001and stuff first and see if there's >> We should really try. >> The other thing >> green now >> that on your to-do list. >> The other thing is that when those Chromebooks are >> we are tell we're all set. >> Yeah, we are. It's all set up. They're supposed to be resold. >> Okay. >> All right. >> You want to start us off? >> Okay. Good evening. It is uh Wednesday, September 10th, 2025. This is the East Island Board of Education Business and Planning Subcommittee. Um having a little technical issue, but we're back on here hopefully. And uh we're going to start uh where we haven't met in a while, but we're going to start with Don and he um maintenance update. Lots of projects. >> Yep. Good evening. It's been guess a couple
002months since we've done maintenance. But uh I got two things tonight. I got the the list which I think everybody has and we got some pictures done so far this summer. So uh the elementary school we know has been the the big project for the HBAC. We do have some good news that some of this stuff is coming in a little bit earlier, a couple weeks earlier for the electric. So we are they are still saying that they're going to finish that back but we were able to with the help of Teresa we were able to file for extension after 30 days so with the state but they are optimistic and guaranteeing that it will be done there's like a twow week uh window that the electric's coming in earlier so they think that that's
003the window that they need to get a long generator installation. This actually uh took longer than we were hoping to have it done, but it actually worked out pretty better. Uh the electricians are in there and we're able to get more of the building, not the generator than we originally planned. So, um, we'll be able to pretty much get 100% a lot of lighting and all the IT equipment, which we weren't really shooting for last time because we couldn't get on the interior and exterior PA speaker installation. We did an additional 32 units. Uh, we did should put us right around 60 for the building inside and out. Uh we did a week before we did a lockdown drill. Myself, Connie, and Dave Salorth walked around and we could hear in every room, every closet,
004we could hear they were in lockdown. Uh lot of stuff I do have pictures for, but one classroom was painted minor renovations, one that hadn't really been touched in 30 years. Uh we redid the whole thing. Uh we did a few classrooms with new LED lighting uh and the entryway. These were the replacing of the old fixtures in 1960s where the covers were actually starting to fall off. uh grounds work has been going on the office and rest of the prek. Okay. Uh furniture was purchased and installed and we did a new entryway and LED lighted the interior entryway. The middle school will proud actually lease the wall everything this year. Uh the building duck work was clean that was pretty uh the overgrowth and the trees were were removed around the building oil tank
005that was a concern of the police department for safety hiding spot. We w we bought a new three door freezer uh to go into place of the old area where the dishwashing machine dishwasher the washing center was and all the duck work was serviced, inspected, belts were changed, grease and filters were done and grounds work and started ongoing. Uh the high school the chiller was replaced and it's it's operating very well. We just uh sent back the approval to start new building management system for high school. That's going to take about two or three months. They're going to be that during the day programming weekends. That's going to be the goal is with that is to tie all three schools together, town buildings to one head so we could go into one spot, adjust any
006building. uh from one location. We have bought we started here in elementary school now the high school we bought to make a brand anybody can work on not buying specific one company work. We could jump if one company gets too high, we can go to another person, but not uh we did two more additional workstations like the one we did a couple years ago, some locker sections, but countertops [Applause] deliver purchased and the varsity softball field renovation. for fencing side outfield repairs completed or in the process RC baseball field we had some grass field and baselines so that was actually all yesterday we did some new parking lot to baseball field this was a reaction to the damage that was done up the soccer field And to that allows us not to worry so much
007about the gates. Make sure the gate is always locked until parking lot down there. And the softball field dugouts and equipment shed is pressure washed and painted. Uh tech building for me is finally done. So, they're they're doing their uh stuff inside out of teachers and stuff. The walk-in freezer was uh rebuilt over the summer and hopefully it solved all our problems. We did replace an oven that was we kept trying to fix trying to fix and we just kept more good. I had one air handling unit in the attic at the high school was found with So it has to be rebuilt. We can get it out of the building. So all theides rebuilt. They're going to actually pull the insides out, replace all components in the old in the original case from 19
008well 1994. So this is going to be the only way to get it done. Get it out. So hopefully that uh winter uh throughout this is district wide. We took down a ton of dead trees that had been falling and falling in the parking lot across country trails and out to the fields and behind elementary school. Uh there was this was another concern for the PD. We had uh growth that was was coming in too much on the property line. So local contractor came in cut it all back six feet which it helps too fields itself. Fire alarms tested and inspected. Kitchen hoods were cleaned. Uh security cameras were ordered and we're just waiting on installation date. That'll be all three schools. We have no information on the security grant yet. suspected between now and
009October. You should get a yes or a no. And another concern was from the PD security was uh trim the trees from the ground up 8 foot 90% of them so there's no hiding from the ground. and kind of a future wish list that uh we were looking into is doing weather stations at the schools. Uh specifically, I mean, we there's a lot more to this than actually what I was looking for, which is a good thing. I was looking more for the light lightning notification. So when students are out either gym class or games or recess, uh it'll notify lightning's closed and also notify when it's safe to go back out. Uh come with that a whole uh ton of other things that I didn't know was included uh is severe weather like blizzards,
010um hail storms is all notification comes with it. It'll give optimal time time for like the athletic director to say this is good weather, you know, the weather's unhealthy to have outdoor practice during this time. It gives it it gives a whole of options to they have 24hour live meteorologist that that comes with it that you can call. It'll give road predictions what the roads look like for school closings. Are they too cold? They look like they could be icing. It comes over the last it comes over. Downside is it's 4,000 a year or we have one weather station we can put into high school or to middle school and we could have two it'll service two locations if we wanted for the elementary school and that's an additional to three units that comes in
011900 for three units. Um it is expensive that's something that we talk about. I mean obviously there's no money for it this year request for next year. Uh I think it's good safety especially for the white house. We'll have have some pictures but uh the all the additional ceiling replacements for the elementary school and high school there is a huge difference from the new stuff to the old stuff. Uh we are working just started this actually kind of just started yesterday. Ever source is um sent a request out if anyone is interested in incentives. So I spoke with them yesterday and we're going to start looking into uh incentives to replace the BMS system at middle school um because of its age. And along with that two is they were going to look into roof
012rentals for solar panels. There is an option to rent the work out and collect some revenue just from it. It's not as good as it was a few years ago, but it is still viable. I also are going to be looking to try to get the rear access road done for the elementary school and security upgrades if we have to come back if grant is denied. Requesting some of that. But that was it. I'm sure there's something We had a busy summer there. >> Yeah, it was pretty pretty good. But >> we actually have a meeting with that company tomorrow to explain about the alerts. >> Right. >> So along with that too is that if there's an issue going on, whoever has access can go in and say the school's in lockdown speaker. So
013if you want to do or seek shelter or stay away from the building, whatever you want to program into it, the speakers listen or they'll just do a log horn saying white things. >> We'll just have to um sort of test that out because of the neighbors that would also be hearing these bullhorn announcements. So yeah, >> they might want them though >> because you got a daycare that's right near the elementary school. >> I was just saying Teresa, maybe you can work that weather stuff into curriculum because that is like, you know, with the environmental >> the environmental, >> you know, working into curriculum, too. >> So I'm trying to do a an angle emergency management stuff. >> Yes, of course. Yeah, trying to work that. >> I'll start with Sean. Sean, do you
014have any questions for >> No questions. Thanks. Looks all great work, >> TA. Excuse me. Tickle there. Um, yeah. One question I had because you mentioned the lockdown drill. >> So, I don't I'll just question that you can tell me if not. How do you go about like becoming updated about how to do lockdown drills >> at security meetings you do? Okay. So, when things need to change because I just remember reading an article recently about how some schools were changing what they do when you know lockdown obviously denotes locking down everyone in the building. But like I I don't know where I read the article about schools actually having students do something different like flee or whatever. You know what? >> That's part of the security. >> Oh, that's part of the security meeting.
015>> Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, I think the flee is more when you're outside. >> They go to a meeting place instead of coming back into the building. during your security meetings, you you do some research outside, maybe bring it to the meeting of like how things need to change and update as we go forward. >> So, I I work closely with local law enforcement and then obviously the SRO as well and our SSOs. So, there have been districts that had training of like a stay put mentality. You stay you hid and you stay put. Now, it's not. it's you flee, you fight, you do whatever you need to to find safety, even if it's indoors so that we're not sitting ducks, if you will, because the former training um really put schools at
016risk because it was just the same type of training. You find a corner, you huddle, you turn off the lights, but that isn't going to keep us safe in certain situations. So you have to use judgment at that time. So this district um and there was Alice training. This district never participated in Alice training, but >> that's what that was called. >> Yeah. But it's it's evolved because >> law enforcement um learns after tragic situations and then shares the information out to districts. Um and so it's it's constantly changing and our SSOs go to required um legislated trainings as well. So we do have actually um a consultant who is looking at our protocols um to make sure that we are as up todate as possible >> and we do meet four times a year
017>> with the town and the school district. It's it's hosted by the school district. So all the admins um staff come, the designated people come, board chair comes, you know, first select woman is invited, all emergency management comes. So it's a pretty well um involved group of folks. Hopefully that helps. >> Of course, >> Laurel, I always know you have questions. >> I have questions. I always have questions. Don's not going to miss me when I'm coming. I will >> I will >> um I do have a question on the future requests list one. >> Is this in any necessary order of priorities? >> Uh no, as I wrote there was no priority. Yes. >> Okay. And then I >> there's actually there's you're I'm going to show you a picture that's going to be
018a priority that I forgot to put in here. >> Okay. The other thing is this weather station um for I just want to make sure I understood correctly. It's $4,000 for a year and that would cover two buildings. But if we wanted to add the elementary, it's going to go up to 9,000 a year >> because we have to purchase another weather station, >> right? >> Only one weather station. We'll do two locations and it's three for three, not two for three, sorry. >> Is this something that could maybe be shared regionally that we would I mean I firstly the accuracy. You know, what's more accurate than a weather service that already exists that we can tap into? And then the second piece is that it's $9,000 because we would want to cover all three
019schools. Um, but really you you're I'm not going to know that there's lightning on Mudus Road just because it says there's lightning in the area, right? So it's very sort of not pinpoint accurate necessarily. Would a regional service something that could cover schools that could share? So, this one actually, this is called Perry Weather. They're actually nationwide. They do uh they've got all they've got the NFL, they've got the MLB, they've run a lot of what states will do. And in full honesty, I didn't know this was them. We were in Georgia playing baseball and horn went off. It was like, so they pulled everyone off the field. And this was new for me, too. and half hour later free blast came across said you can go back and kill. So that's where I'm like
020oh you want this good idea. So long story short is I'm trying to work with this so we can maybe get public works involved the fire department emergency management because we can put 22 people. So maybe'll be able to share it with the entire town. So we may be able to take that four grand and nine grand and split it four or five different ways. Uh different counts. I don't know. I I don't know about that because I'm assuming they would have holes to get the weather station. So that would probably go from 9 to 15. So I'm kind of in a perfect world. We may build a limit two here 2000 here 2000 here. We can reward. >> I guess I'm just a little concerned. Not that it would be wasteful because as you
021just described, it could be perfectly beneficial, but we're not going to know that there's lightning at the elementary school versus the high school. I that just I can't imagine that we have technology. I mean, is this how accurate it is? >> So, we can set it. The setting is from 0 to 10 miles out, which is the most common number for schools. CIA and high schools want to know if there's 10 miles. So, what this is doing, and I'm sure everybody's been to games where it kind of takes responsibility away from the umpires, the coaches, parents or whoever is there, you know, it takes away from the umpires seeing a bolt of lightning and calling again. This saves this gives a possibility of maybe not being seen but being detected. >> So, and then it
022can go out. Okay. We we want to be safe from 10 miles to 20 miles. That's what we would consider a safe zone. So if anything within 10 to 20 will never sound. >> Yeah. All right. Sorry, I'm trying to be the devil in the um 1 to 10 miles. What's the distance between say an the elementary school and the high school and the elementary school and the middle school? >> So >> it's not 10 miles. >> So one service at the elementary school could cover the whole campus. >> Yeah. Uh, >> I mean the the district campus. >> Well, yes. The one weather station only does two horns. So, we'd have to get a second weather station for three. >> Okay. >> So, yes. So, we're close enough that one would work for the
023high school and the middle school, but there is an argument to be made that we probably be able to hear the horn at the elementary school from the high school. But I'm assuming if you have 100 kids outside that are playing, it'll probably just get missed. So, um, yeah, the up charge is a little bit better. >> But yeah, we're all within that zero to 10. They're all all three schools. >> Do you know how often it's happened that there was um lightning detected and it interrupted what we were doing? I I haven't really paid attention to that, but I know it's happened a few times with us. >> Yeah. >> You know, the umpire call, you've already seen and heard it and it's >> pretty close. >> I think little league is a big
024thing in the evening is little league is huge because then you do have sometimes coaches that are parents that are trying to push through the game. Oh, it's just thunder. It's far enough away and you know or you know mine's or >> the other aspect of this that actually advice is that I think it's 30 minutes from the first strike if you go 30 minutes and then little we can start again. >> Yeah. >> This knows that if we're at 25 minutes and detects 30 minute clock starts. >> Yeah. So there's no coaches aren't watching their watches, the umpires aren't. So it'll actually delay the safe call for another. >> Okay. So then that gets into a staffing issue. So right now we don't have any staff, whether town or school staff that are necessarily
025responsible for making a weather call for sports or school or whatever the case may be. So the umpire looks up in the sky, sees the thunderbolt, and says, "Okay, we have to clear the field." Or whatever the case may be. So, now we've put this $9,000 weather station into our district and there are 22 people responsible for listening to it. Um, I understand that the firehouse is always listening for emergency calls and other services like the police are doing the same thing. When we get down into the little nitty-g gritties of the kids playing baseball at the elementary school, nobody's paying attention. Um, is there a way to sort of bring these people in before we invest $9,000 and say, "Look, you guys are on top of this. You're paying attention to weather for town
026services. Maybe we need to be tapping into that for, you know, outdoor events at the schools." >> So, we do nothing. >> So, once that's what I'm saying, we're going from zero to 9,000 plus 22 employees. No. So the 22 employees know. So once this is in place, we do nothing. It does it all itself. It's all done in the cloud. It's all It monitors itself, detects the lightning. We have 22 people that can have access to it, >> right? >> So you can go in and say, "What's the weather for the next 10 days?" And then you can figure, you can check it yourself. Superintendent could go in and say, "Hey, this blizzard looks like it's coming." But we're not going to be monitoring at a ball game. It'll do it itself. It'll all
027self-detect like Mike Bosworth to go in and say, I guess soccer or whatever. It's going to be 100% humidity. Here's the best time you can practice for an hour. That's all tools that we'll give him. Not sure if he'll use it, but that's a tool that's available to the athletic director, the trainer, the principal, uh, whoever. But no, we're no one's going to be sitting on their phone monitoring it to set off the sirens. It's going to do it on the top. Um, and that's kind of the good thing about it. So, we don't have a coach that's trying to do something and monitor the weather or wait for an umpire to see. It kind of takes the human element out of it. So you're saying it's just known for so say little league that
028this bullhorn's going to go off and everybody in on the field and parents whatever just knows to knows what it means knows what to do. >> So >> it's programmable so it'll do a horn. It'll say lightning is detected. Please go to safe. >> That's what it'll be on the bullhorn. >> Yes. for the whole >> and then it'll then we can say when it's over it could be free blast or light it's clear you can go back >> does it work off of the same like there are apps right my phone will go off and say lightning's been detected in your area I'm not paying for that per se it'll just be interesting when we meet with them tomorrow to get more information and is there any other district in Connecticut using them >>
029there's quite a few Okay. So, we want bigger pretty much 70 is 100% of Georgia. They do. It's big. >> Yeah, sure. Well, they're weather. >> Yeah, they're big sports. >> College here. >> Will it help Teresa with snow calls and things that we would not be able to necessarily understand shifts m middle of the day at 4:00 in the morning? >> So, she would have 24 access to live meteorologist. It's a full hallway which is included with all this. It'll give you road conditions, not saying, "Hey, there's 4 in of snow," but it's, you know, it's 10 degrees and it's the roads are going to be ice. They won't know what the roads been plowed, but they'll know what the roads could be and they'll know has a lot of pluses with it. I
030was looking for one thing. >> Yeah, I'll be interested in hearing you guys wholesome. >> Okay, thank you. That was all I had. >> No, like I said, I think they'd be great if you can get that weather moved into curriculum. You know, I think that would be a huge bonus. Um, I do think that, um, that should be a shared expense if we're doing the elementary school because of the playground with all that metal out there and little league. And then when it's not just the school sports, but our fields and everything are used for like soccer, for bear cats, and stuff of that nature, too. >> Yeah. So it seems to me it be more of a town expense than just a school or maybe it should go into that maintenance shared service
031expense. >> Yeah, I disagree. I was I was hoping >> that's why I made sure Craig and invite >> I was just going to say it's >> and I'll ask about the features that are educational because there are weather stations that are that schools do use that have graphs and are for instructional purposes. That would be fun. I don't know if this one does that or if it's exclusively for just sharing information based on >> so he we did a we he shared a screen and it shows you have a whole ton of interaction I don't know about the education aspect but there is a lot of interaction >> okay you want to show us your slideshow now >> sure it's kind of So, it's kind of it's all the same pictures you have, but
032this was that was the main uh entry. It was very ragged and actually uh the cables have let go and some some of the crosswires were not attached anymore. So, that was the first step. We decided to take it down. We need to redo it. That's a new system. It's 2 by two tiles which I think was 100% better than the 2x4s. >> So the whole school is that way. >> No. So no, that was so >> So I know >> that's why it's in the future. >> Is that part of our HVAC budget or just part of our be available in three or >> so? So, it's kind of like, >> but I guess like you can see it. Well, I can't see it, but in that one to the left, it's hard to
033see. Actually, the picture does it better justice. It's sagging. The cross bars are crooked. It's It's failing and it's getting a So, that was a new one they got put in. >> It's really nice. the three new LED lights and the new HBAC area just been installed part of the project. This was the new furniture that was for the main office, the new carpet, the new tables, workstations, and put chairs in there, but I think they're real chairs. >> And there's an island. You can see a little piece of it, but there's a workable location now in the opposite floors really nicely at the elementary school. Looks really sharp. >> They seem to really like it. >> Yep. >> That uh split's going to be coming out and repurposed. It's the old custodial office plaza
034now to move the custodians out because we packed up their whole space switch. So, they've been moved to a different spot. That's going to be the finished product for the heat on the ceiling cassette right there. Uh, that's the whole 200 m. We have some pictures of that because there's no ceilings in the 200. So, that at first horrible kind of grows on you. You kind of don't notice it until >> you color those beams that nice blue. you know, and then the new lighting you you kind of >> finished private ceiling that's 100% accurate. >> But you can see on that one, I didn't notice it till I took the picture that that cover that's falling off the light picture that's actually been happening uh throughout the 200 wing. And as we go, uh
035this is the one on the left is the hallways. They're like every 30 40 ft through the hallways that gives the heat for the AC. And that's the classroom. Every classroom has one. That's in the 100 wings. All right. This was actually the first one was put in and we kind of hemmed it hard for about a week, week and a half because it was awful and got the solutions probably worse. So, kind of left the end of wanting to do it anyway, but again, it kind of grows up to >> What's the thing with the um aluminum hanging down from the ceiling, which looks far worse. >> So, that's the exhaust and the the bad air comes out. That will be finished. It'll be painted. The aluminum insulation you'll still see, but that crossbar,
036it will be painted. probably April vacation rolling around. So the jeans uh don't bother anybody but that is >> those actually finished 200 wing ceiling and the new whites and the painted beams. >> It really looks good. >> Does that look really sharp? It does. >> I like that. It's nice and bright. >> Lights. Lights are slick. >> Yeah. >> Those pipes in the back too. >> Uh thermostats. The hallways have them and the classrooms have them. The ones in the hallway will be set. They can be, but they'll have a code so the kids can't do it. Uh but the classrooms, they're going to have a little adjustability for staff. That's in the courtyard where the door units are good. >> Looks good. >> Yeah, it looks great. >> What classroom is behind the
037fence? >> Two bathrooms. start. You can see a little bit of duck work. I'm sure people see it >> and it's going to get more obvious on the front because the department hasn't done yet. Uh this is kind of what the roof looks like. It's pretty impressive by these engineers and designers try to get the credit they deserve and that's pretty impressive by the way out. They are starting to insulate two to three months for the insulation. That's the 200 wing where the none of the duck works installed. electrical. There was a change that was supposed to be above ceiling, but there was no possible way to put it above the ceilings. Changed to the top. They actually, I think, sped the process up some and moved us where we are now. >> I see
038standing water on the roof. >> Uh, yep. That was probably Just a question. I was just on the roof. I'm just curious. I mean, what do you think with the, you know, how old is that roof? What does it do all that extra? It's >> not that old. >> No. Okay, >> that's good. That's good. I was just wondering, you know, extra weight or added. >> Just was curious on that. >> Yeah, this So, those are rubber boxes on there. They float. They're not attached. They're held out with weights. So, when the time comes that they have to do it, it has to be it can be lifted up and it's not easy. Believe me, it's going to be costly. I don't want but it's it's definitely doable. So, we did actually do I didn't
039take any pictures, but there was supposed to be a unit that was going to kind of be the roof had to get totally cut out and just post everything and we changed to go up on top of the roof, which saves a lot of work on money. When we are done, the compressors and the air window air units will come out and the glass will go back in. elements. >> You have glass. [Music] >> Yeah. So, they put they did the windows and doors. They gave us window. >> Okay. >> So, >> took a picture of the old speaker. I wasn't paying attention, >> but there's 32 more that got put into development. It's a dirty old one, but >> uh this was a room that had no love for probably 30 years. >> Wow.
040>> Um this is the kind of the one world that this is going to be on priority list. Uh the top corner where you see all the glue spots on there. That was home board that's been on there for a good 20 years probably. We took that off and the painter came in sanded all that down and finally repainted it and had a bolt board. But the biggest problem in these rooms, and it's not just this room, it's pretty much every room. This is old cabinetry. It's all from the 1960s, and they're all steel and the countertops and the sinks and the water fountains are there. I'm pretty sure the tiny staff have done the best they could and they look the best they're ever going to look. They're still in the should. We should
041start looking into taking all the me back out, replacement work, bring the sinks back, take the sinks out. Everybody feels like that. But we should start looking at a couple rooms per year. That's the room. That's the first room on the left. I can't tell you, but it's on the 100 ring. Yeah, I was going to say it looks like it's a kindergarten or prek class. >> Oh, it's one of the prek classes. >> So, but every room has this setup. Has the cabinets, has the sink, has counter top. All the water fountains have been disconnected. So, but that cavity is submissive was actually falling out. You know, we have new one built into the middle. But this is something that we should be looking for. Okay, that was it for the elementary school. Uh
042here's the high school. This is the first job was to move the shed for the chiller. That was the day one project. Move that over with no damage. See? Uh here's the new chiller. It's been in. It's working great. There was a change. The piping was supposed to go up the wall into the into the room and into the attic. You know, once we got in there, they couldn't do that. Pipes came in 20 foot sections and less joints were obviously better for 8ft section. They couldn't figure out a way came in couldn't figure out a safe way to build the cap. So, you see the park lot the road was dug up. We put it on the ground. Uh, which is fine. just look inside, but the other ones lasted since 1994, so get
043that same amount of time. The doors are new. There's three of them. There's one on each side of children, and that's the one to the cafeteria. Um, the door you see next to the chiller was actually open in the morning. We got there, we contract with the cold and open up. So we had to put a dead bolt on it. So Cheryl had to lock it at night to make sure the dead bolt is there so we know. So we replace the doors on that one. And the one next the other side was actually on the bottom along the door going into the kitchen. They were quite expensive because they were not ballsiz door. They were taller than normal door and the jams and frames were too wide. probably starts to 13,000 is quite expensive
044as state contractors. We're good contractors. Here's the start of the softball field with the renovations. Uh the rear fence we got brought in. Uh just kind of throw some numbers that from the plate to the old school ward was like 280 ft 281 ft. The average softball field is from 200 to 215. So the new fence is at 205 all the way around. Um uh that was what you see there. We cut out all the bad grass and actually and rebuilt that whole section. Also, the shed outfield's outfield starting next week. Slice have overseed that top zone scoreboards up fertilizer help this year. Last year we didn't have it because of the weather. So this year >> it's got three like three bad spots. Right field, left field. We're going to try to take out
045same baseball. Uh this was one of spots, the main island of the high school security check. So that was our brush cut. So you can kind of see from one end to the other by the trees. Sure. We're going to get them all. Cut off so you can see better on the back. Uh we cut that hillside down. There was a couple of dead trees there were falling into parking lot. So they were cut down and removed. That's the new barrier we put in place. I did get a price on a guard rail and supposedly the guard rail was 167,000. We were able to do this for 1,500 bucks the box and the two post and the chain and >> I like them. I like them a lot repurposing works out now the gates open.
046Not getting any calls or complaints down there. So that's it's worked so far. So, and the middle school didn't get a lot this year, but they got some. >> The all the ARIES were surrounding oil tank 30t tall for security also. and production >> before. >> Yeah. We had to move it. Having all the kids there in the summer made it a real challenge to try to update the tile in the halls and in the cafeteria. So, no one will be there next summer and we really want to commit to the project that's needed. So, Thank you. Any questions? >> You don't have to say you stay say stay a lot for us. >> Business manager update. >> Yes. So the official start date is in less than 48 hours. So, Christine starts Friday and
047um yeah, as soon as we could get her, I was like, I don't care what day of the week it is. So, looking forward to her being here um because she's going to hit the ground running with um the budget for the 25 26 year. I mean, I'm jumping down a little bit because we want to make sure that all the line items are the way they're supposed to be and that we account for um the difference with the the new referendum. So, that will be forthcoming um with a new business manager. I think that that's critical. >> So, for definitely for our October meetings, I think we can be clear tonight for our full board meeting. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Absolutely. >> Paul has been very helpful. He definitely bridged what was needed
048um in regard to working towards receiving grant funding and the state report the EFS that is pretty intensive that was due a week ago. So very appreciative of him being here in the interim. Is he still here or he is here this week? Because there needed to be some I need to talk need to be a little bit of overlap time um so that he can catch her up. But he's accessible and very kind that he's been so generous with his time. >> Who's doing payroll? >> So payroll Christine will oversee that as well. But learn we subcontracted and there was overlap time with um our finance individual before retirement so that so people did get paid on Friday just because we would have heard >> oh I was just ensuring that happens with certain
049districts and >> no we don't want to become no that was a priority for sure so um >> yeah there'll there'll there'll be plenty um for Christine to bridge now that she'll be the official business manager. So, I appreciate everybody's patience and because the office certainly has been working together to minimize any mishaps. Um the April and May warrants we were given these uh you were given them at last the June. Yes, it was July 23rd the day after the referendum. >> Okay. So we look at these then >> right? If there were any questions, what you had indicated at that time, Patty, was, you know, to reach out to Paul if there were any questions. Yeah. >> And then we were circling back. So that's why they're now here for your committee review. >>
050So if they're ready to move on to the full board for consent agenda, right? >> I see you. Move them along. >> Yeah. No, it's [Applause] catch us up with the other. >> Absolutely. >> Does anyone have any questions? We could also study this for a few minutes before. And then for our last item, the 2526 budget I think we just talked about that I think we should bring that to the October meeting because we need to let Christine I mean I think we need to vote on I know the referendum was in July but um >> to adopt it. >> Yeah. officially adopt >> with the decrease with the line items. >> I like to see the line items. >> Absolutely. Everybody should. Yeah. >> When do you think that you're going to do
051a business meeting again and when you would be ready? >> I think sooner than >> months later. >> No, I I think she will um >> she will be able to rather quickly get a handle on this. So, I don't see why we couldn't have a meeting well in advance of the October board of ed meeting even. >> Okay, perfect. >> I really do. I think within a couple of weeks, >> we could do a business and planning full meeting, >> you know, with just focus on >> and the budget. >> Why don't you coordinate that next week, Cara? When she gets in, >> make that a priority and just make that the single item. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Does that work for you? works for me >> on the 2526 budget conversation. I
052really appreciated the octo the August 13th meeting of which I just finished watching today. the wholesome discussion about you know how the budget is managed and how the cuts are received and reviewed and how they impact the budget going forward and the patience that was taken to articulate that full conversation and each person's perspective I think was not just beneficial to the board but to the community. I think explaining and expressing why and how these cuts came about and how we need to be proactive for the future and be planning for expenses that were not necessarily accounted for. I I really really appreciated that. I think it's important that we don't take enough time around the full year outside of budget season to express how much the budget affects the work we do. I would
053I would second that. And I think that if you have the opportunity to do a full board meeting between now and the October meeting with um the focus being just on the the budget, you know, just it doesn't have to be a long meeting or drawn out, but just show where the differences are and everything. And also it it's kind of a nice weave in if you will for Christine to kind of be able to do one meeting and then then it's kind of like now this is yours you know. So >> I also appreciated you saying the the projection of the numbers how the birth rate affects >> how the planning happens and I don't know that I've ever heard that as clearly as I heard it at that meeting. you know, really if
054we can take the numbers from five years ago, we're going to have a pretty good understanding if they're still living in town, what the numbers are going to look like coming in that year. And that's helpful. You know, we guess and we guess and we guess and at the 11th hour, we find out, you know, we have 20 less students or 20 more students than we thought because we didn't expect the parents not to register or whatever on time. So, I think that, you know, having those ballpark numbers always in our minds moving forward for planning the budgets is very helpful. And I don't know that we've always dug that far back to put that into perspective that way. >> Have any additional questions? >> No questions. But I do want to reiterate budget discussion
055is should probably be always year-long ongoing. >> Well, this has been a year long. I think this budget we keep saying the word budget. I mean, we're not over the budget yet. Budget, budget, budget. >> But we're going to be entering >> the next budgeting it. >> Yeah. >> And so really looking at needs. Um I have some a lot of ideas for our uh upcoming fiscal year 27. I have to hardly say that. Um budget because I after this springtime season um including like inviting like the board of finance to attend when we have those meetings in January about the the three schools and the full board. So we have usually four meetings in the month of January. And I think we should continue that practice. But literally, I I will send the olive
056branch out and say, if you have any questions, here they are because they're about to be answered. And I I don't think that's happened in the past. I don't think it's anyone's fault. They are posted. It's on YouTube. I just think that they need a literal invitation. >> Yes. And I think it's critical too that the chair of the business and planning and the chair of the board of ed are keenly aware of what's been presented and what hasn't been presented because that was a real huge kurfuffle right before we went to referendum that we hadn't presented our capital and the firehouse thought we were presenting twice. So there's there's a need in the community for clarification that you know we're not just a simple one thing. We're we're many layers. It's it's a lot
057of stuff. >> Well, that was a whole tobacco up that was on their part. >> It doesn't matter. You need to pay close attention going forward. It's a human error. It's a human error. We We paid attention, >> right? >> We were on top of it. >> The information gets misconstrued so easily and it's imperative. I'll do that. It's 6. Oh, the finish is an hour. 6:31. I think we'll adjourn. Someone Someone's got to turn that off because I can't get up. You like struck before