Budget, Finance and Growth Committee Meeting January 16, 2026

001And we leave our mics on, don't we? Throughout. Okay. Good morning. We welcome everyone uh here that's watching and uh and present in person. Uh my name is Eve Bolton and I am a board member. This is a school board and this is the meeting of the uh budget finance and growth committee. Uh and we meet as other as the other standing committee on the board monthly. Uh and we have a number of things to do today. Uh first and foremost, what we will do is at least go around the room as we always do for introductions. I'm Eve Bolton and we'll start with member. >> [clears throat] >> Good morning. My name is Jim Crosset. I'm a board member. >> And good morning, board member Kendra Map. And this is my first year serving

002on finance, so I'm excited about it. >> We welcome you. >> Welcome. >> You're courageous. [clears throat] [laughter] >> Nan, you want to start? >> Hi, I'm Nan Higgot. I'm the state and federal programs manager of grants. >> Good morning. My name is Cody Hutchkins and I'm the contract analyst. >> Uh Michael Gustin, treasurer and chief financial officer. Just welcome to the board members for another exciting year of budget finance and growth. >> Uh Liz Martin, assistant treasurer controller. >> Emma Mueller, internal audit supervisor, >> and Kevin Ashley, director of financial reporting and transparency. >> And and Rob Wilson, uh technician. And if you'd like to um request to speak at the end of this meeting, click the hand icon, raise your hand. We'll ask you your name and association to the district and we'll

003invite you to speak at the end of the meeting. Thank you. >> And our superintendent just stepped out just a moment ago and when she comes back in, we'll have her introduce herself as well. Uh the first thing we need to do today is uh select a uh chair uh for future reference and whatever part of what we do in the school board is that we have two starts of a year. We have the start of a school year but we also have a start of the a board year and the uh school board functions by rotation on an annual basis from January through uh December. And so this is new committees, new leadership. Uh and uh today we'll try to have the uh process to find a chair um take place and we'll get

004on with business. Are there any nominations for chair? Mr. Crosset, >> I I nominate Eve Bolton. >> Thank you, Mr. Crosset. I would accept the nomination. >> Now, I was nominating uh board member Crosset. So, [laughter] And that's okay. Feel free. >> So, it said she was discretion, but yes, I was nominating board member Crosset. >> He's got about six other things that he's doing for sure. >> I'm honored by the nomination. Absolutely. Thank you very much. >> I'd vote for you if I didn't want to vote for myself. [laughter] >> That makes me feel >> Absolutely. [laughter] Oh, let's have a vote then. >> I vote for Eve Bolton. >> As do I. uh cross it. >> Okay. Thank you. That's sort of a tradition started last year in finance. So, it's okay. Don't

005It's not exceptional. Don't worry. >> I always have to honor the newbies. [laughter] >> Well, that's good. I like that. I like that. >> Moving on then, uh we want to start with our treasurer talking a little bit about the uh committee work plan, which is something we have to devise. >> Sure. Thank you. Um, so in your packets, we have the I think couple drafts of the committee work plan. Actually, we have the one from February of last year, the one from March of last year. >> I I think the March one's a little more up to date. Um, but but traditionally what we do in this meeting is we pass it out. If board members have anything that they want to kind of discuss further or maybe make a change to under the

006responsibilities, you know, we kind of mark that up and bring it back for discussion in February. Um, treasur's office will update once we pick kind of the calendar, which at some point we have to talk about that today as well. But, uh, we'll update the monthly agenda items and the, um, items to be approved by the board. Ideally, we bring all that back next month and have an approved work plan. >> Thank you. And once we uh have that opportunity to review it and work on the work plan and pass [clears throat] it in finance, then of course as by protocol we send our work plan to the board and the board as a whole adopts the work plan that finance committee is recommending and uh everything there is in in in public. And then

007also as you mentioned uh the responsibilities if we want to change the responsibilities or add to them or what have you that will require us changing also the protocol because that or the bylaws I I always call it the old name the bylaws uh because of that that part of this work plan is from the bylaws and I do think the first paragraph for something oftent times in the as to what it is that we do it really does capture. It was several years ago that finance became both finance budget and growth. Uh previously uh it was just finance but the mission and the vision kind of of of uh finance began to grow as we lessened the number of standing committees we had. So, um, >> did you would you like changes to you

008from from the board members and then I will take any any suggestions from staff and we can we can reconcile those and then bring it back next. >> I I will say that all the all the changes can go to you. >> Okay. Okay. I'll take >> That's okay. if you see things and I do think that we we >> do need to review maybe not just the responsibilities but the monthly work [clears throat] >> just because of the where we are in this world right now >> uh financially I mean maybe we spend even more time on grants or what have you or we talk even more about possible levies or bond issues or what that so all of us be thinking about these new demands that we have I was just going to

009say and we have [clears throat] a couple people three people join us again. >> We we have two people who can introduce themselves. >> The we have two new ones here for us. We have three uh as we did already the introductions. Uh Madame President, would you like to introduce yourself? >> Emily Dale with me local. >> Welcome Madam President. And >> Brad Smith rep. Excellent. Thank you. And again, the superintendent when she steps back in. But if you see this woman going in and out, it's probably the superintendent. >> So, let's get started on the next part, which is her goals. Oh, I'm sorry, Jim. >> Just wanted to um inquire about a specific uh time frame or date. I know that we're looking to have um any revisions made and brought to the

010next finance meeting, but any um specific time that you would like us to direct our maybe um recommendations to you um just to make sure that we're operating in the scope of a uh you know deadline and honoring that. Is there a particular time that would be helpful to make sure that we get our recommendations to you? >> How about just thinking out loud two weeks from today? >> Okay. That way it's I mean I think generally when deadlines are more than two weeks for things like this then [laughter] >> you you give too much time and then things going to get forgotten. >> Okay. >> Um you did bring up probably one of the more important questions is when will the next >> meeting be and one of the key things is getting on

011our regular meeting schedule. Traditionally, it's been um third Friday of each month from 10 to 11 >> and we [clears throat] did have staff look at those. So, what those days would be going through the year, uh in addition to there would be one, two, three, I think five audit committee meetings as well that we have to also schedule and those are already adopted if I recall correctly. Yes, they were adopted at the last the December of December audit committee >> and uh the one area that was of concern if we kept the same date and we don't have to but it has worked well if we kept the same date that we do have a the Junth uh but we would maybe hopefully not necessarily be able to uh either either meet necessarily although

012something important like June 30th would be coming up. >> So, that would be something to anticipate. [clears throat] Go ahead. >> I have a feeling we'll need to have a [laughter] finance committee meeting in June as that gets to be the end of the budget >> um process. So, um but but that that is one meeting that could be it could be moved around a little bit. >> Yeah, I was going to say I'm sure we can be flexible around time in June. >> Okay. Yeah. Um, looking at the work plan for last year, are there certain topics that are typically addressed in certain months just by >> for example, do we always look at district insurance in March? That's related to pretty much >> renewals of so those kinds of things. Just keep those

013in mind as we put this together and you can maybe highlight those for us. >> Okay. Yeah. Yeah. I I think our our calendars we've done fairly decent job of sticking to our calendar. Uh there are some there are some required things but yeah I think that's I think that's good. We'll look at those. Um try to obviously get in front of if you look at the last page is the things that need to be approved by the full board. So, and wherever possible, we want to come here first for those things. >> That's one of the most important parts of the scheduling is that those things that do need to go full board. we >> that are financial and particularly our under our purview. We like to not only be sure that we've at

014a look see either once or twice uh before it goes to the board, but we would like to be able as a committee to recommend passage. Um if if we can keep it a unified passage, that's great. That has been our mission. But as the bylaws allow, it can also file a minority within a committee u when we take it to the board. and and sometimes we've done we've done finance on Friday, business meeting on Monday, but we've still been able to >> Absolutely. >> So, which is which has been I think really a good a good thing for this committee. >> And some things we like to bring to finance before we send them to policy, which is required just like with the student achievement stuff, you like to get some sort of airing

015prior to it and give some direction and and ask for help and leadership from policy. Other issues regarding work plan? We've got a date as to when we need to get back to uh the treasurer. Any other items? Does this uh third Friday work for folks that are here? Uh and the 10:00 hour. Um, Friday is uh apparently one of the days that does work in our committees because I think policy is a Friday as well. I don't know that it's that welcomed by staff, but it's but [clears throat] almost any day is going to be problematic >> for you. >> Yeah, Friday is pretty um pretty good for me. >> Great. >> Yeah. No objections to it. >> Third Friday is great. >> Me too. treasurer. Does that work for you and your multitudes

016of uh treasurites? >> Certainly does. We work at your pleasure. So, >> okay. All right. And then we'll look for that other date regarding um the Junth possibility. >> Yes, we can look in June and see um because I want to look at I believe the last board meeting is the 22nd. >> Yes. Of June. of June, which is when we would traditionally pass our appropriations resolution, which we, so let me rephrase that, which is when we are going to pass our appropriations resolution. Let's let's put it in positive terms. So, we would want to have a finance. >> Sounds good. >> Probably a week before that to to tie up all the last remaining budget items. So, the finance committee would feel comfortable recommending the final budget to the full board. And as this

017works out, but members of the finance committee are also members of the community audit committee and we have those dates. Um, and I can list those now if you'd like. >> Okay. At least and check me if I'm wrong, everybody. Uh, it's my understanding it's February 25th and they meet at uh 4:30 I believe. >> 4:30. It's February 25th. Then we have um let's see April 29th, July 22nd, October 14th, and December 9th 4:00. And they they run a tight meeting. Uh only occasionally does it have any executive session. uh and the community is a volunteer uh of people of financial background and um going to we're very proud to be one of the very few districts that has one of those. >> Jim, do you have something? >> Well, yeah. They run technique to

018six is usually pretty much right on the dot. >> So, it's very good. >> unlike us, [laughter] >> we stayed till about seven. >> Okay. [laughter] Oh, that's this is short. This this [laughter] >> actually. Yeah. >> Okay. >> What can I say? All right. Let's keep moving. Have we done all the business that we have to do? We're firmed up. Uh we've introduced everybody and we have the chair selection. We have the committee work plan work to be done. Uh until we see the superintendent come back in. Uh can we go to you? >> I was going to say let's move some things around. Um >> yes. Do we want to take care of the chief audit executive item? >> Love to. >> Yes. So, um obviously at the last um audit committee meeting

019um she did her mid-year evaluation. It was reviewed and approved. All members of the finance committee at that time were there were participating in it. And I think the only thing left to do is for this committee to have it at have her mid-year evaluation scores added to the agenda for the business meeting. >> And u if we have the approval of this committee, we will move it. It did uh is recommended for a passage from the audit committee and we were the finance committee was Mike mentions was there and we just need to ask uh Miss Davis uh to have uh President Craig put uh the internal audit evaluation >> agenda >> on the next agenda which is still in January. for the full board to vote on. >> Does that can that be

020in consent? >> It it could be either. It can be on the consent [clears throat] agenda. We um it depends how president want to handle it. So, in terms of the um chief um um auditor audit, excuse me, evaluation, will that be available for us to review um before passing it on to the full board? >> Board members will see what they what was uh she submitted and what was approved by the audit committee. >> Okay. >> She is a very unusual situation similar I guess really to the the general counsel. general counsel has kind of a dual report to both like the superintendent and and to the board. >> Well, the audit uh chief basically has a dual report in a in a way >> uh to us and uh on the board and

021then also to the audit committee. Again, I think if you all recall, we back the last time in this fall or when we had our our work session, we kind of took to grips what the procedures and what the rules would be >> for both for all of our direct reports on the board. So, we standing by that and this is the process we kind of adopted. Correct. So, >> it's go ahead. nuanced in that the uh internal auditor really reports to us and to the board not to the superintendent >> whereas can't absolutely can't >> but inhouse council does sort of have that reporting to the superintendent >> so it's a little bit different >> right um I'm just trying to just jog my memory though for clarity um so the audit committee actually

022facilitated the evaluation process and from that point on finance committee will um then move it along for full approval for the board. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. And for the evaluation it is the board members do have the opportunity not only does finance committee on audit to participate but seldom does the board as individual members outside of finance participate but they are able to and that scoring or recommend or evaluation [clears throat] can goes part with whatever the audit committee is agreeing to or thinking about as well. >> Thank you. agenda for >> yes pref that's what we would recommend >> but it's president's call >> guess we'll do mine >> now it's you >> excellent all right Rob if you'll go to the next slide please thank and thank you thank you for

023all of your slide moving today we're going to keep you quite busy here [clears throat] so so just to kind of just to kind of set set the stage here the evaluation of the treasur was updated this was policy 1330 priority was updated in November. Uh my evaluation should be completed by the end of January each year with a mid year in August. Um mutually approved goals develop goals by the board. This committee budget finance and growth should review and provide feedback by the middle of January each year and submit the final outlook to the board for approval. All that's great, but I'm in this weird mid midterm thing because I've only been in the role for about six months now. So So this is kind of like a final but also midyear. Um, I

024think [clears throat] it's kind >> we're in that, like you said, in a transition. >> Yeah, we're in a weird transitionary period. I think >> soon that'll be over. >> Yes. I think the nice thing is we aligned a lot of this to also the superintendent's evaluation. So, so for for the evaluators, I think it gives you a little more consistency. So, what I want to do today is go through, if you hit the next slide, Rob, you can see we also made the criteria the same as the superintendent evaluation for consistency. But what I wanted to do today was go through my goals um that that I've had out there since probably October, kind of give the board an update. I do think I will probably change some of the goals um and maybe

025come back next month with goals for this calendar year because it looks like, you know, moving forward the evaluation cycle is really on a calendar year. So I'll probably want to update some goals. Um and I'll be honest, these goals were kind of built based on the old evaluation cycle. So the traditional kind of administrative evaluation cycle which was kind of like say September to to April but but we're going to we're going to kind of blow that up and start over here. So [clears throat] if you go keep going Rob um biggest part of the evaluation are goals and my goals are really in three areas. Improve systems um increased engagement and team culture and performance. There's six of them. I will not read them out loud as much as I'm going to just

026keep going. Rob, thank you sir. So I I'll kind of talk high level. The first one is obviously the budget process. I think that's first word in this committee's name, but it is a maybe a constant goal for a treasurer is to refine and improve the budget process. If you hit the next slide, Rob, you can see I kind of broke down the elements. Um obviously number one is we have a fully approved budget by June 30th. That is always the always the goal of budget. Um, but we're also updating some processes. We're rolling out a new version of our budget software. Um, trying to integrate federal funds a little a little better unfortunately, which we can talk about more. There's a lot of uncertainty of how much federal funds we'll have in future years,

027you know, and that that is at the federal level. You know, they're working on the appropriation the federal appropriations which makes it, >> you know, fairly difficult for us to plan. But I think our grants team and our um administration team are working through that staffing formula update. We did update staffing formulas. Um we are looking at additional revenue sources. I believe the group working on that will come back here next month and maybe have a presentation for you um of some additional revenue ideas that they've come up with that they find find to be valid. I think that ties in well with our forecast next month, >> you know. Yes. Sorry. Go for it. Since I lost in the vote and the chair is not here, I I'm just going to >> Yeah. >>

028Um [laughter] >> hey uh um on this additional revenue sources um I don't know the timing to talk about this but may it could be a thought for the future goals is this concept of a of service bureau. Couldn't that be part of this? >> That is I believe that is one of the ideas that >> Okay. Okay. Great. But yeah, um, chief operating officer Burkhart's got a got kind of a team looking at all kinds of things from >> from, you know, ad revenue to >> shared services to all kinds of all kinds of cool stuff. But your service idea, >> but but there would be um potential shared services that would could be uh from the treasurer's team. Correct. >> Okay, great. >> U, and then the last one on here, zerobased budgeting.

029So we started that. I think people put their initial budget request in um by the end of last week. Jeremy Glly and I reviewed them yesterday. They did people did some good work. Uh I think it's going to I think it's going to help out as as we ask, you know, the board and this committee for for kind of approval to move forward. We've we've gotten folks to really break their budgets into categories, which we'll talk that's that's in future slides, but but that was a good that was a good lift to get people moving in that direction. Second goal, um, if you'll just go two slides, Rob, is to talk about our long-term financial needs. And I think we've I think we've definitely started that. Um, thanks Miss Martin here for for building out

030kind of that kind of that that tool we shared last finance committee. Um, looking at potential levy sizing. Um, I've also become an expert on levies and state funding. you know, quickly becoming a expert on federal funding. Um, so that's good. We've done some great um presentations to the board and those financial town halls on these things. And then obviously, you know, as we work on the strategic plan effort, superintendent and I have been aligned on all those efforts. Third goal is building out a financial performance tool. And so this is more of an internal looking idea, but but to give to give our um administration a better way to look at trends in finances and and so there's a dashboard we're building out. We haven't rolled it out yet, so that is behind schedule,

031but but I've seen it. We had a meeting this week to see where we're at. It's pretty cool. Get a lot of cool visuals, a lot of graphical dashboard ideas of where finance is at. Maybe we'll maybe we'll show some of that next month in this committee. I think I think it's pretty cool. Yes. >> Um just [clears throat] will this tool I mean we already get a lot of recognition for our financial reporting and financial transparency. Does this put us at another level compared to a lot of the big urban aids in Ohio by doing this or >> this this is pretty cool. It is I will say it is an internal tool. Ah >> it is it is it is for leadership team members, directors, managers to to look at their areas of

032control and and see graphically how they're doing on financial things. >> Okay, >> this I mean it's this is pretty cool. I mean it's I I think it puts us in the lead, but it's not it's not something that we publish external. >> I see. >> Um it is real- time data. It's refreshed every day. >> Yeah. And it and it really answers a lot of questions that that a director or manager needs to know. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> I have a question. Um so I like hearing about this uh financial performance tool. My question is how will this maybe communicate or interface in any way with the audit dashboard uh that was rolled out? Will there be any collaboration or communication amongst the two or will they be two

033separate entities? >> There's they're separate entities but connected in purpose. >> So So this is a kind of real time look at where your finances are. Um some of the items I believe especially in the compliance section and in the operation section are things that were clearly identified with by the audit committee you know and or by or by the audit team and said hey we need to look at this >> you know they'll say you guys need to look at this that's a visualization that allows us to monitor it >> so so the connection I would see is you know the audit doesn't engagement they come up with recommendations you know the recommendation are driven a lot of times by data So as administration, you can see in the audit dashboard. Hey, we completed

034this recommendation. You know, I said, "Hey, this recommendation's complete. We shared our plan with the audit team, but now I have a data visualization that shows me how well we're living that piece." >> Okay? >> You know, so so yeah, so they're they're connect they're all in working the same purpose, but they're different streams of data, if that makes sense. But so um if I'm hearing you correctly the audit dashboard can serve as like that driver of information um to make sure that the execution is done on this particular platform. >> You can Yes. For sure. >> Okay. >> For sure. So >> the compliance and >> Yeah. So so so for example, one of one of the things on the on the dashboard is overtime spending, >> right? And so the audit committee had

035or the audit team did a deep dive into overtime a couple years ago um and put some recommendations out there, some of which are complete, some of which aren't. Uh but one one of their recommendations is is that, you know, managers track their overtime, you know, at a high level. This dashboard goes a level beyond where we are. So right now, every payroll, every member of the leadership team gets a report in their email of everyone under under their area that's that's used overtime, right? that that was that was how we met the recommendation. The dashboard now gives you a visual, you know, you can see at a higher level this visual of how that works. And so it just gives you more of a drill through of data. >> Okay. >> And an easier

036way to visualize. >> Okay. Perfect. Thank you. [clears throat] >> Rob, if you'll hit the next one. Uh goal four is around community outreach. So got one more. big one is our our um financial town hall podcast series, Money Matters with Mike. So, we've completed four of them to date. We have we have some coming up. I would um just ask the members of the finance committee. You know, we usually have at least one to three members of the finance committee come to the town halls, which has been which has been great. I get some we get some really great discussion. If it's just me and a guest, it does kind of it's not as much fun as if it's me and a couple board members. So, please let me know if you're planning to

037attend. I mean, there's a signup sheet out there, but we really do appreciate having that board perspective, board input, you know, and allow you to engage with with our guests. >> I I I want to compliment you on on having the guests. I think that's been a very beneficial thing. Ex literally external guests that are experts. Uh I've heard at least a couple of comments um from some friends that are just nerdy enough to be watching this with us uh as we go. Uh but uh I think that's been helpful. I think too it it raises our profile. Um and I would think that looking at the uh whatever that timeline might be that we have to make a decision about going to the public regarding uh a levy or whatever it might be. Um

038it might be thinking in terms of building that also into your calendar. uh because those things are um convened uh across the district. Usually it's you know east or west or now it would probably be in three quarters. So uh that might be uh something to be thinking about because it's invariably been the treasurer and the superintendent that take the lead on those community meetings if we do have a levy. So be aware. Jim. >> Yeah. I just wanted to amplify that the especially the last two meetings of two guests have been outstanding and it's really great that those are recorded on YouTube because we you know we may want to refer to those in the future. >> Absolutely. >> So, thank you. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, this is a good time to thank

039Mr. Rob for producing those. >> Absolutely. This will be the mill. >> Yes, he he does an excellent job behind behind the camera. So, we we appreciate his efforts and this is a um give ourselves a plug. We do have this out on YouTube podcast. So you can go out to YouTube podcast and you can watch the whole series. So I think that's I think that's really been a cool thing. >> Just search money matters with Mike. >> There's our theme song and everything. >> Yeah, there's a theme song now. It's so other things on here. I have been presenting at the LSDMC meetings. Um Miss Hey, good joined me for for the last one. She seemed to enjoy it, I think. Um but but that's been a good outreach I think to get the

040treasures office back. We engaged with that group. Um, we've done a lot of outreach here and there on stuff. I think one thing I I was really proud of is when the county commissioners were looking at expanding the property tax roll backs, we were able to rally all the school districts in the county and get all the treasurers, a lot of board members, some superintendent all to show up to county commissioner meetings. I was personally very proud of that to get to be able to help kind of lead that effort um and and protect some some tax revenue for us. And then we continue to publish the financial newsletter. I've only gotten through my first um issue with it, but I know we're working to expand the um the number the number of views for

041those. So, all right. Goal number five um is something we're going to kick off actually today. So, we've committed to creating a new year-end report. Um, and and I think Kevin can tell you that Kevin works really hard on what's called the annual comprehensive financial report, the ACFR. It's about a 200page document. Um, a few people read it cover to cover. I I I I know Miss Sellers, president of CFT, does and >> She does. She carries it around. Yeah. It's on her bedstand, I'm sure. [laughter] >> Yes. frankly it probably is. >> We're not saying that facitiously. >> Yeah, she does. But um for for those who don't have that level of commitment to our finance reports, we are looking to do something kind of along the lines of a popular annual financial report.

042Um for board members in your packets um and and Cody, jump in if you want here. >> We've we've put three examples in from other school districts. What we would like you to do is is just take those and mark them up. If you like things, star them, smiley face, whatever, highlight. If you don't like things, X them out. I mean, the three are very different in how they're built. Um, some of them go straight to straight to the financials. Some of them are a little more fluffy. Uh, but but but the idea is that you have about a you have about a six to 10 page document. Actually, Cody, would you want to add? >> Cody with a K. Um, nothing too much to add on top of what Mike said here, but yes,

043picked uh three three different uh categories of the paffer, what we're calling the paffer. So, we have Columbus City Schools, one of our big urban aid, some we're similar to. So, I want to have a comparison there. Um, New York City Schools in theirs as well. They had they've had quite a good recognition for some of their financial reports across the state. So, I wanted to get a pretty good example. And then Worthington City Schools, theirs is uh pretty short, to the point, but shows a lot of good information, quick information there. But at your discretion, uh mark those up, give those back, and we'll see what we can come up with. And if anybody needs any more examples, please let me know. I'm more than happy to provide more. >> Okay, Jim. >> At

044the uh Ohio School Board Association meeting in November, the Columbus report was available to attendees. And so I think this kind of u shorter executive summary report could be a a tool for um all kinds of commu community communication that could be valuable uh beyond what we do in current beyond the 200 how many pages >> it's about it's about 200 right Kevin so so there's some I I love that we're doing this and I think there's a lot of value in doing it so thank you for for initiating it and considering So let's say let's say same deadline for that two weeks. >> Is that is that fair? >> Yes. And I and I I feel real strongly about this. I've I've asked for this for 15 years. U and we have periodically done

045something similar to it. There's been two or three of these >> produced over that period of time, but not on a regular basis. And I think that this this has to kind of go in step and it needs to be done in step with the instructional side of the house >> too because of the narrative >> that has to be a a consistent narrative. I know there's some concern as we looked going to the voters and and we have our foundation now the need to have a narrative. We need a unified narrative one and and that narrative 40% of the overall narrative is going to end up being financial >> because that's where the credibility has to be established and we're able to do that by looking outside forces and whatever. So uh so yeah

046the verbiage and the and the themes and the the the feel of this is going to be very very important. Um, as always, I like to see um teenagers also depicted. We tend to only put little people in it and I don't want our teenagers to be forgotten by us. So, I see on Columbus did a nice job too, their recent uh explanation of their cuts and and they had a nice publication. Um, but this is great. And and you're thinking it annual uh is it are there any quarterly kinds of things or is the fund financials kind of take that? But how does this work? >> Yeah. So so the newsletters are quarterly. >> Okay. Um and and and and Cody Fay is is kind of our lead on those. And and and so

047and so this is kind of in that middle gap between quarterly newsletters, an annual popular report or annual small report and then the big annual report for for Miss Sellers and anyone else who who need who wants to read all 200 pages. >> Yeah. And that's such a monumental herculean effort and deeply appreciated and and underread. Uh but um uh I'd suggest also that you look at a couple of the um high achieving uh suburban districts uh in and around Hamilton County. They do this all the time. >> They do this all the time. >> Yeah. >> And uh I'm thinking in terms of Wyoming and Madera, Marmont, those folks. This is this is very very important for taxpayers to receive this kind of publication. So I'd check them out. But the ones you've selected

048I think are outstanding. >> Okay. >> Thank you. Yeah. And we'll appreciate >> you have a question. >> No, I was just going to add and um really echo um the sentiments that you shared around that you know other districts do this you know regularly. And so I do like that this allows opportunity for um you know all of our stakeholders, all of our constituents of the district to be more informed and as you talked about making sure that there's that alignment with the instructional um aspect. Um, so I look forward to um, seeing it roll out and also just recognizing too that when we are speaking about finances and I'm sure you all will do a great job of this, but really creating a narrative where it's able to resonate with, you know, our

049constituents and and um, taking some of those very complex um, terms or complex um, you know, uh, strategies and really just breaking it down at a very simplified manner so that anyone that is receiving um or reading this, they're able to receive it and and digest the information and feel that they are involved in this uh process as well. >> You're welcome. >> Okay. Um >> um can I add real quick >> I just would say on the annual comprehensive financial report um one of the main users of that is our uh debt issuances our debt issuers uh and it you know it is required as part of our debt covenants. >> Absolutely. >> So you know as fun as it is um there really is a that's probably the main reason for doing that.

050Some schools don't do the the full comprehensive report. Um, and their debt is assurers will go along with that, but uh I'm pretty sure that some of our debt covenants say we will do it that way. So, >> I appreciate you saying that is it's it's and I don't mean it to sound this political, but the analogy I would use is sometimes when people from the from the Trump administration are speaking, they'll say something and then this the commentators will say, well, remember they only have one audience member that they're really speaking to. They may be on TV or they may be doing a a big speech, but there's only one person that they're trying to influence. So yes, the the debt people and the serious people about uh understanding where we are. You're right.

051It's a it's a smaller audience, but it's a kind of an important one for sure. Thanks for mentioning that. >> Thanks. >> And and I think unfortunately Kevin, we need to do both for for for our size of a district and our local [laughter] not going to wink and blink. We need to we need to definitely do both for different audiences and continue to do the town halls and continue to do the newsletters and and just continue to look for different ways to engage as Miss Matt said try to to to bring some of these very technical concepts down to down to a level where people feel like they're engaged and they're involved. >> It's their money. >> It is their money. Yes. And the last goal, goal six, um if you want to go

052is to onboard a new assistant treasur. So, here she is. Check. >> So far, now you've done that pretty well. [laughter] >> So far so good. We'll just put a check mark there. But we we are we are thrilled to have her on board. >> Absolutely. >> For sure. And she's done a great job already. Um transitioning projects. She's doing a great job. Um jumped into some fairly complicated things herself, some fairly difficult things. So, uh yeah, I mean I mean I'm really happy so far of how this is going. I'm continuing to transition stuff to her, which is which is awesome for me. So, so those are those are my goals. >> Thank you very much. >> Any other goal questions? I think we kind of asked a lot of them as we went.

053>> I I had to step out when you were on the the first goal and I'm sorry I had to do that to take that call. Um I when I came back in I I heard member Crosset talking in terms of the shared ser shared services, shared efforts or whatever. um >> service bureau. That's great. I really feel very very very very very strongly that there is a a reason for us to do the shared services with the city of Cincinnati both from a standpoint of where are the tiff districts and why aren't we getting any of the money at least for the infrastructure around our schools in the tiff neighborhoods. That should be the first focus or parks for example where children play and and unfortunately get shot. Well, I I really think that

054we have to have this idea of shared services [snorts] most particularly with the recreation commission and I have shared with the um recreation people and the commission is very into this as is the director um shared services especially in their uh sixth year facilities master plan and our facilities master plan where we have such proximity could make big big difference. Uh it's it's it's very very important and uh so I I've been pleased that you've reached out as you mentioned before political uh issues for example with the county. Um, I think we do need to have I know our big emphasis has been the eight and having leadership on with the eight, but it's very very important for both our superintendent and our treasurer to begin to raise their profile because both of you are

055extremely professional, extremely um humble um folks, which is important when you're going to talk to the other 21 school districts in Hamilton County because they don't want the city folks walking in and strutting around and thinking they're important, but I there's leadership opportunities there among school districts and the service pieces is part of that. Jim, >> I could uh can you give me not not necessarily a um a definitive idea, but just like a general example of what a shared service might look like between us and the uh Sensei Rec Commission or >> uh Yeah. Sorry. >> No question. I I have I have a list, not surprisingly. >> Just go with the top. >> I will go the top one. For example, uh Clifton Area Neighborhood School. Um uh is adjacent to one of

056the most used uh recreation centers in town. >> Uh we need um share space. As a matter of fact, the land that Clifton uh recreation center is on is our land. So what as they start to expand their efforts in that one recreation center, uh we need to be expanding cans cans is is filled to the to the brim. Uh so that would be so there's physical piece the facilities and I there's more than a half dozen that would be similar. Winton Hills and uh our school and uh the largest recreation center in the city of Cincinnati. So, there's a facilities one, but here's a service one that's really important. I think >> we the the recreation centers uh and and recreation commission one of their revenue generators and the and it's a generator. The

057biggest one is golf, but close, not close to it, but one of the other leading ones is afterchool child care uh programming. >> And they have space. They don't necessarily have the licensed personnel that can meet all the needs that the state requires for after school care. And so if we actually work together to even help share personnel, you could [snorts] quadruple and the vice mayor, we've talked about this, you could I think it's quadruple the number of children that are being served after school in the recreation centers if it's done as a team effort between the the school district and the recreation. That's very very important stuff because it's a need that everyone has and and it's a it would be a an affordable need that could be answered because everything else is unaffordable

058basically. So those would be some c those would be two examples. >> So that's those are great and I'm very excited about those ideas. I do want to maybe clarify the difference between shared services and service bureau >> in terms of re revenue generation. service bureau might be something like maybe there's a a tangential school district to CPS and we would handle >> some part of their financial accounting and but we might have to add staff on our part but we could charge more than the cost we'd have to incur it could be a re you know that sort of or maybe it has to do with transportation maybe we combine our transportation efforts with another district to have more efficiency because of scale. >> Absolutely. So those kinds of things are more service bureau

059versus shared services. They all have good positive impact but they would be >> two different uh paths for revenue generation or impact generation. >> Some years ago we did offer administrative services for a number of things like it >> it it lasted for a while. It's it's a great idea. I think it's very important. >> I mean we we have a lot of deep expertise at CPS. Yes. And I think it's an opportunity to to do that. It's also an opportunity to look at places where CPS doesn't have capacity to to justify x number of folks, but CPS, like you said, plus a neighboring district. Okay. Now, we both get a huge benefit. And yeah, there's there's a lot of opportunities there, but I I understand I understand both concepts and how they can how

060they can help us out >> and the public wants to see it. >> Yeah. So, to um board member Cross's point, um I'm curious to know, do you I'm glad to hear that we have a history in being able to navigate something of the sort. Um do you know of any other current districts that are operating from that space or that scope? And then my second thought would be while there could be great benefit, what are the um ramifications? What are the challenges of that as well? >> Yeah, I mean I mean I think we can definitely do a deeper dive just just off the top of my head. I don't know of a lot of districts that do this as much around here. I know a lot of a lot of your ESC's are

061kind of built that way. Um I one of actually the the the guest that we had for the last Money Matters with Mike, Ryan Pendleton, he he has an organization called Shared Services Alliance and and they work out of they work out of the northern they kind of look at the northern part and and what's kind of different about them is traditionally your ESC's are focused on the academic side. You know, like we we talk at least, you know, once a once a month and hear about Hamilton County ESC and the services they provide the district. Um, but what his team does is is much more on the financial, operational, that sort of side. And I and I think that's an interesting model for us. I mean, what I mean, one of the interesting things

062about him is he's the treasur of record for five school districts right now. >> Really? because because his he has the capacity if a if a school district in his area the treasurer resigns retires whatever they can't fill someone his team has a capacity to step in and and provide stability and to provide those services for the district as long as they need you know I don't I don't I'm not I'm not ambitious enough to want to take over other schools of the treasure but definitely if someone needed help with payroll if someone needed help with accounting with getting their forecast on like I like I mean I think I I would put Kevin against anyone else who does forecast >> absolutely >> in the state you know and if someone was stuck and said

063hey can you know could we offer those as services >> I think it's a longheld effort um in Hamilton County for the smaller districts >> to share uh treasurers that's kind I won't say normal but it's not unusual just like the smaller cities and villages will share general counsel an attorney will be the the general counsel for 11 of the smallest towns within, you know, 30 miles or so. So, this is the kind of stuff it's all different ways and the reality is people are struggling and there's going to be more and more of an interest in doing this. The the bad thing is that you lose your own people at 100%. uh and you do want to take additional responsibilities and it's understanding that particular culture or those goals but um I think more

064and more and one of the moods in the state right now is what school districts are still going to be standing and how much um uh unifying how much coalescing are we going to have among the 607 school districts because not all of them are going to be around in five years and in Hamilton County we know that there are districts right now that are are thinking that they won't be here in three years. So these are these are important things to to kind of go for. >> Yes. All all these recent changes to state law makes it less and less makes it very unlikely that all 607 I guess school districts now are going to survive for the next five years. I mean I mean you will see I'll try I'll try to pull

065the data. It's a little hard. You'll see after all the forecast are filed, we we'll come back, which will be probably the March meeting. >> That'd be great. >> We'll come back and look at how many districts >> March meeting. Yeah. >> Yeah. How many districts statewide are now in financial caution, financial oversight, etc. And we can compare it to prior years. And I I believe you'll you'll see you'll see a very large spike in those. >> Great. Right. Thank you, Jim. regarding uh your evaluation. >> Yes, sir. >> Just the administrative piece of it. We have to wrap [clears throat] this up by the end of this month >> or >> technically I don't I don't I mean this is this is this is where I'm struggling. Yes, we should next month. >> I

066also feel like I've only I have not have not had a full year. So, it's very hard to really >> feel like it's very hard to say I should get a full year evaluation when I've had been in the position only >> for four or five months. But we've also changed the policy. So, we want to we want to honor policy. I mean, I think it's very legitimate going forward. So, from this year to next year, I I feel like we're in good shape. We're in this kind of odd transition period. >> And do we do we need to set new goals? >> Yes. >> This month or the coming year, coming uh 12 months for you? >> Probably next month. Next month. >> They have to be February. No, later than February. >> February.

067I mean, obviously, the sooner you set goals, the easier it is to achieve. You have more time to work on them. And it I mean it would appear to me some of these goals that were set really uh >> bunch a lot of them need to continue. >> Yeah, >> there's some modification. There's a couple that I'm >> to modify or change ideas with that. >> Um I'm glad you raised that point because that actually was a thought that I had as well. Um and so as you're talking about how do you honor both spaces, right? And we do want to make sure that your evaluation is fair. um and you have not had obviously a full year to be able to serve in that space. So I'm wondering if it would kind of fall

068under um more of the lines of just like feedback like constructive feedback um to help you continue to navigate um in the space that you know you have carved out with these goals that you have set. Um and then my other uh question my other point or just question is around the previous um finance committee. Was there um kind of I guess like some type of uh platform that you had in place to start talking about what the evaluation or feedback would look like. I don't know if it was any work kind of done in that area. I know it was it wasn't uh that long ago that we approved the policy, but I didn't know kind of what the plan was from the previous >> the work uh schedule we came up with at

069least some uh what the evaluation was to look like and as you point out 60% this and 30% that but and the timeline we knew was going to be difficult. I think the idea of feedback would be reasonable. I think an actual store >> for these months that that Mike has been uh so that we could start a fresh >> Mhm. >> Um I I think the board would feel I think the board would feel comfortable scoring Mike. I think we have to figure out what the scorecard looks like >> for the voting so to speak and would that be based on these particular goals that you've established prior. I mean I but I do think you need a a score. >> Yeah. I I would say these goals but scored kind of to date

070would make sense, right? Like progress to date. Obviously, these goals were built for a much longer thing, but you can say, are are we on track, off track? I know >> I know Mr. McDall has a scoring tool, especially for the treasur standards that we can that we could get to this committee to say, you know, >> and he he can he can send it out and collect it and kind of >> Yeah. because we were looking to make sure that there was some similarity between the superintendent kind of structure and the treasures. But I think we need to do that scoring and and be able to start a new uh in sometime in February. >> But uh maybe we can talk a little bit about what that would be and we'll reach out to

071uh Paul McDall. We need to I'm glad we have a former policy person here just keep us in line with what [laughter] the policy should be >> and make sure we stay current with that. So maybe we can talk. >> Yeah. >> And get Paul involved. >> Yeah. >> Yes, sir. >> Um I could uh share maybe maybe you have a copy of it, but the scoring card we use for the superintendent would be a good model. >> Mhm. >> You know, wouldn't be the same, but the the concept could be >> Yeah. Share Why don't you share it with the three of us? Okay. >> And then we'll talk to Paul about the manipulating and developing the other school. >> All right. I'll try to get that done in the next >> five minutes.

072No, I'm too [laughter] >> I I changed my vote. >> He wants to be chair [laughter] now. >> Too bad you can't impeach a board president or a committee chair. I've looked into that over these 18 years. Unimpeachable. >> So maybe maybe uh within within a a week from now. >> That'd be great. >> Okay. >> Be great. >> All right. >> Thank you. >> Keep going. >> Yeah. Um the rest of the slides here are the standards. We're not going to go through those. No, but but they're they're included so for reading, but the state does publish just like we superintendent [clears throat] treasury standards. >> So I think for the sake of keeping the meeting going, I would say we move to financial reports, >> please. >> Okay. And then I'll stop talking

073and I'll let Kevin talk for a while. [clears throat] >> I'll be I'll be brief though. >> No, you won't. >> Uh I'll try to be brief. Uh so we'll go back to slide four. Um just kind of point out some of the the key differences you'll see between December or between November and December, >> right? >> Um [clears throat] one of the biggest things is and we always talk about December being our low cash uh low cash flow month. Uh so the little teeny orange slice is Star Ohio. So, we had to pull out most of our uh money that we were holding there. >> Wow. >> Um, which then kind of really reshapes the pie in terms of what we have in long-term investments. The other thing we did this year, if you'll

074recall, two years ago, we did some short-term borrowing >> to [clears throat] get through this period. One of the things we had to do this time was kind of liquidate some of our um not really the long-term items, but things that are in there such as certificates of deposit that Red Tree manages for us uh and some other like commercial paper. It's easily redeemable. [clears throat] So, we um we did pull some funds there. Um the good news is yesterday we received our first tax property tax advance from the county. was on the smallish size about 7 million which is kind of what we expected from last year. Uh in two weeks we should get a a heftier uh amount as tax bills are coming due. So um but we're [clears throat] monitoring that so

075that we can we can weather the storm till we get to that point. Just one one thing too just as we get the tax advances um we we do have a policy in place about cash balances and so and so we have we have a we have a low and a high number. So, we transfer money into, you know, our working kind of operating cash bank account as it gets low, but as we get these full tax advances, we will transfer some money back into investments and probably back into Star Ohio. >> Um, just just so we can earn some interest, >> right? >> Yeah. I think initially we'll we'll go to Star Ohio, which has still has a pretty good return. Uh and then as we get through the year and we're more projecting

076out next December, uh we can always make the decision to to have Red Tree go back into, you know, certificates of deposit, those kind of things that would get a little bit of higher return, but tie that money up for a period of time. Um the next slide [clears throat] is the cash balance by fund. Um if you'll notice obvious obviously general fund has moved down to about 44 million. Um the debt service balance u 20 million is syncing fund actually about 23 million is syncing fund. Um the rest and I really didn't point this out the tax budget but I thought it was an important thing that I thought of later. Uh when you look at the cash flow in the debt service fund, we get taxes at two periods of time and then

077we make our big payments in June and December. So when you look at that like on a six-month basis, it looks like we have a lot of cash, but it's really because of that timing issue. We're we're holding cash to make the principal payments or the interest payments. Uh and that's kind of the case here, too. So, you know, we're going to we're going to get some more revenue in the next month or couple months from the county that'll bump that number up. We don't have debt payments again till June, but we need to have that money in place to make those payments at the time. >> Mr. Crosset has a question. Is it is it is it possible to present that in a way where those funds are wouldn't I guess you can't qu

078call them specifically restricted but maybe um committed or some word around that to reflect that. So I think using uh USAS standards I mean the money in the debt service by definition is reserved for debt service. >> Uh and like on the annual financial report it would be restricted for debt service. >> Yeah. >> I think the activity of putting in that fund kind of is our way of saying it's restricted and we can't >> Yeah. And once we put the monies into that fund or the tax revenue goes in, we can't arbitrarily pull it out. >> Yeah, that's one of the things about for fund accounting just this is this is probably just for anyone listening is is you can take it's easy to take money from general fund to another fund. So you

079know we do that to debt services, we do that to internal services, etc. It's most almost all cases it's a one-way flow, right? And so, and so one thing we may talk to you about this year, get completely off topic, is is setting up a fund for um retirement benefits. >> That's a fairly large expense every year that we have to pay, you know, as people as people retire. >> Get it fed. >> It's an obligation. A lot of districts, I think best practice is that you create a separate fund for that. But again, the problem is once you put that money in, >> you can't mow it. >> It it doesn't come back out. So, you have to be smart about how much you put in and when you put in. Sorry, Kevin. >>

080It's gone. >> That's fine. I think that's a good discussion. [clears throat] Um, the next slide is the uh statement of cash flow, which Mike usually puts together for me. >> Yeah, this is this is probably our bottom for the year at the end at the end of year month. This is this is knock on wood, the bottom of where we'll be. Um, and >> I love this club. I I I I appreciate your act appreciate your addition to it. Yeah. So, >> well, there's still money yet. [clears throat] >> Yeah. So, so hope hopefully this is as bad as it gets and then we then we rebound this year. But, as Mr. Ashley mentioned, we started getting our first we started getting our tax advances. >> Okay. >> Don't forget, we need to send

081them a new letter. >> A new letter for two weeks. >> For two weeks. And and and they're on a schedule for roughly every two weeks for the end of this month and through February. Yeah. >> So >> that's nice. [clears throat] >> This report might look really good in that popular >> um >> popular. >> Yeah. What popular ACR, right? Did I say it right? >> AFC or ACER. >> AER. >> ACFR. >> That's just a suggestion. >> Well, it's a good suggestion. >> Yeah. And I think if we show a few TR, you know, >> comparison would be nice for that as well. Um [clears throat] so the next slide is cash balance versus encumbrances. Again pointing out the the nuances. Um two years ago we had done the short-term borrowing. So that's

082why we had a larger cash balance. If you took that 75 million out that it would be a lot closer. The other thing for the current year we have incumbrances out through June. So I think POS are in place for things that are going to be paid through June. That's the blue column. At this moment, we don't have enough cash to cover that, but it's simply because we're waiting on the tax revenue. So, but if you simply look at that slide in isolation, that might be something you would question. >> Did you have a question? >> So, yes. So >> for the particular area that you're speaking on for fiscal year 26 um are we expected to see um the cash balance um increase up until March or will it continually increase throughout the year

083to cover those um I guess restricted areas that need to be paid? >> [clears throat] >> So basically the county will do a February settlement and so around March we'll have we'll get all the property tax from this half settlement but they don't start issuing advances till January 1st. So that really comes in between January 1st into March >> and we'll get you know half of our revenue [clears throat] you know 160 million probably for the general fund. So that'll all be in our coffer by March sometime in March. >> Okay. And then there's some other graphs. Um >> the next slide I think is a good probably a good way to explain it. >> So we we'll start to see it flip though is what I'll >> you'll see we hit our high point

084March April. If you look at if you kind of if we go to the next slide you can see we rebound from here. This is this is always the slide nine. Rob this is always the bottom of the trough. I wasn't sure we kept this slide because >> which is [laughter] which is which is kind of scary. [clears throat] This is the bottom of the trough and then and then we rebound kind of up through March, April and then we trail off again until we start getting the getting them getting the money and >> it's the same cycle. >> It's Yeah, this is this is live the I mean I mean the good news is at least we get tax advances. I mean imagine if we only got the once a year settlement. I mean

085you you could opt as a district to just wait until April and get one big lump sum. >> Yeah, >> we do not have that luxury. >> So in other just to say I think you know the fortunate thing is we kind of weather I think weathered the cycle. This again is our low point and then [clears throat] as we get all that revenue and we work to the end of the year we'll be back at about the same same point and [clears throat] then they start up with tax advances the 1 of July as well. >> Okay. >> Um the next SL so again this is general fund cash balance uh is what this represents. Uh the next slide is revenue by source. Um you can see so just >> for just the general

086fund. >> Yes just the general fund. Um and just to explain so the third paragraph is the actual for this year to this point. The second column is last year's actual at this point and the one before that is the actual two years ago. The the right column is our budget kind of broken down by category. So if you you see we our budget for taxes the blue is 365 we've received 165 and how that works is the first half settlement so January what I'll call the February settlement um is usually higher because some people pay their taxes for the full year >> and so historically we always have a higher amount a higher percentage on that first half settlement. It's about what 55 45 >> I think that's somewhere >> in that range. Yeah.

087>> And then green is the state foundation. So that's we twice a month we get a settlement from the state pretty much like clockwork. Um the number does change. So that's a pretty level funding source. uh runs about six million because there's a there's a deduction for retirement system which we started doing this year as opposed to paying those separately. But that's a pretty consistent twice a month we get that amount. The only reason it changes is when they reset uh enrollment or sometimes they'll add some funding for something, but again that's pretty [clears throat] pretty flat or consistent source. I will say the all other revenue kind of when we talk about the forecast has all sorts of things tiff CRAAS Medicaid reimbursement all of those kind of things. So again but you can

088see this year's actual 300 million last year's 306 so fairly consistent um between the two years and then we show a percentage. So we're at 47% of our budget as far as revenue. Last year we were at 48. So again, I think fairly consistent. Good. Next slide is kind of doing the same thing with expenditures. The blue is salaries and benefits. [clears throat] This year's actual salaries and benefits 236 versus last year 231. Um and then the budget, the working budget has carryover purchase orders. and then our current year appropriations. So again, looking at 49.7%. Uh we've already had one three pay month. We have one more three pay month coming up. So we would expect that to be around 50. Um the second half might be a little higher because of you know the

089new contract period typically uh would affect that. But again, nothing uh out of the ordinary on that slide. Uh the next slide is what we are calling unencumbered or uncommitted. Um so the light blue is our actual expenditures against the working budget. Um the dark blue um is the incumbrances. And then as we we've talked before as far as payroll is not something that we encumber but it is set aside. So within the budget the green um represents what's been um or what is reserved to make payroll for the rest of the year. So the key point is the yellow slide um which I think is 30 million [laughter] um >> in terms of [clears throat] unencumbered and as we've talked about some of those things are committed but they don't go through a purchase

090order process um for instance expenditures that are charged by state foundation. So they come through that. We don't have a purchase order necessarily, but when we record the transaction, we expense those off. >> Um, so I wouldn't say, oh, good, we have this much money available within the budget. So just clarify that. However, there is some things there that may not get used in terms of budget. Um, [clears throat] so it's just our way of tracking where it is and then comparing it to last year. It's it was 39. It was a little bit higher last year. One of the differences I think um uh salary savings I think we right sized that a little bit so that it was a higher number last year and this year I think it's a lower number. Uh

091so that may be part of the difference. Again in my opinion nothing uh unusual at that point. >> Um the next section is preschool. Okay. >> On preschool, can uh you want to again explain uh slide 16? >> Okay. >> Um which is the um students benefiting from tuition assistance >> by [clears throat] year. >> So in terms of what what I'm looking at is I'm taking this right off of the early childhood reports. Mhm. >> Um the 569 is where they have identified that many students that received some level of tuition assistance. Some of those kids are full-time, some are part-time, some are split funded. So maybe um maybe they get a federal component, but then they also the big thing is last dollar in is [clears throat] what the levy money is designed

092for and used for. Um, and again, they've they've been aggressive in at least on the CPS side of preschool of finding all the dollars that are available first and then this [clears throat] represents the kids that that levy primarily supports. Um, >> I had a question. So, is is the 569 are those kids that are in the CPS school buildings? >> Yes. And so [clears throat] we have a tax levy that gives our district about half of that money gets comes to our district. So we are why would those kids since they're CPS students why would they need to pay tuition and need assistance? >> So it's not paying tuition in this case it's covering their tuition costs. >> Okay. So there are students who may not qualify based on income. >> So this this

093doesn't reflect enrollment. >> Correct. The earlier slide. Um yeah. So there's 1829 students in preschool CPS only. Um and again that shows that slide 14 kind of the breakdown of you know which ones are only preschool expansion which one have a federal u component. Um so under just preschool tuition 192 I I'm assuming I I don't know the answer for sure. Those may be students who are actually paying tuition so they don't qualify for any tuition assistance. Yeah, there is a there's a lot of different ways that preschool's funded um at CPS. I mean, there's preschool disability, which gets state foundation funding. Um there's obviously we have a lot of we have a Head Start title one kind of combo that provides a lot of seats. Uh we have a very large um early childhood

094education grant from the state >> that we've been very successful with and managed to fill all the seats they gave us. that's about $3 million a year. Um, and so, and then there are, like Kevin said, there are families that pay tuition. So, so we have a lot of different buckets that kind of come in to to do our overall preschool thing. >> So, why does a family pay tuition? They is it a u >> monor >> special program or do they live outside the district or >> a pre preschool is not a preschool is not part of your normal K12 right so so so so it's so it's on top of that so the only the only kind of state funding it comes for preschool disability classrooms >> uh where where the preschool promise

095comes in is is in looking at income levels and then providing providing levels of of tuition assistance. >> Got it. Thank you. >> And just for clarity, it could be that tuition assistance on top of um >> other stuff >> other grants that we may receive from the state for additional funding to cover the um tuition for preschool. >> Yeah. And tuition assistance like like is the last dollar in. So, so part part of our commitment with with preschool promise and part of that part of how that works is is we use all of the other funding sources first. So, so if you have a kid and you can cover their cost through preschool expansion or through Head Start, that's that's going to be primary. And so, as you kind of work down that, there

096are there are kids who don't qualify who aren't in those seats. And then you would look at income to see if they would get tuition assistance. >> Okay. Final thing, we just passed the levy obviously and preschool promise was a part of that. Can you explain what that process entails um or what it means in connection to passing the levy and how those dollars are, you know, allocated, whether it's like first dollar and first and last dollar. I'll just help you conceptualize that others. >> Yep. Sure. So, so out out of the levy, $15 million of that is dedicated to preschool. Mhm. >> of that 48 >> of the 48 15 to 48's dedicated to preschool. That 15 is then divided between CPS and between preschool promise and and we just we updated theou I

097think it was signed last year. >> U there's updateou that has a formula. So we look at there's a formula that we get together I get together with Hector their finance director. We put our numbers in we create a formula each each group gets a share right. So, so their share is pretty much all of their all of what they have to spend. I mean, they they they don't have the level of other resources that we do. So, their share they take and they budget. Um, and you'll see some of that's in the slide. Our share, you know, we take it um and we apply it to our budget, but but we definitely apply by last dollar in or it's la it's kind of the last dollars used. You know, obviously we want to use

098those federal grants first. >> Make sure we're spending federal dollars. if we want to use those state grants second and then and then we'll spend that expansion money for the for the for our students who qualify. >> Okay, that's really good. Thank you. >> And just to add to that um the [clears throat] new the new agreement that share breakdown is based on enrollment. So um it's looking at enrollment for CPP as or for preschool promise as well as enrollment for CPS at a period of time and then you use that formula for the year. Um but as he mentioned we'll go back to slide 17. Um this is what I would call just a quick financial statement or a profit loss if you will statement u for preschool expansion revenue budget. again like Mike

099mentioned is the 15 million. Um we've received half of that in terms of tax revenue. And then the far right column shows you the actual from the prior year. So it's current year current year budget current year actual prior year actual. Um the line on there that says payments to United Way. United Way facilitates the funds that CPP utilizes. So, in other words, we as a public district are making it to a nonprofit who then it's used by CPP. Um, so in terms of budget, you'll see they're budgeted at 9.4 million, which is a larger percentage. Um, just to kind of give you another perspective here. the for our district for the district we also provide like itinerant specialists and other specialists who are paid through CPS who do um evaluation of of all of

100the students that are enrolled in preschool. So that's an extra cost that we have at the district. Um the tuition assistance again is a calculation. Uh you can see at this point we're actually under what we've budgeted but with the new agreement that may um may change. So this is we're right around that time where that's going to be evaluated. So [clears throat and cough] so I think that's the key things on that. >> Jim, >> thank you. Um the [clears throat] the minus uh the negative 3.5 million for this uh fiscal years is some of that covered by the accumulation of um uh levy money that we we didn't spend in the early years that we're spending now. Is that is that covering all that 3.5 million? Is that where that is? >> Exactly

101what that is. So, does that mean in the in the fiscal 27 we won't have that benefit anymore and that'll impact um maybe the biggest line that it might impact would be the payments to United Way for the next year? Is that >> I [clears throat] I would I would agree with that. Yes. I I think one of the one one of the real concerns is is living in now now that we have this near new levy and and we're grateful for it but but living within the 15 million now that at the start as you mentioned the startup in the startup years you know not startup years we didn't spend as much money as we collected you know obviously that money's earmarked so it has to be kind of set set aside um and

102and we're getting to that point where where the there's no more accumulated funds and so both parties are going to have to live on on the 15 million a year. So by definition for FY27 that net income number is probably going to need to be pretty close to zero >> probably. I believe there's a little there's a little bit of carryover and and so yeah pretty close to I mean most of our yeah [laughter] >> there is a little bit of there's a little bit of extra and one of the one of the conversations that preschool promise will have is is how is how they want to do that. Do they want to stretch that out? You know do they want to use a little bit of it each year? Do you want to do

103one more big year and then take it's it's about it's about where the debt ends up being. So, >> okay. >> The the critical thing there was the decision um to recognize that was no longer about preschool expansion. It's no longer about growth in preschool as it was back in six, you know, when we first passed it and when we first renewed it. Uh and the decision to only go for the 48 million was a decision that was based upon that we're going to be asking the voters for something bigger in the very near future and we didn't want to ask for what we really needed for preschool. Um and it as I recall how many millions of dollars what 48 million bought in uh in 2016 versus Yeah. versus what it would be now.

104And it was like 65 million or 68 million, whatever it was would be the change. But and we were fortunate that the preschool promise people agreed that it was not time even though we needed it to go to the public. So we we do have to be looking at at things like preschool because of this um um either holding or lessening uh or with federal grants as we segue for that uh what we can actually afford now regarding federal grants uh revenue what we can do or not do. So these things are um in in um being they are being diminished as we speak. Next Fernand >> segue for state and federal grants. >> That was a perfect um setup for me. [laughter] Thanks Kev. So um yes I will be here to update you

105on the state and federal grants um situation. Next slide. There you go. All right. So um this slide does for the first time include the carryover from um fiscal year 25 because of the delays in and the extensions that we had. So it went up from about 53 million to 64 million. And so that is reflected um a little bit in the fact that we're slightly below our target line of 34%. We're at 33% because we pretty much received those funds at the very end of December. So, we're now working on budgeting, meeting with managers, you know, allocating and loading all of those funds. So, that did bring our um you know, our success rate down a little bit because we obviously increased only one part of that fraction. Um but we're happy to have

106those funds available to us now to start spending. Next slide. So, this is just a brief summary. Again, this is month six of our 15-month cycle at the end of December. So our goal was 34%. Um we would have been at 40% you know before those funds got added in but um now we do have those additional funds. Yeah. >> The uh grant Thank you. grants for non-public um do we are we part of the process of applying for those grants and administering all those grants? >> No. Most of the grants um that that we kind of talk about are all of our entitlement grants. And so for all of our major grants, title one, title 2, title three, title 4, IDAB, they get a proportionate share based on their number of students. And so

107the state calculates that out and kind of automatically deducts that. So all of our grant awards, our total amounts like the 60 million includes their share. And it's kind of interestingly varies by grant as far as the relative percentage. >> But do we do we have uh administrative costs to manage all that? >> We do. Um and so they withhold I believe 5% from their grants. So we have um one person on my team dedicated to non-public and then we have staff members that kind of >> So we we get money to cover our costs of administration. >> Yeah. Their salaries. We have four people that work directly with nonpublic administration and their salaries are 100% covered. >> Beautiful by those funds. >> Great. Thank you. >> Yeah. They get a little piece of each

108one. >> Yeah. >> That they withhold >> and they do a great job. >> It's our It's our legally required service bureau. >> Yeah. Yeah. [laughter] >> Yeah. >> Exactly. >> We're piloting it. [laughter] and and we do also claim some indirect cost to work towards payroll, AP, you know, all those other things that aren't directly charged. We do charge some indirect cost at the end of the year. >> So, I can't say it's penny for penny, but >> Yeah. Yeah. >> You know, >> great. Thank you. >> Good question. >> All right. >> Um, as I already kind of said, this month, um, we were finalizing those expenditure reports. We had a, um, a change to the programming at ODW, so that held us up a little bit, but that's done. and we're moving

109on to 27, starting to look at allocations for next year as we continue to spend out this year. And of course, those links are always there for the title one spending, the um school improvement spending, and of course, you know, the overall grant summary. All those links are always on these slides for anybody that's interested. All right, next slide, Rob. All right. So, I did go ahead and break out the carryover just so you could kind of see each year, you know, as as our goal and as we try to spend appropriately, you know, the carryover total amounts are decreasing over time as we're doing a better job of spending. So, for these entitlement grants, um, for the public side only, we were right about 10 million that just came in. Most of that or

110a lot of that was already budgeted for salaries and so on because obviously, you know, we don't get the full amount in the beginning of the year. So, a lot of that's it's not really, you know, extra money to spend. It's it's already budgeted for the rest of the year salaries and so on, but we did get a little bit more title one than we had originally planned. So, we are having those discussions on how to fully utilize that. And we're still in pretty good shape overall of, you know, being at our target. >> All right, next slide if there's no questions. So, um, to continue, I guess, my, um, tradition of kind of just giving you like a little brief overview of, of one of our grants or a special topic, I decided this

111month to talk about Title 4 A, which is the student support and academic enrichment, um, funds. I don't think they're as well known as things like IDAB and Title One that have been around for a long time. These actually were new in the 2018 school year. And these funds um you know in my opinion or I believe were kind of a direct response to the increase in school shootings and just other the recognition of all the other kinds of traumas that are facing our kids with bullying and suicide rates, you know, drug rates, just really, you know, recognizing there's more to a kid than just their grades and that all of these things are have a critical impact on their grades. And so this grant which only started out about 15 million that first year

112um this current year we have 3.9 million. So they have continue to add money to this as they see the impact and the importance of all of these activities. So this year with carryover we have 3.9 million. Um almost 25% of that goes to the non-public schools 700,000. So this grant has um three specific focuses that are very kind of diverse. The first one is access to a well-rounded education. And so, you know, where Title One has always really been kind of focused on ELA and math and core academic subjects, this is also a recognition that there's, you know, more to kids life and interests than, you know, reading, writing, and arithmetic. That these other areas also have a critical influence on their um performance and their interests. The second area is the safe and

113healthy schools that I referred to. um you're required to prioritize what they call high need schools based on poverty or status. And they even um include a specific call out to funnel these funds to persistently dangerous schools. And so um as well as drug-free. So these funds really are looking at, you know, the recognition that the increasing recognition that, you know, everything in a kid's life is going to impact their success in school and we need to try to address all of those needs. And then the third category of spending is the improving the use of technology. Again, just recognizing that technology is changing so fast that school districts don't always have the money to keep up. And so these funds can be used to, you know, train teachers on technology, buy technology, excuse me,

114help, you know, just help the districts um take advantage of all the resources out there. Any questions on any of that, >> Kendra? Uh I have a question on the previous slide. No, the one uh where was talking about uh just providing the resources for um students beyond academics and trying to honor the hotel >> and [clears throat] you you said something about um I guess these funds are allocated uh for students that may be experiencing I don't know maybe high crime um and they are uh I don't know if they're in and they're like neighborhoods uh respective to their schools and um there may be a lot of trauma and things of that sort. Correct. >> Absolutely. >> With these funds being allocated, is there an expectation that um we see improvement in um

115like the student outcomes focusing on wellness as well as academics? Um do we receive more funds if we see growth in those areas? I'm just trying to identify um yes, we want monies attached to that, but we also want to I guess see outcomes. And so I'm trying to get an idea of how that money uh those funds work. >> Absolutely. Like most title funds, um these funds, um which was kind of my next topic, you know, are [snorts] subject to all of the standard regulations of, you know, like maintenance of effort and which means we're still spending the same money ourselves but are doing above and beyond activities with these grant funds. Um, and this grant in particular, um, really stressed meaningful consultation with stakeholders. I keep talking about parent engagement, but this grant

116also, um, was highly focused on reaching out to community partners. Um, you know, people with the expertise to accomplish these goals. Um again it's required and we are required during our monitoring and our audits to demonstrate that we're having again meaningful cons consultation that we're having measurable outcomes that we're doing evidence-based activities. And so [snorts] when um whenever we have our annual audits those are the kind of things they ask for. They look for before and after numbers. um things like, you know, one of our our goals this year for the district, you know, for our schools is a decrease in discipline rates, equitable discipline. So, they look at all of those metrics when they're auditing our, you know, effective and appropriate use of these funds. >> Okay, that's really helpful to know. And then

117how do we are we using the data that we're collecting as you talked about like discipline um how are we determining what schools um I guess benefit mostly from these funds? >> Okay. Um, go ahead and go to the next slide, Rob. >> Well, I don't I don't have like these specific data, but so the next question would be logically, so what are we doing with all this money that we're getting? And so, I will say that traditionally, um, well, one thing to point out that this grant has some parameters that you're required to spend at least 20% on well-rounded education, at least 20% on safe and healthy, and then a maximum of 15% on technology infrastructure. they really want it to be more like in the classroom teaching teachers how to use AI, teaching

118teachers, you know, making STEM labs, things like that. Um, and so traditionally since this came out kind of with a lot at, you know, the timing of COVID funds and all of that, we had focused mostly mostly on the safe and healthy schools with our funds because we were devoting a lot of the um ESSER funds to well-rounded education and, you know, we had a lot of extra money for those kind of things. In the last three years since I've been here, we are seeing um we're we're kind of trying to balance that a little better because we lost all those ESSER funds. And so from the safe and healthy schools perspective, we have um used this to establish the PBIS social workers. We pay their salary benefits. So they work within the different schools

119to again, you know, work on student motivation and the things like that that are that are less tangible than just grades. um on SEAL curriculum to help the schools you know focus on the social emotional learning community resource managers and the um school res coordinator school resource coordinators. Um, now within that aspect, I don't really have the information on, you know, we have nine district PBIS social workers that that work throughout the school schools to assist with all of these issues that the kids are facing. And so I I could um invite um super director house, you know, to speak to those issues that runs that department. But um that is how we have gotten the these funds to the schools. And then um more recently again with the expiration of er funds we have

120been investing these funds in our world language programs and the expansion of those programs. These are definitely expansion dollars. They want to see new activities. Again let's say supplement not supplant. So they want to go to you know new initiatives um targeted towards these goals. Um we spend some of these funds on the international bachelorette programs. This year we um launched an algebra companion program to focus on algebra performance um on I Ready curriculum and and some some of it goes to the athletic directors and enrichment coordinators. >> So that's our well-rounded portion. Um, just final question, as you're talking about the funds being allocated and definitely looking for um, new programming, are we auditing and being, I guess, making sure that we're being fiscally responsible in making sure that there's that we're streamlining resources,

121right? I know that we have a number of community partners and things of that sort. Um but again I'm just thinking from a a systemic lens if we want to see like true results making sure that um broadly there's this um comprehensive scope versus okay this school has a >> influx of resources and we but they may not all be speaking to one another. So again, I'm glad that we have the dollars available, but again, wanting to make sure that they're all working in tandem and not in opposition or in contrast um with one another. >> Yes. And like I said, um Director House manages this initiative and she does have several programs um that were initiated um starting several years ago. She she runs programs, for example, for um trauma training for educators. It's

122open to everybody in the district where everybody is learning how to recognize students in trauma, how to respond. I took the class myself this year and it it was very educational and helpful. So, she has those initiatives running. We've also had district-wide initiatives for um our discipline procedures and you know switching from punitive to >> um positive reinforcements and um >> and those kind of things. And so she's been rolling that out gradually and again that extends to everybody in the school building. So they're reaching out you know because everybody interacts with the kids and it could be the bus driver that that sees something and you know needs to reach out to that c child. It could be the lunch room worker that just, you know, notices that kid that's down or makes an

123off-hand comment. So, she has been doing a really good job of of, you know, really not just not just the social workers need to know how to spot these things. Everybody needs to have their eyes and ears open and you might be the one that intervenes and, you know, and helps or saves a child >> because you just don't know how they're going to exhibit >> the needs. And so I would be happy to invite her to, you know, come and speak about those programs because I don't want to speak for her. They're the experts. >> And and I'll just say this in closing. I I do know that director house does an amazing job um with making sure that there's that level of advocacy around the whole child and making sure that everyone is

124knowledgeable. She was really instrumental in helping to develop the um mental health um and wellness plan that we uh recently adopted. So my my thinking around it was just understanding how the the financial aspect connects to that work. >> And I will just say this is um something you know as we are spending our carryover we're having less and less money for this these programs every year and the need is getting greater and greater and greater. like you could throw money at this constantly and and never, you know, never meet the need because I mean our kids have a lot of needs and this encompasses so many facets of their life that it it is a challenge for her to you know be able to prioritize and and focus these funds because >> well and

125it's hard to see results >> hard to measure >> that are positive very frankly uh and the [snorts] additional pressures the addition traditional challenges make it very hard. It's like trying to teach, you know, uh trying to improve somebody's literacy rate if you can't control the population rate. Uh it's it's the challenges are so great it's it's difficult to show that you you're making headway, you're making results. It's hard to measure whether or not there's that kind of >> That's a great point because you can you measure how many kids Yeah. you know, succumb or fail. But you don't know how many kids didn't succumb or didn't take part in bullying or, you know, because, you know, they did have some kind of outreach or somebody, >> you know, stop them. So that those numbers

126are hard to measure. >> We're going to get there. [laughter] >> Anything? Well, pray every day. >> We are. >> Yep. >> Uh other uh items within the uh grants that you want to share? >> No, that was that was all I had. >> Does that take care of all of it? I think Miss Bolton's on a segue, uh, role today because she just talked about measuring and investment. So, um, so key performance indicators and return on investment updates. It'll be short for this month. U, we're taking a break from doing KPI reviews. We finished up our 200s. >> Um, yes, thank you, Rob. Already ahead of me. So, on this calendar here, we have topics that have been laid out. February, March, we we did our over 200 or we'll do our under 200

127KPI updates. So, I'll do those. I won't invite folks for those as that that's kind of like 600 contracts that could be a little crowded. >> Um but I I'll have a way of updating and voting on those for you guys. >> Right. >> For April through June, we have some topics that were laid out. So the idea of this calendar was to get board member or finance committee member >> [clears throat] >> um input on different topics that we could do for return on investment. So one might be maybe not an return on investment, but maybe we could look at the dollars spent and the activities that Dr. her house and her team are doing and see how those correlate. That's just an idea or an example. Um I gave a few examples April

128through June of things that have been on the topics before from previously requested um finance committee members, something like data coaches and life coaches. Um those those are up for change if we would like, but there's other months that are in there. What it's going to happen is Mike's going to send out a Google form to you folks and the other board members um to get your input on different topics that we could discuss here and we'll we'll send that out after this. These are a matter of record that you are going to be doing. >> Yes, ma'am. Okay. >> Yes, ma'am. >> They're not being supplanted, so to speak. >> No, ma'am. Not unless you tell me otherwise. If you three would like to see those done, they will stay there. >> Um, so

129those those are going to be on the calendar for coming up and then we'll have anything else that we can add on depending on June and July meetings. And then back in October through December, we'll be back to our our big over 200 um KPI updates. So, those are our KPI updates for this month. Any questions? >> Well, we're very excited about that we're doing this. >> Absolutely. >> Just keep that. >> But I would add uh what we just talked about, especially with the grant and with the expertise that we have now on the on the finance committee. Are you sending that uh uh >> I will send that out today. >> Okay. Are you going to send it to all board members or that would be good >> to all board members? Um,

130I think it's the same survey probably as last year. >> Yep. >> We just wanted to we wanted to breach it here before you just got a random surve before you got a random survey in your inbox. But yes, >> cool. I think I'm passing. >> All right. So, a couple little Let's keep moving here. Um, >> another fun part of our day is CRA agreements. [laughter] There are three this time around. Um, as we usually say, are do these have the potential to have CPS students in them? Probably not. But >> yeah, the city continues not to invite families to come to the city. >> So, >> and this is a problem and this is a this is talk about shared services. There should be a shared vision uh that you would want to

131have families live in your city. Uh but uh this is continues to be a problem. >> But you know it's about you know a little under 500 $500,000 of annual revenue which we will >> we like the money. >> We will gladly take the annual revenue. >> I'd like the enrollment too. >> Yeah. And just just a reminder um based on the agreement that we re re um agreed to last into last year, you know, there's a five-year agreement with the city that we that as long as as long as we get our share, we kind of rubber stamp these agreements and so so they will flow through to be approved at the next regular board meeting and then and then they get added to the roles. So that is that is that is kind

132of the operation we work under for the next five years. >> And we appreciate the negotiations that go on with that with the general counsel and the city. >> Yeah. >> City's hard to negotiate with very frankly. >> They're they're pretty good negotiators. >> Yeah, that's what they do. >> At least with us. Yeah. [laughter] >> I have a question. >> Yes, dear. >> So, uh and you kind of hinted at this both of you. Um, but as we're talking about the CRAAS, obviously we know that there are certain investments that are being made in different neighborhoods. Um, have we begun to track how um these developments are impacting our enrollment and the type of enrollment um that we're seeing or demographic of enrollment with our students. Um because ultimately what I'm just going to

133say it, I'm just going to put out there. What I what I see when I look at the CRA and just the research around it, ultimately it perpetuates that gentrification process. And so ultimately our student body that we currently um have in certain communities, it may begin to look differently because they are not in a position due to the um property values going up or the taxes going up, property taxes going up. they're not in a position to remain in the neighborhood in which their school actually, you know, uh, is in. So, have we begun to track what that looks like? And also, in [clears throat] a spirit of advocacy, what are we able to do? It might be a lot but that's that's um >> well hey we're talking about finance and we're talking

134about >> so so so the third word the third word in the name of this committee is growth and I think all this broadly falls into the growth conversation. We we are looking at demographic shifts. I think I think more of that needs to be done. And I think that is a as we talk about a long-term financial plan, as we keep talking about that or financial design maybe would be a better way to look at it, as we do a financial design, we we need to we need to understand where kids are going to be in in 5 10 20 years, you know, so that we can have schools that that are that are in their neighborhoods that are providing the services and and the things they need. But but yeah, I mean ideally

135all these things are economic development tools. So, I mean, you could say like if if you have an empty lot and you're putting anything in, that's that's a benefit to the community. I mean, obviously there, like you said, there's gentrification. There's certainly patterns of gentrification. You will also see as you dig into the CRAAS that there are abatements in areas that are doing very well financially. You would not expect things to be abated in those areas. Um, you know, that are already kind of gentrified neighborhoods that are getting abatements on top of that. So, there's there's a lot of pieces to it. Um, I know one thing I've thought about for this report to report out is to put the addresses in, >> which usually haven't done publicly, but maybe that's a thing. >> It's

136important to do that. >> You know, maybe maybe the addresses in the neighborhoods just so it makes a little more public where these are going and what we're what we're bound to. I don't know. >> No, I think that would be important. And I I know that that one of the biggest things we've done in recent years regarding growth uh besides adopting the the strategy and the vision of growth rather than to shrink uh which has been the the the process for most urbans was the ad hoc committee meetings >> and the use of the buildings and where's the where is the enrollment and I know uh President Craig is very interested about zip codes and and we've about Jeremy working very hard about zip codes and where are the where's the student population uh

137how do we kind of redraw these lines but I do think that there there is a a a problem obviously a crisis in Cincinnati which everybody knows which is not just crime but it's housing >> and affordable housing >> and and and the gentrification piece of neighborhoods where we've uh when when I started I I can't quite do the numbers, but the number of children in Aendale versus the number of children that are in Aendale now, it's I think of what it was. And we had a facilities master plan designed about enrollment uh before things happened regarding immigrant population or the expansion from [snorts] the inner city to the west side because all of a sudden the west side opened itself up by virtue of whatever reasoning uh instead of just the east side or

138the central corridor. So this is something we have to be very serious about and and and I think it's zip codes, I think it's buildings, I think it's enrollment lines and what have you. Uh it's also the fact that CFT is the one that is following mostly whether or not these the TIFF piece, but more particularly the CRAAS are benefiting us as much as they should. And that's been part of the whole negotiations process. we we gain revenue but we also lose revenue and as you point out we were on the commission and when Mr. Smithman was around it worked pretty well for us but the the reality in this one commission was to the fact that disproportionate amount of public dollars and abatement uh guarantees was going to people that didn't need it need

139it at all. >> It was ridiculous. It's going to wealthy neighborhoods instead of the neighborhoods where we need to to raise families and keep people that are uh you know safe in their houses and it's it's it's uh the city has some major challenges and they most of it they've brought on themselves and part of it is the is this abatement piece >> not fairly distributed or equitably really I should say equitably distributed. I mean all you have to look the amount of money goes to hide park in abatement it's ridiculous. So we have to be a part of that planning and we have to do it almost in spite of the city. Jim >> yeah [clears throat] um >> where we need to be. >> Thank you for those comment both of you. Thank

140you for good comments. I think the idea of adding the neighborhood or the address is really good. Is it possible to get the full database of all these and have Jeremy map put it in a map? >> That might be really interesting. >> Yeah. I mean, >> and again, there's been a great partnership with CTF as a result of all this. And they've been the better advocate and frankly can wield more power than we have been able to wield with city council largely because of endorsements and what have you. The other the other thing I would say about a B sorry the other thing I would say about CRAAS if any CRA property owners are listening um our January our January CRA bills will be going out next week. So I mean we've we've we've

141had some folks already reach out and say hey where's our bills? This is >> this is the time of year that we send the bills out. So those will be going out in the mail next week. >> Great. >> You had you had another comment. I think >> no I think um I think this is a great discussion and again the point that you highlighted I mean it's almost like that double edge yes we are receiving revenue but we're also losing revenue and so again we want to make sure or at least I know I do want to make sure that um yes we're able to invest in our communities and they grow um but we also want our students where TPS is home for them to remain and continue to be home as well

142as inviting um and welcoming other students that may not have been a part of our district. And so again, um just continuing to further have those conversations about what does that advocacy lens look like from our seat. >> I think it's crucial and I think the more we can see a bigger picture and very frankly and I everybody knows where this is where I am on this. the more we can spend um on the this sounds terrible uh but the more we can spend on the book ends of this committee's title for the next year >> is going to be more important than in that middle we it's sort of like I trust the teachers to teach I'm trusting you all the experts to help us through that middle part of this committee which is

143finance but the but our role as board members is really about helping you with the budget budget because that's our responsibility in the Ohio Revised Code and to lead the growth piece. That's the board's role and and so I think the more we can look at those big picture the big picture I think the better will be and I appreciate you raising raising that issue. >> Okay, >> continuing. >> Yep. >> Okay. Um the next two slides we talked about um so we can skip through those. That was we talked about that during my evaluation the popular annual financial report. >> I'm very excited about that. >> Make it pretty. >> It's all about it's got to make it pretty. Yes, >> make it pretty. That's my recommendation. >> Making substances. >> No, forget that

144substantive stuff. [laughter] She's new to finance. I'm into pretty. >> I was going to say, >> as everybody will tell you, I love the good charts. >> I like color print out. A good a good a good chart. >> Well, [laughter] yes, >> substance will be pretty. >> That is definitely where we pull in the marketing. >> Okay, next >> um strategic plan update. So, I wish wish superintendent was here to give us an update. I know she >> I hope everything's okay. >> She and board president Craig had some additional meetings yesterday and I believe she sent an email to the board members today. >> We were fine. It's very exciting. So we'll we'll leave that to her to up I think she's doing an updated um committee the whole next week. So we'll

145leave that. Did want to talk about A and B on here. So which I don't have slides for Rob. So you can no worries you're good for a bit. Um so we talk about this financial design. So >> yes. >> So Cheer Bolt and I have worked then back and forth on our word smithing. Um I've thrown everything under plan and she says yeah but it's maybe a little different than a plan and and she's right. And >> she said there's no deliverable. So And she's right. We're not in a deliverable stage now. [laughter] So we're maybe a design stage. I I was thinking maybe framework, but we'll we'll get there. >> Uh sounds too civil engineering. >> Yeah, we'll get there. I mean, that's that's more for my math brain. So >> that's right.

146>> So design um the high the high level is I don't think this is a surprise to anyone, but we need we need new operational dollars sooner rather than later. Um that that is that is just the need as we look through everything that we talk about. Uh we have opportunities we have we have several opportunities coming up that we need to talk about and some of this we can talk about in the timeline of levies piece. Um, but all of this all of this really is driven by what we're going to do strategically. And so and so part of the design concept is the strategic plan kind of defines your it defines your why and then the financial design kind of under is the other side of that coin that says here's the resources

147you need to get there. I [clears throat] I think that's a that's a good way to start the conversation. Um I think the other thing that is really important I think Miss Bolton can share a lot for us is kind of lessons learned from the 2016 levy. So as we that was that was the last time the district went for new money which is now 10 years. I mean we should pat ourselves in the back for the fact we have not asked for new money in 10 years. That is that is quite an accomplishment for a school district of our size. Um but but definitely would like to get from from Miss Bolton kind of her lessons learned. I think she's maybe the only person in the room who was actively involved in that 2016

148campaign. >> Well, the most critical thing was that it was a an idea that was generated in the community and it was an idea when I talk in terms of preschool. It was actually an idea generated I won't this will not take long. It was actually a national movement among the business community to find a way to invest in preschool. And one of the national leaders of this effort was John Pepper uh who had then recently then retired from uh Proctor and Gamble and long been a supporter of CPS as a leader obviously within the business community. Um, and so that idea was something that was there. The district has long been Ohio's leader in early ed, uh, early childhood ed. I mean, we were the ones that even when the state wasn't doing anything

149about it, we were having half day kindergarten and full day kindergarten. Uh, we were the ones that were leading on uh, Head Start in the state. So, we have always been a leader in early childhood, but preschool, uh, that was an option that we really needed to be able to do because there wasn't a lot of money for any of it. So, we bought that, but we also understood that we had operational needs above and beyond preschool. So you merged a great idea, a transformative idea like preschool with your needs, with your practical needs. And that that became that $48 million. uh and the those monies determined is how much that would be and how many kids there really were in in the district or would this be inside the district only or would it

150be Hamilton Countywide? Would it how would this work? All those things had to be negotiated and it took a year and a half to create even the first uh uh effort. At the core of it was that the business community was already engaged because it was a national movement and the leadership of the business community wanted the preschool piece. That being the case, the business community invested hundreds of thousands of dollars to help pass that levy and actually in the million mark uh to pass that levy. And at this many hours >> and many hours and so did the religious community p hours so did all the parent communities everybody it was a complete unified effort in the name of preschool but it also allowed us to continue our operational efforts so one of the

151lessons learned is there has to be a big idea as well as an operational need but more particularly to be able to justify that operational need. And in order to justify that operational need, we can we can tell people all we want and we can have as many awards as you all get and we're so proud, but there has to be an outside group some uh um what I hear is going to be mutually acceptable. But uh that looks at our books, thinks about how we do things. Somehow after doing that is what happens is that they if we they can they give us a good housekeeping seal of approval that indeed financially this is a stable place. Financially these are reasonable people. Financially there's a vision and there's a future financially and what have

152you. and they say yes this is this is warranted. So you have to have a grand idea. You have to have justified [clears throat] needs. You have to have verified needs. Not to sound like Reagan trust but verify. Uh but that's important. And that group also puts together recommendations that some and some of them are wonderful and some of them are really things that there's no way the community or the district could possibly do. But there is that collaboration in that design and it happens in the financial design and the financial review more so than necessarily all of the instructional kinds of things although they bleed into each other a great deal. So I I would recommend that whatever uh the business community particularly has been interested in doing and we have a strategic plan.

153The board has said there has to be a strategic plan and an associated associated financial plan with that strategic plan. To Mike's point, we have to figure out how big we're really talking about. Uh what is phase uh three? We're in phase two of our growth plan. what's phase three, what new buildings, what old buildings, what things are going to happen that way and then also uh what kinds of programs need to be uh you know expanded. The most I've heard about from the business community and and I think population families. So there might be some unity to this is stuff about um career tech, youth employment, building a school system that allows young people to learn to work and to uh be employed and and get internships, get associate degrees, not just a diploma.

154uh that kind of some grand vision and grand vision's work in this town if you go back 20 years it's the facilities master plan. The grand idea was not just replenish you know reestablishing uh our physical plants but the idea was community learning centers. That grand idea sold. The next grand idea was preschool. That grand idea people bought into. I honestly we have to come together engagement wise to figure out what the next grand plan is. But you may not pass a levy, a major levy or a bond issue or a permanent improvement, whatever it it's going to be, if you don't have a grand vision. And and and we are very supported um as a school district. So, I would hope that the finance folks will understand that there's going to be people that

155are going to be reviewing and participating and collaborating uh with whatever it is we're going to do. So, that's that's what I would suggest we need to do and that needs to be happening in the next six months. And um I honestly, and I've said this before, I don't think anything huge that we're going to do financially is going to really necessarily happen until we are able to b burn the mortgage on the facilities master plan in 3031. If you do that, that's message itself that if in those that 20 years or so, you're, you know, 1.7 billion, 78% local. >> But in right now though, we can't wait till 30 [clears throat] because we need operational money now. >> 31. Yeah. And then it always is the delay as well. But I I think

156this is I'm very worried about uh 27 and 28 and 29 >> and we're going to have to come to grips with it because if that's where we need to focus right now on even the smaller piece, the strategic plan does have the opportunity to have uh that collaboration at least start to be built. So what I'm thinking >> that's a really great summary and insights. Thank you. I I'm wondering um some of the uh the 20 year 10 year history look back if we can point part of the narrative could be that we could point to the past successes to help us identify the fact that we we can be relied on to be successful and make you know I don't think in this last levy this past November I don't think we did

157We had a really high percentage of support, 72% or something. >> And uh but I but I don't know if we really went to the public with a whole big message about how great what what the impact of preschool has been over the last 10 years. I don't think we did that. I think that might be something worthwhile to to do for this future to say, "Hey, look, we did this 10 years ago. It was fantastic. We did this 20 years ago. It was fantastic." Your thought about decades though 10 years uh 10 years ago it's preschool is the big idea >> right >> 20 years ago is the facilities master >> right I mean those are historical moments >> 30 years ago is the u uh creation of uh Clark Monasuri high school the

158first monastery high school in the country >> I mean so we have this but and these things tend to be generated and I I've always the conversation with Mr. Lindy when he first joined I said the I hate to say this the greatest ideas do not come from the administration and they do not come from the board. They come from the community >> and and all of those things are from the community. So I we and this is an opportune time too as we get ready for our third century. >> Right. I was going to say the 10 year and then we got then we got the uh >> we can have a narrative that would knock the socks off folks. So, but and and at the core is the financial piece >> for sure.

159>> Definitely. >> Thank you. Eve >> questions. We [laughter] we're going to be talking about asking about levies soon. Go ahead. >> No question, just a comment. So I definitely um hear the uh the call for a grand idea and a grand vision and those have been the things that have um maybe set the tone in the past. Um as you're speaking about what the community is looking for and maybe this is just my subset of community. I do believe that it has to be rooted in what our academic outcomes are reflecting >> because people as we're talking about needing new money, >> we have to be able to justify the need for this new money and what our results are that we're, you know, that we've been able to yield to say this is

160why this new money is important. So we can have all of these grand things, but what is the impact of those grand things? So I think that needs to be um connected to our strategic plan and um and and connecting it to the financial uh design of what we're doing. I I think that's absolutely correct and I don't think as an eitheror. I think it's all wrapped up together. But we also start to lose the sight as to how we're presenting our academic achievements. U we do have the number one high school in the state. We have the number one middle grades in the state. We have the number one performing arts school in the in the in this in this state. Uh we were the leader among the eight uh urbans regarding u um

161early literacy. really >> uh uh the first time they get tested, we met state standards regarding um preparation regarding college, career and and military. Uh and there's plenty of things too when we look in terms of of uh the performance index. Uh Cincinnati public is not of the 22 districts in in Hamilton County, we are not the lowest performing district. We have suburban districts that are lower performing than than we are. Uh when you look at the top 10 schools districts in the state of Ohio, all 10 of them are high income districts. It's Wyoming. You know, I'm sorry, we can't compare to them. Not because we have poverty, but because we have diversity. Diversity is what is the challenge on their state report card. It's not poverty. If you have 16% of your student

162population that isn't speaking English. >> If you have 22% of your population with special needs just from a learning standpoint, okay, you're already starting at a pretty difficult situation. >> If you're living in a community where there is trauma, you're living in a different situation. And this district has for years looked at the children's health, mental and physical. They've looked at their whether or not they have food, whether or not we have maintained transportation when everybody else has cut it. We have been focusing on trying to compensate and supple and supplement as best we can those things that our children need and it's just the needs get so great. We've got it's at the core is academic achievement. >> I mean Columbus just two years ago started Monasuri Monasuri High School. Cleveland doesn't have one.

163The only other one that has it I think is Dayton because this is a hot brand in Southwest Ohio. So I it's us finding that that narrative. >> Absolutely. And I wholeheartedly with the kids. >> Absolutely. and where it it's not just what we you know say it's not just the some of the anomalies that we may have in our district. I think it has to be an actualized focus about what we're doing um collectively across our district. >> Exactly. >> So, >> exactly. >> I I would agree with the word collectively. I think it's some as we do this strategic plan, I'd love to see our strategic plan have some integration with some of the other resources outside the district. For example, the recreation commission or the city or children's hospital or >> Green

164Cincinnati and the business community in terms of work, not just we're focused on workforce development, but maybe they can help us with workforce jobs. Uh so uh so I I'm hoping that we can do the collective is is going to be really important I think and that could be part of the narrative. >> Yes, >> that is it's not just the schools that are going to make a difference. >> And at the heart always of greater Cincinnati and this is when we had a 100,000 students. That's I mean when I went to CPS as a little little person there like [clears throat] 125,000 children in the district. >> We I mean this is because you didn't have any of this BBS. >> Yeah. >> You didn't I mean you did you didn't have 75 coming

165right through the heart and ruining the you know and killing the West End and all these other neighborhoods that it killed. Uh the but the but the reality is for for us at the heart has always been the neighborhood school and you know we rededicated ourselves. We've actually diminished we've reduced the number of magnets >> and raised the number of neighborhoods back. I mean I this is very exciting. >> Well I think the quarter thing is crucial but Rob >> uh we have a comment from Dr. Moffett if you're okay with that. >> Oh good. Um, the community needs to hear about new initiative programming and not just repeat our historical achievements. CPS needs to pay attention to the varying needs of students, families, and staff. >> Boom. Boom. All agreed. Reflecting to what you

166were saying. Absolutely. >> Thank you, Dr. K. >> Thank you. >> Absolutely. We're on it. >> You're fired up in finance. >> We got fired up. Yeah. >> Go for it. >> Okay. I will try I'll try to land the plane, I guess. [laughter] Right. >> Well, the plan is the plane is still building, >> you know, but I mean this this is a great discussion. I I appreciate the historical knowledge. Appreciate the ideas. I love this collaboration. Let's talk about budget, I guess. >> We'll try to lay the plane with budget. >> Have a good weekend. >> Yes. >> So, now we're going from now we're going from looking way forward to looking a little bit forward, right? So, budget updates. So, if you hit the next slide, Rob. Um, here's our timeline. I

167love these little tabs that former Treasure Wagner created. >> I like this one. >> I'm going to I'm going to I'm going to use these forever. >> Absolutely. >> They're getting used forever. Um, just see where So, November, we are still we're still discussing with the unions a salary reopener. So, that's still in progress. That's why I haven't taken it off. Initial school staffings were sent to the schools in Dece or in January, actually. We we changed that so people didn't have to worry about their staffing until they got back from from a holiday break. So that was nice. Thank you CFT for agreeing to that. Um central office budgets have started. I talked about that a little bit briefly. Um January tax budget, Mr. Ashley knocked that out um last on the on the

16812th. So that is good. Um and so kind of putting a lot of different threads together this month. We're going to talk about school staffing appeals. So schools have the ability to appeal their staffing if they think that the formula based, you know, is missing a key a key piece. So I know that's those are due today. They'll be reviewed next week. Um we also started the review of the non-personnel request. That's kind of the big January. [snorts] February, the big thing is going to be the forecast. That's that's that's our next big >> big idea to get some >> in February, right? >> Yes. will start here and then obviously it has to be approved by the full board as well by the end of February. [gasps] Yeah. Instead of May. It used to

169be May which was a little more. All right. Look like you have a question. >> My two three things I think. First I still am not convinced that we are properly staffing our our middle schools. I think I can't figure out are we staffing them like they're high schools or are we staffing them like they're elementary schools because I think um you know the high school folks have had a sense of relief from all the pressures that are created but I [snorts] I I'm that's an issue for me about whoever is taking care of the middle school staffing. Another thing is that we are doing the staffing based upon our school year this year, but we're getting ready to have a strategic plan that we want to be transformative enough that next year shouldn't look

170like this year necessarily. So, how do you what's the what's the what's the space that you give yourself >> to be able to and I'm not I know it's can't be new or in in addition to it can be new but it can't be in addition to to what degree is the strategic plan and the budgeting figuring out well how can we be transformative instead of just have a the first year of the next four year plan. It just looked like last year because we didn't use the budget process in anticipation of the strategic plan process. And and then the the the fourth thing is this issue of per student cost and per school budget. We're still doing and I understand why we do it. We're still doing top down macro instead of building blocks

171or whatever. I and and I think there's too much of a um well I and I'm confused, not everybody else is. I'm confused still about this per student cost and per school because we should have been able to reduce overall some aspects by making things more efficient in the last two or three years. >> I mean we transformed a couple of places. I think it was student services is supposed to have changed. I mean so just be kind of looking at some of that not just the rudimentary. Those are my three big concerns right now. So, we're we're we're going to hit a couple of those in some upcoming slides for sure. Um, I think I think middle schools is is definitely a discussion. I mean, I I think I would say initially last year

172we we looked at them as more more on the elementary school model and then we've adjusted and we continue to adjust and I think that's and it's going to be the same thing for the strategic plan. I think an important thing is I like how you I like how you said we can do new things, not additive things. I think that's probably a pretty accurate description of our financial position. Like we're not I think I think the forecast will show that our revenues will be very flat for next year if not a slight decline. And so, you know, we can do lots of new things, but that means we have to probably stop doing some old things. And that's and that's a normal part. Huh. But but that that is a normal part of what

173we do here. You know, CPS has >> has is making it to its third century because we've been able to do that for for two centuries. You know, >> this is the phrase I've heard the superintendent use or I think it's the superintendent, we have to live in the future. >> And to to Kareem's point in calling in, we and and we we do best and we're still around because we've been living in the future. and and I mean we have to >> agree. >> All right, Rob, if you'll I'm sorry. >> I had a question as we're talking about uh and I think you said you're getting to this about the per pupil cost um specifically. Has there been uh have we absolved the uh fair school funding plan or has there been a

174change in the formula? Where where are we specifically with that? and and what that impact looks like obviously um around the funds that we do receive from the state. >> Soap box time. Yeah. So yes, fair school funding plan continues to be less and bless you less and it's >> bringing up a lot >> less and less funded less less and less fair. I mean the the formula itself is very solid. I think I think our last money matters with Mike, we we we did kind of a deep dive with one of the me one of the kind of original members of the work group. >> Uh and and I I think his feelings I think I would agree is the formula itself is fairly solid. The legislature has chosen to implement it now. So

175like so they they locked all the cost inputs to a prior to to a prior year >> and let all the district wealth inputs um update to the most recent which basically throws the formula out of whack, right? So so so the formula looks at how much it should cost to educate a kid and it looks how much money the district should provide. So we're using old numbers for how much it should cost to educate. So that gap is growing, but but but we're going to use the most recent wealth index, which means and at the end of the day, districts are going to get less money. And that's and that's the fair school funding plan becomes less and less. And this is there's a great graph. I wish I had it in the slide

176deck that shows the drop in state share of funding for K for public K12 schools. And and we are far worse than when the DOT decision came out that said that the school funding was unconstitutional. And the reason it was unconstitutional was because of overreiance on property taxes. >> Well, here we are in 2026 and we're even more overrelying on property taxes. So, so that the the big picture revenue really just to sum it up is state aid continues continues to slowly decrease. Uh we did get we did do a little better in um what what are called the categoricals or the or the restricted aid. We did a little better in that. I think we're we have a little more I guess we're a little higher in poverty than >> is that with like

177the the categorical categorical is that like the disabilities and Okay. >> Yeah, we did we're doing a little better in that. The high picture were down >> and all the property tax changes have flattened out our property tax future. So that traditionally we would get bumps at reappraisals. We would get a bump being on the 20 mil floor. >> We would get a bump for inside millillage. We're no longer on the 20 mil floor. I mean, I don't want to steal all of Kevin's thunder for next month, but but but the big picture is like like like no one is coming to save us. You know, the state's not coming to save us. 20 mil floor is not coming to save us. And that's why when we started this conversation saying we need new operating

178money. >> Like the unsexy thing is we need new operating money to keep up with rate inflation. Now, that's that's a hard cell for any given citizen because they're they're fighting the same fight, >> which is why the big idea is so important, why the looking forward to the future, why the doing new things for a new century is so important. >> But but but we can we cannot ignore the fact that, you know, what we're getting is not keeping up with the rate of inflation. general counsel mentioned in some I think on your podcast back a while >> that the one of the times that the state people came in to talk to um I think it I think it was when um Superintendent Mitchell was here about the fact that we weren't getting

179state money that the state needed to do something about this all public school was suffering and they talked about Cincinnati and and they he said well you can do it was I think I won't say who it was because I'm not sure and And neither was but the the question was we you can do this you can do that there's more money there there's more money there and the superintendent and the whole group and I I think treasurer Wagner said we need money for operations not a new program right now operations and and and Dan said that this state leader said you will never get more money for operations >> there's not going to be any state money. And this is what, seven, six years ago. There's not going to be any more money for

180operations. If you want any new money, you're going to have to do it's going to be some uh uh target, some vision, somebody, some governor has decided you're going to do this or some president's decided you're going to do this. And I can think back with Obama did exactly. And we got new money that way. Then we got new money with esser and all this kind of stuff. But you don't. This is never about operations. And that's that's the rub. >> That is the truth. I mean I mean the state spent a lot of money on science and reading the last two years. You know that exactly >> the governor had a very specific vision of how of how that should work and and the state funded that to the to the point to send

181thousands upon thousands of teachers to those required um trainings and give them stipens. So yeah, if there if the state has an initiative they fund and you can and you can tie in with that, you can get money, but the basic operational foundation blocks, salaries, benefits, supplies, facilities, yeah, th those things are those things are not going to come. >> And to Kendra's point, the fair funding plan, the formula that they actually came up with that was going to help a lot of people and it was represented great concepts and a bipartisan [clears throat] uh agreement, they just stopped. >> And and the saddest thing I think about that conversation was how quickly it stopped. >> Yeah. Instantly >> like like the not this budget, but the budget, what was it two two the last

182bianial budget had most of the formula pieces in and was overwhelmingly improved. I can't remember the numbers, but it was probably a 90% approval across the aisle. And in one one budget cycle, we went from that to what we have today. >> Partisan politics. >> All right. So, still not landing the plane. All right. Let's land this plane. >> Landing. >> All right. So, >> we were circling the airport. >> Yeah. No, [laughter] it's great. All right. Next next uh next slide. >> I shared with everyone a timeline of activities. >> Still working on fleshing this out. you can click on it and get the whole um spreadsheet >> but we tried to put everything in by category. So we have you know revenue budget school staffing non-personal all those things over in the far

183right are probably the two columns that most important here which are board discussion opportunities and board action opportunities and and and so I put in put in the business meetings um the retreats those sort of things that are on the board calendar you know we'll I'll I'll move the finance committees from tenative to to kind of to regular >> as long as I think we're okay >> I think I think we're good there we'll figure We'll figure out the June one. Um, >> goes much longer, we'll have to cater lunch. >> Yeah, for sure. All right. So, so next >> slide, Rob, just just kind of to remind this committee some of the things that we've we've kind of discussed and agreed upon >> is that we admin recommendations would come to finance committee first,

184then to the full board. >> Um, we would love to do some intermediate budget approvals that build to the final budget appropriation. I think everyone's kind of likes that idea. This year we're building up from zero to our budget target and we are going to talk about choices and not cuts. So, so we we again future speaking to the future we're think we are making choices for the future. So, all right. So, one of the conversations we've talked about is central office versus school budgets. This was a concern that that [clears throat] we talked about. If you hit the next slide. So school school budget and school budgets central office budgets are kind of different. School budgets are student based. So we get those enrollment projections. Um Jeremy go team works on that. Uh and

185that and that really builds out your really builds out your staffing. It builds out your per pupil allocations all those sort of things. Central office budgets are zerobased. So we're starting at zero. Damn long. Um so we we ask people to do budget requests based on based on kind of four categories and we can bring those up more as we go but legal compliance. So what is the absolute minimum we have to budget to stay in legal compliance. Uh that is both academic and operational. You know, it's not just you need to have, you know, one principal and one superintendent and you'd have, you know, one teacher for every x number of kids, but also a district our size has to offer benefits because that's that's the affordable care act. So district our size has

186to be able to legally, you know, have have different thing different programs, you know, you know, so all those sort of things get in there. And there has been interest in previous finance committees and and administration as well is in this budget process and it kind of comes up on the timeline that somewhere way earlier than June matter of fact well maybe it's almost still cold in Cincinnati that we uh recommend that these things or this amount of money is [snorts] going to be spent on this amount of things and that we know we have to spend that we're not going to have a a grand uh board debate or whatever. And it's the fixed costs, the obligated costs, the things that are state minimums >> and to try to see that so that so

187that people feel an understanding of the budget in those pieces. >> Yes. And it and I maybe you can explain that a little bit better. >> No, I it's it's it's exactly what we talked about kind of kind of the blocks and building up from the blocks. So there [snorts] there's a there's a amount of spin that we will that it's almost like we we have to do like I I use you know debt payments, utilities to some example like there's I don't I can't imagine this I can't imagine a a scenario where the board is going to say we shouldn't pay our debts, you know, we're not going to fall on our debt payments. So there is no reason to spend any more than two minutes on on those sort of things. Debt payments,

188utilities, some of the state required things that we have to have like like if so get those out of the way. We build those into the budget that's kind of off that building block is put into place, you know, as we're building up to our target. That block gets done. It's there. Uh and we spend all of our time, admin and board time on kind of the next round, you know, you know, because there will be there will be difficult choices to be made. But but but there's no reason to talk about things that [clears throat] that we have to do, you know, there's really very little choice in those items. >> But can that be in the both the aggregate and in in the small as well? Or is that only the aggregate across

189the board? How how does that how does that work if we >> you got to build it up in the detail. So >> I think I both I I assume if I I assume if I came to you and said superintendent I came to you and said we want you to approve say $200 million of fixed obligated spending. I'm just using a round number. You know first question be what exactly do we get for that? Okay. And that's where the aggregate comes in. We would say for that amount of money, here are all of the things that the district gets and maybe [clears throat] here's why we don't feel there's a choice for them. You know, I could Yeah, I could say the debt payments this we're going to pay, you know, $14 million here.

190there's a four $ three and a half million dollar transfer as part of the FMP that we have to do like >> and we can we can line those things out um and be and you can look through them and say yes we agree these things are things there's there's no choice from and so the idea would and again the level of detail you know we can we can talk about but we can make it very detailed >> you did have that one chart that last year that was helpful to me particularly which it had school by school and it showed the school budget, but it also showed the actual dollars that you said were coming from to that school or is to help that school or part of that school that was actually part

191of the central budget >> and then it showed total. >> Oh, you're going to love the next slide. >> This Yeah, she this is this is Ed Sullivan. She She is literally the queen of segways. >> I can do the segway. >> If if you would like to look at the next slide. >> Oh wow. >> What a surprise. >> Mike, real quick, I do want to make a note here. >> Sorry, Cody. Cody with a K. I was going to say Cody with a K did did quite a bit did quite a bit of work on this for us. >> Quick note I want to make here. So I struggle with colors. So when I was labeling the central office and the school, those percentages need to be switched. So what this graph represents

192is central office is going to be that light blue at the bottom. Those should be the percentages that are in the blue, the top blue because the central office dollars are actually going down over time. >> Whereas the school support, what we're giving to the schools, what schools are receiving that is going up. So the gray >> your labels are backwards. >> Yeah, my labels are backwards. I just saw it >> now. They now that because Yeah, the 31% little slide is much Yeah, >> if you see the pi difference, 14 is much bigger than 31. So when I was doing Oh yeah, I mixed up the colors. >> Oh, you mixed your Are you Are you color blind as well? >> I am actually. >> Okay. Well, let's do it. Let's [laughter] >> DI

193We have a color blind person. >> It'll do well with blue. >> We have a whole We have a whole color blind financial stuff. >> FY 26. The 14% is central office. >> Yes, sir. >> Yes, >> that is correct. And the 31% would be the school support. So that would be the amount that central office is allocating out to the schools. >> All right. So we'll so we'll fix this and send it back out to you. >> Deepest apologies. >> Another name for school support is central office allocation. >> That'd be another description. >> That's tough. >> I don't know. I don't know that we use that phrase a lot. Um but that's but that's that the the but that is the idea >> the central office allocation to the schools. Yes. >> So

194another way to say this 55% is direct school. >> Correct. And 31% is indirect. >> Yes. >> Is that another way? >> Yes, that'd be a good way to say it. Direct and indirect to use use some CFO terms. Yes. So the a lot of examples of that are like some of the DSS folks, uh, related service providers, those sort of folks are are budgeted are budgeted centrally, but but they're allocated at the schools. >> student facing. Yes. I I do recall when Kareem [snorts] was on finance, this is three years ago now, and and emphasized preschool per student, per school, that we we we do budget macro. And I know we've worked a little bit better [snorts] at getting less macro and more per this and um you know, the items or cost centers.

195I if the more we can do that and not have macro, you're going to have a board that better understands and you're going to have a community that's going to be able to see dollars or not see dollars, which is as important as seeing dollars. And I mean, again, we we've [snorts] hopefully have eliminated some of the school centers that were too costly to tolerate. Yes, we're gonna we're gonna go there, too. >> Okay, good. >> Um, so yeah, we'll we'll fix the slide, get it back out to you. Um, the next slide, I think this one's this one's interesting as well. Um, >> this is definitely that conversation about, you know, people say, you know, cost of teachers is a runaway cost and and this this is actually this is your this is your

196instructional spend by category. And and what it's what it's showing you is, you know, the blue at the bottom is your general general ed and spend and you can see it hovers around hovers around 65%. The growth has been in students with disability spending. You can see it grows as well as the ESL spending. And so I think I think this is one of those conversations that's important as we talk about where the money goes is that those population spendings increase, you know, in order to meet the needs of our students, but it's not that we're just, you know, having runaway expenses. You know, we're the expenses are targeted. They're they're to meet needs or to meet IEPs. They're to provide students students really a chance at having a having an adequate education. So that's

197I think that's an interesting point of this graph is you can you can see the change in percentage. >> Another word for regular is gened. >> Yes, general education. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, these were based on uh USAS descriptions. So >> and there and if you go to the next slide, we cleaned it up a little bit. So I think I like that one a little. We took we took a couple of the smaller buckets off just so you'd only have you can you can also you can also see career tech in there. So these are and these and these are using kind of the state categories. So again you can you can see where the where the the increases you see where the increases really hit the dollar and then the final one

198Cody is another interesting conversation. I think this is support services and so [clears throat] there's a lot of buckets in there but you can also see what what would you say about the growth here? I think the growth really points to [snorts] pupil support um and really how the impact of that is going to be going forward. Um a lot of things stay quite the same with fiscal support staying the same. Um administrative support kind of stays relatively similar, but a lot of your big growth you'll see um or decline as well. You can see pupil transportation looked like a decline from 20 in 23 to 24 starts to grow back up. But what we want to look at here is these overarching based on state codes and our and how we code things the

199um pupil support. That was that was the biggest focus for me >> and the overarching what supports we offer to the the directly to the pupils and then indirectly. um there's not a lot of support that goes to central office or administrative or well the administrative can be kind of a tossup. I'm speaking in circles here but administrative includes my apologies the principles and assistant principles. So you'll see that is a bigger chunk as well. Um but that should be pointed out that that is principles and assistants principles as that's how they are coded. So >> and it's been fairly consistent over time as a percentage of their all budget. So, I mean, it's so yeah, just just kind of kind of where the it's interesting to see where the money goes at that macro

200level. >> In the old days when we would see [snorts] like the school budget sheet and and usually we'd probably get it from CTF rather than the treasure Wagner until we made her do it. But the alarming thing to me and I I shouldn't say it's an alarming thing to me but this is just this my mindset is on school budgets which you're talking about here is the uh uh small part that the actual I don't know the right term classroom teacher and the number of actual classroom teachers uh have in a school budget It's that if you look at and part of is our kids need so much more support, but if you look at suburban budgets, >> the vast majority of the whole school budget is standalone, standup >> frontal teachers. >> And

201it is a small part. It's a very small part proportionately. At least it used to be when we would look at those sheets. When you looked at how all the people that were employed in that school and where the dollars were, you it was stunning to see how few teachers there really were. And I don't know, I still of the belief that we if you have more teachers, you might not need all of some of the other stuff you have. I don't know. But I I nobody wants to cut anything that we have because we know the children need so much. But I it's it the school budget is very it's in an urban setting is very unusual to me. >> Can you go back to that first chart where you were >> that would

202be in the in the school support that called the indirect category? >> Does that include the principles and the assistant principles? >> I would have to look. >> No. No, probably not. >> They're they're all in what? They're all in the direct school budget. Yeah, this is >> to point it might be interesting to carve out in that direct category. >> It's an interesting graph, I think, to look at >> school bud school budgets by position. Yeah, I think I but I think you're I think what Miss Bolton said is right. We have a lot of positions you don't see in suburban schools. you know our our our number of security our number of pair professionals there those are two you know our number of counselors related service providers it's just it's yeah it is

203it is so much higher social workers and all all those sort of things >> and all of which are critically important >> yeah and I'm not saying but but also >> you talk about academic achievement I mean servicing the kids that instruction piece has to have more primacy I think in in our thinking. I think I think the board I think Mr. Lindy and everybody's been very good about saying stuff about academic achievement and academic results but let's see where we're investing the academic results dollars. I think to that point if I could speak. So yeah, um >> obviously I do think it would be great to uh see right have this um kind of a audit of this information. I do think these additional supports are significantly important as we talk about counselors, as

204we talk about social workers um and what have you. Um but I also think that what is most important is how as I go back to this point are we ensuring that we're doing the work systemically because we can have um different positions and we have uh duplicity in roles right um we may not be resource you utilizing our resources as efficiently as we possibly need to so I think that's where we should make sure that we are um leaning um leaning into to um see how it can better um create this comprehensive approach to yield those results. Um because I think too if we look at it, we're talking about the teachers. I think when we get our treasures report quite frequently, we have a number of um like substitute teachers, right? So we

205Yeah. So we uh think we need to make sure that we're being intentional about how we are uh effectively resourcing um um these roles and providing that allocation for support. >> Cool. This is getting exciting. >> Okay. Well, let's let's finish on a finish on the last >> land that plane. >> All right. Per school per pupil budgets. So this is this is a great conversation. Thank you Mr. Crosset for for for changing the way we think. He did some simple math and we were like oh okay. So we've had so starting out here I think per people budget and state report card. So the state looks at operating spending per pupil. I think that's a good that's a good way to look at it takes out some of the non-operational costs which vary greatly

206across districts. you know, if you're if you have debt payments, if you have those sort of things. Um, and you and you can see here, you know, we're we spend more than the state average both in operating spending and classroom instruction. Uh, you can you can see, you know, obviously our federal funds are more than average. Our state and local funds are also more than average. So, that's that's one number we can look at. When people say, "How much do we spend per pupil?" 14,000 is a pretty representative number statewide, nationwide. Honestly, that's a if you ask a nationwide expert how much how much school districts spend per people, it's about 14. It's about 14,000. You'll hear that from people like Margar Margarite Rosa and those sort of groups. >> But but in 25 February

20725, I think it is, it by our own numbers, it was 11,899. >> Yep. per student. >> And so we're saying that in 26 it went to what? So that's where and that's that's the part of this conversation is >> yes because we can we have >> parts of some of our schools to apples >> well I don't know but that's the aggregate though you the aggregate makes it be an average of of across the board but you've got obviously some schools that uh you know it's 9,000 or whatever and you've got some that are 16,000 which was part of what we looked at with ad hoc. Y >> uh so again per school per student. >> Sure. So so so this is where this is where things get really interesting. So I so so

208I use the state number as a starting point. Right. Right. >> I'm not I'm not going to give Mr. Cross's number of dividing our total budget by our total budget by our total number of kids. >> That's but that's another good number to have a conversation about because someone someone else will do that math. So the document you're referring to, Miss Bolton, is is what we publish as part of the budget development. It is looking very specifically at the school budget. So th those are the school budgets >> exactly >> in in the school. So that is money that's directly allocated to the schools. Um I think what we what code Mr. Kodif has been working on here is doing a deeper dive of that. So So he has a spreadsheet here. You can see

209if you open the spreadsheet, Rob hopefully this is a hopey this clears up a lot of questions. Uh what what he's been working on for most of the year now I guess is is is adding context into that school budget. So you can see thank you Rob. So you can see the first kind of light blue column there. And I think this will match fairly close to what what we had in February is a per pupil budget, school budgets only. So that is looking at what what money is directly allocated to the schools to spend per student. You can see you have you can see the range there. I don't know if anything there's nothing shocking there between you know there's a lot of lot in the 10 to 11,000 range. >> Yeah. If you

210scroll to the bottom of that column, rub, there's actually an average, and I think that's about right close to what Miss Bolton just stated. >> 11,000 average is 11463, which is fairly close, I think, to to the February number. [clears throat] >> Then, um, from there, from there, what what Cody's been doing the last couple months is going out and taking those kind of so the next column, I guess, is central office budgets and schools. So this is the next column is what we talked about um sorry this is [clears throat] what we talked about the um school allocated budget. So this is central office money that we're putting on schools. So so really these are extra resources schools have they just don't really have control of them. You know they're they're assigned by case

211load. They're assigned by by multiple factors. These are the indirect >> indirect these are indirect supports and and and so there's a number there's a number there that you would it adds to and then the next three columns facilities transportation ITM we went we went a step further and said and said these things show up in the budget as a central budget that's budgeted to all the schools as an allocation. So, so, so the quick way to do it is we say, okay, there's 30ome thousand students, you know, transportation budgets $48 million. Divide that number and then give it back to the schools, you know, on allocation, but that's not really a true cost, right? We know some schools, you know, a magnet state, a district-wide magnet school is going to have higher transportation costs

212than a neighborhood school, you know? So, >> which one of the reasons we got rid of some of them, >> right? Exactly. So, so Cody went and worked with with the people in those areas >> to to get real cost for these things, you know, whether it's facilities, he went and worked facilities to get the actual utility cost. >> Some schools are more efficient for utilities, some schools aren't, you know, and and so that's what that's what those columns are, columns G through H. >> Jim, >> is the collection of that data repeatable now? >> We're getting closer. >> Great. >> Yes. As I'm working with some of these um like transportation for example. >> Okay. Oh, good. Okay, sir. >> Yes. And >> that's the Rosetta Stone was the transportation cost per per student

213per school. >> And and and so when you get the column J out there, which is school budget plus direct district support, that gives you a much g gives you probably a closer all-in all-in uh number for schools. I think this is really useful for planning >> you know exact as we as we talk as we talk about you know like things like you know ad hoc went through and and one of the things was reduce number of magnets because you know and strengthen schools you know these these so these this number gives you a kind of all-in for planning which I think is important some of it is just a kind of a a function of how many students with disabilities are in any given school but that that's a conversation some of them

214are functions of school program type. I mean generally you're going to see your monastery schools are a little more expensive because the monatory model has an extra adult in in the monastery classrooms. That's that is a key part of how monastery works. And so and so and and so you couldn't take you couldn't take that away without you know taking away the entire monastery model. So, so I think like the next couple of graphs you can see are are interesting in that you have two lines in here and it's this one's a little hard. It's a little hard to read, but these are all the elementary and pre elementary and prek schools. And this is this is the blue line. This is why colorblind people we use two colors, right? The blue line is the

215school budget itself and then the red line is the school budget plus plus the district pride support. And you can see you can see you can see where everyone kind of falls on that on that continuum. And then you took it and you made it per school. Is that per people? Yeah. So you divide it per people. So >> yeah these these are >> these are just a graph of those two light blue columns that we just discussed comparing the two. And then he has another slide that is for high schools that does the same thing, high school and middle school, I guess, together. >> It's hard to get all of CPS schools on one graph. [laughter] >> We're at that level of size where it's hard to put everything on one graph, >> right?

216And I think I think it's very important to separate the high schools >> from the rest of the schools. I I even think it's important to separate PK8s. uh as a as a particular cohort very frankly to really see what what structure works best for achieving uh uh academic results uh and what costs what what systems are most costefficient. I do always like to point out that um uh of the uh many high schools we have one of the least funded is Aken and has been >> for at least eight years that I've watched it. And I'm not sure why or how that is the case considering the population and whatever. But it's it's fascinating too to um and and you can see why indeed you you have to deal with u in ad hoc

217why you had to deal with the issue of Riverview. >> Mhm. You know, it's it's just um >> there's almost [snorts] no student population. >> Yes. Why? >> Yes. I mean, >> well, we've there's been schools that have been eliminated and part of it from ad hoc, part of it financial because if it's too small, you can't staff it. You can't have a full program. But, I mean, it's this this per thing is is really where it's at. >> Yeah. I I I think a lot of obvious obviously the the more full a school is the the more kind of efficient it is in a way >> has to be a certain number. There's I forget what the word is that you need a a certain synergy or a certain amount in order to be

218able to staff things. There there is and there is a tipping I remember when when we first spun up Spencer Spencer Spencer was the first situation of this where >> we really worked worked with them as we as we built that because for a high school you have to have there's a tipping point I don't know what you call it synergy a tipping point a minimum that that isn't as much student based as it is as much credit based >> right >> in order for all of your kids to get the credits they need you know every it requires a certain number of teachers that that is not what you would do if you just did it based on students or based on ratios. >> I've got 10 more minutes. I got to go. >>

219We're we're way over. Yeah, keep going. >> I that that is kind of where I think the end of the per people's things. I think >> yeah, this is this is such a this is a breakthrough. I think this is great. I think this is um several years in the making to focus on on the purr, >> so to speak. I I I think it's good and I'd like this more of this that is shared the more the board understands what what we're talking about the aggregate so hard for for us to see something in the aggregate and then somebody makes writes a letter. I mean we have to we have to have some level of detail >> to fully understand what's going on. I I I would like to make the general comment though

220that for the >> strategic plan for the budget >> the key to this is going to be how well can we forecast >> and it's the I think Kevin you know is to forecast revenue G revenue genius >> but the I think the key the bigger issue that's going to be really important is doing a really good job of forecasting enrollment by school or by neighborhood to determine where schools should be, that is going to be a big key. The better we can do that, the better we can um be successful. >> Absolutely. >> So, for what it's worth, so I know Jeremy's not in the room, but >> Oh, he's a key player. >> Yeah. >> Okay, I'm going to land this plane. Are we ready to land this plane? Okay, >> I need

221that tax levy stuff. >> Okay, so so these areformational, but this is a reminder. If you go to the next slide, >> threeletter word, >> this is a reminder of where our current levies are. Big ones are the bond levy, as we talked about, ends in calendar year 2031. And and we have a huge opportunity there because when the bond le bond is paid off, that levy goes off the books. That is 3.3 mills right now of taxes that are will be expiring. And as you're landing the plane, I'm going to tell you >> that 3031 piece when we are going to ask for whatever we're going to ask beforehand. We're going to have to ask the people and look into the future and actually not just make a request or a commitment about what's

222the first thing we're going to ask for. We need to be able to tell them and this is also what we're going to be asking for at this time. They're going to have to see what this is and that and that's part of that strategic plan financial design >> and that's going to have to be part of the narrative and the messaging. >> Yeah, >> they need to anticipate it. We can't have out of nowhere. The city says they're going to do an income tax in November, which I don't think they'll be allowed to do, but >> I don't think the powers of be will allow them to do it. But you're going to have to you're going to have to ask for multiple things for people to be able to see into the future.

223>> Yes. There there there are three. So there's there's whatever the new thing is. There's the opportunity, the end of the bond levy, which is both a celebration and opportunity. And we have two emergency levies that are also going to expire in that rough same time period in 2029 and 2032. The board will have to make a decision what to do with those. Um there is the ability to convert them to fixed some levies and keep the same fixed amount. That might not be the best thing to do at those times. I mean, we obviously we have time to talk about it, but given the changes in all the property tax legislation, you know, the what now that fixed some levies are part of the 20 mil floor, they are not nearly as appealing to

224us as they once were. And and and so those are things we need to talk about. I put it out there um just we'll keep reminding folks of these topics as we go. It's also in a nice little timeline. Rob if you go to the next slide so you can see it on you see it on a timeline where these things kind of stop and go and then I did I did end with the final slide that is kind of what are the options available to the board >> excellent >> so that as as we come up to what what do we do here's what we have this list may change before we get to 2029 it may change before we get to 2031 this will probably this will be an updated this will update

225every time. >> Yeah, you can make that thing should like be flashing or something. >> It's like it's like an etches sketch, you know. >> It's an etches sketch. It really is. >> We may we may have to shake it every year, but but I want to put all that out there for the committee. So So we all are looking at the same kind of set of data. >> Great. >> Thank you. I think that the idea that you're looking forward and look helping us look forward so clearly is is a huge benefit. So thank you very much for your perspective. Do members have particular things that they want to request to see or think about that for the next meeting or before the next meeting? Shall we >> if you know that >> you

226got to do the work plan by >> we got that's two weeks. That's two weeks you got to submit that. But I'm but I'm saying topics for next month. If you if you have some that you know now are you going to come up with them later to send them to to Mike would be great >> cuz he and I meet on the agenda. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Sure. [clears throat] >> Whatever whatever and it can be as specific as you want it to be. >> Um so >> big >> small >> I don't have anything at the moment that's top of mind. Um, so I will try to make sure I get that if something does come up, get that to you both. And then also, I know we're looking to approve the work

227plan. Um, but I'm curious to know if there are any um topics of discussion that comes up throughout the year. Do we have a a flexible agenda or we're able to add? >> Excellent question. Oh, yeah. Okay. >> And and that's true for any member that wants to add something or just get to us early. We try what is it we what is it usually how many days before do we try to meet >> at least at least like the week before, you know, because because it takes it takes our staff a little bit of time to prepare, but we try to meet, you know, we try to we try to move it around so we're not around cows or whenever and whenever there's we're already kind of together. But >> anytime. >> Yeah. I

228would I would say about half of the agenda in general is kind of pres-scheduled stuff. >> Yes. >> And the other half the other half we kind of adapt to whatever whatever is going on out there. And again, the more we can do the book ends >> for these discussions because it's crucial to have finance people go into the big board meeting and have some confidence, you know, and and be able to say something or not say something or have it's this is very this is big stuff. This is great. Any uh words of wisdom, >> sir? Uh one more comment from uh Dr. Moffett. Absolutely. >> Um on the pupil per cost pupil uh can we separate the report uh by the elementary report by neighborhood and magnet schools >> was her request. >>

229Absolutely. >> You got I like that idea of categorizing the cohorts, the different types of schools. Just for example, PK6, we found that student uh based budgeting worked when they worked on it last year at some length. It worked uh to do studentbased budgeting or at least it seemed reasonable, not outrageous PK to to six the neighborhood schools, but it didn't work when you tried to do student-based budgeting from Monasuri or any specialized program. So I I think it's good to think of these schools in different categories. >> I don't know if it's possible to do it, but uh like with u [clears throat] Sailor Park and Oiler, aren't they K12 and Spencer's like 312? I don't know if you could separate their high school component very easily, but >> I mean I don't know

230if that's you know just >> I mean we have there's functions. I mean there's >> Yeah. I don't know. Just a thought. >> Some of the the administrative costs are a little tough, but definitely the like instructional costs are easy to separate. >> Cool. Anybody else? >> You sure? >> I mean, the only thing I would say is that election in 26 at the state level is going to determine the future of public education. >> Absolutely. >> Come on. >> Say that again. You're true. >> Say that again. >> Just going to say that the 2026 election in Ohio is going to determine the future of public education in Ohio. That is so true. And at least from a public school standpoint, public education standpoint, uh the um um arrival of uh David Pepper on

231the state ticket is crucial regardless of Democrat, Republican, or whatever. He is a an absolute fire brand about public education and we probably need that right now to compensate for the legislative leadership that we have. You're right. Anything else? For the good of the order, for the good of the weekend, I want you all to know that Red's Fest is happening tonight and tomorrow. And so my life begins. [laughter] I'll take it. >> Good job everybody and welcome. We hope that you you'll come back. [laughter] >> Absolutely. >> This is where it's happening. I'm telling you. >> Yeah. >> This is exciting >> Hey, welcome to the committee. >> Oh, thanks. >> You're going to be a nice member. And you're like me