[Music] Good evening everyone. I'm going to start with a roll call vote to enter into executive session on this 30th day of April, 2025 for reason number two, strategy with respect to non-union negotiations
or to conduct collective bargaining sessions with a non with non-UN personnel. And reason number three, strategy with respect to collective bargaining or litigation if any open meeting might have a detrimental effect. Collective bargaining may also be
conducted. MTA negotiations. Jen Blum, yes. Courtney Breitman, here. Yes. Bob Cla, yes. Belinda Richards, yes. Crystal Ing, yes. Carolina Hernandez, yes. To memory, yes.
We're returning to open session. We are returning to open session. At the table is director of finance Jackie Higgins, director of curriculum Terry Fleming, and interimm superintendent Dr. Barbara Starky. If
you'd all join me for the pledge of allegiance. I pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty and
justice for all. Thank you everyone for being here tonight. Thank you Lake as always for being here and recording our meetings. Is there anyone else here tonight that's recording our meeting? Seeing none. So, I want to start by saying, as
many of you may have noticed, we have a new look to our agenda. Uh, moving forward, I wanted an agenda that was going to be a little bit more organized and streamlined. And so, I asked Dr. Starky for her recommendations, and this is what we've come up with. Hopefully, it's a little easier for
everybody. Uh going right into public input to participate in public comment. First of all, there is a signup sheet there. So, we are asking that you sign up at the signup sheet first. Um to participate in public comment and if
you'd like to review the whole policy, you can do so with the policy link that is hyperl. And as always, speakers will be asked to introduce themselves first and last name to the chair and state their residence as well as utilizing the signup sheet. Requests for public
comment can be made can be emailed in advance to the chair and it gives you my email address. And when called by the chair, I just want to before I go any further with that part, uh if anyone is considering making
public comment at the meeting, I just want you all to know you can email me in advance to secure a spot at the podium. Um and there may be questions that folks have that we can answer without you having to come to the podium and be at a meeting. And so we would like to be able
to offer that as a convenience to anybody that would like to utilize that. Um when called by the chair, the speaker is invited to address the school committee for up to three minutes to present their material and public comment shall be limited to items that are within the school committee's
authority. Is there anyone here tonight for our public input? Go ahead. Right up. Please just sign on the signin sheet. Hi. Sorry. Uh, good evening. Uh, my name is Rich Shara. I'm a special educator here
at Uponquit. Um, so I'd like to begin my comments by expressing to the school committee and to uh those representatives from the district uh my appreciation for the discussion at the last school committee meeting on uh an amendment to the proposed budget. Um, I
felt that this was a responsible thing to do in order to save jobs and to use available resources to ensure that the students of this district uh have what they need to succeed and thrive and you know have great outcomes.
Um indeed uh cuts to staffing would be devastating to the students and to the staff who are already going above and beyond to ensure the best possible education for our kids. uh if those cuts were to go through, the impact on students would ensure less quality time with teachers and would
most certainly uh in impact their outcomes ultimately uh for all the children in our district. So tonight, I'm simply here asking for myself that uh you all please vote yes on the amended budget and I appreciate your
time and consideration. Thank you. Thank you. [Music] Hello. Um, good evening. Um, my name is Sean McGee. I'm a resident of Freetown. Uh, I am a second grade par professional at Freetown Elementary. Um, I'm here
tonight just to quickly share my experience at FES as a par profofessional. Um, the joys and challenges of the position and why we need still need to address compensation. As a writer and English major, I expected to gravitate toward a high school English teaching position when I
embarked on education career within the district u a district from which I'm a graduate pan class of 2001. But as life often does, it took a surprising turn when I found myself substituting more and more at the elementary level. Eventually, I was offered a position as a second grade par professional. Given
my ELA background, I was encouraged by the team to craft a writing program alongside par duties. Uh, over the last four years, I've run two creative writing programs, working with small groups of students of varying levels and abilities, guiding them through the writing process to create poetry and
fantasy short stories. Um, in the end, they receive books and posters that include illustrations. Um, and at the end they also get a chance to build their public speaking confidence by reading to the entire second grade. The program is a joy to me um, and a joy to the students as well. But this is only
half my day. In my mornings, uh, in the mornings before lunch and recess, I push into each of the second grade classes and assist with math. And even if I am more of a letters guy than a numbers guy, I enjoy this immensely as well. Guiding students towards the correct strategy, keeping them on task, and building their confidence are all
extremely rewarding. as is knowing how much more effective the classroom teacher can be while I'm in the room. Still, these two halves of my regular scheduled day are only half of the job. As with all paras, I may be pulled at any moment to cover a meeting or cover a whole day in a class at any grade level
in the building. This is not entirely a burden, however, as it helps us build connections and relationships with the students and keeps the whole ship afloat. On top of all that, we often have recess and or lunch duty. A big part of our position involves accommodating socialization
um stabilizing deregulated students essentially tier 2 social emotional support or in layman's terms being there for someone having a rough day. All paras are mentors in one form or another. The job can be very specific or very very broad but for almost all of us
we are both hyper specialized and always on call for pretty much anything. Every power I know is a jack of all trades and a master of quite a few of them. The broad variety of roles and indispensable nature of the position is not reflected in our wages. Power professionals
receive a poverty level wage. The majority of paras in the district rely on income of a spouse or a second job or a third job to make ends meet. I have qualified for SNAP supplemental food benefits and mass health in the past. Uh when I took on summer school to have
consistent income throughout the summer, I made just above the amount to qualify for that health insurance and government assistance. The following fall, I turned down the school's health insurance so that I could qualify for that. Um it would have almost have my paycheck. So
the choice became bills and groceries or healthcare. Um, we often hear how much we are appreciated from administration, parents, and the school committee for as hard as we work, for all the roles we play, for being at ready ready at any time to fill the gaps and keep the ship
afloat. Should we even have to be worrying and weighing government assistance at all? I personally don't think so. But as the school board expressed in relation to budget constraints, you have to say no at some point. But where you say no speaks
volumes about who you appreciate and who you don't. Thank you. Thank you, Miss. [Music] Good job.
Is there anyone else for public input? Seeing none, we will move on to reports and presentations. Mine will go first. And tonight I am looking for a vote
to in support of the proposed contract adjustment regarding vacation buyback for director of finance Jack Higgins and for operation director of finance and operations Jack Higgins and director of student services Kelly Steele. Can I get
a motion? Second. All those in favor? I Oh, discussion. Sorry. Sorry. Discussion. Any discussion? Hearing none. All those in favor say I. I.
Any opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Thank you. And now we will move on to the student representative. Oh, sorry. Now we're moving on to you would move to the student
representative report next on your agenda, but they're not here with us this evening. They are very busy students likely preparing for AP exams which are coming fast and furiously next week. Uh but you will likely see them at your next school committee meeting. Congrats to them and good luck. All right. And next on the agenda is the
intern superintendence report. Dr. Thank you so much. I have um some reports for you this evening. you have uh paperwork in your folder and there's a presentation behind me so that the uh community can uh can track along. So my first report is regarding bus safety and railroad crossing. I
might uh call Mr. Higgins for a for a few examples here. Uh however, since our last report, we are continuing to monitor uh the situation with our buses in particular when they're crossing uh at railroad tracks now that we have the uh the MBTA coming through town. We are
continuing to get calls at the end of the day from first student reporting to us about how uh the rides have gone in the morning and the afternoon. Uh first student bus drivers and administrators uh attended a safety outing and again Mr. Higgins might be able to speak more to that uh where our bus drivers rode
the MBTA trains. So I can turn that to you Mr. Higgins for a minute. Sure. So on April 11th um thanks we really a big thank you to Kolis to MBTA to Mass DOT as well as to first student uh for organizing this. This came about as a
result of the conversations that were being held after the incident that took place last month. Um, and an understanding that the bus drivers would really benefit from having an understanding of what the other side looks at as they're going through those um when by other side I mean the
engineers from the perspective of the train. So uh and then in a collaborative format. So the they organized an opportunity for the drivers, the administrators from first student as well as administrators from the district. I was a participant uh where
we uh we met down at the New Bedford Church Street station. They we boarded the train. We rode on the front. We didn't ride with the engineer, but we rode in the front uh the um first car and we were they were talking through the the horns. They were talking through
what's happening in terms of changes in speed, what they're seeing in terms of lights, so that the drivers had an understanding of what the engineers are seeing. The driver's experience prior to this had been freight trains, which are moving much slower and they're much in more infrequent. Um then after that, we
took um a bus was waiting for us at the Taunt station. So we had rode through essentially our our you know affected area um on one of the lines. Uh from the taunt station, we rode as a group on one of the first student buses back to the um
um I'm going to forget the name of this the the crossing in this particular crossing was the street Brley Brilley sorry the Brilley road crossing. We went back to the Braley road crossing. This included the drivers, the administrators, the ciololis safety engineers. Um and we we observed a train
passing by from that perspective as well. seeing the timing in terms of the when the arms are coming down, when the noise, when the um uh the the bell is starting to ring, as well as the driver sharing their own information relative
to, you know, when you are going through the process of pulling up to the stop, opening your door, opening your window, checking. Once you do once you do that and you have clear, you put your foot down and you go through. Um because that that was a part that's part of their training. um they wanted to make sure
they all understood it and there was a there was a good piece for them all to be in to to be included in that. U then there was followed and I don't want to go too much into it but there was followed by a training here at ARHS for the drivers where those safety engineers went through like a classroom session
with them in terms of the safety uh pointers that that are important for any driver but certainly for bus drivers and the training that took place here was was very thorough. It was a great opportunity for our bus drivers to communicate with Mass DOT, to communicate with Guiololis and to communicate with one another. Uh they
did some problem solving and set a plan moving forward. Part of that plan is in our next steps here. So our central office administration will you know continue to periodically ride buses uh for multiple reasons, this being one. Uh we decided to add another front door bus
evacuation drill for this May and that will include a reminder to the students about their obligation when the bus is coming up to tracks that they need to be quieter and they need to be more attentive and they need to give the bus driver the respect of being quiet on the bus because that bus driver is now coming up to a train track and we need
to be able to hear that bus driver needs to hear the signals and everything. So those drills are coming up this May. So that's an addition and that was a result of that training. Uh and then we also did some work uh through Jim Kabusio with our coaches to remind our student athletes who are often on the bus and uh
celebrating their victories and they've got the music going and we're coming up to the track so to remind them that they also need to be participants in in keeping the bus safe. Uh and then we are engaging in student safety trainings at each of the schools between now and the end of the year. So I think that's
excellent especially because we do have a lot of young drivers. So, this is like a a double right now and some of us adults should be able to take this course with all these trains coming through. But I think that's great because the students not only on the bus but driving can definitely benefit from
learning how to navigate around this. That's great. Go ahead. Jack, when you were on the bus at that particular crossing, what did you think of the visibility uh in that particular crossing? you have visibility only down one way as you come
up to where the stop where where the stop point is. Um and that was a part of the conversation that they've been having with them. Understanding though that some of that visibility is is out of the control of even the train as it's you know there's trees and brush that are on private property. Yeah. Thank
you. Interesting. Go ahead. I I just thank you for making this a priority and and as part of the next steps and if if that was part of the meeting including students in in the drills um and keeping them in the loop is so important. So I I appreciate that.
Yeah. On many levels. Any other questions, comments for Dr. Stark? Okay. My my second report tonight is regarding the bus routes. This too is a familiar topic. Um we're continuing to monitor that situation daily. I have to give a lot of credit here to Terry
Fleming who is still fielding calls from parents and working with Kenra Zendes and for a student uh regarding our afternoon situation. Uh again, central office administration is going to continue to ride buses and and continue to monitor the routes. Um as I explained at last meeting, we're working on
developing a means of gauging how many students will be riding the bus next year, in particular at the high school level. Uh because we might be making stops that we don't need to make. And if we can truncate those routes, we can certainly save some time and get our elementary students home uh at a more reasonable hour in the afternoon. Uh we
recently had a meeting with Kenzendes and our three elementary principles where they could talk about what's being seen kind of from all sides of this and Ken was able to provide some more information to the principles so that when they're addressing parent concerns, you have got more information on why
this is happening. Uh and then we're planning on speaking to you in May, if not at the first meeting, at the second meeting, uh regarding some adjustments to school start times, especially at the secondary level because by moving our secondary level start times earlier, we'll create opportunities for our
younger students, for our buses to be on time for our younger students. So, currently we're collecting some data on all of our South Coast school start times, uh so that we can see where we might fall within that. uh working with Kenro Zendes 2 to see how much time we would need in the morning uh the morning
drop off period in order to ensure that our elementary students would get picked up uh at a more reasonable hour at their schools in the afternoon. So we'd like to keep you posted on that matter. Any questions? Any questions about that? All right. Thank you. I'm going to look
forward to that update. All right. Move right along. We have a a PTO donation tonight that we are looking for a vote on. So, the Grace PTO uh voted to donate $1,000 to replace percussion instruments for fourth and gri fifth grade general
music students. Uh if Rene, if you'd like to click on the link there, it gives you just an idea of the tentative purpose uh purchases. Uh and this list was compiled, you know, just so that you could see what they might be buying. But again, it's it's percuss percussion instruments for grades four and five
students. So, we'll be looking for some kind of motion for you to accept the PTA's donation. Move to accept. Second. Okay. I heard a motion and a second. Do we need a roll call vote for this? Okay. Any
discussion? Okay. So, all those in favor say I. I. Those of opposed? Any abstensions? Motion passes. Thank you very much and thank you for the donation. I will let Principal Sullivan know and uh I would
expect that much like principal much like principal dessert, I'm sure there'll be a thank you heading in the direction of the PTO. All right. Awesome. Excellent. Thank you. Uh and then my concluding report for my portion this evening is just an update on uh on my entry plan which I presented last
meeting. I'm really pleased to sit here and say that uh you know day 16 I think it is day 17 on the job. I love that you're counting. I I feel a sense of accomplishment. Uh thank you very much. But I've continued to meet with a number of people both constituencies uh you know here on ground with us like Mr.
Kabusio who I know quite well and Lisa Pico and Diane Sepiga uh hearing about our programs that we have running in the district and what we can do to keep those programs running uh and keep our excellence going and and if there are any things that need to be addressed. Right. Keep keeping a tally here. So,
I'm forming formulating our needs so I can come back to you and talk about about a good direction for us to move. Uh, in terms of the town, I've met with our town administrators in both Freetown and Lakeville. I've met with our uh fire chiefs in both town. I've met with our police chiefs in both town uh both
towns. And I have um meetings on the calendar with select board members from both towns. I met with Mr. Plunkett today who I can see right behind us. That was a a very pleasant meeting today. And uh I've also continued to attend events here in the district. The senior breakfast that was held uh over
at the Flem's building was excellent. Our students were wonderful ambassadors to our senior citizens who came for free breakfast. Uh and that was great. Um, I engaged, as I told you, in the the uh first student driver training that was held here on campus, and I really had
the the awesome privilege of attending the SEC all-star banquet. Again, all-star uh banquet, which was something I had done as a principal, but I'm I'm our students here at Aponic are wonderful. Our top five students conducted themselves very well at this lunchon, and it was an opportunity for
their accolades, which represent the the good work of all of us here in the district, uh, to be shared across the South Coast. Uh so that was a good opportunity again to see how successful our students are being academically, socially and civically. Uh bearing in mind that the students who are our top
five students are are really easy to get their accolades right. So my intention moving along is to meet with some of our students who don't always get the spotlight and those opportunities are coming up. And I'm also very happy to share with you that I'm starting to get into classrooms uh and see what's happening here in the district. This
Friday I'm spending my day at FES. Some of the teachers are probably here. We're going to we're going to do some reading in kindergarten and some uh reading in first grade and I'm making way through fees and then I'll head over to AES in the weeks to come. I I have a lofty goal of trying to get into every classroom by
the end of the school year. I can't make a promise but I can make a goal. Right. So that's where we're head and I want to thank those teachers of Freetown who are uh very receptive to my visits. So, I'm looking forward to uh presenting you with some evaluative goals coming up in the very near future based on all of
this work. Great. And I would like to take a minute to thank the uh middle school students. This is the first senior breakfast I did not attend. Um and I was so bummed out about it, but Babo here informed me that the students um put tablecloths on the tables and
really made our seniors feel special. So, I just want to thank the middle schools because that was great. We This was only the second senior breakfast that they've been involved. Yeah. Um and they've done a great job. I was there for the first and it was fantastic to watch them interact. I really am sad that I missed this one because I heard
it was quite an upgrade. It's really more than breakfast. It's a social social opportunity for a lot of them. And I've learned a lot about gardening at senior breakfast. So, I I did want to send a a very heartfelt thank you to the middle school
because the middle school students because they did a great job and I appreciate their their caring and they're taking their time to sit with our seniors and and chat cuz it's always fun. Awesome. And I I just would like to close by acknowledging the beautiful artwork that's up here in this room tonight. Right. So, we would like to
specifically identify Crystal Lima, Lisa Fetera, and Mora Irwin who are the art teachers here at the high school. These products were put up by and are products from their students, but they're also products of our art program across the district. Right. So, if you have an opportunity tonight to take a glance
around the room before you leave, I'm sure you'll like what you see. I don't know the exact date of our official art show. I'm guessing it's very Thursday. Thursday. There you go. Thursday of this week. I wish it would be on sale afterwards because I've seen quite a few things that I would love to take. I agree. Go ahead, Bob. Yeah. Well, I just
I came really to uh to walk around and and see this the uh the artwork. It's amazing. It really is amazing the talent that some of these people have and and obviously the uh the instructors that are involved in it. I mean, it could be
in the goddamn museum almost, you know, just just amazing. So, I encourage anybody to walk around and look at it. It's really really impressive. Thank you. Uh and with that, I would like to turn things over to Terry F.
Okay. Um so just quickly, we put in for uh in January, we had uh the situation where FPS uh was not able to open on a school day and so we put in for a waiver with the state and we've officially been
approved for that waiver. So FPS will be operating under 179 days school year this year. So that was approved and we are thankful for that. Um we have an agreement um and communication with staff to make up that day um over time
versus having to come in on a separate day. So I think that was able to all parties and then on April 15th, Dr. Starky and Mr. War sent out communication to families and you have a copy of that in your packet. And so that closes the loop on that January
situation and I just wanted to make sure that you um knew where we were and if you had any questions I'm happy to answer them for you. Do you have any questions for Terry? Okay, moving right along. Moving right along to our presentation from uh Jeff
Higgins. Okay. Uh so the first item under finance and facilities update is relative to the substitute pay um uh topic which we have discussed several times over the past few months. Um and we I think this has been a very helpful process in terms of factf finding and
identifying um what kind of uh substitute pay rates there are in our area. Um we um at the April 9th meeting, recommend recommendations were made by by this office uh for increases. Um however uh and and and you can see those
those recommendations as they were presented to you at the last meeting. However, as we continue to progress through this budget process and the staff contract negotiations, it is my recommendation at this time that the committee delay the decision for a vote to increase the rates for substitute pay
until the into the school year. uh which case we'll have a better clarity in terms of understanding what the additional funding possibilities are from the state and we'd have a better understanding of where so this is something that can happen at any time or you can change the rates um and while I I strongly support the idea of
increasing those rates I think we have enough uncertainty right now given all the moving parts relative to budget contract negotiation that inc including this as another um liability I think is is is probably a little too early
um for the uh I want to uh thank and uh wish well to Adrienne Elellman, our current uh payroll specialist. She has been with the district since uh the spring of 2023. She is leaving uh tomorrow is her last day. She had put in for her she resigned a couple weeks ago.
Um she has moving on to a a a payroll position. Um is very excited about that opportunity. We appreciate her efforts and we certainly wish her the well in the future to ensure um continuity of payroll service. We've been lucky enough to be able to secure Denise Martins.
Some of you may remember Denise who was the one of our payroll specialists here in the district for several years um going back in the 201s uh and prior. Uh and Denise is was willing to come in and uh fill in that role for the two months to to close out the school year for us
which is going to be very helpful. uh she's got a wealth of knowledge and we'll be um it will make things very you know she's starting on May 5th so there's going to be no break in service in terms of our payroll needs and then I would like you to uh welcome Lisa Craig as our new payroll specialist as we've uh posted that position uh Lisa has been
in the district for uh 16 years um as a as a secretary in multiple positions in the at the high school. Um Lisa has some payroll experience from previous positions. Uh she's also one of the most organized and best prepared people that I think you could see. Uh she certainly
wowed us in the interview and uh we are very excited. Uh I can tell you that we a sign of how how lucky we are to have uh uh to to have gotten Lisa to join us is that the number of stairs, the ugly stairs that I'm getting from the staff of the high school understanding that
she's coming, she's leaving them and she's joining us. Um but they're they're going to sad to see her go and we're certainly going to be we're we're happy to have her join us and of course it's very very lucky to keep her in the district. Um at the April 9th school committee meeting. So moving on to the budget update. Uh at the April 9th uh
2025 school committee meeting the school committee requested a plan to utilize END to mitigate the number of staff reductions that were discussed uh for the coming year. Um in that we that for that plan I'm proposing the use of $250,000 of FY25 END to keep four
positions. This would include three teaching positions and one pair of professional position. Uh I included the corresponding assessment sheet for your review. There are no there is no effect to the assessments for the towns of Freetown and Lakeville. Um while the budget increases by that amount, it is
um reduced then by the uh district END um number as well. Um so you can see that on line 5B, the excess and deficiency applied to operations of $450,000. Okay. Do we have any questions for Jack
on this? Okay, thank you for that, Jack. Go ahead. I just um thank you for well a couple things. Thank you for the thoughtful recommendation and smart recommendation on the substitute PI pay. I absolutely agree with that. I think we should push that out as far as possible
and also um for getting back to us on the amendment language. I think it's an appropriate use of funds at this point in time. [Music] Great. Any other questions with that? Jeff, may I ask question? Are you looking for us
to include a a potential vote on the next agenda? I think procedurally that's the way to go. Yeah. Yes, please. Thank you. Um I have some thoughts about this. Um
the budget. So one of my questions is as a practical matter, what's the we have school choice funds, we have END END the emergency funds. What's the implication of taking something from END
versus from a school choice account? So, um they are two funds that you have access to. Uh they either way you'd be depleting one of those two by $250,000. They both effectively are in your, you
know, in um uh in revolving type funds, so they don't go away at the end of the year as a as the general budget does. Uh so it would be a decision amongst the school committee members to determine which pool of money to draw from. Um I I
think it's important to note that over the over during um when we were receiving er money from the federal government the um we were accumulating school choice money as a result of what we receive each year for the number of students that we have that are school
choice students. uh but with that federal money, we didn't end up needing to use it for operations. So, it was building up and I think we've for those of you who were here in the over the last year, that was a topic of conversation, how much school choice money there was. And over the in the
current year, we have $700,000 of that END is being utilized for for the for operations. And in the current budget, if you'll recall in the nor in the initial assessment, it's the use of $800,000. And that's still my
recommendation. We put $400 additional thou $400,000 additional dollars in as a placeholder that you assuming the state comes back and says that we're going to get that money, you're going to vote it back into, you know, out of operations and back into END and we would receive
that money from the multiple sources that we've already discussed at at these meetings. Um, so certainly if you were to move that 400, let's say, back into its pool, you could theoretically draw 250 instead of using END. But
ultimately, it's really a decision on where do you want, what what pool are you deciding to take from. I will say that we are moving towards the place where our school choice funds are starting to I don't want to use the word dry up but they reducing down to the
place where we're going to be able to use essentially what we get every year which was which was the common practice that you use what you what you're getting because there's no extra money coming in from the from the federal government. Um, so over the next couple
of years, over this year and of the coming year and then the following year, there's going to have to be a a decision about moving some of those expenses into the general fund. So, it's a timeline. It's a timing issue, but you're making decision on which which pool to use.
Right. I think and well said. I I think it was my understanding that an amendment is is in a safety net for lack of a better words because there's still assumptions at the state level that haven't come back to us that we could offset this. It we're essentially buying
ourselves time with the 250 to give us a little bit of wiggle room to save the four positions. That's kind of the tool or the resource I saw this amendment as. And then it it goes back into E and D given if the state or whatever responds with some funds. I I will say this if I
may. I'm sorry, but the only thing that is in terms of the use of END would require a vote in our current fiscal year to you to then vote it for the FY26 budget. You can't wait until June into July to make the you to vote that to
vote that usage. So, um you can vote it now. It gets put to the side. It's there. If ultimately the state money comes in, it then works its way. it just it it slides back into EMD and unused which is exactly why we're doing this.
It's a smart use of what that account is for in this at this point in time. Thank you for that. I have a question. Excuse me. Do we have any idea on what money we're
going to get from the state? Yes. If you Well, I mean, so I if you remember in the uh meeting about three meetings ago, we reviewed all the different possibilities. Some of those things have already been voted on. For example, they've already voted to um to increase
regional transportation for the current year. We do have a regional transportation stabilization fund. So, every one of those dollars that comes into us now, we can we will place into that fund and it'll carry over into next year. It can't go past next year. It's not a true revolving fund. It's a
stabilization fund in the same way that um circuit breaker serves as a stabilization fund. In other words, it only has it it expires after a full year. You know, you get it in that year, you have to use it in the following year. So, that's one example. There's also the um there within the vote. Now,
mind you, this is just the ways and means committee that that voted and approved it. still has to go through its process. But that the other piece to that vote was the increase of um uh out of district transportation
tuition from the current rate percentage rate of 45% up to I believe it was 75%. So that piece, those two pieces there, they effectively move and and that is that does have the same rule as out of
district, I'm sorry, um circuit breaker. It also carries over to the next year. What was the percentage rate on transportation? Up to 100% for the current year. So it's 20% additional from what we we got from the beginning of the year.
So my next question is then we The theory is using END as a placeholder because we think we might get more money back from the Commonwealth. We don't then you know we don't get that money that we are placeholding then we're stuck using END or we take it. I mean
then you could then if you wanted to you wanted to then use school choice you could then use school choice. You can make that decision later you can make it now. It's you could vote them back and forth. Um once that money is voted in END, it literally is sitting there as a
you know, essentially a usable source for you. Um and then if you don't want to utilize it and you want to vote to use school choice, you can do that. I guess my concern is using yes, they roll over and they're they're funds sitting there, but um
they're not necessarily going to be replenished every year, so they're limited and then they're going to be baked into an operating budget. So, it feels like we're kicking the can down the road for next year. But that's
that's my fear is that we're going to keep what is it? Robbing Peter to pay Paul kind of like we're going to take from here. We're going to move it here. We're going to move it here. We're going to have this placeholder. We're going to do this. I'm I I hate
to have a boat where I think could have, kind of, maybe should have. I mean, it's gone through wavy means, but there's no guarantee that it's going to go any further. And that's the part that scares me that we're going to be I don't I'll use the word stuck.
We're going to be stuck with this and we don't get the money. Then we're going to have to take the money from here. Then we're going to have to take the money from here to pay for this and that. And that's it's too much uncertainty for me. It's covering one hole with another one.
Right. So, [Music] okay. Anyone go ahead, Jack? How much would additional money would it take to have no reductions? Um, hold on. [Music] between5 and $600,000.
Okay. Any more questions for Jack? I'm let me let me restate that. You're saying in total or additional in in Well, I'm just going to give you the in total number. The total number if you were to have no reductions. If you remember, there was a reduction in the
budget of a million dollars. That was the number of that was through the positions. No positions means from that original budget uh presentation that you received in February would be add a million dollars. Now, we've added some
money in the inter room, but that's where it would be. Go ahead. Another question. So then Joe say we don't get this money and we have to move everything around. So does this mean next year we're going to be looking at an override and that's
going to put us in an even uglier position and um I don't even know what to say to that because it's just cuz next year in Lakeville is looking quite ugly. And I would only comment with all due
respect. I don't think $250,000 is going to drive an override. I think we might be potentially headed in that direction anyway. Anyway, um but I I think this as a safety net potentially, I agree, is kicking the can down the road, but we still have options. And it is pretty
common that we do, as the process plays out at the state level, money typically does get returned because it's a great press release to cities and towns. I assume last year we got some additional funds after we voted our budget. So last
year we received, if you recall, uh $245,000 as from as additional um extraordinary relief for special education out of district tuitions. And then I I don't I hope you probably know the answer, but I don't expect you to. But the year before that there might
have been a return, but then you get into those co years. So right it is pretty likely that and quite honestly budgets right now we're comparing apples to oranges if we're comparing next year's budget or even this year's budget with even this year's budget
because uh July, August, and September we still had money that we were we were expending. So this year still has some of that cushion. Um whereas next year we're comparing it we're comparing it to 2019, right? and and it's obviously a
difficult year, a difficult situation and and this is um you know a sort of a meet in the middle safety net as presented and and hoping we we can you know solve some problems but you you in many ways you're right we're creating
others but I think those other problems were coming anyway that I understand that but but I think we are getting in deeper water right you know point. There's that fear that, you know, eventually END is going to run
out. Absolutely. And if we keep taking from END to cover things, I think we're going to keep sliding down a very slippery slope of just moving money around and just I you know,
um through the share, I have a question, John. Um, can this bowl can be made down the road? Can we uh vote for END prior to the end of the current fiscal year? And are we are creating those four position
or we are saving saving? There will be no new positions in the budget. That that is not to say that we won't be hiring people because positions that might turn over as a result of people who move out of the
area or change jobs and those are not positions that we have identified or um that are not a part of the whole plan. They need to be replaced. So, you know, at the you're going to see postings and you might think, why are we posting if
we also are talking about reduction in positions and that's because those are not the positions and there's a turnover that's going to happen every year, but they're in places that you I mean, the simplest way to put it is we're we're we're going to be posting and and um
interviewing for an assistant principal at the at the high school. That's because we have a position that needs to be replaced. Yes, of course. Sure. Thank you. Is there a ceiling number on your END account? Yes. 5% of your operating budget is how much you can have. Are we
almost at that? We are at that is why we were returning money last year to the towns cuz once you hit the ceiling, anything over the over that um ceiling gets returned to the towns and we're close to that cuz I don't remember many times where we voted to try to dip into
that fund. The last time you voted to use to set aside END was in the spring of 2023. that ended up being put there as I think and I'm just speculating because I was just I was I was in the crowd that
it was um it was a safety net because I believe at the time there was some conversation around an additional preschool teacher something along those lines and so that money was set aside. It ultimately ended
up not being utilized for the same reason as we've talked before because at the end of 24 you had you know as I said before SR3 was a substantial amount of money that came to us from the feds with not a lot of guidelines in terms of how it could be used. So it could be used in
a number of different ways to keep the district uh operating. That's good information to know that we're almost at the ceiling. So you're at the ceiling now the the next year ceiling will increase because the budget
will increase and therefore 5% of that increased number goes up. Yeah. And I just I think it extends the conversation extends the option and and hopefully we we I don't want to call it luck but we we get some returns from our our extra
time that we're buying with the the state budget process. But this just for procedure. We're not voting tonight. No. Any No, we don't have a vote. [Music] Jack, I can you must remember
when was devastated. It had hardly anything in it. Yes. And we built it back. You brought it down to 90,000 at one point. Is that correct? That is correct. I I I want to point something out to that that you can see if you look at the END
number over time, you see it go drop down and and and I remember when it happened and I remember why it happened. There were positions hired that were not in the budget and then it took a couple of years to basically increase the budget to the place where it supported those positions and it was no longer
hitting END. That it slowly grew back and then there was a big jump and that jump was FY20 when the schools closed on March 13th, 2020. And now all of a sudden you didn't need to keep turn your lights on. you didn't need to use your
your heating oil. Uh we paid all the all the staff was paid during that time, but there was a lot of expenses that we weren't expending. And so at the end of that year, there was a chunk of money to be able to be used in END. And sure enough, in that year, the END rose
significantly. Okay, any more questions for Jack? Okay, hearing none, move on. Excellent. We do not have a student services uh update this evening. Uh Director Steele is not with us and to the best of my knowledge, we don't have any
announcements or correspondence uh to share with you. So, I turn it back over to you, Chair W. Okay, moving right along to your school committee subcommittee and district committee reports. Uh let's start with the regional finance committee.
We do not have an update. I know we have a new member on the Lakeville select board. Um I haven't heard from the finance committees who they've appointed yet. Um so I can reach out to the finance committees. Great. Thank you. Um how about intern superintendent
evaluation committee? No update at this time, but thank you for sharing your entry plan. I look forward to your goals as we start to transition. So thank you for that. Um, wellness and health committee. That's
I don't think we have anything on. We haven't had our We have nothing. We have our meeting. Yeah. When is our meeting? Yeah. I can tell you in one second. It's usually a Tuesday. June 3rd. Okay. Thank you, Rene. You're
welcome. Moving on to the policy committee. Policy subcommittee. Sorry. No update. No update. Um capital subcommittee. I would say no update. No update. I don't want to speak for every committee,
but no. No update. Okay. And that's one we definitely don't have an update on. No, we don't. and the pool subcommittee. Um, do you want to speak to it or do you want me to? You can answer that. Um, yeah, we've had a lot of uh a fair amount of emails have come
in uh expressing interest in being part of the uh pool committee. So, thank you for the interest there. Uh, Crystal and I um have spoken uh regarding this. Um we're working to sift through now um an appropriate number um to be an effective
uh subcommittee um without overbearing the the community but not not too small either. Um the engineering study uh is still going to be in process uh from what I understand. So that'll be part of it. Um, but we
will be reaching out to folks um in the very near term to um if they're still interested in uh being on that pool committee. Um you'll be hearing from us soon. Thank you, Tim. Can I just add something very quickly? So, um my suggestion would
be that one of the first meetings that we do a a trip uh and a walkthrough of the pool um and the facility. Um, I would also suggest that if we're looking at that timeline, we're looking at maybe mid June. And I only ask that because our director of facilities is right now
on leave. When he returns, I'd like him to be a part of that because his knowledge is um significant. Uh, and I think we would I think we would end up just creating questions at that meeting that could have been answered on the spot and ultimately we're going to, you know, do it all. That was my uh that was
my second suggestion to them is that get the committee set up. First meeting is at the pool. because I think it's a good idea for everybody to see exactly what it is that we're looking at. Whether we understand it or not, it's a whole different story, but at least we'll know what it looks like, I think.
So, okay, moving on. Is there anything um in discussion for our committee? [Music] Go ahead. um only because it was uh brought to my attention. Um and I I don't know if it's
part of the um policy committee. Um I did receive a couple of inquiries uh when the agenda was posted this week that it was a new format. Um and I am not this is new to me still. So maybe a
little clarification so I can go back to those folks who asked. But, um, changing the agenda, it is that something that follows a specific policy on our website cuz I someone pointed it out, but I wasn't no clear to be honest. So, I'd
like to be able to just soate that. From from what I know, the chair makes the agenda and that's me. Got it. I didn't do it by myself though. I do give some credit to Dr. Starky. Oh, go ahead. And
and you can look at the beed behind and you can take a look at that to see that we have not gone against any policies. Okay. I I was just going to say just cuz I've been on the policy committee changing the format's not necessarily there's no policy change
like the chair and and the superintendent have the discretion to set the order on the agenda. Yeah. if there like you know you just pick an item but if we were you'd have to refer something. So if we were changing public participation you know some of the rules
on there which we didn't we just kind of link the policy to it but as long as the date time location um is posted that that meets the requirements of again I got the questions and I just want to be able to have the answers. So thank you. Yeah there's no formatting issues. I would
refer them right to our policy because it is actually quite explanatory right in our pol I've gone over it a few times. Um just to make sure. So um yeah, you can refer them to that cuz it it is right right in our policy. Great. Right on our website. May I through the chair?
Yes, absolutely. Uh just just to tell you where the the agenda came from. Uh when I met with Chair Blum and uh through conversation, we were looking for an agenda that might be more efficient. So given that I hadn't been here very long, I went to an agenda that I was very comfortable with from a former school district and turned it
over to uh Renee Rodicks who does a a bulk of the work in preparing for these meetings and I said, "Renee, you know what's going on here. Can you try to meld this agenda with what has been the traditional agenda here?" And I did present it to Chair Blum and uh to Vice Chair Steve Sonia who who thought it
would be appropriate for the meeting. So, you know, it wasn't any intricate design. It was simply what I knew and it had been efficient and a process that I had engaged in before in that you know the committee reports were delivered in succession and people didn't have to keep talking over each other. So that's
where it came from. Thank you. And and just as a thank you um you've met the goal we had serious and productive conversation. So the efficiency is is you've met that goal. Thank you. I wanted to say I don't want to be biased, but I do think that this is a pretty
efficient meeting tonight. So, well, it's a it's a community effort, right? That's right. Um, and I also wanted to add that our intention is to continue to display something for the public to see, right? Because it's it's challenging when you're at home and you're hearing budget numbers and you can't see them, right? Or you're hearing a discussion
about substitute pay and you're just hearing all these numbers. But at least for the audience at home and for the people who are sitting here, you have an opportunity to see it. We're working, Margaret French. We are working on uh on providing another opportunity on the other side so that you can see what's going on at the meeting. We're getting
there. We're getting there. And and then brother, if I could add, I think there's an advancement in the way the public participation is presented because the option to email something and have that read into the record is is an option that we've talked about in the past to
kind of increase that. So, it's it's really encouraging people to participate in the process. So I think it's an added bonus. Um and it's something we have discussed in the past. So I think it's a good thing. Yeah. But good. Yeah. Yeah. Again, thank you. I appreciate it. Yep.
Okay. So moving any other discussion? Okay. Seeing none, we're going to move right on to action items. Um we did already we have addressed A and B, which is the vote to approve Mr. Higgins and Miss Steel's contract
amendment. and the vote to approve the PTO donation. So, those are all set. Uh, now we will move on to vote to approve the payroll vendor warrants from 4162025. Motion to approve the payroll vendor warrants from 41625. Second. Second.
Hearing a motion and a second. Is there any discussion? I just have a question. Go for it. Did we vote out here for the the agenda? Mhm. at the beginning. I believe you said I I
could have. I could have. I very well. I know you're doing a pose. No, no, no. Because I was still thinking about something else. Yeah, we just did that um when when it was presented. Okay. So, like for for the first one for Jack and Kelly, we did that as presented and the second one for the donation, we did that
as presented as well. So, my question is is why are they separate? I guess that's like why can't we just have it together? Um, I'm sorry. I don't understand. Why is what separate? Okay. So, like under action item is the vote for Mr. Higgins
in the sales agenda. But then we talk about it here where it says vote required. Why not just have it all together in one spot and get her done? We did. Yeah, we that is what Yeah, I know. But we're going back over it as an action item. Everything. Well, yeah,
because I I did the vote at that time versus come back to it later on at the end of the night and kind of revisit it. So we we talked about it and we voted at that time. Yes. But no, I'm not I'm not necessarily
No, I just put it all together and then just get it done and then we'd be moving to a journ through through the chair. May I ask a question? Are you suggesting that we not that the votes not be taken at the top, you take them all at the bottom under action items? No, just cuz we did them. Yep.
But then we go over them again as an action item, but just put them together and then they're just done. So then we don't have to go back and talk about them again. I think we were trying to avoid talking about it again by saying A and B were already done. Right. Exactly.
So moving on to C if we may. Um I'll entertain a vote to vote uh to approve the payroll vendor warrants from 416 2025. So we have a motion motion in a second. I got messed up with all that and you had said discussion. Yes. So, do we have any discussion on that? We just
had it. Hearing none. Um, all in favor, do we do a rope? No. Okay. All in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Any abstension? Motion passes. Next, we are going to vote to
approve regular session minutes for 429 2025. Second. Hearing a motion and a second. Do we have any discussion? To be clear, this is regular session. This is regular session. Yes, sir.
Second section two. Hearing no more. All those in favor say I. I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Okay. Now moving on to executive session minutes from 9:25. But to note, we are not releasing
until collective bargaining is complete. Motion to approve and not release the executive session minutes from 4925. Courtney second hearing a motion and a second. Is there any discussion on this hearing? None. All in favor say I.
I. Any opposed? Any obstensions? I motion passes. And now I would like to make an a motion to adjurnn. Okay. Good evening. Thank you all.