001for so where >> I can't explain it because I'm not the VA but that would be a question you could ask her um and she worked with me to do it and it was a three-year [clears throat] backwards grant that I was able to cover um expenditures for so I know that one of the bands was paid for through it a lot of transportation fuel was um brought in for it but these numbers help offset revenue So a lot comes in that house fund a lot of other activities that we are doing in the building so that we can keep our budget down. >> Thank you. >> Question about tuition and um in this year's budget we have $85,000 projected tuition in due to the CTD program. It's probably around it's probably a little bit
002higher than that for next year. >> We went [clears throat] 30 years without getting that tuition in um you know for the um the additional that we could until we until about 20 years ago we could have been saving for years on a building or everything else that it all big fish. >> All right, starting with our budget, you can see that it is up about $30,000 over last year. 110,000 is for special ed tuition and then there's um some transportation costs. Our current well when I pulled this data a few weeks ago our current special ed enrollment was 134 which is about 24% of our population and you can see the breakdown for by each breakdown by disability. Well, sorry. I was just going to say specific is actually specific learning disability. We couldn't
003figure out why kept cutting off on the slide. >> Are those are some of those do some of the students fall into multiple categories? >> Um, normally I just code that as multiple disabilities. So, some have the prime this is their primary disability. So, some have a secondary and tertiary disability as well. >> So, counting them in two. >> No, these are just their primary disability. So if I add that up, those are the number of kids that >> should add up to 134. >> 134 >> out of enrollment of 500 and what was it? 590 >> 529 >> 552 >> 5. >> So really one and four. Is that what it is? >> 24% refer to the previous >> Yeah. Oh jeez. I just did it in my head. >> Good job. It was
004right there. >> It takes a whole and we're responsible >> special education. We're responsible from the age of three to 22. >> Yeah. >> So, >> yeah. >> And then our special programs. So, we have two alternative programs at Lakeway. Um, and then we have Littleton Academy and our life skills program up here. >> Yes. And that just shows the enrollment. This allows us to retain uh many of these students in district and provide them with the education that they need. >> So are you seeing that um as the kids go up through the grades are the special programs getting them out of that? So they're participating in the regular classes. >> Some are and some um you know will likely remain in a >> alternative program. So, is the incidence of those kids in
005special programs higher in first grade than it is in 12th? >> Um, it's hard to answer that because we have our alternative program for K3. I mean, you know, we have anywhere from six to eight kids generally each year. But what we're trying to do is capture the students earlier because we've only had that program for like last five years or so. um and provide those interventions in hopes that they will not have to continue in an alternative program. >> So, how do you measure success? >> Well, there's a few different ways. I mean, it's not success isn't just the students um exiting the program, the alternative program. So, they have measures within the program to monitor whether they're being successful and we're able to meet their educational needs, you know, through their IDP goals
006and objectives. Okay. >> So, I mean, but you know, I would say that our choices program, we're seeing um over the last few years, we're seeing more students migrate out of that program or uh so it's not self-contained the entire day. They might go out for special. >> That's kind of what I'm looking for to see. >> Yeah. And our academy students are not self-contained all day. They some take their core academic classes and because we're on block scheduling they take two classes there each day and then they're over here for all of their electives and special allied art. This is our staffing. Not much has changed from last year. So you gave us that this year's number is 24%. Do we see a trend of more students um meeting their special educational needs going
007up down stable? >> Um >> is that percentage percentage wise? >> I'd say each year it varies. you know, a few years ago we were up to 160 identified students. Um, when we started the year, we were down to 128. So, you know, it does fluctuate. It depends on students moving in. And then, um, on that first slide, I also or the second slide, I had number of students that are actually in the process of referral. So, >> it's hard to listen and read at the same time. Is that it for Kelly? >> Thank you, Kelly. >> So, I think we'll leave it there for the presentation and we'll talk about fund balance and some of the other things in our next discussion out of respect for your time. But the next item on our
008agenda is the Lakeway decision. So, maybe we transition into that for a moment. uh you know get some input from uh you all should you have any. If you have none that's fine. Uh but so I I guess Erica maybe I'll frame up a little bit and then you uh can [clears throat] make it better and fix all of my mistakes. But obviously uh you so so what's the what's the backstory here? We went to vote and uh won a majority but an insufficient majority for the bond pass. Last year, we opted to not bring the vote back in front of the town because our hope was a year on that the macroecon macro macroeconomic environment would be more favorable, interest rate environment would be more favorable, cost to borrow would be more favorable, and
009that we would be able to uh work within our budget and work in partnership with the town and the budget committee to carve out sufficient space for the Lakeway vote, the Lakeway expenses, and um to be able to clearly articulate Lakeway as a townwide priority from a capital improvement [clears throat] perspective. So, let's consider us 0 for three on those measures. >> Yeah. >> Right. Um obviously the macroeconomic environment is not significantly better relative what to what we thought it would be. Um, while there was a capital improvement plan and I think Tony and his team did a great job with that, it didn't really do the hard work of prioritizing and of trying to carve out time and space in the budget for those type of capital expenditures and that wasn't its scope either.
010Right. So, that's not a criticism of that process. >> We were in need of a perfect diagram. >> Yeah. And um and obviously the budgetary uh pressures that have been not just on our budget but [clears throat] on the town's budget have been I think well beyond what any of us would have imagined 18 months ago. So you have that you still >> is so good. >> Yes. You still have the fact of course that we have this um offer of a gift um from the daughters and that that offer is contingent on a new school building being built on a specific timeline. So if the board elects not to bring it forward again or the board brings it forward and it fails, we might be um in a [snorts] very difficult position with that
011particular parcel. And you add to the fact that we pursued um state funding. Uh state aid Dale and team did an amazing job filling out the most ridiculous bureaucratic government application that one could [laughter] imagine. And as we reported at the budget uh the quarterly meeting a few months ago, we have found out that we are fifth in line for no money. >> Yeah. And um the prospects of that being funded are not high. Right? Of course, the state can do whatever it's whatever it wants. It can decide to fund it. Uh but the last time there was a moratorium on those type of um that type of funding, it lasted I think a decade. Uh and so that's a complicating factor here too. In the middle of all of that, the realities of the
012situation at Lakeway haven't changed. the reason that the board, the majority of the board remains supportive of a new bill haven't changed. We feel that we need a [clears throat] new school. Uh we feel that that's a great site for it, that having the site donated. Um again, this is a majority of the board, not the full board. Um is is a is a great gift to the town. Um that a better site benefits the town, benefits the taxpayers in the long run, certainly benefits students and teachers. uh and that uh renovation or consolidation are both options that we have explored and we have found to not be feasible. So that's kind of where we sit. We already presented a school and an architectural footprint that is um not extravagant. So there's not a lot
013of fat to cut there. It's not like well can you take 20 million out of the budget by like you know using construction paper instead of sheetrock. it's probably not a good idea structurally. Uh so we have challenges there. Of course, there's not really a lot of factor trim there and you also have inflationary pressures uh driving it. So it's a good situation all around. And so that's kind of where we find ourselves. >> So when is the last bond payment for the school district? >> One more year. >> Now how much is that per year? >> Give me a minute. The other thing is the other night that we weren't um we're always asking um what are the the um pickups from you know like new new buildings coming on um the tax role
014not just someone that's renovated a little bit but something brand new right >> and I think we found out the rail trail um was how much 250 >> 250 260,000 260,000 >> tax >> revenues. That's not this year, but it's coming up. >> Part of that is yours. >> If it was fully valued at 200 $22 million. >> Yes, it may be a you know, of course, they may ask for an abatement. They may um challenge that, but however, there's going to be a portion of that anyways. Um, I keep trying to look at some of those pickups and trying to plan ahead and and the um also when the bond is completed and converting those dollars into something [clears throat] that benefits your plans. So, I I don't know. I mean, we just have
015to keep at that. I don't I don't know. I mean, [snorts] >> yeah. Well, the thing is we got so many other things against us and listening to those people at the bond hearing the other night. One too many of them very positive about you coming up for $2.5 million. >> Yeah. >> They were saying, "Does this have to be done?" Yeah. What we have, what the town has for a problem has to be done. But um then they talked about the 10 to 12 million dollar bond, right? You know, and I think everybody's scared. I mean, >> we I forgot to mention the courthouse, by the way, which could be imposed on all of us, >> right? Which is beyond >> And then that $10 million bond would only cover for about eight years,
016right? >> You're looking at 40 million total. >> Exactly. We're looking at another 20 past that which >> makes Lakeway even further like ridiculously further out because if we're looking at >> we can't say well you know next year next year next year >> but I'm also trying to say part of that um rail trail revenues tax revenues coming in I mean it's it's divided it doesn't go all to the town that that's divided between [clears throat] the school and it really should be divided between the school and the town. >> Yeah. >> Um about the pilot. >> Yeah. You know, and unfortunately we all waited with baited breath about the pilot agreement and that didn't materialize anything great. >> Um but I just wanted to say that was the bond. Keep that that amount
017of money in mind for something. >> Well, yeah. But of course too, you some of those advantages start to evaporate quickly just by inflation. >> Exactly. >> As a $20 million building becomes a $40 million building becomes in time a $60 million building. And I I would just say that um again I want to hear from the budget committee, but just to make an editorial comment, if if the board decides to not bring this forward for a second consecutive year, I'm not optimistic that um I'm not optimistic that we'll get to a place that really benefits the taxpayer unless that those quarterly committees, those quarterly meetings of these [clears throat] three boards, the select board, the school board, and the budget committee can do the hard work. I mean, there's amazing work that went into
018the CIP, but in my view, that was the easy way out that the town manager wanted so that we didn't have the real discussion about how do we prioritize all this stuff. Steve Smiling to think he and I mostly agreed at that meeting and then it all went deferred to a CIP. And we can avoid these conversations all we want, but we're all taxpayers, right? And and we we we have to either do the hard work and start figuring out how we carve out space for this stuff because there's going to be sewer problems, there's going to be school issues, there's going to be whatever, or we can just let this thing just keep running away. And I I'm I've been really really disappointed by the the I think the lack of substantive material problem
019solving of the the collaboration of the three boards. There's been, you know, good information sharing and so on, but there hasn't been real material progress. >> Better than better than nut popping. >> Oh, for sure. >> Yeah. Yeah. It's net positive. >> Really where it's going to come down to now. Billy is certainly right on the sewage thing. Although, you know, even though it's coming out of the same people's checkbook, they're coming out a different way because it's going to be sewer users, but that doesn't mean that that bill won't impact your decisions on other things, even though it's not coming in their tax bill. But, but [clears throat] yes, you got to take a look at that CIP and say if the school's going to fit in here, how much of that CIP needs
020to be moved away? And there going to be resistance to that. But how much are we going to start, you know, appropriating and then stopping away at capital reserve fund so that it's we're not constantly playing from behind playing catchup. And that's the situation that we're in and going to continue to be in. >> Well, there has been discussion right about adding to our spring surplus allocation, if you would, about creating or starting to put money toward that project in larger sums. So, I think you're right about the quarterly meetings that they need to have more direction in some some areas. Um, obviously I'm happy that there's they've started, but definitely I think our January meeting, we've gotten through like half of this stuff. if you would work with me or Dan to come up
021with what you want to talk about and how you want to present it at the Portland meetings. I think we can start approaching these topics a little bit. >> Yeah, I I I will warn you it'll be no different than what I said a year ago when it got railroaded. Right. So it'll be the same thing, but at some point the the the three committees have to either agree to do this or agree to stop going through the exercise of pretending to want to try, right? I mean, it's it's to me it's that simple. So I don't think and I've I've said even in the paper, Diane, I don't think it's reflective of of your leadership in your direction, but it's >> No, I mean I agree with you. I think um we have to
022you know come up with really concentrate and come up with a solution on this um the CIP I'm glad everything was identified but it has to be those items have to start becoming a part of our budgets and our direction instead of just something on a piece of paper and I think all of us on this committee um expects that what are we doing for our facilities I mean after going to the courthouse presentation we ahal about [clears throat] those that attended we we basically are just our jaws just drop if we don't start taking care of their facilities. We end up at the end with what they are ending up with at the courthouse something that they can't use >> or don't want to use. And and the other thing, sorry I want to
023just want to call on Erica too because I want to make sure pull back to LY, but one thing just a thought that we haven't talked about necessarily. You've been good about bringing the state reps and the the conferred reps into the discussion. Maybe one of the things we also work on is a shared slate of legislative priorities. It's not that we can impose, but we could just say, "Here are the things that, you know, if you want our opinion, would be great for you to fix no funding, the [ __ ] law around allowing the courthouse to just be imposed by fiat on taxpayers, right? That the the nonsense about these out of district placements and not being able to have real oversight. So, we could also collaborate, I think, on those things. Again, it might
024not amount to a hill of beans, but I it's something that perhaps we could do." Well, I think sorry jump in here. I think that we have um my idea for the January meeting has been I wanted to carve it out. I said I I said it at the last quarterly meeting to work with the state reps and for them to hear us. Now, what those topics are, I don't know. You guys have to bring those toppings up. Um I'm just the person that puts the agenda together. So, definitely let's let's So, back to Lakeway. Anything you wanted to add to my summary comments? >> I feel like the Lakeway committee has done everything that that has been tasked to them. Um, we were asked to file for building aid. We did that. Um, we
025went back to the architect and the contractor, asked them to cut where they can. They did. Um, we have a bare bones building presented to the taxpayers. We cannot help the cost of things. I mean, like Tre said, we've been talking about this building forever. Um, and we can't help it that it's 40 million this year and it's going to be 60 million before we decide yes or no. Um, I did ask the Lakeway committee for feedback and the general consensus was um, they support the building, but they feel that with everything going on with the town that was just recently presented to us that now is probably not the time, but now is never going to be the time. So, I just need a vote tonight so we can decide so I can let
026Vanwell and BPS know that their services are no longer needed or we are continuing. till you can down. >> So the only source of any revenue from the school would be to bring your students in from other town, right? >> Yeah. >> That's about the only way you you guys can get any extra money from the outside is sell what you got here. >> You can't jack up transportation fees or whatever. >> We can't p our budgets that way. We I we could increase school lunches to like a hundred bucks a day, but that's probably not. >> I'm just, you know, trying to find a way to make, you know, make some revenue, but >> I to that I don't think there's any way we can make revenue, but I think that with the yes
027vote, we can qualify for grants that we can never qualify without a yes vote. Right. >> Speaking to the consolidation piece, again, if it's >> eventually where all the grade school kids are going to go to one town for the grade school, they're probably going to go to the newest grade school. And that's another thing to consider. Yep. >> The la the last bond payment of the current bond is is uh March of 2027 $267,000. >> Yes, ma'am. I have not done the numbers but my sense is that we can't put aside enough money [clears throat] each year to save towards the school that is going to be enough to uh make up for the fact that the cost of the school will go up faster than that every year. I mean, you can put
028aside some money every year for for cyclical replacement of, you know, we know every five years we're going to have to buy a new refrigerator or whatever. And you can put that aside and that works. But something this big, you you can't do that. >> That's exactly like three or four million. >> Yeah. And you know, our people No, people don't want to put aside three or four million dollars a [clears throat] year and then when you get there, it's it's gone up more than that. is my sense I I could be wrong. Yeah. And the same is true by about state funding too by the way. But we had did this analysis two years ago or whenever it was that if >> even if the state were to decide in the next bianium to
029fund building a projects, it's still only a percentage. There's a whole formula that goes into how much you get. It's not the whole modulo, right? And so even Henry out. >> Yeah. A lot of that state aid gets eaten away very very quickly. So it's it's not it's it's not a simple or obvious um decision. Yes, sir. >> Um so I think I'm I'm trying to trying to gauge what the public might be thinking. >> Yeah. You know, with seeing the uh seeing the requirements on the sewage treatment plan and all that, I can imagine they're not a happy bunch. Um, and I think some of these questions need to be resolved. I I do not want to be against good education. Want to just say that right at the outset. I think a town
030actually withers on the vine if it doesn't take care of that every so often. And we need to be careful about not taking care of it. On the other hand, the cost of um new school, time is an enemy on that. Clearly, time is an enemy. Cost goes up and up and up the longer we wait. Two, I think the birth rate numbers in New Hampshire and in our area are very low and don't even match what they were 100 years ago. So people people will want to say and [clears throat] I'll give you it was 14,000 in the state of Indiana for 100 years ago. It was 8,000 last year just to give you the numbers. So it's it's not um it's not attractive in terms of how many kids we're housing in our
031I shouldn't say housing educating in our system. That's just a terrible phrase. Sorry. Um and so the the trend of a low student count headc count um the sufficiency of the buildings that we've had in the past to accommodate much larger numbers is probably an answer that needs to be given to our voting population. the [clears throat] cost of being um as I said, time is an enemy is just that something's got to be addressed. I don't think I saw one of the good nuns the other day and I told her that I'm probably not for buying that property right now. And the and the reason being is that's only one of the costs over the course of the life of the school. You have water, you have sewer, you got roads, you got electricity,
032you've got teachers and parents carding kids out there instead of in town at H at for where this elementary school now exists. So people can reach that by walking in many cases, at least in my age, they could. [laughter] >> John, the land's donated. >> What's that? >> The land is donated. You said there's a a cost to purchase the property. >> I I think the land is one of the small costs and the whole cost of the whole whole school system. >> Okay. I just want to make sure for the people. >> Yeah. Because you got to consider all the other thing and the ongoing operating cost. So all in all, I think those questions need to be clearly identified and have have you as a school board actually done a if we fitted
033up the existing school and made it and put the money into it that we need to put into it. I know I saw something a year ago maybe and it was they're roughly the same ballpark numbers is what I saw. Um, is that is that salailable as well? Because I think you you avoid the development costs of going out there and you avoid the ongoing annual costs of getting to the school back and forth with kids. So, all of those things play into how a voter thinks about it. Um, I think we again I don't want to be seen as against education. I think education is vital and I think the town as I said earlier will wither on the vine if we don't take care of it. >> We've all Can I just wither
034on the mine? [laughter] We all have noted that we still have the same population but we have fewer school students. um >> histogram of ages. >> Yeah. It's just so it's like we are kind of we're aging out as a community. >> So people choose what town they live in in my opinion based on two things. The school their kids go to and the taxes they have to pay to live in that town. >> Y >> um I don't know if this is a vote against this, you know, not supporting the school building is saying you're not supporting education. So the question is how do you measure success of an elementary school education and would a different a new school building improve those metrics question there's a lot of research that yes I think safety
035My if we were to get a bond, we were to get a $30 million bond, which would I from what I'm understanding means that we got some aid, right? Because the bill is 38 million 35 38. >> It's closer to 40. Okay, >> it went up since last year. >> So, let's assume that we got $10 million of aid and we were bonding 30 million. If it was a 4% and we're talking about $1.2 million just for us to cover interest and then if you divide that 30 million, they would have to cover over let's say the bond was 30 years. How long bonds generally like this? >> 20. So you have another that in principle each year you have to on average eat up um one 1.5 million over 20 years right >> every
036year you have to raise 1.5 million principle >> and yeah it's going to start going down so but let's call it >> another million in interest that means every year we have to raise $2.5 million in taxes from taxes correct >> I think that's right >> yeah now if we divide that by see this part I started getting hazy on if we trying to figure out how much cost it's going to be to each person give or take like how much does it add to the how much does it add to the tax rate if is that to cover $2 million on a $1.3 billion valuation isn't each $1.3 million another $13 million would be $10 on the tax rate 13 million would be $10 on the tax rate. So 2 million would be another
037$2 or so. 22 250 on the tax rate just to pay for the school. >> It's more than that. I think it's more than >> it's more than it's worth. It's worth doing that exercise, right? I'm just I'm not sure if people can straight up afford it. But I mean, nor does the added um for the families that are now under that added financial strain, has their kids educational experience going to be worse or better at a new school with the parents under financial strain or at the old school with less financial strain? And I'm not in the school. I'm not an educator or an administrator. So, I'm trying to figure out is that the right thing for us to do for the students. >> When when we ran the numbers for the revaluation and
038when it was a $37 million project, I think I think the number on a then valued $200,000 house was an additional $1,000 a year in taxes for the next 30 years. I believe that that figure and on top of whatever they're currently paying and what the base amount is going to grow over that 30 years, that is a big ass. That's a number that even somebody who's pretty affluent or flush or whatever is going to that's going to get their attention. Dale gave us in his presentation that we're spending a million was is three million at 3.4 four already. [clears throat] >> But I I care on how much of that we're swapping >> if we're swapping that 3 million of maintenance, which it wasn't all the maintenance. >> That's true. That's an offset. >>
039But how much of that offset is how much of that would be an offset would be part of the question. >> Better to answer here. I mean, it would not all be pure offset, right? Because you would have at the new building. And to answer your preliminary your first question, uh the the language of the article that as it was in 24, now some of those numbers have changed, right? The way the bond was pitched, the amount that you paid per year was not fixed, right? It was decreasing, but the estimate was around a $4 tax impact and then reducing >> four. Okay. So it was like 16% more. >> Again, those numbers will have changed. That's where it was. >> This is 20. What? It's 24 right now. Just to put it right on
040this new one, it's 14. It went from >> Oh, 14, right? >> 25. Sorry. >> Almost close to 25 because it was 24.93, I want to say. Sorry. and it went to 2014 1410 now and now you're after >> you know I don't think we should do this math I think somebody should sit down and actually do work it out so we can >> well we did do it too I there's a whole lakeway committee folder on on the school website that Dale's done it all before um obviously it's not with the $40 million figure but you can easily adjust for that so it's all in which is also in the paper too >> and obviously if we bring this forward again we wouldn't do all that math again as we had done before >>
041any other thoughts on yes >> my other concern is if it's competing with the seemingly necessary sewer troubles >> right >> we build a new school so people say I want school, but I can't afford all this. So, they broke down the sewer treatment plan, and now now the sewer is backing up into our new school because the sewer treatment [laughter] plan. >> I don't sit further. Oh, there we go. So, I have >> I'm for Lakeway. I was four 20 years ago when my kids were in it uh when it was being talked about and designed then. at we let it run away from us and right now, you know, given what we're now facing because of these other maintenance problems, I'm I would be advocating against it given that. But I don't like
042saying that, but I think that's where I am. Any other thoughts? >> Like I said, seeing the people at that bond hearing, uh, there weren't too many positive people sitting around there. They're all concerned that it's, you know, the burden's going to be pretty high. Yeah. >> On everybody, you know, I know the good thing about that. So, what was I talking about? They go to >> Well, they got that 2.5. one to be right off. Then later on we looking down the road like but this year >> we're going to have we're going to have a vote year within the next months on the 2.5 mill and most likely next spring we're going to have another vote on 10 to 12. >> Those are going to happen. That will be a win feature on
043>> tough thing guys. The only thing about >> be quiet. >> All right. So, thank you very much. >> Well, you've been so much help. >> We we appreciate the feedback and partnership. We're going to continue our meeting. You're of course free to stay. It's public. You can stay as long as you want. >> Pizza. >> Um there will be no pizza as far as I know, but if the budget committee like to appropriate, they're free to do so. Uh but appreciate it. And then just Steve in terms of um next steps our next meeting with the budget committee is scheduled for >> 121. So >> I think we may have a conflict. Is that right Diane? >> We do have a conflict and I don't know how much of a conflict it is. It
044is actually the deliberative session for the wastewater treatment plant for and um and then this that's a Monday obviously and Tuesday is the snow day or if >> I can meet that Monday. Don't worry about me on that. >> I can meet on I mean I think we've done what we can do for the wastewater treatment plant. I don't necessarily think we have to be an opening session. Do you? I mean, >> it's not going to take that long either. >> Yeah, exactly. I mean, maybe if that's that's at 6 o', right? The deliberative session. >> No, no, no. The deliberative session. Yeah, we could walk. >> It's not like it's >> Well, we don't have we don't have as much to cover with you next time. So, maybe we'll try to make sure we're
045sticking to five to six with you all on the first. gives you the opportunity to walk down the hall and and hit the deliberative and give them a good yelling [laughter] and go to dinner. >> But please um January quarterly meeting. Let's let's go to it. Let's hash it out. >> I did I said I sent in advance to everybody respond. You have it on your calendar. >> I don't have it with me. I'm sorry. >> I have it. >> We decided to do it on the >> We moved it to the 21st. Yeah, it's Wednesday. >> I was hoping it was when I was in Texas, but no luck. [laughter] >> I mean, I I do want those quarterly meetings to be meaningful to everybody. And we have to we have to hit some
046of these topics. So, >> I think people are afraid of them being too meaningful decisions. >> Yeah, >> 100%. That's 100% correct. >> Yeah, >> that is absolutely the vibe I get from those discussions. >> Yeah. >> But all right. So, thank you very much. Keep pushing it back. >> Uh, you're free to stay, >> but we're going to we're going to press on. [laughter] >> Thank you guys. >> There you go. >> Thanks, folks. Thank you all. >> And John, I promise we will not entertain a motion you being against schools. >> We we won't we won't entertain a motion to declare that you're against. We'll let the record reflect. I spoke last year in favor of >> I know >> thanks John public so I hope so let's get started >> Erica's so
047mad at me >> that we can turn the refrigerator >> all right so >> I want to make clarify. >> Yes, please go right ahead. >> So, >> okay. >> Um, the article from the April 2024, the proposed $36 million lake wave bond is when we did all that math they were discussing thrown out. So, I just want everybody to know >> um on a 20-year bond at a 3.4 4% assessment the assess the estimated tax rate impact for 2425 would have been $1.25 or a valant,000 of the assessed valuation and then 2526 it was $4.15 decreased each year after >> yeah I thought around four bucks but >> it was it's what was printed on the ballot. >> Yeah. Um okay so I'm just standing because I can't do it anymore. Um, >> so
048the I think we need to have I think we want to take a vote on Lakeway, right? So we can talk about it more. Uh, we can talk about it until whenever you want to stop talking about it, but also somebody could make a motion to either move forward or to withdraw for a second year. I would just remind you procedurally a vote to move forward wouldn't necessarily be binding until we vote on the warrant articles that we'll do in December. >> You want to move ahead to the grant stuff in case for this? >> Well, I think while it's fresh, I was hoping we could have this conversation with >> I don't think we can try. I was trying to be nice to show >> that should be quick and straightforward and they won't
049believe they move the grant. I already read it. >> I read it, too. So, it's second. [laughter] >> All right. Wait, hold on. Because those things actually mean things. [laughter] >> So, it's not quite how it works. >> So, Erica motion >> Erica motioned the first New Hampshire grant and the amount of 8,000 as presented. >> Yes. And I second. >> Greg seconded. Is there any discussion? >> You want to know what it's for? We read it. >> It's first and we know all about it. >> All those in favor? >> I opposed. Same. Motion carries 5. Thanks. You're free to stay. >> Good night, ladies. [laughter] >> That's my read on the broom. Thank you for doing that. [laughter] >> Uh, okay. >> Thank you guys. >> Where we at? >> Thank you. Somebody
050make a motion or say something. >> I kind of feel like [snorts] if we're gonna >> We know we >> Okay, we've got We could put the entire school system over here in this building. >> We don't need a new school right now. Sorry. It It doesn't make sense. We don't have a growing population. We just Steve just sent us the paperwork last month that says we're still in a decline even though they thought we were going to start growing. >> Turn about the nest, >> you know. Yes. when you it you know I I love the school design. I love the work you did into it. It's all thought of it's just not the right time and and that's without even thinking about what we're getting hit with because the poop hit the fan
051down the street. Literally, >> you know, it was disgusting being in that meeting the other night to find out that they designed it a facility and then they cut corners. So that that's why we're in this problem now. >> Yeah. >> You know, it's supposed to be able to process 5.2 million gallons a day and they put in lesser sized equipment so it can't handle that. So design says one thing but we can only do a cost measure. >> Yeah, I'm sure that's what it was. >> Well, and we've done similar costsaving measures here. We did retaining ones. We cut coins and >> and then it >> 10 years later and I I reached the same conclusion for entirely different reasons. I think it's insane to consolidate up here. I think renovation is insane. I
052think they're both respectfully horrible ideas that are not rooted in reality, however, for me. So, I I believe a new build is the right approach. It is the only viable approach for the town, but I can't make the math work. I can't make the math work with everything that's happening on the town budget side. I can't make the math work with the macroeconomic environment that we're in, and I can't make the math work for all the sewer stuff. and and the courthouse and everything else that's coming our way that is >> beyond our control. So I find myself in the same position as I was last year, which is I still think this is the right thing, but I think it's deeply irresponsible to bring it forward because of everything else that's beyond our control.
053And last year I was I was optimistic that we'd be able to use some leverage to get other people to take these problems seriously and we have not been able to. Some of that maybe no doubt is my failure, but there's a gentle from that's not that's not >> Yeah. >> And I and I feel the same way you do. I think the first of all there's no way you can fit the entire district up here bills. It's not today's education. There's no way. >> It's 700 capacity. 700. I'm not saying do that. >> No, I'm just saying because some other argument about 40 class sizes. That's not even legal anymore. [laughter] >> And that was before you had special ed in the building with you. Those kids went somewhere else. >> I don't think
054we can get 60% of >> No, but I think Matt's right. I don't know how we're going to get any support with everything else we have, including the >> crappy situation the town's in. >> There's going to be more money out >> for us, especially as talented as a >> grand that's that's a what if and that's you sticking to the talent on the what if. But I truly believe that if we ever get a yes vote, we're going to get more than we think in grant funding. >> We had already started that, too. But it's like it's you have to have that yes vote in order to apply. >> But even right now on that front, we're looking at possibly a recessionary environment. And we know that the the general fiscal outlook in both
055conquered and DC is one of tightening in restriction is one of of expanded spending. So it's sort of like that would have been the play in 2012. In 2020, right, the coal, we didn't have those votes and so we couldn't capitalize on those environments. So now we're in a different cycle. >> Well, that's why I said what I said earlier tonight is I feel like we're being compared to the town and I don't feel like we've been fiscally irresponsible at all. We have capital reserve accounts. We're we're addressing the maintenance issues at Lakeway um and we continue to do so. So the fact that we're being compared to directly or indirectly to some of the town mismanagement is >> I would I would take it a step further. I think we're getting a level of
056scrutiny that is over and above what the town gets at the budget level in some cases. And obviously their deliberative is a lot more complicated than our citizen so on and so forth. And I'm grateful for that and I would like for that not to change. But I just think like we if you look at it, our budgets have have have increased at a rate that is slower than inflation. And so much of our cost is is not discretionary. It's like what do you what what and and that's why I made the comment about the transfer station fees. We don't have recourse. We can't negotiate pilot agreements. We can't jack up fees. We can't I mean I suppose we could increase tuition rates to a point and then nobody would come, right? Like there's just
057not >> a high we're in a much more difficult position. >> So like I said, the general consensus from the few members that I heard from um over the weekend was they feel the same thing. It's appropriate that we have a new building, but not the appropriate time. There's never a good time, but with everything that's coming about with the town, they just feel like it's probably not fisc fiscally responsible for us. And as I as I was accused by a town member of bankrupting the town, which I am not >> I am personally I am one of the most brutal people you'll ever meet. So that is not the intent here. as a board we're fairly fiscally conservative each >> the so the general consensus of the committee is to unfortunately we don't want
058to wait but we should >> so I think we're looking for a motion to withdraw vote for a bond >> or a motion to forego placing a bond vote on the board >> with regret >> so moved made and seconded. Any further discussion? All those in favor? >> I oppose. The same motion carries 5. Okay. >> With hold on. That being said, we would also like to um sunset the nest committee at this time and when the new board next year decides to do whatever they can create a new. >> Okay. So, there'll be a Erica is making a motion to shutter the new elementary [clears throat] school committee [laughter] >> to shutter >> to and >> dissolve >> to furlow dissolve dissolve my seconded by Travis. Any further >> with thanks and appreciation >>
059effective immediately >> came up with nothing. >> All uh any further discussion? All those in favor >> I me and >> opposed same. >> Motion carries 5-0. Steve, >> do we have to Oh, before we do, do we have to do anything with regards to >> the property and the and the sisters? >> We voted to accept it. Do we have to undo that at all? >> Oh, maybe. >> Maybe we don't because they still own it. They still own it. But we run we yeah contractually we we do >> but it was always contingent on a vote. >> So it doesn't matter then I think >> I think we should notify them. You and maybe you and Dale and Henry and I can talk about the best way to do that but >> if
060the paper could maybe hold off a day or two >> um okay Steve >> hold on and thank you to uh Banwell and BPS for all their services. >> Yes. Thank you very much. >> Agreed. Steve, we have a lot still to talk about non-public. So my question to you is of what remains on the public agenda, the 2425 compliance determination for indicator 11, the policy and your report, is there anything that we can forego? >> My report, I've talked enough the uh the compliance determination that's justformational. >> Okay. Um, the other one is I I am requesting that we improve we approve the uh the title one family community engagement policy because we're having an audit here in a few weeks and somehow we did have that policy and it disappeared but this is
061the newest version of it. That's all I have. That's all I need. >> All right. So their administration is seeking a motion to accept uh for first read and adoption policy KB title one family and community engagement. >> So move second. >> Any discussion? >> All those in favor? >> Opposed? Abstain. Motion carries 5. I would now like to skip over everything as is the chairman's prerogative. [laughter] that board from >> and look for a motion to enter a properly worded motion like that to enter into non-public session. Uh among the things that we should be talking about would be one and two and three and uh I'm looking for the advice from council. >> It's like six or so. Okay. Eight. It's down there. [laughter] >> Trying to get it to race. It's on.
062>> I think we should take Steve with us at least for the first section. >> Come on, baby. >> So, you can get it. >> I am making a motion to enter into non-public session under paragraphs 918 3 to no law for what did you say, guys? >> We didn't even know you were on. One, the dismissal, promotion, or compensation of any public employee, the disciplining of such employee and investigation of any charges against him or her. [clears throat] Oh, hold on. My brow is not updated. Uh, matters which if discussed in public would likely adversely affect other than a member of this board and consideration of legal advice provided by legal counsel. Taking with us the superintendent. Yeah. >> Any discussion? All those in favor roll call vote, please. >> General Travis 5 now.
063>> How do I turn off the end screen?