School Committee Meeting 3/25/25

001all right thanks everybody for being here like Regional school committee to order reminder is being recorded your imagent voice will be recorded uh could you all please stand and pledge Le United States stand Nation God indivisible liy and justice for all right so the way we have tonight's um agenda meeting set up we have a public comment up right now um that public comment is available for anyone who would like to speak to anything non budget related that's on the agenda anyone here speak about anything non budget related that's on tonight's agenda that's a no all right so we'll go forward any Communications all right agenda Megan yes anyone like to discuss the consent agenda all right all in favor I against all right all right budget I think I hads to say so not

002last last meeting we had we had the auditorium maybe about five or six people we so apologize that tonight's meeting are standing room only so I apologize not having it um going for with having a different issue so Joe R Aon can I ask you to start out with slide 20 form on this presentation I can through Itor 24 go go back um sorry keep going back right there than I just would like to start up with this quote anyone that knows me is sort of my thing is having some some high quality quots in here I think this is not lost before startling this conversation um the best way to predict the future is to create it and the best way to create a better future is by investing in the education our children

003and I just want us to stop and I and I really stress the importance of of this F we really need to invest in the education of our children they are our future our students that are in our classrooms today are our future they're our teachers our future fers our lawyers our doctors our nurses our electricians they truly are our future to make financially so budget Aaron I want to discuss some discuss some exact figures on March 11th scho voted in the budget presented to them with the six to zero vote and it read the following that the burlin bolon school Comm voted to approve an FY 26 operating budget of 24,3 9 3,973 in an FY 26 capital budget of 4, 5972 resulting in the total assessment of 10,585 3113 Berling and 14,26 353

004to the town ofland and sorry oh sorry um so again once again sco can you voted on that of a 24,393 n73 he better now no's ever told me to speak up um since that meeting took place on March 11th um with school committee um myself school committee Aaron Osman our Director of Finance and operation had several meetings after that our first meeting was with the bson fincom on March 17th and then with Berlin on March 19th and Berlin was a combination of fincom and select board both communities since we presented this budget to them came in with the lower figure that was voted on by by scoy on that March 11th date since that time we've been working for days and days and hours and hours with our principles our directors and our school

005committee in the Union as well to having conversations with them to have conversations in the best way to meet the numbers that were given to us by both communities tonight Aaron and I will be presenting a budget that aligns with a dollar figure that the money were given to us at this time we've taken the money have been given to us but both communities and this budget you're going to see tonight is is is going to reflect that again I can't stress enough the work that our our principles our directors our school committee and our our Director of Finance operations have done please know that I along with principles and directors at this point do not support this budget we're going to present to you this is a budget that has huge impacts on our

006students and staff and in particular particularly students that attend Berlin Memorial in Tonto middle and high school we present this to school Comm tonight and the community in hopes of getting direction on our next steps along with your support to let people know that we need and should want more for our students and our staff as I said the very first day that I walked into this District we are a very good District but we striving to become a great School District as Jim Colin says as eloquently as he does in his book good to Great the enemy of great is just being good and we're not going to be settling for good so at this time I'm going to turn it over to our our start of our presentation and Aaron and I are

007going to walk you through our budget presentation again please know that this will align with the monies at this point that were given to us by both communities but this is a budget at this point that we're presenting the schoolping the communities that principles directors and myself as the instructional leader do not support at this time I have a Qui question we've got people waiting outside that can't even hear anything you're saying do we get a speaker system in here Auditorium and no one can hear agreed a it's not in the auditorium we had a schedu this room what announc all over Facebook well whether or was in an Ann or not the a we had it there two weeks ago and nobody showed up okay well everybody at this point to move everything that

008we have set up because we're live streaming this as well too be very difficult for our Tech we're not going to interrupt that meeting what we could do though is pause for a second and bring some more cheers and I get the custodians here you can bring more cheers but for us to move there's a logistics of getting this into people in this room so Lisa yes back about we just pull this back about four in slide that good good Joe joic the sound system away all [Music] right Jess the sound system all right the majority of the speaking will be done by Aaron who's at the front of the room so he'll be speaking into all of you so that should help the situation but uh we're still recording we're good okay all right

009continue out please okay so I hope you're not ask me to repeat everything I just said but at this point right now um I'm sorry so at this point right now Aon and I are budget presentation I can't trust enough for those people again not a budget that we're we're supporting at this point but this is what we're doing to make sure it's align with the do that we're getting we'll presenting the in the community be need support to get what we feel we need to deliver high quality education proes so at this point I'm going to turn it over to Aaron osband and him and I are going to walk you through these next couple um couple slides Aaron howy so uh given we've got a few more people than we had on March

01011th I'll take a moment to put in a quick plug for the musical on April 11th right in the in the auditorium not here uh Beetlejuice Jr yes yes okay uh I tried to give a plug then but the two people um seemed very interested but maybe we'll have more people this time so I will uh walk you through a little bit of where we're coming from and then where we're going uh for those of you if we go whoops I'm running this show in fact uh so when we put this together for March 11th and we had our budget hearing uh we came up with assessments um for the towns uh operating we were hoping might be in line we knew the capital numbers were high if uh for those of you who've seen

011the budget we had number of items that were blacked out or grayed out we didn't necessarily expect to get those items uh one of the things we want to do is make sure that those items are recognized as legitimate Capital items that are needs for the district and those will be pushed down the road in many cases year after year after year um so uh these are the these are the assessments again you'll see that sort of capital assessment is really really high and we understand that um so the same thing for Boon right very high Capital assessments operating assessments um a little more tenable right for total assessment so uh after we uh held that we've we've had a couple meetings with the towns and I think this is in line with the direction

012we got from the towns um Berlin asked us to reduce the operating assessment that we were showing by 207,000 uh and reduce the Berlin Memorial Capital to that 237,000 number so reduce it by a little over a million again we knew a number of those items the roof wasn't necessarily something that was going to get picked up in nor was solar on the roof going to get picked up immediately but we want to put it on the table and make sure people know we're we're looking at that uh boil uh Boon runs their assessments a little differently so Boon's request was to reduce the operating plus toono debt and capital assessment by 685,000 increase so just so you know that plays out I'm not sure everybody uh has spent a lot of time digging into

013the regional agreement and digging into how those assessments work um and that is pretty well embedded in the March 11th I'm not going to dwell on all the ins and outs of the regional agreement um but in order to get to these numbers what do we need to do what did we need to do so we had already made a number of cuts to get to that March 11th number uh we looked at um we made a commitment to eliminating those contracted per professionals if you've been around you've heard us talk about that a number of times uh we had uh 12 or 14 total contracted par professionals throughout the district um we're going to make a real effort to hire um our own people um we had some staffing cuts that weren't specifically identified

014because we hadn't had the opportunity to have some of those conversations so you'll see the health teacher literacy coach uh Library Tech um with a resulting addition of a parah recess Aid that would pick up some of the recess Aid coverage that had been budgeted in previous years all right if I could just jump in for a second so eliminating the health teacher um so the way the curriculum is lined up in the state of Massachusetts is health and physical education go hand inand so although we we're eliminating that health teacher position and I'm trying to be really real careful and and respectful to people that are in the position so know we've had these these conversations principles directors and they've had it with um the Staffing as well too but we're still talking about

015people here um but that health will be taught by the physical education teacher which goes like I said hand inand with the curriculum um so the library check although we're eliminating the library at the elementary level we'll have some of coming in that will be working um within the library looking for a lot of parent support that'll be helping out in that Library as well too um but also will will have the Dual role of being a resource Aid one that something that I've heard from both communities want from the play sorry y sure so the uh collaborative tuitions um we receive a circuit breaker reimbursement um I've done a deep analysis of the available funds prior to that March meeting um and realized that we have the potential for some rollover funds that we

016could use so I've committed some of those resources you'll see that in a couple different places that we've made that commitment um there were some changing needs of students students moving to um uh from uh Berlin to toono um so you'll see some changing needs for special education Transportation needs those are recognized in here as well so then if we were to need to meet the cuts um that the towns or the the numbers the towns have um the first thing we do is um or not the first thing but the first thing on this list I apologize it's not the first thing we do um but to go down the list in order um there is uh a classroom uh I believe John correct me if I'm wrong 27 students that would be um

017in grade two next year we would add a teror professional to that classroom for additional support resulting in some savings um you will see Bann across both schools um I'm not sure 100% sure that FTE in from school to school is 100% accurate but I think the numbers um bear out um uh we have math tutors and literacy tutors at the elementary level um we would eliminate both of those at burlin Memorial um you will see that um there's some movement in uh a music teacher toono this is that bumping you'll see that is a negative reduction right so it's actually a positive when we terminate when we uh not terminate when we eliminate a position right our teachers have bumping right based on their seniority so we have a presumption that that Tanto the

018person in that Tanto position would have bumping rights to move down potentially to uh an elementary position um I've done sort of a deep dive looking at just picking away every little item I could um you know prior to some of those first hearings I looked at some bigger ticket items uh I've been pouring through every single small item to just see what we can pick at right because you know if we can find 5,000 here 5,000 there eventually we might save a position so that's what I've done um opab I don't want to get into oped but it's a contribution towards retire uh health benefits it's a liability we have um it doesn't impact anything operationally uh I'm comfortable there's no mandate that we put a certain amount but we have to put something

019into our OPB um so you'll see across the board I've cut our OPB contribution by 50% uh saving us you know about $25,000 again not profound but in the aggregate a lot of this might save a position in the long run um I took a deep dive into long-term substitutes I I spoke with John a little bit about that we felt like we could manage that um you know anytime we're looking at something like this that could create a potential liability for us there's some risk involved right we're taking some risk when we cut some of these but I I think as as John and I talked we felt like we could we cut that and then I made some asks of the principles and and and they largely stepped up to um look at

020some potential Cuts in overall supplies right if we're looking at the potential for cutting staff we we might as well like look at it across the board and how can we look at some of our supply lines and things like that um there were definitely some lines that had already been cut I didn't touch those I focused on the lines that we hadn't really dug deeply into yet so going through I almost on that slide second so I I I want you to appreciate eliminating that grade 2 classroom having 27 students in that classroom um if if we eliminate that position in grade two right um we're going to feel that all the way around right so year after year you're going to have at this point um would be one of each grade so

021that second grade classroom that's going in there for next year there'll be one class of 27 then the year after and the year after but then we're also looking at the classes that are remaining behind so we'll have a a big impact all the way around when you're living down to that one class size how is that even Lally possible so sorry so just the other part that you you you need to be again none of these cuts are what we're supporting right but this is what we need to do at this point um the the other part you need to know is the the two most important things that you'll hear me ever say is high quality teachers and low class sizes those are the two things that we really need to be focused

022on uh but right now you just need to know that the impact of having only one of that grade we'll hit we'll see year after year after year not only that but the curriculum that's taught during those grades as well too extremely important they say those first three years up to grade three you learn how to read right and then the kids read to learn but those first three years after the grade three of the most crucial years and learning teaching kids how to read along with that goes that literacy tutor and math tutor huge pieces now people might think of tutors are just students that need that additional support and help they do but they also have those kids that they're excelling as well too so when we're eliminating those tutors that's Crossing all

023of our students that well um and and not only we're eliminating tutors but we're we're eliminating class size huge impact on our students to so we need to be mindful of that Al you hold on a second so we can't take all all questions from the crowd during this but that's something I know the committee wants to know about the great to teacher you're essentially playing musical chairs every year explain how that works yeah and and tell me when that class goes off to Tanto what happens so so a couple things right and I'm real careful about going to people and Personnel here but if you have two veteran teachers I'll say teaching in grade two right when when you have to reductions you just don't say to that particular grade this where the reductions

024going to take place because of sity and that whole piece the teacher might be displaced and be teaching another grade that affects that teacher teaching right has to learn a new curriculum as well too and not mastering of that as well too and again I'll say as those kids are traveling up that that change will keep happening where we we we might have two of one grade and then one of another and how do we keep those veteran teachers and keeping them teaching what their experts at right we want to make sure that they're strong in the curriculum the backbone of any educational system and this is someone who's been a curriculum director for the city of Wester is the curriculum and having that strong curriculum and teach us knowledge of that curriculum so them

025having to learn multiple curriculums that that's a tough thing we want our teachers to know the scope and sequence we want our teachers to know what should be taught in those grades and become experts in those grades as well too and them constantly looking at teaching different grades it's it's a hard thing for our teachers that's also an opportunity that we might lose good teachers because they want to be able to settle in that one particular grade they want to get good at their trade um moving all over the place is a tough thing for a teacher so we need to be mindful of that when they hit the middle school and high school again that large group you know I'll say it again small class sizes high quality teachers you can't make up those

026two things what happens come whoever the school committee is in 2029 discussing the fy3 budget what happens to that budget when you you can't have one classroom because we know the classes are growing we know more people are moving into town we have projections what is it 30 40% growth at BMS student body coming up what what we just automatically put it back what we cut then what happens that's true and and and it it's it's a really tough thing to do makeing cuts in these classrooms it will definitely impact our students and at some point in a long time we got to you got to be paying it late you're going to be paying it with our students that aren't having that individual instruction and you're going to also be paying for it because

027eventually you're going to need to put that classroom back in there um the the other part is you got 20 we have sorry we have 27 students in that classroom all takes one or two new students to move in and then I'm at 29 and 30 that's just completely completely unacceptable but please appreciate we're down to the be bones you know people say there's a lot of extra and and I've worked in districts where sometimes there are extras right but when I look at the extras they're they're on me right when I look at the Staffing at the central office we when you look on ra uh it's called Rad Radar um for the pop education we are one of the lowest number of people that are working in central office when you're running a

028school district like there was no secretary today right like Aaron and I are running these things off that's why we're running late like we don't have that additional support so we're cutting everywhere we can and there's nowhere else to cut right now in Berlin except for these grade two classroom teachers and this is the point w and again it's just it's unacceptable at this point can I just say something too about whenever you cut a teacher and we learned this last year I think the way it works is it's since we're one District it's low man on the totem pole so that might not in Berlin so we could even though we're cutting a teacher in Berlin Memorial we could be playing musical chairs is this correct where it's the low it doesn't matter if

029you're in bees or BMS it's the lowest so there two factors it's seniority in the district right depending where in the union verifies that but it's also license certification so if there's a lower elementary Ed licensed person in Boon it could mean we're actually getting of a teacher in Boon now we're not going to get rid of that head but that specific person could be the one out and there should be shifting meaning someone from Berlin might have to go to Boon Elementary I haven't looked that deep into it but certainly that's a scenario that know last might not be the case when that class moves up to third yes sh it goes you want to say something just real quick to add on to what Al's been sharing one of the other factors we're

030talking about a school that was designed to be small you know the rooms are smaller the coke closets are a joke um you can't fit three adults in the coke closet it's you know it was we saved money this is the school that when it was built they only primed the walls they never painted them so you know we're always looking for ways to economize and I get that it's a small town but what will happen now is you'll lose things that kids have come to rely on flexible seating no more tables it'll be rows of desks just like you and I went to school the other thing I wanted to make people aware of as we talk about moving forward starting in third grade our teachers are departmentalized which means that one teacher teaches

031Ela and social studies the other teaches math and science if we L and I would argue and I think my teachers would argue that it's part of the reason that our kids are very successful they have teachers who are very deeply invested in Literacy for example and if we lose that and have to have one teacher do the whole thing that will also impact student learning and student progress it's just another loss in a really bad idea of a thanks sorry on that so um next slide gets into uh the very specific operating assessment um for to the towns uh I went through how the regional agreement does this on March 11th if you haven't seen that you're welcome to to go through the excitement of the the regional agreement dig through all of that

032um but you know we start with the overall budget um add in the the district costs um take out Chapter 70 a share of Chapter 70 a share of chapter 71 so Chapter 70 is just general state aid for schools uh chapter 71 is transportation reimbursement there are formulas within the regional agreement that Define how you calculate this I encourage you to feel free take a look at that March 11th I explain it out I won't dwell as long on the other slides that go into the calculation but just so you're aware of how that generally Works in general sense so we get into Boyston so you know interestingly um because of the way the assessment formula Works um and the numbers we received from the towns and and where some of those cuts need

033to be made Boon is in a better situation this year in terms of of where things stand so we made some Cuts preparing for this in March knowing that we had a lot in capital um uh as you saw in the first slide Boon considers uh toono debt and capital plus their operating assessment as part of their overall operating piece they contribute so uh as we weren't able to do as much on the Berlin side on Capital we did have to sort of collapse the Danto Capital which put more money into sort of the Boon pop again this is all based on the regional agreement it's very exciting I encourage you to give it a good read um but you know you can see a lot of similar Cuts can I interrup you please your

034comment about it puts more money into the Boon pop can you just explain a little further because some people are gonna think that means you're going to take the money we're going to spend in Berlin you're G to give it to boon that's not what you're doing but some people would want to that yep so um trying to think of how to explain this um the the once because Boon considers Tonto Capital part of their operating budget the money we had in capital now flows back to General operations right so uh because of the numbers we received from Berlin um let me get to really quickly to Tanto Capital we have collapsed Tanto Capital down to just replacing some Middle School Furnitures so uh the the split between the two schools uh is roughly um

03565 35% so you're really talking about $99,000 to I think to Berlin and then uh 16,000 to Boon on this so that sort of collapse that number that would have had to be part of the Boon assessment and that moves into operations as far as Boon is concerned so the money that wasn't in capital and and we can't Fund in capital because uh Berlin is indicated they can't cover that relative to some of the needs at Berlin that are a little needier so if I get into Berlin that should be Memorial I apologize uh the elevator controls are an absolute must that is an ADA compliance issue uh if that uh elevator is shut down um in many ways we are shut down so that's an absolute must cameras are security priority for the district

036you'll see them at Berlin and Boon um so this really was pretty close to the limit of what uh Berlin indicated they were capable of doing so they Bur takes Capital out of their free cash and and basically they told us we're capped out on free cash so they really weren't able to do anything at Tanto so I I know it it seems a little wonky but every town handles these things differently they have a right to do that um so it's all out it's all out in the regional agreement um and that was decided five or six years ago one thing you probably heard um Aron sorry my mother be yell here people we are back um one of the things that you've heard us say is it's time to revisit it right it's

037it's been five six years now and we need to revisit that Regional agreement because we're following exactly the way it's laid out and financially in terms of payments as well too so all that's laid out in the regional agreement so you take a chance to look at that but it's something we definitely need to revisit all the way around so Aaron is what you're saying basically we were're given a certain number need in Berlin yeah you've done all you can at BMS the elementary level you got spread some of that to burlin share of D fair enough because of math the way it works and the formula for the assessment if you cut something from Berlin at Tanto you got to do a corresponding cut of something from Boon except for the fact that Boon

038has actually said no we can cover that amount it's don't necessarily care where you put it but we can cover that amount so what you're saying is yes that's then going back down to the elementary school because of the agreement saying that we're going to fund the elementary school separately 100% they're willing to fund schools for their students and that's why we're seeing a bunch of things being added back here at the elementary correct so to some degree in order to make the numbers work we have to make cuts at both toono and Berlin Memorial School right it wouldn't be Equitable to do it at just one and and there's no way we could take it all out of one now the reality is the minute I cut money from Tanto 65% of that results

039in a cut to Boon's assessment um so sorry yeah that's that's a better explanation as well so as we're making those cuts to Danto it is only saving 35 cents on the dollar to the Berlin assessment and 65 cents then goes to Boon which then frees up additional funding that's available but I can't put it back into Hanto otherwise that will cause an assessment to Berlin so I have to put that money in Boyston Elementary and we appreciate the money that B's given us and so since we can't use it all at at time because it would impact ring that's why you're going to start seeing some of the money that we thankful that bson gave us will be seen in in the bson elementary school and that's what we going to see to so

040Boon Tanto portion is now shifting to the elementary scho that's correct I think you heard three different people explain hopefully that that was really can tell we all were working together on this trying to really get a good understanding of how this works yep yep my my apologies I I thre don't C that um so getting into Boyston you'll see we had some initial Cuts but again because of the way things had to go and some funding had to flow back to Boon Elementary we have been able to um even add a few things um you know looking at at ban that the sort of the decision was made to keep that as a cut across both schools but then we looked at what could be added back in terms of support what could help

041help Boon Elementary um with some of uh their academics um one was returning the literacy coach one was adding a special education teacher um some additional social emotional support that might be in the form of some adjustment counseling maybe some bcba Services things like that um you'll see that there is some money um increasing the budget again Berlin Memorial and Boon for that music teach that might be bumped to the elementary might bump um to the elementary level and then you'll see an equitable uh change in the opep contribution so both both schools have adjustments to that just sorry we really try to be Equitable Mak any reductions that we were doing again that health teacher up there in bston um same thing that should be taught by the physical education teacher right so that

042falls right along the lines with the curriculum um the the part that the library Tech same thing that was one position that we shared across both Berlin and Bon that's why we made that elimination there right because of of the being shared between both um but that literacy coach that we're adding the special education teachers when we we got our report um but the the Gap that we saw between our students um with some special needs and the and cast performance um there some concerns we've talked Cindy and I and we've talked as a school committee we know we get some work to do and that's why we want to bring in that literacy coach we know we're working in that Ela piece we need to we need to bring some things in to to

043make those scores move forward and make sure we're getting um Bon exactly where it needs to be but we need to be able to support our teachers and need to be able to support our our students with those movs and so that's why the best um additions were these please know that we sat with principles at all times and making all these decisions they were not made um in isolation in the central office so the tutors are still at Boyston but they're going to be eliminated from Berlin so the math and the literacy tutor correct syan Boon correct along with a literacy coach Y correct so then same assessment formula same assessment formulas um encourage you to take a look at the uh presentation for March 11th or go to the regional agreement it's all

044laid out there very exciting stuff have I sold it well enough yet um toono Regional budget so here's where we get into sort of those shared um pieces so we started out uh March 11th eliminating some of the contract per professionals athletic director the Staffing uh pieces we T we we didn't share necessarily entirely now we're sharing a little more fully now so athletic director science teacher a special education coordinator um somehow it looked like I hadn't shown uh the eliminative department heads and team leads um that was in the budget and that was shared um with staff um but somehow I didn't show that on March 11th so I'm making sure it's shown here um and then there was some additional circuit breaker I applied through that analysis I did that helped offset some

045costs for out of District tuition before we go on to that second half that we could just go Um that the athletic director it's not going to be a full-time position next year it's going to be a stien position as it is so we still be having obviously Sports we we're not the the school committee or the administration says you know we're we're wiping out Sports we're wiping out arts and everyone comes to to rally for that but they're really not true Cuts these are really true cuts that we have to make in that if we had to live with we do not want to live with them we we would be able to have to be able to do um eliminating the science teacher that's a programmatic cut at tant right that's that's a

046huge piece eliminating special coordinated position but we're not eliminating the services that still need to provideed that's going to be following our director of people Personnel our assistant principles at the high school um eliminating department heads still going to be able to work with our our department heads but that's going to be assumed by by by Sally who was our curriculum director for um for the the middle high school so we're trying to be really strategic and being very mindful of we're we're not trying to really eliminate them but we're just adding more and more to people's plates before eventually it's not our or doable as well too um but those are um those are true science Cuts those true athletic in that specially coordinat a huge impact on our district as well too without

047Cy um that that service beinged ACC sorry all righty so uh the additional cut um we would look to there's a an admin assistant in guidance we'd look to eliminate the position but try to reassign the individual uh this is the next line is the music teacher we've discussed um we'd cut a music teacher and I believe there would be some bumping involved based on seniority we try to look at that as much as we can ahead of time we don't always know everyone's liur as we putting this together but it seemed to us that this would be the case uh reducing the that opep contribution I've talked about before um reducing supplies textbooks it repairs and copier costs uh nursing Subs again I I dove into and looked at the past three years of

048nursing substitutes and it seemed like we could get some savings there uh based on Trends um you know again always some risk when we're cutting that stuff but I think this is a reasonable risk to take um Foster transportation we have a number in for in for there we we very typically have some degree of needs in Foster Transportation we're not always sure what that need is going to be so we've cut what we've budgeted for that by $5,000 thinking we could take a risk uh we're hoping for a warm winter um we're cutting oil a little bit um so you know I will'll walk around and I'll set the thermostats back a degree or two and hand out some sweaters um uh but seriously uh if you will some of some of you were

049in some of the early iterations of the budget um saw me mentioned that uh I felt that oil looking at a a going back three years and trending um that that was over budgeted in in Prior years and so uh I took that back uh I can't remember how much but I anytime you're doing that you're taking an educated guess right taking a best guess to what we're going to use in the future as I looked at again I said c can I can I cut that 5,000 more sure I can let's let's do that and if it means salvaging something instructional let's go for it and hope we have a warm winter um but just so as you can see we're really really being mindful about those redemptions we're taking we're really looking at

050every opportunity I mean 5,000 here 5,000 here 4 here like we really are trying to really look at what we can do what reductions we can make so it's not impacting our students our teachers but they truly do impact let's be let's be very clear they all Impact one or another but what's that direct impact sorry I I do want to thank you um for highlighting that I really want everybody to see that there are five full-time positions being eliminated at tont this is going to impact students this will impact the their dayt day um we are we are hopeful in that we can manage things but I don't think that's a really excellent model for education is trying to manage we're trying to grow we are trying to lift up we are trying to

051create the Next Generation we're trying to get these students into whatever position they need to be in for After High School and I'm not going to say college because that our our Horizons are broadened but there's five full-time positions being eliminated and that will impact what happens here so to Al's point if you look at the the bottom what one two three four five items count uh it's late in the day um that's $45,000 right our hope is that as we pick away at those things right that'll Salvage a position throughout the district every little bit counts um you know so I don't necessarily think that you know finding a couple thousand here and there is going to save things but if we keep doing it we keep fighting for this these little bits eventually

052they add up so tono's uh assessment formula is a little more complicated because you have the involvement of both towns you have a cal the calculations for the Chapter 70 and 71 um and then you get into each Town's uh minimum local contribution uh and their sort of above minimum contribution and uh thought those looked a little better last time but the Berlin is is highlighted in the pinkish and Boon is highlighted in the bluish um doesn't not as clear here but I think in the auditorium it was clear I know I'm probably being so as we get into the total Berlin operating assessments for 2026 uh we come up to a total number based on this budget right uh of 8,157 a dollar change of 35622 4 and a 4.57% increase that's right around

053the $27,000 reduction that we've been asking it might be a hair over um you know if we have some more money to put in we certainly um Boyston operating assessment uh same thing uh same calculation uh total operating of 12,293 679 for a total change of $420,900 so now as we get into uh the capital items right I'm so sorry you and I are used to as you can tell Aaron and I worked together for a long period of time um so people I know you did a a great job on that March 11 date but can you just give a little definition to people that are here about what really Capital means right as opposed to the budget itself as a whole sure so uh Capital items are typically the um sort of major

054fixed assets of the building um it the sort of the definition of that can can be flexed a little bit so in the past uh student and staff devices have been considered part of capital I wouldn't typically consider those fixed assets right they move around a lot students carry them around staff carry them around um but oftentimes you end up putting them in capital but you don't have funding in operations and you might have some flexibility year toe in terms of well if they don't give us 50,000 maybe we could take 35,000 or something like that you play with it um more and more districts are are really endeavoring to move uh devices into operations uh as opposed to Capital many years ago right your your average computer was three four $5,000 you know now

055a laptop or Chromebook is 300 um it's very mobile it's very breakable it's almost you know considered a a a disposable in some ways with a short lifespan right five years give or take um so these are are largely things that are fixed assets but sometimes things bridge that I've seen school districts do curriculum in capital um again not really where it should go in my mind but that's something that school districts when they've had to come up with money for something usually capital is covered by many towns uh through the free cash process um again uh yeah um that's sort of the amount of money they have when everything is all set and down at the end of the year and they have some excess excess cash exactly what that feels like right thanks

056put spot the definition you did TR with that the other part remember Berlin is Berlin Memorial is owned by the town of Berlin right bson Elementary is owned by the town of bson as well too so but we we need to make sure that we're taking care of these things and as you as AR will go through that number one is is we need to have a d right in Berlin oral it needs to have D so we can keep our schools open y um so again if you were at some of the earlier um sessions all those other items the difference between that 237 and 1310 those are still sitting on our Capital plan we have an ongoing Capital plan we're building a 10-year Capital plan out of this and those will get kicked

057down you'll see them next year you'll see them the year after you'll see them the year after if they don't get funded at some point um you know we'll come to a head with things like the roof and what have you I don't think the roof is in dire Jeopardy now but it's it's kind of at that end of life and we want to make sure that we're addressing it and sharing it so 237,000 I believe this is what uh the town of Brin said they could cover for um burlin Memorial so getting on to Boyston uh we did hear from the town of Boon and they seem to think that they could do this the 26,500 this includes some um water pump window replayer placements you'll see cameras at both schools we have a

058lack of cameras for security purposes at the elementary sorry am I thought you moving your head I'm like all over the place uh so uh there are also some fobs there's some doors that need some fob Replacements uh fobs are little things you use to open the doors electronically uh that's not a big part of that but it's a a few thousand dollars built into that uh student staff device replacement uh some of the exterior brick work needs to be repointed it's getting in rough shape um and then uh accessible playground equipment for the school so I know one of the things that you've heard us say at every meeting we went to is we really need cameras for the Safety and Security that are happening not only during the day but also after hours

059as well to what our schools it's extremely important we have it at Tanto but we don't have it in Brin and Wilson it's not only for the protection of our kids and student but also our facilities and I know one of the question questions that we received multiple times is well I have the the ring camera why can't we just put a ring camera up at our at our schools right I can watch it from my Cape home and still see how everything's going on but I'm gonna defer up to Joe sorry to put you on the spot Joe bado our our inter director of Technology just if you could give us just a short you know reason why we're not doing ring cameras all over the place instead of what we want to do

060here G so we already have a current system in place that um wouldn't we wouldn't wouldn't be compatible so it be bringing in say ring for instance um if we brought in a system like that one we wouldn't be able to handle the number of cameras that are needed to monitor our schools two the the security and the infrastructure wouldn't be supported at the um level for the security that is needed as far as protective rights um our our insurance wouldn't cover the ring camera if something was to happen um and just the infrastructure alone wouldn't the ring service wouldn't support um the broadening of the system that we need that we can monitor that would tie in will be able to give access to our police um give access remote access to our our

061safety coordinator and fire and EMS and it uh although those cameras are good on a smaller scale they're just not built for commercial grade on a larger scale to cover everything that we need to do including um you know some of the systems that we're looking into have the uh ai ai built in so if something was to happen we could open up the platform type in what we're looking for and it would bring up everything that matches that particular search query and and pull it up on all the cameras so we would be able to track and monitor and everything like that so although those platforms are are good on a smaller level um they just are not adequate for um the size and the need that we would have at at the schools

062to provide the security that we're looking for sorry as well I wared off principles and directors because we got down here that I might be putting them on the spot so they're all sort of prepared to have me ask them a question about it thanks Joe yeah sorry so Al did you you want to pull that up please we're having some visuals here as well too for you guys as well this is a middle school Joe would you Joe that's what he's right there thank you okay that's not an appropriate chair for many of our middle school students um so it is I the correct chairs weren't bought originally I I don't know what to say I I they just those are those are Elementary so yeah so there are many yes ABS 100% absolutely

063so so there are many eighth graders walking around this school who are Joe's size my size um I've sat in those chairs it's it's comical it's absolutely comical um we originally had around 225,000 in for this Lisa looked at what replacing all of the the Middle School Furniture would be um given that that that we came to realize that that that might not be tenable we said what's the bare minimum we might get by to allow those eighth graders who might be Joe's size or my size the opportunity to have furniture that's sized appropriate to their needs um we came sort of at this number it's not a there's no sign behind it it's a round number that seemed to work um it will continue to come up we will continue to try year after

064year to to replace this furniture over time but this at least puts a dent in it and we can start working on right sizing some of those furniture and to the point the existing furniture will certainly be able to replace furniture at the elementary level the invironment for a student is extremely important for them to learn right and one of the things is at least being comfortable sitting at an adequate desk and chair so they can wear right and for them sitting at those chairs it's again for eighth graders it's unacceptable at this point so that's why this is on our Capital yeah a lot of our desk workers have the benefit of a standing desk even right I have a standing desk I think it's fair to think that students could have something that's

065comfortable to sit in so going into um total Capital assessments uh this is where we get two uh Berlin Boon uh total Deb assment this is the debt that sits on this building so we have um two bonds one's a 2018 Bond one's a 2021 Bond uh I believe both of them were subject to refinancing at some point uh when Bond rates were low um I I know I refin financed a bond around 2021 and we got a really nice rate on that I'm imagining similar here so those are the totals for uh debt and capital moving into the total Berlin assessments uh operating assessment at 356 224 I think that sits right about uh that 207 uh I think it's maybe more around 210 reduction but you know we're just trying to play with

066with not with with where we can be uh the Tanto debt and capital an increase of 61,69 Elementary Capital uh a change of 93 868 you can see the totals under f y 26 for a total increase of 511 697 or a 6.06% increase uh you'll recall March 11th our total assessment at that time was 10,585 313 a big piece of that decrease does come in capital but we've also made some efforts um that you saw on the operations side total Boyston uh I spoke to the operating plus Tanto Deon Capital so when we're talking about the dollar change uh Boon gave us a total of 500,000 available if you add $420,900 44 you will come to $500,000 so that matches what Boyston uh suggested um Elementary Capital we have a a modest reduction but

067again uh they Boon has met the needs that we put forth um in that 216 500 for a total assessment of 13,312 299 based on these figures versus a total March assessment of 14 206 353 and we're back to Al's quote um I'm going to attribute it to Al going forward unknown I'm just going to call the and Al G um thank you very much thanks yep um just one last thing I know that and I'm paying attention to comments and things that we had the opportunity to meet with individually school committee members today again had an opportunity to meet with the union we met with principles and directors and we're hearing some of the information I want to make sure I'm addressing it that might save some of the public comment as well too

068I know another concern that was brought to my attention um was we have some contracted phans in our district working this year but it's FY 26 there's no Contracting positions um I I would say again you've heard me say multiple times uh everybody needs a coach Tom Brady even needed a coach right and we needed those contractor positions this year as you're well aware we were left in sort of a financial situation when we first came on board since I Mike put it so eloquently at the March 11th meeting the whole financial office has been turned over since we came on board in late August anyone knows that that first round of paychecks Financial things that went out were sort of messy and we got them back in place but we needed some support we

069needed some help so we did contacted people in to help us out right both at our schools and in our central office um those are not in the budget for next year at all and I know I've heard a couple comments about that so I want to make sure I address that as so this is our budget presentation that we present to school Pria as a whole in the community um and again it's nothing it's everyone in our our admin and principles um and directors we are not in support of the this budget but this budget is in line with the financial money that we're given from the town of Bolston and the town of thanks um we're going to do public comment now but before we get to that uh this is not for

070school committee deliberation but I want to just make sure we have a few things out there I want to ask Aaron some questions and John I want to ask you some questions Statewide the last four or five years there's been issues not issues But Rising costs right so we know here we were told a few years ago uh how District placement 14% increases Transportation 177% increases this year we're seeing health insurance 18% increases those are things that can't be cut they can't be dropped we have to we pay them or we I don't know what happens if we don't pay health insurance I I I I'm imagining we have a few staff here um if if your health insurance disappeared I mean I know if my health insurance disappear period I might be a little

071ver clumped um so those are massive increases over the last three or four years of things that have nothing to do with hiring a new teacher for math or or losing a science teacher we can't control that right absolutely and the other thing the last couple years in Berlin not so much Boon Boyston finance committee refused to do it because they know better but the last couple years in Berlin to lower the tax hit to taxpayers we've used a additional cash whether it's from the town or whether it was from uh the the school choice or wherever it was from we've used additional cash to effectively buy down that assessment last year it was June 17th at the special town meeting minutes before we agreed to use an extra $250,000 quarter million dollar to lower

072that assessment so when you see a $511 increase in assessments this year you can't think of that as a $511 increase it's really a $261,000 increase because we used cash last year to buy it down not use that cash we would have it today to offset some things but we would have had higher taxes last year so it's a give and take when you use cash to fund an ongoing budget operating budget it's hard to do because we use that 250,000 it was a combination last year of cash and cuts at BMS uh I think uh don't quote me on the exactle numbers I think 230,000 applied to DMS and roughly 20,000 to to whatever the numbers were but John did that create any challenges for you this year this budget no no this Curr

073year that we like today scho challeng the challenge is that we you know we lost we lost important support people we lost for example we didn't hire a literacy coach the most important thing we do in elementary school is teach children to read effectively but we don't have somebody to support the work that teach teachers too as as hard as I work and I have just amazing teachers in my school we were always working to do better always working to reach that next kid always working to challenge those kids who are reading chapter books in first grade and that was an essential position that we lost um we cut back a lot in terms of like little support things that made lives easier that teachers didn't have to worry about that they didn't things that

074they didn't have to buy on their own or ask parents to donate you I remember last year you wanted all the supplies paid for and it almost work but didn't but then it falls to them the other thing thank you we lost our only kindergarten perah in a class size of 20 and I'll say it again because it makes me really cranky when two or three years ago when Boon had 20 kids at a kindergarten clest it was an emergency it was the end of the world as we knew it when we had 20 kids in a Kindergarten class we've lost the only kindergarten PA we had shared kindergarten PA shared kindergarten thank you for chiming in Mrs pennet it it's true so true hold on so you're saying a single classroom of 20 kindergarteners

075yeah one teer one teacher one teacher was a challenge it was a challenge okay so now we're considering one classroom of 27 second graders not kindergarteners but second graders I know a little bit about that particular class yes you do is that g to be that'll be pretty easy though their second grade as is their first grade teachers would tell you maybe not so much um The Challenge there are a couple of challenges one is that we teach differently than we used to to teach so when I was in second grade and dinosaurs roam the Earth or you were in second grade right it was Rose and everybody had a desk and the dust roll and Rose and it was all very 1950s right we were training kids to be workers and factories now we're

076training Kids To Work effectively together so it's long tables and different types of chairs even chairs that are too small we will take the chairs those are the those are the changes that have made learning more effective for today's kids and by plopping 27 children in an undersized room with an overwhelmed teacher and both of my second grade teachers are excellent but that's a big change is going to be hugely disruptive to learning and as I've said as they move into third grade there's a whole different set of disruptions where we can't focus on really effectively teaching a couple of things you know my third grade teachers are just out of this world quick but it's partly because they can focus on major parts of their topic and we'll lose that not to say and

077and I think at some point I have to say this the other piece that I think I'm struggling with personally and I know a lot of my colleagues from Berlin Memorial are here it's just so fraking discouraging I get and I think when we're calm and thinking it through I get that the town Berlin is struggling they made a ton of cuts on the towns side but at some point you know there has to be a decision made about how much do we actually value education okay that never happens so what you're saying is last year through combination of cuts and extra cash for $250,000 created a couple challenges for you this year we're talking about another cut of we we're well into some Cuts whatever the number is 400 another 200 on top of

078that losing the classroom teacher I I intended just to be talking about the assessments right so your assessment number Aaron you showed a 6.06% increase in Berlin if we you know the reality is we use cash to cut that off to cut some things these cash cut that number in half we're at 3.01% which is under what Boon's assessment is going up because Boon didn't use cash to buy down their assessment the last two three years I just want to make sure that's in people's minds when we're thinking about why are you going up so much and Boon's not you're giving your money to Boon why like that's the question those questions have happened they've been asked to you directly theyve been asked to us they're going to continue to be asked so we need

079to make sure we understand why math math is the way that it does and it's because artificially adjusting numbers using cash and an ongoing operating budget some of that 250 that was cut last year to buy it down that those expenses that they need to happen again uh two years before that it was an additional amount of cash from the town side for uh we don't want to get too much into it because it involved special ed but it was to cover a new need that came up I think and there was confusion as to whether or not that need would continue it did need to continue and then there was confusion to well why does the need continue we paid cash for it for one year we should be done with it so it

080was an issue we don't need to rehash it but to understand why are my taxes going up all of a sudden so much well because they haven't gone up as much as they truly should over the last couple years but at some point you've got to pay the tax this the other piece that it just and I I know school comm's as well aware of it as well as our our communities are we're in the middle of negotiations right so we're in the middle of teacher negotiations so all of that is a figure that we're still uncertain about we we're it's a really um working group that we're all working together both school pretty um and in the union um it's it's been going really well but there's still there a figure that's unknown there

081for we're going through that process that we have to be mindful in our budget as well too so when when Mike talks about insurance and we talk about all these unknowns and things which we we we can't control sometimes these are some of the parts that we have to be prepared for as well and um so we often talk about the elementary schools um and I and I tried to express this on the floor of the town meeting last year but when we red when we are asked to reduce the budget for the burlin assessment we have to reduce our budget by like three times the amount so if we want does that make sense to everybody because it's it's a 3565 split so if we want to reduce toan we have to if we

082want to reduce tant's impact to Berlin we have to literally reduce three times what Berlin needs to be reduced so say cents in burlin right yourg right right and so another conversation that often happens at school committee is and and so I'm I'm G to plead with school committee not to have this conversation because I will tell you I will point you to this why are students leaving toono I'm I I won't I'll this and so I brought that up when we were in front of Berlin right and and and I still stand this by as the instruction leader this is a competitive business that we're in right if our students aren't getting what they when when John and I were going to school you went to your neighborhood School you went to your neighborhood

083Middle School you enh high school it's not that way now and we need to make sure we're providing our kids everything they have at this middle and high school so whether they go off into to the world of of business are Plumbing attrici vocational are they go off to college and universities they are competitive health and we need to and there's still things we need to even additionally do at this high school we should be creating Pathways but stuff like that cost money and this is we're just looking for the bare minimum care not those extra things that we continue to need to look for so when people say there's a lot of extra take it from someone who's been in this job for over 30 plus years this is a district that's not have

084a lot of extra we have ba what we need to go by and we can't wa afford any more reductions like we're doing right now well I'm going to get myself in trouble here but John already swore tonight so it's okay we're not going to swear your to your point about being a competitive isue I was told directly by person in Berlin so what if you want a better school do what everybody else does send him to a private school and I go back to that original Slide the these these are our students right these are we want to make sure we're providing everything that we can for them in our community this way they go off to to educations and Fields and and getting their degrees and then they come back to be part

085of this community as well that's how it goes that's how our communities grow we want our kids to go off even as parents we want our kids to do better than we're doing right now that's what we should be doing as educated we want our kids have even a better education than we have that's our job and our responsibility as instructional leaders as a school committee and I have to say I work with a lot of school committees this is a school committee that really this year I can honestly say publicly they've worked really hard with me in long hours and meet with me at all days and hours and nights sometimes longer than I need to be at 11 o'clock 11:30 at night but asking questions and they really want to know what's going

086on and so I I appreciate that and I support that as well too because we really want to make sure we're doing right for our children for the students that live in the communities of G and this is our future back to my slide right this is our future we're investing in them sorry all right um thank you so next up if anyone would like to speak about this to make a comment ask a question we're not going to have a back and forth Q&A we're not going to answer your questions live but if you want to say something about it maybe something that we would consider during our discussion come on up to the front of room say your name and tell us what you to the front room can James can you speak

087up a little bit jameswood Drive well first thing what you said about U you reducing your tax rate understand we do it every year we've done it every year for as long as I was s we take money to our overall second thing is reducing five positions at ton and putting that onto the heads guarantee five head for new jobs next year so now you're really replacing one that's just common sense if someone's going to add more work to my workload and I can go somewhere else and make Sy top of that have the materials and things we want to provide our teach so they can do their jobs well right we want to make sure of that can I know I know you're back here can we really have everyone come up here just

088so we can get you on the cameras and we can all hear as well too I think it's much better here so all right do you have more more um boil took and did their parts of their roof on their own school on our own money ising their bus taking out another poid question so the the the comment was uh took uh different sources of funds from their budget uh they had in town corporate Partners uh sharing some cost for the roofs of the buildings and everything that they we our own and some money from Bo as well their own money um the question was is Berlin leveraging any businesses in their town to do the same for the improvements of their buildings yeah I don't know but we that'll be asked all right uh

089anybody else that so won also has an msba project that we're working on right now as well too for so just for for public information who's next a list B that put your name on the list Jamie Kyle get my good side pleas uh thank you uh I'm going to reiterate a lot of what's been said and I appreciate all the work by everyone here the burlin Boon Educators associate oh sorry uh Bill Whitehead president of the bbea got you the Berlin Boon Educators Association wants to emphasize that we should strive to be a district that attracts and retains quality Educators which simply put requires a concerted effort by Administration the school committee and both Berlin and Boyston to make sustain AED financial investments and Staffing and programs positions have already been cut for next

090year tonight we're seeing how additional Cuts will now be impacting programs no one wants products or services to be more expensive that they are across the board we understand our desire to see where cost savings can happen but it should not be at the expense of student programs nor should it be at the expense of the livelihoods of the Educators working with your children already teachers in the district have been working with what amounts to a decrease in pay the average CA cost of living adjustment for the past three contract years was an increase of 16.1% yet the total pay raise for those years was 8% additionally health benefit premiums have increased and show no sign of slowing down our rates for this year Al went up 10% and as you know they're going up

09118% for next year it is understandable to hear the community wants to spend less money trim fat where they can and not increase taxes how however it is disheartening to have the same community be comfortable with achieving such savings by allowing teachers to work to work at what effectively is a decrease in pagee cutting positions and reducing programs offered to students such an approach is shortsighted and will result in a district that families want to pull their kids out of or avoid all together due to a lack of programs and opportunities for kids that will be on top of a revolving door teachers that do not want to stick around because the pay is not competitive resident should only want the highest quality from any of their institutions the schools the fire department the police

092department and so on however the cost of doing business the cost of living the cost of anything has gone and will continue to go up it is an uncomfortable reality we all must face the result towns must pay more to maintain the same quality they have come to Expect While working to open more revenue streams taes will go up so they can continue to pay for services additionally residents should be contacting local legislators asking them to advocate for more funding for Education once positions and programs are cut it takes a lot to get them back and even if they do the seeds of uncertainty and low morale have been planted we already have seen that as a result of last year's budget process we hope to see positions have already been cut with March 11th's

093budget reinstated in future budgets and support for our Educators shown not through words but through financial action to avoid having an irreversible negative impact on our students and school community we urge the school committee to vote to not make additional cuts to the current approved budget and for residents of Berlin and Boyston to insist that money be put back into the schools thank you youa yes yeah problem Rodman hi I'm Eileen Rodman high school counselor and counseling department head at least until the end of this year apparently um and adviser to the class of 2026 while I reside in the neighboring town and therefore cannot vote I'm speaking to the school committee and mostly the town's people who are here thank you and those may be watching um as a dedicated employee of bbrsd with

094half of my case load participating in Civic action projects and all students attending recent presentations about making a difference I could not in good conscience sit idly by while in court decisions are being made without speaking up so the first time I met superintendent gam and he alluded to this this year back in August of 2024 on the staff day at the start of the year I remember it clearly because he said something that at the time I respectfully disagree with and again tonight he said that bbrc is a good school district but that his goal was to make it a great District now I'm not opposed to change and I don't deny that there's always room for growth and Improvement yet I disagree because we are great this Excellence is due to the people

095within our schools the programs that we're able to offer the students and families especially given our small size and the community with whom we work so closely and it is those very programs and people that are being discussed being cut tonight or in the upcoming budget I've worked in several districts over my decades long career and one thing that's very special about this one is the camaraderie shared Within our small buildings we support one another we really get to know our students and we work toward common goals and with such small faculty and staff it also means that we wear several hats um take on multiple roles extra assignments and we do so willingly in an effort to do what's in the best interests of our kids but there will become a time when our

096necks can only bear so much weight we are proud of our reputation yet by taking away staff not only will will our students and families lose services and become disheartened there will be a noticeable drop in morale of this tight Community all resulting in detrimental effects on our students and their experiences personally I can't fathom how anyone thinks our counseling office of five full-time um employees serving all students in grade six through 12 will function without any assistance from an administrative assistant but staff cuts and services reductions will significantly harm our currently strong district and I'm sure you would agree that such measures are certainly not the way to elevate a good school district to Greatness hold one second is that a greatting statement would you mind emailing that to us um Alissa yes thank

097you so I'm Alissa Tucker I teach third grade at Berlin Memorial I don't have anything written down he kind of last minute this afternoon decided we could no longer remain silent as a staff um those of you who know me I actually see some former students in the audience I have been with our district for 32 years I have served I've served many roles second grade teacher fourth grade teacher third grade teacher Mentor teacher Mentor coordinator curriculum committees you name it I've done iter and to say I'm not feeling a little discouraged the last couple of years I it I am what I'm here to say tonight though is representative what we're feeling as a staff at brma Memorial we're hearing people say oh small class sizes student supports that's what helps that's what helps

098our children succeed yet we are considering removing those unbelievably important supports our power professionals our tutors who work diligently with our students who reduce the workload of teachers who want nothing more for those children to succeed but we can't do it alone and we're asking we questioning why positions the roles that have direct impact on students are being considered for cut when we feel there are other roles and positions that don't directly impact our students remain in the budget we question why are we losing we didn't have a literacy apprach this year why are we losing a literacy coach to keep a math coach what we just what's the rationale if we really want our students to remain where they are and even better our class sizes need to stay small and we need those

099supports those tutors go above and beyond our par professionals above and beyond our special Area Teachers do a wonderful job those are the people that are directly impacting your students those are the people I'm sure many of your children are coming home excited about when I see a student thrilled to see the literacy tutor walk in the room because they know they're going to go get some really good small group attention there's nothing more important to that we want to directly support our students we want staff that can do that that's just our opinion and we just want to make sure that we stated our opinion I have a big support system here today that we want nothing more than for our students to have the support that only teachers par and tutors can provide

100thank you [Applause] allow to make a couple comments here I'm Howard drer town of Boyston I am the current chair for the fin cup so what I'd like to do is provide a little education I am not a teacher okay but uh Erin I'd like to clarify the definition of free cash that was mentioned here so Massachusetts certifies each Town's free cash sometime in November of the year before that is a variable amount you cannot count on that for operating expenses because you don't know if you're GNA get that same amount so Boon we almost always I would expect probably 95% of the time we use it for Capital items things like the repairs at the elementary school uh the capital items that are be on our town warrant this year are replacement of a

101highway truck that damaged this winter uh another 200 ,000 Plus for the elementary school for some some repairs we had put money aside last year for repaving the parking lot they get done this summer except so that's sure I was trying to be as simple as possible I just want to say so any town that says they want to use free cash for operating expenses you are setting yourself up for a disaster okay um Oil we're at our Levy l so I think everyone know knows that at some point you can tax up to the maximum rate and then after that you can only do two and a half if a town sits below its Levy limit it could raise its taxes all the way up so in some years some towns have a lot

102of room and they do more than two and a half oilton has been in its Levy limit last year we at a levy limit this year and at this point I don't see us getting away from that for some period of time at this point so that is one of the reasons why we in the fincom and the select board went to the the the operating side of our town and the school board and said hey this is how much we have how can you live with that okay what do you have in your Capital that we can help with we have a million dollars this year for Capital I do not expect we'll have a million dollars in oils in next year I have no idea what that number is it will go down

103the major um apartment complex on the corner of 140 there is complete that we're not getting any more building permits that number's going to drop probably a couple hundred, so we have a lot less Capital free cash I'm sorry so that's all I wanted to say thank you uh and I want to say uh to the school committee the new Administration you have at the district office is an excellent group of people to work with thank you martinz is Boon 26 Drive bston parent of three kids who gone through uh bston School District got one still in um I'm just gonna be very brief and just talk to like the the comment about like if you want a better school go to private school St a nerde because it just feels like public education is

104under attack and to me it's like public education is really important because my life is better when my neighbor's kids are educated and this premise that there's an alternative to public education is a lie it's a scam okay and we really need to just focus on that my life is better when my neighbors children are educated and I think that that's an important message that people need to really put out and reinforce out there and then I'm just going to walk away with the fight really isn't in this room I think most people here I'm not everybody different is an agreement about what's needed and what we want the fights outside this room it's at the state level it's at the federal level um and with it's with other mindsets and you have to really

105you can't just leave this room and be quiet about it so that's that's all I really wanted to [Applause] say my name ER I'm not a public speaker this is not my gig but I needed to say something um I'm a product of Boyston schools wry Tanto I had two kids um a sophomore at WPI went through Tanto my daughter is a junior the education my kids have received is topn I teach in the nearby district and um brag about o everything about how great the school are and it's just not even comparable to the school district I work in I just didn't here I just wanted to speak up and urge you um not to support this budget um our kids our staff you're working so hard all of you been for all your

106effort um also ending with I teach second grade in my nearby District this is my 24th school year teaching um second grade I have 17 kids right now in a much lesser District um 17 kids I have par professional support it's hard really really hard to be a future today more than ever 27 is absolutely unacceptable and Shing it [Applause] but I wrot down name Christina M fromon I have four kids in the district um before I start I did want to thank and acknowledge all the hard work you guys have done to unpack all the issues from last year and we've done an amazing job this year carving out all the budgets and making your best attempts at CS that would impact students the least um the whole process is quite complicated it takes

107a lot to understand uh it took me a few years involved as a parent to fully understand it myself um I have a background in my without saying something um but I have the supported home and I'm able to come to these things and voice my concerns help where I can not all parents have that kind of support system so I typically you know take this time to make sure that I doing what I can for other parents who can't be here um I feel like despite the best efforts by the school committee um the towns continue to come back year over-ear with just less and less um and I feel like from some of the meetings that I've watched online it sounds like they're not going to have much more next year to offer

108which is even more disturbing um and I think most of the talk was about operating budgets and then we start talking about Capital expenditures we need there just millions of millions of dollars that we just don't know where it's going to come from um the towns are claiming they don't have these revenues and they don't see the pipeline for it and if we agree to these additional Cuts we're essentially accepting the behavior that nothing has to change um that couldn't be farther from the truth uh towns have seen the rise in cost of Education since covid and we need to be we need to continue to be transparent upon around what those costs are and keep holding the Town's accountable for catching up um we need to continue to highlight what schools need what they're

109going to need in the future I feel like more Cuts made above and beyond what was already first proposed by school committee is setting a very dangerous precedent it's sending a message to the towns that our schools can somehow continue to operate efficiently without covering real cost increases many of which are out of our control towns across the Commonwealth are all struggling to catch up with cost of living increases and many are seeing cuts um our town's no exception if anything we have more ground to make up we need the towns to acknowledge these are real costs for operating the schools and that we aren't done catching up from previous years both towns clearly have their work cut out for them they have a lot of work to to do to generate new revenues um

110to catch up with all the cost of livings we're a big part of the town's budget where the school is and naturally we're the first stop for cuts but if we take our foot off the gas now we're only hurting ourselves we need to be loud about the cost of Education what we and what we think the costs will be and hold towns accountable for doing the work and going out and finding it we are in the exact scenario that put schools behind in the past we need to hold towns accountable for planning and funding the real cost of what it takes to operate schools towns really need to start looking at what things cost and acknowledge the deficit in town revenues if we have Revenue short calls then all of our effort should be

111put forth to filling those gaps but instead schools continue to be asked to cut and we to Bear Us levels unfortunately we're beholden to the outdated prop two and a half um and if we want to spend more than that we have to go to a full Town vote um we're going to need good marketing um and clear materials to present to Citizens if we have to go to town vote again um and we're going to need every parent to come and vote and voice their concerns things cost more people should not be surprised that going to cost the towns and the schools more to operate which translates into higher taxes if towns aren't finding new revenue streams then they're going to fall to the taxpayers school committee has done a great job of cutting

112down the budget that was already approved in hard Economic Times we have to tighten our belts but this isn't a one-time ask to cut back these are the towns once again asking goal to cut back because of years of Revenue shortfalls um I've actually decided to um um volunteer and hopefully help Wiston to try to find some of these new revenues this year because I can contribute um so that you know speaking up you can't have skin and you volunteer thank any no one else on the sheet name and please Cara mcneel Berlin I wasn't expecting to say anything um and it'll be really quick because I'll get emotional but I have a first gr and she'll be going into second grade and I know that her along with a lot of her classmates have

113um tutors who have been incredibly instrumental and I feel like taking that away from them and shoving them in class double the size is really just setting them up for failure and I really really don't want to see that happen thanks [Applause] also from Berlin also with a first grader so second grader oh I'm sorry um I just see any thank you sorry um I won't be as eloquent as those who have had time to prepare and I won't hopefully be as emotional as as Cara but I say we're having a conversation about increasing the the incoming second grade class to 27 I did some quick Googling so please don't quote me on these numbers but my understanding is that the average second grade class size in Massachusetts is 20 and 94% of second grade

114classes in Massachusetts is 22 we're going up by five this is the proposal going up by five additional students and at the same time having a conversation about cutting cutting literacy tuts cutting our our support systems to these students this is this is beyond critical this is to me the elevator coming down we're going to have a class size of 27 and know support of these students they cannot possibly succeed under these terms we come to towns like Berlin to Boon to these kinds of Regional School Districts to give our students the education to give our children the chance to succeed to set them up in many cases in ways that we ourselves were not we've worked hard to get to this point I cannot believe we're having a conversation that includes these numbers I

115don't know where to get the cuts this is my first school committee meeting I've worked in higher education for 20 years I understand what it takes to fund colleges to operate colleges I don't know about the Regional School District I'm going to learn I'm going to learn starting today and to whomever was before me who says she's going to volunteer in oyston I'm here I'm here to help this is this is unacceptable we do not accept this we cannot have this level of direct student cut we've got to find it something El we have to find another way the students need the teachers the teachers at Burl Memorial are phenomenal I've had we got find so I'm here to help I don't know who wants my help let me [Applause] um Jason pette uh Berlin

116got an eighth grader here and a fifth grader at Berlin um I I got I got more involved after last year's budget season and I was really put off by the conversations um I'll start out by saying this year's conversations have been a whole lot more constructive and productive so thank you thank you um I've tried to approach this a little more pragmatically I have kids which means my tendency is to want to preserve everything um I've tried to approach it maybe a little more rationally what what is the impact of my pocketbook now a big part of that question I can only speak for Berlin I can't speak for Boon I've only been to the Berlin meetings um a big part of that question is going to be Sol Solomon Pond Mall and Commercial

117devaluation we don't know what the number is going to be until the fall but what we can estimate is the difference between the March 11th budget and today's budget it's about $11 a month that's s first even if that estimate is off by a bit call it 20 call it 30 if you put the March 11th budget to vote I for one will vote for it because the cuts I've seen tonight are worth 11 or 12 or 30 or 50 bucks a month to me I'd rather preserve music for my kids I'd rather preserve the class sizes I think I'd be having a different thought if the order of magnitude is more like hundreds of dollars we're talking about a dozen maybe a few dozen dollars that'll be on top of again that's incremental the

118$200,000 difference we're talking about we don't know the total magnitude change in the budget until this fall when property assessments come out but that $200,000 we're talking about cutting incrementally it's not that much I would vote to keep it in and I'll take the [Applause] T Joe that spreadsheet that I you the Third tabre so while while Joe was putting this up I actually looked into what Jason is just talking about there is $1 a month it's pretty spot on so the towns give us this um last week I asked had to ask the towns you know what do these amounts mean to your tax bill and they said go to this website Department of Revenue it is not an accurate concrete firm number because it's based on this year's data um Joe if you

119could minimize the lower corner there for that scale you can shrink it a little bit sure um but this is the do website the link is on the screen here on this file you'll see it in a second so I went through every single line item that they were proposing to cut and I pluged that number into this calculator um and it it spits out an estimated range for your taxes your property tax now again not a true indication of what it will be next year because this is uh estimate numbers based on this year the assessments won't be set the rates won't be set the splits won't be set until the fall but both Town administrators sent us the same website to use as estimates and if you scroll up a little bit Joe

120I have if you move those screenshots down a little bit so the Berlin ask and the boilson ask we plug those numbers into this calculator it gives you a range of property values it starts at 250,000 as property value goes up to 1.5 million as a property value in Berlin Boon I look through the MLS data there's uh a dozen or so properties in Berlin over a million dollars several quite a bit more in Boon over a million dollars also quite a bit at the low end as well but this is where I think Jason you're probably getting your $11 a month they tell us to use $650,000 as an average home value in the towns and based on that this number plugged in comes to $123.6 annually tax it to your property tax bill

121divided by 12 where are you Jon I think if I M is about bucks right is that right so that's what he's talking about I did this we're not going to show it right now but on one of those other tabs I did the same calculation for every line item it's based on a range it's not a perfect way to do it it's not don't take it for gospel truth as to what that's going to be on your tax bill but at least it serves as a guide for our discussion later to know you know what are we actually hitting you know so if you're at the lower end your property value $47 for the year at the high end is $294 for the Year Jason says he wants to cover 11 bucks I'll cover

12211 bucks I don't know what anybody wants to cover 11 bucks but I just want since Jason brought it up in his comment I did do this work yesterday today and uh it's what it is so it's not my numbers I didn't make it up it's not M math it's from Department of Revenue you scroll up a little bit Joe that's the link right there um that's directly taken to it so anybody can go and do it plug in your Town plug in the dollar amount there you go so all right we can go back to the uh slide or we leave it here whatever's easier leave it there leave that there all right leave that there mark right yeah Mark Johnson Boon M um hi everyone uh I just have a question it's about

123do we have a representative from the Berlin finance committee here this evening because Howard was nice enough to come forward and give an overview of what our tax lby is in Boon if I recall if I'm wrong didn't Berlin have to go through multiple special Town meetings to get budgets passed by Ry noding right so I'm curious what is the appetite of Berlin residents because I can say for the category I'm not trying to pit us against them but in Boon I imagine first budget the March 11th one or whatever other budget we come up with people in town will come out and vote for and Berlin doesn't seem to always be the case so what is the appetite for Berlin residents and what can we do to as Boon residents what can we do

124to help Berlin residents what you know what what their tax rate is is they have a split tax rate they have a I think it's 12% $12 per thousand for residential and then they have like 25 for for business but as little business they have um where Bo just has one rate but I'm just trying to figure out big picture since we are one regionalized District here which means we're all in this together how can we as Berlin residents help Bo resents help Berlin residents what can we do as residents of both towns that's just my question if there's a person from Finance I can put on the spot and throw the bus no try thanks for this that's [Applause] Boon Mass I have a first grader and the third grader at Boon Elementary School

125I'm going to pick you back on what Mark had to say also the other gentleman from Boon name I didn't catch we have created a very nice Echo chamber in this room of everyone here supporting the original budget or the May budget the people who need to hear from you are not here I want to applaud some members of our Boon Town Administration who are here so Howard Jamie for many years of support of our schools I see J Maro over here mark from the planning board Boon representatives are here in the room they're listening and they're participating if there's someone from Berlin here please raise your hand I want to acknowledge you as well thank you so much for being here we appreciate it right but the people who need to hear from you

126are the Berlin finance committee and the burlin select board none of them are in the room tonight take this same energy you have tonight and go to their next meeting and ask these questions to them because everyone here I think is in agreement including the members of the school committe so thank you very much [Applause] hello name name please Nara Kaplan 13 big old dve Berlin I um am a first grade teacher of EMS at least until June um but um I came to BMS two two years ago and I was met with nothing but support from the amazing teachers Mr Campbell and some of the amazing parents you see here today um thank you very much um but I'm not here today to save my job this comes from knowing that you are the

127last person on to p and that's okay I am here U for my son cash who will be who will just turned five in December and who will be with um our amazing kindergarten teachers next year um I am here for my um 10-year-old daughter who is excited about maybe doing Lego robotics at Tanto soon or um playing soccer um at Danto um eventually right we live here we're we're community members um I'm speaking up for my first grade class um my 14 students who are saring they're um amazing and um every day they come to school ready to learn and they come um to school and they're met with the support that we can give them that they need um I um because of these literacy coaches that we have because of the math

128tutors that we have because of the small class sizes that they have um I also want to highlight um what it would kind of look like at in a classroom of 27 students in second grade um so it includes very minimum if not zero opportunities for small group instruction um education is hard you know it's not a one siiz fits all we can help struggling students in small group settings and students that are above grade level in small group settings we can't do it in whole group settings it's very hard to do um we'll see a lot of increase in probably behavior issues you know if you have kids you know if one leaves the house it's easier to manage right try 27 um and we already talked about the lasting impact this will cause

129as they move through the grades um I am just here today to plead that we take another look at the message we want to send these kids and we take another look at how we are going to with this budget impact their lives um I think there needs to be another way and um I speak for them my kids my students and um this amazing Community thank you anyse I'd like to remain nam I not one of M's students too young um too old Jason and Carol um maybe a quarter of the people in the room um I wanted to give a different perspective as a kind of an outsider in a way I'm uh from Clinton so I'm uh nine years in school choice thanks to John and Lisa um I want to start

130off by um thanking everybody in this room especially the people at the table um Aaron Al you guys work crazy hours I have a rough idea so um I just want to let you guys know that um even when you don't see a full room in here um us parents really appreciate and we don't take the numbers on the board wrong way um we know that you guys are against the budget that you're having to put for um and I like some other people said I think um I'd like to think everyone in this room is against the budget you know I cannot vote but I would um vote day a million times if I could um um one thing I wanted to say that wasn't really I mean was touched on in a way

131by Adam a minute ago is that um I even though I'm from Clinton I'm kind of a Berlin person because my daughter went through Berlin and um so I kind of feel part of that town but last year um one of the most I had one of the most frustrating days in my life watching that that boat at John's school and um I felt horrible for the school committee and for the people the residents of Berlin and I don't think a lot of the Berlin residents even saw what was transpiring um you didn't get the whole picture because the school committee and the the administration here for berin Boon Tonto worked tirelessly all year to get to cut back to get to that airbone budget and then when they they come to get your vote

132you guys all showed up the Berlin residents showed up and forc what I would like to think was to vote or what we needed for the schools but instead the income of Berlin pushed as hard as they could to reduce the number yet again um as they had done multiple times last year to cut it back um whatever it was a few hundred, more at the 12 hour and they strong armed our school committee and our school admin to present a budget to the Berlin voters that was no good for our school system it's only going to hurt us long term and if we do that if we vote Yes again this year uh either town it's going to be the same thing this is just going to um you know get worse every year

133um it's going to snowball like the voters can't imagine so the residents who don't want to see the $11 month increase are going to be stuck with a 3040 $50 month increase in 2027 2028 if if they don't stand up against the finance committees this year so I strongly suggest you support the school committee and vote against this budget and do help with whatever you can um I can't vote and I'm not paying the taxes so it's easy for me to say this but um it wouldn't surprise me if the taxes where I live are at least as high as the medium in your two towns and uh they're building new schools where I live and uh you know so unfortunately times are what they are add um because we don't talk a lot about

134school choice um other than when um we're talking about the budget um with the smaller groups here but um I would like to add that opposite of free cash you guys heard um the um the Boon Finance Committee Member explain further how free cash works and it's not guaranteed money well um I want you guys to know that school choice funding is guarant money so it looks at we look at um some of you who saw the March 11th numbers saw $850,000 it's a lot of money but what I want you guys to know real quick is that um thisa SOA rightfully so has tried to limit school choice every year the last few years because we've had to and even though my kid is school choice I completely agree with that we can't we

135can't send 100 Kids in a few years so if we're using that now know that you know in four years from now you people with first and second graders are not going to have that it won't be that $850,000 would be zero um I really don't know what that means but I know it's not good long I'm not a finance guy but and just add um real Qui to last year I I think that steer tactic was horrible I that's what I call it anyway so I apologize if I offend anyone but um I think there there's more even though the Berlin town is small it's still only about 3,500 residents there's more than enough parents in the town of Berlin who who I strongly feel would pay a little bit extra to um support

136their kids in if if if even half of parents again it's like you got say um 500 parents go and vote they they only have 500 voters every year so if even half of the parents show up and vote against this budget and for the March 11th budget it'll pass so as long as you [Applause] guys I have one quick followup question yeah what the general was saying let to make sure I understand functionally for everyone watching at home or everyone here that we're going to have two budgets on a Warr the March 11th budget and this cup budget is that correct what we're going to have no that's not I want make sure we were crystal clear on what is the actual everyone saying vote against this budget okay will the alternative be on

137the warrant for people to vote for for make sure we have Crystal Clear with our action this year so I was going to cover that later but no there will be one budget to vote on in May whatever that budget is I don't know we hopefully we'll figure it out tonight whatever that's going to be there will there won't be options there won't be recommended not recommended there'll be one budget that budget either passes or fails if it fails so be it we go to the special town meeting there's a process to follow we learned about it last year burlin sure Boon kind of followed along has an idea it's it's just what it is it's not our control it's not our rules we don't have any say in it it's the way the state

138has set up regulations uh so there will be one budget to vote on at town meeting for schools um in both towns what the number will be I don't know but that will be one number we've got about 40 days to come to terms with whatever it is so information will be out there um yeah they won't be vote against this budget for this budget it'll be one budget either vote for it or against it by the time we get there you'll know what it is I know last year's communication sucked it did and uh we've already it's not freaking it's not there will be much better communication about what it is what it involves what it details so we're potentially setting oursel up intentionally for a subsequent follow on town meeting correct not necessarily

139we don't we don't want to we want it to pass at so you just have to wait to see what actual budget you guys are presenting this because right now we're talking vote against this one and and support this one but we don't actually know what's going to be on a warrant our done with it we'll know tonight we'll know tonight effectively there's a budget we voted a budget on March 11 that's the budget we if we do nothing right now that's the budget March 11 that would be that budget yep we're discussing right now if we want to adjust that at all based on what the town of act all right and that's what we're going to discuss after this um but whatever that discussion brings we'll decide there'll be a vote that will

140be the budget there's not I've already told out there's not g to be any last minute in a really hot gym trying to figure out nickel and Di here and there and using this and that whatever we decide is the budget's going to be the budget's goingon to beate and we're just to add on to that we're hoping that conversations like Mike said between now and we have to go to town meeting that people going to be inviting us into conversations to talk about um from the community like let's talk about this and come to another right but the Scoopy has to give us at least a budget to move forward and have those additional conversations with the time appreciate and I know you asked uh you asked if anyone here from Berlin I don't

141know I know Howard is still here Jamie is still here but part of my plan later tonight was to suggest yes starting we're gonna get through this starting in September we we kind of brought this up at one of the early meetings the chairs of the fincom and select boards both towns Al Aaron whoever the superintendent might be at the time in September we don't know you're up in August so whoever that is come together starting in September and just figure out why there are these issues every year start we already know we're gonna be talking about the regional agreement possibly suggesting some amendments to that to make it a little bit easier to calculate so I am asking Howard and Jamie are still here um no one but I will be asking them I've

142asked them already uh let's start in maybe September start to figure this out so that when it comes to November December and now March we're not doing this again because here it is 7 o' on Tuesday we got dance lessons and talk was about to start up and all that everybody wants to get home but that is the plan going forward there all I'll bring mik just said it's very common right so the district that Aaron and I worked before that was very common for us to get together and have these conversations so it I mean this process so far has been smooth up so right now but it certainly could be an early conversation that we start in the fall right and start engaging in those conversations and for the record AAR Al Aaron

143Dan before Aaron have been talking IM meaningly with Christen and April in select bo back in October November December there was meeting in February so there no more of this you know anybody refused to cooperate nonsense it's not true it wasn't true it's not true now and I as long as I'm here it's not going to be true so that's what is apprciate kind of to go first off L lindsy tat all Berlin just to kind of picky back on that individual I don't know his name um so just to clarify because again I agree with whoever said it like Berlin didn't show up full transparency they didn't show up to the first meeting and I don't think that if I think Mike owned it it wasn't communicated well um so that's why I'm just

144looking for clarity so the total March even with the cuts made on March 11 those are unacceptable never mind the additional ones so are we going back to a full brand new budget or those those March 11s are already out those are done so we're losing contracted Paras health teacher literacy coach those are already cut is that correct there's no going back to the board and saying hey we need that additional 304 plus 145 that's great correct on that yes and just one last thing and for just for clarity people so we have to give this um to both towns so they can get their their work together to present their Town meetings they have next number of days they have to go to print as well too so all these assessments need to be

145in order and ready for the towns they put it to print so we can go to the town meetings I think it's April 2nd and April 9th both towns looking for that by that so so can I ask another clarifying question did did the towns people of Berlin like miss out on the meeting of the cuts on March 11th they were here oh no no Town people were here like did we get the opportunity taxpayers did we it was in yes it was in the auditorium and no one show should have been the paper what you doesn't think you're asking the right question no I think you're asking the right question so what your question was so my question is we don't we don't weigh in the school committee votes the budget that's so we

146don't get to weigh in that we just cut those 304 just like tonight with the public comment that was available March 11 in the auditorium at a meeting that was posted it was in the newspaper it was on social media it was an agenda on the website it was John Cindy and Lisa's emails it was Al's emails and yeah each other okay yeah I mean I guess today I appreciate boys mail by the way Al that was very fabulous but like I don't I don't know that I've talked to any parents in Berlin that were aware of these March 11th voting on cuts and I'm seeing shakes of heads in the audience because these directly affected the children okay spoken I ask question hold on everybody hold on everybody hold on okay she I just

147want to say there's a fincom meeting tomorrow night if people want to go 7:30 um and also I was at the select board meeting last night they're having an informational session on April 17th I think at 7:30 as well so people need to like show up to these things but that may be too late obviously tomorrow so the comment is that there's a brownland fincom meeting tomorrow night at 7:30 in Burl town offices and you said April 17th is a select board hosted when it comes to these Town meetings I don't know we struggle with this every time I mean there's a website for genda posted there's emails that go out newsletters that go out uh I it's communication goes out social media posts go out bbrd town uh School page Facebook page emails go

148up I mean there's a lot but yes you have to actually look for it read it not throw it away not delete it not skip over it this week because I'm busy at work or whatever it's a cost of battle we can't afford to do robo calls every time meeting can't afford to do mailers to every house I'm not asking for every time but if you're making significant Cuts in the classroom for the kids that's a big deal yeah I know this this got attention the leag was trigger so none of that information post the former member Julie Lee CS posted tonight but it was sent out the same way I think the only difference tonight was there was actually no newsletter email about it I didn't see it maybe I looked the wrong one

149but there was a voicemail from Al but that went out at like 3 o' or something so it was late it was it was there was a post last night on social media that I made I made posts March 10th or 8th or 9th whatever day it was on social media the same way same time same day Tuesday 5 o' so I don't know I mean you told the PTO the PTO but that was not before March 11 that was after so once you did that I think I know in BO we're not going to argue not argue after everybody's here now and we're here now we would been here whether there people here now or not so here we are and just one last thing you know we're talking about people's livelihoods people's personnels

150so we we did not give up specifics until we had the chance to have the conversations with our principes and directors and they could have those conversations as well we're just trying to be respectful they're still our employees so that's why we're not I to ask a question though talked yeah it'll maybe you can speak to a couple procedural things so if we presume that the March 11th budget goes forward um Berlin is not in danger of of hitting its Ling capacity assuming you take Capital stuff out um but operationally Berlin's not in danger of hitting its Levy capacity but I understand Boon is so back to the whole if if we say we're we're going to leave in that 35 cents for Berlin but that means we have to leave in the 65 cents

151for bston like is there capacity to do that like are all the just what how does the mix of the two towns and the different budget situations come into play part of our discussion okay the the other part um was a clarifying question related to what I think Lindsay was trying to get at is um the the March 11th number I think it's my understanding that you can come down from that right up until town meeting but we can't go back up so once you vote down is that what we're stuck at but we cannot vote back up again that's can I clarify one point March 11th meeting that we held in the auditorium someone mentioned that there was not a lot of Berlin personnel there from the town I disagree Mary the fin Comm

152Berlin was also present as was Scott the Berlin and yeah the Berlin fin Comm and select board did come March 11 as did the Boon as the town administrators um yes Julie so fast I speak quickly to so I'm jul um from Berlin I have four kids at Danto so I want to speak to Danto really thank you so all four kid my kids went through for um the elementary school and the elementary school is fabulous and I'm flabbergast that these cuts are happening um but at Tahanto for people that have elementary school kids you know you can't understand the middle high school until you're really there you know because you're so focused on you know all the elementary stuff and literacy is so important and you guys the teachers the elementary schools all do

153such a good job to get ready for that um Middle High School um cuts at the Middle High School are devastating crippling um cutting a music teacher when music is something that just enhances the academic um prowess for the kids is devastating to those musicians um there's certain kids and we know these kids I have kids like this um that they might not necessarily perform in an academic classroom but when they come from to class back to that science classroom they're ready to go you know what I mean so cutting a music teacher at Tanto is we should be outrage if that's even happening um how many music teachers at two two so we cut one so now we have one for grad six to 12 for all the music classes keep in mind your

154electives when you come into sixth grade the majority of them are music related so now we remove that so what do we have for electives for these kids Lego robotics which is awesome but there's not really a whole lot not just not a lot L robotics is we don't have the we don't have that anymore okay right we won't well I don't know but I'll tell you I have a sixth grader seven no no I have seventh grader eighth grader nth grader and 11th grader and I hear I have so many kids at my house all the time these kids don't want to stay they don't want to stay they don't want to stay because there the Athletics program is struggling our fields are underwater all the time we don't have a full-time Athletics director

155that's getting cut we're going to a stien physician how does that even work I would just wonder I would ask the committee how does that work who does the buses and the schedules and the uniforms who helps the coaches who supports them we're also helping teach our kids it's just I would reject this budget stomping the whole way through 100% I'd reject the first one too [Applause] last call anybody else okay uh was thatone someone all good okay so public comment period is now over there's no more back and forth public comment but school committee is now going to discuss what we heard tonight uh before we do I don't know how you guys want to go about this uh but I'd like to make a suggestion I'd like to suggest that we start by

156looking at the capital first because I think we could probably find some more agreement on that side of things and uh like Al doesn't support this budget um I don't support the operational budget either I mean so I want to suggest to the committee but we can talk about it we can discuss it we'll take a vote I don't want to touch the operation budget from March 11 I don't want to touch it I don't know what that means to you Aaron or or how you gonna figure that out I don't want to touch it it means it's exactly what you said yeah um but I think we can probably figure something out on the capital side and make numbers work somehow uh that's what accounts do they plug stuff get in trouble um I

157don't know if that is into that or not before we and so that's that's my suggestion we don't touch the operation side we we work on the Capital side I want to say two other things before we get started um one is just uh sorry the the budget process we talked about it a little bit Regional School districts are separate than regular single Town School Districts they're an entity unto themselves they don't have any ability to raise funds like taxes they have to go to the member towns but they're an entity the themselves the state of Massachusetts actually has regulations written that says the Regional School District is the one who sets the budget Al doesn't set the budget John doesn't set it Aaron doesn't set the budget Regional School District sets the budget obviously

158with input from Aaron and Al and John and everybody else I don't needan to keep Cindy but you're you're wearing black you're blending into the purple wall so we can't see um so that that's and then the Regional School District school committee sends that budget to the member Towns at town meeting to vote at town meeting by The appropriating Authority The appropriating Authority is not any other board or Committee in the town it is the town meeting in our case the town meeting accepts by voting for the budget that's the budget there there are other things involved that could cause issues problems I don't know but we have to figure that out if the town meeting does not accept the budget and they vote against it we do what we did in Berlin last year

159we come back the committee discusses it again approves the second budget it can be the same budget it can be a lower budget that gets sent to the town again the town select board would then call a special town meeting just like they did last year they have uh 45 days to call it I believe once they receive that new budget uh if it doesn't pass then we get to July 1 then the state steps in and says this is what you going Bay I don't care what your school committee says I don't care what your town says the state says this is what it's going to be we've actually heard from the state desie this year we have a couple of uh letters they're in the presentation from March 11th they're available to anyone

160who would like a copy um the state says don't do what he did last year basically and let's be really clear excuse me we don't want to get to that point where we're 112th budget right where the state takes us over um it's sort of like getting an allowance each month to to pay our bills and to pay everything we need to do um to my point we were we were extremely close to that point um and they still working with the Department of Education the most recent letter that came from them said they feel that they're in good hands what we're doing now and keep continuing to do the work revisit our regional agreement and develop a strategic plan um that that's literally right from the education saying that that's the work we need

161to do and just one last thing about Mike was saying about a regional so I use this analogy some people like it some don't we we really operate like the the Vatican is supposed to operate right the money we receive from the towns we get that and that's our money right we use that and have to budget that all year long we don't get a chance to go back unless we have to or there's an emergency to go to town meeting unlike your municipality when when I worked in wher for 30 plus years you get to go back something comes up something takes place we got to go back and discuss it covid happens whatever takes place that's not necessarily true in in in a regional agreement so let's be clear about that the money

162we get when we go to town meetings and they vote on it that's the money we have to budget for the entire year um so just be aware of that and and the last thing just for clarity I I'm not going to have Aaron and Schoop agrees um the the changing of numbers you know publicly right now with scho is giving us input we have another school meeting schedule for Thursday um at noon no one likes to try to figure out numbers in front of all these people and everyone becomes an accountant all of a sudden trying to figure it all out at the same time so we don't want to do that publicly we'll figure it out with the information we get from school py work on that Aaron and I tonight tomorrow and

163get ready for usue to present it at noon time on Thursday yeah the noon time Thursday meeting will not be a deliberation of let's cut additional things or add additional things it's simply we're GNA figure it out tonight no matter how long it takes and then Aaron's going to figure out the number and we'll just come together to officially vote on a number that we can get that delivered to the towns and time um okay so I suggested starting with capital but does anybody have another two minute recess for the bathroom that's a lot of people all right yeah J we can have two minutes two minute two minute recess e e e that's gross all all right all right thank you Jess that was needed thank you so I suggested that we start with

164capital uh Aaron might have a suggestion well um you want so so I think it's fair to say the messaging we've received from the town is is largely that the the Boon Capital number that we have up there is is doable um within their free cash uh the same with Berlin the Tanto number is very small um I would suggest going with the numbers we've presented for capital in this budget right um we can't really go down from the March 11th number numbers or we can't go up from the March 11th numbers I might suggest we look to retain the operating budget um for March 11th with some of the sort of smaller savings that I've kind of picked through right so you know we reduce our OPB a little bit it's that's not a

165you know the state requires that we make some effort towards funding our OPB um I won't get into the long arduous conversation about what opep is but there's no mandate that we put a certain amount towards it so as long as we're contributing and we're making some effort that's a fair effort some of the other other items are smaller and and they're things I think I'm willing you know they're they're following Trends right so the nurse substitute I think was probably budget a little high relative to what it trended in the past does that present a small bit of risk sure but it's not that much risk I think I'm I'm comfortable taking some of those items and even looking at some of the supplies cuts that talked about like you know I think we

166all have to you know think about you know some small tightenings of the belt and that's fair but if what I'm hearing right is that sort of that March 11th might be a bit of a line in the sand for the people here in the committee um you know maybe that's worth um looking at Joe you put Slide Five up there yeah that's the one we talking so all right so for the Comm to discuss anybody any question go ahead jessor you I have a statement so so Marshall 11 budget was put forth with a really close eye from and Al to try of cut things you know knowing things were tight for both towns we had 18% in health insurance increases the town of Berlin has 19% I we recognize that things are blown

167up everywhere and so there was little small Cuts made and they said with a scalpel to to really try to cut down costs without affecting the children and so like looking at some of these things on 311 knowing what they were not a huge fan of them but we recognize that cuts had to be made to try to balance the increases in other areas so yeah as a parent as a school Committee Member not a huge fan of this as I said during the meeting not thrilled with it but there are things that can be absorbed but still maintain the education for our children so I just want to make that comment about the 311 budget like not ideal not something I'd love but something that was necessary to try to meet oon and Berlin's

168ability to pay so just before we could conversation I just want to point that out that that was made with hesitation with thoughtfulness and you know I want to thank Aaron and Al and all the principles for looking at where they can cut and to absorb things to try to reduce that to avoid tax increases for everyone you know we know people are on fixed incomes because of that so I just I just wanted to make that comment yeah I think everybody shares their comment with Jess um we'll just come down the table that you have I agree with Aon about that that small savings that we've identified if we've identified them from the 311 budget I fully support implementing the savings it mayr is what at least the town of Berlin has been doing

169cutting like teeny tiny things like I think it would be a show of goodwi to cut these small savings we identifi than um I'm also in favor of cutting like reducing the OPB and you know I don't know about the longterm Subs but or the supplies I don't know I agree about maybe you know F I'm fine with those you know the $15,000 you know um so I know we're not going to vote tonight um we are going to vote tonight oh all right so but we're going to vote on budget we're g vote on what we're going to cut or keep not okay so I yep that's I agree with that on all fronts um for Capital I'm reluctant to vote to to bring Tanto down that low right now um just because that's

170really really low um I don't know if there's any wiggle room anywhere on that just after seeing that chair um Berlin Memorial I'm fine with voting on that capital I don't think we need to vote in Boon on Capital because I think it's the same number y okay glor um I am staunchly against getting rid of the second grade teacher um my first year teaching in Berlin was my first year teaching ever was 1996 I had 19 students in my class and principal saldi said to me you largest class to ever go through this school um and I mean it was it was a beautiful number it was May they may have thought it was big but it was it was just right 19 um and we've been blessed to have smaller size numbers and

171we know that the more you can be one-on-one with the teacher the better it is which is why Berlin prided themselves for so many years on having small class sizes um I I could not support that I I have issues with getting rid of band um for the very reasons that um Julie talked about so important there's a math component to that as well um and the tutors as well I just think they're really really important um I like the ideas of the minuscule reductions like the OPB and the long-term Subs those feel they're not going to impact the students as much and it's really about the teachers and the students and the education that we're gettinga I am totally against getting rid of the second grade teacher it just seems impossible untenable and so

172many long-term problems I don't think we can do that to the kids um and also the band that that would be a tragedy be tragedy so and I guess I'm just wondering like is this G to happen every year is it going to be this difficult and this expensive every year I mean do cost you know I know but is it ever going to correct so that someday we can have nice things or for the town to like find new revenue streams or get more Mone from the state like are those the only well think about it from your household perspective inflation is gone up eggs are up right groceries are up oil's up if you've got to do a renovation project let's say a tree falls on your house you got to fix your

173roof you got to repair a window have you tried to hire a contractor lately it's expensive so what do you do at home you come back and you look for another job and you tell your boss you need a raise and your boss tells you that's not possible and you know what do you do I just want say I do K so I just want us to be careful because it sounds to me like we're negotiating against ourselves right we we we we agreed on a March 11 budget and and and also now we're trying to like well maybe we should go a little bit here a little bit here I just don't want us to be negotiating against ourselves I think that a lot of these things are are still in flux right we're

174hoping that we're not going to have a bad winter we're hoping about this we're hoping that we're not going to have sped Transportation changes we need we we still have negotiations we're dealing with there's a lot of things we need to be mindful of when we're making this budget here so I just want us to be careful and I appreciate that we're looking at those little narrow Cuts along the way that's the work that Aaron does so well we work really hard with everybody but just don't want us to negotiate against ourselves why are we making it easy we should be having those conversations with the towns and say what can you do first before we negotiate against our just so speaking speaking about the little numbers right the 5,000 6,000 so that um again

175back to the Dr calculator that tax impact number I don't know why I don't know if I'm doing it wrong or if it's just the way it works I'm not a tax calculation expert but if I put in 5,000 for the town of Berlin it doesn't even compute a number so it's so tiny right so it doesn't compute a number I think I believe it works in ranges like I think it might start if I put in like 7,100 I think it might start to show me $2.50 of a tax impa in the year so are those gonna make a difference if something happens between now in town meeting you know yeah so um I am fine with keeping the budget from March 11th but to all of these people that showed up tonight please

176come to town meeting um I think in Boyston it sounds like we're going to be okay and we're gonna have the support of the fincom so it's not going to be an issue at town meeting but just to be Crystal Clear if the school committee does not support these Cuts tonight that means the Berlin fincom as of right now is not going to support this budget so all these parents that were outraged tonight it's going to be even more important like I think somebody spoke up about the meetings and and showing up at these Town meetings because we tried this last year and I know at town meeting Jason Carol spoke to it we literally lost the schools lost by what like was it seven votes or nine votes granted it was like at 11:30

177p.m. and the children were falling asleep on the floor but um I mean you've got to get your spouses you got to get everyone there so I I think if it I guess my point is I think I'm total agreement I'm not voting to cut a teacher I'm not personally um or the tutors um I I can't it's not in me I don't think it's a good idea to get rid of that teacher at to the music teacher at Tanto I but people you got to show you got to stay for the whole time I know it stinks and you got to vote you gotta be there or or we're gonna have the same thing as last year the only thing I would say is I would be careful how we talked about what other

178Town boards might or might not do in the future we only know what they told us so far yeah as of now so we have no idea they might approve that you're right but as of right now they've asked us to make these Cuts Al didn't just do this because he felt like it this is being that wasn't fun for you yeah so much fun um okay so yeah I just the point is please show up and vote um are we uh let's take this in pieces if we could are we ready to vote on Capital inside of this I just have one question the capital for the boil and capital I and I understand that you wanted to use this full amount I'm just concerned about the plan that Joe was putting in place

179if we are replacing the devices only at foil is that throw everything I mean it would throw it out of whack a little bit but we'd be able to adjust for those that don't this conversation is Joe has been working with the just remind me the committee Student Success Student Success in in coming up with a fiveyear technology plan so there's more students at the es I just wonder like what if they're getting them as like fifth graders and they're taking them to to and then BMS kids are coming up with their broken computers and now so that's how it works no So the plan was to replace them as fifth graders and then cycle them down they would stay in that building they wouldn't leave the building okay so as we replace them at

180BMS or bees in the fifth grade we would cycle them down and then we had an extension of the plan at Tanto to replace him in sixth grade and then again at 10 at 10th grade and then cycle them through the through the system that way but they would stay within their own School building okay so under this plan only Boon Elementary would be getting new devices yes for next year for next year next for next year yeah yeah that's not for everybody right correct okay so we're gonna do a vote or or are we ready to vote someone have another question let's vote okay so we're gonna vote on Capital Aaron help me out here are we I'll just put it this way so can I have a motion please to approve the capital

181line items as presented in this budget version uh Aaron if you go to each slide please schol yeah Berlin Memorial it will be to replace the elevator controls and to add replace cameras Some Mo Jess second Megan any questions discussion okay all in favor I anyone against okay this motion passes the Berlin Capital um may I have a motion please to approve the Boon Elementary School Capital items repair water pump window repairs update cameras and fobs student staff device replacement repair area brick work and accessible playground equipment so moved Megan Jess any questions or discussion here okay that moot uh all in favor anyone against almost pulled up all right that motion passes may I have a motion please to approve the Tanto Capital request for Middle School Furniture pleasa second Jess any questions of

182discussion here that's so low can we hold off in a couple more days and see if we can squeeze a little bit more free cash I cannot believe ask so the the problem is this comes from Boon's operating right so this is this ends up in conflict with each right so so it takes the more we put in here takes away from what Boon can do on the operation side I get that right I right I mean things are things are going to devices are going to come to a head next year I mean we know that we can limp through this year we we've had those conversations um you know I know everybody wants to say this is the new building it's not that new um you know it it's going to start getting

183long in the tooth and and if we aren't prepared for some Capital expenses in the future um you know we're going to be remiss but I I think in order to preserve operations for now I think this is the best we can do so if like if the cash is certified and there's more are we able to vote I mean we to yeah I mean the towns can always the towns themselves can always offer to increase we can't increase the towns if somehow their money treat blossoms in the backyard they could come to us with money um you know did that motion get moved in second yeah okay anyone else questions or comments anything at all all right in favor hi any against okay that motion passes uh so we have a capital budget set

184now so Aaron will figure out the exact dollar am for us on Thursday is that okay more discussion on operating budgets um let's start with could we please start with Boon instead of burlin because this one's so Haron is it correct to assume you're recommending to stay with the March 11th voted number for operating budget for Boon Elementary um sure I mean I was suggesting you know some of those small Cuts you could you could do but if the if the committee I hear Al's Point um you know I think we're all just throwing out ideas um if the will is to stick with the March numbers I I can support that as well that's you know I'm not trying to please know that was just my point make that decision yeah very we're trying

185to to I think to some degree we're trying to be the best Partners we can be with the towns as well um you know it's important I think we think about where they sit um so you know I think you're right though that you know some of these numbers are small enough that may not be you know it may not be that consequential yeah the bigger numbers are the the 40 well here 43,000 I look at my handy dandy trusty calculator and I go to thank goodness for internet I go to Boon and I put in just 40 through 4,000 let just say um it gives me a range of $7.50 up to $46.50 again not set in stone not the actual number that you see on your tax bill I'm not a tax account

186professional I'm not a qualified to advise anyone on how to spend their money in any way shape or form um not a lot of people are uh but that gives us a guide 750 to 4650 for the year in Boon if we keep that band number and that number is so small I believe it would be similar in Berlin I think it might come out to five to 37 or something so yeah a $5,000 cut what's it going to do I I don't know but we have an option here so the option would be to move to accept or to stay with the March 11th budget or to move to adjust the March 11 budget by some number would anyone like to make a motion oh wait Mike yeah so this number in Boon is

187actually better than the March 11th number but it's dependent on if you make Cuts so this impacts this impacts to H I if you if you keep these ads to Bo to okay that's all I wanted to understand so yeah I I think because so could I uh I'd like to make a motion to keep the um March 11th budget for Boon Elementary at 200 no number as stated on March 11th okay that's a motion a second I'll second would I like to discuss Jess i' like to amend that a motion right to add on with the subtraction of the OPC contribution that is a motion to amend the motion to subtract $5,000 to OPB from the March 11th number that's a motion is there a second second Lisa second okay any discussion having watched

188the burlin finance committee to the last minute like at 10:40 at night last Wednesday like they were slicing everything out of the budget and I recognize they're trying to rec you know people have limited income um and I think if we can shave off a little bit here a little bit there I think every little bit counts and it shows that we recognize limitations but not willing to cut band and music and stuff for our children Jess it's a fair point uh correct me if I'm wrong if we went back and added up all the yellow numbers 933 th000 total was already cut on March 11 we have some unknowns April 1 is a date that we have some unknowns that we haven't met yet we don't know it's only a few days but we

189never know there's other unknowns that won't happen so but that's a motion that's an amended motion on the floor a did you have anything to say yeah I guess the what I would definitely say is I mean OPB is the safest thing you can come you can't eliminate it it's it's it's not going to go anywhere but there um we can have long discussions of OPB and I have plenty of opinions on it but I it's in it's inconsequential if you cut that you people are adequately funded right now no one's adequately funded oh I knew that yeah this is the I I think if you don't do it in Boon or if you want to be Equitable yeah do it across the board noep across the board yeah I mean which Boon's up against

190their Levy limit too so just Bo share yeah and I know they're looking for does this impact H if we did this op no there just okay only ad yeah so that's the motion on the table is to amend the motion to approve the March 11th oon Elementary School operating budget minus the $5,000 contribution to open that's the motion on the table it's it's to amend that motion yeah any other discussion all in favor I anyone against okay that amend passes now the motion is to approve the operating Bud as amended it by the $5,000 is there any question or discussion on that all in favor I anyone again okay so we've adjusted that motion passes and we have adjusted the March 11th operating budget in Boon school by 5,000 uh okay we should be

191baring next probably um so we're g to do I assume we would want to do the same here yeah I mean what are these supp I hate to cut supplies it's like I don't want them to like then I remember right incl the from The copier and all that stuff yes it's it's classroom supplies right it's it's paper pencils erasers I mean you know again we're just we're trying find places where we can like try to find something right because in the aggregate all of these Cuts they work all together might save a job districtwide that that's kind of you know where we were coming from if the the supplies unto themselves aren't significant so I mean you know if all the other things are on the table to Mike's Point about what's the value

192of $5,000 um you know I'd argue like you know you could put it back I'm not you know I think you know the O again I will say opep is your safest thing it's not huge uh there's no mandate that you put a certain amount each year you just have to put something in show effort no one is fully funded on their opab except for Welsley I think um and they did some stuff to make that happen um so and no one's close to funding their Ops it's it's just uh um so I I would argue that that's probably this if you want to make you know some sort of consolatory cut here that becomes you know something you could do and it's safe but the only thing I'd say besides pad every other reduction

193that we looked at was made from this side everyone are principes and administrators so before we think about putting money back into supplies we want to have a conversation what does that total look like and is there a position that might be instead so every one of these things we've agreed upon as a as a group and I said that before we make any additions back if any comes back we' said as a group again to have these conversations as principles and directors before we start saying supplies here supplies $1,638 is not a position it you'd have to come to us with that times you know five or 10 15 right so if you combine the last three items it's not significant but it's shoing a you know carving a little bit off the size

194all right fine anybody else have any comments Lisa Lor I'm in favor of doing the the 5,000 okay is the school district comfortable with that Al can you explain that comment that you just made about the teachers and how it affects I just I want to make sure I understand that any reductions that we talked about we have individual conversations with principles and directives then we had a meeting as a group to discuss and let everybody knows and if any additional funding should come back I made a promise to them because by the way once we make these decisions myself included all of us here we close the we we move on and they got to live with this stuff right our principal and assistant principal so I I said to them if there's anything

195should change I have the opportunity which is hence the reason why we have school committee scheduled for Thursday that we have a conversation with the people over here to say are we good and people over here too by the way sorry I'm just um but to make sure that we all are okay with these with these decisions that we're making when you say funding come back you mean us deciding not to do the cuts that's right anything right or anything that we I feel like we we should be having that conversation we made those conversations when we we made these reductions and I just feel I think it's really good that we're having a sping meeting on Thursdays for us to be able to to just even have these conversations even if they all just

196say yes I won't put them on the pressure that answer that question now but we leave we close the doors I walk away from berin B to Tanto and they still got to live with these decisions that we make so just want to be fair John if I could ask you what what supplies and Tech repairs is included in that item that would be everything crayons and pencils and paper and chart paper and graph paper paper clips everything that a kid uses every day now In fairness parents some parents are very very generous and you know provide a lot of supplies and provide extras but we have a growing population of people who can't afford the supplies that their kids need so that's your entire line I think it's your entire line it's it yeah

197I mean we we largely just sat and said like 10% across the board unless there's other items like in conversations with principles we had lines that they specifically cut for reasons if we had cut those and we'd come to a really specific number I didn't want to cut those I cut the other lines where we kind of said okay it's a bunch of pencils I carry over largely what we had last year right is there's only so much you can do down to I can't really sit down with John and worry about every single pencil he's going to buy I need to realize in the Agra he's going to need some number of pencils right so we kind of said well could we cut that by 10% right some of those lines um so again

198it's not every line we looked at them carefully and the ones that had discrete amounts in them we were careful not to cut because it had very specific whether it was software or uh consumables things like that that John had identified it's the more generalized like here's a bunch of supplies and we typically buy pencils crayons construction paper whatnot out and that can change year to year based on the needs based on what's sitting in a closet somewhere things like that just like we the to don't M go M adjust in terms of how many pencils do you buy how many rulers and all that we we we give that as the instructional leaders that's their authority to to buy purchase what they feel they all right could I have a motion then to approve

199the March 11th Ved Berlin Memorial operational budget less the 5,000 to oped contribution so moved Meg second yes question discussion I think we should add on the subs to sorry I think we should add in the subs as well you mean get ready getting rid of the subs mine is the subs I'm just floating and Amendment out there I mean if we need a sub we need a sub we're goingon to have to pay for it anyway this is just trying to reduce the line yes correct yeah I mean it's take it from something else it's you know this was looking at trends for the past three years so whenever I go through something like this I look at threeyear Trends and see where it's trending at looked like there was some room here uh

200to work with um you know long longterm can be a little you know one or two maternity leaves can eat that up very quickly but you have to kind of hope that when you're looking at sort of a three-year Trend right we're dealing every year our total number of teachers is relatively small we're dealing with small sample sizes right law of big numbers the inverse is there's a law of small numbers you're going to have a lot of variance right so you know our hope is that we don't have a something goes through the water and we have a lot of maternity leaves we have you know something things happen that just cause a lot of longterm leaves um I mean but you know no doubt there was I mean I can look at the

201trends and I can see the co baby boom right like right after covid um you know I tiled my back slash other people made other choices right every dollar right now today doesn't come back in case there an unknown to the Future yes and the future is is like three weeks correct and and part about the subs just just just so you know so they're creative as heck right so they they they beg and borrow and do what they need to do to cover those classrooms which is not good for our kids as well either but also there's a limited number of Subs that we have available too in this we're all fighting for them right wher all the surrounding commers everyone's fighting for Subs I mean no matter like if there's a longterm sub

202need we're going to have to cover that I mean that's not PE for that so I think it's just reducing that like looking at the trends and you're saying we're going to have to cover that we're gonna have to cover with less money in the bank is what you're saying we have to cut something else we'll have to do a a vote to move money from another line item probably move it from supplies and then like two years ago when they ran out of paper at the end of the so I mean like I I don't know I just can can I ask a question is it equal in Boon are they so are they cutting 5,000 over there or did they for opep no not for opep for the subs no we just took

203that no and but that wasn't even on there their their trending was consistent with what's there so you know again I look at three-year Trends I try to say you know if it increases a little bit you know plan for some increases again it's it's it's it's that sort of our hope is that in the aggregate we're going to have some things that go over budget some things that go under and in the aggre get a law of big numbers that it's pretty smooth um so you know we may go over in long-term Subs we may be under in short-term Subs we may be a little over in oil we may be a little under in supplies um you know John's crew goes for few fewer crayons right what have you I mean that's you

204know where it ends like all of these numbers are sort of best guesses at any point we are you know more than a full year out from the fruition of a lot of what we're talking about here and I can't predict crayon use that far out my point and ask that was just equality of crost like if we're going to offer if if we didn't risk anything in boilson I I just feel a little worried about that with is the word risk there the risk L is just like we just don't know right we're trying to save a little bit here a little bit there you know we don't we don't know what's going to take place in terms of the amount of Subs and that's that that's why the risk is bless you so

205the motion on the table includes only reduction for right now that is the motion table anything further I'd like to make a motion to include the longterm to amend the motion has been made to amend the motion second second comments discussion anyone in favor motion I I I heard Jess Beth hi and Lisa anyone against the motion I name I'm also against the motion that motion FS we're back to the original motion only the 5,000 in op contribution any further discussion on that okay all in favor of this motion anyone again okay that motion also passes so the Berlin Memorial operating budget will be the March 11 budget L the contribution of okay H we go to sorry I'm looking at my own sheet thinking everyone else is seeing as well sorry I'm using the

206force here okay not working remember in the the Tanto discussion any changes are going to affect both towns different okay so uh let's just get the motion out there so we can discuss it I have a motion please to approve the T Regional operating budget to be the March 11th budget less the contribution some Megan Jess okay discussion questions I just feel like we've cut enough from tono and I would just keep some of that little stuff in there because you know something's gonna happen and I didn't realize we were cutting a science teacher on March 11th I mean that's just like gut-wrenching right there um so we had that FTE in there but we weren't specific I know I know no I get it I get it and I know what we're trying to

207do and I just feel like that's has compromised enough and I'm not willing to vote to compromise anymore for that building and let's also be mindful of that special coordinated position is well too going to be a cut a huge cut well to all right any other questions discussion okay all in favor of the motion I anyone against all right that motion also passes so I think that is our budget start tomorrow Thursday all right so that that's our so we we do not have the number yet will calculate that tomorrow we'll have a quick Zoom meeting on Thursday that meeting won't include any any additional Cuts or addition that P us off another two days and passed our deadline to get these numbers to for the printing Warren um all right I think what

208show up and have conversations every Everybody Knows the meetings are they posted there show up show up um to meeting had to leave his b uh I don't know the exact time in Burl seven seven in Berlin at the elementary school in the gym probably gonna be babysitters available through P okay we got that's votes last though the school hold on I don't know how they're going to do it this year we don't know how they're going to do it this year historically yes it's at the bottom of the warrant but uh we have no say or control over that just I think they're restructuring from the meetings that I watched they were going to do them into section so they had good stopping points if had to go into a different day so I

209don't think it's however they're going to do it they information that comes out from the towns that explains exactly what they're going to do um that's what the printing is they're printing all that material that's what we got to get into so yeah so pay attention to your mail pay attention to your email pay attention to your voicemail pay attention to your social media pay attention to I don't think we can afford to send mailers out but we'll figure something out um well we have a whole other meeting to get thank you for coming tonight thank you very much for coming very important okay that takes care of the first I apologize joking you have a lot of other things on this agenda yet up with that yes I need I need my you want

210work next on our agenda is I'm listening I am I'm right here we've got a meeting to get to making good I'm working I'm ready sh here we go okay we got graduation requirements for the fy2 school year yes um Lisa if I can just um first of all those who um didn't have an opportunity to see liser on Spectrum news did a great job um interviewed by Spector news regarding the mcast and how we're here our district I think I shared the the site with you guys as well too uh but we s there could this is a lot of ownership on me I think the semantics um we we we had some error in the way we proposed it to you guys at spoy um the the uh MTA um reached out to

211to Bill Whitehead and re and Bill reached out to us MTA was concerned about the vote that took place in the state of Massachusetts and the semantics of the way that we read it at at school committee so I'm gonna ask Lisa just give a little brief explanation and and we can just have them revote if necessary um okay um so the last school committee vote focused on whether the district would continue using mcast as a graduation requirement as this was the most pressing issue how however the legislation it was very complex and it was very misunderstood at the state level mcast served two purposes graduation requirement at the state level as well as competency determination at the state level the Commonwealth voted to eliminate mcast at the state level for a graduation requirement which

212also ended its use for competency determination as a result each district was now responsible for defining its own graduation requirements which may include mcast if they vote for it and determine which courses demonstrate competency within math Ela and science our focus on that vote was on whether to maintain mcass as a graduation requirement for the class of 2025 which we voted to do um with plans to revisit that decision this summer after receiving further guidance however we did not vote on the courses which would fulfill the competency requirements so those that would reflect the standards assessed in the 2023 mcast exams for ELA math and biology to meet State the state's competency determination for uh for and this is what we've been doing so it's but we just need to vote on it students must

213pass 9th and 10th grade English for an equivalent course pass geometry and either Algebra 1 or Algebra 2 core equivalent courses pass one of the Three core science courses biology chemistry or physics these courses have always been previously required before students took the 10th grade mcast as they are still required courses to earn a diploma at Tanto in summary while we have chosen to retain mcass as a graduation requirement for now we have also identified the courses aligned with competency standards this clar clarification is intended to prevent confusion if mcast were no longer a a local graduation requirement so we just need to vote on competency being determined by passing ninth and 10th grade English passing geometry and either Algebra 1 or Algebra 2 and passing one of the three core courses in biology chemistry

214or physics I did I took notes so oh I actually printed it out for everybody so so those classes you mentioned those are currently graduation requirements to graduate from T yes yes and but it's also our competency as well to M so just saying this is the competency requirement right yeah we just we voted on the graduation requirement we got to vote on the competency that's correct yeah I got it and then and then we will revisit this summer whether we're going to continue to present the school pitting whether we're going to use mcast as a graduation requirement for our students so this is just the this year 2025 no well the comp the competency requirements will remain the same so what we're voting or what you are voting on is identifying the coursework that

215meets this um competency requirements for students that's different so there are two things there's graduation requirements and competency determination we're required to make sure we have both in place and competency we're trying to make sure that when you graduate from a High School in Massachusetts it it is comperable right it looks the same graduation requirements for for Tanto look I can tell you completely different than mini charts look like right they had additional credits they wanted to take there were different things the Scoopy voted on that they wanted to have so again we're just trying to clarify the the language that we did we sort of rushed to get that in front so we wanted to make sure um but please know we're going to be working on whether we want mcast to be part

216of the graduation requirement still they In Summer with everybody involved the other part we have to tell you also is that every one of our seniors are graduating this year has passed the mcast and we're happy to say we'll be walking across the graduation stage isue all right so we need to vote on this right now you want to vote please a motion to I know your voice you want to go for you heard my inhale no so I I'm just question I mean you can make the motion I have a motion please to uh approve that meaning the state's competency and determination students must pass nth and 10th grade English or an equivalent course pass geometry and and either Algebra 1 or Algebra 2 or equivalent courses and pass one of the Three core

217science courses biology chemistry or physics is that some yes okay so I mean this is just kind of a temporary hold we could always revisit this and add to it if we want so like off districts and that's the work we're going to be doing so there's there's still confusion graduation and competency are different yeah so we we can't really change competency requirement because the comp the state has identified for us that the competency requirements that we have to ensure that the competency requirements are the standards that were assessed in the 2023 mcast for La math and science so we have to identify which courses were have the content that were assessed in the 2023 and we're saying yes we have those courses though these are these courses so we have those in place it's

218graduation is different right okay is everybody clear on that okay any other questions discussion all in favor I anyone against motion passes thank you thanks Lisa nice job on that um we clarified that um next thing is teamers local 170 um I just making us aware as a scoop in the public um we have been um approached by our custodians um that they are looking to become unionized um we got the official notification um please know that I've taken that information and give it to our attorney Sean Sweeney and he'll stop that process we haven't heard anything more than that but they're looking to become uniz at that at the local level with the teamers and this is sort of just an FYI um next on the agenda and I moveing quickly is the District

219Attorney's um office presentation um I know this is something we talked about sort of got the late got the late um it's officially on that April 16th date starts at six o'clock pm um we sent it out through messeng school messenger I have it posted everywhere I know our principles will be advertising this as well to this goes along with cyber safety and bullying um that's taking place or taking place in our in our state in our country um but they did a great job with our students um and here's an opportunity for parents and students we're going to do it all by Zoom share that information we'll continue to pass that information along I know Jessica you been asking for that date so I went to show we we were block and loaded we

220along with many other people we're reaching out to the district attorney's office for this will that be live and zoom will it be live and zoom yeah no we're not doing in of C we're not doing in we'll all be by um last is the FY 26 school year calendar it is in front of you right now um um please take a chance to look at this there's a lot of conversation involved with this we've worked with principles directors um we're still holding on 2627 we're hoping to get that to you soon but this is for next year 25 26 um I just want you to also look at there's one piece of it that is highlighting this back page of of your calendar um there is potential for an extra professional development Day added

221to either the end or the uh the end or the beginning of the school year um we're working negotiations with that right now um but still that will not impact our students schedule and our student calendar it would impact our teacher calendar um but this is with obviously um we've heard from parents I've heard from school committee um there is obviously quite a large reduction in half days um and um more concentrated full days of professional learning we have a lot of information we can share with you at another time at school committee um regarding professional development days and the plans that we have um and taking a look even the last message we received from the union saying that they were not at this point um in favor of of the half Al you

222looking for a vote for this tonight or just um I'd love the bance but I think there's a bigger conversation I think it's important to get that out to parents so they can stop making plans I think we'll hear people might want to talk a little bit about professional learning um I would say that we have three full professional learning days plus we're looking for a fourth one I'd also like to have a conversation with second faculty meetings that those are professional learning days as well as second faculty meetings um but I guess I'd like you a look at it a little further get this out to the community to look at um this is the calendar that we're recommending by for to conversations so we're not voting on it tonight it's just for everybody

223to start looking okay parents can start cing as well too I'd love to put on the next agenda if you could no okay thank you I joke seriously come on um next up then is can we ask questions sorry I'm curious like so usually we have our first day of school like on a Tuesday or a Wednesday I'm just curious why on a Thursday so are just sort of we looked at it the way the calendar fell and yeah I like it I like starting Thursday I think that first week is brutal for the kids I don't like star before Labor Day next year I I have to have 180 days for students and 185 for teachers but I also need a buffer if there's bad winter right hopefully not I to make sure right

224you can't go beyond that June 30th date right unless you get permission it used to be from the commissioner um but just got to be mindful of that date also I'm looking at juneth as well too so all those things are being taken into account um when we're we're we're getting this dat so you got the last day of school is the 16th is that what it is right now that's correct so can make question the Good Friday I feel like when you add it has been on there in the past and then when you take it away if you're going to put good Fry on there you're going to have to commit to continuing to do it just so it's it's a year toe calendar we had that conversation about whether we wanted to

225put good Frid we know a lot of people um want to take that day off um so we put it on and that's why this is open for conversation so two years ago the Friday before vacation Good Friday landed up on it and so that wasn't great data but I don't know what happened last year in terms of staff and students being out right and then and this year we're already starting to get most school districts don't have school as they learned from my church this weekend when they were trying to do something with the kids on Good Friday and I was like oh our school district does have school we I guess I guess Worcester doesn't shy doesn't um so a lot of the big communities don't so I guess that's probably why a

226lot of staff are taking off not necessarily for religious reasons but because their kids are out of school and they can let's get some Community feedback on that this week and you yeah I mean I it's good my only thing you know as long as everyone's okay with I it's a money saver because you have you're gonna have to get subs so a lot of Subs yeah I'm sorry yeah and there's not not a lot of PD um there's not a lot of days off so I like having you know I know we have vacation that one but it's nice to have I kind of like having the day a few days here and there right I just just a quick comment um or just something to think about with negotiations as well that currently

227the teachers do have so many religious days in their contract so that is another reason why I think they try to take them whether or not they are celebrating that they are not they so just something to keep in mind calendar wise contract wise then however administrators don't but I'm just saying to do about their religion y um okay so anybody else we believe this is a great starting point we believe this again our biggest thing is getting it in front of parents so they can stop making their plans ahead of time we're hoping they take their vacation during their vacation times right and if they know ahead of time um they can plan a CL as well too I'm just hypothetically like if you started if you shifted the beginning of the school year

228to a Wednesday would that then in June you can shift that last day to a Monday I like it Wednesday September 3rd the last day is a Tuesday no no that's not what you meant that's not what she meant you mean I'm just saying like there's no camps there's no you know so it's the half days have been a struggle for working parents because it's a lot of days off that they have to take so it's just it's front loading yeah and I would say on the other end of that too um just parents sometimes like that summer camps end right so the summer camps are ending and August right they're all coming to an end families still need to find child care as well too um so Oh you mean starting after Labor Day

229Jess so shift opening day professional development day to the Tuesday gee no is Tuesday though you have to Shi two days to get new week the last L is on Tuesday Tuesday can we just okay can we can we post this on Med call whatever and people can comment on it and uh we get it out there don't have to put a big draft averaging one snow day year I I really believe this is we get up to people as well too it's it's March and April so soon so all right okay [Music] cool Joe yes yeah so I'm I'm done for school calendar but I'm going to ask Joe um if you could give us a little update what's going on sure so um we've had kind of an increase in um public record

230requests so as a district we've kind of streamlined the process so if in moving forward if we could just direct everyone to the district website um they go to our district they click on public records request and it brings them to the request page it tells them exactly how to do how to request the records um it tells us it tells them who our records access officer is so everything should be directed to The Rao at bbrsd.org email um that will get reviewed by Nicole and it also provides the public with just general information on the Massachusetts Public Records law um moving forward if this is going to take it away from people dropping off to the schools or stopping someone on the sidewalk we want to direct everything to this um platform to this

231email so it gets documented timestamped for all of our Communications so we stay in accordance with state law the plot starts tick in the minute someone releases that asking the question so we're we're finding that we're getting it to different people um we just went to try to streamline it put it all in one place um and this way it's also timely right so this way Nicole are our resource office could time stamp when those came so we're just trying to streamline that we want to make sure the public it as well as SCH is that email accessible by J though I'm sorry is that yes it's myself Aaron and me myself Aon sor okay that was sort of an FYI thank you thank you Joe that brings us to subcommittee updates uh Jess first

232with the Student Success in technology yeah we are kind of waiting on the next meeting um but on we put in the drive the cell phone guidance from the state again uh it's a really good document so if you didn't have a chance to read it last time I really encourage you to go through the whole thing and read it um and so in that vein we kind of had a several weeks ago so on Friday there was a cell phone free lunch at Theo during refresh day um so we're hoping to hear how that went and then um yeah found from there um Megan you better not have an update the budget no heard it you can no no you guys heard the budget all right uh superintendent search subcommittee what do we got

233going on that's been postponed uh we're going to have another date hopefully next week all right the position has been posted though right what yeah Tracy Tracy posted the position oh sorry you talking about oh you talking about the search yeah I thought you were talking about the evaluation I apologize did I say evaluation no in my head I think probably not it's too ear um the phys has has been posted we got an email from Tracy today um can we just review we had a lot of emails today um she bccd all the members um and she's checking in um she left it that she'd be collecting post interview topics so we need to get back to her that yeah so I talked to her about that if anyone has any proposed topics you

234want as part of the interview send them in send them to me I'll collect them with Tracy all right or send them to Lori too yep um and we posted on school yep it's been posted all right perfect there's no update for the policy subcommittee to do on that uh next up uh is we're not doing the calendar vote so we're gonna go right into the bus B contract in I got tell you it's not feel like two years ago with the buses yep so um our bus bid our bus contract has come to an is come to an end at the end of this year um I don't know if anybody's been watching what's been going on with bus bids uh lately um the increases are crazy um Northboro Southboro had a 46% increase

235uh I was talking to Winchendon they had something similar 46% uh we put our our initial bid out in January we came back with um a very high front end range with with some other increases you can see it was was around 28% above our 25 rates um uh we we talked about what we could do the the industry standard in a lot of ways had been uh a maximum age of seven years um we looked at that we talked to some other districts um and and a lot of them are moving bus bus ages um Can can range bus buses are usual usable 10 to 12 years um many people in order to get some of those number trying to get some of those numbers down are are going more like 10 12 years

236as a max age they all have to meet safety requirements they're all heavily inspected um things like that so you know we're pretty confident that um we could do that so we uh we put it out to bid again um we wanted to see what we could do um this so the first time we only got one bid um from our current provider the second time we actually had two biders show up um uh nrt our current bidder uh and uh green Wheels um unfortunately Green Well green Wheels was not um complete so they were missing an essential document um additionally when I went down to their numbers page um their numbers were significantly higher than what nrt ended up providing so down below you have nrt's daily rates for budget for buses though you

237will see that's still a pretty sign ific percent increase um keep in mind you know we talk about health insurance our health insurance number is Big right it's a very big number um so an 18% means a lot of dollars 21% to this is is substantial um I will make it work we have we we've we've put in a number um into the budget close to 10% I I think we can we can work with this um we really unfortunately no one's no one's bidding on bu bus contracts in terms of other vendors we're kind of left without a choice um it's made up of a lot of sort of small monopolies uh around the state um and no one wants to cross territories um you know there's really sort of Unwritten agreements of A

238Sort that you know you just kind of hold your own territory I've not seen more than one bidder on most contracts that I've seen and when I reach out and I talk to my peers they're seeing exactly the same thing so there's only one gig in time right every now and then you'll see someone else come in and their number is outrageous so that the number that the other number that we had was was very much higher so um my recommendation um would be to take this rate I think if we were to go out again we'd probably end up seeing a higher rate um just out of the pain of them having to bid it again um again I think we can work I can work with this within the existing budget I'm also

239a little bit hopeful that Transportation reimbursement will be a little um more generous this year um so I'm I'm I'm recommending it I wish we had another option I wish we had a better option um but this is sort of where we are right now and as soon we finalize this soon we can stop the work so we don't have much in place um last this past summer right and we'll have the bus Roots all set we'll look at the most efficient way to run those buses you know we had a huge move um rting the buses in Berlin um during mid year but we'll be looking be able to work with that we we know our provider of getting that information certainly not doing like we did this year the day before school starts

240still not having rest Rings may I make a request that we do it in both towns like reverse the roots St morning and night I mean it happened a couple years ago and I'm not sure why it stopped we're all that but you know we have a provider first before we stop engaging those conversations knowing that nrt is in place we can start those conversations immediately I'm fine with this for now but I think over the next five years and i' I know we have so many projects on the list like I just kind of did a quick Google search how much does it cost to buy a school bus I mean we're paying over $100,000 a year for like subpar bus quality at best um I mean I don't know if it would be

241possible again then you have the salaries of five people right because you have to have is it five buses the district has five the cost of the bus is that to your concerns $100,000 a year is I think it's I think it would be great to look at some sort of collaborative option right whether it's through a collaborative or through a group how we could look into with nine buses we're too small to operate that efficiently we just can't um where Al and I came from we had a collaborative um the lower Pioneer Valley educational collaborative that um ran our buses we didn't have to bid it it was all part of sort of our assessment with them uh and when we looked at sort of what their cost was versus private vendors it was

242substantially lower I I think it would be a great conversation to have with our attorney um Sean s and by the way keep apiz he's hising around so I apologize he is working wither right now that just purchased the RO buses so I think to your conversation I think it' be great to have with our attorney eventually to see given him perspective out there changing a little working a r no no so Aaron this means we're up a little bit here but it also means our our bus reimbursement Revenue will will go up that's cool that won't be for like two years until yeah that the next year yeah so we just we just need to get through this year and then we'll see some reimbursement for that always good all right uh so we

243need to vote on this please have a motion to approve the bus bid and contract scr down [Music] by the recomendations right there too oh perfect may have a motion that bbrc school committee author I second second that motion was not seconded it was not seconded that may I have a motion that the bbrc school committee authorized the Director of Finance and operations to enter into a 5-year contract with nrt bus Incorporated to provide school bus transportation to the district at a total anticipated 5year cost of 4,820 75 so moved Meg that motion has like to ask a question comments on uh okay uh I me five years it's l I'll chip in the 75 cents if it helps the put that write that down okay all in favor the motion please I anyone against

244it all right that brings us to our last and final piece on the agenda tonight is an executive session uh and will not return to open session uh I want to be clear that this is regarding a new item not any existing or previous items uh but I have a motion that the Berlin Boon Regional school committee is convening an executive session on the purpose one to discuss an open meeting La complaint filed by Margaret P Stone against the burlin Boon Regional school committee so second Lori roll call Jess Hi Megan I Lori hi okay the move passes we are going to enter executive session and not return thank you very much principals directors thank you