001Silence. >> Thank you. Pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. >> There's no one signed up for community comments tonight. So, u we have scheduled a close session with our attorney. We're going to go do that now. Um not sure how long that'll take, but we'll be we'll be back as soon as that close session completed. I need to I just ask to let y'all know that everything is still rolling, recording. Let him call me. >> Are you talking to one person? to me. >> It was reflecting the kind of day I've had. >> Well, you want to say no. >> No, I understand it. It doesn't surprise. Oh, how many for
002something. Congratulations. congratulating ourselves how well we're not the reason >> there's an interesting article I read And they are spending less and getting results. >> Yeah. So it's >> Yeah. We can do that. It's not just a But that's one of the things that Mississippi did to do this is they did a lot of testing. Well, I wonder if nobody say >> no, I absolutely agree. just used to step It was the truth. >> It was >> Well, but I I also some of those are And it's it's so needless. >> It does. I have met Yeah, people used to do I'm sorry. Never heard them. school. >> Oh, I remember I remember school. was terrified. >> That's a different thing. It's not >> actually you're not. I said I remember there isn't a strange
003up there. I remember beautifully on her wall. I just don't think it's the same. I'm not comment But it's just believe it or not. No, it was these two guys from Chicago who ran >> and they closed down and it's Mexican that Absolutely. >> Well, swim I think it's just solid white. In fact, It's a building. >> It's like two buildings. That was it. >> Really good. July. It's worth it. >> Perfect. That's right. All right. >> West Tennessee. Well, it's kind of going >> to Well, that's true. supposed to stop airport. So come over I went to school here. >> I wouldn't say no to it. >> I tried. No, but that's an immigration lawyer. >> He really is. >> Not everything. >> Yeah. Okay. >> For every that I just read. >> Okay.
004>> Yeah. 11:55 today. >> Yeah. >> Wow. >> Later. Me too. Yeah, me too. >> Yes, ma'am. >> What's your real name? >> Louise. L O U I S E. >> I lost that. >> What' you think it was? >> Oh, did you? >> I named after my mama, Mary Louise. >> She got your m name. >> Louise. Louise and too. I need Louise. >> We're named after big people. >> My mama said she named me after a movie star. >> I don't know which one. >> And I found a 1930s. I found a her star on her that I got it on my phone somewhere whenever we went to LA. did the walk. >> I'm here, Diane. >> You know, crisis, it likes to hit the minute I leave. Try to leave. >> I
005thought a medium was going to be a regular medium. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Friend of mine calls day in the life of Sherry. All right, we'll call this meeting back in session. First agenda item are policies to address them. So, uh these three policies as you all know we have monthly policies that we review that's reviewed by uh supervisors, principles and you all have the opportunity as well to review them. Um these three are a little bit different. The first thing is uh the first one is 1.403 which is agendas. Uh what we are asking what I am asking to change here um is it is in blue and typically how we do this is you know we have a a work session or a board meeting on Thursday the agenda is posted on Friday.
006Um, and typically we don't have problems with that, but sometimes we do have some issues that come up and we need to add additional items. So, we are adding uh with supporting materials at least 48 hours prior to the meeting. Now, we have been in touch with TSBA to find out what they advise on this and uh while county commission and county government does focus and have a Tennessee code that does say they need to do it 48 hours prior to the meeting, uh school boards are within a reasonable and appropriate time or something like that. We don't have a designated time. however would like to stick with the 48 hours uh to be trans somewhat transparent and that's why that code the Tennessee code has been put on the bottom. So that would be
007something you all would vote on next um Thursday >> for first reading. >> This Yes, this would be first reading. All of these would be first reading. We've seen several of them several times, but we're still trying to get to that first reading on them. Um, so the next policy is policy 6.3 071. Uh, this has gone back and forth as you all know. Uh, it's drug testing. Um, some districts have it, some districts don't. Um, and then there's the the random piece. Um, and then there's for cause. And that's kind of where we're at on what's how do we want to govern this as a how do you all as a board want to govern this. So, you know, just um we have pulled some model policies. Those have been sent to you in
008your Monday emails. Um but I'm not sure that any of the model policies has a uh just cause. I think most of them are random, right? There there are there are a couple that have four cause in them along with random. >> Yeah. Had one thing if I may please. >> Yes sir. >> Line six word nine word will. Can that be changed to May or should it be changed to May? >> Line six. >> Will is a command that will be done every year whether we do want to or not. It's not random to the point. That's >> so what how that would read then Mr. King is randomly throughout the school year mandatory substance screenings may be required. >> Right. >> Is that the word you're asking to be changed? >> I think
009so. Yes. >> Okay. >> I would I would add to that same a little farther down you would add that. Scroll scroll down a little more please. So right there random test procedure random drug testing may be conducted not less than two times at very yeah >> line four. >> So where wills are change it to maze. >> Yeah. >> And I was looking at just for consistency under definition of terms line 11 where we say extracurricular is defined as. Then when you go down to line 14 where it says drugs, we're not saying is defined as. So I didn't know if we needed to carry that same defined as from extracurricular also down to drugs. >> We will >> some page one. >> Gotcha. >> Line 11, line 14. >> Absolutely. >> May need
010to look at all the shells too because that's kind of the same premise. Anything else? >> I just wanted to say that because of our policy 6.307 which is students will not consume or use drugs that I feel like we need some type of policy for cause or or reference a state law that allows that. So just just so we can get students help if they need it. >> Okay? >> Because right now we say that we're going to take care of that situation, but we have no we have no policy that guides us through how to do that. So I just feel like we should look at that to just to help just to make sure we can help our students if they need it. >> Are you thinking more a policy or more
011like a procedure, a process? >> I think I think a policy is fine. there are policies out there for that. >> So, what I can do is um I will um look at some of those four causes that we've pulled up in the past tonight and add a section to add a a blurb to this and then I will send that out to you all in the morning. I >> think again it's it's a it's a May situation. It's a if if uh discretionary needs justified. Okay. Anything else on that one? Okay. So, the next one is uh equipment and supplies. And it's been a day or two since I've looked at this one and I can't remember. Uh maybe it's something to do with uh something about it becomes the property of the board.
012Is that is that what we >> Yeah, I think so. That's right. Okay. >> And this is our policy, not the model policy. Is that correct? >> Okay. So, is there a model policy that you can share with us before maybe the next meeting? >> I share it tomorrow. >> Okay. I have one. >> I think that's the only line that we were talking about in the previous meeting. >> And I'm sorry. Can so what what do we not like? What are we wanting changed on this? >> I think the the question was is are there any legal concerns with that? What's the model policy say? Does it say that any material >> becomes any material left in the school becomes the property of the board? >> Okay. I'm sorry I couldn't remember. So you
013model policy in January. >> I I can send it back to the top of your box. >> Okay, that's fine if we have it. I just thought it model policy was what we were going to discuss today and this is our policy and not the model >> and and I misunderstood that. But yeah, we can get it back. I think one of the questions was about the also with this is about like teachers that have their own desk or whatever that they bring into the classroom or something like that and we're assuming control of that whenever they bring it in. >> And I think that's going to be more like of an inventory issue and you're going to have a school inventory list for your classroom and your personal inventory for your classroom. >> Yeah.
014But according to this policy, it's saying all equipment placed in the school building becomes ours more or less. And that's why it was brought up to >> Right. Right. >> be changed or >> reworked. >> Um because if somebody brings their own chair or their own desk or something like that, it's not >> we don't necessar Yeah. But um according to this policy it is they are >> says all means all. >> I think we'd also discussed that it wasn't just the >> the boards >> location. Oh, >> it wasn't just inside the confines of the buildings is >> correct because it's not >> it was uh I think modified yeah to school school property to some extent. And the question at that's where I think we landed with how how does this follow what's
015out there in in model policy land. >> Yeah. >> So along that lines if it's placed here for use or donated that's what we're talking about. I think we've got rented copy machines and everything else is placed here. So they're not ours. >> True. Maybe it goes in inventory procedure. I don't know. >> Anything else on equipment and supplies? >> That's good. >> So, next we have the strategic plan revision. Hopefully, this is the last time. No, no, no. >> Next year. >> Sure. We will revise this next year because we'll have test scores. So, the one thing uh that has been changed, the only thing on this that has been changed um is under the human resources and retention and um I strongly encourage to change that to retention of staff 2% annually. And
016here's why. Nobody in this office, nobody at this board that I've questioned can tell me where 78 to 80% came from. >> I was just going to ask you where that came from. >> Nobody knows. So uh what I am >> original strategic planning is what I figured when we talked about it. But >> so what I am in the process of doing is arriving uh as I have with many other items uh since we started our strategic planning revisions and I'm establishing a baseline. So, and that involves looking at every school, every employee, counting how many we had at the end of last year, how many were retained at the end of last year to get a starting percentage for this year going forward. So, that's where we are and that is the one
017change that I would ask uh for you all to make and this would need to be a voting item next week for you to adopt that change. >> Does anybody have any questions about that? >> So, just one question. I I like it. Bless you. >> Um, we're we're already saying we need to >> increase retention by 2%. >> No. >> Really, what we're saying is we're going to create a baseline to establish whether or not we need to have a plan to improve retention. Well, that's kind of not how I'm how I'm how I'm reading that is a baseline would be established and then we would strive every year to make our conditions better to be able to retain at least an increase of 2% each year. I'm just thinking about employment in general
018saying like do we know if we have too many or do we know if we have too few or do we know specifically what departments need more people which departments need less people. So just a general review of retention and saying hey we just need to keep 2% more every year is a little vanilla in saying we got a lot of people here we may not need as many in one area as we do another. So my thought would be in human resources would be to understand what areas can we best or better support would be my thought instead of just saying we need to keep 2% more people for the sake of what like what why do we know why do we need 2% more people every year? That's that's what I'm my question
019I guess to the board would be is do we know why we need to add we need 2% more people every year >> because I don't think we've ever been overstaffed everywhere >> especially with teachers and teachers assistants >> things like that right I mean are we ever overstaffed >> I that's what I'm ask that's what I'm asking I'm just saying like in g can we lock in on that before we just say we got to increase this number >> okay So, how do you think it how does it need to read? >> Because here's the thing. So, right now, to my knowledge, we are completely staffed. I signed a blue form this week. We're completely staffed for custodians. Yay. Check. Uh teachers assistance. We still have some gaps along the way that I know.
020Uh in talking to Miss Hamby, I think she said that she's fully staffed and has been the majority of the year. Um, you know, we know we're short with bus drivers. Um, so, you know, th those are our big classified pots that I know we have. Um, teaching shortages. Um, other than what we've done um when we added the new third grades, uh, for the most part, we've got our teacher positions filled. >> Great. So >> yeah, I would just uh review review current um departments for to establish balance of retention or reduction based on need would be the way I would word that >> based on the need. I think just trying to go back to when we were originally meeting on the strategic plan years ago, >> there was talk amongst the group
021of people that were involved in that that we were losing people. And so I think it was just an overall >> try to yeah keep staffed and address issues that might be causing them to walk away from the position regardless of what position it be, bus driver or teacher or whatever. So, um I think it was just more but generally we need to start addressing excuse me those issues and try to keep that re retention um at a higher rate instead of losing. >> So it was more related to employees leaving the district >> leaving the district and trying to hone in on why and what were the issues and what can what can the district do about that. So again, tell me how you all want this worded. >> If I were going to
022reward reward it, I think I would have it include the fact that okay, the 2% is are subjects that we can affect positively. There's still going to be people leave. There's going to be people that promote. There's going to be people that get new jobs. Be people retire. Going to be people quit. It don't matter what you do. But maybe just have it worded. If I was going to change the wording, I would have it include that, you know, 2% of things that we can affect some something along those lines because, you know, there there's parts of this we'll never be able to >> monitor retention and improve where possible. I don't know how exactly to word it. Something to work on, but >> improve at risk areas. So areas that seem to be losing
023people at a rate that others are not. So if bus drivers are constantly down based on the amount of positions by 15% on average, we have 100 positions. We only keep 85 of them filled. Then we could say, okay, we really need to see that number closer to 90. That would be a 5% increase in that area. >> So a combination of what you two are saying is monitor risk areas. >> Yeah. Establish risk areas >> and increase the retention in those risk areas by 2% annually or more. Sure. Right. >> It's good. >> I think I have it >> for the final. >> The good news is we can we can write this down. That's what the work session's awesome about. I was like, we can brainstorm this, >> write it down, come back
024between now and the next session, be like, hey, >> and then we can talk about it next time that we need to vote for >> monitor retention of all employees, especially in risk areas and increase retention in risk areas by 2% annually. >> Yeah. By the same token, I think reviewing areas for uh >> need >> either need and or I don't want to say reduction, but obviously sometimes there are areas that have become inflated and we need to adjust accordingly. So, however we want to write that up >> monitoring positive outcomes. >> Anything else that anybody wants to add? Okay, this will be sent to you in your Monday email updated changed on the >> and changed. Oh yeah, and changed on the agenda. Um so the next thing is the do evaluation. So
025as a result um that 78% was in my align in my evaluation as well. So, uh, since no one knows how you how any of us arrived at that, I would ask that we remove that and whatever we put in the strategic plan that that is matched in my evaluation. >> Definitely. Okay. Okay. So that brings us to item number seven, pay scales. >> Mr. Chair, before we get into this, may I just remind everybody of a couple of things. So, we've got a a lot of information that's on the agenda for today, and I just wanted to remind everybody of our annual operating budget policy that's out there. Um, it's policy 2.2000. So specifically the part of that budget that mentions budget preparation shall be with the responsibility of the director of schools. The
026director of schools will establish procedures for the involvement of staff including requests from department heads and principles all of whom shall seek advice and suggestions from other staff and faculty members. This shall be completed no later than March 1st of each year. And the director of schools and the chairman of the board will prepare the and review the budget on the appropriate forms no later than March 20th. And then also in TSBA's um course board's role in full in school finance um it says the board should do the following. Develop system goals and long-range plans. Provide superintendent with general guidelines. Understand the budget process. Adopt the budget. Build support from the local governing body. Participate in governing body meetings. Approve all expenditure of funds. Review all audit reports. Adopt the budget management system. Safety security
027programs. And what we should not do of the following is specifically write the budget, administer the budget, and micromanage the budget. So I just wanted to remind everybody of that as we go into these discussions. We've got a lot of information. Dr. filing our staff has worked up a lot of information, but we need to be leaving the bulk of that work and their recommendations um on the budget and us asking questions and voting on it. So, just as I know meetings have run long with a lot of this stuff, so just a reminder to hopefully help scale down some of the conversation and defer more to Dr. Farley and her role as the director and her staff in this. >> Thank you. >> So in looking at this and the timeline that we established
028uh the budget timeline we established in December just to remind everybody at the next meeting hopefully we will be prepared and we will be able to um come up with approved pay scales and and hopefully even insurance. that would be an added bonus um because we need that piece because that's 85 to 86% of the total budget. So we need that so we can know how to better prepare and trickle down. So um as you know we had a meeting on Monday uh with the teachers group and we shared with them and it was on the uh agenda. Last Friday we shared four different pay scale options. >> Uh one thing that had was discussed is um you all wanted to maintain or start kind of where you started last year which was to have
029a balance scale >> which you would have the the same amount of money from a bachelor's to a master's masters to an EDS EDS to a doctorate. you would have that balance and then you would have the balance between the steps. Uh and also one thing that you're going to have to have and you can see where areas are highlighted. We do have certain state minimums that we have to meet and those are given to us based on where our pay is. So Miss Diane, if you could go to um the next one, the certified pay skills draft two. This is a whole other document. Okay, none of these look like what I saw the other day, which is throwing me off terribly because we had our little graphs and we had that they were
030linear and all of that. >> This one here. >> Yes. Well, that that's the summary of that. >> There's multiple pages, so you might have to know what page it's on. Miss Delk is is what I'm looking for down here towards the bottom. >> Yes. When you try to load that workbook onto there >> changes it. >> It changes it. >> So these instead of side by side, >> it's just scrolling up and down. >> Okay. So go back to draft two, please. >> So this is the one we talked about the other day. This is your option A. And you can see up at the top the amount between degrees and the amount between steps. And again, you received this information last Friday. Okay. So, this here is one example of um of a
031balance scale. Uh this uh would be If you chose to go with this option, it would be uh $36,918,120, which is going to be an increase of uh 2.3 million. With this current scale, with all of these four options, no one would have their pay restrained. Okay. So, you can see we've got the option A for bachelors. We've got the option A for masters. Okay, where it's highlighted in uh green is the state minimums. We have an option A for EDS and an option A for doctorate. >> Okay. So, if you look at option B, that's going to be an increase. That would cost $36,567,720 which is an increase of 1.9 million over this year. And again you can see uh the amounts between the degrees and the steps. This two is an option which
032is balanced. >> Okay. And there's for masters, there's for EDS and there's for doctorate. And what was the increase on this one? One point >> 1.9. >> Thank you. >> What's the what's the degree uh the difference in the degree level? >> Um four on option B. >> Four. >> A and B both were four. So option C this this is the first one that is not balanced. and you have uh 1,500 per year raise except where state rem state minimums require more and the doctorate is an increase of 600 a year. Um this would be $35,613,92 and that's an increase of uh a million in the budget. You have these graphed on on the >> I think so. Yes, I thought so. So, the final one is option D and can you scroll down
033just a little bit Miss so I can see. So, no, the other way. So, it this two is 1,500 per year uh except where states required more in the doctorate is 600. A and where the options are different on C and D and A and B as well. on some of them is that year 10 and 11. Okay, because those are minimum certain minimums that have to be established. So this option is going to be 35,560,238 and this comes at as an increase in the budget of 976,000. So, um, couple of things I want to share with you. TESA, okay, obviously we all know that's how our funding comes in. Um and um we have TIESA has in place a hold harmless for next year which is a great thing for us because their economically
034disadvantaged students keep decreasing because they're changing how they are classifying those students and also we are losing some enrollment to homeschool and uh private schools. So the hold harmless says that we will get the same amount of money next year that we got this year. So we know that going in. >> Does anybody have any questions about this? >> So we had mentioned some comparisons to other districts. Do do you have that available where we can look at how how competitive we are as far as strategic plan goes for rec recruitment and retainment of of employees >> for the salaries? I mean, um, do you have those graphs, Miss Dian? >> None of those are that. I mean there's multiple pages, >> but >> I think that was one of the emails you sent out
035had all the different >> Yeah, I had um there was one that I had sent around and it was counties for the most part counties that touched us. But when you and I had talked, you had said that I can't remember what you said about them that they were not >> were they not up to date because I didn't do the whole scales. what I did was just minimum years, certain minimums. Um I can share those with you again. Um and and I can I mean we can try to download and send you all the um pay scales for surrounding counties. >> I just think it's important that those are connected to the agenda so that everybody knows how we're making our decisions. Okay. And then is there any way that we can narrow this
036down to a couple of different options for the meeting versus versus so many different options? >> Okay. So, I would ask one other thing. Uh do you all want to go and look at draft one? That was where we had started all of the budget stuff. Uh this I mean this has been on the agenda. This was not shared the other night with with the teachers. Would you please click on uh draft one, Miss Diane, please? And thank you. And I don't have notes. I don't know if this is um one of our balanced where we did steps. Do you remember Miss Delt? >> Yeah, it's it's this was the very beginning for me. >> So this is when we first started. >> So our best working drafts are what we have what we shared
037the other night with the union which is just what I shared with you which is op um option A, B, C or D. Um, so I don't know. And you can see there that's the sum that's that says it's draft one. Um, this is this was a little bit different because there's going to be some restraint here, but you can see the differences. And this is option one, not op or draft one, not draft two, which is what I had just shared with you. The draft two from what you're saying is further along in the process. So it has more of the comprehensive information correct been applied to those drafts. The options in that draft too because we've been working on these probably for three weeks. >> So you know when we we we sat
038here at the meeting one of the meetings and somebody said well why do we have to start at 50,000? So the next day what Miss Dell did is when we started these pay scales, we started most of them above the 50,000 minimum. So you know we take your input even if it is just in general and in passing and and try to accommodate requests that we think you may have. So, um but yeah, I would definitely focus more of my attention on um draft two and then I think you all as a board need to decide the direction in which you are wanting to go if you're m wanting to maintain the um the work that you started last year and trying to make sure that you had balanced scales. and help us remember our
039focus. Right? So the balance scale was a primary focus, right? We wanted to make sure predictable um duplicable uh and understandable as people progressed their journey through our district. >> Other focus is what? So as we're reviewing these, I guess that's what I'm asking if the board or you refresh us so everybody's aware. How should we be viewing this? Right? We're looking at 18 options. Obviously, draft one, draft two, right? We got to narrow it down. We're all working on on that, you know. So, good stuff there. But what lenses would you recommend we look through as we start honing in on those less options, two or three options. >> If you want to continue the path you started last year in the progression and it being predictable like you said, and and working to
040balance it out for everybody. because that was one of the big issues. >> That's what I've heard over and over. >> It's just been sporadic on how and where we give percentages over the years or dollar amounts over the years without having any real data behind it. We got out of out of whack for how people were paid based on positions and it wasn't very fair with some of the data that we were looking into. So I think that was a big thing for the balance and also for budgeting going forward right as we're doing a strategic budget plan. um making sure that it's predictable and that the employees understand it and that we we're in a good place for budgeting. So balance and then impact on five-year plan. >> And then whi which of
041these would give us the opportunity to impact retention and promotion of our district would be possibly a third like how do we become how do we help position oursel in our area be attractive and set oursel apart for recruiting for retention. I think we also looked at not cutting salaries or positions and not creating salaries. That's a goal. >> Yep. To consider >> and with draft two that does not happen. >> With any of the four options that does not happen. >> So based on the discussion we're having here and the fact that draft two is more comprehensive based on the work that's been done, we just really need to focus on draft two at this point. >> Yes. And there is um and you there's another um summary Miss Diane that says draft two.
042>> It's at the end of all the >> click on that please and thank you. So there you can that that was the sheet when I was reading to you the amount that was the sheet that that came to and you can see the footnotes there about option A versus option B and u option A and option B and then you can see what it says about option C and D >> not so much as >> basically it's the the years are the your difference in your 10 and 11. So, >> so none of those options, excuse me, none of those options there showed no wage restraints for >> correct >> zero wage restraints for this draft. >> One of our goals. >> Correct. So looking at the draft two of the balanced options, if
043the board has still agreed that we're wanting to continue forward with trying to balance things, >> what would be the director and administration's recommendation of those two? taking everything into consideration as we've been working on this. >> The only difference in A and B is where um the minimum requirement for a masters of 61 380 is placed. Um and and you do generate a little bit more savings with B, but they both have the same amount between each degree and you also have the same amount between each step. So you're I mean you're going to have a little bit of savings. It's going to be below 2 million if you go with B compared to A. >> And in the from the data that you got with calling around to the districts or looking into
044the surrounding districts, which one of these two would put us in a better or in a competitive position? I would have to go back and look because um you see all of this stuff and I've got this here that's been dealing with pay pay scales and insurance and I can't remember. >> I mean either one of them is going to be pretty good because of the the difference in your degrees and the steps. >> I think the 61 380 has to be in year 11. >> Okay. I don't think it can it can't be in >> and I can look that but I mean I'm just reading what it says there. Option A places the requirement at year 10 and option B places at year 11. To me that's one of the only differences that
045really stands out to me. So I would just have to look and and research that. >> I see it could be it could be earlier. It just can't be later. Okay. >> That's what it is. >> Now is year 10 really year 11 because your first year zero >> so we're okay. >> I will double check to make sure. Uh we have a we have a person that that we talk to >> and all these different options. Do we have people's salaries frozen still? >> No, ma'am. That's what I've said. Uh with um with draft two, no one is frozen on any of these options here. No one. >> Yeah. >> She changed it from frozen to restraints. >> Yep. >> So now she's saying zero restraints. I think the only the only thing I
046would like to see additional to this is just that comparison >> for other districts for other districts. >> I've already got that down to to make sure that you can see >> like on the agenda for and I've got that put on the agenda. Yes, sir. >> Uhhuh. >> That means there's zero. >> Is there any other questions on pay scales? >> No ma'am. any projection on impact of retirement obligations by raising our our salary by X dollars like what would be the impact of that? >> Hadn't looked at that. Hadn't even thought about that >> because that'll be an additional cost. So if we inflate our salary number that's a match we're required to to meet >> retirement >> and retirement benefits as well. I have made a note of that. Uh the next
047item on that same is the uh we need to go to pay scales miss Diane uh classified. Okay. So, we have two options here as well. Um, we have one I'm thinking we have one that has a uh 1.5% increase and one that has an equalized stepped. Is that correct? >> Huh? >> The percentage one isn't in there. >> I think our focus was to go with a flat. >> Right. >> So, >> I do have one if I need to add it. So we have this and I think that is a is it a quarter? Did we discuss a quarter >> between each step? And again that would be another well it says it right there. 50 cent step increase. Um um this would be another balance a balance scale because everybody would have
048a 50 cent increase between each step. Is that across the board? Is that is there there was a >> to my knowledge? Yes, that's across the board, Miss Del. Correct. >> It was. I did intend to make it a dollar for those that only got the 2% last year, the 260 days. >> Um, but that one went through instead of the one with the dollar. So, I do have that as well if they would like to see that one. Yeah. And one of the one of them that you sent out for us to look at had like there was like seven or eight that wasn't counted as Hold on. I'll pull it m I think the dollar one is on here. If it's the same one >> it's for the 260 days like the high
049school bookkeeper >> the Yeah. school secretary, LPN mechanic, custodian. >> There's a couple of um couple of them on the other one that only got 2% last year as well instead of the 10%. >> So, if I remember right, the intent was to go away from percentage raises because the lower the lower the pay scale, the less the raise, right? And so, that skews everything higher on the higher end. That's why we went away from percentages. And the reason we did a 10% on the lower end was because it had been done that way for so long. So it was a catchup. >> Yeah. >> I when I came in last year, you all had already gone through this process. I just got to go sit in the hot seat and show everybody it. >>
050Yes, you did. >> Trial by, right? >> Absolutely. Tough as nails. Don't mess with me. So, are you all good? Uh, do you want to see another equalized increase for classified? Um, >> how does this put us competitively as well with this desense >> and that I I have >> question? >> I haven't even looked at that. you there's, you know, we're we're trying to make sure that you have what you need as far as those. So, and we have got down to compare different things, but just not been able to get everything compared. >> So, something I would ask is if we could see an option that was consistent across the board. >> Okay. Explain, tell me. When you say consistent, what do you want consistent across the board >> instead of 50 cents
051for I mean, everybody's working a number of days, right? There's an hourly rate, but it's a number of days. So, 180 or 182 or whatever it is, and then you've got 260, >> everybody's getting an hourly rate for that hour and that day. >> So, I'd like to see personally an option that gives everybody the same the same pay increase across the board, no matter how many days you're working. >> Yeah. And then I'd like to see something that um that compares to other districts and something that looks at longevity. So our employees that >> so I mean we have our longevity here and then that you know I mean what they get. >> So you're wanting >> how much does that cost currently and and what would it look like if we if we
052increased or changed the longevity? >> Got it. So Scott, clarify for me. When you're asking about the same amount regardless the number of days they're working in my mind, if everybody's getting, let's say, 50 cents on the hour, right? They're all getting the same raise, but some people just work more days than others, which means they're going to make more money because they work more days. So I'm not grasping the what you're saying about because that to me this seems like it's So >> is the is the 260 or whatever are they in this 50 cent step raise increase? >> So when you look up at the top, can you scroll down just so when you look up at the top it has different people in what what they work. So like if you look
053at first custodian mower, they're not going to be a 260. They're not going to be a year round. But if you go four over, a maintenance custodian works 260 days. So you've got people on this scale that work 260 days. You've got people on the scale that work 27 days. You've got people on the scale that work 182. So it it's all they all work some of them work different days. >> So with this with what you've got right here is already what Scott's asking for basically is everybody's getting the 50cent raise regardless, right? >> No 260 in this one. This is all less than 260. No, maintenance custodians are 260. >> Maintenance custodians are 260. >> So, all of the 260s are on this scale. So, so I'm I'm wondering why the two different
054options, but the other one only had three columns and it was a dollar per hour on that on that one, but >> can you scroll back up, Diane? So that one is just three positions that are 260 getting a dollar and every other position is getting 50 cents. So I'd like to see an option where they get everybody gets 50 cents or and everybody gets a dollar. >> Okay. >> Cuz it's an hourly it's an hourly rate, right? >> Sure. >> Yeah. That's >> is there a reason why the three were broken out separately? So when last year when uh u pay scales were voted on and um you had you gave everybody you gave classified folks a 2% raise. So then it went you all went back and then those that worked below 260
055in the school some of them got an additional 10%. >> So some of them got a 12. So what this and we had people in the school, we have some people in the school that work a 260 day, but they didn't get the 12%, they only got the two. So this was to equalize that out. >> So that that's contradictory to why we did the percentage raise last year is what I was getting at. So the 10% was done on the bottom end because all those employees got a 5% raise just like 260s did in the past or 2% or whatever it was. You take 2% of $10 versus 2% of $20 and the people that were making $20 an hour got more of a raise. >> Yeah. >> And the people that were making
05610 did, you know, got less. >> So that's the reason we did the 10% for less than 260 is because those those were making a higher higher hourly rate. >> That's that was the just be behind the reasoning of that. >> So that was the catchup. But now that we've done that, y >> everybody should be leveled out and so this all needs to be on one scale. So you're asking for them to be combined on one scale. >> Just get rid of the 260 more or less. Get rid of the 260 >> classification and say it's an hourly position. >> It's a 50 cent raise or it's a dollar raise or it's whatever >> because everybody works by the hour, >> right? >> Mhm. >> And we will go back in and add um
057this will be gone. We will go back in and add uh a page that has a dollar an hour per step. >> Okay. Yes. >> And then you'll have a 50 cent one and you'll have a dollar. Yes, ma'am. >> Overall cost to the budget for each of those. >> Absolutely. >> How about county comparisons? >> I've already got that down. >> Thank you. >> Mhm. >> And also, can you look at the longevity as well and see what what the cost of that is and what it would be? >> Yes, I've got that down. And to look maybe at increasing the percentages as as you said and what that would cost. Yes. >> Yes. Okay. Anything else on pay scales? Okay. So, I'm g kind kind of gonna put you on the spot here.
058So, everybody will be ready when we get you these items that you need by Monday. And everybody will be ready by Thursday. >> To vote, correct? >> Yes, ma'am. >> And if you've got questions, you're going to let me know so we can get those answered for you. Correct. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Prior to the meeting. >> So, I'll have >> prior to the meeting. Yes. We don't necessarily have to vote. It can be on there as a voting item, but it's not required that we vote if we're not ready to vote. Correct. >> Want to make that clear, >> right? >> So, if we're not clear on how much this is going to cost and how much we have to to budget for, we may put it on the table. >> Okay. >> And
059until we have the rest of the >> But if we get all the information and ask all the questions, >> you can't you can't put the cart before the horse here if we don't know how much money we have. Mhm. >> So, this may be something that we look at and say, "Okay, this is this is a $3 million increase or it's a $1 million increase. Do we have enough money to cover that?" And we may need to look at the rest of the budget before we vote. So, I that's just something that might happen so you can be prepared as well. >> Okay. >> So, in that case, we could do like a preliminary vote. >> Yeah. on how which budget we're going to allow them to move forward with >> in order to
060work forward on the rest of the budget, but we may have to come back and revisit it. >> Narrow it down to two options. >> Yeah, maybe. >> Is there a timeline that we voted on or Yes, ma'am. >> I didn't vote. You voted on in said that we would do pay scales in February that I'm I'm just trying >> I want to be proactive. I don't want to be on my heels and when I go to present, I don't I don't want to do what we've done the last few years. I want to be better. >> Yes. >> So, >> at the very least, we'll have a preliminary vote on it for what you can have to move forward with for the remainder of the budget. >> This is the direction we're heading. >>
061Yeah. Yeah. If we find we can't afford it at some point, then we put the brakes on and we can circle back around. And what I'm going to do and I get this may not be totally to the penny but our total amount that we had this year. I think that would be a good place to start. >> Okay. So on to okay so what's next is supple supplements and that's a work in progress. Um we have gone through we are looking at our supplements uh and we are looking at many different things with supplements. We are looking at so if it's a sport we're looking at the sport. We're looking at the length of the season. We're looking at um uh trying to look at the number of u athletes uh or the number
062of kids if it's a club sponsor like Beta Club. looking at the schools, looking at the number of kids that's involved and the amount of activities and we are looking at working on comparing ourselves to other counties there. Um, but my primary focus in budget preparation has been pay scales and insurance. >> Yeah. So, she Miss Delk has been working on that. We talk about different things that we're looking at, but again the primary is just looking at that and getting those numbers questions. >> So last year we put those kind of on the back burner. >> Mhm. >> Because we were working on salaries and pay scales. >> So I really think we need to get something accomplished on supplements this year. >> Okay. and what what would you like to see accomplished? >>
063So, I I think the last meeting we talked about what questions to ask and what to consider and forwarded those to you from the last meeting. So, as far as current extracurricular supplements for all employees, how are supplements derived? >> Does this consider the number of students supported? is the amount of time required considered all of those. That's what we're talking about. Yeah. >> So, I think some adjustments need to b be made to supplements based on those questions. >> Okay. >> I don't I don't know what they are. I just think there should be at least some consideration of that that can be presented to the board as to what those supplements and those requirements for those supplements. There may need need to be some adjustment there. So, Yeah, I'd like to see it
064a new plan prior to our budget. Like whatever our thought process is on supplements, it be different than what it is now prior to the budget so we can make a decision on what we want to stick with what we have, which is extremely hard to understand uh versus what we could do to make it better uh for the new year. >> Got it. Uh, next is subpay. So, um, I don't even know what month it was. I shared it with you at this point, but I shared with you, uh, results from the entire upper Cumberland and how much different uh, districts paid gave you an average. Um, and we, uh, especially on our classified, uh, we were well below the average. average would pay $75 a day. Uh we were below the average as
065well as certified. So, um what these projections are is if we go to for classified, if we go to um $90 a day, um based on what we've used now, uh that would have been $215,955 in our budget compared to the $166,242 that we've spent. So, you can you you can see the increase. If we go to $100 a day, you can see there. So, it shows the increase each one. Um, our total subpay through January the 31st was $226,991. And if we had changed to that first option, it would have been $290,766. And you can see the last one would have been 332, I think, and $23. But that was something that we had talked about as well as looking at increasing sub pay uh because you uh you all were concerned um about
066not having enough subs. We have we started this month doing the two sub trainings a month. Uh the first one we had 12 people sign up to come and one attended. >> We are conducting subtrains the second and the fourth week. Uh, I think they are held on a Tuesday at two o'clock. We're trying to be consistent to get people in the routine if that's something that they're interested in doing. Uh, we're trying to do the two a month to see if that increases. So far this month, we're not we're not burning it up. So, but again, you know, um I think this subpay would be something that we revisit once we decide on pay scales and insurance and when we talk about our supplements. >> I just had a couple questions. So, we had
067certified and retired teacher on here. Retired teacher certified, right? >> So, what that is is is that is a retired teacher from Cumberland County Schools. So, if you've retired from Cumberland County Schools and you come back and you sub instead of and I didn't set the rules, don't know what board did, but some board decided that the sub pay for a retired teacher out of Cumberland County would be $100 a day instead of 85. >> I'm just wondering what the reasoning was on having those separate categories because if they're both certified, they're both certified. Um, >> I think what they were trying to do was to promote our folks that had retired with us >> to come back. >> I wasn't, you know, I didn't >> I wasn't here then in this chair. So, but
068that would be my thought. >> How many of the sub substitutes do we have subbing for teaching positions that we're unable to fill? >> Do we have that situation >> on a regular basis? on a regular basis because we can't fill a teaching position, we're paying a substitute. >> Not that I can think of right off the top of my head. Uh where you run into that sometimes is if you've got a teacher that's graduated and their degree may not be confirmed yet or their paperwork hasn't been into the state yet or they haven't received a license yet, that's when they will receive subpay as the teacher. and and sometimes I if you can't, you know, find um but I can't remember right off the top of my head anybody that's just subbing and not
069certified for a teacher. >> Does that make sense? >> Yeah. I know that we've had some areas where we haven't been able to fill in the past >> and so we've had to bring people in and the subs become >> the regular teacher until we're able to fill it. So I situation was now >> tell now that we're thinking about it. I can tell you one at a at a high school. >> Um because I was just a little surprised at the amount that we had paid for this year in substitutes already. That surprised me a little bit. >> It's not shocking. It's about what that is every year. >> Fairly high amount. Not just necessarily for this year, but year-over-year. >> Yeah. >> Um >> it's a high amount. Absolutely. >> Yep. So, have
070you considered the incentive pay for teachers on >> I know you and I had talked about it, but um as far as putting something down on paper, no, I hadn't done that yet. Um again, as you know, my focus has been on these pay scales and insurance. >> If if you know, we're having to pay we're having to hire this many subs every year. If you offer that incentive pay that would that um reduce the amount of sick leave that you have perfect attendance bonus minus personal days for instance if they could still take their personal time but not miss any sick leave. >> Yeah because I was thinking along those same lines with the high dollar amount we're paying out in subs. Why is that? Why why do we have so many coming in
071if we're not back filling for teachers we don't have on a regular basis? Um and it's just teachers are out and what can we do to help with that cost expense? I'd rather have it go into salaries than going to subs. >> Sure. >> But I'm telling you this line is about at this this time every year. >> Yeah. That might be something for the strategic plan >> as far as sub substitutes are in there. So, you know, improve >> adding it. >> Yeah. Improve substitute availability, I think, is what it is. >> I think that's what it says. Yeah. >> So, but if if you if you offer that incentive and you have less teachers out, then your sub availability is going to go up, right? >> That's that's the point I was trying
072to make. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Anything else on subpay? >> Anybody? Anything else on sub pay? Okay. So, on to the next. So, because now, but I don't know that that's the case, but that's okay. Uh because I thought we had the strategic plan situated and I thought we had my evaluation situated. Um, this was left blank and um, so the what you see in red was added for everyone. >> Was this in the original contract? >> No, ma'am. Because as I said, because the strategic plan has been changed and because my evaluation has been changed, that's why we were waiting to get those two finalized before this was added to the original contract. >> The incentive bonus section was always there, but the specifics on how Dr. Farley would earn that bonus, we agreed
073that that would come once we got her um annual annual review >> and her goals figured out. >> Yeah. So the incentive bonus part's always been there, just not how she would achieve it, right? >> So that's what we're putting in. How she how is she going to achieve that bonus? What does she have to do to achieve it? >> And this would be something that you would need would be nice if you would vote on next Thursday. >> Yes, sir. Mr. Matthews, >> absolutely. >> And I know this is probably not from good standpoint from our side, I guess, as the board, but just looking at it realistically. >> Is it realistically feasible with the way our DOS evaluation is to get a 5.0? >> No, >> I don't think it is. Mathematically, I
074don't think it is. >> That that's that's my question. I didn't know that it was realistically feasible to get the 5.0. And if it's not realistic in my mind, I think we should think more realistically. And >> but that's I'm throwing out an opinion for everybody else to discuss that side of it. >> Yeah. Whenever the teachers are evaluated and they they don't get a bonus if they get they go they get a >> good job. >> They got bonuses. They get $2,000 last year >> and we don't give them any any monetary thing. >> Well, they have they have gotten the outcome money and they have gotten bonus from the state. So, we can't say that they haven't gotten any bonuses from us. But this is part this is part of the contract. So
075we can't adjust that she gets a incentive bonus. We can only set the goals that she's going to need to meet for how she's going to earn that incentive bonus. This has been agreed upon when we agreed and signed the contract with Dr. Farley. >> Yeah. >> So what are you throwing out John? What are you proposing? What do you think on us? >> Well, I'm not saying that we shouldn't always, >> you know, strive to get perfect, but there's none of us that ever going to get there. You know what I mean? >> Well, you want to scratch that and take it off. >> I think there's a gap in there, too, from four to 4.25 where you get your 4.15. >> So, it's 4.75 to five is what it should be. Is that
076what you think, Dr. Mr. King? Well, it depends which tier you're in. >> Okay. >> So, I'm saying maybe tier three should be anything above 4.75. >> Yeah. >> I mean that that at least >> between one and two there's a 0.25 difference. >> So, you want it to say 3.5 to 4 is okay. And then you want it to say 4.1 to 4 >> what? >> 25. >> No. 4.1 to 4.5 >> 4.5 and then 4.75 and above. >> Well, tier three would then be >> four 4.75 and above. >> That's good. >> It doesn't leave any blank spaces in there. >> Yeah. >> Put you in each category, one or the other. >> Mhm. >> Three or 4.1. You didn't get one. >> Yeah. You didn't get anymore. You didn't fall into any
077one of those categories. >> Yeah, that was just something that I was like, well, to get tier three, you got to be perfect all the way across the board from everybody. And that that's just not realistic. So, unless you've got a category for extra points, >> miracles. Mira somehow with you, Dr. Farley. >> That's fine. Anything else on contract? So the next item is the centic sentic panic button proposal. Um so um we discussed these at the retreat. This was one of the items that we talked about at the retreat. Um and we have the this is the actual bid that has been secured. This has been sent to you in an email. Um you can see and this is for all 12 buildings as well as um central office and for th everybody well
078for those of you that were not at the retreat. So, what this would be is this would be like a lanyard uh that teachers could wear and it would have a little button on it and if they needed if they had a fight breakout, they could push that button and somebody would come to them like an admin or something. Uh if you needed if somebody fell out in the floor, if you had a teacher or teacher assistant that fell out on the floor and there was another adult in the room, they could push that button continuously and it would get paramedics, uh emergency management folks in the building to them. Okay. So, um, in in looking at this, uh, Mr. Cole has been able to secure, uh, that we could do this over a five-year,
079it's a 5-year contract with this company that you would be agreeing to. Um, he has, uh, been able to secure that with finance because in the past, county finance would not let us carry a long-ear contract. It was just a one-year contract. So, we do have that that's been checked as well. Um, and we have, as you can see here, 76,345 in safety carryover money. And this year we were awarded $137,11.36 as part of our safety money. So what the skin in the game that Cumberland County Schools has with our safety money for this first year is $213,35641. So, we're in a deficit of $25,19359, which we would need to, if this is something that we want to do, this would need to come out of fund balance for that remaining. And then this would
080put the board on the line for years 2 through five for $100,000, I think, and $600. questions that I can answer. >> Okay. So, the 25,193 59 cents is what we would be looking >> for this year. >> This year out of this year's budget, >> correct? >> But then going forward, it would be theund6. >> Correct. >> Which is what we are looking at for needing to account for in the budget going forward that we're working on now. >> Yes, ma'am. So, in reaching out and dealing with this company, um this would be something uh you would need to vote on uh if you're wanting to do because they have like a fivemon lead. So, we would need to get our um requisitions and stuff started so we could have this ready to go
081in August when school starts. So, is this just a This has got Severe County Schools in it. >> So, what that is is that is their bid. Uh, but because it's a part of the state bid, we can piggy back off their bid. Can >> I ask a question? You're probably more familiar with it than anyone. Was there something in there about the uh proximity the badges being used as a proximity badge or whatever to get? >> So that that's a capability that it would not come with but would be possible later if they went to the control entry points what it would be. >> Yeah. To be able >> the same lanyard would be able to be programmed with at a later time >> and that's just a another added expense. They didn't. >>
082Correct. It's not part of the proposal. >> Yeah. And only reason I say cuz I know that at homestead being one of one of the schools that we looked at or talked about two or three times, especially down there whenever we're looking at all the um different places, but that was something that had been mentioned before. homestead was >> I think it was I think it was left when whenever we were talking with them it was left as once excuse me if we did a proximity software at a facility we would have to know what that is first before we knew what chip to add to the lanyard >> to the lion yeah >> because what this does also is it gives them locations in the they map out our school or whatever and it
083wherever that badge is they go to that specific speific location. If EMS or whatever shows up to the school, they're they don't have to ask questions and this that and the other. Where are we going? They know where the badge is at to get there. Right. >> Correct. And it also will overlay with the uh CRG maps that the previous board got for all the facilities and it also integrates with technology already in place at the moment. >> Awesome. How would this be different than what we already have in place? It's just >> currently we don't have anything in place. >> Say again. >> Currently, we don't have anything in place yet. >> It's a panic button. >> Whenever we It's a panic button. >> So, currently you're waiting on somebody. >> We have the
084school lockdowns or anything like that. we just how do we how do we get informed by that or >> so right now you're relying on cell phones >> you're relying on somebody to be able to make a phone call which even in the best of cases >> you place a call to 911 they can add 30 to 45 seconds before anybody even picks up starts getting your information >> so this would cut that time down >> so it would be a faster way of getting help is what you're saying >> yeah any any amount of time that it would take for somebody to place that 911 call, it's going to eliminate that amount of time in the response >> and they'll know exactly where to go. They'll know exactly where to go when they dispatch
085them >> to that room. >> Yep. >> Specifically to that room. So, you know, like if you are at Homestead, you would know you need to go to that cottage way over here to the right compared all the way over here to the left. >> It could be looked up for somebody over here when they're actually over there. Yeah. And likewise, if there's an easier entry point into the school versus the main entrance, you know, maybe taking the G-wing entrance at CCHS is going to put you closer to the whatever incident is. >> That's good. >> It's going to give that information straight to the dispatcher and not have it >> being relayed by somebody that could be in a panic >> and not giving real good information. >> That's good. >> Very good. >>
086Does anybody have any more questions on this? So again, this will be something that you would need to vote on and we would need to use $25,19359 out of fund balance and then you would be committing yourselves to $16,600 for the next four years. How much do we have in the fund balance now? >> 17%. >> How much do we have in the fund balance now? >> About 14 14 million. >> 14 And we would be you would be using $25,19359. >> And so we would need an actual budget amendment that we'd be voting on for this amount to go before >> commission >> would be obligated for >> 425,000. >> Yeah. questions. >> So, you mentioned TISA funding earlier. >> Mhm. >> Is it trending down? >> Mhm. >> So, >> but we know
087Yes, it is trending down, but we know for for this year we're going to get the same. Beyond that, no, we have no >> on that nine period cycle. If it continues to trend down, we'll get less money. Right. >> Correct. >> Okay. >> Yeah. any additional grant money, safe school funds, anything that we might be able to get to help with this going forward. >> So, the only thing is um I don't know that you can get grants to cut I mean we could look and obviously we can look there is a cops grant that you can get. We have applied for that before. Um it is a lot of work which that's no big deal. We've got plenty of people here happy to do that. It's just I don't know. Sometimes the grants
088specify you can't use it as a recurring expense. So once we sign into contract with this, that's going to negate that because it's a recurring expense. >> So could the grant be used in another area to >> offset it? >> Sure. I mean, we can definitely apply for the cops grant. >> It's a great idea. Any other questions? We'll move to recess for five minutes. It just concerns me. >> Can I hold it or >> show It's all right. Sure. I will I will die. Not >> not Santa. Yeah. >> Yeah. I thought You can't think about everybody. She's obviously or 12 or 13. Just so you know, John Matthews, just so you know, here I am the other day. This is the week I've had my advisory council. So, I met with students. I
089met with kids. I met with classifiers. I met with teachers yesterday. And I'm standing up there. It's been a whale of a day. My bus is late getting some of the kids here. And I don't know why. And I said, "Oh, we're talking about middle school." And I said, "6th, 7th, 8th." And that girl busted my laugh and she said six or seven. Blueberries. >> What did you order? >> Oh, I get my nitty teacher. Hey, is my CTE shirt on? >> Is my CTE shirt? >> It was 2425. >> He'll be looking to >> Okay. Okay. Okay. >> A medium. >> Oh, that's not a medium. I thought that's going to swallow you whole. >> What does it say? I think it's a medium. >> Extra large. >> Be comfy. It's reaching out freezing
090anything I wear right now. >> It's past my 10 time bed at 8:00. >> I'm going to have to been feeling bad. >> Eating a lot today and >> the last time I had thing. >> No, I like >> I like >> and oranges in session. >> So the next item is item number 12 and that is outcomes money and this is our teasa outcomes money which we received in December. Again you all have been made aware of the amount. I think it's uh high 600 700 uh and we need to figure out where you guys want to put this money. We have to receipt it with the trustees office and we have not done that yet. Didn't know where you wanted to put it. My recommendation for you would be to put it in
091the teacher line. But that would be something that you all we would need to vote on next Thursday. I don't know if any of you have questions or I'll be happy to try to >> say again what your recommendation was >> to put it in the teacher line. >> Oh, I didn't hear that. >> I'm sorry. >> Sorry. >> No, I'm sorry. Are you talking about put it in the teacher line as far as like how we did last year as >> long as No, just put it in the teacher line. >> Then we'd have options. >> Yes. >> We would use it for the teachers. >> We would have to use it before the end of the year though, right? >> We would not have to. No. >> Correct. It would >> but it
092wouldn't be used on the teacher line. What I'm getting at if we don't use it before the end of the year. >> Correct. Any other questions about the outcomes money? So, next is middle school update. So, we've had one meeting. We have another one scheduled for March 9th. I think that second Monday in March. Um have been working diligently on scoring the C& matrix with the different groups of individuals. the matrix is uh scored except the maintenance and that will be scored next Friday. So I will be definitely ready to share the uh matrix with you guys uh March the 3rd which is what we had said that we would be ready to do. So that will be that information can be shared before we get back together. Anything else about middle schools? Okay. So,
093as you know, uh we have a budget item or a topic that we talk about each month. And this month, we're talking about athletic schedules and field maintenances. And I do have a spreadsheet that I'm working on, but I do not have it completed yet that I wanted to share. And right now, this piece of the information is just basic general information. And just so you know, um, when I do retire from this job, I'm either going to be a TWSAA official or I'm going to go into field maintenance, okay? Because I'm learning how we need to put when we need to take care of our fields and what we need to put on there per thousand, whatever. So, just keep me in mind. Um, but, uh, I will have that ready to share for
094you, um, at the, uh, Thursday meeting. It's just information. It has no dollar amount tied to it. But, you know, we've discussed, this group has discussed uh probably we are not the best at maintaining things. We might get them started and then we wait until it's an allout emergency. >> Yep. >> Um so, but and on that document also is when we're doing the gym floor um when we renovate the gym floors or refinish the gym floors. Um, and what we do for soccer, what we do for baseball, what we do for softball. So, all of that's inclusive as well as like a fiveyear a five-year major plan because we can't forget tennis. >> You know, we've got to have a solution for tennis in 5 years and and that's on there as well. So,
095and I'll be happy to share what I have with you in that document. I'm just trying to get it finished as complete as I can and I'm having to meet with with coaches and people who work on their fields. >> Yes. Thank you. >> Understand. >> Thank you. >> So, >> thank you. >> Pretty good at maintaining emergencies. >> Yes, we we can handle emergencies, unfortunately. >> Okay. So, the next item is the insurance. Okay. And and we have some different drafts here. Um so Miss Diane if you would go to the second one which is your health insurance and this is draft number one and this is certified. Okay. So this was presented the other day when we met with the teachers group. So what we're looking at here and just to make sure
096that everybody understands and knows where we are and we're all on the same page. So we pay certified we pay 100% of the certified personnel and their children. Okay. So and they can pick any plan they want. There's the four that they have to choose from. And you can see it um you what this says is if we change so right you know you have a lot of people on premier plan and if we change from the premier plan to the standard plan and that's what we pay for for everybody you have how much the board would pay and then you have how much it would cost the employee. Okay so that's one option. The second option is if the board pays a flat rate of $950. So, two things I want to add from
097the discussion we had the other day with the teachers. And I told them this group was well aware of that, but I want to bring it up again because I said I would. So, you know, if we change how we do insurance, and I know you all will do this, but if we change how we do insurance, we need to be mindful of how that would affect obviously their pay. So, you know, if you're going to get just saying if you give them a $600 raise and they have to pay $700 insurance, they're going in the whole 100. You know, easy math there. So, but I did say that we would share that information and we as a group would be mindful. Just wanted to throw that out there. Um, and we also talked about,
098and it's this option that I'm saying is not necessarily on here, but one option we did talk about the other day, and I have another document, uh, that shows that for you all, is if you do um, if you start grandfathering in, so like keep people how you've got them now. But if we go to the standard plan, that would be for all new employees. And I I've got a sheet that will show you savings. You can see at the bottom in yellow the annual savings. If you do the standard plan for all of the teachers, it's going to be um $486,000. And if you choose um to pay 950 for every employee, then that's going to have a savings uh of almost $2 million. And Miss Diane, can you scroll back up to the
099top of that option too? I mean that it's the same thing, but and make it just a titch bigger. Okay. So, just to make sure that we're clear. So if you have if you an option that we go with if we go with option two and you all choose to pay $950 what's going to happen is that employee for their children would pay $357 a month and they currently pay zero. Okay. Now, and then you can see what it would be. Employee plus spouse and employee plus children and spouse. Okay. Um if it's employee and spouse, it would they would pay 833 out of pocket a month. And if it's the family, it would be 100 or $1,110. And you all can read that as good as I can probably see it better. But >>
100the 950 is just a random comparison. Mhm. Okay. So, Miss Diane, I shared with you some documents earlier today that's not necessarily on the agenda, just someformational items that I want to share with you. So, first pull up surrounding counties insurance. I already have this. So, Fentress County, they pay varying percentages of the premium with the max amount being 80%. Morgan County, they grandfathered in in 2012. After 2012, they pay 80% for single coverage, 75% for all other coverages. Ran County pays 80% of all employees single coverage. Ray pays 100% of all employees single coverage on the standard network. They do a 4555 split on all other coverages. And we do have more information should you want that. Bledsoe does 80% of all employee single coverage, 75% of any other premiums. They do a health
101savings account contribution by the BOE, uh $500 for all for employees, 1,500 for employees plus children, uh and then 1,500 for employees plus spouse, and 2,000 for family. Putnham play pays various percentages of the premium with the max amount being 80%. For example, they pay 74% for premium and 80 for standard. where currently we pay 100% for the employee an employee certified employee and certified employees children we pay 100% regardless of what coverage you choose okay >> and you can send this to us >> sure Monday >> sure be happy to >> the options here uh uh next uh Miss Diane, could you please pull up the increase in insurance from 22 uh 22 to 25? >> No, this is it. >> No, I don't have my computer. >> Okay. So what this is is
102um in 22 we paid 9 $9.2 million for insurance. In 23 the board paid 9.7 million in insurance. In 24 we paid 10.4 million in insurance. And in 25 we paid 10.9 million in insurance over the entire year. So, we've had a 16% increase in just the last three years. I'll send this graphic to you as well in your um Monday email. Okay. So, question on cert. We do have another option worked up. Uh we do have an 8020 worked up. It hasn't been shared. It's just another option that we have. I'll be happy to share it with anybody that wants to see it. Um it just hadn't been shared yet. And we've got all of the informations, the savings, and everything else on that as well. So Kim, in your expertise, your admin, which
103you put the two on here for us. We didn't we don't see the 8020 one. So >> correct >> a reason that you didn't include are you feeling these are the two best options. >> So you didn't include the 8020 or what do you >> not really because we had another option on there. >> Um and uh after looking at that probably wasn't a really good option. So that's why that was removed and just the 8020 hasn't been we haven't taken the time yet to add that to that column. So, uh, my thoughts, I haven't sat down and looked individually at each one yet to see to even have an opinion yet, you know. Um, so the other day we had some discussions uh, as far as the um, the requirement. Um, we are required,
104we do know for a fact we are required, and I can say this because I I have studied this and looked at this, we are required to pay 45% of certified employees. Uh the state of Tennessee does not write us a check and says this is for your 45% of your insurance. It's done through our TISA funding. They >> Yeah, they they do say they give us the money, but that's how they give us the money. But please be mindful that TESA money is also how we're supposed to pay our salaries and how we're supposed to fund our schools. >> Yeah. >> So that tease a dollar is supposed to go a long way. >> A long way. >> Okay. Uh questions on your certified options. Miss Diane, you do have Well, let's just Yeah,
105you do have another graph. You have this graph that was sent to you. >> Yes, ma'am. So, what this is is this is I told Miss Delk today, "Here's what I want because I know how my mind works and I want to be able to see things." So, Miss Delk picked a teacher that has a and we just picked random people. So if you look the first line there says bachelors and they have 15 years experience. So if we choose to go with >> and we choose to go with option A. Okay. So they're going to make $60,380 a year. Okay. So that's going to be an increase for them from this school year of 3 or $3,692. Okay, so they currently have a family plan of insurance. So their current monthly cost would be
106$414, but if you go with option A for insurance, that's how much they're going to be paying, $531. Option B, they would pay $1,110. And then you can see the um you can see the cost options there. >> Is this the current family plan as the premium? This is with the projections that we have for next year at this moment based on these insurance scales that we're looking at. But >> there's a cost difference between premium and standard and all. So is this the cost that they were on the top premium plan? >> Yes. >> Okay. All right. >> So that's how we did that. So we just picked random people random degrees for certified. So you could see the money in the insurance cost. So, we're saying with this option, option A, if they
107choose to be on the top premium plan out of the plan options, that's what the additional cost would be out of their pocket with. But they do have other plan options that cost them less. This is the top cost, max out of pocket they would have. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> So, and like I said, we just picked random ones and and I had her to do option A because option A and option B, those pay scales are pretty close. And then I had her to do option C because C and D are pretty close. So that's what this document is and it will be shared with you as well on Monday and we will be happy to put it on the um website for the um agenda as well. Questions about that? >> So
108that's the increase versus the monthly >> insurance increase. Yes, I want to see that because that's what lots of people have told me. you know that when they've come to me about it that that's been their concern. So I I wanted to see that myself >> how that's going to affect. >> Okay. Questions >> right now. >> Okay. So question. >> Yeah. I had a question. Okay. Can you also look at I know Nick alluded to this earlier but their five highest years based on the top of that pay scale times average of their five highest years times 45% because that's what they would receive in retirement average times 45%. And do that with the salary as it is currently and what the project be does that make sense? So, like do option A like
109what we did here, option A and option C or do you want me to do B and D? Okay, that's fine. A and C is fine. But what I'm saying is is what we currently pay for those five highest years in that degree level. >> Mhm. >> Average times 45%. That's right. Is that what you get in retirement? 45% or is it 40 40%. Sorry. Change that to 48. >> It didn't vary on the year service. It goes up with more years a but that would be for 30 years that >> five highest average times 48% uh salary each degree. Is that what you said? >> Well, just in comparison to what you're doing with this insurance. So that also is a benefit, right? That that retirement benefit that they could receive if we choose
110that salary scale. >> Mhm. So, does that offset this any is what I'm getting at? >> Entire package. >> Okay. Any other questions about this? >> Okay. I'm going to ask you, Miss Diane. I know I'm all over the place and I do apologize. I'm going to ask you to skip down to the last one, which is health insurance draft one for classified. Again, you've received these um you've received these options as well. We did exactly the same thing for classified if everybody goes to the standard plan and then if the board play pays a flat rate. Um and can you scroll up to where we can see the total savings? So, if you go with um if you go with the uh standard plan, it's uh 1.3 million. And if you go with the
111950, uh that is uh a savings of 398,000. questions. >> So that's basically saying if we cover 100% of the standard plan and drop the the premium plan. Is that what you're getting at? >> Yeah. If we had everybody to go to the standard plan and we paid for that. >> Yes. >> And they they would still have the option to pay the difference in correct. Okay. In the premium plan. >> Absolutely. >> Okay. We'd cover 100% of the standard. >> Correct. That cost. >> Okay. >> Dang. >> Is there a feasible way to track if we were to grandfather the existing policies in how many years it would take us to see that number for an annual savings? I know it's going to be hard because, you know, turnover rates are never consistent, >>
112right? just based off maybe the last five years >> the average new hires for the last five years >> if we continue that track that pattern how many years >> so Miss Diane going back to my agenda could you please go to uh health insurance draft 2526 new employee I think I might have what part of what you're talking about Travis so this is every new employee that has been hired from August the 1st to February the 1st. This is the current plan that they chose and this is how much the board pays per month for their insurance. So if we going forward and then this is what I was talking about grandfathering in. So going forward if we say we're going to pay the standard plan for everybody. I mean, you can see the
113the savings there by the month and then or if we're going to pay this flat rate going forward and this is the amount it's going to be. Can you scroll so we can see the savings at the bottom? So, your monthly savings, that's what your monthly savings would be, you know, and then multiply that by your 12 months that we have to pay. >> That would compound if these employees stay, right? >> Correct. So, what additional information do you want added to this? >> I think that answers my question. We can receive up to the time the premier is getting. >> Correct. >> Question, Mr. Davis. Okay. >> Miss Diane, could you go to the fourth one down? the health insurance draft number one current cost. Okay, so this is a sideby-side comparison of certified
114employees and classified employees. Uh it's broken down by plan and yes, you can see we have 143 individuals on employees only on the premier plan. Um and Blue Cross and Sigma are two options. Um I don't know Miss does that have a total at the bottom there for us? So um so we pay 600 uh 30 uh $634,559.75 per month for certified employees insurance and we pay $261,64 for classified per month. >> How many total employees? I knew he was going to ask that. >> Just scroll up and I'll just kind of estimate. Okay. Um and then if you'll go back to the agenda, Miss Diane, and you'll look at you'll look at the uh insurance summary. the first thing, the first item. Okay, so here is that broken down. Um, so if the board
115pays the standard plan premium, you'll have a yearly savings of almost 500,000. If they go to the flat rate, you would have a savings of, and this is certified only, you'd have a savings of almost 2 million. If you go with classified and you go to the standard plan, it's 1.3 million and then uh the flat rate would be almost 400,000. So that would be your savings if you chose this plan over that plan. >> Stick those on the options. >> Sure. Be happy to. >> Yeah. >> Spreadsheet piece rather than the summary. put it in a summary total at the bottom. >> We'll figure out how to make it happen. >> Okay. I think it's already on there. >> It probably is. >> But we just put this on one sheet so you could
116see see what it looks like together. >> You can bold it on this one sheet. >> Absolutely. >> Calls out the savings of each different one. >> That That's why it's done that way. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> Is that I know it for the certified employee. It's saying an annual savings. But for the classified it's saying annual additional cost >> and that's the way it's supposed to. >> Okay. >> No, you're fine. You're fine. Any other questions about insurance? a lot of information. >> Is there a cheaper plan? >> So, I met with a company today called Gallagher. Uh they can do some work for us. uh and we'll be happy to do some work and I think we'll be able to provide us some additional information by next Thursday uh at no charge
117and then um they would be willing to meet with us and discuss um further options and and looking at insurance savings. Um several districts and it doesn't matter your size. Several districts are opting out of the state insurance plan. Um, you know, we do have a currentou which uh in theou the language is worded that we will do um state health insurance. So that would be something you we'd have to take back to the table. You'd also probably have to change a policy that says that we would go with the state health insurance. But those are some options. And in some counties, like when they were discussing it today, one county in particular, I was blown away because they have one high school and they have less than 100 kids that graduate and they have
118been on a private insurance plan. So, you know, might be some savings there. Might be worth talking with Gallagher about. >> That's how you leverage those unused funds that we were talking about in the meeting the other day. >> Yep. >> Yeah. We were talking about the difference in what we're paying for premiums versus what we actually use in those private from our training with TSBA. Those private they leverage that money to put back into >> help. Any other questions about insurance? Thank you. >> Is there any additional information you all need on insurance? Anything you don't have? >> Four more options. >> I can give you one more. >> I think this is good from our aspect until we get information from Gallagher that might open our eyes to some other options outside our
119current box. >> Gotcha. Okay. So, if there's no other questions, I will go on to item number 16. And this is just a placeholder kind of sort of. So, um the athletic manual was not updated this year. That will be updated next year with new schedules and uh new guidelines as well as TWSAA TMSAA guidelines and all of those fun stuffs. So, that will be coming next month, but uh that had been asked about and I just wanted to make sure that it was put on there and addressed publicly. >> Thank you. >> Anything else anybody has of me? >> If I may. >> Okay. >> Um so, athletic manual has a lot in it. A lot to unpack, a lot to review, a lot to consider. Um, show hands. How many of you guys
120know where to find the athletic manuals? >> So, it's not a frequented area, but we could agree that we're not frequenting that currently. >> Yeah. >> And I know we The reason I'm I'm asking this, I'm going to take a second. I've got somewhere to be. I know everybody here has somewhere to be. And I know that it is 6:24. Uh I'm also asking you guys to remember um that that athletics is a classroom setting, right? We we say that in our in our procedure manual. Um it says that it's an area for the for the kids to grow, kids to learn, kids to be put into a practical state so they can they can excel in the modern world. And the reason I'm making these points is we have added athletics into our strategic
121plan. And we have all agreed that we have spent very little time on this topic, very little time in the strategic plan. We virtually made zero progress in this in my opinion. That's or whatever you would like to take for that. And and I'd also take it a step further and say we've taken a step back and that's not to throw stones at Dr. Farley in any any capacity. She inherited this. She has a lot of things to do and a lot of the people that are currently employed here have a lot of things to do also because they have a primary job function and their primary job function is not athletics. Okay, we we we know that because we we agreed on what our budget was for this year. We do not have anybody
122responsible >> solely for how athletics are handled and or dealt with and with what frequency. Okay. So, it's it's by committee and it's it's infrequent. That' be my assertation of that. Um I've spent a lot of time looking through the manual. I spend a lot of time talking with people um that are close to athletics, have either been in the system or currently in the system or approaching our system and there's a lot of work to be done here. Um I would encourage all of us to ask of ourselves. I was a proponent for work sessions and I am a proponent of work sessions. We get a lot done. I think our temperament as a whole has been better in that category. Um >> I've seen a bunch of issues. I see a bunch of
123issues, budgeting issues, scheduling issues, eligibility issues, transportation issues, maintenance issues, policy issues, procedures, compliance, not to mention our strategic plan where all this funnels directly back into um I would propose that the board entertain the opportunity for us to open up and create a committee again in in the interim discussion so we can tailor >> what our policies need to say. and how we can impact this this strategic line item in a way that we've just agreed that needs to be done but not yet taken any real action on. I'm I'm asking the board to take that into consideration as we move into the next into the next session because Dr. Farley's team's working I guess for March to get their ideas. Um I'm going to share with the board. I'm assuming it's okay to
124share that I have you guys what I have. >> Be happy to take it. um that way it's it's out there in the open. We we encourage feedback, right? We don't I don't think I'm not saying we don't do that enough, but I'm saying we could do it more and and especially in an area that we've kind of allowed to just take a step to the side and hope that it all kind of works out in a sense. Um, so is that something we can agree that we possibly can do uh and add to the work sess work add to the the agenda for next meeting and potentially >> that that's fine with me. Um, so um, you know, we made the joke here a while ago about enjoying to get to spend time with
125you all. Um but you know so we currently we're doing the work sessions and we have those one Thursday typically and then the board meeting is the next Thursday. Um so last month I think the work session was four hours. Is that right? And then the meeting was two six hours. I'm fine with that if that's if that's the most efficient we can be. not the most efficient. >> No, it is definitely >> Well, I I'm just I'm just throwing this out here and and saying this. So, um do you all want to continue doing work sessions? Do you all want to continuing? You know, there's some other possibilities. You could do a work session and you could do it and you're meeting the same night. So, you are getting to see the items and
126to have some discussion about them before you vote on them and make a decision about them. But if you're going to do a work session and you do that the same night you do your meeting, your work session would start at, my guess would be your work session would start at 4. You would need to end your work session by 5:45. So you would need to get all of your information taken care of in an hour and 45 minutes. You would have a time limit and then you would have your meeting. >> A lot of boards do that. >> Correct. So you know um it doesn't matter >> to me what you all choose. Um, >> me too. >> You know, um, >> I think from what Nick's saying, from what I gather is that
127he feels like there would be more focus on what needs to be done with athletics as follow. >> Yes. As far as, you know, the policy manual, >> all those things that have been >> put aside for a while. So, >> are you proposing that this committee would be established >> by the board and tasked with working on that particular manual >> and and putting things getting that updated and putting things in place where that manual is aligned with our strategic plan. >> Indeed. Right. finding finding those areas of support that are are lacking and need the improvement that that would require the focus in order for us to create a map for the strategic plan to say these are the things we're going to work on. and and albeit it could be through uh
128some policy adjustments to incorporate some new language and policy in order to make room for either uh facilities um maintenance schedules um uh directors or any of those things that can help drive this needle in a direction other than where it is. So you'd need the folks that are on the administrative side to be in attendance for those meetings and there'd be some kind of a schedule set like we're doing with the middle school one, right? So this next meeting, we need this information in order to update this portion of the manual and any policies or um procedures that would go along with that. >> Yep. And be a temporary special committee. >> Yep. That's that's what our >> right. And here's the thing I want to add. Time is of the essence because we
129are now in March and we're going to have to have tryyous for all of these teams. So, we need to make sure that's why that was our focus to have this done, you know, as it had been done in the past uh in in a group in our group here. So, uh time is of the essence. >> Agree. and and >> and I don't care to develop a timeline and share with you all on Monday for you know what we need to look at first going forward and and how how that manual needs to come together. >> I I would I would like to see that and see if we feel that we need more people focused based on what Dr. Farley comes up with with her team. um is that going to suffice for
130filling these holes that you're finding or do we really need to have more board members involved with establishing another committee to meet to facilitate that? >> So, so could could you bring a timeline to the next meeting and >> Sure. I can have it to you by Monday in your email. >> But I mean for discussion in the meeting to >> we can add that to the agenda. >> We're going to spend more time. >> That way we can vote have a vote whether we need to >> establish a committee or not. Yeah. Is it going to be necessary based on what they've come up with? You know, >> we don't want to be spending more time on something that's not needed, you know? So, we want to make sure if we're going to spend
131time on it that's very directed >> beyond maybe what >> you would be doing based on your plan or just to help facilitate that plan. Has anybody else got any questions of me? >> That's all I got. >> Along along the lines of of that mentioning um need to do tryyous and this that and the other coming March or whatever. The varsity thing for the sixth, seventh, and eighth. It it was brought to me as a question. Um, we're doing it next year. We're not doing it next year. I said, "Yeah, as far as I know, we're go we're a go. >> They're still doing varsity, right? I mean, that's the >> No changes were made, >> right? That's why she's taking care of >> that's why we got to get this done." >> Yeah.
132Any other questions? Any questions from the media? Okay. Meeting adjourned.