Amityville BOE Mtg 4/21/26

001Um good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to a special um session meeting. Um and today's date is April 21st um 2026 and attends at the meeting at at this time is myself board president Lisa Johnson my second vice president Chris Naring proceeds Carol Seahhawk and Megan Mes. It's also anticipated that first vice president Juan Leon will be arriving broker 6 as well as trustee Leslie Prez. Also in attendance tonight is our superintendent Dr. Dana Talba, our assistant superintendent of finance and operations in sorry Joe and our um assistant superintendent of curriculum instruction Mary Stevens. It's anticipated that our director of human resources Dr. Lendelle will be arriving in the meeting roughly around 6 as well. Also in attendance tonight is our council John Sheening and I should have said that meeting was called to order

002at 5:45. At this point in time at 5:46 p.m. Can I have a motion to enter into executive session for one for personnel matters related to um personal individuals particular person's employment history I say excuse me and then also advice from council and negotiations update as well >> motion >> second first car for second all those in favor >> I motion carries 40 we will resume open at 6:30 and then we will res we will recess into the audit committee at that time >> at 6:31 p.m. >> At this time, can I have a motion to recess from the special meeting open session to enter into the audit committee? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Chris Marin is first. Carol Sehoff is second. All those in favor? I I motion carries 6. So we are now

003in the audit committee. So at this point in time with the audit committee if you have it out the um purpose is the corrective action plan and we have had um the recommendations from the auditor. If there's any questions on this Does anyone have any questions on the corrective action plan? >> So, I thought we would just kind of go through it since it's not that long. So, we're talking about the the audit report that we received in November that now we're putting together a corrective action plan. >> Okay. So, we should just can we just go through it like one by one? >> Yes. So, the first one is the the fund the fund balance school food service fund >> and um everyone the current status for the fiscal year ended in June 30th,

0042025. The schoolboard service fund received increased state and federal reimbursement for student meals served and ended the year with an operating surplus of approximately $313,000600. As a result, it's assigned fund balance increase to 1,5193 and is in excess of the sixmonth average expenditure threshold. So we recommend that the district formulate a plan for utilizing the school for service funds excess I'm sorry food service fund excess fund balance for permissible expenditures and lower to acceptable levels. So our response was the interim assistant superintendent for finance and operation at the at the time. recommendations made has unfortunately left the district before such plan could be formulated. And the new interim assistant superintendent for finance and operations began on March 3rd, 2026 and will work with the food service manager to prepare a plan for utilization of this

005excess funds no later than April 21st at which time that plan will will have been approved by New York State SEDD and will then be presented to the board of education for approval in time for the inclusion of a proposition. if necessary placed on the May 19 budget. >> So there is no need to have a separate proposition um if the board of education chooses to allow us to use these excess funds to uh improve the serving lines at the middle school and high school cafeterias. um and to renovate the space in the kitchen by cleaning it up, uh buying new equipment, etc. What we would do with your permission is to add $600,000 to the transfer to capital fund and add an interfund transfer from the school lunch fund to the general fund as

006revenue. so that there would be no impact on the tax levy. It would reflect however an increase in the budget. So instead of 2.14, it would be whatever 600,000 represents. I guess it's about.5%. 2.64, but that's that's up to you. This is not this is not something that you're required to do now. You could do it next year. >> That's why Okay. So, the question that I have is um this is we would have if we're going to do that, we would have to make that decision tonight. If we're going to >> the only decision you'd have to make tonight is allowing us to add a line to transfer to capital fund to move $600,000. We would then come back to you with the specific plans um for how we're going to use that money.

007There have been plans already drafted and approved by the state education department, plans for creating new serving lines that would be configured better so children could get in and out of the serving lines more quickly. um to renovate the space by putting epoxy paint. You know the epoxy paint that we use in the hallways that just makes it look clean. Um to buy uh a walk-in freezer for use at the high school uh that would be used to hold the food. Um, it would actually be placed in that courtyard which is adjacent to the kitchen and staff would have access from the inside to get into the freezer and delivery people would have access from the outside to deliver food. So, with your permission, we would put this money in the budget but not do

008anything until you've approved the plans. Okay. Any other questions on this? >> Yeah. Uh, yes. Um, so what? So, this fund is supposed to pay for food, but we're allowed to use it to pay for paint. >> Yeah. We're allowed to use it to enhance the school lunch program by buying equipment that's necessary to store the food, to serve the food, um to make it an appealing place for children to eat their lunch. Absolutely, we are allowed to use it. This don't forget this is not taxpayer money. This is from two different sources. When it used to be that children paid, right, >> for their lunch, now we're getting this money directly from the state and federal government through the community eligibility program, which is a program that allows us to say every child gets

009free lunch and the state will pay for it. So, as a result, we've had a lot more revenue come in and we'd like to use it to enhance the program. >> Okay. It's still tax money, but state and federal money is still tax money, but >> Oh, I understand what you're saying. Um >> $600,000. What What are we allowed to hold in? Because it says we're in excess of six months of the average expenditures, >> right? We $600,000 would bring us down to about $900,000 in the fund balance, which is approximately six months of operating costs for the school lunch program. >> Okay. So, we're going down to what we're allowed to have and potentially incorporating these upgrades. >> Yes. >> And we >> and I'm not asking you tonight, members of the board, to

010approve the specifics of the upgrades. I'm just asking you to allow us to put the money into the budget so that we can continue the planning process, bring you schematics, >> right, the needed upgrades, >> right? Absolutely. And um and then complete the construction during the summer if we can. >> This this has been going on for years. >> We've had a surplus for years and year, you know, I I don't know how many years. So, why hasn't why hasn't this been done before? >> The last time I was here, we had a surplus and we used it to buy a generator. >> Right. That's right. >> So that we could keep the refrigerators >> operating. >> Yes. >> So, and the generators just so happened we put in generators that also could turn the

011lights on in case we have a power failure. Right. >> But that was allowed by the state. This we've already checked with child nutrition. This is allowable what we're proposing here. >> So that that was my question cuz I knew the middle school has the backup generator which is why most of the food storage happens at the middle school. So we're suggesting to put a walk-in fridge >> at the high school. >> Walkin freezer. Yes. >> But there's no backup generator at the high school. >> No, there is not. But the there shall be at some point in the future. I am sure that Mr. Galina will be pushing for a backup generator to be there as well >> for lights life safety I would think. >> Yeah. Um, >> so we don't have to

012put this as a proposition because $100,000. >> Not a separate proposition, but it would be listed as one of the items in transfer to capital fund just like right now we have repaving of the northwest parking lot um, etc. Mhm. >> So this would be one of the items in transfer and again the revenue would come from an interfund transfer. The school lunch fund would pay the general fund $600,000 and we would use that revenue to do these upgrades and taxpayers would not have to pay another penny for these upgrades. Think of it like a capital reserve, >> but the school lunch fund is holding it. >> So, I guess I would ask that the response be expanded to explain the $600,000 transfer and what we think it's going to cover because then is this

013response going to go on our website under finance? >> Sure. >> I could certainly add a sentence to that. Absolutely. So, let's just let's just to be clear if we're going to add the the sentence, then let's be clear on what we want the sentence to say. It would be to say to enhance um the school lunch program for the middle school and high school and and the money will be used. So, that way we know what the response is because we need to vote on this um tonight. So, therefore, everyone agrees upon on the language. So, I don't know if you want to put the language together for us, Joe, and just read it out. >> I'm changing the the last sentence. I'm changing the last sentence to say >> for approval in time

014for inclusion on the May 19th, 2026 budget vote by increasing the transfer to the capital fund by $600,000, which will be paid for by revenue from the school lunch fund. >> Okay. >> Y >> Okay. Yes. >> Now you understand >> anticipated improvements at the middle school and the high school. >> Sure. We could even describe it a little bit more than that. Yeah, absolutely. >> Okay. So, just read it one more time for us. >> You think, too? >> I I just want I I want to emphasize this. >> Yeah. >> That this will increase the budget, >> right? >> Not the tax levy, >> expenditures. the expenditure side of the budget, the revenue is not coming from taxpayers. It's coming from the school lunch fund. Think of the school lunch fund as a

015separate business and it's actually called a proprietary fund, meaning that it's run as a business and it's supposed to break even. It's not supposed to accumulate large surpluses. It has accumulated a large surplus. The only thing it could do with that large surplus is to improve the facility or return it to the general fund. I don't think you just want to take that money and put it in the general fund. I think you want to do something to improve the program. >> Right. Agreed. >> Can I ask a silly It's a silly question. Improving the serving line. Why would that cost us? Just >> bear with me. because the the current serving line configuration >> um would be changed. There'd be new equipment. There'd be new steam tables. >> Okay. >> There would be um

016new refrigerators. >> So things would change actually where >> picking up food and being okay. >> Sure. >> Mr. Jone, do we want to limit ourselves to the middle school and the high school? What happens if something should come up in northeast and northwest >> or far down >> where you can use some of that money? >> We could certainly expand this to say I I don't know what we can get for $600,000. >> Right. But I still wouldn't want to limit ourselves to the middle school and the high school. >> Okay. So at at our five buildings, >> right? >> Okay. So the plans that had been submitted to the state department um under the initiation of Miss Vatzi included the middle and the high school and the walk-in freezer uh to be at

017the high school. However, the design of taking down a wall, moving space back could not be done because of the um pillar and necessity of the wall. So, these designs have gone through some es and flows and adjustments over the course of time. So realizing that the funding was there, the plan has been in place and now it has been tweaked right uh such that we're able to move forward with it. So to expand other items that can be included at the elementary schools is certainly welcomed. It may just not necessarily be capital, but it can definitely um yes definitely go to improve those programs. And just correct me as the board, we've been receiving that those drafts, correct? Of the the drawing for the middle school and high school. >> We all have been

018receiving the drafts in our packets. >> Yeah, we sent it home in Friday's news and notes a couple of times. Yes. >> All right. >> Any other questions on this one here on >> Sorry, what do you mean by the draft? So plans, >> not not plans, but what I'm referring to is that there was design there. There have been designs that have been sent home in the news and notes just kind of updating us and saying that >> if we were able to do it, this is potentially what it would look like. >> Oh, I'm thought you were meant that we saw drawings or something. >> No, just >> you're saying like a paragraph in the memo. >> There was a diagram. It was in our news and notes >> this past Friday. >>

019No, it's been a couple times. Yeah, but throughout Yep. Look back. All right. So, I'm going to go on to the general fund unassigned fund balance. >> So, Joe, do you want to address this? Yes. >> So, this is really a simple one that um is just a clerical manipulation so to speak. Shouldn't use the word manipulation. Business officials never use the word manipulation. But we really need to account for the money that is currently in the unassigned fund balance in the amount of 7.24% of the following year's budget in a different way. We are only allowed to keep 4% in the unassigned fund balance, meaning 4% of the subsequent year's budget, which would be 4% of 123,000 blah blah blah, whatever our budget is going to be for next year. So, it is our

020plan to present to you in June a series of resolutions that authorizes the district to reallocate the money that's currently unassigned into assigned. And we can do that in a number of ways. One way uh which the CBAC noted >> uh was I took all of it and just put it into the ERS reserve. >> That was kind of clumsy of me. Forgive me for doing it that way. I did not mean that we were just going to dump it all into the ERS reserve. It came to $5.9 million in the ERS reserve. And the CBAC rightfully pointed out that that's a lot of money to keep in one reserve. So what I would suggest we do is in June decide on a plan for how we're going to reallocate the additional funds into the

021ERS, TRS unemployment and Ebilar reserves. Now, why do I pick those four? Because every year you will have the opportunity to decide when the tax levy is too large. you will have the opportunity to decide to take some of the money that you put in those four reserves and use that money to pay for expenses that year for the ERS pension, the TRS pension, unemployment costs, and the EBAR costs, the employment benefits, you know, the payout that we give for unused sick um time. The other fund that you could put it into if you wished to is the capital reserve. The problem with putting it into the capital reserve is that it cannot be used to mitigate tax increases in the future. It can only be used to complete new capital projects. But that's a

022decision that the board of education needs to make. and you don't need to make it tonight. We're going to in June, we're going to present a series of resolutions to you which will say things like, "Shall the district be authorized to maintain up to $5 million in the employees retirement system reserve, up to two half million in the teachers retirement system reserve, up to 700,000 in unemployment. And then when we do close the books come the middle of July towards the end of July and we know exactly how much money we have. We could then come back to you with a series of resolutions and say and this is what we did with it. You gave us permission to put up to 5 million in ERS. We put in 4.5. So that's that's what we're

023recommending to you >> and that's that's my response to the auditor's notice that we do exceed the 4%. It's a violation of real property tax law. It's a serious serious matter that we have to do something about. >> So So Mr. Why why can't a portion of that be appropriated to to mitigate this tax levy? >> Every penny of it could be appropriated. >> No, no, no. >> To the board >> to to reduce the current tax. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. >> Right. But I I I keep reminding you, Mr. Leon, that that is a one shot that will have a wonderful impact next year and will cause you absolute financial heartache forever. Well, >> reducing the levy, reducing the levy by $1 million below the levy limit, which I know you have proposed, would

024result in the levy being permanently suppressed, $1 million less every year forever. The only way you could get that back is by piercing the levy limit at some point in the future. I do not I will not as your business official recommend that to my superintendent that that's the way we go about doing it. I that's all I have to say about it. >> Any other questions or comments on this area? >> All right, I'm moving on to the capital. >> I'm sorry. I just wanted to say um we had to have resolutions to formally move this excess money if I remember before June 30th 2026. >> Yes, that's correct. The the the practice of this uh of the auditors in the state head department is that you should do it during the year. You

025should set up these resolutions during the year. You don't have to move the money by June 30th because you don't know on June 30th exactly how much money you're going to have. So at the at the conclusion of the audit, we will know exactly how much money we have and we just want to develop the resolutions that give us the flexibility to come back to you and say this is what we want to do with the money. >> Okay. Thank you. Um moving on to capital assets and Mr. Jon, I'm going to give that back to you. Is there anything you want? >> This again, this is a simple one. Um it was noted by our auditors that we had not done a physical inventory of our assets in a number of years. Um the

026last physical inventory of our assets was actually done in 2122 and um the last time I was here. Uh we now need to do it again. Uh we've had for the past few years uh a group called asset systems that has maintained our asset inventory. And so we're recommending to you that we engage them to do the actual physical inventory. Meaning they would go around to every building, every classroom, every closet and scan the barcode tags that are on every piece of equipment, on every truck, on every ladder, on every asset that we own in the district and match that up against what we say we have on our books. So they would say, "Okay, you to you told us that you have 1,000 laptops. We found 999 of them. Can you find the last

027one?" And with good luck, the last one will be the one that I brought home the night before. >> So that's but that's what a physical inventory does. >> And so that will be the goal is to have that done by the end of June. Uh in fact I am working now with a system to determine the week that they will come here to do it >> and it takes >> in this year. >> It just takes them a week to do it. >> Uh a week maybe 10 days. >> Okay. All right. >> This should be done every year. >> No, it's not necessary to be done every year. It's not it's necessary to be done >> occasionally. Okay. >> Some districts do it every three years. Some do it every five years. Olivia

028Bazi actually brought it up last year that we would do right. >> Okay. >> I I do have a question and this is this is more towards our superintendent of schools since since we no longer have a director of technology. The director of technology used to be tasked with um knowing when the smartboards a certain amount uh rotate out, new ones rotate in. Same thing with laptops and other equipment. Since we no longer have an IT director, who is that who has that fallen to or who who's in charge of that right now? So, our technology is under the supervision of our assistant superintendent for curriculum and instruction and our senior network uh engineer um spearheads the rotational and the cycle of all of our techn technological assets. Um this particular assets is for assets

029for our capital and that is overseen through the business office. >> Okay, understood. It may be maybe a valid discussion for another time. But when we look at this budget and we see that we are just about doubling the amount that we pay to um syntax and we're also giving $2,500 stipens to individuals in every building to run their portion their building on the website. if you know if it is worth is it worth doing that or if there's uh do we ever plan on getting back an IT director or not. So that's good. >> It's it's a discussion point um and I appreciate it is but it's not really connected to the capital assets but I understand why you brought up at this point in time. >> Thank you. Anybody that go >> so

030I know on the agenda today is the agreement for capital assets uh the asset management service proposal and it's stating that this quote does not include the cost of travel and expenses related to inventory services andor training. Is there are we expecting to have additional travel expense because I see this company is based out of Phoenix? >> Yes, there will be. >> So, do we know how much more it will be? >> No, but it will be very closely monitored. I mean, it'll be a flight obviously from Phoenix to New York. Um, probably some kind of transportation from the airport to the school district. Um, and we those are costs that we would normally pay for someone who comes from out of state to do work for us. >> Is there no company that's closer?

031>> Well, there's no the asset systems is the company we use every year to do our annual update. So, we could have another company do this physical inventory. The problem is then that asset systems will not match up with the physical inventory being done by the other company. So we'll have two different lists of assets. Um and our auditor has suggested to us and you has suggested to us that we do it this way so that we have one continuous flow. So basically they have us in a strangle hold because they're holding all our data for the the inventory. >> No, we we own the data >> but this >> I'm not I'm not fully understanding I so because the the resolution says we haven't done this in a number of years. So we've done

032other asset >> we've on an annual basis we have when we purchase items we add them to our inventory. When we um realize that an item is is obsolete and no longer needed, we discard them from our inventory. We actually remove them from our inventory. Okay. Okay. >> But we what we don't know, Megan, is if a piece of equipment has walked. >> We don't know that. >> Okay. >> This will help us to verify that all of the pieces of equipment that we purchased are still in the service of the district. >> Okay. >> And we went out to RFP and we had three quotes and we >> No, we did not. So isn't that per our purchasing policies? >> Well, again, if you want to do that, we will then >> have two

033different systems. This is the recommendation of our auditor that we do it this way. I would like I know we're on a deadline for it because we're we're behind, but I would like to going forward see if there's a transition to a a more local company. Uh I mean it find it hard to believe that they would basically just be holding us for the rest of our existence because they've done our inventories in the past. >> Gotcha. >> But there's no real like timeline. I mean, I understand that we need to do this and it's a smart thing to do, but it's not like it's not like we have to do with the unassigned fund balance by June 30th. >> Could we get an estimate of the travel expense? >> Yeah, >> I go ahead.

034So, let me suggest, if you wish, audit committee, that we change this to say um the current interim assistant superintendent for finance and operations will um schedule a physical inventory of its assets through a provider that will be procured through an RFP process. >> Yes. And putting it on. >> Yes. We're not doing it now. Our auditors will slap us again and they'll say, "Okay, once again, you didn't do it." But, you know, >> they'll have an RFP. >> But why why can't we if and I don't want to put words in Chris mouth, Chris mouth, excuse me, but why not just use this company for this year, but then as we move forward, definitely make sure that we we look at other companies that that are local. So therefore, we don't have to go

035for someone who's out of state as number one. It also will give us time to if we if we find someone local, they can also look at we what we currently have to make sure they can merge all the the data into one in one area. So I think to me that that's most important to make sure that they're I'm sure there's other if there's I don't know if there's other companies or not, but if there are that we can make sure that we have the right match for for our district. So I do agree in terms of looking at other people but I'm just suggesting use this company use the provider for this year and as we move forward look at other companies. >> So that's my >> do in essence do a procurement

036for an asset management company effective July 1st 2026. >> Right. But right but go forward with the one we have now but then >> but that way we can get it off we can get it off. it won't be some something else that will be here where we can move forward and in that way >> so we don't need to put that in the response in the corrective action plan but we do need to have that as a priority for the month of June July looking for a new asset management company >> right right so that sure okay that's Lisa's opinion I I would like to comply with the policy and the district policies this is something that's going to cost 20 plus thousand because it's $17,000 without the travel. So, I'm off the top

037of my head being on the policy committee, we did that division earlier in the year and we talked about going out to RFP for multiple quotes for anything over like $10,000. So, >> that's my opinion. >> Your pleasure, audit committee. It's your recommendation and the board will consider your recommendation when it gets it. Well, m Mr. Draone, look, you you've you've you've been an administrator and in this business for a long long time. >> I mean, >> you don't have to remind me my hair is. >> Well, no. Well, no, no. I'm talking to your experience and wisdom. That's what I'm speaking to. But what I'm what I'm getting at is that in your travels, I'm surely you've seen or heard of or worked with other companies that are that that do the same thing

038as this company in wherever they are, Scottsdale, Arizona, wherever. I mean, have you have you seen companies that that do the same type of work? >> Of course they are. >> Do you have any idea how we got linked up with this? Not saying that they're bad, but what was the deciding factor to choose this? >> I don't know. It wasn't It wasn't a decision that I made. I'm sorry. I I don't know. >> They've been around for years. Have they been around here in the district for years? >> I think they started in 23. >> Oh. So >> 22 or 23. >> So they don't have much of a history then? >> No. >> Okay. >> They've been with us for three years. >> So that that's the question. How long how long have

039we been utilizing this company? Has it been three years, 10 years, 15 years? >> So >> how many inventories have they done? >> Excuse me. How many inventories have they completed? >> They have not done a physical inventory of our >> I thought they I thought they I thought they had been around for I thought they had been around for years. >> That that was my impression. >> So based on this new information I I don't know I don't know what the loyalty is to this. Okay. >> Okay. All right. So you know >> Yeah. For me I'm going I'm going to hop on I'm going to piggy bank piggyback on Miss um Trusty Mesman. Yeah. If we have not used this company and they're in Scottsdale, Arizona, let's let's see if we can find

040another company that's competitive in price, reliable, and and does the work that we need. That That's my recommendation. >> I I thought I thought that they had been around for years. So, I thought they've been around like for 10 to 15 years. That that was that's why I was saying stay with this company. Yes. >> So just a point of clarity, the last time that this was done was 2122. >> As far as I remember, yeah. >> Do we recall the company who facilitated the asset inventory? >> I think it was done by CBiz, which is a company that is under contract to Nicer, our insurance company. Um, and it's done uh under Nicer's rules. CES does it um every five years for its member school districts. >> Didn't Mr. Schneider contact them about this

041company and they were going to do an inventory for us? >> Yes. And when I spoke with Alan U, his recommendation was that we use the s the asset systems that we currently use in order to do this inventory. >> Okay. >> I am more than willing >> maybe I don't what is if they haven't done a physical inventory how do we how are we using them? We're using them to on an annual basis update our books by um spotchecking by doing whatever whatever procedures they follow. Um I could get more information for you. >> But we but we have that data. >> Yes, it's our data. >> So don't we have the ability to transfer that data to that CBiz company if we own the data? >> Yes, it's our data. Yeah, >> they

042have data, >> right? But that that data also probably needs to be updated. >> I mean, but that has to come from us. >> So, we're talking about physical assets. >> So, Joe, what was the language you used before about >> say that again? >> There was a language that you used before, I don't know if you recall after Megan had recommended about the RFP, there was something you had stated that you were revising >> to revise this, right? So, it would say that the assistant superintendent will schedule a um an RFP for the purpose of securing a provider to conduct a physical inventory. >> Okay. >> So, Madame President, can I make a point of clarity here? During last year's recommendation, this item came up. call Frasier began to do the research and discovered

043that there was the asset systems and that prior work had been done by them in terms of inventory. Now perhaps it was not one of the larger inventories um but evidently it was one of the annuals and so when the conversations ensued with the auditors this company came up as a company that had done prior work. >> So we want to research because evidently they've been around when Mr. Frasier was assisting us in terms of responding to where we were in the inventory process. Contact was made with this company which was already intact. So, um, we may have a little more research to do as to when they initially started in the district. And as a result of that, the auditor suggested we utilize who we had to do this capital asset inventory. In in

044doing so, it would put us in compliance with what the auditors um are requiring of us. But of course, the ultimate decision lies with the audit committee. >> Okay. Thank you, Dr. Talon. Thank you. >> All right. So, everyone has the updated language. >> I have two two sets of languages. Two sets of languages. Two sets of words. I want to make sure I put the right ones down. >> Do it again. >> The words would be will schedule an RFP for procuring the services of a conduct of a company to conduct the physical inventory. That's number one. Number two was the original language. So, I just want to get a sense of which one we're recommending to the board. >> I think it's the number one. >> Number one. You got it. >> Yes.

045Well, that's just me. I agree. Number one. >> So, I'm just going I'm going around. >> I know. I know. Megan one said already. >> So,'ll Yeah. >> Is can Should we say um is the RFP going to be done by June 30th? >> Is that reasonable? >> We'll do it as soon as we can. I don't know that we'll get responses by June 30th, but we'll certainly have an RFP out on the street by then. >> Okay. So then the auditor sees that we're making progress. >> Mhm. >> Okay. >> I just want to, if I may, um, as of June 30th, Mr. Dregon's time with us will have expired. Once again, we will be in transition in that office and so just a reflection partially we are where we are today because of

046the transition. So just be mindful that if we're going out for an RAFP when we do have the option to wave the policy to be able to move forward to comply with the auditor's recommendations this time and now and moving forward use the procurement process. So just reminding the board that once again we'll be starting a fresh because the RFP process may not likely be closed out by June 30th. Thank you. Any other? >> So, let's just come to a consensus on this one. >> I'm sorry. Language number one or language number two? >> I thought we did. >> Well, I heard I heard from a couple people. I just want to make sure. >> Okay. Um Oh, Leslie. >> I said to Okay. >> All right. special aid fund. Mr. Done. >> So, this

047um recommendation um comes from the the fact that we have what we call receivables on the books um some of which are uncollectible. And what the auditor has suggested to us is that we review the receivables to determine whether or not we should write them off. Writing them off means that we will stop attempting to collect the funds because the funds are not available for us. We did that in 2021. We wrote off the summer program receivable balance of $137,000. You did that during the 2425 school year, but we still have from the 2122 summer program receivable um $183,000. So, the corrective action plan says that the assistant superintendent will work with the director of pupil personnel services um and our state aid consultant. We use a man named Anthony Kashara who's um very knowledgeable

048to review the cost of Boseies and other special education summer school providers to determine the appropriate amount of costs that can be build to and reimbursed by the state. In fact, we already started that process and we have submitted updated what are called rate setting um uh rate setting documents where we can get more money back from the state. Um and the remainder of these costs will have to be budgeted as part of the general fund because we're still going to run the program. It's just that we're not going to get the money from the state or the federal government >> and that's what this >> response is. >> Any questions on this? >> Yes, Mr. Done. Can can you just go into a little bit further detail on how these I don't know what

049you want to call them, deficits, if if you want to h how are they caused? Are they caused because the district believes we provide a service and we are to get paid a certain amount and then we don't get paid that certain amount. >> Correct. >> How do Okay. Um not being not trying to criticize. How does that happen in in the real world? How does it happen? the the state every year um reviews the program costs that we have through a special schedule that we submit. Um it's called the SS10 in case you really want to get nerdy about it. Um and the SS10 is where we report everything that we've expended. The state then looks at those expenses and says okay this is aidable this is notable etc. Normally we get about 80%

050of the costs reimbursed to us. Sometimes it's only 70%. Um so that difference accumulates and we carry that as what we call a receivable meaning we're going to go back and try to get that money but we don't have it in our hands so we can't count it as revenue. Not until we actually receive it. After a few years, we look back and say, "We've tried. We're not going to get this money, so let's write it off." Writing it off means we're giving up on collecting that that money. The state has won. They've said, "We're only going to give you 70% instead of the 80% that we had counted on." What can we do going forward to to limit that limit limit the problem? Uh we're doing what we can right now. We're trying to

051make sure that our rate setting documents allow us the maximum amount of reimbursement. Um that's what we went through in the past couple of months with Anthony Cosera with Christine Intrieri um in submitting to the state so that we have a higher reimbursement rate. >> Are are these programs ever designed to be uh like a zero net cost to the district or we always intended on paying something? >> We always we always have to pay something. >> Okay. >> Yes. >> All right. the in general we expect to receive about 80% back. We never get the full 80%. It's kind of like when you do a construction project and you expect to get building aid of say 55%. But in fact when you look at the project there are some things that you do that

052are not allowable costs like you do site work not an allowable cost you don't get aid on it >> so in you get 55% but of a smaller amount >> it works similar to co insurance >> right >> all right any other questions on this area capital projects in fund balance. >> I, you know, I hate to say this again because every time I've said it, we've had a halfhour discussion about it, but this is really a simple one. We did exactly what the auditor suggested we do. Last year, um, we put in the budget a transfer to capital of $570,000 in order to pay off the bond costs that were um not yet paid. How did we do that? without raising taxes by 570,000. We had a bunch of projects in the capital fund

053that were complete and had money left over, not spent. We transferred from the capital fund to the general fund $630,000 which was the sum of all of those extra funds that were not needed for completed projects. So the general fund received as a revenue 630,000 and paid to the capital fund 570,000 and as a result this recommendation is has been it's been done. Quite frankly I don't know why the auditor even put this recommendation in because this was done last year in May of 2025. So, this report is for the fiscal year ending June 30th, 2025. But I'm not going to argue with the auditor about it. I just I wrote we did it. Thank you for the suggestion. We've done it. >> That's why I brought it up last time because I was confused

054that he was saying we hadn't done it. So, hence the halfhour conversation >> and thank you Megan for the the fact is that last year in the budget broch in the budget newsletter there was just a line that said $570,000. It did not explain what that $570,000 was for as I've just explained it. >> Yeah. Yes. This year the budget newsletter will say >> um well >> food service >> $1,288,000 right which consists of the following projects >> renovation of the middle school high school park avenue etc etc cafeterias >> the parking lots etc. So there'll be a list of the projects that we're going to do okay with that 1 million2 $288,000. >> Excellent. Thank you, >> Mr. Draone. I I do want to thank you again for your explanation because I I had

055this question a couple weeks ago as well because the $570,000 appeared >> as a as a transfer. Yeah, it wasn't it wasn't revenue. It and it's you know it was >> it actually appears as a loss. >> Yeah, it says it says transfer from capital fund. It was not a transfer from the capital fund. That $570,000 was a transfer to the capital fund. >> Understood. And the reason why I flagged it or I wanted to I needed a further explanation is because on the 2526 budget, it's it's literally listed as an income source, which is not listed as an income source. >> Yeah. And >> for this year, >> the the income was the $630,000 >> that we transferred back to the general fund from the capital fund for the projects that were completed and

056still had money allocated for them. Right. >> It trust me I I feel your pain when it comes to explaining this to you. But the fact is that we cannot do capital projects without voter approval. So we could not spend money on the bond project without having the voters approve spending that money. So, we had to put in the budget the 570,000 to spend and recognize as revenue the 630,000 coming back. >> Okay. >> All right. >> So, are there any other questions on any other areas of the corrected action plan? So, as a reminder, um, when we go back when we close out the audit committee and go back into open that the corrective action plan is on the agenda for approval. So, I'm just asking the audit committee that when we get to

057that point that that the corrective action plan to be considered for approval um with the minute changes that were discussed in the order committee and that's how I'm going to present it. Is everyone um yeah >> if I could just miss Miss Johnson if I could I just want to read before we come out of audit committee. >> That's what I was going to ask to do again. Thank you. >> So the first one fund balance school school food service fund now says the last sentence says >> hold on one second. I just want to write it. I want to look at my notes. Hold on. >> Okay. Go ahead. The last sentence says, at which time that plan will have been approved by NISED and will then be presented to the board of education

058for approval in time for inclusion on the May 19th, 2026 budget vote by increasing the transfer to the capital fund in the amount of $600,000 for the purpose of improving the serving lines and equipment in all of our cafeterias. It is noted that the expenditure will increase the budget for 2627 but will have no impact on the tax levy. >> Okay, >> everyone has that? >> Yes. All. >> Well, I put in all because um we have the ability to decide if if we don't say all, we won't be able to do any work at Park Avenue. >> Can we change that to any >> any? Sure. >> Because all would make it seem like we will make changes on all of them. >> That's great change. Yep. Thank you. In any of our cafeterias.

059And the only other change I have is in the capital assets. Right now it's going to say the current interim assistant superintendent for finance and operations will schedule an RFP for procuring the services of a company to conduct the physical inventory. >> Agreed. >> Yes. >> Agreed. Yes. So those only everyone as the audit committee we agree on these changes to the corrective action plan. >> Yes. I just Yeah. I just have a question. Why are we where are we accepting it on the agenda? Because it's listed as 2D1 and >> right 3 D1 as well. >> So the difference is 2D1 >> under the audit committee. The audit committee would vote to accept the the district's corrective action plan and the other resolution would come under the board of education approving the recommendation of

060the audit committee. >> Oh, because we're an audit committee and we're a board of education. >> Right. Right. So, we first we just first we're accepting the corrective action plan. >> Okay. from the order committee and then we have the then we'll vote on it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> No, because I'll do that when I go back. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, at this time at 7:28, can I have a motion to close the order committee and resume um open session for this special meeting? >> Motion. >> Chris N is first, Leslie Crest is second. All those in favor? I motion carry 60. So now we're back to the special session meeting and at this point in time as a reminder you please note where the emergency exits are located. No

061smoking on school grounds and you sign your cell phone and please join the board of educ education pledge of allegiance to the flag. the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At this point in time, I'm going to turn over to Dr. Talbert. Thank you, Madam President. At this time, uh, Mr. Joyone will review tonight's budget presentation with an emphasis on the 2627 budget as well as the property tax report card. >> So I want to take you one more time through where we are on the 2526 budget. Um this is just a reminder. This is now no change from the last information I gave you on April 1st. Um we are expecting a surplus of revenues over expenditures

062in the amount of $2,583,724 which I propose we use to reduce taxes in 2627. This would still require us to apply approximately 309,000 from our reserves to balance the budget for 2627 that we presented on April 1st, assuming that we adopt a tax levy increase of 1.56%. What's new? Last time we talked about the fact that we wanted to replace the fire alarm panels in Northeast and Northwest and in fact we had it in the budget to do that at $55,000 a piece. The reason why we wanted to do it was because they are old and they're causing us um to spend money repairing them. They're just old. They're not broken. The schools are still safe. They're just old. However, when we talked to our architect, we discovered that when we submit a request to

063the state ed department to replace the fire alarm panels, the state ed department may say to us, "The fire alarm system is old and needs to be replaced with an updated system that meets current code. I I need to emphasize this. There is nothing unsafe about the fire alarm systems that we have in our schools. They just meet old code. They don't meet new code. And if we um attempt to replace the fire alarm panels and the state says to us, well, if you're going to replace the fire alarm panels, you have to replace the whole system. That will be a $500,000 expense, not $55,000. We're not ready to absorb that now. So, what we did was we increased the allowance for minor building repairs by $20,000 out of the $110,000 that we took out

064of the fire alarm panel replacement. And the last $90,000 we transferred to the capital line. And the reason why we did that was because if we do just paving work, just site work at Northwest and Northeast, it would generate no state aid, no building aid because we're not improving the facilities for instruction. I'm not saying that the work on the paving is not important. It's just that the state says you do it. Go ahead, but we're not going to give you any aid for it. So, by putting $45,000 into the capital line for each of the Northeast and Northwest schools for the purpose of interior renovations, upgrading bathrooms, replacing asbestous containing building material, which is vinyl asbestous tile in some classrooms, um, etc. we would be able to hook the paving project with the interior

065work and the whole project becomes aidable. That's significant for us. That's a lot of money for us. So by adding $90,000 to the capital line and removing $90,000 from minor maintenance building repair, we're probably going to in the long run get an additional $200,000 in state aid. The net impact on the overall budget is zero. because we've taken 110,000 from one line and moved it into two different lines. This chart you've seen before. What I'd like to present to you tonight is an overview of the revenue budget. if the levy was set at 1.56%. Um I'm at this point I just want to point out the 2,892,915 which I've highlighted which is the sum of the 2,500 and something,000 underexpended and the $300,000 that we're taking from reserves. The total revenue budget in this chart

066would be 2.14%. But I want to say again, if the board of education accepts the recommendation of the audit committee tonight, this 27 2627 proposed budget would be 123,963,246. But the local revenue would also increase by $600,000 because it would be an interfund transfer from the school lunch fund to the general fund in that amount. So the tax levy would not change. I'm just looking to make sure I get some nods so that because I I you know I know that that's not apparent. But and here's an analysis and this wouldn't change by the way. None of this this analysis of sustainability would not change by that additional $600,000 in the capital fund. You'll see that um I I responded to the Citizens Budget Advisory Committee recommendation by reducing by $1 million the amount in

067the ERS pension reserve. It was $5.9 million last time. It's now $4.9. And I spread that money out among some of the other reserves. Now, I'm recommending that you put it in the reserves that we can use on an annual basis to offset costs and therefore mitigate tax increases. So, you'll see that the bottom line is still $15,984,958 which would be available in fund balance and reserves. And after 4 years or 5 years, we would still have 15,920 $936,000 in fund balance and reserves. In other words, the fund balance would actually increase by $231,000 as a result of this plan. The board asks that asked that I present a scenario where the levy would increase by 1.45%. Here's what that scenario would look like. Again, this chart would be updated because the budget would be

068123963 246. And the total local revenue would be 5,472,175. The budget increase would be approximately 2.54%. But the tax levy would still be 1.45. Here's an analysis of the sustainability of this proposal. This would be a fund balance decrease of $103,500. And I will tell you that um it's not a rounding error. I don't want to to minimize to minimize it, but $103,000 loss or a $231,000 increase in fund balance is really within the range of sustainability. You know, if we were talking about millions of dollars, then I would have some serious concern. Now, here's an alternative plan. An alternative plan would be to take another $500,000 out of the ERS pension reserve and put it into the capital reserve instead of only 250,000 adding 750,000 to the capital reserve. I know Algalina would be

069very happy that I'm suggesting this to you because we, as you know, we have a lot of work to do. The disadvantage to this proposal is if you look to the far right, the amount of money that we would have a available to reduce taxes in the future has declined by $500,000. So, you're going to have a little less flexibility in terms of setting the tax levy in the future, but you'll have set aside an additional $500,000 for capital projects. And by the way, $500,000 is not a magic number. You can say let's put a million dollars into the capital reserve and then you would be reducing the amount of money you have available for the future by a million dollars. I don't recommend it, but that's a decision that you can make as a

070board of education. You've seen this chart already. I won't belabor it. I've put onto this chart the difference that a 0% levy increase would have compared with a 1.56% levy increase. I point out again that it ranges from $15 per month to about $5 per month. And for the difference between a 1.56 and a 1.45, it ranges from $1 per month to about 50 cents per month for the quote average homeowner, whoever that is. Last but not least, we need tonight to adopt the budget so that I can file on your behalf a property tax report card. The property tax report card is due at the end of April. It must be submitted. Actually, it's due Saturday the 25th. So, um I didn't know that that was called for a a chord, but the um

071it must be submitted s Saturday the 25th. It must be submitted to the state education department and it must be submitted to newspapers of general circulation. They do with it what they want. They don't have to publish it. Um they could if they wish. A number of newspapers do publish the property tax report card information from various school districts um because they're required to receive it. This is what it would look like with one exception. See the top number 123 363. That number would be 123 963 and the budget increase would be 2.54 2.64%. 64% roughly. Everything else would stay exactly the same. And this is what a 1.56% levy would look like. If it was set at 1.45, 45. The proposed levy would be 67,935 and the difference would be an additional 76 thou

072excuse me less 76,72. That's what the difference in a 1.45 versus a 1.56 is $76,000. The next thing we need to publish as part of the property tax report card is our fund balance information. You'll notice that the assign the excuse me, the adjusted unrestricted fund balance this year is 7.3%. That's the violation of real property tax law that we have to correct. And we will do that by reducing the unrestricted fund balance to $4,934,530. Now, we actually could add $24,000 to that because we're proposing that the budget increase by another $600,000. So, we could put 4% of $600,000 in the unassigned fund balance, an additional $24,000. The advantage to keeping 4% in the unassigned fund balance, I think that I've said this a number of times to you, is that you never know what

073emergency is going to come up. You never know when a child is going to come to us and enrolls in a charter school and we need to find the money to pay for that child attending a charter school. Well, if we have $4,934,000 available, the board has the option of going to that fund and saying, "Let's appropriate some of that money and use it to pay for that child going to a charter school." You'll see also that the adjusted restricted fund balance is increasing from 9,400,000 to 11,100,000. That's where we're putting the extra money that was in the unassigned fund balance. We're putting it into assigned fund balance, restricted fund balance. And again, our choices are to put it in reserves that we could use on an annual basis, TRS, ERS, unemployment insurance, EBAR, or

074a really restricted reserve like the capital reserve, where we need to go back to the voters to have them expend the money and it can only be spent on capital projects and can't be used to impact the tax levy. And the last part of the property tax report card is a report of our reserves. We're required to report to the state how much money we have in each of our reserves. This is not money we're going to have next year. The money we're going to have next year will be determined by the board in June. But what I'm required to report to them is how much money do we actually have in the reserves as of March 31st and how much money do I project we're going to have as of June 30th. And the

075reason why there's an increase is because we are earning interest on that money. So I have to account for that and the interest must be aortioned to the reserves um congruent with the size of the reserve in relation to the entire balance. You'll notice that there are a couple of reserves that are larger than you might have remembered because when we received that $2 million from our assemblymenwami, we moved 1,250 into the capital reserve and we spread the rest of it out among the ERS pension reserve and the ebilar reserve. And that's it. >> Does anyone have any questions or comments? >> Yes, Madam President, I do. I will wait for Mr. Done to get settled before I ask him financial questions. Well, Mr. Draone, let me start with an easy one and and here's

076here's a a little learning opportunity for myself. For the ERS pension and TRS pension, are there percentage cap limits on those such as reserve funds? >> Yes, there are. The e the TRS pension is limited to no more than 10% of the total salaries paid to certified staff in the district. So the the maximum amount we could put into the TRS pension is whatever 10% is of our certified salaries. My guess is that's about $2.6 million as a maximum. the ERS pension reserve. There is no hard and fast rule. The controller has appined that um in some districts that have six times the annual ERS cost that they're within their rights to do that. So, our ERS bill is about a million dollar a year, and we could certainly put $4.9 million in the ERS

077reserve without causing any eyebrows to be raised in Albany. >> So, Mr. Draone, I know that um I I've been talking a lot about the 0% tax levy increase and I do understand your point of view. I do understand it, but I I want to make sure that you and maybe my fellow board members also understand a counterpoint of view. Okay? In my opinion, a 0% tax levy doesn't permanently damage the tax base. Okay? It simply sets a more appropriate starting point. Okay? It's it's a reset of sorts. And I say this because in 2024, this district excessed 47 staff members. Okay? So the cost that the cost on the district for their health care plans are off the books. Teachers retirement contributions off the books. Dental plan and a few other things off the

078books. That that is also part of the surplus that we brought in. So when I say I don't usually advocate for our 0% because I know how difficult it is to achieve it with the cost of fuel uh contracts everything goes up. It doesn't go down. But when we were told not by you by your predecessor that we have achieved a record-breaking $10.6 6 million surplus. And you're also telling us tonight that there is a possibility if the board wanted to, we could still do that. Although it's not your recommendation, it can be done. So the point I'm trying to make is possibly keeping the taxes artificially high today artificially just to preserve the future taxing capacity because that's what you're talking about when you say we will lose money forever and it will never

079come back. Okay. But to keep these taxes artificially high today to preserve the ability to tax at that level shifts an undue burden to the taxpayers without justification and that's that's just my opinion. >> Does anyone else have any comments? If I could just give you a piece of information that might be helpful to you. >> Are are you going to say it nicely? >> No, I'm going to say it. Yeah. the um I because I am like the senior business official on Long Island, I have for the past 20 years or so been collecting from school districts throughout the island what they plan to put on their property tax report card. I collect it with the knowledge that they have that I'm not going to share their particular information because it's not due, as

080I said, until April 25th. So, I'm not going to tell you individual districts. But there are 64 districts that have reported to me so far. 56 of them are setting their levy at the limit. And like I said, Mr. Draone, I don't I don't I understand the strategy and I understand why that's done. Okay. But with our surplus, even today, we could eliminate the tax burden. I would love to see less reliance on reserve funds because we still in my opinion use more reserve funds than I'm comfortable with to balance this budget. And instead of starting with a zero increase scenario, what did we do? We found, in other words, capital reserve projects that would normally be voted on, like you said earlier, by the taxpayers put into normal lines, like for instance, getting to

081getting paving work done at two schools, $149,000 or 100 whatever the number is for HVAC work, uh, masonary work. These are all things that would normally be capital reserve projects that will be voted on for the taxpayers. So essentially there is no vote for the taxpayers for that. We put them in the in the line items. But the benefit is that we have the money to do these things. So it's it's a matter of how you want to slice it. Getting these getting these projects done is going to tremendously help our school district. There's no doubt about it. But what I don't really appreciate is that we went out and found expenses to spend down the deficit. I I'm sorry, the the surplus in my opinion. That's that's the that's what I'm not too happy

082about with the process. I I would >> like to disagree about finding expenses. I would look at it more like these are expenses that are already there. should have probably been taken care of over the past few years and it's just now coming to fruition where the district has funds to take care of some of these items. >> So I yeah I just to chime in I think it's maybe not spending down the surplus but including the expenditures to the top of the tax levy. Um, so I would I'm following your logic because I was as we keep talking about all of this great capital work, which I acknowledge what you're saying, Chris, too. It needs to be done. Um, but we have the money to do it and still give the taxpayers a break.

083And I I am still on the page of giving the taxpayers a break because we live in a very expensive state where we're taxing our residents out of the state and we have a lot of money right now that this district has not seen. We have eight million dollars that we taxed that we did not need to tax and now is our opportunity to give the taxpayers a break. >> Maybe now it's our opportunity to give our students and continue working towards a better buildings and grounds and building the infrastructure back up for the students. So, I think that we we still have it in here, though. It's still in here, >> but it'll be less be less. >> No, there's no less. I'm not saying that we're cutting any of the expenditures. We're saying

084that we would not need to be asking for the revenue from the taxpayers because we already took the revenue from the taxpayers and now we're just talking about where to save that money in our reserves. So, we already have the money from the taxpayers to balance this budget without asking for more money. And I'm not suggesting to cut any of the expenditures, you know, and you know me, I'm a I'm an engineer. I want to talk about this the capital work. So, I'm not suggesting that. I think also this is just my my perspective but um we we're in a position right now to allow the district to have that a little bit stability from the money that that's there. It would allow us to also and I know that we were not cutting anything

085but allow us to do the repairs or upgrades in different buildings that have long been needed. we just been kicking that can down the road to do those things. But it also will put us in that position that we have that that money there. So therefore down the line we'll be in a better position. And I just feel that I'm not I'm not in support of going down to 0% 0%. Um, I'm at the the 1.56%. And that's just that's just my perspective. And I think that and I I hear what everyone is saying, but that's just my my perspective. I think that we need to continue to work on improving what we can do for our students academically within our district as well as our buildings and our structures. So, I also everyone sitting

086at this table, we're all taxpayers. We know the impact it's going to have on us, but I I'm in support of the at least the one I'm in support of the 1.56. I'm not in support of going down to 0%. So, I mean, I think we have so much money in reserves right now that we don't have to tax the taxpayers and we could still move money into capital if everyone was worried about capital. So I um and I don't know that we we don't even have to make a decision on this alternative plan of moving $500,000 to capital tonight. Right, Mr. Done? >> Correct. You could >> you just presented it as an option. We could do it whenever we want to do it. But we leed >> you could put you could take

087the 250,000 that I originally suggested and make that zero and put more money into the what I call the fungeable reserves, the ones where you could on an annual basis reduce the tax levy for costs that you're going to incur every year, pension costs, unemployment costs, etc. What did you call the reserve? You're suggesting that fungeible is it means that you could use it for other purposes. You don't have to use it. You have to use it to pay pension costs, but the pension costs are part of your general fund budget. So by moving that money from the reserve to the general fund budget, you're in essence reducing the tax levy, the burden on the taxpayers by using that money instead of asking the taxpayers to come up with more money. I I just you

088know the I hope $15 million is not $15 million is nothing to sneeze at, >> but I just want to remind you we are among the lowest percentage >> y >> of fund balance on all of Long Island. The average is over 24%. We're at less than 15. So, we're not we don't we're not swimming in money. >> Well, yes, you've told us that a few times. We Yes, I haven't forgotten. Um, but I do find that this is a unique opportunity where we have the ability to still add to our services, still do capital work, and still give our community members a little break. That that sounds like stabilization. >> All right. So any anyone >> let me let me just react to the stabilization thought. >> Okay. >> There are two different ways

089of building the budget over the years. You can do this with the tax levy or you can do this and then this and then this. I don't think it's wise to do these big bumps one way or the other. I think it's wiser to say to people, "We're shephering your money as best we can. We'll return what we can to you when we can. We're going to build up our fund balance and reserves to protect the future. We're going to provide services to kids that they need." I I just think it is shortsighted, forgive me, my opinion, shortsighted to reduce the amount. You only have really in essence two sources of money besides the tax levy. You get state aid and you get fund balance application. That's it. Those are the two big sources of

090money. If you reduce the tax levy, you're going to have to count on an increase in those other sources, I guarantee you state aid ain't going anywhere in the next few years. So, you're going to have to reduce the amount of money you have in reserves. And I think that that would be a mistake. Just my opinion. But and so just talking to the board because I understand your opinion there could in subsequent years be that we might not be able to fund the amount of capital work that we're suggesting that we're able to fund for next year or there might need to be other efficiencies found like as an example we found an efficiency tonight in that we didn't go out to RFP for the asset management company. So there we would have to

091potentially in subsequent years find efficiencies in our expenditures. Um I I thought that I had asked to see this sustainability table with the 0% for tonight and I mentioned that at the last meeting because I want to see it. But we also have the citizens community advisory committee that worked and met multiple times and looked at the numbers with Mr. Snder and with yourself Mr. Jon and they came to us and they recommended giving the taxpayers a break. They recommended the 0%. They said okay we understand the expenditures and we recommend the 0%. So I wanted had wanted to see the sustainability table with the 0% tonight. Um so I also so I wanted to mention this the seac too because we do have community members volunteering their time and that was their recommendation. >>

092I do remember the um table that I provided to you with 0% that showed that the fund balance would be $10 million after five years. It's not in this presentation. >> Yeah. You had your Excel up at one meeting >> and and if you set the levy this year at zero, you are going to eliminate $5 million in revenue over the next five years. And as a result, you will drain $5 million from your fund balance. and instead of $15 million, you'll have $10 million. I cannot recommend that. And I think it would be a grave mistake for you to do that, >> right? So, okay. So, you didn't bring it today, but >> No, but it's in it's on the it's on the website. >> It was there. >> Your Excel file that one

093night that you did the >> There was there were three charts. one of which was a zero. And it showed that the fund balance would drop to $10 million over the space of five years. >> Any other questions or comments before >> Yeah, I do. I the capital work. When do we think that the capital work would occur? Now, we have this uh latest discussion about the fire alarm panels. >> I'm sorry, the bathroom work. the speesus containing tiles so that we can make the project state aidable. What is what do we think the timeline is for the paving and the bathrooms? >> Well, we haven't even asked the architect to do the drawings yet. Um, the drawings would have to be done. They'd have to be submitted to the state ed department. My understanding

094is that right now there's a six-w weekek delay in projects being approved by the state education department. Um, so I don't know if we'll be able to get it done this summer. We may be able to do it in the fall because doing a parking lot could be done, you know, in stages. Um, and we might be able to do it while school is in session or over a break. Um, I so I don't know. Forgive me, long- winded. I don't know. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. Um, also the interest on estimate our interest earnings, um, $50,000. What's What is that on? The the estimated interest at 3%. What is that calculated on? >> I'm sorry. Which page you want, Megan? >> Uh, I'm just looking at the sustainability table. >> Yes. >> For the

0951.56% tax levy, the estimated interest at 3%. What do you what is that being calculated from? >> Hold on, let me get to >> Okay, thank you. >> Oh, okay. So, every year when we have money in reserve, we put it into a bank account to earn interest. We'll put it into the highest yielding bank account we can find. >> Uh I'm estimating that the interest rate we'll earn is about 3%. It's actually a little higher than that right now. >> But I don't know where it's going to be, you know, 6 months from now depending upon what's happening on the national scene. Um what the Fed does. Uh could be lower, could be higher. So the 3% represents the interest that we're earning on the reserves that are listed above. And we need every

096year when we get that money, we need to aortion it to the reserves so that each reserve gets its interest. And the way we aortion it is if I've got one reserve that's twice as large as another, I give twice as much of the interest to that reserve as the smaller one because we keep them all in the same bank accounts. >> Okay, I guess >> I wanted to know if um we've had this discussion before with the charter schools. have how many I I forgot I don't know probably in another notebook but um how many children did you add to the list this year or how many students going to charter school or predicting >> we we added to the budget from 1,739,000 to 1,940,000 or so >> uh which represents about 10 children

097that we added to the budget. So you added more than you never know then 1,940 is based on current enrollment. >> Yeah. >> You al it's showing 1,984 >> 1,984. Yes. Because >> increase based on anticipated enrollment, >> right? We added two children at 22,000 a piece. So that's 44,000. That's why it's 1,984. Yep. >> So, you only added two children. >> Yes. >> And I think right now um I think that might be a low estimate, but I don't know because I don't know how many of the children who are currently in charter schools >> are going to graduate, are going to move out of town, are going to be in, you know, in Nassau County and be the responsibility of another district. I don't know that. And when will you get that information?

098>> Not until September, actually. >> And by the way, I misspoke last meeting. We do require children who attend charter schools to submit transportation applications. >> So, I apologize. That was that was incorrect on my part. And we're going to work with Nate and my accountant in the business office to try and Jen Wolf to get the three of us on the same page so that we have one master sheet that's showing who we're transporting, what schools they're going to, how we're paying them. Jen does the registration part, Nate does the transportation part, and Maryann Nibl does the payment part. So, I'm going to put those three great minds together and get you more information about charter schools and hopefully hopefully the charter school resolution that you passed the other night will have some impact.

099>> That only has an impact on students that would require transportation. So if >> right >> somebody decided to take their own child to the charter school that wouldn't >> right >> I don't know why somebody would decide to >> take their own child to academy and Roosevelt or you know the chances are they'll come to us and ask us for transportation and they must ask us by April 1. However, yeah. Yeah. The um the real problem that we had this year was that last last year you adopted a resolution to extend the mileage limit to 17. That added another charter school to our catchment area. So we have now six additional children who are attending a charter school for whom we need to provide transportation that we would not have had if we had

100kept the mileage limit at 15. >> I don't think we spoke about the charter school that was part of discussion. Oh, the law is really clear, >> right, >> that all children similarly situated must be treated the same way. >> Yeah. >> So, private school, charter school, >> you you want to go to a St. Anony's, if St. Anony's is within 17 miles, guess what? We have to provide transportation to St. Anony's just like we provide transportation to Amityville High School. >> That's the law. So any what are additional questions though board members have? >> Sure. I I do have one additional question. So um the seback committee and some board members um if you recall discussed the summer bridges program. It's a good program but it sounded like there wasn't going to be enough

101time to really implement it um to its full potential. So, has the budget been uh changed to reflect that or? >> No, sir. Because last time, as I remember, there were one or two board members who didn't want the summer bridges program and the majority said yes. >> And also, um, Mary Stevens said that it was well underway. >> Yeah. >> That we were not having difficulty implementing it. >> Any other Yeah. Last time I had agreed one that I was also thinking to postpone it. Um but it was just four to two I guess. >> Correct. >> Any additional questions or comments that anyone would like to add? So, at this point in time, if there is community input regarding um the board agenda items, >> hold on. Hold on a second, please. Thank

102Thank you. Go ahead. Now, >> hi, Margaret Shuff Amnville. Um, I'm sitting here kind of shaking my head, quite concerned. Um, I'll just address one thing on page three that was just discussed regarding this whole explanation of points one through four. Um, Mr. Denon basically said, you know, we're going to move this to that and we're going to do this to that and we'll uh point four. Point 3 was add 90,000 to transfer the capital 45,000 each for northeast Northwest schools, interior renovations, bathroom upgrades, ACBM, floor tile replacement, so on and so forth, so that there's net impact on the overall budget, which is zero. And then 10 minutes later, he basically said, but we haven't had the we have to have an architect to look at that. So, you're you're assuming a figure without

103an architect's number, just pulling out of you're pulling it out of the air, and that makes no sense. So, you're saying one thing, you're going to try to do another thing, but there's no figures involved, and you're saying, "Okay." And then you said something about 200,000 in state aid, which we all know that state aid is not a guarantee. So, you were giving a figure on state aid. You're giving a figure to move rob Peter to pay Paul and then to pay for the bathrooms and so on and so forth, but yet we don't even know how much that costs. So that is completely concerning and your whole dynamic of thought scares me. Then we'll talk about the children and the charter schools and everything else. At the last meeting you said two. Today you

104said 10. So I don't know which way to Sunday that your your brain is working on this one. It's very confusing and very sketchy on how you present. On item number 3D1, which is the um the auditor's plan for the internal uh controls of the assets that was a cluster altogether on that explanation. I find it very concerning that you don't have no you don't have a command for that. And basically if you had a company that did it a couple of years ago, you would mentioned that you have two list and they won't batch and you work from the old company and then the new company and so on and so forth. So the new company hasn't done anything with us and there's no figure on this resolution to even figure out I was

105walking in at the time when the discussion came up. So what is the figure if you don't do the RFP or whatever if this went through what would be that figure Mr. Draon? >> Oh the asset thing you direct to direct your question who who knows the figure of what 3D1 would totally cost? >> I think it was um >> below 17 >> $17,000 was the asset >> and then it and then we talked about how there was the travel was separate. Yeah. So from Arizona. Okay. Great. >> $937,000. >> And you did in your conversation state that there are local company >> local companies that do this as well. Correct. >> It was it was all discussed during the audit committee and it was already addressed and we're going to the minute language has

106been revised. >> I'm sorry. >> The we discussed it in the audit committee. The language has been revised >> for that section. and the um the other um >> your time is up. >> I know. >> So, thank you. Anyone else who has a comment or question >> and it's appalling that you didn't um present a zero option. >> Hi, good evening everyone. Um I support the tax increase. Is it possible to have the business official explain how much money that would actually impact every family? >> I think is it like a $100? >> He he he did do it already. It's it's on the presentation. Yeah. >> Okay. >> It's on the today's um presentation if >> I don't have a copy. Is it like around >> it's it should be in the back.

107So the presentation should be in the back. >> Okay. So like I said I you know we say let's give the tax break um taxpayers a break. How about we give the students a break? How about we give them everything that's needed to be successful? And one minute we're complaining, not superintendent goals. Next meeting we're not offering what's needed to make us successful, our students successful. So again, I support the tax levy. I um am very much in support and I think that people really need to sit back and think what's best for our students. >> Thank you. any other communic um input on agenda item. >> I'll wait. >> Just hold on a second, please. >> Go ahead. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, first of all, I think Trustee Mesman has a full grasp

108and understanding of the budget, and it's clear that some trustees don't, and it's clear that some speakers don't understand the budget. There was nothing being cut out of the budget. The students were going to have the support, and the surplus was going to offset the tax increase. That's how the budget works. Nobody's saying anything um to cut anything for the kids. budget and kids go hand in hand. Um just a few things. Um deeply concerning that the superintendent is to enforce policies. The board creates policies that govern the district and now at almost every single meeting she's suggesting to suspend a policy. You're the governance team. Absolutely alarming. Um, as far as the audit, uh, the majority board fought really hard to keep Mr. Snyder because he was so great, but the management letter, um,

109it's supposed the corrective action plan was supposed to be 90 days and we're eight months later doing this. Um, as for the asset management consultant inventory, I really don't understand this unless I'm missing something. I do this in my business with companies, multi-million dollar companies. You have a spreadsheet with the make, model, year, value, serial number, replacement cost, actual cost value. Am I missing something? Is it harder than this? Your facility director gets paid handsomely. Let's have him do his job. You have a really big habit of or I shouldn't say you should have a habit because it's up to you whether you approve or not, but this superintendent is constantly recommending consultants. It would be wonderful if everybody that got these six figure salary salaries did their jobs. That's really not complicated to do.

110Had you had a spreadsheet and if the if the if the district managed this every year as they should, which should fall under your director facilities, we probably would have had a better handle on the missing John Cheer deer tractor. Um also, um I see that there's a conference for $850. This is business. This is nothing personal, but it's to update skills. You have an interimm business official for two more months, and you want the taxpayers to pay this when there's no return on investment, no long-term value, and you have a fiscal responsibility to us. Lastly, I think that you should be passing a 0% tax increase. You overt tax the taxpayers. What I got out of this entire presentation is that your business official really, really wants to tax us. really desperately wants to

111tax us. When are we going to stop being cash cows? At what point? Oh, one more thing. Number B3 is not is blank. Are you appointing is is there going to be an appointment? Otherwise, you have to remove that. >> Is there an appointment? >> When I get there, I'll let you know. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Any other community input on agenda items? I just have one last thing. Um um you know, thank you for all the questions that everybody asked and the explanations. Um I think I might have messaged this mentioned this at the last meeting. It's really inappropriate that to list the trustees addresses or any budget committee members addresses. I know the numbers that there, but you identified these streets of where they live. I think it's really inappropriate. I've never

112seen something like that in 31 years. >> Thank you. Any additional comments on agenda items? >> Hi, Margaret Shamville. I just want to do a wrap-up of this concept of raising the you know the having a tax levy. It's like I always equate this financial stuff as like a homeowner because that's like it's the only thing I can draw from it because I am a homeowner and I and I do have a budget or whatever, but it's like I'm sitting on $10 million in my personal account and I go to get a business loan. I mean, a personal loan. That's what this is like equating to. you have all this money sitting in the bank, but yet you have to have more money and you're going to get a loan or something like that and

113and put yourself out there. Like, it makes zero sense when you have money to take care of things without making cuts, children get what they need, surfaces get paved, so on and so forth. All the things that you It may not be everything, but within reason, the things get done. But yet you have you're sitting on this money and you're you're basically putting out for a loan at on the backs of this of the taxpayers. It makes absolutely zero sense and that's my only equation that you can put on it because you're sitting on money but let's go to the bank and get more. It's it's a crime. It's criminal. >> Thank you. Any other comments on agenda items? Seeing none, I'm going committee input is now closed. I'm going to go to agenda item

1142C1. Can I have a motion for agenda item 2C1, please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> One second. Um Chris N is first. Leslie Quitz is second. So this is for the Western Suffach Boseies. All those in favor? I >> I motion carries 6. >> Can I do agenda item 2 C 2 A and B al together or does anyone need anything done separately there? >> No. >> Can I have a motion for agenda item 2 C A and B? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Carol is first. Chris near a second. All those in favor? >> I motion carries 6. >> Can I have a motion for agenda item 2 C3, please? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Chris Narren is first. Carol Seahhoff is second. So, this is for the And I'll do it. I should

115have said this will be for the 1.56. >> Yeah. Madame President, if if it's if it's all right, can I introduce an intervening motion for a 0% tax levy increase vote? >> Anyone willing to accept the intervening motion? >> Sure. >> Yes. >> Anyone opposed to accepting the intervening motion? >> Opposed. Can I um bring >> I um Leslie, are you >> Well, it's just going on the agenda, right? >> No, he's he's one's doing Say it again. >> Sure. >> Well Well, just like we have >> he wants to do an intervening motion. So that that's what his question is. >> Just just like we have an 1.56 Mr. Done >> of a zero. Exactly. So he he wants an intervening motion >> to put to put on the as an option as a

1160%. >> You have that? Um okay. So all those in favor of the intervening motion to put as an option for 0%. >> I I >> I just put it on. >> Put it on. >> Just to put it on >> as an option. Can I just do an intervening motion for >> Let me let me just finish this one, please. Option vote on both. Hold on. Hold on one second. Hold on one second. I'm trying to finish this one, please. So, we're looking. So, is it intervening motions for the 0% to put it on as an option? So, the one who Yes. was Chris, Juan, >> Megan, >> Leslie. I'm a no for the intervening motion. Carol >> so the motion carries 42 for the inter intervening motion to put it on as an

117option. Hold on one second. All right. So I'm going to have to go down the line. I need to amend this vote. Amend the motion. for adoption of the 2626 budget publication budget and publication of the property tax at the at the 1.56%. So I'll do one motion at the 1.56, one at 1.45 and one at 0% if the 1.56 is have to do one at a time, >> right? But madam president would make more sense to do to zero and then increasing >> whatever you want to do. I don't >> Yes. >> I amend the motion >> for a budget of 0%. >> Tax levy increase of 0%. >> Tax levy. Yeah. Of 0%. >> So what's start with the proposed? >> I think we need to start with the proposed. Let's start with

118it. We we did an intervening motion of adding to 0%. What we have on the table right now is a 1.56, 1.45, and the 0%. That was an intervening motion. I'm going to go down the line. So, I'ming >> we're going to do the 1.56, 1.45, and the 0%. >> Madam President, I don't respectfully I don't think that makes sense. I think we have to start from the zero to increasing amounts. So, >> so at this point in time, >> does the intervening mean that we need to do that first because it's blocking it happening? So, >> it does. >> Why? Why? Why do we need to do it first? >> I I believe we've done this before. >> So, you know what? Let's let's do you know what? Let's just do it this way.

119>> Do zero. >> Okay. >> So, can I have a can amend the motion to do the tax slavery at 0%. Can I have a motion to amend the motion? Amend the agenda. All right. Or tax levy at 0%. >> You already >> I think we added it on already. So >> now we're calling for a vote. >> Can I have because I had to because I have a I have a motion for the tax levy of 0% for the budget. All those in favor >> I >> Jan Leon Megan Messen all those opposed I >> I >> motion fails 4 I mean two sorry about that. So, Juan, Megan, >> Megan fails two, four. >> Yeah, let me Juan and Megan were Yes. >> Yes. >> All others were opposed. >> Chris, I'm just

120I want to make sure my district clerk has it. Leslie and Carol. Um, have a motion for >> to the intervening motion for the 1.45%. >> I'm doing that next. >> Okay. Thank you. I >> I'm doing next. She said, >> "Can I have a motion for the adoption of the budget at 1.45% >> to to add to the agenda?" >> No, it's already there. >> Oh, it is. Yeah. My apologies. >> Yeah. For 1.5 1.45 for the All those in favor for the budget at 1.45. >> I >> All those opposed I >> I >> Motion fails. Two. >> That's Lisa. >> I'm sorry. two four Lisa, Carol, Leslie, and Chris. Can I have a motion for the budget of 1.56%. >> I I mean all all those in favor. Yeah. I >> I

121I >> Chris, Carol, >> Lisa, Juan, I just think Megan and Leslie. >> Hi. >> I'm sorry. >> That's >> Megan. Uh I said yes to the others, so I'm going to say no. I think that we could have >> Okay, so no. >> Yeah. So the the budget is at 1.56%. Can I have a motion for agenda item 2C4, please? >> Motion to approve. >> Juan Leon's first >> four >> 2C4. >> Uh second. >> Megan a second. All those in favor? >> I I >> I. >> Motion carries 6. Can I have a motion for agenda item 2D1, please? >> Motion two. Uh motion to approve. >> Won is first. >> Second. >> Chris Ner in a second. All those in favor? >> I. >> Motion carries 6. Can I have a motion

122for agenda item 3A1, please? >> Motion to approve. >> Won is first second. All those in favor? >> I. Motion carry 6. Can I have a motion for agenda item 3B1A? Please. >> Motion. >> Carol office first. >> Second. Christ a second. All those in favor? >> I motion carries 6. >> Can I have a motion for agenda item 3B3A? Please >> motion. >> Megan Messman is first. >> Second. >> Chris Ner is second. All those in favor? >> Well, Lisa, did the community members say their version was empty? I for this one is 3B 3A is appointment of director of fine arts and performing. >> Yes, but the uh the public agenda says TBD. >> So it's appointment of director of fine and performing arts and the person's name is Kimberly >> Museio. Okay.

123Sorry about that. >> All those in favor? >> I I >> Anyone opposed? Madame President, I'm going to have to abstain. I wasn't here for the interview. >> So, five yes. One >> 501. >> Yes. Five. Yes. One obstain. >> Can I do 3B 4 A through >> just all together or anyone need >> A through Q please. >> Oh, okay. Serve on that. >> That's okay. >> Have a motion for agenda items 3B 4A to 3B 4 Q. >> Motion >> second. >> Carol offers first. Chris near a second. Any discussion on these items? >> No. >> All those in favor? >> I I motion carries 6. Can I have a motion for agenda item Can I do agenda item 3B4? R to 3B4 BB alto together. >> Motion >> second. >> Any discussion

124on these items? >> Yes. >> Um so this is the curriculum advisory committee and the backup had said for the year of 2526. So, I'm wanted to discuss potentially amending the backup to state from April 21st through June 30th, 2026 rather than the blanket that's listed in the backup for the hourly rates, which I'm trying to find the back up. Now, >> we don't see any >> I'm sorry. >> We don't see any issue with that. >> Oh, >> we don't see any issue with the proposed. >> Oh, okay. So, we would because I didn't I I wasn't sure that it was like if we were doing anything retroactively. So, I just wanted to edit it >> to the next two months. >> There's nothing retroactive. So, >> if we amend it, that's fine. If

125we leave it as is, it's fine. We're not going to Yeah, >> I think it should be April 21st through June 30th. >> So, can can I have a motion to amend that motion to add to change the backup to reflect the start date of April 22nd, 2026? April 22nd, 2026 to June 30th, 2026. >> Motion >> second. >> Megan Meman is first, Chris Narin is second. So all those in favor of amending this motion, >> I motion carry 6. Right. So now the vote for uh have a motion for agenda item 3B4R to 3 3B 4B as amended. >> Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Wino is first. Leslie Cret is second. All those in favor? >> I I motion carry 6. Can I have a motion for agenda item 8 3B 3 B4

1268A? >> Yep. Motion to approve. >> Second. >> Juan Leon is first. >> Chris Near in a second. So that's for 3 B 34. >> There's no A. >> No, it's 8A. There's no >> Sorry about 3B. >> 8 A. Sorry about that. All those in favor? >> I I >> I motion carries 6. >> All right. There's nothing else in this area that we're going to address. So now I'm down to No, we're not addressing it. Now I'm down to three D. >> You're not going to call C1. >> We're down. We're down to 3C2. Can I have a motion? So Leslie Crest is first. >> Second. >> Carol, you have a second. Any questions on 3C2? >> Yes. So this is a 4-year agreement with Boseies. Um some $400,000. I just wanted to

127talk about I just wanted to discuss a little bit how what sort of due diligence we've done um in ensuring that this is the most cost-effective plan going forward for the multi-year service agreement since we haven't really spoken about that in particular. So, we have been looking at both lease and purchase options. Um, and as Mr. Leon mentioned, we do look at um a plan for making sure that all of our devices are up to date. We align it with our technology goals. We've been working with Boseies on the best option. So, we have reviewed um both sides, the leasing and purchasing and then Boseies helps us with the vendors. >> Okay. So you've done the financial analysis of the leasing and the purchasing and we but we don't go out to RFP or you

128have gone out to RFP. >> No, we do that through Boseies. >> You do you just go to Boseies correct >> though we haven't gone to an outside firm to obtain costs for purchasing. >> Boseies does exactly that. they do go out for an RFP for financial services. So that they have chosen I think it's key bank that they use now for the purpose of the lease purchase agreements. So they do the the work for us in terms of the financial >> you know the financial due diligence. >> Okay. and we're like locked into this for the four years. >> Yeah. The the advantage to doing it this way is that we're really getting $1.6 million worth of equipment um at a cost of about $400,000 a year as opposed to buying it outright. Um

129so >> why do you say that? >> Well, this is a lease purchase, right? So what we're doing now is we're agreeing to with Boseies they're going to give us all of this equipment whatever the value of the equipment is and we're going to finance it over the space of the next four years in accordance with an RFP that they issued to banks to get the best financing rate. So it's kind of a win-win for both sides. Um, we also get aid >> um on this purchase at approximately 60% of the cost. Um, so not only do we get more equipment quicker, uh, we spread it out over the space of four years so that we pay the same amount each year for four years as opposed to one big lump sum one year. and

130we get aid. >> Mhm. Okay. Okay. So, thank you. So, I guess in the 2627 budget, we're we're getting the 800 Chromebooks, right? Because that's what this is. So, next year we have because it's the 26 27 is our year one and there's new Chromebooks. >> Yeah, that's that's a Mary question. >> That's correct. Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Any other discussion on this item? All those in favor? >> I I >> I. Motion carries 6. Can I have a motion for agenda item 3D1 to approve the corrective action plan with the amended changes as discussed in the audit committee? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Chris Ner is first. Carol Sehoff is second. All those in favor? I. I. Motion carries 6. Can I have a motion for agenda item 3 F1? Motion have Chris

131Aaron is first, >> Lizzie Cretz is is second. Um, any discussion on this item? >> Yes. >> Go ahead. >> I'm wondering what the reason for this training is at the end of his time in the district. >> Yes. and what what does the district gain out of this training? >> So, Mr. Draco, you want to give a synopsis of the training? >> Sure. The this is the annual meeting of the Association of School Business Officials of New York State. It's something I've attended every year for the past 30 something years, no matter which district I've worked in. Um, I bring back from this conference uh a slew of information about upcoming changes in law. Um, I attend conferences about the foil process as the records access officer. I attend conferences about payroll and changes

132in payroll. For example, this year a heavy topic at the conference will be the no tax on overtime well no tax on overtime that um Mr. Trump has proposed which really isn't a no tax on overtime. It's a very complicated system to implement. Um all of those things are being provided by experts in their field. Um, and it's to my advantage and the district's advantage to have that information brought back. >> So, in the 20 or so days remaining with your time in the district after that, we'll will benefit from >> Yeah, >> you'll have you'll have the information forever. Um, >> you may not have me forever, but you will have the information. >> You never know, he might be back. Um, >> stranger things have happened. >> Oh yeah. Here. Oh yeah. >>

133Um, Madame President, I als I also share the opinion of my fellow trustee um uh trustee Mesman and um what another member of the community and and also Trusty Nearing has just said um which is it it it's $850. And you know, Mr. Draone, I appreciate your services. I appreciate your service to the financial world of of school districts, but for the school district to pay $850 and it's it really is at the end of our commitment with you not knowing if you will be staying or not uh makes it a little bit difficult for me to be able to approve it at this time. >> That's my opinion. >> Any other discussion on this item? >> Well, you of course you'll be coming back and sharing the information. Who do you share it with?

134Of course, >> the rest of the administration or >> and my staff in the business office. Yes. >> So, the information obtained from here will also be beneficial to the staff in the business office. >> Absolutely. Yes. >> And to your successor. >> I'll tell you the truth. I wish that I could bring other staff with me as well to the conference. We just don't have the money in the line to do that. You'll remember that I put into the budget for next year a line for staff members to attend the SBMW, which is the school business management workshop, which is held in the fall. Um, that's a workshop where I would hope that we'd have a number of members of the business office staff on a rotating basis attend the conference. And I would

135also hope that there would be money in the budget for your next assistant superintendent for finance and operations to attend the annual meeting of the school business officials of New York State. Um the information that is provided is the only place that it can be gotten. Um the teachers retirement system comes and gives a workshop. The employees retirement system comes and gives a workshop um on the latest in law. Um, I think it's very valuable to me as well as to you. >> So, Mr. Done, will you document how the information and whom it was turnkey to? >> Sure. I would gladly give a report to the board of education upon my return if that's your wish. >> Any other questions or comments on this? >> All those in favor? I >> I >> All

136those opposed? >> Opposed? >> Motion carries. 42. >> At this point in time, can I have a motion to adjourn at 8:54? >> Motion. >> Second. >> Carol Zhoff. Liz. All those in favor? >> I motion carry six there. Thank you for joining us.