001and she she so she's super excited about it. So, it's nice to see a reward for good behavior, you know, like it not just uh >> uh trying to correct the bad behavior, but also, hey, you're doing the right thing. So, >> reward. >> Thank you for that. Appreciate that. >> Anything else for >> Okay. Um, we'll shift over to our discussion section and we're going to do maybe some of these slightly out of order. Um, let's talk about some of the upcoming meetings. I know the schedule changes quite a bit and we've had to add a meeting which Gina will talk about. So, I just want to make sure everybody's aware. So, Gina. >> Sure. So, after this, we won't have our regularly scheduled January board meeting. This sort of takes the place of
002that. So, our next meeting is our very big meeting. It's our deliberative session on February 4th that is being held in the gym at CSDA. Um, and that is uh 6:30 start. That's a a big important meeting. After our deliberative session, we are holding an additional public hearing on February 9th. We've received five petition warrant articles. some of those petition warrant articles and some of and one of the articles on our warrant require a public hearing within 30 days of the vote. Um so SB2 is a little wonky because we have our deliberative session at a particular date. Um but these require a public hearing 30 days within the vote. So that's after deliberative which seems a little bit backwards but that's the way the law is written. So, we will hold that meeting on
003February 9th and the first one we have to um they all have their own time for the public hearing and the first one starts at 6:30 on the 9th right here at RMS in the library. Um and that's for everyone to anyone who wants to attend can attend. Typically, it's um trust the superintendent uh reading to herself, the petition warn articles, and listening to the public um if they choose to come. March 10th is a big day. That is voting day. So, that is not a meeting, but it's 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. where um everyone, every registered voter in Brooklyn can come and vote at CSDA. um that will be voting on the entire warrant as well as um um the officers. So that's an important date. And then we go back to our
004regularly scheduled meetings on March 25th. That is a 6 pm uh meeting. And if any new members of the board are elected, that would be the first meeting of the new members. Um so those are the upcoming meetings. >> Any questions? What day is it? >> Concerns. What's that? >> What day was deliberative? >> Deliberative the 4th. >> Um, >> what time does it start? >> Sorry. >> Deliberative starts at 6:30. >> 6:30. What time did we come? >> 6:30. >> Just anytime. I don't know if there was like a Okay. >> Yeah, we don't have to be there. Like I >> early to set up or anything. Okay. All right. Cool. >> Um, and that is um we will have from what I gather babysitting available >> for families. All right. Any other questions
005about the dates, concerns? Okay. Um, looking at our discussions, the the public hearing presentation, which not really really should say deliberative um, session presentation. This is a discussion from our last meeting that we had here. We wanted to talk about like what that presentation looks like. I actually want to skip over this one for the moment because when we go through our public hearing, you'll see the current slide deck and then after we see that and we come back into our meeting, then we can like we've all put eyes on it and then we can come back and have a discussion surrounding like the presentation format and all that stuff that we wanted to talk about that we had um asked to have a discussion around. So, if you guys are agreeable with that, I'd
006like to kind of pause on that one for for the moment. Is that agreeable? Okay, cool. Um, in that case then do you want to do revenue expense or do you want to do the unassigned fund balance? Where do you want to go? Do you have preference? >> Let's go revenue and expense. >> Okay, so revenue and expense report. So it's either >> or Lance is going to take a crack at >> I'm going to jump in on it because as I'm looking at what's posted on the agenda and what I have in my files. Um, and I sent it out to be posted to the agenda. It's it's a version that has not the most accurate information on it. although the the main points are going to hold true. So I will have to
007update that and that's um my apologies for that. Um currently, which is better news than what's on what you have in front of it, our projected fund balance is negative at at this point. It's not the $414,000 you see on what's linked. It's $245,536. So not not the number we necessarily want to see, but better than what's on there. there and that had to do with a transfer line being an inappropriate place. Um, this is driven by what's on there but slightly different numbers over expenditures and special education. Um, with the main reason for that being contracted staffing, uh, which I know we'll talk more about when we're talking about next year's budget on drivers of cost. um that is currently the only category that is in the negatives and it's um overspent by $526,685.
008Um >> that's as of >> as of January 10. >> So that's going to continue to go up >> uh potentially there there is some you know as we move through the year that that includes encumbered funds. >> No, that's what's encumbered for the year. So if if we find that less needs to be uncovered, we'll adjust that as we go and we hope to see it move in the correct direction. >> So if we are able to hire um a pair professional, we will release a contracted parah and so you'll see that number move more in our favor. >> Did you find anything? um other um you know so the big driver there where there is some you know savings and regular education that's from unfilled positions um hiring savings um with I'm kind
009of bouncing back and forth between two sheets here um student support services similar unfilled site position uh so where we're seeing savings right now is is primarily from unfilled position s and we're we're seeing over expenditures would be um special ed from contracted staffing. >> Do we have a plan if that number doesn't move in our direction like what is our plan to >> So if you look um in the yellow portion it says um use of the retained fund balance. So, we do have 185,192 that you authorized us to retain if for some emergency. So, we would have a a public hearing to utilize that. So, right now, like as Lance mentioned, we were 414 636 in the negative. Then, you know, one day later with some transfers, we're um up to negative 245,000.
010Uh that number we would expect it it it tends to grow a little bit throughout the year. Um as positions continue to be unfilled then there's more savings. So we encumber the money assuming we will be able to fill the positions. But between September and December if we haven't filled them then we're going to release the money because we can't pay backwards. Um if we continue to not have them filled we're going to be able to release a little bit more money. So the the 185 and the negative 245, they'll balance each other out. Um we also because these funds are primarily due to contracted services within special ed, we do have access to the special ed trust that we could also utilize. Um >> do you know what the balance of that is? >>
011I believe it's 290,000 cor in that region. So we have that that's why it's so important that we have those trusts because um things are volatile and we have to be able to manage that because we're trying to budget 18 months in advance. >> I just wanted to make sure we had >> Yeah. And if you recall last year it was um a very same scenario. >> Yeah. >> Um we we budget very tight. >> Yeah. uh and and you know the budget right now is frozen which means you're not allowed to purchase anything at this point um to nor in order to make it so that this doesn't go any worse. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> And to provide the updated numbers in that negative balance solution, the the yellow box still with
012a zero in the use of the special ed expendable trust um 60,000 and the negative rather than the 229 that's on the link. So, you're saying everything >> if we were if we were to use everything from the um retained fund balance, you know, it's not quite as grim as it looks here. >> Yeah. Okay, great. Thank you. >> And as we get closer toward the end of the year, you'll see these reports more regularly. We start off quarterly because there's so much unknown right at the start of the year. Any other questions about revenue and expense? Okay, thank you, Lance. Uh FY27 budgets. >> Okay. >> Um yes. So I can take that. I'm just going to pull it out of order if you will. So all No, that's okay. No, no, I'm pulling
013it I was going to do new items first. >> Um so you're you're going to do new items then round three or this new items? >> Yeah. So nothing's changed since last month. Um, looking at the new items, there's really um not there have been no changes, but not a whole lot. In terms of academics, we're requesting $12,825. And these are minor pieces like um some training upgrades at CSDA um for literacy, some Eureka training for new staff at RMS, and some literacy training for new staff at RMS. Um but really the academics that we're trying to invest in is our educators. And so you'll see um a huge commitment in that warn article for the teachers. Um without um highly trained qualified teachers, you know, the rest is just sort of fluff. So um
014moving down to personnel, um other than the vision benefits, really the only um personnel piece is that district database manager and that is critically important and has been preserved across all three district budgets. um moving into um replacement computer equipment. So this is um a replacement cycle. So while this seems to be a high dollar amount, 97,834 um if we don't move forward with replacing these, the following year we have to double up on replacing them um because the equipment becomes out of date. So that was pretty important that we maintain that. The only additional items that you see here would be access points at CSDA. Those are going to be at end of life next year. So, we'll need to replace those so that we'll have adequate um Wi-Fi throughout the building. Um and
015then some emergency lighting replacement, literally the exit signs. We need to replace the lights in those um throughout both buildings. And then we did maintain some substantial I mean, if you will for the new items because it's pretty minimal, some updates and maintenance. Our buildings are aging and so we need to continually invest in the buildings. At RMS, we need the floor machine. Um our our nurse needs the privacy curtain. The roof on Milford Street desperately needs to be replaced. We put this off year after year. If you recall, it was part of the maintenance trust last year. Um and then at deliberative session, the 360,000 was dropped to 300,000 on the floor. Um and then the funding mechanism changed through um new taxation. That meant that we could not fund all the items identified
016for the maintenance trust. So the roof was one of those items that was unable to be funded. So we um desperately need to replace the roof on that section. And then seal coating the whole parking lot at RMS. CSA also needs a floor machine. Um and then two unit events and those are fifth grade classroom unit events for 25,000. Gutter repair placement for 3500. um finalize our exterior door replacement for 14,000. Um some small roof repair work for 5,000 and then critically important is the unit heaters, eight of them at 2500 for a total of 20,000. Um so that rounds out the new items. Um, all right. Looking at the thorough spreadsheet, as I've been mentioning over the past few months, um, the, um, most of the items you'll see have been shifted from one
017line to the next, trying to consolidate and rethink these budget lines. Rather than separating our paras into multiple categories, we're trying to have par profofessionals at um, CSDA, you know, pair professionals at RMS, and then preschool pair professionals because they have to be pulled out separate. Uh so there's there was a lot of cleanup in this budget. Um but nothing that stands out too too much. Um if you look the operating budget has an increase of 4.47% over last year. I'm looking at the last page of the spreadsheet. This is page 94 of the packet. Um our BTA war articles 51,347. Our BESA our support staff contract is 113,38. Um last year we had an infrastructure lease that's now incorporated into the budget. Um last year we had a maintenance trust. Both last year and
018this year we have um the Brooklyn portion of the SAU budget. This year's portion is 52,336. So if you look at the dollar difference between FY26 overall warrant and FY27 overall warrant, it's an increase of $810,230.74. That brings the percent to 5.87. We're going to see in our in the um public hearing presentation the tax cap calculation as tax cap percentage is slightly different because it um also incorporates revenue streams and our revenue from the state have gone down. So therefore um while it's 5.87% increase, it's a higher tax effort and so we're actually at a 7.91% very just under the 8%. um give with our tax cap. Are there any questions about the like I said there's no changes? Uh actually since November, have there been any changes? >> Sir, I'm just looking at
019like the red and the green. Can you just explain like >> Yep. So the So Lance did this to um draw attention to increases and decreases. The reds represent um a decrease and the green represents an increase. >> Okay. Okay. >> Have we um used the re funds? Do we are we going to be getting those again? Do they go for technology or am I not remembering? >> Yes. So um we are eligible for refunds and um we applied last year. We received them. We're still waiting to transfer them. Last year we used RE funds to fund our um computer replacement cycle um or a portion of it. it. Last year was very interesting because it it was delayed to go up on the website. It was open and then the entire website shut down
020for a period of time. It's a federal um program and so then uh I thought that there would be no more rate funds. It then became available and the window to apply was very short, maybe just a few days. We applied, we have access to them, but I'm skeptical that it will be made available to us again next year. Of course, if they becomes available, we'll apply the moment it's open to make sure we hit that short window. Um, but I don't feel comfortable um assuming that we're going to get the $40,000 to utilize towards computer replacement equipment. it like hopefully, you know, praying that we do. Would that help um with our current budget to >> so we would know the applications typically open in April and then you find out and I >>
021um so I can at this time >> I mean it could but it would be a risk. Yeah. So, um, so I'm choosing not to include them because I'm not confident that that we'll definitely see that money, but if that money becomes available, we'll certainly utilize it toward the replacement computer equipment. And um, you know, if if we end up having additional money, we can the board has a few different options, and we'll talk about that when we talk about the fund balance options. Um, but I'm not going to hold my breath. >> Yeah. Yeah. No. No thanks. I wanted to just make sure I understood all of that with the >> Well, there are some grants that have been applied for already. Correct. Like, >> yep. >> What grants have we applied for? >>
022So, um, we've we've applied and we're working with our title two funds. Um, so nothing in here would be title two funds because if you budgeted for it, title two would be like additional. It's not supposed to take over budget budgeted items. That would be a professional development. That's where we fund our new higher orientation. um additional um professional development staffwide um things like that. We have our IDEIDA funds that we've applied for and we've incorporated those into the budget. So we know that certain positions are partially funded by the budget, partially funded um through IDEIDA. Um that's special ed grant. We uh Dan Molinari is co-chair of our safety committee has applied for the safety grant for all six of our schools. Um, we're not going to hear for a couple months whether or
023not we've received the those funds, but once again, those would be items that are not uh part of this. >> They would replace any that you might have struck from the budget if they would get added back in. Okay. There any other questions, wonderings, concerns about budget? Okay. Um, it is 6:28. Our public hearing officially starts at 6:30. So right now um I will make a motion to recess our meeting until the conclusion of the public hearing um which is on the proposed FY27 budget and petition board article. It will all this recess will also pause public input and we will continue public input when we reconvene. May I get a second? Excellent. All in favor? Thank you. So, we are uh recessing at 6:28 p.m. >> All right. And then we are going to
024wait until 6 6:30 to actually open public hearing. So, for >> Yeah. If people wanted to talk during that public time 602 some of the um >> Oh, yeah. Yeah. Then I'll run the testimony. >> Yeah, I got it on yours. >> Kind of know I understand it, too. >> I know it's a lot. >> My mom gave me that. No, but Jim gave me that one cuz they're girls. He's a guy. >> He's a guy. He didn't do it. Got it. Hope that's not on recording. My husband. All right. Um at this at this time and as required, um >> I would like to open up the public hearing for the proposed FY27 budget warrant articles. Um as required, a separate public notice was publicized for petition warrant articles seven and eight. The notice
025identifies the start time of those two petition warrant articles as 6:45 p.m. Uh therefore, the public hearing on those articles will be conducted at the end of the uh public hearing on the proposed FY27 budget article. So if all of a sudden you see that we've gone out of order, this is why because the we noticed articles 7 and 8 to be done at 6:45. So, with that, um, I will officially start our public hearing at 6:31 p.m. Okay, welcome everyone, uh, to our public hearing. These slides will be pretty similar to what you will see at the Dilbert session. Um, but this is a little bit of a quicker presentation. Um, all right. So, we've already introduced our school board, but we have Alison Manion, Tracy Perry, Johanna Shrivever, Heligan, Lyn Powers, and Heather
026Rearden. Um I myself, Gina Bergog, superintendent. Um Dr. Darthy Flareity, assistant superintendent for curriculum instruction. Lauren De Janeiro, assistant superintendent for student services, and Lance Famino, our business administrator. Um we also have district administration, as we were made aware, Dan Molinari is um not here today, having um lots of fun with his family, which is great. Um Chaz Miller is our CSDA principal. Welcome. And we have Meg Peterson, our district curriculum administrator, and Jen Dolof, our special ed administrator. All right, moving on to the fun stuff. So, here's just a quick overview of the warrant. Um, article two, well, article one is election. So, we'll need a clerk, a treasur, moderator for one year, two school board members for three years. The filing dates are January 21st through the 30th, and you can get those
027at the clerk or at the SAU office, but on the 30th, you can only turn them in at the clerk's office >> by 5 p.m. >> by 5:00 p.m. Um, article two is the SAU budget by RSA. It has been required that that become the first article. So, you see that as a change in position for this year. Uh, that the Brookline portion of the SAU is $52,336. Um, article three is our support staff contract. It's a 2-year contract with year one u coming in at 113,38. Article four is our professional staff contract. It's a three-year agreement. Um, year one is 51,347. Um, article five is our operating budget. We just discussed that. 13,489,65 representing a 4.47% increase. Um, article six is an open enrollment article. Um and there's no budget impact and it's to
028limit enrollment to uh resident pupils only. Article 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 are petition warn articles. Um article 7 is to increase the Brooklyn school board to seven members. Article 8 is to rescend SB2. Article nine is to return the unassigned fund balance. Article 10 is a budget cap and article 11 is a tax cap. Overall, the warrant um comes in at $14,66,56 with a 5.87% increase. So, here's just a year-over-year comparison of articles and what they came in at last year compared to this year. Last year, we had um the lease. This year, we don't have a lease agreement. We have the SAU budget both years, so it went up to 502. Last year we didn't have a BESA contract, but we do this year. Last year we didn't have a teachers contract, but
029we do this year. Operating budget, we had one last year and we have one next year. Um, and the maintenance trust, last year we had 300,000 and this year we are not requesting money to the maintenance trust. And moving on, so this um discusses local revenues. And so these are primarily estimates um and proposed estimates if you will. So tuition, uh, we would estimate that it remains constant at 24,000. Earnings, we're estimating that it stays constant. Food service, we're estimating it stays constant. Special ed aid, um, it we're looking at a potential $11,000 increase for 4.1%. Grants, we are estimating that they may remain steady at 190,000. um voted fund balance. We're estimating that we don't have a fund balance as we are in the negative right now. Um Medicaid um that should be I'm
030sorry a dollar >> $2,000 with a slight percent increase. I'll fix that. Um fund balance to reduce taxes 62,952 and now we're estimating that there is no fund balance. um and other small revenues here and there here and there totaling $1,000 that's estimated to remain constant. So overall our revenue projection looks like a 10% decrease in revenue a share. Um so adequate so our state aid estimates our adequacy aid looks as though it's up about 21% our retained tax is down 3.6%. And our total state aid is up 15.2%. uh tax rate info. So if you look at the operating budget and then the warn articles and then you subtract out your local revenue, state aid, retain state tax, then you get to the tax effort. Um the Brooklyn school district tax rate would be
031$8.90 and the state tax rate would be 54 cents for a total Brooklyn school district rate of 1.2% 2% increase $944 and that assumes a 2% increase in the tax base. If you have questions on that, I would defer to Lance as the number cruncher. Uh but this is the this is the piece I wanted to point out now. And this represents the calculation of the tax cap. So our um operating budget for FY27 is coming at 13,489,65 as I mentioned. uh BTA is 51,347. U Messa is 113,38. SAU budget is 52,336. Last year we had some different warrant articles. So if we look at total of all warrant FY26 and total of all warrant FY27, there's a difference of 810,231. Um but the way the tax cap is calculated, you are looking at the
032tax effort um plus a fund balance return to the taxpayers which we did return 622,952 this past year. And so the tax cap application value meaning we're taking the 8% of 10,237537 not 8% of 13,795. So, the maximum that we could increase the budget this year, um, the overall warrant, excuse me, is $819,3 and we are coming at $810,231 at a 7.91% and that's tax effort. Um, not just a straight 8% on the warrant. Um, and this has been vetted by legal, which is a slightly different interpretation than in years prior. All right, warn articles. Shall the voters of the Brooklyn School District adopt a school administrative unit budget of 2,560,328 for the fourthcoming fiscal year in which 52,336 is assigned to the school budget of this school district. This year's adjusted budget of 2,540,642
033with 498,474 assigned to the school budget of this school district will be adopted if the article does not receive a majority vote of all the school district voters voting in this school administrative unit. So if we look at the FY26 budget and the proposed 27 budget, there is an increase of 116,823 which represents an increase of 4.8%. 8%. The FY27 adjusted budget is um as we mentioned 2,544 642. So the major drivers of this budget include salaries um which are budgeted at 3.5 per CPI and that's 67,3 um benefits. Unfortunately, we saw a health insurance increase of 15.1% and a dental insurance increase of 4.4%. So that drives $44,550 of the budget. um some operation and maintenance items, inspections, liability insurance, utility, an increase of 3,840 and then small other items 740. So there was
034a decre decrease in contracted services but then a slight increase in um equipment and software. And so that's a description of the FAU budget. >> Excellent. So at this time, if we have anybody who would like to offer testimony in favor of article two, I invite you forward. There's nobody else here, so I'm just going to move right along. Is there any testimony in opposition? >> No. >> Last call. Testimony in favor >> and testimony in a lot of pressure. >> A lot of pressure MTC's to join us. Okay, >> moving forward to article three, Vessa. So, this is our support staff contract to see if the Brooklyn School District will vote to approve the cost items cost of items included in a two-year collective bargaining agreement reached between the Brooklyn School Board and the
035Brookline Education Support Staff Association for the 2627 and 2728 school years, which calls for the following increase in support staff salaries and benefits at the current um staffing levels. For fiscal year 2627, the estimated increase is 113,38. And for fiscal year 2728, the estimated increase is 136,894 for a total cost of 250,2 and further to raise and appropriate a sum of 113,38 for the first fiscal year 2627 school year. Such sum representing the additional costs attributable to the increase in support staff salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at the current staffing levels. So, new this year is um we are to look at um at estimated tax impacts for all the years of the request um at the to the best of our ability um up to
036five years. This is a two-year agreement. So, the estimated tax impact for 26 is 10 cents per thousand and the estimated tax impact for 27 is 12 cents per thousand. All right? So, it's a two-year term. the goals of the district. We're doing to recruit and retain the most qualified staff, addressing critical staffing needs. As we discussed in our um revenue and expense report, we um are facing incredible challenges hiring u mandated by law pair of professionals and so we're contracting those services and that is really causing us to go well over budget. Um a future slide sort of shares that information. Um, we're all the another goal was to better align support staffing agreements across the SAU, make it fiscally responsible and sustainable, strengthen student supports and operational stability, supports goals around staffing, culture,
037and student support. Um, some items specific to working conditions and supports, professional development. Um, this agreement expands opportunities available to PAR educators for in district trainings. Um there's clarified language around overtime um to ensure accuracy and consistency. Uh and then there are some revised um language around leave provisions to increase clarity and alignment with um our actual current practice. So looking at year one, um the employees would receive a 3.75% increase plus a step if there is a step and 3.5% plus a step. For um full-time employees looking at um health insurance, year one is 100% coverage. They've always had that 100% coverage and so that is no change. But the um desire of the negotiating team was to slowly wean them off of the 100%. So year two it brings the family plan to
03894% the twoerson plan to 97% with below 100% at single. The addition would be our 30hour employees are our pair of professionals would be in year one offered health insurance for the first time ever at $84 uh max per month regardless of the plan selection. This has been the number one reason that that our administrators um interview potential pair professionals and then they decline and go elsewhere because we do not offer health insurance. As a result, we have to contract those services. Um in year two, that would increase to $1,158 per month. Um we also updated some position titles and um we updated our list to reflect our current staffing structure. Year one, as I mentioned, 113,38. Year two, 136,894 for a total of $250,22. Um, just to to kind of point out um how
039critical this is, if we were to hire our own PAR professional for the year, on average, we're looking at $26,477. Um, in FY24 we spent $289,766 contracting nine paras above what was budgeted. In FY25 we spent 3660,350 contracting 10 paras. Right now we have $574,460 encumbered to pay for our 11 contracted paras. That is not sustainable. And um if we were able to hire our own pair of professionals, we would be able to better train them. We would have better consistency as they wouldn't be in and out depending on what the agency was able to send us or who the agency was able to send us. So um that uh was a was a critical goal that the negotiate team addressed. So I thank them for their work. >> All right. So at this time
040for article three, I invite anybody who has testimony in favor to join us. Any testimony in opposition? In favor and opposition. >> Um Allison, is there an opportunity for us to ask questions >> at the end? >> Yeah. >> Got it. Of all the articles. >> Yeah, because that's during our public meeting, right? When we go back into public meeting, we'll discuss all of these as a big group. So, all right. Our floor. All right. Right. So, this is our Brooklyn Teachers Association. This is our teacher contract. State of the Brooklyn School District will vote to approve the cost items cost of items included in a three-year collective bargaining agreement reached between the Brooklyn School Board and the Brooklyn Teachers Association for the um 2627 2728 and 2829 school years, which calls for the following
041increase in professional staff salaries and benefits at the current staffing level. Fiscal year 26275 $51,347 um $329,127 and 2829342,899 for a total of 1,173,372 and further to raise and appropriate a sum of 51,347 for the fiscal year 2627 school year. such so representing the additional costs of attributable to the increase in professional staff salaries and benefits required by the new agreement over those that would be paid at the current staffing levels. So the estimated tax impact for tax year 26 is 42 cents per thousand. The estimated tax impact for 27 is 28 cents per thousand and the estimated tax impact for 28 is 29 cents per thousand. All right. So the school district has seen a lack of stability over time. due to low wages. Uh we've had quite a bit of turnover. You can
042see the number of teachers that have turned over simply due to salary, simply due to leaving the position to make more money in another district, not due to um retirement. So the average turnover in the past 5 years is 9% of our professional staff have turned over um in order to make more money somewhere else. So there is a visual representation of this So if you compare our the gray um the gray in the first column is the um Brooklyn teachers and if you compare to the Brooklyn overall compensation package so this is salary and benefits if you compare to Bow Oyster River Stratam exit witchfield and Hudson um and and you're looking at all the different categories bachelors bachelor's plus 30 etc for zero years experience five and 10 um if you are looking
043if you see red that means that um a teacher would make at least 3% more in that district. So the vast majority of the cells are red. So the teachers would make at least 3% more in those other districts. Um the green um would be the teachers would make three at least 3% less in those districts. So you see a couple of green boxes in Lichfield and then a couple in Hudson. And then the white is the net compensation is within 3%. So still could be more but it's within 3%. But those districts are um are a bit of a ways away from Brooklyn. So this next slide is what if the Brooklyn teachers chose to go within a 15 mile radius while staying in New Hampshire um but going to another district. So that
044wouldn't require that they um relocate their families and it wouldn't require that they obtain a certification in Massachusetts. So you can see um the number of red cells would represent um teachers in Amherst, Bedford, Hollis, Hollis, Brooklyn Co-op and in Milford making greater than 3% more than our teachers here um in Brooklyn. And then the white cells represent cells that um are within 3%. So um as a result the negotiating team um added steps to the salary grid and completely redesigned the salary grid in year one offered a 2% in year two and a 2% year three. Both of those are below CPI. They offered restricted loan repayment assistance to try to lure in um early practice teachers. Um sh there was a shift in health insurance to a far more cost-effective driver plan with
045an incentive to allow for greater financial sustainability for the death district. Um there was some cleanup involving defining BTA membership like who does this uh contract cover and then making sure the position titles were aligned with New Hampshire Department of Education. As we mentioned the 2627 school year the cost is $51,347. 2728 cost is 329,127 2829 cost is 342,899 for a grand total of 1,173,372. I invite testimony in favor of article 4 to come forward. Any opposition, please come forward. Testimony in favor come forward. and and opposition. >> Uh for those watching at home, there's nobody in the audience who's looking. >> Nobody in the audience looking to come up which is which is a shame that there is no one here. >> There is one. Yeah, it is. It is. >> I mean, it's
046all right. >> We appreciate your >> All right. Moving along. Article five, the operating budget. >> Operating budget. The average cost per pupil. Oh, so this is new language also that is required by law to be in so you won't see it on the warrant, but you will see it on the ballot. So required to be immediately prior to the language of the budget article is the um uh proficiency scores. And so this is an awkward way in my opinion to look at it because we're looking at the entire district which would be 3, four, five, and six in average. So it doesn't give you a whole lot of information. It doesn't show you growth or whatever, but it is required and um here it is. So the average cost per pupil for the preceding
047year as calculated in accordance with RSA187751A was $18,14.34. The school district proficiency scores obtained by the department of education for the preceding year include ELA proficiency at 622% math proficiency at 59% science proficiency at 39%. to see if the Brookline School District will vote to raise and appropriate um as an operating budget, not including appropriations by special warrant articles and other appropriations voted separately. The amount set forth on the budget posted with the warrant or as amended by vote of the first session for the purposes set forth therein totaling 13,489,65. Should this article be defeated, the default budget shall be 13,88 and 2318? No, 13,88,231, sorry. The same as last year with certain adjustments required by previous action of the school district or by law or the governing body may hold one special meeting in
048accordance with RSA 41310 and 16 to take up the issue of revised operating budget only. Majority vote required to pass. Estimated tax impact is $7.94 per thousand. The operating budget represents an increase of 577,411 representing a 4.4 47% increase. Some of the drivers of this um academics, literacy, and math training at $12,825. U regular ed personnel would just include the shared district database manager. No special ed personnel have been requested. Computer equipment replacement for Chromebooks, access points, and interactive flat panel replacements, $97,83. And for facility safety, which would include the Milford street roof, seal coating, unit replacement, unit heaters, emergency lighting at 210,000. And so the total of the new items would be 347,159. We discussed those earlier tonight. The default budget summary, we start with last year's um budget per the article of 12,911,654
049plus the cost of the lease that was approved 90,565. So, we're looking at 13 million 2,291 um items that are required by law um or contracted increases and reductions. We add 45,349 to that number. We subtract out one time FY26 expenses. So, we're subtracting out 319,336. And that's where we come up with our default budget of 13,88,231. >> Uh testimony in favor of article five. I invite you to come forward. It's our operating budget. And I invite forward any testimony in opposition. And again for article 5, any testimony in favor of the operating budget for article 5 and testimony in opposition. Article six. >> All right. So, this is a a new article. Um, it's an article on open enrollment. Shall the Brookline School District vote to adopt an open enrollment school program designating both
050Richard Mahake Memorial School and Captain Samuel Douglas Academy as open enrollment schools pursuant to New Hampshire RSA 194D for the purpose of enabling the district to emit up to one non-resident student to RMS or CSTA under the provisions of RSA 194D with 100% of its eligible resident pupils permitted to attend RMS and CSTA and 0% of its resident and pupils permitted to attend open enrollment schools located outside of the district. Um the estimated tax impact is zero. All right. So RSA 194D allows students to transfer between districts unless local limits are set by voter action. So without this warrant article, without passing of this warrant article, um the courts have deemed it to be allowable for a student to choose to attend an open enrollment school district. We would be then faced with paying that
051school district. So we would lose our adequacy money and we would be forced to pay 80% of our per pupil expenditure to that school district and any other costs that might be associated with that student such as special ed costs. That is something that we cannot predict. We certainly don't have budgeted for. Um so this article is to protect the Brooklyn school district from unintended financial impacts of this new law and this new um interpretation um by the courts of the law. Um, this article would preserve enrollment and budget stability and it protects our current staffing in programs and it ensures local control so that we as a school district um can predict and budget appropriately. Right. So, I invite forward any testimony in favor of article 6 for open enrollments. I invite forward any
052testimony opposition of article six for open enrollments. Again, I call forward any testimony in favor for article six and testimony in opposition. All right. Um, it is 7 o'clock, so we can go ahead with six, seven, and eight or seven and eight. >> Should we just do that? >> Do you want to? I'm okay with that. >> Or do you want to do it at the end? >> So, that that represents um the warrant as the school district is presenting it. The remaining articles are all petition warn articles. Two of them were noticed already. All five of them will be noticed again for a February 9th meeting which is after deliberative. So um I wanted to make sure we spoke about them tonight so we'd have a conversation prior to deliberative session. Um so with
053that I'm I'm okay going just going. I know I had said we might do 78 at the end but since it is past 6:45 which was the noticed time for 7 and 8 and then we'll just continue in order. >> Okay. We're going to start the public hearing for 7 and 8. >> Yes. And it is 6:58. >> All right. So, petition one article to reflect the growth of Brooklyn and to help distribute the workload of the Brooklyn School Board. Shall the Brookline School District change the number of members of the Brooklyn School Board from five members to seven members per RSA 6714? There is zero tax impact on that. All testimony in favor of article 7. Testimony in opposition. Testimony in favor. Testimony and opposition. >> Right. on quickly. >> Um, shall we resend
054the provisions of RSA 4013, known as SB2, as adopted by the Brooklyn School District on March 8th, 2016, so that the official ballot will no longer be used for voting on all questions, but only for the election of officers and certain other questions for which the official official ballot required by state law. There's zero tax impact. >> This time, may I have uh testimony in favor of article 8? Please. >> Just need you to state your name and address, please. >> Yes. Melody Lean Drive. >> And um I apologize for being late. Um but I'm glad that I'm here and seeing all you guys. Um, the idea of Senate Bill Two, which is really voting all day on an issue, is a it's a good idea, providing that we have good information on our warn
055articles. When there is more confusing or vague language on the articles, it could lead to voting in the wrong way. Um, years ago, Brookline schools were like number four in New Hampshire and now we're more like 40 and this has happened since we've been SB2. I think that we have a tremendous work here with finance as well. I think our board makes good decisions. I think that the idea of having a town meeting type of um forum to make these decisions is important and we need more parents who are really impacted by this to participate. I am in favor of resending the SB2. Thank you. >> Thank you. Any other testimony in favor of article 8? Any testimony in opposition of article 8? That was the first time, right? Any other uh testimony in favor
056of article 8 and in opposition? Okay. um so I am going to >> close that >> close the the public hearing for articles 7 and 8 at 7:01 and we will continue with our newly scheduled public hearing. >> Moving on to article 9. Shall the Brookline School District resend authorization under RSA 1984B2 so that the Brooklyn School District no longer retains any assign unassigned general fund under RSA 1984B2 and return all unassigned general funds to taxpayers for zero tax impact. Testimony in favor of article 9. >> Yes, please. So, I'm speaking in favor of this article because the money that we would get back at this time would not be more as valuable at 57 something dollars per residents as putting it back into a school where we need the money. We have already been
057denied funds coming down from the state. We're getting less money which increases the cost that our taxpayers have to pay. This is a small price to pay to protect our schools which is a very important part of the beauty of Brooklyn. >> So this article is to restrict the ability to um retain the fund. So it requires that all unassigned funds be returned. >> Okay. I'm sorry. Thank you for clarifying. Well, I'm going to speak against it then. Sorry about that. >> Um, so should I start again? >> Sure. So, so let's do it this way. Um, all in testimony in opposition of article 9. >> Yes, I'm here to oppose. >> Seriously though, um, we are in a position where we're receiving less money from the state, which means the tax payers pay more.
058In this case, we we want to be sure that the taxpayers um are protected in our community with the good schools that we have. I think the money should go stay within the school and I not support this particular article. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Thank you. Uh, is there any testimony in favor of article 9? And last call for opposition of article 9. Okay, moving on. Article 9. Shall we adopt the provision of RSA 325E and implement a budget cap where the school board or budget committee shall not submit a recommended budget that is higher than $25,000 per pupil cost times the average daily membership and resident of the school district as of October 1st of the year immediately preceding the proposed budget year plus an annual increase for inflation using the CPIU
059for the Boston Cambridge Newton Mass New Hampshire area index published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics as of October 1st. first requires a three-fifths majority of the school district and the estimated tax impact is zero. >> I invite anybody uh who has testimony in favor of article 10 to please move forward. Testimony in opposition of article 10 please come forward. >> Hi again. As mentioned before, I think we have a very strong board and a financial uh finance group that oversees the board. I think that putting arbitrary numbers on what our our school can budget for would be inappropriate. It may put us in a position where again we're getting less money coming down from the state. if we have um if we put caps on it, it may put us in a position
060where it's going to go back to the taxpayer and I think it puts us in a an invice actually and it would be inappropriate. Um I will also add that along with the great management that we have our cost per student is much lower than 25,000 I believe and you can correct me if I'm wrong. I thought it was 16. Um, but at any rate, um, I do not support the budget caps. I think our our board and our finance group do a great job of managing those finances. Thank you. Thank you. Any additional testimony in opposition? I call again for testimony um, in favor of article 10. And last call for testimony in opposition of article 10. >> Hi uh Jesse Bass at 8 Rock Raymond Road. I'm the Brookline School District uh moderator.
061So >> hi. >> Um so the uh Nope, never mind. Sorry, my question's on the next one. >> Perfect. All right, then in that case, uh, article 11. >> All right. Shall we adopt the provisions of RSA 325B and implement a tax cap whereby the governing body or budget committee shall not submit a recommended budget that increases the amount to be raised by local taxes this year's base that is higher than the prior fiscal year's actual amount of local taxes raised last year's base adjusted for inflation using theation index CPIU for the Boston Cambridge Newton Mass New Hampshire area published by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics and the change in population accordance in accordance with RSA 325B um 1B. Estimated tax impact is zero. >> Testimony in favor of article 11. May I get
062test? Is there testimony in opposition of article 11? >> I've answered my own question. >> Fabulous. >> I read farthers. Melody laid to me drive here to speak in opposition to the tax cap. Again, I think that our board and our finance committee do an excellent job in managing these funds. And these days when we are getting less money from the state, it would put us in a position that even one child who had special needs could really raise the amount of money that we would have to pay. And well, I just I just think it puts us in a in a position where we may not be able to fund our schools. And this is one of the reasons why people came here. They moved here for their for our school. My daughter went
063to school here. She went to CSDA and Paul's Brookline and she's wicked smart and um I I thank the schools for that. So for all those families that are moving to Brooklyn for our wonderful schools, I would ask you to come to the school board deliberative to vote on uh March 10th and also come to town meeting. Don't forget. Thank you. Thank you. Um again, I vote I I invite anybody who has um testimony in favor of article 11, please come forward. And last call for testimony in opposition. Okay. should not be a question mark after one name. >> Um that is a petition war article and it was submitted as such but it says shall so it's asking a question. >> Okay. >> All right. And there's an article 12 on my paper but
064not on your side. >> Oh to transact any other business. >> Okay. So it's not really not really. Yeah. Okay. Okay. Um then in that case I'm good to our public hearing closed at 7:10 p.m. Okay. Good. Um so then with that I would like I will um make a motion. Do I have to make a motion to put us back in? >> No. Okay. So I am just going to note the time of 7:10 that our joint meeting is going to reconvene and we still have 10 minutes um for public input. So we will I will also reopen public input for the next 10 minutes. All right. Um picking up where we left off with our discussions. We were going a little bit out of order. Um >> so public hearing present number two.
065So the public hearing presentation. So that this was put on as a discussion because of our last meeting. Our board members wanted to talk about what the presentation in our deliberative session was going to look like um in terms of how things got presented. So right now you you got a chance to see what the current um deck looks like. So, I'm probably going to turn it over to it was Tracy, Heather, you guys were were the ones who were wanting to continue talking about what this looks like in terms of presentation. Correct. >> Sorry. I don't know. >> I'm happy to speak on and I won't speak for I won't speak on your behalf. Um >> just wondering how we want to present this year. Um usually school board members, you know, present one
066article. um you know is that the format that we would like to use this year? Um also should there be any change in um presentation style um or anything that would make it easier for uh voters to understand as we go through the presentation. Um it is unfortunate. I appreciate the the two members of the public that are here. Um, but this is, you know, the first time that we we get to see all of the articles together and we have great discussion around it and so I know you can watch at home. So I hope many people are watching at home or or or view the recording um uh but you know in light of that in in light of not having a heavy public hear um is there a way just so that
067deliberative session might not be you know three, four, five hours So I I like the idea like we've done in past years of um and as we go through and we discuss each one articles each of us kind of taking one on to discuss especially those of us who worked closely within the content for each of the ones. So I'm comfortable with that concept. I don't I don't know what the feedback is from the rest of the board. >> Yeah, I think I think that feels like a a good way to present because it kind of narrows the scope. each person just has to worry kind of about when like you know kind of what your assignment is and prep for you're ready to answer questions. So I I think that at least one warrant
068article from another I think is >> okay. Okay. Um and then Ty I think you had also like wanted to talk about like the actual presentation of the deck or am I >> No, you know looking at it now I think it um I think it's cohesive and and it goes it it goes together. Um and I think it's it's great. I just was just again wondering like if if there's like a condensed version like you know do we do maybe like a condensed version or just something that you know I know it's not a huge it's not a huge deck but you know is there anything you know is there anything else as like a pre-eread um >> so we do create the district report >> um and we send that out >> and
069then we have printed copies available when you check in >> um to get your voting card >> okay >> um is there something else you'd like present in the district report >> copies of >> the district report. >> Yeah. No, just again trying to, you know, it it seems like there is a lot to discuss, right? um and to get public input from um just trying to find ways to you know like I think we've said a lot in the past just get the information out ahead of time let people digest it so that it's not all just coming out at deliberative session. Um you know we get a a great chance to to go through it and understand it to present it. Um, you know, again, just just for the residents who are are
070voting to be able to truly understand what they're what they're trying to vote for before 3 four hours of sitting in the lovely CSDA gym. >> I think our hands are kind of tied though from what I remember is in terms of how much we can actually communicate, right? I mean, Gina, how much legal are we allowed to >> I mean, we can disseminate the facts and not opinions or, you know, encouragement to vote. Um I I do want to say one thing. Um I will probably start the meeting a little bit. I mean obviously Jess will start the meeting but I would um start with a little bit of background information. We sort of like fly through those slides. I want to do a little recap on what FY26 provided the taxpayers because I
071think I don't I I don't want to ignore the fact that we do have a new boiler and that's because of the support of the the town's people and some people don't you know remember year to year it all kind of blends together. So, I want to acknowledge the what we've done uh and then and then move forward. So, it's a little bit of a of a shift. Um we can uh February 4th. I'm just thinking about because we need positions of both the um finance committee and the board before we can publish the district report. Um and any changes that we might or might not make tonight would be part of the district report. Uh, so that's not quite ready, but we'll get it ready as soon as possible and get that out. Historically,
072I would put copies, this is years ago, I would put copies in the library and town hall and none of the copies would be picked up. Um, so we could do that again. Um, because we do push it out through parent square, but if you're not a parent, you don't receive that information. And so you would just receive it when you check in to get your voting card. Um, happy to look at other ways or other places we could put printed copies ahead of time. Yeah, I think one of the questions maybe that was raised is could there be, you know, if there's not already, I don't spend a ton of time on the the town website, but um people go to that, you know, is there to the town website? >> Yeah. Yeah. I
073I've had a good time getting an answer on that one. I've reached out multiple times to no avail. So, I will continue to try stop short of me just walking in the door to speak to the town administrator. So, it's the top administrator that you >> Yep. >> Okay. >> Oh, and thanks Gina for that little the the blurb before you know you were when we do the presentations. I think that's going to be really helpful. >> May I add a comment? >> I think it would be and I I think we do this at town meeting to explain the tax impact and how that's calculated. Is that possible in maybe the introduction that you'll give, Gina? >> Sure. I just know that question will probably come up. >> Fair. >> And while while you're
074writing that down, I do think as someone who's seeing this for the first time, some of this does have some jargon like steps and um the insurance information like family, two person, single. I mean, I I can assume, but if there's a way um to look through it for for that jargon, I think that would just make it a little easier. It's really dense. >> That's a good that's a good note. And then as as we board members pick up more articles tonight to say we're going to >> whichever one I do or whatever, we'll we can individually kind of go through that. So it's a good it's a good call out because sometimes we see it so much and >> we need to remember that not everybody always does >> I think it's like
075how we present it right because I think we have some of it we can't change based like we have to explain it that way but yeah we certainly as the ones speaking to it can >> moderator >> yes >> I don't know this I guess public input so go for it >> if it is publicly >> sure it is still I have a closed answer so go for it >> fabulous Um the uh to that point on uh war article 4 the the chart that's there while very informative is absolutely an eye test and um is it very hard to read and I do worry that that might cause some confusion to peopleing from the back trying to read what's up there. >> Okay. >> I don't know if that'll >> Yeah. So I I
076actually considered removing all the numbers because it's really not about the numbers. it's just about making 3% more >> on a on on pace or making 3% less. So, it was really just um an exercise in financially where could you go to do better? Um and of course we we want to retain staff. So, uh but then that seemed like I was hiding something and I'm not trying to hide anything, but the point wasn't to look at the numbers. So, that's good feedback and I'm not sure how people feel about it. Could we >> because I agree we always talk about the I chart especially at the coat thing. It's a very compelling slide. Um perhaps removing some of the steps or some of the conditions and just focusing on the single or the family
077plan and just removing some of the data there will still convey the same image. Um uh and the same striking Christmasy colors but uh >> while also making it uh not making me not need to get new glasses. >> Okay. But you should go to the eye doctor annually. >> I hope we'll have time before the meeting. Yeah, I a recommendation that um we don't maybe we switch green and white um because to me green sounds like good, right? But it sounds like if I'm reading this right, red is greater than 3%. The compensation is at least 3% less. Is that you're saying that's 3% less than what our people are our salary >> so it's green because that means our teachers are >> that is right then okay >> are bringing home more than
0783% >> when we were going through it before I just wanted to make sure that >> could we could we maybe do it where it's like we keep the steps because I do think the steps are important but maybe if you take the numbers out and that's offered as like supplementary material like could we do that so that people >> could we print it >> yeah like you you have the slide maybe for for a deliberative that doesn't have the numbers but maybe in the back of the strict report, you have one that includes the numbers so the people who really want to see the numbers have the opportunity to do that >> that or you break it out into multiple slides so you include both because I I do agree with Gina if you
079take the numbers out it feels like we're hiding something and I want to be 100% transparent I think while it's a lot I think understanding that >> education and professionals in education are are have different salary scales than in the private sector and that based on their level of education directly reflects their how they're compensated. And so I think it I think and and seeing that that is common amongst all districts I think is important actually to call out. So it might be that we break it down to two districts on each side and then there's multiple slides to go through but hey again and hey again and hey and then that way it's not quite the eye chart it still conveys a message and we can say you know we recognize that these numbers
080are are small in these boxes. So if you concentrate more on the colors versus the numbers but if you're curious the numbers are here because we're trying to be transparent. And so I think maybe in when we present it to you, we we call that out like we're not asked necessarily to look at the number, we're happy to if we have to read them out, we're happy too if you can't see them from the back, but the color is really where the focus is. And I think we just articulate like that clearly um at deliver. >> What about this? >> If you want to put this in the back as an index or text and then just let it be there and people can find it, do whatever they want with it. But in the
081presentation, >> instead of showing every little individual, you got 45 little classifications there. >> Just say you say, "Okay, here's our district. There's 50 classifications, whatever." >> The next district, >> 37 of the 50 are red essentially. Explain those. And what is it? I guess it' be 48 of the 50 >> Yeah. >> are red and two are white, zero are green. >> Explain. Instead of saying white, red, green, just expand this. >> And then now you have the same number of districts, but instead of having 50 boxes for each district, you have three boxes more than less than or >> that that's good feedback. And then printing the eye chart as a >> and then saying you still you have that. >> Yeah. You want to look at it fine, go back, too. Red
082and green, you probably shouldn't use that because it's not color blind friendly. That was gonna Yeah, that was my next question that I didn't know where that was going to go or I was just going to send it to Gina is are we even using the right colors in terms of >> I don't know we'll we'll get it we'll get it corrected with that color-wise too to make sure that that people can differentiate >> that that should give you if you're thinking about the impact >> sure see our school district and the next one over there's zero classifications where we're better off here than over there and 48 of the 50 or whatever it is >> I feel as long as the are provided somewhere, then we're doing our due diligence. Like it may not
083they just may not and on a computer screen numbers are super frustrating to look at. Um so I think that's a really great idea and we're still not like we're still being transparent as long as the numbers are easy to access. >> Good feedback. >> No, there's really good feedback. >> Do you have anything else for us? >> Uh I have one more on another article um on the >> uh the operating budget. Um, it's very nice to have up on the slide, but that's not going to match what is read out because the warrant article itself, >> I'm sorry, was that the budget? I >> uh article >> the operating budget. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> so that's not going to be but that's what they're going to vote on. >> That's what they're
084going to vote on, but it's not what's printed in the warrant, which is which starts with to see if the school district will vote to raise. It's missing the average cost per pupil in the warrant. >> Yeah, it can't be in It's not supposed to be in the warrant. It's only supposed to be on the on the um >> on the ballot. >> Thank you. on the ballot. And I don't that I argued with my attorney today because I'm like, "This doesn't make sense. Why would you present it two different ways?" Right? >> Because if I don't present it deliberately like this, you're not going to recognize it on the ballot because you won't have seen it like this. That's uh yes, good point. I'm uh not a lawyer, so I'm glad you consulted one.
085Um it just makes me concerned that there's going to be one thing that I read and one thing that they see up there. >> Could we add a little explanation? I suppose you have a question. >> If you could add another slide that has the text as printed in the warrant article and one that would be printed on the ballot that would because when people are are voting um and we're calling it out and then what they say um they're going to be looking up at that and anybody who's got the printed copy is going to be looking down at that and knocking online and >> but they're going to grab a printed copy of the district report and they're going to see this whole thing. Uh, I appreciate that that makes that makes a
086lot of sense, but I just felt like I don't want to confuse them at the ballot because they won't have seen that. So, >> so covering it here and saying this is what's going to be printed on the ballot. It's not on what you're what's on the warrant article uh that you're going to read and adjust tonight the text at at the beginning here. You can leave it here perhaps if you put it in a different kind of text or put in a separate slide, but so that what they're going to be uh uh voting on at the SB2 meeting is up on the slide in front of them. Um at least in its unaltered form, not that they can alter this one. >> Maybe we just italicize the portion, but >> Well, or could
087you just have one this is the warrant, this is the like you could just label this side like operating budget as it appear on the ballot, operating budget as it's being read. that. >> So that means that we can't we can't alter that first section about the pure pupil cost. >> Oh, I see then. Yeah, I think your comment smart to have it. >> This entire this entire warrant article is statutory language as far as I'm aware. So >> nothing about this can really deal with >> the one what you can amend is um someone can propose an amendment to the budget to the number the 13,48965. >> Yeah. Not the default >> but not the light. Correct. got the default den any other words you would give that first >> the proposed budget. So
088I think anything that they can't maybe with this one anything that cannot be modified like those beginning parts maybe we just call those in italics is not what we can say if it's in if it's in italics you it's statutory language we can't modify it >> here you go >> the underlining I think takes care of that I'm I'm only really concerned with the with the preamble the proficiency and average cost per which I >> with you just going to be confusing then when it doesn't line up with what's in >> appre Appreciate it. >> Question. It's on a petition word article. And again, I don't know if you >> contacted uh uh anybody. This has confused me in the past. Petition article 01 uh on RSA 325-B uh pertains to governing bodies and budget
089committees. Um does that apply here? Because 325 325-e applies to school districts, but E applies to governing bodies and budget committees. Does the school district have an independent budget committee? >> No, just a financial committee. This still could apply. Um it's gone through legal. It it absolutely can. Um we we could be required if this passes we could be required to follow the um specific calculation. >> Okay. If you've uh it's gone through legal >> the only thing that has gone through legal that they feel should be further clarified um is the petitioner did not identify a mechanism for this um article seven changing the um the board from five to seven members. it doesn't identify the mechanism or the timing of such. So without that my assumption would be not March 26 but March
090of 27 to add two members at that time. That happens to be in alignment with the year that only one member is elected. So it would make sense in terms of balancing the number anyway. But that was the only feedback on any of the petition warrant articles in terms of legality of language and clarity. >> Okay. Is that something that uh you expect to uh correct at town meeting in the amendments time? >> Uh so I would probably identify that this leads us to make assumptions. Um and this would be my assumption unless somebody wanted to clarify. >> Is the lawyer going to be at >> the lawyer will be there. the lead petitioner has the opportunity this year now that a lead petitioner has been identified um to make a presentation. >> Okay. I'll
091um uh I I hope to be in touch with you a little bit later uh after this to talk more about um the who the petitioners are and and I've been coordinating with Peter Webb to try to align for all 10. >> Great answer questions. >> Thank you, Jesse. Um, while we're kind of paused in our discussion, is there any other public input that anybody would like to come forward with at this time? Because otherwise, I'm going to go ahead and close it. All right. I'm going to close public input here at 7:30. All right. Um, as we go through each of the warrant articles to discuss them because I know is committing us questions. Um, board I would what I would like to do is maybe identify who is going to be the lead
092presenter on each of these as we go through them. Okay. Um, so article one uh don't Gina you can just talk through that one right because that is just the >> that's just the election. that is just the elections and the election roster like we have two open um we have two two school board members and so Gina you can just speak to that one and then um article two so that's the SAU budget so let's start with what questions discussion do we have surrounding the SAU budget for this year that we can maybe flow over so board finance committee >> and just to clarify this cannot be amended mended on the floor. It's presented as is. We can discuss it all we want. Um this is your opportunity to vote twice because you can
093vote um in your elementary school district and you can also vote the co-op. Um and it's a sum of all the yeses across all three opportunities and all the nos um that determines whether or not it is passed. >> So vote early, vote often. Are >> we But we're contract contractually obligated to all of this for the most part, right? >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> So, um >> there's a default budget in place. >> It's um it's it's called adjusted, but it's the same sort of idea. So, essentially there's a difference of less than $20,000 um between the budget and the adjusted budget. So, if it fails, the adjusted budget is what is put in place. >> And that $20,000 is for all the districts. The difference in Brookline is about 4,000. Yeah, >> just
094to clear just sorry just to clarify. You said it cannot be amended. So that underlying number cannot be amended. >> Cannot Okay. >> No, it's a relatively flat budget. >> No, for sure. I just wanted to It'll be asked, I'm sure. >> For sure. No, no doubt. >> Lance will be there on the night just to answer questions that may potentially. >> And who would like to um present this? >> Lyn, you were part of the uh SEU budget committee. Could you take article two for us? >> Awesome. And then do did you want to I'm sorry. Did we want to take positions both finance and board now or during um deliberations? >> No, let's talk through everything. Are you comfortable that Dan? Let's talk through everything then we'll take positions at the end. Okay,
095I'm good with that, too. All right. No other questions with budget or concerns or wonder. Okay, great. >> Uh article three is the Bessa. >> I'll take this one. >> Yeah, you will. >> It works. You've been you was you and Tracy, right? Tracy were on that too. Are you comfortable with representing? Okay. All right. So, we'll give that one to Johanna. All right. What questions do we have about the article three on the best of contractor? Any concerns or wondering? >> I did have a comment on whatever page 24 is of the packet. I think yes, page 24. So, it's um starts average cost of a district employed parah educator 26,000 blah blah blah. And this was just a little confusing to me because this top I um gives the the number for the
096for is it >> so that's the average number for the how much the district would be paying if we hired in-house >> if we hired in-house for one pareducator. >> Is that what it's saying? Yes. and and those represent um how much additional money we've we've paid >> contracted parent educators. >> So it's a just a little confusing because the top number is like for one >> individual and then we have the a summation um number. So my brain was like >> do I do two 289,000 divided by 9 to compare the numbers >> which we can break down. >> So I thought that might be more helpful as a comparison. Would it would it be good to add a column that for each of these years that says, "Hey, you know, if we had
097hired somebody then these nine would have cost this amount." These >> No, I think I I think I think what I'm hearing is if we had another column where we had that divisor where we divided it. Um cuz I I we did want to highlight how much we did wind up spending for the whole year um in those years. Those are actuals. Um but I think having another column that indicates what one would be on average, I think is fine. The problem with that is that these aren't all for the entire year and so the number becomes skewed. >> Correct. Which is why I said average number of PAR educators because when we hire we we we released par uh the contracted power educators. So there were some that came and went. So can we
098I'm sorry. Keep going. No, go ahead. Can the additional column be the average cost of one contracted? >> That was what I was saying. >> No, not but not divided by nine. >> Oh, right. Just take the average of what we had for that year with the actuals that we had. We could >> I would say either that or you could make a column that's this is how much we spent on the cost of contracted parent educators. This is how much we would have spent if we had that same if we had had a full step. I mean because I just I don't want to like break it down by too many numbers either. Do you know what I mean? >> Right. I I but I think I think to Kate's point I think that
099that would be clearer though to see what we were paying on average for one >> for the for the entirety of the year. >> To be so many numbers. >> No, it it won't it won't it'll just be that same direct comparison and then with the total of what we wound up paying for that fiscal year. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. >> Just so we can sure >> compare apples to apples on. >> Yeah, I could that >> because it's typically around three times as much. >> Yeah. >> Maybe you can highlight that and say typically approximate like in in bold >> print, >> you know. Sure. >> That might >> make it clear and easy to understand, >> right? >> Yes, definitely. We could definitely >> relying on people doing math. >> Okay.
100So are I think if we do that I think I think it does make sense because I I really think it's important for us to show the difference because we will be paying less by having them hired. I'm just going to I'm wondering if we'll get a question about savings then right because there should be savings associated, right? So if I did this out I thought it was $32,000. So we get about $6,000 in savings. I know it's okay. it it would be more than that because again some of these contracted power educators only worked for three months, some worked for the full year. So I think what we're going to be doing is a direct comparison of a full year contracted power educator and a full year average cost of um of a direct
101district employee. >> But in terms of a savings, >> we don't budget for contracted which is why for the past 5 years we're talking about we're 14,000 in the hole. >> Yes. >> And so we don't have the money to fund this. So, so that we pull from every other line in the budget and and we're in a budget to be able to explain that cuz that will come up. I'm more than capable of explaining that. I think that it's but I just I don't necessarily want to make so many slides that we're losing the overall. >> I just think I just think the question about cost savings might come up and not everyone understands where it would come from. To your point, that was that was very helpful, right? Because I think I'd look
102at this and be like, "Oh, okay. Well, we're savings." And I know I was averaging it, but I was thinking like people are going to say, "Well, you're asking for 113,000, but you're also saying that >> we're overpaying right now." >> We're saving. We're going over budget, right? We're not staying under. >> We just will want to just speak to it. That's >> correct. Y >> perfect. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Uh so for our group three, what other questions or concerns or clarity do we need or wonderings we have? I know we went through a lot of the we went through the contracts of you know kind of adium last meeting but I still want to make sure that we're addressing anything that there's a lot to digest so no okay um so article
103four is the BTA contract I can take that one if you're good if I take that one >> sure >> um I know we work together on that but I'll take it uh what do we have for questions or or clarity for the PTA contractor wonderings >> we just highlight the word increase somehow just it's not the total that's the increase says increase already but you know >> uh on that first line >> where you're looking >> where it says like fiscal year and then estimated increase >> oh attribut attributable to >> increase in professional staff salaries. It's It's right underneath the It's a second line underneath. It's a line underneath the sum of 51,347 towards the end of that line right there. Um yeah, so we this um so the language we can't really
104do anything with but um and it's actually can't I'm not supposed to like italicize do like crazy things in the warrant language but we can certainly address that >> um in slide um I don't know what page it is for you but this this this slide right here where it says cost instead of just writing the numbers we can talk about an increase year-over-year. >> Yeah, we we'll just make sure we articulate that and that that's clear there honestly on the written article >> because it says it. You're right. But calling it out be to be clear that this is not the total cost of what we're paying our teachers. This is the >> the increased amount. So yes, we'll make sure that that's I articulate that clearly. And then we talked about we got
105the feedback on the yeah district sides. Um is there anything else with the teachers contractor that you may have concerns of or something? >> I was just a question. >> Yeah. >> That 9% turnover. >> Yep. >> Is that annual 9% and on average over those five years we have a pretty small I have a question too. Are we talking about apple and apples as we go across that chart? The teachers that left, are they going at the same step level? And because different districts have different categories. So you have bachelors, you have plus already you have bachelors, um plain bachelors, just no experience, no further education. And then some districts go above and beyond the mast's plus 30 and they have the PhD. >> Yeah. >> So long-term these teachers may be looking at
106retirement and their ending salary is going to greater. So unless we are looking at the same teacher all the way along the line, that shot's deceiving. >> So it's lack of teachers who reported um low wages as the reason for leaving. So some of them left and went to Fidelity, just left teaching altogether. Some of them went to Hollis and you know were bachelors plus 30 step two and then bachelor's plus 30 over in Holl. Um, some went to Bedford. Uh, many different reasons, but all of those represent leaving Brooklyn as a teacher to make more money. Um, and so as a result, 9% of our professional staff turn over every year due to low wages. We have more turnover for, you know, retirement, etc. Um, but that represents the amount of staff that we
107have to train every year. So that's why it becomes um lack of stability in staffing and also um it it costs money to train um all of our new staff because we already paid to train the staff the year before but they weren't there. So um so it's not intended to be deceiving. It's just that they left because they weren't making enough money. >> Right. >> Some of them will naturally hit that next break if they left on a year where they were going to be, >> you know, into the next bracket. >> Did you miss? >> Yeah. I think the change you I think that what you're saying is like for New Hampshire I believe most of the steps are the same. >> Um so actually if you look at where it's completely blacked
108out um in Hudson Stratam and Oyster River that's because like Oyster River doesn't have a bachelor's plus 15. So there is no comparable data and that's why that is just blacked out. >> Stratam and exit don't have they don't have bachelor's plus 30. So that's blacked out. And then Hudson just goes from bachelor's to masters to masters plus 30. >> So you're com So everything that you've compared is apples >> is apples to apples comparison. >> Correct. >> And then the what the second side that's the districts that are within 15 minutes they all have the same step. >> Correct. And so many of the other the other districts continue beyond um step 10, but the existing Brooklyn step table uh does not across all categories. And so we didn't I mean I have it
109somewhere else but I didn't include it because it wasn't apples to apples comparison. It it wasn't fair if you're looking at a district goes up to step 20 and we stop at step 10. So I I tried to make it as apples and apples. >> No teachers went to these districts or you just selected these districts. >> So we um every time we negotiate we talk about um contracts. The SAU historically looks at all of these districts for comparison. So this we do this exercise every year whether we're negotiating in Hollis or Co-op or Brooklyn and we look at these districts. However, this year um I added Lichfield and Hudson to this comparison because those are never districts that we would typically compare to when trying to look at um comparable districts. yet it they
110still show a similar trend and so because of that I thought it was important to include them. I actually thought this a similar I had a similar thought on the slide after you explained that these are you know districts that a person could live in Brooklyn and commute to without any issue. Um, and so I think it would be good to whoever is going to explain this slide just to explain why these, you know, five districts were selected to compare to just what you explained. >> Oh, the B O River. >> Yeah. Yeah. Because it just felt kind of random if you didn't >> articulate why we why we chose those. >> Y >> where's Oyster River? >> It's on the sea coast, but it is a cooperative. And so it's really important for our
111co-op to look at other cooperatives. Lots of reasons why um over time the boards have selected what they believe to be comparable districts. >> It's a good question. >> It's Lee, Durham, and Stratum. Madbury, I'm sorry. Lee, Durham, and Madbury are the three towns that are in that co-op. Just so you know, if you're curious, >> I would say on this just because of Heather's comment earlier, um having something so net compensation at least 3% greater than Brookline. >> Okay. >> Just saying just so it's clear that it's negative or posit you know. >> Yeah. >> Compared to that and we'll work on the color chart. >> J has already looked up the best color for I think somebody would be on it for that. So that's perfect. Yeah, I agree. Cleaning up the language
112a little bit to make it >> clear that it's >> 3%. >> Yeah. Than just so you know what >> than Brookline or within 3% of Brookline or 3% lower than Brookline. So >> Okay. >> Yeah, absolutely. We're we're we're a small group tonight. So go for it. >> Thank you. Uh one more suggestion on that same note. If you could swap the green and white so that it's less than three, within three, greater than. >> Yep. >> Yeah. So, it's in order. That might help too. >> Smart. >> Nope. That's good. All good feedback. Anything else with article four? Great. Um let's move on to then to discussion on article five. Um Tracy, would you be willing? You do a lot of work facilities and the operating budget is a little facilities heavy. You
113comfortable presenting that one? Be awesome. Thank you. >> Um so that'll be Tracy. All right. So what questions, concerns, wonderings do we have with article five? Let's talk. >> I just have a comment. I know that you were saying that this is um language you have to include. uh just if we get any questions around the proficiency scores like how do we address that? >> Sure. So um a more detailed um expression of our proficiency scores will be in the district report. So you could actually look at third grade, fourth grade, fifth grade and sixth grade scientist skewed because it's it's only fifth grade. So it's only one cohort whereas the others are an average of four grade levels. Um we will also be including in web plus data. So that was last year with
114um our literacy program only at CSDA not yet at RMS. So this year we're going to be able to look at growth from fall to winter and that'll be shared in the district report as well. So you'll get a better idea of um while these scores might not be our top scores, we're we've implemented new curriculum in math and in reading and we're seeing growth and that's sort of the point and growth doesn't happen overnight. It's you know effort over time. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Report also shows the state comparison as well. So we're still strongly >> compared to the state law. Is that would that be beneficial to add in here though? >> We're not allowed to. It's statuto. Yeah. >> Oh, no. No. I'm sorry. Um, in the preceding slides, >> is this
115all statutory? >> no, we we could, I suppose. Yeah, it it's um I understand the purpose of it. Um, but to explain it in the slides that are supposed to explain the budget, >> right? Fair. >> Um, seems strange, but you're right. It's there and people probably want to know why. So, if I include it as a separate slide to demonstrate what's on the warrant versus what's on the ballot, maybe that would be a good time >> to look at that. >> Yeah, because people are going to I mean, people are going to draw um comparison how even though how inaccurate or unfair it is between those scores and you know the budget and I'm sure that's part of the reason why it's on there. So, >> yeah. >> So, yeah, I think articulating that.
116Okay, Lou. If we're required to have it here, well, it might be a little awkward for us to have it in our operating budget explanation, >> it should be because it's part of >> it's the first year that we've seen it that way. >> And with the first year and especially with having a single cohort for science and not having all the data from our lower elementary school, like there's there's so much more that goes into proficiency levels than a single test, right? And I and I think that that's going to be an important point because people who are not involved in education or or maybe don't have children in the schools anymore, they may not know that and they may not realize that. And so then that looks scary, right? When you see an
117operating budget as large and you see these percentages, I think having a articulating what actually has gone into these for this year, I think is important. I think it's also good to remind people that we are in an implementation phase for both ELA and math and a full implementation takes three years. Um so you won't really start to see the benefit for that but we're already seeing impacts on our um midyear benchmarks from previous years. So it's starting to grow and so you'll start to see that growth. >> Yes. >> Can I also ask what defines proficiency? So this is um as presented on the Department of Ed I report and so you're looking at New Hampshire SAS data but then they average it across for the entire district >> standardized SAS >> standardiz but
118what are they considering proficient like I don't know I don't understand >> oh like out of the scores level one two three four level >> so um a three or a four >> three or four would be proficient above >> okay it okay so 60% 62% of students scored a three or four in ELA correct is what you're saying. Okay. >> On on average. >> On average, right? That's on average. Yeah. >> Right. Okay. >> And that's And what's the level? So, it's proficient, average, >> just proficient or not proficient. >> Oh, it's one or the other. It's either or. Okay. >> Good. >> There are four levels, but three and four are proficient and one and two are not proficient. That's good. >> Good question. Could we also maybe just just while we're doing
119the comparing to state levels for proficiency and things like that maybe the cost per pupil because I think our cost per pupil is >> Yeah. So there is um I have prepared a slide for the cost per pupil and um the enrollment over the past 10 years and projection out five years for I have that prepped for the deliberative because yes cost per pupil is going up um but we are well below the state average um and we have always been correct and we continue to be there and so I think it's a really important >> it's a really important side the beginning you're saying that's >> so and then whoever is doing this can even revert back to saying this is you know bringing it 18,000 as we showed you at the beginning. Okay.
120Um and then uh the this potentially is more than 18,14 uh because when I prepared the the warrant um the new numbers haven't been released, but they came out on January 6th. Um so it's still in I I want to say still around in the 18s meaning close to 19,000, but it's still like 4,000 below the average per pupil expenditure for elementary schools. And one question, um, do we know if the EFA accounts affect, uh, the average cost per pupil or is that not at all? Is is that more just like in a in the pot of money as as kids uh or parents and families take those educational freedom account funds? Does uh we don't see that in the per pupil cost. we would see that more in the operating budget cost. >> We
121don't see that anywhere. What what we see is um we don't we don't receive adequacy for those students and so money from the state goes to the families instead of going to the district. So it's in terms of um funding from the state >> and that makes part of the tax effort as opposed to like the budget. >> Got it. because that makes our number of students decreased. Correct. So, yeah. Any other questions, concerns? Wondering about the budget? >> Jesse. >> Jessie, >> to play the point, Dexter, the RSA is 18975, not 187, I believe, up there. 187 appears to be repealed. I look up all the numbers. So the language is the average cost per pupil of the preceding year is calculated in accordance with RSA 189 75 item Roman numeral one A. >>
122So it's just the alled by legal just so everyone knows >> if that's the statutory language and is that is it wrong in the statutory language? Um, if that's the case, >> we'll like quadruple check it. I mean, >> well, it wouldn't be the first time. >> Super common to happen here. And it's it's not on the warrant. Did they check the warrant or did they check that? >> Yep. No, I had it on the warrant and that's when we got into the little argument of whether it should be there or shouldn't be there. And I said, is this the appropriate language because that's they have to be reported, but it doesn't say exactly what the language is. And so we went back and forth and and yes, she drafted the language um here, but
123u but we talk every five minutes. So I'll just ask her again just to make sure. >> It might be worth checking. It's not it's not on the paper warrant, but it's just another uh >> No, I appreciate it. >> Yep. >> Just a small note on computer equipment replacement. I am not familiar with what access points are and if yep so access points um are these little guys up here. So they allow there to be um internet in the classroom >> access to the internet. Um and IFP is an interactive flat panel and if you turn around that's what that is. >> Yeah. >> So um maybe just >> articulate it at the delivery of sessions. >> Yep. just reduce try to reduce what people will ask. >> The majority of it's the Chromebooks
124though, correct? The cost. >> What was that? >> The majority of the cost is the Chromebooks though, not necessarily. I thought the access points were like 2500 bucks or something or Right. So, so yes. Um, so I when I wrote this slide and I was trying to make summaries, I didn't want to say Chromebooks and then say 97,000 because Chromebooks don't cost 97,000 even though it's the bulk of it. So in my head I was having all these arguments. >> Oh, sure. >> So I understand uh where you're coming from and >> I think it's just a good talking point, right? Like just to say that the majority of it is just replacing like a substantial amount of Chromebooks because we're on a cycle, right? And if we're if we get behind then we'll have
125to do double that next year. Um and then these other pieces are not, you know, as as substantial. That's all. >> Yeah. And Tracy, if you're talking about this article, just take notes on like >> Yeah. I'm going to rewatch this section every >> Yeah. Yeah. I think and I think K's point is just uh articulating what these things are because not it's jargon. It's it's the jargon that she mentioned at the beginning, right? So, >> I appreciate it. No, it's it's good feedback. Again, we talk about we've been talking especially the operating budget. We've been talking about it since October. Well, September, but like >> and I've been building it since June. So I'm >> right >> I'm done. So we we just kind of we get on autopilot and I think it's good
126for all of us to remember when we are in deliberative that for some of our community members it could be the first time them seeing this because they will have not had a chance to pre-eread. They will not have gotten something. And so it really is our responsibility as a board to make sure we are articulating well and we are being transparent and um you know just just laying it out there for for everybody in a way that people can consume which includes spelling out what some of these things are. So yeah good >> and oh sorry you're good. >> Um for literacy seven math should >> it should be literacy and okay I noticed that when I was talking >> you paused when you read it. I saw you catch that. >> Yes. >>
127Right. >> Does it also make sense since we added the environmental science this year just because the science proficiency is so low to just talk about we've added that? You need to >> Yep. So that's part of my um slide that talks about like all the things we've done this year. Thank you for your support. But it would be great to to refer back to that slide. But I actually don't know if that would because environmental science is only here, right, at RMS. And you said fifth grade is the only course it would actually, >> right? But it builds science knowledge for the students as they go up. U nextgen science standards spiral the curriculum. So they're going to they see it and then they see it again with greater depth. And um so while
128it doesn't directly just go to fifth grade, um it does certainly build build knowledge. All right. Anything else that we want to or need to discuss as it pertains to the operating budgets in article 5? >> Does this mean Heather gets article six? >> If Heather's comfortable with article six if not somebody else can take it with it. All right. So Heather, you get open. >> Uh so I will share with you that the original in intent was zero in zero out. Um there have been plenty of discussion since this um the law uh court decision came out. Um so all the districts in South Central region of the state have been talking about what um what we plan to do what um how that would impact our schools etc. Um so u legal council
129has shared that a concern would be if we had zero in zero out. um the court might interpret that to be no change and therefore we have not declared an open enrollment school. That is why um we're looking at admitting up to one stu one student so that there is a change because currently we don't allow one student from other districts. Um but so anyways, I just wanted to share that piece. >> And and when we say zero out, that's by choice. If it's mandated, um from a legal standpoint or an educational standpoint, like through an IEP or special ed, um of course they're going to go out of district. Um but not just because, >> right? So this would restrict um families from simply enrolling elsewhere and um sending the bill to us, >>
130right? And maybe further clarifi clarifying on that. And we had this conversation this morning, I believe, um that's to another public school, not a public charter school. So if somebody wanted to send if somebody in town want to send their child or children to a charter school, that does not this does not affect that option, right? it would affect them from going and enrolling in another public school district like if Bedford was open enrollment or Nashville is open enrollment that this restricts our students from doing that. It does not restrict them from going to a charter school by by their choice or if it's mandated because we are not because they need to be placed out of district. So, I think it'd be important just to make sure we articulate that because that there may
131be some confusion on that when we say zero out. I just want to make sure that we call out there are obviously reasons and still options if you choose to go charter. Do we want to or is it necessary to say public schools um or are we are we thinking that you know we don't need to make that distinction. >> But so open enrollment schools define what it would be. It would be another public school district that has declared themselves an open enrollment school. So it's all by RSA 194D. We could discuss what that means like in the discussion. Um but the language is uh once so much of this is legally mandated um language >> and we don't have to open both school just one like have to have >> it's a district it's
132not the school district. >> And I should also say that is um where we have room. So if we're at maximum capacity in third grade and one pupil wants to come we can say no because we don't have room. We are not required to open up an additional section. >> So with with this though we so we have uh um class size >> board policy we have class size caps. My understanding and please keep me honest here is that um the state could actually come in and say you have so much square footage you can have so many kids. So, if we didn't um do if we didn't protect our schools with this uh warrant with this article, um the state could come in and say, "Oh, you've got room for 30 more bodies, that
133would even though the board would have a policy of our smaller class sizes, that would supersede our policy." And am I am I correct in that? >> Um yes and no. We have to if we move forward with this we then have to state our capacity at any grade level. So we would have to identify like Z you know grade six has one spot grade five has zero spots you know whatever whatever it may be >> if we were an open enrollment >> correct and so if we declare that then currently um you know we could say no and we only have we have zero spots or we have one spot. Um that being said, this is currently so it was out last year. Um the legislator discussed it and then the end result was
134just discussing the two schools that are currently open enrollment schools. Um they're talking about it again this year. So we could do all of this and then we pass a law and then this is all null and void. But based on the law that exists, the um court's interpretation of the law, this is being recommended so that we can protect the district. >> And I'm sorry, you said something about uh district, but we have our MMS and CSDA written in here, right? So, >> um, is this coming up um like in Hollis also? Okay. And then what happens if like one town votes for it, one town doesn't? >> Doesn't plan is it own part of the but we're our own district. >> Right. Fair. >> Yep. So we would only >> right any other
135conversation discussion wonderings confusion on article six >> can you just review one more time why it would in why you why we chose the one resident >> we need zero res they need to show a change so right now we are at zero >> and so if we don't show a change then the court could say we did nothing. Um so by doing the one it shows that we made steps to make a change. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> It's little little legal protection um on the advice of legal. >> Yeah. All right. We're going through all of them, right? Even the >> rest of them too. All right. So let's talk about article seven. So this was a petition warrant article. This is to expand >> From five to seven members.
136Um so you can open the floor for discussion on on that. >> I guess it really I tried to look it up earlier and I was kind of struggling um with Wi-Fi first. Um RSA 7 671.4. Is that like saying that you know a school board can have up to seven members? Is that the basic gist of that? Okay. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So >> and then do we Okay. Go ahead. I was say so so personally um I don't I don't see a need for this because it doesn't our workload because we are a governing body our workload doesn't change whether we have 200 students added or 200 students taken away. Five has been a very comfortable number to get the work done and sometimes there's more of us and there's always policy
137to go but we the work that we do cycles throughout the year so we've never been over I don't feel any of us have been like so overburdened even in negotiating year this year with the contracts we handled it well um so personally I don't I don't see a need for this just again number of seats and and growth of the district doesn't doesn't change what we end up doing, >> right? And I I'm to your point, Gina, like it's it's hard to kind of, you know, like if there's there's no timeline and there's no kind of like are we voting like those are questions that I feel would kind of need to be explained before I feel like I could support this because that just kind of feels very open-ended to me. So, it's
138like, are we adding two members two years down the road? Are we adding two members tomorrow? Like, how are we doing that? Like, do seven people even want to run for school board? like I think >> that's been a struggle trying to find >> Yeah. >> So, uh I I'm reading ahead this time. Um so, they'll be elected at the uh uh it shall not take effect until the school district election in the year next following the one in which the change is voted. >> So, 2027. >> So, the next one. >> Okay. Um and then it uh to your point Gina um uh when whenever a district determines to change the number of board members, it shall also determine the number of members to be elected each year. So it is something that needs
139to be decided at the meeting. Um it needs to be an answer from the body on the on the ballot. Could this could this be amended? >> So, this um this this could be amended, >> right? >> But it wasn't enough of a um what's the word? Um like an absence to where um legally it couldn't move forward. >> Um it's just that we probably should clarify that we could do so on the floor. Any other discussion around? >> The lead petitioner though would have to make those clarifications. It's not on us to make those clarifications. >> Um the moderator would would read the warrant article and um I don't know if the lead titioners reached out to you. I have not received communication from leader either. They they can they have the option to
140give a presentation but they don't have to. So depending on how that conversation goes um it happens differently you know every year in every warrant article but um a lot of times people will ask is it okay as written because oftentimes the petition warrant articles are missing something. Our legal counsel is there. She will probably be asked to speak to the deficiencies of the warrant article as written. Um the moderator can identify the deficiencies. um you know it can happen in any number of ways. >> Okay. Thank you. >> And and if it remains deficient on the floor by law it still has to go to the ballot as is. Right. Okay. >> And then we would be led left to make assumptions. And my assumption would be that in March of 207 we elect
141three members just simply because that's the year that there would be one member elected and then the other years too. So that would balance it out. with uh after this, would it be okay if I I got the contact information for the um for the lawyer uh or supply you some request questions to ask? >> Sure. >> And otherwise, I I can go to the NHMA. >> No, you Yeah, let's communicate. >> Okay. Fabulous. And I'll I'm going to try to reach out to the um to the primary petitioners uh that there was a I just got the petitions sent to me recently. So I'm going to try to reach out to find somebody who will speak to these uh so that there isn't you know a scuffle of the mic at the beginning they
142have 10 minutes to speak uh up to 10 minutes to speak to all the position articles. >> So 10 minutes for each article or 10 minutes total. >> 10 minutes for each article. So the primary petition has a >> so four no so four of the petition war articles have an identified lead petitioner one of them does not um and in without a lead petitioner identified legally it's the first petitioner >> okay >> um and so we can communicate about about that one >> okay >> thank you >> no thank you um article seven anything else that we want to discuss or talk about >> we are going to take positions on these tonight so I want to make sure we have convers How many um uh members in Hollis and Brooklyn? Um the co-op,
143remind me. >> Seven in the co-op. >> So five in Hollis, there's five in Brooklyn. >> Okay. Thank you. >> I mean, I think the seven in the co-op, that's there's a lot. I guess that's like the two schools, but because it's two towns, right? Do you know why there's seven? >> So when the articles of agreement were written, it was written four and three to ensure there were enough voices from each town. Um, but if you recall, we have weighted voting at the governing board and that's so that the co-op doesn't take over any of the votes because they do have seven members instead of five. It's a terrible computation and no one wants to do it, but that's the intention to sort of equalize everything. >> At least the calculator. >> All right.
144Anything else around uh calcul article seven, man. >> Yeah, we don't want to have >> It's not even nine o'. >> I'm sorry. I do want to go if we're good with seven. >> Yeah. Um can we just go back to six for one more minute? Sure. >> Um in terms of open enrollment, >> um can you just tell me really quick in terms of and if if this is something we can do offline, you tell me. Um but just if we actually start accepting uh students from other um districts, we will lose money, right? >> If we wouldn't get the full tuition, >> we get 80%. However, Brooklyn has one of the lowest per pupil costs. So let's say a student from Amherst were to come to Brooklyn, we'd actually get more money because
145their per pupil cost is around 25,000. >> So it's 80% of the home >> of the home district, >> but it could vary, right? So you're talking Amherst, but if it was Hudson, >> if it's Hollis, then we get less money, >> right? if it's >> I mean so there there's a whole chart but yes we don't know how much money we would get on average >> um we would probably get >> you know plus or minus our p per pupil expenditure so it's not like it's a money maker >> it will make planning difficult financially what you say >> it will make planning >> oh yes >> financially difficult because we deal with known right we we we know what we have we can we can estimate what we've got coming in into K
146we know who's leaving like makes financial planning much easier versus a variable year to year and then how much the money those students come with. >> Yeah. >> Um not to mention what then we have to pay out if people leave out. >> So >> um one district um was sharing um it's a smaller district and they're looking at their high school. you know, if five students were to go to an open enrollment school, um the if they would be required to pay that money, they would have to close the school because they couldn't they couldn't do business um with losing that, you know, $100,000 and maintaining their staff. So, some districts, this is this is a this is critical. Um, and just to your question about should we do this offline? Anyone can make
147an appointment with me. You can set up a call and we can discuss your warn article and and um I can provide you more backup information. >> Okay. Thank you. >> No, that was helpful. I just was trying to see if that was a key point, but it sounds like it's a little bit more complicated than just, hey, we're going to lose money. So, that's helpful. Thank you. >> You know, I think it just creates ambiguity, right, with our financial planning and if we are trying to be mindful of that, like >> Yeah. >> Can I ask one other question about the Bulman amendment? Um, is that could they uh join any time of the year or do they have to have registered by June 1st or whatever that might be? >> Uh, >> is
148it at true open enrollment any time or >> it is at a a time because how many spots you have could vary at any time. Um, you know, families move in at all times of year. So, right, you know, let's say we had a spot in sixth grade, we might not have a spot in sixth grade by December or vice versa. Maybe a spot opens up in sixth grade in December and we don't have the one student yet. They could choose to come in at that time. >> Okay. So, it's not like a one, you know, one month enrollment. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And and it's also a situation of like, okay, so maybe maybe a family leaves in December and we've accepted a student in, right? But then somebody sells their house
149and a family moves in. now we're over capacity because >> right >> they've now come with students but we had this one spot well I don't think we're allowed to send them home halfway through the school year right so >> it creates a level of difficulty that I think >> personally I would rather our district not deal with and I would rather protect our staff and focus on our our community our community that >> of course lives here >> and it overall protects the value of our property too right because people want to move into the community because of the schools. If you don't need to move into the community because of the schools, we've got an issue. >> Correct. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> I just had a question. Is this going to
150be commumulative? Because if you come in in sixth grade, >> does that guarantee you a spot in seventh grade? >> Nope. >> So, you get sent back to your home district? >> Correct. >> The co-op would have to >> Well, regardless if you came in K, you're not guaranteed first grade or second. It's it's in >> it's it's in Yeah. >> So, it's really not stable for anybody. >> No, it's not stable and it's not healthy for students, right? Like it's to have that shifting around like it's just not, >> you know, from from a mom and a former educator viewpoint like that. I wouldn't want to risk doing that to my child firstly. But but there are but there are families that if if we had spots there are people that would want to
151send their child here for a year or two. But then >> but what does that do in the long run for that child if all of a sudden we're full like you know that's a tough >> I mean I think socially too like you if a child comes in here you're in kindergarten and they're making all these friends and now all of a sudden they have to leave and they have to leave all their friends and >> that can that's a really expansive time in terms of like social emotional growth. So you you would want to kind of try and avoid I >> mean some districts are looking at allowing 5% in and so there's a little bit more stability and in likelihood that a spot would be open K12. Um but those are districts
152that are experiencing significant decline in enrollment and so they're looking to bring students in. Um we don't see that problem. Um so it's not something I'm trying to fix. our our room was pretty steady steady. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> I mean, it would also have an impact on facilities, right? >> Which we're already aging and >> Yep. for sure. >> All right. Any I I know we kind of backtrack six, but with open enrollment, anything else? Any other concerns? This is good conversation. All right. Article 8 is the um resending of what is known as SB2. So, does anybody want to weigh in or discuss article eight? >> I think Melanie Levake made some good points, frankly, about, you know, in theory SP2 makes sense, right, to have um all day voting a lot. I
153mean a lot of people work out of town and um you know can't necessarily sit or are parents or whatnot but um ensuring the right amount of information and or the right not the right amount the right information is out there I suppose and making sure everyone has access to it and um understands exactly what they're looking at in each of these val um warrant articles. is um is of utmost importance. Um I personally prefer the town meeting style of voting. Um I think it allows for a lot of discussion. We are a small town and um I think it somewhat preserves the small town feel. We talk about it a lot in our community. small town feel very, you know, and um allows for actual discussion about where our money is going versus um
154I I for one have learned a lot at all the deliberative sessions and and um the town meetings and things and and being able to vote after having those discussions um is very valuable to me. So >> any other thoughts on this topic? I mean, I think like as evidenced by some of the comments and feedback we've gotten tonight, which isn't helpful, is that like legal wording is hard to swim through and there's only so much you can do to clarify that I think during. So, yeah, in some ways I kind of agree with Lynn on that that like it we're not trying to tell people how to vote. We're not trying to tell people what to support. It's more just making sure that it's actually clear what they're being asked so that they can
155make the decision that feels best for them. But sometimes it's hard to figure out like what the warrant article is actually saying. So if you're reading it in the ballot, that can be hard. Whereas I feel like in a discussion based you actually can ask that question and it can be explained and it's I think that it just provides voters with like a clearer sense of like yes, I want to vote for this or no, I don't want to vote for this. It kind of gets them more. Yeah. Well, I mean deliberative session it really is, you know, it is a time for, you know, we we deliberate, right? And we we discuss all these things, but any changes that get made there are just made by that body and then all other voters have
156to vote on that. So for those people that can't come to deliberative session, your voice really isn't being heard. And so you're just forced to vote on what those that small number of people, which I hope more people come to deliberative session, but you're really only getting to vote on what that group has put forward. You're you really don't have as much of a voice as the people that came to deliberative. So you you have less impact. I I feel so I'm not, you know, I I would like to resend that. >> Yeah. I I have admittedly been on the front fence on this one. Um strictly because I very much believe in making sure that everybody has an opportunity to vote and that all day voting gives our community members such a wide range
157to be able to come before work, after work, you know, kids in tow, kids not in tow, whatever that looks like. But then I go back to the conversations that we've had like I in some ways SP2 I think has been has been successful in that perhaps we've had some more some more people show up but I think it was last year there were only it was still like what a fourth of the voting population actually showed up to vote um which is sad for me I I would love everybody to engage in our civic duties right um but then I go back to like what we've heard tonight with I believe in clear just straightforward articulate information. And just like we're talking about because of the laws, a petition or an article can go
158has to go as as written. And sometimes it's it's not clear what you're voting on. And so if you're you're tired, you have your kids in tow, you're hurrying along and you read it and maybe you don't quite understand it, but hey, it sounds good. When actually it's doing harm. um or you think hey this doesn't sound good but you don't understand the context of it and something that would actually be helpful right I think it's just then not clear so I think those conversations um in a town meeting style are incredibly important so that if I'm not there I can ask the questions right I also feel that we ask our community to support our schools financially and I would like them to push back on what we're doing, right? We we so many
159nights we sit here just like this with an empty room. And I appreciate the people who have trusted us to sit in these seats, but at the same time, if you have concerns, I want you to have that conversation with us. I'd like to sit here and explain why a single percentage number where it's coming from, right? Like if I show up at the ballots and I just see, you know, 39% from one test year where they haven't had environmental science leading up to the fifth grade, like that's a scary number percentage to see, but if and if I don't have time to come in deliberative because I know I'm don't have to worry about it because I'm not voting, I miss that context. And so for me, like I I was kind of sitting
160on the fence like back and forth on this one, but I I do think that I support it because of having that healthy conversation, encouraging our community to have the to push back on us and engage in the conversations. And I in my time here, deliberative session has gotten smaller and smaller because I think people view it as unnecessary, right? Because I'm still going to go vote on it in March versus this is our voting day. Come have the conversation. let's have that discussion and back and forth and then and let's vote on it, right? So, it's kind of where I'm where I'm sitting. So, >> I can just speak personally that before I got involved in this process and being on finance committee, the way I voted was simply looking at how the school
161board and the finance committee voted and that's how I marked my selection. That is a terrible way to go to the polls and vote knowing nothing. I I mean I >> I'm a master's educated person and I can't understand these and so I think >> that having SB2 is is it doesn't serve anyone. I I think I know it's hard to get to that meeting but it's one time and we get it done and we hear everyone's opinions and we vote with knowledge. And I think that's the important piece here is we vote with all the information. >> Well, in from a practical sense, we don't have a facility that can hold every registered voter in Brooklyn. So encouraging people to come to a deliberative session is kind of it's a moot point. I mean,
162they don't fit. So, if we're going to be equitable and have everyone vote, we don't have a facility to hold everyone. >> That would be a problem to solve if we ever had >> have that happen. >> Yeah. >> Encourage people to come if they literally don't have a seat. quarter of the voting population. >> So, so I and but I I understand that point and that and that's where I go with like the all day voting, right? But then I look at town meeting where that is not SP2, right? And we vote the gym is half full. So >> until we got to a point where we had a really good problem of not having a facility big enough >> to me that's not enough of personally to me that's not enough of an
163argument to keep SP2 at the moment. Um, and I think we would solve for that problem, right? If all of the sudden we had and and I think the town itself would have to solve for that problem because if we were able to get the town out in in droves and get every voting member out, um, they wouldn't come out, I think, just for school board. I in our sessions, I think they come out for a town meeting as well. So, I think it then becomes a a really good problem to solve and I would love to be able to tackle that because it would be because that means everybody's involved, right? Um, but the reality is that that that's not what happens even at town meeting now. Um, so I I understand where you're
164coming from with that, but I I I have a hard time making that like my driver to keep SP2 personally. So question if it gets rescended right so right now we do SB2 just for the school board and then we have town meeting right for the separate if we if we were to if we were to rescend SB2 >> would it would we just then have one town meeting to address everything oh okay so we'd still have we'd have a town meeting for so for school board and a town meeting for Okay thank you >> anything else with article 8 you want to talk Well, >> sure. >> But to that point, like they wouldn't have to be, I think, so far apart. >> Uh, so you could have them back to back two nights
165in a row or or >> That sounds awful. >> THAT'S NOT staying up that late. Um, but it it it does sort of compress it in. like that's the only thing I'm uh I'm just happy to be here. >> Uh uh that's the only change that I can really see as >> sureful. What's the timeline like between like polic school meeting and their town? Do you know? >> So um >> Oh, they're not meeting. >> Well, just like how like they're not >> they're always in March. >> They're in March. Okay. But they're not back toback, right? like they're not. >> No, they're um they're the moderator in Hollis and in the co-op. They like to have them separated. They have the rules that they like to follow. They switch off between which meeting comes
166first, Hollis or the co-op, and they don't want a meeting on the same week as the voting week because that's just a lot of work for all of the volunteers. And um so that's why why it's really fun to schedule all these meetings across the SAU because there's lots of competing factors. >> But are they like is so Hollis school board and then town meeting are they like like a week apart or something >> usually around that. >> All right. Gotcha. Okay. >> But they're all in March. >> Right. Anything else with the resending of SB2 talk about? >> All right. Article nine is the one that rescends the retention of any unassigned general funds under RSA 1984 B2 >> and we have a whole um Tracy I know you wanted to talk about the
167unassigned funds. We we have this whole separate >> discussion point um tonight though I guess do we want to talk about it now or se keep it separate? Um, let's keep it separate because some items would be like what we can do. This is what we can't do. >> Can't do. So, if this were to pass, we would be unable to fund the special ed trust with 25,000 if we have a fund balance. We would be unable um to have the board vote to like if we had a fund balance and um and um which we typically don't in Brooklyn um but let's say for example the co-op this past year there was a fund balance and we knew that we had just passed the solar projects for the middle school and the high school.
168The middle school has roof work that needs to be done. Um so they voted to advance the roof project so that the solar could be put on um sooner because with the big beautiful bill there were some tax implications. Um also some implications for whether or not we would be able to access the rebate. So so we were able to use a fund balance to move ahead. This would say nope can't do it. Everything has to go back to the taxpayers. Um, I just have a hard time supporting this right now given how far in the negative we already are. Like I just I feel that that puts more of a burden on taxpayers because if we return this but then we have to come and say actually just kidding like now we're in this
169like I just feel like in terms of like where maybe that will change. I mean, hopefully we'll pass the contract and that will change and we won't have that those considerations, but I don't think it's financially responsible for us as a board to authorize that knowing that we would very likely have to go back to the community and say we actually need that back in. >> Right. So, you voted as a board in I want to say the September meeting um to hold on to a particular amount for the retained fund balance that um Le spoke to you and that right now is trying to offset um our negative impact. So, we wouldn't have the ability to have a retained fund balance though. >> Yeah. I I just I think right now as like I
170would love to revisit this maybe in a couple of years and see where we're at, but I think right now it's changed it's not responsible. you, Gina, you said we don't Brooklyn doesn't typically have any general funds to be able to return in in the past if we have had them and if you if you can recall are we talking like $100,000 we're talking $25,000 like what what's kind of the range if we had unassigned fund unassigned funds do you have any idea what that range >> um it varies dramatically especially during co um but Our budget here in Brooklyn run is very tight. Um we're usually looking at um on a in a good year 200,000. Um not not a whole lot. May maybe 300,000 on a an even better year. >> An even
171better. So that's like >> a small fraction of the overall budget. >> That's like a couple dollars per household if we return it, right? Like at the end of the day, I can't math very well in my head, but >> but that could be the difference between us being in the making budget wise. >> Well, I'm just saying about how much like people would like Okay, I'm just thinking about Okay, how much what impact does it really have if we have unassigned funds? What what impact to our community does that really have if we return it? Are we talking $1,000 per household or are we talking $10 per household? And and or property owner? And I and I and I asked that just because I think that context is important. >> Yes. >> Um to
172whether or not we >> like or or for even understanding like does it make sense >> because I'm sorry just to go off of that. I I really think that you're on to something that we should at least be prepared to respond on just because I mean absolutely like this looks like it you know oh yeah like if if we didn't use some funds they should go back to taxpayers but if you can say like over the last three years it would have been $21 approximately you know this is money that we and and and this is how we could appropriately use that I think that makes sense versus to your point if it was a thousand we're going to get a very different response right >> I I would have a response. I would
173love $1,000 back. Like that would be amazing, but I just don't think that that's the >> Yeah. So, if you look at um >> just look at Bessa for 113,38 that contract um has a tax income of 10 cents per thousand um of of property value. So, everyone's house is worth a different amount, but it's 10 cents per thousand for just over a hundred,000. Um that being said, >> would be $50 on a $500,000 home. $50 and what it did. So, one year might work out better, the next year might work out not as great. So, this sort of protects um this allows the board, but you have to vote on it to right now. The article would take this away. Right now, you're allowed to vote to retain funds. we then have to give
174it back the following year. But it just allows us a little bit of a buffer because we do budget so tightly um that we can't, you know, we don't have a credit card. We can just like borrow money for a little bit. We would have to have another town meeting. So, >> and during this, if these conversations come up, obviously all of us can jump into to support including you, right? >> Tracy, did you have something you want to say about this? >> Oh, yeah. I I had thought I had done some math, but Lance, please um correct me here if I'm wrong. Um if we were looking at say a $300,000 um you know total retained fund and it went back to taxpayers, if you had a $500,000 house, it would be about $125.
175Um, but again, we can go over that math because I had done it for a 6 a $60,000 fund um at a $500,000 house and it was like $25. >> Yeah. And it would depend on your estimation of valuation, but that sounds close to that that $50 for the >> $100,000 return rough number I did. >> Yeah. >> Um, >> I was just using the number I had for predicted for next year. So if we use like this year's model, it'd be a little lower, which would track with what you said. >> Yeah. >> So, you know, if you have a $500,000 home based on valuation, we had 300,000 in the unassigned fund. If that went back to taxpayers, it would be $125, I think. >> And we and we could have a number prepared
176in advance per $100,000 or something. >> Helpful. >> Yeah. Any other discussion around article 9? >> Get down here. Jessie. >> Yes, Jesse. >> You're part of our meeting tonight. Love it. >> Thank you. I'm honored to be here. >> Welcome. >> Um, so the line there for estimated tax impact >> of Z. That sounds like a Is that >> is that in the petition warrant article or is that >> So, it is not. Um uh however we are required in Brooklyn to put a tax impact on every um warn article. >> But it sounded like there was a a like a discussion just there tax impact. >> Yes. But um there is no dollar amount identified in the war article and it's 100% dependent on the tax year and on the amount that we're
177talking about. So there's no estimate that can be >> Yeah. because it could be 60,000. It could be 300,000. >> It could be zero. It could be zero. >> No. Understood. >> Yeah. >> Well, I think it's >> the tax impact is like that's how much we'd be asking for from tax, right? Like we're not necessarily asking for taxes. We're talking about returning. >> Yes. For the amount that would be returned, you know, when the numbers are getting thrown out of like, well, it could be, you know, uh $50 on a $500,000 house. Um, and seeing the zero dollars there just I I understand position being there. I just want to make sure it wasn't a placeholder or something that had been omitted. Um, >> no. Following the law, >> we all aspire to do.
178>> Um, >> uh, and if you're going to if you want to prepare anything to speak to this as well, if you have any slides that you want to show, if you could just send me an email or or or let me know. Are we allowed to with the petitions >> or just be prepared to speak to us? >> You might not be able to put it in here, but if you have it >> if you have prepared material to back it up somewhere, right, that's I think that's >> that we could like throw up on a screen. We can try. I think just speaking to it though probably will be okay. Um, but I hear you appreciate >> if you if you had anything that you were going to prepare, you just let me
179know. >> Okay. >> Ahead of time. I appreciate that. >> Sounds good. Anything else with nine? Are we good? All right. Article 10. Um this this is to implement a budget cap. Um that shall shall not submit a recommended budget that is higher than $25,000 per pupil cost times the average of daily membership and residents of school district as of October 101. Um I think there was a plus in here. Uh plus an annual increase for inflation using the CPIU >> discussion. I'll just >> Can I just ask because we already have the 8% in our town, right? And now we have the state one. this one if we passed it and the next one how would they all >> So article 10 is specifically to the operating budget our current for the school district
180we have an 8% tax cap and that's on the whole warrant so this would just be for the operating budget presented which would also then be part of the warrant um so >> so it would be do this last year wasn't this exact I think we should bring that up. >> A few of them are. Yeah. >> Yeah. Don't just mention that. >> This one and the next one, right? >> We need to talk about tenol anymore then. >> All right. So then the next one is the tax cap that which is I don't even know how to So this is for the whole warrant. If this were to pass, this would supersede our 8%. it would be this instead of um and so this is this is um a fund calculation and it has
181to do with um taxes raised and that's where we have to look at um tax effort which is your total warrant less all of your revenue sources. Um so it's it's an interesting one. You're looking at a CPIU for October one although Um I believe they come out in September and November. So October one isn't one that's actually published. Um at least I couldn't find it. Um and then you're this is dealing with a whole lot of estimates because we're estimating revenues and so we're we have to apply this to the tax effort and we're unsure of it because we're unsure of where revenue st will will stand. Um but at the end of the day you know CPI can be positive it can be negative. So if you think about how tight our budget
182is most so much of our budget is driven by um contracted required costs. So if there was an um a negative CPI that would automatically um reduce you know important key components of our budget such as positions um and the November CPI was around 2.8%. So essentially if you look at 2.8% 8% because our enrollment is essentially the same last year to this year. Um we're looking at right now an 8% but this would roughly look at around 2% which sounds reasonable. Um but that would have limited um limit us substantially to over a half million dollars of what we've currently been presenting um in this year's warrant. >> But it sounds like this is also very unstable. So in terms of when you're starting to plan a budget 18 months in advance, >> yeah,
183we start in June, July, right? >> But we don't know what CPI is going to be until the fall. We're already months into building a budget and then we would have to then adjust accordingly. >> Yeah. So which again puts the district, I think, in an instable place. unstable unstable unstable place in terms of trying to budget appropriately and in terms of trying to kind of like I feel like with the 8% tax cap applying to the whole warrant at least we know that we know what the 8% is we can budget we can make sure that we're staying within that legally but we have because it's a stable number and we we can easily calculate it. I don't see how moving us from a stable number to an unstable number would be helpful because
184we're still we're still being mindful of the tax impact. We're still being mindful of like how we're budgeting. We're being clear on our budgets to stay within that 8%. I just don't see a point in saying like yes, let's go from something that we know is here and we can easily calculate to >> gray area I guess based on how like numbers we did that. >> Yeah. it. Can we just go back a little bit to this one superseding the 8%. Um I just remember back to last year when we had the Warren article to resend the 8% because we had to resend and then read. Um was that >> to resend and read? What happened was um when the 8% was first so once again it was a petition warn article so it had
185to appear on the ballot um the tax cap amended at deliberative session was the percentage it came forward as 2% someone amended it to 8% thinking we'll never hit 8% and that was on the budget alone last year the law was amended to redefine what it was so the board felt um the need to resend it um to put it forward to resend it because what was adopted was not what we were being held to anymore. Um and so the people voted on something different but we weren't going to resend to read. But if we but yeah so if we wanted to I guess but I guess the point is why would this just automatically supersede that% >> because it's the most re because it would be the most recent voted upon >> tax on
186the whole warrants. >> So because it's the newly it's the newest adopted one it replaces the old. Um if this got passed, would it um affect the budget in article 2, three, four, five? >> Not this year. It would begin next year. >> But if um so let's just say we were looking at this year um we would be limited rough calculation to around 244,000 increase over last year. So we would not be able um to put forward a teacher contract um in future years just looking at uh we have so many capital improvement needs in our district and we would be hardressed to be able to move them forward. >> So then we're also potentially having to look at asking for like we would Yeah. I don't even know because like if you need
187a bond, how are you supposed to like you can't >> you >> can't, >> right? That's >> you can't because it's on the whole because it's on the whole warrant >> and that's not feasible. That's just that to me though sustainable or responsible as a taxpayer or as people who are setting taxes because the school has to like we have to have a roof. We have to have things like that. we don't have the capacity well I mean pretty sure it's requirement but like if we don't have the capacity to raise funds to address that right that's that that kind of really handicaps the district in terms of being able to provide safe educational facilities >> so I think that's something that we have to consider as well and that's going to costing taxpayers in
188the town a lot more >> for sure >> in the long run >> okay I'm gonna ask it always do before we close out a discussion question. But is there anything else as it pertains to the warrant articles that we would like to discuss before we move on? Any of the warrant articles we just went through? All right. The last discussion point we have I know I'm sorry there's two because we have committee updates too, but um the unassigned fund balance. So um just you had asked the last meeting if we could talk about this because we're not putting anything into that this year. Um, so I don't know if you want to just kind of reiterate or restate what you had asked about at the last. >> Sure. Yeah. So, if we are fortunate
189enough to have any funds in in the unassigned fund balance, um, in past years that money has been returned to the taxpayers, um, I'm wondering if as a board um, we are able to talk about uh, what we would do with those unassigned funds if not to return them to the taxpayer. if they would um be allowed to go into the maintenance trust, for example, because it seems like the special ed trust is, you know, more wellunded because it does have some funds in there. Um and and so I'd like to have that discussion if >> Sure. Let me start by just explaining what your options are. Okay. So, um, if if you want to put money into the maintenance trust using the fund balance or new taxation, that has to be a warrant article.
190Um, same thing with special ed trust. Um, anything like that. So, um, those are not on the warrant right now and they really can't be because we're at the 7.91%. if they appeared on the warrant, they would be part of the overall tax cap calculation. And I want to say there was like $9,000 um that of wiggle room, which doesn't seem to make sense. So, we don't we don't have the option right now to put a warrant article um on the warrant about moving money into maintenance trust this year, which is why why I didn't propose it um because I knew we were with the two contracts kind of hitting that um that that tax cap. However, um as a board, you have two options. Um, we are going to continue to come back in
191April and May and June with revenue and expense reports and as we get closer to the end of the year, we're going to have a better understanding of where we stand. We might discover that we have $100,000. Okay. Um, and so if we're just at $100,000, typically we would say we're looking to have a conversation about a retained fund, um, which is what you voted on in September. That money is just retained for one year and it allows us to, um, have a little bit of a cushion if we have a bad year next year. Um, another option the board could do or the board could do both if there's enough money for both. Um, is we could say, um, gosh, we're looking at, um, these capital improvement costs. Let's say, um, we know that
192next year there's more sections of the RMS roof that need to be replaced, which I don't think there are, but let's just say that that's an item. um you could as a board vote in May um to authorize the expenditure of the funds to move forward on the roof project knowing that it was part of the capital improvement plan. Um, and typically because because co-op and halls do this more often in Brooklyn, um, it's a you would give leeway up to, you know, 150,000, whatever you thought the project would cost. And so if it if it came in under then, you know, that's what we would end. But if the quote came in at 200,000, you've only authorized 150. And then we we complete um status updates as we move forward with projects. Um, so
193those are your options. Last year due to you know the changing in um um the business administrator we were unaware of the fact that we actually had what was the final amount 62,000 >> uh returned 62 and and retained 185. >> Yes. So we thought we were in the close to negative pro we actually had a public hearing to pull from the special ed trust and the retained fund balance. Turns out that we didn't need to do either of those and we actually had money left over. Um, so we didn't know that at the time. So I didn't give you an opportunity. I didn't provide you an opportunity in May or June. I guess Annie didn't. Um, because we thought there was zero money. >> Um, so we're hope we're we're keeping a really close
194eye on that because that's missed opportunity, right? Um, so we'll give you as much up-to-date information monthly as possible. Um, and then that fund final amount after the audit is complete in August, I'll come to you in September to say here's where we stood with the audit. Um, we're this much is available for retained fund if you'd like to vote on it. Um, or sometimes it's we could retain 100,000 and return 50,000 in taxpayers. You guys decide that at the board when the information is presented, but we are unable at this time to move forward with with a warrant article to move money. >> Thank you for explaining. >> Y does that. >> Yeah. Thank you. >> Satisfy your >> All right. Committee updates. Do we have any from the facilities committee? >> No. >>
195Okay. Do we have any from the co-op city committee? >> Um we just met one more time. Uh I'm currently working with every department in the SAU office to really identify very specific information about um what aspects take more time, take more money because we are four districts. >> Um and then my thought is we probably I think we have one more meeting on January 27th. >> Uh I think that might be our last meeting and then the consultant will kind of draft the report for us to review and then it'll be presented to the board in the spring. >> Great. Any other conversation on committee? >> Awesome. All right, that gets us through all of our discussion. So, >> with permission, might I dismiss um Principal Miller? >> Yes, please. Uh >> sorry, thank
196you. >> Good to Yes. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, we are going to move on to deliberations so we can see what action the board will take regarding the FY27 warrants. Um, so I will call for the Brooklyn board and then Daniel, I think you're going to do the same for finance. You're doing it in a different meeting. >> Give me a minute. >> Okay. >> So, I would like to propose that we're going to meet Tuesday that we take this over weekend and final Tuesday as a board. return that to who we want to return it to >> to do. >> Okay, great. Great. >> Um, beyond that, is there anything else you need us for? >> We do have some business I'd like to do. >> I I don't think so.
197Um, because we did the we did the budget and everything for this year. We've gone through I think after this is we're into policy. So, thank you for joining me. >> So, we'll do that Tuesday evening. >> Perfect. >> I'll send them to you. >> Great. Thank you. Um, and I'll assume they're going to be the same so I can just number them. >> Yes. Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Great. Thank you so much. We appreciate you. >> Thank you. >> All right. So, um, going to look for motions for each of these or would you guys do you guys want me to just make them and we'll we'll just fly through it. What's easiest? I'm happy to just make them. just do it that way. Okay. So, for article two for the FSCU budget,
198I make a motion uh to recommend article two as presented. A second. Thank you. All in favor? Are you writing these down? I don't have. Okay, great. For article three, which is the Brooklyn Education Support Staff Association contract, I make a motion to recommend article three as presented. Who's >> Heather? >> Yep. Uh, all in favor? Nothing. Okay. >> Article four, the Brookline Teachers Association. I make a motion to recommend article 4 as presented. >> A second. >> Thank you. All in favor? Excellent. Article five. I make a motion to recommend article five as presented. >> Seconded. All in favor? Thank you. Article six, open enrollment. I make a motion to recommend article six as presented. Second got a second. All in favor? >> Sorry. >> Excellent. Got nothing. Um, article seven. This is Do
199I need to read these or are you guys following along? >> Follow along. >> You're good. Okay. So, article 7. So, I will make a motion to recommend article as presented. Um, >> so the motion has to be recommended. >> Yeah, I have to recommend it. I need a second and then we vote in favor, not in favor, or abstain. >> Okay, gotcha. Okay, >> because we didn't Okay. >> Yep. So, that's okay. So, I will make a motion to recommend article 7. >> I have a second. >> Heather will second. Um, all in favor? All oppose? Thank you. Article eight. Sorry, I'm just making sure I'm on the right one. >> Yep. Thank you. I make a motion to recommend article eight. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> I have nothing. Okay. Um,
200article nine is the rescending of the unassigned general fund balance. Um, I will make a motion to recommend article nine. >> I will make sure >> I need a second. >> I'll second it. >> Thank you. All in favor of article 9. All opposed. Thank you. Article 10 is the budget cap. um for the the budgets. I make a motion to recommend article 10. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. All in favor? >> All opposed? Thank you. Uh article 11 is the warrant cap. Uh I make a motion to recommend article 11. >> I'll second. >> Thank you. All in favor? All opposed? Excellent. And then do we have to do article 12 since it's on here? >> No. >> Okay. All right. Finance committee adjourned at some point in that just before 9:00. So
201I didn't catch their time. Apologize. Okay. Policy. We're just getting ready for deliverance. So just >> yeah your stamina. >> It's uh these this deliberate they're just long nights. It is. It's okay though. Will we know where the finance um committee stands? >> Can you share it with us when you when you get that because I would like to know? >> Yeah, it's okay. I I appreciate that they're going to take take a minute to digest it. I you know they Kate wasn't here the previous one. It's good. But yeah, I'm curious to um side note just because I don't want to forget for new board members. Um we we at the deliberative session if there are any warrant articles that are amended will need your signature. We will need your signature no matter what.
202So don't leave without signing the warrant. Yes. >> After deliver is going to find you >> and we if they change I think we may have to redo a vote too, right? Yeah. We have we may have to read. >> So you call to order the meeting >> in case you need to do >> a vote. Yeah. Because like last year we had to move on. >> Yeah. They had changed something and then so then we had to redo our recommendations. >> Yeah. I know station in each of your cars. >> All right. Do I make this motion? I never remember. I make this motion before we go through all of these, right? To approve. >> Go for it. >> Yeah. I think and then we discuss. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, I'll make I'm
203just I'm on a roll, so I'm just going to keep rolling. Uh, I make a motion to approve the recommendations of the Brooklyn Policy Committee as per the memorandum provided as part of the agenda packet. >> Fabulous. All in favor? Great. Let's discuss it. Dot. >> You're finally up. >> Okay. JLCD is administering medications to students. We have not had any changes in the section of the third read. >> Gosh, recommending um third read and adopt. Bye Jesse. Bye >> questions, conversation, discussion. >> Perfect. >> Moving right along. >> JLCBBC. Um Lauren came to our meeting. It was just yesterday. >> Yesterday morning. >> Um we had some conversation at the last meeting. Uh the last two paragraphs on the first page. um the language was a little cumbersome and not clear and so we
204the committee yesterday approved removing those two paragraphs and then Lauren implemented um and shared uh a new paragraph with us that is at the top of the second page which makes things much more clear and >> discussion questions conversation >> I do think it's clear >> thank Yeah, great job. >> And no, thank you for the feedback. Yeah, it was I a little convoluted. >> And so with that change, we would uh the committee recommended a 30 to >> the next one is EHLB, which is subpoenas and court ordered involving district, student officials, employees. uh and all records and there was >> we removed like senior I think yeah it's in uh P number two in that >> program we just took out senior so that it was building administrator uh because at the these
205this level there isn't a senior building administrator and took out supervisor added in assistant superintendent or available SAU administrator. >> Yeah. So basically our thought behind that it was brought by Dan um was just like really who other than the principal or like the curriculum coordinator or whoever's the acting admin um and then they always have the option not to also just go straight to Lauren but in case they are more comfortable going to their principal that's so we just kind of clarified right then yeah so >> 100% >> very minor changes but >> the next one is EBBCA which is for the um use and location of um automated external defibrillators. There was no we had any recommendations for changes. >> We didn't have any changes. We did have a discussion about the training
206and use of AED because it specifies grades 6 through 12. So we did kind of have Lynn had brought up that like that only really applies to CSDA with sixth grade. Um we were told though that the the RMS practices like in practice has the same. So basically um Chaz was saying that uh Mrs. Van Djk the PE teacher is the one who's trained to super like or like supervise I think right? Yeah. >> And and train. >> Yeah. And then um I think Mr. Mart's here is the one that is trained to do that. So they're on the same but we the law is like grades 6 to 12 because it's like school sponsored sports but then also I think dot you had said like sports practices or even like we needed to have
207that >> language in there >> and then our next category is GDB employee student relations. Um we did change um several numbers in this and so that's why we're only recommending uh adopt second read and move to a third read. Um so we made um some changes to uh number 10. Number 12 it just kind of expanded um the language in these. And number 13, we um would like to remove strongly discouraged to prohibited from socializing with students on social media. >> And then we added a number 15 based on the discussion that we had um at the last meeting and the question. >> I know I was staff was like why are we talking about this? It's like because Tracy and I trying to use the bathrooms at CSDA trying to negotiate. We were
208there. She's like, "You should have gone to the office." But they were talking in the office, so she just used the scope anyway. We got yelled a lot. So, we never we we clarified that. Um, I just want to speak briefly to why we chose to kind of So, 10 and 12 were flagged a little bit in another district's policy meeting. So, it was encouraged that we would just to kind of have us look at them as well. Um, and we just all agreed, I think, that the language, especially in 12, felt a little bit clunky. So Lauren looked up some surrounding districts and we kind of found a good compromise. Um so number 10 I think we added we added the first sentence. So have professional supportive relationships. However, we did want to continue
209to clarify that staff members are not attempting to counsel, assess, diagnose. Like those are things that are out of our scope and out of their scope as a teacher. So um and then I think we added should we refer the student to the appropriate Oh no, that was in there already. So, like we basically just added the first one like we want our staff to have professional and supportive relationships. They're with their kids a lot, but we don't want them and also from the staff point of view, it's the protection thing. Like we don't want them to feel like they're obligated to step into those roles when they may not feel trained to do that. Um, so we clarified that. And then number 12, I think every district really did not enjoy. We had a
210very robust conversation about number 12. So again, Lauren looked that up. Um because we were just making the point that like doors may be closed for a variety of reasons throughout the school day that have nothing to do with nefarious behavior. Just you're trying to help a child calm down. There may be a private testing that they need to do. Um maybe it's in their IEP. Like there's a number of reasons why might be closed. However, we wanted to make sure that you could still still see in. So that we added will not be alone in a windowless room with a student with the door closed. So if the door is closed, there just needs to be a way that people can still see in, right? So like um you know Dan's office has the
211windows right on the side if Lauren >> All the doors do. >> Yeah. All the doors. >> The doors all have windows. >> We thought briefly maybe one door did not. Lauren offered to replace the door but >> but the door the door has a window. THE DOOR HAS A AND I WAS THAT DOOR HAD A WINDOW. I JUST WASN'T GOING TO GET >> Lauren offered to buy a new one. But >> we could we could have done a field trip. The >> door also though prevents teachers from like putting paper up to cover said window. Right. So like correct that just >> there has to be Texas. There has to be a way to see. >> There has to be a way to see. We we also debated a little bit about like the
212lights on or off. Um so we kind of came to a procedural understanding. I don't know that it needs to go into policy. I will leave that to you guys. But procedurally like some students are going to prefer natural light depending on like where they're at if they need to calm down. However, Dan turned off the lights in his office and goes, "Well, how do you feel about this?" And I was like, "Absolutely not. Like you cannot have my daughter in a room with a light level like this." Like I was I felt very strongly that it was like too dark. So, I think procedurally we're going to be looking at like the lights might be off for natural light, but like Lynn had mentioned, it needs to be like sunlight coming in, like you
213still need to be able to see into the room, right? Because it's it's just I think and that's a comfort level, but I mean the other thing we had talked about is that if it's in an IEP for a student to have like low light, that's different because a parent has been talked to, they've agreed, they've offered, like that's going to be a different thing. We're talking just about like, hey, I, you know, a kid's really overstimulated, maybe they go down his office, they want a lower light level because he does offer, I think he said, right? So, yes, that's fine, but as long as we can still see into the office through the windows. Um but if you can't then I think you just need to have like more of a natural like am
214I getting >> yeah I think just the important part is we added in that unless it's serving an educational health related security you know if someone's sick you know and they're at the nurse's office we can turn the lights off and they can sit in a quiet room right like that's not against the rules >> um but yeah you touched on that you know I think that that's as it was written before you know the nurse couldn't be alone >> yeah it just it left a lot of ambiguity that kind of and and so I think we Yeah, definitely adding in the educational health related or security purpose. Um I will also just note as Lauren noted that um seclusion is going to be a different thing. Obviously that's nothing >> that has nothing to
215do with this. So just wanted to note that that is separate from this. Um >> and there's a whole another policy that would address that. So So yeah, but we want you guys to kind of take a look at these and think about these and I just wanted to update you on like what the conversation was about so you were aware of like what the policy committee talked about. Um, we just all feel very strongly that people don't need to be on social media with their teachers. So, um, that's why we added that. And then, um, yeah, the bathroom ink. It's just just for everyone's protection. But, um, does not ban us from using bathrooms at delivering the school day. So, and then lastly, if you adopt um, EBBC, the use of AEDs, then we
216need to resend policy KFD. because in new policy we'll see. >> Yeah, I was going to say I looked for JCL. I was like there is no JCL. >> We don't I don't think we count. >> Okay. Because I spent a good 15 minutes looking for this yesterday. So we had originally been told um that we would need to reason two. Apparently one of them does not exist but um this is I think pretty straightforward. We are happy to the committee had recommended maybe a read unless there was a specific concern but I feel like it's pretty straightforward. So if everyone's comfortable with that, we can adopt this and then resend. >> I'm sorry. Just um so we are adopting KFD and rescending JLCA or vice versa. >> No, vice versa. We're adopting EBBCA and
217rescending KFD. >> Gotcha. Okay. >> Thanks for clarifying. >> Yep. So basically the first one that we just looked at where we talked about the grades K through six, we would adopt that and then we would resend. >> Fair. >> Anything else? Can I ask a procedural? >> Can we move the voting on the memo to the end of our discussion of the It feels weird that we do at the beginning. Why do we do this at the beginning? >> Um I think you usually do it at the end, >> but it's always in the package at the beginning. >> Yeah. No, I think she puts it there, but >> we have always done it at the end. I always do it at the beginning and I'm like, it feels weird. >> I think we
218make a motion, then we discuss. >> Yeah. You open it for discussion and then >> well you did vote I did vote right but >> they open it for discussion >> so it's been a really long night >> one town does them all together the other town then votes on them individually eventually >> I mean does anyone have any um do we we can resend the vote does anyone have any concerns with the recommendation >> they already this >> about the fact that we already agreed that this was fine um the only one >> well it's approved >> right the only one that we're not adopting is the um employee student relations that is just for that's yeah so we will that is not being adopted tonight because we want you guys it's a pretty
219important one we want everyone to take a look at it >> the other ones were had very minimal changes or you know the the only other one I think we changed was the emergency care and everyone felt like that change was good so >> and then um >> the policy committee sort of takes a bit of a hiatus as we move through these >> um public hearing month sessions and everything. We have two potentially the same, potentially new, I don't know, time will tell. Um, board members um after the March vote and um at your March meeting at the end of the month, that's when you start talking about um assigning people to various committees and such. So you guys can choose if you want um because Johanna is not up for re-election. If if
220you feel strongly about staying on and you feel okay with her staying on to pop policy, you can recommend that she continue the work. In which case at the March meeting the policy committee can move forward and say take um take GB EBB forward, you know, for third read and adopt and start the work or you can delay another month. I mean, I would I I like policy committee. I think um it helps me understand things better so I don't ask 18 questions in this meeting, which is no fine that I I would be happy to stay with this committee if that's you continue for at least until the door that we >> Yeah, I'm happy. Yeah, it's good. >> All right. Do we need to vote on it or that's good enough? That's good.
221>> It's good enough. >> Great. Okay. >> All right. We're all good. >> Okay. So, >> um, we need a motion to do it. >> I know. I know. >> We don't need to vote on it. >> We do. Actually, we I'm making a motion that the board by roll call go into non-public session pursuant to RSA 91A 32A, the dismissal, promotion or compensation of any public employee and RSA 91- A32C to discuss a matter which if discussed in public would likely adversely affect the reputation of a per person other than a member of the body or agency itself. Second, I need a second. Excellent. Um, we have to go by roll call. So, Lynn, you get to go first. >> Uh, I say in favor or >> say Lynn I. >> Lynn I. >>
222Lynn Powers I. Sorry. >> Wait. >> Heather Verden. I Tracy Perry. I >> Johanna I. >> Alison Mian I. >> All right. >> However, I'm going to ask if anybody needs a I'm going to make a statement. He's a bathroom break on the way there. like let's just take one >> and then start. You're going to start. >> Yes, Gina will start and then then Gina will leave and we all get to >> So, can we leave our stuff? >> Please bring your computers with you. So fun. Um,