001suffering from stage 4 kidney disease. If you could please pray for him and his family as well as Mike Walls, our director of maintenance. He has had surgery. Please lift him up in prayers for a speedy recovery. Please bow your heads. Thank you. [clears throat] First up, we have the agenda. >> Oh, pledge. I'm sorry, forgot the pledge. I apologize. >> I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. Now we have the approval of the agenda. >> Any comments or questions, >> Madam Chair? >> Yes. >> Can you please um get your microphone closer to you because you're a little bit farther away and it's hard to hear you. >> Okay. Thank
002you. >> You're welcome. Mr. Tidville, did you have anything to say? >> That was my suggestion. >> Okay. Thank you. Sorry about that. Thank you. Um, okay. Next, we have want to remind everyone we will be uh discussing and voting on the renewal and extension of the director's contract on Thursday. Everyone should have received it on the computer and if you have any comments or questions, you can direct them. Next, we have the approval of the consent agenda. >> Yes, Mr. Mr. Ba. Oops. I've got a question and I this is really a refresher. I noticed there's a couple of bids, a couple of items that were purchasing and I don't know if this does this come under purchasing or Dr. So if you answer this, but in particular one that I was looking at
003was the John Deere lawnmower and I noticed if you look at the invoice that there was a trade in. refresh my memory about what the qualifications are or the criteria that we have to meet as the the purchasing department has to meet there. What's the legal thing here? That's what I'm getting at. There's a dollar figure and then there's a couple other things, but I wish Joanne was here to answer that question because she does it a little bit more than I do. I just sign off on it. Um, >> right. But basically what the way I understand it is that you know they say a school wants to buy a lawn mower, right? >> They bring that forward to Joanne. Um if it's not at a bidding level where we have to bid it
004out or anything to that extent. >> What is the bidding level? That's what I want. >> If it's 50,000 or above, >> that's it has to go to a bid through a bidding process. >> So the the the the criteria that we fall under, they can do a trade in like this. We could trade a vehicle in. We don't necessarily have to declare anything surplus or anything like that cuz it looked like it's a reasonable deal. >> Correct. As long as there's a trade in, we don't have to surplus that equipment that they're trading in. We can think I mean the way this worked out. This is and and Houston's a great guy. That's who I do >> because we still own the title for anything. If it's if you know just say you're trading
005in a truck for another truck or whatever you know I mean or whatever it may be we own that title so we can we can do the trade in. >> Used to be everything had to be declared surplus and you had to sell it but we can there's certain >> yeah there's certain certain things that you property you can trade in and do a do a trade in on. >> Yep. >> Madam >> all I wanted to make sure that looked like a good deal to me. >> I'm sorry. >> Yes, Mr. I know we're talking about the beds, but I don't see where maybe I missed it, but where is the board item that we're going to be voting on extending Dr. Sven's contract? I don't see it. I've gone through it multiple times.
006It's got the agenda. Um, and it's got your fees. Number four. Number four, >> right? >> Okay. Oh, okay. >> State law. So, we're not So, this >> So, we're just going to approve it as part of the agenda. >> No, state law says it has to be the first thing on the um >> first agenda. Okay, never mind. Never mind. I'm sorry. >> Yeah, sorry about that. My fault. >> That's all right. It's okay. Any other questions? >> Yes, sir. >> Something on the consent agenda. Um just for full disclosure because I don't have enough to do. >> Christian Middle, if you'll look at that one. There's Tennessee Ignite basketball practice gym 2426 to 73126 at $18 per hour. Um I'm coaching that basketball team along with someone else. And so even though I
007am a district employee, normally if you're a district employee, you have the fee wave since I am coaching it. I don't I want everything done the way it's supposed to be. The I do not run the Tennessee Ignite program. Uh no handling of money, no uniform ordering. They do it all, whoever runs it. But since I'm the director of schools, I requested that they still pay to use the facility. So that is one of the that is the team I am coaching. >> Okay. >> Just want that noted. >> Duly noted. Okay. Anything else? Okay. Let's move on. We have a guest speaker tonight and I'm very excited to hear from Mr. Edel Charles of Market Graphics Research Group in Inc. >> [clears throat] >> So, let me tell you what we do. I come
008from a background of uh not very good in school. Hard time getting out of uh out of high school, I think. So, here I find myself amongst all these intellectuals. So, you'll have to put up with me. My wife and I own the largest market research company in the United States today that specialize in analytics when I couldn't get out of stinking school. And somehow it's gravitated to all of that. We we are involved in a home building industry and banking and how we do that. We physically handc count subdivisions in in all the states we're in uh on the east coast starting at south of Jacksonville, Florida all the way to city limits of DC. We handc count all the new home subdivisions for 720 miles. I just finished a presentation downtown at the
009one of the hotels here. We had 260 people in the meeting. So we're it's very common for us to do that and to help people. The way we do it again, we track all the planning commissions work. We track all kinds of agendas. We all the plats. I started in Rutherford County years ago. I started with Dale Floyd with Cavalry Bank. It was my first client. Pinnacle Bank's been our clients for all these years. It grew to the place we have 181 banks as clients for a while. I don't know what it is today. Many of the national builders are clients, regional builders, uh investors. And so, um when we when we look at uh school districts, I have one that's special to me, been with us for 12 14 years. I don't even know
010how long is Baldwin County in Alabama. Right. at the near Gulf Shores. That whole county has been a client. And what they use us for is we have all the records of every subdivision. Look at Rutherford County. Can you imagine 28 years I've been counting every subdivision in this county every four months for 28 years. Even through CO we never missed. And we get all that data broken down by part of county and then by price range. And we know where all the markets are moving, where all the incomes are. Uh we have all the households broken down with 68 types. And we have right down to names and contacts and of everybody. I got you in my records. You can't hide from me. [laughter] And so and and we do we use no information
011from nobody else. Nobody gives us information. I owe nothing to no one. >> I we don't play the stock market. We don't play the bond market. We're not obligated. I don't play Republican, Democrat. I don't do none of that junk. And we don't and we don't answer questions based on as an entrepreneur. I have to hide that, part of me. It's all all factual stuff. But because we have the data, I I act as an expert witness in court cases and u it's hard to it's hard to deal with me. It really is because if there's if there's something that you ask me to do and I don't agree or I agree, I can't help but whatever it is, it is. You see, but if some but if somebody is is messing with me and
012is saying that part of the colony is going to do this, I really got a gut feeling. No, we don't I don't do a gut feeling. We know where where the price points are moving. We know where things we we have every lot accounted for. I have the GPS coordinates of every lot right now in in the whole stinking county and even up in Lever and Shirley. We we just we so ours if you have a question. I tell you what else we don't do. We don't charge extra for nothing. We just we just don't do that. Probably 30 40% of all I do I give away free. Dave Ramsey used to work for me on my payroll. So we're we're we're here. We're local. Oh, you know what's going on? We're not on debt
013to no one. We just, you know, and um and so if if somebody here comes up and asks me a question and uh and I can tell that you don't want to be offensive, but if you can tell they're not sure what they know what they're doing, what I will personally do is I come down. I've done that three times with Bulvin County. I thought, you know what? They're going to get in trouble if they keep doing what they're doing because they're being picked on by the politicians and they're being screwed over. And so what I would do is I I go down and sit and talk. It got so challenging one time that one of the senators from Alabama called and said, "Would you come down here?" I said, "Sure, I come down." And
014so it's great excuse for me to go down to Gulf Shores. You know what I mean? And I get the tax write off. What do you want more of that? So, uh, so we go down and we could not get the people in this huge convention center. Couldn't get them in. So, we we had to do back-to-back meetings to pull it off to [clears throat] be able to help the school district to know where the markets were moving, what's going on. Um, we have it down with all the people, how many kids they have, not not the local, but the personalities, the the the profiles. So, the the way we the way way we're doing it is we're really really careful. We're I'm in a process right now trying to get to see Trump face
015to face, not politically. Uh, we have the real inflation rate. We have a group with us that's tracking a million items a day. The Bureau of Labor Statistics that works in DC is a bunch. It's a joke. They're they're 15 to 45 days behind all the time. And so, uh, I think that I could show them the real inflation rate. Nobody's going to believe it. So, let me just give you a couple quick charts. I'm not going to explain them, but I'm trying to impress you that I know what I'm doing. And so, you know what happened about four or five years ago? At my age, I'm 82 years old, see, and I'm working 40, 50 hours, 60 hours a week yet. And so, I've gotten to the place where I stopped putting presentations on
016as as as a research guy. I talked to everybody as my kids. And I argue like it was my kids, too. I we I can't I cannot let somebody just run off halfcocked and and and make a mistake. We we it's just not what we want. And um I tell you a political story because there's a little politicians political thing behind what reason I'm here. I'm sure this guy in Memphis stands up. I could tell he big- time politician full house big big big meeting. He says, you know, he didn't have to stand up to ask me a question, but he wanted everybody to see him. You see, the big fat guy, I shouldn't say, but [clears throat] so he stands up. He said, "Mr. Charles says, what what do you think of of of
017Memphis?" I said, "I think it sucks." He said, "Why would you say that?" I said, "It's the fourth most dangerous city in the United States." Why wouldn't I say that? And he said, "Well, how do you suppose we got that way, Miss Charles?" I said, "Because the politicians are crooked here. That's why." Well, the whole place is cheering now. I think I'm at a basketball game because it was true. Was true. Now, I'm not going to do that with you. But ours is I tell you this in a certain way because I'm about to show you something. I I can't help you if I have to be political. I can't help you if I can't just tell you straight up. And if I get to the place where you're going to need a lot more
018work for me, I'm going to do it free. I just I just don't do that. There's been times when I've had to take a couple days. I got a situation coming up. They're about to make a mistake and I'm I just I can't do that. It's I'm Let me tell you how how much it is. I'm flying to Virginia here in two weeks at my own nickel. and I'm doing drive 10 cities in Virginia that I think are about to make a mistake and everybody's debating all this other crap. I I I don't do that. I have we're we have to have the the physical data to be able to prove be able to talk about it and and if if somebody can debate with us and and win. I've never seen that happen. And
019the reason is they don't have the data to be able to say here's what's going on, especially in that cool school thing done in Bowling County because there was all this political hack stuff that was going on and and people say we think this and I don't that's not that's not our approach. I'm not trying to draw a conclusion and find the data to back it. I I don't do that. It's just So, let me just show you the screen a couple little things. Uh, and I'm and I'm not trying to trying to teach you nothing. I'm just trying to get to the place where we uh we we track in here all the Federal Reserve uh money stuff. We do that here markets that we have business and uh we track all the permits
020for numerous cities uh like this. We track Here's all the inflation numbers. Uh the inflation rate this morning by the way uh was 1.65. I know it the Federal Reserve wants 2% or more or less. It was 165 this morning. It's since April, it's been there at 29 times. But they don't recognize that the Bureau of Labor Statistics should be ashamed of themselves. Let me get off of this and take us all the way back in here. And so uh our forecasting just give you an example we said on May 14, 2000 way back over here uh May 14, 2000 that 6 years later we would see an economic downturn and six years later and that three years from there it would reach a bottom. We never changed the chart once. It was accurate to
021the month six years after and accurate to the bottom nine years later. And the degree of loss we said was going to be between 30 and 35%. It was 30 to 35%. It's actually 32 33. And so our our forecasting is based on a whole different philosophy of of how we see things. We Let me just keep going. We I I did a study for the largest equity group in California. Their partner was the king of Saudi Arabia and we did that for them. And so ours ours is detailed. We know that a builder that has a finished and occupied home is probably in trouble. And the more trouble he gets, the more finished and occupied homes you have. So we've done studies on how many finished unoccupied homes you get. And so we are
022here's Nashville Metro and we we do this. I keep Montgomery County separate. And the reason I do that is because the base commander at the 101st Airborne sends troops on and off the base intentionally to screw up my charts. [laughter] I can't mix I can't mix Montgomery County with with the with the rest of it. I can't do that. >> Interrupt you. Go backart. Brother County. >> Yeah. Right here. So what what so what I do is I will take the lever and Shirley world right here and break that down into eight price ranges and all it is part of the side of the interstate 24 into eight price ranges and eight price range. We separate all of our data for houses and for land and all all these little things for the builders and
023developers. Uh but we have all the households for here and for here and here different and we know the price ranges. We know the people that are moving in there and how many kids they got and and where that market's forecasted. We're we're five years out in front with our forecasting of how many lots are going to be needed where it is. I I'll show you that in a second. And so I'll just go real quick because I'm conscious of your time. And uh we so we we do a lot of this overall market like this in Rutherford right over here. If I go back uh four months ago, we were moving in families at 259 families a year in Rutherford County. Four months later today, we're moving them now at at a 2100 uh
02477 rate. So, and let me just show you uh there's a lot of this lot of detail with of course Rutherford is on here as well as market share of the whole market and and uh one of the things that we're careful of doing and I'm just trying to give you a feel for what we do. Uh we are careful right here. We all every number on that chart is ours. It's it's all our own charts. It is it is not anybody else's data. There's nothing I have that's somebody else's data. Okay. Even even the charts itself we we've created them ourselves. Right now in middle Tennessee we have a,070 subdivisions. 170. Well if you go back 5 years 1 2 3 4 5 years ago they had 1,251. And so now we have,070. What
025has happened? We have dropped some bunches of subdivisions that the planning the planning commissioners don't realize it but they're not coming into the system and we're about to turn the corner market get better and all of a sudden we're going to heat up in terms of more houses being built and we don't have the lots for it. And so if you if you're if you're out there looking at data and you're just saying well how many what what's going on? You can't tell very easily. You draw a false conclusion because the stuff is not coming. You got economic cycles. Ours [clears throat] is we know the front and the back. We have been doing Rutherford accounting for so many years. Can you imagine how crazy that is to have counted everything in this subdivision every
026four months for all these crazy years? 38 years. How nuts is that? Somebody said, "Why do you do that?" Because nobody else is stupid enough to do that. [laughter] So we so we we we have a a database all the way back. I have all the record. We have been tracking a 30-year mortgage rate on a single page every month since 1971. You talk you talk about knowing what's going down. It's just so so we're careful to watch the lot counts and we have this in and the housing and how many are going how many being built, how many are finished and occupied just so much. The current lot inventory in Middle Tennessee 17,860. If it was 800 if it was one less, I would have made it. Next, this year we're going to use
02715,860 lots. There's 15,860 homes going to be built. If I look at Williamson County, they're going to do 10,582. Williamson County is going to hit a wall. This going to one lot per five acres is crazy. It's absolute insanity because they used to have one lot per acre as zoning. So, you have five houses that were going to pay taxes to accommodate the road in front of five houses. Now, they're going to have one house to accommodate the road and five acres. There's the there four houses are missing. It's just real simple. And sooner or later, they're going to raise the taxes and and all the guys that pass that will be dead. You know, they don't care no more. And we and the kids are going to get stuck with this. It just makes
028me mad. The Davidson County is still knocking down five 15,900, which is absolutely nuts. And uh we have to develop between now and the end of uh 2030 112,000 uh lots. That's that's an insane southshford county in in a second. So we are going through and we got all our audit information. be careful. Here's the employment we're watching and uh we we we track employment ratios and population permit ratios. All of our in our interest rates and all our inflation charts are here. I I'm I'm careful your time. And in treasuries, we'll watch that all areas by subdivisions. If I look at Rutherford County, I can tell you how many subdivisions I have by part of county. and and here's our audits and but that's not the thing. These charts right here, this is six
029and seven uh are all our accounts once a year as a summary and it takes us all the way over to to here. And if I was to take Rutherford right in here, it's right through here. We have every price range, every part of the market, every price point. I can tell you how many homes are out there by every spot by GPS coordinates. How many are sold, how many are not sold in every part of the county. And and I can tell you, and I've got that here. Watch. This is today. Here's what's going to look like in four months. Here's going to look like in eight months. Here's what it's going to look like in a year. And and we actually take that out further. I just don't put it in my in
030my deal here. People think that's just too much to get their arms around. So, let me take us We I know where they're going to run out of lots. That's what these charts are. I can tell you to a spot in in in the county to a price point where there's [clears throat] nothing they can do, but they're going to run out of lots. that they it takes it takes two and a half years time to look for land, put it under contract, check out the renegotiate the the contract, check out the utilities some more, go to the planning commission, all that, go to city council, pay off the council under the table, take it to water and sewer and streets. He's just going to have to put up [laughter] I I don't I try
031not to be too serious with all this. I'm dealing with statistics and and and pull the building from it. It's two and a half years. >> What about the planning commission? >> If you started in Russer County today, you're two and a half years. >> What about the planning commission? Do they get anything >> from me? >> Not from around here. They get anything on the table? [laughter] >> No, I don't know. I'm just having fun with you. sometimes ask the question, Waller, why why do why do you you data for the planning commission? They don't want me to [clears throat] because I'm I'm the only guy that can disagree logically, accurately, and they that's political. You say, "Well, the planning commission is not political." No, no, no. Please don't say that. It's political. It's
032got the and it's not political. It's their personal feelings with the stuff. And some are liberal, some are conservative. It's got all these things going on. I show up boom boom boom boom boom. [laughter] They don't want they don't want me to do that. And so it's I'm a I'm the I'm a I'm a problem. See, with you I'm not a problem. [laughter] >> No, I really mean that. It's just it's just that way. So, let me just take us out of here. >> With that with that graphic you had just a second ago. >> What? >> With that graphic you had just a second ago, can you go back to it real quick? How was that organized? Oh, well you I'm glad you asked. This is your lucky day right here. But let me
033just take a particular spot that maybe help you uh that I can do. Let me take right over here. This this is very simp. This is market in Davidson County and 32545 home and a lot of price range. They're currently absorbing 146 homes a year. There's 15 homes out there. They have 70 developed lots. We got the GPS order on every one of them. And there's 36 more lots, same subdivision they could develop. So they can come up with 72 there and 37 that they could in a 2-year period they can 109. That's what I was worried about because you as Rutherford County a city, right? >> That's correct. I we're at uh 12A. >> Yeah, I saw that first one of 455 plus 800. Yeah, that's what terrified me. >> It's no wonder you
034got that big time job. [laughter] I mean, some of you can be smart enough to look at my ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch ch chart and tell it that quick. >> I love numbers. I love numbers. So, that's what I was looking at. >> Well, see, you're in you're in area 12 A, 12 C, and 12B uh right over here. So, we know we know two years in advance in that part they're going to run out of lots. I know the market's moving that way, but they can't do nothing about it because they're not into the planning commission and stuff. And you're talking about putting another school over there, but they got nothing coming. It's it's going to it's going to
035hit a wall. It's going to slow that part down. It's going to force people to go somewhere else for a while. There's going to be hesitation. So, whatever you think is going to come, it might drag out another two years or it may not. It may happen somewhere else. And now it's going to come where you're thinking about doing this and it's going to accelerate. because they're not able to go over there because of sewer utilities. We we've got Oh, let me hurry. I I want to quit. I'm sorry. I'm trying to be quick. >> Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt you. I just I I noticed that at the top it is. Yeah. >> So So we have Let me show you right here. Th this um this is the subdivisions that have not
036started a house in the last four months. Here's here's Rutherford County right in here. I have 18 over here that didn't start a house in the last four months. I have four 24 here and 28 here. It's always always that way. And we we there's 422 in Middle Tennessee. Uh let me take us out of here and let me take you over past these to one more Rutherford County. This is 12 A. See it right here. 12B, 12 C. Each one of those is further broken down. Eight price ranges, 24 subm markets. We have something we furnish the banks. It's a software that's all of our banks in all of our states. They can they can simply go down to that. They can go tap on on the screen. It'll select a spot in county.
037Tap it again. It'll pick a price point and hit enter. Tap tap enter. and within five six minutes it'll print off a 28 to 32 page report given the degree of risk of building a speck home measure to a 100 of a point on that spot we have the FDIC worked with us when they go into audit banks they say where's that market graphic stuff so somebody says to me how come we never heard of you before it's because we don't advertise and we don't have partners and we don't play the stock market that's we don't play bond market and we no borrow money, none of that. And and we have nothing to put out about ourselves. Let me tell you, you get a shock. I know you're not going to believe this. You you've
038got to think of mine, okay? We have a 91.7% renewal rate with our clients. 91.7% of the people that start with us stay with us. How crazy is that? Out of out of a group that just operates on a handshake, how nuts is that? I mean, I say it and I almost don't believe it myself. It's just So, here, let me just take you to Rutherford. Now, uh, right now we have, here's all the price points. Let me just pick the 325 425 range. We have 188.5 homes. Well, we're so tight on our accuracy, we don't even average. So we get decimals because subdivisions fall between multiple price ranges. Great decimals. But if we added it all together, it comes out to a whole number. So So we're really really careful. We We just don't
039play no stupid games. So we have 188 finished unoccupied homes. How many would I like to have? I'd like to have 106. We are overb built in Rutherford County right now. Nuts in some price points. In the 425 625 range, I have 169. Listen, I have 169 finished and occupied homes. I only have 153 under construction. I have more finished homes in that price range in the county. This is this is all the counties, all all three parts. And all that's hand counted. And so when you get into the 625 925 range, I have almost 50% of everything going sitting there. I got 59 to 134. Here I got 169 to want more 90. You sounds pretty bad. Well, well, wait. Let let me show you here in the 425 625 range. A year ago
040I had 204 finished uno and occupied. 8 months ago 228 and then it went down four months ago to 192 and today is 169. So we're overbuilt but it's getting better. I got a couple spots is getting worse. So the builders will go there and here and try to do this. There is no builder in the United States that chases after the market of people. Nobody does. They chase after the deal. There's no builder. They have no clue what they're selling to and they don't know. You talk about an industry that runs by the city of their pants. We're in that industry. But here, here's Rutherford. Here's the closing rate for all of Rutherford County. And then here's the next 12 months. I think it's going to be flat feal bed. It's going to start
041curving its way out. Right here is the caution range for speculative building. And so we're here. We do every piece. You see this? Let me get to the last of it here. I'm going to get past all these other counties and uh take us out of here to a particular chart. Uh right here, here's Rutherford County. We have 3,75 lots on the ground. I've got some of those lots that are junk. I got some lots that are in plats that are so old, subdivision plat, so old that the original plat was signed by Adam and Eve. >> [laughter] >> And so we have right over here. Here's we're expecting to build in Rutherford County. We're going to build this. By the way, I'm going to tell you, you cannot believe our accuracy of our stuff.
042It just not trying to be foolish with with all those some who's that arrog arrogant dirt break. You know, we're going to build 17,424 houses between now and the end of 2030. That's being conservative. 17,424. And you have to plan for that. The question is not how how do you pull that off? Where are you going to where is that going to be? We we've got it down to spots in the county by price point and and how many families they have and the income levels. We got it every across the whole county. And because we want to keep it current, we physically redrive and recount the whole county every four months. And we've been doing that for all these years over 38 years. rec recount it and we we're just um just about to
043come out with the new data and uh which is February. We're just we're auditing right now. I just met with a bunch of our auditors today. [clears throat] So here, let me let me show you another one. Let me there's a column on here. There's one number in here. It's important. Watch. See this? That's how many lots you're going to build. I'm saying you have to de develop and approve true planning commissions 22,459 lots not the 17,000 you're going to use because we are so far behind with enough lots to accommodate the market that what it's done is pushed up prices supply and demand and we've eliminated the first buyer market it can't go there but if you can get your if you get the lot we're supposed to be so now when I go
044to planning commissions right they hate to see me show up who's this dirt bike. Oh, it's that sticky Charles guy. That's that guy that keeps put all that crap and all all that stuff he talks about because if they're if they're if they're lying or guessing, they can't they can't how do you get around this stuff when you handc counted the dog on thing? >> So, it' be good for >> We have to commission. >> We have to develop 5,000 more locks. >> This is the largest. Rutherford's the largest. So, when we hear this, we're not going to keep growing. We don't need a school. We're the largest. >> Yeah. So, let let me just show you this right here. Here's the overall Nashville market. Here's where that's going. Uh, we forecasted this. CO came
045along. People couldn't they weren't selling their existing homes. Builders have to step in. That market went up, came back down. It came back on on our on our forecast that we did back in 19 of where the market was going. And it's going to be right here. We're looking at Rutherford County doing this. You see, in 2027, let me just show what we do. We >> something we do we map you can't see it on here but in our in our regular maps is all these dots all those dots it's that's where the subage is located and uh in our regular one I had one of my guys just put this together real quick at the last minute we have I have here's all the subdivisions and all the audits how many lots I got
046just it's it's multi spec every every month in all Middle Tennessee. We turn out every permit by every builder, everything here. And and then we summarize it right here in who's doing what and builders. There's there's over a thousand builders that only build one house a year. I know it doesn't sound it makes no sense, right? >> But but they're all here. We account for every one. And what I just showed you on there is right here. And um I'm going to do something with you. I know that we try to find out what I charge. I'm going to give you all this free. >> Oh. >> Tonight I'm going to do that. And if I can't help you after that, that's fine. But but I'm convinced I'm convinced of something else. It it is
047not it is not all my data. You can have that. This is just summary stuff by the way. We get down into the weeds. What you need to have is for me to come back if we have if you want me to help and take this stuff and meet with whoever is going to do the analyst analytical stuff for you because you're not going to do it. You none of you on board is going to do that. Pro maybe some over here are going to I don't know who does it. We need to sit down and talk it out. I I need to I need to I need to debate. I need to know the question really really clear and the question and I need to know the background who's messing with you that you're
048wasting your time. It seems to me to talk to me, right? So I I have I have to know all of that. I have to get I have to understand that and I'm not going to do it by phone. I'm not doing by email. I'm doing a crap. I'm going to come back and we're going to sit down. We'll talk it out. Talk it out. Talk it out. We're going to go back to our office. We don't charge extra. Go back there and we're going to figure out how to go through this and and put it back to a thumb drive all electronically all done so it matches what your your needs are. So now you can see but you but I have to put it I have to put it in such a way
049that somebody might be capable of presenting it to whoever's giving you grief. >> [snorts] >> If I if I have to come do it, if if you don't have somebody capable of explaining it after I mess with it. If you don't have somebody capable of doing it, then I have to do it. I'm not going to let somebody take our data and screw it up and and not be able to get the point across. If I have to do it, I have done the builder association annual deal for all these years free. I do all the builder associations everywhere free. about 30 40% of all I do we do free. We just it's just I have small builders that I help that can't our stuff's not expensive but it's I just how we do it.
050So let me answer a few questions and I'll get out of your here. I think what you've brought us is valuable data and I would love to have you talk to the county commission if not the full commission at least budget or health and ed and u >> can I ask you one question though part of the problem that we have here is people move here they like their quality of life they love our schools >> yes >> and they want to buy a home >> it's not the fact that there aren't that they can't afford a home it's the fact that a lot of these builders are coming in and building all rentals How do we account for that? >> I don't know what to do. >> That is a problem. A huge problem.
051>> Trump is trying to change. I'm not trying to bring his name up for any political. I'm not doing that. But he's trying to change that right now and not allow uh major investment groups to buy those those houses, >> which we're not talking about mom and pop who has five or six rental houses. We're talking about these LLC's. >> He's in the process of trying to shut that down. I really am thinking I'm I met with Andy Ogles for lunch today. I I'm thinking I'm going to see him and I'm not going to let him let me talk to somebody on his staff or or the secretary. I'm not doing that. He's either going to talk to me or I'm not going to talk to him and because I have stuff that he needs
052on the inflation and everything else that he doesn't have he's not accessing. And if I do that, it's going to turn the housing market around, take off like crazy. I'm happy what he's thinking about doing. But I have a second reason for seeing which comes back to your point. They have what's called HUD housing and urban development. It doesn't exist. They think it exists and there's big buildings. There's all these employees, but what you have is you have no longer housing and urban development, but you have urban development that builds houses or apartments or section 8, but you don't have the housing part's gone, which is your your part. You see, had the had the had HUD stayed as HUD housing and urban development, then we would have wouldn't have that part that you're struggling
053with. So, it's a it's a real issue. But Trump don't even know that doesn't exist. And the guy that's running HUD right now is a great guy. Scott, just a wonderful human being. I just love the guy. Just good good man. He hasn't taken the time to realize that the housing part of his life, it doesn't exist. what he has is he has urban development that builds houses some but most apartments and that people don't want around them and so they're going to have to deal with that what you're talking about but he's got to find a way of getting through the zoning problems Rutherford County right now has has an issue of trying to see can we get rid of the smaller lots can we only go with big lots look at Williamson County
054one lot per five acres how stupid is that I mean you I mean you want to talk about dumb this is dumb at its highest level and you can't take stupid right I mean it's just awful now we have Sar County just went to two and a half acre we got Wilson County now horsing with this and uh it makes me mad for the retirees so I was up in Wilson County speaking to all their planning commission and all their city council everybody at one time and I said you know what I'm going to do before I leave and and I'll try to quit. I said, I'm going to give you a stock tip because of what you're doing with the elderly. I used a stock tip. Buy stock in companies that sell towels. Because
055these old people who built the county and paid for the roads and paid for the school district and paid for everything are now being told, if you want to move down, you have to leave the county. You know what they're doing? They're buying towels and they're putting them under the doors upstairs so they can close off the upstairs. So towels is going to be a big seller. >> Anyways, we're all good. >> Yes, we are, sir. >> And I and I want to follow up with just one little thing right here. And what Edel is talking about and I my relationship with him goes back I guess 30 years. Pinnacle. >> Okay. >> Yeah. Pinnacle used to put on still does and and I remember the first presentation he ever put out. I thought, how
056much time does this take to to analyze this? And and that dip that we saw in ' 08, 9 and 10. I mean, he was spot on. And his data gave me the encouragement to get back to get in the rental business even greater than what Terry and I are because he showed that incline coming back out 12, 14, 16. Anyway, the most successful societies are always the ones where homeownership is the highest. And I think what we have observed here in the last 10 to 15 years, you touched on it, Claire, talking about the rental business, talking about the apartments, talking about the high density dwelling, the the subdivisions that's nothing but rental. and he's hitting on the same thing because when people feel like and this is what's happened to Davidson County, this
057is what's happened to New York City is they have turned into rental meccas. Okay? If that's the kind of county we want, then that's what you do, right? And the overreaction is what you're talking about is going to the five acre track, going the 2 and 1/2 acre lot. That's not the that doesn't solve the problem. That's the the >> You know what? You know why? Why they do that big lot of stuff? They're sucking up the people with money. >> That's what I was saying to say. Yes. >> Now that they do that. So I tell you what, I've had whole planning commissions. I've shut it down. I've embarrassed some of them so much and and sold out crowds. They were standing by the walls that and they didn't know what to do with
058me. Okay. And so what they they did they've actually canceled the meeting. >> Yeah. >> After I got done because what what they're doing is they're Well, here's our job. I tell them, here's your job. You have to accommodate everybody. The guy who's wealthy, it's got a big house, doesn't want a little cheap house alongside. You got to accommodate. And you got to accommodate the person who doesn't have the money, >> right? >> You got to find a way of dealing with the first buyer market, which you're not doing. You're just presuming you can't do nothing about it, which it's a lie. You have to you have to be able to find everybody in your county and accommodate everybody. >> That's right. >> That's the goal. That's when I look at stuff. That's how I
059look at it. I don't try I don't try to favor anyone. I just think that's that's absolutely crazy. How do you come? And I tell you what we're doing. We train we're throwing the elderly underneath the bus and just it just irritates me that we're doing it. People that would like to move down they do you know that the first buyer market house and the elderly house it's the same house. >> Same house. >> But they won't do that. Let's take his information under advisement. I mean, he's good enough to share it with us and and maybe Dr. some of them your staff analyzes it and if we do need to subscribe to his server whatever because I think this is a catalyst not only what Rob does for us this information together maybe creates
060that high level of credibility >> coming from us to the county commission because I think that's what that's what I'm trying to get done is to get that information across where we are you know you see the numbers it's 3200 you know this year so And Miss Sharp has talked about everything going in down at Leverne. She's aware of that. I'm not, but it lines up with those numbers. But anyway, Edel, thank you so much for coming. We do appreciate it. >> Thank you so much. >> What's what what's going to wind up you watch. It's going to wind up where I'm going to wind up having to come here more to service helping you than most people because your needs are different. And I don't I don't mind doing that at all. I just
061I just >> Well, everything goes hand in hand. Our parents are always wanting to know and I learned real quickly when we first got on the school board and they how often do you talk with the planning commission? Well, never. >> Yeah. >> They they build the subdivisions, we build a school, they come around, they build the schools around their subdivisions. There's not this without this data and without working with them, we this county is just it's just hodge podge. It's there's no planning. There's no anything. And we don't need that. Can I tell you let me tell you one last story. You're gonna you're going to laugh at this, but I get a call from Murray County and it's it's the president chairman of board of of a bank without getting to names. I'm
062going to get in trouble. They said, "Can you come and talk to us?" I said, "Who's going to be there?" Well, he says, "First of all, we do it after after the bank closes and you come talk in the library. you come talk to us the big big bank over uh we just we just have a question for you. I said what's the question? Oh no no no just come talk to us. I said okay I'll come talk to you. So I get over there and all these old guys had a couple young guys but mostly old guys we're sitting around know me you know mayors there's f four mayors in that county and uh two of them don't can't stand each other's guts. So they said to me, "Mr. Our question is this. If
063we gave you the county, what would you do with it?" Oh, said don't do that. It's over with. Then why? Because I think you're outdated. You're you're running into ground. You're not following those. It's just it's it's awful. So don't ask me that because I'm I don't want to be ugly like this. I just was really bad here. So So you shouldn't ask me that question. No, we're really curious. I said, "Well, I'll tell you what you do. You call a meeting at Central High School and you get all the politicians, get old school, old police force, state patrol, legislature, only only government." It was almost 200 people showed up, by the way. And so I I have on the screen a stage. It's an old stage where you got to go about six steps
064to get up there. Normally I can jump up at my age, you know. >> So we put three big screens up and the two outside screens I put overhead projectors, the old old type because I was going to keep a screen on both sides and I put one in the middle where I could use a computer. I could talk. I said, you know what, everybody's there. I said, u you know what they did is they asked me what would happen if they gave me an accounting. I said, "I've decided to come and tell you." And I said, "Let me show you the single goal for all government, all all people, all school to everybody. The single goal and I clicked on had two guys with me clicked on this the outside projectors and it quoted
065a scripture verse said that the parents that are layup for the children's children." So I said, "If you're planning, how about you learn the art of stopping planning ahead?" I don't like planning ahead at all. How about we plan backwards and we start with the children's children that are not born today and how do we plan for them? How do we take the whole county and fill the county as if there's no more place to live? There's no it's all gone. Where would we have put this the schools? Where would I actually did that? Where would we have done all these things? I said, I you're you got a problem. You need these many more schools and I put down an increase that we needed and all that. I said, but here's where you can
066run in trouble. You think you got to buy these places? That is dumb. I know I'm talking to I shouldn't say do that, right? I should be more kind. Why did you find a way with the development community and the politicians to get the land for nothing? Why don't you get the land for nothing and say if you give the land in these spots, whoever can get them, what we will do is we'll give you these 200 houses over here, but no property taxes for five years because you gave us the land. We and we'll trade and you have no no investment in in all the land. And then I got off into development. And then I said, I I I've created a whole system for trails for old people with their golf carts to
067go around and visit each other and and to go past the schools and to free labor for schools where where old people could go and you have charging stations and gas and and how they could do that. It's a whole thing about how he get all these old people to go to Murray County to retire. Why do you want the old people? Cuz they don't kill people. You want the old people? Because they don't have kids. Unless something goes wrong at home, right? And or and there's all kinds of reasons you want the old people. They put their money there. All that. And they and they give their time. If you'll ask them, they will give their time free. So I wanted to put in a trail system. So I planned the whole county for
068Murray County. My mistake was I did it free. I'm going to wind up coming help you. >> We appreciate. Okay. >> And and I don't mind you, >> Mr. Vaughn has one question and then Mr. Tidwell, real quick. >> You know, the thing that's killing us is apartment complexes. >> It's what? >> Apartment complexes. Yes. They come in there and [clears throat] the the number of kids that are involved, you know, that's young families and a lot of their places have uh a tremendous amount of kids going to going to elementary schools. And is any do you have that filtered in with any of your reports at all about about the the amount of apartments and all and the impact they have? What we don't do is we don't in our regular reports deal with
069the rental market and we don't do that. But we do deal with all attached product like condos that are for sale. If it's for sale, we pick it up. We do pick up the rent for the rental single family detached. Uh it's hard to separate that from regular because the builders hide it. They don't want you to know they're putting rentals with regular houses. So what we do, we do a special study sight specific stuff. We have to address the the rental side what you're talking about and try to get our arms around that. It is not always easy. And the reason it's not because there's a lot of lying that goes on. Uh I think in the United States that lying and deception is uh becoming rampant in many many industries and they they
070try to create all this this junk. It just irritates me to no end. So so there's things that we don't know the answers on. But we do have all the households all broken out 68 types throughout all of Rutherford County. And what happens with me because I'm the one who does it, okay? I sit there watching TV at night, football game last night and uh I get sidetracked and I get frustrated and I'm trying to answer a question. I go through a full banker box pretty much not quite full every night pretty much of people that are asking me questions from 16 states. And the data that I have is so stinking accurate that although I haven't been to Lincoln, Nebraska for a couple years, I I my data tells me exactly what's going on
071and I and I can just tell where. So when they call, I just can pull it up and I I can talk intelligently, you know, and make So we're able to answer some of your questions that we cannot I cannot stand up here and answer when you get off into the rental site. But but but you can't allow you cannot allow HUD to come in with section 8 housing just any old place, >> right? >> And and create a crisis. And and you cannot take people that are poor and stick them next to the interstate and put the rich people in the woods. You can't do that either. Some of the planning I see just it's just awful. We are we are biased towards people with money. I'm not biased. >> Our money. I think
072it's something >> 50 years. I just told you you know >> Yeah. I think it's something that really would benefit us, you know, because >> Yeah. >> You put 150 to $75 million in the school. You better make sure >> you better be sure you're in the right place, >> right? >> Yeah. It just Anyway, I appreciate everybody putting up a dragging it up and going out. >> We have one more question for you from Mr. Tidwell over here on the end. >> Who? Which one? >> Right here. I app I appreciate the information. Um so I'm going back to one of your charts. You said that we're going to build by 2030 17,424 homes and that we need to build 22,455 homes. It the the the difference between the we're going to build what's
073that >> create lots for here. Let me go back to the number in Rutherford County. Between now and the end of 2030, we're going to build 17,424 houses, but we have to develop 22,459 lots to accommodate those 17,000 houses and to get our lot count up a little bit to relieve the pressure on land and lot prices. That >> the supply and demand. >> Yeah, supply and demand. And and there's nothing you can do about it. You you just have to accommodate it. You have to be accommodating. What what has happened with government over time is that government has gotten to the place um where they think that the homebuilding industry is to be there to be jumped on when in reality that's their responsibility to accommodate the families in their county. It's yours to
074educate. It's theirs to help them. But they see themselves now as a hindrance to keep you out and to make you and shove it down your throat. That's not how that works. I'm here to help them do the right thing. The builders need to see themselves and and and developers doing the right thing. Now, those that are going to not do the right thing, they need to make sure they're in line. But the industry is here to help the people find a place to stay is or the old people to to move down, but we don't accommodate that at all. I'm I'm going to leave you. >> Thank you, Mr. Charles. Thank you for bringing all that to us as well. Thanks, Mr. I'm I'm old math teacher. [laughter] If if you go back to
075about the third slide, >> what can I do? Probably. So, it's off the screen. He's You're going to put it back. >> All right. >> Uh the third slide way back in the beginning. >> Yeah. Way back. >> Well, let's let's do it. >> I have to go back. >> I caught a mistake. >> Yeah. >> Well, let's go back and let's take a look. We're good. Imagine we you're not gonna believe this, but from the time we leave the field with auditing to the time this is completed is three weeks. >> Oh wow. >> All updated. We are electronically very very careful. And uh they just all that. So let me see if I can go back here a little bit more. >> Keep going. >> Yeah. Oh, >> you have to stop me
076when you want. >> Okay. Keep going. This is permits. Then we're going to come to that's the last one. Did you Did I go too fast? Let Let me show you. Here's the beginning. It goes here. Let me Let me go back ahead this way. Really easy. And you just see if you can remember. I have a hard time trying to go back myself and remembering, by the way. Yeah, there was 250 something and you subtracted 70 something. I mean, >> oh, it's where you gave the example of how many blocks were created. >> What? >> It was where you gave the example of how many blocks wereated versus what the inventory was. You you hand scribbled over here on the left side. That was when we were talking about Donson and you thought he
077was so smart because he figured out 12 B 12 C was >> right there. >> Is that it there? >> Yeah. And you put >> No, that's not it. >> You put 81. Yeah, you subtracted that from it. You put 81. >> Oh, did I? >> That's not right. You subtract. [laughter] >> Correct. 15. It was 51. This was a a zero. So that was one. And 15 minus 7 should be eight. And this should have been. Is that 181? >> Oh, I missed the number. >> That's what buddies are saying. [laughter] >> You got that. You got that smile on your faces. You didn't put the one down. >> Good. Good gracious. >> And you guys are talking about me helping you, but I [laughter] can't get I'm up by 100. >> No, I
078can't see that. >> Oh, that was pretty quick. [laughter] >> Anyway, >> you were talking about the Donaldson. >> Oh, yeah. You thought I was joking, didn't you? >> No, I knew you weren't joking. >> That's even worse. >> Welcome to my world. >> That makes my [laughter] my my >> Anyway, I I appreciate >> that's all the mistake you made with all that. You're doing pretty good. >> I I appreciate you guys letting me come. Okay, >> that's awesome. >> You know what? When I sat down, I thought I'm amongst friends. >> You know what? Really? You know why? Because Rutherford County, where we started this darn thing. >> Yeah. you know, and it's really easy for me to come here and I've done that builder association all those years for free just just
079to help out. And um I'll tell you one last one last thing. I had a husband and wife had a husband wife come up way back before the 2009 recession and they said what they were about to do and I said, "You should not do that. You're going you're going to get hurt financially. Don't go do that now." Oh, I said we we can't change now. We've already got commitments. We got contracts. No, no. Get unravel. Get out of there. You're going to get hurt. Three years later. I'm putting on a presentation. What? I'll tell you where. On a presentation. And it came in at the last minute. All room was full. And the lady, guys, what came up in front of her husband. She came in the door. She started crying. And she came
080straight to me in front of everybody. Mike was ready to start and she puts her arm up in front of her husband. I feel a little little funny and she got her head on my shoulder and she's weeping. She's crying on my shoulder because she says, "You know, have we not taken your advice to unravel that? We now know where to go. I'm broke. If if I see you're going to go down a rat hole, you're going to have to put up with me. >> Thank you. >> I don't want you to go broke. >> Thank you. Thank you, Miss Maxwell. Um, sorry. Um, so we have not voted, the board has not taken action and voted on the five-year plan. We were supposed to be voting for the five-year plan after we did the
081resoning and to see where the numbers shake um shake out. So my question is there is there is right now support and agreement that we need a high school um and we got data from RAW of potentially of where it could be. But I'd be curious to know how that that information and then what his information he provides kind of interlace together to say that this is where we really need the high school at and where we should focus on and push for it as part of our five-year plan that we are going to be voting because what happens is that we have a five-year plan. But it depends who's on the board. That fiveyear plan changes every single time depending on who's there. if we have a five-year plan based on the data that
082you provide and and and and Rob and so that regardless of who's on the board can focus on because of this is what the trend is so we don't keep changing left or right and it just it's a whole new five-year plan and then we lose focus of >> let let me let me tell you how I we I would do it if that was the case I want to read everything they come up with how we're coming up with what you got so far I I want to know the location on what your thoughts are. I want to read what he did. I heard he's a good guy. All this I want to read it all and and and I and I can't do that right away. I it takes me time. Uh I
083work really hard at my age and and I'm about to go all the way where they there's a university out Starksville, Mississippi. I don't know what that is. It's a big place. I can understand. I just tease it. And uh I'm I'm headed that way here and a and a just a big circle of numerous places and that's going to take me almost two weeks. So sometimes I get I'm I'm just I'm just gone, you know. And this one's a special because my wife and I are having our anniversary in the middle of that trip and I got a time to be at her sister's house. We're going out to eat. So I'm now trying to find what what am I going to buy her? You know, all that. I'll follow up with you and
084then I'll schedule a meeting with um you myself and then Rob, our other consultant, we'll start working on all of it together. >> I I have I have I have to read and study >> and he'll be >> and understand >> he'll be great with it because my vision is all of us together. >> Our our approach is not to be disagreeable at all. Our approach is to understand all the pieces and say here's the answer >> and it's and it's not one that's has any bias. I honestly don't believe I >> No, I I don't think you have any advice and we've always from the very beginning all of us have wanted to get this right >> and if I think all three of you getting if we get in the room, Dr. Sullivan,
085Rob, yourself, you can all analyze it and we can like you said put it all together and we can get this right. So >> I think I think you're right. I I become a piece of that puzzle. >> Okay. And >> anyway, thank you. I'm going to pack it up. >> Okay. I have one I have one more >> happy anniversary. >> Yeah. So I tell you, but so I dated this woman three times. On the fourth date, we got engaged and we're about to be married 60 years. >> Wow. >> Congratulations. >> She says to her dad, I'm engaged. She I didn't even know you were going anybody. [laughter] We're talking a couple weeks here. And they but her dad knew me and I was a real rebel. He said, this will never work.
086I wish he was alive today to come on our anniversary 60th. Miss, >> see you guys. >> Miss, one more thing. Um, and so I really would like to vote on this five-year plan. Um, because we were supposed to be taking more action on it and we haven't. And so, um, when do you think potentially we can vote on this five-year plan if we get everyone in the room together? You said it'll take two weeks so that we don't delay that vote. we can move forward because initially it was so that we're going to wait till we did the resoning. We've done the resoning and then now we it should have come back up to us for us to vote and we haven't. So I'm just would like for us to move forward. >> Maxwell
087and I talked today about it being on the agenda February 18th but >> February 18th. Okay. >> We are not going to have all of this data done by February 18th. >> Do you think that we should push it off two more weeks so that we can have this conversation first? I don't imagine that Rob and Shel will have it all done by February 18th. >> Well, no. I'm saying push the conver push off the delaying the vote of five-year plan until this >> I would till we have all this. Yes. >> Okay. >> It'll be the end of February, maybe. >> I still think it'll Let us talk and see. >> Beginning of March. >> Let us talk and see how long that's >> Okay. Great. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you,
088sir. [snorts] Any other questions or comments? Okay. There's no public comments tonight. Now we have Rutherford Proud. >> That'll all be Thursday. >> All Thursday. Okay. And uh next we have a resolution >> to consider. This is a resolution to establish an annual observance of the 4th of July through instruction in all schools. And whereas the 4th of July marks the founding of the United States of America and commemorates the adoption of the Declaration of Independence through which the American colonies asserted their independence from England. And whereas the Rutherford County Board of Education affirms the importance of teaching students the historical significance of American independence, the birth of the the United States Constitution, and the fundamental rights and freedoms upon which the nation was founded. And whereas the Fourth of July occurs during the summer
089months when schools are not in session, creating a need for intentional instruction during the academic year. And whereas public schools pay play a vital role in fostering civic knowledge, patriotic pride, and an understanding of the nation's heritage. Now, therefore, be it resolved that the Rutherford County Board of Education hereby establishes an annual observance of the Fourth of July through structured age appropriate instruction in all schools. And be it further resolved that one instructional day shall be designated each school year for this observance. And be it further resolved that instruction shall include the historical context of American independence, the separation from England, the Declaration of Independence, the United States Constitution, and the basic rights guaranteed to citizens. and be it further resolved that constru instruction shall be delivered in alignment with grade level curriculum requirements including
090English language arts at the high school level and social studies at the middle school level and be it finally resolved that the director of schools or designate shall be responsible for implementation and oversight of this resolution. So that is a resolution that is being presented for your consideration on Thursday night. Miss Exel, >> Mr. Rosales. >> Okay. So, just like this resolution says, the 4th of July is a national holiday that we celebrate every year declaring the birth of the nation many years ago in the 1776. So, um when the Fourth of July happens is during the summer months when school is not in session. And this kind of puts it into as part of an educational process for our students to remember the reason why we um why we gained independence from England and
091how and why it's important as well. And so there should be no cost associated to this because the instructional materials can be used whatever materials resources we already have or just be able to find whatever is available even on the internet. So I don't foresee us having to spend money on this is just making a a a time for this to be part of the schedule. And if we and if the day is declared at the beginning of the school year, there's going to be plenty of time to prepare for that. Also, I also like to reiterate that 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the birth of our as a United States and as a nation. So this also will go hand well go hand inhand um with the celebration of the birth of our
092nation of the 250th year by also starting in the academic year 2026 to 2027. >> Thank you Mr. Zolith. >> Yes Dr. Sullivan >> in Tennessee we have annually in September constitution week and so we will align this with constitution week and our grade level specialists um Miss Vicky Stem and Mr. Lee Ramsey will be charged with helping create our curriculum. So, it's the same districtwide, but we'll do it during that week. >> Okay, great. Wonderful. Thank you for bringing this. Next, we have human resources and um you will see a >> large list of >> Yes. And I do need in full disclosure, uh my daughter-in-law, it's still funny to say that daughter-in-law called me and let me know that I was going to see a name that I knew. So, Sydney Maxwell is
093on there. So, I just wanted to full disclosure let you know my daughter-in-law's up for tenure. Very proud of her. >> And just a reminder for the board knows this, but anybody watching, if you see someone with an administrator that is receiving tenure, they do not receive tenure as an administrator. They receive tenure as a teacher, not as an administrator. Any other questions? Okay, next we have legal. >> First, you have transfer student under discipline labeled number one. The board has been requested to admit a transfer student from another school system under discipline. The student was expelled for making a mass threat according to policy 6.318. The board may deny admission of any student except those in state custody when a student transfers from another school system while under suspension or expulsion. Director of school's
094recommendation is to deny. And then everyone has these files with them and they were emailed I believe Thursday or Friday last week. And then second one transfer student discipline 2. The board has been requested to admit a transfer student from another school system under discipline. The students are remanded for possession of a box cutter and making threats. According to policy 6.318, the board may deny admissions of any student except those in state custody when a student transfers from another school system under suspension or expulsion. Director of school's recommendation is to deny. >> Okay. Thank you. Next we have engineering and construction. >> First we have a CLQ land development sewer easement for Lee Road. The CLQ Land Development has been working with the town of Smyrna Utilities for sewer connection for their development on Lee
095Road. Development is cross Lee Road from the RCS potential property under contract. They're requesting a 30foot easement on the east boundary. CLQ has been informed that the property has not yet been closed, but this could be approved pending closure. Engineering Construction has reviewed the request and has no objections. Any comments or questions? Okay. Next, >> the transportation flowchart. Transportation departments modified the route award flowchart to include all open routes offered to speed up the process. Anything you want to go over with that, Shirley? >> The only thing I want to say, it's the same flowchart that you saw a couple weeks back so that everybody's familiar with it. The only change that's been made when a route is available and they roll the picker wheel, the first the contractors first on the list gets 24
096hours to det decide whether they want the route or not. It's taken a pretty good amount of time. If they turn it down, you go to the second one, then you go to the third. We can be 10 to 15 days before we have gone very far. The only change we've made is to offer all available routes if there's multiple routes available and they can choose one. That's the only change. The the process remains the same. Instead of going route number one and having to go through the entire list and then starting back over route number two, if we have two routes available, both routes are available to the contractor. They can choose which one they want. We're we're anticipating this speeding the process up. If we only have one route open, of course, then
097you only have one route. But at [snorts] the at the rate we're going doing one route at a time with multiple routes open, you could be 60 days and we would be forever. >> M. >> Yes, Mr. T. >> So basically, instead of starting with the routes, you're going to be starting with the individual and then letting them choose off the routes. But are you still giving the 24-hour? >> Yes. >> Okay. To that driver. So they say, "Hey, I want route C out of the list that's available." >> If we have three routes and you're the first one that's drawn, you have a choice of all three routes. You can take any, all, or none. >> But if I But if I choose C, I have 24 hours. >> Yes. >> To get all
098the paperwork to you. >> Yes, that is correct. >> Giving you the option of choosing which one you would like. And so once I respond back to are you how quickly do they have to respond because say you have you have >> you have 24 hours. >> Well I I understand that but I'm saying if you have three drivers and you have uh well say you have 20 drivers and you have three routes. You go to the first one and you reach out to them you're given 24 hours to respond for that first route. Say they pick C but then they got 24 hours from that point to get you the paperwork or they got 24 hours from when the picker will starts. No, they they have 24 hours to take the route. >> Yes.
099>> Then they have 24 yes or no. I just want to know yes or no in 24 hours. >> At that point, if you take the route, then I go to the next person, offer them however many routes are available. You're now on the clock to get me your paperwork. >> And if they don't get it within certain amount of time, you just pop it back out. and then you're out and that route becomes available again. >> And it's the same way now we're just doing it one route and I've got these other routes sitting over there at the side and I'm not has the potential to speed it up. >> Yes, it has the potential to speed it up. >> Mwell. >> Yes, Mr. Zalis. I have a question for clarification because you said
100if there are three open routes and the first person picks they can pick all three or just No. >> No ma'am they can only take one. >> Only take one. Okay. That's what I need the clarification for. Thanks. >> Yes ma'am. >> I would I would put it on my terms like selling land at auction. >> Uh high bidder's choice. You the first man to the you tell me which track or tracks that you want. >> Yes sir. In in your particular case, you can't take but one track. Correct. So then >> bidder number two gets number he gets his pick and bidder number three gets their pick and it's all over with. >> Yes, sir. >> Do you go ahead and do if you got let's say you got three routes, do you go
101ahead and pick all three drivers or all three contractors at that one spin? No. You you come back and have a spin. >> They're in an order. We follow that order. >> Okay. All right. That that's the only thing I thought. If you really want to speed it up, get the picker. >> I don't know which one they want. That's the only problem. >> Yeah. Well, that's what I was fixing to say. Let them If you went on, if you know you had three routes, pick three contractors or maybe a fourth. One, two, three, four, and then they've got they can pick it and you would have that alternate, you know, one of the >> But if they all turn it down, I'm back to the same. >> Yeah. You're back same thing. I'm trying
102I'm trying to concentrate. >> There's not a I wish there was a perfect method. The only thing I'm trying to do now is if we have multiple routes >> Yeah. >> speed up the process. >> Mel. >> Yes. Mr. Tidwell. >> Another point of clarity. Um if you have a contractor that wants multiple of those routes, he still is only getting one. >> He's getting one. That's all. That's all that's available is one. Got it. >> Any other questions or comments from anyone? >> Okay. We'll move on to financial update. >> I'll have a little bit on Thursday, but really I want to thank our team. Um Tori Atwood is our accountability attendance um coordinator or director. And so this year, unbeknownst to our board, but our schools, our attendance people at the schools and
103here at our central office, the state, what you're used to hearing us talk about is uh EIS, the educational information system. Our SIS or student information system is Skyward. The state has transitioned to a new EIS system. So, it's what we use as TEDs and then they move into a system called Sword. And it is not gone smoothly um to put it nicely. And that's troubling when and it this is district-wide. The state's had very good communication around it. But when you're dealing with 51,000 kids for funding and making sure every little code and you're looking at a million students statewide, it's it's been a tough transition for our staff. And so they have worked really hard. Um so I appreciate their work. They did all there's a there was a January 15th poll for
104that. They were trying to get all the data accurate and updated for our first real Tissa um estimate and the state did a a what's the best way to say it? An update and it wiped all their data they had already put in. And so it's >> we still had it but the upload didn't go. And so it's >> I just wanted to take a second and thank them because they put a lot of work in to correct it and >> now it's going to be another month. So our incoming uh information is not going to be completely accurate, but they've worked really hard on that. So wanted to give them and there's an attendance secretary or register at every school that we depend on to get their information. So really appreciate them. >> Miss
105Sharp, >> how would that school? >> It shouldn't affect them very much because this is for next year and they're going back and trueing up. Um the state is supposed to true up all the year and so usually they stop on October 1st and you only have 20 days to go backwards and they have said from the beginning that this new system they're going to allow you to true up all year long supposedly and so directors are pushing I had a meeting Friday just to confirm that again >> I know we've required them to uh use Skyward. Are we going to have to require them change policy? >> They already are. Okay. They're going to egenuity um synergy with Edgy Point. Okay, thank you. >> Okay, next director's update. >> Yep. Mr. Evans, director's update.
106Couple things. >> Um, so Dr. Sullivan asked me to present you all with a summary. We started doing a community survey and an employee survey back in November and that closed last week. Uh so we've been letting it run for a couple of months and reminding parents and employees to um take the survey. The survey was meant to help us gauge some things about communication. There's some things in the survey that you guys won't care about. It's things like um what what do you go to the website for? That's something that we use internally as we're designing and redesigning some websites for next school year. But I pulled out a few here that I thought would be really interested uh you would be more interested in. Uh starting out with the stars on the top.
107I'm on the I'm on the parent survey side. One's a parent survey and if you flip it over, there's the employee side. But I'm on the parent side. Uh one of the or a couple of the big questions that we asked was how would you rate the overall quality of education provided by your child's schools and by the district as a whole? And uh we had just so you know 2,800 responses here for this which is about 10% of our parents uh which is a good percentage for a survey but 4.3 out of five stars. To put that in perspective what what star rating do you like when you shop on Amazon? I'm I'm a firm believer and four four and a half I'm pretty happy with that. I'm pretty confident it gets below four
108I start to think well there's probably a better option. So 4.3 I feel pretty good about that. The second question was how likely is it that you would recommend our schools to a friend or a fellow parent? That one also got a 4.3 out of five. So pretty happy with those numbers, but it also gives us a baseline. We'll run a very similar uh survey next year and see how that needle moves. Hopefully it moves up. Uh then a few of the other questions here that we pulled out. I feel communicated with regularly and effectively by the district. You can see there that about 90 something% is either strongly agree or agree. very few uh about four um point uh 15% there is either disagree or strongly disagree. It's pretty good numbers there. Same thing
109about their school. The numbers are about the same. Slightly more disagrees, but nothing significant there. Um how do you feel about your knowledge of the academic programs that you know we we advertise? There's some room for growth there, but strongly agree is 23% but agree is 52%. So, if you combine those two, it's still a pretty high number. Um, we were very pleased with this number. How did you do you know about the lottery choice program? And there was a huge Yes. basically 82% of parents know that. Um, and then do you follow us on social media? Uh, about 65% or 66% does. Uh, we're going to watch that number too is that I don't use social media. That's uh there should be a percentage symbol there, but 12% I think that number will keep
110shrinking. That's what the research is telling us. more and more people are getting on social media, but there's always a few, right? There's even a few over our table that don't use social media. I'm not going to point them out, but there's a few. You know, they know who they are. Um the employee survey is on the other side. There's three of those star um questions also very high. But as an employee, how likely is it you would recommend our school as a place to work? Very high percentage, 4.6 out of five. Again, another thing that I would buy on Amazon if I saw that rating. Uh the second one there is as an employee how likely that you would recommend our schools to a friend or fellow parent as a place for their children
111receive an education 4.6. And then the last one is how do you rate as an employee the overall um quality of our schools is 4.5. So I like to the question this way. We've all heard that Google's a pretty good place to work, right? We've heard that even though none of us have worked there. Uh right, Mr. Rosales, you've not worked there? No. Just making sure. Okay. Uh but how do we know that? We know that because of the kind of rankings and ratings we hear from employees. So it's it's really strong endorsement and affirmation to have your employees say how um much they think the quality of our schools are working here. And so uh I I like those numbers. And then here's just a few of the employee questions that I pulled out.
112As an employee I I feel communicated with regularly by the district. There's a even higher percentage there than parents. Same thing from the school level. And then do they follow us on social media? About 76%. We had a bunch of anecdotal responses too where we just asked for just some feedback. And I I've read through some of them. There's about 1,200 in each one of these surveys. But just through skimming through a lot of them are, "Hey, we're very happy. You're doing a great job." Those kinds of things. But one of the common themes I noticed in the employee ones is they want to ensure that all employees are receiving the same information. And we hear that we, you know, like if I'm an EA or if I'm a custodian or work in maintenance, something
113like that. sometimes we don't get the information because we're not checking email like other employees might be. So that's something for us to focus on as a uh communications plan for moving forward. Uh on the other side on the parent one the common thread was uh using that they wish that schools and teachers would all use the same either method or platform to communicate with them because it's so different. Some people you might use Remind, some people might use a text message or whatever. And we have a plan for that. We have a new communications platform that's rolling out next year. We're working on the migration now and once that happens there will there will be an RCS branded app. We don't have the exact name for it yet. We're working on that. But it
114will all flow through that app and text messages and so anytime you want to uh communicate with your school, your teacher instead of us using Dojo and Skyward and school messenger is going to be under one umbrella so that they just have to know one place to go and they can sign up for what schools they are. When they sign it, it'll already be in there. their kids will be rostered to their teachers and so it'll work um well we're hoping it will work seamlessly so that that will launch in July we're working on that program now what questions do you have there are lots of other questions that we asked in the survey that are not on this report but I don't think that most of you would be interested in those as a
115whole >> yeah I have questions okay so on the social media one is there any way to ask additional questions where which social media channel they actually get their information most so Obviously they are getting their following um Rutherford County schools and social media but which platform is it? Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn X, YouTube. It' be interesting to know which of those um also is there and and and do that not just for the teachers but also the parents. Um I'm just throwing this out there. Is there some school I I've seen other districts do the same thing where they take a survey but they also talk about things that are currently going in the schools for example we're getting ready to go through budget season and so they even ask questions about do you understand
116what the school budget is would you like to if you don't understand what a school budget is or how the money is made up or whatever would you like to know more information about that so they asked us specific questions about stuff like that so I'm wondering if that's something we She'll also include just to see if parents want to know more information so they can understand and have a little bit more clarity about how our budget process is. And the other one is I'm so excited about this app. I'm not involved with the app, but who's building it? >> Aptagy. It's a company called Apttoy. >> Aptitude. >> Aptagy. It's an unusual word, but >> yeah. >> So, there are two big players. There's really three, but there are two really big players in
117this type of communication platform. One is called Final Site and one is called Apttoy. Um, if you check around with most large districts, they usually use one or the other. We did evaluate both and API was the clear choice of the committee that reviewed it and so that's what we went with. >> Okay, great. So, it's going to have a large enough bandwidth for all of us to be there >> and trying to uh >> stay tuned. I just wanted to tease you a little bit with it tonight and soften the ground, [laughter] but there'll be an introduction as we get a little further into the project um to answer your first question. So we can't go back and ask other questions at this point but in the future in the future but we know
118from our user metrics of who you know which platforms are the most popular typically YouTube you may be surprised YouTube is king YouTube is the highest social media platform among all age groups it's YouTube which surprised me when I learned that yeah in this course that I was taking >> it's considered another search engine >> uh it just some people don't view YouTube necessarily as social media it's more of a content sharing thing but it it is form of social media, but Facebook is by far our largest uh platform, which is it's usually the second on most list. We have 357,000 um uh reach for the month of December. It's on the other sheet that I gave you. Uh YouTube or Instagram is second. Uh Twitter or X um is not very popular anymore. It
119is it is drying up very quickly for a variety of reasons. The only thing keeping that platform afloat is that a lot of politicians and athletes and celebrities, things like that use it. If it wasn't for that, uh, usage has dropped way down. If you look at the rankings, there are about 10 other platforms ahead of it. And then our YouTube channel is there as well. So, I did provide the the monthly report here from December, show some highlights and also some of our metrics. Some of our big news that we had of course in December was uh we had the thing at Lever with um I'm think the reality TV announcement for the um uh Northern Tool project that we're doing at Leurn. That's those kids are really excited and they've all been promised
120through this that they will have a job when they get out of school and they're they're really excited. It's also really cool that one of the lead students there is a young female student and and they worship her. She is incredible incredibly talented. She won an internship last summer and she worked for them during the summer and then this fall when she went back to school, she comes to school in the morning and then goes back to work in the afternoon. >> Yeah, she's their star student in the program at >> She'll be she'll she'll write her ticket and work wherever she wants to. >> Uh there's a few other things there. One thing I want to draw your attention to is that of course our career fair is coming up in February. That's our
121big teacher recruitment fair. That's February 21st at Stewarts Creek High School from 9 to 11. It's the same day as city schools, but while we're on YouTube, I'll just go ahead and say ours is better. So, if you would like to come work for us, we pay better, we have better schools, we would love to have you. So, please come out to the recruitment fair. >> Any questions that I haven't answered? >> Yes, sir. >> Mr. Tidwell, >> uh, real quick. So, all of these was it all anonymous all the questions? >> Yes, sir. I use Survey Monkey for that. And so, um, it's it does even require them, of course, for parents to have like an RCS email address for employees. The employee survey was sent to our employee list. And if you're an
122employee and a parent, we encourage them fill out the employee one from the employee point of view. If you're a parent, also fill out the other one from the parent point of view so we could get that distinction. >> All right. And go ahead. >> And one last question. I didn't see on here. Did you ask whether or not they wanted to hear from Dr. Sullivan or James Evans about snow reports? >> Uh, okay. And that is a great question. We did not do that in this survey. It really hurt Dr. Sullivan's feelings [laughter] in 2022 cuz he posed that question. decided not to redo it again a couple years ago. >> James is the king on that >> and uh we ran a graphic in our employee newsletter. It was it was embarrassing and
123so I didn't want to [laughter] >> was bad. >> Didn't want to embarrass him anymore. >> Bad. >> What was it like 97 to three that I mean it may have ticked up a little bit cuz you know there was like a raise last year or something but that is from you guys. That's not Dr. Sullivan. Um I will say >> you do have a mug so I mean that >> that's right. Uh we do have a couple of shirts out there with our names on it. Um he's sneaking in a little bit of mine. It's all right. I could I've got enough room to share there. It's fine. Uh well, you did ask for a snow report though and so several of us attended the the uh weather briefing today and there is a
124stronger likelihood a an increasingly possibility that we're going to have uh greater than six inches of snow this weekend. There it was like 50 to 70% likelihood. And as we get closer, of course, it gets in more focus. They said it could be as much as nine inches of snow or more. So, um, either way, if that happens, we'll see you guys in March. [laughter] We're going to shut down this entire state. So, um, >> yeah, >> go right. Roger. Brilliant. Brilliant. >> That's right. Uh, I just helped Kroger out by saying so. >> Any other questions? >> Yes. Any other questions? >> Thank you. You do a tremendous job. >> Thank you. >> To connect to that, we have nine inclement weather days. We have not used any. We also currently have March 12th
125scheduled as a teacher administrator day. So if we needed to gain one back for any reason, uh if things just went nuts all over the place and we had a three, four, five days and then it snowed again sometime in February and we had to use more days, we have an additional we gain back. If you go just and you use all 10, then we also have five other days we can use as um I hate to say distance learning because that's a word I never ever want to say again in my remote learning days that you're allowed to use, but we will always burn all of our snow days before we do the distance remote learning days. Got to get those words out of my vocabulary. I don't ever want to say it. >>
126So, >> any other questions? Okay, next we have um the legislature has just gone back and so we will be monitoring. There are several things that could impact our schools and uh Stan will be bringing them to us as they happen. >> I'll have I am one of the nine members of the Tennessee organization for school superintendent legis legislative committee. So I meet every Friday at 9:00 with our legislative group with toss so I can help with updates too. me. >> You sir, we do. >> Yep. 9:00 every Friday. >> Next, we have general discussion. Does anyone have anything they'd like to bring? >> Yes, Mr. Rosales. >> Thank you. Sorry. Um, so I got um a few things. Um, one is that, um, I received an email from Bistown and it's no secret I've
127been trying to get Bistown in integrated in of our schools. It's a great addition to the amazing Shaker the Shaker Awards. We we got the schedule for that. So, that's great. I'll be attending the the reception for Shaker Awards. But anyways, um, Bistown is inviting all of us, all the board members to go down to Nashville to the Junior Achievement Center on February 12th. don't know exactly the time, but we're going to have a couple of schools that are that are our schools that are actually going to be there and they're going to be providing us lunch and also a tour of the whole facility of biz time so that you can see um get a glimpse and um and and observe at the same time of how that works because there's two different types
128of programs, one geared towards elementary school and the other one geared towards middle school. So, if you have if you're able to and your schedule allows, it'll be amazing. um February, again, it's February 12th, they're going to be providing um lunch. So, I'll ask them to send out a formal invitation to the rest of the board. So, please be on the lookout for that. And the second is that um they also have a um an in inschool in-class portion where volunteers come in and teach the curriculum that is also tied to the financial literacy that we kind of did that resolution last week. Thank you so much for supporting that um in teaching budget management things like that. So it's like it's it's broken down two different ways. one, you can teach it as a
129fiveweek series or you can teach the cla the the series all in one day for five classes. It just depends how the school has decided to do that for that day. Anyways, they're looking for volunteers for that. You don't have to have a child in that particular school to be a volunteer. Anyone could be a volunteer. So, it's open to that. There's one that's happening on uh in May at Proper Hill for Popppler Hill Elementary School for the second grade. I'm going to be teaching that. And they're still looking for a few more um volunteers. So, if you're interested, send me a d send me an email or or ping me or whatever and um and I'll make sure I connect you to the right person. It's a great program and so I just wanted
130to bring that up. Let's do >> Thank you. Yes, Dr. Amazing Shake is also February 12th, so they're both on the same day. >> Um >> that ceremony is at 5:15. They're also looking for volunteers. February 12th, um I'm presenting at our national school um superintendent organization, but that is also Asher's birthday and so I will not be there either as the afternoon because I'm taking all that. >> Well, we could make it split half day, half a day, go to Shaker. >> I thought it was both of them. at this town or whatever. I mean, I'm still going to go to the awards anyways because it's in the evening time, but um either way, we could do both if you wanted. >> Divide and conquer. Mr. Tidwell, please. >> Yeah. Two great programs. Uh
131do we have any schools that participate in Bistown yet? >> Yes. >> I thought we had a few list. There's quite a few. >> You have. >> Yeah, I'll get you. >> Both Both are great. Great. I like both of them. Um, I'm going to call go back to uh the very beginning here that we rolled past at the director's con contract that we kind of scrolled right past that, but I did have a couple things I want to present to the board, but for consideration, um, as you guys remember from the last time that we had this discussion, my issue with the contract, one of my issues with the contract, and this is nothing against Dr. Soul. I think Dr. Soulman's doing a fantastic job. Um, so this is no direct move toward him.
132It's just the contract in general. When I was elected onto the board, the previous director was paid out for a year after he was let go. Uh, which was I felt like a huge disaster. Uh, the way this contract set up is if that could repeat itself through the fullness of the contract if this contract gets extended and for some reason there was a change that was made. So my request for the board to look at would be to add language to the u to say that if there was a termination that six months of pay would be allocated along with those benefits like a severance package. That would be something closer you would get uh normally to a high position like this but not something that pays out the rest of the contract like
133we saw with the the previous director. Uh so that was something I'd like the board to consider. Another item is I know that when this was initially brought up there was some mention of financial piece attached to it but I didn't see anything attached to that. So as it stands right now uh it appears that the change is simply section one. Is that is that correct Mr. Reid? It's only the the section one portion that's being >> Yeah. There was never a financial point to this. It was just an extension of the contract. >> Yeah. Well, it was there was mentioned, so that's why I was bringing it back up, but as it's written, it's just the section one portion. >> There's no change in the compensation. It's just an extension of the contract. >>
134All right. Okay. Well, I just wanted to get some clarification on that. I feel like we've breezed through that pretty quickly. So, thank you. >> I asked for it not to be. >> And I and I would like to to point out to my knowledge, Dr. Sullivan has not asked for this to happen. I think he's doing a fantastic job. Has nothing to do with that. So, I do appreciate his leadership. >> Nor nor did I mention any compensation either. >> Yes. Go ahead, Miss >> No, it wasn't you, >> Miss Maxwell. >> Yes. >> Um, can we get a copy of Dr. Zman's evaluation and the comments and things like that of this past year? >> Last time we had a copy of his evaluation with us. >> Yeah, that'd be great. And the
135comments as well from the from um the principles as well as board member. Um the only thing I would like to say is that um this is a negotiation thing process and when this was opened up I don't I'll ask if there was anyone that had brought anything to the chair to talk to Dr. Sullivan. I don't think it's a it's fair that all of a sudden this is what's brought up as a concern when it should have been done in the appropriate we have a process because it's a negotiation. This contract was approved the very very beginning and no one had any issues with it at all and then it was passed and then all of a sudden there's issues. Even the even board member that that voted for it and passed it didn't
136have any issue issues and then all of a sudden there were issues and now there's an we're getting ready to vote for this on Thursday. It's not fair to the process or even to Dr. Sullivan not even be able to talk to the chair to say where where what his opinion and just it's as if we he has to hear our opinion and he has no say. So that's not how contracts work. It's a negotiation. If you ever enter in in a contract agreement, doesn't matter what it is, there's is a two-way party. Both sides speak and we do not allow Dr. Sullivan to speak on something that was just brought up right now to say, "Okay, I may not agree with this, but let's have a compromise." That's how it works. That's what I
137want to say. Miss Darby had her hand up first, Mr. Title. Yes, Miss Darby. Um, all due respect, last time this contract was brought up, there were issues with the contract. It was not a unanimous vote for that contract. And without knowing until this agenda was brought forth, what specifically was being requested to be changed or added to the contract, I don't know where the expectation is that more conversation was going to happen outside of this meeting. Not to mention, there's sunshine law involved. So, the meeting has it has to take place at the meeting regardless. Um, I share similar sentiments with Mr. Tidwell. I I had a whole thing that I went through last time we went through this contract, including the $5,000 a year that was initially brought up to get him to
138a certain salary level and then it was by all intents and purposes not supposed to still be there, but it is still in the contract. So, there are several things that could be discussed about this contract. This is the place where those things are supposed to happen. Um, again, nothing to do with Dr. Sullivan. He's doing a fantastic job. The only issue I would have with the extension is the fact that the contract in and of itself is not a contract that is good for this district. if something were to go south and we would have to pay out somebody a million or more dollars to make a change is not a good move for the district. It has nothing to do with Dr. Sullivan or his performance at all. It has to do with
139the contract in and of itself. Um I support Mr. Tidwell's idea of limiting that in some capacity. >> Miss Maxwell. >> Yes, Mr. Rosales. >> Jeffrey. >> Madam Chair, point of order. There's Mr. What's next? >> Did you say anything? Okay, well, here's the thing. All these fingerpointings doesn't We are supposed to be addressing point of >> Madam Chair. Supposed to be addressing. >> Mr. Tidwell has the floor. >> And it's a work session by the way. >> Alice, Mr. Tibble has the floor. >> It's a work session, by the way. >> Maybe we can do Robert's rules next. But I would say uh another point that we are way ahead of schedule when we even need to be having this discussion as was the last time we had this discussion. So if there is
140further negotiation as Miss Rosales has suggested then we still have plenty of time to do this. This is not something is not of necessity in the moment. The way the contracts written up the decision has to be made before October of 2027. I think we can beat that deadline at the pace that we're going. So, just noting that >> I just know everybody got an email and the email explicitly said that the only reason why we were bringing the contract up was to extend it. That was all. And uh in the light of all the wonderful uh news that we've gotten regarding this district in in my lifetime, I don't think our district has looked as good as it does right now. I'm be honest, I grew up here. this district has not been as
141strong and looked as good as it does now. And my failings were if we don't extend his contract and wrap him wrap him up for at least another of u a total of four more years, somebody else might come in and take him because Dr. Sullivan, you've done a tremendous job in this district. >> Thank you. >> Better than I've ever seen it done. And I'm not disparaging anybody else who was in his seat before him, but this is he is that good. I've had people tell me every time we go to TSBA, you better wrap him up cuz we're going to take him. And I want to make sure that he understands that we want him here with us. He's a Rutherford County guy and Rutherford County wants him. So that's why we're here
142today. >> Miss Maxwell. >> Yes, Mr. Rosal. >> Thank you. Jeffrey, can you please explain the contract and the process because I was told that if we had to have any changes, we're supposed to be bringing it up between the the timeline of when it was announced that we're going to go into this contract agreement of extending the um the uh extending the the extending his his contract by two years. Last time there was a lot of conversation that was said and done because someone initiated who didn't want to admit they had initiated the contract and there was some conversations that were said with the chair and Dr. Sullivan and then whatever was said and whatever it was brought to us for kids. So where board members had time to bring up whatever they wanted
143to bring up and changes and last time I was told there was tons of things that were being changed and this time no one brought anything. So irregardless of what the chair said the process is still the same the process. So can you please enlighten us and share with us how the process is when someone says hey we would like to extend the contract for two years or vote on it. Well, the only thing on the agenda is a proposed extension of the contract to by to be four years from next Thursday. So that's the only thing on the agenda. So there's no other changes proposed to the contract, no change in compensation, no change in additional terms. The only thing on the agenda is a proposed change in the term to extend Dr. Sullivan's
144contract. >> But last time it was the same thing. last time it was proposed to extend the con the the extend his contract by two years. So how is it different from two years ago to now when before we even vote voted on it there were people that board members that were sending stuff to want to change the contract before it came to us for it to vote. So how is that different? That's my question. >> I the only meeting we have now is the meeting we've got coming up Thursday night. So I can address only what's before the board this Thursday. The item you have on the agenda is a proposed amendment to extend Dr. Sullivan's term of his contract. Right? >> So that's the only thing you have. The board can decide yes
145on that, decide no on that. If the court board wants to make some other modifications, proposed modifications, the board can probably take those up. But that's something for the board to act on. >> I understand. But last time we there were change there were made there were requests that were submitted to make modifications to the contract before we came to the board to vote and it was on the agenda that we were going to vote on extending his contract. So, how is it different two years ago when board members brought things to make changes to the contract and then now all of a sudden we're going to do the same thing and no one brought anything to make changes to the contract. So, how is that different than what it was last time when we're
146doing the same thing again here two years ago? That's my question. because we did get board members that wanted to modify the contract before it was put on the agenda to vote on extending the contract when it was communicated that we were going to vote on that. So, how is that different? >> Ultimately, it's still it's the same decision by this board whether you want to extend the contract or not and what terms you want to extend it under. >> I understand it. I think >> so that that is what is going to be before the board and on your agenda for Thursday. >> Right. Well, I understand it. I think the point I'm trying to make is that board members brought things before we sat on this chair to vote on something that was
147on the agenda and it gave time for that those changes to be brought between Dr. Sullivan and the chair. Dr. Sullivan, did you not have a conversation with the previous chair saying that board members wanted to make changes to the contract? >> Yes, cuz I also have to agree to them. >> Exactly. And right now, no one did that. So this process is no different. The only difference is that board members are coming today to bring something to make a modification to the contract before. That's the point I'm trying to make is that they are making a difference in how they're doing by trying to make a case and say we're only going to talk about it and during this table right now without giving Dr. Sullivan time to talk about it with the chair.
148That's the point I'm trying to make right now for everyone to know. And that is not the right process that we should have not done. >> Okay. Excuse me, Dr. Sullivan. It's something more you want to say. >> I think it's just you guys know that I love and appreciate this district. Um, and it's always awkward to have these, but it's a public meeting. So, if the the board's going to talk about it, I'm going to I'm going to sit here because it's about my contract. I think it also is good for the community to know that it is customary in a lot of districts that after an evaluation is done that the board and the director if is a it is a positive evaluation and scores are good. That is usually customary well not
149usually quite often customary that a contract is renewed every year. That is not our custom in Rutherford County right now but that is why a contract extension comes up usually like every two years. >> Thank you. It is to to show as you mentioned good faith for work that is occurring. >> Yeah. >> And we don't have to make any modifications. We can vote on just what we ask you all since you all about. >> Yes, Mr. >> I was the one that made the recommendation to extend Dr. Southern's contract. And the reason I did that is because we had the highest performing school system in the state of Tennessee. Now, uh, I didn't fall off a turnup truck, but I know one thing that if I were a school board member in any other
150district and rather in the state of Tennessee or in the South or in the United States, who would I go after if I needed to replace my director of schools? It wouldn't be somebody that was too innate during the school year. you'd want to go after the the the Nick Sabin or the Lane Keiffens. I don't want anybody to come and get Dr. Jimmy Sullivan because I know what he's done for this school system and I'm going to do all I can to keep him here and you know uh money talks and you know I'm I'm telling you that I'm going to do everything I can to keep him. Now this may not be the thing that keeps him but it's going to be one thing that would would help keep him. uh cuz I
151mean he's he's from here and uh I know what he's made out of. I was reading I hired him as a teacher that the very beginning he's got the qualities of leaders and that you just don't find and when you talk to all the principles that Stan and I've been to that every one of them has said hey it's the best thing that's ever happened. They we have not heard one negative thing about Dr. Jimmy S. I don't care who you are. But anytime you're the boss, surely to goodness somebody's got something bad to say about you. But if it did, we never did hear it. And it was nothing. I mean, everybody was upbeat. And I think that it it that's a that's a reason we had such high scores is because we got
152great teachers. We got the best school system in the state. But again, great teachers have to work hard to get to the level we did. There's other places that have had great teachers but hadn't done very well because they didn't have the leadership. And I I know that if you want to continue to do what's best for the kids in Rutherford County, why would you let a man that like Dr. Sullivan that's led us like he has led this system like he has? Why would you why wouldn't you do everything you could to uh to keep him somebody else from getting him up? I don't want LSU to come in here and get him. And uh so you know, I mean, I I'm going to do all I can to keep him. >> That's exactly
153what we're trying to do. >> And I'll be honest with you, if it was up to me, I' I' I'd give him a raise, too, but he he declined that offer. >> Mr. Tidville, >> I just like to make a point of clarity. I know that there was a lot of discussion around this, but anytime there's a motion to make a decision by the board, the board can deliberate yes, no, postpone, make modifications or changes. I mean, I think that's pretty obvious. Um, so we can make these changes, but I'm not going to go back into that this bill. This is nothing to do with Dr. Sullivan's um leadership. I think he's done a fantastic job, and I'm sure we're going to hear a lot about that on Thursday, and that's going to be the
154point to move this on, but my request is still the same to look at this contract and unbiased terms. [clears throat] >> Any other questions? Okay. Thank you, Mr. agree. Well, if there are no other questions, I find us ajourned.