001All right, I'll call to order the meeting of the school district board. Um, and we'll open by having a roll call. So, Mr. Board attorney, would you call the role? >> Yes, sir. >> District one, >> present. >> District two, >> present. >> District three, >> here. >> District four, >> here. >> District five, >> here. And now we'll move to the superintendent statement. >> Yes, sir. September 11th, 2025. In accordance with section 2000.065 and chapters 1010 and 1011 of the Florida statutes, I previously submitted the tenative balance budget for fiscal year 2025 2026 and recommended the millillage to be levied. On January on July 24th, 2025, you approved the tenative budget and the millillage for advertising. On July 30th, 2025, you approve the tenative budget and millage. The purpose of today's public hearing is
002to amend the proposed final budget as you see fit, approve a resolution or ordinance stating the millage rate to be levied, and approve a resolution adopting the district summary budget. That budget will then become the official district school board of Putnham County budget for fiscal year 2025 2026. Okay, thank you. Before we move into um our explanation the roll back in and in in items B, I'm going to ask um Miss Kim Man to come up and she's going to give a brief update on the AFR brief um request. So, my name is Kimberly Man and I'm the director of finance and my responsibility every year is to prepare the annual financial report that has to be submitted to Tallahassee by September 11th every year. So, tonight once this meeting's over, I'll be able to
003send my report on to Tallahassee. So the annual financial report takes the revenues and expenditures of all of our governmental funds and I do different calculations to um estimate the liability for compensated absences, pension liability, um other postemployment benefits liability and I add that to our revenues and expenditures to get us an overall annual financial report for our governmental statements. Um the one that I'll transmit tonight that has to be transmitted to Tallahassee is called the ESC um the ESC 348 and it's very much like Jonathan's budget document. It's going to show the revenues and expenditures and then the long-term liabilities for the school district. >> Kim, so these people can hear. Pull that microphone a little closer to you. There you go. >> Thanks. So the 348 shows the revenues and expenditures like Jonathan's
004budgets document and it'll be transmitted to Tallahassee and it'll also report our long-term liabilities for compensated absences, pension, other post-employment benefits. Um, do y'all have any questions? And the long-term debt, so long-term debt that has to do with our bonds. Y'all have any questions about the um annual financial report? >> Any questions from the board? >> Okay, seeing none. Thank you. >> All right, that's it. Thank y'all. >> Thank you, Camp. All right. Uh we will move to item B1. And Mr. ODM, you are recognized, sir. Thank you everyone. I'm going to grab my notes real quick out of here. All right. All right. So, I'm going to have a presentation going along so that way everyone here can see what's on the screen and see what we're discussing if they don't have it directly
005in front of them. So, we are here today to present, discuss, and adopt the miller rates and the final district budgets for the 2526 school year. I'll discuss the items that are on the board docs. We won't go into a lot of detail today unless you want to because we've had the budget workshop. We've had the meeting to advertise. We've had the first public hearing. And so some of this information you'll be hearing again for the third time. In order to follow the Florida Truth and Mill guidelines, I have certain items I need to present to you. The roll back rate which you see on the screen is a millage rate that it would take to bring into the district the same amount of tax revenue as we received last year excluding the effects of
006any new construction. Our rolled back millage rate is 5.3291. The proposed millage rate ignoring debt services is 5.2890 and will generate only 98.89% 89% of the same tax revenue from 2024 to 2025. The roll back rate ignores voter approved debt millage which is reported on the DR420 debt certification form with the department of revenue and only applies to state and district millages that are certified on the DR420S with the department of revenue. The proposed millage is a decrease of 0.0401 0401 mills from the rolled back rate. But our actual 2025 2026 millage is an increase a proposed increase of 735 actual mills over last year's millage rate. Our 2025 2026 millage rate would be 6.865 mills and last year it was 6.130 mills. For 2025 2026, the increase of actual millage comes from a combination
007of a reduction in the required local effort, an increase in the prior period adjustment, and an increase in debt service millage due to the second issuance of bonds. The RO rate and the prior period adjustment are both set by the state, and we have to levy them in order to receive our FFP funds of just over $60 million. The debt service rate is set by what we need to receive in order to pay the debt obligations of principal and interest owed on the bonds from the funds we've collected so far. Each school board participating in the state allocation of funds through the Florida Education Finance Program FFP for the current operation of schools must levy the millages set for its required local effort from property taxes. And the required local effort does include the prior
008period funding adjustment. Each district share of the state total required local effort is determined by a statutory procedure that is initiated by certification of the property tax valuations of each district by the department of revenue. The only way to levy more than the amount we are lever levying for operating or capital purposes is to go before the public in a general election asking to increase our millage rate or have debt service for bonds, which is what we did in November of 2022. Excluding the debt service millage, the total 5.2890 mills this year will bring in 98.89% of the funds generated from last year's 5.3291 mills. So, just to clarify, that is a reduction in millillage. Excuse me. When you're looking at this, that is actually um for an increased millage rate off of this, you're
009bringing in less funds. Go ahead. It's not what we wanted. There we go. So I slightly modified this uh slide from last time because I wanted to highlight two columns. The millage rate is made up of five different rates that sum together to get the total millage rate. The first two highlighted here in yellow are the required local effort and the prior period adjustment which is part of the RLE. These millage rates are required by the state. If we do not assess these two millage categories, we are at risk of losing over $60 million in funding and the state required increase between those two or combined the state has increased it by 0.008 mills. The next two I want to discuss are the discretionary and capital which are the first two columns to the right
010of the highlighted columns. These two millig rates have are always been assessed at the maximum allowed by state the 748 for discretionary and 1500 for capital to ensure the district expenditures are funded at the same rate as the prior year. The 1.500 millillage for capital is in its final year of special facilities payback funding. That leaves the final column which is the second from the right of debt. The set millage of 1.576 is strictly to collect the funds needed to make the necessary payments owed on the bond debt approved by Putnham County voters. This increase in millillage of makes up 98.92% of the increase of the total millage rate. The voted debt millage rate of 1.576 covers payback funding for 200 million of the $300 million bond referendum that passed. Here is the budget summary
011document. This is a one-page compression of our budget summarized by fund type, revenue source, and expenditure function. This changed from our tentative budget that was in the newspaper as we've had time to post appreciation, compensated ab absences, and the OPED liability to our NEC funds. NEC is required to be treated as a business entity and these are liabilities that are required by the governmental accounting standards board to be acred. So their funds of internal services and enterprise funds changed the most from the tenative hearing. We had changes in other funds too as additional accounts receivables were made known or chargebacks and corrections made from the tenative budget to the final budget as is usually the case. We can provide the entire budget in a one-pager as in this document. We can provide it in a
012detailed budget that is broken down line by line, cost center by cost center and in several hundred pages. and we can provide it in the format that is transmitted to Tallahassee which is about 30 pages. This compressed one-page document is the one that is required by TRIM guidelines. At the prior meetings, we went over this document and discuss any questions you had. I have also prepared explanations of each of the fund types if you would like me to go over them as well if you have any questions regarding them. Do you want to ask anything now or you want to wait? >> Board members have any questions about the fund balances? I don't >> not >> I've been through it a lot. >> You can proceed, sir. >> Okay. This is not quite the end
013because we got a little bit more we're going to talk about. Um the resolution determining revenues and millages is a Florida DOE form that we just fill out uh fill in our certified taxable value and our millage rates in various categories and then send uh all of the departments I just mentioned. Um that is what was on board docs. That's one of the longer pages. The resolution adopting the budget and the attached budget is what is transmitted electronically to the Department of Education and as mentioned earlier is different than the one-page compression and has more detail. Though it's not near as comprehensive as the entire budget line item by line item. The numbers on all three formats of the budget are all the same, just presented in different ways. Feel my throat getting a little
014dry. Now that we've gone over everything that will be voted on, I'd like to clarify a couple of things that I have seen or heard being discussed regarding this budget. First, this increase in millillage is a direct result of the 300 million voter approval bond referendum. We cannot increase millage rates for the money owed on the bond until we receive those funds. And as you all know, this past June, we received the second issuance of 100 million. Therefore, this millage increase is to cover the cost of the second 100 million in bonds that were sold in June 2025. Next, this increase in millillage is not an optional millage the district is choosing to implement. As mentioned earlier, 1.08% of this rate increase is a state required increase that could result us losing funds if we
015don't do it. And the other 98.92% is to collect payback funds for the $200 million of the November 2022 voter approved bond referendum for 300 million. Finally, we go through an annual financial audit that is required by Florida State Statute 11.452D, 452D, which states, "The auditor general shall annually conduct financial audits of the accounts and records of all district school boards in counties with populations of less than 150,000. Only in counties with a population greater than 150,000 can a school district opt to be audited once every three years." So, before we go to the roll call vote, uh, are there any questions or discussions we want to have? >> Are we going to vote before we have public comment >> or Yeah, y'all could I mean, I don't know if y'all want me to answer
016any questions you guys have and then y'all do public comment. >> I have. >> All right. >> I've been driving y'all crazy. So, >> members have any questions? >> I'm good. Also, Jonathan, would you just point out to also that the for the millage rate uh for the general operations is going back is going to be 1 >> 01% less than the roll back rate. So, there's actually a decrease in that. >> Okay. So, that number is actually 1.11 that you're talking about. >> The 1.08 08 is the overall total percentage of the increase. So going back real quick to this first page in the bottom left box in the upper left hand corner is where you'll see that 1.11% decrease over the rolled back rate. >> Right. That's what Okay. All right. Um All
017right. We will go to public comment. I do have one speaker card and I'll open it up for others too. Uh, Miss Diane Kelly, if you will come forward and be recognized. Give your name and address, please, for the record. >> Yes, ma'am. >> Well, thank you. Um, Diane Kelly. I live at 123 Lakeside Lane, Crescent City, Florida. Last name Ke Ly. uh a few things I want to share and I really appreciate the opportunity to comment and I do understand and respect you may have already made a decision but uh there may be a few other things to think about. I just want to share a few of what I found and consider as facts. Then I'm asking a rhetorical question and then lastly I don't feel it's good for me to come and
018express a concern without sharing a few recommendations. So I'm going to share just a few recommendations. So one as it relates to the millage rates and some of the facts that I looked at uh I am concerned as a citizen about the millage rate. I know folks are doing a lot of good work working hard. I also know that there has been improvement in the quality of uh the student output in Putnham County. So that's a good thing. But I'm still concerned. Uh and I'll tell you why. One is for the school board operating expenses. Putnham County is in the top 22% of the state uh counties. Uh these for the school board operating plus the debt service and I looked at the debt service for other counties that also have uh a debt service
019that they're trying to address as well. So I added it all up together to look at where Putham County fell and we fall at the top as far as our total millage rate there including the debt service. So then I also looked at our academic achievement. And I thought, okay, well, we're paying a fair amount. What's the achievement? What does that look like? For 2425 school year, uh, we achieved a C-grade. Albeit, we are improving, but it's still a C-grade. And we're ranked 55 of 67 counties. So, we're technically in the bottom 18%. We're also paying almost 11,000 per student, which is 22% above the state average. That's a concern for this county, too, when you look at income levels. and just overall financial stability. Only 48% of our students also can interpret English, you
020know, can uh very well. So, we're not producing yet uh the quality of students that I'm sure we would like to. So, I look at all of those facts and then I say, okay, the school board did opt to apply the debt service only to property owners. And what it feels like, although feeling doesn't really matter, but what it feels like is property owners are technically I feel like they're we're an easy target. Um, and we're kind of a captive audience and um using homeowners instead of other alternatives, and I'll talk about that in a moment, feels um not discriminatory. That's probably too strong of a word, but it doesn't feel quite right to me. Um, the ballot question itself. I looked at the ballot question again and I also ran it through a uh
021grade level uh reader, a couple of them including Hemingway and a couple others. It came that ballot question itself would put somebody you'd have to have a master's degree or doctorate in order to readily understand and interpret it. And we're only producing 5% of people. Uh >> oh. Please finish. Yes. Oh, thank you. Thank. That's very kind. >> But only about 5% of the residents in our county have that level of education. So, I look at the question, I know we can't change a question. I get that. But it's a sad thing that uh you almost need a master's degree to interpret it. But yet, most people in our county don't have that. And the way the ballot was worded to me, it felt like it kind of appeals to the sensitivities of people who
022care about kids rather than really understanding that therefore it means your property taxes are going to increase. I don't know that they fully understood. So then I say, okay, well then understanding some of those elements, you know, I look at the cost per student, we're in the top quartile, our performance is in the bottom quartile. We want to increase our taxes. Yes, we want to build schools. We certainly want great environments for kids, but is that really the best way to spend all of you all of our funding? So then I say, okay, what is the question I have of the board? And my question is, and maybe it's more rhetorical, but you're asking me as a property owner to pay top quartile dollars for bottom quartile performance. And I would say as a previous
023business leader, why don't we say let's pay the average per student. In other words, lower it, but yet improve the performance. When I was in I worked at Florida Blue, I was an officer there. One of the last years before I retired, my budget was $78 million. That was my direct operating budget. And it was not at all uncommon. I mean, it came to I remember my boss said that we had to reduce 10% across the board. Well, membership's going up, my costs have to go down. It's a very, very difficult challenge, but it's the way the world works. And I'm just asking that the school board consider taking aggressive means to reduce administrative expense to help offset the pain on the property owners. So, here's a few options. I don't believe in complaining without
024sharing some other alternatives. One is have we really looked at optimizing charter schools? And I know that's not going to happen overnight, but we have about one-third the amount of charter schools per capita that the state has. And that's where we could get some potential state funding for the build of the charter schools to lessen some of the load on on taxpayers. Number two, allocate, and this is probably my most important one, allocate the burden of this debt. understand. I know 54% of folks voted for something like that. Yes, it is locked in. I understand that. But why can't we put another ballot question in 2026 to share the wealth to spread the wealth? Because something like this, property owners are not the only ones who benefit from these bonds for that investment. We're missing
025a a large subset of our population sharing in the wealth of paying back these bonds. So I would say allocate the financial burden to more closer to all who benefit using the either using um state tax increase or what I saw others are doing in Florida, some others in Florida are adding a mo u motor vehicle license tax to help offset the expense of that. So, can you help please consider lifting some or all of that burden and placing it on more of those all of those who benefit from it rather than just the homeowner. Yeah, the homeowner has some responsibility, no doubt, but so do others who don't own homes. So, I do ask that you please consider a change maybe in 2026 and please word the ballot question in a way that's more
026analogous to the education level of the students that we're producing. Um, because 95% of folks probably didn't necessarily fully understand the ballot question. And then lastly, consider like what we have to do on the public side, and I know you guys have probably focused on this. how can we reduce our administrative expenses to help offset uh this increase? So, I thank you so much for listening and really appreciate the opportunity. >> Okay. >> Thank you, Miss Kelly, and thank you for being here today. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> Um is there >> anyone else in in the public would like to speak? I'll open it up now. All you have to do is fill out a thing after after you talk if you're you'd like to speak. Yes, ma'am. Come forward,
027please, and state your name and address. >> You just come right here. Yes, ma'am. >> Hi, my name is Dory Campo. I live at 116 Bunch Road. Um, I don't know that much about all the numbers and all that good stuff. Um, but I'm just a senior citizen, just a private, you know. I love the idea of trying to spread it around because social security only gives me so much. I've been here for over 30 years. My kids haven't been in school for 25. So, I've been doing my share, but it's the fact that my property value went down and my taxes went up. I just I'm beside myself. Where am I going to find this money? I don't want to have to go back to work. I retired five years ago. But if I
028have to, I have to. But you guys are going to make us private, you know, homeowners just we're we're going to have problems. You guys are going to have your impact fees coming next year. you're going to have >> we we we have not the board has taken no action on any impact. >> All right. Well, this is what we're hearing. Okay. This is just what we're hearing. >> I understand. >> Um we're hearing that, you know, there I've seen where there's so many other people, new people coming in to our county. So, let them help us. They're coming in. I I understand they're >> So, you're you're for impact fees to help Um >> if if you have to, you have to >> services. Okay. >> I mean, all the other c counties are
029doing it. >> Yes, ma'am. I agree. >> All the other counties are doing it. Just I just Let's share the wealth, you know, or the the burden. >> Shared the burden. Yes, ma'am. >> Thank you. Thank you so much for being here today. And uh we we certainly hear what you're saying. >> Thank you. Thank you. Here. >> Do I have to sign something? >> No, ma'am. Well, yeah, you just on the table. >> Yeah, if you just fill that out and >> thank you. Thank you for being here. >> Lady in back. >> Anybody else come, please come forward and state your name and address for the record. >> While she's coming up, I'd just like to point out that uh uh she she did make a say point. I think Jonathan may bring
030this up later in his presentation, but the average um adjusted market value for single family home in Putham County, this is out of 17,774 homes, is is right around $231,000. For mobile homes, which there's about 15,815, it's $113,000. Um, but as you all recall, when Mr. Davis was here, our property appraiser made a presentation. Four entities pay 70% of the taxes in this county and that's George Pacific, Florida Power and Light, Simino Electric, and Cintied. That's the company next to them. Um, so uh yes, property values are going up uh because there's more people coming here, more demand for it now. So anyway, please state your name and address. Just want to get >> My name is Julia Laughlin and my husband is James and he couldn't come because he's sick. >> Yes, ma'am. What's
031your name? >> Uh we live at 121 Shoreside Trail or 113 Shoreside Trail. We have two places >> and our taxes have gone up so high and what bothers me most of all, we moved here 5 years ago from Valuchia County and we had a bigger place. We had 25 acres. Our taxes never were this high because we're seniors. Now, what I resent about most of this, and you all need to realize that college, that school that you build out there at Union is bigger than the college on um in Daytona by Orman on Williamson. And I went out and took pictures of it. I didn't bring them with me. All of these schools are bigger than any of the schools in Valuchia County. My children went to school at the land high and they
032have loads of portables. They have much more progressiveness there, many more jobs there, many more people, and we don't have people to fill these schools up. 75% of the people down in Crescent City and south of Putnham County or Platka are Spanish or illegals. And I see it every day. You can drive down every little dirt trail, which we've all been down, and they're living in shannies. And there's six families in each little shanny and each little house. need to stick to >> and they're not paying taxes. So, we should get a different rate. If you're going to build these kind of schools and put them on our taxes, you should give the seniors that have nothing but their social security a reduced rate. They do this in other states. They do this in some
033counties. >> And that would be a decision by the state legislature, which they are looking at property values. And so, I expect this next legislative session. Well, I we don't understand why the schools are so big when there's not that population. >> We actually are building schools based on uh criteria from the Department of Education and it has to match the number of students that that will be attending there. We're only allowed to build for 10 more sta student stations. Mr. Superintendent just a very few. So those schools are meeting all the the state requirements under the Department of Education. A lot of what you're seeing is things that are mandated to us by the state that we have no control over. >> So, we need to write to the state. >> You need we
034well you need to get with your state representative, Mr. Justin Sap. He's got an office here and the state senator is from Valuchia County but represents Putnham County uh state senator Tom Leak. And um I I agree with you on the property issues and and the fact that um there should be an an additional exemption for seniors. Uh and I think you you're going to see that's coming. >> Yeah. Because we we have never we've seen it in other states when we've traveled and we've talked to people. They just don't hit you up because your social security check if it goes up it all goes to Medicare and you don't see it. And then when the taxes go as high as they are, uh, then you don't have anything left. >> Yes, ma'am. I understand.
035>> All right. Thank you for your time. >> Thank you so much for being here. >> Okay. Any anybody else from the public? Just K, uh, >> thank you, >> Miss Lola Hick. Miss Miss, you're Yes. Come up and state your name and address for the record, please. >> Hello, my name is Laura Hickman. I live at 104 Ridge. Okay, sure. >> All right, please start again. Thank you. >> My name is Laura Hickman. I live at 104 Ridge Street in Pomona Park, Florida. >> And I I had some comments that I wanted to make. Now, I am not a property owner, but we're looking into buying our first house hopefully in Putham County. And the reason that I feel so strongly about this situation is, you know, I do have grandchildren that go to
036school here. Um, but I feel like the way I know it's too late for this now, but the way that it was worded almost looks like it was written by AI. When I voted yes on that question, I had no idea that property owners were going to foot the bill for all of this. I had made the mistaken assumption that what it meant was that the money that was already being put towards the schools would be invested in bonds and go back into the school. So, so that's where that is. And the other question I had is as far as this amount that's going towards the schools, how much of that is going to be for security? Um, are there going to be like metal detectors? Is there going to be a improved security for
037the students? >> Yes, ma'am. >> We we already have one of the preeminent uh security um systems in place and our staff and our our security staff do a phenomenal job and we consistently rank very high because the department of education comes in and audits that. But these schools will be the elite, the most state-of-the-art in the entire country. And uh you can assure if your child is going to one of these schools, they'll be safe. >> Let me let me say something. Rick Rick may help me if we need to, but going back to the wording on the ballot. U I've been through bond issues years ago and the same thing happened in that period of time. People felt confused after they passed the bond issue and boardrooms filled up with people wanting to
038wanting to talk. Out of an abundance of caution, the district hired a bond attorney, correct me if I'm wrong, to compose the ballot language to make sure it complied with all areas of Florida law. And what you just said is something that I think we've all heard. Well, it looked tricky and we didn't know this and we didn't know that. But it was composed by a an attorney that uh you know had expertise in that area that does other bonds and language for ballots in the state of Florida. So, also safety. You're talking about safety of the schools. They they're being built to new safety standards with windows that you can't see through and shelter in place. And also they have to function as hurricane shelters. Like in Crescent City, we've had, you know, to
039house people for hurricanes. We've had train derailments have to bring people there and lifellight them from the, you know, that were that weren't killed in the train wreck, but were injured from the high school. And so there's a lot of state requirements that go into what we do as well. But I just wanted to kind of clarify that that to you. >> Thank you. I do understand the legality of it, but the majority of voters that are voting on these questions, we're not attorneys. Um, and the education level in Putham County is not as high maybe as in some other places. So when these questions are presented for the people to feel confident that they're not being duped, if there maybe was a little section or if there was an explanation, this is what this
040means. Yes, it's our responsibility as adults and registered voters to have due diligence and research these questions. And I think a lot of us feel like we did. Um, but what we got was not what we bargained for, unfortunately. Um, I appreciate you listening and taking the time. And one final comment, and I know this is probably more on a state level. Um, and it probably was a lot easier just to tax the property owners, but perhaps alcohol or cigarettes or soda. Those are all things that could be taxed without causing as much hardship for the community at large. That's all I have. Thank you. >> Thank you. Okay board, that's all the public comment we have. So we will now move into I'm sorry concern and share with us. >> Okay. Yes. Thank you
041uh for all of you showing up and driving up here and and uh we we certainly appreciate it and you know this board takes very seriously um you know the taxes we we reduced our millillage last year a half a mill um due to uh unforeseen circumstances that we are not aware of. Um there was a glitch with the Florida Power and Light uh tangible personal property that um they uh overpaid and subsequently that lowered our taxable income from tangible tangible personal property for this year and obviously that impacted our debt service. Um we we hear you, we understand. Uh uh but again, you know, a lot of these things are mandates, unfunded mandates by by the state legislature that we really got to get a handle on. And I can tell you that uh
042charter schools that that money uh for those charter schools goes is basically taking those monies from the school district >> and and then they go to the charter schools. I mean, I think that, you know, uh, charter and private schools certainly had a pl have a place, but when you defund the school district that has set up and been this way since, you know, for almost a hundred years, um, you know, you're changing the whole dynamics of public education. And I'm just looking out at the group here. I'm assuming like me, y'all probably all went to public schools. My kids did. Now, my grandkids are there. Um, so we we very much understand and appreciate the concerns y'all have. And I do think I'm very uh encouraged by what I'm hearing out of Tallahassee that
043they're going to pass legislation that's going to be able to reduce the property tax on property owners across the state and make it more equitable. in many of those states that they have low property taxes, they also have a state income tax. And so it's um you know, they they get you from another way. I'm also very um and the board I think would look at other options for us to be able to reduce the taxable rates and and be able to certainly balance our budget which is also required by state. But again, thank you for being here and don't hesitate to call um you know, any of us. Um all our information is on the website. Um I think all five of us have cell phones and there certainly the superintendent does and his
044is on there and we're happy to talk and and help you understand or explain anything that we can in this whole process. So, with that, uh, we're going to move to the, um, uh, item C1. And, uh, Mr. ODM, you want to see. Okay. So, at this point, you're just um let me unfreeze it so it'll show up there. Sorry. At this point, you're just going through the roll call to approve everything. >> Okay. >> Um if you have no I mean, if you have any specific questions about anything that was presented today, uh now would be the time before you go into the voting. >> Um but everything left on your agenda should should directly be all votes. >> Okay. board. We we did receive um from the CFO um the department breakdown which
045was very detailed and and really you can you you clearly could see where the the money was going and and I think we can make that available on our um on our website and then but you know like every other school district in the state you know 80s something percent of the the monies the funds that come in go for for salaries and benefits. and because we have such a large we're the second largest employer in in the county. So, um I'm going to we'll do them one by one and I'll ask for any questions or comments as we go through. So, we'll start with C1, the final required local effort millage rate of 3.041 mills. >> I have a motion. >> Mr. Chairman, I make a motion that we approve C1 final required local
046effort millage rate of 3.041 041 mills which includes a prior period funding adjustment of 0.018 mills. >> Second. >> All right. I have a motion and a second. Do we need roll call on these >> or can we just do it by >> It's roll call. >> It'll be fine. Roll call will be good. >> All right. >> So, those in favor? District one >> I. >> District two. >> A. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. All right, we'll move to C2, the final discretionary millillage of 0.748. Chair will entertain a motion. >> I'll offer a motion that we accept item C2, final discretionary millage rate of 0.748 mills. >> I'll second that. All right, we have a motion and second. Roll call. >> Those in
047favor signify by saying I. District one, >> I. >> District two, >> I. >> District three, >> I. >> District four, >> I. District five. >> I C3. >> Mr. Chair, >> final debt service. >> Mr. Chair, off for motion that we accept the final debt service millage rate of 1.576 mills. >> I'll second that or Holly did I guess. >> All right. I have a motion and a second. Roll call. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. >> I. >> One. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. >> All right. We will now move to C4. Any any questions or comments? >> Mr. Chair, I'll make a motion we approve for adoption C4 final capital outlay millage rate
048of 1500 mills. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Roll call. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four I. >> District five. >> I. >> All right. We'll move to C5. Mr. Chair, I'll offer a motion that we accept item C5, final total millage rate of 6.865 mills, which is 1.11% below the rolled back rate. >> All right. Any comments? >> I'll second that. >> I have a motion in a second. Any comments or questions? Okay, we'll roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one, >> I. >> District two, >> I. >> District three, >> I. District four, >> I >> District five, >> I I will move to the
049adoption of the district summary budget for the 2526 school year. Uh item D1. Mr. Chair, I'll offer a motion to accept item D1, the final general fund budget of 126,388,950 53. >> I'll second that. >> All right. Have a motion and a second. Any questions or comments? Roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. District 5. I >> Mr. Chairman, I'll make a motion that we approve uh D2 final debt service funds budget of 14 million53,8307. >> I have a motion. Is there a second? >> Second. >> Have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions? >> Um, >> who made the second? >> I did. Uh, Miss Miss Pickkins. >> All
050right. Uh, no comments, questions. A roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. >> D3. >> Mr. Chair, I offer motion for the adoption of D3 final capital project funds budget of $233,319,827.26. I'll second that. >> Any comments or questions? This is our new school construction. Roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. >> D4. I'll um offer a motion for item D4, final special revenue funds budget of 28,59,24460. >> I'll second that. >> Any comments or questions? We'll move to roll
051call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two, >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four, >> I. >> District five, >> I. >> Mr. Chair, I make a motion that we adopt D5, final internal service funds budget of 44,329,94487. >> All right. Any comments or questions? All right. Move to roll call, please. Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I have a question. Did we have a second? We didn't have a second. I apologize. I said it. It just >> Okay. I'm sorry. I didn't hear it. All right. >> Seconded by Miss Wagner. >> Okay. I'm sorry. >> I >> So those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >>
052I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. >> Okay. D6. >> Mr. Chairman, I'll move to approve um item D6, final permanent funds budget of $151,835.72. >> I'll second that. >> I have a motion in a second. Any comments or questions? Move the roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two, >> I. >> District three, >> I. >> District four, >> I. >> District five, I. >> D7. >> Mr. Chair, offer motion for the adoption of D7 final enterprise funds budget of 27,177,643.91. >> 26 million. >> Oh, I'm sorry. It's You better re reread that again, Sandy. >> All right. 27,100. >> No, no. 26 27. >> Where am I? >> On number seven. >> You're You're >> My number seven is
053wrong. Okay. I did the earlier one. Okay. >> So, 267. >> Yeah. >> See mine. >> Oh, yeah. I got you. >> Yeah. Mine I printed it earlier. I'm sorry. Okay. All right. uh 26,740,5771. >> I'll second. I have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions? >> Move to roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. >> Now D8. >> District total final budget. I will offer the a motion uh the motion to adopt D8 total district final budget in its entirety. And hold on to your seat here. $473 million 44, >> right? >> Oh, >> $2106. Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> Yeah.
054I just have to >> second. >> Okay. All right. I have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions? Just my comment would be this is the majority of this 75% of it is is is our new school construction under our bond. All right. Roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. I. >> All right. We'll now move to E. Approval of resolution determining revenues and millages levied for the 2526 fiscal year. Mr. Chairman, I make it a motion to approve E1, resolution determining revenues and millages levied for 2025 2026. >> Second. >> Oh, okay. >> I have a motion by Mr. Buckles and a second by Miss Pickkins.
055Any comments or questions? >> Chair, would you like me to read that title, please? Your resolution is resolution of the district school board of Putham County, Florida determining the amount of revenues to be produced and the millage to be levied for the general fund for the district local capital improvement fund and for district debt service funds for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026. >> All right. And so the motion by Mr. Buckles and second by Miss Pickkins. Roll call, please. >> Signify by Those in favor signify by saying I. Please. District one. I >> District two. >> I >> District three. >> I >> District four. >> I >> District five. >> I F approve approval the resolution adopting the district summary budget for 2526. And Mr. Mr. Board
056attorney, would you read the resolution? >> Yes sir. >> By title. >> So by title u Florida Department of Educ Education resolution adopting 2025 2026 district summary budget for Putham County School District. The resolution of the district school board of Putnham County, Florida, adopting the attached district summary budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 and ending June 30, 2026. >> I'll offer a motion that F to accept F1 resolution adopting the district summary budget for 2025 2026. >> Second. >> I have a motion and a second. Any comments or questions? Roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one >> I >> District two >> I >> District three >> I >> District four >> I >> District five >> I >> All right we move to uh G
057the topics are listed I believe that we already received the annual financial report from from Miss Kimberly man. Um so do we just need to vote to accept that? >> Yes, you still need to vote to accept it and then you need to do a motion on >> I make a motion Mr. Chairman, uh if it if you will let me uh for G to approve G1 2024 2025 annual financial report. >> Second. >> All right. I have a motion and a second. Roll call, please. All in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two. >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. >> G2. >> Mr. Chair, I'll offer a motion on item G2, budget amendments, May 2025. >> I'll second
058that, Mr. Chair. >> All right. And for any comments or questions, that information has been um and is available, I believe, on the website, too. So, all right. Roll call, please. >> Those in favor signify by saying I. District one. >> I. >> District two, >> I. >> District three. >> I. >> District four. >> I. >> District five. >> I. >> G3 has been removed from the agenda. So we and we'll now the chair will open it up for any final comments or questions mainly comments at this time. >> I I appreciate the uh Mr. Chairman the people that came in and shared their feelings with us today. It certainly you know I think we all hear it everywhere we go. Uh I don't think it's uncharacteristic of any governmental entity to not hear
059it wherever they are in America right now. So, um, but I mean I I appreciate it takes a lot of courage to come up and stand in a meeting and and speak when you're not used to it. So, >> I do want to say, um, one of the speakers mentioned the number of people that move to Putnham County and just keep in mind as we as more people buy property that u individual uh, obligation will be reduced somewhat. So, that's right. You know, more people paid into it. So, >> it's they're coming. I mean, that's just the way it is. and and all of their points were well taken. And the lady from Crescent City that >> I I just love hearing I'm not just coming to, you know, uh complain. She didn't use the
060word complain, but I'm coming also to offer solutions and and I heard some things that I'm sure you all heard like I did and we will certainly be looking into them. We did not undertake this monumental task to to uh do anything underhanded, but we looked at what the state of Florida had uh the guidelines that they had given us and especially the date of our schools and the uh asbestous and all of the the harmful things that were found in some of our schools. Uh surely we wish that it could have been uh more equitable or done like she mentioned um um distribute the the the burden or whatever the case might be. Certainly, but um when we when we looked into this and looked at our schools, we honestly felt that we are
061doing our children a service that will help them to compete on a much higher level. And again, I recircled with Mr. Kase's comment. It just keeps echoing in my ear that stated the same thing that the uh uh our stakeholders stated about us being down at the you know uh low rate of the academic totem pole. But when you hear what uh the reports from Jonathan Hinky and what we have underway and what is happening and how we are progressively closing the gap maybe not far enough fast enough but we're certainly gaining ground grounds and making improvements. And so again, I too uh appreciate the fact that they're coming and I don't want them uh our our our stakeholders to feel like their conversations still on deaf ear that we we're certainly hearing what they're
062saying and and who knows 2026 could bring about some of the things that were suggested. And before I get off there, I want to uh commend uh Mr. >> Odum. >> ODM. Yeah, I'm thinking of his mama. I want to call him Mr. Rhonda, but but but certainly um you you have come a long ways and you're doing an awesome job and it was just great to bring him in as early as you did and and allow him to watch a pro too. just want to commend this is his first budget season, >> first rodeium stuff. Solo >> and he had to make some hard decisions and he's probably not as popular with some of our department as he used to be, but he's had he's had to make some tough calls. So, thank you,
063Jonathan. >> Miss Wagner, >> just a couple of things. I did want to address um the first speaker. She was absolutely amazing in her research and the information she came and the way she presented it. Uh I appreciate that a lot. Um, I also wanted to say that the language used in um on ballot uh initiatives like this, the the speakers were right. It's very difficult to understand that. I'm glad we had someone that made it uh appropriate under, you know, under the law that that we were accurate there. I have I've had an issue my entire life trying to understand. I and I am a lawyer >> and and I write convoluted stuff like that as well. Uh but but it is very difficult to understand and I had so I was not on
064the board when that when that passed. Um I had so many people calling me and um I was trying to get information. I know the school board was putting out information about it. Um, that was a huge thing and I think I think not by anybody's fault necessarily, but I think a lot of people were like some of the speakers. They may have misinterpreted it. Maybe they didn't do their due diligence as well as they could have. Um, maybe they didn't know where to look. I mean, I know the district had information out there, but I I do think it's a shame that that people didn't realize going in. Um, there's nothing My point here is we are where we are. It was passed. Um and the school board is doing the best they can
065to to address the issues that we've had both with the economy and the budgets. Um but I did appreciate the the speakers as well and I just want them to know them and others. Some of these issues are things we are already working on for the next budget year. There are issues that we have some personally been brought to me in the last month that there's really no logistical way I could do anything about uh for for this budget season. But it's absolutely things that myself and I think the entire board need to look at as we move forward because we have an obligation to spend wisely and and I think we have done a lot of close looks in the past couple of years. I think we definitely need to moving forward. So >>
066thank you Miss Pickinson. I just have a few things I we didn't mention today that you know a a 38 almost 39 million is NE effect so it's not our um it's not our I still it's a huge budget and I understand I do think I do appreciate the speakers um I would say to them thank you for coming but um it probably would be better to attend a schoolboard meeting before um we get into the budget season, even the first hearing where we could maybe really um take action quickly after um you know, so that um you >> Well, it's posted on our website. I guess we just take >> requirement as you >> and it's in the newspaper, too. >> Local media required to go in the newspaper. >> Well, but but that
067would be good and and our meetings are usually um at 3:30 on Tuesdays to twice a month and >> advertisement YouTube or something. Hey, guess what? >> That's that's an idea. we ought to try to reach out to people that don't get the newspaper and don't look at our our website. So, that's that's another thing that we can work on. We certainly will do that. Um, but thank you for coming and um voicing your opinion and, you know, getting involved and we appreciate that, you know. Um, and that's it. I ditto everyone every what everyone has said. >> Yeah. I um and I'll just very briefly say that uh I drive Jonathan crazy sometimes and uh he's very patient with me. Uh but I do think he and his staff and and Miss Man and
068her staff um they do a yman's job and the the budgets have gotten more complicated because of the the mandates we're getting from Tallahassee. I am again as I as I said earlier very encouraged by what is coming out of the legislature and the governor's office about looking at property taxes and how they can be offset um how they can do that I'm not sure but but you know where there's a will there's a way so and I do think as Miss Wagner said we are already working on things for next year we won't have the impact of the tangible property tax that that we lost because of the this the FPL settlement not at anybody's fault really. Um and so I do think that we are going to be able to continue moving forward
069with uh streamlining the budget and that's again as long as we get the funding that we need from the legislature as they continue to cut programs um it it's going to it's going to be more difficult for us to to to deal with those. So with that, Mr. Superintendent, you have any final comments? No, thank you. Okay. All right. Yes, ma'am. >> Turn. >> Oh, yeah. Thank you. I have nothing. >> All right. U So, if there's nothing more, we will without objection stand adjourned.