001at 656. So move have a motion to return to regular session. All in favor say I. I. Say nay. I have. No decisions were made in executive session. I'm going to make a motion to uphold superintendent's recommendation pursuing discipline expulsion for student 986 for an expulsion from county schools for 365 days. Questions here none. We have a motion approve the student expulsion for student 35001 9860 uh for 3 days which is the superintendent's recommendation. Okay. All in favor say I. I. I. Post say nay. Eyes haven't. Okay. We do have a student that has uh turned up to be recognized. So I believe that we have Joselyn Murphy, the seventh and eighth grader um young writer contest winner. [Applause] What was your story about? Very cool. Neat. Please come up and get a picture based
002on a true story. That's right. I was like, "All right." Yeah. I mean, I'm sure that everybody can relate at some point or something. I'd like to read it. I was going to say I think it'll get you in a second. Come on. You're fine. Yeah, I'd love to read your story. You were just instrumental. Is there any food left over there? [Music] Yeah. You don't have to worry about too much. Thank you, mom, for bringing her out. Yeah. Awesome job. amplifier. Okay, let's see. We're down to finance, right? Yep. Okay. I will entertain a motion to approve the payment of invoices in the amount of $313,16.72. So move. Okay. Mrs. Cummings is with us this evening and the basket runth over. We have several things to bring to you tonight. We have five runs
003of expenditures this evening. the 1st on 512025 in the amount of $3,18168. Um this is mainly PEIA retiree insurance. The next run also on 51205 totals $31,45748 noteworthy in this we have produce mp power county primary middle school electricity and the department of agriculture for food products. The next run on 514 2025 totals $66,679. This is um mostly Pecard with Gordon Foods and 57,232.99 and diesel fuel from Harris Oil $8,630.31. The next run is also on 514 2025 totals $158,791.72. Okay, this is our um netbook order for the schools. the town of Elizabeth for sewer and water. We have dental vision insurance and VEX robots for the high school. And then finally, also on 514 2025 in the amount of $52,96.75, we have um the storage building door there. We have developmental advantage for behavior
004services and United Dairy for milk. And all of these runs total $313,16.72. Questions? I do have a question. I've done this for a long time and I I never thought about this. Karen, what makes you do different runs? I I know some of these runs are on the same day. Yeah. So, like the PIA insurance, it has to be paid by the fifth of the month. Um so that one uh was released that check early. Um the next run is a bunch of bills that came in that their due date was prior to this board meeting. So that ran um also was released. Then next is PECARD. I keep it separate because the state um does have auditors that come around and they specifically check for PECARD. So by doing it in its own batch,
005it allows it to be readily looked at and agreed to. The next two runs, it's from sheer simplicity uh as Mrs. Kotrol gets them finished and gives me a chance to get started on it and then she keeps working on the next batch. So um so those two runs were were done on the same day, but it was simply just to break up that huge mass of bills and uh get one done and let the next one get started um inputting. Okay, so but that that's the madness behind all that. never did understand why there was. Yeah, usually the top ones are would be the ones that would be coming due and being released and then everything else is held um at the board office until after tonight's board meeting. Okay. Thank you. Questions about
006invoices? Hear? None. I have a motion to approve the payment of invoices the amount of $313,16.72. All in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Okay. And a motion approve budget supplements in amount of 15,32.32. So move. Okay. Two supplements this evening. The first in the amount of 14,000 is a grant from WVDE Office of Child Nutrition for equipment. And then the second in the amount of $1,32.32 a WVUP grant for promoting healthy eating at War County Primary Center. And those two total $15,32.32. Any questions on budget supplements? Hear none. We have a motion approve the budget supplements amount of $15,32.32. All in favor say I. I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. No budget transfers. So I need a motion at this time to approve the teachers annual
007service personnel monthly substitute teacher substitute principal supplemental salary schedule and extracurricular salary for the FY2526. So move Who's doing this one? No. M. Macau or Karen? Oh, I would do I will turn this one gladly over to Mrs. Cummings. Probably the next couple. Okay. Okay. Yeah, the salary schedules that you have before you um there are no changes in those. Those are the ones that are currently in effect. Um, essentially these have just been updated to reflect that they will continue for the 25 26 year. Um, and those are the ones that we have right now. Um, so no additional pay raises are included in this um, pay scale presented tonight. Questions? So yeah, so um, the amount that teachers received last the amount that they received last year is the amount that they'll receive
008in the coming year. Is that correct? Um because you said no change. So there is no change in the pay scale. However, if a teacher is here and gains an additional year of service, the pay scales are built based upon degree and years of service. So they would gain an incremental year of experience. Um but the schedules themselves are exactly the same. So if they go up by year of experience, everybody gets bumped up. Exactly. or if they get bumped across the category of uh degree or additional. Exactly. Yeah. So, a year of experience for um professional staff is roughly around $587. On the professional side for a 200 day person and then on service side, it's around $320. Do you know when the last time the scale was bumped? Um, last time the scale
009was was moved, two years ago, not this year, but last year. Um, the county gave a raise then. So, we've done a $400 raise and prior to that an $800 raise. Other questions here? None. We have a motion to approve the teachers annual service personnel monthly substitute teacher substitute principal supplement supplemental salary schedule and extracurricular salary for FY226. All in favor say I. I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Need a motion to approve the FY 2526 budget. So move Mrs. Cumins. All right. She has been diligently working away on this and it's still changing. So what we've got before you is a work of art. So that's what accountants are. We're we're creative. Um so tonight before you, you have your budget as it stands right now for FY26 coming in
010at a total of $18 million. $18 million. So, your general current expense fund, that's your where your local tax collections are. That's where um the majority of the state aid from the state department comes into. That is right at 14.9 million. Your capital projects, I'm only starting it out at 100,000 and that'll be the contribution from the county budget over to that. But right now it has a balance of around uh 600,000 I believe. So that's what you would use uh to start building up whenever you would enter into the big building project. And then your special revenue that is coming in right at 2.9 million. That's where all of the state grants and any federal grants come into that have restrictions for purposes of how those are to be expended. So in total, your
011general current expense, your capital projects, and your special revenue fund is at $18 million. You have a summary before you that just lists three different funds on there. And the very last fund you'll notice is the special revenue federal stimulus. And there will be nothing budgeted. All of that is finished out this year that we're in. Behind it are three pages that actually outline what um each of the funds themselves actually look like. This will be uh distributed and and published in the local newspaper. This is what the state format requires us to do at this point in time. Now, it provides a very broad overview and summarization as to what I've been working on. uh I printed one document and it was for 54 pages and so small that I could barely read it.
012Um so it it's a very in-depth budget but this is a very uh summarized version that you have before you tonight. So given that I've tried to prepare just a short little summary that's a handout. is a copy of some PowerPoint slides that I thought we would just go through to just give you an idea of a little bit more in depth as to what's actually behind these numbers that you see here before you. As far as changes, everyone knows about PEIA. It's an average increase of a approximately about 14% increase. um with that uh like family coverage right now if someone would come in with that, the board's share alone is like $19,000 now for a position. So for a new hire that comes in, uh say it's a service person position that we're
013having come in, their salary may barely be 30,000, but if they choose family insurance, we're having to pay out 19 for it. So, I mean, it's it's very costly. Um, and that's in addition to what the employees are having to pay as well. And then the other change that you'll see going through um this budget, we also had to prepare to incorporate third grade aids this year due to legislative changes. So, those are the two changes that have been incorporated within this budget. On your next page, please. State aid is approximately 71% of your general current expense fund budget. So behind here for Mr. Moore's benefit, I've kind of wanted to just briefly give you a broad overview of where we stand with the funding formula because we are very dependent upon the state aid
014funding formula. Um if you look at the budget itself that's presented for the general current expense fund you'll see that approximately about 10 a.5 million of 14 million is coming from the state. So this funding formula is very important and everyone needs to have an understanding of it and what it means. So it is a 10-step formula and it's based on one snapshot in time and that's what happens on October the 1st. It's based upon the number of people that we have employed then and most importantly the number of students enrolled. So our headcount on that given day actual students in this in the school system was 862 students. Now full-time equivalency means like some of those are three-year-olds and they're not here all the time or someone a student is just coming for services.
015So then they don't get to count them as a full ser as a full FTE full-time equivalent. So we may have had 862 physical bodies here but they actually only equated to about 860 students. Now, Work County is unique in that because we fall under a threshold of 1,400 students, the state allows for an allocation of additional students to be added to our funding formula. And that's simply because they've established even though we're small, we still have to get business done and we still have to do things that other counties have to do. So, they said we need support and this is how they come up with that. So they allow us to have I call them ghost students added to our funding formula to help boost the amount of state aid that we're actually
016going to be received because if had those students not been there um we would have a severe cut in state aid. We would not be able to do lots of things that we have going on here because they that calculation added an additional count of 234 students into um what we get funded on. So for we went from 860 students to being funded for 1,112 students once they did that calculation. Pocahontas Pendleton now they get funded at 1400. US and Calhoun I think we are the only two that are still under the 1,200 mark. There was legislative discussion of getting us up to 1,200 mark but it didn't go anywhere. Can I ask you a question you on that? Yes, homeschooled kids. That's are they are allowed to take some classes. Homeschool I will yield
017to Mr. Smith. So if they are homeschooled and not enrolled with us, um they they are not utilizing us for curricular things. Although they can request textbooks from us and we can supply them, but we do have some homeschool folks that are taking part in extracurricular activities. Okay. But not not in classes. I I don't believe that we have any homeschool kids that are coming and taking any academic classes. And do they count in those numbers? If they are not enrolled here, they do not. No. What if they are not enrolled to getting extracurricular support? No. We She used the term FTE. So they have to be a full-time enrollment. if they're just here participating in sports, we don't get to count them in our account. Yeah. And actually your point that you asked, Mr.
018Sherlock, um policy 8100, it's the what governs all of our accounting procedures they're putting in there and trying to get it passed by the state board right now. on public comment that we will now have to start invoicing for those extracurricular activities by Hope Scholarship students um and anyone else who is not enrolled in the school system and coming and taking advantage or you know being able to join us for those activities. Um so we'll have to do that as well as any out ofstate students that we have um enrolled in our school system um we now must shall invoice. it's no longer an option for us not to. So, they're trying to pass that by whatever the next board, state board meeting is. And and another question on the the um the health insurance.
019Yes. If so, if an employee takes it at the family level, it's around $19,000 a year. Yes. That the board has to pay that share. If a If an employee decides to not take it, yes, do we have an incentive for them to not take it? No. For instance, could we could we we could explore that option? So, for instance, if we had a said uh if an employee decides to not take PIA, uh we would give them a cash value of 10% of what we would have paid. So, we would pay 1,900 to them in some sort of cash benefit as opposed to 19,000, which may encourage if they have another form of insurance, maybe through a spouse or another plan, then we would encourage that to save uh save money. See, my my
020gut tells me that it wouldn't pass muster because I believe that they would see that as a bonus. Well, it would definitely be taxable income. Taxable? Yeah, because it's a benefit that you're providing, but it it could be a benefit to the school and and to the employee, but PIA has made it uh so cost prohibitive to have your spouse on the insurance. We have so few now um because they're trying to get that spouse off of the insurance. For example, um this year it went from $147 for that an employee would have to pay in addition if their spouse was on there and they had the option to have insurance at their place of employment. They had to pay extra $147 a month in order to have them on their policy here. That this
021year going into FY26 is $350 now per month. Very. So, but if it was the opposite, if yes, we had an employee whose spouse worked for a company that had a better insurance plan and instead of them taking the PIAA because we offer it, they say, "Hey, I'll just go with my spouses. It might be an incentive. We could look into if that's even possible to do." Do you think that would be considered a bonus? Oh, it would definitely be considered taxable. We can't um I mean specifically says we can't offer any bonuses that are not approved by the legislature. That's true. The the bonuses themselves that are outlined in state code are just the uh attendance bonus that we have and the retirement bonus. I would have to get further guidance as to whether
022or not that would be considered be taxable and not a bonus. The two I think we could also be a if it's taxable and not a bonus then. Yeah, it depends on how they would view that. If they view that as bonus because we're only allowed to do what per se is stated in state code. Yeah, they it would be like pay in le of Yeah. which may be a different classification. There's uh possibly there's a lot in the on the side there's a lot of uh businesses that are doing this and it's cost savings to their HR department. Yeah. But they're not publicly funded. There was a discussion about this at the school board's meeting just a while back because there there are counties that have stepped out of this bonus, okay, and are
023given bonuses for things, okay, that that they're not allowed to. And those counties are now uh being called on the carpet and are going to have some financial uh penalties for doing that. now. Yeah, I think I think it'd take legislation. Personally, I don't know a whole lot, but I think it'd take legislation to to make that an offering. It's not I'm not saying it's bad offering. I'm just saying I don't think we can do it without some type of legislation. Mrs. Cummings, uh, looking ahead on the possible cuts, what are the 3.6 positions at the Aware FY26 fund? Oh, you're way ahead, aren't you? You are eager, aren't you? He Oh, I bet you always skipped to the end in school, didn't you? Go ahead, Karen. Okay. All right. Okay. On page three, um
024I gave you a a 10-year enrollment um trend. Um, and it basically it's just so that you know where we've been and where we where our trend is going. So in 201819 of this 10-year snapshot here that was our highest year of enrollment and it was at 1,088 and you can see we've been steadily on the decline ever since then ending up with um an FTE of around 860 currently. So, our actual loss is right at 34.75 students, but because we've got those ghost students added in, comparing this year's adjusted enrollment to the previous year, it ended up being about 16 students, 15.9. So, we've essentially never recovered from CO. Correct. Yes. Good observation. Yep. So because we get funded um for those those uh additional ghost students are lost. So for every one that
025we lose, we're really only losing about 0.45 um in a student. Does that make sense? Yeah. Because we get that added to us. Um so we're it's not a one for one ratio like those other counties. If they lose one, they fill it. for us well we feel about about 04 or five about half a student is what it what it costs us when we lose one. So the enrollment determines the number of people that were allowed to have. So for a professional job it's about every 13.75 students gets us one position. So you can see that loss of about 16 students. It's definitely costing us a little over a position. So for our um on page five, the number very first step in this 10step funding formula is how many professional personnel can you
026have? Well, it's based on a formula that you're allowed about 72 uh professional educators for every thousand students you have in enrollment. So we had 85.5 positions that are state aid eligible. They have certain criteria that you have to meet, certain positions that they will fund and others they will not. So we had 85 and a half positions that were eligible. They only allowed us 79.57. So we're over 5.93. So that means we have to fund that part. On a service position job, uh it takes about 18 students um in order to equal a job there. The funding ratio is every 55 uh uh s you get 55 and a half service personnel for every thousand students that you have in enrollment. That's what they consider they think that you should be able to do
027the job with. On page six, we have 66.37 positions employed that are state aid eligible and we are allowed 60.7. We are over by 5.6. 67 on service personnel on um our student support personnel. That's your nurses, counselors, and social workers. You're allowed to have those per 10,000. We have currently four employed. So, we are actually under formula by 1.47, but they don't take that away from us. So, we're okay. We're allowed to have 5.4 and we actually have four. So, we can't take it and add it to another Yes. drop it. Yes. Mhm. Yeah. We get the money anyway. Um, so if you add up the overage for professional personnel, the amount that we're under for the student support personnel, and the amount that we're over on service personnel, we are to we are
028overfunding formula by 10.12 positions and in the prior year we were at three and a half positions um for this. So what happened between last year and this year? We ran out of COVID money. Bingo. You got it. So, as Surf is gone, we absorbed several of those positions. Um, and also as a result, um, our special education services, we've had to add positions in order to meet the needs of our students. So, that combination is now we've got ourselves where we're 10 over versus three in the prior year at the same time. Our workforce currently stands at professional personnel of 103. We have 66 service positions for total positions of 169 actual positions that we have here. And then as I look at the agenda, we're going to have a few more vacancies. But
029whenever I did this, this is what I was working with. Um a custodian at the middle school. Um she was just in here. Um, so we have a custodian. Actually, that's not true. Um, one aid for the third grade that was just authorized at the last board meeting. So, that position is there. Um, for third grade, we have a prek teacher position. Um, our math position um is still going to be open here at the high school. And then we have the counselor position that is still open at the primary center that is still unfilled. So altogether all positions we have 169 about 12 of those are federally funded. And then if those uh pagan positions were filled and we'd be even more over 100 I have 169 positions and then of those of that
030169 five right now are vacant but after tonight there's going to be a few more. So they're included in the 169 I projected for them. Okay. So, so when we talk about like uh service personnel being over five, if we hired these additional service personnel, is that included in the five or would it be additional too? Same thing with professional. Um, the only one that would be additional is the third grade aid that you just authorized at the last board meeting. That's on tonight. Is that tonight? Yeah. Oh, okay. Sorry. I didn't That's okay. I'm I've been reading agendas. I got myself all confused. I'm so sorry. So, if you authorize that tonight, um that would be in addition to that five. The state has already allowed for that um in their calculations. That was
031the reason for the change in the ratios. So, but that would be one more over. Okay. All right. on page eight. So our general fund, it increased approximately $49,000 from last year. Now that is made up of about 138,000 in PIA and also contracted services. Now this is new. We our federal money is getting tapped um because it's decreasing unfortunately and the amount of services that we're needing are also increasing also. So, our contracted services is now up to about it's an increase of about $110,000 that includes special ed and also we've had to uh get resourceful as to try to help our students here with math services as well. So, we're using online services for that. Miss Yes. So, the contractor is a result of the lack of federal aid that we're getting, right?
032It's because well normally um we've been able to sustain all of those contracted special services that we need for our students within our federal um IDA funding and our state special ed funding. Just ask again was about the state there. Yeah. So those two buckets together generally have been enough to support it. But it based on the needs that are now that we have before us um they those two cannot support the contracted services anymore. Thank you. And unfortunately Medicaid is decreasing and I've swallowed as much as I can out of there. But I Yeah. Is it's hard to drain a washcloth that's dry. Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Now this um is new charter payments um they increase by 132,000. So within this budget they do a calculation based on how much we need and they
033include what they call charter students. So those are students that are within this county's boundaries that are actually enrolled in charter schools. So those 19, they are included in all of these calculations as additional from the enrollment that I showed you before, but they make me uh show $152,000 payment going to them. But they also recognize that as a charter school payment up above. So that's also uh a huge increase from the previous year. Previously, it was only we had five. this year they state we have 19. We'll leave it at that. Um anyway, so that number is there. Uh I've had some conversations with the state department in regards to their calculations of those charter payments. I've got one that understands and I'm working on the other one that it's not quite they've got
034error in there and and I've got to get him to understand that on the 1400 enrollment and it only affects counties with 1400 in enrollment. The way I calculated I think we got shorted about $30,000 because of it. Um I will I've got one who agrees but I can't get the other one to agree. One out of two though. Huh? One out of two. One out of two. I'm working I'm working on them. So anyway, um so the charter school enrollment um we we're still working on that. So and then the last thing um for the general fund increases. This is positive. Bus replacement is up by 40,000. So if you'll remember that's um that's a huge increase for us. It's because it's finally starting to cycle through that electric bus, which was $300,000 of
035which we got federal money that covered that entire electric bus. But because it's now in the inventory, it's causing our value to go up and now we're reaping the benefit of that purchase. So bus replacement is now up by 40,000. So that was nice. by area. On page nine, you can see that about 66% of the budget is all in instruction and student services. Administration is about 13%, transportation, facilities around 21. So of all of that on the bottom slide, you can see salary and fringes. It's 83% of all of our expenses have before us and only 17% is left to pay things like textbooks, the fuel for the buses, um the electricity, all that good stuff. So on page 10 of the 83% of the budget, 61% of it is of the 83% that's
036for salary and fridges, 61% of that is for actual salaries. And then you can also see that insurance is another big component that makes up your salary and fringe costs coming in at 14% and then retirement and workers comp is at 15%. So overview total budget 18 million 14.9 for your general fund. The special revenue at 2.9 that has your grants and your food service in there. food service is right at 1.3 million and your capital projects we just have it starting out at 100 grand. Now your last page. Um unfortunately they are telling us to prepare for federal title one program uh cuts. They say that they can range anywhere from 8 to 20%. So we don't have any allocations whatsoever on that yet. So that is not factored in here yet. I don't
037have any numbers. So the numbers that I have for the federal programs right now is what we have currently. I don't have any adjustments yet because everything keeps fluctuating. Project aware. I just want to make you aware this is FY26 is the last year for that project. It's a $475,000 grant each year for the last This is year four. Next year is year five. So that grant will end and it does fund 3.6 positions. So we've got to be planning what's going to take place. Also, I mean, it's a $475,000 grant. It pays for well over $100,000 worth. Do you see it on your bills? work county health services, lots of additional um services for our students. So, that's something else that we need to take in consideration as we're moving forward. And then lastly,
038there's a state budget session coming up. Um, I'm told it's going to be in August and I've been told that um they do have an outside uh auditing firm of some sort coming in looking at the funding formula and that there may be Yeah, they're not real sure what's going to come out of that. It may be positive that they're painting it that it's likely going to be negative. Well, I will just chime in there. They have spoken to zero superintendent. They have spoken to zero school treasures. Yeah. And the superintendent association was drafting a letter saying if you're talking school finance, why not bring superintendents and school treasures to the table to answer any questions you might have and thus far that has not happened. You would think that would make sense. So with
039total uh total budget um without the possible cuts because we're not sure how much if and when. Are we at a budget surplus or a budget deficit for the year? This year coming up, we still we work county is still very financially sound. So, we will still end up with a budget surplus. How how much uh is that surplus? Currently, right now, it's over three million. But I'll just throw this out there for the good of the cause. Um, we have been very fiscally conservative with what we have done and we we used our COVID monies in a very conservative way and we have that surplus there. Okay. The legislators and the governor are looking at counties that that by code you have to have so much carryover just in a rainy day fund yeartoear.
040They are looking at those funds and saying we don't need to fund the schools at the current level that we are because they're setting on all of this money. But if you need to replace an HVAC or like perfect example the gym floor at the middle school there there was a leak and the floor is going to have to be fixed. Um it's only physically prudent to save for some of those big projects. They're looking at that and saying schools have all this money. we need to give them less and that's um not necessarily true. So is the amount that we have to keep about 3%. They would prefer us to have 3 to 5% is what they prefer. Now the um governmental uh association of uh office there they prefer you to have 16
041to 20% is what 16 to 20% is what they would prefer you. The state department likes to see the range 3 to five% is what they would like to have um each county board carry for contingency just in case something would happen. Now across the whole state once COVID hit and all of the supplemental ESSER funding um federal funding came in and at that same time assessed valuations across the state went went up. So property tax collections and things of that nature also increased during the same time frame. So, it was a perfect storm for the county boards because almost every county, their carryovers went up, their fund balance that Mr. Macau is looking at. But what just happened that federal money is now gone. You can clearly see just from last year to this
042year the number of people that were over. So, we're going to start coming back down and that's going to be the trend statewide. Um and unfortunately right now they're concentrating on that uh amount of money but it built up over that period of time and it will uh come down. Um I mean that that is what everyone is seeing. So ours is is roughly 18 to 20%. The carryover. Yes. Okay. So, is there is there a risk with having that? Is there a risk of losing that money by continuing to carry it over? As of right now, no. No. Not unless the legislators changed the funding formula because of it. I mean, anything coming out of this study that they do, I mean, we don't have any idea what they're going to be looking at
043um for it. Um, the risk is not having them right now. the risk is not well what what I'm what I'm speaking about is if we have a larger carryover than surrounding areas will we be penalized for having that money and not getting more state funding um because we did the right thing saved would that they reduce it because we have the a larger backup reserve with [Music] the with the rules and regulations in now the answer is no. Um because most of uh the federal funding is driven based on poverty levels. Uh that pretty much is the same. Uh so a lot of that funding is based on that. Um, and the 10step formula that we just went on, it's driven based on that snapshot in time of October one. And then step nine
044of that funding formula takes 85% of your local tax collections out. That's where the equitable part comes into play. But your excess levy, you get to keep 100% of it. Um, so we're very fortunate that we have that here. Um, there's a handful of counties that do not have that, but as far as being penalized for carrying forward, the answer would be no at this point in time, but I don't know going forward. Yeah, right now there's there's counties that are being penalized. I don't know a penalized word to use. They're being looked at they're below because they're below and actually will probably end up being uh taken over by the state. That being one of several factors. It is one of the factors. One of one of several factors. And do we know uh
045what the surrounding counties if they are carrying over a similar percentage? Uh the state puts out a a sheet that shows everyone's balances if they calculated it. Um, but the state has a criteria they use in order to evaluate the effectiveness of the financial security of your school system. And one of the factors is what is your fund balance? Because if it's way down here, you're not going to get the points. And if you're above that level, they actually give out extra points because you are in a very sound point um state of of matters at that time. So right now um being having that cushion out there is a good thing. It's giving us you said additional points. Yes. And what uh what is the benefit to us for having those additional points besides
046having the the money secured? That is the state's measure of how they determine your financial security um and whether or not they need to come in and assist you. Uh that's one of the scales that they use. So it determines if we open our books and then allow an outside organization to make our decisions for us being the state department of education. Correct. Yeah. When they come in to assist you, it's not we're giving you more money. It's to take you they'll give you more money to I I do have one question about the federal and I think I talked to you a little bit but I think it takes um the federal government increases that we have to absorb that cost of our budget. Okay. There's also and I was asked about this too
047this past week there's talk about doing away with uh Head Start. So we'll have to absorb the kids and staff to support it. Is that something we'll absorb also or will we get money? Well, yeah. I mean, I don't know if so. I think my understanding is it that some standalone Head Starts are getting cut, but we're in like a cooperative where the Head Start folks are in our building with our school and then they just reimburse us for a portion of a a salaried position. Um, I'm not I have not heard that what the the manner that we are moving forward with them is going to change, but I did hear that some standalone Head Start programs were getting cut. Um, it would be Yeah, our preschool isn't going anywhere. So, so if Head
048Start would go away, we we would have to absorb that position. Yeah, we're in a much better position than some of the other counties because ours is actually a collaborative. Yeah. Um and those students are actually counted in our enrollment numbers. Some other counties do not have that. So the lady from Appalachin was on TV. She did a and she was saying that that the cuts that the funding for Appalachin who's were under has been restored. Okay. that there was that those that funding has been restored that we would go on like we were point I was want to get is that's where we need that over cushion. Yes. You know, there's all kinds of stuff. You know, the federal government's going to cut us. There's possibility that, you know, we have to absorb cost.
049For the counties who do not have an arrangement like we do with our Head Start being a collaborative, I do feel bad for them because those students have are not counted in their enrollment. So therefore, they do not get any uh compensation in forms of state aid for those students in the funding formula. and now they're having to uh put them in there and it's, you know, they're not in the funding formulas. So, I don't know if they're going to get a special allocation later to help offset that cost, but they're going to have to figure out a way to hire teachers and get them in there. I mean, it was a totally separate program from the school system. Glad it's not us. Yeah. So for us, we we've got ours is a pretty good
050arrangement the way it is. Are those kids in Head Start are counted in our Yeah. They're part of our enrollment. Yeah. So they're with they're within all of this these numbers that are presented here tonight. Yeah. If it went away, it'd cost us what? An eight? Um 28s, maybe two, I think. Yeah. But that's my understanding is that the Appalachin is supposed to have been that the cooperatives have been put back into the funding, but they probably be taken out just as fast. Huh. So, that's a a little bit more information than what you could have actually extracted from the the three pages that are going to get published in the newspaper. And hopefully that gave you a little bit of insight in the funding formula and where we stand on that. Um, but we
051can always do more if you want want more information, more details. I'll be happy to provide anything you like. Could go through all these. We could. I told I told my boss at work I said I've never had to balance a budget until I came to work here and then the second time was the school biggest I like your pigraphs and your charts that is very good very good very good Karen's always been able to take something that is extremely technical and deep in minutia and be able to explain Excellent job. Yeah, always been able to. So, there are times I go in her office and she just say it's like I get it. But we appreciate it, Karen. Appreciate you. Yes, you're welcome. Other questions for Karen. So, at this time, I'm going to
052ask for a motion for recess for public hearing regarding the 2526 proposed budget. Do I have such a motion? Simon. Okay, we are in recess for a public hearing. That is anybody out there in the public that has a question or board members for that matter. Uh we'll give a couple minutes if anybody has questions and if not we'll move right on with the agenda. Cricket recess recess. Yeah. Any questions for Mrs. Cumins or Mr. Macau? I think we're pretty well hashed. The treasurers an estimate of when federal budget numbers are going to be forthcoming. The last that I heard I'm thinking it's going to be July um before we get any final numbers. Okay. Okay. Hearing no questions uh regarding the hearing, I will entertain a motion to return to regular session. Any questions,
053comments? Hear none. We have a motion to return to regular session. All in favor say I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Okay. Sher, you got time and stuff on that, didn't you? Okay. Thank you. Okay. Um we we're already under a motion. Okay. To approve the proposed budget. We took it at the very uh beginning. Okay. Up there under five. So we're already under that motion. So at this time, any questions about that motion to approve the 2526 proposed budget? Hear none. We have a motion to approve the 2526 proposed budget as presented. All in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. You're good with that, right, Sher? What we did there? Okay. Okay, we're down to routine business. Uh, resignations leave absence. Need a motion to approve the resignation
054of Stacy Barnhart as fourth grade teacher, War County Primary Center effective at the end of the 2425 school year or school year contract. So move anything. So fantastic teacher. I hate to see her go, but her letter was in there and she's choosing to spend some more time with her family. But um I want to thank her for the job that she has done for us. She has been an outstanding teacher and I wish her well in her endeavors that she's undertaken. Yeah. Who knows some years she might come back. She had mentioned that she might um apply to be a substitute teacher. That would be great. At some point in time down the road. That' be great. Any questions hear? None. We have a motion to accept the resignation of fourth grade teacher Stacy
055Barnhart at War County Primary Center effective at the end of the 2425 school year. All in favor say I. I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. We a motion to accept the resignation of Shayla Griffy third grade teacher work county primary center effective at the end of the 2425 school year. So move. another fantastic teacher that I'm sad to lose, but I guess she's been um taken a position where she grew up and you can't fault anybody for wanting to do that. So, but again, thank her for the time that she's taught for us. She's been an outstanding teacher and wish her well in her new position. Yeah, another one we hate to lose. She was one of my residents or one of my student teachers. Um any other questions hear none.
056We have a motion to approve the resignation of Shayla Griffy uh third grade teacher War County Primary Center effective at the end of 2425 school year. All in favor say I. I oppose say nay. I have it. Motion carries. Need a motion to accept the resignation of Autumn Bell as assistant softball coach for county high school effective immediately. So move nothing to add. Her letter was in your packet. Questions, comments hear none. We have a motion to accept the resignation of Autumn Bell as assistant softball coach War County High School effective immediately. All in favor say I. I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. A motion to approve the resignation of Rachel Compston language pathologist districtwide effective at the end of the 2425 school year. So move. So again, she's done an
057outstanding job as a speech person with us and we will miss her, but um her letter was in your packet and wanting to spend time with family. So I completely understand that. Questions, comments. Hearing none, we have a motion to accept the resignation on Rachel Kumston, speech language pathologist, district 1, effective at the end of 2425 school year. All in favor say I. I oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Need a motion to approve the resignation of Hunter McCoy, assistant varsity boys basketball coach for Kenny High School, effective May 14th, 2025. So move. Nothing to add. Their letter was in your packet. Questions, comments? Hear none. We have a motion to approve the resignation of Hunter McCoy as assistant varsity boys basketball coach War County High School effective May 14th, 2025. All in
058favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. A motion to accept the resignation of Justice Aguio math teacher work county high school effective May 15, 2025. So move. So a little aggravated on this one. So we had hired him. I was working with the immigration lawyer to get to sponsor his visa ship and um he sends an email saying that he has taken a job out of state. So we are back to the drawing board with that. We will post the high school math position and back up and punt. Questions, comments? Did his resignation come in time before we had to pay the visa fees? She had been working pro bono until it was ready to pull the trigger and file his paperwork. So, we have not we have not paid
059her a dime. Thankfully, that's the only blessing in this whole conundrum. Any other questions, comments here? None. We have a motion to accept the resignation of Justice Wo, math teacher, Work County High School, effective May 15th, 2025. All in favor say I. I I oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Okay. Now, under employment, uh we have a motion to ex to employ Casey Sims, substitute teacher for 2425 school year effective upon completion of her required paperwork. So, move anything. So, certified teacher um wants to come and sub for us and um I'm happy to be adding some names to those that role. We definitely need some subs. Um, Mr. McCau, do you know just off top I probably should have looked what her certifications were. I know that it is elementary ed, but
060I'm not I'm pretty sure they're K through six. I'm not sure what else they got. Well, maybe she'll want to work fulltime. We will see. Yeah. Any other questions hearing? None. We have a motion that to employ Casey Sims as a substitute teacher for 2425 school year effective upon completion of her required paperwork. All in favor say I. I oppose say nay. I second it. Motion carries. Need a motion to approve the employment of Jordan Mills substitute teacher for 2425 school year effective upon completion of her required paperwork. So move. So, I believe this one was through the RIFF process in Rome County. So, I believe they're so social studies certified. Okay. Um, but um definitely could utilize them and it's not hard to take a practice. So, I would encourage them to to pick
061up some other certifications and particularly something that we need filled and go from there. Matt, there you go. Any questions, comments? Hear none. We have a motion to to approve the employment of Jordan Mills, substitute teacher for 2425 school year effective upon completion of her required paperwork. All in favor say I. I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. A motion to approve the employment of Steven Frame as substitute bus operator for 2425 school year pending background check and certification effective upon completion of the required paperwork. So moved Mr. M. So their application was in your packet. Um we we were down to the wire lacking subs last week and we just about had to cancel an evening bus route. So happy to get another sub on the roster after we get um
062this gentleman trained. Any questions, comments? Hear? None. We have a motion to employ Steven Frame as a substitute bus operator for 2425 school year pending the completion of background check and certification and effective upon completion of required paperwork. All in favor say I. I oppose saying nay. Eyes have it. Need a motion approve the employment of Tim Lynch as custodian 3, class C, War County middle school, 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 240day employment contract effective June 4th with completion of the required paperwork. So move. So as you recall, this is the job that we abolished the 200A and reauthorized the 240. So we didn't have to hire another summer custodian that'll give the middle school two folks to do waxing. And Tim is the successful bidder on that on that position. Questions, comments here? None.
063We have a motion to approve the employment of Tim Lynch, custodian 3, class C, War County middle school, 2:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. 240day employment contract effective June 4th, 2025 with completion of required paperwork. All in favor say I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Okay. Number five is going to be reposted and brought back to us. So, we're at number six. Need a motion to approve the employment of Misty Mccali cook three for summer food service programs as needed effective June 4th 2025. So move Mr. McC. So um she has held the position before so gets summer seniority in that position and happy to have her back cooking for us for summer school again. Questions comments hear none. We have a motion to approve Misty Mcculti is cook three for summer
064food service program as needed effective June 4th, 2025. All in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Down to number seven. Need a motion to approve Robert Hickman as summer general maintenance/groundkeeper as needed effective June 4th, 2025. So move. Bob has worked for us in that capacity before. We're happy to have him back um helping us out in the summertime again. Questions, comments here? None. We have a motion approve Robert Hickman as summer general maintenance/groundskeeper as needed effective June 4th, 2025. All in favor say I. I post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. A motion approved the employment of Melissa Dodson, bus operator, Energy Express, and other extended school year programs as needed, effective June 4th, 2025. So move, Mr. Mac. So Melissa again has driven summer school bus
065for us many years. Happy to have her back doing it again. Questions, comments? Hear none. We have a motion to approve Melissa Dodson as bus operator, energy express, and other extended school year programs as needed effected June 4th, 2025. All in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. And need a motion to approve the 2526 professional substitute list. So move. Mau. That list is in your packet. Do you want me to go down through and read all the names? The board's prerogative. Motion to take all names off the list at once. Well, make that within the Who approved that? Who? Luke, you good with that? Okay. Yeah. Take all names in one action. Question or comments about any names? Hear? None. We have a motion to accept in completion the
0662526 professional substitute list. All in favor say I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. The motion approved the 2526 substit service substitute list as presented unless there's any that you wish to have pulled off. So moved. So moved. Uh any questions, comments about substitute list? Hear none. We have a motion to approve the 2526 service substitute list as presented. All in favor say I. I. I oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Okay, we're down to new business. Okay, this uh approved policy J9 open enrollment policy and it says there's six comments. I've had several um uh questions about this policy that people have made comments and they did not come through uh under the policy. So, speaking with Mr. Macauen. Uh, I'm going to make a motion instead of approved this policy that we
067put it back out for five more days to give those people that um that their policy their comments did not come through a chance to rec comment and then we'll bring it back at the next board meeting uh for discussion and and to approve. Uh it doesn't affect the policy when it goes into effect or anything like that. So, my motion my um I'm looking for a motion to uh to put the open enrollment policy J-09 back out for comment for 5 days. So, move. Okay. Uh Mr. Mr. Stewart made motion. Any questions or comments? If you have questions about that, guys? So, we we got contacted at the board office that the comment um thing wasn't working or they had difficulty doing it. But by the time that Sherry went in and put a
068test comment to test it, that popped up and there were six comments there. So, I will just say if you tried to comment before and you weren't able to, we will put the thing back up and give you another opportunity to comment on that policy. I I think it it makes you know we asked people to comment. We hardly ever get comments and if they feel that their comments didn't come through they might have come through at that point but at the point before they had not so it it does no harm to put it back out for five days and give people a chance to do it. So is this by you or uh it's by Yeah. I just put I read the motion and and M Stewart okay made the motion. You were
069going to say something. Right. So if uh if someone someone is having difficulty using that system to comment, could they call into the office or drop by? Either way, that way anybody that has input, we'll make sure that we get it. Absolutely. Yeah. We um we don't want to anybody feel like they were cut out of we, you know, we're glad people are interested in making comments. So, and and there's a good chance that the comments probably are there, but uh just to make it uh right, we'll put it back out. Uh so the motion is to uh put policy J-09 open enrollment policy back out for five more days comment. All in favor say I. I oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Okay. Um move the Okay. Need a motion to move
070the June 17, 2025 board meeting to June 26, 2025. So move. So this request is twofold. First, the 17th date is when the state superintendent conference is at Stonewall, and I'm going to have to be um at Stonewall that week. The second request for that move is to give the ladies in accounts payable time to process the June bills. Um Mrs. Cummings H has found that moving the board meetings up a little bit. We're in the end of the year crunch right now with the the early board meetings and getting the budget and it just moved the time frame up a little bit. So moving it to the 26 would give them time to process, close out the June books and turn over the books. Can everybody make that day? Karen, if we went further
071deeper, would it help or do you think Well, the issue the issue is the first the first Tuesday in July is the first. So, if we moved it back, we could have a board meeting the 30th and then have one July 1st, but that might be uh so I thought the 26th would be a good a good compromise. Uh does anybody have problem? Mr. Miss Sherlock, can you make that? Good. Okay. Okay. So, the motion is to approve the change of the June 17th, 2025 board meeting to June 26th, 2025. All in favor say I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Done. Uh, okay. Amend policy B-1 uh board meeting protocol and put out for public comment for 5 days. Do I have a motion? So move. Okay. Okay. I didn't print a physical
072copy of this, but it is in your packet. As you recall, the last or the legislative session before last said that board boards may vote to do that. And you probably remember that there was an ethics question about it. Can boards vote to give themselves a raise and there's all of this hub and we changed that policy. Well, the legislature went back and changed that word and made it shall this time. So, we're going to have to go back and amend the policy again. And in your packet, I put what it would be changing section five board member compensation. And it would read, effective July 3rd, 2025, members of the War County Board of Education shall be compensated at the maximum rate set forth in West Virginia code 18-5-4. Because actually, if we don't do
073this, then our policy is in violation of state code. So, and by doing this, it just sets it there and from now on, whatever is put out in state code, that's where we'll go. Um, this is the trend with all uh boards of education. Is that correct? Every board in the state, everyone has to go to that one mechanism. Yeah. Um, and then when will when will the difference that first board meeting in July? Well, no, because this says effective July 3. We're gonna have a board meeting July 1. There you go. Second board meeting in July. There we go. Because the state code says it's not effective until July and what is that change the number? Oh, how much is that going to increase our 260 I believe? So then that's going to also
074increase our budget when that happens. Yes. Yes, it will. Any other questions? And this is one that we really wouldn't have to put out for comment because we're we're changing it to state law. Okay. But again, you know, we want people to know what we're doing. So, I think it behooves us to put it out and give people a chance to comment on it. Was there also something in the change about meeting electronically? No, all that's the same. Yeah, I'm not I don't believe there was a change in that. Yeah, I I mean that's Yeah, I I do not know anything that was changed. the legal when when they did the legal thing on it, the only thing that they talked about was that um day to change to pay and all the counties pretty
075well did what we did. So, they're all going back now and having to revise that policy to meet state code. So, if this is put out for public comment, it would also include the part about it being state code. Yeah. Policy will go out. Okay. Yeah. Make sure. Yeah, I think you actually cite the state code. Yes. Okay. Any other questions? Okay. We have a motion to pin amend policy B-01 board meeting protocol and place out on public comment for 5 days. All in favor say I. I. I. Oppose say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Um, next we need a motion to authorize sup a supervisory a2 pay grade c third grade work county primary center. So move mount. So as you recall we transferred an aid to third grade and we're authorizing an
076additional aid position um for that requirement of of instructional aids to be in third grade classrooms next year. So bringing that to you to authorize um so that we can post it. So this will be in additional to what we currently have not just there of actually in the classroom of what we currently have when as of this current school year. So we currently do not have any aids in third grade this school year. So the legislature put them in third. So they started they put them in first. This year they put them in second. Next year they're putting them in third. So this school year we don't have any instructional aids in third grade. In additional aid, not moving an aid from correct. We we transferred one from first grade to third and I'm
077asking you to authorize an additional brand new third grade aid to put that aid in there. One was transfer and one will be new. Correct. Well, I guess that there should be two then and third. Yes. Any other questions? Okay, we have a motion to authorize the supervisory A2 pay grade C third grade War County Primary Center. All in favor say I. I. Post say nay. Eyes have it. Motion carries. Uh we have no out of county student enrollments. We have no volunteer chaperons. So, we're down to information, uh, board concerns, and we'll start with Mr. Stewart. Uh, I think it all be announced so the public hear about, uh, the awards ceremonies, about how they've been split because I've got some questions. So, correct me if I'm wrong, Die. So, seniors, senior awards will
078be 12:00 this Friday. Okay. Underassman awards will be 12:00 next week on the 29th, one o'clock on the 29th and middle school awards are 8:30 a.m. this Thursday. Mr. Smith, I know you put that out there, but could you put it back out and sort of make make it clearer because I'm not I'm not sure people are getting what you're doing. Okay. If you wouldn't mind. I know you don't. Um, yeah, I like it. I think it's a good thing to do. Okay. I think it gives it gives those seniors the honors they need and it gives the underclassmen the honor they need and before by the time you got to the underassman everybody was done so we agree with what you're doing there think it's a good change I like she's uh so any
079family member is for the seniors and and plus with the 9th 10th and 11th okay that was another Anything else, Mr. Stewart? That's it. Mr. L. Good. Mr. Sherlock, uh, another question about budget with the reserve amount. Is that the same as it was last year or did it change? The reserve that's currently in the budget. Um well the carryover we will bring it forward into FY26 budget once we do the financials and they're not done until September to get the actual amount. So at this point in time we just have an estimated just a number to put in there of $600 and some thousand is all that we put in there at this point in time. Okay. But it's about three million. Yes. This year is over three million. Okay. Is that the we
080will bring that forward into the budget in o um the month of September. So what I'm asking is is that an increase or decrease from previous projections or is that the same? We're hoping that it's going to be about the same is what we're hoping. I mean depending on on some of the things you don't know yet. Yeah. It's it's projected to be steady state, not an increase or a decrease. That's what we're hoping for. Yep. Thank you. Miss Moore. Nothing, sir. Okay. Um, just a reminder, Friday or I'm sorry, Saturday is graduation. Did I get that right? Sunday. I'll get the right day here. Okay. Nothing like giving wrong information. Sunday is graduation. And Mrs. Smith would like to have board members there at 1:00 in the auditorium. Uh, if if you could make
081it there about that time. And uh as Mr. Macau has already said, we got lots of uh awards ceremonies and things going on this week. So, hope to see some of you there. Anything else, Mr. Anything? Pretty good. Have Have we gotten a response from everybody with the board self-reflection that sent out? I I didn't send it and I can't see it. But if if everybody is has everybody done that? I don't think Mr. Low, you you've done it, right? The self-reflection where you answer. Yeah. And Miss Sherlock, I believe you've done it, right? And Luke. So, Mr. Low computer and do it. Yeah. Or you if you come, can you send me the link again and I can if you need help? I'll I can help. Okay. I'll get you. Yes, sir. Yeah. Because
082that is absolutely coming up because Yeah, I think August 15th we've got Yeah, we have to have it before then. August 15th is when we have to send it. Yeah. Right. Yes, sir. Yes. I send that to you in just a minute. Okay. One more question for you. For the graduation ceremony, is there a limit on uh how many guests a student can bring? So, Mrs. Smith put out that the graduates are going to get 10 tickets, okay? And they can give to the family members that they choose. And those 10 are going to get in at one o'clock. Okay. And then any other family that they want to bring and any other folks may enter the gym at 1:30. And that's assuming space available fitness. Yes. Well, are we going to do the overflow
083in the auditorium again? So, uh between the gym and the auditorium, we should have space for anybody that wants to watch graduation to to come. Great. That was another one that you asked earlier. I was going to bring that back up too because it is kind of people's asking me and big day. Yeah. Anything else guys? Okay. I will entertain a motion to adjourn. We'rejourn. Next board meeting is I supposed to say that June. Next board meeting is June 3rd, 2025 here in Cers area at 6:00. Thank you, gentlemen. Thank you, sir. Thank you, Miss