one in policy 0142, the Robbinsville board of education shall be bound by pro provisions of the school ethics act. One of the first orders of business is the oath of office. We had three board members uh reelected. Uh Mr. Peter Goldberg, Mr. Jeffrey Pierro, and Mr.
Ragu Nandan. At this point, we'll stand up. Uh and we'll take our uh we'll swear everybody in uh after this meeting is over and before the special meeting. We'll take some photos as well with the family. >> Right hand two oaths. I
>> I >> Raunand >> do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I will support the Constitution of the United States >> that I'll support the Constitution of the United States >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and the Constitution of the State of New Jersey >> and that I will bear true faith and
allegiance to the same >> and that I'll bear true faith and allegiance to the same. to the governments established in the United States >> and to the government established in the United States >> and this state >> and this state >> under the authority of the people >> under the authority of the people. >> So help me God. >> So help me God.
>> The second one I state your name. I Ragunan >> do solemnly swear >> do solemnly swear >> that I possess the qualifications >> that I possess the qualifications >> prescribed by law >> prescribed by law >> for the office of member of a board of education
>> for the office of the member of board of education >> that I am not disqualified >> and I'm not disqualified >> as a purser pursuant to RS194-1 >> as a pursuant to RS1941 >> or disqualified nor disqualified
>> due to conviction of a crime >> due to conviction of a crime >> or offense listed >> or offense listed >> in NJSA 18A12-1 >> in NJSA 18A12-1 >> that I will faithfully >> and that I'll faithfully >> impartially
>> impartially >> and justly perform >> and justly perform >> all the duties >> all the duties >> of the office >> of the office >> according >> according >> to the best of my ability >> to the best of my ability. >> So help me God. So, help me go. Congratulations, gentlemen. Thank you.
[applause] I'll be taking roll call. Miss Bandukta, >> present. >> Dr. Gold >> here. >> Miss Hill D'Angelo >> here. >> Mr. Howard, absent. Miss Leman, absent. Mr. Nandon,
>> present. >> Mr. Goldberg, present. Dr. Pierro, >> here. >> Mr. Ray, >> here. >> Dr. Piso >> present. >> Myself, Mr. McCree, present. Mr. DeFazio,
>> and our board attorney, Mr. Carrick. >> Following we have a code of ethics of the board members. Uh, we're going to have to read we're going to read all of these. I'm going to go around uh starting Miss Hill D'Angelo with a uh
resolve pursuant to NJSA1 18A 12-21 that each member of the board of education has reviewed the New Jersey school board's member code of ethics. I will uphold and enforce all laws, rules, and regulations of the state
board of education and court orders pertaining to schools. Desired changes shall be brought about only through legal and ethical procedures. No, >> I will make decisions in terms of the educational welfare of children and will
seek to develop and maintain public schools that meet the individual needs of all children regardless of their ability, race, creed, sex, or social standing. I will confine my board action to policym, planning, and appraisal. and I
will help to frame policies and plans only after the board has consulted those who will be affected by them. >> I will carry out my responsibility not to administer the schools but together with my fellow board members to see that they are wellrun. >> I'll recognize that authority rests with
the board of education and will make no personal promises nor take any private action that may compromise the board. I will refuse to surrender my independent judgment to special interest or partisan political groups or to use the school for personal gain or for the
gain of friends. I will hold confidential all matters pertaining to the schools which if disclosed would needlessly injure individuals or the schools. In all other matters, I will provide accurate information and in concert with my fellow board members,
interpret uh interpret to the staff the aspirations of the community for its schools. >> I will vote to appoint the best qualified personnel available after consideration of the recommendation of the chief administration officer.
>> I will support and protect school personnel and proper performance of their duties. >> [snorts] [snorts] >> Have a motion on this. >> So moved. >> Second. Take roll call. Miss Ban Dupta.
>> Yes. >> Dr. Gold. >> Yes. >> Dangelo. [clears throat and snorts] >> Yes. >> Howard? >> Yes. >> Absent. Nonden. >> Yes. >> Oldberg. >> Yes. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Ray. >> Yes. >> We have some documents for for you gentlemen to sign that were reelected. We'll have to get them to you uh that you were sworn inbody else as well. Um at this point, we're going to be taking
nominations for the election of the board president. I just need one nom one person to nominate. There is no second. Okay. Once that person's people are nominated, uh do a motion vote. There's two people being nominated then run off.
Okay. >> We have any nominations for board president? Any nominations? Any nominations? Dr. Gold >> nominate Mr. Oldberg. >> Any other nominations? >> Nominations. Any other nominations?
Hearing none. May resolve the board. May I have a motion to approve? Resolve the board of education appoints Mr. Olberg to serve as board as the president of the Robinsville board of education effective on this day January 5 2026 to the next reorganization board.
>> So moved. >> So moved. Second roll call. Spandukta. >> Yes. >> Gold. >> Yes. >> Sangelo. >> Yes. >> Howard. Mr. Nandon. >> Yes. >> Goldberg.
>> Yes. >> Yes. Mr. >> Ray. >> Yes. Congratulations, sir. >> Congratulations. >> Moving on to the vice president. Yep. At this time, the uh we'll [clears throat] have to take nominations for the vice president for the board of education.
Um, at this time we'll take a nomination for the vice president of the board of education, the vice president of the board of education. Any nominees? >> Like to propose Dr. Jeff Peru. >> Jeffrey Piro has been nominated for the position of vice president. Any other nominations?
Any nominations? Can I have a motion to elect Dr. Jeff Pero as the vice president [snorts] of board of education? >> So moved. >> Second. Spanuka. >> Yes. >> Dr. Gold. >> Yes. >> D'Angelo. >> Yes.
>> Mr. Howard. >> Leman. Absent. Mr. Nandon. >> Yes. >> Mr. >> Alberg. >> Yes. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ray. >> Yes. >> Okay. Uh per board policy 0155, the board president appoints the following board committees and appointments for
calendar year 2026 as indicated. I will now read the nomination the uh appointees for each. One second. Okay. Business. Uh Dr. Pier will be the chair. I'll be the vice chair.
It'll be Mr. Nandon and Mr. Ray. Community relations, Mr. Nandon will continue as being the chair. Miss Mandukta is the vice chair. Miss Hildangelo and Mr. Howard at policy. Dr.
Gould will be the chair. Miss Leman will be the vice chair. Mr. Ray and Miss D'Angelo personnel, Miss Penduto will be the chair. U I'll be the vice chair. Uh Dr. Gould
and Dr. Pierro. We're adding a committee, the bond ad hoc committee for when the bond falls off in two years. Um I'll be the chair, Dr. Ghoul will be the vice chair.
Uh Mr. Ray and Mr. Mr. Nandon negotiations ad hoc Miss Bandupta the chair Mr. Nandon the vice chair Mr. Ray and myself
Robinsville Township leazison be myself and Dr. Piro continued uh the NJ board representatives shall be the same Dr. Piro and Miss Hill D'Angelo Mercer County Boards again stay the same. Dr. Piro and Miss Hill D'Angelo
and legislative leazison be myself and Dr. Piro. >> Yep. Time be allocated for public comment as at this meeting. Members of the public wishing to address the board of education on agenda items must state their name, municipality, and the group, if any, they represent. A member of the
public shall not be permitted to speak until he or she is recognized by the presiding officer. In accordance with district policy 0167, each comment shall be limited to three minutes. No participant may speak more than once. No dialogue between the speaker and the board and or superintendent shall extend
a threeminut uh time limit provided herein. Live streaming of the meeting shall be for viewing only. The public will not have the ability to participate in uh in public com uh session comments unless they are physically present at the meeting. Although the board encourages public comment, the presiding
officer can interrupt, warn, and or terminate a participant statement, question or inquiry when is too lengthy and may also interrupt and warn a participant when the statement, question or inquiry is abusive, obscene, and/or defamatory. Moreover, the presiding officer can request any person to leave the meeting
when the person does not observe reasonable decorum. In adherence to protocol established by the New Jersey School Board Association, the board will use the public comment uh period as opportunity to listen to resident concerns, but not to debate issues or to enter into question and answer session.
Issues raised by members of the public may require review and investigation and may or may not be represented by the responded to by the superintendent or the board during the meeting. All comments will be considered and a response be forthcoming if and when appropriate. >> Can I have a motion to open public
comment for a half an hour? >> So moved. Second. >> All in favor? >> I abstensions. Okay. Public comment on agenda items for the reorg is open. All right. Good evening everybody. Uh, happy new year. My name is Mike Todd from Rob, New
Jersey. Uh, I just wanted to congratulate uh, Pete, Jeff on your election. Uh, it's been a pleasure working with you the past couple years. Um, I know Pete and I had talked about two years ago when you took president first time when I was president of the council and uh, really made a concerted
effort to uh, increase our communications between the township and the school district. I think we did, you know, a great job. We were meeting actually monthly. Um, summertime not so much, you know, busy schedules, but I think we made good strides in doing so. Uh, and going to continue that uh
hopefully, you know, into uh the new year. Um, the council this year is going to add a second uh board of ed liaison. So, we'll have two official uh council members assigned to uh the with the board. I think it's important. We were doing that anyway as as the president. I
was just doing that. Um I thought it was a good idea. Um now I'll be leaving the council uh next week. Uh I wanted to ensure that there was always two people interfacing with the board especially now. So um we're going to continue that uh moving forward until probably for a
long time. So um that's really it. Uh congratulations uh Mr. President, Mr. Vice President again. Uh thank you for your service to the board and uh thank you very much. Have a good night. Any other public comment?
Okay. Thanks, Mike. Just going to say that before we close it out. So, I have a motion to uh close public comment. And are we and the meeting? >> So, moved. >> Oh, wait, wait, wait. I got to see if we can Can I adjourn the meeting?
No, there's more sections. >> So, there's a motion to co close the public comment session. >> So, moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> Absentions? [clears throat] >> Okay. >> All right. Um, the superintendent recommends that the board of education
approve the following appointments, board, business, and business operations actions. Do I have a motion? So, >> moved. Second. >> Any discussion? Span Dukta. >> Yes. >> Dr. Gold. >> Yes.
>> SA Angelo. Mr. Howard. >> Yes. >> Is absent. Mr. Nandon. >> Yes. >> Goldberg. >> Yes. Mr. Pierro. >> Yes. >> Mr. Ray. >> Yes. >> Passes unanimously. Thank you. [snorts]
>> Is there any old business? Any new business? All right, another public comment session for school related items. I'll not read the long passage again. Can I have a motion to open public comment for for half an hour?
>> So moved. Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any nays or absentions? [snorts] >> Public comment is open for related items. >> Hi guys, congratulations uh Nushin Canon Robbinsville. Congratulations again. And
I just have to say, you know, as a woman, um I don't have anything against you men, but I really wish that two women would have been sitting as vice president and president for this year. Just saying. Just just a joke. But anyway, uh I was going to ask you after
the meetings that we had that town hall, um what was the decisions that you guys made? What is the conversation? What is the forward going? Um I want to know that we are not going to kill the conversation. So what's going to happen? I like to have some more information. Um
what is the question that you are talking about putting on a ballot again? I want all that information, please. I do not I'm not going to wait for a month to uh for you guys to have the conversation about it. What's going to happen to the clubs? What happens to the
students? What happens to the teachers? What happens to everything? I want you guys let's start this year very beautifully with all transparency. So let's talk about it. Bring it out. I want to hear it. And please go into details. I would really really
appreciate details. details that we understand, not the mambo jumbo that we that some other people understand. So, thank you very much. >> Any other public comment on school related items? >> Could should we just say that this is the reorg part and like that this is
part two coming 10 minutes? >> Yes. Okay. Have a motion to close public comment. >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any extensions? >> Okay. And can I have a motion to close
the reorg portion of tonight's meeting? >> Moved. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> Any extensions? >> Thank you. >> Pictures. Yes. >> Don't worry. The New Jersey open public meeting law
was enacted to ensure the rights of the public to have advanced notice of and to attend the meetings of public bodies at which any body of any business affecting their interest is discussed or acted upon. In accordance with the provisions of this act, the Robbinsville Board of Education has caused notice of this meeting to be published by the having
the state of the date, time, and place thereof posted in the tranonian on December 23rd, 2025 and the township of Robinsville board no less than 48 hours in advance of the meeting. This notice was also posted at Sharon Elementary School, Pawn Road Middle School, and Robinsville High School. In accordance
with NJSA 18A2-24.1 and policy 0142, the Robinson Board of Education shall be bound by the provisions of the School Ethics Act. Roll call, please. >> Mr. Bandukta >> here. [snorts] >> Dr. Gold >> here.
>> D'Angelo >> present. >> Howard >> here. Leman is absent. Mr. Nandon >> here. >> Present. O >> here >> Ray >> present >> Dr.
>> present >> Mr. McCree present >> Fazio >> present >> and Mr. Carrick attorney forum sir thank you Mr. McCree um before I turn it over to Dr. Piso I just want to make make everyone aware that there
are two more public comment sections during this portion of the meeting for which Dr. Piso is going to be presenting now. So if if you weren't able to come up before, you'll have more opportunities this evening. Dr. Piso, superintendent for please.
>> Okay. Thank you, Mr. President. Um, okay. So, we we spent uh December and really um several months before that really defining what some of the challenges that we face are. Uh so what I have here today is going over some
some information again uh to kind of frame the discussion and then looking forward we're going to present options. Now, now understand that anything we present is for our community to consider. Uh we have come up with
various options and what our role is is not to advocate for any one solution but to lay out the details of each solution. Like I said, December the uh we tried to define the path that we're currently on
and where uh where we were headed absent uh any kind of intervention uh and what our responsibility now is to present viable solutions for the community to consider.
So, um, some of the things I I wanted to, uh, to cover to really kind of frame where we are, some of the issues that have come up. Um, we have been, um, I have been getting, uh, questions to me, um, by email. We've I've had several and
I'd like to thank the community members who who did that. And uh we will be not only not only do we answer but we take that information and then we'll be posting it on our website on that link that we've shared and we'll be uh sharing more widely if we do decide to
go forward with something today with what uh we're proposing. So uh please keep the questions coming. we will answer every question and we will make sure that we share with the wider community uh what the answer to the question is because I do see
consistency in regards to the questions and you know my uh my only uh request is if someone has a question ask it uh I can't answer a question that that isn't brought our way um I think the we want
to have the regular forms of of traditional communication where we can you ask you ask us a question, we're going to give you an answer. And I don't promise that every answer that I give will be something that um that people
will agree with. I said, and that's okay because ultimately any decision has to be based on collaboration and debate. And um I can only present the facts as I know it and based on what I've researched. And uh and your part is just as important as my part because we need
to find some way to to find a middle ground to be able to address our needs and to do it uh while we're uh sensitive to the needs of our our public because like I've shared before, what we do in education is expensive. We
know that and it's a big commitment. uh but it is also uh a a vital part of any community a school district. So there there is um an expense but there's also a a benefit and I think we provide an
excellent benefit here for our students. So um this first slide that we have up I hope everybody can see we have a couple of different [clears throat] displays. We wanted to make sure that that you could see this ing uh we didn't always tax to the full authority uh going to the cap. A cap is
meant to be punitive and we've stayed below that cap for many years. Um some of the things that rise are salaries as we're going to show. um most of our most of our money is going towards salary and benefits and and that's where it should go because we're about teaching students
and teaching involves an outstanding teacher in front of our classroom and that's what we have here. That's what we provide. Um so salaries and benefits, we're going to we're going to pull out those costs and show that that's where the um uh where the prime cost drivers
are. And all of this will be posted on our website. So, um if you don't catch everything today, uh we will have this posted and um please uh call, email, um uh available anytime. I'm going to get
into that later. Uh any any avenue by which we can answer your questions, we're happy to uh to do so. Uh some of the challenges with the rising cost, you know, the salaries and benefits, we also be aware of needs with special education, insurance, and transportation. I do have it's circled
in green utilities. Um we're going to cover later some of the things that we do in regards to cost savings. We're in a unique position because of some of the work that was done uh with the solar panels. Uh and and what
and yeah the solar panels are hard to miss. Uh so you know we see them in front of our schools but there's other things that happen behind the scenes in regards to efficiency and uh we have highly efficient uh equipment. The boilers here are state-of-the-art in
regards to this. It was equipment uh that's as efficient as I've ever seen and I am a licensed engineer and um that uh helps us with efficiency. Our preventative maintenance helps us with efficiency. So all of this is part of
it. So what what could be a problem in regards to utilities is mitigated uh here, but we still do have those other cost drivers. Um uh state aid reductions, federal aid decrease. I'll tell you, speaking to my colleagues in Mercer County, our other uh the other
superintendents, they are very concerned about state aid. talking about making up a gap um from what our local contribution is, but there is a a a possibility and even likelihood that we could be cut even further. Uh state aid
we're projecting is going to be cut $300,000 and you're talking about uh three or four teachers when you're talking about that kind of money, but it could definitely be there's no guarantee it's not higher and it's something that we have to be aware of. We we can't
budget off of best case scenarios. We need to look at what some of the challenges are. And I think we know that um federal aid some of the uncertainty and it's likely that that could decrease. We're not as dependent upon federal aid as maybe some other districts. Uh but every dollar counts.
Um limitations on the on the local tax revenue. We've talked about this before. Our our expenses when we when we first start uh $2.6 $6 million we're going up every year in expenses and our uh
ability to raise the levy is about 900,000. So we're starting out 1.7 in the hall every year and that's what we call a structural deficit. It's a reoccurring. It's not a matter of one time uh raising uh taxes by $1.7 million. it's going to
reoccur again because we do have this recurring structural deficit because we're not matching revenues to expenses. Uh so that's something that we're we're dealing with and and that's all what we're talking about with the structural uh budget uh shortfalls. We're usually
comes in about 2.2 million. We start out with 1.7, but once you figure in the other increases that we're going to be impacted by, it's it's going to be about 2.2 every year. Okay. Okay. What I wanted to show here is and
I you know we go back um you we go back uh you know several years here looking at the um actual uh tax increase against going to the cap and and with this example we're going back to 1718
and going forward then to um to uh 2324. uh during that that time by um going below the cap we ended up with uh almost $23 million of uncollected taxes. That's cumulative
over th over those years. That's a staggering amount of money. Uh it's it's I can tell you it's it's problematic if not in impossible to be able to maintain the outstanding programs that we have uh
with $23 million less than what would have been the cap. And like I've said and I've I've said it numerous times um ever since the cap came about. This is something uh that I've talked about. A cap is punitive. Even going to the cap, we're in uh we're in deficit. So when we
weren't going to the cap, we were penalizing ourselves beyond that. So um and and you look at the average tax increases, you see there's that difference averaged uh out. But I have that little red circle there that I added. Um you know, I chose to go back
to 1718. Uh but if you go back further than that, um this has been an issue for a long time here. So when we talk about the uh the issues uh the challenges that we have fiscally here, this is not something that that happened in in
January of 25. This is not even something that happened um two years ago uh with the previous um public question. This is something that's longstanding and hasn't been addressed. Uh so we're
going to uh provide options in regards to where we can go uh moving forward. >> Just one question before we move forward. If you could just in layman's terms for community purposes just explain cap. >> Oh uh yes uh 2% cap and that's what dictates the level of that we can raise
our levy but our levy is not 100% of our revenue. We are uh we are levy of reliant but it's not the complete amount. So it really nets out to about 1.6% 6% of our budget, we're allowed to increase in revenue locally and our
expenses uh are going to increase over 3% a year. So that's where where you get a structural deficit from. But anyway, this is if anyone, you know, looks at this and has concerns, like to
talk it through, call me up, come by the office, send me an email. I'll go step by step through uh through this with anyone and everyone. Okay. The next slide I wanted to show is uh many people have have have reached
out and said, "Well, we did uh we did a public question and that should have addressed this problem." Well, looking at the numbers that that I've said, I've put some pretty big numbers out there. um this past uh question of 275
that was pitched as a one-year stop gap. We were able to get through two years from some of the efficiencies we had some of the uh programmatic changes we had which which uh gave a benefit in regards to uh financially with the district. Um but it was never promised
to be a long-term solution. Now, there was a previous public question that was a larger amount that was pitched as a multi-year plan. That wouldn't have solved all of our district's problems, but it would have covered more than just one year, maybe two years, but that one was voted down.
So, I think sometimes these two public questions get conflated. The one that was multiple years was voted down. The one that was approved was only a stop gap measure. So I looked and I put some hyperlinks in on some of the articles at the time which really detail what the
intent was of the second public question that that did ultimately prevail. Okay. Now something else I I hear about often and and I think it's a compelling argument is not everyone in our
community has children in our schools. So, what benefit do they derive from uh from having their taxes increased to support schools? Well, I think that and and again, I'm just
presenting the facts. This is not these are not my numbers. These are these are the the research numbers I looked up and I cite where it comes from. Um, as you see, the higher a school is ranked, uh, you will usually see a a correlation or
even a cause and effect. I would say it's more than a correlation in regards to home values. Um there's been debate back and forth about which districts we compare to. Well, I can tell you this much that
against any one of our neighbors in Mercer County, our funding is lower whether they're a high achieving district or a not quite as high achieving district. I do tend to benchmark the most successful districts because that's the point of doing of
benchmarking, but across the board we are um we are lower funded than all of our neighbors, successful and less successful, but as you see on this, we are still um we're still producing
excellent schools even with those challenges. Now, reason why I mentioned this is because there's been talk about efficiency and we all we all love efficiency. We want to maximize every dollar and that was why I touched on the utilities earlier. Um what we save in utilities
isn't going to make up for our $2.2 million deficit. But it's a piece and um I think we have um we have teachers that do a phenomenal job. We have administrators who are doing multiple
functions and I think we pull together as a team and continue to do great things for kids. But I do think that we're at a a point now where I don't know if uh absent a u
absent a change in our our direction, I don't um I don't see how that can be maintained. And and that was part of what I shared in December. >> Dr. Dr. Pizzo, can you explain why you are sharing this specific slide? Are you
trying to say that if our school goes down and and decreases with the services that we are offering, this will impact our home values. >> I I don't think there's any question that that home values would be adversely
affected um as what we offer programmatically and what we offer in extracurricular extracurricular activities decreases. Um I I've said this before. I think the first, second, and third thing that a
family will ask when they come into a school district is um is how is the school district rated? What are they doing for children? Now, we've we've we've said often that we that we go forward and we haven't
impacted kids, but we certainly have. um we we don't have the offerings that some of the rich offerings that our neighboring districts do. Now, we're able to pull it together and and provide an outstanding education for our children, but we can do so much more.
And as we go forward to continue to provide a a a thorough a an efficient uh education, a lot of what really makes schools special end up on the chopping block and uh you know we we had people
who came up uh to the meeting um to our public hearing and spoke about the importance of clubs and sports. Um, I agree with them, but now what do we need to do to be able to uh to be able to
continue to support that? Being $2.2 million upside down every year is not sustainable. Um, also and you know looking at at neighboring districts that are are rated a little bit higher than us. I think one of the
the ones that that's there. I think I think Princeton's unique in regards to its um having a Ivy League school there and there's different benefits and people have shared with me some of the great benefits there. So, I don't think Princeton is maybe the best comparison, but some of the other districts that are
there, um, you see the difference in value. And I I know speaking I could speak for myself on this, uh, vast majority of my of what will be the general uh, generational wealth that I turn on turn over to my my two children
is locked up in my house. and a comparable district is looking at home values $170,000 uh higher. So, um they and and that's a district that invests very strongly in their schools.
>> Can I interrupt one more time? When I'm looking at these school districts, can we comment on are they facing similar problems as we're currently facing? I could probably go through this actually. Princeton had a 3% increase in their
taxes from the state. Uh Hopewell Valley just passed an 80 million ref bond referendum. Uh Lawrence Township went up 3%. East Windsor can't remember. Hamilton went up 6%. In their state
funding are Trenton went up 6%. Euing went up 6%. they are having increase of students within their population. Are they impacted by what we're facing as well? >> They're not impacted by the level of
fiscal stress that we have now. Um, but do they have challenges? I will tell you that every one of the superintendents of every district you mentioned is very concerned about potential state and federal cuts. We all are. We don't have the luxury of worrying
about that right now. We're dealing with the immediate needs. And so much of this is really baked in from the years and uh years of support. Uh those districts, they consistently supported their uh their schools in
regards to uh to going to the levy. Uh and and that's really the that's really the way that you you need to deal with a cap situation. and all the budgets I developed, we always stayed right to the cap um so that we wouldn't have these spikes. But when you don't stay to the
cap, you end up needing a spike to level this out. And with the solutions that I'm looking to propose, there are solutions that would get us off this this treadmill of of going back and forth trying to fill this um the gap. We
need to correct this problem. Now, we're going to offer solutions that can get us through short term and could make long-term changes. Uh, but there are um there are definitely benefits for making a long-term change and not going through
this every year. I I know I couldn't sleep that night after after hearing our children um sorry students they're children to me you know this is I my uh my two kids are are right around that that age and looking at them coming up
and defending clubs and and defending all the all the great things that are done with the with the music programs with sports we're we're going down a path we're going to have to say no to them. I I it's unimaginable to me. Um but if
we don't have a revenue to match to the expense, that's where you go. Uh you can't eliminate core programs. You you can unfortunately these extracurriculars will in regards to what our requirements
are um will will be um will be impacted on the on the road we're on. That's that's just the fact that we're reporting. It's not something I like. It's not something that I would that that I wanted to share, but we have an obligation to
share. We also have an obligation to offer solutions. So, we're going to do that as well. >> So, Dr. C, just a quick question. Um, I' I've seen comments online. I've heard comments from from residents that talked about surpluses of the past where there
was 800,000 [snorts] or it was large sums that we were in surplus. Was that was that were those values that I I've seen and heard out there were they based on um state aid that we were getting it wasn't
from the local tax levy or was it? >> We did have um we did have an increase with state aid where we were brought up brought up to what the state determined to be the appropriate level and then once we hit that level then that additional aid stopped. Uh so um and
when we were getting that additional aid, we weren't on our end uh also increasing what we were contributing locally and that's why we have what is perceived to be and I'll get into this later what the local fair
share is is is so out of alignment with um with what other districts are facing. Uh because we um didn't during that time and I believe that's that's the focus of what you you're you're speaking about. we didn't match that. Um, so the
districts that made those decisions to consistently maintain that those that funding, they're not in the dire straits that we're in now. And dire is the right word to use. It is some of these some of these numbers we're going to go over are
pretty um pretty striking. >> But Dr. Peter, just to clarify that point, you know, what Pete's talking about or alluding to, I believe, is the S2 funding that we received to bring us up to uh balance with the state aid. While we were getting that extra funds,
the c the board of education at that time was trying to hold taxes down and did not go to the 2% levy. That has now had a compounding effect over the last 10 years, which has led to the structural deficit that we're seeking. Is that correct? Um, absolutely. And
that is um, >> yeah, it's ex exactly where the uh, >> your state aid numbers don't go into your general numbers. Correct. So, it's not increasing your base. And therefore, if you're not increasing your levy by
2%, your base is also not being increased, which is why we can only raise 900,000 on 2%. >> Yeah. And we've um and we talked about this in regards to bank cap. Uh bank cap gives you a second bite at the apple
where I did budgeted uh budgets prior to coming to Robinsville. We we didn't have that same mechanism, but that was it in effect died on the vine and um we didn't apply that. And and yes, there's a compounding effect. you know, you're uh
you're raising off of a bigger base as you go along. And and that's the reason why these numbers are so staggering. And we're talking about about numbers that I I know are are probably um we deal with big numbers here, but it's it's unimaginable. Um it's some some things
that that I've looked at I do a double take at and I've been doing budgets for decades now. uh this compounding effect is is staggering as as we're showing as we go through >> and and that compounding effect does doesn't just stop there with the levy.
It also hurts us on our state aid side because we're not paying our fair fair share correct to keep the state aid up. So since we're not keeping our fair share at what the state expects it to be, we are losing money from the state. Whereas Miss D'Angelo just just went
through all those local towns that are actually getting six% more. >> Yeah. What it what it comes down to is we're not if if we're not if we're judged to not I said I don't want to minimize what we do. You know, schools
aren't cheap, so I don't want to minimize what we do. Obviously, it's it's always um we deal with with big numbers. who are doing great things for kids and it's it's expensive. But um yeah, if we're not upholding our
responsibilities from the perspective of the state, yeah, we're penalized in regards to to how we're going to be dealt with. And that's why I always have so much of a concern about well, it's the state's fault. I I want more state
aid. I I think every superintendent in the entire country would would say they always want the state to support more. Uh but the reality of it is if a deep dive was done, are we going to be the district that prevails and receives more?
I'm not so sure we're going to like the outcome of that. Um, I I think that uh I think that we're at the point where we need to um uphold our peace in regards to what the state is is providing. Uh, and I think that's the
avenue we need to go to because I don't see the state coming in and giving us more. Like I said, I'm I'm almost certain that um going forward we're going to get less. Now, we're looking at a $300,000 cut this year minimum. Um, if we do
manage to if we do have the good fortune of only being cut 300,000, I don't think we can make that assumption going forward. I do think that that it's going to be an issue we're going to going to be dealing with. >> Okay. Now, I I tried to pull the pull
the numbers apart in a lot of different ways. Um, ultimately we're about educating our students, okay? Uh, you could talk about buildings, capital, all this, everything else, but everything is is based around
what we're doing for kids. And if you look at our funding per student, um, you you'll you'll see that the uh what this compounding effect is. And uh what we what we have here on the
[snorts] on the left hand side you have the the uh total per student over eight years. Um so as you could see every year because we're less than all of our neighbors every year that um that difference that delta is getting uh
getting larger. And so we're looking at um what you see on the right where you'll see on the bottom um Hamilton. And I'm only using Hamilton because they're the closest to us in regards to their funding numbers. Um, you you see that's actually between what they have
over that 8-year period and what we have, that's $14,356 per student less over that time frame. We have over 3,000 students. So, we we're dealing with big numbers here.
So little bit of a maybe a little bit of a confusing slide if um if people would uh uh go through it any kind of questions. Um but uh the the interesting part about this slide is
most of the uh the districts on here we out compete in regards to our students achievement even with with being uh being less than what they're um they're doing uh in regards to our per student cost. Um if
you look at the um at the district all the way to the left um that district is um their per student costs about $8,000 per student per year. And we're competitive with them in
regards to our achievement level, which again I I'd like to thank our our teachers and the great team I work with and and the support of our board to be able to accomplish that. Now I I you know was a longtime business official so I do like to pull numbers in
lots of different directions. So um I wanted to uh to exhibit the difference in the uh in in the average uh per year. So I just is just um pulling the numbers apart and in and exhibiting it in uh
different ways. So as you could see if you were average out over that period um our average per student is just under 13,000 and you're seeing uh a district that we compete with is almost at 21,000 um per student. So you can see the kind
of the graphically kind of see the the drastic difference there. um kind of doubling back now on on where does our money go. Uh you can see that big blue piece there. I
kind of pulled apart the um the pie chart so we could see what that is. And you look at our two biggest items are salaries uh 54% and and benefits at 16%. Um so we talk about about efficiencies.
Yes, efficiencies can be helpful, but you can't ignore 70% of the of the of the budget in in regards to um where where the the uh the money is going. It's it's impossible to
balance a budget without adversely affecting salaries. And where are the salaries? The salaries are, you know, our teachers in front of a classroom. you know, our administrators who are doing things to save the uh the funds that we're doing to be as
efficient as possible and doing the um all the work we need to do in regards to compliance. I I'd love there to be less compliance and more of a focus on students, but fact of the matter is we um the administrators we have are to to do that work uh to support what goes on
in the classroom. And we are as um as we've gone through the lowest in that uh that category in regards to administrative cost. Um here's just a you know I did percentages. So I figured if I'm going to do percentages I should
do uh dollar figures. So this is the um these are the dollars that go that big blue line across the top is the total expenditures. As you can see salaries, benefits, that's what's really driving our costs. That's where it is. Um, I think we could all agree that benefits
cost way too much. Um, but that's that's something that that we need to deal with just like every other industry needs to deal with. So, um, no doubt about it, that's a uh that's a major challenge, but that's where our funding is going. >> Dr. Piso, on average, um, what increase
did we have in percentage for benefits alone? >> For what? >> For the benefits, >> like what was the percentage increase? Nick, you want to speak to that? >> I know that the state health benefit >> I'm going to ask Nick to give a little bit more of a detail on that. >> So, uh, typically we go around 10, 8 to
10 historically. They're estimating next year 17 to 19% for us. Now, the state has gone up a lot more, but our pro-forma we used a lower number than what is expected. >> So, but we stuck with the number that we publicly said. So, we're expecting a
higher number. So 17% around and we can raise 2%. >> Well, definitely not two. Yes. And and I know we say two. I just want to be very specific on this. >> It's it's 2% of the local tax levy. It's a little complicated, but it's very
simple. 80% of the money comes from the local taxpayers. It's only 2% of that. So it's really 1.6%. So if you have inflation going up four or five percent, how am I going to hit it with 1.6? six. You can do it one time, maybe two times, maybe three by
using reserves and shuffling and being more efficient, but long term it's going to catch up. >> So Nick, >> what you said there, Nick, we have, if you look at, so say our benefits right now are 10.5 million rounding down a little bit. So it's 10.7 million.
>> If it's 10% of what you budgeted, that's 1.7 million. >> It's double what we can raise in taxes, >> right? just for >> just for benefits. Forget salaries. >> With that, we just uh appointed another negotiations committee because we are
going to be talking about negotiations for teacher salary and typically teacher salaries go up 3 to 4% on average. So how would we pay our teachers 3 to 4% more if we don't have the money to even
hire the amount of teachers that are needed? We we should also, you know, share and and you with people sometimes, you know, challenge what the uh the cost is for our teachers, for our administrators. We need to be competitive with our
neighboring districts. And I said, well, people might say, well, three 3% 3.5%. Um, we have a great team here. we want to keep them with us and and our teachers have great options and and we've lost teachers to neighboring districts
because of the uh because of the salaries they can gain elsewhere. So um this is this is not an area where there is a uh potential for big savings. there is a potential for a big loss of of of
great uh skilled uh professionals but uh we do need to be competitive and we are like I said we we do an outstanding job for our students but that only happens when you have a outstanding teacher in front of the classroom.
So the proforma this was done uh back in April 1st before all the budget figures were in uh for the for the increase increases for us starting July. Uh we've stuck with this proform and not adjusted it because people I don't want people think we're playing games. Uh the
reality is we budgeted 7.2% in the proforma for health benefits when it's really they're thinking 17 to 19. I just plug the number in it's an extra million. go. Uh, but we're not going to be adjusting. We're going to go with the
pro fora that we've been playing using for year over year. Just saying that's the risk, an additional risk that we have to take into account for. >> Do we also have some um details on the sentiment right from from our teachers about what the fear um the last three
years over what funding what lack of funding would have caused as far as teacher cuts. And so is there a little bit more information that you could share with the community as to the concerns on retention and engagement from our teachers if we continue down this trajectory? Uh I I think um
absolutely because of the um the talent our staff has, they are in high demand. And I'm I'm actually um really proud to say that that we you would think that with the fear that's been around that we would have lost even more teachers,
which would have really been a tragedy for our students. Um so I I really appreciate the great work our staff does. I do try to regularly go to the uh to the faculty meetings and and close the door and tell them exactly I feel
which is uh which I think that they they do an outstanding job and I think it's I I I think they take so much pride in what they do that yeah money isn't everything but realistically our teachers have bills to pay too and
when the difference becomes too great yeah and and what about a newer teacher and saying, "Well, maybe I'm going to lose my job anyway." Uh, that's why when we go around, we are um, you know, any cut that we make is
uh, it's it's really something I have a real difficulty uh, with in that in that when you have someone who's a failing employee and they move on, that's one thing. When you have great people that you would that you would do anything to hold on to and you're losing them,
that's tough to take. or um when you when you're not even losing them, sometimes we're cutting excellent teachers just because we just we just can't afford to keep them. We had uh what 11 cuts last year and we tried to
save as many teachers as we could. um that kept me up at night and um I think uh you know people say about um well if we had less administrators we wouldn't have any cuts of teachers. Well
just the math doesn't add up. We had um I had someone propose to me in one of the questions that came in over the weekend. What if we um what if we eliminated two administrators? I don't want to say what position it was, uh, but there were two administrators that
they were saying, well, if we if we didn't have, uh, those positions that that would address what our shortfall is. And so I did the math on if we were to eliminate these two positions that they identify.
It would solve 18% of our structural deficit for one year, while at the same time absolutely devastate what we're providing for the kids with those with those two important
positions. So, uh this is the reality is that this compounding effect this years of not of not addressing it. Like I said, if it was if it was a matter of one administrator and everything was fine, uh we don't have an administrator that
makes $2.2 million. Uh nobody does. Um >> Dr. I think I think in all transparency, it'll be good to actually just tease out one line for the administration, you know, what it costs, which I do understand it's very minuscule. >> As as you said, I think it'll be good from a transparency perspective to call
that out. >> Yeah. And one one of the one of the problems I that I have when I put together a presentation is I put too much information on the slide. Um, so we're going to mention later on that if we do go forward and um and there's
favor in regards to to putting something uh to the to the community for consideration. Uh we're going to do a deep dive into every one of these areas. So I'm saying like look at this if you have a question. Um but that's not the only avenue. Uh we're going to be coming out meeting people where wherever it is
that they would like to meet us. We're going to set up a regular time to meet here assuming that we do go forward with one of these with these recommendations [snorts] and we will then go and go into great detail on that. It was just getting to the point where it was a bit
overloaded on what we're doing. But there is no when it comes to these public uh public uh sessions that we have, there's no question out of bounds. There's no um there there's no real
stretch uh set structure in regards to how many times you can speak. It's a different uh it's a different format. So when we come out if if people feel unheard today, well, we're going to have those two public input comments. Um when
we had the um the session, we had people rotate in. Uh one person I know was three times. She would have wanted to go four. That would have been fine, too. Um, and we'll stay as late as we need to stay. And if I don't have an answer to a
question uh immediately, um, I have too much respect for our public to give you a, you know, an incomplete answer. Um, you know, I'll come back and I'll get that information later, but I'll give every effort at those public forums to answer a question. It's a different
format. It's meant in a different way for us to communicate information. So, um I think it's going to be something that if we go forward, which will be a um something that we're hoping, um like when we had that public forum, I don't know how many if we had a headcount of
how many people were here. Um I I think that was great that we had so many people come out. If we had double that, we'll find a bigger room. Um if we have three people who come out, well, three people are important, too. I'll talk to three people. I'll talk to one person. Um, we're also looking at setting up u
times for people to come meet with me individually. I've I've done it since I've been here. I I'm putting the call out again. If you'd like to come speak with me, the door is open. Um, so u more to come on that. There's going to be uh a lot of information shared from us to
you and we're hoping that there's a lot of information shared from you to us. So more to more to come on that front. >> Dr. Please before we move on just uh clarifying point for this slide here you had touched on if we had removed those
two potential administrative positions it was only 18% savings >> on those two positions was it was 18% for one year. >> Okay. >> So the second year um it wouldn't do anything and um but you would be without
those two vital positions. >> Sure. So a two-part question. One, how are you defining administrators? Just so we're all level set on what you mean by this position. Secondly, do you have a an idea of that 35.1 million I'll call it? What percentage of that is for
administrative positions? >> Okay. Um well, let me start with the administrators. I think we we talk about 19 decreased to 18. I think I think the the misconception is and and I didn't realize this at first and I I think you know you and I have had discussions
about this and I'm glad you reminded me about this. Um when we say we have 18 19 administrators now 18 administrators um it's not like you go to my office and they're all around me there. Um we the way we define an administrator is a
principal assistant principal of all of those different all those different support services. uh the uh directors of uh and even like when you're talking about uh uh facilities directors, transportation directors, it's not all
um you know people you know in a circle you know you know just talking about different issues. These are these are uh although that's very important also we have some very intelligent people working on great things for our curriculum but there's a lot of functionality in regards to what an
administrator does. Um, you know, there's, you know, the buses need to get get to pick up the kids. Well, you needed you need somebody managing that. Um, and we do have um I I had somebody reach out to me and
say that we have more administrators than um a a uh neighboring district. And um let let me say now into the microphone, that's just not true. That's not what the facts indicate. And you can't tease
out well this one position in in a neighboring district they have um two of some position and why do we have two here when the enrollment's less? Well maybe that neighboring district has several administrators who are
supporting those different functions. So it's not an applesto apples comparison. You really need to look at the entire administrative team. And you also need to look at it from the perspective of size. We're smaller. So when I say that we have less administrators,
um that's adjusting for the fact that we're smaller. Even with us being smaller, we have less administrators. So for the district that was brought up as a comparison, um we should have um one-third as many administrators, and we have far less
than one-third as many administrators. Uh with them being three times bigger, you would figure we'd have a third, and we don't. uh but you need to look at holistically at all the different positions. >> Um so I want to touch on two points. The first is what Nadia said and I
viscerally remember what happened when teachers feel nervous. I am a teacher myself and I'm going to tell you if I looked at a school budget and I was considering as a new teacher, do I want to work at Robinsville? Of course my qu I would question coming here, right?
Second thing is Nadia brought up three years ago, right around the time of negotiations, we lost about 60 61 teachers because the budget was in the air. 61
teachers are our family. When you are a teacher, you have your teacher bestie that you rely on as your co-teer. You talk to these people in the hall. you stand out in the hall and wink at them when you're having a hard day. Losing 60 teachers is huge for a district like
this. We are putting this in front of them and they're going to ask themselves, is this where I want to stay if I have to go through this every single year? If my program is going to be cut
so Anadia, to answer your question, that's how I would feel and I'm a teacher. That is not how teachers here should feel. Secondly, we're talking about administrators. I don't think that we're we're publishing just how many
administrators have recently left and we're not replacing them. These two people up here, they took on many other roles because we lost our assistant superintendent. They're taking on like three extra jobs
so we don't have to replace our assistant as superintendent. This has happened multiple times. We're not just coming out here and saying, "Oh, we lost another one. That's $200,000 saving. We haven't come out and said it, but we're saying it now. We are losing
administrators and we're not replacing them." And imagine what that does to all the other administrators who work in the office with them. They're taking on more roles. Our principles are taking on more. Our assistant principles are taking on more and the teachers are feeling it.
You as a teacher need administrators to help run a school. They are the leadership and the backbone to curriculum and development of our schools. >> And that's that's my concern, right? Because when you when you look at this chart that's up here, most of the
buckets are non-negotiable. Then they're driven by contracts. You can't eliminate any of those. So when you look at it, when you start talking about where can we cut, unfortunately it's the areas you don't want to cut, right? So now we have
to start asking the hard questions and and coming to >> what we want to be, >> right? Because when I look at this, can't cut insurance and liability, can't cut utilities, can't cut transportation, buildings, and grounds. The debt is the
debt. I know that you strip the debt out in a separate slide, but capital outlay, all those things can't be cut. And I'm going to put teachers in that category and staff, all staff in that category. We can't cut them. >> We're we are literally at the bone of
what it is to run this district with the staff that we have. >> And I second what you said. You know, I keep hearing about administrators, and I'm not trying to defend administrators. I will defend teachers. My my mom's a teacher. I'll defend teachers any day of the week, but my thing is
when I when I look at the administrators and how many have left to your point and how many have literally pulled up their bootstraps to take up the extra slack for those that are leaving, I I I just I I say thank you as much as I say thank
you to the teachers. >> Yeah. And just I guess I I also want to layer on sort of like short-term versus long-term vision. I think we're not mentioning as much about how this is a I mean if we don't act now obviously it's layering on the issues and it continues to be us passing down the buck but also
how how we're able to solve the long-term vision. So if we can sort of course correct from an attraction perspective how are we making sure that we're bringing in the strongest, best, most qualified teachers to be interested in a district that continues to face the like the downfall that we're on. Um and
so just thinking long term wise it's it's quite important for us to think through this >> retention without sports and activities as well is going to be problematic because many teachers um pursue their passions through giving back by service by being involved in
extracurricular activities and leading those activities for students and that's an area that you know is at the heart of many teachers and if we don't have those areas for teachers to lead I think that will also cause a retention issue. for us as a district. >> Yeah. And I, you know, when I hear Nadia
what you said and and Barbara, I I I look at, you know, we're talking about attracting teachers. We're trying to maintain the staff that we have. >> You're in retain, >> right? We're not in a attractive attraction kind of. >> We're stuck in status ques if if to Amanda's point, teachers are
fearful and and decide to leave on their own. We're not looking >> to to replace any teachers, right? So, how how do we if that happens attract them? But then just maintain. >> Yeah, I can guarantee as a teacher if you are worried about the budget, you
just had two weeks off. You are looking around at other districts to be like, hm, where can I go? And it is a guarantee. You probably will make more money somewhere else. [snorts] >> But you love our school district and the
kids that you teach. And I I think that you know what what we should get out of this is it takes years and years to develop the reputation of being an outstanding district and
doesn't take all that long to destroy it and uh we're still able to attract teachers because we're a great place to uh to to work. We have unbelievable students. the students come in my office with with with telling me about their
accomplishments and I'm really just just overwhelmed with with just you know how fortunate we are to have to have these these these great students here and teachers want to be a part of that. Uh but that can that can that could end pretty quickly.
>> So Dr. one last comment on this slide for me. Um when I look at this it's all one color so everyone sees everything the same. Is there some way I'd like to comment that says can we break down the salaries into the multip the the different areas of of staff um and I
guess the benefits would go with that as well. Can you also highlight maybe with a a different color those areas that are fixed and driven by contracts and that we have no room to change and maybe it's all of them. I don't I don't know but but somewhere that and then also if
there's a way to drill into what miscellaneous is right. Yeah. I want to be a little more transparent if we can on what miscellaneous. >> Yeah. And this is all part of what we're if we do go forward we have these forums we'll be able to really break all of this down. I didn't want to make this
into um I have no problem with making a 4hour presentation. I would love to do it but um I I think I would lose some of uh some of the public. We tried that's why we tried to uh the presentations you'll see from month to month we tried to break it down into pieces and then
we'll we'll break it down further. We're also um we also I I one of our um by the way the the board members contributed so much great information to um what we developed here. Um even looking at at the long-term trends
we talk about all the time about about the adequacy number. We're going to get into that. We talk about the local fair share. Well, what was it 10 years ago? Well, uh, Mr. McCree is is working on a comprehensive breakdown. That will be
part of our next presentation. I was trying to get that for this presentation today, but we want to make sure that when we get it, we have all of the um all the details ironed out and we have it ready to be presented. But we'll do that in that in that deeper dive and
you'll see that it's it kind of maps out exactly what the issues are. It kind of reinforces what we've been talking about that if you don't address the problem and just looking at trying to get by from year to year, you you can't run a school district year to year like this.
You just can't because like we said, you you start losing good people. You start damaging your reputation and We we have if you look at um over that three-year
cycle, we we reduced 30 positions. Um I spoke with a um with a with a friend who is a superintendent in another district and his his district is roughly three times the size of ours. And I said, "With your district, what
kind of impact would losing 30 staff members over three years have on your district?" He said, "It would be almost unimaginable. We would be a would be a a massive issue for us." I said, "We're one-third your size." And we lost
30 positions over that period. I said, "It's it's uh yeah, we're not a large district, but when you're talking that 30 is a large number for a large district, and that's a much larger number for a district of our size." Um I
guess again I commend the people who um when I walked in the door here I walked into quite a team and um it's amazing what they what they do. >> Dr. Piso some of the impact of that you know if you could speak to what has been the impact of that loss of 30 staff
members. I mean myself as a parent what I have seen especially at the elementary level the class sizes is a huge significant impact. Um, I think my oldest going into kindergarten maybe had 18 students in her class. She now has 25
or 26 students in her class. Um, the same is true for my younger two. So, if you could talk a little bit about like what has been the impact of losing that many staff members. >> Yeah. Well, I I and I I I know that we, you know, as we go forward, I want to,
you know, break this down, but just as a general overview, yes, class sizes are coming up >> at the elementary level, although we did uh make an effort to keep it below 25, but we are hitting up against 25 uh in a couple of instances. Uh so that's one
factor. Um we're having a difficult time expanding program. We we have um we did uh do a um a foreign language increase but um it's very small what we were able to do. We do have a um a STEM program um
special that you know that is is something that's that's difficult for us to maintain and these these are all those those different uh areas that we really can't push forward on um at the elementary level. If you go to the middle level, I at middle school level,
I think you have issues with class size there as well. I know people will focus on the on the younger um students, but we have we have that issue at the middle school. And I think when you go to the to the high school level,
um you know, I think that we don't have the rich programmatic offerings that we need to have. we have with the children that the students we have with their phenomenal abilities when we talk about like a pathway program which I'm going to touch on again because I'm not going to let
that go. I love that pathway program. Um what we can do with that and and I'm I'm not talking about only the exceptional students and we have many but a pathway program would would be able to address the needs of students looking at all different avenues going
forward. We can't do that now. We um we're having a difficult time, you know, filling out students schedules. We're looking at well, we can't cut that because we need that that requirement for the for our students to graduate. That's what we're down to. We're looking
at well well maybe we have to let that program go. Well, well then we can't have our kids graduate. Well, that's that's that's but that's the level we're at. So looking at at each level has has been impacted. You know, we talked about different things with with clubs,
preserving clubs. Well, we've pretty much put a a lockdown on on adding new clubs at this point. Uh so, you know, clubs is so much of a uh of a component of what our students do. and um our uh
executive board for uh from the uh the high school, our student executive board. Uh I know it's something they're looking to come and and and speak to PON TV about that and do some other things. And just meeting with them in my office the other day um with with some of our
team members, uh so many of these these great things that um we're not expanding right now. This is this is not a matter of well two years down the road maybe there's not sports which you know is something that we've talked about uh impacts on sports
next year. This is happening right now. So so to say that well we're okay now we just need to go and find a way to No, we're not okay now. I I I vehemently disagree. We're not okay now because we're not meeting the needs of of a a thorough and efficient education across
the board for what because what does a thorough and efficient education means? I think that means clubs. I think that means sports, you know. I think that I think that means um uh really making sure that we address mental health needs and guidance
um that that we're that we're able to uh to to meet the needs of all of our students. And are we are we doing that now? Well, we're holding it together, but there are gaps. >> Oh, please do.
>> Dr. Well, just speaking to the cuts that you said, one of the major impacts that we had and that we're dealing with for extensive period of time now is our lack of intervention supports. Um, we absolutely desecrated supports at the high school level. Um, just within a faculty meeting today that was led by
the building administration as well as additional staff. I mean there we're asking for teacher volunteers. So already and speaking to what we're talking about with our teaching staff, a lot of our staff have to step up in roles. um you know we're really we're depending on them to volunteer their
time to support our students and they do it which I commend our staff so uh for doing that um but it's a lot um our intervention team at Pond is near to existence I mean we're very lucky to have the people that we do have that make it happen and at Sharon Elementary
School as well um we've been reliant and dependent on smallroup intervention but that's a heavy impact on our teaching staff as well too it depends a lot on the professional development and training that we're able to provide them, but a lot of it is back in the classroom again. Whereas other programs
are able to do different level than required tier supports. We can't do that right now. And we're very lucky to have the staff and I'm concerned about sustaining that staff as well. And to piggyback off that, as a person who ran legal IEPs, what happens when you don't have
interventions in your school and you cut special education teachers is now everybody starts looking at, okay, well, you can't support my kid. I'm going to sue you. And then we're going to pay 50 to $60,000 to send you to an independent school for one kid, which is really a
teacher. And then your outside education program is now all your independent schools and transportation costs $10,000. This is a huge problem. If you start cutting special education services,
it exacerbates the problem. You cannot implement anything new. You can't start pulling those kids back because you have just pushed everybody out. Thank you. >> I'm gonna ask Nick to to to speak to that very excellent point, but I wanted
to have Nick also speak about some of the challenges that were >> I thought you were going to speak on this, so uh sorry. Um you know, it's I thought I was going to dodge the arrow on this one. So, [snorts] um
it's a self-licking ice cream cone, right? We call this a death spiral. I'm just going to talk financial terms, right? as things go progress down and down, no one's going to buy your product and they're going to be selling and you're going somewhere else that's selling a better product. With with special ed, it's happening. We saw it before. We brought a lot of people back.
We brought some services back. One lawsuit alone, you know, 100,000 200,000 you throw in transportation. This is per student. So, you see those costs go down. Uh and there's opportunities, right? In this state, in many states across this nation, you know, they have voucher programs. there's ways for
students to pick up and move and and and and you know leave districts and that they believe are failing, right? Um and it's the belief, not the reality, but the belief. So if they believe there's better opportunities somewhere else, they're going to start going. So we see
that trend right now. Uh it was a budgetary issue after we made the budget um with a local charter school nextdoor neighbor neighboring town and we lost a bunch of students there. So that was a $100,000 hit right there. Um, we've lost 40 positions. 40 positions. 27 and a
half one year, 10 and a half last year. Actually, this year's budget. Um, we had a up from three to 15 kids uh, students going to Mercer County VOTE. Now, you think vocational, you thinking,
you know, when I grew up it was, you know, mechanics, you know, you know, construction services. No, these are realmies, right? what other towns and other counties have been doing. So, it's starting to come into this county. Uh we went from three to 15 in one year. There
were 50 students roughly of eighth graders looking into the program. Luckily, only 10 applied. So, there goes one more teacher for next year. That's two we've lost. I forecast one more every single year and I hope it's not 50 in one shot. We also have to transport those students as opposed to most of the
time we tra we don't transport in this town. So, here's where it's going to, you know, if you don't pull this back, and I've said this before, we've talked about this, you know, in a in a state that has mobility, in a town that has
mobility, right? These are the factors you have to play in like what is the cost and what is the investment you have to make. So, um, you know, this is the board's decision. It's the town's decision on whatever that is being discussed goes through and voted on. Um, you know, we're here to support. We'll
make the best that we can. Um, but understand that this town has the wealth, the power, and the resources to do what they need to do for their children. >> And and that's where, you know, talking about like uh the Pathways program is is
part of one of the options we're looking at. >> Um, we have a program, then we we we keep our kids here. uh and down the road, you know, I I would say there would be uh students from outside the district looking to come here. So, you're talking about
short-term uh decreases in enrollment. That's that's where you fill the gap and you fill the the gap with these with students coming into these outstanding programs. And I I know when you look at like at what we could do with with steam, what we can do with biomemed, I
know is something that we've talked about a lot. Um, yeah, there's we we need to invest to be able to do that. Uh, but there is a there is also a a financial benefit to the district to be being able to being to drawing students in instead of having
students go on to our neighbors. So, um, definitely something to uh to think of think about. wanted to go on to a couple of other just quick things before we um go into
what the uh the options that we want to propose. I'm going to I'm going to call call on Nick again as we get into some of these um some of these savings. because I'm going to flip this around is um we're we were able to get as far as we
have because of the great work our teachers do, administrators doing multiple positions and also saving money in various ways. And I it's it's it's hurtful to hear people say that well you're not doing anything to save money.
um being efficient and putting money into the classroom has been really a a a core piece of my career. And I'll I have to say this, watching the live streams from
87 miles away before I came into this job and watching the work that was done here in regards to cost savings, I I found amazing. I I there's absolutely great work being done in regards to efficiencies and every day there's three other things we're looking at and and we're all g we're going to do
a deep dive into that. But this is something that I showed previously. But you know, while we're talking about about 2.2 million in a in a deficit, we would be over 7 million in a deficit if it wasn't for all of the great things
that were done here. And a lot of this led by the person next to me here by uh by by Mr. McCree and and the work he's done. And so I wanted to kind of show up front what this is. And it gets into that that 2.6 million uh the limited
ability to raise and you know what we've been doing is we've been doing more with less and and uh cost avoidance. And I want to go and go on to the next um slide. and um uh school health insurance
fund is a big driver on this. Nick, if you could speak to that a little bit. >> So, we uh we were self-insured. We were on school health benefits back to uh we were self-insured. Um I entered a district about five and a you know a little over five years ago. We switched
to the school's health insurance fund. um that had a massive savings not only for us but also for the teachers themselves. Um there was talk about going back to school health benefits. Um and this is just compared to what it would be if we were on that right now.
So that's a huge savings for us but also for the staff as well. Preschool, we've talked about that. I just remember most of these things have all been a fight here and now we take it for granted and now I'm being told why can't you do more?
And so I just it's just ironic and I and I want to do more. Uh and I and I support and thank you for the your this board and previous boards for supporting these actions. But I remember it was a fight to switch benefits even though there was very little impact. Uh it was
a fight to do preschool. What a phenomenal program that is for the residents and for the students in our school and their growth. It was a fight to do solar. Massive fight to do solar. uh switching bank accounts, you know, rentals, increasing re rental
revenue. I still have fights to this day with people asking for cheaper rates because they believe they deserve a cut. Um and and thank you to the facilities team for that. Transportation, we're always trying to cut on transportation to be more efficient. Uh not cutting the
buses, but typically we have to buy buses when we find a a better route. The problem is it takes a year to get a bus and buses are now 150,000 a piece. Um extraordinary aid and so forth. We go through this. We're negotiating. We negotiated health broker fees. We just
went out to RFP. So I expect that to come in in a couple of weeks. Hopefully we'll get a better rate on that. Chromebooks, right? Fixing our own Chromebooks and repairing them and so forth. Uh copers, you know, everybody wanted me to lease copers. I said we're not leasing. There's a huge cost to
lease. we're going to be buying and making them last much longer than they typically do. Uh and we can go through the rest of these, but these are just some items. Uh and uh you know, I it adds up quickly. So, um these are just some of the big ones.
>> Um we're always looking to do more. So, if you have more ideas, public, whoever it is, just let us know and and I'll take a good look into it. Um you know, every little bit helps. Um but we are trying to, you know, >> and these are annual. >> These are annual. >> Yeah. I mean, there was another sheet of
one time, right? Rod grants, you know, almost 10, you know, millions and millions there. There's other programs, there's grants we've done. >> Um, you know, the preschool funding alone, we're talking four or five million a year and growing. Um, so this is annual and and
>> and we saw >> it's a double it's a double-edged sword, right? As you cut these you make these savings, >> a great job. Let's not raise the taxes. Mhm. >> Right. So, we're kind of out of the big
ones now. We're going to the little ones. We're running out of that lever to do that. And that was a big discussion when we saved health benefits. Let's not raise taxes and we let bank cap expire that year. Just wanted to clarify and this is a great job, right? I think I've seen I've
seen up close, you know, how you work, Nick. So thank you very much for actually looking into every penny and teasing out and squeezing out every dollar everywhere. One clarification is this is it. I don't think that there is anything else that we can actually
squeeze out anymore. Even if we do it will not be in a three-digit savings, right? Which would actually fill the gap. So I always tell this, it's a good analogy. I feel like our revenue is climbing the stairs where our cost is on
an escalator. There's no way we will be able to catch up without doing something transformational. And that's what I'm seeing in this particular slide. So just wanted to clarify and good job from a savings perspective and we will keep looking at this. We will keep saving but
we will not be able to achieve you know the deficit or we will not be able to plug the hole with the deficit that we have. >> Yeah. And I so appreciate you you saying that because I know this is something that you've been been uh given us so much uh so much great information on
this and put in put in a lot of time as all of our board members have. But I know this is something that um that that you have a huge interest in and and you know I I thank you for your um you know for for your support for some of the ideas that some of these ideas that you
see on here end up you know coming from from board members and very often it's you um and more to come and if um if it's a dollar we're looking for it. You know, I'd love to get another uh another issue as big as solar panels or even,
you know, even something in the insurance area, but you know, we we have to play small ball, too. And that's all a part of it. This is not to say that we want to, you know, look at our local contribution and that that makes it makes it easier. And no, we we need to
we need to look at this from all all perspectives. And and also, you know, the other thing that it's on here, there's the grants, you know, that everyone asks, are we looking for grants? And we I get if I get a grant from a resident, I did over the summer, I forwarded right on to Dr.
Piso and and Mr. McCree, and they they they'll they'll do the assessment for us. So, you know, we're always looking for those things. I'm I'm always looking whenever I read anything about um you know, things that are changing within government or anywhere else. So, please send us anything that from a resident's
perspective that you see. But again, all of those grants uh again, Mr. Nan had uh and a lot of the board worked with Mr. McCree, Miss DeFazio to put out a document that shows all the grants, what we're getting from each of those
grants and how long they last. So, that's all available. U we'll make sure if if if you're not aware of it, we'll make sure that's out there for everyone to see and see how long those are going to go on. and anything that's new will be added to it as we go. >> Yeah. And and just it's always, you know, important to note with grants, so
much of it is need-based. Uh it's often linked to the free and reduced lunch numbers, which which are our numbers are very very low. So, uh there's there's not as many opportunities for us, but but there are some that come through. So, we need to look a little bit harder
um to to come to bring some to fruition. Um, but just just to give you an idea about the way we work, I saw a uh grant opportunity in regards to um uh electric car ch I know there's a lot of Teslas and other electric cars I drive around.
Um so I know that there's there's uh our teachers, our students, we do have uh electric cars here and it's something that this is not something that we're looking to give away. It's obviously there would be a fee for that and so I saw a grant in in regards to putting in
a station. I I spoke with uh Mr. McCree about it. Next thing you know, he found another grant and uh and now we're looking at a project where we would do that and we'd be able to charge and at the same time have something that's, you know, convenient for uh you know, for people to be able to use. It would be
open to the public. We could make a little bit of money off it. It's not going to be a lot. Um, but the the upfront cost is going to be covered from um the utility and I believe there was a state and utility grant that we that we found that combined um would cover the
uh the costs of that. So, so we're always looking at that. I I wish there was more we can do, but um it's not for a lack of trying, but there are still some out there. Okay. Okay.
So like I said, December was the time of defining the problem. Now is the time of defining potential solutions. So we broke it down into three different um three different ways of looking at it. What would be um
what would be able to just for us to just to sustain where we are, which is you know dealing with the problems we have and not really solving anything but being able to you know maintain most of what we're we're still doing,
not all um and not for a very long term. So, you'll see us coming back out again and asking again under that scenario. Um second option would be to um fix the problem short term and then to start building for the future um doing
something like a pathways program and doing getting into different things that could be uh that could be self- sustaining going on. and and and option three, we're looking at at well, how does the state define what our local
fair share should be? Well, I think we need to present that to the public. Public may not agree. Uh but I do think that's something that should be presented because I when we give a solution, I don't like to give one solution. I don't know. Um
I'm not the only opinion. I I think that we are we want to research and we want to find a couple of different ways about going about things. So I like to have multiple solutions. So anyway, let me get into what it is that we were looking at and
what we're basing this on. That first solution of just maintaining what we're in, what we did is we used as a benchmark um what an adequate uh is our adequacy number. Now the adequacy number that we're showing here is the adequacy
number of 202425. This is last year's adequacy number, not next year's adequacy number, not this year's adequacy number. That's $5 million. Uh that would be um uh that would be uh
what would be one of the um the options we would look at. And with this option, what we would be able to do, did it go? Didn't go. There it goes. Okay. With this option,
we would be able to maintain the sports, the clubs, um the teachers, uh and this is really over the course of two years because what we presented in December was really a two-year plan. Um we were
looking at cuts up front for sports and um by the end of two years we we would not have the resources to have any sports or any clubs. Um this would eliminate that problem for those two years. Uh what happens after those two
years? Well, you're looking at 2829 where you're looking at the debt service falling off and we would then transition and do an offset. And by an offset I mean that we would keep the debt at the same level but we would have to uh look at part of it for operations and part of
it for capital. So with five million we would be looking at when the debt service falls off do something that's that's costneutral but then really um a year maybe two years after that we'd be back looking for a public question again. And um I did I there's been a
there's a couple of schools of thought on this. I broke down um the average increase per household of $540 a year and I broke it down into a day and I equated it to a bottle of water. And I not to make light of this $540 is money.
Um we're already paying taxes. Um so this is not to make light of this in any way. Uh just the way my brain works. I like to be able to equate to something to to make it more tangible. So um that's what we would be looking at with
option one. >> This is in inclusive of the 2% >> or not inclusive of the 2%. >> As as long as as I am here, I will always propose that you go to the cap. That is the quickest way to have a
financial difficulty is not going to the cap. And uh if there is any kind of out in regards to uh to benefit costs, we we would need to apply that as well. Um and that's understand that when we have those opportunities, that's not anything
that's adding to program for kids. That's something that just paying an expense that's imposed on us. So yes, anything that I speak about would include always going to even if we did solve the problem, you need to keep the problem solved. You're going to get right back in a hole again if you don't.
So in in subsequent um presentations, Dr. might be good to show what component the 2% is of that 540 that you're showing and what would be on top of the 2% in that would represent what you're proposing here. Also, it'd be good to
say what the average household assessed value is because, >> you know, that's what people care about. >> Yeah. No, no one no one understands what that means. you know, knows what the current they they saw your previous slide which showed what people can sell their house for, but that's not the assessed value for taxes.
>> We can kind of talk about that now. Like, yeah, >> the average house in Robinsville, I know we have somebody in this audience who can tell me otherwise, but it is like $465,000 >> for the assessed value >> for for the average house.
>> Now, that's that's the value. That's >> that's the assessed value, which is different. That's what's tax. >> But wait, hold on. you. We're looking at what they pay taxes on and what they bought their house at, not what it's worth on Zillow. >> Correct. >> Correct.
>> And so if you're looking at >> No, actually, no. It's what's on the tax bill. It's totally different. >> Yes. >> So, no, it's less. So that I I believe >> I think it would be I think it would be ultimately be helpful if kind of what what what Pete was alluding to before if it's able to be broken down by assessed
value per $100,000 you know increase or something like that um to show what the what this increase would be plus the 2% so people would have a real idea of what their you know budget's going to look like and how it would affect their you know I know you put out a day my mind works as far as months because I know
that monthly bill comes right I need to make sure I can pay it by month right I know that's how I work my cash flow in my cost and I'm sure there's other people like that. So, I think kind of seeing what that monthly increase would be inclusive of the 2%. So, that way they're not coming back and saying, "Well, you sto you sold me a bag of, you
know, of bills here that it's not going to work out." So, >> So, what was the average household that we used for this particular slide for the 540? >> What What was the value? >> What was the value of the average house that we used for >> $380,000? >> 380
>> assessed value, right? That's assessed value. >> It's assessed value. I'm getting a nod from the back. Yes. >> The assessed value is 380. >> Town has not reassessed in >> I don't know >> a long time. So even if you buy a home for a million dollars and say it was
assessed 380, it will >> still still be at 380. So uh of the values on your property tax, I know somebody just yelled it out. It will not change because of law and unfairness
until you reassess. When you do reassess sooner or later, it really won't it won't change our budget. Our money is our money. It just divides the pie. Are you going to pay more or less on your own personal home? Why is
it that if you buy a new home for a million and it's the market rate, there's still the old assessment? Because it's called spot zoning. It's against the law. like you're punishing somebody for buying, you know, getting a fewer assessment. So, they keep it all the same unless you do something like
add a pool or fix your basement and then they'll change your assessment. So, uh it's a little bit tricky, but in the end, even if you build a thousand more homes, our budget's still our budget. I can only raise $900,000. It just means
it's divided out by a thousand more homes. So Nick, the the number that you have here that you use this assessment on was not you going on a website that you lays with the town to get >> I lay with the town every year. What is the tax assessor? Like what is the average assessed? So this number came from the town
>> and this is where I have it. >> Okay. >> And then we also find out the value of the town and we put that into the budget and we get an accurate number. So we tell you it will go up a certain amount. It'll go up a certain amount uh for the average home. Even with that said, Nick, and I appreciate, you know, I know you
did your due diligence getting that number, but there is still fluctuation between what the assessed values are in people's homes. So, having a break breakdown that somebody can kind of look at a chart, go across the chart, see what their taxes would, what the tax increase would be, all inclusive, I think, is more beneficial for people
than just kind of using an average value that may or may not mean something to somebody. >> It'll be tough, but we'll find something. But the the other part is I I think I saw a report. So the county keeps track of this and they have a report that shows up every town we're all off like by like 30%.
The county will then reanalyze every town what they think it is and divvy up their portion to your town equally and fairly. So they they those taxes are aortioned and divided up that way. Uh but everybody's off by 30%. I mean pre I
mean it's co it's all co numbers. Everyone's homes are are much higher. But if you notice, your assessments still stay the same. >> Yeah. But it's a consistency that you see. >> Yeah. It's not like, you know, it's >> it's not just this town. It's >> across the board. They're >> across the state. >> They're low. >> Yeah.
>> Um but yes, all great points. And you know, like with our as we go forward, we're we're going to there's there's a lot of different ways that we're looking to uh to present. Okay. Now, um I I've had uh I've spoken to
people directly about this and said, "Well, if we're going to um if if we're if we're looking to raise $5 million, well, what are we getting?" We're really getting survival at $5 million. That's not anything extra. But
many people have said and and you know some at the public uh input session uh some directly some in emails which you'll see those answers posted. Well, what additional things could we do for us to do additional things? Uh we would
need to look at the adequacy number of this year. This year's adequacy number 2526 is just under $ 8.5 million. This is not a number I came up with. This is this number we received from the
county. That is what the county thinks is the uh adequacy for us to be able to meet our obligations with um with an $ 8.5 million change. This is what the results would be.
We would uh we would look at the uh pathways program again. we would look at a uh right now we have two library of media specialists is something I know we spoke about a couple of different rounds this came up um we have two we're required to have one uh under this
scenario we would be able to have a third library media specialist we would look at trying to rebuild our theater program we don't have a theater program we uh we had to let the teacher go last year and look at some other things that could really en enhance our programs Uh,
and this would of course cover all of those different areas that we talked about that would be impacted over the two years and um preventing also the class size uh increases and uh some other things. Now, uh we're always going
to be efficient if we do have enrollment does continue to go down. I'm not saying there's never going to be reductions due to if if our enrollment goes down, we need to, you know, reduce our staffing. So, we're not saying that that there would never be someone uh you know
leaving us, but it would be for uh the reason of um based on enrollment. What we do is for kids and uh it wouldn't be something that would be uh done for budgetary reasons. It would be something that would be done because we didn't need those positions to uh to support
because of the decreased enrollment. So, um, outside of, um, and that would be true also with the previous option, uh, we're always going to make sure that we're as efficient as possible in regards to the staffing we have, and that includes all positions. >> I I just a clarifying question. So, some
of these feel like they're also revenue generating. So, for example, can you can you speak to a little bit about that because this is a different number. Option two, it's a greater number than the first one. Um, and as it's written, I'd like it seems a little bit more granular, and I'd like for us to explain
a bit more about how this will impact potential rentals from the school auditorium. Um, the video boards for athletics, is that revenue generating in that you'll sell advertisement spots? Yeah. >> Um, if you could speak >> Yeah, there's there's there's a lot of
different tales to um to where this can go. like we looked at I believe it was $300 $400,000 for a video board in the auditorium. It was something we looked at and it was something you know fiscally that wasn't really obtainable for us to do now. Uh but um I how much
do you think what did we say >> 50,000 a year in revenue >> easily? Yeah. Uh is we have we have a lot of the uh a lot of different groups who are using our facilities. They're they're looking for this. So it's something like that would be something that would um yeah derive a benefit. The
pathways program like we mentioned before that would derive a benefit but we need need to have the seed money to get that started. Um and what we would look at with um with this scenario is we're dealing with the immediate problem
and we're building for the future. As we build for the future, we decrease the need to come back to the public again. So that is um what this plan would offer that option one doesn't offer is that
this is we would be able to really uh really be able to to help sustain ourselves going down the road. It is not something where we this would break the cycle of every year to two years coming back looking for a public question. This
could be something that um would put us in a different category in regards to uh our ability to match revenues to our expenses. Uh it's not doesn't solve the entire problem. We would still be we still have that reoccurring deficit. We
do have a major gap to uh to bridge, but this puts us on the path to being able to get to a better place. >> Yeah, thank you for that. I think it'll be good to actually kind of note that in the PowerPoint presentation everywhere. which of those lines are really revenue generator and when that would actually
get paid off because I think when when I actually as a layman read that I feel like oh those are nice to have what do we need why do we need them right I think just to answer that particular question it' be great for us to actually notify thank you >> So, >> let me let me jump in. So, this is not
the public comment portion. Um, but I want to answer that one real quick. So, I'm sure a lot of people have this. So, right now we're presenting options to the board. The public is allowed to sit and listen on it. So, we're presenting multiple options to the board and they can decide should we take a vote and
actually do a real special election in the future. If not, then then not. >> So, >> um and options of that as well. So, yes. >> So, there may be concern, Nick, that the solutions are just raising taxes,
>> right? So, and that's what you're showing here is that all your options are some form of a tax increase. And I think that's because, and correct me if I'm wrong, um, we are at the point where there's nothing else
to cut to raise and fill a $2.2 million deficit every year other than staff of some sort and and and other elective options. is what is what you have come to us with. >> Yeah. What you know we and and I don't
want to you know you know we're talking about the the history and yeah we we've you know as a community we've been through so much with with with co some way the other challenges we had. Um, not to say that there there um I I could
understand why why districts sometimes don't want to go to the cap, but there does come a point where the where the bill comes due. We're at that point. Um, you can't leave 20 20 almost $23 million on the table
and say, "Well, we can't look at increasing taxes when when when over 70% of your revenue is is from your local contribution." Uh, there's just no way to close that gap. >> And I think some have said, you know, maybe the state will be able to provide
us with more state aid, but they [snorts] themselves are in a structural deficit of about $2 billion. So, I don't think that the state is going to be able to provide us with the money that we need through state aid. Um, what we're hearing is that they're going to be
cutting us about 300,000, which would be the minimum. >> Well, they not just that, they told us they're cutting us because we're not paying enough in taxes is what they're saying as well. >> You know, I I don't like paying taxes, don't get me wrong. I'd [snorts] rather
keep my money than pay taxes. But unfortunately, um I think it there's a slide somewhere that shows how much we've actually in how much previous boards have raised taxes over a decade or longer versus what inflation has been over those
periods. And there's been many years I've been a resident here for 13 14 years and my taxes really have not gone up very much and I enjoy that. at some point,
you know, we all have we all have um you know, costs that we have to pay. We all have, you know, there's all there's all bills of everything. It's it's all going up. I just in July, I saw my I won't say the utility company's name, but the my utility bill went up dramatically.
And I know we're all feeling that same pressure. And I you know to to think that over time the school organization is not feeling those pressures also is is I is is something that we have to consider as well.
>> Um you know keeping keeping the emotions aside for a minute doing nothing is also an option >> but the consequences >> are devastating and that needs to get be explained. I think it is it is good for us to actually explain what this buys
us. It will also be good for us to actually explain what are the consequences if you don't do that. So that way it is very clear and transparent for anyone to actually choose. >> If you go back to the 5 million slide, if you can go back to that one for a second. >> Yeah. I mean the consequences if I'm not
misunderstanding this is that the things that are listed on that particular slide in two years we would not be able to maintain >> if and this is the reason why why in December I wanted to define the problem and and you can't go and craft solutions
until you really know what the problem is and financially over the next two years um we're going to need to cut I think close to another 30 um staff members, mostly teachers. We're going to going to need
to eliminate all sports, middle school and high school, and all clubs. Uh the only clubs that would would be able to function would be clubs that are privately funded. And I have a real problem with that. That's an absolute
equity issue. Um that's where it is. And I said, we're we're presenting we're presenting alternatives here. and and yes, part of that is raising taxes. Um I don't um I'm I don't have a vote in
this. Uh it's up to the community, but we will deal with a uh decimating cuts this year and we will deal with absolutely devastating cuts next year. um based on what I showed in December
and November, what I've talked about for months and months, if you look back at every live stream, we've spoken about this. This is this is not something that we kept quiet. This is something we spoke about a lot. This is something in
October of 2024, I knew 87 miles away because all of the information that we have is very transparent. It's it's 90% of what we show you is is very easy to get. Um it's it's public information.
Uh there's and if there's something that you can't find, call us up. We'll show you where it is. Um we've been very transparent about this. >> Yeah. I think I think on that particular transparency, the one thing that I also tell public is the audit which gets done
is not by the administration. The audit is done from the board perspective and those particular audit reports which is extensive report around where the spend is going where the money is going is all available online for the community to review. So >> it's just a clarification is an external
auditor that the >> and with with the audits and and honestly as a candidate here for this position it's one of the first things I looked at and the audits here are phenomenal. It's it it validates the the
work that's been going on done. So like when we're sitting here and people say, "Well, why don't we do an audit?" Well, we do an audit every year, an external audit. And that external auditor, they don't report to me, don't report to Nick, they report to the board of ed,
and they are going to be coming out soon to be doing their yearly audit. And you know, spoiler alert, another great audit. you know this is uh so when people say well how is the money being managed
I look at the audit that's what I did and one of the first things I did here when I was introduced in October I went to look for for Nick first thing I did is I told him what a great job he's doing and I say that as a business official for 10 years in in my previous
capacity we've done some some really great things here and it's really time for us to pull together and do the great things that we need to do for kids. >> I can I if you could see my heart rate on a monitor right now, you could
understand my feelings. We're proposing numbers like 5 million and 8.5 million and the next slide and two years ago 4.8 8 million failed and I can tell you I was very involved
in that and now we're proposing a bigger number. I'm freaking out [laughter] like I am a parent. I have babies in this school district. I don't know.
Is there a smaller number? Like why five million 8.5? the next slide. I'm scared of the response and I am telling you as a board member, but I'm really telling you as a mom
and I am really scared for my kids. So, I'm asking, are we not proposing a smaller number because we are scared about cutting more things? >> Well, I'm Well, we're
>> there's no other way. Ma'am, please. >> Ma'am, please. Ma'am, >> thank you. >> We We are We are presenting options and we're going to present the consequences.
Listen, I I look at everything I'm looking at everything objectively and saying this is what we see as the path based on each one of these uh these decisions. We're offering three different uh three different options. We're also offering another option which
is to do nothing. But we also had a responsibility of laying out what exactly the consequences were of that act of that action. Like I'm saying, this is something that will be voted on by the public. There's no reason to be mad. If you dis if you if you dislike the
option, vote against it. I think but I think that I only ask for the opportunity to present all the facts and then I think the the decision needs to be made. You can't leave $23 million on the table over an 8-year period and say
everything's fine now. We're not looking these numbers are to get us where we need to be now. This doesn't make up for all those deficits of the past. We're not playing catch-up here. We're saying, "Hey, let's hit a reset and go forward from that point." There are there are children and uh an
administrator I used to work for always said this. We only get one chance with kids. We can't fix those things we didn't do for those kids who are no longer with us. But we can go and we could fix what we can do for the next generation and for the students that we have under our care now. And that's what
we're proposing options to do that. We're also proposing an option just to go move forward and and to continue to struggle the way we are now and to not maximize. That's up to the voters. We only present options. >> Um, Dr. Piso, I think to Miss uh, Hel
D'Angelo's question, the 5 million was arrived at by looking at two years worth of need, right? So, we said we were in a deficit of around 2.6 million for each year or 2.2 and we're catching up every single year. Um, and we show that in
previous slides. So we arrived at the 5 million by that gives us two years until the debt falls off. Correct. >> Yeah, that is that would get us to the debt. With the debt, we would need to do what I call an offset. We have $5 million coming off the books in debt
payments. We would need to go out for two different options. One would be for uh to maintain the capital plant because you have ignore the capital plant, you end up costing it cost you a lot more down the road. Uh and also we would need to do a um we would also need to do a question for operations at that point
but we would keep it level. Um there wouldn't be an increase at that point because it would be offset by the debt service coming off. So this basically would get us the 5 million would basically get us through two years. Um we wouldn't be able to build and grow.
We wouldn't be able to meet the needs of our highly talented students. we wouldn't be able to meet the needs of our students who want to ex explore all different pathways. U but we can get by. Um won't be easy. Uh it never is and and that's fine. We're not looking for an
easy solution. We're looking for the solution that the community has determined is best for the children we serve. >> And all of this was built off the assumption that we would not be getting state aid. Correct. This is based on the assumption that we're only going to be
cut 3% which is the agreement from last year which I I I think if if there's a change we'll get less not more. So, this is actually a fairly I don't know optimistic, but I'd say it's it's it's
hopeful that really it's to say that we're not going to have any kind of disruption in regards to any kind of federal funding. I I don't know. Does anybody believe that right now? Uh we're in difficult times. Uh state aid, um state, they have their challenges, too.
I'm not trying to criticize the state. They they have their challenges. Um, so, so to assume that we're we're getting more, it's a matter of how much less we get, not a matter of getting more. >> So, ju just to say what you said maybe a
little bit differently. So, you're asking for the taxpayers then option one to give 5 million now. Yeah. >> The 5 million in two years when the debt falls off will be the equivalent of the capital portion of the high school that's going to fall off. So you're
going to lose 5 million. So that goes back to the taxpayers immediately, >> right? Because that's how the school bonding works. It goes it's it's a relief, right? The only way to say it. >> And then you're going to go back out in and so it be an offset as you said. >> Yeah.
>> And at that point there'll be another question to because we've we've just replaced capital with operational. There'll be another question to in you know to go to capital again to
fix to maintain and fix you know our buildings and and infrastructure as well as operational at that time with option one. >> Yeah. With option one you would say if 5 million comes off in debt service maybe you would do three million worth of debt service for capital and maybe two
million of debt service for uh for operations and a question at that time. So it would be you know cost neutral in regards to that, but that only gets you through another year. Um so now you're looking at um a year, two years max down the road we're coming right back again
because um the problem with option one is you're not you're not you're not coming up with new alternatives. You're not doing something in regards to um a pathways program where you could have benefits. You're not doing you're not supporting. We're talking about well you
could raise money other ways. Yeah. or how do you raise money other ways? Well, you need to be a desirable location and build off of that. What option two does is it helps you build to be able to support that. Um and um
with the desiraability, I think that you know we talk about short-term there being enrollment going down and you make up for that with the pathways program. Um I think long term a vibrant school district. I think long term you're looking at at that enroll enrollment
reversing. So I think if you get looking at option two to me um that opens up different avenues where um option one is really a redo of what was done two years ago in regards to just filling the gap for a year. This would fill the gap for
two years instead of one. Uh but it doesn't change the dynamic at all. Now I'm going to say something now. Um the last option which is going to be upsetting. Okay, this is what the local fair share number is
where now we no. Am I up to the local fair share? Is that >> okay? I can only kind of partially see that. Okay. The local fair share is the amount the state formula says a district should contribute locally before state
aid fills the gap. This is what our president was just speaking about. It is not an arbitrary or uniform tax amount. It's calculated based on the district's property wealth and resident income. And I think um Nick had touched on that. The more a district can afford, the higher
the property values and income, and we're fortunate in this district, the higher its local share. Less affluent districts have lower local shares and receive more state aid to reach adequacy. So the number that is defined
by the state formula is that we're 17 million short of the local fair share calculation. That's what we would need to raise locally to be able to uh to be able to undo that. I think we described as a penalty in regards to state aid
because of our contribution. Um, I know this is a huge number, but I present alternatives. I'm not uh favoring one over the other. I wanted to show a range of just filling the gap to fixing the problem. If you'd like to fix the
problem, this is how you fix the problem. Now, one of the questions may be, well, if you raised $17 million, that's a lot of money coming into the district. Well, what benefit is that? Well, want to talk
about debt service with the 17 banging it up. If if you do the 17, this is just an option. That's that's a lot of money. Uh for a district of ours, you know, if we fight for another million for two million, for three
million, 17, you know, I mean, all of our debt is six. So you could actually reshuffle the money and really only affect the taxpayer 11 million, not the 17. You won't have to go out the bond
probably for decades, right? Um depending on how you manage that, but we're looking at, you know, the bond falling off in two years. You're going to have to rebond in two years to repair all the schools and so forth. Um with that kind of money, you you wouldn't need to. You would do it anyway just
because of state aid. that would be affected by it. Um, so there are ways to play that and shuffle it around so it won't be a 17 million hit directly. Um, but I I expect it to be around 11, but we would shift that burden from debt
to operating and and play those games. Uh, and the financial trickery of it. Um, all completely legal, all understandable, but really what happens is you now can raise 2% on that in the following years. And that fixes your
formula that you can now manage better and you would have the assets and the cash flow to maintain the school district. No, that's that's an astronomical number. We know that. But wanted to give a range of options.
If you'd like to fix it, that's the way you fix it. And it's painful. Do you do you have >> the example of how much it would be? Then >> I I pulled it out because it's such a big number. I thought it was even I kind of pulled out for that one, not for the
other two. I think for the 8.5 was a medium uh McDonald's coffee. This one it it comes out to >> it's about $5 a day. Um uh and that's a lot of money. No doubt about it. That's a lot of money. There there'd be a bad there'd be a mass
exodus out of this town if you asked me before. >> Yeah. 17 million. >> I didn't I didn't think that this would be overwhelmingly the popular choice, >> but I'm here to present options and people have said, "Well, what do you need to do to fix it?" That's it.
>> One question about the local share v raising, for example, the minimum 5 million. Will that actually change any of the state formula to actually provide us more money? No, they they're still under overfunding this by double the amount.
>> So what's what's what would that change in the sense would that 8 million or 17 million what would which one would actually make the change in the state formula for them >> to give us more money? >> Nothing. Thank you. until, you know, either they change the
equation in the formula or our town drastically loses wealth. >> Yeah, that that's that's not going to be the primary. But I think the I think what this does is it really puts you on a path where where you where you're not
looking at going out for um for public questions. You're not, you know, you're able to to retire your debt service. Um you you kind of re re to restructure the financing of the district. Um, but it's it's it's a big amount, but it does have
it does drastically change what we're able to do for kids. And we at that point, we could then go and um level out what we do going forward instead of going through this this yo-yo back and forth in regards to um going
back and forth with public questions. I said I wanted to present all options. So I did and so just to summarize Dr. Viz. So um so we talked we talked for a long time
here. Um so when we received to go state the problem again. So we received S2 funding. We kept taxes flat in the town. that lost tax revenue has compounded over the years and has created the structural
deficit that you're explaining now. In addition, we allow the bank cap to expire, losing that potential compounding forever. If we had gone to 2% cap every year, we wouldn't need this public question or actually even the last public question because we didn't
were forced to look at, you know, we'll call spikes um which are increasing the tax levy um due to a public question. So I think it's important to reiterate to the public that this deficit is not a
result of waste or excess. Um you know I think you presented cases where you look to save money. I think we're going to continue have to you know look at those things as well. >> But the fact but the facts are >> all these things that put us in this financial crisis that we're talking about
>> and you know we've also talked about the consequences of doing nothing as well. You know, I do want to stress that, you know, I am aware personally and I'm sure, you know, I don't want to speak for other board members, but I'm sure that they are um that any tax increase
does put stress on our community and our taxpayers. And I do ask that, you know, if we are to increase revenue from a public question or asked to increase revenue, that's important that we keep looking at ways to decrease our increases in expenditures.
um that's really important because until we're able to bring into a balance this is just going to keep reering itself. So I think as we look if we are to propose a question and let's just say for the sake of argument that's passed we still need to look at ways to reduce our
expenditures that way we're able to bring this back into equilibrium quicker and I think that that's an important message for our taxpayers to know that we are actively looking at that and we have been actively looking to do those things.
It's just that this is what a structural deficit is. It's, you know, I think Ragu used the escalator and the stairs analogy, which I think is a good one. Um, but it's not a a situation of excess or waste. It's not a situation where if some billionaire
came up and gave us, you know, a couple million dollars today that it would actually solve the problem. wouldn't um because it's the tax levy and the compounding of that over time which is actually will solve the problem not a one-time influx of cash to it. >> Yeah.
>> So, >> but just to that point, >> we received a one-time influx from this um from legislators. I think a couple other districts did as well a couple years ago, but that only helped in that one year. It did not >> correct >> correct the problem moving forward
because >> it doesn't go to your base. >> It does not go to the base. So you can never increase the 2%. >> I mean so I think to what Dr. Piro was just saying you know you the difference of you know going to cap and what was actually increased in the town this only goes back
>> since 2017 2018. What you what we don't see here is what the actual increase in inflation was or any other costs that were overlaid over it. So >> yeah, this is below a punitive cap, >> right? >> I I have a chart here and and probably
should share this out. It just I have it well over a decade of tax increases for schools. So um >> Oh yeah. >> And I I'll read these out real quick. I know we should probably get to public comment um
shortly and finish this. Um but when we used to go out for in April for elections and voting on on a budget it was 3.2% 4.7 4.9 are these are big numbers. The 2% rule
came out and then it was a negative.4 increase 1% 6 flat 722.5 7. So for eight years in a row you
averaged >> less than half percent actually point4. That's where the concern came from. Now how did you fill this problem and this hole like it didn't just happened was that there was massive increases in state aid
right this was a time period the state owed this town a lot of money. CO changed those rules. The state the equation came back like your your town is now, you know, wealthier than in the past
and they stopped giving us millions of dollars every single year. They went from giving us 1 to two million every year to sorry, zero. And you're lucky you even got zero because we should have cut you. Next thing was zero. So after that we raised it about two and a half.
the public question brought it to five and nine by four. So, ironically, like back how it used to be back, April's four. So, this 2% rule, like if you didn't take the 2% every single year, you're you're going to you're gonna it's
going to catch you. And it's not just us, you know, just what business administrators and business officials and CFOs tell you. You you need to take take it. Don't squander it. Use it wisely. Watch your recurring expenses. Um, but it's going to catch up when
inflation starts going rampant. >> There's a actually a really great visual, Dr. Piso, on slide 21 of exactly what Mr. MRE was just talking about where you show the overlay between the tax increase and the consumer price index [snorts] um, which is in the
appendex for anyone that's able to view it online. Yeah, >> we did uh we did put in the appendix this um this slide and we also put in a um a redo of the slides from the uh the
December and November presentations. >> Can can I ask a question um that has come up and I think you know to one of the constituents like questions what other things can we do? So, there's been a lot of conversation in the state
around um uh regionalizing school districts and I know that there's a bill out there by Senator Kopal which has not passed um to my knowledge yet. Um but can you speak a little bit about some of the challenges and what would that look
like and mean for Robinsville? Is it even a feasible uh possible solution? There's lots of conversations in the town regarding that as a proposed solution. >> You want to take it? >> I I'll take it because I
>> I have history on this from previous school districts. So, uh the odds of it occurring, both towns need to accept. So, first you have to find another town that's willing to do it. You'd have to do a study. Um and there's a lot of towns in Mammoth County, especially on the shore, that are looking at this. um
you need to pick a town that has your wealth impact and and then you have to take into account uh your efficiencies and so forth. So for us being incredibly efficient, low cost, h you're you're now going to go pick up
another town that is going to be more expensive. So your taxes are going to go up and theirs will go down most likely. And then you have to take into account transportation. And then you have to take in merging the guides because you're not going to go down. >> That's the big >> and we know what our guides look like.
Um not to talk about negotiations. We know what our guides look like >> and what our steps are. And so how do you compare the two? Most likely you will lose many millions more by doing that. Not to mention, you also have to get people to approve it. And you see massive towns trying to absorb little
towns. The big town's like, "I'll take you." and the little town's like, "Whoa, we're not going to do that because we're going to lose money." And then you lose local control as well. Um, so, uh, you know, when districts look at merging, they're looking at districts of 200
kids, 300 kids, not 3,000, >> right? We would be absorbing little ones. And the reality is we are the little one, >> their quotations in this county. So a larger district would have to agree then
to merge with us and then the guide meaning the teacher salary guide correct >> teacher salaries guide >> would go to the highest guide. So whatever highest guide and then you would have to compensate all of the teachers basically. >> Everybody would go up. You would you >> so the savings that people think would
be a savings may not be depending on what that salary guidance is. >> You would have one less superintendent and one less BA. You would have an assistant BA picking up the workload. You'd have an assistant superintendent picking up the workload. So you may save 100 grand and lose many many millions.
you know, u there are people out there that will do the studies for you, but you know, I'm not >> And both townships would have to agree >> and the taxpayers would have to agree. So, you'd have to go out for a vote and both towns must accept
>> and this couldn't be done within 6 months, 3 years. It would take a decibility study attorney saying three years. >> Yeah. Do you mind because I can answer please? >> So the bill you're referring to from
Senator Gopal focus on school districts of less than 500 students. It's not even considering Robinsville. Robinville is you know on average around 3,000. So they're talking about the school districts that are super tiny school
districts like the short towns have many of them uh and they're already involved in tremendous amount of shared services. So consolidation for them is a lot easier for the most part because they're already usually consolidating various
services to begin with. Um it has the bill has nothing to do with a school district the size of Rockinsville right now. The past bill that you're referring to that talked about schools consolidating. So Nick explained it correctly that two schools have to get
together pass a resolution to say we'd like to do what's called a feasibility study. And then the feasibility study assesses various aspects of those school tax base uh uh student enrollment a number of other things basically to see
do they do they fit together and based upon that analysis which then gets presented. Um they kind of say here's where the cost savings could be and here's who we think would be on that board. So like this board's nine members
if you consolidate with another town. The question is, do you have you're not going to have nine members of that board anymore. You might have three or four or five depending on your your population differences. Um, and then as Nick indicated, both sides have both boards have to
approve another public question to have the voters then approve that consolidation. So you're talking about like three years basically because the the feasibility study itself is like a year plus. >> Um, and then you're by the time it actually happens, you're talking three
years. the Henry Hudson Tri District like did it kind of recently, but they were one of those that was already doing it. You know, they were like already sharing tons of services, so they were able to regionalize in a lot more of a seamless manner. But a school district
of this size consolidating with somebody else, like unless you were gobbling up a school district of 250 or 300, going from with 3,000 to another 3,000 or another, that's a huge undertaking. >> [snorts] >> Well, I just one more one more thing.
Mr. Piro said something about um reducing expenditures and that's one piece of it and I think we continue to talk about increasing revenue, right? So I think if we look at that second question or the proposal that's about to come through um
I what I'm afraid for uh you know as a parent community member on behalf of the community is continuing to go back and just pass the the problem until another problem arises and we're still solving for that. Um, and I I I want to
understand a little bit more about this 8.5 that that that middle ground to make sure that we understand from a from a growth perspective how we can prevent us having to go back again. Um, and how we're going to solve a larger problem if we do it right now and show the
opportunity range for the revenue building opportunities for a few of those things that are listed. um because I think that'll be extremely informative should it go to public question to have that type of detail. >> Yeah. [clears throat] But also you you know you're you're speaking about a larger amount up front. So you know that
rolls forward in regards to to being able to capture uh additional years. Um, like I said, I don't propose that as being the ultimate solution to every problem, but I do think that that pushes the um the next time we need to come
back to the public down the road several years with the exception of when the debt service falls off and we do a um and we do an offset. >> Um so you're looking at at many years um there. Um, not talking about 10, but you
know, we're talking about, you know, with that uh offset year, you know, you're looking at maybe five, what do you think? Five, six years. >> Yeah, I think five, six years is comfortable to say. And, you know, we we would hope to do more than that. Uh, but
it wouldn't it wouldn't really um serve to you completely solve the problem. We would be back eventually. See what my thought was in in regards to coming up with three options is
to me if we're going to go out for a public question, I think you need to look at what do you need to do to survive to keep to keep going forward to preserve what you have and we have that that option as options. option one.
Option two, a lot of people in the community have said we want to do additional things. We'd like to do more. And I think option two, I think pushes um, you know, pushes the down the road several years, us coming
back out again. And it does open up um additional opportunities in regards to raising revenue, which is nice. um doing good stuff for our students, which is what we're here for. Uh and while doing
good stuff for our our students, um there's also a revenue component that goes with that. Uh but to me, with the Pathways program, it was always about what good things can we do for our kids? Could it um could it bring kids in from other districts? Yeah, sure it could.
and and then it could have a financial benefit. But what great things could we do for our students? And that's what option two opens up the uh the opportunity for um I I would like to do a um that that if the board decides to
go forward to put out multiple options and and let the community vote on what they feel is best. I I do think that the third option u I thought was something that we needed to present. Whether that's something that needs to be part
of a of an option for a public question. I you know I defer to you know the to the board to uh to make that decision. Um but I do think that we needed to as an administrative team to bring that forward to you because um I can't say well this will just get us by and the
other one will get us by a little bit longer and I don't have an option to fix this. we had to come up with an option to fix it even if it's uh the viability of that is is to be uh determined ultimately here and and if it would go to um and if it was one of three option
it was put out then it would go to the uh to the voters. >> Dr. Piso, quick question. Um looking at option one, option two, how's courtesy busing affected? I uh my thought with courtesy busing has
been well with with option with option one courtesy busing would have to go go away. >> We do have the ability um two we did go and and look at what's it called? Subscription busing. Um we did look at subscription busing for the areas not
served. Um so to me how how do you fund one part of town and not another part of town? It doesn't make sense from an equity standpoint to me. So, I would think that under um option one, that would absolutely need to go away. Uh
with option two, I think it should go away in regards to it being an equity issue and let's put out subscription busing um for the entire district. I don't think we could have a two-tiered system there. I I just don't feel right about
that. It's it's uh it's it's completely inequitable to um to our communities that aren't served now that would have to pay for it. So I would think that would have to be that should be subscription across the board. Um I think if you're looking at like an
option three, I think you know at that point then then maybe you want to recons then maybe you want to have uh courtesy busing for both sides for all parts of town. That might be something that would make sense at that point. But five is just getting us by and 8.5 is is is you
know getting us by for several years. Um but you're going to eat away at that awfully quickly if um if you maintain courtesy busing and at the same time how do we then offer it for a fee for those who aren't served by the current courtesy bus?
Just a clarifying point for option two, unless you said that'll get us by for several years, not just two years. >> It gets us to the um to when we have the offset. I want to be um completely transparent that with that offset, we
need to take advantage of that. Um but that would be a costneutral because you would it would you would keep um what your current uh what your current levy is. would just it would just shift to the other category. So it would be a complete offset. So for us to get to a
point where we need to go out and raise new money so to speak, >> that's five, six, maybe seven years down the road with option two. >> And for the options on option two that are going to bring revenue in, which ones are you per I assume it's the
pathways program. >> I I'm a I'm a huge advocate of the Pathways program. Um, one of the things I've always done as as an educator and and with my community work that I've done in different areas is um, every
student makes their own path. I think we have students who really would excel if we could do a a STEMbased program, um, a U biomed program, but what about other pathways? What about those, you know, what about students who are interested
in and and are looking to make a career out of out of doing something with the arts or even just looking to, you know, enrich their lives. Uh that's what a pathways program does. That's what we're about as educators. A pathways program is really across the
board hitting hitting those those those high those high achievers in those science areas, but but you're also going to offer opportunities for others like Um it's something that we did. Um to me I equate it to uh the AVID program. You
know where okay we're we're we're hitting um the needs of children in different areas but AVID was a group of students um that that we really weren't um impacting as much as we would like. A pathways program is really extending that type of concept to meeting uh
student needs across the board. One of one of the things that um that that when when people try to go and and help students in regards to their career, they want students to follow the path they did. Well, every student has to make their own path. That's why you need
multiple options. That's why you need rich curriculum. That's why you need all of these um all of these different opportunities for our students that they get in in other districts and they're not getting here uh is is because they um where their path lies will be should be
determined by them. We should just show show them a host of doors that can open. So I'm I've always been passionate about those um about career type programs. Actually helped set one up for Hofster University early in my career. um at the uh
>> question college level. >> Can I clarify something? >> So, it's something I've been involved with before and I think that Christiey's team just did did a phenomenal job and and we have really the basis of a working program that we would be able to revive and bring forth for the
consideration of the board and for the community to learn about. Again, >> Dr. Pizzo, just a really quick question on the the pathways. Um is it is there external partnerships and things that we would do as a school that then put us in the realm of uh like cooperative and
supportive environment with other you know so that it was offsetting re like cost. I think that you've you've explained it well before and I think we have to remove the notion that somebody who's sitting here today also heard about the incredible pathways program
prior and I think that's a little bit of the >> the dilemma here is that there's so much written as to that question and the number that we're going out that I think needs to be clarified and you'll offer that clarity. Oh yeah, >> but I want you to sort of >> Yeah, we can go on to it a little bit but there's a hyperlink to the pathways
program that was presented on the 10th of April. Christy, do you want to chime in with anything or because I know there's different areas that you could talk about with the >> from a student perspective, the experience that they will get through the internships, um the networking that we would be able to propose in working
through these pathways would just be incredible opportunities. Um speaking to the surveys that we did as well as the student voice workshops, um one of the major areas that came out of it was medical science, um as a desire and a want moving forward, also a law background for students. Um, so being
able to network, we have a great I mean even our community is pretty incredible, but being able to network out with other universities as well too. >> Can can I switch gears a little bit? Um, can we go back to I wanted to talk about other ways in which we're looking to
partner. Um so can you talk a little bit about what steps we're taking as a district and then maybe board of ed so u Mr. Olenberg as well um talk about how are we partnering with our local and state legislators to also think through
what are some shared services what other opportunities like I think as a board and as a district we want what's best for our students and if the question does not pass like what what's the plan
right because these cuts can't be the plan so how are we twofold yes putting it out to the public, but then also advocating um at the state level for some other opportunities like the one we had maybe in the spring.
>> We we do have several things that we're working on, but um I'm not at liberty to to share things that we're negotiating now, but we do reach out to our political leaders who have been great. And um there are some opportunities that would be beneficial for um the wider
community and for the school district. And uh when we get to a point where we can present it, we we will. I don't think it's it's it's fair for me to do that without speaking to the different political leaders directly first. >> And to that end, I also, you know, would
um ask parents and community members to also advocate at the state level. I know in other communities, you know, such as South Brunswick, they were able to partner with their local senators and assembly um persons to be able to pass different bills that helped to support
them in years where they were in crisis. And so, you know, I really think that it's be it would be beneficial for community members, not just the board of ed. We already are doing that and will continue to do that, but for community members to reach out to Senator Greenstein, to Assembly Member Wayne
D'Angelo, and to Neil McCoy. Um, and to be able to just share with them some of the things that we're going through as a district and what our needs are because they also are advocates at the state level for us as districts and some of them have direct experience being on
boards of ed and can speak directly to what it's like in a school district. And so I I really think it's important that the community gets involved and acts as advocates as well alongside of us as a school board and as an administration. Well, we did see that even like with the
um the issues related to the crematorium where where um where I got to meet so many of our our leaders. Um so so I do think that's I think that's that's part of this. Like I said, nothing is in a vacuum. Nothing's off the uh the table and um but but I do I do feel that we we
need to we need to address things on on our our ship, so to speak. Uh but we're always looking for partnerships and and you know I'm excited with some of the things going on even just uh um this something I can talk about in regards to the uh film ready program is is
something that um that we're that we've spoken uh spoken to the uh the town about. I know it's something that that um that that our incoming mayor has done a lot of work on and um he was generous to uh you know to share with us some of those opportunities and and that's just
one of many things that's just something that's further um further along down the road that I could um that I could share but uh but that's not by no means the only thing we're working on. It's many and I think Dr. go from your perspective, you know, that makes sense that, you know, the board of education
will reach out to the local politicians, right? I I think we [snorts] needed to have the problem defined and we need to have a clear presentation of what that is before we go out to the political leaders. And I think now that we have that, we have a basis for that and we'll ask for more information. Now that we have this, now
we can start having those conversations. But it was a little premature before we had all of this information together to do those things. I think I think the board agrees we start we start having those conversations now. >> And Dr. Pis, I know that you've been talking about reaching to the community
every week. Can you actually emphasize on those particular dates of when you'll be open and how uh we will continue engagement with the community? Oh. Oh. Um, if we do go forward with a um with a public question or multiple options for
a public question um and it's in this presentation um just give you the basic rundown on this. Okay. All the way at the end some of the after. Well, this is the summary one.
And then this we had um what I was uh what I was looking to do is uh we we wanted to have every Tuesday where there wasn't a board meeting to to have an open forum and um we would have it here so everyone knew where it was so it wasn't a matter of trying to figure out
where it is. We' do it here every Tuesday. Um Thursday um we've had input from board members. We've had uh um our public relations uh administrative assistant uh person who does a little
bit of everything working on getting uh getting us aligned with all different groups in regards to going and meeting. Um on Thursdays um Fridays every um pretty much every day of the week as we get closer to the proposed date where a uh where a question would be held would
be o would be um sorry would be uh March 10th. Um, but we we're looking at at meeting with people several times a week. I'm also uh looking at just doing open office hours, you know, uh if you
have something to share with me, if you're if you're happy, upset, you know, disagree, come talk to me. Uh I think we get better ideas by by hearing all ideas. Um, I don't I I don't necessarily enjoy
just being surrounded by people who agree with me. Um, I think that I think that everybody's opinion matters. And um, if if someone says, "Oh, I can't go speak with the superintendent." Well, that's just not true. Call me, tell me when's good, and we'll put you right
right in the schedule and come right in. Uh, my office is inconvenient. I'll go meet you where you are. Uh, so we are uh um, we're open. We're available. I I actually enjoy this. It's not something it's not a burden to do this. Um I'm
actually excited when people from the community come and see me and you know I've I've you know met with maybe 60 different people individually and uh I'd be happy if I met with 600 people individually. It's fine. And if it and if it means that you know I spend an
hour with someone and it pushes my day back, I stay an hour later. Doesn't matter. It's not uh it's not a matter of the it's not a matter of the school district's time. Uh it's a matter of whatever the community needs, I'm I'm there. Uh if there's something somewhere um some group would like to meet with
me, I'm there. I know my team will be there. We're here. We're available. I said, and I'll always give you an honest answer. I'm I'm I won't will not give an answer to appease someone. I will speak
to what I think is is the uh what I can quantify and and be as accurate as I can. Um but I'll [snorts] give an honest answer and and you know and and I'm willing to take in new information and and learn from that. I I the day I know
everything is will be the day I retire um for good. Um listen, I think we could all learn and grow. So I'm excited to meet with anyone who's willing to come meet with me. And Dr. Peter, and we all understand what the open hours means, but the the forums you're talking about on Tuesdays
are not a meeting setting. These are information sessions that people uh community members and residents could ask questions and there'll be feedback given at that meeting, right? It's an exchange, not just a one-way. >> Yeah. I know this would be it would be similar uh to when we did the open
communications where people could say anything but in this forum um we held back on speaking because it wasn't our role to speak. It was our role to to bring in input from the community. Um now that we're putting out solutions or
what we feel are viable solutions, we can have an open discourse and um it's not going to it's not a board meeting. Um, it's not something where, you know, we need a a quorum or anything. Board members, as members of the community could uh could attend, and
I'm sure many will. Um, but it it's really just a public information session. It'll be a vibrant debate. And like I said, people will sometimes agree with me, sometimes disagree. Both are good because it gives us better uh better solutions working that way. And
and by the way, if we have we did structure the last time it was three minutes. Um, but it's like a batting order. After everybody goes through, we start over again. And if we need to stay, I'll stay until the last person's done speaking. Doesn't matter what time it
is. Doesn't matter how many hours it goes, and it doesn't matter how many days we do it. If this public question didn't pass any of these options here, uh uh if I was a parent, one of the
things I might think was, well, could I just pay for the sports? Could I just pay for courtesy busing? And I want to reiterate, we've mentioned this a few times and I think this is my like point that I say every time is that we looked at how much each each sport would cost
because turf costs money and administrators who run the sports cost money and uh the buildings and the facilities and the weekend uh events that are away that you need buses for. It would be $3,000
per sport per >> depends on the sports but yeah it's astronomical >> but it's significant if your kid is paying football and soccer and you're playing a travel sport out that's a significant
chunk of money for sports and as someone who works at a college prep school when you are applying to colleges they are looking at wellrounded Ed students who have clubs and sports, not just one,
multiple. And we wouldn't be offering that if this doesn't if this doesn't pass. >> Yeah, >> I think Dr. Pel, the slide before this, we kind of skipped over the summary of options to kind of piggy back on what
Amanda or one side, >> you're still on the same one. >> So, I guess the question to that is are are we going to offer that to the community? >> Um, what I what I Yeah, this is the uh the opposite. We had here's here's my
issue with that. Um, a community is is about pulling together and having a a collaborative effort to to fund your schools. Um, when we're talking about people individually funding, it completely goes against equity. What does what is does is that mean that only
only uh the children of of wealthy parents get to play sports? Um, how much does it does it cost to play football that cost us? It's it's thousands of dollars for per student. Do you have the number? >> I have to go pull pull it up, but it's a couple thousand. >> Yeah, I think it's like $3,500 for, you
know, in that ballpark um for a student. And I think it's more for hockey. Um, and then there are other sports where it's a lesser amount. So, are we going to determine what sport a child plays because of their economic means?
Uh, it's it's it's not a sustainable way of going about about funding a school district. >> Well, that that's also assuming every child pays. So you can assume I'm going to assume there's going to be a decline of people paying that money and
then free and reduce would have to be free and reduced. >> So the cost would also go up. >> Um and uh >> we didn't we didn't say anything about blocking any ability. I'm talking about the viability of whether it would make
sense as an option. We don't we're we we're going to do the best we can with whatever resources we have available. We look at um like I said what when it comes to clubs we've we've stopped expanding clubs but we do accept um
people who are donating for the clubs. Now is every is every child able to get access to funding for a club? No. It's not equitable. But if we have funding, we're going we're letting it go forward. So, I don't think it's a I don't think it's a good solution. Um, but I'm not
saying it's something that we're looking to make any kind of ultimatum on here. I I just don't think it's the best solution on how you want to go about doing things, >> Mr. President. So, we've been going for >> Yeah. So, my my >> Can we take a break and then possibly
I'm recommending break public comment? We still have to decide after that. No. Yeah, I'm I'm with I'm with you, Mr. McCree. But I just want to ask, are there any other board member questions based on the options that have been presented right now before we take a quick break?
>> Yeah. As far as quick people have been waiting here for three hours. >> Yeah. I'm ready to just move into public comment. Yeah. Yeah. >> Yeah. All right. So, there's no more board member questions, comments. Thank you, Dr. Piso.
Uh so public comment agenda items. So these are again everything we just discussed. I won't read the long discourse again. I read it earlier. Um can I have a motion to open public comment for >> so moved >> an hour? >> So moved. >> Second. >> All in favor.
>> Any ns or extensions? Oh wait. >> I heard Barbara and Reggu. All right. All in favor? Any other abstensions? Public comment is open. Uh, good evening, Matt Grady, 329 Gordon
Road. Um, I I know this is a summary up here of options. I I think my first comment would be that the outcome if it's not approved. Um, I hope it's more extensive than that. I don't think that uh just cutting sports clubs and
programs is probably all we have that we can look at. Um, so a couple ideas, uh, maybe that you haven't thought of yet. Um, the township could pay for the SRO's. Uh, the township could pick up the tab, uh, for your shared services for ambulances. Um, couple other
options. I haven't heard anybody talk about the administration not taking their raises. Uh, that was contractual. Okay. Uh I also haven't heard anyone talk about declaring a fiscal state of emergency which you by law would then be able to and this is be negative for your
teachers uh but withhold uh their contractual raise. Um so those are options that have been done in the past. Um but I I think what I want to really get across while you're contemplating what the options are um this town is not
going to sit sit quietly and watch sports and extracurriculars be eliminated. This town is not going to sit quietly and watch the quality of this education system fail. You have a failing school system. You have a failing town. People live here for the
schools. We need to fix the problem and we need to pay for it. Okay? I would rather pay a little bit more incrementally in my taxes than watch my home value drop by 25%. And guess what? So if you don't want to
pay more in taxes, you are going to send your kids somewhere else. So now you're going to pay out of your pocket. You're still going to have your property taxes and the entire notion of a community is going to evaporate. So you know, I I said this before, the solution to the
problems here are in this room and in the parents of the school community. Okay? You've got roughly 3,200 kids in this school. That means you probably have at least four to 5,000 parents. They all need to vote. But we need to
get the right ask and the message clear. And so if we're going to talk about negative outcomes, if the referendum doesn't pass, I want to see a full list and I want everything to be on it. Okay? Everybody needs a share in the pain. And
I don't think that the kids should be the first ones on that list because they're the ones who haven't had anything to do with this problem. Okay? We didn't increase our school tax in over a decade, one time in 10 years. We need to have incremental increases.
Right now, this is triage. You've got a a dying patient on the table. So, we need to stabilize the district and then we can talk about how we move forward. Okay? moving forward is more teachers, more programs, not less. So, I really I
said it before, everybody that's in this room, you better tell your friends. Have them tell their friends. >> Hi, I'm Kyle Lane. I just want to make a comment about the structure of this meeting. I really think it was extremely
poorly managed. We had about 12 or so slides as to how we got here and maybe two and a half where we actually saw your proposed solution. And if you want that $8 million ask a brief it was like maybe two minutes where you went on it. 1.7 million I think was to the pathways
program. I understand you said there's a link to it. It's like right now based on all your slides before we are an A school. I understand we're not an A+ school but we're an A school. So, I think we just need to be honest. Is the Pathways program a passion point or is it where we need to go? Because if we're
also basing it on that um survey that came out in I guess it was November or December, it did not talk about sports and clubs and things like that. It talked about career readiness, college readiness, and I'm all for that. But the pain point you give us with is cutting sports and clubs. So, I'm just saying
moving forward knowing that you're asking for a huge amount of money, more detail, more slides, not on how we got here because we've covered that, but on truly what the solution is. And there needs to be a solution for people who might not want to increase the task
their taxes. What is it going to? It's like nine o'clock. We spent so much time on how do we get here? Certainly not enough time where I thought I was coming in here was going to see truly a plan, not two and a half slides because we didn't even cover the 17 million. We've
all taken time away from our families, from picking up our kids, from having people have to watch our kids. This was not fair to us as a community. Good evening. My name is Al Sadero, Six Hilltop Place. Um, want to just bring up what the uh,
superintendent mentioned early about community and, um, I hope I can shed a different perspective on this for everybody. Um, I'm an older parent, okay? Um, 62 years old. um soon I will
be you know a senior citizen. Uh when I was growing up, I always remembered that uh and my parents taught me that um and I know a lot of the seniors, you know, they're on fixed incomes and things, but it was about doing things
that our children got for the children that came came after them and the same thing that I got from the people that put me through school, public school, when I was growing up. And I think that um losing the sports, the extra, you're
gonna have a mass exodus of kids out of the school. Um, that's going to put a burden on on a lot of parents because not only are we paying the property taxes in Robinsville, but now we're going to have to put our kids, you know, I got twins, so now I'm going to have to put two in private school just so they can play sports or do their clubs or
whatever. I think that's a dilemma for a lot of people here. Um, I also have concerns about what are you what are you people going to do with all these kids after school? Where are they going to go? What are they going to do? You're gonna what? You going to send You're gonna have 25, 35, 45 kids
hanging out at Foxmore all day long doing nothing? You know, plus all the social things they get out of sports and clubs and things. What are we going to say? What do you plan on with all these kids? What are you turning out here if they don't
have these things? you can have a bunch of robots, no social skills. That's just bad enough the way it is with the social skills now. They're not going to have any of that. Um, the other thing I wanted to bring up is has any uh
um has anybody ever with since with all the building that we've got that's going on in Robinsville um all the companies that are building houses, whatever it is, has anybody uh talked about imposing impact fees on
any of these corporations? I I I'm not sure. you know, um there was a time when people would come, you know, developers and things would come to your town, they want to build a a whole community, uh that's let's say it's going to put 2500 residents. Well, they
were required to either uh supplement the school because they're bringing all these people in or in most cases like in the early 60s when the baby boomers and stuff, they were required to build schools and infrastructure and everything else. Has anybody gone to any of these corporations, these big ones,
and said, "Hey, we have a bud budget deficit. All these kids are going to suffer. Can you guys maybe help out?" I I'll get another turn if I have something else. Thank you. [clears throat] >> My name is Eigor 216 Garden Plays. I'm sorry, I'm a little bit horsearse.
Um, so I have two questions. One pertains to the past. I mean, I understand how we got here, but what I don't understand is why did we get here? I mean, you were stating that, you know, before the 2% cap was introduced, the taxes were rising 3.5% on average and
then 2% cap was introduced and then we were never at the cap. Why? And the second question is these funding requests. Are these one-time requests or these would that lead to basically would
the taxes be increased forever? And you know if it is a one-time increase and we would need to go back, let's say we raise $17 million and we would need to come back in 10 in 10 years. How would it be looking if we were to
increase the taxes permanently? basically what would need to be the permanent t tax increase so that we would never be in this situation again or maybe not in the near future. Thank you. Nin canon Robinsville. I have written 11 questions in here which I know for a
fact that in two two minutes and 53 seconds I'm not going to be able to get in and it is 11 questions and I went through them and to be very honest with you I don't even know where to start from the start because from the start that you guys started I started writing
my question and after the question number 11 I said to myself what's the point what's the point of getting up every time I have questions and ask the questions in here and you still do the same thing that you want to do. This town does not belong to only a few
people. This town belongs to all of us. I was one of the people who went to the state and did fight for the our shared taxes. I was one of the people who did go to all the senators and all the people for all the situations that we
have. I am not the one who's scared of fighting for our children for their be good uh being and for everything else but something I have to know that my parents says and this is from a foreign country so laugh at it if you want my
mother used to say the bottom of your hand doesn't have any hair now I keep telling you to pull it out when there is no hair you can't pull it out when people do not have the money how are you going to raise taxes on them. People are
losing jobs. People are dealing with all the stuff that you didn't want to name it, but I do. All the electricity and all the insurance and everything else that they have to do. How much people do you think make take raises? 2%.
Not all of us are millionaires and go to Paris for our birthday or go to different country to celebrate our anniversaries. A lot of our our peoples they do not have enough money to eat and they are so proud that they are not even
bringing it to your attention for the money that you have to give for free food for them. Do you know that a lot of people are in deep trouble in Robinsville but they are just not talking about it because they are proud people and they were not in this situation before. I am all for the
teachers. I am all for the students. I am all for the clubs and their sports. But there is something wrong here. There is something wrong here. I have been texting that some people that I'm not going to name names finding out what why
are we in this mess. What happened in 2017 and in 2018 when we had all the money that came from the state and it was sitting in our surplus and now co happened we had more money because there was no nobody sitting in here and where all those money went? What happened to
everything? We want details. We are not not I am going to fight truth and bone to make sure that you don't raise my taxes. You this town does not belong to a hundred uh rich people. But enough is
enough. Where are our money goes? We only have 3,000 student and three schools. Lot of other places have more schools and more students and they are not in this deep problem. No, I've been fighting for it up to now, but right now
I am putting my foot down. No more. Residents in here are not only rich people. We have senior citizens. We have people who are on chemotherapy. We have people who are not able to even pay their electricities and they are not saying anything. So you
cannot just do this. Just sit here and look at me and say, "Oh, I am very upset because of this and that." Every coin has two sides. Amanda sat here and very passionately fought for the teachers. I have answers for her, but I know that I will not have time to answer her and I
will answer her privately when I have a chance. No, you cannot do this. You cannot just fight for the more money. Where are you going to get it? The hand doesn't have any more hair. How are you going to pull it? Enough is enough. Find out where the
money is going and stop it. Thank you. Hi, good evening. Uh, Anthony and Verso Robinsville. Um, thank you for putting this um forum on. Um, just a couple of points. I want to make a couple
questions, too. Um, a lot of past decisions obviously have been bad ones. All right, we've heard that a lot here tonight. Um, some of this goes back 20 years ago and believe it or not, with the debt service. There were some decisions made with the bonds that were
done that are costing us money today. Not going to go into the details, but we're all paying for a bad decision that was made at that time. Um, so here we are. Um, couple other points. I'm kind of all over the place. I apologize. I'm coming for a meeting and I'm running
late so I might have missed some things. But um one thing I'm actually disappointed at the number of people in attendance here tonight. I thought we'd have a bigger crowd. I think part of that is the date. You know, this is the first Monday after uh the holidays of
the last couple of weeks and the agenda I got the notice of it yesterday at 2 o'clock in the afternoon on a Sunday. We that has to come out sooner. Give us 48 hours. give us, you know, a business day. Let us know, give us some, um, heads up of what's what's happening. I
think you owe that to the community. Um, another thing, um, we were in the same position a couple years ago. The town agreed to, uh, supporting the referendum. We all thought that, well, most of us thought that that was going to solve problems and take us through
and get us to a better place. We're in the same spot where we were actually in a worse spot where we than we were a couple years ago. So I think you're going to have a lot of distrust from the community because we've been through this before. This is not new to us. So that that you know be careful of that
and and I think some of the previous questions that have been asked have been have been good ones of you know we need to know more. We need to see everything here because people are not going to get on board with this right away. We all want our our kids to have the best programs possible. We want our property
values to be highest. You know, we know, you know, it costs money to do that, but we need to know where that's going because I I would not approve 17 million because I do not trust that that's going to be spent correctly. I I apologize, but I do not trust that. Um,
preschool, I was in listing on the car ride up here. Um, discussion about the preschool. That better not be costing us any money. That was supposed to be a free program. So, if that's costing us a dime, that needs to go away. Um, pathways, I don't want to hear a word about that again until we solve all
these problems. When I was in fifth grade, sixth grade, seventh grade, I had no idea what I wanted to do. These kids don't know what they want to do. They need to get the basic uh level of education before they get into career goals. Um, and second, March 10th
referendum I saw on on the board there. What's the deadline for the decision on what we're asking for? That's got to be coming up pretty quick. So, we don't have a whole lot of time here. So, I think that needs to be made clear to the public. Thank you. How you doing? Visual two Reagan Lane. I
just have a couple of clarification questions. Uh we talked about the state cut being hopefully 300,000. If it's more, how are we accounting for that? Are we doing kind of like a best hope kind of budget or are we saying what will be the worst case scenario? I
think someone also mentioned the the benefits and yeartoear it could be 10% but uh I think uh Dr. McCree said it could be up to 17%. Are we accounting the 17% or the 10%. Because if we're looking at a 10% increase and it
actually increase by 17 18% aren't we already starting behind the hole when we would have just done the budget? kind of wanted that clarification there. Thank you. Good evening everyone. Uh happy new year first of all. Uh Mahes Sha Robbinsville
resident. Um one thing I still don't understand is why we are talking every now and then about uh cutting the sports clubs and extracurricular activities. Right? Every time we have these budget issues, we always talk about those things. Let's change the model, right?
Instead of um in instead of actually getting the money out of our budget, let's make them the sponsored programs, right? Why are we always dismissive of that idea? Because if you look at the average cost per student in 2025 across
all the sports, it's not more than $1,000. Around $1,000 to $1,200 uh $1,200. You can look at the like previous slides. That's the cost I can see. And um to give you a perspective, I think people who opted for subscription
busing, they are already paying $1,200 around $1,200 every year per student and they are paying happily. So if parents are really they they care about this extracurricular activities and sports, I think that's an option. And if you look at the previous slides, if we do that,
we get school will start earning 1.4 million revenue right away based on this statistics here. And if we go with the 2% tax cap, um we will get additional around $1 million. So the deficit of 2.2
million, we can easily solve with these two problems. So I I really am uh I I still don't understand what is the reason why we are not considering these options, right? And um uh during last town hall meeting bunch of students actually showed up and then
they were advocate advocating for clubs, extracurricular activities and sports and I really admire their enthusiasm. I mean I I really agree with that and and I'm I feel frustrated when they have to come and urge to continue these programs. Let's solve it forever. Why do
we need to like again let's say for example if 5 million referendum gets the yes vote we will have the same situation after two years we don't want to have recurring situation let's solve this problem forever right let's make it self- sponsored subscription based and
then it won't it will be self-sufficient independent programs and then they don't need to worry about the budgets at all in future Hi. Um, I was a little disappointed, uh, you know, with the fact that the only options that were presented were increases in taxes. Um, it was great to
hear some of the back and forth actually with things like, you know, regionalizing the school district and other options that maybe have been talked about behind closed doors, but we were not privy to. So, that was actually good to hear. And I think to Melissa's point earlier about kind of spending more time on those solutions, it would
have been helpful to understand some of the conversations and things that you have considered that you said, hey, are not viable options. I think that kind of dialogue is important u especially right now when there is such a lack of trust and a lack of confidence honestly um
that we're going to do anything good or substantial with any kind of increase in tax. I think it's very clear that everyone in this town wants the best for their kids. And I think it's also, you know, clear for not all, but certainly
um a majority of of students are and families are willing to pay more um because we all send our kids to, you know, extra clubs for sports and extra, you know, extracurricular activities to enhance, you know, other areas of their of their life. And I I don't think that
what you're asking if you look at it um objectively is is that is that big of a deal per se, but when you compound it with the lack of confidence and lack of trust and kind of what I would consider almost fear-mongering every couple of years of, hey, we're just going to cut
this stuff and it feels um targeted. It it really does not make for um kind of a good positioning. So, I would like to hear more of the conversation we had towards the tail end of this, which is here's the things we've considered. Here's why they're viable or not viable.
Here's the impact it would have if we chose to go down this path. I think that would be much more productive use of of time and honestly help earn back some some confidence and trust um that is is really severely lacking right now. Um, I would also just say that while I understand that we didn't have
significant tax increases over the past couple of years, um, our effective tax rate is still high in comparison to some of those surrounding districts. So, you pointed to, I think I saw Princeton up there. I mean, they're at 1 point uh, 8% effective tax rate. Uh, so it's, you
know, we're a whole percentage point basically above them. So, I think things like that also you have to get put in perspective. um you know a township like Hopewell I think is a little more comparable to us but they have a lot more that they're offering and uh their students and and one thing that I would
consider very basic before we start talking about all these other activities we can't have this kid just sitting in the commons all day well we don't I mean substitute teachers I'm sorry I'm going to get off my high horse with this but my daughter spent a good half of her day almost every day in the commons last
year I don't think that's even fair to consider that a count as a school today. So, I I think we need to address some of those basics before we even think about going further. >> Ma'am, for the record, what was your name? >> Michelle.
Any additional public comment for agenda items? I don't know if you said we'd start over, right? Okay. Um, so I think a couple other things with the the summary of options, these
are suggestions. So, you know, I would be talking about simple things that people can wrap their minds around. So when I see um eight and a half million dollars all areas preserved and pathway program added I I think to simplify it
for people I'd like to see how many teachers that hires. I'd like to see where that takes the studenttoteer ratios in the buildings. Um because those are the things that that really people can relate to. There's a lot of
words and and not a lot of numbers and we're asking for numbers. So, I think we need to show numbers. Um, and then I I do think you've heard a little bit from other people that have stepped up here so far. There's a credibility issue and
I think that we need to really course correct that quickly because right now I hear parents that I thought all would support a tax increase and some of them are not so sure right now and we need to we need to clear that up. Um, you know, I heard someone mention Hopewell. Uh I
said it before, their operating budgets uh almost 20 million more than ours is. That's because they've been building a budget every year. And you know, again, someone else asked, why are we here? Because we politicize the school board. Okay? We played politics with the
school. And you cannot play politics with kids outcomes. Okay? It's a totally different discussion how to run a township versus how to run a school. Okay? The money we spend here directly impacts what happens to the children.
Okay? And again, I'm a simple math guy. Smaller classes, class sizes, they learn more. Bigger class sizes, they learn less. Sitting in the commons, they learn zero. Okay? So, it's about math. I'm
sorry. And I'm not a rich man. Um, but I would rather invest in my kids and invest in the schools than leave town because those are really the options because you heard it. People will leave. Kids that are going to miss out on these programs will leave. Okay? They may not
sell their house tomorrow, but they're going to leave and then you're going to have more kids move in. All right? And all you're going to do is continue to drive the problem further down. Um, we have to pay for what we want or what we
value and we need to value what happens in the schools. Uh, Mr. Seddero touched on it. I mean, I'm not going to accuse children of of being nefarious, but without extracurricular activities, idle time does not does people don't do
well with it. You're going to see an uptick in crime, mental health, you're going to see more problems there. We want to see less, okay? We want to invest in our children and the future and I want people that want to still move here because we provide a good
school system. Okay. So again, math things, you can also look at not building a budget and you could draw conclusions to what that did to test scores. Okay, it all goes back to the same Yeah, just a clarification question with
respect to the option one which is proposing $5 million tax increase. Uh that's going to result into around $540 on an average per year, right? Per
household. Um I still don't understand. And I think some of the BOA members already mentioned that what will be really helpful is actually if we if we can do the breakdown like if the uh tax value of your house is 100K to 200K then this this is the increase you are going
to get. If it's from 200k to 300k this is the increase you are going to get right that's more valuable rather than providing the average cost because I will give you a perspective in 2024 we asked for 2.75 million uh deficit right that's the deficit we wanted to fulfill
and my house value right now it's 350k and the tax increase that I got it's around $1200. Now you might say okay at the same time there was some county increased the tax or like maybe let's
say our township and county multiple tax got increased but at the end of the day I have to pay that much amount of money right so that's what I care about when we when we purchase a car we ask dealership give me the out of the door price right so this is the out of the
door price that's what I want to know I just don't want to just look at okay this is the average cost is 540 uh USD per year per household. I want to look at exactly how much I'm going to pay if my uh tax valuation for my house is this much. That's going to give me that
that's going to make me um that's going to help me in making the right decision whether I should vote yes or no. So thank you >> Christine Wallac 511 Reed Lane. I've been in these meetings um and have been very aware of this problem
and I appreciate that bad news doesn't get better with time. So I don't think doing doing nothing is an option for us. So I don't think we can think that a tax increase is completely avoidable. But sitting here I'm in shock of the
numbers that we're seeing. And I have a child in this district and I've been very aware of the problem. I think we need to do two things very very concisely and that is define the problem. To those residents who don't have kids in this district, they
probably have no idea this is still a problem. And the other thing is we need to manage expectations. If if you're going to pay more, you need to know what's coming and you need to know what you're going to get for your money. So, I'm really encouraging
everybody to be very thoughtful with the campaign that has to be designed to get this pass. We've got to nail it. The kids deserve it. And there has to be something in it for everybody. We're going to make this
school great. We're going to make our children's futures bright. We're going to keep them engaged and involved and, you know, productive adults. And we really need to package that in a way that's simple that everybody can understand and
everybody can get behind even if they don't have kids in the district in school right now. Thank you very much for the thoughtful consideration for tonight in Robinsville. I'm going to ask I'm going to start reading my questions. Um
at the reorganization meetings and many people know that I have been attending almost all of them details of what is going to happen, what are your plans, what are your agendas, what are you going to do, make plans and all of it would be discussed. This meeting we did
not hear that. Next, how much are the shortages of uh for other schools and what are they going to do? Yes, comparison. Yes, it is important. Yes, we need to know what other schools have thought of what they
are going to do. 2.2 million shortage is not sustainable for any schools. Do you think it is sustainable for the parents and for the families and for the residents who live in the township that is constantly short has a shortage and they have to come up with the money
and then you keep saying that staying with the cap is going to help with the gap that we have in this situation. So the question is we are not covering our gap in here even though
when we go to the cap. So what are we supposed to do? What are their other state other townships are doing? I'm sure a lot of other pl peoples are are in the same situation and if we are not going to raise the tax
and if not if not raising the tax is going to hurt us. So we had so much surplus that you told the township that you guys do not you will pay for the uh SRO's. So what happened to that money that now we are going to
go back to them and beg them to pay for their own? Is the formula going to stay the same? Are we sure that we are going to have the formula staying the same or we are just thinking and guessing? Is it something that we can go and find out
and make sure or is there anything that we can offer to them conversation with other districts and go over there and have a conversation? I don't know what else can can be done. um you keep talking about the school the
class sizes and and uh in another hand you're talking about that we are losing the students and we are going small on the students so I don't understand so we have a small sizes u we have big sizes of school people and then we we don't
have enough students so I need explanation so if you're losing a students how come our class sizes are still big I don't get it. And you were saying that we have 3,000 student and we and we have 30 student 30 teachers that
we lost. So 3,000 divided by 30. So it means that we lost 10 students for every teacher. I mean like I don't understand. I need the calculation to be making any sense. And I was told and the RBA said that we have a wealth in the township and that's why they are not giving us
the money. So wealth from where? Where is that wealth coming from? Not everybody is wealthy in this township. Thank you. >> Alero again, Hilltop please. Um I just want to um concur with U Anthony. Um I'm
I'm a sports parent. I've been around been in the town since uh 2003. And I too am a little embarrassed that uh the lack of turnout here. I don't see band people. I don't see robotics people. I I
I don't see anybody here. And I I think this is a really serious uh thing. Um again, I you know, I I talked about uh you know uh the developers and um And I I kind of did not mention the temple. I
you know, was that ever considered when that was coming in, you know, like, hey guys, you know, building the the the largest place in the in the world for this. Can can you contribute to our uh our schools? Can you contribute to the infrastructure of the of the township? I
that that may be well very may well be happening. And I'm I'm just being ignorant. I just I just like to know why with all the devel especially now what's going on between Town Center South and everything else the development of 130 North and I mean we can totally ask
these people to help us out say hey it's about the kids you know uh the other thing maybe um did we ever consider selling sponsorships uh on the field like other high schools have uh you know maybe to support u um the teams I mean we have we have girls softball teams
there I mean you you know Those girls are great. We got baseball kids coming up. We got football kids coming up. Um and and listen, the teachers, they deserve their money. I I'm never going to say that they don't deserve their money. I mean, maybe we could restructure it a little bit, but I don't think they get paid enough to be honest
with you. Um and and that's really all I had to say. Matt said a lot of great things and I think that I think more people need to uh get involved and uh and hopefully we can get come to a uh a good uh conclusion. Thank you.
I just have to say one more thing. Um, and and kind of what Matt said kind of I just wanted to make this point clear. While I fully support our students and I don't want any sports and clubs to go away, I don't want us to lose anything. In fact, I think we do need to do more and in some ways I'd be willing to pay
more. I will vote no for any tax increase. Um and I think a lot of people will because of the lack of trust and transparency that I and confidence I think is whether it's justified or not is um is a sentiment of the town and I
think to certainly convince me but I think a lot of people I think we need more conversation around all the things we've considered um other ways to raise money. I think it's clear you guys have done a good job in terms of how we cut and it it it doesn't seem like there's any more room to cut, but I think um you
know all of us sports parents talk about it all the time around why aren't we doing more fundraising and sponsorships and things like that and maybe that those are things we have explored and or can and can't do. But it would be helpful again to know so that we understand that we've we're not just
keeping you know have a handout for the taxpayer and that we've we've tried other options or we're willing to try other options or um you know you know set up a booster that's you know governs all of the athletics and can you know fund raise uh independently. Uh I I think we just need to understand other
fundraising options other than just taxes. Thank you. Okay. Not seeing any more public comment. Can I have a motion to close public comment on agenda items? >> Moved. >> Second. >> All in favor?
Any obsessions? So for the for the consent portion is that is that where we have a discussion at this point you would have a discussion how to proceed one two three none of them
draft a question it has to be approved by the county that way and I have to to the county clerk by Friday. >> So the answer Friday, we would need to have a question in place if we were to
propose one. >> So to answer the question about the question, I think that was asked. The question has to be approved tonight by the board. The deadline to get the question to the county is Friday, >> March 10th, because it's 60 days prior
to an election. That's that's what it is. Am I getting that right? >> Correct. >> So, we're going to be going through those. >> So, how many questions can we put on the ballot, Mr. Kirk?
>> You can put multiple proposals on the ballot, but you have to structure them in a way that the public knows voting for. So you can't put a 5 million, 8.5 million, and 17 million question the ballot. You can put a proposal for five
million and then specify what that 5 million is going towards, put a second proposal for 3.5 million, which you know goes towards something else. And then if you had a third proposal, the additional 8.5 million, say what that's going towards. And then that would go to the
voters and they would vote on those three proposals. If they vote yes, $17 million passes. If they vote yes on question one, but no on question two and three, then five million passes. They vote, you know, all the different possibilities.
>> So you can send one question at 8.5, break that up, but it has to specify that what it's going towards. So that's why we've broken it up that way. Has to specify that it increases the tax levy
permanently. So that's in there. Um it has to be beyond what is necessary to meet the absolute minimum standards of New Jersey which are very minimum. Um so basically it has to provide all that
information. Can you just clarify the timeline again because I think um that point of clarity is really important for for the public to know like why do we have to vote on it tonight? Why can't we delay it and hear more feedback from the community prior to making a vote on a
public question like what's the issue with delaying? If Mr. Carrick could take that I >> I'll I'll take it. So uh have to work our way backwards. So the law is now 60 days prior to an election. So there are multiple times in a year you can do it.
It's been more restricted now than it was in the past with us. Um so we set precedent when we did this two years ago and more laws the laws have come out guidelines and so we set a standard and adjusted a bit. If you do a normal
thing, normal I mean a budget uh you make two separate budgets and it goes for a November ballot too late. At that point, if that ballot question fails,
you now kept all this staff on payroll for a couple of months. Then you have to give 60-day notice, let go of that staff, and then reshuffle all your classrooms. So teacher, you know, child so and so. Now your new your new teacher is this
new classroom's moving around. It's we've done this analysis before. It's waste time and it's not realistic. So when you go back to the other questions like April's a chance, okay, you try April. Um there's also a September. I pull it up,
but March is the best one for us. Why we chose that date in the past? Because the end of February, you get your state aid numbers. It gives us one week to figure out how much money in state aid we have or not.
Vote the next week, week after that if it passes or not, strike our our tenative budget. This is a major discussion point years ago was we thought many people had the idea the state would save us and give us more money even though they had
told us we're no longer going to get more money. cut. So we were looking at that. So that information that was very vital came at the exact moment one week before and we presented a budget public. This is exactly what's going to be cut.
So they had an idea of what is they're voting for right now. We've we've come up with an idea, but it's not very f it's not down to the you know the nitty-gritty. We're at the
15,000 foot level. We're not at 30. We're not at 10. We're, you know, let's just say 15 20,000 feet. We're going to have to get down to the bottom real soon at that March time frame. So that's why that time frame is there. So if you go March 10th election,
January, it's this Friday is the deadline. We have to have something. >> So say it a little bit differently. Is the April election would be too late because you already have to submit >> already submitted. you've already submitted to the county >> and November would be too late because
then we would already we would need to then cut um staff members in the middle of the year. There's no good time. There has been discussion of let's go back to April elections,
right? You would have to that would take years. Change that again. You would have to go to vote in April every single time as it was over a decade ago. That would solve your 2% cap issue once again. You have to go to vote every single time. U
reshuffleling of board who's coming off and so forth. But the public would have to approve that election back to November to save money, right? With that came the the hammer only 2%.
When inflation was very low do it. Ideally we've asked the state before just let us go to inflation. It's a very simple thing but they won't change it. This is where we are and we're stuck in this dilemma. You're literally in the
horns of dilemma. Which way you go you're going to get right now. You're trying to figure out the best way. Um, I don't know if we have the wording up for the people to read, but my question
and knowing this from referendum's past is when we give the specifics within a referendum question and it fails if and when, we cannot go back out to the community for one whole year and ask for these.
and we must if it fails cut these things. Um, so I am wondering Yeah, there there you go. Um, I am wondering is there a way to word this so that we could run
another referendum, god forbid, in November or no? >> Once Can you explain >> the question? I work with the board to write the question. >> I work with the board to write the
question. >> So it's in a way. >> So the law does not allow the board to advocate for the passage of a referendum. The board is permitted by
law to provide accurate information, but the outright supporting of a public question is not permitted by law. So, there are a lot of limitations in terms of the board coming right out and just
saying, "Vote yes, we really want you to pass this." That would be illegal actually in New Jersey. Um, you can put information out there in terms of why you're asking for public question to be approved. Um, and then it's up to the
voters to decide because New Jersey Law recognizes that this board represents everybody in this community and that's going to include people that support a tax increase to support the schools and those that do not as well. Um, and so it cannot be worded in that way. These
questions are worded generally speaking in terms of how dozens of questions that have been submitted to townships throughout the state have been worded over the years. On an annual basis, NJSBA, which is New Jersey School Boards Association, publishes a list of all the
questions that went out for capital improvements as well as cap uh public questions. And um we can see them. We can see was what was successful in certain towns and what was not and we try to base it off that. But in general, we have to be very clear in everyday
language. Um, so that a your average voter can understand what they're voting for and what the money is intended to be used for. So my my suggestion with that being said, um, as we look through these, let's just use in question one, there's the first bullet, prevent class
size increase. I I am against having it be that specific. I I think that should be class size um to maintain teachers to support the current class sizes. It something along those lines. I'm not saying I know the legal ease for what that should say. And
I think hearing most of the public comment tonight, it's in those information sessions that we're going to have as many and often as we can with the district. It's clearly understanding everything that board members have done that we that we you know we've discussed
in committees or anything and and getting that that information out here to the public so they understand all of the um avenues that we've taken to try to solve this problem without impacting the taxpayers. um as well as
when we look at these statements that we again I'm I'm loathed to be as specific as that one says what it what that means right so we have to say what we've done and what it means so we have to build the trust and then say what it means >> and I think that would come in the
presentations I completely agree I do not think that we should put a specific number I think that binds us as a district and um as a board and making decisions. You know, what if something does happen and we don't pass, then we
have to get rid of 21 teachers, but what if we can save five of those teachers? Um why does it have to be teachers? Why not staff members in general? So, it gives us more flexibility if we're if we keep that question or that bullet um more general where the public
understands that it's related to staffing, you know. So, something along the lines of like maintaining um staffing is appropriate to, you know, decrease class size or whatever we want to write, but something more general. Um, I also,
you know, I also would, I don't know, be careful with, um, putting the bullet of retaining a second library media specialist. I would include that in the staffing component just because perhaps that's the priority or the thought right
now, but then as we're going through the budget cycle, we want flexibility to be able to hear what the community has to say and respond accordingly as well as, you know, make the best decisions for students. So, the more specific we are, the more difficult it becomes to have
that flexibility. >> I think that makes sense, Dr. Thank you. My my my question to Good. I understand that the dilemma we run into is that we're required to do a board resolution that states the dollar amounts and the
specific purposes. So I have to report the gap account codes to the county. >> So like we are, you know, we would love to just say $5 million for programs, offerings, and staff. And then it's like whatever you guys want to spend $5 million on after
the fact. The problem is that to get it pass the county superintendent and county business administrator who have their own laws to see are we following them. We have to go and give specific purposes and state specific dollar amounts.
>> But I don't think on the first round we use a qu a number of teachers or staff members the first round >> when we did when we went through this process. They changed the law and require >> they changed the law >> because of us. They changed the law because of what we did last time. We
exploited what we found to be a loophole law. And after we did that, they they literally changed the law and they they have a checklist now all the things you have to go through and Scott through it. Pat, myself,
okay, how do we hit this wicket this gap account to show on the public? And could that be staff members and um either give a a percentage or a dollar amount to the county? I mean, I I think we should be looking beyond just
teachers is my point to that. >> Well, also just curious to know in in writing this whether we could talk a little bit more about the ratio of teacher like the two student teacher ratio rather than put a metric around the elimination of certain number of
teachers. I think we can >> well what's going to the county would go say we're currently at 25 and this doesn't go through but go to 30 students that's what they would want to know was the staff of this amount of account the
account code and what is the impact if it does not go through >> yeah so if we assume that there was 21 teachers that we're trying to retain what would that mean for our student teacher ratio and state that as the affirmative >> but you also
may not all be certain classroom teacher. It could be vention. It could be specialist. It could be so forth. So when I give an account code, put like 11 1x >> the X could be elementary, middle, high
school, whoever it is. You won't really know that until you go through it. When you go through it, okay, who has seniority? Who has multiple certifications to teach what? what the benefits are. I have to calculate all that information and see what the real number is. So, this is the granularity
that we speak about that we're going to get closer and closer as we get to the March and April. >> Okay. >> There's no way to phrase it like we have for student activities and athletic clubs because it there we don't state
the number of activities, the number of clubs, the number of athletic teams. Like there's no way to just say maintain. But does that let me ask that question. Does that mean they're all going if we don't maintain it? That's what that line means. So you can't I think that's I think that's so
>> Well, what about preserving a certain budget? >> Just to be clear about another point, just because it says 21 teachers, you can hire teachers later to support enrollment and programs to to the extent
that you need them or funds become available because budget allocation results in finding that something you thought you were going to pay more money for doesn't end up the result. So, you know, the the freedom to go and deviate from this is
going to be significantly greater when it comes to something like teachers versus other very specific things like the soccer team, you know, which is like they'll be able to see that the soccer team was in this and that you didn't cut
it. 21 teachers for them to say, "Well, I'm not going to let you hire another Spanish world language teacher, even though there was interest in it." That's going to be jumbled up in in the whole group of teachers that are hired. So, >> that's not it's there's more
flexibility. So I I think I I would propose saying maintain class size and maintain current offerings by retaining 21 staff members.
I would make it general. I wouldn't just focus on teachers. >> Yeah. I I have >> if we have to put a number >> just to maintain uh transparent I mean I'm hearing a lot from the community about like lack of transparency lack of clarity lack of like just a a lot of trust building need needed so why not
put right there if we're asking for five million why not say preserving budget of x million to prevent elimination of roles teacher and staff roles why couldn't we put >> you put a dollar amount to this >> what dollar amount we were trying to maintain >> dollar amount of salaries
Yes, exactly. Yeah, >> we're in new territory. >> Yeah. >> Trying to also avert >> I just think number to number matches what the community needs to hear from us. And if we just arbitrarily put a met like a random metric
>> what metric >> why why can't we collaborate this with the county and ask them what can be done >> was we deciding that hey this is the way we >> had a discussion this morning >> we've been we actually went out and and
met directly with the uh the county superintendent the county BA we were uh we were in communication with him throughout the day today we've been emailing mailing information back and forth. U the reason why we present it the way we do is because that is the way
the guidance is written. We have some information we gave out to everyone and um that is from our direct conversations as to what they would need to be able to approve it. If we can't get if this isn't approved by the uh county superintendent,
it's not going anywhere. Um so we need to be in line with what they're looking for. And of course, you know, we have uh you know, we have, you know, Patrick who we've been working with uh as well. So, yeah, this is not something that we we've taken lightly. This is [snorts]
>> this is >> how about maintain up to 21 teachers and staff >> because that is a little more vague up to >> so that Right. So up to would allow that
flexibility. >> Y when I send the budget codes I'll give numbers value. So look like Mr. Eric's writing down the entire voting.
>> We we appreciate the input. the public comment section was for the input though at this point we really have to focus among the discussion among the board and so again I like I said I appreciate it but this is a board meeting to observe the board work and you know the
timelines have been presented these presentations have been made at prior meetings that I've attended >> so >> I understand that it's also past 10 you So, you know, and there's >> many days.
>> So, so let's let's go through the questions and then I'll open public I'll ask for a resolution to open public comment again before we vote on the final question. But let's get through the I'm not leaving here tonight until we have questions. I know some parents are probably not leaving here tonight
until we have questions. So, before we vote on it, let's let's ask for that. I have a question about there was a mention of having a two-part question. So my concern or question about that would be what if part B gets passed but
not part A, right? So like what if the 3.5? So I feel like a two-part question is even more confusing to the public. Um, especially because, you know, if I were somebody that maybe was not as in tune to all of the
things that have been happening and I look at, you know, 3.5 million or 5 million, I'm more in tune to vote for 3.5 versus five. So, what happens in that scenario? >> That that's all part of the the wording
of the of the question. and and while we're looking for uh potentially an authorization today, the community is not going to vote until the 10th of March. And we would have all of that time to go out multiple times a week,
every night if uh if people are interested in speaking with us and go through every detail. Uh what this is is just to put together uh put forward an option and then the public has every right to hear every detail as we go forward.
We're not this is not something where the board is passing a resolution to implement this. They're passing a resolution for the community to decide. >> Which is exactly the reason why we've been back and forth with the with the county superintendent and the BA. This
is not something we made up off the top of our head. This is something that we've done that due diligence. What we're looking uh what we're looking to do today is to do an introduction and then we can go and present all of this. This is not the only thing this does is
gives the community an oper an opportunity to say yes or no and you'll be able to say yes or no based on what we will be able to provide and then you're going to make your own decision like I said and like like uh like like Mr. Carrick said, "We're presenting the
options and we're going to present all the information, but to think that we were going to be able to present every answer to every question and at the same time keep it very simple in one night is not realistic." And there's a point for what we're doing tonight and there's a
point what we're doing over the next two months. >> Agree. I think this conversation is due long enough. She says it all the time. So my two thoughts I'll say
numbers shows attention to detail. I also not that that if I might answer that though real quickly just that's part of the problem is that we're not permitted to suggest that if we don't pass this the
sky will fall. Um you can't appear to be contingent on other factors factors like passage of the subsequent base budget or getting other funds from other areas. We've pushed them as far as we can push them in terms of including you're not supposed to include programs and services that were included in the pre-budget year. So all the things that
you have right now, we're not supposed to say that they'll be gone if you don't do that. Okay? But realistically, they will be. That's what happens to all school districts throughout New Jersey, all the ones that I represent, when they don't have the money to support them anymore. They cut the world language program, they cut the educational
services aids, they cut the playground aids, they cut the lunch aids. Then they start cutting deeper and deeper into other things. And all of a sudden, after you had 30 AP classes, now you have five. And so that's what happens to these school districts. Jackson Township School District that just sold its bu
building. They sold that because they didn't raise the taxes over the years as many Ocean County school districts have not. And then they had this problem and that's what happened. That's what's going on in Tom's River. They have 70% of their SFRA. That's why they don't
have enough money to pay for all the things that they've done. So the problem becomes the wording that we would like to do that would be the most compelling wording that would be you know proven by market research they don't allow us to do that. >> That's good for us
>> Patrick No, I'm happy to answer the questions of the board about, you know, trying to wordsmith it to some degree. It has been words smmith to a significant degree. I asked the administration to go back to the county superintendent to ask them to
define some of these terms because these are brand new terms and brand new legislation. this form that they gave us that said you have to pass this didn't exist last two times we did this we did it two times and within a year which you're now not allowed to do because we did that
>> um thank you very much I just had one more thing because my arm is sore [laughter] um the other thing and I don't know if this is quite appropriate to talk about now but I'm gonna go for it um on the on the questions
Dr. or Mr. her to tell me to stop if I say something wrong. Um 17 million is a concern for me because there's not a super welllaid out plan that really would have a lot of involvement from
community. It's not very welllaid out. It really, you know, I'm I'm thinking of Hopewell specifically because I paid a lot of attention to them. They had they worked on their uh bond referendum for
two years and they had parents go, you know, going in as committees to uh each school and they had nights where they discussed it and they had a, you know, a a big um community where they kind of engaged on what do we want, what do we not want. Kind of like the fiveyear plan
or the fiveyear guys might I'm tired. >> Yes, >> thank you. That one the strategic plan. I feel like a strategic plan would be needed for a $17 million ask and I worry that it looks like a joke to people in the town and they would poo poo it. I
don't have a better word for it. It's late. Um, I understand where you're asking for five, which is maintain, and I understand where you're asking for 8.5, which is maintain plus investment. >> Um, and so that's just my personal
opinion on the 17. >> And that's a good segway. I'd like to just call a straw poll real quick of the board to see how many questions we want to even consider >> before we get into the rest. So, are we considering any >> one, two, three? So, so, so
>> yeah. So, Mr. McCree, maybe if we can do a straw poll asking for the values that each board member would support and that that way we'll know how many options. >> It's unofficial. Uh straw poll. Straw poll.
>> Just what are what are you willing to go up to? >> So me first. Um >> I mean it I think strongly that >> who else would support up to a five? Make it simple. Please just
>> just raise your hands. >> Just raise your hands. Right. Who would support up to five? >> Five. Who will support the five? The question >> only five. >> Yes, just five. >> We'll just start at five. Well, we're gonna we're gonna go up to the next one. >> Yeah, >> I get it now. >> Okay, so everyone supports five. Okay.
Okay. Eight. Eight and a half. Yes. Eight and a half. Who supports eight and a half? >> Well, up to eight and a half. >> Eight and a half after several. >> That's question two. It would be five plus the three and a half. That's four. We need five. Wait. No. So, so we have
three. How many do we have? >> Four. >> Four. >> So, we only have >> in between. >> It's only five. >> I'm just trying to sell. I'm just >> You're saying multiple. >> You can do one or multiple.
>> Yeah. >> Correct. >> That's how I'm reading. Five and eight and a half. Yes. So, and >> Art >> Art raises hand and then 17.
So if you have those two uh I can give you the exact numbers we rounded it but it was 5 million31 that number down that was last year's adequacy number u 5,31,476
don't go to pennies >> I I would go out two decimal the document we received from county. >> So we so it's 5 something and 8.5 something. So let me ask another question. So what is the notification period? Just remind
me to have a spe another special board meeting this week if we need to have another special board meeting this week. Two days two days. So if we decide >> to do one on Thursday, I think it might behoove us to not >> the ad is the ad.
Sorry, can you clarify? >> Is the ad we have to advertise it 48 hours in advance and we don't know if we can get the ad out in time for a Thursday meeting. >> True. Okay. Put it on our website. So we could probably ask the the town to put it on the town newsletter as well.
That'd be advertising. >> So is the idea then to advertise another meeting and allow for public comment? I'm saying if we don't get to a resolution tonight or we want to have more time >> and then we can just focus on this as the main part of it because we need more time Thursday. Uh you have to submit it.
>> Can I just one suggestion is like now that this is a p it's a public meeting with a recording. Correct. They can now so if we were to a call to action to the community to review what we have >> presented tonight and offer to the board input as to the public question that
they would support >> and it then reframes the question. I think it does behoove us to do that. >> Right. It's it's also in board docs. All the all this all this information is in board docs. So it is it is there. the questions are there as is. Um, that's how I'm viewing it right now is right
through board docs. Um, so we would we should put the board doc link on there. So if we decide to do that, >> you know, it would all be there and available. >> So if we do a quick Go ahead. >> Just for me personally, it's just I I'm
fine with you guys. I just have my own board meeting on Thursday. We go to 10:34. probably make it back here. But um >> so let's do a straw pull availability for Thursday if we decide to do that just to see if that's even an option.
Who's available Thursday evening? >> Can we do a few more edits to it to present? >> Absolutely. I'm not saying that that's it. I'm just trying to get us options. >> So Amanda, you were you good or not? Yeah. >> Are you Are you good or
>> It would be 6 7 o'clock same time. Okay. So, we would have a quorum. >> I believe so. I believe it's next week. >> So, um Oh, just as we're >> so let's do let's do the word smithing and see where we get to. >> Question one. I think We are trying to
explain the urgency of this because I think urgency was a big question. I don't know that adding a bullet on retaining a second non-mandated library media specialist is compelling or >> helpful or I would agree. >> So I yeah I would strike that. >> I would probably strike that
>> or just make it part of staff or just rephrase it differently incorporate in there. >> Make it a need versus a desire. And I wonder when it goes down to the approve an additional five million in school funding to maintain class sizes, protect core academic programs, and preserve
student opportunities and then it's only maintaining it for what a minimum of two years. Correct. I think it's really important that if we have a time frame to which that's going to get us to that we do put it out there with some clarity. >> Patrick, is that something we can say?
So I just want to understand >> speak on that. >> Okay. This is not the last time you'll ever raise taxes. Okay. And I think it's important to say that because there is no amount of money that you could put on and say to everybody right
now, we will never come back to your raise taxes ever again. There is no dollar amount that you could do that. So what is going on here? And this has been referenced several times back to 2017, 18, all those years. The lack of rights in tax at that time compounded. You were
able to get by because you got significant increases in state aid at the time. And so it was a situation where you were like, well, we won't raise the taxes right now because we got a big jump in in the state aid increase. But what you did at that point was just
said, all right, we we won't walk ourselves down this road to increase the money at the time. And again, there wasn't a single person here at this table, including myself at that time. Not one person was here at that time, that those taxes weren't being raised.
But what will happen here is whether it's 5 million now or 4.8 that was rejected three years ago or 2.75 that was a compromised number that was put out to the public at that point, but not the real number that really was necessary.
It's going to be another number at some point. and the 2% every single year plus all of the exceptions that you're allowed to take. That's because every single district in New Jersey is facing increases that are impossible to try to keep up with t with increases for
teachers that are just simply fair and consistent with inflation. Meanwhile, you're getting 17% on your health insurance. Some of my districts are getting 28% or 23% increases. If you can only raise 2% on the levy, how are you ever going to get 23%? 28% of health
insurance when it happens every other year. So whether it's five million this year or you know and it lasts you for two years or not, the reality is that you're going to have to go to cap, take every single exception and the law is going to have to change. If you look at the historical
numbers, the pre 2% tax levy, property taxes went up 7% a year on average. That was the whole reason the 2% tax levy came into effect. So the fact that we're even like trying to work around 2% is a self-created problem through the legislature because of the perception
that property taxes were out of control. Realistically, I almost feel like you don't want to say this get us by for two years. That's I don't know. >> Well, it to me it helps with transparency, though. >> Yeah. So,
>> and then you'll be back again in two years. You're $9 million under adequacy. 300,000. >> Yeah. And that this becomes my a little bit of my concern when I when I read all of this is we can only control we can
control and there's outside how how much did insurance go up last year was it 30% there was something like some like >> yeah we were lucky but most of the state yeah it was tremendous. So there's uh there's outside forces that we cannot
control and that's that's the part that concerns me about saying how long something is going to last you know but so all we can do >> if I can you know just real quick is is is know what we can we can plan for what we know right now if we start if we
start getting into contingencies of contingencies we're never going to I had a boss one year she it was she was concerned about all the different minutia problems and we we never saw the forest through and got somewhere. So if we try to sit here and try to account for everything, we're
never going to get anywhere. >> So So to say two years on here, I'm not sure that that really adds value here. I think we have to do a better job of describing that in our public forums. So that way the residents
that do come out, I I'm hoping >> because there's at the peak maybe the the room was full. Maybe I think a lot of the teachers and staff left and that was part of that. We can get more residents and community members here so we could have more informed discussions
to have these things so everyone understands what our assumptions are. >> Yes. The last piece to say this is very brief. The reason you're hyper specific about the things that this money will go towards is because your voters are going to vote on it. And if they vote no, it's
the voters telling you we don't want it. And that is given a lot of credence in America period, but in your township politics, in your township decisions on funding. And so if there's a very specific list of all the things that
those things will pay for and the voters decide based upon that list that we do not want to support that, as they did when you asked for 4.8 million, the decision was we don't want to support a $4.8 million tax increase because we don't support the things you're asking
for. So, by being very specific about exactly what you're asking for, you're putting to the voters like if you don't want these things, vote no and we won't have them. But if you want these things, vote yes and then we will pass. >> So, hang on one second. So, did you have
something, Dr. Gold? I'm going to let just let Amanda go so she put her arm down. >> So, she can put her And then I Yeah, I >> I'm not sure I'm for adding video wall
to the actual public question itself. I don't know about other me. >> Can we just can we may I make a suggestion that we just focus on question by question. >> I agree. So So my so my suggestion would be let's focus on question one. Let's
get question one done and then you go to question two. Question two will be whatever question one is plus >> right and then we're ignoring question three. >> So if that that's exactly what I want to jump in. I think you know question one I
feel we have comfortable language in there apart from some words smmith missing and I do understand why 5 million is the case second question the reason why I'm not comfortable I did not raise my hand is the how the way is written >> it is not the number I think the number
you know might also change because of you know what you're actually asking for and I think that's the reason I'm still like you know hellbent on just question one and question have a lot of questions. >> That's why so we can change it and then maybe >> Yes. So c can we work that? I think
before we go there I think let's make sure that we're all comfortable on the question one. >> So question one. >> So it's that first bullet. Let's start there. Right. We can put the right number in. We think we'll get that for later. >> So it's maintain
I think what actually let's Mr. What [snorts] what what do you have as as as the revi based on what we've said? >> Either prevent or maintain class size increases by change the word retaining to maintaining up to 21 teachers and
staff who would otherwise be lost. >> I'm good with that. >> Change it to eliminated instead of lost. >> Yep. I think we're good with that. >> Okay. [snorts] Um so then we say is good with maintain student activities including athletics and and right class.
>> Um I would I if we could just s simplify it. Um this the next one's pretty repetitive and non-additive. So uh I would say maintain student activities, non-mandated elective courses, athletic teams, and student clubs that support well-rounded learning and just combine
the two and three. >> Okay, I'll go with that. Yeah, nothing wrong with that from a I guess we can ask the the county again. It's all interpretation based on the guidance that we're have in front of us. >> Yeah.
>> Okay. >> And we're removing the the last bullet because that's going to be added to >> real quick just a point um for question two. >> Yeah. We're not on question two yet. >> We're not on question two. We're just trying to get question one down and then we're going to
>> I thought we figured out >> I zoned out. >> Then I'm going to ask a straw poll. We'll go with question one and then we'll move on to question two. >> Um so then we're going to strike that retain a second non-mandated library media specialist because that'll be built into
the first one. >> Okay. >> Would we need to make that then up to 22 now that we've uh >> removing the media specialist? Does that change the number? Just just something to think about moving forward. Like I said, we're going
to be more detail, you know, this is so we're kind of dancing back and forth. I tell you, and there was a problem years ago, it wasn't addressed. We don't address the problem now. Two, three years from now, there's
going to be uh there's going to be people in this room who are really going to have a problem to deal with. All right. This is this is um and and 5 million I don't think deals with it. That's that's my my opinion. >> So what are we doing about the 21? Are
we link 22? >> It's up to 22 because we've now eliminated the non-mandated. >> It's a nonmandated. >> So we we're good on the language on the first question then. >> So it's up to >> I'm just reading last. >> So I would just do the statemandated
version so that we're not looking like we're Right. I guess >> community. >> So up to 22. >> Yeah. >> Um >> and I think you know the question is How how how specific do
you make the question? Right? Because if you get like to like the every exact thing that you're maintaining or keeping, then those things have to go away explicitly, right? The more detailed you are, you're not supposed to support them out of general funds, right? If it was
denied by >> 22. Exactly. Right. So, we should be good with that. >> Um, okay. So with the bullets done, the the next thing is due to redu the next it's almost assuming that we're going to have a reduction in state aid upcoming.
So I think that's going to get confusing because we're going to the vote is going to be so soon after we know our state aid. So how do we want to reframe due to reductions in state aid, what if we don't? >> So over so so it would be
or or or was the point that we or was it was the point that we for years we've had >> this this has been an ongoing issue. >> Yeah. >> Okay. Prior state aid >> lack of >> So you're just it's it's literally it's
it's just outlining all the reasons why we're here, right? I think that's fine. >> I'm just going to say you're going to have people coming to the ballot and we're going to have an increase that year. to this year possibly or no change and people are gonna say oh we don't need any I don't know I just want I want
to remove any ambigu ambiguity >> I I I think we can't we can't put on here what we think state aid is going to do you can only talk about what it has been doing >> so then I would qualify I would qualify due to prior due to reductions you say
is that >> what if what if the state maintains it this year and it's not a reduction and therefore >> no no you're giving reasons you're not you're not saying what what it can do >> okay >> exactly >> yeah I'm not saying the reduction is this year >> here okay
>> just reduction >> but it's like three weeks after we would have known our funding came out >> which is fine >> which is fine but okay I'm alone on that I'm good we can move forward sleep comma. Okay. All right.
I think I think question one is for me pretty ready to put forward. >> Okay. Everyone go to question one. Any obstensions? Sorry. All right. Question two.
No, Jeff. >> So, >> I think I think we should be keeping it simple that you go out, we kind of come up with a plan. I think part of the things that, you know, you heard people say in this room tonight was just the timing of everything. Boom, boom, boom.
Where we need a little bit more kind of leeway. I just think that it confuses the issue. Um, but since team player, I think The first thing to do is you have to change that additional 3.5 million, right? First question
>> because it's 5 million. The second question would be an additional 3.5 on top of the question one additional 8.5 on top of the five. >> Yeah, if there's some way to say that, right, that it's it's it's question one plus this. >> Thank you. That's exactly my concern was >> confuses the issue. Yes.
>> Um my opinion. >> No, no, I think I agree with you, Jeeoff. I think you know what this tells me is you're actually going in for a complete 8.5. So we are actually trying to say in addition >> you know if we go and have another 3.5 million we would be not only be able to
maintain everything that was mentioned in question one but we would also be able to invest in the future by expanding you know student opportunities pathway programs etc. If it is worded that way, then I'm okay in actually getting getting this, you know, question
two up. >> So, as Mr. [snorts] Carrick types this up, I think his guidance was it's question one plus the difference for question two difference is 3,425,359. >> Yep. that and and and to simplify
question two to it would be expanding student opportunities and revenue avenues because that's where if this is going to be sold to the community in any way. >> Oh yes sorry >> just just so everybody knows we don't have much space the public
>> question >> um we also have to give an interpretive statement type something as well. Um we'll give more detail to the county. So when we create the documents we can have all these details but what's in the public question will have to certain limit. I don't know it's not how many
characters but there's a certain size. Then you have an interpretive statement. >> Okay. >> Then we also have the documents we're going to create show the public what's factual and more details like account codes and so forth. >> And then we're also creating the budget.
So just want you to think about like you don't have to put everything right now in this question because it'll get flushed out and expanded as time goes on. >> Yeah. I just think it's really important that if we're going to add the 8.5 as an option, revenue like telling the town
that we've got opportunities here that's going to go into, you know, next years and maintain us. We should add revenue there. >> Y >> Oh, well, I'm totally going. Okay. So I was wondering instead of saying expand student opportunities, could we say the word invest
in future student opportunities by adding because it is an investment for this town to uh I don't know exactly what all these things are but invest in this for the future like the first one is maintaining
it's basic. It's status quo. The second one is now we're going to invest in our town. And so I'm wondering if we could use that verbiage and that lens to look at these bullets >> maintenance.
You're trying to say it's it's it's a investment in the future that you're >> just I'm just trying to get perspective just so I I get it. Okay. Nobody cares about You know, so for for the pathways
How many how many additional staff members were we anticipating adding round numbers? Then you can also block those county stop that >> is it a academy or pathways? I just you said
>> pathways I >> No, it's okay. >> Or should you create a pathway >> academy would be a full launch program gives you the opportunity but right now it's got to crawl, walk, run. main goals [snorts]
have enough other students revenue on it. But you have to build great program that that takes >> and and I think it's it's contingent upon which um which program you're building and the program you build is going to be based on student interest
and different programs are going to have different requirements. So you talk about there's a reason why there's a a level of it being vague is because we're we're not predetermining what would be the first program launched.
development and trade exploration. >> Yeah. I'm trying as I as I think through this, I'm trying to figure out a way to provide clarity but not get too verbose in the question because I'll tell you this much. I know I've gone to the ballot and you see a question that's like a book in front of you. You're not going to read it. You're going to look
at the number and say yes or no. So, so you have to find you have to strike that balance. So, it's gonna again, as I said earlier, we have to do a really good job defining what all this means in those sessions that we have or that this the school has. So, to me, as I look at
this, I'm I think putting a video wall on the ballot is is not something we should be considering first. It seems like you're trying to enhance technology and not anything else. So, I I'm not 100% for that. nor for the video ports. I understand
what it what the with the revenue and I understand all those things that it could get you and and all that, but you know, right now we're talking about class sizes, we're talking about teachers, talking about clubs and everything. I'm just I'm just just as a point of information also with the uh
the video walls, there's also academic applications for it. >> No, I and so that was um you know depending on which pathway that you build, it might be have a direct >> uh correlation to uh to if you're doing something with the arts, if you're doing
something in regards to programming or gaming. So, there's there's multiple aspects to it. We went out and we visited a uh a a district that had this in place and they they used it for things that would that would go along with a uh career pathways academy type
program. So, so, so maybe as you go, go ahead. >> Sorry. I was more thinking, you know, can we say expand student opportunities by investing in additional programs to support career focused learning, bring back the theater program which we lost,
right? And invest in facilities. >> Well, just a point clarification, we have a theater program. We lost the we had to reduce a theater teacher for elective class, right? I mean, you still put on musicals and plays. to say that we don't have a theater program is not accurate. >> Sorry. Thank you.
>> Question. Yeah. >> Yeah. That you're talking about enhancing. So to me, when you talk about adding a theater teacher or you can you're enhancing the theater program, which I think >> that I've heard from many parents that actually want that over the summer.
>> You you I would roll if if the video wall is is part of enhancing a program that people are asking for, tie it together with that and not just keep it as its own line. I agree and I think that's that's exactly where I'm going and I think I would actually take away the pathway program and I would say additional programs because that gives
the flexibility a bit because you know it's also very much not understanding what the pathway program is. The programs can be many many things which you which we will actually put in to help the kids. So I would actually just say additional programs, >> academic >> support. So [snorts] invest in
>> interventions, academic support. >> Yeah. >> Enhance the theater program with additional staff and technology infrastructure. >> There you go. >> Why do we have to call out the theater program versus just programs? >> I think I think you're giving for
instance. >> The arts. You can say the arts. Say the theater program. Say the arts. >> Yeah. theater and performance. >> I have I have two parts to this. One is um is there a way to word the question
so that it's like I have to approve A the 5 million before I approve B. float. So like my concern with this is like we're now talking about a wish list when we're in a budget
crisis and if we are going to 8.5 I want to talk about how is this fixing our structural issues and how are we investing in the future of the community versus like we're putting random items on a wish list which might be the priorities now but may not be the
priorities in two years. So, I guess my concern with that is can we do a two-part question where you would have to approve A and then if you want the wish list then you approve the other 3.5 or is
there a way to make it so that you know these are part of our needs and part of our long-term investment as opposed to additional items that >> yeah long-term >> right like what are like I think phrasing it in such a way that's showing that it's a long-term term investment
would be a better way to communicate the message of what we're trying to accomplish. I agree. I just >> Yeah. [cough] >> I guess my my issue I guess with it is I feel like we're talking out of both
sides of our mouth which is muddying the water of what is the goal? >> The goal here is to stop the hemorrhaging bleeding. people are showing up tonight and people because they're scared that their kids are not going to have programs that they deserve and shouldn't have and I feel like some
of these investments which I listen I'm a school administrator there's no I'd vote for any one of these personally my you know but um but I know I'm not everybody I know I'm not you know the norm but I feel like some of these other things that we're trying to articulate in this question of what we're doing be
better served in a more robust referendum, you know, question that kind of had time to build up that we had strategic input for that. We know we're going to go with that. A gentleman spoke earlier. I don't think he's here right now, but he's kind of like, and I I kind of see 100% see his point, like why are
we talking about pathways when we're talking about kids not having a team to play on or a club to go to? >> Like I feel like we're we're all over the map and it's not it's not concise. It's not, >> you know, and I think when people are I guess what I'm trying to is I feel
like we're muddying the water and and what we need most now is a clear concise message to the public of what we need. We're kind of going out saying that we're desperate. We want to keep these programs and then going out and saying, "Okay, but now let's do this and let's
do that." It's just it's it's sending mixed messages to everybody. And if we need to do this because we need it to survive and we need it to make sure that kids can maintain the programs they have, that should be our focus right now. And not what might be two, three,
you know, steps down the line that we're going to rush to a vote on and it's not a question right now. Like, let's take care of what we need to make sure that these kids don't lose anything. >> That's why people are showing up. That's why people are, you know, are upset. You know, that
>> and that's kind of my point, too. You know, I think what is the need, right? And whether we're going to 8.5, if that's the need, then let's show why it's a need >> and and how it's going to fix our structural deficit. Um if it's five then and that's the need then let's make sure
that the question is worded in a way that people understand this is the need right now and you know this is a crisis like we're we're not trying to like this may not be the time for building. Not that we shouldn't build. We want to build. We want more programs. We all
agree that that's beneficial. I'm just not sure the timing is right now. So, so we just we just approved >> in the reorg the bond ad hoc committee, right? So, I think someone talked about bonding taking two years. It goes out to a vote and everything like that. So, as
part of that bonding community will be involved in the committee, you know, staff, board members, right? So, we'll have the ability to um vet this more broadly over a long period of time. there'll be assessments done. Um, so the admin, you know, the the board members
that are in education understand all this. So I I you know I I originally said yes to the question too because when I look at this this this is something that's been building for years. I can see the need
for doing it. The problem is like I said earlier, we don't know what we don't know about one year from now, let alone a month or or four years, whatever it is, right? We So, I think I agree. You know, I think Jeff is is is
swinging me to just take care of the immediate need. >> Plus, we're adding a recurring cost that's going to keep coming back to us. So, while we're working with the gap between revenue and expenditure, >> we're talking about investing adding a recurring cost that we're have to pay for every year when we're in the middle of a crisis.
>> I just don't think that makes any sense. >> I understand what you're saying. Thank you for your point. I just want to kind of go back to Christiey's 410 of last year powerpoint slide presentation. The reason kids are sitting in the
middle of the commons is because they don't have enough electives. This program that the pathways program what yes we don't have super clarity on it but we also want what's best for our students in the academics we're providing them and the pathway program
offers a variet and tell me if I'm wrong a variety of choices now for students. So they're not sitting in in uh you know the commons. They have choices now for the sciences and the art whatever you're creating or leaving half day to go to a
you know college courses. This is an investment. I I agree and I understand that it isn't fully clear but we do want our children to have many opportunities and choices and this is an opportunities and choice question. Could I I just
wanted to remind everyone before I came here, there was a lot of effort put into a strategic plan. >> These are not off-the-wall ideas that just happened to end up on a piece of paper today. This is something that I
believe there was over a hundred stakeholders involved. It was an incredible amount of work. All that we're looking at with this pathways program is what was it was what was planned on that strategic plan. There there's there's nothing that we're
looking at in option two that's anything new. >> I'm not I'm not debating that. What I'm saying is one I think kind of hard stop. I think two questions confuse the issue.
my first thing and nobody's disagreeing that these programs would be great and that we don't want them like and it's part that's part of strategic planning but I don't just to kind of put it in like kind of simple terms if somebody asked me for $100 to pay their rent and
then I saw them going out to eat like with somebody else and like buying drinks and I'd be like what what just happened to my $100 you know like I did it so you could like you know make ends meet and now you're living it up >> I again adding a recur and again these other programs are going to be a
recurring cost that's going to be in the budget. So instead of bringing that gap together we're going to keep moving it along at the same pace because that's a recurring cost that we're bringing it. Again I don't disagree that it's important. I don't disagree that these are very valuable and I know you did not
pull them out anywhere. I I totally understand that. I just think that right now we're in survival mode. We're talking about draconian cuts, draconian cuts to programs that are part of the Americana, you know, part of your right
of passage as as a kid. And to confuse the issue with anything other than that, I think get us in a lot of trouble. >> May May I ask a clarifying question because I your point as to this is not coming out of a a hat and I and I understand your point about muddying waters. I just I think there needs to be
some clarification that this if we did go with a revised question. Okay, so question one is short-term hemorrhaging fixing the hemorrhage. Question two is long-term vision. What are we going to do so that we're not in this over and over and over again? >> It's more intermediate. I wouldn't say it's long term
>> intermediate intermediate. Okay. >> Because three is according to this long term. >> Yes. But I also think that there is solutioning on revenue like again back on the revenue generating aspect of this. Question two poses opportunities for us to continue to maintain the
programs that we're presenting as options offset by revenue generating aspects in question two. And I think if we are able to educate the community and we put it to a vote hopefully over the next few weeks we can do that. I just I don't want to put us in a position of
constantly being in this position. And so thinking long term, articulating our long-term vision, going back to all those things, explaining the pathways program as a program that Yes, >> I read n I understand what you're saying, but I'll also go to a simple like election rule.
>> Yeah. >> Whoever is first on the ballot gets like 30% more votes than they would have gotten. Like >> so then five wins and then 8.5 doesn't. But if we don't put it out there, >> I think our kids deserve to be able to
have this this opportunity debated. That's that's what I think. Now, I I um I think that it would be it would make a lot more sense for us to roll this out over a year and a half, two years. There is Well, I've been here for a year and when I came here, we had a massive crisis and it's getting worse. So, I
agree this this should have been dealt with before, but it wasn't. and we're where we are now and we're at a point in the road where we can where we could maybe readjust the sales and get us back on track doesn't solve all of our problems. I think our kids deserve this. >> Isn't it a state standard also anyway?
College and career readiness. So, it's not like we're pulling it out of our butts. The kids have to do it. >> It's college and career readiness. So, why can't we just some I think the the lady out there said it. Why don't we just make it plain so that people understand it
>> and put it in. >> Yeah, exactly. >> We The reason why we use the career pathways because we could we could link to something and and the reason why people could know about is we did a full presentation. It was uh it's something that's been on the website. It's something that is still on the website.
Um so there were people who were familiar with it and and that's why we did it as is to be able to kind of capture that concept. But the concept basically is is doing things for kids to get them out of study halls out the hallway. Get them into into program. So
sorry can we go can we go back to what is the modified language now on the question two please? Let's let's go back and see. I think there've been a lot of discussion about what needs to change in question two. So I want to hear >> if there is a revised >> he's he's he's doing it right now. >> I I have it. Let's
>> let him draft it up. So my suggestion would be when we talk about pathways, it says in here a pathways program and I and I agree that you know we have engaged parents that don't know what pathways is. So that's a so so we do have to talk to them. There's some that do some that don't and there's definitely parent there's definitely I
would say older residents that don't have kids in there that have no idea what we're talking about. So when we say pathways program to support career focused learning is there a way to say that these are to enhance these are like electives they're adding is building richurriculurriculum
career readiness. >> Absolutely. Talk about it's so >> quick question. >> We're supposed We're supposed to be doing it's a >> state standard. We're supposed to be doing it. It's not like we have an
option. I don't know the code number is 7 colon 68 something, but we're supposed to be doing it. >> Question. Who is it open to? Is it open to every kid who's sitting out in the commons now? Will they get first crack at it since they're the ones who have no
class period to go to? >> Yeah. >> So I Who's going to get first crack at this pathways program? Is it open to everybody? Is it select group? That's what I'm looking for. >> I I I want to say something first. not the kids are out in the hallway now because we miss that opportunity
>> and that that's why this is so vital for us to to move forward is that we're losing every year we're losing another group of kids. >> Well, we're voting for next year. I understand that. But my question is how does a child get into the pathways program? I want clarity on that. How
many programs will you earlier? How many? >> We proposed in the spring. We propose six programs and it's dependent upon student interests of what programs they would want to go into. It would have to
be it depends on how many would be interested in each program. Um you're not launching all six at the same time. It's just not feasible because you have to have certified teachers within each area to be able to fulfill that. And the program is supposed to build on each other. So let's say a freshman enters into the program. It's more considered
an elective base where they kind of get exposure to it. And then as they proceed through it's more field experience, it's internship. it leads to a career pathway. But it could be in theater, it could be in engineering, medical science, um it could be uh computer
science, uh visual and performing arts. We could get a full theater program in. We tried to hit every area of it. It's really dependent on what our student population is in front of us and what they want. >> So what would be that cost would be effective? >> It's multiple teachers over time. So
with that something you just said >> we don't like the class sizes as they are today. Okay, they're too big. We need more coreur teachers, not new programs. If you put math, science, and
English composition as what you're going to program, people will vote for that. You have to go back to a strategic plan that multiple failed participated in produced. Why would we go back to that?
We're here because they didn't do their job. So, it's got to be simple and something that matters to smaller classes or poor teachers. Why are we asking kids?
We're sending out kids. kids aren't sitt I I I can be I just want I'm just say this then let's ask a question. I think we're we're confusing things by two putting two questions. I I'm agreeing with Jeff. We need to really define what the problem is and what what we see as the fix. And I think getting
into any any situation where we're trying to have two on there, it become if I'm a voter that has no idea what's going on and I go there and they're asking for two things, they don't know what they need, right? Even if it's clearly spelled out,
I'm I'm concerned about seeing two questions. So, I'll let Dr. Gold say her statement, then I'd like to do a straw poll on how many questions we want to have. Um, option two, can I just go back to even with option two, in two years, we
still will need to likely go out to the community with a bond referendum, which will still need to address some of our operating costs. So my question is could we revisit some of these additional pathways, opportunities,
extracurriculars at that time where we have more time to have community input and think it through. So that that's my thinking right now. That's kind of where I was going with the bond ad hoc committee and the and that discussion over the next 18
to two years is that we we we we do something. >> But is that affirmative that we will have to go out even if we pass 8.5 um in March >> when the when the debt service comes off
we we're going to need to go out again and it would be a split between operations and uh capital needs. Can I one more clarifying question? When you mentioned in number two digital video boards for student athletic that was that was that advertisement is that is that part of advertisement that would
happen as a revenue stream? Yes or no? >> Yeah. So you're talking about with the video boards? Yeah. >> Yeah. Okay. So if we quantified that and it was 500,000 or a million, >> I I honestly I don't think you know that
we're >> we're looking for a public question because of a a defic uh because of a a deficit we're dealing with. I don't know if I don't know if how and I didn't ask the question. I will >> on revenue. >> Um yeah, if well we are we raising money are we are we raising money to make
money? Um, I don't know if that's really how that would go over with the getting the question approved. >> Okay. So, then that would >> I do think it's a positive effect of it, but I don't know if that's something that could be codified into the uh question. I don't know, Patrick, I don't know if you agree or disagree with that.
>> It's never been done before. Um, you know, indicating that it would be a revenue producing venture. Um, and it's also very speculative in terms of how much Okay. >> Then you're looking at an increase of
$3.5 million. How long is it going to take to recoup that revenue driven that you're getting? Like, >> you know, >> a deficit by big sales. I guess >> Yeah. So, so Patrick, I don't know if you have a statistic. How many boards
have asked this question locally and actually succeeded? >> Multiple questions on a >> Yeah. So, very few. So, very few in this sense. I can't find anyone other than Montlair which even
get to the point of asking the question that went over $4 million other than us the one time. And then Jackson, who was also rejected. Jackson did it to support um guidance counselors and other mental
health supports in the school district and they they rejected it a couple years ago. Everybody else is going out for a few hundred,000. The highest I saw, one district went out for $1.9 million to support full kindergarten. Like generally speaking, these are limited.
They're like we want $300,000 to hire two you know, for a school district. Do you voters, do you want us to do that? Um, so this is a lot of money. Remember,
going to the voters to exceed the tax levy is supposed to be for things beyond what the minimum, you know, to meet New Jersey learning standards. So, you're not normally asking voters to, you know, preserve what you have. There are districts that do that. They're often
unsuccessful. A lot of districts will go out and say we need $2 million otherwise one district said we will eliminate all sports and activities. They rejected that district. Um so it's this is usually a process to
to enhance your programming. um you can use it, you know, for the purpose that we're using it here, which is to maintain, you know, in the those circumstances, but these are numbers that are much higher than most people are often asking
for because the general consensus is is you live by your budget. instead of we're That would actually be
discussion. We did list Patrick all reasons why we're here. I would have no problem saying that that was Does anyone else have an issue with that? >> Okay. Bas
trying to go through the guidance checklist. We have to give the we have to give the question that appears on the balance. They have 60 days for them to print ballots start and the county super
>> I I think it's very matterof fact to say it's a prior we had a prior failed vote. I don't I don't know that it's interpretive. >> No, it's that we we that as a board >> Yeah. >> there was the special exception >> also but that was a failed vote. It was a
failed vote still. >> Well, I you gota be you gota be clear on what the failed vote is a referendum versus a a board vote. >> Uhhuh. >> Because that's interpretive as well. Um let's let's get back to basics. Straw poll.
One question. 5 million. Whatever it is, raise your hand, please. >> Just one question. >> Are you okay? I can't tell if your arm's tired or you raising your hand, you know, for five. >> Okay. So, that's So, so we're all good
with the one question. Two questions. >> All right. So, two is out. So, Ron, just one question. It's rounded, but I think the adequacy number for last year uh was
5,31,476. That's inclusive. That's inclusive of the state over million. Otherwise, you're out of number. >> Yes. Okay. >> Yes. >> Just want everybody to know that.
>> Yes. That's assuming >> we're saying it, but that's on that's on money that the state is slated to take away from >> they state is giving us more than almost five million more than they're supposed to. >> That's why they're taking that's the 300,000 a year they're taking away. Yeah,
>> they're giving us 10 million and they should only be giving us I think 4.7. >> They had a rule last year, one year, one year only, no more than 3%. >> Yeah. Okay. So, Mr. Car, can you read the one
question that we have so far, please? >> The Robinsville Township Board of Education is asking voters to approve an additional 5,31,476 uh dollars in local school funding to maintain class sizes, protect academic programs, and preserve student opportunities. Approval of this question
would allow the district to prevent class size increases by maintaining up to 22 teachers and staff who would otherwise be eliminated. maintain student activities, including athletic teams and student clubs, and preserve elective courses that support well-rounded learning. Due reductions in state aid and rising fixed cost, the
district can no longer maintain current educational programs, class sizes, and extracurricular offerings without additional local support. Approval of these taxes would result in a permanent increase in district's tax levy. The proposed additional expenditures are in addition to those necessary to achieve
the minimum requirements for the New Jersey student learning standards. Nevertheless, the Robinville Township Board of Education Community sports provide excellent programming and opportunities and not to be measured against the minimum. >> So we we've I think I think there has amended say 21 staff members.
>> It's it's 22 teachers and staff. Now it was amended. So it could be teachers and staff being non-certificated staff members. >> Um class size is is not legally mandated. So boards can set policy guidelines with
respect to >> that is uninforceable by law. >> But we have >> as per my statement and yours >> polically. Yes. >> No.
No. New Jersey does not have a legal limit other than for special education classes. >> You literally can have >> I won't say it the >> all the bad things in a class tomorrow.
>> You can have a teacher teaching multiple grades at Little House on the Prairie. >> We're going down a rabbit hole now. Carrick, can I have it? This is a permanent tax increase. Is that in there? approval of these taxes will result in a permanent increase in the district's tax levy. So the last
paragraph first line so that that sentence generally says that sentence or that paragraph generally says that sentence and then it's you have to say these are additional expenditures in addition to those necessary to achieve
the requirements of NJSLS. We've changed it because we wanted to focus on the fact that that is a minimum requirement and the the true minimum for a school district is profoundly low and you would never want to be talking about
the true minimum. Like it's a scary low. I've represented boards of education that have 60 kids in the whole district. They have a single teacher teaching two grade levels at the same time for general ed classes and nothing like no teams, no activities, no nothing. Um so then we added The Robinville Township
Board of Education seeks community sports to provide excellent programming and opportunities and not to be measured against the minimum because I don't think you guys want to be measured against the minimum. You guys have a Alevel school district conversations that I hear here are are talking about
you, you know, with the highest performing school districts in the state, not the minimum or lowest performing school districts. And so the reality is unfortunately that a lot of those districts are performing that well because they got a lot of money invested in those.
Okay. Any other comments or questions from board members on the question? >> Does that mean we're not meeting on Thursday now? >> If we approve it tonight, we don't have to meet on Thursday. So >> if we
if this doesn't pass, what could we come back with in November? Or or again, sorry. >> Sorry. So next spring, I could just we'd run this similar question next spring. We'd have one year,
>> one per school year. And uh last year. >> Last year and I mean and they also limited the number of times you can I got only four times now. >> There used to be no limit.
>> I mean I can go through a process but but like the law was changed do it January, March, September or December. >> So Nick just for clarity if we do it this March and it doesn't pass if it's once per school year that means we can't
do it to the following November. No, no, you can do it the following year. >> Following March then >> uh for November or December or you know what these other options are. >> Okay. >> But you still have >> so July of 26
you would have you're going to you're going to have you'll be forced to cut you'll be forced to cut. >> Well, we can you can phrase the question to raise the funds immediately. So we can that's the one thing you can do. So if you did the November vote, we
could do it for to to raise the funds during next school year. We would know that in March we submit the budget. We would look at doing a question in November ballot. That would be a separate budget
two budgets. April would have time to do that. Don't have much time, but you would have time to adjust. Um but you were not going to be have to still let the staff go. >> Yeah. If I give you $5 million in the
middle of November, >> it's not you can't like staff and change schedules. >> I want the community to understand you lose these sports, you are losing them for not one year, you will lose them for
10 years. All these coaches and all these clubs and they have been honed for years to be successful and where they are currently. So if they get cut, you will
not have a program for many years. >> All right. So >> private school $70,000 just FYI. >> All right. So I'm I'm going to move up the public comment right now. There's no other Before the vote to before the vote.
>> Can Patrick say the question one more time so that >> public com Yeah. Yeah. >> We're It's almost again closing on midnight. >> The question again, the Robinsville Township Board of Education is asking
voters to approve an additional 5,31,476 in local school funding to maintain class sizes, protect academic programs, and reserve student opportunities. Approval of this question would allow the district to prevent class size incre increases by maintaining up to 22 teachers and staff who would otherwise
be eliminated, maintain student activities, including athletic teams and student clubs, and preserve elective courses that support well-rounded learning. Due to reductions in state aid and rising fixed costs, the district can no longer maintain current educational programs, class sizes, and extracurricular offerings without additional local support. Approval of
these taxes would result in a permanent increase in the district's tax levy. The proposed additional expenditures are in addition to those necessary to achieve the minimum requirements for the New Jersey student learning standards. Nevertheless, the Robbinsville Township Support Board of Education seeks community support to provide excellent
programming and opportunities and not to be measured against the minimum. All right. So, following the traditional public comment of one one time only for three minutes. I'm going to um ask for a motion to open public comment on all
school related items for >> 15 minutes. >> Second. >> So moved. >> All in favorions. Okay, it's open. >> Thank you. Thank you to all of you. Just two thoughts on what you just read and thank you for your flexibility.
Does the band get cut if we don't get funding? All musical. We're not mentioning music. I think that might be worth adding. >> Maintain student activities including athletic teams,
music and arts, and student clubs. >> Okay, >> just something to consider. >> So, okay. So, let's read that one more time. So just the phrasing is maintain student activities including athletic teams and student clubs and preserve elective
courses that support wellrounded learning. So there's nothing specific there. It's not like we say specifically the soccer teams or the baseball teams. So in that respect we've left it a little open-ended to not handcuff us. >> Okay.
You know best. I would love to add the word enrichment. Um What was it? >> I'm sure we're enriching anything that we're >> and uh third fourth fourth line and preserve student enrichment opportunities
>> because I don't know what opportunities you're talking about there >> enrichment. It's a good educational >> you see it protect academic programs and preserve student enrichment opportunities.
Thank you. Appreciate it. >> Good evening. Uh Mike, Todd, Robill. Um so I think in deciding on one question is probably the right pathway for this. Uh not to borrow words um I think having
two would have been caused too much confusion. I think you know through the discussion here which was good to see. I think everybody most people came to conclusion on that which I think is a good thing. Um three things I take away from tonight. Um engagement, trust and
contingency. Uh we need public engagement. There's six of us here right now. All right. I know it's late. Uh there were more but um we need to foster engagement and that's I think has to be the top priority moving forward no matter what
the number of the question is. um community trust is baked into that and the marketing campaign they have to kind of put behind this and contingency if what happens if this doesn't pass right we have to educate uh public as well if
this doesn't pass this is here is the list that is getting cut and it's just factual it's not swaying in my opinion not swaying either way maybe Patrick would have a different opinion but just listing the facts right um I think uh in addition to that as far as the learning
aspect. Um, coming up with the charts like we did uh two years ago. I know on the township side, I was coming up with charts, working with our CFO when the last question was up. I know we worked with Nick on that, but coming up with them, 100,000 assess, 200,000 up to a million, what the 2% looks like plus the
uh uh the question value over the two-year period, so everybody knows exactly what they're uh what's going out of their wallet and when, right? I think it's very important. Um, LD14 leaders, we need to reach out ASAP. Um, I'm going to call uh Senator Greenstein tomorrow.
Um, I found out on my way here that she didn't know anything about the issues that we're dealing with. So, I'm going to reach out to her tomorrow and, you know, if you're open to it, I'll help set up a meeting for that right away just to see. You know, you got to ask, right? We're in dire straits right now. It seems like, uh, we need to, you know,
get all our stops out. Um, as far as a public safety aspect, uh, any of the cuts that that are coming, the busing especially, um, something that, um, we're already putting in the township side with extra crossing guards, knowing currency busing is getting cut. Um, so
that's an added expense we're uh, going to take on our side. Grant writers, I know uh, Mayor Freed has reached out before or we have a grant writer that sustained by the grants that you get for township. Same offer goes out. he's available if you know the district would
like to use them. Um again u the uh using uh engaging our senior uh citizen community. Um if you need book time at the senior center reach out we'll get time set up the library whatnot. It has to be uh really
have to get out there ASAP especially to the folks that are not in social media not engaged. Seems like a lot of community is not engaged right now and this is a big number that uh that you obviously need pass. Thank you. >> Thanks for reopening the public comment.
Um I I think the first paragraph in question one and the final paragraph uh in question one conflict each other. Um, you know, we we start out by saying that we're going to maintain. I think it just needs to be super clear that that the
five and a the $5 million just keeps everything status quo. Um, to then add the, you know, the last sentence or two there, you know, about the the board and uh community support to provide
excellent program programming. you're maintaining what we have whether and again that's subjective whether people think it's excellent or not. Um and I do I do agree with the previous uh comments about the senior citizens but I think
they should be reminded that their taxes are frozen. Um, so you know, they should support it, but I would remind everyone on the board that I haven't spoken to that our engagement should be 92% of all the school age parents in this town
because if we can't get the parents that have kids in the schools to agree with the question, we're not going to get people that don't have anyone in the school to to largely agree. Um, and I appreciate that we're whittling it down to one question. Um, I'm struggling with
I'm gonna we're asking for $5 million and we're not improving anything. We're just maintaining. And I and I know that we want don't want to put a time frame on it, but I I think that when you start to to do your community outreach, we do
have to talk about options two and three because in my mind, one is triage. Two, you're starting to improve existing program. Three is really sustaining existing program and then doing some of
these these new programs to adapt to the change of educational needs. So, um I wouldn't lose sight of the work you put into the three questions. Um I would ask the board to think long and hard about the dollar value in question one. You've
got it down to one question. Um, and I know they're all big numbers and you know if it fails it's going to fail. If it passes and you can get a bigger number, you should think about that because we don't have a crystal
ball, but we're going to be back having these conversations again. And I do think that the engagement from the board should be telling people in addition we are going to look at going to cap every year so that we can build a budget so we're not going to constantly be back in
these cycles. And last comment, we got to get our operational budget in order before we can start talking about capital expenditures in a bond. Thank you. Not see any more public comment. Have a motion to close. So moved. Second. All
in favor? Nays or abstensions? Okay. Uh be it here resolved the province board of education. Uh what is that? Is that the right one? Oh. resolution. Okay, here it is. The
superintendent recommends that the board of education approved the following action in item E, which is the public question. I'll have Mr. Carrie read it one more time and then we'll do a motion. >> Yes. Robinsville Township Board of Education
is asking voters to approve an additional $5,31,476 in local school funding to maintain classes class sizes, protect academic programs, and preserve student enrichment opportunities. Approval of this question would allow the district to prevent class size increases by
maintaining up to 22 teachers and staff who would otherwise be eliminated, maintain student activities, including athletic teams and student clubs, and preserve elective courses that support well-rounded learning. D Reductions in state aid and rising fixed cost. The district can no longer maintain current educational programs, class sizes, and
extracurricular offerings without additional local support. Approval of these taxes would result in permanent increase in the district's tax levy. The proposed additional expenditures are in addition to those necessary to achieve the minimum requirements for the New Jersey student learning standards. Robertsville Township Board of Education seeks community support to provide
excellent programming and opportunities and not to be measured against the minimum. I have a motion to approve >> the the public question. >> Motion to amend. >> Motion to amend. >> Okay.
>> Um rising fixed costs and inflation. >> Not to be alarmist, but I think it's part of your presentation on >> We had a second. >> Second. >> All in favor? Can I also >> I'm just gonna email it to you.
>> Okay. >> Can we also take out the word excellent from provide excellent programming and just leave provide programming and opportunities not to be measured against the minimum? >> I agree with that. I have a motion. Second.
All >> in favor? Just the word excellent. Just the word excellent. So, so the question we could we could sit here and try to find fine-tune words here and there. I'm not sure how much more value it's going to add.
Yeah, I'm just I I don't disagree. I'm just a motion to approve the question as it stands after the Well, he Yeah. Okay. I'll let I'll let I'll let Patrick read just read the the census that were amended, please.
>> Okay. >> Due to reductions in state and rising fixed costs and inflation, the district can no longer maintain current educational programs, class sizes, and extracurricular offerings without additional local support. And then the last sentence, the Robinsville Township Board of Education seeks community
support to provide programming and opportunities and not to be measured against the minimum. I don't think the last sentence makes sense anymore by removing excellence because what are you comparing it minimum to?
I'm sorry. So you have the next 60 days to educate the public. That's your role over the next 60 days. So one of the thematic elements that I would suggest to you in a way to educate them in a way that kind
of advocacy without being overt advocacy is to suggest to them that it's not your intention to meet minimum New Jersey learning standards but to continue to be an alle school district which is in
large part what most likely would motivate people in town to vote for this is like we love our school. We want to maintain this stuff and support because our school actually is already excellent in a lot of ways. So that's why it was in there. If if you guys want to
eliminate it, I would suggest eliminating it all together and just having statuto minimum language. So we said I'm just looking at the province of Board of Education ceased community support to continue to provide
this program. >> It said previously excellent programming and opportunities and not to be measured against the minimum. >> So just motion motion to strike the whole sentence the last sentence.
>> Yeah. I second. All in favor the last sentence of the last sentence. >> [snorts] >> You don't need three. I'm good with keeping the sentence. So, let's just let's just leave it the way it is.
So, it it reverts back to the original sentence. I'm waiting good because now I'm going to ask official >> motion and everything track of all all the items very important.
>> So I need to have it and I'm going to do vote. >> Calm down. >> Do a roll call vote. >> Excuse me. >> No, we're not done. We're not ready. >> Not done. >> We have a proposal in discussion. >> Yes. Don't put another motion. Let's discuss.
Okay. So, don't be too quick. I know getting late. We're almost there. Support to maintain current programming. Sport to maintain. And then that okay and remove provide excellent. >> You want provide excellent remove.
>> Anthony is it your proposal is to remove provide excellent. >> Okay. >> Okay. Let's let's read the sentence one more time just to make sure we're good. Please, you're not on anymore.