001Good evening. Um, I will be filling in for our board president this evening, Laura Ber. She is attending virtually. Um, so bear with me. We don't want any more technical difficulties. So, Um, this is advised that the general public that in compliance with the open public meetings act, the Little Lake Harbor Board of Education meeting was advertised in the Asbury Park Press, Atlantic City Press, and posted at the office of the board of education located at 307 Frogland Road, Little Lake Harbor, New Jersey, and posted at the office of the mun municipal clerk of Little Lake Harbor. Can I get a roll call? Mr. present here. Miss Lawrence here. Mr. Lee here. Dr. Snder here. Miss Vart here. Miss Ber here. You have qual. Thank you. Please stand for the pledge of allegiance to the
002flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. Okay, we need to um approve the agenda. So, can I have a recommend a motion to approve the agenda? Motion. Second. Are there any questions? Okay. Robert, all in favor? I. Any opposed? I Any abstensions? Motion carries. Okay, public comment. The floor is now open to members of the public. The board of education recognizes the value of public comment on educational issues. The board requests that each statement made by a participant is limited to three minutes as cited in policy number 0167. There is a sign-in sheet located on the podium. Please sign in before you speak and please make sure you are respectful in what you choose to say.
003Thanks. Wait, church. Good evening. My name is Karen Strang and I'm a teacher here in the district and I've been here 22 years. Absolutely love my job, love my students and really love the staff that I work with. Um, after the last meeting, obviously I was very concerned with some of the comments that were made. And I did have a couple questions. I was wondering how many staff cuts are you basing this budget on and what is the breakdown of staff cuts? My second question is it was mentioned that the day could possibly be shorter and what does that entail a shorter day? Are we contemplating split sessions because the classes will be too large to accommodate or are you considering eliminating specials? Um, from my understanding really the only special that is required is
004gym and health. So would that mean you would get rid of art, music and steam because that would be detrimental to our students? Thank you. [Applause] Good evening. My name is Kim Slick. I am a second grade teacher at George J. Mitchell. Um, it's hard to believe that we are here again facing the same fate as we did last year. Uh, last May I stood and spoke about the staff cuts and how they might impact our district. Well, we were definitely not wrong. Now, here we are again facing the same daunting reality that we may be doing this again. But this year, I'm here to speak for a different population, our most valuable assets, and that is our students. Last year, I stated something about class sizes being 25 plus and was assured by some
005of the board that classes would all be under 25. Well, again, this is not the case. I'm sure if you ask all the teachers in this room with over 25 in their classroom to raise their hands, you may be a bit shocked. Um, not only have our class sizes increased, but we've um, also been getting used to the new inclusion model that was spoken so highly of by this board. I'm not sure how if the public is aware, but our special education students are now only being serviced for a fraction of the time that they were in the past. Our special ed teachers are working extremely hard to provide the same services to these students in much less time. Now there is talk that this amount of time will be may be decreased again next
006to say that this would be a complete injustice for our students. Not to mention the teachers and par profofessionals who are already working their hardest to ensure the students needs are being met. Again these students are classified as special education for a reason. They may. We have many special education teachers with degrees that are and they are trained to give modifications and accommodations needed to ensure their success. With that contact time cut, once again, this will be an almost impossible task. I know that you have said you have looked into every option to cut programs as to not adversely affect our students. We respectfully request that you look at that again. We asked which administrators were included in the administrative costs that you compared to other districts where you stated that our costs are low
007and we are not administrativeheavy. Did you include supervisors? We currently have nine including our superintendent, directors, principals, supervisors, plus the transportation supervisor. Were all of these included? Has there ever been talk of consolidating? These are just some questions we ask to be sure that our students do not suffer the brunt of these cuts. Thank you. [Applause] My name is Amy Easturn. I live at 187 Gfordtown, but I'm also an art teacher at George Mitchell. And I hate public speaking, but I think this is important. Tonight, I want to emphasize the critical importance of arts, steam, and music in the elementary curriculum, particularly through the structure of a special area subject for 40 minutes a week. This time spent in music, steam, and the arts is not just a break from traditional classroom subjects, is an
008essential period for students to explore creativity, build confidence, and develop skills that will serve them well in all areas of life. These subjects are not extracurricular or supplementary. They are foundational to the growth and development of the whole child. The 40 minutes that children spend within arts, steam, and music each week or bi-weekly this year offers them a unique opportunity to express themselves creatively. In our academic-driven classrooms, it's easy to focus on skills like reading and math. However, the arts provide students with a valuable outlet to explore their own ideas and emotions in ways that words and numbers alone cannot. Whether it's coding, painting a picture, or writing a song, the arts allow children to tap into their imag imaginations, creating something that is uniquely their own. This creative process fosters self-expression and helps children
009connect with their inner thoughts and feelings, something that is crucial during the elementary years when they are still learning to understand and articulate their emotions. Art, steam, and music provides students with a chance to experience success in an environment that may feel different from their regular classroom. For some children, the traditional academic setting can be challenging, and they may not always experience the same success as their peers in subjects like reading or math. However, when they engage in a music or art class, they can shine in ways that highlight their talents and creativity. These moments of success, no matter how small or trivial, have a profound impact on their self-esteem and confidence. This success isn't just about the final product, but also the process itself. The arts are processoriented, encouraging perseverance, experimentation, and problem solving.
010Children learn that mistakes are part of the journey and that through practice and determination, they can refine their skills and achieve their goals. This growth mindset developed through steam, the arts and music translates into greater resilience in other areas of life, from academics to social interactions. The arts encourage critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem solving, skills that are essential not just in the classroom, but in the broader spectrum of the world. When children participate in these subjects, they learn to work together, share ideas, and respect diverse perspectives. These experiences enrich their social development and prepare them to be thoughtful, compassionate, and innovative individuals. Finally, incorporating arts and music as a consistent part of the weekly routine fosters a fosters a positive classroom environment. The 40 minutes a week spent in art and music is not
011just free time or a break from their regular academic subjects. It's a critical part of the child's education that nurtures creativity, builds confidence, and provides essential skills that influence cognitive, emotional, and social development. By giving children the time and space to explore their creative potential, we are helping them to discover not just their abilities, but also their sense of self-worth and confidence. I implore you when looking for ways to make this budget work for our district that you do not allow our monetary missteps to impact the well-rounded education that each of our students deserve. Because the earth without art is just eh [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Hi, my name is Cindy Castaldo. Um, I actually had no plans on speaking tonight, but um, I'm just coming in pure emotion right now as just a parent. At
012what point does it stop? because last year we were told this was not going to happen again. That's because at what point doesn't stop and I didn't even split sessions didn't even cross my mind. Now I'm thinking about that as a working parent and going back from co and having to do split sessions again. I that didn't even cross my mind and we're thinking now class sizes are going up again with that. That's a safety concern as well because I have heard and I this is just from what I've heard, you know, parents talk to two incidences this year so far that uh children two children got outside the school and it was a I don't know how long the first incident was, but I do know the second incident was a few minutes. the
013child was knocking on the door and the parent was not notified. And now we're think we're going to have less people to watch over our children. The morning situation, we only have three people outside at George Mitchell that are really just helping the kids come out. But the that parking lot is so dangerous. And now how many people are going to be watching over that parking lot now? How many people are be watching over the kids in the playground? that is and that's a whole other subject with bullying and with kids going back and forth, but it's just this huge safety concern and I have a daughter that is not even two yet and I'm worried about how the school's going to be when she reaches kindergarten. Is there even going to be a school
014left at this point with the way everything is going? Our taxes keep going up and we're still overbudget and that's absolutely not it's not okay. That's it. That's just it's not okay. Uh, hi. I'm Samantha Atinson. I am a academic support instructor, one of two in uh, George J. And I'm also a parent of two little boys. Um, I'm I'm just going to ask these questions and then I'm going to drop the mic because this has been Sorry. Um, they're just two um numbers questions. Uh, is this budget based on the 2% tax levy or 9.9% tax levy? And why would we call legislators when the district's 2025 to 2026 state aid increased 6%. So, I just I know there's a lot of speculation and I know I just we're just trying to find out
015some answers. So, that last part. Yeah. Why would we call legislators when the district's 2025 2026 state aid increased 6%. Thank you. Sorry. Um, hello. My name is Sarah Dreer. I'm music for the entire district and I just wanted to voice my concern about any additional cuts towards the music department. I'm the only full-time employee. I go between both buildings. This is my eighth year in district and I have done my very best this year. We are still having fun and making music, but it has been extremely challenging to go between buildings every other week. And I know scheduling we might be able to work that out, but looking at the possibility of music eliminated entirely. It's just extremely detrimental. Um, High Pins just had their wonderful musical and I looked at that and I'm
016seeing many of the lead roles are alumni and um, and my greatest fear is that when they reach seventh grade they haven't had any music exposure due to monetary issues. Um, so I just ask you to please reconsider. I see kids express themselves in such special ways with me and we really have a wonderful time in the music room. So I please ask that you consider keeping music in our schools. Thank you. [Music] hi everyone. Um, I don't have a fancy speech prepared, but I have a ton of questions. If you know me, uh, you know that that's the truth. Oh, Elizabeth Basque, uh, Frog Pon, uh, elementary school teacher. Um, I've been here for over 20 years. I've had numerous roles um in the classroom, in leadership. Um, I finished my uh principal certification.
017So, I've been truly invested in the progress of this district and I wish we didn't start with public comment because I really want to see what you have to present to us tonight. I am concerned about the when we left here you were saying that it was a 9.9% tax levy. So I'm curious what um this is included which was a question that was already asked. Um I'm curious last time Lisa Dr. Internet stated that there were tons of cuts. They cut everything they could possibly cut but we haven't been told what has been cut and what we are budgeting on. So, we have been asked to take a pay freeze, but we don't have information on why we would do that. So, we are we've being asked to make concessions without full information. Um,
018I also, from my understanding, bank cap is a set amount of money that we did not utilize from year to year. Um, and on the March 11th board meeting, our agenda stated it was [Music] $568,475. And tonight's agenda states $670. $670,0007. Oh my gosh. Who's the math teacher? $670,000 and 70. Um, what's the difference? Why the change? It was unused money. So, how did that change in a matter of a week? Um, and I also question um your letter said we got new information from the state. What's the new information from the state that happened in two weeks? We have so many unanswered questions and I really wish your presentation came first so that we could hear it. Um, but I do look forward to getting all these answers. Thank you. [Applause] [Music] Hello, my
019name is Danielle Cotti. I just have a question. But I was trying to do some research after the last board meeting because I honestly don't understand all of this. I mainly teach ELA. Um, but I was reading an article um, and it it stated something that the state is targeting districts that are taxing below what is called local fair share and I read that if they go to the highest percentage for local revenue, the state may provide additional relief. I don't know if that's true. So would we still be facing the amount of cuts you are projecting even with the 9.9 and 2% and then possible additional relief? I think that something similar just happened in Middletown where they went to the highest and then they were also given additional relief but I think it
020was only around like 400,000. So I'm just curious how will that help us? How many teachers would that save? [Applause] Thanks. Hi, my name is Christina Bor. I'm a teacher at this district for 25 years. Every year we are asked to do more with less. Every rise to the challenge, not because it's easy, not because it's fair, but because we refuse to let our students suffer the consequence of decisions that beyond their control. We do it because we are teachers. We show up every morning with energy, patience, and determination, knowing that the work we do shapes their future. But this year, the burden is placed on us heavier than ever. Class sizes have grown, yet support has been stripped away. across our title one district. ASI teachers once a crucial support for most of our
021atrisisk students have been reduced to just five. A um ASI teachers are now teaching health stretching their time even thinner. Inclusion support has been cut. Our students have already lost valuable time with art, music, steam teachers. Now they stand to lose even more. The arts are essential. Creativity, problem solving, self-exression shape well-rounded confidence kids. cutting these program chips away at very foundations of uh meaningful education. You are attempting to place the burden on fixing the district's financial mismanagement on us instead of holding accountable for these responsible people who are make these decisions. Now, on top of everything else, you are proposing to cut about 30 teachers. 30 dedicated professionals who show up every day for their students. 30 teachers who provide safety, stability, and learning to ch learn learning to children who need them. If
022you follow through on these cuts, those of us who remain will be left to manage the impossible. We are the ones holding the district together. We are the ones staying late to tutor struggling students, using our own money to buy supplies, giving up once of ourselves to ensure that our students succeed despite the obstacles placed in front of them. If you take these teachers, our students will suffer. No matter how hard we fight to shield them from it. So before you ask to sacrifice, we ask us to sacrifice again. We extend the invitation for each of you to come into our classroom. Step into our shoes. Be the teacher of the classroom of 25 kids or more, including with any kid that has a 504 plan, special education needs, English learning, uh, language learning students
023who require individual support that no longer will have it. Now imagine adding five more students to those classrooms when that teacher is cut. Imagine losing the specialists who provide the interventions to keep these kids from struggling and keeping those kids afloat. Imagine the weight of knowing that no matter how much you care, you cannot be enough for every child in that room. Then when you go home drained, ask yourself, is it fair to balance this district's financial missteps on the backs of of the very people who give them all to keep them running? Is it fair to place the burden on the teachers who ask for our who you ask for our input? We offered thoughtful suggestions, solutions, and yet no action was taken. We want to be part of the solution, but it feels
024like our voices are not being heard. We are all elected, excuse me, you are all elected to lead, to make responsible. [Applause] Okay, I'm going to continue where she left off. You all were elected to lead to respons. You all were elected to lead to make [Music] responsib support at George Mitchell School. You were all elected to lead to make responsible financial decisions to protect our schools and the children within them. Instead, you are asking the very people who sacrifice daily for these kids to sacrifice even more. When is it your responsibility to ensure that the district is properly funded and managed? [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] Sorry guys. The teachers of this district have always given everything we have for our students. But if you take 30 more away, we will not be able to
025sustain what is left behind. We are not the problem. We are the solution. Our students will lose. Our students will suffer. Our schools will suffer. And that is something none of us teachers, parents, or this community can afford. We've done our part. Now we ask you to do yours. [Music] Would anybody else like to speak? Okay, public comment is now closed. Moving on to the agenda. There is one item to approve. Two items to approve tonight. Um the first is finance. Can I have a motion to approve finance item A? Motion. Can I have a second? Second. Are there any questions? Yes. Um, I know it's not formed to answer from public comment, but I do think that I can ask some questions that I can see how they're not clarified in this um agenda.
026So, uh, Robert, would you mind explaining why whether we're going to 2% or 9% and why it was changed? [Music] Uh, yes. Um, we are going to the m we are going to 2% in the tax levy increase. Uh, but we are going to the maximum amount that can be raised in taxes. Okay. Um, that maximum amount includes three adjustments, three separate adjustments. one for enrollment, one for healthcare and one to utilize all bank cap. And so that's why you see the number 16,645430. That is the maximum amount that the district can raise in taxes at this time. We are hopeful that the state is going to give even more money. Uh as someone mentioned about there's an incentive, it's called the tax levy incentive aid. We know it's coming. We just don't have any
027details about it. uh the state's going to provide guidance any day now. Until then, we just don't know. But at this time, we are going to the maximum 16,645 643. Okay. And then with that, um just to clarify, so I'm going to use totally poor language here that tax levy incentive aid, that's basically free money and it would not have an impact on the taxpayer. That I do not know. So it could be possibly that we have to raise taxes in order to receive that money. That is possible. We don't have any details about it yet. We just know it's forthcoming. Okay. So, just to be clear, that 16 million number is 13.9%. That's how high we are raising taxes. That's correct. Okay. That is so well over the 2% cap. 13.9. So, the initial
028budget on March 11th was approved at 9.9% and this is just an adjustment to move it to 13.9%. Correct. That's correct. the uh the differential amount between the March 11th tax levy approval to tonight's tax levy approval is $23,852. Okay? And it just happened to work out that way. But uh we were informed by the county office that if we wanted to use the banked cap, we had to use all other adjustments prior to that. So, we're taking the maximum amount of the enrollment adjustment, the maximum amount of the healthcare adjustment, and also the maximum amount of the bank cap amount plus the 2%. Just one more thing. Sorry, Abby. I'm ready to interrupt you. Okay. Um, so could you just explain what the nine where the 9.9% figure came from last meeting for everyone?
029We sat and we met with the county superintendent and she uh gave us the suggestion that since last year the tax levy was going to be allowed to go up 9.9 that we could do that this year. Okay. Um my only other question which I did email you uh late last night is the bank cap number which I think was also brought up. So I just wanted to know why um on March 11th we approved the 570 but it was because of the adjustments. Now the new banked cap number is that 670. That's correct. 1070. So So somewhere between March 9th, uh is the last time I made a print out from the from the system with the old number to sometime after the meeting. The state made a corrective download to the budget software.
030Um and when I spoke to the county superintendent about it, that's when she informed me of that. I said, "All my numbers changed. I don't understand why they changed." So, she informed me of that and that's why the number changed because the calculations weren't going correctly in the state software. Thank you. Yes, across the board. That wasn't just for Little Lake Arbor. I spoke to a fellow business administrator and he said he put his budget together and then he looked at it again and the numbers had changed. He thought it was due to old age because he thought he couldn't understand why. And I said, "No." I said, "Mine changed." And he and and I said, "Uh, and yours changed." So, and I and it's the county business administrator didn't inform us that it was
031not just little. Good question. So, it's all districts in the state of New Jersey that experienced those issues. I don't I don't know exactly if they changed for everybody, but if the calculation was wrong for one district, it was probably for a majority of the districts. Yeah. I have one last question. Sorry. May I May I answer the question? I'm sorry. Abby, do you hear me? Yeah. Sorry, Chris. Just go ahead, Laura. Okay. Just a point of clarification. So, with with this because that was my question from the beginning. Is it lawful to do take the enrollment adjustment, the healthcare adjustment, the banks cap, as well as the new tax 2% tax levy increase of 303287 because we all got that worksheet. And now the total tax levy increase is 2,ion38421 just as a point
032of clarification. Is that correct? That is correct. Okay. Thank you. Okay. Just one more clarification just for everyone uh that may not understand and it took me to understand. So the ins I want to call it a waiver but it's totally not a waiver. um the insurance health benefits adjustment um and enrollment adjustment. How did that come to be? And is that something that let's say our health benefits increase again next year? Cuz it's my understanding that um the rise of health care costs and the use of the GLP1 inhibitors has really skyrocketed health benefits across the state. Um and that would be something we'd be entitled to next year as well moving forward. That's a you're an annual thing as long as you qualify. Yes. And I'm going to say most likely this district
033is going to qualify. Robert, one question that was brought up earlier, uh I'm so clarify on because uh I think it would help the public a lot. um how we have six uh 6% inate aid, but can you clarify with the public um the uh supplemental uh that we got last year and how that affects this year's uh uh state aid and how really we're almost flat even though we have a 6 uh% increase. Uh yeah, we do have a 6% increase. That dollar amount comes to $436,000. uh it's really a drop in the bucket when you compare uh the cost of the energy increase, the health insurance increase, uh just the general raises across the board. Okay? And it's hard to focus on just one year of an increase because still over the past
034four years, state aid has decreased one point over $1.5 million. So you can't really just look at it as one year of increase for 436,000. If you net that with the last four years, we're still behind by $1.5 million. So it still leaves our revenues from the state a lot less. And you realize in that four years all other uh all other inflationary costs have gone up. Energy has gone up, general liability insurance has gone up, uh staff raises have gone up, um health insurance has gone up. So getting a net, you know, losing $ 1.5 million in revenue from the state and then all those other areas combined rising every year exponentially leaves us in a bind. When we say a 6% increase, that's a 6% increase from the 17% decrease last year. Correct.
035That is correct that uh yes, I'm sorry. Yes, that's correct. So we had a 17% decrease in state aid last year, but it looks like so but the so the 6% increase is actually a misconception, right? Because think about it. We went down 17% last year. So we're just 6% higher than last year. Yeah. Yeah, that's correct. And you make a good point because overall we're still down $1.5 million from four years ago. That's a that's a hard amount to come back from considering all the other inflationary costs that we don't have any control over uh healthcare. We don't have any control over that. As you saw, we had the brokers come in in February, the health insurance consultants, and explain exactly what happened and why we're going up as much as we are. It's
036it's due to uh the prescription costs of two prescription drugs that are widely used by everyone, and they're just the costs are astronomical. So that's why we have an 18% increase in our rates. The healthcare uh consultants have shopped our claims experience with all the major carriers in New Jersey, including the state health benefits plan and 18% is still the lowest, right? So that's, you know, that that's a major cost. Uh and over the past four years, health insurance continues to rise in double digits. This year just happens to be exponentially higher. Uh energy costs are rising just about you know 15% this year is what we were told by our consortium consultants uh and staff raises too. Uh what are some of the general liability insurance that increases every year? We just don't have
037any control over these items of and they're inflationary yet we still lose money for the state for the tune to $1.5 million. It's a difficult situation to be in. Any other questions? I have a question. So the number that we're projecting is 13 13.9% for a tax increase. Based on the state info that you're talking about that is coming up, would we be able to decrease that possibly before the deadline of submission? Uh decrease meaning we're we're going to approve 139, but the deadline is what? April April. Sorry. April 21st. April 21st. Well, that's okay. So, April 21st is the last day that the county office or the state department of education can approve our budget. Okay. So, we do have time in between to change that. Um, however, um, from what I understand, and
038I don't I from what I'm told, um, in order to qualify for the tax levy incentive aid, you must use up you must go to your full bank. um you must go to your full uh tax levy cap. You also must use every adjustment to its fullest amount. So the district by approving is this tax levy rate tonight, you are positioning yourself as best as you can to receive as much aid as possible when that finally gets, you know, instituted. And it and it should come hopefully soon. We're waiting. Yeah. Hopefully before. Yeah. Well, yeah, it's going to have to come before the April 29th meeting. uh or or I shouldn't say that the deadline to uh approve a budget for all public schools is May 7th. We're having our meeting on the April 29th.
039If the state comes out, I'm going to uh with this, the later the state comes out with this, the more high higher of a propensity they will to extend that date because they need districts uh they need to give districts time to to formulate their budget and gather together and decide what they want to do. Thank you. Last time we talked about um some long-term solutions because you know we don't want to see this happening again and again. Can you explain how uh the state itself is trying to force school districts into their local fair share and what that means and how that could possibly be a long-term solution? Yes. So if you notice as I said the state is continually decreasing the state aid. Now, even this though, this year we did get a
0406% increase. Overall, it's still down over the last four years. Um, so with that, there's obviously a pattern of the state reducing state aid to school districts and especially in Little Harbor. There's something called the local fair share whereby if you are providing your students with what's called an adequacy budget, they also have a calculation within that adequacy budget that states that if you're at adequacy, your local fair share, meaning your local taxes should be covering a certain amount of that 30 million. Our number is 24 million and change. Okay. Currently, the district is at 14 million. So by raising the taxes, we're closing that gap between what the fair share should be and what it actually is. So as this this as a long-term solution, by raising the taxes to the maximum is going
041to be a step in the right direction for the district to avoid this uh having having any deficits or not deficits, excuse me, uh having any shortfalls in the future. Okay, we can't guarantee that, but we can probably predict that state aid is going to continue to decrease and the district to keep up with that is going to have to raise taxes to the maximum take and take all the uh adjustments possible in in order to get to the local fair share of 24 million. And Chris, I really do believe that um reassessing the town is the more permanent solution. As much as many of us are being currently taxed at a lower rate than what our house is valued at, um it's been 10 years. I did uh look it up after Laura had
042said she thought hers was 10 years and it was 10 years since we were reassessed. So, are we due? we're probably due as a town and I don't know how much that would provide us but I think that would also be a step and from what I was told it's not in our power but if there's something that can be done to to promote that that I think is the permanent solution to funding the school more as a permanent solution and then Robert I know you've addressed it in like different segments but um you know someone said earlier taxes keep going up but we're losing services in just very lame terms. Can you just explain again how we got there? How we got there? Uh that's a culmination of many years of not um of
043not using the possible maximum amount of tax levy increase um for example healthcare adjustments, enrollment adjustment. um by not using those those tools to raise your taxes to the local fair share puts a burden on the district over time. So, I'm sorry, just a follow-up question there. Didn't wasn't didn't the governor put a cap like a 2% tax levy cap so the so school boards could not raise money over 2%. Is that true? That is correct. They did put a 2% cap in, but they also have allowable adjustments for things like health care because health care is every year rising in the double digits. So you can take adjustments for healthcare. Unfortunately, that did not happen in you know years prior. Were we eligible for the healthcare adjustment last year? And yes, so last year
044we were uh last year was the first year that they raised the tax levy cap above the 2%. and to go you were able to go to 9.9 and the district did choose to go to 6.2 and and we used our bank cap if I remember correctly that was the bank cap that was used to bring the tax to raise the taxes uh to raise the tax levy uh uh to 6.2%. But then I thought you said that this year that we had to use all those other adjustments before we could use bank cap. So last year, how were we able to use bank cap without using those adjustments? That that wasn't a that wasn't a uh a requirement for last year's tax levy increase. I don't think that last year, if I recall, because
045I was on the budget committee, I don't remember knowing that we could go to 9.9%. Hang on. I know I didn't know. So, I thought we were going to And Laura, I I go ahead and chime in, but I just wanted to say that I I really wish we went to the 9.9 versus the 6 whatever we did. Yeah, I agree. That was 9.9 plus. I think it was, you know, most of us were adamant. No, we're we're raising it enough. We don't want to go that high. I mean, that typically is a board's perspective, right? We're trying to protect the taxpayer, but I mean, I'm happy to do this to save as many jobs as we can. This board is doing absolutely all it can to save as many jobs as possible. and and
046and Robert, I did read that also myself that you have to use your allowances plus the bank cap in order to qualify, which apparently it's an application to qualify for this um incentive aid they call it. That's correct. Is the application available yet? Did we apply? Not yet. Nothing has come out from the state yet. There's been no guidance, no application, very almost no information. We don't qualify until we vote, right? That's correct. I also just want to make the point that budgets um like this don't happen overnight. So again, budgets that are this the appropriations difference is this significant does not happen overnight. Right? So it was multiple things that impacted this including ESSER funds and teachers being hired in ESSER funds because a ton of salaries were in ESSER funds last year if
047I remember correctly that needed to be moved over to general funds and then co money which all disappeared. Correct. Yeah. Actually last year was the first year that uh people started to be moved out of yes funds as best as possible because we knew the money was running out. So that was our interim superintendent. She made she was made aware of that and she began immediately to see what she could do to move salaries out of the ES funds. But yes, it is a cul culmination of years in the making, not just one year. So now we face those repercussions of those decisions from the past. Uh yeah, and and it didn't happen in in in one year or just two years. It happened over a decade, maybe even more. Any other questions from the
048board? I just want to see because I I've probably been on the I have been on the board the longest and I think in the past with the budget and with the 2% cap and honestly until recently I was unaware of raising above 2%. Um we were able to keep all of our services with going to 2%. And so I believe that was part of the decision-m in that I I rarely believe and even sitting in the public as just a member of a community and a parent that the board rarely if ever chose to just go at 0% 1% and I remember the 2% scenario most always went to 2% because we were able to keep the services we were able to to function with that aotment and I think if we foraw this
049coming I and of course hindsight's 2020. We would have made different decisions or different decisions would have been made. And Robert, it's not just our school district, right? There's school districts all over county that are facing drastic cuts beyond their financial stewardness. It's just, you know, coming down from the state what they're trying to do. So, it's not just us. Is that correct? It's not just us. It's not just us in county. It's statewide. There's districts in Mammoth County, Burlington County, and we hear the stories all the time. And yes, this is a statewide problem, not just a Little Lake Harbor problem or an Ocean County problem. Any other questions? Okay. Um, can I get a roll call vote? Finance A. Mr. Sakone. Yes, Mr. Figella. Yes, Miss Lawrence. This is really hard because I'm
050a teacher. I'm still doing my job and I I'm in the trenches with y'all. And I want to send a message, but I'm afraid if I say the wrong thing and I say send the wrong message, more jobs will be lost. Can we go to somebody else? Come back to me. Yes, we can. We don't have to. Um I just think that we have to figure out a way to do more with other people than teachers. teachers do. I'm not saying this is happening. I'm really not. It's It's just garbage that we're in this position and I can't say yes. I can't because this is not right. It's not right at all. So, I'm sorry. I'm going to have to say no. Wrong decision on you, but that's what I have to do. Mr. Leega,
051abstain. Dr. Snider, um I'm going to have to abstain also because I along with many here, I I would like to know more details as to what a day in the life of Little Egg Harbor with this amount of money is going to look like for students and teachers in order to vote yes or no. And that's the information that I need. Miss Bar. Um, I also have to abstain um because I abstained on March 11 since I didn't have enough information. I am not abstaining because I don't want to raise taxes. I would like to raise taxes to the absolute max to keep staff. So again, I am abstaining because I don't have all the information that I need on the initial budget. Observer. I'm voting yes. The motion does not pass. [Music] So,
052Robert, where do we go from here? Uh, I will um I will send that. I will find out from the state department of education what the district will what what will happen with the district and um so the initial budget can we ask Abby can we ask um our our council to kind of comment on the timeline or Robert to comment on the timeline and what we have before us. They're discussing that Laura. Okay. Because the initial budget was already approved at the 9.9 I believe, right? To be to be sent to the county on March 11th. That's right. [Music] That's great. Can you say that into the At this point, we are not set up to ex to fill out an application or accept any tax levy incentive without this passing and that it
053is what it is. But just understand we cannot move forward with any application for tax levy incentive once it comes out. If it comes out yet, at least not right now. I I just want to state again, I'm not opposed to the percentage increase, but I had requested the gap and to what the cuts look like, and I did not receive that information. So, I need that information to feel comfortable in moving forward. And it wasn't at me not requesting it. The information, the information was not provided. Yes, I agree. And that is why you and I both abstained at the March 11th meeting. So what's concerning is it did pass March 11th. There was a yes vote. We're still abstaining because we don't have the information that we need. But really tonight was about
054moving it from 9.9% to 13.9%. So can I make a suggestion? Um, I suggest that we have two extra finance committee meetings where every board member can attend. Um, and that we you ask your questions in front of the other board members in the finance committee and then we come back again publicly and explain exactly those questions that are still unanswered and how they were answered. It's not that you guys are saying no, but you just don't have the answers yet. And we just got to find another way that every board member is comfortable with the direction that we're going. Um, and I think, you know, I know there's a finance committee, but there's only three members on there. Maybe if we could have another finance committee or, you know, something like that. If you're
055having additional board members, you're going to need to notice the meeting. What I'm saying in two different sessions or one meeting? Yes. out of three. But I think Fritz I have is that we don't have the answers that Lisa and perhaps other administrators need with the money to make these determinations. They don't know how much money they have to deal with. So I would motion that we reconsider this vote. Just to be clear, the motion failed. You can't bring back the same budget now without someone who voted no making a motion to release the direction. So that's what would have to happen. Someone who has voted no. Yes. There's only one no. Is that what you're saying? But is there any I mean this is my view of the situation that aid is hypothetical. We
056went we're in a similar situation last year when we were unsure whether or not we're going to get the stabilization aid. Correct. Uh it was called supplemental aid. Sorry. And that's okay. And that didn't come until after the Right. So based on what we have on paper here monetarily, what we have to work with, can we figure out what our actual gap is and how many teachers, not even teachers, sorry, excuse me, I apologize. How many staff members it would take or what? Pray to god maybe, you know, none. but to balance this budget and what it would look like so that we could come together with that information for a vote. I think that's what we need, right? If I'm surveying those of us that abstain. Yeah, that's what I would need. I I
057I want to see the impacts. I My questions, which I I said last night again, are how did we go from a balanced budget last year to an appropriations difference of 6.8 million or 5.4 million, whatever it is. I need to see those impacts and exactly what the number is because they're not adding up. It doesn't seem like the numbers are adding up. And for me, just approving that initial budget is what I need to see to be a guest vote. [Music] I think we're on the same page. I thought we were asking invite you to administration and show us how it will affect the staff. And now and now we can't find that out. So, I'm sorry, Jeff. I didn't hear what you said about this. This is now voted down. We cannot bring
058this back up. This not this new number with all the adjustments. It's it's not that you can't it can't be reconsidered, but there's a process for reconsidering and that requires someone with a no vote to make the application to make motion. So it can be reconsidered or if there's a change to the budget in some way. So um if there's a change in the budget in some way then you can also bring it back as a new budget just like like you're doing here like you've amended the budget here. You've amended the budget here. If you if it was amended again then you you could bring it back to the new motions. Okay. I just I just want to clarify that tonight's resolution is not really a resolution on the full budget. It's mostly a
059resolution on the amount that you raised in taxes. Okay? And this district as is proposed, the recommendation is to raise the taxes to the maximum amount in order to qualify for the tax levy incentive. And that's the basis of the motion. That's the basis of the numbers that are here. It's not on the overall budget. It's just the amount to be raised in taxes in order to qualify for the tax levy incentive. At this point in time, uh at this point in time, we don't have an approved uh tax levy um to be sent to the county office. So, I'm going to have to call them and find out uh where we're going to have to go from here and what their ability is to um to override possibly. Um however uh at this point
060in time that was the focus in order to go to the maximum so that the district could qualify for the maximum for the tax living incentivity. Well that was my question. Do we automatically default to the 9.9 now and not use the bank cap because I think those numbers work out. So no the or can we come back to the table? The 9.9 is not on the table anymore. As it stands, the maximum amount you can raise the tax levy is 2%. So the N there's no there's no 9.9. That's that's not in the equation. Okay. Okay. Until we get further guidance from the state regarding the tax levy incentive program u and the tax levy incentive aid, we're kind of in limbo with that. But at this present time, if the tax levy incentive
061aid was to be uh rolled out tomorrow, uh this district would not qualify. So theoretically, there could be more cuts because we didn't raise taxes. That is correct. So this vote then is not at all about the initial budget that already passed. Correct. Uh yes. No, it is. it we just have to we just had to adjust the numbers in order to take all of the uh adjustments. So in order to qualify for the bank cap we had to take the enrollment adjustment the healthcare adjustment and then the bank cap could be taken and you also had to go to the 2% tax limit. So 16,645430 is the main number that you're voting on and that is the maximum amount that you can go in your tax levy without going to that maximum amount. If
062you go to $1 less, you don't qualify for the tax levy incentive. I appreciate all of that and I this is what I would like to see and this is what I've been asking for is to see what it would look like without the 13.9 and see with the 13.9 this the staff cuts the monetary dollar say it's 2 million difference still is the gap and what that translates into staff to so that we can see the value in that 13.9% and to see it to see where we are. Is there any way that that can be provided? And then we have a meeting next week. Christine, I think we need to also include uh this current year's budget so we could see the year-over-year rate of change. Sure. I I'm not that much into
063the numbers. Yeah. And similar sim similar to um what was done last year, which I think I I shared with Luca and Robert. Um, last year we were able to see all the different percentages, how that would impact staff cuts, and then the classroom sizes by grade in a spreadsheet. And I know that we're waiting for final state numbers to make those decisions, but at least to see like a working document of all of the impacts. How did we get here? And then what is this going to impact at the different tax levy amounts? Okay. So, I want to share some information with you. When we when we calculate out the staff, okay, and we take the average staff plus the health benefits, we calculate out $100,000 per employee. So, by raising this tax levy
064a little over $2 million, that would be 20 staff. $100,000 per staff. Now, we don't know exactly which staff. We're just taking an average. Okay? So if some of the staff are at the top of the guide, that would be less staff. If some staff below at the lower end of the guide, that would be more staff. So with a $2 million increase, that would be roughly saving 20 staff. I think we're looking for like actual concrete, as concrete as they can be because that's what we're accustomed to. And I think, and I don't mean to be a doubting Thomas whatsoever, but I just channeled Mr. Barry there. Um, uh, I like to see the numbers. Like for me, I need I like to see the numbers to see that they add up. And that's
065what I really need to see. And that's just for me. If anyone else needs something different, um, that's perfectly fine, but for me, I need to see those numbers and how it translates to staff cuz I also found that spreadsheet in my my drive and that really triggered. realize like this is what I need to comprehend all of this, put all the pieces to the puzzle together and make an informed decision because it does say we're voting on the tentative budget. That's that's what it reads in the document. And so for me, I need to know that we're what starting place we're at. Okay? And keep in mind, it's just a tenative budget and we want to be able to submit this to the state so that they can approve it. And then remember that
066we come back to the table on April 29th and hopefully by then you'll also have the tax levby incentive. And there's a chance we won't chance we won't know it until after we've voted on this. Uh not not not the final budget. The state I'm certain that the state would not ask you to uh have a final budget without knowing the tax levy incentive aid. But haven't we received stabilization aid after the fact and not known those dollar amounts? Because clearly we don't know our exact special ed monies that we received from the federal government until after the budget is passed. But those th those aids did not predicate upon the uh the tax levy. They were just aids from the state. Oh, they also aid in balancing the budget. Correct. They did. Well, the
067budget the budget actually was already balanced. I but you know I mean it brings money into the Yeah. And it just it was just extra money that came in and we were allowed to bring back more staff. I don't believe I don't believe that the I don't believe that the state is going to expect any board to approve a budget a final budget before they provide guidance and the exact amounts of what the tax levy incentive is going to be. I'm just asking if there's any way that we could see this and I'd be happy to meet next week and look at this again and revisit it. Yeah. Again, last thing I just last thing I'll say is I just want to see the actual impacts. I've gotten numbers, bits and pieces of numbers. I
068want to see the total attrition because there are folks that retired which we may, you know, we didn't replace those people. So, what's that amount? I want to see health care, electricity, utilities. I want to see the raises in the contract and transportation, transportation, the aggregate number all in buckets in a spreadsheet. And for me, that's why I abstained on the initial budget. So, I don't know what other folks who approved the initial budget feel and why they changed their vote. If you want to comment on what you need, Abby, I I invite you to come to my office at any time, day or night, and you and I can sit down. Hopefully, the superintendent can be with us, too, and we can go over all the information that you want, but I don't understand
069why we can't provide it to the entire board on a spreadsheet so that we can all visualize it. That was that information was provided to the committee and as Chris said if we can meet in committees of three and I can provide that information to all the board members but things have changed since we met in committee. We met in committee almost a month ago and those numbers have changed. We want to look at with the scenario of this percentage what it looks like and I I that's what I'm asking for and I I just don't I can't comprehend why it's difficult for you to provide it for the entire board. I could provide it. I think there's two different conversations going on because Robert has provided several worksheets right for us recently. Um I've
070personally I've understood most of it had to call him on a few things. Um and the other thing is um that you want to he the impacts of this. So that's a whole different question and in order and I'll say it again in order to see the impact of the budget we they have to know they have to know the numbers and right now we're in limbo. We we have to work with what we have now because what if this aid does not come into play? All it's all of that if we receive additional aid that should make everything look better than it would currently look. We want to see a snapshot in time with this 13 at least I do. I don't mean to say wait 13.9% if we see it now what it
071looks like with what we're voting on today. I want to see what it looks like. Okay. There is there is a lot of time between now and the time that you have to uh approve a final budget. Okay. And I believe that that before that time comes that the state is going to provide the guidance. I don't I don't know exactly when, but I think it's going to be enough time to at least put all the final numbers together, provide it to the entire board. In order to get that aid though, in order to qualify for that, the board the board's going to have to send a tax levy down to the county office to the state department of education using the maximum amount of tax levy possible. And that's what this resolution does. At
072this point in time, we can't send down and expect to uh qualify for the tax levy incentive. So then can you provide the information that's being requested and we have a meeting next week? Absolutely. So the entire board can see what the breakdown looks like. We're having a meeting on the 15th. We're already having a meeting on the 15th. But if you want us to revote on it so that we can revote it, submit it to the county, right? And and remember what Chris said, we can have two sets of committee meetings and we can go over it with the entire board and each and and so the whole board will see it prior to the meeting so that you have an opportunity to ask questions prior to the meeting and ask for even more
073information. I think that's a good idea. Yeah. Uh the folks that have voted no or abstained, does that sound good so you can get the answers that you need or is there anything else that you would need? Mrs. Lawrence and Mr. I'm looking for exactly what you highlighted before. And the reason I said two committee meetings was because I want to make sure we understand it before we explain it to you guys because if we're learning at the same time you are, we're just going to be more confused. Um, so if we could, my recommendation was to have two finance committees, uh, split up so we can, you know, ask the deeper questions and and dig a little bit deeper so we can understand it. But then with the end result of being able to
074explain to the public exactly the decisions we made and why. And Robert, if you can I'm trying to simplify this because I'm not really a budget guy, but the first time we voted was draft one of the budget. Tonight would have been draft two of the budget to submit to the county, but since we didn't pass draft two by default, we go back to draft one. No, because in draft one uh you had a 9.9% tax levy increase and the bank cap and now we go even further back. Yeah. uh if the the county office uh if they're allowed to I think they might be able to override but they can only give you the 2% that's in place now and you don't qualify for the bank cap because you didn't take the healthcare adjustment
075and the enrollment adjustment. So at this point in time your taxes are only going to be you know it's only going to be about a $275,000 increase to the tax levy and that doesn't that doesn't really do much for you. Can we propose to have a meeting next week where we are the entire board's provided with the information that's been requested so that we can revote? But I can I can vote within hours of getting that information. I need to scan it quickly, understand it. I'll have the confidence to vote. Just brag about it. You're the number. I I understand, but I'm saying we can vote early next week. I I would literally within hours. That's all I It would just have to be a Tuesday. I already did something to my class on Monday,
076so I'd have to be Tuesday. Can we ask Dr. Antunes, excuse me, can we ask her how long it will take to provide some kind of impact, you know, on the staff? I guess that's what we're asking for, right? Just to clarify, how many staff retained, how many have to be cut on this 13.96 number? Is that what we're asking for? I think yes, I think Abby provided the spreadsheet of exactly what we're looking for. Yeah, Laura, I think that would be part two. Part one is hopefully from Robert as to all of the impacts, how we got where we are, just an aggregate number, right? A total number of all the impacts, transportation, health care costs, salary raises, um attrition, right? Because that helped us. So all of those things and and just aligning
077the numbers, understanding the numbers, how we how we got to this gap and we have to figure out exactly asking for breakdowns, a breakdown of those line items. Is that what you're asking for, Abby? Yes. and and just to know what the gap is because if you know the gap then you can see what cuts need to be made because it's not just salaries that changes FICA that changes PERS that changes health benefits it changes a lot of different categories and so I for me I want to see you know is it really as I hate to use this word as detrimental as portrayed in the budget presentation or is it a a little not as detrimental I guess is a better word but like I need to see those numbers because there are so
078many areas it's like okay it affects this it affects that so then what's the final number that we have to bridge to bridge the gap and I think putting all of this together that what we've requested is what will do that at least for me me too okay so are we going to run with Chris's idea and have two sets of budget committees well I think we have to have a meeting next it with this information so that we can vote again. Sure. So, we we're going to propose two separate budget committees to meet to get the information to ask questions, get it laid out, and then have another board meeting to hopefully approve this initial budget with the tax levy at 13.9%. Good. Perfect. How are we going to have two committees with four
079and three for the forum? Well, I think it's just folks that need the committee, right, Laura? I think you're probably good. If I mean, and I'm not I don't want to speak for you, but Chris voted yes. He might I mean, I don't know if he wants to educate himself more. No, I'd love to educate myself more, but really tonight was just to move forward. I know it's not the final budget, and I want to see the numbers before the final final vote. that that's why I voted yes too. I hope we move everything forward because I don't want to keep people hanging. I know we have to have deadlines and time is of essence. We need to push that forward so we can get through this and move forward on other things that we
080can look into as a board. So maybe John, you don't need to attend one of the budget committee meetings. You're good till our next board meeting. Well, he's not our budget committee. Yeah, I I would still like to attend to be there because I'm just trying to figure it out because we can't have more than three. out. I'm not trying to kick you out of the committee. I'm just We can't have more than 30 board members at a committee meeting. So, we need to figure that out. Sure. And I think the uh president or the vice president has to preside over, you know, exio member. So, we can do three three and one. We can do three, two, and two. However many meetings it takes to get people comfortable. But we can we can meet
081as many times with as many people as you want and I can give as much detail as you want. Okay. Okay. We'll figure out the committee meetings. I think we need to pick a board meeting date for next week. A date and time. I'll just clear my schedule. I'll make sure I do that. So that's another issue. I think next week I'm I'm away until the 9th. Any gave up Monday is good for me next week, I believe. Laura, you can join virtually. I I assume um someone mentioned since these are special meetings that weren't on the schedule. Would it be better if tomorrow we began emailing board members and working out the schedule privately? Yeah. Yeah. He just suggested getting the final or the board meeting to approve on the schedule, Robert, and then
082we can work out. I'm sorry. I thought you I didn't realize you were talking about board meeting. I thought you were talking about committee meetings. Yep. Many meetings will work out in private over email. Um, our regular meeting is the 15th. Would Wednesday work for everybody? Abby, I can do Thursday next week if that's better for you because it's preceptor week. So, I don't have lab on Thursday. Wednesdays are the worst day for me. Although, I will make it work. Tuesday and Thursday are the best. I think Thursday next week is fine. So, that would be Thursday, April 3rd. at six. Seven. Can we do Can we do five? I can't do I can't do five. Can we do six? Six. Six or seven. In my work clos April 3rd at 6 p.m. Yes. Okay.
083Okay. With Dr. Antuna, it's fine. So, okay. and and the board does want to meet in committee. Each member wants to meet in committee before the 3rd. Well, we have April 1st is the budget committee. Okay. That we have that meeting at 6 p.m. But that's that's three members. So, we have to meet with another three members, but we can work that out after the meeting. What was that? 6 p.m. I'm pretty sure it's 6 p.m. Abby can take my place because I won't be called back yet. We'll do. Okay. Okay. So, um we're going to meet in separate budget committees, two or three, whatever it takes, and then we will meet as a full board next Thursday, April 3rd at 6 p.m. Okay, moving on. Are we good to move on? We have another
084item on the agenda. Um non-personnel. Recommend a motion to approve non-personnel. Item A. Can I have a motion? Motion. Second. Are there any questions? Okay. Roll call vote. Mr. Sakone. Yes. Mr. Fichello. Yes. Miss. Lawrence. Yes. Mr. Leega. Yes. Dr. Snider. Yes. Miss Barton, yes. Miss Ber, yes. Motion carries. Okay. Um, that go ahead, Laura. I just said thank you. Oh, you're welcome. Um, it's we now have board forum. Would anyone like to speak? I'll start. I just want to say for me this is nothing to do with not wanting to raise taxes. Not that I appreciate taxes in any fashion, but um it's more about um you know having the answers to my questions. And with regards to the um I would love to offer a workshop for seniors cuz there is senior freeze.
085The income limits I believe are $168,000 and you can still and you can apply and qualify. So for the seniors in the community, I hope that you know our choosing these um tax levies um do not provide um an a severe impact on them. And again I I do we do I say we all do care about all the teachers and we are trying to find permanent solutions. You know, I've questioned referendums because I thought maybe that would be a less of a tax impact on the district but able to provide more services. I I've, you know, woken up at 3:00 in the morning for anyone who's in their 50s and find themselves up in the middle of the night and um you know, think about this and what can we do and it's not
086for lack of trying. And hopefully once I have the information um this will move along. So, thank you. Um, I just wanted to apologize for Monday's Zoom call. I know a lot of people tried to get in. Uh, it was not the ideal setting. We apologize for that. Um, that's why we're going to try to do these in person. Um, but, you know, this whole process is is not easy on any of us. Um, you know, almost every uh teacher that came up and spoke tonight has taught my children at one point and they're excellent teachers, phenomenal teachers, and it's just the position we're all in right now. I said it last week or our last meeting that the music has stopped and we happen to be in the seats that we are that we
087are, whether it's your first year teaching, your 20th year teaching, whether it's your first year on the board and you guys just got sworn in a couple months ago. Um, Christine, you've been here a while. We just happen to all be where we're at today. And it's difficult for you. It's difficult for us. Uh, and it's our kids who are at home sleeping probably at 8:00 that can't wait to go to school tomorrow cuz that's their favorite place to be. And we're the adults here trying to make these tough decisions. So, I just wanted to say thank you for your patience from Monday. Thank you for your patience tonight. As we as a board, we don't have all the answers. we're trying to get to the best possible answer for our district and this is
088what happens when we're board as a whole. You see how we come to a decision. So, just thank you for your patience. Um, you know, I too am a big believer in art, steam, and music. At one point, many of you don't know, but I was a steam teacher uh for a semester. I was a long-term sub. And you know, steam in particular and art, music, it uses like a different side of the brain. And you could see kids just, you know, who may not like the traditional way of learning just really accelerate in the other types of learning. So, you know, if we were forced to to lose that, that again is just painful, a painful painful decision. And hopefully, you know, we can find a way not to. But it's just a very
089tough position we're in. And uh finally, just on a personal note, I just wanted to say thank you for everybody. On March 21st was World Down Syndrome Day. I know a lot of teachers and students wore blue and yellow uh in honor of uh people with Down syndrome. My son Matteo has Down Syndrome and, you know, got the cutest pictures from his classmates and from his teachers. So, thank you for supporting him and just all our students. And as we're up here, we're just trying to do our best to make this district the best that we possibly can. Uh it's the place I went to school to. I went here many many years ago, you know, just sitting Indian style on the ground and here we are many years later making decisions of of just
090changing the district and uh you know, just thank you for your patience as we go through this process. Anyone else? I'd like to ditto. Sorry. Go ahead, Abby. Your turn, Laura. Oh, okay. I'd like to ditto what Chris said that uh no one wants to see any of these things cut and and it's such hard decisions and I think Dr. Antunis and Mr. Green have the hardest um positions here. But, you know, we're trying to do the best for our community and raise taxes against, like Christine said, it goes against my grain, but I'm willing to do it to improve our schools or maintain them at the best level possible. And I also apologize for what happened on Monday. Um, I couldn't even get into my own board meeting. So, I'm not sure what the
091technical difficulties were, but I thank you, Dr. Antunas, for addressing it swiftly, and things are much much better tonight. And we'll we'll hopefully um be able to do that in the future. But, uh, we did it well during CO, right? But no one wants to bring that back. But speaking of which, CO did fog a lot of districts um with monies, right? And confuse many many districts. So, we're not the only ones in this position, as Robert had said before. Um so, I'm hoping that we can pass this tax increase so that we can get moving and keep as many people as possible. Thank you very much. Um, I just want to thank this board for all of the time that you have all put into this budget. Um, we of course are are volunteering
092our time and I want to thank um, Robert and Dr. Antunez for all the hard work. I'm confident that we will get the information that we've asked for so we can move forward um, to to do what's what's right for the district. Um I was unable to talk at the last meeting because um this is it this is affecting me very much personally. As many of you know I am a mom of three um who too are currently still attending this district and um two of them are in classes of non-tenured teachers who I uh adore tremendously. Um so uh we don't take these decisions lightly and I wish we had more control over this. Um but we don't and this is a state formula state aid problem um that we faced last year and
093we unfortunately will face again this year. But I want to remind the staff and the community that budgets also uh don't get this bad overnight. things happened in the past that shouldn't have with spending and budgets and using funds where we shouldn't have. Um, which has got us in this position. Um, and then you know the last thing I'll say is we don't have the numbers official yet. Um, but someone who comes from the private sector, I really struggle with reconciling with the constraints on public education. Um, it's one of the hardest truths that I've faced as a board member is this tenure system, which I think can be a good thing, but also an incredibly negative thing because it's difficult to lose high performing educators simply because they have a few years in the
094district. In any other industry out there, performance would lead these decisions. So remember that. And here the rules don't always reflect that. And to me that is heartbreaking. Um we have some amazing teachers here in Little Egg Harbor and ultimately our students will be affected because of class sizes. So we are going to do everything we can to save the most amount of teachers to do what is right for the kids that attend Little Lake Harbor School District. That's it. I'll just remind everybody that we're going to be meeting next Thursday, April 3rd, 6 p.m. and then again on April 15th at 6 p.m. to discuss the budget and then the final adoption of the budget will be April 29th. Um, can I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? Abby, just to clarify, the
095the meeting on the 3 is for what is that? A committee meeting or a full board meeting? A full board meeting. So that is going to be the meeting where we readress the same agenda to hopefully pass it if we get the information that we need in the budget committee meetings. Okay. What's the other date that you mentioned? Oh, April 15th. if we are still having that public meeting that was posted or not. Okay. April 15th, we was set already, correct? Yes. Okay. Thank you for joining virtually. Can I have a motion to adjourn the meeting? motion. Can I have a second? Second. Okay. Thank you. Uh, do I say anything else?