I would like to call this meeting of the Naragans at Regional School District School Committee to order. If you could all please rise for the pledge. I tend to stand 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. >> The meeting is being livereamed and recorded to YouTube and Facebook respectively. Um, moving right along, we don't have anyone
here for public input. Um and the NDA is not here this evening though this is not our typical meeting night. Their typical meeting night is third Thursday of the month. Um so this is not particularly surprising. We do actually have a pretty short agenda this evening um just to get
some core business done in a timely manner um to support our towns. Um specifically getting started with our ongoing business. Um, the reason we're all meeting tonight is to vote regarding the appropriation for the MSBA roof
replacement project for Naransa Regional High School and Narancy Regional Middle School. Just to remind everyone, um, essentially there are portions of the roof that need to be replaced across the high school and the middle school. Um,
the MSBA provides grants for roofs that need replacing that are over 25 years. Um, this impacts more portions of the high school than it does the middle school. Um, just due to the age of the buildings um, in the last time that the
work was done. Um, well, hang on. Amry put together a nice handy sheet for me, but I didn't have it up and ready. So, just give me one extra moment and I can run through a few more of the details for folks um for those
who are listening this evening. Um, so this actually this project actually started with a submission of interest in February 2024. And the reason we're meeting this evening is because they most recently had the meeting on October 29th of 2025 to approve the project and
to approve the amount um that they would cover um which is 59% of the um reimburseable costs. >> Yep. Um, so essentially, um, in the vote language, you're going to hear me review to the
total construction cost of 10,864,548. Um, so at that 59% reimbursement rate, that will mean that the grant will cover 6,11,695. Um, so the remaining local cost will be $4,752,853. So this vote will give the Narroans
Regional School District permission to borrow these funds to take on this debt. Um, and then that debt will be um, we have someone stuck at the door again. Um, >> thanks. And then that that debt will
then be put into a we're estimating a 20-year loan bond at this point. >> Um and at the 85% for Templeton Philipston 15% that would break down to for Templeton 85% would be the
$5,998,850 and for Philipston at 15% that would be the $1,58,621. Did I get everything? >> Yeah. >> All right. Excellent. Um so, um I am going to stall for just a
moment. We are having an issue with um school committee members being able to get into the building this evening. And where I know we're about to have a vote, uh rather than having her come in in the middle of the vote, I would rather have her join us uh just before we do the
vote. Mill, you're absolutely fine. Yes, we we're it's been an ongoing uh challenge. Um so if you can note that Danielle joined the meeting at 5:30, 4 p.m. Um so you missed the summary of why we're having the book for MSBA, but now you all get to listen to me uh read the
motion. Okay. I would entertain a motion that the Naraganset Regional School District, the district hereby appropriates the amount of 10 million $864,548 for the purpose of paying costs related
to a potential accelerated repair project ARP involving the Naraganset Regional High School MSBA ARP full roof replacement project at 9,176,314 located at 464 Baldwinville Road,
Baldwinville, Mass. and an arrogance at Regional Middle School MSBA ARP partial roof replacement project at 1,688,234 located at 460 Baldwinville Road, Baldwinville, Mass, including the payment of all costs incidental or
related there to the project. Which proposed repair project would materially extend the useful life of the school and preserve an asset that otherwise is capable of supporting the required educational program? and for which the district has applied for a grant from the Massachusetts School Building
Authority, the MSBA, set amount to be expended at the direction of the Narroans Regional School District School Committee. To meet this appropriation, the district is authorized to borrow set amount under chapter 71, section 16D of the general laws in the district
agreement as amended or pursuant to any other enabling authority. The district acknowledges that the MSBA's grant program is a non-entitlement discretionary program based on need as determined by the MSBA and any project
cost the district incurs in excess of any grant approved by and received from the MSBA shall be the sole responsibility of the district and that if invited to collaborate with the MSBA on the proposed repair project, the amount of borrowing authorized pursuant
to this vote shall be reduced by any grant amount set forth in the project funding agreement that may be executed between the Naravans Regional School District and the MSBA. further voted that within 7 days from the date on which this vote is adopted, the
superintendent of schools be and hereby is instructed to notify the board of selectmen of each of the member towns of this district as to the amount and general purposes of the debt herein authorized as required by the district agreement and by chapter 71 section 16D
of the general laws. >> So moved. >> Motion I bill second by Peter. Any questions or comments? >> Oh, >> always always. >> Um, just for clarity for the people watching, what uh is are we asking the
towns for the 41%. In other words, will that be on vote? >> Yeah, I I I I know the answer. I'm asking because >> Yeah. So, so what So, right now the discussions have been that Templeton has this on their standing town meeting for
next Wednesday. um and it will be voted on at town meeting and then there would need to be a special election so that it can be then be voted on by ballot um because they're intending for the the two prop two and a half or >> dead exclusion. Yeah,
>> sorry. It says prop two and a half now for the debt exclusion. >> Yep. Um and then Philipston um did not have a fall town meeting scheduled, but they are attending to hold a special town meeting to vote on the project and
they believe that they can cover the costs without a debt exclusion and therefore would would only need the town leading for the vote and would not need to follow up with a ballot.
So what this vote does is officially allows us to notify the towns that they can take action on those items. >> Perfect. Thank you. No question. >> So this project only goes through if the
towns respectively vote and say yes. >> Perfect. Thank you. Um the other thing I would add because it was a a very good question it um that we've been asked by the town several times is what is the risk of this project going over because I know that that was in the vote language. What we have reviewed multiple
times with our OPM etc. And what we heard with the OPM review the project they do a lot of work to make sure that they're estimating costs that anticipate things like inflation. they already went, you know, the NSBA already went
through all of that um FARD stuff back in uh with 2020 when inflation rates really increased for the projects that were run at that time. So now they really tried to anticipate what those potential increases in cost and put in
enough cushion to make sure that um we have asked for the amount that we need. Um and their hope is always to come in that at the end of the project under budget that the amount we borrow is less. There's never any guarantee which
is why that language is in the vote. Madam >> chair just what was stated a couple of times that in the contingency >> um they've they took into account not only you know prices being maybe
inflated or inflation but also tariffs. >> Tariffs yes. >> Thank you. That was a question actually that was asked I believe during the meeting during the Templeton select board and the when they do these type of you know projections they take all of it into account.
>> No thank you for adding yes tariffs are also a big concern. Any other questions or comments? Seeing none all in favored abstained and I say yes. So that is unanimous.
Okay, moving on to new business. We do have excess and deficiency to go through and as we do have some new members, I'm assuming Marie that you'll be going over this. Um, if you can start by explaining what excess and deficiency is. So excess
and deficiency basically is any money that you did not spend that you budgeted for in last year and any revenue that you got that you did not anticipate getting the those two items
together create your excess and deficiency. You cannot use this money until it is certified. So these numbers here are generated from FY25. You cannot use this
until basically you can use it now that it's served but school committee would need to vote if say we had a shortage in FY26 budget school committee could vote to use this money now if they needed a portion of it for FY26
luckily we have not had to do that with our excess we usually wait and use it for FY27 budget um so I'm just going to kind of jump into the numbers here. And
um our END has been certified for $898,87. That's quite a bit higher than we usually have. Usually we're around5 or $600,000. The reason why that is so high this
particular year is you might remember back in FY24 we were the district was a part of the minute nationa health group and that group disbanded and we got assessed
$420,000 for our runout claims cuz they needed to have basically a cushion for those claims when they come in because it takes 18 months for those to finalize. Um, so they did. So
last I think it was end of May, beginning of June, we received a refund because when they had estimated that assessment to us, it was not needed. Our claims ran low. So it was not needed. So, we got a $470,000
refund last spring and based on talking to our auditor, they said you have to take that in as miscellaneous income in FY25. It will fall to END and then it would go through the process. If it was needed, school
committee would vote to put it where it's needed. It's not needed for FY26, so it can just stay there until we decide what we want to do. Um, but that's why. But pointing that out,
898,000 is high for us, but 470 of that came for that refund. So that shows you if it wasn't for that refund, we wouldn't have even hit the 500,000 that I tried to keep to use for the following
year's budget. So when there was a budget freeze last year, it was tight. also as a kind of an add is that we're with a little bit more but we're getting our money back. So we had to fund right 420
>> 420,000 with our assessment and we funded it from school choice. So it was not premiums. We did not increase our employees premiums to cover that assessment. The district just took it on themselves. Took it from school choice. I asked the auditor why can't it go back
into school choices? That's where it came from. He said it doesn't work that way. Um, so it had to be declared miscellaneous. >> Any questions or comments on that? Um, there's nothing no action for us to take. It's justformational for us right now.
>> Okay. So then our final item this evening is related to um so so when when historically when the school district has had an item on the ballot or a need
for a special election or a special um town meeting, the school district has covered the costs that the towns would incur um because the item being considered is directly to the benefit of the district and those towns otherwise would not incurred those costs. Um, and
so we did have those conversations um with the towns and had some back and forth and ultimately um both towns would appreciate the additional support with everything going on right now and the different um financial burdens the towns
are facing. Um, now what I do have to say is that between the time that I wrote the motion and now um things things are sort of still moving. Um, and so what I'm going to recommend is that I change the language
to say up to these amounts is that we would agree to support up to these amounts for each of the towns for those special meetings. um rather than um the like just the flat amount and then that way that allows for some additional if
if you know I know ask to see if the advisory board of Templeton could cover half the costs then there was some confusion about how much that cost and so there's still conversations ongoing and Philips they don't believe they need that special election anymore so so what
I'd recommend is we prove out to you the cost and then Marie when I spoke and you do feel that we while the budgets are tight that we could cover this out of school choice because it is a one-time post. So the motion on the table and we can discuss further. So I would entertain a
motion to approve the up to the amounts of $5,400 for Templeton and $1,100 for Philipston to assist with special town elections and special town meetings associated with the MSBA roof project. >> So moved. >> Motion by Sean.
>> Second. Second by Bill. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, all in favor? >> I opposed abstained and I say yes. So that is unanimous. All right. We do not have any items not
reasonably anticipated. Um do we have any school committee comments this evening? Okay, seeing none, just a reminder that our regularly our our third Thursday of the month meeting is on Thursday, November 20th at 5:30 p.m. We will have
a more full agenda. And other than that, I would entertain a motion to adjurnn. So >> motion by Sean, second by Danielle. All in favor? >> Thank you everyone. items.