001Good evening everybody. This is a meeting of the finance committee. Today is Thursday, April 10th and it's 6:30. We're located at city hall. Um in attendance I'm gentle Perez sharing committee. Um, we have committee members William Medina in Ferguson, Marissa online, and board members in person, Albert Ben, Joseph, and someone online. Online on the agenda tonight, um, first approval of the meeting minutes from March 20th, 2025. There motion moved by Mr. Deina. I'll second it. Um, any discussion on that? All in favor minutes say I I passes um Miss Estra May we have um updated the portal with uh the newest draft of I can't it won't allow me. Oh we will be uploading the portal. So there is one or two changes on this and we'll let you know when when we get there.
002Okay. Okay. Thank you. Um so the next item on the agenda is the discussion of possible referral to the full board of additional eliminations to reduce the budgetary needs for the fiscal year 2526. Um and so believe Dr. A Mr. Nwell will be presenting on that. Thank you madam chair. I I'll go ahead and kick us off. Uh, one of the things we wanted to make sure that we we emphasize that we we we were charged to be able to come up with approximately $30 million worth of possible cuts for considerations to the board um for this this year for next year's budget. And so what we've done, I've kind of gathered a lot of different uh perspectives from staff members, uh from cabinet members, and Nester and I have been kind of pounding our
003head behind behind the scenes to really try to make sure that we we we do a meaningful job with this. Again, this these are going to be options uh that the board could consider uh when it comes to we get to a point where we have to be able to kind of fine-tune cuts for um making our budget for this uh next upcoming school year uh 2526. Uh and so uh I'm going to um provo to kind of go through line by line. We'll talk about it. If there's any, you know, discussion and questions that you guys may have about it, we can explore those as we go to each through each one of them. So, next, I'll go ahead and give you uh the floor. So, let the record show that Mr. Woodson joined
004online as well. Okay. Good evening everyone. What I'm going to do I'm going to go through line by line one line two line three and basically explain the rationale behind or assumption behind each of the revenue or expenditure reduction that proposed here. Some of them are revenue revenue increase basically is a relief to the budget gap. Expenditure decrease is a relief to the budget gap. So that's the way it works. The very first line item, line item number one, revenue increase of $3 million. It's an increase of $3 million that the mayor proposed in the mayor's FY26 proposed budget before the city council for approval. So, the mayor earmarked additional $3 million for motivating. Do you want on the screen or Yes. Okay. The mayor proposed or proposed or recommended additional $3 million for board
005of education um towards board of education budget next fiscal year which is fiscal year fiscal year 2026. So that's why we earmarked it there pencled in there. It will go through the council deliberation the city council deliberation most likely will be approved we hope and most likely will be approved by the city council. that will be a relate towards the $30 million goal that the board had asked Dr. Abra and I to come up with and for clarity on that I think May 7th is their date for that approval as well. Um just for the record when the city allocates money to the district to the school district this money goes towards what they call the ECS minimum education requirement. What it means is that this $3 million increase next year, the city is bound
006by law to maintain that $3 million to infinity. Well, as long as the district is in alliance district, it's an alliance district. So, the city cannot in 2027 decide to change your mind and reduce the budget district budget by $3 trillion. are not allowed that lock 10 in that increase on as long as the school district I shouldn't say as long as I mean for yeah most part to infinity if you want to put it that's the way that's the law that's the way it works so the city so it's a permanent increase is what I'm bally trying to say to the district budget line item number two the elimination of 2 to1 power kindergarten powers um if kindergarten parents were reinstated with COVID money or ESA money. Now that the ESA has ended, this
007program or this service should have ended September 30th, 2024 when the ESR program ended and when the ES money end finished, but it the district kept going. That's part of the compounding effect to the deficit if you want to put it that way. So the proposal is here is to go revert back to not having two to one parent in this in the classroom. They didn't it was they did not have it they had it before 2020 2015 but it was eliminated 2016 then with the esser money it got reinstated. Now the district are not afforded because the ESR money has been. So we're going back to pre funding level. The next one is a district what line item number three districtwide followers or concession. Basically, the administration is putting out there asking for concession
008from all the district employees or school district employees, both teachers and non-teer employees for a five day five days follow. the if every employee that works in the school district agrees to the five days follow concession the district will save $4.5 million or it will reduce help reduce the budget by $4.5 million. So if you break it down by a daily basis if they everybody agrees to one day is $914,000 two days 1.8 8 million 5 days is 4.5 million. So I broke it down by days if somebody wants to know the value of one day if everybody agrees. The only thing I have to clarify here this is a one-time funding source. Meaning the savings doesn't keep reoccurring next year. You only get the benefit in 2026 because they're only going to give you
009that concession only one year. have to find where you're going to money to replenish that 4.5 million in 2027. It's a one time remove. If everybody gives one day next year, not a permanent pick like the three like the $3 million that the city is giving to board of education. The $3 million that the city is giving to board of education is a permanent pitch. Meaning the money will always be there year after year. That's the difference. The next one is climate climate specialist. These are positions part- timerrs in some of the school. Basically, I approve the PD or I approve the requisition on the time sheet. There are too many of them. I'm not saying we shouldn't do them, but we have to scrutinize them because we're under severe financial constraints. We have to
010only use them when and where we need them. pretty much a lot of them were there pretend with funding but we don't have funding anymore so we have to really streamline it where is absolutely necessary it's my my my proposal or my estimate is that we could shave off $100,000 of those expenses from reoccurring next year and that will be a cost reduction to the budget gap next year item Number four is increase of student walking distance elementary school students within the district. These are only for public school children. The total number is approximately item I'm sorry item number five. The there are elementary students. The total number of students is estimated at 1,256 students. If we if we increase the mileage from one mile walking distance to 1.5 miles, the savings is going to
011be 2.3 2.3 million approximately $2.4 million a year. Now, this is a permanent savings. The implementation of this program will be a permanent saving, meaning the district would continue to save that money every year. Those are the type of savings that we should be looking for and not a one-time enterprise or one time relief. So, it's okay to balance a budget. It's okay to reduce expenditures, but we should be more focused on what will be permanent and what will continue to reoccur as a savings year after year. That is absurd. That is how you permanently try to give a relief to a budget. Doing a one time doing a one time fix does not help anyone or else we're back to square one 2027 scramble for another 30 35 million. So whatever we do we
012have to go for a permanent fix. Item number six, walking increasing the walking distance for Bridgeport students, high school students. There are about 453 student that will be impacted, increasing it from 2 miles to 2.5 miles. Again, that will save approximately approximately $860,000 every year going forward, barring the cost of living increase in future per year. just need to clarify it will always be cost of living increase in future years but assuming all things being equal being constant is $860,000 savings that will keep reoccurring every year assuming we have the same number of students the same number of walking distance so the next one item number item number seven increase the charter schools in Bridgeport because the Bridgeport school district is responsible ible for paying for charter school elementary charter school students. They are our
013students because they live in Bridgeport, but they're not within the Bridgeport school district. But the state law requires Bridgeport Board of Education to pay for their transportation for charter schools. So if we treat charter school elementary school students like we're proposing to treat our own in district students increasing the walking distance mileage from one mile to 1.5 miles we will save we will save about $970,000 $970,000 a year now. So then the item number eight again charter schools increasing their walking distance from one is that an arrow it's an arrow from two miles I'm sorry from 2 miles to 2.5 miles just like the point district point of information um is all the error the calculation the distance or no no it's just you just a typo it's the type of player. So the number
014does not affect the number. It does not affect the number. It's a typographical what I probably did. I copied the number from the narrative and copy the same one. So item number eight is for charter school. It doesn't state that on. So that's for charter school. It is for charter schools. Yeah, it doesn't state. Sorry. Thank you. It is for charter school and the distance right on the distance is 2 miles to 2.5 miles for high school. Charter school high school that's still it's a typographical error but it does not affect the dollar amount is 178 student high school 76 from two to two and a half from two to two and a half miles yes just like we we're proposing to do with our in on in house students that's the only difference again
015the social workers again Here we have we had the board had reduced the social workers in the first cut that we did. Now we are reducing them additional proposing to reduce additional social workers. Um so right now if we reduce four or more social workers it's going to come down to 39 social workers. That is severe if you ask me. Um again it's a little more than the numbers we had as prior to ESA Monday but again we had a conference with the principal and I'm not a psychologist I'm not a sociologist uh but again if the board decides to do that he's going to produce he's going to produce $340,000 in savings. Again, that is a permanent saving, but we have to be put into consideration the welfare of the children, the psychological and
016emotional welfare of the children. And it's not my decision. I just have to point it out. The same thing with counselors. Item number 10, proposing reducing counselors, additional four counselors being reduced. That would save $379,000. The effect of eliminating it is actually I call it 18 principles but it's 12 principal plan plus administrators. These are the assistant principles that the board had eliminated or deferred elimination to kick in next fiscal year. These teachers or these assistant principal will come into the classroom. What it would what will happen? They will come into the classroom as teacher. the slots that Kelly long-term substitutes are filling these teach these assistant principles will become teachers in those classroom in those classroom thereby forcing Kelly employees for us not to rehire those Kelly employees the average cost of hiring a
017Kelly long-term sub in a year is what is almost $47,000 so if you $47,000 savings by not paying Kelly employees in those class as teachers times it by 18. That's how you get the $841,000. Let's not forget that we are moving these assistant principles in to teaching position, but we're only saving $1,000 in their salary because we're paying them at a very high salary. But we have to bear the cost because of it is the union contract but it will pay out completely within the next three years. So $1,000 the first year $1,000 in 2000. Go ahead. No, go ahead. 25% of the difference between the teacher pay and the administrative pay. Whatever the case is, next year we're only going to save $1,000 per assistant. remove that. That's $18,000. That's all the savings we're
018going to save. However, we're going to save them coming into the classroom and we not paying the long-term care sub, but that's the way it works. Remove and reassign three principles administrators who are currently on flexible assignment. Basically, they're going to have [Music] to going to reassign three princip principles and administrators who are on special assignment is going to basically force other employees to to leave the district. But the total savings is $570,000 next year. But it is a permanent thing. Again when we're doing with all these proposals most of these proposal I'll try to mention every one of them is a permanent savings except item so far except item number three that's a oneear s which is concession union concession that only will only benefit the district only for one year it dies the
019effect of it the financial impact effect of it dies the same next here. That's it. So, every other one that we're going through will be a permanent relief, meaning it's a permanent relief to the district budget going forward. Elimination of five five additional central office positions. That's uh that's something Dr. Avery has to pick and choose and decide which which of the positions in the central office to eliminate. comes out to $585,000. Elimination of performing visual elimination of performing visual arts, theater and drama program and the fame fame program. Um basically it's only like three employees and the fame program. So we're talking you know it's not it's not district one. So consolidated savings of that will be $46,000. We we we've been having planning department have been having conferences teacher conferences or teacher allocation
020conferences with principles about 31 teachers will be exempted based on the based on the class sizes. Excessing means we try to bring class to a allowed maximum level but we're not pushing it to the maximum level but to the allowed maximum level in order to consolidate classes. Uh pretty much so what it will do it will basically pro make 31 teachers available. Those 31 teachers will be reassigned to fill vacant teaching positions that are currently existing in the district. But if those teachers, those 31 teachers fill those vacancies, what it will do, it will force the district not to retain the long-term substitutes that we have in those classrooms which were which we're paying Kelly services for. Those long-term those long-term substitutes cost the district about 4647,000 per year for each long-term substitute. So because
021we're reassigning those excess teachers into the classrooms, we're getting rid of the cost of paying long-term subsidies at Kelly. So $46,000 or $47,000 times 31, that's how you get 1.4 million savings. That is a permanent savings going forward. Isolation of curriculums and use of state use of state free programs. Uh that's Dr. Avery and Margaret Hood and Sany and Chris W of specialty. have gone through the school curriculum revamped and decided to put ones that are somewhat I don't want to use the word Marge you digress I don't want to say the wrong word these these are items that planned to be purchased this year that were taken off and we discussed these at our curriculum savings meeting earlier in the year in the at the finance committee. Okay. So, but all in all, at
022the end of the day, that's the $900,000 uh money being reprogrammed to be applied toward reducing the gap. Dynamics is a dynamic software is a one-time software program. We're going to purchase it this year. The expense is not going to reoccur this next year. So, it's a onetime purchase. So those funds will be available be used in the program in paying other expenses or other program because it's a one time expense. This year reduce city reduce council attorney outside council attorney everybody has to everyone need to appear calling a lawyer is not cheap. One phone call I think the bill no less than 15 minutes. So we everybody had believe the proposal and the whole thing is before anybody call Dr. Avery before any staff call any district employee call outside council they have to
023get authorization for Dr. Dr. Dr. favorite. Anytime you call just to say good morning, it's a lot of money. That's the truth. Sorry. I mean, many that were better than move one of the two teachers in the HR department into the classroom. Um pretty much so review all stipen payments eliminate non-contractable ones. Basically I approve stipens being paid to employees. A lot of stipens some stipens were being paid with grant money extra money where we had some money. We had excess money to pay people who had incentive to work. Co is over some money happen. So there's no need I have to scrutinize every type payment before they even fill out the form. Basically every requisition I approve every every requisition that I approve I open the requisition you're ordering gross sorry if you're ordering
024what is not ideal or proper for the school I reject it really operational freely the whole principal will tell you yes he rejected it yes I look at every recommendation I open all of and I read what you find Okay. Review our special education non-medical students IEP update. Here we just strongly feel the district really need to put some controls on circular education program implementation the way we operate, the way we carry it out. At the end of the year this year, we're projecting to spend $120 million in special education. That is a lot of money. That is serious amount of money. So we really have to try to cut costs. Not cut cost not not really describe children their needs but try to do things more efficiently an exercise that we have to go
025through and we have to set up programs district cell phone utilization. Basically, we're going to get in touch with the IT department, scrutinize every phone assignment, every gadget assignment to employees. Some of them are not needing. This has it's gotten that far got that bad and we really have to start nicl look it a little bit here a little bit there they all add up elimination of 15 media library circulation provisions that will total 1.7 million savings elimination of five additional assistant principles what that will do again just like we did in above eliminating five additional assistant principles. What's going to happen? They have the right to go into the classroom. So, you're still going to pay. You're going to save only $1,000 in their salary. However, they will force out will force the district
026not to retain the Kelly employees who are doing substitute work. So you're only going to save $46,000 $47,000 or $46,000 plus the $1,000 salary savings you're going to get on the assistant branch report. So if we times it by five that's how you get the 238 but we have to get started with all these you know teachers on special assignment and start bringing them inhouse. Yes, it's going to be expensive for two years. The first two years, but the third year the pool benefit will kick in after three years in the administrative contract. They don't benefit will kick in meaning they will go back to the level this year when when they go we have a savings not of a thousand is a 25% again with those correct no it's only a th000 the only
027other savings you get is you're not paying a tally sum so you see the $1,000 salary reduction these are additional these are addition you're confused because these are additional that are not part of Washington there. Yeah, these are additional in addition to what the board had already approved. Well, the last but not the least is item number 25. And it speaks for itself. We're talking about 40 teachers on the table. one to get to 30 million. How to get to 30 million? Information. State law makes us budget. Balance the budget. Nobody on the board wants to get rid of teaching law. Anybody will make any of these cuts. It's the state of Connecticut that put us in a position. He's not the board that wants to make these cuts. Thank you. Okay. Uh item number
02826 is a revenue. I did not add it as part of the as part of the 28 million because in tenative it is not solid. It's not been approved by the legislators. This is one of this is the SB special education um additional funding reimbursement and special education expenses. This is the this is the line item that the legislators muscled up and brought into the budget this year. his current years and the governor will long timely sign it in to lower that the district reborn will get 1.8 $1.8 million this year. However, it's nowhere. The same appropriation is nowhere in the state budget in the state budget next year. However, in 2027, the governor budgeted that appropriation in 2027. So, it's kind of funny that we're getting 1.8 8 million this year is now where
029is nowhere allocated in the same budget next year but it's allocated in the same budget in 2027. Pretty odd. So what I'm trying to say here is we hope that we lobby our legislators to at least include it in the next in the 2020 2026 budget allocation. I mean it's real odd and awkward that they will fund it this year, skip next year, fund it a year after. So it's a limbo. The 1.8 for next year is limbo, but it's able to bring it on on the table here. That is a potential profitable revenue. I cannot guarantee that. The other um the questions committee members post I do have one and then I'll I'll pass while they'll ask later the rest. Um the 3 million in revenue of their office. Um last year the the
030increase was 10 million. Is this the same as last year? No. So this is 3 million. Okay. last year or this year I should say. This year the city gave board of education $3 million. That 3 million they're still maintaining it. This is three million. Next year is 3 million in addition to the 3 million that the city gave board of education. So between this year and next year the city is giving board of education combined $6 million for clarity. In 2027, if the city gives board of education 93 million, it means that the city is giving board of education $9 million cumulatively and they have to maintain that $9 million straightforward to infinity. Well, for the very longest time because Bridgeport is an alliance district cannot by law spend they cannot by law reduce
031the appropriation of financial commitment they give to the school district. That's the state law report cannot once they lock in or give you money they're obligated to maintain that level of fund. Um is that is that going to be our asking or is there going to be more than we're going to ask? Yes. In the true madam chair in the requested budget that the board asked me to we submitted $25 million as from the city. That's what the board voted I remember for me to request from the city. So we requested 25 Dr. Avery and I requested $45 million from the city. I'm gonna go miss. Good afternoon everyone. I had a few questions. Um and first and foremost I wanted to start off by uh thanking you Mr. Nquo for um looking at sustainable
032cuts. So cuts that are permanent, cuts that, you know, are permanent, cuts that, you know, we to help reduce potential future years deficits as well. So I know this has been long coming. So I just wanted to acknowledge that and and thank you for that. Um, I did have a few questions in terms of the teachers. So we do have teacher cuts for approximately 40 teachers. Um I do know that there is some attrition. So realistically like how many teachers generally speaking leave the district? Um is it around that amount 40 or are we or is it more if I may ask is like it's more of a revolving door to be honest with you that what you have to consider is the net net reduction or net duction in teachers as teachers are leaving
033we're we are replenishing we're hiring. So what you have to consider is the net reduction are we less less teachers at the end of the year or are we more now one thing I have to caution here is we talk about attrition let me explain how it works you have 18 assistant principal you have teachers on special assignment you have 31 teachers being reassigned. Now you're getting up to 40 40 something 50 seaters. That number impacts your attrition because those employees you're moving are going into the classroom thereby reducing your attrition rate. Okay. Then we already have $4.5 million as operational attrition savings for next year. We have to be careful when we start double counting numbers that will not materialize. Can't just keep reducing counting the chips not realizing you don't have enough chips.
034Yep. So to answer your question, we've already taken that attrition number you're looking at. That's some of the savings you're seeing here being brought into the classroom to fill those slots, vacancy slots in the teacher slots. And we've already taken $4.5 million in attrition during the course of the year as a savings. So at this point, I don't want to increase attrition because you might increase it beyond unrealistic number. That's not a tenant. It's easy to It's easy to apply credit and get a credit, but paying it can be a problem. Yeah. And there uh every late spring and early summer we go on kind of a hiring blitz to make out the four of the uh teachers we lose by attrition. So that's going to come into play with what Mr. the FO is
035talking about in as far as what we're actually hiring based on the attrition that we're having and the cuts that we're being forced to make. So, it's going to be a constant kind of re-evaluation as we go through to see where those numbers actually lie, but typically it's higher than 40 that we lose. Yeah. Yeah. So is it safe to say four I just want to make sure I understand this properly for more than 40 teachers leave we will not fill 40 slots is that correct no ma'am chief as teachers are leaving we're hiring teachers so net net we might if 40 teachers leave we might hire 30 30 teachers so that 10 vacancy is once structured as attrition savings. That's part of your 4.5 million credit we're taking to reduce the budget. So, we're
036already eating the the savings with that 4.5 billion we applied at the beginning of the gap closing measure. It's not here on the very first spreadsheet. If you look in that spreadsheet on that gap closing gap closing measures before we calculate $30 million there's $4.5 million attrition savings factor in okay we should not forget that number doesn't exist we already used it can you two three times because it doesn't exist or you double count you double count your savings that you're never going to attend. Yeah. Yeah. Certainly don't want to do that. Um, I did also want to mention, um, can we I know tonight we're going to be voting to vote on these on the board, um, to pass them through the board, but can we post the list because I think although tonight
037we're just post we're making the vote to to vote on these on the board, it's really important and for the community to understand every single line item that that's on the table. And in my personal opinion, I think I think we ha we have a fiscal responsibility to balance the budget, but the options that we have to take and the decisions that we have to take today are atrocious and they're horrible for our children. We're literally running this district to the ground. And I think it's really important for parents to use this list and begin advocating. I know there's been many advocating efforts already, but they need to have what's really at stake here. We're going to potentially vote on $28 million worth of cuts and they need to articulate every single piece that that
038is on the table for for a cut. Um, would we be able to post that? Yes, I think that that that's a that's that's a a fair question to ask. I think one of the things I want to make sure that we're clear on is that I don't think the board is going to vote on any of these op any options for reduction at this at this moment. We're just really wanting to move it to the next board meeting for the consideration of the entire board. And at that point then we will come back to fine-tune and and and allocate the the which one of these line items that the board wants to consider to uh to uh take action on. So we still have a little bit of time. I think being able to
039you know present the things that we are considering because there there probably was be will be some additional items that we will consider based on some recommendation from the board. I think that was a part of this whole conversation is that administration provided some options and then if there's any additional ones uh that clear the board could pro provide some of those options as well. So uh again uh madam chair if that's desired board I think that would be very important for the community to to tap in. I'm sure there will be many many articles in the morning after this meeting uh that's going to put it out there on the front page of what we're doing and how we're doing it. And so I think we we we'll do do our due diligence and
040put it out there first. And again, that's one of the reasons why this meeting is is is being held today uh as we take the whole entire options and recommendations to the full board on Monday when we return from spring break. That that sounds excellent. The last thing that I did want to mention, thank you for that Dr. Avery, is um can we at some point in time, assuming that we get the funding, SB1511 passes and we get funding, can we we do have the opportunity to withdraw if some of these items are voted to be cut. We do have the option to withdraw some of our decisions. Can we make a list of priorities and um of what we can withdraw from the table of potential cuts? For example, our human capital in the
041classrooms for example. Absolutely. And I think that is I've already kind of gotten a if you look at the the letter that was submitted to the senators uh yesterday or something since I have a priority list uh for how to use the additional dollars if we were to get that $57 million. I I kind of grouped it a little bit, but if you read through the lines, a lot of the the cuts that are the the potential cuts here, they're going to be brought back in that in those allocations. And so I did that purposely in order to make sure that we have options. So if it's if the bill is passed, then we will be able to, you know, have the $30 million to offset, you know, the budget in addition to bringing some
042of that back in order to make sure that we make our teachers, our administrators, our counselors, you know, social workers whole. Uh, and we will start with that priority first. Yes, ma'am. Great question. That's everything I have. Thank you. Um through the chair, are we going to go line item by item to discuss these or we're going to be just asking question right now? Question. Okay. Um just to piggy back on uh Vince's um uh last question is yeah we the board actually already had set some things in line to be the first things to be uh you know put back into place uh when we get this funds that we're continuing to pray for. So we are the ones that make that those you know those recommendations and decisions to who we want to
043bring back and what we want to bring back uh speedily. Um I I have a whole bunch of stuff here. I apologize. Um eliminating line number 13 eliminating five additional central office staff. We have the number 585. Um how do we come up with that number? That's the average salary. It depends. You can't you got to authorize it. No, let me 585. It's It's really taking an average salary. 178 finish. Go ahead. $17,000 including the health insurance the health insurance pretty much. Uh but that's not really okay. 117,000 the average. But let me clarify. Let me clarify clarify something here that answers your question. 117,000 average salary. The number you see here, this $28 million is a gross sales. Let me clarify. I should have put another number until the board decides which positions or
044which programs they want to eliminate. I can't start running numbers on the cost associated with eliminating a position without knowing which positions are being eliminated. What I mean here some position is eliminated here that hasn't been there is cost of unemployment I have to factor away I have to discounted the saving so in aggregate I came up with almost 35 if you include the teachers we talk about 75 free positions here you're looking at no less than $1 million of reduction in savings between pay retaining them pay you have to pay the accumulated vacation, pay the accumulated six times, they're all going to be next year. So the financial impact is going to be next year. Thereby reducing the same all the carried up on health insurance for about 60 days. What is the program?
045Six months. Six months. You buy the city at the district's expense. You have to pay unemployment, choose not to work if they haven't gotten a job for six months. When you discount it all, you're looking at no less than $1 million that you have to discount from each projected $28 million sale. It's not all that the cost associated with it. So that's why I had the question because I'm just wondering how do you come up with that number and I don't see those factors. I can only do it on aggregate. You have 35 positions. I will I can spend all day all week scrambling running numbers that the end the board decided not to do anything. So I can give you aggregate is about a million dollar discount a million dollars from the budget. Yeah.
046Just for clarity just want to make sure that you understand depending on the the actual position that we that's going to be give and take. You know it could be $800,000 depending on the individuals that we select. So again, I had him do an average salary in order to kind of get a number to where we are because all this is going to going to shift a little bit once we fine-tune where we're going to which one we're going to do. It's going to be a little bit different based on a number of different scenarios. And so I this exercise was really to try to get us to a good number that we felt comfortable with to to to present to you. So that's kind of what we did. So it's going to it it'll
047change based on on a number of different factors and so don't want to be just you know you know c catch oursel you know but we can't have no wiggle room we have a little bit of wiggle room to figure out which positions because what's happening guys is that at central office we've already cut and so I got to be very strategic as to which positions additional positions that I need to cut in order to make sure that we have a functional system to run and support cancer SW. So again, it just gives a little little freeway to be able to do some negotiation and figuring out which one's going to be. That's what that's for. M question to pick that up yours. So So you're not sure specifically if it's like a clerical position
048versus having, right? Is it just all central office in general? Right. And then we may even I think going through this exercise I think there's going to be more than that you know personally because there's going to be people that's going to leave. We're gonna we're not going to fill that position. So there's a lot of other factors that come to play as well that we're going to be very mindful of to make sure that we can get to where we need to be. I asked a question simply because again it it alarms me when we're we're we're reading this and I can only read what I have in front of me. Mhm. And I want I know those factors. Everything that you guys both said, I know those factors are the point, but it's
049not reflected in the paperwork that we have in front of us. So that's why I want to make sure that we, you know, we talk with each other with clarity and transparency because this doesn't give me what what we need to look at because that to me that is not a true factual line there. There's no facts on that whatsoever. We can't determine that. I know we can't determine that. Um, so I just want to make sure that I, you know, put it out there and and and uh ask that right away. Line 16. Can I back off that one? So, sorry, but as you say, that makes me if if this is on the line, so when you come up with those positions, is it possible to come up with at a minimum 585?
050Yeah. Oh, yeah. You know what I mean? No, I I understand. But I understand but I just know that there's all those factors that said but you know I would rather have seen this line you know literally said an estimate of because of this reason um because we haven't chosen I would love to see that here that we know what the the plan is. I know that we got to make a decision but I hate for this to go over to the full force but not an understanding and clarity and that's why I said in my committee I I can't say let's put something to the committee uh from the committee to the full board if we don't have those answers to these questions and to find out what is it how are we going
051to decide this and just leave it in limbo that we don't know five positions what positions and I understand that there's a for example a director or somebody that's leaving it and he or she as a secretary. So, most likely that position doesn't need a secretary. Don't for that position is gone. I can almost see that. Um, but that's why I asked the question because it just makes I'd rather read it and know what what's going on. Um, I don't know. Anybody else want to touch on that line before I continue? Um, I think I would actually pick that. It's not a minimum based on me. If you say that's an average, it can't be a minimum. Could be more. It could be more. You could be more less. It's an average. Yeah. Well, my
052minimum when I said my minimum was like No, he said Mr. said it's a minimum. I think that's No, he and I'm just pointing out if it's an average. It can't be a minimum. He's going to have to deliver. You could technically pay off four people who are less than average and one who's more and be less. going to I'm just No, I'm not trying to argue with you, but you can't tell us it's a minimal. You couldn't come back with a number that's lying, but you can't tell us this is a minimum. So, just to be clear. Okay. So, thanks. Yeah, I thought we were going No, but um yeah. Okay. So, on this on this line we're talking about talking about 500 right now positions we're talking about said average 117,000 and if
053we include if we subtract the health benefits if they're in line with the other ones we're talking about probably an average about $92,000 salaries. So these outages are computed with probably mid-level staff in mind rather than upper cabinet positions. And as far and since we're on this line, there's nowhere else to really discuss the upper level category positions and the administrative positions. We have several contracts that are currently illegal. What's the negotiation? We were supposed to be negotiating in those contracts for potential savings. Is there any potential savings out of the contracts that were supposed to be renegotiated? Because we aren't only renegotiating the people that were leaving. We're negotiating people here as well that were signed contracts that were not approved by the board. Did that happen when was a negotiation? Right. Okay. That
054that's all I want to raise up on that line. Back to you. We're not on line. Yeah. Yeah. No, no, but y'all put it on the line 13. Do you have stuff on line 13, guys? I do. Um Oh my god. And I kind of wanted to second what Mr. Traber was saying that if these are averages, there is an opportunity for when the numbers are solidified for them to be under. So my suggestion or my comment around that was can we make sure that whenever we're going and actually selecting the roles for to be cut that they are at minimum what this um e estimated average is um and not fall under that. Yeah that's kind of what I was trying to go for. Yeah. Yeah. Yes. Thank you. And Mr. What did you
055have on the same question on the same item? Uh just a comment. I I just thinking back of reading something in the report on us losing administrative positions and the effect that it'll have on just being able to like Dr. Avery said to function. So, I just want people in this committee to keep that in mind as you talk about making cuts and not replacing people and stuff like that. I think I did see that on on on that report. If not on that report, maybe in the newspaper or something. So, just be aware that the state is keeping an eye on administrative positions. You know, it's not people think that it's all about the classroom, but it's not just classroom. community administrative positions to help those classrooms function and make sure that keeping and
056and you know just riding by the boss. Thanks. Number 16, cancellation of some curriculums and use state free programs. Um, what curriculum are we talking about there? If we're looking at $900,000 in savings, um, what is that determination? I don't know what we had. We want to present it to the subcommittee last time in our curriculum savings went over many of these for instance was in there for 580 something thousand which although we had it in the initial budget we deleted that by excel was the social studies curriculum the basis for the social studies curriculum and to have to renew that for one year at that cost was we thought was exorbitantly high. So the alternative route is that the state has for the K8 they have programs and what we did learn with our
057ELA work that we've done is that our teachers really prefer many of them prefer especially at the high school level generating the the curriculum in hearing and do have people with that expertise that as long as we say okay here are the grade level standards that we have to meet here they have to be integrated with ELA that we would be able to create with our teacher and pay our teacher stipen stipens or not siphons hourly curriculum rate to write that curriculum at the high school level. the curriculum for social studies at the uh K8 level. Um we would be undergo a similar process, but because the state already has units prepared, they're free, resources are there, we're up to standards, they're aligned with everything. We thought that would be a way for teachers to
058look at it, make modifications to suit what they felt was appropriate for what things they want to do. As long as we the big thing for the district level is that we want grade level standards aligned with our content area so that we can guarantee that all our kids no matter what high school you're in or no matter what elementary school everybody's getting that same high quality advantage. Yep. Um can we get a breakdown on that? So again see what we're eliminating with what is going to be substituted also. Yeah. I think there is a packet in um was it in your committee? Yeah, it's already been voted on. So yeah, it's a packet in one of the portals and it should be on uh instructional discovery education. Everybody knows my intentions here to be
059clear. You know, I'm trying to always think back on what we've done before. So if we talked about it before savings, but then now we're so neglected here again. So, I want to make sure that the savings that we were talking about before is now all of a sudden added here again as another savings. And I want I'm checking all my boxes as a you know board member making sure that I'm you know cross referencing everything that's happening or everything that's being presented to me or speak for myself to me. That way I can hold the accountability to myself that I'm asking the right questions and making sure that I'm seeing what I'm seeing to be factual throughout the months that I've been on the board. So this is why I know he just said
060that he passed it state in the February committee meeting. So wanted to look here saying so I want to make sure that's what we're talking about because I remember few months ago there was another thing that you saw it was like a $2 million savings that you found. I remember that number in my head in one of meetings at uh Aqua. So I just want to line on our savings that we were not just to clarify some of that was for this year. So in that presentation it was some for this year and then some for next year. Next year. So it's been plugged in at that time. I I'll for you this next year's number. Yeah. So I don't know if anybody else want to pick it back on 16. Somebody else. Okay. Um
061line number 18 reduce attorney outside council. Um, we're spending about according to this to reduce it from 953,000 to reduce 653. How did you come up with those numbers? What does that look like? Because I I've never seen those numbers. So, I want to know build every month sitting for four hours a day. One of those things numbers like they're spending, you know, almost a million dollars on lawyer fees and all that stuff. That's why he hasn't seen Mr. Ducas in a while. That is we should be working absolutely on the budget to figure out what do we need there for? Can we get other thing? Can we use we're going to go here a lot of times a city attorney instead of calling them city. I I just so in the what was past
062practice was we used uh we should have been using city attorney to all this first and we weren't. who were using version of Moses. Um our first phone call right now is city attorney's office. We're not and if there's something that they cannot do and they have to outsource, they will do with our approval, but um uh but we're going forward using the city attorney's office. Um and that's we have do we have like somebody put down here, Mr. N $300 saving that we're trying to you know cut with all that. um you know what is that uh compute without how do we come up with $300,000 because I'll say $500,000 since then but I'm just saying how do we come up with that number what that number consist of we do we know that
063we're going to try to limit our hours to this amount of hours of services what how do we come up with 300 you when it comes to legal services if Paul falls into it when somebody mom fall out of legal service have The grandma went to fish and grandf those are unavoidable. What we're talking about here is accounting fees. You know, anything you can Google. I'm not saying everybody should be a lawyer trying to be a lawyer. Some of the things you can Google and get an answer on on the internet. But calling your lawyer, calling a lawyer, make a long story short, I look at the invoices, I approve the invoices, I see the sequence of call and dealings and minutes and all those things. I told everybody not be feeling like calling lawyers
064or talking to them. They have to put in their put in their toy virtual public school. But each time you call them, it's not. I'm not saying we shouldn't use them, but we have to put checks on balance. I'm not saying we're the only talking about you're talking about actual other attorneys that I mean. Yeah. Okay. So yes, there are there are um there are things that we'll need attorneys for. Uh the district has sued uh for CHRO for different things like that will need the attorneys. Uh city attorneys in the past have to propose that out to Virgin Moses. So there's still a need for the attorneys, but I think what Mr. Nuo is saying is reducing the times you're calling for just advice for Virgin Moses should eliminate Yeah. Well, that's why my
065question elaborate maybe or just put it more simpler. That's why I asked we came up with million.com. How do we come up with that thing? I my question was, you know, what are we trying to do? Reduce the hours. What hours are we trying to reduce? Because now, you know, I'll be looking for those statements of last year that we're spending 953 to see how we're spending that money. Was it all losses? Was it this? Or was it just like you said, you say good afternoon, that's an hour. you know, the minute you every minute counts. So, I I would like to see that because I we're trying to save $300,000. Can we save more and or because I'm, you know, trying to save more teachers. So, if I can save $500,00 Yeah, absolutely. I
066want to know what hour how we come up with $300. Somebody came up with $300, wait, we need to see a statement of billing for the last year. And I think if we see a statement of billing for the last year, you'll see that we had an excessive dependence on of Moses in 2024. Yep. Uh we had an attorney for Birch Moses sitting at every meeting. We don't do that anymore. Um I think you'll recall that very very shortly after you took over I recommended you call the city attorney because it was free for legal advice. Um we're not allowed technically to call Bachel Moses because it was through the chair just to be clear as well. Um and so that would be through the chair. Um not we don't pick up the phone and
067call Burch Moses per se and nor should any administrator be picking up the phone and calling Virgin Moses. Um so that's a limited option to anybody. Um so but last year there was an excessive use of virtual Moses and we should see that bill but that should be reduced significantly this year. um if that should we should see I think that's where that savings comes from and so let's see by looking at that bill it should not be this year um and I don't believe we have any significant negotiations this year which would be the other place we have contracts both that in the city attorney's office do we have negotiations this year I'm asking oh for the union yes for We're talking about the I'm talking about union negotiations which is the other place
068that we spend a lot of money last two years ago and two years before I believe either they have been or the test this summer this summer is coming up. Okay. So that will be an expensive and you have special special education attorney cost as well. any type of litigation with special ed. That's where a lot of it comes along. Yes. But yeah, so we can get that on the 2024 millise then we'll have an idea that'll give it'll give us a better idea of where we where we can cut it back and frankly as you said right up the field you can not have I'm still I will say that I've been talking to the city's office about making sure that we're using them as as much as we can and and she's actually
069reached out to me Um yes cutting the cost so that yes to Mr. Trey points um we haven't had a view of the legal course in probably three or four years and the way we used to do it which is advisable is we get all the costs we call it an executive session because some of the courts are going to be for active cases and things that are still going on. we could have virtual Moses attend remotely so we don't get banged with transportation costs in case we have any questions or whatever happen according to the billing for last year or what have we do need to look at it we need to have it but some of some of that information may be sensitive to online capab so an executive session qualifier for executive
070session then we can ask the perfect questions and And if we have them coming, we have them coming at a certain time during the meeting. They have an executive session will be at 8:00 p.m. But they sign on at 8:00 p.m. So they're not paid 15 minutes waiting around the agenda. That's just suggestion. Mr. What's it? I was just going to ask do, you know, do the cases we have going on now affect the cost of what's this year or was it will it go to the next uh year that are going on now? Year's budget, next year's budget. Little bit of both cases. Yeah. We've already they're billing monthly. They're billing monthly. So they build monthly. They don't they don't hold back end of the month to make sure they send their bill. But
071then they I mean that's just the way it works. Okay. Thank you. I if you're late to remind you anybody else on 18 just in case 18 anybody else once 22 you mentioned that you're going to be tapping into um district cell phone utilization and assignment and there's pos $15,000 um savings things there. Do we know how many cell phones that we're talking about there? what we we say reduction in cost but I don't it's a project through it's a project that okay we had you know he has decided that we have [Music] to we have he has to implement we have we have to hold the ideas accountable doesn't matter every phone every cell phone if nobody's using it person has left the city We cut off the line. We basically audit of all
072cell phone inventory. Every IP address that hasn't been used in a year, turn it off. All those things cost money. All the little little gadget, you have to really on the city side. We did those things. That's how I know. We saved $200,000 on the city side. Let me let me add one of the things that you know through this this process guys we tried to figure out what we can do we he put $50,000 because when you renegotiate a contract for cell phones for a district like this you should have some savings with the cost of individual iPhones run $1,000 a piece and so there's things and ways if we reduce that number we haven't went through the exercise to go to the finetune that you're wanting us to do it. We haven't done
073that yet. So, what we we just kind of, you know, in our minds estimated what we could do, how we can save, and what we thought we were going to be able to save to put this line item. It could be it probably going to be a little bit we we we tried to kind of get on the lower end of the dollar amount. So, if we make an increase, it's going to impact budget as well. So, so we didn't go to details without you asking us because it was just more of going through the process. What could we cut cell phones? You know, I carry two cell phones. You know, one's my personal one's work. And so, do everybody need two cell phones? Maybe not. Who Who's So, we're trying to figure out which
074staff members have them for first. I mean, I just got a list of everybody in the district has cell phones, you know, cell phones, iPads, you know, things like that to where we could reduce, you know, and save dollars because that's what we're trying to do right now. So, so, so we're going to go through the process, we'll have a little bit more detail. If if you guys say eliminate cell phones, I will get Sprint, Verizon, whoever else to give us a a quote on districtwide cell phones and what we can do to reduce that cost. I guarantee you because I know the city has that Verizon Verizon we we have T-Mobile and they will compete to reduce that cost and so I feel we are going to be able to save a lot around
075that $50,000 mark the reason why I put it there the city side did basically they get their iPhone from Verizon gone free of charge because we're sub subscribing to Verizon. The agreement there we don't get iPhone 16. I don't know what version iPhone is today anyway. Uh we don't they don't go for iPhone 16. They just go to Verizon and Verizon gives them two steps down. If it's 16, they give you 14 free but I mean I'm sorry. Okay. So again, I know some companies with that say they'll give you a stipen. So your personal cell phone, you decide to use it. We're going to give you $50 towards your your cell phone bill instead of paying whatever we're paying now. So I know some companies do that like my you know some jobs that
076I've had. They will give me a sip for myself. I'm going to be using my phone, you know, pay. So it's just I just wanted to know like what are we looking at? Yeah. I'm trying to say here by not paying a bill for iPhone or whatever cell phones we're getting that's that's more than $50,000. I don't know if anybody else want to pick me back anything on line 22 and on line 25. I know Miss Marissa was talking a certain word that looks somewhat huge for me in my head and I know what it is now more a little bit more. So we're talking about trying to um you guys put on this list eliminating 40 teachers but we know that we have a transition of you know an average let's say 150 to
077200 teachers that are you know not coming back to the district. That right before we end it says positions just to be clear. Huh? It says positions. position. Just want to be clear. You keep teachers. Teacher positions. Teacher position. Teacher position. Positions not teachers. Okay. Is there a difference? I want to make sure. Okay. There is a point teacher that teachers positions. So, somebody please enlighten me a little bit more. There's not a human being that's going to be eliminated. There's a position that's going to be eliminated where there's likely not going to be a person working because of tournament. Gotcha. Okay. That's what I want to make sure that I'm making up sense. Perfect. Thank you. I appreciate No, listen. I'm with you because I want to I'm listen I want our teachers to
078think that we're saying that we but I appreciate that. So, we're making sure that that's going to be the the thing. Um I might have clear and let me let me be clear that's not really even realistic guys you know but we got to make sure that we all the things that we feel that we've be able to get a large amount of money is on the option list you know so again it's not going to be something that I don't think we're gonna again I don't know just it's just this is this is an opportunity for us to really kind of understand the dynamics of the district and figure out what we're going to be able to do or not do. So, thank you, M. All right. Um, going back up to the um
079district fur furls by um that's 4.5 million. Had that been negotiated, D or this? Absolutely not. Okay. So, that that would be a no. Absolutely. I've I've I've given votes to unions a courtesy regarding the possibility and I'll left it at that. So it wasn't anything that was going to happen or not. But but remember everything has to be on the table consideration and so that's kind of why it's there. And so we have not even thought not even really even entertain that opportunity. It was just more of a courtesy notice of it's going to be on the list today and I didn't want anybody to pan um okay um anybody having done that before I move on we have a backup plan to replace that 4.5 mill replace that savings all the marketing unit
080is not agreed going down to 25. Okay. 25 going to number 25 for consideration. Okay. Both those numbers baked into the savings 3.4 plus the 4.5s for 79 million saving. So that 4.5 savings any anything that doesn't doesn't you know go through on this recommendation list you're going to have to deduct that from the 28 the 20 the current 28.1 million. So if we don't get the 4.5, you'll take that away from that 28. We don't get the 3.4, you're going to take that away from you, you're going to be that much of a difference. But so we have to figure out some additional things that we're going to have to go back to consider. I think so. So that's kind of where we are with that. And one final question on that that um
081value of one day of 9114 549 is that inclusive of the le the substitute teachers that would have to replace the teacher in the classroom because we're talking about with a fiveday furlow of every teacher for five days during the year. We're talking about 2.77 absentee grade would have to be filled by a would have to be filled by a substitute one. And does Kelly have the capacity to fill those class? They can't he can't administratively cannot let everybody take all the teachers take off at the same time. Absolutely not. Point of clarification 180 divided by the five day is 2.77%. So to have equal amount of teachers off during every five day period would be 2.77% absence unless I calculated that wrong different calculations. They have a whole year 180. Yeah. Is it 180
082or 182 or whatever? No. Through the school year during the summer. Well, some people get paid here in the summer. So, does it make sense? Like you have to take in the summers. We give just in case. Yes. question. Again, that's why I said this is a gross number. You're going to have to deduct at least a million dollar just the net numbers. I can't there are some cost associated with some of the program. That's why you have to deduct a million dollar of the $28 million approximately. So to clarify my second question be 27 when you take out that million negative clarification to my question that's not inclusive of the substitute that would have released. No, because that's part of the $1 million approximate $1 million that I use that needs to be taken
083out from the bottom of the question. These are gross. Mr. Mayor, I just had a quick question about um the principles. last board meeting or one of the board meetings, I had suggested that we um do a quick survey to the principles and administrative fa um staff to determine if there they had ideas where we can cut and kind of wanted to know um if any feedback came back and if that was considered as part of tonight's um proposal. Yes, ma'am. What happened was uh we we sent out a a survey um that at the administrative council meeting this month uh I had I told the principal I had a I didn't have a lot of responses to that particular survey. So at the at the administrative council meeting the next day I I sent
084the survey out again to make it anonymous so that they will they will have some time to go back and fill it out. That that survey ended this afternoon. Uh and so we'll we'll we'll take another look at that as we bring this back to uh for additional considerations and additions that we were going to add to it. But we did look at the the responses that we had to make sure that some of that was also considered for this proposal as well. Yes. We're follow that again. Yes, ma'am. Thanks. Thank my question. Um favor. Yeah, I'll start with number three just for anybody that doesn't understand or appreciate the history on this issue. Um the last time a furlow was requested in this city, um it was denied by the union. Um now under
085those circumstances, it was Mayor Finch that requested the furlow. Um and he forced it on the lesser unions, lesser as in smaller unions in the city, insisting that the city couldn't do without and by lesser unions I mean the unions that are smaller and are on the city side and the board side. um uh asked me age. Um, and the BEA refused. And when the BEA refused, BCAST refused. And Paul Valance was the superintendent and they were furious that the BEA refused. And um, frankly, the unions asked me and the H and all that had had the furlow forced on that members two weeks underneath. uh were furious that the big unions weren't sacrificing too because they had been forced to sacrifice. Um and uh it turned out that the city ended up with a
086surplus and the school district had to give money back to the city that they weren't running a deficit. They had read their books wrong and they had to return money for the city side. Um, and so they turned out to be furious at the unions for not making a similar sacrifice and the city board ended up. So that's the history in this town. They're not going to be cooperative or positive, but this is a very different circumstance. This is a circumstance where the city is truly looking at a $30 million. There's no stance or buts about it. Um, I will say something to my friends that said we need to pray. I'm not much of a praying man myself. We need to push and call and talk to our legislators. 1511 got pushed into appropriations
087over the next two weeks. How much of that bill gets passed out of appropriations will be decided between now and two weeks from now. And there was a meeting in Hartford of almost 400 or over 400 people between Connecticut for all and GIA uh where the speaker of the house agreed that the guard rails need to be bent and it is an emergency. It's raining in Connecticut. Absolutely. Um and that's important. Um, so we got to keep pushing as we heard in Maltersville the other day from Senator Gaspin and uh, Representative Leaper and Representative McCarthy that the governor was saying, "Oh no, oh no, Trump is too scared." U, but that's the fight. Washington is too scary. We got to hold on to our money. But the projected surplus this year is 1.9 billion. And
088that would be six billion in the surplus. So we think that they can afford and we got to keep pushing. And that money I I want to correct in the nicest way possible. Superintendent Avery, the 30 million that we're projecting to cut here would all be restored. Yes. plus the list that we sent the legislators in the letter Tuesday would be what we would add to our budget because all this would disappear and we would add the additional items if we were to get 1511 passed as it would be the 30 million plus the other 27 million that's in 1511 if it was passed in its entirety that would be our 57.2 too. So that's why we want to pray yes and push for those of us that are less religious with our legislators wherever
089we live because this doesn't just help the cities, it does help the cities more, but it helps the suburbs too because of the added money in the ECS formula for sped money. Um so those added weights help everybody and so that's why we want to just make sure that we understand that. Now having said that because that would avoid having to fight with the unions for those furlows. Um I want to also uh ask about insurance reviews. Uh have we looked at insurance reviews? I know in the past we had debates at different board meetings different and the public um of insurance waste um and I don't mean that in any accusatory manner. I remember once uh mediating an argument between members of the public and members of the board and members of the unions
090um about the spouse of a retiree who divorced retire spouse of a retiree living in California who was still on our insurance that sort of that's keeping up our you know our records so that we're not paying for people we don't need to be paying for type Uh, you know, so I think if we're if we, you know, just another way to try and save some money is to make sure we're not paying for anybody we don't need to be paying for. Um, it's been a it's been an issue on and off over the years as we find out that, you know, somebody got divorced 5 years ago and their spouse is still on the insurance. So, they didn't know it until somehow it came up. I don't remember how, but it irritated the out.
091Uh, so I would just recommend that we take a look at that. Yep. You know, I know all this is very difficult. Uh, but the more we can do to avoid any of this, the better. And, um, I think there was one other question I had. I wanted to be clear about my three. No, I'm I'm bouncing around, Lily. I'm not going through line by line. Um, this was just my turn after uh the chair. Mhm. um to go through the whole sentenc I just step off to get some water. Um but on line three district fur I know when uh take Marissa one of the last meetings that we had at uh and the teacher spoke and I know we were trying to get feedback from the teachers that um everybody pointed at him
092everybody at they concluded today they concluded their survey today the administrative are the ministry. They sent one went out, came back, no nothing. Went out again anonymously, came back today, and they haven't. We put it out a couple weeks ago, but we had them put their names on it. Some put their names on it and made comments, but not everybody did that. So at the administrative council meeting when we did when I discussed it with administrators I said I would resend it where they didn't have to put their names on it anonymously and then resubmit. So but the end day was today gave them a little okay so we're back out and gave them an end date of today. Yes. Mhm. Um the one other thing I wanted to mention was in the summer of
0932023, the board passed a motion um to work on establishing something that I saw if anyone had a chance to read the article from New Haven today and an ideal staffing level. Um and New Haven had done an ideal staffing level. Um Joe remember this. Um they had done a whole study on if we had all the money we needed, how would we staff ourselves? Okay. And they had worked on it collaboratively. Um and we passed a motion to start work on doing something like that ourselves. It died after we passed it because we changed leadership in the summer of 2023. So it never happened. But I was reminded because they had that chart at the back of the earth showing if we had the money we wanted, how would we be staffed? And it's
094sort of what we're doing today is sort of the opposite. Without the money we need, what are we going to cut? But what you did in letter to the legislature is sort of talk about, well, if we had this kind of money, what would we begin to restore? that was meant in the summer of 2023 to get us to start looking about wow if we began to get some of that kind of money back what would we start to do and that's really what I wanted so the yin and the yang of the position that we find ourselves in is we're looking today at the worst case scenario and as Joe said at the outset not the one we want to be looking at nobody sitting here wants to do this we all agree on
095that but it's the one we have to do by law. It's our responsibility by law, but we also want to be doing everything we can to not have to do this. So, I want to stay in the middle. I guess just to piggy back on what you're saying, I think that's the that's the whole part of everything that we're doing. This district is going to have to reorganize everything that we do. How do we do it? How do we how do we staff buildings? How do we stash central office? What do we, you know, we have to automate the district? I mean, we do everything annotated. We do everything with a file or folder or something. When you when you streamline for efficiencies in a district, things work so much better and you don't need
096as many people to do it. So, we got to really think through that piece of it as well. I mean like like finance department you can streamline a a systematic system that talks to finance talks to HR HR talks to per I mean um purchasing you know we don't we we payroll there you go it's like but we don't we do that all in individual silence and that just it it takes a lot of staff to do it. So, we got to be able to streamline and modernize the district in order to be a little bit more efficient. Uh, when we do an audit, the audit's going to find there is the processes and procedures that we do in every work piece of work that we do in this district is not efficient. And so,
097we miss things. We there's there's things that we could be getting additional dollars for that we're not getting because we're not, you know, having those checks and balances of things. So there's just a lot of things that we have to to come together and figure out how that's going to be. But it's it takes some consistency in the role and getting people to be able to think outside the box. We're so narrowminded. We got to be able to kind of think out. You know, you have departments that don't want to help the other department because this is all I can do. I can't do anything else. But we can cross train. There's a lot of things that we can build upon for efficiency that I think we really have to grab a hold of and
098we could save so much money just in the day-to-day operational things that we do that we we don't take advantage of. One of the nicknames of Connecticut is no land for steady get past that. Yes, sir. We got to get past that. Yeah. with one you know I know you'll be a little long performing visual arts theater drop is this specific programs or are we talking about just fame is it just fame it's a combination it's you know it's positions it's it's fame it's it's just a lot of different things that we kind of try to consider fame is one of the fame is about 35 $5,000. That's the cost of that program. Are these like after school program? Are these like I think there's [Music] classroom credit programs or they like after school or
099I don't think so. I'm trying to kind of go back. I've had so many numbers and positions and things moved around. I'm not 100% sure what I was Yeah. March I mean March can we can look at it and see if another alternate art that the school is providing will survives for the curriculum. Okay. So it's not like eliminating like arts. No no no music and other no you have music you still have music teachers. You still have art teacher. This is like drama drama theater. Drama and theater. Okay, that again 14. 14. Thank you. Sharing more drama and theater. That's all that too but and pain. Um Mr. Sakalic, thank you. I'll try to be brief. Not um we got we get sense of this. I was going to start um piggy back on
100piggy back on what Mr. Tra said, but now I have to shift to piggy back on what Dr. David says about efficiencies. Yes, we can find efficiencies. They're not going to be of a material amount to affect the underfunding problems that we have in the district. If you compare our district central office staff prior to 2022, you'll find we had the leanest administrative staff in the district. I think if you in the in the in the state, if you compare our central office staff now, we're probably a bit lower than graduates right now because we had 19 and 19 when Lamont made his comment that we would have been spending way too much on high paid administrative staff. They got 19 for a district of 6,000 plus and we've got 19 for we had 19
101for a district of closely $20,000. So any efficiencies we stop fines are not going to be materials and they are positions that exist in other situations. Now back to my original piggyback on the state. The state budget is not set yet. We still got time to advocate and push for that. Mr. Trey covered that extensively and perfectly. So I'm not going to harp on that. But there's another budget that's also not set because the city budget the $3 million is we can't get as much out of them obviously. But even at even an extra $500 million could eliminate some of these potential cuts right here, which each and every one of these cuts I'm sorry, $500,000. Thank you. Well, I give $500 million. Somebody got somewhere. Yeah. And um biggest question in the advocacy that
102always bothers me when I'm talking to some official supposed to be quite intelligent right now. We're going to get somebody who asks us if we give you $28 million. What are you going to add to the budget? Absolutely nothing. We've got a $28 million hole. You give us $28 million and $1, we can add a service for $1. This is something they never understand that the whole government got filled first and now can't build and and now now I'll address filling down I'll try to end on a positive note as well. Um we haven't um we haven't discussed cuts. We haven't discussed any type of additional revenues. The lighthouse program has been underpaying rent and funds for decades. Last time we looked at last time we looked at it, I can't recall the number. I
103think it was underpay by like 300% change. I would like to see another analysis of that. I know last time we,000 300,000 I that's just a guesstimate. Nobody quote me on that number, but it was a significant material amount that could eliminate money possibly one of these lines by the pay the fair share. They got they got their own funding stream. They got the same program. And yes, the argument is going to be they service us children. Every program that comes into this building, nine times out of 10 services our children, but we charge them. We don't charge the city the same the same cost. So, so that could possibly be a way to get a couple hundred grand out to renegotiate that because it's been stuck at 75 since prior to my arrival. But
104that's something 75 theou has not been revisited in all these years. That's one thing we can look at through again and increase the [Music] avoc. I think when we vote on these cuts at the same board meeting that we have to have our priorities ready. Everybody on the board should come with a list 1 through 5, 1 through 10 or whatever what they want back first. Personally, I'm looking at um some of the buses and stuff like that maybe or for something if everybody has all ones that could carry the weight day. This way, if we find an extra $400,000 in July, we don't have to come back and vote for Dr. Avery to put something back, but we don't have to make Dr. Amy choose what to put back. We'll he'll already have those
105marking orders by the time it comes up. Now for the line by [Music] line walking distance for the charter schools, high schools and line seven and eight all encompassing. We need to lobby the state to get the charter schools and to pay their own transportation costs, especially in light of the last bill that was passed that gave them the same exact amount of ECS per student as we get. positive money. So, so they they they used to pay. Can I not digging on this? Yes. Are you wait? No, no, no. They was apologize in advance to the parents for the charter schools, but and I know this is this is a sad people to say, but can we up the the mileage to them even more? as the law right now. We've got to provide
106them the same. That's why we we're doing between our kids and their kids and I said I know backlash and but it sort out thinking back on him. I think that's something that we got to consider because if they're receiving now a balance of what we're getting then, you know, they should be held to the same standard of what we're big fightable big fight. Let's fight it together. I mean, it's a government. I think it's a they're receiving more money from the state, but they're not doing any more for the kids, but yet we're doing continuously the work for them. And they they're our responsibility. We take that responsibility. But if they're receiving more money, what more services can they provide? They're going to their schools. You know, there there are nobody there's nobody here
107to disagree. Two years ago, there was a specific piece of legislation that did not pass. There is no specific piece of legislation this year. So Joe thought it didn't get proposed this year. There are a few pieces in the that are still active this I know it may still get through the legislative session but right now that's it. There are minor pieces trying to make them more accountable. There is nothing that will address this specific issue. So yes as Mr. for the future, right? As soon we got to settle this year, next year, and future years, which I agree with. Okay, so a right now there are allies on 1511. Yes, just hold that thought. They are allies on 1511 pass and 11 186 principles. We don't need to vote on that. We already voted
108on that. Correct. We are in question question. They will replace 38 Kelly long-term substitutes at 46 per and 11 position. That's how I'm sorry 182 with your um now they have bumping rights to the the vice assistant principal vice principal. They're bumping rights. They bump a certified teacher first and it's the effect of the trickle down or no. So the bumping rights it it it gets a little complicated if they were uh in district prior to um becoming administrator. Some of our administrators are first time in district as an administrator. Correct. When they bump down, it follows seniority, right? So it's namely bump down to open positions first that would be the first filled which is what I think Mr. quo and his calculation is assuming because these are open positions so they're calm. So
109that's where they would bump down first and this number is assuming every single principal takes one. Yes. Thank you. Every single assistant principal takes and through through the chair we've already lost two since the vote in December or January. So then we'll have the effective savings of the entire salary of national. Okay. So so so this number could potentially grow grow and it's already it's already basically grown by maybe 200,000 or so. Well, there's two two principles that were let's call 502 104 102 somewhere around there. But you got to net it against the Kelly for the year which is 46 $47,000. you you get a savings, but again it goes back into a city bank. So that that number is something that's likely going to be right. Yeah, it could be more. Yeah. By
110the end of the year, most most pr most teachers that moved up to be an administrator, they're not they don't want to go back to to be a teacher. So they're going to probably end up leaving the district and so you're going to not have to deal with that. Right. And good luck on your job, Serge. I'm sorry we have to let you go. Oh, but the point of that that deal that that proposal was they would serve out the yearly. It would save us money and that'll give them an opportunity to go to another district prior to the end of the year saying that I'm just I got a new job instead of me being you know rifted or whatever you want to call that no with no disruption to the students currently across
111here. best investig. And with that being said, um I find a point on this principles. Oh, have we notified them of their non-renewable contracts? The administrators, they have by request of the union, they they've asked us to hold off until end of this month or day. When is there when is there a cut off date that we have to June 30th? June 30th for the administrators. Okay. So, we're gonna miss any deadlines. No, they ask us to hold on to June 31st. Get that in. No, no, no. In fact, we we we can't for a number of reasons as far as um when time renews and all that. So, by June 30th, these positions have to be have to be cut. I mean, not lost. Yeah. Okay. When I was there once that was 12
11213 performing arts was covered excess teachers in fiscal year 15 okay so talking about 31 teachers excessed yep by maxing out class how are we maxing out class sizes are they all in one building the size or are teach students going to be shifted between different schools and if so how did we how did we come into this calculation that we can max out class size? Okay, Madam Chair, elementary school kindergarten has maximum number of students. Correct. Elementary school, high school dance. What happened? The districts, they're not at full capacity with the number of students this year. So, what's going to happen? Try to get to the maximum number of that each class is allowed. However, we just had an allocation meeting today. There's one school that the maximum for that class is 30 29,
113I'm sorry. But guess what? They have 30 students, 30 kids. So, we have to create a class for one student because it can't go over the capacity of the school of the first one. So in some cases when we say we're maxing out points if we if the old level is like 41 or 18 students we're pushing it to the max in average they end up about 23 24 maxing by pushing it to the limit because in some schools like I started saying in some schools once you cross that threshold by one you have to create another one so that the average of all the rest. So based on that, we're ending up with 31 teachers in access, but those teachers are just going to move into the vacant block. Correct. Understood. We're talking about
114filling the max. My question was about maximizing the class size. Yeah, you've got that class with 29 and you got that class with one. How are we how are we maximizing that second class? No, no. We're creating a class because there's one extra kids and we want to maximize. So we don't want a class with one child. We want a class with 28. So if we're going to maximize that class, I said one is we want 27 more students in that class. How are we filling it in that one school? It's actually you connect for you to fill it. You're going to have to give that one child a transfer whatever the college. Yes. And that and that's my point. So we're going to do that for 31 31 classes the proposal on here. Okay.
115There there's a process at MOT there's a process when when we we we have an opportunity to look into every single classroom how many how many kids you may have a class with 18 here 22 here 25 here 28 here but when you average the number of kindergarten kids we have in in in a district we can figure out how many classrooms we need. So, so what we do, we will we will combine classes based on where the kids are, nearby schools, whatever. Okay. We're going to make sure that we can maximize, you know, that those numbers like you're saying based on where we meet them, right? Yeah. So, so, so, so we don't we don't know the plan. We just got to look at it. So, what you sound like you're talking about, correct
116me if I'm wrong, it sounds like redistrict. No. So how so so how are we so kids wait I just asked you said you got to look at this school you got to look at that school to maximize the classes okay how is that not redistricting the students it's not redistricting we are not giving any child control transfer or whatever they call it that was just Dr. He just sent it. He said because we're not using a word. We're not we're not No, he didn't say he just did not say that. No, he said transfer transfer from school to school. PJ is the one who, you know, came up with the numbers analyzed the data going to get us those 31 we can we did this earlier in the year. We we maximized the numbers.
117We went through we shifted you know uh classrooms around kids around teachers around and that's how we fill the void of so we but I will get you some clarity because I don't I don't want to misspeak right yeah no I I I just want to say because it sounds like we're basically saying we're going to move kids from one school to another where there's space available one so absolutely So every kid is going to stay in the same school. Yeah. And so just to give you some background, we excess teachers every single year. Every sing. So this is nothing new. Um you know how the calculations came from from PJ that I don't know but we excess teachers every single year and then we reassign them. Yes. So say a class a school has
118three fifth grade right now currently right. You have 20, you have 20, you have 18 um all together or or less than you know 15 15 or 18. So it adds up to less than uh 60 kids. Right? So now because so so now we say going next year based on the projection we are going to maximize your class going to be 28 kids. I'm going to eliminate one. So the kids are not moving but we are eliminating a class. Well, this is all going to happen in the school only in the school. So no kids will be transferred. That's correct. Again, many of our classes only have some of them only have 13 kids in the correct some of them have may have less. So by by looking at each and that's that's what
119uh Nester was saying that we we we met with every principal every school looking at PJ did projections of students enrollment looking at the projections and what they anticipate for next year then that's not a decision for ex would it not be more reasonable to redistrict to make sure we've got right size for everybody everybody maximizing focus that don't have to take buses to school by realigning the districts because we are a transient district and that that could be an option I think once we if we get to that point where we can somebody explain to me the distaste that I just saw with the redistricting the whole district can finish his conversation is explaining it then I'm sorry you said it's definitely like we think I think if if that's an option that the
120district wants to do say If we're looking at the facility study and we need to do some things and move some things around, you know, we can we can consider the redistricting to kind of get kids to a new facility or whatever. There's there's options that we can use for the redistricting which will be uh a little bit more meaningful than trying to um you know get excess teachers and move them in in a way in a way where we can move them to areas of the district that are you may have a a side of town that has an additional 20 fifth graders that calls for an additional fifth grade teacher. You have a surplus teacher fifth grade teacher here. you just move that teacher over there to fill that void. So, there's things
121that we got to do and allow we can do to kind of lift those things, make them out better. Absolutely. I agree. Just some um just just some concerns with the redistricting and yeah, give me a second. Um the redistricting thing is kind of sticks because some of our districts are set up to insulate neighborhoods. I don't think that I and I think it's hard time to look at redistricting. So every kid every school is I think some of my kids kind of um disproportionately need of one one persuasion or another but that's something I'll look at later. Well just a few thoughts on this that I mean I understand what you're saying. I mean, regardless of whether you agree or disagree with Miss Carrera, and I find myself on the outside looking in these
122days, but um you know, when she asked the question about why the states aren't going to hook her, it's a fair question to ask because they are in the neighborhood. Um, and I I can remember hearing stories over the years from friends that live in different parts of the city who wonder why their kid lives block away from Madison and they're going to a cross. Um, and some of these things just don't make any sense at all. Um, so, you know, we do need to look at the map and wonder um why the districts are set up the way they're set up. uh and there are fair things to look at and so I agree with the general thought of what Joe asks which is why um and you know there's there are uh frankly
123u unjustifiable reasons for some of the districts that have nothing to do with anybody sitting in this room um done in the past by people who no longer have anything to do with those decisions. Um so uh it's a fair thing for us to look at. Um I don't know whether they help us balance our budget or not. They it's a fair question for us to look at um as to this this eliminate uh this um saving uh by being more efficient in our uh staffing. Uh you can only do that in big schools. Having gone to having worked in one of the second and third largest school in the city, I know how that compression and decompression of class sizes works because you could see it at black. We could see it coming at
124black. You know, we would have three fourth grades or four fourth grades depending on the year and we could see it coming by the size number of kindergartens we had. you know, we had the first grade, second grade, third grades, and as a, you know, we would have three fourth grades and then I would see those darn fifth grade teachers having four fifth grades and wonder how they had 20 or 21 kids in their class and I would have 29 kids in my fourth grade class. Um, and then for a while the third grade teachers were swearing at us fourth grade teachers. Um, so you could see the compression and decompression y in a big school because you had that happen. It's less so in a smaller school. Um, and I would so I would
125comment that then you're forced to make moves of children andor staff to other schools. Um, I was changed from fourth to fifth grade because of the compression decompression. Um, so you do have to move people sometimes from grade level to grade level or from building to build and that's going to happen. Um, and we all will recall that last year was particularly ugly and it was particularly unprofessionally done. People weren't told until mid August, oh, you won't be in your classroom this year. Pack it up and move to another building. That's not correct? That's not problematic. Um, and we don't want to repeat the fact. So, whatever it is that you're anticipating needs to make sure that if we end up there, it's done professionally and for the right reasons. Um people are warned in
126advance they're transferred in before the end of the year and there is a proper move and throw ball that they even negotiated many years ago with the school district that needs to be followed appropriately not told in mid August back stop putting in the building. Um just wanted to remind us all of those protocols that need to be properly followed but those things are harder to do in a smaller school of restructuring those class sizes to do the economies that you're looking to achieve. That's your example of 29 one class and one in another doesn't work because all you can do in that example is take 14 out of one class and make 15 and 50. That doesn't achieve anything for you. It's when you have three or four classrooms, you can start achieving what
127Marge was getting at. Um, and maybe you could can go from four classrooms to three. Yep. Yep. In a big school like Blackmore. Um, but that's the only place you can go that unless you're doing close proximity schoolers where you're moving the kids from Johnson to Columbus or Columbus to Johnson or Waltersville to Barnum or something like that. I'm through man. I was just trying to let everybody know the complexity of the whole thing. It's not a onesided formula. You win some, you lose some especially 31's a significant number. So it is it is you know you could do that with a handful of maybe five to 10 classes but when you get up to 31 it becomes a significant number but the purpose that becomes more appropriate. Right. And the purpose of this is
128not not to bust chops, but to get my mind around that this number likely could go down if we're not moving children. If we're not moving children, we if we can't find 31 big school, 31 classes in the big schools and the small one with the 29 and one, we would have to move down one or if we're choosing not to mine a really bad example. That's right. That's why it's too unnecessary that's that's deal with that number man isn't a isn't a school right so he shouldn't have answered the school thing and I I just think that you know and but your point you did touch on it it is some will involve trans control transmus and that may be appropriate um others will not and so it's going to be a matter of
129different things it is uh ultimately Joe's other question is a fair one for us to erased and redistributed. So I'll put that down if I would like your pointing is not clarity more than just having a clear understanding because I mean you know control transfers bus calls redistricting all that stuff applies to all this for example I'll give everybody a team here I would name a school just I named Brock school or you bomber school fourth grade they had a 15 a classroom with 15 and one with 19 that's to total 34 four students if you're going to maximize in that school what will be let's say the play yeah just want to make sure that's what I mean so so you know I think that number 31 said fourth grade specific grade fourth grade
130you know so you can't in that school okay I just want to put it out there because I'm just like I don't know how can we have done that if we're not moving the district around or thing which we haven't done I don't know how many years um it's 30 so it's everything to to wish the board guys we we understand how the process needs to work we understand we don't want to you know disrupt kids and teachers in classrooms and we know how to do it we we're very sensitive to that I mean if we're at 21 and we're not if we can't do it we can't do it but it's just something that we have to to consider. And so, but like your point, you want to know that we're not disrupting. Well,
131this can't happen to happen, right? Disrupting for the right reasons. And I think when you're talking about disrupting is instead of the kid going to say black now, he's got to go to, you know, bring somebody to school around this. You know, that's what you're saying. You know what? That's I don't have a problem that you know what I mean. I don't have a problem as a board member to be able to say what we need to say to make sure that we maximize I don't have a problem I don't think any student or or the community should have a problem with that we're trying to make sure that we put the kids in the right position in the right size classroom to try to maximize the staff members in the classroom to do the
132work that we need to do. Um, so I'm I'm not opposed to it and I'd rather do something like that than to say that we're gonna get rid of teachers or we're gonna get rid of this because of not taking in consideration we did something moving these runs to make sure that we can maximize our schools, our buildings and our staff. Um, so when everybody did I think everybody did had a Whoa, it was like a title wave. I thought I was in a baseball game when we saw said the word our clothes said the word redistric game it was shocking to see your reaction all of you every single one of you it was like I thought you guys were going to chair or table um I haven't had that Jesus moment so I'm
133not letting you guys have it before I had it just to let you know and I don't think we're past from that folks last year um but yeah just make sure we have everything on the table because we need to make decisions together and if you're not considering that then we're doing it injustice to our whole district and everybody um just to keep that on record and you can continue that. Hey, I think one of one of the things I would love to have the exercise with the board is that you guys you you get documents from us. But let's let's spend a little bit more time having conversations, you know, you know, outside of a board meeting. I mean, if you call and talk with me about, hey, I see the document. Talk to
134me. Let let me give you the clarity before you come into this meeting to be able to to truly understand so you can maximize your your your ask of us. I mean, I think that's important for me to to extend that out to the board to talk to me off off of the the video of the of this team's meeting. let's let's work through some of the the issues and concerns you may have behind the scenes. That's healthy for board and superintendent relationship that that gets me to understand you, you understand me and we can work through a lot of it. So I I encourage you guys to do that. I will make myself available throughout the day to kind of assist in that so that you can have some clarity as well before you
135take down your floor. That can only happen for me if I have information ahead of time for us to read and to have question that we've we've always tried as a board to try to ask for information ahead of time because then we can read ahead of time and have question that we can email say listen I'm going to have this question at this line and you can send it to your team and have the right person answering those question and we welcome that so that you know I I welcome that couldn't speak for myself all all due respect about the questions and all that. Yeah. I I agree. We should talk before, but every single question I'm asking here, I would like the public to know the response and the answer too that it
136was asked because when when you have all your conversations behind closed doors, the public is not privy to information that they need. I mean, some some conversations are best had behind closed doors, negotiations and all these other things that's not to project out. But as far as should we redistrict, I think that's a commun community conversation that should be had. And that is not to try to sandbag anybody or anything like that, but it's information I would like to be asked. That is some of the questions I actually asked. I already know the answer to. I just go I'm just emphasizing for public consumption because the public doesn't know and the public needs to know the get off the soap box. Go back to line 16. I just want to say one of the things
137that we have to all keep in mind too in scheduling is that I know as a teacher and I'm sure as an administrator when you start the school year you don't want to start with 29 kids in the class as a fourth grade teacher I should say to qualify because if you start with 29 in the class you know that you're going to pick up another child or two in the first few weeks of school we have highly transient populations and this school year isn't So there's always this change factor in in our district. Now you ask another question. Well, I think I know I promise you not. But I think um I don't know who said it, but somebody in explaining that um they did say 29. They were saying like I get that.
138I just want to make sure everybody understands that you don't play playing on 29 and all those grade levels and 24 and all those grade levels because it just you need to have a little flex the beginning of your Mr. Yeah. Yeah. Now, now I'm back I'm back online. We're going to move on to the next line. We just think question is the class size and set by statute by contract contract. contract. Is that something we could look at possibly negotiating in certain situations? Are they gonna agree? No, not I mean looking at I can negotiate on the floor but just thinking about if it comes down to plan A that would hurt or versus plan B which might be a little bit more palatable with some concession or whatever have you but that's something
139for that's not something for here but I just wanted all so now I'm going to move to 16 the state curriculums the social studies I have a concern that we have 160 plus districts about 80% of them are heavily caucasian is these curriculums suited for our students and does it have a diverse curricula diversity enough curriculum All that our students will recognize themselves in their learnings. That would be part of the constructor that would be part of the curriculum writing teams like John, right? So we will be able to pull pieces of that and add our own pieces. The key is is meeting those state standards for the grade level so that it's rigorous for everyone and and then they get also the ELA ELA curriculum but isn't part of that statemandated curriculum including yes
140that diversity but there's different levels of diversity um saying right we could teach the we could teach the Holocaust in three months and then touch African American history for a week and then we covered our bases. There's there's different levels of diversity and it gets my I know somebody who writes curriculum in Stanford and every year it's a battle to include African-American studies because it can also be often be over. That's just the concern I want to raise here to ensure because we've done a lot of work on this in the last five six years since I've made it to make sure it's been included. We've had diversity reviews, not diversity. So there's a terminology for curriculum that's suited for our children. You can't culturally re Thank you. Culturally relevant curriculum. I just want to
141ensure we do not walk away from that. That this is not So that you have to finish. I was just saying the high school example are you know one of the things that the teachers did expressing with them is that they wanted themes. So maybe Bridgeport Military Academy would have a theme that was more geared for their pathways whereas Bassic and Harding were central. they might have other themes and as long as they're staying within the framework and the rigor, their grade levels and the state standards that we're giving we're giving people the um freedom if you will to to make that their own. Okay. Now down to line 19 one or two teachers in human resource departments. Why do we have teachers in human resources in the first place? Well, they do a large
142job. So, first of all, the state connected team program which for all new teachers, uh these two individuals for their first few years of being a teacher, they kind of mentor them, they coach them, they go make sure that they're on track to maintain and get their permanent certification as a state program. Uh they also run the crosscertification, the residency programs, the um special ed uh crosscertification programs, the teacher training, they do the professional development, they do the uh new teacher orientation. Their value to my department is amazing. Uh they do the work of four people. Um and they know all the teachers inside and out. to make sure that they stay up on their certification. They make sure that they don't lapse. Um, they bring in constant ideas about recruitment and different ways. I
143mean, you know, the cross certification was their brainchild. You know, they came up with it. They have partnerships with Fairfield University, University of Bridgeport, Sacred Heart University, uh, University of Hartford, Western Governor's UN. I mean, all these different places. and their job every day is to go out to schools, meet with these new teachers, develop mentors, develop and run this residency program. Um, and that's basically why they I don't have if I were to replace them, which would be very difficult because teen program should be a teacher and they should be out there going through it. If I were to replace them, it would take me two people to replace them to do the job and take over. Thank you. Okay. Now, next up, you know, line 21, you all spent non-medical students IEP the
144savings of $2.5 million. Um, big concerns about this line, got into trouble before special ed, but currently under review for special ed. Again, this line is reading is this number likely would be going likely be revised downward. This would strictly enforce a financial control which would be illegal under state statute to make a financial decision around a special education placements. This this has happened before where we wanted the budgetary constraints and we had to bring in a specialist. I miss this guy so much, Mr. Donado. He got us out of the fight the last time we were under the gun because the financial team was making decisions on the IEPs and they were being blocked. We ended up with so many service hours in the past. I just want to make sure in light of
145the memo I saw last year and I raised up and tried to have fixed that IEPs were going through finance and the letter was stated that no IEP no services will be paid without the approval of the supervision team and the CFO at the time was copied on the memo. I want to ensure and go on the record to say we should not block anybody's IEP that the team comes up with independently and say, "Oh, no, this costs too much money. We can't do it even though the child needs it." That's not that's not part of the process, sir. I just want to follow the assure you that is not something I'm going to allow to happen under my watch, period. Because that is that is that is not something that we're going to do.
146There's just a whole lot of opportunity to kind of look at how and what we do and how we service kids and how we evaluate kids. That is what this is all about really trying to look at that the uh the technical assistant Dr. Abby is assisting uh special division to work through some of that process right now. So very very confident that uh the I any types of services is is is honored in the PPT not by finance. Right? So so a more comfortable way of saying this and a more appropriate way of saying this is review all sped non-medical students for potential over over identification or we're not doing that either. That's not we'll we'll we'll revise that. No, not sense. I Okay, I got the records on record 22 cell phones. Quick
147question. Maybe it's a sn comments. Why can't we just use flip phones? Why does why does everybody need a smartphone for district business? Everybody got a laptop. Okay. So, I said I I mean cricket wireless and all these other services, they can be much cheaper and it's probably not realistic, but um why not a flip phone? Why why does somebody have to have an iPhone in their hands and do district business when they can do any grading or whatever else they have to do on a laptop that they al also provided. You need to make a phone call. Even though they they still they still got still they still got so maybe it's satisfying maybe a couple thousand dollars there too. So um elimination of 15 library specialist positions. This was on the counting block
148before then headed not do that. Um yeah yeah yeah I I'll speak a little bit to it because in the last go around I didn't I did not want again of course that um not wanted to cut but currently somebody correct me if I'm wrong it's been updated within the last four years there is no library media curriculum there is no written curriculum for the library media center I don't think there is And I I don't even think the state has allowed the answer to that. So there's no So these are horrible horrible cuts, don't get me wrong, but there is no curriculum attached to these positions. They don't want to jump in on this one. Yeah. So right the only question is so library specialist positions that's termed library again you saying I thought
149it was an assistant or somebody else that's working with the librarian no that's a library how many we have in the district 15 so we're eliminating all so are we going to eliminate our libraries from our schools or what's going to happen to it's interesting question what are we doing like what's going to happen with the libraries then Well, you can you can different staff rooms can go in to assist or teacher can go into the the area to assist as well. So, there's just a variety of things that we can do to kind of maximize that that current space because I think just a few and this is for next school year, right? That gives us some time to kind of, you know, work with with campus principles on how we do that with
150scheduling and things like that as well. So, we just Yeah. Yes. And there's 39 schools currently and we only have 15 library media specialists and 24 of them already operating without this position. So you can take a page out of their book and kind of see how they're doing. And it's interesting what you mentioned because there is no curriculum tied to it whatsoever. So it's sad at the same time, right? Unkind cousin not be unkind. Not to be unkindest which could be this is horrible. I'm going to reiterate just interrupt myself again and say we should not have to make any of these cuts. Every job, every position is valued and adds value to the district to our underfunding and our legal obligation that we even got to look at these things. All right. Now,
151number 24, elimination of the library. Um, in terms of like, um, I know we've had, uh, folks who come before us, librarians, be a special for us to, um, refresh the libraries and make sure the inventory is fine. Is there somebody still that didn't cover that type of thing or like making sure that we have inventory and how does that work if there's nobody in the position? out there like you don't have to give me the answer now that that was my that's why I said this is happening next year and I'm like I know we just they just came before us and there's all these telegrams and somebody's got to do all fresh all those things like that would be something fall under the literacy areas because I know right for grants we'll we'll
152invest in in library materials and books and that's something that the principles will coordinate the principles oversee that back component of it so I would envision that that the administrator role would continue along in and they have done that in the past the schools that don't have library media specialist the principles have managed that but along with the support of the director of literacy Thank you. They manage what? Uh just distribution of books just overseeing things from the library. So not the library itself but just so they they they're going they have managed those two administrators. So the building administrator and the central office administrator have managed in taking the inventory of these books that we're acquiring. Yes, they have they overseen with the teachers with they don't have a putting them on the shelves
153get in there and then the distribution of these books somehow based on teachers special in every building. Yep. Teacher it varies from both. Yes. Not everybody has a library as a special too. I'm done with all um for record. Uh 24 elimination of five additional assistant principal positions. Those in addition to the 18 already voted upon. How are we going to decide what's the parameters around which school will not have an assistant principal position? So well the the five next assistant principal positions would be eliminated based on seniority. Then once you have your final not school because you can't do that. You got to go by seniority. Then once you have your final list you might you might you will have to do transfers based on where everybody Well that's kind of backwards from the
154way we did the let us go world because if you if you're gonna you you're looking at positions and we're looking at excessive positions. Now if the junior person is saying not for pulling out anybody particularly um Haring Harding High School Joe if I could if I could let me finish please correct Haring High School let's say Haring High School Harding High School got thousand students assistant principles maybe they or whatever I'm just making up numbers right now they're not going to be accurate and the only ones there rather than take that one out then reallocate. You look at a school like again just an example a school with 300 students and 200 students who likely don't have the need for assistant principal as much as the other men. You eliminate the assistant principal those
155schools based on the number and the need of the school of having assistant principal and then you move the staff through involuntary transfers on a reverse seniority basis which I believe is what the contractual language is. So the the contract is very clear and that the least senior person has to be reduced. Correct. Right. And we're both saying the same thing except we're just saying it differently. Correct. So, I have to look when I do the reduction in force, I have to look at who the least senior person is regardless of what school they're at, correct? Then I would have to take um we use your school of Bronx, right? So, we have Bronx and we have high school B, right? And high school B is in more need of the assistant principal than Bronx.
156I can't remove high school principal B from that position because they're the more they're the less senior person. I have to move the less senior person out, right? The less senior person has to be reduced. Otherwise, if I do it your way, the more senior person can bump and then it goes all over the place with bumping. So, the easiest way to do it is to take the least senior person out and then reallocate that assistant principal position to the school that needs it most. And that's what we did kind of with the clerical assistance as well just to kind of give you a background. So we eliminated six clerical assistants throughout the district. But we had to reall now we took the least senior people because that's what contract requires us to do and
157then we reallocated based on need from other schools that might have had an extra clerical assistant. We do the same thing with the assistant. So So basically you're the same basically the same thing I said. It's just a whole different approach. Yes. Right. It's it's the same thing. It's just we I like to do it that way because that's the way the contract reads. So I like so so so my question I can rephrase my question the end result what schools will not have assistant principles attached to we don't know that yet. Do we have and we have a parameter around that? Nothing nothing to do yet. We have to see where all the numbers shake out in my personal we have to see where all the numbers shake out before we we kind of
158do that because because again I wanted it should be it should be equity based definitely no particular one side of town or anything hit disproportionately um no some one side of town could be hit disproportionately if we had it number based because last time I'll tell you what happened last Last time we went and did this exercise, we all gone moving from school A, which was an interd district magnet school, and school B, which was an in school A came out in force. We reversed our decision to eliminate the assistant principal of school A. School B was silent. School B lost their assistant principles. That school A by definition being interd district magnet school had parents that were much more savvy, much more able to advocate for their children, much less likely to have two
159or three jobs to come out and advocate. So school Basically got shafted while school A took a free ride. That's the Those are the kind of the things I'm trying to avoid this go around through the chair. What what Dr. Avery and Mr. Nuo and the rest of the staff have kind of discussed is going by student numbers. That's the most equitable fair way to do it. Not this school's on this side of town and that school is on that side of town. How many students do you have in your building? Whatever that number comes out to be that require, you know, that we think requires a second assistant principal or no assistant principal, that's how they would be allocated throughout the district. Absolutely. My point of this exercise is to find that question right
160there is building size is a great parame it is formula based it is formula based there's a number number of students okay final final line question um 40 teachers positions how is that going to be figured and that's in addition to the 31 one excess positions. Correct. The access position really is not discing position. The four the 40 teacher position is elimination. This is a different language different language from accessing. This is eliminating 40 teachers position positions. All right. It's not evil. So 40 eliminating 40 teaching positions. How is that going to be done? What is so please tell me a little bit more about that so I can understand. I'm like this isn't this is a totally separate line. There's a 40 position. There'll be 40 less people called teacher in the district. Uh
161honestly I I saw this that the meeting started so I didn't have a chance to prepare for this. This this was done uh through Mr. Nicole and and Avery I didn't see this previously so I don't know what these 40 positions are quite honestly and like the assistant principles same plan we know to make to make sure it's equitably done it based on population and curriculum it depends there's no core curriculum required for graduation that could He decided to not be retained. Now my final points. Okay, I'm done with all the lies. What is the current balance of the ISF after 2026? 26 5 million 5 million. And in the history of the ISF, what's the largest number we've ever withdrawn from the ISF to cover a deficit? This year will be as long as
162prior to prior to co never did never did. So, so it'll be s Yeah, we we've it there's been there's a slight slight in my there's been a slight dip here and there$1und but the point being this is $5 million sitting there could be used to further reduce cuts not take it all that we could maybe take half of it and save $2.5 million in these cuts since we've never dipped into it prior too close here wasn't even really in existence that much. Still leave ourselves a $2.5 million cushion and possibly remove it for $2.5 million in cuts. That's something I want to focus on board something the board look at if I may the $5 million you have there next year that's b minimum the city would like you to retain but also bear
163in mind so ask the city to give us another five million if they would like us to maintain it tell them to fund us so we don't have to hurt our children you're tell you're telling me to hurt our children and keep savings did not say that and that that's the effect that is the effect of what he's saying. $2.5 million. Look at the list. What more could be taken off for $2.5 million? Um, we have kindergarten parents for $2.5 million, right? Spending that $2.5 million this year hurts every kindergarten children in saving that fun. So, what you are saying is by being conservative and saving the entirety of that $5 million is to in effect that 1.2 million. And if we can and the h 100,000 and all these numbers that you could add
164up to $2.5 million to have a savings and still have a $2.5 million cushion that we never had before in your own words that we've never really dipped into prior to co a safety blanket for a rainy day like this. They got their billion dollar raining day their $5 million raining fun day fund. We got a $5 million rainy day fund and it is raining. It is boring. These are real children. Even if we save these one of these positions, my favorite is the kindergarten parents, meaning kindergarten parents. Even if we save them for one or two more years and keep them on with using this internal services, that has a remaining benefit throughout their tenure. Yes. And and that's a board level decision and the city Right now, the city has no say over
165how we spend our money once it's allocated to us. Period. in the sentence and I'll stop there. Mr. Woodson, it isn't some type of law or rule that we keep $5 million in in a some in a fund. not proven yet. There is no law but it is financially prudent that you have some reserve for your health insurance account because the health insurance premium you can't we no one can control the health insurance premium. Next year the health insurance premium is going up 11%. This plan we are in is going up next year 11%. So really go jolly I mean to really go spending and thinking that problem would not reoccur for me is not financially prudent to try to use your reserve and have a one-time fix by providing parrots which you cannot continue
166to afford to provide going down the road. He just literally wasting money. Mr. Wson, you have anything else? Uh, no, that's it. Mr. Ch and Mr. Benham. Um, well, I I again there are there is a long list of things we don't like here on in front of us. We can all agree on that. And so you as a uh numbers man don't like that. He is an educator. There's a lot of other things on this list I don't like. Um you would rather keep that $5 million safety net. I understand that. Um, we had these arguments last year and we didn't like spending the $34 million we had back then. You agreed would have agreed with us. You did agree with us. You told us that when you came on. Um, but in the
167paper that we find ourselves in now might want to, you know, shave a few more million off of that 5 million. We will have that discussion over the next few months. Um, and it's not one way. Uh, Joe Race, the White House thing. Oh my god. You should have seen the turnout at the White House as she remembers. Johnson school. Hundreds of people out here. White lighthouse screaming at us, screaming at me. I was worked at the union then. My daughter worked lighthouse. I I'm had my daughter in lighthouse for most of her life as a student. Not a pleasant fight. But they we we we they get a lot of free services out of Bridgeport public schools and that's a city service. These are all unpleasant discussions. There's just nothing pleasant about any of
168this. So again, push, pray, whatever we do, let's hope we don't have to make these decisions because that's where we're at. And I think I want to end on that note by saying that, you know, you're going to look into Lighthouse because that's another source of revenue that we should be looking at. U this is a source you don't want to look at, we should look at. Um all these things are things that we don't want to look at that we're going to have to look at. This has been a a good fruitful discussion tonight. Un unpleasant it is, but let's uh keep pushing so that we can hopefully avoid these unpleasantries. Mr. Ben, thank you madam chair. I was waiting for you to give me an attorney and please do not interrupt me because
169I'm really excited about this time. So I want to be sure we can done this soon because you know we got families things to do. Um I'm going through what you say that's Mr. Hector and it's very stress. I don't like a lot of things we hear but I know and I understand that we have some very money. honest and one of the thing I'm not agree that's the nine the 10 11 12 14 I would not agree with I would not agree so I just put the numbers so you can guys read it because I know you guys every everybody say something about each morning um I know number [Music] 15 okay I know I let it go 15 because I know we could say about the Thank you. Um 13 I know that
170you're part um Dr. Every right to be sure what position you're going to be in MBA stuff like that. But I know put that in your hand because I know what we need in her district. So I understand that part number 17. Um see that number was 17 and I know to say for $60,000 that's not what we needed here. We need it's I know like I said in the beginning I know we have to save money but we need it. I know it's very expensive but without that it's a lot of things is not going to be working in our district. sound uh 19 um I know you know resource you guys extra sometime go over line you know and I do a lot of things you know and I know sometime you some
171source because that's one of the big department behind the district and you guys cover almost everything what's going on in the district you know I'm talking about union teacher you know everything so you know having somebody escort you know in in your department and you know whoever you need it. I'm not fair with that because it's a lot in sometime one staff of your department they don't do one job or two job. I know they do more of four position you know because like people they say okay so they have a lot of people but they don't know what's going inside and I know exactly what he's talking when they say 20 um the site um what department is that all the department district number 21 question um well not but not breaking the law
172No, right. This is operational efficiency. What they call operational efficient. Yeah. And number 23, you know, 23 is something that um I'm not agreeing with that and I know these people help and support a lot. What's going on in each school, you know, I work, you know, very well with them and they're amazing. So, of course, like I said, it's something we have to say money, but it's something that something and I'm not agree, you know, but let's see what happen. Number 24, what's going to do the job? Who's going to do if we eliminate the five additional assistant principal positions and stuff like that? So, because it's very stressful right now, they're very short for many people. The same thing with number 25 eliminate, you know, almost 40 teachers. What's going on with the
173other instructor? Okay, right now we here, right? They eliminate position. So does me that could position another teacher have to do it or maybe hire another person you know another process. So that makes sense for me, you know, to eliminate our amazing staff that we have. Um, go back number 16, you know, Bella A and Miss Margaret, that's part of your all your job, you know, part of the your job, too, because I know you guys I know you do your job. I know you do something extra, you know, stuff like that. So, you're part of that the Mercy, right? Yes. Yes. Thank you. you know, because I know you guys do a lot of things plus having something else to be show artist to be good. You know, I appreciate that. I just want
174to be sure about that. Um, number 11 and 12 and then 23, 34, and 35, you know, um, I'm like, who's going to be covered? Who's going to be doing the job? Who's going to cover, you know, the schools, you know, that will think about that? How everything going to be done? how it's going to be run is going to cover what's going to on that. Number number 11, that action has already been taken. We're just reflecting on the benefit of that action that the board has taken action on. So those positions the board already voted to bring them down to you know demote them demote them and bring them down into the classroom. So, but the then those teachers going into the classroom will make the district not retain or hire Kell employees. So,
175the savings will be from not hiring employees. The board already took action. So, there's nothing to do. This is we're just reaping the benefit of the action the board. I never believe that word that say nothing to do because I'm a kind of person and give up. Okay. And something is always a solution. The only way you cons you know next to you that line sir one number that is talking about the county service that was the assists and principles that are going down my question again like I'm giving reference to past things those are the 44 that we already talked about before the county services so we in another document we had those savings from those four go ahead what you saw on The savings for that was just the positions themselves. What he's
176showing here is what you're going to save in Kelly's services. So, it's a different savings. This is showing more indepth savings than he showed on his initial proposal. The initial proposal when he showed the savings was $18,000, right? $1,000. We're saying you're not going to have to hire 18 Kelly services at $47,000 per. So, that's an additional savings to what he put up December, January. Yep. And we're talking about the 44 position that we were presented before. We had a number already there of savings. That number is there. You had those are the same Kitty services that you're talking about here that we don't have to hire. Kelly wasn't on the wanted what we represented there was a $1,000 per assistant principal $18,000. I'm not going back to the summer. I'm going back to the
177one of the last meetings. If you guys recall, guys brought up Kelly Services. I believe the number of the positions were 44. We're not going to use them anymore. Correct. Oh, you talking about you talking about the no no services. You got a number. Okay. I don't know about it to Paris. Paris 21. Yeah. We're going to go back to Glenn. Mr. B. Thank you. um back that Dr. um Mr. start said number seven number eight of a charter school transportation something like that and agree with that because I don't want to hear that charter school they don't have they cannot or they can no they have I know they have a lot of support they have sponsor they got people they don't give a thousand they don't give a 100 they give millions they
178get millions and I got report they get millions on this try so I work out that's This new cell phone I'm back with me said phone the old ones not working the way it you know that's old fashion yeah we got now new ones they or Apple you know company they they have it but the same back as you know we have and I know sometimes if it's not going to be working as a cell phone like right now you can send a text message you get an email you can open a document you can things like that but don't forget that sometime you some people sometime they don't need it exactly you Maybe the more and more people are more highly they respond our questions in our emails and going back to number 25.
179I know that is it there because we saving $3,400,000. Of course, that's not going to be a big no for me. a huge big no because as I said the other day the in the other meeting in partner school that will be over there one of the step they talk about something $12,000 something like that and she go you know like oh my god why why they always complain when it's about money for it's always issue when it's about when it's an issue about something is not important oh yeah the money there everybody enjoy everybody happy and they have a happy hour offer but when it's about our kids anything about education is always a complaint. It's over the butt. We don't know. We I don't know. I don't think so. The state they know
180what we need. I told them that that's not there. Right. That's I was right there. Then I told you exactly what we need. You guys, they know what we need. They really know. They they don't know. Doesn't mean I'm sorry I said the word, but they they they're smart. They're smart. And um one of the things we have to understand if we have to talk is try to help in support of staff to be sure they can trust us. That's one of the word I use and hey training trust I know years back trust they trying to break that chain they trying to be sure we can walk together so they can't trust they can't understand you know what we trying to do. I know and I'm not greed but the red never agreed to
181get off everybody have the job but we don't have another choice in other things it's not only brisport have this situation people think is brisport the first page in the new bris people search the whole Connecticut it's not only bris have the problem this no to be talking about artful road truck everyone have this issue people want in Bridgeport thank you you know you worry about bridgeport but they don't think don't think only Bridgeport had the situation in my last thing I'm going to say I'm calling all the parent school student union leaders staff everyone of course for the protocol permission with Dr. be let let's be ready to go to heart. I said the last time this is what we know if people they want to know about us they want to listen to
182us be ready I know Dr. We try to plan this you know but we need to go to hardcore we need to let them know not only parents to do this I would love for our staff it's very important this voice you know is concerned these are the people they always there to be sure our kids have education you guys have you know sometime let's say you have four in charge let's say four position you in charge eight because why because you're trying to do the best you can trying to be update for the short time rece cabin trying to do a lot of things. It's not easy. It's easy when people point you but it's not know why they don't come and said Dr. let me see what y can do. Let's talk about
183it you know let me help you where we can go where we can sit down. I know a lot of things getting changed you know thank you for that Dr. slavery and the cabinet a lot of things going it's not easy but I know together we can make better but I'm like I said I'm calling everyone because soon I'm going to be calling everyone I'm going to see who's going to be there to say we support and not only for our students thank you madam chair Mr. Woodson. Yeah. I just want to say, you know, as as we advocate these these people for money, you know, we we need to be nice. I'm going to say it again. We need we need to start speaking, you know, respectful and respect. Respect is not is not
184just something that that is thrown around. It's earned. So, you know, as we as we advocate, we have to be respectful when we talk to these people. We can't be caught we can't be speaking to them saying you people, you know, that's that's disrespectful. You know, when you talk to these people, you have to speak to them proper and and if you don't can't speak to them proper, then you shouldn't be speaking to them. Thank you. Um, yeah. And then final for Mr. U Chamber just I wanted to ask that the working document that we have today in the future not note which items are previously passed by the board which are new proposals so that it's clear we we've discussed tonight some of these items are items that we passed at previous board meetings.
185So if it could be parenthetically noted that or some other way noted you know pass it one board meeting so that then we know previously passed it's whatever and my final comment before we adjourn um on May 1st is the public hearing for the city um for the general budget or the port of event public budget. So um just keep that in the back of your head. Thursday, May 1st is a public hearing. Um downstairs that's at 6 p.m. There'll be more announcements for that. Um as we get closer to the date. Um so, you know, that's for the city um budget. We'll follow up on times for um possibly additional this day. Yes, Mr. Training Bernie. Yeah. Well, I just really I I mean, no, I I had just learned uh um the superintendent's
186office done a good job and had good response bubbling with regard to calling in and asking for help lobbying the legislators. Um, and you know, urge anyone listening, anyone that watches later that that service is available and the superintendent's office has had people calling in and asking how do I contact and getting help from superintendent's office on writing their legislators and that's a very valuable assistance they're offering and helping and they've had great response. So, I think that's tremendous. Yes. In addition to that, looking to try to get some students out to Harford as well. So, I'm working on some potential days right now to be able to do that. And then also, I think the city is also trying to coordinate a city of Bridgeport day in Hartford as well in the upcoming weeks
187as well. So, we're going to try to collaborate with them as well to get more people up to Hartford to be able to kind of advocate as well. So, I'll give a little bit more detail as they develop and um so once we get a date to and I also have um some of the other five urban school districts are wanting to get kids from each of those districts to go up to advocate for Senate Bill 1511 as well. I'm going to join in that and making sure our kids are there as well. So I think there's a lot of potential in the next two weeks to do really really impactful work advocating for those additional dollars. I think that bill is still pretty hot and heavy in discussion. We want to make sure that
188we can maximize that. So I said final. I said final. Is it like 30 seconds? I agree. Well, I was going to say when I sometime I say state people is because I include everyone but I everybody was name apologize on people say I don't want to offend nobody but people the community um hard for everyone but I call everybody what's your name. Thank you. All right. Um I'm going to entertain a motion to enjoy by Mr. Medina. I'll second that. Any members in favor say I. I. I. We're joining at 9:26. Have a great night.