and and the family members that will be impacted by this, Lord. Um I pray for uh the discernment of the board and the leadership of this board, Lord. And um that you keep our kids and our schools and our staff safe, Lord. That you keep
evil away um and you protect them. I pray all of this in Jesus's holy name. Amen. Amen. Stand for the pledge. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation
under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. At this time, I am going to call to order the workshop for October 28, 2025. Welcome citizens of Klay County. I want to take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time out of your busy
schedule to attend today's school board workshop. This workshop is our opportunity as your elected representatives to collaborate openly among ourselves and make decisions that will decide the future direction of our public schools and the education of our children here in Klay County. There will
be an opportunity for the public to ask questions at the end of the workshop presentation. Questions will be allowed. Public comment will not be allowed. If you wish to ask a question, please fill out a comment card with your question and hand that card to a deputy. Your
participation is welcomed and appreciated. And at this time, we're going to start with um RSM with a update and discussion. Mr. Blond [Music] [Applause]
Okay, good morning. M I'm Matt Blondell, uh director with RSM and uh I'm working on the internal audit uh for the school board. Believe Kelly's going to pull up um one of our dashboards. This is a something that um I discussed with Miss
Hansen a few weeks ago um after I guess there was some discussion at a prior board meeting about where we were and what the status was. And so one of the things I had shared with you that some of our other school districts, we provide once we get started, we provide a monthly update dashboard to the board.
Um it it can also be distributed to whoever else you'd like or posted wherever else you'd like, but it essentially just provides a summary of all of the ongoing projects that we have. Uh and then where we are, what what we've recently completed, what we're doing, and what kind of our next steps are. And so um like I said, we're
usually on a monthly cadence. Uh the intention would be to to provide this to you all and to the audit committee with them copied, but really primarily to the board members here to to give you context for what's going on. So this one was drafted as of October 3rd. Uh I
think we'd like to get into a cadence of doing this on the second Friday of every month. So you'd expect this uh in about a week and a half uh for the next one. And what you'll have is uh like I said, essentially an update on what we what we've had. So we we we document uh what meetings we've had if we if we've been
putting out requests and so you have an opportunity to see if for some reason uh you know requests are coming in slow. I mean you would see that here. You know we we have not had a problem with that at all. Um and don't expect really having any issues with that. But it just
provides you all with an update of the the goings on. And then as we get closer to being in a reporting stage and we're working on a report and we have an audit committee meeting identified and then the board uh workshop where we would present a final report that of course would would show up here. We'd say you know board meeting scheduled for this
date. Uh and then you have all the information we have about all the conversations that we're having with management as we lead up to finalizing the report. So just to provide an overview like I said this is pretty dated now. Just about everything here uh that's on next steps has has since been completed. So with the contract
compliance work, that's where we're going to select or have selected a sample of contracts. Uh we basically originally obtained from procurement um a listing of contracts and the different types of so piggybacked and then uh other types of contracts that the
district has reviewed that uh looked at things like cost, longevity, the number of amendments, uh nature of the contract, those sorts of things to identify a list of what we consider to be high-risisk contracts. So, and it not necessarily all very high dollar contracts. Some we wanted to get a good
sample of others. So, we selected five. It was a mix of different types, goods, services, large, medium. Um, and then we have to uh then we had a conversation with some of the district employees just to understand their perspectives of risk just to make sure that we were looking at the right types of contracts. And if
there were other things that we couldn't see from the contract listing that would have made sense or that would have been um applicable, something for us to consider, we take that under consideration and then have basically use all that information to finalize our sample of contracts. And we've done that and where we are now is we basically
have requested some information for procurement. I believe that'll be coming in any day now. Um and and and then we will start field work as soon as that's done. on the internal and external penetration testing. We had a kickoff meeting with the IT folks and completed
our testing of the of the internal and external penetration work last week. Uh and we're essentially consolidating that information. Now we'll be discussing with the IT group uh any results of that and then that'll be getting finalized into a report fairly soon. And just as a
reminder, obviously due to the sensitivity of that, um when we do present that report, there will be a public version that's just basically a one-pager that says we did some work, we talked to the district, uh and it's on file. Um it doesn't have any information about any anything that was found. Um
but we do discuss that uh with the superintendent, with the IT, and then if the board would like, we can certainly do a closed session um to discuss that report with you all. Um but again that's where you know it's not open to the public because the sensitive nature of that of that report but certainly happy
to share that uh and we'll work with Mr. Blocker to schedule um a shade session with the board to go over that or or a carve out of one of the meetings to go over that with you all. So this is uh where where we intend to go. Um
certainly you know as we have the discussion with you all today happy to to to take any feedback but this is just an example. I said we we put this together as of October 3rd um just for an idea for you all to see that and we'll start to get in the cadence and you'll start to see this regularly and then anytime that we have activities ongoing you'll be receiving this every
month and then of course once it's once it's finalized um you know we'll be probably be having conversations toward uh the summertime about what the next next year audit plan looks like and and then that's when we would start that back up again. Um, one of the other things I wanted to
to talk about was I know the uh I had some conversations with Miss Hansen as as the board's representative for the audit committee was about transparency uh and and and how things like this and other information is posted for the public to see what's going on in terms of what is in the audit committee. Um,
so some of our it varies by district uh for your for your benefit. Some districts uh provide basically just hey there's an audit committee meeting on the date. It's a public notice and then anybody that wants to show up can and that's kind of where it ends. Other districts have websites completely dedicated to the function that have
information about when meetings are. They have they post the meeting minutes. Some of them post recordings and then uh final reports. Sometimes are, sometimes are not posted. It really just depends on on the individual district and what the board and the audit committee want to see posted out there. Um I I do
believe I think Kelly if you can pull up the uh the website. The district here has created a website for the audit committee that has um some good information on it. And I think this mirrors I I talked with Miss Hansen a few weeks ago. This has been uh I think recently put up and mirrors kind of what
we would see in terms of the most amount of information that's being disseminated to the public. So uh we've got meeting dates, meeting minutes are posted there, um information about the committee, the the rules, um and then the guidelines and then policy that deal with the that deal with the committee. And so
obviously going forward um you know that would be up to I suppose the board and and management to work together to figure out if there's going to be additional documents that are posted here. Uh if it's the dashboards or if it's the final reports um or if those are just you know available upon request. Of course that's up to up to
you all the board to decide how you want to how you want to deal with that. So just wanted to go over that give you all an update let you know that we're rocking and rolling. Um >> that's our school board page. >> No school board. >> Oh. Oh okay. the school board. >> Yep. >> And uh and certainly answer any
questions that you all have. We're in the middle of field work uh with contract compliance and are just getting into reporting with the with the cyber security penetration testing. >> Um can I get consensus from the board uh that you all would like a meeting um
privately after they're done with it or other sensitive areas that you would like to be updated? >> Yes. >> Yes. Yes. Okay. So, you have full board consensus when you finish these. Um, if you would let us know if it's sensitive
subjects or whatever, let Mr. Walker know, we can have a shade meeting or whatever legal way of getting the information. Um, and Miss Skipper, can can I just talk about a few things real quick? >> Yeah, go ahead. >> Um, so if you go to our schoolboard page, there's a link here. This is part
of the problem with our community perception of what we're trying to do and not do. So if you scroll and click on the blue box, scroll up a little. No, on the right hand side. >> Okay. >> Underneath the school board. Yep. Scroll up. So this was created because in most
districts there's a folder with the it's our auditor. So that the folder is in the schoolboard page. So when you started hearing kind of like an uprising about how we're not transparent, would you please click on that folder, the
internal audit committee folder? And what you're going to see is the only thing that's ever been put in here is the application, which was way back like almost a year ago. And so most people thought that we were basically hiding
all of our information based on the fact that when they went to the internal audit folder, there was nothing in there. So, I'm going to make a suggestion if the board agrees that whatever we decide goes into the folder needs to be in the folder on the school
board web page cuz we have like two people we're responsible for. We can hire the internal auditor and we can um hire our lawyer and so I think it would be better to put it where people can find it. >> Agreed. We we can take it from business
affairs and move it on to where it says schoolboard o and create a tab there for internal audit >> and and I would also say that we have the minutes there now in the other folder which is great right and the agendas but we do every district I look
at we have a regular meeting right we have a chair we have everything we have here with our five representatives for the five districts I'm going to suggest that we actually do recordings of those meetings and have links like we do a regular schoolboard meeting because they
are official meeting um of the board and there are representatives and I feel like we do need to have a way if someone wants to go watch our discussions to go to it and watch our discussions. Everybody has and we don't have a lot of meetings so it's not that much work. We only have a couple meetings a year to
put that on there. So minutes, agendas. Final reports, the board agrees, but not when it's something to do with security should be placed there and um maybe the public video. And I think Pulk County
has something very similar to that. You gave me a couple examples. So there are some examples of districts and how they do it. If you guys wanted to look it up, we can get you those counties that have different kinds of websites. But I think if and maybe you guys could talk about
it for a second. Final reports, agendas, final reports when applicable. Agendas, minutes, and then maybe the YouTube public meeting video. >> Is it already there at the meeting? >> No. [Music]
>> Okay. Oh, what are they quarterly for? >> This one we we met way back in April with our meetings in November. So this was actually because they had to get started and do the first part. I think we our quarterly maybe
>> typically audit committees would meet on a quarterly basis and and also I I don't know if this was discussed either but usually the audit committees uh would also review the financial statement audit. So the work that your other CPA firms are doing which should be coming
out relatively soon. I think that usually is probably wrapping that up about now. I don't know >> is that part of the discussion then on the next um audit committee meeting >> I don't know if the agenda has been posted but yeah that typically the the financial statement results will be
presented to the audit committee and discussed if any questions are there before they're officially posted uh or finalized by the by the auditors there. >> So I feel like the more information the better. >> Okay. So the question would be for board consensus. Do you agree with everything going in that folder that Miss Hansen
said? And do you agree with live stream or YouTube streamings, live streamings, whichever? >> I'm I'm fine with that. I I think transparency is good. Um I would just ask Mr. Bowski's opinion on that's staff hours, so I just want to make sure that
that's reasonable. And >> I think we we could schedule it during an appropriate time or it would be work hours for >> we did last time. I think it started at 2 from that. >> Yeah, it was during business hours. Yeah.
>> Yeah. I think it was late in the afternoon, wasn't it? >> How late did we go? Yeah. >> Yeah. I'm just saying it was late in the afternoon business. >> Yeah. >> Anything for transparency? We brought that look. If we're going to do that, we need to look at other areas as well. >> Yeah.
>> So, you okay with both of those? >> Yeah. >> Uh, Miss Hansen and I I as well. So, um I guess the direction of the board would be to post all of those things in that folder and move it over from business affairs
and then um start live streaming our meetings. >> Miss Gber, I'm sorry, but the dashboard since it keeps everybody up to date, is that something we would want to share with them as well? This dashboard, I mean, what's your thought on that?
>> It's completely up to to the board. Uh, I don't think all of our I don't think any of the other school districts that we have post the dashboard, but it's certainly available if anybody were to ask to be forwarded that. It's just usually used as an update for the board members and the the audit committee just
to understand what's going on when the reports are going to be presented or when we're, you know, anticipating the reports to be finalized and those sorts of things. But, um, I mean, nothing in here I, you know, should really raises a concern for me. I I don't think this should raise a concern for you. It would be posted, but it's up to you on whether
or not you want to do that. >> Will the other documents show like what's next without the dashboard? >> Um, no, probably not. So, what we would have uh essentially the final version of a
report would basically be what would be posted. Um, and that would be, you know, that would be provided to the audit committee about a week before their meeting and then to the board at basically at the same time. And then we'd make presentations at a workshop like this after the audit committee. Um,
and then that would be posted to the website. But no, in terms of, you know, how things are progressing, if this wasn't posted, no, it wouldn't necessarily be um publicly. So, this would alleviate a lot of conversation in emails cuz they could go look themselves
if this were posted on like what's next, where we're at, all of those things. >> Sure. If you're getting a lot of those questions, it would probably be helpful. Um, just so they can see that there is movement cuz like I said, it if you look at them back toback or even if you only posted the most recent one, it'd be the
most updated version and you could see all the conversations that have been occurring and then what's next. Uh and and then every month it'll you know things here or shift there and and then >> it's not that we get like an overwhelming amount. It's just some who are highly interested in this. So they
they want to know and >> and I think that if we post this then there's no question. It's full transparency. This is where we are. This is where we're going. >> So are we okay with posting the >> I think Miss Gilhous.
>> I don't think it's necessary. I think we've got enough other info with what we'll be providing. Okay, >> Clarks, I know. Yep. Miss Hansen, >> I'm a yes. >> Mr. Rob, >> yes. Right. I'm a yes. So, if um we
could move forward with posting this as well so that people in the community can see where we're at and where we're going. That would be great. Any other further questions? I appreciate you coming and spending time with me on the phone. um especially
when things are new. I know I might have a lot of questions, but um you clarifying what's going on is a big help for us. So, I appreciate that. >> Absolutely. And uh phone lines are always open, of course, to anybody, any board member, any member of management. Certainly happy to to answer any
questions that you have as as we work through these things. So, thank you. >> Thank you. Appreciate it. [Applause] >> More discussion. Okay. So, next we're going to do um our
um board policy that we wanted to bring forward um from the last board meeting. And hold on, get me where the verbiage that we that was taken out
that I am recommending that we put back in is um hold on. >> Uh okay. This policy grants the superintendent the authority in addition to that provided by state statutes. It shall not be constructed to limit the
superintendent statutory powers. Hold on. Where's the >> Miss Gipper? Are you in? >> Hold on. Well, I'm trying to find that folder back into the other document. >> Which one?
[Applause] >> Oh, right here. Okay. So, on 314.01 [Music] disciplinary suspension without pay. Um the this verbiage will go into um 3140
and doesn't really >> 3140 and 314. >> Can we talk about 31401? Can we talk about it? >> That's that's where I'm at. Oh, that's where I'm at. So B, I was suggesting
that we put that back in where the superintendent shall notify the board of actions taken. Um that way there can be discussion prior to um actions being taken from the board. Um
it gives us the option um trying to tread lightly here. Um so that things can be discussed with the board prior. >> So I just want to tell you that most districts have that language. So it's
not really treading lightly. It's it's so that we have good communications with the superintendent. >> I meant for the situation that >> Yeah, the situation. So Oh, no. I know that. So I just wanted to say a little something maybe before we
dive into this. You know, I was thinking about about this a lot in the last month. You know, courage isn't just in a battlefield, right? Courage happens in emergency rooms, on the streets with our police. Courage happens in courouses, in
classrooms. You know where courage also happens is in our schoolboard meetings and it it needs to happen because we make really really tough decisions and we might not always get them right. And so I feel like
um the discipline issues that came up in the last month, you know, we were given appropriate responses from the district on how to deal with it from the board side. um had questions as a board of how we handle our discipline.
You know, the the outrage of the community prompted for me a larger discussion that maybe to meet our needs when it comes to teacher discipline, we need to have collaboration in some of these special cases. Um you know,
superintendent, whether they're elected or not elected, we still have to talk to each other. We are all part of that formula and at times the board may or may not agree with the superintendent. But when we have volatile subjects,
subjects that affect our community deeply, more input, having things on an agenda so the board has the ability to discuss it. That's it. That's what that's what we need to be doing is having the ability the courage to discuss because
sometimes policies are so wide open it doesn't really include the simple concept of what's right and what's wrong. You know, policies are very broad sometimes and ultimately as a board, we're responsible for any decisions that
are made in the district and we're held accountable for the structures of those policies and how it relates to how we decide our decisions. So basically there needs to be collaboration and I certainly do not
want to take power from the superintendent to do all of his things he needs to do with regards um there are many different things he makes decisions for us but sometimes things might come up where the board and the only time we can ever talk to each other is either at
an agenda or a workshop. So sometimes when it comes to these complicated issues that might take some courage to resolve, at least giving the board the opportunity to weigh in like we always have under our human um you know human
resource action A, action B, action C. Um so we just want to make sure that we have that ability to have a discussion in confidence at meetings. That's where I come from. I'm not saying anybody made right or wrong decisions, but I can tell
you it opened my eyes to wanting to make sure we make the best decision and I think the board is part of that ultimately responsible for that. So what madam chair was saying like in 3140 all the school boards have that there for a
reason. And in 3140, um, we haven't talked about that one yet by itself. That's common language. I actually have here four different counties that have all of this language in it. And that it wasn't struck out. And if we read through it, I think we'll
understand why. I just wanted you to know where I come from on that. That sometimes more people working together to solve problems that are more complicated makes sense to me. Miss Skipper.
>> Uh well, so let's focus on 3140.01 real quick. So line B. >> Uh M Mr. Albero, are you good with putting that back in? >> Yes, ma'am. >> Uh Miss Hansen. >> Yes, >> M. Clark.
>> 3140p. >> 314. This one. >> 31. This one. 3040.01D. >> I mean, I'm not sure why it was removed. Obviously, we had discussion before. Um,
in a sense, we were all given the opportunity to discuss this with the superintendent, all of these issues as well as HR. So, fine by putting it back in because we're not doing anything different. So
>> I think there was discussion after the discipline had already taken place. This would be discussion before the discipline had taken place >> and we had an opportunity to discuss before so on an individual basis.
>> So I'm fine with it going back in. It doesn't matter. This would also give us the ability to put it on an agenda so that we can discuss it as a board whereas before we were not able to do that. >> I understand.
>> I don't read it that way. Um it's our the the disciplinary actions taken are on our agenda and you can discuss them but um it's legally advised that we are careful about that because when B is removed he does not have to
discuss underneath this policy any actions under 5 days when you remove B which is why we were in the predicament that we were in at the last school board meeting because action had already been taken. and we were not able to discuss it as a board
because it was not an agenda item. If we discuss this individually, that's one thing. But if there is consensus individually to put it on the agenda item as an agenda item, we can discuss it as a board. Okay? >> That's the purpose of putting B back in.
>> Okay. >> Whereas last time we did not reading it that the superintendent would notify us once the action is taken, but you're but it's different. Mr. Blocker, do we need to change that language to board taken?
Ma'am, that's up to y'all as a board. It's ultimately y'all's policy. Um, what when this was reviewed by Niola originally um that was taken out. Obviously, there have been some recent issues that have come up and y'all have evaluated that and and um but ultimately
um yeah, there's some matters that y'all are not really not going to want to, you know, when there's discipline there. There's a lot of discipline that takes place that y'all probably do not want to review at your level. That's why it's delegated down to the superintendent. It would be create a lot of work for y'all. uh when you have situations like this
where it's risen to this level, you know, this is all incumbent on on both the superintendent and his role and y'all as a board working together, but ultimately, you know, it's it's y'all's decision if y'all want to adjust the the language and and go back to the
original. asking when we discussed this before and there was language we were discussing to put back in this giving us the ability to be able to discuss it and put it on an agenda item like I'm saying
we said that this line would do that but I don't want there to be workaround because it says when take or uh shall notify the board of action taken so that doesn't necessarily mean before or after. It just means when action is
going like being taken. So is he going to tell us before it's being taken or after? Because you can interpret it two different ways. So do we need stronger verbiage? So >> recommendation recommendation is >> but before the recommendation or >> he recommend to us and then we make the
decision. >> So I know I didn't know about some of the things that happened. I did not know ahead of time. I mean I don't know why I would have. I know unless someone told me because we don't talk to each other. I absolutely did not know about what the
district decided and under normal circumstances I don't need to know. I mean he makes all kinds of decisions that we don't need to know about. So I I understand I think what you're you're getting at is we need when it's something I was just to say really
important we need the opportunity to be able to discuss it everything. No. >> Correct. >> But I would I would need to know >> to discuss it as a board, not with the superintendent >> on something. You know how we have
actions that have been a lot less than the one that currently just went by. We've had that before where it's on there. This is the human resource action and we have opportunity to discuss it. That's what I'm saying needs to happen. not on every single thing, but maybe
it's something it could be handled between the board chair, whomever that is, and the superintendent to decide on the ones that are a little bit more volatile. Should it be on the agenda or not? I mean, to at least we would know about it ahead of time and the board
chair and the superintendent could decide whether or not they want to put it on the agenda. >> So, I guess my only concern, and Mr. Walker can help me with this. Um, from my understanding, the way that it's decided whether something goes on the
agenda or not is purely by policy and past president. So, if something doesn't reach that level of disciplinary action, it doesn't come to the board. Kind of like with student discipline, how we see only expulsions. We don't see every suspension, right? So, I'm thinking that
it has to do that. And then my concern would be if you break policy or you break past precedent and you treat one employee differently than you treat other employees for the same disciplinary action that that might put us in >> but the policy doesn't read the policy
is wide open. It has no clarification. >> Well, and just and just to go to to um to answer both y'all. So to go to u Mrs. point. So now I was going to make you all aware of this. you have an employee that was um disciplined and terminated and they've hired a law firm who's now
wants to have a 3-day hearing with y'all and I'm going to make a recommendation to you all about the layers. So, so the challenge is a lot of times y'all as a board are we almost want to shield y'all for so there has to be different layers of decision making. So, I think the way the policy was originally written was
written in a way that provides delegates some of this to the superintendent, not to put him on the hot seat, but uh some of the decision-m would fall on the superintendent. So, the board in some ways could be removed from it because y'all are not here dayto-day. You're not working here full-time. You're not in the heat of the moment, right? So, that
would so there's a policy that kind of delegates that down to the superintendent. Now, I think what Mrs. Hansen saying, I'm coming back to you, man. What Mrs. Hanson is saying if I understand it correctly is sometimes there are instances that are unforeseen. You know it's it was hard to predict some of these you know very politically
charged situations that came up and that in the public you know raises questions about how is this being handled how is the board handling it. So the the normal course was followed and the normal procedure was followed was investigated but maybe members of the public are not
satisfied with how that went down. So there might be a way in the policy to address it where there's a threshold where it's a have an issue of great public concern or something like that. I've spoken to the superintendent about some language like that where maybe that would be a trigger. Now we'd have to define what that would be, right? Cuz
it's hard to foresee what issues of great public concern would be the way it is in your policies now. If a an employee creates an environment where it creates dysfunction or hinders the operations of the school district, then there's actions that are taken. So
that's kind of the trigger. If you if you disrupt the actions of the, you know, superintendent, it brings you repute or just all sorts of, you know, thing. An example of this is not to not to get too adult here. there was a uh school district where a teacher um you
know had an adult um you know had a side business on an adult entertainment site, right? So that became a big a big issue, right? So, you know, became a a an issue with that school district. So, they were able to take action and fire that um employee based on that because it was
hard to parents or find an outlet. So, I I think what what's hard in this situation is defining and going to your point, Mrs. go housing. We really want it quantified in our policies so it's consistent across the board cuz that's where it creates more of a legal challenge where you know we are going to
be some of these decisions are going to be litigated and and one is is about to be litigated and one of the reasons why you know I believe we'll be successful and our outside council believes we'll be successful because you all as a board and the superintendent staff operated appropriately handled it appropriately.
Um but when we have kind of disparity in how we implement our our policies that work can create some challenges. So maybe so maybe for y'all as a board is trying to define what are those issues of great public concern that that maybe the superintendent should you know this
is this is an issue that I need to bring to the board because it's of great public concern. It's outside the normal course of of discipline issues. >> So Mr. blocker. If we're going up based off of this logic and the logic that Miss Gilhousen just stated, then prior to us accepting this policy, we were
inconsistent cuz I guess we didn't have a policy cuz there were times where we were given 5 days no pay, 10 days with pay. I think >> they were all inconsistent. Now that we have this policy, it is now we don't see
those anymore because if it's under 5 days, but the problem is is now we are leaving that uh great public concern and or this is a prime example. you guys didn't think that the last one was of great public concern when it was
depending on different platforms you were on. Um, and the emails and the text messages and the things that some of us received that others did not. That's up to your interpretation. And now it's gone further and we may or may not have
have acted appropriately. So my point is when things like that happen, I think that if you're not upholding our code of conduct, a standard within uh what we as a board set and expect as our employees
here, um that we as a board, again, not every issue, but here's the thing. Let's say Mr. Broski's not here anymore and it's the next superintendent. What if he doesn't have a moral compass like Mr. Broski? What if he doesn't have a
standard like Mr. Broski does? And then we're just allowing this to be open for interpretation. And we've got God knows who working for us and doing things. >> You could say the same without the school board. You don't know how it's going to change. >> Correct. But you're you are also held
accountable to voters and the governor and all of these things. And we also have five people that correct there's five and not one. >> We have a big concern with lawsuits and we have a big concern with the fact that we don't do the day-to-day operation
and we have to trust our superintendent. We have to trust our HR department. And when we we pay council to review these cases, we have the opportunity to talk to everyone in this district.
So I don't I don't see what the issue is. >> And I had as many people I had as many people calling to support this individual. In fact, more so. >> So you know, it's all it's back to interpretation, but lawsuits are key.
>> Well, that's what I said. depends on which board member because I didn't have one call me to support it. >> There you go. >> Not one. >> And that's why we probably as a board could never agree properly on an action where the district can.
>> I do know there was many different actions that could be taken. Nobody's saying I just know that in the end what we did may not have been the best action. there's many things that superintendents and human resource can
do many different options right and when it is I would say maybe teacher student trust if defined if you're looking at the the leadership the professional standards for the state of Florida if we were to put a case in front of what the
state of Florida looks at in order to judge a teacher that might give us some guidelines as to what type of things the board should talk about because honestly I understand what Miss Clark's saying but I actually didn't know about it
until after. So there is a problem. Uh 30 3139.01 when it talks about discipline says the school board retains the right and the responsibility to manage the workforce. All I'm asking is that we have an
opportunity to take part in that and how we define it. Maybe we do just need to look at those through a different lens. Maybe the lens of the state of Florida. I don't know. Is it something we need to think about and come back to, bring some ideas about how we could refine
um that part, but I do know in my heart I don't think we got it right and we just need to be able to talk to each other. I understand what Miss Clark's saying if in fact I always knew ahead of time. It absolutely makes sense and I
believe I have people because of free speech on both sides that talk to me. But that's really not the issue I'm talking about. I'm talking about when it's something deeply concerning to parents and it does involve students that we have an opportunity to weigh in.
So, Mr. Blocker, is there that lens that the state of Florida will look at versus how we looked at it? Is there a way to I don't know, Madam Chair, if we could come back to it and get some of that language to put in there. What do you think? >> Yes, ma'am. I do. And I I'm sorry, Mr. Broski's been
>> So, so, so a couple of things. One, we we should probably refrain from talking about the employee since that's currently being litigated right. So, I would I'm in favor of adding the language, okay, and having that discussion because I recognize the board would want to have information along
that way. So, I, you know, I appreciate that. So I'm not opposed to adding language but I I do I do say that um the purpose of that language just so we understand the concept here is discipline should be timely right just wait a month to discipline a person so
most of us know that when we have even our own uh family you would discipline your child right away you wouldn't wait a month to discipline your child the actions taken so the purpose is the timeliness and the effectiveness of it and So if I can just kind of remind or
just kind of give the board a sense of what actually happens so you understand the complication here. So when when an information is given that there was an infraction by an employee to anyone right like when you give that
to me my first action by statutes to give it to HR they're the investigative agency when they take down the schools they then part of their job they got many jobs evaluation salary all kinds of stuff but discipline is clearly in their
in their wheelhouse right they're the people do the investigating And part of the investigating is to interview the people that are involved. So the witnesses directly and their role is to substantiate facts. What are the actual facts? What can be
proven in this particular case? They research past president. How have similar cases or right cases been handled? You can't discipline a person with one consequence one time and then a totally different consequence the next
time if they're similar in nature. Right? So there's a comparative analysis that goes with cases in order to determine what is the appropriate consequence. They consult legal advice including our labor attorney or other
firms related to it because of the litigation piece of it. They then file that to the state for the state to review it. So all of this is going on. They research the employment history because the past history of an employee
is factored. For example, the person has two or three discipline instances and has never had a dis incident. There is that is part of the factors that go in. So all of that's done and then it's brought forward as a recommendation.
Right? Now the recommendation is important because in a case where the recommendation is such all of those things are done by those people uh through the guidance the superintendent and then it's brought forward as a recommendation
that the real challenge in situations like this is if you go against the recommendation and say you disagree with the recommendation I don't like that recommendation I want to recommend something else you by nature open yourself up to litigation. And the
reason why that is is because if it is litigated and the board takes a a different consequence and they bring that forward, what's going to happen is they would bring forward me probably
that's what I would do if I was the attorney. I'd bring forward the superintendent. I'd ask the superintendent, what did you do? Okay, we interviewed these people. We substantiated these facts. We consulted our labor attorney. We looked at past precedent. We reviewed the statute
contract language. We looked at the employees history. And this is the decision that we came up with in a comparative analysis. Again, we did all of those things. And they're going to say, "Well, why did you recommend that?" Well, here's why we recommended that. Why did the board
recommend something different? I don't know why the board recommended something different. So it creates a real >> explain that >> it kind of it kind of it kind of >> conduct I mean there's there's a whole list of things
>> right >> that could have been explained >> right but but there's a re I guess what I'm trying to point out is the very people that have expertise in the area make the recommendation off a wide range of factors when you go against that
recommendation it opens yourself up so I think it's best if we had that conversation before so that we know if this is going to be one of those cases that rise to that level or not. And I think putting the language back allows
the opportunity to do that. Well, I I agree, but we're going to have to revise the language a little bit more because the way the way if you go back to it, and I I agree with your point, I think it's and to answer your point, I think really to answer all y'all's questions, you really want to create a scenario
where these conversations are happening before because we don't want a scenario where a decision is made than y'all as a board, which ultimately ultimately y'all as a board are accountable and and have have the ability per statute to do it. But we want to create a scenario where
we're not feeding the trial bar where they can litigate against us based on these decisions cuz you know you're going to have different law firms who are dealing with one now where they feel that they this has created opening for them to challenge it. Everything was done appropriately. The staff did a
great job. Y'all as the board did a great job. The superintendent did. We're going to be successful in that. but maybe putting language in it beforehand that the you I'm just as I'm looking at it, the superintendent um shall notify the board prior to any um final action
being taken. And that creates an opportunity where if the board members are hearing from constituents and maybe there's additional facts that the staff does not have or the investigative agency doesn't have, that creates an opportunity to to get to those facts. One of the things that was unique about
this situation, I don't want to get into the specifics of it because I'm sure we'll be dealing with some litigation at some point. There was information that came out later that I was not aware of. I don't think Mr. Bronk or some of the staff were aware of. I can't speak for everyone's knowledge, but some
information has and that that happens, right? There there's always going to be people mining social media and I heard this and this. So creating language where the superintendent shall notify the board prior to actions being taken or final action being taken. That way it
creates a discussion prior to where it's not an after the fact where then y'all are put in a position where y'all are having to go back and overturn it and it creates that scenario. I do agree. I think um I mean I don't want to create legal strategy for people watching this video
but I think I think that does create a real concern about we don't want to a scenario where the staff is being used against the board where the board is reaching a different conclusion than you know he's being deposed and asking about um not saying that would happen here but I think so I think madam chair to your
original question I think all of you all kind of touched on it I think crafting language that would require or the the superintendent to bring it to y'all's attention. Y'all can also look at some language if if it's an issue of and I was using the terminology of a matter of great public concern cuz it's hard to define what that would be. This this is
a very unique situation. I used an example of of of the other school district where they had a teacher that was on some adult entertainment site cuz that's bizarre. That's not anything any of us really could contemplate. It just happens, right? So in that situation
that board and that superintendent were faced with a very difficult because it was completely removed from the school. Nothing happened in the school district. There was no commentary in the school district. It's just this second level of employment is not consistent with the value system of of teaching. >> You see what I'm saying? That could be
interpretation cuz what if you had a a different superintendent who thought there was nothing wrong with that? >> That's so using that verbiage. I I actually like the verbiage you just said before final action is taken. >> I agree. I think that's much better than than tiptoeing into muddy water.
>> Correct. >> Because then that leaves it up for >> I'm in I'm in agreement with the language >> prior to any action taken I think would be >> prior to final action being taken. >> So is it okay if I just read out loud just make sure everyone understood. So it would read So we'd go back to to
section P and this is of um sorry. This is of uh 10 1012 sorry I'm sorry this is 31401. So B which is there's A and C. So we bring back it would be the superintendent shall notify the board
prior to any actions being taken for final action >> or final action or final action. >> Yeah. >> We would have interviewed done all right sort of stuff. >> Absolutely. And that could be an opportunity for the superintendent with HR to to ask board members, y'all are
being contacted by constituencies. Is there maybe information that we don't have? That that's that's that's that would be, you know, again, you want to be careful because we don't want to turn HR investigations into public, you know, public opinions, but but also there may be information that came out that we
were not aware of or someone may have had an interaction that was important to to notify. So I think that would that would protect us legally as well. It would be hard to argue with that from a policy standpoint if if we were sued over that or say look it's it's
reasonable that the investigative body and this happens all the times. I mean judges you know law enforcement goes to judges get warrants to do further investigation. There's there's a conversation that's had that's completely appropriate in our system of justice. No, >> and I I want to make sure we say prior
to any final action being taken because to your point, Mr. Bowski, we don't want to slow down >> the process. So, you know, just before there's a final decision, notifying the board would be sufficient >> after we get all the facts of everything.
>> So, Miss Mr. Al and then us three are good with it. >> Yes. Um, where are we adding that? Didn't you say we have to add for B on 40.01, but you have to also add
it to 3140. >> Um, >> where >> on the second paragraph said, no employee may be suspended from duty except by superintendent board. At the end of that par paragraph, we should
add in the same exact language that we just read. And that would that would help you. >> Yes, ma'am. The the only other thing to to me to clarify and I'm sorry for speaking out of turn is is a manner I would I would suggest leaving it broad
open. So it could be you know I would not try to define it further as far as that's in a board meeting. Um that could be because there might be a one-on-one meeting that would be required based on the circumstances of it that would require more than a phone call. So, I would leave it open open-ended as far as what that communication level is and
then we can fine-tune it as need be if that makes sense. >> Kelly, >> I got it. Yep. Um, we want to make sure Miss W checks to see there probably is the same language in the support.
>> Oh, yeah. Yeah, we'll look at the support. >> I will I will go through and If the board is um >> because HR the discipline we have the different policies so you'd want to be consistent. >> All right. So is that what the board
would like to see? >> Yes. >> Consistency across all Okay. >> And we'll have to go through the notification period and >> advertise it. >> Advertise it. >> So we have about a 30-day window before we would but there's nothing precluding those. you know that if we have an
incident tomorrow in the spirit of this >> sure >> you know we can go ahead and kind of start with >> well knock on wood no answers tomorrow >> thank you just leave that out >> absolutely I was going to plan to do all three
>> is there any further discussion or anything that the board wants to talk about or put on the agenda or I just wanted to see if we could get a schedule to maybe start looking at some of the parts of the um student code of conduct as a board. We've never done
that. >> Do you want to like pick the topic itself? >> Can I get can I get with you like go home and look through it and see >> we can we can add that to the next agenda or whatever the specific >> my pieces and you can let me know if it's like >> one thing is enough for that meeting or
whatever we can talk about. >> Okay. >> Okay. >> Perfect. Anything else? So you'll contact him then? Yeah, >> just to make sure I've got all the details. >> Be able to gauge whether or not it can how much time it would take maybe. I don't know. >> Okay. Thank you.
>> All righty. So, that's it for board discussion. We'll go on to you want to do the agenda or >> let's do um let's do school advisory council if you want. Uh we have Jennifer Collins here. Just a quick setup. when you get set up. You know, one of the
things the board said is, "Hey, let's make sure that we we really focus on the engagement of our community." Uh, so we really ramped up several things. You saw our our community presentation that we gave with Miss
McMillan and now you have in that role talking about all of the ways that we integrate with our folks. In addition to that, you know, you see me always talking about what the district has done and you can see the graphic that's up on the screen, talking about being an A
district, our graduation rate, our um where we rank in comparison to other I guess the point I wanted to make today a little different is there's a lot of work behind the scenes that causes that to occur. Uh and a lot of things that
occur um that people aren't aware of. One of those is our school improvement walks. So, you're gonna get a quick description here from Miss Collins who leads the work. >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Rosski. Good morning, board members. Thank you for allowing me to speak for a minute. So,
what you have um in front of you um in your packet is the composition of all the school advisory council members. And so, the school advisory council or SAC is a council of that meets at every single school. There are a variety of
stakeholders on these councils including teachers, support staff members, parents, community members, faith-based partners, and in high schools even students. And so this is a group um that meets at least quarterly at each school and discusses the school improvement
efforts that happen at the school. And like Mr. Broski said, uh we conduct school improvement walks at many of our schools. We've done 30 to date this school year. And what that is is we have a team of us from the district that goes in and offers support. We walk
classrooms collaborative collaboratively with teacher uh excuse me with the administration and see just the things happening in the classrooms based on the information that we see. We look at their school improvement plans. we consider the um the input from all of the stakeholders and just develop some
collective action steps and ways that we can support the schools in moving forward to ensure that we're having just these fabulous results that we see in Klay County. And so, um again, the role of the SAC then is to continuously help monitor and implement the strategies and
provide different supports to the school. So, uh, not only is this a way, um, for us to be in compliance with our schoolboard policy and with state statute, but also like Mr. Broski said, just to involve our families and community members. So, it's exciting to
look at all of our SAC memberships and just see um all of the involvement that we have in our schools towards working together towards these efforts. So, thank you. >> She's modest. The school improvement walk is a two two to three hour venture
going out in classrooms. >> We usually will split up as groups. We go in using a very calibrated walkthrough instrument. People always ask, well, how do you know that's happening in the classroom? It's pretty simple. We're there to see these
things uh and we keep track of that data and go into the classroom. But then you would use that data and the observations of of two to three different groups that go into the same classrooms to look and then make the determination as to action steps and how do we improve, right? Cuz
no matter how good you are, you can always improve. That's that's the bottom line. You'll never reach nirvana in educational data work. So we just always looking for that next step. So there's several things we do in order to ensure
that success and you know ensuring that success becomes more and more difficult. I don't know if the board recognizes but the state has increased the bar but raise the standard again uh this year and will probably in the next year also do that. So you have to perform better
each year in order to receive the same ranking and the same grade that you always have. So it's kind of the the name of the name of the game. So, any questions on on that? >> I have one. >> Sure. >> Could a board member attend a school
improvement walk? >> Sure. >> Yeah. >> I'd like to see that process and >> understand what you guys are looking for while with you after because there's one coming up. You might be interested. >> Thank you. >> That would be pretty intimidating.
>> What I think you're >> Do I need my seat belt? Yeah, when we were on sack at the elementary and junior high, um that was the question that always came up. You know, we're already we've improved so much.
How can you, you know, without raising the bar, improve even more. It was tough >> for sure. Kelly, can you pop up that other presentation? One of the things I might do before going over the agenda is do a quick do a quick budget overview.
So, if you look up at the screen, I'm going to kind of give you a five minute version of budget because I I always say to uh to my wife Sue, I say, "Hey, when is it just going to be like an easy year?" And she just looks at me and laughs. And I said, "What are you
talking about?" Well, since since I've been around, we've closed schools. We've had arguments uh in public about masks or no masks. We we've had all of these books, you name it, right? There's all kind every year something new and certainly this year the new thing which
has always been a thing is is the budget that's the new challenge that we have. So if you remember I kind of show you this graphic basically said ideally just like at home you have to be making more money than you spend. >> It's not any different for school
districts. It gives you a breakdown of where the money comes from. I I think it's kind of interesting that the majority of the money comes from the state, not from local taxpayers to support education in Klay County. Uh unfortunately, the challenge was that
the expenditures exceed the revenue. There's only two ways to get out of that issue. One is to get more revenue. The other is to to spend less, right? Really basic stuff. And that's what we we're working on this year. So if you look at
it, remember this the story that I told you at the beginning of of May. We started the process with no fourth calculation. So school districts base their budget for the next year off of the information that the state gives you as to where you end up in fourth calculation.
By the way, still have not given us a fourth calculation. School districts and that has never happened in the history of the state of Florida. So when I talk about the the budget, I want to kind of paint the picture so you understand that some these are some of the things that
have never happened before in the history of our state related to this issue. The second bullet point is the state didn't disperse their last payment. They simply said to districts, we've run out of money and we're not
giving you your last payment. That's $47 million statewide. So good question that I'd be asking and I hope all viewers ask is how is it that you get to that point state and you say we don't have the money to
pay you anymore the $47 million prorated to Klay County that's 647 because uh of student population in our county versus let's say Miami Dade or Hillsboro or another larger district. So, one of the challenges and one of the
reasons why that occurred is because the state had roughly 25,000 students duly enrolled on paper in the public school system and in a voucher program somewhere across the state. That's a lot of students that
need to be accounted for properly. In addition, if you recall, federal funds were initially withheld for months for title 1, two, three, and four. those were uh reinstated at a lower rate uh later on down later on down the road.
So if you recall also we talked about enrollment didn't meet projection last year previous year had a cost of 3.1. >> Can I just ask about the title one? >> Sure. When it comes in at a lower rate, >> then you just have to make cuts of AC across. How did
>> you would have to readjust the B budget for that category in order to compensate for that loss? >> All right. So, you just had to take it away from >> take it away from >> from something >> from that program. >> Okay. Sorry. I just wanted to >> It was a slight decrease. it wasn't like
a little money. >> Uh in addition FRS, by the way, FRS has gone up every year for the past four years that I've tracked it. This year's additional price tag is $1 million. Then you see the increased vouchers impacting
Klay County schools by about 30 million $30 million. The graph that Kelly's going to show you kind of shows that, right? So you don't have to be a rocket scientist to see what's happening. you know, you can see it now to $29.5
million. So, it's over $4 billion statewide. And you'll notice that in 2324, you start to see this really dramatic proliferation of vouchers.
>> Is that is those almost $30 million counting from 2017 up to now? Not $30 million in one year. >> 30 million one year. one year. >> In one year, right? So, if you're if you're wondering why we're talking about the budget,
wonder no more, right? It's it's like you could see right there the amount that that is going out this year would be 30 million. So, I never did that, but that'd be an interesting math problem to add it across >> and see what that number would be because that would be the total over the
years. So, prior to new legislation, it was just things like the Hope Scholarship, the McKay scholarship. >> Originally started off in the 1718 school year for disabled students originally. Um, the McKay scholarship was for bullied >> uh individuals and then as each year
went by, the legislature tweaked the law to allow more people to be eligible. So in 2324 is the year where it took off the cap on income. So you could be you could be a millionaire
in the state of Florida and receive uh a voucher to for your child to attend a private school. Okay? So I I don't need to tell you I'm the public school superintendent. So you know my thoughts on all of this. I made
it clear what my thoughts are and I don't I don't really care, you know. So I'm going to say it publicly. Okay, this is taking money from public education. I don't know how to say it diplomatically. That's what's happening, right? So when you look at our budget, then we have to
then make adjustments for that. So Kevin, you can go on to the next page. The revenue portion of that, the last budget was 78. Inflation was 2.9% or it's currently 2.9%. That's a loss of about $14
million. How about this one? TSIA, which is the teacher salary initiative, was reduced by the legislature 55% from the previous year. >> Okay. The TSIA teacher salary initiative funds were reduced by 55% from the
previous year. So the previous year was 2.7 million. This is the money that the state gives you specifically in a categorical to pay uh to help out pay teacher salaries and 1.2 that's a loss of 55%
or actually you're round about 56%. >> I mean they they give us the money to maintain that first year teacher salary every year and this is just the little bit they gave for everybody else right >> this is the this will be the additional money to pay uh any compensation increase.
>> Okay. Okay. So, zero increase in funding for safe schools and mental and mental health. You know, this is not just a a Klay County thing. This is happening across the state. In fact, there was a news blast uh yesterday that I saw Broward
County, you know, recently announced looking for $85 million in their budget now. So, I I think we were proactive in an attempt to to uh stave this off in May and we've done several things in
order to do that. Uh Kelly, if you go ahead and advance here are all the things that we've done so far and more in order to in order to write the expenditure piece of that. You have to you have to cut expenditures, right? If the state is not going to give
you more money, which they they they gave a slight amount more, the 78 that you that I talked about, and if inflation is 2.9, you're automatically $14 million in the hole to start with going out of the gate. So, I felt like
we were proactive in trying to address the situation early, but it's going to require the whole year to to a successful ending of of the school year. So, when you look at it, allocations,
82% of our budget is is people oriented. It's salaries, it's benefits, all of that. We're in the people business. That makes sense, right? It's what we do in the people business. So we went ahead and we prioritized students in the classroom and our employees. We wind up
reducing 240 some odd jobs. Uh as you guys recall that's very very just as an HR person that's like a a gut punch just as a that's that's really tough because I know we all care about our employees and at the same time you have to do what
you have to do. Just like at home if you're receiving less money than you're spending there's only two ways out. make more money or spend less. Those are the only two ways I have the problem, right? Or a combination of those two things which which we're currently working on.
So the reduction of allocations was huge. I'm very thankful for for all the folks involved in that. Uh you know, we we wound up coming out of that the best that we could. We had cooperation from everybody related to that particular
issue. I think most people saw that and said, "Okay, you know, just like at home in your home budget, you have to do that." We reduced district budgets by 20%. 20%'s a huge number. I don't know if you recognize how high that number is. When
people talk about a 10% cut, they gasp and they go, "Oh, 10%." 20% is is even larger. In order to get to a balanced budget, you either have to do the following. Reduce more allocations and
affect more employees or you have to have a combination of things to reach that amount. If we were to only reduce the budget by people, just people and did nothing else. We just reduced
people. That number would almost almost come just short like 960 960 people. That's that would be the cost that it would take to reduce the budget. Obviously, you can't do you can't do that, right? So, you have to look for a
way to do a combination of things in order to make a balanced budget happen. So, 20% let me just say this. When you look at 20% reduction across the board, there are categories that be very difficult to achieve 20%.
So the the one that I always use as an example because I think people can grasp grasp this really quick, energy, electricity is not something that's going to be reduced by 20%. In fact, it'll go up. You saw your energy bill at home. You
realize the rates have gone up. So, so you can't anticipate that 20%. Thus, the need for monitoring the whole year wrong, right? Because we go wrong. I know that Don really appreciates coming over here uh this year especially,
right? She came over to a very challenging situation. We renegotiated. She she questions that decision every >> Yeah. >> No, she doesn't. She does it with a laugh and a smile. Renegotiating cancel contracts. Probably the two ones that
are most noted are Penda and I ready and continue to look at all district contracts and renegotiate all contracts. We reduced staff travel, increased monitoring, did ROI. So you can see all of those things are going on right now,
but we recognize that that the heart of our community, our school community is our employees. And I think the board should recognize their past history related to this. So when you look up at the screen and on the sheet that you
have in front of you, you can see the the history of those salary uh compensation increases. You can see in the 1920 school year recurring increase 6.3 million. So let's let me remind the
board what a recurring increase is. So, if you buy something and it's a one-time purchase, it's it's over. >> You're reminding everyone in the county right now. This is really good. >> So, so when you look at salary, salary
is a recurring cost. Once you pay that cost one year, it compounds onto the next year and the next year and the next year. It never goes away. If you buy a product like you buy a school bus, okay, you bought the pro, you bought the product, when you're done paying for it,
that cost related to the school bus is over. You purchase it, okay? Salary is recurring. So the recurring increase in board in board contribution was in 1926.3. In 2021, as we're entering CO, it was
1.8. In 2122, it was 3.6 6 with a total compensation because we gave bonuses out of 8.7 $8.7 million in in 21223
it was 5.1 recurring that's straight salary increase and then you have 8.2 2 in total compensation. Um in 23 24 4.9
increase in recurring contribution from the board all of these are cumulative right it's you have to add them all up and I will at the end 2425 was 5.3 at the bottom you can see what what the
board has done when it comes to insurance $14 million. So, our insurance uh plan has not increased a premium on employees in over 6 years. That is unheard of, but it's one of those things
that happened behind the scenes. The only reason why employees didn't pay more for their insurance like most companies do across the entire United States, not just a Florida thing, uh is because the board paid $14 million to
prevent that from happening related to that. So, the total overtime is $49.5 million. By the way, because I am competitive, in case you didn't know, I'm competitive. That's two and a half times the all-time record for that
period of time frame in Klay County history. Okay. So, I think what what I wanted to do was just kind of point out to the board uh that when we've had the ability to do so financially, we've
invested in our employees because quite frankly, our employees deserve it and our employees deserve more. >> Let me just be clear. Our employees deserve more than what they're currently getting. You either have the money or you don't. It's always been my recommendation. The board has always
agreed that if you have the money, it should go to the employees. The challenge this year that's different is the availability of funds. And so I thought it would be important just to kind of give a brief overview for the board to kind of see that again related
to >> Mr. Superintendent, I appreciate you going over the budget with specific charts and plans because with all of the negative chatter, some people have misinformation. The information that we have has been
given to lots of folks and then it's kind of like playing a game of telephone. It becomes something it's not. And I tell you that I appreciate especially this little paper you gave us right here because I said to someone the other day who was very angry with us.
Yeah. I said, "Has it dawned on you we're telling the truth? We don't have the money." And I feel like that's super basic, right? We really don't have the money. And if we did, we would give it to you. So, I just had to say it out
loud with this group of people because for some reason your message is being missed among some groups of folks, you know. >> Yeah. I'm not going to comment cuz we're in a situation that we're in related to that. I I just wanted to bring some clarity and talk really uh simple street
language. Hey, when it's when expenditures are higher than revenue, there's only two ways to do it. Increase the money. I've explained to you how the how the uh the legislature has funded us. So you know that ain't happening, right? And so then you have to reduce cost. I
explained what we did to reduce cost but also wanted to tell you that you have a good record related to recent history. Also at the end I meant what I said it's not enough for our employees. We have to do better right. The question is do you
have the financial ability to do better or not? Mr. Mercy, I just want to say a few things. >> Sure. >> Did you or did any of us know um prior to January of what was it? Last
year, no year last can't keep track. >> Last year. >> Last year. Okay. That this was going to happen. >> That we were going to turn and have some cuts or that we were going to have to cut our budget.
>> Okay. So, I've had several people, >> if you recall, originally the the legislature didn't even meet until March, whenever that was. Recall the legislature did not end uh on time. They
did the recess and went back for overtime, whatever you want to call that, extended session. Okay? So, we really didn't even have an idea of revenue at that point. And if you recall, there was three wildly different budgets that were proposed. The House
budget, the Senate budget, and what the governor wanted for that. And then the legislature came back and darn near at the at the very very end that occurred. And in addition, the
federal government withheld the funds at at the same time. So, and they held the last payment uh from us. So there's a lot that happened at that point, but the answer to the question is there would be no way to predict >> all of those things. >> All of those things,
>> especially when they've never and they've never happened. Some of those things have never happened in the history of >> That's correct. >> Or the history. So, I think sometimes um or I know that um that information and
and it's really hard when people can't pay their bills and inflation's getting higher and milk has gone up and and toilet paper's $2 higher. Uh, I spend a lot of time, well, my husband spends a lot of time at the grocery store, but so we we pay attention to these things. And
so we get we get it and you have mouths to feed and it does break my heart as um someone who who votes on this and is trying to to find ways um and dig and but it's like and this is probably the worst example ever and I probably
shouldn't even say it, but it's like driving down the road and all of a sudden your engine blows up. It's a financial strain that you didn't expect to happen and now you have to find transportation. You have to find the means to be able to still feed your babies and and get to work and and pay the bills and do all of the things. So,
I think on top of all of this that we're having to face, we didn't expect this. So, therefore, we couldn't prepare for it. And I think that the district has done a great job. Um, like you said, other districts are trying to come up with $85 million uh with their budgets.
Some some are are in an even bigger financial hurt as far as their uh fund balances. So, um, but I also wanted to state too that with our salaries, thank you for doing
this. Um because like I said before when we had it we gave it and we want more than anything to have it to be able to give it but there was years where this didn't happen >> and we are having and I know this
because I had to put shoes back and clothes back and and things I wanted as a child because I grew up on a teacher salary like I I know these things. So there were years where there wasn't pay increases and we are trying to make up
for that in a in a time and in a um in an economy and a way that Florida is is last in pay and and all the things. And we're trying to we as a board have discussed openly many times whether it's
through policy whether it's on the board floor uh finding ways to be creative to help teacher pay to help have community relationships to help have um partnerships to help fund raise in our schools so that they can have additional
funds to do the things that they're doing. So, I just I I can't sit here and be quiet and not say that that we're just sitting here idling. There there's been overwhelming emails um there's been several that have actually individually
wrote me personal stories. I appreciate those uh so much uh that we can't respond to right now, but I want to just openly say that we hear you and we're not ignoring you. We're not saying that we don't want to help you. What we're
saying is this is what we've done. We want to continue to do this. This is where we are and we are trying to find solutions to get back to here so that we can continue to do the things that we're doing. There has been multiple
discussions that um well I'll try lightly there. There's just there we're trying to find solutions. There's been poor Dawn. She's we we've asked her so many different things in so many different ways and and and it's still the same answer. So, I
just want our staff and our teachers to know that we're not ignoring them. It really is that this is the situation. Um uh I also want to Yeah, that's what I want to say. >> So, so if I could, you know, we we still
I would emphasize or leave it or end it like that. We still have to do better. There's no doubt that that our teachers and our support staff uh and our administrators deserve better. And so there are are some comprehensive plans that we'll be discussing related to how
to how to reduce further expenditures so that we would have the availability to compensate our employees more and additional revenue sources potentially for that because that should be a priority. Definitely is. We live in a competitive world and so we have to
make, you know, I think that Klay County is a great place to work, but I also think that you also have to meet salary demands of people and so we need to find who do better ways to ways to do that. We're discussing that in the future. So, if I could, we kind of got a short
amount of time. We This is the uh the legislative priority piece. I do asked for the uh like a half of the format. This is what it came came up to be. We did include some of the money stuff we talked here's the TSIA about the SNAR
and what that is. And also just just the idea like when you look at transportation, the cost of transportation and what they funded at, it's kind of illuminating uh utility rates going up FRS contributions. So, there's little bits
of information on here, but this is kind of like with the finishing of a product that that you guys had asked for previously. And I'm going to go very quickly through the agenda because we had an executive session with with the uh sheriff's
department over safety security and we also have an executive uh session with our labor attorney. >> This is really beautiful. >> You can thank Okay, let me give a shout out. Trudy >> Trudy, you're awesome. Thank you. >> It's really really beautiful. Well done.
>> She does amaz. [Music] >> So, looking at the agenda, uh here's a some things just for your knowledge. Just a reminder, the November 6 meeting is also the organizational meeting for for the district. So, that's the uh
that's the meeting that we start off with. where the secretary of the board which by the way my statute superintendent the secretary of the board mute that secretary of the board goes ahead and the election of the chair and vice chair and the meeting times are
decided there I'll confer with Mr. locker on the procedure there and make sure that we're all good to go. That's usually a very quick meeting before we go into the >> and that will include the changes we made so we can attend like the FSBA. Yes. >> Like those dates. Okay.
>> In fact, uh >> if you make a note, let's let's send out the >> the calendar. Yes. >> Cuz there's two two dates that are different. The December one and the July 4th. >> July 4th. >> I think Miss Bonnie did send it out.
Well, did she send it out already? >> Yes. And she sent out the um I seen I just wanted to make sure cuz in the past, you know, we did calendars without really including the FSBA schedule. So, >> okay. >> Yeah, it's on there. >> Okay. Bonnie is probably going to text
me soon because she is watching. >> She is watching it. So, she's keeping me straight. >> So, so yeah. >> So, in the discussion agenda is the public hearing for the advertisement for the Neola updates. Remember, because they have a team of attorneys, every time the legislature meets, the
legislature comes up with new laws. We have to treat the policies. They were already put out for advertising. This is the actual public hearing to vote them in under the the provision. Most of the other items within the
agenda are routine uh in nature. A new one is the approval of the play education foundation board of directors. That's new. Part of the process is under their own audit is that you would look at those uh names. Nothing controversial
there. Meeting uh travel out of county personnel consent agenda. It's national education week and uh educational support professionals day. Uh proclamation in there related to that. elementary student travel
uh public hearing for modifications to the student progression plan. One of the things that happened is the legislature and the state board of education took away certificates of completion from from high schools. So that really
affects 1 2 3 4 five six different parts of the pupil progression plan. So, they're all related to that one issue of new legislation to make sure that it's correct and updated. Uh, there's a memorandum of understanding of Clay County Fire and Rescue for ride alongs
for students that are CTE that are in in the uh fire program, K12 out of out of county uh travel early college program with uh with St. John's River State
College. That's the articulation agreement. Another articulation agreement with the University of Puerto Rico for interns. School psychologist weeks coming up. Uh contract for mental health provisions through through our mental health
department. Those are mental health dollars. We do contract out some mental health work, proposed allocation changes, the monthly financial reports, budget amendments, all the usual stuff. and a
slew of stuff related to uh Bryce's shop of repairs uh for our various schools. Uh Orange Park High's gym and locker room renovations
as well as Lake Asbury uh junior high classroom edition, the reconciliation report. Orange Park Junior High is on there. Just a whole bunch of them you can read through. If you have any questions, you can contact me or or Bryce and we can answer your questions.
So, that kind of completes everything from for me. >> Mr. Bosski, can I add one thing for what Miss Bonnie just shared? >> Sure. >> She she would like to remind the board members that the December workshop is going to be held on Monday, December
1st, due to the joint conference being on December 2nd. >> Biden's keeping us straight from the farm. >> She is. She is. >> She added it to the email, too, Miss Hans. >> Okay. Uh, so
no further superintendent comment. >> All right. School board attorney comment. >> Uh, yes, ma'am. So, we have a one of the cases um involving instructional staff discipline has come up. the attorneys
that represent this individual has requested a essentially a hearing in front of you all as a board. Our recommendation is to to not do that. So basically the way it would work is it would go to the division of administrative hearings which is DOA. Um that is we believe the
most approp. They'll appoint an administrative law judge who will hear it. We'll have outside counsel provide it. Um, the reason I think that's advisable because they had requested 3 days of y'all's time to essentially
have this hearing in front of y'all. I think that would be challenging because, you know, there could be some questions directed to to y'all. We don't need to turn this into some political spectacle. If they're contesting the issue, my recommendation is just send it through the division of administrative hearings.
Let administrative law judge hear it. We feel very confident that everything was handled appropriately, that we can defend the actions that were taken and we can deal with that so we don't turn this into some political spectacle. Um, but I would just like to see if we can get concurrence from the board to to
move forward with that course of action. >> Mans I'm sorry I should have asked I don't know if the superintendent had anything to add to that as well. Oh no. So in that process um Mr. Walker would represent the board but we also hire
outside counselor handle case. >> Yes ma'am. So so we have consensus to move forward. >> Yes sir. >> Yes. Perfect. Thank you'all. >> Anything else? >> No ma'am I'll keep y'all updated as as things develop or if we have any more of these. I'll keep youall updated.
>> Miss Gilson comments. No. We have another insurance committee meeting this next Thursday and I think I talked to Miss Posie about an idea we want to throw out regarding self-unding
and utilizing it to its fullest potential. Um, other than that, I would like to see, you know, what you spoke about the shortage, I expect the same thing next year and and I would like to have a
budget meeting. I would like to see what as a board, you know, obviously we're not all accountants and doing the dayto-day, but I still think we could come up with some ideas, brainstorm maybe how we can
handle next year. So, I don't know when we want to do that, but should be sooner than later. >> That's it. Okay. Um, Mr. Ala, >> I want to say that for school school uh
employees and people are listening right now or they're going to listen to this video that our mission since I've been here for almost a year. I know our mission has been always for the betterment of the teachers, the students
and transparency has been one of the main purpose for this board. We being truthful and honest 100% and we will continue to be truthful and honest 100%. So there's no reason to not
trust us. We're going to keep working on better the betterment of everybody the best we can. And about what we talked about earlier, um I can say in this last year, uh I have
seen it myself that we take we trust you. We take uh obviously 99.9% of your recommendations in good faith. Sometimes we might disagree on things here and there and that's the purpose
for our earlier conversation and things like that. They're very controversial. Uh we want to have part of that and it's not for we want us as a poor to be able to get the credit for the good things
that we do. And also if we make a wrong decision, we're going to take the credit for that too. Doesn't have to be only you. You know what I mean? Uh, >> I just want to give a shout out to um Martin Offuk. >> Yeah.
>> So, I Many of you may or may not know that my grandkids were home with me for school for a while and my my daughter went to teach at Middberg High School. She absolutely loves it. Loves their principal who is principal of the year for Klay County. My they we all have
matching shirts. We stand in the end zone. They barbecue. It's like one big giant family. I've not gone yet with my matching shirt, but they um my youngest granddaughter started there as a freshman and um absolutely having a
great time. And then my granddaughter who is currently in 11th grade, she's going to have no more of this homeschooling thing. She's going to go to Middberg High in January. So, I just want to tell you that the whole family is having such a great time and I'm really proud of their principal. Um he
stands in the hallway one time my daughter told me he saw a kid. She he was having a really good conversation with my daughter and he's like hold on and he went running down the hallway because he thought somebody had a air but a bud in their ear and they might have been listening or doing something. So he's super engaged in trying to do
the best thing he can for those kids and it's really really fun for my family. So I just wanted to give that shout out that now all the kids will be gone from the house. It's not a bad thing. All right. And they'll all be in um person in public school to enjoy all the other
benefits that schools have to offer. So, >> it's great. >> Yeah. >> I just want to remind the board that um I sent the information to Miss Bonnie um about Clay Day. It's coming up. It'll be
in January. Uh it gets really cold over there, too, in that time of year. But um I encourage us all to go so that we can advocate uh for public education and advocate for for Clay County. Um I know
Mr. Broski and I go every year and we try um well I made multiple trips. I know he has as well. Um and then all over the state advocating for Klay County. So, um I think it would it would be great if we could all attend and
speak to our delegation, speak to other legislators, um our CFO will be there. um all all people present and and um wanting to hear from us and how things are
impacting our county and um and what's happening with us because I try every time I try to talk to to anybody and everybody that will listen um that has any form of of hand in change, I always say it's not a one-sizefits-all. And
it's so true. What they do down south is not what we do up here. what we do at peers, not what they do over there. Um, every county and every um area is unique. So, um, uh, I think we've learned that from CTE and the the AIDS
program and all of that. That is s super crucial here in Klay County. So, I think it would be a good idea if we could all try to go to that. Um, I I too want to make do a little shout out. Um on the other side, I can't believe I'm doing this because I went to
to Middberg, but >> Dr. Halter, Matt Mitch, Mr. Mitchell, all of um the staff over there lately spent a lot of time at Clay High, more than I think I feel like I ever have. Um >> I'm kind of jealous of Clay High actually. You know,
>> they're doing a lot of community outreach and a lot of community relationships. And I know that that's something that we've talked about as a board. uh one of our strategic plans is is doing that and I think that they do a really good job at that. Um I I can't
help I I don't want to ever not acknowledge that. Um and I I know we do that at at a lot of schools. Um but I think that they've um taken care of teachers there very well. Not that other schools haven't. I just I know that they're doing a lot more and reaching
out to do a lot more. So um it's exciting to see. Um, I've gotten a lot of invites over there to partake in in a lot of their activities. So, that was very nice and enjoyable. Um, like I said, to be part of. And then lastly, I just want to end on this. I know um I
had some conversations and some screenshots and text messages and and all the things about um I just want to make an announcement. I I know that uh our teachers know this, so I'm a little confused, too. If you guys are short supplies, I did contact um Clay
Education Foundation and made sure that we didn't have a shortage with the uh Garber Auto Mall and making sure that all of those supplies were stocked. They're ready if you guys need supplies. Um they're ready to donate. Um and that way you don't have to purchase them. You
can have them um and you don't have to bring them from home or do all the things. Um, so that's encouraging to know that we have a great partnership with them and and our teachers. With that, this meeting is adjourned. And we are