August 11, 2025 Board Work Session/Open Meeting

001Good evening everyone. I call this meeting to order. Roll call please. Miss Donna. >> Miss Karns >> here. >> Miss Miller >> here. >> Miss Williams >> here. >> Miss Chzn >> here. >> Mr. Moore >> here. >> Mr. Richmond >> here. >> Miss Whitney L. I'll stand for the pledge of allegiance, please of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay guys, approval of the agenda. Is there a motion? I'll make the motion. >> Thank you, Rhonda. Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> Thank you, Mike. Would you call the vote when we ready, please? M. >> Miss Miller? >> Yes. >> Miss Williams? >> Yes. >> Miss Chzn? >> Yes. >> Miss Karns?

002>> Yes. >> Miss Ling? >> Yes. >> Mr. Moore? >> Yes. >> Mr. Richmond? >> Yes. >> And the motion passes. >> Evan Zero. >> Items on discussion. Dr. Okay. The the first item we have this evening is um uh a POS a change in the policy JHCD administration of medications to students. Basically uh I gave the red line item there in the uh on the on the agenda on the item on assembly. Basically it changes um that all uh EpiPen auto syringes uh asthma related rescue medications and nlloxxone which is brand named Narcan that's what you hear most of most of the time but it the old policy had just the middle schools and high schools having that Narcan in the buildings but we would have that in every building just for student safety

003and just in case something would happen that we would need to respect our nurses would need to respond. So that's really the only change in that policy >> there any questions. >> Thank you, Dr. Nelson. >> And the next one, is that yours, Dr. Mus? >> It sure is. So mine is a policy change as well, policy CE. We would recommend to change the language in this policy to reflect our current titles. So changing associate superintendent to assistant superintendent and then changing um the chief finance officer. We don't have a director of finance right now. So that would be an assistant superintendent which we would leave that language in there. And then adding a director of communications all being required to reside within the school district. So I'd be happy to take any questions on

004that. Is this so this was just this is just to clean up the like make the titles accurate? >> Yes. So the language in here is actually kind of vague and back in the day principles were even required to reside in our district. And so given the current pool that we have when we're trying to look for people to fill positions, we would just like to have this as our top executive team. And that's only the people that are listed actually correct on the policy. >> Dr. McInness, would there be like a uh a grandfather clause type of thing? We would kind of going forward. >> We would. Yes. Um and actually, I mean, we would like for all of our district leadership to reside within our district. But given the >> just the current

005pool that we have, sometimes that's a challenge. And so, if we could just stick with the top executive team, I think that would be a good start. So, but definitely grandfathering people in who are in those rules now. >> Thank you. >> And when would this take into effect like immediately after approval of the next board meeting? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, was it so we will have to grandfather some people in because they don't fit this? >> We will have one we will have to grandfather in. >> I just I worry about grandfathering people in because then it creates this issue with new people that get hired. So, new people get hired and then this person like I think for me I would want like some sort of like year notice but that's

006I mean we can debate that or not but that's just >> Can you explain your notice? What do you mean? I mean, if we're saying that for people to take these positions, they have, you know, we feel like these are the positions specifically that need to reside within the school district. I just think it's hard when you say we're going to grandfather someone in. And to be clear, I don't know who it is. I don't want to know who it is. Um, so this is not out any one person. I just think it's hard when you say, well, you know, in five years, that person wasn't made to do it. I mean, I think that's what kind of got us into an issue last year where I think we only had one assistant superintendent that

007lived in the district. >> Well, it wasn't enforced. I mean, the the only person that's been enforced is the superintendent for quite some time, >> right? So, that's that's my concern is that if there's one if there's a position that we feel like is important to reside within the district, >> I think they should reside within the district. I mean it it's a it's a pain changing residencies like obviously. Um but I think if we're saying that that's important that you know and the reasons why it's important I think you would send an email to this like if you're going to recommend tax increases you need to be a taxpaying person in the district. If you're recommended changes to a school district it's important that you're affected by those changes too. I just I I

008will support this um change. I just don't think that there should I think so whoever who if it's important enough these positions should should live here. So we don't I mean enforcement I guess doesn't >> it's okay. Keep going. >> Uh so that's just my opinion. Thank you. >> Any other comments about this? Okay. Thank you, Dr. McGinness. >> Okay. The policy changes. That is you, M. >> Yes. Um, all of the policies that MSBA has forwarded to me have been vetted through all of the directors and they are recommending those to be accepted and they will be on the August 25th board meeting agenda for you all to approve. So, I just wanted to make sure that you all were aware of that. you look through these. >> Done almost all driven by changes

009in state legislature. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Are there any additional questions? >> Okay. If there are not um Okay, guys. Everyone's looking at the policy e >> at that area. I'm looking at you. >> Why are you looking at me? you know, no judgment, but >> I have had no questions. So, >> yes. Yes. It's a pretty lengthy one, so >> I'll be on it. Yeah. >> All good. >> If there are any questions, if you can just let us know about those because they're going to be on the agenda at the next meeting. >> Thank you. >> Town hall meetings. We discussed these at the last meeting and we were wanting to bring them to theformational meeting, you know, for more in-depth discussion. Um, who asked for this? It was Whitney because

010we were going to try to schedule these out and let everybody know. >> Yeah, I think it's been a campaign promise of a lot of us a lot of different times. Um, and I know Rick Garing really pushed for it for a while. So, >> um, and I think we've talked about it a lot. We've just never actually done it. >> Perfect. Um, I'm assuming that everybody brought your planner with you. Are we able to choose a month? >> Sure. >> A week a day to do this >> for the fall? >> Yes. Um, at least the fall. Maybe the spring too as well. That's what you had agreed to. >> Okay. So, when do you think would be a good time? >> When are parent teacher conferences? >> October 27th through the 30th and

011then we're out of school on Halloween. >> Okay. Were you wanting to do them >> some early November? Maybe. >> I think early November sounds good. >> We want it for >> white snow. >> So July. >> Okay. Now we're looking in November. >> Yeah. >> Dr. Mr. McGinness, is there a date of the week that's easier for the staff? >> I don't think it's ever going to be perfect no matter what day you pick. So, I would just pick a day and then whoever can be there will just try to be there. >> Perfect. >> I was mainly asking about the communications and the cameras and such like that because they're going to have to be there with us. I think if we just know the day then we'll >> you'll be able to

012adjust that. >> How about the evening of >> August 15th? >> August. >> October. >> I was just catching >> 15. >> You say October. >> Yes. Yes. I'm just asking if that's a good date for everybody. >> Okay. August August. October 15th is not good. Um, is there a better date? >> I will be out of town. >> Okay. It means we'll >> try >> have to move that a week earlier than if you're going to be out of town after that. >> I I'm not sure if it's going to last two weeks or one. I'm not trying to be difficult. I just don't have the full dates of it. Well, and the week after that, um, at the end of it, it's the conference. It's the annual >> the conference >> conference for

013MSBA. >> Um, and so, okay, let's look at how about October the 8th. >> October 8th. >> Kim, can you just tell us what works for you and we'll just do that? Well, those particular times I'll be in Tennessee probably doing something. So, it'd be have to be after those first couple weeks. >> So, anytime after that >> by the 15th 16th pass there >> and I know it runs into the conference. >> So, 16th. >> No. >> Um, how about Tuesday, October 21st? That should be good. >> I can do that. >> Yeah. >> Yep. >> All right. That is our fall town hall meeting um >> in the evening. I assume >> 5:30. >> Oh, yeah. >> Here. >> I think we we've had this dream that we can move them around and

014make them more accessible, but I think sometimes that creates more confusion about where they're at or when they're at. Um, I would just say to have it here. >> I'm okay with here. >> Are you guys okay with this location? >> I'm good with this. >> So, >> also at 5:30. Everyone okay with that time? >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Sounds good. Will we be posting um what we be posting like an agenda or something prior to that meeting then >> program of some sort? >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Now the spring break. >> Can we also make sure that we have our microphones on? There was complaints about that last time. Everyone's mic Wanda. There we go. When is spring break? March 9th through the 12th, I believe. >> Don, did you check me? Okay.

015Thanks. >> And then >> there's school on the 13th. >> There's not during that whole week of spring break 9th through the 13th. >> Okay. market. >> Um, what about >> in the middle of the week on the 25th? >> March. >> Yes. March 25. >> Yep. >> Works for me. >> That was not as hard as I thought it was going to be. Okay. If everyone's okay with those dates, let's move on to item number six, the foundation board representation. Um, as in the bylaws, there needs to be a person from the board. Um, Ashley, could you remind us about the commitment of those meetings? >> Um, I believe it is once a quarter. >> Okay. >> I actually haven't gone to the first one yet. I believe it's not till late August or

016September. >> Mhm. >> Once a quarter. Okay. >> So, that's just the four meetings a year then. >> Correct. >> It's usually during the day sometime, isn't it? >> 3:30, I believe. during the day. Is there a particular day of the week? >> I don't know if they have a set day. The next one that they have is set on August 20th at 3:30. >> That'll be the first one I go to. >> Okay. In the day. So, we we need to select somebody. >> Yeah, you spoke first. Does that mean you're interested? >> Uh, yeah, I can do it. >> Perfect. >> Unless there's somebody else wants to do it. >> You'd like to do >> Oh, okay. I'll defer. >> I don't have a preference. I don't want to do it. Yeah, we

017I do have there's the gentleman at work that's already on it, you know, from my work. So, it might be nice to do something different. >> Um, okay. So, then it can be Kim and then when Kim's not able to make it, Mike. >> Yeah. >> Is everybody okay with that? We need at the next meeting we'll just motion secondh. >> And so we've got a first and an alternate. Is everybody okay with that? >> Sure. >> Perfect. Okay. Next, Mr. Casey. Good evening. >> So here this is a these are for change orders for ATG that'll be bringing later this month. Uh the first change order there's two on this attachment. Uh the first change order is for a zero increase. It is merely a 90-day extension for ATG which is actually the company

018putting down the turf. Um the reason being is they weren't handed over the the fields um until the end of their contract date from original. So they're asking to extend it 90 days to cover them. The next the other item on here >> a question. >> Oh, sure. Absolutely. >> When's that 90 days? I realize they're saying they're going to try to do it sooner than that. When when will that 90 days be? >> It's 90 days from the 18th of July. I will have to calculate the I don't have it right hand this September so middle of October >> that's b yes yes that's that's merely just to cover them in case if there any incident that for some reason they could not be able to install the turf um they're still covered and

019not not liable for any uh damages >> liquidated what you just said >> nobody likes that can you >> I don't know that we need to cover No, this is merely to cover theirelves. Um, and I I totally understand the track record that they had to get here. It took a little bit longer than what we anticipated. Um, so they want to make sure that, you know, because their liquidity damages if they were to go over their contract um is $800 per day. >> So, can you I know we have this and the next are going to be on on turf and I know there's been a lot of chatter about what's going on and I know you're working really hard on that and it's not all your fault. Um, can you explain what's going

020on? How this change order, this change order is for >> to extend the period. Yeah, >> to extend the period. But can you tell us what the status is of the three fields? >> Sure. Uh, Benton is complete except for doing final safety checks and punch list items. >> Um, currently, as of today, Lafayette from the 50 yard line to the end zone to the south is laid. Um, so it's a big step. I mean, laying the turf itself, you'll see the gray and the white and the the off gray very quickly. The hard part is all the numbers, letters, hash marks. They all have to be cut in by hand. >> And then what's going on with Central? >> Central, I just spoke with Don Bowlinger, the construction manager for ATG. His hope is

021to have a crew here this Friday. >> It's the second crew. So, while they're working on Lafayette, they'll be working on Central. >> Yes. >> So, will they be done before the first home gate? If they get here in Weather Holding, yes. >> And if they're not, where will they play their home game at? >> They have the opportunity to play at Missouri Western or other alternate location. >> That's not how it works. >> I'll finish. Uh the alternate location could be another school that's ready. Um I will remind everybody that we do play at Missouri Western. It is $3,000. >> Let me ask a question. Is there any um is is the company is the company that did the dirt work and the preparation that are late turn it over. They paying any penalty

022for not getting that turned over on time. >> Um at this time we can discuss that internally but we have not uh brought that to them to them at this time. And with these change orders, are we still in budget for our bond? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, our last meeting, I'd asked to see that. >> Yeah, we'll have those updated numbers at the next board meeting. We didn't want to give you anything right now because this would change from the next board meeting. And so um with these change orders coming in and and talking through them to ensure that those were included in the next group of numbers, but Casey is correct that that we are below and those are restricted funds. So any funds that were approved for the general obligation bond

023are restricted have to be spent on brick and mortar items like the turf, the sidewalks and the HVAC >> and all that online viewable. Correct. >> Correct. That is viewable online. If you go to our website and go under business office and look at the U bond, there is a bottom button at the bottom of the screen that basically says look at the um bond uh projections and what the original cost was and what's been charged to date. >> So that is out there >> and you project that in total that'll not go with that budget. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> You can continue now. >> Sure. Um so the the other change order in that uh same group was for AT as well. This is for to cover overtime to work 61 12

024hour days rather than the regular 40. Uh with the six 12 hour days gets us to where we are with Benton right now. Um working the extra overtime to to ensure that we make the deadline for the first games. >> So this is for for ATG to >> for ATG for the trip itself. Okay. The next item, is there any other questions? Sorry for those two. The next item is number eight, the turf change order for Mid America Golf. Um that is will be in the amount of $60,000. That is for the stabilization of the track service >> out which >> at Lafayette. Sorry. >> That's okay. Can you explain about the issue at Lafayette track? >> Sure. So, what we do, we do a what we call a proof roll. Um, basically put 20

025tons of uh gravel or whatever to have it scaled out official. Then we drive that truck around the circle or up and down the field and you measure the deflection of the soil. Anything that's exceeds a half inch to an inch of deflection, depending on the third party that's there to oversee the process, they make a recommendation thus far after that of what we need to do in order to uh make the soil and everything stable enough to withstand the construction procedures and Olen is the one that made that recommendation. >> So the unstable ground and the overtime are unplanned. correct >> issues because of rain or the lack of finding that out ahead of time for the for the bid. >> Yes. >> Before ahead of before the bids and everything, we did do

026corn and soil samples which were very spotty here and there, >> right? >> Um the recommendation at that time was not to stabilize officially but to redetermine once you reach that subgrade. They did do the the roll test then the subgrade was fine. Then with all the added rain and everything is when it really softened up. The expansive clay absorbed it over time. That's when causes everything to move, causes the soft spots. So with a previous meeting, we approved $90,000 and then this $60,000. You'd said there was probably going to be some on the track. Even with that 150,000 we're going to be under. >> Yes. >> Well, that's a good job of managing that. >> Got a good team. Okay, you can continue. >> Okay. Uh the third one is number nine. It's the

027HVAC. This pertains to Edison, Mark Twain, and Eugene Field. Um there is an array of costs that were not clear. uh we were not able to predetermined uh but until the bones of this the structure was basically opened up to see what we had. Um that's what this this change order is for. It is for change order number one which would be at Eugene Field. The amount $5,574.60. This is mainly uh some additional skilled labor uh hardware and some additional piping uh for some of the for the gas units. Um, change order number one for Edison will be $38,66.668. This also covers labor and additional gas piping. Um, some carrier unit procurement. This we weren't able to when they originally had had the bid came out. A couple of the carrier units were not available.

028So, this an additional procurement for those. Um, and also was a large add-on for some electrical. Um, that was unforeseen. Some of the walls, I will be honest, some of the walls are over 2 and 1/2 ft thick. So, it's it's a definitely a great structure to be in if there's a tornado. That's for sure. Uh, next change order is Mark Twain. Change order number one. It's mounted 68,59779. the uh roof structure itself, the material once we uncovered it was a different material than what was speced out in the blueprints. Um, also the curbs had an additional cost there uh for some modifications. The electrical scope increased as well and there was a a rooftop unit that was not identified correctly on the on the drawings by the architect which caused us to have to

029add another unit. So that's where the additional 17,000 cost. And then we had to uh also wire in some duct detectors and everything for the additional which that is if there's a fire, excessive heat, it alarms us with our fire system and shuts it down. >> How much was the Mark Twain project in total? >> Uh I don't have the exact number. I believe it was 1.2 do overall for the three. >> Thank you. >> We will be able to look at at the total cost as we receive the information at the next meeting. Right, Dr. Hor? >> That's correct. >> Are there any additional questions? So, how what what is the status of these three schools? Um, and really all the schools. I mean, the last several years we've gone to school and we've

030had to cancel or we've had to do things because of heat. Same thing for winter for cold. Where where are we at with these schools? And I guess just do you anticipate any of that happening or >> I do not. >> What's like >> especially with the new systems? No, we're gas heat. It's a totally different uh totally different form of heat. Right. Before basically the electric heat pump. Um now we have the BTUs to push out the heat. >> Um with that being said, these are different types of units that are not proprietary to that particular vendor. This is something that any HVAC contractor in in the city of St. Joseph can work on. Do you feel like so with Edison and Field and Mark Twain are they're going to be ready to be

031cool by the time schools start? >> So they're not going to be 100% ready. No. Um Eugene Field, yes. Eugene Field, we started firing the equipment up uh this morning. Okay. >> Um for the final turnover on it, we will be finished completely there. Um Edison and Mark Twain, we've had some manufacturer issues with getting the units themselves. Um so as of today that we had half of the curbs which is what the rooftop unit set on at mark 20 showed up. Um we're expecting the rest of the we're expecting the remainder and all the equipment uh to be here by the end of this week. Uh that being said we went ahead and took proper precaution. We put in some you know had to run some additional uh electrical services um updates just to

032get we put in temporary air conditioning. So every air every space will be air conditioning. Yep. >> That was mine, I guess. >> Sure. >> Absolutely. Ours as well. >> So, I just have a question. Um, so there because I'm hearing u the architect didn't do the right thing about the kind of air conditioner and then we're having to pay overtime because of something that really wasn't a district issue. Is there any way or have you had conversations about um being able to hold some of those people accountable with issues that we're having to address? >> Sure. Uh I have not had that conversation with them. We've talked about the miss, why it was missed. Um some of it was just unforeseen. >> Um some of it wasn't required at that time. Uh the additional

033unit for uh Mark Twain was an oversight. Um, it was basically mixed up with another additional unit that was already there which was not actually going to be staying. >> Okay. I was just curious because I feel like we're absorbing unforeseen cost and I was just curious about who really is responsible in the long run. >> Mr. Mr. H, I just remind the group that, you know, these are big projects and they're even complicated by the fact that we've got basically two, three months in the summer to get them done. And so, um, while we definitely want it to go well and as planned, uh, we understand and appreciate all the effort you're trying to do to keep it on track. And I think with regard to the football fields, if if they all turn

034out like Benton did, uh, I think people are going to be very happy. And so, thanks for keeping after it. Yeah, thank you. Yeah, there's been a lot of great things that's came out of the $20 million. Um, it's easy to focus it on just the turf, uh, all the issues that it's happened, but we've also, um, 24 other locations. We put in a lot of fine arts, theater stuff. Um, there's a lot of kids that are affected in a positive way. So, don't forget that. >> Absolutely. >> Thank you. said, if there are no more questions. >> Okay, Mr. Crow. >> Good evening. >> Um, attached you will find several job descriptions for your review. Um, you'll see changes that are in red, excuse me, additions that are in red and then changes were

035struck through. um our departments have reviewed these job descriptions because they are the experts within those positions and they have made these recommendations. I can tell you there are very few changes to the requirements to assume this role except for maybe some experience. Um, unfortunately in this day and age in education, um, it's difficult to find these positions. So, that'll probably explain why I think there's a couple they took out three to five years of experience. Um, but none of the other degree requirements have been changed. You have any questions? I'll be more than happy to try and answer those. >> Are there any questions, guys? Thank you. >> I guess there are no Thank you, Mr. Crow. >> Okay, Dr. Hedgecort, are you ready? >> I am. >> All right. So, last board meeting,

036I gave the board an update on our ASBR uh preliminary numbers for the uh 2024 2025 school year. And when discussing that, we had discussed that that would end at a 10.02% uh reserve ratio. And so at that meeting, I um said that I would have a projection tool to kind of show where we've been in the past and where we're looking to go to the future. One um if we had no idea that this was coming and you know, we continued business as usual. Uh and then another scenario where we look at some uh budget cuts in some certain areas and how we can get back on track to our board policy DIAA of 20%. So, if you don't mind if we can bring up one of the agenda items on that budget agenda,

037the uh projection tool current reality, if we could. Yeah, thank you. Okay, so this tool can be uh complicated to understand a little bit. So, let me give a little bit of background. Um, in the upper right hand corner under assumptions, um, those are assumptions we're basing this off of for some of our revenues and expenses. Uh the $7,100 is the state accuracy target. Uh it's our state payment and how that's calculated. Uh the operating levy is the levy we have for operations outside of debt service. Our debt service levy is not included in there because our debt service fund is isolated just to paying our district debt. So that's not included in any operations. Um assess valuation growment. We have 2% in non-reassessment years and 3% in reassessment years as our estimates. 5% insurance

038increase over the year and then a 1480 Prop C estimate. Prop C, just a reminder, is the state sales tax that comes back as a local revenue for schools. And so if you look at the gray column right down the middle, that's the fiscal year that just ended. Um, now just as a reminder, we'll have KPM on site next month. Those are our auditors that are going to look over information. You might see some funds shift from one fund to the other, but I'm confident in that 10.02% 02% that that is what we're finishing for the year. And so um that those auditors will give you their report um in November or December and then you guys will um vote on approving that audit and then that needs to be uploaded to Desi by December

03931st is those are actually points on our APR score. So just wanted to mention that as well. Um if you look before FY25 you have all the previous years. Those numbers are exactly on our ASBR. And so if you go to Desessie's website and look up ASBR for any school district, you can pull these numbers for any district in the state. And those are the exact numbers. So if you look at the very bottom row, if you could scroll down just a little bit, that's going to show our final reserve ratio um for that year. So you can see in FY20, FY21, FY22, FY23, we're in good shape. were all above 20%. Matter of fact, in FY23, we ended at 28.81%. Um, and then in FY24, if you look at um the line right here

040that looks at our surplus deficit, I'm going to put a little red dot up here, that is where we went negative in our fund one and fund two to 11.9 million. And then last year for um this fiscal year, we were 10.1 in the red. And how did we get there? um many different things. Uh one, we talked about just the delay in federal funding. Um I'm happy to report that the 2023 2024 federal funding came in in late July. So that has been paid and we anticipate the 2425 federal funding coming in within the next month or two. So um those dollars that we talked about um in last board meeting that weren't on that um FY25 ASBR have come in, but of course because it's after June 30th, they have to go on

041the FY26. And so that is also reflected in a higher federal revenue amount right there. Uh you can see it's 26 million plus for FY26 where in the previous year was only 14. That's the timing of those federal funds. So uh those dollars are there. It's just in a different fiscal year. Um the thing is uh looking forward these estimates that you're seeing are probably different than what you saw in June. Um in June in that preliminary budget uh revenues were probably pretty similar but it was our expenses. um on estimates and certified salaries and non-certified salaries. So if you look at these lines right here on our expenses side, we have our certified salaries and our non-certified salaries um those numbers compared to June um are higher um because of how those were calculated.

042And so I feel like the way we've calculated these numbers now we did have the luxury of seeing the ASBR for FY25. we were working on more certainties where in June they didn't have that information yet. Um but again I feel like budgeting going forward we will have um better estimates for what those salaries and benefits look like. Um you can see the others expenses compared to previous years. And then projected right now we're projected to be at a $2.8 million deficit to finish FY26. Now remember that's if we do nothing. Um we have already been busy um working internally with a lot of different departments, schools looking to see how we can um come back to a 20% um reserve ratio. Now what I have on the next page can before I go on

043>> for sure >> um because this one won't be affected by the future but 2024 I I was I wasn't on the board. I'm not saying that. Did we realize that we had a $12 million shortfall that year? And did we realize that our um I don't I've never seen that our um reserve slipped to 17.72. I thought we'd always declared that it was over 20%. >> So the reason that went to 17.72, and you probably don't remember going to that because it wasn't at that level until just last month. Um in June, Dr. seekers asked the district and the board to reclassify Eminem sir tax money from fund two to fund four to pay for all the fund four projects. Um he did not anticipate that having to go below 20%. Um that response

044to that was his valid opinion that it would not go when they started calculating the numbers and it went it end up did going below 20% to pay for all those fund for items. One thing I do want to mention and I'll talk about this a little bit in the tax rate uh calculations that I have in the next agenda item is we do not have a fund for levy. Um we have zero cents in our fund for levy. That can be assigned by the board but for you to have a fund for levy you have to pull either have a fund one that's lower to have in fund four um to do that. So typically what St. Joe has done is they have done the max transfer allowable from DESIE from fund one to

045fund four or you can classify your M&M sir tax in different funds. In the past we have not had to classify our M&M sir tax in fund four because we had the balance and the dollars to do that in fund four. Well, because it was spent down so low that's why he requested us to do that. Um, and if we didn't do that, we would end the negative in fund four balance and you cannot have a negative balance in a fund. And so we had to make those M&M search tax transfers to be able to end fund for in the positive. >> But what but wasn't that the activity that took place at the end of fiscal year 25? >> Correct. >> 24. Did the board realize that we had 1 million deficit the year

046before? >> It didn't but it didn't happen until that shift. >> Yeah. No. So the answer is no. Like it's it's the timing of it, >> right? It's >> how it looked on paper probably would have looked different because they would have shown it out of a fund four balance instead of it having to come out of fund two and so it would have looked like it was just a lower balance in fund four instead of once it comes out of fund one or fund two it's hitting your reserve ratio because that's how it's calculated. >> Yeah. Thank you. We never shut >> Well and we we weren't until about >> Well, right. >> Right. We weren't until those M&M s tax transfer but we hadn't done that. We' ended fund four in the negative

047and you can't do that. So we had to make the transfer to do it. >> Gotcha. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Sure. >> All right. So on the next um document within that agenda item um this is is not just I want to make a declaration on this real quick. This is not what I am necessarily suggesting for a budget recovery plan. This is just giving an idea of what a recovery plan could look like. U meaning that this is just one scenario. The beauty of this document is if you want to see any other scenarios than the ones I have listed here, we can put those in and then it'll show us um how we will end the reserves for each fiscal year. So, for example, again, I still have 2 to 3%

048um growth on our assessed valuation up there. We could change that to 3 to 4%. This last year um we had 7.86% growth in our assessed valuation up there at the top. And so I am um happy to also report that our when we look at the um annual tax rate collection rate we have 99%. That is a great collection rate. The people in our community uh pay their taxes, pay their bills on time and that is a huge benefit to our districts. Not every district and communities like that. So um I always want to thank our community for that tax collection rate being so high for our district and and other public entities within our community. And so we can change any type of scenario um up there. But the scenario I have here

049is that um the district is going to look to cut um $500,000 out of purchase service and $500,000 out of supplies for FY26 which is the year we're in and FY27 and then looking look to reduce salary um costs $3 million in FY27 which is next year and 3 million in FY28. So I don't have any salary reduction costs for this year although we already have realized some by just reallocating positions internally. Um we have some high school positions that we will reallocate instead of having to hire new and then also some other areas. So we have already seen some savings in FY26 and we can spread that out amongst different years. And the great thing about this tool is you can see how we recover um from where we're at and going forward. So

050we can get more aggressive, we can flatten it out. There's a lot of different scenarios we can look at. Um, but in in essence, what I'm trying to say is between the million dollars in FY26 and 27 with purchase service, the million dollars in FY26 and 27 in supplies, and the $6 million over two years in salaries, we're looking about $8 million of cuts um in the next couple years to be able to come out of the situation we're in and start increasing. And so if you look >> can we can you go back going so fast practice it's fine. >> So 500,000 reduction to purchase services for 26 and 27. So is that a total of 1 million? >> That is correct. >> Okay. And then same with the next the 3 million salary

051cost reduction is 3 million you said for 27 >> correct >> and 3 million for 28. >> That is correct. >> So that those numbers are not right. >> Right. So, we have 3 million for 27 here and then 3 million for 28 here. >> Okay. But I'm just saying like in the assumptions in this part, see how it says 26 and 27. >> I'm sorry. You're right. 2728. >> Okay. I just want to make sure I was understanding that. >> That is correct. >> And as far as the the changes that have been made so far that there's been some staffing changes, can we get an update on that? >> Sure. I I don't know that we've gotten one, but we've gotten a lot of emails and I I don't know if I've missed

052it. >> Sure. >> It would just be nice, you know, I know that there's been some I mean, I've heard questions of like this happened and this happened. I'm like, I don't know. >> Absolutely. I um in my weekly academic report when we noticed the certification at some of our sites um I just wrote a description about maximizing our resources um to use more efficiently in our required core um high school classes. But if you would like a breakdown of that, I'm sure Mr. Carell and I can work on that. >> Yeah, I I'd just like to see what you know, trust but verify. If you're saying, you know, we've already made some changes through attrition or through just moving things around, efficiency, whatever, if we can see what's going where, um, because then that

053helps to understand kind of from a budget perspective of, okay, we're not filling that. If we get questions about it, we're not filling it. Um, those types of things. >> Those moves will also be on the personnel report. >> Is it a is it a reasonable or unreasonable um target to say we show being 1.8 million short in this year that we're in now that we could um we could actually break even. >> I think with our hard work we can get that to a positive number by the end of the year. I really do. I really believe that. >> Yeah. And I I know I'm putting you on the spot on that, but there'll be a upcoming time where we do some kind of budget revision. >> That's correct. So in October I will

054have a budget amendment um to show updated information. Um, not only will I have the budget in a format you've had traditionally, but it'll update this forecasting model to show where those changes came from. >> And it's going to be more than $500,000 in purchase service supplies. That was the original goal as we started working towards this. We've been able to get more than that initially. Um, like I said, this just one scenario to kind of show one way we can get out of it, but that October budget amendment will have more specifics on, okay, here's where we believe we're going. Here's areas we're able to reduce. And you know we're working hard through that and having a lot of tough internal discussions about you know ensuring that the things we are looking at um

055don't touch the core of the classroom that is that is like the holy grail. We have to make sure that it's the furthest away from the classroom possible. Um, when we look at something to, you know, maybe not renew or reduce, you know, not everything is necessarily, you know, just totally cut, but it might be something where we can take a a small reduction in something and not not do as much as uh a supply order or purchase service or, you know, if you have uh the elite edition of some sort of software program, can it be the standard edition? You know, things like that. >> Thank you. Can you explain about the 3 million over the two years? >> Sure. That was just an arbitrary number that I chose um just to show how

056we would be able to move um out of our situation of having 10% reserve ratio. Um if you look right above that 3 million actually on that sheet, you will see the percentage of salarying benefits that come out of our operational budget. And so when you're looking and you're looking at your budget and you're thinking of a piece of the pie, uh threequarters of our pie is salarying benefits. So when you're looking for areas to reduce to be able to get back on track, that is the biggest area to look at and the area that really drives your budget. So when when you are, you know, deficit spending, um yes, you can look at supplies and you can look at purchase services, but you can only bring those down so much because at some point,

057you know, we have to replace our phone system um in some of our schools. you know, I was working with our technology director, Jake, and we were able to, you know, push that out a couple years, but at some point we have to. So, there's only so many supplies and purchasers you can cut until you have to look at those salary benefits to be able to uh move the needle to get back on on track to 20% reserves. >> Can I add to that? >> That $3 million is to get to that point is not to cut staff. It is to take a look at staff members when they leave through attrition things like that to make sure that we are utilizing our resources effectively. So we are not looking to cut staff. I know

058it's came out in some articles that we are going to cut staff and that is not the case. That is a budget reduction in salaries and benefits. Meaning if somebody retires, someone leaves a district and you absorb that position, you have saved money in salary and benefits because you've absorbed that position. I think and I I understand from a business perspective of what you're saying. I get it. But I think it would we'd be very hardressed for staff who are currently working who are not leaving through attrition to not feel like it's a reduction in staff because where I once had additional support and resources from colleagues when that person leaves I don't. So I just want us to remember that there are people behind the numbers. I I know that you guys do. I

059just think that as we sit here and we look at these numbers and we say 300 salary cost reduction, it's just through attrition. Well, that's support to staff that are currently working that they're not going to have anymore. And you know, whether or not we think it's going to make things more efficient, time will tell. Um, but I think >> potato potato >> I I agree with you 100%. But if I'm not forthright in showing, >> I totally understand. I have to state, you know, what it's going to take to get there. And so I don't want to sugarcoat it, but I also am trying to be sensitive to the situation like you mentioned. >> So totally understand that these are, you know, folks that we rely on to teach our kids every day, but

060just from a number perspective, >> that is a ballpark number that we need to reduce >> somewhere. For sure. I just think we need to, to your point, we need to remember that these are people um and >> making sure that we can serve our kids and and I know everybody's on that page. I just don't want us to get so far off into numbers that we forget about the people. >> I had also emailed everyone on the board um as we were getting lots of information in the past 2 3 weeks or so. Um it was a lot of information. um a lot of a lot of information that was unexpected and I had asked members of the board about their opinions about an audit. Um I think only two or three people responded.

061I know that you mentioned our last um third party audit was about a couple of years ago only. I'm thinking with all of the confusion about the numbers and about the issues, um I think it would be a good opportunity. Um it's all new administration. It's a new start in order to begin off on the right, I guess, on the right foot. What do you guys think? Well, just to clear some things up on an audit. So, we are audited annually is a requirement of the state. And so, we had KPM on site in June that did the preliminary pieces where they're requesting data and we upload documents. So, they'll look through those and they'll come back on site for 4 days um in September is when they're scheduled. Uh put together the information. They

062will present to you um hopefully by November. uh you know sometimes it's December but then have a formal audit um and show any type of findings that they might have at that December meeting and it has to be uploaded to DESIE before the 31st. Um St. Joe was audited by the state in 2015. Um and so that audit is still online um if you go to state auditor's office website to look at that. Um I actually went through and looked at that today even though it's 10 years old. Um and so I've I've seen so many improvements in St. O has done over the years. Matter of fact, you have a audit finding um graph in your folder that shows when you know how many audit findings we've had. And so you can see in

063the last five years that that we had zero um for that. And so I guess one thing I would ask is um to let KPM, you know, do their job and and and have that audit and really question them, really ask them if you have specific things you'd like them to look at when they're here on site um for them to do so. and then when they report to you um if you still aren't satisfied with what they've come back with then at that time we can ask the state to voluntarily come in and do an audit. Now I do want to clear up something on that. So KPM does what's called a financial statement audit and the state would do something called a performance audit. So two different types of audits. Um a performance

064audit is going to look at things like um do you have a disaster recovery plan for technology? Do you uh force password changes? Um when when you know some after six months, three months, whatever your policy is, do you stick to that? They'll randomly pull PECARD statements and make sure everything on the itemized receipt matches up and there's nothing purchased on there that doesn't match up with board policy. Um they'll make sure that everybody's been um evaluated in your district. They'll go from the superintendent all the way down to part-time pair to make sure that you know you're doing proper evaluations. All those process and procedure things that you're supposed to be doing, it's less numbers. So on their website they even talk about um entities that are required for a financial statement audit. They'll

065actually look that over first so they don't have redundancies and then drive into the u performance piece. Um and then there's a there's there's all sorts of different types and so I just want to make sure if we want the state to come in that um it's a performance audit and not a financial statement audit is a traditional audit that we have. >> No, I did not mention anything about the state. I wasn't specific about that at all. >> I think I think from Go ahead. Yeah, I was just going to say then another option is you could hire a third party um similar to KPM and request uh the type of audit you'd want, whether it's a financial statement or performance, and then if they offer those services, um you could do that. Um

066I I was in a district previously that did have a state audit. If if they come in, um that cost was about $70,000. Um I don't know what a third party would be. Um it depends on the length and the depth of what you're looking for in that honestly. and then that could be negotiated or put in some some sort of RFP. >> So the the the budget reductions that we're talking about making those aren't just through attrition. Some of them are through building repurposing, right? >> So one example would be like the math teacher um at Lafayette and Central. >> Okay. >> Right. So, as class sizes change, as you have different needs, they instead of hiring someone new, they saw looked at sections and looked at numbers and and were able to move

067somebody based off that. >> But we're also talking about changing the use of our high schools and our elementary schools. We're we're talking about making those decisions in the future most likely. >> Right. So, on the on the horizon, um we have a meeting with the LR on Wednesday for them to give us back the feedback and then I believe that's going to be shared at the board meeting in >> in August. You guys me with coming up with what Central and Benton would look like compared to Central and Lafayette, pros and cons of those and then cost differences. So, we will plan to have that at the August board meeting. >> And we had previous to all this that conversation was about doing moving to a two high school model. Um better use of

068our elementary schools, reducing those in number. We were talking about doing that in a year, two years. That's going to have to happen more likely, sooner than later. >> We have a sense of urgency for sure with our reserves being at 10.02%. >> So, so my so my concern is so I I think that um you all have done a good job of explaining this to the board. I think I I hope and trust that most of us understand what's going on and the urgency of the matter. Um but the general public doesn't. Um if I was a member of the general public, I would probably be saying something like here we go again. Um you know, you couldn't trust your numbers in June, but now you do trust your numbers in July. So, my

069thought about a third party audit was the latter of what you described. Um, I'll be honest, I'm not real happy with KPM to bring them back in. I mean, you've explained how how they could have not seen, you know, the issue and the accuracy of the reporting. Um, but I think to be able to maintain some sort of trust with the public, we need we need to bring in a third party. Not not to do not to do a full scale, you know, pecart all of this, but to provide legitimacy to what you all are saying. Um, I think we all know our community well enough to know that we we need that. Um, I I think we need that. So again, it's not it would not be to cast blame. It would just be

070we're going to have to make some really difficult decisions. And again, if I was out on the outside watching, I would say you didn't you didn't have the right numbers a month ago, but now you do, and now you're making all of these decisions. So that's that's just where I'm coming from. >> Just note that the district I was at that had the state audit come in, it took a year and a half. >> Oh, yeah. I'm not tell I'm not trying to open the door for the state for anybody. >> It would just I I don't know how long a third party might be out as far as being able to have the resources to do it. >> I I think so what I I guess what I envision is, you know, how you've

071been here for 41 days. >> I have. >> Yeah. I would just like someone that has no, you know, is not employed by the school district, is not under the guise of of the school board or the superintendent to come in and say yes, they're correct. Yes. What? So, whatever took you for less than 41 days to find, I would just like a second opinion that says yes, that's correct. >> We don't think we can get that from the audit that we've already got. just I just feel like with KPM it where were they? Where were they? You know what I mean? Like how how do you have how are you paying? I mean I get it. I know. I know you you're like I've told you. I get that. I get that. But it's

072kind of like going back to the the group and saying, "Hey, like you missed this last time. Could you could you double check again?" Like again, I think KPM has some viable reasons why they're like, "Well, we didn't look at that or we looked at it in this way, so we wouldn't have seen it, but somebody it only took two weeks to see it." So, if we could just get a CPA or an accounting firm to come in, look through, poke around, and say, "Yes, second opinion, yes." And and I'm not saying for this to take two months, three months, six months, we don't have that much time. But for someone to actually be able to come in and say what your school district is telling you is correct and yes, you need to move

073with a sense of urgency. >> The only the only objection I have is just the money, right? So if we spend we're in these money problems and if we talk about spent dropping 50 or 70 or whatever thousand it is on another audit um I wonder if we couldn't do it by a little more directed uh instruction to the existing auditor and and you know I I'll say this Dr. hedge court. Uh hats off. I mean, I uh have desired something like this, you know, a projection tool and uh something that we don't have to remember. Okay. Well, this year has a two things hit in one month, so it's going to look different. So, you think you're on budget, but you're really not. And and take all that out of it for us and

074and and show clearly where we're headed. And obviously that'll change as taxes change, dollars come in, but but this is this is very good improvement. >> One option could be um the director of MSBA, Linda Quinley, um has done things like that before where she has come in >> um and looked at the district's financials. Um I know it'd be a lot cheaper than $70,000. um and for her to look through things, look at our projections, look how we um have done things in the past and maybe give some recommendations or things like that. And she'd be a third party outside group. She's the director of MSBA. She understands school finance. >> Um >> she's a CPA, wasn't she? >> Absolutely. Yeah. Former CFO of Columbia School District and Kansas City, Missouri school district, >>

075so she understands complex financing. Um understands federal budgets >> with KC Mo and Columbia. And so that would that be one option as you guys look at options >> that would that and that would suffice for me like I don't need us to go out and do an RFP and and I don't need us to belleaguer this point. I just think given the history of the district um the decisions we're going to have to make but we need to be able to show that we found it. We're addressing it and now we have to make decisions. No doubt the narrative already in part is hey uh who who took all the money, >> you know, and I don't believe that for a second, but somebody like an MSBA rep telling us that would would would

076probably serve the public well. >> I agree. >> I think MSBA would be great. That's a good idea. But did I ask does Jess does he do this too? Do they do a >> So that's what he's talking about. >> That's the state. Yeah. Okay. That's a 70,000 >> Missouri state auditor Patrick >> and his group. >> So in your lengthy time with us, how confident are you are are with KPM and are they under contract with us? Is that going to be up soon to swap that out? >> Sure. I I think KPM is very confident. So one thing to remember about um a financial statement audit is they're always looking in the past. And so when they look at the past, they are truly just looking, okay, here's the revenues, here's our expenses,

077are they coded correctly? Do our bank statements match. They don't necessarily do an analysis to say, okay, the CFO predicted, here's a preliminary budget. How far off were you from your predictions? And so they only do years that are completed. So they haven't even looked at FY26 at all. That's not even on their radar. They're only looking at 2425, which is completed. So they're always looking the past, always looking to that. And so their a financial statement audit just doesn't look at future projections, how you budget, where that's kind of what got us in trouble here, not necessarily procedural things about how we coded things. But but I still I still was surprised and and again I I I understand how you explained it last time that they weren't looking at um the minutia specifically

078around title funds but even just the large reduction in title funds I would have hoped would have been some sort of conversation with the board or conversation you know um I don't know I don't know what the process has been with board leadership. Um, my experience has always been that the auditor will come in and go over the audit with the superintendent and the board leadership and say, "Here are some things there may be a little there may be a little bit more candid in those meetings about like, hey, you might want to like fix this up." I don't know if we've been doing that. We should start. We haven't. Um but that that would have been either in that meeting or in the governance letter where you say we're not turning this in on

079time and it's a reduction in revenue. >> Something I always do with our auditor is I I tell them give me three places we can improve because we can always improve. Um you know there isn't an audit out there from the state auditor's office that lists an organization even if they mark them excellent or good that doesn't have some recommendations. And so that's one thing I asked them is hey where are some things we can get better and we we look at at those. So, and you know, like I said, we've we've gotten the I typically just look at the over over, you know, not this obviously. Um, but the I just would have expected either a conversation with board leadership at some point or something in the governance letter and there there wasn't that,

080>> right? Don't don't you think um and I agree with I agree with you and I tried to say that last meeting. Don't you think some of the co money kind of masked the change in federal money so that the federal money um it was harder to judge what did you get this year versus last year because you had co money in the previous years. it it did all intermingle and some people didn't quite um claim some of those CARES and SR3 funds early enough and then there was an extension and then federal government announced that they weren't going to honor the extension and the extension came back and so you know there there's a lot of districts right now that are looking at their financials and their their expenses because the federal dollars have

081just dwindled in a lot of those areas and so and and we never expected SR3 dollars from CO to stay forever you know I don't think anybody did um But as they're going away now, reality's hit, right? And so, >> well, a little bit mask a comparative year. You know what I mean? >> Yeah. The the other thing I'm interested in, and I'm not trying to change subjects on that, um I think we've kind of reached a consensus on that, but I is um I'll be anxious to see a regular monthly budget so that um so that we have I like the fact that we have this projection out, particularly in the case we're in, but I think it's going to be important that we go through a regular monthly budget, too, um with the

082same kind of expectations so that we um so we have better visibility and understanding of how we're getting along >> and projections will always improve. What I bring to you in October, I believe will be more accurate because we'll know our enrollment. Yeah. The last Wednesday of September is um your count day for students and so we'll know. So that'll help us then project more accurately what our state u revenue is going to be where right now we are doing estimates based off previous uh demographic reports. So >> yeah, >> I just wanted to kind of get that in. >> Sure. Absolutely. You had also mentioned um so by by 12:31 we have to have the information into Desi, right? >> How does that impact how does our financial situation impact our APR? >> Um

083so really it's just three procedural steps. Um we have to have our audit approved by the board and uploaded into DESIE by um December 31st. >> And so we get points for that. We always do that. So >> ASBR submitted by August 15th. >> Okay. And I am blanking on one other that's procedural that we have always gotten and I'll see you in a second. >> You don't anticipate us I guess my question is is you don't anticipate because of this downward turn in the finances. You don't anticipating us lose any losing any AP? >> Oh absolutely not. Okay. Yeah. Yeah. That's truly procedural of hey did you turn it in yes or no? Oh sorry for data submission for October is the last one. >> Okay. So board um everyone's looking at Linda Quimley

084then >> yes I like that >> I can support that >> and if you want some think time and then we come back to the board meeting to to formally or whatever >> if you're able to get some information on it as much as like >> um cost and procedure and such. >> That's what I'll do if the board pleases. I'll contact Linda, ask her what that procedure looks like and kind of give you a plan of of MSPA coming in and doing a review and share that with you at the next board meeting. And I think if you know I think at the last meeting we had asked for a corrective action plan and you're you've probably found some things but if if Linda can kind of give her if you guys can kind

085of work on you know if she can say yes these are the things that you need to do or yes this is we'll correct these >> yeah I'll ask her to really hone in on some areas you guys have mentioned in your questions >> so far. >> Perfect. Any other comments? Job well done. >> Thank you. Thank you for that explanation for a budget that's really hard. >> No problem. >> Okay. Next is also you, Dr. Hedge. >> Okay. So, uh the next uh information we have here is our tax rate. In August, uh we set the tax rate for the school district. And so, you can see on the agenda item that I have that if you would mind bringing that up for me again, that'd be awesome. Thanks. Um I have what our

086total tax rate would most likely be for next year. Now we are still um confirming these numbers with our um state auditor's office. So that's why it says draft, but uh I anticipate these numbers being the same when I come back in two weeks at our board meeting. Uh but the total tax rate will be 4.9163, which is identical to the tax rate we had last year. Um you can see how those break out in our different levies. So we have our normal operating levy. Um we have our temporary operating levy um that expires um in the 2028 2029 school year and then we have our debt service levy. And so down below you can see that my proposal is that of course the normal intent would be in fund one and then in fund

087three would be our debt service. And so one thing um that you do have in your packet is you have some calculation sheets. And so these numbers aren't just um you know pulled out of a hat. You have to put in your assessed valuation from the counties that you serve into the state auditor's office proforma and basically it will spit out the maximum tax rates that you are able to um levy in your district. And so um just to note that the normal and the temp levy I do have at the authorized maximum but the debt service levy is about close not quite 10 cents. um it's a little shy of that, but almost 10 cents below the level that could be legally leveled. It's called a voluntary roll back. And so even though it

088could be closer to um 67 cents, um after doing analysis with Raymond James, who is our um municipal council, thank you. Um municipal adviser, sorry. Um 5701 will handle our debt and our debt service. So we are doing that to ensure that our tax rate remains unchanged. um for next year from the previous year. And I just wanted to point out that part um in that information. So um in the past also um LJ Hart was the one who was our municipal adviser and they charged us a $10,000 annual fee to calculate the tax rate and and have other type of um consultation. And so we no longer um utilize LJart for that. Um you have me. So here's our tax rate. So, can you explain the um operating the temporary operating le levy and

089what that is going to look like in the future? >> Sure. So, the normal operating levy is um an operating levy that is um with the district that never sunsets, meaning that um that that never ends. It's always based on your assessed valuation and how your voters approve um different levies that have come out throughout the years like um like your Prop C waiver that you had. Uh your temporary levy was a levy that um sunsets meaning that it has a certain period and then it expires. And so um that was last renewed and again you know 41 days I've been on the job but uh correct me if I'm wrong it was the 22 23 year one year early that I think they asked for that renewal. um even though it it sunseted in

09023 24. So give that five more years that will sunset or end again um in the 2829 um school year that the district would need to go out and um ask the public to uh renew that for another period of time whether it was five years um or beyond for that. And then your debt service levy is based upon the um amount that you owe outstanding on your bonds. Um what your debt service fund balance is and then your ability to pay that. That's how that is calculated separate. So um it from state statute anything in your debt service fund has to be a separate bank account. um that levy acts as a separate um fund generator or revenue and that can only go in that account and only expenses to pay your debt can

091come out of that account. >> I hope that's what you were kind of doing. >> Yeah, I just wanted to clarify when that sunset is happening, right? >> Um and you know, obviously we need to be mindful of that. Um if you're going to voters and asking for anything, then you want to be in good fiscal shape and we currently aren't. So, um I just think that's important to be mindful of for the future. >> But folks that don't have a sunset, there wouldn't be a temporary operating levy. That that money in theory would be up in the normal office, >> right? It would the mo usually when you I'm to be honest, this is an odd situation. I don't see this that much with a 5year sunset. Typically, when people do a temporary operating

092levy, they're doing it for the the payment period of a building, for example. And so, um, let's say, for example, there was a new school need to be built. We might have a temporary levy of 20 years to pay that note. And then once that note came off, the levy came off, too. To see it operational and not be coincide with some sort of building project where that payment comes off means that that that 60 cents is used to, you know, staff our schools. um you know pay for purchase services and supplies. So you you it's an odd situation we have here with that temp levy being every five years to be renewed. >> Are there any additional questions? >> Okay. If there are none, our next board of education meeting is in two weeks

093right here. August the 25th. Is there a motion to adjurnn into open session? >> I'll make a motion. >> Thank you, Mike. Is there a second? >> Thank you, Jennifer. Whenever you're ready, >> Miss Miller. Yes, >> Miss Williams. >> Yes, >> Miss Chzn. >> Yes, >> Miss Karns. >> Yes, >> Miss Lanny. >> Yes, >> Mr. Moore. >> Yes, >> Mr. Richmond. >> Yes. >> Okay. And we are adjourning into open, but if you can give us a five minute break. I call this meeting back to order. Roll call, please. Miss Donna, >> Miss Lanny, what am I doing? >> Roll call. >> Yeah, I'm here. Who? So, who came to my station? >> Oh, okay. >> Mr. Richmond >> here. >> Mr. Moore here. Miss Chzn >> here. >> Miss Williams >> here.

094Miller. >> Okay. Audience participation. Um, each speaker has up to three minutes. We'll be using a timer. All we ask is that everyone remain respectful as individuals are speaking. Um if you're not able to do that um people will act accordingly. Okay. Number one speaker Dr. Hedge Dr. William A. edge. Um, I'm a person that speaks to the point and gets to the point. I think you know why we all here because of the articles that have been in the paper and it seems like there've been dissension and confusion on the board. And so I want to speak to that matter because I think it's important for the p public school district of the St. Joseph school district. Uh we're talking about leadership. Talking about leadership and we're looking at why why a change in

095leadership and if there's a change in leadership because the seven people on the board will make the decision of who's going to be the president of the school board. Now here's my question and here's my challenge to those who are here on the school board. Public funds ought to be st ought to stay for public education. Public funds ought to be for public education. So, whoever leads the board, I challenge you with this. The governor, Governor Kho, has taken $50 million of public education funds to give to private schools, vouchers, and for individuals who want tax breaks to send their students to other schools and other institutions. And that's fine. I have nothing wrong nothing wrong with that. But don't take public funds for people who want to be elitist or people who want or

096who want to be selective in where they educate their children. If there are public dollars and public funds, they need to stay in public schools. So the other thing that we have to look at when we talk about public monies, we have to look at the $50 million for example that's being that's being either is already been done or or is planned to be done. Those $50 million need to be put back in public education. We just heard all the deficits that we have in our St. Joseph's public schools. Put that money back in public education and see if that will help the situation that we're in. Not just our district, but districts throughout the throughout uh the state of Missouri. So as we look at that and as we move forward, I hope whoever

097even with the superintendent and her staff, with the p with the school board, whoever that you would, if you are cozy with the governor and his staff at the state of Missouri, say put our money back into public education and add a little bit more to it and see what our see what our school district can do. We are public. It's the St. Joseph public school district and we want public funds for public school district. That's what we need to do. Thank you. Oh, I do want to say this as well. We will be watching and we will vote. Thank you. >> Thank you, Dr. Hedge. >> Lois Hedge. I'm related to him. Uh, President Williams and board members, I appreciate the opportunity to be able to speak to here here today. Uh when I

098heard this about this meeting and the purpose for which it was called, it struck me that is it's kind of out of place. uh with all the serious problems and situations that we have in our school district, I found it kind of ironic that we're having this uh thinking about having a board change president at the beginning of the school year when when I know that there are many many things that that need to go on right now. I I read uh that this was a special meeting and it was called for the purpose of reorganizing the board leadership which means changing the president and I guess other officers. Uh, the president who is Latana Williams, the president who is an AfricanAmerican, the president who is an African-American female. That sounds like a power grab

099to me. I I do believe that uh Miss Williams received the most votes from the people with when she ran in the election, >> but because we are here, she's in the eyes of those who would have a change and and we're not understanding why that is. We don't know everything. I don't know everything about the board, but but I do know that everybody else on the board is white >> and and then this is so divisive with our country like it is now. This this just adds to that. >> It's here. It's here. It's here. It's here. And it's in our neighborhood. It's in St. Joseph, we all we all are acting like we don't see it, but we see it. >> It's here. >> But what we do or what we will not

100do is stand back and just let things happen. >> That's right. We cannot do that. So, uh, I urge the board, the citizens, and those of you who want quality education for public schools in St. Joseph, Missouri, to continue to support the board, whoever your president is. But let's not replace the president because of who she is. That's right. Thank you, Miss Hedge. >> Dakota Allen. >> Good evening. My name is Dakota. I am a first year elementary teacher here in St. Joseph School District. Um, thank you. Um, I'm here to speak out against the motion for a special meeting. Last school year, I had the privilege of substituting in, I believe, nine or 10 of the elementary schools across this district, only missing a handful before before I took a full-time position as a

101special education parah. That being said, I had the opportunity to watch hundreds of your staff members at work. I've watched as they move through their day with one focus, students. The student first mentality is thriving in your school district. No thanks to the school board. In my brief time in St. Joe, I quickly began familiarizing myself with the district and board operation, and I asked my peers how they felt. And you should be embarrassed by the answers I received. The teachers watch these meetings like an episode of The Real Housewives of St. Joseph. Many of you ran on being student first. This This is not student first. Students get here in one week. Teachers like myself are spending hundreds of dollars of my own money to get my classroom ready. And you want to be

102focused on a change of leadership. The time for that was after the election. You had an opportunity to decide who you're under. And I really want to know what's changed since then. There's an unelected member of the board now. So, are you trying to use the unelected member to take power for yourself? >> So, who is magically more suited to take this position now? Because I'm not seeing them. A week before school starts, this is the last thing a school board that is student first would be focused on. How about we look into the millions of dollars in funding deficits, the tragedy that is our testing scores, or how about welcoming firsttime teachers? >> I know some of your seats were bought and paid for by Herszog. Yeah. >> But I need you to understand

103that you don't have to do a darn thing they say. >> It is your seat and it is time for you to reclaim it and start being student first. The behavior of this board does nothing to inspire your staff to stay. First and last year teachers exist because of situations like this. We are facing budget deficits. evidence of massive clerical oversight by our admin administration and discussing millions and cuts to pay. Whether you're eliminating positions or not, you're talking about our pay. >> And the staff that navigates welcoming your students is having to listen to all this happen a week before they get here. You want to make the only black woman on your board the scapegoat for mistakes made by somebody else entirely instead of working together for once to solve an issue and

104hold the party. who have been in areas of responsibility for title funding and other areas accountable for their actions. Friends, my elementary students would know this is wrong. Step up or step down. >> Thank you, Mr. Alan, >> Sarah Hashwender, >> I know I pronounced that wrong. I apologize. >> Y'all don't need this anyway. >> Stay there. >> I'm going to read into the record an email sent to each of the board members. I write to notify all the members of the board that of education that I fully support Latana Williams and her role as board president. She is duly elected and serves the community with honor and integrity. It is outrageous to me that in this environment, some board members choose to embrace this petty and nonsensical approach. Get back to work for the

105district and stop the chicainery. I had a thank you response for a comment from Mr. Moore. Mr. Richmond commented, "Sarah, thanks for your note and I value your input. I'm committed to working to support our children, teachers, staff, and community. I take this responsibility very seriously and will do my best. Thanks for your input and interest in the district." Mr. Richmond, I'm going to hold you to that comment. You stated that you would act in the interest of public education when you took this position. I expect you to defend that position or answer why. Miss Leaning passionately supported duly elected board president Latana Williams. I didn't have responses from the rest of you. To Superintendent McGinness, Herszog has spent six figures to dis defeat our school initiatives. Herszog is not a partner. This district stands

106on the precipice of losing our independence and the nature of our public education. Your majority dogged support of Herszog and their edicts will fail. We will fight you every step of the way. [Applause] Thank you, Miss Hoshinder. Joanne Juan Um, I am speaking to express my unwavering support for Latana Williams, who was elected to the school board in April of 2021 and reelected again in April of 2024 with the highest number of votes. This resounding victory is a testament to the satisfaction of voters with her performance during her previous term. Latana's reputation has only strengthened from 2021 to 2024. She is recognized as trustworthy, approachable, transparent, and deeply committed to both students and the commi community. Over the years, she has built strong relationships with families, staff, and community leaders, actively engaging in community events,

107and fostering open communication. Her character inspires confidence, and she is seen as a dependable leader. Furthermore, Latana has taken the initiative to request an audit of the St. Joseph School District. This important measure ensures the accuracy, transparency, and efficiency of our school districts finances, demonstrating our commitment to due diligence and responsible stewardship of public resources. I wholeheartedly support Latana Williams in her continued role as president of the St. Joseph School District. Our district faces numerous challenges that require her expertise and proven track record. Thank you for considering my strong endorsement of Latana Williams. [Applause] Thank you, Miss Swan. Pam May. Good evening. With attacks on public education coming from multiple fronts and more systems being set up to take tax dollars away from public education, now more than ever, we need a board of education

108to function well on behalf of the school district and the community. The board should model for students a love of learning and how to work together in spite of our politics and for the common good. At times, this board has shown us that people aren't always perfect. We all make mistakes. We all fall short. And when this happens, we must work harder to make things better. If we are religious, we put actions to words and we offer grace and forgiveness and then we press on to what lies ahead. Failing to do this hurts students, teachers, and community. I believe Latana Williams is the right leader of this board at the right time. When the board was working through questions of banning books, she took the wise approach of forming a committee from various perspectives to

109read the books in question. Her approach to working through this issue was not political, but was grounded in critical thinking, facts, and empathy before decisions were made and votes were taken. She is an advocate for transparency in an age when it is becoming harder and harder to seek truth and understanding. She models patience and perseverance. She is intelligent and kind. Her love of students, respect for teachers, and a desire for student success never waivers. My hope is that this board will move quickly and decisively to reaffirm her leadership as president of the school board. Thank you. [Applause] Thank you, Miss May. Brian Shu. >> Good evening. >> My name is Brian Schul and I'm here to voice my concern to the board as a whole. So, I've ran twice for the board of education because

110I felt there needed to be someone on the board that cared about the students and the staff. While I was unsuccessful both times, I chopped it up because this community was not ready for change. I put my name in the hat for one of those committees a while back and at that meet and then I was at the meeting in which it was dissolved. Why? Because the board was not ready for change. They would rather fight amongst themselves and complain about personal issues than care about the ones that really matter, the students and the staff. Now, there is a discussion about having a reorganization meeting for board leadership because the board is finally ready for change. No, because of the faction that is happening before us. I have seen the divide on this board and

111for the group that's supposed to be a nonpartisan organization, it's not really looking that way. I've seen comments on both sides of the aisle. No one in this room is a saint. Our superintendent is getting ready to start her first academic year at the helm. And when this is supposed to be an exciting time for her to begin a new era to start new, she is having to sit here and watch this embarrassing display unfold in front of everyone. As a member of this community, I support the leadership the community chose to lead our students and staff. But I have to ask, when will it end? When will you put the students and the staff first? I have read comments on social media. Some of the nastiest things are being said, but I've also seen

112and heard from everyone on this board that they put staff and students first. And sadly, I don't see it. When do we decide to quit tearing people down and start building up a community that deserves to succeed? >> Sadly. Now, I know every speech that is given tonight is probably not going to do a darn thing for whatever decision you guys are going to make. But if the leadership does change and the attitude and the overall direction of this board doesn't, everyone on this board better be prepared to answer to for it. Thank you. [Applause] >> Thank you, Mr. David Jones. I'm the St. Joseph NEA vice president. Um, I want to speak tonight on my behalf and the quiet professionals that come to work every day, our teachers and our staff. There is a

113high anxiety level right now. Um, we're losing some of our best educators, our tenure teachers, some of our best coaches in the district across all our schools. And people are very nervous right now. the elephant in the room. Are we closing the high school or not? Are people losing their job? And I very much appreciate Mark Krell's and the budget director saying we're working not to anybody losing a job, but the staff, the teachers, the certified, the non-certified, they're very nervous right now. They're very uh anxious. And so the question that this board should be focusing on is are we closing a high school and if so which high school are we closing? When are we closing that high school? Is it this in end of this school year or in the preceding years? Are

114we losing staff or not? Those are the essential questions that this board needs to answer for our staff, for our educators, for our community. Um, and so I would encourage you to do that. And then the follow on question is what is the feeder plan? If we are going to close a high school, what is the feeder plan going to look from the elementary to the middle school to the high school? That is the business of the board. Um, and that's what you guys should be concerned on. And I think that I I think many of my colleagues shared those concerns and shared those questions and I encourage the school board and the district to answer those questions sooner than later. Thank you. [Applause] >> Thank you, Colonel Jones. Dr. Frick. I'm Jane Frick. The

115St. Joseph School District faces challenges far beyond what I encountered on the board to which I was elected and served from 1984 to 1996. School enrollments are down by 3,000 students since I was a board member. Even though St. Joseph's population has been stable at about 72,000, nearly 34 of St. Jo public school kids right now are living in poverty and Hispanic, black and mixed race students create a sizable minority among the white 65% majority of students. Our public school perception is that our kids perform poorly on academic achievement. The school facilities are in dire need of upgrading and replacing. Qualified, many qualified teachers are retiring and are flocking to better paying positions in suburban areas south of us. And voters unfortunately usually vote no for local property in tax uh increases for public schools.

116Now, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that some middle and upper income parents with school-aged children have opted to send their kids to private schools like St. Joe Christian where 89% of the kids are white. The teacher student ratio is small and the school is located in the affluent east end of town in a new building complex thanks to considerable private donations many of which come from the Herszog clan. And now we learn our district is in terrible financial shape. Our new business and operations assistant superintendent hired from outside the district, Dr. Roger Hedgecourt, dropped a bombshell of a public memo last night month to explain why the district's reserve ratio dropped to 10% rather than 20% as projected in last year's budget. He cites three reasons for the shortfall. one, an internal

117screwup in the district's offices of somehow not filling out and filing paperwork. So that over $9 million in federal title funds owned to owed to the district for the last two years had yet to be received. Two, lower student enrollments than projected led to less money coming in from the state than predicted. And three, we managed to spend $2 million over the budget and capital outlays. Well, no wonder our elected president, Latana Williams, raised the issue of having an audit. Okay, I will just say that Kim Miller, Rodney Chesn, Jennifer Kern. That's how it is. >> Thank you very much. I have copies of what I was saying. God bless the wild [Applause] $4500 to buy a school board. >> $4500. [Applause] >> Thank you, Dr. Frick. And I will remind everybody, no, >> I'll

118wait. I will remind everybody no outbursts or you will be removed from the room. [Applause] >> Lana Wooden Thank you for allowing me to speak tonight. My name is Lennia Whitten and I'm an educator in the district. I, along with many others, I'm concerned with the priorities of some of our school board members. With financial troubles recently coming to light and the need to tend to them with urgency, I wonder why our finances are not at the forefront of all board members concerns. After all we've heard regarding the financial hardship ready to hit our district, I'm disheartened to see that tonight's priorities of some don't seem to align with concern regarding financial transparency and resolution. All of you campaigned or applied for your positions as a with financial transparency as a focus of your platform.

119Yet tonight's most pressing issue for a special meeting is focused on removing our school board president. Situations like this very meeting give ammunition to the district's biggest opponents and further so distrust and hatred towards our board and our schools. And who pays the price? The students and staff. When the community when the community feels that the board hasn't been transparent or acts frivolous, they retaliate through their votes against progress in our district. And who pays the price? Students and staff. >> Yes. With financial issues arising, shouldn't all of our board members be focused on this issue rather than changing leadership titles? I can guarantee these financial stresses will be at the front of all of the minds of all staff members. While all of us staff are headed back Wednesday to prepare to welcome students

120on the 19th, we're all going to be left with two big questions. Why isn't the transparency of financials the focus of our school board? And what does this mean for our staff and our students? After all, we're the ones who pay the price. [Applause] Karen Planetup. I'm sorry I butchered your name. Thank you. Karen Clinton 3518 St. Joseph, Missouri. Without objection, I have been granted three minutes to address the St. Joseph School District board members and you, the community, with regard to scheduling a special meeting to reorganize the St. Joseph School Board. I understand board millers Miller Chubby Karns and Bridgemond. These four board members are requesting a special meeting scheduled to reorganize the board and basically ousted President Williams from the presidency. As a matter of record, pursuant to Missouri statute 162.481.6 and 162.491.4.

121Current board members will continue to serve the remainder of their terms until those terms expire. St. Joseph School Board President Lata Williams is the only black woman on this school district board. She represents all students, but most especially President Williams is a representative of the back of the black population. And the last time I checked, St. Joseph school district has a black student population who is severely underres [Applause] have the previously mentioned board members already met in private to discuss this matter and who initiated this matter? Miss Miller, you would be a violation of the educational regulation and transparency if you approached other board members in private to instigate this reorganization regarding the St. just a school board president without the public or without all other board members present. I call for an investigation because

122this is an attack on Miss Williams, President Williams character. And this is now before the board for a vote to schedule a reorganization, thus removing her and her leader in her leadershipship position. I call for an independent investigation and maybe we can ask the NAACP to handle that investigation. >> You for sure you can't stand to see a strong black woman in a leadership position or you're playing dirty politics by way of an attempt to tarnish her name. thus advancing your GOP agenda for the candidate in the 2026 election of which the district school board is a candidate, President Williams is a candidate for state rep in district 10 in the state of Missouri. Stop this behavior now. As the upcoming school year approaches, the St. Joseph School District students deserve better. Put your energies

123towards free lunch. >> Good grief. I challenge you to do that. I hereby officially challenge you to give free lunch to all students. You can buy money for expensive conferences, but you can't buy money to feed the students. >> Nourish a nourished student performs better academically. Everybody knows that. Do your duties as a sworn board member. Don't move forward this agenda to schedule a St. Joseph's school district organization meeting and stop this nonsense. Now, I feel my time ad [Applause] Thank you. And our last speaker, Sydney Pucket. [Music] >> Thank you. I'm very short. Uh my name is Sydney Pucket. I'm the founder of Herszog Free SJSD and a proud product of the St. Joseph School District. Uh the purpose or sorry the proposed reorganization of board officers right now is not only an unnecessary

124distraction but a misallocation of focus, time, and energy. >> Anybody else have deja vu from the book fans? because I do with pressing issues like financial stability and test scores. We should be worrying about those things. Will changing who the board president is come with enough money to put the reserves above over 20%. Will it magically make our test scores better or improve attendance? Is there a plan there or is it just so we change whose name is on it? Um, we have actual challenges to face and you want the community to trust your decisions, but you can't even trust your own decisions. You guys decided who the president was how long ago and the community already doesn't trust you. What are you doing to create trust? >> Exactly. >> Because it doesn't feel like

125it's happening and doing these little like back deal, oh, four members of the board, blah blah blah. when you notice where money and support is coming from of those four members. Um, how dare you walk the halls of the places where these people pay the lights, they do the air conditioning, they take care of everything, and you sit there as volunteers and conspire to stir the pot, grow up. If you want to be diet St. Joe Christian, go ahead and reorganize. But if you want to actually serve all students like a public school district should, why don't you get back to work? Do something other than fight amongst yourselves >> because the community is tired >> and they've been tired since I graduated in 2015. Yeah. I don't know. Are we gonna Are we going

126to redo the book ban? Because if we do have a change in leadership, are we going to reconsider those decisions? Are we going to look at every decision the board's ever made? >> Why would we give power to the same group that the book ban stuff came from? >> What are your priorities? You should be ashamed of yourself. I yield my time. [Applause] >> Thank you, Miss Pucket. Agenda item, special meeting of the board. Kim Miller called it. Would you like to explain why >> do you want to go >> here? Do you mind if I go ahead and talk? >> I mean, >> She's going to have a statement. >> All members of the board will >> get a chance to talk. >> I know. >> I'm giving her my time to begin. >>

127You called this meeting >> and I think it's only respectful for you to explain why you called this meeting. She did not call this meeting. [Applause] >> Okay, please guys calm down. This meeting is already kind of difficult. and members of the board. Everyone will get an opportunity to speak. There was an opportunity to do this in a quiet way. >> Can you turn on your microphone? >> Sure. >> There was an opportunity to do this in a quiet >> still. Okay. I think at the new mics it has to be closer to your mouth. >> Is this close? >> I do appreciate those of you who speak on Miss Williams behalf. her first term. I also voted for her to service as board president and things were things went all right but have deteriorated

128over the course of a couple years. My biggest concern has been the lack of support for our superintendent. It began when we first uh chose Dr. McInness as our superintendent and many things have just taken place behind closed doors, through emails, through uh other communications. That's a concern and that does affect our children. So, we do need to I agree this is silly to have to go through something like this just because of the desire to fully support our superintendent. If she can't focus on a job, if she spends all her day on emails responding to attacks, if she has to put fires out in different buildings because uh board members enter offices and tell the administrators or teachers that their jobs are in question because of the superintendent. I I think that does affect

129how our children learn and how our teachers are fearful of jobs and time on staff. That's the biggest concern because I know my desire is to serve this community. I am not a puppet of Herszog. I do have a mind of my own and this has nothing to do with them. Please, >> I'm asking everybody to be respectful and not interrupt her, please. >> Thank you. >> So, so that has been a cause of concern since uh we hired Miss McGinness and it has increased over recent weeks to a point where it's almost um intolerable intolerable for work to be accomplished by the administration. So, it has nothing to do with who you are, where you come from, how you look. It has nothing to do with that because I admire your tenacity and your

130your being on this board. That's why I voted for you on that first election. We all know your potential. We all know who you are and your desire to serve. But when it comes to supporting someone we have asked to lead our district, we lack on that. We choose to degrade her, um, demean her, and none of that accomplishes what is necessary for this district to be successful. And that's that's a hard thing for me to watch as a board member. We do want to hear about our financial debt. And I I am grateful. I praise God we have you on. And to have found that problem right away. And again, that comes from uh good interview process to have surrounded yourself with people who also care about our students like you do. You are

131the most transparent superintendent and person I have ever met. And there is nothing that I fear uh finding out that is your responsibility. None of that is. But you are willing to take that in on our behalf. You don't throw stones. You don't call other people out on, "Wow, this should have been prior person. This should have been here." You suck that in and you own it. And I can't tell you how I admire that. So, so that's where I come from. That was my desire is to And if this is enough, I'm good as long as we all understand that that you matter. Dr. McInness. The way you do your work with integrity, the way that you love our staff and your administrators, the way that you purpose good for our district. It was

132a great gift to attend our new teachers banquet, to see the excitement, to see the enthusiasm that you have begun and that you have passed on to your administrators. It was amazing because they're excited. I'm excited. Our kids should be excited and nobody wanted it to come to this. I promise you. Nobody did. But it but if we're going to be successful, we have to start at the top because that filters down to our school admin. It filters down to their staff members to uh to everyone. I I help in the cafeterias at the schools. It filters even down to them. So that has been my greatest concern and we need to improve on that. We need to improve on how we support you without degrading or demeaning or telling you you're not your job's

133not done well or right. So, I I appreciate that and I'm glad to have you as our super and the cabinet that has been selected to serve alongside you. So, my hope is that we can get past all of this because we do have a lot of work to do, but I depend on you to lead that way. >> Can we get back to the topic? >> Yeah. Excuse me. I'll see myself out. >> If you're not able if you're not able to be respectful if you're not able to be respectful of all members of the board, you will I'll need you to leave. So that's my perspective and that was the reason because she's not being supported well enough and is inundated with u questions with statements of degradation and questioning and kind of

134usurping her authority. Thank you, Kim. Jennifer, >> can you hear me? >> Am I good? >> Not loud enough. >> How's that? >> So, we have Miss Cavender recording and I think that's a violation of policy. I think it's KKB. >> What isn't? What are worse? >> It's not. >> So, so >> it's only a violation if it's used inappropriately in a personal manner, >> which it is every time. But that's fine. That's your That's your guys of me online calling me a crazy liberal. So, >> can we please get back >> that's fine. That's fine >> to the meeting at hand. As I mentioned earlier, >> it's already extremely uncomfort. It's already uncomfortable. And if members of the audience choose an acting like this, it's their choice. It's not illegal, but that is their

135choice and that's how they want to be. >> Go ahead. >> Okay. >> I am one board member with one opinion and let's make a few things clear first. This is not about the audit. I believe most if not all of us support an audit. This is also not about politics either. Anybody that knows me knows I don't make anything about politics. Nor is it about any special interest group that would ever driven my choices. It has always been the students, staff, district, and community that will drive my decisions. Reorganizing our board is not what I or anybody would like our focus to be at this time. We are at the beginning of a new school year, something to celebrate, and we have important issues that require our attention as a board and as a

136district. The first step to solving any problem is recognizing there is one. And I thank Dr. McInness and Robert Hedgecort and all of the other administrators for doing just that. They have uncovered many issues and have been transparent about them this whole time. We must focus on supporting them while also asking hard questions and holding accountability. They have a lot of work ahead. The drama happening behind the scenes though is unnecessary and unproductive in not solving any of these issues. I have already sent you an email outlining my concerns about how we are operating as a board and leadership. We are a board of seven, not one or two, and we are not unified right now. That needs to change. Unity does not mean unanimous votes or identical opinions. Healthy disagreements are necessary to make

137sound decisions from all perspectives, but division without direction is only harmful in turning our work. I am proud to serve along alongside every board member here even when we disagree. I will absolutely support a special meeting if it is necessary to do and we need to move forward together. With that being said, however, if you're willing to listen and work with all board members and the superintendent and take our concerns as a way to move us forward instead of an assault or an attack, I'm on board. If the majority of the board wants to table this conversation to see if that's possible, I'm fine with that as well. My hope is that this moment serves as an eye openener and an opportunity to work together, not against one another. I believe the majority of the

138board is demanding this downstream. Strong leadership, respect, and collaboration are essential for success of our students in our district. Our students are watching and they deserve to see us lead with respect, courage, and unity. >> Thank you, Miss K. Mosy. >> First of all, I want to thank everyone who spoke tonight. Um, I would agree with a lot of things that you said as far as working together as a board. Um, it's no fun to have some of my friends who don't even live here tell me how they watch the board as entertainment. That is not fun. I don't enjoy that. Um but this um the meeting that we're having tonight, what we what I want everyone to know is we don't take it lightly. It is time for us to figure out what we're

139going to do to work together. And there have been things that have been happening the last couple of weeks behind the scenes that we're not going to display uh to the public, but they are not good. And I want I think we're very blessed to have Dr. McInness as our superintendent and we need to support her as a whole board because she's got a hard work to do. Um, I have a passion for this district. I gave 29 years of my life to this district and I love it more than anyone can realize. I care about children. Um, I always have or I wouldn't have spent that much of my life um, educating children. My my life now is educating teachers. I take this job on the board very serious and I would not be

140sitting here tonight participating in any of this if I didn't believe in what we have to offer as the St. Joseph School District. What I am asking is is that we can have communication among all of us which I think is what Dr. McInness has been trying to do and that's what's caused the upheaval. We all now know everything that is going on whereas before we didn't always know everything that was going on and I've asked for communication for a long time now and I think we're getting it and that's what's caused the upheaval. What I want to see us do is listen to each other tonight. Think about what we're going to do and as a community support all of our children. It is exciting to see how many people are here tonight. And

141you know how many people normally come to a board meeting? the administrative people. So if we really all as a community want to care about the children, we all should have big numbers to come every time to the board meeting so we can work together as a group of community people for the children in our community. We need to all work together and it's going to start with us getting ourselves together and doing what's best for children. And I appreciate your leadership because I know that's your goal. Dr. McInness has been in our district for a long time and that doesn't always happen. And the last thing we want to do is lose her to some other district. And so she's got great ideas. She's got she's hired wonderful people. I've been in this district

142a long time. This is the best group of administrative people I've ever seen. The ones we just had and the ones we have now. And we are lucky because honestly, they can go work someplace else. So, we need to all get ourselves together and make sure that we're moving forward for the children in our community. And um I just am begging you to please let her do her job and not continually being critical of everything she does and trying to find her doing something wrong because we're all human. At some point in time that is going to happen. She's going to make a mistake. But I I would just really like it if you would just let her do her job so we can move forward. And that's really all that that we're talking about

143tonight and what we want. So, I'm just begging you as a community to also think about how are how are you supporting children in the community? Are you volunteering in schools? Are you running for the school board? There's lots of options of ways that we can all work together and help our children. Thank you. >> Thank you, Miss Chzn. >> Mr. more. >> So, you know, I have I have grave concerns that Dr. McInness feels unsupported and I want to say publicly that I support her and I don't know of anybody I want to see succeed more than her and her staff. >> Thank you. >> I So, yeah. Again, again, um I absolutely want Dr. McGinness to succeed. And I don't know that I understand it, but the divide between the president and and

144the superintendent has got to be improved. It's just got to be improved. As I look at our board the last several months, you know, I've seen a renewed focus on governance. I've seen a renewed interest in uh involving the community with committees. Um, President Williams has led us in uh um what's become a really excellent policy review on a regular cadence. And as I think about the things that are important, our students, our staff, their performance, and finally our finances, I see nothing to be gained by changing board leadership, and I don't support it. [Applause] Mr. Richmond, >> my turn. >> Thank you for being here tonight. Appreciate your interest in the um in the school district and the students and the teachers. And that's the um sole reason that I I put my name

145in and and I wasn't elected. I was appointed. I'm not I'm not embarrassed about that. I'm not embarrassed about my time in St. Joe or the things that I've done. I've worked with many of the folks here. Latana for sure in committees previously. Um helped run a campaign in the 90s. I've I've had a long history and in St. Joe and and um continue to be committed to what I consider one of the most important things in our community and that is an excellent um school system with community support. And that starts with how we do things with our children, our teachers, and our administration. And I said these things when I um spoke and was interviewed is I had three priorities. And and I'm still committed to those. I'm committed to those completely. One

146is support of the students, teachers, staff, and administration. That's one. Two, I saw attention within the board and um and and thinking I could help and that's what that's what I'm committed to doing. And um I feel like that without exception, that's what I've attempted to do in my short time here. And that's what I'm going to continue to do. I'm going to continue to try to help our board be more functional and more unified. And number three, it's crucial that we as a community um see our schools in a positive light. You know, I um I recently um saw that um DAB reran a bond issue and had 92% pass um on their on their bond issue. 92%. and um they're proud of their school, they're proud of their school system, they're proud of

147um their their students, and they they it's not just about the money. They they it's a pride of what they do. And it pains me after 55 years in St. Joe and um myself graduating here, um kids graduating, my kids graduating here, grandchildren here, it it pains me that the SC St. Joe School District is not the pride of the community. I want it to be I'm that's the only reason I'm here is to do those three things. Um work for the students, teachers, and administrators. Work to bring the staff and the the um the board together and and I'm sure Lata would would say I I got to believe we we met this week and um no secret meeting. We met at Panera. Um, we had a we had a two-hour time that we

148spent together honestly communicated. We've done it before and we did it again. And um, I I'm committed to trying to work for unity of the board. And then I'm committed to the you all as a community to say we've got to send the signal that says it's a new day. Dr. McInness has come in. Um, we've turned a page, everybody. We've turned a page. We have a rare opportunity here to say, "Let's start again. Let's do it again and let's do it right." And I want to encourage us as a community um to get behind that and do it. And so I appreciate you. Appreciate you being here and um I respect it. Thank you. [Applause] >> Thank you, Mr. Richmond. Miss Lanny, >> so I wasn't involved in any of the pre-con conversations about

149why you were all were bringing us here. So I I have been asked and I didn't know. Um I I will say I get real tired of people saying that there's fighting amongst the board. There's fighting amongst the board. Um, I didn't send out text messages about the board when I campaigned like the two of you did. I didn't take $38,000 in flyers from Herszog like you did. Um, I I >> Excuse me. >> I sat here. Um, you've all there's been two people, you know, I sold my house. Two people have come to me as they were instructed to to ask me about my residency. That was Mike and Latana. I shared that with them. Rather than you doing what you were told from MSBA to address me directly separately outside of a meeting,

150Kim, you worked with Herszog and I knew it was coming because Rhonda had mentioned before that it was going to happen. Um that you were going to try to use part of the agenda to discuss my residency. So, I I come I get tired of the oh, they're fighting. I don't I don't agree with a lot of the things that you all do, but as I said before, I come to meetings and I cast my votes. I don't I don't do any of your text messaging. I don't I don't do any of the of the rest of that. I don't I don't meet with Brad Logger and see what he wants done. I don't take his money. I don't do any of that. So, as far as wanting unity amongst the board, Rhonda, for committee

151appointments, you appointed Jacob McMillan, who also got $38,000 from Hersac, who also initiated the book bans. You appointed Assara Garcia, which I would think we would both agree would be a little divisive for the board. Um, and then when Assara pulled out, you you appointed Skyler Smith, who's running against Latona for House district. So, I don't want to hear a word about how we don't want to be divisive to one another. That was a divisive choice. As far as this support for the superintendent, so I'll be the first to admit I am critical of the staff. I'm critical of the staff. In the last 30 days, we've had several sunshine violations. Several. Several. It's it's a very easy law to follow. Just don't reply all. When you send an email, put the board secretary on

152the email. Yet somehow we continue to break the law. Karen Planov made a really good point. Even the four of you talking about having this special meeting and all being on the same page of why you're doing it is breaking the sunshine law. I'll remind you that we're currently under investigation from the attorney general, Andrew Bailey, for breaking the sunshine law. So, how we cannot I I just get so tired of the unity unity unity. Just come to board meetings and cast your votes. I don't I don't care. I don't care who you associate with on the I don't care. But if you want to say that this is only about support of the superintendent, that's not true. [Applause] And I and I'll get back to that. And I'll get back to that. Dr. McNus,

153you and I have had at least two conversations where I have explained that I asked a lot of questions. I didn't run for school board because I wanted to sit up in the front and I wanted positive things, which was good because that hasn't happened. Um I I didn't run for that. I ran because I was pissed off at Dan Kan and the people that didn't hold him accountable. So when I say, "Hey, I think we're sharing too much in in emails about HR related issues. Hey, I think we keep breaking the sunshine law. Maybe here's some ways to do that." Um, when I question uh you know, a report we're seeing is from June 16th, but we've never seen it before. Where did it come from? When you tell me that you have to

154apologize that you intentionally don't return to my calls or emails because you don't think I like you, that's not professional. That that is what happened. And and again, I didn't call this meeting. I didn't call this meeting, but this is what you all wanted to talk about. And again, it's not just I will not blindly support any of these any of these staff. I like them. I think they're fine. I really like Dr. secretist, but if he did anything wrong, he needs to be turned in for that. Like asking for blind support of the of the of the staff is it gives it gives Dan Kan vibes is what it gives. >> And that's concerning and no one should want that. And I don't I don't think you want that. But I will say I

155am I am concerned with the direction we're going and the lack of transparency and the difficulties in the communication. Now I don't again I don't believe this is just about support for the superintendent. I've seen the comments on Facebook calling for you all to remove her. Um you're in that group, Kim. you're you're in that we three schools group where they talk about they make racial rheto rhetoric. Um they talk about her hair, they talk about her nails, they talk about how she talks, they intentionally misspell her name. That's racism. >> That's [Applause] >> No, but Kim, and you just asked me, do you participate? No, but you're complicit and that's just as bad. >> So, so the that now now also think about if the people that are clapping hardest for you are the

156ones that are on film saying the n-word, that's a problem. That's a problem. And again, I didn't call this meeting. I didn't call this meeting. So, so I didn't call this. I know that you're all upset about the KCUR article. I get it. They've invested $49,000 into the three of you. I get it. They're upset. But what you're not understanding is that we're behaving as useful fools for them. They're sitting out in their tower on Riverside. They have four people on the school modernization task force. Four. Governor Kiho took Kho took money from Herszog and he put four pro- school choice people on the task force and Kho has already said don't give public schools any more money. So what do you think's going to happen? >> Well, here's my prediction. My prediction because we're

157ground zero. We're the we're the example. That task force is going to come back with a formula that says if you're provisionally accredited or if you're unacredited, you can have your kids go from the public school to the private school and their dollars will follow them. >> And why and and that's my point is we should be focused on the APR and we should be focused on finance and no one no one should be concerned about getting too many questions. No one should be concerned about hey we broke the law we should stop doing that that shouldn't the fact that you're ask I feel like you're asking me for blind support and again I will not give that I will be critical of the staff because that's what they get paid for if they do

158a great job they'll do a great job I understand like we mess up sometimes things happen I get it communicate with me and we'll move on but not communicating is not an option we have school starting in a week And I get where you're I I don't know. I don't know exactly what you're saying. If you're saying, "Well, hopefully this is a wakeup call and it's embarrassing to Lata Williams and then if she does better and she's nicer, I I don't know. I don't know what the plan is here. I don't know what the plan is. All I know is again, you're playing in to the everybody's mad, there's divisive, they can't get it together." None of you have picked up the phone and called her. >> Yeah, you had a meeting. You had a

159meeting. That's fine. You had a meeting. You had questions about me. Didn't ask me. >> So if we have if we have I have always said if you have a problem, you sent me an email. Never got a hold of me. Got to send me an email. Broke sunshine. When when you have a problem with someone, talk to them, not about them. [Applause] >> Before Yeah, I know. before as I left and as I came back to my station, you saw me hold up something. I think I threw it on the ground. Um, it was a pamphlet on how to be a good Christian. So, and I don't I don't know who put it there. We'll rewind the film and we'll be able to see. But my point is until we focus on the students

160and the staff and the finances and the APR, none of it's going to get better. The W3 schools nonsense. Kim, I shouldn't have to ban I shouldn't have to block your husband from my Facebook account. This won't leave me alone. >> Like, until No, until until we start focusing >> until you start focusing until you start focusing on the actual issues and answering the questions, it's not going to get better. It's not going to get better. And our kids and our staff deserve better than this. >> And I hope advice that you just gave. Yeah, I do. I do. I don't I didn't send a text about you, Jennifer. I didn't send a massive text message with your name in it like you sent mine. >> You guys can communicate amongst yourselves afterwards about your

161personal issues. It's not the time. Um, I do appreciate all of your time and support. Um it's been it's been overwhelming um in the process. Um it began at the end of last week in the m in the middle of of a funeral of my mentor and I was getting calls calls and messages about this. Um, I believe a portion of the issue is miscommunication and misunderstanding. Um, a couple members of my board are new and then others are just uninformed about the job of a board president. As the board president, I have always acted according to policy, according to law and statute, and at the advice of legal. Every decision that I have made in all of these years are rooted in those things. And it is always with the best interests of the

162children and the staff and community in mind. Um, and I will admit that this is extremely embarrassing. I do know that I have had lots of I've had lots of calls and emails and texts and everybody that came this evening in support. It means more to me than you guys will ever know. But it is embarrassing and that my board called a meeting to discuss recalling me instead of a special meeting about our APR scores or finances. Um, it's extremely bothersome that if there is an issue on the board, all of a sudden it's all my fault. >> And we are a board of seven. I'm not able to make anybody talk to me or communicate with me. All I'm able to do is my best. I' I've been the president for a few years.

163A year ago, Mike served under me as the vice president. And it was a learning curve. It was a learning curve, you know, but you grew to know and understand my role as the president of the board. And I've heard individuals and they're like about the support of the superintendent. I completely support her. I work hard for this woman in the district every day because I know that if she succeeds, I succeed. Yes, I'm going to ask questions. I am going to do my job effectively. It is not emotional. It is not a personal thing. It is doing a job of a leader. And I understand if my role is not always known. You know that you will not understand why I made decisions. Well, if there's a problem, ask and I'll answer. I'll let

164everybody know everything I legally can. Everybody knows that about me. All you have to do is ask. Now, it is my wish. Um, I want all the members of the board to take into account of all of the emails that we've received, all the individuals that gave up their evening and they're asking us to put everything aside and to do what is best for the children and the staff in this community. I pray that you guys are able to do that and continue to allow me to be the president of this board because out of everyone on this board, I've got the longest tenure. education and experience. A few months ago, I received the highest achievement a school board member in Missouri is able to able to receive. [Applause] I know that there are individuals

165and you do not like me and that's completely fine. I work with lots of people every day and I really don't like them, but I'm able to work with them. And I know that your friends I know they may not like me and that's fine, too. But I know my job. I do my job accordingly and effectively. And with all of that being said, I do understand your concerns. It's not like I'm just not listening, but I need you to give me your concerns in order to take them into consideration. I need you to let me know what you're thinking prior to it coming to this. Kim, you did approach me last Wednesday, contacted me for a meeting. First time you've ever reached out in a long time to me. And I thought that we

166were on our way to building a relationship. And it was either you resigned or we're going to call the special meeting. >> It was not to ask questions like why are you doing this? I tried to talk to you at that meeting. I wanted to talk to you. I want to build a relationship cuz it is what I do. I'm not able to do that unless you allow me. Now, all of this is not only making me look bad, it's making all of us look bad. >> And the staff is looking at us. Kids are watching and parents are watching. I've been contacted by three national media organizations about this meeting. And they're not asking about our school, about the kids, about the district. It's asking about this mess. And as I said, that is

167embarrassing. And I want all of us to do better. And I fear that if this mess continues, things will only get worse. Is there a motion on the floor? >> Can I help one more thing? Yes. But as you do that, I want you to know that it it will allow other people the opportunity also to talk. >> Okay. >> So, I'm sorry. >> Red light. >> And then I'm going to ask everybody again, you know, to please to be respectful of everyone that's speaking. So, just a couple things. The thing is, we all have to work together. We do. So, even the accusations that were just made that weren't true. I was sitting 12 days with my husband in the hospital. So, if you think I had anything to do with this, family is

168more important. I promise. Okay? And I've never done anything on Facebook, text messaging, anything to you. So, get over it. >> Two. >> It's okay, Whitney. It's okay. It's not your turn. It's hers. nothing happened to you from me. I I have better things to do. Two, do I think you could do well? I do, but we are a board of seven. I have requested stuff to I have requested meetings with you. I have requested that you you were supposed to request with me. I was told you're supposed to call me. I'm like, great. And then I finally emailed you. I have emailed questions and never got a response. Again, you have to listen to the concerns and I will greatly sit here and say, "Hey, let's table this because we do have more important

169things to do." So, yeah, I can sit here and say I motion to table this. >> I'll second. >> I have a motion on the floor and I have a second. >> Okay. So, we So, the motion Okay. So, I think the prop >> actually my questions. >> I'm gonna answer. Yes. I need you to clean up your motion. >> What actually is your motion? >> Well, and here's here's my concern is if you table it, we're going to put it on every agenda >> until you take action on it. >> Or I thought you table it, it >> it just comes back. >> No. >> When we decide to >> No, no, no. It stays. >> It stays as old as >> the next one. Okay. Well, then I apologize. >> Then we can

170>> Okay. So, what do you guys want to do? >> So, you I I think the proper way of Robert's rules is if you guys want to move forward with scheduling a special meeting that you would make a motion to follow through with scheduling the reorganization. If you don't, you don't do anything. >> That's correct. Lata, I apologize if you felt like that was an eitheror because that's not what the intent was. The intent was to give you an opportunity without this and to hear us. So, I apologize if you felt like you were given a demand and that was not the intent. it was to do it u separate of having to do this in a public manner. So I apologize if it >> if you felt like you were given an eitheror or

171an ultimatum. That was not the intent. So I apologize. >> I do. >> I appreciate that. Thank you. >> Is there a motion on the floor? If there is no motion, is there a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> Is there a second? >> I'll second it. >> Did you call the vote, please? >> Miss Miller. >> Miss Williams. >> Yes. >> Miss, >> yes. Mr. >> Mr. Members, you may take the items that are in your folder, but please leave your folder. This meeting is a journ. [Applause]