001facility part of commissioners that are using Get in there. It is now 7:15 and I will call to order the special meeting of Bristol Board of Education, June 11th, 700 p.m. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance. First item on the agenda is the approval of the 202526 budget size. I'll second. Well, I need a first motion. Motion will approve. Sorry. Second. Motion was made and seconded. All in favor? I sure. We open to discussion. Um I I know that um things did not go as planned with all the questions we answered tonight, but I know that there's the time constraint. certainly don't want to put additional undue bearing on those that have to produce these things that time constraint but I have very serious concern that a number has been known since April and
002that there should have been contingencies in plan as part of the budget whether it went away or not because we never know what number has been known since April that we weren't going to get what the um what the uh what the superintendent had originally asked Hey, look, we weren't vote. We didn't receive a number from the city. There has been not not a voted on her. So, I I don't want to argue the facts here. I'm not I'm not meaning to argue. I just wanted clarification. So we've known that we were not going to get 146 million since so how we came up with I'm just disappointed because we had asked for a workshop and the workshop was postponed when it was directed at I know I asked you directly uh chirpons that we
003should start getting together we should start hearing people's ideas and we were told I was told that we don't want to do that until we have the final number I think that was a mistake I think we should have entertained these discussions with the with the board ever since April. I think we should have had regular meetings talking about it. Regular meetings soliciting ideas. Now, that doesn't mean that the staff didn't solicit their ideas because we didn't know what they were. And we still had a lot of unanswered questions from the six million. I am extremely uncomfortable with even what I just heard in the finance committee meeting saying that the spreadsheet that was given to us last night was done by a staff member who's not here and who resigned and that she was
004the one who produced it, but nobody can answer any questions about what the reduction in force positions. I I can't in good conscious support. Really can't. Thank you. Would anyone else like to speak? Yeah, I um if I may, I I too am very uh was really frustrated with this process. Um you know, like the meeting that we had earlier prior to the finance uh meeting. Um you know, I had asked I had personally asked u several meetings ago. You know, when are we going to have a budget workshop? We were told we wanted we had a final number. Now we're like uh at the 11th hour and we're trying to rush to figure out where we're going to make additional cuts. this this is all stuff that we should have been doing u right
005from the jump. We should have started this a while back. Um and now we're now now we're trying to hurry up and and get it all done. I don't like that process. It's usually not a very good process for making decisions like this uh because they're less deliberate. It was thought out. Um and yeah, I'm just I'm really just quick. Yeah. Um, if I recognize we're still waiting on there's a lot of moving numbers that we don't know and so we're doing our best with what we Sorry, what what's the question? It's hard to still waiting on numbers from the state final numbers from the state uh legislation. Okay. Sorry, it's just hard to hear. on grants um and cost sharing for special education. We have the budget in general there it hasn't been passed.
006So the idea that we have a a solid number right now is it's a projection. We're we're doing we're doing the best we can with a projection was what Jill's question was. Um we're still waiting on numbers and the answer is yes. We have any other comments. One just quick question. Um I know I had asked in an earlier meeting to um provided with the um reduction in the course numbers on the spreadsheet from last night. if that can be provided relatively quickly with an explanation of this. Um would it would this um board consider um just postponing this vote for a few more days so that commissioners could have that information which should have already been provided to us but was not so that we could get to a more of a consensus style
007vote of approval because I know we have the number that the city gives us and then we hope that we get more and that stuff doesn't change your stuff from the state's always be in flux during the budget session in June. So that's not unexpected, but I need to really have an understanding of what these additional items were if we can be provided that in writing with an explanation um so that all commissioners could equally participate in this process and understand what they're doing. Um I I would ask that it be considered. Um, I don't think it means, you know, scheduling another vote, but I'd rather be able to act unity. Good job. I appreciate your comment and suggestion. I'm going to let each person um who wants to make a comment or have discussion
008do so before uh we move from the motion that we're currently in. I I saw that you were next, Commissioner Van Gorder. I don't know if you want to be, but I saw you try to speak when that's okay, Eric. I just Okay. Um, I just want to say because we have a time constraint with the submission to the state, this process is never fun and even the state the state legislature meets and they go through heck the last few days of their their sessions. So, we're going kind of through that same situation. We're dealing with this. We've got a number. We're going to make the number somehow, but the individual items. I'm sorry. You know that we we don't we don't get to discuss all the individual items in the full extent. We have
009to deal with the number. We're forced to. And uh you know, I want us to get the number gun. We're going to hope that we get additional monies to reinstate some of the stuff we pull out, but we are going to pull out stuff we don't like and and we're just dealing with the number. Thank you. Thank you. Um, so I too share concern with the process. When we had our March meeting, I will reiterate again, we agreed on a number to send to the to the city, but without a plan. None of us agreed. We all said we agreed with this number to send to the city, but none of us were comfortable voting on the plan. We have since not received any additional input, any additional information. And then the for we were
010promised more information on the additional cuts on Monday. We received them Tuesday night and then only to find out at the last finance meeting just a few minutes ago that this was prepared by a former staff member who's been gone. So I don't know why we had such a delay in receiving it ourselves. Just clarification. On Monday, when you received the email saying we were getting the information, did it say we were getting it on Monday or the following day? So, at the last meeting last Wednesday, we were told we would have the information Monday so we'd be prepared to vote for it on Wednesday. Monday evening, we received an email said, "Sorry about the delay. I'm not ready with the numbers. I'll get it to you soon. We got it last night." Um, and
011it doesn't even cover the additional um, well, we're still needing to cut another 2.1. And then there's duplicative information that's on here that's on the original 6 million and it was prepared weeks, maybe months ago. I'm not even really sure. So, I have a lot of questions. Um, and so I'm not I'm not prepared to vote on this budget. Thank you for the chair. Yes. Um, so I definitely appreciate the frustration um, and Cheryl quite a bit of myself um, in terms of not always having, you know, the exact answer with um, a lot of this stuff. Um, you know, my hope was that we would, uh, you know, get someone in a pos the position soon. I know that, you know, we we have someone who's trying to do two jobs at once just
012to cover the business office as it is. Um, and I think we, you know, we've historically pointed out quite a bit of, uh, errors um, in some of the worksheets that we've received. I do just want to I'm big on the board's history. I've spent a lot of years coming to board meetings. I will now have been on this board for four years. So, I just want to kind of go back to um just thinking about a vote that we took last year and uh it was a unanimous vote, by the way. So, um we we voted to reduce our budget after being cut by the city of about $3.1 million. Um a large chunk of that was uh the reason the rationale that we gave was a reduction in uh district place tuition special
013education line of 790,000. the the the answer that was given to us was cut to balance budget. You cannot get any more unspecific in a reduction than the word cut to balance budget. It's artificial. There's no rhyme or reason there. Um we also had a b uh various other lines. We had uh teacher salary instruction uh $566,000 worth of savings that we all voted for unspecified. It said changes, retirements, movements, estimates based on new hires at lower salaries. That's very unspecific. The teachers line didn't even say who was going. It didn't have the schools, anything like that. But this board unanimously voted to elect to go with those changes despite the lack of specificity. So, I can appreciate the frustration in terms of we don't have we don't agree on the initial plan. And I
014agree that that is true. We did not agree fully on what was in that $6 million, but we also have never not looked at a budget reduction from an object code line, which is non-specific. And so it's very interesting to me today that people want to drill down on those exact specifics including the reductions force when some members on this board have a history of voting for non-specific changes to begin with. Um ultimately you know the recommendation before us I believe is what was forwarded from the finance committee. So, I know there was a comment that we have to cut an additional 2.1, but the finance committee just unanimously voted on what that $2.1 million would be. And so, that is part of the proposal before us as well. Thank you. Does anyone else have
015any comments? Commissioner Blero Simmons, are you online? I am online. Thank you. Um, I've been listening to all of the concerns and I just want to validate every concern. I think every concern is valid. We have um a very difficult process before us. We have to make some substantial cuts that we know are going to impact the people in our community and most importantly our students. And we're on a very tight timeline. And I think that makes us uncomfortable. I'm uncomfortable. Um, I would love to have another month to digest this and to tease out some of the details, but we just unfortunately do not have that time. I would also like to not have to make these cuts and not have to have um very detrimental impacts to our schooling community. But unfortunately that
016doesn't seem to be possible either. Um, I think some of what we need to do is, uh, and it's not easy for me, and I know it's not easy for all of us, is to have a little bit of taking a little bit of a leap of faith in knowing that we still have oversight on what is coming before us in terms of cuts and the more um, detailed cuts. and action items. But because we are on such a tight timeline, um we do have to consider moving forward with the the details that we already have before us. And I did listen to Commissioner Tagriello um both in this meeting and um in the two previous meetings tonight. um and sort of comparing the three different budget proposals. Um I've looked them over myself and
017um I I can see where where we are now. It's not the detail that I think we're hoping for, but I am able to see where we are now and then needing to make those additional 2.1 or so um million dollar cuts. So, I just wanted to make those comments, but I absolutely understand the frustration. Um, and I and I just wanted to validate everybody's position. Thank you, the chair. You know, um, this is, I guess, uh, one of the things I I keep hearing. That's really uh why I'm frustrated is, you know, we keep hearing tight timeline. You know, we got to get this uh, you know, for approval for Friday. We've known that we've had to cut the budget for months now. Um, so the fact that we're doing this and we have
018to get it sent for approval for Friday. Um, this was avoidable and this is where uh this is where I'm like, you know, I'm I'm literally vibrating right now. How frustrated. Thank you. This was this could have been avoided. We should have had more meetings prior to this. Joe, did you have So, everyone has had a chance to speak. Lori, did you want to speak? Um, yeah. I just really go across the line with being frustrated, not feeling prepared nor confident, especially this magnitude of importance. So, I'm standing right with the group. So, I understand the frustration and I think there are a lot of things that weren't discussed tonight and the timeline this year is no different than the timeline in the past. Um, there are moving targets and numbers and I'm not here
019to defend or justify anything other than the truth. And so when you're in a situation where you can actually see how things are evolving on a daily basis and that's your norm, right? When you work in an environment where budgets are fluid and positions change and the city underfunds you and you have data to show why you're in a deficit, but you still have to come up with cuts, but you don't know how many cuts because the state still hasn't passed its budget. Um, and so the expectation this year, it's very different than the expectation in the previous six years. I can say that with complete certainty. Um I also can say for the first time in six years I have more confidence even in the budget situation that we're in based on the leadership
020and the transparency that we're being provided. So when I look at leadership styles, we have very different leadership styles this year than we had in the past. Um transparency and cander exist. Being authentic means being yourself, not putting on a mask to appease people who are looking for a confidence or information that can't be provided. So while I appreciate that in the past we were provided with a confidence in what we were presented, we were also then in a deficit and we had a report that told us that it was a predictable deficit that we couldn't see through. So if the hyperfocus this year is based on the report from last year, I understand the concern that we all would like to be able to get to a place where we can say what we've
021been provided is actual, right? I don't know that we know exactly what's actual only in this moment because we don't know how much money we're getting from the state. Not because we're not getting information that is truthful to the best of everyone's ability at the district level at this moment. I I trust that the information that Lynn put forth to Jod and that Jod then had to check and balance over the past couple of weeks and that was provided to us is the best information that we could possibly have. I don't know how any one of us could have come up with better information other than trusting that what happened was authentic and real and I trust that. So while you're frustrated, I'm frustrated. I wish that we were in a different scenario. I wish
022we had different um I wish we had a different budget. I wish we had different funding, right? I wish we weren't doing what we're doing. But we're not. We are where we are. And so, while I can appreciate the frustration, we still have to approve the amount that the city gave us, which we have no choice over. So, we need to approve the number and trust that the people that we put in leadership positions are going to make good decisions and we still have the authority to govern that and to oversee that and to ask questions on a daily basis. If that's what would make you more confident, please do. But right this minute, I think we need to move forward with the vote. So, can I just add one quick thing and it's in
023regards to commissioner Tigra's report and finance. I did want to recognize that I appreciate that he went and did the differences because I think that information was very helpful and he took upon himself to do that and I just want to reflect and say that it was appreciated. He shouldn't have had to do but he did and it was helpful information for the board. um as far as approving budgets without um uh the level of detail that um was being asked for tonight that that may have occurred but we also had you know leadership in place that had been in place for a little while. There were board members that had been in place. We have had a significant amount of change since the office. I hope that you would appreciate that um that that
024certain commissioners might not have the level of we don't have um the same type of superintendent experience that we've had in the past and that's also a fact. It's never going to be disrespectful. It's just part of the decision that occurred this year. We've also had a significant amount of change in central office. So, I'm not going to apologize for being preparations and having uh a standard of wanting to know information when in the past we've always been given um at least a journeyman's explanation to a spreadsheet. I don't think I've ever just been given this question or a minimal opportunity to ask questions I got. But I want to recognize Mr. Fabriel's efforts and it is appreciated and I'm sure my colleagues share them. Well, thank you. I am going to close discussion. Um,
025and in that before I make the motion or ask for a motion, I will say that our perceptions of receiving a spreadsheet without any information may be different only because we had a meeting scheduled to discuss and ask all of the questions that we needed to ask. And so my expectation was to receive information and to come prepared to have the discussion about how to reduce the budget by an additional $2.1 million based on what was approved. Everyone's expectation may have been different. I think communication in the future when you receive an email and you would like additional information, I would encourage you to respond to me and ask for additional information and I'd be happy to provide it for you. But thank you. Absolutely. I want to thank um all of our all of
026our commissioners here. This whole board of education who taken on a job that's kind of thankless at times. Um we go through a lot of trouble for this and try to get things done. Um it's not diff it's not easy. It's it's difficult thing. I want to thank Board of Finance of the city. Again, they're volunteers dealing with difficult situations, the tax rates and everything else. You know, this is a volunteer position and we do our best and we're going to continue. We're going to make the best choices we can. So, thank you, Commissioner. Thank you. So, can I have a motion to approve the 20? I think the motion's been made. Motion was made and passed. All in favor? I no. Can we do a roll call? Sorry. Roll. Sure. Uh, Commissioner Anderson. No.
027Commissioner D. No. Commissioner. No. Yes. Yes. Oh, no. And I'd like We don't hear you. You're just if we possibly could. We just have to vote. Commissioner Pero Simmons. I'm having some trouble hearing what the voting record is. I think Dante is as well. It would be helpful if we could get an update as to where the vote is at this point. We have five nos, two yeses. Is that five nos and two yeses? Yes. So, the remaining commissioners are to vote are myself and Commissioner Tagriello. Yes. And it's five nos and two yeses. Yes. I'm a no. Yes. So motion fails. Next item on the agenda is the appointment of chief of talent management. I will start this with superintendent what? So, my recommendation is Mr. Joseph Grabowski. Uh, Mr. Gravowski um is not
028unfamiliar to the Bristol community or to the Bristol board. Um, he served as a board commissioner previously. Uh, he is currently serving a dual role. He is still social studies teacher at Chip Hill Middle School where he is very involved with the Chippens Hill School community. Very wellrespected educator. Um and also after he teaches during the day, he's been coming in the afternoons from 3:00 to 6 to assist us um as an interim chief talent manager um in the office of talent management filling in um after the resignation of Dr. Golden. and he has um in these closing days of the school year been helping us with a number of delicate issues um terms of investigations um in terms of helping us with retirement incentives and really looking at systems and structures in the office
029of talent management which would help us um be more uh streamlined and more effective in how we support um our school community, our post teachers and administrators. Um he's very interested in HR work. Um and he's someone that I considered um very closely in terms of someone who would come in and assist us um after the resation adopted. Okay. Um open up for discussion. Does anyone have any? You want me to make the motion? A motion made. I'll make the motion to approve. Second. Motion's moving in second discussion. Sure. I'm sure you are already know where I'm coming from. Um, it was nice meeting Joe recently. um sounds like a great asset to Chippens Hill and to his team and students and to BPS as a whole. Um I do think we should have hosted
030the job. I had sent Iris an email asking um why we hadn't posted the job and Joe had been the best person for the job then then then so you know then that's how it would be. But um I just am not sure appointing people without going through and posting the job is the right way to go. And instead of getting a response from Miss White on my question, my email was forwarded to the chair and then opined on from the chair. So I didn't even get confidence from the superintendent in her choice because she couldn't even answer my question on why we did not post the job. So unfortunately tonight um there will just have to be another Thank you. Any discussion? I have some questions. Um I served previously on the board with
031Mr. Kowski. I uh I will also share that he is a tremendous asset to the district. Um I served on the board with him and he was board chair. I found him to be um very negotiable, very approachable. He has a a very uh personable demeanor and I think all of those things are very important to the HR director. Um uh but the questions that I have with the questions I would have if I was presented the same as my from anybody else's uh names I I know and what concerns me is there is um there is a lack of experience in his work tenure with supervising staff and managerial expertise outside of his teaching role. That doesn't mean that good. I'm just notating the differences of what I say when I'm looking at a
032director of um I would like to know if there's any experience with contract negotiation contract law as far as what would normally be expected in HR director. I want to know if there's any experience with investigations. I know that a lot of black school district to be investigated and that um the staff and the community feel confident that that is done um with integrity and experience because it um and that their privacy is uh protected and that due process is enforced. So I think there's too much lack of experience in those areas in those critical components of HR director. There has been too much experienced loss in the central office over the last year and that concerns me. Although I appreciate that um Mr. Growski has stepped in and volunteered that says something. I think
033he should definitely be looked at to support that office if that's the career that we'd like to move forward with. But if we had known based on contract decisions that were made in the spring of 2024 that this position may have had an opening, I have the same question as the Sharan border. Why wasn't there a plan to close well before there was a sudden resignation and June, the middle of June? I just don't understand. We knew that there was based on contract votes last year that this might have been a position. Thank you. Any other comments through the chair? Yes. Um, I just, you know, I want to say that uh I I'm appreciative that um in a time where we had um a fairly abrupt um resignation um in this department that uh
034Joe stepped up to uh work with the central office team, get up to speed um and assume a role outside of his normal duties. Um, you know, before many people were even in the chairs of the Joe did, as it was noted, serve on this board and participate in union negotiations as a member of the board. Um, and when I was first elected, Joe was hired um in his in his role. And I think one of the nice things um that happens in Bristol is that we do a lot of hiring from within. Um and I know that in the last um transition after we lost Dr. Galloway, we made a decision not to host the role for the chief at the time it was the HR director which became the chief of talent management
035and moved a department head into that uh specific role. Um not saying that's the exact same thing here. Obviously um there's a difference um in experience between those two people. one had been the central office person. This has not been the case. But um I look forward to voting um in favor of Joe's appointment tonight. I wish him the best of luck in his role. I I um I think that uh he brings a nice addition to the staff in that particular office and I know he's supported by the staff in that office. Thank you. Any other comments to the chair? Yes. Yeah. Um I I I want to um just uh make some comments that I do share some uh some similar concerns with experience. Um you know uh but also um I've I've
036had some conversations with uh with other people um in the district, people that work for the schools um that have expressed some disappointment with um lack of mobility in the district. So not posting the position for other people to apply to um I I think only only strengthens that that concern and um I I think only goes to further I think add to u some of the demoralization that I've been and you know so that's that's where I stand. Thank you. So with no other uh in the room, Maria, do you have a comment? I don't know that I have too much to add. Um aside from some of the things that I said earlier about, you know, there there's a time when we have to start to move the district forward. Um, the past
037year has been a challenge and I think we've tried to handle it with a lot of grace and I appreciate that. I know we're all trying to serve the highest good of the community and I do believe it's it's time to start moving these um initiatives forward and some of that is hiring um and doing things a little bit differently. And I'm I'm moving forward with optimism and taking a leap of faith. I have had the opportunity to uh observe Mr. Gravowski in different settings and I am very impressed with the way he carries himself with how resourceful he is um with his ability to hear people and to um be open and listening to understand not listening to respond. And I think that's a really important um skill and characteristic to have. Um, so
038I I I do see a very strong skill set and I I am confident in his abilities. Thank you. Thank you. So, uh, before we go to the vote, I will make my comments. Um, it's not surprising that I support an unconventional candidate for leadership positions. I also advocate for promoting from within based on integrity and talent focusing on identifying and developing internal leaders through innovative approaches. When I think about effective leaders, I think about professionals who act selflessly in service of the greater good, aiming to create meaningful and lasting impact. I am unsure if everyone is aware that Joe was the youngest elected member of the board of education in Bristol which demonstrates a strong leadership potential. Um leadership involves enhancing the organization and contributing positively to the broader community. Achieving this requires genuine
039interest in people, building relationships, understanding individuals and serving as a constructive influence. It also requires a commitment to transparency which involves openness and honesty and cander that reflects directness and the willingness to provide truthful feedback. Together these qualities foster trust, respect, and accountability. Key components of effective leadership. The president of the teachers union is here tonight and he wanted to say a few words about Joe before his appointment. So I'm going to invite him up to say a few words. Um, Mike Reynolds, president of the Bristol Federation of Teachers. Thank you to board chair Ponds and the board of ed commissioners for the opportunity to speak. I'm speaking in support of Joe Gerolski for chief of talent management. Some say he doesn't have experience. Speech was pre-written. How did I know you guys are going
040to bring up experience? Experience isn't something and shouldn't be the most important factor when choosing someone for the job. Here's why. Schools are constantly changing. What you learned in experience a couple years ago is completely irrelevant today. Joe's working in the schools right now, so he isn't out of touch with what is really happening in the schools and he's updated with the latest information and development most importantly in the Bristol public schools. Joe has a combination of skills. The most valued skills by employees are communication, creativity, and problem solving skills. These skills have nothing to do with the years of experience, but everything to do with your ability to think differently about a problem or a challenge. Despite what you may think, these skills are not related to your years of experience. They relate to
041your ability to communicate, solve problems, and be creative. The skills valued by most employers have nothing to do with how long you've been in a particular industry or field. Joe has pro proven in the short time he has worked as a chief of talent management that he not only has these skills, but he has excelled in the position as only a part-time chief of talent management while also working as a full-time teacher. He has important leadership skills of communication, listening, collaboration, adaptability, empathy, and peace to successfully be the chief of talent management. Joe's always comported himself in a professional manner with teachers, parents, administrators, and board of education commissioners. As many of you have just talked about, what does Joe bring? The need for fresh ideas and new perspectives. We shouldn't be entirely interested in
042what someone has done in the past and more focused on what they can do for the Bruss Bristol public schools. Now, while it can be said that a chief of talent management must have a proven track track record track record of success, hiring Joe supersedes this because he has a fresh perspective and is someone who can extend the BPS vision into the future. Joe respects the expertise of teachers, administrators, union leaders, and board of ed commissioners and realize that the successful leader is one that's opening to listen to all viewpoints and perspectives and providing an opportunity for open and honest feedback. Experience doesn't always equate to success. Everyone always loves to bring it up. I'm going to go off my script. Shawn McVey changed the NFL coaching. Owners always wanted to go, let's go with
043the coach. This guy's proven this. And then the Los Angeles Ram decided to give a young 30-year-old Shawn McVey a head coaching job. Many press every how could you give it to this guy? He doesn't know anything. He's never coached. He this person's 50. This person that. And then Shawn McVey changed the way the NFL was run. Now owners are all looking for the next Shawn McVey as many other districts after they see Joe in work. We're going to be looking for the next Joe Gowski. Having years of experience I'm going to go back to my script. Having I just couldn't help myself. Having years of experience doesn't mean you'll be successful in your new role. Sometimes it's better to start from scratch with someone who has fewer preconceived notions about how things should be
044done. In this case, I believe Joe having less experience will make him more successful in his position because he's going to come in with a new perspective, frustrated deals, and be more open to a new way of doing things, which we need here in Bristol. Here's why I wholeheartedly, without any reservation, support Joe Gowski is the chief of talent management. Joe has every skill a chief of talent management needs to be successful leadership. No, no doubt in my mind, Joe will help to inspire and foster a more positive work environment. Joe has always comported himself in a positive manner with everyone that he interacts with, which again the board members who are probably going to say no admitted communication. Joe has excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential for effectively interacting with employees, management,
045and all stakeholders. Problem solving. In just the two weeks, Joe has been intern chief of town management and he's shown the ability to identify, analyze, and resolve many staff issues and adeptly handled some many staff concern concerns and conflicts. Strategic thinking in a short time, Joe has been chief of talent management. He's contributed to the organizational success of the district by actively being involved in workforce planning, talent acquisition, and organizational development through our um retirement incentive that we work through. Interpersonal skills. Joe has the ability to build rapport, foster positive relationships, and create a supportive work environment, which is essential for managing employees and working with all stakeholders. Financial insight and education. Each chief of talent management are involved in budgeting, compensation and benefits and planning and other financial aspects. Joe brings this unique perspective
046of having served as a board of ed commissioner for years. So have this invaluable experience and perspective that most people will never have when it comes to educational budgets. Lastly, Joe understands the Bristol community and the Bristol public schools. He attended the Bristol public schools as a student, served as a board of ed commissioner, and has been a teacher in the district for the past few years. When we hire people to work in Bristol, we always ask the question, will this hire be the right fit for Bristol? We already know Joe is 100% the right fit for Bristol, and he's the right person for this job. Thank you for your time and consideration. Thank you. So, the discussion is closed. The motion's been made and seconded. I will do a roll call vote. Commissioner Anderson,
047no. Commissioner Zaposki, no. Commissioner Ganton, no. Commissioner Van Gorder, no. Yes. Yes. Yes. Commissioner Pero Simmons. Yes. Commissioner Dante after that recommendation. Absolutely. Yes. So, the motion passes 54. Congratulations. Congratulations, Mr. Grabowski. With no further ado, the meeting is agenda.