WEBVTT

METADATA
Video-Count: 1
Video-1: youtube.com/watch?v=hFiyUyh4TJ4

NOTE
MEETING SECTIONS:

Part 1 (Video ID: hFiyUyh4TJ4):
- 00:00:03: Meeting Call To Order, Roll Call, Public Comment
- 00:01:26: Approval of March 2nd Draft Subcommittee Minutes
- 00:01:59: Budget Questions: Admin Tech, Curriculum Replacement Plans
- 00:08:09: Reading Program Strength and Special Education Numbers
- 00:12:17: Postage Costs, Report Card Streamlining Discussion
- 00:17:17: Revolving Accounts: High School Cuts, Circuit Breaker
- 00:23:28: Sustainability Concerns: Taxes, Business, and Town Charter
- 00:30:44: Revolving Accounts and Title One Lost Money
- 00:35:22: Special Ed Administration vs. Classroom Support
- 00:41:41: Transportation Revolving Leasing and Sped Tuition Revolving
- 00:51:01: Class Sizes, Teacher Licensing, and ELL Questions
- 01:01:22: AI Spending, Subscriptions, and Yonder Pouches Cost
- 01:05:25: Cutting Budget, Budget Priorities, Preschool Subsidies
- 01:23:48: Budget and Finance Subcommittee Description Review


Part: 1

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Okay. Chair statement. This meeting is being recorded by the budget and finance subcommittee. If any other person's presenting or also recording, you must notify the chairperson at this time. Uh meeting called to order at 11:31 a.m. on

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March 23rd, 2026. Uh roll call. Oh, sure. our regularly scheduled technology um issue. Uh I hope everything is still okay. So back to that roll call.

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>> You just lost video. That's all. There's no video. I'm getting audio now. Wonderful. Oh, are we still recording though? Yes. Good. We are. Thank you. >> Here. >> Oh, Vice Chair Childs >> here. >> Secretary Web here.

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>> Okay. >> We are all present in the comment board. >> Okay. And next item, public comment. Um, we have a member of the public, Jimmy. Would you like to comment? >> Unmuted. >> Um, he can unmute himself.

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If you like >> um I'm all set. I'm here just to watch. >> Okay. Um if you change your mind and want to say something at any point, you can pop a message in chat, press the raise hand button. Uh just make yourself known. >> Thank you.

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>> Okay. Next item. Approval of March 2nd uh 2026 draft subcommittee minutes. Um >> still moved. >> Second. >> Okay. We have motions. Let's vote. All in favor? I >> I >> passes unanimously. Now on to the fun

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part. Um budget hearing questions. >> So do we have a list of questions? >> Well, I emailed uh Roland and Andy the kinds of questions that were coming up uh from my conversations with various people out and about in community blah

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blah blah. Um we have two. Okay, let's start with you then. >> Well, do we want to see what we have for questions? >> Sure. >> Do we have questions that were already asked and possibly answered?

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>> Um, I had a long list. >> Sorry, what? >> No, you asked. >> Do you want to email the list you >> Oh, well, should I email everybody? >> I just I don't want to like duplicate questions. member Gwin would be asking that you would also be just check them

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off of my list. >> That's what I'm saying. Just verbalize them. >> Perfect. >> Okay. So, take us away, Mel. I mean, >> um the admin tech there was a big increase.

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I was just wondering what that was for. >> Sorry, you got a line. >> I didn't write that down. >> Oh, sorry. because we went we went over it. It's I'm going >> I mean I assume that power school and that stuff but

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>> the baseline. Yes, it's >> the red one right here. And there's technology equipment. >> I can just >> so system software lease correct is the all related to the uh

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>> and I think you said switching over something and what is it? We're no longer in that but it's all related to the software contracts that overseas. >> Okay. And then the technology equipment one is a replacement of some

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I think is talk out here about the Chromebooks itself. >> Okay. I just wondered where that was. >> Yes, that's right. The smartboard. >> Okay. Okay. >> Let me keep going. >> Sure. Sure. >> I have this online.

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>> Okay. Is there a plan for like textbook or curriculum material replacements? I know there's money for that, but like technology, you know, you don't buy all the physics books and the chemistry books. You don't buy them all at once

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because you do it in a cycle. Does that exist? I know it used to not exist. So, I'm just asking. >> Yeah. >> Would you know anything? >> Yeah. So, the core textbooks, we do have money that we've included in the budget if

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there's anything replacement for consumables. Many of the curricula that we have now come with the digital platform but also have the consumables. So that becomes like an annual expense that we account for. But we're also trying to make sure

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>> if there's consumables that were not used this year, we're not ordering more for next year. So that process literally just started last week um by the principles and classroom teachers in each of the elementary schools, middle

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school, and high school to go through identify what they have, what they're using, and what they anticipate needing for next year. And then when we get that back, we'll do the same thing. Make sure there's any if there's anything that we have that they need that we go there first. Um,

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unfortunately, as you know, it's like sometimes when you order certain things, they come in like these set amounts, >> 20. >> So, sometimes we end up having a little bit of extra that we're able to roll over. >> Yep. >> Okay. >> But the renewals we've tried to stagger

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in the next few years, too. So, renewing the Amplify curriculum, I think, comes up in 208. And then, >> you've owned it for six years. What's that? >> You owned it for six years, >> right? And then the math one is the year ahead. I think that one's the end of

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2027. Okay. So that they're not all coming up the same year. >> Budget line. This would be in the assistant superintendence. >> Correct. >> Um does that mean that with the seeing what we're no longer using and needing that there be a chance that the real number will end up lower than what we

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currently have budgeted? >> What do you mean? So it have we budgeted as though we need to replace everything but then oh we yes yes so it could be adjusted it's like those are the >> so I'm not >> so like even this year like when we did

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go through a similar process last year this year there was one unit at one school where the um the core materials were starting to get beaten up so that they needed to be replaced. So, it

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wasn't the consumables. So, we have some contingency for those things when those come up. >> Um, right. Right. The the manuals, but also the unit readers that students are reading are expected like they don't go home with students at the end of the

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year, but students are using them. So, they start to develop some wear and tear. And when you're getting to year four or five of having it, you're starting to have to turn some of that. So, we have a contingency built in for that. >> I got one more because he just he went

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right into >> Wait, can I do a follow-up question first? So, your the curriculum that's 97 where it says textbook districtwide, that's curriculum as well. >> Yes.

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>> Okay. So, reading you know, I'm the I'm the literacy coach. I'm the person committed that every child should learn to read. I mean, I think it's a civil right. And I

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think when I look at I looked at our special ed numbers, I looked at our budget, if we actually had a stronger reading program, I think our sped numbers would decline a little bit.

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So, is there any additional reading and I know it's hard in a hard budget reading support or reading specialists in your budget? I think no, but I wanted to ask

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>> no additional correct. Yeah. But what you see here generally except for not generally except for the two positions that we mentioned is a rollover this year. >> Okay.

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>> So there no no additional reading specialists. Okay. to answer your question. >> Oh, there are some because there's some reading the teachers are learning different things, right? And there are >> Yeah. So, that has been a bit of the

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shift that we've made this year is to try to reinforce the structures that we have around literacy and literacy development so that teachers like one place where it's not in the budget because it's covered through

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a grant this year is AAL doesn't have a literacy curriculum right now they're piloting well not right now starting April 6 they're starting to pilot two prek literacy curricula um great first eight and Boston focus are the two that

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they've identified right but that's all through a grant right now so the c we're going to have a literacy curriculum at AAL beginning next year so that's a foundational piece that we've added. But what I've been saying is the structure that we're trying to set up now is

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right, we give the dibbles, which is a essentially a benchmark screener. So it's going to give you a broad range. And I think remember Goodman has said this a few times, right? I think our practice in the past has been like if you're below or well below you're

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getting intervention services but many of the same those students based on that we're getting the same services despite where their strengths or challenges might be right so now what we're doing is you have the dibbles the dibbles still identify the below or well below

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in in their reading ability then we give core or pass which is a diagnostic and starts to target what skills those students are struggling on. So then teachers can group them and interventionists, multilingual learner teachers, special

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ed teachers are all at the table about who's taking who. And we do have some, I would say, model classrooms, model grade levels where the classroom teacher in their intervention block has everybody at grade level. The interventionist is taking a small group, the special ed

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teacher, the multilingual learner teacher. We do have other places where the triangle is still flipped upside down. So the classroom teacher is working with a small group of students who might be below grade level but has a

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specific target and then has resources to to support those those specific gaps. So if the gap is in CVC words, they have specific resources that can target those students to to help build those. And then their progress monitoring weekly in

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UFly and then progress monitoring dibbles monthly to continue to figure out how do we reshape, regroup, reshuffle our group so that the students are getting what they need these just in time supports. >> So are you still doing assessments?

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>> Yes. >> So is MAP your universal screener or is Dibbles? >> Dibbles. Okay. All right. Okay. Um, so this doesn't have any extra positions for reading.

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That's what I was asking. Okay. Ready? >> That was it for my questions. >> I have a question on 209 for postage. Tim Stevens grouped school.

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>> Yep. We're talking mailing things out like we talking special education things out. Yeah. Yes. I'm asking what it is specifically because I didn't see a line for postage in special ed, which I know

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that when they mail things out, you also get a return with a stamp on it as well. >> Systemwide. Yes. System. >> Yeah. IP notices that go out, report cards, postage. >> Are we looking to streamline report

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cards to not have postage? I'd love to have that. >> So would I. I mean, we had this conversation. >> You know, I don't I don't see any reason. I don't, right? But I have heard reasoning from others who believe that we should mail, right? Um I believe in

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this day and age at specifically the high school middle school level where student or sorry parents can log in >> and see things in power school at >> you every level. There's a right there's a report card almost every day. Right.

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Kind of joke barring the quarters. You know the old quarters or halves, whatever we do >> at different levels. >> Yeah. I'd love to do that. Others believe that sometimes people don't get it, but I believe they do. >> Would I mean I I'm not saying that's

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going to cut millions of dollars, >> but it would save >> it would save something. >> No, I agree. >> Do we have the numbers on what that would save? Are we required? Um, this is going to be a really silly question, but a lot of the times I drop redrop off a

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lot of my like IEP signed stuff and I don't mail it back. >> Mhm. >> Do we still pay that 79 cents fee even though it doesn't go through the mail? >> If we if we >> like are we required to provide it a

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return a stamped return for parents? >> If it's in there, yes, it's already been well, I'll use the word paid for, right? the answer to your question. I don't know. I'll get you an answer. >> Okay. >> If we have to give this, >> like I said, a lot of the times I'll just put a lot I think parents either

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put it in their kids' backpack or they um drop it back off at central office. I'm not saying parents don't utilize >> Yeah. >> dropping it in the mail. I'm just looking at

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>> Yeah. So, >> I'm just looking at a number of >> Are we >> $22,500 worth of stamps, which >> Oh, my guess is >> they have a machine. >> I know it still seems like a lot of money. >> It is,

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>> you know, you can see they generally around 17 or something. >> But you're also got to look at it this way because a lot of people in Greenfield change their email address a lot of times. It's like their phone numbers. So, you're paying somebody to sit there and update email addresses as

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well. The only benefit of of mailing stuff is when they come returned, then you know that >> then you make a phone call to see if the people have moved. Um, it's kind of my own personal

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residency check. What we've so what we've >> no I'm not just I'm not just saying it has changed a lot of >> that's a good point. So what we've done that is at times and done that like you mentioned spor sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp sp spororadically on purpose

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a few times a year like >> well if you have a kid who has been gone for like 10 days yeah be sending a letter being like hey we haven't heard from you we've been calling where are you >> well no there's a lot of parents who don't don't understand school choice >> they think school choice means they can

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drop their kid anywhere there are a lot of parents in town who just drop their children in Greenfield out of school and they think their school choice choicing and sometimes the only way we find that out is with a returned envelope and a phone call that says, "Oh, I moved to

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Turners a couple months ago." You know, I mean, it's it's real. Um, and sometimes we have a seat so we can work it out, you know. Um, but those conversations need to happen because a lot of people really don't understand what school choice is. I mean, that's a

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big deal. So >> you have more questions you >> I don't >> No, the rest of mine is just like brainstorming possibilities. I don't >> Well, I apologize for the length of it. It came out of quite a few conversations I had.

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>> All right, go in. >> Okay, so biggest topic was the revolving accounts. Um, something that people really liked hearing was that the high school's cut wasn't really a cut, but funded by circuit breaker. And so a lot

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of people >> choice choice. Okay. Sorry, I got that wrong. Basically, people were interested in knowing what we were funding from where revol with the revolving accounts. >> Yeah, I think you can touch on some of

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that. One of the things we have to be concerned about with revolving counts, right, as we know, is when you take that once you take that out, don't get me wrong, as I've said, it's raining, right? It's a rainy day. They use it, but when you take it out, it's not going back up. And then when it rains next year,

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right, you're in trouble again and down the future for that. So, I know that he he will touch on some of the revolving accounts that we're using this year, the budget. >> Well, I can do that. I can >> I think that's what she was mentioning, right? because that's what you asked, right? >> Yep.

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>> You were asking for what we're using this year or next year. >> Well, no. No. Yeah. Next year's budget. >> This budget is right now. >> Yeah. Next year's budget. So, >> right. >> So, not double saying >> for we're using $20,000 out of the 262

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grant for a portion of a spare professional at North. >> Okay. We are usingund projected $171,930 out of title one for federal street staff. The

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interventionist >> uh two >> two interventions at federal street. We are projected $60,82 also out of title one for four corners

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one interventionists. That's that's that's with the 80% cut like or the >> No, that's a challenge that we're gonna This was built before knowing about the >> title one cuts, >> right? So, we're already at 140.

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>> Gotcha. Yeah. >> $186,112 for Newton School >> Title One. >> Intercurren title one. >> Okay. GMS 172,938 also title one

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ghs 156,614 out of title one and $500,000 out of school choice. >> What was the school choice? I'm sorry. >> 500,000 >> ghs

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>> ghs correct. You just messed up my plan. >> And then we have $820,000 out of the IDA240 grant for sped tuition. And then 1 million $527,398 out of circuit breaker also for sped

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tuition. Are we prepaying any of those? >> Nope. >> Can't get buy one get one free or >> just try it >> for transportation. $400,000 out of the

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transportation revolver. >> And that's it. >> You and I had like some of the same numbers. Okay. But it's already out of there. for next year >> 27 that no 27.

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>> So what I'm saying is in the numbers projected in that budget have you already taken the 400,000 >> correct? If you look at the power presentation those two slides that have >> that's just >> the balance sheet income statement these

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numbers are already reflected in the plan. >> Thank you. So >> revolving around sustainability another big conversation topic um >> so I can just uh in particular regarding

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that question so if you look at the plan and I say this is a plan as of right now and also quite honestly I know you asked in your thing about potentially going back historically I won't say it's a concern but the the challenge with going back historically is because we we had the Easter funds and so when those

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changed those allowed us to not use the revolving accounts as historically has been used. And I know that caused a lot of contention and stuff, but again, I challenge anyone to go talk to the desi school finance and the grants people because they they will give green field

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credit for using ESER funds. We did not create a funding. You know, if you've seen other districts, I think of LMO for example, that they frontloaded >> tons of personnel into their Easter grant and then when they built their FY25 and 26 budget, they had to let them

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all go. You know, we did not have to do that. what we did was wise in the fact that you know to we were able to as much as it might be perceived as hoarding money. We used the Easter funds for what it should be used for and then when things even within the Easter grants

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were not coming to fruition we were able to do the paradigm shift I say the legitimate shell game to use easter funds and build up those reserves. So that being said, regarding the question of sustainability, if all things going according to plan in FY27 for school

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choice in the sped tuition revolving account, we would be using current year receipts or current year expenditures >> and that's kind of a not best practice to say the least. >> Not Yeah, >> you're not surviving. >> It's not a recommended account practice.

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>> I mean Greenfield is as a city is gasping for its last breath. We're the third highest tax in the whole state of Massachusetts. Our taxes, I know mine went up a thousand bucks. We have are the lowest city in town for money coming

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in for businesses. The whole state. We're the bottom. Um, I didn't know that till the election process, but I I mean I wave at Starbucks and all these with happiness because without businesses coming in

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here, Greenfield is >> I agree with you. >> It's just tanky. And I found this out, you know, the in the city's charter like by there's the the requirement that whatever is used out of stabilization a

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prior year has to be replenished in the subsequent year. So that and I'm not saying that that's um in perfect times absolutely understand that but just like went back to like that was $2.1 million right off the top.

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So, you know, I would say maybe is it the possibility to look at amending your the town charter, the bylaws to sit there and say, you know, would it allow the city council to maybe use half to restore half of it back? And then, you know, because >> yeah, there's lots of questions about

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the charter. The the challenge I have is like one of the things if you look at the trends and it's the thing that even statewide this discussion >> u when they say that stabilization of free cash at one time nonreoccurring funds I challenge you to look at Greenfield any other community grant

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look at their trends and stabilization of free cash it's up one year because whether they were conservative without no political connotations conservative on the revenue they got more revenue than they expected that goes into the free cash they use it the next year so it goes down same with stabilization

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subsequent years the same thing it goes up down so for the the claim and I say this without any negative connotation the claim that it's one time non-reoccurring to some extent an argument could be made you know so that being said the

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challenge is even you know it's raining for us internally so when you look at those slides regarding the revolving accounts we are using you know we are reducing the availability of those fund for different >> we may have to if we don't want to close a school I mean >> well we are he's saying we are right

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>> right so we are reducing that amount and I think you're mentioning on the city side if they use that then they have to replenish so the checkbook never goes down right our checkbook's going down >> in a twoear span of those those major >> those twoear span we are reducing the

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funds available if all things go according to plan by just under 31% available 51% in school choice, 76.57% in the sped tuition, and just under 32% in transportation revolved. I exclude

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circuit breaker because that's driven by statute. >> That's slide 19. >> So that does lead to the next question about how much trouble will we be in for 28 for the revolving funds. >> It it's not looking good. No, I think at

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that point, I mean, you're looking at, you know, it's really nice that all our buildings are we're we're still status quo. The reality is we need to take this year and I hate to say

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this, but really we're lucky that that Esser money is lingering around >> the results of it, right? >> Right. that that whole thing happened because but the reality of this is yes, we'd all like to build a new elementary school. There is not a person who

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wouldn't like to do that. But the reality of Greenfield right now, we owe 1.8 million on the high school every year because we built a $66 million high school which has

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maybe half of the population it was built for. We have three old elementary schools and a preschool. Um, but we're down to We used to almost be at 2,000

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children. We're down to 1,200 children. And to keep funding these buildings, if you shut the middle school, you would save $900,000. But my goal is not to cut a single teacher's job. And so it was like an MCCAST question for me as a

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mathematician. How many different ways can I do this? If you c if you close Newton, it would you'd only save $500,000. The elementary schools are all the same. You'd say $500,000. Principal, some custodians, maybe you can absorb

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those positions somewhere else. But that's the reality. Greenfield has never gone to the table to talk about working with surrounding neighborhoods. For whatever reason, the school committee just kept going and going and saying,

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"We can afford it. We can afford it." There are other towns that have that attitude as well. But we need to look at all the buildings around us. There's a beautiful new high school in Turners Falls that even has a pool for goodness sakes. I mean, last year I took every

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school budget in Franklin County, $111 million asked from the people who pay taxes in Franklin County for 5,000 children in Texas. That's probably one school district, you know? I mean, it's

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kind of absurd. Um, at this point you could we could send them to Deerfield Academy probably for what we're paying at some point. I know the center school for sure. So, because I added that up last year because they're like at nine

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grand a kid. So if you look at what we're paying to educate a child in Greenfield, but there's also this other problem that our schools need some help to perform better because people

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are fleeing Greenfield. There's more for sale signs in front of houses. Our taxes went up, then the water bills went up the next month. You and if you're old like me, you're sitting there going, "Why do I live here? thoughts to me, you know, why don't I go to Florida or North

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Carolina? Because and that but the people who are going to buy those houses, guess what? They want good schools. I mean, right now we're down to one Google star, which is, you know,

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>> I wouldn't be terribly concerned about Google reviews. A kid, >> if you're buying a house, >> a kid who's upset that he has homework he doesn't want to do, can very easily launch a bot army. >> I was going to say that wouldn't be your child.

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>> I could see him I could see him launching a All right. So, but I mean >> I have a question for Stephen. >> Go ahead. >> Sorry, Stephen. Put you on the spot again. >> So, we're taking money out of revolving

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accounts to support the money we lost from title one. >> Not yet. >> The >> possibly. >> Well, we haven't even gotten there. >> Yeah. the budget you have in front of you, right, was presented prior to us

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finding out that title one hit. So, no adjustments have been made. Is that fair statement? >> Yes. And these I think the last >> I just where have a good one put it to the mayor of

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you know any number it >> give me a number. >> Exactly. So we're we're kind of having this discussion in to some extent I'll say a vacuum and I understand the challenge that she's having and stuff but you know this this exercise that we're doing here is going to be ongoing

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continuing as we start to >> Well that's where where exactly >> what what is are we going to be able to self-substain our title one teachers we currently have if title one is cut >> I think so I >> think the first place like I said last

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Monday the first place we would look at the we look at FY25 title one. So there's anything that we have left over because it's a 27month grant. >> So anything that we have saved in the FY25 would be the first

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>> it's not a revolving account but it' be the first place we' go because at the end of September >> we have to have that spent down >> zero. So like sometimes that looks like covering those teacher salaries for August and September

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>> and that buys us at least a portion of what we lost it. So that would be the first place that we look. But revolving accounts and other places could be I think when we look at it, we're looking more broader scope and saying like, okay, a revolving account could

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fund an additional X amount. So we'll use that and then where do all the pieces? >> Well, but yeah, >> for title one, that would be our first look. To me, the last last person who should get a letter that says we are not going to need you next year is a reading

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specialist in Greenfield. Let's be real. If you need to cut somewhere else, we cut somewhere else. But those people, I'd like them to multiply because we got problems. And so, I would hate for them to get a letter that says, "We're sorry, but you know, and as somebody who's had

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to give those letters, those people can find a job in two minutes." Um, >> more questions. >> Go put us back on point order here. >> Yes. >> Well, I'd like to revisit the question that we got off from about um what kind

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of trouble for FY FY28. Um, so your short answer was not good. So is it correct to then say that >> we can swing status quo for one more year shy of some kind of a sudden

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infusion of money like Esser but FY28 would need drastic changes. Yes, >> it goes to one of those things where it gets because there are volatile areas that we always end up experiencing and I say this without any negative which you know we end up you know if you

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remember last year we we actually built in the contingencies before the mayor even voted the budget those contingencies were exhausted you know so we have this there are different like right now the next measurement is the April one movement date so that will be the date that we know what we are

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fiscally responsible barring any kids that we decide to send out ourselves or a kid that has moved in from out of state or assigned from uh from the state as far as being told we're fiscally responsible. than the other areas we potentially look at. Again, spike some might have we look

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at, you know, as the year is winding down, our vacancy savings in this year could potentially help us out or saving quite honestly back filling that $149,000 cut in title one because we would end up using less of our flame revolving

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accounts to then help out, you know, whatever it is that we potentially looking at for >> I know those savings are looked at as you know, but many of them represent support to our most neediest children.

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You know, when you look at a special ed budget and you see like five administrators, but we can't get a special ed teacher to come teach our kids, it's sort of painful. Or we can't get paras to be there with a special ed kid. I mean,

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>> because the five administrators, you weren't talking about us, that must been a different example. >> Oh, yeah. Who are our five administers? >> You have >> You're talking department. >> Yeah, the whole department. >> We have >> You have a director of sped >> and two assistants. >> Two assistants, two team leaders.

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>> Yeah, they're administrators. >> Oh, okay. So, >> and then two and a half secretaries. Correct. >> Yeah. >> Those are workers, but not administrators. Yes. But what I'm saying is the top is filled,

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but it's not trickling down. The money is not trickling down to what happens in a classroom because you can't get a special ed teacher and you can't get a pair. >> That's So there's 200 I wrote it down. 238 IEPs in Greenfield. How many

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children are not getting because of those positions that aren't filled? That's the issue for me. I mean, that's real, very real. And whether or not those services could be provided by a reading specialist

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>> versus a special ed teacher is another thing that some districts are doing because it's reading services that the child may need. There's just and you re rewrite them so that >> it's either or. Um,

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>> so the administration on here, the FPS are five. It says >> it all depends how you count. It's just >> that's not the reality. I mean, it says it's >> 4.6. >> Yeah, that's the original. >> But it says that, >> but you you know the you all know the

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reality. If you don't, I'll tell you. Right. >> Mel just said that when you talk administrators, what people are always shooting for when they say, "Oh, central office is topheavy." Right. generally and you correct me if I'm wrong. You're not talking about secretaries or unit. No, you're talking

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about administrators. >> The tr the administrators are three. The director and two assistants, right? When you see stuff about the superintendent's office, right? You'll see numbers of three in the superintendent's office. It's me, right? In the superintendent's

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office. It's it's one administrator. There's a secretary, right? an administrative assistant and a personnel person who happen to be grouped there. You're not probably generally >> it just says one for you, >> right? But then if you look at the assistant or something like that >> personel and administrating assistant, >> you'll see different things because

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there's another chart you just saw an email over the weekend that showed three, which is wrong. >> There right because you're talking about you're looking for administrators and that's what people are generally and I don't want to say shooting for but they're shooting for people who are making a um you know a decent salary,

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right? They're not shooting for the secretary who support. >> Um, while we're on the topic, because this member go brought it up, I would take it that one of our special education teacher positions got filled because it's no longer on >> Yes, we have

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>> the website. >> That would be that would be my guess. >> Yeah. So, I could not >> find a position, so I wasn't sure where it was. >> Well, Four Corners still has a position available, but Newton's position would

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have been filled. So, that means there's two. >> No, got so >> Four Corners is still up here for special education teachers and Newton is not up here for special education teachers. >> I can find you an answer for those, but I know that we have we're in the process

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of hiring at Four Corners. >> Oh, okay. I know Newton has been vacant since uh 20 >> and we'd love to have somebody there. >> Next question there. Sorry. I've got two more of the revolving fund questions

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that I'll get out of the way so we can get personnel because that's where people want to talk. So, um one of them is just I've heard a lot of concern about how low the sped tuition revolving amount is and um it sounds like in FY28 we would hit trouble there. Are we going

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to hit trouble in FY27 if someone new moves in or are we prepared? >> Well, there's a spent tuition revolving account is for students that come in that we charge for the programs that we

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have that that school district might not. So, it's if we have the space, we we end up, you know, charging them for it. So, um, as far as if if a new student, someone moves in from out of state, um, that is like similar to this,

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that is our go-to. It's one of them. Now, there's nothing stopping us, even though again, we're talking about the ideal practice of using circuit breaker, you know, as as the other possibility if that should should occur as far as any potential movements. But sustainability,

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it's all driven on if there's interest in our sped programs that we have from districts around that would be willing to send a student if we ever capacity. >> Okay. And then the other one was um the transportation revolving balance is

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projected to be one of our higher ones and um does that mean that there is the possibility of leasing uh vans for our fleet replacement out of there? There is nothing stopping us. You know, it's one of those that normally it's used to

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offset the operating budget, but you know, it's one of those it could be a yes and >> so personal questions. >> So, wait, back to transportation. So, we could look at possibly purchasing a van this year with what we have in

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revolving. >> Well, yes. So, the answer is yes. or leasing because I know that we've had some hefty repair bills come in the last >> consultant had talked about to your point leasing to try and get on a site

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>> and I've mentioned that to some of you prior to that because it was it's just kind of to me anyway obvious that we didn't have any type of replacement method and it's pretty I would say politely pretty simple with the amount that we have you could almost do two in

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every six years you know you're kind of turning went over and they were going upwards of 150 plus 100,000 miles. So yes, we could and there's no doubt that we should out of somewhere.

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>> Before we go to personnel, can I ask some revolving account questions first? >> Okay, so I mathematically did an MCCAST question and I came out really well, but now Andy's like taken money from a place. So, I want to know if that money

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still exists. Okay. So, can is there still $500,000 and 1521 school choice that could be used to offset expenditures?

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I gave you a list of mine. So you're looking at the year-to- date balance on the transportation on your that is >> that current year. So that's why if you look at what I I always look at what is

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projected to use for the entire year because we'll do that journal entry end of the year. So if we are planning on using So we started FY26 off with $655,676. We're projected to get $41,489. Our budget for FY26 is projected for

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expenses for school choice is 663,000. So that leaves us if you and it's slide if you were to go to slide 18 on a PowerPoint when you go back and look at it. That's that goal. Okay. >> So, our projected balance for June 30 26

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out of school choice is only $394,000. >> We just haven't charged because again the city has asked us to do our terries come end of the year. I'm >> trying not to cut I don't want to cut a single person's job. That was >> I appreciate that. I Okay. And I can tell you that our school choice just for

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your um info the students who are attending out of district public schools this year who were would be greenfield residents are 305. >> Okay.

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What about 1523? The transportation revolving to offset transportation costs. Could we put $500,000 towards transportation? >> We're already putting >> 400,000 to it. If you put 500,000 to it,

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that would project us. You're talking 500 an additional 500 in FI27. That would leave us with $249,000 and change every week for >> See, when I did it, I left it 70 grand for a van. All right.

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>> Yeah. Two two grand at least. you mentioned might be under 100, right? >> Somebody's job, you know, >> trying not to Okay. What about the preschool revolving account, Andy? >> That's always one where again, honestly,

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as I said at the meeting with the mayor, um, looking historically, it's been sometimes sometimes they've used it as sign I say significant offsets, sometimes they haven't. Admittedly, recently they haven't, but it is an area where >> so we could use the whole account. I mean, >> I don't if I a good one of those things

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where I recommended use the whole it'd be obviously up for discussion, but you know, it is a potential. >> I know that there's no way we can afford the 1.7 and that's, you know, it's it's a hard choice and I guess that's where

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we're at. >> Like, we don't want to close a building and that's a big chunk of money we could save. I don't want personally a single classroom teacher to lose their job. I would like it if nobody lost their job and we took this year to make some

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decisions about our buildings. So parents know >> I do think that that is what the facilities use ad hoc subcommittee will be working on next year. >> So we do have to be careful not to step on the >> I'm not trying to step on anybody's toes. just don't want anybody if there's

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a way for people for us to use funds that we currently have. Um >> and then those options. So where you're going is a place that you're going to have to I say you mean the school committee the entire committee

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>> will have to look at and I think that those are things >> in in my world I'm thinking those are things we'll be looking at. I mean continually, don't get me wrong, you're asking those questions today in March, but I would say after, right, we get the mayor's presentation to the city council

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on the April 22nd. Those are when the committee, right, all of you will have choices, right? We'll present different choices of depending on what we get back from the the mayor's version, right? The mayor's budget, I guess you call that, to the city council. Then we'll have an

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idea of, hey, we need to kind of come up with this or that. >> We still don't have the number from the mayor. >> Oh, no, no, it's not the mayor's fault at all. The mayor is getting things from all the departments by April 1st, then has 21 days to do work and hopefully her

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magic, right, um, on that. And then we'll present, it's my understanding, on April 22nd to the city council. Here's what I believe the city can do, right? in in all the departments and then we'll start moving after that point. >> Well, the mayor is already cutting

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positions at city hall. I mean, we've all gotten letters from Christie, the recck department, and that impacts our kids, too. It's an afterchool program. >> So, I guess I don't want to wait till the last

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minute to really if we can generate a list of, you know, revolving accounts would always be first because that's not a human being. That's not giving somebody a a slip that says you don't have your job. I mean, that is for me. If you got that money, this is the year

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we're gasping for breath. We're done. >> Um, >> but then that is pushing it to next year. >> By next year, you have you can't we can't Greenfield cannot afford what we're doing. I mean, you know, everybody

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can cry and like do whatever and blame the mayor, but I'm gonna tell you, I mean, she's raised our taxes. She's assessed our houses. My house is $75,000

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over what Zillow assesses it. Does that make any sense? So, she has raised the water bills. Eversource, we won't even talk about because I get the shakes. And Ever source has nothing to do with us, >> right? But what I'm saying is

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>> when you were saying something about I'm changing getting off topic here. When you said something about closing an elementary school would be about 500k if we were to absorb the prek program into our elementary buildings, but that also be the same cost savings.

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>> I would not expect it to because it is a program that does service uh some kids with substantial needs. 33, >> but we'd be dividing those out amongst the schools that >> the saving wouldn't be quite as big because they don't have as many

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custodians. They don't have I mean, where you save the money, and this is a horrible thing to say, but I'm going to say it. Where you save the money is a principal. Now, the preschool did not have a principal for many, many years, and I didn't have time. This came from a superintendent who's retired. We never

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had a preschool principal. The Newton principal was also um preschool. We had a um this was before me after they hired me. It was a whole another thing.

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>> They right they said the Newton principal oversaw because it's the same neighborhood. It's like five minutes away. Oversaw the prek. They had a a lead teacher who happened to be a um school adjustment counselor, Nancy. and

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she was there 247. >> Yeah. And um and the amazing Ashley who's still there. Um basically I'm going to tell you the secretaries in this town have kept our schools running

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from Tammy Silk to Sandy Bagwa to Ashley I don't know her last name. I mean there's been some amazing people who um so that can be like I mean that's the savings but if we want to keep the thing

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I keep hearing is let's try to keep everything the same >> so >> I understand I know where you're going with this >> and next question >> okay what are class sizes and how are they impacted by this budget >> if this budget was to go through it's

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the same It looks pretty good. >> And what are our class sizes like right now? Because I have heard really mixed things. >> I have that in front of me. I give you each month >> the number of students per school,

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right? You can maybe assume that at the elementary levels they're kind of cut in half roughly because they're too progress. They assume, right? >> Yeah. >> I think the elementary is running like between 50 Well, it depends who you ask. If you ask a third grade teacher, they're in the 20s. >> I have the numbers.

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>> Okay. >> But if you ask our second grade class, we have 10 kids and nine kids. Just that >> it's a bubble. It's a bubble. >> Yeah. >> So, the next question was, how many of our teachers are full licensed teachers versus long-term subs? And that question

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came out of some people's experience at Newton last year and the physics teacher situation at the high school. >> Right. Those two that those two last years, I don't know. We have five long-term subs right now. >> There's your savings and your personnel lines.

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>> You're playing you're you're paying those people a bachelor's one level. >> Are they mostly specialists like at the high school? >> No, they're all over. So the these would be the reason they are considered right in long-term sub is because they do not

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hold certification. five. >> So, um had some ELLL questions. The Moroan remaining tutor being cut confirmation child children they work with no longer need them. >> And one of the things we're clarifying, Mr. Messing,

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links crossed, >> it is still there. He's doing it via contracted services that month. So, >> okay. shift contracting services and then I thought that when I spoke to someone

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they said that the ELLL person at four corners also does that. Yes, a lot of that was for train some some was for translation purposes. They do that and >> we have personnel doing that now and we also have programs

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>> phoning in programs or even an iPad that if somebody was to walk up to a desk in each school that they can do and have a you truly have a conversation right there. >> Yes, they charge per minute. >> Yes, they do.

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Then another ELLL question is are we having five or four? Um because presentation slide 42 we list five but then the total number is four and on on the little box to the side and

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on the budget draft lines 135 to 40. >> So yeah there's the there >> what budget lines did you say? plan is the plan was the new ask was so we currently have four there's five that's in the FY27 so that on the the the line

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item thing should be five there are four sitting here today um one new shares between Fedville and Newton what four corners one Greenfield middle one Greenfield high currently >> they have to move around only one does one does it

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So another question I was asked was asked every single year why four corners has the higher budget of the three elementary schools by a noticeable amount. >> It's pairs. >> Yep. The the I the answer I've always uh heard and given is that it's the sped

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paras specifically for the ASUS program where a lot of kids need one-on- ones. So, um, a question that came up from telling that to someone was, "How many of our ACES one-on-one pairs are assigned to kids who are not full day

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students? And would it be possible for pairs of halftime or part-time kids to shift to one of the other elementary schools when their charge isn't at the school in order to relieve the other school's parent crunch?" >> So, I talked to Mr. messing and he mentioned that there might be one who

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had just gone into might consider a part-time mode while some they were being they were working with this young student over there on the other side like if somebody's student is out can we just take them and move them to another building currently no due to some

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contractual things we'd have to and we're looking at this for next year we've ran into this problem this fall we discovered it so when somebody is hired they're potential they're hired and they say um dear blank Sally you are assigned

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to this school and what we're looking at next year in some positions is to say dear Sally you are a district-wide pair professional and now working here right now in each day you wouldn't want to do it because it creates a lot of movement

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and when somebody's student is out I can assure you truly they are not sitting around twiddling their thumbs there are many vacancies We don't get substitute teachers every day, right? They're filling in for teachers. You probably know we don't get subs every day and we have openings all

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the time. So, they are used. >> So, we tried to do that and each time we tried to do that move, they quit. Um, just gonna two years in a row, >> right? Sometimes it's as member Goodwin

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mentioned, sometimes it's it could be transportation issues. they're in a neighborhood, they may walk to a school, then they show up and you say, "Okay, hey, head out from four corners, go to Newton, and they think, I can't get there." Right. And um >> I have after school things maybe their child is at the school. We've seen a lot

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of our parents try to work in the building where their children go to for >> before and after school care. >> Can I I have a question, I guess. So, if I'm looking staying on topic here with the four corners budget line question, if I look

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at 29, Federal Street has I'm not looking at special education pairs just regular. They have three, four corners has seven and Newton has two >> instead of this is me.

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>> That's not special education pairs. That's just straight pairs per classroom. is what it's saying for school >> historic. >> No, no, no. Not for school. >> Yes, for school, >> but not special ed pairs. >> So,

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>> so I guess my question is why is there seven regular pairs, not special ed pairs, not fig. >> Okay. >> So, when they put aces in, this is historical. >> That has nothing to do with ACES. That's

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not the special education though. the decision was made to put paras in the regular classroom to support the regular classroom where those students would be, but they also have like a

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one-on-one for being acis. So the idea was and it really I think if you look at their data it pays off that in some cases in those classrooms there's three adults there's a two paras

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so instead of focusing on that what I would love is for us to figure out a way that all three elementary schools have the same number of paras Um, and then it was federal and then it was four corners.

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>> But if you had a pair in every single classroom, that would be 10. >> I think what your issue is that the the seven at four corners for regular pairs was based on last year's plan post re

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reconfiguring everything. So the revised regular red pair is which and this was the talked about this at the last time that I've now have I say like an FI26 original FTE which was the voted budget with the redistricting then I have now

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the FI26 revised FTE and then the FI27 projected FTE. So right now the revised regular ED pair is at four corners are three at four corners >> three at Federal Street. three at Federal Street >> and then three at Newton would be my

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guess. >> Three, correct? So, it's 33. >> So, it's not 732. >> I think it's really hard because I'm like looking at the numbers that are not accurate and then we're having these discussions which we shouldn't even >> numbers were accurate and the for the FY26 budget when it was approved.

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>> 27. >> No, 26. The number seven. We tried to talk about like last time about the fact that when we were looking at the FY26 FTE column that was the FTEES as the budget was voted originally. >> So voted by school committee. So this

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was the plan before it went to the mayor and before the cuts happened >> last year. >> Yes. For last last year made for this >> last year. And then the ideal situation when we when we met last we talked about how >> okay so now I'm going to back this up on

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here. It says in on slide 31 it says three sped pairs not and it has three kindergarten IAS that we're talking about. >> What's that? >> And then four corners has two

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and 21 sped IAS easier to move the children into four corners and Federal Street and >> right off Newton then two. We really have enough kids for two elementary schools, not three, because

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two years in a row our parents quit when we moved them around. Just saying. Two years in a row. Um, >> another question on Okay. >> Oh, thank you for asking. So my shift my

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question was shifts away from personnel at this point. So >> um I received a question about AI wanting to know how much the district spends on AI services and subscriptions and if that is set to increase in FY27.

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>> Yeah. I don't know whether we have a breakout. >> Kids can't read. Why are we >> Yeah, I don't know. >> I I talked to Ian quickly last week and and I know that assistant superintendent

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Sullivan and Mr. I mean we're doing an AI policy that was before you and that's going to a sub >> in there. I can I'll get you a number, but I don't believe there's a lot or any significant dollars >> for subscriptions or for AI.

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>> No, for AI. Specifically AI >> specifically >> AI is included in Google like that's the thing spending on subscriptions for like >> yeah we would know >> so can you block it in Google

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>> we have some things blocked >> well that would be >> more of like if you've got a general Google account then you have access to Gemini but if you are using it more than your allotted AI answers you'd have to pay more and I think that's the question

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of if it's any premium AI >> kicked into so much of what >> somebody premium >> subbed a lot in a high school the kids just sign up for the 30-day free trial to do their papers.

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So just going to say where there's a will there's a >> Is there a line on here that does show what we do use for subscriptions? >> Oh yes. >> Really? I didn't see that. It's where it's not >> it's in technology, right? >> Is it in technology?

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>> Because I know when I was talking to the ghs library >> it'd be underneath like a system software because that would be considered software program >> and technology you said >> correct line >> is it all there or is like the reading

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>> that's I'm just trying to >> administrative technology >> I'll get you look for it subscription list. >> Sure. And >> well, I know like when I was talking to the ghs library and she had mentioned that some of her budget does go to

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technology for the library at GHS. >> Follow it. >> Swank >> like to note that she's one of the few that does have a budget line >> that covers like districtwide. Swank is allows for like streaming. So we're not

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doing any copyright infringement or anything. So that covers all the schools in the district but comes from the tech budget. But okay, >> that specific one is not AI specific, but um it's like a district price and we

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pay less as a district than we would with each individual school. >> Oh, it's like showing movies, the movie thing, >> right? >> The certificate on the wall. >> Yeah. So the next question was about how much we pay yearly for the yonder

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pouches. But if we want to punt this question to the next meeting where >> it's $9,993.75. >> How much? >> 9,000 almost 10 grand. >> Boy, we are in the wrong business. We should have come up with that.

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>> That's yearly. >> Well, that was the amount for this rent. No >> replacements replacements >> and they'll give it to every single student even if they don't have a cell phone. >> Okay. Now this

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>> I've got a collector $6,000 grass at the high school. You're just waving the flag in front of me. >> We will be discussing I believe the next full. >> So save your fire for their end. >> Okay.

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>> Okay. The last question that I had. So, we all know that this budget season is going to be really hard on the town. We're going to have to make cuts. I wanted to know if we could get an idea of where we're looking to cut without going into public discussion of actual

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currently employed people and how our cuts relate to our budget priorities. >> Yeah, I think it's personally I think it's too early because and I understand preparing, don't get me wrong. I'm not oblivious to the fact that we're not

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going to get $1.7 million. On the flip side, we don't know what we're going to get. So, to start to scare people or cut things right now, I don't think is is appropriate to do

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publicly. There's no doubt we've started to think about areas to do it. Um, and it will definitely work. Obviously, we have no choice. I mean in a nice way and I would do it anyway, but work with the mayor and the city council and the schools committee to do what's best in

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keeping our budget priorities. We hear now about reading. You're going to we're going to hear from every every area and every constituency, right? Member Goodwin wants to talk about reading, right? Appropriately so, right? We'll hear somebody talk about special education services. We'll hear somebody else say, "We need to save athlet

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athletics, band, music, said everybody wants to save everything." And that's 1.7, right? That saves everything. Hey, you can have your cake and eat it, too. Just I'm joking, but give me give us 1.7, right? >> You're getting when we when we don't get that exist, >> we have choices to make, right? Um the

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school committee will have we'll lay out different options >> for you to see, right? Whether it's using your END or your revenue funds, right? some of those funds whether it's eliminating right or and I say the word eliminating jobs via right retirements

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vacancies openings lesser enrollment in different spots >> oh yeah >> so this process is it seems like every year in Greenfield public schools the process is different so is it your plan to take

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1.7 to the city council. >> Well, is that when you say my plan? >> Well, the school committee the school committee votes. >> I guess I'm trying to because to me that is disrespectful to the taxpayers in

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this town. If you go into city council, and that's all of us, with 1.7 million after everything that's happened in this town with taxes, that is disrespectful to the people in this town. I mean, I

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think going in with that number is like waving a flag. Nobody wants to cut the schools. There is not a person in this town, but you can't spend money that doesn't

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exist. I mean, Greenfield seems to want to do that on a regular basis. We put in a new public library. We put in a new fire department. We're still paying for a brand new high school. And I >> senior center.

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>> Senior center. What am I forgetting something else? >> Parking garage. >> Parking garage. Oh. >> Oh, that that sets me right off. And I would say to go in with 1.7 is disrespectful to

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everybody in this town who is just emptied their checkbook to pay taxes, which were we didn't see it coming. You understand what I'm saying? So, and then the water and the sewer just went up. So

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I I see for sale signs. I mean on streets I never expected to see for sale signs. People are fleeing the taxes and I I just and then it gets ugly and then it's like everybody blames the mayor

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because she's not like cranking out money at city hall. >> So what I'm trying to say is you don't >> want to go in with that number. You don't want to go in >> that's too high. >> Yeah, it's too pushy. >> I'll say we've talked about this last

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year. We could do a good job saying that you know Roland has made it very clear in his presentations and everything that he is not expecting >> you know this is just a starting point. So so even if he st like is that message not going to be received

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be understood because it's never happened before. So they >> they don't hear >> I hear what you're saying. >> Have you watched our city council? >> Oh my I know that I've got the stars. >> I think I think it changes the weirdness. >> So that's why I'm going to be standing right behind

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>> out in the parking lot. >> I think it's also hard because I'm sorry I'm interrupting everyone. I think it's also hard because like Andy said and you said you guys we've asked the mayor give us a number to start with to work with. >> Let's call her right now. >> And but she doesn't have a number yet.

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So, we just need here's what we need to do. Bal, we're just throwing the dart at the board. We're not anticipating it to stick. We're not expecting to hit bullseye, but we just got to start somewhere and then we go back to the drawing board. And that's what we're going to do from now until the budget gets approved. >> Doesn't sound like a fun time, but

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that's what it is. >> So, our starting ask is we could continue things status quo with this amount of money definitely. And then >> we'll adjust accordingly or >> we can't adjust accordingly. don't have a number so

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>> there are things that I think you know like brings up the preschool bombing >> absolutely that's you know so but it's one of those things where >> did the preschool self could it be self-substaining

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>> we'd have to charge a little >> there's 33 kids in there I thought about this. >> Those those are the types of things where you know and again as Roland clearly talk about going back to the public hearing of you know the real work

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for all intents and purposes is starting now and it's the negotiations that are going on that has always occurred >> you know between the >> we have a conversation about charging for athletics is that >> well everything and I say is on the table it's charging for parking right

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charging for this charging for that eliminating things. Nobody wants to hear that though either, right? Because we want to save everything. >> I mean, as a sports parent, you know, your kid plays club sports and you're looking at $200 right there. You end up >> and you haven't even bought >> but you end up spending money on people

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to collect the money and that becomes in South Hadley, we did that. We charged for lockers. We charged for busing. They kids were making fake passes on the bus. I mean, we charged for everything. Also, we don't turn for athletics for a reason. Like look at hockey and how

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wonderful our hockey team. >> Hockey is an expensive sport. We don't want to be like you must have x income to play our sports. >> I would support that either. I mean I think >> the more kids in sports the better. And if people hear there's a charge they won't even

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>> what you collect in many of these things when you collect fees. >> I'll tell you it's it's nominal. >> Yeah. You know, at best maybe, right? If you collect busing fees, I'm making this up. $180 times blankets. I haven't even done that. What are you gonna collect?

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10 grand. I mean, something like that. I mean, when when you're talking about hundreds or a million, right? I don't know what it's going to be. >> Many of those things are nominal, as I've mentioned before, unfortunately. Right. That's the savings or where you're going to make up the difference

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is through either drawing from your checking account or personnel. That's really where it comes. And we don't want to overlook postage or different small things, right? >> How much money you got, Andy, in revolving accounts. >> You got a million.

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>> No, let me let me see. >> You got 500 and something for the preschool to throw at the preschool. >> Because they don't want to be closed. >> That's exhausting. Oh, >> that's okay. That's fine. Do it. Okay. So then what's next? You got anything else?

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Your computer has >> I think what are you asking? Empty the checkbooks all >> Yes. Can you >> Oh, you in there is the question. >> Are we emptying all the checks? >> You've already >> I think you got to be careful. >> I wouldn't empty all the checkbooks.

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>> I'm not a voter, right? You guys voted, but you got to be careful on that. >> I mean, don't empty your checkbook at your house, right? >> Maybe you do if you have to. >> And does the city do what you got? what does the city have you know says that type of thing or what's good for the groups s

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but yeah I mean if you were to look at the projected balances yes there would be there's a million dollars but you know it's that balancing the short term with the long-term sustainability challenges that we're going to have now don't get me wrong I always when I do trainings with school committees I

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always do say these times we find ourselves long range planning is year to year you know so >> well this is I think year to here because the B I don't think >> we're already reducing our overall those for I saying you know I'll go down

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individual school choice is being reduced 51% from the beginning of this fiscal year I >> think I have this right now >> correct >> sped tuition is being reduced 76.57% transportation 31.83% overall it's a 30.87% 87% reduction. Circuit breaker is

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an actual increase. >> I touched that over, >> right? Because that's by statute. So I would agree with you. >> Shoot. >> Right. So that 16 though is factored into 30.87% overall. So it's actually far worse because you know when you're talking about an overall reduction.

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>> So your answer to is there a million dollars? There absolutely is. But if you're taking the if you take circuit breaker out of it, you are going to end up leaving 200 some thousand out of all four of those three of those.

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>> So the districts around us I have not seen anybody going in with 7%. >> So and also keep in mind last year we were level funded not level serviced.

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So, we didn't get a 3% increase last year, which was >> So, you think the school budget should get a 3%? >> No, I'm just saying like we didn't get an anything last year. >> So, it'd be making up for >> So, it would be making up for what it would have gotten the previous year is

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the way I look at it. >> It never works that way. I'm >> doing this a long time. It It doesn't work that way. I mean, people get a 3% raise, which is part of our issue. There's like

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868. >> There are places that will what they end up doing, I say in the same way that the municipal side is limited by the two and a half% increase every year because of Prop 2 and a half. So to

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>> member Leb's point, you know, is there is there that same concept where at a minimum theoretically we should have at least seen a two and a half% increase because two and a half is what everybody >> do you see Walmart do you see market basket I'm not disagreeing I'm just

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saying that that that that is a >> they got nothing a budget cut >> the point the point I'm just trying to make is that there was no percentage increase last year, >> right? And as you see new growth >> and we're not anticipating getting 7% anyways,

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>> but we know the city gets new some new growth, right? Some we've seen some of the numbers, right? >> Okay. >> We we make up >> more than half of the budget. >> Okay. >> Correct. >> Would we get half of the new growth? >> No. Some of you would. >> You're one of those people.

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>> There's actually >> Oh my recommends revenue. >> Just a question. It's just a >> boys in the house. Okay. So, half of the So, what is the revenue that's gone up? >> Yeah, you you know this. I know. I I see

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players in the house. >> Okay. >> They represented as such a nice >> Okay. So, what's your number? >> I don't know. >> But it's not 7%, is it? There's no way Greenfield grew 7%. >> We're not saying it did. We're saying this is what it takes to run this year's

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services. Okay. >> You know that we've said that before. >> You know, >> keeping our our revolving accounts stable, too. >> No, >> no, >> not at all. They're they're going% >> down substantially down.

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>> We're not we're not reducing we're not emptying them, don't get me wrong, in what you have in front of you, but there's money taken out of them. Absolutely. >> Really? >> Yes. >> If you look at

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your slides 18 and I wrote 18 down. I'll go back to those slides. >> My computer also probably screen it for you. >> Oh, I need to join jump into the Zoom, but I could. >> Yes, it's slides 18 and 19 to your combined balance sheet.

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>> So, so when I find out the town's growth, which I won't be asking the town, you want half. That seems fair >> because you're the schools are half the budget. >> If you want the if you want everything

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you would have >> Yeah. You want everything you have this year. You need both. >> I want half only if you guarantee that 80% of the kids can read at proficiency. >> Yeah. Over time. Yeah. You're not what the 22. >> You're not going to get six months in

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one year. You don't. You'd be surprised what I could do with writing. >> My kids at grade level reading finally. Just saying. She hit grade level reading. >> And what school did she go to?

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>> She just hit it this year in at GMS. She was two grades behind all of Newton. >> Okay. I'm getting slides 18 and 19 up. Oh, I I I see where they're coming from. I got the I got the story line. I'll find the number the magic number.

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>> Really? >> They got a magic number in their head. The mayor's got one in her head, but nobody's sharing it. You have to share half what? Half of the growth of the city. I I thought we were at zero. I do not see growth in Greenfield, but >> you saw Starbucks and all.

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>> That's it. But I don't think but I don't think she's charging them anything. So back to slides >> or not enough. >> Amen. >> Here we have slide 18 which gives us our July 1. >> Blow that up >> from

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>> Are you able to see that? >> Not really. >> Sorry. >> Give me a second. >> Better. >> Yes. So it shows us um the July of last year balance and our projected balance at the end of this school year with a

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percent change. >> Oh. Andy's got it going quicker than me. She's got a big screen. Andy's got a big screen. >> And then slide 19 starts with the balance this July. What our projected

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>> account. That's what the most recent first choice. >> That's what you're That's what we're projecting to expend. That was what the offset is >> to leave us as a >> So you spent 40% of it. >> That's a million for FY26. And then

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>> what' you spend that on? >> That's the offset that we do in the high school. >> Well, forget that. >> Start cutting the high school. Okay. Circuit breakers. >> Circuit breakers. Again, by statute though, we have to >> allow to carry over the prior years.

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>> Yeah. I don't touch circuit breaker ever. >> That's tuition. >> I wouldn't touch that either. >> And then transportation >> that I think we need to >> do what we can. And then but when you second >> we need a new transmission

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>> project just don't know >> 500 is going to end 321 so >> the percent projected percent change down 18% over the two years we're down 15%. Again, you don't touch circuit breaker, but even sped tuition

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revolving, we're down 76% from two years and we're down 32. >> But you can't count on circuit breaker because God knows what the state will do. It's like count. >> Yeah, that's why I mean that's why it's But again, that's why they in the practice of only using your prior year mouse. We know.

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>> Yeah. So, you just leave that there and spray it. >> So, this overall 30% reduction actually includes the 16%. So, it's far worse. You still got to know. >> It's still good. >> No, actually because if you take if you want don't want to touch circuit

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breaker, you got to reduce the 28 by the 15. >> I see it. >> And that's like 13. But then we've got to take the you know what it is that we're >> Marching the high school. That's all you

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got. >> And I already wrote it down, >> right? Oo, but that's not going to get you a mill. I mean, it's the middle school and the high school. I mean, you got nothing to cut at the elementary school. I mean, they're they're ground zero.

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>> Probably don't extreme. >> Yeah. Yeah, I got it. >> So, we need to next was >> Well, are there >> I'm depressed. Any more questions? >> Any more questions before we move on to >> No, Andy was supposed to be cranking out bills over there, not like

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>> Okay. Well, the next item on the agenda is um looking at >> the high school >> the um budget and finance subcommittee description provided by chair sex and I will go ahead and screen share

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that because I can and no one can stop me. >> Would not even think of >> Okay, so um I hope we've all had time to read it. It's just a listing of duties and this I suppose is just if we have

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anything that we'd like to change or add or bring to chair sex or if we generally agree with it. How about I zoom? >> That would be good because it was the warrant, right? We wanted to look at that

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language. >> You made banana bread. So that's all I'll pause. >> There we go. Oh, that's perfect. It's pretty straightforward to me, but I'm open to any requested edits questions.

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>> Did we add warrants onto our >> Yes. Warrants? >> Reviewing and approving non-payroll warrants authorizing the dispersement of school department bonds. The last bullet ensuring that public face facing budget documents I would

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like this year we didn't do it last year once the mayor gives us a number and then that the document is maybe and I'm willing to do this like every school

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like we do a night where people can come in and ask questions. I think that's we've never sort of done that piece. Um, and I think if but there's no magic money in revolving accounts, we're going to be

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making significant cuts and I think people will have questions and I think that's >> so I agree with you there and but I don't know if that needs to be written in subcommittee charge because we already do the community out part like our listening sessions in the fall.

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>> We all did that. >> So, >> okay. So maybe that's just another layer we could add later >> to add a spring lesson as well as a fall. >> Yep. >> But >> go back to those people.

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>> I guess question is do you think that that should be put in subcommittee disc? >> No, you can leave it vague. Like it vague. But I think we should go back to the people we at the first time. >> Okay. So, um,

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>> it's all good. >> Is there a motion to give? >> So, move >> thumbs up. Well, let's come up with a real motion, not >> I I've been sitting here too long. >> What? What motion do you want? >> Okay. So, uh, I guess the motion would

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be to >> to accept the language as written by chair ston um for subcommittee budget and finance. I will second that. >> I to accept the language

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for description. >> The description. >> Yes. Description as written. >> To accept the description as written by chairs. >> I'll second it. All in favor? >> I >> I passes unanimously. And that was the

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last item on our agenda. So, um I would recognize a motion to adjust. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I >> Okay, we are at 12:59 p.m. Just gone to

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the one choir. Um Jimmy, thank you for being here. It's great to have a member of the public. Um I hope it won't be too much excitement. >> Okay. I love this stuff. Thanks, guys. >> Thanks. So,