001I'm going to call the meeting to order. It is 6:34. Um I know we're minutes. So, thanks everyone for being here tonight. Obviously, school budget very important. I um so I was participating in the town budget meeting today or this week and they have you guys seen that thing they have with the dollar and how much of the dollar is um I'll bring it to the meeting next week. Oh yeah. So this is like um you know the town budget is like this much of the dollar, right? And then the um county is like a smidgen and then uh state education is this much and then school is this much. So I guess I just mentioned that because obviously school is the biggest part of our tax rate and very important. So thank you guys
002very much for all the work you're doing and we appreciate it. Um so tonight we're here to um purposely answer questions about the budget to pose questions about the budget. Um we'll wrap it up and we're meeting again on next Wednesday for the >> Okay. So uh let me start with the fact and and Abigail if you want to read us or how do you want to >> um well questions. >> Thank you for agreeing to meet. We had we've met um separately a couple times and had some additional questions and thank you Chris and Molly for all your work in responding to our written questions. Um I understand also you had you were able to take some time and sit down with Pat and that we were able to answer some of the doubts
003we had on um some of the the pay increases. >> Um I think more questions that you want to ask right now speak to that at all. Well, let me first I want to thank both of you and um Michelle, it was Michelle who met here with us. Um the piece I was missing was the fact that there there was uh there is a um there is a grid just like the teacher grid. Uh although when I did my math I took the position control from the year before. >> Yeah. just so we can I took I'm sorry I took the position control from the year before and compared it to the position control this time this this year and it's a long convoluted the reason I meant independent because it would have taken an
004hour here and I wanted I didn't want to take over time I'm satisfi I'm satisfied that the numbers are correct okay but the eye opener for me was is that the raises are pretty generous I mean if you if you everybody was sent the grid I mean, they they they're in the uh nothing we can do about it. It's it's contractual at this point, but uh and it's a four-year contract, you know, but it looks like about anywhere about five and a half to almost six. Um and the two there's two grids, the ESPs and then the tutors. Um I do have one other one one question about that. When I look at the the current positions, the the ESPs in the when she gave us position control, everybody's got that of all the positions.
005The ESPs are labeled ESPs. Um but then we have the um the other other is everybody else in the behavioral uh in the um in the tutor category in this like for instance some of the ta titles uh behavioral in inter interventionalist literature interventionist math interventionist are those all in the uh tutor wage Wade >> interventionist is a tutor >> is a tutor. Yeah. >> Okay. See these are the things I don't know. No question >> just you know. >> So um I did go through it and I could clearly see that the steps matched what the raises were yeartoear. Uh that's great. I I did find six people that were at the end of the end of the of the of the grid uh that are actually um making more or proposed to make
006more than the maximum. They're except Okay. The other the other thing that's not on the grid is that if you're certified as in the um a educational support professional, you get a dollar more per hour. And if you're a tutor and you're certified, you get $2 more an hour. Okay, I learned that too from this discussion. [cough] And um [clears throat] so in in both those cases, I found six people that are actually making more than the maximum on the grid. So, what does that amount to with benefits? About $10,000. Now, I'm not going to make a big deal about it, but it's something that we I could do offline to show you. I took their salaries, you know, we we know how many hours they work uh from, you know, they 6.5 hours a
007day times 193 days a year is the contractual amount. Uh so that's uh 12 uh 54 No, 1254.5 hours per FTE per person. That's what an FTE is. So So that's minor, but I have something I'll say about agent a little later on, but uh I just want to point that out that it's it's close. Okay. And maybe there's a reason why is are there any other exceptions I guess are there any other grandfathered people in that would put them beyond the maximum amount per the grid is the question? >> No, I mean everyone should be on the grid. So in our accounting system the max that they can go to is that top tip on the grid. So, if you want to send me the list of six people, I can check after the
008meeting tomorrow to see what calculation might be be happening because >> Yeah, I have I have them all marked down. >> Yep. So, if you could email me that list, then I can take a double check. But we have the grid in the accounting system. So, the grid should max out at the top. Um, but these people might have a $1 certification or a $2 certification. I'd have to look at each person. >> Yes. And I've I factored that in to to it. I I looked if they were an I keep on saying the wrong thing. If they are a uh >> variable, >> an ESP or a interventionalist. Um and you know there there are some interventionists that were at at $3 above the max. So I said, "Okay, two of those dollars are
009are they must be certified. So at least one dollar per hour more." I'll I'll I'll share that with you. >> Yeah. if you can send me the list, then I'll review the list. >> I don't want to make a big deal about it. But that's that's that's that. But I do appreciate the time that we spent um the other day. Thank you very much for that. And I'm uh sorry I got a little uh agitated in the last meeting about it. Uh because I saw big numbers, but again, you know, we're we're we're close. If you're an individualist, you're you're getting about 6% a year increase. And we you know what? So what I remember hearing in the first meeting was and again I didn't realize people were on the grid. I heard well everybody
010else getting 3% increase and really the only people getting 3% increase really are the senior team here. It seems like everybody else is getting something else other than that. Um higher than that. Um I'll leave it at that for now. >> Okay. Thanks Pat. All right. Um, okay. Just to put on the record, I I did want to mention that we did have a fact meeting and the majority of the fact did have an opinion that we don't want to be challenging um teacher and aid pay. Um, so that's not the kind of intent of the the committee. Um, we do want to make sure all the numbers are correct and everything. Um, and Pat's done an amazing job checking everything, dotting eyes, crossing tees. So, we really appreciate all the effort. Um I and
011I just wanted to touch on what a couple of the questions that came up that we had discussed the two big kind of numbers in the budget. The special ed tuition and the special ed transportation and we understand we shouldn't be seeing those contracts. It would breach student confidentiality. Um, I guess what we had talked about was understanding the kind of process that goes into negotiating those contracts just so we can be as, you know, we can be assured and we can be confident when we speak with our constituents that we did the diligence and understand where that those big sumps of money go. kind of what's the process for h how you choose the institutions, how you choose the transportation company, um is it the same transportation company as that we use for the
012the rest of the district? And um I guess is there is it sort of is it are the rates we're paying market rates and um kind of who who what's the what's the team that looks at that look like I guess? >> Sure. So I can start out and just all students, you know, FAPE free and appropriate education. That's that's first and foremost, right? And then every student is going to be uh looked at for least restrictive environment. Our first goal is that every student would start here and end here throughout their educational career while they're at Strata Memorial School. Now, certain students demonstrate that they uh academically, socially, emotionally, behaviorally, or physically that this is not the right environment for that. When that happens, there'll be a team meeting that is uh facilitated by
013these three members and other members, you know, your speech, your your uh OT, PT, classroom teachers, any specialists that are working with those students so they can give input. And there's always progress monitoring every 8 weeks. We can look at where the progress is for those students. Some will start to elevate and and start to meet, you know, and we can educate them here. Other times, we're like, we cannot meet that. So, it's a very long process before we make a determination that that can't happen. Um, I'll turn it over to Britney. so she can kind of talk about that process of of the special ed referral and then when we look outside because I think it's important to understand and then the cost for market rate. Yes, the what you get in contracts is
014the market rate when you're looking outside and I think people have to remember that um a lot of um facilities have closed down in the last 5 years. So you're really um your your uh possibilities have have lessened and your travel time for students has increased. So, we have students that can go that are going to Beverly Mass on a daily basis. Um, when we try to do transportation uh contracts, we look to try to get multiple students together. If we know they're coming from, say, Stratam and Exit and Newfields, we have three students that are all going to the same facility. We'll try to combine their services so we can reduce the transportation cost uh three ways and so you're not having one district pay that. But I can kind of talk about the
015whole IEP process and then how it kind of looks like when you get the amount of tuition for the students, how that is calculated. >> Yeah. And I just want to say I don't think we are concerned with the referral process or the the sort of how that all works and it's in the right hands, the process, how how it is. I think we're most just interested in um the contractual process, how you find the school, who determines the the tuition, um are you only looking at one school? We just want to make sure that, you know, there's there's a lot of money going out and we want to make sure it's a places are vetted. >> I think it's Oh, they're defin they're definitely vetted. And typically when you get to this process, we've
016tried everything to keep this student here and have this be their least restrictive restrictive environment. And we'll we'll bring in specialists from other places too to just try and figure out a plan to keep kids here. But it's an IEP team decision and the parents are included and we have an out of district coordinator that we would invite in and we'd probably set up a plan to progress monitor. If the student's not making progress, then they would go visit schools and they don't just choose one, but they might go look at a few and figure out what's going to be the right fit for the student. >> Okay. And that's an independent progress monitor or is that that goes that visits the schools and figure out? >> It's with a district. So it's with we
017have an out we have an out of district coordinator for SAU16. So she would bring the families and look at the different school options. >> Okay. >> Follow up just to follow up on that. So you said that you said that the number of possible options is shrinking in terms of schools. I mean what's the state doing? Is the state form of education trying to help out in terms of I mean this has got to be an issue not just for stratum and for sea 16 it's statewide issue >> in terms of uh coming up with a model to accommodate these students in a more um hopefully more efficient way or uh you know more cost-effective way possibly because you know one of the responses I got we all got was you know it goes
018anywhere from 90,000 to 200,000 per student is the response and I go, "Wow, 200,000." Well, that's a lot. Um, and that's the reaction that a lot of people have out there. And our job is kind of to get some answers that we can tell people as well. Like, you know, yeah, we got to support this. This is what it is. Uh, but people are going to say, well, let this reason why we're asking the question. >> No, I so we to justify it's a big number. If it was a little number, it wouldn't be we wouldn't be talking about this. So >> that's why it's a really important decision and we don't come to it lightly because our goal is to keep kids in this community. I mean, it's very important for them. So if
019there are students that are not in this, we've exhausted all all options for them to make progress in the least restrictive environment, which is the basically the law, the IDEIDA law. >> Can I follow up again? Yeah, just one you asked about the state. So I' I'd refer everyone to go look at the RAND decision that was August 20 2025 which talked about the calculation in regards to uh adequacy for special education funding. The state last year was identified for $50 million in special education funding for all students in the state of New Hampshire. State of New Hampshire said that they would fund 33 million. that left 17 million for your your local residencies to pay for students that require significant special education services. So that is not being fully funded at the state level.
020So where does it come back? It comes back on your local tax rate for us to be able to do what's contractually obligated to meet the needs of students. So that's a big decision that's right there and it still has it's still sitting in the Supreme Court and and the state has not followed through with that decision. Much like the Convow case, which is adequate education where we should be getting the receiving close to $7,300 per student, the state is only funding $4,100 per student. So therefore, there's a delta of $3,200 per student. You take 500 students, you do the math, that's the amount of money we're not getting back in adequacy. And that's at the state level, too. And that was also heard at the Supreme Court level in July of 2025. So you
021have two when you asked about the state Pat, this is where we're trying to ask, you know, our our state to say a ruling has come down, but yet that money has not being received by by our local tax rate. So therefore, this is now what our budgets look like. >> Can I can I follow up again, please? So my understanding of special needs, and correct me, please, because this is a form give my answers here. My understanding is that the federal government started this whole ball down them uh and the mainstream mainstream students all students in their schools right that was that's my understanding of of special needs is that yes we identify in the problem but we don't want to we don't want to actually send them out we want them in here
022but you try I know you try to keep them here u but that the federal government never really funded 100% of what the the mandate is I don't know can you react to that as well is the federal government you mentioned the 50 million is that >> that was for the state of New Hampshire that was state money not >> that's state money how about federal money >> well I have perspective I also just want to really focus on the town this budget right now right so we can focus here >> that is a big budget issue >> I I understand I understand >> we're not going to solve the federal government's problem tonight >> yeah Interesting. >> Well, I mean, I haven't dug as much in federally because again, um, what's happening in regards
023to reallocating positions to other departments at the federal level, um, is still being sorted out. Um, but what I can control more of is what's happening at the state level and decisions and advocacy here. Um, so I can't answer fully where where they're at federally in funding, federal federal funding for grants, special education, and adequacy of students has all been reduced. Okay, thank you. >> Questions answered. >> I think yeah, I'm pretty good at this one. >> Um, I did [clears throat] have I did have a question from Sean and Chris, I think we talked about something similar um when one of our phone conversations. There are certain items on the um in the budget where the previous actual is significantly less than the like the 25 actual is significantly less than the 27 budget.
024And I think you mentioned that there are certain instances where the budget gets frozen and you take out of the general fund, but if you could just kind of clarify >> that for the rest of the group. >> Yeah. So Molly and her team each month for the board they'll they'll do a projected end of the year fund balance, right? And so we try to be in line to where we've been in previous years. So you don't see a massive increase or dip because then that will go back on your f your tax rate. Right? If we don't if say we we typically return $250,000 and then the next year we're only projecting to give 125 that's half of what we'd be giving back. It will increase your tax rate of what we're giving back
025to the town. Conversely, you know, if we give 500,000 back, it's going to drop the tax rate and if we can't do that year after year, it's going to affect your tax rate. So when we get really concerned is on the first version that I gave you. If we're projecting say 125,000 right now, that that's the amount of money we're projecting that we should have in June. However, there's 6 months. You could have, you know, staff member fall ill. You could have significant needs with with your your uh facility. There's the unanticipated things that could happen that has not been allocated through what the the taxpayers have voted on. So we gets concerned and then we say all right we're going to freeze do a either a hard or soft freeze on the budget and
026only buy those things that we we need to make sure that we are meeting the needs of our students. That's what happened last year because there was special education costs that came in that were higher than projected because our budget remember is about 18 months in advance. And when we started looking at actuals and and the student needs at that time they were they were going well above. So, we put budget freezes on things such as like we didn't buy some furniture we needed or some equipment and therefore that that money that we had allocated in those positions then helped us offset the need for uh another area within those line items of the budget. Uh so that way we're not going over the total allocation that we have been that have been approved and
027voted on by the tax rate. Um, so we will do that in times where where it's significant and then we'll always look at can we re replace that in May with the board through a trust fund, right? So if it was a maintenance issue, could we go to the board in May and say would you allocate $100,000 to go back into the general fund which then can offset tax rate or special education because that's a big one that's unknown. Um, and so that that is what we're do. We'll always cover it with our general budget with the trust funds being the backup, but we don't want to touch those uh unless they're really unforeseen or they're going to be at a point where we cannot pay based on what we had allocated through the budget
028process. >> Okay, thank you. That answers that question. >> No, I I had everything addressed last minute. [clears throat] >> I've got ideas. what you've done. >> I got I got a document. >> Um Pat just used my phone. Did you have questions? >> I have uh I just wanted to know if >> No, I don't think we have any other questions that have been discussed amongst the amongst the pack. >> All right. So the Okay. U speak and um so as a group we haven't come to our conclusions. Okay. Uh but what I guess it's important that I'm going to give you some of my ideas. Uh again, these are Patabra ideas. These aren't the group's ideas of um what we're up against here. Let's pass these around. So, obviously this budget's an interesting
029one because right now it's standing with with the with the teacher contract. Uh we're looking at um the first page of this 11.45% increase in spending. So that's the HA contract. That's the uh uh the health care the major what are the major hits the teach the 17% increase in in health insurance uh the additional student going out of out of district basically doubling to 90 thou 95,000 for out of out of out of district students. Um th those those are the big things. Um and the and the contract the the the contract the new teacher contract. So that all equates to 11.45% increase which Molly did a nice job in in the the last version of the budget. She has a page this page here. If you remember this page where she came up
030with the as we sit right now uh.72 cents per thousand and then what I did is I broke that down. So that's 2.4 um per thousand for the regular increase.15 for the teacher contract of course. Oh, of course the bond. I forgot to say the bond. the bond is the big thing that's driving this. Um, but that's been approved by the people that's been approved by the the town. So, and I I calculated working backwards to about 3.24 cents per thousand. So, so that totals, which is Molly's math, uh 72 uh cents per per thousand. Now, without the bond, there's 6.42 cents uh $6.42 per per uh uh excuse me, 6.42% increase uh or a million dollar increase without the bond. Um and that equates to uh a tax impact of 396 uh cents per
031thousand. Now, when we first had our meeting before we really dug into the budget, we were we were saying things like, well, maybe 3%. But looking at it now, given that some of these fixed things that that's there's no way we're going to be able to do that. Um, but I think let's put it this way. This isn't a year to be asking for everything. We can't fund everything. We have to we have to fund the things that we can't control. And there's plenty of those. And and so I com I I developed my list of things for you folks to to consider. Uh maybe have other ideas of where we could try to reduce this. I'd like to personally see us take $150,000 out of this budget. I can live with that. I can
032vote for that. Okay. And and let me let me give you some ideas. If you if you go to the next page, >> did you run the number? What if 150,000 out? Did you run the number for what the first change there would be? I'm just wondering for my own >> right here down the bottom. >> It goes from 6.4 to Okay. two. Okay. So, if we take the $150,000 out, the 6.42% increase goes down to 5.47% increase. It goes from 3.9 6 cents per thousand to 3.37 cents per thousand. Okay. So, my ideas and I again I went through this with a fine too close. You can you can try to follow along. I can show you where these things are in the budget if you have it in front of you. Um, the
033first one is extra duty stipens. >> Yeah, I think Pat, I'm not going to have you read these just cuz we can read them. Um, does anybody on the board want to ask specific question about one of these? >> Um, I I had a quick question. Um, Pat, I just kind of skimmed your stuff. I haven't gone in detail. Um, I just want to clarify, um, with administration, I maybe I'm misunderstanding this, but I didn't think we were allowed to use bond interest money to pay for things. Is that tr is that legally true? Um, because Pat is saying we should use the bond interest to fund the replacement furniture. >> That was one of my questions, too. Next slide. >> I thought we weren't allowed to. I just want to clarify. >> Well, this
034is the this Well, go ahead. >> Um, >> so you have to gross appropriate. You cannot take interest money and pay for something. >> Okay. >> So, whatever you want to buy, any expenditure has to be gross appropriated just like we plan for the revenue. So if we were to use bond interest money which um at this point I mean the bond interest sits in or the bond sits at PEP and then we draw down on the money as we need it and at the end of the project we close it out and any unused money would then go back would go back to the tax rate at that point in time. But if you were to try to use interest money, that would be a revenue. That would not be you can't relieve the
035expense. So either way, it doesn't change the fact that you have to budget for it. >> Does that make sense? >> Yeah. >> Yes. >> Well, I was saying my thought was to have a special warrant article that does something to appropriate and then Okay. Is there is is it state law that the interest has to be in that account because or are we just saying that's where it is? >> The interest of because there wasn't going to be interest on the bond. Uh I mean >> no there was always going to be interest on the bond. It just depended on that what account you have and now PEIP does not have a guaranteed interest. It's not like if you knew what the rates were going to be in 10 days from now, you could
036play the futures market and not be sitting at this table. >> So, >> right, but the interest rates could also change at any moment. >> So, you can't plan on interest. >> That's like planning you're going to win the lottery. >> Okay. >> Well, okay. So, why don't we another option is to um budget a dollar [snorts] >> uh for the furniture. I mean, I know it's I know we picked on furniture last year. Okay. I have I have people telling me, "Well, geez, the furniture is still okay. Sure, it's getting old, especially the the cafeteria stuff." Uh, but the this interest we're going to hit we're going to have payday here eventually, assuming my my number people tell me this interest is going to equate to maybe 250,000 for for the year. >> So
037either way, regardless if you want whatever you want to spend money on, you have to gross appropriate it in your budget. Just like the bonds and not the bonds, sorry. Just like the grants, even though we are going to have grant revenue to offset that expense, we have to appropriate the funds to spend them. You cannot spend money if you don't have the appropriation. You cannot breach your voted appropriation and you cannot net it against revenue. Revenue would be an offset for the amount you have to raise in taxation. So with this furniture that you're talking about, if the school wants to purchase the furniture, it has to be in the appropriation. If we are able to you when when [clears throat] this project finishes and we're able to close out the bond, yes, any
038unused bond proceeds or any interest acred would go to offset the amount needed to be raised in taxation to support that voted appropriation, >> but you have to appropriate the funds if you want to spend them. >> Does that make sense to everyone? >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Yeah, >> I understand that. Um >> well so then my idea is let's just wait another year >> for both furniture items. Oh, >> for those furniture just a question >> for are those furniture items for new spaces that would not have any furniture if >> they're not purchased. We were told that was >> cap I think that was cafeteria tables. >> Yeah. >> And other things that it's a variety of different furniture. We are in a replacement cycle for our cafeteria tables and additionally we
039are expanding the cafeteria and the renovation project which we don't have enough tables to then be able to utilize the cafeteria and that's a big chunk of that money but it is also a variety of other pieces of furniture in the building that are no longer safe. So bookcases that no longer sit against shelves and can be safe and secured for children have to be replaced. Desks that are falling apart have you have to replace that furniture. Um originally with the um renovation project that was originally proposed a number of years ago, it was such a large renovation project that the soft cost would have included a lot of furniture. So we didn't have to budget and we didn't have as much furniture in the recycle in the um renewal plan because we thought this
040big renovation was coming forward. Well, when that the board went in a different direction and downsized the um renovation, we realized, well, we do have to start replacing the furniture then that would have been absorbed by the soft cost of the bond. Okay. So, Madam Chair, you going to let me say a few words on the other ones? >> Um, yeah. I'll give you I'll give you a few minutes and then I want to give the board some time to ask questions if they have anything more. So, >> right. So, I was I was looking at things that we haven't done in the past. The 12,000 for extra duty stipens, we haven't budgeted that the last three years. the ECY contracted services went up to 20,000 from 10,000. Maybe we can hold on that. Oh,
041the one I need to to ask Chris, you were going to get this one. Uh the provision for sick um have we gotten the numbers yet? >> You have one retirement that put in under the January 15th timeline. So, we'll be working through that number with the board. >> So, let's explain that. So, right now there's 50,000. Last year it was like overund 200 and something because 70,000 for was for the for the incentives to to have the early retirement 15,000 for five um times five. Uh the budget now is 50,000. I asked a simple question. Well, we had early retirements. We have the highest paid teachers in the area in the state actually. Uh who's going to leave? So we have one one retirement. Okay. So have we calculated what that payout's going to
042be or close to what that's going to be? >> Did so we had budgeted for 50,000 the actual will be 26,000. So there's a delta in there about 24,000. >> So that's what I'm getting at that that would be a potential reduction. So, and that that's all due to the fact that they've asked for the teachers to or I guess other professionals as well, >> okay, >> to uh comment in November whether they were going to leave or not so that they have time to put that into the budget. So, so what would you say again? 20 26,000 >> for the teacher under the teacher contract provision. But in that provision of retirement, we also project if there's anybody age- wise that is uh not under a contract that also would get a retirement incentive
043to go through. So that's why that's that total of $50,000. So there are other people that would be of retirement age that haven't told us and their contract doesn't tell us. They have to tell us. They could tell us at any point and still have to have that payment out. Okay. Uh >> yeah, we're erring we're always erring to the to the one side. That's what I'm getting at. I All right. G LPG gas and fuel oil. Um, so we got we got new boilers. We got an insulated roof. Uh, more insulation in the sophets, a new roof. Uh, and we're increasing the LPG cost and fuel. I added the two lines together. [snorts] >> Mhm. >> 20,000. I'm saying why why do we add? My understanding is I I asked some of the expert
044guys that worked on this and they said that the the new boilers are 94% efficient and that the old boilers were like 70% efficient. So, we should gain something there. That's something for you folks to look at. Um we haven't we haven't funded field trips. I'd love you guys to fund field trips. Don't get me wrong. It's just that is this the year to do it with with the with the increase so high. Uh for the last three years we haven't funded field trips. Uh I I really say you know uh this is not really the year um um AIDS. Last year there was a vacancy in the budget. It said unfilled unfilled now unfilled next year. I'm suggesting that we keep that position unfilled. Um what's the impact? We have a reduction in the
045student population by five per what everybody said the incoming uh kindergarten class is at 80. It drops us down by five. I keep the preschool out. My understanding is supposed to be 10 and 10 last year. This year it's 10 and 13. I'm assuming it's going to go back to 10 and 10 or something close to that. But when you take the the preschool pre pre kindergarten out, it's a drop of five five students. And by [snorts] dropping it, it's really when you look at the the ratio of of uh students perade, it's it it goes from 10.08 to 10.18 students perade. So, and it's been vacant most of the year anyway. So, uh I would suggest looking at that. So all of those things together was $181,000. I'm saying from that, can we come
046up with $150,000 in savings? >> Okay, >> that's my ideas. May folks, you may have other ideas. Um I I'm just going to say one more time, we've given this school everything it's ever asked for. Everything. Best paid teachers, best paid aids are getting up there now, too. with this contract that that we're going we we got the town to agree to uh expand, you know, four new classrooms in the time when the when the when the census is is is dropping. >> Okay. I know. >> No, I'm allowed to speak. I'm allowed to speak. >> I think we've allowed you to speak quite a bit. Really, this point is for the fact to ask questions because then you guys get together as a board and make a recommendation. So >> no my understanding could
047we talk about the process please? >> My understanding is that we get to vote on your we get to vote on your budget. >> We get to say whether or not we >> or not you approve right >> we get we have we don't know what your budget is yet. >> Once we know what your budget is is what we will we will have to we'll have to determine whether we agree or not. >> Thank you. >> All right. Let me open up to the board. Does the board have any questions for administration or any ideas suggestions? [clears throat] >> I got a question for Chris. the um about the gas and fuel. I think you had mentioned earlier that there's like a year-long study. So, there's I'm sure that's to ensure there's no shortfall,
048but at some point we'll have like the results on what the savings. >> It's a great question. We did ask we asked our director of facilities um you know Brian Sans who before was doing all facilities inspections across the state and I asked that question with their new boilers coming in and the efficiency that they have would they recommend any reductions you said typically you do a year study to see what it is so at this time next year you'll have actual numbers to see if you can reduce even further based on the efficiency based on the the outside temperature based on the size of the building because again you still you're still running on their same footprint. we haven't started to heat bigger parts of the building. So, he recommended that you keep the
049budget where it was was placed in this current budget that was presented and then you you uh have actuals to be able to go for future budgets moving forward. So, that that is the recommendation that we took to put in this budget. >> Okay. Do you think there's any I guess maybe this is a question for Kate. Do you think there's any savings on um the other classrooms going away? I saw that there was like this is just me saying around the building, there was like propane tanks outside of the separate building. Were those heated separately? The little >> the cottage >> cottage unit things? >> Um, so the propane is for different things like part of the kitchen has propane. Um, a generator has propane. So it is the building was previously oil, right?
050>> Um, and there were propane propane propane tanks. Wow. For smaller things like that, but the building has been through the oil um boilers that we had. >> But the So the external the attached >> the the modulars were propane as well. Yeah. >> Oh, those were propane. Yeah, they had their own heating. >> Okay. Well, I'm just thinking of the because those are going to be in the building now, right? >> Yeah. >> So, I mean, it seems like there might be >> a little bit of >> It's hard. Well, it's hard to tell. I think going piggybacking on what Chris said, we're adding additional space to the building, which we now have are going to have to heat, right? You have a cafeteria that's going to be bigger, which is a large space
051to heat and keep at a neutral temperature. And then you have um the two you really have, to be clear, there isn't four new classrooms. There's two because we took down the modular, which is two of those spaces. I think that's really important, right? Right. So, when we're talking about square footage, um, we're talking about two classrooms and the cafeteria expansion, >> right? I'm just thinking, yeah, I guess it would be hard to quantify, but I'm sure they were like poorly insul like I mean, compared to this building and a new [laughter] >> The cottage was um duct taped together, >> right? >> So, I'm sure it was drafty and had plenty of fresh air because of the draft. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. Any other questions from the board? Um, so,
052um, I just want to clarify with the field trips. Are we, because I know in the past we have asked for some sort of payment to go towards the field trips. Um, can you just explain what the new budget line is? Are we going to take away? >> So, exactly what ex >> So, >> what exactly is that going towards? >> Yep. So for my the and I can't speak prior to my employment here, but for the first um five years that I was employed here, there was it was either 14 or 15 depending thousand dollars set aside to pay for the transportation part of field trips. Okay. >> Um and then and it basically was divided up over equally across the grade levels. PreK didn't often take field trips because it was shorter amounts
053of time that they were here. So they didn't often leave the building. So it was really K through five. Um and then three years ago as um budgets became tighter, one of the decisions the board had to make was to fund field trips or not. And since then they have not funded them. However, because it is something that we believe is important, when we build our budget every year, we put it back in. Um and then understanding that there are items that will then be removed, but our job is to represent what we think is best for our student body and our staff. So we put it in every year. Um what has happened over the last three years is families have picked up part of that. We have a scholarship fund for those families
054that are unable to afford it. And the PTO has been incredibly generous um supporting transportation for field trips. >> Anything else? >> No, that answered my questions. Yeah, thank you so much. >> Well, if you also I can speak to the PTO part of that. Um so the PTO does a lot of fundraising throughout the year >> for the budgets. I we just got a request um for a field trip for a bud for a bus cost for a field trip yesterday. We're doing an e vote on it as we speak to approve the money. Um so yeah, the the it's parent fundraising efforts with volunteers that um uh kind of has been funding the the bus transportation for the last couple years. >> Okay. Thanks so much, Abigail. >> I was just going to
055see if you could speak to the the ESP thing. >> Sure. Um we continue to interview people to try to fill that position because we have the need in the building. Um but we're just not getting applicants like we used to. Um as a matter of fact um because we've had a need and been unable to fill it. We've had to do contracted services to fill some of those positions. Um but we constantly keep it open open in hopes that some will apply because it is better for us as a system to have someone that's an employee here versus a contracted service. Not just financially but also because it builds capacity within our building. we'll be able to provide professional learning for them. Accountability is different. Um, so that's an open position because it's a
056need and right now we've had to use contracted services to fill that. >> Do we are we are we kind of uh double dipping would be the wrong way to describe it. Are we are we trying to put this in and then also have allocation for contracted services? >> No, we would No, we would not be. So when we >> So it's just this >> correct >> that's being asked for. >> Correct. And contract. So this is not being asked for. This is was built into the FY26 budget. We've been unable to fill it. So, we left it as unfilled for next year because we would always look to fill it. This year, we had to have somebody because it's required by an IP. So, we had to use contracted services. So, basically, it just
057is going from one line to another. And so, it'll look like a PL. It'll look like we we use that money that's in that position to pay for the contracted service. >> Are contracted services more expensive? >> Yes. >> Than this? >> Yes. Is there a fear that by going this route, not funding off contracted services on actuals, that we'll be short? >> No. >> Why? >> Because we went a long time without filling this position if we had a contracted service. So, we have to look at like we're only looking for the last six months of school because we didn't fill anybody for the third month, third first three months. So, it will be a wash for that that series. >> What's the academic impact of the role? >> It depends on if it
058depends on what the role of the ESP is. In kindergarten, we have classroom ESP. So they support [snorts] all the kids in the classroom and then some ESPs are onetoone with a student. Some have they work in they have three students within the classroom that they support based on the IEP based services. And it might be that they do literacy carryover for 30 minutes for all three of the kids during the day. It might be that in addition to that they also provide um behavior plan support management and keep and run the behavior plan all day. It really depends on what that ESP specific role is at that given time and those are fluid at all times based on our student needs. >> I have one more. Yeah. >> Unrelated. >> Do we Molly, do
059we have a sense of how much if you had like a dead reckoning right now of how much we'd be left with that we'd be voting on as a surplus we'd be returning to taxpayers right now? >> So here here's what I mean by that. Sometimes we're asked to do things when we have a budget surplus at the end of the year. >> Right now I do not think you have to have a surplus. >> Okay. Thanks, Madam Chair. Can I interject on >> I thought it looked like in the last agenda we had one. >> It's very limited. You you'll get your packet. You know, Jennifer and I will finalize the agenda for tomorrow, but I mean, it's it's not it's not a healthy where we've seen in years past. We're more like last
060year um with with our unanticipated end of the year fund balance. >> Okay. >> Can I can I interject, Madam Chair? >> Um can I just had one more question? Yeah. >> Sorry, Pat. Um, I think you explained this before, but it's just like information overload. Can you just explain what the extra duty stipens entail? I know you said that they came >> I I'm just forgetting what they are and I just want to make sure I understand completely >> um what those entail. >> It was 10,000 last year. >> So, they include a variety of things and this is a brand new budget line. Previously, it would have just been attributed to the salary on which that we was assigned. Um but extra duty stipens can be anything from um in some for example
061in the ESP contract if an ESP is doing um like toileting for a student or um a student elopes from the building and and um essentially requires an extra level of safety and concern. Um then there's a extra duty stipen to cover that that is sort of a stipen for those positions. Um, others would be um if they're doing an extra duty, which means they might be um helping with uh ESY in the summer program. Um, others would be other stipen positions we have in the building, so mentoring or things like that. So, it really is to cover things that would have been coming out of the salary, but to be more articulate that it's not their contract that they sign, it would be things that they do beyond that. >> Okay. Um we have
062other people that will often do um like duty that stays because our buses are later and so contracts end at 3:20 and so sometimes buses are till 3:40 and so that's a stipen just things like that. >> So you're you know your late staff so that make sure that all the kids get home safely sort of. Okay. >> All right. Remind me remind me the difference between the um because it looks like uh the proposed budget is twice for software. Can you just remind me why that comes up? for special for >> we have a >> oh sorry >> um there's a new information system being purchased saw wide infinite campus next year and so it's a firstear cost because the implementation of the new information student information system but then it will it will
063reduce the following year it's just the year of implementation >> okay >> and Chris just [clears throat] to remind me you said that in the end we're going to save more because the first year is going to be more expensive but And overall we're saving money. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. So you're we're training right now. Um we've got a very um intensive training schedule for different needs throughout your buildings to understand the information system from grading to attendance to reporting. So that's happening now and then that will transfer over. So that that we were able to defer that cost a little bit to get to our July 1st. So that's why you'll see it next year's budget is is going to be larger for uh Infinite Campus. The next four years of that
064contract you'll see a reduction. So, and it's a significant reduction to the current system we're using. >> Okay. >> All right. Great. Pat, did you have another question? >> Yeah. Can I go back to the ES uh ESY? Uh can everybody go to page two of the budget? Uh there's two lines. There's ESY salaries and then there's ESY contracted services. >> What page? My recommendation related to the contracted services >> you in the conversation it sounded like we were talking about salaries which are going up 5,000 as well. I didn't I wasn't talking there. So >> answer that >> because we can't fill the salary positions. Does it mean I I still don't understand. I think you were on to something. Why are we not lowering the salary and adding more while we're adding 10,000
065to the contract is the question. >> I think Pat, I think we're talking about two different things. ESY is extended school year. ESP is educational support professional and that >> No, no, no. Both ESY. >> So ESY, >> you have your budget in front of you. ESY salaries is going from 40,000. >> Pat, let's let her answer. >> Pat, extended school year is required by law. It's part of a student's IEP. the team makes that decision. There's two different ways we pay for that. One of them is contracted services and one is ESY salaries. The ESY salaries means it's we're hiring an SMS employee. So, they're being paid to do that over the summer. It's separate from the yearly salary. That's why it's in there as a separate earmark. There are services that we provide
066just like we do during the year that have to be provided by a contracted serviceer service provider. That's why that's written there because in the summer we are also providing some of those services by a contracted service provider as identified in the in the IEP. Example, last summer we didn't have an employee that was going to be doing any of our speech language delivery services. We didn't have an employee that wanted to do it. So we had to hire a cont a speech language pathologist from a contracted service. So that doesn't go in the same line that's under a contracted service line. We are finding we have more and more complex profiles. And so there are service providers that have to be contracted because we don't have employees here that provide those services. And so
067that service that that line is necessary to cover their that salary their wages rather. >> So what you're saying is that that cost is doubling from 10,000 to 20,000. >> That that's again that's what I'm saying here. >> Yes. Based on IEP based services that we know at this time, we don't know 100% until the team makes the decision for ESY which is in March of March and April of every year. But based on the current enrollment of students, our actuals, we're predicting that. Yes. >> The 25 budget was 7,500. The 26 budget was 10,000. Now we're jumping to 20,000. >> Y >> for the same thing. >> Nope. Different level of service because we have a different >> That means kids are getting >> more complicated, I guess, or more requiring more services. C
068>> can you give a an example of those kinds of services historically that don't identify any student just to give a sense? This is different. I There are just some things that are different about that. >> So, I think it's two things. It's not just So, we have students um who have like BCBA, which is board certified behavior analyst, and RBT, which is registered behavior technician, and those often come together because your BCBA is the certified like through the licensing board. And the RBT is the person that works under them. So, that's often someone you have to contract with, especially in the summer or for students have really complex profiles during the year because it's like two people for one student full-time. So, that would be a contracted service. So, we have we have one
069here, but we have 504 students that certainly can't cover the number of students that need that. So, we try we're trying to rectify that in next year's budget. Another one might be um for students that um are deaf. We don't have someone on staff that does that. We contract service with someone that would be on consult basis or would work with that student maybe an hour a week during the summer um to support that student over the summer. So, be a contracted service. We don't have an employee that does that. The other part, as I mentioned, is that we try our best to have SMS employees run our ESY program, but sometimes they have a thousand other things that they're doing this summer, so they can't. So then we have to use contracted services. Speech
070language pathology would be someone from last summer. We didn't have anybody here that could do it. So we had to contract out for that. Our prediction is that that will be the case again this summer because the our speech and language pathologists don't want to work ESY. So it has to be put in two different lines. Is it an increase in quantity of students requiring it and complexity or is it kind of one or the other right now or is it rates like just rates of contracted service? >> So services have gone I mean if you were to look at contracts is from contracts from 5 years ago to now they're substantially more expensive, right? And that's just a competing market. There's far less people doing it. Their schools are closing um and so they're
071able to charge what they charge, right? We know that that's a national problem. Um I don't think it's that we have more students that are identified. is the complexity of the profile or it might be that they had OT once a week and now they're going to have it all three days based on the complexity of the profile. >> Can I say something too real quick? >> Um, specifically last year, um, we did get a speech language assistant throughout the summer, but then because she was an assistant, we did have to pay partially for a speech language pathologist to oversee the assistant. So there's sort of these costs that you're not necessarily anticipating because you're like, "Oh, your hours are covered." But it's like, but then that person actually needs supervision for them to be
072certified and able to provide the service. >> I'm going to extend on that too. We went a number of years where um I think it was three years actually that we didn't have ESY for preschool. It wasn't necessary because the students were doing more intensive programming over the summer because our preschool um ESY is shorter. Um last year was the first year we had it back. So again you have to staff that and then we will be having it again this year. So there is influx based on student actuals that changes. >> Okay. Thank you very much. Chris, can you just go over can I ask you just to give us an overview from now until March the role of the fact and what's happening with the >> Sure. So Wednesday we'll open up our
073meeting in the public hearing. So that's a chance for any resident in Straten to come and speak, give input on the budget. We'll start it off with a budget video that uh the administration and Molly has put together. So, we'll highlight the work that we've gotten through today and that will give the overall number. Um if there's once questions are done, then Jennifer will close public the public hearing and then we'll go into our board meeting. We'll run through the board and at that time the board will have to make a decision on what number they want to present to be our final number for uh everyone to vote on at the annual meeting. at that time they'll ask the fact to give a recommendation on that number which is yes we support it or
074no we don't um and and they might need some time to deliberate after that. So if they're not ready right at the when we do that it would be one of the first agenda items give you a place to go and and and have a conversation when you come back we would ask that you give a recommendation and then that way that will all voters will know where we stood with the board on their recommendation um you know 5032 whatever the number is same with the fact on on that number um and they can give you know um a testimony of why they why they voted that way. So but that would come from the chair of where they're at. So, it would be the chair giving the recommendation from from the fact. Um, but
075that's the process because that that's the number that we need to put and that's the number that we have to put out to our residents um and let them know before our our annual meeting in March. >> Okay. >> Can I ask you a quick question? >> So, is that a change in the process from last year? Because I'm trying to think on the final budget we had made a recommend or we had looked at the budget prior to that hearing, right? And then we had prepared statements [clears throat] and whatever that sort of thing. So the budget obviously was changed during that meeting. So is that in reaction to that what happened? >> Yeah, I think it was a reaction all the way along is um that there was some input given to the
076board. So they made a decision to make that that final number at that meeting. So it would always be after the public hearing that you'd have a final number whether you go with what you're proposed or if the board hears input from residents um to make a change up down uh one way or another. Well, I just mean you said that the the number will be finalized and then the fact will >> the board board will have to finalize it first. So because that becomes your what you want to go you have to propose this is the number we want to go to. So the fact under will make a recommendation on that final number. >> Okay. So that all happens on that same night then. >> Yep. Yep. >> Cuz remember this is we
077pushed the public hearing back to give as much time for deliberation about two weeks later than we had last year. So we could do that. But on after your public hearing, you do have to give it so we can post everything and people know the warrants that they'll be having to discuss at the annual meeting. >> Okay. >> All right. Thanks. >> Yeah. You're welcome. >> All right. Any other questions about that, Abigail? Or feel good process? >> Yeah, I guess. >> So will we be part of the meeting when So we'll hear public comment. The board will meet. You will meet separately on your own or is or will the fact be there? >> Yeah, we'll meet in public. Okay. Oh, it's okay. It'll be public here. And then you'll decide basically based on
078this budget, you'll say we recommend, >> you know, this is [clears throat] this is the number we recommend. Um, and then the fact you're asking the fact to comment on that number, whatever the board says yes to at the end of that meeting, >> correct? >> Okay. And then we might have some time to speak separately. And the and the fact recommendation is a majority um >> recommendation or is it unanimous? >> Yeah, it'll be listed how you guys vote. >> Oh, okay. >> So, if you're unanimous or >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Awesome. All right. Thank you very much. Without further ado, I guess do I have a motion to adjurnn? >> So moved. >> All right. I'm sorry. >> Thank you. We'll adjourn at for the 32.