001Good evening everyone. This is the Saturn Board of Education special meeting. Today is July uh 23rd at 5:31 and I call the meeting to order. Can we rise for the pledge of 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. We are um we have exits right over here in the backside. Just walk out the doors, take a left and keep on walking. Um we are waiting for Kira this evening. Um she will be here in couple of minutes. So um I'm just going to ask that we kind of recess a little bit. I just I have to start meetings on time just because if there's people watching and then they're wondering where we are.
002So can I have a motion just to recess for until Carrie gets here? >> So second >> all those in favor >> I know talking about board business we are live so can do whatever. >> We'll give her like five minutes or so. Yep. Let's verify that the feed is working as well. >> 9 minutes for her. >> Even though we're just meeting in one, do we need to keep room two's door open? >> This is only one door. >> I just want to make sure >> it is live. >> All right. I just can't worry that Kira's 10 minutes out. All right. So, um let's take him with that in mind. I don't want to >> Can we move 10 minutes? >> Number three to number two. >> No. Um well, we'll just go
003one, two, and three. Okay. >> But >> motion to go back into session then. >> Okay. >> I second. >> All in favor? Okay. No offense to Cara, but I don't want to. We have a long evening ahead of us. All right. So, the first thing on the agenda um is the referendum results. Um I want to take a thank you to everybody that participated in voting. Um and the registers and the town clerk. Um we had 1,549 people that voted. um the um Everbridge that was used the evening be um before obviously reminded a lot of people. Um they were short 13 ballots which is really incredible. Good job and kudos to them on that. Normally when they order the ballots it's it's based on the number of people that they've had in the
004last you know few referendums. So, um that's why they ran a little bit short. Um the referendum vote came out at 877 in favor of passing the budget and um that were not in favor of it. Um the board of finance did do a um exit poll. Um, even though the budget passed, I do feel that it's very important for us to get those results. Um, just so that we know, you know, what people are kind of saying and what people are thinking. Um, board of finance did meet last night. Obviously, they have not had time to tally those up. Um, so I will work with the board of finance to get those results for us. Make myself note. Does anybody have any questions or comments on the referendum? >> Yeah, I just wanted to
005ask again, how many ballots were we short by? >> 13. >> So, so short in handing them out. >> So, they had to go back and make copies of those and then they had to hand count. >> That's roughly what% increase we had roughly because last time it was barely a,000 was 973. We we had almost as many votes in favor, >> right, >> of the budget as we did total votes in the prior referendum. >> That's pretty cool. >> We can do the math. >> Yeah. So, it is 54% that were in favor of a town budget. So, really I was very very pleased with that. >> Okay. Um I was hoping Cara is going to be here for this. Um everybody in your packet um do you guys have the warrant for um
006April and for May? We're not going to spend too much time on this. Um what um I'm going to ask that is after that you look over these packets and everything. Then you work with Kira, make any questions that you have and then that will be taken up at a business and planning um subcommittee meeting. Um just as in normal June's is not complete yet um that uh Paul is working on that. Um and Paul Hendrickson is our um intram business manager at this time. Um Paul comes to us with a enormous uh resume and we're very fortunate to have him. Um Naval Academy um in accounting, correct? Or >> Mathematics. and >> he has an MBA from Harvard and a lot of experience was in Ridgefield >> and just retired from Trumbull. >> So
007he is also retired captain from the Navy and attended the Naval Academy. So yeah, his trajectory, you know, from one career to another, >> but he's been working very well as a team. >> Yeah. >> So, um, he's doing fantastic. as well. Um we've tapped into our resources at learn for some accounting. Um so combined um and we're not spending any additional money. We're staying within the money in our shared service budget for that item. Um and um it seems to be going very very well. Um what's her ETA now? Do you have her on locating or I don't want to really start this without her, but I don't want to hold up. >> See, three minutes. >> Three minutes. >> I got the 15 minute text. There's three minutes left. >> Um I like
008to throw something out there which will kill at least 30 or 40 seconds. >> Yep. Um >> it has to stay on the agenda. I know. >> Oh, okay. Okay. Um we have um obviously a lot of work to do tonight and um there will be feedback um that we share with each other about our own performance as well as about the superintendent. >> So that's not what Okay. So be careful where you're going here. I would just like to point out that with that large a turnaround in the vote, I think that that is in and of itself some pretty good feedback for the superintendent. Congratulations. We didn't get that. You did. >> Excellent. It's a team effort. I mean, the families were >> standing out there >> reminding parents. Um so and reminding
009the community. So the parents really came out to support and so we are appreciative of everyone and there was like a buzz yesterday and there was a positive aura. I felt like a week ago there was like a dark cloud and then it started to turn. So um we appreciate everyone. >> I know you take your role seriously enough. So if things had gone badly you would have felt that a reflection on you. So take credit. >> Yeah. So um underneath referendum um results as well um I just want to say that um positions have been posted. Um that includes the middle school uh music um the school counselors for middle school and high school fifth grade classroom two 10 month um secretarial positions. The prek has been posted. the reading interventionists have been posted.
010Um, additionally, there was a post made for a long-term sub for fourth um grade and for special ed um education teacher. Um, and those additional ones, don't worry Cara, we're you're fine. um those additional ones um that I just named the long-term sub and special education or not because of retirements or anything of that nature. Um it's just different shifts. So Cara, just bring you up to date, we just went over referendum results and um we just went over the positions that were posted. That's it. Okay. >> Thanks. >> Okay. Um, in addition, um, you have two packets in front of you for the warrants. One is for April and one is for May. I've directed everybody to take a look at them, bring your questions to you, and then you will address those at
011a business and planning meeting. Does that sound good? >> Perfect. >> And June, um, June's is still in the works. Um, and with that, I just want to give you a report from the business um, office and um, I'm just going to read it in its entirety. That's okay with everybody. Um, the goal is in um, collaboration with town produce um, timely, accurate, and transparent financial statements which will enable officials to make well decisions. um system access. The interim business manager, Paul Hendrickson, has been working with the town finance director, U Valerie Bells, four times for a total of five to six hours. Um the meetings have been productive and Miss Bells um has assisted Mr. Hendrickson in gaining access to the following the town accounts. All the food service accounts. Formerly it was only
012the expense expense accounts and the auditors. Um and our town auditors are Clifton, Larson, Allen. Um and um you know we're getting ready for the audit. This access will increase the communication between the town and the board of education which will increase um uniformity and transparency in reporting. So we're very excited about that. To date, the board of education has um submitted six of 21 of the requested items for the audit. Um and the audit completion date is January 31st, 2026. Um Mr. Hendrickson has established contact with Mr. Harold Smith who is the lead um um audit auditor as well for the company. um for accounting. The town finance director rolled over the um 2425 budget as a proxy for the 202526 budget pending the results of the referendum um on Tuesday, which was last
013night. Now that the budget has passed, Mrs. uh Miss Bells will um take the 2526 budget that she has in standby and um substitute it. So now we are going to go into our 2526 budget. Um this has enabled the board of education to submit the 2526 requisitions and prepare for the upcoming school year. So that's great news. Um also Mr. Um Hendrickson has created a graph of uh cumulative percentage of the budget spent to date um by month for the 2425 year and the preceding three years. Um this is going to assist the board, the superintendent and the business manager to um detect anomalies and to address them. Um you're going to get copies of all of that at your next meeting. Um, please note that from January to May of 2025, the budget
014um, spend has been running lower than in the prior three years. So, that's exciting. So, this is going to be Paul couldn't make it here tonight, so this is his report to give. Carrie, you're going to have to schedule a meeting so you can I'm going to give you this and then you're going to go over all of this with however you want to do it. Does that sound good? >> Sounds good. >> Okay. Um, where did I leave up? Um, Miss Bells and Mr. Hendrickson had determined from the audited town financial statements um RSI-2 that there were board of education balance for 2223 was $51,164 and that's going to be put into your capital reserves subject to the board of finance approval >> $151, >> 51,164. I'm giving you this afterwards. >> Okay. And
015in 2023 to 243,400 um 163,045 to be put into that non-lapsing account for the auditors. Okay? Because remember, you have two different years. One year you have to go by the old way and now you're going into the new way. Okay? U Miss Bells and Mr. Hendrickson will be developing a yearend closing workshop um which will list the items to be completed, the timeline for being completed and the party responsible for each item. So that's pretty exciting um for the audit and it's definitely going to help. Um they're working on reconciliation of bank accounts and munus. Um m um Rachel Brown from Learn um has been working diligently over the past um several weeks to reconcile a discrepancy of approximately $25,000 between the board of education and bank accounts in Munas. Um this has involved
016painstaking work going back to the beginning of the 2425 fiscal year to um reconcile these accounts. Um she has made multiple working sessions with Mr. Hendrickson and Miss Bells to work on a reconciliation. So you'll want to follow up on that. Um food service. Um there is a significant um overage on that. The 2425 fiscal year deficit for the food service account was um in the red by $218,355.95. >> Jeez. The deficit must be funded from the 2425 board of education budget general fund and or any prior year reserves. So we are going to be paying out $218,355.95 cents to food service um grants. Um, and that's why we have a business manager to work out where things are and how that'll work out. Um, as far as grants, um, grant funds um, had not
017been uh, requested requested prior to June. Um, so they are working on that. the mental health grant confirmed um ended for the fiscal year 2025 and that's new knowledge to us. So, we are now absorbing the social workers um position which originally we had thought was going to be um covered by a grant. Um pre the prek grant has >> back you up one second. >> Just not sure I followed that last quite clear correctly. >> Did we miss the grant and that's why we didn't get the money? No, the grant ended and we were not told that it ended. >> Oh, well that's helpful. >> Um the prek grant also concluded in the fiscal year 2025 that um smart start for recovery. So just as an FYI, we are covering that now as well.
018So those are two grants that you know we talked about in years past and we're excited about. Well, now they're gone and now we don't have income to off that expense. So, um there's going to have to be some, you know, considerations as far as um some of that goes. Um where that money is going to come from. Um >> question, do you know if that was like a state or federal grant? >> It was a threeyear. We knew it was I was I wasn't I was curious if it was through the state >> it was the state grant. Yeah. >> Yep. Um the educator uh data system um teacher schedules and assignments must match but there are discrepancies that are being addressed to ensure that the state reporting is accurate. Um so that is
019a work in progress. Um and um upcoming webinars um that are going to be taking place um is paid sick leave which is on Wednesday. That's actually today at 11:00. It's already been done. uh TRB health subsidy training which was Wednesday and Thursday July 29th and 30th and a comprehensive overview of a 25 2025 legislation impacting district school and state financial project is going to be taking place on Thursday August 21st at 9:00. Um that is the end of his um report. I am handing that off to Kira. Um and Kira will be working on setting up a meeting with um business and planning to do deep dives into everything. Um I was my concern was that you can't really go from June until August without you know without some kind of update and especially
020if you have different staff members. So that's the purpose of bringing it up and I I don't want to step on car's toes as the chair whatsoever. It's just been extremely hectic. >> Just a couple of questions. Sure. you had mentioned uh that there's going to be a year end closing workshop for uh for auditing purposes. Is this going to be standard practice going forward? I'm sure that they they Val always does a lot of those workshops and those workshops happen continuously. So I think from my understanding from Val and from Paul, they're going to be working on a cohesive closing out and what everything has to be done for a closing out for the auditors. >> Yeah. It's not like a workshop workshop like you're thinking of close out procedures that we were called
021out on in the past that were not established. So the auditors repeatedly would say that that was an area needing improvement. So that was what he was referencing in his report. That's mainly what I'm getting at. So it's going to be >> Exactly. >> That's that's what I want. >> So So he's basically correcting >> what sound like longstanding past problems. >> You know, it could be long-standing past problems. You know, you have to understand that there's been so much fluctuation. Um, and we had a business manager in a position for three years. Prior to that, it was one person that did both. And maybe when that branched off, some things didn't happen. And then there was issues um with um there's been two personnel people in um the town side since then. So, I
022think that there's a lot of things that have to get worked out so that it's more efficient. >> That's what I'm hearing. >> Okay. >> And my second question is on the clean service deficit. That was a bit of a shocker. >> Um, yeah. What what is are there any processes in place to kind of monitor that quarterly or monthly? >> We were told >> if we don't get to the end of the year and there's oh my god $200,000 we have to pay back. Last report that I remember the board receiving is that we were expected that we were going to be over about 156 was reported and when they did all the work now we're getting the actual number. Um so um >> it's a pretty big discrepancy. >> Yeah, I can contribute
023a little bit if I might. >> Oh, please. So um food service as a standalone when we look at all of the expenses and we look at the revenue purchases funds that come from the government and a significant decrease in purchases because the funds that supported free breakfast and lunch um were significant and we don't have that kind of um result any longer in as far as number of purchases for breakfast and lunch. So um we have to cover the loss. >> So that was something that we spoke about at the business and planning meeting that we wanted to discuss because it was during COVID we were getting free lunches for everybody, free breakfast for everyone and then that changed. So the question is why are people not purchasing lunches and then the previous business
024manager had said that you know she reaches out to families when it when they're at a certain threshold of not paying which is basically all she can do. Kids have to be served the lunches which they should be fed they need to be fed and so then we have this deficit. It's obviously huge and deserves more discussion. So >> so that that's a small portion. It's about 16,000 >> of uncovered debt from families. >> That's 16,000. >> So what's the rest of >> salaries? Salaries. It's all the expenses to run food service. >> So the government was funding that previously >> they were funding purchases, but because everything was free, every purchase would be funded by the government. So we had an abundance of participants that was taken away. So we don't have kids purchasing
025lunch. Therefore, we don't have that revenue coming in. >> And so that's our downtown. >> Yeah. >> I'm sorry. Uh the dollar amount that was for >> 16,000. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So does that mean you need to purchase less because it's not being used. >> I think that um that kind of goes into a very deep conversation. Um I think that the entire program has to be looked at from >> just want to make sure we clarify. So 16,000 is unfund is uh purchases that have been made that is debt and then the other portion of that is >> 200,000 >> money that we've spent that's unfunded that okay so that's >> either on materials on equipment on staffing >> and things of that nature >> because districts try you know you try
026to have it >> be self- sustaining right >> that the funds coming in offset all of the expens expenses and usually it had it w used to be self you know um funded if you will and then when COVID hit and then that went sideways and some other things have gone sideways since that too and it's a bubbling rippling effect. >> So can you clarify something that I don't understand? Does this include those families that have applied for free lunch? >> Yes, we get those funds and offset the expenses and we're still Oh, absolutely. >> Yes. >> The 16,000 is people that are not on free and reduced lunch >> and have not paid. So, if you get like an email and you know you might get one from um payment plus and it says
027you know your balance is $5 or your balance is now negative $20. Sometimes you might get a a you know a letter you know or something like that. Sometimes you don't. And so if parents just hit delete or you know they don't see them then they don't pay. Um so that's what happens. >> I'm curious to find out if Maybe some of these families do actually qualify and they don't know that they qualify. >> Something that we talked about at the business plan meeting because I think sometimes people don't lie because they're embarrassed because we're such a small district. >> I was just going to say >> it's supposed to just be the business manager. It's not like some people think about I don't know how many years ago 20 30 years ago you'd have
028a different card. everyone has the same card going through or the same pin number, you know, you know, individual pin number, whatever it is. Um, so it's not like one kid has a red ticket, one kid has a yellow ticket. So I think there's like the stigma is released, but I think people still are afraid. So part probably part of that 16,000 is probably people that could qualify but just >> don't. And the government does recognize based potentially on income or returns and identifies for the district who's on that list and they do remain. So the government kind of did away with there was a time that everyone had to apply. Every year you had to reapply reapply. There is a database that now streamlines it and holds on to that information. So, >> so
029it'll be something that will have to be worked out with the administrators at the, you know, building level to get people to make sure that they sign up. You know, the administrators in our building are are very very good as well as the teachers for um identifying students in need. Um, you know, I know teachers in the past had baskets of food out for, um, insecured, you know, um, people that couldn't, you know, didn't have a lot. Um, and they would take them home and stuff. And so yeah, you know, out of that 16, you know, thousand um some of that is equated, some of it is equated to also, you know, kids purchasing stuff, you know, and then parents not knowing about it, parents not watching the accounts correctly. Um and then there's of
030course the 200,000 that it's going to have to be on your shoulders to look at. and Donna who used to say I assume that there's >> Donna who used to work in the office worked with the um administrative assistants at each school because they had relationships with families because sometimes it's just like hey did you realize so that calls could be made um because once a family realizes it many times they will make a payment >> but most times what happens and um many times times what happens is the account goes below and you just get an email and so if you're not looking at the email it's just delete. um nothing gets said to the child because you can't really nothing gets said to the parent and then before you know it you might
031have a negative balance of $55 $60 and then you're you know so then you're plugging in that $65 or whatever it is you're at zero and then you're like oh here we go again because you have to add additional. So there's there's some challenges with it. This is problematic, but let's be honest. If the shortfall was $16,000, we wouldn't be having this conversation. >> That's not parting a lot of money to be studied because it should be self- sustained and should not have >> Well, that's that's going to be on the superintendent to to kind of look at. >> Exactly. >> So, okay. Go ahead. Um I'm just looking for some further clarification. Um so education in school in itself is not self- sustainable, right? Like we put money in, we pay for it. >>
032Why is food services considered different? Like it needs to be self- sustainable or bring in extra money or profit for the school when it's part of the school system. You want to answer that? You want me to answer it? >> I mean like >> I mean students >> and we're gonna follow why wouldn't that why wouldn't I just I guess I assume that and I know what they say about assuming but like my assumption was that >> because it's part of the umbrella of our district and education that that would be part of our budget. And I don't see it as being like an overage or shortfall that like now we're we're short this money when that's part of funding the schools. >> It's always been that way. >> But you do have that, but
033you also you also have an amount that you that you pay for lunch >> and we agree upon that amount every year. >> Okay. So, you know, you kind of budget it out that way. And, you know, lunch or your snacks or, you know, your breakfast, too. >> Yeah. But what about self? Because we're charging $100,000 of services >> for breakfast or a lunch. >> That's the question. Why are we Why aren't we buding for that? >> How much is that? Four bucks. We're charging less than that for a lunch. >> We got to do one person talking at a time. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Stop. Please. Stop. >> One person at a time. So, Jackie, >> it's fine. It's I'm I'm going off. We have a lot more stuff to do. I can
034put a pin in this and bring it up for a future conversation. >> I think that goes I think I think this goes back to business and planning has a conversation on it and then we kind of go from there. I think we're not going to solve that tonight. we're going to get off by a train. >> We want to make sure that we're not sounding like >> we're there's a problem to be fixed because we're feeding kids. >> I don't think that that's the case. I don't think that's the case. >> That's how my body felt hearing the conversation. So, I just wanted to like say like ask and 218,000 is a huge amount to be over. >> So, that's a huge amount >> especially for a district. >> It's not just feeding kids.
035Just for a quick clarification, that 218,000 um putting the 16,000 aside because that's we we're clear on that. I think um that's not something that keeps going and keeps going, does it? Because we have money in our budget to support food service. So that was sort of like a like a hitch in the road. Is that kind of essentially what it is? >> Every year we every year we have to reconcile it. Is it something that comes up? >> It's a separate account separate from our operational budget that we then need to take from the operational to cover it. It is always a $200,000 deficit. >> No, absolutely not. >> Is it okay? Usually 30 40 is crazy like you know. So >> this is the first time in five years since co so what
036was happening before I'd have to go back to see. That's what I'd be curious is what it seems like is with co we were then given money because of that and so it became a problem at that point maybe but that's what I'm curious about. >> I think that it needs a deep dive and I think we're getting too much into it that that's really up to the superintendent to kind of look into >> um into that more um you know and come up with solutions and discuss it at business and planning. That's what I think. All right. Um, so that concludes um the reports from the business office. Is there any other things that people want to ask on that? The only ones >> before we go off, could you just quickly go through
037the posted positions again? I wanted to make sure that I I was like writing them down, but short hand. >> Everything is posted. Everything is posted. So, the middle school music, um the um guidance counselors for the middle school and the high school are posted. The um fifth grade teacher is posted. The two um 10-month secretary positions, preK and reading interventionist. And in addition, there was the long-term sub and fourth um long-term sub for fourth grade. and a special education teacher. >> What school is that one? >> Special education >> elementary. Special education teacher elementary. >> Yep. And then up one week. >> So everything went up today or >> early this Yeah. This week. Yeah. All right. So, um, with that being said, we're going to move on to item four. Um, can I
038have a motion to go to invite the superintendent in for executive session for the annual superintendent evaluation? >> Second. >> Any discussion? All those in favor? >> I I Great. We're in now in executive session and we're going to head off to the other room.