HCSD Special BOE Budget Meeting 5 28 25

001Good evening everyone. Today is um May 28th and this is a special meeting of the board of education. Would you please stand and join me in honoring America and join me in reciting 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. Before we start our uh proposed budget, um I'd like to make a motion that after the presentation, we allow a period for public comment and the scope will be limited to just the budget presentation. So that would be up to the board if they want to hear from the public because it's not on the agenda currently. So we would have to have a motion for the limited scope of discussing

002the budget. Can I second? All in favor? I opposed abstensions. All right. So, I'll turn it over for the uh proposed revised 2526 budget. I'm just waiting for the projector will be coming on. So just uh as we give a little oversight, this presentation is built off of the board giving us direction that seven cents or better was acceptable to the board for every member from the last board meeting. Uh throughout our presentation, we will show that we've always tried to do a little bit better and there's not much else that we can do without getting in staff and program. So this presentation will go over some of the questions that we had as well as uh will give a sum up of where we are at and this is the final budget presentation. The

003budget must be adopted tonight in order to meet the statutory requirements. Uh in addition if uh there is any change I hope there would not be you will be here until we are done at whatever hour of the night because we will have to open up our books as well. We have done everything, my team and I, to put this budget as best as possible with the given circumstances that we have without impacting the livelihood of individuals that are currently employed. So, without further ado, board of education special meeting. Here is our budget and we'll start off with going over some questions and I'll ask Katie and Tony. Let's see. There we go. All right. Good evening everyone. Um throughout the course um of our budget presentations um we've heard from the community some questions

004um about how our taxes are calculated as we did last year. As we heard questions from the community, we wanted to take a few minutes to talk through it, address it, and hope to um bring some clarity to the questions. Um, so if you're going to indulge me, I'm going to take us all into the weeds a little bit of the calculation of the school tax rates. So, school districts, as we know, our revenue comes from two sources, state aid and tax revenue. Pretty much a 50/50 split besides the um million or so we get from other sources, but those are that's it for us. Taxes and state aid. The tax levy, we're bound to a tax levy. that's set by the New York State uh comproller. The tax levy limit is the highest allowable

005tax levy that a district can propose as part of its annual budget based on the calculation. We've talked during our budget presentations that there's that 2% inflationary cap within the calculation. Um, as we know, inflation has been very difficult the last few years, but we've still been capped at that 2% which limits our ability to grow along with the cost of doing business. So, two options to pass a tax levy. If we stay within the calculation, we need a simple simple 50% majority to adopt it. If we choose to challenge the calculation and ask the community to assist us with providing more um in tax revenue, we need a 60% supermajority approval. Our tax levy um we see in our calculation we walk through at every meeting is distributed amongst the seven municipalities that make

006up our school district um using the various components of the levy itself, information from the assessors and information from uh New York State Tax and Finance. I've also provided a link here um at the bottom for anyone who's interested. That's a link to the New York State Controllers website. Um walks you through uh the calculation of the tax levy is a guidance tool that's available. Okay. So the C the calculation I'm going to go go a little slow. Um I just want to make sure I'm explaining it clearly and letting people absorb what I'm saying. Uh so just bear with me. Uh so the levy is the calculation that again we see every year that we we go through the controllers calculation. The final assessed values are received from the assessors um for our seven

007municipalities um that make up our district. The New York State equalization rate is provided by uh the office of real property tax services. Um and it's essentially a ratio determined by the state that compares what a municipality is saying the level of assessment is to what the state says the market value is. If you are um assessment is less than market then your equalization rate is under 100. If your assessed value is more than market which we don't typically see your equalization rate will be above 100%. And if you are at 100% that means that your assessment equals market value. So the equalization rate allows for the equitable distribution of taxes based upon uh the market value of each municipality within the district. There is a let's see more specifically um I don't typically like

008to read out loud but I did want to take a moment to read from um New York State Tax and Finance that probably more eloquently than I um explains this. In order for a school district to fairly distribute its property tax levy, which is the total amount of taxes to be collected, the levy needs to be divided in proportion to the total market value of each municipal segment. This allows for equitable distribution of taxes based upon the market value of each municipality. So again, that's what that equalization rate does. Takes the assessed value, converts it to market. So this is our uh tax chart that the board uh reviews and adopts every August. Uh this takes all the information that I talk I talked about and runs it through a variety of calculation to come

009up with the tax rates that each municipality is taxed on. So um there's things labeled up there um A through H. So A is the tax levy that's based on the calculation. This is 2425 to step back. This is actual 2425 and not not anything projected for next year. So for 2425 our levy based on the controllers calculation was $47.8 million. That's the amount of money we are seeking in revenue from our community that will be aortioned through the seven municipalities that make up our district. Column B, those are the assessed values that we receive from each municipality. Those are finalized in August and submitted to the district uh for the calculation of our taxes. Column C is the equalization rate that we received from New York State over the summer. Um they run their

010process. they work with the assessors to um either agree or disagree on the level of assessment versus the equalization rate with the state having the final say. So those two numbers are then used to convert the assessed value to full market value. So if you look down below, I use town of big flats as an example to follow through the formula. So if you take the assessed value, divide it by that equalization rate provided, multiply it by 100 because it is a percentage that converts big flats assessed values from $883 million to $999 million market value from assessed to market. column E then prorates each municipality share of that full market value. So, if you look at, let's see, where am I here? Um, town of Big Flats again, the market value, $999 million divided

011by the $2.9 billion gives Big Flats its share based on market value um of the total market of the of the school district. Column F then takes that amount, those percentages, and distributes them um over the levy. So you see the 47.8 million, it's a little bit less than the 47.820 you see above that we calculated for the levy. And that's because of that omitted tax number you see at the top, the 1,229. that is due to some sort of clerical error or something of that nature where uh someone should have been taxed that amount but was not. It'll be caught up on their future tax bill. So that is not being aortioned out to everybody else in the district. So we take out those omitted taxes because they belong to somebody else and only

012aortion out the difference. Column G take that aortioned amount from column F divides it into our starting point of column B into the assessments times a,000 because our rates are per thousand which comes up with for big flats in this example the $18.3. So it's complicated. There's a lot of pieces that go into it, but it's a calculation that takes the levy that the board agrees on to raise revenue for our district. It takes into the account the assessments from all of our municipalities that we don't take part in. It's all their separate work. And the state provided equalization rates, which again, we do not take part in. It all comes from New York State. Goes through that ver those various formulas. The math is down below so you can see what's multiplied, what's divided,

013what's behind the scenes in those calculations to come up with those numbers. Any questions? Um, one thing I do want to point out specifically about the town of Big Flats because we did receive some questions about that. There's a section on the bill um about a uniform percentage that said 100%. When we see up here that the state's equalization rate for big flats was actually 88%. Tax bills reflect the municipalities determination of level of assessment. It does not reflect the equalization rate. Big flats submitted to the state 100% the state disagreed said 88%. So that's what we have to calculate the tax on. But the tax bill itself reflects the number that the assessor submitted to the state which was the 100%. So big flats was a little different because the state and the municipality

014didn't didn't agree this particular tax year. But Katie, if you can just also explain that 1802 when you go through it. Yes, that's what they'll see. But it is equalized to the full value of 1594. So everybody is paying their equal share the bill. Yep. So right. So before we hit that, yes. Any questions on the formula itself? We've never really walked through it. in this depth. Okay. So, as Dr. Douglas was um starting to get to, um we've talked a lot during the course of our presentation about, you know, just for round nice numbers, $100,000 home. So, this is an example of a $100,000 home in each of our municipalities. Baldwin, I will say, has been removed um because it's a little little different. We have a teeny tiny piece of Baldwin. You'll see

015the assessed value is $2,800. So, it didn't really fit into the illustration I was trying to serve here. So, Baldwin was removed from this illustration. But looking at each municipality, if your house was assessed at $100,000, the state would then apply the equalization rate or we would apply the equalization rate when we um set your taxes. So, for example, big flats assessor says your house is worth $100,000. State is actually saying your market value is $13,000. Aaron, $100,000. State is actually saying your market value is 172. Catelyn was the only one who was um at 100% which means the assessor and the estate agreed that they were at 100%. So $100,000 assessed home was also a $100,000 market value. The tax rates are then applied to the taxable assessed, not the market value. The market

016value is used to determine the rate itself. But when it comes time to be taxed, those tax rates go back to the assessed value, not the market value. If you were to take the full value, the full market value, and apply the full value tax rate, the 1594, just for this illustrative purpose, the math does work out the same, and the payment is the same. Any questions on this piece? Yes. So, from what it looks like um in the breakdown, these different areas are going to end up paying different amounts than the overall than what you're saying. Yes. So really like when we're when we're looking at the budget and we're saying that it's going up by x amount really like for the people of Aaron that's a pretty significant difference. I I understand it's

017not our fault but that is um like a $10 difference in their thing. So, what we're saying tonight when we do it and we're adding the cents, do they get like an extra 10 cents per I I I believe and Katie will speak to it. You see the tax rate per thousand? Yeah. But that's equalized to the$1594. So, they're all paying the 1594. If you go up say 7 cents that601 it will just be equalized that their number may be different but they're paying the same exact amount as the same value at full value as anybody else. Yeah. I mean, I think that it's kind of confusing and I think that when people get their tax bills, that's why we that's, you know, they're going to see it maybe differently. And then I think that

018it's interesting to see that the equalization rate, the lower that it goes, the higher it makes it look for the full value calculation. That's interesting. This is this is good information, you know. I Mhm. And it's it's good to try to do the as detailed as possible. I think that um I think you're just up against a hard place with when people get their bills, you know, because I don't think they're really, you know, understanding all of this. It's it's a lot to learn and understand just for a second. So Katrina, you you asked a good question. So I'm using Aaron right now. Yeah. So, Aaron, $100,000 home taxable assessed value the state says is worth 172. Yeah. But we apply the 2748 to the 100,000 which means that that individual property would have a

019tax of $274859. Remember we said the tax on true is what's comparable. That's the equal amount to 1594. So if you take 172.4 times 15.94, it equals $2,7485. And that's just rounding errors right there. So I just want to be clear. You may see a higher number, but it's the same exact equal number that's applied depending on the equalization rate to every single resident across this district. And that equalization rate number of 1594 is how districts are compared to one another. So we're at 1594. Corning's at 2157. Elmyra is at 19 I think 1990. Right? That means a house in horse heads has less taxes than each of those because the tax on true or the the 1594 tells you how you compare at each district. The hard part and you're right people get confused

020by that tax rate per thousand that they see. They'll sit there and they don't see everybody's tax bill but then they'll say how come I'm paying 27 but and it could be literally a house right across the line and you're paying 19. The hard part is that's true, but they're actually paying the same amount because the state forces the equalization. So, it's apples for apples, not apples and oranges. Okay. So, if um so when people get their bills in the mail, are they getting this rate on there? They get whatever comes from the town and the town will put their equalization rate and put it on their format. And then usually they will call us. we will sit down and pull out the whole bill and if they want they come in and sit down

021with us and I will tell you once they sit down with either Katie, Terry, Ann or Megan, they come out and they understand it a little easier because it's one-on-one. Unfortunately, everybody in the district will not necessarily do that. So, we don't that rate is what will show up on your bill. Yes, this is the rate that shows up on the bill. So, that's kind of a hard thing to but that's what it's always been. So, do we get to have as a district any say on what goes onto the bill? No. So, then maybe when we do the presentations, maybe breaking it down like this so people see it because, you know, I think that if I lived in Aaron and I'm hearing 15 and then I get this, that's not really building a

022good trusting. Well, I know it's nobody's fault. I'm saying when you look at it, that's a hard thing to do to try to help people to say, "Yeah, this is what we're doing." But Katrina, you approved this and the whole board last year, so we do do it. This is I'm just saying if we could get it on the bill to somehow reflect or if we do end up making a breakdown so people can see, then maybe they will feel a little better today. Yeah, they might they might feel a little better. That's all. Yeah. So, Katrina, this is what the board sees every year. Absent the big flats illustration. This is what the board sees every year when it's time to um approve the rate so we can get the bills out. When we

023go through budget development, we do to your point talk about the full value. That's like I said earlier the full that's really the only true mechanism of comparison to other districts and things from the past because of the fluctuations and equalization rates and assessment values and things like that. Um it is part of the full calculation that we do. We do say see that information as far as what the other rates could be. I mean I think it's I I understand what you're saying to me. I'm just I know it's I think do you you know what I'm saying? So like basically if we wanted to go to our municipality then we can do that. We can challenge them to give us a different equalization rate. We can't challenge them. No, we have no part

024in their assessments. Well, I know we can't. I mean, we as a public person could go to the meetings and there's a grievance procedure for your own property. Yes. Right. Um but yeah, I just think that it's Well, you heard what I said. You know what I mean? I appreciate this. I think it's good information to show people. I think um you know this this is great to be able to see and and and we do see this in August when we approve these tax rates every year or and or when we yeah when we approve the tax rates. Um, but maybe to uh Katrina's point, maybe after that meeting in August when we um do approve these, maybe there's some sort of like slide deck or video that could be put out on our

025website that people to help prepare people for what to see when they're going to get their tax bills, right? Um because, you know, I mean, I don't know how many people are watching or listening tonight, but you know, there's probably there's a lot of people that aren't. Um, so maybe that's something that we can do after we approve it in August because we because we see this every August and anybody who comes to our board meetings in August will see it, but um not in not everybody. So just gives another resource, right? Um I do have so there's also a link provided um to the uh New York State Office of Real Property Tax Services specific to equalization rates. that's we've also provided for people to go out and read. There is an example they

026provide um similar to what we've um illustrated here that if I could just walk through. So town A, town B. Town A has assessed values of $10 million. Town B has assessed values of $10 million. Equalization of town B is 33.33. Town B is 50%. That makes town A's market value 30 million, town B's market value 20 million. Based on the whole calculation, the percentage of the market value for each town, town A is 60%, town B is 40%. the levy to be raised from each town, 600,000 from town A, 400,000 from town B, which is a tax rate for each town, which is the levy divided by the assessed value times the 1,000 that we talked about. $60 per 100 per 10,000 assessed value for town A 40 thou $40 per 100 per $1,000

027for uh town B with the narrative saying it is the change in a town's total market value as reflected in the equalization rate relative to the change in the market value of other municipalities in a taxing juris jurisdiction such as a school district that may cause a particular town share of the tax levy to increase or decrease if If one municipality's market share increases but all the other municipalities in the taxing jurisdictions increase to a larger degree then the first municipality share of the tax levy will decline. So there is an interdependent play on level assessments, market value um that are beyond what we have control over. So I'm not sure. I'm hoping that helps shed some light on um the various components, how they all interplay, what we have control of, what we don't

028have control of, and why different municipalities do have different rates. We set to move on to the next topic. Okay. Uh so the next topic uh for further discussion is the contingent budget. We're here tonight talking about um putting up a revised budget that will um ask our community for a 50% simple majority. We've talked before that uh school districts have the opportunity to present to the community two budgets. If both of those budgets fail to meet the appropriate level of approval, then we must immediately adopt a contingent budget. Uh the contingent budget requires no vote. We just must convert right to it. The most um troublesome aspect of a contingent budget is that our tax levy can be no more than what it was in the in the current year. So that would be

029a loss to us of around $2 million in uh tax levy growth. Uh contingent budgets, uh there's no new equipment purchases allowed. There is a a calculation that puts a cap on the administrative component of the budget. recall is broken down to admin, program, and capital. When you do a three-part budget, there's a calculation that limits the growth of the administrative portion of the budget. Currently, our uh facilities use allows certain groups to uh use our facilities uh with no charge or minimal charges. Um under contingent budget, any and all groups will have to pay full price for the use of our facilities. Uh there are no salary increases um for certain civil service employee titles that aren't recognized by a collective bargaining group. Uh the reduction of additional positions and student experiences that are

030not quote ordinary contingent expenses. Um so ordinary contingent expenses are defined as those necessary to provide legally required um items to operate and maintain school buildings and educational programs, preserve the property of the district and ensure the health and safety of students and staff. and the responsibility of determining uh what items fall under this ordinary contingent budget exercise rest with the board of education. So for us um if our second proposed budget were to um not meet the required approval rate um our contingent budget would require a $2.13 million decrease in our revised budget proposal. Um these are um some items up for considerations that the board could talk about if we did find ourselves in that position. Um curricular and extracurricular staffing and program would be up for discussion. Districtwide department staffing would be

031up for consideration. Bose student programming. Um additional reductions in equipment supplies and contracts. other non-mandated programs and services. We kind of need to build from the ground up with the things that are mandated. Um and then other items as determined by the board of educations um would be topics for reductions. Questions on the contingent budget? Mr. Chris, I guess two two questions and this is helpful not having excuse me seen one of these before. for a contingent budget thankfully. So I the 2.13 million reduction is because of essentially the decrease in the tax levy and so that stands alone from say the reduction of additional positions and student experiences that are not quote ordinary contingent expenses. So in other words, you'd have to cut 2.13, but then you might have to also take away other

032things if they don't fall into the the categories that are permitted, right? Or is it you just have to remove enough to get to 2.13? Let me let me go back to the wonderful years of before the tax cap legislation contingency. A long time ago, you put up a budget and so forth and certain things. You had to remove the equipment, you had to do outside groups. A long time ago, sports were not a contingent item. So that was the first thing that automatically went and that raised everybody's dander. When they changed that process back then they actually made sports a contingent item. So it wasn't just arbitrarily the sacrificial lamb. Nowadays they change that discussion over time that the board has the ability to look at what would be contingent or non-contingent items. So

033when we're cutting, we would have to cut that $2.18 something million if the second budget fails. Now, will equipment go? Yes. Could there be something in equipment that we need the board to really consider as a contingent item? Right? We would have to look at that. Remember that salt truck? If all of a sudden equipment goes and that salt truck's gone, we may have some needs for that that arbitrarily we can't do without and that would be up to the board to say we're going to take that and make that a non-contingent piece of this budget. Doesn't mean all equipment. It may be something specific. The So that's what that contingent means. The 2.1 has to go and balance out the three parts, but it has to be part of the budget. you have to

034bring it down that much so that you're equating the same budgetary assignments as last year. Okay, that's helpful. Just as a followup then, so when you say the board has that discretion to determine what are ordinary contingent expenses, are there any things that by state law regulation, you know, by definition cannot fall into that category that you're aware of where there is flexibility for the board? For example, if there's a piece of equipment that's needed or like you said, athletics or extracurriculars, there's no thing that is clearly designated as not an ordinary contingent expense. We are hoping, like you said, we needed to put this up front so that the board understands it. We are hoping that we don't have to go down this path. At that point we would have to seek outside legal

035counsel as well just to make sure I mean there are supposedly thing education of the mandated program is a a contingent expense. I don't think you can change that but we would ask legal if anything could be changed but I doubt mandated requirements of a public education would be able to be changed or like special education. Yeah. No, that makes sense. I was just trying to understand the parameters but this is helpful. Thank you. Okay. Yes, Miss Unbrki. Um, so on the contingent budget, the stuff that's at the top where you say administrative budget component, is that part of the 2.3 million that will have to be reduced? These things that you've listed first? You mean right here in this slide right up here? Yes. No, none of these are in order. What happens is

036we'll have a prescribed amount for our administrative budget. We'll have a prescribed amount for our capital and we'll have a prescribed amount for our programmatic. I can tell you right now we're very close already, if not under our administrative budget because we've already made significant reductions from last year's budget to this by almost three to four positions. As far as capital, uh we're very close in their program. We're still closed, but that's where a good portion would come. But if it's equipment, equipment comes from all three portions of the budget. So, it's balancing all of those needs, but nothing takes one over the other. You can't really target one over the other with the prescriptive nature of it. Hopefully that helps. Um, if I could just add to that. So uh there is a formula

037that we have to calculate um for the administrative component and it's a comparison back to uh that same calculation to the prior year. It's a percentage calculation. So our percentage of um the administrative component of the budget that we're proposing cannot exceed what the administrative component percentage was of the prior year. Right? This year we were well below. So, we didn't need to make adjustments for that. But if our percentage did exceed what it was the prior year, then yes, we would have to come up with a dollar figure to reduce that particular component to get it in line with where we need it to be. Um, which yes, would get baked into that um contingent budget dollar amount, but for this year, we did not need to do it. Okay. And then um the

0382.3 million. Last year, our budget passed. We did the 60 plus one ratio. So is that why this is a bigger like we have two million. If we had been 50 plus one last year, would we still have this big amount that would need to be cut or it's completely different whole new budget? So the I don't understand. Yeah. So the biggest component of a contingent budget is we can't levy more taxes than we did in the prior year. So our levy for this year would be the amount of taxes we would have to levy for next year. We did challenge yes the the budget last year which did increase the levy if we hadn't we would have had other positions and programs at that time but yes this would have been a different amount

039because the levy would have been less but reductions would have been made last year in order to do so. Okay. All right. Thank you for this. I hope we don't have to visit this page. Thank you. No. So I I want to break it down so that I think I can understand it. So when you're talking about the different components of the budget, so not an ordinary contingency expense. So things like sports programs, are those contingent expenses? They're contingent at this point. Yes. So, not all sports programs. Not all sports. Um, so basically anything that was built into the budget last year. So that would include social workers. That would include No. All of that is whether it's mandated or not. A contingent budget, you were really being forced to go and look at what's

040mandated. Anything extra above that mandate is really what you're going to have to look for. Now, the board can say everything's contingent. We don't want anything to cut. But the board's going to have a very difficult problem because you must cut. It's your budget. So that's what I'm confused about because you you're telling me that some things are contingent and then the board decides. It's the nuances that So we decide what is considered contingent and what is considered not contingent. Mhm. So you could protect something, but if you do, you're also forcing a cut someplace else. That's why usually boards will tell the administration, here's what we would like. We do all the work and then the board approves it. Because if the board gets into it, then you're starting to you're you're going to

041get, well, I want this, I want that, and that's the hard part. That's why you have an administrative team. Okay. I'm just trying to look at like programs specifically and things that maybe would be important. But when you were talking about that each each um portion gets a thing. So like do they say to you your capital is only allowed to have x amount of expenditures. Yep. And so when you're talking about like the salt trucks and things like that like we have built it like the salt trucks, right? That is built into this budget right now, but technically that would be something that would just get the cut. That would be something we'd probably look at. Yes. Okay. Because it's equipment and it's automatically cut. Okay. And so then um okay so like the

042SRO program for example is that considered that's up to the board. Okay. So so basically it would be up to the board to eventually. Yeah. We'd bring you the options and then you can tell us we like that we don't like that. Go back to the drawing board. But you'll have to do that all between June 18th and June 30th because your budget must be in place by July 1st. I you can't pass it on. Okay. I understand. I just wasn't sure if I was getting confused with what you were saying because I think that when we were on contingent budgets, we didn't get a say. It was just automatically like the extracurricular programs were the things that were cut. Well, that was that was a different law. But the board even then still had

043a say. Okay. But a lot of times the boards back then in those days like before the athletic was continued, guess what? First thing that went boom athletics. Why? It would get people out to vote. Okay, that's why. So we're actually you're dealing from when you were in school. It's totally different from then because even back then boards would opt to go to a contingent wouldn't even put out a budget vote because they automatically got a 4% increase. Right? We are getting less than a 2% increase. Right? So it would make sense to go to contingent back then. Now it doesn't because it's zero. Other questions? Okay. So we wanted to give you an update. You've already seen most of this, so I'm going to go a little faster. The revised budget from last time

044to this time, our projected state aid, none of this has changed. We're lucky that we have the extra aid to go in. Uh we're still at point4. Uh in this piece is the tax cap calculation of 1.02, 02 which you've seen this all the way throughout but we've had to adjust it over the time for this piece which is the second part of the calculation in the middle column. That was the defeated budget with all the information where the proposed tax levy change was 7.4 with the use of $1.3 million debt service. Last week you saw this same calculation but it was at 4.7 with the same use of debt service. We went back and we were able I mean painstakingly going through everything looking because people will ask us why couldn't you find this

045before? These are certain things that have just become available to us within the past week for about $65,000 and this is below the 2% tax levy limit. So when we go out we're going to tell people we are below the New York State 2% tax levy limit. And they're going to sit there and say, "But it's at 4.56%." But that's the fact. We are below the calculation limit and 2% is only in the calculation and we are using 1.3% million in debt service to even bring down that tax levy. So our summary of budget revenues, you can see we made an adjustment. Last time we were at 2.15. That $65,000 has come out. We're at 2.09% on revenues. In addition, our reserve balances are exactly what we showed last time. This is just more for

046the presentation. And then our budget expenditures. This is where we took that out and now it matches. Our revenues are 2.09 and our uh change for our budgetary expenditures are at 2.09. We are needing basically a change of $2.14 million. And if you look at it, the rate of inflation at 3.1% were below that. Even our initial budget was at I think 3.03%. So both of these budgets were below the rate of inflation. This one we know we've got to try to do the best we can and do more with a lot less. And this is going to be harmful to the operations of the district. But we are hopeful that these actions from what the board gave us last week to now has improved our situation from 7 cents. What has changed from the

047defeated budget? Additional state aid. You asked for the numbers, so we put the numbers up here. We removed the elementary assistant principal, cut central office principal, account clerk through retirement, two world language positions through retirements, restructuring of middle school. This is similar to French and what we did before and there was no concerns at that point and we are still going to have to maintain a full program and we plan on it at this point. That's the hard part. We don't want to do this. But other than that, I need to find two other people that will add up to $147,000. And I don't think we want to do that either. We may have cuts at the transportation service truck of 75,000. Both special education funds will not impact student placements of 160. Decreasing stop-loss

048insurance premiums that we talked about is $269. Salary benefit package uh breakage for the intermediate school principal and community information specialist if we're lucky enough to find one of around $60,000. a cost shift of temporary summer labor for construction moved to capital because we have the opportunity possibly to do that for this summer and maybe next summer which will help our budget and then reduction in contractual summer days projected in the amount of $35,000 roughly between that and the additional breakage that last line and the additional breakage of community information specialists is where we came up with the $65,000 again weakening the operations of the district. will do more, just less. What the revised budget includes, and this is what we got to focus on on the positives, it still maintains all current educational programs

049in academics, arts, and athletics. There's not a single program that's being reduced. Not a single staff member that is working here that is planning on working here next year is being reduced. And our academics will still stay where they're at. sustainability of the summer learning academy which is also grant funded. We still thought that is appropriate. Uh enhancing still the multi-tered system of support especially with the intervention at the elementary schools and the reallocation of teaching assistance. Again no teaching assistants are being excised whatsoever. They're being reallocated. Rebuilds allocations of curriculum work hours about $20,000 and that may also be contractually required. So that's why we had to keep it here. And ensuring fourth grade play at all three elementaryaries, which was a priority of the board at this point. So we've kept it at

050this point. Of course, these are good positive things in this budget. Although it's a weakened budget for the operations, it's still a good budget. Overall, the revised balance budget is 2.9 expenditures, 2.9 revenue, and the gap is $0. The tax levy increase for this budget is $2.181 million. We are utilizing reserves, ELAR reserves, inter fund transfers, and the fund balance. And if you look up here at the screen, this is the 2025-26 budget comparisons from the defeated budget to the revised budget. The tax levy on the previous budget was 51. The tax levy on this budget is 50 million. It's reduced by about 1.356 million. The tax levy on the defeated budget was 7.4. The tax levy increase on this budget is 4.56. The allowable levy difference on the defeated budget, you see, was a

051plus $1.3 million. That was the challenge above the 2% property tax limit. Notice on the revised budget, we're at a negative 65,000. That means we're at or below the 2% and we are officially below the 2% tax levy property law for New York State. The estimated full value tax rate on the defeated budget was 48 cents per thousand or $48 per 100,000. We came to you last week with seven cents or $7 per 100,000. We've revised it to 5 cents per thousand or $5 per 100,000 for the full year for this budget. The estimated full value tax rate percentage on the defeated budget was to increase no more than 3.03%. below the rate of inflation. The tax levy on the revised budget is to increase no more than 31%. Well, well well well below the

052rate of inflation of 3.1. But our number one goal is to make sure we try to stay away from a contingent budget. And I think that's what the board's asked us to do. So we've tried to come back with something less. This revised budget requires a 50% plus one approval. So ladies and gentlemen, the final revised budget is up here with the final numbers. We did this for clarity. This is the final budget we are presenting to you. We are hopeful you do not request any additional changes. If there's anything more that you need, it is staffing, program, and people. That's our presentation. Can you pop back to page 15 in your presentation? I try to find numbers. Is that one? Uh, yes. And if you look down at your second bullet for third sub

053bullet in two world language positions through retirements restructuring the middle school Spanish program. Yes. Can you elaborate on that please? And what what does that mean of restructuring the middle school Spanish? My my concern is that we are we have a very strong middle school program and and what does that mean? Yeah. And basically we offer it in seventh and eighth grade. The students will be offered it in entirely in the eighth grade with a checkpoint A exam which is a requirement of New York State. So it won't be a two-year program. It will be a one-year program. So can you can you explain that further for me? I need I need a they will receive at the checkpoint A as long as they do the seat time and the examination uh they will receive

054one unit of high school credit. So they are receiving Spanish only within 8th grade. Yes. And not within seventh grade anymore. It's the same thing we had to do unfortunately with French before because of the lack of French teachers. But again, if I can help, if we don't make that move, I need to know from the board whether they're two people and whether two positions because it's going to have impacts. Right. I understand that. I'm just trying to to figure that out. And how long have these the hirings been out that have been on over five months? Over five months. Nothing. Not even a trickle. Every time we get close, uh, we go through a a hiring process and unfortunately other people pick them up. Even if we hired, other people still, unfortunately, in this

055day and age, uh, when candidates get tendered a job, doesn't mean they stop looking. So, how would they can how would they still attain that same seat time in eighth grade versus seventh and eighth grade? They they will be in the course for the required amount of seat time. and the checkpoint exam. And unfortunately Tony is the one that's the expert on this. But I will tell you he had to leave. It's the last night for his son in a senior competition and he has to get there for his very last race out of four in Bingmpington. So in seventh grade, do they take that as a full year course or as a half year? I I honestly cannot remember how. I'm trying to recall. I think it's it's a full course throughout the year

056or a half a semester course. Ron here. So, is it like an AB scenario? Oh, well, I can't have that discussion with you, but Christine, you want to come up? Okay. Sorry to drag you up, Chris. Me, Dr. Douglas, the question is uh half year or full year at the middle school for seventh grade. Well, it would be a full Well, currently right now we offer two full years. What you're proposing is one full year at the eighth grade level. Yes. Just one second. She's pondering. I am. I am. I'm I'm thinking that over. Um, I I do feel like this drastically impacts the world language program, especially for Spanish. I mean, I I do remember we used to be a very very languagerich um district and unfortunately just through for a number of reasons.

057you know, we've gone down from Latin, Spanish, German, French, and now it seems that we're cutting Spanish even more. So, I don't feel like this is I do feel like this is removing a position. Um, I just feel like I need to advocate for that because I feel like that could really be a detriment to programming for our students. I understand why it's being done, but I I can't in good conscience advocate for it. No, I mean, nobody wants to advocate for it. The difficulty is it's either we address the whole program or address the mandated program. The mandate is one through three, not four and five. And we don't want to try to address the upper. So, we're trying to address and keep the whole program in some format. The problem is is across

058the state a lot of languages are going by the wayside and Spanish will be the predominant language in school. We know that the real issue is there's not enough teachers any longer and as the retirements come schools are going to face it. We're already facing it in technology. We face it in foreign l in foreign language. Every school I believe there's like five or six Spanish positions open right now. Not outside of horseets. That's the hard part. So if we want to keep that at the elementary, the only people we can draw from is from the high school. So the high school is going to shift to the middle school. That's the hard part. I know you're going to get frustrated with me for saying this and probably this is not the best forum for

059me in which for me to say this. However, um I will say it anyway. Has there been conversations with the Spanish and foreign language teachers to find a way that could circumvent some of this and maybe help to relieve this um to relieve the 147,000 or the curriculum to to find I don't know I don't know what the answer is. That's why I'm asking if these conversations have happened just because I feel like the people that are in it um would know it much better than I. And so I I'm curious to see if if there were any um conversations that been had superintendent put on the table assistant superintendent with the building principal and from what I understand have been communicated over time with the French and the Spanish that it's a similar program

060that we had to enact with French. Okay. But I can't speak for Tony. All right. All right. I do have further questions. So I might reach out to Tony. Sure. Um just because that that just strikes me as as something that we are significantly losing as as a district and I'm concerned and what I would say is if we did not have the staffing exodus we probably wouldn't be there but we would have to hit somebody. I mean no matter what when you do one it's going to now have ripple effects. So if you say this and then we put Spanish in then we say say music or we say art or something else it's going to be the same exact discussion. The problem is is this is the only location where we have two

061retirements in attrition that make the cut. So I think Sue is next. My train I think when did we start offering uh Spanish in seventh grade? Way before I was here. Way before. Okay. So, I guess my concern would be is if we get rid of this um it'll probably never come back that we would be able to offer this for students in seventh and eighth grade. I know over time we lost German because of retirement. We lost Latin because of retirement. How many French teachers do we have right now? Do we know how many French teachers? I think one one. So, and that that language is having difficulties with enrollment, right? And that person luckily has also crossed over and done Spanish. So, I want to address what you said. Does it go away?

062It doesn't necessarily go away. It means we may have to wait for a shift and then try again. But for one year, we may have to do this. That That would be my concern is if you take it out, would it ever come back to we could have it? Because lots of times when you take things out, they're taken out and then they don't get back. Um that would be my concern. And I mean you're saying so a student would start in eighth grade instead of being done I think they're they can possibly done with Spanish in ninth grade but now they would have to do it ninth grade and 10th grade. Well what happens is they they can do Spanish in the middle school. They get one unit of credit or the checkpoint A.

063If they're unsuccessful there they can either take French or they can take Spanish at the high school and get in one semester their full credit. and then they can choose to go on or they can choose a different pathway. Uh if a choose child comes from the middle school and goes on, they would most likely take Spanish 2, Spanish 3. We have kids now taking Spanish 4, Spanish 5. That could be the upper level could be impacted. We're trying not to up upend the upper level as well because we've had a strong program. So, this is what I mean is if French continues to go down, then we're going to revert and use the staffing for Spanish that we may have to be able to revisit this again next year. And if we can hire,

064we look at it. But that's a crystal ball right now based on this budget. If we go to contingent, then all bets are off. That's the hard part, right? But good questions. Thank you. Can we get different lighting? I I wish I don't have the lighting set. I'm going to say that meeting, Miss Monahan. So, with the language positions at the middle school, what is the um what is the impact on the student who's now going to have to learn that language, right? first year language over one year compared to over two years. Because if I'm understanding correctly right now, they're learning everything over a two-year period. It's already a transition to a new school, a new building, and now we're adding a language in. And now, well, students aren't transitioning at the middle school

065over a building. They're already They are They're coming. seventh graders right now are No, but what I mean is they're going from sixth grade into Spanish or they're going from seventh grade into eighth grade Spanish and the new sixth graders would not take Spanish. Well, I understand that, right? That's how it is now. But there's got to be if we're saying that right now, if I'm understanding correctly, the seventh and eighth grade language is technically one year of Spanish. It's just taught over two years. Yeah. They they slow down the program over two years, right? So, what will be the impact to the student now trying to learn that and the long-term effect of them trying to catch up and learn it over a one-year period because they'll only have it in 8th grade? Well,

066they'll just be getting indoctrinated into the language that's the first time in 8th grade. Will there be different challenges? Yes. Okay. Just like if a student doesn't take a Spanish in middle school for whatever reason and goes to high school and has It's not even optional though. It's part of their option. They don't even have an option to not take depending on depending some students may have to forgo a language in the middle school and at the high school pick it up for the first time because of their educational program specific. But very few it's not a lot. Right. So, but we do have Spanish one at the high school for those students that weren't successful as well. And when you said we went to do this for the French program and French is now

067only being taught in eighth grade. Mhm. So, how many teachers are there for the French program? So, technically we could continue to teach the Spanish in seventh and eighth grade with one teacher or would we have to have two teachers? No, there's just much more. Remember, French is only selected by a few students versus the rest of the students take Spanish. So, in order to make that work so that we wouldn't have to cut it, would we have to replace both the retirements or could we just replace one? We have to replace 147,000, which is two positions. But I've got in other words, you could be creative and just do one. Could one be seventh grade and one be eighth grade is what I'm asking. You can't say that we'll run across the whole program.

068No, but what I'm I'm trying to say, Julie, is that you could say, "Oh, we're only cutting one." But then you got to tell me who's the other person we're cutting out. I understand that. I'm just saying that if it's really the gap wouldn't necessarily be the 147 if if we say that we don't want to take something away from the kids, I personally think we're impacting the language down the road, which you said that you didn't want to do. So I think by taking it away and forcing it to be learned in one year, there's enough changes happening, we've all talked about it, emotionally and socially with these kids to begin with. So then to add now an additional change of learning language within one year when as soon as you get there, I

069think it's a big change. I don't think we should do it. Well, the board was okay with the suggestion last week. Um, so a couple things. So if if the student now does not have the language in seventh grade, what's going to fill that spot for them in their schedule in seventh grade? Study hall. A study hall. Okay. Um, and don't get me wrong, I mean, I I think offering as many programs as possible to our students is is extremely valuable, right? So I um you know I don't like to see this. However, it it's it's positions that have that we don't have people in. So we're not currently cutting somebody. Um if I heard you correctly when you said that the state mandate is just one year, right? So we would then be then

070reverting to the state mandate versus what we were doing. Um just trying to go back to last year, we did this same thing with health last year. Correct. Mh. Because of retirements and that was one of the reason and that was one of the ways that we were able to reduce a position without re eliminating a person who is currently in a position. Correct. Um and we went to the state mandate and how has that been at its challenges no matter what. I mean, right now with health, we have to push kids back from taking health in 11th grade and they have to take it in their senior year, right? So, any reduction is going to have an impact one way or another. It's just like in this situation, you could address the middle school

071and then remove ACE four and five. I would not advise that because I think kids look for that in college, but our obligation is one, two, and three. That's the hard part. So, it's trying to balance without affecting the total program, which that's what Tony tried to do when he made that recommendation to us. Okay. Others. Um, so I I think that this was definitely um something that was a confusion point last at the last meeting. I I don't necessarily think that everybody agreed like that we were definitely trying to X out um that language. I think that the way we should look at things is what do we want to have for our kids and what do we think is good for them? You know, I do think it's sad that our language program

072has shrunk so much. Maybe the reason people aren't joining French is because it's not offered and they want to take a language first thing in seventh grade. You know, it kids are excited to learn new things and maybe a language is something that they want to take and if it's not an opport if it's not something for them to do then they might just not take it and then that is like a trickle up effect you know. Unfortunately that was not the case. They were not taking French because they were selecting Spanish. Well, and maybe that is maybe that is what it is. For me personally, I feel like I don't know. I don't know why we how we haven't figured out ways to introduce language even in younger grades and being able to cultivate

073it and build it all the way up because there's a lot of people that might thrive with language um if they had it sooner. Um, for me, I this is a really hard um like I don't support this. I don't support the cutting of it at all. I under I agree. I think it's hard for kids to be learning new things and having that all go on to them in 8th grade. Um, I would either say that you have to include this and increase the levy, like bring it up higher to see what that percentage is, or are you saying you want to challenge the levy again? No, no, no, no. I'm saying change what you've done. You know, you've brought it down to the 4.5. I'm saying you either put it back in and

074then rebuild the budget to show what that percentage change would be if you kept it there. I don't know if I don't know how high it would jump up. I know that we're down from 7.4 to 4.56. Um if I can give you a quick calculation, 147,000 will put us into a challenge situation. Period. Okay. So then I think I think that we have to look I don't you can't if you okay if we were compare what what grade level does Corning offer their languages I'm not an expert on Corning they're having this discussion tomorrow and they're because I I don't right and they might be but so I was talking to somebody who was a teacher there and I believe that they offer their language ages to kids starting in sixth grade. So that's

075even a difference. So if you're shopping around for schools and you're looking for that global intake and you're trying to, you know, which is in what we have is one part of our slogan and and people say, "Well, look at Corning. They have it in in sixth grade." Well, that looks like their program seems a little stronger and maybe that's where they would want to go. I think it's important for us to try to keep this So, I I could give you my suggestions and and say, "Okay, I would do XYZ." And everybody else is going to say no. And that's fine. But what I'm saying is I don't think it's a wise choice to try to figure this out. So, we need to try to figure it out. And I think I've heard my

076mom and Aaron and Julie all kind of say that they don't really feel like this is a good idea either. So, I understand we're in a hard spot. we're going to be we could potentially be in a really hard spot. We have to think about what we want as a whole for I believe you did that in the first budget. Okay, that's all the community told us. I'm not for that. So, I don't think any of us are for any reduction. None of us, right? And and I'm not, you know, I think what my frustration is is yes. Does this stink that we have to do this? Yes. However, if we don't do this, then we're going to have to cut somewhere else, right? And we all did last week. We talked about this. We

077didn't see the numbers on what those two positions totaled up, but we all agreed that this was the direction we wanted to go and we wanted to be if at all possible less than that 7 cents at 7 C from 7 to 5 cents it was 65,000. So, you know, I mean, if we put this back in now, you're above the seven cents, which we all said we didn't want to do last week. And personally, as much as I I value this program, and I and hopefully we can bring it back, but I would rather cut positions that haven't been hired yet than to cut current staff members that are currently in positions. especially knowing the fact that for five months we've been trying to hire these positions and we can't. And so I think

078it's I think it's risky um to you know eliminate a position where there's somebody in there to then hope that we can then fill these positions which we've been unsuccessful to in in the past in the past five months. Um and this gets us to what we asked. We said we wanted to either be at seven cents or less than that. Um, and we are, you know, so I think it's I don't know. I mean, I I'm in favor of this because I think this is our best alternative. Marian. Okay. I don't know if I have all the facts, but I do have a good friend whose granddaughter is in the Corning schools and said that her granddaughter had four different substitutes during the year for Spanish, of which none of them really spoke Spanish

079because they were in the same situation of trying to hire people that just aren't out there. I agree with the concern about taking something away, but I wholeheartedly agree with what Christine just said with eliminating this these positions. We're not cutting someone. We're not letting someone go who currently works for this district. And I think that would be tragic. We all have things that we'd like to see. But just like in our own homes these days, we're all cutting back and everybody has to make sacrifices here and there. And I think we tried or I shouldn't say we, the team tried very hard to bring these numbers down so that we would present to the community a budget that would be acceptable so we would not have to go to contingency. So I speak as

080an educator. I speak as a mother who had three children go through horse. I speak as a resident since 1978. And God only knows I'm in the senior citizen category as well. And I would like to see us have the budget that was worked on with the lower rate that's going to pass and give our children everything they have right now. Then take a chance. And if I remember correctly, Katrina, you were worried that we weren't going to patch it last the last time we met because it was too high. That really concerned you and I agreed with you. So, what are we doing now? Are we going to go back to It's like going backwards, making it higher, putting it out there and trying again with a challenge. I can't accept that. I'm sure

081there are things that everybody wants. There are things that I want that I can't have and we just have to make the best of it. I think this is an opportunity where those spaces are already open and nobody has to lose their job. If I can add one thing too, the full program is still there because that will I mean if if we have to shift we have to shift and our first priority is Spanish 1, two, and three and we don't want this. This what this does is keeps one through five still. Yes. Listen, my intent on bringing this up wasn't to open up a can of worms and upset anybody. No, my intent was for clarification, right? Because last week we were shown these items. However, sometimes it takes me a little bit

082longer and I need to ruminate on things and think about programs and what does that mean? Restructuring. I didn't ask that question last week. Maybe I should have, but I didn't know what that meant with restructuring. Hence the reason I asked for it today, right? What is what does that mean? I didn't understand the financial impact of it last year, last last year, last week. Now, I understand what that means. Um, I still have grave concerns about it. I understand the importance of spreading out this curriculum across seventh and eighth grade as an educator. Um, and I I it doesn't take away from the tremendous amount of work that you folks have done, plus understanding that these have gone unfilled for five months. Purely understand that. I just find it to be a shame. And

083I think um my last comment on this being if we say that we're not impacting uh programming with this budget, I think it's only fair to say we are and this is how. Well, I think we're right on that verge of it. Definitely. And I agree, Liz. I happen to have a rising sixth grader who will be in seventh grade next year, and it absolutely guts me that she won't be able to do um Spanish. However, um we have talked about how there are hard choices that have to be made at this table. Um, and you know the the one thing I'll take from her and I'll share it with all of you is she said, "You know what that means? I just get to try harder in 8th grade. I get to try harder

084again. That's okay. I'm still going to learn this language." She's also set a goal for herself on Dualingo. Not saying that Duolingo will replace a human. I think there's a huge benefit in having that face-to-face interaction. But I think as board members, it's very important how we present it. after the discussion tonight. We can debate all we want here, but I think it's how we present it to the community once we've made our decision. So, I just hope that we keep that in mind that these are hard choices. Not everyone's going to like every choice we make from these seats, and it's really just about how we present it to the community. I I was just going to say that I must not have fully understood last week when we spoke about the restructuring and

085the fact that it would be taking it down from 7th to 8th grade as well. And perhaps I should have asked more questions then as well, but I do think that it is taking something away from our students. Um I know we talked about this last week. I know you told me that it's not an option due to a variety of different things, but there is an opening administrator position in that building and not filling that would essentially probably be close to that same amount. I don't I still am very confused on why that's not on the table as an option for this. And I understand that I supported last week giving you the direction and I'm glad with what your team did. You guys did a fantastic job and I appreciate it. But I

086also stated from day one that I wouldn't support something that takes away from programming for kids. And this is taking away from something from kids because this is truly taking away that programming. I'm going to differ because the programming is still there. Does it change for what kids can take currently to what they will in the future? Yes. But it is not taking away Spanish from the kids or their opportunity for it. It's delaying it from seventh grade to 8th grade. It is making it more difficult for them. I can't say necessarily difficult. we could because honestly language that are here from I'm here that's fine and I appreciate that but I would also something that should be started even earlier I agree with Katrina we have it second and third this district can't afford

087it and that's fine that we can't afford it right now but we can't afford anything right now that's the hard part and I need the board to decide what they're going to do with their budget because tonight is the budget and it's your budget for the voters to approve otherwise the contingent shifts from the board to us and we don't want that to happen. That's the hard part. Dan, I know I wasn't here for last week's meeting. I did listen to it um other than the executive session portion obviously in the stream. Uh and you know just some general thoughts about I mean there has been a lot of work that's gone into we heard from the voters right resoundingly that they didn't support the budget. We have kept our year-over-year expenditure increases as minimal

088as possible at just 2%. and you know cut in places uh where we could right you know just doing some quick math if you look at the administrative related cuts that's over $200,000 that are between the um removal of the assistant principal the principal account clerk and then the salary breakage so there's clearly you know an intent to try to keep it away from program I think this is a difficult debate right I understand both sides of it. It's there is a change in the Spanish being offered across two years to one, but it's still theoretically the same amount. It's just in a it's being offered differently. Um I think Christine's summation was compelling. I mean, this is these are the hard choices we have to make because of the fact that we don't have

089the funds to go above the cap. Um, I was not here for the discussion of the seven cents versus the five. I obviously understand we want this budget to pass. We do not want contingency. It it does strike me that that $65,000 or so that gets us down that if theoretically that was back, that might be enough. That's about half of the the two, right? So, if that would allow for hiring one, granted we're not, you know, finding any candidates anyway. Um, you know, maybe that's a middle ground. Or I also am wondering if we were to find someone during the budget year, would there ability would there be an ability to add uh you know we sometimes can float a position or have some ability to you know we have some flexibility in the

090budget once it's created or is it if the if the position is not on sort of the headcount roster as of the day one then there's we can't add it. Is that the way to think of it? Not wrong. I mean, we can float hoping the budget will, but it's not the wisest budgeting move. Yeah. Um, the hard part is is, you know, 147 if you put the 65 back in, right? You're making the cuts to the things to put it someplace else. I understand that. you still need at least 120 or more because that's assuming we get a first year like teacher. If all of a sudden we get a veteran teacher, it's even more. So, we've got to be careful. And the the hard part is the board's got to be okay with

091if the budget goes over. Yeah. And I'm not advocating. I just I maybe I didn't explain it right. I understood you to be say that we're we're essentially $65,000 below the levy. Mhm. So, we theory have $65,000 that we could go up and still not have to cut anything. You have $65,000US $1 or whatever it is. They'll take care of that. But if we did that, that is not quite a full position. I would have to find something else to take that full position or make some type of transfer between what we teach and whether it's the best utilization of the staff that we have. Okay. Well, if I can finish, Dan, I'm sorry. Oh. Um, unless you tell me something else that you might want to reduce. That's the hard part. We're We're telling

092you virtually. The only other thing that you've talked about last time was SRO's and I heard I think you wanted to have that discussion. So, you know, that's the hard part. So, do we excise a music teacher? Do we excise um a social worker? Do we excise that? That's the hard part. That's what we've been trying to totally stay away with and still provide the whole programming. And we've done so up until this point. So for us, we're coming in here. We've given you even better budget. But as long as you're willing to stay here the whole night, we'll have to go back into a back room and do something else. But that's the way it's going to be. So I'm confused right now. Is this on? Yeah. All right. Because it seems the discussion

093now is changing. At one point the discussion was save all jobs and lower the tax rate. Now, the discussion is we're comfortable with raising the tax rate and we want to save a job that isn't filled and we're willing to cut somewhere else. I I'm not sure where the discussion is going. I we just need direction, right? And I I don't see the direction because last week it was save all jobs and lower the tax rate. And what I'm hearing now is raise the tax rate and we'll be comfortable with raising it. We gave a direction that said we were willing to live with seven cents on $100,000 and now we got it down to five cents on $100,000 and we're upset again. Warren, if I if I may, and I I'm confused. I thought

094and and I just want to finish. I went around and pointedly asked every person if they were good with what they saw last week. Every person said yes. Every person said they were good at seven cents. And if they could come back with something a little bit less, we would all live with it. The direction was clear. The direction was followed. And now I I don't disagree with what you're saying. I really don't. Yep. I'm on I don't disagree with what you're saying, Warren, at all. I think it warranted more of a conversation because I didn't absolutely understand what that meant at the time. I still am for bringing the tax rate down. I I agree with that. There there are times when a person can be conflicted about two things that there can be

095two truths happening at the same time. I would like to see the tax rate down. However, I feel compelled to ask questions about this specific role because I think it does impact our programming for students. I think it's healthy for us to have the debate in the conversation. If the board decides that this isn't an area that they want to address, I at least can put my head down on my pillow at night and say, "I brought up conversation about it." And that's how I feel. Whether it happens or not, I asked the questions that I felt needed to be asked for the programming that I support at Horseheads. So, I I support Well, no, let me go back. I want Katie, last week you said something and I don't know what it's called that

096you could just say it. We'll try to figure it out. The one shot thing. The oneshot thing. I don't know what it's called. During co for the one shot, there's like a thing that you do. Sorry. I don't I did it the last time, too. the chair. Um I believe the one thing that um I was referring to that we did during COVID is that we went under the maximum allowable tax levy and then next year there's a carryover calculation that allows us to use a portion of that money in the subsequent year's levy. So that was the one shot. This this proposed levy goes under the maximum allowable by that $67,000. there'll be some sort of minimal carryover amount that we can consider using next year as well. But that was the one shot

097that I was talking about that if we went under the levy. So is the one shot in this budget now? We didn't have carryover. You didn't do that. We don't we only have carryover if we go under the maximum allowable levy. We challenged last year and actually went over. I'm totally confused now. I I do not want to We cannot put out anything in a budget over 50%. We can't I would not say to I'm not looking to change the tax levy warrant and say go out for 60% again. I'm saying I don't want the Spanish program to be I know it's restructuring it but that's why I was thinking what Katie had said but you're saying we really can't do that. Okay. Okay. Because she had mentioned that last week. Um, it's in black

098and white. The Spanish program is in black and white. What would happen? And so I think it's good that you brought it up, Erin. I appreciate that. And um I definitely feel the voters said they won't support a 60. We can't put that out again. We do not want to go to contingent. And we have to somehow agree on the budget. So I guess the question and I always hear we have to have difficult discussions. If you want this program, this Spanish program, which we all agree is an important program, what do you want to cut instead? I mean, you're now down to horse trading. Spanish for what? That's where you're at. And I haven't heard the four watt from anybody. Um Julie did say the administrative position um from the intermediate that Mr. Boswick

099is leaving and I understand that that is something that maybe we do want to have again or be able to have available but maybe for the time being that gets eliminated and the Spanish stays until you can figure that part out. I really still have never gotten the numbers um exactly for um the hiring of the two intervention teachers and then reallocating the teacher assistance. So I'm curious what that costs exactly because that's bringing on two new positions also is the hiring of hiring two positions that are already in the budget for the reduction and reallocation of the teaching assistance. So there's no increase. It's already within the budget. We're just reallocating the funds from one personnel to the other personnel. Okay. Because the way that it's presented, it it seems like that was an

100increase that you were adding the teachers. And I thought that at one point we had said that it was increasing it, but I thought that if we maybe eliminated, but I don't have those numbers. That's because those numbers are already in the budget and the So, but when Warren's asking for when Warren's asking for suggestions, those are potentially things that you're bringing on that don't exist. We did have teaching assistant positions in those RTI programs that were helping and assisting all of the kids. So, to me, that could potentially be an option if you're asking for suggestions. And then what Julie said that would be a suggestion. I know you know I I understand safety. It's a really important thing. I'm but retired SRO's could we ask for volunteers? Could we ask for volunteer other

101PE, you know, like so those are the things that I would maybe potentially take from I don't know. The reason Katrina I say no, you can't ask for volunteers. They're an armed officer. They must be a constable under the law. Okay. So, you have to pay them and it's a requirement. Okay. The second thing that you said is are are you saying maybe we should just get rid of the two intervention teachers and keep Spanish? No. Because what you guys said in the beginning was that you were hiring two teachers and reallocating the teacher assistants. So, to me, that's a position that's doesn't exist. It's it's two positions within the budget, but it's within the existing budget. But if the board doesn't wish us to hire them, it will mean no, you have to hear

102it. It will mean that we'll have three intervention teachers and I think three TAs in the building. And it goes against what we have told the teaching assistant unit unit of what we were doing because those positions were vacated that way we could. The ones that weren't vacated, we were reassigning them. That's just a managerial piece of shifting personnel to try to cover the intervention and it would require us to hire two teachers because we currently would not have them. It might be two teachers that are already in the district just shifting to that position, right? But we did have this conversation and I understand that you guys were talking about how a teacher, you know, could do it. But ultimately in within those RTI programs, we're shifting from 19 people down to 12 people

103with the same amount of kids with two additional certified teachers. I understand certifications. I think that when you get into grade level things, sometimes for kids, it's the ratio to the person and having somebody there in a smaller group setting. So to me that was already a cut in it. So if that is a way that we could save money and then float it like what Dan was saying for the 67,000 and bring it to this to back cuz everybody was comfortable with the seven cents and then we did ask for the five bringing it down. Those are just my suggestions of trying to get there. I understand this is hard to try to figure it out, but if that money somehow worked, then maybe we can still save it. And I and you know,

104these are the hard conversations. We got to figure it out. But Julie, I thought, had a good suggestion. So, if I may respond, Julie's suggestion is we add one more change of a an entire contractual relationship with the middle school to the intermediate school and try to go out and do this in less than 13 weeks when it took us a year just to do longer to do the elementary schools. That's my only concern because of the fact if we go to contingent, we may not have a choice. But we'll do more and we'll make it work if that's what the board wants. I just have to tell you that the units can throw a monkey wrench in that. I can't guarantee you're going to get the savings. Okay. So, I just have a question

105because last year there were administrative positions that were put into the budget. Yep. and you and it was like this was going to be cut and so how does that they were in this year's budget we cut them out so we didn't cut just like Dan was saying two or three positions we've cut over six positions of administrative coverage for the district right I'm not talking about okay maybe I need to um to me the board can kind of make any position position and cut any position. It doesn't matter what position it is. They can say this is this position is being eliminated only if you have control over the position. So if we didn't if okay so we may not have to say that the middle school principal is taking over the intermediate. We

106could say potentially that there just isn't the principal there. Or we could say that we have a principal, but then we don't have an assistant principal and that there's not two in that role potentially because that is also a position that is not going to be there. And I mean, and I'm not trying to open a can of worms, but you could also go through and look at your whole overall budget because the big thing is kind of like some of this capital component that's adding on or like the restructuring and all of those things, which I think we're going to really have to like dig into and really look at, especially this upcoming fall. Capital, just so that you know, capital construction is one of the things that is I contingent. You can't change

107that, right? Right. By law for some for some of for approved it, but like if it's not in the budget and it's coming out of the general fund, different things that you may have would be considered in that, right? So potentially, I don't know. And then I've also, you know, talked about software as options. I'm not, it's a hard place to have, but you've asked us for suggestions. So those are my suggestions because I don't think that it's wise to get rid of language. I think that shows us exactly what Warren was saying. If if we're going to put something back in, then something has to go out. So hard decisions. Um, my kids all took languages when they were here. So did I. But is that more important than intervention for those children who

108have special needs? I'm not saying one is better than the other. One is more important than the other. But the decisions have to be made. And you're right, they're hard decisions. But with the the proposal that's out there, we're not going to be losing any person who currently has a job. We're working with openings that are there that have been trying to be filled and they're not being filled. So, it seems just more logical to me to go with the programs that are the way it is in the budget for now. And as Warren said, we were to bring it down. We did. I'm afraid if we start putting things back in, we're going to be right in the same circumstances and budget's not going to pass. If you're not together on the budget as

109nine board members, you risk that. Christine, so I'm struggling with the fact that we are debating over positions that we've been unsuccessful in trying to hire. I think we're all in agreement that language is important. We're not sacrificing the program for students. We are restructuring the program potentially temporarily in order for us to be able to have a successful budget that passes so we don't have to lose additional things. So again, it doesn't mean that I don't that I don't support the language in seventh grade. I 100% do, but we cannot hire those positions. we've been trying to hire those positions and I think what Dan suggested as you know if there's an opportunity and we we see the opportunity to hire somebody partway through the year then potentially we can float that in the

110budget and then be able to officially add it in to next year. Um but right now we don't have those people in place and we don't have a line of sight to those people right now either. Right. Um, so I I'm I'm struggling. Um, and I and I also agree. I mean, we all have to be supportive of this budget in order for this to pass in the community. And I and you know, I think that was, you know, part of the reason it didn't pass before is because there was there was concerns and there was, you know, we did we didn't have that unified approach. Um, but you know, these are are positions that we have been unsuccessful in hiring versus trying to say we're going to add them back in and now we're

111going to cut something else and then maybe still not even be able to hire them before next year. So, yeah. Yeah, just as a followup again and I I I was absolutely not advocating for increasing challenging. I know the desire is to get the budget as low as possible. That's what I support. Um really what I was trying to explore was if we get into next year, you know, and and there's some opportunity to hire someone for some reason, would that be possible, right? And I know there's a lot of ifs in there, but I I think Christine explains it well. I mean, it's it's not an elimination, it's a restructuring. These are positions that are not currently filled. So no one's losing their job and we haven't been able to find anyone, but we'd

112all, it sounds like, support the idea that if we could hire it at some point and add it in the back in the future, we that would be something to do. I and I think it's good to hear ideas, but I don't see how we could have, you know, a school without a principal. I mean, I to me that it's illegal in New York State, right? So, in terms of not filling the vacant principal spot, I'm not sure that that's even an option. So, if I can, so I was suggesting that we move it to one building and have one principal with two two assistant principles on each side. I understand that you have to because right now they're separate schools essentially. So, we'd have to go through and he's saying we don't have enough

113time for 13 weeks. So, I understand that, but it was just a suggestion I was throwing out there in the fact that we have a vacant position and it could be a good time to transition to having a similar structure to what the high school has. Okay. Thank you. I didn't realize that that was So, I'm sorry. I I know you weren't here, so that's where that was coming from. You know, to me, that's an interesting idea, but it it feels to me like trying to do something in the time that we have timeline that we have and not thinking through all the sort of um consequences of that could be problematic. So ultimately, you know, I come back to this. We've we've cut as much as we can cut. We've gotten the levy as

114low as we can. Uh I think it's important that we support the budget as was discussed and you know, this responds to what we heard from the community. So, um I think this is it's full of difficult choices, but I'm certainly supportive of what's being proposed. And if I if I can just make a suggestion because of that, it's very hard to float anything. But here's one of the things we've been doing ever since April. We keep always reviewing. I can't promise anything. But if all of a sudden we have different things that avail themselves, our first target would be to this of what you're talking about. I think that's what you're trying to say. I can't guarantee it. I can say to like what Sue said too is over time French has been decreasing.

115And this is we've got a great French teacher. I mean, puts a mustache on everything when she's talking to kids. Has a great rapport with kids. But the numbers are going down and that's why she's also having Spanish certification and that's wonderful too. That we're we're we're kind of trapped because we don't want to remove French and fill the Spanish void. Do you see what I'm saying? So that's something that we have in the future that we're going to have to address. It's just not this year because we still have students going up through French. So we we would try to find the balance of that over the time if we can. I just don't know if we can. If all of a sudden we have teachers, we would look at different things. Uh we

116may have some issues with our SRO's anyways just because some of the SRO's may not be back and they're having I will tell you they're having trouble hiring. And if I have situations where I can't hire one place, I'll use the money in the budget to try to support other areas that are weaker. That would be the biggest thing that I'd offer that we would try to do to make sure everybody gets across the finish line so the community sees a united board. Thank you. Dr. Douglas, before you run away, I'm wondering if you can go a little bit deeper into why the 13 weeks is not enough time. many of those weeks are summer, so that math makes sense. But, um, I know there's much more to it than just one conversation. Um, so

117I'm wondering if you can dig into a little bit more of that because I agree, Julie. I think it's a good idea, but timewise, like we have too many changes in First of all, we have a lot of changes already we're trying to focus on. Second of all, there are union contracts. Not only the just the administrative union contract, but we also have the teachers contract, the support staff contract, all the other clerical contracts as that unification of the building. Not to mention that we also Oh, it's alive. Not to mention that we also have to have permission from the state which was required like we did with Center Street and Ridge Road back in May and they have to approve it. And they don't like to do it unless there's an emergent need which

118I'm sure I could probably try to convince them but that doesn't mean that they're going to be receptive at this late stage. That's why they say do it in May. But that's the hard part. and then trying to coordinate different I mean you might have to negotiate it which could potentially have costs I I think along those lines too. So that's all the logistical stuff but I think doing a deep dive as to is it really an appropriate thing to do for the students at that age levels you know with everything else that they have and all the all the current struggles. um that are present today that may not have been present, you know, years ago. So, I think it's it's that as well in addition to all those logistical hurdles that would have

119to be overcome. Not saying it's impossible, but it I mean with what my team and I are already challenged with and trying to pull everything off, this is just another complex layer. Like I said, if we go to contingent, we may not have a choice. I mean, but that's even a shorter time frame. Um, that's the hard part. Uh, we also want to give a little little consistency in that transition right now because our focus really is especially on the elementary. Hopefully that answered Katrina. I'm okay. All right. So, I think we've reached the point where either somebody makes a motion to cut ACE economics for Spanish or cut something for Spanish or we make a motion that we all support this budget and we will work actively to get it passed so that there's

120no more harm to the district. Are we going to hear from the community first? All right. But I I'll get there. But I I think we've beat the dead horse. And what I want to hear is either a motion to direct the superintendent to go change what they've done and spent the whole week doing or we're going to support it and then hear if the community is in support. Just point of order. the there is an action item later in the agenda, a 3.04, which is technically the vote on the budget. So, I think it would be I think what you're saying is actually on the agenda already, 3.04, but I think the way I would interpret it is when we vote on that later on the agenda, we're approving what's going to go out

121to the public. And if the board is going to recommend changes, then the team has to leave, spend an hour, 2 hours incorporating all the changes, come back with the numbers for us. So, we're actually approving the final one. I I guess I don't want to get to the point in that agenda and then somebody say, "No, I'm not ready to vote yes." And then send them out. I guess it six one half a dozen the other. Does it make sense? Yeah, if I may. I mean uh I think procedurally that's the mechanism when we debate 3.04 people could raise considerations and um theoretically that could lead to a revision. I for myself I think it would be premature to express a viewpoint without having heard from the community. So I wouldn't be in favor

122of any formal vote on the budget at this point. Does anybody from the community wish to speak? Pardon me. Let me just say the rules that we normally employ apply. You have five minutes to speak. Please state your name and your address for the record. Hi. Yes, you'll have to bear with me a little. I've got a little laryngitis. My name is Christine Fischer. Uh 2836 County Line Drive, Big Flats, New York. I'm also um Spanish teacher here at the high school and our department chair. Uh if it's all right with the board, I did prepare a letter with my department. Um some of us are just here to speak and we appreciate that opportunity tonight as you so voted on. Um so I'll read the letter as it is and uh if my time

123is up I will ask my department to piggy back. So I want to thank you all um members of the board Dr. Douglas and the team. I want to first thank you for your time and willingness to serve on the board of education here at Horsedes. Always advocating for our students growth and success as well as recognizing the impacts that education here at Horses has on the community at large. Your hard work and dedication does not go unrecognized. In fact, it is in these trying times educationally that I come to you with the purpose of this letter. And first, I'll just provide some background for those of you who don't know me. Again, I am Christine Fischer and I teach the ACE Spanish program here at the high school. I'm a graduate of Horses and

124have lived here and worked here my adult life. I first began working in the district in 2007 at Horses Middle School. 5 years ago, I moved here to the high school where I took over the upper level Spanish program and then became the department chair. I've had the pleasure of teaching many of your own children here on the board um in the upper level ACE programming and otherwise um as we do have a very full and robust upper level Spanish program in both buildings. However, I have had the ultimate pleasure of teaching the variety of levels that we do offer and that is Spanish 1 through six including AP Spanish language and culture. Um, I do want to recognize I know the board uh has discussed this a little bit more at length tonight. I

125know that Dr. Douglas and his team have again put in a lot of hard work. Um, and that the recommendation as it sits is that the Spanish program would be restructured according to the last board meeting. Uh my understanding is that this would mean of course now that we're finding out a little bit more about this that this would cut the seventh grade program and that our language students would begin learning 8th grade as previously designed in the PR French program as a quote unquote accelerated program. On a side note per the state that means that students yes can do that. um and that those regulations while they permit students to earn that one credit in 8th grade prior to entering high school and that is the mandate um with some very small exceptions. This

126is permissible by law and it does not however lead to the overall and potential growth that we've seen thus far in our current programming. Um many of our students here are highly successful as they reach high school and continue into this dual level program and earn ACE credit and um are more prepared for college. Certainly, I know that my department agrees that when we see the growth and excitement in our students and they come to us with desire to continue their language classes that we just want to be there for them. And uh this is true because we have built such a strong curriculum from the bottom. The foundational programming that we have that is stretched over two years um by fantastic design. Um no was never mandated however has been the perfect makeup to

127to allow us to see the growth in our students and that excitement that we do. We not only strive to teach language and culture but also provide our students with exposure to vi diversity and inclusion as well as an understanding of the world at large around us. Our strong commitment to language learning and teaching language to our students um make us strive to be the professionals that we are. Uh we can and will adapt this change as proposed if need be. However, it it is worth pointing out that se several interviews had transpired and even one pending interview was on the books for this week. The cancelling of the seventh grade program, I understand, might meet some of the current needs. However, I would like to also point out that our current interview process is

128a bit lengthy. uh and in comparison to neighboring districts, this could be hindering our applicants for continuing through the entirety. Perhaps the board might consider in the future changing the hiring practices so that we do not potentially lose these candidates. Our French teacher, that's all my time. Thank you. I do. Gotcha. Um, I'm Kelly Fessitch, 133 Daffodil Drive, Horse, New York. Our French teacher who recently became certified in Spanish did apply for the position and was denied for the Spanish position. As department chair, Christine has personally been working with building administration closely to weigh our options in the program based on our numbers to scope out the trajectory of our program knowing that two of our beloved a vet veteran Spanish teachers are set to retire this June. I know my department and I agree

129that the impacts of the decision for one level will directly impact language learning in our district for each consecutive level. To change our current structure would have an impact on every single level throughout high school and potentially the students readiness andor natural ability to continue to the higher levels based on the loss of that first initial year, seventh grade. While administration has been open with this as a possibility, we were not notified until just before last week's meeting. Just before last week's meeting. Some of our teachers received phone calls as notification an hour before the meeting began and some actually heard it for the first time while watching the public meeting. That was how they were notified. We strive for transparency and strong communication with our department and we appreciate the same from our district

130leaders when major decisions like these are being investigated and there's options on the table. Our department is just over two years into the curriculum process and this will directly impact the curriculum that has already been designed essentially causing us to go back to the table and begin to restructure everything all over again. We recognize these trying times and fully understand the board's role at this moment. It's unfortunate that the budget did not pass with a 60% supermajority needed. However, we must wonder if there are other areas that could be looked at to make ends meet. We are left questioning what is next. Our department will go from 10 to eight teachers due to attrition. But will that ever be gained back in reality? Is this a permanent loss? We've seen it in the past. Will

131we continue to make cuts even though our Spanish program is thriving and numbers at an all-time high throughout the program? On behalf of the world language department, we would continue to advocate for our students because that's what we always do. And future language learners, as we are very proud of the program we offer and always have been, our sincere hope is that you will consider other avenues. We have options we've discussed with our building administrators so that we can turn out to the budget vote without truly impacting programs. Sincerely the world language department at Horses High School. Would anybody else like to speak? You're next. I'll be sure to at least I hope. I am Michael Warick. I live at 359 Red Chalk at Aaron. Um I think this budget's going to pass. Uh, I'm

132not smiling because I'm part of that 27 Aaron culture and I'll be fighting at the next board. So, don't worry about it. Um, in regards to the Spanish program, I think it's great, right? Language is great. Culture, trust me, been around the world more than probably most. Um, but I'll be honest with you, I don't think that's the hill to die on for a seventh grade. Right? So, when I went to school here, again, it's just my opinion, we had language in 8th to 9th, right? Everything we'd exposed to in life is great because we grow from it. At least we that's the purpose. But as far as to to say this is the hill I'm going to die on, to take away a seventh grade uh Spanish class, most likely the reality is in

1335 years learning a language in high school, maybe maybe even middle school, is going to be gone. All right? You can put an earbud in and you're going to be able to listen to everything. That's the reality. AI culture is great. Um, but again to die on the hill is probably not worth what we used to say in the military. Is the juice worth the squeeze? Probably not for a couple bucks hypothetically. And I believe um, Mr. Dale, like you hit the nail right on the head. It was factored in because two positions aren't being hired or which I'm glad we just learned possibly were or could be. I don't know. That's that's why I love this stuff, right? You're getting more information that what we didn't know five minutes ago or 20 minutes ago.

134However, they didn't. Well, maybe they did. I don't know. But the public didn't know. So, we see the budget and that's what we see as Miss Dale said, right? Those two positions, it makes sense to factor out that money that was going to be spent. But and I know there actually I was gonna ask you is this the first time that any of these board members have seen this right here that yes this presentation just going forward like might be something to think about because I get it Dr. Douglas, you guys are crunching and drinking the Red Bull and whatever you're doing, right? But I think for something like this, especially because it got denied the first time, again, nobody wants to work on Memorial Day or or Saturday or whatever. Um, maybe we should

135have backed it up to the left on the calendar a few more days. So, it gave the board a little bit more than we'll call it two hours to generate thought because you get stressed. You get in the moment, you get emotional, and what happens is your brain doesn't function properly. Period. That's most of you who had at least a little bit of psychology. You should know that, which I'm sure you do. So, at least 36 hours, 48 hours prior to this, they could actually go over it, marry on it, maybe cross talk more than what we're doing here as far as getting frustrated with thoughts and proposals and cutting RSOs or not or whatevers. Um, food for thought. Um, that's all I really got. Yeah. Yeah, sure. Absolutely. Just help out because it's not

136a back and forth, Mr. work, but the board saw the primary portion of this budget last Thursday. That's the seven cents. They're only reseing the extra 65 this time. So, they had the last meeting, which I know you were at. Oh, yeah. And this one. No, unfortunately. Unfortunately, the state only gives us a prescription. We have to have a legal notice in the paper tomorrow by by a deadline of tomorrow. We don't get the luxury. No. Every one of my team has been working since Thursday night through today while everybody else, you know, had had a wonderful hopefully long weekend. Um, as it is Memorial Day, I know, but that's our commitment and unfortunately, we've been going through everything, right? And again, like I said earlier to the board, I'll try to see what I

137can do. Yeah. But I I we're we're kind of after two years, this district's made over $9 million in cuts. Yeah. There is nothing left except staff and program. That's the hard part. So, thank you. No. Yeah. Absolutely. I get it. Like, you know, I'd love to be able to afford every little kid here and and big kid. I call them my crumb snatchers. Um all kinds of programs, but you know, if we're going to die on a hill, just hypothetically for a program, I mean, culture is great. Again, I've lived in many countries around this planet. time I really didn't want to live there. But hey, got to do what we got to do. But like financial advising, you know what I mean? Most of these kids don't even know how to balance a

138checkbook by the time they're 16, let alone 18, let alone how to read stock market. Not saying, you know, itemize, but give an idea how to build your credit. Most don't even know. Opposed to learning how to say a few words in Spanish, which most of us don't even retain in our 20s, 30s, and 40s, maybe a fraction, you know. Um, yeah. Again, but on the calendar, uh, Dr. Douglas, right? No, I get it. Right. You gota you got a hard date. You got to make make this happen. So, just, you know, food for thought. Been here, done that. I've been in these kind of things before, many decades of my life. It's when it's a good idea to back that calendar up several days. So, when you do have friction points or contingency points

139or whatever, the public says, "Nope, this is too high on me, whatever, and you get denied, especially if you're going for that 60% uh blessing." And Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, food for thought. Would anybody else like to speak? All right. Moving to section three, finance items for action. We can I have a motion to approve approve 3.02 to 3.05. So second curiosities, discussion, comments, Julie. So we um learned during this public session that there was a pending interview. Was that interview canceled for that position? I'm not aware of I was not aware of any pending interviews. I was told that we had no current applications in the pool. Okay. So, if we approve the budget as is, obviously then those interviews would be cancelled because we wouldn't be hiring in that position. Correct. Like I

140said, we wouldn't be hiring unless we we will try to see what we can do. We always try to work our magic. I just have to have at least a definitive fallback and then we'll take it from there because if we see it the one thing I will say is we've had interviews after interviews over 5 months people back out and like we said at the board I think we said last time we I think Tony said we had no viable candidates at this point that have backed out. They may have scheduled an interview or backed out. I don't know which is the case at this point. I'm sorry that wasn't a question I was prepared for. Um, but the whole point is is like we said, we sort of had to fish or cut

141bait because we're only got about 13 to 14 weeks left and trying to continuously advertise as well as all the other positions. This has not had any fruit and we've also checked around with other districts. They have not had it as well. Thank you. But we'll continue. I mean, we can continue if we can. If there is that interview, I'll look into it tomorrow with Kate or um Thank you and I appreciate that. Um there was also brought to our attention the um it seems like the chairs have brought some options to the building principles. Um if those are something that would potentially options if that would be something potentially save that program by not maybe possibly filling or whatever those are. I of course we don't know. Would those be still able to be

142put in place? We would look at anything as long as it doesn't impact the overall budget. Okay. Thank you. That's no problem. Thank you. Call a question. All in favor? I opposed. Abstensions. Uh okay. So we're when we're doing this right now, we are approving the budget as is. Yes. With no more discussion. That was the question and we took the vote. Okay. Um, I am abstaining. And the reason I am abstaining is because I was still looking through the full line item budget that we just got. And I did make the suggestion the last time at the last meeting to have a Tuesday meeting so that we could go through this and really have more of a discussion on it. And I understand that everybody wants the meeting to be over and we do

143believe that this is going to pass. But I also think that we are doing the community a disservice by not going through everything and making sure where things are and where they be. And I understand everybody's perspective that the board needs to be unified in this. I don't I think there's a group of people who watch everything and then I think that there's a big portion of the community that also comes out to vote that doesn't pay attention to any of this at all and literally just looks at their taxes and what they see going on around them and other things that they may or may not be happy with. So, um that's why I'm choosing to abstain. There is no conflict with the budget though. Huh? You don't have a conflict of the legal

144nature with the budget. Do you? I can't say that I have a I I am obstaining because I think I should go through all of the lines and look at all of them. I feel like that's my duty and that's how I voted before and I've said that before publicly and I think that that's what we need to do. That's I have to do that in my for my conscience. I support I support the school district and I support, you know, I want I want to see what's best for everybody and all of the kids. But I think that that's why I'm elected is to be able to go through everything. That's that's all. Christine, I just want to make a comment. So, I think what I'm struggling with, Katrina, is the one that's out

145there right now. Um, yes, we haven't had a lot of time with, but the only changes to that one versus the one that has been out there since the last budget that we adopted are the the cuts to the extras that we were adding in the ones that we've already discussed. So, you know, we we had access to that when we went through last week's meeting to to generate ideas on other things that can be cut. So, I I just um I just want people to understand that we have access to this. Now, this particular one where some of those line items had to be changed that we discussed tonight, we didn't because they were working on it up until the start of this meeting. Um, but it's not that we didn't have access to

146the majority of it because we have. Marian, I just want to um say that I agree wholeheartedly with Christine. And I think we were given a great opportunity to listen, think, discuss. And as she said, the only thing different this time were the cuts that needed to be made so that we could put forth a budget with lower rates, which is what we were asked to do. I think now as a board member, I will speak for myself, our our responsibility is to go into the community and to try to explain to everyone that yes, it's hard and yes, it's tough, but this is the best we can do with what we have to work with. Just like families are trying to do the best they can do with what they have to work with

147these days. We need to be positive. If we're not, how can we expect the community to be positive? It's very disheartening for me to hear comments made that, well, you know, I don't have kids in school anymore, so I really don't see why I need to pay taxes. Well, maybe you don't have children in school anymore. I don't, but I'm a community member. I've lived here for quite a long time. And to me, it's a give back to the community to vote yes for this budget and let our children have the best education that we can provide with the amount of money that we have to work with. All right. So, I I agree. We we've had access to to the whole presentation um with minor exceptions was what we saw last week. We all

148agreed last week with what the presentation was and I think it's our obligation now to go out and support the budget vocally support it because we saw the dire consequences if we don't. So, I think as a board we have to be united and um promote the school district as best we can. All right. Did you have something else to say? Just drawing the attention to the board. Thursday, June 5th, board of education public hearing will be 6 pm at the high school cafeteria. That's right. because the sports um tribute is here as well. So, it will be very busy parking. It will be livereamed and recorded. Again, that's just a real quick presentation of the budget and then for community comment of how they feel one way or another towards the budget. Uh please

149forgive me. I have to be at both places at 6:00. So, we'll work around that. Then this budget newsletter will be prepared. The budget is expected same exact location Tuesday, June 17th, which is a region's day. So, please understand, same exact location so that everybody understands the budget vote will be 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the high school North Gym. Same entryway. Look for the signage. Uh, and then Wednesday, June 18th is a regular board of education meeting, 5:15 executive session. And hopefully at that time we have a successful budget. Thank you. Christine, so on June 5th, couldn't we piggyback the two together and and then we have a really big audience and to get more of this information out to more of our community if the sports tribute is that night? Oh, you

150just want to make the sports tribute go on and on. Well, well, no, but I I mean, I know it's a long night, but I will make an announcement at the sports tribute about it. Yeah, we be at 5:30. Yeah, I mean it's I I'm just saying like it it gives us an opportunity to a large audience to be able to really promote and really get the details of this budget out because June 5th is like an added meeting. We normally do 6:00, but if the board would like 5:30, that way you can possibly attend both and I highly encourage the board to attend both because you got a lot of people to talk to. point of order. Uh I think we'd have to, you know, we just approved the public um the notice, you

151know, the formal legal notice which lays out the date and time of both the public hearing and then the vote. So if we're going to change the time, we'd have to update that document and reapprove it. Can we update Can we push the sports tribute back a half hour? Sorry. Sorry. I'm just No, my mic shouldn't be on. We've been look we've been discuss I make a motion to do so if we want to do that. Do we need motion recess? So I just made that motion. question. The only action if you want the only action will be adjusting the notice. You guys have classes tomorrow. All right. We're returning from a recess where we were taking care of some paperwork. So, I need a motion to modify 3.02 so that the starting time is

1525:30 and not 6:00. Can I have a motion, please? So moved. Second. Curiosities, discussion, comments. Still in the cafeteria. Yes. And we'll update the presentation for all in favor. Opposed? Abstensions. Motion to motion to adjurnn. Second. All in favor? Opposed? Abstensions. Thank you all. All right. Have a good night.