001Well, I just want to say good evening. Just wanted to share some not my personal information, but our chairman Eric, his father has passed away and that's the reason that he's not here today and that I'm going to be doing the meeting. Uh, I'm sure if you want to text any condolences or anything, it would be greatly appreciated. However you'd like to handle that and me as a board will talk about what to do, but I just wanted to share that with you all and we'll go from there. Okay? And so I'm calling the meeting to order at 602. Okay. And with standing pledge of allegiance that would be To the flag of the United States of America and to the republic which stands one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
002What we're going to talk right now, we're on section two, which is discussion and action items and going to do an overview of the east line proposed budget for fiscal year 26 through 27 and that will be obviously our lovely job. >> I'll run through that. Uh so what we did, thank you, Bill Jones. What we did was we just put together a couple of recap slides um and then a uh an additional recap of what the board of ed discussed uh last Monday night um you know last issues third. So grant if you don't mind uh you can show that there are copies over on the chair for anybody here. Uh if you'd like to grab a copy feel free or you can see it electronically. Um and we just have a few slides
003that we're gonna we're going to run through. So, go ahead, Gra. We'll go to the first one. Um, this is a Yep. There you go. This is just a recap slide from when I did my presentation to the board of ed back in January. Um, you can see the 25 current year budget 2526 adopted budget with 63,232400. Uh, when we did the department rollover and um looked at all of the requests that came through, that initial um percent increase was an 8.69. 69% of the current fiscal year which at the time had represented a 68,724850 uh million dollar um budget proposal. Um we did our work um as we have talked about at numerous meetings went through scoured through the budget introductions uh which brought it down to um the superintendent's proposed budget of 67
004million 528793. Um all in that represented a 6.79% increase which is where the budget is at right now. On the bottom of that slide, you'll see a 4.52. And just to reference, we had initially put that in the the presentation because, you know, insurance is high. The cost of uh or the increase in insurance going in next year is at a 15% increase. We didn't have that 15% increase in insurance. This budget would not be a 6.79. It would be a 4.52%. So, that's how significant uh cost of of insurance is. Also those other three items in there where you know salary increases, employee benefits and all other increases. Obviously those are the major drivers you know for a negative abundance. On the next uh slide on slide three just a further breakdown and again
005this one was already shown at um during our presentation talked about uh the major budget drivers. Um obviously the top two salaries and benefits are always going to be you know your highest drivers uh in any of our operating budgets. Um so you can see those numbers there 37.40% to 33.80% um of the uh the increase percent of increase then contracted service transportation and tuition kind of round out those other uh those other drivers. Um we mentioned in the past we did sign a new bus contract uh for five years and that represented a little of a higher increase um than had in the past given uh cost of inflation and paying drivers for so um that's just a recap of the major budget drivers. The next slide we always like to just hit upon
006you know operating school operating district operating budgets are all around fixed costs. 95.02% 02% of our budget is focused on fixed costs. It's contracts um negotiating contracts with employees um other items I just mentioned health insurance as well as um um transportation etc. So you can kind of see the breakdown to great detail there. Again the slide you know we we've used it in the past uh we will use it again in future and continue to use it as it represents uh you know significant percentage of our overall budget for fixed costs. On slide five, another recap just so folks in our community, you know, can see uh the past history of our budgets, where they've been from the preliminary budget, that's that initial roll over. Um that far bar on the left, the darker
007um maroon bar. Um and then we work down from there. Uh superintendent's budget is the next yellow line. Then the board of education adopted budget and then the overall town adopted budget where we go. So you can see 26 27 so far all we have is you know that preliminary and my proposed budget to the board of education and hence that brings us to where we are tonight uh for the board of ed to uh to review and potentially adopt their budget. On the next slide is what was discussed at the last meeting. This is slide six. This is what the board of ed looked at for possible reductions from what I had presented to the board of education. Um they've talked about all of these items. Um what this does if they the bed
008decides to go forward with uh $354,60 of reductions. Um you can see what that would equate to. Um it would drop the overall increase from the current year's budget of 63,232400. Uh it would increase it by 3,942 333. Um that represents rather 6.7 9% increase, a 6.23% that increase. That's where the board um had discussed and kind of um landed for uh what they were looking at at last Monday night's uh meeting, which brought us to uh this evening um for to hear uh the public hearing and feedback. And then the last slide is just really a recap of the timeline of where things stand. As you can see in the middle there in the bottom, March 2nd is where we are this evening. Uh and then on March 23rd, we present to the board
009of finance uh the the board of ed budget and then the public hear theory 7th annual town meeting and referendum. So you see the remaining dates that are in play as it pertains to the uh the budget time. So um that's just kind of a quick overview, a brief overview. Again, a lot of this has already, you know, been discussed and then the board of ed has had a few meetings now and had, you know, some discussions about various items. We provided a lot of uh, you know, additional material. I will reference again for the community um that on our website. Uh, there are a number of additional documents and things that, you know, we've shared and talked about. So, folks can reference that information um, freely or, you know, call our office at any
010time too. Happy to discuss or provide additional information. So, um, that's kind of a brief overview. um afraid of May. >> Okay. So, do we have any comments from the audience? Anything? Anyone have anything that they'd like to say or respond to the budget >> at this point in time? without a gender. Just want to reference to everyone a reminder that we only have three minutes. Okay, you can keep it to that. That would be great. >> Thank you very much. Uh good evening everybody. Uh my name is Scott Mayan. and the president of the Eastland Teachers Association. I am here tonight though representing Janine Barber who is our high school librarian um as well as a resident in Netc. Her address is 135 Pensac uh and this is in uh reference to the uh
011possible reduction of the library system position. So it's going to be her letter from E. I'm writing in response to the proposed elimination of the high school library assistant position, the only remaining support staff in that library. My name is Janine Barber and I am the ELHS librarian, a position I have been been in for six years after 23 as an English teacher. I don't envy those who must make difficult decisions in times of financial challenge, but I am uniquely equipped to share my perspective about the high school library, and I appreciate your attention. For context, I'd like to review the drop in personnel in the high school library. Within the last 10 years, there were three support staff in the high school library. Additionally, there was one college and career secretary with a desk
012there, as well as one teacher who had lunch duty in that space. Many teachers brought their classes to the library throughout the day to use computer labs and desktops. There was always plenty of adult supervision which meant that each person could do their job without monitoring of students falling into the into the purview of solely one person. In 2018, the tech support staff person was relocated and we were then down two down to two library support staff. In 2020, we lost the college and career secretary to retirement and we lost lunch duty supervision when our lunch schedule changed. That year, ELPS students began using schoolisssued devices and teachers no longer needed to bring students to the library solely to access computers. So, those adults were in the library less frequently. Responsibility for student behavior as
013part of of library work increased. In December of 2022, a budget was presented that would have eliminated all of the district's library support staff. That idea was rejected and support staff remained. But four months later, one of the remaining high school library secretaries was sent to replace an attrition position in the elementary schools. On a side note, the remaining elementary support was eliminated in 2024. That meant the high school library was down to one, one librarian and one secretary, but no modification of our reduction in services, no restructuring or alleviating of responsibilities. We are already short staffed and the proposals for support staff next year to zero. Chris Maxfield is exceptional at performing her job and truly irreplaceable, but the position still needs to be filled. Attrition is not a reasonable justification for the loss
014of this many library personnel. One person taking on the role of running a busy high school library work that so recently was conducted by several people will create reduction in safety in access and in program. Losing this position will compromise the safety of the library. It is a large space with areas that don't have great visibility along with entrances entrances to classrooms and it several several doors opening to the outside worlds. It is open to students and staff all day long for different purposes and varying motivations which unfold in mercurial ways throughout the days and years. We create and maintain safe spaces for all of them. Coincidentally, Friday, February 27th, some some students were wrestling and playing hide-and-seek in stats. I was able to shut it down pretty quickly because I was working in that
015area while Chris was at the circulation booth. But there were 48 students signed into the library at the time and that is a great many students to monitor while still performing the duties of a librarian. Last year we had 37,317 independent student visits, a 24% increase over the previous year. Losing this position will weaken access and program. We won't be open before or after school from 7 to 3. The library will have to close during part of the day for management and close for lunch and close when I'm on sick. As I begin to take on the assistant role in addition to to the one I already have, the very responsibilities that describe the role of the librarian will be compromised. The high school will have to decide whether to close the library when I
016teach the lessons and units I collaborate on with other departments or if I will just stop teaching. Understaffing will negatively impact program displays and new recommendations and book orders will be delayed in going going from order to shelf. Taking on the workload of a second person will make it challenging for me to collaborate with and research for teachers to curate resources and create reference materials for them. The library will become just a big room in the school. Furthermore, as a parent in this district, I find it unconscionable to cut any library media staff in this era of rampant miss and disinformation, AI slop and propaganda. The way >> six more sentences, the way students access information and analyze, evaluate, and synthesize all forms of communication has completely transformed over the last two decades, and librarians
017are skilled professionals in this area. Eliminating the access to these teachers who are trained in in media literacy can do great damage when we would be wise to further embed development of those skills in our K through 12 grade for reasons of safety, access, quality of programming and the essentiality of developing media literacy skills. I urge you to reconsider the elimination of the high school library assistant. For your attention, yours sincerely, Janine Bars. >> Thank you. Okay. Is there any other public comment? >> Hi, I'm Beth Dow. I live at 66 East Padagans in Niantic and I'm the parent of two children. um an elementary child at NCS and a middle school student. And um I'm concerned about about the library position um being eliminated, although I know that you all have so many hard
018choices to make and have worked so hard to get to this point in the budget. Um my husband is a high school teacher here, uh high school physics teacher, and he said the library was closed for a portion of the day today, um due to staffing issues. Um and he works in the you know one of his responsibilities I know is working in common there. He spends time in the common supervising students. Um and he has many students who really look at the library as a safe place and a place to do research. And um I know there are many difficult decisions to make, but I would think um if at all possible, adding back in the library support staff would be really beneficial to our current and future students. Um and I just strongly
019support that. Thank you. >> Thank you for speaking. >> Is there any other public comments? Any more public comment? Any more public comment? So along. So at this point in time, if you'd like, if someone would like to make a motion, we can adjourn the meeting. We can all stay here. >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn. >> So, give me a second. >> Second. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Meeting's adjourned. Thank you. Okay, we're rolling, guys. >> Oh gosh, I'm sorry. My I apologize. It's my fault. >> Second. >> Yeah, I made the motion, Bill. So, now we'll clear. Yeah, I got So, shall we vote? All in favor? >> Yes. For me, my video is not seeming to be working. >> Okay. Go change your other media. [clears throat] >> Hey, can I
020get a vote from you? Okay, perfect. Thank you. Okay, so this means I'm going to roll into the other ones soon. Okay. So, this is a board of ed special meeting March 2nd, 2026. We're calling it into order at 20 after, excuse me, 6:20. Okay. 620 p.m. Okay, we're going to move right into the discussion action items and what we're going to talk about is the adoption of the budget. Okay, I guess at this time if anyone has any questions or want to go anyone on the board, there were three attachments in this area. Okay. >> Hi. Um, so I wanted to uh say, you know, we we over the past week and today we've had a lot of feedback about the potential reduction that we had last week, last week. Yeah. whenever it was.
021Um, uh, I'm particularly concerned about the library session, you know, like I, um, you know, like just doing some like quick research on staffing of, you know, secondary school libraries and and you know, we have 888 students here at the high school. Um and with the potential reduction of the high school um you know position one person for serve over 800 students most of you know whenever that know that person is going to be sick or has professional development or something there's not going to be any any services to the library. So that's very concerning to me, you know. Um I would definitely urge you to reconsider uh putting that back. I know that that will probably that will definitely increase the uh the the money that we are looking at right now the 6
022point uh something percent but uh I think that is a critical decision that know um that really serves a purpose not even just for for that library but they do I support you know whenever there's a u you know a class that doesn't have a teacher that needs you know a student need to go there and spend some time quiet area to do study to do uh the homework. Um I think definitely if to put that back into the budget uh and you know possibly look at savings somewhere else or leave it as an increase from what we originally had discussed but posted by by superintendent but um I think we has comments or something. Anyone else? >> Yeah, I'd be curious to get a sense for um to Estabon's question, if we were to
023kind of move to look to reinstate it, what would be another area we could potentially look at? I don't I know we've already looked at everything and I know our admin have already looked at everything extensively, but I'm curious just to see if you know what else could potentially be on the table there because I hearing even that like the library was closed for a period of time. I don't know if it was today or Friday, but due to staffing is concerning. Um I don't know if anyone has any additional context there. >> So all was kind of discussed in the last couple meetings. Um I know focus is trying to be around attrition too in those areas. Go ahead, Jamie. Um, so I'm gonna say I'm apologizing because I missed the last meeting because
024of digging out of my house and I haven't been able to find meeting online to watch it to see how this played out. Um, but can I get like how we got here? Okay. >> Yeah. Well, the board of ed had uh you know asked us to go back um find some areas obviously that we could uh we could potentially reduce. Um this is kind of split into two areas. Obviously the salary the others the others is a lot of the prom and 10% from schools. You can see like athletic reductions and high school reductions and most values. Elementary is really a bare bones. They don't have any reductions. We found you. We talked about the software um previously. So, we brought that in as a $25,000 reduction. Um some other furniture items, chairs, some
025equipment that we the staffing, the salaries. Um high school library secretary. This is their bill. You know, it's a nutrition night. So, we talked about lookability to be able to have some conversations about. So discussed and um move forward as a investment bank um center the reductions from one point of FTE to.5 FTE um we will look at that for next year uh as we redistrict schools will be balanced again so that's going to have to be looked at again to to balance out any um right now we use double size so hence through attrition again uh that position is holding the levels to fill at halftime but then back, you know, to a warm um year because you'd have appointments across the schools. Um we worked with uh Mr. Kid regarding the high school
026assistant principal position um dealing that you know from a 12 month assistant principal to having two depending on assistant principal positions. Um that a question surface in the minds of folks middle school has a 12, a 12 and a 10. But remember we have the part-time cath. So there's that additional school. I suppos 10 10 10 5 10 15. Um then uh pair educators we talked about looking at you know each year we continue to have a number of open positions for pair educators. Uh so we're looking at reduction of of people empty positions. Um with that being said, there might be times you know next year we might have to have a student new in the district practice in Davis where >> yeah this currently empty. >> Yes. It doesn't no one would lose
027a job. >> Exactly. >> Yeah. a focus that through >> and then the curriculum summer salaries um and we had looked at um the ability to reduce some of the curriculum work without impact that could mean this this summer shave off >> 10 retirement of a coach put some work on pause that >> so that's kind of that's the overview of what was discussed last uh last Monday evening and we'll report that forward to you. >> Another question. >> Absolutely. >> The high school south gym padding. Didn't we do the high school gym last year? Remember again the south gym floor? >> Just the floor. Yeah, but the padding had not been padding. I mean floor. You mean the walls? Walls? >> Yeah, that's walls. drugs. we were able to um repurpose another padding um
028and be able to put that up in the walls rather than purchase. Um, so that's why that reduction of $10,000. >> Does anyone >> I need to keep stewing. Sorry. >> I don't know. Please. >> It's been a long time since our last week. Is there any other questions or anything else? >> We'll just go on record. Um, Le, thank you for asking a question the way you did, but actually helping clarify. Um, so I'm going to support what Estean said a moment ago. Um, and there's a certain irony. I'm I'm I'm remissed right now in my role as the president of the library board. About half an hour this um uh I'm I'm very concerned about the long-term effects of losing someone at the library. Um, not just in terms of services, but in
029a culture. Um if we're worried about the the performance of our students and we lose a safe space like a library um things like attendance go down, we've seen it historically. Um uh uh who might be willing to go to school when the library is an available resource um who would sometimes not otherwise do that. Um and I'm very concerned about the long-term effects of losing a person as a potential um delay of a project. um if we cut a a person from the staff um that has that could have real long-term prec repercussions as a as opposed to and this is my opinion um putting a project off for a year feel like that has far more wide ranging benefits so I Okay. [clears throat] So, I know I've never like kept my life
030secret around here, but for those of you who don't know, I'm the 13 schools, 13 years of school person. Um, so every year I had a new school and me being shy and quiet. Um, the library in the office was where I spent all of my time [laughter] in the books, reading quietly in the office, hiding in a corner with a book. It was always with a book because that's where I found joy and that's where you at places that you were different than where you were. Um, so I have a love of libraries and I have a love for school secretaries because they saved me when I needed it. Um, and I know I'm not the only one out there who they saved. Um, so I have a little spot in my heart for
031school librarians and school secretaries. So, um I would love it if we could find some way to keep them in the budget only because they are secretary is that first person the child sees when they come to school. It's that first happy face that makes their day happy or sad. Um and school librarian saves you from the world with books and wonder and wonderful places that they take you. Um, so that's just my opinion. Um, I would love to see them kept a quick question. Does anybody else have a question before I ask? Please, >> did you call on me? >> You had your hand up. >> I did. I didn't hear you. I didn't hear you call on me. I [clears throat] really appreciate everybody's comments. I really appreciate uh Scott man talking on
032behalf of Jeannie and Barber and I didn't catch the parents' name whose husband is the physics teacher who is also in support of the library aid and um everybody spoke very eloquently and I really appreciate that and I do appreciate the hard work that everyone has put into the budget and thinking how we can make a a budget that's going to pass through town and through the board finance and all the different committees and organizations. I would suggest though that anybody who has a strong conviction and writes a letter or comes and testifies or comes for public comment, I would suggest that we ask them like how how would you suggest that we cut back on money or services or what is an appropriate cut if you know put put them put their thoughts into
033the game rather than saying we can't do this, we can't do that because I've been on the board for six years now and every year we have the same kind of dog and pony show that goes on where people say we can't do this, we can't do that and we're just trying to figure it out. We're all just trying to figure it out. So I would ask anybody who's bright and bold enough to come and speak and say we need to not cut these things. What can we cut? Ask them the question. Put it back on them. I also think that we should have the entire budget go through AI review. Uh we talk a lot about artificial intelligence. So why not look and see what AI would say and maybe there are some things
034that none of us can think about or figure out that might be a problem solver and another way of looking at things. I just think the beauty of this is that we all come with a collaborative spirit and we all come with um our brains working and trying to be as productive as possible, but it seems like we get stuck in the muck and I would really like to see us um kind of get out of it in a in a better way so that it's not so haphazard is kind of how it feels at different points in time. So, thank you Anyone else? >> I'll go ahead and say that um I'm not comfortable really with reducing that position either, especially listening to that story. It kind of resonated with with with kids. You
035know, it's a big space. kids, you need oversight in order for it to be a safe space because then it turns into a space that um you know is is a problem space versus a what it's supposed to be. Um and that's that's a concern. internal library should be place where kids can relax and do some research or just sometimes they just need a place to that's quiet to relax maybe do a little reading and if that place turns into something other than that it's not a good thing for the overall culture of the schools so I you know um the reality of finding that amount somewhere else without I don't know And I think sadly we're going to be um in a position where we're going to have to be cutting more down the
036road anyway. But I I don't like the idea of that position going away and the library becoming something perhaps different than what it is now. So I take this class uh called Sigma and we talk about needs, wants, and delighters. Things that you need. I need coffee in the morning. I want coffee with cream and sugar. I would be delighted if I had a coffee with a shot of Kalúa and some whipped cream and some chocolate shavings on top. Like you see, you see what I'm saying? I consider our budget needs. I don't see any delighters in here. >> No, there there's no I mean we kind of are at a point of where news sort of thing, >> right? >> You know, I think this is the point we need to make, you know,
037moving forward. You know, high school for instance, you know, last year we cut four FTE at the high schools last year. >> Yeah. Um we cut four FD at the high school last year. Um you know, we've shared the charts of the reductions of that. we have gone down a little bit you know obviously in in our total student lo and I think we've kind of aligned uh you know with that other than additional mental health supports and some staff there so our budgets I guess my point is each year going to roll over uh they're going to be five six% um you know that that's you know that's what we're we're going to be facing given what contracts you know are continuing to you know reduce staff uh to bring them down but where
038is that line there's more staff to reduce other than we're significantly disrupting the districts which we're we're getting. We're at that point. Uh basic >> I guess if that makes if that makes sense. >> I just wanted to clarify that this is needs not wants not demands. Just makes >> and you know again to the B's point you know we're you're gonna people are going to be losing jobs um on our retirements. We've got the list that we've shared um and working off of that that retirement. Alisa Alisa, >> thank thanks Jill. Um, >> delay. >> Yeah, thanks for calling. I mean, I appre Sorry, I don't have a video for some reason, but um I just wanted to make a comment um about the library staffing. I'll try not to repeat what others have
039said. Um the conversation um and the discussion uh has has has been rich. Um I think you know I'm thinking about the context straight that it's we aren't you know making a decision that you know is is impactful just just for today. I think we have to look at the context of where we've been. I think we heard a little bit about that as well and the trajectory that we are on. Um and I think we're moving it in the wrong direction with library staffing. Um I think that we heard that, you know, it is impactful to all of the priorities um in our in our district, our culture, academics, social and emotional learning. Um, you know, I think that it would be, um, you know, worth looking, you know, at options whether it's it,
040you know, it's adding back in. I think we we are very sensitive to staff losing their job, right? But I think when we look at the implications of attrition, those, you know, our our priorities kind of have to come into play and and look um, you know, at that holistic picture as well. And I think that um, you know, we've we've we've heard this hit so many um, of our district's priorities. It is something worth, you know, having another look at. >> Thank you. you have the um library stack in 15,000. What's that bring the 6.23 up to like 6.3 or 6.31 calcul where the percentages lie based on the volume. So, um I mean you're it's not a huge, you know, I I I don't disagree with any anything that's being sold through. This
041is bringing me back to I I think we debated this extensively last year and we find ourselves in the same position this year and it's going to be I think it's probably like this for a long time but our obligation as a board when it comes to you know our our budget at this point like and you could see based on I think in um Janine's letter even the history of reducing the library staff over time like we know the things that we're eliminating now, those positions are never going to get added back to our budget, right? We like reference our world language program often and I know like Estabbon's been working really hard with this committee to try to think through ways to add that, but once it gets cut from the budget, these
042things are really hard to add back. So thinking of the long-term implications of having a inadequately staffed library is really scary. And um I know that we obviously all want to get that proposed increase down as much as possible and thinking through our obligation as a board to kind of try to at least maintain the services we are providing our kids. I'm also like I know we've you know debated other you know eliminating other projects because I would like to say like yes let's add this position back in and maybe we can look at cutting X Y or Z projects. Maybe there are a few things out there that we haven't looked at yet but like I know we talk about the carpets, right? If we push off the carpets like yes it would be
043much easier to say okay let's eliminate the carpets to not have as much of an increase this year. But then we know that eventually that's going to get a lot worse. It's going to be significantly more expensive when it gets to the point where we actually have to do it down the road. So yeah, as much as I don't love a 6.3% increase, I do think that we have done our due diligence without significantly eliminating programs that are benefiting our kids. I think it is kind of the barebones maintenance budget. I'll put it that way. It was a barebones maintenance budget. Does anyone else have any? I'd like to call as a previous parent. I guess I still are a parent. I think we put out an amazing product. Amazing product. Uh I look at
044my daughter who is the only product schools ever made or part of the product system and she got a great education went to college was very successful isn't a successful adult but what concerns me is we keep cutting and cutting and cutting and so it's difficult because as a parent I want more but as a board of ed person I just want to ensure that we can keep the school's functioning and at an optimal level, which I think they do. I still think we put out incredible students, but I'm not sure where we I'm not sure what we do or where we go. And it's not like I'm the only person at this table that has been up in the middle of the night thinking about this budget and what we should do. So, uh,
045my opinion is that we put her back in and because my personal belief is if you don't ask for it, you're never going to get it. And if we do and when we do go to the board of finance, they will cut us. I've never seen no one time in my life. And I've been I've been involved in the school or in other ways for probably 30 years. Only one time I've seen the board of finance not cut us back and they actually put money back in. Now, I don't know this board. I've not sat in on any of any of their meetings, but I think we should put it back in. as a parent. Excuse me. I know I also know the woman personally and she is shouldn't have anything to do with it,
046but she's delightful and she's like, like you said, Jamie, the librarian saved saved Julie. She was I'm assuming she was joyful. She was positive. She was upbeat. And I know what everyone else thinks. So again, I'm just talking as a parent. Allowed to be a parent. every once in a while. So, >> oh, sorry. >> I I just was going to reiterate quick, you know, the frustration with with health insurance, too. You know, each one of those percents is what? $97,000 now. >> Yeah. >> So, you know, gosh, if it was half, you know, think about the savings that we would have. >> Well, just anticipated my question. Actually, the slide 10 uh from the budget says that state is providing an updated estimate at the end of January. Is there any any movement on
047that? So the they kept the estimate the same as the 12 to 15% range. They're going to issue a final number sometime I believe in March. So it'll be after like last year it'll be after we send our budget to the town but then the town can if it comes down lower the town will adjust it like we did last year. We the one they did the 5150. >> Yeah. We might have that by March 23rd. >> Yeah. We might have a fixed might be even to get down to 12% you know will be $3,000 >> significant. >> So how much of that 12% had back that we will be able to play with >> 300,000 because we're at 15 now. If it was 12% minus 3% and 12% is 97,000. And so what is
048this position? [clears throat] What's the salary in this position right now? >> 50,000. >> So you're saying that? >> Yeah, it's a 50,000. So again, if you add it back in, it would put you at 6.31% rather than 6.23. >> Does anyone else have anything to say or think or suggest? I guess you know. Are we ready? Does someone want to make a motion? I can do some math. So, anybody else wants to try? Go ahead. >> The motions there. >> Oh, you're you're looking for the but yeah. >> I got clear parentheses I just put into my math problem. [laughter] Thank you. It doesn't help that I can't get my screen to get bigger. So, excuse me. >> It's like 49,000. Do you need the new number? >> Yeah. What would be the >>
04967 million >> 24660? >> Say it again. >> 67 million 2460. Little just shy of >> what was your number? >> 67,224,60. >> It was not exact. >> It's not exactly 50. It was just shy. >> It's 172246. >> All right. I would like to make a motion to approve the budget for 67,224,660, which is a 6.31% for school year 2026 2027. >> I'll second. >> Okay. Shall we all vote? >> Your name, guys. I >> I said I thought that was I from Alisa. >> Oh, okay. Thank you. >> I'll abstain. So sorry. No, I guess sorry. >> Motion passes. >> Okay. So I guess we're really unless anything else we're ready to adjourn. >> Oh, what next? >> Discussion. Sign this game. I think >> it's yours. >> It's not on mine. >>
050You're all still. >> Okay. My fault. Hold on one second. >> Okay. So, we're going to do discuss the East Lawntown budget. So, just to recap from um last Monday's meeting, it came up towards the end of our meeting where we thought it good just for the um the board of ed to kind of have an understanding too of of how the town budget is is formulating this some questions obviously there and what's out there public do. So, Mariana put together some items um they are posted you know uh in here she's got the mill rate calculation preliminary um the town of operating budget um the summary that the first level was done and then the uh department summary as well. So I kind of turn Mary. >> No, I just thought it would be
051a good idea for you guys to kind of understand the whole process and where you know where where things stand. I know there was some confusion that I there's a big issue with debt service currently this year and that's a reason for the big increase or the driver for the town budget and again it's all documents that are online. So there is definitely a concern as far as debt service going forward through our capital projects meetings. Kevin has put together you know projected debt service and we're the town you know they're we're borrowing at a higher rate than debt is coming up. So um that is a concern obviously for the town um as that service grows. Um the mill rate again this is just taking information from what Kevin has provided online. Their mill
052rate as of uh whatever is on online is right now showing a 2.66% mill increase or 9 and a half%. Um so obviously math right now assuming nothing changes that would be what taxpayers would see. So, um, prior to my days here at the board of, uh, in education, I was on the town side of things, I used to just prepare for my board of finance, kind of an analysis, so they can see what they would have to cut in order to achieve uh, a specific mill rate. So, I just wanted you guys to kind of see the magnitude of what would happen. you know what depending on where the board of finance wants to subject the mill rate increase you can see um in that analysis kind of what needs to happen to achieve
053the different mill rates that are set for there I don't know if anyone has any questions regarding mill rate how it's calculated um basically it's obviously our expenses both pounded and then uh subtracting out any what we would call anything other than taxes so like uh building permits or ECS rates, various other revenues that don't impact taxes would be impacted and you're left with just the net that need to be um raised by taxes. So that kind of is shown here on this calculation that I prepared. I don't know if anyone has any specific question on that. Um and then the other two documents are just again right on the town website where you can see where um it's it's broken out summarized first by uh general government public safety public works um and general
054town operations using the um the death service as well as they call cash capital which I know Kevin is trying to work on uh putting more of the capital uh raising it through the budget process versus uh their uh continuing to borrow fund to help with reducing the debt service. So that's kind of all spelled out over there as well as all the other revenues that I mentioned like interest, income, licenses, and permits etc. And then the other document is just a summary of each of the town departs. So I just don't know if anyone has any last year we kind of talked about the gram risk and the mill rate and how everything works and it's calculated. I don't know the Because not all mill rates are the same. You can't really compare mill
055rates from town to town because everyone's grand list is different. You know, dairy mill rate is 11 or 12, but a house here versus a house in Dianne is valued just a little bit differently, right? So, you can't really compare mill rates. It's it's not it's not the equivalent. You know, their grand list is far far higher than our rent list is for sure. May just to be clear because there was some um question at some point along the way did that service be part of you know that overall in the county that's not so you can see it's down at the bottom right >> yeah that's up 641% the cash capital is up 568% and then that number um up at the top total town operations is 14 126% so the total town is
0568.77%. Including our number that includes our number. So in total um including our number the town budget is 8.73%. >> Yeah both. >> And that last sheet was just a a deeper break. >> Yeah, just a breakdown like I said that's all. and then and then um post it online. There's every single department has an individual sheet that you guys can see small changes. >> You can see yeah the changes any of the line items >> there. So I don't know if anyone have any questions. Yeah, >> I have a question about just logistics like let's just let's just assume probably not going to happen but like >> we proposed the 6.31 and then town proposes their percentage and there's no further reductions from the board of finance and then it goes to the referendum
057>> and it fails. >> Yeah. >> Right. It's really challenging here. >> Yeah. >> Then what does it what happens then? Like it goes to the do they Do they tell like each board like for a slim like hey to produce by this much and or like how does that normally? Yeah, I think it just depends quite honestly on on the board or you know it's different they could um they could uh do it themselves like I just again I've worked in Stonington for years so at times they made good decisions or sometimes they would say you know what each department you need to give us uh you need to cut 5% or what you know what so I think it just depends >> okay >> yeah there isn't a right way to do it
058There's no right or wrong way. It's just, you know, they might have ideas themselves that they might, you know, maybe have held off on uh maybe thinking, you know, if the budget failed, then, you know, we have some things that I mean, but it's all done. [clears throat] >> Oh, sorry. >> Um, Mariana, thank you. I really appreciate um you're getting that information together and sharing that. I think it's really helpful. And I also appreciate everyone's collaboration and how the town and our board of ed is working together to try to make a decent reasonable budget. But Mariana, I have a question about the uh rainy day fund. And I don't I don't ever understand why it's so protected, especially during tight times when we know it's going to be a tight budget season. Why
059do we always never touch it? >> I don't know. I shouldn't say I don't know. I I like I protected it, too, but I was in stony. >> Well, I I I honestly don't know and I'm and I'm asking I don't get it. I just don't get it. So I will I will tell you it is so it is one the bond rating agencies do look at that as one of the factors when they um when they're uh going to when they issue bonds we you have to get a bond rating. So, the better the bond rating, the better the um interest rate you're going to get because obviously if you have a better bond rating, it means you're going to be able to pay people will pay more for your bonds um than they
060would for someone that has a very low bond rating because then there's a concern that you're not going to pay those bonds back, the principal back. So there is a there is uh for that use and you know in this there could be something um could happen that uh you know not expected and you want to make sure that you have the ability to pay for that so that you're not bonding. You don't have to take out debt like we had a situation in one of the towns where the roof on a school just collapsed. So, we thankfully have the money in our fund balance and we're able to just pay it without having to worry about having to issue debt or financing it. So, it is important. It's also a best practice for uh
061government finance officer, you know, GFOA and Gazi to have um at least it's used to be two months operating. I think it might still be it could be a percentage now. you know it fluctuated and it depends on the town um uh the size of the town too as to what the percentage is but um I do you know it definitely there it's an important aspect for many reasons as to why you would want to maintain a healthy balance >> 15% Mariana roughly >> that's what yeah it's usually like 15% you know if you're smaller if you're a larger municipality it could be less because obviously your budget's a lot uh a lot higher So it doesn't have to necessarily be 15% but it's about 15%. >> So and and and I do I I
062I protected that um as well Kate because you know and there's reasons and there's a need to use it. So >> thank you. I appreciate that. I just I I just have always wondered about that. So thank you. I appreciate that. >> Yeah, you certain you certainly don't want to uh use it uh continually for recurring expenses. Well, I guess when it was during the pandemic, No, no, no. I'm sorry. Not the pandemic. Well, the pandemic for one, but also when um like the water the walls um along the beach, the cement walls, the barrier walls were all crumbled and it sometimes I just wonder like why doesn't some money get spent or appropriated for that if that's necessary? But all right, thank you. I appreciate the answer. >> Yep. Miss Mariana, what are the
063other factors that affect our um the other factors are they look at um just like our our uh our tax base um whether uh there's um you know we pay our taxes. >> No. Um not only but our tax base like who our largest taxpayers are, whether there's a concern that our largest taxpayers might leave town and then we might have people leaving town. Like that's why there's always such a concern when like uh there's a the subbase, right? And there's always like they're going to close the subbase. So then obviously that takes out a lot of people out of a town. So there's that. There's um there's uh the ability like their tax collection rate is great. It's 99%. So that's uh something else that they look at. They look at other new new
064businesses coming in. What economic development? Uh there there there's quite a few factors. No, it's like applying for a mortgage. >> Yeah, they're the same. A lot of different factors. >> Very much. I was >> I had a question. I I don't know if anyone has an answer to this too much. I dove into it. Clearly the town increase is really really high. And obviously a percentage of that has got to be insurance as well. So we can put, you know, that's going to go up high just like our insurance can go up high. But >> do you know what the other factors are that are driving that? >> If you look on the the sheet that like lists everything, there's um it looks like there's like a significant increase in um legal services. There's
065another significant increase in contingency. Um I know uh they're working on um their IT is working on quite a bit uh updates and things that need to occur there. So um through the capital committee I know there was some talk about that. Um I didn't dive in to look at each specific um uh because there is a sheet for each one that kind of will explain um what the increases are. I didn't really dive into that. I do believe that they might be adding maybe one and a half police officers. There's like one police officer that they're adding at the beginning of the year and then there's another police officer that they're adding like uh halfway through the year and then there's some like firefighters as well that they're um adding >> registars was up
06654.3% >> yeah I think right so um and then obviously as as Selma mentioned health insurance obviously right ours is up theirs is up too >> yeah and I just was wondering like these that are finally being utilized or are they >> just based on conversations at the yeah based on conversations at the capital committee I feel like the it >> are probably meets is what I think but again I can't answer you know for But it's for two because that's capital. >> Well, yeah. >> Their department itself went up too. The IT department also went up. >> That's a good question. You look benefits. >> It says 30%. Yeah. Hold on. So, it could also like retirement. >> Yeah, I'm sure they put it in one line item. >> Yes, it could be. There's
067included in that line. It's not just break it out. Um it's um I believe it's like retirements and um we probably just don't break it out like we do. Yeah. And they could also in addition to again not not to any of the presentations. It could be that they have extra, you know, like how we have this year, we're kind of seeing a deficit in our health insurance because we have an extra 14 people coming on to our policy that really historically we haven't had. They could be seeing something like that too where perhaps they're seeing, you know, more people coming on. So, um, that could be part of it. I'm just looking. I'm just going to pull the um department of the city There's an explanation. >> Yeah, >> they break it out weird
068on the website alabet house order. It's it's very hard to follow. >> Oh, it's well yeah it's in um in trying to follow it the other day. That was it was too much much chaos and shut it. >> Yeah. So, it's it's f, you know, it's payroll tax visits, workers compensation, it's pension, uh, it's health insurance, long-term, you know, long-term um, long-term disability insurance and retirement liability as well. So, that's what needs about Yeah. So, pension, their pension number is up 53%. talking about the fire budget tonight and our next time our deliberations. >> Does anyone else have any other questions? >> Thank you Mar for >> Thank you Mar. >> Yeah, just we've never done that before. It's good to kind of get a sense from the board's perspective as to you know where
069the town is is at too. So for all of us to grow together. >> No other questions. So shall we start again and have someone make a motion to adjurnn the meeting that honor >> motion to >> and shall we vote? I >> I from Lisa. >> Okay. Thanks everybody. We'll make that adjustment. Obviously the budget will be putting the book books together now to get them prepared to go down to the town.