001Would you take the roll call, please? >> Sure. Mr. Coower >> here. >> Miss Conan >> here. >> Mr. Eckie >> here. >> Miss Fitzgerald, Dr. Harrian >> here. >> Miss Rosenberg >> here. >> And Mr. White, >> Madam Chair, you have a quorum. >> Oh, I just heard Tim. >> Hi, Tim. >> Um, should we stand for the pledge? Does it Do you have a I have a flag over here. We're ready to go. There it is. >> Oh, thank you. I pledge allegiance >> to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. No. >> Um, I think we have public comment on the agenda. Before I hand it over to you, Jeff, do we
002have any public discussion we need to hear? >> No, I think the the public uh did a great job voicing their perspective throughout the entire budget season. with a little nudging from the superintendent maybe. >> Uh awareness, >> education. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Um I'm going to hand it off to you then, Jeff. >> All right, perfect. Um see, take it from the top here. Sorry. All right. Can everybody see that? Okay. On the share? Yeah. Great. >> Thanks. So, basically, you know, where we are in the budget process, and one of the things I talked to Tim about uh today was the fact that the town of Cheshure allocated a budget figure to the board of education a couple of weeks back. And uh as you know, at the state level, things have been
003busy in the time since. uh they um the legislative session toward the close they allocated uh roughly $1.5 million to Cheshure uh after our budget closed about half of that was ECS money and basically initially they had said that you know you you have to allocate all this above and beyond what's already been allocated if you already have a budget. Then they kind of pivoted back and said this entire amount that the state is giving to uh communities for ECS has to be allocated. If you already have a min if you've met your minimum budget requirement, then you're okay. So, long story short is the town allocation is well and above and beyond the minimum budget allocation. Um, in talking to Sean, they have no uh plan to allocate more than has already been allocated
004in the budget process. I don't blame them. Um, I think that they had to do a lot on their end to try and make this budget adoption work. and uh I give them a lot of credit for listening to the people in our community and um you know moving it forward. So anyway um let me see here the uh just a quick overview. I just wanted to touch real quick on our you know um recommended budget I guess the the town council uh approved budget. Just this whole idea of budget fluidity and how things you know eb and flow throughout the course of a year. uh my proposed adjust adjustments and then the board of ed adoption of the budget. So if you recall going all the way back to January, um we have an
005operating budget for the current fiscal year of 93 million in round numbers. Uh my recommendation to the board in January was 1013. Uh the board of education spent a lot of time working through this identifying priorities uh understanding the fiscal pressures in the community and uh ultimately recommended a budget of 100 million14980. That's a total increase of 7 million and change roughly 7.54%. So that got passed on to the town council to review in March and April. Uh I think everybody here is aware we went through the entire process over that time period. Ultimately uh the council made a reduction of $300,000 in total bringing our budget the amount of money that we were allocated was $99,849,080. And that's important because the town council, they do not have the authority to line item veto, line
006item adjust our budget in any way, shape, or form. They pass a certain dollar amount on to the town council and it's your job. Um, and Marlene and and Emily and Vin and principles and myself, we all try and advise you of where we think that money should go aligning with the priorities that the board of ed has adopted. So, um, I wanted to talk a little bit about this concept of budget fluidity and how things, you know, eb and flow over time. The board recommended a budget in January. We're now in May. Um, you know, four months later trying to uh, you know, okay, where where we know we had that recommendation back in January. Where do things stand today? How should we allocate money for the 26 27 year with as best forward
007v vision as we can have? So um since the board of ed made their recommendation you guys in in uh late January we've had teacher retirements uh we anticipated and budgeted four we've had five. Um the cleaning contract was well beyond what we had budgeted. And uh if you recall, we had to renegotiate our cleaning contract because we went from, you know, our our buildings uh were closing three, adding two, increasing square footage. That had to be renegotiated. Uh the we've had an administrator retire. Kim Dert is the principal at Darcy and and she is uh retiring at the end of this school year. We've had a better than expected stock stop loss loss insurance outcome. So, you know, we budget back in December uh based on projections and now we have new projections that
008are much more favorable. Uh we had to at that time also identify to adopt the the budget that the board uh recommended. There were $195,000 in reductions that we identified through consolidations, but we didn't really name them at that time. We were still um working through that process. Uh and then title one guidance. So this is uh a place where title one is a federal grant that um is allocated through the state to Cheshure to support uh high needs areas. Uh it's in our case we have about $107,000 allocated and upon review uh there are rules about how you can use that money. like anything else, you um are directed not to use that money to supplant other things that were already in your budget. So um if we've been buying the same books for
00910 years, we can't use that $107,000 to buy the same books next year and um just cut our costs by $107,000. we have to what's called supplement. So you can't supplant your budget, you have to supplement. You have to go above and beyond for that high needs population with that money allocated. So, upon review and our operating projections, um there was $107,000 identified that were required to be added to supplement and we had to find that money in our operating budget to to cover it basically. Um >> so, Jeff, >> I'm sorry. I I was just gonna say that you you've got this balance scale sort of idea going on where sometimes things are above, sometimes they're below. We have to try and figure it out. And when I said earlier, you know, we're here
010in May now we're we're we're better suited to make a projection for the 26 27 year. And this budget recommends the same dollar amount, but how might we move money around to address these different issues? I'm sorry, Amarie. >> No, that's okay. What was supplanted? >> I'm sorry. I couldn't hear you there. >> What was supplanted? Did they actually >> like who discovered what was supplanted? >> That Oh, who discovered that? >> Yeah. >> Well, Marlene basically, you know, we're we have to um submit stuff through egrants management system. >> Yeah. and Marlene looking at it um identified some places where unfortunately it it would be kicked back to us. Marlene, do you want to elaborate on that at all or is that I mean I know it was you that was identifying >> No,
011I think I think that's accurate. I think that um with you know some some changes in especially next year and that we're going to be combining schools it it really was time for us to make a change. >> So the $107,000 did you use that then for something that would be supplemental? >> Yes. So >> yeah next year it's we we have to use it for something supplemental. Okay. >> And I think we're still in the process of totally identifying what those things are going to be. Um but uh and I'm sure you know we could discuss that at a curriculum meeting or or a future meeting uh maybe the 21st actually uh when we get together to kind of better identify at least in broad strokes what that would be. Sam, >> Jeff, can
012you just clarify because there's um apparently a misconception of how much was received um delineates the ECS money that could show that the board actually is getting an additional specifically for the board 849 or was it 715 all-encompassing of ECS and So there's some of that going around. >> Yeah. So we had to um in order for us to meet the state criteria, if we didn't increase our budget by at least $850,000, then we would have had an issue. We incre The town increased the budget by 6.7 million. So, we're well beyond that $850,000 threshold that might have got us in trouble. Um and so you know they they can uh the town rather than go through the budget process again and try and renegotiate these terms they can simply reduce the mill rate uh
013reduce the tax burden by the money that they received from the state. Now in the budget deliberation process there was high degree of confidence that we would be see receiving some money. Um I don't think anybody anticipated 1.5 million but there was some money right. So when they did their original budget deliberation rather than reducing our budget any further, they budgeted a $250,000 uh you know uh uh grant from the state. Like I said, it turned out to be 1.5 million. So $250,000 has already been kind of baked into the state the town uh budget. But, um, like I said, I believe tonight they're going to, you know, push that up even further. I don't know if there's any other questions on the state money or on the dollars. So, like I said, we had
014these um adjustments that are coming in and I wanted to talk a little bit about uh one in particular and that is with Kim retiring at Darcy. So I think you know uh for a good many years uh we've worked really hard on focusing on strategies that that pay dividends uh for our students and good outcomes for our kids. So back in 2016, you know, that really started with complex thinking and social emotional learning and really focusing on uh high quality instruction. And when we received a lot of COVID money back in 2020, rather than create a fiscal cliff for ourselves, and I know you probably remember all the communities that were really hurting after the COVID money ran out um and and created a lot of fiscal problems. Our uh philosophy at the time
015was we're not going to use that money to bounce back, we're going to use that money to bounce forward. That was the the um the presentation at the time. And it was all about how do we, you know, if we hire five people who can all help 40 kids, well, that that helps 200 kids um until the COVID money runs out. But if we use our money to improve instruction for all 400 of our teachers, that helps, you know, the 4,000 plus kids really in perpetuity. So that's where we invested our money is how do we support um PD coaching data analysis at the time we also knew that our enrollment was going to grow which obviously it has significantly and so at the time we invested in um elementary assistant principal support and um
016that was again designed to focus on professional development coaching data analysis. They work with teachers on intervention planning and I don't think it's an accident that since we've done those things our performance has improved steadily. Um and so when we looked at the current circumstances um excuse me I think uh I have to Heather back in. Okay. Um when we looked at our current circumstances, you know, with Kim retiring, um really thought about how do we sustain our early childhood programs? They're really an exemplar. We're the only birth to three program in Connecticut and we have a tremendous uh early childhood with circle of security. uh is just a model statewide. But how do we also now that our student population is redistributed all across town more in a more balanced way than it's ever
017been? Make sure that we're supporting all those students. And we also need to do that budget neutral or better. We're not going to be able to uh and nor should we invest more money. How do we do this uh better and if possible cheaper but at the very least at the same cost? So um we've de devised a plan to meet those goals through assigning a full-time assistant principal at each of the four elementary schools to again sustain the professional development, coaching, data analysis, intervention planning, general support at every elementary school. Now, um, what we're doing here is basically taking Kim's principal position and turning it into an assistant principal position at Barnum. Right now, we have 6 assistant principal at Barnum, 04 assistant principal at Norton. But again, we have growing elementary enrollment, the
018demands are increasing. We've found this to be an intervention that supports student growth. So, the plan is to rather than have Kim at um that position at at Barnham, we're going to replace that with an assistant principal. That being said, like I said, we still need to focus on our early childhood uh program and we need that's very niche knowledge. As I've said before, um there's a lot of special ed interface there and there's a lot of early childhood uh work that is focused on three, four, and five year olds. So, um we currently have a position at Cheshire High School where the library media specialist is retiring. A social studies teacher in Cheshure High is being appointed to that position. She applied, was selected, and is being appointed to that position. So, what I'm
019proposing tonight is rather than fill that high school social studies position, what we're doing, uh, what we're proposing is to, um, create a teacher leader position at Barnum to, uh, really be the point person for the hundred students that are there and the the, uh, group of teachers and and IAS that would work in concert with the Barnum district leadership, with Christina Sherwood, with Azra uh in supporting those kids. Um, this would be a full-time teaching position. In that proposal, uh, we do not change our teacher count at all. So, the number of teachers we have doesn't go up. It remains the same. We do not increase our admin count at all. Um, that stays the same. And we also do it at a cost that's $18,000 less than what we had budgeted. Um, and
020so, you know, I think we're we're hitting the targets that we need to hit. Um, and again doing it in a way that's uh not just budget neutral, it's it comes at a at a savings. I kind of need to pause there to answer any questions and and get any any thoughts on that proposal. Go ahead, Amory. >> Okay. on that um on the sheet that you sent us today. >> Yeah, >> I'm not understanding a couple things and it's probably very >> I I'm going to get to that sheet on the next on the next slide >> because it talks specifically to that position of the retire >> Yeah. Okay. Uh Ann >> Yeah. So, I'm my biggest concern is that we're hiring a teacher leader to do what a principal was doing before
021for Darcy in terms of running that early childhood. >> Yeah. So, >> not not entirely not entirely. So what we're doing is dividing up um the responsibilities within that position where that person would focus on the really the non uh uh administrative tasks. uh a lot of parent communication, a lot of teacher communication, IIA assignments, visiting um preschools um and then working with the administration at Barnum to execute the uh administrative tasks. uh they would play a significant role for example in hiring um but not necessarily be the final authority on that. um they would uh serve as design on PPTs that are more routine, but on PPTs that are more sophisticated, the an administrator would facilitate those. But again, we're I know the the size of Barnum is certainly ramping up from what um
022what uh Chapman currently is, but we're adding point4 administrative support there to help help manage that. >> So, does that make >> Well, it's starting to make a little sense to me. Um, I feel like that position should have a different title than teacher leader, I guess. >> Well, well, I I don't have a title for it yet, Ann. Uh, that's a fair uh >> and also what what it I'm assuming that the salary is higher than just a teacher salary. >> No. >> Well, no. Well, first of all, it's a full-time position without um classroom teaching responsibilities. So, when you look at a reading and math specialist, it's a very similar role to that and that they are um really extensions of administration in a lot of ways and they bridge that gap between
023teacher needs, parents, and administration. Um, >> so it's that's I think that's an important piece that I neglected to add is that it's um they don't have you know daily teaching responsibilities in the same way that uh you know some other teaching positions you might assume would have. >> Yeah, I guess um it would be interesting for me anyway to see what the job descriptions looks like. um when when you all have that. >> Well, we have a draft of it. Um, and I think what I would recommend we do is if if the we want to adopt this as part of our budget that we go to a um another personnel committee meeting uh before the 21st to approve the job description and then the 21st the the whole board could take a look
024at the job description. But um for us as you know to adopt this into the budget tonight would be uh very helpful to first of all balance the budget. Um second of allow us to get started on a hiring process because >> right >> um it's May 12th and you know we want to try and get the best of what's available. No, I understand that and I'm happy I'll be happy to go along with what we decide here tonight. Um, just want you to know that that is something that >> absolutely >> I think we all need to put eyes on. >> Absolutely. We've uh we've already started a draft. Um, Marlene, Kim, and I have kicked around different stuff. Um, I think we have a real vision of what we want it to be,
025but we don't have that finalized yet. U, Mark, you're on deck. So you answered one of the questions whether this person would have uh classroom teaching responsibilities in addition to the uh to the supervisory position. Um are we adding I mean this is something that we hadn't talked about before and now we're going to have in all likelihood a full-time assistant principal. Are we getting too heavy on the administrative side and you know >> Yeah, classroom teachers, you know. >> Yeah. Yeah, it's a fair question. I did take a look at that relative to our peers and um we are actually one of the few Durgby school systems that don't already have a full AP in in every building. our ratios are um you know I'd say a little higher on the um I could
026I could share that. >> Yeah. So my question is if we have if we're adding that assistant principal to a full-time job, would that position not be able to cover some of these responsibilities as well in lie of having another layer of of uh support for the classroom teachers and early childhood? No, we like I um I was trying to articulate with the question that Ann was asking that when we took a look at what are the responsibilities uh required there. We felt like there were a lot of responsibilities that could and and probably should be handled by uh a full-time teacher to navigate that. Um that you know again not in the classroom but can be the point person at um at uh preschools can be assigning pair educators can be working with PPS
027and HR when we need a new uh PAR educator uh can be um engaging parent communication and that first line of communication um but not evaluating staff exclusively, you know, um not um handling the the PPTs that are perhaps a bit more sophisticated. um the full-time AP or principal would handle that like we have uh you know you look at the program uh for intensive ed at Highland which is very large um or the bridges program at uh Dittle which has students with obviously not hundred students but with very sophisticated needs and those administrators there navigate those programs. This is definitely different than that, which is why I think we require a full-time person dedicated to supporting that. Uh but but it's uh in our estimate, we're not changing the administrator FTE at all. Um
028and we are bringing in support specific to that program. So this person wouldn't wouldn't be required to have an 092. >> No. >> Okay. >> No, you they their their expertise will really be on um special education and early childhood. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. >> Yeah. Matt, >> um this may be a silly question, but uh I'm okay with that personally. Um, everybody in this program are Cheshure residents, right? The early because, you know, I'm used to like K through 12 and we're talking early childhood before that. So, these are all Cheshire residents. Are there any? >> Yeah, that's that's a great pro uh question. Um, so we have the birth to three program which is Cheshire residents plus surrounding communities. That that program is paid for by the state. uh we basically
029operate on reimbursed uh uh services, billable hours for those people. Once you get into this program though, this is only Cheshire residents and we don't the smart start is paid for by the state but it's only Cheshure residents. >> Okay. And then can you talk a little bit about um I mean I understand the benefits here as you see them for adding this position in early childhood. Can you talk a little bit about why you're okay with not having a social as many social studies teachers? I mean what are the class sizes? What's that going to look like? How many do we have? Are kids not enrolling in it? like why why why can I say to the community it's okay to not have or to have one fewer social studies teacher >> sure so
030that's a good question um I spoke to Kevin uh when as we were trying to formulate this process about that uh the basically this teacher is teaching five classes now in the enrollment the enrollment across those five was lower um and we felt like they could easily be redistributed into other classes that without you know blowing up the class sizes. Um it's hard because you know you don't know uh how all the scheduling is going to shake out. Surely don't know that in January. It hasn't even started yet. And as we, you know, took a look at it more recently with those five sections of this teacher that happened to be moving out, we felt like now this these class sizes are um on par. Uh if anything, that social studies department's a little bit
031larger than uh some of our other departments >> and better able to absorb it. So it it just kind of it shook out. Well, >> okay. I I'd be interested in seeing what those numbers are. I'll make up an example with easy math. So, if there's five teachers in social studies with 200 students, they each have I should not have done this on the fly. >> Uh 40 students per class. So, terrible example. Now, you're going to go down to four teachers and you're going to have 50 students per class. And whatever those actual numbers are, the resulting class size is something that Kevin, you everybody are. >> Had you been hiring one additional, you'd say this is great. These are, you know, sweet spot class sizes for this subject and this department. >> Yeah.
032Um, for the record, Matt's use of 40 to 50 students in a class is hypothetical and not reflective of real circumstances, but um, yeah. So, so, uh, I don't I'm yet to meet really a parent, a teacher, um, anybody that's going to argue that, uh, oh, geez, if we had one person in the class, it would be great. But um obviously that's um you know not not our reality. So we took a look at the the numbers and feel very confident in the in the class sizes. um I can get you you know what the class size enrollment is in social studies uh for that for the you know next meeting >> but it's not >> it's not anything out of the ordinary for any other class or or subject at Cheshure High School. It
033is well aligned. >> Okay. Yeah. I I'd be interested in seeing that. I I share, you know, Mark beat me to the question about administrators and sort of seeing how Barnum shakes out with a new AP and seeing, okay, we're going to go that way and and how that school's going to be run. We got a lot of things to to learn and and plan for and and see how these things go. Um, but I look at this role touching a hundred students and I'm I'm missing the context of well, how many students are we affecting at the the back end of of the public school system, right? I wouldn't want this to affect 300 students and benefit 100 at the younger age in one school versus a social studies program that's going to touch
034many. Um, but I, you know, I could get on board with that with those those class sizes, understanding, you know, if we're going from 10 to 13, I'm not as concerned as 40 to 50. >> What? Right. Right. Um, it's definitely not 10 to 13. Right. Like it's um I think we would be, you know, not doing our job for fiscal responsibility if we were going from 10 to 13. >> Sure. >> But it's definitely not 40 to 50 either, right? So it is it is within that that um that sweet spot uh that you know is really across the the uh all the departments there but we I'll get you the uh actuals >> just to confirm last question that is without having the existing social studies teachers teach any additional sections >> correct?
035Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Yeah. Uh Sam, >> thanks Jeff. I just want to say thanks to the the whole team. Um I always appreciate you being really innovative about kind of reimagining positions and so forth. Um to the comment about the high school. I think it's a good opportunity and and having being in a high school, I always appreciate, you know, the flexibility of looking at the enrollment numbers and seeing what core classes um are are to be supported. I would just only ask that you know we we kind of and I don't want to say this in a way that kind of pins one subject against another but based on data that we support for example math um more so than you know social studies given given the historical you know
036data there. So, um, but yeah, I think, you know, allowing the high schools to adjust and to align with the enrollment, um, and graduation requirements. You know, I don't run courses if they're under 10. So, there's that, too. Um, I do support the again reimagining this and and the fact that we're saving money on, you know, the the administrative position to support Barnum. I think everybody here knows that was a huge concern of mine when we began this budget process. Um, it puts me a little bit gives me some peace of mind that you're putting an an assistant principal over there. Um, and I also I also like the idea of giving a teacher a leadership role because now you're building a pipeline and giving them that opportunity to grow and expand their skills. So,
037I appreciate that though, Jeeoff. >> Yeah, thanks Sam. I mean, that was one of the um considerations that within GE ed, we have a pretty substantial uh pipeline developed through the reading and math specialist, right? Uh for general ed, there's really not an opportunity like that for special ed or um early childhood. So >> yeah, >> uh that's it's certainly a thought that as um you know our our team grows and evolves uh that having people to pinch hit back up slash step in maybe um metriculate up is is a positive thing. >> Yeah, I think building that internal capacity in a costeffective way I that's long-term sustainability in my view. So, >> um Tim, >> um yeah, Sam, thank thank you for that. I I agree with you 100% on um on the building
038within potentially succession planning benefiting from it. you we were talking briefly about uh class sizes of 50 and it just joged my memory um when I was when I I spent some time in Haiti and I was the and one of my roles there was to be sort of the accounting for a a school now they don't have any public education there it was a private school literally they have no public education uh maybe in bits and pieces but no kids aren't guaranteed to go to school so private schools took over and I supported one of the schools and they had I mean they had money so they had kids in the classroom and it was it was just awful. Um, and I just say that uh because it's important to have uh student teacher
039time and so I just uh I appreciate what we what we are able to do here with the taxpayers are um willing to support. Uh the one question I had and I think I already know the answer to this but I just want some clarity uh for people who might be watching at home. We were talking before about birth to three >> and we also in the new Barnum we have a pre uh prek program or Darcy the program is kind of shifting over to Barnum. I think we have nine classrooms in Barnum. Is that basically for preschool and what I'll call age four? Um, is there birth to is there a birth to three classroom there or is birth to three pretty much outside like remote? People go out to the homes, staff go
040to homes. >> Okay. So, Bertha 3 is a program where we have service providers to go to people's homes and support uh parents in learning therapies and accommodations that will help their child uh grow. Um kind of meeting them where they are and uh you know coaching parents really on what are the best skills to help your child. the the children that are in the birth to three program have very substantial needs. Um and this this program from the state I was one of the first things I did when I became superintendent was go on a home visit. It is really um eyeopening and so it we provide supports that way. the only space that that birth to three program is using is a little bit of office space at at Barnum and also to
041bring in families for you know circle of security. Um I know years ago we did a a board uh workshop on circle of security uh one of the showcases they do parent um coaching uh periodically together and that they'll have a a space um that they can use at Barnum to support that. Um like >> yeah parent center >> parent center but the um like the really the building is designed for the chester public schools early childhood program and not this the birth to three per se >> and so from >> that happens at home >> from a cost perspective there's there's operational and capital costs involved and there's really relatively little capital cost involved with birth of three it's an operational cost which is funded by the state government. >> Correct. >> I'm just
042trying to explain this to people like how the because there's two different pieces. >> Yeah. So the the um we build the state for all those u services that are provided through birth to three to to wash the uh the cost of providing it. And we get the tremendous benefit of the kids like I said that are being serviced through that program. uh generally have pretty profound needs and for us to get to know those children and those families before they enter the Cheshire public school system. We are now pos with those children and offer those appropriate supports um and really leads to better outcomes. >> Yeah. No, we were we uh were fortunate enough to benefit from it for a little while. It was was it Donna Nadi? >> Yeah. >> Who owns it?
043Yeah. And um I think it was her who I was took it as a huge compliment when she came to our house and she looked at the box on the floor and said that's great. It was like she's she knew it was a fort and I didn't realize it but like I guess parents don't necessarily look at a box as a fort but that's how my brain works. >> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. >> Um but it it was the overall the it was it was valuable so I appreciate um >> Yeah. Donna is still involved by the way. She's >> Yeah, >> she she's retired, but >> Oh, okay. Yeah, because I was thinking she retired. >> Circle of Security and Jen Buffington is now our um director of the early childhood program, but um Donna
044is still involved. >> Uh and I'll just add, I'm not sure where the conversation goes, but um the request that you're making tonight, I'll be supporting it. As you mentioned, we we had a chance to chat earlier today. Yeah. >> Um so thank you. >> Sure. Sure. So um the these are the final recommendations and really >> Jeff real quick I put it in the chat before you move on. What was the cost of this early childhood position? >> So it's uh roughly 103 I think it's in here. >> Um and that's the cost of the teacher. That's what we budgeted Matt >> is the 103 which is top step masters. Um and the uh teacher who happens to be becoming the uh library media is makes top step masters too. So there's a possibility
045that it it could be less um not by much probably uh you know within a couple of grand either way. >> Okay. That changes my view on this but we can circle back uh at the final discussion. >> Yeah. >> So >> I'm sorry. >> Yeah. Okay, before you go on, um I I'm comfortable with the theory of it and you know, knowing it's a a new program and growing administration of our own having that lead teacher concept, but I would like to see at least um preferred for that 092 assistant principal to have special ed certification. >> Okay? You don't have to have it required, but you can have it preferred in the job des because I think um we know that building had will have some needs with that early childhood and you
046get caught up as an assistant principal and I want them to really realize that they have, you know, some work to do on that side of the building, too. >> Yeah. I want to be clear as well that The students who are in that early childhood program are from the district. They're all they're from all over the district. So when they reach age five and go to K, they will then be going to their home school, >> right? um just I I wasn't clear about that and I want to be clear that you know um in essence theoretically 75% of the kids that are in that program will then be dispersed across the rest of the district when they reach kindergarten age. So um they're really not there long uh two years max basically before
047they're they're moving on. But um >> what >> um I'm sorry. Go ahead. No. >> What's the um salary for assisted principal? >> So, we're going to cover that in here. Um >> Okay. >> Yeah. This that's where I'm getting to now the the reductions. So, you know what you see here, the 300,000 on the screen, that is the um town council recommended reduction or the not recommended, town council adopted reduction. Um, and my recommendation was to take the full 300,000 of that from the medical benefits trust fund. Uh that allows us to retain everything else that the board had agreed to back in uh in the winter as to what our priorities were at that time. So everything else you see in here helps cover the cost of the increased medical benefits uh or
048excuse me increased um custodial um contract or uh manages some of that um the 107,000 that we had to cover from title one grant funding. Um, and so what you'll see here is this is a $112,000 reduction in our uh stop loss um projection. So uh the stop loss, our original um I won't say quote, but the original projection from our provider was a 16.1% increase. um we have beyond confident assurance that we can reduce that by 112,000 in change. So um that will help you know cover well obviously covers more than the cost of the the full um title one um the high school social studies you see here if we reduce that line by 103288 that's top step sixth year next year um that's a reduction now granted we would use that to
049pay for an AP on the other side you'll see the other side of the ledger the other side of the balance beam in a second uh balance scale. I mean these we in the budget book the principal um Kim was split across two lines in half. Uh so that's 178 basically split across the two lines. this um these next three items are part of the $195,000 and cuts that we uh factored into our budget uh back in January but didn't identify. So, one of them is a secretarial position that was at Darcy that we're not um you know filling. Another one was a transportation uh coordinator at um you know at our transportation um center. And then another one was uh a reduction in secretarial um support time at the high school um going from
050a 12 month to a 10-month position. So these are some of the reduction these are the reductions in our our budget process. And here are the areas where we had to increase cost. So if you look at this from the left, the current year in in the 56 budget year, um we budgeted $10,000 for cleaning at the bus depot. Next year we were reducing that to five because we thought we were going to merge our bus depot with DACO. That hasn't that's fallen through. Um, and with the bus or with the um the uh new cleaning contract, we are adding $10,000 to that line for a new total of 15. So, basically what you see here is do a little cleaning contract, Highland, Norton, Dodd, High School in Barnum. Um, and we kind of just
051took the money, uh, the delta between what we had budgeted for the cleaning contract and the new cost and feathered that across every building. Now, because we're not necessarily build by building for the cleaning contract, but we distributed across each building. Um the cleaning contract was actually higher than that beyond what had budget was budgeted. So we negotiated with them to bring down the cost and we you know took some items out of the cleaning contract generally not fully out but reduced the scope. So if we were washing the windows every day now we're washing the windows every other day. We're not doing that. Kind of like we don't have 50 kids in a classroom, but it's a an example. So, um that would be an example. These um items here are title title one
052reallocations um where we took um people that we were paying for with title one money but not all of their salary and covered the rest in the budget as as we should. um Highland secretarial position um uh was a reallocation as well as our birth to three. This is where you see the um oh that's a special uh excuse me that's a title one reallocation as well. So here you see the um teacher leader like we for lack of a better term right now we just called it RAM early childhood. Um and then this is now the AP position. We to balance the budget there was still $3,000 left in that account line when we adopted the budget back in January. There really shouldn't have been. Um, we're adding 154 and this is what the
053new budget line would be for uh elementary assistant principal um at Barno. So, >> so Jeff, that is that top scale. >> Um, >> yeah, elementary AP that includes um their salary plus uh their um annuity. But, um yeah, that's that's a negotiated rate. the whole contract is on par with what um other administrators across the state make. So, um, you know, that's that's um not that's arbitrated out. That that settlement wasn't arbitrated, but it's a binding arbitration system. So, everybody's salaries kind of look the same. >> But that's a starting. So, do they have >> No, no, no. It's not starting. I We wouldn't budget starting. We would budget um at least middle of the scale. >> Yeah. um uh there to make sure that you know we weren't blown up if we had
054to hire somebody with more experience. There's one other we're going to just call it correction in the budget book um that I think Matt identified this in the winter and we said well if we're going to adopt these changes then um we want to fix this. So, in our in our budget that was adopted back in January, we had uh 14,000 for uh Darcy Electricity, which is obviously very high for a building that we're not going to use for the full year. Um we just need to keep the lights on. Um and the Barnum sewer usage was low. We had zero. um which I know we will flush toilets this year at Barnham. So we've reallocated 6,000 taken it out of the Darcy electricity and added it to the Barnum sewer usage. Here you can
055see um so in totality um you know you're at a place where you could do one of two things. you could um just adopt the budget you um you recommended in January with a $3,000 $300,000 reduction to the medical benefits or you could do the um you know adopt the I'll show you the other This is the sheet with the totals on it. Um where you could adopt the the full a lotment of them. Um can you guys see that? Okay. Or no? >> No. Can you make it bigger? >> Yeah. I mean, I I did look at it ahead of time, but for right now, we can't really see it. >> Yeah. >> Is that better? >> Yes. So, you know, to um make it easier, I think we would say that the motion
056would be to adopt um the budget incorporating the superintendent's uh recommended budget adjustments for the 2627 school year because to read all of these line item by line item um would be a bit absurd. Um but these are the different um pieces that I shared earlier and I can scroll a little bit for you. So these are the totality of them. And when you when we adopt all of these, this changes our budget by $300,000 less than what was um adopted by the board in January, which is what we were required to cut. Math. >> Um, two questions. One, I think the bigger picture elephant in the room here, how how does what the state has done at the ECS level and the legislation on the additional funding they're going to provide, how does this,
057at least in today's version and whatever news we have today from them on how it works, um, affect this budget? I mean, if we pass this and then there's what, an additional 1.2 two there that they can't change the mill rate and they can't change the budgets and you have to spend it. What what do we do then? Like how how does that work in the calculus of this decision? >> So the legislative session is over and they can change the mill rate and I believe that's what they're doing um today. >> I think that's right. >> So you know um I think there's going to be a lot of pressure. I mean, we're chump change at one and a half million compared to what a lot of towns are taking. So, I think there'll
058be a boatload of legislative pressure next year to um kind of quote fix the ECS system um to ensure that there's more money coming back to towns. Um >> the the plan for a current year. >> Okay. So then basically the town council will say, "Great, we have another 1.2 or 1.5 or whatever it is." They'll lower the mill rate, but they're not going to put this 300 back in and and we have to handle that with this. Okay. >> Correct. >> Thank you. Um I've been trying to follow all those cave updates, but they were >> dis Yeah, it's been kind of crazy. Um, the second thing that I would like I I don't know the right procedure for this or if we even need a procedure, but I would like to discuss for
059the finance committee before passing this on to the full board is with the exception of Heather and I, everybody else on this call was part of the board that had to do the same difficult exercise last year where sixth grade Spanish was cut from the budget at a cost of $90,000. And so, you know, Jeff, you and I have talked about this. It's always been something on my radar screen. I think most people know, you know, I I ran small world languages trying to bring foreign languages to students at younger ages. Um, you know, is is that something that we should consider? Because the cost here of don't replace social studies and instead put in, you know, a a RAM early childhood at one school to support a 100 students on an idea, a good
060one, right? A theoretical, hey, this is why this is a positive outcome. or take that same approximately same budget amount, I think it was $90,000 that got cut last year, and apply it towards a district-wide sixth grade Spanish program that we can keep there. Now, if this was a n a temporary $90,000, I wouldn't be suggesting that because it can eb and flow. But what we're suggesting is an FTE that is a permanent position that will need to be accounted for in the budget next year, right? as as would a social studies teacher. And so I I feel like we should spend a little bit of time wherever the right way to wherever the right place to do that procedurally is. I I'd like to have a discussion about I I personally think that would
061be a better use of the $90,000. It's still saved off the 103 and the social studies impacts our students districtwide. Introduces a new program that is very clearly beneficial. touches every sixth grader as they come through the system on the same cost for taxpayers and for our operating budget. >> I I can uh enumerate some of the reasons why we wouldn't recommend that. Um starting with I think I I already talked about the um the need with special education early childhood support. um we would still have to hire somebody there anyway. Like if we weren't going with um that role, uh I wouldn't feel comfortable just assigning an AP to do that job. um to cover the the full building at at um Barnum and to oversee that that early childhood space. The other thing,
062and I think Marlene may be able to touch upon this um in greater detail, is with the addition of the science program that we have there. We were talking about uh prep periods and coverage and we're trying to feather Spanish into that today for next year um I think would be a a scheduling nightmare um to do that across the four buildings but um with the number of sections we have. So, you'd really have to dramatically reduce the number of class sessions in order to get to the the buildings and all the sections that we now have in sixth grade that we didn't have a few years ago. But, Marlene, I don't know if you want to >> Yeah, it would take it would certainly take more than one Spanish teacher to be able to
063cover all of those sections now that we've increased. Um, I I think >> that's why we needed to increase the specials in the early grades. >> I think if we went back to the original world language task force that, you know, Jeff and I were both a part of before we were in these roles, I think originally that was the idea there was to begin this at the earliest ages and then grow that from there. And we just were not able we were not able to do that. I'm not sure that putting Spanish in at the sixth grade was what that task force really found was going to be the best thing to do. I think we did try very hard to make that work and I I don't think it was a bad program.
064I think if we were to revisit that again, I think I would do it differently based on lessons learned from the years that we had that. I think it's a good thing for us to to talk about for future but not for next year. I don't mean to be a wet blanket. >> No, I I support exactly what you said, Marlene. And I was I I will tell Matt that I was I am a foreign language teacher, right? And I was a huge proponent of getting foreign language at the elementary level. And because of budget restraints, we couldn't do it the way that we wanted to do it, which was starting in the lower grades >> and moving it forward. >> Right. >> And starting it in the in the sixth grade. Um, I'm just
065going to say I I'm perfectly happy that that went away because I don't think it was really implemented properly. It could have been if it if the sixth grade was at the middle school, then we would have had the time slot to do that, but the way that we ended up having to do it because I I don't think it works very well. I'm sorry. >> I'm happy to talk more about that with you though, Matt. >> Jeff, I think just kind of going back um so the 11,000 was increased to 13,000. Do you have kind of um full total impact? And and I'm I'm only saying this just um to kind of see to Matt's point, maybe this is a conversation for next cycle, a possible consideration to bringing up so we can tease
066out some of the criterias and constraints that have been brought up already. Um I'm a proponent of any, you know, language learning, but there are some scheduling issues and so forth. But my question, the first question I have is, is it about 750,000? That's the uh differential from the increase in right in this ECS formula. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Yeah. But the um like I said the that money doesn't impact us that money um like all ECS money gets sent to the town, >> right? uh the town the the state has said to us they don't even have a mechanism to pay uh the boards of ed they only in their system can only pay the treasurer for the town right >> which obviously is across the other side of the street. >> Yeah.
067I think if we could just set this aside for when you are curating you know budget uh ass next year. Just a thought. >> Sure. Um, >> am I up? Am I up for my question? >> Tim is is on the I don't know if you guys can see that, but when you raise your hand, it puts a little number next to you, >> Tim. >> Yeah, thank you. Um, I like the I like the idea of uh adding Spanish to lower grades, but my my thinking having learned to speak a few different languages relatively well. I I'm a big believer in immersion and not that we're going to find immersion anywhere, but here in Cheshire beyond English, I think um if it were if it were up to me and I I'm poor, I
068I would I would change it and if we didn't have the funding, additional funding, I'd rather offer one or two languages from kindergarten through 12 rather than four or five different languages or whatever we whatever we offer at the high school. I truly believe that that would be more valuable to people learning a foreign language. Um, I'm not saying that anybody would agree with me on that, but that is how my that that is my general thinking on it. I think that would be um I think that would be most beneficial to uh students trying to learn a language and and if we have a discussion next year, I'm open to that. Um seeing if something like that could work. And I realize people there are people who would not be happy with it. We
069saw that with German only a couple years ago. But from a from uh from the perspective of best outcomes, best long-term outcomes, I do think K through 12 offering it to the youngest all the way through would be the best idea. Yeah, obviously I mean anything we propose will add, you know, associated costs as well um or anything and how we would have to make that happen. Um Heather, >> thanks. Now, um, aside from the language, which I think is great, and I I agree, immersion is like the only way you actually really learn and internalize a language. But beyond that, I'm still advocating if there's budget, when there's budget for that STEM coordinator in high school and part middle if we could. Um, I'm just flagging that I think that would have incredible impact
070and benefit. So, I would set aside some time and potential money for that when we revisit this again next year. >> Yeah, I I uh I would agree that that is certainly a priority item. Um, you know, I think the interesting thing about this process, and it's not not really a shock to anybody, is that we go around and there's always, um, there's never really a shortage of things that we think would be really valuable to add. Um, and I don't think anybody's wrong. Um it's just like as we look at all these different priorities, uh what what are we what are we considering to be the most important and how do we pay for it? Um but yeah, definitely that's that's usually a a lengthy January conversation where we can delve into what the
071uh you know what the costs are and how do we facilitate that. I'm sorry. Did somebody else have a hand up? >> Yeah. I I just have one follow >> for Marlene. Um Jeff, you you said something that in response to the Spanish. I just want to make sure I have it straight. Not related, not on the Spanish itself, but this RAM early childhood line item is net new from what the board of ed approved in January. Is that true? Yeah, >> not really. It It's um It's just a reallocation of the money. It It's um >> It's a net new It's that position and their role and what they do and where they're located is different than what we approved. But we're not changing FTE. I get that. >> Correct. Yeah. >> Is that
072right? Okay, >> that is correct. Um, >> so then the other question I would pose to you, Marlene, because I was very moved by your budget workshop uh, demonstration of all of the supplies that you needed is, do you need this position, which wasn't on the table three months ago, or do you need $100,000 more of teaching supplies across the schools? >> Yeah. So, I spent a lot of time with Kim. I also spent time talking to people who have worked there. Um really Jeff and I went back over and spent additional time with Kim. I think there are a lot of things uh that Kim does that we do we can't lose in this process. I also look at the equity among our elementary schools and what those APs need to do, what what
073I need them to do, what what the community what we need from them. And I think there's uh I really do believe that there is an excellent way to break that up, break that apart so that a full-time AP could take on some of it along with Diana as the principal. But I think there's a real need there for the staff to have someone who understands the niche of birth to three, special ed, early childhood, circle of security, smart start, integrated prek. Um, and so I think this is a good a good way for us to bridge that gap this year. Am I going to need um supplies? Yes. Um, and I've already been thinking about ways that we might be able to do that through some grant funds. So, I think this is the
074best I think this is the best way forward for sure. I'll be happy to share when we get to that point that job description because I think it it's, you know, obviously still in draft format, but um I think you will all feel better about it seeing that. Let me see if I can present this to um just to give you a sense. Sorry, they uh reimaged my old computer today and so I'm I'm pulling stuff over. But um if I share a different screen with screen with you Let's do this. Okay. >> Anything I could help with, Jeff, or is this a doc? No, I don't have. Okay. >> Um, I got it. Yeah. So, can you see that now? >> Yes. >> Basically, this is for the 25 26 school year. I had
075went back to make sure um that our staffing ratios at the elementary grades with 2.0 know um at the school was not out of whack. And these are all the elementary school and dur schools in in Durkb. So you can see like Chapman actually this is this is flipped now. Uh we started the year at 1.4. It uh Chapman we went to 1.6 and dropped Norton to 1.4. Um but this is basically what we we have. Um and these are the um ratios going down this line in terms of the number of administrators and on the right far right is the number of students per administrator. Um, so you can see, you know, a lot of places have two. Occasionally you'll get one. Like Orange has one administrator. They only have 228 kids in that
076school. Um, you know, usually where you see the one administrator, the enrollments are significantly lower than what we will have at um at Barnham next year. So basically the average school has 1.78 administrators um per every and then we have you know one per every 253 um students. Sorry like I said this is uh this is new and it really wants to give me everything. So it's not that it was uh you know 1 to 253 would basically put us um with the two assistants uh or the assistant and the principal right about that number. So we're on par with our peers in that respect. Um and I and I like I said given the the niche knowledge and needs at the um early childhood that's why we were advocating for the reassignment of that
077social studies position there. Alternatively, um, you know, given Kim's retirement, uh, I'm not I I'm struggling to find another solution that would be, um, really productive. I mean, Marlene and I, um, Diana, um, Kathy, Christina, um, we talk a lot about even with Kim going over there. Um, not sure how that how we were going to finagle that. Obviously, she'd be there for early childhood, but um, it was I I don't know that I felt great about those plans. I I think this is um a better plan, but if this isn't how the board wants to go, we could always, you know, explore a different option. So, for tonight, I guess the the um the motion would be to adopt um the budget with just a $300,000 line reduction in that one place. And what
078that would mean is no matter what we you know what we shake out um you know moving forward when that this is this will be our budget. So, next January, you know, if we move everything around and some of these things we just we have to move around like the electricity and stuff. Um, that will it'll show up as the the the way we have it currently in the budget and we'll have to explain why it's, you know, 500% over budget or something because we we didn't budget any, you know, sewer money at at Barnum or something. But that's all stuff that can be explained. But um you know so my recommendation's on the table. I don't know if there are other questions about it. Um so the alternative to just doing the 300 on
079the uh medical benefits trust line is to adopt them as outlined and that would be our our budget next year. It doesn't mean line items don't change, but and then we would move forward with for uh creating a personnel committee meeting of the um to review the job description for that lead teacher role, whatever we call it, and then uh hopefully adopting that on the 21st and then hiring that shortly thereafter. >> Um >> so this this is a finance committee vote to send to the full board. Uh this is a finance committee meeting of the whole. So >> so everybody will be voting on >> yeah whatever >> we usually adopt we usually adopt with a finance committee meeting of the whole that everybody votes on. I'm actually I'm ready to put the all
080the the motion with all the changes that you are recommending is that's a different motion than just the 300,000. >> Yeah. So, um, >> because I think it gives you the it gives you the time that you need to get all of this stuff started. >> Yeah. You know, >> but can you get it started even if we don't? Um, well, I would hate to spend time on it if it's not going to come to fruition, but um um I think what we'll do what we we should probably do is go because there are some questions, we should um have the finance committee uh vote on it and then bring it just for the 21st. first. I um and have a full vote on it there. Um I I don't I don't like um putting
081you guys in a position where it's it's kind of a knee-jerk reaction. As as much as I feel like this is the best course of action, I don't want anybody walking away from tonight going, "Well, I didn't pardon me. Um, I didn't have a real chance to think about this and I just I mean I I tried to send it out a couple days ago, but you know, you don't have the benefit of conversation and um processing. So I think um the preference would be like if the committee would um pass with adjustments um and then I'll share out additional information and we'll talk about it on the 21st. In the meantime, I will share, you know, a draft with the personnel committee and we'll discuss what that role would look like and take that
082to the board as well. So, I mean, it's it is the matter of um what is that nine days? I mean, it's not end of day stuff. Unfortunately, I'll be or fortunately I guess out of town the next three days uh with two and a half days and it well day and a half I guess in in uh Boston doing a admin retreat with uh a superintendent network at Harvard and then uh Friday afternoon I'm presenting at a panel discussion in uh New Haven on the future of work and AI. So, it's I'm not going to really be able to tackle it until Monday anyway. And I and I feel I want people to feel confident and comfortable. Um, and I I I appreciate how it at this pace it doesn't feel that way and
083I I want to avoid that. We'll still move forward with, you know, processing like the some of the things that we need to do anyway. So if if the um budget committee is comfortable making that recommendation and and everybody else is comfortable processing it that that path then I I can certainly work with that. >> Jeff, can I um can I ask a question here or um >> even two if you'd like? >> Sure. Great. Or more of um a wondering recommendation. So, I'm hearing the RAM, the CHS position is kind of the the issue that's not moving us forward. But I know a lot of the changes in here are just like to account for contractual um changes. And I'm wondering if we would be able to approve the linked adjustments minus the CHS
084position and the RAM position given those are netneutral changes and then be able to come back to that at a later point. Um, just cuz I I do have a concern about if these are the if we don't make these changes then in January we're going to be saying, well, why were these percentages all different? >> But but we are. So I because there's I'm concerned about a bit of a domino effect. you're looking at just the social studies and lead teacher, but we would also need to approve the um swapping of a principal for an AP, which now there's an $18,000 difference there that is also accounted for someplace else in the budget. So, there's like this ripple effect. So to just um wait the nine days and adopt it and whole is that
085gonna set you back something terrible, >> do you think? >> No, >> because we're Yeah, because once once it's approved, then we're we're good um for July 1st at that point. Um, and so if we just hold out till May 21st, we should be able to do it. I I'm just, you know what I'm saying about the 18,000 because that's accounted for someplace else um to have a balanced budget and we'd have to make additional adjustments and it would make it more complicated. So >> I would prefer Jeff if we just go through I think in past finance committees we would move whatever the reduction or increase and then have the full board you know approve everything else. Um I do agree that I'd rather take my time give you the opportunity to present a
086more comprehensive job description too. Um I I think that'll give me a little bit more of a peace of mind on the 21st. >> Yeah. Yeah. I I I agree. So that's why I you know kind of put it out there that if the finance committee um you know were to recommend the adjustments as presented, we can always modify that on the 21st. Um, and it gives us nine days then to have a personnel committee to share some data about the social studies and um, uh, the administrative data that I was just showing you. Um, and to take a look at at the job description if I didn't already say that. >> Sounds good. >> So, is the motion that you have on the screen the one that you >> Yes. want the finance committee
087to vote on, >> right? >> Yeah. >> So, so that's not everyone, just the >> right. That's just the members of the finance committee, >> which I know that's an >> Mark and Matt, right? >> I believe so. Is Carol, do you know that? And by the way, yes. Um Mike Salamini just texted me to let me know that the um the council has adopted the reduced mill rate. Um so you know yeah we're definitely not getting more money which I wasn't asking for by the way. >> So Jeeoff that $750,000 which should be ours right that they're using it to lower the mill rate. >> Yes. because they have already committed more than $750,000 increasing million though, >> right? As long as they've increased our budget by more than $750,000 and met the minimum
088budget requirement, they can do that. >> Okay. And I think, yeah, a lot of the uh the legislature intended it to be a a property tax relief and and I can't argue that the council hasn't done their job to try and um you know, support the education. Um but >> Okay. Um, so I would call upon Mark or Matt to make a motion. >> Okay. Uh, I can do that. Uh moved that the finance committee recommends to the full board of education and operating budget for the fiscal year 2026 2027 in the amount of $99,849,080 as appropriated by the town council representing a three reduction of $300,000 from the board of education recommended budget. And the changes for that $300,000 reduction are linked in an attachment I'm hoping that Mark will second it. >> I
089will second that. Can Can we discuss >> and then it's open for discussion? >> Okay, >> I guess I'll go then. Uh yeah, Jeeoff, I really appreciate um that sentiment. I I did not come to this meeting with the idea that every line item would get finalized either by the finance committee or or by the full board. I would love the uh you know I I think even when we had that vote in January, I said, "Okay, there's a couple of more line items here and there. Maybe we can offset this and that." And so I will jump back in in the next nine days or or even the next three or four days and try to, you know, help my colleagues uh see what I'm seeing if I see anything there. You know, it's
090it's as I spoke at the town council meeting, I I do fully support this full budget. So to me now, it's not additional cuts. It's the wants versus needs. It's the priorities of what we're doing. Um, I get that most of those adjustments are just reallocations and and balancing things out. Um, Emilia, would it be possible I think it would be very helpful for me maybe for others to have side byside um the changes that were made from the board of ed adopted budget, right? We had an Excel spreadsheet of here's here's what we changed out of that budget, right? here's what we had to cut from the 1.2 that was passed after Dr. Solen's recommended budget and then here's these changes, right? Subject to the $300,000 decrease because that would be part of my
091goal. I think we took what one elementary teacher out of that budget reduction in January, right? So, like those are the things that I'm thinking about the next nine days is where are their line items where we could put things like that back in. But really appreciate what you guys have done here on on short notice. It makes sense to me. Um I'm just not ready on on the line item level. So I I appreciate this route that we're taking to take it to the full board. >> Sure. >> Just for clarity, Matt, you're talking about the where were the 1.2 million reductions. >> Right. From your recommended to what was passed, what changed from that budget book? >> And now we have this additional one that we discussed tonight here. additional changes and so
092now put them all together and that's what we need to really hunker down on and and understand and vote on. >> Yep. Yep. >> Any other discussion? >> So the members of the finance committee, >> can we take a vote on the motion? All in favor? It's unanimous. >> Thank you, Jeff, for putting all this information together tonight. >> Yeah, like I said, >> it was helpful. And you know, I just want people to know also that um you know, what's what's happened is which we always know is going going to happen is come May, we have more information than we had in January. And so that's what we're really dealing with, right? the contracts um losing a posi losing Kim. >> Yeah. >> Deserve and you know trying to maneuver that position to the
093best that we can knowing now what we know and also knowing um what's happening at at the state level in terms of support as well. So, um, so thanks for staying on top of all of this as we move along because things will still change. They'll keep changing. >> I appreciate you guys, you know, take, again, I I hate to like throw things at you. The the like the Kim um retirement uh, you know, kind of forced my hand later in the game than I'm used to. But um we're still, you know, we still have time before the 21st to I think adopt a really good plan. Sam, >> I just want to um I I really just want to go on the record and really publicly thank, you know, Matt for speaking at the
094town council meeting. I personally think and I truly believe like the points you made Matt really helped it really raised and helps influence some of the TC members who were pretty much on the fence um just so that they can support our schools our programming. So I you know I think it was a really meaningful um comment uh that you made. So I just want to thank you. Heather made comments too. I think all of us kind of work obviously Jeff hopefully to help support and move this along. But um I truly believe Matt's comments really put some people to leaned more to the approval side, you know, the support side. I would also add um thank you to Jeff for getting out there and educating the public because I believe the amount of mail
095that the town council received from people in support of keeping the school budget intact was um was pretty outstanding. So, I would like to thank also our community for supporting our schools. >> Amen. >> On all those counts, sir. Yeah. Thanks, Matt. >> Well, if there's no further business, >> I will make >> Can I call for a motion to to adjourn? Jeff, >> are you finished? >> Yeah. Yeah, that's absolutely. >> Okay. Um, I call for a motion to adjurnn. Second. >> Well, who who called for the motion? >> Matt, I thought you just did. I was going to >> As chair, I can only ask for it. >> I will go on the record and make a motion to adjurnn. >> Second. All in favor? >> We are adjourned. Thank you very much,
096everyone. >> Good night, guys. >> Good night. Thank you, everybody. >> Good night. We're going off the