I'd like to call this meeting of the narrative school district school committee to order just before we stand for the pledge and to let everyone know that that camera right there can pick up everyone's conversations in this room. Um so please be mindful of that. It does
only point in this direction. However, and we are going to ask people to come up to the front here if they wish to speak later on in the meeting. And with that, if everyone would please rise for the pledge. I pledge allegiance to the flag
of the United America and to the republic for which one nation indivisible. Thank you very much all those who are here in person with us this evening and to all those who are
watching online. This meeting is being livereamed and recorded on YouTube and on Facebook. Um, we have a couple quick items of regular business before we get into our budget hearing. So, we'll proceed with those quickly so we can move right along and get to what everyone is here for this evening. Um, I
would entertain a motion to approve the meeting minutes of March 6, 2025 as written. So, move motion by Sean, second by Heather. Any questions or comments on those minutes? Seeing none, all in favor? I
opposed. Abstain. and I say yes. So that is unanimous. We also have uh bills and payroll. So I would recommend a motion to accept the bills and payroll warrants as presented. So moved. Motion by Sean. Second by Heather. Any questions or
comments on those bills and payroll? Seeing none. All in favor? Opposed? Abstained. And I say yes. So that is unanimous. Now I would officially like to open our budget hearing for the
evening and we will start with the presentation of the FY26 budget. Yes, it is. Thank you, Madam Chair. Um Groundhog Day of I think fourth time
I will go through the presentation. Um, and I'm no less excited this time than I was. So, what we do here, um, is there's a lot. We do a lot. Many of the things that we're proud of, um, are on this
screen. Um, they don't list every single one of them. We try to be gring um, as we go forward. But in terms of our curriculum, we are really proud of our MVP academy. We have 12 juniors and seniors that are enrolled in vocational program. and we've talked about that
quite a bit. Matter of fact, I took a visit today. Um, and that is in conjunction with Monty Tech. Um, Gardner and Fitchburg are also partner districts. Um, but we uh that has been something that we've been working very
very hard on. I'll get to uh why in terms of programs and pathways and options that we'd like to offer. We've expanded our dig digital literacy curriculum, the elementary and the middle school. Uh we've also add an eighth grade world language this year that an announced by literacy. So when
we start talking about extracurricular we we have a return of our spring musical which is uh which we haven't had I think three years I think potentially we've seen quite an expansion of the middle school uh band. Um we're we're
growing. We're we're getting better and if you've been to the concert you would certainly agree with me. Athletics we're still trying to expand our fields. We have one athletic field that we have the majority of our uh varsity and varsity athletic events on. We uh during the
summer of last year, the field that's inside the middle of the track, for whatever reason, it was never it just was not in a good enough shape to hold any varsity um comp, you know, games, etc. because of the pitch. And so we had
to fix that this year and we did. um and that will be ready for this fall. The enrollment, we continue to increase um residents in terms of our student enrollment. We'll talk a little bit about that later. Facilities, we're
constantly trying to upgrade our facilities um where it's uh where it's appropriate and where we can. We've replaced the library carpet um and we've added heat pumps, middle school and high school library and kitchen. We've talked a lot about heat
pumps. We talked a lot about pneumatic switches. We talked a lot about pneumatic tubes. This half of this building was built in the 1950s. Pneumatic tubes are that's what they are plastic rubber tubes and they get dried out. Um and they have what we call runaway heat and so costing us thousands
of dollars when the heat shouldn't be on the maybe not coming on when it should. So a lot of those a lot of the larger areas have been able to um add heat pumps. Um, and of course that saves us electricity, but it also adds in some areas some air conditioning, which is
actually pretty nice. We switched to an ebook system um in the middle school and high school library. I I've said this a couple times, not everyone knows that the library is in the high school side of our our facility. And many times middle school students just did not have
an opportunity um to get check out books. now that it's um from the comfort of their little computer um they're able to uh check out books at their at their leisure. So by the we continue to try to close discrepancy in teacher
administrator salaries compared to neighboring districts. We talked a lot about that over the last couple of years. I think we've made a you know pretty good move in the right direction this uh this last fiscal year. And um a big big item we've moved to health
insurance out of school choice the general fund if anyone has been listening or paying attention that it was a real concern. It was placed in there probably for budgetary reasons. I'm not sure exactly when. I think it was at 14 or 15 and Marie I think when we checked it out
but um that was that was dangerous because you know health insurancees go off and sometimes school choice revolving goes down. So that was a concern, but we were able to leave that out here. All right. So here are some great pictures
of all the wonderful kiddos that we have on all um and of a lot of the things that I was just um a lot of projects and activities that are going on that we're obviously very very proud of.
Okay. their mind. So folks, you hear me talk a lot about chapter seven. Just talk a lot about chapter 7. That's how we're funded. That's how school process. Um uh the foundational budget is based on the
number of pupils. So when we start talking about foundation budget per pupil um expenditure, we're talking about every school age student lives in the towns of Philipston and go to a
public school and he does not need to be here. Okay. So that's important because when those numbers go up, we receive chapter 78. when they don't go up, either they stay stagnant or they go
down. Um, we are what they call held harmless, which means that they won't take money away from you, but they just won't give you any more. Okay. So, we've in the last 5 years, we have actually
received chapter 78, which means we've actually increase the number of stimulation students in our two member towns, three out of the last five years. And that's great. So on the right side of the black line, 8 9 10 11 12 um those
are those are what we would like to call multipliers, but incremental cost above the base is probably a more polite way to say that the formula is set up to identified of specialized populations and the
calculations are receive more money for those students. special education, ELLL, low income, etc. So this year alone, we doubled the number of ELLL kids. That was a surprise. That was not
forecasted because um ELLL students require specialized instruction in terms of um you know accessing English language. So that was that was new uh to us. We also increased our low income number of low-income
students in the district. Last year we're in lowincome group seven range circle on the lower left. Um and and now we're at low income eight which is a percentage of
42.31. What does that mean? Well, lots of times it just obviously it indicates the level of poverty in your district of course, but it does make you, you know, more attractive for grant opportunities, etc. Again, we'd like
that number not to be as high, but it is. And that's so that represents our community. Our foundation's budget per pupil is $15,235. So this is what they call the summary date. And so what you'll see in FY25 1330
um enrolled in terms of finalation students in FY 26 projected at 1347 which will be um an increase of 17 students and you'll see the lower circle which means that again we have more
students than we did last year. Given the calculated rate that we just talked about, we will receive $561,748, which is that is that is great. Okay. So, that's that's good. Okay. So, given that that's where we sit
in terms of our foundation and um that's how you know how we are funded from from the state. Okay. We talked a lot about student enrollment in general. remember foundation enrollment. Any student um school age who lives in uh our two
member towns can go to a public school. When we start talking about student enrollment, a lot of times we're talking about the kids in seats, right? Kids who are in front of you every single day. So when we start looking back when people ask well when we justified or you know when we presented you know the increase
we did last year in terms of students um you know we we rely on information like this. Um there was a two-year period that we increased our foundation enrollment um by over 100 students. And so when we start looking at that, it was
right after COVID uh quite frankly. So when you start looking at okay, we have 100 for the differential from FY21, we have 185 more um foundation, you know, students in general, pardon me. We've been actively and purposefully
reducing the number of school choice students because we were st we're becoming overcrowded. It also stems from a conversation in a budget conversation back in FY2021 when cuts were made. Um and you
know it and it was wellreceived at that time that we had we had about we had 250 school choice kids back in FY20. 250 it's a lot. And so, you know, it it it it begs the question about if you're going to have to reduce the
number of staff, then we have all of these students. So, what are you going to do about that? So, we've been actively reducing the number of school choices um as they graduate. So, what does that mean? Generally speaking, back, you know, when we were taking on students, I
would replace, we would put out that we had school choice. there would be a wait list and I would try to replace as many students that we lost to graduation and um students who were school choice here who left money for Monty Tech in the eighth grade. So that was my standard
right? So if we had 17 seniors who were school choice and they left, you know, they graduated and eight kids who were school choiced here went on to Monty Tech to be paid by their their sending talent online. Um, I would at least try to replace
those students wherever I could across the desert at any one time. I've been asked this question a lot, but we we would have anywhere from 25 to 50 kids on a wait list for the elementary easy. And I would only and I would didn't have
that many slots. We we would obviously have far more uh folks want to do school choice their children here than we really had um spots. So actively given what happened in FY20, we stopped taking school choice students at the elementary
five years ago. The last four uh that were grandfathered into the kindergarten because back then if you were prek and you were here, it really automatically just kind of transitioned as a as a school choice student. Um those students
um are now fourth graders. Um so we have not we have not paid the school choice students um at the elementary sort of post five years and so what happens when you start looking at that that ratio
we'll get to the um we have post in front of me but 560 students only four of them are school choice so you you know we've those all residents down there um and certainly um in So this slide is is good uh because it
shows the difference between enrolled those are the students who are in front of teachers um who walk our hallways every day and the number of foundation enrollment students. And so when you look at those numbers for those of you who you know like this kind of stuff um
that is a great ratio. as many kids who do live in our district. This does not count um students who go to my tact because they it's just a whole other it's a whole other report. But many of the kids who actually live in our towns come to
New York. So school choice as we just talked about um again I could go back all the way into FY20 but we have again our receive the number of students we take in we have actively reduced you
can see that one of the one of the uh things that we watch very closely um is the number of sending because first off we'll get to the yellow line which is the important line is the differential,
right? You never you you cannot have more students um leaving the district than coming in become upside down as they call it. And so you're actually paying almost twice so to speak and so we try to keep a healthy ratio which I'll talk about but we've uh we have
reduced the number of students who actively school choice out of our district well every year since 22. Um, no, I'm not pandering. I say this every time if you've been listening. It has nothing to do with me. It has everything to do with the teachers and
the folks who work in these buildings. Um, teachers, pardon me, parents do not put their kids when they do not feel sa they're not safe or they are not educated well. Um, because if neither one of those two are present, they will choice their students in a moment. So
the very fact that we keep reducing the number of students who are school choice obviously credit um educators number one in the buildings. So when when I'm asked like what is a healthy ratio like again it it all depends on a lot of things but we try to
keep it around 75 they try to keep it around there because we have quite a few expenses that come out of the uh school choice revolve and which we'll get to in a bit but many many of the the biggest concern now that we have insurance out of there
is we have nine teachers in school choice revolve that was done I don't know how many years ago I say that only because this was is unloo. Matter of fact, many districts who enjoy, you know, the ability to have a good healthy ratio often put teachers in
school choice for budget, you know, saving matters to try to make whatever needs to happen happen. Um, it's a bit of a dangerous business. That's very I think we'd all understand that. Um so when you look at this you got the of course sending receiving and of course
the blue line is the difference and we actually calculate that by dollars in this case. Um, so I say it's estimated for FY26 because they give you the preliminary report in December, but they don't actually finalize it till June because kids come and go all the time.
And so it literally is just a a moving when I say target, we have kids coming in and out. And if you looked at the report, you might see a kid for 0.5 this five that um 8 whatever depending on how many months they made it or left first aid. Um, in general, we receive $5,000
per student who school choices into the district and thus pay that out for the students leave. One of the things I didn't talk about last night is the sped increment which is through circuit breaker which means if a student special needs choices
into the district because this been asked before well that's that cost is a lot more than just the student coming in. um do we bear that cost? And the answer is that it's not a 100% you know reimbursement but through circuit breaker through the state office we do
receive an incremental in uh increase to that for that student depending on the services that they need and receive. So, you could see an incremental, you know, increase anywhere from, again, I'm going to make this up because it changes every year, but from $450 to $32,000 depending
on the services that the child is receiving. This is a new slide. I said, it is. It's a new slide. And why is it a new slide? Because I think that in the past, you know, when we when we've talked about
when we talk about the number of employees, period, we generally just stick to the general fund. Not to be tricky, not to be sly, but that is what it's going to cost. You know, your member accounts in this case. So of course the lion share will
always come out of the general fund because that's where you know the money is the big money talking about money that's given to us by the state and um both the case. So I won't read through them all folks. I mean there's they're all they're all listed right there. Um
but there are other avenues in which we we are able to not only fund things but uh but staff as well. So circuit break and revolving I just kind of talked about that a little bit. Um we have two teachers, two BCBAs and a
psychologist come out of surgery. It's in the IDE rightly. Um our extended day revolving when people say extended day um that is completely selfsupported um through uh through you know the money
that folks pay for extended day. um we um are able to do business um in a sense cafeteria revolve again self-supported um again right now it's you know it's because that lunch is free and whatever
the uh the monies that come in cover all the employees for service oh we've got I can't do my joke for prek I'm gonna if I do here but I'll see what I don't do uh grants of course we have a lot grants. I'm going to have to do the
I'm going to have to do the joke. But anyway, um grants, we you know, we write grants all the time. We're trying to always constantly write grants. Any grant we can get a hold of. Um we try to do that and there's a lot of grants that are just kind of almost revolving like one, etc. But there are other ones as
well. Preschool revolving is not self-supportive because two wonderful excellent unbelievably talented teachers in there have been around a bit and so what happens is that preschool revolving
sometimes the revolving counsel um but of course and I was asked a lot of questions about prek we'll talk about that once we get past this but it does um it does fund the lion share of the uh of the uh the folks who staff
those great um classrooms. School choice, we should talk about school choice, right? Revolving account and we talked all about that. There were nine teachers. So from the technical sense um you know creates the budget and this is what I call the state is the state
only right. So everything that we do is um has an account number account nomenclature. It's broken down of these entities areas you know. So again I you know I'll go over them but you know administration
is advertising school committee expenses central office administration struct okay other school services nursing transportation athletics. I mean obviously when we break this down in these in these areas this is um really
about the end of year report. It's about when we are audited it's it's all of this and so this is where when we're looking at okay where are we seeing the highest increases this gives us like the 30,000 foot view obviously you know it makes sense. So when you look up here,
you say, "Well, 18.15 other school services alleged nursing, transportation, athletics. We just had a new transportation contract. It went up." So I mean, just saying it it makes sense when you look from here. We we understand that our benefits and fixed charges. Well, that's insurance.
Insurance is projected to at least go up 90%. this year. Um that you know we do have loans um strength should or um or I believe would be one of those and tuitions. This is out of school district
uh school choice child tuitions um etc. That's gone down a little bit which is great which is fantastic and a lot of that might you know the work we've been doing with creating some different program options which we'll talk a little bit about later.
Sorry. Okay. So, when you get down to like the micro, you know, molecular level, we started looking at, okay, so what has cost us the most this year? Well, if you're if you're a resident, you know that water and sew costs have gone up and that same for us for the
school, yellow bus transportation, as we call it, went up 30%. Um, this contract, special education, transportation, that is a number that we try very hard to manage. uh like we keep an eye on that that's a that you look at $77,000 like
okay but that can really get out of u out of pain quickly because especially in transportation has increased incredible regional retirement assessment well retirements go up um at least the percentage did for this and that went up 14% group insurance 12%
liability insurance 10% health insurance 14% and of course uh cost of living increased across the board at 3% um is is the most okay we get a lot of questions both
so we start talking about the bus and I I will readily admit um or you know Marie and I's familiarity with not only the process um but each other over the years I just add that we were both business managers at the same
time I was in Gardner she was here. Um, and we we noticed that at that time, this is back ways that um something just I'll just without going to jail, I I something wasn't right that bus bids
were not it just didn't we we'd get four, five, six vendors come, they wouldn't place a bid and then we'd only get one. Like we would get things like that. So we go out to rebid and next thing you know the same six come back one the same bid and now next thing you know it's out
of if you would like to you can certainly Google that the state has is actually very concerned about this they have a task force they're trying to look into uh this this this issue especially out our way so to speak um and that again that happened we had four vendors
come out that we had bus companies three companies came out, two came back for the final bid, one gave us a so when we checked around, you know, well, you should have rebid, you should have put back out there. No. And so I'm going to say that
to you because from our experience, not only our experience, but the experience of the business managers that and and districts that we that we talked about, right? So Amherst, they had two came in. By the way, one day the
bid med they only got one anyway. Berlin, Boilston one, STO one, B shield here one, Doug one, Drake one, Wakefield one, PE one, Quin three, uh, Gardener one, Winchin 2, Ash West
two, all went up in was that oh, Winston's one, sorry, my there it is. So it I don't know that if it surprises you or not. Uh, but each contract went up exactly
25%. In all of these districts, that's weird, right? I don't mean to be koi about it. This is what's happened to us, not just us, to a lot of folks. Again, Google mass government bus issue and
they're looking into some of these things which are are just something. So, That there is the story behind the bus bid and um because I know that we've been we've been receiving some questions about that. Before you just mention what happens if
you did go back on the bid not knowing that you only had one minute. Well, if we go back up to we never Well, first off, we never would have never got just the way the bid process goes. We would never have bet the uh what it was going to cost us before the budget was done.
First off, that's that's one thing. Not that that's the primary thing and I'm sorry I don't know where you're going about having so many biders and only one person bid into it that the new bid is going to go up. So well I was alluding to that from our first experience is
that what we learned is a very again it was a lesson learned is that when the same folks came back the bid went up and another person from the other bus company said it's a good price you probably should take. So we we made all
the notifications that we were supposed to make with the you know with with uh Massachusetts etc. Nothing ever happened and that was several years ago. So I just want to let you know that it's it's it's a problem that so what have we done
sustain you know in terms of sustainable sustainability strategies? Well a health health insurance cost we move them from school choice um and into the general fund. That's that is that's key and we've already talked about the employee sal was adjusted to be closer to the
local average. We talked a lot about that. We've had you know we've shown where we're all at in terms of local districts and and beyond. We've increased the book access for students uh utilizing electronic library that upgrade and expand athletic fields. We're constantly trying to do that. The
energy savings you know made a you know trying to make a little joke about the uh magic tubes etc. The library as an example has one of the the heaps. He estimate we had runaway heat. He estimated that forever how many days
that was going on just calculated by 180 days. It was how many how many dollars an hour was it in terms of something like a week we're spending $500 a week on this runaway heat or something to that effect. Those that's what can happen with these foods. That's that's actually we're actually seeing some
we're actually seeing some movement on um on the electricity side of things or the uh pardon me the the fuel side of it which has been great. We've added positions to meet the needs of a growing enrollment.
Okay. So preliminary budget hearing and even before that of the tri board etc. Level service. I want to explain what a level service is. Level service is you know when you are proposing the same amount of staff members that you have
this year for next level service. So of course that's not funded right things go up. So the the fact is that when we did this, this is where we start um because that this
is where Andy wanted to start because we you know worked hard to get to this level of strength. So when you look at these numbers though um they are they're gigantic. Um and they are so when you look at 11% increase to
Templeton which is $965,000. You look at Philips which again this $165,000 8% increase. It's, you know, these are numbers that are very very hard to sustain. They
can't meet them under the normal budgetary two and a half two and a half type of scenario. So in speaking well well we had the preliminary meeting we had the all boards meeting and so in speaking with that I was instructed we were instructed
to create a budget to only increase 2 and a half% over the amount that we received last year which from temp for temple that's who that's who we questioned. So we we
did we did so um so what did we do the need or the ask however you want to put it was I needed to reduce the proposal FY26 budget by $882,97 I considered the federal and
state requirements for services non-negotiables what do I mean by that special education services certainly one um everything is important but when we start getting down to the nitty-gritty that we are fedally mandating many things and one of them is to educate special needs students a certain way
depending on what the IEP etc etc etc uh we wanted to reduce the least impact okay and I'll get into that as we go to consider the district strategic plan goals and outcomes we still have a plan regardless of what is going on we
need to press forward we we can never stand still. We need to move forward the goals and objectives that we have. Um and what we wanted to do is to try to to degree of impact and direct instruction to obviously minimize that as best as possible. Before we go on to the next
slide, before we get there, I'm going to try to make sure that everyone understands what this all tried to do, what we tried to do, I I'm responsible ultimately with that or anything is that what was the least impact to students and to the staff
members that um were going to be impacted if these cuts were to take place. Okay, what does that mean? We needed to be strategic. So I actively looked at positions that one again always looking at stigma,
right? Sometimes that meant we have many outl you at times at times not always. Um and but secondly is that was there a landing spot for the staff member who would be affected. Um that was important to me and important to others if it made
sense in terms of certification ability levels etc etc. So when I when we go to this list, it's going to seem chaotic. I I'll be very candid. It will um it's it's if it looks chaotic, then if you want to be chaotic, then it's chaotic.
But what I'm going to try to explain is why I did what I decisions I made in order to be, you know, the best fit for those two very difficult um goals and try to be as equitable as possible across the board. um and then to meet
the goal of of of cutting $850,000. So I'm going to you this is important to hear the cost that you see some would say savings others would say cost may represent the person who is being bumped
not the person who you think they're or maybe in here that you know okay that's important because someone has at times gone is that I does not make that it's the person the position that is being
either eliminated or boned that is the savior. Please remember that because sometimes it gets a little confusing. All right. So the tees team chair um that position has been open well for a while. So uh with you know cut without a
face quite frankly was an easy move that did not affect you know an employee. um and we'll have to figure out how we're going to start our meetings. But the fact matter is that that was really our first team demon students at the um at the
elementary school prim um one because there was a landing spot um a natural landing spot for the employee and direct instruction would would not be
misal um that's that's a tough one uh quite frankly but it it certainly was created for all the for all for the right reasons. It just became a matter of landing spot and ultimately what the bigger picture will look like in terms
of um of of accentuating you know what we have at the middle and high school. ultimately the um middle school uh digital literacy there was a natural landing spot and it was and so again
when you start looking at these things it again may seem pay may not but that was you know that was a a good use of a cut because there was a uh middle school uh UA Spanish um one we're very proud of the middle
school Spanish program well we when we start looking at things, we need to make sure that we have it at the high school. Not a lot of middle schools have Spanish. This may create um bit of a staffing issue. I mean, not a staffing issue, the student numbers issue, but
again, it was a place, it was a place to um high school thrive adjustment council. Uh that is you know again we you know one of the things that we've worked very hard is you know on the counselor side on the social emotional side on the
therapy side etc. Um why? Because we have a lot of need. Um we have you know a lot of mental health issues. Um and not say a lot but there's I guess there's a lot and and they need and they need so this was a hard position to cut
but again terms of the total number of students infected was made. Assistant director of pupil personnel services it's been cut. That position has been around since well it's probably 2021. It it has it's done a lot of different
things in terms of special education. It was really going is going to be a vital role into helping us get out of this funk with the department of ed because we are, you know, constantly, you know, being cited for the things such as, you
know, staffing or IEP timeliness and this we're really trying to move um move into a better direction. School psychologist, we have three in the district and we're going to try to utilize remain two to cover
Um, I'll just use this as an example. Um, again, I don't know if this falls on deaf ears if you're not if you don't understand the sure numbers. Um, but currently there were I think so far the elementary school has
done 74 evaluations and we're in March. That's a lot. If you didn't know, we're going to eliminate one bus. um we're going to go to a double run. It's going to be crowded. Um and we're just not going to be able to offer
late bus to students. Um so there may be some residual, you know, um effect there, whether it be after school, you know, extracurricular activities or something to that effect. But that was
um again that was a we need buses but the fact is we can make it we can make it happen which we're double run and they're going to be time. Uh let's see athletic transporting coaches and move them to athletic revolving. We're going to have to
reinstate user fees. It only makes sense. We're going to have to find some way to cover some of the transportation needs that were or at least help to do that um in order to keep um athletics health insurance. Again, we this is a
number that may that flow because we know that in facts of the folks who've been cut will not be returning. They will not have of course health insurance and so there is inevitably a savings there. it will be
countered with potential um unemployment, but we'll have to just figure that out as as we go. Um we had to make a cut in title one, but really that was more along the
lines that we are it's just grant funding is not it's not as robust as it was. Again, we're concerned or concerned that Title One may very well go away. We don't know that for a fact, but you know, those are the some of the things
that we are um looking into. And a cafeteria worker position that um that was that was a position that we're just not going to fill. Yes. Thank you. Um so when looking at that, what does that do? And I said this
last night to the town Tom presenters that you know the line item budget and the um the uh expense sheet or pardon me the revenue sheet it's going to look a lot different 24 hours later. And so you know again if you were to compare the
two you know if you had the two then they would look a lot different. So as you can see with the 884,000 bonding cuts, it brings the total compendance uh contribution 2 five two and a half%
pardon me. Um and because of how the numbers fall with number of kids in Templeton and number of kids in Philipston that the total increase to Philston will be 1.69 69 which means that it'll be a an increase to the district to the total general fund income of
3.28. Okay. So again that's what those cuts do terms of the you know the FY26 budget. One of the things that we were asked
by finance committee advisor comm is that can you do projections you know several years in advance and so because that we had at least the NDEA contract settled we were
we felt I say more confident it was you know the numbers could be more sure you But it presented a problem, couple problems which I just want to identify right off the bat is that special education can eb and flow. Um you know sometimes depending on you know a
student moving in moving out. So that was that was a consideration. Um also health insurance those are you know th that's an area which you could see a three or 4% increase or or or even greater because we're seeing a nine right now. Now I'm seeing three or four
above above what we're looking at this year. So what we did is we applied a 10% increase to both and we figured that when we looked at everything it really kind of averaged out to that. We felt you know we felt that that's a at least a good starting point. Okay. Rejections represent the floor not necessarily with
ceiling is what what I'm trying to say because I you know I cannot reject special education costs one way or another. Okay. So we found something interesting. Well it's interesting. Can't help it. be interested in is that so if we were to go level service
this year and only go level service next year, right? So level service level, okay, with the contract that we you know that all their parameters that I just spoke about, you would look at an increase of 1.6
million, okay, which is a lot. When we looked at the cuts, it's 1.6 6 million. Sorry. I'm sorry. It's negative. Sorry, my fault. I'm going it's it's
$882,000 less. And so it's a 3.28% increase for projected with cuts. Okay. You can't go back in with and it's a 6.89%
without right. All right. So it's it would be $882,000 less than Yeah. But anyway, so anyway, so when we go to FY27, this is not a one-year problem.
Sorry, that was this year. FY26 FY27. I'm sorry. So FY27 level service. FY26 level service. FY27 level service. Okay. He's a 1.5, you know,
$1.5 million increase of level service, level service, right? Without it, it's a $ 1.5 million increase. Again, it it just really stays around a million dollars is
what I'm trying to say. Now, what are some of the factors that could that could benefit this number? Well, I go back to Oh, by the way, this was level when I also level service, but we did not add an increase in students, the foundation enrollment. We we we kept
everything there. So, I because I don't know what will what could possibly increase or decrease. So, are we going to be held harmless or am I going to pretend that we're going to receive, you know, $600,000 because we received 18 kids more than I we didn't play into that because I think that starts getting
into, you know, um, you know, getting into some gray areas that I don't want to I don't want to do. So, we really just kind of left everything the same, so to speak, across the board. So, oops, there it is. in FY28 level service to level
service 1.3 and then projected FY28 with the cuts we're talking about against three years out right is a $1.3 million
increase why people say so why how is that well last night we talked about what step well steps and step increases for example like why is is so much money when it's only a 3% colar increase. Well, bets because, as folks know, there are percentages built into the
steps well beyond the years of probably everyone here quite frankly. Um, and they just multiply year after year. So, again, the numbers the numbers are what they are. Um, and we saw this
coming need to speak to it a little bit. Um, we saw this coming you know, a couple years ago, and I think I may have misspoke a little bit. I think or people were confused is that last year, last year when we're
trying to get the FY25 budget, you know, I was asked point blank that if you know the decisions when we got this, you know, that everything happened the way we wanted or it did actually end up happening, what would be the increase for this year? And I said, you know, it's hard to say that definitely the NDA
contract wasn't settled. We didn't have the um the busing contract. We didn't have those things. And I said about a million dollars. I think people thought that I meant for that. We had that conversation this year. It was last year. I saw a couple emails and I saw a couple Facebook posts asking me about
how that happened. And because when when you start projecting out, it's it's again it's it's projection. um we didn't know what the percent increase was going to be this year, what it ultimately ended up being. Um but when we start to look at way back, we're talking about last March, you know, we could see that
if you know, if things went the way they were going, it was going to be about a million dollars a year. Again, just looking at just numbers that that you're just really trying to put together. And so that's where we're that is in the financial state that we're in right now.
Um it's these are these numbers are scary to be very to be very candid when you start looking at I mean you know going to the meetings so far been in Telton we go to Phil next week I you know so you know we know you know we we
keep an eye on things we read whatever folks are giving us from the towns we we get this and so I I said this last night I don't I don't necessarily have an answer um because once you know you get to a point where you're at bare bones and
again I suppose that would be better that'll be that'll be argued about what that actually means but the fact is that at some point that it just just as big as we are because we have the number of kids that we have and again I'm going to go back to services that we have to
provide I don't know that that is really sold um I don't think you know we don't talk about that as much because I think it's sensitive information talk about kids with special needs And you you try not to you know you try not to dwell on that but those expenses are going up and
we've already increased three sped pairs this year alone you know for next year because of IEP needs. We don't we don't we don't dictate that necessarily but the team does or the needs of this of the
travel. So ultimately that is what um we've been asked to do. We've done that. Those are the cuts that we've made. Um, I met with every I met with every staff member that it affected. Um, and I said
the same thing. I know things will change. I just don't know. Meaning I don't know how everything will ultimately fall out. I never do. So they might retire. Then it's it's a lot of a lot of um a lot of change, you know, we march
on to to June. But that you know but ultimately that number that is what it'll take to be a two and a two and a half percent increase your
questions. So I'm going to open it up to school committee for questions or comments first. Um, and then we then we will open it up to the public for speaking. Um, and I will remind everyone of where to go for that. Um, once we get to that point, but I would open it up to
school. Sean, is group insurance negotiated locally or is that all at the state level? It's it's the mass teacher requirement teachers when they require what they go into. Yep. Perfect. Thank you. That's what that's what I thought and that was
the answer I provided people when asked what I want to confirm that oh sorry Sean just because I have to know cast what impact will this have on accreditation of the school
uh going forward and if Molly wants to chime in on I think Molly would be best honestly to answer what actually accreditation right now for high school. Did you say accreditation? Yes. Yeah. We're we actually are um in year one of our accreditation right now. So we're going
through the assessment stage and then we'll have some action steps to put in place next year. Um the cuts that are proposed should not have a direct impact on our high school accreditation process. Okay. So, I just more of a comment
than on page 10. We talked a little bit about the general funds. You don't have to go back to them. uh he talked a little bit about uh the general funds and the grants and in particular uh it reflects solicitors related to counselors powers and therapists on 11
on page 11 um increases um is public services the highest budget line presentation Chris you spoke a little bit about students with special needs in the past I know we spoke many times about the increase that we've had
in Kansas um with the students uh with special needs. Um I just want to be very clear that many of the positions the councils the Paris and the therapies among some of the other ones um have a direct coronation to the services that we require that were required that we
are required uh most of our disadvantaged students. Uh you do actually made the statements uh when you were speaking about proposed cuts that these have the least impactful on students. However, again, I want to be very clear that least impactful does not
mean influential on our students. Well, um I have a few soft um and I will apologize in advance because I attempted to capture some of my thoughts and it turned into
um it turned in it turned out a lot longer than I thought. But I think it's important that I share um how I'm feeling because I do think that there are significant amount of people that also feel the same way right now. Um so for members of the school
committee, Dr. Cassid, fellow residents, educators, and all those in attendance here and watching from home, thank you for being here tonight. Your participation is paramount to the budgeting process, and it's greatly appreciated. Um, I can't tell you how
heartwarming it is to have a room full of of people here to participate. Most of the time we are um talking to an empty room. I want to start with hard undeniable data points that strike at the heart of truth and
transparency. These data points are all public information and can be found on the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's website. If you attempt to go there now, you will see what educators are faced with every day. It is currently down for maintenance until about 9:30. Um, but if
we're still here at 9:30 or you're at home and awake and you want to go verify these these data points, go ahead and do so. Um, according to the data presented on this website, actually before I before I go into that, it's important to recognize that most of the the most
up-to-date information on this website um lags a little bit behind. So you might see 2023 as the most recent um 2024 hasn't been provided in some cases. According to the data represented on this website, our district's per
pupil funding has failed to keep pace with the growing needs of our students. There are 36 school districts in Massachusetts. 291 of them spend more per pupil than the Narogans Regional School District spends per pupil. That
means there are only 14 school districts that spend less per se than we do. Ash West, Athal, Gardner, Fitchburg, and Ralph Seymahar, all neighboring communities dedicate more funding per student than we do. Our student teacher ratio has crept
upward and could fall anywhere from 22 to 30. Those are estimates or more. And this will only increase with proposed cuts. We know that we are stretching our educators thin and impacting the quality of education our children receive and we
are unable to lessen this burden. In fact, the burden will only increase and I fear for the health both physical and mental of our educators as they try to meet the needs of our children. Our ability to provide competitive salaries to attract and retain high-quality
educators lags behind neighboring districts, making it harder to recruit and keep the best teachers for our students. With reference to fiscal year 2024, our average teacher salary was the lowest among neighboring school districts. Dr. CAS event. Our school committee and our teachers union worked
incredibly hard to make our educator salaries competitive which is reflected in the increases that our community saw in our initial level funded budget among other contractual costs. Please know that even with this increase in in pay, our educators continue to be paid less
than many of the school districts around us. Let's find shine some light on achievement. Even with our educators being asked to do more with less, our students outperform students in our surrounding communities, Gardner, Athal, Mahar, and Fitchburg, in terms of the percentage of students meeting or
exceeding expectations on the MCAST. That's our state's assessment tied to school accountability measures. I'm not sure that this is something that is even reasonable to expect of our educators moving forward. How can they be expected to maintain those performance levels with more students and less support? As
the vice chair of this committee, I feel deeply responsible or deeply a deep responsibility to ensure that every decision we make is grounded in what is best for our students while being a good partner to our towns. This is not about numbers on a spreadsheet. It's about the
children in our classrooms who rely on us to provide the resources they need to thrive. As an administrator in a neighboring regional school, I have a unique perspective on how our funding challenges compared to those of other districts. We're at a crossroads. The fiscal cliff that those of us in public
service keep hearing and talking about is here and we must act. Some districts and communities are finding ways to innovate and invest in their school. While we find ourselves struggling to simply maintain the status quo, we have to ask ourselves, will we be the district and the community that chooses
to fall behind or will we be the community that fights for its students and their families? As a mother of a student in this district, I see firsthand the impact of these budgetary decisions on our children. When class sizes grow and extracurricular programs are cut, when
critical support services are underfunded, it's it's not just numbers on a page. It's our kids who feel the consequences. And the hard truth is that our most vulnerable students are low income students with disabilities, students of color who feel budget cuts
at a disproportionately disproportionate rate than their peers. They simply cannot stand for this. And I encourage all of those who feel the same to be brave and to seek out. And finally, as a resident of one of the towns in this district, I understand the concerns of
taxpayers. Every dollar spent should be scrutinized and used effectively. Our committee has worked tirelessly to forge trusting relationships with the select boards, finance committees, advisory committees, and town managers of both communities. We have been transparent with costs and projections and protected
time and space to meet regularly to discuss budgets, programs, and needs of both the school and the towns. Despite some of the claims out there on social media, the relationships that were built during these meetings were and will continue to be the single most important indicator of success. Because this isn't
just about our school district. Our town departments are being asked to cut from their already tight budgets that do not meet the needs of the residents of our community. Our citizens are seeing their taxes increase each year and are feeling like maybe they're not receiving their money's worth. Some of our frustrated
residents take to social media and make claims about spending within our school district that are meant to be helpful. I assume that their intentions are to initiate a rallying cry to defend the average taxpayer struggling to make ends meet. And I get it. I'm one of those taxpayers. I respect their willingness
to speak out and I truly believe that those spreading misinformation on these platforms mean well. They just do not understand school finance as well as the funding of municipalities and their departments. My ask of everyone hearing this please to commit to understanding
public education costs rather than making harmful statements that suggest our school system is being reckless in its spending. commit to understanding how the budgets of the town departments and our school system impact each other rather than pitting us against each
other. It is true that at times town departments have had to make cuts because they were asked to. But our school and the children and staff within it are not the cause. They're not the enemy. The cause is and will continue to be. The cost of educating our children and providing essential town services
are increasing at rates that we simply cannot keep up with without working together to find a solution. The mandates associated with all things education are truly complex and come with little to no funding to support these requirements. They are quite literally bankrupting school
systems. Yesterday, I attended a virtual meeting with school committee members and NASC delegates where I was reminded that the cost of transportation, health insurance, and instructional costs are impacting districts across the state. I was encouraged to build relationships with our town officials and our
community members as a way to move forward. I shared that our school committee continues to reach out to our town offices to have these hard discussions despite some of the challenges that have come to light over the past last few weeks. Sorry. I am incredibly incredibly grateful to all of
our town representatives who have continued to show up and to do the work that is necessary to move us all forward. But let's be clear, investing in education is not just an expenditure. It's an investment in our community's future. Forming and fostering positive
relationships among all of our departments and committees is an investment in our future. Finding creative ways to increase revenue and improve cost efficiency is an investment in our future. Strong schools, police, fire, and other community departments
lead to increased poverty values engaged as citizens, a thriving local economy, and is an investment in our future and the future of the generations to come. We can't afford to let short-term budget cuts create long-term damage. We must
advocate for sustainable funding that ensures our children receive the education they deserve and our citizens have access to all town services that are necessary in order to maintain safe neighborhoods. That means working collaboratively with town officials seeking innovative revenue solutions and
making strategic investments that will pay dividends to generations to come. I urge all of us committee members, town officials, and residents to take an honest look at our priorities. The future of our children, our schools, and our community depend on the choices that we make. Now, I want to say thank you to
our school committee chair, Jen, for everything that you do for our school, our town, and for this committee. We don't recognize the tremendous amount of work and pressure put on you each year as as we discuss our budget. Thank you to the rest of the committee for showing up and representing your town. Thank you to Governor Cassette and the central
office staff for keeping our children and their families first and all that you do every day. And lastly, and most importantly, thank you to our educators for caring for our children. They're the very definition of our future and for always doing what's right for them.
I didn't sleep much last night. My students and my uh my staff remind me of how long winded I can be sometimes. and I I I appreciate letting me get that off my chest.
Okay, with those great words, we're going to move into our public input section. Um, and so just as a reminder, um, we do have a policy around this. And so I am going to read some of the
relevant speakers, some of the relevant pieces. I'm not going to read the whole thing. It's very long, but I'm going to read the relevant pieces. Speakers will be allowed up to three minutes to present their material and must begin their comments by stating their name and city town. I may permit an extension of
this time limit in extendu in extenduating circumstances. As chair, topics for discussion should be limited to those items within the school committee's scope of authority. The authority of the school committee primarily concerns the review and approval of the budget of the district's
public schools, the performance of the superintendent, and the educational goals and policies of the district's public schools. In this particular case, since we are in the budget presentation, I would ask that everyone be restricting their comments related to the budget.
The chair of the meeting after a warning reserves the right to terminate speech which is not constitutionally protected because it constitutes true threats that are likely to provoke a violent reaction and cause a breach of the peace. Don't I don't foresee any need for that. Um
written comments longer than 3 minutes may be presented to the chair before or after the meeting. All remarks will be addressed through the chair. comments made during the public comment portion of the meeting do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Naraganset Regional School District
Committee. Um so if you wish to speak tonight, please do make sure that your name is signed up there. Um and the space to do so is right right in this row behind the TV just just to the left or the right of the camera. And so I
would open up the floor it just right front where you were. Yes. Okay. Perfect. All right. 12th grade with him. So, uh I'm going to start really short. First of all, yes, education is very important. Taking care of our kids is exceptionally important
and the school does an awesome job. The problem we have of course is funding and the the request as I understood it for the board for the for the school committee is not 3.8%. It was 2.5%. That wasn't just for TEL. That was the
overall budget. To write to to state that these are cuts is really disingenuous. They're not cuts. It's like you go to your boss and say, "Hey boss, I want a 10 $10 an hour raise." and the boss comes back and says no and
then you go and complain about it saying well I got cut by $10 you didn't give me $10. Um so you know yes we need to find a way of taking care of people. Yes we do need to take care of this but you know how many like like how many more
ELA students do you have percentage increase you know 50%. What is that? 1 to two, two to 10, you know, two to four, you know, what is it? E. Yeah. EA. Yeah. EA is English language arts. Think
I'm I'm talking about the the where it's a percentage increase. English learners. Huh? English learners. Yes. Yeah. What? I'm right now. Okay. I realize I'm saying something in front of this committee that that you don't like
hearing. We have elderly in town that literally depending upon how high the budget goes up every year are going to lose their houses which means they're going to end up going to other to basically families move in when they elderly move out. Yes, we need to find a
way of closing the gap but calling these cuts is really inappropriate because it's a budget that you're asking for. It's not like it's coming off of last year's numbers. Then I agree it's a cut. Um the the last thing is I there there's
got to be a better way of being able to take care of these fundings to meet the needs of both the the communities involved and also the students. I don't want to see anybody losing their job from the school system. I really don't. That's not why I'm standing here. I
there's got to be another way of taking a closer look at budget. Thank you. To answer your question, um we ended last year with 12 EL students. As of December, we have 27. 20 of those received direct services. Seven are on monitoring. Thank you. Thank you,
Madam Chair. I I don't disagree with you, Mr. about the idea of I ask for something and if we don't do it, there's that that's a I don't disagree with that. In this case though, we already have these staff
members and we already have these positions and they're going to be coming. There's the difference. So, it's not like we're asking and not getting. We have and we're going to have to come there. That's a difference. Anyone else would like to
speak in this meeting? Middle of this company sign your piece of paper. Okay. Graves 9%. I just have a couple of things. Um one, last year was the first time in I
don't know a decade that um the sports were put in to the budget. So that's something in 2024 FY it wasn't on it. So that's a difference. Last year you guys tried it. Um and then the nursing I had seen I don't know if this is true or not
but um doctors and stuff um they were moving into the part where um a student can um visit online in the school building with a doctor. I don't know if you have that option or not. Um I don't know if it's helpful or not. And then the only thing I just really u was
looking at was um could uh in your presentation explain what the additional appropriation role row in the um in the income sheet um where it says additional appropriation. Okay, if I could get a clarification on that
almost in case I just just want to clarify those if you could explain a little bit. Go ahead. Well, I'm sorry. So the minimum co contribution that you see on and Philipsville that number is set by
the state. The additional appropriation is the monies that the towns give us over what the state says that they have to and that's usually comes through overrides or other means in the years has to just not always overrides.
just in general and you know just the other question there were a couple others um I'll let you handle the sports question I'll handle the that's tella health I think that you're referring to something that's
well I I don't know well it's a it's a statement from the parents um so you know optimally if student comes in says I don't feel good they get online and they're able to diagnose with a a nurse practitioner. Um, of course, all
permissions, this just doesn't happen, you know, willy-nilly. Um, with all the permissions and they're able to actually prescribe and do whatever. So that way it doesn't take work, have to come get to, you know, go get student X and then go with go to the health center, try to
find, you know, someplace to go. Uh, it doesn't it doesn't cost certainly anything for us because, uh, it's run through the Hwood Hospital Tele Health. Um and it's actually again a great service to um kiddos who who utilize it. The athletics I don't know exactly the
question. Athletics is funded through the general fund. It's funded through school choice in athletic revolving. So last year we took in um did away with the user fees for all the extracurricular not just athletics. Um,
so by doing that then the school choice had to pick up more of the supplies which the revolving used to cover because the price of busing is going up in the transportation to um games is going to be too high. Athletic
user fees are going back in and that difference is going back to the revolving account. Um just a follow up, will you be running a math on the athletic fees to make sure it balances out? Um because things have changed pricewise over even just last year, you
know, whenever you're going to use that athletic fee, it has to be able to balance out whatever you're asking. If you have reduced lunch, free lunch, you know, I mean, you're not using that platform anymore, but you're going to have to evaluate based on kids who can't pay first for it for kids who can pay
half and then what it actually costs at the end of what you're using the money for. You'll have to balance that out and run those numbers. If you're using it for referees, umpires, you're going to have to run a whole year worth of sports and figure out your bottom line for your fees based
for each sport. Well, we can look on our past history um to gauge a starting spot. Okay. Um so that's what we'll do and it really all depends on how many kids actually sign up for each score. That's why
you having a deficit reason you're going to have to make sure that you run those numbers you're going to be back with a problem. We're we're not running a deficit. And when you to goes what also goes into the athletic revolving is when you come to the games and you pay a fee,
that gate receipt goes in there as well. And again, that varies because if we are people that are hosting the Thanksgiving game here, our gate fee is much lowered that year. So there's a lot of factors that go into it. And
sponsorship, if a business wants to help with that, would they sponsor? need help with the cost of some individual children that could not afford it or something. We can help call and ask and say, "I would like to give you a donation that you put towards
student field trip or student user fee or whatever." Okay? And then you'll be able to balance that with the amount that you ask for the month. I'm gonna I'm gonna pause this conversation. It's a great conversation. And I certainly encourage you to get in touch with central office if you want to
continue it, but I just want to make sure that we're not getting into too much of a a Q&A situation. I promise I'll keep the three minutes rolling. Tim, speaking as a citizen taxpayer, town of Templeton, I want to start off.
I went home after the presentation in front of the select board and the advisory committee in Templeton last night and sitting here with the tri boards last month and I did watch your first budget presentation because I was trying to just get caught
up. I commend you on the comment and yes the data points there are multiple state websites were down today because I went trying to go back and reclaim the numbers of the ESSER funds. Part of the problem we're seeing were the ESSER funds. It caused a divide. For those
that don't remember, ESSER was a pass through through the communities that came to us from this the federal department of education. I was serving as the chair of the Templeton Select Board at the time. It was a no-brainer because if I said no
and if the board said no, it got turned back to the federal government. That was no bueno. We took it. We handed it over but we immediately saw it was building a gap. Then SR2 rolled in and SR3 behind it. That is a big portion of this
million dollar a year because all we did was we kicked that can down the road. But we never came up with a plan on how we were going to close the gap. Well, here we are in the out years and we're seeing the results of what happened. I can try to help you fix it.
I don't have an answer. And I wish I could have pulled the darn data points down, but Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Yay. I have one other comment and uh I heard you say more with less. I love the term and I hate the
term. I'm retired military. We learned in the 1980s that phrase doesn't work. The military abandoned that phrase in the 80s. Unfortunately, the civil sector hasn't figured it out yet. We need to get there, though. You cannot do
more with less. It's counterintuitive. So, it's a nice concept, but the reality is you're only going to get less with less. Having recently retired, and this year, I'm giving up my paramedic certifications in their entirety. I
worked in this town when we cut police, fire, DPW. We were on the verge of closing our library. We were on the verge of closing our senior center. I know what it was like to not have an officer responding when we were going out on the ambulance to a motor vehicle
accident, a domestic violence call. It wasn't fun. This town has endured that once. We were on the verge of enduring it twice. So, yes, it does take a village,
but we've taken the cuts one time already. We cannot continue to do that. and um this is not a problem that's unique to the school district. Oh, no it's not.
Department in our community. Uh we're growing which is a good thing. Um and that's what I mean by making sure that when we talk about the challenges in the budget that we don't talk about
them as just the school's challenges. This is something that our community needs to figure out. Um what that means I don't I am looking to other communities that are heading in the right direction for some guidance. Um
everyone keeps reassuring me that you know if you can just get your committees to talk to each other um that you'll head in the right direction and it is true. The issue is right now it doesn't feel so good between all of the um departments in
town. Um and that's what happens when you're faced with cuts. Um my ask is that we continue to foster those relationships between our committees, that we continue to work together in a positive way. um so that
we're not faced with having to talk about cuts, you know, that we're not faced with um not having access to the services that we need in town so that we can be safe, so that we can provide our students everything that they need. Um but over and over again,
it feels like a school problem. Even when people come to us and say, um, I don't know how to help the school, it's not just a school problem. It's a community problem that can only be solved by the community.
I'm a slightly different critic. This is a problem affecting everybody in the state, all 351 cities and communities. It used to be called the Mass Municipal Association. We did an annual trade show. The last two years it's 351
connect, which is actually a more appropriate. We can go up to the 30,000 ft view. This affects all 50 states in our great country. We are not unique. We really aren't. Is there a solution that we can put our finger on and say,
"There, we fixed it." No, we're not there yet. I wish I could wave the magic wand and say, "Poof, we're good." I don't have that answer. I wish I did. Madam Chair, there's something uh something actually Mr. May brought up
yesterday. This is just for information because I don't remember the number. What is the telephone budget the total this year agenda? We're coming we're coming in just around 10 million. Something very interesting lesson something you always know when
you hear it differently the the narrow regional school district budget is larger than both member towns which is not always necessarily the way you know in terms of dependent on these stuff. So, I think that um you're right, it's
going to it's going to require when coming to T till this point is that we're we're going to have to figure this out in general because the two and a half to us like for the district which we you know dwarf necessarily the both budgets. It's when you look from a math
perspective it's it's it's it's more right. It's more because we're bigger. I'm only saying that because there's a there is a fundamental issue with that piece. just to the point about having to have a you know more open dialogue and again not being a school problem we just
happen to be bigger um because we encapsulate both towns or at least their children right so it was just I just again I just was writing this down because I think that that is also something that's going to have to take place as we Anyone else
[Music] uh good evening um my name is Eric Diamond I live 96 Fall1ville Road. Um here under a lot of capacities. Uh but first I just before I get to my comments, I had a couple of questions. Um first of all I wanted to speak to the
co-chair for talking about uh the teacher salaries coming in line with the surrounding districts and um that is definitely something that we were hoping would happen that we could see what we are paid as in line with our fellow colleagues around the region and
specifically even the neighboring towns. One of the questions I had that maybe the superintendent can answer, madam chair, is the state has a net school spending number for every district. What is our FY26 net school spending number? Why
ask? Well, I write it down as I say. Well, I do, but I can't write and hold everything at the same time. I'm going to have to go to that thing. Do you have another question so I can find um what is that number with the cut budget? What happened?
Has the school ever explored um hiring and controlling its own busing to to and I can say it because I'm just a citizen of the town to break the cabal that controls that pricing that is
obviously fixed. I have not explored it explored it would explored it. No, what I will share is that that has come up come up in a couple of the chairs meetings and the discussion essentially been would our would our member towns be
able to front the cost of all those buses that it would take plus the building to house the buses. And there was a very quick retreat from the conversation. It's the way that I will share that. Um because it was that those
those upfront costs Worcester has just done this. Um it'll be an interesting much bigger district so not comparable but it will be interesting to watch that. Um it's a it's a great
question to try to look at other regional districts that have done this. Um I I don't know those off the top of my head right now, but like I said, it has absolutely come up at several chairs meetings and like I said, there was as we went through, okay, this and this and
this would be the upfront costs of doing that. Plus, we would have to staff those that those buses, we would have to put bus drivers on those buses, we would have to get insurance for those buses and that company, etc. And there was a there was a a lot of question marks as
to whether that would truly be a savings or maybe over the long term, but we didn't know if that those long-term cost savings, but whether or not there'd be the tolerance for the upfront high cost. And maybe advocating for state
legislative action would be a quicker and cheaper path. Yes. Than our towns and us coming up with a bus company to fix something maybe the state could fix. I want to be clear, no closed doors. All all great ideas should be on the table. Um but that was that was where we netted
out in that recent conversation. Yep. Okay. So the required net school spending number is uh 20521,967. So pardon me. Go ahead. Can you just put the resolution back up?
It's on slide five as well. Yeah, but we just wanted to Yes. So what was the practice? Subtract the amount that we are what is the requirement doesn't change right but
we can do the calculation. I'll just need to subtract PH. Okay. But for that number, it doesn't change. Still required. Yes. That number comes from the chapter 70 that state gives us plus the minimum contributions
that each town is required to pay. So that those three numbers is what makes up your net school spending. And that doesn't change. You could you could cut that to zero. You're still required to spend that get in trouble.
And this is Yeah. So the chapter 70 that 13 million at the very top and then the Templeton minimum and the Hillston minimum contributions the 500 million and the 1.5 together that is the $20 million net
school spending figure that the state says we're required to spend and our budget for last year was 24. So we are over our net school spending. Yeah. Not all
categories that you're in, but we are well within we're not in danger of getting involved around state even when So Madam Chair, I had some comments. um one as a parent and resident of the town
of taxpayer, two as a teacher who's an employee of the district and maybe for the school committee most importantly third as the president of the teachers union. Um so my comments as a parent are when I look at the cuts that the superintendents proposed to you. I see a lot of services to kids. So I'm going to
think about it from Emma's point of view. Um if she needs to stay after for extra help next year and I'm a parent that can't. Luckily for her, my car is in the parking lot. Um, but if I'm a parent that can't bring her home, she doesn't get that extra help. If she
needs reading in the middle school, she's now lost that access to a reading specialist. Um, if she has health issues or psychological issues and she needs to see someone, there might be one less person to do the evaluation uh and work
with her to help her out. Um, that bothers me as a as a parent. She would lose her access to several UAS with the superintendent's proposal. She's going to lose access to language. She's going to allow us access to digital literacy, which like I don't
know how you want to prioritize digital literacy. She may lose access to other UAS depending on her schedule, which could include things like the engineering program, which she's interested in. It could include things like music. It could include her physical education. All of those United
um those unified arts classrooms are now going to swell in the middle school because you've taken three people out of the middle school. Um so those unified arts are going to bloom now. They're going to get very large at an age when students are not as pliable as they are.
You know, when I start my morning, just so you know, I started with um 17 and 18 year olds. I started with seniors and they're talking about their paycheck and the gas in their car and their college back. But imagine you're in the middle school and now these classrooms have
have grown. The UAS are limited. So I want the school committee to consider that from a parents point of view. Um when she moves to the high school, I'm concerned about her college and career readiness, right? I want her to be able to enter the workforce or enter college prepared to go to those things.
Um, as a teacher, I look at these cuts that superintendents proposed and I think about what this will do uh to affect um this robust education we provide the whole child. Right? So now that's limited to some degree the deeper
these cuts go. And it may not affect someone like myself that teaches social studies, teaches history, but every little piece you take away from that big picture is going to affect that child. Um and then as the president of the teachers union um we are looking at the
services provided to these children taking a hit. When I look at the overall cuts the superintendent proposed I think there's room there for more administrative cuts and less for cuts from uh both teachers and support staff
including uh paras and others. Um I I think when you when you cut from the folks that provide the direct service face to face to children um that's going to have of course the most painful impact in your district. And if there
are ways to cut that you could save two or three of those teachers. Then we as a union think those cuts should be made instead of what the superintendent's proposed. uh that only includes from what I can see one administrative cut um to that budget. And then finally, as far
as our role as a membership, we want to really partner with some of these legislative pieces. We're starting a program among our membership to start contacting these legislative officials and pushing them on a number of pieces
of legislation that affect rural schools. And we want to partner with the school committee and partner with the towns to say we've got to hit these folks um with our emails and our phone calls and our presence and say you've got to start addressing the needs of
these rural central Massachusetts schools instead of only paying attention to those schools that are around beltway. Um we feel like if we can start these um it's this public push to these legislators and say hey you need to
start listening to us. we may be able to make an impact on the transportation bill that's coming up that maybe people don't know about that's going to affect regional transportation or funding um from some of the the legislative things that they've done with taxation that are
no longer I don't know if you guys know the fair share act where's the money going for fair share this year it's going to the state's transportation budget it's not coming to schools that literal bill was made to fund schools partly and now it's not.
So, we want you to know that as a membership, we are going to partner with you and we are going to use our power and our voice as citizens of Massachusetts to start aggravating the legislature to do something for us and pay attention to us. Um, so those would
be my comments and um I do hope you consider maybe making some adjustments to the superintendent's cuts as you finalize your budget cuts tonight. Thank you. I chose not to during my time mostly because person sitting next
to me did such a good job of speaking. There is one small piece that I want to say. The first of which is to thank all of the teachers and the staff who took the time to show up tonight. I know this
is time away from your families, time away from working on all those things that bleed into after school hours, time away from dinner, and you're all really hungry. I know sometimes I hope the mic doesn't
pick up my growing stomach. I want to thank those members of the community who also took the time to come this evening. As Danielle mentioned, this is often an empty room. I'm very used to speaking to a camera and not used to speaking to so many
people. I'd like to think there's this many people watching. Numbers don't really pan out that way, but we'll pretend that they do. I'd like to tell my kids I'm on TV. It makes the car. What I hope folks took away from this
evening is that budgeting for schools is so complicated. I feel really discouraged by the number of people making very public comments about this school
district inappropriately budgeting for our schools. I don't speak on Facebook for two reasons. One, because frankly I've learned that people are not interested in the facts that I have to share.
And two, because it is not within the purview of my role as chair, because no one would be able to know from one moment to the next whether Jennifer Smith was speaking as chair of the school committee or whether Jennifer
Smith was speaking as a parent or as a member of the community. And so when I do post, it is always with links to resources that are publicly posted by the school. What I would ask is that would you see
discussions on Facebook about school budgets? Often those come from a space of having already made a conclusion without necessarily having access to all the information. Not because it's not publicly available, but because it's a
lot. It is a lot. I am sitting here and I am in my fourth year as a school committee member and I am still learning. So what I would ask is that people stay curious. I would ask that you suspend
judgment in favor of learning. That is literally our mission as a school learning. And so I think we're in a very tough space.
These aren't decisions I want to make this evening, but I need to make them. As does everyone else who has a seat at this table, and they are hard decisions. sat with a lot of these fine folks
around a negotiating table earlier this year and I have so much respect and awe to the dedication that you give in your classrooms to the dedication that you give to the students for those
one-on-one paras or for the cafeteria workers. And what I promise is that we will continue to push for this district no matter what is voted tonight. We will continue to advocate for what is right and we will continue
to put out information to help correct the misinformation that is spreading and we will continue to try to do so in a way that is accessible because like I said took me three years to kind of wrap my arms around school budgets. So, I really want folks to understand that
school budgets are not simple and that it is misleading to make statements that there are fundamental issues with our budgets if we are asking for these increases every year. Stay
curious, please. And thank you for entertaining my talk. On that note, I'm going to close the budget hearing. and we're going to move forward with our budget
actions. First of all, we do not need to invoke the rule of necessity. For those of you who are unfamiliar, the rule of necessity is brought in if there are, I'm going to say, conflicts of interest related to voting on the budget, um, which we do not have that issue at
present today. And so what we'll need to do is that there are two budget options in front of us. There's a level service and there is well it's dumped on
here is the Templeton 2 and a half%. Um so that's what I'll refer to it as because I've got a lot of information to reference. I'm going to remind folks of the pros and cons here. um level service maintains everything we've
worked to build over the past two years. I agree with Dr. Cavant when he says that these are cuts because they are cuts to services that we have built up. That is what the Templeton 2 and a
half% but I also would like to remind everyone of something. The town warrants are closed. There is no space in this moment for a 2 and a.5% override, which means that should we
move our full level service budget forward and should it get voted on on town floor that the town would be faced with having to make over $800,000 in cuts from other services across our towns.
We've heard reverse that that would could include the library or other things which would also be a devastating loss to our communities. I would also remind folks that should that budget get voted
down, we go into a 112 situation. And knowing what the temperature is at the moment, I don't have a lot of confidence that that would end favorably for us. And so I'm looking you all in the
eye because you deserve that to know that this is a really tough decision and a really tough decision place to be in mostly for you. and no pressure. We do need to vote. And so I
would open it up to school committee for either discussion on how we want the vote or to propose a vote because I know the vote that our hearts want may be very different from the vote that is necessary.
Yes. Um, if we were develop level service, it goes to the town. Does that give I understand that we can never put a higher than that, but does that give us the opportunity for negotiation between the towns and the school
committee that long term? Oh, so that let me think about this for a minute. So the school committee itself, the body
itself can amend in number but only lower um ultimately I'm going to alternative Mr. to you know I'm thinking that anything can happen on the floor any amendment or any anything can be proposed at the
floor like from a from a resume so what I mean is that there are really two different questions here like the school committee is bound by what that you the school committee can do any when I say anybody but what can happen on top floor is what can happen on top floor so I
don't I don't that's I don't know how to answer that question but in terms of negotiate No, the number will go. The number will go. So, let me So, let me um so so we have in the past voted through a level service budget and then received
more information from the town and made decisions to then subsequently lower our budget. What I would say is I don't I'm not anticipating in this moment that different information is going to be coming from the town is how I would answer the question. Uh I don't I I am
not envisioning based on what I've heard said to me in the multi-board meeting um listening to advisory meetings and select board meetings is that sitting in chairs meetings is that we have gotten no indication that there is a
uh any red any any men in red case coming in with an alternate plan. Yeah. I I mean so I guess I guess the reason why I asked this question is right because I I really especially as an as an educator
and I I support that the students in these towns need to be um properly properly educated and financed by that. Um, I also do think that it's a it's a larger problem. Um, in terms of, you know, you're fighting a 5-year problem
of these towns have received a 2 and a half% when really inflation's been well over 3%. Um, and I guess the only reason why I asked that is because I I would like the opportunity to work with the towns as I do think it's a
larger community problem to do so. Um, and I also know that I can vote on a lower budget and get higher at that point in time. And so that's I guess that's the reason why I put that out. Well, and those are great points for
consideration. What I would say is that um a lot of work has been done with the towns to try to figure out um where we need to be. I would say that our opportunities to advocate for and put
for something different is at this point uh an FY26 or sorry an FY27 conversation. Um that that's the impression I'm getting is that I I I think there is understanding and
appreciation from the town that this continual 2 and a half% is is not doing what we needed to do. that that all of our services are are suffering. Um the decision was made not to go for an override this year. The warrants were
closed and so what what we've what we've been told is that we you know stabilization funds were used last year. They don't foresee using those again this year. And so I
mean we all have to vote the way we need to vote. But I I would say I I do not foresee a situation where the town is coming back either town is coming back to us um with I'm going to say call them
miracle monies because I don't know what else to call them. Understood. Yeah. All right. I didn't quite understand. You said something like hypothetically if we voted on one budget or another and like the override something happened
with the override then like $800,000 would be cut from like Okay, I'm sorry. Yeah, that's no problem. Budgets are complicated. So, let me help you let me go through that again. So essentially when
a school committee can vote whatever budget we need to vote for and then that gets put on to the town warrants. So onto the Philipsson town warrant and onto the Templeton town warrant and then the citizens at large have a chance to vote yes for that number or no. If they
vote yes for that number and it is above what those towns budgeted, then they would have to cut services from elsewhere in order to make that budget match
up. If they vote no to that larger amount, then what you hope happens is that an alternate number gets settled on the floor. Um but at that point that number can be determined or or suggested
by citizens at large and is no longer within the purview of the school committee. The other option is that if it gets voted no then it can go into what's called 112th which is essentially where the state steps in and there's special meetings and whatnot. But you would do a better job of describing I'll
just use last year since just last year. So last year um through the process the town temple said you know what we're going to meaning at the select level okay that at this level so we're going
to give you $400,000 warrant and I'm rounding if I'm off please forgive me we're going to we're going to do it this way right so that made the warrant all of that made the warrant so there was the budget our budget included this $400,000 that the that the tower was
going to give us more. Okay. Well, it made to the warrant. It went to the town right on the town floor at the meeting. So, that was discussed. So, two votes had to happen. One, if they were going to uh one to move money
from the stabilization, thank you. The stabilization account that had to happen first. Okay. So, that got appropriated and then then the vote for the school budget happened. Okay. So the decision to give, if I'm going to
make it just bit plain, the decision to even consider giving more money to the school from the town of Templeton's perspective happened truly at the initially at the select board level. Okay, that's what they voted to at least put it to the people. It had to be voted
in once we once you know we went to town meeting. In this case there there there there is no off right. there is no um extra money or whatever how else you want to put it. So there, you know, Templeton, again, I'm not just picking on Templeton, just
either town said, "Look, we're not we don't have any other money to give you. We're not going to do a two and a half over. That's not even up for debate, right?" Because it didn't make the warrant that it didn't even get considered. So there is no mechanism, right, to to, you know, to raise or to
give funds other than if if it passes on the floor, it's it happens. Okay? And so now then Templeton, again, we keep using just Templeton, that now they've got to find somewhere in their existing budget $884,000, which means a cut to whatever
how many services. And I don't pretend to know, but it would be fairly it' be fairly biblical, right? Uh it would I don't know what it would be, but it would be a lot. So we went into last year hoping that the the folks would vote affirmative in both towns to that
increase, and they and they did it. there is no such um offer in that in that case. And so in in essence and if I'm off, Mr. To please correct me. I do not want to be wrong here, but the towns are asking us is just to consider or to vote on a budget
that's 2 and a half% over last year's monies. That's that's in essence what is being asked. Um and so that is what we're you're considering. In essence, that is correct. Okay. Sure.
I don't want to speak that. I'd like to get a shower on the floor. Just asking me to give you a second. I'll give you a second. Can I ask another question, Jennifer? Yes. Sorry, just so many questions. Yeah. Um because I just, you know,
there's a there's a lot of things that Mr. Ivan that I actually wrote down here as well that that fascinating me and I just want to make it publicly aware it is not this committee's job to decipher cuts. Is that correct?
That's correct. Thank you. We vote on the budget and then um it is the the folks who have all the knowledge of the because we don't have the knowledge of the students the students needs etc. Um we so we would be it would not fall within our authority
certainly we can express our hopes opinions but at the end of the day those cuts are not up to us. What I will say is I know many different scenarios were considered, none of
them some of them made me more nauseous than others. And I don't while I don't love what's at the table today um as as they were planning and contacted me to say, "What do you think?"
Um, it's not the worst plan I saw. No, that's fine. I just I had some things written down here that I agreed with some of the statements that he made and I just wanted to show that the public was aware that that is the case. The bigger motion
to move forward vote with the level service budget of 1,686,978. your level service budget would be 26,168. So just clarify that original that's the original
search 6,168,110 $10. Daniel questions or comments. There are no questions. I can move that to a roll call. Sean,
yes. No. Yes. Heather Jack. Yes, I have to say that was so that's no pornos risks. There anyone who'd like to put an
alternate motion on the floor as that first vote failed. Then what I would propose is I would entertain a motion that the Narroance at Regional School District School Committee Committee vote
and certify the amount of $25,285,000 to $285,23. So I'll repeat that for clarity. $25,285,23 for the FY26 budget which for clarity so there's a lot of numbers going in here would be the Templeton 2
and a half% moved motion by Heather and a second by Hank. Any questions or comments? Sucks. Yeah. Yeah, I I'm going to look you all in the
eye again. I would not be doing this if I did not think that it would be hugely detrimental to both our towns and the services that all residents rely on. I need you to hear me on that because this is not what we want to be
doing. But we have an obligation to our towns just as much as we have an obligation to our students and our staff, teachers or administrators. Any further questions or
comments? Seeing none, I will again do a roll call vote. Hank, hi. Sean, no. Chrissy, Danielle, no. Heather, yes. death. No. And I say
yes. So that passes from here. I'm going to proceed through the various votes required to close out the budget. I would entertain a motion that the Mirro Dancet Regional School District
School Committee vote the estimated income of 13 million $40,917 for the FY26 budget which is based on the chapter 78 aid from the governor's house one budget submission.
Motion by Hank second. Second by Heather Roll call. Hey. Hi. Sean. No. Daniel. No. Heather.
No. And I say yes. So that passes for three. I would entertain a motion that the Naraganset Regional School District School Committee vote the estimated income of $64,769 for the FY26 budget which is
based on the chapter 71 aid from the governor's house one budget submission. So motion by Hank second by Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank. Hi.
Sean, no. Chissy, Danielle, Heather, yes. Jack, and I say yes. So that passes 4 to3. I would entertain a motion that the
Naraganset Regional School District School Committee vote the estimated income of $35,471 for the FY26 budget which is based on the charter school reimbursement from the FY26 cherry sheet estimates.
Motion by Hank, second by Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank, hi. Sean, no. Chrissy, hi. Danielle, no. Heather, hi. Jeff,
and I say yes. So, that passes 4 to3. I would entertain a motion that the Narroans Regional School District School Committee vote the estimated income of 545,000 for the FY26 budget, which is based on the FY24 certified excess in
deficiency. Motion by Hank. Second, second by Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank. Sean. No. Chrissy. Danielle. No. Heather.
Jeff. And I say yes. So that passes 43. I would entertain a motion that the Narroans at Regional School District School Committee vote the estimated income of $200,000 for the FY26 budget which is based on the FY26 Medicaid
receipts. Motion by Hank. Second by Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank. Hi. Sean, no. Mercy Danielle Heather
Jeff and I say yes. So that passes 4 to3. I would entertain a motion that the Narroans Regional School District School Committee vote the assessment amount to Templeton in the amount of 8,787,299. Motion by Hank second by
Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank, hi. Sean, hello. Chrissy, I. Danielle, no. Heather, Jeff. And I say yes. So that passes 4 to3.
I would entertain a motion that the Narroansit Regional School District School Committee vote the assessment amount to Philipston in the amount of 2 million71,747. Motion by Hank. Second. Second by Heather. Any questions or comments?
Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank, hi. Sean, no. Chrissy, hi. Danielle, Heather, hi Jeff. And I say yes. So that passes 4 to three. That ends our budget actions.
What I will say is folks who want to see things change in this town, we've got to hear your voices. We've got to see you at these meetings. Folks, we can't just hear from people who are on Facebook. And
so I am really dedicated to working the chairs across our towns so that we can all work together towards a solution that funds all the services that these towns needs. Uh technically appearance has come next but I can see that our student
representative came and went um as I'm sure she had other commitments for the evening. Um NDEA you have you have a space if you'd like to use it. Yes, absolutely. Um so with that number um
presented to the towns it's going to equal 883,000 dollars in cuts to the school district um more than half of which uh teachers union will bear the burden of and once again I think you as a school committee and as a voter who supports
you the school committee thinks that you have to have a way to put pressure on superintendent um even though he is the person that presents those cuts and I'm obviously going to put pressure on as well to make sure those cuts impact students the least um and the services we provide as professionals employed by you for those
students. And so I'll make it very clear to him and our union will make it very clear to him that we want to see a fair share of those cuts that are going to hurt our school come from all different parts and not just um the teaching staff
and and even more importantly among the teaching staff the middle school. um which I think is also u something that you guys should put some pressure on him to consider as well especially considering what the class sizes are going to do once he pulls those uh unified arts people. Um other than that
um I I think you guys are are taking a course that's difficult one to take. Um it cannot be easy. I mean I've as long as many of you have and um I'm I'm I'm kind of tired of it too. always always
doing this um in Templeton and um we we we need to do something to change how our town perceives its uh responsibility, its social responsibility and um uh that's a that's
a bigger question, but I'd be glad to work with you all and have a how to approach that bigger question of changing the the social mood of the town. Um, as I always say to the superintendent, I want them all. I I want police at my house at night. I want
fire if I have an emergency. I want my library open. Um, I want the senior center to be fully funded. Heck, I want it to grow. Um, I'm willing to pay my fair share and more to make my town robust in its services.
Um and um we we need to think about how we can get that message out to I know fault of people at town meeting the those of us that go where is it at town meeting right it's like 80 of us there's thousands of registered
voters um that don't have a say. So maybe we can sit down at our LMC and start talking about what we can do as a school community to to really promote support of our our town services both towns.
Philip sign thank you. We have a lot of big business on the agenda for this evening, not just budget. Madam Chair, I'm going to defer to Hank. I'm sorry, Mr. But I again I was feverishly
searching through a vote a budget vote my notes I don't know that is a question I have always always writer. I only ask because I don't I'm
sure people are googling fiercely this one our defunct um reasonable agreement as you know is circuit 1950 depending on which one you know involved with Bill Templeton
regional school committee budget to be approved it requires a twothird vote of the regional school committee but so hold on okay we haven't passed law I just want to season. I apologize madam chair. I
should have seen make sure before I interrupt it. Now, so it doesn't say our post. Mass [Music] General. Regional district school committee by a 10:30 vote of all its
members shall annually determine the amount necessary to be deducting a district pursuant to section to maintain an operated district. afraid we're at a stale eight and we need to invest a bunch of absolutely wanted to make sure before I
said doesn't help now trust me that doesn't give us much Oh she she's I'm I'm going to have to I do not see anything in our policies and I do not
see anything. I'm quite a search of the regional agreement. Mass law, but so mass law will trump that. So my friends Math is not math thing.
Yeah, don't correct. Yeah, I've got two math teachers at this table. I'm in trouble if I uh don't don't do my correctly. I mean, that's my next question again for based on database. Don't based
on how many there are. We're getting we're getting I understand everyone is having a lot of conversations for understandable reasons. Um but we're being informed that cameras are picking it up and they're and folks online won't be able
to hear. So um I'm sorry Sean. So my question is is it based on the number of people that are up here is based on the number of seats on the board because that math is going to track differently. But if it was based on the number of seats on the
board, the eight human who physically does not exist in this moment would be counted as an abstain. Um because they are not here to vote. So and and at which point if they're counted as an abstain,
check the castle, I suppose. But either way, it still doesn't m the math still doesn't math. Okay. Well, there are certainly situations where people So, so, so there are
three options at hand. One of those is that we reconsider service and redo that vote and if folks should wish to change their
vote that that is one possibility. Possibility number two is that we reconsider the Templeton 2 and a half%. See what those votes are. Possibility number three is that someone
makes an alternate motion. Did I miss anything? Hank, I saw you holding a four finger, so I didn't know if I missed the fourth option. Fourth option. All right. Go back to the finance sub committee to
come back next month because the town's already got the whether we do we have to do it before April 15th is the last day, right? You still have March 30th. We have to certify by March 30th. Our next Yeah. So
we still have time. I bet another lot of discussion between 30th. Yeah. A next week and Tuesday, May the 30. Well, and we have to certify that we also have to meet with finance and then
we'd also have to meet as a school. Fourth option. All right, it's fourth option. Four thoughts. I was going to say are you looking for I propose the fourth option if we're exploring motions. My concern with the fourth
option is getting everyone's schedule getting warm at all those meetings you know getting everyone back into this room um etc. I'm not saying that it can't be done, but if we could please remember
that within those 10 days, there is a weekend and the state does not allow me to include the weekend when I post meetings. They don't count as days. So, if I needed to post a finance and facilities meeting, I would need to
post it this evening for the Tuesday. So, I'd have to post it with three days notice. I past the time of day that we would have the meeting. So we would meet on Tuesday and I would
also have to post this evening for next th still within Philips next Thursday and we're presenting to Philips next Thursday. As much
as it feels more comfortable to postpone, I I don't see that as a as the most viable option. I think we either need another
motion on the table or we have to have a very real discussion about what's at stake here. And I will tell you, I do not I will be honest with you. This is why I voted the way I voted. I wanted a level service budget.
That's why we pushed forward with the level service budget. We all did. We all did. We all did. That said, I don't see different information coming from our tests. I I we have already been told by by um
not Philipston themselves, but the former Oh gosh, what was Melany's former title? Philips assistant town administrator that her her look at Phil's books said they could not afford another override
this year because they already did one last year. Um I is now it feels to vote yes. You have to look at the long-term ramifications what would happen to the town and we have to
play the long game. We have to do what's good for the town and our school in the long run not just this year. Sean. Yeah. And to be clear, I vote yes. Uh based on the premise that I mean as as Joy said, we want a level service budget. I don't dream getting level
service budget, but then past the talents have an opportunity to reflect and we have an opportunity to work together to come up with something in the middle where it's either impacts both the town and the school and I understand that we don't understand what that number looks like right this second. But if by pushing
these meetings perhaps those conversations do get an opportunity to take place. Last year I had an essence that that would happen that we would get a favorable response and that's why I bunched to the budget at that time the
way that it was written. This time around I do not have that. You're just taking my word for it. I I totally understand that. I'm the one who's sitting in those chairs meetings, but I did not. And you know, Dr. Cass and I invite you or Danielle, I invite
you to speak as well as you you both were in the chairs meetings as well. I guess no faith. I just thought we had a relatively healthy I'm going to call it all all boards meeting, but I I don't know if that's what we're defining it as advisory board in the select portal
here. Yeah. Thank you. Wonderful. Uh and I and I did think that that was you know u healthy you know as it as it is the school is our communities school of both
communities that opportunity chair I was just again I was thinking about they did not they did not um as I said signal Um any anything other than the two and a half I'll be very candid. Um I've
received three emails today already uh in various formats um saying the same saying the same thing. Um again I just want to make sure that um we remember I just want to make sure that we
understand that we have gone down this road before. Um there's three agree all board of all district meetings and they lowered the amount on the floor meeting. I'm going to say that
because that's what happened. Okay. Um these are not it's like watching your house burn quite frankly you know cutting these positions that we've worked hard you know and we do need there was someone who said uh these you know it's between what you
need what you want. Well, I want be able to have these type of services for kids. Okay. But what I also is that the last time we went through this and I'm going to say we did not receive much support at all and we lost three times
in a row. Got close in the end. Uh yes. Um but in the end they lowered the budget even more. Um and we had to cut right. So I'm going to say to you that it would be different for me if there was just this outcry of
support people sitting there the entire time voting what you know what they feel that did not happen we lost by at least you could look it's all online and so that is my concern because I will say we cannot go into
112 if I go into 112i I if the district goes into 112 what does that mean we have to use FY25 five monies. They break it down into 112ths and then they give that to us and to the town too and we have to make towns
plural. Um and then we have to make do. We are too big to do that. I I'm going to say that. So we they know that everyone knows that I can't go into an FY with FY25. That means I'm gonna have to paint
slip X just in case because I can't go into a budget here that's not balanced. That's against obviously the law, the rules. So, we start getting into some we start getting into some I'm not again it's I know how I sound, but that's what
happened. And people who said we're going to be there were not. And we got we got kicked around pretty good. Let's put it that there's there's a saying I won't say. And so I'm just going to tell you that everybody's good
here until it gets there. And so that that, you know, until that changes somehow or I see better support. I I'm going to tell you that's how I see it going. And so I'm trying to preserve what I what I can. I don't agree with it. Of course, I you know, can we talk
different cuts? Sure. But they're going to have to equal $884,000 because they can reduce that number lower. You just heard what the local what what our you know what our threshold is. I'm just going to say it because that's what happened and we
weren't prepared for that when we went into those meetings. We were well it was just yeah us left. We were not prepared for what happened to us by that third meeting.
So I I yes I agree with you. The the multi board the tri board meeting was was excellent actually. There was great dialogue, great conversation, lots of participation which is exactly what you want from multi-board. I mean having listened to
the advisory meet every advisory meeting every select board meeting sat in the select board meeting last night had the chairs meetings. While I think everyone I I mean everyone wants to give everyone the money that they need.
There's nobody that doesn't want to give folks the money that they need. But the the information I received at all of those was not favorable to level service. And every single one of those we were being pushed towards the
Templeton 2 and a half% So, we're not prepared to go into the meetings with a level service function. Are we prepared to make $882,000 worth of cuts? Okay. Are we
prepared to do that? So, I understand the position of the town. I understand what we're hearing from. Okay. And I do appreciate that. Okay. We've worked for many years to do this. It's not like we don't know what's coming. Okay? We've had this discussions. We've
had them open. We've done this. Okay? Our responsibility this table here is for students to do the best for the students. So, what I'm hearing now is is what you're telling me if we go into
this with a level service budget. That's not what's going to best for students. So we get cut at the floor without support. We get cut at the floor. That is not going to be the best thing. No, you're right. I mean, yes. So
we are so we are so so so what we're thinking is that heading it off with $883,000 and then going to the reduced budget would be better. is what you're saying. I again think it's one of those
you would rather use your leg or your arm. I think they're both bad. The fact of the matter is though it can be worse and that's and I'm going to say this because that's what happened to us last time. Now you get almost emotional about it because it was horrible, right? Never mind the name calling and all that
stuff. Whatever that happens, whatever. Yep. So have it on Facebook last night. Whatever cares. But the fact is that they actually both and it passed overwhelmingly and we we couldn't stop we could not stop that trend. The last thing that was said to
me and I won't mention who said it and said it can get worse. So that's when they came back school committee again. There's only three of us four of us here and that's when they voted on a lower number. I'm just saying that really happened. Okay, for real and people who
said they're going to show up didn't and some people did a lot. So, by the way, if you're looking there, we know. We know. We know who was there. We know, right? But the people, there were lots of people who said they were going to be there and it was softball games.
Oh my god. Oh, jeez. Now, it's dinner and they didn't show. And I'm going to tell you that happened. And And so, we actually paid more for that by going that third time because we were told that we were going to have support. And I got to tell you, we definitely had
more support than we had the first two meetings. lost by seven votes, six votes that last time. Okay. And so, yeah, but that's when they lowered it again. So, I'm just saying that I don't want it to get worse for God's sakes, right? Um I'm
just I'm worried about that. I don't want to do this at all. Well, let me also say going through the previous budget presentations, we've actually had more in the room here. We have a great turnout tonight, but it's not something that we have regularly. Can I tell you
honestly? I won't I'm not even looking at anybody because I don't want to think that I'm looking at them. All right. Look at you. Ready? Half these people aren't residents. I know exactly how many residents we had. I knew exactly how many residents we had at those meetings because those lists are public as you
know. And you can pull them and you can count. Guess what? We didn't get that. Okay. I'm not going to look at any. They're going to think I'm talking to them and I'm not. Okay. The people who did show sat in a section without
any the non section where I'm at, right? It's probably the worst place to be. That's right. But uh but anyway, but I was lost. So, but they didn't show. They did. People here have they're not from town. Yes, there are some, but that's my
concern. Just saying. I guess what I I said this earlier, so I'm going to repeat it for the sake of repeating it. If the people in this town want to see something different, then that is not a couple of
months effort. That's a many months effort. And so my other concern is that even if I don't know who to look at, even if every person in this audience who is a resident showed up, it still may not be enough because in most of our town
meetings, 3% of the town's population makes a decision for 100%. And there are lots of folks who do not know what town government needs and requires. And that is not a knock on the people that show up because God bless them for showing up and getting the job
done. But there are lots of folks who don't understand what it takes or understand what it means. And and no matter how determined folks are, that is not going to change in two months. That's going to take time and energy and
rallying and effort. And Facebook is really, really loud in these towns, let's face it. And right now, if I look at the temperature on Facebook, it is not in favor of level service.
So, madam chair, let me ask you, if we have a proposed budget on the floor, how are you asking? So, we don't have a motion on the floor. Didn't pass. You didn't pass. You didn't? No, just no. In the two/3.
Yeah, you have two. So that was so So the vote was moved. I could have saved a lot of Sorry. reading the motion here put forth the reduced budget of
$25,285203 25,285,23 so moved by Jeff second second by Jane any questions or comments Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank, hi. Sean,
Chris 85. Danielle, no. Heather, hi. Jeff, yes. And I say yes. So that we have two/3s this time. Got to go through these again, right? Okay, here we go. I would
entertain a motion that the Narensa Regional School District School Committee vote the estimated income of 13,40,917 for the FY26 budget which is based on the chapter 78 from the governor's house one budget submission. Motion by Hank, second by
Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call voting. That's okay. Sean Daniel. Yes. And I say yes. So that passes with
a twothird vote. I would entertain a motion that the narensit regional school district school committee vote the estimated income of $64,769 for the FY26 budget which is based on the chapter 71 aid from the governor's gospel budget submission.
Motion by Hank. Second. Second by Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank, hi. Sean, no. Chissy, hi. Danielle, Heather, Jack, and I say yes. So that passes 2/3. I
would entertain a motion that the Narroanset Regional School District School Committee vote the estimated income of $35,471 for the FY26 budget which is based on the charter school reimbursement from the FY26 cherry sheet
estimates. Motion by Hank. Second by Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call. Hank. Sean, no. Chissy, Danielle, no. Heather Miss Jeff and that passes with twothirds of vote.
I would entertain a motion that parents at Regional School District School Committee vote the estimated income of 545,000 for the FY26 budget which is based on the FY24 certified excess and deficiency. Motion by Hank, second by Heather.
Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote Hank. I don't Chrissy. Hi, Danielle. Heather, yes. Jeff, yes. And that passes with a two/3s vote. I would entertain a motion that the Narroans at Regional
School District School Committee vote the estimated income of $200,000 for the FY26 budget, which is based on the FY26 Medicaid receipts. Move. Motion by Hank. Second by Heather. Any questions or comments?
Seeing none, roll call vote. Hank. Hi Sean. No Chrissy. Hi Danielle. Heather. Yes. Jack. Yes. And I say yes. So that passes with a twoth3 vote. I would entertain a motion that the Narrogates at Regional School District School Committee vote the
assessment amount to Templeton in the amount of $8,787,299. Motion by Hank. Second. Second by Heather. Any questions or comments? Seeing none, roll call vote. Hang. Hi. Sean, no. Chrissy, hi. Danielle, no.
Heather, yes. Jeff, yes. And I say yes. So that passes with a 2/3 vote. I would entertain a motion that the Arrogance Regional School District School Committee of the assessment amount to Philipsson in the amount of 2,71,747. Motion by Hank. Second, second by
Heather. Any questions or comments? Roll call. Hank. Hi. Sean, no. Chrissy, hi. Danielle, Heather, yes. Jack, and I say yes. So, that passes with a two-thirds vote. And I apologize, folks, that I did not have that information in
my head when we did the first round of votes and you had to hear me do it twice. Thank you for everyone. I know that was exceptionally difficult. I'm going to offer if the school committee stay recess for a moment um a five minute
recess um just because I know that that was a long session. still have. then we can pick up all the noise. All right. Um, so we have uh a number of items to get through tonight and I apologize. I know this is turning into a really long meeting, but this is all really important work to get done as we
move forward so that we can make sure that people have access to the right information about what has happened and how we intend to move forward. The first of those is an update around the regional agreement. Um, so Chris, can I
hand it over to you? I'm going to see Um, do we have a do we have a written copy of it or is it all I gave you the language? I gave you a copy of the language. Well, what I can tell you is that we've created time. Okay. And
um because what what what it's taken a long time and why was the chosen well been 18 very very very long months trying to get to a regional agreement. It took 18 months
just to get it to a a draft and we still sit here today without regional agreement. So, but I've got to thank you because it's sorry just dead. So, so ultimately, and I certainly won't read
every word of this you don't want me to, but what we've created is a timeline of events, not just from my perspective, not just because what I think happened. Um, we took them by the documents and
emails, etc., literally, um, as a backup to show what happened when. Because when we were doing this, I I have to tell you that I had forgotten quite a bit just because it's been so long since we even
talked about it. So that's that's the regional agreement piece and it's going to be posted and we're going to upload it and look at it. Um I will say as a caveat that of course the only documents that I have are the things that either were sent to me or by me. Could there be
other information out there that could you know strengthen our look? I'm sure. I'm sure. This is just from Well, the only thing I want to add to that before you go into what we're trying to do this evening is some key just just the keys which is that the regional amendment
committee passed the regional agreement. From there it went to Desi and the towns for for review once Desi came back with their required changes. So think legal legal ease. Then the
school committee voted on it and the school committee voted and approved it and then it got passed to the towns to review and put on their warrants. The episode that from that point on regardless of what agreement that you
you subscribe to, okay, whether it be 77 the 04 version and all that, you're required to put it on the agenda. Pardon? you're required to put it on the warrant for consideration by the voters. Okay, that has absolutely been verified
above and beyond. So, what happened was that Philson did not put it on its warrant to be considered by the voters. Okay, Templeton did it passed but with an amendment. Okay, there was some confusion about can that actually
happen. Well, it did happen. It can happen. you they'd rather it not happen on the floor because then the cycle has to start all over again. Okay. So ultimately I was charged with like find out what the process is from here now that we've we've we have this and we
were told by Desi they actually did us a favor. They took the amendment that Templeton put on the floor and they checked it from their angle. Does it meet their their mustard? Yes, it did. That's good because it's it's one less
step after that we need to do. So that's great and it's we've added it to the draft. It's going to it's it's here for your review. Okay. So what's going to happen is the board will vote whether they accept it or not. If it's accepted then what I'm going to do is say it's
going to send I'm going to send it to both towns but only Philipston needs to put it on it place it on its warrant. Okay? Because Tumbleton has already done that. It's their men. Okay. Um, there it is truthfully because at
that point it it's it's really in the hands of Philips then to put it on their warrant for consideration. So what we're trying to do right now is I'm going to describe it as getting out of the vortex. getting out of the vortex
of not moving forward because it it it took an incred I what I will share is that everyone we've spoken to has said that this is unprecedented going back any other regionals where this has happened and they didn't quite know what
to do and so what they what we have figured out between DESIE as well as consultation with our legal is that we need to vote on that amendment as Dr. C pointed out, then it will be sent to Philipsson. Once it's sent to Philipsson, they will again have to
decide whether they put it on their warrant or not. What I want to be clear about is if they decide to put it on their warrant, then it will go to their voters for a vote. They can pass it, they can not pass it. It's up to them and you would figure out actions from there. If they do not put it on their
warrant, that is then it sits outside of the purview of the school committee as we've discussed with the select board and the advisory board of Templeton and that the Templeton select board and advisory board would have to determine what actions to take with Philips. So, I want to say that just because there's
been tons of confusion about what happens next and so do feel like we've got our what was it if then diagram um better laid out. Uh but but in order for any in order for us to get out of the
vortex, this is why I am this is why we're bringing this forward to the school committee with Templeton's amendment. So, I would entertain a motion to approve the regional agreement as further amended and voted by the town of Templeton at their May 10th, 2023 annual
town meeting, which revised the agreement by striking section VIG2 as proposed and replacing it to read two. All capital costs in town-owned buildings used by the district shall be aortioned among the
member towns based on their respective student enrollments in the prek through 12 district. Motion by Daniel second by Heather. Any questions or comments about the motion on the board? I actually want to read I want to read
the second time. I'm sorry. 112. This is from Any questions or comments? Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed.
Abstained. And I say yes. So that moves forward with a vote of six in favor, one one against. Okay. Our next order of business, um, Templeton Working Group.
Um, so, so what I we put this on here because there's a lot there's been a lot of conversation and so we wanted to make sure that we had a space um, should we need it. What what I want to what I want to use this space for is to correct some
information that's out there, which is that we are actually in favor of a working group to identify options to move the district forward, look at potential cost savings, etc. There's been a lot of buzz that we
don't like this. What we struggled with was knowing what to tell folks when they called because it got released on social media and we we were not informed before it was released on social media. So, we weren't we weren't sure what to tell people and the way that it was worded
released on social media was that it's a working group for the town of Templeton to leave the district. Since then, we've had really good conversations to learn that the purpose of the working group is that is not a foregone conclusion. That the purpose of the working group is
really to dig into potential cost savings, multiple different scenarios, including possible expansion of the district, etc. So, they're they're looking at a lot of different scenarios. They've they've asked for some great information from the district. We're fully cooperating with them. And so I
wanted to make it very clear that this the spirit of the working group is something that we are supportive and actively working with that working group to support it. You know again in the in the spirit of correcting information. We were never against the working group. It
was always just how it came through that created a lot of chaos. You know calls from John Zlotnik etc. um and we didn't have a good response in that moment because we we didn't have the chance to prepare. Now that we understand and we've been able to get
more information on it, I think this is a great way for folks to get more informed, learn more about, you know, districts and we have, you know, from the information they requested today, we've been able to um work towards fulfilling that. And I think just as a
reminder to probably maybe the newer board members district obtained a grant from Destiny to do exactly that. We we it was a regionalization grant, but what it was is about regionalization of um
services, right? And so we had we sent out an RFP. We did all that and um Dave's group came in and they did a you know like again I think pretty pretty it was during CO so it was again for where we were kind of stuck what we could do.
They did a nice job of identifying, you know, u some regionalized services that we could, you know, we could utilize. And there's a next step to those type of regionalization grants if you if you plan to go forward, but you but at that point, another district or another
entity has to um has to sign on with you because they're not just going to let you keep, you know, checking out this out from one side of it. And we had a partner. We've we we've we have had several conversations with Winonin um and it they I say several because it's
it's every time they change a superintendent, you know, I kind of worked it into the conversation because we started this well quite a few years ago. So to the point where I'm now receiving phone calls from Richmond for
example because they'd like more information just to get some you know information on what is regionalization because if you're not regional you don't you don't understand and and so the point the point I'm trying to make here is that I'm
absolutely all for it. You know, I think that if we were just part of just the conversation a little bit sooner, we could have given them the report so maybe they could take it another direct. It doesn't matter. They're going they have the report if they haven't asked for it already. They've asked for a ton.
So, I'm going to assume they haven't. Um, and we have other information that I'm going to share that I don't know that they know. Um, there was a, you know, a study done for um another district that, you know, people kind of use as a template. So
fact is that we're we're really all for that. We've we're checking into we checked into it as well. I don't know how it all kind of spiraled out of control as bad as it did, but the fact is that it was never about the re that that group. I think it's I don't know who's on it to be very candid. I don't
know when it meets or anything like that, but you know, we've Holly and I have had conversations about information just as Jen said. So whatever we assistance we could be we will be. Um so far so good I
guess. Next point in business um so board docs which is the platform on which we load agendas, minutes etc. Uh they were bought out by a company called Diligent um several years ago. Um, and
as what happens when companies buy out other companies, eventually they force you to move into their platform. Um, and they eliminate the old platform. Um, so we reviewed this, looked at costs um, at
the discharge operation our last district operations meeting and voted to pass it through uh, to the school committee. um this as much as it's an ask, it's also a requirement of those the nature
of these things. Um and so the cost is $7,700 now. It was previously it's 5700. No, it's Thank you. Um, so essentially they are they are
waving the cost to do the platform upgrade which is a darn good thing because they're not giving us any choice. Um, I did check with Ann Marie. Um, there's not, you know, there's no requirement to go out to bid. We also
don't have a lot of time here to do this by the end of the month, but this is something we'll look a little bit closer in. next time we have an opportunity to, but I'm asking to move this forward because if we can't post our meetings and we can't post our minutes, we go out of compliance with open meeting law and that causes all kinds of headaches that
we don't want. Um, so I would entertain a motion to approve the transition from board docs to diligent and the associated 7,700 yearly cost. So moved. Motion by Heather, second by Sean. Any questions
or comments? Yes, just to be clear, it's a $2,000. is a true best dollar increase, right? Are we getting any additional features with that $2,000 increase that are worth noting? We attended the meeting. Yeah, I haven't No, I haven't had a chance
to so I do want to know, but it's operated. I'm sure it's got all kinds of bells and whistles. So, we're hoping it's less bug. Yeah, we we don't enjoy the bugs and board dogs. Any other questions or comments? Um so just to clarify um what next steps will be is
we'll schedule a meeting to better understand what that looks like figure out um what transition um will be um Heather was volunteered volunte well she takes care of our policy so she she posts a lot of the
policy so I need someone there who who takes care of policy to really understand what the changes are there. So we have a motion on the table. Any other questions or comments? Seeing none, all in favor? I opposed abstained and I say yes. So that is
unanimous. We have a donation this evening. Is someone prepared to speak to that? given from Mary. She's families a bass drum mallet bass drum brand new condition. It's valued at $75 and she'd
like to donate into excellent. I would entertain a motion to accept the donation of a base mallet from Mary Martin valued at $75. Motion by Sean. Oh, second by Jeff. Any questions or
comments about the bass jaw mallet? You never have too many drums. Uh and please do please do pass along our thanks to Miss Martin. Seeing none, all in favor
opposed. And I say yes. And we in our final piece of business have the next year's school calendar to review. confident at the beginning of the show.
Um so we have a representative committee that um includes um federal teachers and representation across um all our buildings. Um the which is called the calendar committee, right? Appropriately name. Um calendar committee met. They
reviewed two different wraps of the school calendar for next year. Um one starting before Labor Day, one starting after Labor Day. um with a few different considerations for um dates. There was some conversation around know where the holidays fell and um so forth. And so
what you have in front of you is the draft um school calendar that is recommended from that committee. Some of the major changes you'll see is um includes moving professional development days from Fridays to Wednesdays. Um that was actually a request from um from
administration and teachers um because our attendance rates have been challenging on Friday. Staff attendance rates have been very challenging on Fridays. And so the rationale was thinking moving those midweek would support a better time. That also allowed us to shift some of our other half day
dates later in the week. So you'll see like parent teacher conference dates shifted from midweek then to towards the end of the week. So there's less disruption for students um in the middle of the week through those half days. Um outside of that
there it's it was kind of pretty straightforward. Uh it was pretty much a unanimous vote on the committee um to look at um coming back date on the calendar. Um and we just one of the things we always make sure is that our
graduation date will align um our sorry our um last day of school will align so our graduation date can be within so many days for our seniors um to align with with actually all around that as well. So um this is the calendar that the committee put forward
and that have an observations question. And I noticed that the half day PD days are on different days of the week than what it's been typical. They're in the middle of the week. Yes. I Yes. Okay. So, historically, we've done them. In the
past, years ago, they were midweek. Yeah. Um so, we've shifted them from Fridays to Wednesdays at the recommendation of both the administrators and the teachers. Um because there's been a challenge with teacher absences on Fridays. Um staff I should say, I'm sorry, staff absences on
Fridays. um which we're addressing but also um there were variety of different reasons for that too. So sure motion which was to accept the 2025 2026 school calendared. Any questions or comments?
Second. Seeing none all in favor. I oppose abstain and I say yes. So that is unanimous. Um any closing comments this evening? Yeah. How about a bright spot? I did get the opportunity to go to the NDP
building today. You all should go. Um I'm telling you we need to continue to do that. that is that's a very good thing for our students who want to enter those um fields
of blue call. So just just FYI you should go. It was it was very it was very good and and and want uh thanks to the superintendent Tom Brown and uh I don't know what her position is but
thank you That's awesome. I'm really glad that she got to go see that. So, it's on my it's on my list, but unfortunately, I've had a lot of meetings that have taken me away from and Christopher did attend with me as well. So, excellent. And I appreciate you
taking I have a comment to follow comment too. So, let me just Okay. Well, I don't know if everybody knows, but just a quick note that tomorrow is March 21st. It is World Down Syndrome Day. In the heart of every
person with Down syndrome uh and their loved ones lies a powerful dream, a world where everyone is accepted, understood, and loved unconditionally. While this idea is something we should strive for every single day, tomorrow offers a dedicated opportunity to celebrate the lives and achievements of
individuals with Down syndrome. Let's use this day to raise awareness, challenge stigmas, and empower individuals with Down syndrome to live full meaningful lives, pursuing their passion and contributing to their unique talents uh to our communities. So, if you know anybody with Down syndrome
syndrome, please give them an extra hug or a high five and wear mismatch mismatching socks. Mismatching socks. say that is the international my sign for the chron your support.
Thank you for waiting. Thank you. Yes. This is my 53rd budget and sometimes you win, sometimes you lose, but don't be sad because there's always next year. All right. Um I apologize. I have a typo
in the next meeting date. Uh the date is correct. April 17th, 2025. I copied over last year's and I forgot to change Wednesday to Thursday. So my apologies. So it is Thursday, April 17,
2025 at 5:30 p.m. Um the following week is April Vacation. So we kindly avoided that for everyone. We do not need executive session this evening. And so it is with great joy that I would anticipate a motion to second.
All thank you everyone.