Board of Education Meeting

001when you're reviewing those because there's a lot of them. Um, some of the shipment and goodwin policies absorb several BPS policies um as indicated on the consent agenda tonight. So, you'll see where I tried to detail everything out so you'll know um you know where everything kind of details. Some of the policies are very long and very um cumbersome. Um so, I would love to hear your thoughts. I'm thinking probably September 6th because our that gives us all uh a little over two and a half weeks or so to review them and then the I can put the feedback together and the policy committee committee will meet again the week after that. Um we are also updating the building use policy, the form and the fee schedule and that's also on the agenda for a

002first read tonight. So, the fee schedule that you received a hard copy of right before the meeting, we weren't able to get it in the packet. Um, did everybody get a copy of it? Yes. Okay, great. So, that will accompany um the policy and the um manual that you do have in your packet for tonight. So, again, uh let us know what your feedback is on those. And then I have done my best to keep track of everything and stay very organized. However, there were two policies that were inadvertently left off the consent agenda tonight and I didn't catch it in time. So, um, one of those is for a first and two or for a final. Um, I will make that motion before the consent agenda to add those. Um, and additionally, uh, well,

003one of the ones that's going to go on for first read tonight is part of the policy manual group, um, 3511, which is the 504 ADA student, uh, policy. And I had had the opportunity to talk to Mr. Roland and confirm that uh, it doesn't change anything. It's almost identical to what we already do. He has had that policy in other districts he worked in and was comfortable with us making the motion, the policy committee making the motion to add it to the consent agenda tonight for a first read so that all of those um critical manual policies will be together other than one which we'll bring to you at a later date. So that is do you >> uh so the two that we're adding for a uh second for final reading tonight. No,

004sorry. >> Yep. >> Yeah. Yeah, that's correct. The two we're adding for a final reading tonight is 3452 student activities fund policy and 51. No, that's a first that health screening. That's a first one though. That's a first read. That's part of the policy manual. So, there's just the one, right? Hold on, let me confirm. Yeah. So, the student activities fund is the final read that we inadvertently left off. It's supposed to go with the fundraising policy. So, that was those two were already on uh the I believe May agenda for a first read. So that's I'm going to make the motion to move that on to then the two that go along with the group for our first grade tonight are 5141.3 health assessment screening and immunization >> 5141.3 health assessment screening and immunization

005and then policy 3511 which is section 504 and I think they're in the packet that remember how Lisa sent the additional materials. I think that's what they are, but I will confirm and if not, I'll make sure those are sent to you tomorrow. Yep. The policy and the regulation. Correct. Yeah. So, that's the part of the reason why we wanted Mr. Roland to review it is because that 504 policy comes with the regulation um and he and and the form and he was comfortable uh adopting as is the shipment and good policy as is. >> So, do you want me to make a motion now or wait until the consent agenda? Okay. >> Yeah. >> So, I move to add policy 3452, student activities fund policy, and the proposed manual to the consent agenda for

006a final read. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion? I >> I >> and then I move to add policies 5141.3 health assessment screening and immunization and policy 3511 section 504 ADA with the regulation to the consent agenda for first read tonight. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion on this? >> Okay. All in favor please uh raise your hand and say I. Hi. >> Okay, that's unanimous as well. Thank you very much, everyone. >> Thank you. >> Okay, are we >> Yay! Good job, Zach. >> Thank you, Zach. >> And thanks uh for the patience of anybody watching from home. We should be good to go. >> Okay, so are we set with policy then? >> We are. Sorry. Thank you. >> No problem. >> All right, Rob, are you ready to go with

007the facilities report? >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. >> All right, so we met on August 12th. Uh it was myself, Stephanie, Sarah, Casey, Dan Caldwell, Greg Dumbowski, Dumbowski, excuse me, Julian Capados, I hope I said his name right, and Adam Te were there. Uh we had no public comment. We did receive the reason why they were there. We received a presentation, um on the solar town, a town solar project, excuse me, um which we will be seeing tonight as well. Um basically, uh I didn't take I know we're going to get the presentation tonight, so I'll be brief. Um, basically we are going to get compensated for the energy and get credited services uh on our electric bill by having the solar there. And I um there is a chart I believe uh I know

008you guys will show the chart with the savings but the each year goes up um as far as how much we're going to save the first year. I think it's 27 30,000 37,000 or 27,000 for the first year. 37 for the first year and then it goes up after that. Um we do get the solar credits. Uh we there is a proposed canopy to go over the student parking lot. Um, we're not supposed to lose any parking according to what um we we were told that was asked at the meeting. Um, the canopy will have all new LED lights underneath, so lighting should be better in the parking lot. Um, the parking lot would possibly need to be repaved and um the motion passed 2 to1 to have the solar presentation presented to the board

009tonight. For new business, we discussed a new drip program which is basically we get uh re uh funding available for capital projects. This year we're getting $121,318 for repairs. Um we were among just about every district in the in the state that uh got awarded the grant and each district got awarded different amounts and that's what we received. Uh for personnel updates, uh the opening um there's an opening in each of the schools uh for custodian position, but they are on their way to being filled. Uh the month-to-month maintenance mechanic is uh is we have a someone filling a long-term leave uh with no budgetary impact for old business. Uh school dude report since the short one mechanic. One of the things that was on there for a little bit while uh a plumbing issue

010that's going to be taken care of. Everything should be done before the start of school. Uh that's what Dan had told us. For an update on capital maintenance projects, um the BHS, they're winding down the renovation on two staff bathrooms. Um the athletic secure entrance uh was the wall was put up this past week. New doors are being installed in the middle school. The air conditioning in the high school library is completed. Although it does feel great in here, so I will say I don't know if it's on or not, but it's been cool outside, so we'll take it. Um the there's been work being done in the kitchen uh in the middle school for the new deli. The new art room sink and cabinetry at the high school is also completed. I'm sorry, at

011the that was at the high school for the deli. My apologies. The uh the new deli at the high school uh cafeteria. The middle school small gym, the roof has been completed and the warranty inspection is the only thing that's left. Uh HVAC for BHS, the frozen heating coils from last winter has been completed. So that project's all done. For WMS, the athletic storage is completed. Small roof repairs. There's a leak over the library being addressed. That will be fixed. It's been an ongoing problem that Dan said should be on the spot repair. Um cafeteria floor has been completed at WMS. The WMS staff has finished um has finished it to uh will finish it to complete the job. Excuse me. The it's been handed back over to the staff. the music lab. There's been

012some upgrades made to the lab and infra infrastructure work has been completed. At CLS, the gymnasium floor, uh the leveling that needs to take place and there's no timetable on this job, which is a pretty frustrating thing to have to report that. Um and the rooftop unit has a failed motor and they're waiting to replace that as well. Ventilation is not being affected. Um as for miscellaneous discussion, control on well pump BHS was quickly replaced. Uh the holding tank ran dry. We were we were not notified. There was a system that went off that the alarm was never sent uh was never triggered, but that was taken care of. The health department came, was contacted. They did the uh uh testing on the water. Um they closed for half a day of last week and

013when the state came and tested, everything came back clean and we adjourned at 702. Um just piggybacking on the the uh idea of state testing. There's a lot of talk right now in town. Maybe you guys have heard this um about uh air quality and the compressor station and the expansion of that. So um I asked we belong somewhere in that conversation. I don't know what that looks like. Um so I asked Rob to um spearhead the board um investigation of that through the facilities committee. So you guys will be taking a look at that, asking questions, gathering information, and letting us know what you find out um sometime this calendar year whenever it fits in with your other work. But but that's something that we um we belong in that conversation somewhere. It's just

014not clear where. >> Um awesome. So you're all set. >> All set. >> Okay. Are you ready? Finance. Super. >> Okay. So we last met um last Thursday, August 14th. Um some of the big takeaways from that meeting. Um one of the items that we discussed was um we were informed that we would need three additional um special education para educators um for this year that were not currently budgeted. Um so that was a little bit of a shock. Um but we um in this particular budget were we're going to be able to to cover it. Since then, there has been an update um that with some changes in student need, it turns out we are not going to need to hire these uh FTEEs that were not in the budget. So, this is good

015news. Um we're back on track and so you'll see that in the minutes. Um but that was the update I was able to give after that. Um Casey did report and you'll see on the consent agenda that adult breakfast meal prices will be increasing to $3.50. 50 cents. Um and then for old business, we talked a little bit about um the um the fiscal year 25 closing. Um that is still underway, but it's going well. Uh if you remember, we received a special appropriation from um from the town in the amount of um I thought it was 300. Yeah, I there's a typo in there, but um $330,000 um and it turns out that we will end up returning all of that to the town, which is also I'm sure everybody's happy to hear that.

016Um the majority of the reason for that being that um you know the majority of our overrun last at the end of last year was due to special education and what we thought was um a pretty small reimbursement rate from the state um less than what we had budgeted. Turns out the state decided to kick in more money um in the tune of over $200,000 to us. Um and so that kind of wiped away most of that um special appropriation need from the town. The rest came from, if you remember, we did freeze our budget mid year. Um and so we um were able to not spend about $120,000 and so that was sort of the remainder and all of that is going back to the town. um and likely even $40,000 more. So um

017so yeah, so that um demonstrates we provide that back to the town. The auditors will be on site um the 8th and 15th of September to finish up the audit. Um then we talked about our teacher turnover. Um that's something that we kind of watch really closely as the summer hiring goes on. Um, as you know, we um in our budget, we build in a negative $200,000. Um, assuming that we are going to hire less veteran teachers when we have teachers retire and some um resign. Um, that's not always possible, of course, given, you know, the teacher shortage um areas. But as of right now, with four open positions still left, we are within $30,000 of that savings target. So hopefully we will be able to hit that um with the rest of the summer

018hirings. Um then we talked about a um the special education out of district um update. So Casey summarized um she has been giving us these monthly snapshots of um tuition, transportation and excess cost grant revenue. Um and overall the net budget forecast has changed a little bit to the better. Um, but we're kind of taking these sort of snapshots month by month um so that people can kind of really see the fluctuations in how that special education budget can flex um throughout the year. So, we're not anticipating this to remain a surplus. It may um but of course we may see small changes within special education and those being very big dramatic um changes to that number. But um with this sort of snapshot summary, we'll be able to kind of see that. What is

019nice is because we did budget true to what we were going to have at the start of this year as opposed to kind of what we were in February or something when the budget was sort of first presented to the public. Um because we budgeted true, we are in a much better place to be able to make decisions elsewhere in the budget. If you remember at even at this point last year, we were oh, I think like almost $500,000 um overspent. Um and so because we're not in that place, we're capturing it. We're being transparent about, you know, this surplus that does exist right now. Um but we have the ability to kind of say, okay, maybe we don't have to freeze necessarily. We don't have to take money from other areas of the budget.

020Um so we're in a much better place and there's a lot less tension, I think, in the business office. um with that being um budgeted the way it is. So, that's good. Um I think that was Yeah, that was pretty much it for the special ed update. Um actually, Rob, you mentioned the um the that drip program. What was the amount that you had said that we would receive? Yeah. Okay. I thought you said Okay, that's the number that I had to. So, that was just the update that um Casey had provided. Um this is an entitlement grant. It's for smaller capital repairs though, right? Not large projects. Um, but that's going to be really great. And from what I understand, we won't receive another update until about March of 26. So, um, that was

021pretty much it. That's the update for finance. >> Did you guys have a question? Okay. Thank you. Thank you. Um, all right, Sarah. Uh, youth commission. Yeah, just very briefly um their quick their new um item that is that they're looking into community asset building ideas provided by search institute. So that just got started. And then a quick update but very important the municipal debate has a date and a time. It's um October 21st at 7 p.m. in the Ffield High School auditorium. 7 p.m. the high school >> 21st. Thank you. >> Oh, Dewali. >> Can you um just say again what that first item was? >> They're looking into community asset building ideas provided by Search Institute. >> So, what does that mean exactly? I I don't have details on that's just with something

022they're starting to do. >> Is that from is that related to is that related to the the search institute but does the constructs the care survey correct? >> Yeah. So related to >> so the it's the the assets >> similar to how they had the focus groups after after the >> I was actually just going to say I'm I'm the cares committee person and at the meeting this week they had that Mary had mentioned that. So that's probably that makes >> sense. Yeah. >> Can I ask you a question for the youth commission? One of the um groups of people that we had targeted in our meeting was the youth commission. Remember in our planning meeting for sorry for the superintendent search I should have prefaced that was the youth commission. Is there do you

023will you meet be with them or will you see them or is there any contact you could have with them before the 16th of September to see if there's a time during the day where you could get a couple representatives >> for the 17th? for the 17th. And it could be so I I'll give you the schedule and it could be during one of the times that they're already there or like maybe we could set up a separate Zoom or >> find out what works for them. Okay. >> And see if like during the day or after school because they that would I feel like that would be valuable and maybe >> maybe there's some way we could get like student council or part of that like school some kind of school leaders like that's

024maybe society. >> Yeah. Maybe there could be different groups. Like that could be where >> could be your first assignment and duty with us is to try to figure out like target maybe a couple of representatives from each group. We wouldn't want to have like a huge group but like enough school representative because you guys are the ones that are going to be directly impacted by our new superintendent and who we want to choose. So I think it would be an important thing to make sure we are including students in that conversation. >> So >> yeah, I'll get back to you. Absolutely. So, if you guys both work on that and then you can always email me as well if you if that's like however if you want to communicate with Sarah if you guys

025want to coordinate if it's just easier like however you think that works best for you take the initial >> let me know thanks >> I haven't gotten an update on that but yeah I know they were they were having a lot of like recruiting going on over the summer I'll find out for Great. >> Awesome. Thanks, guys. Uh, let's move now to the consent agenda. >> Well, yeah. >> Sorry. >> Yes. So, >> this consent agenda movement movement motion is with the added >> Yep. >> Uh, sorry. >> With the added policies. Yep. So, I move that the board approve the items on the consent agenda as recommended. New hires, transfers, resignations, and exhibit E. >> Second. >> Is there any discussion of this? >> I think just give some thought to a public comment

026and we're doing that when you're doing that first read. >> Take a look at um 514. >> Yep. >> Yeah. >> Agree. And that was why I said if everybody can make sure they look in depth. >> Yeah. >> Yep. When is your >> Yeah, they'll all come that we'll all put but I'll make sure to signal that one out and highlight it to make sure that we read through it and >> look at it more in depth. >> Yeah, absolutely. Have you >> because I did read every page, but >> I did too and I it didn't make that connection. Yeah, I didn't flag it as something that was concerning, but I definitely want to consider, you know, all the feedback that we get about it. So, I think that's important. Sorry, Ros. What

027were you gonna say? >> Um, when's your next policy meeting? >> Our next policy meeting is supposed to be the 17th. However, >> right, because of the >> because of the Right. So, I um we will I would like to do it the week um after that, the week of the 22nd. So, we'll have to get with the policy members. >> So, if we have um just feedback from you to you by the 19th. That should be good. She said, >> "Yeah, I I said September 6th, but I feel like since we're going to push it, we probably could." >> Yeah. I mean, I was hoping to have a meeting before that, but we didn't talk about that tonight. I forgot. So, >> I'll just put it in the sixth. >> Put it on the

028sixth. And I'm going to get with um Aaron and Joy and see if we can get a meeting the week of the 8th because then if we could have a meet a week of the 8th and the 22nd, we get two policy meetings in like we did that month, it tends to be really productive because then it's also not as overwhelming for us. We take it in smaller chunks. Um so if that changes or once I figure out how I'm going to break them up, I can like send out an agenda or send out a note saying like, "Okay, these are the policies we're going to attack first." Um, and then but I feel like since that's a that is a really meaty policy, I think that we would not attack that at the next

029agenda necessarily, I think I want to give everyone plenty of time. Um, and so if you like aren't able to review or actually if you're not able to review anything else or you only have limited time if that and the um the other one was the student discipline policy. >> Well, which is actually >> 5144. >> Yeah, 5144. So, there's a lot of things in there. >> Okay. >> Um, >> we'll start that one, too. >> Yeah, that's a very meaty. >> All right. So, are we good then um to vote on the consent agenda? >> All right. All in favor, please say I. >> I. Any opposed? All right. It's unanimous. Great. Thanks. Let's move then to new business. and we'll be hearing a presentation from um Jules Capidos and um Adam Teff from

030Titan will be joining us on the Zoom. Do we need Zach out here for that? >> Great. Thanks, Zach. So for uh people who are at home um the board is going to hear a presentation regarding a town solar project. Hey, Adam. Can you hear us? Oh, neat. There we go. >> Can you hear me? >> Yes, we can. >> Okay, great. >> Excellent. Can everybody hear me as well? >> Oh, I see. You really are testing my abilities here. [Music] Okay, members of the board, thank you very much for inviting us here today. My name is Julian Capidos. I'm the purchasing manager here in the school district as well as the municipality. It's got to be about five years now since first electron Steve Dunn first asked me to look at uh solar and

031I've been kicking this can down the road all that time. Um the one thing I have learned is that it's a very complicated subject. We all think you're just going to um install a whole bunch of solar panels on a roof or in a parking lot and bingo you get free energy for 20 years. Unfortunately, it's not quite as simple as that. Uh so that's really where Titan comes in. Uh Adam is our uh expert who they were Titan Energy was selected by CCM uh the commute. What is it? >> That's the one. Um and uh through a whole process of RFPs and everything else, they won the contract and it's just recently been renewed. I think I'm saying um we didn't just leap to the schools as a as a solution. We have about

032107 different parcels of land around town and with Adam's and his team's expertise, they identified the three school locations as really being the most viable. We went out to bid and we received four bids. And to indicate how complicated this is, one of those bids had six different ways of presenting each proposal for each site. So just one proposal from one vendor came in with 18 suggestions for three sites. Um Titan has identified a clear front runner and when I hand over to Adam, that's what he's going to be presenting. um and he will show us what this is going to look like and where it will be and obviously taking into account comments about parking lots and whatever else. So, uh unless there are any further questions or any questions, I'll hand over to

033Adam. >> All right. Um I I take that as no questions and um as I go along feel free um to ask questions as they might arise but you know Jules gave um you know really good back history of the work that we've done over the last at least with my involvement over the last year um analyzing different town properties um you know looking for the areas at which the the town or the board of ed could um obtain you know the strongest financial benefit from solar um and we did settle on the three schools as being the best candidates for that. We did run the RFP. We did have a chance to go through the results and I'm going to walk everybody through tonight um you know just a general process overview and then

034um give you an explanation of what's being proposed. Then we you know we can talk about visuals and timelines and things like that and then if you have any questions I can answer those. Um, so as Jules mentioned, we did, you know, we uh issued the RFP. We had four developers that responded to that RFP. The company with the most advantageous offer is a company called Varie. They're based out of West Hartford. Um, they've been in business now since 2017, I believe, and they were a spin-off of a solar company that um was established in Connecticut, I think, back in 2012. So um you know their team has um a good deal of experience with projects just like this and in particular with the municipal sector here in the state. Um you know that was

035one of the criteria that we um evaluated proposals through which was you know do they have the kind of requisite municipal solar development experiments to be a good partner for the town and for the board of ed. Um you'll note the three locations here, High School, Whisk Caner, and Candlewood Lake. Um we can get into more of the specifics about what this information means, the system size, etc. But just in in in how these uh savings would be realized on your utility bills. But um as a snapshot here between the three sites, the annual uh savings on your Eversource bill just under $80,000 per year and extrapolated over 20 year period is just shy of about 1.5 million. So I think um some of the most important information to understand here is that these systems

036would actually be designed on a front of the meter basis. And without getting too much into the weeds um you know technical weeds here basically all this means is the systems will create electricity that will ultimately go back to the local grid. Um the reason that we've uh suggested doing it this way is that based on how the incentive program works for larger commercial solar systems. Um there's a higher incentive rate when you do it this way as opposed to behind the meter which the electricity goes back to your building. Um what is similar though and I think is is perhaps the most important part is that as the system creates electricity what the what the board of ed will get at each location is a utility bill credit. Um and that utility bill credit

037is based on the number of kilowatt hours that gets created by the system over time. And that credit is calculated based on a set value and then applied directly to your Eversource bills as long as the solar is operating for the 20-year period that the um contracts are written for. So what's great about this is it's um irrespective of what electricity prices do which you know if you really take a deep dive into how they trend over time um you know there's there's definitely a possibility that electricity prices could fall. So um having a guaranteed credit rate that's applied to your bills every month. Nothing you have to buy. So there there's no um electricity invoice that you get from Verigy. Basically what this comes down to is the systems get built. Verigy is in

038responsible for their the ownership, the operations, maintenance, every cost associated with it. And as the system produces power, you get credit on your utility bills. Um, and we can talk about what that looks like in more detail and I can walk you through the math, but um, you know, I think it's just important as a key takeaway here that, um, you know, there's no, and some of you may have some familiarity with this, um, because solar is not necessarily new, but there are other arrangements in which you buy back the power from the system and you have to pay the solar company for that power. kind of like you buy electricity from Eversource now. Um, and that's, you know, a more complicated transaction. And then there's also the possibility that you could end up paying

039more for solar energy than ever source energy. And, you know, I think what's really great about this is we strip out all of the price risk. It's a guaranteed savings as long as the solar is um doing what it's supposed to be doing. And um, you know, it's it's pretty substantial upside for the for the district as well. So this was our recommendation. Very company with the strongest proposal. Um I can give everybody a sense here too of location specific proposals. Um for the high school, the largest the single largest area of land that the town or board of ed owns is the student parking lot at the high school. um the age of the roof at the high school is not suitable for solar. Really, what we're looking for is a roof that's due

040to be replaced sometime within the next two years or has been replaced within the last three. Um there there was not enough meaningful space on the high school to include the roof, so we pivoted to the parking lot. Um so this is really just a a parking canopy system. Um you know again I think uh some of you may have some familiarity with this kind of technology or if you've seen it in other places um but it you know it's very straightforward project and the one with the the most significant economics for the uh for the board of ed in terms of the economics and how this is calculated. What we do to help simplify is we break this down into a 20-year chart. And the savings are calculated based on the number of kilowatt

041hours that the system produces. And in this case, just to keep it simple, we're looking at it on an annual basis. It's the s the solar kilowatt hour production multiplied by the utility bill credit. And those are the dollars that land on your Eversource bill over the course of a year to help lower your cost. So really what happens here is this ends up as a line item deduction on your Evers Source bill. Um the bill credit is fixed for 20 years. So there's no, you know, possibility of uh potentially paying for something that has no value or or paying too much for something. It's it's set. Um the solar production, you'll note this number falls a little bit um half a percent per year. We account for that. Um, and over a 20-year period,

042about $700,000 in credits from the system. We did include this here, the request of um believe the request came in maybe from the facility subcommittee just to show where the steel supports would go. And again, you know, the name of the game here is not to eliminate any parking spaces and we understand that parking is always at a premium. um at really every lot, but you know, especially school lots. So, um you know, we're not going to be taking up any parking spaces necessarily. And we have gone through um uh you know, uh sharing this information with fire marshall and folks from parks and wreck. Maybe Jules can speak to this too, but um you know we've been trying to we've been as in inclusive in terms of making folks aware who may have a

043stake in this project e either from an operations perspective like plowing etc um or safety uh i.e with the fire marshal um and Jules I don't want to speak out of turn but um we we've been given the thumbs up by both entities. Is that fair statement? >> Correct. Yes. both parks and wreck and the fire marshall have given it their blessing. Um so moving on here uh Candlewood Lake. This is um you know very straightforward rooftop application. This building was actually built with solar in mind. So, it's it's basically it's got all the things that we look for in a post construction, you know, post new new build um application. We've got, you know, conduits throughout the building. The electric room is ready for solar. The roof um and structural integrity of the building

044was was built, you know, with solar in mind. So, same concept here in terms of the financial benefit. You have your annual solar production multiplied by your utility bill credit rate and that is what uh is realized on your Eversource bill per year. You'll note the credit rate is a little bit higher for the roof just because um the actual cost to build the rooftop system is lower than the carport. So um and uh basically lower cost to build higher credit value. If you did notice that difference, that's the reason. And maybe something to note here because it's uh and it it pertains to all projects whether it's the carport or the roof. But um just in case folks were wondering how the end of end of useful life, end of contract um is handled.

045So what happens is there's three different tracks that the board could take at the end. um the one that I'll speak to first I think is is the one that will likely make the most sense for folks with rooftop projects and then potentially um you know the the second option for the carport. But the the the first option which is I think the most important to understand is that Ber would be contractually obligated to take the system down restore the roof at their cost. So at the end of the 20 years, if there's no further incentive program to support the project, if there's no um you know kind of viable pathway to keep operating or if you're due for a new roof, which you likely will be in about 20 years or so, um they

046take the system down at their cost. If there's an economic case to extend the contract is mutually agreed to by both parties, you'd be able to do that as well. or the board could buy out the system at, you know, fair market value. Um, at this point, I think for a rooftop project, my what the what I tell folks to plan for is you're likely going to need a new roof, in which case you take the equipment down and start fresh with latest technology um and whatever incentives are in place for comparable projects for the carport. um you know that steel is going to have a lot more useful life um than the panels would. I think there's a higher probability that doing an extension on that contract may make more sense, but in the

047worst case scenario again um Berg would have to take the equipment back at their cost and restore the site. So um just keep that in the back of your mind because that is a question that usually comes up right around now. And then Whiskanir is the um wild card, if you will, just because if you can see my cursor, this section of the roof is effectively at the end of its useful life. And um the previous two projects are um you know, the idea would be to um build those in the summer of 2026. And this is, you know, unless you had a plan on the books for a re-roof in summer 2026. Um, it would be very, very difficult to get this project done at the same time. So, if this was a project

048that the board was interested in doing, the roof would have to be done first. Um, and we can help work with you in um, you know, a more unique timeline for this project. I just wanted to make everybody aware that this is doable provided that um this section of the roof is replaced. >> Adam, can I just jump in there? >> Um sure. >> I think you said that the deadline for completing this would have to be uh July 1st, 2028. Is that correct? Um so the way and this is this all has uh unfolded recently. Um is the so the IRS um at the direction of the president um took a fresh look at the investment tax credits and and what project developers need to do in order to be able to qualify for

049those before they expire. Um the tax bill that was passed back in July really uh shortened shortened the amount of time that those tax credits are available. But luckily we did get some clarification recently from the IRS and how they're going to um you know qual allow folks to qualify for the investment tax credit. Basically, what we would need to do in order to make this project eligible for the investment tax credit is spend 5% of the project cost prior to July 6th, 2026. Now, when I say spend 5% of the project cost, what I really mean is spending 5% of the project cost um because they are assuming all development expenses for the project. In order for them to do that, they would need an executed agreement much like for the other two projects.

050So, if there is a plan to do the roof sometime, preferably summer 2027, perhaps 2028, um we could still contract for this project, but if you were planning to push the roof out further than that, I that's think when you'd start running into timeline problems. But it it is a consideration anyway. And you might be able to accelerate your roof program. Um >> is it just that section of the roof we're talking about? >> No, that >> it's the whole thing. >> Yeah, there's I think there's a little bit done by the uh the gym with the new wall. >> Um but the rest of the program is mapped out for the next five, six years. Is this program, you know, are all three of these projects all or nothing or >> are they individual?

051>> Do you want to take that, >> Adam? They're individual. >> Yeah, you can. >> There it's not a requirement that you contract for all three. You could contract for one, two, three. >> Um, >> it doesn't affect the economics overall. And Rob, >> rather it wouldn't it wouldn't alter the terms of the deal for the projects that you did select. >> Rob, am I correct in the conversation we had about Wisconsin is because the roof is so different in multiple places. That's why we can't peacemail it. So it has to be the entire roof replaced at once, >> which I know it's out in the future. It's just we'd have to look at the timeline of when it's going to be repaired. >> And the school couldn't Casey, we had talked about in our

052meeting that like the school can't be solely responsible for that. That would have to be something we lean on like capital committee the town to help us with >> and and they just did a whole like re audit I guess of that and and are unwilling to I mean that's the sense I got to move things around from the schedule that they have because there are so many interlocking pieces for the town that we can't say like oh but could you like >> well being on the capital committee I don't think like I yes but also I think that if there was a conversation around this being a priority >> that could definitely be something that >> so can I jump in real quickly over the next six years the capital plan the 10-year capital

053plan includes replacing the entire roof of whiskey project section by section over the next five six years if we wanted to move this project forward maybe we change our capital plan and do the entire roof in one go do half the roof in one go look at the economics look at the revenue we would generate I think the the board of finance gets that final decision, right? But I'd be willing to talk to them about that. And the key here is as long as we get 5% of it started by next July, right? So we have some time to make that decision. And these are each individual decisions that we should probably think about that, right? Because these incentives are right now going away after next July. There are no incentives. And if you don't

054have the incentives, you can't make it work from an economic standpoint. >> And Steve, the plan is for the capital planning committee to become sort of an official ad hoc committee underneath the town. And we do plan on meeting again, I think, in October. So this conversation could happen early enough, whereas typically the capital planning committee would meet later in the budget season. >> Yeah, the capital committee meets regularly. We just reformulated them and created the ordinance. So we would ask them to meet to have that discussion because the plan the board of ed put together with your consultant over 10 years. >> There is room that we possibly could move things around in there. Right. >> Right. We'd obviously talk to you guys first, but if we could, it's an option we should consider.

055>> That make sense? >> Thank you. And I don't know if this is helpful for folks, but the the main area that I is the most critical and I think the one that's up for replacement um the soonest would be this section. If you can tell if you can see this coloration here, it's kind of a grayish brown. There's actually like a it's like a river rock ballasted system. It represents a the majority of the building, but this is really the section in question. I think um I don't want to speak out of turn here, but I think there has been some roof activity, re-roof activity for these smaller sections. So, it's really I think this kind of heart of the building though um that you would be looking to re- roof. >> I'm just

056>> I mean I Candlewood Lake was built for this, right? it. You know, I sat at me municipal building last night, kind of asked, you know, what their thoughts are. I mean, this is kind of in their wheelhouse. Um, they said, you know, Kandwood Lake is plugandplay. We need to get a CO and then that can go ahead, right? Whisker needs a roof. And I think a roof, okay, you know, maybe we can figure that out. I am concerned about this diagram in the student parking lot what it looks like and there's no buffer. So I, you know, pulled up Richfield High School, like tried to look at um towns that have done this. Ridgefield has a buffer. You don't see it from the road. Um people live on Long Meadow. They have a direct

057beautiful shot to um you know, Bridgewater. And I just I really think um you know as a taxpayer I would want to know that people in this area are supporting it right that live on this side of town. Um so I don't know if it's a town meeting. I don't know you know where people can weigh in. I mean we're facing a ton of stuff right now. The compressor station, the cell phone tower, um and this. So I mean I'm all for looking at avenues to put it on the roof. I just don't know that I support, you know, a freestanding um building. And that's just my opinion. It's not um you know, and then I found out last night that there's a septic underneath the student parking lot. I mean, are we going to

058have trouble, you know, if if this project does go ahead, what's the soil like? Are we going to have trouble getting, you know, footings in there? Um you know, is drainage included? I mean, I don't know. I haven't seen a proposal. we just kind of saw this. So, I mean, I don't know if you, you know, can forward the proposal to us. So, we know what we're looking at other than, you know, what we're seeing here. >> Um, I don't know if you heard any of that, Adam, but uh I am >> Yeah. No, no, I I I did, you know, just um maybe just a few thoughts for you. I mean a project like this would um have to go in front of you know local planning and zoning in which case um neighbors

059would be made aware and would have you know an avenue um in an in an opportunity to participate in in that process. So just you guess something to think about from that perspective. Um and then as far as you know the doing soil tests and things like that, I mean Ver is going to have to hire a geo geotechnical uh you know structural engineer to come out and um you know take samples and do all sorts of work related to you know studying what's underneath this asphalt um which you know will happen well in advance of um you know the final engineered stamp drawings for the project. So there's there's still a significant amount of work to be done here. Um I think you know what we're looking for um generally is you know the

060with the the the town deciding if it's you know conceptually something that it wants to do um executing that bill credit share agreement with bar then allows them to start tapping you know more serious financial resources towards developing the project hiring you know outside engineering etc getting in front of planning and zoning um to seek approval for the for the project, etc. So, you know, there there there's still a lot more work to be done. I think we're just looking for um you know, a sense of the board's view on this as a concept. So, you spoke about this, Adam, at the um facilities when you presented to the facilities committee about the specific reasons why the schools were the ultimate um selection because you had actually looked at doing places within town that had

061like solar field capabilities, but there was push back because those are protected lands. Is that correct? Um well as far as you know anything anything down you know from from like a large groundmounted system like a solar farm >> like happy landings was one of the places you had mentioned and had said that >> that's the expense >> right and that but that so just for the public to and for the board to be aware that like there it's not that you hadn't explored locations like that. Oh, absolutely. Yeah, >> correct. I mean, we looked at literally 100 plus townowned sites, um, you know, much of its wooded core forests, open space, um, or of a certain size in which the economic benefits just really weren't there. So, um, yeah, we were we were exhaustive

062in our, um, our assessment of which properties would yield the greatest financial benefit for the town. And I think I'm right in saying another factor is proximity to the grid, isn't it? Um because obviously the school >> being able to interconnect back to the grid. >> So technically the third >> Yeah. It's just not it's not feasible to build a solar array where there's no, you know, interconnection to the local power grid, you know, if you're too too far off the beaten path. Um and you know certainly we don't want to be in the business of taking down trees and and doing all that kind of stuff. You know um just sort of antithetical to I think you know what big part of what the town's also looking to achieve here from a sustainability perspective

063too. So um >> Sarah you had a question. >> I was just thinking I mean the fact that you've looked at 107 locations and the third best one needs a new roof and probably isn't something that we're going to go forward with is kind of interesting I find. But um Adam, I don't know if you could talk to this. If we go forward with this and then they do the structural engineering and they find out it's not something that we can move forward with, what then what happens? >> Yeah. So any costs that are borne by Very throughout the development process are are on them? Um there's no situation in which Very would ask the town to be reimbursed for expenses. um you know they it's incumbent on anybody who bids on a project like

064this to do enough diligence so that they feel comfortable if awarded you moving forward taking those um those steps to actually you know move forward with development and that's a very common practice in the renewables business I mean there you know it's unusual that projects um fail for one reason or another but it's not the financial responsibility for the town >> so my last question is when you know, you got these proposals. Are they aware that there's septic under that? I mean, because I just found out last night. Were they aware that there's an abandoned septic system under that student parking lot? >> Um, that's the first I'm hearing of it as well, but the fact that it's abandoned, um, you know, is is not the most concerning thing. I mean, it obviously you wouldn't

065have, you know, septic system, an active septic system that's paved over. Um, but you know that's useful information for them to know as they go through and and you know work on the geotech side of uh developing this project. >> And Rosa, did you have a question? >> Yes, I actually have a ton of um more practical questions. Um, so Verigy is going to incur a lot of uh developmental costs. So there is a there's a monthly fee attached to this once it is operational or No, >> there isn't. >> No. So there's no there's zero cost uh for the board to to participate in these projects. You basically what you're agreeing to do here is you allow them to build these systems. >> Okay. >> And in exchange for doing so you get credits

066on your utility bill dollar credits. >> Okay. Um you also mentioned that maintenance and things like that were also Varig's responsibility. >> Okay. >> Correct. Um, so my next question kind of relates to the types of panels that these are. Um, I know that there are different types. I have I have solar on my own home, so I'm I'm a little bit aware of the different types of panels. Is this the type of panel and I don't know what the name is but where it's sort of if one section is malfunctioning that they all are malfunctioning or can we still if one area gets damaged or is not working for some reason the rest are still operational. >> Yeah. So these are designed in sections where basically you you have um you know they're they're

067called strings. So you'd have um you know I guess think of it in like layman's layman's way. Um if you let's just scroll up here. Um so let's say there these strings are likely about you know sections. If you can see my cursor kind of break up into you know this size. So if you had a fault with one of the inverters just as a for instance it would only affect that string. it would not knock down the whole system. Um, same thing if you had panel damage from, you know, hail or something like that. Uh, you know, again, this is, you know, very being in the owner operator seat is responsible for all of this. Um, and the way that, you know, I I guide my clients to mitigate is to have performance guarantees

068in these agreements. So, for some reason, um, you know, the system isn't doing what it's supposed to be doing, that there's a mechanis a legal mechanism in the contract >> that ensures that the town still gets what it anticipated getting. >> Um, and that, you know, I think the important thing to remember here too is, you know, the Varie for their part, they make their money back through the sale of power back to Eversource. And I mean, this is their, you know, any solar developer. I mean that that's their business model is creating electricity. Um and you know I've worked with VERG in the past on other projects. Um a few of the RFPs that we've issued over the years have uh been awarded to Vari and um you know they've been very good to

069work with in terms of um not just the actual construction but then you know the ongoing relationship and in terms of you know O and M and making sure that the projects are working and that the financial value is is being realized on the bill. So um I know that's a long answer to a short question but um that you know the the responsibility and the the the motivation to make sure these these systems work is is very strong because that is how they make their money back. >> Okay. Um and what about the at the end of their useful life the disposal of the panels because I know that that can be extremely expensive and an environmental hazard. Yeah. So the decommissioning of the system is entirely the responsibility of energy. Um there's no

070cost associated with that for the town at the end of the contract term. That's if there's no other path forward that makes mutual sense for folks um between the the town and bear then then that's what would happen. Um and you know speaking just generally about end of life and where the equipment goes. So I've been doing this now roughly for about 15 years. And um one of the industries that I've watched kind of come into its own and mature is you know the recycling of this equipment. you know what happens at the end of the useful life because really commercial solar this scale is really you know it's it's solar's been around for 50 or 60 years but largecale commercialization of solar is you know relatively new within the last 20 or 15. So,

071as we're seeing this first wave of projects that was built, you know, initially 15, 20 years ago, um, you know, start to face the end of life stuff. Um, the the panel recycling industry is kind of growing up alongside of that. Um, so, you know, I imagine 20 years hence, it'll be even better than it is today. But really, what happens is, um, you know, there's different companies out there that are doing kind of creative things. I mean they're they're using the polysilicon. Um so the actual like when people think of the the panel itself like what the stuff that's actually converting those photons to electrons um you know it can be ground up and converted into other sorts of building um you know like uh what was I saw recently like they're turning it

072into like pavers and and like roofing material and stuff like that. So, and then the rest of it, glass and steel and and you know, copper wire and things like that, which are more easily recycled. Um, >> but it would be financially it would be financially vari's responsibility to >> correct >> dispose of the panels. Okay. >> Um, yeah. Is there a potential for um to store energy in locally in a in a battery of some sort um for power outages, things like that? >> So there is a battery storage program for commercialsized enterprises, you know, municipalities falling into that category. And what's interesting about Connecticut is that the commercial solar incentive program and the commercial battery program have actually been separate. Um, so I've worked with municipalities that have had interest in battery storage,

073but to date we've had to do it outside of the solar incentive program. So, >> uh, to keep things a little bit more straightforward, if you will, because they are separate programs, >> um, we focused on solar in this particular case. >> So, if that was something that was ever of interest to the town, we could certainly look into that, but it would be separate from what's contemplated here because if if you try to incorporate a battery without that incentive, you try to, you know, put it under a solar only program, the economics really start to unwind pretty fast. So, um it's unfortunate that Connecticut doesn't have a better hybrid program like Massachusetts and New Jersey does, but um up until recently we didn't even have a battery incentive program at all. So, >> perhaps

074it will evolve in that sense um at some point. >> Okay. Um, and then I just have a couple more questions and forgive me if this is on your chart because I can't really I can't see that bar, but what percentage of have you sort of calculated, you know, our our energy usage now and how much credit essentially like percentage- wise that we'll expect to essent essentially generate from these panels? >> Adam, I can uh field that one if you want. >> Um, >> sure. Let's just take one site because trying to deal with all three of them at the same time is impossible. But at the elementary school, uh the consumption in the fiscal year 25 was one 1.3 million kilowatt hours and that cost us $300,000. >> Mhm. Um the the the incentive

075which Adam showed there this column here is 3.75 cents per kilowatt hour which we are guaranteed to get back. We are currently locked into a contract at 10 cents per kilowatt hour. Now, it's not as simple as saying, "Oh, great. We get a 30 point 37.5 discount." Because the uh kilowatt hours generated by this system aren't even close to covering the 1.3 million. This this system, I think I'm right in saying, is well, you can see the left hand column, is on average about 535,000 kilowatt hours per year. >> Okay. >> So, you there's a there's a shortfall. >> Why? Why? I mean, this is >> there's just not enough roof roof space really. >> If you look at the picture, >> well, let me let me see if I maybe maybe I could take

076a little bit of um a whack at this uh concept, too. So, >> I think there's there's sort of two facets of the question maybe that I heard. There's energy production relative to energy consumption at the building and then maybe there's a question of annual savings relative to annual spend. >> Yeah. Um so to to Jules's point uh the the consumption side the the total per year is a little bit over a million kilowatt hours. Um so from a production perspective we're you know roughly at about half of that. Um and we're you know our major constraint here is just the physical space on the roof. Um, you know, you can only get so much solar on this roof and you know, like as for instance, we didn't put any panels here because you get

077a little bit of shading and you know, you don't want to put panels where you're going to get shading. So, just try to maximize, you know, the the production from every panel um, relative to the roof space we have. I mean, I think that this is a good this is a good layout. Um, and then on the on the cost side of things, I think Jules, when you, Greg, and I were kind of talking about this in like a like a global like between the the three sites, it was about on average like 10% cost reduction um, you know, relative to total spend. And the other thing too, I know Jules mentioned a figure for the last Jules, I think he says for the last year, you know, $300,000 or so for uh Candlewood. What's

078interesting is that as of uh June 1st of this year, those charges and not to veer too far off the point, but I think it it's just worth pointing out that um those combined public benefits, so that the basically the you know the charges on Eversource bills that went up by a few cents per kilowatt hour seemingly overnight, >> they they've come back down as of July, June of this year pretty significantly. So I think you know your your costs will will fall as well. It doesn't affect anything related to the utility bill credit that you would get but um you know relative to that I think your your costs on average for Candlewood are probably going to be more in the ballpark of like 250,000 or so a year. Jules, I can't remember offhand

079what the what you had for the high school, but I think the high school is a little bit less because it's actually uses less power than Candlewood, right? Can can you do you know off hand? >> Strangely enough, given that it's a much older building uh and the elementary school was designed with efficiency in in mind, but yeah, it uh it draws quite a lot that school. Yeah, Jules, do do you recall off handy annual spend on the high school? I mean, I think I think what we came up with was that the annual savings were about 10 or 12%. >> For the high school, yes. >> So, this doesn't this doesn't really work like net metering as far as I understand. Right. This is sort >> This is very different from residential. Okay. >>

080Yeah. The the the commercial solar program is >> very very different from the resial. >> I see. So this C so explain to me and sorry even if you blow that that chart up I'm still not ever gonna be able to see it from where I'm sitting but um so essentially just explain to me like super high level so that I can understand like how how we are receiving those credits if it's not because I only understand it as net metering. So explain to me sort of how we get these credits. >> Yeah. So it it's it's it's pretty simple. So Eversource is metering the output from this system much like you know they're metering the input or you know what what you draw right for if you're just an average customer and as they

081do that during each billing cycle they total up the kilowatt hours that were produced by the array they multiply it by this set bill credit amount >> okay >> and then the credit lands on your bill just like a line item instead of although Unlike your charges on Eversource, it's actually a debit. So you're um or it's it's it's a credit on your bill, not not um you know, a charge, so to speak. >> So it's really just Yeah. lands on your bill that way. It's all handled by Eversource. >> Okay. >> Oh, can I add that the observant among you may have noticed that the uh solar production goes down over the 20 years. >> That's not because we're anticipating less and less sunshine. It's because the panels get less efficient over time. >>

082Um, back to the maintenance question. Um, is there a difference in terms of any damage done to the panels um like through I don't know a student hitting like the pole and it damaging the panels versus like I don't know an an act of god a branch falls on them or something like that. >> No, it's all treated the same. And you know, the reality of it too is that I mean, the the thing the thing that a student could hit potentially with a with a car would be a concrete footing like if there was um >> parking light. Yeah. >> Like like with a concrete footing, right? So um >> Well, I don't know. I mean, students I don't know. They throw thing I like I'm just thinking like these are >> Okay. >>

083Yeah. Okay. Um, okay. Sorry, just a couple more questions. Just related to the physical layout of the panels in particular at BHS. Um, at what point, like in the process, do we find out if if we do lose parking spaces or if the buses can't get around them? And I'm thinking buses that have to come in for for away games and those big coach buses that are even bigger than the school buses. Um, >> I think what we have to remember is that these are supported by stansions which are in between the parking spaces. Y >> they are 14 ft high. So even a semi-truck can get in there. >> So buses should be able, we'll double check with Casey, but buses should be able to get in there with no problem because you got

084to remember the lowest point they are is 14 ft above the ground. >> Semis are 13t 2 in. >> So buses should be get in with no problem. Our fire marshall has said our fire trucks, all our fire trucks can make it in there. >> Okay, >> fire trucks are bigger than buses. So, we'll double check that, but um it it shouldn't be a problem, right? And obviously, if we get into construction problems and issues, then ver will come back to us. But remember, this is a turnkey system. They absorb all the risk. All the risk they maintain, to your point about inverters, you can put an inverter on every single solar panel. that gets more expensive. It's in Verarig's interest to make sure these panels are working at peak efficiency because they make more

085money, right? And we get a better credit. So they watch it very very carefully. And typically they're done in arrays of five or six, seven, eight, 10 to one inverter that then comes back DC to AC power. I have a son who's putting solar on his house. He's buying used panels. >> They're about 20% of the cost of new panels and they're 80% efficient as new panels >> now with things like this we don't want to do that and he's building it himself but those are the sort of things >> so then though I don't have any more questions um but I I'll just say sort of as a comment I do think it will be important to hear you know from the community through the through the natural process I think of planning and

086zoning and all of that the the ability for the public to weigh in on the aesthetics of of the project but I I will say like that amount of reaping that amount of savings is significant and in two in two regards not only because over the course of 20 years we're looking at you know over a million dollars that's a that's a capital project I mean that is a big capital project that we that we sorely need the other is that operationally this makes our electricity much more >> predictable >> which is huge I mean I I just again I'll go back to my personal experience experience with residential solar. Um I I don't have the spikes that I mean we still pay for electricity. Um we reap that sort of credit over the summer

087and then that feeds into what we owe essentially over the winter. Um but we have a set I mean I have friends who all of a sudden they get a surprise surprise bill. Your electricity is $600 this month and ours is 120 bucks. >> So go ahead. So I would appreciate that from a budgeting standpoint because we did experience that just last year where we had a huge budget exposure just because of electricity just at Candlewood Lake School. So for this to be able to stabilize a very and we talked about electricity being a very highly volatile part of our budget just the stability that this adds I think is is very valuable. >> It's a plus. If I can add one thing, I spoke to the first selectman in Richfield. Uh the Richfield High

088School has had solar panels in their parking lot for over five years now. Uh I asked him about plowing. He said, "Not a problem. We're using pickup trucks to plow this. We don't use the big trucks to do this. They don't have a problem. If snow is melting off and dripping and freezing," he says, "Yeah, sometimes you have to put a little more salt." And he said, and I'm not sure this is true, he's not aware of any accidents where a student has hit a stansion. >> It could happen. You go to Dunkin Donuts, they have the same thing. They have stansions you could hit. >> You know, it's a risk you pay. >> While you're still up there, Joy, you had a question. >> No, I was just going to say to clarify, I

089don't think Rosie, you're questioning if fire trucks or vehicles could fit underneath it. The question was like the route of the buses that they have to take. >> Yeah, we could double check that with the superintendent in Casey and the school bus company and we will. Obviously, we're not going to put in solar. It's going to affect our ability to transport our students. We just wouldn't do it, >> right? We would have students or cars in those spots. >> Yeah. Yeah. As I said, the fire marshall has already approved this on paper, right? You have to get the details, but all our fire trucks can get in there. They're bigger than some of our fire trucks are much bigger than any bus. So I don't anticipate that, but we will double check it because we

090don't want to have a problem for 20 years. >> Right. Steve, what you guys >> I mean this is you know this is this is everybody's you know well aware all all the biders you know well aware this is a you know school parking lot and the kinds of traffic that come in and out of here you know generally you know the vehicles can be very large and you know when we have you know the the fully engineered drawings for this system we're going to very very thoroughly vet that again with with the town and with fire marshall and then with planning and zoning to make sure that there are no problems. Mhm. >> So, I have a question that's kind of semantic and it's kind of not. And Adam, it's not really for you.

091It's more for Steve and maybe for Jules. So, the town is my understanding is that the town is asking us the the board um to endorse the project as as um presented and and it's important to say not approve >> but like want your agreement approval. I don't want to get >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We've always worked cooperatively in your case. This is a plus for everybody. We want your agreement and your input on this, right? And your advice if you have concerns like in the student parking lot, we're not going to do anything that's going to affect your ability to educate the students or transport your students or make it harder for you to get in and out of the site. >> That doesn't make any sense. So, we'll work cooperatively. We would like

092you to endorse it, >> right? And then we on our part, we will come back to you as going through this process and keep you up to date on what we're doing so that you're aware that maybe you have a concern that we hadn't thought of right as we move through the process. >> Some important stuff has come to >> answer your question. >> Yes. Yes, it does. >> Sorry, one more. Um, and Steve, this might be actually for you. Um, what types of assurances and this might this scenario might not even ever come up, but what types of asurances like do we get as a board that we will reap all of any benefits from this as opposed to the town as a whole? >> At the end of the day, we have one

093big budget, right? But this would go to the school budget, right? It's your buildings, it's your electric bill, you pay that electric bill, right? And you would reflect that in your budget as you go through the year, >> right? >> Thank you. >> Does that make sense? >> Yep. Are there other questions from you guys? >> I just um I just want to clarify. So I I from what I understand legal has not looked at the contract or anything. >> No, we would have >> that would be part of the development process. >> Our town attorney is very competent this we'd have our town attorney look at the contract, go through it, make sure it makes sense for us, that there aren't any hidden pitfalls in there and that it is what we're they're saying

094on the face of it. Right? It's a long contract. There's a lot of detail in it and we always go through those contracts. >> And then the last one for Adam. Um is Titan getting compensated by Varagy? >> Y. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So the way that our project management fees go is that um you know we run this process. We we do this work and if a contract award is made irrespective of to whom um then Titan is ultimately compensated by the builder of the project. Um and that's none of those thresholds have been triggered yet. Um that's you know that only starts to actually materialize for Titan. um you know when you have an executed agreement and and we're off to actual development of the project. >> Yeah. The plus there is Titan

095is our consultant as recommended by CCM. They are neutral as to who we choose what we do. They get paid by whomever we choose. So they don't have a preference, right? They just try to get us the best deal we can, right? And they have a lot of experience in this. And so does CCM, right? They have seven years experience in hiring consultants on this. So we're very comfortable with that that we're getting good advice. And we've also talked to other towns who have used Verigy and Titan. Uh the recommendations from them are universally good. Uh we've also talked to the head of public works in New Town, Fred. Fred has nine megawws of solar installed. He's been installing it for nine years now. and he looked at uh the program that Titan put together

096with very genius and said this is a good program. This is a program you should move forward and he has behind the meter, front of the meter, he has a little bit of experience with everything. So he he looked at everything we did and gave us a good recommendation too. >> Thanks. >> So um >> yeah, Emily, did you have a question? >> Did you have any questions? students. >> That's what I was going to say. Do you have any sense of what how the students would feel about a parking structure? >> They probably wouldn't love it just because like they like to look at the view. They everyone sits in their car and like kind of like waits before school. Some people like getting there early and they like look at the sunset or

097the sunrise there. So that might not make the students super happy. But again, I'd have to really like just talk to everyone at school because I don't really know how they feel personally. But >> shaded car. >> Yeah. >> Your car your cars are going to be a lot less hot >> or snow covered. Um, >> and the other the other thing too I would point out is that part of you know one of the benefits that you know if you go through it this there's you know very very good LED lighting underneath all of these >> I'm not sure off hands now I haven't seen your parking lot at night but generally speaking um what I find is most of these parking lots could stand to benefit from better lighting just from a a

098safety perspective um so you know that would be a part of this process as well >> and if you'd like to see what this looks like. Eastern Business, if you're going to Commerce Drive, you know where Bookshire Berkshire Corporate Park is in Orto is, they have this type of thing. So, if you want to go see it, you can see what it won't be the exact same thing, but it gives you a good idea. And the car is parked under these so they're protected from the sun, so you won't come out and you won't get snow in your car. >> Thank you. Cool. So, Jules, is that is that pretty much it for you guys? >> Yes. >> I was asking Jules if if that's pretty much it for them. >> Adam, I I I

099think we've said as much as we need to. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> So, I'd like to take this opportunity to thank the board for inviting us in and to thank Adam once again. >> Who's now met every single person in this town. >> Yeah. >> Um over the course of the last few months. >> Thank you, Adam. >> Yep. No problem. Thanks, everybody. Appreciate your time. Bye. >> Thanks, Jules. >> So, um I'm going to make a motion so we can initiate discussion and see where you guys are with this. So, um after that, I'm going to move that the board endorse the town solar project as presented. >> I second. >> Um and um is there discussion? I mean, I think I spoke a lot, so I think I'm good. >> Well, I

100think you asked a lot of questions. Um, so yeah. Yeah. >> Right. So, um, are we ready to vote then? >> All right. All in favor of endorsing the town solar project as presented, please say I. >> I. >> Um, all opposed? All right. So, it passes 43. >> Oh, no extensions. All right. Let's move now to um cave board training. I just want to let you know that I texted um Sarah Gleon and said that the meeting was running longer than I had anticipated and that when we're done I'll text her so that she can get ready for the Zoom. All right. So, the next item is uh the cave board training. I probably should say caveboard retreat um because it would be awesome for us to marry um self-evaluation work with the um

101the training um which we are required to do um on an annual basis. So Nick Caruso at CAB is available on the 13th, the 20th and the 27th. I u wrote to you guys about that. Aaron was the Aaron um said evenings are really better than weekends, but um I think other people said that Saturdays were okay. So, I don't know. Can we can we agree on something? It'd be great if we could do that now and get it done. >> I'm just wondering why we're not waiting for after the election. The board may be changing. So, it just doesn't make sense to me. So, I think >> weren't we had talked about this and I think we had talked about maybe doing some district goals based on like Vonda coming in and taking the

102um the >> feedback. >> No, what's it called? I'm just blanking on our plan, our mission statement, our strategic plan. Thank you. um and using it as a form to give school leadership like it was kind of going to be our way of like putting a docket together for school leadership for the superintendent >> when we would meet with them. Yeah. >> I actually have a document to share with you that when I attended CA two weeks ago um there's two really great documents from other districts um that they actually hand to their new board members and it encompasses what the board's mission statement is and it would be really beneficial to look at developing something like that. Um I think um I think we just got recommendations from um the BOS about um the

103the board engaging in in training for the current members. Um and people who on board uh after the election will probably get training in the spring. Um I I don't know whenever whenever it can uh be scheduled but um I mean if if we can get a critical mass of us for training um on either the 13th, the 20th or the 27th, I think it's advantageous to do that and we can at that time take care of our annual self-evaluation. >> I'm good with any of those dates. >> I I would prefer 13 or 27 personally, but um >> unfortunately I can't do any of those dates. available on the 13th Saturday. Saturday, >> Rob, how about you? >> I mean, you know how I feel about the weekends, but >> would you prefer a

104week night? Could you? >> Yeah, I can make it. >> I'm okay with either. I don't have an opposition to a week night. I just think >> we do not as good on >> at like 10 p.m. So, we just have to make it like >> depending on how long. I was going to say we'd have to consider it being like the length of it and maybe like uh condensing I can't speak I don't have words condensing >> sort of the agenda >> I start at five right is that too >> I just want to make sure that the letter the the training that we have to do based on the ethics and the board of selectmen they said that it had to be done by an attorney so or by our board attorney so

105I just want to make sure that ce coming in to do that training is going to suffice. Yeah, I I think it would be important to I mean I I was kind of surprised by that language because I think um that they know that CA provides this service and is well respected. Um so how about are there days of the week um because I just assumed that people would be exhausted after the workday. Um are there days of the week that are that we cannot do? like somebody has a standing commitment. >> How about um how about Monday the 8th >> or Wednesday the 10th? >> I can do either of those. >> Okay, >> I can do Monday. >> Monday the 8th. >> I mean, this will be me asking Nick. Yeah, >> I

106I did and he said 13, 20, and 27. >> Um, I think so. >> I think he assumed because that's what we've done in the past. Maybe. >> I think maybe maybe we start by going back to him and asking him if days are even possible. And if not, then we have to go back to the 13th, 20th, and 27th. >> Does it have to be by Nick? Do we know? I mean, obviously, we have the memo that the board of attorney, but is Nick like, is there somebody else? >> He's their go-to guy. >> Yeah. But if he's not available during the week, is it >> um >> is there an option or >> there might be there might be um >> so that would be worth asking. >> Okay. >> Do we get

107a free amount of training from shipment in or something like that? >> Or something. >> Wasn't that just for the first year? Okay. >> I don't know. I mean, we have to we're now being ordered to do the same training that we just did the ship for refusal. Maybe just with like a real clear lot, >> you know what I mean? Like I think very valuable. So >> yeah, >> who's doing it? You know, needs to be done suffice. Yeah. Does it suffice with what selectman? I don't want to make any decisions. We don't have information. >> Okay. Well, the ideal would be to combine that training with our selfie vow. Like if we could do that then then it's two important require. >> We Also, just FYI, because this is regarding scheduling, we can

108take this offline and and talk via email and go back and forth because this is just logistical, >> but also just making sure we all know why, right? >> Yes. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um, so Patrice McCarthy is the other person at Cape who does this. >> Can you clarify that what the two trainings that >> So, we we're required to do a self eval right >> each year. So, that's part of it and Nick has run that in the past for us. And then um training on I forget the exact language but um I think it had to do with um >> yeah uh maybe policy implementation maybe it had to do with parliamentary procedure um recus >> it's on recusal communications that's what the training >> yeah so that's a combination of

109parliamentary procedure and policy >> I would just like to recommend maybe someone besides Nick we didn't have a lot of I feel like we left with so many people unopened. >> We didn't get anywhere. So continue to do the same thing. So >> um I had a different experience um than you with that. >> Okay. >> We had follow-ups. We're never followed up. >> I was hoping to see him like we ran out of time and we had all these things up in the air. >> All right. Well, I'll ask them. Okay. So, um, you've tasked me with going back to Cade and seeing if maybe Patrice or another person is available and what the Monday through Friday options are for the month of September. And I will talk to Pete about um free training

110options with SMG or through SMG. >> Can I also just say that the memo does state recommended trainings by the board of education attorney or similar expert. So, I feel like similar expert probably I just want to make sure we know that language is in there. So it may cover the stuff we do with Cape. >> Great. Great. Um so moving on then let's look at the final bit of new business. This was just added. So this is um a discussion starter and I want to make sure you get one. We are required to review our attorney services each year and we haven't done that um since we've had these attorneys. So this is a rubric but not like a this is just to start the discussion. So, you guys are going to like some

111of this language and you're not going to like some of this language. And so, um, we don't have to actually Could you spend a few minutes looking over it? And I think it'd be great if you would like check off things that you want to have be part of our evaluation discussion. We're not going to love all of those. >> And we didn't do this with the past >> legal, right? We it was right that was in the it's in the new policy that we passed like the specific language that attorneys um services should be reviewed every year. So that's why we haven't done in the past. Well, that's my understanding is why we haven't done in the past. >> So please like star or mark somehow things that you definitely want to include. Looks

112good to me. >> Second column. I mean the second >> Results obtained >> but maybe that's just >> maybe it's too general like what do you mean by results? >> Expectations. >> Yeah. But what results specifically? >> If we had had any results, if we had been sued, for example, you know, um like maybe they we haven't had like a big legal matter, >> but does that follow the same thing as like contract negotiations too, like results? >> I I think I would get rid of the second row if it were up to I could see how that's a little unclear. >> I'm thinking like if I was like I wouldn't know how to answer that. So yeah, you're probably >> probably on targets there. >> I don't know if this is wrapped in here,

113but what about um re I don't think push back is the word, but what if they get questions and they shouldn't be using their time. They could technically say to the person um that's I don't want to use I don't want you to spend your money on me going through this. This is something that someone at your administrator, maybe someone else in house could take care of it. Would that tie into reasonleness of fees? >> Yes. Like efficiencies, stuff like that. Yeah. >> Right. Um because I mean this this like we're not wedded to this. These are just just talking points. >> So I think that would fall under sort of that first one of efficiency and adequacy services because if you felt it was limited, it would be advice is unclear, incomplete or delayed,

114frequent or there's a frequent need for clarification or correction. or if if that language doesn't capture what you're saying, we just add in because what we'll do is put together a narrative and build on some of these ideas that we feel are salient. >> So if you guys are good with this >> Yeah. And then and then literally we would just sit around um because Pete said this didn't qualify for executive session, but when we have actually when we have this discussion, I think it's public too. >> Yeah. It would just be once we have the rubric, we would go through each and we did interview. >> Okay. >> I would say maybe for efficiency of our own board meetings, everybody just build if if this is our agreed upon rubric, we do it on

115our own and we come back and discuss the results. >> Okay. Okay. So, how about this? How about um if you if you feel like right now you not sure exactly what language you would want to add, then send send me some comments over the next few days. I'll put together a refurbished version of this, send it out to everybody, and then you put your commentary together. Is this something you want to do for September for the first September meeting? Which is good. >> I was going to say I think Sorry. >> Is there any way that we can I would rather I mean I personally think that whatever rubric we use should be approved like a a formal approval by the board. >> Oh yeah. Yeah. So if there's I mean do people want

116to like workshop this rubric or are we good at least with the rubric tonight >> especially if we take out that second row >> or is there like at least like a short workshopping of this we could accomplish tonight? >> Does anyone have anything right now that they could add? >> Yeah, just a second. I'd rather not just like delay and delay and delay this, you know, like just to be more efficient. I'd be happy with that. >> Sure. Um I move to approve the model rubric for uh the evaluation of legal services um as edited here tonight. >> I second. >> Okay. Any discussion? Further discussion? All in favor, please indicate by saying I. >> I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Great. So, no. Thanks, guys. >> Okay. >> And so, at our next

117at September, we should bring this back completed. >> Okay. Thank you. Right. And then, so we're moving now to um old business. So, this is a policy um that we've talked about for many months. Um and I think >> years, >> yeah. Um so, Erin asked that this be and Erin, please let me know if I get this incorrect. You asked that this be taken out because >> um agenda >> of the consent agenda. Yeah. Because you've stated um pretty clearly the reasons that you um object to it. Um is there any new information from anybody to to add to that discussion? >> No, I just asked that it be taken out so it didn't get spit back to committee again. That's what happened the last time. It just seemed like the smarter thing to

118do. >> Um, >> you know, but I mean, since this policy started, I mean, it failed the last time it came up from the last boards. I mean, prior to me being on here, um, to be adopted, I mean, PP um, has been around and been a requirement for a long time. Like I said, it failed last year. It came up again. I mean, I just I mean, I wrote down quickly. I say the same thing all the time. But, um, as a member of the board of education, I've been consistently raising the specific concern relating, um, PP and it's and the provision of allowing non-emergency invasive physical examinations of our students. For months, I've been asking what we as a district can do about this, and I have not received a clear or direct

119answer. I'm not questioning the existence of federal law. I'm questioning what we can do at the local level to ensure that parental rights are respected and transparency is built into our policy. The explanation that it it this isn't done in Brookfield may be true today, but it does not guarantee that it won't happen tomorrow. Current practice is not the same as futurep proof policy. We already require parental permission and medical information for field trips. Yet, we do not require similar consent for potentially invasive procedures in our school settings. This discrepancy concerns me. So, again, I'm asking what can we do? In my view, we can and should strengthen our policy. We can require informed parental consent. we can notify families of their rights under PPA and provide a formal opt out. So tonight, I'm asking

120to make a motion. I move that the Brookfield Board of Education revise our PP policy to include a requirement for written parental notification and informed consent prior to any non-emergency invasive physical examination of a student in accordance with the federal law. >> Do we have a second? >> Okay. Um, is there discussion of this? >> Yes, it's already in the policy. I was just >> there's no opt out. You can't. This is the problem. When we put a policy up and there's no form and someone's clicking a box, you need we should as a board want informed consent. It says the administration shall give direct notice to parents of affected students of the district's intent to conduct non-emergency invasive physical examinations screenings described above except for hearing vision scoliosis. Such notice shall include the specific

121or approximate dates during the school year of the administration of such of the non-emergency invasive physical examinations or screening. Upon written request, the administration shall permit parents of affected students or the affected students, if they're adults, to opt out of participation in the non-emergency invasive physical examination described in this subparagraph. You want student you want parents to be directly informed and you want an opt- out version. Those are explicitly in this policy. I'm asking that an opt out form be included with the policy so parents know that they have the right to opt in or opt out. We know everything that we we know even with the Chromebooks none of the parents are paying attention. They didn't know that bring your own device was ending. We have an obligation that we should want parents to

122have the right to give informed consent. >> Okay. I don't feel comfortable with my two children in district. I don't feel comfortable making that decision for 2500 others. >> Okay. So, this this seems to be like we've >> and I've asked I mean I literally have asked over and over and I have not. >> So, you guys have made your points I think. I mean, is there new information to add? Can I just make a clarifying statement that the um policy that did not pass last year prior to you was not the ship although it was similar it wasn't the shipment and goodman policy. So that was why it came we as a policy committee introduced this policy. So just for clarifying the the PP student privacy policy last year was prior to us having

123the shipment and good policy. It was a policy that we had get gotten from Dr. Bell. I believe it was a K policy and then we had sort of worked on it. That was the policy that failed and then when it came back to committee we had have we had just acquired shipment and goodwin services and so this is the policy we've been working on. >> I mean it's all semantics but it's basically the same language. >> It's very similar language. >> So Aaron since um since we've had this discussion I've lost a little bit the exact phrasing of your motion. Would you please be kind enough to read it again? I move that the B that the Brookfield Board of Education revise our PPR policy to include a requirement for written parental notification and

124informed consent prior to any non-emergency invasive physical exam of a student in accordance with federal law. >> And that has been seconded. Um is there further new discussion on this? Are you guys ready to vote on this motion? >> Sarah, are you ready? >> Okay. Um, all in favor of um including an opt out and the rest of Erin's motion, please signify by saying I. >> I. >> All opposed. >> Nay. Okay. So, it passes uh 43. So can we get a cl so then we're going to get clarification this so this um well actually that was just the motion for that. So before we >> Yeah. >> So the committee will workshop the actual has to be reconciled. >> Yeah. So, we'll go to the administration and we'll see if there's anything in like

125the regulation that they use. Like we'll have to figure out where that would fit in to the policy that we currently that like before we can adopt the policy because it doesn't have an opt out form. We can't technically pass the policy. >> I just want to know like what forgive me. I know you guys are doing like a ton of work, but if this gets if this keeps getting spit back to committee as it just did again. I kind of thought that's what you guys were doing was workshopping the language. >> The first reading passed. >> Okay. >> And I had no feedback other than what Aaron had discussed and so we agreed as a committee to bring it for a final read. >> Okay. So did So Erin, did you suggest any particular

126wording that you wanted in this policy? >> Well, you I I kind of would have hoped that that was the motion for tonight, like the actual words, because then we could just do this. >> You know what I mean? So I legal has weighed in and we cannot have a discussion according to to our attorneys. Um any discussion that we would have in detail about this would need to be in an executive session just because of the sensitivity of it if we wanted to talk specifics. So before that was it was dependent on what happened tonight. If this failed, then that was going to be the next thing I bring to the committee is are we interested in uh engaging the attorney for an executive session to figure out what the next step is. >>

127So now we're paying for legal services for this. I'm just I'm clarifying because that's an important point. >> All right. So, um thank you policy committee for continuing your work on that. Um so let's talk three main points. I know Stephanie, you've been really busy. Um um don't >> there's no second public comment. >> Second public comment. >> Um >> okay. >> So three main points for this evening. Obviously >> I wrote down what >> the solar presentation. >> Yeah. So I wrote down the super search committee update and schedule. The solar presentation and the finance update especially considering that we're returning money to the town. >> Oh yeah. That's good. >> Did you guys have other thoughts on that? >> Yeah. superintendent update was first so we can um talk about the schedule or

128publish the schedule. >> Okay. And what do we have for upcoming events? >> I just have a few. This Friday the 22nd is sixth grade orientation at WMS. Next week, Monday and Tuesday are the walkthroughs and new student orientations at WMS and CLES. First day of school is Tuesday, September 2nd. It is a full day. And please note start times of each school are different than last year. That memo has been sent out by um Miss Various. September 23rd and October 2nd and October 13th are upcoming days off of school. Um as Sarah stated, the youth commission election event is October 21st at 7 p.m. in the VHS auditorium. And CARES is having a community conversation forum. It will be October 16th at 6:30 p.m. at CL. And students will get service hours if they

129attend. Um more details about that will be forthcoming. Are >> they still giving out the gift cards if they attend >> for this one? I don't know. I think so far it's just service hours, but that was the the the spring the one in the spring they got gift cards. >> Cool. Well, thanks everybody. Um this concludes the public portion of this meeting. We are going to um we are going to um move into executive session. Um >> hopefully if the uh motion passes um Stephanie, while you read that, I'm going to let our lawyer know that we're winding down. Okay. I move that the board enter into executive session regarding strategy with respect to pending claims and litigation related to three complaints filed with the Freedom of Information Commission. Docket number FIC205-0143, docket FIC205-0156,

130and docket FIC205-0433. U any discussion on this? Okay. Um all in favor of moving to executive session, please say I. I. >> Any opposed? All right. It's unanimous and we thank you for attending everybody. Um Emily, welcome on board. >> All right. So, so look for an email from me. Did um this