001our meeting will now come to order good afternoon to all of you who have GA gathered so glad to see you on this nice spring day so we'll get ready to start our meeting Madam chair I knew that we reconvene an open session and adopt the certification of closed session second it has been moved in second that we will reconvene and Open Session and adopt certification of closed session all of those in favor use the usual sign I I certification of closed session whereas the deita County school board has convened a closed session on this date pursuant to an affirmative recorded vote and in accordance with the provisions of the Virginia Freedom of Information Act and whereas paragraph 2.2-cu of the code of Virginia requires a certification by the school board that such closed matters
002were conducted in Conformity with Virginia law n therefore be it resolved that the DWI County School Board hereby certifies that to the best of each member's knowledge only such business matters as were identified in the motion convening the closed meeting were heard discussed or considered by the school board Dr elain Pearson district one I certify Dwayne Walker District Two I certify Barbara Pitman District three I certifi Mary Benjamin District Four I certified Jason Brown II District Five I certifi Madam chair all certified thank you you will now stand and join us into the Pledge of Allegiance IED Al to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation God indivisible with liy and justice for all thank you Madame secretary are there any amendments to the
003agenda okay I'll entertain a motion Madam chair I move that we accept the agenda as presented second it has been moved in second that we accept the uh agenda as uh written all those in favor use use your sign okay the agenda is adopted close session report Madam chair I move that we accept the Personnel report as it was presented to us toight second it has been moved and second that we accept the Personnel report as presented all of those in favor I I the Personnel report is approved approval of student matters uh Madam chair I move that we accept the recommendation of the administration and expel student number e-03 25-1 because they pose a threat to the health and safety of students and staff second we it has been moved in second that that
004we accept the that we accept the recommendation of administration and expel student number e-325 D1 finding that the student poses a threat to the health and safety of the other students all of those in favor any oppos none and the student matters report is appro approved board matters yes 41 4 to one he what did he say he you didn't ask the question I thought you said no uh yes but I thought okay one one disapprove one NE sorry about that Clos session I mean board matters um yes we have Mr ampy I believe is going to come forward and talk to you about um Telecommunications greetings everyone greetings good afternoon I'm coming to you this evening to seeking board approval toward a the internet and W contract to Glow fiber and glow fiber is
005the current vendor we have for internet and W we have had them for five years they've been very good the services been good and and uh support's been good and they are supporting approximately like 30 School divisions already and U what they also um offered this time we have a a $21,000 um savings from our last contract and over a fiveyear time which is the length of the contract that's over $100,000 so we're very happy to be able to present this to you we need to approve the agreement Madam chair I move that we approve the agreement with glow fibers for the W connection second it has moved in second that we accept the recommendation um to award the contract to Glow fiber uh shendal Communications company all of those in favor use the usual
006sign all thank you can I ask you a quick question yes ma'am so one of the things you noticed in your you noted in your proposal was there was going to be a savings of about 20,000 which is unusual because most people are asking for more why why a savings each year I I think it's a saving because they've been able to get more customer I think Chantel is a company glow fire Chantel they they kind of merged but what what have happened over the years they've been able to get more and more school districts and I think they're more interested in getting a lot of clients and they putting out good service than trying to make a whole lot off a few clients so they've steadily added to their U um the type of
007capabilities they have and the number of school divisions they have so I think that's one of the reason why they're able to do that great thank you so much thank you thank Youk you ball of replacement and upgrades good afternoon good afternoon all right so um today we come before you we've already we came uh last month to talk about the emergency replacement boiler which has already been procured and they're working on um this is kind of going back to Old business where we were what we were trying to do prior to the boil fire at the middle school we were trying to get all three of these schools replaced uh Dy Middle School Dy Elementary School and Midway so this is a proposal for Midway and Dey Elementary to have their boilet replaced we
008have finished that procurement we did get three bids uh the uh low bid was to uh retrofit Services we were comfortable with that we've dealt with them in the past they actually worked on the chiller projects and are also installing the Dey Middle School uh boiler so I come before for you um just to get your um approval to uh award retrofit Services officially the bid for the Dy Elementary School and Midway Elementary School boilers in the amount of $957,000 uh this this will be uh funded by the uh County CIP fiscal year 25 do have a quick question yes sir you know when we had the malfunction with the boiler we did have to close the school for a bit of time we have to close it again for the no we we've asked
009them they're going to try to uh because that that school can operate especially during the warmer months it can operate on one boiler so we're going to ask them to try to work uh on disconnect one boiler keep one connected uh replace it then connect that one disconnect the other so we don't have to miss any school but both of these uh de with Elementary School and Midway Elementary which only work on one boiler uh they're going to be done when school ends that's when that project's going to start so the middle school they're going to work around school school thank you no we definitely don't want to CL close it again there any other questions Mr [Music] w i i move that we accept the B replacement upgrades second it is we moved in
010second that we um accept a recommendation coming from Mr walers on the the Ballers all of those in favor use the usual sign all right and I have it that's thank you all right I'm next also he's next you next to campus so um this this one is a uh campus landscape and grounds maintenance uh bid that we put out uh we got seven proposals back um we did a lot of research and interviewed a lot of different companies and we we were proud to say we were able to award this uh project to a local company um it's absolute lawn Solutions LLC um they actually uh stepped in and when we announced that we were awarding the bid we started uh to negotiate with ABM who's our current lawnscaping company who would like to
011terminate their contract early uh as of March 31st so we were able actually able to speak to Absolute law Solutions and they're going to begin April 1 instead of the traditional July 1 uh we thought this was appropriate because first of all you know Lawn Care is difficult to begin in July you know you're in the middle of the season so they're going to start April 1 we did Pro rate uh April May and June for their uh for their I guess it wasn't a contract officially was it Brenda it was just they're they're going to do it for three months for the prated amount and then they'll enter enter their contract July 1 uh it is a five-year contract with a optional termination by either side uh three months in advance each year and
012it's uh $900,000 and so is this more or less than the contract we already had it is approximately the same see the contract we had before was landscaping and athletic fields together so we we pulled them apart and this ended up being roughly you know within you know maybe a couple thousand dollars I think yeah uh the same for the landscaping and maintenance at our schools so it's going to be same company but no it's going to be a new company no no same company's going to do fields and Landscaping no ma'am we're still working on the athletic fields we haven't not with there man that that we had to put that one back out to bid we've gotten the information back we're working through that to make sure we get the best uh best
013company for that I really appreciate that you're going to be going with a local company yeah it was it was nice to be able to award it to a local company of course you have to do what's fiscally responsible but it was this time so it was very nice to be able to do that question of curiosity did ABM make a proposal they did they did they did it was not competitive now do we not have people in house that are currently doing this work has it always been contracted out it's kind of uh it's kind of like we did our janitorial uh as people retired instead of hiring new we replaced them with contractors it's it's more cost effective uh it's difficult to find people um especially specialty type of uh La Landscaping so
014we have one person who's retiring at the end of June um but then that'll be the end of our Landscaping that we have on staff it'll all be contracted at that point so we just have one more person that's in house and then the rest of the maintenance crew are all contracted out yes oh the Landscaping yes sir yeah and then our maintenance can focus on you know Plumbing hbac electrical and things like that instead of having to also do the Landscaping is grass cutting in this it is yeah I think in house we've primarily taken care of the grass cutting versus like oh yeah we did in the past but as they retired instead of replacing them we added on we've actually added on with this we've added some areas that weren't being cut
015before the interior of the Middle School the courtyard the interior D Elementary the courtyard we had always taken care of those in the past but they're added into here so really we actually have a little bit better of a deal because it's a little bit roughly the same price but it's more grass to cut so they bring their own equipment they do so we can get out of that we've mostly gotten out of that uh business of our equipment we did uh do some Surplus equipment sales when we hired the last company through years ago um it you're it's we we have I think uh two lawnmowers right now we have one down at Transportation where they cut their grass and the maintenance grass and then we do have a tractor but we don't plan
016to Surplus any of that it's still good equipment that we can use hang on to something yeah something might happen that we need to Yeah we actually have a a Toro I don't know the model but it's a Toro field field cutter that actually cut can cut our football field but we we prefer someone to bring in a real mower so it's pure they're not getting the seed from other places and putting it on the football field or that grows weeds and things like that so so you made a point about cost efficiency I mean have we found it to be effective because usually when people have conversations about Contracting out it tends to uh cost a little bit more that well the efficient part of it is it is cost efficient in that um
017we're able to predict exactly what our needs are we're able to budget that much easier but the big thing is we're also able to get more of a professional type service for our schools you know so they look nicer um it's difficult when you have in-house people uh because they're usually stretched in and they're trying to cut eight different campuses um and it you know in this climate it's hard to find enough people to do that um you go to these lawn service companies and they're they're efficient at that they know how to do that they know how to attack these Lawns to make sure that they are you know doing them as efficiently as possible um so it's not just cost efficiency it's also you know quality service that we're looking for with that
018and I think they bring a crew in all instead of us having one man going from building to they do they'll bring three people that'll cut the high school then they'll go cut the middle school then they have it on a schedule yeah and they also do some more land I'm sorry excuse me they do landscaping in addition to cutting the grass they take care of the flowers they Mulch and things like that which is important I know the previous company ABM was storing equipment and Mulch and whatnot over at our spring is that part of the deal with the new we're going to store The Mulch but we're going to find a better place uh that's one thing that uh Matt our uh director of facilities operations you know was not a fan of
019neither was I uh we're going to find an appropriate place to store where it's not sitting in the middle of the spring Sports Complex cool yeah and and that was not done out of laziness that was done out of being able to get a tractor in easily but there's other places we can do that yeah yeah I just know I know we don't park cars there anymore but yeah when we did it was kind of in the way so yeah no doubt you we're going to find a place where we can get it where it's easy to get to but not in the middle of the action yeah any other questions he seeking approval I will I entertain a motion Madame chair I move that we uh accept the contract with absolute long solutions for
020a period of 15 months for the first year with the option to renew second second second it has been moved in second that we accept the contract for campus un landsca landscaping and grounds maintenance all of those in favor use ual sign I have it thank you I think I'm got another one yeah I think so I think Walters I think this is the time the board of remember from the last meeting did asked for us to um have a public hearing relative to the um whether or not the board would move forward with Surplus in the land behind midweight elementary school so Mr Walters is going to just speak briefly to that but I believe there are some people here to speak this evening yeah um I'm sorry do you want me to wait
021yes ma'am yeah okay um I I went through and made a timeline of this because this has been kind of a convoluted and no it's no surprise I'm not a real estate agent I'm not really familiar with that so we worked through it but I wanted to make sure that I was able to put on the public record exactly as things transpired um in August of 24 I was approached by Baylor construction uh verly inquiring about purchasing uh TP 187a um the DCPS staff looked at that land as we always do to see uh whether we could center that land Surplus meaning I think I explain this last time but could we get to it uh or could someone get to it without interrupting operations is it land that we may or may not need
022anymore things of that nature we needed to make sure we did that before we even discussed it in September uh we determined that the land was Surplus and then we also had Hallmark properties uh performing independent appraisal um we then sought the Council of the Dy County Attorney's Office to assist in receiving offers on the land in February of 25 uh Baylor construction did present a written offer to purchase the land for $114,800 uh we did decline that offer because it was a little bit lower than the independent appraisal um on February 13th Baylor construction sent a written offer for $115,000 which was much more in line with the independent appraisal uh on March 4th a public notice uh went out uh for a hearing in the Progress Index and on public notice virginia.com and
023I want to make a correction I I think we did say the Richmond Times Dispatch at the last meeting but it was the Progress Index uh and it was also in public notis virginia.com on March 11th Baylor constructions offered a purchase the 18439 uh trative land that adjoins the Midway Field behind Midway Elementary um was presented to the school board in the price of $115,000 in response to several public requests for information about the property including other verbal inquiries about purchasing the property it was determined that the matter warranted a public hearing which I think we did uh last school board meeting [Music] um on March 16th the public notice announcing the public hearing about this trative land was placed in the Progress Index uh public noce virginia.com and also on the Dey County Public
024School Facebook page on March 20th uh we received another written offer from amazing homes LLC CAG homes LLC and ashbe Enterprises for $125,000 um so that's where we are to this point um as far as what we've received um the administrative considerations uh directions needed concerning how to proceed from the board on how to proceed with this um I did want to add recommendations because I think it's important that this is said uh after allowing public comments today um I I would recommend that I think Dy County the schools would recommend that the board uh make a decision on how to proceed with this um if you desire to continue to sell the land I believe the the appropriate course of action would be to discard all current written offers and give a period of
02510 days for anyone to issue a written offer and that would allow the two that have already issued written offers the chance to reissue and amend their offers um I believe that's the course of action if we decide to sell I think that's the fair way to go if the desire is to forego the sale of the prop property then obviously the appropriate action would be to either vote not to sell it or just not take any action um but I I did want to make sure that uh it was it was understood exactly what happened leading up to this um and I know we're going to have some public comments but I'd be happy to answer any questions you may have for me do you have any comments for Mr Walters right now no
026comments no thank you thank you Mr I got read this we're going to get ready for uh public comments um we do have one but before the comments I have I will read this state two that was one I thought that was an address I have two excuse me I have two for public comments I was looking at address line and not the not the name line before you come forward I call you I would have to read the statement the board ensures that that public participation at any specially called meeting of the school board is fair and respectful upon recommendation of the board chair public hearings and for forums are typically designed to receive substantial Community input and individual comment signup sheets will be made will be made available at each door for those
027attending who wish to address the board time limits will usually be set for each speaker to ensure everyone can address the board typically each speaker will be allotted allocated five minutes during public hearings and forums rather than three minutes during the public address portion of the regular meeting so you will be allowed five minutes and now I'm calling um Alan herw HW no comment at this HW yes no comment at this time no comment okay um Patrick Lloyd good afternoon everyone uh thank you I'm sorry is it am I good to go okay okay uh thank you for the opportunity to speak today uh again my name is Patrick Lloyd I reside at uh 546 Midway Drive in Southerland um I'm here today respectfully to voice my opposition uh regarding the proposed resolution to declare
028the land behind Midway Elementry uh parcel 187a as Surplus and to authorize its sale uh to Bor anyone else uh over the past two weeks since I last spoke to you all I've heard from dozens of community members uh neighbors parents residents who have all reached out to me directly through either Facebook or I've I've met them uh on the road and you know baseball practices and everything else um and the message has been overwhel whelmingly clear that our community does not want this land sold uh not just to one particular Builder not to anyone uh the land is the only remaining large parcel of joining Midway Elementary as you all know and one of the few uh left near any School site in the county uh declaring it Surplus now closes the door on
029any future use that might benefit our students or the school system uh whether it's expanded Rec recreational space an outdoor learning area or room for school facility growth in the future uh once this land is sold and developed those opportunities will be gone uh once the land is sold the school system has no control over what could happen next uh we could make our concerns uh known to the Planning Commission or the Board of Supervisors obviously but there's no gu guarantee uh that our vision for the area will become reality the only way to ensure this land continues to serve educational or Community purposes is to retain its ownership by the school system uh we know that the perspective buyer also already owns land the first prospective buyer also owns the land uh directly to
030the right of Midway Elementary if this sale goes through they would control over 45 Acres surrounding the school uh which opens the door to a large subdivision being built next to Midway which could bring more traffic infrastructure strain and potentially an increase in school enrollment all while reducing the school's future flexibility uh in addition I just want to express my personal concern shared by several others in the surrounding area uh in the community uh the environmental risk uh many nearby homes rely on wellwater and a large scale construction uh uh Endeavor uh with land grading and new well drilling could disrupt the local local water table and pose real challenges to the residents who live in the nearby area um again I know that uh we have you know the the timeline was uh gone
031over I still I do feel like this is happening at a incredibly rushed Pace um while the school board is voting today uh to declare whether or not this is indeed Surplus land um and I know it was mentioned in the last meeting I I it's not yet approved whether or not the school board will even retain the proceeds of the sale um is is what I gathered from the last meeting uh so it seems as as though we're being currently asked to declare the property Surplus and move forward with a permanent decision before all the details have been finalized um financially the sale price of 125 or 115 or any price for that matter is seems appealing on paper but in the context of our school's Capital needs needs it seems uh that it's
032barely a drop in the bucket uh if we if we ever needed to reacquire 18 Acres uh next to a school we certainly wouldn't be able to do it at that price uh we'd lose a massive long-term resource in my opinion for a small one-time gain this it to me and to those of us in the community in the nearby area this isn't just about what we might lose today it's about what we may need in five or 10 or 15 20 years from now uh selling this land is a one oneway decision once it's gone it's gone uh but if we keep it we keep our options open for students for our schools and for the future of our County I encourage each of you to ask yourselves if the land selling if selling
033this land now for a short shortterm financial gain is truly worth the long-term effects it may have on the school system the environment and the families who already live in the area I hope you all will listen to the community um stop the process now and protect the land and preserve the future of midweight Elementary thank you thank you thank you since there are no I have no other um signed up to comment board members I would accept your comments now Madam chair I would love to make a statement about this um I I'm honestly a little bit disappointed at the uh I just be frank I've heard from a lot of people that I don't see here today um and I know some of them gave me reasons why they couldn't be here and
034whatnot um but I know personally that there are a lot of people that have strong opinions about this decision that we're faced with today and um many of them shared the same sentiment that Mr Lloyd expressed here um publicly um and so I have been forced to wrestle with what part I may play in this process um for me there are number of uh issues that that make this a difficult decision or or that complicate this decision I should say um number one the process of surplus property for the school system I think is tricky when it comes to land because while it's very easy to declare that a vehicle is no longer safe or um usable for the school system you get to 250 300,000 mies the wheels are wobbling we've we Surplus this
035vehicle it's not quite as easy I don't think to make such a declaration or determination about property because um while we can consider possibilities it's almost impossible to definitively say that there would never be a use for that land um we can make a pretty strong argument I think and I think at times um that that argument has been made but that I think makes it difficult for us to say to the community with confidence that we're certain that the land could never be used now personally um just from looking at this I've taken time to do a little bit of research and and ask a lot of questions I don't see where this land can or will be used by our school system in the very near future probably not in my lifetime but
036having said that I can't definitively say that the land would never be useful to the school system so that presents a problem for me um secondly because I have heard from a number of members in the community I have to weigh um personally where the value of the land goes how how do I weigh the value of the land versus the the will of the people that I've heard from that's that's an that's not an exact science either because I only hear from the people I hear from and there are a lot of people I don't hear from and so it's possible that there may be more people in favor of surplus this land than against uh but as it sits I I've only heard from people that are against Surplus land um so the
037question is do I want to risk upsetting people for the reward of$ 115 or $125,000 and so that raises another question um I think the number that's been presented to us at some point was 11 a. half million and I may be misspeaking on that Mr Walters 11.5 million in capital projects that we're trying to tackle we we just don't have funding for those projects um and so we're looking at and I'm I don't have a math degree so I don't know what $125,000 is percentagewise to 11 and a half million somebody wants to calculate that but I know it's a very low percentage um so we would still be facing a deficit in regards to the capital projects that we want to tackle um and then next year we're in the same boat with
03818 less acres to sell so for for me while I I love the idea idea of hey let's get some money to take care of a project because these projects need to be done I believe that wholeheartedly um is it worth for the momentary satisfaction of being able to say hey we we we brought in a little bit of money um to take care of a a part of this is it worth the risk of upsetting our constituency um and the people that we serve um having said that um I think it's pretty obvious at this point for anybody that's listening here uh should we call this to a vote today to Surplus I would not vote in favor of surplus in the land however I think it's important for us to acknowledge a couple
039of things before we were to even call for such a vote and and one of those things is this I have done the best I can to look into the process that has played itself out here and I want to State very clearly and publicly that I do not believe that anyone involved in this process has done anything unethical um or immoral um I don't believe that anyone has done anything questionable I I think everything's been done legally I think there are some challenges for us to consider as far as how can we be more um transparent which I don't think that's because I I don't I don't think we were intentionally um lacking transparency but I think there's a perception there and so I I think the that if nothing else out of this
040we learned that maybe we can look into ways as a board to um to be more transparent with stuff like this but at the end of the day I think the process has played itself out exactly how it's supposed to um no one did anything unethical or immoral the people that initiated this process did so well within their rights there there's no reason why they couldn't do what they did there's no reason why they couldn't approach the county and say hey I'm interested in this property would you be willing to to offer it for sale um we entertained the offer the public was made aware of the offer and and then democracy played itself out in real time right here in Dy County the people have Express themselves those who wanted to um should we
041walk away from this today which that that would be my vote to just say I think we should uh choose not to Surplus this land um it does not fix the fact that we still have $ 11.5 millionar worth of capital projects that we need funding for and so um I think that for us one thing that we can take away from this as a positive is making our constituents aware of the fact that we do have a lot of needs in our school system that require funding that we don't currently have um I have learned a lot just in the last year and a half about how funding works for the public school system and I've learned that most of the money that we get comes with strings attached so we don't just get
042to pick and choose what we do with the money that we have we get the money through grants and through um law the the legal system through the state but every dime they give us they say well this money is for this and this money is for that so if we find a need such is those that Mr Walters has found in that $ 115 million if it's not um accounted for in that state or federal funding then we have to go find the money to take care of those needs and I I think that we need to really um have have more discussion with our community about that and and and make the community aware that hey there there are needs here that we need to take care of and if we're not going
043to sell this land okay but um I I I want to also acknowledge though that um in the time that Mr Walters has been in the role that he is in I believe that he is the statement's been made that we can't generate revenue and that's true but I think Mr Walters has saved our school system a lot of money in creating systems and processes by which we maintain our facilities which in the long run is going to benefit us towards those 11.5 million uh dollars in projects um and I truly believe that what he was doing here by um allowing this process to play out was just another example of him trying to take care of what he's been tasked with doing which is finding ways to get these things done um so I
044appreciate the effort that he put into this I know that um with this along with other um issues we've been working on that that a lot of people have been very um um people are passionate people are passionate about these subjects and sometimes when you're passionate you say things that aren't fair and a lot of times that aren't necessarily true and um so I want to be clear that that that I respect and appreciate the work that's been done to this end but at the end of the day I personally think that um it's not in our best interest um as we represent the community to uh to make the decision to Surplus the land so uh I just want to make that statement publicly thank you madam chair Madam chair I would also like
045to say that um when you talk about people are passionate and they they assume things say things that many of which the things that have been said Facebook Twitter whatever those things were not true and the way to find out the true information is to come to the public hearings we held some hearings on um uh the bell schedule issue we had recently many people came out talked at the elementary schools people could have attended here for that tonight as well U of course this is for the land issue but at no time you know a local company looked up they found out who owned it and came to us and made an offer which started that process going there was no back room deal there was no somebody picked out that we were going
046to sell the land to and not give everybody else a chance none of that was true and a lot of people jumped on that bandwagon they made an offer and and someone else has made an offer and so um it's way the process goes and it's it we have we have not even been brought the question of do you want to Surplus it so tonight is the first time that the vote comes to Surplus it now people that made an an offer they did their due diligent homework they went looked up the plot oh these people own this land will make an offer that's business and so it wasn't in any way shape or form meant to be anything but normal business I also would like to point out we had people approach us to
047buy some land behind Southerland one time we did the same thing we looked at it couldn't find a way for them to get to it without crossing our property so we didn't Surplus that we also sold a small small piece of land to a local business because it was land locked and they needed to turn a truck around over behind the um you de with the elementary so this is a normal process it is not something that anybody concocted up for this moment this is normal things that have been before us before and um we have received a lot of input and um from people who live over there and so that's that's what we should have do we should have public interest and public comment so I'm glad you're here thank you well I
048I did want to touch on a few of the um the themes with what Miss Pitman had shared and Pastor Walker um you know it really boils down to I mean people usually run on these you know phrases of transparency it's a pretty easy talking point for a lot of people running for office to say they want to be transparent people buy into it one of the things that you know I said especially when I was running for school board is that you know I don't want you know transparency in the way that we say it I want Community right usually when people people say transparency it's I'm having a conversation and I make it public and and uh you get to hear what I'm saying you know what I advocated for was Community you
049know not I'm having conversation with someone and you get to hear it but you actually get to be a part of the conversation um the reason I bring that out is you know because I I do want to challenge the rest of the board um for us to you know reconsider how we can make this more of a conversation how we can make this more Community oriented um and have to focus Less on the transparency part right you know uh have public spaces and discussion um because there are a lot of people that had a lot of opinions one way or the other about the sale um there were a lot of people who didn't have the privilege to learn the things that we got to learn throughout the process um I do not deal
050with land in my uh day-to-day job um so there were a lot of things that I did not know about selling land Surplus Etc I now know it um and I will definitely be sure to use it in the future but um you know we should also be affording the rest of Dy County you know specific specifically our Working Families you know that privilege um to be able to have this conversation with us and that dispels a lot of you know mistruth that may be out there right um you know I'm not out here pedling any mistruth because I I've been informed on how the process happened um and uh you know I have confidence in the people that I have confidence in um however you know had I not been a part of that
051discussion things probably would look a different way um I also looked at the clock when this discussion started it was right at 4:20 p.m. um um this is something that I brought up earlier in the year when we did our uh board uh structuring um you know 420 is is not a pretty easy time or accessible time for you know Working Families in the community to be a part of this discussion um I know we did have a meeting uh at one of our elementary schools and you know people attended but a lot of people didn't attend and as you pointed out you know many many people in the community have an opinion about this many of them have voices um but those are things that we have left unheard simply because we are not
052making is super accessible for everyone um and I say that as a challenge U more of a constructive critique um not necessarily something to bash anyone um but I think that's you know something that we should also take away from this conversation whether the sale happens it doesn't happen whether it's labeled Surplus or isn't labeled as Surplus at the end of the day have we made things more accessible for Dy County Working Families I'm not sure um and that's the challenge that I have for the rest of us as board members to really restructure what we're doing here with our schools so that our decision making brings in are again working families who are the Cornerstone of D Community thank you Mr Brown mam chair sir um I could Echo everything that has been said
053but but particularly to what uh Mr Brown just said regarding Community I think that Reverend Walker and I found out in the last two weeks just how strong the community around Midway is lots of phone calls lots of of conversations I did not get so much negativity as I got questions some of them I could answer some of them I couldn't I would remind them of this meeting tonight but there was some real concern as to what was taking place and how it was taking place and I hope that tonight we have laid a lot of that to rest because we have not tried to do anything that wasn't out in the open but I appreciate so much you coming tonight and presenting your your thoughts on this and those who called me and even
054those comments I read on Facebook cuz we wouldn't have known because like Jason said they're not here tonight many of them might work but I thank you are there any other any additional comments if if I could in respond in um I don't know if in solidarity and preacher terms I want to say an amen to uh what Mr Brown said first of all I agree with what you're saying about community I think that is transparency um uh but to the end of the the idea of having a later meeting um you raised that concern last year at the beginning of our term on the board and um for the sake of transparency I'll acknowledge here that I voted to go with the four o00 um after there was some discussion about it I do
055believe that when we have meetings about things that it's clear the community is very passionate about we we should consider later meeting times I do believe that and I will acknowledge that um our Schoolboard leadership did do that with the the staggered bell schedule for the community forums um I think it was six o'clock or something like that it was later times um my understanding is um there was not very good attendance at the first one even with the later time the second one had much better attendance I don't know how much better but I do think it it um it would behoove us to um maybe consider doing a later more convenient meeting time late um for situations like this I think there are um well the Schoolboard meetings that there's there's a discussion
056to be had about that we had that last year um you know every time we get together on the first or second Tuesday of the month many times it's almost um clerical you know there there isn't necessarily a big decision and we've got a lot of employees that are in the room and so I respect the idea that we want to uh be respectful of their time but I agree with you Mr Brown that when we're making a big decision like this it it would do us well um for the sake of community to uh accommodate as many people as possible and if that means having a later meeting time then so be it I I I would I would I'd be up for that um I think it's a discussion we we should continue
057um moving forward for the sake of transparency and community that being said if there's no other I I would like to make a motion Madam chair is this the appropriate time to do that or is that okay yes I want to make a motion I would like to make a motion that we vote not to Surplus the land at this time I'm not sure how a motion like that would work because I don't know legally if we have to put time restraints on that I don't I don't because if 200 years from now my great great great great great great grandson is serving on the school board and finds out that the land is worthless and somebody wants to pay for it I I don't want to well I think you you could s you
058can make a motion not to Surplus it and at some point in the future someone could make a motion that you do Surplus it so I mean it's it's a moving Target basically but well I make a motion that we not Surplus at this time it has been moved in second that we not Surplus the land at this time all of those in favor use i i i i eyes have it I mean Madam chair we didn't have anybody speak to the bell schedule at this this meeting but I would like to say very similarly is we have a problem and the problem was children get to school late cuz we didn't have enough bus drivers and enough um substitute drivers so a proposal was made and we'll need some more proposals because that that
059particular proposal we got a lot of negative feedback on it and we were desperately trying to figure out how can we get our kids to school on time when we don't have enough drivers enough buses enough things we have before that proposal came out and the and many came out against it the 3 weeks before that I was receiving phone calls very often about my kid missed algebra again my kid missed history again my kid missed reading I was receiving those phone calls what are you going to do about it we you know the bus is late every single day it happened to be a driver that was out for cancer and there was a substitute in that route and so it was so we were looking for some way and Mr Walters did a
060lot of work and research on it to you know how can we do it now possibly we may not do that we're looking for some more um suggestions what else can we do so um people with thinking outside the box and great minds we need your suggestions we need to figure out what can we do we we we can't continue having you know 30 kids every day missed first period I mean so we got to do something so we appreciate your input on that as well and we do have another um session this week th Thursday Thursday evening at 6:00 at the high school so we welcome any solutions to that yeah thank you is anything else a motion to for adjournment anyone so moved meeting meeting is adjourned thank you for coming