COOP Budget Committee Meeting 12/17/2025

001Okay, I'm all set. With a quorum present, I'd like to call the co-op budget committee to order at 6:38 p.m. Uh, this is a regular meeting for the month of December. Uh, due to the holidays, we rescheduled our normal fourth Thursday of the month meeting to um this evening. uh the agenda and material the agenda was posted in advance of the meeting as necessary. I would like to introduce myself Darlene man and the members present this evening who include Tom Solon, Tom Enright, Melanie Levake, Rola Blanche and Tony Stenzi, Dave Blind and Brian Rder have excused absences this evening and I'd like to also welcome our BA Lance Famino. If you could join me in the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic

002for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Um I'll ask at this time if there are any agenda adjustments. Um, I will say we didn't see results um for this month, so we'll take that off of um the agenda. And I would like to add a very brief um conversation about uh tax rates. Since the tax rates were set in each community since our last meeting, I just put together a very quick brief summary. we can um talk about uh certain aspects and contri contri what contributed to that at our next meeting but for right now I just wanted to share the information um that's been published and give a a very high level overview so we can do that even after the schoolboard update if

003that's okay with everyone um so this evening's meeting observer oh is Raul wonderful and Um we have two sets of minutes this evening. One for October and one for November. So with the agenda materials, I sent the October 23rd TS revision version as our standing document that we're going to consider for um October. that included some um revisions last month that uh Raul had sent that Tom had sent and that's the view that we're going to go with um for approval this evening. So at this time I'll take a motion to approve the October 23rd minutes. >> I'll make a motion to approve. >> Second by Tom Enright. Are there any additional updates, changes? Seeing none. Um all those in favor of approving the October 23rd minutes, please raise your hand. One, two, three, four,

004five, five. Thank you. And the November minutes. >> Just have a request today. Um, you start talking about stuff. >> Yes. >> Um, for the November minutes, we're looking at the set of minutes from November 19th. I did ask that if you did have any changes to please not send them to our um the person who puts our minutes together, Don McMillan, but to bring those changes to tonight's meeting. >> Um is anyone going to have any changes? >> No. >> Okay. Um so at this time I would u entertain a motion to approve the minutes from November 19th. >> Make a motion to approve >> from Raul seconded by Tom Enright. Any no other changes? The reason I asked in advance was in case we had to make amendments or anything like that and

005amend a motion. So seeing none, all those in favor of the November 19th minutes. >> One, two, three, four, five. Thank you, >> Tom Solen. I'm still not used to not counting you. >> Yeah, >> I don't I don't like that. >> Um, the next item on our agenda is public input. I do see a member of the public present, which we haven't had in a while. So, um, >> this is exciting. >> It is. It's like, well, somebody's here tonight. Um, so I don't know if you plan on making any comments this evening or you're just here to listen. >> Um, watching out. >> Excellent. So, thank you for your attendance. Uh, moving on to the general business portion of the meeting. I will pass over monthly results and we're just going to jump

006right into an FY27 budget discussion. So, some of the materials I sent um earlier this week and including earlier today, I'm not sure who might have seen um the last view that I sent out which was late this afternoon and I apologize for that. There were really just minor changes uh that we can talk about. So if if um you are if you are pulling up attachments and opening >> everything in the last the first email also in the email >> not everything. So the first email had the first email had um what did the first email? >> First email had >> hold on a minute. co-op documents. >> Yes. Okay. So, that was the minutes. The first email had the minutes and the budget file. Nope, it had the minutes. Yeah, that's right. It

007had the minutes, the agenda, and then then the budget file. And the information from earlier today was an updated version of the trend file. Um and some uh um some supplemental information uh to support some of the things being um discussed that we'll discuss that are um included included some vision care information and a job description. So that was sent this afternoon and the version of the file. >> No, I guess the only question is because I have to bounce through emails to get to them. >> Do I need to pull up any of the earlier emails to be able to access the files? >> No, you should be able to pull up the four o'clock one and that will have everything in it. >> Sorry, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make it more

008confusing. So, the version of that file is ends in December 17th, round three, V2. Lance and I are going to get our naming convention down uh by the time we're through this process. Um so, what that version does is include um you'll see the first one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight tabs are in green. So, those are the tabs for the FY20. >> Could I just ask a quick question? Is there anything that I can view? >> No, >> there's not. >> No, these are so >> No, this information um isn't posted on the website. These are working documents from the budget committee. >> Okay. >> Um question. >> Uh sure. We could if someone has an HDMI cable. Yeah, that would be fine. >> That would be awesome. >> That would be

009great. Yeah, it is better than the >> I have a new computer. Sorry. >> I don't even think of that. But thank you, Tom, for bringing that up. >> But at least we can go through the whole process again and highlight the key numbers. Well, as long as someone has a I can click through page by page on some mouse or something because there are, like I said, seven pages and we're going to we're going to talk to eight eight tabs. We're going to talk to at least half of them tonight. >> He's getting a long for you. >> Okay, great. Well, what we have um I'll just we'll we'll we'll jump in with the view um as soon as we can. Um, so what we have is basically um an eight tab spreadsheet that

010has the guidance calculation that we talked about um uh at our last meeting. >> Just hold on one second. Paste. Um the second view is the superintendence view. So that's the view um that's the long uh you know list of lines that is um presented at the schoolboard meeting um and I believe is posted uh as part of this schoolboard agenda packet. We have the budget trend file budget trend sheet which kind of um >> HDMI. >> Thank you. Think >> it's over here. Oh, you're good. Get up. >> Okay, there we go. So, we have the budget trend sheet, which I'm sure will pop up shortly, which has reached a record 1,5 lines. Um, uh, then we have the new items sheet, a CIP overview for capital improvement plan. What do I need to

011do? >> Uh maybe the display settings maybe. >> Okay. Just has a picture of a computer screen on it. >> Okay. Something you're really all going to have to just help me here. It is not my strong point. >> Where is it display? Is it F7? Try this one. PC screen only. >> Um, no. You want both? Oh, you're getting options. >> PC screen only work. >> Well, that you won't see it on yours. >> Oh, that I won't see it on. >> Yeah, you want duplicate. >> Duplicate. Okay. >> Excuse me. You don't You won't have to do anything for my account. I can't see. >> Okay. >> Next time. No, that's okay. >> Trying duplicate. It could it have something to do with the network and internet connection. >> Duplicate these this morning.

012>> Click that again. Duplicate. >> Duplicate these displays. Extend. Show only on one. Show only on two. >> Extend. >> It might be because I'm not on the internet >> or the Wi-Fi. >> Okay. Oh, we have all kinds of things at our disposal. >> Oh, he's going to take it. >> There's always a way. >> We're really making sausage now. Yeah. >> Do I have to be on the Wi-Fi? >> No, the Wi-Fi doesn't Oh, >> because it's a cord. So, you don't need a Wi-Fi, right? Yeah. >> I have See again. It not my strength. >> That looks all right. Duplicate settings. >> Just flash. So, >> there's a chance it could be a driver on your laptop. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> I don't know. All right. Well, >> do we have

013HDMI on these? that model. I don't believe so. >> Okay. Well, we tried. Thank you. I appreciate the effort. >> Um, so we'll we'll we'll talk through it and I'm sure we'll we'll be fine. Um, so we have an a staff census page that gives us the breakdown of staff um ex the FY26 staff by um lane and step on the step the professional staff step table. and we have a health census of how our staff um is enrolled in various our health plans in the district, health and dental and uh we have an athletics tab as well that shows the breakdown between the budget, the general fund and the revolving um athletic trust. So with all that being said, um we typically start this process by going through new items. Um, but I'm going

014to start just with a reminder for everyone of where we left off in October, which was setting guidance for the operating budget at $32,93,820. >> What tab are you on? >> The first tab, uh, cell B36, that's the, um, operating budget that we approved for guidance. And I'm happy to say that this um round three view from uh the administration is coming in below guidance at 31,716,292 >> 31716292 and that is below guidance by $377,528. $8. So, um I appreciate the efforts of the district and the administration to work through their process and their rounds of the budget. And I think if we if you're um following on the the spreadsheet, I would like to jump to the fourth tab, which is FY27 new items. And you'll see there that there are three sets um

015round one, round two, round three of the new items that are incorporated in the view that I just shared. That was just the operating budget number. There are other warrant articles that add to the budget. So, what we were talking about was just the operating budget. And um if we could just walk, you know, work our way through what's in here from new items and we'll talk about any other issues and questions that people um have. Is that >> is the discussion also going to include the categories or the items that were uh led to be being >> reduced from the various views that led to >> they're just crossed out >> right >> well the one the numbers that are shown in red I I guess >> so from on on the new items

016specifically or >> on on the new items specifically it's a sidebyside view so you can see things that are crossed off and that previously had amounts that now don't have amounts. So, we'll be talking to the things that do have amounts. Um, and then we can we'll end up back on the superintendent's view to talk through any questions um people might have on individual lines in the budget itself. And then we'll do an overview of the articles as they the additional articles as they stand today and um talk about further any additional data we need or next steps in the process. >> Okay. Lance, can you lead us through the round three new items, please? >> Sure. And and I think just as a general kind of overview when we went into this final round

017and and Gina and I were really sitting down with it, one thing we tried to do is rather than say, "Okay, to hit guidance, we need to cut X amount." Um even though we knew that kind of had it in the back of our minds because you think about that, we put that aside and said, "Let's work through this and and make an honest budget and see where we land." We didn't know if that would still be above guidance or below guidance. um and and have something that's workable. So rather than try to hit a target number, we tried to do our due diligence to put forward a budget that was responsible for the district still positive and good for students and staff, but also taking into consideration tax rates are are going up and

018and and we want to do right by the towns. Um so that was kind of a backdrop for us working through this. um round three of of new items, some noise cancelling headphones for the world language department. Uh they do a lot where they're listening to things and and they're working at different paces. So to have students doing that without headphones is really chaotic in the classroom. Uh so we felt that was justified. They had some very old sets and they're just due for replacement. Um some uh literature racks book racks for world language as well um for storage. Some additional novels uh for the world language program, charging stations for Chromebooks. Uh that's like a center console kind of pie. So a classroom for when students maybe don't have their Chromebook charged in class

019and and need to do work, they can have that access within the classroom um and not inhibit walking around or creating trip hazards. um and trapezoid tables uh for math classroom uh to incorporate group work and and collaboration. Those are at the middle school. Uh this is the academics category uh at the high school pre-calculus textbooks. Um little reduction in cost um from round two and that was just we better estimate of cost there. Um some expendable supplies for advisory. So that would be for activities um and team building activities and in advisory. Um and those are the only two items uh at the high school that made it through to round three in academics. Any questions on those? And you can let me know if I'm not going into enough detail or too much

020detail. That's uh okay as well. Um as we go down to personnel uh vision benefit is on there. So, right now, um this is the first year the district is offering a vision benefit, but it's 100% funded by employees. Um we have to see how many people are interested in it. Uh for employees who have vision needs or and and wear glasses, it's it's still a pretty great deal even when they're paying uh full price. Um the way the vision benefit works is if the district pays a percentage, the cost lowers for both the district and the employee. So it becomes pretty pretty affordable uh very affordable for the employee and and reduces the cost for the district rather than staying where it was. So offering that is just something um we felt was good

021for employees and uh database district manager. That position has been stipended in the past and and the prior director of technology did a lot of that, but the rate of data collection and managing that data and distributing that data to the correct places um whether that's state requirements or otherwise has just grown exponentially over the last handful of years and has become I don't want to say unmanageable but difficult to manage. Um and a district database manager spread throughout all all three districts um would be in charge of managing that. So the stipen would go away and there would be a person in charge of that. >> So that amount that's listed is the co-ops portion. >> Correct. >> And so the other components the co-op gets probably close to like 50%. Um, it would

022be 50% co-op, 25% Brooklyn, 25% holl. >> Yes. >> Question. >> Are you referring to the vision? >> Uh, that the split there was for the database manager. >> Okay. So, on the vision, my question is if the employees are paying uh 100%. Then what is the cost? >> Uh, so the the proposed cost is if we no longer have the employees pay 100% if if the district is a participant in the plan, >> the total rate premium drops by 50%. >> So, we'll pay 1,500 from the employee base. >> The employees will pay based on on their own individual rate. And the amount that's in here is the the budgeted amount for the district to contribute towards the total pre. >> Yes. And that's in total >> for each school. So 3,000 in total

023for the district. >> Okay. >> So that that's for district. >> Yes. So that would be for Yeah. >> 3,000 for the district. Correct. >> So that that data person um that could have been or is that person housed in the SAU and that could have been under the SAU budget? I'm certainly glad it is not, but I wonder if >> the rationale behind that perhaps. >> I like I think I'm going to like it and but I'd like to know so that I can comment. >> Uh it really is just that they're specifically collecting data for the districts for each building and disseminating that to the department of ed. Um so >> where will that person sit? Not that it matters that much, but >> uh I don't know if we've decided where their

024office will be. We could squeeze them in at the SAU. Um >> which would potentially make sense, but they would we currently have a few employees that are functioning under that sort of model. Um yeah, some house within the SAU, some not. >> Okay. >> Well, I like that model. So, I applaud that model. I I mean >> there's a rationale behind it though Tom and that is these as Lance said data they're going to be working on is district specific as opposed to so rather than have three part-time employees we we can have a single employee >> then they have to pick which district owns them and essentially rinse them out to the other two and depending on where the majority of the work is is likely to occur. That's usually where they land.

025For things such as this, because the co-op is sort of a two to one, it's usually a co-op. But for instance, people within the special ed environment sometimes are being brought in because there's a heavy load in one of the elementary districts. So in those cases, they would be hired as an elementary employee that might get rented out to another elementary and the co-op. Does that make sense? >> Yeah. No, I'm I don't want to make it look like we're trying to hire an SAU employee. This is not an SA level job. >> I and I totally agree with that. And there's and there are there are lines that can you can either keep adding to the SAU budget, which I am not in favor of. Um or you can say that there's more of

026an academic quality to this and and keep it put it in the schools. And so I'm just commenting for what it's worth. I like it this way. It would seem to me though that once you hire the person, they should start collecting data on how much time. For example, if you had three charge numbers, one charge number for one district, another for another one, collect data for the whole year. And then next year, we know what percentage of time was spent in one district versus another and get a sense of more partiality rather than having 50 25. >> So, >> yeah. And it doesn't really matter where that person sits. >> Yeah. And I think potentially doing that by time or number of reports, you know, some some metric could make sense. >> Okay. Uh

027moving on to new computer equipment. Nothing uh at the middle school in round three. Uh at the high school, generic Windows laptops um for digital photo classes. 20 at $900 each. It's $18,000. And um should the database manager position go through, $900 for a laptop for that person um to set them up uh with a working computer. Replacement computer equipment at the middle school. Um 88 Chromebooks totaling 30,800. That's part of the Chromebook replacement cycle. Um Chrome laptops, eight at 900. That's what staff is currently using. So those need replaced as well. Um generic Windows laptop. Again, some staff are using Windows laptops rather than Chromebooks. The cost is the same, but it depends on um the courses. And three interactive flat panels um at 3,900 each. So at the middle school, replacement computer equipment

028comes in at $52,400. at the high school. Similar items um more just because of the number of students. 185 Chromebooks as part of the replacement cycle. 64,750. Chrome laptops 10 at 900 for staff. Generic Windows laptops 13 at 900 again for staff. Um engineering laptops two at $1,700 and those are for the engineering classes. Um more functionality. Five interactive uh sorry 10 interactive flat panels. Um sorry I misspoke again. Five of 10. So uh originally had 10 planned but we're going to do half this year. So five interactive flat panels at 3900. So that's 19,500. Uh the next two items, access points, uh 70 at $495, $34,650, and mounting for the access points, 70 at $33. Uh so the access points allow um the Wi-Fi to work and and data move around and they're just

029at end of life. Um I think December of next year is when they're technically at end of life. Uh they're not surface serviceable in the same way. Um, so we're looking to replace those at the high school. >> Yes. >> Question. Um, end of life, is that the same with the Chromebooks? Are they end of life as well? >> So, it's on a replacement cycle, a four-year replacement cycle. Um, I suppose end of life is, you know, in in the eye of the beholder to some extent, but it's it's when they're becoming outdated and difficult to keep up with issues. And >> is there any trade in value? >> Uh, yes, it's low. and um our new director of technology did that for the first time uh this year. Um it's it's small numbers but

030yes >> these >> some of them get rolled out to people like us so they'll the older ones it's unfortunately they have I don't know if it's in design or management but the companies that make them do not continue to support the software on them two years ago they were supposed to die and there was an uproar and They pushed out support, I believe, for another two years, but we're now hitting that limit again. >> Thank you. >> And if I recall correctly, a couple of years ago, we had issues with Chromebooks. They just weren't holding up as well as the laptops. And I think the idea was to phase out the laptop the Chromebooks and move the older laptops in their place and keep on placing laptops. What What's happened with that? Are the

031Chromebooks getting better? Are the people using them more efficiently or >> Yeah, I I there's a couple I don't think that would have been for students at least just because of cost. It could have been some some specific staff laptops. Um, >> I think that's what was starting the the Chrome laptop because they were maybe a originally a little bit less expensive, but the students are always on Chromebooks unless they're participating in like a an engineering class or something like that that requires different a different type of computer. But students all have Chromebooks. >> Okay. >> And they are a lot cheaper because they don't there's a whole lot of stuff you can't um reliability hasn't been an issue. The issue has been more one of the planned obsolescence in the program which I think

032got some push back from not not from us from the whole ecosystem and agreed agree to extend the software life. But the big thing that happened is when we hit CO, we went to a full one to one system. And the cost was a dramatic difference between supporting that with a a Chromebook environment versus considering using a Windows. >> Yeah. >> Okay. And going back when to that time a lot the um there was funding on a per student basis for that kind of initial round to get students to that onetoone environment but replacement is now on the districts as you cycle through >> actually working out well especially when you start overlapping that with some of the new policies that have come down as far as uh controlling access to certain software. I can

033tell you from experience very limited in what you can do other than working through the network. That way the network administrators can um make sure that rogue software is not really coming into play. Sorry, clicked off the >> doic. What portion of the total is this is this going this a phased approach as well with the access point upgrade? >> That would be all of them. >> That's all of them. >> That is my understanding. Yes. Um and and I think you you can do peace meal replacements, but it the the updates involved it can create more more problems than than help, especially if you were to replace a large chunk. Um you know, if if you replace one here and there, the the labor involved is not too bad, but to mix and match

034large numbers would be a challenge. I just wasn't sure if what the count was, whether that was like a third of them or if that was all of them. >> Question. Um, safety and energy issues at the middle school. Uh, emergency lighting replacement, $3,000, and security cameras. Uh, that would be to address some blind spots throughout the building where security cameras are not quite catching what's going on. at the high school. Um, jockey pump replacement, emergency lighting replacement as well. Um, ASHP in the wait room, security camera, mini gym and wait room. Um, and then egress in the track area. So, middle school $28,000, high school $78,000 >> for ASHP. Well, >> uh, when I clicked out of the screen, I was trying to go back to my notes in the original document because I

035>> am also blanking on that >> high school >> and seeing if uh the original document has it cut down on some of the verbiage just to get it in there >> with the air I'm sorry, we're talking about the air source heat pumps. >> Air source heat pump. Yes. >> Sure. >> Thank you. I've got to get back to the other document. >> So that is that the energy issues, not the safety. >> Correct. Um maintenance expenses, the middle school, uh a new floor machine, um the gym backboards and lift. Uh there's an item highlighted in blue there, that's duck cleaning that was moved to the maintenance trust. So, not not part of this ceiling tile replacement, uh, phase two and three, it's ongoing. Um, section of the roof, phase three of five, and

036an update to the life skills room. Uh, it's a total of $298,500. The high school floor machine, that's something we put in at all the buildings. There's dated in and Lancefeld it was time, Lancefen Morfeld, it was time to replace those. Bathroom partitions phase three. Continuing that work. Hot water circulator pumps. >> Once the roof sections are completed, how many more years before we start the process over again? >> Um I don't know. I'd have to check with our facilities director. >> It's not going to happen right away. It's going to obviously >> No, I think it is. >> Yeah, it's a couple years >> because it was I think eight or nine phases. I Yeah, I think the high school was like 10 phases. We might have put some together, but >> Bruce lasts

037what, 30 years, 40 years? >> 15 to 20 with current materials. >> Really? >> You don't get the same out of these commercial rooms as you get out of a resial asphalt because you don't have the pitch or the same climate control under it. think that they the ones that are likely to get done are like smaller sections because we're going to have the solar panels on know they're expecting to get I think once the solar panels go I think that actually helps. >> Okay. >> All right. >> All I know is I remember we was talking about it's like painting the bridge by the time you're done you get to Uh, but I do think it's noteworthy. Two things that got pulled off both buildings, paving and floor. And that's not because the need

038went away. That's because that was viewed as something that could be delayed. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Yeah, and I would say that that's true for, you know, I I I expect that any of the things that are crossed out view overview, we would expect to see in next year's budget, expect to see them come back. So, um, picking up where I left off, uh, exterior washing and cleaning of the building >> with the high school map, >> Correct. uh track resurfacing that's uh again was moved to the maintenance trust. That's something currently um track is not open for hosting meets uh because of some damage in a couple of the lanes. So it poses a safety concern. So they can't use it for hosting right now. Um so that's been put off, but putting that

039back on. They're hoping to get that done. Um resurfacing and refinishing the large gym floor. uh ADA updates throughout the building and outside. Um reframing some spaces spaces uh for the special ed program, duct work cleaning, uh phase one, hand dryers, phase three, ceiling tiles, phase three, uh and an outdoor storage shed for the PE department. So the high school total there, $392,500. Um and within that category um $691,000 the high school and middle school. So >> do those totals maintenance include the maintenance trust items or did were they left out of the summation? >> Uh they are in it and that was a conversation uh Darlene and I had had um to represent the full amount for now. Uh but our plan would be to move those out. So it's represented in the list

040and then at the bottom where the warrant articles are listed in blue you see the maintenance trust amount and the the balance um once the 691 is reduced by 300 the 391 is contained within the operating budget itself. Okay. >> So, why did when I reviewed um I didn't review your latest, but uh earlier I reviewed phase three and I saw the maintenance items deleted. I thought >> that's correct. So, I had a conversation with Lance and I asked them to to show them and then show that like the items that were highlighted in blue are maintenance trust items so that we could track the cost and see it. So on the bottom of the page where it says warrant articles >> at the bottom >> they're we're tracking it here at the bottom >>

041and right >> so they weren't so while they while they were blank in the new items view they were still going to be included from the maintenance trust and I thought that was confusing because it made it look like how >> why how are we going to have 300,000 of maintenance trust items because I'm not seeing them anywhere. So that's why >> it look like we weren't doing the work. >> Exactly. So I asked that it be included in the whole list. >> But we're still under guidance with that. >> Yes. >> Well, because see in the individual list here, >> yeah, >> they're added in. down at the bottom. At the bottom, she subracts them back out here. Takes a total of all the all of it listed as a separate line and subtracts

042it from the total. So when you get down to the final budget, the budget is the same as what you saw, but uh the details have them have them there and flagged as items that are going to be done, but paid paid out elsewhere. maintenance trust. Correct. Yeah. >> And just I'm I'm sorry if I'm the only one here that's uh as stupid as uh No, you're not. Pardon me, but uh just go through the maintenance trust again for me because I I was ready to go to talk about this and um it's completely different than what I thought I was seeing. >> Okay. So, what the the first view that we had >> Yeah. >> had the the the the blue I'm going to call them the blue items. struck like as zero in

043the new items list. Yeah. >> But there was a warrant article that said 300,000 for the maintenance trust. So my question was >> if I take 300,000 out of that I'm like what I don't know where the where where are the maintenance trust items? So that's when we had the conversation. I said, "No, we're still funding 300,000 of the maintenance trust." I said, "Well, what are they and what do they cost?" And that's why they were coded in blue. They were the blue items. So while they weren't originally in the total, the cost of them was calculated as that below the below the operating budget line as a warrant article. Now what we've done is put it in and we've split it and put part of it to the maintenance trust and then the remaining

044>> to the operating warrant article or there is >> there is going to be a maintenance trust warrant article for $300,000. Yes. Okay. >> So, what was previously shown would have been um 391,000 in total maintenance costs plus 106, right, Lance? We talked about that being safety plus >> correct >> maintenance. So, the total between safety and maintenance as it stands right now is $797,000. 300,000 of that is going to the maintenance trust which would leave 497,000 in the operating budget. >> And >> the old view had 300,000 taken out up on top. Right? So that total was 497,000. >> Okay? >> And then the 300,000. See, this gets to the thing that I've been bothered by in past years, which is if you use the maintenance trust as a savings account for big ticket

045items, that's one thing. But the way it's being used here is it's being used to isolate maintenance specific big ticket items that are real time needs. >> Yeah. The challenge that happens, however, is because it's a standalone warrant article, if that warrant article is defeated, >> we are not allowed to spend the money on these items, period. Because it's essentially zeroing out >> an item. So by separating it, yes, it makes the budget look smaller and >> but you're running a risk >> and yes, it makes it clear, but it also puts those funds at risk to a no vote as opposed to being part of a bottom line budget where you would have the opportunity >> where the school board could exercise discretion, right? >> Takes takes discretion away. >> Correct. >> So I

046will I will >> I'm starting to get there. I will say that there is an opening balance in the maintenance trust. So Lance and I still have to sink in on what that opening amount is. As of the last uh as of the March meeting, we anticipated the opening balance being in the $160,000 range. So there is money saved in the maintenance trust because in prior years um some of the items that we've identified were um saving for predominantly elevator repairs that were going to be extremely costly and and over we were kind of phasing and saving in that regard. So to Tom's point, it has been a fund that we've, you know, put in and taken out, but there is a component of it that does allow us to save for those types of

047expenses. That the elevator is really the predominant one because both schools needed elevator repairs. Um, so that's, you know, part of what's contributing to that opening balance. And for the 300,000 we put in, maybe when, you know, another project came along, maybe it didn't I'll just use, you know, maybe a roof section didn't cost 150,000. Maybe it cost 145,000, but but it the money is still sitting there. So, and I'm sure there's some interest that accumulates over time in a very minimal way. So there are some little, you know, components that over time have added up to an outstanding balance that is and unless we've done some of the elevator repairs might be in the 150 to $160,000 range. So Lance is going to look into that and we'll get, you know, what that number

048is >> and that will help drive perhaps a 300 down to a lower number. No, no, we're still doing $300,000 worth of projects because that 160 is savings and I think the elevator came off. Wasn't the elevator on the list somewhere? >> The high school one hasn't been done yet, >> right? So, some of the money that's in that saved portion is for the high school repair when when it's when it eventually needs to be done. >> If if a warrant article with these items being paid by it was defeated. >> Would we still be permitted to hold a hearing to expend existing funds on those same items? >> I would have to uh have you ask legal counsel that. Um I would say yes. you know, we're proposing items that include this time track

049resurfacing or roof section and duct work, but if it needed to be something else or you needed to fund it, I don't know that those are just proposals. Um, and I still think it gets to that in a way bottom line budget approach. If we're putting away 300,000, we're we're we're explaining what we think it could be. Um, >> so it's not the same as zeroing out a budget line. >> I don't believe so. No, I don't believe it is. So to your question, to your point of if you wanted to hold a public hearing to perhaps use retained fund balance because something like the track track resurfacing is a safe also a safety issue. Um it's something that really does need to be done so that the district can compete um and hold um

050meets and things like that. I again this is >> okay >> Darlene man's view of the world but it would be something to bring to legal counsel. ifying what is the driver for a warrant article is not the same as having it be a budget line item. >> Correct. >> That's my understanding. >> I'm getting Okay. >> That's my understanding. >> And I think to the original point in the full budget view, it is it is laid out the way you were originally describing where budget lines include the safety and maintenance items, not the maintenance trust where that's broken out down below. >> Okay. Oh, this is much better than I thought, at least in my judgment. >> Um, so the total cost of the new items 1,81,683. Um, I think the pieces below are

051in the full budget. I don't know if we want to go over them here or if we'll talk about that with the budget, but um operating budget as it was mentioned earlier 31,716,9244 um warrant articles um year two of the Hessa 131,512 the SAU assessment um which the governing board okayed the budget last week. Um $1,230,494, $125,000 for the contingency fund and uh potentially 300,000 for the maintenance trust. So um bring the the total budget to 33 million 53,29844 which is a 4.17% increase um over the current budget in total all warrant articles. looking at just the operating budget. Operating budget component because it's the operating budget is coming in uh about 378,000 under budget under guidance. Um the increase for the operating budget would be 3.76%. >> It was 4.4 or 4.1 >> 4.17.

052>> No, the whole budget was 4.17. >> Okay. Okay. >> The operating budget was 3.76. When we set guidance, uh that was actually a 5% increase. So coming in 37 if that does any of that um anticipate any changes in HESA costs based on the upcoming negotiations? >> It does not yet. >> Yes. So there is that potential with the sidebar agreement that there could be some changes to that Hessa number. Um right now that number is the amount that was identified while the contract wasn't samberized the outer years were calculated and that's what that number represents. So I'm not sure now going back to looking at if there are no other questions on the new items page. I have a question. Uh, in the total when you add all the warrants, one of the

053warrants has to do with that reserve, >> the contingency. >> Yes. >> Can that be lowered? >> Um, we can have a discussion about that. >> Okay. >> I would like I would like to focus for now back on the operating budget. >> Okay. >> But then we can we can >> committee has no say over. The school board does >> school board and more importantly the governing body when we put it on the floor. >> Okay. >> We can have a discussion as a budget committee and it's again we're our responsibility as a budget committee is on the operating budget and we provide um a recommend a recommendation on on financial warrant articles. So we can certainly have a discussion about it and make a if if we feel that 100, you know, whatever

054the amount is. But as Tom just said, it is um the article itself is owned by the school board and we would then be offering um a recommendation or not recommendation as a budget committee. So I'd like to just go back to the superintendent view. I I do want to thank Lance, thank you, Lance, for getting together the budget trend view because that that's something I rely on. Um just the way the the various categories of expense um roll up and and un and open and subtotal and things like that and we have I don't know 15 years of data on that file. So seeing that populated is a relief for me. I know it's probably a a VLOOKUP or something to get us there, but I do appreciate um the work that it takes

055to kind of get that to tie out and and um it's just something that we're used to, you know, reviewing and looking at. So, I appreciate the the effort to get that completed. And in looking at that, that's where you start to see where in in summary where some of the changes are, but there is a reduction in special education costs, which is a a a you know, a leading item. Um, and as we all know, special education is one of those um areas that in in in any given year, it can it can show a dramatic increase and it can show a dramatic decrease. So, um, >> some place on this you think we should be looking to see what is there anything in particular any lines we should be looking at right now?

056>> No, I'm just making a general kind of characterization. I would since we since you had the superintendent's view for longer than the budget trend view um which was at since like four o'clock um you had a few days to look at the superintendent's view. I'm not sure if anyone has any specific questions about certain trends they saw um where they or you know just where we are at at um for round three of FY27 because it it is an I don't know how many lines does it Lance seven it's a 700 line document and I'm just not sure you know um if anyone has any specific questions >> I was looking at the file >> was attracted by the numbers and red and then I would look to the left to see what category

057they were at. So, if maybe you can summarize that for us. >> Okay. And I want to just say the original file was red and green and I don't know what happened when I loaded it into this version and I can't get it back. So, so the you know pretty peachy orange color is intended to be green. Um and and the others are right no or no the other way. I'm sorry. The red is actually green and the peachy orange would be the like pinkish red. Um, >> purple. >> Oh, see. So, you know, >> I'm not sure what happened to to red and green, but >> Well, I I think that the some of the biggest drivers, again, special ed being a a large one, and those shift yeartoyear based on student needs. Um

058and and there's some anticipated changes that are going to reduce uh some of those costs dramatically. >> So I know one of the big ones I noticed was um the contracted services line. >> Yes. Um I guess I don't have the I have the account line on my printed version but not the >> Yeah, it's far down. So that mean those services are being brought to the district instead of being done outside or >> uh they just >> we have fewer >> won't be needed. Uh yep. So whether students moving out of district um um or graduating um or maybe we were anticipating them for this year's budget and they moved over the summer. >> Um so adjustments based on on that. >> Um so I think that large one 330. It's going to be

059right around the 220th line two >> line 220. Uh, you know, a 295. >> Oh, yeah. There it is. >> Drop in that right above it. >> Line makes a large difference. >> Yeah. >> Um, and then similar uh we had some drops in the tuition line, which is line 226, um, for out of district placements. A >> $177,000 >> drop down. Yeah, just looking at those two lines. >> Yeah, I'm I'm not looking at that line right now, but what is that out of district number right now? >> I always like to look at that. That >> current budget. >> Yeah. >> Uh so4,000. >> Oh, wow. That's very good. >> No, I think in FY26 it was 581 and it's down to 400. >> Well, it's act that's actually just for middle school.

060>> That was just a middle school. >> Yeah, if you do middle and high school, It's like 1.3 million. >> Oh yeah. >> No, this is saying,00 now. >> Uh that for this year. So the 1.2 million FY26. >> Yep. >> and then 1.1 million for FY27. >> Which column is that? >> Um FY26 is the third column and so it has the 581 and 683 >> E and H. >> So that's 1.265. >> Can't freeze the top line on this. You have an old computer. >> This is This is the >> Chromebook. >> The Chromebook issued by the school. >> You You get what you pay for. >> I get what you pay for. >> Which is >> all right. >> Uh so, you know, that's one of the biggest drivers. Um and it

061can be a a double-edged sword. we could have a a student move in over the summer that has >> expensive needs and uh we we'd have to find a way to pay for it. >> Yeah, I understand all of that. I I just overall I kind of like to look at that trend line this because then it it makes me feel either we're providing more service here or we need to have a discussion about whether we can provide more service here. That's really why I look at the line. >> And over the years, we've had some of those discussions as we went along. >> Yeah. And I think some of the um some of the maintenance items include improving those life skills and special education classrooms that it is designed to improve the programs that

062are here. And um conjecture on my part, but if we're putting in that much of an investment here, it's to keep the students here and progressing through their IEPs. >> Yeah. No, I think generally we've been doing a good job, but I'm not exactly in the middle of it right now. So, I like to I like to see as much as I can. >> The big thing to do is to watch the bubbles come through the uh >> elementary schools. >> Yeah. Because they will come. So, and I and I think right now we're we're seeing that. we're seeing for us here in the co-op, it's a it's a little bit of a dip, but >> but those elementary schools sure are not seeing that dip. So, they will event those students, you know, in

063some >> capacity. We'll move up here eventually. >> Programs and early interventions and things of that nature. We are seeing a lot of progress at the elementary level that tend to stabilize. >> Yes. Earlier. >> Yes. Okay. >> I think another important thing to point out too is a reminder that with the bonds that were approved um and at the March meeting, FY26 had interestonly payments on those first year, that kind of half year of those bonds. So, as we move to FY27, the principal and interest section sees an o just over $500,000 increase in expense because we have fullyear principal and interest payments on those bonds. How do rebates get factored into budgeting? >> They would be >> conversation uh Gina and I just had and and we don't have the answer for that

064at this point. Um how they get factored into budgeting, where they go legally, you know, what what they can be used for. So I think it's going to be a conversation um partially with bond counsel and just our general counsel. and and your auditor as well. >> I was wondering if they get can can and should get applied directly to the lines that pay pay the bond out. >> Yeah, that's a that Yeah, I would recommend you talk to your legal and legal bond and auditors. >> Yeah, >> because the other way that it goes is that it's it's um extra revenue. >> We don't want that. >> So, >> not at all. Um yes and so any revenue can't be spent. So it's you have expense and you have revenue and underruns an expense

065and overruns an additional revenue can combine at the end of the year to an unreserved fund balance but it is yeah >> the challenge would be and I don't know if we may need to set up a separate account for it but when we qualify for the energy rebate the year that we qualify we'll get a big chunk bigger than what our projected payments were going to be for any single year. >> And um I wouldn't want it to just get lost >> and I'm sure the legal team will help you address that >> if directed. Um also we have uh our cont the contracts in place the CBAs are in place and uh the professional staff agreement was for the teachers was sandized. So those increases um are built into this budget as well

066um against our FY26 staff and ant it basically anticipates that FY26 is replicated in FY27. I think I I'm not sure, Lance. I was December 1st the date for retirees. >> Yes. So that that number is updated. >> Okay. >> Y that number is accurate. >> Okay. >> And was significantly lower than what we had >> Yep. >> potentially anticipated. >> Mhm. >> So I'm not sure if >> fewer people are retiring >> uh and getting the benefit this year, right? >> Right. Or in FY27. >> Yeah. I think when you when you build rounds one and two, you kind of have a number maybe clo based on a trend or maximum allowable by the contract or something like that. But since we're to this point, um staff has to notify the district by December

0671. So >> well, if they notify by December 1st, they become eligible to receive the payment this fis uh in one year. >> And if they don't, they have to wait till the next >> Yes. year. I believe that's the case with with this budget. It was somebody we already knew was in there. We anticipated maybe some more, but that that didn't happen. >> Okay. Um, the other thing I wanted to just mention too is something that I uh was similar with in the Hollis review of the budget. There were some um changes to administrator contracts and that allow for some uh buyout of vacation um for members um for and the amounts can be put into their 403b and um some I I'll say salary adjustments to um align our staff um in a

068better fashion to comparable able districts and um over a two-year period. So that's in the principal and admin um salary lines. So that's incorporated here. I believe our staff have two do our administrators have twoyear contracts. >> This current contract is two-year, >> but I think they're structured so that they can >> Oh, a two plus one where they we can renew for the third year. Is that it? >> I I'd have I don't know if they're all there. The idea was that that gets added on unless you institute a a separation. >> Yep. Okay. >> And administrators are principles and assistant principles. >> Yes. >> Anyone else >> at the district level? I don't believe there are any others here. >> And just help me out. How many? We've got two principles and here

069we've got how many assistants and at the high school? >> I think there's two in the high school and one in the middle school. >> Okay. There's >> three assistants at the high school. >> Three. >> Um, Cola and Yolanda Flamino and Tracy Lane. >> What are their descriptions? Do you know? >> Um, Tracy Lane. I I' I'd have to look up the exact, but student services There's one specific for students. >> Correct. >> That was that was the the newer one so they could allow them to conduct the meetings without having to bring in an additional administrator. >> Is that the same at the middle school too? There's a a student services administrator or does that does the high school do both? >> Just at the high school. >> I don't think there's a

070second. >> Okay. statements. >> A lot of it is driven by changing regulations for conducting meetings. >> Making sure we've got the the official titles and stuff. >> Are we going to get a couple words on Hessa or am I premature in asking that? >> Are you going to get what? Well, the one thing that's missing is the Hessa negotiation. Where is that? When is it likely to come in? What's it likely to look like or whatever you can give us? >> The the only piece this year is um related to healthcare and yeah um the current status is I believe this week uh Lauren di Janeiro reached out to um Hessa and the negotiator to set up meetings to get that ball rolling. Oh, you're just getting the ball rolling. I thought the ball

071had rolled. >> Uh, well, for this, I mean, we didn't know the increases until midocctober. Um, I see. >> And that's what triggered it. Anything over 10% was written and that they could renegotiate. So um >> they approached us and then at the last the last board meeting which was last week we um identified the board negotiators because two of the three original negotiators of the contract are no longer on the board. >> Yeah. >> So we identified and they're going forward to try to set up. >> So likely in 30 days we'll know where that stands. We'll know more depending on how >> that's good. >> Um, you know, >> we definitely need to know by February. >> Well, there are complexities to it. It's because um it it opens the question of whether

072or not the right place. >> Well, we'll just leave the negotiation to the negotiation and leave it at that. I think we're better off just saying that >> the goal the goal is to have I mean as always we stood to have stuff identified in January >> the sequencing of the meetings that impact when it's available to this committee. >> Okay. So I thought it was simple and it's actually a little more complex than I thought. >> All right. I'll leave it at that. >> When I give my board report I'll be able to give a little bit of information. >> Okay. That's not related to the Hessa negotiation, but is related to some conversations that have taken place in the general board meetings. >> Fair enough. >> Okay. Any other questions on on individual

073lines or trends or concerns, um if you don't have them now, um please forward any questions to me and we'll get them um to Lance. I have a question. So, tonight we're going to come up with a final recommendation. >> Well, I don't I Well, uh it's a conversation that we can have. We've issued guidance. I don't know um based on the content of what we have here. Is there any appetite for any I I don't see any um Oh, the one thing we didn't talk about was the benefits change, which is incorporated in here, but with the district coming in $377,000 below guidance. I'm not seeing anything that would necessarily lead us to need to reduce guidance, but I'm happy to entertain a conversation if anyone wants to have that conversation. I I think

074we should lower the our guidance to match theirs if that's uh if that's okay with everybody else. >> I Right. >> Well, I I tend to think I mean I don't want to leave this meeting thinking that they have a $373,000 >> surplus spending defined. I applaud them for what I really applaud >> right >> for what they've done. So don't undo it. >> Right. that discussion that I'd like to have the board take place. >> Okay. >> What was that? >> He wants to >> I would like to >> Okay. Can we We can just do that now. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Okay. Um, probably most uh relevant to to this committee is that the budget presentation similar to what you've just seen was given to the board with the u conclusion that they

075were below guidance and as such. So there is no round four plan unless something changes. So there is no expectation that they view this as a an available surplus. They as Lance described um they worked very hard to come up with a budget that they felt was both appropriate and defensible and doing so they then came up with a number that is below guidance. I think it would be um it would be a very positive step for this committ to guidance to give credit where it's due for the hard work that was done to have a a responsible budget because especially in an environment where we have new administration. >> Absolutely. >> That visible accomplishment will help provide uh confidence and trust in our leadership and I'd like to because they deserve it, not because

076I just want to pump them up because they deserve it. I would like that recognition to be there. >> I couldn't agree more. >> I I Okay, go ahead, Tom. >> I I I just said what I needed to say. So, >> okay. No, I agree as well. We've always >> acknowledged, but >> we we've operated for years with the, you know, with exactly that goal in mind. Um and and so anytime and and for the last as many years as I can remember um the budget has either met to the dollar in a you know in a year where maybe it was more difficult to make um some adjustments to the budget or in more years than than that than that you know one or two times come in lower than the issued guidance.

077And I've always acknowledged that at the March meeting and I agree that I think it's important that as a budget committee we recognize that and to the community that they recognize that that they did come in under and and we didn't have to go back and lower it further to make sure it doesn't um go higher. We're acknowledging that we we set a target. They they um came in below that target and we're moving forward in support of the budget. And I will assure you that in my report to the next board meeting where I give a report on the budget committee, I will make the statement that says, you know, out of respect for the work done, they're maintaining guidance, but there is a clear expectation that we're maintaining our position as well with

078our our budget number unless something exceptional comes into play. And the best example of that as well is from the the time the board met last week to our view of the budget that we're seeing tonight. We were just able to improve some mapping of some items and it dropped guidance just a little bit more. So, um I think that's just a testament to how we work through the process. We're always, you know, looking at individual lines, looking at just to make sure things are are tying and representing correctly. and couldn't we kind of you know evaluate and discuss those items. So um with all of that in mind I would like to leave the guidance number where it is and um look forward to a discussion then of the other warrant articles and where

079we see ourselves in January and the additional data that we anticipate for the budget cycle. >> Couple of other items on the the board report. Um the co-op has received a a petition warrant article to establish a charter commission on last year. So I know that or my it's my perception that the people who have been in support of uh SB2 for reasons among others that it allows things such as absentee ballot voting and more opportunities for other people to vote. See this as a potential way to come up with a structure that may give additional benefits. It's something that House Representative Banger for many years used in his presentations of alternatives to SB2 for people who have concerns. So I'm not sure what the public appetite was. Last year there was there was no

080appetite to to do it. But Tish War is back prior to this meeting. The The governing board also had a meeting and one of the things that they talked about was the fairly large increase in the cost of health insurance. And towards that end, while it's not co-op specific, um the SAU administration has been looking at other plans. They have they have contract negotiations going on in other districts currently. And as a result, there are other plans that are more modern than the plan that has become the driver and essentially the default plan of the co-op. So they are looking at things. They had a they had previously had a contract with an outside consulting group to help with the health insurance that had been around for many years. Um more recently the effectiveness of

081that relationship has diminished and they are working with a new group. But the specific goal is to um see if there are newer plans that operate in the current healthc care environment that are better suited to our population both in terms of service and cost. Uh and I will just remind folks that the contract at the co-op and I believe districts precludes a non-negotiated removal of any plans, but new plans can be unilaterally brought on. So that if a new plan were identified that had potential to be lower cost and or better benefit to our to our staff, we could suggest that and introduce it. That was the sort of unknown factor that I to my comment about class. I have no knowledge of what those plans are, what the details are, but that's an

082ongoing thing, too. So, moving parts exist throughout the healthcare benefit system right now. And uh I don't know this for a fact, but there's a lot of talk about open enrollment um changes in the laws. I don't know all the details of it. You know, u I think it's tonight ongoing. The NHSBA is conducting a uh a webinar on it right now. But uh schools have the option of identifying themselves available for open enrollment both as a receiving district and as a sending district under the new state state laws. And there is um talk about uh having having uh articles on the warrant about that to include petition war articles that might be brought up to address the same thing. We don't think it's something that necessarily can be ignored, but there's nothing concrete on

083the table yet. and >> and has there been any there there I suspect isn't any thought that we could be a receiving district or is there I mean given our capacity >> I don't want to I don't want to go down that I I don't know that it's >> yeah we addressed that far yet >> well the bigger thing is we don't want to have to be a sending district because ascending district we have to the tition to send a kid to another school district as a receiving district. Um, if we generally our enrollment moves, my personal opinion is a couple of kids one way or another in the co-op is unlikely to push us over an edge. Um, but it can be very expensive to send because because if you have sending three kids,

084you're now looking at a 70 or $80,000 bill. >> Why on earth would we send when we have the capacity to do things here? >> It's not that it's >> because the parents may want to send >> they're making a law that says you can send your >> your child out of district. >> So if let's say let's say uh there was a parent or parent parents and students that said, "I want to be in a district that has a division one football team. I want my kid to play division one football in New Hampshire." They could say, "I want to send them to Nashville or Manchester or whatever." Let's say they said, "I want to be in a school system that has CTE on site." they can petition to those. >> So, I believe

085the way the current law is written, it says that you have to have a warrant article that says you're open to sending and receiving. And any district who wants to, if you identify yourself as an a receiving district, another district has to have the same um uh policy and status on their side. So if NSHA didn't do that, we couldn't receive a NSHA student. It would have to be another district that has identified itself as a sending and receiving open enrollment district. If they have not, then you can't do it. >> I'm not sure >> that's the way I believe that's the way the current law is written. I don't think >> is written and this is you you may know better, but I thought you can't send. You may want to send they don't

086have to take if they don't want to receive. So you can't force it, but they >> they don't have to. >> You have to be both sending and receiving together. I thought I don't know. We're we're learning about the net effect is that that this is being looked at because there is um a suspicion that one way or another there's going to be a war article about it. And we would like to uh potentially be able put something up with the backing of a of both the administration and our legal understanding so that if we're going to ha ask the public to vote on something that we vetted what they're voting on. >> Okay. And I would also just add that um one of the things to look into too is the level of funding

087because my under I I I know the original open enrollment language referred to um the tuition charged >> it was 80% >> 80% of your cost per pupil which we all know is not budget divided by enrollment. It's >> the state number. >> It's the state number. So 80% of that state number would be lower than a tuition rate that the district would determine. >> Not necessarily. >> More than likely. >> I Well, I would ask the business office to look at 80% of our cost per pupil and do a comparison to what we would consider a tuition rate for the co-op. Yeah, we have we have a tision established by policy. Yes. But we also um have u I think there is a allowance for for staff. >> Yeah. I'm just talking about a

088general someone who generally wants to tuition their student into our district. I would love to know what that rate is and then we can figure out where that stands in regard to 80% of a cost per pupil >> calculation. So that means that if that's what what that's what any other district is paying that means we're observing the additional cost >> for that student and the same is true >> we are we're a relatively lowcost district in the state. >> Yes we are on the in the lower >> if we had to send students 80% could be well above 100% of ours. >> That's true too. >> Uhhuh. >> Exactly. So, I'm sure and I'm sure there are new open enrollment LSRs that have been converted to bills. I haven't looked recently since that last

089kind of summary that I shared with everyone. So, maybe over the winter break, we'll take a look at that and see where that stands, but I can guarantee there's open enrollment language somewhere in the legislation being put forward and conquered. I don't know what your your specific um opportunities are to participate in the conversation, but if you are meeting with with anyone within the district, please share your thoughts because you're probably at least as educated as most of the most of us multiple hats that you wear. >> Just a point on this conversation. I would like to think that we're one of the more desirable schools. So if someone had the need or desire to go someplace else, we would have technically an open slot that we could fill from someone that would want to

090come here. So the net difference may not be that dramatic. >> But you're correct on that. Us being at the lower end of cost per student, you know, you have to look at something. >> There are people think, well, we 40 students down from our peak enrollment. Think of 40 students times 80% of our pursuit cost. Man, that's a windfall. And >> we're very concerned about people having that distorted vision, >> which is distorted because it was way we've been way above above our capacity. >> It's not as though we were at capacity, we were way above it. >> Right. I think also I think you have an obligation if you take someone in as a freshman sophomore let's say two years later you can't say well we don't have any more room for you

091here I think we have an obligation to see him through to graduation >> do we have that what you're talking about Tony I think it's written into the law at least some of the proposals I've seen I don't know which one passed but some of them said that if you bring someone in You have some obligation for continuity as well. >> I would hope so. >> Can we move on? >> Yeah, I was one second. >> That's a for board update. >> Okay, great. Thanks, Tom. So, um getting back to where we stand. Um I'd like to close the the view on the discussion on the where we have set guidance. >> Let me just say this. I uh I go along with it, but just because we're not changing the number to match theirs

092doesn't mean we're not supporting the great job that they've done. >> Oh, absolutely. >> And so, uh I personally would not mind dropping the number down to match theirs. That's what I would like to see done, but I'll go along with whatever you guys decide. I'll I'll support a chair. I I I totally support your sentiment, but I'm I'm uh let them try and come back with a bunch more spending and see what kind of a reception they get. >> And I can add in in full disclosure, you know, when we when we first arrived at that number and did the math and saw we were below guidance, you know, as as you would expect, we had a conversation for a minute. Do we look back at this? What we cut? Um should we is

093that the right thing to do? and and and Gan and I said, "No, we cut things we can cut and it was appropriate. We shouldn't go back and put those back in." So, we landed there um and made a conscious decision not to go back and try to get within a dollar of guidance because we didn't feel like that was the right thing to do at this time. Um and so we don't have any plans to do that. Um, you know, I if if anything were to change, I imagine it would be either unexpected or small. >> I'll accept that. >> I think that's fair. Okay. Um, I would like to just spend a moment on the additional warrant articles because we really do only have one more meeting before our public hearing. Um, so

094I do and and and in January we will have um the draft of the warrant and we'll, you know, see how everything is written. But the topic of the contingency came up and I just want to um we have the $300,000 maintenance trust. Uh the special education trust will not be brought forward. It's fully funded. We're not looking to add no one. There's no request to add to that at I believe it's $255,000. Uh we have the SAU budget at 1.23 million the HESA contract. So the contingency is at is at 125 which is the same amount that it's funded at in this current year. So I'm going to take the standing position that I've taken and and I would be supporting and recommending that um for a couple of reasons. those are related to

095the retained fund balance and the fact that our district um does not maximize the allowable amount. So the language of the law says that a district if it's in a warrant article can um set aside up to 5% of its district assessment on an annual basis. When the uh that warrant article was first brought forward in our district, it was adjusted at the meeting to 1%. Um and then it was adjusted I think just a couple years ago to two and a half% and the school board has been um very consistently um managing the amount that is set aside through that retained fund balance and they do come in below that amount on a cons 2 and a half% maximum on a consistent basis. We are the larger um district of the three in the

096in the SAU. We have the um the largest buildings. We have the biggest staff. And I do feel like um by closing our budgets as close as we do um I just that extra headroom of you know $125,000 is um appropriate and it's why I've consistently supported it. uh in addition to the fact that our operating budget is at 3.76% and our entire budget is at 4.17% including that 125,000 which is funded by the unreserved fund balance. So if for whatever reason at the end of the year if $125,000 and $300,000 are not available it would not be funded. So for all those reasons I'm going to support the I would support the 125. I don't know if anyone has a different opinion or I support that. >> Yeah. Okay. >> Sounds reasonable. >> Okay.

097>> Um so then we have the 300,000 on the maintenance trust and as we said the special the SAU budget. So with all of those things >> about the SA budget. >> I'm sorry. >> Did you want to talk at all about the SA? >> Um we've talked about it and um the the presentation from the public hearing at last week's was that just last week at last week's meeting is published on the website. uh the co-op um there's an aortionment formula applied to the SAU budget and I believe the co-op is responsible for 48% of the budget and then I think it drops to 324 >> I think with that yeah for the primary school in Hollis and then um what's left >> 18 and change >> is it 18 okay and change for

098Brooklyn. So that um formula there is actually a law that allows uh the aortionment formula for the SAU budgets to be voted on and changed but we've that that the formula that's been used is not the same formula that's used for co-op aortionment. It is different and it has been um the one identified by the state which is a 5050 50% ADM 50% EV. So, the co-op gets 48% of the total, whether that's the budget um as presented or the default, whichever one were to pass at the meeting. >> Difference between the SAU budget and and they don't call it default, whatever. >> Adjusted. Thank you. Adjusted. Yes. >> $19,000. So >> I'd like to make one other point on the SAU budget that really pleases me is that uh for the last four or

099five years the p the the SAU budget has been going up as a percent of total education spending. Uh so it went from uh 3.5 to 3.6 3.8 to 3.8. This year they took it down from 3.8% of total education spending to 3.6 six. And I think that's a real accomplishment. Um, and is an additional uh kadoo to uh to our superintendent and our business administrator for doing that. It's easy to go up. It's very difficult to go to bring that down as a percent of the whole and they've done it. And I'm very pleased at that because we were headed to 4% which is a bad number to be at politically and bad number just period. And now we're getting back toward the 3.5. So I think we should uh recognize that and I

100certainly do. >> Great. So based on the view of all of the Warren articles where we are right now understanding there could be some shifts to the Hessa number um as I indicated the budget would stand at 33,53,29844 which is a 4.17% increase. So, we'll move on from here with um I want to also mention that there is um a summary on the athletic expense items um that gives the breakdown year over it's a year-over-year comparison of what gets um divided between the general fund and the athletic the revolving athletic fund. So, that's here for your review as well. And the overall budget change between um >> is that a separate attachment? >> It's No, it's included on the athletics tab. >> Oh, >> in the 4pm version. >> Yeah. So again, I feel really

101bad about that, but I had a panic moment um because I had an old draft open on my email at 4:30 and I'm like, "Oh my god, please tell me I at least sent it." And it did go and it was just an old version. I said, "Oh my god, if it was >> your grade at 4:30." So >> So that is a 3.7% increase in total in athletics. um the census um for the staff um and the distribution of our staff is there and I'll do a little bit more information on um you know we we it is a master'sheavy um group on our professional staff and we do have a significant amount that are on the um the last step of the table. So, uh, but that information is there for your review

102as well. And I think the one thing we're just still waiting on, the CIP is included in here, but Lance had indicated that Lance, the other Lance, um, is updating that capital improvement plan. And so that'll end up tying to our new items and we'll get a, you know, the forwardlooking view. uh the based on the view that's in the file uh that information was provided to the capital expenditure advisory committee in Hollis and um aortioned to come up with a uh Hollis percentage. I will um forward that uh the capital expenditure advisory committee did a presentation on Monday of this week to the select board. So, I will share the view um of what they they presented at that. It really was just an overview of their progress to date, but I can get

103everybody that presentation and I'm sure the meeting was um is recorded and on the Hollis website and there'll be minutes and things like that. So, it was part of a select board's meeting. So, I'll get that information to everyone. So, I So, for now, um Oh, I it's 8:15. I have a few more minutes of uh just indulgence here. I just want to talk for a couple of minutes about the tax rates. Before I do that, I want to mention that in January, we would be expecting um a revenue view and that would allow us to put together um the estimated tax impacts for the new budget and work on uh the presentation. I'll have a draft version of the public hearing deck. It's a pretty consistent presentation and in the interim um in mid

104January uh the uh I provide the town of Hollis with the um a co-op report for their annual report and Lance I normally provide that to the business office and that gets sent over to Brookline. I don't know the timing, but that gets incorporated with whatever documents you send over. Um, but at least the um Hollis one is always a mid January time frame. >> And you're going to send the draft to all of us to review. >> And it will have a quick turnaround. It's again a very um common format that I've been using and um I'll get that to everybody um right after the new year because it's due by mid January. So, what I'm going to pass out to everybody right now, I would say take is it just one page? >>

105Oh, it is. >> And that's what you already sent in the email. >> Yeah, I did. I sent this to everybody. But just so that you have it, it's act the Hollis is actually one page. Brookline is a two-pager. >> Is that Wait a minute. >> Oh, wait a minute. Let me see this a second. I think it came up. I don't think it I don't think it collated correctly. No, it is two pages. Okay, hold on. Wait a minute. Here it is. Sorry. >> There are two pages for Hollis and two pages for Brookline. >> Okay. >> And Okay. Put them back. >> Goodness sakes. >> Here. I handed them to you together, Tony, I think. Yep. >> Here's Brookline. >> It's one set for Brooklyn and here's a set for >> Oh, you

106have it on you have it on the computer. >> Okay. >> All right. It's two pages for Brooklyn. >> Okay. So, give me back this one. >> Okay. >> And then the next thing I'm sending is this a little summary here. This is just a one page. >> Good lord, what is happening? Okay, so many pages. That's just a onepage summary. It's a two-page and a two-page. >> That's a onepage attachment. Tom, I don't want to have >> the summary. Those are public. Those pages are public. >> So the tax rate breakdown. >> Yeah. So this is the 9% that Brian was talking about. >> Yes. >> Versus this one here. >> Yes. So the summary I put together um basically is doing a a comparison of what we estimated tax effort to tax effort

107and tax rates to be versus what actually happened with the tax rates. So on the top table, um the total anticipated tax effort for Brookline was anticipated to be 28,500,000. Their actual tax effort ended up being 28,600,000. The estimated rate at last year's um through last year's meetings was estimated to be 24.41 41 per uh $2441 per thousand. The actual rate, thank you, Tom. >> The actual rate is $24.64 per thousand, which is um in the last column, which is really the important one, which is the percent change in actual versus prior year. So in total in Brooklyn across all of the elements of the tax rate, Brooklyn is looking at a 9% increase. Um that's broken out by town, county, the Brooklyn school district, um the co-op, the statewide education property tax, and the

108and the total. So, I will just say for the co-op local portion of the bill, um, we had estimated $9.36 per thousand. The co-op came in at 9006 versus a prior year tax rate of 8.65. So, while we anticipated an 8% increase in the tax rate because of due to the co-op, it came in at 4.7%. Um and again and and in both cases the county ended up being while it's a much smaller amount uh contributing to the overall tax effort and tax bill it is the one the piece that had the most significant increase and the county tax rate has been um pretty consistently you know it doesn't shift by much on an annual basis. So this year based on bills and things that were passed and passed back down through the county rate

109it that we're seeing much more significant increases on a percentage basis um in that rate. So for the Hollis side um uh we're seeing for the co-op contribution in Hollis what we anticipated to be a 7% increase is a 4.7% increase and in total um the whole town of Hollis is looking at a 6.6% increase versus the 7.5% that was anticipated. So there was a shift um in we had a valuation estimate for both towns and in Hollis specifically the valuation just did we didn't realize the valuation increase we were anticipating um so that also contributed to some of the the the changes in the tax rate um itself. So I I have a note there I just see that it says rate impact evaluation estimate was correct. That was a note to myself about

110something I was going to um include to see to but I didn't get a chance to do that. So I would just ignore that little um note that's written there. So I just there are pieces and components to every element of um theO the the amount that's aortioned to Hollis and Brooklyn shifts in in average daily membership shifts in equalized value shifts in valuation shifts in adequacy aid all of those components in you know differences in revenue. So all of those things I will kind of put together a little summary for the next time. Um but for right now this is just that high-level view of the tax rates we have today and the co-ops piece of both of them. And I thought actually an interesting thing um in both cases is that the impact

111I'm just double checking that because it's kind of strange that that would happen. G7 over I7 G20 over I20. It is a I don't remember the last time I've seen that the percentage impact in each town >> was the same >> is the same. Uh usually that is >> 4.7. >> Yes, that does that never happens. So um it's just an odd coincidence this time around. >> Darling, I have a question. Mhm. >> So the difference in tax rates between Brookline and Palace, is that because Palace has so many more people to disperse? >> It's because of the valuation, the size of the tax base. So if you look at um the line that says valuation, um >> we have twice as much as you do. >> It's like a it's like a almost a

112twothirds oneird. So it's it's 2.3 million versus the the 1.1 >> 2.3 billion I'm sorry. Yes. 2.3 billion. So I mean if if Brooklyn we can, you know, do things like this all day. If Brooklyn had a tax base the size of Hollis. >> Um actual Where did my actual go? Why didn't that calculate? Oh, I know. why it didn't recalculate. Um the tax rate would be $12.31 per thousand. >> So that's how much of an impact valuation has on your tax rate. >> But this doesn't show as population. >> Yes. >> Yeah. There's so many components. >> I had a chart once that that did that. Um, >> is it is it still approximately to >> I don't know not sure about Brookline but I think we got 86 >> 8600 people >> in

113halls. I'm sorry. I >> I thought the population in Holl's total population was about double that of Brooklyn. >> So what does Brookine have? >> Hollis I think is 86. I could be tall >> 86 >> in 2020. It was 8342 >> and Brooklyn was 5639. >> Okay. So it's a lot closer than it used to be. >> They're both great towns. I thought it was interesting that >> there is a a bigger difference in total population and there is a school age population. >> Yeah. All right. So, how we doing in time? >> So, we're doing great on time. >> You want to hear the president's address or something? >> No. process observe. >> I have to go and get dinner for my son. >> So, um I think so, as I said, we'll

114have um revenue and hopefully um a um some better some other information on the support staff contract. We'll have the draft warrant and um a public hearing kind of docu presentation overview for the January meeting. >> So, at 8 if are there any other >> I I'd just like to add a comment. Sure. >> Is this open mic? >> Y >> um you had talked about having um our committee weigh in on some of the bills in conquered >> and I just want to advocate for that because I think that we're the ones that know what's going on and our voters don't necessarily know what's going on. So I feel like it's our responsibility and I >> think you do. That's why you do it. and by crafting a letter to the editor or weighing

115in on on these bills in some way to to help alert our um voters, they're not going to be caught off guard. So, >> I I agree with you, Melanie, and I think for I I appreciate you bringing that up and and boy is January going to be a full meeting, but it is important and I think we'll have a better um understanding of bill numbers and things that we can actively track um for public hearings and talk about um bring some of them forward at our January meeting to talk about if we did want to take a position on them as a budget committee. Th those things would include potentially um open enrollment, potentially um the s the superintendent consolidation >> um and as well as any there are >> tax caps. >> Yep.

116There's more than likely tax caps, SB2, um adequacy aid, special education aid. There's any number um th those are are um pretty consistent bills that come forward on an annual basis. So, I think this will give us the next month maybe between you and I, Melanie, to look at some things and um bring forward a summary of and of um some things that we can discuss as a budget committee. And I will try to get a hold of the most recent um tracking document and to share with everybody because that one, the last one I had really just had LSR numbers and descriptions. that didn't really talk about any content and what the actual text of the change was going to be, but that information should be available now. So, I'll try to get um

117a hold of of that summary >> help you. >> Okay. Thank you. I appreciate that. >> This in January 7th when bills can start being submitted. So, by the time we have our meeting, they will have been a number of bills. >> Well, the LSRs were all submitted already. Okay. >> And assigned bill numbers for the spring. Does the window open again? Can more be added? No. >> No. So, we're so >> right. They So, we're we're in this mode now of >> it by by now I'm sure they all have bill numbers assigned to them and and more details on the text and things like that. So, okay. >> Thank you. >> Sure. Thanks, Melanie. >> Okay. Well, seeing no other comments, does anyone have any update? Anything else at this point? I'll look

118to our process observer. >> I thought we had some great discussions, but we have a tendency to diverge a little bit every once in a while. >> So, uh, but we did good. >> Okay. So, at 8:31 p.m., I'll take a motion to adjourn. >> So, moved >> from Melanie, seconded by >> Tony. All those in favor? It's always unanimous. I love it. >> Um, happy holidays everyone. Enjoy this festive season. Thank you very much. >> Thank you very much.