2026-02-10 School Committee Meeting

001Good evening everyone. Welcome to the Cheraho Regional School Committees meeting for Tuesday, February 10th. We're going to reconvene open session and I'm going to turn it over to the superintendent. I recommend that minutes pertaining to an individual's job performance or character um teacher non-renewal of teacher contracts remain sealed. So move. >> We have a motion and a second. All in favor? >> Unanimous. Thank you. >> I just I have to finish. Sorry. I recommend that minutes relating one more. >> No. Um anyone voting no. Any abstain abstensions? >> Tyler. >> Madam clerk. Do you have that? >> Okay. >> I'm going to do the next two together. I recommend that minutes relating to the discussions or considerations related to the acquisition of real property for public purposes remain sealed. And then I recommend that minutes

002relating to the privacy of students and their records, approval of home instruction requests also remain sealed. >> So move second. >> We have a motion and a second. All those in favor? Anyone opposed? Anyone abstaining? Tyler. Okay. Thank you. Okay, we are on to recognition. We have a few of our school committee members participating in the recognition. Yes, I'm sorry. >> Disclosure of executive session votes. >> You are correct. Okay. Laura Chapman will um disclose the executive session votes. Thank you, Tyler. >> Good evening, everybody. There were six votes taken in executive session tonight. The first vote was for an appraisal on a piece of land. There were eight in favor and two opposed. The two oppositions were Hopkins and Phelps. There was a second vote to reach out to the town council for a

003joint meeting regarding land. That was voted unanimous. The third vote was to accept the superintendent's recommendation for certified non-renewal. That was also unanimous. The fourth vote was to approve executive session minutes from January 13th. There was one abstension from Craig Luzon. All others were in favor. The fifth vote was to approve homeschooling applications. That was unanimous. And the sixth vote was to return to open session. And that was also unanimous. Thank you. Thank you, Laura. Now, we are on to recognition. So, we have a few school committee members that will be participating in the recognition section of our agenda tonight. So, first up is Diane T. >> Thank you. Uh we would like to congratulate our third cohort of student paid interns through our USDA project scales grant. They did an amazing job supporting Char's

004many farmtoschool initiatives. Ezra Actton, Rose Aram, Logan Berdos, Anita Brown, Abigail Foron, Annabelle Ganelo, Ethan Hopkins, Tara Husky, and Abigail Seagar, Mrs. Scanipi, Scanop, >> Scanco, >> Scampo, and Dr. Caracosian who led this initiative are also to be commended for their decisions, their dedications to the students and interns. Well done team. >> Thanks Diane and Laura Chapman will read our next two recognitions please. The Rhode Island School Librarian of the Month. We congratulate Olivia McAuliff, librarian, library media specialist at Cherillo Middle School for receiving the Rhode Island School Librarian of the Month award in December 2025. Miss McAuliff's The Shark Tank Middle School edition project is a powerful example of how initiative, excuse me, how innovative library programming can elevate student voices, creativity, and real world problem solving. Olivia's work reflects the very best of

005what the school libraries can offer. Dynamic learning spaces that foster collaboration, inquiry, and authentic application of skills. We are grateful to the school's li to the school librarians of Rhode Island and Rosen Publishing for this meaningful recog recognition and for Miss McCull's continued commitment to highlighting excellence in Cherokee across the school and all other school libraries. Next up is boys indoor track. The Cheroo boys indoor track and field team posted its best finish in technical its best finish in technical academy. Excuse me. Sorry. The best finish in years, placing second in the state class B championship Saturday at Providence Career and Technical Academy. There we go. Charger Ben Steer won the 3000 meter run and the 4x800 relay of Gus Freelov, Leo Haxton, Isaac Graham, and Ethan McCann. Finishing first in 8173. Steer's win according

006to longtime coach longtime coach Hab is one of the biggest surprises in program history. Ben also set a personal best time by 20 seconds. Congratulations, guys. >> Okay. Girls indoor track recognition by Linda Lyall, please. >> Good evening. Hello. Can anyone hear me? Oh, there we go. Okay. Good evening, everyone. I have the honor to um share the girls indoor track um results. Freshman Meridan LJ won the thousand I guess that's me. That's at the thousand meter at three minutes and 3 seconds and six three minutes. Wow, she's fast. And senior Lydia Taber won this the 300 to highlight Teraho's seventh place finish at the class C track and field championship Saturday. Taber was fourth in the 55 dash. Um the 4x400 team of Allison Cole, Claire Short, Lily Baxter, and Meridan Alj ran in

0074 minutes and 44 seconds. The 4 by 800 team of short, Grace Deer, Evelyn Campbell, and Khloe Gryom recorded in 11 minute 34 seconds. Also scoring were Gryom in the 1500 and she came in se seventh and Cole in the long jump who also came in se seventh. Congratulations. And Karen Reynolds will uh read our recognition for boys basketball. >> Boys basketball. Dayton Lee scored 22 points and had eight rebounds. Brendan Gleason scored 17 points with six assists to help Teraho boys basketball win to a 66 uh to 47 division 2 road win at Rogers on January 27th. Charo 12-3 led throughout the game taking a 20-4 lead after one quarter. Gleason's three-pointer at the second quarter buzzer gave the Chargers a 37 to 27 halftime edge. Rowan Downing 14 points, eight rebounds, made two

008three-point shots in the third quarter to stretch the lead to 18. Jer is now ranked uh third in the 17 team RIIL Division 2 power ratings. Very good. Thank you members for participating in our recognition. We are on to public forum. Um, so this part of our agenda, we'll I'll recognize those who signed up for um public forum as speakers. I'll ask you to come to the podium, state your name and the town you reside. You are welcome to speak about items not on the agenda. So, if you have any comments about the budget or the bond, we're going to wait until we get to that point of the agenda. Um, per our public forum policy, the speaker who makes a public statement has the responsibility to be accurate, present facts, present information based upon

009personal knowledge, not hearsay, be considerate, and allow others to speak without interruption. It's my responsibility as the chair to ensure decorum and be mindful of time management. With that being said, I am asking our community members to refrain from cheering, clapping, booing, shouting, or disrupting the speaker who has the floor. Public comment per our policy is not to exceed 30 minutes. So, we have five speakers this evening, and I'll allow each of you four minutes to speak. I'll ask Laura Chapman, our vice chair, to keep time for four minutes. Um, if when when the buzzer goes off, I'm going to ask you to um just quickly conclude your remarks so we can get to the next speaker. And when you come to the podium, please direct your comments to myself as the chair. Thank you

010so much. So, first on our public forum signup sheet is councelor Bob Burns from Hopkin. >> I'd actually like to be recognized as Bob Burns from Hopton, not as a counselor. I'm here for this. as my own personal um I'd like to ask the school committee members by any chance how many of you have children in the middle school? How many of you take your kids to school? >> Sometimes. So then you're going to you're going to recognize exactly what I'm talking about. My I got a phone call an email actually from your dean of students J >> I give personel I would ask you avoid naming personnel for the as a confident you're your dean it's public knowledge it's your dean the name's already set out there so regardless I responded to the email

011um I called him he didn't respond right away I called back again I was able to speak with Now, with that being said, with your big defense face over there, he was very respectful to work with. I just want to let the school board know that he was very pleasant to work with, actually. Um, my daughter has been written up several times for inschool suspension, lunch detention. We're talking a kid that is on honor roll, okay? goes to school every day, tries to miss a day. Why? I don't know. Because I hated school. However, that's her choice. We choose to drop our child off at school. It takes an average of 19 to 25 minutes from Woodville Road to that front door to drop them off. Okay. And she keeps getting written up for tardiness.

012She's on the average usually 5 minutes, 10 minutes depending on the day of travel. However, the problem is the door is only opened at 7:20. Now, I don't know if you expect us to drop our children off at 7:00 in the morning and stand outside for 20 minutes at 7°, but I'm not doing that. And I don't expect anybody else to do that. though I would like to bring it to the attention if somebody could look at the traffic pattern, the parking at this place. We're all trying to reach for more schools, beautiful schools, this, that, the whole nine yards. How about fixing some of the situations that we have at hand? My daughter will not serve a school detention. And fortunately, your dean was very pleasant to work with and agreed with that. And

013I just making aware that if my daughter gets written up again, I will be back here at every meeting again. >> Thank you. >> Thanks, Mr. Burns. Okay. Next on the agenda is Mike and I'm sorry I can't read the last name. I believe it begins uh last name begins with a G. >> Yeah, Madam Chair, that would be like to pass and I'll wait till after the phone is put up. >> Okay. Sorry, Mike. I didn't realize that was your last name. Sorry. >> I couldn't read it. >> Okay. All right. Next on the agenda is Andrew. Is it Elsenai? Elsa. >> Elsing. Okay. My apologies. Please state your name, sir, and what town you're from. Thank you. >> My name is Andrew. I'm from Richmond, father, husband, and resident of Richmond. Um, some

014of you might know why I'm here. It has to do with the Richmond Elementary School. There's been there's been a couple emails uh out there and I responded. Uh, so I've gotten some responses uh from some of you uh which I appreciate. Uh the main problem that I'm here for is the is the lack of space and the snow issue at Richmond. Um, it's been almost what, two and a half weeks now since the last big snowstorm. And it wasn't until today that the sidewalk along the fields was cleared, which is a sidewalk, a path, uh, however you want to describe it. Um, it's an asphalt sidewalk. Some say it's only used in the summer. Um, however, it's been used year round for student pickup. Um, and there was some debate on whether whose property

015that was, who owned the sidewalk, who owned the field, who had the rights to it, who was responsible for it. It doesn't matter. It's unacceptable. And I know that the small lot on 138 near the clothing drop uh technically isn't school property. This is part of the problem. Is it safe? No, it's not. Is there anywhere else to park? No, there isn't. So for the past two and a half weeks, our children have been forced to walk in the parking lot with the cars and everybody else coming in and out. You know, there's only one entrance or pickup. At the end of the day, every car is going through there. Teachers are leaving there. every student that is getting picked up and it's more and more every year, every day. Every one of those kids

016is in that parking lot. Our kids were forced to walk on Route 138. I'm not talking about walking on the shoulder. I'm not talking about walking on the fog line. I'm talking about walking on 138. Do you have any idea how lucky you were that someone wasn't killed? I don't think most of you do. I was there. I was I was watching these kids. I could have touched the tractor trailer that passed us. We're walking on 138. There's nowhere to park. There's nowhere to walk. The sidewalk wasn't shoveled. It's unacceptable. And I'd like to thank uh Mr. Zenian who took the time to meet uh and to go to go down there in person. All right. This stuff bothers me. You should have seen the kids walking on 138. We We as a group, we

017failed. Plain and simple. School board failed, superintendent failed, the town failed, EPW failed, we failed. Our students can't happen. Doesn't matter if it's 3 in of snow. Doesn't matter if it's 3 feet of snow. It doesn't matter. We have three elementary schools off campus. Is that my timer? >> That is. >> I grew up in a district in Pennsylvania that had 15 elementary schools with three high schools. I didn't have to walk on the highway. We got it done. We're not communicating. We're not working together. Tired of pointing fingers, passing the buck. That's not our property. That's That's not contracted to us. That's contracted to somebody else. It doesn't matter. We're not working together. Our kids should never have to walk on the damn highway, a major road. >> Thank you, sir. Appreciate you bringing

018that to our attention. And um >> can I just ask uh for two things to be put on the agenda which is um for next time what is being done for the lack of the lack of parking at the school and also um what uh proper equipment do we need that we don't have? I know there's many things that are out of service right now that we don't have. Why is that? What do we need? What do we need to get? How much do we need to pay for this? I I I don't think um well, you absolutely can request it on the agenda, but I can tell you Mrs. Martin and I have spoken obviously with Chief Johnson, Mr. Zenian. Uh one of the things is, you know, revising the pickup where nobody exits

019the car. So, we've done that at the middle school, those that have done that there. So, Mrs. Martin is working on the placard system to be able to ensure that nobody is getting out of their vehicles on 138. We were promised when the DOT put in the rotary that there was going to be an additional lane created. That didn't happen. And again, um it's a conversation that I think um would have been great when we when we they had told us about the the rotary that was put in. The second thing is um we we do have the vendor um and and I know maybe you spoke to him in his I mean I have to say has been very responsive to the feedback worked worked um and again with the two-hour delay I agree

020with you. We would have loved to have it done should have been done. No excuses. My custodians tried to even like shovel out the handicapped but in the end it should have been all complete. there with them yesterday morning shoveling the handicap parking spot >> and I'm I we own it so that that um we've spoken with the vendor we spoke with Zenny while I think everybody was well intended there's equipment that if they need it then I I was not aware that their equipment was required I am I basically have told my director of facilities and grounds as well as Mr. Ian that my expectation is that when we put the bit bid out next year that we ensure even now moving forward with um our contract that when we say plowed we mean

021all spaces you know to the best of the ability and that now we will be reviewing those properties. I had technology pulling videotapes to make sure I have a clear understanding of how it was completed. Um I absolutely agree with you. I thank you for coming and um please know you can reach out to me directly. Oh, Mr. Is there anything on the agenda to revamp that that whole parking lot to make that parking lot bigger along the frontage of the field and have a oneway in one way out? Like you go to Dunkin Donuts, you're not going out the same way you come in. >> It shouldn't be like that at Richmond. >> And nobody should be leaving the parking lot for staff until uh the dismissal has come completed, which should be around

022the three. Yeah. So, we have we have some tightening up to do. Thank you. >> Thank you, Helen. She enrichment. I do have other things to say about other things on the agenda, but I'll just want to say that um someone that I know who's very knowledgeable told me that there is land on the Charo campus for the unified school. I know I've heard this said that that's not true, but I want you to relook at that because that would be a savings of a lot of money. Thank you. >> Thank you, Helen and Scott Sunderland. Scott Sunderland from Hopington. I am the vendor that plows Richmond School. Been doing three years before I took over the the plowing. I talked with the public works and they told me where the snow goes. I put

023the snow where they told me the snow goes. Three years have not had any issues whatsoever. We just had about 30 inches of snow. I don't know where people expect it to go. I'm not I dream a genie and I can stack my head and stuff disappears. It has to be piled up. Regarding that parking area out on 138. It is not an approved DOT parking area. Nobody should be parking out there. That asphalt path does not go to that area. It stops at the end of our parking lot. So for parents to park out there and want to bring their kids in, first of all, kids should all be taking the buses. We pay as taxpayers, we pay a lot of money for buses, and the parents that bring their kids to school every

024day are wasting our money because the school buses aren't getting filled up. That's that's an issue. But that asphalt walkway again for three years haven't had any problems. Nobody is forcing anybody to walk on 138. That's your choice. That's their choice. You park in the parking lot. It's nothing's perfect. That is a big cluster over there between the rotary and the parent drop offs and the parent pickups. It's not a me issue, a Greg issue, a Gina issue, a school committee issue. It's an issue for the community, for the town and the state. They should have figured it out, but they left it all to us to pick up the pieces. So, I'm I'm going to continue to put the snow where I can. It's going to end up costing the district more because now

025I have to going to p down to the end of the parking lot. So, it's going to take longer. I don't want the district to spend more money. I'm going to go even a step further. the work I did today. I spent five hours there today with my machine with one of my guys. I'm not going to charge the district for it. I'm gonna I'm gonna eat that. It wasn't my mistake. >> Thanks, Scott. >> But I'm going to eat that because that's that's what I do for this community. So for people to come and talk ill about my company with the snow plowing, please come in my truck, you do it, show me how it it needs to be done, and then I'll do it that way. I don't teach I don't tell people

026how to run their business, how to be a a police officer, a firefighter, anything. That's their business. I don't want people coming and telling me how to do my business. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. Okay, so that concludes our public forum section of their agenda. We're moving on to business. So, this is item number 8A for discussion purposes only. Um, >> chair. >> Yes. >> Can I make a motion perhaps to move the um discussion and approval of the bond forward? I think attorney Karen uh Grande is here. >> Yes. Okay. >> Second. >> So, we have a motion and a second to move the agenda item >> which is um 8B. to uh up on the agenda. Okay. So, we have a motion and a second on that. All those in favor?

027>> Unanimous. Great. Kathy, do you mind passing out? >> Kathy's going to pass out um the updated draft from Karen Grandandy, which is basically the Charo Act as it stands. Karen, you want to come to the podium? John Anderson's also here if you have questions about the Charo Act. But right now um the only changes to this document were that we specifically were saying the one unified elementary school and that um the vote overall would be aggregate. However, the committee is going to discuss that now to see if there's any changes that Karen has. Um there was a couple of uh questions or more like inquiries but nobody um in order to change anything in this bond legislation outside of the charo actor or state law it would need to be uh a majority vote

028of the school committee. >> So may I start? Um Karen. All right. So I just want to make sure that I saw all of the um updated paperwork. So in the paperwork it's dated 2026. Uh this is the draft um 2026 state of Rhode Island in the general assembly January session AD 2026. And then it goes on to say an act authorizing the Cher regional school district to finance the construction, furnishing, and equipping. Okay, I have an I have an updated copy here. Okay, so I just wanted to make sure that we still were not saying one or more elementary schools. Okay, >> not at all. Not at all. Okay, thank you. Um, and it looks like I had um a working draft, so I just want to >> Yeah, I think that was actually

0292024 legislation that just got attached for >> Okay. >> explanatory purposes, but yes. >> Okay. And so that was one question. I'm going to go to page nine and just see if my question is still present on page nine. Um so it was changed from one or more to one unified elementary school page nine line item on this draft 15. Okay. Yeah. Um so I see that here. Okay. So those were my questions. I might have I might have more. Um, but thank you. >> And there was some language that uh was in there that was applicable if we were looking at more than one school, which has now been also deleted. >> Okay. Thank you. So, there's no reference on here to switch road improvements. Oh, so maybe there is. >> There is. And

030that's was in the the prior draft. That's just uh there. So if there are additional uh changes, anything that needs to be done at switch road, it can be done as well. That but that was in the prior draft that I had nothing to do with it being one or two or three schools. That was just requested to be in there. >> Okay. So, I just I guess I might need further clarification on that because I know we had a a a lot of discussions about one unified elementary school. My understanding is is that the voters already voted on a $15 million bond for switch road improvements of which we've already made improvements to a number of areas for 7.5 million. So, I guess I'm a little confused as to why um it's it's continuing

031to say here improvements at the Switch Road campus. Uh well, I would just say it gives flexibility in the event that you had some unspent money uh at the end of the project, it could be applied to switch road. >> Okay, that's that's all that is intended there. It's not uh a major component, a major driver. It's just when you have a uh single purpose bond issue. I've been asked this by other communities. Uh we had one community that came in way under budget on their middle school and they said, "Well, we have we have Karen, we have uh $3 million left. We'd like to spend it on these things that are school related." I said, "You can't because it said only the middle school, nothing else but the middle school." So, it's just a

032matter of of flexibility. >> Okay. All right. Thank you. Other members, Laura, >> just on a follow up on that, I thought that at the when we discussed this at the last meeting, I can't remember if it was Tyler or somebody else that had requested that if there was going to be money left over that it got returned to >> that you could use it for debt service. Right. >> Yes. This legislation provides for that. in that particular community they that's what they ended up having to do >> right so I guess >> but they they had a a preference they at least asked can we spend it on this school related project and uh I had to make them unhappy by telling them no their option their only option was to use it for

033debt service so yes it does provide that any unused proceeds would be used for debt service but it does permit some funds to be spent at switch road in advance of or as an alternative before you have to spend it on debt service. >> Okay. I guess that's what I was wondering is why it was wouldn't it just be one would that one or the other? Why would it be why would if there was stuff left over and it was it would go to the debt service? Why would we also say oh but if there's something left over you can also >> that's your choice. That's depend we we can draft this any way that the committee desires to have it drafted. we can take switch route out entirely. >> Okay. >> An example would

034be they made a public comment where um Mr. Burns has given the um the committee a request about sometimes the parking situations or the roads. We have been asked on certain occasions to add an additional road on the back side of the tennis courts going out so the seniors could leave a different way to alleviate traffic. But the switch campus allows you to make any changes especially if you're thinking about grade five going to the elementary school. any changes to the campus as you're thinking about the shifts. It only gives you um the ability to be flexible when you're do making those decisions. >> Okay, Jess, I think you had your hand raised. >> Yeah. Um I believe you also mentioned at the last discussion about where this number 110,2,000 came from. Um the gentleman

035that came and spoke to us with the bond rating. Um, it would be nicer if it was a round number, just 110 million. I don't know if we have to have the 200,000 in there. >> I'll ask the lawyers. That's that's a question we get regarding how we put out the bonds. >> We have to put out do we have to put that amount? Was that his recommended amount? >> You can say more or less, but again, the we're trying to be as specific as possible based on the request. Yeah, this is the not to exceed number. Um, and I would say the only limitation, legal limitation, is that uh bonds are typically issued in $5,000 denominations. So, you wouldn't want to have some number that ended up uh in, you know, a two or

036a seven or you because you want to have something that's round at least as far as $5,000 denominations. Uh but but otherwise there's no reason why you could not say uh 110. There's no reason why you couldn't say >> I'd rather not go less. >> Yeah. I mean there's no reason why you couldn't say 111 either. >> It's a matter of >> I would I would caution you not to go less than the 110 200,000. The 110 million 200,000 I I would say $200,000 I would not go to 110. That would put us $200,000 shortter what the project is already coming in at. Preliminarily, >> Jess, >> hold on. Pat had her hand raised first and then we'll go back to you, Tyler. Jess, where did you have anything else to add? >> No, I

037just would look forward to more information. >> It sounded like Tyler was still talking and Gina was still talking about where that number came from. >> Pat and then Tyler. Yeah, just to get back to that um switch road versus paying down the debt. Um in the event we had money that came in under budget, who would make that decision? >> The school committee. >> Okay. >> Correct. Thanks, Pat. Tyler, >> Gina, that 110 2,000 number or 200,000 110,200,000 that's based off of the preliminary numbers that we've got through our stage one, right? Correct, Jess. I think that's what you were looking for. Where's that number coming from? >> that was part of it. Yeah. >> Yeah. That that was preliminarily given to us by I I think that's slam in conjunction with >> Matt

038Blaze does all of the finance piece. Matt came to that meeting in um December. There's there is uh I mean I don't want to say there's science behind that number Jeff because we're so early in the process but there is there is some um general idea behind that number what a project of this size would cost. >> Right. >> Including I'm assuming there's an overage built into that. >> There is correct >> Diane. >> Hi. Yes. Um I believe at the last uh bond language meeting also I mean I'm I'm I'm looking through this updated one and um I thought we had discussed language being put in for um you know uh all three towns would uh have to share this cost equally. I I'm not finding it anywhere in the bond language. Um Diane,

039that would be that has because there was no vote taken. So you had mentioned it, but you need a majority vote for the bond council. Um because anytime in your in your rules of conduct, if there's a legal request, it has to be a majority vote. So there was no you had inquiries um and you had there were people that had questions. Y >> but there was no vote taken to go beyond what we have here. So in order to do that, Karen can address just this, but you need a majority vote of the school committee. >> And so I would need to make a motion to have that added. >> Correct. >> Okay. And when can I make that motion? >> You can do it now if you would like. >> Okay. I would

040like to make a motion that um the language that all three towns must share the expense of the one new school equally. >> Okay. We have a we have a motion and we have a second. Do we have discussion on that among the members? >> Was your hand raised? >> No. Okay. Pat, >> no. Doesn't that uh involve the Cheraho Act? >> So, this was a question that actually someone from the community asked me and I asked Mr. Anderson about this. Um, John, can you weigh in on that, please? >> Thank you. When it comes to education in the state of Rhode Island, the general assembly has the final say. They are the the decider of everything. If the general assembly approves that this bond be issued 1/3, it'll be issued oneird one. If the

041general assembly says it's going to be done based on student enrollment, it'll be done on the basis of student enrollment. So, however you decide to do it, it'll be incorporated in the bond language. As the superintendent explained, you need a to make motions and you need a majority vote. >> Thank you, John. Um, so we've got Craig with his hand raised, Polly with his hand raised, and then um I think Deb Carney would like to speak on that as well. Uh, Craig, you have the floor. >> So, so John, >> well, I had to wait for her to recognize. >> You just implied that the the state has the power to to accept one-third one, but as presented to them >> or can they overrule even if we didn't do it? Can they overrule? I

042mean, >> and then and the answer is yes. The general assembly has the final word. You're making a request of the general assembly, but the general assembly has the final word. If the general assembly says you're not getting a bond issue this year, you're not getting a bond issue this year. If the general assembly says they're cutting it, the amount, it's cut. The general assembly has the final word. It has been my experience though going on more than 40 years that the general assembly Yeah, I'm that old. General Assembly typically follows the request of the community. That is their general what the community asks for. So um yeah, you know, the general assembly can do all the things I suggested, but they typically follow the community's requests and in this case that would be where

043the char school committee votes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. I'm not done yet. Chair, >> go ahead. So, uh, personally, I'm going to recommend that the school committee allow the town councils to come to this decision for this group to vote and to force Charles Town to an equal third. I think you're putting yourself at risk liability wise. >> Okay. Thank you for that input. Polly, you had your hand raised. >> Yeah. Um just a perspective that I was thinking of and I think I was discussing it with Diane earlier when the the towns come together or when we have to consider this massive amount of $110 million to build a school that is expected to last our students 50 years. So, I want the towns to think about where they see their towns in

04450 years, where they see development families. Is Charles Town always going to be the one with the lower amount of children? You don't know that. That's 50 years. And uh my father was a graduate here way at the very beginning of Cheroo. And we've had discussions of how much Chaho has changed, not just the district, but Charo itself from the small tiny little school that it was to what it is now, this big regional district school. So in my opinion, if you're in a regional district, you're in it for the 50 years, I think we should all be working together for the same goal. very democratically. Everybody equal, everybody have a vote, everybody pay their an equal share. That's just my >> Okay. So, before we go to the um community, Laura had her hand

045raised. Linda had her hand raised. Craig is going to take another bite of the apple. And then Jess. So, we've got Laura, Linda, Craig, Jess. Okay, Laura, you have the floor. So my as far as the I I guess it was my understanding that the the Chero act had was part of the reason behind the way that it it's laid out. Um but my bigger question is how is it structured currently it's structured now? So I guess my concern would be that if it was changed to a third a third a third while while I understand that concept because you know you're all the students would be sharing the same space and you can't really say like oh well this student is only going to use a portion of the gymnasium. Well to me that

046just doesn't really make a whole lot of sense. But I would be my concern would be what does that do for the long term? Would that adjust because Charles Town from an operating expense perspective from you know that piece of it they it should be based on student enrollment because now you're talking about resources being used. You're not talking about a fixed asset essentially that's being split. So would that change that language permanently if it was changed to a third a third a third? >> That would just be for this bond issue for debt service on this bond issue. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Thank you Karen. Um, Linda, >> thanks. She chair. Um, last time we discussed this um this bond uh language was the last time we had um the three elementary schools. And

047I spirit of collaboration and cooperation. I voted for the third, third, and third even though I felt that it probably wasn't fair to Charles Town. And I guess I'm a little concerned that um that I don't trust the the towns, especially one to actually support this new bond. So why should I, you know, trust that uh if I was magna magnanimous enough to say, okay, I think a third, third, and third would be fair that the bond would get passed. I just don't I don't know whether or not I feel like we're all I mean, are we all are we all in on this? I don't know. I you know I think we need to kind of if we're going to be a ch if we're going to be a regional district then we need

048to start thinking like it and acting like it. >> Yeah. >> And not like separate towns. >> I mean to your question when we were voting and debating on whether it's going to be one new one unified school versus >> you know three you know repairing three. It was an 8 to3 vote to move forward with one unified school. And I think that that was across three towns. there were eight people in the majority across all three towns if my recollection is correct. So I mean I think you know I'm for one unified school and there were seven other folks including yourself that voted that way. So >> just one more comment I guess just want you to think in the sense that if it was on if one of the towns was on the

049other foot like say for instance if Hopington had the least amount of children would do you think they'd be willing to kind of come forward and do a third third and third? I don't I don't think so, but that would be that would that's maybe I'm being wrong and and not fair to them, but I just don't I think Charlestone carries a lot and there's a lot of things that Charleston does do for the district and um you know, maybe the wells starting to dry up. >> Okay, thanks for that input. You're welcome, Craig. >> Uh actually, she said what I was going to say. >> She said okay. >> So, that wasn't my bite at the apple. >> Okay, let me make sure I write that down. Wasn't your second bite of the apple.

050um Jess and then Diane and Polly. >> So I can I can see this from um multiple perspectives. Just to start um I do believe that we are one district where Cherho I don't say that I represent Richmond. I represent all of Cherho even though I live in Richmond. Um I think that is a part a big part of the um principle of moving forward with one unified school is that we share it. We also can acknowledge that there's we're one a district in Rhode Island that gets a lot of kids that come in from out of district who also will be on our campus. Um I will note that the main campus bond for $15 million passed. It was it's per pupil split for that bond. It's not 1/3 1/3. Um, so that's an

051example where talking about a unified campus that was split per pupil, which is how the rest of our educational funding that comes locally and even through state aid. Um, so and also just to I do think it's it's prudent to talk about some of the the numbers like um estimates. The numbers I have are from when the bond was estimated to be 117 million, 5% interest over 30 years with 65% reimbursement. And the yearly payments of this bond for the life of the bond were about 2 and a.5 million. And if we're splitting by enrollment, talking about the enrollment we have now, um, Richmond has 37.78% of the population. Hington has 38 38.78 and Charleston has 23.43. So Richmond and Hington would be up near a million dollars per year and Charletown would be down

052around 600,000 splitting the bond. And like I said, estimated numbers with a different bond number, but just to give folks an idea, um about $887,000 a year. So we'd be asking Charles Towns to subsidize the other two towns to the town tune of over $200,000 a year. Um >> period >> for a period of the bond life of the bond. So 20 to 30 years. Um I think 20 is our I'm not sure about that. >> It's 30 years. >> 30 years. Um so it's it's significant I think over the life of the bond, but I know that a lot of folks in Richmond and Huckington will point out that you know our property tax rate is about 15% and in Charletown it's about 5%. So once that increase that number filters down to taxpayers

053it's not as impactful. Um, but we also, Richmond and Hopington get a lot more state aid than Charles Town. We're getting seven eight million dollars a year and Charles Town's getting 1.5 million. I don't think that we would offer to split our state aid one-third. Um, but I also see there's a lot of volatility that comes with the per pupil fluctuation that we see every year. It's an issue where we're each year in the budget trying to bring down the overall budget to appease the one town that had a bigger increase because they got a couple kids when the other town's lost a couple kids. So, that's another advantage of a one-/3 split is that it's reliable. You know what it's going to be every year. You don't have to add another point of fluctuation

054that can be volatile to our discussions. Um I I don't have a real answer about what's best. I I want everyone at the table. Um as Linda mentioned a little bit, Linda Le um the last bond some of us put a lot on the line in good faith and said, "Okay, let's have it pass in every town individually." And we saw that didn't work out as far as a we are cherho united um situation. So I I do look forward to hearing more from other members of the table and other members of the community. >> Okay. Thank you, Diane. And then Polly, >> um I just I just wanted to mention that when we discussed um bond language the last time and we talked about the third the you know um we also discussed and

055I believe Tyler was here at that point. Um, you know, before it was, you're right, Jessica, all three towns had to approve. But when I discussed say a third, a third, a third, I specifically stated that if we could get the third, a third, a third, you know, we could revisit and not have all three towns approved. I did put that in there in the minutes of the of that last meeting. >> I know. >> Yeah. So, it's it's I want to say that I think I think we're all trying to come together on this. Okay. I think there are there are, you know, give and takes in everything. Okay. And I I really hope that, you know, as as a unit, we can we can do that. All right. Is a third a third

056a third the right thing? I don't know. I don't know. I'm hoping it is, but again, you know, it's it's all about making concessions, Holly. >> Okay. So, we're talking a unified elementary school for the district. And currently in the last page of your budget, the enrollment at Ashway is 243 students. The enrollment at Charles Town with preK is 327 students and Richmond's enrollment is 464 students which is surprising to me because now it's looking like Hopkin Hopington is on the lower end of the student >> population. Go to the tritown count. That's not the class. >> Yeah. Let her finish then Gina if you want to weigh in. probably finished. Let's not interrupt. >> That's what I'm getting for the last um I mean I checked it off on the Tritown count for Ashway

057is 237. Couple people off. Charles Town is 263 and Richmond is 474. >> 100 kids from Hope Valley. >> Yeah, there's 57 kids listed at Hope Valley Elementary. So Gina, did you want to weigh in on that? Because um >> so we have students who live in Hope Valley and Richmond because Hope Valley is Richmond and Hopington. So there are students from all the towns at all of the schools. >> So when you look at where they're assigned, just because they're assigned to Ashway doesn't mean they live in Hopington. >> I understand that. >> So if we're going to look at enrollment, you want to look at the Tritown count, which gives you the percentages. So if you go back to my budget presentation that's online, Hopington has the most students. They have a slight

058increase this year while Charleston and Richmond went down just a little bit which is why Hopkin got a huge increase in state aid but Richmond and Charleston did not. >> So once again elementary Ashway Elementary Tritown count as of 237 in Ashway 263 in Charles Town. I understand that >> she just said that's the tri town count, right? That's the one we should be looking at. >> The tri town count by town looking at by >> the chart below it. >> That's moment by town or resident. >> I get that. >> That's it. >> Okay. So, I will add those up. Come back to me. >> Okay. Craig, did you have a comment? And then we're going to go to the community. However you want to spin this. >> We'll say that. >> I just

059want to see if she's listening. >> I'm not. I'm adding. Do you want me to listen? Okay. >> So, however you want to spin this, Charles Town only has approximately 23% of the students. Next year we might have 22 or we might have 24. Uh, however the bond works out. If we don't go to an equal third, we each town will pay based on its student enrollment. We could be back up to 30% like we were years ago. We don't know. But like Linda said, would the taxpayers in Richmond and Hopington be willing to pay for an equal third if they had 23% of the students? And I can almost guarantee you that's a no. wrestling. >> Um, >> I would, >> so Larry had his hand raised. We will get to the community. So,

060if the community wants to weigh in on this, I would be happy to take input from the community. Um, Larry, did you want to add anything before we go to the community? >> Greg, I I'm all in favor of one-third because we don't know what the population is going to be 10 years from now. >> Okay. >> It's, you know. >> Okay. All right. So I don't see >> the sorry >> I don't see any other members hands raised. So I know Debb want Deb Carney wanted to speak. >> So um so I will recognize anyone that has their hand raised. So it will be elementary school. >> President Carney. >> President Gary was second and then Helen Sheen and then if anybody else wants to weigh in on this. Um yes. Okay. So um

061President Gary you have the floor. I'm sorry. President Carney you have the floor. >> Okay. of Deb Carney, president of the Charles Town Council. Tonight, I speak for myself as the council has not had the opportunity to discuss this yet. We will be discussing it at our February 23rd council meeting. Speaking only for myself, I'm adamantly opposed to this one-third split. We have, as Mr. Luzon accurately pointed out, just slightly more than 23% of the kids. The Cheraho Act is very clear on how we pay for the operating costs and how we pay for the construction costs and that is based on student enrollment. When the districts, the towns came together as a district in 1958, this is what we agreed to. When we further regionalized in 1986 and brought in the elementary schools, we

062once again agreed to this. As Mr. Anderson pointed out, he's correct. The general assembly is the ultimate authority. They are the ultimate school committee. But rest assured that Charles Town will vehemently oppose you trying to inflict one-third of the cost on us. This is approximately quarter million dollars a year in addition to what we should be paying based on the Cheraho Act, which we're looking at probably close to over $7 million over the life of the bond. And my questions for people that are advocating for this, would your town be willing to pay an additional quarter million dollars a year if you did not have to if it is not what was required in the Cheraho Act? It was brought up about the state aid reimbursement. The state aid reimbursement is the equalizer in the

063taxes right now. Right now, Charles Town pays more per student than Hopkin and we pay more per student than Richmond. In addition, I have a list of other things that Charles Town has done over and above what Richmond and Hopington has done over the past 30 years, if you'll indulge me for a moment. So, um, the Cheraho Act, like I said, we all pay based on our student enrollment. We are not going to sit by and say, "Yep, go ahead, change the Cheraho Act without our approval because what else would you change on us?" Charlestown is paying right now for a third of the bond for campus 2010. We had agreed to that 16 years ago. We have paid more than our fair share over the past 16 years and nobody seems to acknowledge that.

064We also agreed to a 33% hold harmless provision in the calibond. And for those of you that don't know what that is, we had agreed that no town would pay more than 33%. So when Richmond was over 33% of enrollment and when Hopkin was over 33% of the enrollment, the district ate the difference. So Richmond didn't pay more than 33. Hopington didn't pay more than 33. The district, including Charles Town, made up the difference. Let's talk about the police officer in the middle school. Approximately 20 some odd years ago, Charles Town agreed to put a cop in the middle school. Never regretted it. We paid for it 100%. We also paid our fair share to have the officer in the high school. So, not only did we pay for the Richmond officer to be here,

065we paid 100% to have an officer in the middle school. For the past 40 years, both Charles Town and Richmond have paid for two elementary schools in Hopkin. Not one, but two. Let's talk about plowing. That came up earlier. Few years ago, Richmond and Hopkin said, "We're not paying for the plowing at the elementary schools. Charles Town's paying for ours. We plow our elementary school. Plus, we pay our fair share to plow Hopkin and to play Richmond. So, we are not going to sit by and allow you to say Charles Town's going to pay a third. And by the way, we'll do away with the veto power. If you pay your fair share, then we all get to say Hopkin doesn't want it, they can veto it. Richmond doesn't want it, they can veto it.

066But if we're going to do a third, Charles Town, you don't get to say. So just rest assured, we are not going to sit by and let you subject us to paying a third when that is not what the Cherho Act says. Thank you. >> Thanks, Deb. Um, President Gary. I thought the uh Westing Town Council meetings were get a little loud. Mike Gary from Poppin Town Council just real quick and I this is the answer. I know you don't want me to look at people when we answer salt against you. As far as kicking it back to the town councils on who's going to pay what, I'd say no to it right now if it came in front of me and I'm sure most of the town council would. You guys were elected to

067do this. This is a damn good time. And I'll say this again. Damn good time to rethink about open up the Charoax. Okay, you guys want some town involvement, we need to sit down and rewrite the Charo Act. Thank you. >> Thank you. My understanding that in order to open up the Cherho Act, the town councils have to all agree to do that. Correct. >> Okay. All right. Well, thank you for that feedback. Uh Helen Sheen is next and then um Mr. Abdian, did you have your hand raised? Okay. So, Helen first, please. Helen Shay in Richmond. It turns out I agree with Mike Gary. I think we should open the Charo Act because one of the things that has happened is since all three towns are in this, none of us have any power.

068You give us the bill, we have to pay it. If we if it were under the town control, we would have more control over what is happening. I would like to see Richmond Elementary School renovated, not like new, just renovated to do the job. So, I'd like to see us open the Tahoe Act and have us take back our school. I think that would be a lot less expensive for the town of Richmond and then we wouldn't have these arguments. If we were if this were truly um if we are one unit, all the residents would pay equally. It would be blind. Wouldn't matter where you lived, you'd pay the same amount. So the town councils, I'm going to put it to my town council, too. open the chaho act and take this out. >>

069Thank you, Mr. Abdesian. So, Greg Abadian from the town of Hopington. Um, uh, a couple things I think I wanted to talk about some of the discussion about, uh, the bond, changing the bond language. Um I as far as I'm concerned um any ambiguity or any options uh or contingencies um is just going to cloud it. Um it it's going to provide fuel for the public people who are adamantly opposed to it and it's just going to provide fuel to their fire uh to provide misinformation or to just say that well what if what if what if um uh the the other issue is I noticed that the the version of of the bond that the last one that was on the website um says as the three schools. Um I'm just wondering why the

070most up-to-date um uh bond proposal uh was not posted. >> Um I don't know the answer to that question. Um Gina, please. >> Um it was just the we gave a comparison because um legal council uh Grande was working on the revision. So what we did was we kept the old one up so people could compare. Um, the new one will be posted after the school committee has it tonight. Actually, I can post it, you know, while I'm waiting today if you'd like, so everyone can see it. >> Yes. Okay. Again, I mean, I think this just kind of adds to the confusion. People are going to say, "Oh, well, no, I saw that one." Um, uh, and >> it does say the correct year. I mean, but in the end, it was the 2024.

071>> Um, and as far as, uh, sharing of the costs, um, uh, I lived in Charles Town, uh, for the high school improvements. Um, and I endorsed uh uh equal thirds, but at the time uh the student population was nearly equal. Um, and it just didn't make sense to withhold uh uh funding for a a desperately needed improvement to the main campus um based on uh a few percentage points. Um, I think, you know, and I'm from Hington. Um, the numbers are dramatically different now and and yeah, I think over the cost of of of 20 years, 30 years, it's going to be going to cost uh Charlestown upwards to $7 million unless the student population changes. And so that is in my mind is the equalizer. um you pay by the student and the

072student enrollment changes the the costs change for each town. You change it to one/ird it's permanent for the life of the bond. Um I I I I in in in my mind I just want to see this pass because it's desperately needed. And I think to have the discussion about equal thirds and talk about opening up the Charo Act, I mean we're, you know, by the time we're done, we're we're probably looking at another 10 years of students in in inferior uh elementary schools. Um, I just, you know, I I I it's this is just smok and mirrors. I mean, I think there are there are people on this committee who would like to see nothing more than to see this bond fail. Um, and and this is just going to add give ammunition to

073them. So, >> thank you. Is there anyone else that wants to speak? >> Yes, please. Yes, please. Thank you. >> Jeremy Palmer, Hopington. Um, so I'd like to start by saying this is not 1958. Uh, so to reopen the bond, I think would be uh a fair to everyone because we're not dealing in the same times. Uh, I've heard a lot about uh the discussion of language. Um, and certainly it's changed since 1958 because in 1958 I think that people could gather in a room and speak openly and their voices would be heard equally. Um, today I see a lot of crossed arms. Craig, uh, people not listening, people who are selfishly uh, demanding that they would not participate equally. Um, and in my mind when I hear one-third one-ird, I know that that's all

074more complicated than it seems because we're all speaking a different language. But at the end of the day, the name of the school is Cherokee. It is derived from all the towns that are equally benefiting from our school's education. So I would strongly suggest that whatever is going on in the language that isn't understood by the majority of the people here that the people who have been elected to represent their towns would say so in a manner that they are not politically driven to uh find uh you know friendship within the group and think as individuals because in my mind if somebody can sit in a with a political uh community of people that they agree with. Then if you can sit in the room with those and three people and you agree with every

075single one of them, then you're not thinking as an individual. So I would implore to the people who were on the board who were elected for the reasons of their own, you know, whyever you whatever reason was that you guys got on the board and decided to make an impact in your community that you would leave your personal feelings aside, listen to what's going on in the room, not look for a fight and look for a resolution because that's what the community really needs here. I mean, I don't understand all the dialect that's being used in the room, and I would assume the majority of the people sitting in this room really don't know. They're looking towards the people that we've elected to represent us. And I would suggest that you would take a personal

076inventory of who you are, why you're on this board, and what your actual views are, and represent them. Because if you can sit next to someone again, and there's three people in the room, and you agree with every one of them, then you're not an individual. This is n this is not 1958. Let's change some things. Let's get along and let's find a resolution and not a fight. Thank you. >> Thanks, Mr. Palmer. Anyone else? >> Is there anybody else before Mr. Avdian wants to come back up? Go ahead, Mr. Avdian. >> So, the the the bond goes to uh the general assembly. Um, and I know, uh, Council President Carney had said that they would adamantly oppose it. Um, and and I'm I guess maybe this is a question for John. Uh, you know,

077if the bond language goes to to the general assembly and one or two of the towns, well, in this case, probably one, um, adamantly opposes it. I mean, they will take that into consideration, won't they? >> John, would you like to come to the podium? Thank you. >> The answer to that question is yes. Um, but that question is better presented to the state representative and the state senator from Charlestone, not me. >> Okay. Thank you, Laura. And then I think we're going to um Did you have your hand raised, sir? Okay. So, let Laura speak and then if you want to come back up to the podium after Laura's finished. Okay. And then Polly. Sorry. >> Go ahead, Laura. >> It was actually a question for John. >> John, we have another question for

078you. >> I apologize. >> Then we're gonna then we're going to vote. So, we have a we have Laura Polly and then um the gentleman that spoke earlier. I'm sorry I forgot your last name, but I'll I'll recognize you after the members speak. Go ahead. Um, is there any exposure to the district with if you know something like that were to happen where the town of Charle Town with the Cheroo Act and all those the intricacies of it if um one of the towns went to oppose this? Is there any exposure to the district itself? >> Um, again, it has to be approved by the general assembly. That's a political decision by the general assembly and I'm it would be presumptuous for me to speak for the state senator and the state representative from Charles

079Town how this would play out at the general assembly. The charo act does have an exit provision and years ago that there was all sorts of talk about the exit provision. The exit provision though I don't have it in front of me but I believe it requires you to pay off your obligations at the time of exit. Um so that comes into the decision making for people when this goes forward. But the question that you you asked um the question Mr. Radishian asked are really um questions for the senator and representative. I think there's two senators and one representative for Charleston. Um for them, not for me. >> Okay. Thanks. >> Thank you. Holly. >> Yeah, >> you're good. >> I'll bring it up after. >> Okay, Mr. Elsing, >> sorry. >> Okay, I'll I'll

080get you right after Mr. Elsing. >> I just question. So, you said it's a 30-year bond and we're talking about 1/3. Correct. >> Yes. >> Is that is that set in stone? I mean, trying to think out of the box here, work together and communicate. Is it feasible with something like this to do word it so that you say the first five years of our 30-year bond we're all paying onethird at the end of that five years we re address it. Is it possible to then say years six through 10 or the second five year, the next five years, it might be a different percentage based on student enrollment or children or community or whatever it may be. Is it set in stone that it has to be what we what you choose now the

081one third one third is for the entirety of the 30 30 years is >> I don't know the answer to that question but um Karen Grandandy might >> just while Karen comes up just a clarification um enroll well yes the chair says enrollment the state law also says enrollment so um this comes up every year with the budget votes so any any district in town that's not regional pays per by enrollment that's how your state funding is determined So, um, if you go back to the chair act, it does note the general law going back to enrollment. So, that's where sort of that that equalizer across the state, which is why I'm I'm guessing the chair act says it is because that's how every other town and city calculate their their finances. >> Karen, did

082you have anything to add for that? Um well with regard to the uh the suggestion of a novel kind of structuring um I would say I've never seen it done but you know I I guess I I would say yes it could be done but I would want to talk to uh your fiscal advisor in order to confirm that it was marketable. So, you'd essentially, I think, be assuming a 30-year amortization, you'd be issuing, say, three 10-year bonds. One with a certain payment structure, a second one with a potentially different structure, and a third 10-year bond with a yet different structure. And so, um, and each time you issued the bond, presumably you could be selling to different investors. So you wouldn't have necessarily the same bond holders holding them and and you never have

083the same bond holders holding them for 30 years anyway. Uh but you would likely have entirely different sets of bond holders holding each bond. So there would be probably some issues of of market access, you know, making sure that you could access the market at each of those 10-year uh periods. Um, so I I want to I can't say yes, absolutely. I've seen it done a hundred times. Uh, but it's something that could be reviewed. >> Okay. Thank you. So, we do have a motion on the floor. We do have a second. Karen, go ahead. >> Charles Town and the senators and the representatives do stop it. We have to start this process all over again. >> Yes. >> And that cost us how much money? >> I can't I'm not That's more a question

084for Mr. Zeny, not for me. >> And how many times have we done this? >> This is number four. >> Number four. >> Four to go to bond to go to right. This would be our third bond because the first time we didn't um we we paused the stage two. >> It was my understanding >> for the unified school at the beginning. >> It was my understanding when Superintendent Richie shephered through the 2010 bond issue. It was the first bond issue that had passed in Jaho in 50 years. >> Thank you. >> Craig, >> one last point. Didn't we just send a letter out to the town councils >> for we did >> to to address this? >> Yes. You all had asked me >> at the last meeting and I sent it. Yes. >>

085Yeah. >> So, in the meanwhile, we come to this meeting and we make the motion. >> Well, I think we sent that letter in this in the spirit of trying to improve our communications with all the towns. Um, I think that was the spirit of that uh communication from the school committee to >> um, you know, be collaborators, if you will. >> So, we do have a motion in a second, Pat. >> Yeah. Um, addressing what Jeremy said, there may be a time that that needs to be looked at, the charack needs to seriously be looked at. I don't think it's when your feet is to the fire. Um I and that's my opinion. It's like we need to move forward. No more delays. No more stick in the wheel. Um and that's going to

086prevent us from getting what we all need needs to be done. >> Thank you, Pat. Samantha. >> Hi. I just want to touch on bringing this to the town council. >> Samantha, just give us your I think we Sam Wilcox, Richmond Town Council president, but I'm speaking on behalf of myself as always. Um we do have members of our town council here. We have one um the majority of Hopington's here as well and Deb Carneel also spoke very uh wonderfully for the uh Charles Town residents. Um so I do think that we are here, we are listening, but the time to have asked us about our bond questions I think would have been the omnibus. I know that um President Carney sent out an email asking for that to be on the agenda. It was

087unfortunately unable to be put on the agenda um and really wasn't discussed. But I do agree with uh what a resident had said where it's your decision. If you want to put it back to the councils, realistically, I don't think we have the time for it. Town council of Richmond isn't meeting till um the 3rd of March. We have three March meetings, so maybe we could push it through. But we also that March meeting is short because we make time to come to your public hearing. Um so in the Cheraho Act, Mr. >> No, it is. I know. I know. And we do it every year. So I'm not complaining about that. But I'm just saying realistically, if you want to put it back on the town councils, that's fine. But now we're not all

088in the same room as town council members. So or separate town councils. So what if the three of us are are split again? So I just think that's something that that the third the third the third split should be something um that the school committee considers and a question that >> Karen Reynolds asked is a question that I had too. So if this goes to the general assembly and we know that typically municipal bills, town bills, they just pass. But Richmond stopped one. We stopped a very big one and it can happen. So if Charles Town comes up and they want to stop that, they may. So now the question is, do you have enough time to develop another bond question or do you just throw all this work out the window? Um so I

089just think that needs to be considered as well. Thank you. >> Okay. >> Yes, Mr. Moffett. And then um I'll go back to Deb and then I think um we're going to move forward on the >> Steve Offer from Hington. >> The one thing we can control is building one school. The one thing we can't control is the populations of the students, right? So, I have a lot of respect for Deb Carney. I have a lot of respect from I I have a lot of friends in all three towns. I am for 1/3 because we all need each other, right? We all we are a regional school district. We need a building, you know. I think for the fact of building it's a third you know per pupil that's how the state says that you

090know you pay um so for those reasons I think we can control the fact that we can build one school and it should be oneird one third and the students we can't control and then and then we just handle it the way we normally handle it. >> Thanks Mr. Moffett. Okay, >> Carney again. So, in the spirit of cooperation, I'm going to ask that you table this motion until at least your next meeting because we just received the letter from the superintendent last week. And I just want to read you something that the council's received. It said as as part of the preliminary review, individual school committee members have raised items for discussion. Topics members have asked to be examined as part of a broader and transparent review process. These include member Tyler Champlain has

091asked that the committee explore whether a one-ird one-3 cost sharing framework among Charlestown, Richmond, Hopkin would be feasible or appropriate. Member Diane Teft has requested consideration of whether should a proportional cost sharing model not be pursued, bond legislation could require approval by each town individually rather than through an aggregate districtwide district-wide vote. Additionally, a suggestion was raised for the town councils to consider whether a cross town council meeting might be helpful. These items are being shared for transparency and awareness. At this time, the school committee is seeking input rather than consensus. We warmly invite members of the town councils to join the school committee meeting on February 10th. If you are interested in listening to the discussion or sharing a perspective, if your council has thoughts or alternative considerations you believe would be helpful for

092the school committee, that feedback is welcome. Well, as I've stated, we as the Charlestown Council have not had the opportunity to collectively discuss. Councelor Wilcox just stated the same thing and I don't believe uh Hopington has had the opportunity to discuss it. So we just received this letter last week. So we didn't receive it in time enough to put it on our agenda for Monday night. Otherwise, we would have. So in the spirit of cooperation, I'm asking that you table this vote until your next meeting until each of the councils have had the opportunity to discuss. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay. So in light of the Jess If we do move forward to table, I would ask that we um request Karen Grande give us an option about different um unique structures to the

093payment system. I think that I do think that was a worthwhile idea. It doesn't seem like it's not possible. Um I would be interested in seeing that in bond language and having a little more research into that if we are going to have more time to discuss this and consider it. Okay, Pat. >> All right. By tableabling this because what we're what we're discussing is the bond language. What's how's this going to affect our timeline? >> That's a Karen's question. >> So, as uh your council John Anderson indicated, uh everything is really under the control and purview of the general assembly. Um we know that they have certain uh procedures some rules and procedures that they uh like to follow. Uh those rules and procedures can be modified by vote of uh the general assembly.

094I mean they typically like to have everything introduced uh before April. I have seen uh measures, local measures uh introduced uh closer to the end of the session. I would just say the closer you get to the end of the session, the more politically fraught with difficulty it is to get legislation introduced and passed. I'm not saying that you can't introduce something in May and get it passed. I have seen it done. I'm just saying it's it's more difficult. um you know rules have to be modified, people have to agree to uh the submission and consideration is all but yes theoretically a a municipal bill can go any in any time up to the end of the general assembly. It's just you have all the committee meetings. Will you have enough time to get through

095the committee meetings? The later you go in, the more risk that it, you know, may not get through the process. But, you know, I'd say the April uh vacation deadline is not, you know, firm and set in stone. Uh so there there is some time, but it really needs to move along. >> Okay. So, I think Jeremy had his hand raised and I think then we're going to somebody should move the question. >> Jeremy Palmer Hopkin. Uh, so there was just one topic that I didn't really hear discussed tonight which I just learned of uh earlier this morning which was there was uh I believe it was 7.6 uh% uh as well as $700,000 that was >> so we'll get to that in the next there's there's another agenda item on that. >> Thank you.

096>> Yes, of course. Okay, so we we do have a motion in a second. >> Um Madame Clerk, can you read that motion again, please? The motion was to add language to the bond that all three towns must share the cost of the bond equally by one3. >> Diane, >> could I amend that motion? >> If you would like >> take back. >> So, we have a motion and a second. >> We have a motion in a second. Okay. >> Take it back. So >> um in listening to Deb Deb Carney, you know, maybe it would be fair to say that the towns should get together and review the proposals that we've given them. So at this time, I'd like to withdraw my motion. >> Okay. Are who's who had the second? Are they withdrawing

097your second? Yeah. >> Okay. So, do we have a motion to table? >> I have a I make a motion to table. >> Okay. So, we have a motion to table and a second discussion. >> Um the request that Karen Grande look at alternative payment structures to the bond. >> Yes. And also to include that Karen Grande looks at alternative payment methods. I >> I just want to clarify. Okay. >> Um that is too vague. two because we have to pay the lawyers to do all the queries. >> So um when you make >> when you ask a query you know I can ask Karen a question she can give me you know big picture but I need to know what the query is so that I can ensure that you get the information because

098um every time she has to sort of review it then that that's at a cost. So I just want to make sure that I understand any we can't just say oh I want to go all any options available that's too unwielding. We I need to understand what it is that you want Karen to do. So Karen has you know a plan moving forward. >> I I would say one-third split for the first 10 years. >> You should probably I mean the I would say again not the y >> to table to make make that make that motion to table and then you guys can make another motion to do something a request at the end for legal >> um for the agenda for the bond. Like I really would think let's try to just keep

099it >> clean. Yeah. Right. Okay. >> At the end, the school committee request for >> Right. You need you need a majority vote for legal questions. So at the end when we do the legal questions, like when you do the future agenda items, if you want legal to review something, whether that's John or Karen, it's legal has to have a majority vote. This way we have the majority vote that everybody wants that reviewed. >> John, do you want to am I saying this correctly? >> John, >> can't hear you. People in the audience can't hear you. I'm sorry. I agree with the superintendent that you need to table and table is simply table. It's not it's not anything else added to it. >> Right. >> However, since bond council is sitting here and I'm sitting

100here and I have an hour and 20 minute drive home in the snow what they're saying. >> You all can decide decide as courtesy as to whatever else Whatever else Diane wants to ask of the lawyers or whatever else any of you want to ask of the lawyers. So step one table step two make a new motion. >> Thank you. But we do have a motion to table on the floor. >> Exactly. >> Correct. >> Yes. >> And we have a second pat discussion. >> Does table mean that it can be brought up again or it has to be brought up? We have to we have Yes. We have to get this to the general assembly in some way, shape, or form. >> Right. All right. We have a motion to table on the floor.

101All those in favor. Anyone opposed? Any abstensions? Recusals? Did you Did you Did you raise your hand? >> Okay. All right. All right. We're moving on. >> Are we moving on? >> No. Yeah. I'd like to make a motion that we ask bond council Karen Grande to provide us information on unique structures regarding 10 three 10-year bonds with the first 10-year pay period being a one-third split and the remaining two 10-year periods being per pupil. >> Yeah, >> they need a vote on that. Karen, can you go to the microphone? I'm sorry, John. Don't go far. >> Yeah, I would recommend that if you're only uh going to look at two structures that you uh would do either one 10-year bond or two 15-year bonds. >> Okay. Can you change the motion to reflect that?

102>> No. two 15-year bonds with the first 15-year period being one-third split and the second 15-year period being per pupil. >> We also then have to ask Matt Blae to do this work. So, I just want to make make sure the committee understands the requests that are happening. >> And who is Matt Blaze? >> He's the financial advis. >> So, we would have to pay additional legal fees for that. And then also, >> that's not legal fees. That's our that's um >> well legal fees to Miss Brandy to do that and then also for the >> they'll coordinate with the with the money. Okay. >> All right. So, is that a motion by Jess? >> And I had one question just to confirm. >> We have a Did we have a second on that? We

103don't have a second. >> Okay. Discussion. >> Can you repeat it, please? Two 15 or two 10-year bonds. >> Well, so we typically as with the >> But we're not stacking them on top of one at the same time. >> Can we even afford that? >> No, it's not. You issue one at a time. >> One at a time. >> Like with the main campus bond, it's 7 and a half million issued to start and then another 7 and a half million issued afterwards. >> But the building is going to be constructed. >> So essentially it would be it would be a planned refunding. Often we do refundings for interest rate savings purposes. So you would issue and this is May I just ask a question first. Did Matt actually recommend 30 or did he

104run projections on 20 and 30? >> No, he recommended 30 and >> what you're recommending is going to be expensive. >> Yeah, correct. >> Okay. So, so what you normally see is issuance in this case of a 30-year bond. I know >> you see a 30-year bond and then if interest rates improved, you might might see a refinancing of that 30-year bond somewhere after 10 years, right? To achieve interest rate savings. This would be >> different. This would be a planned 10-year bond that wouldn't have any call option, would not have um any redemption option. And then you would essentially refund that bond with another 10-year bond without a redemption option and with a different uh allocation of the debt service. >> Okay. And and >> and again, I've never seen this thought. >> Would

105the fluctuation in student enrollment >> kind of a skew everything? >> It would change the reallocation of the debt service. Yeah. I mean, the the debt service for the first bond is what it's going to be based on interest rates at the time it's issued. The debt service on the second bond would be what it's going to be depending on what rates are at the time it's issued. But the it's just that the allocation of the debt service on the first bond would be a third a third a third and the allocation of the debt service on the second bond would be on a per pupil basis. >> Thank you. >> As our bond attorney, would you recommend this route? >> Um I again have I think there's a reason I've never seen it done.

106>> You've been doing this >> almost 40 years. >> I'm almost as old as John. John and I are about the same age. >> All right. Well, we have a motion and a second on the on the floor. Jess's motion, Laura. >> So, just to clarify, >> talking that there's going to be a significant additional expense if it's split into two 15-year bonds. Is that what I'm understanding? >> Well, there would be double cost of ins issuance. So when you issue a bond, there's all those legal fees and uh financial advisory fees and underwriter fees and underwriter council fees and a fee you that you pay to the public finance management board of the state. So there there are expenses of issuance that get wrapped into the bond issue. And so if you plan on

107issuing two bonds, you're going to have double cost of issuance. You're also going to be in a situation where, say interest rates in 10 years go up instead of staying stable. You're going to have no ability to stay in that 10-year bond at that existing rate. You're going to have to re, you know, refinance the bond even if it's at a higher interest rate in order to uh accommodate these other structuring concerns. Chess, listen, I don't want to over complicate things. I appreciate the unique idea. I appreciate the um desire to compromise and reach a solution that does listen to, you know, different voices, but it doesn't seem like it's really a feasible option to be from these questions here. And I don't want to necessarily pay money to even investigate it. So, I pull

108my motion. >> I'll pull my second. Okay. >> Thank you. >> So, we did we did table the >> Yes. moving forward. All right. So, we're going to go on to the next agenda item. I'm sorry. >> Jump. >> All right. Just let me reorganize myself because I have a lot of paper in front of me. No, I don't think so. We can talk about that afterward. Okay. So, we're going to uh on business 8A discuss for discussion purposes only. um draft of the superintendent evaluation rubric to be considered for school year 2627. Gina, did you want to weigh in on this? >> Actually, I think John's going to talk to the committee first and then maybe you and I can both. >> Okay. >> Sounds good. Um, you will recall uh several meetings ago

109that the superintendent and the chair of the school committee graciously agreed to try to sit down and come up with something that they both thought um was fair, was equitable, and informative. Um, because the purpose of an evaluation at the end of the day is to be informative both to the committee and to the person being evaluated. I'm very pleased to report to you that the superintendent and the chair worked together. They worked very hard. Um they worked through uh all their questions and they came up with the evaluation tool that is uh being presented to you tonight. Um, and I want to compliment them for um, I was on one or two of the calls. Uh, but they did 99% of the work together. And that's a that's a really good thing. The question

110then becomes, what do you want to do with it? Um, a lot of work went into do drafting it. Um, it's my recommendation that the school committee go forward and use it. Um we you guys didn't do a lot of work to have it put on a shelf. Uh one of the concerns that has been raised is okay um how do we do this? Um um people need to you know some people have never been involved in evaluations before or certainly not evaluations of superintendent. Um there's also a question of okay, you all fill out the evaluation, you you get some training about it, somebody comes and does a presentation and somebody's available if you have questions down the line. Then somebody's got to take all the evaluation forms back and put them all together

111and say, you know, there's a common theme that this is a strength, this is a common theme that this should be a goal, this is a common theme, whatever. Um I've worked in other districts where this has done been done. Um I can think of two districts that it's been done by the chair and my based on my experience in doing it in other districts that is not a good idea. It is because >> I also concur >> it it is you know I strongly tell you know even if the chair said oh yes I'll do it. It'll save me save the district a few dollars. and so forth. I do not re I do not recommend it. It is not fair to the superintendent. It is not fair to the chair. Um because no

112matter what the chair says, somebody will take, you know, a shot at it. Um so uh what I have suggested is that uh we locate a um superintendent, a retired superintendent to take on this process wherein that person would um come in. that you people approve the the the form uh the the format um that somebody would that a person would come in um do a presentation to you as to how evaluations work, what's helpful and what's not helpful. It's not helpful to simply say the superintendent is a two without saying why the super you gave the superintendent a two. you know, um it's not helpful if somebody puts down the superintendent is a a four on every single item. Um nobody is that consistent in the world. Um and then after then the members

113of the committee fill them out and then return them to this person. Not return them to Angela, not return them to Louise, not return them to Gina. and by the way, not return them to me because I'm gonna tell you now, I'm not doing it either. I've never done it. That person then would go through and write a report based on it. That person could come and then meet with the superintendent and meet with the school committee and explain the results. I think that that is a fair way to do it. I think that yes there is a cost to doing it that way but the cost is dimminimous compared to the aida that this committee would go through which another one of my committees did when the chair in the best of you know

114circumstances volunteered to do it and she could have stood on her head. This is in another town I represent and there would be people who would say yeah but your foot was hanging to the side or you know whatever. Um having somebody outside do do it um gives it credibility. I will remind those of you who are on this committee in 2020 and I will tell people who have joined the committee since then you did went to an outside person who sadly is now deceased um to run your search. you did not try to run it yourselves. Um, and that was a very good and fair system that was done. Nobody complained afterwards. They were mistreated. Nobody complained any afterwards that somebody was shoved down their throat. Everybody got a say. Everybody talked it through.

115Um, and it was a good process. So, that's my recommendation in terms of this is a good tool. I compliment Gina and Louise for working together on it, but it the next step is to have it implemented. Does anybody have any questions for me? >> So, I just wanted to Yes. Um, Gina. Yes. Thank you. So, um, thank you for acknowledging that. I appreciate it. I'm sure the superintendent appreciates it. We put a lot of time into this exercise and we came to an agreement on the draft. With that being said, and I'm sure that the school committee members will want to weigh in, but this agenda item says for discussion purposes only. >> So, where do we go from here? If there is discussion tonight that, you know, we want to adopt it, make,

116you know, I don't even know that we can adopt it because this is only for discussion. >> Well, I'm I'm going to say two things. If you look at the very top of your agenda, >> it said that anything can be correct. The top of the agenda says a vote may be taken on any item on this agenda. So you can vote on it if you want to. >> You could all you can also >> Oh, that's >> you're probably going to have a special meeting >> for another purpose in the next two weeks. Correct. >> Say that one more time. >> You're going to have a special meeting in the next two weeks for another purpose. >> Are we? >> Yes. >> Okay. Okay. We discussed it in executive session. >> Okay. Okay. >>

117Yes. >> It was so long ago. >> So, yeah. So long ago. >> That was over three hours ago, John. >> About as long as it takes me to get home. Um, what we can do is this. People can talk it out and then if they can uh I'll get a feeling from where you're going. I will get try to get a specific body. I don't have a body yet. I did talk to given the fact I took it upon myself with no authority um to talk to one retired superintendent earlier today um those conversations you know he was he was his question was you know well send me what you've got for an evaluation tool and I'll be honest with you with other things going on today I didn't get to send him to

118it so I can't give you a name anyway as to who I'm recommending so my suggestion is talk through your concerns tonight and then we'll vote on it at that special meeting. >> Okay. Gina, did you want to weigh in before we go to the members? >> Yes. So, I think um when when the chair and I discussed the agenda item, we said discussion because we didn't want you to feel pushed to make any decisions. Um but I do agree with the chair that obviously we're both open to conversations around how you want to do it. I appreciate John's feedback. I agree. We h I have been involved in this at both the school committee side of the house and the superintendent side of the house and the best way is to be as neutral

119as possible is to make sure everyone has training of the tool and to make sure that everyone's comfortable with the tool. I I've offered uh the chair suggestions that I'm happy to offer to the committee where I would then typically you you have approved my goals in um October of every year. And then what I would do for this year as a sort of a a pilot review, I would I would align my goals and my progress to those goals to the rubric as a self-reflection. That's what we ask our admins and teachers to do as part of their evaluation. So, it's um to member uh Chaplan's point back when we first started this conversation, um I am the only member of the of the Teraho Regional School District that has evaluated every year and

120I think it's a good um it's good to do it. I I am a very big proponent of feedback as my administrators and teachers will know. We just recalibrated the entire district last summer because we're getting ready for a new strategic plan. So feedback is probably and if I'm going to put my little uh educator hat on, John Hadtie's research visible learning, it is the uh cheapest way but the best yield of results to be able to improve district and teaching and instruction for students. So um the more thoughtful the feedback, the the more robust um that we can adapt. And I think an example would be myself and the chair working together. I think most of you have noticed that um just like I'm I'm a teacher in the classroom and and Louisa's in

121in the business world, you work with clients and you work with individuals and while you don't have to agree on everything, you learn how to collaborate and communicate in a way that's respectful and responsible for the serving the same purpose as cheroke. So I I want to say thank you to the chair because I think we were very much uh aligned. oftentimes it was really making sure the edges speak became clear and I think when um I have a clarity around what helps the community understand then I I think you saw a budget presentation that we were very proud of and I and again with the collaboration of the chair I'm able to ensure that anyone in the community regardless of political alignment or partisanship understands what we're trying to say in the best interest

122of students. So I want to thank the chair I want to thank John and thank all of you for allowing us the opportunity because I do think this is a very good tool. It's based on high quality research. It's based on national models and international models. And I feel really strongly that it will provide the district with whatever superintendent you have with a very good, robust, thoughtful way to provide feedback. >> Thank you, Jess. Thank you both for working together on this. Um, thank you, John. I I especially appreciate the concept of teaching the tool. That was something I provided in my feedback when this was approved that I really want members to feel like they know how to do the evaluation. Um, with that being said, we got this yesterday. It was 15 pages

123with the rubric and the accompanying document and I work >> and I I you know I did email Chair Dinsmore and Superintendent Bard, but I have not had the time to review this in depth. I just have not been able to and I'd really like to do that for all of our agenda items. Um, so I would like to keep this discussion only until I have a chance to review it further. >> And I I'll be clear. While you can, I'm not recommending that you vote on it tonight. >> Okay. So, from a timing perspective, I think what we Jess, thanks for that feedback. I appreciate it. And I did get your email today with that. Um so with that being said um in here it does suggest that the members review the rubric and

124there's also um you know an evaluation reference document when referring to the rubric. Yep. >> Which is very specific and um >> knowing what the timeline is because the sup the superintendent has to be evaluated in a timely manner by a certain date. We have to vote on uh a contract extension. So how would that if we tabled it >> to the next to the March meeting, how would that impact? I'm not I'm not recommending that you table it to the March meeting. I'm recommending it that you table it to >> table it to the special to the special meeting. >> Okay. Okay. All right. Thank you for that clarity. >> Y >> Linda, did you have your hand raised? >> I guess just Hello. >> I guess um what I would recommend is that

125people who do have like just hasn't had a chance to review it. I I didn't go in into depth, but I'd like to have a chance to review it in depth and maybe um send you some like maybe send it to you as far as some of our changes for re you know recommendations for changes or some you know and that might be helpful to be prepared for the special meeting. >> Okay. >> And then I don't know if that would that be helpful. I don't know if that I mean so people who care too will take the time to send you their their recommendations unless you want to do it tonight. I don't >> I' I' I'd appreciate getting those recommendations as well >> because they're going to talk about it together and it

126helps me to know what they're talking about. >> So what would probably be helpful is >> my recommendation. You don't have to accept >> I would say give it to and make sure that Angela's on it >> and then she'll make sure the three of us get it. >> So Angela, John, and Louise. >> That's only if that works for and Gina. Yes. >> Sure. Thanks for that feedback. Anyone else? Sorry. In in developing this with the chair, um, did you happen to look at, you know, and and and I know you're not using this, we're not using this currently, right? But how do I know in my professional career, we're we're scored on a rubric sort of like this. Um, it's a little it's a little different in the business world, but it's very

127similar. Um, or at least at my company, it's similar, you know, sort of similar. How closely aligned are your current goals to this rubric? Have you had a chance to look at that? Like I know when I set my goals for for myself and my staff, we kind of take our rubrics and we look at say how how do the goals that we want to accomplish this year, how do they fit into this? >> So in the end, because we've used national research, my goals are always aligned to the the national research. So regardless of the tool, >> any goal I have should be aligned based on because the this used to be called the old islick standards when we were administrators. So it's it's taken different forms but regardless of if even if you

128go back five years it the rubric really is more about ensuring that we anchor to what is most important to the committee. So what the chair was really good at is she sort of gave me like you know her big picture and then I gave her my big picture and then we sort of melded it together about where we were aligned and then talked through any points that maybe we wanted clarification. But overall you know when you use national research it's definitely going to be aligned to any superintendent. Excellent. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> So, do we do we have a motion on the table? >> I don't think we need >> getting late. >> All right. So, now we can go to C. You're good. >> So, this

129is the discussion and the approval of the stage one application to ride. Just for clarity, for the uh the purpose, the stage one application is to reset uh our spot in line, if you will. It's like holding your spot in line. you know, when someone says, "Oh, I'm going to write be right back, but I want to hold my spot." So, that's really what we're doing. But here's the major changes for those um that didn't have China to read a thousand pages. Um the we had to update the letters of interest, which is and I can send this to the school committee. I'm just reading it for the public. Um updated letters of interest, our statement of interest, our letter of local support, our compliance agreement, and building committee membership update. We just make sure

130that Wright has everything in a queue with the updated dates. Uh our demographic report is up uh up is being updated by NZDC. We um as you all know we work on the enrollment that that NESD study is uh was told to us by RIDE that what NZ provides at a much smaller cost than when we did the Gibbons report back in 2020. Um would be would constitute all of what we need because remember in order to do your unified school you every year you have to get an updated enrollment report. So those of you us that are concerned about enrollment you will have it no uh they go 10 years out for forecasting and it will be as recent as um Ned gets it to us which is usually by March. Usually it takes

131about six weeks. Um the five year the current dates on every exhibit were updated to make sure that uh all the dates were updated. Our necessity for school construction schedule and again necessity for school construction we use that term um because most district use the term building committee but the chair act has a very specific requirement for building committee. So that's just to make sure that we have the correct people on. If any changes were made, we have to make sure the right people are on the right spot. The five-year capital planning opportunities, that's our responsibility to the state law. The district asset reports, maintenance updates, the operating budget, any updates that we know up till date. Our recent communication with Rhode Island Energy about any rebates we could be possibly getting along with the

132current narratives of where we are in the process. So, um, in the end, there's not major changes. Mostly about dates and making sure it's current to where we are right in this moment. Kind of like when we get right into the budget discussion. The budget is as good as it was when we gave it to you, and it changes every day. So, um, but I I'm seeking recommendation that we uh resubmit the stage one application to ride um to keep our spot in the queue so we can uh approve the application for stage two in September 15th. >> Okay, we we have a motion and a second. Any discussion on this among the members? >> I'm just checking. This is >> going to be submitted by February 15th, >> correct? >> Okay. >> It's already

133in the portal. You just have to Yeah. >> Great. >> And um just a clarifying question for the superintendent. So this doesn't mean that we have to pay additional fees to slam or collars. No, >> slam and collars have done this without cost. >> Okay. Anyone else? Okay. We have a motion on the table. All in favor? Uh that's unanimous. Great. Okay, moving forward. So, budget workshop. Um a couple of I sent a memo to the school committee. I want to say it's 4:00 this afternoon. I also posted the updates to the public on our website. If you go to the website, you will see the documents. I want to thank, you know, Mr. Kona who offered that as a as feedback for us and I actually gave it to the town managers as well.

134I think it was a great um feedback for me to be able to not just make sure that the school committee gets it. I always make sure the school committee gets it first. >> Um and then once I gave you the update on Friday, I then attached that update to our town managers as well as our elected officials and the town council presidents so that we can have uh work from the same document. As many of you know, uh, the one-page summary, typically called the one pager by those, uh, not beloved by me, but by by many, um, that that page, just to review, is a compilation of requests of elected officials throughout several years. And, um, it is not a document that I'm fond of because it, as I it provides confusion, as many

135of you know. And the confusion comes in because you're we're working from numbers be that that aren't absolute numbers. So a couple of clarifications. One, when we have a preliminary budget, which is what you is my recommendation. So in at the January 12th meeting, I believe when I presented the budget, I gave you the best information that we knew at the time. Um and if you remember, it was the same night that the governor was proposing his budget. So, we had old numbers of state aid. Within three days, we received the governor's budget financials and then we updated that number for the budget uh for the omnibus. After omni omnibus, you had a budget workshop where we presented um and I there were members that requested that we look at the adjusted budget and if

136we had taken the adjusted budget, what would that look like? Lyn Gven gave a great presentation of what that would do that. So that document, it's basically a workshop document for the school committee and they've used it with elected officials to be able to workshop um interest. The omnibus meeting is not a charoact requirement. It is a state requirement. All cities and towns in Rhode Island must have a meeting. We call it the omnibus because it's multiple towns. So every town has to do that. Which is why you can't add to the agenda item because it's not about the Cheraho Act. It's a state law. So that's why you would have to do something separate. So just for clarification and I know I don't I have no problem reminding because again in education we say

137redundancy is fluency because this only happens once a year but I think the more that we can get on the same page the more that the the budget makes sense and that we sort of demystify what has been mystical and because it shouldn't be and I think the one pager summary that was previously done and again um with all the best efforts but it's man-made it is not in our financial system. So that Excel document is man-made. It was created by Mr. Stanley who then passed on uh Sue Rogers has it and then she had to update formulas based on new codes and then Mr. Draper comes in, he has to update numbers based on requests and when you have anyone that uses a computer, you get that one time, you know, thing gets corrupted.

138The numbers are as good as what's in the Excel spreadsheet. That's man-made. So it's not a great way. Although I'm very proud of all the audits in our finance team, we've been doing our best to keep things accurate and they are. But when members are you when when I can't control how other towns utilize our information, what I can tell you is that the state law requires the towns to give maintenance of effort because we have a budget vote. The charo act is very specific. You they are voting on a proposed budget that is not a final number because the general assembly, as you heard Mr. Anderson say has the control over the governor's budget and they're going to wheel and deal for the next few months. So as of today of until you make

139any changes or if you make any changes the numbers in the document you have are accurate which is with our state aid I believe it was 4.99% in increase. That's my recommended right now. While I understand 4.99 is a difficult pill to swallow, I've also shared with you the things that have already been cut. We are down I have to have had to cut nine certified educators before we walked through the door and uh I want to say um >> five and a half >> five it was it's in the I don't want I don't want to misspe but it's in it's in my notes. Um and those are those are already going to provide some changes. With that being said, I still believe we can we can hit vision 2029. Any further cuts are

140going to be the responsibility of the school committee after tonight because you will take over the approval and then work it through. Um my responsibility is to understand where your guardrails are. The biggest budget drivers as you saw in the memo are I mean at a million almost a million dollars are your sports and extracurricular activities. Is that something we're looking at? Yeah. And I I'll need to know that. Um I classroom sizes elementary schools have already been done. We've already removed we had about 65. Now we're down to about 60 something. We definitely we've already reduced staff in the elementary level to get closer to our class sizes. Um we also uh we have reduced um teachers based on attrition retirement. We have approximately nine retirements. We don't have any more right now. If

141we get more, but we've already budgeted for what we have, and that's the nine. Anytime if you if you risk that, then you risk having to put more money in the revenue side of the h in the um operating side of the house because you have to pay for those retirements because you got to pay them out. So, that's an additional cost. So now every time we make a move, for example, one of the requests was what if we took a half percent um I think um the chair may have asked this, you know, out of every line that was above 4%. So that's about $53,000. Um but we can't as a school district just do that through line items because we've got contracts like we can't say to the Ryan Center, we know how

142much the graduation costs, but we're going to cut you a half percent. That's a contract that we have. Um so that's why the dollar amount in a school budget is okay that's about based on the increases which was really due to your utilities your transportation transportation is still a moving target. Our audit that you uh approved back in November December is due to us this month. So every other district that has has signed up has so has saved at least one bus. So there's still potential savings coming. We know that our representatives and our senators are are are going to be fighting. I'll be down rack at the state house tomorrow. Again, I've been there twice a week um to ensure that I am advocating for the needs. But as we get it'll get more

143interesting. Uh the League of Cities and Towns has had their meeting regarding the funding formula. I have spoken to at least town manager LIi regarding my opposition as I said to all of you at the omnibus with the blue ribbon foundation funding formula and just the transportation alone and just to clarify it's not part of the funding formula. It's categorical which means it's never guaranteed. So that's the big problem with transportation and the blue ribbon committee did not take that into account. They kept it as categorical, which again means we're fighting every year to for the classroom door where our Bingtons, our Providencees, while they have different needs, it's not getting our kids to the building where it's 128 square miles. So, this is an advocacy that I think that the general assembly will understand,

144it's one where Washington County is coming together because as even if um EWG is not as big as us, it has very similar needs um and they're much smaller. They have about a thousand students. So, I think the more that I can provide clarity to this committee about the needs um moving forward is where I'm going to need I mean this money is not supplies. The supply increases were due to science materials. They were due to CTE assessments put back into the operating budget because the Perkins money is dwindled because if you go look at the financial statements, the Met and Davies got a nice big b uh bump over a million 1.2 million for one and almost over two million for another. I'd love to see some of that back into my my dollars

145for the operating budget. I'm going to be pushing the uh general assembly that the CTE um school building authority, you know, 5% is out there, but it's for high school. So, when RIDE says CTE for all, what it is is CTE for high school. And I'm going to push them to think differently about CTE for all that I do believe our unified project should be able to get an additional 5% because we're looking at exploring opportunities like we did. And we have we have real examples for our agriculture program which Ezri Actton and Susie Scanipo went to Charleston Town Council to talk about one way that the budget um in the state is not funding not just schools but also municipalities with the composting and that's 12 $12,000 added to our operating budget for an

146unfunded mandate that we're asking the state to fund. I'm not going to ask them to get new money. My my plan is to review the governor's budget with them to show how we can access dollars that already in the budget. An example is that, you know, while I can appreciate the learn 365 and I think it it's well intended, um, every other superintendent that's not regional is going to help their their towns do one grant for mathematics. And then there then in while I think people think we have a large office I can tell you that um your superintendent does a lot more than most superintendent probably 99% of them um because our how for example just the two administrative assistants I have one administrative assistant that is the school committee clerk that handles all

147school committee business as well as all superintendent business that it doesn't happen in Naragansit and in Westerly and most districts they have that they have two but but years ago when I was on this committee that was something that this committee and I I said great if you want to save money but there's only so much we have now um we're reaching the point where services are going to be impacted things aren't going to happen you you know somebody's going to be out sick and a packet's not going to get done uh because we have to handle student needs and personnel needs like there is balancing opportunities so when we talk about staff they are an investment And while you know those cuts were difficult and I'd rather not see them happen, I also understand

148the fiscal responsibility. But again, while I know people don't like that I say it, I have to say it. My job is legislated. There's only 35 superintendents. We're legislated to make sure that the budgets we present are based on student need. The taxpayers are our town council's responsibility. School committee is legislated to make sure the budget reflects student needs. And what's the problem with the student needs? It's that it's not part of the funding formula. The funding formula is based on enrollment. So when enrollment decreases but needs increase. So another the second area that I would I would ask for more support down at the state house from our town councils and from our representatives and our town managers is the high-cost special ed. We receive about a couple hundred,000 and I can't tell you

149specifically. I can't well I can't out the student needs because high cost special ed means that that cost is four times the amount of per pupil and it's really hard to get to four times but the students who have need that are are significantly have significant needs. Um we're talking about you know our our students who are receiving you know changing services from pre-K through 12 who are need to be um have feeding tubes etc. and they have they just like any other student deserve their education and it should not be on the backs of it should be something the state funds like Massachusetts and Connecticut. So, if we could just focus on those two things at the state house, we and ensure that um we are advocating against the blue ribbon commission's funding formula,

150I think we'll we'll be well set, especially as um we all recognize that the local side of the house is needs um assistance. You know, I I understand Hopington and Enrichment are working very diligently about their economic development, but in the end last year when we put $3,000 $3 million back into the member contributions because just as a reminder, every time I don't spend a dollar, that dollar goes back to the member contributions to lower the the request for the following year. It can't go back to the towns because it's state aid. So, when the voters approve that number, it's preliminary. If you go to the Cher Act, it says proposed. So, there was um there's actually been three years in a row where we got more state aid and it and and there have

151been people that didn't want to give us, you know, when Ned sent out the new bill, we had some push back and we had to call town solicitors to say the state aid is the state aid. You can't keep it because the voters voted on a number. The voters don't vote on a number. That's why it says yes and no. That's why um the number is not included because it's a proposed budget because the general assembly votes on that in June. And that's every city in town. You're no different because every city in town is working off preliminary numbers, maintenance of effort numbers, and their current state aid. Um but what I can say to you, it's like a car. When you buy a new car, you drive it off the lot, it's now depreciated.

152The minute you get that budget book, it's old. And I do not have the staff to rerun 10 pages over and over and over again for these changes. It's just not feasible. We have a keyet system that we purchased that you all purchased about what six years ago about I think when I first got here because of because uh of uh efficiencies and now we have reports that are much cleaner that we should be using. The budget book has served its purpose, but it was originally created before Yukoa codes. And people tried to make an old way fit into the Yakoa codes. But the Yukoa codes basically is the way that the state tracks dollars. It's to ensure that every dollar that we track gets into the right bucket so that every school and district

153can compare apples to apples. Those financial dashboards exist online. I can have Santiago come back if there are specific questions you have. we can do a budget workshop where we have a special meeting and he can come back and answer all the kinds of questions for the financial dashboard if that's something the committee wants. But there's a lot of information at your fingertips. Um line item by light item. I think you all have seen it. It is not a great way to cut the budget. Um, I would recommend what I'm going to tell you is any additional cuts absolutely will um be services to students in some shape way or form, whether that's their teacher or a support staff member, as well as um any services to kids regarding how we run athletics. So, I

154I'll need guard rails, but tonight you don't have to make any decisions. It's just that you're all you need to do is then you will be approving the budget to take over for school committee to begin thinking about how they want to move forward with this budget. >> Okay. Thank you for that. high level overview and getting into the weeds as well. So, thank you, Jess. >> Okay. Um, so I thought I like the one pager. I said that at the budget workshop. I like that we have an overview. I've heard you tell us like 10 times how much you hate the one pager, but there's no alternative yet. >> There is. Mr. President has it. >> I don't have it. >> Right. >> The school committee doesn't have it anymore. >> You actually have

155it in the budget. It's basically this. It's the screenshot of what the FY26 is. So, in your budget updates, if we all, if you don't mind, if we can go to that. >> Hold on. I can't see that far away, Jess. I'm sorry. >> It was the last page of um the update or second to last page. >> Correct. So, actually, that's all you have to do. And this is what I had said to um the town manager and Richmond, Eron Lucy, because she had asked me the same question. If you go to the budget presentation slide 11, that slide is the overview, the 5.15%. That was what we knew back at the last budget workshop February 3rd. So that is what you need. You need to know what your maintenance of effort was for

156your town, what the state aid is, and is it compiled together? So now Hopington's percentages are much lower because of the more state aid, >> right? So all of the other information like your debt service and everything like that, that's always part of your budget, but we're putting things on a one pager and people are utilizing it for purposes it wasn't intended for. And that's where the confusion lies. And I I've been doing this now for six years and I have yet to see anyone um get clarity. So in the essence of ed uh using my teacher hat, I'm changing you. If you like that one pager, then I would uh you can create that p one pager because it's an Excel. It just anybody can do it. You just take the PDF and and

157and then export it. >> But that one pager doesn't accurately reflect a school budget. It's basically trying to >> do a municipal budget three different times and it's providing information that is providing a lack of clarity and it provides confusion. So it no it doesn't serve the purpose that I think I would love to know why you like it because if you want certain information I can give you the information but that p the people are looking at that and and are taking numbers and saying oh this number is not accurate and it's because it's a workshop document of requests not because it should be utilized the overview should the big picture overview is the overall school budget request. So now be the budget workshop on February 3rd, it was 5.15. Today it's 4.99 based

158on the updates. That's what you all need to know. And then we want to know how it impacts the town that you serve, which I understand because they want to know that too. And it's the maintenance of effort. So if you look at that chart, may I see that? Yes. Thank you. So if you look at this chart, and it's online for those that need to see it, and I gave it to all the town managers today and needed school committee to have it first. They received it on Friday. Um it would say so if you look at Charles Town as an example it says before state aid after state aid is what we've been looking at because that's but remember you have no control over state aid that's why we do both because people

159like to see it but after state aid if you're Charlestown um with the FY26 maintenance of Africa it was 12,445,497 that was a difference in FY preliminary draft of a additional $624,633 $83. That's the difference between what we're asking for from the town based on their maintenance of effort. >> Yeah, I know. I understand this. I get this. And >> that one pager again I >> the bottom right corner of the one pager is. So whether it's this or that, we need to have an overview that has the important information. But the overview will be much more specific. >> It also is helpful to see previous years. you know in the past years I it it helps me to understand what the local increase is the average local increase >> and that's what I thought

160the intended >> budget 2% it's really been very low and state aid has surpassed that in state a state aid has been carrying us along so I do think there are important lessons in that one pager um and I think it is I you know is this from your financial systems you keep talking about the financial systems I don't know what that is >> it's ket so it's basically reports that we pull Yeah. >> So in the end, >> so I I want to know what is the most helpful and I want to see it so so I can understand that. I think that would be helpful instead of just saying this is wrong. Everything we do is bad. It would help to know what is slide 11 is what the information that now every

161other information. It's not that you don't need it, but it's the format that document is created for dead like it's all of the other information and and people are utilizing the information and I know they are because um and since Mr. Roso was here last night town council meeting you know words like mistake error which is just not accurate because we're you they're utilizing a budget workshop tool for purposes that um it's not intended for because obviously I get that school committee has a responsibility to ask questions every one of you should be able to ask us to put something together but then that document is being utilized for and now has has a lack of clarity >> has a bill or an invoice they don't need to refer to now I have a town

162manager said something at a town council meeting that is not accurate based off the document. It makes it look like we don't have accurate information, which is not okay because now as your superintendent, I need to ensure that accurate information is clearly articulated. And if that document provides our town councils and our town managers with a lack of clarity and they need the most clarity because we're on the same team, I I can't advise that you use that sheet anymore. I think that is problematic. What I will recommend is that the budget subcommittee come together to ensure you understand the reports that are >> wait a minute >> that you understand the recognize Brian. >> So the budget subcommittee and I would say don't wait start meeting now and talking through this with Mr. Zen

163while we're in a process because that's really what I thought the budget subcommittee was going to do. >> I didn't receive any guidance. >> There is no feedback. So I I can appreciate >> uh listen the that's a you you guys created that budget subcommittee >> right and so the original purpose of the budget subcommittee was to look at not necessarily nobody has ever mentioned doing away with this one pager like this is the first time this year had we known absolutely like clearly there's an issue with it and we need to address it do it >> right but we can't read minds we were we were going upon what we thought would be helpful and we didn't ever hear that um the one pager should be gone. >> No. And I think in fairness

164Mr. Zenian, he's only been doing this for a year and he wanted to make and I think if you ask Mr. Zenian, he will also tell you that you know while he he was absolutely not ready for us to remove it as well. He sees now what's happening across the towns and it's be providing a lack of it's providing confusion >> and there there is a there's a lack of um finality to that bottom right hand corner as we've discussed over previous meetings. There's more math that needs to be done to find out your local increase. And that's not something that the school district can do without knowing the town budget and without and I wouldn't expect them to do it for each town. But that that is a level of work that has to

165be done to understand further. I believe >> that you all should be focused on the school budget workshop and then I but absolutely you want to know how it impacts your town but that's at their internal system. my responsibility clearly when I like I said I I I was called last night to get on and watch the YouTube because they said you know oh you want you're gonna want to hear this is they're saying there's mistakes errors so I watched it I had the team watch it this afternoon so that they were they had a clarity so that we could share with you when when when our towns are going to be confused then it confuses community members who are only going to town councils may not come to our meetings or listen but we

166want them on our team >> so if we're not clear and that document is leading to some lack of clarity then I have a responsibility to you to ensure that we sort of realign to make sure that we're all talking and I'll take from the chair singing from the same song book >> Mr. Baraso, would you like to weigh in on this? >> Yeah, absolutely. Uh, couple um couple things. Um, I wasn't going to talk about the cover sheet, but um since it's a big topic right now, I figure I'll have my two cents. So, the summary sheet um in any sort of budget that I've done in my professional career, there's always a summary, right? I mean, this budget is gigantic. You're talking, you know, thousands and thousands of line items. So for the

167average person to digest that is impossible. So that's where a summary sheet comes into play on a high level. I think it's easy for the residents, taxpayers, school committee members, you know, everybody to digest. Um that being said, um the reason I I did get asked to come here and speak tonight um was due to some analysis that that I had done. And and to be clear, you know, I wasn't trying to cause problems. I wasn't trying to to portray that charo or anyone was misrepresenting numbers. Um what I what I did find um was that summary sheet when I was looking at it on the omnibus meeting. I was sitting with the council members. I've done this for 12 years now between my finance role and my town manager role. And every year for

16812 years I've done the same analysis. I come into the omnibus meeting. I do a quick year-over-year analysis. Okay, this is what we're going up after state aid, right? Two seconds. I talked to the council members about it. I said, you know, this is palatable. You know, it's $383,000. I said that, you know, maybe if they if the school committee works, you know, on some cuts, you know, we'll be closer to 300. That's doable. Um, meanwhile in the town side on a side note, you know, we're facing all sorts of salary increases as everybody is because unions are fed up with getting 1 2%. Um, so so we have that coming down the pike this year. So we're we're looking at the budget leaving the omnibus meeting feeling, you know, pretty pretty comfortable. Um, not

169great, but I'd say this is doable. Um, I get back and start doing my budget. Um, I'm I plug the numbers in and I'm seeing a $725,000 increase. So, I I'm panicking. I'm What did I do? Did I not put the right number in last year? Do we have a $350,000 deficit because of a mistake I made? So, I start doing some due diligence. I called my finance director, town clerk. I said, "Well, what did we what did the voters approve last year?" They pulled the numbers. They said, "Oh." I'm like, "Okay, that ties down to our budget. Why am I showing a $725,000 increase, but the omnibus meeting presentation is showing um you know a $383,000 increase. So I'm I'm again I'm I'm kind of just trying to figure this out. I called Greg.

170I said you know what's what is this number? Um what it came down to was in the cover sheet the prior year budget was not reflective of what the towns put into their budget. It wasn't reflective of what the voters approved. Agreed. I I understand this now and I understand what you're saying. I'm just trying to give some some clarity here as to to how we got here. Um so I started looking at it and I said, you know, for Hopkin, for example, um the the prior year FY26 says 23,333,691. So I'm looking at I'm like that's not that's not what was approved by voters. I'm So I'm I'm trying to pull my hair. I I called Greg. I said, "Where is this number coming from?" And then it was explained to me that there's

171an adjust adjustments that are made after the fact, right? Which is which is fine. I understand that you guys have your analysis that you need to do. But when we're sitting there on the Omnibus meeting and we're we're looking at this budget and it's says FY2526 budget and it has the allocation by town, it's very confusing, right? um it's not representative of what the town increase is. So we're looking at these percent increases, these dollar increases year-over-year at the omnibus meeting that aren't reflective of what we're actually going to increase. >> So Brian, what are you actually So when you say the vote because the voters again, they don't approve the number, right? That's why I said yes or no. So, just like when we had the conversation when we first cut more money. >>

172So, I went back to the to the last budget that was or the the last budget on May I'm sorry, uh March 17th. No. So, I pulled the last budget that was on your website >> because and to make sure that you know I had the right number. So it was the budget that was if you still go to this day to FY26 the latest budget update in FY26 is reflective of number that we put in our budget. So I was like, "Oh, I don't see anything with like >> preliminary." >> That's that's the point. You're asking me not to follow the law. Like I can't. >> No. No. I So you're showing a redistribution of FY2526 numbers that are not reflective of what was approved by voters. >> Voters don't approve the This is

173where the confusion come is coming in. The voters don't approve a number. They approve a proposed budget that just like you heard our legal counsel say when the general assembly approves the governor's budget just like the regional I'll give you an example Craig Luzan said to me year after year the regional transportation it's in the law it says we have to get it why don't we get it because the minute Gina Roando signed that she wasn't going to give us all of it it becomes new law so that's why when you're regional that yes or no is not about a number because you can't oversee that general assembly they have the power they're the ultimate school committee Voters aren't I >> correct. The general assembly oversees everything, Brian. I mean, as a final >> So,

174you're saying the voters have no no say in what the final budget is. >> No, I think I need you just to pause. What you're what the semantics and your choice of words is inaccurate. >> The voters in the char act are voting on the proposed number, the best that we know based on the general assembly and the governor and the state aid. And then we use your maintenance of effort. So when you said just like when we get more money and I explained to Hopington when you you as the new town manager we had gotten a letter you guys didn't want to get you didn't want to change it. I had to and I have that letter where we had to have Johnny Anderson reach out to your solicitor to say if you withhold

175this money the state's going to revert the money to us. >> Understood. Right. I think we're kind of going in a lot of directions here. I I what I'm trying to say is that when you're showing a presentation year-over-year increases and it's and it's saying, okay, you show a percent increase to Hopington of at the time which was uh 2.37 and it says Hopkin increase year-over-year 2.37. It seems a little bit misleading when our actual increase is 4.58, right? So you're it's it's drastically understated to what the actual increase is to the taxpayers. >> I'm going to ask that you not use language like misleading because I think that's misleading. So I think it's unfair because it provides when you use an adjective it provides evaluation and judgment. >> So when we use Brian just

176let me finish because I let you finish. When you're saying it's misleading it it pro this is where I think some of the lack of trust and collaboration come in. It is very important that just like I don't make an assumption about your budget, when you make assumptions about our budget um and say things like it's misleading, you're then telling the public that there's something not to trust. So, what I would say is let's just anchor to the facts. The facts are the law, Rhode Island state law says that you can't give us less than the maintenance of effort based on our enrollment. So, maintenance of effort FY26, that number is accurate. The number is your maintenance of effort based on the local expenditure that we received. Then state aid comes in which you and

177I have no control over. The general assembly decides that it's a moving target. As fast as I can decrease a budget, a bus is as fast as DCYF's going to give me my new tuition for next year in a month. And I don't know if that's 97,000 or 115,000. So literally I have to get updates every single day. I'm monitoring the governor's budget. What's being up? what's being lobbyed. So the budget you get when they finally approve it, the school committee approves the adoption, which is the March, and then we go to the DFM, that number is as close as we can get based on the time of year. That's every district, not just us. >> Okay. So, so from what the final budget that the school committee approved on 317 to what it was

178reflective in the new budget, there was an increase of $880,000. Where is that where's that come from? What is that? Because you're talking about state aid, state aid's revenue. This is an increase in expenses of of 880,000 which I've never seen. So, when you're showing $23,333,691 for our allocation, that doesn't mean anything to us because we're like, where does that number come from? >> It it comes from the votes of the committee. Just like the town council can make a vote to change something for a snowstorm. How many snowstorms did you budget for? >> Yeah, but All right. So, you're saying our the our contribution last year was 23,333,000. No, it wasn't. It was it was >> So, this is what's happening. You're asking for one thing and I have maybe seven of the 12

179members asking for seven different things. I'm trying to put it all into one sheet of paper. >> Okay. >> So, very simply, what I did was I took what we build you and that's about 202,000 more than what you the number you came up with. You got $22,000 in additional state aid. >> Right. Right. Right. Yes. >> So that number is not arguable because you pay it every month. >> Right. Exactly. But that is still >> So my one pager would have my scratch. >> That's what my one pager would look like if I had my way. It tells you what you paid last year and it tells you what we think based on what we know you're going to pay this year. >> The best that we know >> and that's it. >> Okay.

180So, all right. Because all I'm saying is I did that same analysis for 12 years and the numbers matched our budget. This year they did not. >> So that Chris, are you talking about when we put the actual in? >> Yes. If you go back historically and look at all the prior summary sheets of the from the meeting year-over-year, the prior year budget will reflect what was in our budget which was approved. You had a school committee close a school and then spend over $700,000 in money that was not >> originally put into the budget. >> Okay. >> And then they asked to see it. So we put in a whole extra column. >> They wanted their adjusted. >> Okay. >> You took that adjusted and thought >> world language teachers. >> You thought that

181adjusted was based on the conversation we had. So, I may be wrong, but based on the conversation we had, you thought that adjusted then became what you thought you were budgeting off of, but you should be really looking at your FY26 bill for the year, >> which which we are, but that's again that's not what's reflected in in this year's >> because but they're allowed to ask for things. >> Okay, that's fine. That's fine. But somewhere it has to be illustrated what the actual >> I would ask that you could then give me a call before you say in >> Well, I did. I called Greg. So >> he's the finan finance director anymore. With all due respect, please call me. >> But he he said he was going to speak with you and get

182back to me. So >> right. And then I had to I spoke with Erin. Okay. >> Because you spoke with Eron, but again as the town manager, Brian, let the finance directors talk to the finance directors and please talk to me. >> Are you Why are you telling us how to operate? I So you're telling me I can't. >> But no, with all due respect, Brian, stop telling me how to operate. >> I'm not I'm asking you to illustrate. Okay. I'm asking you to illustrate >> accurately what the town's actual increases are. That's all. >> Hold on. We're we're all coming at this with the best of intentions. We are all trying to absorb and understand numbers. >> We have to approve a budget tonight. And moving forward, you know, this is a a constructive

183moment where you have expertise, they have expertise. I think what the superintendent is saying is is moving forward, let's try to work together before we make these kinds of declarations in public meetings so we can so we can collaborate moving forward. And I appreciate your skills. >> I did I reached out to Greg. >> Okay. >> That was my first call when I found this. >> He was said he was going to go meet with Gina and get back to me. That's the last I heard of. >> Well, that's not exactly what the conversation said according to Mr. Zenyion. Okay. All right. So, obviously, we're all trying to work together and collaborate because we all need to be able to understand the numbers and then when people come to us as school committee members and

184then as town council members, we need to be able to understand what we're approving and be able to ask thoughtful questions. >> Absolutely. And that's my point is that they just need to know, you know, I'm not again, I'm not here to persuade anybody's vote or or, you know, slight anyone. I'm just saying they need it needs to be reflective of what the actual numbers are, what what our actual increase was. Okay? >> And and in my opinion, that's that's not what we're looking at. >> Okay? >> You know, when you see a percent increase, that is and then you go to our budget and it's a much higher number, $350,000 higher, >> that's it's confusing, we'll say. >> All right. Thank you. I think it's confusing sometimes to those of us around the table

185because the these numbers are moving targets. As Gina said, state aid changes their students coming in and out of district that changes. We've got DCYF transportation issues. So, um, but I appreciate your your feedback and I think we all do around the table and, you know, I want to thank, you know, Greg and and his team because they work around the clock and making sure that we can sort of understand and digest these numbers. So with that being said, we have to potentially approve this fiscal year 27 budget tonight. >> Well, you approve it and then adopt. >> Yes, that's officially the word the char act. >> Okay, so wait a minute. It says budget workshop and vote on school committee approval of the fiscal year 27 budget. >> Don't leave. Don't leave. >> I

186was trying to say something. >> Yeah. No, it's okay. >> Go ahead, Tyler. Thank you all. It's been a pleasure working with you. >> Okay. All right. I don't know where to go from here. So, um, if somebody can tell I'm sorry. >> No, I we still have district business, but thank you for your input. Um, we still have district business. So I think we with you know Brian's comments and then with Gina's comments I think the committee and I'm going to speak for myself. I appreciate these numbers. I need to understand what the overall budget increase number is and then what is the impact on all three towns? Can we start there potentially? >> Yes. So the overall with you want with state aid that there's two charts. one that shows you with state

187aid, the preliminary state aid, and one that shows you without state aid, just local contributions. >> Okay. So, that is what we received today. >> Nope. Well, you guys got it Friday, but then we updated the numbers like you had the numbers and we added the tables for everybody today. >> Okay. >> So, just this the updated numbers. >> Yes. >> Those are what we know as of today. >> So, should I should I read these? It's online. anyone you can read it online, but it's online for everyone that needs to see. >> So, this says preliminary draft overall budget increase before state aid based on superintendent recommendations 4.75%. Charles Town is a 4.05% increase. Mr. Zen, correct me if I'm wrong. Richmond 4.11%. Hopington 5.8%. after state aid is an overall increase of 4.99%.

188Charles Town would be 5.02%. Richmond 7.82%. Hopington 2.11%. So you can see how state aid >> it came down >> impacts the numbers. >> All right. So where do we go from here? So the approval is not that you're approving the budget. So there's two words in the cher act. One is the adoption. The adoption isn't what happens after the district financial meeting. You're just approving to move forward to begin your process of this taking over the budget. >> It becomes our budget. >> Yep. That's it. >> And I I understand that. So >> you don't have to make any decisions tonight because you're still workshopping. >> Correct. Okay. So, our question la uh last week was well my question was um the 10-page budget, the 0.5% reduction on any line item that didn't include

189salary or benefits. And Gina, believe me, I understand you need to pay the Ryan Center a certain amount of money. Like, I get that. So we ran it and um so we put it into Excel and we anything that was 4% or higher and then we deducted a point five 0005% >> and it was $53,000. >> Okay. It's in there. >> Okay. >> So we we gave it to you Friday, but then we all know the $53,000 number we did it. That one was new for you today because we still had to run all that but um we added it to your updates. So, it's about $53,000 that you'd want if you want to cut it. That's what the the percentages would be. >> Okay. Any other input from the committee? >> Laura, I just

190have a question. So, are we when when changes get made to um you know, because I remember when Lynn got up and spoke at the the last meeting, she said I brought up the thing about the art teacher >> and and the music teacher for Hope Valley, and she said that it was >> that basically the spreadsheet was not correct, but it was correct in your guys' system by the >> Yes. So, so how do we get can the committee request the correct version I guess is what I'm asking like if there's something like that where it's just a misallocation of a code are we able to request a a >> so we did um meet with Ket on Monday >> okay >> to see if um and they are going to meet with us

191to train us on how to produce our reports through Ket >> okay they're going to build up the documents >> so we wouldn't because right now what we're doing is we're taking net and then we are building a whole separate Excel worksheet document to present to you and then the minute you change one thing we have to go into key net and fix it but at some point we can we don't fix this 10 pager or 56 pager anymore >> so we're so for I mean it's it serves a purpose you see it you get um it's also some um if like for example if we switch numbers and you point that out, then we just switch it back. >> But some of the mistakes you found are like um we had our PD and

192our salary just reversed, but the end line is still the same. So when that's a where I'm looking more at the end line first, do the code numbers will work themselves out as we budget throughout the year, >> right? So when you go to the audits in our financial system, it's accurate. So that this is what's happening is we're asking people to do double the work. So when it's conver when we're converting from our key net system, you know, and again, we're all doing a million jobs. So let's I I think that's where we're doing our best, but when people say that we we have, you know, maybe people cut I I can't keep running Excel spreadsheets without staff. And Mr. Zenian is more than just the finance director. Again, that was a decision that

193the committee made years ago. He he's not typically you'd have a business officer who just does finance. That's not what we do. Now Kingson hired a CFO who just does the budget. That is a big and then you have him doing all of the building committee, all of the administration work, all of the food services, all of the transportation. This is where we want to give you everything, but if you I I'm going to say if you want the filt, you got to give me the money for the filt, but I got money for a slider and I can only do so much and I'm doing the bad and I think we're doing a pretty good job. But there comes a time where even we have to say time out. You know, we don't have

194the bandwidth. >> So, go ahead, Jess. >> Um, so, you know, I just want to start with I appreciate what we've done already in this budget with increasing the preschool rates. Um, the oil spill rebate that was $20,000. Um, the transportation increase, smoothing that increase out. um our policy managing the annual school district budget policy. You know, it says that we the school committee collaborates with the superintendent to develop the annual operating budget, review budget expenditures on a regular basis and works with the superintendent to resolve any adjustments needed to maintain a high quality educational program and a balanced budget. Um I think that we have been doing that. You know, this the update you sent those pages of questions, I think most of them were mine. Um, so I feel like I'm doing my

195due diligence. >> Um, but I'm not finding areas to cut. And I think I appreciate creative ideas, a different approach, say let's look at these items and cut, but it's still the same um method, which is let's cut. And we've done that consistently the whole time I've been around. you know, hasn't been for decades, but you know, for several years, this school budget has been cut systematically year after year. And >> with my children, my son at Richmond Elementary School, and we heard from another parent, the challenges at Richmond Elementary School, because we closed Halt Valley last year, are real. They are felt every single day by families in that school. And our cuts have an impact. And I have seen it. I have felt it. Um, I'm not really moving I would not like

196I would not like to move forward with any cuts tonight. I would like to move to approve this budget and we can discuss it at further meetings um and have some there's been a lot of back and forth with materials and updates and it's hard to um >> adjust >> get it straight and adjust. >> This isn't going to be popular but um the only But I can see if you want any cuts going forward. It's going to be addressing the sports programs. Um, years ago that happened in Coventry and I know it wasn't popular, but you know, that's how they ended up surviving. Okay. Well, I make a motion. >> We have a motion to approve the >> Okay. Okay, we have a motion and a second. >> And that just to clarify, it

197doesn't mean this is the budget that's going to voters. It means we're >> adopting it, but that's not the word. That's the next word. Correct. We're approving it. >> Um we're, you know, I would like to thank the superintendent for her work. There there were a number of cuts that have already been made. I think that's been made very clear to us. That's a big takeaway from what we've gone through so far. >> Yes. So, I appreciate that. Um thank you for clarifying that. There will still be more discussion on this at the March meeting before we and then we'll have to adopt the budget at the March meeting. So, this isn't the end. This is just a we're voting to um own it, if you will, right? Okay. Um so, we have a motion

198in a second. Go ahead. >> Yeah, >> we have question. >> We have a motion in a second. Sure. Yeah. Um, so the only thing I would ask for in the future is not to always wait for the last possible night to make cuts. >> Yeah. >> And that's what we've done the last several years. And that's really not a good strategy. >> So I just had to give my two cents. >> Okay. So, I know we have a motion and a second on the table, but with that being said, and in that spirit, and you know, I realize that um there have been reductions made every year, the my suggestion was a half a percent, $53,000. I mean, you know, we're looking at almost a 5% increase. Go ahead, Gina. I was just going

199to say just give yourself some time because we didn't get the audit back from the transportation, but I I mean as fast as I'm going to hold my breath for that, I haven't got the DCF tuition for next year either. So there is some wiggle room. So there we may see that $53,000 if we can get some changes in the transportation. >> Um can I just follow up on that, Karen, before I recognize you? Um, so with that being said, the only other opportunity for us to potentially make changes and or reductions would be at the March meeting because we typically >> let's rule the special meeting. >> Okay, you can do it that way. >> Okay. And what the FTM we usually don't there's no usual motions at the FTM because that's us listening

200to the voters, >> right? That's the one in the CHO act where your responsibility is we don't present. We just listen to the voters. We have to have 25 voters and then your job is to listen. you've had your opportunities to discuss. It gives everybody the opportunity to come talk to all of you about what they are feeling about this budget and then you make your final decision on that March meeting. >> So the other only other time for us to consider it would be at the next meeting. So I hear you but >> we could do it at the special meeting when we do when we talk within town council. >> Okay. >> All right. So we uh Linda, did you have a comment for >> Karen? Yeah. So the ruling >> um for

201DCYF on Friday, is there any potential that >> No, actually members have reached out. So, the ruling for DCYF is something that we've we already held payment on because what the DCYF rule was they were trying to charge all districts um special ed tuition for non special education students and Newport and Cumberland um fought and won previously and then DCIF counters sued to be able to get the money back and the judge ruled um in the favor of the districts that if you don't have services then you're not going to get charged for those services. But we've already accounted for all that. So because we we we knew that it was up and we basically had heard that that wasn't going to happen. However, my fear is that we haven't gotten the nutrition for next

202year and they have this I'll call it kakami formula that nobody can exist but it's in the law that basically says you know when something goes up we're paying for it. um based on again if you go to the right website it'll show like cher like 97,000 that was last year and let's just say their budget doesn't work with our budget because it always comes in like late January February and then the tuition since I've been here every year we get we get an increase it has never ever been stable so I I think I started my first year here with like 55,000 and now it's at 97 and that's in six years so I'm not looking forward to the fact that they lost that lawsuit because I'm thinking that they're going tuition on the

203other end of it. >> Okay. Thank you. >> Thank you, Karen. All right. So, we have Samantha, did you want to come up? >> All right. I'm just mindful of time because it's 9:45. I'm sorry, >> Linda, I'm sorry. I didn't see you. >> That's okay. Just a comment to actually chair May I know I need to direct to you but I just want to ask if I could direct to my colleagues is that >> given that whether we have a special meeting or not and if we're going to be discussing the budget on the March meeting I think we all need to go home and and actually really kind of digest and figure out are we willing to make these big cuts and where are they going to be because that's the only way

204we're going to get down to the percentages that we think or you guys think that may be palatable for the for the towns. Um, I agree with Gina that as a school committee, our I think our charge is to put forward a budget that serves our kids. It's up to the I I know we try to accommodate the towns, but that's their issue. I'm sorry. And um, but again, think about do you guys want to fight this cutting sports? Do you want to cut teachers? I mean, that's the only place those are going to be only places that's going to get enough cuts to get the budget down. Samantha, before I recognize you, I just want to say that >> we have one unified elementary school that we're trying to pass. >> Understand >> in

205November. >> Understand? >> Which is going to be um >> Another expense. Another 30-year bond. >> No matter how we slice and dice it, it's another 30-year bond. >> I get nervous because when I see these numbers, I get nervous because I want the I want the one unified elementary school to pass. And now we're going to be putting out a potentially a 4.99% increase in April. >> Then in few months right after that there is a vote on a unified elementary school. And I want to hear all sides and I'm trying to absorb all sides. And I guess what I'm saying is is >> No, I get it. I get it, Louise. But I think we all need to think that, you know, are we going to be are we going to be able

206to make those big cuts? I think that's what we all need to figure out. I I just I It's going to be hard, >> right? And it's gut-wrenching and so I think you all need to, you know, figure out and give her some guard rails. Where are we going to cut? >> Yeah. I think it's a lot to ask the voters for a fairly decent size increase for the budget. And I'm not saying that the district doesn't need it. >> So, let me say that publicly. I don't want to be the one to get, you know, branded tomorrow. Louise wants to cut. She wants to gut public education. I'm not saying that. >> I understand that. >> Okay. I just I'm I'm just being respectful and direct. >> I just I'm trying to think about

207this in strategic opportunity that we have a one unified elementary school that the a decent amount of us moved forward to vote for to bring that to the voters. >> And how much can the voters absorb in one year? That's that's that's my >> that's my opinion. All right, Samantha, hold on one moment. >> Okay. Thank you, Samantha. Go ahead. Yes. >> I'll be mindful of time. Um, >> but I do want to backtrack to Mr. Roso's concerns because since I've been on council, we have taken that summary page is how I saw it because we have a summary page and summary pages are great and it has that number has been the same from the year prior to the next at least for when I've been on council and and obviously Mr. Roso has

208had similar experience for over a decade. So I find it confusing that it has this year now we're having a different number in the year prior and we're building off of something that is different when every other year it has carried over from year to year to year and and if a bigger explanation needs to be given then that's what needs to be given because I understand it didn't come out the way that you wanted but it's out there now and this room was full earlier and I know other people who couldn't stay here as long as We as long as we all could have were also concerned about that. We're increasing Richmond's budget already and now there's a another $300,000 at least there with quite frankly just it needs to be explained to the

209average voter that first of all our votes still matter but also that where it's coming from because I just think it's a very it's been a very difficult start to this year's budget process to have these numbers changing and this is also you know the first year where we're not using the budget sheet so it's just it's very confusing And I'm not going to go into the back and forth with it. I've stated my opinion and I think that directing this to the school committee, our representatives that it needs to be um explained ex way better or changed. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> So I just want to go ahead. I I just need to add because again, >> if you go back into the history, every year there's the same budget fight. So

210you have to do your due diligence and say why. While I can understand the town's, you know, are seeming um concerned about the budget change of the summary sheet, in essence, we gave you the same thing we always gave you. And the same thing happened that always happens. We end up fighting three battles. The fourth one is at the general assembly. It is not conducive to collaboration because it doesn't represent your actual budget. So, while people may not like it, the reason why I'm doing it is because you're creating a document that is already inaccurate and I'm trying to make it accurate so that it's very clear about what the is. So, all you have to do is take maintenance of effort, state aid, those numbers. I don't operate the town budget, but in essence,

211I can no longer create a document that provides a level of confusion for longer than I've been alive. >> And what I'm saying to you is that document was created before you co-op existed. And it now you're utilizing it and you're adding all of these pieces in. So people may may want to use it for their document, but in the end, my job isn't to run municipal budgets. It's to make sure the school committee has accurate information on school budgets. Why did the GA not change it every other year? >> You know, every other year we've been here, the the GA didn't change it on us. Um, so that's where I just feel like >> this. >> Yeah. Like maybe like I'm I'm here to really find out like where did this come from? >>

212What can I know what number you're >> It was in u Mr. Roso's email earlier today to you. >> I don't have Mr. Ros's email. He didn't copy me on anything. >> I don't control who copies who. again. >> Well, why don't um >> Well, I mean, it's been >> Can I just way off of the agenda, right? >> All right. So, I'm going I'm going to um >> We have a motion and we have a second to approve. >> I'm sorry. >> That's okay. The fiscal year 27 budget. Craig, you had your hand raised. Larry, you had your hand raised. >> Considering the time, chair, I will. >> So, can we vote on this and then if we need to extend Larry's next? >> I know past 10 10 o'clock, we can do that.

213Larry, >> I'm not vote for that. Okay. >> I just just want to tell you I got my reassessment on my property >> today >> and it went up $60,000 >> and I know people that went up 100 150 and >> this, you know, our pocketbooks only take so much. We got a lot of elderly in this three towns and it's going to be hurting on them. >> Yeah, >> we know that. But you all have to figure out what you're going to cut. Start at the top. >> All right. Well, who's that mean? I I need to understand that guardrail. Who's at the top that you have to cut? >> You always said we got we have to cut kids stuff. We have to cut kids come first. >> Okay. >> Well, we start

214what where can we cut in the administrative area. >> Give me an example what you want to cut because there's laws around certain things. For example, you're ask can we cut can we cut do we need two deans? Do we need you know things like that? to can we look and say, "Oh, we don't really need two deans here. Do we really need a vice principal in an elementary school? We never had it before >> because you didn't have five almost 500 kids in it. That's your decision. If that's what you want to cut, then that's what but then one at a time. You just need to put it up there and say it because in the end when we say things like cut from the top >> in high school when you do things

215that impact school safety deans are about mental health school safety. >> Well, you got you hired a bunch of social workers and stuff. You got >> so >> make the cut. >> I mean he's got the floor. Let's let him finish his thought. He let everybody finish their thoughts. So >> good. I just want to >> Okay. >> Screw that off to you. We have a motion and a second to approve the fiscal year 27 budget. Everyone, who is in favor of moving forward? >> It to approve. Adoption is the March meeting. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All in favor? >> Anyone opposed? Any abstensions? Okay, moving on. Discussion and approval of the 2027 school committee meeting calendar. So, we did review just um some clarification. The December meeting um should be early because you

216have an election year and you have to make sure that you're doing your due diligence with the Cheraho Act. So, I do not recommend that you move it unless sometimes the like the town clerk would say, "Oh, we're not going to have this um like the last time because it was presidential, they had the certification much later in November, but it this is not a presidential election, so we should be able to hit the December 7th mark to be able to do your uh re sorting of um positions based after that election. So, that's why I wouldn't change the December date. Most of the dates we did put whenever we could, we avoided the first and the third. The only times we didn't was when we we thought it would butt up against something that

217you'd have to approve in uh in relation to the education, you know, the state systems and things like that. But if there's a question about any one date, we tried to make it um as much as we could collaborating around the and um shaving away the time away from the district. Uh which bins one and three. >> Okay. motion. Jess, >> April 20th is scheduled for a school committee meeting, but on the school calendar, that's spring break. >> That one, that one, it's up to you guys. >> I would prefer to change it the week before to the 13th. >> The school committee meeting. Yes. >> We They didn't I know, >> but that's Nobody wanted it the same day as the budget referendum. >> Yeah. It wouldn't be because the budget will be April

2186th. April. Yeah. >> Okay. So, when did you want it? >> April 13th. >> Just make a motion to change that date and accept the calendar. >> I um make a motion to approve the calendar with the change of the April 20th meeting to April 13th. >> Second. >> Okay. We have a motion and a second. Any other discussion on that? >> All in favor with the with that adjustment. That's unanimous. >> Thank you. Okay. Approval and discussion of 2026 27 school calendar. All right. The school I just want to make sure Angela did the updates that Dr. Camil and I gave you on Friday. Did that get in there? >> Yeah. >> So, the dates are correct, but the language has to be updated. So, you're not approving language. You're just approving the dates.

219>> Just to be clear. >> Second. >> Motion and a second. Karen, >> uh, the January 7th early release day. Can we move that to the >> We can't. No, we already asked that question. >> The January. Nice. >> Oh, did we move it? >> No, that's >> Oh, no. We did move that one. I'm sorry. >> It's just changed January, but I don't know why this was not updated. I apologize. >> I don't know why. >> This says January 14th, early release day. >> January 14th. >> She said January 7th. >> Yeah, the one in the the one on the in the packet. >> Not in the packet. It should be online in in your in the folder. >> It is. That's what I'm >> But I just clicked on the agenda link and

220this is what came up. >> So >> that's fine. So it is. Never mind. >> It is >> January 14th. Okay. >> So that's fine. >> Can I see yours? >> Yes. >> Where did you get yours? >> Where did I get mine? I got mine from >> Angela in my packet. All right. So on Monday. >> So then um if you got the paper packet. So I what I >> That's fine. >> Yeah. Okay. 14th. I did see that. >> But which which one is correct? >> The January 14th should be correct. Correct. Yes, the the one in the packet was correct. I apologize to those of you who are online. It should have been updated for everybody. >> All right. Any more discussion on this? We have a motion and a second. All

221those in favor of approving the 2026 27 school calendar. >> I. >> So, we will post the >> Wait, hold on. Anybody opposed? >> Larry, did you raise your hand? >> Oh, yeah. >> To approve it. Let's get going. >> All right, let's get rock rocking and rolling. >> We will post it on the website and we will send it to all parents the approved calendar. >> All right, consent agenda items. >> No, you >> discussion budget transfers. >> Oh, I'm sorry. Second move. >> Motion to go past 10 o'clock. Thank you. >> You may, but I don't know if um we're going to agree to that. >> Um so we have a motion. >> We have a second. >> Get five minutes done. Let's go. >> Fine. Everyone voting fine. All those in favor

222of going past 10 o'clock. >> Okay. Then the rest of >> All those opposed over then we mot then uh we have a motion to adjurnn. >> If I could do the consent agenda before you all walk away because then if not things like >> Sunderland uh extension is on there. >> Do you want them in season five? They do. They didn't do any >> They did. They did. Yeah. >> No. No, we never did. >> No, you didn't do the transfers. And again, >> guys, let's >> We got bills. We got bills to pay. >> And it's going to cause you You're going to have to pay late fees if you don't do it. >> I make a motion to go past 10:00. >> Thank you, Paulie. >> Is anybody second? >> All right.

223All those in favor? >> Okay, we're going to do it. >> Let it go. >> All those all those opposed. I want to go home and go to bed. >> All right. Discussion and approval of budget transfers. Greg, do you have any input on this? >> So move. >> Second. >> No, I said Greg Zenya, not Craig Luzan. >> No. Recommended as approved. >> Okay. >> So moved. >> All those in. >> Do we have a second? All those in favor? >> Who seconded it? Karen. >> Larry, did you vote? Yes. >> Yes. >> Okay. >> Consent agenda items. >> I recommend that you approve all consent agenda items as presented. >> So move. >> Second. But madam chair >> before you do >> before we do I want to acknowledge the donations. One donation

224of a dollhouse with accessories >> for Richmond Elementary School from the Howard family. Thank you very much. >> Thank you. >> Two donation from Reeba Rhode Island Builders Association of $3,91 to CTC for the construction of Project Playhouse. Second. >> Second. And can we also Yes. The donation this evening of the snow removal. >> Yes. SNS landscaping. >> I'm sorry I did not recall that. >> Thank you. >> But thank you very much, >> Mr. Sunderland. He um it's actually the contract is by the hour >> based by equipment pieces of equipment. So if you want to have extra walkways and things done, you're going to have another piece of machinery put on that at whatever the code is for the machinery per hour. >> All right. We're not I'm not entertaining any more questions

225because of the hour that it is at this point. So we do have a motion and a second. So all those in favor of accepting that consent agenda items. >> Yay. >> Unanimous. So just for my reports, you can see the subcommittee reports and the transportation subcommittee are already there for you. Just an update strategic planning update. Just to remind many of you may be new to the strategic planning. So publicly per the law we have to we have to present publicly the strategic plan. You technically don't have to approve it. You guys like to prove all kinds of stuff, but you but it's we the bride has to approve our strategic plan, but we ask for committee feedback. You'll be getting our draft goals. We will be giving you a Google form to be

226able to be able to share with us your feedback. It is presented by our teachers and our students most likely at our April meeting or May meeting. Um and again, not for approval because school committee doesn't approve. bride approved strategic plans, but it's for feedback and it's supposed to be presented to the public and then um we will be sun seting vision 2026 in December but this budget prepares for vision 2020 um our first year of vision 2029. So survey works current survey is up and running. We are looking to get as much um surveys uh feedback as possible. This allows us to have specific needs addressed within our school improvement teams. This is where a lot of our our parents if you can't come to a PTO meeting or a school improvement team meeting

227or a school committee meeting this is a great way for us to know what you what how you feel about things happening in our district. So please go to the e update and uh fill that out or our Instagram which you will see and thank you for your time. >> Thank you Gina. Okay. School committee requests for future agenda items or legal opinions. Do we have anything else to add? Karen, go ahead. subcommittee please. >> Okay. >> For an update. >> Just make sure that if you can put that in writing to myself, Gina, and Angela, and I will make a note of it. Thank you. >> I would like a I would like to create a policy for the school district for the social media use of teachers and volunteers. >> Okay. Again, if

228you can put that in writing, I would appreciate that. To myself, Gina, and Angela. Jess, did you have your hand raised? Um, yeah. I would like to draft a resolution regarding DCYF tuition. >> Okay. Do you want to just put that in writing and um that would be great. >> Okay. >> Appreciate it. >> Mr. Mr. Luzon second. >> All in favor? I >> unanimous. Good night.