10/22/2025 Fiscal Management Committee Meeting

001at I got about 5:30 pretty much on the head. Um, our first thing on the agenda is reference uh public comment. Has anybody got any public comment? >> I do. >> Okay. Uh, you're the first one that I've had. So you got you got you got two stand. >> You got two minutes. You got you gotta stay it got to be in reference to the fiscal committee. >> We always ask people to state their name. >> Yeah. >> Good evening. My name is Pat Lwig and I live at N9087 River Road. Uh thank you for this opportunity to speak. I noticed on the agenda for tonight's committee meeting there'll be a discussion around district renovation summer projects. I'm not real sure how these projects will be affected or changed based on the results of the

002April referendum, but I would like to give you some food for thought or put a bug in your ear. I see listed creating more restroom space for the west wing of the high schools on the agenda. While in the early planning stages, I would like the board to consider requesting the designers to use the concept of general genderneutral restrooms in place of the typical gendered restrooms. In 2016, nine years ago, the St. Paul School District chose to redesign their gendered bathrooms and install single occupancy genderneutral restrooms in one of their high schools. The bathrooms are a line of completely private stalls, uh, floor ceiling doors, uh, no see-through gaps, um, indicators when they're in use, and then there are communal um, sinks. Sink space is open, easy to navigate. It's also there are also wheelchair

003accessible stalls. To make this change, the St. Paul district decided to listen to their student leadership group about the negative impacts that the restrooms had on students. They felt unsafe with the standard bathroom arrangement or they would choose to not use facilities all day. Often this is an area of bullying, vandalism, smoking, etc. After nine years, the school officials stated that since the design has been implemented, they have seen a decline in bullying, smoking, and less vandalism, and they have proven to be safer for all students. Now, even though this is a small request, this could be a great opportunity for the board to provide an environment that is fair and equal to all students. You are in a you are in the early planning stages and now would be a good time to consider

004this as an option. It is good universal design. This will be a good opportunity to be forward thinking in your decision making and create a welcoming environment for all students. Thank you for listening. >> Thank you and we appreciate your comment. Okay, the first >> we have another one. Sorry. >> Oh, >> didn't mean to interrupt. >> No, that's fine. I wish you would. >> If there was one, we'd listen to it. Okay. Our next uh purchase is over 20,000. Go ahead, Sarah. >> Okay. Um we have one proposed purchase over $20,000 tonight. It is um proposed by the library department and um they are proposing using common school funds for this and it is for something called Newella which is an online education platform that provides non-fiction um leveled reading for students. That's about

005all I know about that um particular item. But there is a why, what, and how document that um the library department prepared for you to read. And then the quote is also included. And then I included just like a one-page document that explains a little bit about what common school funds are and um what they can be used for. And then we do have Jason Bull online too who can give any more information if you have any additional questions or have more questions about what this is. Well, I spent some time exploring this because I didn't know anything about it. Um, it is my understanding that it's not just non-fiction. It is also fiction. Um, to be honest with you, there is a lot of controversy about this particular education educational um add-on because it

006would be an add-on for us. It's not to clarify for the committee. um it's not um it's not curriculum proper. It's through it as you said Sarah through the library right through the language. Um, I was not thrilled with what I saw. And I think that I it might have to go I don't know if this is something that we would want to throw back to the ed services right now for further investigation because it kind of borderline on curriculum and you know uh non-curriculum central curriculum. >> Yeah, that was that was my thought. We we we don't often, you know, uh jockey topics between different um comm uh committees. Sorry, very late nights last two nights. Um so, if you don't mind me asking what was what was objectionable and if if if we

007need some more time to explore and bring it back to this committee, it's fine. Um, but putting it to there, um, really takes what we're talking about is a $20,000 purchase. >> I realize >> part of that you're saying is, well, we should have some review of this content, right? Um, what might happen then is you get a a walking form from here saying, we're not sure because of content. And now you're sending it to another committee to say, review the content for us. Okay, >> let's just let's just keep it here so we don't have a walking quorum of different committees to go to the board and let's talk about the content whether it's tonight or if you want to put the purchase off so we can come back prepared for next month or

008whatever. But I just, you know, trying to make sure that we don't do that piece which is one committee to another committee to another committee before it goes to the board and it's already been decided. I do want to just add one thing that I forgot to say and that is that the department's been using this I think for several years. This would be they're proposing a renewal of it. It is a brand new >> so it's been it's been in use. >> It's been in use. I'm not exactly sure for how long but they were proposing >> we um I can I can tell you that the we've been partnering with Newella since November of 2023. And this uh just want to also highlight that this is uh proposed for just the middle school

009and the high school not elementary. >> I something to say. >> Go ahead. >> Um so so I didn't look into the content, but nothing here gave me any idea of how much value it had for $25,000. it. I've got no context as far as what value is this getting for our students? >> How often is it being used? >> No. Like like what are they getting out of it? Is it is it really beneficial for their education? There's >> there's nothing here that tells me that. >> Okay. >> So, I don't have enough information to vote yes on it. >> Okay. >> I got another request. >> Let's Who originated this? Who originated the request? It's been in use. I know that. >> And is this a renewal then? >> Yeah, this would be

010a renewal and it's from the library media specialists. They're the ones proposing it. >> So, let's let's put a list of questions together whether they're content related or value related. Um, and uh let's pose them back to uh Mr. Bull who uh part of what he does is over library tech uh people. um he'll uh get the answers we need and or bring the librarians here to uh you know uh defend the the need for the purchase and then we can have some uh discussion moving forward. So is everybody pertabling it to the next meeting? it it but we should get some questions like you know what is it that we want you know what is it about the content that we want more discussion or information around what is it about you know I

011think value is an easy one like tell us tell us the educational value and how how much it's being used right >> uh so those are two questions Julian what was >> well mine's going to be a little bit stickier because I think it there's there's huge questions about bias >> okay >> within the program. >> Okay. >> Um about the handling of issues from a bias, what issues they handle. Um there's there's a number of different kinds of these news things. There's ones for social social studies. This is for ELA. >> Um so I I guess I would want to know what aspects of it do they use? Do could they give us a sample of what they're use? What kind of materials? They may be choosing very fine materials from it. I just

012don't know. it is a it is a major in my opinion it's a sizable expenditure um and so I would want to know first of all that it's quality and then secondly you know is it actually being used >> yeah well we could also say you know I don't know if this provides it right but does the platform provide us the most popular uses of it like the most checkouts or clicks or whatever and if so can we get an idea of the content that was most popularly looked at right So that might be helpful for us to understand as well. >> Sure. >> Okay. Anything else? >> Apparently teachers can use this as well and because it looks like to me if I'm reading this right teachers use it, pull the information down and

013then convey it to the students. So >> there any other asks? David, anything? >> Teachers students can you're asking the good questions. It's kind of a vetting process that hasn't been done. >> Well, at least we don't at least we don't know. Yeah, we don't know the vetting process and uh any any kind of a news outlet probably it might be you don't know need vetted >> well it's current events it favors current events yeah >> and students according to this one cheater we have students do have access to it >> correct I don't remember a conversation about this um in 2003 so um I I would just be curious if it was a a board approval at some point. I mean, >> I'm not finding one. >> Okay. >> I'm seeing check purchases for

014like check like on the fiscal attachments, but I'm not seeing any >> well >> approval that comes up >> to that end. Um, there's an increase potentially. I think the quote here is 25,000. Right. >> There probably was an increase in the cost. >> Well, right. >> And so that's why it's coming up in front of this board now. >> That's likely. I don't know for sure, but that could be. >> Yeah. >> There's a possibility of that happening. >> I'd like to know a little bit more on the history. >> The history of the um the when we brought it in. >> Yeah. And and how it came about. >> Anything else on that matter? We'll table that and we'll have a a motion to table it until the next meeting which at which

015time Jason's raising his hand. >> Oh, >> go ahead Jason. >> Thank you. I I I was just if I might just I wrote down the questions and I'd like to make sure that I've captured them accurately if that's okay. >> Very good. Go ahead. Um I the first one is just uh some some stories and examples of the educational value of Nuzella. Uh some data around how much it's being used currently at the middle and high school. I heard a question about how are issues around bias uh addressed by Newella and um our staff. um a request for more data specific to like what aspects of New Zeal are are being used the most, some sample materials that uh we see being used. Um and then the history of how this came about to

016our district. Just want to make sure that I'm hitting the marker if did I miss anything? >> No, I don't think you did. And thank you very much. >> Wait, wait, wait. Yes. Um, so what what value does it bring to the education of our students? >> Yes, that yeah, the val the educational value. Yep. >> Yep. Yep. >> The one thing I will point out is on the third page of the quote, the license dates are 113 of this year through 112 of 26. So, I'm assuming then they would just have a period of time where the license would either be extended pending renewal or would be dropped with a renewal possibility. >> I'm sure. >> Yeah. >> And just for the record, we're not against current events. >> No, no, it's not. >>

017Okay. Should we have a vote to table this? >> I move to table it. Second. Okay. All in favor say I. I. Very good. Tabled. Okay. Next. What do we got next? Sarah. >> Um, next up we have the summer building projects discussion. And there's a document um included in the agenda that explains a little bit about um why we're proposing this and what exactly um would be included in these projects. this person in. Um, I know that we have talked quite a bit about the we have so many different potentials with what may or may not happen with the referendum and what may or may not happen with different buildings. And so all of the things that are proposed in here are things that would be um we're thinking good for the district no

018matter what happens, no matter where students are or um who is using the high school building specifically. and then some middle school work. Um, so that is what you're going to see in here. Um, some bathroom work. Um, I mean, you can read it. There's there's multiple different things just to kind of use space a little bit better to make the health room an appropriate size for the use that it's seeing. And um, some other projects. And >> there's there's a a couple of projects that would be considered as ad alternates. Um, and those would only be employed should one of the referendums that we pick need that work done. For instance, if we get back from our survey that people are more in support of a $3,000 um uh or excuse me, three and

019long a couple $3 million uh refer, right? We said that that would come with the closing of some buildings um the turning of the middle school into an elementary and a middle schoolers going up, right? That would then take into consideration that if we were going to do that, um, we would have to employ a couple of ad alternates, add alternate for a playground at the middle school that would turn it into an elementary, uh, play area, as well as, uh, looking at one of the rooms or a possible small addition uh, for a music room at the high school um, so that uh, we can fit the middle school band, chorus, and stuff like So, those are some of the things that um you might see later on that are kind of more ad

020alternates. And um Kevin, you can go into more details if if you want, but Craig, it looks like you have a question. >> Yeah. So, at this part of the process, what are you trying to what are you seeking now to to get board approval to embark in um bid a bidding process? >> Um it it would be a a a discussion around project management, right? Um we already know with the um with our architectural firm that we brought on, right? Uh that um we went through a bidding process with them, they would they would probably be doing these drawings for us, but it's the project management after that, you know, what do we want to do and and how do we want to go about that? And Kevin's here to talk a little bit

021more about that uh piece. Well, I guess I guess the question would be better replaced what are we committing to with this, right? I mean, are we com we're not committing to a full-blown renovation at this time without any numbers, right? We >> No. >> Okay. Okay. >> What we're committing to is uh work to uh uh get some drawings made up. >> Okay. >> Right. And then having somebody to uh run the project, get us those bids, right? bring them in, do a bid review with us, uh, manage the work, and and get that piece going. >> Okay? >> Uh, uh, and, um, we're asking now because if that work's going to happen this summer, we need to get going on that so that drawings can be made before January, bids can go out

022when >> January. >> Yeah. January, February, right? awarding of the work in March, April uh and then uh get getting the work done because some of these things like doors and stuff have a lot of lag time right now. Uh and so we just um as a team we we were thinking like we have to be ready for a lot of different scenarios and all of this work uh that is not at alternate is going to be good for the high school anyway. like there there are some things that we need to do um to uh retrofit some choices that were made. You know, at one point in time before I was here uh down in the teched hallway, they uh took uh the the girls restroom, made it a specialed uh restroom for a

023changing area, and then they took the the men's restroom and made it a singleuse restroom. But literally from the art rooms that whole way, that's the only restroom. There's one other restroom that's a staff restroom uh that's been converted to a single-use restroom as well, right? Um but we we we need more uh restrooms and so we're thinking about taking the special ed students from where they are down that hallway, moving them up where uh the family and consumer ed classroom is um basically besi behind the the um uh I'm trying to think the store. What did the school store um students >> where the FCLA classroom is um across from the office area a little bit. Um and uh you know next to or near to some other special ed classrooms, retrofitting that to

024have a bathroom that has a changing facility in it that would support actually that whole wing. Uh and then moving the FCLA classroom back down next to the other FCLA classroom that I was adjoining to before, right? and and just um doing some other work in that area. You can read on here and if you have questions uh we we'll talk to you about that. But uh we do think that um regardless of what we're doing um making some changes to the high school for flow even if we don't have seventh and eighth grade go up is going to be something that um would be beneficial. >> Okay. >> And these are the projects that we've identified and outlined as pot as potential. Who's the head honcho of this project? >> Mr. Suko, what's the

025background of this? >> Um, well, for a while, uh, listening to, um, staff feedback um, at the building, like this, the bathroom situation in the green hallway has been something that's been identified as an issue as long as I've been here. Um, that it causes issues. Um, so we have that aspect to look at. There's also I mean really the I think the biggest consideration coming to this is being able to plan ahead so we're not caught at the end of April saying we need to make renovations to the high school that allow another grade level to be up there in a place where we have a month and a half to turn around drawings bidding and awarding of bids procurement would be out the window because if I order a donor that has a

02616week lead time in May I'm not getting until September, right? So, we're trying to be ahead of the game in lining up these projects and looking at it so that we're able to we're we're ahead of the game in being able to accommodate any changes that might need to happen due to uh grade realignment. Um and um we're there's two groups right now kind of working on that uh talking about what the needs for the building would be. isn't me looking at it and saying, you know, I think we need an extra teched room if we're going to bring seventh and eighth up or we need an art room. That's something that's come from the teachers talking about what they need if this grade realignment happened. Um, and then the last part is kind of

027the u the main office. Um, with um the way it's organized right now, we have two separate sick rooms. So, if uh there's a couple people that are sick at the same time, the nurse might have or the the health assistant might have two kids in one room and one kid in another room that they're responsible for watching. So reorganizing some of the space in the main office to make that more efficient and then also open up some space either for the dean of students to become like out of you know the old school store and moving them into the main office or if we do rearline grade levels we might bring a different administrator up so they would have an office and they're not working out of a chair in a closet some kind

028of thing. So, it's more so trying to be proactive in coming up with designs for what might be needed to facilitate the move if we need to make it while also identifying that there's some challenges at the building right now that we might have the opportunity to address as part of this process as well. >> So, any Go ahead. Any me any other members got questions? Go ahead. Uh David, have you got one? Uh, no. He's pretty well answering that. Okay. I was >> Jul. >> Yeah. I just Um, so what you're saying is if if we moved students from RMS to the high school, well, let's go the other way. You're saying if we did not move students from RMS to the high school, at least in the next year, that these would still

029be suitable changes. It wouldn't do anything to the programming and the offering and how the high schools operate. Correct. >> It would improve it. It would >> Well, I know some directly would. >> Yeah. It would improve it and make it easier if that happened. Right. >> Correct. >> Yeah. >> Well, if it happened if it happened. When I read this, I thought, "Oh, these things make sense no matter what you're doing." >> Yeah. And that's what we intentionally tried to do. We intentionally tried to think about what are you know what are some things that need to happen should the change happen but even if the change doesn't happen and we're just the high school still right let's say the voters uh you know out there um we get the back survey results and

030they say we want to do this one that's $6 million a year that said we wouldn't necessarily need to have any changes to any of the buildings or any and we stay poor grades at the high school these will still will be good changes, right, that will improve programming as exist as as it exists right now, right? Um uh one that I didn't um I didn't see and I know it's in your or I know it's in our plan discussion um is to put some uh separation doors uh in the upper upstairs because right now when you walk in past the front uh front area, you have the whole building. There's no uh protection or security separation anywhere. And we thought, hey, if we can just put two doors up here, um that at least

031gives us a little bit of a safety net, uh in in the back here. And so, um if we have things going on, um this back area is sealed off and protected, right? Um so, some of those are the things that are in here too that, um we think are good, right? Promote water security and and that kind of stuff. >> And I'm assuming we've accommodated these changes in the budget proposal. >> That was my question. So the what we would be proposing is using fund 46 to cover these costs. Um fund 46 is the capital projects fund and so um to go with what you asked earlier if if you were to want to move forward with this but you would see next month would be some um contract amendments for um JP Colin

032and um P and you would see what those percentages would be. that would be what you would be approving next month and then I'm assuming they would have some more detailed pricing by then too. They didn't have the pricing quite ready for this meeting. >> The other um the other thing u the other pocket of money that we may end up using is um every year that um Sarah and I have been here right um we tell people watch your spending see what we can do and we try to come in under the projected budget. uh if there's money left in the projected budget, I would suggest using that first because we do want to make sure that we continue to have a large enough reserve in fund 46 when it comes to things like

033replacing a boiler, doing roofing and so on. Now, we have an adequate supply in there right now and this certainly won't uh dig too deep into it otherwise we wouldn't recommend it, right? But I would suggest using any balance left from the projected budget to the actual first and then using fund 46 after that. >> What what do we have in fund 46 right then? It's about $2.3 million. Thank you, >> Lori. So, um, you're proposing some some practical and needed improvements, but it it feels like we're getting over our skis here, and we the public is going to say, >> "Whoa, look, they're going to close schools. They're getting ready to close schools anyways. Look at look at what they're spending their money on, right?" And so, I have that concern. >> I I

034hope that's not the message you're hearing from me today. >> That's the message I saw when I read this. Okay. The message that I I need you to hear from us today is regardless of where our future goes, if we consolidate buildings or don't consolidate buildings, if we move grade levels or don't move grade levels, what you see here, that's everything except the ad alternates, right? The ad alternates, those would come after what we know happens in April. And if we have to make some decisions, okay, we would say we're going to do those ad alternates as well. But those that's why they're ad alternates, right? Because we don't know what the future will bring. >> Okay? That wasn't clear when I read it. >> Okay? And that's why that's why I said I want

035to make sure I want to make sure people, you know, that you're hearing me and that, you know, that these would be um those topics of a playground at the middle school and stuff that look like, you know, we're we're trying to get ahead of our or over our skis, >> right? >> That's only if a response comes in April that suggests we need to do that. So, it's a >> that's a yeah an ad alternate or a contingency plan. The rest of the stuff >> will be good for the high school no matter if we're serving high school students or high school and middle school students. >> Okay. And and then um I I would like to echo what the this the commenter said. >> Uh I I I fully agree with that we

036should be putting in individual bathrooms. I've heard from uh parents as recent as like three weeks ago about being afraid to go to the bathrooms because there people smoking and and all of that. So, um the individual bathrooms solves a plethora of problems. And so, I would like to be on record as saying I am in full support of that configuration in in our changes. Craig, you had something. >> I I was going to say I fully support the recommendation brought forward. >> I have a question. >> You go ahead. Yeah. Okay. A question. You said >> Well, it might be a couple. We'll see how it goes. >> No, I I didn't know if you said a question or no question. So, >> um, so I'm wondering, so you brought the capital maintenance plan

037to us with like designs that P had brought in. Okay. >> Yes. That Yes. >> So are because there was different um design possibilities for the high school. >> Correct. >> Right. So, are any of these changes going to affect any of the already pre-planned designs that were implemented in the capital maintenance plan? Do you get what I'm saying? >> No. Um, and actually, you know, some of them take into consideration what any future work might look like, >> right? >> Okay. Um, for instance, uh, we we are talking about uh looking down the music hallway about reconfiguring uh any of those spaces uh for kind of a seven eight band. Um, and if not, they they need more room anyway. You go down that hallway, they're busy busy everywhere, right? One of the asks

038that we said is uh what would it cost to have that um extra band room added on uh at the very end of that hallway? You got the tech science center here on this side would be another another room for our our vocal and and music arts, right? Um I don't know what what that one classroom addition would be um because we don't have the numbers yet on it, but we're looking at that and or other spaces. Well, that space, right, um should there should there be a consolidation? That was one of the drawings that you saw is as you know a music space on the end there, right? And an ESC kind of around the corner from that, right? Yes. >> So, so we've been really taking those things into consideration like how and

039where we put things. Will it be appropriate for future add-ons? >> Okay. >> Right. Uh and and so we've been thinking about that. you see in there um in one of the ad alternates like a um a black top space for middle schoolers to go out and play basketball on and have a little lunch break. Right. Well, where we're putting that um would be a useful space uh in the future should there be another alternate gym added on, right? That would serve food for seventh and eighth grade if if in the future that happens, right? Also uh we didn't put it in in the back area because if there's an addition that goes on someday >> uh it won't be in the space where uh any addition was uh projected might be right. So we've

040taken a a long consideration into >> some of the ideas that are there in the facilities plan that certainly need to be talked about later after a a referendum like uh you know because I need to say this again. we need to focus on our our fiscal responsibility and our and acumen before we can talk about uh deep facilities work right but um we thought about all those uh in these changes. >> Okay. And then all of these were they included in the initial presentation from P for the capital maintenance plan which would potentially reduce the projected amount that was initially given or these >> extras that weren't included in that initial P presentation of what the expense would be to make long facility changes. >> I I would say um in different areas, right?

041Certainly the bathroom piece was in there, right? About we got to do some bathroom work especially down, right? Um when you look at uh the the dedicating more flexible space to the CTE and arts, right? That was in that like not the first uh uh part of the study, but the second part of the study, the making sure we had spaces, you know, that match the programming that we need, >> right? And so that was part of the second part, but it was part of the study, right? And it talked about that. So there's certainly we went through the study and said okay so how many of these things can we actually get that were also impactful to that the moving special ed from one space to another isn't necessarily any of that because we're

042we're >> outside of outside of doing the restroom which was an ADA discussion piece that's in the study >> it's just moving a room from a room right and it's better program flow it's not necessarily getting at anything deeper than that >> okay >> um But certainly is um in there about the ADA accessibility, you know, approvable restrooms that match programming. Um so that is in there. So So yes, most of these are are ticking off stuff that was in that study that we need. >> All right. And that's it. That's all the questions I >> Okay, I got one more question. Who is all part of the planning on this? you >> uh he I Sarah um the high school principal Sarah out in Hovind around the special move um we um did a

043walk through so we were asking some of the teachers about spaces and talking about you know um this room versus that room what's the best option and we still have to do some of that but that was at the high school um you know our our teachers got to have some discussion points and say um Mr. um DOM was there when we did the walk through. Um so, you know, there there is some of that, but um we certainly when it comes down to getting final drawings and stuff, we'll we'll share them around more and have some more discussions. I got one suggestion. >> Yeah. >> If we ever do it again, do something like this again >> that you come to this committee >> prior to that so we can have a walk through

044and find out exactly what you're doing and visualize it. I agree with you. Uh and I I will tell you that we um this hasn't been a long on the books. We started this uh I would say beginning of October. It actually started right after our last facilities committee meeting and I said, "Guys, I don't know where this is going to go because with this survey, we've got we've got to come up with options about like if a referendum passes, if a referendum doesn't pass and and also with layers of referendum in between, which is why we're bringing it to you at the first available time, right?" And I understand you're saying, "Well, geez, this feels like it's really far down the track." I want you to know we went really far down the track

045in like three weeks. Is it would it have been possible just to shoot us an email saying saying, "Hey, we're we're looking at this. Could you do you want to come along and and >> you know, >> Sure. I mean, I I gave Craig a heads up. I mean, I told him, "Hey, we're going to be looking into this, but you know, I I mean, that that doesn't mean I talked to all of you, but I I do talk to the the board president about stuff." >> Was that something that was supposed to be communicating to the board, too? Well, I I don't know that it was like again, our intention wasn't to get this far down the road and say, "Hey, we didn't want to include you." As a matter of fact, you're still

046in the in the in the ample opportunity to to walk these spaces. Uh we're just talking about is this a good idea for you? And if it is, let's engage the people. Come along and and walk through the spaces. No drawings uh are are made and finalized. No, you know, we just had a list of possibilities. They walked through and said, "Let's take a look at those spaces to see if it even works." Jared, >> Mr. Suko, what do you think? >> You think it's necessary? >> I definitely do. Um, I think it will make the the high school operate more efficiently given the feedback that we're working with from the folks at the high school saying these are some of the some of the things that just don't work and we'd like them to

047work better. I think this addresses some of those needs. Um, and if I can to address the point too, I think one of the reasons we're taking this here now is because the first thing we didn't want to be bringing this to you was here's a contract we'd like you to sign on something that you don't know about. That's why we're we're coming and talking to you now. Honestly, that's why we don't have a drawing attached to this really because there's still some options that we're working through. I think as we nail that down and come up with all right, these are the things that we are really going to move forward with. These are the things that we've identified need to happen. Once we have that, I'd be happy to walk a group through

048and say, "Okay, this is the plan. This is what we're talking about." Well, let's plan that for the future if this passes. Okay. >> Uh, go ahead, Craig. >> I'll say this. I think I I toured the campus um a couple of times. One was when when we were considering uh the possibility of moving an elementary school somewhere else in the district. Um and so so that I guess part of that conversation came up then and I believe that uh when I toured the high school with um Mr. Whitaker Mr. Whitaker brought up up brought that up as a need as well, you know. So, but you know, board members are always welcome to to tour that space and pretty sure that uh Principal Whitaker would probably be more than uh forthcoming to share other

049needs that he may have recognized at that high school. So, um, as far as something that was ever formally like a a big plan like this, it's the first time I'm hearing it to this this level. But I I I'm aware I have been aware of the need for bathroom changes at the high school probably for the last two years. You know, it's been it's been at least something that's been mentioned over and over again. It's been a known It's been a known need. >> Go ahead, Julie. >> Are you anticipating that this will not drain the fund 46? First time I've ever heard of the fund 46 money. >> So that this will be something less than $2 million, right? >> It should be significantly less than $2 million. Do do you all did

050you all have a ballpark in your head about I mean I'm assuming there's >> I'm I'm um I wouldn't want to talk about a ballpark figures here in open session. Um we have architects that we would be engaging on it and we would be asking them what their thoughts and prices are and the the work that we had presented. >> Okay. >> I'd hate for them to say well I heard that you were looking to spend. Not that they would. I I I but >> I I just don't like to get into the practice of doing that. That's what close session is for. And and if you want to have some ideas of, you know, uh what we're looking at for a bid possibility, that's a close session topic. >> Okay. >> Can I explore

051the fun 46 just a minute? Just a little bit. >> Yeah. >> Where does that money come from? >> In prior years when we were running surpluses, those boards made the decision to move some of the funds into fund 46. So at the end of the year, if you're running a surplus, you can make a transfer into fund 46 before the end of July. And then that money doesn't it counts toward um your shared cost which it's benefit to the district to do that and then the money sits there it can earn some interest and it can only be used for capital items. >> Okay. And how do for the district purposes um what's the monetary limit before for calling something a capital project >> or is it >> what do we use as a

052cut off? I don't even know for sure if we have them. Basically, if it's somehow included in the 10-year facilities plan that the board sees once a year and then um these items are like I mean it's going to be over $100,000. So that would certainly count as well. But the reason that you have the district has to maintain a 10-year facilities plan is because we have the fund 46. I mean and it's good practice anyway. That's one of the requirements. >> Thank you. Answered my questions. I was going to wonder where to get the money to. >> So, what's the next move here? uh basically to approve the drawings here for >> well to approve entering into an agreement uh with uh P and um I if you want Colin to manage it Colin

053uh to um move this summer projects forward >> the agreement only includes the drawings right then it comes back to the board for approval or is it like we're committing we're committing to this happening >> you you would be committing to um th those two groups to go forth and conquer on this project. You could always say it after bids uh it's too expensive, we're not doing it, right? U but you're still going to have some outlay on the drawings and uh up until then, right? >> We have to go to close session and find out how much money that it's going to cost us. I would say if you're interested and you want to move this forward, uh, at next month's meeting, we put this on close session and we go into talking about

054that piece. Again, we we're just here tonight to say, do you have appetite for something like this? If yes, then we need to schedule a meeting to do all of those things. Carl, >> what do you think, David? Well, like I say, most of my questions are being answered and that's why I'm not asking the questions. I guess I see where you're coming from, Carl. Um, because I think we're afraid if we say vote yes on this, then we're just swallowing the whole thing. But there is a process, Jared, where you say, "Okay, we can go we can look at this and go on to the next phase." Is that what you're saying? >> Your yes tonight is just telling us you guys are going down the right path. We would love to see what

055it would cost us, you know, uh what the contracts might look like with P and Colin. Uh we would like to see those next time, right? And then your next step would be do you approve of those or not. They would also have a rough idea of the cost of the total project. They wouldn't have a finite cost because of course they would need to go to bid and all that stuff. But essentially, if you're okay with the rough idea of a cost and you're okay with their contract fees, then we say give the blessing uh at the full board meeting, right? Uh and then they will do the drawings and and everything in December. Uh they will uh have those approved by you in January and go out to bid. Uh and then um

056after after bid day, they'll come back and say here here's all the all the bids and so on, right? And that's kind of the timeline that you're on or something like that, right? >> I think our timeline is next month engaging or choosing to ga engage uh with P on the design contract. Then they can get to work on doing that feed some more information to JP Cullman which will help inform them on what their contract or how we would amend their contract. Then in December we would bring so November we would be approving or not approving to work with P on the design side. the following month, December, we'd be uh working on uh if we're going to amend our contract with JP Cullen. And then um because both of those groups were already

057approved by the board to work with as part of this process and part of that approval was working on a GMP or a contractor risk uh basis. We won't really have numbers. Um, but we're working on what the percentage of our contracts will be. Then eventually, which would probably be after they go up to bid in January, is when we would have the numbers coming back. And that's when we would actually um finalize a contract agreement with both using the HARP numbers based on the percentages that we agreed upon. And those percentages were already given to us in their proposals. But we now that we have something actually hard to work with, we might have the ability to negotiate that fee. >> So what I'm hearing is as of tonight, if we approve this, no

058money will be spent until after this meeting. >> 100%. This is uh are we on the right track or should we just stop and stop putting effort? >> That's what you're asking. >> Go ahead. Go ahead. >> Question. It may sound like a silly question, but I wonder what you have to say about it. There are other needs in the district that need fixing facility wise. Um, is this coming before those or is it an issue not to be dealing with those and dealing with this? Um, so this is in an addition to the the items that are in our capital improvement plan that we in district, not the one that P brought to you guys or that you know part of the facility study, but we have a 10-year plan that we bring every

059year. Those things are still funded um through our fund 10 budget to our general fund budget. So it would not like this would not rob from those projects in the upcoming year. Um, and I think we bring that in December as well. So, you'll have a chance to see them later. You can look back. >> And those are those are bigger projects, aren't they? >> Not necessarily. Actually, they're they're more smaller projects. I guess I'd say there's more of them, but they're smaller. So, they're more they're more easily managed by our staff. Like, we would not be working looking to bring on a general contractor, a construction manager for those projects like a parking lots, asphalt work. Um I think we have some roofing sections, stuff like that. That's stuff that we would manage in

060house. This is a bigger project that's going to involve a lot of moving parts. So that's why we are bringing up the idea of entertaining construction manager to help make that project. >> I like to see some you have any more questions? >> No, they have more questions, but I have a comment. >> Go ahead. Comment, please. >> I don't dislike this. Okay. So I wanted to make that clear. I understand we need to be forward thinking. We need to anticipate how to use the space better and accommodate for different things. But I will say I was surprised when I saw this out here because while we had been talking about various configurations of you know moving students and changing schools and all of that when my recollection is that we had talked about most

061of that happening in 2017 if it were going to happen because of the time that it would take to accommodate a lot of it. So, as you know, I've been out in schools. Um, haven't been to the high school yet, but that's next on my list. Have that leap yet. And almost in every school, especially in the elementary, in a couple of the elementary schools, they made it sound like that it was just a done deal that next year, this coming school year, we were going to be in a reconfiguration mode. And I to be honest with him I just looked at I said well that's not my understanding but I may have missed it all and misunderstood it. And so when I saw this and having heard that I thought well apparently that is

062how the administration is thinking and so maybe I'm just really slow in the uptake and and don't understand any of this. >> No you aren't. >> But um >> you're not slow on the uptake. Our job is to prepare you and give you options. Right. >> Right. That will support. So our doing this work and having the discussions and having the discussions uh at the administrative team level that would talk about moving students and when and where is to give you multiple options whether that's next year if we need to or within two years. Um our our job is to continue to think about and be forward thinking on options. This is forward thinking for should uh something not pass at all, >> what are we going to do? >> No, right. >> And so

063this gives us an option. >> I understand that. But but I think part of what you're you're hearing from us is like number one surprise that it was there in this format with and I'm looking at the time frame. Um you know according to this there's um we are expected to identify and confirm the needs and the scope of work. That was what you all did was October 2025 and then we need to look at it and the next step is the approval as you were Kevin was saying about P and and Cullen and and so I think we're all just trying to make sure we understand number one where the money was coming from. We'd never heard of UN46. I >> I'm sure Craig had heard of it but Craig hears lots of things

064that I don't get to hear. >> Yes, he does. which which at some point I got to figure out how I can learn what I need to know to make wise decisions and so because I had no idea we had that money. I'm thrilled that we have that money by the way. Um but trying to do due diligence and be good stewards of the of our responsibility for fiscal and other in other ways in every way. Um I think that's why we're we're trying to drill down on some of this. I don't think any of us is probably opposed in concept to this if it makes it better and we can truly afford it without jeopardizing something else in um in the maintenance of of the other buildings or in the overall programming of our

065schools. Um you know it a lot of this makes total sense as I read through it. So, um, you know, I'm inclined to say, "Yeah, let's move forward with this and let's see what the bids look like and let's get the, you know, Colin and P involved and see what it looks like." Um, because it's sounding like you, you have some idea that we won't talk about in this meeting about that this is going to be a cost that is affordable. And so, um, now we wait and see. >> So, I'm hoping I'm making myself clear. It's it's not that we're it's I'll speak for me personally. I'm not opposed. >> I'm just I was taken aback at how far down the road we were on these things when I I based on the previous

066meetings that we've had, not necessarily in this committee, but when we had meetings with Colin and and P and stuff, um it just looked different to me. Okay. >> Yeah. I I echo that, too. I I felt the same way. >> So did I. And I did a little bit, too. I I my advantage is I've been in the buildings and I was visualizing what you were saying here. >> Yeah. >> And I could see okay yeah I think I can understand doing that. I can understand do I've been in the music part you know >> so I thought yeah these things make sense but I wonder why we're doing this. I want connection does it have to referendum and it shouldn't have a connection to the referendum. It doesn't it it doesn't. Um, all

067it does is it gives us opportunities to act, right, when we get the information back. This is not in no way, shape, or form saying that next year we're going to be uh reconfigured differently, right? It does. It has nothing. All those decisions are yours to make when you make them, and you're going to make them when you have good and solid information. My job is to help prepare you uh and prepare our buildings uh and our staff for possible change when you want it. >> Go ahead, Greg. So, I want to preface this by saying there has to be a point in time where a conversation from the board starts. Okay? And if administration is taking the opportunity to come to you with a better defined um idea or product, you know, moving forward,

068that's not a bad thing. Um I I think that I I think that they did their job. I it's not that I don't think that I I wasn't I was aware that Jared was looking at um some possible modifications that needed to we weren't well that's fine but we can't have a discussion like that unless it's in an open session >> right and and if I came to you with a vague notion that I did with Craig you guys would say well come on put some more legs on it >> exactly >> I I understand some surprise but I'm trying to figure out where the Goldilocks is here because I need I need to balance surprise to you with forward planning enough so that you have enough information to act on. >> Right. And and

069I I know >> Well, you explained yourself already. >> Yeah. Prior to this, >> but yeah, I know. But I'm not looking to explain myself. What I'm looking to say, Carl, is I as a team, right, and as we grow, I will get better at finding out what that balance is, right? Uh I don't I don't mean to surprise you. That wasn't my goal here tonight. My goal here tonight was to talk about some forward planning options that you're at the very start of right here. Right. Right. But you got four people in a fiscal committee that >> had no idea this until we read it. And I read mine last night and I looked at it and I said, "What in Sam Hill is this?" >> Okay. >> You know, because I was completely

070unaware that this was even going on. But that's okay because you explained it to me why why you did what you did and I'm satisfied with that. >> Okay. >> And and it may just be that, you know, there's there's a there's a communication. >> I have no problem with the way you did it. I have now that now that you explain it to me, I have no problem with this. >> It it I'm not sure if it's possible, but it would have been a really nice heads up to say, "Hey, we're we're looking at some capital improvements. Would you like to tag along on a tour?" And then we at least have some kind of an idea, even if we don't go on the tour, >> that something is coming. And and then when

071we read this, we're like, "Oh, that makes sense. >> We're up to enrollment data." >> I I hear Well, we got to have a motion that we go ahead on this. >> Yeah. I I hear you. I just have to find balance in that. Right. >> Sure. Thank you. >> I'll move. >> You move. We got a motion that we go ahead with this. Have I got a second? David second. All in favor say I. >> I. Opposed. >> You got what you want? >> All right. Our next uh thing is uh enrollment data. >> Last month we talked a little bit about um o open enrollment. And so I put together um a short presentation here that shows more than just open enrollment. I went through some um some different enrollment um numbers that

072we have now. We have the final student count for this year, well for September. So um the first thing we're looking at here is the headcount and this is a tenure history of the headcount and the blue boxes kind of help you follow along to see where we add or where we lose students between grades. And you can see some trends there. Um overall we are down 88 students in the headcount this year which is more than what we were projecting. Um we knew that it would go down some. It's a little bit higher than what we had been using in our projections. And then I didn't put the membership number in this presentation but the membership number is what's used on the revenue limit worksheet that we'll look at later for the budget that

073drives the revenue. And the membership count is um calculated a little bit differently than the headcount. So you use the um headc count and then subtract open enrollment in and then you add the open enrollment out and then you multiply the 4K students by6 because they don't get full funding and that's how we get our membership number. And so this year the membership number decreased by 94. We'll look at that a little bit in more detail when we look at the budget. And then so open enrollment, I put in open enrollment in and out history here. And again, you can kind of see some trends. So um overall our open enrollment in has kind of been trending upward in the last few years. Open enrollment out seems fairly consistent. It goes up and down a

074little bit. And the way open enrollment works is at the end of the school year, all of the students that open enrolled in or out are counted right down to the day. And then we get essentially a bill for the open ener because our um open enroll in is always less than our out we're paying. So it's it's a net cost to the district teacher. And that's gotten a little bit smaller. And I did put in here just like where where are those kids coming from? Where are they going? Generally, I group together any students um fewer than I remember if I did fewer than five, I think. Yeah, fewer than five. I put them into one just because we don't want to identify any students or anything like that. You can see that we

075get quite a few um in from Dodge and Johnson Creek and then a lot of just like single students or two students from all different areas. And then the private school enrollment wasn't available. Um I had the data for some schools but not all. So I didn't include 2526 yet, but I did have 2425. And what you'll see there, I included the Roughers um study here too. I took a snip out of there and then just added 2425. And so you'll see some schools are gaining enrollment, some schools are losing enrollment. overall that population is also decreasing. So we're just seeing students generally decreasing in the district and I read an article today that threearters of Wisconsin schools lost students this year. They had declining enrollment. So it's not unique to Watertown by any means.

076Um I guess that's in summary is that we're just seeing student decline all across Wisconsin and across the majority of the nation. I think I saw like 10 states have increasing enrollment. All the rest are in decline. >> Like your charts, Sarah. Thank you. Yes. >> And that document that you attached, the 65 page document is really helpful. >> Oh, good. Yeah, I was hoping because we did that a while back. Um that was a consulting group that did an actual study for us and that was that helped to um inform the facility study as well and I wasn't sure who all had seen that. That was very helpful. >> Tell one thing I if I have built across the road, I wouldn't be here. >> That's right. >> You're right on that border. Me,

077too. >> So, I do have a question about the headcom. Um the night that had parent teacher conference over at RMS, I was one of with Craig and we were over there doing the handing out the information, you know, about refer the survey and I was talking to two of the eighth grade teachers and one of them said that they had a unique situ. But this chart doesn't show that. This chart shows on eighth grade um two new students and I didn't know you know I mean I didn't know so I just >> that's a really good question. I would have to like pull and see who the specific students are like if that there was that much change because the numbers >> there were two teachers and they both confirmed and I was like

078wow >> and I and in in theory it made sense because we do have a number of schools that you know might go up to I don't know make the decision private schools that they're going to pull them out and put them in eighth grade in RMS so they get ready for high school out of the private school. But and then when I looked at this, I expected to see a 21, you know, 21 to the positive on the eighth grade. I thought, wait a minute, I think it's only one. >> No, >> that's interesting. >> Y >> I would definitely have to see. I mean, there's a possibility that that many students changed. I mean, we could have had some leave to >> Well, yeah. Even if it's just from seventh to 8th, it's

079only six, right? >> But even Yeah, I they said uh 21 new eighth graders. But anyway, I just I just throw that out there just because that was what I heard. >> Yeah. >> From people who are there. >> I mean, we do see like you see the jump to in ninth grade that that's pretty >> coming down to the private schools, right? >> Okay. Let's go to the 2526 budget. >> Okay. So, I have um loaded in here the final revenue limit worksheet and then the final budget workbook. So, those are the same documents we looked at last month, but they these have all of the updated numbers that we got just last week. Um and I again circled things so kind of not super good at that, but in the revenue limit worksheet,

080you can see um the first thing that I circled is that membership number that we were talking about. So, um, our summer school FTE went down a bit and we don't get the full amount for that. So, 34 is the number that's included in, um, the revenue. And then our September count was down a bit. And then this charter school is kind of a new thing and that did go up some this year. So, that gives us our three-year rolling average over here of 3,278. And then property values came in a little bit higher again than what was projected. It wasn't a huge difference, but they did come in a little higher again. And then if we keep scrolling, we see um the voucher numbers here. So we've got the um regular vouchers and then

081the special education vouchers. Both of those increased. The total increase here is roughly $500,000 from last year. And then our general aid went down some and that is due partly because we came in under budget last year and partly because the vouchers are higher. So vouchers are paid for through a reduction in state aid. And then the proposed tax levy is below. Um the vouchers did raise the fun 10 levy a little bit. So, last time we were looking um can't remember the exact number, but it was in the high 15 million and now we're at 16.3 million. Um the non-referendum debt payment is included in here that's set by our debt schedules. I got the final um payoff for fund 39 debt. So, this will pay that off completely. We have some balance in

082there. So, using the rest of the balance out of fund 39, this is the levy that will pay that debt off completely. question. Is that the high school? >> Um, yeah. So, that's I think that is the high school. No. Or is that the addition? >> I believe it's the um work that was done in 200 I had to get the right date. >> That was work done in 208. >> Yes. >> What kind of work was that? Are you aware of it? >> Yeah. U there there was work done to Douglas. Um Go ahead. You know the ins and outs. Oh, that was added on the Douglas. I um there was renovations to Webster, I think. >> I remember that now. Okay. Yeah. >> Okay. What about the high school? How what what do

083we owe on the high school yet? >> Nothing. That That >> That's done. >> Okay. So, then we should be pretty much debtree. >> The only debt we'll have is that fun 38 debt. >> And that is for what? >> I have to double check exactly what all that's for. That's from a while back. That's from before they even changed the rules. >> That was um >> was that the bailout? >> I I don't want to say because >> How much was it? How much is it now >> approximately? >> I don't I can't pull anything up right now, >> but I I can definitely tell tell you later and share that. >> Well, yeah, just I'd like to have that info. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay, go ahead. >> Um, I think the only

084other thing on here then is the community services deck or uh fund that we're levying and that mostly covers the pool and then some other community services. So that brings the total proposed levy to 17.9 million which is less than what the levy's been for the last several years. It's been right around 20 million. So this will be um essentially a tax decrease for people. So even though our mill rate's been going down, the levy stayed about the same. So most people probably didn't see a property tax difference. This should be a property tax difference for most people. And then um it brings our mill rate to 485. >> Wow. >> You were pretty close. >> And where did we stand? Where did we stand from last year's mill rate? >> It was 599. >>

085Wow. >> And she had she had guessed right pretty close to where it landed. >> Yeah. I wasn't really sure if that that uh is definitely the lowest meal rate this district has ever had. >> Timing is good. >> There is one item in here that I want to talk to the superintendent that I want to talk to you about yet tonight >> about what was in here and that's a close session item. >> Okay. >> Sure. >> Very good. >> For for the future, you mean future close session item? No, or for one past close session item. >> Oh, okay. >> That I want to talk about. >> You and I can connect. >> Yeah. Very good >> question. >> Is bunch 46 ever budget? >> No, it's interesting. So, it happens right at

086the end, but you can see it if you look in this um the budget published document, if you go down to capital projects fund right here, that's fund 46. So, it's kind of been sitting there gaining interest for the last couple years. >> Make that public in reference to how much interest we have. >> Well, you can see it. Um, the last document in here is the budget booklet and that just has a whole a lot of information I tried to include. There's a narrative, there's timeline for the budgeting. Um there's quite a few graphs in here. I won't go through the whole thing, but if you're interested, it has um quite a bit of information in it. Some of this I'll go over at the budget hearing next week. >> Just want to interject

087one more thing here. I was impressed what Sarah and her companion did in reference to uh using that money and getting some interest for the school system. >> She did a very impressive job in my opinion. talking Stacy read >> Stacy. Yeah, she didn't she did a good job. >> Okay. Any Are there any questions on that? Okay. Are we done with the budget? All right. Purchasing policy. What do we got there? Um, I know that that was a request to add that on here to take a look at it. So, I included what the policy is right now that's in public content. If you look in the administrative content, if you're logged in, I put um I got some information from surrounding school districts to see what their thresholds were just to give a

088little bit of a baseline. Um but pretty much I have >> Well, then we have something from uh previous meeting in reference to uh changing that policy. >> Uh the history on that is it came to the board in April or May, >> right, >> to change it to $40,000, >> right? And then at that point it was decided we were going to keep it at 20 and then revisit it in 90 days to see if we want to make any further adjustments >> and we're in the 90day period. >> Yes. >> Did you want five? Is that what you want? >> Go ahead. >> So I want to make sure I understand I'm I'm going to tie this to the budget. Okay. So I want to make sure I understand this. The total budget

089for expenditures it says 73,849,632. >> Yeah. And that includes all fines. >> Okay. So, so when you looked at the chart from the surrounding committee committees, the surrounding uh districts for their thresholds um our budget would be about the largest in there. Am I correct then? If I am am I reading that right? Yes, I think you are. So, if I pull this up, um the only one that would be bigger than ours is Okana, >> right? Because they're at 93, >> right? And then we're kind of in the ballpark of a couple others. >> So, when it says no threshold on there, I just want to make sure they're they're just saying that they can spend whatever without board approval. >> So, if like if it was in the budget. >> Okay. So like

090when we're proposing this budget, all the departments, all of the schools have allocated where they think money should go. Sure. >> We have all the staffing in there. So whatever was approved in the budget, they can spend without additional approval. >> Okay. >> So I just wanted to make sure where we fit. So that's why the budget numbers were really important to me to look at this. Right. >> So I'm just going to go on the record that I misunderstood how this $20,000 limit was in there. Um, I'm not saying that because other other districts do something that makes it best or right, but it does give us an idea of what other school districts and boards are looking at. And so I think that a $20,000 limit is totally appropriate with a $73 million

091budget um for the size of the organization and um the amount of money. So I once I understood that it was about board approval that threshold I was just a misunderstanding there on my part. So, um, that's I I want that out right away as we begin that discussion. I've misunderstood it and I'm good with it. So, >> David, what do you think? >> I'm good. I I think I understand what you're saying, Julian, and does make sense. >> Well, Lori, >> uh, yeah, we just had an illustration of why we need this. >> Yeah. >> Uh, with Newella, right? Nobody knew anything about it. Nobody knew if it had any value, right? and and even if it's something that would be a slam dunk, it's nice to know what's going on. And um I

092think that um the $20,000 threshold is is not because we don't trust somebody, but we because we are being um responsible with our responsibilities and and it's important for us to know what's going on at a lower threshold like that. So, I'm for the $20,000 threshold just because I think it um it makes us more fiscally responsible. And you know what? I suggested that we go down to five. And I talked to Sarah about this and Sarah wasn't too happy about it and she had a reason to be too h not too happy about it and we'd like to hear that from you Sarah why why you would object from going from 20,000 down to five. Well, I think when I was talking to you, I can't remember exactly what I said, but I I

093do remember saying we have I mean, we we have just in the general fund of $57 million. So, $5,000 starts to get into a space of like if we have like for example, we recently had like a sinkhole issue at one of the schools and we didn't know how much that was going to cost for sure. It wasn't going to be $20,000 for sure. We knew that. Could it have been 5,000 or more? Yes. So, do we have to wait then? Like it we could potentially need to wait for six weeks before we could actually repair something like that. So, I think that was one of my arguments. Um my other argument is that I do we include all purchases every single month in this committee. So, every credit card purchase, every check that's cut,

094everything even on the Amazon you can see. And if there's ever a question, you can certainly pull that out and ask. And nothing is like once it's done, it can never be undone. I guess if if we're talking about work like a sinkhole repair, yeah, that can be undone. But if if a new zello was 15,000 and you pulled that out, we could always reverse that. So >> Oh, it's it is reversible. >> Well, sure. I mean, it's like a licensing agreement. So, I guess if a contract was entered, Yeah. I mean, most of the time those things are something that we could undo. >> Yeah. I I just think that and I can see why 40 was pro was proposed because with the size of the budget um and if you start looking at

095that as you know kind of a benchmark for that but I think 20 is reasonable for where we are in our current financial situation with a board that really does want to make sure we're fiscally responsible um and we're re we're but but that we're not becoming an impediment on moving things forward. goodness, we certainly want a sinkhole fixed, you know, um we don't want to have to pay for the lawsuit that could happen if we didn't get the sinkhole fixed. And I think that the the cost of everything right now is um going up. And so even modest purchases can get way above can get above $5,000 very quickly. So, um that that's where I came down, especially when I saw these comparisons. I could see I thought 250 was out of line. 250

096I thought that was out of line. And I thought, you know, for right now, this is this is 20,000 only since June. So, we can see how it goes. And if we run into lots of things that exceed that 20 and it's slowing things down, okay, we can talk about it. But right now, it seems very manageable to me. >> What do you think, Sarah? How do you feel about the 20,000? >> The 20,000 is doable. We've been doing it for a while now. Um, it it seems manageable to me in my opinion. I mean, I still understand why we proposed to put 40 just because I think 20,000 been in this district for a really long time and as you said, prices have increased, but $20,000 is manageable. 5,000 would be really challenging. It

097would take a lot of time. >> We need flexibility to some degree. I ran an organization with a much much much much smaller budget and I had more than $5,000 that I could spend, you know, without having board approval. >> I don't know if I trust that or not. >> I know. >> Uh Carl, if you're if you're moving to something else, I want to answer the question you had about fund 38. >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Fun 38 the borrow happened in 2014 for the WRS system. it was 4,165,000. Uh, currently or as of our last report to the DPI, it was 1.7 million left. So, uh, that's that's very good. Thank you. All right. Has anybody else got anything about uh the purchasing policy? >> I don't think there had Go ahead, Craig.

098Um, I guess I want to just go on record to say um I was I was comfortable with it after we made a decision um back at May and um I I I tend not to want to go back on decisions like that if we can avoid it also. So I definitely support the threshold as it is. I don't think we have to put Do we have to put that to a vote? No, >> not changing anything. >> No, we aren't changing anything. >> Just a good discussion. >> Yeah. >> Very good. All right. Monthly reports if anyone has any questions. Um, >> yeah, I got two, but they >> I've got one. >> Go ahead. >> So, under checklisting, that's the first document. Um, on page five, we are spending over $2,000 for Scholastic

099magazines for a subscription to a magazine. I I just was looking for clarification and What is that all about? >> I mean, I don't have off the top of my head what those magazines are or are used for. I'm trying to find it. >> So, uh, Scholastic Action, uh, Scholastic magazines. Um, they're at different buildings in different grade levels. Uh it's a it's another um a reader that you can get through the um either sometimes it's used as like a support for like a social studies classroom, but sometimes it's like here you can come and uh check it out at the library, read it. It's a young >> so they're used for for classrooms for I'm like what kind of a magazine is so >> some sometimes but sometimes it's also like for checkout at

100the um library media center. Um it's um uh you know a student informational like magazine is a >> kind of kind of like like what you've seen in the Denver socks. >> Yes. >> Gotcha. >> Remember the old Ranger Ricks? >> Yes. >> That's that's a as close as I can get to a discussion magazine for kids. >> Been around forever. >> Classic magazine was had been around for like decades and decades and decades. >> Yeah. This is that's the first time I've seen magazines on the budget and I was like >> it's kind of a support thing for classroom sometimes >> events and >> yes >> yeah I I have no problem with it other other magazines like that >> okay >> anybody else got any questions in reference to all these expenditures >>

101well there was one thing I saw in there I'm just curious um I'm trying to see I saw it on Amazon and then I saw it in the checklisting. We bought a whole bunch of monitors. Um, >> all the computer buyers. >> Yeah. So, I thought every I thought everybody had Chromebooks. >> So, >> not everybody. >> Apparently, not everybody. >> No, some of us have um like I have a docking station in my office so I can plug my computer in and then put it up on a bigger screen. Yeah. >> Yeah. A number of our our teaching staff do have a way to, you know, instead of just working like this, hook it to a monitor. This becomes like shot like this and they're working, right? >> Look, I use a 32 inch

102or something like that at home. So, yeah, I get it. >> They connect to a smartboard, too, sometimes. >> I think they do. Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Anybody else got any questions? I got two. Environmental Specialist pumping a grease trap. $2,20.80. Mr. Suko, you can answer me this question since you're in charge of that. What does is that all about? And I'm going to I'm going to give you a little background. I used to do that. >> You used to home grease. Yes. >> Really? >> I work for a school system. I work for the Hor school system. Yes. And I and I know how. And I used to have to clean them by hand. Why pumping them now? And how many times do they have to pump them? Uh we usually have So the

103ones that were pumped on that one would be um we had the high school has a grease trap in the kitchen. That one was pumped and that's our production kitchen. So that grease trap will usually pump every year. Usually August, September. I think it hit now because we had it done right before school started. Um it's a very odorous uh experience after that's done. So we try to do it when kids aren't in the building. >> I understand that. >> Then we also have when they do that this year they pump uh we have a sediment uh trap in the art room that they pump. We have a sediment trap in our maintenance shed. And I I think there was one other one maybe a a clay trap or a chem trap in one of

104the science rooms. >> And now this is for the pumping of all those traps. >> Yep. >> Okay. Very good. That's one question. Number two is Watertown Tourism Council uh billboard ad. I think it's what was it? $155. >> Yes, we actually got a a really good deal. um our our tourism group here in town, right? Uh reached out to different entities, us um the library, uh the octagon house and and so on. We took an ad space for a week for that amount of money just before school started to say enrollment that hit the billboard that was over here on F the electronic one, you know, right off. >> I know one is it, >> right? And then the one down uh by Johnson Creek. Uh and so we got a really good um

105I think very uh inexpensive high viz uh billboard for over a week, just about over a week. Uh and uh we it was basically hey uh call here and open or to enroll your kids. We were just trying to get enrollments, right? And so that's what we used it for. >> That's a really good price for a couple. >> It is. It is. was a very short window, but that's because we >> I don't want to hear that either because I rent billboards. >> So, I don't want to hear that because I know exactly what billboards are paid and I got clients that rent billboards. So, I understand billboards rent. >> You got a whole lot of conflicts of interest. >> Yeah. Well, that ain't a conflict of interest because I'm not renting my billboard

106to the Watertown High School. Matter of fact, if I would rent my a billboard to the Watertown High School, it would be for nothing. me. I was saying you just worked my ears up free. >> Where's your billboard, Carl? >> It's way up north by Col, >> but our inus our e campus might have done that. you. Well, I just want to put it in front of the board. Do they do they think that we should advertise for a school? I don't know. >> Well, we do all sorts of marketing. It's not just this kind of advertising. I mean, you see the uh we're all Gosling signs that we put out there. I have marketing. >> I I can understand those signs, you know, but I mean, Carl, you saw our budget. We're a business.

107Businesses who don't market fail. We We have to do marketing. >> We We aren't going to fail as a school system. >> We can Well, you're in charge. You're in charge. So, you should you should agree with me. >> I help me find any path that we can to gain enrollments. That's all I'm saying. And well, >> we don't we don't I mean, >> we don't overly spend. We got a very small marketing budget. You saw the you know, what we paid, right? It's we should advertise and we should talk about our one of the biggest things I heard today at our Burks briefing our town hall was get these stories out more you know of what we were talking about today and so I don't know how to do that if we don't advertise

108or if we don't I think our best advertising would come through if we could produce a winning football team baseball team basketball team or stuff like that I think that would be our best advertising because kids would want to come here then. Or if we have a good band or a good >> we have a good band. >> Well, that's great. And that should bring children in in into our system. >> And I think that's the way we should try to bring bring children into our system is with our programs that we present to them and be winners at them. >> Go ahead, Craig. >> I'm not I'm not I'm not necessarily disagreeing with you, Carl, at all. Um but uh at some point uh you become like the best kept secret if you don't

109tell other people about it. >> Yeah. >> And and I feel like >> Well, everybody knows the best kept secret. >> Yeah. >> Well, I think I I do think we need to add advertise. I think that we should make a concerted effort to change the the um an open enrollment direction more at least close the gap and I think talking and letting people know in a more aggressive way about some of the good things everybody would like some winning teams for but volleyball's had a winning season they've done well this year >> so but um >> we also I looking at the maps and how we're configured we are up we we're just in one of those weird things. We touch on so many school districts. Um, if you look at it was like

110eight or nine school districts that are right contiguous to us. And if people live on those edges, it's very very easy for them to make the decision to, you know, especially if they drive that way to go to work to take their kids with them and put them in the other school district. And I think that's a lot of it. And we're competing with a carnival walk on the one edge, you know. So, but I think some good advertising is well it's money well spent and I'm and because you know I mean I looked at billboard advertising for years at 150 bucks you know >> I was like I didn't even >> one student and it's way >> that's right if one family sees this in open enrolls or enrolls once >> all right I

111can see that we did that too Okay. Is there any more on the expenditures? Let's go back here. >> I'll just ask a general question, Sarah. From your perspective, we everything's in line for where you would expect us to be at this point in the >> Yes. >> Okay. Action items. >> What do we got there? Anything? Um well we will look at the final budget at the board meeting Monday which is also the budget hearing at So the board meeting is early. It's at 5:30 which will be the budget hearing and then the regular meeting is after. And I think that well we're going to keep moving forward on the project. So, next month we'll come back likely with some uh P um percentages for you to take a look at and potentially um

112more detail on the costing I think. Or will that be the next month? Did you say you think Kevin? >> We'll have a better plan. I don't know necessarily have more interest or more information on it. >> Sarah brings up a good point. Um, would you guys like me to have Lynn give you a reminder about the early early start for the budget hearing >> on Monday because it doesn't follow our normal schedule? >> Yep, please. >> Okay. >> We'll have her either do some calls or text out. >> I know Carl, I know you approve you you you rather have a call, so we'll have a call. >> I don't need one now. >> Okay. Are you sure? >> I think I got it down on my book for 5:30. Okay, good. Oh, and

113then the other thing is um we will bring back more information on what Newsella is and answer all those questions. >> Right. Very good. >> So, any more on that item? Action items? >> Any action items? >> A couple things hanging out there that I don't know if it's for this meeting or for a closed meeting, but we're going to investigate two things that we needed to get money from or there was an issue with. You know what I'm talking Yes, I do. Um those are still in progress uh with the various entities that they need to be in progress with. >> Thank you. >> So um when I have a uh an update for you, I will I will bring that forward. Um sometimes those kind of negotiations come slowly. >> Thank you. >>

114Thanks very >> and then we don't have to talk to each other. >> Okay. >> Very good. >> Yeah, he took care of me. Thank you. >> Yeah. Yeah, I I know um Jason Bull's working on his um and I believe a calendar engagement went out for ours um by Lynn maybe today or yesterday. So >> a little bit. Okay. Is there any other items? >> That should just about be it, right? Um the only other thing I will just add real quick is on the calendar it does say the um audit contract for November. That will be year three of a three-year contract. So you won't have to um look at that next month, but then that'll go to RFP again in the following year. >> Yeah, there will be some discussion on that.

115How long right now have we had the auditors that we've had? >> It's been a little while. So it went to RFP two years ago. We did not have a great response at all. >> Isn't there a uh statute on that in reference to how long you can have auditors? >> Um not that I'm aware of. Uh I I think that if I'm aware of it correctly, it's to follow the bid policy of the board. >> I I mean good standing practice is you do not build relationships with auditors. So you find new ones every three to five years. >> Correct. >> Yeah. And so we've been we've been like going to RFP every 3 years. And for whatever reason, two years ago, there were not many auditing firms that were willing to even propose

116for school districts. Most of them that I contacted were saying they were reducing school districts that they were working with. >> I can understand why. >> Well, I mean, we're agreed here. >> I mean, the the level of the level of things they have >> I'm not nothing against you personally, right? Nothing against you personally, but >> GPI to worry about all >> you don't make a lot of money on auditing schools. >> No, >> but we will try again in a year. >> I mean, don't get me wrong, they charge a heavy price, but the amount of hours they have to put in. >> Yes, I understand. Is there anything else? Well, I'll stand for a motion to adjurnn. Julian so moves. David seconds. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Thank you.