001We're good. Sorry. >> Yeah, no problem. All right. So, I hereby call to order this special meeting for general purposes on Monday, December 29th, uh, 2025. Uh, please rise for the pledge of allegiance. >> I pledge 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. >> Jenny, roll call. Mr. Brazil >> here. >> Mr. Casey >> here. >> Mrs. Chz Mrs. Clearary >> here. Miss Fox >> present. >> Miss Merkel >> present. >> Mr. Zy >> present. >> Mr. Tion >> present. >> Mr. Bick >> present. And Danielle just got it so you can >> Okay. Miss Chzik is present and n president. >> Okay. Uh so the purpose of this meeting is it's been called
002uh the special meeting has been called for general purposes and has been duly advertised and uh Jenny public comment any public comment. >> Public comment. No one signed up. >> No one signed up. Okay. So that moves us to uh the personnel committee. Motion to approve stop-loss proposal. Do you need a motion, Tom? >> Um, I mean, Bob should have the It's It's Bob's motion. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> Make the motion to approve policy as previously provided for board review. This loss policy protects it financially against high rural health care claims by >> second question. >> That's a question. Um I was able to meet with BSI along with superintendent uh Kading, Mr. Laffy, Mr. Wolf. And I do think I did have a lot of questions at our last board meeting regarding um
003the proposal for the stop loss, but I do think at this point in time that it is in our best interest to go with BSI's recommendation. Um it does put us into a consortium, but there are options for us to pull out of the consortium without a fee um if we do give them ample notice to do so. So at this point and in the timeline that we are um working with I think this is the best option. And I do want to clarify too for um because I know there was a concern that this might affect health care for um our teachers and things like that. It doesn't have any effect on the actual health care plan. This is just insurance for the school district in case there is a big claim that comes
004through um on the health care side. This protects the school district from owing um a lot of money if there is a larger claim or something that we have to deal with on the healthcare end. So it doesn't affect the healthcare overall. It's just insurance for the school district. >> I have two questions regarding this. So, if there's a December 31st deadline and it's supposed to be effective January 1st, um I was just wondering why it was brought to the board so late because like I feel like at this point we're kind of being rushed into approving this so it could be effective January 1. >> It it came to me late. Director Chzik, I'll be very honest with you. Um, I asked for it to be put in an email to you at that
005time so that you understood that it was something that was brought late to me um, prior to the last board meeting. So, it was an individualized email set out for your review. Um, once questions were raised, we did hold another meeting with the provider so all those questions could be clarified. Um, it is not something that came to me late. So, I will take on that in the future. Part of my staff meeting is making sure that if things are coming up, we have them at least two months prior to votes for the board. >> On the question, [clears throat] when I was on the board several years ago, good question, Daniel. When I was on the board several years ago, there was a directive to put a document together with all upcoming contracts when
006they were due. So we so because we were getting hit with these surprises and I don't know, I left the board. So I don't know what happened to this timeline that was that was requested by the board at this time. So these things wouldn't matter. >> I think part of this is also the change in [clears throat] provider for insurance coverage that happened last February >> our regular >> we our our our consultant changed when we moved to >> um so I have every intention of sitting back down with them. The HR department has standard weekly updates to make sure there's any other dates coming forward that we would have them. Uh, we've been trying to get better at making sure things aren't done. I'm never going to be perfect and this came late and
007I take this for that. >> Um, one other question. Um, Jenna, what is ample time? >> Know what ample time means? >> So, yeah. So, so in the email that Mr. Laffy sent out right before Christmas break, um, they did give us we have to sign an 18-month contract, but I believe it's 90 days. notice that we can exit without any penalty for termination. So that still gives us time if we do want to shop out the stop-loss in the future. That does give us the option to do that and we do have um that out and 18 months is really not I don't think is that long of a period of time either to make this um commitment. Well, and we had taught registers like if you want to properly vet anything else. It
008gives us time to do that the right way. >> Right. Right. And then the anticipated savings of 4.2 that is a decrease in what they're charging us. Where's that 4.2 coming from? >> Mr. Laughy, can or Mr. Wolf, can one of you explain that? I don't want to state something incorrectly here. >> The the 4.2% 2% is a reduction from what our current uh contract was with Gerber, which obviously ends on December 31st. We estimate that our BSI, our consultants estimate that to be approximately $92,000 reduction in our total uh premium and laser liability. As you know, the laser uh is a as you know, the stop loss does have a deductible that we must meet before kicking in coverage. However, the laser uh can increase that for specific individuals. Um what's nice about the
009P the PAC proposal, excuse me, uh is that it does not add any more lasers. It maintains the three that we currently have, but does not allow them to add any furthers. So, um there is some there is some price protection there as well. >> Laser means that they can take say that I had a catastrophic accident that was going to become a multi-million dollar claim. they can laser in on me and say they're not going to cover me. That is my 5-year-old kindergarten explanation of this. [clears throat] >> So that it's it's it's setting a higher limit than the standard deductible for all other covered individuals or denying uh stop-loss coverage altogether. So waving that. So yes, Aaron, that essentially is is correct. While the stop loss currently, I'll just say on myself is
010$250,000. Um if there is some catastrophic, you know, events, they the carriers can increase that if the contract allows them. Part of what this uh co-op contract with PC doesn't allow is any new lasers. It's the same three that we've had. So, there is some price protection there where where the other six proposals allow them to add lasers as they so needed, which would expose us to higher uh risk. >> Right. >> So, it's decreasing our risk. >> Correct. And I do want to add just one thing. While there is a 90-day uh uh notice with exit without a penalty or termination, obviously if if we were to leave anywhere in the middle of this 18 months, I I do want to clarify this because it is in the email. Um you know, that could
011trigger some potential that they would not cover some excess claim. So where there's no term where there's no term termination fees or anything like that, it could affect the coverage that we have. So that would have to be properly vetted before we make s such action. But with 90-day notice prior to the end of the 18 months, we it it uh based on BSI's recommendation, we could leave the cons the co-op consortium shouldn't be without any issue. >> Okay. Anybody else? >> I have one other thing. So, I know like at our December 15th meeting, I believe that we we spoke about incorporating um input from the unions into this and we were going to set up some meetings to talk with them. Have we had any sort of communication with um the union presidents
012regarding this change? >> So, this is an administrative side of the house, Danielle, which is why director shy just clarified this has no impact on health insurance. This is strictly financial management for the overall insurance fund. Like this has no impact on medical care or coverage in any way. This isn't insurance to protect us financially. So I I think there was I think there was confusion on this being healthc care coverage and not just stop loss coverage which is why directors just clarified that. like an umbrella policy. >> Correct. Umbrella policy. It's an administr it's it's an administrative protection for the district. >> Eron, as long as Danielle brought it up, can you arrange for an article 10 meeting with the union sometime in January? Uh I believe it's been over a year since we
013might have had one. >> As per your request, it's already done, Mr. Casey. >> Thank you. It is set for I believe January 9th, but I have to look at my calendar. One of the things I needed to send out today, January 7th at 5:15 p.m. It's already done. >> Thank you. >> Okay. Roll call. >> Mr. Casey, >> yes. >> Mrs. Chzik, >> no. >> Mrs. Clearary? >> Yes. Miss Fox? >> Yes. >> Miss Merkel? >> Yes. Mr. Spikey, >> yes. >> Mr. Chairman, >> yes. >> Mr. Brazil, >> yes. >> Mr. Bick, >> yes. >> Affirmative, one negative. Motion pass. >> Okay, turn it over to vendor relations. >> Okay, give me one moment here. Um, next we will have a motion to appoint Studio KLP as architects for the 1509 Maple Street
014project. contract is contingent upon satisfactory review of the solicitor. >> Second >> on the question I'm a little concerned about this because we don't have financial impact and I know that there was an RFP done and that there was a cost comparison and I'm not sure that this architectural firm is the lowest bidder. We tried to review some of the um information yesterday. Um but since they were not in the cost comparison, I'm not sure where they land because there is another architect that I believe is less expensive to the district. >> So I had emailed this was this is a very specified project. I had emailed President Borwick and said after meeting with Quandell after their appointment um I met with them at the property they said they need an architect immediately. I have
015requested architectural services at that time. Um so this is very specific to that. Now please remember that actually Mr. Laugh and I were talking about this whatever is designed will have to be brought back with a cost for the board to approve >> the cost of not of the services >> of the actual construction. Correct. >> So it could cost us let's say $150,000 for the architectural services. So we're approving that now. >> You're approving them. Is there going to be a contract that will come back and say this is what it's done? >> So, solicitor Moran will work that contract out with them at their hourly rate for them [clears throat] to be able to go into that building and do that design. Fondell cannot do any construction in that building um without us
016having an architectural design to move forward. Um and that is they said that you know to open for the beginning of next year uh we would need to have those plans. I can't wait till February 2nd. I have to start this right now. >> I understand. >> So that is uh that was how the request was made. The architect of choice brought back was Studio KLP. I will say that working right now on West Grant High School gym design. They are one of the firms that I'm working with. I have had constant communication. I've had no issues or concerns. They've been responsive to me throughout the entire process um as we're moving forward with those sets of designs. So I that is that is where I could leave you right now. I need an architect.
017I need to start moving on this project. >> Okay. So this is just uh we're just hiring this architect for this project. >> That is how the motion reads. Correct. >> Okay. Just [laughter] clarify. So it's not we're not hiring this moving forward. So the next project we have we could look at it different. >> Correct. >> And we could do maybe not an RFP, but we could gather information from other architects with cost estimates for the architect. Do we have any idea what type of money this project is? I don't have a specific number for you right now, which is why I said it's contingent upon review by the solicitor. >> Okay. >> Anybody else? >> Uh, sure. So, um I just have two um I guess concerns um off of Director Clearary statement
018there. Um I mean the the board is who has the authority to approve um contracts and I just have concern with there being no um there's no information with this. So it's basically writing a blank check without having any idea of what the financial obligation will be. In times past I understand I understand that like it's the project hasn't started yet so and we're in a rush. Um, but there's been times when we have approved things that say not to exceed or something. Um, as just a elected school director, I'm very concerned with there being absolutely no information at all whatsoever for us to approve this. Um, and then apparently with this motion passing, it gives our solicitor authority to approve the contract and then it the contract itself doesn't come back to the board
019um for approval. um unless I'm I'm mistaken um there in the contract will come back before work commences by the architect. Um I guess I'll ask that question first and then I do have one more question. >> Yeah, I I'd be very transparent with sharing um this I mean the contract once it's put in place. Again, um I believe President Warwick forwarded my email out to the board and my email very specifically said after meeting with them that they said that they needed an architect immediately. That was my request to the board is to by your ability to per appoint a professional service to appoint an architect so that I can move forward with getting this done. Our timeline is it's short. It's real short. >> Yeah, I I I do understand that. But does
020the does the contract doesn't the contract itself have to be approved by the board before work commences? >> Uh I don't want to Larry, can you help me? >> Sure. I I I'll make a recommendation because I I these I I don't know the answers of these questions. This is moving quickly. I was away on a family vacation. I sent Joe Joyce uh to cover for me at the inspection. Joe called me saying the feedback from Quandell is they can't do anything. and they can't move forward uh without an architect. I pushed on Joe to say, "Do they mean architect or engineer?" He said he didn't know. He needed somebody who can certify plans. That made sense to me to be able to pull building permits to be able to interface with the city, for
021instance, license and inspections. You you you can't walk in the door without certified plans from an engineer or an architect. So I think that's what Quandell was getting at [clears throat] before we, you know, because we are in in a contract with Friendship House that has benchmarks, timelines, and deadlines. So we are right now in our 30-day inspection contingency. And one of the remedies, for instance, is if we found things that uh were not reconcilable or were not, you know, beyond what was represented to us, we can cancel that contract. So, I think Quandell is partly trying to be compliant with the agreement of sale that we have right now, which gives us about 60 days to complete due diligence. Since we have a 60-day due diligence period and we are engaging an architect, I
022believe it is reasonable to put limits on the what what what we're going to call preliminary engineering. So, I think we need two things. We we need this architect to provide the preliminary engineering that Quandell needs to be able to move forward with the renovations, the repairs, and even potentially the inspection. That preliminary engineering should be at an hourly rate. That would be my recommendation. I don't know if Studio KP has provided hourly rates. I believe that um you can reasonably expect that you know this could be somewhere between 10 and 50 hours of preliminary engineering which would put you somewhere in the neighborhood of 10 and $15,000 of preliminary design work and at this level beyond that I do think what what director was referencing was there was an RFP earlier in the summer
023where our bid specs asked design professionals to provide percentages per per contract contract per project per what what their fee would be would be a a 1 2 3% of the total project cost. If that's what's going to happen here, which is reasonable, fair, and probably within the the the market, we don't know what that is yet before the preliminary engineering is uh has occurred. So, I think the board needs to think about and authorize a budget for the preliminary engineering in anticipation of a contract that's going to come across for this specific project that's going to ask for a percentage of the total cost. So, if our total buildout for the Friendship House property is $2 million, I think the architect is going to want a 1, two, or 3% fee to be the
024architect on that project. I don't think we know that yet, but I do think we need to authorize a budget for preliminary engineering. And I think you guys can speculate if you want or you might have some basis to know that. I'm ballparking at between 10 and 15,000 bucks before we even get to the uh the budgeting of the project. >> So, we could just do like a a friendly amendment for not to exceed $15,000 just to cap it. >> Yeah. I if that if that if that that would also make me feel comfortable because I don't like the idea of of an open limit engagement now too. I I have some questions since I was away. So, if we can cap the preliminary engineering at 15,000 bucks and then just wait for their proposal
025to come through and we can review that with the board, I think that that protects the district and that's fair to everybody. >> I appreciate that. Thank you. >> We got a friendly amendment >> amendment to between 15 and $20,000. I think he said 15. >> Okay. So, we have a second. So, uh >> roll call. Can we do a and I don't think we do an on the question on friendly amendment. So, roll call for the friendly amendment to >> Thank you. We needed a second. Sorry. >> Oh, sorry. I thought I heard that. >> Second. >> Got it. I got it. >> Okay. All right. Roll call. Uh, Mrs. Chess, >> yes. >> Mrs. Clearary, >> yes. >> Miss Fox, >> yes. >> Miss Markham, >> yes. >> Mr. Sle, >> yes. [clears
026throat] >> Yes. >> Mr. Brazil, >> yes. >> Mr. Casey, >> yes. >> Mr. Bordon, >> yes. >> Okay. So, that that we now have a motion that has that cap of $15,000. So, we're back to that. Uh, anyone want anything before we roll call the actual original motion or the amended motion, excuse me? >> Sure. So, um, motion to appoint Studio KLP as architects for the for the 1509 Maple Street project. Contract is contingent upon satisfactory review of a solicitor financial impact not to exceed $15,000 for preliminary engineering. >> Second. >> I have a question. Sorry. >> Okay. Roll call. >> Mrs. Clearary. >> Yes. Miss Fox. >> Yes. >> Miss. >> Yes. >> Mr. Slucky. >> Yes. >> M. Mr. Triion. >> Yes. >> Mr. Brazil. >> Yes. >> Mr. Casey. >> Yes.
027>> Mrs. Chz. >> Yes. >> Mr. Borick. >> Yes. I believe that's it. Motion to adjurnn. >> I move to adjourn the meeting. >> All in favor? >> Happy new year everybody. >> Happy new year. >> Byebye. >> Happy new year.