Thank you. All right. Um, so welcome to the Wednesday, July 15th, uh, meeting special meeting of the school committee. I will call this meeting to order at
7:02. Uh, in accordance with the requirements of the open meeting law, please be advised that this meeting is being broadcast at a later date over the Lunberg public access channel. Um, you can find the Zoom meeting link on the town website. It is at the top of the
agenda. Uh, this meeting will be broadcast at a later date through the local access channel and on the public access Facebook page and will be found on the Lunberg Access YouTube channel within 24 hours after the meeting. The agenda lists all topics which may be discussed at the meeting and those reasonably anticipated by the chair.
Votes may be taken as a result of these discussions. Not all items listed may in fact be discussed and other items not listed may also be brought up for discussion to the extent permitted by the open meeting law. Okay. Um we can do the pledge. You're going to have to um
I'm going to skip that one because I don't have a flag in my room. Um okay. Public comment for prior issues. Do we have public comment from the public? Is there anyone I'm checking for
I think >> no one's hand is raised. >> Okay. Uh public comment from the committee. Okay. Uh review and approve minutes. Did everyone have a chance to review the minutes from 62426?
>> Yes. >> Okay. Can I get a motion and a second to review and and to approve those minutes? >> I would make a motion to approve the minutes as uh Laura discussed. I'll second. >> Perfect. Okay. So, we're going to do a
roll call vote because it's on Zoom. Um, so Mr. Schooly >> I. >> Miss Russell >> I. >> And Miss Gilman >> I. >> And it's an I from me. Motion passes. Okay. Review and approve line item
transfers, warrants, and donations. Uh, I think we just had the warrants. >> No transfers tonight. >> Oh, we have transfers. Oh, no we don't. >> Oh, no. Okay. Transfers is next meeting. So, we're all good, Chris. >> Yeah, there will be a lot at ne at the
next meeting. >> Okay, perfect. All right. Um, new business. Uh, to vote on warrant article for a special town meeting for school funding. Um, so if you guys look in the folder, I
think Liz dropped it in there. or shared with you guys. Yeah, the additional town. Oh, no, that's the spending plan proposed warrant article. Um, so I don't know, did you guys get a chance to look in your folder and review
this? It was just added. Um, amending FY27 school budget. We as a school committee would submit to the select board the article. So, the wording is based off what we did in 2024, which I think Mandy wrote, um,
to see if the town will vote to raise and appropriate an additional sum of $350,000 and no sense for the FY27 operating budget for the school department or take any other action relative there, too. And I wrote up a little summary for it. I'm not sure if
we want to stick with that summary. Um, I think it's up to the select board what they put down for a summary, but I thought we could put one in. uh or do you think it would be good for the public to understand this $350,000? It is maybe you want to read the summary because I think the summary is is good
before we vote on it, but just the idea why there's possibly another $350,000 to spend beyond what we uh appropriated at town meeting. >> Yes, thank you. >> Like yeah, that's a good point. I'm jumping ahead. Yes, so the the governor
Haley signed the FY27 state budget on I think it was July 7th, Mandy. Um it was recent >> and in that FY27 state budget um under the education receipts that we get from the state there is $418,56
more in education specific receipts than the original budget which was based on the governor's budget that was released back in I don't remember >> January. >> Yeah, January. It's a long process. So in January, the governor releases a
budget and then it goes through various committees and the house and the state senate. Um and so the budget that ends up being signed is different than what the governor proposes. So because education
needs more funding and people have been um asking for more ed education funding like Mandy went to the state house, we had students go up there. parents have been sending a lot of emails and asking for this. Um, the
conference committee budget ended up having almost a half million for $400,000 more specifically for the education specific receipts. Um, unfortunately it's not in chapter 70.
Uh, it went mostly to the charter school reimbursement. uh which means it it ne might not necessarily come every year. That one can vary a lot, but it was a way for the state legislature to give us more money without committing
themselves to doing it every year. Um so because of that, our budget was built, the town budget was built on the governor's original budget and did not account for this extra money coming in. So, because the needs in the school are so dire and so great right
now, I was wondering if the school committee wanted to vote on I think we did already vote to go for it, but to ask to at the November special town meeting to have um that money allocated to the schools to have $350,000 of that money allocated to
the schools. Did I miss anything, Mandy? >> No, I mean I think I think that's how I would describe it. So, uh, I just want to make sure if any of the public, this is money that we were not expecting. So, that is why it was not included in the original budget. Um, I have something I
want to say. I think probably I want to do it before we vote on this. So, if that is appropriate at this time, I'm going to do that. Laura, >> um, yeah. Yeah. If you guys Let me hold on. Let me ask if if anyone has any questions. Um, if you or Tony or Jean have questions and then we'll do
comments. Um, Gan or Tony, are you guys good? >> No questions. >> Okay. >> Awesome. >> All right. So, any discussion before we vote? >> Yeah. So, what I want to say is we finally have some good news. Um, the
Massachusetts state budget for 27 included an additional $418,656 for Lunenburgg Public Schools. Um, as Laura said, this funding increase exceeds the revenue estimates the town used to build our upcoming budget. Um,
another really important thing, the budget included the creation of a chapter 70 formula, I mean commission, which is tasked with overhauling the statewide chapter 70 formula for schools. This is absolutely vital to fix the situation schools like Lunenburgg
are in. Unfortunately, that report is not due until October of 2028. So, this is still a few years that we are going to need to limp through and, you know, find more money for our schools. But I do want to thank everyone on this call who really participated in any advocacy because that was vitally important.
Um I think it's really important that we thank our champion Representative Scarsdale who has been a staleweight through this entire thing and her colleagues rep Kush and Senator Cronin. Um I also really want to thank the students, parents, school committee members and other town officials
particularly former select board member Caesar for his strong legislative advocacy for this money. Um, the legislature must continue invest in communities like Lunenburgg year-over-year as we wait for the chapter 70 formula. But I just want to say to everyone on the call, this is
what can happen if we continue to work together. And all those annoying times I ask people to send emails and do things, this is the reason because $400, $400,000 is not an insignificant amount of money um that we have been heard on. Um, now the troubling news. Although the
legislature funded this $418,000 through specific education focused line items, the town manager and the select board will only support spending 350,000 of this in the upcoming school year. State funding formulas include charges
or payments the town must make back to the state. While town leadership has stated that these required payments have also increased, this still leaves a gap of 52,730 dollars that the town is pocketing. They are taking education money away from our
children because they will not allow this the school district and the school community to spend that $52,000. I call on the town manager and the select manager and the select board to let the public know why they believe this money is much better spent on the town side of budget. legislature clear
clearly intended this funding to be used for the school district. As a reminder to the public and anyone listening, the schools have been making cuts for the last three years. On the town side, the this year's nonoverride budget included included entirely new shift of
firefighter and an assistant town manager expenses that continue to cut. Yes, some specific cuts on the town side took cuts. departments took cuts, but two of the most glaring reductions affected children. We lost a school
resource officer and we lost the teen librarian in town. So basically, even the cuts on the town side are affecting our kids. Town leadership continues to act as if the finances for other departments are not an issue. Yet the schools and our children must continue
to face cuts. the advocacy of people on this call, including me, Laura Tony, our former superintendent, brought this extra $418,000 into the town. Caesar, um, and now the town is taking that
money from my child. Uh, what will the $52,730 be spent on if the schools don't get it? It will mostly like end up in what's called a free cash pool, which grows over the next year. Free cash is any money that we don't allocate at town
meeting um now or in the fall. Free cash is generally spent on capital projects and other onetime expenses. If any of you go back to last year's town meeting booklet, the free cash in our town was spent on 12 separate projects, capital projects. The schools, which account for
over half of the town budget, only got funding for three projects out of that 12. The fire department, the police department, the li others others more. even though we account for half of the funding. Um, so we can talk more about this. I am really grateful for Dr.
Fortuna and uh Laura for working with the town to try to come up with a plan that we will be able to spend this $350,000 soon because we need that money now to hire uh educators. But I am deeply disappointed that the leadership in this
town, including members of the SL, don't seem to understand that the roof is falling in on our students and they intend to spend money on things they can't even explain at this point. Thank you, Laura. >> Thank you, Mandy.
Um, does anyone else have comments or discussion? Okay. Um, yeah, I also I I understand the issue of why we're not asking for the full amount when that money
is clearly in the education basket and was a result of the increased advocacy um on behalf of the schools. I think the sad part is this is the compromise to to get the support of the town
manager and the select board. Um don't let up with the advocacy. Um and I don't just mean advocacy at the state level. I mean advocacy at the town level as well. Um because like Mandy said, it has been multiple years of cuts. This is
bad. Things are not good. Um, and I feel like I just keep saying it over and over. Um, >> and people are tuning me out on it because I just keep saying it, but that's the reality of the situation. It's it's bad. >> So, um, I also I want to answer the
question of what we would spend the money on. That is the next agenda item as well. Um, I just wanted to get the wording of this so that we could officially transmit it to the select board in anticipation of uh opening the warrant for the November special town
meeting just so we're ahead of the game. Um, so are we ready to take a vote on the on on this warrant article? >> Okay. >> Can I can I just ask a question? Is the
the Warren article proposing language to call a special town meeting? >> No, we're gonna So, we can ask them to call a special town meeting or there could be a citizens petition to call a special town meeting, but the timing of
that special town meeting is up to the select board. And I don't think the select board is interested in pursuing a special town meeting. There's a lot of things going on in town right now. Um we're having a special election um
in August. So we don't even the makeup of the select board is up in the air as well. They're going to have two new members. Um so I believe that by the time they get around to scheduling a special town meeting because there is a timeline of
things that need to get done. The town manager and I disagree on the logistics of that timeline. It's it's outlined as far as they need they need time to prepare the warrant. They need time for the finance committee to review any articles. Then they need the select
board to vote on the articles. Uh they need to post it. They need to post that they're opening the warrant. And then they need to give time for that. Those are in different orders. Um the opening the warrant comes before and then they need time to mail postcards
now because we voted as a town not to mail out the whole warrant. So then they need time to mail out the postcards so that everyone has the postcards at least 14 days before the election. It is a process. Um can I just say Laura the
town manager and the chair of the select board I believe do not want to have a town meeting because it's a lot of rigomearroll. So they have instead approached us to spend $350,000 and let us spend the money today and not have to have the town meeting until November. Tony, in order to prevent citizens from
trying to have a town meeting to get all 418K, which we could do, we could collect 200 signatures. We could try to have our own town meeting, but they are trying to work around us. I actually don't know that the other members of the select board have an opinion on how much money we are spending, but the town
manager has asked the leadership here um to approach it this way, which I'm not necessarily on board with, but I understand that we have to work with our town um leaders in order to get funding to our schools. But as you know, I'm tired of
it. I'm tired of being told things. I'm tired of being run over. Do we have asurances that that that if we agree to withhold on calling a town meeting and we agree to the $350,000 that we will actually get the $350,000?
>> So the the town manager and the select board have no way of knowing or predicting or assuring us of the outcome of a of a vote at town meeting. >> Sure. Obviously >> up to the town body. Ultimately, all of these decisions are up to who
shows up to town meetings to vote, which is terrifying when you think about it and why I started going to town meetings. >> Okay. So, let me rephrase my question. >> Do we have asurances that this will be on the warrant? >> Yes. Yeah. >> Okay. All right. >> This will be this will be on the warrant
for November and it will be an early one because the budget uh in 2024 it was the second article. um at the special town meeting because the >> but what happens Laura if we start
spending this money and for some reason it doesn't pass. >> So >> that is a concern. >> That is that is a concern when we talk about the spending plan. We'll talk a little bit about
um Chris's reservations which I share about executing the entire spending plan before November and what we think we can potentially escape by with
um which would only be a position and a half um moving forward if it did not pass a town meeting. So, >> I mean, my understanding is it only takes 42 days to have a town meeting. So,
>> so we could table this item until we talk about the spending plan. Um, there's also the possibility that any citizen can make an amendment to a warrant article. >> It just feels like if we're going to make this money and we're going to have this money, don't we want it for the
school year, the whole school year? So that's yeah but by the whole point happen in time for hiring >> right like the whole point of this so the town so basically the town is saying be good don't pull something and we will give you $350,000 but we can't actually
give you the $350,000 because it's not our actual job to give out the money. >> Yeah. We can only take money that's appropriated at a town meeting. >> Right. So they're like, "Oh, well, you can have this 350 that's not money that we can actually give you if you be good
and play nice." >> Which state legislature knew as well, but to be fair, the state legislature knew that this >> bottleneck would happen. >> They didn't disperse the money directly to us. >> I'm not blaming the state legislature
for this. I mean, anyone else can, but I am not blaming the state legislature for this. This is the way the state legislature has worked for 30 years. as long as I've been involved. And so, um, you know, the thing is they can only respond to people yelling and screaming for the spring and that's how they do it. And actually, they got it done
pretty quickly compared to what they usually do. The last few years it's been the end of July by the time they've got which isn't an award for them. It's supposed to be done by July 1st, but I don't. It's just >> it would be nice if it was done in time for our actual budget season,
>> right? It's not going to happen because our our our fiscal years are both July 1. There's no way it will ever happen unless the the town moves their fiscal year to like the fis federal fiscal year, right? That's never going to happen. So, the design of the system is flawed that we have the same fiscal year
because how is the state ever going to know what their revenues are and their, you know, what they're projecting to spend? >> So, we can take a vote on this and then talk about the spending plan or >> I would like to talk about the spending plan first if possible. Tony, I don't
know how you feel. And Jean, >> I don't really care. >> I don't care. >> Do I need a motion to table this if we're going to go back to it? >> I'd make a motion to table this >> and Okay. Till the next item. Can I get a second?
>> Second. >> Okay. Roll call vote. Miss Russell. >> I. >> Mr. School and Brady? >> I. >> Miss Gilman. >> I. and it's an I for me. So, we are going to table this one agenda item
until the next item is discussed. Um, which probably should have done it that way in the first place. Um, vote on a proposed spending plan for school funding. So, if you look in your folder, Dr. Fortuna has
um outlined her spending plan. Do you want to take this Chris or Dr. Fortuna? >> I'll take it. Um and then we can hear um Chris's advice. One of the things that I
want to be very clear with our community about is that even if were we to get the full amount of money for the town, it wouldn't be sufficient to hire back for
classroom teachers to minimize um the large size. However, looking at research um and what research tells us about the impact of class size and the impact of
having a trained reading specialist working with children, the trained reading specialist actually has a greater effect than class size. So, I wanted to put that out there first and I'm going to keep referring to that
throughout the presentation. um this evening. So, what we're proposing is to hire a reading specialist for the primary school and a reading specialist for Turkey Hill
Elementary. The primary school reading specialist actually would not be funded out of this additional state funding. We realized significant um savings from the health insurance
premiums um due to the great negotiations that the PEC team um did in negotiating our new health insurance rates. We would take those savings and apply them to
um higher 1.0 O O um reading specialist. So a full-time reading specialist for primary school are positions that were positions that were eliminated um from last year's budget to this
year's budget. take um take um approximately $103,722 from the um legislative budget and apply that to a reading specialist for Turkey Hill Elementary School. um some
preliminary data that we're looking at that is still embargoed um will I believe um continue to support this need at Turkey Hill. One of the things that we've realized and I'm very
excited to announce that we have hired a wonderful.5 athletic director um Mr. Robert Papizan um who has joined us um and is getting up to speed on where we are. One of the
things that we've realized is that there is not a candidate pool for 0.5 assistant high school principles nor based on the data acquired from the culture and climate survey is having a
0.5 um assistant principal effective for the culture, climate and safety of our students at the high school. So my recommendation would be that we increase that position from the 0.5 which it is
currently advertised at adding another 0.5 and creating a 1.0 assistant principal at the high school. That would be at a cost of $9,450. Um we also demonstrated
great improvement for meantment for our students who were lucky enough to participate tutoring program and the public and the public public will recall is the online tutoring that students experience but
where they have a live tutor that works with them onetoone. We were very successful with that program. Um, thanks to the efforts of principal Squire and Assistant Principal Smith in really
working out the logistics of that so that that program ran seamlessly at the primary school, allowing us to close achievement gaps earlier for our students.
um that would be at a cost of $129,450 for us to get 52 seats. But what how these seats work is as a student achieves their goal, you can move them out and move somebody else into their seat. So, we could actually impact um
many more children than the um 52 children um the 52 seats that we would be purchasing. And then um the last thing that I would recommend is something that was in the budget for
this year that we could not afford due to the failed override is increasing our current.6 music teacher at the high school by 0.4 to create a 1.0 position. This would be at a cost of approximately
$26,370. The reason that this is back on the table for me is after talking extensively with principal Sanchur about what um an appropriate way to apply these funds at Lunenburgg High School
would be. We discussed this particular position and not only would it allow us to increase our music electives which is wonderful. This particular teacher and all teachers at the high school by um
state law are allowed to teach one section outside of their certific certification. And what this would allow us to do is add an extra session of wellness, which
would allow us to free up um some um especially for for especially especially for our high school for our high school seniors whose seniors whose whose well whose wellness Credit is ability to take
their ability to take higher level courses are about um bottlenecks. bottlenecks which we have necks which we have just these um on a welldeserved well-needed
vacation. Um and here there's a risk here. There's only positions that positions that we are 100% assured that we could fund health insurance
saving and confirm and he is for us that he feels comfortable that with additional savings that we'll receive from and some um purchasing that we did at the end of the year for supplies for next year would be able to
cover the 1.0 know reading specialists at Turkey Hill and the assistant principal school. If we continue continue to be very austere and manage our budget um very very carefully
throughout the next year. He does not feel as comfortable with um putting forward the money for the ignite seats or the point4 music teacher. But the beauty of both of those things is we can start those initiatives in November and
the point4 music teacher because the wellness credit is only half a year we could use to help with um scheduling bottlenecks for the second semester at the high school. Um what that what that
would do would be allow seniors to take more electives or um students to take more electives of their choosing rather than fullyear higher level courses. Any questions for me about that? This was a really write up write up
behind the thoughts behind behind these patientations. I know that um restrict size restrict size sizes under 30 uh to get um so
I'm glad that the list and the spend on are going on are going to back up um to to provide provide the necessary support because the amount of money cannot or the systemic to getting to this dress
or the systemic point point. Um Um Yeah. Can you talk a little bit about without reading interventionist this year because interventionist this year because that was a cut previously made that I know has made things
is year is we is we um at Turkey Hill I'll take that as my first example at Turkey Hill we had an educator working as a.5 special educator and a.5
reading intervention teacher. Fulfilling both those roles simultaneously was impossible due to the legal and federal mandates of special education and the increase in her case load. So she was unable um to really dive into the
intervention piece as much as she wanted to. She um gave it every attempt. But we were again asking somebody to do two jobs at the same time and that's asking our teachers to be superhuman. They they
can't clone themselves. At the primary school, we did have one reading interventionist this this year. Um I believe that that was a reduction for them um from having two prior. And what
that meant was that we couldn't meet all of the needs that we had at the primary school. We still won't be able to have a dedicated teacher that meets the needs that we're seeing. But but again again
this restoration will allow us to triage and meet the most important needs that we're seeing, the most um significant needs that we're seeing. Okay. Um have have questions questions
for Dr. Fortuna or comments on the plan. >> Um um the money on wants to see what the money on. >> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
>> That data was that data was really impressive and it addressed one of the bigger needs that we had talked about all last year during budget season. So money for whatever reason whatever reason it does whatever reason it does season it does seem to produce results. So I I too
would be in support of the uh spending proposal. Um Jean um um Jean do you have anything? >> Uh just again to say I absolutely ending
I think it's important I think it's important to realize what the limitations are and it's important to target the most impactful way that we possibly can. I I am a little nervous um about hiring
two positions that we all ever really because of the way mun municipal budget allocations work. Um there's a that town meeting hopeful that town meeting
will vote for our our article that the to and us and us to to talk about about what is needed and and to I don't think we have a um and I'm to gober I don't think we have a number I don't think we have a I I don't think we
have a date for that yet. Um, but I will need people to It's an It's a Tuesday. It's an It's a Tuesday. It's not It's not first night first Saturday in May situation, which I think makes it a
little easier. Um, pass that it'll pass. If it was on the if I was on the fence about it, I I would be a lot more nervous about proposal and then vote on the war article >> two different action it two different
action items so we'll take them separately um but I post is really is really is really important and I I also like the way that the
ignites can which gives which gives us a little more flexibility So, I think we're going to do a roll call vote now for the spending plan so that Dr. Fortuna can post. Is there any
more anymore? >> Okay. Can I get a motion >> to approve to approve the spending the spending the war? Are we doing the war article first? >> Um, I think we're on this one. So, let's
>> spending tech. >> Okay. So, we're going to do is there any discussion further? Um I do I do want to say that this is the proposed spending plan when it comes some to are saying some are saying
publicly this is what we'd like to publicly this is what we'd like to spend the money on and it likely will be um um um so I just wanted so I just wanted to say that okay Um,
>> yes. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. >> Miss Gilman. >> Yes. >> And that's a yes from me. So, the motion passes. Um,
just want to say I just want to say who's say who's who's logged on, just let me know. um >> because I I wouldn't want to miss on that. Um okay, so the motion passes. So now we're
going to go back to the first action item that we tabled which is vote on warrant or call for a $50,000. That's this one. My $350,000 $350,000 $350,000.
I would like to I don't know. I I would like to have the special town meetings understand why to have this I don't understand why this seems like a bargain to to the the to the
black board and the town managerly all for us is made lives is made is made lives made lives made lives made lives miserable for the students in our district. during the people were never going to
discuss. So, uh I I know on this I would I mean I don't think or I'm I'm a no on this one. I'm a no on this one. I'm a no on this one. This
one. So >> quick we were really patient and collab collaborative and we worked well together and then at the last minute they took out for they took out for shift fire they put in assistant town
manager a little bit >> yeah agree yeah agreed >> gets the the the Lucy takes the ball the ball away right at the last minute had this before the
citiz and so I'm really really hopeful that word intend to keep their word word but we have no me but we have no but we have no have no mechanism M to ensure that and
so we'll vote for this if they for this if they the football away again they pull the football away again this is it like I I do not know how else them >> there's no other way to put it
>> there's no other way to put it like >> yes >> we worked so hard to come up with the consensus and then without any notice or heads up, they changed the parameters like their leading like their leading
item went from we need the override to pass it which sort of put us to to budgeting magic budgeting magic and make it happen. And so, you know, like and and burned bridges and we something
suffered the consequences because the voters saw it. I think the people in town saw that town has town has need but but has but especially especially town meeting was so bad so so
opaque and long- winded andbody in the no one could be just put everybody in the no one could be trust no one could be trusted and I feel like we painted ourselves with that same brush because we went along with them and it's to And it doesn't do a service and it
doesn't do a service to do a service to Dr. Fortuna or or Chris who put so much time and energy into being ready in no and had everything and had everything and then it all and then it all got lit and fire in May when every in April when
everybody panicked. >> Yes. Yes. Yes. And they made us parade and they made us parade around with our extra money which I know the extra the extra money was the extra money was an extra money was an issue was an issue. But every department in back
money they're money their other their money their other that other people turn back money at the end of the year and it made we were when when everyone else has the same budgeting issues budgeting
issues budgeting issues issues we did and we we did and we fixed those I don't want to you know I don't want through energy through the schools are through the schools are the schools are always held to a higher standard of what we
need we need to produce and what the town so desperate they're so desperate desperate for us on this plan yet they're on this plan yet they're not on this plan yet they're not even going to we're not even going to have iter I just sorry Tony I sorry Tony I just I
I here >> premised on the fact that our elected officials >> that they're going to sit up that they're going to sit up there and support it. >> Yeah. Yeah. I want them to go on the record and surrender up the
them to do that. Want them to do that. want them to do that them to do that. That is something they absolutely have the capacity to do. It's something something they absolutely should do. And I don't want this again about how to raise monsters about how to
raise moneyers about how to raise money for helmets. That's not the place we should be. You know, we are not a town space. And yet because of because of quite frankly some you know quite frank
quite frankly some quite frankly some quite frankly some really some really stupid politics in April of 2000 we shoted at appoint comeed at appointed officialed appointed official should swear under
oath that they will put this on the warrant if we're going to a give them $50,000 and hold off and forebear November just make their lives complicated, right? >> Yeah. I mean, that's literally the only reason.
>> I'm sure we could get 200 votes here. Like, I am sure and I don't want to do that. I'm willing to play nice one more time, but like quite frankly, frankly, they have burned they have burned they have burned all the bridges. It's not
like they're treat scenes either, but will vote to support it. I will vote to support it, but a promise from the people promise from the people from the people that run the town that they are going to keep their >> So, so if the budget is going the
realities of the town, realities of the town of the town reflect the realities of what is happening in the classrooms and to our students because right adding a for cutting that's not that's not acceptable and we're not we're not if We if we have
to bring our own budget to town meeting and amend it on on the floor. I'll in the D uh uh and the situation on the town side of things needs to reflect the reality that the school is as well.
But um there's also there is also there's also a higher bar to meet when it comes to town meetings. budgetary things need a majority majority to pass and at a special town
meeting it's 2:30 there um a special supporters there. Um but we do need do need the the select board and the town manager's cooperation to get if they were in if they were in to
So, we we had a this one. >> Yes, I'll second it. >> Yes, I'll second it. >> I think you I think you motions. >> Oh, okay. And I can't second
>> or did you Thank you. Thank you. You okay? Um any any more discussion? Okay. Uh vote
>> I. >> Miss Gilman. >> No. >> And an I for myself. So the motion is eyes. Oh, okay. All right. I think
we have one more custodial me memorandum of understanding. Is that what that stands for? >> Moment we vote on that on that this evening. Um because
>> that text yet >> um that and the custodial union hasn't seen theou yet. I thought that it had been brought forward um to them and it had not yet. >> Okay. I signed theou
I think yesterday. Um but we I crossed off the and circled the italic text because we have that >> vers theou for the board. >> Okay. So we will move on to move on to
that one. And we will do that hopefully July 29th. July 29th. >> Hopefully. >> So close. >> So close. Okay. Okay. Um so that brings have public comment comment tonight. Comment
discussed tonight. I'm going to say can we have public comment comment from the public? The public. Anyone on the Zoom which is on the Zoom >> actually Anna Lock is actually Anna Lockwood. So Anna you can come on and
speak. >> Thank you. Um can you everyone hear me? Okay. >> Hi. >> Yes. >> Thank you. So thank you. So thank you. So so so
um I'm really surprised by this state has passed this whole state has passed this money to serve the students to school year. Um us putting a town meeting a special town meeting shouldn't be something that stop us from
delivering better service to our school children. I'm really baffled by that. I'm like I I'm not even in the school committee and I'm feeling my blood pressure is up by you guys accepting to wait until November for monies that we
have now. I I am I I'm sorry. Um and um you know and the initial of this conversation of changing you know I I think $471,000 should come to you guys. Um, as been pointed out in discussions here tonight,
although the town has made some cuts um on other departments, there's been significant expansion, including in the town manager's office, which now she has an assistant. So, can she get her assistant to help her put this special D meeting together? It's my first
question. Um but you know the changing from 418,000 to 350 and coming across like this is a good thing. It just completely reminds me of 1984 when the Minister of Planty reduced the chocolate
uh rations from 30 grams to 20 and then they made it sound like it was an increase. So I'm sorry I just my mind went right there. Another point I want to make is that I know this is being reported as the select board
um uh opinion to not call a special time meeting before November. But the select board has not discussed this in public. So it has to be coming from I don't know who but I also confirmed with another
select board today and he wasn't aware of this plan. So this idea that we have to go for 350 in November, it's not a discussion that the select board has had. So are we not like like
can someone explain that to me? How how this school committee is accepting a plan that the select board has not openly discussed in public meeting? like shouldn't the shouldn't the select board as a body discuss this plan and
come to you that that's their plan and not however you guys got to this plan. I think I I I think I think you guys should uh re you know recall the previous vote and wait for the select board to make an
official announcement that that's their plan for you and not however you guys landed at this plan. Another comment that I have is I'm going to stay with the slack board. At their last meeting, there was a comment about that this money was not going to be reduced uh
used to reduce class size. Now, I am not an educator at all, but I have confidence on people that are educating. But, you know, I immediately knew you guys because I have I watch your meetings that you guys going to make a plan to support children in the
classroom. And that's what your plan is. Now to say the only reason in my mind that the comments were made that were not going to reduce class size was to be inflammatory towards public opinion towards >> Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.
>> So I I did not like that comment. I thought it was it was made to be inflammatory towards the school committee and towards parents and towards students. But you guys can live with that. I'm just speaking publicly that I was not okay with that comment.
It takes 42 days to call a special town meeting and to get it happen. Um, if we take action, we collect signatures comes this weekend, I'll help. I have collected 200 signatures in a Saturday afternoon in front of Hamford. I'm happy
to do it. Um, you will have this money available to you, the 418 in the first week of September. Um the the last you know comment that I'll make about this is you know you guys owe to
the to the students of Lunberg and their families the best possible education we can afford. This is money that's sitting in the bank. We should not be waiting until November. Period. It's just in my view it's not acceptable. we are cutting
sports I like you know I have been pro like let's look at the what we how we can save money to provide for more I am not okay with eliminating everything the way we are having to eliminate so those are my comments I hope you guys reconsider
your vote and um and and vote as a committee to to support a special town meeting and I'll be happy to collecting signatures for you all oh one more saying um it is just as your job to deliver the best possible education that
we can afford. It is the town hall job to put on a special town meeting if that's what it needs to be. You don't have to worry about that. You don't have to worry about the logistics of a town meeting. That's their job. And now you're going
to have an assistant town manager that can help them with that. But remember, that's their job. You don't need to worry your minds with what their job is. And I would say please call on make a vote to call on a special town meeting
in whatever way to be and let the select board deal with that including own this plan of you know 1984 reducing port chocolate rations here and calling a good thing. Anyway, thank you for listening.
>> Thank you Miss Lockwood. Um Chris Sullivan your hand raised as well. >> Uh Chris and I and my I my my thought here's
money that the leg legislature uh has voted to allocate to schools. Uh and I'm not a budget guy and I don't understand how all the ins and outs work. um uh if there was an easier way for them to allocate it and get it in your hands um sooner and directly. I
wish they had done that and I don't know if that's feasible or not, but um if it is if there is a means of doing that, then that's where I would hold them accountable. But um what for whatever reason your lot your your thoughts are in on a on a compromise at 350,000
I would still advocate for a special town meeting to get that money in your hand sooner than November. Um and I think that's an important piece. Um I don't follow the logic of compromise in this regard. Um if the intent of that
money as demonstrated by the legislature is for it to come to schools uh then that's where that money should go um and that money should get in your hands um to have the impact that it can have sooner than you know mid November um so
that we can provide some semblance of better education for for our kids. Um so I would um somewhat echo uh what Anna was saying there. uh and and if there compromise does make sense in in your regards um at 350, I'd still encourage
that same meeting to take place uh in 40 something days. So you guys get that money and we get it squared away. Um that's all. >> Thank you, Chris. Uh, do we have any
public com public comment from the public? Um I do want to say that um today there was news that Governor Healey um um reimbursement to towns towns per
student base student basis per student basis student basis basis um it's not thing uh But that so might be in the so might be in the
works. Uh so so um so can I um so can I >> I'll make a motion to adjurnn every Yep. Great job. I'll >> second. Oh.
Uh, so there's been a motion to adjourn. So there's been a motion to to adjourn at 8:01 p.m. >> Yes. M Russell, >> yes.