time at 5:00. It was posted on the website as starting at 5:30. We had discussed 5:30, but because it was warned at 5:00, as soon as we had quorum after 5, we needed to kick it up. So, you haven't missed anything except the approval of the consent agenda, and we moved some things around the agenda itself. So, so we're in good shape. >> Comment towards the end. So, know that public might show up at 5:30. >> Yep. Um, so, and I would just say for any board member, uh, there's always an online option to to utilize if they find parts of their body broken, for instance. So, um, yeah, >> it's going to be broken for a while. >> Okay. Um, so yeah. So, so
010there we have it with in terms of the, um, the donation. So, any other discussion on approving on accepting rather the donation to Ven Elementary School. Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor of accepting the donation, please signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Great. I would also ask for a motion, please, to authorize our clerk to send a letter of thanks to the the trustees. >> Anyone hope to help make that motion? >> Thank you, Glenn. Anyone else? Thank you, Sandy. First and second, uh, any discussion on that? >> Okay, hearing none. All those in favor of authorizing our clerk to send a thank you note, please signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? There we go. All right. Um, Sandy, would you please share your question with
011the rest of the board regarding the tractor bid? Well, it has tracked our bid except report and it has a date dated back from September. So, I don't know whether we approve to send this out and you coming back to give us some of the proposals or if you're asking to for a motion to look into it. So, there was a little bit of confusion. >> Um, sure. Thank you. So, um, this time last year, we put it in our in our budget request, went through all the budgets, got approved, uh, we put out in the RFP and the newspaper and individually asked companies to provide pricing um, for a specifically sized tractor. We have gotten those votes back. Um, and the recommendation, and my apologies if the dates are curled, >> I don't have
012any recommendation. I don't have >> And do you want to pass those out? >> Yep. It didn't make it into the packet. If the the invitation is there, but the actual summary and recommendation not. >> So, uh, while you're looking at that, I'm happy to talk about the tractor and what we use it for. Um, the existing tractor is about 20 years old. Um it it last summer when we were starting wood chips, it broke on a pretty regular basis. Um it's held together a little bit by duct tape and bubble gum. >> Um and some of the things we've been working on in the elementary district specifically is having our guys get training and having our guys perform a lot of the grounds work instead of subcontracting it out. Um, so some of the
013things we use the tractor for is uh loading and unloading of salt, bulk materials, deliveries that come um to either the Molly Stark shop to get distributed or uh other buildings districtwide. Uh we unboxed uh and took a delivery of a whole bunch of books and put them in Beach Street, that kind of thing. Um, all the digging and repairs to playground equipment like the Woodford playground, uh, the installation of the wood chips, uh, was all our in-house staff with the tractor. Uh, we stump and grub, uh, remove brush. Um, we've been planting trees and shrubs, uh, drainage for utilities, and in the winter we use it for moving deck, snow bakes. So, uh, the existing tractor has used it live lived its useful life and, um, not to get pricing on the tractor we
014would like. And I'm happy to answer any questions. >> So, why do we need a backhoe? What is it specifically that you need a backhoe for that you don't use a bucket loader for? >> Sure. And I I would defer to the director of the elementary district um on what specifically for our schools they use them for. Um uh trenching of utilities comes to mind. Um >> trench it. Does that happen that we don't hire a contractor out that would handle that? >> It it depends on the scope of work. There's some kind of basic daylighting we can do. um basic breading of conduit uh when it gets to the bigger projects like clearly we wouldn't be doing that um you know without a contractor with the right sized equipment. Uh though for example um
015one of the things we used the tractor for was the a budding land owner at Monument. Um that hedro we cleaned all that hedro up. There was a old metal fence that we used the tractor to pull out um and clean up that br uh brush to be good neighbors. We also used it to spread and paddle um the uh baseball field. I get baseball and softball. I forget which one it is. >> Baseball. >> Kickball. Thank you. Um kickball. Uh uh we re uh laid out the battlefield last spring and recla everything so it's actually the right dimensions and it's well drained and so those are some of the things we use it for. But does that answer your questions? >> It absolutely does for the bucket loader. Absolutely. But certainly not for the
016backo no for the bucket loader because you can do that all those tasks if you're good with the bucket loader. Um, and well, the other piece that I have is that we had that old tractor for 20 some odd years and it only has 1500 hours on it, which gives you about six hours a month. And that's really not this is a big purchase for such a little amount of time. And then my second question is, how are we moving it from point A to point B? Because if it's a farm tractor going from farmland to farmland, the farmer can move it. If it's a farm tractor that's used for commercial or for non-farm use, it's different criteria is different for being on the road. Right. And I I I'm sorry they don't have specifics.
017I can certainly get them come back to you with it. >> Welcome to come in. We'll probably make two or three announcements as people come in. We public comment towards the end. >> How are you? Good. >> Is this a meeting? >> It is. >> Yeah. Okay. I thought you said >> you want anybody feeling bad. >> I thought it was at 5:30. >> It was warned at 5. So, we started at 5, but we moved public comment to the end. >> So, we just done business. >> Okay. >> Nothing major. >> Okay. All right. Um, so just to so I I can't speak to what the tractor was used for before I started. Um, I've only been here for three years, so I I I don't know how many hours it ran for. I
018don't know what we used it for. I would surmise they did similar things. Um, but I can tell you some of the repairs over the last year, the brakes have have gone out a number of times. The lifting capacity is under 2,000. Um, we would like to have the tractor of 4,000 um to manually unload materials. when we move the tractor back and forth. Uh there we have a flatbed and the dump trucks. I know we've done it before. I don't know >> because this is a good size 60 horsepower. >> Um Toddclar the director of the elementary district does have a CDO so I would assume that he's the one driving it. >> Did I did I answer your question for tires or a tires? So I'm gonna I'm just going to ask like
019I don't know that this that so the mechanism for getting a piece of equipment from point A to point B I'm going to leave up to people who are experts in the field and I don't know that any of us necessarily qualify as that or would need to know that in order to approve the the purchase a tires turf tires CDL >> it it does I'm sure I'm sure it matters but but I'm also certain that the people who are overseeing this like know those things and and are talking an 83 or $91,000 piece of equipment that warrants every question that needs to be asked by any board member. >> Okay. >> So, let's continue with that. >> So, so this is what I would say to that, Glenn. So, there's the there's the expenditure
020for the piece of equipment and then there's what I will call the minutia of of micromanaging our professional staff and how they're going to get a piece of equipment from point A to point B. And I do see those two things as being separate separate matters. >> But I think if we get a, you know, 60 horsepower tractor and need a trailer of four, that should be a size truck. >> So, fair enough. But I guess I would also say >> when we order other supplies and other pieces of equipment, I don't ever recall us figuring out how they're going to get from manufacturer to us >> under $40,000 that is not the requirement if I understand Renee correctly to have this board scrutiny, but over $40,000 it is. >> Sure. And I suppose what
021I what I was specifically thinking of was when we all sign off on the warrants each month like we review all of the expenditures and we sign off on that warrant and never once have we >> just in comparison and MAU we we beat a beat a van purchase to death. >> Great. That sounds like a very efficient. But if folks still have questions I would say fire away. >> Everybody Everybody got their questions answered? Great. Okay. So fire away. Let's go for So for the purposes can is it all right if board members ask any and all question that they would consider >> and we come back the next meeting is >> the 9th so not that far off we come back with answers >> it can very well be done >> I think
022we can >> I don't know >> but I want to make sure everybody's questions get asked >> and the other part of this Chris is that I specifically asked before this meeting for these questions and you specifically stated that I have a lot of questions and I am very familiar with tractors. I >> I believe it, Sandy. Great. I I just see them as being separate from expenditure versus how we get it here. How we get it here is not part of the action we're being asked to do tonight. That that was the point of delineation that I was bringing up. >> Okay. >> I don't want to kill it any further. That that's not there. Are you done with yours? >> I cannot possibly consider going forward with a Well, we don't have >>
023Do I get to ask my question? Oh, sorry. Please do. >> I'm I don't know about off the top of my head. I'm happy to >> We're going to want to know that because that's I've got a 60 horse that will not lift 4,000 cats. >> Yeah. >> So, if yours is going to I I want to see it. >> Yeah. >> Um for starters, um second, how many implements come with it? >> Um again, I uh worked with the director of the elementary district. We developed an RFP >> and he drilled down on all those details. I don't know off my head, but I'm happy to give them to you. >> Given we've got time for till the next meeting for December 9th, would you be okay if we just table that to then
024and we're all >> Yeah, that's not wasting. And um we can certainly get you a copy of the RFP. It was in the banner with all the details. >> Oh yeah, there you >> share that. Do you actually >> Yes, that's an it's the respondents and considerable amount of money >> and and I certainly understand going to a a full-size cab from a Curtis. I get that because if you're going to use it in the winter, you really do want a nicer cab. So, I get that. I even understand the 20 years. It's just the fact that it only has 1500 hours on it just just minimal. >> Yeah. >> So, I need someone please to make a motion to table this. We'll give this one to Sid. She was right there. U and and
025with a mo with a motion to table, we just have it there. So, so we will put this off and we'll pick this back up at our December meeting. And you know, uh Superintendent Payne, Director Anderson, I don't know if it makes more sense for um Mr. Clary to also be present to answer some of those questions, but I'll leave it up to folks who >> Yes, >> I would suggest it. >> Yep. Okay, great. Uh so, moving on. So, there are few more people in the room, so we'll say it again. So, there was a uh a discrepancy in in how this was posted at our start time. Um the the formal official legal warning warned this for a 5:00 start time. It was posted on our website, however, to start at 5:30. What
026we've done to both honor how it was how it was um warned and to make sure that people who are going to come out don't lose their opportunity is that we modify the agenda to move public comment to the second to last item on our agenda tonight. So, we'll move through our business. uh people will get here when they get here and we'll hold public comments the way that we typically do. So um that brings us to um I haven't we got off the topic. Has the treasures report been published and posted? I just don't recall on it. >> It came in but it did not get posted. >> Okay. So we can we can resume that in December then. Um so that pulls us to um the first of two agenda items numbered at
027number five. So policies there's nothing from the policy committee. Um but we there was a question regarding all representation to the policy committee. So at one of our more recent meetings um the chair rescended the appointment of Sandy to the policy committee. The question was then raised is whether or not via Robert's rules of order the board has the opportunity to overturn that decision. So we turned it over to the attorney and this is what Dena had to say. I can um what I'll do is submit this for the record to be included probably in the next round of of board packet uh that stated November 18th. It's from DNA. It says this. Chris, I have reviewed Robert's rules of orders in Robert's rules of order in response to the question of whether or not
028your fellow board members can override your decision to remove a board member from an appointment made solely by the chair. They cannot. The power to appoint if held solely by the chair cannot be delegated to or overridden by the board. Quote, if appointment was by the presiding act al the president acting alone, he may remove or replace committee members by his own act. And the citation for that is 50 col4 Robert's rules of order the 2020 edition which is the revised 12th edition. What can be done theoretically is that there can be a modification by the boards plural to have the members from all of the boards be nominated instead. But that would not be until the appointment of the sitting members is completed. Reorganization. Oh, sorry. Let me say it again. But that would
029not be until the appointment of the sitting members is completed. Reorganization after the annual meeting in March. Since the committee is a committee of all the boards, I believe all need to approve a modification to the bylaws of how a member is appointed to the committee. If a member is nominated and voted to the committee, removal of that member has to be done by a majority vote of the underlying board. So, um >> I have a point of order. >> Sure. >> Um it also states, and I can't find it here on my cheat sheet, that the Robert's rules are to be um accepted while we do our annual reorganization, and we did not do that. >> Okay. So given >> we haven't officially said that we're using them in any capacity. So we're using
030them but we didn't actually put them into motion during our March meeting or official meeting. >> So thank you for for raising that. I guess I would say this if we are if we're saying that what the legal and I'm kind of thinking out loud here. If we're advice doesn't stand because we have never for we haven't formally adopted Robert's rules of order as our sort of governance model then I would also say that we can't then turn to Robert's rules of order to seek to overturn the sheriff's decision. Right? It's either we always use Robert's rules of order or we never use Robert's rules of order. I'm inclined to say for the remainder of this term until we reorganize in March that we retain the use of Robert's rules of order. That's what I
031would propose. Um, again, if we're if we're using Robert's rules of order, we can just move right ahead. And if we're not using Robert's rules of order, the chair gets to decide. So, I don't know how which way we want to call it necessarily, but we have legal we have our legal opinion that we asked for giving us an answer to the question. >> So, I think we also move based on Robert's order as well. So, move as a group to make motion to forward. No, it's not on the agenda. As long as it's done by supermajority, which is twothirds vote >> to do what? >> To appoint somebody. We can make a motion move forward as a board. I can make a motion. That motion be seconded. You could debate it and vote on
032as long as it passed by two third pass. >> Except what the lawyer is saying is that this is not a matter of of motion by the board. It's a matter of what the bylaws for the SU said. The bylaws for the SU issue. >> Yes. the bylaws for the for the supervisor union say that appointments to committees are done by chair only. What she's suggesting is after the reorganization in March if people want to to bring the matter up for a modification of the bylaws in March which she's saying every board would have to then approve in order for I think what you're asking to happen Jeff in order for that to happen. Sure. So, I mean, why why I'd like to ask for Chris, I like to um have you reappoint Sandy to
033the policy committee because I don't have room. I'm sure you don't have room. I think most of her tapped out, you know, she understands it to add something new there, especially trying to get all these policies updated and move forward should >> because some of our Yep. >> in pre merger still. I'd like to just see Sandy do that and try to get through that this year. >> So, that's my request. >> Sure. So I would say this. So I I've approached a member of the board asking the member if they would serve on the policy committee for for this board. Um what they have said is they would like to see how this question plays in this before they make a decision on my my request for them to join that policy committee. So
034um now that we have an answer, now that the answer is on the record, we'll see what that person has to say and then if need be, we can revisit it to move forward. Okay. Um so that's we're now going to move into the second agenda number five, which is operations. And I believe we'll probably turn to director Anderson for that or superintendent maybe. >> No, no, it's for operation. >> Okay, >> great. I think we're going to hear from director Anderson eventually because here we have agenda item number six which is the SVUSD best educational use of facilities update. So there was a meeting that I'm going to pause for a moment. We have more people in the room. Let me apologize folks. So we have uh this meeting was hosted for two different
035start times. So the official legal warning was for 5:00. Um so as soon as we had quorum, we needed to start at 5:00. Also recognizing we had talked about this being 5:30. At least some of you were here last week when we talked about this being 5:30. It was posted on our website as 5:30. So what we did so as to accommodate folks we anticipated would be coming for public comment was to move public comment to the second to last agenda item on the So we'll still call cover all the business. We will still have opportunity for public comment. It's just going to come at a different point in the evening and typically it does. So now getting back to the best use uh best educational use of our facilities. Uh Director Anderson, do you
036have an update for us please? >> I was going to uh turn it over to Superintendent P. >> We did have a meeting. Our next meeting uh is before I forget is December the 9th. That'll be at 5:00 because that will be backed up against a six o'clock start for the elementary school board on December the 9th. Um, our past meeting was pretty much just a an update, a review quickly of the building study that's already been in place, including um options to be considered. Uh, we shared some information with regards to cost per building per student. Uh, and the group seemed pretty energized, so much so that they did not want to wait till January and thus they scheduled a December meeting to get the work started. My hope coming out of that group
037is that um this board will give directions for a working group to be moving forward so they can respond in a timely fashion. We also have work to do in act 73. A student services audit is floating out there and policy committee. So um a smaller group that can focus on this work will probably be asked of this. Okay. >> Any questions uh for our superintendent or for director Anderson? Okay, great. Thank you both. Uh, and thanks to our our reps who sit on that on that committee as well. Um, so moving on to agenda item seven, the SPSU report. U, I'll leave it to any of our three reps to give that update, please. >> Right over there. >> Yes. >> Back to >> last week was back toback with MAU best use. Um,
038>> yes. >> And all that. So it's kind of I'm trying to >> it's like a blur. >> See if we can come up with a couple of um >> they are sorry >> you have something >> no for me they're all working together. >> Oh so we started the initial primary looking at the budget with Renee. >> You did a good job. And so it's just kind of you know planning moving forward of what kind of you know the start point for the budget. Um >> we did talk about a number of contingencies coming you know with the the proposition coming of act 73 with um with best use also being up in the air you know and not really knowing where to to put a point to start the conversation with with that
039many other things like >> and you know looking at federal funds. There's a lot of moving pieces, especially this year with the budget. Um, so it could be it always been last minute not knowing what the budget was, but this year seems more up in the air. >> Um, Dr. Abby gave us a presentation regarding student services and additionally what the implications of Medicaid billing may may not have in effect of um furthering our budgetary concerns or hopefully alleviating them >> probably night too from her. >> Yeah. >> So >> just just need a little something to get going. Thanks. >> It's cold car takes a little while to start. That's that's okay. golf car. >> Great. Anything else from the SPSU reps? >> Okay. Um, so let's move on to the next agenda item
040which is superintendent reports. So, superintendent Payne, floor is yours. >> Just for consideration of the chair as we have an audience um and two lengthy reports coming. Would you entertain the idea that folks could give their public comment and then move along with their business? Unless folks would love to stick around for a budget presentation. >> You're shaking your heads. It's important stuff, folks. And then it'd be it'd be excellent if folks >> I would happily yield my spot in the batting roster. >> So let let me just pause to consider whether or not that's permissible. We you know we modifications to our agenda are supposed to take place before we kick off our agenda >> and then which we did and to then switch our agenda around midstream. I I I don't know. One
041I don't know if it's legit. two, I don't know if it matters right now given the fact that I'm guessing anyone who is going to be here is here. Um, and other than the fact I would love for more members of the community to be interested in some of the other aspects of education. Um, I I guess there's no there would be no reason there'd be no ill effects from changing it again and making uh public comment right now. So, I guess I'll I'll own it if it's the bad choice to make, but I'm I will entertain a motion to modify to move public comment to right now. >> Sure. >> And since it is 540, most people would show up for 5:30 should be here by now, >> I would think. So, >> if
042those people aren't here, I'd be more than happy to have them write something accepted that way later. Sure. Write to the board member. >> Yeah. Like I said, I like if it's bad the bad call, I'll own it, but I'm I will accept a motion if >> Well, I am the one that made the request. >> That's okay. So I see >> I'm we'll say Cindy first. We'll say Jeff second to to make public comment happen right now. Any further discussion on that? Any might have said that. All those in favor, please signify by saying I. >> I. I. >> Any opposed? Any abstensions? Great. We're in public comment. Now, I will just say this about public comments. Um so taking another look at the the public comment policy. It does specifically note that public
043comment is for residents, meaning residents of a town served by the ESD. Um, so I guess that's, you know, I've, as we've always done, as probably all of you have experienced, like we allow the time for public comment to be made. I think the only restriction we're going to put on that just to be in keeping with the policy is if you don't live in one of the towns served by the ESD, public comment is not your opportunity. But for anyone else, please. So the floor is open and if anyone would like to make public comments, Mr. Normal Blank, sir. Hello. >> And I'm uh I'm very happy that you said you own that decision. I think it was horrible decision that you made and thank you superintendent for allowing us. We've been very sinister
044looking as the board as of last month. We got prolonged, you know, through a terrible technicality, you know, so people couldn't come on Zoom. The opportunity was here. We were here. That should have been allowed as meetings in in my government institution are warned. Zoom is an add-on. The billing is the meeting, right? You lucky to come there. You can get there. I want to speak loud enough so everybody hears me, especially folks at home. I think it was a horrible decision when you went to the second thing to move it. It's very very crooked seeming of warning and and meeting and it's moving around on a a a policy or a issue that is being very vocal by some and just usually more in favor of the pledge than against. But we keep having
045this discussed. So when it got moved it it seems very fishy. Now again, I understand business. It was warned. We got to move on. But the the what the motion should have been directly after whatever issue ended after 5:30, we would take up public comment in order to not write us. And that I will yield the floor. Thank you. >> Okay. So I I would I'll take responsibility. >> No, that's No, thank you. That's not necessary. Superintendent P. So just a bit of clarity. So >> I don't need any clarity. So I >> I don't I don't really would respect not to have any clarity. So, I'll offer it for anyone who is unclear based on what the comments just made were the current law states that there does need to be a Zoom option
046warrant and maybe it exists. Maybe it's not required for other governmental functions. It is required for this board and other school boards. So, if a meeting is warned to have a Zoom option and then that option is not present at the time we're supposed to have a meeting, we are not supposed to have a meeting. And it was hugely inconvenient for everyone for everyone. For everyone who was there that time, for everyone who's here again tonight. So, it's no good, but it happened and it was the legal and right thing to do. So, I'll put that out there. Also, and just I'll just say this to refresh people's memory. This board has acted twice to say that the pledge of allegiance is going to happen day in school prior to be when classes begin. That
047has been for a year now. That has been what's been in place. And I see people shaking their heads and they can certainly shake their heads. I do know that one of the arguments that has been made is not that it's pro pledge or anti-pledge. It's pledge as per this board's directive or pledge when other members of the staff want it to happen. Right? This has been a question of some employees not having it be the way they want to and continuing to make an issue up. That has been the issue. So, I offer that for some clarity and the floor is open for any other public comment, please. Okay. Yes. Yeah, please. >> I have a question. Sure. Sarah Beth Bennington. >> Thank you. >> Um, so the pledge is it's being said in
048every school right now. >> No, it's not. It's not. >> So let me just So in the schools that is is being said at is it over the loudspeaker? >> So I I don't know the answer to to that. >> So and I I will also just clarify it's being said in each elementary school. This board only oversees the ele >> Okay. the elementary schools. So you don't know if it's being said over the loudspeaker or not. I don't. >> So if a teacher decides they do not want to say the pledge in their classroom, none of the kids get to say it. >> I don't know that that's true either. >> Um point of >> Is that true? >> No, you're having a discussion. >> Thank you, Sandy. You're 100% correct. >> This is
049not on this agenda. >> Yeah, what you are absolutely correct, Sandy. So So what what Sy's pointing out, one is that public comment is not public conversation necessarily. Um the the chair has has taken some liberties from time to time to help clarify points particularly as we discuss this topic again. Um and I guess I'll leave it at that because it's not warned and it's not it's not uh it's not public comment and it's not warned as a topic for conversation. So thank you for that point Sam. >> Yes. >> I just have can I just finish? So like two or three weeks ago I went into one of the elementary schools. They were invited, the American uh Legion Auxiliary was invited in to do a um fold flagging folding for the fourth graders. I
050I went, it was amazing. The kids were incredible. They had incredible questions that they asked. They were so respectful. They were so into this. I don't understand about the flag, like why people are so afraid of the flag. There was two veterans that were there that folded the flag. At the end, one fourth grader got up, stood in front of one of the veterans, saluted him. The veterans started crying. Like, I don't understand what is the big deal about saying the pledge of allegiance. We grew up with it. My kids grew up with it. What is the big deal? And and I don't understand why it can't be said after school starts, like after the bell rings or whatever. Like, that doesn't make any sense to me. You know, I subbed for a year during
051COVID at North Bennington School. The teachers have a lot to do in the morning, and I think somebody brought that up before. You have to sign the kids in attendance. You have to see who wants lunch, who wants breakfast, you know, where to put their folders. They can't get it all done before the bell rings. It's impossible. So, I just think it let the teachers say it when they want to say it. It should be done over a loudspeaker so that all the kids can say it and not just certain kids. >> Thank you. >> That's what I have to say. >> Yes. Yes, ma'am. >> I'm Darling Kum from Shashberry. >> Hi. And I'm just saying that I understood all schools were given direction to say the pledge and I am concerned to hear
052that Shasper at elementary school doesn't have that opportunity for all. That's my comment. >> Thank you. Anyone else follow comment this evening? >> Yes. Hello. >> I'm Hannah the blank Peters and I go back to the sher school. We we keep coming here and and complaining about this, but you're not doing anything about it. Yes. You know, and and that bothers me. You are you are elected by us, you know, to do what we ask. You know, we've asked to have this done, but you're not overseeing it. When you tell us that you don't know if they're saying it, that you should be in that school to see that they are saying it. That's your job, you know, and and you should care. And if Shaspberry is not doing it, then find out who isn't
053doing it and and address it. This has gone on way too long. The Do you know what our country is like right now? Everybody should be proud to get up and say this, the pledge. Okay? We should be teaching our kids to be proud of where they live. And I don't feel you as a board that I'm electing is doing your job because we came here a week ago, sat here for a half an hour, came in, sat again, and no meeting. And then we come back today and you still don't know if they're doing it. That's your answer. A few minutes ago, I don't know. That that is not an answer. That's all I have to say. >> So point of clarity, it's not that we don't know that it's happening. The question was,
054is it happening with the loudspeaker? That was that was what my answer was to. Um, yes. Yeah, please. >> So, Kelly Carol Bennington, um, first of all, thank you for listening to us tonight. Uh, but I do have to say I'm a little bit concerned because I I listen to you talk about re, you know, rearranging the agenda and wanting public participation. and I come to these meetings and I see public participation, but just in a one-way conversation. Um, I really honestly believe it's a it's not just one or two personnel complaining about process and policies and convenience. I think there's a lot of concern in the in the community on both sides. I personally support the pledge of allegiance. I think that um we need to start very, you know, young with our our
055youth on educating um especially on history so that we can engage and embrace the strong parts and learn from the not so good parts. But I think that saying the pledge of allegiance has a lot to do with that. And I look around the room and I see this. I see a lot of people and I know a lot of people are very interested that couldn't be here tonight because it keeps changing and it is Thanksgiving weekend. So, I just have one question for you specifically. What is it going to take to get the pledge of allegiance on as an agenda item for discussion? because these people come out all the time and these educators are concerned enough and you're getting public participation. So, what's it going to take to get it on the agenda?
056>> Thank you. >> Hi, Cindy. You're not a member of the public. Please help. >> Can I I have clarification quickly? I'm a resident of Arlington and I Does that mean I'm not That's assume So all of a sudden I can't speak even though I've been speaking for over a year. I come to every single one of these board meetings. >> You know I do. >> And I know >> no matter what you discuss I come to every single one >> and now all of a sudden I can't speak. >> So >> where is this coming from? It's been over a year. I've spoken in almost every single one. >> So So let me >> Sorry. I hope no. So So let me So let me again take a point of privilege as the chicken.
057It was res it was reviewing the public comment policy which has been in the books forever that I realized that that public comment as per policy is designed for residents. Yes, you've been sometimes it's been as in your role as a union person. Sometimes it's been a as a as a teacher in the school. If if you wish to if you wish to communicate with the board as a union person, there are contractual avenues for that to happen. If you wish to speak to the board as an employee, there are personnel policies that can how that cont. But in terms of speaking as a member of the public, the policy is very clear. And again, it's been that way forever. It was just my fault for not being as familiar with that particular detail as
058I should have been. That has allowed non-residents to participate in public comment. >> It all just suits your purpose now is why. Correct. >> Well, it's also in policy, Kevin. >> And again, >> you're wishy-washy with a law. >> There are union ways there. I'm >> very wishy-washy. I apologize. >> Well, I think it's the same. >> There are union tracks and there are personnel policy avenues you can take for this. >> We've had people from North Bennington. If they were here talking, we had to have them not talk because they don't go on the issue. >> Many people know. >> Yep. We absolutely there were there were many many people who were here for public comment and that was the error of the chair to allow people who didn't live here to have the
059have the conversation. >> Could somebody else here read what I was going to read then? I I'm I mean you can ask anyone. You can ask any >> to read my speech that I was going to read here since I'm not allowed to anymore. >> I will. Yes. Go >> ahead. You got ahead. You got your glasses on. I don't >> mind if I could. >> Thank you. >> This whole thing. >> Yeah, it's the whole speech. >> It's just the first page. I have all the speeches from every single time I spoke in here. So, just the speech. Okay. The pledge of allegiance literally takes only 13 seconds to say so no academic time is being used if a classroom chooses to to participate in this practice. This is also the time it would
060take to put this on the agenda to discuss. We need to allow all students this opportunity and this cannot happen with the way this practice is worded right now before classes begin. Due to the fact that not all students are in school before classes begin. I am asking that the wording of this practice be changed to not during academics. This cannot happen unless the practice of the pledge gets put on the agenda for the next meeting. It is obvious by the attendance of the board meetings for the last two months that this is a topic that needs to be further discussed. Just to give everyone an idea of how much this topic is still needs to be discussed, recently a banner showed up hanging in the back of Shaspberry's resident yard that faces the Shaffsberry
061School playground. The banner states, "I pledge allegiance flag on it." When the students first saw this, they ran and stopped and with a hand over their heart, about eight students stood there with no prompting at all and said the pledge of allegiance all on their own. The board's chair statement during the last meeting about not hearing anything about this topic except from Mrs. Kenyon and I was incorrect. The board has received at least six emails this summer during the months of June and July about the practice of the pledge of allegiance. All six were Shaffsbury teachers and five of the six were Shaffsbury community members and had children go through Shaffsberry Shaffsbury Elementary School. All of these emails were asked for the wording of the practice to be changed so all Shaffbury students had the
062opportunity to say the pledge of allegiance if they choose to. I also know that more emails to the board in the last month for and against the saying of the pledge of allegiance which again should tell the board chair that this topic needs to be on the agenda for the next meeting. During the last board meeting, a Shaffsbury resident brought up the atmosphere change at Shaffsberry School and he is accurate. Shaffsbury is still an amazing community and Shaffsbury Elementary School is still a wonderful place to learn, but there is tension in the air since Mrs. Kenyon and I were told by our administrators that we are not allowed to say the pledge of allegiance. I got to read that again. The administrator told them they were not allowed to say the pledge of allegiance. This
063tension is not just among a few staff, but many. This is not the type of atmosphere that keeps amazing teachers in a school district. Again, during a past board meeting, it was stated by Sandy Foster that this practice can be revisited if need be. While it's time and the practice of the pledge of allegiance need to be added to the agenda, >> anyone else comment. So these teachers that work in the school system where this is going on are not allowed to speak. I understand what you said, but I'm having a hard time >> again in in >> I'm having a hard time with that. >> So I mean I would say the clarity has been offered once and because it was the privilege of the chair to even do that. We'll leave it at
064that. >> Yes, please. >> Well, once again going back to I I wasn't on the board in April when this room was filled. I was here as a resident of Shaspberry. I'm on the board now representing Shasbury. I have numerous people come to me about the pledge of allegiance thing, the post office, the store, um about walking my dog, whatever. Um people followed me. They really want to see this back on the agenda. And it was said in the April meeting and that's kind of what I think everybody felt comfortable with. It was said that we would revisit it if there was an issue. Clearly, there's an issue. You can talk to you can walk around the block in Shazpberry and any resident out there will stop you and talk to you about this. It's
065causing disconcerning the whole and um you know, some people are for it, some people are against it, but the wording needs to be changed. And as a board, you know, we were told that it would be revisited if there was an issue. We've been back here I don't know how many months now. The pledge of allegiance continues to come up. I think we need to it needs to get on the agenda. We need to clarify it so that everybody's comfortable with it and let's move forward. And you're right. You said one other time yourself. We spent a lot of time on the pledge of allegiance. We have. But we're at the point now where it's time for it to be on the agenda. We owe it to our community, to our teachers, and to everybody
066to clarify what's going on with our pledge of allegiance. >> I'll make the motion to put it on Nick Virginia. >> I'll second it. >> So, let's just first second. So, we have to act on it. >> Well, except if it's if the if the motion is made at the If the motion is made out of order in the first place, then it's not a matter of acting on the motion. Um, in that the agenda is not set by vote of vote of the board. It's not >> and to make a motion to change that too. >> Well, that like that is a Robert's rules of order thing that Geard. >> Okay. So, again, if we're using Robert's rules of order from the giddy up, it's improper to bring in the letter to say we're
067not Robert's rules of order. We are no longer using Robert's rules of order. Here, here's the issue. Here's the issue with this, Karen. You said it yourself and this has to be the last bit because it's not warranted and we should not be discussing it. Karen, you said we need to find a solution that makes everyone happy and that is that solution does not exist. >> No, >> that solution does not exist. So, um, we need to move on with our agenda, please. >> Wait a minute. You said it's not on the agenda, so we can't discuss it. >> Yes. And I'm asking for it to be on the agenda so we can discuss it. >> Right. >> You know, these people don't need to be coming back back and back and back. >> You
068want to clarify that you want that on next month's agenda? >> Yes. Next month's agenda. >> I I hear right. But the but the motion is out of order in itself because Robert's rules of order does not provide for the agenda to be set by vote of the board. >> Who sets it? >> The chair does. >> That's the issue by >> Okay. >> That's the same problem we just ran into before. So moving on to um superintendent support which is the first agenda. The first item under section 8 is student services presentation which I believe brings us to Dr. Abbottz. >> Can I just point of clarification? I'm sorry. The resident who read the statement into the record your name again please. >> Sarah Bell. >> Sarah and and you're a resident of what
069town? >> Pennington. >> May I follow up with you in the next couple days? That's okay. >> Can I just say one thing? >> One thing briefly, please. Okay, it's ref I I have to address this to you, okay? Because you seem totally against this and and not helping to support people in this community that want to see this that obviously I don't know if you were in the military or not. This is a big issue and and our country needs this right now and and you at every meeting seem to stall this for some reason. I don't know because you can put it on the agenda and you choose not to and I want an answer from you why. What is your reason that you don't want to to settle this? actually like the
070superintendent's notion of asking for for followup at the end because this is important because I we should not be getting into this, but I would be happy to address to have that conversation. I'd be happy to um >> Post meeting. Yeah. Not not during the meeting because it's not proper given what we have posted in the agenda. If you'd like to hang out until the end, if you'd like to leave me your phone number, however you'd like to do that, but I would very much enjoy having that conversation. Um, okay. So, third time's a charm. We move to the student services presentation which is quite important because it actually affects the well-being of our students and the education they receive and how they're going to do in the long run. Be great if folks stuck
071around. >> Excellent. >> All right. Is my screen sharing working? Okay. >> It is. Thank you, Dr. Ab. >> Okay. Wonderful. >> Hi, folks. Have a nice Thanksgiving. Thank you very much. >> All right. So, tonight um I have a presentation on Act 73. um in particular um the state of special education delivery in Vermont and how >> can you wait one moment please? Yeah. >> Sorry. There were just people people leaving and I didn't want us to miss any of it. Uh it's really important and I wish folks would stick around but they're choosing not to. >> I guess that's their decision. >> All right. So let me do the proper introduction. Um, Dr. Kate Abbott remote. Uh, I appreciate her being available this evening for the reschedule. Some of you have seen this,
072so I apologize, but um, she is here to speak about a state uh, the Vermont Agency of Education's report of the state of special education. This is her first presentation in a series of two as she and I have also been working with another person to do a audit of the SVSU and we will be bringing that report back to this board in the future. So Dr. Kate Abbott, thank you for being with us this evening. >> Yes. U thanks for having me. So, um, this report really covers Act 73 from the perspective of special education and, um, like Superintendent Payne shared, this is a state report of the state of the state, not the state of Bennington, it's the state of Vermont and how special education is delivered. Um so we're going to hear
073a little bit about an overview um of act 73 and specifically one of the first actions of act 73 was a legislative report from the agency of education on the state of delivery of special education and that is all of the content for tonight. So we'll hear a little bit about the current landscape of education and special education in Vermont and then considerations and next steps. So what is act 73? Um, you've heard a lot about Act 73 and some aspects of the bill are highlighted in the news. Um, in particular, Act 73 also addresses special education in terms of how programs are delivered, what's currently offered, um, and how programs are financed. So the very one of the very first um components of the bill included a report requested by the agency of education
074about what the current state of services and delivery of those services and cost for those services were in the state of Vermont compared to other states around the country. So, Act 73 and special education. Throughout the process of Act 73 becoming law, it's clear that the legislature is very concerned about the rising cost of special education over time. A special education report outlining the factors contributing to growth in extraordinary special education reimbursement costs um was delivered on September 26th. So this report addresses the drivers of the extraordinary expenditures in special education. Extraordinary costs in special education are defined by the agency of education as a threshold for any individual students educational programming that costs more than $65,000. Um actually with inflation it's closer to $67,000 this year and I'm sure Renee can give us the
075exact dollar amount. But um when we're talking about extraordinary costs, the definition of that is when one child's program costs more than um $67,000. For example, the majority of those um of those situations are for students that are placed out of our district because they incur not just out of district tuition costs, they also incur special education transportation costs um and specialized um services and programs. So this is really for children that have complex needs across the state of Vermont. The educational landscape um shows that we have a reduced a declining total student population. So that blue line on the chart is our total enrollment over the course of since 2018 till now. And but you'll see that red line that is our student our percentage of students in the state of Vermont that have
076disabilities. So while our total population is declining over time, the the rates or proportion of the students that have disabilities is actually increasing. In this slide, you'll see some of the more complex types of disabilities that we serve, including autism, emotional disturbance, and other health impairment. These three categories are primarily the drivers for um extraordinary costs because these types of disabilities are very complex to meet. So um you'll see in this green line here on top uh other health impairment um and emotional disturbance have had a slight in uh increase actually other health impairment hasn't really changed tremendously. However, the um the rate at which Vermont identifies children as having an other health impairment is significantly higher than other states. And autism rates have increased by 33% since um 2018-19 school year till 2025. And
077that's not just a Vermont um situation. That's across the country. Autism rates are increasing. So in this report, the Agency of Education has taken a look at how Vermont compares to similarly situated states in the nation. And they've selected Wyoming and North Dakota as two similar demographics with similar population numbers as well as comparing um Vermont to the nation in um how we deliver and how we identify different disabilities and deliver services for those. So this chart talks a little bit about uh the first category which is children that have emotional disturbance. And you'll see compared to um our other uh similar states that have similar populations, Wyoming and North Dakota, Vermont identifies a much higher rate of children comparatively to those other states. So 2,000 over 2,000 children in Vermont compared to just under
078600 in Wyoming and a thousand in North Dakota. However, if you look at the next line, it talks about how we provide and deliver services to learners with emotional disturbance in Vermont. And for the majority of our learners, 62% we deliver education in the general education setting, 80% or more of the school day. And when you look at the national percentage, we're actually Vermont does a better job including our learners with disabilities in the general education setting. But down below, you'll notice um there's two other types of settings that we deliver services in. Um a separate class for part of the day or a separate class for the majority of the day that is taught by a special education teacher and or a separate school. So the separate school is where we're incurring, you know,
079children have to leave their home community and travel on a bus to another town or another state to receive education. Vermont's rate of um providing education in separate schools for children that have emotional disturbances is 19.6%. Which is much higher than the national percentage, which is 10% and other similarly situated states such as Wyoming and North Dakota at 4% or less than 2%. So you can see that separate school um environment is used more often in Vermont than in other similarly situated states. When we look at autism, uh our rates of autism, like I said, have increased over the past five years as they have in other um across the country. And our rates uh of autism are pretty similar to other similarly sized states. So Vermont and Wyoming and North Dakota have similar rates
080of identification of um autism. When we look at inside services provided inside the regular in educational environment, 80% or more of the school day, Vermont is very inclusive. Again, we serve um over 63% of our students with autism in general education settings compared to the national rate of 40% or the state rates of Wyoming or North Dakota of just about 51%. So we are very inclusive. However, the same trend holds true with um children with autism compared to children with emotional disturbance. Um Vermont places children in separate schools outside their home community at higher rates than the national average and similarly situated states. So 9% in Vermont compared to 5 and a half or 5.8% 8% in the nation and um under 2% in similarly similar demographic states. So um in summary um this finding
081basically states that um we wonder this the report summarizes that Vermont has a lot of inclusion and then we often have a lot of um out of district placements in private or separate schools and the question was raised do we have enough resources and a continuum of services to provide those services in the child's home school and make sure they're served well in their home communities. And that's the question raised by the report. And secondarily, if we expand that um continuum of services, there will be a cost containment measure because when you place children outside their home community, you incur the cost of transportation and tuition. And our transportation costs, especially here, can be significant significant portion of that cost. So talking about the cost of special education in the report um the agency discusses
082how the total cost of education has increased over time. Um the driver of the cost increases in special education is the cost associated with educating students in separate schools. Um essentially that extraordinary cost that over $67,000 is the vast majority of the percentage of increase that we've seen. So while the total um special education annual growth for the total amount of all special education costs is only about 8 1.5%. The increases in extraordinary costs are upwards of are almost 18%. And that's been year-over-year. So that extraordinary cost is driving the total cost of um increases in special education across the state. Another financial implication in this uh report from the agency of education relates to Medicaid billing. um Medicaid reinvestment funds in our district total around um last fiscal year we had or this fiscal
083year we have 80 $836,000 of Medicaid reinvestment funds that we use towards um really critical services such as hearing and vision screenings, mental health services, behavioral services for children. Um, and what we have read in this report and what is happening right now is that there's going to be a pretty significant change in how Medicaid is build, how we access those funds, as well as there will be a change in how those funds are allocated. So, um, we aren't sure how the allocation is going to change, um, at this point, but they are considering a redistribution of the funds and they're definitely moving to what's called electronic health records billing and we're seeing some of those changes right now. Um, we received an email this week that we have to manually enter almost 800 individual
084codes in order to build down Medicaid um, funds. So, we're working through that now and there will be a new electronic system that the state is um identifying at this point and that system will be used uh as supposedly by July 1st to change how we bill Medicaid. We'll also be billing um 504 plans as part of this change which will be a new practice for our district. So there are a lot of changes in store and um to prepare for this the new uh changes in store with the with this legislation we are conducting an internal audit with Dr. Megan Roy to currently to audit how we deliver special education supports and services in southwest Vermont with an eye for positioning ourselves well for navigating the changes in store for the state. Um so
085we are um attending uh all opportunities from AOE to learn more about how this uh act 73 is rolling out and uh we will keep the board in the loop as we learn um about what these changes will look like. That's all I have for this. >> Thank you. >> Dr. Abbott, couple questions. Can you say more please about what the move to electronic health records billing what will that mean in practicality please? So, it's going to be a time sampling uh methodology and um the the trickiest thing to start with will be moving a district of our size because we do rely on is three it's over threequarters of a million dollars of Medicaid um reinvestment funds that we use for our budgetary processes each year to deliver direct services to kiddos. So when
086we talk about that shift, we don't the state hasn't identified what software they're going to use for the electronic health records billing and it's going to be different than what we currently use. So to take a a system of our size and move it to a completely new technology in the span of less than six months um will be a challenge um that we'll have to address and we aren't sure exactly what it's going to look like. So >> yeah, we'll know more when uh we know it'll be time sampling based, but we aren't sure beyond that. >> So we'll add it to the the growing list of things that we're not quite sure what they're going to look like in in a few years. Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. >> And one question
087too, Katie, is it going to fall the same as like I know Medicaid right now is um visit verification. Are we going to have to follow the same thing in the district? Because in the public, we have to do that. It's like point of service. Um, that's probably I don't think >> determined. >> Yeah, that's a great question. I don't think there's going to be any fewer requirements. I think it's going to be different, but as we get because we'll still need um scripts. We'll still need Medicaid consent to bill Medicaid. We'll still need to have documentation of our IP processes and 504 processes. >> But you rais a great question and uh as soon as we see it in real life, we will uh >> we will share what that looks like with you.
088Okay, thank you. >> Any other questions for Dr. Abby? Go ahead. >> Mind a quick one and I neglected to ask this the other night. Do you see any ceilings being put on costs? >> Do I see any ceilings? I'm sorry. Can you say that again? >> Ceilings. You know, like you right now you're billing $85 for something. You see them knocking it to 65 and saying that's all you're getting. So, the way the state works the extraordinary costs is everything over the $67,000 that one individual child's um education costs, they give us extraordinary reimbursement aid where they give us 95% back of the cost of that educational placement over the 67,000. So there's uh what this bill kind of entails is that by changing cost structure and how they reimburse us, that's one component
089of the bill about how to have districts change how they approach um delivery of service. So yeah, >> perfect. Great answer and thank you. At one of our other meetings, um, we talked about how you were going to share with us how our district compared with the state totals. And I'm wondering if you believe that or and please don't I'm not asking for an answer now, but if you could look into is our are are the numbers increasing because we have better screening or earlier screening? Is it because we now have prek 3 and four where be before maybe we didn't include those younger students? Um and then how many children >> graduate, move forward, come out of um 504 or an IEP? >> And I'm not ask you to answer. I just you know
090to give me that but if you could share when you um share with us how our EUD is doing compared to state >> so our plan is to come back in January and talk about the and we can answer I we've previewed the report we can we can answer that question I would just ask that we >> make sure we have it in a presentation format so folks can see it and we have a request from the board to share that in advance so folks could have questions so we can we're working on that as well. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions for Dr. Abbott? >> Great. Thank you, Dr. Abbott. >> Thank you so much. >> Pain uh steal your show. >> Easiest item of the evening. Uh Beth Lord, interim assistant superintendent
091is with us this evening. Uh start of the year as principal at Ponel continues to uh support the school moving forward. Uh, I can do the bio really quickly. She's been at panel for a couple years. Prior to that, she was in Texas for as a principal, assistant principal, and teacher, but she is a native of the area. She's a proud graduate of Williams College and Drury High School in North Adams where she grew up. So, I am so very thankful for the board support and having her in place. She's been a huge help just a few weeks on the job. So, thank you to Doc Miss. >> I can't get you on screen. Good. And then uh our FY27 budget review which is still under the superintendent report and I have brought Renee Gordon
092and I have handouts for folks uh folks who have worked with us in the past. Uh I am going to take full responsibility for the likeness of the handout. Uh all of the documentation is still available for those of you who like to dive dive deep into line by line. Um there should be leftovers too for audience members. Um for I asked Rene because I've sat in budget meetings for over 10 years. Um I thought would be helpful since this is your first glance. >> Oh yeah. >> Is that you have a page your first page is by department. So it allows you to see your entire entire grand total in one page. I know folks have seen more detail and like I said we provide that as well. The second is an executive summary
093by Renee that kind of points you in the direction of like hey these are your drivers of either costs going up or going down if that helps folks kind of get to the points in the budget they want to see. And then the last pages are uh FTEES that would be impacted under this uh board's direction for the ESD. So I will stop talking because that's the depth of my knowledge at this point and I will let Renee walk you through her presentation. >> Okay. Thank you. Um, so as some of you who sit on the SU board already have heard me say, we know that we have our collective bargaining agreements that are currently um being negotiated. So our biggest cost drivers, as you all are aware, are our staff, right? So salaries and
094benefits. I have a lot to kind of point out tonight about salaries and benefits lines here um because there's a lot going on and these are your your biggest cost drivers. So, we do have a factor um built in for potential salary grid adjustments. Um but there is a lot of additional going on here as well. So, that's why I thought tonight it might be good for you folks to just get a quick look at this before we have all of the information coming out from the state um in the next coming weeks probably. Um we do have some grant funding um that is supporting FTEES, a number of which are in the elementary schools. That grant funding is expiring June 30th. So the uh administrators of those buildings with those staff have asked that
095the board consider including them. So this draft that you have front of you does include new FTEES. So these are identified on this on the second page under the budget highlights. Um, but they include a licensed clinical social worker at Benel, a behavior coach also at Bennell, a behavior coach at Molly, and a math coach in Powell. So, all of these currently are funded right now through um title one school improvement grants. Um, we have had schools and comprehensive supports. This is year three of a three-year grant cycle. Um, we do not know if any of these schools will be identified again for comprehensive supports. I have pushed on the AOE a little bit to see if they could do their data reviews and let us know if that's the case because if there is
096going to be a continuation of these funds, we wouldn't have to put them into local like local budgets right now. Um the answer that I got back is they probably won't have that work done until January, which is probably going to be almost too late for us to make any adjustments. So that being said, um those four FTEEs have been included um in this draft. The math coach and council is actually budget neutral. However, because there was a vacant classroom teacher that has been carried in the budget, um based on the way things are looking for student counts next year, that classroom teacher won't be needed. So, we've basically repurposed that to become the the math coach or math teacher in Powell. Couple other asks, um not related to grant funds, um a math teacher
097at Monument. So, that 1.0 has been included in this budget draft. Um the current library media specialist that we have serving at Monument is also at a 0.5. Um it was in the budget at a point 4. So the request was to keep that position at a 0.5. Um I did note today that we didn't actually quite have everything right with that position. So technically this draft budget you have before you is about $40,000 short. Um but we can make that up you know and I'll I'll get it corrected when we look at this again next month. And then there was one other ask um to have a clinician um in panel for 2 days a week. So I have included a 4ft FTE for that. So those are the changes um with the FTEES.
098Now, as part of that, um, many of these administrators did give up some contracted service funding that they had for mental health. Um, that came comes to a cost of about $62,000. So, I have pulled those funds out to help kind of offset um what the asks were for in adding the FTEES. Couple other things to note. Um, our health insurance rates uh have been proposed by VIHI, the Vermont Education Health Initiative. Um, those are currently with the Department of Fed federal regulation and uh hopefully we will know if they are going to improve those rates or not, but for the first time in the last couple of years, they're only singledigit increase in health insurance premiums. So, we're carrying that in the budget right now at 8%. got an email just a couple hours
099ago that VI has also submitted um dental insurance rates which for us have been flat for the last several years. This year it's between zero and 15% and they will notify us next week. >> They will notify SUS and SDS next week as to who's been targeted for what increases. So, the budget that you have before you right now has dental as flat, but we could be looking at an uptick of up to 15%. Um, those those um couple other things to mention here. So, those salaries and benefits, the contracted service, as I had mentioned, um we were carving out $62,000 of that um for those mental health services to kind of offset the FTEEs. Um there were a couple of other lines that haven't been used or andor have been repurposed. So we shuffle
100those around. Um and Holly is really trying to level fund as much as she can with her contracted services and operations budgets. So you can see that's um contributing to the slight declines on those next two lines. the transportation line. Um, this is really just funding field trips and our afterchool transportation. So, what's happening now with our 21st century grant? All of the costs are being incurred at the SU level, but we have matching funds required. So, the money that's here does essentially pay the bill that's that's being incurred. So the SEU is fronting the money and then we're recouping basically billing the district to to recoup those funds. So while you're not actually seeing the expense in that line because I'm I'm billing for our staff as well. It's coming out of several different
101lines. The actual cost is going to appear and does appear in in FY25 in the operations line. Um the tuition line is um just a a reclassification of district um tuition. We've pulled that out of the student services budget in the SU put it in here based on student eligibility. Um minor tweaks to supplies and equipment. Um the equipment line with the $50,000 there. Holly is looking to um look at some uh fuel efficient and or just energy efficient vehicles um to basically get our maintenance staff around from building to building from campus to campus if there's a you know a service call. Right now they're they're driving the big dump trucks which are not necessarily fuel efficient. Pickup truck, dump truck. Um, so she'd like to look at something that's much more economical as
102in instead of driving those big vehicles. So that's that was the ask there. Um, assessments, I just have that thrown in at a flat 5% increase right now. I'm just starting to look at assessments um through the PSU lens. Hopefully that will come down, but I don't have those numbers refined just yet. Um, debt service. This is just our um aging or amortization schedule on the bond. So our our interest um payment is coming down slightly for next year. And on the contingency line, we did reduce that if you recall this current year um to basically try to save some dollars. Um I bumped that back up to where we had been budgeting it at the 210. Um, and then the transfer line. Given that uh we have quite a bit of money in the
103uh reserve accounts, I did not put that $130,000 back in. So on the second page, I listed all of our reserve accounts balances. Um, and what we had been doing for not not this current year, but previous years. Um, we were putting $130,000 in the SVED capital reserve account, but we did pull that out of this year's budget. So, we will not have that line increased by 130, nor do I have it in at least at this point for um for next year. And again, just with the uncertainty of Act 73, what are our districts going to look like? We have all these funds sitting there now. If we're going to be combined with other districts, do we want to start considering spending these down before we end up in a in a much larger
104entity? Um, and then the FTEES, I tried to just identify what the requests are that have a budgetary impact. So that's what the shading represents. Um and then at the bottom the local paras if you know I have um label there as SVSU. So these technically are SVSU employees. However, they are directly assessed to the Union Elementary District um because they are serving within your schools. So, I'm sorry to rush um but to try to keep it concise as well as much as I could. I'm happy to answer. >> I ask one question. >> Okay. >> For the what was budget increases for health and the dental does that go in effect in 26 or for 22nd? That's >> it will be July one of 26. So, it will be this. So what's hard I
105think you know from you know as a spouse or somebody who works in a school district is your open enrollment before we actually know what this rate increases up. So like if I have a benefit at work, my wife has a benefit for somebody is in district. You can't compare apples that my benefits you said. We know what they are, but we're still unsure what the rate increases are. The people that don't which how do you do open enrollment in December? You don't know. >> Our o our open enrollment is actually in May. >> In May for so so these would go in effect start. >> It'll be July one. Open enrollment happen. Okay. in May for enrollment changes as of July 1 when the rates go into >> like you know I just think
106like myself it's like you know so >> it's just like you know they don't line up with what we're being asked to do as soon >> our deductibles don't line up >> those I know I know what my rates are my work >> for next year because I've already I just got them so they're set >> we we will know in a few weeks DFR actually both starts for They're close in two weeks. >> Okay. I had one a little contrast item. You you sprinkled some good news in SPSU and that you're able to transfer some some employees out of full retirement back to Beamers. Is there any sort of case of that happening here for the >> All of All of the grant stuff happens at the SEU level. Um, so we don't we
107don't see that. I mean, you will see some of it in the whole >> assessment, right? So, the shift that we shifts that we've proposed at the SU level of pulling some of those early education staff out of title and into local, you'll end up seeing that in your assessment for the education. >> Um, it's basically a hard no. >> A nice way. So town assessments are also happening for property. I know for pound I think they're supposed to be done by >> lines and chasbury. >> So I'm wondering the impact on these new assessments or maybe you saw no impact or a decrease. >> I don't think you'll see anything till 20 I think it's 26 27 because they have to share the north share already and that's it. So you'll actually see that
108in the common level of appraisal, but it's going to be in black, right? So the common level of appraisal letters that we will be getting, they usually they come out in mid to late December, it will have been um property valuation and sales data from the prior year. So it's always a year in lag. Um but yes, all of our towns within our um union here are well below market value. So our CLAs are very very low. The legislature did introduce a statewide adjustment to kind of bring that up hoping, you know, to kind of minim minimize the impact of what CLA is, but it factors in in the equation above. So it technically factors out too. So it really doesn't have any impact, but that's just >> Rene is referencing the worksheet she built
109for me to explain why there's two factors in the formula basically to cancel each other out. >> Um, and also there's a this math teacher at Monument is a new math teacher. We have some schools that don't have a math teacher. Is that just the administration just didn't feel it was necessary? So, um I think that where you're seeing those are where um those schools may have had supports previously supported through grants and as those grant funds are, you know, being stretched thinner and the student populations are shifting. Um some of the more needy schools are still getting those supports as that's where the resources have to be directed. um monument. They're seeing great impact with the little bit of math support that they're getting through title right now. She wants to continue that trajectory.
110So that's why she asked um for that FTE. >> So Director Jordan, what next steps uh do you anticipate and what do you need from the board? Um if there's any directive you would like to give me what you would like to see next time around. Um otherwise it'll be pretty much the same budget um just with additional information. We will have the December 1 letter coming out from the tax commissioner which will have the recommendation of what the property homestead property yield is. that'll really be the factor as to what's going to happen with our projected tax rates. Um, we did get our first pass at long-term weighted average daily membership yesterday. Um, as we know, enrollment's going down, so our numbers are going down. Um, which is also going to cost make our,
111you know, tax rates go up. So, um, not a lot of things working in our favor. So, I guess, you know, it just ends up what the board is comfortable with. And then of course hopefully the next draft I'll have a better idea as to what we're looking at for the SU assessment so I can refine that line. >> So we can anticipate that at our next meeting which is two weeks from tonight um to have we'll have the December 1 information in there. We'll have we'll have the other information just described. So I would suggest we take a look at that in two weeks and then we figure out what our next steps are from there. Um to the to the December 1 letter, uh hopefully you all check your VSBA emails, but the
112VSBA is running a webinar on the 9th, December 9th about make some sense of the December 1 letter. So, um, we as board members, we all get those BSBA emails, so you can register there, but if you want me to forward it to you, I'm happy to do that, too. Um, I I'll be tuning in. It's it's it's a lunchtime meeting, so I'll be tuning in. Um, and hopefully it would help me make sense of the December 1st letter. >> Great. Anything else for Director Gordon? >> Thank you, Rene. Okay. So, that brings us to the chair report. Um, the first thing we need to do under the chair report is so Cassie Barau, who was the district clerk, has retired. She's she's down south now. Um, the recommendation is that we appoint Kayla Thompson
113as the clerk. Um, I presume we're all aware, but if anyone is is waiting at home, um, we have Jeff as our board clerk, but that's different than the district clerk. Uh, you know, Jeff's role as clerk is to write thank you notes and to do things like that. the role of the district clerk is far more is is is far more in-depth. It requires a whole lot more uh than what we could ever reasonably ask Jeff to do and really requires the infrastructure of someone like a town clerk to to do that kind of work. So, um I would entertain a motion that we appoint Kayla Thompson as the district clerk. Please, >> I'll make that motion. first and second. Any discussion about appointing Kayla Thompson as our discerning >> with Kayla to get
114my reup um nomination forms and signatures the other day. She's lovely. She is on top of everything. What she doesn't know, she'll tell you she doesn't know and she'll get back to you. >> And excuse me. Um it was a really nice experience and I think she's going to do great work and hopefully keep her for 20 years or so. >> Okay. >> Yep. I I would expect, you know, she's been working under Cassie for ever since Tim retired. So, yeah, I think this is this is going to be great. I think it'll work well for our for the town of Bennett and for our district as well. So, excellent. Um, >> we haven't taken a vote. Yeah. Any any further discussion on that? >> Okay. Hearing none. All those in favor of appointing Kayla
115Thompson as the district clerk, please signify by saying I >> I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? And that carries. So, congratulations, Kayla. Um, I just wanted to draw your attention to some other documents related to Act 73. Um, you know, one of the biggest probable impacts from 73 is the redistricting and in the board. So the there was a task force assigned a redistricting task task force that was assigned and charged with generating recommendations for how the state of Vermont ought to be redistrict and I think to maybe just about everyone's surprise the report was essentially n we're not going to. So there is no recommendation for redistricting from the task force. >> It took him 125 pages to say that. >> Took them 12. Yeah. Um, so the the full 168page report is in the
116board packet as well as a two-page summary is also in the packet. I say it with a with a chuckle. I have no idea what those deliberations were like. I know they are all professionals. They took the charge seriously, but um particularly to read the the Vermont the VT Digger article was the following day was pretty funny. But the fact remains uh the the legislation requires a final report to be issued by December 1st. So, by the next time we come around, again, I have no idea what that final report is going to look like from the redistricting task force. I presume it will look an awful lot like the draft that was issued a week and a half ago, but I I guess we'll see. Um, but so I I just wanted to draw
117your attention to those two documents for sure. Um, another aspect of Act 73 though is uh minimum class sizes, which I think is it's separate from the redistricting. Um, and it's it's really going to come to bear here at the ESD because we have Woodford Elementary School. The the mi as per this new law, the minimum class, there's no minimum class size for kindergarten. First grade, the minimum class size is 10 first grade students. And for 2 through sixth grades, the minimum class size is 12 students per grade level. And right now, Woodford School comes nowhere near that. I think there are 23 students total at Woodford School right now. So, um, the way that the legislation is written is says that if a school fails to meet minimum class sizes for three consecutive years,
118then the AOE can step in and do a number of things to include shut down schools and take over schools as well as to like extra add extra resources to a school. Um, for those of us who have read the uh NASDAQ report about best educational use of our buildings, it talks about demographic information for Woodford and one of the one of the most striking uh numbers in that report was that the birth rate in Woodford has gone down 75% in the last I think it's 10 years. So, I don't know what extra resources could potentially be offered to Woodford that would bolster up those class size numbers. So, I do think that's a thing that this board is going to have to figure out what it's going to look like in in the years
119to come. Again, we have a little bit of we have some time to play with. Um, you know, and one thing that is clear in Act 73 is that there's a recognition that we that everybody does need some transition time to figure these things out. I think that's a really that's a very real thing that this board needs to figure out is what the fate of those Woodford students is going to look like. Um, I would add Woodford Elementary School is 3.4 miles from the next closest elementary school. So I don't even know that there's a an argument to be made that it is a um a rural school or it's a remote school which which there are carveouts in 73 for those two types of schools. Yeah. Glenn. >> No, there was a you
120know a conversation at the SU level about what to do possibly repurposing the building. um you know maybe making it one of those centers of excellence where we bring if we have the opportunity to bust kids in for you know intensive math services, intensive you know um you know you name the curriculum that you can put in there you know behavioral school um and other options. Um, one thing that I did mention is that, you know, that if you don't operate it as a school in some form, the town gets to take it back. And that's an an unfortunate situation for an SU that has put a lot of money, time, money, time, money, >> money, don't forget the money. Yeah, I think they got money, you know, into such a, you know, facility in
121keeping, you know, the things that, um, you know, um, Holl's done to that building has brought it into the 21st century, you know, so like we'd have to really hopefully sit around and and pow out a good solution for that. >> Yeah. I think the only thing the numbers, they speak for themselves and with the six people of childbearing age that have moved in towards the disability. However, you're you're forgetting the fact that there are areas that are close by that could also shift. I mean, redistricting redistricting. >> I think that we should not be playing darts. I think everything is going to change on every level that we know it. >> Yep. >> I think the only thing we know for certain with regard to Woodford is that it's not going to look like
122three years from now, it's not going to look like it looks right now. >> Yeah. No, that I >> Yeah. >> From a legal perspective, I can't >> Right. Right. Exactly. you know, and I'm I'm not it's not from a lack of want or, you know, looking for solutions and things like that. It's that this we may be the victim of the mandate. >> Yep. Yeah. And I'm reminded of like Act 46 and like there were lots of folks when Act 46 was being put into place six or seven years, eight years ago maybe at this point. A lot of people like a lot of people arguing like they're not going to do it. They're not going to do it. And of course they're going to do it. Like this is what this is what
123the law is. This is what the legislation says. So we need to, you know, be prepared for what gets handed down to us. And we are operating another building that is not um in a typical fashion that right now that does not have that >> mandatory class. >> There are options. >> Yeah. >> We're operating like Congress. >> Oh, right. Yeah. And I Yeah. And I don't again I don't know how how programs like Beach Street and Congress would be would be considered within the context of 73 because I don't you know I think they're designed to be short-term interventions as opposed to CL schools as the you know but anyway I I just I wanted to bring that up only because I know that folks are busy. I know that folks don't always get
124a chance to to wait into the information that comes to us from the BSBA or what's coming out of uh the AOE, but like that is a major thing that we can see is coming >> and and like we just said what we know for sure is that it's not going to look like it looks right now. >> So, um sense of the chair's board, I I will I will also say this as part of the share report. Um, I I have no desire to keep any member of this board in the dark as to why I'm reluctant to bring the pledge back as an agenda item. Um, we what we can't do is talk about it in open session without it being worn. There's no reason to talk about an executive session. It doesn't
125fulfill any of those criteria. What I would be absolutely willing to do is have one-on-one or small group conversations with members of the sport. Small group meaning fewer than quorum, right? so we can legally have a conversation to explain my rationale why I don't think it's a good idea for us to bring it back up. Um I have no desire to keep any of you in the dark on any of this. So please let me know if you like to do that to include right after this meeting. We're already here so I'm happy to hang out and have a conversation with fewer than four of you at the same time. Um so turning back to our agenda. Um that brings through the chair report. We have FYI. So we have >> I do one FYI.
126>> Sure. Uh because Glenn brought it up, just an FYI, you know, we have three seats open up this year. It's a Bennington, a Woodford, and a panel. >> Yes. >> Um so if people are interested in those seats, they go to the town clerk office in Bennington and get the forms. >> Excellent. Yep. >> But she's appointed. >> Oh, that's a one-year appointment. So she'd have to rerun. So if you're appointed, you get one year seat. You don't get all three years. So like I said, >> I think that's what he's saying. Yeah, >> because you're appointed versus >> Yeah, I'll drive you around. >> Yeah, let's see. >> So, so one Benon seat, one Woodford seat, one panel seat are the ones that are look like they're expiring this year. People are more
127than happy to run close. >> That's a great point. Thank you for bringing that up. Um, we have the budget status report, the student enrollment numbers, which reflect the pardon me, among other things, the Woodford numbers, and then the the FY27 financial internal controls document, which I'm looking for in the board packet because I have to >> There it is. Okay. Thank you. Yep. Number three on the list. There we go. Um, great. So, that then brings us to the added agenda item, which is executive session. Glenn, could you please repeat because I didn't have a pen in hand at the time. What subsection are you citing? >> Uh, proposing DSA 313A given it deals with personnel, both the um, you know, employee and board. Um, I'm just pulling it up just so I can
128take a look at it while we talk. >> They do need to end. We'd like to invite superintendent and assistant superintendent and interim assistant superintendent. So I'm sorry I'm just I'm just now pulling up. So say it again. What subsection a motion was for? >> 31 and 3A. >> Um okay. So which which subsection under 313A did you want to name specifically? So we have three. So 3 313A describes the existence of executive session, but then there are specific points below that allow us that that govern what we can talk about. >> That be it. >> So you're saying subsection A1. So >> it's under there. It's a little tiny thing. >> I can't read this. So, I'm gonna Can I come over here and show you the statute right here? >> Oh, grievances are
129>> there more more descriptions down below. >> Terrific. >> So, grievances other than tax grievances. Um, >> who is bringing the grievance? >> I'm bringing the grievance. Um, >> other than tax grievance. Okay. So, typically this grievance typically is reserved for and utilized for union grievances or labor grievances. >> Thanksgiving. >> Is there right because you we can so a grievance a union grievance would place the public body or the person at a disadvantage right to bring that up in the public. >> Correct. Is there is the grievance you have in mind either you or >> This body >> it's going to put Okay. >> It has the potential to >> Okay. So, specifically this is 313A subsection 1D. Thank you. Was that what your motion was? >> That was in where it intended to
130be. >> Okay. Okay. Great. So, um and who did you want to invite that? >> Uh everyone, including the superintendent and administration. >> Okay. So, Renee will spare you. I'm gonna Yeah, I'm just wor working working on the Zoom controls. >> Oh, okay. >> Is there any um do you anticipate any action being taken? >> I do not. >> Okay. So, um >> I think it's a matter of you just get it out there. Okay. So, uh I would entertain a motion then please to move into executive session uh as per uh 1 VSA 313 subsection A1D. >> I make the motion. >> Thank you, Cindy. We have a second please. >> Second. Thank you, Jeff. First, second. Any discussion? >> And also to invite those people that that Glenn said. Um any discussion on
131moving into executive session? Hearing none. All those in favor and moving to executive session as described, please signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? >> Any extensions? Great. We are in executive session. >> You can it will agenda. It wasn't right. >> We're on our board. >> Great. So, um I would entertain a motion, please, to exit executive session. Please >> take a motion. >> Thank you, Cindy. We have a second on that. >> Second. >> Thank you, friend. We have a first and second. Any discussion about exiting executive session? Hearing none. All those in favor of anything executive session, please signify by saying I. >> I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? All right. Motion carries. Uh so like a motion to uh journ. >> Sure. We've exa we've exhausted our posted agenda. So I
132will absolutely accept one of those. Please. Are you making >> I would like to make that motion. >> We have a second for lens motion, please. >> Second. >> Thank you. We have first and a second. Any discussion about adjourning? >> Oh, hearing of adjourning. >> That is not good. >> Please signify by saying I. I >> any opposed? Any absentions? We're adjourned. Happy Thanksgiving, folks.