001the board book as you see behind us. It's going to be kind of cool, I think. Uh bear with us because it's we're learning how to use it well, but it's something that you did we publish. We're going to be able to send that out with a notice also so you can see it prior to the meeting, but then we can all track together with what we're looking at. So, it might be imperfect. I'm not I'm not sure, but we're we're trying to get this things that we're all looking to the same document that we're working from. Okay. Uh, one of the items that came up last week was were regarding payroll. Um, we looked into those some items. Um, being involved in a company of 276 people or two people um that I'm involved
002with. We have payroll errors and they happen. I have one company, I have one guy and I mess up his commission about once every three months. I don't know how I do it, but I do and then I fix it. So, first of all, payroll errors happen. Second, right now we are going through uh state board of accounts audit. How often do those audits happen? >> Every two years. As part of an audit, payroll is a part of that. Not only the payroll from a fidelity of the numbers audit also a processes and controls is part of the audit just like any audit that a CPA would perform. So that is happening right now. Um I think they've wrapped or getting near wrapping up. They're finishing up. >> Okay. >> Uh the other piece is
003something that we think we can potentially some of the other concerns we think we can fix with it's a summertime project to prepopulate our payroll system with more accurate descriptors of add-on items. So right now it would be a manual process and I think we'd have more errors, frankly. But I think we can pre-populate the system. We got a I don't know the payroll software we're using, but we think we can pre-populate that kind of like a pull down menu setup so that you can pull those items down, see exactly what they are, and it'll be a lot easier to track. Okay. So, I think that we've got some remedy to some of those concerns, but it's not something that probably will happen on the fly. It's probably a summer project. So, that's an answer
004to last week's question. With that said, um, Dr. Sorry, Dr. Woodworth, would you or or Wolfong, you guys kind of explain to us what we're seeing on the boards behind us and and and tell us and introduce yourself? >> Yeah, I'm Diane Woodward and I'm filling in as interim superintendent here and I'm very pleased to be here. It's been a pleasure. I've been in the education business for a while. You probably tell by my gray hair and wrinkles, but I've loved all of it. and uh I retired from Goian schools as superintendent a while back and I've done several other interims and I'm just really happy to be here. But yeah, what you're looking at is board book software which you um own and uh as we were talking in the office feature that it
005has is to be able to use it to uh for work sessions as well and to have the agenda listed in this format. And if you would go to the Wawa C um website and go to the board meeting section, you can pull that up. And so you'll be able to see Oh, Shel's like demonstrating. Where you go 26, February 2nd work session. Tada. There it is. So like Mr. Kripe was saying that we can all be looking at a similar kind of thing. Then the board meeting next week will have the same agenda basically unless something you know gets changed. But it it's a nice feature. So we decided to try it. Perfect. Okay. Well, this is a good time to ask questions about that because now we're to patron comments. So, do we
006have do we do the same format, guys? Patron comments. Three minutes. Well, we never hold anybody to it, but yeah, patron comments. Uh, come up to the podium and comment. Good evening. Uh Kurt Hersy, southeast side of Lake Wallacey. Uh first start off uh uh Dr. Woodworth, I want to welcome you. We uh we appreciate you stepping in and and filling in this gap. And I think everyone here, board, the attendance, they they all want to see what we see improve and grow. And we want to welcome you here. Um it's going to be some bumpy roads, some stuff to clean up, but we have faith that uh we're all in the same direction here. I've stood up here several times um before. I'm just looking for a a pool update from you guys. Um
007there's some concerns that I have that we've basically put lipstick on a problem over there. I know we still have some continuous problems that are going on. Wade and the custodial staff have have really stepped up trying to get that thing going. Um, not sure if you guys are aware that the I believe ways was it the boiler was down and air handler was down a while ago. Um, so just it doesn't feel like we fixed the problem that's going across there. I didn't know if you guys were fully aware that there's still ongoing issues on that. Uh, I don't know to what extent Dr. employer or whoever was keeping everybody uh at bay on that. My my concern is moving forward, who's managing the process of that? Who's who's making sure that the repairs
008are getting taken care of? Uh number one, what was in the contract? What has been outside of the contract? And that falls on, you know, what was the original budget? And a lot of these questions I don't expect you to answer now, but as Andy as you said earlier, um it would be nice if you could get the information, come back to the next board meeting with, no different you just did with payroll. I think that's that's fantastic. It's not fair to ambush anybody to not know that, but these are questions that a lot of people have going across there. So, basically, moving forward, who who's managing it to to make sure that it's continued on? Um, I I know you're you're going to have general con or the general contractor, you're going to have
009the architects and stuff like that, but who's actually receiving the information from them and making the logical decisions that need to move move forward? So, I've heard $6 million thrown out. I've heard we're up to $8 million. You know, I don't know if that's accurate or not. That's why I didn't know if you guys have done any kind of uh checks and balances on that. What were the overruns? Who's responsible for the overruns? Um uh what process was used for overruns too? Was that a Dr. Troyer's process? Did it go before you guys? Hey, we have X Y andZ we need to talk to. I'm just looking for clarity on that. And what I'm trying to mold that into is basically we still have the arts project going and we have the the middle or
010the uh new middle school project going too. So, are we still plunking along on some of these or do we have circuit breakers in place that can basically keep the ongoing issues from going on? I don't know if you're aware, we we had one of our divers was actually injured um sliced her foot open at one of the meets because there's something sharp in there. I mean, completely sliced it open. We had to bandage her up before she can continue going. So, it safety is a concern as well. So, I I I feel like we've thrown a lot of money at it, but did we accomplish the mission? And I I don't feel that we have. So, that's what I'm I'm I'm trying to get some feedback on that and and to move forward from
011there. Um I sat in in the athletic meeting a couple weeks ago and Nate brought it up. He he said, "What what's the cost of excellence?" And it it was it was a a really unique way to term it. You know, we we were talking about how the school spends money, where they spend it. So So what is the cost of excellence? What's what's the cost of excellence on that pool? Was it 6 million? Was it 8 million? Where where's the cap? Do we have more? I I just I feel like we have an open checkbook that's running around there on that. So I want to give you guys plenty of time to look at it. That's that's my concerns. I know there's a a lot of people that uh have additional concerns on top
012of that, too. but to get some clarity just to make sure moving forward, you know, do do a little postgame and be like, "Hey, here's what worked. Here's what didn't work and just go forward from that." So, I I know you guys got a lot to get to and and and look forward to the steps moving forward. >> Thank you. We'll get those are good questions. >> I think I know some of the answers, but it'd be better just to get a whole Wade. we'll get together and um >> yeah, I'll email you those. >> Yeah, I mean I was I Yeah, I think I got most of them, but that's that's good stuff. >> Hi again. Good. We good? Okay. So, I'm Alex Wild. Um I live on Wallace. Um, I'm the one that
013was talking about the payroll stuff um at the last board meeting. Um, I didn't send you guys an email about it because we had a lot of stuff happen in the meantime. Um, but thank you for addressing it. Um, I just want to say that it was not an error. I don't want you to downplay this. It is over 200 people that are affected by how our payroll is done. I'm so glad that we're going to address it, but it doesn't just stop at the actual technology and the software. Okay, we do not actually have a former H or formal HR department and we don't have people who are appropriately licensed to be doing this work. Okay, so as part of the state board of accounts audit that's going to be happening, I would really
014love to see what they have to say about our payroll, not just the system, but how the whole process works in our district to make sure that these type of errors don't happen anymore. Thank you. Anybody else? >> My name is Rob Chalk. I live north of Syracuse Caroline Road. Welcome, Mrs. Worth. Thank you for stepping in the gap, filling the gap. We appreciate you. Um, look forward to working with you. Um, thank the board as well. um for the uh continued uh investigations into um things that have uh that have been been addressed to you. Um I'm I'm going to ask questions and obviously I don't as Andy as Mr. Krab said I I don't want any answers right now. I think uh it's just fair to address them at another time, but just
015what's on my mind uh what's floating around uh online and everywhere else. But, uh, I'd like to ask the board if they knew anything about the Willow Group website and was it approved by the board. I also would like an update on our plan, um, on our current debt load of $75,000 per student. What what are we what are we doing about that? Where are we looking at and how is that coming along? Uh, I would also I also wonder for myself and even as a as a prior business owner, uh, who's still on payroll that's no longer here? Um uh and I guess I would like to figure that out. I know that's a tough question to ask because you know obviously there's no names tied to anything, but positions obviously uh are important
016to know who we're paying and who we're not. Um so I'll just kind of leave you with those comments or and those questions. Um keep my keep my comments brief, but I would like to see if we could get those questions addressed. >> Thank you. Anyone else? Okay, we're going to I'm moving on. Okay, now we're up to item number four. Am I tracking right here? Okay. Yeah. Uh, Dr. Penrod, financial items. real quick. We've renamed it that because the report happens next week just because of it's the month in process but so I was going to call it financial stuff but items is more professional. [clears throat] >> All right. Thank you. Good evening. Thank you. Um we do have a couple financial items here. Uh the 2526 first semester ECA filings. uh those
017will be in your packet and those will uh be similar to what uh on the corporation level will be a form nine. So, if you remember seeing a form nine, uh it's kind of a wrap up or a every six every six months kind of thing. And so, you'll see uh at the corporation level, you see that with what we spent our money on, what the school uh receiving revenue, how they got the revenue, that kind of thing. And so, and debt, all that, the whole financial picture. On the ECAS, it's quite a bit smaller because it's on the school level instead of the corporation level. But you'll see those every uh every six months as well. And so this is just the uh first semester 2526 filing. You'll see uh the uh the board
018will be asked to um vote on it to accept it and then we have turned in the state park. >> Can you tell everybody what ECA stands for? >> Oh, sorry. Extracurricular activities. So it's uh it's the uh the this the fund at the school that houses like the athletic department, theater, any kind of clubs, uh sponsorships, class of 2026, whatever whatever funding that kind of kids get directly uh is held at the schools. And so that's that's what we're kind of looking at here. Uh the second thing here is item B, the 2526 non-certified compensation. Uh we've talked about that a little bit at the last meeting and then uh this will be again this will be in your packet as well and um that the uh school will ask for your um approval
019on that as well and that's kind of typical for um you know just as as things are being reviewed as as administration reviews things and then comes to the board for um for uh to ask for approval for that. Uh those are the only two on the agenda, but I'd be glad to answer your questions about those. I do have two other ones that came up uh this weekend that I'd like to uh kind of go down that path if you don't mind. >> So, just so we're we're going to be voting on the the ECA pay or the schedule, >> right? >> ECA uh first semester filings. So, okay. Reporting basically. >> Okay. >> And then non-certified compensation. >> Okay. >> Uh two things that kind of came up this weekend. Um been working
020on one for a while. Last time I think it was last board meeting uh administration asked about doing a study with policy analytics. Uh policy analytics goes parcel by parcel for uh each school district or unit of government in this case school district to see what uh what impact property tax uh specifically cent one but it worked prior to that passage as well and what that might look like for each district. And so at that time, the board uh uh asked uh for seemed to have some sort of appetite to at least see what that looked like. And so I did get that engagement letter over the weekend. Uh they readressed it to Dr. Woodworth today. And um if that's okay, we'll put that on the board meeting for Tuesday. Uh we'll get to the
021the letter in the packet and then uh if you know, if you see fit, obviously we'll ask you to approve it and if you do, we'll move forward with that. And u again that's a parcel by parcel of each uh each property in the district and then it'll tell us uh what the property tax uh kind of situation or what that looks like for this district uh now 2026 uh 27 and in the future have a good idea what 26 looks like because we're in 26 but they'll uh they'll use that data as well. Uh any questions there because that's >> Yeah, I mean let's it's a spend. We're gonna hire these consultants or >> Yeah. >> Right. I mean what what is it? >> Tell us how how does it help us? >> Yeah.
022So it's a uh it's an I think it's $11,000. It's paid for out of the uh out of bond money because it's it's helping to uh to kind of figure out what we're doing or how you know how our debt looks and how we can u move forward with that. But it's um it's going to help us plan with uh with specifically property tax levy. So on the debt side, but also on the operations side from the day-to-day standpoint. [clears throat] uh when our cir when the circuit breaker here went from uh 50 some thousand dollars to well into six figures like half a million or or more. Um that's that's going to continue to happen with Senate World Act One. The Legislative Services Agency put out some data when Senate enrolled Act One was
023still in in uh in bill form. So when Senate Senate Bill One was out, uh there was there was a Senate Bill one on say a Monday, it got stripped out and replaced with everything in the House. the House's bill of Senate or what looked like Senate Bill one and then passed that day. Uh legislative services agency um used data from 2024 to do that and so uh you know that's where we heard a lot of the uh in or a decrease of the increase. Schools aren't actually losing money as a decrease of the increase and that's turning out to not be exactly right for many schools. So, um, you know, the circuit breaker that we showed on during the budget time on form, uh, form four, form three and form four, uh, was significantly
024higher than what it's been in the past. And then this will give us a better opportunity to figure out what those circuit breaker losses are going to be, uh, going forward in 27, 28. I think I think they're going out to 31. They might not go out to 31 this first this first uh, this first phase, but I think they'll go out to 31 if that's what we want them to do. I got a question. So, with Senate Bill One, wouldn't >> I would imagine if I'm just digesting this correctly, wouldn't all schools want to do this? >> Yeah, I think uh I mean I I won't speak for policy analytics, but Yeah. Yeah. >> But I think their workload is has increased quite a bit in the last six or eight months. >> Uh
025they've um they've been a company for a while. Um I think and I think they've done a lot of stuff with cities and towns, government, you know, those kinds of governments. Uh they h they had a school division. They've always had a school division as far as I as far as I know. Uh that school division is uh has hired at least two people in the last six months and uh maybe more than that. That's just the two I know of. Um and so yes, I think many schools are doing it and um they they're quite a bit busier than they used to be. >> Thank you. Uh any other questions on that one? I do have one other one. That's okay. Uh the other one is um addressing debt and the um the 2018
026bonds that we have uh here that are um that are outstanding. There's the uh the first mortgage bonds of 2018. Uh the the bond balance right now, refunding bond amount is uh 12,985. So we have $12,985,000 left on that. Uh these bonds, some bonds, like shorter bonds that we've talked about don't really have a call date on them. Like if you're doing like two, three, four year payback, it's just going to be two, three, or four years. These longer ones, like these first mortgage bonds, a lot of times get into the 15, 17, 18, 19 and a half. Um I think by law it's got to stop at 20. So a lot of them go 19 and a half, 18, whatever. And so they have a call date on them a lot of times after
02710 years. And so after uh after that 10 years, you can kind of see what the interest rate looks like, see what the market looks like, and then decide if you want to refund it. Uh I'll be honest with you, I don't know why they call it refunding. I would say more like refinancing. So if I were um if I were to put this in terms kind of we all understand, I would say like you're refinancing your house, right? you had it at 7%, market's at five and a half now. So, you're going to refinance your house at 5 and a half% instead of seven. That's kind of what we're talking about here. They just call it refunding instead. And so, uh, right now what we've got is, uh, 5% on the is the average
028coupon of the refunded bonds. The current market rate, so don't quote me on this because this could change tomorrow and might change back again in two days. So, you know, if it was today, we'd get about 3.35%. So, you can see the difference there is at 1.65%. uh we would not lower the amount enough to take cash out. Okay? And so that's an important um that's an important stipulation here because a lot of times with these you can lower the amount, take the cash out, and then do small projects around the district. Uh I thought originally that it could be an option, but I found out today that that's not an option. So the other the other option is to re go ahead and refund it, save this 1.65%, 65% which ends up being um
029on a cash flow side it'd be like almost 1.6 million. The net present value would be uh almost 1.3 million. So what that does then is effectively decreases the debt payment for uh the debt service fund for until this bond is then paid off which would be uh same same time or same term same term as far as the time frame goes. And so um uh you know from in round numbers if our payment was $500,000 a year now it becomes $400,000 a year which means in the future we don't have to levy for that $100,000 to uh to make that payment. Um and so uh again I know I'm kind of I know this has maybe been talked about in the past couple months. Um we've done this before here and um and so
030but I know this particular one is a lot of a lot of lot of data I found out this weekend. So that's why I said, like I said, I'm kind of throwing this on you. So if you want to proceed with that, be glad to do it. You don't have to [clears throat] do it in February. You can do it in March. It's not it's not a it's not something that has to be done like right now today. Um but it will save money on the on the payment, which then allows us going forward to not levy for that money on the tax side. Um I talked to Steve quite a bit this weekend and that's kind of the best uh kind of the best option we we kind of figured out. Is there a
031threshold that if you're beneath you can't cash take the cash? >> Yeah. And I can't remember how that's figured, but there is a threshold. You got to lower it by x amount of dollars to get >> I mean as in a state dictated threshold. >> Yeah. I don't know if it's a state thing or an SEC thing or whatever, but some somebody governs that. I just can't remember the threshold for >> any questions. >> No, not right now. Um >> well, I mean for to authorize you to do that. Yeah, I guess I mean you're not I guess you're not taking action tonight, but if you if you want me to bring it back in February, I'd be glad to do that. If you want me to bring it back in March, if you want
032me to bring it back at all, that's fine, too. But um I guess what I'm saying is the timing of it doesn't necessarily matter. Um if you did bring it back in February, uh we we would ask to adopt a resolution to authorize the refunding, establish savings parameters, and reapprove the building corporation. If you don't bring them back in February, we would just ask those those exact things at the March meeting. And then um the uh we close if we did it in February like February to May. So if we started March be March to June and it takes a few months to to do the whole process get the bonds underwritten and then sell and then close. Um so again February to May would be uh if we started this month if not it'
033be March to June. >> But predicated by that interest rate though I mean there is a there is a time lapse there. >> Yeah. So, you know, none of us none of us can tell, right? So, this is today it was 3.35, you know, tomorrow, I guess, could be 3.3. >> Okay. >> Th could be four. Uh, so yeah, we are kind of at the >> the mercy of the market a little bit to a certain extent there, but um what we've been seeing in this space though is not five and that's what we're currently at is five. So, one way or another, it's probably pretty good. The other thing is once we authorize, if you would authorize this on February 10th, it doesn't mean February 11th that we're running out getting the bonds under.
034If that's the best day to do it, we'll do it. But if somehow February 11th bonds go the bond market shows, you know, 4.95, then we just won't do it until the bond until that that percentage comes back down. >> Okay. or just um I think this was the one that was the kind of normal the normal compensation that we that we didn't really address in the fall if I remember right but we did talk quite a bit about about Shelley about Dr.'s um presentation at the last meeting and so >> yes, >> yeah, I should probably leave it there for that particular one, but this one is the this is the uh the the one that we haven't addressed yet for this year. >> So, let's just we're talking Are you asking if it's
035a fair pay conversation? >> Yeah, that's what she said. >> Is it? >> It it is, but I think it's too separate. It's too separate. I mean, we have a comment on the tariff is what I'm saying, >> but I don't >> Yeah, I think I don't know how far >> I mean, there's other things in that besides >> right >> is what I'm saying. It's a >> ven diagram. You got the thing and the pairs are >> I think right. >> Yeah. Yeah. I'm not trying to be I'm not trying to be I think that's the part that's tough to answer without saying what's going to happen after that. So, I'm not trying to be koi about it. I'm just not I don't want to speak for them and I don't want to get
036too far ahead. So, we we address teachers >> then we usually address nonerts. We did not address nonerts yet. >> If there's another addressing of nonerts pay, that would be in the future. >> Okay. >> Hope that's Okay, >> good. >> Thank you. >> Okay, we're on to number five. >> Dr. Woodworth. >> Yeah, I don't have much to say because I've only been around here about a week, but I just wanted to report that it's been a good week. I've met a lot of people and I'm very impressed with the people I've met. We have a lot of good folks here. Uh we had a principal meeting last week. Turns out I knew many of them from previous places. So it was really fun. I think you have a good principal group. I was
037at the high school this morning. Uh had a great feel to it. So I'm just really enjoying getting to know people. I'm happy to be here. I guess that's all I'll say right now. >> Okay. >> Thanks for having me. You're welcome. >> Um, additional action items. I'm going to turn that over to Dr. Wolf. >> Thank you very much. Um, and I take the first one, I think. >> Okay, you guys. >> Marketing operations. There there will be a proposal coming to you at the next board meeting. And this is about um looking at marketing operations. So more like the technical and operational side of the website um communications management of systems like um the website like I said but online calendaring tools video platforms email communications and some things like that. So the
038intent of this proposal is to start with an evaluation of what we currently do, how we do it and how it's structured and then provide us some best practice recommendations. um any changes that would come out of that would be then a separate thing that you would hear about later. So this is just to evaluate how we do it like we need another outside person to come and look. Uh this would be with Jeff Dyson who I think maybe some of you know and the the proposed rate for this consultation will be $150 an hour with a 10h hour per month retainer for a minimum amount of $1,500 monthly. Right. So, and again, there wasn't a maximum in it because I think it just depends when it gets in there to see what it looks
039like. So, that will be at the board meeting coming up. Any questions or >> No, we've we've talked about this quite a bit. >> Okay, great. >> Okay, good. >> Thank you very much. Uh, item B is the Maisy education agreement that covers two components. uh direct grants management support and the English learner program review. The EL program review has already been approved by the board. Uh so this is um I I just went ahead and put the entire uh contract in uh because we would be adding the direct grants management. Um and that's is going to be designed to strengthen compliance, internal controls and capacity through June 30th, 2027. And it will it will include work such as preparing and submitting required grant grants and grant reports supporting audits and providing regular updates as
040requested. A key point in the scope is that certain local internal control responsibilities will remain um in the district including accounts payable and receing and a second local reviewer will sign off on contractor submissions. Uh pricing for the grants management support is $40,000 annual comprehensive rate. Uh that will be paid out through the grants management portion of the um of the title grants. And um this is um in response to um a staffing change that occurred um that uh requires us to have some grant management. Uh it will also um provide us a way to save uh some money in uh providing those grant management funds. Um and it won't have any direct impact on the education fund because it's coming out of the grant management portion of the grants. Do you have any questions
041about that? >> Okay. Item C is the American Red Cross licensed training provider agreement. Um this uh the purpose of this agreement is to license Red Cross training materials and curriculum. So >> I Skyp >> did I oh I apologize I have it on the wrong I have it on the wrong uh item. Um the Skypack career plus pathways a memorandum of understanding. This agreement outlines the career plus uh platform and related program supports intended to strengthen career connected learning experience and student planning including structured experiences and microcredential components. This is part of a larger career counseling grant sponsored by the uh Northern Indiana Education Service Center. Um there's probably 20 different school districts that have come together to um to um get this uh fairly significant uh grant and it's a continuation of the
042original career counseling grant that we participated in with the same group um that ensures that we are compliant with current state legislation regarding the requirements for career counseling. So, if you remember a couple of years ago, the state legislature passed the the ruling that we would have K to2 career counseling and there were certain [clears throat] uh stipulations that um schools had were required to do. And um and it also falls into the graduation pathways uh uh requirements. And so um this is the second grant that the NISC um is is in. And so we're just asking that um that you um allow us to sign for that memorandum of understanding so that we can continue that partnership with with in the grant. Do you have any questions? Okay. Now the American Red Cross. So,
043um this agreement, um requires that only um currently certified and authorized Red Cross instructures, uh instructors teach course and submit course records to the Red Cross learning management system. It also requires instructors to you use current Red Cross approved instructional materials and requires that accurate and complete course records be entered into their learning management system within 10 10 calendar days of course completion. Uh the agreement runs through the day before the 36-month anniversary of the effective date unless terminated earlier. And the fees are structured on a per student license um fees based by course. So this includes um things like CPR, first aid, AED training uh for students um and staff that uh that require it. Um, it's a uh agreement that we have signed in the past with the American Red Cross. It primarily
044runs through the high school. Does anyone have any questions about that? >> Yeah. >> Yes. And then uh staff can uh participate in um CPR and um I think it's CPR and AED training for license renewal um when when they go through it for a nominal fee. >> Okay. So they can become certified >> if they want. Okay. >> Yep. Yep. So this this allows uh this allows basically um the people that go through the course and the training to get their little CPR card. um or you have to get your teachers license. >> Yeah. >> Yes. But it's there it is. It is pime. We primarily have this uh agreement for high school courses. >> Any questions? >> No. >> Um you want me to go ahead with the other items? I have one
045and then I'll go back to you. >> Well, I'll wrap mine up. You go. >> You want me to go to the other item? Okay. So, [clears throat] um item E is not on here. So, we stuck it under other items if needed and it is needed. So, I'm going to go ahead and uh and read this. At the uh January 2026 board work session, I provided several options to address paraprofessional pay and asked for direction on how the board wanted to proceed. At that time, I asked you to consider an approach that best balances our fiscal respon uh capacity, internal equity, uh recruitment and retention of pair of professionals and the district's commitment to ensuring safe and stable supportive classrooms. Based on the feedback received from the board, I am bring I'm bringing forward
046an updated recommendation and this will be um brought up at the board meeting on Tuesday. I recommend that all pair professionals both full-time and part-time receive a $1.50 per hour increase to their current rate of pay. This increase would be in addition to the pay adjustments already provided earlier in this year. With this adjustment, the starting base pay for pair of professionals would be $16 per hour. We also want to be clear that this recommendation is one step within a broader commitment to our classified staff. Classifi classified employees including pair professionals are essential to the daily work of serving students and we value their dedication and contributions. As we continue to monitor our fiscal financial position, we will keep looking for responsible ways to make fiscal adjustments across all classified staff groups over time. Any
047questions? >> That was option four. Yes. >> Questions? >> Okay. Um, I had one item I wanted to just keep you guys up to speed on and hopefully we'll post it here soon. [clears throat] It's I feel bad saying it since we're we just met Dr. Woodward, but >> right before we we met with the group called the University Search Team. >> They're made up of um professionals from IU, Purdue, Indiana State, >> and Ball State. >> Ball State. And they it's shocking to me because they only charge for you know travel or they don't there's really no fee. I think it's funded through the state >> because your taxes are paying for universities and there are professors at these universities. So >> I So we're paying for it anyway. >> You are paying for
048it through your taxes. >> But uh we're starting that process immediately. Um hopefully in the next day or two somewhere on our website, we're going to put that um tentative uh timeline of the process out there for you guys to see. They're fairly confident it doesn't have to be longer than that. We're going to try to find ways to, you know, go as fast as possible, but um I was really impressed. They've got a lot of experience in in doing this and tailoring it to not only our school, but you know, our area. I don't know. I felt like it was people that are this is what they do. So, it was pretty good. I just want you guys to know that keep an eye out for that count or that timeline, I should say.
049And um yeah, we'll we'll try to if that timeline changes, we'll try and make that an active document to to address it so you can know when we plan on making the decision and going through the whole process. Anyway, I just I meant to mention that at the outset, so I forgot. Um okay, anything else? Because we're we're back to the Okay, we have another opportunity for patron comments. Yeah, you you you just kind of started the process of what I was just jotting down. I I you know, we we kind of have the the elephant in the room here and and number one, is the board going to make any kind of statement? I know you're limited to to what you can, but is is there any statement to the group or anything that
050you guys plan on why we had a leadership change and anything like that? Okay. I I I know it's lied. you can address. I didn't know if that was that part of the process on that. And then also, you know, as you guys do your search, you you can bring these professionals in that, you know, research this and do this, but I would encourage you to also engage the community, too, to make sure that it it is in line with what our expectations are and and it, you know, it's it it feels like it's uh us verse you guys some days, and that's not what it should be. So if if if we can get the engagement to help this process along, I I I strongly encourage it. Great bringing outside people in that that's
051their wheelhouse, but at the end of the day, it's it's our home, you know. So I I I I just really don't want to steamroll into a decision just to make that decision. Um I want to make the right decision. and and you guys know that sometimes it it takes some time, but it also takes the community to do that as well. So, please take that into consideration when when you're going off on that. Thanks, Kurt. I can't echo that sentiment loud enough. uh especially the last uh several months, six, seven months, what this community has been through and experienced, what's been shocking to you guys to find out as a board uh your approach to it. Um you know, whether we like it or not, I think Mr. Kripe and I have had some
052pretty good banner back and forth, but at the end of the day, I still respect the guy. Um but uh you know, so I think it's very imperative we keep the community engaged in what's going on and ascertain what their comments are and be thoughtful of what they are just like we need to respect you and what your decisions are. Um, in saying that too, I think Dr. Penrod, I think you brought up a very very imperative point. I hope the board understands what he just brought up, which uh uh and the importance of what he's doing. Um, I I don't know if you guys understand it, but he's trying to save us money because the principle on that bond does not change. >> I understand it. >> I mean, so I just want to
053make sure we're clear on that. Um, and I also want to strongly encourage this board to uh continue uh refer back to my comments from October as I referred policy analytics to you guys and the importance of what they do. Um, I actually had the privilege of speaking with Barry Gardner down there for an extensive amount of time. I know Barry couldn't give me a whole lot of information because I'm not on the school board. I offered to pay for it myself because that's how important I think it is. I think it's going to give you guys better clarity and uh better information so you can make better informative decisions uh than what's been going on. So I would encourage you guys to uh look into that and um um eyes wide open to that.
054And uh but uh yeah, I will uh I will end there. So, I don't think that we should rush, right? We have you. I've heard wonderful things about you and correlations, not causation, but like this meeting and the board book, like all of it. Beautiful. Wonderful. So, we have somebody who's fully capable of helping get us through the end of this school year. Let's take our time to find somebody that really fits in with the sea and what it means to be a warrior, right? We start all of our board meetings with our mission statement. Like, let's find somebody that is that, right? We have you. I want to keep you for as long as you're willing to stay while we find our new person, right? We don't need to make anything go faster. We've
055made lots of bad decisions out of expedience. We need to. So, let's not make the same mistake again. Thanks. Anybody any other comments? Okay. Well, I think that's it. If nobody else has anything. All right. Thanks guys for coming. Thank you. >> Snow a little bit. So, stay safe. Once again,