001Hi everybody. Welcome to the regularly scheduled Palace School Board meeting. Today is January 7th, 2026. Happy new year all. Um we're going to start out with any agenda adjustments, nominations, resignations, and correspondence. Um I have not had >> Sorry, I was just making I have >> I was wondering if we could adjust the >> Hold on. You're all done. >> Okay, >> that was what I thought. >> That's fine. >> Uh I was wondering if we could adjust the discussion to identify the other person to go do the spec interviews here or if that would be >> It's me. >> Okay, >> it's already done. >> It's done. [laughter] >> I'll just bother you. >> That's fine. Yep. So, um >> yeah, we'll deviate for a quick second. It is it is always the chair
002or their design because I also do double duty as the vice chair. I don't handle the rollups >> that I attend. >> Got it. >> So, we'll be good. >> I'll bother you. >> Yep. We'll get that scheduled >> and I don't need that adjustment. >> Perfect. Then I will kosh your agenda adjustment. >> Great. [laughter] >> Next up is approval of minutes for our meeting on December 3rd, 2023. The following amendments were offered. Page two, lines 46 and 47, correct to state the second grade concert was held on the 19th at 9:00 am. Page seven, line 16, replace font with front. Page seven, line 21, replace tying with trying. Page 8, line 35, insert was that following response. Page 9, line 27, excuse me, replace schedule with scheduled. Page 12, line 10, replace here
003with there. Page 13, line 41, correct the spelling of the. Page 14, line 33, and page 22, line 35, replace form with from. Page 20, line 41, correct the spelling of what? I'll accept a motion to accept as amended. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion on those? Seeing none, all those in favor accepting 4. Okay. Um, I am going to open public input at this time. It is 6:06 p.m. We weren't agenda to open it till 6:15, so I will leave it open till 6:45 or thereabouts. If there are any members of the public here who'd like to speak, come on up to the podium. Please introduce yourself loud and clear because it's hard to hear a little bit over the den. And, uh, name and address, please. >> Uh, Victor Orlando, 266
004Depot Road, Hollis. >> Nice to meet you. >> Um, >> feel free to adjust the mic if you need to. Yeah, the mic doesn't amplify for us, but it captures it for the recording. >> Thank you. Um, I just have a couple questions regarding uh the proposed expansion for the Laurel Elementary School. Um it's come to the attention I know it was brought up at the budget committee hearing I think last week or the week before um regarding an engineering report where they were looking at the options to have the road entrance from the schools on was it uh Rocky Hill by the transfer station over there. Um and the budget committee basically pretended like they didn't know about it or it hasn't been given to them or anything like that. Um, I wanted to
005press the board to put pressure on to release that and I think also that should be public information because it affects a lot of the people on that road over there in terms of traffic and stuff like that and it changes the traffic patterns of the town significantly. Um, the other thing I wanted to address was specifically the traffic patterns for the proposed expansion. Uh, the last expansion meeting, I didn't have an opportunity to see say this because I didn't realize I looked at it. a large portion of the traffic pattern that would be diverted because of the rerouting of the design. Uh there was a very key element that I don't think I think was overlooked by the board and people reviewing the design was the fact that there's two chains that go behind
006the lower elementary school to protect the children when they're going to the playground back and forth and they're playing back there. Rightfully so. They should be out there to keep traffic from going through there. The problems with these changes because they have the kids playing pretty much almost till dismissal in some cases or 10 20 minutes before dismissal. Those chains remain in place till about I know when I picked up my daughter this morning this afternoon it was like 2:55 before they moved the chains and that was part of the big issue with the reason congestion's backing up onto the road in front of the school. If we [snorts] do the current proposed plan, that is not changing. That's still going to be an issue in terms of the road being backed up. Um, if
007you notice, once those chains are removed, everyone pulls forward and then at least the right side of that back that line for pickup. There's no more traffic on that side. The left line still has traffic because it's curving around, but the right side doesn't. So, I wanted to bring up that attention to the board just simply because that was a big thing of why the expansion was happening too was to address those traffic concerns. Um, the other thing I wanted to bring up to the board too going over the enrollment numbers. Um, we can see an increase. Um, but my question is how much of that increase is because we've added prek to the school for I believe we added it for early childhood intervention if I'm correct. Um, and then my question is too
008is wouldn't it be a more cost effective and effective for the kids approach to you simply sub that out to other nearby specialty schools for that? For example, um I believe on our website it has a price of about $16,000 it cost us per kid on average. Again, special education is probably a little bit higher than that because of the resources required. But if we just look at five schools, which I got this this morning nearby in NSHA, for example, uh Sunrise Children's Center online, they're quoted at $9,900 a year for preschool. That would save us about six grand a year just by doing that per kid. Um Nasha Centers 8 to 10K quoted over the phone. MACS, that's on route 111, they're 8 to 11K. waypoint. They were told me over the phone no
009more than 10 to 11,000 per kid. Um, looking at those details, I think it'd be better for the children to be in a specialized environment for that and then it would allow more room in the school in terms of having those students going to at least until they're in kindergarten or or earlier or rather later having those kids go to a specialized school for that. And that would also save the school money because again we're spending on average $16,000 per kid probably more for special education and early childhood intervention where these schools are cheaper. They're probably more effective simply because that's what they do and they're relatively nearby. >> Thank you. >> Thanks for your insight. Um, I believe we're going to cover the parts about the school um, expansion during our enrollment committee update.
010Um, just to for those watching and for our gentleman from the public who's here today, thank you again. Did you say Nikolai? >> Victor. Clearly, I can't hear anything. I just gave you a new name, Victor. Um, we don't always address uh public input when it's given. Sometimes it's part of what we're going to talk about. So, I'll make sure that Ann touches on some of those traffic pattern things and the the rocky pond thing. She took copious notes I watched. Um, I don't believe we have a point in the um in the agenda that's going to cover your point about prek, like your question about prek. Um, I'm happy to touch on a couple of things for you. Um, and I think that also Lauren can chime in um with her position. this one
011also direct them to the FAQs on the page. >> Okay. Um and Ann is mentioning you can also just see >> um you can go to the FAQs about the HPS expansion because the prek situation is actually addressed in toto there. >> So >> come back if you don't mind coming back to the podium so you're recorded. >> So one of the reasons I was bringing that up was because um the prek part was I think they're using a hallway for a classroom or part of a hallway for it's not good in terms of that situation, but one of the things for the expansion that was brought up was the expansion needs so we can have more classrooms and I remember reviewing the plans regarding that. So you would accomplish that with the expansion, you
012would get more classrooms and you'd have more space. But just in general, regardless of the expansion or with the expansion, the early childhood intervention costs for prek seem to be relatively more expensive than what normal kids cost going to that school simply because the extra resources required for them. And then the fact that there's, like I said, that was just five schools within >> Yep. >> 10 miles of my house that I looked up, they can do it for approximately six grand less than what we pay on average. Again, I don't have the exact number for CH extra. >> It might seem that way. >> It may seem that way. So, um I'm going to say one quick note and then I'm going to pass to Lauren for some detail. >> One of the things
013that that some people kind of wonder, why are we inviting typical prek kids into the school? >> We're not making money from it. When you have um a special needs or an intensive needs child, there's a requirement that you have a typical student one for one. So we can't take out all of the typical learning prek students and only leave intensive needs. That doesn't meet requirements. So there will always be a onetoone in those classrooms where it's required. >> So what I'm So >> and then >> I agree with that. But even in that case, it still be cheaper for if if the school was providing any prek, it would still be cheaper to sub that out in terms of early childhood intervention and normal intervention. I mean, these schools specialize in that stuff. >>
014I really think >> we don't have a state requirement for prek. I know in the 201s they brought it to a vote for prek and the town voted against prek. >> So, >> we do have a requirement >> just I just to save us the time I I really recommend and um that we can address this further afterward. So in the June FAQ page on the Hollis Enrollment Committee website, if you go actually the first question is why do we need to have a preschool and it goes on for two, three, four, four, three and a half to four pages of text explaining this scenario which has been exhaustively addressed. So I just think that perhaps maybe read through that >> even at the cost we can simply have a preschool have them enrolled here
015and then we sub that out to those other schools. We have the ability to do that. >> Yes sir. I assure you if it were that simple we would do that. However I I do encourage you to read that. Um and then if we need at the informal community update if you would like Lauren who is our assistant superintendent of student services this is her expertise. um she could explain it further, but I do recommend that first you read that because um that's a very thoroughly prepared response um that I think will really enlighten you a little bit on the situation. >> Sounds good. So, we are going to defer the rest of the conversation to the enrollment committee portion, but thank you very much for your feedback, Victor. >> Um I don't see I
016don't see any other uh members of the public right now who are uh prepared to speak. I will keep it open if anybody new arrives uh during the window. Um moving on to our next item is our principal reports for HPS and Hughes. >> Okay, so um we'll start with enrollment. Um enrollment is fairly steady. We saw um a new prek student and a new kindergarten student. So HPS is up two students and Hughes is uh totally stable. So that is great. Some highlights from the schools um this week. Ames web testing begins um at Hall's Primary. Don't forget on January 19th there's um no school for Martin Luther King Jr. Civil Rights Day. And um January 21st is public forum reimagining Halls Primary School at 3:30 and that is at Hall's Primary School as
017well. So that's a good time to get updated information and share your thoughts and opinions. Um some uh information about staffing and students. Um at Hall's Primary School, our first graders um partnered with Pause to Give back to collect four animals at local shelters. The first grade team does this every year to give back to our community. So it's a great lesson on um community. Um Hall's Primary School and Hall's Upper Elementary. Um this all the the entire staff of both schools attended part three of our behavioral training on the early release day back in December. So that was great. And that is um that's actually SAU wide. So that's great. Um, and then another exciting piece of information from Hughes is the student council hosted a movie party fundraiser where over a hundred students
018attended with many staff members volunteering their time. So, this was a great way to demonstrate their leadership organizing this event. And that's what I have. >> Awesome. Thank you, Gina. >> Y All right. Next up, we have our discussion. First on there is um our upcoming meeting date reminders. So here in Hollis, uh, meeting season is a marathon, not a sprint. Um, our February meeting is actually a public hearing at town hall. We have a short meeting right before and a bond hearing, things like that. But we do not have this meeting traditionally on the first Wednesday of February. So we just wanted to highlight some of those dates that are coming up. So, the public hearing and then the bond hearing for the HPS expansion are happening on February 10th at town hall at
0196:30m. You can see uh included in our agenda packet tonight are uh is the PDF of all of those dates for um Hollis as well as co-op because we're part of that as well. Um and then the Hollis School District annual meeting will be at Hollis Brookline High School on March 17th. That's a Tuesday night at 700 pm. Uh we heard you guys loud and clear last year when we busted out of the middle school MPR uh and moved it to the high school. Um so we implore everybody to take a look at those dates. Again, it gets a little weird when you move into February and March because we have to hold the public hearings. So we don't have meetings as per usual. Um if you have any questions on that, feel free to
020reach out to the SAU or to any of the board members. Um, did anybody have anything they wanted to specifically point out with those meeting dates? >> Is that sufficient? >> Yeah, that's great. Perfect. Um, and now we're moving to our next point is the FY26 revenue and expense report. >> Okay, so taking a look at where we stand. Um, it's not atypical this time of year. Um, we're a little bit over in special ed and that is due to contracted school psych. We still have the one contracted parah. Um and then some placement changes for for students that u is causing us to be over a little bit. We um have not yet encumbered the 95,000 contingency fund. So therefore, there's an overage in school board SAU assessment. Um we don't have a reason
021to believe that we'll use the contingency this year. So that just falls to the bottom. Um we have some savings with some unfilled positions and some hiring savings. And um we see significant savings in benefits and that's due to plan selection by employees. Um so overall that would bring us to an expense balance of 268,21 in the black revenue balance of 47,668 leaving us with an unreserved fund balance of 315,869. Um, in our budget, we are planning on having a warrant article for 125,000 to be contributed to um the maintenance trust that would be deducted from that 315,000. Um, we also have to deduct the 23,970 for the SAU building trust. That's the rent to use the SAU building. Um, and then we typically in September vote to have a retained fund balance. So, if
022This is something that the board approves when there's better numbers after the audit. If we were to retain 166,899,000, that would bring us down to um ending at zero. These numbers fluctuate quite a bit, especially in the spring. >> Um so I'm sure they'll trend in the um positive direction, but that's where we are now. >> Sounds good. Thank you. >> Y any questions, comments on that? I thought we were past having contracted Paris. I thought we had gone to non. >> So, as I mentioned in the last time we saw this, we had one and it was um intentional based on um the level of training that individual had. Um and we're hoping to move away, but at this time it's just in everyone's best interest to maintain that that staff. >> Okay. Thanks.
023>> Excellent. Um it seems like it has been difficult. The school psychology position feels like it has been particularly difficult to fill. Is that true? >> That is true across the state. Yeah. Okay. >> All right. All right. Now, we're going to move forward to our next item, which is the FY27 budget. >> Okay. And >> Round four. So, good news and bad news. Um, good news is, um, December 31st at about noon, which is when the office closed, um, the business administrator and I were able to get the budget below guidance. >> Oh, below what? >> Below by the budget committee. >> Um, so that was good. Um, but it took a lot to get there. So, I'm going to share some of those changes from new items. Of course, it's so small I
024can't even see. >> I know I've zoomed in and I'm still like, >> yeah. Uh, sorry about that. Okay. So um in terms of academics, there have been no further changes um from the new items. Um from personnel, we have cut the um the vision benefit coverage by the um by the district. So it'll still be available to staff fully at their cost. Um we have also cut um this the additional speech services that we were hoping to go from 0.8 to 1.0. We're going to continue to uh maintain what we've been doing this year. >> Is that the case manager? This is case manager. >> No, that's the SLA. >> Yes, the speech language assistant. >> Oh, thank you. Sorry, I scrolled too far. >> Forgive me. I'm trying to make um senseless. I
025only see rounds one, two, and three. Is there actual >> four is all the way to the right. >> Keep going. >> Oh, I'm sorry. >> Yep. Keep going. And if you zoom in, you can see three and four. >> That makes zooming in because it's so small. >> I know. got you. Thank you very much. >> Okay. >> Um and so the another >> addition to round four um was um was the reduction of 1.0 FTE of a classroom teacher at HPS. Um just looking at the numbers currently enrolled and the switch from 18 students to 20 students. Um, I believe that will be okay to maintain our board policy with that with that reduction. >> 18 to 20 students for what grade? >> So, when we go from first grade to second grade,
026the board specs go up to 20. >> Yeah. >> Is that a headcount reduction or just a not filling? >> A head count reduction. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Um, all right. So, looking at Hughes, we have the same reduction of the vision benefits. We also um have reduced the increase in the occupational therapist. Um we've also reduced the increase um in the case manager from 08 to 1.0. So both of those we're going to continue to u muddle through and um hopefully we'll see those again next year as they are they are real needs. Um >> um does that cause any issues for us in meeting IEPs? >> No. No, we would never put the IV services in jeopardy. >> Okay. Part of it has to do with the way we are required to
027deliver services especially to um uh charter school students. And so we're utilizing time and money with the traveling of um contracted folks from you know one building to the next. So we're going to rethink that a little bit and try to make it a little bit tighter. Um but you'll likely see them again next year. Um, another cut was a reduction in an instructional assistant of um 6ft FTE um here at Hughes >> and the speech pathologist we did to have we went down to halftime for full time. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Yes, >> that's okay. >> Thank you. >> So, the instructional assistant was for what >> like just a what duties do they perform? >> Yeah. >> So, they are um very articulate of me. [laughter] um other duties as assigned. Uh so
028they um help the overall functioning of the school. So anything from copying to assisting in the classroom with um supporting teachers. They're not directly tied as a pair professional. They're not tied to a student. Um they're more um assisting >> general assistance, >> day-to-day functioning. So we had we had four kindergarten instructional assistants um for for many years. Um and then we couldn't hire them. They were always pulled to become paras just due to legal needs and not being able to hire. So Hollis primary has done without the instructional assistants for the past four years. When we were tightening up the personnel budget lines and identifying exact salaries rather than chunks of money um those four positions sort of disappeared. There was actually no money in the budget for them. So, um, Paul's primary school
029has been functioning without instructional assistance. Um, and so I felt that, um, we needed to, um, address the disparity a little bit. >> Okay. Thank you for that detail. >> Yeah. Sorry. Does that mean we're going from a 1.0 FTE to a 6? >> No, we were going to add a 6 and now we're not. >> Well, we had a we have a 6 and the position is cut. >> Okay. There are three total people. >> No, no, I I understand. And then there are two sixes. >> The sheet didn't read as a reduction. It read as an addition, but then the negative. So that's why I was trying to figure out >> Yeah. >> what I was looking at. >> Yep. Sorry. Um this I don't we need to hire another teacher in Hughes
030next year or maybe we don't. >> We don't. >> No, because at Hughes we go up to 23. >> Well, I was wondering because of the fourth grade situation right now. >> Oh, that's um so that doesn't involve an additional um FTE. >> Okay. >> That person's on leave. >> So that position is already in the budget. Correct. Correct. >> All right. >> Yeah. >> Um just because I know it's the first year you and the business admin are doing stuff. Is it possible when when it's a reduction in staff that we put like in parenthesis or something reduction or just something that it it can read on the front line item that it's a removal just to make it very clear. >> Yeah. I mean it's always been like that but we could change
031it. >> We don't see a lot of reductions here. >> I was told we were improving the the paperwork. [clears throat] >> Yeah. [laughter] Um okay, moving on. So there's really nothing with new computer equipment. Replacement equipment is um those are replacement cycles. So if we cut from there, then the following year we just have to double up. Um and so that's a difficult one uh to cut from. >> Can I ask a quick question on this? I think I might have jumped ahead and I apologize for that. Um, the new items all through rounds one through four had like iPads and stuff as zero. >> Mhm. >> Why were they always at zero again? >> Oh, >> they still say zero. >> So, all the items that and it it funnels into a line
032item in the um full spreadsheet of the budget. Um, all of those items are in a replacement cycle. This year we didn't have any replacement >> names in iPads so we keep it as is just so you see what's in our cycle. >> Thanks for the reminder. >> Yeah. >> All right. Um so there have been no further cuts at HPS. Um and the only further cut in replacement computer equipment at Hughes was the RedCat audio. And so that's the um little microphone that the teachers wear in the class. And so those are replacement parts um that will be needed, but we can continue to um find peace meal. So, we'll do that. >> So, they likely get um requested the following year. >> Yeah. Um All right, moving on. So, I really didn't feel
033like um I could cut the emergency lighting replacement. Those are pretty critical. And so, um, I maintain those. Um, over in maintenance for HPS, there wasn't much left, but I did cut a floor machine. Um, that will need you'll see that again the following year. Um, >> I remember everybody was excited about the floor machine. >> Was that? >> I remember there was a whole conversation about [laughter] the floor machine. People were very excited about that. >> Zambon. It is the Zamboni of [laughter] >> but we appreciate um you moving that so we can meet guidance. So that's great. >> Um >> so random random question. >> Can they use the one we're getting for Hughes? Can it be shared between the buildings at all? >> So it's pretty difficult to transport. >> Um >>
034assumed but wanted to ask >> because we kept that one but didn't keep >> my hope was we were getting some new floors at HPS. >> Oh, [laughter] >> there you go. I don't know. I I really tried to balance [clears throat] the request between the buildings. So, um that's why I looked at Hughes. Um all right, over at Hughes. So, those blue items have are items that I moved to the maintenance trust and you'll see them again later. So, let's skip through those and then go down to actually nothing has changed between rounds three and four at Hughes. All right. So um all right so looking at um the operating budget it's 18,417,465 the HESSA year two of HESSA is 198,8001 the SAU assessment that is the Hollis portion of um the SAU budget
035is 827,498 um we're looking to request a contingency fund of 95,000 through taxation. That is typically how it is funded in Hollis. The maintenance trust at 125,000 and then the SAU trust at 23,970. Um, and I wish I could pretend like I could read that 19,68743 I believe it is. Uh, as the total warrant just to go through the maintenance expendable trust. So, the request is to add 125,000 and I'm looking to use utilize that fund to fund classroom pouring phase five, fund the basketball court hoop replacement at Hughes, fund the paving up at Hughes, fund the removal of the sponge spruce, the soundproofing um and redo the the walls in the conference room over here at Hughes. And then phase three of a cabinet replacement cycle at Hughes and that adds up to 125,000.
036>> And the classroom flooring is Hughes as well. Correct. >> All of these are Hughes. Y >> um so that's those are the new items. The full budget is um you know line by line. We they're colorcoded for when it there's an increase or a decrease. Uh, as I've mentioned a few times before though, some of these items really just or some of these line items are just shifts of things from one uh line to another to to make it clearer in the future. >> Um, before we hop spreadsheets for a second, can you explain what the stipend increases line item is under the academics >> on the new items? >> Yes, I think it's >> the one that I cut. >> Yeah, the the four column. >> Okay. So, um, school buildings do not
037run without, um, teachers taking on leadership positions. And so, when they become the team leader for grade two or the MTSS coordinator for the school, um, they are given a stipend. >> Um, you know, if you, if you are doing the yearbook with students, you're given a stipen. These stipens have not changed in well over a decade and the willingness of our teachers to um to step up and spend their time to do this is um it's a challenge. So we need to increase the stipens to pay them appropriately. >> The only reason I bring it up is because of all the items I was looking up down the list and I'm not trying to downplay what the teachers are doing. This tip was a $6,000 line item. I've been listening to how much we
038need a floor machine at HPS at $1,500 and I've been trying to figure out if the >> $7500 >> Oh, it's 7500. It's well above it. Okay. >> I misread the numbers then >> because it's so tiny. >> I know. [laughter] >> I know. >> But that was why I was asking was just that like okay if it had been what I was thinking it's like okay they could still have stipen without >> so okay. Nope. That was it. Thank you. Um, also Hughes's floor machine is a year older than the floor machine at HPS. So, because Hughes piloted the floor machine, the new model, the new one that's now a decade old. Um, but the very first one is up here, so it makes sense to replace it first. Okay. [snorts] Um so anyway,
039moving on down to the very bottom here, looking at um round FY27, round four of the spreadsheet, you can see that um guidance 18,424,276. We're bringing it in at $18,417,4651 for a whopping $6,81049 below guidance. um which was a magical number to get to knowing that um about a month ago we were at about 500,000 below. >> Please, please forgive me. I'm trying. Okay, so here we are at the bottom of this. >> Where do I find operating guidance? Okay, hold on. So the guidance set by >> the budget >> budget committee is the um 18,424,276. Is that what come? Okay. And we have the 47, you know, 18 417. Okay. >> All right. Hey, good job. >> YEAH. [laughter] >> You and Lance, man. >> That good job. That's I mean, it took a
040while to get there, but you got there. Um >> at the 11. >> Thank you. [laughter] >> Look, thank you for doing that because it's it's tough to pick and choose those things. Um, I mean, I feel like in the project we've been working on, I've only gotten a tiny window into um how hard it is to to do those things and it's it's a lot of work and I'm sure guidance I'm sure that budget committee is going to really appreciate the effort and we like to keep budcom happy. So, thank you. >> Yeah. Uh, it's definitely not easy. None of the requests were um superfluous. >> You know, they're all they are all in need. The question is, can we make it through one more year? We really wanted to respect the negative 2%
041that the guidance >> um negative2% guidance that the budcon gave us knowing that we have a really big ask for the expansion. Y um and that is absolutely a need. So >> yeah, it's hard to when everything is getting more expensive, it's hard to make the school budget less expensive. It's hard to make our budget smaller when everything is getting more expensive. And also we are making a big ask for the expansion. So it's a reasonable ask for the FedCom and also it was a hard ask and so you and Lance worked really hard Gina. >> Yeah. Nice work. Thank you Lance. You're not here to receive our thanks so hopefully you hear it. >> Go ahead. >> Oh yeah. Uh I also wanted to reiterate um my appreciation for it especially because a large
042portion is um salaries and benefits like a lot of things that you can't um do any modifications to. So it's especially difficult. Um I did because I was looking at the the guidance documents as they evolved from like November. It was probably like round two to round three to round four. Part of the complication is the the guidance base and then adding in like costs like special the various special education costs where you end up with that total of the 18.4 million. So it that number uh moved around a lot. So this most recent in terms of the um I believe the like the base of the operating uh the guidance base of the operating budget that was a reduction of somewhere around like $366,000. So very large. Um and then on top of that
043I think based on what I the last guidance document I saw in December um it looked like special ed what special ed costs were predicted at that time also went down. Is that accurate? in the realm of like a couple hundred thousand. Okay. >> Just wanted to verify that. All right. Thank you. [clears throat] >> Thanks, RA. >> Any other comments, questions on budget? >> Yeah. Am I reading correctly that under the transportation section, we've just removed the retirement benefit >> on the second to last page. >> So, there's a retirement benefit. Yeah. um that if a teacher notifi if they've met um what every district is different so 15 years of service 20 whatever it is for Hollis and they notify us that they're they're intent to retire June 30th >> um if they
044notify us by December 1st then um they're eligible for a retirement benefit payout um that happens on July 1st. >> We did not have any teachers let us know that they're retiring. So therefore, we had it in the budget originally um because the contract I says I think says that it's um we limit to four teachers. Sure. So we budgeted for four. Got it. >> And then once we heard none, that was an easy cut. >> Yeah. No, that's fine. I just was trying to translate what the line item was for. >> That's a good question. There's a lot of there are a lot of nuances that >> going line by line trying to really understand what's in every >> I I think this is the fourth or fifth time I've read this spreadsheet in
045one form or another between BudCom and some of the other things. It's like it's hard to understand where it's coming from and why. >> For sure. Awesome. Thanks for the hard work. Our next discussion item is our warrant. >> Yes. And I just realized that the changes were the ones that were posted. So I'm trying to fix that. So I apologize it's messy. I'll I'll clean it up and get a clean copy up there. Um so article one would be the bond vote. So that language comes to us from um bond council. Um the one thing that was added was the year 1 payment of 484,69 3-fifths vote ballot ballot vote required etc. So there's not a whole lot of wiggle room with the language here in this in this war article. The one question
046and I don't know if you want to look at it now or if you want to look at it when we have the enrollment committee update is we need to determine if we want a 20 25 or 29year bond. >> I didn't know we had >> did the budget committee give any >> so yes on that >> we at the time we shared a 20 and a 29year option and there were a lot of really valid reasons to go with a 20-year because you save quite a bit in interest millions of dollars in interest. Um, and then there was there were some very valid reasons about going with the 29year. Um, and it, you know, has to do with the number of families that would benefit from the expansion to, you know, spread that cost
047amongst families that are here now, but also those that will be moving in in the next 29 years. >> Um, and so there wasn't really um I didn't get a clear idea of if they wanted 20 or 29, but they said, "Well, let's see 25." And um [laughter] so um so I also have 25 here and it's as you would imagine in the middle and I wonder if I feel like that's the one I would recommend because it's kind of balances out those two concerns. Um it averages out the amount of interest you'd pay if the 29year bond has um a much higher interest rate um as you go downall overall. Yeah. Okay. >> And those are also on the the documents that are uploaded. >> Okay. >> Um but >> um it doesn't have
048in the language of the no the warrant the article. Um >> which one? No. >> Which one is it supposed to? Is that does that >> No, >> we never put it in. Right. >> No. And the reason well one of the reasons why is um so so in J in about two weeks or so we'll have the January bond sale and that would be a different interest rate >> and so we would use that as a best um as our best information that we when we present it to the town but really we would be going for the July sale which is even further out um and that's not available to us until July. So, we're using um our the best information we have available to us. >> Um but in general, a 20-year
049bond is going to have a lower interest rate than a longer term bond. >> So, it's a 5.3 million difference between the 20s. >> So, that's that's what led to a lot of the debate at budget committee and we it was it was kind of a split. >> Yeah, that's a huge amount of money. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Um, okay. So, I we'll take a look at that maybe during discussion of the project. Um, all right. Moving on. Um, I believe there was a change in the RSA. So, the SAU budget is required to be the first on the warrant other than bonds. So, um, I had originally had it as article three, but it needs to be article two. And so, this is standard boilerplate language that we see every year. Um, shall
050the school district vote to raise and appropriate the sum of $827,498 as the Hall School District's portion of the SAU budget of 2,560,328 for the fourthcoming fiscal year. This year's adjusted budget of 2,540,642 with 821,135 assigned to the school budget of this school district will be adopted if the article does not receive a majority vote of all school district voters voting in the school administrative unit. So that um that's an article that really we can people can speak to but nothing can be amended and that would be a ballot vote as well. >> Um can I have a quick clarification go back for article one just real quick. Um so we have the number in here for the first debt service payment. >> But we haven't selected which bond it is. Correct. So won't that
051number fluctuate? >> It does not. It's the exact same number which I thought was interesting until I thought about it. it has to be the exact same number because we have to authorize a payment without knowing >> the full extent of the bond. So that's how I justified it in my mind. But if you look at the 20 25 and 29, that first payment is exactly the same to the penny. >> Okay, that makes sense. I just >> sort of 500,000. It has to be very exact. >> I don't question banks if they're on the like, great, the first payment's the same across the board. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> That I just thought that was really weird. >> Thanks. Um, but then I thought I maybe I was supposed to know that
052already. Anyway, [laughter] >> it's always that way. >> Yeah. Um, moving on to article three. So, this is to see if the school district will vote to approve the cost items included in year two of the three-year collective bargaining agreement reached between the Hall School Board and the Hall's Education Support Staff Association for the 2627 school year, which calls for the following increase in support staff salaries and benefits at the current staffing levels. Fiscal year 2627, estimated increase 198,8001. and further to raise and appropriate the sum of $198,8001 for the second year 2627 such sum representing the negotiated increase over the 2526 salaries and fringe benefits. So this is exactly as it was presented last year but the contract is not samberized so therefore we have to bring it forward to the voters every year.
053Okay. So you can see in article four, this is um legal counsel going from last year's version to this year ver version, but it's pretty much um the same. So to see if the school district will vote to raise and appropriate this up to the sum of 23,970 to be added to the previously established maintenance expendable trust fund for the administrative and associated structures at for Lun Lane in Hollis, map 56, lot 2. this sum to come from the Holla School District's June 30th, 2026 unassigned fund balance available for transfer on July 1, 2026. No amount to be raised by additional taxation. So once again, that's one that can't be amended as it's just the transfer of the funds to the SAU um trust. All right. Article five. Um to see if the school district
054will vote to raise an appropriate up to the sum of 125,000 to be added to the previously established school building expendable maintenance trust fund. This sum to come from the Hollow School District's June 30th, 2026 unassigned fund balance available for transfer on July 1st, 2026. Um no amount to be raised by additional taxation. So that is the maintenance trust as we discussed already. Um, article six is the contingency to see if the school district will vote to establish a contingency fund for the current year for un unanticipated expenses that may arise and further to raise and appropriate the sum of 95,000 to go to put into the fund. This sum to be raised by taxation any appropriation left in the fund at the end of the year will lapse to the general fund. Okay. So,
055this is the new um the newborn article. That is what we um really need to discuss as a board. So, >> have we discussed this before? I don't recall. >> No, we I discussed it with um board chairs. >> Okay. >> Um All right. So, open enrollment. This was something that um moved had some traction last year. It did not pass, but there's certainly more discussion. um a in a district um family sent the students to another school district, an open enrollment school district, and that open enrollment school district then um build the quote unquote sending school even though the school didn't send the the child. Um in court, it was upheld that the district was responsible for paying the um the other district back. So, um, many school districts are looking to officially, um,
056move forward with very specific language around open enrollment. Um, so we have language and we can talk about how we feel, but given our enrollment concerns, um, I didn't feel that we wanted, we're in a place now to accept multiple students from other districts as we hardly have room for our own. and um the liability of allowing students to go to other districts and then be faced with a bill that we didn't budget for also didn't seem like that allowed for budget stability. So, um RSA 194D allows students to transfer between districts unless local limits are set by voter action. Um art the article would protect the school district from unintended financial impacts under this new law. um preserves enrollment and budget stability. It protects staffing and programs that we've developed and invested in. Um
057and it ensures local control. So, the language um is shall the Hall School District vote to adopt an open enrollment school program designating both Halls Primary School and Hall's Upper Elementary School as open enrollment schools pursuant to New Hampshire RSA 194D for the purpose of enabling the district to admit up to zero non-resident students to HPS and Hughes and further to limit the number of resident pupils permitted to attend open enrollment schools located outside of the district to 0%. % of the district's total enrollment. >> Effectively, we're adopting it to lock out. >> Correct. Or you can tell me that the board wishes something else. >> I like it how it is. >> I think this is the only way to be consistent with the enormous ask we're making in article one. >> Yeah. I
058don't think we can. I think just from a being fiscally prudent, I think we can't like the financial risk of open enrollment is enormous and so we that this is what's financially prudent. >> I think the reality is that the rest of New Hampshire, you know, schools are struggling with enrollment, you know, so maybe this would make sense for them, >> but we are an exception to that generalized >> generalization. And so um it's not it was just not feasible. it would cause too many um too many unknowns too, you know, I think we're all in agreement. Thank you for bringing it to it us like this because it makes it easy I think for us to be in agreement on it >> and I I think just to if we can share this Gina
059um each of the three districts within SAU41 are making their own decision on how to handle this. >> So this is this is a Hollis school district only language >> and you are the first to see it. So it'll go to the other boards in their January meetings. >> But theirs could be different. >> Theirs could be different. >> They could allow so many in but not none out. That kind of thing. >> Yeah. Nope. I was going to say something but actually nope. I do not have a note. I'm good. >> Okay. >> She's like yes. No. >> So clarify on the on the um the 0% of the district's total enrollment. That means that it's not just that they wouldn't be able to bill us. It's that they would be blocked from going
060to an open >> correct >> under open enrollment. They could still try to go. It just wouldn't be >> there are other program. Yeah. >> But this avenue of um open enrollment would be closed. >> Um what are the other avenues? Like I mean obviously they could go to a charter school or they could go to a private school obviously but >> so there's always um a best interest request or manifest hardship. Yeah. >> Um >> so there are a couple different nuances that they could they could pay to tuition their child into another district. >> We don't even have that option in in JFAB. Um Brookline and the co-op have options to tuition where families can apply for admission and tuition at full per pupil expenditure. Um but Hollist does not. >> So I
061thought this was consistent with the policy. >> Any other questions on this article 7? >> All right. >> Can I ask a question? This is the only one that says the finance committee as opposed to the budget committee. Why is that? >> That's because I wrote it that way. It's supposed to be [laughter] budget. >> It is. I was just wondering if there was another committee I wasn't aware of. >> No, thank you. I was really focused. I knew you never know. >> No, I was so focused on three years on the board. You know, there's still surprises. >> So [laughter] funny. >> Well, I think the um Brookline has a finance >> correct >> committee. Ah, okay. >> So, she uses a lot of different terms, different Yes. Okay. Yes, that makes sense. >>
062She's keeping us on our toes. >> Not yet. >> All right. Moving on. Article eight. Article 8 to see if the school district will vote to raise and appropriate the sum of 18,417,466 for the support of schools for the payment of salaries for the school district officials and agents and for the payment of statutory obligations of the district. This appropriation does not include appropriations voted on voted in other warrant articles. So that other than a and the and the dollar amount that has not changed in years past. It's the same language. Um, one thing that I just thought might be helpful to note is um, article one, if the budget committee does not recommend this article, we would have to include language identifying that the total request is beyond 10% of what the budget committee
063has has recommended. >> Has the budget committee given us a recommendation number? >> Nope. >> No. Okay. So you just if it'll say passage of this article shall override the 10% limitation imposed on this appropriation due to the non-recommendation of the budget committee. I'm not saying that they're saying that they won't recommend it. Um but after our public hearing on February 10th, if they don't recommend it, then we'll have to amend the language to include that. >> And I believe um no leave for later. >> Okay. So, that is the proposed warrant. Like I said, I apologize. I don't love tracked changes. And so, when I It was fine until I saved it as PDF and then it was uploaded and I will fix that. So, >> no, this is fine. I actually kind of
064like seeing >> last year versus Yeah. >> U It's Sometimes it's a little bit harder to read, but anyway, so that's that. >> Excellent. If there are there's no feedback um or concerns or recommended changes other than finance committee um I will move this forward um you know share it with the budget committee and um that is what we'll see at our hearing. >> Yep. And just to piggyback on what she's saying about the hearing is so our hearing will start at 6:30 as we mentioned at the top. As a board we meet right before it. So, we'll meet at six o'clock simply to go through and log our votes for each of these articles. Um, >> right. So, once we're and then we move into the public hearing. >> Can I clarify your last
065comment, Gina? If the uh finance committee does not, >> excuse me, if not [laughter] recommend article eight, >> article one, >> it just um reading article eight reminded me >> back to >> So if they do not recommend that, there's like an automatic language that you have to put in that says it exceeds the 10%. >> Y >> if the budget committee doesn't recommend article one, Mhm. Correct. >> Then article one will be amended to add language saying that it exceeds the 10%. >> Okay. And that's that's nothing about article 8. >> Correct. I just reminded her she wanted to mention that partic >> uh the law. >> Oh, okay. >> Um >> not laughing at you. Just the answer. >> Yeah. I thought maybe she would. >> Yeah. And I do uh before I
066move to the next I did anybody have any more warrant questions? >> Can I add one piece about the budget hearing? >> If we're moving forward, which I feel we are with the open enrollment um article that requires a separate um public notice. We can do it the same night as the bond hearing and the budget hearing. But don't be confused when you see three notices for the same night because we have to notice the bond separately from the budget separately from open enrollment but they'll be they'll be um posted you know consecutively >> y where >> so we have to you know put them on the um doors we have to publish them on the website and we put in the newspaper >> which is so readily available. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> We have
067a newspaper. >> So they go in um the Union Leader. >> Yep. >> The Union Year >> Leader out of Manchester. Union Leader. >> Oh, >> it hasn't died yet. It's been around still. So >> I've only been here for three and a half years. I didn't know it existed. >> Well, you wouldn't have. You would probably look if anything the Nsha Telegraph, but the Nasha Telegraph isn't. >> It's like is it once a week now? >> Yeah. It's not often enough to be able to be used. So it has to be daily or something like that. So, we have to do it in the union leader >> which has been around for >> he is. Yes. But not as expensive and annoying as it was for when we put a notice in and then
068they didn't run it and then it totally screwed up all of the timing for public hearings for a previous bond a bunch of years ago. >> Ouch. >> So, that was uh we'll pay the extra to make sure it actually gets posted. >> Um I wanted to take a quick second to just close formally close public input. Nobody else has come in. It is 700 p.m. at this time. All right. And our next item here, we've got the enrollment committee update. >> Okay. So, um we the enrollment committee last met on December 17th. Um and at that time, it's just some noteworthy things that we discussed was we did talk about the amortization schedules that were presented to BUDCOM on December 9th, but at that time was just the 20 and 29 years. So looking
069forward to seeing um what Gina has for the 25 year. Um you know basically the the impression of the committee was similar to what Gina was expressing. You know we had the comments from Rafie about how BudCom discussed it. Um we were all kind of takenback by the huge difference in cost between the 20 and the 29 year. Um but it is an interesting argument. everyone agreed that the 20 years seems to put the burden on who's living here right now versus who will be benefiting most from it. So, it's a it's a delicate balance. I we did not try to come up with an answer to it. We just kind of were informed. Um uh we talked about the December 4th public forum which happened after our last um schoolboard meeting. Uh we got
070some very positive feedback about that. That was the public forum where we had all of our engineers present um in addition to um Banwell Architects and um they had a very clear and thorough presentation. Um we had some good attendance. Um most notably we had some attendance from some local um publications from Positively Hollis and from Hollis Brookline online. Um which is great and so both of those will be putting forth more articles about our project. Um so we are really pleased with that. Um, we also found some documents that we had been looking for for a while. And so I just want to thank Lance and Gina and anyone else who worked on this, but we finally found the septic plans to the House Primary School septic. It's still not 100% certain because it
071wasn't certified by the state. So we we know something else exists somewhere, but the state doesn't even have it. But um, you know, it's it's definitely old and needs to be replaced. Um, we had questions about class size policy and so Gina magically found >> I will say dot found >> dot thank you dot dot >> um the minutes from November 14th 2012 when that was discussed and that's not we that's not even when it was finally decided upon but I think it is noteworthy that the reason why that came up was because it was proposed and just correct me if I'm wrong here Gina it was proposed that in order to meet guidance, a teacher be cut. And so the town came out in droves and was against this and was like, you know
072what, we need to talk about class sizes because that would affect our class sizes and this is important. And residents came and spoke passionately. They quoted research um and it was very clear that that there wasn't even the language was discussed about target um class sizes versus caps. And it was the residents were clear they wanted caps and the caps were exactly what we have now. Now, the policy I think at some point does need to be revisited because some of the laws that are referenced in the policy no longer exist. Um, so we might have to revisit the policy. But, um, I think it's noteworthy that it was the it was the community that really wanted this. Um, and I think that if it were to go out to the community again, the community
073would continue to support um the special situation that we have in Hollis where we're able to give our kids a wonderful education. And as as Mrs. Bicki often discusses, our class sizes classroom sizes are very different. um there's a huge variability in the size of these classrooms and um you know we need to have caps so that we don't have inequitable situations um from one classroom to the next within the same grade level. So um all these numbers are are are thoughtful. The 18 came from a specific study, the STAR study. Um so anybody who wants to learn more about that can go to our minutes from December 17th. Um it's all linked in. Uh uh we have uh our compliance officer Emmy uh White created a House Primary School expansion page that is linked
074to the enrollment committee website. It's also linked if one were to go on to the Hollis Primary School website and scroll down to news and events. There is a direct link to the page there as well. We're trying to make >> this information. Yes, we we talked about making it pop, making it more visible, having more information readily available so it's not hard to find. Um, on the enrollment committee page, we have like a brief history of the committee so that anybody who is curious can quickly get a snapshot and always go back for more information later. So all these things >> as per our public input feedback tonight, the concerns that the gentleman raised are all actually addressed on that FAQ page. >> For the most part, they are. I am going to address
075some of the things he said specifically and I think that Gina and Lauren can as well, >> right? But in terms of like looking at preK, I think was specifically what I was talking about. Yeah. >> Yeah. Um and I think that anybody listening, you know, I I really would encourage anybody to come to our public forum. Gina already mentioned that that's on January 21st at 3:30 at Hollis Primary School. Um the enrollment committee is meeting very briefly for 15 minutes before that just to approve some minutes and you know answer some questions and then we're on to the public forum. But we also have some informal sessions scheduled at the Holla Social Library. So on January 20th at 11:00 a.m. in the meeting room, just a casual Q&A. People can come in and ask
076questions. will have the poster boards there and the exact same thing is going to be available on Saturday, February 7th at 11:30 at the Hollow Social Library. Um >> February what? >> 7th. >> And we will be advertising this in the places that we usually do around town at Marketplace Diner, Town Hall, the library, um L Farm has a community board, and then I'll be posting them again on um some Facebook community pages and the House Primary School Instagram page um as well. Emmy just made us a flyer. she sent out today, the final version of that we'll be putting out. Um, also we got a great suggestion at our public forum on December 4th to put out a mailer um to the town just like a postcard with just some basic information QR code.
077Um, it was Emy's idea to put in a tiny URL. So, I was concerned not everybody would know how to use a QR code. Um, I only recently learned [laughter] because I'm old. So, um, she did that for us. Um, so we just we just approved that and so she's looking into ordering those. Those will go to every home in Hollis. Um, that comes from the budget for warrant article six. We did a great job budgeting that if anyone wants to know how that has been spent, that is on the enrollment committee page as well. Um, so yeah, just the big thing right now is um, getting the word out. So I I really am grateful to Mr. Orlando who came today and spoke during public input. I appreciate anybody in town, we all do,
078who is interested in the project, wants to learn more, and of course, um, you know, if someone hasn't been following this for two years, and that is how long this has been going on. Um, it is hard to know, >> even longer that we've been talking about, >> we've been talking about it even longer. Yes. The committee has only been around for two years. Um, but still two years. Uh, that's a lot. You know, not everybody has has been around for all of that. So, I completely understand. Um I to address the first concern that Mr. Orlando asked about and I and I anticipate other residents will has heard rumblings of this as well. The reason why the budget committee and Gina correct anything that I say wrong here didn't you know may have acted
079as if they didn't know about this or that there hasn't been any public information is because we are not proposing this. Um it is not an official proposal. It's not something we are actively pursuing. It has been a part of an um an exploratory exercise to determine whether or not it is possible to have another egress from the Hollis Upper elementary school. And that is something that our emergency services um personnel in town have been in support of for safety reasons. Obviously for traffic it would be helpful if it can be done. We don't even have that answer yet. So um that is why once we know whether or not it's possible, we will go through the proper avenues to inform the town, talk with budget committee, select board, etc. Um but it is it
080is not something that's being proposed at this time and is not part of the expansion project. Did I get everything right, Gina? >> You are correct. Woohoo. Um, as far as the traffic pattern, I think that that would be best answered by our engineers. And I would like to, if Mr. Victor, um, Mr. Orlando, if you're listening and anybody else who's interested, I think going to the video on the SAU website of the December 4th meeting would probably be the best course of action because our engineers talked about those traffic patterns pretty um extensively, but I would encourage um anyone to send us an email with those questions. We can forward them to our engineers and get that answer. But in the meantime, I will make sure that for um the annual meeting we have
081a comprehensive answer prepared for that to address that specific concern. >> Yeah, I will just say that certainly um the building level admin will certainly have the best plan in place to address that. But one of the con one of the huge concerns that we have right now um is that we cannot run specials the same time we're running any of our lunches. So therefore, the entire schedule of the building is determined around lunch. And so it pushes our specials to the beginning and the end of the day, which um has our students outside later than we would ideally have them outside. So with um the proposed plan that allows a whole lot of flexibility with the schedule and um I don't think we'd actually see the same concern of needing um the chains up
082until the very end of the day. So >> also more space is created in the plan to expand that loop. Yeah. um which may not be immediately obvious to a layman's eye like just looking at this these very you know right now they're rudimentary plans we'll be getting something much more detailed um as you know we had there's more of a budget for it >> well they did at that meeting in December talk specifically like they outlined how many cars are available to go until a certain point right with the fire lane and things like that so there there is good detail already in the rudimentary points >> yes and rerouting the buses also helps with that tremendously. >> Um, so there many factors have been taken into account to address what Mr. Orlando sees
083every day and he's not wrong in what he sees and what many of us see, but in Gina's point and going to those that December 4th meeting can be helpful. Um, as far as the prek, um, as I said, I I do want to correct myself. I misspoke. I thought that it was pages going on in the FAQ. It actually was the next question. So, it is one full page that Lauren wrote for us. And I think it might be easier just if somebody has a question to write to you specifically. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. Because it might seem as though it costs less, but we would also have to provide transportation and every child has different needs that have different costs. >> Yeah. I could just briefly um explain that piece. So you may
084have a base tuition of $10,000, let's say, at a different placement, but exactly what you're saying, we have to provide the transportations and any other IEP services that are included in the students plan. So that may be speech services, occupational therapy services, which are not necessarily housed in those placements, we would have to contract and provide those providers to that placement. So you're paying for their travel cost, you're paying for their time, you're paying for those services. Whereas here we have speech pathologists, occupational therapists on staff who work with all of our students pre-K through three. So right there you have built-in cost savings because you have the sharing of those resources inhouse even any um other services that we need to bring in here. Um you are again are shared accordingly across the grade
085level. So it's not just the base tuition. And wasn't the decision made to have the preschool at the Hollist Primary School specifically because of the cost savings because we used to tuition the kids out and it was found that we are saving money by doing this. So it's something that we actually have already tried. >> Correct. Exactly. Yeah. About about 15 16 years ago was when uh the district decided to bring preschool inhouse for cost savings as well as other developmental um benefits to the students for being in their home district um and being with their own peers. those pieces as well. But the cost savings is definitely u a piece of that. The other piece that um you know people may not understand is that some of these placements that have been mentioned may
086not be able to support different levels of needs of students and so we may have to look at even more intensive outside placements which may be further away which would then be higher transportation costs as well as higher tuition. So it's not just that base amount because not every placement can serve every student where we have the ability to design and build our programs to meet the needs of all of our students. >> Um and also the point that prek taking up classrooms I think it is also noteworthy and this has been discussed at length in our enrollment committee meetings at these meetings and I'd be happy to reiterate anything for anyone but that that alone does not solve our problem. Um there's what Gina just brought up and then of course um there's you
087know classroom spaces that are taken up for many other services that we have to provide that we haven't had to in the past. Um, I think it is noteworthy. Also, I don't think I know if we brought this up. We may have that we we did some work on a movie. >> I don't know if you know this, but um over here. So, um [laughter] you know, just keep your eye out. Um we did get the draft for um the six minute movie that um it was professionals through EEI that that did the filming for us that kind of you know capture uh the challenges as Mrs. Vicki is is highlighted primarily on it but Gina's on land myself um and uh and of course the cramped school the traffic etc. So that will be
088playing at the annual meeting. Am I right? >> We'll probably share it beforehand as well. as soon as we get the final copy. >> Um, and also on that light, I forgot to mention, we had a resident come to our enrollment committee meeting who was at the public forum and got very excited about the project and offered his services. He works um for promoting like different types of social media through um another like major organization and so offered his services free of charge and so he has been um working with me primarily with Paula is Bicki on creating some short films memes etc uh to put out on the school Instagram on Facebook pages for the town etc. So those things will be coming out just to kind of get some sound bites to educate
089the public. So um we're excited about that and we really appreciate that another resident of Hollis was interested in coming out and helping with the project. >> Awesome. >> Thank you, Ann. Any questions for Ann? >> Yeah, I have a question um popped in my head recently about the timing of bond versus timing of construction. If the bond is approved and the bond sale happens in the summertime, the construction starts early. Is that like typ is that like normal for >> Yes. Um and we can get what's called bridge loan. It's like a short-term loan so that we can start, you know, April with uh everything and then as soon as uh the bond is funded, the first payment is to pay off the the short term. >> Got it. Thanks. >> Yep. But also
090in the revised version, I was very excited to see without the vehicular bridge, which is one of my favorite words now. >> Um, without the vehicular bridge, we um really shortened the timeline of the work and we would be able to begin this summer. >> Yeah. By one full year. Yeah. We'd be done one full year soon. >> Um at a significant cost savings. >> Yeah. Yeah. Very awesome. Thanks for all your work continued. Appreciate you. Um our next point of discussion is Town of Hollis Capital Expenditure Advisory Committee. Rabbi Zach to you. >> Okay. Um so, uh Mark Cost, the chair of the committee, presented to the select board back in December. Um he's going to be presenting again to the select board um with latest updates uh to the consolidated spread with the
091consolidated spreadsheet on January 26th I believe is the is the select board meeting. Um and uh just to give an update on some of the more uh recent information updates, uh the town is uh I believe bringing two bonds um uh one for solar on a TP TPW building and the other one is the big one um the transfer station wall reconstruction. Um, so that one uh will be a big one because that is at uh around 2.3 million um as a 15-year bond. So that those are just some some of the bigger ones. Some some other items are still um obtaining. We're still waiting on some information. Uh but those are the big ones that we know about. Um and just big picture in terms of um how capital looks in the uh coming
092years. uh the big uh big we are forecasting like big jumps in fiscal year 27 and 28 where uh for fiscal year 27 it's coming uh primarily from town and co-op because and and this is all predicated based on things getting approved um at at the uh various annual meetings. Um so if based on that things get approved um the school district wouldn't be contributed as much to the jump in in 27 because that first initial payment um is smaller for the the total amount for that year is smaller than um the second year which we're paying where it's two payments and that's where it's the the big uh big amount. Um and so for fiscal year 28, that's where we would see a jump coming more from um our district and the town. Um
093and then there are some uh more updates coming in from co-op and once those are in um then uh I believe I'll be able to send out um the spreadsheet to uh our committee uh so that you can get eyes on it. um based on our upcoming meetings. I don't know um when the next agenda with items attached to it for the community as well. >> Any questions, comments for >> All right, we're moving into our deliberations portion and our first item is to see what action the board will take regarding the Hessa negotiating team appointments. Hessa, uh if you recall, um those negotiations were completed last year. Um but there was a caveat. We discussed this in December. There was a caveat to uh reopen negotiations if the health insurance um jumped too high
094and that is what happened. So we're going to be reopening those negotiations. Our team that negotiated the hesit contract a year ago was an wake pasqual as with member Amy Kelner who is now on the co-op board. Um and so it was uh asked of me to appoint two members to participate on this negotiation team. Um I've asked an to resume uh her role. She has that situational knowledge. And I've also asked Jess to participate with her on this negotiating. Um so I will accept a motion to the appointment of Ann Wake Pasqual and Jessica Lehens as the board of representatives to the Hollis Education Support Staff Association Hessa Negotiating Team. >> So moved. >> Second. >> Any discussion? Uh I had a question around when the negotiations would be occurring knowing that and if
095I recall your term is ending after the end of this chunk right you're >> yes >> I was trying to figure out how that would end up timelinewise >> I think the objective was fast it's going to be happening within the month >> okay >> yes this isn't a full renegotiation of everything. >> Uh there are specific parts that it's limited to. >> So it's not the full gamut. >> Yeah. Yeah. I just didn't know when >> time frame we were talking there. >> Yep. >> A question. Um any further discussion or questions? Seeing none, let's take a vote. All those in favor zero. >> Welcome aboard. Thanks for your volunteer service. >> Thank you. Um, now we're moving into policies. So, as is the case, we provide a policy memo as part of the
096packet, but we do take votes on those policies individually. First one up is policy JLCF. I'll accept a motion. I'll take a motion to accept the third reading and adopt policy JLCF wellness. >> So, moved. >> A second. >> Second. >> Discussion. Uh so this is the third reading of this policy. Um no major changes since you have seen it last. Um and was this the policy that you had maybe had some grammatical changes or was that a >> um I had a few for I have to go back to the email I sent you but it um that was one of them. Yeah. >> There nothing of consequence that changes content at all. It's like some comma splices. >> Yeah. So we can change the >> nothing we really need to discuss. >> I
097also wanted to add that this went to the wellness committee. It was reviewed and um approved. >> It was reviewed and what approved >> and they had no recommended changes. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> Right. Any other questions, comments on JLCF? Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting the third reading and adopting JLCF 500 Z. Our next is uh a second reading. I'll take a motion to accept the second reading. Wave the third and adopt policy BGAA policy development adoption and review. >> So move. >> A second. >> Second. So, we're just trying to sort of like move policies through knowing that there's, you know, a slate that come through in the spring. Um, this is again the policy that we talked about last time. It's just putting formalizing uh what we already do
098in Hollis, which is saying that we have a policy committee uh that develops and reviews policy and that that's how we that is the process that we use to create and review policy. >> Excellent. >> Questions, comments? >> Uh just Very minor thing for F. There's just extra line there to minor revisions. >> Thank you. We will make that radical change. >> Says JLCD. Are we on JLCD? Is that what we're doing? No, >> BGAA. Okay. Did anything for BGA? I wait. I did, but again, they're really tiny. >> Yeah, I have your notes. [laughter] >> All right. Any other comments, questions? Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting the second reading, waving the third and adopting policy BGAA 500 Z. Next up, and previewed it for us, policy JLCD. I'll take a motion
099to accept the second reading of policy JLCD, administering medication to students. >> So moved. >> A second. >> Second >> discussion. >> Uh so again, uh this is we've seen this policy last month. Uh just confirming that also our nurses have reviewed this policy and felt comfortable with it. Um I know Ann and you did have some grammatical notes that you had emailed to me and certainly we'll make sure that we capture those changes. >> Can I ask a quick question? I have not been to the policy committee for halls. Have you reviewed EBBC or JLC yet? >> I don't think so. Uh there was a couple of policies that we had uh tabled because they had felt uh say them again. >> EVBC or JLCE. They're they're technically the same policy. >> Y >>
100but they're and so JLC is referenced in this one. Yep. >> And I'm hoping that we do review the um JLCbc at the next one because um I would like it to be double coded and that would affect letter B um where we would put EBBC JLC and I'd like to come to the policy committee meeting whenever you do review it >> just so I can walk you through it. >> Yeah, we can put it on the agenda for we have not reviewed those. We can put it on the agenda. >> So yeah, if we can do that one next. >> Yeah, great. >> Um and this is just accepting a second reading. So, we're not finished yet. >> Any other questions, comments? >> Um, looking at the line, upon delegation, the nurse will document
101the delegation and the delegation process, etc. Um, >> can you give us an idea of what section you're in? >> First page, the >> after Roman numeral 3. Yeah, it's underlined. Um what is implied with the nurse will document the delegation? Is it like long-term maintain a record documentation? Is it written permission? Like I I found that a little vague. >> I think there it is meant to allow some flexibility on purpose. Uh I don't think that that is uh I don't think that it is meant to imply a long-term documentation. I think that is meant to talk about a specific instance. But I think it also is supposed to allow a little bit of I don't think you want to be so specific that the nurse has to, you know, document it exactly in
102this, you know, particular log for when they're going out on a field trip, but I it is not meant to refer to a long-term process. >> Um, if you read the section above the three >> uh numerals, >> you'll see it talks about may delegate and nurses designate. >> No, I I understand that particular part. It was more the I've been dealing with records capital R a lot >> and so I was reading this and and >> it threw me off when I read so it's the nurse will document the delegation and the delegation process and then it adds on and leave written instructions with the delegate as appropriate all into one clause and so I was like okay is that they're going to document the actual delegation the SOP for the delegation and leave
103the written instructions or it It held me up when I read the sentence. >> It's a tough sentence period because of the >> repeated use of the word delegation. >> Yeah. >> So, and that that documentation process is outlined in the um New Hampshire uh new nurse practice act and the New Hampshire court of administrative regulations nurse 404. So, we just felt it was important to put the fact that, you know, when a nurse is delegating medication administration to someone that we have it documented so that we're clear, you know, who, how, and that they have that she's followed that process or and um and that the delegate has all their instructions. So, if we want to change and tweak that wording, we totally can. Um, but we wanted to put the fact that there's
104a documentation process for it. >> We can look at it and maybe rephrase it a little bit so it's a little easier to read. >> Like it. Yeah. >> Um to just let you guys know that we won't take up more policy approvals until the April meeting. >> Just so just to remind everybody, we we don't take that up in February. >> You may consider just in saying the official process because if it's a law or the legal legally defined whatever then that points it up and that would be very clear for me if I read it that way. >> Sure. Okay, I have that. Cool. Any other comments, questions on JLCD? Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting the second reading 0. [cough] All right, our next one. Um, I'll take uh [clears
105throat] I'll take a motion to accept the first reading of policy e HLB subpoenas involving district students, officials, employees, andor records. >> So move >> a second discussion. >> Uh so this is required by law. Uh so it is not a policy that we necessarily have a ton of flexibility around >> language provided by the NHSBA. >> Questions, comments, everybody? Um, the only comments that I already sent to to Jess are there are a couple of instances where it only says parent and I feel like to be consistent with other policies, it should say parent/guardian. >> Um, so that's the only thing we might see. >> I think we actually had discussed that in the policy as well and I that didn't get captured here in this document but we had discussed that. Yeah. >>
106Okay. Great. Thank you. And I was going to say I and I I'll be attending the next policy committee to discuss this one a little bit further as well. >> Any last comments on AHLB? Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting the first reading. Next up is policy J. I'll take a motion to accept the first reading of policy JICK, pupil safety and violence protection bullying as presented. So move >> a second. >> Second >> discussion. >> Uh so this was reorganized um and there is some changes in content um but fundamentally it's not really changes in what we are actually doing in practice. Was this um laws determined? Was it a law change that determined language? >> Yeah. Okay. >> And I anticipate this language came directly from >> Yeah. >> And we
107also have legal counsel reviewing this policy. Um and we'll have some input from them by the next. >> I will say when I was reviewing this, the thing that stood out to me was that it's referring to things that you know that the school is addressing things that are happening outside of school. And I was saying, "Well, that feels like maybe that's kind of opening up a can of worms." And the teacher said, "Oh, the principal said we're already doing that anyway." So, >> right. There are parameters around that though. Sure. So, you know, we'll make sure this is all >> listed accordingly. >> Um, does this new language expand the parameters >> beyond what we've been doing? >> Okay. Thank you. Any other questions on JICK? >> Uh, yeah. These tiny Chromebooks make us
108all >> in G3. So that's page [cough] G3 appeals. >> Yeah, appeals. Um, there's just a spacing. >> The parent career. >> Would that be guardian? Is that >> Yeah, I think we would >> just clean up that language to be the same as we usually have >> consist. I love consistency across policies. >> Yeah. >> Excellent. Good call. Any others, guys, on JCK? Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting the first reading 500 Z. And our final policy for this evening, FE. I'll take a motion to accept the first reading of policy FE, supervision of construction, clerk of the works/owners project manager as presented. >> So moved. >> Second. So we are updating this policy in light of our um upcoming uh [laughter] >> time. Yeah. Yep. And so what this is doing
109is saying um that for projects over a certain amount which our uh proposed um construction would be over this amount that um it's required that we have a clerk of the works uh or what's referred to as an owner's project manager. And so that means that this is a person who is not a project manager for the construction company but a project manager on behalf of the school who is uh sort of like reviewing for us and making sure that things are uh happening as they should be. Uh reviewing the architect the architect's work the contractor's activities building construction making sure that things operations are happening as they should be. Um I know that there was another project that um Mrs. Valor had said that they had um h had happened about a decade ago
110and that they had had a clerk of the works and she had said that it was immensely helpful and that that person uh had noticed uh several sort of like problems like captured them that they would have caused issues and caused expenses. Um and so um she had found that very helpful uh and so we just sort of making some updates to this policy. >> I like the name clerk of the works. Yeah, it does sound pretty cool. Gina, this was suggested by um >> Boftraftoft, wasn't it? Didn't Brad bring this up for the meetings? >> It is budgeted for in the >> My understanding >> it's budgeted. It's budget. The question was when we were asking >> to really trim down the budget. >> Were we willing to forego this? And I said no.
111>> No. >> Did not recommend that. >> Yeah. >> Smart. >> I remember that conversation. Yep. So this is in the bond number that we were looking >> it's in the estimate. Yeah, that was in that was among their itemized estimates of soft costs. >> Any other questions on this one on clerk of the works? Seeing none, all those in favor of accepting the first reading 500. That concludes our deliberation. All that is left this evening before we adjourn is a non-public session. Um I will accept a motion. >> Can I ask a quick question? >> You may. >> Do we have a feeling of if we're moving forward to the 2025 or 29 year bond? >> Oh, that's a great question. Um >> do you have them? Do you have the numbers? I have
112them. >> They're number they're in the agenda packet. >> Yeah, under enrollment committee. >> There's a 20, a 29, and then 25 is at the end. >> I always go to the agenda instead of the agenda packet. >> I wrote them down. Do you mind if I just quick reference the total cost and the interest? >> If you want to. Yeah. >> Right. So the 20 year is 8,814,663 and 44 cents for the interest. Um the 25 is 11,480,361.69 which is a delta of about let's just say 2.66 million. Um and then the 29 is 14,23,333.69 which is a delta 20 to 29 the delta is 5.3 million and the difference between 25 and 29 is 2.6 million. So basically if you jump from 20 to 29 you're doubling the uh the 25 number. So
113it's a significant amount of extra interest. Um, the total payments are approximately 28.1 million for the 20-year, 30.8 for the 25, and 29 year is 33.5. All of those are in the documents. So, if I messed up a number and someone's watching this, please just reference the documents. >> Oh, no. I'm going to call you out. >> That's fine. I would expect no less. And the biggest uh fiscal year payment um [snorts] for 2029 is at um just under 1.6 million whereas for the 25 it's 1 around 1.64 million uh and for the 20 year around 1.78 million. So the that that biggest um payment uh for fiscal year 28 um is around the 35 to $40,000 difference. So much so definitely smaller than um the the gap to the 20 year. >> Yeah. And
114I think the budget committee's sentiment between the 20 and the 29 was well outlined earlier of just the why do we give the bank more money on one side and on the other side why are we making [snorts] >> the longevity. Yeah. >> Yeah. just as a refresher because we went over all those policies. >> So Raph, what what's your take being our budcom leers? >> I think that uh the 25 is superior to the 29 um for a difference of 35 to 40,000 for that biggest payment for fiscal year 28. like that seems like a smaller difference to be able to um a a smaller difference that brings us down a few years and brings us a couple a couple million savings in interest. Um so I think between those two 25 sounds better.
115I think the bigger debate is to the between the 20 and the 25. It's like philosophical. >> Yeah. >> Do you have a a thought between 20 and 25? No pressure. Um, [laughter] >> she just turned and faced you, but no at all. >> I think uh [snorts] I think part of it comes down to how we see like the lifespan of it. If we see it uh if 25 years matches what what we expect to get out of it for its lifetime, then that that could make sense. Um where it's a nice like in between. I loved that you mentioned that because that was something we've heard over the years where we've been trying to pay for things. You never want to be paying for them longer than they'll last. Um, obviously this building,
116this is just me with my opinion here, but you know, obviously this building we're making the right choices to make it big enough to last. And if other things have to happen with other buildings and other things, then we address those down the way. But right now, this is the most urgent need and it is something that's going to last. So I I don't personally have a preference between 20 and 25. I understand the budcom's concern about the 20 just because of the because the extra. What do you What do you I want to kind of go around the horn. I want everyone to hear from everybody. So we'll get to you. What do you think, Jess? What are your thoughts on these? Um, I'm going to face you now. Feel the pressure. I um
117did not attend this budget meeting, but I do uh I'm can't remember where I remember this uh comment being referenced, but that there was a comment uh from a recent budget committee meeting that um if you think about big update big updates to the to schools, they often happen in like 30-year cycles, you know. know is that does that feel true to you Gina in your experiences you know um and so I think it is meaningful that it should definitely not be the 29 you know uh and that should be coming in under that and so by that metric I think either the 20 or the 25 feels reasonable um I do um I do think it is reasonable to think about like who is going to be making use of this right And I
118do expect 25 years worth of students to be making use of like this addition, you know, and so it doesn't feel unreasonable that 25 years worth of families would be paying for the addition, you know, versus frontloading the expense, you know, it's a community um investment and so like that she's spread across the community. I don't think that that um I think that feels reasonable. I also um right we are also trying to be fiscally prudent and it [snorts] is there is a difference of millions of dollars worth of interest you know and that's uh uh that is notable I think I feel inclined towards the 25 and just thinking about like and thinking about it is reasonable that um who is making use of this investment you know and that it should be um
119spread across who is making use of the investment. That's my instinct. [snorts] >> Thank you. >> Ann, since you aren't fully ingrained in every other aspect of this project, let's get your take on the budget. >> I do I do really care about what Hollis residents are paying. I mean, I've mentioned I've gone and I've talked to the Alice seniors and I' I've been in touch with them and of course their children have been out of the schools for a long time and there is a huge tax burden um on our seniors in town and so I think about them and it really um it matters to me that we're trying to do what's right by them as well. Um it's it's hard for me with these numbers because it it would be and I'm
120not saying we should have this but it would be helpful if I had like this is the average cost of a home in Hollis there. increase on their taxes, like what would their tax bill be for the next, you know, four to five years >> with each of these options? Yeah. You know, I mean, what because it really does come down to the impact on the individuals and I'm just wondering >> how much of a difference is there for the individual? you know, if it's if the difference for the average person in Hollis and what they're actually paying for a 20 versus 25 versus 29, if it's not a huge difference, well then, you know, just value perspective, you think, well, then we should go with 20. Um, but if it turns out that, you
121know, going up to 25 or to 29 significantly reduces what that population of our town is paying. Well, there's part of me that feels like maybe we could cut them a break. So, without that information, it is hard for me to make a really informed decision by the way my mind works. That being said, just going with the way I operate in my life, I like to shoot down the middle. [laughter] >> Is it possible? Is it like do we have to It does feel meaningful to get that information before we make an official decision about this like what would be the >> Are you a math miz Rafy that could like pull that? I know if I feel my husband spit it out. >> Yeah. So, that information isn't even >> available right now.
122Um, that is something that Tom Gan would put together for the bond hearing in the presentation. >> Um, I I agree that that's important to know like what does it look like between this home versus that home. >> Um, and that doesn't mean it can't change at the bond hearing. Let's say, you know, we say 25 and then the >> interest change. Yeah. Well, >> what I was going to say is if in July everything's different, >> do we need to commit to one right now? >> We can say our intention is to do this asterisk depending on what the bond sale looks like. >> I feel like we probably need to commit. I think it would >> I think we need >> I I would like to commit as well. I'm just saying if
123there's >> if something improves, you want the flexibility to make a different decision. Well, what I was going to say though is at the bond hearing, if there's enough public input that suggests that it be shifted to a 29 or to a 20, if you know, we recommend 25, that can still happen at that time. >> Um, but I feel like right now I've been like, I'm not really sure where we're at. And um I would love to have direction to say no, we feel that 25 is the best average or that 29 spreads it out or that gosh that interest is just so hard to swallow. We would you know prefer to pay it over 20 years. >> Got it. >> And that's the recommendation. >> Before we keep going, I just want to
124give Jonathan a chance for his piece of input and then we'll we'll bring it back to our discussion. >> Sure. So, if my recollection is correct from the December 9th Budcom meeting, one of the other things that came up, I think, was that some of the rolling debt that we have is clearing in the next few years as well. Um, and it left me with a thought that one I don't particularly like uh the idea of giving even if I'm comparing the 20 to the 25 giving 2.6 million to a bank in interest. Um while I understand fiscally it spreads it it spreads it out over a longer period of time and it's slightly less impactful um when you're talking about a $19 million bond and you're talking about 2.6 the benefit there is is
125questionable in my financial head. Um I also think that um so first of all the the school expansion is happening after what almost 50 years of not having expanded the school. >> It was 87 that the last edition was put on. Am I right about that Gina? I'm pretty sure it was 87 years. >> So it's it's been a while. >> So it's quite some time. Um so I can understand the argument towards 25 or 29. At the same time, I think the 20 for me, uh, first, it it gives me less interest than I'm paying, which financially to me, just you do that because that's the better one. Um, secondly, it means that the bond is paid off a little faster. So if other expenditures come up for either Hollis or the district, that
126bond clears the books faster and opens up either tax relief later on because we're not paying the bond down in savings or and we haven't spent the 2.6 million or if something else comes up, it may also result in the same alleviation we're feeling now, which is the look, the net rate isn't going to go up long term because some of the debts that we've already had are clearing. Um, and so that's I lean towards the 20-year from a I don't really want to give them the extra interest money. Uh, I don't I may take flat for this opinion, but I I don't truck with, well, my kids aren't in school, so I don't want to have to pay for some of the things. That's not a UA. I've heard it too from from citizens.
127>> Yeah. Yeah. >> Um because someone paid for you and your expenditures at that time probably were within the same boats possibly and so it's a rolling wave educationally who has to pay for what that doesn't mean it's not a hardship it doesn't mean it's not difficult absolutely it is but at the same time I I stand with the pattern of if it was done for you passing it forward is the correct thing to do so that is a netneutral argument for me um and so I'm left with fiscally financially spend less on the interest, clear the debt a little faster, and provide the relief in the longer term picture rather than taking on a bit more or spreading it to future families. >> Gina, I'm not sure if you need an official vote from
128us here or just you need a sense of the board. >> Just a a sense, I guess. Um I mean just looking at the difference between um 29 and 25 >> um the first large payment that Rafie was talking about it drops um under 47,000. The first payment going from 25 down to 20 it drops 140,000. So, I feel like 25 is that sweet spot where there is a decent reduction in um the annual payments. Like it's not that different from the 29, but yet we're still saving $3 million in interest. >> And I just want to >> No, >> okay. Uh address the the benefit of the 20-year rolling off for then the items then obviously we don't know exactly what the big expenditures are. 20 year mark. What we do know is that
129we have some big items coming up in the near term. So the front-loaded part of this bond um like police and fire is a safety facility. That is going to be something big that we don't at this time really know what that's going to look like, but is going to be something that's very expensive and that's part of why um the town portion of capital is going to be going up a bunch uh by 20 fiscal year 28. Um so basically for for context like fiscal year 27 capital goes up by around 2.7 million and uh from 4.5 to 7.2 and then for fiscal year 28 goes from 7.2 to 9.5. Now a number of these things might not pass. They might get pushed out. So it's all very variable. I think one of those
130is Hardy West is in there with a big number. So certainly some things could be spread out or pushed out or voted down. Um but the general sense from this exercise of the capital expenditure advisory committee is that we have some near ter near-term big things coming in. So I I think in trying to balance out 20 years from now versus two to three years from now it seems like um there could be some benefit to having increased total interest but slightly lower uh yearly payments. >> So you're saying overall based on what we've been hearing from the rest of the other >> [snorts] >> budget constraints outside the school district. Um the extra runway may may be of extreme importance to the Paul's residents basically >> because we're getting big things coming in. >>
131Yeah. >> Okay. >> Potentially. >> So I I think that just from the sense of what we just discussed, I'd say probably go with a 25. And if there's >> if there's feedback at the bond hearing that people want it done sooner or take longer, we can certainly take that under advisement. Decide from there >> while also employing the flexibility that may come with any bond market changes that >> might happen. >> Great. Thank you. Appreciate that. >> Yep. >> Um, so our last, as I was saying, our last item on the Anything else? Okay. Our last item on the agenda is a non-public. We will adjourn uh right after that. Um but I will take a motion that the board by roll call go into non-public session pursuant to RSA 91-8 colon 3 section
1322A the dismissal, promotion or compensation of any public employee and C to discuss a matter which if discussed in public would likely affect adversely the reputation of a person other than a member of the body or agency itself. >> Moved. >> A second. I don't think we need any discussion. We're going into nonpublic. Uh, so