Public Hearings and School Board Meeting 1/6/26

0015:00 p.m. uh for a meeting of the Hopington School Board for a public hearing uh for two actually. One for the maintenance trust withdrawal um and the second for a contingency fund withdrawal. We'll move through these one by one. And I'm going to start by reading the text. Sound good? >> Yes. >> Okay. Um oh, and roll call. I'm so sorry. I'm here with Rob Nato, Jonathan Cohen, Suzanne Carmichael, Andrea Folsma is on her way. I'm Duly Mad Laoma. Amy Doyle, superintendent, Laura Taylor, BA Extraordin Mayor, Jody Con, our board secretary, our student reps, Lucy Beardmore, and Kipling Headquist, and Matt Stone on it in the background. Okay. Um, and before I get started, is there any other board comments? I'm really sorry. No, we're good. Okay, great. Okay. Um, so we are here at

002the Maple Street Cafeteria holding a public hearing on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. uh to gather public input on the withdrawal of of up to $440,000 from the Hopington School District building repair and maintenance fund for the Hopington Middle High School Security Redesign Project. At this 5:30 p.m. schoolboard meeting, the school board will vote on an action item regarding the withdrawal from the school district building repair and maintenance fund. All interested residents are encouraged to attend the hearing and provide written or oral comments. All right, Rob, I'm going to hand it over to you. >> Okay. Uh Laura, are you who's in control of the slides? Okay. >> So, this is uh a year and a half later and we are hopefully closing the loop on our security redesign project. I'm going to

003go fairly quickly through what most of us already know. So there is the rendering of what this new entry would look like from the Park Avenue side. Mim, you want to go to the next slide? And this is uh you know an update on that timeline. So again, we start in June 2024 with our architect uh who volunteered his services and did all of the initial work for us. Uh we received those plans. We went through the safety security committee who approved the plan. Um, stepping back, we asked Mr. Kelly to really vet that thoroughly at the middle high school with his staff, making sure that these changes would work and they were wellreceived overwhelmingly. Uh, same was true at the safety and security committee and then they moved it on to the school board

004uh for a vote. We put forward some money that summer to do some extra work. Uh we spent $1,800, I believe, on some external engineering just to make sure there was nothing buried there that we didn't know was buried there. In June, we sought a construction estimate for the project. And then in August, that estimate came back at $592,000, which was, you know, at a range where we felt that project definitely had legs um and a place to go. I had in the spring of 2025 shared the concept with the budget committee. >> Um and then in September once we had that estimate in hand and sort of a a payment strategy and plan shared it with the budget committee again. Um and that through that discussion there was a request for a stroke straw

005pole vote on that and it was 7 to1 in favor of moving forward not only with the project but with the funding scheme which is drawing some money from the contingency fund and some money from the CIP which was CIP money that we had we had used uh some fund balance for previously encumbered projects. So essentially, we're rededicating that money towards this project. Uh in October, the project went out to bid. We had six or seven contractors arrive at the middle high school. Um spent an hour or so looking at the project and asking questions. We gave them all of the materials. uh Jim Rziki who deserves mucho kudos not only for the the essential concept of this plan but all of his work that he's done uh you know in the last year and

006a half to move it along. Um so Jim had folks come back with their subs all of the contractors that desired that were able to do that in some cases multiple times. We ultimately received three bids for the project. um DL King, Turnstone, and Triple Construction. Uh we did interviews um here at Maple Street School with all three and had good conversations with folks. Um a large part of that process was not only looking at their numbers, but how they do their work and how they would work with us. Um next slide. So again as a refresher that is essentially the redesign of the floor plan as it would be. So giving us that proper double door uh inner vestibule going into our middle high school and the closing of the yurt which is really

007been the thorn in our side um not only from homeland security but nas and every other human that walks into that building and says what is this? Uh, next slide, Amy. And then a top- down view of this is really sort of a rendering of what we feel like this would look like. There would be a canopy uh on the exterior and a walkway with a handicap access. Um, and then some handicap parking and depending upon the adult, some additional parking to the right. Uh, and we've talked to Mr. Kelly about, you know, how this would change student flow. And essentially at 8:05 all entry to the building both leaving and coming in would be through this entrance. And then I think the next slide is on to the bids. So the three companies bid

008and those base bids range from 66,946 on up to 848,998. Uh to make it very clear, at our initial meeting with companies in October, Jim explicitly said, "Our budget is about $700,000. That's our target." So everybody was clear in terms of what the goals were. um the bids with the adults. So, the three adult alternates that we requested was a sink in the teachers room, um some additional parking, and then some external landscaping to be done to make everything uh look as it should for a proper public building. The after the interview process, the security redesign committee recommended triple construction for the project. Their base bid was 606946 and with their additional options was $92,500 which brought their total bid to $699500. Um certainly right at our goal target of $700,000. Uh we just had

009a discussion at CIP and that was also affirmed the uh the decision of the security redesign committee which was myself and Jim and Amy and Chris Kelly and Miss Laoma. I think Carrie was in the room. Um lots of folks and I might have missed somebody and Laura Taylor of course who we never can live without. Um so that is where we're at and that would be the the Do we have one more in terms of payment? Yeah. Okay. So, this would be paid for with two different um buckets. >> We are in the we are in the public hearing for the first one at the moment. >> Yes. Okay. So, so the first one that we're talking about, I'll mention the second just so we we know um is $440,000 would come from the

010repair and maintenance trust. And again, just to go through the mechanics of that, late last year, we had unassigned fund balance that came in. We opted to use that money on encumbered projects. So that money was never drawn out of the CIP as it would have been. So that grew that CIP to a little over $900,000 with the knowledge that we could then use that money for this project. So essentially this is fund balance money that was being assigned here. And in the second public hearing in a few minutes apparently we will talk about drawing 310,000 up to 310,000 from the contingency fund um article 10 for the balance of the project. And if you do the math that's $50,000 over the 700 but that's just in you know a contingency element. Um, in speaking

011with the contractor, I would be very surprised if we broke through that $700,000 ceiling. Any questions from the board? >> When was the first Homeland Security audit done? Like, because I know that a few years ago, >> 2022, I believe. Okay, that's the date. And so we've been talking about this since then and we've ticked off some of the other items like security cameras, double entrance at Harold Martin. >> Yeah. >> Double vested like a double entrance here. Um but we don't have a secure view entrance at the middle high school. Right. >> We have we do have a double entry in the yurt. It just passes into a very large public space >> where there isn't administrator eyes. Correct. Right. Okay. >> I also think that this was flagged during the last time we

012had our nias. >> Yeah. Yeah. correct 2015. >> Also, I'll just mention CIP just met and CIP also discussed the bids and we all voted in the CIP committee to also recommend the triple construction as well. So, for Wsworth, >> other questions from the board? I would just say I really appreciate I think that we this is something that you've been speaking about and the board has been speaking about for well over a year 18 months close to um and I what do you remember what the number of meetings that you had across the community was? >> So in terms of the community info sessions we did five. Um, in terms of publications, Chris Kelly had me rolling on a loop uh with the presentation during parent teacher conferences. I believe it's been posted on

013his website as well as the school district website. I'm not 100% sure of that. Um, >> so we've done lots of communication, lots of opportunity for people to ask questions or concerns. um lion chair of the concern or the the feedback is we've all known this has been a problem since Coline, >> right? >> So 20 some odd years later, we have a solution that is very affordable in terms of our modern building costs standards. Um, and I'm feeling strongly that the community is ready to move ahead and put this gap behind us. >> I had one more. Rob, can you just remind us um the purpose of the the trust fund that we're currently talking about? Like what was that trust fund designed for? >> So the maintenance trust fund. Yeah. So, this is

014for projects that are over $10,000 in cost that look to, you know, either resolve everything from air handling units to, you know, repaving to, uh, we're going to be talking about a boiler and a conversion to propane at the middle high school. Uh, it is a long-term looking out 10 years. We're actually having a discussion right now with the town CIP committee about how that all works and the machinations and how much money we need. Um, but again to revisit why that money is coming from CIP, it was that unassigned fund balance that came to fruition late in the year. um we had limited choices in terms of what we could do with it and by using that money for those encumbered projects it left it in the CIP and available for this project and

015I think we had a very clear and open discussion as a board that we were thinking about this when we made that decision to to pay for those encumbered projects with that thank you any other questions from the board I was just going to Rob, I think I had asked you because my first inclination was do we return this to taxpayers like right I'm new so I'm learning the process and I said like how much is that going to offset and I think it was 15 to $20 was the >> it would have it well it at 440 it would be about 30 cents on the tax rate so seven cents per 100,000 um and again I think that the concern whenever we in a particular year do that then the next year if you

016don't have the funds to replace that it creates an uptick the following year. So you see a drip a drop and then you're going to see a kick up. And my personal goal um on the board has been trying to use that contingency fund in a way. And I think if you look over the last few years, we've reduced our reliance on fund balance as revenue, but we've increased our reliance on the contingency fund. So the contingency fund becomes the conduit for using that as revenue. It is predictable. Again, in my view, you should always have enough in that contingency fund so that you're not only using the revenue for this year, but there's enough left for the following year. That predictability is in place. We're one cycle ahead. >> Thank you. Any other questions?

017>> I would just add one thing for the sink in the teachers room. Um, I think that that's a and the parking I think but especially the sink in the teachers room. I think it's a really important thing for an add-on. Um, otherwise there tends to be a hefty amount of um, issues in terms of cleaning stuff up, etc. Like it's it's very beneficial, I think, from a from a teaching staff community to have a sink there. So, I think that's a wise thing to do if we're going to have walls open, right? I think that's great. Thank you. I appreciate it. >> Anything else? Okay. We're going to move to public comment for this, then we'll talk about the next public hearing. Public comment, close it out. All right. Um, we are in the

018first public hearing for the withdrawal from the maintenance trust fund. If you'd like to come up, please state your name, address, uh, and I ask that you keep it to three minutes. [snorts] Trisha Lambert at 305 Galloping Hill Road. So, um it must be said that as far as the merit of the project, that's not what this is about. Um I personally believe that that money needs to be returned and it needs to be a vote at a March meeting so people know this is going to be a million-dollar project when it's all said and done. You're going to buy furniture, you're going to buy security systems, all those things. It's going to be that much. And I a million-dollar project. I think the people have the right to vote on that. The second concern

019has been my concern from the beginning. You're going to award it to triple. Triple was the was the um p the group or the company that provided the um engineers estimate which by the way came within $500 of the total amount when clearly the others were higher because that's probably what it actually costs. Um, when it's all said and done, there'll be change orders, some with money, some without, increase, decrease. I suspect that it's probably going to go up a bit based on what's currently happening in the in the market. It's for construction. um to be within 700 within $500 of the price. They had lots of time with the people in charge of this project to get to their subs to get those numbers which was the 592 I believe and now miraculously it

020comes in right under that threshold where the others did not. Um for those companies I would consider a protest and that is very standard in the construction industry. So I am against this for that reason and I think the money should have in the very beginning been returned and to look at the security as a whole. I think that this is a part of the problem. Who knows? I wasn't here in 99 but that yurt was probably built maybe the same way and now suddenly it's not good enough. So I would rather see like to see a comprehensive plan and uh it go back to the this money go back and then let's vote on it. Thank you. >> Thank you. Just a point of clarification, the difference in the triple estimate in their base

021bid was $15,000, not $500. 606,000 they came in at $592 for the rest of the >> total project. The total project is just under $500, which is the adults. >> I thought you were referring to the base bid on Blaming 124 Bet Road. Um, first off, I want to commend the board and the school district for having residual funds at the end of the year. Uh, this means that you're not wasting money and you are good stewards. Thank you. Um, my concern is that we want to take $440,000 out of our repair and maintenance fund. This is neither repair nor maintenance. This is a planned a planned event. And as I understand it, we were made aware of the need for this construction as far back as 2016. Is that correct? [snorts] So, we've had

02210 years to plan for this and yet we have not. And if we take $440,000 out of our repair and maintenance fund, which is really intended for the the roof collapses from a snow load, um something catastrophic happens with the heating system, that's what that money is for, an unplanned event. So if we take money that we have set aside for an emergency and use it on something that we have failed to plan for for 10 years now, um I suspect that the board is going to be asking the town to raise our taxes again in March to backfill this repair and maintenance fund. Um I don't think that's a good use of our money and it's not a good way to plan. We should have been planning this for 10 years. >> Thank you.

023>> Tom, if I may just clarify a little bit about the money from the CIP and how it came to be in the CIP. So again, in June, we became aware that we had $440,000 on assigned funding back. If we had a mechanism to say we want to put this money aside for this security redesign project, we would have done that. There was no mechanism. The only way to do it so that it would be available for this project was to use that unassigned fund balance to pay for already incumbered projects. Therefore, we didn't draw down the CIP. You following me? So, it's stable. You can end the year with a surplus and people can reward you by funding this project. Thank you. [snorts] >> Evening everyone. Lauren Clement, 86 Maple Street. Um, I've been

024following this from the get-go. been to watching it four times here when it was originally presented at the budget committee, at the auditorium, and at a GOP meeting. And I I I've thought about this probably more than most people in town. And um I the one thing that I initially felt is still consistent and it's that this should be a warrant article. This um $750,000 projects, no small chunk change. Um the all of the funds that are funding this truly came out of operational expense and that's where the legislative body stakeholders appropriated those funds. We're now shuffling them whichever way it came about um to a capital project. And here we are drawing off two different trust funds. The maintenance trust um aligned with our CIP. This item didn't hit CIP till four months ago.

025Um at last annual meeting or the one before um never was this project presented as a CIP item. It was not in the maintenance trust. And to me this feels like a misappropriation of funds. Um, we don't have to go backwards here, but we I I feel we should include the community and this shouldn't be a decision of five board members. It really should get kicked down to a warrant article and all the funds that are sitting in these accounts can stay right where they are. And you could have a warrant article and present it the way you're presenting it. And if the body, the legislative body decides that this is okay, then so be it. That's the will of the people. But the people have not had say in here. You guys garnished the

026funds at year end. I was here and it's it's now we we we did the presentation to the public the best you could with your abilities. And I I do want to say thank you for all the work that's gone in here. I'm not not recognizing this. I just don't want to get timed out. Um there I I appreciate your father-in-law and all the work that's gone in here and I don't feel that this is a bad plan. I just 750,000. How much was the operating increase last year for the budget we're in? It was less than $750,000. This is a huge chunk of change. And if you five board members are comfortable signing up for that on your own accord and not kicking this to the community, I I I know my answer. It's

027I I wouldn't want to do that. And I don't think pushing the pause button and moving this to [snorts] a warrant. I think we still have time to do it and letting more people speak and getting that validation from the body would be the appropriate means to move forward. So I am requesting that you vote no on this. Thank you. >> Thanks Lauren. >> Good evening. and Shioone Hopington Road. We've been here before. I stood before you when you put up a referendum or a movement of money for a hot water heater for $50,000 not to exceed. Yeah, the board didn't know what energy you're going to use or even any particulars about this hot water heater. But I see the seat that is slid on right by. I will agree with everyone else here.

028This should be tabled. Yes. is a very small dismal response you're getting from the general public this evening. But that contingency fund, you might need that a lot more because I'm going tell you right now, I have to budget to stay in this town before I can sell my house and get the hell out. You need to learn to budget your money so you can pay your bills because the people might come back and tell you your budget's not going to fly until you balance budget. So, I always say you better hold on to the cash you have. >> Any other comments? Candy Garvin 515 Bound Tree Road. I don't know if this is on because I could never hear who was speaking. Uh, I was around as my children were when 911 happened and

029when we needed to do something about security and we did have the funds. I don't have the numbers. I'm not a numbers gal. Um, I'm a person gal. Uh, and nothing was done then. Oh, there was then the gazebo shape was done and it wasn't a great plan. If you have an office up there and you're trying to buzz people in, poor planning, but it was done. Can't talk about that because it's done. Please consider putting it on a warrant for the people to vote. We are in the days of we need to be careful with our money. You're not quite there yet, but you're going to be there. Let's teach our kids about budgeting and don't have the burden on five board members. Please don't do that. Uh I also think the communication has

030been really good and I also appreciate the work that you've done but and it's a big one. Not enough for the people in Hopington. Not when our taxes have gone up. And you know what? They're not going down. We know that they they don't go down. Your valuation goes up, but the tax rate goes down. Come on. We know that. We know what's going to happen. It's not your fault. That's how it is. Let's change. Please put it to the voters. Please. Thank you very much for your considerations. And thank you, Sue. >> Thanks, Good evening. Gary Gavin, 515 Boundary Road, as my wife is from. Uh, I really think Lauren was right. I believe this should go to the town. I think this group is too small to make this kind of decision with

031this amount of money. Thank you. Francis Blamey 124 Basset Mel Road. I just wanted to echo the um comments of everybody here. I really think this needs to go to a warrant article. Otherwise, it really it it may not be this way, but it feels like the money was stolen from the taxpayers because the opportunity to give it back to us was there and we didn't have a voice in that. So, I will seed the rest of my time to Lauren Lauren Climate 86 Maple Street again. Um, just one other element, the um, I'm not sure what the 900,000 plus number there was on that project or how I know you said it should stick around the 700, but that 900,000 makes me a little nervous as well. And >> that was a different bid.

032That was a different all-in bid from another. >> Okay, that's not okay. That's not relative. So So are we capped at the 700,000? I saw we're removing 750. So the bid was for just under 700,000 and to have some contingency in there in case there is an overage, it's not safe to go to 750. >> Okay. >> Um it is I mean my my sense being in those in that interview room with Triple is that it is unlikely. I I just have some reservations as it was said before is if we burn down this maintenance trust fund which was really presented for other items. Um what does that leave us for capital reserves? I mean, we our CIPs really seems more like a needs assessment to me. The way the school operates and as needs

033come in, some of it is is lanked out, but we're not setting aside $10,000 specifically for a roof and $5,000 for a boiler out. And that's we just are, oh, hey, we have an opportunity to do this project now. We're we're really hammering on it. and where you when presented again to the town, it's it's a capital reserve fund should be reserving these funds and and so um I hope you reconsider and I guess if everybody's finished, I would like to note for the record that um 100% of the um stakeholders that showed up today and and spoke are in favor of this going to a Warren article. Thanks. Excellent. Any other? Okay. All right. Thank you everyone. We are going to move to our second public hearing uh for the contingency fund withdrawal. Um

034>> close this public hearing. >> We'll close the first public hearing. Thank you so much. Close the first public hearing. Close. We're now going to open public hearing number two for the fund withdrawal. I'm going to read the notice. We'll discuss it as a board, go to public comment again, close, then start the school board meeting, at which point the board will discuss and move on. Just so everyone knows procedurally where we are. Okay. So, right now it is 5:33 on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. Uh, the Hopman School Board will hold a public hearing on Tuesday, January January 6, 2026. It was notice for 5:15 is now 5:31. and the Maple Street School Cafeteria to gather public input on the withdrawal of up to $310,000 from the Hopkins School District 5% contingency fund parentheses RSA

0351984-B close parenthesis or the H the um Hopton Middle School Security Redesign Project. At the 5:30 meeting uh school board meeting, the school board will vote on an action item regarding the withdrawal from the 5% contingency fund. All interested residents are encouraged to attend the hearing and provide written or oral comments. Wrap. >> So, we won't bring up the slides because now it's really just a discussion of withdrawing from the contingency fund which is currently at 1,77,000 in our drawing down that by $310,000. Um, that would leave us So, let's just work through some numbers here. Let's talk about the budget process that we're currently in. We're looking at taking $400,000 as revenue from that contingency. If we draw down $310 and it's again this is up to I mean Laura and I had this

036conversation uh you know should it be 260 or should it be 310. So that the 310 is really a security blanket more than hopefully the reality of it's 260. Uh that would leave us with if we were to have to use all of it, that would leave $367,000 in that account. Um with unassigned fund balance moving back into that, then you would have that $400,000 for revenue the following year. Right? So that's the cycle that we'd be in. Uh if we don't use that, then you definitely have enough money in there to match revenue next year with what's left in the contingency fund. And I forget what the cap is, but if we were able to refill the contingency fund up to our 5%, it would be at about 1.1 million at the end of

037this year. >> Yes. If if there weren't passing. >> Yeah. >> Um I do just want to mention um we are having two separate public hearings because it is two funding sources and by law they both require their own public hearing. So, I do just want to mention that that is this is not to I think um remove the comments from before. It's just because we legally have to have two separate hearings. >> Just to you know for me to to speak to some of the comments and I appreciate people coming um and how we're managing our funds. I think this is very very good management of our funds because we're able to do it with money that be through proper budgeting um perhaps through decisions about what we spend money on and not on

038assigned fund balance that arrives. We are not bonding this which seems to be you know the apppropo things for most communities to do. So there's no interest payments on this. I would say this is a very very good decision in how we're managing our money. Um as to you know and we'll talk about this in in the board part you know should it go to a warrant and should we do it here. Um I understand that sentiment completely. I also understand that if we were to make that decision, I would suspect that these contractors would say we can't hold off reserving summer for you until mid-March. I would find that a very doubtful thing. They they need to plan uh accordingly and that would mean that we might just be pushing this off for another

039year. Rising costs and most importantly the security concerns that continue to be a part of our daily lives. So, um, being elected to the school board and representing the community does mean that sometimes we have to represent the community and make hard decisions. And I think this is one of those hard decisions in terms of is this the legislative body or is this the board. It is certainly within our our rights and duties as a board to do that. Um, I certainly understand the flip side of why it might be better as a warrant. Um, but I would like to see this resolved in this coming year. And I'm afraid that if we wait for the warrant, we are going to lose the contractors. Uh, if we lose the warrant, no means no. And I'm

040not comfortable with that security hole personally at the middle high school to continue. >> Thank you. >> That's a whole lot. Sorry. >> Thank you. All right. Questions and comments from the board. Thank you, Rob. I guess the only comment that I would make is that in addition to the elected body that is this ward, there was also a 7 to1 vote in the budget committee in support of this project. So that's seven of eight elected officials of the budget committee that is also in favor of this. And sometimes that's the way representative government is supposed to function. Um, so I would just point that out as well. >> I also don't think that this is a secret in town. There are poster boards up. There have been publications. There have been meetings. Um, if

041there was massive amounts of disapproval, I think we would have heard that. Um, and I I mean I I totally get the concerns that are here, but I also think that we have a responsibility to see a project through that we can do without bonding, without interest in a timely manner. >> Yeah. >> And can you just touch on again, I think you already did this, but just what the purpose of the contingency fund is for. So the contingency fund was created for predominantly to be used as revenue against for you know for budgeting purposes. It can also by law be used for anything that we need to use it for. Um so it it is at the discretion of the board as to how to use that. >> Thank you. >> Rob, can I

042ask you a question because I did go to um some of your presentations and I know that you did uh kind of explain feedback, but it attendance. What I'm frustrated with is as a teacher I and and someone who works in a school and had a student go through Hopkin and the security issue, it's glaringly obvious to me and it's been an issue for years. And what's frustrating to me is I also thought that this was fiscally believe responsible in the sense that you know I wanted to know how much money are people getting back and if it means right this is the sort of this is an occurrence if it does happen it's too late to do anything about it is the way I feel about it and I wish that I had heard

043some of this feedback earlier in the process but I guess I'm asking about the feedback at because I did attend and some of the meetings. Um, and this is it's it's frustrating to to hear it now when I'm committed to the project. >> So, I I wanted to know what you heard like did I miss something because >> there you know some of the public meetings were not very well attended which speaks to a whole host of things. Does that mean that people don't have concerns? Does that mean that people don't have time? I don't know what that means, but >> I got we got I got one email. >> Yes. And um >> I got more emails regarding football. >> Yeah. >> Through the process. >> Yeah. For the last year. Yeah. There there

044was there was at no point I don't believe well maybe there was I don't know Lauren would probably refresh my memory if there was but there was not a whole lot of people as everybody has said that says this is a bad idea no one is saying this is a bad idea >> um >> no but understanding the process of how it should have gone to like like not should but like the suggestion that >> as someone and it this is my this is on me um understanding the legality in the process Um, >> one of the things in the conversations over the last few months is to, you know, is the warrant versus the public hearing process is the reality that we have saved the money. You know, you this is what we have

045done, what the school district has done. We have saved the money. It is available to do this project. Um, you know, we are going to have we're going to spend $500,000 on that oil tank and propane conversion at the middle high school. We're not going to have that as a warning. All right. Um, should it have been in the CIP years ago? Years ago, when people talked to me about this project, the starting number was always $3 million. That was a non-starter. I mean, we've all sat through all of the budget things. No one was going to go for a bond for three million bucks. What makes this project work is its price tag. And because those funds are saved, if this was, you know, a $2 million project, oh yeah, you bet we'd be

046going to a warrant, right? You have to because we'd have to bond it. But we have saved those. I don't know how much more due diligence the community can expect. >> Thank you. Any other question? Thank you. >> Other questions? >> Okay. All right. Um we are at the public comment portion of the second public hearing for the contingency fund withdrawal. If you'd like to come up, please say your name, address, and we ask that you keep it to three minutes. Lauren Clement, 86 Maple Street. Uh, clarification. The budget committee did not have a formal vote. They did a straw poll. It was kind of awkward when how it came about. Um, and it was 7 to one. Um, I was the opposition vote. Um, the um the it's [clears throat] not my understanding is

047that the district did not save this money. My understanding is that this district requested from the stakeholders a budget and included in that budget was funding for approximately five IAS that were not hireable and because they were not hired the district ended up with funding. That is not saving money in my book. that is a consequence of the environment that happened or whatnot. So this wasn't some magical we pinched here, we pinched there. You if if all the IAS were in last year, then where would we stand? We'd be probably asking for a warrant article for this. So I think that's a misrepresentation of what it's not savings. Um also on this point of coming out of article 10 or the contingency fund um my understanding is the primary and I was trying to find

048um superintendent has added definitions of this into the glossery and I couldn't find the glossery on the district website. disappeared on me somewhere, but it I read the contingency fund part and nowhere in there says we should be funding a capital project. It does not I don't believe that's what's outlined in there. And the contingency fund is there for hiccups, emergencies. This you're talking about this being a capital project. Um I don't feel we should be using article 10 for this either. Um, but again, if you put it to the people and the will of the people say so, then so be it. >> That's what I have to say. >> Thanks, Lauren. Um, just want to put up a quick review. Uh, the word contingency, an event that may occur that not likely or

049intended, only a possibility, a possibility that must be prepared for a future emergency or a condition of being dependent on chance, uncertainty. This project does not fit any of those descriptions. Uh, a project of this magnitude should be a warrant article explained to the entire electorate who no doubt, in my opinion, would pass it. I think it's worthy cause But this is a mislication of the funds that were intended for other purpose. And for instance, a good application for a contingency fund is when this project goes over. And there are numerous reasons for a project to run over. Um, so we have bids up to $700,000. There's a lot of things that can cause it to go 100,000 over that. And that's what contingency funds for. But if we start blowing our contingency money on

050something that could have been planned for 10 years, that's a mislication. Thank you. [clears throat] >> Hopinson Road. I was in facilities maintenance for over 40 years and 18 years as a manager. And as the gentleman just said, now I've never seen a project fall within its numbers. There's always cost overruns. There's always changes. So $50,000 might be only a drop in the bucket. So yes, the definition of a contingency is, and I agree, what if you're not covering your whatifs also? And Laura, I'll throw you under the bus here a little bit. But when that front entrance that was presently built somewhat, 20 years ago, maybe 15 years ago, we knew it was a misfit. It was a problem. A metal roof was put on it so the ice and snow came over and

051hit the students on the way into school every morning. It was a safety issue. How many times has this school district built something that they find out two years later doesn't fit? So, we wait this long to go and care of a security issue. Come on. This is not a security issue. You're taking funds that you think are surplus and you decide you're going to use them before anything else can happen. Please, no. this belongs to the people and you say, "Well, we have a small, very poor [snorts] group of people turn out. Look at the amount of people that turn out for your school board meeting for your annual budget. It's only a third, maybe a half sometimes of the entire population of the town. You're not getting the town involved." Oh, you put

052it to a vote where on a ballot might be a different story. So, please consider the town's people and consider this was really a safety issue. Should have been fixed 20 years ago. >> [snorts] >> Ky Garvin 515 Bound Tree Road or Bound and Gagged Tree Road. Yes, it should have been, but it wasn't. Should have, would have, could have. Kind of like insurance, isn't it? Like insurance. And insurance is often fueled by fear. What is our worst fear? is having our kids hurt, having our staff hurt. Period. [snorts] That being said, you will get the vote at a warrant meeting. You will. I know that. You know that. Don't take it upon five people to do this. that incurs more distrust in how you're using our money that has been voted in. Do I

053think we need it? Yeah. [snorts] Do I think we need a warrant article? Yes. Because it needs to go to we the people. We know what's happening in our government. We the people. [snorts] And you're part of we the people. You're part of it. Why we don't get people to come out? God love us. Some of us think we have a life. We have kids. We have grandchildren. We have dogs. We have family in other places. We have some fun things like singing on Mondays. That's why the meetings are not well attended. and the trust and we're really tired of going like this with our pockets that I can't but it's tough and we have been here for 50ome years. I won't go into the tax thing. Mostly it's about school. We all know that

054and even the invisible people know that. The people who are not here, they know that kids are important. The community owns some of the kids. We're all together. We don't want you hurt. Education is important in that. Have them know what they need to do. Have the board know and trust people who know what the heck they're doing when they come up with a plan. Please do a warrant. And if I please vote on a warrant. The CIP, again, not a numbers chick. You take it out of the CIP, which I guess it's endowed and we go to the meeting and we need more money in the CIP, right? We all have to replace. If you have the little little um envelopes and some is food and some is gas and some is insurance, well,

055sometimes the insurance goes up, so what do you take? Well, I guess I won't take 40 trips back and forth. The kids are going to have to take the bus. So you take it out of those envelopes and that's not appropriate for a CIP which is a contingency. Again goes over sounds like a contingency to me. Please and do a great presentation. Make sure your public speaking skills are right there. I'm out. >> Thank you, Candy. Welcome [snorts] >> Francis Blamey 124 Basset Mill Road. I think it's important to know that just because there's not a lot of people here doesn't mean that there hasn't been a lot of discussion about this whether it's at the coffee shop or on the street or even on social media. And one of the things it's it is

056in addition to what was just said about people having lives and having other commitments, but there's also a bit of um weariness that people are very tired of constantly having their money taken, feeling like it doesn't matter what what we say, it's it's going to there's no no real um commitment to trying to reduce the budget. it. And so they they've given up. There's a lot of people that say, "I don't go to meetings anymore cuz it doesn't matter." So I think that's important. And and the other thing that I want to say is that, you know, when when my daughter was real little, she asked me um she she went and did something she wasn't supposed to do. And I said to her, I said, "Honey, why didn't why didn't you ask me first?"

057And she said, "Well, mama, I didn't want to ask you cuz I knew you'd say no." And in the comment of a warrant article. No means no. So, I don't want to put this to a warrant article because it's too important. That's how that makes makes me feel. And we're not we're not children here. We we have the right to make a decision. And to have someone say, I want to take that right away from you is I don't think is right. So, please let's take it to a warm. >> Thank you, Princess. Trisha Lambert 305 Galloping Hill Road. Um so I guess the first thing it was mentioned that nobody's really against the project because it's a security project. Um my concern is and I've said this I've gone I went to two of

058Rob's meetings is that you're kind of putting a fancy face on the front and that might be necessary like to have that entrance. I think all the schools do that and it matches Homeland Security's wants, likes, those types of things. But you got the whole back end hanging out. And I think several people I think at the last one I went to um at the Schleser Center said, "Well, I just walked right in." And I know that hurts because I think there's people that have worked on that, but it's still broke. So you're going to put this fancy lipstick on a pig. like we look we have this wonderful new security pass but you can still at times of the day depending on where it's weakest walk through the back and if you don't think

059that people know that they absolutely know that especially if they're someone on the inside. So you're spending this money but you have not fix the problem. That's the first thing. And and I I think that if you go to a warrant article with a plan and I we were told we can't discuss certain security things. Nobody wants those details, but we want to know that this is the protocol to enter this building and that has not been addressed here. only that entrance because well we had and I went to the first one and I asked about the construction estimate and they said well it's it's uh triple and usually you had $16,000 you could have done and got a construction estimate from a consultant that would have given you a realistic figure but instead you

060got a number that cames back from triple you're going to hire Triple and it's oh amazingly the number you want that is So that is so sticky. I'm using using a nice word. It's sticky. And so that tells me we just want this project at all costs. But yet the back end of this building is still quite not secure. It's a step in the right direction. If you go to a warrant article, you can have at least that prepared for people to hear and have, as Candi said, that nice presentation that says here's how we're going to do it and here's how the steps we're going to do it. And um Mr. Blamy left. He talked about planet. He had 10 years. So I just think this whole thing has come about in a very

061wrong way. It puts a terrible taste in people's mouth. If you think it's just these people here, you really um are deaf to what's being said in the public. >> Go ahead. My response to that Trish is how how do I know if we don't it you don't have to come but if you don't communicate >> fearful to tell anything especially of children's school that's a fact >> and that's that's fair but recognize that like this is my first goround right I appreciate that >> and I get one email and so I'm trying to represent the voices that I hear but when I hear I get one email >> that's and then so I have like six people here and it's great but like I'm committed to a project and then I hear six people

062saying >> well saying it say something. >> Yes, >> but just for the standard >> but you know what I mean like if if I open my inbox and there's 32 emails that's a different scenario. >> Well, we had 30 we had 30 [clears throat] people in here for COVID and you still put masks on kids. So it doesn't >> I didn't put mask on anybody. We got we got this. I just all I want to say is that those presentations were done in December before holidays. I mean, Congress passes all the greatest stuff in December, right before Christmas. That's really not a time people are going to be overly interested. The timing was wrong. This is why it needs to be a warn article, and I know you got to go, so I'm going

063to step aside. I appreciate your thoughts. Thank you. >> Thanks, Josh. Any other comments? >> Yeah, sure. >> The public comment. >> So, I don't blame anybody who has come up with these big magic figures. >> That's how it is. Look at what we have to pay for all of our everyday things. Everything's gone up despite what other people in higher positions than we are have said. Everything's great. Everything's gone up. That being said, thank you, but please put it in a warrant. I think you'll be happier with it. It won't be on your shoulders. It won't be on your shoulders. You don't need that. I know you're making the big bucks doing this, you know, big huge monopoly money. Roth has put half of his life since ret uh retirement into these kinds of

064things and we I thank you for that. Thank you. >> Better than our bees did, right? >> True. >> Anyway, thank you for every every minute you have it and don't forget to do your homework. >> Thank you. These two never forget. They're rock stars. >> Thank you. >> Couple points of clarification for the board. Um so the rear entrance was discussed at the forums in terms of student movement. Um we continue to have those conversations with Chris Kelly, principal of the middle high school. The current thought as we were doing the presentations is that rear gym door would be open but monitored uh from 7:30 in the morning till 8:05 and then locked out throughout the day. Um I have shared this concern with Mr. Kelly and there are other options that perhaps you

065know in the best interest of the universe that door is not used as an entry. uh if you go to conquered high, sorry guys, there's a long walk from the parking lot to the entrance to the building. So maybe it's a long walk from the rear parking lot to the front entrance. Those things have been discussed. So to say that they have not is is not accurate in terms of the the meeting dates and the holidays. The first meeting happened in October. The last one happened November 20th. Um so it was not December. It was not rushed. It was put out. It was sought after. I reached out to a variety of groups to do that and more often than not they set the date, not me. I would have loved to have all of

066those meetings in October. So, >> thank you. >> Just for accuracy, that's the reality of what happened. Okay, we're going to wrap the public uh comment portion of the second public hearing related to the contingency fund withdrawal. Um I am going to close this public hearing. Uh does anyone need a minute before we start the meeting? >> Yes. Okay, we'll take five minutes and then we will restart the meeting at 6:08 p.m. Thank you everyone. meeting of the Huffington School Board. We are starting late because we just had two backto-back public hearings. Uh I am joined tonight by Rob Nato, Jonathan Cohen, Suzanne Carmichael, Andrea Folsam, Dulsey Manuel Palmer, Superintendent Amy Doyle, BA Laura Taylor, Jody Con is out and about summer will return momentarily. our board secretary, uh, Lucy Birdmore and Cliff Tedquist, our

067student reps, and Matt Stone and the back running back. Okay, everyone will please stand and rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, we have one set of minutes to approve from the December 16th meeting of the Hopkins School Board. Do I have a motion to approve these minutes? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Thank you guys. Any discussion? Uh, as a note, Jody, I might have miscorrected Miss Reese's name from what you had to add to something else. So, I need to go back here and look. I might have it. So, apologies to Miss Miss Ree. Okay. Um, all those in favor of

068approving the minutes. >> I. Any opposed? >> Motion carries. All right, we are at our first public comment portion of the evening. There will be a second one at the end. If you would like to comment, please come up, state your name, address, and we ask that you keep it to 3 minutes. Okay, I'm going to take that as a clear. Um, Lucy and Kip, what's shaken in the schools? All right. So, um, starting off with Maple Street. I got a pretty extensive update from, uh, Sibling, Enthusiastic One, mainly focusing originally on their 1,000 book challenge is the number I was given. Um, where they like as a school, from what I've heard, they collectively set this goal to read 1,000 books. Um, and just to encourage kids to read. I'm not totally sure if

069there was a prize. My sister wasn't aware either, but she was very excited about this. Um, additionally, there's the um getting rid of plastic utensils, which is taking uh effect throughout the high school throughout the schools. Um, and then lastly, um, you're just talking about the waste warriors, similar to like the what the EIC has done at, um, the high school where the these middle schoolers, do you consider the middle schoolers? >> Maple Streeters. Got it. Um they take initiative volunteer to help monitor and guide other kids into how to properly dispose of clean waste and recycle um what is available. Um so that's the main thing there. Then moving on kind of to the high school, especially with sports. Uh we have really entered like full swing and um the bit of a nitty-gritty

070part of the season now with a lot of um sports events coming up quickly. So the for a bit of a recap, the ice hockey team uh recently um have been on I believe a 7 and0 streak. We haven't lost yet this year, which includes um multiple wins over division 2 contenders. Um and the regular season, it's been 3 and 0 with the closest game being a 5 to zero victory um yesterday against Kennet. Um then the basketball teams tomorrow will both take on um Conent. The boys basketball team will be at home. Um and additionally, they also had Christmas tournaments. um none of them won both put up strong performances uh which also included the boys basketball team beating conquered um varsity team and then last thing I'll have to say before I pass

071time on Lucy is also the um musical is coming up with students now uh going around during lunchtimes and advertising and selling tickets uh which are selling at $10 for students and $12 for adults. Um, and I know they've put in a lot of work for multiple months at this point now. Um, and I'm excited to attend and watch um, what these students have put in their time and effort for. So, >> yeah, I think Kip covered most of it, but um, yeah, I think after tomorrow with the middle school and high school Nordic races, I think every winter sports team will have started competing. Um, so that's kind of cool. definitely very much underway uh with the winter season. Um there's also a JV basketball double header home against Kier Sarge on Thursday um

072with no admission. So that's pretty cool. Um and then Friday a home girls basketball game against um Hillsboro Daring. Um and then yeah, the musical uh I know there's also tickets um on sale at the town library for people who can't get them at the school. Um but yeah, a tremendous amount of effort. I know they were rehearsing all through winter break. Um, and I know they really appreciate when the community comes out to support. They've had a few soldout shows the last couple years. Um, so yeah, there's a show Friday, January 16th, and then two shows on the 17th. So, >> which includes matinea for those people. >> Yes. >> Yeah. And last thing too, just the general response to coming back from break I felt has been pretty solid. Uh there's been like

073a little bit of people like being slow and not quite adjusted to the new um sleep schedule or regiments or whatever, but um so far I haven't seen or heard any major like disturbances or grievances with any of that. So it's been especially with the nice two weeks. Uh it's definitely >> it might have just been too long. Got a little too used to it, >> but yeah, I get I get it, you know. >> But it's been pretty solid so far. So that's great. Okay, cool. Thanks, guys. Any questions for our students? I love the thousand book challenge. >> Yeah, thousand book is great. And we're moving to reusable um serveware silverware all the schools. So not just but also which is terrific. Should reduce our our calling fees a bit which is great.

074Anything else? Okay. Thanks guys. Appreciate it. Um moving on. Any board comments for anyone sitting at the table tonight? So, there's the first uh Nordic race tomorrow. Where they at? >> Very exciting. Sandwich. >> Oo. >> Sandwich fairgrounds. >> I should have to know. >> I don't know. >> I think so. >> Yeah, that's great. >> This will be a new experience for me as a parent. It's really fun. >> As a board member and parent, I'm excited. >> Bundle up. >> It's a race where you actually get to see them race. >> You don't go into the woods and come back. see them in a variety of places. >> Okay, that's great. >> Well, okay, great. All right. Um, I just want to note we don't have student presence tonight, which is good because

075everyone, I think, is readjusting to the new schedule, but it does feel I do miss seeing kids sit here because the news club was so great at our last meeting and obviously our carers were showstoppers. Um, okay. So, moving on into separate topic, we're going to talk through the the first and second public hearing. So, together >> we'll talk through public hearing one, public hearing two. I will read out two motions. All right. For everybody uh when it gets time to vote. Um or maybe do we want me to read the motions then we can have discussion and then we can vote on each one as we go through? Does that sound like a good good plan? Okay, one second. Let me just pull make sure I have the right language. guys. Okay, just as

076a reminder, the first one is for the maintenance trust withdrawal. Um, I am in here. I'm finding it. This one? No motions. Thank you. Okay. So, do I have a No. Which one do I do? Do I have a motion to withdraw $440,000 from the Hopkins School District building repair and maintenance expendable trust fund for the Hopin Middle High School Security Redesign Project? >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> Yes. Now we discuss. >> Okay. Y All right. Everyone >> I'll start. >> So first I I want to I want to agree with Lauren. It it is not savings. You are accurate. it is surplus. Um, that's fair statement. Um, so I apologize for using that term, but you're correct. It is surplus. So then the question becomes how do we manage that

077surplus? And I think that that part of the process is part of our job, right? Where where do we allocate it? What trust do it go to? How much do we use as revenue? How much do we set aside for future use? How much do we expect? Um, in this case, I think we have been very clear since June as to our thoughts on the relationship between that surplus and this project and how that could come about. Second, uh, in in light of a conversation that I just had, this is not something that is being done in an improper way. There are choices that we have as a board. We can choose to do things via a warrant article where the process that we just went through would be very similar, but it would probably

078be starting about now leading up to all of those information sessions or we can choose to do it as a public hearing where the trust of the community has been put into us as elected officials to make those decisions. So, does the legislative body make that decision or does the board make that decision? I did not hear anybody say this is a bad idea and I I also didn't hear or I did hear that if it went through a warrant it would pass. So I'm very puzzled as to why we wouldn't act now in a public hearing ensuring that it would happen this year. I am tired of being listening to communities who say, "I can't believe it could it could happen here." I don't want to be that community. I don't want to be

079in a community where we waited because there's going to be some political fallout. No doubt right there. That's going to happen. And that's the hard part of this job. and it is a job for $826 after taxes. Um, so I hope that the board can see that and continues to support the project as presented and the withdrawal of these funds. >> Thank you, Jonathan, Suzanne, Andrea. >> Oh, I'm happy to go. Um I yes I I also I I very much hear what all the public commentary was for both the first public hearing and the second public hearing. Um I am hugely in favor of engaging the will of the voters. Um I did go and look at the K through2 school shooting database. Um, and school shootings over the last 5 years are up

0803x from the 5-year period prior. So, starting in 20 either 2020 or 2021, 2020 to 2025. That's a 3x increase going from almost 1,500 up from 469 over the same 5-year period. I don't know. I I know that it is um every time it happens it is incredibly hard not just for students and also for the staff everywhere who work in education. I think also for people who work in that building. I also really don't know what I that this is a responsibility that I take really seriously and should something happen I don't I just I don't I don't know what I would do. Um, I do think given that timeline crunch that we were trying to get this done as quickly as possible, we have done a lot of outreach, a lot of communication.

081It's been in Susan Covert, it's been in the paper. We have had information sessions across the political dialogue, across Rotary, um, at schools. Um, and we've talked about it consistently both here and with budget committee since 2024, thinking about what this would look like. Um, uh, Suzanne, I hear I hear you and and engagement is hard, right? Like last year we died on the hill of engagement around a budget process for like four people to come out session is is hard, right? Um, but I do think that I I just I I I feel the pressure of of a security hole like that very gravely and I just I think we need to fix it as quickly as possible. So I I can go next. So I never do this, but I wrote down all

082of my thoughts. I pulled a rub and I have pages of notes. >> Oh my god. >> I never do. I really thought about this a lot. Um, so since we started this, I have been talking to everyone I know actually about this. I've talked to teachers. Um, I stood during parent teacher conferences. I stood in the hall by Rob's um, loot uh, presentation and talked with several teachers actually about uh, what the project would look like, how it would be funded. And I I just ask people because I remember I remember when I was not on the school board and there was a project that was being put forward and I remember a school board member asking me like what do you think like do you think that this is what do you what

083do you think of this project? And so I did the same thing. I would just ask people what do you think? Um and time and again I heard you know I like it. Like do we have the money? Yes. Will it raise my taxes? No. Um, so I'm just going to read a little bit of what I wrote because I wrote it all down. So, um, you know, I know that we all, everyone in this room on the board, people who came, we all care deeply about our community and how our public funds are used. I know that many residents, including everyone on the board, are concerned about taxes and affordability. I share that concern. I know my fellow board members shared as well. At the same time, I take very seriously my responsibility to

084protect students, staff, and visitors in our school. As I see it, this project is not about spending more. It's about using funds already set aside to address a known safety concern in the most financially responsible way. Capital reserve funds, which is essentially what these are, exist specifically to maintain and improve school facilities. These funds are intentionally set aside to avoid future tax spikes, which is what we do with the contingency fund, or emergency borrowing. A secure school entrance is exactly the type of safety related facility need these funds were created to address. Using capital reserves for this project does not increase taxes. Right now, visitors can enter directly into the cafeteria. A crowded student space where I personally have two kids who who go there every day. And so, it's, you know, it's it's not

085just um hypothetical to me. It's personal. The design creates unnecessary risks and reduces the time that staff have to respond in an emergency and not just a school shooting in any kind of emergency. And we are kidding ourselves if we don't think that um we haven't had emergencies even if you we haven't heard of them um they're happening. A secure two-stage entrance is now considered best practice and that's what we're looking at. We hope to never face a crisis, but our job is to plan for student safety as if it matters every single day because it does. I understand the desire to return the money to taxpayers. I think that is a reasonable question and I understand the desire to bring this as a warrant. I also think that's a reasonable desire. However, we are

086elected officials. that that is exactly what we were elected to do to make these types of decisions. Returning these reserves would provide only small one-time tax relief. Next year, those dollars would be gone. The safety vulnerability, however, in the school would still exist. By investing these funds now, we gain something permanent. Improved safety for years to come without raising taxes. If we did bring this to a warrant, if we delayed this work and revisited it later, it would almost certainly cost more. Construction labor prices only continue to rise. Delaying may require borrowing in the future, which means interest costs to taxpayers. So, right now is also the least expensive time to address this need. Our responsibility as a board is to balance fiscal responsibility and fiscal stewardship with student safety. We would be I believe

087we would be remiss not to act on a known safety vulnerability when funding is available and the community is not being asked to pay more. I don't make this decision lightly. Um it's certainly clearly it's something I've thought a lot about. Um, just to kind of wrap it up, you know, I believe as I've looked at it and thought about it, the project reduces risk. It adds an important layer of protection. It reflects widely accepted safety standards, and it creates a welcoming but controlled entrance environment. It isn't about choosing between taxpayers and students. It really is about doing right by both. Most residents I've heard from and talked to support this project and I respect that, you know, folks coming here tonight um might not agree and that's that's totally understandable. I I get that

088and um I think that is all of our prerogatives. We all want safe schools and we all want a responsible use of funds. That is a shared ground. Like that's something we all want. Um, at the end of the day, the funds already exist in capital reserves. They were set aside for facility needs just like this so that we can improve safety without raising taxes. Returning them would provide short-term tax relief, but using them now strengthens school safety permanently and avoids higher costs later. Um, I believe it's a fiscally responsible decision that protects our students, our staff, and our community. >> Thank you. So those are all of my >> Thank you for preparing. I appreciate it. >> Thank you very much. [snorts] >> And Jonathan, any other comments? >> I I'll just say I

089I feel like I I'm still a little salty, so I just need to breathe. Um I I feel like my responsibility I was charged with the care and keeping of the schools. Um, and I ran with an eye of being fiscally responsible. I do believe that this project is well thought out and is also in the best interest of our schools. Um, I understand and learning more and more. You know, I've been in Hopington for 20 plus years. Um, there seems to be history and people have beliefs and thoughts about things that have happened on the board in the past. Um, I have gotten to know all of you. Uh, there is no secret agenda here that that I have been able to figure out. Um, I'm open to hearing what people say and I

090want to hear what people say. Um, I would like to I I recognize that people are stretched thin, but I do believe that this project is about as fiscally responsible and is absolutely 100% necessary. So, it's where I stand. >> Thank you. >> So, [clears throat] you know, I I uh would vote to support both expenditures Um, my thoughts and listening to the comments tonight are a little disperate. I know I one thought is I I um I don't think it's true that it like doesn't raise taxes. I don't think it's true that we've like saved this money and now we want to use this money for this purpose because this is money that taxpayers pay in and we're spending it. And so I think to say otherwise is not is not how I view

091it. That said, it doesn't mean we shouldn't spend it. I also think the point that you know the CIP is there to identify um needs down the road and try to budget for them and this hasn't been something that uh although the need has been there I think the point was made uh in one of the comments we haven't had this as a long-term project I think as Rob has probably correctly explained because the price tag as far as we understood it and prior school board members had understood it was just prohibitively high. And so we're left in this situation where we got an opportunity this year where somebody was willing to do a bunch of expensive work essentially gratus or very cheaply for us. And all of a sudden through Rob's leg work and

092Jim's leg work and Laura's leg work and Amy's leg work, we found out that we could actually get this done for a lot less than we thought. And that was new information to us. And I think that um we now have bids on the table to get this done. But I also think that time is of the essence because it isn't realistic to think that if we string this out, costs just are static and bids just stay there forever because that's not how it goes. Material costs could change, the economy could change. I mean, I think um everybody, regardless of their political stripe, is probably wondering what the economy is going to do in the next 6 months, much less the next year. So, right now, we have the opportunity to strike and to get

093this job done. And lastly, I think that the reality is that this is uh something that I think our community supports and even the people that came to speak all are saying that if we put it on a warrant, it would pass. And everybody that I've talked to doesn't even hesitate to say that this is something that they want. So, as an elected official, I think that it's my job to vote to support what I think the voters want. And so, that's my thinking in supporting this. >> Thank you. >> Okay, that was helpful. Any other questions or cross commentary? Okay, do I have a motion? >> I think we moved and we seconded. >> Yes. Okay. Are all those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? >> Okay. Motion carries. Um secondly, do I

094have a motion to withdraw up to $310,000 from the Hawk School District 5% contingency fund parentheses per RSA 1984-B closed parentheses for the Hawkman Middle High School Security Redesign Project. >> So moved. Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? Same comments. Laura, can you just speak to the $50,000 beyond the bid and why you feel that's a a safe place to be >> or Jim? >> Sure. >> You could speak to that as well. >> I will say from the bids as we move forward there are additional requested motions in your folders to discuss the ad alternates. So the actual job itself um the base bid to do the work is around $66,000 and then there are additional alternates that the board can choose to do. So when we look at the additional alternates if we add

095those in those are almost 700,000 which would give us 50,000 to do the door locks and the um pieces of furniture that are required for that area. If we feel that we are starting to hit that cap, we can hold off on the ad alternates. we do not have to do them. We would look to work with Triple on the base bid and then discuss the ad alterance as we know where the monies are are falling. So that would be the vote I would ask of you is to um consider giving Jim and I the ability to add or remove the ad alternates as our budget allows. But the 50,000 certainly with without the ad alternates um or with them is still enough to purchase the security items and the small pieces of furniture we

096would need for the conference room that will be added in. Everything else is part of the design build >> that presumably allows for some fluctuation. >> Yes. >> Right. Because there's going to be some fluctuation. We did interviews with all of the contractors and we talked about that about fluctuations and scope creep and they were pretty forthright to say that they really stick to their numbers and that scope creep and client changes are what drives change orders, not that they find things and then it ends up changing is an allowance. Um, often when you have an allowance, it's what they think it's going to be up to, but not necessarily what you get final build. It may be lower based on what it cost them to do with the work. >> And there's two other

097variables here. One to reinforce what we think about this company when Jim uh vetted their references uh to a reference. They were on budget and on time, which was a key piece for us because the doors need to open August whenever 20th or something. Um, so that that piece is is there and the other one just slipped out of my head and maybe it'll come back, maybe it won't. >> I guess the other thing I would add, which I don't know, it fits here just fine. It's not really related to the money, but I will say, and it is in kind of in reflection on some of the comments that were made tonight, is >> since it is clear that we're moving forward with this, I do think that um it is imperative that if

098we are going to secure the front, it is imperative that we secure the back as well. That if we are making a commitment to making sure that our front is secure, that we that we also u make sure that that back is secure. So um if that means locking that back door and the kids are walking every kid is walking to the front fine. >> I don't care. >> Yeah, >> they can walk, >> right? >> Thank you. >> The thing that just came back. Um, so Jim has also applied for one of the safety security grants that we may also be able to receive some funds for certain elements of this cameras, etc. Uh, which would reduce our costs. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Any further discussion? >> All right. My only further discussion

099as we close the door on this and I've said it a number of times but I don't think I can say it enough is you know quietly and quietly back there has done an amazing job of bringing this all together and uh you know we are indebted for sure. >> I'd also say as part of that is more detailed feedback. We got really good feedback on the way that the bids were written. The walkthroughs were great. There [clears throat] was a lot of subs that we have worked with as a district and said it across a group of people. Um there were people who knew the building, some people who were new to the building. Um but everyone was able to do their diligence. Um and that takes a lot of elbow work to put

100that all together and also Laura in terms of writing our agree. I agree. All right. Anything else? Okay. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? That carries. All right. We're going to move next to the motions for the project bid. Okay. Do I have a motion to accept the design bill bid from Triple Construction and to contract with them to complete the Hopin Middle High School Security Redesign Project, which will be funded using both the building repair and maintenance expendable trust fund and the Hopin School District 5% contingency fund. >> So moved. Second. >> Any discussion? Okay. And the references that Jim called were also not just their provided references. He called across a list of projects that to make sure that we were scoping out a breadth of of different uh pieces of

101work that they have done. All right. Any other discussion? Okay. All those in favor? >> I. Any opposed? And I motion to complete the add alternate options for the Hopton Middle High School security redesign project only if the total project budget for the Hopton Middle School security redesign is not exceeded. >> Do I have a motion? >> No. Second. >> All right. Any discussion? I would add for this. This is something we talked about a lot. I know I already commented about the sink. I think that's important. I think parking is important. Um, we've thought about and I think Chris has thought about accessibility, um, and making sure that it is there are wheelchair alternatives and that there's a sufficient number of spots and the ADA compliance as well as the number of spots that

102we need to have. We had a pretty lengthy discussion about the landscaping portion um, of making sure that it all fits and is also has what Mike Flynn and Jim used to call curb appeal. um because those are dollars that are not going to come back and if we're able to work with the allowance of up to amount um just trying to not have it be a lagging dirt pile uh for a long time just getting it all done while we can knowing that I think that everyone feels um protective of taxpayer dollars and wants to be as responsible as possible but also not have it be a mud pit effectively of unfinished grass. But we did talk about it. >> Do they sorry do they use their own people to do the landscaping or

103do they who do they use for like the landscaping and whatnot? >> They try to use local subs. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> They triple mentioned during their interview that they are uh they have sister companies. So they are essentially vertically integrated in some areas like drywall. >> Okay. Uh, so it's not the same company, but you know, but then local subs um or local contractors and for the mechanicals, I think all of the bibs came in using folks that we currently use, so they know the building like they're not going to be figuring this out. They've been to our buildings before. They understand the HVAC systems, the electrical systems, the plumbing, all of that business. So, that's a huge uh savings, time savings, because what did they call this? What kind of a project

104is it? The summer project. >> Summer slammer. >> Yeah. >> You got to get it done. >> Okay. >> Somebody's got an idea about commemorative bricks. >> Yes. >> I have not forgotten. >> That's fun. >> Yeah. Okay. >> All right. Any other discussion? >> All right. All those in favor? I. Any opposed? All right. Motion carries. Thank you all for your patience. Rob, I think it's also worth noting you have done a ton of work on this. Going to all of those info sessions is no small thing. Working with Jim and Laura and Amy on the process is a lot. We really appreciate it. >> This is a huge lift in terms of security of the building. Thank you. Okay. All right. Is everyone ready to move on to the next thing? We are

105going to talk about warrant articles. Um Lori, I know you put in the benefit stress warrant language. Uh we had had the warrant sheet from last time recommending the same amount from last year so that we're stabilizing the tax rate effectively. And then there was some question about Thank you, Jim. >> Thanks, buddy. Uh some a question about benefits given the swings in in health insurance and whether or not we should be thinking about uh adding to that. You sort of talk through it. I put I put that in there um because the request was what what actually Thank you. Um let me scroll it down far enough. Um what actually goes into the benefit trust? How you spend from it? Right. So >> we sent it set it up benefitable trust fund um for

106the purpose of covering benefit increases that are above what is budgeted. >> So that is the key word there above what is budgeted. So the district would first we determine what considers a benefit which is all the 200 account codes. Um those are considered our benefits and then we would have to look at it being actually above that expenditure line before we'd be able to pull from the trust in the way it's currently written. I think that's why we stopped using it because we couldn't. >> Would that account for like with the health trust stuff? Not health trust with the school care stuff. Would that would >> that have qualified? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yep. Cuz the health, you know, in theory there it's a health insurance cost and it's one and

107a half times the monthly cost. If our amount of cost is $300,000, we would have 450,000 additional health insurance costs that we would have been able to pay from a benefit, >> but I would also say you would be able to also use the contingency fund. >> Yeah. >> Okay. So, with that in mind, it's hard, right? Like the way that I think about this is I would absolutely like to have a little bit of cushion in case the school cares things happen to health trust who is our health insurance provider. That's >> I I don't I don't know like I'm really on the line for that. Um we can use the contingency fund for those sorts of things. >> Yeah. >> And this would be >> So this could only be used for this

108purpose for >> Yes. For benefits. Um, >> so it's kind of like limiting some of the contingency. >> We receive rates in October from Health Trust. Now, it's not GMRs anymore. It's not guaranteed maximum rates. It's just rates. Uh, that they've changed that. And so, we budget knowing the rate. What we would find to the benefit trust is that either we have a lot of new employees that have family plans or or larger expenses that we didn't anticipate. We have qualified events that change people, right? or we would have the surplus, the need for health insurance to cover a deficit. Um, it also it's not that's not the only benefit we have though. Remember, we have dental, we have life, we have LTD, we have workers compensation. All of those are additional benefits that would

109be eligible for the trust as well. >> Wait, do we selfinsure for workers comp? >> No, we use Primax, >> right? Our property liability insurance would not be eligible. That is not a benefit. >> Okay. Does that help? Can I answer more questions? >> I guess the thing that I'm struggling is what's what's the benefit of earmarking these funds for this particular purpose as opposed to just keeping it at the general contingency? Um I think your no pun intended your benefit of this trust is having an insurance plan >> having having coverage in the event that this what happened at school care happens at health trust right now if we stick with health trust which is our major health trust and New Hampshire retirement are our two major expenses right and both of them are

110budgeted ahead of time so as long as health trust continues with their plan right now, which is to rebuild cash reserves year-over-year because they're a different type of insurance pool than school care is. They can they can collect year-over-year. This hopefully doesn't happen with health, you know, with health trust, but we may see a 20% increase in our health insurance, right? And in the event that the school cap goes through and the and then that state law becomes that there's a cap on our taxes, we may need a benefit for us to cover the cost of health insurance because we can only budget 3%. >> That's a possibility that is on the table again this year. >> Could that impact the the the 26 27 >> fiscal year? >> No, >> but it would impact

111the year following. Yeah. Yes. It would impact the following year, >> which would mean we probably have to reopen negotiations with all of our >> unions and Yes, it would impact the following year. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Cuz otherwise we weren't. >> So that is that being on the table, Jonathan, is something to consider that that tax cap could limit what we can do if health insurance rises more than the cost of CPI. >> Right. Thank you, Laura. That's very helpful. >> Okay. So >> what we had talked about this >> three weeks ago at this point I don't know how many weeks was $100,000 to special ed 350 to CIP aka the building repair and maintenance expendable trust 30,000 to technology trust and 10 pay to replacing school district vehicles capital reserve fund. Is

112everyone still good with those amounts? Okay. Uh, for benefits, does anyone want to think about changing what we would put towards a benefits trust? Do we want to put money into a benefits this year? Do we want to keep it at zero for the 2627 budget year? >> Do we need to make a decision tonight on this? >> When do we need to make >> We're getting close to being able to have the war on articles finalized. >> Well, you're going to present tomorrow to the budget committee >> and tomorrow Rob goes to the budget committee to give a presentation on our budget. So, while we don't have to necessarily know how we're funding special war articles, we really should have ideas of the amounts that we're asking for right now. >> So, can can

113I make a motion? No. Can I ask for a motion to approve four and then we could get that done and then we can still talk about benefits or do I have to ask for approval of all the warrants, special warrants together? Well, we're also going to have a discussion of open enrollment which would also have to be a article. I mean, you can take multiple >> Yeah, >> you can do four and then add the benefits. Then >> I would recommend you do a a motion for each. So, each special warrant article, which is each trust, >> for all of them. >> Okay. Do I have a motion to allocate $100,000 towards a special education trust? >> Second. >> Okay. Okay. Any discussion? >> The tax impact of this would be it's an increase

114of last year of zero, right? >> It's an increase of what? >> It's an increase to last year of zero, but there's still when we look at it, there's still an impact because if it fails, it actually reduces the tax rate. >> Okay. Gotcha. >> That's where that is it. So, we call it an impact. >> I see. >> Um, >> but it's not But it needs to be clarified. It is not an addition to the tax. It is not an addition to the tax rate that we have right now. >> Got it. >> Y >> my language is separating tax increase from tax. >> So there's no tax increase based on this. >> There's no tax increase based on this. >> Super. >> Okay. So 100K special edition. >> And what will Sorry, I'm

115ask clarifying questions. And what would that get us to? 230 something >> around $230,000. >> Great. >> Which is about one out of which is >> knowing an out of district placement can mean many things but it's in the ballpark of one out of district placement. Yeah. >> The long-term goal that we put on the slide is to have that be about 350. Um, and we've had conversations with our director of student services around >> that we use and that would be transportation. >> And the total amount in the special ed trust is not something we'd want to put in the article. >> So to put 100,000 in to raise it to >> oh >> a total of >> if we if we were had to withdraw before school district meeting. >> Oh, then that

116number would be wrong. at the same time if there's going to be interest or >> so so it's for the slide not for the article >> I was going to say maybe not in the article but can we put an approximation on the slide >> yeah I'm sure it's there right >> okay any other discussion about the 100k for special ed trust >> I hope it's enough >> yeah all right those in favor >> I opposed great all right may I have a motion to allocate $350,000 to the building repair and maintenance expendable trust aka CIP. >> Second. [snorts] >> And this as well has no tax increase. >> Yeah. Okay. >> It is in the current tax rate. Yep. >> But the impact is >> 25 cents. Yeah. >> But no tax increase. >>

117No tax increase. So it' be flat. In March of 2025, we raised 350,000 from taxation already. So, it would be black. Yes. >> And we had originally the CIP doc put we're trying to work our way up to 425K per year. So, like I think the goal is for this year to get to 400. This is trying to again stabilize the tax rate and keep it at 350. So, that is what that is for. I will say it is not that we could not use the additional $50,000 or additional projects for sure. Um, however, I do think it is Uh I I do think there's a lot of value in being able to keep it stable for a year. Okay. Any other discussion? >> And really it was a decision made based on our budget

118and knowing the tax impact of our budget and wanting to balance against that. >> Okay. All those in favor? Any opposed? May I please have a motion to uh to allocate $30,000 to a technology trust foreign vertical? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Okay. Any discussion? >> This also has a tax increase of zero. >> It has an increase of zero if we fund 15,000 through unassigned fund balance and 15,000 through taxation. >> Interesting. >> That's how we did it last year. So the impact because it would basically just be doubling that. >> Yes. The only comment I will make is that we did put money into the operating budget for Chromebooks next year. >> Yeah. >> So can I just ask for clarification then? [snorts] >> Yes. >> Like what sorts of things might

119we use this for if Chromebooks already allocated for in the >> Oh yeah. >> You want to answer that? >> [clears throat] >> There are certainly other capital projects we could use for this was the original intent. Um I would say in terms of potential capital projects look back looked at before um our firewall for big ticket item some of our internal service. [snorts] >> Okay. And did we account I know there's a bill coming forward potentially to limit any personal there to change the language you know letting students bring their own devices but there's a bill coming forward to eliminate any personal devices in the building >> and there's also a bill to allow it. >> Oh okay >> I didn't get updated about that one. We're just going to see how that plays

120out. And I will say from hearing from people, we could certainly replace more Chromebooks for the ones at the high school. They are laggy and I'm going to paraphrase for Lucy uh janky uh and hard to use. Was that cringe? >> Uh so I think that >> again >> they were in 2004 24. [laughter] So, uh, you know, I I just we we could always put more in there, I think, but it's do we want to keep stable again? >> Okay. Thank you for clarifying. >> All right. All those in favor? >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. And last but not least, um, may I have a motion to allocate $10,000 to the replacing school district vehicles capital reserve fund warrant article? >> So moved. >> Second. >> Great. Someone might recall last year we

121had a extended conversation about replacing the maintenance van. We have a uh half-size bus. We have the maintenance van which is in good shape and we have had discussions about buying vans and this is starting to rebuild that balance again. It has a tax rate increase of zero. >> This one um I apologize if if you do vote through taxation it is not it it was fully funded last year through a sign fund balance. >> Right. So it would be like a cent. Oh, >> yes. Like a penny. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> When do we decide? Just remind me. You would think I would know this by now or remember it. Um when do we decide where we fund our trusts from? >> We don't have to decide. >> We have to do that

122by the public hearing for the budget committee. >> Okay. But I was going to say that's not now. >> We have time for that. >> It ideally would be next meeting, but um >> that's fine. It could be the meeting after as well, but it has to be before the public hearing if >> we get two more before the public hearing. Yeah, there's got to be a little close. We want our legal council to look at the war articles. >> I just think that's helpful for us all to like keep in mind that if we do want to find any of these either the same way that we did last year or differently, that's something that we need to think on and be ready to talk about at the next meeting. >> Yeah. >> Super.

123Thank you. Right. All righty. Um, okay. All those in favor? >> I I Right. I All right. Motion carries. All right, guys. We did it. [snorts] >> So, if you want to take those Wait, wait. In the benefits. Yes. Thoughts on benefits trusts. >> I would recommend pausing just given the circumstances of what we have the reason that that initially came about I think moving forward if and I don't this is one of those unfortunate realities and and I don't know how you would word the warrant article but if we were to have surplus funds from the HAS then that might be a good use of those surplus funds at the end of the year it was it was budgeted for health benefits it wasn't used but I don't know if you can we can

124magically do that have an up to number probably >> we we certainly can but all of the general fund dollars are general fund dollars so um and people have three more months after town meeting to use their HAS so they may break a leg and then end up using it all in June although doesn't happen typically but um we and we spoke a little bit about restricted fund balance that if we put money towards warrants, it comes out first of what's available. >> Yeah, I'm I'm with Rob on pausing this like it we created it for a really specific reason. I'm not feeling a real like compelling >> if you look at what happened to conquered right >> they got wailed >> and conquered wasn't fiscal man mismanagement you know it wasn't clear it it

125wasn't >> that's that's the only that's the only counter that I have in my mind >> sure and so I wonder you know >> it would be a bummer to be caught in that >> but if there's minimal tax impact to start you know $30,000 or $10,000 is it negligent to not start >> right do we need to do the full 200 100 or could >> we just start a nest egg gap? >> Yeah, >> I worry. >> I Yeah, I mean 25 is like three cents roughly. I'm just going to make that up, but like >> Yeah, I don't I'm not trying to raise anybody's taxes, but I worry what would happen. >> I I mean generally with these generally with these trust, my thought I'm just going to jump in because I agree

126with you is that like they are effectively savings envelopes, right? And in the time of like having some of these things have huge swings, I do think it is good to just start putting some money into the envelope. Um, and while health trust has been fine and we don't have a GMR, there have been big swings for us in the past, right? So, it's not it's not unwise to think about it. >> And the budget committee did recommend >> before they put it together. >> That was when the when the article was set. >> Yes. I we would I would look to talk for legal, but the other thing you can also think about is changing requesting to change the language um of that was established. So instead of having it be purposes of covering

127benefit increases that are above what is budgeted, it is the purpose of covering benefit expenses that are unanticipated. >> Right. Have an option as well. >> Yeah. to change the purpose, you have to re um note yourselves as agents to expend. Remember, >> the same way we're sort of continually building up the special ed trust, right? >> Laura, how big of a number would there need to be in that account for it to be to help us in a meaningful way? Like, how much money do we have to save in there for it to be worth? [snorts] >> My personal opinion is at least $35,000. That's the cost of one thing to plan. >> Okay, that's helpful. >> I think that's I think that that is I think that's a reasonable thing to put to

128the voters. I don't think and it and again and I think it it's because we want to start putting money into the envelope, right? And again, like we can discuss it as a town and everyone can decide, but I do think from the perspective of watching what happened over the last year, it's not unreasonable to start saving for un more than budgeted health or benefits benefits costs. So, do Okay, I'm just going to put a motion out there with you. Do I have a motion? I make a motion to allocate $35,000 to the benefits trust uh in a warrant article. >> I'll second. That's okay. Yeah, it's hard. It's a really hard thing. >> Can I ask? >> Yeah. >> Question. >> Yeah. >> So, we're just putting it out there for the town's people

129to vote on. We're giving them the option. >> Correct. They can always say no. >> Right. And yeah, but the question and then the other question for that would be but do we not even put it out there knowing that last year we passed the contract and all these other things? We do we just try to keep everything as flat as possible and not even that's the other thing, >> right? >> All three contracts, [snorts] >> right? >> Yeah. Yeah. Right. All three contracts not have a contingency fund. Like if something were to go wrong, like we have a fund >> that we could pull from. I just don't think like that this is the year like I I hear the rationale and I I fully understand it. I don't know if this is >>

130is there a way to word it in a way that I think this is what you were asking or you were getting at like like should there in the event that there is fund balance it can be funded up to $35,000 >> you vote on that when you write the warrant. >> Yeah. So before the budget committee public hearing on the 8th 6th >> the fourth. Thank you. Yes. So sorry. >> So we we have to write the warrant for them to vote on and we have to have a funding source. So if it's unassigned fund balance we have to say we're raising appropriating 35,000 to come from an assigned fund balance. >> We have changed the the funding source on the floor of the meeting. We have made changes to the funding source in

131March when we know more about fund balance. It's not optimal. It is very confusing. >> Okay. But you can if we think we're going to have the 35K and we don't want to put it into article 10 or whatever else, we could we could do it day of on the floor. Just it's it's a lot for people to work through. >> Right. After that vote, we cannot change it, >> right? >> I think I am persuaded maybe to kick the can down the road on this for a year. >> Yeah, I can >> Okay, >> I understand. I just I worry, but the contingency is there. >> I do worry. Um especially because other than special ed I feel like uh healthcare has been >> driver also as >> as you're making this choice um

132we have voted 300 up to 310,000 from the contingency. You're talking about for returning 400,000 from the contingency as well. And if you want to repopulate that, it takes unassigned fund balance to repopulate your contingency fund. So that would, you know, putting it into the contingency if there's HA at the end of the year would be a way to reserve it for benefits if they come up next year, >> right? >> Yeah. Make sense? >> Yeah. So that would get us through the year without having a formal benefit. >> I hope we would do. >> Yeah. Right. >> Yeah. Okay. >> But there's a motion on the floor. >> Yeah. So I'm just going to say all those in favor. feel free to vote against it, but I'm just going to say all those in

133favor, >> all those opposed. >> Nay. Thank you. Okay, great. Motion fails. There we go. Okay. So, any other warrants? >> Does that sound good to everyone? >> Yeah. >> Any other warrants that anyone wants to bring forward? So, I should ask. >> Well, we're going to have to >> We'll talk about Yeah. Okay. All right. All right. So, open enrollment. My hopes is that we don't and I know this is going to be wood legal that we do not decide necessarily about open enrollment tonight. I think it is a big conversation. I would like for us to discuss it and figure out where we all are and then we will have the final conversation in two weeks when we meet again and decide whether or not we are moving something to a warrant article.

134Does that sound good to everyone? Okay. So Amy wonderfully, thank you Amy, put together a memo um over the break uh that was shared with everyone around open enrollment. Um I hope everyone had a chance to read it. Um, this is in response to RSA 194D, uh, where a district may designate one of its schools as an open enrollment public school allowing students from outside the district or attendance area to enroll with the resident district paying a portion 80% of the per pupil cost the receiving district. Okay, we have seen this before. We are the second school district that has had to pay money or a student to go elsewhere. So, this has already affected our bottom line. We had to make an amendment to our 2627 operating budget as a result. Um, Amy put

135together some pros and potential benefits and some cons and potential challenges uh as well as some contextual considerations, right? Um, as well as at the end some really good thoughts about Hopington specific uh specifics. This is um I said this I think in conversation to Amy, but this is for I think for a lot of people um a deeply philosophical question in in terms of the role of public education um equitability equity uh and I'm going to use all the words wrong because it's my brain uh in public education and how we're providing for all students in a fair and equitable manner. Um and also thinking also pragmatically about financial repercussions for districts who either are sending students uh and for those districts that are receiving students. So with that context, I have strong thoughts.

136I will save them till the end so everyone else can chime in please. [laughter] >> I just I just want to ask Amy if you know the thing that I I can't get my head around given the court [snorts] decision. If we elect not to have a policy, can a sending district send their student to our school? >> We don't have to accept them. I mean, you could still leverage our own policies with around tuition. We have kids that pay tuition, you know, to come here. um if we choose not to become an open enrollment what what is still to be determined and I think if we just look at what the Supreme Court decided if a Huffington student decided to go to an open enrollment school >> and we had either set the cap

137or decided to be open enrollment >> I my guess is that our legal counsel would say we would still probably >> yeah and that's what happened with Prospect Bell >> right >> so and and candidly like I'm less concerned about students being sent I'm more concerned concerned about students coming in. >> Um because >> so if we're not in open enrollment, we don't have to >> or we could or we could say that we are going to have a policy and we're going to set it at zero, >> right? >> That's the other way, >> right? And I think there is, you know, definitely some conversation happening in the legislature about what school districts are trying to around it, right? So, if you create a Warren article and you say, you know, we're going to

138become an open enrollment district. We're going to designate, and this is just the language, you know, we're going to designate Maple Street as an open enrollment school or middle high school. Most schools that are doing it are doing their high school just because they often are offering courses that maybe their typical high school doesn't. Um, and you say, "We're going to take zero, we're going to let zero go." There's already some conversation around like that is not what the law is is saying that you that you can't leverage your way around, you know, taking in kids or letting kids go. >> So, the legislature would try to try to fix that or somebody would sue >> that. That's what I'm both, you know, I'm I I've already heard of people having conversations around suing districts

139to set the number between zero and 100% of their population. >> And I know I'm at zero >> and I'm not trying to monopoly. I know Kier Sarge is going to >> school. Yes. Do we know do we have a sense as to what other surrounding schools are going to do at this point? Has there been talk at all? >> Um I know that um Marramac, the mayor school district is discussing it. They put it forward as more an article. Um I think that there is conversation around around conquered their their structure is different than ours. >> Oh, >> I haven't heard >> John Stark. I understand, >> but I know that there was an article from the New Hampshire bulletin that named Huffington and Bo specifically that people are sort of waiting to see.

140>> Sure. and hand over. >> Amy, I I have questions and concerns because part of this whole open enrollment really, you know, pits schools against one another and budget constraints and, you know, like having conversations about whether we offer these athletics or these particular courses and I, you know, we talk about us being a small shop and and for quality, but we can only do so much based on budget constraints. Um, I just just feel so I know like the you know the whatever the idiom is the cards you know the horse is already out of the barn like I can't put it back in but I feel like the marketing piece that is going to eat into school's budgets in terms of you know reading up on this the idea of us having to

141have like a marketing campaign to attract students and to do building improvements because >> you know we're not the newest on the block. just theoretically like right in theory it seems like oh if we're all competing with each other but this schools are not in the business of of we're not >> business and there's no money >> right but look at like universities right >> yes >> so it's not like that's become cost effective >> no and I I I'm going to manage this >> right >> I don't know how any school is >> it also strikes me as an incredible budgetary challenge. >> Yes. >> Because you don't know when your costs are going to hit. >> We've already experienced, you know, if some student moves into district that has like tremendous need of

142a special ed front like that can be very expensive. >> So that's the other question is open enrollment. What's the legality of a student coming in who does have a big expenditure? and we say, "Well, no, >> we set our criteria of who we would accept." >> How is that legal if we said we're not going to accept? >> That feels like a lawsuit ready to >> That's how kids will get. >> Well, in some district you you would you can Well, Laura would build the other district for the special ed services up to a certain percentage. They would still have their home district like they would still have their district of >> origin that they would have access to. >> Trying to wrap my head >> and transportation is also an issue. >> Then

143we would have to >> Well, and what happens when kids we wouldn't have to pay >> goes to another school and then >> so it's just kids but winds up >> we don't have to pay for their transportation either. >> Very expensive need and now we're on the hook for that. >> Yes. Yes. Okay. All right. The financial uncertainty of it is a real challenge for most people in Laura and I position because part of our job is to come to you with a budget that is you know manageable and that we feel good about. I mean this is just certainly it would be really really challenging I think to you know just absorb the number of kids like what is happening in Pittsfield from Prospect Mountain. I that is just I I you know

144they can't absorb $20,000 a student and they're going to have to but the financial uncertainty and then also when you think about class size I mean as a board you've made that decision to have a policy around class size when you think about where we could provide open enrollment it would probably be at the at the high school level um we do have as Suzanne said we're a small shop but we do things well we do offer some Amy courses is certainly not as much many as other um schools around us. Concert offers more tier sergeant John Stark offer different AP courses not the same. Um some students are taking advantage of um specialized athletics program whether it's bowling or hockey or football that you know we don't have [snorts] I'm with what Jonathan I

145think you would have more I think we would have people that would want to come that cost their other public schooling the taxpayers in those districts >> and also I mean they only have to pay up to 80%. So >> there's that too. >> Also, well, go ahead, Rob. >> So, so much going on in my head. You know, first problem is the flawed logic that X amount of money travels with a student. I it's to say, you know, you have a family of four and your household expenses are $100,000 and one kid leaves. Do do you send $25,000 with them? No. >> So, the grocery bill goes down a little. It's >> a little bit of, you know, that mechanism doesn't work. Um, I understand what the legislature is trying to do. Don't like

146what they're trying to do. I mean, I get it. the tribal nature of schools and how they've been positioned doesn't make a whole lot of sense in a lot of ways. But I I I get they want to create this competition, but you know, if we're going to do that, then we need to share more costs as a state, not as towns. So there's so much of this is just flawed in my mind. But I think that in terms of our own action, this is football 101. We need to prevent defense. uh we we cannot put ourselves or expose ourselves to students leaving our schools. As much as I hate that idea of limiting, we're going to say we can take people, we should say you can go. But I I can't imagine putting taxpayers

147on the hook for what could be tens if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. So, however we structure it, yeah, this could be a revenue maker for Hopson. I mean, I remember having the conversation with Steve about let's market ourselves to bring in more tuition students and that sounded great right up until the point Suzanne that you can't say no like if you're going to do that you can't say no to somebody who has an IEP that that scenario so I'm very curious why that same legal logic wouldn't apply here like how could we say no because you were a student with needs that's going to cost X more. I think we need some help figuring out what that prevent defense is going to be, how to employ it. But I am in favor of

148a warrant article that puts that forward and protects the town. as much as it makes me sick to myself. >> Why Why are you in favor of a warn article as opposed to saying we're not playing >> as opposed to saying we're not we're not we're taking our toys and going home. We're not going to we're not going to participate. >> My understanding is that we need a warrant article to adopt this. Is that accurate? If you were if we wanted to either set I mean the open enrollment require us to set the number of students that we would allow in. So we have to set a school that would become an open enrollment school how many kids we would take in and then also how many kids would allow. Now with what Jonathan is

149saying we can do nothing >> right but if we as we're doing nothing now we also have $18.5,000 going out the door in an open enrollment situation. We've done nothing. But that school was already an open enrollment school. So, >> no, I know. But if we do nothing and more schools go to open enrollment, >> right? >> Then it will just >> So, you're talking about doing a Warren article to prevent kids from act. >> As much as I don't like that idea from >> No, to be fair, their parents can pay out of pocket for them to go. Like, it's just that we don't pay for them, right? So, like >> families do what families want to do. It's just like it was before where you have to pay for it as a family.

150But I guess what I'm saying is from an ethical perspective, I feel a little bit eh about we will take your students and your money, right? >> But we're not going to let our students leave. That's the part where I'm like, >> but we could also say we're not going to take and we're not going to accept, >> right? >> Yeah. >> We could just set both numbers to zero, >> right? >> Also, when would we when would a student have to tell a receiving district? I mean, could you do it in December? Could you do it in >> Do it anytime. >> Anytime. >> Yeah. So, it just from a budgetary standpoint, it just feels impossible >> to try to to try to predict to your taxpayers what the cost is going to be

151>> and all of a sudden your your enrollment swings 20 students depending on what your numbers are. Just feels impossible either way. Also, the best candidate school for this likely for us would be the middle high school, which we are already stretched thin across, >> right? >> Everything like we prepared are we prepared to change our policy on classroom size, >> right? Well, and we just don't we just don't have enough >> teachers. It's possible, you know, >> and to to Suzanne's point earlier, like I think this is why other districts would you might have to hire more teachers. you might have to renovate other classroom space. >> And and also if we were to have an increase, a substantial increase in classroom size, this can then affect our abilities to keep kids from having

152more significant learning disabilities. >> Yeah. because then you're not identifying, you're not all of your existing. I mean, as we talked about before, we're short. Uh, we're already short >> IASA. >> Yeah. No, it just I don't I don't like the idea of trying to compete and and we're already stretched for funds and I don't know how we're possibly going to and in my experience with schools is that we've always been able to for kids who needed an experience, right? Um we've been able to get them online for class or partner even with a neighboring school to get them into an advanced class or you know we have our collaborative sports team. Like there's like one kid from Hillsboro who plays hockey with our Hoping to John Stark group [laughter] like right there's been I

153know years past I think we sense math kids someplace else to get what they needed. There's always been that spirit of community without this exchange and and kind of competitive, you know, here's what we have to offer. And I don't want to water down or um you know we we have good programs and we have good teachers it everybody has capacity and I don't want to and and to your point you're talking a little bit about like the manifest hardship or best determination process those are still in place. So if the district would were to come to us and say, "Listen, this student experienced serious bullying," we would pay their tuition for them to come. I mean, there are, you know, that is that process is still available. Um, if there ever needed to be

154a collaborative approach to providing a new environment or a different experience for students, um, we do send our students to CRTC. you know there is new language in um the regional you know that they you know might be able to take the course before or after that we could pay for that so there's already things in place I think for kids >> um that that doesn't create this amount of financial uncertainty >> you know also just I'm just thinking just spitballing here but like uh I think about the risk of some student coming in from another town in their sophomore year. It strikes me that they're much more likely to either be bullied or feel bullied because they're not haven't grown up. And Hopington is a pretty which which isn't to say that it's a

155huge issue here, but to say that these are kids that come up together. It's a pretty I mean it's one of the great things about Hopington. It's like you know your kids are in school with the same kids and then everybody knows everybody and so you come in and you may feel on the outside of that and so all of a sudden that becomes a real challenge for administration if we have zealous advocates for parents for a kid coming in saying I don't feel like part of part of this community when you know it's a difficult thing to start later on not impossible but a higher risk that that situation is going to manifest. I >> think we might have some of that. I also will say that generally in the high school like new

156kids come in, they're like, "Thank God someone new. Will you be my friend?" >> And I'm sure that's >> And I'm sure >> But I hear you. >> Depends on where they're coming from, too. >> Yeah. It >> either works really well or sometimes goes >> sideways. Yeah. I mean, it's high school, you know, like kids are kids >> and it's hard and we're, you know, it's not social. We're all people in social dynamics be complicated for all of us. Um, I think the two biggest things for me, because I think this is an excellent discussion, is I get really worried about students leaving uh uh less um uh less lower quality districts for whatever reason, but uh and coming to districts like ours because we work really really hard. Not that those districts don't

157when they're in tax advantage situations. I think that everyone that works in public education generally tries to work really hard. But and then just leaving behind both kids who don't have parents for whatever reason who can transport them to their school of choice or special education students, right, which is um I do not think a free, fair, and open public education system. And that is what I'm philosophically deeply opposed to. And it comes back to um how do we think about engaging with this ridiculous set of things that has been decreed by the state legislature in a highly local control state uh to help maintain a fair, highquality, just public education system. Not just for us, but in the context of what we're trying to do as people on the school board. For me, I

158don't I don't like as a human, I'm like, I don't even want the warrant article. But I don't I do think we probably do will need to think about this and really talk about whether we should have a warrant article and either set it to zero or to a very very very small. >> That brings up another question that I had. Yeah. >> Um Amy, if we do the warrant article, is it to participate? That is would [snorts] the superintendent set the number or does a warrant article have to set the number of sending and receiving? >> In the war article, you have to name the school that you are naming as an open enrollment and then the >> the numbers. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> So, that's something that everybody has to vote on.

159>> So, that'll be okay. >> And and just like everything, I think it will take some communication. Um, yeah, it is it's it's an interesting >> thing to really wrap your brain around what is happening. >> Wicked hard. And the percentages are wicked hard. And I was just going through to figure out like what would it be for one student and it's like two students is like a quarter of a percent. So 00025 of our current 911 students, right? like there's a lot of there's a lot of understanding that we need to start providing if we're going to put it on a warrant and make sure and I think either way we have to start communicating it at a pretty broad like broad and deep level but there's a lot of specifics that I think

160are tricky. Your memo is very helpful. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah. I just think I think from my perspective, you know, I I think it's interesting that more people aren't upset about this. Um because I I think it's like the ultimate loss of local control. Once you send kids, you have no like you you have no control. You don't know if they're going to school. You don't know what they're learning. You don't know what their curriculum is. You don't know how they're how the money is being spent. So, we're we're sending this money right now to another school. We don't know how it's being used. if you want to talk about fiscal responsibility, you have no control over it. Um, so just on its face, this is a real loss of

161local control. Um, and I also kind of to echo what has been said as a protective measure for our district. I think it would be really important for us to look at a warrant. Um, I think it would be interesting to look at who is coming into our schools. Now, we do have kids who tuition in from schools uh or from kind of local districts. Um we can look at how many kids are currently going out and we could potentially set those numbers pretty low to match what we already have. >> That's another really cute. It's also it's just frustrating to me I have to say like uh you know since we are talking about this this state policy uh you know funding education on real estate taxes is a very the most regressive way

162that we can do it. So for the legislature to then talk about equality without changing the tax the revenues uh while at the same time keep reading about these EFAs. I think I read like something like seven private religious schools made over a million dollars a piece over the last four years. They're slated to make considerably more because the it's doubling in terms of the amount of kids participating. This is all like I think they're projecting like 52 million going out. This is all money that could be going to help um kids in districts that ostensively are trying to be helped here. So, it it reminds me a lot of sort of saying like no screens in class, but so everybody's got to have schools got to provide Chromebooks, but we're not going to give

163you any money for that. It reminds me of that that we've been dealing with this year. It just it's really frustrating to me. Uh, I suppose I'm echoing that there's not a little bit more outrage, but I suppose [clears throat] [snorts] um >> maybe people will start to pocket >> sometimes until it starts to affect you. >> I also think though that this is something that's going to need a lot of communication because on its face it feels really it it sounds really good because again talk about this stuff like literally just ask people like, "Hey, here's this thing. What do you think?" And when I asked people at first blush people said like that's a great idea people would love to come to Hington and then you start explaining it and then it's like

164oh oh actually that's so you know it's it is >> it's layered and and layered is hard. >> Yeah. Okay. So, everyone keep thinking we're going to do the same thing um as we did with the warrants language and the benefits trust. Please think about this. If you have questions, please ask Amy and I. Um we'll work to provide you with whatever you need. Um and we will talk about this and finalize what we are going to do in terms of a warrant article, no warrant article, if there's warrant article, what that warrant article would say. Um, [snorts] we might, just as a heads up, I'm going to put this out right talking about this. So, sorry, you're going to love it. Uh, put together a couple different ideas that people can think about and

165respond to. I often find that with really hard things, it's helpful to have like a couple of things for people to think through with pros and cons, uh, to help sort of structure the discussion. Um [snorts] and then and then that will be probably the next meeting will be we're about to talk through the budget presentation for budget committee but responding to feedback from the budget committee um and then talking through open enrollment as well as a couple other things. Does that sound like an okay plan? >> Yeah. I just also wanted to offer when I talked with Allison and Dean about this you know moving up they did offer to meet with all of you if you would like them to come or do a zoom you can certainly ask them their questions. So

166if you have fair specific question that is something that um you know Wadley is is offering to their districts. It's just this is it's a tough thing to consider. Um each district really is different and you know doesn't make sense for us. Um I I will just say that if we decide to to move forward thinking about the students that already tuition here, I would just feel a you know compelling re way to reach out to those current superintendents to let them know because my guess is that those families will exercise that right and instead of paying us tuition you know we would then get it from their school district and if they are not planning to become open enrollment uh I just wouldn't want them to be blindsided. by an unanticipated cost. A few

167of our kids come from the same district. >> So just want to say that if you give publication to the >> we get 80%. >> Yeah. From the district >> 80% of their tuition cost which is I mean again so interesting. >> Yep. Yep. [snorts] >> Okay. Thank you everybody. Keep thinking about it. Six. >> All right. Next up, Rob, are you ready? >> No. >> Okay. I don't know if everyone's known this, but for the last two weeks, Rob, Laura, and Amy have been uh doing what I would call Rob's Super Bowl, which is like the deep dive presentation on all things budget. Uh to the point where he was able to send a highly detailed list of final questions on Monday morning. Uh but uh I think that the team has done a

168great job. Um and Rob presenting tomorrow at budget committee to to go through everything. And so we wanted to do a dry run tonight. Um please think about he's going to walk through it. What we're trying to think about is a making sure we're all on the same page and if there's anything that seems unclear, better messaging, anything. Okay. Andrea did go through just over those uh from a visibility perspective, thinking about what this is going to look like in the gym as middle high school and making some text bigger. Um also there is a lot of words in some of these slides. It's because it is also often a standalone document for many people on the website. So being able to have some context on the slides uh so if they're reading through it

169is part of the intention with this. All right, Rob, let's go. >> Okay, so [clears throat] it's uh 7:35 coffee was few hours ago. Neurons will fire as best they can. >> Y uh so first first slide here purpose and transparency pretty straightforward in terms of this is one of those ones I will not spend a lot of time on but how is our budget developed? What are those key drivers? um some of the the resources that support our staff and then of course the the impact on the taxpayers towards the end. Uh this is a similar first of all I want to back up and say thank you to to Amy for putting all of these slides together uh and then Laura to making sure that our numbers are right uh and all of

170that good stuff. So again, our process, priorities and goals, the timeline, uh the key budget drivers, enrollment and class size, department details, other funds, uh school district trusts, and then our warrants. So the first one up here with a lot of text, and I'm just going to highlight a few things. So the you know there there's tons of words, um strategic plan, schoolboard goals, etc. But it does make a difference in the budget. And I'm going to focus on the curriculum piece here. You know, if you go to our schoolboard, our strategic plan, goal two is curriculum, instruction, and assessment. And it talks about high quality instruction, materials, tools, all of those things. If you go back to our board goals, what do we have to do? What do we have to have? What do

171we have to improve? And when we look at that curriculum slide, Amy has delivered on that, right? These are the questions. This was in the strategic plan. These are the board goals. this is the action plan and and how we're going to pay for it. Um number two on the top again stressing the use of the contingency fund to create that stable predictable funding where we can do it. Um planning responsibly for special education. We are dialed into the students that we have now and the students that we foresee having into the next year. um and the budget drivers process. And then again the last slide in that terms of that long-term planning got to go back to the only real mechanism we have is that contingency fund. Um you know the reality of saying

172we're going to have x percentage change uh yeartoyear is next to impossible. So all right next slide. the the budget development process I think you're all very familiar with. Um what was different this year was starting from the beginning in limiting the what I will call aspirational requests. So we didn't we we were very clear to the superintendent to say don't tell us everything you're going to need in the universe tell us what you need now. >> Yeah. >> And Amy and Lord did exactly that. and that's why things are as tight and there will be fewer reductions in our process than in previous years. The other thing that was a big difference was probably more one-to-one meetings with the business administrator talking about justifications for people's budget lines and as well as examining the

173actuals to previous years. So starting in September and October, we have the building administrators and then and the department heads uh superintendent presents to us. In January, we are now to the budget committee and then we'll be at that public hearing in February and then yes, the Super Bowl on March 14th. So we can go to the the next slide. Um for rising costs, we all know about inflationary pressures. If you uh you know follow that stuff in in terms of the consumer cost it's about 3% right now. Uh if you look at the better metric PCE it's about 5%. Uh and as Laura reminded me most of our vendors are coming back with a 5% increase over time. We're also seeing an increase with CRTC which we'll see in the high school budget. special

174education. Again, we are planning for dynamic student needs and how best to to meet all of those services. The curriculum piece will really speak to what we've done talked about as a board a lot is those multi-tiered systems of support and how curriculum plays into that. So, we'll we'll talk about that on the curriculum slide. transportation problem continues. Very, very limited supply, not only with our daily operations, but with sports charters and and of course are transporting special education students. On the facility side, I'm glad Jim left, but I'm I'm pretty sure that we're getting closer to that goal of adequately funding the facilities budget so that we're the days of deferred maintenance are gone. We're doing all the things that we need to do in real time, paying for them, and um you know,

175there's there's going to be some year-to-year changes in what he asked for and what he gets. You'll see some examples of that. We'll get to that. [clears throat] Everybody loves to see enrollment. Um so, Harold Martin School plus five students, Maple Street School, no real change, and a little drop at the middle high school. Those are the projections. um you know the realities of that will come true in in August and September >> but I would like to note sorry keep going but that's up two students from this year so it is grow sorry keep going yes >> yeah that is true 5 - 3 is plus >> we did talk about that kindergarten is always the welcome card kindergarten and first grade you just don't know you know we budget for we anticipate about

17660 we have four classroom teachers there but yes sorry >> it will be realized in September I did just check that yeah great >> the next size is anticipated class sizes uh for next year and I think from a budgetary perspective is does this mean any additional full-time people and it does not. It means that people might be moving a grade level but we're not adding any new staff based on the uh the anticipated class sizes. The overall budget uh coming in at 29,31,447 uh for a 4.7% increase over last year and tax rate impact 95. Um as previously noted, we've already reduced this by what seems like a small number, $99,94. we were just over 5% but that is only the case because we did not go the aspirational route where we had you

177know a million dollar asset we had to say cut 800,000 we really started u in a much leaner position okay salaries and benefits um so here the difference is $762,000 for a 3.8% 8% increase. This is our collective bargaining agreements with the HGA, with Hess, with the teamsters, u as well as our merit pool for the non-UN staff and coaches, those kinds of things. Um, the budget committee likes to ask about what metrics we're using to see if we're in a ballpark. And I would just remind folks that the employment cost index for secondary education uh the national average year-over-year going back 10 years is 3.54%. So we are pretty much right on target with what the norm is. Um they do not publish or I simply cannot get access to regional numbers. But I

178think if you looked at the northeast region that number would probably be a little bit higher than that. and and these this was approved last year. >> Correct. >> Not an action item, >> right? These are things that we have already approved. Yes. >> Could I recommend you probably already have them written down that you have your percent changes for each contract year on hand just so that if they ask and you could be like yes Ha is 4. So for the board as a reminder um for next year 2627 HA is 3.75% is getting a $1 increase across the board in their categories and the teamsters is 3.8%. >> Perfect. Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> Uh staffing and full-time equivalent. So we actually have a little bit of a reduction here going from

179198.73 to 198.42. Always been curious about the 210 of a person. Um the reductions the Harold Martin school special ed teacher is a reduction of one in a vacant IIA I believe also at Harold Martin school. >> She was at the high school. High school >> middle school. Yes. And we have we've shifted some people around as well. Um the the addition is a 0.2 social studies position or one. So that person will be teaching an extra class and that is essentially to deal with changes in the ed 306s which set standard for what we must teach in our commercial um transfer. So essentially changes uh positions going from one place to another. We have two IAS that are moving from the middle high school to Harold Martin School and one high school special education

180position which will go to an out of district case manager to deal with I believe currently 12 students that are placed out of district uh incredibly uh intensive amount of work to track all of the components of their IEPs. So that person would assume that role and it would come off of the uh Mandy's plate, the special ed director, which would allow her to be more involved, have more time to work with her staff directly. >> Next. >> Hey, hang on before you move. >> Yes, sir. >> Are we still trying to fill some positions? >> Yes. >> And so are those reflected in the 198.42 42 like like is that is that as if we have retired those people or is that number not have those positions in there because aren't we trying to

181so we have some unfilled positions >> we do we do have some unfilled positions and we also you know have ongoing resignations so think about IAS we certainly >> so those don't affect these numbers >> these numbers are with the assumption that we're fully staffed >> yes >> okay you What is our current number of unchilled IAS? Just so I've got that. >> It's a good question, Jonathan. Thank you. >> I can tell you that. >> I'm guessing seven. And she's going to tell me if I'm right. >> Lots of Java. >> Really does not want you to do that. >> It really doesn't want me to look at that. >> You can get back to me with that if you'd like. >> It's hysterical. [clears throat] >> My computer is telling me that I

182can't tell you that. Really? >> I think it's six. >> Six. Um like said we will let you know. >> Okay. >> No more work >> on the operations budget. So this is the overall >> um yeah that one Amy thank you. >> This is our total operations budget sees an increase of 551,433 or 8.8%. Um what will be noted is special education increase is 287,159 for of that 8.8% it's 4.58 so better than half and the other 4.22 is spread across all of the other departments. So [snorts] once again, special education and um out of district placements and all the costs are driving factor for us and have been for a number of years. This is the big slide on the the operations budget summary. Um again just drawing attention to the special not

183to pick on special education but it is a budget driver that we just have to you know point out this is something that we're required to do by law. 12.36% in that category. And if we could go to the next slide, special ed budget operations. So, uh, in terms of major increases here, our out of district placements, there's an increase of $294,127 and on contracted services such as OT, PT, speech, behavior, it's 78,755. So there is again that 287 number. Um to sort of make sure that folks know that we are sharpening the pencil and looking where there are where we can make cuts as well. Um when you go through the special ed operations lines, there were reductions of a total of $111,649 over 15 different categories. Um, smallest of which that I could

184come up with was $43 for OT supplies and the largest was 70,97 for transportation. I'm assuming that's attached to a particular student who was placed in a particular place, but know that for certain. So, the point is, yes, costs are driving up, but um, Mandy and Laura and the superintendent are also looking to see where we can trim the sales as best we possibly can. Thank you. um facilities operations budgets. Um some key changes here. The performance contract is a very large part of that 6.08%. Um so that 44,915 moved into the operating budget that used to be in the CIP. So that has come out. It's now where it should be. Um, but that's 4.3 4.34% of the total increase. Um, the rest of it being 1.74%. And those when you try to when

185you try when you go through Jim's operational budgets, there's a wide range of cuts and increases. Like it's all over the place. So, for an example, um, an increase in contracted services next year for Maple Street School went from $4,000 to $23,000. electrical, HVAC, grease traps, plumbing, an array of things. On the flip side, his grounds budget went to zero from $12,400 to zero. So again, choices have to be made as we're trying to keep those sales trimmed. And that's a that's a good example of that occurring. Yeah. All right. Curriculum operations budget. So I'm going to do my best here. The queen of C curriculum is in the room. So, okay, >> here goes. Um, [laughter] this is something that we've been talking about for a number of years in terms of getting the

186curriculum aligned K through six and we've made a lot of advances with that through the Amplify and with Illustrative Math and now Amy is bringing to us a series of things fly curriculum which is really an additional component that can be used with the responsive classroom, something that we've been doing in both schools for years. Um, diagnostic assessments through Ames Webb and Early Bird, but looking at other options so that we are making sure that we're getting the proper interventions to the students at the proper time. The branching minds platform, you know, $12,000, but there's a ton of data and how do you bring all that data together to know which student needs more time when? This will help people do those things. More tier 2 materials and then of course the professional development at

187the district level that goes along with bringing these curriculum items into place. We have professional development money in our CBA with the HA contract. Um but this is district level development. So you might have a day with Xperson to talk about how to best implement your fly five. Uh a little bit about the numbers here. Uh so the fly five is you know 10,325 branching minds is 12,32. Uh increases to amplify a little under 4,000 and illustrative math about 2500. Um so $43,000 in an area that's been a board goal, strategic plan goal, clearly a superintendent goal. and branching minds is is branching minds K through 12. >> Yeah, branching minds we can put all students in there and compile the data. The other part around that is and you know I've been here before

188there are lots of ways to compile information. It also makes it secure because it is a login dashboard where it's not a you know a spreadsheet of student information that gets shared or put in Google Drive. It lives in a password protected portal. Got it. I hope that was okay. Did great. [clears throat] >> Queen of curriculum. All right. Technology operations. Uh key changes here. We're looking at $36,000 or 11%. Again, the percentage seems high, but the overall budget is fairly low. So, of course, your percentage is going to seem higher. Uh some of the network upgrades, $5,000 for information access fees, $22,500 for Chromebooks. That was a decision that we made during COVID. And we believe that that keeping that onetoone environment is best. Uh and this is a mechanism to do that. Diligent

189community which is the platform that we use to send out information to the community as well as share internally is actually seeing it's being kept but they're seeing a reduction of $7,000. So we're we're getting things into the budget that we were concerned about six years ago. How are we going to pay for Chromebooks? This is another step in the direction to keeping that on a level plateau. All right, Harold Martin School. Um, this one's pretty straightforward. As you look at their operational budgets, there's a there's a range of really small increases and decreases. You know, the general supplies again that magic 5% number which seems align in line with, you know, inflationary indicators. Um, you see regular ed supplies, paper, pencils, all the rest of it, $722. So, they're continuing to count their numbers

190down there. Scholastic, one of my favorite things, uh, is increasing by 62 bucks. Um, so very small increase of $1,400, but again, people paying very close attention to each line as they move this. Maple Street School, similar story. um actually sees a decrease here of $6,332. Uh the primary cause of that is we had uh contractual tuition for our administrator there that was $8,000. Uh Carrie Synonyi is now Dr. Synoni and that tuition line has gone from 8,000 to 1,000. So, congratulations to Carrie. Um, reducing that. If you wanted to X out that variable, then the increase at Maple Street in operations is $668 or 1.33%. Again, doing a fine job of keeping an eye on the bottom line. Okay, moving on to the middle high school general supplies. Again, you see that increase of

1915%. NEASK, which is our accreditation group, which will be coming in over the course of the next two years. We need to budget for their visit, hotels, uh some other accommodations for travel, etc. That's budgeted uh a little under $2,000 at the moment. Career fair. Uh I don't really know how to pronounce that acronym. I'm just going to say Apple. It is Apple. Okay. So this is the world language proficiency testing and this is something new um New Hampshire biiteracy and you've got about $4,000 cost at the middle high at the high school and 1688 in the eighth grade. So those are new testing things that are in place and those are the costs. CRTC on the other hand is seeing an increase of $19,000 uh due to some reduced state funding. If you remember

192back from last year, we received late in the game an $80,000 bill uh from conquered for things that the state did not cover in regard to our CRTC students going there. Our our projected reimbursement shortfall this year is $40,000. Uh the tuition at CRTC also increased uh 5%. So those costs are there and as you can again you can see if you take out the CRTC costs the middle high school also did a very good job of keeping their budgets trimmed at 1.91%. Athletics uh not a lot of changes here. Um little increase in officials fees. The major change which caused the decrease uh was moving the field line of position which is $5,000 out of the operations budget into the salaries budget. Um so it's with everybody else that we pay money to to

193do their work. Uh so exiting that out you would see an increase in athletics of 2350 or 1.12%. So, everybody's coming in doing their job, keeping it lean and mean, so to speak. The SAU budget, this this one may made my eyes pop a little bit. I think I actually texted Amy and said, "Wow, didn't realize that." Um, so we've got an increase of 106,000 or 6.18%. But as you dig into the operational costs, our bus contract that we agreed to, it's a five-year contract. Uh the increase there is 32,653 for those seven buses that we send out every day. The Mckin Vento uh line for transportation is $30,000. That's a new line that we had not done in the past. And again, the McKini Vento refers to those homeless students >> that we bring

194back into Hopkin and that by federal law, we are responsible for transportation. And then there's a change in food service or what we're setting aside for food service from 100 to 125. And you know what we think about in terms of projected revenues going down. So we have to increase that. So why it sort of made my head pop a little bit when you take the transportation, you take the food service, and you take the open enrollment that we now have to budget for at $18,500. The overall increase in the SAU operations was $18,413 or 1.07%. So contractual obligations, legal oblig obligations are again driving our costs more than you know discretionary ideas about how we should do things. Um the page that I like the least because I understand it the least is other

195funds. Um so fund 21 is our food service fund. Slight increase there of $2,222 due to hes contracts. Um, fund 22 is our our grants, our federal grants, IDA, title one. Uh, this pays for contracted services. It pays for some employees and as I recently understood, it is also on a three-year cycle. So, tracking that money and how it comes in um is a little bit tricky. But the essential foundation here is this is federal money. Uh if we don't get it, we don't spend it. So it does not hit the local taxation piece. 123 is another line of I guess projections. This is really local grants and donations like we have a donation tonight. Uh well it came in on donations I think right but robotics the adaptive tricycle all of those things need

196a place to go when they come in and this is the line that it would go into. So that's the projection. That's the proposed budget for that. Which again leaves us at the overall operating budget at 29,301, 4.7%. I'm going to pause and see if anybody have any we get on to work. >> I just have a question in the SAU budget for food service, but then the fund 21. How could we better differentiate those? 21 is out right because you know both title food service and food service and I understand there's some information there but I guess I >> I don't know the >> I'm going to try to answer that though I'm at the budget committee that'll help me tomorrow night. So the the fund 21 is how we budget for food service

197overall. What are our costs? Um what are our revenues? How does that balance out? The line that we have is we've had a shortage there for a year. Um, historically prior to well, I guess five years ago was we just we didn't budget for it. We just put out a fund balance and that was it. >> Yeah. >> So, we started budgeting for that and that number has ranged from as high as 150 to as low as 75 and it seems to be getting more and more dialed into where it needs to be. Um I don't know if there's another answer to that without changing the way we do food service attracted service >> just for clarification that the contingency fund in terms of like whatever that's in the SAU budget but in terms of

198the um like federal grant funding for food service is fund 21 we are so this is so far we are fully expenditure based so general fund has expenditures to transfer to food service it becomes a revenue What we're looking at here, the $629,000 is what food service may spend in the in the fiscal year. >> Okay. >> The general fund may spend up to $125,000 to pay for these food service expenditures, but fund accounting has to have >> both sides covered. So, I I I want to explain that more clearly, but so it's not great. Um, set up. >> Essentially, you have expenditures for food service in both fund 10 and fund 21. >> Okay. >> I'm suggesting that there's some clarity around that else in the general fund side. >> Yeah. >> Yes. This

199is the food service fund of what um the program is allowed to spend. >> So, we we probably can clear that word again. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Good question. Food service confuses everyone every year. >> Every year. Mhm. Let me know. Oh, okay. >> I'm ready. >> Okay. >> Wait, can I just say Rob, I think that was great. There's a lot of specific detail that I think is exceptional in terms of showing deltas both in the positive and negative direction. And I think that that is really, really, really helpful. So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, I like this. >> Pace will be a little slower >> tomorrow. >> Yeah, that's great. >> It's late. And you know, all right. the school district trusts. Um so the first one

200up is the special education trust and this year we would be asking to raise an appropriate $100,000 as we did last year for this trust. It is currently at $136,000. Um, our long-term target is to keep a balance of $350,000, which we feel would allow us for unbudgeted students that uh things that might arise to cope with out of district placements. [snorts] And that $100,000 again, although this sounds odd, does have a tax impact. It does not have a tax increase. It is the same amount as last year. On the maintenance trust side, we will need to amend this uh this number. We can do that right now if you'd like, Amy. Um so the current balance in the trust is $477,870. Uh based on tonight's uh public hearing, >> we again are asking to

201raise and appropriate $350,000, which is the amount that we asked for last year. It is in line, closely in line, but not perfectly in line with the CIP projection, somewhere between that 350 and 425, but we're trying to keep that tax rate gently gliding up. Um, I'm not quite sure if Dave Feller is going to speak before I do mine, but depending upon what he, you know, I know he's going to talk about 400,000 >> as a number. >> Um, but we feel like for tax reasons, $350,000 is a good resting place. Although we don't disagree that arguably the number could be higher. >> Yeah. >> You know, in a perfect world, it probably would be. >> And and we'll see what budget committee says. Yes, tomorrow. >> Yeah. >> Moving on to the tech

202trust. Uh the current balance there is 17,698. As last year, we're asking to raise an appropriate $30,000. Uh last year we paid we we shouldn't say paid, we allocated $15,000 of fund balance for this. So depending upon how that works out as we move closer to school district meeting, this might have a small tax increase. Um but it is the same amount of request and this is our savings because we've shifted and put Chromebooks in the operating budget. This really is for other items, larger items, servers, firewalls, switches, things that I don't understand and Matt Stone does. is 15 is what we did last year for fun balance on that one. Right. [laughter] Putting that into my speaker notes here for you technicians out there in [clears throat] Google world. Um the next trust is

203the vehicle maintenance trust. And so that one has come down to $11,000. We did purchase that ProMaster last year. We would ask to add $10,000 to this. Again, last year this was paid for out of or allocated, excuse me, out of fund balance. Um, that determination has not yet been made. So, at $10,000, it would be fraction of a penny on the tax rate if it's asked for out of taxation. And our long-term target for this is $100,000, which would be close to the replacement cost for a mini school bus. and or you know if we would look to and this is a discussion the board is having whether or not we employ vans to help with our student needs for clubs sports etc. Um, all right. The tax, where are we at? Am I

204missing? Oh, thanks. Sorry, left the page too soon. So, the tax impact all warrants. And again, I know this is a little bit confusing, but the increase, uh, you see a lot of zeros there. That's because there is no increase, but there is a burden. Uh, the total increase is 95 cents. Uh, the total tax burden is $130. And on the next slide, I think it's the next slide, you see. Yes, you see the cost of that by home assessment um as a total on the far right column and then by warrant article. So, for instance, in my case, this year's budget approximately $475, the CIP $125. Uh and again those ones are that's not an increase that's the burden. People can look at that and figure out where their own situation is. Can >>

205I ask you a question? So on slide 30, the budget is a tax increase though, right? And the other ones are just impact because it's if you take it away, it's a reduction, but otherwise it's already included. >> Yes. Can we include like because that the way it's tallied up makes me think is adding a $130 to the tax rate because of the budget line is an actual increase. >> Does that make sense? Like the way that I read it is those are all still getting like and granted I know we've talked about impact burden versus increase but the budget is actually an increase. >> So like I don't know if we want to like >> arrows, right? I just don't um >> I had a hard time figuring out how to put that as

206a picture because when we did when we took a look at the revenues and and the final tax numbers um when you add in the warrant articles that number increases. So it's just it's just hard to show it. So I would love any suggestions how you want to show. We put a big yellow highlight on the 1,315,695 and the 95. >> I might make that a separate slide. I might just say that the tax increase based on this year's budget is 95 cents and show that line. And then if you want to talk about >> special warrant and just call the next one special >> and then if you do another if you do another slide just talk about okay. So I mean really You don't necessarily need those remaining lines, the CIP trust, special

207ed trust, etc., etc. Like, you've talked about it. >> You could talk about the increase and then go down to the home assessment. >> Like, do they really need that? Does that really help, I guess, is what I'm trying to say. >> The [clears throat] Or you could include just two extra rows and say increase. >> Yep. >> And then impact or something like that. I don't know cuz I think you're right. But I still don't know how much impact really helps the conversation, >> right? >> Like I think I think increases what people want to hear. >> That's what they want to know, >> right? >> And then and then and then you break it out. Okay, this is the effect, >> you know, based on the total tax on a house, $500,000, $650

208>> or or Yeah. Or or you can put the impact on each of the trust slides and then to your point, just have it be Yeah. Okay. You're great with visuals. >> Well, I I was just going to say when I first looked at it, like when I looked at the increase line, and I think you could hear it when I was even talking about when we were doing our trusts. Um, I was reading the increase line as an impact line. Um, and so it it would almost like the zeros make sense that increase almost I almost want to put like plus 95 cents right there instead of the 1 million 315. Um, can we just separate can we just put a line between the budget and the CIP truss with a different header there?

209>> Yeah. tax increase and then tax burden. >> There's Yeah, like there's the budget increase and then there's the tax increase. >> I guess that's the difference. >> I don't think about that crazy one pager thing with all the colors. >> Ready? Uhhuh. >> I'm turning that over a couple extra things. So there you transition time. >> I know, but not yet. Not yet. >> Not yet. I don't want to make it. >> We were talking about it earlier today and I was like, I still like that thing. Okay, great. All right. To you, just so I understand, if we put the tax impact on each individual slide for the trust, >> then do you only need >> just the budget increase? >> Oh, that's what I'm suggesting. >> So, you're saying for each one,

210>> right? >> Put it when you give the information, that's the tax impact, but then just give the bottom line increase, right? >> Because I I just think it's the way people think. >> Yeah, that's fine, too. Is there any >> make sure we change what we send to the budget committee because it'll be different. >> Sure. >> Wait, so you're you're saying put the impact on >> if you do that then I would like be really clear and say that there's a zero tax like tax increase of zero >> and we can say tax increase of zero tax impact. >> I mean, right, you could say tax impact 25 cents, tax increase zero. >> Yeah. Right. like that could just go underneath all of these. >> Yes. >> Right. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> That's

211how you were thinking about it. >> You are already paying for this >> basically is the subtext. >> And I think this is a very difficult concept for folks on the budget committee or not, no matter how many times we talk about it, that there's no change in that delta. So there's no tax increase, but there is still >> But there's tax still tax. >> Yes. Okay. And I were talking >> your tax rate is only going up by 95. >> It's going up by 95 cents. >> Well, it's the same conversation. >> It it is. And this is we talked a little bit about talking in you know full terms rather than increases because if we look at it the if we are comparing right now the tax rate that's right now has them

212in it. Yes. Um, if you look at just the budget itself and no special warrant articles, the increase, you know, is this 95 cents. But then if you look at adding the warrant articles and spending the warrant article money from taxation as well, it still has an increase over the tax rate today. It just still does. Why? Um, you know, it ends up being a little over a dollar because you're increasing your appropriations, but you're not increasing your other revenue. So, I just want to be very clear when we look at Don Houston when he pulls that tax sheet out. There's going to be a difference in the budget itself versus the budget plus the war articles. There's just going to be a difference in that tax rate. And I just want to know that

213it's already in here. That's all all true. But that we just have to note that. But it's not going to be a buck 30 >> as of right now. No, it's not a buck 30. Um, with the revenue adjustments and things, it's a >> buck seven. >> So, this is all on the expense side, >> right? >> What you're saying is when you factor in the revenue side, >> the tax increase is higher, but it's not because the expense side. Yeah. I think that's conflating two things. >> Yes. Right. Right. >> Once you >> Yeah. Once we p pull the revenue in from the expenditure side we are keeping we are keeping appropriation status quo. >> Um >> okay >> want to go back to the overall slide and >> hang on one sec. >>

214Which one? >> The withdrawal slide like slide two or something. >> Appropriation slide. >> Slide. It is slide nine. >> Can you give me the title? >> Uh overall operating FY27 budget proposal. >> This one. >> Yeah. >> So that one we we say the tax rate impact is 95 cents. That is of the expense side. >> That's the expense side. >> The actual tax rate increase is going to be a$17, >> but that's because of the revenue side. So we need to express that somewhere. >> But I think that that can be a summary slide at the end because we do the tax impact home assessment then there's a slide on revenue and I think that then it should say because we have these decreases in revenue the actualized tax rate impact is going

215to be 107 which is not because of stuff that we're changing on the funding side but because of special education aid adequacy and swept >> is coming up. >> Yeah. Yeah, just this is our appropriations, right? This is what we're asking to spend. What's on the warrant article? >> Um, this the expense side of things. >> I just think we need one between 32 and 33. >> Yeah, >> we need a penaltment summary. >> Yeah. So, >> you guys can think about how you want to do that. We can >> Do you want this to say increase instead of impact >> or impact is okay? >> I don't feel strongly one way. increase. I think we should say increase based off of >> Yeah. >> trying to keep it all naturally clear. >> Yeah. >>

216But again, defer to >> So maybe that's something for Can we go to Amy to the revenue highlights slide at the end? Okay. >> And the next So I've got a Yeah. So this is first. So this is just one of the changes in the revenue side. Um, so special education aid again forecasting because as Laura pointed out, we we may or may [clears throat] not know these things until next November in terms of what the actual numbers are, but given the current scenario and what's being considered reimbursible, >> yeah, >> we're looking at a $90,000 shortfall in special education aid. >> In terms of the adequacy grant, we're also looking at a decrease of about 98,000 based on student enrollment. And that's that average daily membership which is that formula. It's a little bit

217different than our actual student population. Uh >> so those two things is what's driving that increase in the tax rate because of the decrease in the revenue. >> Why is there a decrease of 98,000 when we have a slight increase in enrollment? >> They're both projections. They don't count preschool when they do your average daily membership. So that takes out about 45 kids. of what our actual enrollment is when they and then when they do the calculation as Rob said you know they don't include certain certain pieces >> transportation >> and they ADM is you know >> average daily right average daily membership so it fluctuates >> the average bodies in the buildings >> so if you have if you have 4% absent rate that's going to decrease >> so that so then because of

218this and I think we should say projected not finalized total tax rate whatever 107 right so I think we need to make sure with that final thing that was like again >> right because that tax rate won't actually be set >> until now >> right moving targets >> and then the the final one is yes we do have a little bit of a revenue increase from swept so the state in its its uh in its wisdom in practice we will see an increase amount of our own money coming back to us of $37,000. And then in terms of our use of revenue uh for the budget, we will be drawing $400,000 from the contingency fund. Uh last year we drew at least at school district meeting time we drew $100,000 from fund balance. Uh that

219rose to 119. That is to be determined at this point. As we get closer to school district meeting, um, we will put a number of some sort in that >> in that lane. >> Great. And I need to change that number. >> Contingency fund. Yeah. - 310. >> What is it? 310. >> Yeah. Right. I think >> that's all she wrote. >> We took from the contingency. >> Okay. That's great. I think it's exceptional. >> It's a lot. >> So, we want a slide after use of revenue. Uh slide no slide before use of revenue after revenue highlights right >> because use of revenue is different than the tax rate >> or is it not this does this go before revenue highlights? >> This is where the one pager would actually be helpful, right? Because

220we could show the tax increase on the expense side and we could also show the tax increase on the revenue side, >> right? Um that stupid one. >> I was always fine with it the other way, but I'm happy to. I mean, you can change it. It is use of revenue. So, or it's use of um district funds instead of revenue. Call that. >> Yeah, we can use that >> for revenue. >> Sure. >> Or is it just use of district >> use of district funds for revenue? >> That's Yeah, that's clear. >> Yeah, that's clear. And then this would go and then this. And the final slide is the 107. >> Yeah. >> Great. >> Yeah. So here we could put the total tax impact on the expense side, total tax impact on the

221revenue side, and have that ending with that dollar sign. >> Yeah. Great. You have an issue for me. >> I think that clears it up. >> Yeah. No, there's no seats, right? >> Awesome. Thank you guys. >> Any other comments? I think >> No, you did a really good job. >> Thank you. >> You guys did a really good job. >> Really work. It's budget season. >> Okay, >> you did great. >> Anything else you guys need in the budget presentation? I'm gonna when my brain is working again and online, I will make the changes and send them to Rob. Um Karen did ask, you know, to be able to give the budget committee um some information. So, I'll make sure that whatever Rob presents tomorrow is up to date and that we send >>

222her this as a conversation. >> That's great. Yeah, that's terrific. On the revenue side for the trust funds, do you want to project that we keep it as it was last year? So >> you mean in terms of the >> where we're pulling money from? I would think so. [laughter] >> It's subject to change at the bottom. >> Do you feel comfortable with that? >> Yeah, >> probably right. >> Yeah. 25,000,000. Yeah. >> Definitely doable. Um that way we just keep you know we just say it's projection and this is to be determined for final choice but um that way at least we can project what >> you got it. >> I think that makes a lot of sense. >> Um >> for you guys just uh >> more numbers to scroll around in your

223head. Oops. So the the DOE 25s that I've been kind of playing with since 2013 um kind of updated that in in the salaries column the year-over-year 12-year change is 2.25%. Um so you know we have swings up and down and the benefits higher at 6.94% but that exactly tracks with the PCE for healthcare >> purchases services is 11% that's really our special ed number and that's our biggest driver um supplies 2.84% 84% property which bops around all over the place um is a little bit higher but you know last year in some years it's as high as 540 and some years it's as low as 279. >> Okay. >> I don't really understand the category. >> I'll ask and then in the everything else uh category the 800s it's 8.67. So the total uh

224of the budget over the past uh 12 years change is 4.42%. 42%. >> Very great. >> And I would encourage continuing to sort of track things that way just from a historical perspective because long-term averages speak more volumes than year to year. >> Thank you, >> Rob. Do I have access to that sheet >> electronically? >> You will in a minute. >> Thank you so much. >> All right, guys. Any other thoughts or comments for Rob and Amy and Laura? Great. Thank you guys. Thank you. Rob, get so much coffee tomorrow before the meeting. It's going to be great. >> I'm going to be juiced and ready to go. >> You said it. Okay, great. Okay, guys. We're out of the quarter here. That was a big meeting discussion. So, we are not talking about

225football tonight. Uh uh that we'll we'll cover at our next meeting. Okay. Um policy. >> Uh I have nothing tonight. >> Okay, great. Um, I just want to point out in your board support folder, um, there is a copy of our most recent regional career tech education agreement that was required for us to put into place um, during the month of of January. So, a copy of the actual agreement is there as well as the uh, technical assistance that came from the DOE. Um, you'll see that, you know, we're named we're region 11. Um, we sent our students to conquer and it just outlines everything that's required through that RSA. >> Great. Thank you. >> Okay. Personnel report tonight. New hire Benjamin Net is going to be joining me in the business office as our

226district accountant. Um, and he will be starting with us on January 20th um, once he gets back from vacation. And then uh unfortunately your resignation tonight Pissa Carr and I at the middle high school has resigned effective January 16th. >> I just want to say I had Benjamin out when he was 10. So he's going to be an accountant now. Great. >> He is no longer 10. He's no longer 10. >> That would be amazing. >> Y [snorts] this great kid account. >> Yes. [laughter] We're just not all >> he gets it right. Are you gonna give him a gold star? >> Good math student. So >> if it makes you feel any better, this one and that one both sat in the second row, third seat. So you know >> for donations tonight we

227have one. It was spoken about earlier. Um donations or unanticipated revenue, right? Eversource um we received a $19,000 HVAC project rebate for the library air nickel that we did. This was not part of my other local revenue budget. I don't have it projected in the MS-24. We didn't know it was coming and so it is considered unanticipated revenue. So the board has a choice with this. If you accept the dollars, it goes back to as an over collection of revenue goes to taxes. If you motion to accept and expend it on un um towards facilities related purchases, we could use it to purchase the genie lift that broke unexpectedly. Um that is needed for many many high school programs. and is a significant loss. >> Okay. So, [snorts] uh I will I can make a

228motion, right? Yeah, >> we did and we we did discuss it in CIP before this meeting and that's recommendation of CIP. >> Yeah. Option two. >> Mhm. >> Sounds like it. >> All right. So, I'll make the motion second then we can discuss. Uh I make a motion to accept the $19,000 HVAC project rebate from Eversource Energy and to expend the unanticipated revenue towards facilities related projects. >> Second. >> Great. Okay. Any discussion? So, we talked about a CIP. >> Yeah. And then right now we're renting one um for a variety of uses. Um Jim had gotten quotes. I think it was what 1916 for a new one. >> Um which could be very beneficial to us. >> Um can help us with doing like our own painting projects with you know various maintenance things.

229uh around the different buildings. Um I can't honestly remember what else you were talking about. >> It's an incredible tool to have. >> Yeah. Just think >> I've been in one room back in my college. >> It also fits in the elevator which is >> that can >> Yeah. It's used for PE. It's a scissor lift. It's a self, you know, oneperson driven scissor lift and it's used in performing arts, in PE, in facilities use in athletics. Um, and it can be moved to the other buildings with our maintenance van, I think. >> And whereas it's a it's an outlay to get uh a new one, this is going to save money in terms of having to >> rent them when we need them or hire some third party vendor to come and do variety

230of things that we need to do. So, I think it makes fiscal sense to have one in house, >> right? I hate renting. No, I feel like that's new [laughter] stamp storage unit. [laughter] >> We know. >> Yeah, >> that's what we're all thinking of as we're like. [laughter] >> Okay. So, any further discussion? >> I hope not. >> Okay. All those in favor? I. >> All those opposed. Okay. >> All right. Anything else here? Um, we do not have financials tonight. So, superintendent update. >> I already gave it about um the CC I line. >> You're so excited. >> Okay. Awesome. Okay. Really quick policy. What are you guys meeting next? >> Great question. Are you meeting Thursday? >> We meet next Tuesday. >> You guys are meeting after. >> Yeah. Right now, we

231are not doing that. >> Can you approve consent agenda? >> Oh, yes. Do I have a motion to approve the consent agenda as presented? >> Second. >> Any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I thank you, Joey. Great. Okay. CIA, >> we meet next Thursday. >> Great. That's exciting. Uh CIP just met today. Anything new and shaking there other than what we heard about? >> Uh we talked about the Warren amount. We talked about next year's project lineup. uh our school bathroom, the oil tank, propane boiler, and the high school. Uh we talked about prioritizing projects at our next meeting. Um we talked about this genie lift and we also talked about HVAC control server at the middle Maple Street School and the middle high school. >> That's exciting. Okay, great. That's a lot. >>

232Way to go, guys. says, "Quick, quick hour." >> It was a quick hour. >> Nice work. Okay. Safety and security is meeting on the sometime coming up. I saw it on my calendar. I don't remember. >> It's coming up. >> Safety and security meets on the 20th at 3:15. Oh my god. I have a working brain sometimes. Terrific. Okay, great. Um EMC is meeting on the 22nd at 3:30. Okay. Uh we were really excited at our last meeting. We talked about the uh ending the era of plastic serverware. So that's big time stuff. Everyone got all the different school newsletters got updated. It was terrific. Okay. Uh finance budget, you're going tomorrow. Anything else there? >> Uh finance, we meet on the 20th. >> Great. Okay. Uh which will be before >> our next meeting.

233>> Next meeting. Great. wellness. >> We met on December 18th >> and um unfortunately I double booked Suzanne, so I'm sorry about that, but we'll be meeting again in March. Great. >> And PD, anything there? No. >> Okay, great. Okay. Uh public comment, we have uh three Sorry, my ears are driving me nuts. We have three uh emails that we got uh that are in the public comment um link in the diligent community portion of the agenda. So take a look if you would like to come up. Uh please state name, address, 3 minutes. Go for it. >> 86 Street. Feel like I'm going back about two hours here now. Um uh the discussion of the warrants uh with the tech trust. You brought up Chromebooks. they're now in the budget, but it was uh

234neglected to mention that the I believe it's the one-third payment of the performance contract is now moving into the operating budget and therefore that maintenance trust has more funding in it because you don't have to remove a one-third payment. So, um it's kind almost similar to having $400,000 appropriated. Um I believe slide. Uh Rob put 49,915. Um uh changing the operating budget. I looked up the 2627 performance contract payment and oneird of the number listed comes out to 47,63864. So I'm not sure if that's >> You mean one quarter? It's four quarterly payments. It's the portion that was the portion that came out of the maintenance trust for that was only a quarter payment. Okay. My understanding was it was onethird of uh 2/3 came out of the operating budget, one/3 out of the maintenance

235trust. So I guess that was a misunderstanding because a [clears throat] quarter payment was coming out of there. Um on that note, um in the annual report that the performance contract sheet shows up and on the header of that it says that um funding is coming out of the maintenance trust. So that needs to be amended before next year's annual report comes out. Just an heads up. Um, the discussion about open enrollment warrant, I have a feeling you're going to I I don't know what you're going to do with that, but I have a feeling you're going to have a lot of confusion and questions on the floor with people not getting it. And if you're seeking a vote, you're going to have some [snorts] confusion. I myself was sitting here thinking, okay, so is

236it who gets to take the swap credit for the kid? Is it the sending district that still has the student or is it the receiving district that [snorts] has the student? So, I'm sure I guess if you have tuition in students, maybe that's the same, but it's it's that too is confusing there. So, I I can see quite a bit of confusion there. Um, just quickly on the presentation, I guess the food service was uh confusing to me. It always has been. I know uh just going back six some odd years on the budget, it's always bone contention or question. There seems to be always confusion there. Um, and I thought Rob said prior to uh five years ago didn't get funed. I that was for um COVID ended up paying for all the food

237service and I think it went to zero. What I what I meant was that prior to that any um negative balance was just it wasn't projected and into the budget. It was paid for out of a sign fund balance at the end. I I thought I I she's back and I thought six years ago, so 2019, there was 200,000 allocated for on that budget line. Um but anyways, food service is a challenge for someone that's been looking at it for six years to be following this. And uh I don't know the better way to articulate that, but if someone that's been focused on this for some time is not I don't know how we expect the general public to get it. And I I that's those are my comments. Thanks. >> Thanks, Lauren. >> Thank

238you. >> All right. Any other business? Okay, guys. That's a long meeting. I appreciate everyone for being here. Thank you, your students. I might as a calculator out and about math homework. Tonight's multitasking Lucy Beardmore. Uh, with that I am going to make a motion to adjourn at 8:38. Do I have a second? >> Second. >> All right.