001One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Thank you. I appreciate um [clears throat] your um flexibility as we're getting a little bit of a late start this evening. I'm going to quickly identify um Tom Solomon as our meeting observer this evening. And we're going to bypass um the approval of minutes um right now. And I'd like to kind of reorder the agenda a little bit um because of some um individual items that have come up for members of the district that might attend affect attendance later in the meeting. So, I would like to move up the um budget overview and preliminary guidance discussion um up on the agenda. We'll move monthly results down um after that discussion. And Tony had um asked for a little time just to speak about
002his participation on the um Hollis Capital Advisory >> Committee >> and um give us an update about that. So, we'll make those adjustments and dive right into things. Um, so I'd first like to start with a a quick discussion about the calendar. I'm still waiting for the view for where we ended up. This was the view that was disseminated and um after much discussion I think the co-op is landing in the same place that it started. So that would mean that our um school district meeting is March 17th and are in the first column and our public hearing would be a month prior on February 17th. So for right now I would I would recommend we use those as placeholders. Uh there is a lot of coordination that takes place between polus the co-op Brooklyn's
003calendar is pushed um ahead because it's uh an um SP2 community and their deadlines are different for their deliberative session and their voting takes place on the day um of actual ballot voting in their community. So their parameters are slightly different. So, it really is just a Hollis co-op um thing, but I will look at to Lance. Looks like he might have some more up-to-date information. >> Uh those two dates you mentioned are accurate. I don't see them changing with without unforeseen circumstances. Uh we just received a updated copy back from the attorney this afternoon. So, Oh, great. Uh superintendent and I will review it and get that out, but those two dates have not changed to this version. >> Great. So yes, there was some discussion back and forth about um preference. We've had
004a uh just we we have an a a standing agreement when before Brookline went SB2 of you know which comm which community would go first and things like that and you know I don't want to tax um the legislative body who has to come and attend these evening meetings and everybody's schedules schedules of the um leadership team of the district and whatnot. So there is a lot of back and forth and of course the RSA specified parameters that drive you know dates, deadlines, posting notices and things like that. So I'm happy to hear we'll be at um February 17th and March 17th until further notice. And as soon as Lance forwards the updated calendar, I'll make sure that everybody gets that. Okay, great. Um moving on to assumptions, priorities, goals, and the preliminary budget overview.
005So um I did share with everyone uh the budget trend file which is really kind of our guiding document through our budget process. The view that you have is basically last year's view um because it needs updating for on a detailed basis FY25 actuals and then um the final FY26 budget. I think I have it and I updated it based on what was passed and approved at the March meeting, but that is hasn't been confirmed by the business office because what happened at the March meeting, if you'll recall, um we went into March meeting with a um a higher budget and um two bond initiatives and pending the outcome of those bond initiatives, we would have made an adjustment to the budget. So those two initiatives passed and when we got to the operating budget
006for discussion, we made an immediate motion to lower the budget. Um because what we were trying to do is make sure certain um mandated uh repairs would have been funded um and the the bonds themselves included some addition the repairs and some additional work for the schools. So the bonds did pass. We made the adjustment and the adjustment was a very simple one in the new additions and I just for the view that I have removed it from there. But this view when it's finalized by the business office moves some of those new addition items back into the actual budget lines where they belong and things like that and I haven't done that. >> And that's based on the school board voting to do that. >> No, the legislative body voted to remove the 915.
007>> Okay. Okay. We made we we went into the the budget. Um >> I remember the uh the actions on that. >> Yeah, we had to go in with a higher than normal budget. Um everybody, you know, guidance was met and all of that and we were very clear on in our understanding that the budget was going to be high because if the bonds failed, we still needed there was still almost a million dollars of necessary expenses. So once the bonds passed, we took the 9 million immed or 915,000 immediately out of the budget. But I did want everybody to have a view um and you know just as a frame of reference of the format of of our file which is a um composite budget trend file in a view we've been using for
008a very long time, probably more than 10 years. So there's a lot of history included in the view. There's a superintendent view which is um a little bit more of a um overall listing a way and really is the way the school board reviews the budget when they see um have have their review of the budget and includes a nice summary at the bottom of what additional warrant articles are going to be added and things like that. There's a new item summary that takes round by round by expense category what items are going to be brought forward. But again, the ones that are in this file are all from last year. It is not new information for FY27. Uh and it goes back to, you know, uh like there's a superintendent's view 4.0, superintendent view
0093.0 and just to kind of work through the rounds of the budget. >> But there should be an updated version of this by the next meeting. >> Yes. By the next meeting, I expect we will have a a complete view um of the budget with the budget trend file completed, the superintendent's view, the new items view, and as um the additional sheets include um athletics, revenue, and the CIP. And way far back in the list of sheets is a lot of old history information that I just keep there because it it it goes back pretty far and um just old ways we tracked and looked at data, but it's really is like back to to single digits like 2000s. It's in it's a source of kind of all of that information. We just kind of
010have it and it's just kind of sitting there. >> Question for you. Is this independent of the superintendent's budget work? It's linked to it. >> The reason I said it says round one and I think they're on >> round three already. >> Oh, I'm sure they are. This is last year's budget. >> Oh, >> nothing about this is for FY20. Well, this is the current year's budget. Nothing about this is related to FY27. >> Okay. >> She's just explaining the process. >> It's it's it's it every aspect of it will be updated. So when the when it says C by comp budget FI27, >> I'm going to get to that in a minute. >> Okay. >> So um but all of the from budget trend out and all of those other sheets all require updating
011for FY27. So there's a column in there on the budget trend sheet that's for FY25 actuals. I would expect FY26 budget final um to be updated again because that new additions at the bottom of the file there's 819,000 um in new additions and probably yeah probably that's about it that'll be disseminated into lines above it. But for right now, it's because if you notice in prior years that that number becomes zero because once they're approved, they're not new anymore and they they get placed throughout the budget. So column AQ will be updated, column AU will be updated, and column AV would represent the most recent round of the budget. They might be up to version four by the time that we see it. Um, and that's great. I'm glad your process is underway, which is
012awesome. Um, but going back to the first line, first sheet um, in the workbook is our guidance. >> So, the thing says multiplier calculator. >> Yes. So, >> you want to explain how the 3.3 came about? >> I am. >> You can try. >> It's hard to it's really small. So what we do in establishing um preliminary guidance is um work through um and determine um where we think you know how we think the budget should be increased or changed. So we start with the budget for the the current year. we reduce it by several items which I'll talk about in a little bit um that I'll just say adjust the budget to arrive in a a what we call a guidance base which is like an adjusted budget. So what we basically do is
013take out the elements that would not be affected by CPI because we use CPI as a a a guiding indicator of of how to assess preliminary guidance. So the things that we remove and to get to the guidance space are things that are going to move in their own way up or down um regardless of CPI. So those items are things we call transfers which are the like food service and grant related, federal and state related funding. those are outside they they on the levels of those programs and things food service is a self-funded program the spending on grants is directly related um to the level of which were approved so it's not affected by CPI um the contingency and trust funds they're you know separately identified and voted on and um approved again not
014affected by CPI our debt service has a very clear debt schedule um the changes year-over-year are not affected by economic indicators. It's already a predetermined schedule. We've removed special ed because there is so much um that can change on an annual basis with special education that really applying a a um CPI to it isn't the most appropriate way to address the changes in special education. So we remove those out and we'd like to have a kind of an any just understand what the special education picture is going to look like in the upcoming year to make a determination of how to kind of move forward with where the special education level should be. Um the SAU budget allocation is determined by a separate process so not affected by CPI and the New Hampshire retirement system
015rates are set in um two-year increments. So we know what the rates are for the upcoming year. they will not change because of CPI but for our FY28 budget we will have a different rate assigned um for NHRS and we'll um you know evaluate what the costs are for that at that time. So those are the items and those are the values for FY26 that um we are this view remove basically removes from the budget to come up with a guidance base and we go one step further after that to say okay what of the amount of money that's left how much of of that is salaries related to um collectively bargained agreements? though any collectively bargained agreement is going to have a predetermined um increase that might be above or below CPI and so
016um that amount is calcul it's easy it's able to be calculated and again doesn't need an additional um CPI factor added to it >> if it if it's sampized can that be just like the other items excluded from the >> Yep. Mhm. So the whole the whole amount of that of that of those collectively bargain items comes out of the the guidance base. >> So um what we're then left with is taking >> just using your example just to make sure I understand. >> Yep. So you determined that 45% of it was was this the salary component and then you multiplied 45% times the 3.3% >> and got the 1.81%. >> We actually take the opposite. It's actually 55% of the budget. >> Right. Because >> you take the compliment. >> Yes. You're taking the
017compliment. 181 is what's left for multiplier available. >> Got it. >> That gets that gets multiplied back to um the base budget. And in this case um the 3.3 is from the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Northeast region as of October. I really feel like September is coming out any day now, but August was all that was available, so I used 3.3%. >> But that could change over the next few months as we deliberate this. >> It could, but once we um set guidance, we pretty much stay with that number unless it was going to be some significant change or we were aware of some significant, you know, thing we were thinking would happen. >> So this approach with the CPI has been used for 10 years before. We've always used this. >> We've
018always used this approach. >> Yeah. Um, so what this basically means is from from the whole, you know, 32.1 million that we're starting with, we're really adding back in an adjustment of $370,000, which really isn't a lot when you think about it. So, >> and that represents >> the CPI adjust a CPI adjustment. >> It's 1.81 of the >> adjusted amount or the original amount. >> It's taking it's 1.81 one of the of the of the prior year guidance base the 2399. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Um just for yaks, did you calculate what that percentage is on the overall budget? >> Sure. >> I said did you >> no I can very easily >> I can do it too. You're volunteer >> 1.2%. >> So 3.3 * 55% is equivalent to 1.2%. 2% times
019the total. Is that what >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So then we add back in all the things that we knew, you know, that that are going to be new to the budget that are in the FY27 budget kind of that we took out. >> But you add them in at the at the >> projected rate. >> Yes. Right now I don't have the projected rate. So >> projected are already known. I mean the December nice contract also really don't right >> well >> one second >> not necessarily >> everybody hold on >> the rate [snorts] is known but the deep the number isn't because we have to predict what the staffing is going to be >> right okay >> hold on everybody [laughter] um so what we are adding back in is transfers right
020now I left them at the the same level that they were at debt service we do know we have um the debt schedules and uh based on the information I have the 1.156627 is it should be pretty close to what we're um including. There might be some differences with like lease payments on some other items, but it should be pretty close because um moving from the first year to the second year of the bonds that passed when they first passed, we're paying um a very small amount of interest with the first payment and as we move to the next year, it's the full year of principal and interest payment. So, it's it's it's more money, >> right? And that's specifically talking about the uh facilities and and uh solar the HVAC and solar bars. >>
021Exactly. Exactly. >> So that accounts for the difference from the >> Yes. >> 600 change to the >> Yes. And um anything else? And and that's I have the amounts. Oh, really? It's the It's the change between the two because the rest of of um the debt service the payments were flat because they were I think approved municipal leases and but anyway we have the I have the debt schedule I added up and that's what the debt schedules look like and I believe let me just I'm going to co-op debt long-term financing. Um, okay. I, um, in the absence of having an updated budget view, I added back in the special education level that we had budgeted for this current year. When we finished FY25, um, special education costs were down, but I'm not I
022have no information at this time without having a budget view that would, you know, lead me to know if that's going to true for this current year or moving forward. So I really just added that back in and uh did the same thing I think for >> so it is possible that the final actual number might be less than what >> it it's potential that the the view that we see is less or or more. It [clears throat] just you know it special education is so dependent on the mix of students which can change dramatically from a year ago when this year's budget was developed. a single student or two moving in or out of the the district whether they're aging up or aging out can >> significant >> on this level change it huge
023>> I added back in um the I believe it's the third year of the sanized um HA agreement the amount that's represented there is the amount that was stipulated >> isn't it thought it was in you too. So FY27 will be >> would be the third year. >> Oh, okay. Y >> um so I put in the third year from the warrant article. >> So in the in the from the time that the warrant articles put together to the time we are um now there has been attrition of staff. There has been a you know change to rates and um NHRS rates that couldn't have been determined at that time. We just typically know that that's the approved amount. It's the number that we can go by to add back in. It's what was recognized
024um by the legislative body and approved. So um the next so those are our you know kind of foundational elements right and then we have I have another the next section is the um amounts outside of guidance or guidance relief items. So, these would have been in the past things like the costs related to the mandated um repairs if we hadn't um approved those bonds. It was something we considered as a budget committee. We were like, look, this has to get done. So, the $900,000 was going to be, you know, outside of guidance at that time. I'm at this point again because we don't have the view. I'm not aware of any items other than the potential that the increase in insurance rates might have on the district. So, um, Lance, I believe the district
025has the 15.1% increase on the driver plan. Is that correct? >> Yes, it is. >> And then it's like 10% >> 10.4% >> on the other plan. But most um most people are on the driver plan. But what I did in this >> healthare insurance >> the healthare >> insurance I thought we didn't have anyone on the other plan anymore >> um I'd have to look back at the co-op specifically it's a little bit different in all the districts and it's we've been looking at handful of them had one person on I thought that was gone but >> so what I did for right now was just put in 12% because I wasn't sure of the distribution but if we're pretty confident that everyone's on the driver plan I'll increase that to 15%. It doesn't
026change it. >> Well, it did kind of change it a little bit dramatically there. >> And but the other thing to keep in mind is% >> we don't pay more than what the driver plan would entitle them to. So even on another plan, if if the plan cost more, we would cap it at the cost of the driver plan. But your um >> it's a the other plan is a higher price plan. >> I understand. But I thought we negoti Wait a minute. We don't have dollar caps anymore in the district, do we? >> No, we don't have dollar caps. No, we have the driver plan which effectively caps the amount that's paid. >> But you but our contribution will still increase and that cap increases because we're percentage based. I think what Thomas is
027referencing if somebody was on the other plan, >> right? >> Oh, yeah. If someone was on the other plan, >> the point is by using the the driver plan increase that effectively becomes the increase to the other plan as well because it drives up the the dollar. >> Okay. >> Yeah. You're moving the threshold higher. So, we're effectively paying the driver plan premium for all plans regardless of what they've chosen. >> Does that make sense? >> Yes. Okay. >> Okay. So, I'll go with the 15% increase on the rates then instead of the 12 that I had in there. And that would yield once all of those things get added back in an operating budget total of >> the percentage available to me here right now. Is it shown? >> Yeah. >> Where is it?
028>> Wait, are you on the spreadsheet? >> Yeah, >> you can just go into the cell. >> Which cell? >> Um, B34. Oh, so do you pull it out of C or do you embed it in B? >> It's embedded in B. The way it's written now, it's embedded in B. >> So what number should that 12 be? >> Instead of 0.12, it should be 0.15. And your number should change to 485394. >> Got it. Thank you. Um, so that would get us to an an operating budget total of 32.4 million. Um, and let me just see. Yep. And so what I did again, because I don't know where the operating budget's going to be, I just took last the last superintendent's view um less than 915,000 to get to an revised operating budget. and
029I Well, you know what? Let me put my parentheses in here because I'm not sure if that calculated correctly. Yeah, you're going to have to change um B37, Tom. So, everyone who's looking, if you go into B37, the parentheses mattered. And if you can put parentheses right up um right after the equal sign and after the 915,000 >> After the equal sign >> before the plus. >> Yep. And after the last zero in 915,000 >> before after the asterisk >> before the asterisk and you should get 31152790. So that's my best guess as to what your budget's going to be. >> uh on the operating budget only on the operating budget 31.1. So we'll see. >> Um >> so so the the 324 was what? >> The 324 was our view of the operating budget
030with absolutely no information at my disposal. >> A total wag just total let's just see um >> 31. We'll see if they're going to come in at 311 or 312. I don't know. >> What was that? 915,000 that you took. >> That was the um anticipated cost of doing the repairs >> if we didn't pass the consistent. >> Now, the 311 was what? >> That's my best guess at an operating budget request, but I'm missing a lot of information and we've never been at the first pass a million dollars below with for the district being that far under guidance. They have come in under guidance. Um, not quite that far though. So, we'll see. >> So, the district came in at 311. No, >> she's she's we haven't come in yet. >> She's potentially predicting
031it based on a lot of a lot of assumptions. >> Absolute >> just to put a number there. >> So, you feel the number is going to be somewhere between 311 and 324? >> It'd be great if the number between 311 and 34. >> Close to 324. That would be great. So, how does that compare to last year's budget >> under the SERM terms? >> Well, last year was what? 321 162 808 according to the bottom. >> Last year our operating budget was >> is it line 48 or 50? >> Hold on. Hold on. Hold on. 697. >> Yeah, it's >> it was this - 915,000. It was 30 million 245. >> So what's the 32162 808 that you say is FY26 budget? >> That's the whole budget. >> So what >> this this Okay.
032When we're doing guidance, we're only doing it on the operating budget. The entire budget includes things like additional warrant articles. >> Okay. >> Yeah. And we're not counting that now. >> No. >> So, it's 30 million and change. >> So, it was 30.2 million. So, our view Oh, that's big. It's a 7% increase from last year's operating budget, which we've never actually >> from last year's operating budget. Yes. But we've never actually done that. We've never done that kind of comparison before. But okay. >> When you're done, >> but I don't have but I'm missing two significant parts and that's NHRS. that is. So I'm I'm I'm there are some double counts in there on NHRs because the Samberiz HA agreement already include in included NHRS calculated on that amount of money on >> about
033$400,000 or somewhere around $400,000 and I don't know what the NHRS amount is. So, some of the amounts in here are higher than what I think NHRS is going to be higher than what it's going to be. And I think there are so many moving parts. I so I really can't say there is a rate change going into this year and a known double count because I know that that Samberized HA agreement includes some NHRS cost related to the additional amount and I have no idea where special education is going to be. So it seems to me that we're really not ready and we can't u agree or at least come with an initial guidance. >> It it is it that's and that's what's up for discussion tonight. >> And I think and I think
034that we at least we have an efficient process. Nobody's arguing about the process. It's just a matter of obtaining the the actual numbers and I think we can delay making that decision till the next meeting. The other thing that will give us time to also do the example calculation if we assume actuals. >> So that's the next part >> which we've done before. >> Yes, that's the next part of the conversation. >> Everyone is jumping all over the place. [laughter] >> I divided the the hypothetical requested operating budget by the by 30.2. >> Yep. >> I only come up with a 3% increase. Now, did you or did you use the 32.4? >> I used 32.4. 32. >> Okay. So, that's the guidance. The guidance suggests a 7%. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yes. The
035other one would be >> roughly million%. >> Yes. I think again just not knowing where really having no direction on where you know two you know special education is a significant driver of the budget as and NHRS is you know it's a it's a it's a solid amount of money so so that is so let me just finish one thing after so the operating budget is the amount that we would be determining preliminary guidance on and the amount that goes actually on um once we kind of work through things and finalize numbers and things like that is the operating budget that is is goes into a warrant article and then every other piece of the warrant every other article are the things that are saying add amounts of additional articles to get to a total
036budget. So the things that are just kind of listed there would be if we were collective doing um a CBA uh negotiation for H for the professional staff which we are not doing. So that'll absolutely be zero. Hessa, the support staff contract um is we're not negotiating, but we're in the oh my second year of the contract, I think. >> I think so. >> It was it was it matched it lined up. >> It should be the same, unfortunately, the same as the professional staff because we did >> Oh, you did them at the same time. But but but ended it a year when they made that change. >> Hessa is never sandized though. We always bring that forward on an annual basis. So again, I put in $85,000 as the placeholder. >> Would it
037be easier for you if it was samberized? >> It's not samberized this time around. And so I'm not I just don't know if I don't >> a separate discussion. >> I don't know where that calculation what amount is going to be put in the warrant article for the Hessa contract. So I would be relying on the business office for that. I have a placeholder of 300,000 for the expendable trust. Again, that's more from experience than any projects or new items that are guiding our decision- making here. We typically um have a $125,000 contingency. I believe our special education trust fund is fully funded and there'll be an assessment um for the SAU budget which we can we'll talk we'll talk about the SAU budget in a few minutes but what I did to arrive at
038that number was basically took the amount that we um had in last year and I overlaid the increase of the entire budget. It is not the official number. Um it has the um aortionment formula hasn't been done yet on the budget because that budget is still kind of working its way through. It's really just a placeholder and by I I felt good about the assumption that if the budget's going up by x% then so too will our allocation. So that's how those numbers were were derived. I don't know if there will be any other projects, programs or anything that's going to be brought forward. Um, so it's really was just, you know, my shot at kind of putting in placeholders and and just kind of filling in blanks >> at this point >> based on
039prior years of >> Okay. >> subject matter expertise and prior prior year uh historical data >> probably as good as anything. >> So that gets us through that that first column, column B is really just kind of how we've just done things. um what we've for close to 10 years that's been our kind of guidance model that we've used. It's a consistent approach that the Hollis budget committee uses when they look at their um budgets and we we've consistently applied this approach probably four or five years ago. Um we I added column E which is I'm calling that the calculated FY27 and that's the view that's going to be based on FY25 actuals. So, where we finished in June of this year, adjusted for things we know got approved at the district meeting and all
040of the other puts and takes that go along with it. And what that view has proven to us over say the last three or four years is that they come really close. And what we've determined over the last three or four years is that any difference calculated between the two was marginal and we defaulted back to the original way that we've just approached it. We've been doing things without the FY26 detailed view. Again, I just I'm not comfortable with where that calculated view is right now. So tonight's meeting is coming with a lot of placeholders and a lot of need for scrubbing data and better information. But I wanted us because our our approach has always been, you know, we set preliminary guidance in October. I wanted us to have something to look at and
041talk about and make a determination if it's really better um in this case for us to mo move forward to November. We'll have just we'll just have better information. >> What do you want communicated to the school board? >> I'm waiting to hear from the other budget committee members first before I answer that question. >> Okay. >> So, Raul has proposed waiting till until November. And so, I just like to hear from Melanie and Tony to see if and again, the number is preliminary and it can change. I I I mean this is better than just a it's not a wild guess. It's a pretty good educated guess and I don't think it can be that far off. I'm I'm okay with waiting and having it more precise. That's >> okay. >> There's no downside
042to waiting, right? Or is there >> there is downside. Well, the the advantage we have in in in putting forward preliminary guidance in October, which is why we've always done it, is to give directional information to the board to the business office and the board. Um, again, lacking information. Um, you know, we could we could look at a recalculation of NHRS and >> let's do it like an engineer. Put a tolerance on it. >> Plus or minus what percent? >> My perspective is There is a psychological difference between roughly two to 3% which is based on 31.1 number and 7% which is based on the 324 and I don't want the public that are people that are listening to us to get a run with it. You know there's a certain amount of uh >>
043well the numbers haven't been finalized. there's not much uh confidence >> uh in the the numbers right now with there's a lot of confidence in the process. I don't want the public to start running around thinking that they uh the the the budget guidance is 7% higher and all of a sudden there's going to be confusion or perhaps misinterpretation of what's really going on. So I >> But that 31 that 31 >> is has no direct bearing on guidance. >> No. Um R's comparing it to where our operating budget was last year. >> That was 30.2. He would he said 31.2. >> Yeah. You gave a number of 31.1. You basically said the range based on all that is assumptions. >> This is the problem with putting these numbers out. It is an absolute I
044have absolutely nothing to tell me that that's what it's going to be. >> That's a number that she um as a placeholder for what she what what the budget um what the administration will come to with a request. It's >> that's that that's that's as good an input as anything. >> But it's it's it's a placeholder number. She could have put in five and it would be as equally as accurate. >> Well, I don't know about that. I do. >> It really has has [snorts] >> I have no idea. >> The question is whether this 32.431 431 uh 32431878 number is useful at this point in time as a starting point for guidance from this committee. And if and what I'm saying is if you have concerns about it being premature, is there any way
045to put a um some limits on how much you think it might vary. Will it vary by 2%? Will it vary by 1%? Um so for instance, do you think that with all the possible changes that are yet to come, is it likely to exceed 33? Is it likely to be less than 32? If if not, then you're talking a variance of about 6%. So that would say you're talking somewhere between 6 and 8%. If if uh if you think it could go up to say 35 um or you might drop as low as 30, then you're talking u a much bigger range. a variance. I'm I think it would be nice to have the information as early as possible to if you really want it to function as guidance as opposed to just a
046reaction. >> Well, I I personally feel uncomfortable proceeding with a number tonight. >> Okay, Melanie. Yeah, I can see both sides of it. I think having having more information makes us look more credible. I I like that idea. I know they need the sooner they get this the better, but let's have it be, you know, good solid information, >> right? Okay. And >> I would wait. >> Okay. And we in that case, waiting until November, we would be because we will have we'll have a lot more information at that time. I'll tell you the other pieces that we'll have in addition to the budget. Um we that November number would not be a preliminary number. It would be guidance. So just letting everybody know that what October does is let us say it's preliminary. Let's
047look at some more things. Let's get some better information and then no and if need be we can make some you know adjustments in November. I will say for the last few years we've never had to readress. We've always been in a good place. But I do um I don't want to be so like we have just always done this and this is what we're doing. Um, I really do kind of just also feel like I don't I I don't want to um make assumptions and and put something out there that, you know, just isn't really um it's, you know, grounded on so much old information and not, you know, current and the best information that we have. So I would be and and also we do have a smaller subset of the budget committee
048available too. I do like to have um as we're putting guidance forward as many members present as possible so that as many members can that many members can give um their perspective and input and ask questions as opposed to you know four out of seven. We're missing you know a fair chunk of the committee. So >> prior to next meeting is it okay to exchange information among us >> without necessarily taking votes? I no >> so it cannot be >> there I'm not sure what type of information >> it >> can be one way I mean >> like on some parameters if we got parameter values of some kind >> if we got um you know received so here are the list of things we're going to see in no in November we're going to
049get the NASDAQ enrollment numbers we will know um adequ we'll get adequacy the adequacy estimate for the upcoming year we'll know, and we know this right now, but I I haven't looked it up. Um, we'll know what the statewide educ and part this is part of adequacy is knowing the statewide education property tax and and what piece of it um our communities are going to be responsible for. We will have what else will we have? Um well, obviously we'll have the budget view and >> will you get the SAU? We will yes we will know um we have a good view of the SAU budget and I will share that with you but we'll be by the end of November we'll be one step closer because right after our November meeting the final budget will
050be going to the governing board for public hearing and review and approval. So, we'll we'll have that finalized and I would say over the next month the business office and the the board would have a very clear view of additional initiatives and things that they're considering unless right now you have that view of anything you could share like are you anticipating there to be you know bonds leases other warrant articles for other than the things that we typically put forward has been anything specifically brought up, has there? >> Not that I'm aware of. I don't want to speak out of turn, but no big items that are on on my radar. >> And um I I don't think there's any that isn't already on the radar. >> Is the NHRS number pretty firm that's in
051here now? >> No. What's what's keeping it from being so >> that number was calculated on last year's salaries >> or this current year's salaries, not on next year's salaries. >> Is that just the amount of time you had to do it? >> I don't calculate that. >> Who does [snorts] know? He will put together an estimate of of salaries for FY27 and assign FICA and New Hampshire retirement to that and come up with an a new amount. >> Is there anything other than time that has prevented that from being available yet? >> Um time and and knowing it. So kind of seeing the guidance document when it came out. >> Well, in terms of salaries and benefits, none of that comes out of guidance. uh knowing that it needed to be available for this.
052So the information is there. So yeah, we just need to pull. So no, we're not waiting on anything to get that specific piece. >> So I'll say so the so what we to what we've had in the past was that full view that you know I don't even know it's 800 and something like we've had that full view. I look at a spreadsheet and I'm like okay I can pull NHRS off of that and and >> you don't have that yet. >> No, those are the the that's the that first view is the view that's that I don't have. Okay. So we can we can still do that and and wait until November and we'll have I would say by the end of November we will have a very firm view from the business office
053of where the budget is. But uh there are elements that are not discretionary within that and a very large one almost 50% of it is salary and benefits. >> Yes. >> And I'm just surprised that that's not already in your hands. it we're I know I have the placehold you know I have the placeholder and the amount for for NHRS that was in 26 >> did you did you bump that by the >> the only thing it's bumped by is adding in the samberized ha amount from the the contract from two years ago >> 2 point something% because >> so >> our our our salary is salary table structured with a fixed percent rate steptoep. >> Yep. >> Did Did you bump Is that what you faced? >> I took the dollar amount that was
054in the warrant. >> I don't >> Oh, for when it was predicted for each of the three years. >> Yes. >> Yeah. That that's that's obsolete because the of the amount of turnover we've had. Yes. >> What if we were to take the current payroll and bump that by the contractual increase that's that's in all our step tables. >> So this is and this is why I rely on the calculation from the business office because aside from that they know about lane changes they know which are what happens when teachers accumulate things. That's not calc. So I don't want to make an assumption of what the number is. So if with a preliminary budget view, I can take the actual calculation that you're calculating and take it, you know, take it in and out and
055I know that that's number you have confidence in because it's been calculated. >> I'm just concerned that you don't have that already because >> the census has move, you know, staff has moved, the census is there, um, and all of those things. Those are two other things we'll have the census of the current staff and the insurance census to just see who's on what plan and things like that. >> So >> yeah that that is get out ASAP and that is >> and that is in our numbers. I just didn't know they needed to be here. >> Do you have them with you now? >> Uh not that I can pull up right now. >> Question is are we fully staffed? If the answer is yes then that gives us a good idea for next
056year moving up. >> Yes. So who's retiring in network? We have all we have all >> and that's all that all of that information is housed with within the business office. They know exactly where people are. They can move this move this move them up a step as >> well is saying that that number has actually already been calculated. He just hasn't given it to him because he didn't know they needed it. >> So we got a communication problem. I think that so listening to this there's no reason not to wait and be more correct. >> Yeah. And I think we'll just have a lot everybody will have a lot more information >> um in November and I think then we can feel everybody can feel good about where the process is. I don't feel
057good about me saying I kind of use this as a placeholder. I'm you know and I'm >> No, no, it's f it's fine. Um, how does NASDAQ enrollment play into your guidance? >> Uh, it ju it gives us it doesn't necessarily um well, it plays into guidance because if we see a big drop in in um a big drop in enrollment change or or conversely a big increase, we'll ask questions like, are you anticipating needing more staff? Are you anticipating need needing less sta less staff? few um fewer, you know, members. If you have consumable materials and things that you purchase on a per student basis and your student counts are going higher or lower, then those costs are going to go higher and lower, you know, things like that. So, it's just it's just
058another indicator for us to it isn't um as direct of an impact as it would be at say the primary school level where you're actually counting teachers and you know, 22 to 24 kids per class. I know that it's different at the middle and high school levels and it really isn't a one for one. You got rid of 20, you know, 25 students down, we can get rid of a headcount. I we we all know that that's not how it works, but it just just does just give us some guidance of if we're starting to see a trend um or when we can anticipate some of those higher numbers that we're seeing at the lower schools moving up and aging up into the middle school and high school. because right now I would say um
059I think the numbers I don't think we're seeing the increases here that the lower schools are seeing and anticipating and so it's going to kind of the wave needs to come through. Um but that's what you know NESD is good for in my experience identifying a trend more so than the hard number. Um but what it also does help with um is the Hollis Brookline distribution of students which contributes to the aortionment formula. And so if we if I see a dramatic shift in um the headcount then I know there'll be a dramatic shift in how aortionment would work. So it's it it helps in that regard as well. Did I say tax rates will be set? tax rates will be finalized. That kind of information >> we incorporate into our a tax model that
060we have. So there's just a lot of information that comes literally within the next couple of weeks. Does my [clears throat] does the ongoing activity in conquer to move costs from the state to the local districts in any way affects us or does that happen only at the the tax burden side of things from does it doesn't really directly affect the budget? >> It's not affecting anything now. adequacy is is the next piece of information we get from the state is going to be adequacy and that's the key driver to the revenue side of things. Um the rates are already set to increase by two each each there are several categories to an ade the adequacy aid um and the rates are set to increase 2% and that's then what we get as a district
061is then decided by average daily membership and the counts that are based on the counts that are determined once October 1 enrollment is finalized and that's based on not only um average daily membership but the special education counts, the free and reduce counts, which I know don't affect our district as much as it does other districts. Um, all of those things contribute to the ad adequacy. And again, while that doesn't directly affect the level of the budget, it it affects the level of the tax impact to the community, >> meaning the tax. >> So, it's all part of the process. If it's not if it doesn't directly affect calculating the budget, it has a downstream effect in calculating tax impacts. >> But if um on the the decisions as to what's a the whole idea
062of a donor state and I mean a donor community that doesn't that's is that all captured in the like grants and revenue side? >> Yes. >> So it's not actually It's it lessens what we get. It doesn't require us to get to directly give. >> Correct. And and the definition the kind of the old the definition of like donor receiver that you might have in your mind from many many [clears throat] years ago is not the same donor receiver conversation that's taking place now. We can have a whole conversation about that and maybe I can include that in the November meeting when we can talk about adequacy and talk about by looking at the adequacy amounts which um districts would be considered donor communities if they were not able to keep a certain portion of
063their aid. Uh but that's an entire conversation that >> doesn't affect the the budget at all. >> No, it doesn't affect the budget itself. It's It's >> not like we have to potentially send money somewhere. >> No. No. >> Okay. >> No. >> So, good question. I was going to ask that in another way, >> but um so we're dealing with the budget side. So, this is the cost side. Do we also deal with the revenue side? we'll we'll have a receive a revenue estimate and the difference you know the offset between the two will drive the tax the taxes and the tax impact >> and that's when we'll know more about how much Hollis Brookline will receive from the state >> we'll get we'll get a report so there'll be a there's a large
064adequacy file that comes out and Hollis and Brookline are um that information is included in a composite level so it's it's um there's a there's a subse a separate supplemental report that breaks out the co-op pieces of it and um then we'll very clearly know what all of our aid situations are for all of the districts. It's very discreet and specific based spec very specifically on headcount >> and we'll be talking about that in November. >> Yep. Because that would be great. >> Yep. Yeah. that adequacy number I it's usually do due out it comes out like middle of the month so hopefully between the 10th and the 15th we'll of November we'll have that information >> thank you >> are we ready to uh move to the next topic to take a vote or
065anything >> I don't think we have to take a vote in this case I think we're [snorts] just coming to a mutual decision that now is kind of not the time to issue preliminary guidance and we'll hold and hopefully have better attendance in November and better we'll obviously have more information but I hope it was a good walk through um for everyone and it is just a you know there's a it's a process of just you know constantly updating information so um good we'll leave it at that then um >> so I'll tell the board the guidance is 7%. >> H >> you don't even get to vote Mr. selling trouble. I get the vote on the board. >> Stop get it causing trouble. >> Show this microphone. >> Okay. Uh >> Okay. So, I
066really do feel terrible about this one that I honestly was on my way today and realized that I I don't know how I neglected to give everybody a budget view for the SAU budget. So Melanie, um I appreciate we're not taking anymore. We won't be uh we won't be taking motions and so I understand if you have a commitment and need to go. >> Um I just want to hear a little bit about this. >> Okay. >> Tony, if you could pass those along. I' I sent this to everybody late today and so I understand that no one's had a chance to look at it. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, um, it's it's a seven page. They're numbered one to seven. It's a seven pager. So, can >> I have one comment about this draft?
067>> Um, [clears throat] there was two small updates made uh tomorrow. The SAU budget committee will get um a version of this and and ask for feedback, input, see if we're going to meet again >> before anything final goes forward. Okay. >> Uh, but it's very similar. >> Okay. from me. >> That's one set. >> I gave you a whole set. I I handed the sets off all together. >> Oh, he he gave he split them up in >> Oh, no. I gave I I did the whole thing. It's one one three, five, and seven. Here, wait. Put them all. How many do you need? I have extra. >> Four. >> Okay. >> I think I'm >> so I don't want to leave in the middle of what you're saying. Melania, we can we can
068chat or watch the view or you know what >> that would be great. >> Watch the view. >> No, but you know the the the the live stream. [laughter] >> Thank you all. Thank you. >> Okay. So, >> okay. Fine. Um the SAU budget subcommittee is comprised of um the superintendent, the um assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction, uh the business administrator, assistant business administrator, Linda Sherwood, and a member of the finance or budget committee for each district and a a board member from each district and a governing board member, the treasurer for um the governing board. >> Does he show up to your meetings? >> Yes. >> Good. >> He does. When he's late, I'm the one who can text him to find out why he's late to the to the Zoom call. But
069anyway, um we did meet and subsequent to the uh I believe we were on draft four at the meeting. The budget went to for discussion and review by the governing board which yielded a draft five. So at the time that draft four was put together again missing information because you know we didn't have information on insurance rates and things like that. So all that information kind of crystallized um after we met, but the net result of um for the budget which really is uh headcount driven for the staff of the business office. So uh I think it's is it 18 or 19? H we're I need I I always struggle with that. >> I'm running through it in my head. Right. >> Yeah. Right. So it's it's it's I think under 20 people. um at
070the business office and um the the budget proposal itself is broken out by you know superintendent and um related expenses, assistant superintendent expenses and business office, HR, food service, technology, what else is there? um communications, compliance and communications, maintenance of the location itself, benefits for for the team there. Um one of the things we discussed as a committee um when the budget we might have been actually on draft three when we met as a committee um salary increases that were incorporated were 4%. As a committee we ended up asking those to be reduced to three and a half. There's a um merit pool that is available um at the end of the year for in addition to the salary increases, the superintendent to use her discretion to award other increases or um stipens or bonuses
071at the end of the year. And uh we asked at that time for a uh a reduction to be made. the the budget subcommittee asked for a reduction to be made to equal um prior year actuals. Uh the governing board came back and um made a slight adjustment to that but maintained the three and a half% increase in um based on something close to CPI and uh the NHRS rate for and that 12.75 lance that's for everybody at the business office >> correct? I think there was one person who just switched over. >> So there are two rates for insurance. Certified staff is at 19.23% that uh as an employer the district has to um report to this, you know, send in and submit to the state and 12.75% for other non-certified um staff or
072hourly staff. And I want to be clear that in everyone's understanding of those rates, that does not mean that 19% or 12.75% of someone's salary is going into an account for that individual. Um the insurance rates set up by NHRS include a payback, if you will, of some money that was um taken out of the uh balance of the NHRS fund probably now close to 20 years ago, and there's been a basically a 30-year mortgage or [clears throat] amortization of payback of that amount of money. So the rates are s are high but I I don't want anyone to be under the um misappreh misunderstanding that you know for anyone in employee in our district 12.75% or over 19% is being put in an account specifically for that person's retirement. That is not how the
073New Hampshire retirement system works. >> Replacing poor uh investment management. >> Correct. >> Yes, that's a great >> principal. >> Yep. And uh just so that everyone understands on the other side of things, employees can every employee um of the district who can res um is eligible for a pension at retirement contributes 7% of their salary to their specific retirement. So there's 7% from every employee. >> Is that minimum or is that maximum or >> 7%? >> Minimum. That's it. >> That's it. >> Flat. >> Max. >> Flat. That's it. Flat. >> Minimum. Max. >> Mhm. >> Okay. Um, so there were a couple, you know, some >> so because of, you know, certifications and things like that, we do I did identify almost $10,000 worth of savings because of a rate change applied to
074one of the um administrators, uh, the change in the insurance rates and dental insurance rates are, um, are scheduled to go up by that over 4%. So that so where the budget stands right now is at 2.554 million. Lance, is this the view that I have? Is this the 2.55? Yes, it's the 2.554 view. And that's really all there is to it. There were no really there were no additional onetime expenditures or additional professional development or anything like that. So again, I want to offer my apologies for not having this information to you in advance at the meeting for you to kind of take a look at some of the light items and things like that. And so I'll happily um take any of your questions now or if you just want to direct them
075to me, you know, by by email, I'm happy to address any of your concerns. So your questions, I don't know, Lance, are we scheduled to meet again as a subcommittee? >> We don't have a date set. >> Okay. So there'll be but there'll probably be one more. um we meet by Zoom and we'll um review the the the final um view of this budget and the presentation that'll go to the governing board's meeting and public hearing on December 10th. Is that the date? >> That's a Thursday usually, I believe. >> Oh, that's the 4th. The 11th. I have is the 11th 6 to9. >> Okay. 1211. Okay. Okay. So I think it really is just really a pretty it's a pretty significant salary and benefit driven budget. And as a reminder, >> the other thing
076that's [cough] showing on here what it is relative to the adjusted >> I'm sorry. >> Does it list the list it relative also lists the adjusted or the default or whatever? >> Yes, the last um section >> to the right at least FY27 adjusted. Second from the right. >> Right at the end, Tom. >> Yeah. No, I'm looking at it. >> My recollection is they're very close. >> Yes. >> So, it's 2554 versus 258. >> That's 16,145 is the difference between the two. >> Okay. All right. Um, 15 minutes. We can't take any motions. I'm not even sure how we technically adjourn at this point. Um, noting that Melanie [laughter] Melanie left at 7:40. So, the meeting I guess the meeting technically ended when Melanie left, but um, it was around 7:40. 7:40. Yes. Yes.
077Around 7:40 when she left. >> Um, SA budget schoolboard update at this point. Oh. Um, Lance, I had monthly results on there. Um, I think you mentioned some we were still working through some format changes and >> and I can touch on that if you'd like. Okay. Quickly. >> Um, so tweaking the way our revenue and expenses reports look to kind of make some of that transfer piece clear, a little more clear maybe that we talked about last time. Make it a little more user friendly. Um, one thing I did pull, um, was the current expenses piece just to kind of share that we're in a good spot. We're still dialing in revenues. Um, but, you know, for reference of the of the budget, the balance that's not encumbered right now is uh, 749,68 at
078this point. Last year was 633,000. the year prior negative 212, the year prior 487,000. So feel like we're in a good spot in terms of expenses where we want to be and and looking at that historically. Um and then we can finalize that report. Um there had been a question last time for the year end. The one piece that wasn't updated was the fund balance retained. Um the board voted on that at their last meeting to retain $376,443 which was 1.5%. Um so the remainder which is 773 [snorts] uh 785 uh will be return to offset taxes. Um okay >> The tax rate. Correct. Um, so that's a quick update on those pieces. Um, should I keep going on anything else or >> if you have something else to share then? >> Well, I kind
079of want a general overview on the budget which we've already touched upon and uh, but kind of ties back to what we were talking about. Our preliminary numbers are are all in. We're kind of scrubbing through the lines right now. So, that's where like those personnel numbers exist. So, we do have them. Um I I I think they need a once over um before they kind of go out to people, but they can start being used in things like the guidance. I think that'll be helpful. So uh those pieces are there and and and we're combing through them. I I imagine a pretty good version of that is going to exist next week. Um so so we're close on that that first go through and then you know we can take a scalpel to it.
080um or whatever cutting implement >> y choose for that analogy. Um so it's kind of where we are with that piece and I wanted to make sure I shared that out um terms of working with the DRA to get revenues in and and update everything. Uh board members will get tomorrow a copy of the DOE 25 and MS-25 to sign off on. That's all all the districts uh have been approved at this point. Have you had the rate setting call yet >> from the DRA? >> No, I've I've been on the phone a lot with Cat. She's our adviser, but we haven't done >> Who actually Who is the adviser for >> uh Katherine Daivera, if I'm pronouncing her last name correctly? >> Okay, great. So, that'll be obviously coming soon. So, as soon as
081um because we do have a tax model that Tom Gillian and I use, uh as soon as the rate as soon as you have those approved sheet tax sheets um for each community we because we include Brookline in it as well um for house and Brooklyn that would be helpful. So, whenever those are available, that would be great. >> Okay, I'm gonna go to Tony. Is that it, Lance? >> Sure. Yes. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Tony. >> Advisory Committee. >> Yeah. Um [clears throat] yeah, I this week was the third meeting and we're just starting to get organized, but the uh I'll say the edict based on the warrant article is the advisory committee is to try to look and have a 10-year plan out looking at those capital items, whether they should be
082bonded or some other mechanism. And um I think it's a good idea. It's a good exercise. And I think there there things in the town that get neglected because they, you know, say the selectman don't want to raise the taxes so much to fix everything. Then certain things fall off and then get to a point where it's too late. You got, you know, everything's an emergency. So, they're going to try to avoid those kinds of things. And um we sit in this because we're kind of odd where we don't have a lot of capital equipment and it may get collected someplace else, >> you know, through some other uh you know, uh committees and some the SAU, you know, the the the primary school. And what we're looking at here is mostly an operating budget.
083But that being said, they want to have visualization to any items that are $10,000 or over. So when you start looking at things like doors, is that a capital item or not? However, I think once they understand a little bit more about how we work, then it will become a lot easier because looking at the way we do things and the way we fund them through maintenance reserve funds, things like that, they don't show up as a capital item. They get paid for on a multi-year basis, like the roof, for instance. and our c carrying cost for that is a pittance compared to maybe a bond. So I think they the more they understand about us the better off they'll be because we don't have emergencies. We really don't and uh we try to keep
084things consistent. I think it's really very want a well-run organization but there are some things that I think Tom you asked for is inputs and outputs. How do we get information into them? How do we get information back? And I raised that as a question and I would be the first conduit. You tell me something, I tell them something. And then um I can bring back to you the information that you requested. Also, um the chair is Mark Cost. I don't know if you people know Mark. Very nice guy. He's I think relatively new to the town, but he's done these sorts of things other places in larger towns and so he's helping out as the chair involved with this, but he would come on a monthly basis or whatever we need and come speak
085directly. You can give your inputs to him and he can talk directly to questions which he's offered to do. And so Tom, the school board has um representative on that committee as well, >> Rob. Okay. >> Um >> my bigger question was the communication directly to superintendent business administrator. >> Yep. So >> how does that occur? >> Yep. So, one of the things like um there were some you know requests for information um to better understand like the aortionment formula and things like that which I provided because I've been working with the aortionment formula for a really long time. I'm happy to go talk to the committee um if they'd like to understand it, but um and I firmly believe that any uh calculation of you know what's attributable to each community should not be
086coming from this committee. Um the aortionment formula the the components of it are e are you know as we deal with this you know aortionment as a matter of course I just the that responsibility I feel needs to belong with the business office so that the superintendent does have insight into what's being requested and the information that's being shared for exactly that reason. So are they are they >> So what I but what I did have But what I did have and I forwarded were the four >> um the debt schedule that I used to develop the chart that I I I put forward. Um, and I had oh the CIP from the last budget and I I provided that information and I think Tony you mentioned that you know he was looking for more
087information related to the budget but we ju and we just don't have it yet because Hollis school district doesn't have it. We don't have it. We're just starting the process. He he serves Mark serves on the budget committee for Hollis so he's aware of the timelines and everything else and >> it's should be clear at this point that we're just getting started with the process. So, he I I feel like he definitely has something to work with. >> And um uh you can you can break the aortionment formula down into two very simple parts because capital long-term capital projects are based on equalized value. We can you can pull the um the last uh portionment report that was developed by the state to see exactly what those amounts are but they're always in a rears
088as well but it's about a 7030 split and ADM is always in the range of you know 5545 that's about where we are maybe it's 56 maybe at 44 but we're around 5545 so for purposes >> there again >> yeah I mean I haven't looked at it for this year. But that's around I think >> that's when we hit a either a 5050 or a 4951 one year >> we did. >> That was a long time ago though. >> It was a few years a couple years ago. I have I think I have >> it was just precoid. >> It was let's see. So it was it was 51 54.7 Hollis 45.3 Brookline. That's what we used for the last budget >> and it was 68.3. It did it moved from 69. It was 68.3
089Hollis, 31.7 Brookline for the 2024 EV. So, because that's is all always swinging in a rear. So, it yielded um an aortionment distribution of pretty much 5545 in total. >> Okay. >> And then tax effort after all the state taxes we were estimating at like 5644. So the 5545 and the 7030 I think that gives them enough information to kind of work with and you know five years from now I don't know what the aortionment formula is going to be. We just kind of 10 years from now I we know what it's going to be for the next five years. 10 years from now I don't know. So you just kind of keep going out with what we have. >> So the action should be that once a year check with Darlene to see what
090she thinks. [laughter] They they're meeting twice a month. So my next meeting I think is the November 3rd and I'll be bringing them the information that we're talking about the aortment schedule that sort of thing. And it looks like from uh our prediction or forecasting of something that that would be a bond effort is zero. I mean there really isn't anything >> nothing new. And that and that's when you know as you know Rob is the board member should be you know speaking with through whether it's through Holly or directly to Gina about you know what those initiatives might be if there's ever going to be an enrollment committee if there's any kind of you know longer term plan and I think it I would imagine this just you know my two cents going past
091the five years is going to be really hard for us to put like the six to 10 year view out there it would really be so >> and historically better or worse, school system is reactive, not proactive. >> So you live with a couple years of uh of what may turn out to be unmanageable pain >> at which point they start the effort. You get the funding to do it. By the time that fun you get the funding to do it and you do it, there's a reasonable risk that the effect of not having that resource will have become a self-limiting thing to growth and then you spend the money and you build it and initially you don't need it. Um it's and then people look at that and say why did we do this
092and you don't really reap the benefits to it until you've had the resource in place for three to five years in which at which point the capabilities of the system one would hope recovers and again you now have a system that is doing really well for students and the people start responding and it goes in. So, so it's it's a very difficult process because of the funding mechanism. >> Yeah, I agree 100%. >> If you build it, they will come. But the the net result is that that and this is a problem that we we had in our conversation with Brookline uh town because Brookline does uh use the CIP to what's the what's the term um what they charge builders >> impact fees. impact. They charge impact fees and they wanted to know what
093was planned for uh expansion to deal with projected growth. [clears throat] And the answer that the town got was that well we don't really do hypothesizing because anytime we we do a plan there's an immediate reaction from the community saying you're planning on spending money there it's very difficult to do it as a hypothetical the way the town does. Um so it has un self-fulfilling prophecy that we don't plan well in terms of growth. If the growth occurs, we react and respond to it. But the usual response is dealing with an overcrowding situation and seeing if if it resolves itself because if your schools are overcrowded, people do things to reduce the population themselves. >> Yep. And you have to look at too is the the turnover in in >> we're going to lose the
094nonquorum. >> We're so below for quum. I don't even know what to do right now. Like do I have to take a motion? What happens if you don't the meeting just end? I don't even know. >> Just real quickly on the school board. Okay. Um what Lance uh talked about from the retained FUD balance was a fairly lengthy discussion, but the original suggestion was to use 2%. U and what we ended up going with was a 1.5% for a couple of reasons. One is historically we haven't been using a lot. Number two is 1.5% puts us at approximately level funding for what we have. Last year we were at about 350,000. It's 376 thou,443. So we're we're maintaining that and it gives us more money to give back. Um, we had a big part of
095why we had that retained fund balance is the ongoing work in in our student services area. Um, to now have staffing that we don't have to contract out for anywhere near as many specialists. And the cost of specialists through contract is two to three times of that of having them on staff because of the rates you pay through through contracting services for for those specialists. And uh they've done really well at creating the services in district which is the least restrictive environment for our students as well as benefiting the general population through some of the interactions and the skill sets that it's bringing to our overall staff uh capabilities. So those things net together gave us comfort with going with a level funding amount and giving more money back to the town because they had
096funded >> like we always do with a budget. We have to fund for worst case. >> We don't have an option. But if we're not hitting worst case, let's take that excess and return it because that's in my opinion and I think much of the board fairest way to treat our taxpayers. >> We uh should we schedule an overview of the student services program sometime between now and March? Um, so one of the things I wanted to mention was um that Lauren did do Lauren Dig Janeiro did do a um full overview at the last board meeting and um the board packet that I gave everyone a link to included her presentation and her if you watch the live stream on YouTube her presentation starts at 30 minutes. Um I did ask her um for
097some and and um Lance for some additional information with regard to Medicaid funding and Lauren did offer to come at some point and give us an overview of the new Medicaid platform, which I think would be really interesting to just kind of know about. So, okay. Um, depending on where special education takes us in the budget, I think we did an overview with her. >> Feel like we did it last year. Um, but since we did recently do it, unless everybody really wants it and she has that other overview available and she's willing to come speak on the Medicaid platform, I think our time is well spent kind of understanding that Medicaid piece a little bit. >> So, good. >> Okay. I don't want to I'm not trying to rush anybody, but I honestly have
098never been faced with a situation where I didn't have a quorum present to end a meeting. So, >> we have a we don't have a quorum now. >> Tom is not a voting member. >> When you left, you lost a quorum. So, we I think I think the meeting ended when >> unfortunately Brian apparently wasn't able to >> apparently not. So, um >> the meeting ended I I put it at >> 7:40. Okay. Um and I I really I don't even think I can really take a motion. So, it'll end when we all leave and end the um the meeting. But I appreciate everyone, you know, spending the additional time and I think we'll be just better on track in November. And um >> do we have the date for the November meeting? >> We
099do. I don't recall what it is and I didn't have a chance to review the minutes. So >> it will be the week the uh the maybe a Monday prior to Thanksgiving. Is that more? >> We we we spoke about it I think in September and I will get that information. >> I think we put it on for Wednesday the 19th. Wednesday the 19th. Thank you. >> That's what I have it in my calendar as. >> Perfect. Wednesday the 19th. Thank you, Lance. I appreciate that as well. >> Great. Wednesday the 19th. Okay. >> Thank you very much. >> Go ahead. >> I think we're done. >> I don't know. >> I thought it was a good meeting, though. >> Well, great. Appreciate it. >> You don't have to cry. >> No, I'm not going
100to cry. I'm not going to cry. Just kind of how the day's gone today. So Tom, if you'd like to give us an overview, Ro, you're excused since we didn't only even have technically a meeting in session anymore. >> My only my only comment was that um I think things went well and and discussions were were appropriate and and useful. Um I really liked the degree to which you were able to articulate the methodology for coming up with guidance. Um, I think that I'm hoping that going forward that we can get the information collated and consolidated uh perhaps earlier so that it it's it's around and and I what I don't know because I haven't been involved with it long enough is to what degree It's just a question of identifying who has what responsibilities
101versus articulating what the information needed is. So is it that um do we need to communicate better to the business office what's needed or does someone know what's needed but it's not sure who's putting it together? So and part of this is that your predecessor I think had so much involvement in the process that it became internalized tribal knowledge that has not necessarily been um recorded and documented in a way that that it's transferable. So we to whatever degree we can recreate that in a in a a published environment. So you because you've got this calendar but I don't know to what degree the calendar and the prerequisites are defined that help. Um I'm wondering in terms of having a quorum is this an unusual event? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> This has never happened.
102>> Did we know we were going to be so close to having to not having a quorum? >> No. >> Okay. So I I I would >> I thought I was going to be a clear quarum >> and that's not how things >> I would impress upon my fellow budget committee members to perhaps be clearer in their abilities and [clears throat] perhaps more honest in their availabilities. >> Yes, that would be helpful especially at this time of year. So >> present company accept [laughter] >> um I think I think we're finished. >> I think we're finished. You going to stop it? >> Please do.