I will put this in our pile of stuff like this is for the office. >> Yeah, that will that's what I mean. I'm not I'm not trying to jinx us just in case. >> Okay, I like it. >> Mr. Spearman, can you hear me? Mr.
Spearman, can you hear her? >> Mr. Burrus, can you hear me? I can. >> Okay, give us one more. I can >> I >> We're trying to set our mic levels.
>> Can you guys hear? >> Testing testing >> our Zoom participant. >> Okay, we hear you. Thank you. >> Thank you. >> We are waiting forwami too. We do not have Barbara. We do it.
Alan, if they go to the presentation screen, will they be able to watch here? Is that up and running today? >> Okay. Do they know we're present? Is it on their computers? um board. Before we get started, there
is a screen tab called presentation. And if you keep that as like you can toggle between the agenda and that presentation mode, you'll be able to see our presenter right in front of you instead of having to um stress to see the screen.
Do you see what I'm talking about? Go to Oh, right there. So, maybe open that. Can you open a second tap so you can have toggle? Look at you go direct. What is your
present? I think it's >> maybe does it change when we start the agenda or when you start the present? >> Okay. I was looking for >> a zooming looking thing. >> Sorry about that.
We are recording when you're ready. I think we might see it once um our presenters online. >> All right. Like to welcome everybody to our school board meeting. Today is December 16th. The time is 6:03 p.m. Um,
and we like to welcome everybody for coming and supporting the district in whatever fashion that may be. To start today's meeting, we are going to go ahead and questions. Do you have preliminary
questions and answers with our premere premeating questions and answers about the agenda? >> We just have those um available to for public viewing on board docs. >> Okay. All right. And then we will do our call to order and let's begin with our pledge
allegiance. Pledge algiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
>> All right. and we'll have a call to order. >> We have all seven board members present and logged into board docs for voting. And all microphones are on. If board members could just go ahead and leave your mics on for the entire meeting,
that will be helpful. And I believe um Allan, we have Mr. Burus. Do we havewami? >> Uh Mr. Spearman, can you hear me? >> I can. Can you all hear me? >> Yes, perfectly. We just we will get right back to you after we set the
agenda. I just wanted to confirm you're in the meeting. >> I I am here and ready to go. >> Thank you, sir. >> All right. And uh we will move to Oh, I would also like to mention that Mr. Beerus is uh
not here today. So, we did he did let us be aware he is joining us virtually um so that the audience may know. Um, and then we will go ahead and move to set the agenda. >> Okay. So, I'd like to before we set the
agenda, I'd like to move that we move one item from action to discussion and that was the um building facility plan. Um, just simply because it was quite long and I didn't really have
enough time to review it. >> I'm sorry, which one was that? The facility master plan report. >> Facility master plan. Okay. >> Would you are you making that motion? >> Yes. >> I'll second >> it. Point of order. Um, it's not
necessary to make a motion. Any one person can remove an item. Um, I'm sorry, never mind. I'm talking about something else. Go ahead. Online voting is now available. second. I somehow got >> Did you get a vote? How do you vote, Mr.
Lynch? Thank you. Motion passes unanimously. All right. And >> yeah, so we have to set it again. >> Do we need to set the amendment still?
Because that was just a motion to add to it. I thought that was her original motion was to set the agenda with that change. >> Oh, with that change. Okay. >> Since there no one had put a motion on the table other than that. >> Okay. Very good. All right. Then let's
go to our first item. Uh we'll have the presentation bywami Spearman. >> Hello everyone. I am going to uh share my screen. C. >> Can you all see that? >> Yes.
>> Wonderful. I'm now going to move to make it the presentation mode. >> Wonderful. Hello everyone. Um, gre greetings from Denver, Colorado. Um I'm here to talk about uh the Mana
Elementary School um and provide some background and an update um and I've got an ask for the board um on this topic. Um first let let me quickly introduce myself. So I I've had the privilege of
um working on educator housing issues for the past two and a half years. Um I am a Colorado kid. Uh, I was raised here in the in the city of Denver and I'm an education kid, uh, Denver public school graduate and I think most importantly,
my mom was an education was an educator with Denver public school for about 33 years. So, I am about as invested as you can be in our public education system. So much that I actually ran for school board here in Denver, but I was not as successful as our current board in the
room because I lost my race. Uh but it was a great opportunity for me because I started really focusing on educator housing. Just some background as to why I'm here um and what I've been doing with the uh
Monzuma Cortez School District. So, in 2025, there was a grant that was put out by the Gates Family Foundation to help districts across the state learn more about educator housing needs. Um, and
along with um Superintendent Bur, we applied for this grant to bring in funding to the Cortez School District to explore opportunities around educator housing. Specifically, we were looking into the Mana Elementary School and
trying to find innovative ways to bring that elementary school to provide educator housing for your district. In 2026, um I'm being funded by by a different foundation, one that is um hopefully near and dear to most of the people in
the room, the Lore Foundation. continue working on answers for the Mana Elementary School and and my broader goal is to um help assist both the superintendent and this board on a
proposed outcome for what to do with Mana Elementary. that that's something we would like to get done in 206 just at a high level and this kind of goes into the work that I do. Um, many people are aware of this, but we are in
a housing crisis throughout the state of Colorado. And specifically, we are in an educator housing crisis. And long and short of why we are in an educator housing crisis is
districts like yours over the past 10 to 15 years have actually done a very good job of increasing educator compensation. The problem is the the cost of living, specifically the cost of housing
throughout the state of Colorado, has risen at a much more dramatic pace than we've seen increases in educator compens compensation. And subsequently, that is devastatingly affecting our educators.
Even more um problematic for educational communities is that a lot of the um the affordable housing subsidies that come in from the federal government that come in from the state government for affordable housing programs, those
programs have income requirements and many of our educators are actually above those income requirements. So we call this group missing middle because they are not making enough compensation to purchase homes and to um live in the
rental amounts that are being asked in the market and they also make too much money to qualify for housing assistance. And so with that in mind, Keystone Polic Policy Center and I did housing surveys of educators at 11 school districts
including um your school districts. And here's some of the highle survey information that we found. 58% of the people that we surveyed were interested in what we call educator housing. And educator housing
just to give some background is notion that the school district is helping provide opportunities for educators live at below market um housing. And so 58% of educators across the state said that. What we really found to be fascinating
is that there's a divide. If you own your home, understandably, you are less invested in in educator housing. But if you are a current renter, this is a top issue for you. We saw that 80% of renters across the state were interested
in housing. renters were spending more than 40% of their income on housing, which is problematic because you start being in a situation where you're living paycheck to paycheck. And I think the last and probably the most shocking was
that these housing stress that we're seeing throughout the state within our educational community are reducing retention and it's affecting job performance. And so for us, this data confirmed, I think, what we believed in our heart that we've got to do something about this problem. So I mentioned
before that the Montazuma Cortez school uh school district was a participant in the survey. And so what I've done is I've actually isolated the responses that that the district saw. Um we had 133 respondents, which was a great
number. It was um over 50% of the people who were surveyed. And you see numbers that are corresponding with the state. 55% of the folks who were um surveyed were interested in workforce housing. 61% are spending over 30% and 43%
are spending over 40% their compensation on average. So these figures are right around sort of slightly higher than what we're seeing in the state average. And so that was the data that we took in.
So something that I um talked about is who who is most affected by this, right? And and we see the divide is is pretty simple. Your younger your younger, less tenured staff members
are in favor of educator housing and your older, more tenured educa um educators are less likely to be interested in housing. And what that means is as our older staff members are retiring and leaving the profession,
they're being replaced with people who can't find housing. And so we anticipate unfortunately that this problem will likely get worse before it gets better. And we saw that you know groups like paraprofessionals which we all know are
essential educating our kids 81% interest of paraprofessionals and those who lived in Cortez um verse other parts of either the county or in adjacent areas are showing the highest level of interest.
Next thing we saw with the survey data was how housing is affecting your recruitment, retention, and job satisfaction. And so we found that almost three out of every four of the people who are interested in staff
housing would stay longer if staff housing was available. Almost half said they would stay more than five years. that same percentage, almost three out of four said they would consider switching to a district that provides
housing. Now, I I I say this I I work with a lot of school districts in the state of Colorado, but one of them is Durango where we announced uh two months ago at Durango C, excuse me, the Durango school district purchased 35 apartments
for their educators that they are going to be offering at um affordable rates. So this is happening and this a source of you could actually see educators leave leave the state. So it's a powerful um and retention. It's a
powerful recruitment and retention. Okay. So to change gears a little bit just to orient everyone Mana Elementary because we we view it as incredibly critical opportunity here. So, so the
elementary school um has been vacant since 2022. And as it sits presently, there is not a re redevelopment plan. There's also another um MCSD property that's about half a block up that was an
alternative um school space is also sitting vacant. Um we are seeing increased blight and safety with elementary school. it's not being used and and I think if not already it's it's becoming an eyesore for the community
and something that that we need to uplift. So our thought process was is there a way for us to leverage this opportunity think critically if we could serve our education our educator um and community
needs. So, what I do is I help districts like this one think through what I call pre-development. So, so to be super clear, I am not a developer. Uh I'm not in real estate. I'm not a banker. I I I
don't do any of those things. Um I I I work on what I call as pre-development. And I think the easiest way to conceptualize that is I help school districts take the idea of having educator housing and I make it into a
reality. I do that without a personal point of view as to how we get there. So I work at the pleasure of the superintendent. I work at the pleasure of the school board and I will consistently give you options and analysis and enable you all to make
decisions. The added benefit of what I do is is I serve essentially as like an employee of the district. So if we say that we need to go out and get grant funding, I will help support and write those grants for you. And so that's
pre-development. And the goal is for us to go through this process with Mana Elementary. Okay. So, what we've done thus far, um, in 2025, we helped get, uh, Mana to be
registered as a historical landmark. Um, and Linda Tol, who's a community member, led those efforts and she's absolutely wonderful. Um, and we thank her for doing that. We've also begun the process of applying for pres preservation
grants. Now to be clear, these these grants are money that the district can receive to further explore what can be done with the school. When I say that these are non-binding, if you're reading, it's that we can still
materially alter mana even though we are applying for these grants, right? But we have the option if we want to leave it as is through these grant process to bring in money to help um renovate the space. We are also getting architectural estimates on possibilities. I'm going to
talk about that um in about 90 seconds. and we've reviewed zoning and development capabilities to assess how much potential housing we could put on the land. So, what I hope to um engage both the board
and quite frankly uh uh the community on is here are some options that we can consider for mana. What I I found almost universally is everyone I've spoken with agrees we have to do something with the elementary school because it's
continuing to decay. So here are um at least as I see it five potential options for the elementary school. Um we can sell the building and the adjacent land. Um we can demolish the building and we
could partner to develop on the land. We could leave the land open and and create park space. We could try to convert the building into housing, which is a phrase called adaptive reuse. We could keep the building as is, but use it more for office, culinary, and community
purposes. Or we could develop the land adjacent to the building. And five can really be done in conjunction with steps two through four. So those are options. And and one of the things that we will walk through is all of these options have
pros, cons, and most importantly, a price tag associated with it will help drive our decision. But once again, as a pre-development person, I I merely bring these points up to you and we will collectively make decisions
for that. So, as I wrap up the presentation, I do have some requests um and next steps. first is we would like to spend the beginning of 2026 really involving the community. There has not been a lot um said
publicly um about Mana Elementary and what next steps are for it. So we actually have funding to facilitate inerson events and even possibly um do a survey. In that process we can update on the
building situation. we can talk about the options that were presented and we can really gather community insight and once again those are all things that will come at no cost to the school district to do that. We will also during that period be getting more final
pricing and analysis on the options but we'll be able to say if we were to engage in X cost estimate would be why right and lastly build consensus on direction. Um once we have a plan in
place that will really turbocharge our ability to go out and get grant support, think through funding options, and really sort of the community in favor of what we're doing. So, thank you all for that. Um I'm going to stop sharing my
screen and and I'm available for any and all uh questions that you may have. I have a question. So, have we looked into maybe when it comes to the use of that uh
property and the property adjacent to it to build even a a bigger elementary school that would handle that would incorporate Keer and Mesa and make better use of the property in a newer newer buildings because of our HBAC disaster is part of it and putting more
HBAC into old buildings. Um, and then once that's done, could we use one of those properties for like Kimber or Mesa for for housing? Um, have we looked into that at all? >> So, that is an excellent question. I I
personally have not assessed feasibility of putting um a new elementary school on that site. Um, I I I think Superintendent Burrus is on here, so perhaps he could speak to that. Um but
anything is I serve at your pleasure and so if if that's the direction that the board would like to go and we take the analysis on housing from the NA to another school site that's perfectly
within within our guard rails as well. I have a question on just logistics of this. Who manages the property and who does the maintenance and upkeep? Who's responsible for that? >> So the the school district is responsible.
>> Okay. >> Oh. Oh. So there are options for that. Um, you have districts across the state that have brought in thirdparty management systems that are property managers and the way that they are
compensated is they take a percentage of the rent that is coming in from the educators who are paying because the educator will be paying rent for that. You have other districts who actually use their current facility and
maintenance teams to service um the property. And what they found is that they're actually able to more scalably address the maintenance that they need for the district by including um their housing needs as well. So either
um either using a third party or doing it inhouse are options. Um, it'll really, I think, come down to how many units you'd want to do. Um, and what's the type of budget that we want to allocate?
>> Thank you for your question. >> In your experience, I'm so sorry. >> Go ahead. >> In your experience, how many what are your go-to grants? >> Sure. So, so I I think if we decide to keep MANA standing, um there are a lot
of historical preservation grants that can be accessed for us. You know, the the um historical preservation grants, I believe, go as large as $250 to $300,000. And you can apply annually for
different types of grants that are involved with with preserving structure. So things for example like the root you can apply grant dollars towards that. So I think going through the state historical society history Colorado I think that'll be really
really great. Um the second thing we can do is we can go to philanthropic organizations that are interested in helping blend two very big crises that are affecting the state. One is the educator pipeline and secondly is
housing and we can go to those institutions and essentially solicit grant funding from them and those grant will range. Um but we should go out and apply for as many as we possibly can.
There's some other areas for funding. Um one is uh something that philosophic or um uh a foundations do is is this thing called a project related investment which is basically a it's a debt
instrument but it's structured more like a grant and so without going into too many details on it ba basically what really large organizations like the Colorado trust or um Colorado health foundation that have billiond dollar
endowments, they will lend money off of their balance sheet versus yours. And the result is they get incredibly low interest rates like 2% 2.5%. And they remove loan origination fees
and so it's a cheaper way to finance things. And then there's another way that we can potentially finance things which is through land swaps, land cells, etc. So there are a bevy of options that if we go down this path um this board as
well as the superintendent will be presented with um and you all will let us know the direction you'd like to go. >> Mr. Spearbin, I'm wondering if you have an idea what the zoning process would look like and what timeline that would
look like with the city of Cortez and whether the historical preservation designation would make it more effective of a process or not or whether it might throw a wrench because I know that it tends to be a
pretty lengthy process when it comes to changing the designation of a building I think and um I'm wondering about that too whether that would add quite a bit of a timeline on it. >> It's a really good question. Um I am not
so so to answer your questions in reverse order as far as the historical preservation status with zoning. Um I need to get smarter on that. Um, I I haven't heard that that's something that could elongate the process, but I don't
know for certain, and I never like to speak with certainty if I don't know certain answers on that. Um, as far as the zoning, this is a really interesting thing. Um, school districts throughout the state of Colorado have what I would
call a quasi jurisdictional um, uh, uh, standpoint in which you don't always have to comply with local or municipal zoning. Now, that that doesn't mean you can go out and do
whatever you want, but it does mean that there are different zoning parameters. And so the school, at least as um our uh third party advisors have have said, is zoned already for residential use.
And so we can pretty seamlessly go down that path if if you all decide that you want to do um residential units there. The other thing that I will say is that the city of Cortez has been absolutely
wonderful um to partner with um team there and Helen West in particular are extremely um excited about what the district is trying to do and are trying to be as accommodating as they can. And so I don't want to speak for them, but
but I do want to say that I think they will try to support us on any additional zoning needs um to make whatever project you all feel the best fit for the school district to go through. >> Thank you.
When it comes to the data that you shared earlier about the interests of teachers, has there been a poll conducted amongst our current staff? I think that's >> the the the the um there was a slide uh
that hit actually I think there were three slides and and those were um specific answers done by the uh by by your school staff I believe in February of 2025. It was the last academic year.
Um but we're still but within the past 12 months. >> Mr. Spearman, um there's in our county there's been a lot of talk about affordable housing. Um but what they
talk about is um affordable for anyone in the community who qualifies. And the I think the idea that uh was being proposed for mana for our district
was to meet a need of the district and provide staff housing um which is a a little bit different. Um, and so I I've I've heard from some of the
public that uh they had a concern about um going down the path of affordable housing using the definition that we've heard in our county for months and maybe years as opposed to going down the path
of staff housing. So, um I I'm hoping that in all these discussions we can keep the two uh distinct from one another so we know what we're talking about each time.
>> Yes. And so so so to um maybe elaborate on that point. So there are two types of housing situations that I think are going to be relevant for the board and the superintendent to think through. Um so as director Lynch said so affordable
housing um when you are getting subsidies from state from the federal government etc you have to um comply with fair housing laws. Fair housing laws basically say two big things. Um the
first is that they have what they call AMI requirements which are income requirements that you need to fall under the income requirements. And the second thing is that the housing opportunities basically have to be available to everyone who falls under the income
requirements um who either lives or or works in the municipality. Um so so those are affordable housing. Um the other type for staff housing is when is if the district would think through
other funding options in which they're kind of acting as a um a private actor and they do not have to comply with quote unquote fair housing meaning they can set rental prices at the amount that they think is most
prudent. they can conduct a lottery amongst their staff, but they can isolate the lottery to their staff or other partnerships that they have. And in short, you just have more discretion as to who gets to live in the housing. Um, up until this point, to be honest,
my um expertise is is really with the latter. Um I I I have not school districts um gone after uh lit or other state subsidies for affordable housing. That doesn't mean we
can't go down that path, but it but it does mean that up until now and if you looked at those options that I provided, most of those options were based under the assumption that we would be going down a path to create housing in which
the district would have um 100% control over the units that were in place. And so um happy once again I serve at the pleasure of the board serve at the pleasure of the superintendent but at this stage we've been going down the
path of thinking through funding with the assumption that they will be district um run units. >> Go ahead. Okay. Um, so one question I have is do you have examples of other districts who have gone through this
process and do you have contacts that you can share so we can you know listen to what they learned and how it went from that how it went for them. >> Of course. Of course. I'd say the the fastest or or the the biggest movers um
are really in our sort of mountain um communities. But but the good news and and I stated it before because is there a client of mine um Durango um just uh purchased an apartment complex for 35 um
units that their educators are going to be moving into by July 1st um 2026. Um and they still are hopefully over the next few months going to be making other moves in that space. Um, you also see the Roaring Fork
Valley has had um, educator housing in for almost a decade now. Eagle County has had educator housing in um, Aspen has had educator housing in. Um, and the good news is I have contact with all of the school districts um, and would love to set you all up with uh, board members
who've gone through the pro process. Um, on the Eastern Slope um, buyers I think would be a really really good school district for you all to talk to. um they've recently um gone through and purchased units for their educators and
so they're a smaller district um more rural and so they're less you know they're not the veils they're not the aspen um but they've gone through the same process and they've seen the exact same positive results but happy to give um all of those contacts
>> Mr. Mr. Spearman, if I if I understood the presentation correctly, it it looked like there were 11 districts included in the study that was done, ours being one of them. Is that correct? >> That is correct. >> And and those other districts, were they
like our district or were those a range of conditions from rural to urban? >> They were a range of districts from rural to urban. >> Thank you. Um, my question is for uh Mr. Burrus and Mr. Ramirez. I wonder if you might share
your position and your vision for this possible project. >> Mr. Burrus, would you like to go first? >> Certainly. >> Can you hear me? Okay. >> Yep. >> Yes.
>> Okay. So when we closed Mana that was my um vision was those classrooms are about a thousand excuse me about a thousand square feet a piece. That is much more than what you would need for an apartment. If we could turn that into
apartments we would have probably around 30 of them. And I went to presentations by Eagle County. Eagle County uses a metric of their base pay times 30% divided by 12
and that would be their um rental on the on the apartments. I thought that was a good uh good metric that would benefit our teachers. We've also talked to the hospital. They're
interested in joining in and having it two or three of the units. Um they again are are somebody that would uh be able to not miss payments or whatever and they
were very interested. So for the us and the hospital to enjoin. I've also talked to the superintendents of the other two districts neighboring and they're interested in nobody wants to put any money in because we're all in the same place on money, but they're interested
in um partnering with us and having some of their staff occupy our building. Where' the 30% number come from? Because it wasn't that on one of the slides that that was one of the the concern the
concerns on one of the slides that they were paying 30% or more. >> That's the income based guideline for um federal housing. You can't you don't pay more than 30% of your monthly income in housing. Yeah. Got it.
We actually check with with Doula and Dola will loan us money, but if they do um it has to be open to the public for affordable housing. So, we chose against that.
>> But there is affordable housing. >> On the issue, I'm in favor of staff housing. I'm not in favor of affordable housing. I'm also cautious about uh the district commitment and carryover. I
don't want to be uh to dedicate any of those kind of monies to this project, but I'm open to uh grant solicitation or uh the use of uh a loan through a developer that develops uh the housing
and then is based on the rent collection that you've heard Mr. Spearman and Mr. Bur speak about the 30% and how they calculate what uh should be the maximum of someone's income to to for fair housing. Uh so with that in mind, the
bigger question also is one of the board members that asked about uh who will manage it and the maintenance of it because that's an ongoing u area that needs to we need to be attentive to if the district were to be
able to be uh successful in in funding for this project. I think it makes good use of the of the uh of the building and the land. But another board member, Mr. Hall, had asked about how we looked at
the use of the building and the land for uh another additional new school or new elementary. And so those are things that the board will have to grapple and involve the community and uh that direction because these are big issues.
>> Thank you. Yes, ma'am. >> I have one final question. Um, as we're looking in the future with this, are you intending this project to be a revenue stream for the district in any way or is it going to be a wash? Is there going to
be like a percentage of admin fees that are going to be taken off of that to pay for staffing and the paperwork associated with that? >> Mr. Mr. Spearman, can you speak a little bit about the forecasting of the revenue stream on it?
>> Sure. So, it'll be slightly dependent on um what avenue we take. H however, I I will tell you that um the way it should pencil out is that you should be um what I would call cash flowing from rental
revenues on the um for each renter. And so what I mean by that is if you're charging let's say a thousand per month um your expenses will probably not be more than um 20% of that. And so that remaining let's say of the thousand
you're paying 200 in expenses you've got $800. And so what we will figure out and work together on is ensuring that that $800 um if if you've taken on any other type of money or if you have anything to pay back that that it's able to go towards
that. Um but but something I should say I do not um I've not yet been in a situation and I don't plan on it in which housing requires money from your operational budget. Um I I don't have opinions but but I am a firm believer
that your operating budget needs to go towards classroom and that housing is not classroom. And so what I can what I can promise you is that the options that we put in front of you if they're not cash flowing we will make abundantly
clear um before you all have to decide on them. >> And I might add with that that uh whatever the revenue calculations are it would be have to be enough to offset the maintenance and the management of it so that it's not a drain on the general
operation of instruction. I have no more questions. >> So, if I can just clarify, it sounds like the next step then this year is to um do some engagement with the community. There's um five potential paths. And so to start to kind of figure
out what people in the community want, what's appealing, what's most likely to be successful 100%. And so what I would love to do, and I would even go as far as to make a request of the school board, is that you um bless us doing community outreach. Um
I should have said this. So, so, um, Nikki Cwley, who's actually with the Laura Foundation, has agreed to, um, essentially, um, facilitate these community conversations. Um, we would like to have them, um, we're still figuring out dates, but, at the end of
January, beginning of February, we'd like to have two to three. Um and so in many ways I I am asking for the board to at least uh show its support for those um conversations of which after that um
we will summarize all of this information and obviously bring it back to you to continue the conversation. Can we maybe schedule a tour of the Mana building just so I can kind of get a better picture? >> No, >> no one does better tours than Rey. He is
really good at them, >> Mr. President. We can arrange for that at a mutual mutual agreeable date. >> Thank you. >> Any other questions? I have questions about monthly rental and affordability, but I'm not sure if
that's pertinent to the presentation right now. >> Okay. >> All right. Well, thank youwami uh for bringing that information to us and uh we'll move forward with gathering more information and
continue to talk about it. >> Awesome. Thank you all for having me. have a really happy holiday season and thank you for your support. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> All right. Now, moving on with our agenda, we're going to go into our
reports and we will start with our celebration reports. Before we get to the board members, uh I would like to start with Dr. Thornton who has a celebration he would like to share. >> I'm sorry I got this in at the last minute. I'll make it very quick. We have
um instituted this year a little certificate that we give to staff members who go above and beyond to recognize some of the work that they done. I and it's amazing. You walk around the school and you'll see the certificates. They'll they'll line them up when they get them. And so it's
something they're really proud of. I recently had to um go to North Carolina for my son's wedding. And I felt really awkward kind of leaving the school. and Eddie Ramirez stepped in and actually came to the school and helped a lot and
it was appreciated by the staff um very much so it was appreciated by me and it's echoed actually today I called up and I said hey we have a ton of absences and he did what he needed to do and he got some folks coming in to help cover some of the spots that we couldn't find
substitutes for. So, this is the certificate that we're gonna get out and it's Thank you very much. >> What's the the title of that certificate? >> Helping hand. >> Helping hand. Very nice. >> I received an email from one of our
teachers today that I would like to share. >> Okay. >> This is from Angela Gabardi. >> Oh, good. Um, she said, "We took 16 amazing Thespians to the 2025 Junior Thescon event in Denver. Our students were beyond outstanding. What an honor
it was to watch their kindness, talent, and joy. I cannot express just how proud I am." We had six students perform individual events at the state level. Um, and she gives a list of those students. And she said, "We also had six students compete in the tech challenge
workshop. Three of those students came in third overall out of 47 groups. This group had the name had the team name and this is homage to their wonderful leader the droopies. They got to walk across the main stage
at the Belco Theater. I could share a hundred adorable stories. It was absolutely wonderful to to see our students in the big city being phenomenal humans. and she gives a ton of shoutouts to all of the people who really helped her in making this a
success. And I just want to say thank you to the teachers and administrators who put in those extra hours and time and traveling and time away from their families because I know exactly, you know, how much dedication that takes. So way to go. Director Bailey's, can I add a specific
shout out since we have a shout out in the audience? Mr. Pearson, obviously he is pretty cool. CNSR students named our group team after him, smiley face, but on top of this, he is
always so supportive of our theater students and our thespian troop. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. He's blushing. >> Let the record just note that. >> Mr. Pearson will forward the email to
you so you can share it with your staff and students. >> Droopies. We'll make sure to >> I have a I have several that are several celebration reports. It's all extracurricular or children and activities. I guess our
girls C team high school basketball team took first in the shipwrock tournament. Um we had three players that made the all tournament team. Mia Glazner, Aubrey Tivera, and Mahalia Primo. Um we do have a Christmas band and choir
performance at 7, so you have eight minutes to get there. The CMS boys a team, we're the district champs. Um I think there's eight teams in that league. um us six six teams in
that league. Um so they were killing it. Um the we have two of our high school senior boys that one that signed with Ottawa um University to play baseball.
Jarus McDonald is his name. He signed on the 10th to play baseball at an NIA college. Um, he's a first baseman, but I don't I don't know what he actually signed to play. I'm guessing first baseman. I'm sure he'll find out when he gets down
there. Um, and then tomorrow there is a signing for Corey Carver who he will play for the Naval Academy. >> Wow. Um, and then
cheer took 10th at in state and Mike, coach Mike Hall for the Cortez basketball team. I hate to brag about my brother, but he got his 100th win um as the high school varsity basketball coach for the boys. Um, and then I'm almost
done. The Western Slope Showdown was in Mantros for our wrestling team. Um, Rusty Snyder got third place. His little sister CJ Snder got second place. Paisley Mestus got fourth place and Kai Ashmore got sixth place. These were 32
man brackets. So they did fantastic. >> Trey Hall got first place on the best in Colorado. >> Yep. >> I beg my about my brother but not my son, I guess. So, I have a couple that weren't
mentioned. Um, Keer had its book fair and raised um I think around $6,000. Is that right? >> Wow. >> And that'll be used for books and bookcases and things like that. Um and then just going through the um the packet that we had um I had a
celebration that we've been hearing about declining enrollment across the state, but the numbers are actually up at the middle school and stable at Keer. So, um I know those things go up and down. Um but that's remarkable. And then, um three students were selected to
All State Choir. Am I saying that correctly? And eight students selected to Fort Lewis Honor Band. And it's all that's been shared with me. It's amazing. All right.
All right. We'll continue on but uh great success stories that we hear. So, thank you. Uh we will go to our student representative uh Miss Kaia Christensen. >> Yes. Um I have a few kind of my own
celebration reports. Um, NHS did a food drive, the annual food drive. And I don't, unfortunately, I don't have any specific data on that of like what the turnout was cuz I wasn't able to get a hold of our um, overseen in time. But I
know that we had reached out to 21 businesses to put our boxes out. Um, and then we'll have our second blood drive on January 20th. Um, the second thing is that I was able to collaborate with my school counselor,
Chrissy Charles, to bring in Greg Felson, who is the accessible education specialist from Colorado State University. And then we brought him into MTHS for a pretty brief um, college prep presentation specifically for juniors
that signed up. Um, I think we definitely would have liked to see more people join that, but I think we also could use for better advertising for that kind of stuff. Um, but he did mention wanting to come back in the new
year to get more specific on things like scholarships um that aren't just for Colorado that can be more broad for other states. Um, and then the last thing is that student government and Panther chefs helped put
on Shop with a Cop, which is an annual thing as well. Um, I think we were able to get 10 kids into that, which I think was less than what was anticipated, but was still a good crowd. >> That's all.
>> Well done. Thank you. All right, let's move on. We'll go to our superintendence report. >> Mr. Bur, are you still with us? >> Alan, is Mr. Bur still on there? >> I am. >> Oh, thank you.
>> I'm here. So, I saw the questions from Laura about the HBAC and I thought I'd give you a little bit of a background of how that all has transpired. When I came to the district, there were complaints that the HVAC was not working well. So,
I got with um Ry and Ry had been paying for Matthews Electric to come uh fix the HBAC. What they would do is come pressure test them, tell him it was okay, and then they would uh recharge
them, and then they would go down. come to find out that it was not uh there were a lot of problems with the HVAC and I engaged with Brad Miller to begin with then David Illingworth because he is a trial lawyer but he is not a
construction lawyer and we ended up with Diane Wolson. We were with Diane for about eight or nine months and it came became obvious that it was going to have to go to a trial to solve this. Before I go
much further, I would like to tell the board that we were um criticized by the Matthews Law Team about how much information we were letting out to the community and they have asked for the uh trial to be moved
to Denver. I'm not sure that that's been approved, but I know that that was asked for. So anyway, we we go forward. Um Diane Wolson is not a trial attorney. So we were again handed off to
Brownstein Hyatt uh Faber and Sherik. Um Michael Zerner is our lawyer and his assistant is Jessica Allison. Um Mr. wit. They have all of the contracts.
They have all of the uh data from the and and testing data from the install company. And uh if you would like to see that, I can certainly get you in in charge with that or in touch with him. We had Jacob Cordash come and look at
the systems. He did performance services did the CO2 testing and he is going to come in January to your work session and uh talk with you about the testing and where performance services is. Another
one of the pieces that we're going to have to wrestle with or two of the pieces that we're going to have to wrestle with is the um at the time of construction, I've been told that there was concern about the CO2 levels and the the district
representative said, "Oh, don't worry about those. We'll just open the windows." If that's out there, that's another piece of this wasn't done right, but partially possibly on our our fault. Another piece that we're going to have
to wrestle with is we have had a new roof put on Mesa and a um and we've had $20,000 worth of work on the HVAC done at Lewis. Um, Comfort Air did the $20,000 worth of
work and Matthews is saying, "Well, now we don't know what we did and what they did, so we shouldn't be held responsible for any of it." Kind of the same idea over with the roofing at Mesa. So, they are contending that um the one school
Keer is the one that they are most concerned with. So that's where it lies right now. The uh um the latest uh after Diane Wolfson is that we hired
um Joseph La Ro as as an expert witness he has come in and said this is the the worst install that he's ever seen. Um Dale Young from Fujitsu said much the same thing. We've had it looked at by
several people. And one of the things, and I didn't know this going in, in a system like this, you have horizontal runs of piping. If you have loops or low spots in that piping, it collects oil. If it collects oil, then the oil doesn't
circulate and now all of the compressors are hurt on all of the systems. So the the uh proposal from performance services and from train is excuse me to completely remove
the old systems and go back in with new. One of the things that they want to do, and both of them are talking about the same thing, is to put basically a floor to ceiling, I'll call it a box, in each one of the classrooms that would handle
the HVAC and the heating, but both of the heating systems were built back in the 60s, so they're close to 80 years old. Um, I've talked to Mr. Lynch uh about this. He was a corrosion engineer
in the oil field and you don't know what you have in that piping without doing some inspection and just cutting out one piece and looking at it doesn't do it. So there is equipment available that they can go through and look at uh the
pipe size or the u not the pipe size but what's left in the pipe wall and to tell you what kind of condition your pipe is in. We have not done any at to my knowledge we've not done any uh
remediation with keeping by keeping chemicals in the system. We just run water in the system and over almost 80 years we really don't know what we've got left with the piping all the piping in >> so at least
>> if I could just pause you for a second. I'm not I'm not trying to cut you off. I just want to keep us focused. Um really what I was hoping for was a written like factual timeline. This this project is a lot of money and has a lot of
implications. So I think for the board to be able to really understand it and make decisions, it would be helpful to have a document um that kind of tracks all these key milesstones
um that we can go back to and reference and add to um because you know it's obviously a very complicated and I appreciate you taking the time to um to kind of go through it and summarize it. Is there a document like that that exists right
now? It does not. Jessica Allison probably is the closest person to that. She she works with Michael Zerner and they've put the whole uh document set together. Um they have the contracts that we supplied to them. Um they have
all the documentation that we have including anything that was done initially to uh set the system up. So, I would I would say that I could get with her tomorrow and get her going on uh something
akin to what you would like. >> Yeah, that would be like a shared reference point for all of us as we're talking about this very complicated expensive project. >> It is a very complicated and expensive. Um, the problem is that if
u Matthews bonded that job at what they bid the job, that's right at $1 million. And if that's all that their bond pays for, then Jacob's, as you will see in the next meeting, Jacob's presentation
of 6.5 million means 5.5 million basically comes out of operational carryover. And then the real question is, do we want to put 5.5 million, I listened to Mr. hall a while ago putting
$5.5 million of new HVAC into a system. Should we look at alternatives? And I gave you that in my uh board report. There are alternatives. We just finished um HBAC at the middle school and we've
got a new high school with operational HVAC. you have enough capacity there, but it would be a huge um leap to do that and it would be a board decision to get that done. But
your uh your timeline with Jacob is fall of 2027 to have the job complete and um train is much the same. I talked to Comfort Air. They couldn't even do it
this summer. They would have they would be the summer of 2027 to start. So timelines matter here. The teachers and and kids are the ones that are going to be dependent on what we decide to go
forward. >> Well, thank you. >> Yes. I'll get I'll get Jessica working on that tomorrow. >> Okay. That will help me immensely. Thank you. All right. Thank you, Mr. Beers. Uh, we will go on to our assistant
superintendent report. I had one more question for Mr. >> Yes, sir. >> Um, I don't know if these numbers were correct on your report because it said the school was built for 800 students and moving seventh and eighth grade to the high school would mean at today's
numbers 899 students. Would that is that would it be 99 students over or is one of those >> Yes, it would be. But we do have we did did buy those two >> four room portables and if you move them over there, you would have enough room.
>> And how would uh how would it work as far as it seems like all I care about is extracurricular activities. It's not the case, but I do care a lot about that. Um how would it work with, you know, You know, you look at winter sports alone,
like how you couldn't middle school wouldn't be able to have basketball practice at the high school facility. We have to bus people back to the middle school to use those types of facilities or anything. >> All the logistics that that are involved here would be very difficult to accomplish. I don't deny that if you put
seventh and eighth grade at the high school, you would only complicate the um the athletics further. I I agree with that. >> Sure. I'm just looking at classroom space and what what you would have to do
to keep people comfortable in at least two years going forward. >> And yeah, now just to be clear, that was it was on the Zoom meeting I was a part of with the attorneys and the expert
witness. there's no possible way to get it done before the 2026 27 school year um in in uh Mesa and Camper and and Lewis. So I'm hate to be the bearer of bad news
for the principles and the teachers in those buildings but it is it is the case. It's so if we look at other options that's why but we will definitely ask for your input. Absolutely. And I appreciate you being in on that meeting. Um it was important
to have somebody on the ground with with the uh critical questions, sir. Thank you. >> Any other questions on the report? >> I I just have a general question. um has the bids that you have presented to us
last Tuesday and then you mentioned that we have we need an engineer to create those specs. So how can we have those bids be accurate if we don't have the engineer telling us the specs? So, I'm just curious as to how accurate those bids
that we received may be considering we're going to have to engage an engineer and then go with those specs to get bids from the actual installers. >> Both of those are what's called design build. So, they want to design it and
build it. my comfort level with that is not as as high as um design bid and build which I think that's where you're going. So they gave us a range of if we picked this it would be a this and both
of those are estimates those are not hard bits. >> Thank you. Are there any plans to find an engineer in the future? Um that was the discussion that we had on our Zoom. Uh Jason if you can pitch
in there. >> Yeah. So there there is options. So the some of the options are to have there's actually both of those companies uh one in particular remind me the name of it. um performance services
>> per performance services said that they would do like a design type architect slashengineer build and then they would charge for that and it would be a certain dollar amount which I want to say was right around 9 or 10% of the 6.5
million no it was 900,000 it was $900,000 >> to just do the engine >> to do the design and engineering of it and then we could bring it out to bid to other companies to build it that way >> so That's one of the options and then the other options are exactly what we've
been looking at for those other two. So >> I'm not as concerned with the design build if we have Joseph La Rivera as a company or a school district representative. >> Is it possible to get a recording of the meeting just so that
we have the information that was that resulted from the conversation? I think we're most of us weren't there or you know that current board. I don't know how many how many board members were involved. Just just you. Okay.
>> Director Blair, I don't think your mic is picking you up very well. >> Well, I usually speak very loudly, so I was trying to tell. >> Um, could you hear me? >> I can now. Thank you. >> Okay. I I was wondering if it was it possible at all for the board to get
uh >> recording or a transcript of the Zoom meeting just so that we have the information that was passed on from that meeting. >> I don't know. I don't know if it was >> there was no recording of it. >> There was a legal counsel there was
legal counsel there too. So I don't know how that works. I don't know if that's just can be made. I think that's requires quite effort to get because it was legal counsel present. I don't know. >> I can investigate that tomorrow. >> Yeah. >> Thank you. >> Thank you, Doug.
>> Any further questions on that report? >> All right. Thank you, Mr. Bears. >> All right. Let's go on to our assistant superintendent report. Yes, sir. Mr. President, members of the board, I wanted to kind of give you a
heads up, not that any action has been taken, but just uh in preparation for the presentation in January. So, what happens is that the school district is involved in two fiscal years. One, the midyear budget amendment that uh Mrs.
Bradford, our executive director for finance, uh will present uh to finish the year. It's an adjustment that occurs in Colorado uh based on how the expenditures of the original adopted budget of the board. Uh second, we start
planning the 2627 fiscal year. And so there's a budget calendar that will go into a process from January through May that will be detailed to the board in January that will show all the components of how that is uh built and
the involvement of different uh uh representatives like principles uh the staff the community will have public hearings uh building up to the final adoption in May and that also will
occur with staffing when we look get to identify the window of review of contracts for renewal and non-renewal and that will look at January through March and we usually try to finalize at the end of March or by the latest by
April so that we can have an idea uh to inform the budget building for 2627 because it's based on staffing numbers. Uh and then at the same time based on the uh Colorado uh PPR the per people
funding and revenue and based with on the extra monies that we receive because of at risk or the other different atrisisk categories. uh that has been part of what has supplemented uh the finish of extra money uh in the annual
budget and people are wondering why do we have added monies to the carryover. It's not planned that way, but the revenue uh method of the state has changed and evolved in the finance of how schools are financed in Colorado.
And right now there's averaging of based on the four years even though we have declining enrollment of a 100 less students. Uh and you can calculate about 11 to 12,000 per student to kind of come up with a grand total of how much money
uh that uh would normally we would lose. But because of the changes in how they finance and especially with the at ris we've had extra money but two years ago the extra money came from the leveraging of ESER money that we used for the staff
salaries and so that means that the budget of the original general operation wasn't hit for salaries that year and that's why that amount was added to the carryover. So what we try to do is budget about uh no more than 78 to 82%
on salaries and we were way above that three years ago and that's why we had the 2.5 to3 million deficit and think it climbed almost Mr. Lynch, remind me almost $3.5 million. But with that er financial move, we were able to offset
$3 million and and not have that deficit. And then we started right sizing throughout the district because that right sizing has not occurred historically for a number of years. And it's not anything that's punitive. Uh we have board policies dictate the numbers
that happen at each grade level. And so all of that information will come into play to the board and be transparent to the community as we try to communicate all of these uh finishing of this fiscal year uh 2526 and the building of the 26
27th fiscal year. And so in this report I try to list all the things that we want to bring to your attention and how the planning is going to a systemic model instead of independent silos and people getting misaligned at the campuses because the way the money was
budgeted. It allow allowed the core curriculum to be different at different campuses. It allowed other things that misaligned and and and affect student achievement. And so we'll be talking about the prof professional development
schedule. We'll be talking about the student calendar, the staff calendar and all those things and how they are interwoven to build greater coherence sequencing in everything of uh the quality of instruction and the budgeting. So, I know that sounds like a
lot, but we'll go through a PowerPoint and we'll go piece by piece on each to kind of see when the board is projected to discuss and review and when to take action in the different months. Nothing will be all at one time in January. So,
I wanted to ease the fears of the board in that because I know that was a lot of information. I try to answer some of the the prequests in the in there. if you saw some of my responses, but uh I do understand the anxiety that it creates
also because uh change is hard and sometimes with change if it's not explained. And so this attempt was to kind of gently put that information out and then we'll really get into the reviewing of information in January,
February, March, April, and May. I stand ready for any questions about the assistant superintendent report. >> Um I have several. >> Sure. Sure. >> Um so from reading your report, um it
was difficult for me to understand if things are going to look different next year. I think that's what anyone in the community or in the schools want to know. Um there's a lot of talk of realignment and right sizing, but like what does that actually mean? And and so
you don't have to go through all of that right now, but that is where a lot of my questions come from. And if the answer is um we're taking a pause because um although we haven't felt the financial impact yet and we're in a good
fiscal standing right now, there's no urgency. we're taking a pause to kind of understand this and get input um from all you know from families from staff then I my anxiety is less but if this is a plan that we already have and there's
urgency to implement it then um I will have a lot of questions and request a lot of input. >> Sure. So it didn't have anything to do with the earlier conversations in the with the school and the community hearings on the grade reorganization or
realignment. This was only about the district staffing under the superintendency. Now that you have me as a new superintendent in the position and I have a vision to present to the board for the organizational chart at the district level. As far as the right
sizing, uh it's only uh a little bit of one campus and it involves uh just aligning that and I'm holding conversations with that administrator and uh working together and collaborating on that. So uh some of the
terminology because uh Mr. Lynch, I'm sorry for referring to you every time, but the terminology can be mind-boggling in education with all the acronyms that we use. And so, I think that's part of the confusion that I, uh,
unintentionally caused when I put out this report and that. So, uh, we look forward to that discussion. I think there are good questions and if you have questions, I know the community has questions. So, uh, those are that's good and I want to be able to answer all
that. So this isn't a pre-formed plan. We're looking for rubber stamping. We will be soliciting input from families, from staff, from >> Yes. for those for those areas that uh pertain to that and then information needs to be given on all even if it
doesn't pertain to them because and everyone needs to be clear and understand the direction of the design that the board is comfortable with on the presentation that the superintendent makes. >> Okay. Thank you. I look forward to that. >> Yes, ma'am. Any
other questions on that report? >> Thank you. >> All right. Um, let's move on to our executive director of finance report. >> Good evening, members of the board. Mr. President, um, I have posted my report
in board docs and a bunch of additional information in the Q&A document. Um, before we get to those questions, I would like to introduce Miss Haley, who's from Major and Haley and completes our audit. Um, and she would like to share some information tonight if that's all right. Thank you.
>> Is this on? >> Okay. Can that work? Okay. >> Um, my name is Lori Haley. I work with Majors and Haley. I've been doing this audit for quite a few years. I know a lot of you. Some of you I don't know.
Um, I guess my first question is is and then I can I thought I might do since you're a brand new board take about 10 minutes and kind of explain some funds and how they all come together on the audit. The unfortunate thing is now is the
audit you're already five months the audit's old news quite honestly for what you know you're talking right there. You've got to look and go forward and see where you're at because a lot of stuff can happen in five months about where you ended or began. But are you
guys all familiar with governmental accounting? >> No. >> Okay. Governmental accounting is different than business accounting is um the the major part of the audit and how the books are actually kept is what's called and again we'll use bigger words
but modified acural meaning it's pretty much cash basis. We don't put in a bunch of receivables except for grants that are already been money has been sent or payables and stuff. They're pretty much operated on a cash basis. There's part
of the audit that will be in the forward part that goes ahead and adds general fixed assets or depreciate. You know, you buy if you're are you familiar with business accounting? So, if you buy a tractor, then you take it over five years. You have a building, you take it
over 40. um long-term debt you owe on your school. None of that is actually in the financial statements of governmental accounting. How much like the governmental accounting I'm going to give you right here doesn't tell you how much you owe on the school building or
items like that. It's just you're basically working on what your operations are. So then I'll go over the funds. But the thing is also um Cortez school is further complicated by the fact that you
have four charters had four charters involved in this. Colorado has instituted a thing several years ago that you have to do a transmitt. You have to take all of your numbers and it's very complicated. It's about 15
digits across and they all mean stuff and then you have to net out the charter schools. You have to net out where you're with Boseies. All of these things are entries within this transmitt that all has to be taken care of before you can actually commit the audit
right now hopefully by Thursday. But I'm not able to give you the audit because um we can't finish without Pleasant View. Pleasant View audit is not completed. They weren't ready. However, it's getting written up tonight. So hopefully we will have it to you and I'll be able to put it in the audited
financial statements by tomorrow or the next day. So the goal of this is unfortunately you guys will have to probably have a Zoom meeting down the road to and there's nothing you can do about the audit at this point. It's audited and you just have to say that you received
it. So you'll have to receive the audit when we get it in full thing. I have to get Danielle has to get through the transmitt which we can't do without Pleasant View plus and we have to tie it all to this. So it's a complicated thing and I'm especially with new bill runner
I'm very apologetic that it's not done but the goal would not be to put this on extension because it affects so many schools. If some reason you don't dot an I correctly or cross a tea correctly and you don't get an extension filed
correctly, then you cannot file an extension the next year. They can stop your funding. The goal is for us to work really hard and have this done and her to get it filed by December 31st. So that being said, in the audit of about 40 pages, there's
the pages that we've given you here are the ones that are actually financial statements of the audit that you're going to look at. core test pool has been audited for about three weeks, but we can't finish up the rest of it till I get all of it because the the component units, the battle rocks have to be not the battle
rocks, the all the charter schools have to be included. We have to put part of the transmittal in the back of the audit. So, it's going to take a few more days, but this is actually works better for presentations because I've started doing this and just
giving these pages out anyway for people because then they can tie together because the audit is not written to be useful quite honestly for you guys. So, if you'll look at your things, you have A1.
Do you guys have the work papers that we handed out? So there's a section of A's. Those are your governmental accounting ones. All of your things are governmental accounting except your self- insurance fund. So on the front page, you're going to
have you have a general fund, which is your operations for the most part, but included in that I'm gonna have you do one, I think. Could you maybe jump back to a scene one?
So the school is a set of funds that go into the financial statement. On this C1, you have how this account was set up previously. I believe is going to change a little bit with your new software and how it tied out. But in
the general fund, included in the general fund, you have your general fund, but then you have everything separated out that's technology. You see the second column activity fund. There's two activity funds
including RU1. The first activity fund that we're talking about right now in column three is your activities that are mostly subsidized by the district themselves. General fund like you guys pay for athletics, some music, things
like that. So, it always zeros itself out, but it's the money that you guys are basically subsidizing. Then later on, we'll talk about the other activity fund. And then you have an insurance reserve and a preschool. So the first one, two, three, four, five,
six columns total of seven column. That's what's going to match your audit. These are columns that just showing you. So you can have this is not part of the audit. It's just something I did for you guys. So you have four years on there from the bottom up of what each fund has
done in the last four years. So you can look on there and then the column total general fund will match your audit. And then you have what they call governmental fund special revenue. But then you have a food service fund.
You have a designated grants fund. I'm going to point out to you right now because you were talking about why the budgeting and how things like they had bigger carryovers. And if you look down the previous years, CO a lot of money came in through grants
on CO um 13 million previous fisc 13,700 previous fiscal year, 4,800 this fiscal year. In the previous years, some of that money was harder to spend and you had to get it spent. So versus making
new positions, the school opted for paying for some of the same positions with the grant money. So the general fund was able to build up some money in the last two years. That's one of the reasons the general fund has had income for the last two years is because they
didn't make new positions that you would have to figure out how to fund later or lay them off. They just paid use grant fund monies to pay for some of the positions that you had. And that, you know, so it was, you know, it was a wise decision in my thinking upon the past is
that's part of the reason your general fund is healthy and has been able to build up because like last year you had a lot of grant money that needed to be used up and that's how they used it up. They were able to pay positions that you already had with grant money. Now you're going to be going back to those
positions being paid with your PPO money. That's part of the reason the fund balances have jumped in the last couple years. The other option would have been for them to have hired a new person, you know, and had the extra in there, but then not person where they
would have had to got laid off or, you know, because you would not have had the money for the future. So then also you have the bond redemption fund which is paying off for the high school capital projects fund. you guys have been trying and or the
boards and the the finance and the previous have been trying to build up money so that you had money in there like if a bus blew up, you know, so you would have the ability to buy something in there. I believe that capital project fund is the stuff that you guys have to have a resolution for to spend out of.
So I'm I'm overwhelming you. I'm trying to tell you some of you guys that haven't had been in here how this works. And then the infamous self- insurance fund. That's the enterprise fund where um you guys have and it has come around.
This is what bled the school dry about seven years ago. This is where you guys RE1 pays the premiums and they go in and out. So your self-funded self insurance and that's what that is and it's it's in good shape now.
So then back to there, B A1 is just what they do a balance sheet. A balance sheet is a snapshot in time for the people that don't know. So you'd have your current assets, what you would owe currently, stuff you would pay within a couple of months, then how much
you would have left. The second one, A2, is what each fund has done. So you will look on there in column one net change in fund balance that's how much the general fund included for last
fiscal year and the bottom line is how much money you have to go forward take that back to A1 and you can see that you have to have a table reserve table has to be 3% of some of
expenditures so should never be spent. Then we also for each one of those funds I mentioned earlier, you have money on page on the A1 again for preschool that can only it's designated that can only be spent for preschool in the future,
technology in the future and insurance in the future. Then this is a new thing. Um, governmental accounting doesn't require us to do that, but um, Danielle, which the board was very specific. They wanted
to try to keep that on there. So, we had a line on there called a sign for mill levy override. The money during this audit, we did a specifically tracked went through and tracked all the money that was received for the mill levy override. We went and
tracked it to teachers. We subtract it out and this is what's left to go until the next fiscal year for this the audit. The problem being on this is Mr. Romeirez kind of went to that point too. You guys are June June 30th year
mill levies are collected on a December 31st year. So it's kind your mill levy override is split between two different fiscal years. So you have this,98,511
that must be spent on teacher salaries that is being tracked. Then back to um A2, the food service fund was to the good of $221,253. Every one of these funds, that bottom number has to be spent on food service
fund. You can't go take that 864,000 and go spend it on a bus. Well, you could, I guess, if you needed the bus to take food somewhere. Figure out soon can always figure out something. Government grants fund.
Grants are what's called and I again we're over I know this is overrunning but it's what's called expenditure driven. If you receive a grant for 500,000, that 500,000 is not your money. You spend 200,000 appropriately, then
you could have revenue of 200 and expenses of 200. It always has to even itself out. Grant money is not yours till you spend it. If they give you 500,000, then you have to have a liability on there of 500,000 till you spend money down. A grant is always going to be
zeroed out. This is a funny thing. You got about $6,000 in this grant fund because grants aren't always perfect. Sometimes there's rounding things. You know, it's $2.50. So, you have have to have a place to plug some stuff to get those zeros to happen because of
rounding numbers. And also, sometimes money might be spent that isn't supposed to or something. That $6,000 probably been there 10 years. It's a funding thing. You should never have a fund balance in a grant fund, but it's money that the district
had put in there for little things and it's been sitting there for a long long time. >> Major mayors, I'm sorry. Um I was sorry kind of stepping back to the grants that you talked about during CO time. >> Were those restricted or unrestricted
grants? >> They all had specific They had to be spent on specific items. >> So personnel was one of them. on specific grants. There was 20, 30 grants, different ones. Some grants you could, >> some grants you couldn't.
>> So that you had to go through and they they did a lot of struggling to find and pay use all the money they could by taking people that they could put over there. And it's there's a there were a lot of grants at that particular point and it
was a struggle to even get them all audited. But yeah, you could. There's certain ones that are And were they all spent out completely? >> No, there was again to like I told you the grant might have been for 5 million.
School could only spit in four million. So a million they couldn't ask for because they couldn't find an appropriate expense. >> Were these grants that were applied for or just >> mostly given during co >> Mr. President, if I may, uh, also not no
expenditure can occur until we approve or submit an amendment to CDE and CDE grant department has to approve that. So the two major things were about the salaries and of the personnel that I spoke to earlier and the other was the
HVAC that we did at the middle school over a 2-year period and uh because of COVID and ventilation and all that. >> So capital improvements was something included in the grants. >> Yes. And that was approved by CDE and and that had passed several audits
already. It's the complicated it you have to go through every step. So the school has to ask for it and then it has to go to grants and the grants have to approve it. Then it has to go to finance and finance has to approve it and then they have to send off to CDE to
get the money. There's a lot of steps involved >> and it's a reimbursement. They're all reimbursement grants. >> There are some that are not mostly not federal. Some states are not. most federal are all reimbursement. Some states are not.
>> And then you've got some local grants, too. Um those playground equipment, >> for example, was all local grants. All these beautiful playground equipments all over. They just gave the money. It's a little bit of everything. Would
it be possible once the audit is finalized that you come in and kind of give the board a overview of the finance of the audit? That's what I'm doing right now. >> Okay. There there's nothing I I can if
you guys want to set up something. What I'm seeing right now is what I'll say again. This this is the audit of what you're going to receive of the numbers. what I'm telling you now is a little bit more than those numbers because I'm trying to hopefully some of you give you an idea of what you're looking at
because like the questions you're you're going into budgeting but you can also set up something um if you would like to set up something I don't know your laws on how many of can meet and what you want to do if you want to do something like that I would need to have it done
early January but I would do that for you guys absolutely if if I could tell tell you something. Um, the specific questions though, you would need to probably direct to Danielle. Like if you're wanting to know specific grant questions
like that, that's there's a lot of detail involved. I'm kind of thinking more in terms of following internal processes, following internal control memos and how >> how school is doing how
>> sorry no I'm I'm used to um I work at a nonprofit and our auditors present a a report to the board kind of outlining what they have found within the organization like if there's any
um the the strengths that they have found within the organization perhaps any weaknesses that can be fixed any kind of processes that can be strengthened. That's kind of what I'm think >> um nonprofits that's a different audit than you hired me for. You hired me to
gather the numbers. My audit is not an internal control audit. I do internal control for the basis that I look the stuff makes sense and then like who double checks and all this stuff especially since it's a single audit we go in and we confirm that you did these
steps for the single audit but this audit is basically you're paying a lot of money for the CDE to get all information is basically what you're doing quite honestly and the format >> that has to go in and stuff it's not a useful
when you get it and I can go over it. You It is not a useful form for you guys as board members. It really is not. It's about 50 pages and these are the pages that are important to you are the ones I have printed right here. As far as me
being able to tell you, um Danielle provides me an internal thing that she can go through about the process. Like I said, what I just said, the process that I have to go through. Um all I have is what she's done and then I've double checked that that's happened on you know
50 transactions but um I have no I don't do nonprofits. I have no idea of nonprofits but um I don't know of any auditors are going to tell you an internal control deal.
>> Do you do single audits every year? >> Yeah. Um, RE1 has two. Yes. >> And I want to assure the board that we have internal controls, checks and balances for this. We also begin the process where we bring the all the
grants to the board for approval when we do our budget adoption. And so it's not only the general fund, but it's also the grants monthly. The board receives those reports in the assistant superintendent report that shows all the grants, the original
adopted budget, the expenditures, the balance, any amendments. And we've been working hard to prevent leaving money on the table not expended. That means that when you do leave money on the table, when it's not there's not good planning.
And so we have gone to a tremendous change in federal programs in the district uh upon my arrival and we started changing those uh things. We used to be targeting a cystic grant which was specific that B based on rank
order the number of students uh based on the free reduced uh lunches and that's what led to a fragmentation of the spending and getting misaligned on the campuses. And so we changed to schoolwide two years ago and so we're
allowed to expend certain money on district conditions based aligned to the board strategic plan. and then uh we give money to the campuses based on the rank order of the remaining grant award. So uh I just want to be fully
transparent with the boards, the former board and this board about uh the grant revenue stream and the accountability for it. >> Thank you. >> Yes, ma'am. I the internal control part I just think you would probably just going to have to set up an appointment
if you need to if you're really interested in all the steps that are taken. >> Yeah. I mean I I was just thinking if it was something that was covered on the audit on a regular basis. There is no the assurance that I'm giving is on the numbers but in order to
know that me to give certain assertion on the numbers I have to have certain reliability that I am comfortable that the steps are being followed my personal thing is is on the balance sheet I add it 100%
I have looked at every single cash account I've looked at outstanding items I've looked at the next year that those outstanding items cleared Every receivable I've tracked through every revenue that came through CDE I've tracked almost all of your monies come either
from the property from the treasur which I tracked from the treasure 100%. From CDE which we tracked 100% um you receive a little bit of money from like a through a grant through St. Brain that comes through. There's three different places that some of those come
through. Um I I looked at the actual receipt where it came through. So I mean my audit is more that your numbers are good and you are very audited in your balance sheet and your revenues. Expenditures
not not as much because they're harder just to come in and know track what salaries are and supplies and stuff and do spot checking. But that's basically how the audits work for this specific audit on how you're auditing. We're not
looking for fraud. However, if there was fraud, I'm pretty sure I would see it on some place, but again, fraud's hard to do on some places. You guys have a lot of people looking over. So, I don't believe that there
could be any fraud on that part. The biggest fraud that I see that could happen is gate receipts and things like that which are hard to track. You got a volunteer person sitting there taking cash, but that's also very minor money.
That's the things that I could see that more fraud could happen. I mean, I don't know if you guys have any questions on where fraud you think fraud could happen. >> I also not Sorry. Thank you so much. I also noticed that you are um receiving
RFP for auditors. Are you looking to switch companies for for annual auditing? >> Yes. So I don't know how long has done it as far as I can look back. Um that was a request of the board last year just to put out an RFP and see what was
available, see what options we had. Um >> are you still willing to do it, Lori? >> No. >> Oh, you're done. Okay. >> Nope. It's time for me to retire and it's time for I was thinking about that and I've been doing audits for
since about 86 and I've probably done this school all but a couple of those years. >> I'm probably the most consistent thing the school has. >> And Chris does the other school districts but he's not I don't think he's up for doing.
>> No. And um yeah, we're stepping. It's we used to come in and we used to do these audits and we could be done in September, October. They were more meaningful too then because you had better numbers. Now with this transmitt and stuff I'm a general practitioner. I need to be thinking about taxes
>> and I haven't looked at taxes at all on changes and stuff. It's better for me personally. Nothing against working or anything like that. is just with everything and the charters and everything coming in together, it's better for our office to um not go into
November and December on audits. We can do something else. >> But no, it's nothing personal, but I hadn't thought about it before then because my previous employer did them and then Chris and I started up and I think a year later. So, it's been a long time and a lot of
changes, a lot of board members, a lot of employee Yeah. lot of changes, a lot of different ideas. Just put the numbers down. >> Thank you. >> Yeah, there's another sheet that I would like for you guys to look at because I believe it goes back to what he was
saying. C2. This is a little summary sheet for five years that talks about your PPR, how much money you have received from what they call state equalization,
what your student count is um down one-third your peer pupil count funding, how much you actually receive per student, how much students are included in the charter schools. I feel like this has pretty good information for you guys to
be able to look at this. What it really comes down to is that bottom numbers I'd like to point out assumptions made. So based on this year's PPO of $11,175.74, if you guys lose 25 students, you use $279,400
in funding. So that's part of the issues, too, when you're talking budgeting. a few students makes a big difference. So, this is just a little history. Um,
it's a complex form and CDE made us I guess you guys have seen that there. They had to make pay stuff because they were doing recisions that they weren't supposed to be doing, you know, keeping some money a few years ago. >> So, I have a question about the the losing students. So, he was saying it's
a four-year rolling average. >> Um, would say if we lose 100 students in in one year. So that next year it's just considered 25 students or >> you would talk to the expert on the how those counts work in there because I don't know how they figure it out
>> but they like you can see how they varied from year to year um per count. So like from fiscal year 24 to 25 you lost about 60 students per count 2484 to 2415.
It's been a long day. I can't even do that. >> That's >> so I don't know how the averaging comes out. I mean it's not a direct correlated but you know how they tie in. But it's a big deal. >> Yeah. over the years it ends up. >> Yeah. And little things, you know, like
you you're you'll so like where they all of a sudden everybody went to Vegas to play football can be expensive to RE1, you know, type deal like that where and that's what's going to happen in this community all the time. >> Basketball program's good over here, so
you take your kid over there, but it affects it affects you guys. But that I think might tie to where you were talking to him earlier about the counts. But no, I'm at I if you guys want to talk about how they work, I'd be love to
I can help you guys on any of that stuff. Like I said, I would really need it to be earlier in January or later. And I'll work with her when you guys get hired. any work papers they need,
anything they need. I'll be I'll be any anything they need. >> Awesome. Thank you very much. Any further questions on that report? >> Yes. um in regard to the 2425 audit and
having to um uh possibly apply for an extension. I saw that um you prepared a a sheet an application for extension that we may or may not have to use, I
guess, because you still have a few days to get that done. But my question is our our district is the umbrella over charter schools. Charter schools have their own board that that run their
school and we have no say other than the contract that we sign with them. U so we have no control over whether they turn in an audit on time or not. So why is it not the case that whatever
charter school is behind doesn't also have to fill out an extension for the audit in addition to us because there's a reason why this is late and it's not
us. And so why don't why doesn't and it's not just I'm not trying to pick on the the one that did it this time because it could happen with any one of them for any reason. Why isn't it necessary for the charter school to come up with an application to that goes with
ours to CDE >> and we were just talking about that this afternoon. I'm not sure if they require one from each of us or just us as the umbrella. Um, I did pass that document on to Pleasant View yesterday and they are having a board meeting this evening.
Um, and I did ask that they um, complete that application as well. I don't know the right answer on that. Charter schools have all the benefits and none of the ch I mean basically they go bankrupt and you have to absorb. I
mean, it's it's how CD set them up. It's why and I've had um differing opinions with differing people in authority on your guys in the past years. Um my personal opinion is is
you have to be on you have to be able to be aware and know what this your charter schools are doing several years ago. One of them got into some trouble and one of the pe the people said we you shouldn't be able to look in there. I'm like, well, I I think it's part of your requirements that you ought to be able
to look and see that they have cash or not, which is a good thing for you guys changing personal opinion on a lot of experience here. I'm very happy that you guys are going to have all of them on your program next year. >> Yes. because before they weren't and now
you were down to just one not being on there but they're having you do it in QuickBooks which is I'm sure a lot of you are familiar with QuickBooks and simple you know on there but then you have to take it from QuickBooks and convert it into these 15 number formula
for CDE in order to do that but I know I I feel like you guys are you're over them and I feel like you guys have the responsibility that you should be paying attention and to where they're at. I don't know.
>> So, just to be clear, the program you're talking about is the program that uh the district is using for their accounting system and you're talking about at uh the district having asked the charter
schools to use the same program so that line by line it's easy to transfer information. >> Correct. And you can get in there and check periodically, you know, if stuff is um being balanced or
if they're in fiscal if they are in again, it's been a lot of years. You've had two charter schools that were almost went bankrupt at different times and they both built it out. And
um Battle Rock is I'm I mean I've worked closely I am very proud of Battle Rock. They have built themselves all their everything. The very first year I ever did Battle Rock. Someone else had I think maybe Chris said it but um a person came in there and taken all the salary as a superintendent and they had
hardly no money left. But nobody was aware of that till I'm doing the audit four months later. and they have built up. >> I believe we were bouncing checks, >> right? But there was it was um but you guys and then there was a lot of people
volunteered their time to get where they are right now. A lot of people went unpaid. They worked hard. But you've had two that I'm aware of that have had severe financial problems in the past. not the one this, you know,
and I don't even know if that one's okay this year or not yet. But Pleasant View will be ready to go. They're just gonna have to do a Zoom meeting, the same thing. So, I would highly suggest not doing an extension if we can get by with it. We'll work the hours that needs to
be done because I've never filed an extension for something like this and I don't know what would happen if we don't do everything right. My opinion is if like something like that happens, you definitely they the board needs to take some responsibility
and fill out the forms that we have to go on extension like you're saying. I feel like that's a something that the even if state and CD didn't require you guys should >> Mr. President, just for the clarification for the board, uh Lori is
talking about having a Zoom and we're projecting that it would be this coming Tuesday. You could uh participate by Zoom. It doesn't have to be here. And it's just a vote that's needed that you received the
audit. You're not approving the audit, only voting that you receive the audit. And uh if that meets the wishes of the board, then Deborah will move forward to create the agenda for next Tuesday by Zoom. And you'll receive the Zoom link.
And then Deborah has to and Danielle have to verify each and every one of you by by site on the Zoom. >> And hopefully by Friday morning, I will have a PDF of the audit, complete audit.
I will PDF these pages and tell you what pages they are in the audit, send it to Deb and she can forward it to you guys. >> I mean, if not, then we got to start figuring out for sure how to get an extension filed.
>> I have a question for Director Lynch. Um, did you say that there are contracts between the charter schools and the board? >> Yes. So, is it possible to put that into the contract for the upcoming years?
>> My understanding is that it is. And I actually requested it uh one one year. I can't remember if it was this spring or the previous spring. I requested that the um that language be put into the
contract in regard to sharing of financial information in a I think the the concern that I brought up was in a timely fashion, not necessarily using the same program, but it ought to be a
requirement in the text of the contracts that are signed with the charter schools. >> Agreed. >> Danielle, would you like to speak towards that? where we're at. >> Yeah. So, currently, uh, Mr. Miller is reviewing the contracts and creating an addendum even to require that they use
our same financial software, um, so that it's easily tracked. Um, there is language in there right now that they'll send quarterly financials. I will say generally that's not the case, that we're not receiving them timely. Um, and really I think the contracts are two to
three years depending on their status. So, it's something that we need to probably catch up with all of them at this point, but it is in the works. And I do >> sorry as well as what the consequences are if if it's not followed. >> That is a little less clear. I think we
could clarify there. >> Yeah. how they need to. >> So the contracts in general uh have language that speaks to their achievement and their financial uh stability or solveny. And so that is
already in the contract and that's enough to end the charter contract if they violate one of those two. It would be nice for the future auditor if they would also have their audit completed by like October.
>> All right. >> Any further questions on this report? >> Can you can you talk to Brad about that in the for the contract? >> What? >> Sorry. Now, can you would you talk to Brad or Justin talk to Brad about that or would it be Eddie that would do that
as far as putting that in the contract to have their audits done by October? >> That would need to be an amendment probably to the current contract. >> Right. And we are working on an addendum and we're also working on just the um basic contract that we will use moving forward. So, we can request that.
>> There's a you know, we have some good timing right now with a couple of our charters. Um, one of them, Pleasant View, their charter is due at the end of this year or the it ends at the end of this year. Um, KA I'm sorry, that's with the one-year
extension. KA ends at the end of this year and then is eligible for a one-year extension and then SWOS in two years. When I say one-year extension, there's a clause in their contract that says if they have an academic achievement rating of improved improvement or better, it
extends for a year. We have been in contact with them that we've said that that could be a condition of their renewal if they if they choose not to do what we're asking with regard to the financial software and and the deadlines that you guys are suggesting. >> But yes, I can ask Mr. Miller to include
a deadline in that contract. >> Thank you. >> President, where do you stand on a special meeting on Tuesday of next week? >> Sounds like we have to do it. >> Okay. Um, do you have a suggested time for that meeting?
The offices are closed that day, so it would probably be completely a virtual meeting. >> Can we Can we do it? You were thinking that they are going to be ready tonight or tomorrow? >> I'm hoping that I can have it ready. I I
think you could maybe do it Monday or they are the offices closed Monday. >> Yes, >> let's keep it Tuesday just so they have a little cushion. I bet >> suggested time. >> Keep it at six. Keep it simple. >> I have another uh question. Mr. Mayors,
would it be possible to get um a uh not maybe an example of the final fiscal year 2526 budget that will be presented at our January regular meeting along
with the appropriation for that. And um I was wondering if we could have that example for the workshop so that we could talk about it at the workshop otherwise we won't get a chance to have much discussion about it. Would that be
possible? I believe so uh director that that is very doable. >> All right. So if any of you do have you can call my office. I if you have a specific
question that you would like to meet with me. Um like I said I would very much request it though that it would be sooner either January or than if even though I'm not your auditor. I'm still
all for the school local. If you have something that you would like to run by me, I'd be happy to talk to you guys about if it's just like how things work or things something, you know, I'm happy to talk to any of you guys on history or anything like that or
might have to buy me a beer, but >> sounds good. >> All right. Thank you. >> Thank you, >> President. Generally, if we go over two hours, President may call for a brief recess, give everyone a bathroom break. Oh, we're powering through.
>> Okay. >> Yeah, we'll do a quick recess of five minutes. >> Thank you. Now for reports you don't. >> Let's go. >> Okay. Let me start the recording. We are recording. >> All right. And just for the record, that
recess that started at 8:01. We are back from it. It is 8:13. So, we'll continue on with our agenda. We will now go on to our executive director of academic services report.
Good evening board. Uh I did submit a board report in the sorry this is a little sensitive. I did submit a board report in board docs and I also answer some prequest or pre-made questions. The only correction that I have is I I said in that board report that we're doing a
uh school assessment coordinator training on Monday. That actually was moved to Wednesday. So, we haven't actually had that training yet. Um other than that, uh I'm here for questions if anybody has questions in addition to
those that were already answered. >> Where are we? >> Um I have a question. just >> so it's um I'm trying to wrap my head around and understand all of the different coaching and professional development
um and I noticed that there have been um some comments about problem with implementation like maybe there was an idea that was had and a product that was purchased and then it's just not being implemented.
So, I'm wondering how you view um like if you're how you view um kind of involving the end users when you're making those choices. So, we're not just like um you know, maybe some
buying things or committing to programs that aren't meeting the realities of what the end users are using. I think we've all had that frustration where you you're like theoretically this is going to be great for you but you're like well in my reality it's not. Um and is there
like a staff input or feedback um loop to kind of uh update those so we make sure what we're using is effective and appropriate. >> Sure. Um, I I would say that different products are in different stages and so
some are pretty new and we're and we're still getting our feet wet with those and trying to encourage adoption of those pro the regular use of those products. I would say also um what you're noticing is something that we've also noticed within
>> within u the district and you know one of the projects that Mr. Ramirez and I are intending to embark upon soon is uh an evaluation of a lot of the programs that we utilize and a streamlining of
those. Um you know some examples include um curriculum. Um we at one point in time we were utilizing you know five different phonics curriculums within within our district. >> Can I can I interrupt please? Um I'm
having difficulty hearing uh Mr. Schmid, is there any way you could turn up his microphone, please? >> I think that was my fault. I asked him to turn it down and now then it got too quiet. How's that? Okay, so to answer your question, um,
more specifically, there are times where we engage um specific people when we're when we're trying to make a decision, and there are other times that those decisions were made without doing that. And so it is a good practice I think when it's
appropriate. Um and it's something we can probably get better at doing in the future. >> So what I'm hearing is that perhaps as you do your review of all of these, you'll be asking for um feedback from building leaders and
from the staff who'll be using them about what's been most useful and effective and which ones are maybe redundant or all that. >> A little bit of everything. Yes. There's also some technology resources that we want to use to identify redundancies as well. >> Okay. >> Thank you.
>> You're welcome. >> When it comes to the Soore program, does that missing it says missing assignments, but does that include tardies and absences, too? >> No. So, SOORE has has a very specific use um and what it what it was designed
to do. Um and I don't have a lot of this data with me right now. Um, but I can tell you that this was a program that was utilized in the Roswell School District. It was very effective in reducing the rate of missing assignments and increasing the pass rate with their
students. I'd like to request that data to be able to share with you so I can give you that. Um, but our use case specifically is as a communication tool to let parents know and students um when there are missing assignments. um something that sent that that reaches
out to them and doesn't require them to to log in and check for themselves. Um it also is a communication tool, so it's not just about missing assignments. If they want to send a communication out um about something that's coming up, they can use it for that, too. But primarily
to let them know when there's missing assignments with the hope that once the parent is aware that the assignment is missing, they can encourage their student to turn that in. Because one of the things that we that we see especially at the secondary level is many times when students are failing courses, it's not necessarily because
they don't understand content. Sometimes it is, but because they're just not doing the work. And we want to be able to separate whether they're failing because they're not getting work turned in or if they're failing because they don't understand because the approach with how we solve that problem is going to be different.
>> How many of the schools are using that program? >> It's just a secondary tool right now. So, it's it's primarily at the middle school and high school. >> Oh, middle high. And how many teachers um do you have data on that? How many teachers are actually doing? >> So, I didn't I didn't pull that report ahead of this, but anecdotally, I have
looked at it before. Um and I can tell you that the number of teachers that have used it at all um is probably a little over 50%, but the ones that are using it with regularity is much smaller than that. >> Yeah, I I can agree. my high schoolers,
I don't get anything. And sometimes it's um the teacher just hasn't graded. >> Well, and and here's what I can tell. I I have three kids in the district personally. I've received a notification from uh on my middle school students when she had a missing assignment. I've never received a notification on my high school students when they had missing
assignments. And so, I can pull a report that shows you, you know, which teachers are using it and how frequently. And you can get an idea or it can be a summary uh where we say, "Hey, you know what? 10 out of 30 teachers at the high school are using it and and something like that.
>> For me, the summary would be acceptable. I'm not sure about the rest of the board. >> Yeah, I can I can absolutely do that. And and I will say it's not an immediate adoption. You know, it does take a little bit of time for people to get comfortable with it. Make it a part of their routine. Um it is an expectation that they're using that because we want
communication. But >> what is Yeah. >> Is what is your policy around it? Is it a requirement at this juncture? What we've done is we've asked um we've asked and this came mid semester, right? So it it wasn't something that was right at the beginning of the year. We've
asked that teachers use it. We've asked the principles follow up with teachers to ensure that they're using it. Um but it's it's not 100% adopted at this point. >> Is it difficult to do? I mean is it like a painful learning curve or >> I don't think it's super complicated. Um
but it is an extra step. And one of the questions in the premeating uh I think from director Dwit was if this was an increase in workload for teachers. Um and I think that depends on your perspective. If it's teachers should be communicating with parents already. And
so if they if they were doing that already as they should have been then this can actually reduce their workload because it's a it's a tool that makes that more simplified specifically for this purpose. if it's something they weren't doing and and parents and students just weren't aware when they were missing assignments in those
classes, then yeah, it's an extra step, but it's an extra step that's necessary. >> Thank you. >> So, more than like a detailed information about who's using it is not or not, I I I'm just more curious usually if a tool is um you know, is
great, it's quick adoption. So, I would be curious as to why they're not. I mean that that would be more the information. I think our staff are hardworking. Our teachers are hardworking and want the best for their kids. So, um I'd be
interested in hearing their input on it. >> Sure. >> Or maybe give give them some of the statistics that we have from Roswell. You know, maybe that'll encourage that more. >> Sure. >> Yeah, we can we can certainly engage
them more. So, I don't know if this is the appropriate spot on the agenda, but uh in in regard to um curriculum, when the district buys uh curriculum from a publisher, is that curriculum
what what number of days of school is that curriculum based on when we get it out of the box? So, the answer I'm going to give is that curriculum writers typically write the curriculum to suit the needs of their
biggest clients. And their biggest clients happen to be Texas, California, and big school districts. Those school districts are typically on fiveday school weeks. So, you're looking at probably on average 175 to 185
day school years. Now, that can range. You know, different states might have different requirements around how many days, but that's that's a good average. Right now, we're at 147. >> So, CDE uh well, statute, I guess, um is
written for 160 days in Colorado. Correct. >> I'm not sure what the daily requirement is because for for the I can check on that, but what I can Yeah, go ahead. >> I think it is. And then you have to you can apply and do fewer days, but you
still have to get in the same number of hours. And we're doing that. >> There's a minimum number of hours. Um >> I I think a lot of times when you're at the 160, you're above the minimum. And when you drop down to a 4 day week, you're you're barely swinging by.
>> Yeah. So, so my my question then is um when we buy a curriculum off the shelf uh for use in our district that's designed for 160 170 whatever it's designed for. Let's assume it's 160
um and we're on 147 days. that requires that our instructional staff or someone um produces new lesson plans because you have to you have to squeeze more into fewer days. So you need to arrange
rearrange the lesson plans to have 147 instead of 160. And you have to also make sure that you're getting everything that's in the uh standards within that time as well. So, my I'm wondering uh is
there any way to estimate the amount of time our instructional staff has to put in in order to make that adjustment and deliver uh the curriculum in our school in our district? That's a really hard question to answer, but I will say that to that end, one of
the one of the projects that our teachers have worked on and continue to work on is creating pacing guides that try to align the state standards and and they're really looking at the priority standards or the the essential standards. Try to align those with our
school year and our curriculum and then plan backwards from having done that to then, you know, looking at when we do our interim assessments, when we do you know when in the year we cover certain standards. That is a big project. I I I don't know how to answer the question on
how many hours that is. >> Yeah. I I I didn't expect an answer because I also believe it's a hard question. But my my concern is we're possibly shooting ourselves in the foot by requiring our instructional staff to
do all this work to convert the curriculum so that we can teach it on our timeline. And when they're doing that, they can't be learning how to teach better or spending time on things that burn and move us forward. They're
just getting us to the place where they can be in order to meet the requirements, not getting us ahead. So, it's a concern for me that maybe they're spending 20% of their time having to do this that we're losing in
instructional time or instructional um uh training um PD for actually uh getting things done um get getting them done better whether it's uh datadriven instruction or or DI or whatever. But um
that's a concern of mine and I I understand it it isn't something that could be easily measured but it to me it's a it's a negative tradeoff and I I have a concern about it. >> Yeah I share that concern.
I think that also when you look at those days too we also have to consider the half day every other week too though. Um, so there is there is some days where the teachers do get extra time, you know, on those Fridays that that the
students aren't there. Um, but when it comes to the total amount, obviously they're still lower. And I think that those half days are also allocated to professional development
with specific sessions, not necessarily time spent by the teachers in their classrooms doing what they need to do. I have as as I have seen there are several specialized trainings that have been happening on those days as well. Unless
I'm incorrect there, >> Mr. President members of the board. I think it is very difficult to engage the teacher in uh development of the pacing guides because it takes curriculum skill
level to understand the power uh standards first of all and the power standards are those standards that are tested on Cass and we always look at placing guys to include those first. what the old curriculum people like me
uh call the scope and sequence for that course. So it tells you the order of the standards and how many times it's taught throughout the different quarters. Some may be taught every quarter. Other standards may be taught only one
quarter. Some standards may be taught in that year or that course, but they're not tested till the following year. And so all that is difficult to manage and to create. And then you with the DDI and
the curriculum based assessments to be data driven to make informed decisions about how well you instruct it and also to uh understand and develop those students who are not successful to
develop tier 2 interventions. Uh that's the area that we'd like teachers to be involved in. So going to uh Mrs. Blair's uh comment. I agree because the district for many years had not done uh
professional development and those PD days were for district but we recognize the importance of sharing that with principles and teachers because they need to have some time to do that review also. And so we're moving to a different
type of setup for those half days as we go forward. And uh so it'll help the individual teacher for their own planning in their own classroom, but it'll also help the campus principal for uh the direction of what they see from their walkthroughs and their coaching.
But it also uh will be uh a line for the district also to have from time to time district training whether it be on uh ESS or whether it be on 504 or gifted and talented or those kind of things but
it won't we won't monopolize all the time >> and so we are moving to a different look and that's part of the presentation in January when we talk about the professional development. So, those are all good questions and uh we've learned from experience and seen that and so
we're trying to align all that. Thank you for your question. >> Thank you. >> The the last thing I would say to that um Mr. Lynch and and Mrs. Blair is you know this this fall there has been a uh professional development on some days
and other days we have had um collaborative planning sessions with teachers across grade levels where they have worked to develop those pacing guides. as they've worked to develop those interum assessments. The problem though is as they're developing those in the fall, they're not complete to start the school year. And so, you know, the
second half of the school year, we'll be more prepared than we were the first half of the school year with those items, but they they weren't complete to start the year. And so, it's a we're building that process right now. >> And I might add to Mr. Schmidt's comment
that we feel that it's more efficient to provide teachers that product of the pacing guides provide the common base and the interim instead of having them create it. Uh because there's different skill level and it's very timeconuming
like you mentioned Mr. Lynch. >> Any further questions on this report? Thank you. >> All right. Thank you. >> All right. We'll move on to our executive director of ESS report. >> Good evening, Mr. President and members of the board. I have submitted my report
and just gave you some brief updates on the couple programs that I work with and wondered if you had any further questions. >> I had a question on uh well counselors and crisis response. Um I was wondering
I think kind of like a couple part question but do in dealing with mental health suicide aspect during the school year have there been any trainings available to uh teachers and staff I'm thinking specific
specifically something as short as like a QPR training provided by access um question persuade referred which is like an hour and a half long training that can really bring out people looking out for each other
or um trauma-informed care training for staff and students. So I know there has been some training in the past but I will say this year those have not um those have not uh been provided. They are something that we have talked about u needing to address more of um and the
counselors themselves are looking for refresher training as well. Uh, so those are things that we definitely are talking about >> and I think this might be a question for maybe Mr. Smith, I'm sorry. Does or Mr. Ramirez, I'm sorry. I'm trying to think
who would be. Does staff have access to um an employee assistance program for? >> Yes. >> Mental health counseling or free sessions. Um so as part of our benefits package
there are some mental health um sessions available. >> It's limited but but it is available. >> Okay. >> And it's in a confidential session uh way so they can just contact the company themselves and >> Yes. Okay. >> Yes. And it it's it's in our it's on our
um benefits package. It's on our website. I think it it is six sessions that are included in their >> triad perhaps. >> Um, yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> You're welcome. >> I had a I have a question for you. Um, I
was looking at some of the reports of um, discipline by behavior in school and I was wondering um, how your RTI interventions are working to prioritize the middle school or other supports that you can provide for the middle
schoolers. >> Sure. So, um, they do have an RTI team that does address that. And I know that we've actually had, um, additional meetings with, uh, the principal at the middle school, um, even from the the special education lens. Not so much that they're necessarily students with
special needs, but that we have a lot of training to help support with that. And so, we are having conversations about what to do next with that. And then also, what other things can we do within the district? What what other options can we build in? Do you have any um like
currently processes going or a plan to like lower the number of incidences for the next semester? I think we're always looking to do that to be honest with you and it's it's a case byase basis because every students
um they come from different places, different needs and uh trying to address those individually. Um can I say specifically that we're targeting a group? I would not say that but definitely as we know that there's students with special needs were we're
in working on that >> and do you think increased supervision in the hallways I mean where are most of these disruptions occurring? Uh it it is a variety of different things and it's everything from um we'll just say
students that have special needs to there's some behavior out there and it happens in the classrooms. It can happen in hallways and again it's addressing those kids kind of where they're at. It's hard to lump them into a group because there's really no two that are
the same if that makes sense. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. I was just thinking like an overall plan like to address the numbers specifically in a specific school so that we can kind of you know massage that and just get better about some of the processes.
>> Yeah, absolutely. >> Come on. Um sorry to my buckets in my role is um the RTI or MTSS umbrella for the schools. Um so we have started an MTSS
handbook and we have a committee um of RTI representatives from each school coming together to review the handbook to engage better in understanding the RTI that's under that MTS umbrella specific and working with individual
school teams to get their RTI system up and running um to the um most effective um just ification, I think, and making sure everybody understands what RTI is, who's responsible, what their roles are, um
all of that, and um really solidifying this MTSS handbook that's consistent districtwide. Um this committee has met three times already this year. Um and we're at the point where we're solidifying that handbook and hopefully
that'll come up to um Lisa next as soon as that um gets in her hands. She does not have it yet. But um and just I am working with individual teams, the middle school in particular of um Amy Kinder, the assistant principal, is the
RTA lead there. And so her and I have been working um collaboratively to really establish the system um and then move forward of that. So just so you know that those those systems are coming and and that handbook for consistency is coming as well.
>> Thank you. I just saw the numbers and I was just wondering if there was already a plan. So, thank you ladies. >> Miss Nelson, can you give us your acronyms there? RTI and MTSS. >> Yes. Um, MTSS is multi-is
multi-tiered systems of support. RTI is response to intervention. >> Thank you. >> Thank you. >> 100. >> Yes. >> Thank you. I will also add that we also did verbal deescalation training and we provide um
additional training along with that for those um teachers that are working with the high frequency behaviors. Uh and then we also had um uh uh Kathy and Mary were out doing training about classroom management as well. So we're trying to support the teachers in the things that
they're doing. And then um I know we we're talking about what happens when you do have those kids that have those extra special needs and so creating um some special resources or other setting possibly um those are in discussion as
well. Is it possible to set up a training for students so that they can be have a higher emotional intelligence in these situations and not just maybe just the teacher perspective but also the student? I don't know. Just I'm just thinking out
loud, but >> I I think it's good. I think um and I won't speak to this too much, but I I I do believe the counselors do some of that, but I don't know right now um how consistently that is done across all all the grade levels. Thank you.
>> Any further questions? No. Thank you. All right. Uh, now we'll go on to our board reports. >> President Shamway, I wanted to report that in your folders tonight, you have
the bill from the Monzuma County Clerk for the election. This was a budgeted item, so you don't have to approve it. I just want to make you aware of what election costs. I would anticipate that in two years the next election could be cheaper because
district costs us to run a separate ballot and we wouldn't we wouldn't be running an election for district. Um you never know. >> But there also could be a raise in the price of stamps that happens almost
every other year. So that might be a wash. >> Okay. And note that this was an election with no ballot measures. So that made a difference too. It was a little cheaper. >> So if we don't approve it or
>> we we we disappear into the ether. >> Into the ether. Yes. >> Okay. >> Thank you. >> Thank you for that. >> President Shamray. >> Yes sir. I attended the Casby
business meeting as the delegate for our district in place of Jason who was not able to go due to medical reasons. Um, at that business meeting, uh, smacking, they did, uh, present the resolution
that, uh, Ed Rice, um, proposed and, uh, it got, um, deferred or tabled until that business meeting. And uh so I was there to uh I didn't have to present it
because it had already been presented, but I gave a little bit of a description and attempted to answer a couple questions that came up. Um but I just wanted to report back that that resolution did pass by um a substantial
majority. So it wasn't unanimous, but it was a substantial majority. >> What was the resolution? it uh is let's see I should have brought it but I didn't. Um it had to do with uh uh encouraging
um CDE to uh request funding of a grant program that was set up in statute and never funded. It is for uh
for Fridays. sorry that uh look where we don't have school uh Fridays where they will um uh allow you to uh pay for enrichment on those days. So for for
instance, our district could ask a retired teacher to come in and spend half a day every Friday teaching reading or math and and we could benefit by that a lot since our well many districts scores are low. So, a lot of districts
could benefit from that. Anyway, that's the basic gist of it. >> Okay. Thank you. And then also, I believe for this board report, um, I would like everybody that went to CASBY, uh, just to give just a
brief statement. Let's try and keep it brief. We're going great on time here. Um, but I think it there's value there, uh, in letting the community know what we learned, uh, what we hope to bring back. And so
try and keep it to 30 seconds just to highlight of something that you you liked, something that you would like us to investigate as far as implementing. >> Um, and yeah, we'll go from there. We'll just start down with Laura.
I'm not sure if I have anything to suggest to implement, but one of the presentations that I did was the Colorado kids count uh for 2025, and I'm familiar with it
because I use it in my work, but it's it's a count of the demographics and percentages for kids in our counties and in our state. And um
one number that struck out to me and which resonated with the presentation about housing from Mr. Spearman was that the survival income for a family of four in Monizuma County is $82,000.
That's what's required to survive in this county. And the medium income is $60,000. So when you break that down, and I'm going to give this to Deb. There's one in English, one in Spanish that everybody
is welcome to look at statistics for the entire state and for by county is the state of our youth in poverty in this county and in Dolores County. And the n the numbers will stagger you. I mean they it's it's amazing how many kids are
homeless, how many kids are hungry, how many kids live in poverty and do not have food, resources or anything to subsist. So that's what I take when I'm thinking about
students at school when they can't learn, when they aren't learning, when they aren't submitting their assignments, when their parents are working three, maybe four jobs and
just happy that they're safe at home or that they're safe at school and being taught. and maybe they're unable or don't have capacity to deal with any other issue that comes up. So that for me has always been one of the the biggest
takeaways of this count is how many kids in our county live in poverty, are homeless, and do not have food. So, thank you for letting me start first because I'm hoping that the information that is presented after this
just goes up, doesn't stay at this. But it's something to think about when offering supports and resources to our teachers and to our parents and to our students. Like you said, meeting them where
they're at. And what does that mean for individual students? Because you are correct. Not two, no two students are the same. Even if they're siblings, they're two different minds going into the game. So, put all that into account when counting
and thinking of supports for them. Thank you. >> Thank you. Great. Let's keep it to 30 seconds. >> I took all the time. One of the sessions that I had the opportunity to uh attend um was more
about forging the the the relationships between the teachers and the families uh especially with um teachers having a little bit of education around um and I can give you the resources around um
sorry I lost my train of thought. Um so just training around understanding that these children have enriched backgrounds even in situations like Laura mentioned where um where you the teacher can draw upon the the fund that
that um the equity that's in that household and to just pull that ethic um that um sorry the cultural background out and just really get to um I teach upon that. I'm not really making a lot
of sense. But when um Deb was doing the Facebook posts that the quotes I put on there have to do with that just with the instructors um just knowing where the kids are coming from and I'm sure most of them do
and just um use that as a teaching point um and just forging relationships between the families and the the entire community. >> Thank you. Thank you. >> Um, so I remember just the two last two sessions I went to. Uh, the last one had
to do with um a school district that was doing a great job incorporating their student board member. Um, so I would love to um think about that and how we could do that because we really need a student voice. Um, and then the other was the importance of uh board
superintendent communication and a lot of great ideas for how that can work well. Thank you. Uh for me there's two points that I really liked. There is a online option called CDLS. Um it's kind of a
hybrid option where we can meet students with uh needs that need to either be online at home or do a hybrid where it's uh integrated into the regular school schedule. But it's a great program where
we can offer classes that we don't offer now. Uh for instance, if a kid wanted to learn German, that would be an option. Um it's and it would also help strengthen our pathway programs. Uh so that they can get more college credit and be better prepared as they graduate.
Uh the other big takeaway I would say is family engagement. When I first heard about that, I thought great, just more meetings and what we need to do. uh but it was really centered around the tools and that we already have and how to use them more effectively. Um, they talked
about just the communication sounding like from earlier we have a lot of that in place with text messaging, emails, but just letting parents know that today your student is learning about the quadratic formula. And so when they come home, the parents can ask their kids, "What did you learn today?" Instead of
hearing nothing, you can just say, "Tell me about the quadratic formula." And so that helps enforce what's being taught in school. And so the parents can take a little bit more active role in helping their students succeed. I uh this was my third um CASBY event.
I've taken advantage of that convention every every opportunity I've been given. Um this one was similar to the first two um at this year's event. I I attended
Kwami uh Spearman's presentation so I understood a little bit better prior to his presentation tonight what was what he was talking about. I also got to attend the presentation by performance services
and um that was helpful because I learned the difference between a um design then build to a design and build and they are different. performance services um is
kind of like a project manager with all the subcontractors uh either in-house or underneath them. And so typically in the past a conventional project you go through a
design phase with whoever you've hired to do the design then you go through a uh build phase and they're uh uh in series. Well, the design and build with a project manager allows you
to bring um forward the or bring back I guess the timeline so that designing and building can overlap a little bit. Plus, you get the communication benefits where the design uh the construction guys team
can talk to the design team when they run into a problem and they get a a very quick answer. and then it's all tied in with um the budget and other things. So, it was a learning experience for me. But anyway, um I'm a I'm an introvert. I
don't have very much energy. I'm a character type C. So, I don't I don't have any more than that. >> That was good. >> My Caspby experience was incredible. I am so very thankful that I was able to attend the sessions that I did. And I
came away thinking about how every decision we make is should be focused on leveling the playing field for all of our learners and all of our students to be able to offer them the opportunity to be able to have that academic growth to be able to
grow wherever they might find them themselves. Um, one of the things that I wrote down is um stay focused on student achievement and student wellness. govern together as a team with a common focus and purpose.
And so I'm really thankful for the opportunity I had to get to know my board, the other board members. Sorry. Um I really think that this is a group along with administration that we're going to be able to make a lot of strides and I'm look forward to the next
four years. >> All right. Thank you. All right. We will now move on to our uh citizen address uh the board. Uh so thank you for those that stuck with us
uh through all this time and we will now turn the time over to you >> Dr. Shamway. Just one second. >> Just one second. >> Or docs is being just a hair on me. It's just not letting me go to address the board for some reason. There's an
error in there. So, we can have it, but I will just move forward in the meeting notes. Let me pass down our ticket that we have for this evening. Yep. >> Okay. >> Yes, sir. >> All right. Our comment is going to be by
Ellen Maize. >> Thank you very much. I can tell that this is on. Um my name is Alan Mays. I live out at Lewis. Uh so a community member that comes to this meetings. I think this is my understanding your first official board meeting. The one
the other day was a special meeting, but again you met um when I got here uh Dr. Shamway met me, greeted me, said thank you for showing up and and maybe supporting the board. I do want to see
that earned. Uh, I think you had a very good meeting uh tonight, a long one, but I think it was worthwhile with everything that you heard. Um, I liked the questions that were being asked by you guys. So, I'm encouraged, but I do
know that you are a a new board. The idea that uh you guys went to CASBY and visited with your peers and schoolboard members. I don't know how much time I have, but I'm hoping that I don't go over too much uh because I wander a
little bit if I don't have a guide. Um I do want to say that um because you are new, you have to grow together and I hope that that will take place. You've got a superintendent that I think has
been here and understands uh the school district very well. And so I I look forward to that. I also look forward to that uh presenter on the school and what will happen there with the citizen involvement. I think that's going to be
very important. I do want to not forget that this is why you're all up there and I know you all got the information that Superintendent Burus provided, the research that he collected, the data,
it's there. So if you all in the in the schools don't get it, I don't know what else is uh possible. But I think that that data will guide those. I know I've talked to the principles, they are very involved with uh helping your student
outcomes. So I think that's very good. But anyway, I look forward to seeing you all grow and become a good school board together. And that's the important thing. And student outcomes is the focus. So, thank you very much.
>> Thank you. >> Thank you for your comments. >> Just the one. >> Yep. And then if you'll pass it back down, I'll put it with the other meeting notes. >> Okay. >> All right.
Moving on. Now we go on to our board discussion. Um, is this the part where we amended the agenda at the beginning to >> No, I have added that as another item that's going to come up here in the
discussion. Right here is where if anybody has anything that they need to bring up that's brief and short, if they need to address anything Mr. May said, here would be the spot. I am just realizing I did have a question about an action item. I
submitted a question uh but I thought we were going to get to it earlier. >> Is it something that can be asked during the action item because you're allowed discussion after motions on the floor? >> Okay. Yeah. Then we'll wait till then.
>> Perfect. Thank you. All right, I think we might be talked out. Okay. >> All right. And then on to our next discussion here. Uh just referring back to our previous meeting last week about outside legal counsel. Uh just to review
contracts that we have on our superintendent. Um as you see in our notes, uh I did approach three different law firms. heard back from two which you see the letters there.
Um upon talking to them with in particular Kaplan and Ernest uh I came to find out that we still have them on retainer. Um so they were never there's never a a letter that executed our
agreement with them or as general counsel. And so just one slip. But >> did they did they tell you from from what year or when that was when they got the retainer?
>> Like when they first came on? I No, I don't know. >> Because my understanding is they're not currently one of our um law firms that we're doing business with. But >> so I so so I was kind of I was kind of
uh surprised by the language that they used in their first paragraph talking about uh um upgrading our current uh agreement and I that was news to me. I was wondering if you could tell us why
what what that is. >> Yeah, I I believe last time we they were used by the board was back in 22. Um and they we just haven't used them since and so they just kind of been sitting there. >> So our retainers been sitting there
as a possible general counsel use. >> So what was the retainer? >> Maybe I'm not using the right terms, but they are still on as like our general counsel. They were never excused from that. >> Huh.
I remember at that board meeting that when um Mr. Miller came on is the discussion was that it was going to be additional legal counsel to the one because I went and asked questions at that meeting.
So yeah, I just found that interesting. I didn't know that they were still on there. They double triple checked to make sure that there was no execution letter. um and we could not find one and so they still have us as a possible use for
general counsel. Dr. Shamoy, can I add one thing? >> Yes, sir. Um we do have um some ongoing work with Kaplan and Earnest that is initiated by it's not contracted directly through us, but it's contract
they're contracted through SIDS. And so when there's like a um there's a wrongful termination allegation that goes to SIDSP rather than SIDSP using our council, they contract with capital and earnest. So we have worked with them
recently indirectly in in that relationship. Does that make sense? I don't know if they're referring to that at all, but that is something that's current. >> Okay. And then I might add also that uh I reviewed a letter today from Katherine
and Ernest terminating services to us back in 2022. So I can get Deb to send that out to the board and uh that was just recently found today as we reviewed some of the documents
>> that that letter was provided to President Shamway. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Okay. So that one that letter was particular to that case that they had to recuse themselves from but they were not executing engagement on general counsel.
>> Yes sir. >> So where's the third? >> Yes. So, I I reached out to actually I reached out to four because I figured somebody wouldn't get out to me. Uh but they did not respond.
So when I was at the sessions asking people who they would recommend um or who their district used and if they like them um I know camp Kaplan and nurse was on everyone's list
um and I think that's um would have recommended reaching out to them. So, >> I feel comfortable going with them. So the concern would be that um whether
you reached out to four or 20. The motion that was passed last week was that you would um uh bring three um different law firms with information
uh regarding fees and such for the purpose that was stated in the motion. And um so we only see two and only one of those uh state anything about the services, but it just so happens that
they don't have any fees on there. And the one from Kaplan and Erns, they their theirs is an engagement letter. It mentions nothing about the purpose that the motion was made for. And so it's a
general uh services engagement letter rather than an engagement letter to do the purpose that was uh approved at our last meeting. So I'm I'm thinking we haven't fulfilled the requirement of the
uh motion that was approved. Um, I'm satisfied in that if President Shane can provide the, you know, the names of the firms that he reached out to and the response was no
response. Um, and then it seems to me that this is just additional information. We didn't know when we made that motion that we already had a relationship with this legal firm. Um, so for me I'm satisfied.
So, um what I think I'm understanding is that um because uh the district apparently has a relation uh with this law firm that it's not
necessary to engage them for specific purposes as we uh approved the motion for. But the engagement layer would be for general services which would include anything including the thing that we
made the motion for last last week. Is that correct? >> Yes, that's my understanding. um that perhaps if we had known about this, if I had known about this existing relationship, then um the discussion would have been around
that. >> And I'm also just noticing that second email that's in there. I don't know why, but I do have the what you asked for a letter that indicates the the pay and the discussion of it. U
>> from the other company. Yes, sir. I don't know why that wasn't carried over. >> Yeah. So, it needs to be part of the packet in order for the board members to see it. >> If you sent that with the email, I don't think it was attached when it arrived.
>> It was the email. >> Oh, the body of the email is is there, isn't it? What do you see in there? Can you open that other one next to it? I think that's what we're talking about.
That one. attachment is, but >> the email from uh >> Kilbach >> Alman Kilbach Lidle, are you guys seeing that on your screen? >> Yeah. >> Yeah, but the attachment that's included
with it is not. >> It's just the email there's not >> Oh, is there Can you see there's Oh, yeah. I don't think >> there were there were two attachments when I logged on to see this earlier and I don't see any attachments with it now. Am I
>> I see them on Justine's screen, but one is an email and one is um the letter of engagement from Captain Ernest. Let me go back to original email. I'm not finding that in my email. That That's probably something I did,
but if you could resend >> I just did. >> Huh? >> I just did resend it. >> Oh, you did resend. >> Yeah, >> there's no attachment. There's only the email. >> But the email that's posted on there is not what is on this email.
Will you open that, Justin? I can't see attachments on my screen. >> The independent >> This reads the same. >> Let me see what you're looking at. >> Yeah, >> this is what I have and it has all the figures. >> Okay, let me see the other one. Mhm.
>> This is what I >> This email, this PDF cuts off the the wording. >> Did that get cut off? >> Yeah. Yeah, that's what happened. >> Okay. It cut off the original email. >> Yeah. If you look there on the right side, you see it all cut off. So, that's
where all the information is that you're looking for. >> Let me cut and paste this email into your comment section there. I'm so sorry I didn't catch that when I did that. It's okay.
It's not want to do that. >> Thank you. board docs is not wanting to copy and paste. >> Mr. Ramirez, do we have a a uh working relationship with this the law firm Kaplan and Ernst or not? I was under the
impression we did not. We have not for general counsel but we did for the specific sit assignment to captain earnest for one case. So what the what president Shamway is talking
about in terms of retainer must have to do with the SIDSP. It it's possible, but it could be also that there never was any communication between the district or Ernest and Kaplan on the general counsel back then.
I would have to further investigate it and report back to president. Yeah. So, my understanding is if if we were to engage them, we would need to go by their new price schedules, which um uh would involve signing a new agreement.
And so, it's uh it's not like we're already doing business with them. >> Correct. >> Yes, sir. So, >> not letting me forward. My understanding is this would be similar to an RFP uh situation where you're going out and
you're getting three quotes and you're bringing them to the board and we're going to compare and and make a selection. >> Yes, sir. It's a three quote method. >> I don't believe that an RFP is required for professionals. >> I'm I'm using that as a um a metaphor,
not an actual requirement. >> Okay. The idea was that the motion involved getting >> oh nice >> information from three raw firms to present to the board
and I only see two and only one of them I could see any fees on Mr. Schmidt's going to grab us a copy each so you can see the fees that were involved. >> Thank you. Do you have the names of the other firms
that you contacted that didn't get back to you? Did you get it? Yeah. The other two that I reached out to was Brian uh Cave Leighton Pearson and they're
located in the Springs in Denver. And then also, excuse me, Hoskin Farah and Camp and Grand Junction. Could you tell us what the fees were for the ones that were cut off while we're waiting?
>> Yeah, >> they were the same. Actually, I don't know. Thank you, Mr. Schmidt. >> You're welcome. >> Thank you. >> Second thing, I'll give it to you just >> Oh, signature.
>> Signature line. I have mine. Thank you. To crack the packet. Thank you. That kind of clears it up. Oh, she sent the emails to the other respond to just >> Yeah.
President Shamray, with the action item coming up, do you have a recommendation? >> Um, my recommendation would go with Kaplan and nurse. It seemed to make sense since according to all the information I
received both from the district and also from the law firm that they are still as can be used as general counsel because there is still an agreement in place. any further questions about this topic? So, the only if if we if we go ahead and
agree that you uh didn't bring back three um quotes or three firms information, you contacted four and you got two. If we accept that, that's okay.
Um the first letter is uh for a specific purpose. The one from Kaplan and Ernst is not. It's general services. So wouldn't you need to uh specify in that
uh agreement that it was it is for the specific services as adopted in the motion last week? Well, I think the assumption is that we already have um we already have an agreement with them. Um
>> but I don't think we do. >> According to the district notes and the law firm's notes, there's been no letter of ending that general counsel. If you don't use a company for years, I think they get the idea that
you're no longer doing business with them. >> We have been using them, >> but there was no execution letter >> and we have >> and that's what is missing. >> There's no execution letter for in engaging them either. >> There has to be
>> not not after the year's over because they have new rates up every year. Correct. There has been no engagement letter using the current rates or any rates in the years since they've been let go. Well,
they were never let go. And so we renew the contract on a daily on a yearly basis. >> No, we don't. >> So >> since it might, but we don't. >> Okay. So I don't understand the argument
then. The argument is we don't have a a rel a direct relationship with that law firm and I think you're claiming that we do. >> Yeah, that is the claim. >> For me, so the the law the legal council
themselves are saying legally that we are that we do have a relationship with them. So I don't see how we can argue the legal the legalities of that. They're the legal counsel. >> Good point. >> Yeah.
>> And I do appreciate Dr. Dit saying that um when she has spoken with a lot of the CASBY attendees um they did recommend that particular firm. So I put value in that.
>> So this is for the other law firm. Do you have one for Earnest? That's the one, the other attachment that's in >> this one, >> the ordocs. And so when I asked for one, that's what they presented. And to m to
Dr. Lynch's point, it was more of a engagement letter because they were already in as general counsel. And so to me it would make sense already general counsel we wouldn't have to necessarily go through any extra steps. we could just use them and they would be
a third party too. What's the ask is? I don't I don't dispute that, but I'd like the grace of the board to allow me one day to investigate if there's any documentation of termination of general counsel. And if there's not, then and you can approve the motion today on that
to you can make a motion to say approve vernac uh and based on the review of documentation by the superintendent and then I would share it with you if there was one. If there's not, then you're good to go. >> Yeah.
>> I I don't think that would change my opinion on or my vote. Um I think um you know, this is the firm that was most recommended to me. Um and so I I don't
think for me that's necessary. I don't know if that would be necessary. Well, I I understand what you're saying, but uh there's just question is if there is still a continuing relationship with Captain America for general counsel because you're it wasn't specific like
this other lawyer that said specifically for reviewing two superan contracts. So, you're really approving capital for more than just that. You're really approving them for the general counsel. >> So, you'll have two general counsels. We're not approving it for general
counsel. They already are general counsel. >> Well, if you if you'll I recommend that you might consider using this verbiage from this law firm saying that specifically for this and I think that would be good for everybody. You could have your captain and they'd be for that
review two contracts of two superintendent because that was the original intent I believe from I wasn't at that board meeting. Oh, >> Miss Bradford, >> um I'm I would like more time to research it as well, but I do find an audit letter back from 2021 um stating
that they since July one of 2020, they have not been engaged um with the district unless um and then previously it states that engagement with the district has been limited to specific matters. So, I'm I do think it's worth having some
additional time to just research to make sure >> What is the date on that? >> It is November 23rd of 21 >> because we have the letter that was sent to me earlier and that was in 2022 where they were >> for the Matt Rome case.
>> Yeah, >> correct. any further statements, questions about this topic? >> So, to be clean in regard to the motion, I I suggest that it be a motion to use
that law firm for th this specific purpose. you can always do another motion and you have all the votes you need to have it approved to hire them as general counsel. So, this isn't this isn't something you have to hang your
hat on. Now, what I'm saying is we made a motion last week that we adopted and it was for a specific purpose and in order to uh follow through on that specific purpose and not go down other
roads when they seem convenient, the in my opinion the thing to do is um uh choose Kaplan and well vote to choose Kaplan and nurse but make it specifically for the reason that the
motion was adopted and that was for um getting reviewing the two superintendent contracts and render a second opinion basically and then at any time you have the the votes and everything you need to
hire them as uh general counsel. So it's not a threat against using them as general counsel. I just think it's a cleaner way to handle all of our all of our motions that we adopt that we do them per the motion and that we not go
down another pathway just because it's convenient or or um it's a good idea or whatever. We ought to dot our eyes and cross our tees as we go. And then there's no question there's no question whatsoever.
Do you understand what I'm >> I um I'm fine with um for uh following the motion for the purposes. Um my intention wasn't to
um they either still are general legal counsel or they aren't and that's something that can be figured out down the road. um but agree that um it's appropriate for the purpose that we discussed at the last meeting of motion which is reviewing the contracts and the
and the transition >> and and so what my ask is is that the engagement letter that they that I saw as an attachment is for general services. It needs to be the the services need to be focused on
what the motion said we were going to do and and then there's no issues in terms of everything being clean. Get that done. Um and then outside of that motion, you can do any in any other way
you want. You can um hire that uh that law firm to be general counsel if you want. But I just I would hope that we um hold to what we adopt in the in the best
fashion that we can so there's never any question afterwards. >> What specifically is not in the letter from Kaplan and Ernst? >> Um well I I'm not sure I got everything because I didn't I didn't get all of
this. Um the part that I'm talking about is in the all it is is a letter of engagement and the um in the document uh it says uh so this letter serves to
update our current engagement letter with Monizuma Cortez School District. Thank you for inviting us to share our current rates and yada yada. We work yada da whoever. Yeah, please do not hesitate. We agree to provide the under fees. It says we agree to provide the
services set forth herein for our standard hourly rates. So what services? We agreed to provide the services set forth herein. Well, when I look down, I don't see any services that are specific to the motion that we made. And that's
what I'm that's my ask is that you put the ser the services that you're requesting are per the motion that we passed last week. I don't see them anywhere. And it's not even in the title of what they sent us, whereas it is in the title of the other.
Well, if we um pass the motion um to um limit our engagement with them at this part uh according to that motion only for that particular thing. I think that limits it.
>> Well, it only if you say you're going to limit it. What I'm saying is you you specify what you want them to do and they can do it. But don't say you want to limit it to that otherwise then you can't okay
>> add them on as general. Just say you want to do you want you're hiring them for this purpose as per the motion. >> Okay. Are you I guess what I'm saying is that um specificity can come from the motion. I don't think it needs to come
from their letter. >> Uh no it actually it does not. In a legal document, you need to specify what each party is uh giving and for what they're giving up. You you you have to
be specific. Details matter in law. So the way that some of us understand this and we will find out is that um they have been available for us to use. And so there's some dispute over that.
And so what our motion is saying is that we agree to we would agree to use them for this particular purpose. Um that's what the motion is. So I think the specificity in the motion
um will give you that particular um >> Okay. So I I apologize. I haven't seen a motion yet. I Is it in the action item? >> Yeah, it's an action item. >> It's later in
looked at it yet either. >> Yeah, it's F in the action items. Is it possible to just get them to rewrite the email with that specific verbiage tomorrow >> if they're not?
>> Do you just say that in the motion? >> But they do provide their fees because we're asking them to do a service. So, we would know what the cost would be. And then I would also say that the letter is not an engagement letter. It's an updated engagement letter. Uh because
from their end they saw that there was services were never uh cancelled. >> That's kind of moot because the language of the motion is I'm sorry. That's kind of a moot point because the
motion language on the action item is specific that it moves to approve an engagement letter with legal counsel for the review of superintendent contract. So that's specific that that >> Yeah, I apologize. I did not see that
that motion written out. >> I never got that far. >> It's still sharp right now. Is there a record on time? Cuz I'm trying to beat it. >> I don't want to be part of the
>> Whatever you think it is, you're still not there. >> Okay. Any any other questions or comments regarding this topic? >> Okay. All right. Let's go on to our information.
Um, >> you actually added a discussion item. >> Oh, it's not on here. Sorry. >> It's not on your paper one because we just did it. >> Oh, I don't see an electronic one. >> Okay. Sorry. All right. Um,
>> I believe it was uh taking 9B taking 9B and pulling it to discussion. Wasn't that it? >> No, we Yeah. Not yet. Why is mine not up? >> All right. This one is to discuss the facility master plan report for Mesa
Keer and Beach Street. >> So, this is also an action item. So, we just wanted to be discussed before >> and we haven't pulled it as an action item discussion over. >> Yeah. >> Okay. >> So, I I tried to read it. It was about
99 pages. Um >> 70 something >> like pictures. I really want to uh to look at it if it's not pressing. Um I just would like some more time to to take a look at it and then also to get some um just some background on how this
is used. Um how the district uses this. >> Surely. Uh so at one point the district was considering a bond election when the mill uh levy election occurred and when the surveys came back it was decided
just on the mill levy. But to go forward with the best grant with CDE we had to have an updated facility master plan. And so the campuses of Kempo Beach and Mesa uh were viewed by FN Architects out
of uh I'm going to embarrass myself. I can't remember whether or not in a front range, but uh and so this is brought back to the board. So every district every 5 years usually has an updated facility master plan and this one was
expired and those were the campuses that were possibly going to be addressed back then. But the events have changed and so the board is just uh being presented with that update from the architect F&M architects. >> Okay.
>> Yeah. So that was the contract that was signed with them to do that and then and then they they got all excited about building a new school for us and they dropped the part of doing the facility master plan update. So we had this uh
group set up that it was short. it was D A uh I don't remember what that stood for but there were several members on that committee and we went through this long process of uh of what ought to be in the building and and where and then
we did some site selection voting and all kinds of work around the idea of building a new school and uh and and they were all raring to go for that and then we stopped because uh that wasn't
going to happen and then they didn't finish the other part. They didn't do the facility update. So, we had to bug them about it. And that it's taken them over what over a year. >> Yes, sir. >> And really, we wanted the evaluation to
determine if we wanted to go to build a new building or to invest the money in the existing buildings. And so we kind of stopped that process and we didn't pay that portion of that purchase order to them because they hadn't completed
it. So then I contacted him here last month and got them to complete it because they said they were waiting on some information from our principles and I got that information uh from Pette and uh Katie Nelson helped me for camper at
the time and so we got that to them and they completed it and that's what's before the board. And and uh I'm glad you pulled it out because I was gonna uh try and um well I was going to explain the problems. I've I'm I've read half of
it already and there are omissions, there are errors, there are things that need to be corrected in that report. And so I would uh I'd like to at least point out the things that I see that are wrong
and um make them do it over again and get it right. before we even um adopt it, I guess, is what we would do, right? >> Yes, sir. >> Receive it or whatever. >> Before we receive it and set it up for payment and then bring it to the board.
>> Oh, I keep forgetting. Yes, you're correct, Mr. Lance. would need to uh have communication with them, feedback to correct the facility master plan for those three campuses and then we can talk about setting up final payment in
that purchase order for those services. >> Thank you for that explanation both of you. >> Yes, ma'am. >> It was complicated. Any other questions about that topic? All right. Now, we can move on to our
action items. >> I believe got information thing in there. >> Oh my goodness. I'm skipping. All right. I'm sorry. Information uh on policy for review. So, I I saw one question uh in there and
uh the assistant superintendent um uh suggested that I answer that. Um thank you, Mr. Assistant Superintendent. Uh guilty. I did do that. Before I answer that, um uh Mr. Ramirez, would you
explain what a return to work employee is, please? >> Mr. Smith. A return to work employee is somebody who has retired from PER and is coming back to work. Different categories of
employees have different eligibility for what they're able to do. Teachers, for example, can return to work for up to six years um in what's deemed a critical shortage. Um other categories, employees are not uh qualified for that. After
that time frame, they can continue to work, but then they're limited to the number of days they can work, 140 or 110 depending again on their category and when they retired and things like that. So the language that was pointed out in
the question, why why is there um a limit on um pre-existing conditions for return to work employees? Um the the situation
uh could occur where a an employee retires. Um they're enjoying their retirement. All of a sudden they have a huge medical issue that is diagnosed and they don't have the resources to pay for
it. Uh and so they could come back to work, return to work and participate in the um in this program and um and and then use as many days as the committee
allowed to give them or voted to give them as part of that program. And so it's a potential um well it was it was the the comments were that it's a a potential abuse of
the program. Uh the program is for mainly for the employees who are are there, you know, the full-time employees that haven't retired yet and to serve them. And so, um, yeah, it's okay for
the return to work employee to sign up and and join again for that benefit, but, um, the comments were that it would be better to, uh, not allow abuse by
someone who is just hiring on to get a bunch of paid days from the sick leave bank. >> Can I add one thing to that, please, sir? Absolutely. >> When employees retire from our district, let's say they've accured, many do,
they've acrewed 50 or 60 days, they are paid out for those days when they retire. Then if they return to work and they've already been paid for those days and now they're applying for sick pay, one of the criteria that sick pay requires is that they utilize all of their days
first before they're eligible for sick leave. Well, if they were already paid for those days, those days are no longer available for them to use first before they are given additional days by the sick banking. So, it's almost like a double dip in that case, which was part
of the rationale that we presented to the policy committee. So, with this uh sick leave bank, it's available to everybody, just not the return to work teachers.
No, it is available to return to work teachers as I correct me if I'm wrong. >> And them >> what? >> It's for all teachers plus the return. >> It's for all employees. What what I believe is being asked is that we differentiate between >> pre-retirement employees and
post-retirement employees. >> Yeah. >> Once they've been paid for their sick days, they should What we're asking is they not be eligible to be in sick bank any longer. How much does that cost us for them not
to be or to be ellegible versus not ellegible for that? >> That's a that's a very tricky question to answer because it a lot of it determines on a lot of it is based on how many sick bank days are available in the pool and that can vary year to year.
But essentially what they're being given are the combined um donations of everybody that's participated in sick bank. The bigger concern is that like I said they've already been paid for the days that they
have acrewed and therefore they bypassed the requirement of having to use their own days prior to getting sick leave. Sorry, not sick leave, sick bank additional days. And it if I remember correctly it's it's written so that yes
they can participate in the sick leave bank but um uh the pre-existing conditions are excluded. So if they come to to the come back to work with cancer or whatever then those
pre-existing conditions don't allow them to use sick bank days but they can use sick bank days for other uh illnesses that they incur while they're they're uh working. Is that correct? Right.
So I I did not attend the policy committee meetings on this particular issue, but I did speak with the executive team and my under prior to that going my understanding, I could be wrong, but my understanding was that we were suggesting that return
to work employees be limited just to their own sick days and they not be permitted to participate in sick leave or sick bank. That was my understanding. >> That's not I have the policy in front of me. So um Uh what Mr. Lynch was saying is return
to work employees may qualify only for illnesses that were not pre-existing before the hiring date. Um for me I feel like this is something that staff should collect collectively decide how they want to handle it. Um, I don't
I don't know like I don't know if you have staff on the on the policy committee, but however they think it's fair and how they want to use their sick days is and their sick bank is fine with me. >> And how often does that actually happen
where somebody comes back and has a pre this? I mean, is this a common trend? It's it it is in it is in rural communities because that's why they've approved it for rural communities. Um the the one thing we do have to keep in
mind is that the people that are returning to work are collecting para also already. Um so they are getting paid monthly because they've retired from a school district or from the state. So even if they take a sick
even if they have sick time off, they are still getting paid their retirement, they're just not getting paid their second job, which is coming back to work. So allowing them to to be in that sick bank pay would they would literally
be triple dipping like so. I I understand the need for it um to double dip and and it's it's a great feature, a great option for retired teachers or retired state employees, but giving more and more is there's got to be a line
there in my opinion. >> So in that policy, is it limited just to the return teachers or is this for all teachers? That's where my concern was. that this was for somebody that we recently hired and they had pre-existing conditions and
they now don't qualify for this sick bank because of a condition that they had no control over. >> Thank you, director all for mentioning that. I forgot, but that was actually a big part of the conversation as well as they already are being paid for the time that they're off to retirement.
Okay. >> Any other questions, comments about um >> so on that this information? Go ahead. Go ahead, Mike. >> So, in regard to the process, I don't know if you sat in on any meetings where um we talked about it, the the first uh
time it these are shown for information. Uh the next board meeting is our what what's we refer to as a first reading. it's a good time to make uh adopt any uh edits, amendments that you want to put
in. Um and then the next meeting that it comes up after that is the second reading. You can make amendments then it it would be better if they were made earlier so everybody gets a chance to mull them over. Um but that second reading if you adopt them uh then then
they're in they're in the policy manual. Yep. >> A question I do have is what is what's the difference between KF draft and KF about R draft? They they seem like they go over the same things. >> So an R policy is a regulation and an E
policy is an exhibit. So generally what you'll see is a base policy and then a regulation that says how we're going to implement the base policy. Okay? And then the
exhibit would be like a form to fill out. That would be the difference. >> So the one thing I see on the so the KF draft um it talks about the eligible organizations basically uh
organizations that may use the school facilities without paying a facility use fee are limited to the following list. So there's a couple things on that first one. the it talks about how you're giving the earliest application. So if there's the the person towards or the
group towards the top of the list get preference over the next group. But in my opinion the group at the very top the groups at the very top of the list should be our like say for example I think of gyms all the time. So like our basketball team or
in the winter or our volleyball team in the fall um they should have preference over a gym versus any of these other organizations. So that should be at the at the top of the list. Um okay so they do.
>> Okay. Um and then the next is so in the KF draft um Monza Mortez school uh number five Monza Cortez school district feeder programs that are on a list of approved for organizations.
Um I you know I run the youth basketball program and as far as I know I'm on the list of the approved organizations. Um I know the wrestling club is too. Uh and it that what kind of regulations are there to get on that list? Um do we
>> right here? >> Yeah. Exactly. >> Can I answer that question, Jason? >> Go ahead. >> In the discussion, what came up was that rather than every time there's an application to use a facility, we have to litigate whether that that
organization meets the criteria. >> Yeah. that instead ahead of time they would apply to become an approved organization and then it's automatic. The approval process is more automatic. >> Got it. >> So I don't know that the process for determining approval has been
established yet. >> Yep. That's what I was This is new. >> That's exactly what I was asking. Um Okay. So then we just got to come up with that type of like do they check grades? Do they are they nonprofit things like that, you know? are are the are they volunteer coaches or whatever,
you know, there's there's got to be some type of regulation there to become an approved feeder program. Um, and then the next the second part of that is if you go to the KFR draft. So in the KF draft, it talks about how
the feeder programs are um school facilities without paying a facility use fee and are limited to the following list. But if you go to the KFR draft, those feeder programs have been moved to a second category where they do
have to pay a fee. So, you know, my uh pretty passionate about this, but I don't think that the feeder programs should pay a fee. they do supply, you know, the skills necessary for these kids to move on to the high school level
and and play sports or, you know, band or whatever extracurricular activity they're doing. Um, as long as it's for our students, um, I think they should use the facility for free. So, um,
yeah, I didn't I didn't catch that there was a a difference between the two policies. Um, but, uh, that's that's definitely, uh, something that, uh, the board ought to, um, discuss. Uh, it's in
your hands now, basically. And so, you you can adopt whatever you want. you you can you can make the changes the way you uh feel they ought to be because it's in your hands. This was what what the policy committee brings to you is just a
a gathering of uh the ideas and the suggestions that uh are thought to be in the best interest of everyone involved uh as a whole, not individuals but as a whole. and um and then we bring it to the board and it's up to the board from
there. It's it's in the board's hands. >> I did want to make a comment the last point that you made in regard to the application process. Um if you'll look on the regulation on uh I think it's page seven of nine just up near the top
there category one group five uh will be by special application only and it lists things that would be included but it doesn't specify the actual process and that would be I I thought that we put
language uh that said that The assistant superintendent is responsible for um establishing the process, but the the things the criteria that should be included were made as a suggestion near
the top of that page. >> Mr. Lynch, do you have a suggestion of how the board should go about um offering up alternate um options here? >> Um
what really helps is to have something in writing. And so, uh, any, uh, amendments that a board member wants to submit, it would really help if, um, we could take a shared document, not not
these, leave these as the the, uh, I want to say original, but, the the original draft, and then um, a shared document that is separate from these, where uh, each member might uh, pick a color and write in the language that
they would like to see. That way the whole board can see those words and see whether they make sense, see if it is grammatically correct, all that. But uh they see the difference between what has been submitted and this new idea which
is in a new color is all. >> Yep. >> Great idea. >> Mr. Hall, are you the only one that sees a need for edits? >> No, I'd like to review them. >> Well, there this is for information. So,
you may come back at the next meeting and say, "Oh, yeah. I spotted a lot I want to change." So, you have time. >> Oh, you mean this? >> It doesn't have to it has doesn't have to come after this meeting. >> This is just information. No motion. >> Yeah. Yeah. Deb, I agree on the naming differently
like draft two. >> Okay. >> So that way we don't confuse the documents. >> Yeah. >> Any other further comments, discussion? >> Other comments? It's bedtime. That's what you have. >> Nope. Sorry.
>> All right. All right. Let's move on to our action items now. Okay, mine's updated. Okay. All right. First one being the consent calendar. >> Looking for a motion.
>> President Shamro, I move that we adopt the consent calendar. >> I second. >> Online voting is now available. motion passes unanimously. Next action item, resolution to update signers on MCSD's bank accounts.
I move to approve the resolution to update signers on MCSD's bank accounts. >> I second the motion. >> Online voting is now available. Director Blair. Oh, there it came through. Uh, motion passes unanimously.
>> There's a little lag in our internet always. >> No, I I switch pages, Deb. Sorry. I realize I have to be in another tab to vote. >> All right. Next up, we have receipt of the fiscal year 2425 audit.
Are we going to >> Can we accept the audit, Miss Bradford? >> No, that's what that's what the special Zoom meeting will be for on >> Monday. Tuesday. Tuesday. >> Tuesday. >> So C and D will be on Tuesday, I would say. So I suggest we table this. >> Yes.
>> Yes. >> Y >> I just have a question. I thought the extension was to request the extension in the event that the audit wasn't done. Was that Let's get to the extension and then we'll >> okay have that conversation.
>> Moving to the next action item. >> I'm going to extension request for the fiscal year 2425 audit. >> I move to table that extension request. >> Do we have a second? >> A second. >> I don't think we have to vote to table
it. We can just table that. >> Okay. But we don't >> we don't need the extension, right? Is that my understanding? >> It's in case >> we don't know. >> We plan to not need it, but it's there in case we do. >> What we can do if we have the meeting
scheduled for next Tuesday, we could always put this on that agenda again. >> Yeah, we should do that. Please, >> Deborah. Danielle's gonna set us up for that. >> Okay. Thank you. >> All right. And then our last action item
with the engagement of legal counsel for superintendent contracts review. >> What's the action on that? >> Click on >> you guys get to tell me. >> Well, you have it. Okay. I kind of have it built, but I was guessing.
>> Okay. So I move to approve an engagement letter with Kaplan and Ernst Legal Council for the for a review of the superintendent contracts. Second online voting is now available. Motion passes 5 to2.
All right. Now, we quick thank you for everybody that stayed and endured through our meeting. We also like to thank those that have been observing online. Uh we appreciate your support for the district and for our students. We will go ahead and
adjourn our meeting. Today is December 16th. The time is 10:01 p.m. >> All right. Thank you. >> You read that right. 10:01. You know, 30 minutes off, Dr. Shumway. Four more
minutes and we would have had to have another break. I wasn't