No, they're not. They're for the kids. No, I'm kidding. >> All right, let's get going. >> There you go. >> Tell you what, I'll double that. >> All right, >> we have feedback here. I don't know what it is.
>> Project my voice. Leave it right there. No, no, I got it. >> We're good. Neither of us have an issue with volume. >> Okay. Good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us this uh Monday, February
9th for the joint select board, school committee, and finance committee meetings. If you wouldn't mind Oh, we are being recorded. If you wouldn't mind rising for the pledge. >> Yeah. to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it
stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. >> Okay. Um we are joining you this evening um in order to discuss the utility reserve usage agreement um between the
school district and the town. Um do you guys want to call your meeting to order? >> Um yes. I'm Glenn Faster, chair of the school committee and we will call our meeting to order. >> Great. I'm Eric Hartman, chair of the finance committee and I call the finance committee meeting to order.
>> Perfect. Okay. So this was a um a hanger on from the prior joint conversation. Um, and we wanted to make sure we had some resolve before we would go into the budget for this year. There were some questions, you know, what's happening for the school for f the future budget
which we'll be seeing coming up. School had their presentation. I think we have some answers there. Um, and hopefully we can just answer all the questions and put this particular topic. >> Right. >> Okay. Um, I'll just start. Um, thank you
for everyone for attending. Um, I'm going to turn this meeting over to Miss Stella who will talk about um, how we came to be here starting in FY25, which would have been February of 2024. Then we'll move into FY26.
But I understand Mr. Cashman has a couple comments first. >> Yeah, I was just going to say that, you know, as somebody who's wasn't there when this all went down, I can completely understand how it's confusing. It took me quite a few meetings with Cheryl to really wrap my head around the timeline and everything that happened. I think the good news for
all of us is that this is over and done with and we will be funding our budget funding the utilities in our budget just like we did in FY25 and 26. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Cheryl to sort of discuss the timeline. >> Thank you.
Bear with me. I don't usually use team. So, all right. Thank you everyone. Um, so if you will indulge me and just let me walk through the whole timeline and then we can um certainly um answer uh questions
afterwards. So um we started this whole process back in October of 2023. There were four tri-chair meetings that we had uh prior to developing the school budget for FY25.
The main focus of those tri chair meetings was to talk about school budget issues that we knew that we were facing. uh the majority of that time was spent on transportation costs, the new school operating costs, special education, and
then the fact that we're losing our ESSER and uh other pandemic funding as well. So then, uh January 29th, 2024, the school committee did submit to the town their voted FY25 school budget, which
was a 5.1% increase to the budget. Um, and this budget did include money for utilities at the elementary school. February 5th of 2024, the school community presented their budget to the
finance committee. Again, that budget was a 5.1% increase, which again included the money for the utilities at the new elementary school. Then February 9th of 2024, the town administrator emailed the superintendent
and the select board that he was proposing a school appropriation of 3.84 or 32.199 million and advancing in addition two warrant articles for utilities and special education to fully fund the
school committee voted budget. Um so as a result of that the school had to reduce the appropriated budget to reflect the decreased appropriation. This meant that the original utilities that we had in our budget uh were zeroed out. Then May 20th of 2024 town meeting
voted to approve the appropriation for the school budget which was 32399 in article three which was a combination of tax levy, local receipts and the free cash for the utilities. On that same date is when the utility
reserve was signed by the town administrator and superintendent. There we go. >> Uh It's okay now. Good. Okay.
Um March 20th, 2025, we received So now we're going into um FY26. March 20th, 25, we received questions from the finance committee. Um
I'm sorry, this jumped ahead. Taking you back December 23rd, 2024, we had a tri-chair meeting discussing the FY26 school budget. For the meeting minutes, it was discussed to consider funding the SCS utility costs outside of
the appropriation similar to last year. January 13, 2025, tri-chair meeting materials were presented at that time by the school department. in those materials. It assumes that $200,000 is from the
utility reserve to fund the utility costs at the elementary school. Same as last year, January 17, 2025, the trichair meeting minutes state Miss Fletcher supports removing 200K under the utility. January 20th, 2025. The
school committee FY26 voted budget shows zero in the utility line for the elementary school for FY25 and FY26. This was provided to the town and posted to the website. March 20th, 2025, we received questions
from the finance committee asking why we need to fund 200,000 in free cash for a line item that was originally budgeted for 214,000. We answered that back to them on March 20th 25 stating that if it's not funded through free cash, we need to add it
back to our budget and again increase our appropriation. April 16th, 2025, we actually took all the budget questions because we received a lot of budget questions throughout the process from finance committee and others. We took all of them, put them into one document, posted them on our
website. Question number 14 in those materials again was around the 200,000 from utility reserve and again stating that it was not being carried in our budget. April 17th and April 18th of 2025. Um, I
sent a memo to the select board and the finance committee from the school department again clarifying how the utility money was used, the timeline, the background, why it was funded this way, how it was originally budgeted, and that we were asked to reduce our budget.
And so that utility line got reduced. And then we come to uh May 19th, 2025. Again, town meeting votes to approve article five, which included 200,000 from free cash to the utility reserve line of the swamps public schools
operating budget. That's it. That's the timeline. Katie, I have a question. Can because we're talking about two different years here. >> Um can we address the the utility theou with the utility that
came into effect in 2025 that was the 2024 conversations before we go into the 2026. >> Sorry. um because it gets to me it gets really confusing and I also um just so that
we're really clear um I didn't support removing 200k that was an inaccurate statement. I did absolutely supported having 200,000 still in a utility
utility line item to offset offset that's the key word um the utility expense and when I look at this I think Mr. Richmond the people who were the chairs are the one who actually can elaborate more on
what conversations happen in trichare but I think what's really really important here is trichare is a a mechanism that's used to have conversations to facilitate ideas and then the responsibility of those chairs
is to bring that information back. It's not to make decisions. And what happened in 2024 is is really clear. There's anou that uses the word offset, not replace.
So that's I think that's a a big a big problem here. And I think that that needs to be for me that's what needs to be addressed. And I think I did read an email that was
sent to um Katie and Danielle from Miss Stellar and it does highlight that it says I think this I think this is where people are getting confused as the school committee voted on a budget that included utilities at SEC. After the
school committee voted and approved their budget at the end of January, there was discussion on reducing that number. Unfortunately, at the time there was no meeting minutes from all the tri chair and other meetings. So there is no written record of what was said verbally. So from my point is I think
that town meeting and the select board we were informed that the additional 200,000 was to offset the budget the school budget not to fund the school budget. And to me, that's
where the issue for 2025 lies. The issue for 2026 is a different a different issue. >> Just stop there then because since we going to break it down into separate I think it's important we just stop and say so for clarity 2025
the original year of theou was the utility were there the utility line item was zeroed out. Correct? >> Okay. So, so even if theou used the word offset, the reality is
there was no funds in the budget to offset. Correct. >> Correct. >> Okay. Did this Okay. So, before we go to 202, >> go ahead. >> So, we have a we have an email that Eric requested and Patrick weighed in on and
I just want to see whether or not this all jives with what those votes were and if that's important. for people to understand as well for 2025. >> Yeah. >> Right. So, as I understand it, originally the school budget there was a separate
article 4 for FY25, but um that was indefinitely postponed. >> Right. I think at the time initially the thought was we'll use some kind of fund. >> Yeah. But then I think that upon further consideration maybe of the town
administrator or town staff, they said, "You know what? For something that we only expect to last a year or two, it shouldn't be a fund. You should do it differently." So we indefinitely postponed that article, but then asked the town to increase the appropriated budget for the school by that same
200,000. I think that's all that did. And Patrick can expand, but totally >> right. That's where I think at least I'm still a little confused is that so the schools first put the money in the budget, >> then we're told to take it out.
>> Correct. >> Then at town meeting, we effectively put it back in. >> Now, well, the two different things though, right? It depends on your perspective, I guess. But what was done at town meeting was the additional funding, >> right? Right. The the the challenge is here. I'm not sure everybody was
understanding that the original funding that was taken out in that kind of in version one to version two that Cheryl took us through. I don't think that was clear to the entire you know to everybody. So that that's the missing money, not the the extra funding. That that's I think we know where where that is. Yeah,
>> I think at some point, Cheryl, you were kind of saying when you went from version one to version two, I think you said at the end of the day with when the town administrator submitted the 321 1999 or whatever that number was, did you say it got back to the superintendent's recommended budget when
you added in the additional like reserve dollars? >> Correct. So, um he funded the full appropriation that the school committee had initially um submitted,
but by doing it, he did it through the appropriation like you typically see. And then he also funded our budget with free cash for utilities and put some money in the special education reserve. So because it was fully funded that way,
however, we had to reduce, you know, we went from 51 to 384 to get to 384, we had to zero out the utility line because if town meeting didn't vote to approve the 200,000 from free cash that we wouldn't have it and so there in
lies kind of and then it got back. So then effectively we were funded at 5.1 but in these two other mechanisms >> but those then showed up back in your budget they were just funded through free cash. >> Correct. Right. >> Yeah.
>> So what I'm challenged with I guess at the end of the day and I I think I remember just even kind of through those versions there were several back and forth on there several changes to your budget. I remember working with you and having spreadsheets and trying to exchange go you know kind of roll it forward from the first version we'd
reviewed to the final. So you being asked to make a lot of changes to make things work and and you were doing that. Um what I challenge was at the end of the day they that theou was signed I don't know if it was before or after town meeting but it was a day of town meeting >> and it was already kind of >> done.
>> It was yeah it was but it was theou was kind of >> it wasn't funded the way the writing on theou thought it was even on the day it was signed. Right. >> Right. >> Yep. >> So, I think that just kind of goes to show that certainly there wasn't clarity even perhaps among the superintendent
and the town administrator as far as where the numbers were on the day they were both signing that agreement. >> I think that's the key piece, right? There was so much it's clear as mind really right from the very getgo to the point that we're at now but we're still sitting here trying to digest what exactly happened
>> which I think is why um you know going into this budget cycle there was no way with which uh we were going to be funding the school committee budget this way because it gets
incredibly confusing and unless you've been in every meeting and in every discussion since 2023 >> and on every email. Um, and because there was a lot of back and forth and and some of those individuals
unfortunately are not here um to speak to that. Um, it just it's not it's not a it's not a good way to to fund a budget with which we know we need we obviously need the money for the utilities. I think the initial thought process behind it was
and I'm I'm not saying it was good, bad or indifferent, but the initial thought process back in 2023 was we knew we had increased facil overall facility related costs for the new school building. and that the intention or the thought was
once we have solar fully up and running on the roof and on the um parking lot canopy, those costs in theory should be going down. And so I think there was a hesitation to build something into the budget that eventually might be going
down. Now obviously we now are in a different situation again with that. We have solar going up on the roof. But now the parking lot canopy is a no-go and not for anything from us. It's a national grid issue. Um and as we talked
about when we presented the budget, um which I'm sure you'll hear about for the town as well. Um you know, the supply charges are going up such that um actually $200,000 isn't even enough um to fund utilities at the school. But I
think the original intent was a positive intent and and through the since 2023 it's gotten very muddied and confusing for all. Um, and you know, I think that was, like I said, the impetus behind it initially. And you know, similar, you
know, if you recall to that first year, it was just wasn't just the schools. The town also received $50,000 from free cash Hadley because it was kind of the similar similar concept, but that that the town eventually would no longer be having to pay the Hadley utility cost.
And so they it was the same thing for them. 50,000 went into the town budget. They used it to pay the bills at Hadley. 200,000 came into the school budget. We used it to pay the utilities at the the new elementary school. >> It's the same thought process. >> Same thought process. Right.
>> All right. >> And and I was going to say really that explanation, the ideologies parallel each other because we didn't have 50,000 in our budget and we were offsetting a Hadley. Correct. We were fully funding Hadley with the utility. Correct. So that aligns with what the school did even
though that is not the language of theou. Correct. >> But I think where the where where it differs is that we did have money in our budget for utilities. >> I certainly thought when you know this word all said, but we all thought we all knew that we didn't know what the
utility costs were going to be. This was an additional >> we all I think we all pretty much thought additional amount to deal with it, right? But we didn't I don't I don't think many people realized that it literally had been zeroed out and this was the only money being used for utilities.
>> And just to be clear, we did have money for utilities in our budget, just not at that location, >> elementary school, >> right? So similar to the town, right? We still budgeted for utilities at at the middle school and high school. >> Okay. Yeah. Just like the town still budgeted for utilities for, you know,
their other buildings, >> but the town didn't increase, you know, the town didn't increase their utility budget for Hadley, and we we also didn't increase our utility budget for the elementary school. >> Okay. So,
>> are there any additional questions about the birth of the issue, which was 2025? >> None. not a question but a a statement for anyone that's watching at home that they could watch the annual town meeting at 2
hours 33 minutes 43 seconds where Taspia also made the same question on the floor in front of all the town meeting members of is the account being zeroed and this is the only money that's being used which it was confirmed on the floor in front of all the members
>> that was what year which year >> that was at the May 19th 2025 annual town meeting on night one. >> So that will be for Yeah, that's for right next year. >> So that will be important in the next >> in a minute. >> Okay. Because
>> in a minute >> because uh that's maybe a good segue though for 2026. >> Oh, you do go right ahead in that I think you know when we went over >> you speak up Erica. >> Is this better?
>> Yes. >> Great. Um, so it's the school has uh an appropriated budget but then also has money from other sources and I think some of the operating costs at the uh at the elementary school and I don't know
how much of those are utilities are covered by the after school YMCA program and I think other uses and rental fees of the uh at the school. So there is like some of there's some outside money being used to offset the cost of
operating the SCES. So it's not fully zeroed out. It's just there's different buckets to pay for different things, right? Uh and then I think also it it's worthwhile looking a little closer at thisouou in that you know we all think
we know what it says but it it actually doesn't say a lot right you know it talks about the increase in the utility fund but it doesn't say compared to what right is it compared to all three elementary schools but at the time Clark
was still part of the schools so is it Clark the increase of the new school plus Clark over Clark and Stanley order just Stanley or so it's not clear what was meant right what was the baseline was not defined um and then
um sorry I'm looking at my notes uh and then it's yeah it's also doesn't talk about what funds you can use to pay for those costs right is it you know the appropriated funds or is it also the total you know school budget right
because the school budget is 30 odd million and the total budget is closer to 40, right? Um, and so this agreement is lacking some of the necessary specifics and how to calculate the increase. And I think at this point it's hard to sort of look back and figure out
what it was, especially since, you know, the former town ministry is not here, former superintendent is not here. Um, >> yeah, >> we'll tap you for the if we ever have to do anotherou get your opinion on Hope not.
>> Hopefully we won't be doing any. But I I agree there are there the baseline is missing. I think it's interesting to bring up uh what the thoughtful use of Clark was at the time. Did did we think we were fully funding utilities as if Clark was operational? Probably not
because we knew we weren't using it. So it was probably some other version of Clark, right? So I have to imagine that there although theou does not describe it as a very detailed process there would have been more detailed
conversations about that. So u but they should be in any version of what we're doing on a go forward it should be detailed so that there is no confusion. If all the players changed we would still be able to do the same mechanics.
Um and that's that's not what happened here. uh which is why we are here tonight. Um >> 26 >> off to 26. So um one thing I will note on uh this is Cheryl's timeline but um I
believe we had a select board meeting in early May of 2025 >> and it's my memory has been jogged. We discussed the matter and um we noted that the line item would be zeroed out
for fiscal year 26. There was not, from my recollection, there was not great conclusion about fiscal year 2025 at that meeting, but we were clear about what we were doing for fiscal year 2026 with the school budget that we acknowledged um that there would be no
funds other than these funds because apparently I said in the meeting what are our options to not have electricity at the elementary school and so >> your memory is 100% correct. >> Yes. Okay. May 7th in relation May May
7th if for anyone at home uh hour two 46 minutes 40 seconds. >> All right, Miguel with the receipts. Um so I just want to add that to the timeline that at least for 2026 >> there was a more clear understanding
what the school had been doing for the budget going into Freetown meeting than maybe we had for 2020 fiscal year 2025. because we were so good at it that >> I mean maybe we learned from our mistakes but here we are still. So
>> um are there any other clarity that is necessary for 2026? >> Okay, >> there is a hand up there. >> Uh we do not have >> public comment. Um, appreciate that
question. Um, but we'd like to put it in writing to myself and the school committee chair. We would be happy to um, answer it. >> Absolutely. >> Any other questions? >> Any other questions?
Okay, >> seeing none, >> I I mean I just really want to make sure everybody's got >> clear that uh what the information has been that's provided and >> that we're in a space to move forward at least >> the time to do it on this topic.
>> Has any other thoughts? >> Think you got a question? >> Can I can I just ask Jeez, it's really loud. One clarifying question just to make sure I totally understand please >> 2024 what happened in May >> 20
>> 2025 budget. So at the town meeting, an additional 200k was added for the utilities to the school budget, but not there was no additional 200k that went to the school from theou, right? Theou
is concurrent, >> right? You're correct. >> Okay. Okay. Thank you. That's what I thought. Okay. >> Well, with that, I'll make a motion if we're we're done. I'll make a motion to adjurnn the school committee. Someone please make a motion to adjurnn. Motion to adjurnn. Second.
>> All in favor? >> I second a motion. >> Make a motion. >> Second. >> Second. >> All those in favor. >> Um before I entertain that motion, I would like to say happy birthday to John
Jantis. >> Happy birthday. >> David made a motion. Can I have a second? Um, I just want to say thank you to Charles Stella for that timeline and walking us through >> and providing clarity and being willing to, you know, explain the mud. Um, it's
appreciated. So, thank you for that. >> And a second. >> All in favor? >> I >> I thank you all very much. >> And I think this should count every meeting. I think so.
>> Try meeting