001call the district school board meeting for November the 18th to order and we'll have the pledge of allegiance led by Miss Holly Pickkins and then our invocation by Miss Gillyard. Please stand. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, liberty and justice for all. >> Let us pray. Father, in the name of your son Jesus, >> God, we have assembled here today to conduct the business God of this organization, our school board. God, we pray for divine guidance. We pray, God, for your thoughts, God, to infiltrate our thoughts that we will be concerned, God, more so about what is in the best interest of our children and our constituents. God, we thank you for how you have watched
002over us and kept us safe. With all of the things that are happening, you have still kept your hands on us. God, we thank you for what we are able to do by your divine guidance. Now, God, guide this board that all that we say and do will be pleasing unto you. And we be careful to give you the praise, the honor, and the glory. It's in Jesus's name that we pray. Amen. >> Amen. Okay, thank you for being here. Um, this is the time of year that we elect or we reorganize our board. And, uh, first thing we'll do is be taking nominations for the board chair and vice chair. And whenever whenever we vote on those positions that I will hand over the gavl at that time. >> Mr. Mr. Superintendent, I'd like
003to nominate Holly Pickkins as a chairman going into this next year. >> Okay. I've got a nomination, Holly Pickkins. And >> um I have Do I have Ma'am, >> I would like to decline that respectfully. >> Okay. >> And um I would like to nominate Phil Liry because he has um been through a lot of items that we're going through and I think that he is more capable. >> We've got a >> I'll withdraw my nomination. >> Okay. Nomination withdrawn. We have one nomination. >> So I have a second. >> Got a second here. >> Uh Linda. >> Okay. Now, do we do any U remind me, do we do backup nominations or we just vote on this first? >> Okay. So we have one nomination uh Phil Liry, motion by Holly, second by Linda.
004And at this time I'll take a vote. All in favor of that motion, please say I. >> I >> Okay. Anyone opposed? Same sign. >> Nay. >> Okay. 4 to one vote. >> Okay. >> Now, Mr. Mr. Superintendent, I'd like to nominate uh our as vice chairman, Miss Wagner. >> Okay. Have a nomination for Linda for vice chair. >> Second. >> A second by Mr. Liry. All in favor of Linda for being vice chair, please say I. >> I. >> Anyone opposed? >> Okay, motion carries and I'll pass the G back over to J. Congratulations. >> Thank you. >> All right, board. We will move into our meeting dates and times adoption. Uh, any questions or comments on the proposed meeting dates and times that have been submitted to us? I have none. >> Anybody?
005I don't. >> Okay. Chair will entertain a motion. >> I make a motion that we accept the 2025 26 meeting dates and times. >> Second. >> All right. I have a motion and second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. um appointment of board member to serve as the board's representative on the small district school district council which is run by um our good friend um >> Mr. Chair I'd like to offer a motion that we nominate uh well I'd like to nominate Mr. Phil Liry >> I'll second that. >> All right we have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> Motion carries unanimously. appointment to a board member to serve as the board's representative on the district insurance committee. >> I think
006>> I'd like to >> go ahead. >> I'd like to nominate Mrs. Linda Wagner. >> I'll second that. >> All right. We have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries. All right. Appointment of the board member to serve as the um representative on the expulsion committee. >> Mr. Chairman, I would like to nominate Sandra Gillyard to serve on the expulsion committee. >> I'll second then. >> All right, we have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. Appointment of board member to serve as the board's representative on the calendar committee. >> I'd like to, Mr. Chair, I'd like to nominate Mrs. Holly Pickkins. >> Right. >> I'll second that. >> All right. Have a motion
007and second on the calendar committee recommendation. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries. >> Unanimously. >> And finally, the appointment of the board member to serve on the St. John's River State College Adult Education Advisory Board. >> Mr. Chair, I'd like to >> Yeah, I was going to nominate. >> Okay. Go ahead. >> Mr. David Buckles. >> All right. I'd be glad to do it. >> Second. >> All right. We have a motion and a second uh for Mr. Buckles. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. All right, board. We'll move into our public comment time frame time period and um we'll start with uh Mr. Tim Hotailing Hotailing M Tim Hoe. Come up and state your your name and your address for the
008record, please. Each speaker has three minutes and um uh the board won't answer any questions at this point in time, but during the meeting we may we may stand questions that you asked. Please proceed. Well, I tried to make some notes, so I'll be semi-logical, but you've experienced me before came out because of the uh newspaper article on the state audit that came in. pertinent part about is the construction portions where it said the auditor said the staff verified invoice math but didn't document the checks to ensure payments matched contract terms and subcontractor agreements relying on contractors for oversight. And further on, five sub subcontractors were awarded work without competitive bids and auditors reviewed the records of 15 of the 80 subcontractors. And what brought to my mind a question of checks and balances and
009I'm I'm here wanting to know what you all are going to um do cuz there was some very legitimate questions that were raised and that's my only pressure here or purpose here is these questions. I had previously attorney uh attended the pre-bond meetings where uh this is moving on to another topic of one person doing way too much from as little as I can see. Every time uh when I was down at the Crescent City meeting uh it was Thomas Bowling was doing this and Thomas Bowling was doing that and it was like Thomas Bowling was doing the whole schools and then at the last bond meeting it was Thomas Bowling's in charge of transportation. Thomas is in charge of transportation. I had spoken with a mother and a teacher uh who was basically petrified
010at the thoughts of this coming school year and the the transportation organization of buses. Not my language. So, but she's talking about wave 1 and wave two and changes that are going to have to keep fifth teachers going to have to keep fifth graders under control while they wait for another wave of buses. Um, all of which seem again to be really important questions that you really need and you need to get out to the parents. Uh, but it seems to me that Mr. Bowling shouldn't be saddled with doing everything and that's just from the words that I heard. Um, so anyhow, I found a bond. I bothered your uh ladies, your uh document release says I want to have a copy of everything your bond review committee gets in advance of the meeting tomorrow.
011And they said it's posted. I said, "No, it can't be. No, it can't be." And I found myself a bond and and she that's all they give is one piece, one piece of paper. And I don't know how you can review anything or see anything or even having a record of documentation where some of these questions that the state brought up were answered with one little piece of paper. Um, so if you'll indulge me, I went to these March of 24 uh proposals for costs for the elementary school and showed them to a few people that are into construction. And they either broke out laughing or said, "Oh my gosh, um, $15,000 for copying cost seems a little excessive." Everybody says, "How the heck can you need 10 portaotties on one site at uh $2,500
012a month?" It seems excessive. There's four three different places where they're going to do the final cleaning. Uh one of them for 92,422, which seems excessive when all of the subcontractors are required to clean up when they leave. And you've got you're paying another $10,000 or no $192,000 for laborers that could be assigned to cleanup and probably are assigned to cleanup. So are you double paying? All of these again bring back questions. One of the other big questions is you have $12 million in savings. Is the fee you're paying to CRA backed out of that? are are are you paying CRA on on the estimate price or on the the price that you turned it over, which is a a minus 12 million? Again, all of these are legitimate questions beyond my area, but questions
013that I believe need asked and responded and hail Mary verified. It's it's yay, go forth. If not, then you all need to ask some more questions. >> Kim, could you could you wrap it up? And >> Yes, sir. One one one last point. >> Uh the biggest one was that you're paying $610,770 for bond insurance. And it was the equivalent as if I came to you asking uh telling you that I can build you a Taj Mahal dog cage and you say, "Well, sure." He says, "But you got to give me the tools, and then you got to ensure me to to to protect you that I can do what I say I can do without having the tools." And you got $4,000 in miscellaneous small tools mixed up in there. Um it is not
014industry standard is my understanding that that the shity completion bond I forget what exact term uh the company that's that's putting in the bids supposed to post the bond. You're not supposed to post it for you. And you need to verify that $600,000 is returned to you after you know cuz if if the contractor puts it up he gets it back. You put it up. You should get it back. Are you getting it back? >> Yes. >> I just >> Thank you. >> Anyhow, just a tip. I would suggest that you have some conversation about doing exactly what the county commission has done and and Tim Smith and Matt Reynolds. They have hired a uh uh inspector general. And there's a difference between auditor general, which you guys just saw, and inspector general. a huge
015difference and they worked real hard and they have made that position has made money and it has eliminated all silly questions like me standing up here and asking them and I'm and I you know I apologize it's just appreciate your comments and and what you may want to do if if if you want to put your comments in writing um if you'll you know give them to us we'll try to get them answered for you if we don't answer them today during during the meeting. All right. Thank you. >> Thank you all. All right, our next speaker is uh Mr. Lane Jackson. If you'll come up and give your name and address, please. >> Can everyone hear me? My name is Elaine Jackson. I live at 148 Cinnamon Drive, Interlockan, Florida. I kind of wrote
016myself a speech so I could make sure I stay track on time. So, I just want to say good afternoon, Mr. chairman and the board and superintendent and everyone else gathered here tonight. I'm here as a parent, as a taxpayer, and as a community member who cares deeply about our children and about the responsible use of every dollar we entrust to this district. Uh I want to speak plainly about the the money that we've entrusted to the district to spend and to our board members to oversight take oversight in. We keep hearing the words once in a generation investment, state-of-the-art facilities, and for the kids. I believe in all of those things. What I do not see and what none of us can find is a meaningful independent oversight of how these millions of dollars
017are actually being spent. Who exa exactly is watching the money dayto-day? As elected officials, we came together as a community and we voted to entrust each of you to do that exact thing. Ladies and gentlemen, the lack of oversight is not frugal. It is negligent. History is littered with school districts that woke up one day to discover tens of millions of dollars simply disappeared because no one was willing to ask hard questions in real time. This is not about distrusting any one person. And it's about building safeguards worthy of the trust of our community that our community has placed in each and every single one of you. So I just want to ask respectfully and I am urging this board to take immediate action and to do better for each and every one of us
018and for if nothing else for our kids and the future of Putnham County. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> All right. Our next speaker is Miss Ivet Reyes. Please come forward and state your name and give your address, please. >> Good afternoon, Evette Reyes, PO Box 253, Boswick. I requested um specific documents regarding the audit um the uh specific claims, expense reports regarding Thomas's bowling $6,200 expenses. And I was told that it's not available for public um distribution. Are they not public information? >> I don't I have not seen your request. I don't know exactly what it was. >> I got a response via email from whoever does the >> got response from >> via email regarding whoever does the um public request online. And so I'd have to I'd have to know what the
019document is that you requested. If there's a document there's a document that is uh you know available and it's not protected by some specific statute then it should be released but I don't know that did not come to me so I have not responded to it nor have I looked at the request that you sent. >> Okay. It says at this time the only record we have to release is the audit report. So, if if an employee submits an expense report, are you saying that's not public information? >> I didn't say that at all. I said I haven't seen your request. I've not offered any opinion about whether the documents you requested are public records. I'm I'm not aware of your request. >> Okay. So, um, you know, if if you're asking would a in
020the normal course of of the operation, would a, uh, request for reimbursement be a public record, my initial response would be, yeah, probably should be. I mean, if you're talking about just, you know, requests by employees for reimbursement for mileage or something like that, I would say those are public records unless there's some specific statute that exempts them, and I'm not aware of one. But I've not seen your request. I did not offer any opinion about it. So, so I'm kind of speaking in the blind right now. >> Okay. How do you get the request? >> How do I get it? >> Yeah, >> you could send it to me. Okay, M. Re, why don't you um either email the board attorney or >> I don't know his email, but I'll get with him. Okay.
021Afterwards. Thank you. >> Thank you. Um, our next speaker is Charles Smith. Charles, please come up and give your full name and address. Charles Smith, 196 West River Road, Palata, Florida. I'm here to educate myself a little bit just what's going on in the county. I would like to throw this little bit of information out here. The gentleman that was uh questioning the bond, payment performance bond ordinarily is furnished by the contractor. your all of your uh drawings and your spec book will define in there who furnishes those bonds. Uh and it's normally based on a percentage of the bond value is what it you know what they were charged. If the county paid for it separately from the contract and the specbook says it's to be furnished by the contractor, then you got a
022lot of money sitting there. If the contractor supposed to furnish it and does and he completes the job, there is no refund. You don't you don't get the money back. Okay? But that's normally the way it is. We have been bonded numerous times and I've been through it numerous times and that's the way it ordinarily works in the construction industry. But it can be either way. Everything your bid documents will tell you who was supposed to furnish that that pond. So maybe somebody needs to look into that carefully and see who's supposed to pay for it. Other than that, I'm here. My number one complaint is really petty, but boy, it does aggravate me. I've got five kids that five grandkids that are still in public school and one that has graduated and moved on
023to St. John's, handwriting. It's not been taught in a public school in 20 plus years. And I got a 19-year-old in college that is a straight A student, extremely smart fellow, and it looks like he signed it with his feet. I mean, it's terrible. Are we ever going to bring that back to the classroom? >> You mean cursive writing? >> Well, just printing. >> Oh, printing. >> Printing. And cursive cursive writing is something that's unknown in public school system. It's >> going to be added back. Anybody got any response to that? >> I've read I've read it's being discussed. That's all I know because that's that's normally mandated by the state level. >> That's mandated by the state. We can't just do that here if we wanted to. >> For cursive, >> not not for
024printing. Printing is something you used to learn in grade school. >> Well, you should have, but you didn't. It's not taught there. >> I hear what you're saying. I will uh be sure. We will be sure and and >> I got I got one more question for you. >> We'll have one. >> If you don't know how to to to sign your name in cursive, >> how do you sign a check or a legal document? >> Good question. >> Docuign? No, thank you. >> We ain't doing that one. We should give it some serious consideration. Number two, a little bit of advice to the teachers and the principles and everything else. When I went to school, which is been a few years ago what you talking about, but we had discipline in our classroom. If
025you messed up in the classroom, you didn't just get sent to the office and sit on the bench for a little while. There was things that were able to be done then that would discourage you from repeating that offense. But today, we don't have that and I could see already on the superintendent's faces, nothing we can do about it. Right. >> I didn't say that. >> You didn't need to. The state is the one that decides that. Is that correct? >> Well, somewhat, but we have our our code of conduct. We have our code of conduct that has to be consistent with state statutes. Yeah. >> And that's a one-page document or what? >> Yeah. It's it's on our website. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Well, that being said, um I still like to see some
026discipline put back in the classroom. The thought never crossed my mind to do the things that students get away with in a classroom today. Never even crossed my mind. And until we get some discipline back in the classroom, we are not going to get good education out of these kids for these kids. >> Thank you, Charles. Appreciate your your comments. >> Okay, our next speaker is Miss Diane Kelly. come forward and your name and full name and uh address please. >> Hi Diane Kelly, 123 Lakeside Lane, Crescent City, Florida. Thank you for the opportunity today. Really appreciate it. And I just want to kind of connect the dot between this meeting and a recent meeting you had on the $300 million bonds. I did speak at that meeting just expressing concern about the liability that
027uh homeowners have to pay back these bonds. So there's a link between that discussion that I shared or what I shared and today. So, I am very interested obviously in the expenditures of uh the school system in the county because it is a big part of all of our tax bills for us, me and my husband, we pay our bill is like 15,000 for 2026 January. You can tell I probably pay late, right? I don't pay in November. Anyway, so much for that. Um, but when I look at our tax bill, I look at out of that amount, 6,200 is for the school system in some form or fashion. So, we have a lot of interest in that for $500 a month. So, what I did is I did take a look at the audit
028report. This is what my comments are about. And um I just want to share my observations. Um I my history as far as my work history was as a senior leader at Florida Blue. So, it's been a while um a lot or a long time that I worked for that organization. So, I've been involved in multiple business units. Um, I've been certainly my organization been subject to many audits, both internal and external driven audits. So, I know what it's like to get some of these reports and how it feels sometimes. And I have a lens that when I looked at this report for us here, I had the lens of my business experience uh at a large company. So, and I'm trying to be objective about it, but I'm just sharing with you my observations.
029All right. So, number one, um when I looked uh at the um the audit, um I I looked at several things, not just the audit findings themselves. I also looked at management's response to those audit findings. I know there's probably more detailed information behind the scenes, but I did look at the report of the management's response. I also looked at prior Putham County School District operational audits as well because I and I did see a little bit of a pattern. I also looked at the other either six or seven schools in uh the state of Florida who had the operational audits and I looked at their findings to see how does Putnham appear to be doing compared to the others and Putinham did have a lot more defects but it doesn't necessarily mean therefore it's
030performing worse but when I looked at the nature of the findings of these other schools it does appear that we may have more of a systemic issue assuming all the audits were fairly and equitably conducted. So, it appears to me again with my lens that Putnham County uh school system has some systemic issues that really need to be addressed. Oh no, have I already used my time? >> Oh my gosh. Okay. Um and and I also reviewed the Florida statutes and I also extrapolated some of the findings to the universe uh of as best that I could the data that was provided like for example the construction and non-construction invoices that may not have been paid timely and I looked at the related state statutes. So here here's what I would offer. One is um
031I think there there appears to be a broad systemic controllership challenge that we're experiencing here in Putham County. uh for example and and this would be in mult because it's in multiple departments from procurement to IT to operations to vehicle maintenance to HR etc. So I think there's a s there appears to be a systemic challenge with management controls. There is also a financial risk to taxpayers that's beyond that 6200. It's beyond some of the other things cited when I extrapolated for example the penalty of paying the invoices in an untimely fashion. I looked at the percent that was paid untimely. I looked at the average uh amount per. I looked at the uh potential fines associated with it should vendors dispute and say I want my money for these late payments. It can get
032into millions of dollars literally. And that's based on what I reviewed, what I saw, what I interpreted. And then um I looked at the corrective action plan from leadership. There were some what I thought were very good components of the corrective action plan, but there were other components that led me to believe we're going to get more of the same. If there's another audit done a year from now, two years from now, we're going to have some similar findings. For example, management's response. Sometimes it was, we're going to continue to do X. Well, if we continue to do something that led to a finding, there's a fair chance we'll get a similar finding in the future. Another big piece that I saw was the lack of integration between departments and use of it on how
033can we integrate some systems between areas like if an employee leaves HR gets noticed then why isn't that automatically terminating the pecards why isn't that you know so it's the s it's the systematic uh integration of it so that departments are are connecting the dots to lessen the risk as far as suggestions I would say one again it's my obser observations only. I think there's a systemic issue. Um, and I would just encourage whenever we're hiring leadership that we make sure that they have the experience in the functional areas for which they're assigned, but also that they have a lot of direct management experience and controllership uh, experience. Number two, focus on as much automation as possible. I know that probably goes without saying, but there's a lot of dots that aren't getting connected that
034are leading to all these findings. Number three, size up the financial value of these implications to the taxpayer. I would suggest that it's literally millions of dollars in opportunity with these controllership challenges. And then lastly, um conduct periodic internal assessments on how we're doing uh overall with these audit findings and other related risks that are probably out there. So those are that's what I would offer and I would say golly, you know, I have three dogs. Not that it matters to anyone here, but I was thinking of all the toys that I could buy my dogs if I could just get our our school tax reduced by 10%. I would say I know well you know what do you do? But the point is I my experience in business when you see controllership issues that
035are relatively systemic I would say I would tell my directors or leaders or and I would be told hey you you Diane with those kind of audit findings you better be pulling 10% out of your budget. There's no reason you can't squeeze out 10%. And for me and my husband that's 600 bucks. I would love to have $600 less bill and love to have the dots connected and no future significant audit findings. There's always if an auditor is doing a good job, there's going to be findings, but it can get better. >> Thank you. Thank you very much for your comments. >> All right, our next speaker is uh Miss Courtney Johnson. >> Please come up and state your name and address for the record. Hi, my name is Courtney Johnson and I live at
036119 Old Spanish Bluff Trail in East Paka, Florida 32131. And I just want to thank all of the speakers who have already been up here because they've addressed many of the concerns that I have. This is my 26th year in education. I have served as a teacher, as a district mentor, and as an assistant principal in a neighboring county. We as a community want to help. We want to make sure the lives of our students are the best lives. We want to make sure that they have a future that they can count on. Several times over the last couple of weeks, I have reached out both uh through the online system and during the Zoom meeting at Kelly Smith Elementary School this last Thursday asking a couple of questions. Um, I was assured that they
037would be answered and sent to my email address. I have yet to receive that answer. I have a couple of questions that I would like on record that we do need to know as a community. What curriculum is being used to support social emotional learning during the 20th century program. That's important. Our kids need to learn how to regulate their emotions. Um, what guarantees have been put into place to ensure that this primary school that is being built is going to be completed in one year? In our neighboring counties, we have several schools still under construction that have been under construction for two more years. Concerns were raised during the meeting on uh Thursday regarding seventh and eighth graders being at the high school. Dr. Serny, you said that this was supported by research, that
038they're fine, everybody's okay, everybody's fine, everybody's great. I had a 10th grader last year who was there. She was not fine. She lasted three months. What research or study has been completed to support that it's okay to put seventh and eighth graders under the same roof as 12th graders, some of whom are 20 years old? Our graduation rates are fantastic. I'm curious what percentage of those graduation rates are ESC waiver graduations. The reason why I'm asking is because my daughter's OI. The immediate response is don't worry if she doesn't pass her test. And this was quoted at her IESC meeting when we were there to create her IEP. Don't worry, if she doesn't pass the algebra test, we'll get her on a waiver so she can graduate. She's OI. There's no waiver needed. There's intervention
039needed if a student is not passing algebra. Trust me, I didn't do so well in algebra either. with the new primary school. How do I request a copy of the intera inter um excuse me, I'm a little nervous. How do I request a copy of the environmental impact survey? How do I request a study a copy of the study of the transportation study? Can the infrastructure of that area support that many school buses going in and out each day? I have one more question that as a teacher and a former district mentor concerns me above all else. Will the combining of the three schools cut positions? Are teachers and staff going to lose jobs because we are closing three schools to open one? Thank you for your time. How can I get the answers to
040these questions? you want to uh send a letter to uh Miss Cahan who is our public communications uh person and list those questions. Um I think we can get the answers to you. >> Okay. I appreciate that Mr. Larry. I do want to say I was assured at this Zoom meeting where Dr. Cerny asked them are there any questions anywhere? All of my questions were listed in the chat of the Zoom. No one said to Dr. Cerny, there's a list of questions here that a a stakeholder has for you. So, what where do I get this information? You're saying, Miss Cahan, what is her email address? >> Um, it's on our it's on our website and her her name is listed as the communications. >> Can I have the spelling of her name, please? >>
041Uh, it's um F L E I C A C F Ken. f c a h at my.puthamschools.org. >> Ladies and gentlemen, I'm not going to take up any more of your time because there are many people in here who want to speak, but I want to say we need to do better for our students. My 10th grader lasted three months at your high school. This is with extreme parent support. I'm an active parent. I was turned away several times and really told that I wasn't needed. My daughter does need me. She has she is impaired under the OI label. We want to help. Let us the often complaints are that par that parents aren't doing anything. Parents aren't there for us. We are there but we're being turned away. >> What does your daughter go
042to? now virtual. >> Okay. What school what school were you referring to? >> Palaka Junior Senior High School. >> Thank Thank you, ma'am. And um as far as the the questions about the construction um and the transportation, those are all available. The transportation study and and everything. >> Oh, yeah. I requested that and they told me my um how did they put it? Oh, my request wasn't coherent. >> Okay. I'll I'll double check on that. Thank you for your comments. Um, I don't have any other speaker cards. Is there anybody else in the audience that would like to speak? Yes, sir. If you'll come up and state your name and address for the record, and then you'll need to fill out one of these cards. My name is James Caris, 123 Dusty Lane, Pala, Florida.
043Um, I just want to make a comment about this gentleman with the plaid shirt with the um asking for information and all you get is a little piece of paper. As you're all aware, Florida has a sunshine law. Everything's got to be above board. I work for JEA. Every time I buy a box of bolts on my PECOD, I got to submit my invoice downtown. If it's not submitted in five days, they cancel my PECOD. as a public entity just like you people are public entity. So you know the sunshine law applies to you guys as well as applies to me. You know these guys want information give them the information. You know this is what the question is. That's why you're being audited. You know if we're more above board there's less strife, less
044you know gray areas to contend with. That's all I got to say. >> Thank you. Thank you. you when you get a minute before the meeting's over, if you'd fill out a card so we'll have it for for the record. Okay. No other public comments. We will move to our um consent agenda. Um and uh M. Wagner, we'll start with you today. >> I'm going to pull G2 for discussion. >> What number? >> G2. G2. Excuse me. >> By the way, Mr. Chair, just want to point out um on F and it's probably different numbers than that, but we took out five. >> Okay. 9 through 13. Let me make sure >> these RFPs. >> Okay. So, they've been t >> Yeah. 9 through13. >> Uhhuh. >> We pull those. >> Okay. Been pulled. All
045right. >> All right. So, for the board, um F9 through 13 have been pulled. >> All right. Miss Wagner. Um sorry, Miss M. Gillyard. Yeah, >> I'm good, sir. >> Good. >> Uh, Mr. Chairman, I think I'm fine. >> All right, Miss Pickkins. >> Um, >> I would think that we would want to pull F8. >> I I do. Yes. >> Okay. What I was trying >> Well, I thought that was I thought that was what he said, but >> No, it was. It's F8 through 13, Phil. Is that correct? >> 9 through 13 through 13. >> Yeah, but Holly just added eight. No, eight is what I want. >> She wants to pull it. >> Okay. >> She's pulled number eight, but we we pulled nine through 13 off. >> I got you. >>
046All right. >> Okay. Let's do G2 first. And uh Oh, first let's uh I'll take a motion on >> Mr. Chairman, I I make a motion that we approve the consent agenda minus help me here. F 9 through13 and 8 >> G2 >> and G2. >> Well, and for clarification, 9 through13 has been pulled. So, >> okay. >> Yeah. All right. So, I have a motion uh to approve the balance of the >> Excuse me. Didn't Dr. Cerny say F5 or No. Was that pulled? No. Okay. Okay. I'm sorry. I wrote that down. >> F9 through 13. We pulled >> F9 through 13. >> Okay. I'm sorry. >> Okay. All right. And then uh G2 and F8 have been pulled. So um do we have a second on the motion? >> I'll second it. >>
047All right. Have a motion and a second for approval of the balance of the consent agenda. All those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. Motion carries unanimously. So let's move to G2 first. I think that'll be quicker. Um, so on G2, which is the early release GMP on Melrose, um, and I do think so. Y'all, I had a good conversation earlier. Yeah, I'm going to want someone to answer a couple questions on this or to reanswer a couple questions. Um, so I had quite a lot to say in a meeting earlier and I appreciate y'all, you know, allowing me to speak even if I was a little bit assertive. Um, so on the Melrose GMP here, uh, we discussed multiple issues, some of which are probably going to be discussed on on, uh,
048one of the other pulled items, but one thing I wanted on the record that I mentioned to you guys is the issue of the trees. And this may sound like a small issue to some, but as I explained to you guys, Nelz is a crossroads. And the one place that we had trees, one of the two places was the boat place. We lost all the trees in that area. And we have a tremendous amount of traffic that goes through Melrose. The school corner is the only one we have left that has any greenery whatsoever. And when I saw the the uh you know the diagram on the front here, even though it doesn't show the actual corner, all I saw was parking lot. And when I see concrete, I don't live in Melrose to see
049concrete. We see enough already in that square. So I wanted to uh confirm with you. You told me that all the trees have been marked, the ones that have to come down because they're bad, I guess, or or something or they're just in the middle of the parking lot. Um that you are keeping some of those on State Road 21. Um and I don't know how many yet, but we'll say that y'all are keeping some. But on that corner, I know you said it's not all completed yet, but I want to know for sure that something everything that can be done will be done to have some trees and or other greenery in there. Um because it's going to in my frame of mind, it's just going to destroy the look of our town and
050the crux of our town is that intersection. Um, so if you could explain some of what you said to me earlier. >> Sure. I'm uh >> promise. >> I'm Bill Pearson with Parish McCall and this is Chris Shepard. I might bring our architect up here. Um, we're the construction manager and we did include in the early release package a tree preservation plan. We heard the community loud and clear when we attended a community involvement meeting months ago at Melrose Elementary that Dr. or superintendent put on. And we understand the importance of trees. We are only going to take down the trees that are necessary for construction. And we're only going to take down the trees that are indicated on the construction documents to come down. Um, happy to answer any questions about trees. I, as
051a firm, we're the builder. We don't design or pick or select which trees are going to come down and which ones are not. We just carry out what's on the drawings and the specifications about the trees that are. But I do know that tree preservation was a big item of discussion. I know the architecture firm put it together a tree preservation plan that was submitted to the district that showed what trees were existing, what trees were going to come down, and what trees would remain at the end of the construction site. I don't I don't have the exact counts of what those are either, but >> but I I >> Well, on that on that picture, you talking about this one here? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. So on the corner up there, which is
052the the intersection up there, it's showing a lot of green that looks like trees to me, but it says on the legend, existing tree canopy preserved. So are we saying that all of those trees all the way around that corner there is going to rem they're going to remain according to this? >> Yes, those trees that are shown on the plan are existing trees to remain. Yes, ma'am. >> Okay. And they are going to Okay. Um and that's the main thing. And if if I had further questions about specifically about the trees, who would I talk to? >> Um, you could email either one of us or call either one of us anytime. >> You said you didn't make the decision on the trees. >> You, Linda, what you probably need to do is call
053Jason Fosi with the division of forestry and have him go look at those trees in case one if if those are old tarpentine trees like the conversation I've heard about it. uh you know they may be a hundred years old or more. I don't know if those pines are still standing there or not. I haven't looked lately, but they could they could be wonderful to save or they could cause a problem of immense proportion in a hurricane or bad storm. So that's something that that's very serious and I know it's near and dear to her heart with dealing with Melrose >> and there was a tree survey that was performed. Correct. >> Exactly. So it it would go gauge the size, age, condition of the trees >> in addition to where the proximity of the
054new buildings are going to be built. Obviously there's like we talked about earlier, there's some that are going to come out just because the new buildings are in conflict, >> right? >> But they did an assessment of the health and condition of those trees. Like Mr. Buckle says, we don't want to build a multi-million dollar building next to a tree that's potentially going to fall. So >> yeah, and I and I do understand that, but I would rather move where the building goes than to take out good trees. Yes, ma'am. >> Um, so and and I realize taking down everything is probably the easiest thing and most preferable for uh construction folks. I mean, just to get in and out, but this is just a huge issue for me. So, I'll I'll leave it at
055that. And >> well, and I'm just Don't you have to comply with the county's um landscape ordinance? I mean, I know we're exempted from building construction, but um you want to have your architect answer that and tell tell us about the what you got proposed for the landscape plan? >> Yeah. and civil engineering is going to be handling most of that which is still in progress. Um >> you know there are some gymnastics with keeping the campus open. So we are limited to where we can place some of these buildings but yeah we are taking every every um you know consideration to keeping all of these trees uh especially around the perimeter from the view of the of the road. So we are taking that consideration. Um, I can give you my email address after.
056Um, I'd like to follow up with Jameson, our civil engineer. Um, we could get you exact numbers on some of that if need be. So, >> So, so you don't have a landscape architect on your staff that would be doing the plan or >> uh Kimley Horn, our civil engineer, is also handling the landscaping. They're not here today, but um, we can get you in contact with any of them. >> All right. Thank you. Any other any questions in the board? All right. Thank you, gentlemen, sir. >> Um, all right. Um, >> if I could just follow up on one last little question. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Um, the one of the purposes for the early release GMP here >> is so that if I recall correct is that you can do this early work
057over the break. Is that correct? >> It allows us to get started roughly December 1st and take care of some of the work during the Christmas holidays and it will start the long-term duration of when we'll be out there for the the entire project. But yes, it'll it'll allow us to get out there and and make some mobilization efforts and start coordinating the removal of all the existing utilities out of that existing building one that needs to come down first. >> And is that that's would be less difficult or it'd be more difficult if the kids were there. We have found it's a lot less disruptive when we can change a pattern when the students aren't there, whether it be a summer or a Christmas period, instead of trying to do it while everything is
058fluid with the campus being active and >> that's fine. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. Uh Wer, are you ready for motion? >> Yeah, I'll I'll move that we accept the uh or we approve the the GMP G2. >> Okay. All right, we have we have a second. I have a motion and a second >> by Miss Wagner and Gillyard consecutively and to approve G2. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> Motion carries unanimously. We will move to well before we move to that um Miss Gillyard had brought up to me a question on H1 uh >> with the arc. >> The arc. Yeah. So what was on the cooperative agreement or >> where the signature is? My name is still on there as the board chair. >> Okay. >> Oh, okay.
059just on this one on here. >> Okay. All right. Very good. All right. That's taken care of. All right. We'll move to item F8. And uh Miss Pixton, we'll start with you. >> Well, I I don't know how we're going to Are we going to go through the >> Well, yeah. What I'd like to do is is uh >> um because I have a a you know comments and a series of motions on several of the findings that I think will help the board in the future in clarification and oversight of these some of these issues. Um so what I'd like to do is is open it up. We'll start with you on any comments. You know, you can go through all 12. Um and um and then any questions you have for the staff.
060I think staff >> we do have staff that can respond to each one of those and also I have a couple statements to read about a couple of those. >> Okay. Um my overall concern is um how we can be apprised of how we are doing in in answering all the recommendations in our findings. Like I feel like we need to have monthly reports on each just so that we know what we we say we are we are going to do to correct the problem. We can put our eyes on it. I'm not that I distrust anyone. It's just that if if if it's the board then we need to look at it and that that is like my overriding um thought. Uh, >> I agree. >> Just and I do think um in my
061meeting with Dr. Cerny and Miss Whitehurst, I I do think many of the public um not all but many of the the questions that were during public comments um were answered for me. So, I think I'm sure you that's part of what you're going to do. That's right. Um, and you know, I do I have some little things and uh well, they aren't little. Um, the the cars that the 132 cars and then 26 that had not been used in over a year. Um, one of my my um thoughts was do you are we paying insurance on cars that are not not working and insurance is expensive. So, um, so that's just something that I I'm sure we've already begun to clean that up and but I just kind of wanted to point that out.
062And, um, you know, I I mean, I could I could probably stay, you know, >> what we could do is we I'll allow any comment on as as we go individually board member by board member. So, >> yeah. And then you could back up and discuss if you want to, >> right? Okay. >> Okay. All right. Mr. Buckles. Um, just briefly on the car deal, I I've I've heard some talk about uh working with the students to get some of the ones running that aren't running and do and put them back in use. So, I mean, that's good with our automotive program, but I I listened to the the wonderful lady that was up here that had worked, I guess, with Florida Blue for a while earlier, and I having been through audits for 20
063years or more, they're not going to have an audit that that they're not going to have a finding. If they do, if they if they get a clean audit, they're not going to hire the auditors the next year. They're going to come back and they're going to find stuff. and she made a comment that this is systemic and it and it is systemic in any school district. Uh and and it is here. I I'll bet you you could go back 15 years ago in Putnham County and we had the same scattering of areas that had concerns if you had a a forensic audit come in here and look at it like we did. And you know, and I've dealt with the auditors, it's always going to be the same type things. I I think we're
064going to have to find a way and and I'm I'm optimistic from what I've heard from staff that that there will be a better amount of checks and balances, but having been through scolded enough times or scalded in the district over audits. Um and and that federal are the worst by far if you ever go through a federal audit in Tallahassee. But uh they they can be miserable and not all the even though the some of the findings are systemic. They're not all there may be where there's seven in one area there may be two of them that are are truly that way and the others if if you get deep in the weeds they turn out not to be that way. But they're going to have findings and and beyond that I feel good
065with where staff is headed with this. Uh, I've had calls from people from Tallahassee going on what's going on in Putnham County because we got people here that are calling around and I won't call anybody in particular, but but they're calling people all over the place and uh law enforcement agencies, different things like that. And uh I just it it's kind of typical for a a a hostile bad audit that looks bad and all districts that are getting them are going to be pretty much the same way. Like the lady said, it is systemic and uh it's they're going to always find something and that that's not to say we we didn't do anything wrong. It's just to say that we're going to have to tighten up and do a better job because it looks
066bad. And I'll pass it on. >> All right, Mr. Gillard. Yes, sir. In regards to finding number one with the motor vehicles, uh I love the idea that Mrs. Pickkins uh raised in regards to just just something brief that would let us know where we are in line with uh taking the recommendations and moving beyond making sure that it doesn't occur again. And another thing in regards to to the uh motor vehicles having an access in the past we've had um auctions of other furnitureures and materials wherein people can purchase those and the monies come back to the district. Is that a possibility that we Okay. All right. Well, hey >> y >> it would not be uncommon to have a >> All right. That's what I was going to suggest. Auction them here. If
067>> I could just just one clarification. >> Thank you. >> We are we are turning in a document to the state which they've asked for on exactly what we are doing physically on all these findings I believe next month. So you know actionable items. So we will be turning that in and we can make that available to you. >> Yeah. the the requirement by the state um the auditor general is that uh once the audit findings are sent out and the the district sends the responses to those they have 30 days to send them an implementation plan and basically show them that they're doing that. So once that plan's developed have a copy of it. Correct. >> Okay. >> All right. Any other things? >> No. >> That was the one I was going to
068suggest. So, are we talking about just the one or >> No, no, we're talking about the whole >> any part of the report. >> Um, so on on finding number one and and I did have um as I believe pretty much everyone has had some meetings on all of these issues with staff. Um I had some questions. I had a lot of questions. Um and I >> Are you going to handle on on number one? >> I've got a statement to read whenever it's appropriate. Um, I had questions. Most of mine were answered. Um, you know, I wanted to know is the the amount of that check that we're talking about. Was it one check? Was it multiple checks? Um, my understanding is I will be I think we will all be getting those answers
069at some point. Um, and and I'll let you address that a little bit long more. I I I'll start though. I'll back up a little bit kind of like Holly did. My overall opinion of this is on the one hand it's good to get this audit because it tells us what we are deficient in. Um, I will say to those on Facebook who enjoy uh who enjoy Facebook, um, it it is easy to throw stones when especially if you're not in the uh the district as an employee or anything else. It is easy to throw stones when you see one thing um stating we're not doing as well as maybe we should. At the same time, uh, you know, starting to fix it is great and I hope that we fix every single one of
070these and that the next audit, as you said, they're going to find something. Maybe we get one. Um, I want to see as low as possible. Um, my problem isn't are we starting to fix it. My my problem is well, that's step one, but why did it happen to begin with and what can we do to avoid that in the future? Uh, I worked for an attorney years ago and I'll just never forget when something happened, something bad, criminal defense, somebody stayed in jail because of me one time um because I didn't get something filed. And I went to him and the first thing he said is, "What happened? Identify the problem." The second thing he said is, "How can we fix this?" We worked on getting it fixed. The third thing he said is,
071"Come back now. How can we avoid this to ever happening again?" And that is important to me because whether we're running everything perfectly or whether we're running everything poorly, we need to identify these the issues are identified right here and we need to continuously audit ourselves. So starting to fix it is is our first step for sure. Um I have requested that on all of these whatever fixes that we do that the board is as y'all have discussed. I want to know because it's not somebody it's typically not somebody in a back office that we don't know getting the phone calls. If I'm getting phone calls that people are upset about something, they've elected me to ask those questions. And so I get very as much conflict as I deal with being an attorney, um
072you know, I don't like it. I don't like conflict, but I have to ask the questions and I have to look into it. That being said, uh I'll try to fly through the the rest of these just my concerns and some of which my my questions were answered and some of which maybe not. Um the tangible personal property issues on finding number two. Um, I do have some concerns about them saying we added capital outlay expenditures to the beginning balances so that things technically added up. Um, but they weren't done correctly. I I do not know yet. Um, I did not have time today to speak with uh Jonathan on that. I want to know first why was it done and how are we changing that? because you can take A plus B equals C,
073but in in accounting, and I'm no accountant or CPA, uh, but there's ways that have to be done properly. I want to see who I don't even know if it's Jonathan that does that. I just I want some answers on that. Um, the no physical inventory since 2018 or 19. >> Uh, I don't know if that's a requirement for a yearly inventory or not. If it is, then we certainly need to adapt. And I believe those fixes are in uh in the works. Um something that was brought up as far as the district's responses as I read through the audit that that on some of them I understand especially more today after speaking with people, but there was a lot of it was because staffing shortages. It was because of turnovers. Um I'm not a
074big fan of making excuses. I'd rather own it. You know, if we made a mistake, let's own it and and move forward. uh the financial compliance on the vendors. I have had discussions. It was explained to me at least a lot of these were um they were waiting on getting the invoices that they they couldn't pay until they get them. There's issues with when items are backorded. Um and and I don't, as I said, I don't pretend to understand construction completely. Um, but I'm hoping that something that apparently is being addressed and I'll have further conversations on that as well. Uh, I think that is an a relatively easy fix. So, that I'm assuming won't be an issue. Um the the key cards in finding number four uh my understanding on that is that a
075lot of them were through NEAC and there could be some communication issues between our district and there if that's true then let's fix them. Um, and if it was, I think what the state was told was that department supervisors were not promptly notifying the administrators. I'm pretty certain that that's going to be an easy fix if we just work on communication and have some policies and procedures in place. So, a lot of this I don't feel is horrific um horrific findings. I think it's just some stuff stuff that happened. It's easy to take, oh, they got 12 findings and and and go ballistic. Some of them really need some work. Some of them I don't feel as strongly on. Um the website that not having the one item on our website that has already been
076addressed apparently and is fixed and was just an oversight on our our district. The telework employees. I'm a little confused. We don't have policies on on working from home, but yet a hybrid program was created. Um I I don't understand how that happens. You know, I don't know I don't understand this situation. Um we discussed it briefly today. It it does say the district established the program. If we voted on it, um >> I personally don't know. Uh, I'm unaware of it, but if it was approved by the board, um, that's something we need to address. If not, I think it's still something we need to address. If we're going to have one or not, I think it's something, uh, up to date that if we need that, we should work out a procedure for
077it. Um, my understanding is unlike the way it was stated in the audit, uh, I was told we were not paying duplic. um >> just the same salary, >> a very similar salary. Uh certainly within a few thousand dollars. My understanding on that is they were not doing the same job. My response to that was, well, did they still have the same job descriptions? Because how do you say they're not doing it if they don't if you don't change it? So, I don't know if the uh job description was changed or if it wasn't yet. I am following up on that as well. Um, again, that I think is something we do need to look into and have the board uh be given the information on the construction matters, which would be seven, eight, and
078nine basically. There's a lot to unpack in that, and we probably don't have time for all of that. as far as me continuing to speak, but I had several conversations in the past and today specifically about the oversight for the construction projects and I have two main issues here. Number one, we've discussed this on the board before. We have a a bond oversight committee. Um I think it should change the name because it is not an oversight committee. It is an information pusher to the community. Um, I think the people on there are valuable and I I wish that they could have all the information before it comes to the board. Um, I sit on the insurance committee and things don't typically about insurance and and maybe it's my lack of experience being on a
079board, but the insurance committee reviews things, does research, looks at stuff, and then it gets sent to us with that recommendation. I understand that construction is a huge amount more complicated than some of what the insurance committee is doing, but if we're going to say we have an oversight committee, I think they should be allowed to do some oversight. Um, with or without that changing, um, I think we need a specific person. At one point, I did have a meeting with the district and said someone had contacted me that was a contractor that uh did not want to do anything full-time, but he would have donated his time to review some things. Um I never, you know, no decisions were made on that. In one of our meetings, I believe it was Mr. Liry that
080suggested we hire an individual to do this. But I want to say something I said to Mr. Bowling and to Travis earlier, they have been the ones that for the district, as far as I'm aware, they're the ones that have been dealing with the contractors, dealing uh with all of the construction issues. I truly don't feel it's fair to have all of those duties put on two people that were not. They were already hired. They were already our employees and they're valued. Um, I think it's a huge amount of work to put on somebody who already has jobs with our district. And then on top of that, um, you know, they're not contractors. They're not in this business. I think to have someone that we could literally go, you know, ask, is this industry standards?
081Um, I have, you know, I have a lot of faith in our in our uh construction fellas here. But as I and I've told them, you can smile and tell me all about this and I may not ever understand it. I can talk to y'all about law. You may not understand and I could be telling you all kinds of stuff that isn't true. I don't have the background to know. And and so I think I would encourage the board to consider hiring someone specific to oversee all of it that knows the knows construction standards and can actually be held accountable. not just to the board but to our community. Um because the money the money has already been saved just from various board members finding just little things and we've that it got brought up
082and it got addressed and it saved us some money. So I don't I think if we were to hire someone to look at all of it could it could save us a tremendous amount. Um, and then I think on one of the items on the under construction too, it goes back to the responses from the district that I just I I would like to see us do better is five of the subs that the state looked at said they said they were not competitively selected and that the district responded that they provided similar services to the district. So, biz were not warranted. Um, that's probably very true and it's probably a very valid response if we already know the person and they've done great work for us to go ahead and use them. That's how
083I'm interpreting that. But again, it's it's bad optics perhaps. We don't want to appear as though we are the good old voice system up here. We want to appear and to actually be genuine and and transparent. Um, maybe have I I'm not going to uh go into the IT stuff and that that's all we have. >> All right. Before we move forward, um Superintendent, will you read your two statements, please? >> Yeah. And this is addressing audit finding number one. Chair, board members, and members of the public, I'd like to provide an update on audit finding number one related to the district-owned motor vehicles. First, we acknowledge the auditor general's finding that our internal controls and documentation surrounding district vehicle use can and should be strengthened. The finding focus on oversight and recordkeeping, not on
084misuse of vehicles or loss of district assets. The audit also reviewed 132 district-own vehicles excluding buses. While these vehicles serve essential functions, maintenance, student services, operations, technology, and food service, the documentation processes need improvement. As noted in the report, one instance of incorrect mileage reimbursement totaling $6,199 was identified. The employee has already already repaid the full amount. The auditor general also clearly stated that this issue did not rise to the level of fraud. The concern identified was a deficiency in the documentation and monitoring process, not criminal intent. Out of an abundance of caution, we have opened an internal investigation to determine whether any miscount misconduct occurred. Because that investigation is active, it is not open for public comment at this time. Once the investigation is complete, the district will take appropriate action and if warranted,
085follow the progressive discipline process outlined in board policy. I want to assure the board and the community that we have already taken significant corrective steps and these actions include regular reviews of fuel records, odometer readings, and vehicle usage logs. Annual review and approval by the superintendent or the board for every permanently assigned district vehicle. Annual inspections of all district vehicles by the lead mechanic to determine operability, necessity, and cost effectiveness. The creation of a formal standard operating procedure that outlines district vehicle use and mileage reimbursement. This standard operating procedure will be issued to and signed by any employee authorized to use a district vehicle, improving our documentation and surplus process for inoperable or no longer needed vehicles. We are also developing a centralized database to house all vehicle assignments and related records. Once completed, this
086will allow for real time tracking and significantly stronger internal controls. We value the auditor general's feedback and view these findings as an opportunity to strengthen our operations. We remain committed to transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of district resources. I will continue to update the board as the investigation concludes and as we complete the remaining corrective actions. So that is for number one. And for number six, audit six, which is about employee services and telework. Um, I'd like to provide an update on the audit finding number six concerning employee services and telework. We acknowledge the auditor auditor general's finding related to our hybrid work pilot that took place during the 2024-25 school year. At that time, the district was exploring limited telework arrangements, but we did not yet have a formal district-wide procedure in place
087to ensure consistent documentation and oversight. It is important to note that this finding was procedural in n nature. It is centered on documentation, approval, consistency, and clarity of expectations, not on employee performance or financial misuse. I want to address a specific point raised in the audit regarding whether two employees were performing the same work. To be clear, the former executive director of federal programs who transition into an administrator on special assignment and was participating in telework was not performing the same responsibilities as a new executive director. She was no longer overseeing federal programs. Instead, she was completing additional duties assigned beyond that role, including competitive grant writing, monitoring and oversight, appropriations, workforce development initiatives, and a training a new acceleration coordinator. She also provided assistance to the new federal programs director only as needed. At
088no time were we pay in two individuals to perform the same job. Since that time, the district has taken clear corrective action to ensure that any hybrid or remote work arrangement is fully documented, temporary, and compliant with established expectations. Specifically, we implemented a formal hybrid work standard operating procedure in August of 2025. This SOP requires written approval by the superintendent or designate, human resources, and the employee supervisor. All hybrid work now requires a defined start and end date and must be tied to a documented short-term extenuating circumstance such as a medical recovery period or emergency. The the SOP also outlines expectations for accountability, performance, monitoring, communication, and availability. The current status, the district does not have any full-time remote positions. Any hybrid arrangements are short-term, require written documentation and justification, and are closely monitored for
089performance and alignment with district needs. These procedures ensure clarity, consistency, and equity for all employees. The purpose of the audit process is to help strengthen our internal controls and we welcome the opportunity to do so. The corrective steps we have taken ensure strong oversight and clear accountability for any future temporary hybrid work arrangements. We remain committed to responsible, transparent operations that support our employees while protecting the best interests of the district and our students. Thank you. >> Okay. All right. board before I start mine. Any any other comments or questions? Okay. So, I spent hours, literally hours on this and then in communicating back and forth with the lead auditor, uh, Yim Oliggon, who um, who basically has been my contact. And you know, I think what this report establishes and uh maybe in the
090back of certainly my mind, maybe yours too, a a clear and significant need for the board to take, you know, greater responsibility and full oversight of all financial and business operations. Um, as an example, the the telework or policy that the the superintendent just uh was alluding to, that should be approved by the board and that any person that that participates in that should also be approved by the board. Um, you know, there's accountability uh financial transparency on in these things in the in the report. Um, you know, honestly, there's, as uh, Miss Kelly had alluded to in her disc in her presence to the board, there's taxpayer dollars have been wasted. So, due to the t, you know, due to the the in internal control and oversight, which I think is imperative, and also
091the systematic and systemic um, situation that that that that is has occurred um, and is being corrected. Um I believe that we need to um take some action today. And so based on finding one, my first motion and I'll have a series of motions on the findings is that I move that well let me pass the g you currently I want to be recognized madam chair for a motion. >> All right. Um, I move that the board policy on vehicles be amended to require im any permanently assigned district vehicles currently and or in the future to be approved by the board and that at the recommendation of the superintendent and that no vehicles be allowed for commuting out of county or personal use in any manner. The only way that you can put 31,000 miles
092on a vehicle in a year is if you're you're commuting out of county, you know, with a vehicle, which is what what happened. That's my motion. >> We have a motion. Do I have a second or any discussion? >> I got a little discussion. We need a second. >> Well, I'll second it for discussion. >> Okay. you can second it for discussion and I'll just I just that's it sounds great what you're talking about boy you know by golly we're getting them but there's going to be situations and times when when the board can't meet and there may be emergencies arise in in other states or regionally throughout the state of Florida or call Tallahassee when somebody may have to carpool and take a car now they could probably take a personal vehicle But I
093just I hate to see you I'd rather see you act and not react and and let's see where this goes over time. But uh well I think this is I'm not reacting. And all I'm saying is that permanently assigned vehicles which currently we have 40 of them uh that have ne that in I guess in the last what six eight years have not had any record an accounting of uh trips mileage or anything else which is unheard of not just in the public sector but the private sector too. So, I think all I'm trying to do is add some some continuity to board oversight because, you know, when people call me, you know, I want to be able to tell them we've taken action to address these the findings in the report, which, you know,
094I've I've had been involved in audits for 40 years in almost every position I have held in all my management administration. Um, I've never seen a finding that had this much. Now I will say that not all the findings are um to the level that um you know c can't certainly be addressed by the staff and then and then the board be made aware of what the implementation of the plan is. But you know we we have a a statutory responsibility and a constitutional responsibility. Um and I think it's imperative that that we do that and if we don't you know what's the need of us being here? Okay. Could I have you repeat your motion again because I didn't quite hear it all? >> Um, I move that the board adopt policy on vehicles
095be amended uh to require any permanently assigned district vehicles currently and in the future to be approved by the board at the recommendation of the superintendent and that no vehicles be allowed for commuting or out of county or personal use in any manner. out of county. >> Yeah. Commuting out of county. Like >> Yeah. When when somebody has been assigned a vehicle to drive back and forth to home in Jacksonville, you know, where's the where how does that equate? >> I'm trying to clarify because I have to go to Tallahassee. >> No, no. I'm talking about you. No, no, no. >> I'm talking about for business trips, >> right? Okay. >> Yeah. Right. >> But you're talking about for personal use. Okay. I got you. >> I want to clarify that. >> Right. commuting from
096a person's home to work in my >> commuting. I got it. >> It's commuting. >> Okay, Mr. >> And make sure Yeah, state that in there. >> Yeah, it's commuting. >> And I also think we need to have a clause for >> an emergency like >> um >> Well, that's >> I think that's a you know, that's a given that Well, there's got to be some common sense and that's and when you said commuting, I I was thinking you're talking about going everywhere in the state. I don't I think we stopped a year or so ago and I think you brought it up to stop making sure people weren't commuting out of county and and I don't know that we ever made it a policy but you you did bring that up in the past.
097>> Yeah. And uh I do remember that and I I felt like that had stopped and I I I think it has. But >> I also have a question. Um, and I don't know if our attorney would know, but for insurance purposes, I would think that no personal use would be allowed anyway. Like I mean, if it's a I mean, I don't know for a fact, but I mean I I I would think if it's a technically a commercial vehicle or someone owned by the district and a district employee is using it in the furtherance of their position, then that but if that insurance polic is specific to business only. Yeah. >> And they're taking their kids for ice cream >> on Saturday. I think that we might run into some liability issues if we
098don't. >> Linda, I I don't >> that's not >> And that's not supposed to happen at all. I mean, they are supposed to use that >> if we if we drive that to our home. We actually have to file with the income IRS that we do that. But for driving on a pleasure trip, we're not supposed to do that at all with a >> that that's what I assumed it. Yeah, >> because I correct if if we don't have a policy stating that already, you would need one just so that insurance >> and Linda, some of our 24-hour a day employees, I mean, they're on call 24 hours. Let's just put it that way. If you get a a busted water line or air conditioning unit in a school and electricity goes out, they've got
099to show up. I just don't want to hamstring that. I think there's probably other districts that probably have policies that we could piggy back off of that'll look just >> personal use is that is automatically out. Yeah. It's a no no >> but that's why he has to put it in there spell it out. >> Yeah. To their homes. >> Are you re >> you want to reread it? Yes. Again. Okay. So, I move that the board adopt policy on all district vehicles and that it and if we have current policy, which I think we do, or amend the existing policy to require any permanently assigned these are vehicles that are signed, you know, 24 hours a day, essentially, seven days a week, although, you know, not for business use related to the district. um
100permanently assigned vehicles um currently and in the future to be approved by the board with the recommendation from the superintendent and that no vehicles be allowed for commuting out of county or personal use in any manner >> for personal use. Phil, my only concern and it's the last one would be if the superintendent's long weekend or holidays or whatever and he can't contact the board and has to send somebody to Baltimore and and has to approve somebody to use a district vehicle. I don't >> but I mean there should be >> I got you. Okay. I'm >> Yeah, >> I'm thinking I'm thinking wrong. >> I'm overthinking that a little bit. That's what that's what the report >> I mean it's just pretty much common sense. >> It is and and again these are things
101that I think will give the public and the taxpayers confidence that that we are we're reviewing these things and then they come to us. I mean um no different than the superintendent making a recommendation on on h on a position hiring position. Yeah. >> So all right >> I just I have one question. It may have nothing to do um where like would it be at the but where do those permanent cars if they are not if say I lived out of county and I was assigned to a car where do I leave my my county vehicle at the bus compound or in this parking lot? Historically, it's been either bus compounds or at a school site and people went on on their personal vehicle to their home out of county and but that's historically.
102You know, I I I assume it's still happening, but that once again is common sense. I'm trusting that the superintendent has has his finger on that, but it's it's a big district. I get it. >> So, I have a motion and a second. Any further discussion? Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> All oppose. >> Carries. Mr. >> Carries. >> And Mr. Chair or Mr. Chair, we do have just in case there's a question about any of those 12, I have staff that can provide I know a lot of you raised some questions, but uh we can we can respond to any of those at all. I know you went through and you know brought up some items but we have people that I know you raised some questions that um you know
103were seem to be unanswered but we do we do have our staff that can address those for more information if that is what you'd like. >> This the second motion on on finding one and this is really um you know safety as much as as u um trying to assure that that our district vehicles are in the right place. U Madam Chairman, I would move that all district vehicles, excluding buses, have GPS monitoring devices permanently installed and that district decals are affixed on all vehicles >> so that they know they're district vehicles. >> Don't I don't know how much that cost. Be interesting even on the vehicles that aren't running. No, we wouldn't put Well, >> I mean, you use a little more common sense. Again, >> surplus if you the vehicles being surplus, as
104I understand the 26R, they obviously >> they already have decals, I'm assuring, but you that wouldn't include them. >> And this will be our vehicles that are not assigned to >> We don't have a second. That will be But the ones that are even assigned will have the GPS GIS GPS. >> We have We have a motion. We don't have a second for discussion. Do we have a second? >> I'll second it. >> Okay. >> Discussion. >> And what was your question again? >> My question was just all right. We know who the ones are that they are permanently assigned to. Correct. We're talking about say the other 20 that aren't we will put GPS monitors on those as well. Correct. So that if someone you know from the district or >> Right. And that's
105pretty much the industry standard um for both public and private. I mean the city of Palaca has it. I think the county does, don't you, Commissioner? Yeah, this county all county vehicles have. Do >> you have any information on the >> on the cost of that or should we look into that first? >> I don't know. But I don't I don't have the cost. Um but you know, you would you could phase it in over, you know, a time period. Doesn't all 60. >> Well, >> yeah, you you do get a >> billion at as well as anything. I mean, it'd be if somebody got in an accident, you didn't know where they were, you could find the vehicle and pull them out of a creek. Who knows? I don't know. You know, at least
106you know where they are. >> Yeah, it is it is a a safety issue for our for our employees. >> Okay. Any any further discussion? >> And we have a motion in a second. Um, all those um Sorry, my my head's getting tired. >> In favor, >> all those in favor say I. >> I. I. >> Opposed? >> All right. And then finding six, and I'm not going to read the findings and everything. I mean, you're well aware of them, but um these are also um pretty simple motions. Um Madam Chair, I would move that the board adopt a policy to um to review and approve all um teleawwork assignments um at the recommendation of the superintendent. In other words, um they've got a policy now in place. And so as these come up, um
107you know, they would be, I'm assuming, consent agenda items, the superintendent would recommend the telework policy because that is a pretty unusual um thing. All that, you know, ever since CO's been over pretty much people are in brick and mortar. Um, so that that's just a again an oversight a for the board to actually be involved in and understand and know about these teleworking policies so that we're not caught off guard if they come up. >> Madam Chair, could I could I request that Tanya Winhurst come up and respond to that? >> Sure. Um, >> and and while she's coming, let's see. Good afternoon. Um, I just want to um just be very clear um when we do this. So, we had and and I'll use an an example without a name. Um that if
108it is requiring board approval, sometimes that's going to have to be after the fact. um if there's a medical emergency. Um we had someone that had a very serious injury um was confined to not being able to get up. Um the that employee was the only person who could do the job that they were doing um and to meet requirements of ADA and the accommodations that that employee needed. Um that was allowed. Um, but that would there's no way that I could get board approval on something that was that that quick. So, I just want to be very clear before we go into that. >> These situations are very extenduating um that we are doing now as of as of August and um sometimes those extenduating circumstances come up in the 9th hour. So, >>
109put it after the fact. I I just want I just want to clarif I mean if we're >> an emergency I would think that would be >> well there all of these are basically emergency situations and I do have um I I made copies of um the standard operating procedures. This is not a policy. It is just a procedures of how we allow that to happen and the and how that whole process goes. Um so that um I made each one of you a copy of that that we that we have >> recommend we adopt that as a policy. it I mean it's a procedure. I mean it's really more procedure. >> Um because it's step by step. It's how you put something in place. Um so I just my concern is that if you're
110I mean I I'm okay of it being a policy. My concern is if you're requiring board approval of that temporary situation, then >> you're you're not going to get it in a timely manner. And I know that's been a question before um because we had a situation a few weeks ago that it was a very extenduating family circumstance and >> had to make a decision right in that moment. >> Chairman a while ago was that if there was an emergency somebody may have to use a car and wouldn't have wouldn't be have time or be able to get board approval and but we would have to look at that as an extenduating circumstance. >> Correct. And these this is only for >> administrative support positions that are like oneoff positions that nobody else can do
111that job. >> So this is not this is not anything that is a bargaining unit position because you know most of those you can't do that way. Um but if it is someone who their job can be done remotely and it's really a matter of meeting an extenduating circumstance or accommodating an ADA request basically then we do need to have something like this in place. This is very common across the nation in public schools now. >> So one that was mentioned the situation mentioned in the audit that that was not an emergency. >> That was that was before we had anything like this in place. >> Okay. So, >> well, even even if you had a 12-month employee that had a vehicle at home and you got a call from a school that there was
112an active shooter on the school ground and they were a licensed guardian carrying a firearm and they took off, you know, they and and it may be they may be across the county line or whatever. I don't know. It just you just got to have it room for >> if it can happen, it's going to happen. >> Yeah. So we have a is there any f further discussion that motion? Okay. All in favor say I. >> I. >> All opposed. >> Motion carries. >> Okay. Um so on finding seven and eight um related to the um construction activity and and that whole process. And we had uh couple speakers speak on that specifically and and then uh board members, you know, discuss that. um you know going back um two over two and a half
113years ago um when when the bonds were approved and we're starting to implement the the the process for um construction um you know I went to the superintendent and I said you know I I as a you know individual board member having a construction background and understanding construction management that that I would recommend that we don't put this on uh an a uh an employee who's already got plateful as as Miss Wagner had had pointed out to and I think Miss Pickkins also and that that it's important from from a construction standpoint that we have a professional um like in the the GMPs today that can review them not just from a legal standpoint, Mr. Mr. homes have done that but from are are is everything you know industry standard. Um and I think that's
114important and I still think it's important and even though we we we're you know finishing two schools and um and part of a high school too sooner than later we're starting two more. Um, I have a a um a recommendation um on finding seven and eight that and I'll make this in a motion that the board hire professional building construction manage manager with a minimum of a bachelor's degree in building construction or engineering with five or more years of professional experience in either in school or commercial construction. Um I think that if as I look back over a number of things that have transpired, it's it's been a significant learning process and the superintendent said way back that you know um nobody on staff, he or Mr. Bowling had never built a school or you
115know and done anything to this magnitude. Um, I believe that the bond will pay for this position and I think that um it will pay for itself as somebody was discussing earlier about the inspector general uh that that was hired um that I guess by the county that that that position, you know, pays for itself and what they find and what they're able to, you know, uh basically uh give us recommendations on and and maybe things that could be could be changed in GMPS and contracts and so forth. forth. Um, so >> well this person uh I'll wait till you get to questions I was going to ask you about this person >> and so this you know is something that also not not just that I've recommended in the past but the bond committee
116has recommended I know once at least twice and and probably three times and the one that that that um on the bond committee Dr. Tom Hunter who, you know, built nuclear silos for the federal government, was over that construction and is both a civil engineer and a a nuclear engineer. You know, he felt very passionate about the fact that we needed this this position in place. And um I understand if if uh you know that that is in my opinion something that in the long both the short term and long term is going to give us uh much more continuity and assure that we don't have any problems like that were pointed out uh essentially in findings um you know seven and eight >> and I and I do want to say that um I
117met I was up in Tallahassee a couple months ago and and u Senator Simon's office is actually recommending that for state projects for special facilities projects to be um funded by the state and working out of local consortium. Now that's just for our state project but again we do not object to um having that that we could pay out of bond money um you know to actually be on the ground and monitor that. So, uh, yeah. >> And so, this person will pretty much do we have a second? >> I'll make a second so we can discuss. >> Okay. >> Go ahead, Mr. Go. >> All right. And I was just asking this person. Uh, should we go with this idea? This person would be the one that we would look to to come and
118address the board and give answer our questions as opposed to having the the contract contractors. But still, we could the contractors as well. So, but this person will keep us apprised of what's going on >> and they could answer some of >> I would think they could answer some of our more layman's uh questions as well. Although um everyone else has been very very kind with their but to me it would give us somebody we're paying you know they're on our side for sure no doubt about it they're they're our employee. It would give I think us more confidence in what we're approving and it would also give more transparent well not so much transparency to me but the accountability um the accountability I mean I I can't I would just like that's something that
119I I discussed earlier and yeah I definitely favor that. >> Well and this this would be their full-time position. Now understand um these these individuals they go project to project. So this would not be a permanent position. It would last until the end of the construction or the you know until we completed all the construction we were doing under the bond program. They itinerates they'll start a project. I have a friend in Naples that he goes from Fort Meyers to Sarasota to Tampa doing commercial construction and condominiums and he he may be on a job, you know, doing this for a year or two years and then he's off and and so the good thing about it is it's not permanent and we can pay it out of the bond. It it does give I
120think much comfort to um to me and certainly to to I would think to y'all and it it alleviates a significant um job that you know our associate superintendent's already got plateful with with everything he's doing and those all of the areas that he oversees are going to become more difficult. We know about bus drivers and transportation and that whole, you know, all that was brought up earlier. And so the the magnitude of those jobs gets bigger every year. And um at any rate, I'll I'll stop there. >> So we've got construction managers hired to to like all the other districts in the state of Florida that hire construction management firms to manage the construction. So now we're going to hire somebody additionally to manage the construction manager that's managing the job already or does
121they cut out the construction manager? >> Well, the construction manager is for the project itself. They they they manage the subcontractors and get all the people. our our our person would just be overseeing that working with their construction managers and you know working with the contra the contracts uh all the aspects of you know anything that comes up that that with the district would have to be uh working on that they basically would do and uh and so um it's it's a symbiotic relationship >> sounds I mean the >> I've just never seen that happen for >> so it would be just for the >> the Kelly Smith uh >> and the Melrose >> probably and Melrose, >> right? >> So it would be both of those. That's not two different people. >> No, one
122person for all all of the bond construction projects. >> Okay, >> which we're about to wrap up. >> And so if Dr. Cerny is correct and the state is going to do something for special facilities. But if until that happened or would that person also oversee the the special facility build >> the the one that the the high school currently with the uh >> Well, I think that's that's a question of would you pay them out of bond money to monitor? That's that would be an issue. >> You can't do that. Okay. I think we're going to learn a little more as we get into this process. And I I know the response, whoever called Peter to come and do the reporting the last time that got this rolling to a regular audit that we
123normally get every year that it's it's, you know, sounds sounds tough. It is. It's bad, but they all do. Uh, it's just I just hate to see us do a knee-jerk reaction until we understand how much a GPS device is going to cost, how much this guy's going to charge to monitor the people that are hardly hired to monitor the project. I just see a lot of overlap here that and and I I'm optimistic it could be worked out, but it's just kind of different ground here. But ain't a bond issue always different ground. Uh the one last one I remember was miserable. >> Um >> what is the going price for >> as much as they can get >> for a building construction >> professional in the 90 to $110,000 range based on you
124know the years of experience. Obviously we're requiring five years experience that had 20 years experience. It would be you know per ated based on that. But um very little when you think about the spending $300 million >> and if it if it could potentially save us money, which I mean I would think that it would, you know, >> I'm convinced that it would and and and more importantly, you know, the bond oversight committee and and of course, you know, a renowned construction professional, you know, strongly recommending this um that that sends a message to me that, you know, and if the state's going to start doing it with with state facilities, it only makes sense that that school districts do it. >> Can I offer a suggestion? >> Because I I'm just hearing there's a
125lot of questions about that on, you know, pay and job description and so forth, so on. These two new projects are just in the design phase now, right, Thomas? And I'm suggesting that maybe we come back with a job description and a cost for our next board meeting and bringing us up then just so we have all those questions answered. And um if that's what you'd like to do, if you'll let us know, we can research that and bring that back to the next board meeting because right now we do not have active construction going on those sites. We're in the pre-construction phase, >> right? So it's not like things are being purchased or anything like that that we we would need to be on right this second. So that's that's just my suggestion. >>
126Could you do another thing for us? I mean with that is just get a ballpark figure of u GPS what that would >> Yeah, we've already approved that. >> Yeah, we can. >> We we still need you need to know. Yes. >> Yeah, we could we could find that out also. How would that affect the Melrose though if they're going to be starting in a few weeks? >> Thomas or somebody can you um on Melrose um >> question. >> Yeah. Question. I think Linda had a question about how that would impact >> Melrose. Yeah. How would at this point >> the work would continue? >> So everything that they're doing there for Melrose um the the uh scope of the work included um >> I realize it's it's mostly like moving electric and and some
127of that. But um I guess that's that's relatively speaking small stuff, >> small potatoes, but it's necessary work that has to be done. >> And I would think, you know, if you if you guys decided to do this today, I don't think they would be hired and ready to go tomorrow. >> Um and and just, you know, I'd like to say for the record, I would gladly uh appreciate having someone come in to help out at this point. um you know just because it it gives it shifts the accountability somewhere else and someone can give this their full attention. Um you know we and I think my facilities director does a terrific job. >> Um you know and we've hired some outside help to help with this project but they're coming to the end of
128their contract. So um it will possibly free up some money for this endeavor. So um there's no push back here at all. Madam Chair, I'll withdraw my motion. Mr. >> Thomas, >> and if you'll withdraw your second, I'll make another motion. I I move we table uh this issue until the next meeting and bring it up under old business. >> I'll second that. Got >> that. >> We have a motion. Second. All in favor? >> I. >> All oppose. >> All right. That That's all I have, Madam Chair. >> All right, board. Let's see what we Okay, we are on unfinished new business board reports and uh M. Pickers, we'll start with you. Um, I feel like we've spoken a lot and um I've I spent like you said you did hours and hours and
129talked to um to a lot of people people that I value their opinions and um and their their knowledge and so um I you know I no one enjoys like Miss Wagner said getting this um audit but at the same time it does open your eyes and and you take action and I think we've done that today and um and hopefully when we're we have this report again it will be a lot better. Um >> can I interrupt just as a point of order? >> Yes. >> There was never a vote taken on we pulled that number whatever number was for the audit report. Was there a vote taken >> on F8? There was not a vote taken and that is >> really to acknowledge it for the record. >> Yes. >> So I just
130want to make sure that um >> All right. >> What would the motion be? >> So >> you have an audit report on the You have an audit report on the agenda, but what is the motion? >> We accept the audit report. >> Accept it as presented. >> Acknowledge it. >> I'll make I'll make a motion, Mr. Chairman. >> Wait a minute. Let's make sure that's the correct wording. is >> I agree with the acknowledge >> acknowledge. Okay. >> Wording that of the motion as being that you acknowledge the receipt of the of the audit report. >> We can't. >> Mr. Chairman, I make a motion we acknowledge make a mot I make a motion that we acknowledge the audit report as accepted and uh with that I guess somebody do a second. >> A
131second. Do we need accepted on it? >> Do we get a second? >> Well, I think that I see the attorney frowning over here. I wouldn't really I think that you acknowledge it >> as you receive it. >> Yes. >> You all know what the term accept it really implies if you follow what I'm saying. So >> acknowledge it. >> I would rather you just accept receipt of it and you know y'all and leave it at that. >> You want me to say accept >> except receipt of it. >> Accept receipt of the back. >> Acknowledge receipt. >> I acknowledge that. I I'll rephrase my motion if Madame Chairman or Mr. I'll withdraw my second >> and uh I'll make a motion that we'll acknowledge acceptance >> receipt of the audit >> of which we've
132discussed today from the state of Florida. >> I'll second. >> All right. Have a motion and a second. All in favor signify by saying I. >> I post lock sign. Motion carries. All right. Now back to you. Then I'll just finish by saying, you know, basketball season, soccer season have begun. Um, so I'm looking forward to watching them play. >> Mr. involved. >> Um, it just, you know, the the amount of stuff that after the local media ran the article, which is what they do. I' I've known Peter since ever whenever he started here in Putham County that uh people kind of go they lose their minds over some of this and rightfully so because it sounds so bad when you you look at an audit but like we've said at nauseium a while ago
133I you know you don't have an audit where you don't have audit findings because if you do they don't hire the auditors again because they won't have you know they want somebody that if you're going to have an audit you're going to have findings And systemically they're going to go back to small rural districts are going to have about the same type of findings and and over the years and they will do that as the the lady said which I thought she did a wonderful job. >> She did. >> But uh it it's not going to be easy. This would have been a lot easier if we'd had done it from the beginning, Mr. Superintendent, but we were trying to work with an oversight committee and and it would have saved that. Even in retrospect
134with that, you're going to have problems. And then when you get somebody who calls the FDLE or or local law enforcement or the press and tries to start make something out of nothing and you know, it just creates a real storm sometimes. So, you have to be you have to be vigilant and you have to just pick your feet up and put one foot ahead of you at a time and keep going because these kids need these schools and they need to get done. And uh and it is a job. It's a it's a rough job, but my hat goes off to all the employees that have to put up with with, you know, I remember the years when somebody would take a a local district vehicle and go in through a McDonald's drive-thru and
135I'd get 10 phone calls that our people are riding through McDonald's on lunchtime getting lunch and just losing their minds. But it's it's when it comes down to public dollars, you can't ever make people feel comfortable enough, I think. And that's that's the bottom line. Now, I'm done. >> All right. Miss Wag U, Miss Gillyard, sorry. >> No, just want to say that uh I I honestly from the bottom of my heart believe that we are moving in the right direction. um you know who who anybody that makes a mistake should be willing and it and it's not intentional and from what is being done by by way of what you've added to it feel and and by what the superintendent and his team has already begun. So it's not like uh people are flexing
136muscles. it's trying to get a job done with all the other things and with the added uh responsibilities uh like Thomas and and um uh Travis being well Mr. Woods and and and Mr. Bowlolan being given this added responsibility and so they do the very best they can and to perform the job that they were initially hired to do. But I do feel like we have made some headway and that's what it's about. I mean, you know, for none of us are perfect for all of us have come short of of of perfection and we will probably never ever get there. But as long as we're willing to say, "Hey, you've shown me where it is. You have an idea that can help make it better and we act on it and we move together."
137That being said, just want to commend the IT department for making sure that we protect and safeguard uh our school district. Uh uh there are people, bad people out there that will still hijack a district and cost us a whole lot of money. I don't like the idea that they test us, but they they they give us some good training and it makes you alert not only for the school district, but for your personal uh as well. And >> I approve. >> That's it. >> Okay, Miss Wagner. >> Yes, I too enjoyed um the IT training. >> You enjoyed it was a little my attempt at sarcasm. >> He was good though. >> Um yeah, it it it's it's it when you actually go through these things and pay attention, there's always something to learn.
138So, um >> but and I just I did want to say again, I think I agree the the conversation today. I think it's uh it was very beneficial, productive uh for all of us moving forward. Um and I do appreciate the the phone calls that I got, the conversations that I had with those in the community. Um you know, sometimes it takes something um that's considered major for people to actually come to us with any concern. Um occasionally those concerns are then blown up and they add everything they've ever thought of in the last 10 years. But in this situation, a lot of the conversations I had with folks, it it really did make me think harder on some things made me dig into uh these issues, and I appreciate them reaching out. Um so,
139you know, if if you have concerns, um there's nothing wrong with reaching out to the district, ask the questions, uh call your your representatives, that's what we are here for. And um uh and I will say something you had mentioned just because there's deficiencies found that in no way indicates that they were all intentional like you like like you're saying it it they're deficiencies. We're hoping to address these and I think it's woke all of us up to us needing to maybe do some oversight at least being told some things so we can truthfully say we know what's going on here. So, um I appreciate the conversation and um and the district being so helpful. I I say it a lot, but I don't think they can be told enough. I mean, when I ask
140questions, I get answers and I do appreciate that. >> That's all. >> Very good. >> Um so, I guess it comes to me. Um, you know, switching gears completely a whole another issue. Um as most of y'all know, we are looking at a a budget shortfall. Um Mr. superintendent, I think it's maybe in January of 1.2 million and the and the superintendent and the administration have taken actions to start addressing uh ways that we can cut to do that. Um and and one of the things that crossed my mind is that and and of course I've been in positions where we had to cut our budget 15% in a year and and different things like that. But um one of the first things and actually I was talking to my daughter about it because GP
141just initiated this because of budget cuts they're making is that we should um adopt a moratorum that had to be not permanent on out of state travel and only essential travel for instate until we get through this budget cycle and you know can figure out how everything's going to be worked out and And and because if our teachers and you know administrators and staff are going to feel the pain, you know, we all should feel the pain. And and based on that, I've cancelled my um u trip to the school boards association meeting and and also the rule days in Tallahassee. Um, uh, I would was considering making that a motion because I'm I feel strongly about, um, you know, cutting in areas that are just not, um, uh, mission critical and and I think
142travel is is one of them. Um, I do I do know that there is essential travel, you know, going to Tallahassee and, you know, different things. there are critical mission trips that have to be taken irregardless of budget. But um you know conferences and and things like that. Uh if we can save any money to help towards offsetting the impact um of the shortfall, I I think it's uh I think it's very important and I just would like to hear what your comments are. Well, you don't know that the state's not going to come through with the money. And in a in a nutshell, it, you know, I know what I did years ago was way back in the old days when dinosaurs walked the earth, as Linda would tell me, but you know, you
143can roll a few people into different positions and save a million dollars in a hurry. I feel like the superintendent has a good grasp of what he's going to do. I've talked to him, but uh you know this is symbolic. If you want to try to restrict travel and make them come before the board at, you know, like they're going to have to do your normally after the fact, it's whatever you guys want to do. I I don't know. It's not going to hardly say that there's a million dollars. >> Yeah. I I'm I don't know. Superintendent, do you want to talk about the the act the things that you've implemented to offset the impact or or >> Yeah, we did. Um and I think we contacted each of you. Um, right now we've sent
144out letters to every single 12-month employee, including all administrators, including myself. Um, where just putting them on notice that their contracts may be reduced as much as to 10 months. Doesn't mean we're going to do it, but we had to send that out by October, and we're talking about 300 employees. So, there are some things that we're looking at. There's a lot of unknowns right now, but we essentially are um you know looking at possibly reducing contract days, but again it really depends on um you know just how severe the the shortfall will be. But we had to do that just to keep that option on the table. So it doesn't mean we're going to absolutely do it, but we had to keep that as an option. And uh there's there's some other things we're
145looking at some some um funds that we're holding back for different projects that we may be able to redirect. And we you know we have a good grasp on it for this year. Next year you know we've uh we're planning for next year and so I think we have a good grasp on this year. >> So so as today we don't know a specific amount and then there hasn't been any permanent actions taken taken place. Well, right now we're waiting on and Jonathan you can pipe up here, but right now we're waiting on um the student count, you know, that that next survey and um you know there first of all there's been some duplicate students counted as getting vouchers who are also sitting in our schools. So that's some things that have to be
146uh accounted for. But again, come uh you know the next survey, we have to see what the state is actually going to give us credit for as far as um number of students. Jonathan, is that accurate? >> I would agree. Um basically that count is going to give us a true reconciliation of the money he referenced of the fund we're holding back for other projects. We're going to put there what we need. Superintendent, it's my understanding that you're going to keep anything that we if we have to do as far away from the instructional program. >> Absolutely. >> Yeah. And we we're looking at u you know our allocation formula, you know, looking at a number of things. We have a lot of options, especially going into next year and unfilled positions. I mean, right
147now we still have a hiring freeze. So unless it's approved by myself, we're not hiring anybody. And um some of these vacant positions may may stay vacant until it's mission critical. So >> Okay. Thank you. All right, Mr. Holmes, do you have anything? >> Superintendent. >> Yeah, just a couple of things. Uh our VPK enrollment is still open, encouraging families with incoming four-year-olds to register. Uh it was mentioned earlier, we had a superintendent engagement session this past week. last week at Kelly Smith Elementary. There's a great turnout uh had people online and we have more engagement sessions u scheduled throughout the year. Uh we attended today attended the workforce summit which was held at the um Jim Pnado Theater with a strong turnout. had a great great crowd there and we highlighted a lot of
148our school district CTE programs and our pathways and how they're preparing our students for local workforce needs and had a number of partners, business partners there as well. Our ongoing updates on our school revitalization plans, especially going on in the Placa area, are available on our website. So, just want to make sure everybody knows that. >> Okay. And Mr. Superintendent, just want to uh Mr. chair. Uh just want to remind the superintendent to help him remember with everything going on uh don't forget to check that um Zoom that you did for Miss Johnson, Miss Courtney Johnson, she said she placed some questions in there that she didn't I if I read if I heard her correctly that you may not have gotten the question so that you could respond to >> and actually I was
149texting my staff about that and and um thank you for saying that. Yes, sir. >> And we're following up on that. >> Okay. So, we have some staff that are supposed to be, you know, answering those. >> Okay. Anything else to come before the board? All right. We'll stand >> and pact will be playing Thursday night. >> All right. Football game. >> Yeah. >> Okay. wish.