001Chamber school directors. Um yesterday the board met in executive session. uh really good um robust discussion on uh superintendent goals. Um I often go in my history lesson here. So this is probably the 12th time I got to experience some type of superintendent goals and uh I thought the process was the best yet. Uh I think the way Chris laid it out, I think it was very helpful to all the board. U a lot of good ideas. I'm sure Chris took a lot of good information away and a lot of candid conversation. So, it's a really really good session I think for superintendent goals and that uh for board that'll make our job hopefully a little bit easier here in January we do a midyear and May June when we do a a final. So,
002I appreciate everyone's uh participation and contribution to uh superintendent goals. Oh, and we we talked about um board goals a little bit too. Um so that was executive session. There was no executive session this evening. Um we just sat and had a social session which is even better. So item 2.01, please rise and join me for pledge of allegiance followed by moment of silence. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Thank you. Item 3.0, excuse me, 3.01, superintendence report. Mr. Bigger. >> Thank you, Mr. Norcros. Um, the PA great schools banners behind us. Uh, we're excited to display that banner and the work to earn that designation. Uh, each school will
003also get a banner. So, we hope to get those out and in each school for their recognition of their work for that. Uh, we are in the process of getting the student board rep here at the table. I believe I'm looking at Mrs. Luffy that Cashes will select someone and when we find the name, we will add a seat and have a student board rep coming to our meetings in the future per our new policy. Um, just want to remind everybody that not that you don't know, but it would be nice if we had a state budget. Um, and all the talk about the federal budget. We did receive our federal money, but we haven't received any state money for quite some time. Uh pressure is growing, mounting, and certainly would be very helpful if
004we just had a budget. So, unfortunately, I'm not hearing an end to this stalemate anytime soon. Um we're talking late October, early November, uh at this point in time. So, it's getting expensive for us to use reserves. So, anything anybody can do to keep the pressure on to get a state budget would be appreciated. Uh I'll start my staff presentation tours where we update the district uh state of the district where we are with strategic planning um in October, early October. So hope to have them complete throughout that month. We will send a digital community newsletter out also uh this coming month. And then we'll work on an annual report after you receive the comprehensive academic report uh that Mr. Whitman and the team will be doing in the future. We have board presentations, the
005entry plans uh from the directors, the comprehensive data report that I just mentioned. We'll update you on the graduation policy, um updates and changes, reading by third grade plan and intervention that supports that. Um and then also the capital project lists for the upcoming year and a three-year budget plan to get us to the promised land in the next three years with our projects. Um, I do want to thank everyone um for all the work and getting the start of the year up uh and running. We always have bumps and bruises and that's typical for the size of our district, but um it's a lot of work and a lot of energy for that first couple weeks. So, thanks to everyone for their patience and also for their work in getting things straightened out. End
006of report. >> Thank you, Mr. Bigger. Any questions for Mr. Bigger? >> What about the young man that you had mentioned about being the representative on the board. >> Parker Christofful. Yes. He he was the one that actually emailed me. Where are we with the status of this? >> Okay. >> So, uh, by all intents and purposes, as a sophomore, I think he's going to be a formidable, uh, representative someday in our community at a at a board meeting or commissioner. He aspires to be in in politics. So, I'm excited. I hope he gets picked, but there's no guarantee that he would get picked. They have to go through a nomination and selection process. So, I'm hoping it's him, but I can't guarantee that it is. >> Stuff the ballot box. >> Um, okay. Uh,
007item 3.02, President's Report. Um, start off here a little bit. Um, you know, people often say to me in my past couple years when they know I'm on a school board, they're like, "What are you doing that for? Are you crazy? What's that about?" And uh well, I don't know if if I'm crazy or not, but the point to my comments tonight are um one thing I always tell them, they say, "Oh, it's a thankless job." Well, there's certain parts of it that are thankless. And it happens when you get to sit up at this table and especially when you have a microphone in front of you and and even with the gavl, everything you say um gets put out on the uh gospel of social media and and everything else. So there's always two
008sides to it. But I always tell people I said it's really really easy and it's one fundamental rule I follow and you tell people why you're going to do something i.e. vote and then you do that where you vote that way. And then when you're asked again later you tell them the same reason why you did it. Where I think people often get in trouble is where they keep changing their story. So the preface to that is for many many months now I've sat here and talked about the total dollars of schools of distinction by 2030 uh investment that the community we're asking the community to make and I have repeatedly said $240 million. Well, you're going to see tonight, spoiler alert, sorry Tammy. Um you're going to see tonight that number has changed. that
009number right now as an estimate and you put that in bold itallic flashing lights an estimate we're at 270 million as the low estimate and 290 as a high estimate. So again u I've been accused in the gospel of social media and public comment that I make these comments as fear-mongering or trying to scare the public or people maybe perceive that I am against these projects. I think my track record speaks for itself. I am totally in favor of these projects. Uh and I share this just to be transparent, open, and honest. Again, rewind here about two minutes ago. This is an investment that we're asking the community to make taxpayers. And you're going to see some charts, probably not tonight, but a future night that are going to show how much of an investment
010we are asking, an additional investment we are asking the community to make. So, I don't think we can say it enough and it's it is what it is. Uh, one of the challenges and um efforts this board and administration are going to have to do now is figure out how in the heck we're going to pay for this thing, right? And there's going to be some tough decisions be made. And I will continue to be transparent and say I apologize that my 240 million comment I've said over and over again was dead wrong. Uh as you notice when if you've been a regular here or listen to us online or watch us uh you know when we've had architect presentations I've often asked the question what's the estimate? What's the estimate? We'll get it to
011you. We'll get it to you. We'll get it to you has been their answer. Um, someone talked told me an analogy about boiling a frog, but I won't go there. Uh, we'll get it to you. Well, we finally have some some new preliminary numbers and and it's big, but it is what it is and we'll work with what we have. Uh, hope that it's less and and plan uh for hopefully a little bit of contingency if it is more and that we never have to use that contingency. So, that's my president's report for this evening, and that's going to preload right into the item 4.01, funding schools of distinction. Uh, I assume Mr. Staler, you'll go first and then Mr. Fry. And reviewing the presentations, I don't know what your preferences are. Tammy, do you
012want questions and then Mr. Fry or wait till you both present? What do you What do you two prefer? >> I'm fine with that. >> Okay. >> Questions. >> What's that? >> Questions along the way. questions along the way or what your or wait till you're done. Tammy, >> I prefer at the end of my presentation, but >> Well, you just walked over there and said you didn't matter. >> No, I meant I meant questions for Tammy before John speaks. >> Now it's Tammy's microphone. >> Okay. All right. Good. All right. So, um we're going to talk this evening a little bit about a funding plan or scenario. Um I do want to emphasize that this is a draft. Uh the numbers will change um but we have been asked to bring something forward to
013the board to show a potential plan to get us to the 2030 schools of distinction. So this evening uh we're going to talk about a few things. I'm going to give you some quick facts on Franklin County just to kind of show you where we are from an economic standpoint. Look at the Chambersburg Area School District's financial indicators as far as how we are in terms of our financial wealth. We'll take a look at the history of our general obligation bonds and the debt service capacity that we currently have. And then I'm going to show you a funding scenario uh that we talked briefly about uh I think it was last month or maybe the month before. Didn't really show you anything in writing, but we'll show you that scenario. And then we're going to
014to Mr. Norcross's point, we're going to show you what the estimated funding um that is needed for these three projects. So looking at Franklin County, just a few quick facts u that I pulled off the US Census Bureau and um the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis. I think these are all good news things for us. When you look, our unemployment rates have averaged around 4.4%. Pretty low uh is a is a term of a hole in the community. Uh when we look at our median household income, we are slightly above the state average at around 75 almost $76,000. We're right there with the median age. I'm not sure what that tells me other than we are at 41.6 and the state's at 41.4. I'd like to know what it was a decade ago, but
015I maybe I'll go back and take a look at that. Um, also a good indicator is while we do have poverty in our community, we're at 7.2% poverty rate versus the state of 12.6. And I think another good indicator of our um stability in Franklin County is our homeownership rate where we sit at 764% compared to 69.5. And we're going to move into some of the um and Scott, if this is the one, if you could make it a little bigger for me to see, that'd be great. Uh we're going to go into our assessment base growth. Uh we look at this on a monthly basis in the business office trying to see if we're going up or going down, and there are times that we go down, and that's when those big appeals come
016through. But we've seen significant growth in the last couple of years compared to coming out of the COVID years. If you look back from 20 to 21, uh, we only went up81%. Going into 22, we went up86% and then we had started to hit back kind of where we were before precoid. The good news is that we've seen the base grow um, over this period of time by 38.8 million. Um, and just to put that in perspective, that's tax revenue that we're going to get without having to raise the millage rate. So, it's good news here in Franklin County. Okay, Scott, I'm going to go to the next slide. Oh. Oh, he's gonna do it for me. Okay, the second indicator that we want to look at is our earned income tax growth. Uh, most
017of you know that Chambersburg is an act one school district. And for those of you who don't know what that is, um, in 2006 they passed act one, which allows the taxpayers to shift a portion of real estate tax burden to earned income tax. And uh the voters in Chambersburg were one of eight school districts that decided that they wanted to do that. The first year of revenue that came in after act one was in the 2008 2009 um fiscal year. And you can see on the chart that we collected just a little over 13.5 million. Um what we've seen since CO is it's really kind of mind-boggling to me. Um because we felt the economy was going to fall off, things were going to go kind of south. That didn't happen. We actually grew
018earned income tax the most from 2021 by $6 million to where we are today uh at the end of the fiscal 24-25 just under $26 million. So a good indicator that one people have jobs and two people's jobs are probably paying more than they were in the past. Okay. Okay. So, um, the third indicator that we're going to take a look at is our fund balance growth. I know that there's often a lot of talk about fund balances. Um, we have seen significant growth in our fund balance, which is a good indicator of our ability to afford these projects. If you want to look at it from that standpoint, at the end of the fiscal of 2019, we had a fund balance that represented about 4.8% of our revenue. Very, very small. This is the
019assigned fund balance. So, this these are funds that we've identified for potential problems down the road. Um, for example, we have another special needs student move in. Um, or we have um additional transportation routes that we haven't planned for that we can use money for those purposes. We have tax appeals that we have to pay back. Those types of things. The fund balance uh grew to an assigned basis of almost uh $40 million by the end of the fiscal of 2024. So we are now sitting with about 22% of our revenues um in terms of the fund balance. The information below there is the committed fund balance. We've also seen growth in that and as if you recall the committed fund balance is there for future taxpayer relief. Um this occurs whenever we collect more
020earned income tax than we budget and by law we have to take that portion and set it aside in a fund balance to be used at a future time. Okay. Okay. Um, just to give you a little history, uh, this is one of the things that I think we lose a little bit of a perspective on of at the district. You know, we've had debt for quite quite a few many years. Uh, probably probably close to 20 if I remember going back and looking. Um, over the course of the last decade and a half, our debt has remained pretty stable. Um, the highest it was at was during the 1617 fiscal year and it was just about $157 million worth of principal to where we are currently in fiscal 2425 with just under $118 million
021of principal outstanding. And when you look at this in terms of how we look in terms of our debt to other districts, I took the comparable districts that Mr. bigger I know has talked to you about it different times and these are districts that are more of an applesto apples approach to us. They're like in terms of our demographics, our size, our revenues, uh budgets, that type of thing. When we look at that, we are ranked seven out of 10 on a per student debt service spend of just a little over $1,082 per student. This puts us at about 6.74% of our expenditures. And again, if you're looking at the graphs, the top graph shows the per student spend where we're rate pretty much in the middle and again the percentage which again we're in
022about the middle of the comparable groups. So where that leads us is to what can we afford to borrow uh with the help of my good friend John Fry over here. He always helps us uh calculate the debt uh the remaining capacity. As I mentioned, where we were at the end of the fiscal was just about $118 million in obligation. Our remaining borrowing capacity is currently $274 million. Um, just to give you a quick idea of how you calculate that, it's a fun calculation, not too complicated as most of our functions are. Um, you're looking at three years of your revenue, coming up with an average, multiplying it by 2.25% 25% and then subtracting that from um or subtracting the total obligation from that borrowing base. So again, we currently have about 270 more $74
023million that we could borrow. Sorry, I keep switching hands here. Looking at um we were asked to to build a funding scenar scenario. Currently, we have a bond that's in existence. That's the 2023 bond that we took out. Uh we have about $8.4 million. What you're going to see on this uh slide is a scenario of five different steps of borrowing that would borrow just a little bit over $217 million. Our goal when we were looking at this was to build a funding scenario to about $230 million. Uh with an estimated interest earned on the money that we would be borrowing of about $4.6 $6 million, we would fund about $231 million that would be available to fund these projects. And you can see Mr. Fry here. He's actually going to talk about step one
024tonight and what we need to do to make that uh bond issuance by the end of December of 2025. The second um funding scenario in here was to fund the new Green Village Elementary School. I'm starting to try to call it Green Village and get out of the Grand View. Old terms are hard to let go of. Um again, we had a funding goal of about 40 million. In order to reach this funding goal, we would be looking at building cash into our debt service, excess cash into the debt service on an annual basis. If you recall from the 2025 budget presentation, we actually have a line item transfer of $7.5 million above and beyond what we owe for debt service this year. That is banking on to Mr. Bigger's comment earlier on that we
025get the state adequacy money, which the governor had proposed at 5.5 million additional dollars coming into the Chambersburg Area School District. We would additionally have to commit to putting an additional $2 million per year in over and above that level to get to that $22 million by the end of 2930. At that point, we would still be short. We would need money uh to come from some other sources of about $17 million. On the next slide, I've identified a few areas uh that we could look at. One, we always can look at doing an additional borrowing. I didn't ask Mr. try to do that, but that's something he'd be more than willing to do and show us how that would work. Um, we also know that down the road in um 2037, our debt service
026is going to fall off, which will be helpful to the district. We also can look at using the cap reserve. Um, we currently have about 16.5 million sitting in the cap reserve. Uh, we do have other capital project needs and we've built that fund up to sustain those. Um, as you recall, we approved about $2 million of capital projects uh for this past year. We'll be coming forward probably in October or November with another $2 million um that don't address anything with these new buildings. It's just all the other stuff that we have to to take care of. We could look at uh the general fund balance. If you go back to one of the prior slides, I told you at the end of the fiscal year 24, we had about 39 million. We did
027make some interfund transfers out of there. So the assigned fund balance is down from that number, but there's still a healthy reserve there at this point in time. And finally, we could look at slowing the building down uh to give us additional time to build our debt capacity. So moving towards uh I guess this was a few months ago uh that we had the architects in and talked about a feasibility study. Uh we're looking at the schools of distinction to include a middle school. Um, at one point we were going to do a remodel that pushed forward to a brand new building. Uh, we're looking at a 4 to six intermediate school and a fourdeep elementary school. And you can see on this slide the ranges, the estimate of the square footages and then the
028estimate of the um the cost ranging anywhere from 274 million to $292 million. And again, these are draft estimated numbers. The plan that we proposed to you or showed to you tonight would net us 231 million, probably close to 231 plus 22 million in reserves. And you can see that will get us a little bit short of where we would need to be on the low end of these three projects. So the main question I think that most people said is, you know, how do we afford to do this? How do we afford to build these build these builds? We need the state to pass the budget. Excuse me. And we need the state to give us the adequacy money that the governor proposed of that additional 5.5 million. My understanding is the adequacy money.
029The plan is to continue to do that for the next well I guess it would be five years after this year. Correct Mr. Bigger. I think it was for seven years. We need that money. Um if we get the adequacy money um it it would it will take and address all of the issues that we need to fund these buildings 100%. We are planning and or trying to plan as we showed in the 2526 budget to add additional debt service that 7.5 million to try to build that fund up. And what we continue or need to continue to do is we need to make a commitment that each year through 2930 we're going to put an additional $2 million into debt service to fund these projects. We also need to actively continue to identify soft
030cost savings. Excuse me, that word got a little bit tongue tied. As we did this past budget, we cut two administrative positions and that was in uh line with what was going to happen with the grade reconfigurations, the realignments, and these new buildings. So, these are some of the things that we need to do and make a commitment to do. And I think that's that's it. Questions? Okay, you go. >> I'll try to get them back in order then. go back and forth and often I've referenced Mr. Fry often I've referenced Mr. Fry's sheet um that was the uh estimated millillage summary. It was a sheet that uh Mr. Fry presented to the board in April. You've probably heard me mention it before. Uh and then uh in discussion this summer with Mr. Bigger, there
031was another one um for for June. So the 771 million, okay, that's in the 2024 assessment base growth, that's the same value of 1 mil that represented on the report of 770,000. That's the 1% of 771. Is that >> I I I can't say that that is Mr. Norcross. I mean, this is the representative of the base. to get the value of the mill mill we would need to take the mill rate and divide it into the base I think it would be less than that >> okay >> but without having I'm not going to be able to do that math in my head right now >> that's okay that's and one of the and for a future discussion when u when maybe we get some different versions of this estimated millage summary the the
032report in April had a value one mill at 882,000 and the June report had 770,000 uh when you're talking 240 million, people think, well, what does 110,000 mean? Well, when you take 110,000 and a 1.63% and you compound that over five years, after five years, that's another half million in debt service. So, it does add up um and it shows you the impact of the value of a mill. So, I'm I'm not sure. >> Yeah, you know, I know these numbers change around, but that was one thing that stuck out to me and maybe that's a question later for for Mr. >> Fry. I'll actually address that, Mr. Norcross. There was a calculation error in the April number. Um, and again, that that I don't want to say it happens, but it does happen when
033we're looking at these assessment values. That rate is going to be changing what the value of the mill is. It's going to change every time that assessment base changes. And so, as we're budgeting um throughout the the spring, the winter, the spring, we're taking that base and kind of projecting it out. So, there was an error in that original number. And Mr. Fry actually helped us to correct that uh further down. >> Okay, going to your slide eight and and um just make sure I interpret this correct and that's a good standing where we are right now. That's based on our current >> where where are we at? Is that this slide? Is this the slide? >> Slide eight. Yes. >> Uhhuh. >> Where where we're seven out of 10. You know, you don't want
034to be one necessarily, but I think by the time we add another 230 million, we're going to jump from seventh place to a strong first place. >> I I would I would say that's probably likely. >> So, basically, we're going to flip this chart on its end. >> Yeah. This data is actually from the end of the fiscal of 24. Uh this is coming out of our forecast five system, and it's usually a year delayed, but it it hasn't changed much from year to year. Yeah. But I would agree with you. We probably are going to move towards the the front of the line on that one. >> The only thing I'd say to that is that's assuming that those other >> correct. >> Good point. >> The glass is half the glass is half
035full. I like it. Okay. Um sheet n forget that there on page 11. Again, I I'm going to go back and forth on this estimated millage report. So, the item two, the 7.5 million on the second assumption and the 2 million each year, is that the same 7.5 million that was would have been in the estimated mills used for debt service in Mr. Fry's chart. And the two million is basically the equivalent of a 1.6 tax. Are these in addition to what's on there? >> No, that would be that would in be inclusive of what Mr. Okay. >> Right. Um >> darn. I was look I was thinking it was another 7 and a half million on top of Mr. Fry's 7 and a half million. >> No, but again, you know, for us to
036get that 7.5 additional million, we need the state to give us the adequacy money. We basically did something this year that we don't normally do, and that's assume that that we're going to get the numbers that the governor proposes. We usually take more of a conservative approach and assume we're not getting anything more, but in order to build for these funds, um I wish that we had a budget passed right now. Um Mr. Bigger and I have talked about this a lot that we could be much more confident in what we're saying if that budget was known, but it is still unknown almost two two months past its due date. So, but to answer your question, yes, that's in that is what John presented. >> Well, that that helps. Again, I keep dovetailing these two
037back and forth, but the 7.5 million, again, in the April report, it was 5 a.5 million. It was my understanding that was the cash from the previous three years of the 1% plus one, I'll call it. Uh, and then in the June report, it jumped up to 9.5 and it was another four mills. And I understood, it was my interpretation, and it could have been dead wrong, that that four four point jump was basically the revenue from three years of 1%. Three years of 1% is going to get us about four mills. But now it's at 7 and a half. So we went from five and a half in April, 9 and a half in June, and now we're at seven and a half. >> So we're talking millions, not mills. We're talking seven and
038a half million. >> Estimated mills. >> Estimated. The debt service would require seven and a half million dollars, not seven and a half mills. I apologize for that. Um, if I recall correctly, Mr. Norcross, in April when we presented the budget, I'm I'm looking at Mr. Bigger because it's been a while. >> Maybe you might let me see. I think you might have helped me answer my own question. Okay. We're still at the nine and a half million on the new form, which is where we were in June. >> The fiscal year end 2026. Estimated mills used for new debt service. >> So you're talking mills, not millions. >> Mills, but we're still at 9 and a half mills in this assumption when we get a new assumption. >> Yes. This aside. Yes. Good. >>
039Okay. I think >> yeah, I think that was all my questions, Mrs. >> Okay, >> I'd just like to make a comment. Um, I am glad Mr. Norcross is here to ask these kinds of questions and I am so glad you have answers. But listen to your presentation being on the verge of this serious investment and all the financial implications. I was beginning to feel like the first time uh my wife and I were ready to buy our first home. And uh but you've given me a lot more confidence that there's nothing to panic about and just you know this is not anything all that unusual. >> No. And and honestly, I could tell you more confidently if we had that state budget. But um and I'm going to keep saying it while I have
040the microphone. Um >> you know, I've been here since 2006 and and I'm just being candid with the board. Our financial situation up until probably 2020 had never been very positive. It we we very we ran with very little reserves. Uh we were constantly looking at things to cut. Um while CO did a lot of bad things, we we we benefited from it from a financial standpoint. You know, we didn't have expenditures. We had Esser's money that we could use to uh support everything. And then honestly, I'm looking at John, I I I've never seen an economy like this where we've seen earned income tax increase at such a rapid rate whenever, you know, you're you're dealing with inflation and we're dealing with all these unknowns. So, it's a really kind of weird time. But
041if the indicators stay the way they are and we can make these commitments, we can make we can commit that the adequacy money is going to go towards the debt service and that we commit to making $2 million more to debt service. We can afford these projects, but we have to make those commitments. That's what has to >> Thank you. >> Yeah. I'd just like to comment also that I have not only taxpayer friends in other districts, but also schoolboard members that I'm friends with in other districts. And we have an enviable position here in Chambersburg. In my opinion, um there are districts not too far away from us that are having declining enrollments and are considering closing schools not because they're building new schools as we are, but because they have significantly lower incoming
042students. um the people in 2006 who chose to have earned income tax into this um reserve that is our homestead farmstead. When you compare what other districts in the area are getting relief from their taxpayer burden, ours is just amazing. And I hear it all the time whenever I'm talking with friends in neighboring districts and I say, you know, my taxes were reduced by a thousand, three, whatever dollars. You know, theirs was peanuts, >> probably a hundred maybe. >> Yeah. If they're lucky. >> So I am friends with one of the people who was on that group that worked on that in 2006. And every time I see Barb, I think about it and occasionally thank her for having had the foresight to do that. >> Tammy, not a question for you, but I'm going
043to use your slide as my prompt. Okay, >> please go to your slide 12. >> Scott, are you doing that? >> There you go. >> Or whoever's driving. Sorry. Thank you. Just a comment to the board. uh the there on the bottom where Mrs. Staler has options. Uh you may put couple three or four question marks behind that. That is a decision that this board is going to have to make. >> So in the interim, Chris and Fay and I spoke about this very briefly earlier this evening. Uh you know, what information do you think would be helpful? I have my idea and I'll share it with you here again, but I want ask all the board members think about what information do you think you would need or would be helpful to you to
044help make that decision. Okay. And you know, we're starting to get a little closer with as we get closer and closer to final design, we'll get closer and closer to numbers. You know, in November of 2024, we were talking about 175 million. In April of 25, we're talking about 200 million. Tonight, we're at 217 million. Plus, we have a I'm rounding 17 million shortfall. So, now we're up into 234, 240 million. Um, so think about what you need. And I would encourage board members to go back to the April committee of the whole, and look at Mr. Fry's report from there. And again, it's sheets four and five, which is what I refer to often, and you heard it tonight in some of my questions with Mrs. Staler, that it shows the steps. And again,
045in April, we went up to 200 million because that's what we thought it might be back then. Things change. And then sheet five shows you, okay, what's what's the impact to the investors, i.e. the community. And you see, you know, it's in that 1.6 6 1.5% just to fund schools of distinction by 2030 annual. Um I throw that out again. I've mentioned this before. You know, historically it's 2 to 3% just for this district to operate at status quo. Okay, that's you know we do no building projects, nothing, you know, some teach some staff staffing changes and everything else. It's about two to three% per year is what it goes up. So if you take two and a half percent the middle of that and you add another one and a half percent onto it
046to fund schools of distinction, we're looking at a 4% uh you know every year and that goes through 2031. My thought is and Chris and File talk about this some more with probably Mr. Fry, but again ask the board members to take a look at it. I think if we had this data, your sheets four and five, Mr. Fry, for a $217 million borrowing, a $240 million borrowing, which makes up our 17 million deficit, and maybe one other scenario, and we can maybe see the impact of what that does both in annual taxes. And my guess is we probably have to do one more year. My guess is depending on how much we go up instead of ending this one and a half% in 2031, my guess is we're going to maybe have to end
047it and go one more year. But just little bit of uh just to ask of the board because that's going to be uh a big decision we have to make. uh not real soon, but it's not too far away. I'd just like to say that one of the areas that I don't think anybody can put a number on, but we need to have at least some estimate of the cost savings that will be recognized by the grade reconfiguration by the increased efficiency of the larger schools with better u HVAC costs etc. There's a lot of potential as I see it >> for cost savings >> that will be recognized. Um, but I don't know how you put a number to that. It's pretty elusive, I think. >> Yeah. Oh, that's a great point, Mrs. Go.
048One thing you can do with that, I mean, you know, holy cow, if we start realizing a lot, then you start carving years off the end of this thing. you know, instead of adding a year, maybe we take a year off, but that would be great. Good point. >> Is that possible to aggregate all of that? >> I mean, I probably can get an estimate, but estimates are just that, >> right? >> Yeah. I I mean, I think there there is a possibility of calculating some of that uh soft cost that we would save. Um I believe actually >> we did an exercise on that. Uh Dr. Long led that exercise. I think we're around two million in staffing type consolidations and maybe six million in revenue from sales or leases depending on how we
049approached it. >> So we that was a very first blush >> blush. Yeah. >> Without any, you know, deep thought about it. So we would have to get a lot more detailed and we'll do that along the way. >> The reason why I ask is because I think that that's important for the public to know that this, you know, yeah, we have this, but we're also shaving off and cutting here. So, >> well, I look in my community and I see people who have homes that are 50, 60 years old that are taking the siding off and putting more insulation on, for instance. And you know, why are they doing that? Not because the siding is that bad, but because they recognize the benefit of >> more efficiency in their in their homes. And so,
050I think that efficiency issue is going to have a potential. I don't know if it'll be realized potential or not, but >> yeah, I think one of the things that uh I I need to know more about and and this has been extremely helpful tonight is just like Ed had said about the impact of how high we would go for a tax increase budget-wise year after year. um so that there's not a a big surprise to that um that we would never have to go up to the index or anything that we could >> keep it reasonable so that people can afford it and >> and and make it work. So um I think a new new the new document that you're going to be giving us with that added amount I think would be
051very helpful to sit and analyze and and help us. Okay, >> one question I have Uh, one question I have on slide 13. Um, we're building 85,000 square feet of elementary space. How, um, how many seats are we short or how many classrooms are we short with elementary? Like what is that? >> This is understand your definition of short. This is the new currently. >> Yeah, that's what I'm saying. Like how how much space are we trying to add on in total? I think we had we had a number that we need and then I think we're building that at an additional size to allow for future growth. Right. >> We're we're going to be at five classrooms per grade level. That's five deep and then there will be some special ed classrooms. So we're
052we're we're pretty close to where we are at right now. >> Uhhuh. >> With with the classrooms in the space. Um the architects have really trimmed down and made it more compact. So we'll find out tomorrow in our meeting. So, and that's five deep for four grades. It's correct. K through three. Yeah. So, about 20 classrooms. >> Um, one question I have is are there other options for that? Like, have we looked at one one thing I think about is how much do we look at population density maps and like was that a factor? I know like the location makes sense for a couple reasons. one because we have a couple schools in that direction that are closing and two because we actually have land but did we explore other options much or not in
053terms of like like you know I one thing I think about is that Stevens kids that live >> just south of there you could hit a baseball if I was good at baseball >> correct >> to property where you're you're then busing kids every day five miles south to Marian which is fine Um but I think I think um a little bit sailed on that because we've already come up with the design. >> Yeah. >> But I think where you circle back is >> but how Yeah. How do we >> So the projects are complete in 2030 debt begins to fall down in 2037. >> What does your standard KB3 building look like? Well, Green Village will be your standard now. So you circle back to your Stevens, New Franklin, South Hamilton, and Marian the
054schools you're keeping and do they get converted to the similar comparable school? And so I think that's another phase in the future where you would do that provided the enrollment increases stays at 1% with 100 additional kids, right? >> Which is an unknown. >> I mean, it was definitely projecting 30 years, but we don't know what the next >> five will be like. So I think that we're situated pretty in a good spot right now, >> but that's a that's a a plan beyond this one. >> Yeah. So, I guess I'm just asking to be reminded how do we land on that as opposed to other options, you know, and I know you like to the district and >> yeah, >> if you remember the Crabtree presentation, we went down the rabbit hole of additions
055to multiple smaller buildings >> and it just and it was not >> it was just going to cost more in the end >> financially. Nor could we handle the multiple changes each year to enrollment, to where you would go to school, to the phasing of the projects. You mean you can't just add additions to five project schools at the same time, >> right? No. No. No. >> So, if you remember Fred was sitting here going through that scenario with all those uh uh charts and it just wasn't peaceful. >> Yeah. >> Plus, um >> go ahead. >> No, go ahead, Ben. Just >> keep going. >> Uh one other question I had, help me to understand how the four options we have, how do our tax increases fit into there? is is a tax increase
056a fifth option or are we saying that that is one on on slide 12 um for example like when we had the tax discussion in April well if you add 1% to a budget over 25 years that's 25 million and we're short >> 22 million so is is that an option five as well or is that already into I think that's part of one additional additional borrowing would the the I don't want to say consequence the the the >> the child to additional borrowing is going to be additional tax increase. You borrow more, you're going to have to find a way to pay more back in debt service. Okay. So, they're kind of they're they're one and the same. They're they're connected. the the tax increase is based on the amount of increased debt service
057>> and as is you're sketching this out. I have to go back to the slides. The cap reserve like we can tap into that >> and get that number down as well. >> Yep. >> So >> that was one of the scenarios right there is to pay cash for green village an option. >> Yeah. >> Where you don't borrow as much and you have the 22 and you use potential capital reserve of 16 million and >> you wipe out some of your reserves but you pay cash for the building. Again that's an option. Yeah, >> we're not saying which one's better at this point. They're just saying it's not the the biggest thing to pay attention to, and Tammy said it three times, is adequacy was 8.2 in the first year, five projected in this
058year >> if it continues for seven years, even at that trend >> downward. What does that do to the to the plan? And it really supports the plan of not needing to go to the taxpayers for uh the making up the difference >> because the plan to that point, correct me if I'm wrong, Chris, u because right now per Mr. Fry's slide five that I keep referencing, it doesn't assume any adequacy funding after this year. >> That's correct. >> Any additional adequacy funding, >> correct, >> makes this look better. >> Everything look better. >> Yes. >> That's a good That's a good >> You're in your worst case scenario. I feel like we're positioned very well. >> Yeah. >> Um, uh, a point I just make about number four, slow down the building time to
059build additional death capacity. >> With the way costs are going up, >> that's good. >> I I feel like that just cost us way more in the long run. >> Yeah. We have to put a plan on there if the state cuts the 5 million. >> Sure. >> I mean, we we have to have a back and that's a that's the backup plan. >> Yeah. But the longer this drags out, the more concerned I get. And I I know we've already pushed our timeline >> back. And you feel like the pace though is about as fast as we can go. >> Absolutely. Yeah. There. Yeah. Absolutely. >> Right. You're I mean right now just for the public, you're meeting every three weeks, right? So >> Oh gosh. Every two weeks depending on the architects >>
060to keep the ball rolling. >> Yeah. Just >> Yeah. >> As a reminder for the public. Yeah. >> Yeah. I think if we didn't have the state roads around Green Village, it may have been a little faster. >> Sure. But nothing monumental. >> Yeah. >> There's darn road builders anyway. >> Yeah. And you wouldn't want a midyear opening necessarily anyway. So it does make sense in the fall. >> You need Ed's team out there be done. >> Yeah. >> But the roads are actually a positive in the end compared to the narrow roads that some students are riding buses on to some >> schools in the area. >> Safer. >> Absolutely. Yeah, >> I was also going to add when you were saying about Stevens, the fact that we're taking out the fourth and the
061fifth grade opens up those classrooms which then the Marian students can >> be redistributed back to >> that makes a lot of sense >> because of the open classrooms. >> Okay, >> other questions. Mrs. Har, Miss Harbaugh, >> uh just to answer your question, Ed, that sheet you have right there in front of you, uh Mr. fries. I can see it from here with Yeah, that one. That would be essential for me to really understand and I noticed it wasn't in this particular packet, but that would be super helpful uh as far as deciding between all those options. So, that essential for me to have that sheet whenever we're getting into that. So, >> it's good. >> Great. >> Yeah, it's really not applicable to tonight's because we're talking about one singular bond issue that
062one singular step right now, but good point. Thank you. Other questions? I want to follow up on Ben's because he brought a good point when he was talking about elementary space and I talked earlier about the bottom part of this slide 12. This is a um a discussion and you know um heavy lift I'm going to say it anyway for the board to a heavy decision for the board to make. >> But the other part that that made me think about it with Mr. Raver's comment is another facet of this schools of distinction by 2030 and Chris and I fa talked about this probably a month and a half ago that we're going to have to start slowly pulling the band-aid off u realignment you know because with grade realignment and what is the timeline
063to you know you don't want to tell you know the Smith family in March that next August you're going to a different school. >> How much lead time do we need to give the community? So, that's another big um project for the administration and the board to >> it's going to y >> all all roll together with this schools of distinction. >> Y >> it's really nice when you can keep siblings together, you know. I I don't know how you roll that out to minimize that. >> Sure. it. Put it this way. We have don't have a choice to come up with a good plan. >> We are this train is on the track and we certainly got to come up with the plan. And I think it's one of the compelling reasons we went
064down this path too >> is to stop the craziness of our beginning of the year over subscription and >> moving families around at the last minute. So, if you can envision a world where we don't do that, it it's possible. So, we'll start working with the new bus software and um figuring out how we can move that forward because you did support transfinder, new bus software. Uh there's GIS software that I think will speed up our process. In the past, I think uh Chambersburg has had many uh realignment plans that never made it to fruition. Um but I think we're going to bring this one across the finish line. So, yeah, stay tuned. Stay tuned. >> Turn it over to Mr. Fry. Thanks. >> All right. Good evening everyone. Nice to be here in front
065of you again uh since April. Um that was a great great presentation. Um I'll try not to to get uh too in the weeds tonight, but I think the the one main point of Mr. Norcross very correctly said, you know, that was the big picture plan and we um me and my the PFM team will be here with you all all along the way uh to provide you with whatever information you have and that you need and I'll keep updating that kind of we call that the master plan showing different steps for different sized uh borrowings. Uh but as you uh Mr. Norcross says tonight we're trying to kind of narrow the focus just to start the train down the track on step one which is uh to borrow and has always been step one
066to borrow around this time to get something on the books lock in a portion of the plan. Um and I'll get more to that in in a second. Uh but quickly on interest rates on page two uh the municipal bond market since I just looked when I was coming down here the site uh tonight. So I was here on April 8th. Um interest rates in the municipal bond market for this index is exactly the same as it was on April 8th, which is um kind of unbelievable because right after that the tariffs were announced. There was all kinds of volatility in the market. Things have stabilized. Interest rates in this chart on the bottom are exactly where they were in April. Um, as you may know from all the news, in the next month, uh,
067in the September meeting, the Fed will likely, uh, lower its short-term borrowing rate, the Fed funds rate. That's already been priced into the market. U, but, yeah, there's a lot of noise on inflation and tariffs and jobs and so forth. Uh, so we'll keep our eye on that. But big picture, um, interest rates on long-term municipal bond market remain attractive. There are still, they're about historical averages. Uh on page three, won't go over this just we just always include it just for your reference. It's just all the bonds that the district has outstanding. Um and I bring it up only because because the Fed is lowering short-term interest rates. A lot of your borrowings you can see are only maybe 10 years to go and so some of them will become eligible to be refinanced.
068So, we'll be watching that and next year when you go to do a bigger borrowing for the projects, it's pretty good likelihood uh that there'll be a couple maturities in there because each bond different than your home mortgage, each maturity of a bond issue has a different interest rate. So, we'll be picking and choosing to see if there's any maturities of particular bonds that can be refinanced for savings. Basically, try to go from 4% to 3% for instance, because of short the yield curve. Uh so again hopefully that would just be some gravy on or a cherry on top as we borrow next year for new money we might be able to throw in a refinancing as well. So then just wanted to outline on page four again you know the the past couple presentations
069I've been showing you the kind of the master plan of various steps over the next several years. This is trying to just narrowly focus in on this first step. You know we know you have major projects coming. the numbers are going to move around, the timing might move around. U but again in number three here, the first step was always to borrow uh $10 million or less this time of year u before you have to settle by December. Um, the reason for that is on 3A, as some of the board members remember, if uh uh local governments can borrow under $10 million in a calendar year, there's certain advantages such as slightly lower interest rates on the bonds and importantly a 5-year call date so you can refinance them quicker uh if possible. So, you
070see a lot of particularly Pennsylvania school districts. Right now, my colleagues are out uh like I'm at tonight with you. There are many other districts doing similar borrowings to try to get the you have to kind of get the the meetings in place because you have to settle by New Year's Eve to get uh this in for the calendar year. So, it's a it's a good financing tool. Um and so we we always ask uh as part of our due diligence, you have to have $10 million or less. The district, if you look in 3B, did have a couple leases uh with Dell and Ford that added up to about $3.4 million. So when we net that out, this borrowing to be about 6.6 million. So we'll size it appropriately to make sure it's gets
071that bank qualification status. Uh so it'll be about $6.6 million. And again, this is just kind of the first step. Lots to come down the road. Um and you know, certainly with you all along the way. Um and we'll get through the next on on but number five, the parameters bond resolution because I know some of the board members haven't been through this before. Uh the next step would be at your October 28th meeting. That's more of a legal uh that's when the legal vote would happen where the board would officially uh adopt a parameters bond resolution. It uses the Pennsylvania Local Government Unit Debt Act as the um kind of the backbone of how to how that resolution set up where you you set a maximum PAR amount and a maximum interest rate. Uh
072and then that allow that's the final board action that's needed. And then once all the bond documents and everything's ready, we'd be able to go out into the market in early November and actually lock in the bond rates. So that would be the next step. The resolution would also include a bond purchase agreement with an underwriter uh in uh Raymond James would be the underwriter. They're uh one of the leading u K through2 underwriters in Pennsylvania. So they would uh be a negotiated sale with Raymond James and that would be part of the resolution. And again, that would be your last vote. And then from there, my office would take it across the finish line. Um, and on the next page is just as of, you know, this week or last week when we ran
073this in the blue, if we did about a $6.6 million borrowing over about 25 years, the payments are column four, roughly $465,000 of payments each year um over the next 25 years. And so these are just estimates. That's what would be locked in once we actually had the bond sale. And then lastly is just the uh the timeline. Uh again, we are here tonight to review this. Um we're positioned to get everything rolling. Uh we need a lot of information from Mrs. Staler regarding the the district to go to Moody's, the credit rating agency. The district has a great credit rating of double A3. uh suspect with their great cash reserves that you're in a position to maintain that rating because you the district's in good position. But that rating call whenever you do a
074bond issue, you always have to go to get a new credit rating for that bond issue so the investors know exactly what the credit rating on that bond issue is. >> Any chance of getting a better rating? >> Uh I would say if trends continue, uh I would say normally yes, except when you have a big borrowings, they know we're going to have to tell them you're going to have borrowings coming. Um, but honestly with Pennsylvania school districts right now are in a tough position given the state. But but I know even on our last call, I mean the calls go much better when we can show, you know, there's there's no downward pressure. Let's put it that way. Things look great. >> Great. >> Um, and you know, and a good credit rating helps
075the the interest rate. So that's all good news. And again, on October 28th, we'd be back here with your bond council for that resolution. Um, and then the probably the following week if everything's in order, we'd go do the negotiated sale and the bond pricing, lock everything in so that the bonds would then settle in December. The money become available for your projects and everything be done. And then we'd be back here, you know, next spring as things, you know, refine. That multi-step plan will will continue to change. We'll be there to change it with you all along the way. Um, but happy answer any questions. >> Questions for Mr. Fry. I think you answered my question earlier, Mr. Fry, but I'm going to need because I was going to ask you, you know, we
076know we're going to have to looks like we're going to have to borrow more than 200 million, maybe at least 217 million. So, I was going to ask you why stop short of 10 million at step one, but what is the other 3.4 million that's capping this at 6.6? six >> D and four >> I'll take I can answer that Mr. Marcos. So earlier this year uh the technology department uh brought forward the Dell lease. Uh that's the primary amount of that which was done at U bankqualified and we also did have a few leases uh for vans with uh Ford company. So that's why that was reduced. >> So the technology is probably the big one. I guess >> it's the majority is probably a big number. >> Yeah. It's all it's all dough.
077Why why are we using a bond for that? >> It's it's not a bond. It's not a bond. It's just the financing because you're leasing it and it was done at a bank qualified lease. >> Okay. >> Yeah. It wasn't it wasn't done through the bond market. It was >> but it counts against the 10, >> right? Because it was it was issued as tax exempt. >> Okay. >> Darn. >> Yeah. >> Other questions for Mr. Fry? and then next year we can't 10, you know, there's no point staying under 10 million, right? We're too far into the project. >> It's it's more of a financing strategy. If you can and it works, you do it. >> Y >> if once you're Now you're going to be doing major borrowings. Um maybe the last step
078we do in conjunction with some cash, you know. So there's always moves along the way depending on the timing. Um but yeah, it looks like this will be the last one for a little while. Okay. So for the board, if you look at Mr. Fry's sheet six, you know, our voting meeting in October, uh we will be voting on the bond resolution for the series of 2020. One of many votes. >> All right. Thank you very much. Have a nice night. >> Thank you. You have to go back. All right. Um, section five, consent agenda items. Um, these are items uh that at our voting meeting at the end of the month, they will be voted for on in one uh block, if you will. Uh, so as normal, follow the same steps I have
079been following. I ask Mr. bigger and his team if they have anything to comment on on 5.01 through 5.06 and then ask the same question to board. But let the administration go first if there's any information or additional data you want to present to any of those items. >> We don't have any at this time on that section. >> Okay. Board members, any questions on any of those items 5.01 through 5.06. 06. Okay. All right. So, those six items will go on to the first consent agenda item and the um voting meeting at the end of the month or later in the month. And then, you know, we have been having two consent agenda items. the ones that'll be these six and anything new that comes on the table between now and our next meeting
080section section seven finance and facilities solar energy systems Fadville and Scotland Mrs. Staler Mr. Varner, who's on first? >> I'm going to let Matt speak to this. I mean, I can speak to it, but we had brought forward um a few months ago the fact that we were awarded two two grants for uh PA Skuller. This is moving that project along. So, I'll let Matt speak to what this is. >> Yes. Back in December, uh you approved a resolution for us to uh submit and apply for the Pennsylvania Solar for Schools grant. Uh last month in Mr. Bigger's report uh he you know reported that we were successful in those grants. Uh so this is a uh an agreement to move forward with CM3 building solutions uh to install solar energy systems at both Fadville
081and Scotland Elementary. Uh as you can see included in the uh agenda item, the total system installation costs are estimated at 1.5 one one million just over 1,ion500,000. The uh investment tax credit through the federal government is about $469,000. Uh the PA solar for schools grant is about $625,000. Uh we have a $43,000 utility rebate. So, the total net project cost for Chambersburg Area School District is about $426,000. Um, and the potential net energy savings uh for the life of this project is about $3.7 million to the district. Be happy to answer any other questions uh about this item. >> Matt, just confirming this is in conjunction with the infrastructure grant for the roof. >> Uh well, yes. Um it's not really in conjunction. Uh but the reason uh for selection for selecting these two
082elementary schools um was because a they were not going to be affected by the schools of distinction. Um but b we were awarded uh the infrastructure grants and we did roof projects at these elementary schools just this past summer. So, >> did I understand that? And I forget now which school it is, but one school it's going to be totally rooftop and one school there's going to be ground as well as rooftop arrays. >> Yes. At uh Scotland Elementary School, it will be uh all rooftop system. Uh at Fedville Elementary School, it'll be a combination rooftop and ground mount array. And the rationale or you know the reason >> solar energy systems on the ground are more efficient because they can be positioned at 20° and they get um you you get more output on
083your uh solar panels uh when when you can position those correctly. the the way and the position that FedVU Elementary School faces, it's really not feasible to put solar panels on certain sections of that roof. Um, and then there were some equipment restrictions as well with that roof. So, the the goal was to offset 100% of the energy usage at Fedville Elementary School. Um so to achieve that uh we we had to do a combination system. >> Are those panels going to interrupt any of the usage for fields or playgrounds? Um >> no. The location of those panels uh if you can picture the Favville Elementary School are along the side. It does not interfere with the current ball fields, but it's in that section of grass uh between Favo Elementary School and the old
084Wraid. Um it's it's an area that we worked with administration uh that they don't really utilize for um playfields or any type of activities throughout the school day. >> And those energy savings, are they calculated over what period of time? >> That's calculated over a 30-year uh period. >> Thank you. Is it safe to say that the consideration of u the positioning of the building is like you just mentioned it affects if it's going to be a rooftop or not versus ground and I guess my question would be that's that's going to be considered when we think about the new construction as well right >> we're doing a feasibility study for solar at the new construction um again there are some design benefits uh for natural natural light and you know solar gain in areas
085of a school and yes that was considered in on the design. >> Thank you. >> I just want to thank Matt for applying for this project. It was not an easy task to apply for this one. The timelines, the expectations were pretty high and we were thankful we got it because the work uh wouldn't have justified not getting it. Uh so thank you for all the energy and effort you put into getting the grants. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Matt, can I just ask one question? Um, if you guys want to see the layout in that attachment, it shows you exactly where they're going to be. It's about 32 35 something like that. It's pretty cool looking and it's it says that in there. But I read in there the first
086three years they said that they're actually going to measure it, right? To make sure that we're actually realizing that. After those three years, did they do the maintenance on that or do we do that? I thought it said we could purchase that option from them or is that something that we're and maybe we're not there yet. I was just curious. >> Yeah. So, this is a performance-based contract. So, they are guaranteeing um the you know the benchmarks that they put out there for energy savings. They guarantee that um they will monitor it for the first three years just to show that we are meeting those benchmarks. Okay. at that time we have the option that and and their that's their monitoring and their maintenance is included in those on&m costs right right >> and so
087after 3 years if we decide that we are satisfied uh and we don't want to continue with the on and through CM3 >> then that cash flow analysis that show those costs would be additional savings too now having said that uh it would be in our best interest and good practice is to do some, you know, maintenance O andM on those systems as well. But that is an option to potentially buy that back from them. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Do us a math. 125,000 on average is the annual savings if that's helpful to anyone over 30 years. >> Yeah. And that's figured on today's current, >> right, >> electricity rates. And you know there is a modest increase figured in that over the years but what we don't know is where the
088energy prices are going to go. So you know >> the energy prices go up >> is our assumption. And then but does do the units become less effective? >> Yeah. And if you look at that cash flow analysis in that attached document, as you can see, you get further out, the O andM costs go up, but the also the production goes down, but that's all calculated into your overall savings. >> Good. Thank you. >> Any questions? Thank you. 7.02 2 gifts, grants, and donations information's in front of us. Mr. Woodman, anything to add questions from board members? Okay, we'll vote on this later in the month. Section 8, policy and legislation, um 3.01. Anything to comment on that, Mrs. Staler? I'm sorry. >> The 8.01. >> Oh, 8.01. Sorry, my >> PSBA elections of officers
089and at large representatives. >> Yes. >> That'll just be a card in front of us later in the month. >> Yes. I apologize. Yes. Okay. >> Very difficult decisions to make here. >> Yeah. Yeah. >> Kind of like voting for the judge of X, Y, and Z in 18th circuit of 14th county in the third district or uh policies with no changes. We'll just, you know, and then we'll vote on 803 and 804, I guess. >> Do we know what policies they were? >> Yeah. When you click on that, you can see each one is laid out. >> Yep. >> With the examples. Okay. So, this will be the time to ask questions primarily on the second read because those are formally adopted after second read. >> Your first read still buys you a little
090time from first read till second read in November or I'm sorry, October. >> And this will be a reoccurring item. If you remember from last evening, one of those superintendent goals was a >> Yep. >> a 10-year cycle. And I don't know how many hundreds of policies there are, but if you have to touch every one of them at least once every 10 years, you're going to make this it's going to be a reoccurring event. Any questions on policies? Not certainly opportunity to have a question later in the month before we vote. Item 10.01. Members of the audience are audience are invited to comment on agenda and non-aggenda items. Uh two have signed in but don't worry anyone can speak but first uh John Jordan item 7.01 01 solar energy. Yeah, I was looking at
091this and um with the uh solar energy thing and uh Miss Goggler kind of put out some thoughts about additional ways to make some savings. This to me I'd like to encourage everybody looking at the figures. Mr. Burner went over it for the cost we're going to put into it. It's basically a no-brainer. So, I'd like everybody to definitely vote for this and have this work. If we can come up with some other ideas maybe in this with energy savings, we ought to look into it. And I'd personally like to thank Matt Verner for working so hard to uh get this grant for us. And I'm very happy about that. Thank you very much. And I that's all I have to say. I just think it's a no-brainer. I hope everybody supports it and uh
092thanks for considering it. >> Thank you, Mr. Jordan. Mrs. Jordan, uh non-aggenda topic. >> Actually, it it is a agenda item. Um, but before I start with my statement, uh, my school taxes are $4,100 and over this past weekend I had to write two checks for estimated taxes. One $1,500 to the federal government, another 500 to the state. Now, the state, I feel my money's in the morg, and I sent that out to our state lawmakers. My money is not going anywhere, as is this school district. So, that's what I'm going to say. And the estimated taxes come out to $8,000 a year for my husband and I. So if this my taxes go up $200 more because of a school schools I can afford it because I can afford $8,000 but I don't like
093it when the state's not passing a budget. At the last board meeting, the dollar amount of 26 thou million was mentioned at your table. With much caution based on this dollar amount, because fear was put out there onto YouTube, I decided to look at one year's worth of bills paid by you starting from June 2024 and ending in June 2025. I figured the following if we could reduce costs associated with a pending increased debt payment. If the district didn't have to pay 9.7 million to greedy cyber charter school owners, that would reduce this annual debt payment. If the district didn't have to pay $278,63185 to Shalom Christian Academy, that would reduce this annual debt payment. If this district didn't have to pay $179,17128 to Cumberland Valley Christian School, that would reduce this annual debt payment.
094All the above schools increased in cost while debt continually gets paid down by law. If the district didn't have to pay $33,14610 to the Franklin County Probation Office, that would reduce this annual debt payment. Now, I understand why $849 of my $1,13 county tax bill goes to criminal justice around these parts. If the district didn't have to pay a taxpayer $9,65825 in a settlement case, that would reduce this annual debt payment. Adding all those vendor costs up, that 26 million in annual debt payment would look more like 16.2 million alongside the current debt. Uh the good news is uh this you have no large legal bills to pay. You paid Crabtree and Robba $860.60 in in the oneyear time frame. You have Mrs. >> I will I have a couple more sentences. >> You you
095have fund balances which will pay off some of the construction costs too. Debt is not new to me. It's not new to you either. Schools are used by children. Children deserve your attention and that's why you were elected to serve. Displaying fear and anxiety is not warrant warrant. >> Thank you, Mrs. Jordan. >> Thank you very much. >> Any other members of the audience for agenda or non-aggenda items? Okay. Item 12.0. Uh board members uh new business discussion only for future board meetings committee of the whole what? Yes sir. Mr. Walker um is that the um the we had mentioned maybe somebody appointed somebody to go looking after the the charter stuff. Is that has that was that we follow through with that? Clear software um is what we recently purchased to help with residency
096requirements. So yes, we're on top of that. I think as soon as we got the software, I think Mrs. Stein was uh using it day one if I remember her excitement down the hallway. And just uh just on an aside, it also helps with uh students who maybe leave and we don't get a records request. Uh until we get one, our attendance um counts against us because until we get a records request from another school that they're enrolled, they're absent. They're absent. They're absent. Well, sometimes we're able to find that they have moved somewhere out of state and we get that record and then we can make that decision that hey, we they found residence at a school in Ohio, let's say. So, it's helping us in more ways than just the residency for cyber
097school. >> Can make that dashboard look good. >> Yeah. Hopefully hopefully our attendance grows up. Yes. >> Yeah. I have a uh comment I guess more than anything right now, but so it's not really new business because it's kind of out there already, but um in a matter of just a few weeks, there'll be a uh monumental event called the Trojan Walk. And within that uh the confines of that walk, there's going to be a 10, sorry, 100 yard dash. I see several worthy opponents might be sitting there out there in the audience and um just here to say I hope everyone is aware of it can recognize this for a very worthy cause no matter who wins. Um but somewhere in this room there is a winner. [Laughter] other items. I assume that's not
098a agenda topic for a future meeting. Okay. Okay. Uh, I did skip over information. Uh, district enrollment summary, uh, and the Chainsburg Area Foundation annual report. Questions, comments? Hearing none, meeting Journ. Thank you.