001Okay, welcome everyone. Can we please rise for the pledge? I >> pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Okay, we'll call the meeting to order. I'll open the meeting up to public comment for agenda items only. Okay, we'll close public comment. And tonight, it's my pleasure to welcome our elected student representative, Logan Carl. And I believe our district clerk is going to give you the oath of office. >> Okay. Stand. >> Okay. Logan, I'm just gonna um give you the statement. Raise your right hand, please. And >> throw yourself in there. >> And Mr. Fer is going to get a nice picture. I do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution
002of the United States and the Constitution of the State of New York and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of my position as student representative to the Highland Central School District according to the best of my abilities. >> Congratulations. Thank you so much. >> Logan will have a few words um when it's the student um comments. Just want to congratulate Logan. Uh I kind of know Logan from two sides. I know him as a just newly appointed firefighter in the Highland Fire District. Logan is going to serve uh as a he's not a we used to call him cadetses, but now he's a firefighter with restrictions. So, uh, he can do everything else a firefighter in the Highland Fire District can do, but we will not let him into a burning structure at this
003point in time. Uh, so he'll have all the training. Uh, we welcome aboard here as a student rep, but it's happy to see that you're involved in our community and you're involved in your school community as well. So, congratulations. Thank you. >> Okay. Um, we move forward with our consent items. uh EA1 to C2. And as usual, if uh anyone wants to pull a topic out or um resolution, we can pull that out. We can have a discussion. If uh you would like explanations and have any questions or anything that's on the consent agenda, just shout it out and hopefully we'll get an answer for you. Okay. Uh, I'll entertain a motion to accept our consent items. Motion by Tom, second by Jen. >> Any further questions? >> The only question I have is the
004extracurricular. Those are existing, correct? There's nothing new there. >> Correct. They were just ones that weren't filled in the spring when we did the the first round. Okay. >> Thank you. >> All right. We have a motion on the floor. We have a second. All those in favor? >> I opposed. So carry. >> And we'll move right into our principal's monthly report for the new school year. Start with the elementary school. >> Since we are starting with the elementary school, um, we just basically gave him tenure. Correct. Oh, go ahead, Mr. Fer. >> Yes. So I just want to recognize Mr. McCormack is with us this evening and uh so we just granted his tenure effective uh September 30th of 2025. Also this evening we have Victoria Baron, Tom Mau and Samantha Zapone and all
005of those candidates will be all of those tenures will be invited to our reception in June. So congratulations. [Applause] >> All right. Good evening everyone. Um, just one quick little addition, two quick little additions. I just want to say thank you to Mike, my head custodian at my building, and his staff for doing a phenomenal job of getting the building ready and looking amazing. The floor is looking like glass. So, like I they really I didn't think it was going to happen going into that week weekend. And uh, you know, they did a phenomenal job. So, the entire crew, hats off to them. And then the only other thing is just we kicked off our PBIS meeting tonight. So any questions? No. Thank you for a smooth opening to school. >> Weather helps. >> All
006right, folks. Good evening. Um quick update or addition, I should say. Um we gave out Chromebooks last Friday to our sixth graders and I want to thank Rich and his team for their support. they were there that like the first two days that the day we hand them out and the next day to make sure all of our sixth graders and seventh and eighth graders could log in which is very important and do all the things that they need to do. There was some increased security this year which was which which is great. Obviously we want our secure networks which added uh things to our passwords. Some middle school students who are used to having very simple passwords couldn't do that anymore. So they did a great job supporting us with that. So we really
007wanted to thank them for that. And obviously O and M uh same similar amazing jobs getting the building ready. Uh we have I think we have the best building in the building obviously. But it's it's so when they do it up nice it's beautiful uh vintage obviously and uh they crushed it. So thank you to them too. Uh that's all I got. Anybody have any questions? >> Thank you Andy. No problem. >> Good evening everybody. uh following suit. Just want to recognize our directors um with starting with athletics, you know, the coaches coming in uh over the summer to get that preseason going. Pete, amazing job and his crew getting the building ready. Um really staying on top of that capital project and making sure things are getting done right. Uh Rich, same thing with
008the Chromebooks and our chargers and getting our freshman squared away for the high school. Um John, thank you for the food service aspects, getting the meals, the breakfastes. because I know we had a little bit of a shift in, you know, working through and I know you guys have been doing great with the concession stand. Um, and lastly, Kathy um really working with me closely uh to get our timing down with Boseies being that they are a little bit further away. Kathy has been amazing in making that happen and we have our late buses up and running. So, thank you to everybody. Um, that's it for my additions. >> Any questions from the high school board? Just quickly, you mentioned the concession stand. So, are we opening that after school? Um, >> it was 15
009years. >> Okay. So, just for the game, >> just a single soccer game without out there right now. >> Oh, awesome. That's great. >> Yeah. So, the first home football game, the line was from the window to the back fence of the uh football field. So, that was pretty cool to see. >> Yeah, that's good. >> So, it's been doing pretty well then. >> Cool. So long as the line was being processed. No. Yeah, they were they were knocking it out. >> I'm sure we're having growing pains and you're talking about all of that, but it was great to see that the people will come out. That's for sure. >> Absolutely. >> Has been spectacular. So, >> good. Thank you. Anybody else? >> Thank you, Brandon. >> Yes. >> Okay. Our directors, uh, we have
010all our directors here this evening. So, like usual, if you have questions, uh, shout them out to our director and we'll get the answers. I think just in general with HVAC in the spaces where we have cooling, are they all working at 100%. There's been some hot days and >> uh Mr. Miller, they all commission. >> I declined to answer that question. They fired them up last week, started running them. They're finetuning them now. They're in balancing, doing the balancing and everything they have to do on them. You can go into areas and you will find that the temperature is cooler than it was, but it's everything's not perfect yet. >> We don't have it. It's not all tied into the building management system yet either. So, we can't see what it's doing, but it's
011working. The next big step is getting the heat up and running. >> Anybody else? >> Yeah. Uh Kathy, how' the uh buses go the first couple days? >> It was a dream. seem to be. Yes, there is. Thank you. >> I know we have a slight issue with the Boseies run just because they're up and running a new facility and >> yeah because they were a little bit further away and you know that was something that um I've been working with with Joel Salamone who's the one of the directors up there and Kathy and we we've got it in a good place. Yes. um so that there is no disruption from what we've been doing previous years. >> So our departure time going there and coming back is all back to what it's been prior
012to them moving. >> And while we're talking about the new Wily's uh lab up there, uh any feedback from students >> and it's been it's been a mix. Um I think the kids are very eager to get into you know diving into their programs. So, I think that, you know, some final touches definitely need to kind of take place for that to happen. Um, but that's like the main thing is that they just want to really get into to the work and they're not really there yet. >> Okay. >> Anybody else? >> Yeah. In our outlook, has trans uh transportation driver shortage, has that affected our instructional program at all? Like any approved field trips for the year been cancelled in the foreseeable? I don't believe so. >> Any field trips that have been come
013coming to you, we've been able to >> There's only one that I didn't know if I could do yet. There was a trip to Terry Town in there >> and I told them I didn't know if I could do it yet. Right now, we have to put it on hold. We just don't have the people staff. It is very difficult. It is a challenge for drivers right now. >> Just don't have them. They're not out there. So, you mentioned um you know some schools do outsource before they short their instructional program. Is that a possibility? And I don't need an answer now. >> I mean, I think it's a possibility, but I think some of those outsource places are having the same difficulties with drivers. I know my wife works in another district and that's
014all uh it's contracted and they're having driver issues as well, driver shortages. I mean Kathy might be able to speak more to that. So, I have spoke to co-workers in other schools and contractors and they are having the same difficulty. >> They'd like to help, but they just have such a driver shortage. >> In my home school, too, you know, in Allenville, they were very late today. short staff just >> we've made a lot of um we've made a lot of gains with firefighters, volunteer firefighters receiving certain benefits, exemptions to tax and that type of thing. I this is such a shortage that we might have to move in that direction. If you're a I don't know public bus driver, then we we have to start reaching out to our legislators. have to incentivize this
015because the industry has an issue. >> Correct. >> No, I don't I don't disagree with that. And I know I think Kathy most of our training is all free of charge to to the new hirees. >> Yeah. So, and I know we are in such desk destitute drivers, but the federal motor carrier has put even more restrictions on getting your license. It's not just DMV or do it's the federal motor carrier between physicals and the training program that we have to go through is a minimum of two months. Everything has to be documented, filed and entered in a in a system in a computer system and you have to take not only the driving parts of it, you have to do an online course. Now for >> is this specifically for schools or industrywide? If
016I drove a bus for the city of Alburn? >> Yes. Yes to >> for everything. This is even truck drivers. >> Doesn't matter what city. >> We got to be able to identify, you know, it's all in the guys of safety, but at the same time, overregulation we know can strangle an industry as well. >> It's doing that. >> Yeah, it is doing that because this used to be for the retired person and we have plenty of people, but now the retired people are like, we're not going through all those classes. So let's keep this type of conversation in mind when when those BOSIES meetings uh happen regionally because we want our other board fellow board members of other districts to to hear about this. They're facing the same issues and try to create a
017collective voice behind that. Thanks. >> Um I know we've touched on a bunch of our directors. Frank, anything on on athletics that we should be updated with and everything's running >> just very busy. I mean, tonight we have a double header soccer. The boys won overtime. The girls will probably start in about 10 minutes. And uh tomorrow we have modified football. And then Friday football. So it's going by quick though the last two weeks. So >> And fields are doing field is doing okay up there. Other fields that we're using are all good. >> Yep. Yep. Everything's p everybody's practicing. Facility is fine. Um >> there are some areas that have been worked on and are still incomplete. Do we have a time frame part? I think some of the area where they moved the
018steeple isn't there. Is everything sewn together over there? I thought I saw some flaps or something going on. >> I was going to reach out to Mr. Miller to give us an update. >> Um the staple chase was relocated. It was uh paved black topped. We had to wait. We have to wait 28 days before they could put the rubber coating down. That's scheduled for the week of the 29th. That's four or five days. >> Close. Yeah. >> Four or five days to do that. And then um >> All right. >> As soon as it's done and it cures in very short period of time, the white lines dry, it's usable again. So that's >> Have we accepted this field? >> We have. I think they've gotten a the punch list all completed on the
019actual field. I'm not sure if the track was 100% yet. >> Support services is is apprised of all that information. >> Yes. >> Thank you. >> Yes. >> Cool. >> Okay. Any other questions for our directors? >> Thank you all. And the moment we've been waiting for. >> All right, everybody. Bear with me. This is the first one. Uh well, so we'll start in the elementary school and the elementary school gives its thanks to the PTA for donating over $850 worth of books to the fill the book vending machine. Students can earn a special coin to select a free book and this contribution will ensure that many students have the joy of taking home something new to read. The PTA also made kindergarten orientation extra special by providing a beautiful backdrop and balloon arch, creating
020a wonderful photo opportunity for all of our students and families. We should all be very grateful for their thoughtfulness and support. On to the middle school. Middle school students are excited to be back in school and are ready and already are diving into their learning. On Friday, September 5th, our sixth graders received their Chromebooks. With a little bit of trial and error, they were able to create safe and secure passwords. We'd like to give a special thank you to our tech department for their support in making sure that the roll out went smoothly. This year, three Highland High School seniors, Cameron Dutra, Hayden Hans, and Emily Berianne, are bringing a new club to the middle school called Chitchat. Each week, they'll spend time during lunch with middle school students, giving them the chance to connect
021with older peers in a safe and inclusive space. The goal is to provide support, guidance, and encouragement, and to show our Highland Middle School students that they have role models at the high school who are once in their shoes. We are very grateful to these high school students for helping to make the middle school an even more supportive place for all. Clubs at the middle school also began last week and students are looking forward to another great year of extracurricular opportunities. This year's offerings include science club, art club, inter murals, chess club, GSA, jazz band, multicultural club, drama club, national junior honor society, peer leadership, reading club, the school newspaper, school store, yearbook club, and student council. And now moving on to the high school. The class of 2026 kicked off their final year of
022high school with the tradition of senior sunrise. On September 4th at 6:15 a.m., seniors gathered on the walkway over the Hudson to watch the sunrise together as a class. It was a memorable way to start the year. And we thank both senior class officers, advisers, and the PTA for helping to make this event special by providing snacks for everyone who attended. And a huge thank you to the Walkway Over the Hudson for opening their gates early for the senior class. And then that's all I have for today. >> That's a lot. >> Thank you, Logan. Any questions? >> Yeah, Logan. Um, being that the device policy was so new, how are classes going? Uh, you find that your fellow students are pretty cooperative with the new policy and expectations. >> I think the policy has
023been going well so far. It's definitely helping the classroom staying more focused, engaged. There are, you know, students are upset that they there's no more free time to use your phones. Last year we were able to have them in lunch and in study halls and I think I've seen maybe a little more phones get taken away away this year so far, but I'm sure that it'll smooth over at a point. >> Let them make sure it was Albany, not their school board. >> Yeah, >> I think that's a lot of people don't really realize that it was Albony. >> Yeah, September. Very good. Thank you. Thanks. Great job. >> Anyone else? Okay, thank you, Logan. We'll go to our assistant soup, Dr. Boyd. >> I'm in trouble this year having to follow Logan every day,
024so we might have to switch up the orders. >> We could do that. >> Um, yeah, I think you kind of heard throughout all the buildings um the word smooth was um pretty consistent in all them. So, our opening um I would say went really well. Um and again a tribute to all of the the you know players and planners uh in this. So it's a lot of planning over the summer that starts really in the spring. Um so to have a nice smooth opening uh was great for the students uh and for the faculty. Um the cell phones has seemed to gone pretty well so far. You know, as Logan commented, um I've been doing walkthroughs with the building principles through all the classrooms. Um you know, from me coming in, I didn't see
025any. Obviously, you know, it might have been I'm doing a walkthrough, you know, and we're looking at all those classrooms. Um, but, uh, it was nice to see as an administrative team, um, we picked student engagement as our focus this year. Um, which really works nicely with that, uh, reduction of the cell phone. So, we're going to see, um, how much this helps with student engagement. It's going to be our focus, um, when we're meeting with teachers and talking with them. Um, and one thing you're going to hear me talk about um, a lot this year and uh, it's coming out from New York State is more and more about the portrait of a graduate. Uh, I'm going to have a more detailed presentation and information for you guys in October. Uh, I'll be attending
026the Niscus um, conference uh, in two weeks and we're hopeful to get a few more updates on that. Um, but I'm going to kind of lay out where we are so far in this process. Um, we are pretty early on. They didn't really adopt the portrait of graduate until July of this year. Um, so they got they laid out a timeline which has kind of been adjusted throughout. Um, but I'll I'll go over all that in October. Um, we'll wait and see if we get some more information. Um, and kind of what that's going to look like over the next few years uh for full implementation of that. >> Any questions for Dr. Boy? >> Okay. Thank you. or superintendent. >> All right. So, I get to follow all the principles, the student rep and
027the assistant superintendent. So, I'm going to say also smooth was the first thing on my list and I'm going to prove it to you by showing you that that's what it said because I don't want to sound like a broken record, but we had an extremely smooth opening. Um, so thank you to everyone involved. Uh, just things that have maybe not been mentioned. Uh, we uh want to thank transportation. They got all of our bus drills done in those first couple of days of school. And uh we talked already about our buildings and grounds and the crew to get our fields and our buildings up to speed very quickly with a lot not a lot of uh time after the building project uh culminated at the end of the summer. So far, we've had uh
028all of our elementary and middle school openhouse nights, and they were very well attended. Tomorrow night is the high school at starting at 6 pm. Uh district administration, as Patrick said, will be attending the Niscus uh conference at the end of the month on Sunday, September 28th through Tuesday the 30th. And then just a a thanks as far as I went to the first football game and it was a proud moment to see the stands filled, but that did not get done just because we had a we had a lot of people behind the scenes, including our athletic director making sure that folks were where they needed to be. Our technology team worked uh tirelessly to make sure that the sound was good. Buildings and grounds, they always do a wonderful job. food service also
029out there uh getting that concession stand up and going and our business office. He doesn't get uh shouted out very often, but he uh made all of the pieces come together on the on the back end. So, thank you to all those folks. Tomorrow, uh Mr. Opitz and I have the honor of uh joining our new student rep at a breakfast at Olster Boseies. Uh this is actually a statewide session. It's going to be telecasted from uh the commissioner's office with a a series of speakers and some training for all of the student reps. So student reps are not a new thing to us in Highland. We've had them for 10 or 15 years now, but this is a new mandate across the state. So the commissioner wanted to make sure she rolled out a
030welcome to all those student reps. So we'll be meeting tomorrow morning at Boseies and we're looking forward to that. And that's all that I have. >> Any questions for the superintendent? Okay. I would be remiss if I didn't mention our business official. Desmond. You'd like to say a few words of how opening the schools going and your department. >> So, I'm going to start off with the same word everybody wrote down, smooth. Um, >> figured that, >> but we're, you know, we're kind of the quiet smooth. It's accounting department. We, you know, we do a lot of things behind the scenes. And thank you, Joel, for making that giving me that compliment there. A couple of things that have happened um within these last couple of weeks. One, we got the taxes out. So folks,
031everybody should be happy that we sent out the tax bills. Uh number two, more importantly, we got the state >> sword, but it is got >> um all the state reports were sent out and submitted on time. Joel certified them last week or on the 5th. So we've got all our state aid information in the portal. Just waiting for the state to kind of review it, make sure everything's up to snuff. Um the audit has been finalized. We will do our presentation to the audit committee in October. We're going to run through those numbers and we'll like to give them ahead of time so we can probably talk about some of the issues we want to discuss. Um the internal audit will kick off in October, November. We're going to do the risk assessment which
032we've done before and they're going to look at state aid which was one of the items they had talked about. And um finally in October which we're working on now will be the budget calendar which we'll put out. I know everybody said yay to that. I can see that. But that's what we're working on now. So smooth. >> It's never ending. It's like the Macy's Day parade. I start planning the day after. It's like the budget. >> It's true. >> Thank you, Desmond. And again, it's still on my radar. And I mean, this would be uh director of transportation. This would be uh Peter Miller and also Desmond. Uh we're three months away from starting our budget calendar in January. uh we still have that issue where uh come 2027 and that's the budget we're
033working on starting in January about electric uh vehicles. So, we need to get some kind of direction hopefully from the governor's office and state education where we're going in that direction because I don't think this district wants to, you know, uh be shocked by some mandates that might come down and we're not prepared to have that >> right now. Even if we wanted to, it's not executable. >> Well, we need we need that direction. I got to move on that. But anyway, thank you for your report, Desmond. Um, anybody have any questions for Desmond? Okay, we'll move on to board of education new under new business spe special education district plan. Be it resolved the board of education upon the recommendation of superintendent approves the September 2025 special education district plan as presented to the
034board at this meeting. Can I have a motion, please? Motion by Janine, second by Tom. Any discussion? >> Uh, just well put together. Nice job. Nice job. I'm sorry. >> That's a plan that gets updated every two years. >> Okay. Any other questions? All those in favor? >> I opposed. So carried. >> Okay. Hey, under all business. Um, in front of you, you have our board of education goals and mission statement. I know we had some discussion at our last meeting. Um, we're a little short staffed at that meeting. Uh, I know Ed's not here this evening, but I'd like to move this forward tonight so we don't keep uh dragging our mission statement and our board goals and district goals. So, um, kind of put everything together and the first paragraph, which would be
035the board of education mission statement and goals. Um, the mission statement, the Highland Central School District Board of Education is committed to fostering a safe, supportive, and respectful environment where all students are empowered to think critically, act compassionately, and thrive as productive global citizens. We provide equable equitable access to highquality education that nurtures academic achievement, creative and athletic passions and social emotional well-being being guided by a long-term vision of advocacy, belonging, and excellence. We prepare students for success in higher education, skilled trades, and lifelong learning. Always honoring the values and resources of our community. I know at one point we were um going to strike global out of citizens. Mike, I know you you had mentioned that. I mean, where's everybody feel with what we just presented? All right. Right to you. If everybody likes
036it, I'm I'm good with leaving it in. >> I would love to say go away. >> Go away. >> You know, as soon as I see global, I think American. Why shouldn't it say American citizen? Why shouldn't I? You know, but that's one out of seven. >> Two out of seven. >> Anyone else? >> I think it's move it. >> Yeah. >> Move it as in the way it reads. Remove it. Say citizens. >> Thrive and thrive as productive citizens. For what it's worth, I'd like to see it stay just so I have my voice out there, but I know I'm outnumbered. >> Based on earlier conversations and some other stuff that was put out there, I also would like to see it removed. >> I would agree. So, we're going to remove global. >>
037Yeah, we'll just say citizens and we're going to we're okay with the mission statement. read it several times. I think >> it is longer than than normal, but I think it's well well prepared. I mean, it touches on everything that we've been talking about over the years. Um, and I'm okay with it. >> I like the whole document. Quite frankly, I think it's going to span more than one year. So, I see that 26 there, but I start thinking about SE only because I like seeking fair and cost-effective contract settlements. We got nothing to they're all in play. We've got nothing to negotiate. But I said, well, come next year and the year after, we're going to be involved in that. So, anyway, just just thoughts on that. But >> we're all good with the
038uh the board of education goals and our district roles. We haven't touched our mission statement or this in a good good number of years. So I think it's it's best that we uh update it and try to achieve uh our goals as a board of education and to push uh all the stakeholders into our district goals. >> I think the mission statement is good. It like you said it is long. Um, but when I look at it, I can't see anything to take away. So, >> all right. We're all good with it as a consensus. So, we'll move this forward. Uh, it'll be put on our website. I don't we don't need a a motion to move it. I think we're consensus here that we're we're going to move this move it forward. So this
039will go on our website >> first thing tomorrow >> website should be communicated with staff you know everybody >> can I just want to bring up the last bullet under the board of education goals monitor government's practices to avoid micromanaging do we need to include the part that says to avoid micromanaging I just feel like monitor governance practices >> do I have parentheses around that I have it too >> I just >> I think it's like a sixth finger let's lock that off Sorry. Sorry about that. That could be removed. >> The last the last uh part of that just monitor governance practice. >> Oh >> yeah. Not striking the whole thing. >> Yeah. Just got it. >> Micromanaging. Somebody needs to communicate with us. >> Yeah. And I think it's one thing this board
040I don't believe has micromanaged uh the running of the district. Um, and as far as I can remember, others might say yes, but I say we have it. Okay, so we'll put that aside. I want to thank everyone for your input. Uh, it took us three months, three or four months. I mean, we really we started the process back in December, but we really didn't kick it off again until uh late spring. early summer. Okay. Uh board retreat. I'd ask Joel, well, I mentioned at our last meeting, I think we're going to have a board retreat coming up soon. Joel is going to look for a facilitator. I think that'll be beneficial. Uh we'll find a venue that's uh nearby that we can uh sit down, have the facilitator uh present some topic for us
041to have discussion. basics for a retreat is not to hash out what we're discussing uh at our board meetings, but to kind of find a way where we can improve what we're doing as a board. So, uh once we get someone that we can bring on board, we'll float out some dates to everyone to see if we're all available and then we'll set it up. I'm gonna say uh before the end of the year we'll we'll have something in place or maybe sooner than that. Okay. Um anybody have anything else for old or new business? Uh miscellaneous under correspondence. I just want to I ran into a retired fizzed teacher from the Highland Central School District many years ago. Um she asked me if the board and any future plans for um a pro a
042capital project would reentering tennis courts back on our campus. Um she feels that tennis is a lifetime sport. If we can, you know, engage our students during, you know, fizzed classes or whatever it may be on campus to participate, that would be beneficial to all our student body. Um, I said I'd bring it forward to the board in the future if there is a capital project uh who's still sitting here um might have that conversation and try to implement that. uh at some point in time. I think the board's going to have to um consider a future capital project. I'm not saying it's going to be this year, but there are items that on our list, you know, we have priority priority one, two, and three. Still some of those priority items that haven't been
043accomplished yet. uh as we move forward, you know, there's every day there's a change in technology, there's change in um building setups and so so um we have to keep that in mind. >> Unless we were given some land, I can't even imagine where we would fit two. We probably need at least two courts on, let's say, if you want to grow your team. Well, there was there was conversation at one point in time during this past project of of uh looking for we have 56 acres, 58 acres. I mean, a lot of it the the mountain behind us um to the west of us to may possibly if our if our bus fleets grow and we need a larger maintenance facility is to try to move that up to that tier. And then it
044does open up some space adjacent to where the former tennis courts were. So you need a a footprint probably the size of that turf practice field to put >> three three courts in. >> The parking needs back there are so any space that >> No, it is. But I said I just for the board and >> Yeah. Very good. >> Open up that conversation. along those lines, I guess. Um, when do we look to do like an update? And I don't know if it's even really an update, but just a refresh with the kind of like the fiveyear because I think that kind of >> one more year, one more year >> really because that looks at right when you have a dip in that debt and can kind of fill it in and then
045it's really up to us to decide like can you wait that long for a project or do we need to consider earlier, >> right? um I think is where it starts, right? >> Absolutely. And I think our our our five-year plan uh for a new five-year plan would be in 2026. >> Is that early enough or I mean there's nothing saying you can't refresh it this year, right? And just correct >> add it add the extra year on. >> Do you want to resurrect the uh the current five-year plan? We just send copies out to all of us. I guess I just asked the needs of an additional capital project. Are we thinking that those are we don't want to wait too long if they're needs that are there that need to be met? >>
046I mean, I think the one thing that we need to be cognizant of is we need to close out the current project so that all of that those aids uh that the aid starts to flow back into the district, we can bring in Bernard Donigan's office to do a presentation again so that we have an idea of when that next round of debt is falling off. It's not anytime in the >> anytime soon >> in the real soon future. But we also have monies in that um capital reserve fund that we could do a small project with something there. But uh that would have to be identified. I think a building condition survey is probably in order at the conclusion of this project. So maybe the first thing of like beginning of next year, so
047the beginning of 2026, the support services committee just looking at really what the needs are and are there really emergency ones that we need to I mean when you say emergency, right? Even if we started doing a plan right now, >> by the time you actually end up in construction is how long from now, right? So, um, maybe that's where we start is just let this close out this year and then beginning in next year have support services make that one of their priorities is to look at what's left on that list in addition to whatever else has been identified. >> And there were aspects of our current bond issue um that we identified prior to going in, but they had to fall off because of costs, >> right? >> So, there's those that would
048be probably be priority one back on. There are several there that fell off the list because of of the cost restraints >> and then sorry >> we're under other constraints whether you can only do certain amount of work at each site. So that I don't know that the support services committee or I am versed enough in what those numbers are. I think that's where you'd get your financial adviserss in to give you the the idea of >> I think first regardless like we need to look if we need you know a I'm just throwing out there a boiler here regardless of what aid we're going to get we're going to need it one way or another so we just need to identify that first and then say okay does that fit within if not we
049know it's going to cost more >> you're going to >> we have reached out to our fiscal advisers to do a presentation that's going to be hopefully either October November, but we have reached out to them because the last one was with the previous administrator and I wanted to have one so that way we can use it as a platform to go forward with some of the financial things we're doing. >> Okay, great. Thank you. >> Okay, anybody have anything else for uh miscellaneous good and welfare of the district? >> Okay, I'll open the meeting up to public comment general items. Mary, she's hiding behind She's right behind me. >> All right. Um, no public comment. We'll close public comment and I'll ask the board for motion to adjurnn. >> Motion by second by >>
050I had one other item I forgot. >> I should have wrote it down to vote on it. wanted to um is the board interested in sending so pet primatorium was withdrawn or all that right it's a former issue but I appreciate the work done with our colleagues at the town is there a way we could send a letter to Dave Clav check al I'm just saying you know highland school board thanks the work of the town and its committees on the pet crematorium project and uh we appreciate all they do something like There is a public hearing coming up soon where the town's going to in simple terms not allow any crematorium in the in the town. I think that's coming up this week or next week. Yeah. >> Okay. We have a motion to
051adjourn from Jen, second by Heather. All those in favor? >> I opposed. So carried. >> Want to thank everyone for coming out this evening. Enjoy the new school year and see you at the next meeting.