001Okay, our webinar is live and our YouTube stream is live. Mrs. Rdnik, the meeting is yours. >> Thank you very much, Mr. Gilmer. Welcome everyone who's joining us for today's policy committee meeting. Uh, if you were looking forward to seeing Mr. Al, uh, I'm sorry, today you get me, Mr. Al Rash had a couple of personal items to um deal with and with me today is Dr. Teao. So we will now call this meeting to order and we will start with the pledge of allegiance. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Great. Um, I would like to uh get approval of the minutes of the last meeting which was on the
00227th of January. Can I get a motion? >> So moved. Thank you. Minutes approved. I will now hand over to Dr. Waters. >> Okay. Thank you so much. Good evening everyone. Uh just really quickly, I did want to point out before we get started that if you looked at the agenda uh ahead of time, we did have two additional policies listed that we are going to be holding until next month. And that's simply because in our error, we uploaded uh the current policy without the revision. So, we want to make sure that's accurate. So you'll see those two next month. So tonight um we are recommending revisions to policy 610.1 which is professional services and then we also have two policies that we are recommending to be repealed 3630 which is taxexempt and 3660 which
003is professional services for business. Um again PSBA changes that they uh recommend to us. Um and I'm going to turn it over to Mr. Summers to talk about those in more detail. >> Thank you, Dr. Waters. Um, good evening everyone. So, for the first policy um that's recommended for uh moving forward for first read 610.1 professional services. This is essentially just a reing of a policy that the district already has. So, um, for a number of years, probably going back 5 years at this point, the district has been converting all of its existing policies that were sort of unique to North Penn, um, or custom to North Penn, um, moving from those policies, many of which had not been updated for quite a few years, um, over to the the sort of draft set of
004policies that's developed by the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, PSBA. Um and so the um process was was a thorough one, but involved going through every one of the the former policies, repealing them, and putting new policies in place. That process is is by and large just about completed, but there are still a couple of policies that were under the old policy numbering system that have not been um either repealed or moved into board docks. So, um there is a basically a section on the district's website that says um board policies that you can find a handful a small handful of policies that have not been part of the new policy adoption and loaded into board docs. So, um specifically with regard to policies that were fell under the the business office, um one of the
005things Mrs. hower noticed in in coming on board is, hey, not all these policies that apply to business issues, business office issues are located in board docs. It's a little difficult to find um if they're, you know, on our old policies page. We should have them all in one spot. Um so she brought that to our attention. Um completely agree. Um so this uh the adoption of 610.1 is just moving what was policy 36060 professional services and renumbering it as 610.1 and then it will be uploaded into board docs along with all the other policies. Um one of the reasons that this was not done along with all of the other policies is because this is not a PSBA model policy. This is a district specific um policy regarding professional services and um essentially for
006for many different types of services under the law, the district is required to um go out for bid or obtain the the best price, the lowest responsible bidder for um services, products. Um that's the general rule, but there are certain services that the district does not have to necessarily pick the the cheapest or the least expensive service. Those are what are generally referred to as professional services. So they include things like auditors, engineers, uh lawyers, um um architects. So um a number of years ago, uh and there there I think are some others that I'm I'm forgetting. Um but um a number of years ago, those uh services were not necessarily subject to requests for proposals. And so, um, the board, um, previously in adopting policy 36060 basically directed the superintendent and the chief financial
007officer to, um, put together a schedule for issuing requests for proposals for professional services on a reoccurring basis. Um, and the idea was wanting to at least have a regular review of is the district sort of getting the best um, uh, bang for its buck. Um, staying competitive with others who provide that service. Um, and just, you know, having it be subject to review. So, um, that was the purpose of the policy. I think it it it, you know, has come it comes up every now and then um, when there's a professional service of some sort that's being brought before the board. Um but there's no proposed changes to the policy. It's just moving it from um the old policy numbering system over to um board docks and having it, you know, be more readily
008available, easily available to the public. Um any questions on on that particular policy? >> No questions from me, but Dr. Teao, >> uh it's not a qu Thank you, Mr. Summers. I don't have a question about 610.1, but I do uh would like to follow up with your comment about moving towards fully aligned PSBA policy. Do you have a sense uh doesn't have to be particularly concrete, but a sense of when that process will be completed? >> Um I think that that virtually all model PSBA policies have been adopted by the district at this point. I think that the only policies um that are still under the old policy numbering system are sort of north pen specific policies that don't necessarily contradict with um PSBA policies in some way but speak to a certain issue
009that um maybe the PSBA policies didn't cover. So um you know we we should certainly look through those policies to see how many of them are still necessary which actually when we talk to talk about repeal of policies we'll talk about another one of the policies that was um on the old policy numbering system but um I can't think of any PSBA recommended policy um that the district has not na not yet adopted there there may be um there are some school security personnel policies that PSBA has that um the district has not yet adopted just because there's a review of um sort of the district security policies and personnel. Um so that's one that just off the top of my head um I I the district has not yet adopted. Um but by and
010large the all of the model policies that PSBA recommended I believe have been adopted at this point. >> Great. Thank you, Mr. Summers. That's very helpful. >> Certainly. Um so in terms of the repeal of policies then um there are two policies listed under notice of appeal notice of repeal of policies the first is just 3660 which is that professional services policy. So again you're not really repealing the policy. You're essentially just adopting it in a new form under 610.1. Um the other policy that's recommended for repeal is 3660. It was titled taxexempt status and that was one um that was a again a kind of a district specific policy. Um in looking at it I know Mrs. Hower asked um the district's financial consultants to take a look at that um and she can
011speak to this but I don't believe they had any concerns with um the district keeping that policy. >> No, I actually they had no concerns with us repealing the policy. So, um, most of what's contained in there is part of an offering anyway, and you go through all of those things as you do as you go through the offering. Um, so I it's not really applicable anymore. Um, so it I asked, excuse me, both the financial adviser, PFM, and um, legal and, uh, I also talked to um, I think it was one of our underwriters, and everybody was kind of like, you don't really need it. Um, and so rather than try to find language that lined up or adopt a policy that wasn't really necessary at this time to pull into the 600s, um,
012I I they just recommended and I agree just repealing it at this point. >> And certainly, I mean, whenever there's a bond issuance, the district has separate bond counsel who reviews all of the documents to make sure that there's compliance with um, the most recent legal uh, requirements. And the other fact is that this policy also contains kind of some outdated language. Um it refers to the director of business administration which is a position you know that is essentially now the chief financial officer. It refers to controllers in the district. Um which I don't believe that that position exists anymore. So um it's really just kind of outdated and and um was not a policy that the district was utilizing at all to refer to um even when engaging in in any kind of bond
013work. Um so for those reasons and with those two um repeals that would um eliminate any uh former board policies under the business uh policies section. So there are a couple I believe under students maybe community relations um that that we can take a look at but this would um repeal um completely any old policies under the the sort of old policy manual. >> Okay. So we have policy 3660 which is being repealed um with a replacement of the policy we just discussed policy 610.1. >> Correct. >> Yes. And then also um a repeal of 363. >> Yeah. Okay. Now is this do we have to if we're moving to we have to take a vote. Okay. Thank you. >> You could ask for a motion to do both of those items. >> Yes. Good.
014So, can I get a motion uh to move both policy 610.1, professional services, and the repeal of policies and policy 366 to work session? >> So moved. >> Good. Um and then we need to vote on that. Can >> uh any every anyone in favor say I. >> I. >> Any opposed? Okay. So those two items 3A and 3B will be moved to work session or action meeting. Motion passes. All right. Dr. waters. Anything else? >> Yes. Um, we can see if the students have any comments and then after that uh public comment if there's anyone. >> Okay. Sorry, Dr. Tea, were you about to say something? Apologies. >> Oh, no. I was just going to say thank you to Miss Hower for uh ensuring that all the policies under her on her department and
015her oversight are have been uh cleaned up and moved appropriately. So, thank you for tending to that. Excellent. Thank you. All right. Uh, we have our student rep with us this evening. >> Um, I do not have anything specific today. I'm not sure if Amina does. >> Hi. Um, neither do I, but I did talk to a doctor about some things. I just hope we move forward with them privately. >> Dr. Yes. talked about me. Yes, we met. Yes. >> Okay. Awesome. Well, thank you very much to our student representatives for joining us this evening. Um, public comments. So, do we have anyone uh in the audience for public comments? >> We do. We have one person in the audience and their hand is raised. >> Okay. I will therefore read the statement. Tonight's meeting
016um is our regular reg regularly scheduled committee meeting in order to meet the requirements of the PA sunshine law. It is necessary to record the names of all the citizens who speak to the board during the mi during this meeting. To ensure compliance with this requirement, it is essential that those planning to address the board state their name and municipality. Members of the audience are asked to limit their questions and comments to three minutes. Mr. Gilma, sorry. >> All right. Up first is Jason Laneir. Jason, I've enabled your microphone, so when you're ready to begin, please unmute your microphone and begin your state your name and municipality and begin your comments, please. Thank you. >> Jason Laneir Lansdale. Um I I was regarding the 610.1. Um I I totally get moving sort of to a
017standard convention or what the PSBA suggests. I mean it does it does uh it it is a little bit tr if you're trying to find a policy and it's not listed there you have to go to sort of if you will the old website and not board docs to find the information little tedious and if for for those not as well verssed in finding that stuff it makes it a little more difficult. Uh so I I uh I appreciate the effort to to move that to a you know standard convention if you will. um re regarding 6 10.1 and being that it's only really a north pen policy and it it I I do see some overlap with sort of standard ethical uh requirements for board members and and anybody else for that matter employed
018by the district. Is there sort of um self the policing by the board and or admin to make sure that there aren't ethical problems happening when you have uh when you go to hire somebody for um professional services. Uh so that it's not just left to individuals to say it but sort of sort of a selfch check if you will. uh sure that you know sometimes people don't mean to do things and sometimes I think there there is has been intention in the past to to avoid uh announcement on things but is there is there something that is does this is this inclusive and it doesn't look like the language but inclusive of sort of a check by the board on its own members and the admin on board and the uh board on the
019admin and uh I'll leave it there if my confusing was my question was too confusing, let me know and I'll send you a text or email to to kind of uh better draw it out a little bit. Thank you. >> Thank you, Mr. Laneir. Um All right. Any other any other um Oh my gosh, I'm blanking on my words today. I apologize. Any other community? Any other community members wishing to make a >> wishing to make a comment? >> Everybody else, that's it. We just have Jason in the audience tonight. >> Okay. All right. Excellent. I think I understood Mr. Lenia's question. Um I um I don't know. Anybody need have a response right now? >> Yeah. Uh I be happy to respond and I'm sure Mr. Summers could weigh in. Mrs. Rednick. Thank you.
020Um so I think the question was you know what are the checks and balances for um any concerns over financial interests and each year uh our administrators and our board directors have to submit the statement of financial interests. Um so of course we do that but we also we actually had some professional development recently from Mr. Summers about ethics and consulting uh with our solicitor if there are any concerns over conflict of interest. So, um, certainly I I hope that Mr. Laneir is just asking the question, not making any implications, but, uh, Mr. Summers, if you want to weigh in on anything additional, please feel free. >> Yeah, I mean, the only only additional things I would say is is one, there are other district policies that certainly speak to um, conflicts of interest or
021ethical requirements. Um so those other policies that are are already in effect um would would have to be read consistent with um this professional services policy. So certainly any requirements under the ethics act in terms of uh conflict of interest for voting or use of office or anything like that um would certainly still apply. And I think um you know in the large part this professional services policy that the district has adopted voluntarily is designed to avoid ethical um uh concerns or to or to try and help um ensure a process that's more open um and competitive and um that there's more of a thorough review to those professional services. So ultimately, you know, designed to try and avoid um ethical issues or or other um concerns that might arise. So I think certainly it's
022a a proactive policy on the part of the district in that regard. >> Thank you for those responses, uh Mrs. Summers. Um okay, any additional topics? All right, with that I we um we have moved policy 610.1 professional services and the repeal of policies 3630 and policy 366 to uh board action meeting and then our next policy committee meeting will be on March 24th. With that, can I get a motion to adjourn this meeting? So >> moved. >> Great. Many thanks everyone. >> Thank you everyone. Have a good night. >> Thank you.