Okay, we're recording. >> Okay, welcome to the November 12th, 2025 finance and capital subcommittee of the Brooklyn School Committee. Um, the first item on our agenda is approval of minutes for October 16th, 2025 meeting.
Um, can I get a motion for approval? >> So moved. >> I will second it to spare Jesse having to talk more than he needs to. Jesse, how do you vote? I >> Okay, Sarah. >> Yes. >> And I vote yes as well. Um the next item
on our agenda is um review and approval of gifts. We have two gifts um on the um for the meeting. The first one is um gift from Larry Jordan Jr. for $5,000 for the BHS ACE program scholarship
fund. And then the second one is a gift from the high school PTO for $8,950 to support the BHS senior essay workshop. Um it was it's my understanding um based on the attachment um that we
received that the Mr. Jordan's gift was actually given for a different purpose last year and so he's just repurposing it um so it can be spent for a different purpose. Is that correct? >> Yes. >> Okay, great. Um and it's very generous, very kind. And also the gift from the
PTO, which isn't written in the documentation, but my recollection is it covers um basically the stipens um for the staff who support this as it says the paid faculty members and I think it
maybe also covers like breakfast or something like that. Anyway, it covers the cost of the event which is a really great event. >> A great event there. >> Have you ever you've done that, right? I did it one year. I thought it was great. It's a great event. >> Yeah. Um Okay. So, um is there a motion for
approval of the two gifts? >> So, moved. >> I will second it. Um any more discussion before we go on? Okay, Jesse, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Sarah, >> yes. >> And I vote yes as well with thanks to
Mr. Jordan and the high school PTO. Um, next item on the agenda is a review of the new position report. So, there was three new positions 2.2 FTE
um and one was a trade for um it looks like a dedicated parah for a programmatic parah the first one and then the second one was a parah that's coming out of our reserve funds. Um, and then the third one is a 0.2
FTE at the high school. Susan, could you explain that one a little bit since it's unusual to see one of those come in partway through the year? >> Yeah, sure. So, um, as you know, we have a lot of churn and so we have kids coming and going and, um, there seems to
be a pretty, um, a large, uh, class of ELLL students who are taking biology and it has grown. the kids that are coming in um have different levels of experience with the science curriculum
and so uh the the teacher that's uh there is unable to provide the supports the differentiated instruction to such a large uh number of students. And so we had a teacher that teaches science that
is a point8 and so we have moved her to a 2 to be able to support those students in that class. So this would be a co-taught class of two science teachers. >> Yes. Who could then differentiate uh the science
um lessons and uh lab labs um to support the kids that are in there with the wide range of uh background knowledge that they have in uh science? >> The answer might be no. But is there any
um definition around how many L's can be with teachers that we're accommodating with this? >> Um it's not I I did talk to um Robin about this before the meeting and uh there isn't a specific concrete number.
It really more has to do with the um uh what what the students are coming to us with. Um it could be uh you know it's not an ELELLL teacher it's it's that they're struggling um uh
>> and they have such a gap in their learning around science. Yeah. So uh it's each time that we add a second teacher um to to a class it would be based on the demographics or the profile of the students that are in in that
class at that time. Do we have any other or do we have a history of any other um classes at the high school? At least we'll say science classes that are co-taught by two science teachers. >> We do. >> Do we have that now too? >> We do.
>> Okay. So co-taught by two science teachers, not like a special not like a co-taught with special education in science. >> No, but we we could have some co-taught science uh as well in in our special education area. But we do have other
situations where we have two certified teachers teaching in um a gened class. >> Okay. Um thank you for that update. It's very interesting. I hadn't realized that was happening. So that's helpful to get that
background. >> Um okay, I think we unless there's any other questions from the subcommittee on the new position report. >> Hey, just one one question about the biology teacher then. Um, Susan, >> you said something about taking a 08
down to a 0 2. >> I think she meant to say adding the 0 2 to the point8 so that they were now a 1.0 position. >> Okay, that's what she said. >> It's not what she said, but it's what she meant. Yeah, >> that's right. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> It was definitely answered. Yes, the
math didn't math, but yeah. >> Yeah, you knew. >> Thanks for translating. >> So, okay. So, we'll go on to the FY26 Q1 report, >> right? >> And just just to say just a reminder to
everyone, the FY25 um closed report was supposed to be reviewed last week at full school committee and it hasn't been it got pushed due due to the late hour. So, we're going to do that one tomorrow. And in the meantime, we have Q1 teed up right now.
>> Yes. And that will be presented tomorrow night as well. We'll have lots of financial information tomorrow night. Um, so this report is uh maybe looks a little different than what you have received previously. Um, it's similar to the fourth quarter report that you uh
that you got in August. No, was it August? No. September, October, whatever. Um, the fourth >> September, I believe. >> September. Yeah, September. >> Yeah. So it starts with a narrative and uh following the narrative which gives
you some highle information about um what's happening at that time um for that quarter. Then it's followed by uh three financial uh components. Two of them are uh related to your general
fund and one is related to your special revenue funds. So the purpose of of the report is to provide periodic updates of um how we're trending in terms of you know budget to actual as the year progresses. So we're looking now at the
first quarter report which means that it's as of September or through September 30th and of course we'd only been in school for 20 days. So, um not a surprise when you're looking at um expenses that are not salary related
that you would see um funds available um more funds available at this time for non- salary items than you would um for salary items. Salary is encumbered for the year. It's based on a projection that I do as I uh track all of the
changes that occur um you know throughout the year. So the good news is is that um you know we have an unencumbered balance of about uh 4 million and that is similar slightly less but similar to what we had uh this
at this point in time last year on the salary side um you know we're we're a little underbudget there not any significant amount less than a percent um in fact less than a third of a percent um and uh and that's great news
Um, one of the things that we made a concerted effort to do is to make sure that, um, we were clear about what the parameters were in the budget. Um so that uh when our uh hiring managers uh
were doing interviews that they uh not only considered um highly qualified uh staff uh uh but also um if there was the a choice of two candidates um and one was over budget and one was under if
they would take that into consideration. We have a great cadre of um new staff that have come in and um and our our budget managers did a great job of of of making decisions that were also fiscally responsible. So um that's great. Um of
course you know looking at our um monthly report on new positions that we in the first quarter we added eight uh 1.8 were funded through extra sections and 6.2 two were funded by eliminating or what we call reassigning um other
positions. Um and that leaves uh 3.2 professional staff sections and uh two pair of professional FTE available um uh for the remainder of the year in our in our sections. So again uh
>> that was before tonight's and October's modifications though, right? This is only the first quarter. It's only the ones that occurred during the first quarter. Okay. It would not include the ones that uh you approved tonight. >> Yeah. >> That would that would be in the second quarter.
>> Yes. Or October's because those also >> october um October is when I give you the information, right? Because I'm doing it monthly. So, I'm telling you what report it's on. Um I believe that the O >> So, some of the positions we reviewed in
October may actually still be in this pool. >> Yes. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. Okay. So, so one of the things that has kind of concluded is our summer programming and uh so the summer ESY uh program was over budget by about
30,000 but our project adventure summer program um was under budget on the salary side by about 38. So they they kind of wash each other out. um the ESY program as you know from approving the grant uh funds the summer program but if
the grant um if we've exceeded the grant aotment then um you know those resources then have to be funded through the operating budget. So those two will you know wash each other out. So the the positive uh uh variance from the the uh
project discovery summer program will offset um the negative on the ASY program. So, kind of break even on that. Also, as you know, on the title one, we got more title one uh funding this year than we had anticipated and and when you
approved the budget, um it was about half the amount of money that uh that we actually received. Um and so we were able to uh reallocate some staff that were in our operating budget to the grant. Um so that was about 105,000.
Um, and that was good because when we put the budget together, we had anticipated we'd be able to use the idea grant to fund um some literacy curriculum um uh and professional development costs that subsequently we
learned um from DESIE we were not allowed um to fund. We we we thought that uh we'd be able to do this because there was a CCEESI uh requirement. So uh because we were cited for a disproportionate share of uh
one of our student populations it's being um higher then um the state then requires us to spend a certain amount of money in our idea grant um to address the needs of those kids. So uh so that
was um so that had to come back into the operating budget but again one one was favorable and the other one um you know created a deficit but the two um kind of wash each other out. So we had some of these shifts between the grant and the operating budget but they were
ultimately basically costneutral. >> So that's the salary side. on the side. >> Can I ask a question on the salary side? >> In the narrative, I just want to make sure I'm understanding this right. In the narrative, >> it says that um there's a balance of um
300, where was it? 87. And in the table, the first table, it shows a variance of 437. Should those numbers have been the same if I'm understanding things right or no?
>> They should have been. So, I have a typo is what you're saying. >> I don't know. That's why I'm asking you. Is is it a typo or or is it something? Okay. >> Sorry. >> That's okay. I just wasn't sure. And do you know which number is right? >> The one in the table. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> Yep. The narrow was was written before we finalized the other. So, I apologize for not catching that. >> No worries. >> On my last update. >> I just wanted to make sure that I was understanding where I was supposed to see the number. >> Yep. Y >> Donna, I see your hand is up. Go ahead.
Hi. Every time you call on me, the train comes into the station. So, I'm sorry for all the noise and I'm sorry that I was a few minutes late. Susan, thank you so much for providing this report. Um, can you explain why
why the summer ESY program salaries were over budget? Is that because there were there was there were additional staffing needs or is that because of something else? No, it's it's uh was just over because
we had we added more staff to accommodate the student needs. >> And is that because there were more students added? I mean, I know how ESY works. So, is it like could it be because there were more students added than when the when the plans were originally developed? Is it something
along those lines? >> Yeah. So, so of course when we're preparing the budget, Donna, we're doing it this time of year and and then ESY of course is nine months later and so you're giving your best estimate at the time. Of course, you don't know exactly what the student needs are going to look
like uh when you get there. And that's why you always see these kind of budget adjustments throughout the year, including, you know, the FTE report that we we show positions. Same same idea there. And so historically is is that around I mean I know there's not a set
number but historically is that around what the adjustment is typically every year. So meaning like is that from your experience from the time you've been at the district is it are we always been off a certain amount and
it's around that amount around $30,000 or no >> or no actually this is closer than uh in the past. >> Okay. Got it. So we're we're trending favorably in terms of the forecasting. >> Yes. Absolutely.
>> Okay. Got it. Okay. Thank you so much. >> Yep. Any other questions about salaries? No. Okay. Just want to make my note here. Okay. So, we'll move on to the non-salary side. Um, again, this is the
first quarter, so there's uh very limited um time that's gone by uh for there to be any kind of real significant changes. There's some things we're monitoring for sure. Uh but I I started this section out by just um you know
calling out that non- salaries is 12 and a half% of our entire budget. That's that's very small. So that means that you know salaries make up the lion share of our of our budget and and then of the uh 17,780,000
that we have on the non-s salary lines um the majority of that is is for two categories right out of district tuitions which comes in the form of settlements or out of district tuition line and transportation. And so when you peel that back, then you're you're under
$9 million for literally all other expenses for the school district. Um now, now you might say that seems like a lot of money, but from my perspective, that's that's a very very lean um non-sary budget um overall. And that of
course covers the cost of um your operational expenses. So like Aspen and Zoom and Blackboard and all of those kind of tools that we use, productivity tools we call them. Um as well as uh instructional tools, um attorneys fees,
uh banking, um classroom supplies and materials, your textbooks, all of that. So, um I I just wanted to point that out because uh there's not a lot of money here um left in these lines and we've we've we've cut them back um um over the
course of the time that I've been here. Um and I'm not saying that there's not um a possibility of being able to kind of restructure certain things to get some efficiencies, but I'm just saying that we don't have a lot of money uh living in the non-sary lines.
Um so a couple of things that that have kind of cropped up. Um uh we cut, you know, very deep into our curriculum and professional development um lines during the budget season and we cut too lean.
So what we learned is that there were were some um trainings and some curriculum work that was uh the curriculum work underway that hadn't been completed and needed to be before this uh year began that needed to be done in the summertime. So we we uh went
ahead and moved forward with that. And then also there were some trainings that uh teachers needed to take in order to be able to um you know effectively uh teach some of the classes you know some some safety and and other protocols that were important for those teachers to
have. So uh we went ahead and move forward with with uh getting that training for those staff so that we ready to um receive the students when the school year began. So that is uh the one area you you see when you're looking
at the the line item uh view that uh we we have a bit of a deficit growing there. We have the ability to offset that with some you know perhaps some of the salary um savings that we have. Uh but I I don't make those kind of transfers out of the salary accounts to
cover these until the end of the year. Um but we do have the capacity to absorb that at this time. Um, the other thing we have an eye on and we've had an eye on since I've been here um because it just seems to be an area that's that's hot all the time is transportation. And
so right now when you look at the reports uh we're we're under by you know or under spent by about 36,000. Um but we have not encumbered the money for the elementary shuttle that we had to to add um after the school year began to reduce
the length of the route for one of our elementary schools. and that's 35,000. So once we encumber that um which will be up on the on the the upcoming report um then that that um will will
essentially disappear the the u the funds there. Um, we got a a report um in September about our McKenna Vento students. Um, and that population has of of students that required because not all of them
require transportation, but those that do has kind of skyrocketed and we're looking at 20 students that that are in need of transportation. Um, and so we don't have um we haven't uh identified the the total impact of
that. We we do know that we can look to do some cost sharing with um some of the communities that um the students are are currently residing in. Um and so we're going to pursue that and see if we can't um mitigate the impact of that on our
transportation. But some of these numbers there's it's not really there's not a good way to be able to predict what you're going to get. You know, um you might have five in one year and you might have 30 in another year. you know, you it just isn't predictable. Um when I
did the forecast uh for out your expenses, um I took an average because I don't have any other way to really um give a give a number beyond uh looking at the average there. So, uh that's that's kind of an area that we've got
our eyes on and um you know, we'll have more information about that on the Q2 report. The last uh thing in this area is that One quick question. >> Sure. >> Um, in the middle paragraph that's showing on the screen, first of all, you have a double dollar sign there. I
probably just >> I just saw that. Yep. >> Yeah. Okay. No issue. Um, the elementary shuttle, was that for Pierce? >> No. >> Nope. >> Was that >> So, we have two elementary runs. We had four last year and we cut two buses out.
Um, and so we had to add uh a little shuttle run for one of those elementary runs. So it's the um >> Okay. >> You know, because the run was consistently running >> late. So we added a shuttle there. >> Thank you.
>> Yep. >> Can I just ask one question? the um at the top of the the paragraph we see at the top the largest portion of our encumbered balance the 3659 it says 20.5% but if we go back to the table the
unencumbered balance is more like 4 million so that's like 80% not 20% right >> where are you at Maria >> see the last paragraph the last sentence or the next to last right where the cursor is right now see how it says that but the unencumbered if you go back to
the table is 4339-577. >> It's so little. >> So, it's I think the numbers here it should be now instead of 3659 it should be 3902. But also just the 3902 is 80% of the
or it's I don't I I'm not going to do the math right now, but it's roughly closer to 90% of the of the unencumbered total, right? I I'm totally not following you. I'm sorry. >> That's okay. I'll bring it up with you later on, I guess. >> Okay. Yeah.
>> Or maybe Betsy, can you scroll down to the next slide to the next page? I think it is. >> Keep going. >> Keep going. Yeah, right there. So, see how it says non-salary operating expenses are 3902166. >> Yep. And then there's 4339
right underneath it. So my understanding was that the sentence says that non non-s salary um unencumbered is is the vast majority and I took that to mean the 3.9 is the vast majority of the 4.3. >> That's how I looked at it too. Yeah. >> Yeah. But then when you go up to the way
the sentence is written >> it hasn't written the other way around. >> The other way around. >> Yeah. And the percentages aren't right. >> Yeah. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. That was that final I had to make Yeah. some final adjustments and then uh yeah, >> I should have gone back and tied that
back. Okay, >> got it. Thank you. >> And then I had another question actually. Sorry if I could. I'm just scrolling to find it for myself. >> Oh, just finish this section >> about the question.
>> Sure. >> Yeah. So, one of the things that we learned also after the year began is that the copier leases were inadvertently um uh left out of the budget. So, this is an expense that is an OTL expense because you're make the
copers um are considered an educational expense, but they're managed by the operations department and in the process of um pulling the budget together um it it was missed. The account uh was not funded. So the leases are 240,000
and have to be funded and they're encumbered on this report u because we had to make the lease payments. Um so um again uh that'll that adjustment will be reflected in the upcoming year's budget but um we'll have
to probably use some of that salary savings in order to be able to offset the deficit created by the leases being missed. Okay, that's that section. Anything else on that one? Was that where your question was? >> No, it's up above. And then I And then
Donna has a question. Can you scroll up to the top? Um, is this just a question? It's really about the um Keep going, Betsy. The the unencumbered. My question is, um, is it typical is the 4.4 4 million or whatever it is of
unencumbered at this point. Um, is that typical at this time of year to have that level of unencumbered? >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you, Donna. >> Hi, thanks so much. Um, Susan, I wanted to ask about um transportation. I know
that I think a couple weeks ago, maybe two weeks ago, you met with was it two weeks ago you had to leave to meet with South Brooklyn families about um bus routes and transportation. So, I'm wondering if there's anything you want to share about that meeting, but also
whether those conversations might result in additional adjustments on the transportation numbers >> or if you're expecting those to be to stay stable. We're still actively
meeting with um the South Brooklyn uh group and actually I have a meeting with them next week and we're looking at um some potential adjustments we can make to help address some of the concerns that they have. I don't know that it will cost additional money um in order
to make some of those changes. >> Perhaps if there's something that's a model change. So really what they're looking for um Donna is um a change perhaps in the model not um but I think we can do some more optimizing this year
and if we're going to change the model that would likely be something that would be funded in the upcoming year's budget or at least taken into consideration at that time. >> Right. Okay. Wonderful. Thank you. >> Yep. >> Okay. Should we go to special revenue funds?
>> Sounds good. Okay. So on the special revenue funds and again um I know you know this Mariah but since Donna is new just give a little orientation. So special revenue funds are funds that um are established
um either uh um really uh by law or or in some cases grants for example. Um uh uh there are opportunities um that we we have to um apply for additional
resources to support um our school district needs for federal grants. They're recurring grants and they're an intimate part of our spending plan for for the upcoming year. Um, and so you take into consideration what the the the
nature of the grant is and um and as you're putting together your financial plan, you um align, you know, the needs and the requirements of the grant um to the educational needs as you see them overall at the time. So the idea grant
is one of those, but also the title grants um are part of the federal uh grouping of grants and um we we apply for them, but they're entitlement grants. So in other words, they they give us an allocation and then we write the grant um to meet that allocation.
It's not competitive. Um everyone is uh given an allocation. Um and one of the things that we'll be looking at in the upcoming year is um uh a reduction in our title grants does not look like uh
we will be receiving um title two, three or four in upcoming years. That is uh from everything that I'm I'm hearing and seeing um that's the way it's looking. So this may very well be the last year we get those grants. It does look like we will get some resources for IDA and
title one, but um of course there's a lot of um conversation to be had at the federal level um before we'll really know how that translates into us locally. Um and then so so there's federal grants and then there's state grants and some of those are recurring
and some of those are one you know one time um and u those that we rely on as um to fund positions and and and maybe supplies and materials uh that are again part of our basic educational program
are included and we report out on those. They're in your budget documents. And then uh the last category are revolving funds. So that would be like beep and food service and the material fee which is considered non-resident tuition um
would fall under that. Also metco is a state grant so that would be in the state grant category. Um for revolving funds you can only set up a revolving fund for uh certain um certain feebased programs and you can only spend money
out of those as related to the purpose for which you collected the fees. So, it's not something that can just uh you know, you you can't, in other words, spend food service uh money on textbooks. You have to spend the money you collect in food service on on the
food and the staff that um that deliver the food. Um just like athletics, you raise the fees for athletics, you can't then be charging textbooks to the athletic revolving fund. So it's it's very they're called restricted funds and there's only certain things that you can
use any of these special revenue funds for. So that's just a little orientation on special revenue funds. Now one of the things that um is kind of like the good news is that um we closed out 21 grants last year. So there was many many grants
that were which which means that um the management of our grants has improved dramatically over the last couple of years. Um and in fact in this quarter we'll be closing out another three or four. So the FY24 grants will be closed out timely. We still have to do the
final reports and all of that which is you know on our on our list of things to do but um we we we will be closing those out um timely. The grant expires and we've used most of the money. So what's left now is some 25 expenses and even some of the 25 grants will be closed
out. Um, and so we're we're kind of up to date and current on which is really good news. That means that when we apply for the grants and we're um um we're delivering on the programs and um um and
the outcomes that we're hoping for by by um applying for uh the grant. Um and so I think that you know from my perspective that's really good news. And of course in uh the CLA report they talked about special revenue funds and
you know having balances in those and uh some of you know that information that had been shared. I just said thought it was important to take a moment to to share with you that we are um really current um on our grants. Also, the other good news is that all of our
grants were written and submitted and approved uh before the school year began so that spending can um um uh for the for the entire year can be charged off to the grants. It was cumbersome um a
bit because uh um the town has certain protocols in place that don't allow us to charge the grants um uh until after uh the school committee accepts them. and and we have notification from the state. So, we'll change um when it comes to approving our budget at the end of
this this budget season, I'm going to ask you to take um action to approve the grants as presented so that um when the information comes out in the summertime and the state gives us our allocation that the town will then set up our accounts so that we can start the school
year off paying for our staff directly out of it and not have to be doing tons of journal entries in the month of September in order to get people in the right bucket. um starting um so that I can give you a report that's accurate. Okay. So um the other the other um kind
of conversational piece is that as you know um the town has um had challenges as as we all have with staffing and um it's it's it has created delays in um posting our receipts. And so what that's
caused is that um most every budget manager that has a revolving fund and or a grant winds up having to keep their own set of records about um you know how much money we've taken in and um what what expenses are associated with that particular month because until they're
posted we can't see them in Munice and if we can't see them in Munice then then it makes it really challenging first to report but also to manage a program. Um so uh the town has uh requested that we take over responsibility for posting the
receipts um and um we'll gladly take that on. However, it's a capacity issue and so I'm looking at ways that we can maybe um restructure um and u be more efficient in in the finance office. Um
and uh hopefully we'll be able to you know take that on because then you know the receipts will be posted timely and um and accurately because uh you know we're the ones that know what the money is when it comes in. So, um that that
would that'll be great and we're happy to to take that on um as soon as we can um figure out a way to adjust workflows there. >> What is the FTE of the person in the town or the people in the town side who
do this who post the revenues? Now, >> I I don't know. I don't know. Mariah, >> I mean, I'm just I I I think that it's a good idea, but also it has an extra capacity and resource question to it and
to the extent that resources that work is being transferred having the commenurate um FTE funding be transferred back over if this is where the work is going to be done on this side of the house. And and you know to to your point Mariah it it I
would imagine that it would mean that they cannot allocate a certain percentage of the finance office that they have been in the past which is again when we get to above the line and below the line and things that are taken out you know before we get our allocation that that's I think that's where that conversation needs to take
place for sure doesn't change yeah >> I mean well that's what the question is is what is the what is the dollars associated with this that has been >> um implicitly are explicitly transferred um to support this function.
>> It's a great question. I don't know the answer. >> Okay. Um can I ask a question about all of the revenue funds that have been closed? So, in prior years, we would see I'll just pick on one that I remember was um memorable, the BEu Saudi gift, I think it was, but I didn't see that on
the report of special revenue funds. Um, so is that one of the ones that were closed? How do we see which ones are closed? >> So those aren't Nope, those aren't closed. So one of the things that's different. So what you had gotten is a report. What you had been receiving
before is a report that included all your all of these old accounts, those aren't closed out yet. We have a lot of work to do, but they're not active either. Um, and uh so some of them are not active, and that would be one of them. And so I'm not showing those because it has no impact on our
financial position. And then there's ones that are just we call them like lost book accounts and it's money in and money out. It has again nothing to do with our financial position. So um those have I I have not included those in the financial report um for that for that
reason. it it doesn't have any impact on our financial position and so therefore spending the the time um to just uh to keep accounting for things that that uh have no impact on us um uh and going to
a more streamline um approach to financial reporting uh I we can so typically those all of those accounts all those little accounts and stuff you would see at your fourth quarter at the end um which I gave you um uh but not
during the course of the year. It's just not typical. So, so that's the reason why I have taken all of those like little oneoff uh accounts that are no longer active and or uh that are just uh
money in and money out type of accounts um like donations and things like that um off the report. But we'll see them at the quarter at the year close. You're saying? >> Yes, that's typical. At the close of the year, you get an accounting of all of
them like I did for and then you can see if there's any, you know, any big activity and then when those accounts are closed out on the fourth quarter, you would see at that time we finally the problem with um like the Saudi, you have to go back and research where that
grant or that those funds came from. And just like the one you voted on tonight, we had to track down the person who gave that donation and we had to get permission to use it in another way or return it. So, it's an enormous amount of work to to just track down all these little bits of money and get them off
your books. >> It's worthwhile when you have the capacity, but it's not something we we really have the capacity. And for for my perspective, I want people to really understand and have and focus a conversation on on the things that are really germanine to um you know what's
going to impact us potentially one way or another um throughout the year and those things are not in that category. >> Can we look at the table of these a little bit? Donna, hang on one second because I just want to understand how to interpret the table because it wasn't
immediately obvious to me. >> Keep going. It's not this one. It's um go to like the third page. I think it's or the fourth page. It's not this. And we didn't talk about those and I have a question about those two. Um so could you just on the FY24 title one as an
example, could you explain how to interpret what's happening here? >> Sure. So typically when we're when I'm looking at um title one or any other grant, this these
are areas in which we receive revenue. We don't receive any revenue um for our general fund, right? That that's money that's uh comes through taxation or even if it's coming from the state, it all goes to the town. So, we're kind of, you
know, blind to that. Um, but when you get to your special revenue funds, we are actually taking in revenue. And I like to be able to track whether whether you know revenues coming in at the at the um
um as we had anticipated they would. So, for title one, what gets a little wonky is in the prior year ones. So that's a that's so I tried to footnote this but um okay try not to get in the weeds and confusing
>> is part of this that the expense is the current year expense against a prior year that has multiple years of revenue possibly multiple years of expense charged. Okay. So that that probably answers my question right there. It it it does, but it's it's odd because
>> four-year grants for so >> the way the town handles special revenue funds is they treat it on a cash basis instead of what they call a modified acral basis. And when you treat it on a cash basis, then what's happening, what you're seeing here is you're seeing a
revenue of 61,000, but you're only seeing an expense of 32. And the reason why is because we're going to get money in after July 1. That is for reimbursement of expenses from the prior fiscal year.
If the town if the town used a modified acral basis, then they would be they would be posting those receipts in the fiscal year in which the reimbursement was. But that's not the way the town of Brooklyn does that. So it makes our grants look really weird when you're
looking at them here. So for 24 and 25, and you'll see this, if you see a revenue that's higher than the expense, it's because you have a prior year reimbursement that um has not hit the books yet. And
once we get them, then the grant will be reimbured for the expenses that we've already recorded and that you've already seen. And there's no other way. I want to tie to MUN so that when we look at the reports, there's a connection to them. Um, and so that it does look a little bit weird once we close the 24
and the 25 like 26 looks normal, right? It's here's the revenue, here's the expense, um, and everything is in the current fiscal year, but in the prior um, grant years, they're out of sync and so they look weird.
>> But what I can tell you, so how do you improve? So what I what do I look at? I say, okay, is there is there a variance? If there's not a variance, that means I'm going to receive all the money on the revenue that I anticipated I would receive. Good news. On the expense side,
it's the same. We've re in the first quarter, we've we've uh processed through a warrant uh $3,256 worth of expenses and there's POS um andor payroll that is due in the amount
of 2881. the variance of 319 in this particular case um will go unspent and so we will not um use that part of the grant because that grant is expired um as of August 30th. So that's money
that um we won't ever access. And when we close the grant, it will just um close as it's presented here. On 25, if you go to the 25 grant though, you can see we're going to spend that in full. And so when we close that grant um which will be this year then uh we will have
used every dime of the uh FY25 title one um allocation. So that's the good news. So that's kind of how you read that. Is that helpful or more confusing? >> I think it's more information than the committee needs, but that's okay. I think that's >> I understand why it's necessary for you to have this. I'm not sure it's
necessary for us, but um >> and the column of adjusting budget, would that have been a ticked off or would you have I mean it might not be a column that you need because if it's happening happening in the past. Yeah. I I don't know.
>> Yeah, it and those are confusing and they will come down. It makes a little bit more sense as you move down like I'll give you an example. Go down to the prism grant for 26 and let me explain what happened here. And didn't title one get adjusted because didn't we get another 103,000 in but it doesn't show
it as adjusted >> 103,000 I not follow >> didn't we just talk I mean wasn't that up in in the document earlier and we talked about it at one of our earlier meetings that I think it was title one we got an additional 103 105 the title one grant allocation was higher than anticipating allowing us to
shift some staff >> but the title one the FY26 title one grant doesn't show the adjustment No. And it wouldn't because when we applied for the grant, it was for the higher amount. So once you accept the grant and the school committee accept accepts the grant for 600,000, then
that's the baseline. It's not >> our budget that we voted last year. The baseline. >> No, it's what you No, it's what you accept for the grant. >> That's baseline. >> Okay. I see Donna's hand is up. I don't want
to >> I Thanks. Actually, can you just explain what you just the conversation you just had two seconds ago about what the baseline is and the $13,000? Can you explain that cuz I don't I didn't understand where you what you guys I
didn't understand what was being discussed or like should I do I I mean >> in my mind >> it's not important for me to know then that's >> I think it's important I think it's important in my mind the base the original budget is the one we voted that was then approved by town meeting. Um,
now granted that's our general fund budget, but it also we include in the backup to this all of the projections for the special revenue funds. Now Susan is saying that in her in this presentation or in her way she thinks about it because the special revenue
funds we vote to accept them that becomes the new baseline for them which I can understand. It's just a different way to think about it. It wasn't how I thought. So, is is am I right when I'm saying like are you talking about the discrepancy between sort of what we
asked for and what was awarded? >> No. >> Oh, >> well, when we when last last winter when Susan is putting together the entire budget, she's also forecasting how much we're going to get from these entitlement programs
um because they're sort of part of the whole way that we provide education. And so there's a forecasted amount in there which comes from different ways that she can sort of estimate what we're going to get. Does that make sense, Donna?
>> Sorry. I think it does make sense. And Susan, is there a way to incorporate that information as well or that's just too cumbersome or how what what are your thoughts on that? So what happens during the budget build
is that we level fund the grants. I don't do any forecasting for the grants. I have no way of knowing what we're going to get for the grants. So when we present the budget, it's based on level funding of our grants. What happens? >> I thought circuit breaker was um Oh, I
guess because it's already a year forward, so you already know what it's going to be. Okay. >> Right. And circuit breaker is not a grant. It's a revolving fund. >> So for special revenue fund. Okay. >> Yeah. So so so they're different. The special revenue funds include
revolving funds and grants. Um on the grants, we level fund them unless we don't think we're going to receive them and then we would just simply not include that. Um likely for title two, three, and four this year. I'll put them in the budget, but I'll show that it's
zero so that people have clarity around what we believe we'll get for money and what we won't. But even when you see title one, well, title one, I have insight some insider information. It was like a one-time increase, I was told. You know, this blip in additional resources for title one. So, I'll
probably go back to the prior year allocation on that one. But in general, it's level funded. >> And so, when we when we get our allocation from the state, then we write the grant. And when we write the grant, we come to the finance subcommittee, you review that, you give your thumbs up or
ask, you know, ask questions and then we submit it. Um, and so that becomes the baseline. and then the school committee once you know then goes and accepts the grant. So that's the way the grant piece works. On the revolving funds we do do try try to do some forecasting as best
as best we can with the information that we have. We do do forecasting for the um uh uh revolving funds and then so so when you would have an adjustment and you do have a couple of adjusted budgets here um in the area of circuit breaker
I'd mentioned we got 700 or $67,000 in revenue that we didn't anticipate. So you see an adjusted budget there and that's that allows you to see that we're getting uh revenue that I hadn't anticipated or likewise if there was an expense and there had to be an
adjustment on that side um then I I would make an an adjustment there as well. So that's the difference between budget adjusted budget and then uh what we receive what's encumbered in the variance. So, can you if we go back to the FY26
Prism 3 one that you were going to point out earlier? >> I wanted to see that, too. Thank you. >> Yes. So, you're saying So, can you So, when we originally voted it for you to submit, it was submitted at 207 and then they gave you an extra 50,000. Is that what happened?
>> Oh, what happened is they gave us a So, that was that grant was like we had two weeks to turn it around. It was like something that kind of came out um really really late and we didn't have a a a significant turnaround time. Not only did we not have time to write the
grant, but we also had to spend it. We had to spend it by by August uh 30th or and you lose it. just just before the grant closed, they um they they said to folks that had applied for this grant, you know, hey, you can have an
additional amount of money, but it was by the time that they had given us the allocation, the adjustment, there wasn't time to spend it. And because it was for very specific expenses, there was no way to reclass any expenses um to be able to use that money. So, we're going to we
had to give it back is ultimately what's going to happen on that because the grants closed. But um yeah, so that that's very unusual that situation that um we would get you know very short notice that we could get 52,000 but you know again this requires bids and
pricing and you know so um in that particular case uh we're not going to be we're not able to use that money. So you use just so that I understand the 207 um that's in revenue is the actual received revenue and that's why it
doesn't say 257 there >> right that was the original approved 207 and they were going to give us this 52,000 um so that's the adjustment we weren't able to use it um we so the
and we haven't received the cash because it's on a reimbursement basis so Um, >> I don't I don't love this new um way of thinking about it, like the boxes at the revenue expense because it's throwing me off. Um, like why does that row equal 307 on the end? You didn't ever get 307,
but because you have the negative 50, it's like adding or subtracting the negative to make it 307. I'm just finding it like confusing for my brain to wrap around. And >> can I ask a question to make sure that I'm following the conversation? If if
this if if the reverse happened, Susan, like meaning we got less money than we had asked for, h how would that look for the prism grant? Like let's just say instead of getting an extra 50, we got $50,000 less >> if they if they reduced it, then this
number would be less under the adjusted. >> Okay. >> Yeah. >> So I So Mariah, so you're just saying it's the layout is confusing, not obviously. >> Exactly. She's saying the encumbrance number doesn't make sense. And I agree with you. >> Yeah, I think that that's that is one
thing that's throwing me off. But I think like I appre I totally appreciate what you're saying of being able to um draw a straight line between Munice and this report. And um from the I'll say public consumption and I count myself as
a member of the public in this context. It's hard for me to understand what's going on here. And I and I think that we need to maybe think about how to make it a little less confusing to interpret. >> Sure. >> Because of what you said of like how the
like the multiple years of expenses um against a single year revenue source, etc. Like I just think it would be helpful to um to perhaps to work on that a little bit more. With that said, I love overall like it's like this report
is really helpful in understanding where things are going and this um this section is confusing to me. Um >> and I don't think it needs to be. Um can I go up and back to the section
where we had the general fund or by um by cost area by cost center because many of them have very small variances but then if you go up to like um OTL and OSS I think are the big variances.
No, OSS and ANF are the big variances. And I was just curious, is that what you expected? >> I'm sorry, I was just making notes on that uh sheet. >> Sure. >> Did you catch my question? >> I'm back with No, I didn't. Please.
>> Okay. So um so I think the total variance was like four million and 20% of it or so a little more than 20% is in ANF in the 874 variants and almost half of is it in is
in student services. So between the two of them that's like the lion's share of the total variance. And my question was if that was what you had expected, if there's a reason for that, why is the variance so concentrated in those two offices?
Um things are encumbered is a good question. So things are encumbered many times as needed or when um certain expenses come due. And so in ANF for example, um some of our our licenses
um don't come due like for Aspen and things like that as the fiscal year begins. So we'll encumber that um for the year when it comes closer to the time in which that um expense uh is realized. Um same with uh student
services. So not all of the expenses for the whole year are encumbered, especially on the operating side. And so there's some um shifts there uh that will happen. You'll see it again. We only we're only 20 days into the school year.
>> So it's on the expense side. Salary side is a little different. Um salary side, I'm encumbering. I'm doing a forecast for the year because you have to do it that way. Otherwise, just like last year, you you you didn't get really incumbrances by cost center. um because I wasn't able to do a
forecast um that aligned with the format that we have now. Uh so I can encumber now um and forecast out what our expenses are going to be on that side. But on the non-sary side, it's always going to be um you don't just don't do POS at the beginning of the year for
everything that you're going to need. So So those change as a year goes through goes on. So >> Okay. because I was just I was reflecting back on the spring. Don, I see your hand up and the conversations we had about um OSS not being able to to
pay bills because they didn't have the POS and they didn't have the POS because they hadn't encumbered. And so seeing that large number was making me wonder if um if everything that should be encumbered is encumbered. Do you feel
confident that everything that should be encumbered is encumbered such that the total the sort of the the flow will not be impeded the way it was a little bit last year? >> Well, the flow won't be impeded because every contract that's needed right up to
date has been issued and anything that uh we have a contract for that OSS has said that they need um has has a PO and it's encumbered here. >> Okay. So there's nothing where we had things going but no incumbrance in
place. That's great to hear. Donna, you're on mute in case you're talking. >> We will come back to you if if it's >> okay. Now I can I can unmute for a second. Sorry. >> That's okay. Go ahead. >> Um
I if I'm okay. I think I I know I I think I'm asking something that makes sense, but please feel free to tell me if it's not. The line item report and the cost item report are essentially like the same, right? Except they're
just information in different formats. So you're looking at kind of different information. And so if that's true, I think I might I think the response you just gave to Mariah might apply to my question as well, which is when I'm looking at the line item report, I was
looking at the variances in some categories as well, like big, you know, like like claims and settlements and general supplies and um what was the other one? Professional technical services. Are those variances explained for by
this explained by the same things. >> Yes. >> Okay. They're not. So, there's a difference between a variance and a free balance. Like you can have a variance because you haven't booked in in your accounting
system, >> right? >> Um expenses that you you you have that are coming up, right? And so, like there's a high volume of work that's done over the course of the summer and the beginning of the year. So usually you especially in OSS and oftentimes in
OAF you you pace your work right and so you're going to do your POS and your contracts for everything that you need you know starting September 1 but not everything you need comes at September one time frame and so you will continue
to encumber and issue POS and there'll perhaps be more contracts um you know as the year progresses and at that time then you issue a PO and you encumber So, um it's not a forecast really um on the incumbrance. It's what we're
obligated to at this point in time in the year. Doesn't mean that that everything that we need has been encumbered. Just means that what we need and we have issued a PO for or paid is represented here.
>> Okay, that's helpful. I mean, I think there's a tension too between um if you have encumbered it, then it's clear you know where your money is going and I don't know what the limits are of the mun system, but being able to encumber it so that you're showing like it where it's going to be generally
spent um as opposed to it looking like un unallocated or unplanned for expenses. And you're saying this doesn't tell you either way. And I guess I'm saying that um
it's good when we see it encumbered because we know what the plan is as long as they're sort of true encumbrances and not just phony bologoney. Not that you're doing that, but just in general as sort of a financial practice. Um having it have it be shown what the plan is, but it's helpful to understand.
Sorry. Go ahead. >> Yeah. You wouldn't encumber things that are like maybe we'll need that, right? Because if you maybe it'll be this or that. No, we we have a financial plan and you approved it and we'll execute on that plan throughout the year. This is
just an update on the status of from budget to the activity that's taking place that's known at this time. Um this is this is where um you know where where we are. We will you know at the next report those
numbers will look different and that will be what it is at that point in time. I mean financial reports aren't forecasts and forecasts aren't budgets, right? So this is this is just a financial a typical standard financial report. It it it
isn't intended to say now what I will do when we come to about April time frame. That's when I will look and I'll I'll try to project out where I think we're going to land for the year. Not this early in the not this early. >> Sure. I I do try to do what I call a cost to complete that is typically done
in the you know like around May of each year. >> I think we'll let Jesse get the last word before we move on to um the Brooklyn music school proposal. Go ahead, Jesse. I just wanted to um maybe just emphasize what you said that
on the um OSS side, we're completely in control of the situation. From what I heard you say that all contracts are are moving ahead. Everything that's encumbered to pay as the POS come in is in place and we don't
have any, you know, um um uh inkling of anything happening, you know, moving forward. everything is going smoothly so that there we we're not anticipating any interruption of service or payments or anything and that's just a really good place to be. So, thank you. >> It does.
>> Thanks, Jesse. Okay. Um, our next presentation and thank you Susan and thank you to Z and others who contributed to assembling this report. >> Um, much appreciated. The next presentation is of the Brooklyn Music
School. Um, what did we call it in our budget in our agenda? Brooklyn Music School something. I'm sorry. >> I think we called it the >> hall expansion project. There we go. And, um, David Tierney is here to join
us. Um, and before we have you start, David, I'll just put some context for anybody who doesn't know that the um Brooklyn Music School building is a PSB building which is leased to the Brooklyn Music School, which is why this is coming to um the school committee for
review and approval. Um, so with that, David, please take it away. >> Thank you. Thanks for having me. We're um here to ask your approval for us to move forward with an expansion and renovation of our current recital hall. The recital hall right now is a double
parlor on the canard side of the building of about 1,33 square feet with a performance space and audience seating for 60. If we can move forward with this project, we would enclose the porch that's on the Canard roadside, adding an additional 431 square feet, doubling
audience capacity to 120. Uh renovated, the renovated hall, it currently has a flat floor. It will continue to have a flat floor, meaning it's accessible, fully accessible. Uh and but the new setup of the hall will actually make it much easier for people with with with
physical challenges to get in and out of the hall. Currently, when you step into the hall, you immediately step into the middle of the audience and leaving or um getting to the bathroom is very very difficult for for most people regardless of their abilities. Uh moving on to the
next slide. Our goals are to be able to increase the frequency and elevate the quality of student performances in that space to double the audience capacity in a welcoming flexible space that fosters a sense of community. um create a flexible
use space that allows us to comfort comfortably hold it says larger audiences. The truth would be to hold the audiences we're getting now which aren't really meeting code for ensembles and concerts and rehearsals. Uh and to have a designated music performance
space of this side size uh that the whole Brookline community could use uh and appreciate music in. Uh the large space will also better support our new summer programs in chamber music, flute institute, Broadway in Brooklyn and jazz
lab. And with these programs, we actually work really closely with Kenny Kosal and the public school Brooklyn folks to make them available uh for no tuition to students uh who would otherwise not have the resources to attend summer programs. and Kenny
coordinates with us with both the STEP program and METCO to be sure those kids have have the opportunities. The expanded space could be used and it already is used but could be used better by Lincoln school and even other PSB schools if they can come over to the building for any kind of program
performance or otherwise it would be better served by a hall of this size and all PSB use of Canard House facilities is done uh free of charge. Next slide. Uh so the description is we would we would produce or end up with an acoustically appropriate performance
space that would elevate performances, increase the audience capacity um with upgraded furnishing and lighting create a much better space for a wider range of performances including recitals, jazz and rock bands and other uh musical performances. We expect the total expansion cost to be a little bit north
of $800,000 and of course would be the complete responsibility of the music school. Next slide. Here's our timeline of of what we're looking at. Uh we did do a feasibility study to determine whether or not we had the support financial and otherwise to go ahead and
we have gotten that. Um actually as of today we have just north of $500,000 in quiet commitments to the program. Um we're in the process of seeking town uh and committee approvals. We did have an advisory meeting with preservation
commission. Uh they loved the project. Uh and when we look at the pictures at the end, I'll tell you what they've asked us to change. Uh we are in the middle of major gift the quiet phase. Uh hoping to secure threearters of the cost by year's end and then we'll go public with the campaign if all else is in
place. We would plan on doing construction starting right after school gets out in June. Uh hoping that the exterior work would be completed quickly and without disrupting u Lincoln school classes, of course. Uh and then we could
be back inside the building in the fall. And then the next phase, um here are the key people who are involved. Obviously, the board of trustees for the school, myself, Vicky Laauo, many of you know, longtime Brooklyn resident and our treasurer. Uh Valerie Kurts, our marketing development person and our
consultant is a woman named Jen Hickin Botham. Many people have connections with me from my years at the River School. Next slide. Here's a picture of that in our side of the building now. So you can see the open porch and the next
slide has a view of the renovation with the porch to the right of the building closed in. This is sort of an angle from the playground that's outside Lincoln School. Next picture. This is a the same general direction but from the Canard roadside and you can see the enclosed
porch that we would end up with. And then the next two pictures are preservation asked us to show what it would look like at night with all the lights on just to see what the sort of effect would be in the neighborhood. And that's what these are. And then the last picture is what the hall would look like
on the inside. So you can see it's a different orientation. If you've been in there, uh you know what we do now. And um much easier access and maneuverability around the room and a much friendlier performance uh experience. So there's where we're at.
Thank you for that. Um, are there questions from the subcommittee for David? >> Just want to start by saying thank you for the presentation and for the idea for all of us who have sat in that room for lots of um performances. Um, it it's
just it's a very exciting project. >> It is. And the support is really I I I have to say I'm overwhelmed at the strength of support from our donors and people in the community. David, have you um discussed with the town at all pursuing community preservation act funding for this? Would
this project be eligible? And have you inquired about that? >> Uh yes and answer is no. >> You're not eligible. Okay. >> Right. But there are other projects that we have in mind down the road that we would be including redoing all the windows on that building which I desperately need. And these are all in
the terms of agreement the league school has with the with the town now solely our responsibility financially. So we will we will pursue them. >> Jesse. >> Yeah. Hi. Um David. Um from the first from the first time I saw this um
proposal several months back. I love it. And um although I've never been at a recital there, I can appreciate going from overcrowded to um something much warmer and accessible to to everyone. So, um, I just love it and, you know, gods speed to you. I hope it works out
and how we can help. Thanks. >> Thank you, >> David. I want to say thank you for, you know, addressing the accessibility and also the community benefits, not only to PSB, but to the broader community. I think it's it sounds like it will be a space that will be a true benefit to the
community for multiple purposes, and I appreciate that um, PSB has access to it free of charge, obviously, when Brookline Music School is not using it as well. I think that's a tremendous benefit um to to highlight as part of this process. >> Well, we have a great Kenny's great to
work with and you know the nature of our program dovetales nicely with the schedule of public schools that we're we're fairly quiet when you're at your busiest. It works. >> Great. Jesse, is that a new hand? >> It is. Um on that on that comment, I
forgot to ask it earlier. Um how is the time scheduled for on a you know seven day a week uh during the day or evening um basis? >> Crime time is roughly 3 to 8 Monday through Friday uh 9 to5 on Saturday and
about 9 to5 on Sunday. There are there are off hours off those hours things like Tuesdays we started an adult orchestra that rehearses in the middle of the day primarily for seniors. So 11:30 to 1, the building's pretty busy with a little a small orchestra and off
lessons here and there, but it's it's really very quiet until two o'clock and then things start to trickle in. >> So is is there like a how do people schedule time in general? Like if a uh I don't know if another music group from, you know, Brooklyn or Newton wanted to
rent the space or use the space, you know, on some basis, is this space available or is it sort of full like 95% of the time? It's full now because of how we have to use the space in the building. When it becomes a recital hall, its use as a
teaching space stops, which means more things that the room is suited for can happen than than we can currently fit in. >> Got it. Thank you. >> Okay, Sarah. And then I think we'll take a motion after that. >> This is a question for you, Mariah, just
to help me with my memory. Um, what other things are going on at Lincoln during the summer? um that that the construction may or may not impact. >> I'm not sure. It's a question for me. Star Academy has been at Lincoln, but Lincoln um but different programs didn't
run at Lincoln for the past two summers. So, it's more of a question for I think Susan and the operations team. They work around like there's a whole bunch of coordination that happens to decide which summer programs run where based on what's happening in the buildings during the summer, whether they need to be
closed for refreshes or other things. So, that's something that can be answered later. >> It might I I don't know. Um I think Susan is still here. Yeah, Susan, do you happen to know if Lincoln is on or off the schedule for this summer? >> It would be back on uh the schedule.
That's what we were anticipating after all the renovations were done there. >> But this is um this is the following year anyway, right? Or no, it's already this January. Wow. >> Now, it's this year. >> My goodness. Okay. Well, I'm gonna make a motion for recommendation.
>> All right. In ter one my one question. Yeah. >> Um D David, what when you met with the town, what or if any feedback did you get in terms of parking? So going to something which t you know it's somewhat limited I guess because or maybe you said there they're always over you know
you have these over capacity times SRO and maybe even not even to code. Um the parking lot >> said that we're not talking that that never happened. Never. Okay. Good. So, I guess my I guess my question is is you know I mean I've been to Lincoln many times. The parking lot
when it gets full it's overflow onto the streets. Canard is narrow um Walnut Street and you know etc. You start sending it back. Is there any concern from the town side about overcrowding of parking if more people start coming to
this particular location? Not that the idea is bad. Amazing idea, but it's located in a very tiny street area. >> No. >> Well, because I promised them that >> I I probably shouldn't have made this promise because you build something and
it always gets used more than you anticipated. >> That's right. >> We're not looking at doing bigger and more audience things. We're just looking at making the experience right now better for the audience that we get. Currently, parents often cycle in and out of the recital hall waiting in the lobby for their kid to play to come in
and hear them. Um, we would not have to do that anymore, right? When we don't teach in that space anymore, it would actually reduce your typical enrollment by four people a day. So, there'd be four less cars trying to find a place to park. And we are looking for some
additional space elsewhere in town to move more teaching program elsewhere. >> Thank you. Okay. I'm going to make the motion for recommendation um of approval by the full school committee. Do I have a second? I'll >> second that. Okay.
>> Okay. Jesse second. Sarah, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Jesse, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> Donna, how do you vote? >> Yes. >> And I vote yes. >> Thank you, David, for this presentation. I don't know if you and Betsy if did Betsy schedule you for tomorrow or have
you been scheduled yet? >> December Oh, sorry. >> Yeah, it's not on tomorrow night. maybe December 4th if that works for you, David. >> Yeah, I think that was fine. >> Okay, great. Excellent. Thank you very much for appreciate. >> I appreciate this. Thanks so much. >> Um, next item on the agenda, we have two
little things about CIP. One was just a CIP for this year update um that the we met last week. Jesse, I'm just going to save your voice and give a quick update and then you can add in anything I forget. So, thank you. Um Jesse and I met last week with the and I think Susan
was there too with the advisory committee capital subcommittee. Was it last week or two weeks ago? Recently. Um and discussed a couple of different things including um definitions of deferred maintenance versus new
projects, etc. Um and then Jesse and I then the committee was supposed to meet earlier today, but that ended up getting cancelled. Um and Jesse and I met with Carol briefly yesterday to review a couple of things relating to the sort of ongoing um conversations and um so it
seems like it's moving ahead and um we'll keep this committee posted just as advisory continues in its process. So that was the only update for you all and of course those meetings are posted and you're always welcome to join um too to listen along. Um,
>> and there wasn't an attachment for us in the email. >> Yeah, there's no there's no that it was just this sort of like here's where things are at. We've been meeting um, etc. And when we originally did this schedule, I we've we only found out yesterday that they weren't meeting right before now. So, we thought we'd
have a little bit more of an update, but we don't. Um, >> right. That's right. >> Go ahead, Jesse. What did I forget? I was just going to say that um part of the initiative uh maybe even to Sarah's question um is that there's we want to
sort of work more closely and and have a more of a of a better understanding I guess maybe between the advisory and um town and and schools about the capital projects that we are um outlining and
approving. um and the deferred maintenance projects that Charlie's doing on the building side. So part of like a a beginning of of trying to align the two and that's what Mariah and I have been working on. So as it so to Sarah's
question when it gets a little better um better defined um you know obviously this information will be shared and and and discussed within this committee and then with the full school committee >> and that's something that I can always trust with Jesse is that if it's going
to be posted it will be posted early enough for me to be able to read it when Jesse's involved. So thank you. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Um the next item on the agenda was the summer updates. We got pictures of stuff, but we don't have anyone joining us from the building committee. So, I think um Betsy, we got pictures of the
summer work with the buildings. I think Betsy is going to just share that like post it to the website and share it with the committee afterwards so you can see some of the pictures, but it's a little tricky because we don't necessarily know what we're looking at without having a building department person here to Charlie or or someone from his team to
sort of narrate the exciting things in the picture. So, we'll skip over that one for for now, but get some pictures circulated later on for whatever they're worth. And then the last thing on our agenda is review of the school floor plans and space utilization. And um
Susan, do you want to um talk through this? I'll just say before we before Susan gets going that um expenditures and revenues um committee had requested the schools
subcommittee had requested um as a followup to some questions and confusion about how h how the enrollment report um actually relates to schools. They there was some questions about how our buildings are utilized and whether
they're fully utilized. the the questions the answers that had come back from PSB to expenditures and revenues in September I think that was had said that there was six unused um classrooms and there was some confusion because of how
people had misinterpreted the enrollment report. So this actually what Susan's about to present is um at least for the K8s um what is you can sort of see all the different use and with that I'll let Susan go from there.
Okay. Can you hear me? >> Yes. >> So, what we were asked for um is to provide information on how we were using the space in our buildings. And so, we uh
took the floor plans that we have available to us. And I had the principles um take the floor plans and then uh jot down what each room was being used for. And then I had my staff uh take that information and uh apply it
in a consistent way across all of the floor plans. Um in essence, um I guess the short story is that um as we had, uh indicated a couple of maybe a month ago when we answered the questions for the
revenue expenditure committee that we have six classroom spaces that are currently um not being used. Those are at the Driscoll school. So, um, if you go to the Driscoll, uh, floor plans and
you look at, uh, you know, floor three and four, you'll see in green text, um, uh, the words open and that, um, are the class those are the classrooms that uh, we are currently not using. Again, it's
the green text, not the green. The green means it's a it's a staff bathroom, I believe. It's >> I think it's nine and 10 maybe. Betsy, if you look at um >> it's Go one more up. You can see the there's two there and one is cut off so
you can't see it, but it's nine and it's pages nine and 10 have the three classrooms. >> Yeah. >> So, so there's three on this floor and three on the other floor. Those are where the open classrooms are. and otherwise basically every room in
the building of all those schools has been noted what is happening in the um what's happening in that space. So I I guess the takeaway also in addition to that there's six classrooms
that are open um is that um not you know when people look at the uh sections report they um translated that into the number of classrooms in a building and the the
number of classrooms um are not the same as the number of sections. So I tried to explain that in the narrative that some se some classrooms are used for special education, some are used for elelll or ele. Uh some are for art and summer for
music and PE and and such. So there's many other um classrooms that are needed in a school besides just um a the classroom um that a teacher is is teaching in for for your core subject
areas. As you get to the middle school, you see grades seven and eight, and those go to content area rooms. So, um, in most of the schools, you'll see social studies, um, science, ELA, etc., um, on some of the floors. And that's
because those are content area teachers as opposed to a, uh, you know, an elementary classroom teacher that's teaching across all grades. So schools are, you know, I know it's it it's
easier to think about um you know, you have x number of of classroom teachers and that translates into how many how many uh rooms you need, but it it really isn't like that in practice, right? We have a lot of needs. We have people that
work. Custodial staff need to have a room in order to uh you know look up work orders and you know take lunch breaks for teachers and and all kinds of other things that happened in the course of a of a day that um we need space for.
So including storage you know parking in some schools etc. So hopefully that helps answers the question about um the availability of uh classrooms in our schools. Um and um
you know certainly happy to try to help support them in their work um and answer whatever questions we can that you might have. And the reason this is coming to this subcommittee is so that it goes to school committee first before being
provided to expenditures and revenues so that school committee has eyes on it too um and is aware of um is aware of this dialogue. Are there any questions from the
subcommittee about this at all? >> Yes. >> Go ahead. >> Thank you. Um I think you you opened this specific agenda item by saying there was I can't remember the exact word you used
misinterpretation or misunderstanding. So was that primarily around the amount of open space in the buildings and then is that explained by what Susan just went through? >> Essentially I'll give more open space
than actually exists. I'll give one example of um the misunderstanding. So, Driscoll has three sections in it. And so um there was a misunderstanding that that meant there was an entire strand of
classrooms that were empty. But for example, that didn't reflect the fact that Winthrop House has moved in and so there's use for that or or and so and then in other areas like if Lawrence, I'm making this up, has three sections in a grade instead of four, the
assumption was that means there's an empty classroom somewhere because that CLA there's there it's not a four section school in that grade. So, it was those sorts of misunderstandings of the table of enrollment um and not realizing
that that there's a lot of other uses of spaces in the schools um which actually occupy those rooms. Does that make sense? >> Yes, that's super helpful context. And so maybe I missed this but is there
somewhere are we also being asked to present to um expend expenditures and revenue the percent like of percent um you know the percent of the building
that's in use or no they don't care about that. >> Well I think the point is if you look at this you'll see that essentially the buildings are 100% in use. There's no empty spaces. The again the question was well in that document they the the
questions document it said how much of your space is unused and the answer was there's six classrooms that are unused >> and so and then they said well but there's all these gray spaces where you don't have a section like at Lawrence isn't that an empty classroom it's like no no no those are
>> like like you know a school like Lawrence that might be a three and a half section school there's a whole bunch of different things going in and then there's like a whole bunch of other uses of classroom that happen >> in parallel and flex around that. So, >> okay, understood. Thank you.
>> Yeah, >> I guess I just >> Okay, we have we have the chance Sarah to end very close to on time. So, >> I don't want to say anything right now. Go for it. >> I don't want to say anything. >> Any other last words before we before we
wrap up? Okay. And of course to our colleagues on advisory and our colleagues on expenditures and revenues who are here. You have access to those files. They're on the school committee meetings page and we can discuss them at the other meetings that we have coming up.
>> Just one quick edit. This map uh will be there momentarily. It's not there right now. So apologies for that. >> No worries. Thank you Betsy for clarifying. >> Sure. >> Okay. Have a great evening everyone. Thank you. >> Thank you Betsy. Feel better soon. >> I hope. Thank you.
>> Thank you.