All right. So, I'd like to call to order the meeting of the finance committee today, um, October 2nd at 8:35 a.m. And if we could do a roll call. Lisa Martin.
>> Yes. >> Ken Franch, I'm here. and from the administration this morning. >> Brad is here. >> Brad, thank you. >> Thank you, Gary. >> Jeremy,
>> thank you, Jeremy. >> Yeah, Nancy is here, too. >> Thank you, Nancy. Thought I saw Kevin. Oh, nope. That's We're just >> And Kevin's here, too. >> Yes, Kevin is here.
>> Oh, sorry. I was trying to get headphones to work. I didn't hear. Sorry. >> Yeah, everybody's moving on the screen. Um, and I think that's all I see today. Right. >> There is no one on from the public.
>> Yep. That's I was just not about. So we will um the uh approvals. We are not approving any minutes today. There's no one for public comment. So the old bit um business um FY25
um if we could just go um and look at um any of the past information. Um Nancy, do you have any um updates for us? Any changes? any information
us up to speed on as an overview before we go in with any questions or discussions. >> I don't have any changes to FY25 at this point. We're still uh in the process of completing um the end ofear report which
is um which is basically due now and that uh document gets uploaded to the state and that's where they use that's where they gather all the information about um some of the reporting that you see online. Um so we're we'll be submitting that shortly. Um in addition
the END certification would be my next step and that's pretty much ready to go and I have to upload a number of documents to the state for that and then they would um proceed with going through a certification for the END
but other than that I have no changes to the I have no changes to the actual documents that we've had before. >> Okay. Can you um because there's been some some questions, I just want to make sure there's uh
clarity for everyone on the committee. Um review the insurance situation. Um, so that that I'm clear, we had to put up funding for insurance uh when you made the switch
over and there was an amount requested sort of in a holding pattern, if that's a correct term, um that was in case there was something to come up um charges against it and
just if you could give a little background um on that. >> Sure. I think you mean the minute mana health. >> Yes. >> Okay. Yes. So the district belonged to a health trust which is a group of towns
and districts that got together to purchase health insurance together. Um they have since disbanded. I believe it was during 2023 to 2024 they disbanded. Um, as a part of that, at the end towards the end of FY24,
all the communities that were involved needed to pay a um sum to the to the group so that we could pay for any potential runout claims because June 30th, 2024, there were outstanding
claims with the health providers. um it was unknown at that time how much uh how many claims there might be and and what that amount needed to be. So they did it they were they were um conservative and asked for more than they thought they would need because they did not want to
have to come back to the communities uh at that time which was at the end of 2024. We paid that out of two lo two places. One was school choice revolving because we had funding available there and the
um bud the general fund budget line for health insurance we had funds there. It was around a million dollars that we paid. I can give you the um exact figures. I don't have them right in front of me. Um and about half from both locations. So half from school choice
and half from the general fund. Uh the the group decided uh at some point later in 2025 it was and I I think it was after the new year maybe actually closer towards the end of the year that they would return they were able to return
the funds to the communities because they didn't need the runout claims that they thought they might. So that was actually really good news. Um we we that those funds came back to the district. Um and after some consulting with the
auditors and the uh the state um I was told that was acceptable for me to return the funds that were taken from school choice to school choice. So we did that was around 536,000 added back to school choice from where it came. Um,
in fact, that fund, we recorded a spent at the end of FY24, but the state would like us to amend our um, end of year report for FY24, saying that those funds are now returned essentially that as if that didn't happen. Um, as far as
reporting purposes go, the other half of the money went in the general fund as a revenue unanticipated revenue. So, uh, on the revenue report, you can actually see that. I separated it out because it's a large amount of money. Um, so that everyone could see that. Um, it's
not in the packet. I think it needs to be um the revenue report. I apologize for that. I will get that to everybody. Um, the final general fund revenue report. So, that's really what happened with the funding. Um, so the the amount that was closed to END was again, this
was before June 30th, will go into END. the amount that was closed out to the general fund, sorry, will go into END as part of that uh close out. Um I don't know if there's further questions about that or if that's
>> So that was Go ahead. >> Sorry. >> No, go ahead. >> So that was about 500,000 that ended up in the general fund that will flow to END. >> Yes. >> Okay. Just so that I have that straight. Thank you. because it came out of uh
that amount came out of health insurance line in the general fund. So that's where it belongs to go back into the general and it can't be it can't be that's really all that can be done with it. It's not allowed to be separated out in any way. It just unanticipated revenue that came back. It's similar
like in addition to that we also get other unanticipated revenue. We got uh a little over 200,000 from the collaborative back and that that's been happening. um it every year, but any of those types
of revenues that don't tie to any other purpose go to the general fund. And then the funds from school choice, that was like a borrow from a line item that if it if it didn't go back to school choice, you could run short in
that line item at any given time. Um well the school choice revolving fund is where the funds from the state go for students that are attending from out of so it's it's a revolving fund that's uh able to be spent by the school
committee. It's about um every year we've been planning to use some of that funding as part of our It's not supposed to be a part of a budget. >> It's not supposed to be a budget line for the revenues, but we that's kind of how I show it right now. So, if you were
to look at our projection for FY26, you'd see that we planned 450,000 from school choice. that those those school choice students are are less and less each year because we've not been accepting school choice students. So
that fund eventually will if we continue to use it more uh at a higher rate than we're depositing money from school choice students, it will eventually get to be unavailable. It'll be zero someday or something less than that.
>> Yeah. So, so much better explanation how you just did it is that it's it's not a fund that we can guarantee every year in perpetuity. It's it has an end point based on not
allowing the school choice. So, it it that money that went back into it if it didn't go back in wouldn't get replenished another way. So that was originally school choice money. >> Correct. I mean it you do we do have
school choice students currently. So we will get some funding for school choice. It's just not going to be as much as we plan to use for for FY26. So we plan to use 450,000. We we won't we won't be able to deposit
450 this year based on our enrollments currently. >> Okay. run rate is a little bit faster, I guess, is what I'm saying. >> Yes. And what what um are the restrictions around use of those funds?
>> Uh there is limited there's not that not a lot of restriction on the use of those funds. It's it's something that gets appropriated by school committee. Um I would say uh the since I've been here it's really we've used a chunk of it each year for health insurance um when
we need to. Uh we've also uh the finance subcommittee approved using it to offset any of the the turf field lease payments. Um that because because we were intending to use uh rental money for
that which we do. we'll we'll use up any rental money or sponsorships or any of that type to cover that lease, but we still have that lease payment ongoing. So, at the end of FY25, and I uh I want to say it's around 70 or $80,000 we've
been using of it each year to cover that lease payment. >> Okay. Um and then do you use any of that for um any faculty, you know, paras, you
know, staff that you need, things of that nature? >> No. >> Okay. Um Kina, do you have any uh questions on um that topic of of FY25?
I was just going to ask um I believe you said it was around 435 that we're planning or that we're building into FY26 from the school choice revolving. Did I hear that right? >> Yeah, it's 450. >> 450. Okay. And is that
>> that portion a portion of that 450 will be like the lease payment that I was talking about? >> Okay. Okay. That that's what I was trying to trying to get clarity on is that 450 included. >> Yeah. And if we don't need it um for the past few years, if we've had enough um funding for say health insurance, health
insurance is like the the biggest health insurance and and unicipated staffing like a maybe things that come up during the year that we don't know that are going to happen, we could utilize it for. Um so if I don't need the 450, I don't use it. And what end up
happening there is that and my thinking on that and again we can certainly discuss that. My thinking on that is because the fund is is really essentially becoming slowly one-time money because we're not replenishing at the rate we are using we are allocating.
The less I use it the better obviously because it'll it'll be available for longer. >> Um there's been some discussion about taking paying off the turf field completely out of those funds. I don't know if Brad's what Brad's thought is on that, but we have a lease payment um an amount due
that would that would end the the lease and we'd be done with it. Um however, you know, using all the school choice funding might might mean down the road if we're if we need it for say a tough budget year, it's not not less will be
available. So, what's um what's our I I know you say we're we're burning at this current rate or if we use say we use that whole 450, we'll be burning more than we're taking in. What is our take in annually? Cuz it's going down all the time, but
like do we have any kind of estimates on that? >> Uh let me just take a quick look here. >> Sorry to put you on the spot. >> That's okay. Uh I think it was around 300 that we got last year. I'm going to pull it up while we're talking. >> Okay. >> And some of it is from school choice. We
again, those $5,000 per student that we receive for school choice students. And then some of that is uh in addition to that, we get um uh an allocation if they're a special ed student and there's special ed costs associated. So last year we got 323,000
And the the turf field you said is around 80,000 annually or that we use from school choice to offset. >> Yeah, the bills uh 90 in the 90s like 93,000 a year. I mean a quarter. >> Okay.
>> Sorry, a year. I apologize. 93 a year. And I believe there was last time I looked which was I think towards the end of last year it was we had we owed about I think it was just under 400,000 left. It may be less than that now. It's
definitely less than that. So the the other items um from Oh, sorry, Kenan. Did you have any other on on that particular piece of >> No, I think that's all I have. Thank you >> on that one. Okay. So the the rest of the the '05 surplus um you know there
were areas that we had talked about in a prior meeting and just just review again um areas that had money left over and we had talked about some of the reasons why. um specifically
um can can you discuss any of those things like strategies that were employed by the administration? You know, I was just coming on during budget seasons. As you were going through the budget season
last year, were there things happening with the FY 25 budget that you were doing as an administration um and in the school committee for for that matter? um because I wasn't on um
as you were looking at the difficult situation that the towns were in the things that you were requesting were were things intentionally done to really um you know curb spending look at
spending things that were um not that anything's not necessary that you put in the budget but things that you had put in that you you know pulled back to say, "Okay, you know, we really wanted this. This is really important, but the budget situation is so fragile. We didn't do
like." Were there any of those conversations or things that happened that influenced the amount of budget surplus that happened with FY25? >> Nancy, I can start with that if you want. You can certainly add if you'd
like. Um, so as far as FY25 goes, our our strategy really wasn't any different than it had been in years past. We've always struggled um with budgets in the district like many regionals as we all know. I'm not going to I won't bore you
with the details on that. You all know that. So, right around the the late winter um early early spring, we always go into what I would call a soft freeze. um and asking admin to both at the
central office level but also at the building level to really look at what's necessary and oftent times or I should say in years past we had done that so that we could prepay things in the upcoming budget and essentially remove
them from the budget making our ask less. This year um we did not do that. We did, we we went into certainly a soft freeze, but we were not looking to prepay things. Uh because in looking at FY27
and what FY26 turned into, we knew that we were going to hit a really tight spot, especially in how much END the district had been using. So, uh from from our point of view, uh the goal wasn't really to prepay for
FY26. It was to look at how can we replenish our END accounts because again we had used so much that it it wasn't something and END really is the amounts never guaranteed and where so
much was being used we had to look at replenishing that and the district did go without the district has identified 10 areas uh that we really went without and some of these areas are are are necessary I I'll I'll read through them quickly for
you. Um we did not move forward with capital projects. We did not move forward with several technology refreshes. We canled education and curriculum licenses. Um we moved several positions um and curriculum programming to grants. We had several vacant
positions in the district that again the district feels are necessary, but we kept them as vacant and um and they are needed. Some of them still aren't filled for FY26. Um, individual schools went on a soft freeze in the late winter. Um, health
insurance, we had some Medicare exit costs, unemployment. Um, we did have a reduction in legal costs, which was certainly a great thing for the district. It was a non-negotiation year. But that being said, I was pleasantly surprised just due to the number of
special education issues we had over the course of the year that we did end up um in the black for that. Um, we also had some savings in building and grounds with snow removal because it was a light winter. And then we reduced some of our distant learning costs primarily in the
areas of VHS and Spanish. Um, so I think what was challenging was that the last meeting I I didn't feel as though what was being shared was was was totally accurate and it was very difficult to respond in that meeting. Um
but the district in no way, shape or form felt as though that we were trying to hide money or that the money um that we ended up with was was expected across the board. It wasn't. There were some things that happened in June in in some
cases even July again when when the governor doesn't release release their final budget. You never know really where you stand until that's done as far as what our needs were moving forward. Um, but it's certainly a challenge, but our goal was to try to do our very best
to replenish END, which is what we've done. That being said, um the fact that we didn't prepay um and we made such drastic reductions, we're in a situation now where I'm going to ask at least two buildings to do a
staffing audit uh around special education par profofessionals to see where we u to ensure that we're getting the appropriate amount of support. But there's struggles across the district. There's um we're getting um things are
bubbling up in in many areas. We knew these class sizes were going to be high. They are in some cases are a little bit >> I want to have this discussion but I know that we have to be a little bit careful of
well I guess I guess we could talk about it in in this um I I just want to don't want to go out of scope of one item to the other. I I I guess I can just finish it off that the fact that we
didn't prepay for things um put us in a situation where we couldn't um fill some other areas of need and we're struggling right now because of that. But that being said, we have replenished our END account which was which really needed to
happen because we can't keep moving forward and borrowing more than we can and then not replenishing that amount. Does that make sense Nancy? Did I miss anything? Yeah. And I and I think uh throughout the year last year, we also were very um
much aware of some um challenges and uh both tuition costs and um special education transportation. And when looking at that, we did train we voted a budget transfer to those
lines. We we were at at times over a million two off of what we budgeted. So throughout the year we were watching that very closely. We did we did end better than I anticipated. Um but I'm really happy about that because that
that again that was sort of a a looming amount out there. We did transfer almost 800,000 to those lines. So, um, you know, looking looking at that throughout the year, I think was another reason we had we were we were trying to hold back because we were
unsure if how some of these placements were going to end for the year. >> And and and honestly, just to add to that, as you all know, special education placements are a moving target. you know, you can be in good shape one month and then within, you know, a month
things can change drastically by hundreds of thousands of dollars just based on one or two placements. >> Could I just add one piece? Uh, so I agree with everything that was said. Uh, but just because I think one of the
points is a question of whether it could be repeated. Uh from the buildings and grounds and technology side, one of the factors for us in addition to what Nancy and Brad said and trying to support the overall budget, so holding off on costs
that like capital and refreshes that really are going to have to be dealt with. We also with the building plan being a moving target for a good portion of the year. Uh we were making some strategic decisions regarding our
budgets as well as our manpower allocation uh to uh which relates because of the projects we can take on uh to try to prepare for what the building moves were going to be. Uh in the end we were
happily surprised that we did better financially with the whole moves including setting up the Squanica kitchen and the costs related to the move itself because we ended up taking a lot of that in-house instead of hiring
moving company. Uh, so we were trying to save so that we weren't throwing off the budget with the costs for the changes and we did better with the costs for the changes than we expected. >> And and I' I'd love to just review and
I'm I'm sorry that we're like reviewing this multiple times um with you Nancy. I just there's unfortunately um the folks um the the person with the
history decided to leave this committee. So you've got um you know Visa does have some history but you've got two new members. Um so we we really have to ask a lot of questions of you. Um, so sorry to to be repetitive, but then if you
layer in the fortunate position of getting some of the supplemental, um, how did that change some of the the way that the budget looked from what you anticipated? Um, how did how did that help the budget
situation for you? >> So for FY25 really it's no impact. Um one large amount uh one big change I suppose that happened was that they increased the amount of uh circuit breaker funding which they reimbursed us
for. Uh they they covered a a larger percentage of the transportation costs for special education which is great. I think that was um a a lot of the um advocacy that went on around transportation. So, we ended up getting
another $32,000 in C circuit breaker funding. And that fund is is a fund that comes every year as a result of reporting to the state our tuitions and transportation costs.
And then they reimburse us um and and that that fund helps cover sort of unanticipated uh tuition or transportation costs for special education. So the when the funds arrived, they arrived in July of this year. Um they didn't even come in FY25.
They came in in July and we were given the option to either use them for FY25, which we didn't actually end up needing, um or deposit them in FY26. So either way, we it was acceptable. Um they sent
us an email on that regard and said, "Sure, you can use it in either fiscal year." I elected to put them in FY26. This is 302,000 additions. So for my understanding right now is that there's additional guidance they're going to
give us on the use of those funds. But really with the circuit breaker funding, it's again similar to the school choice revolving. It's but it's for special education specifically. That fund um rolls each year. you're only allowed to roll over and from any
one year to the next year the amount equal to what you received that year. So for FY25 we received uh let me see if I can pull it up here. So for FY205, we received uh 2,97,000.
So we could have rolled over 2,97,000 if we had not if we didn't have expenses associated with it. Uh we rolled um a million and a half. So we're under we we have traditionally been trying to roll the entire amount so that if we have an
unanticipated cost in a future year, we have that fund available. This is a long a long way around the bush, but basically that it what we what we're unsure of right now is for FY26 if they're going to add the 302 to our number and let us roll that or whether
they're going to require that be spent down. And the reason that's important is really it's our cost for the tuition and the transportation are spent from either the general fund or the circuit breaker funding. So depending on what we how we
end the year for FY26 with tuitions and transportation, we may have more in the circuit breaker fund, which would be good. We we could boost that back up or we may end up using less in the general fund depending on what the final numbers are. So it's it's really just between
the two. It's like I look at it monthly. I look at the tuitions and where we are compared to budget monthly on that. Uh go over it, check against the placements. um special ed department keeps a keeps a um a a record of all the
placements they have and the costs and and what's changed. So we we compare notes really once a month. So the 302 is still available. It's available to be used uh for cost of special education and that's it's not gone or anything. Um
and the other supplemental that we received was additional chapter 70 money for FY26. Um, I think we've spoken in another meeting about that. The FY26 budget had um 100 believe it was 150 per student
that they ended up giving and we didn't budget quite that high. So, we had some funding available 220,000 or 224 I think it was for um the chapter 70 money. However, our assessments also increase. And an assessment is really
the state saying charging us back for certain costs. And there are two major ones that we budget for in the budget. It's down at the end of the budget. Um one is charter school um assessments. So costs that really they hit our chapter
70 for some of the charter school costs. And the other is uh school choice students attending other districts. So really it becomes an offset. So our stu school choice coming in we get to record in the revolving fund school choice
going out they hit our chapter 70 which you see in the budget. So those numbers went up significantly as well almost to the point where we're in we're actually have a deficit for those accounts between the whole budget. So I think that unfortunately we aren't able to
just say hey we have 224,000 more because now we have costs that we didn't anticipate on that assessment side. Um so that's why I haven't reset the budget yet. Now sometimes those assessment numbers change and again it has they the
the state gives you an assessment based on anticipated enrollments in these in these placements like in charter school and school choice out. Um those can change. So we periodically update it, especially with the October 1st numbers
being submitted by all the schools. Uh occasionally those numbers can change. So we may end up having a little room, but right now I don't know that. Um so so while the funding in didn't necessarily increase the budget, it
helped to steady the budget based on the increase in the assessments. Correct. >> Okay. >> We probably will at some point, well, I I guess I don't say probably. If if everything's going along okay and those
assessments comes down slightly, I think we wouldn't need to revote a budget. But if if it becomes that there's a significant change, I would definitely suggest revoting the budget using the 224 um and adjusting those assessments. But again, that might not happen in time for
the towns to gain any. And again, these are small dollars. So if we had a change of 224,000 for the budget, it wouldn't, you know, 50% for PEP roll, you know, 40% for towns. And basically, it's not a
lot of money in in in avail making it available to to towns. >> Um, yeah. in in keeping on you know on that um thought process while it's not a lot
if it is something that is possible um you know we should definitely consider that um and whenever you have the information that you need to make that uh choice
um you know to be sure of where the numbers are because what I don't want to do is say, "Yeah, okay, we're good." and vote at the school community level to do it and then get um tied up later later on.
Um that's not good for anybody either. But if we feel that um the the school can operate, the funding is there um and we can give those dollars back to the municipalities um with the ratios that that you've discussed, you know, how it
um would affect their budget in a small way. it could mean, you know, something fairly significant to their budgets at this time. So, let's keep that um, you know, discussion open and looking at those numbers, you know, as frequently
as we can with the information. Um, you know, coming back >> and that has happened in the past. >> Yeah. >> Yeah. >> Um, you know, that's that's really helpful. Um, appreciate you keeping on. So, I'm, you know, doesn't mean that I won't come back with additional
questions, but again, just wanting to make sure that I have a solid as understanding as possible as we move forward. Um, because what's happened in the past is going to reflect the future. What I'm most conscious of, because I don't want
to use concern, is that if there were things that were delayed and things that were helpful, there's some things in there that out of our control. Snow. Um, you know, uh, if you saved money on snow this past year, it could be completely
different and totally out of your control in the year coming up. And then some of the things that you might have needed like curriculum and license, how does that impact the learning environment and what does that look like now for those purchases um and how will those um be handled? Any impact that we
need to be thinking about um you know obviously if there's money in the END I'm guessing that's and correct me if I'm wrong. Um I I if it's a similar situation that we have on the municipal
side, if we have a horrible snowy winter, we can access free cash on the town side for snow and ice removal. Is that the same on the school side if if things go horribly wrongwise?
>> Um we could do that. Yes, if it was certified. um once that number is certified. We haven't really done that in the past. Um but it could be done. School committee has control over voting. Once that's certified, the school committee gets to decide how that
END is used. Um traditionally here, we just used it for a future budget year. But if we did have an emergency or a boiler go or snow and ice problem, we could access it. >> Okay. Thank you, >> Nancy. Does that um if we did use out of
that fund and the committee approved it, does it have to go back to all three towns and they have to approve that we use END for it? >> Yes, it would. What would happen is if we in the example of the snow and ice, if we had to increase the cost of snow
and ice, we're really restating our budget. Even though the towns, if we funded it with END as an example, the towns would have to accept the budget change even though there's no
cost change for them in that scenario. So, school committee would revote the budget higher on the snow and ice, higher in the use of END, and towns would get notified about that. I Yeah, I don't I don't foresee them
saying no. No, but um it's no fiscal impact for them. But especially if it were in that scenario where there's snow and ice costs, >> but that could be applied to anywhere if we had to use END in a different fund or a different line, too.
I mean, my my my guess is that we would probably leave the END alone and use say a revolving fund if we ran into a a problem like we use the school choice revolving if school committee wanted to use that instead. There's no there's no need to restate the budget in that case.
We just charge some snow and ice to school choice and you guys say, "Yep, that sounds like a good plan." without having to notify all three towns and go through that process. Um the budget uh the END um vote usually happens when we vote our budget. So when we do the FY27
budget, we would include whatever you know whatever the final budget is for FY27, we would supplement with whatever the finance committee and the school committee decide is the right number to use towards that budget year. That's just how it's had how it has
worked. Doesn't mean it has to be that way, but that's generally how we've done it. So, we give back, you know, that that that's one thing that has come up before with END is uh we're we're allowed to have um by statute, we're allowed to have no
more than 5% of the future budget year in END. Um some actually, interestingly, we just had our Moody rating call for the we had to renew a a bond, which you'll see in the next school committee meeting. Um, and when we renewed it, one of the things that he brought up was the
fact that other states have way higher reserves numbers for schools. Massachusetts put a cap of 5%. Some of the other like in other states they had, you know, 30 30% reserves, which is interesting. He said that's just and and I get it cuz the towns have reserves
also. So, as a regional school, we don't maybe in theory don't wouldn't need that, but maybe other states do it differently. So that's just kind of an interesting aside. So anyway, give putting it towards the budget gives it back to the towns because otherwise the budget would be
higher. So that's how that's how we replenish or or if we have or over more than 5% over next year's budget, that's how we've been that's how we've been handling it. >> And that's how the collaboratives handle it, too. They can only carry so much
over and they have to give us back money or their >> sim similar. Yep. I think theirs is higher. I forget what the amount is that they can carry. Brad, do you remember that they can carry? >> I'm not sure. >> It's higher, I believe, but and 5% but
anyway. >> And what did we get back from? Is it the valley? We only get stuff back from the valley collaborative or that we get money back from >> the the past few years. Yes, Valley is is um some isn't um we have received
some money back from Valley. Uh not so much with Keystone. Um there there hasn't been a return there, but again with Valley that's that's also a moving target. I would say that Valley uh does a nice job um managing and making sure that they're transparent with all of its
members. Um and it's always nice to get um you know something back from them, but it's not a guarantee as you know. Yes. And that amount changes because like there's been years we haven't gotten anything back. >> Correct.
>> And this year, how much did we get back from them? >> Like Nancy, you're on mute. >> You're muted. >> Sorry, I have way too many windows open here. Um, so we got around just over 200 to
something. I was just going to pull it up. The revenue. >> Do you have a sheet of what we've gotten back from them in the past? Like a running history? >> I could pull it. It's It's separately called out generally on my revenue. So, it's pretty easy for me to to get that
data. >> I don't need it now, but I'm thinking like in the future so that we can just be transparent what we've gotten back from. >> Yeah, it's it's one of the areas that we it's unanticipated revenue that comes in that ends up boosting up the END number.
So, I think you'll see you'll see that. Um, >> all right. Um if there's no more questions on the on the um 2025 like to move forward um to the 2026
um and u review um the balances and you know sort of where you think we are now that we're you know into September. I I know it's a little bit hard because it's just the the close out of the first
month with with students back, but just perspective on that. So, I've included in the packet the latest uh FY26 budget to actual and that document I think uh most of you are familiar with. But what I usually do
with that is I there's a column called anticipated expenditures. I try to make my best guess as to where I think we'll end the year. And right now I feel um there's a couple areas that are are definitely we're doing well in. Um we're doing
better on the tuition side for special education right now. And in addition to that, we've had we'd had the opt out program for health insurance. I think you if you're familiar with that, we essentially are paying for um those families or individuals that want to
jump off our insurance and they get a they get a um I want to say a stipen, but it's not a stipend. They get a payment for opting out. Um and it's a one-year program that we vote the school committee voted that's doing well. Uh, we budgeted 277 staff to be on health
insurance and we're at, sorry, is it 271 Evan? I think it's 271. Let me just grab that. Yeah, 271. So, we're six below, which is a good that's a good savings. Um we had
uh nine individuals opt off insurance, eight families um one individual and that that savings. So so theoretically we should be nine under but we're actually six under because six nine people jumped off but um three people
jumped on as an example. So that that still moves around as we as the hires are still getting settled, but the savings should be just over 200,000 for the opt out program. So that was I think a really good that's a positive of what's happening on the health insurance
side. Uh we've had a lot of uh transfers. uh the retirees, there were 11 retirees at the end of 25 and there was obviously people moving in and out since due to the some of the shifting so a little bit more
um transition between for staffing this year I would say and I think that's been relatively true since co a lot more people coming in and out there's still vacant positions I have u mostly the good a good amount of just general
assistant vacancies but we also have some speech vacancies. We've had to hire some uh contracted services to cover some of those services because we're are not able to hire. Uh custodials still has a a position open. Uh they're using
they've changed their model because they just have less the less options to hire staff. So they're they're um trying to use part- timerrs in some places where they can get part- timerrs. somebody taking, you know, not a full-time
position. So, some of their positions have shuffled a little bit, but basically, I think they're doing still doing pretty well as far as overall costs. And I also, let's see. So, those are kind of some of the good things happening. Um, we have at the moment a
bus savings, so that's good. I don't know, Brad, if we've heard any more. I have not had a lot of issues around the busing at all. So, I haven't heard any chance that we're going to have to re to have another bus come on board.
I don't Have you heard anything, Brad, on that? >> I I I have not. I know that um that they were using an afternoon bus um as of two weeks ago. I do have to check in with Tammy on that to see if that's still running. Um but again, that's just one
run as opposed to three. Um, and we do have that one bus savings which is helpful, but honestly, um, this has been a very, very smooth year with regard to busing. Um, the buses are getting to and from school on time. Um, I couldn't be
happier. >> That's great. >> It's It has never been like this before. Um, so it's going very very well. >> Yeah. So overall, uh, if you're looking at the budget summary that was in the packet, I I just I'm plugging in, um,
again, I'm probably understating some areas, overstating others, but there's staffing available still. And there, again, some of that's due to shuffling of positions or a new hire coming in at a lower rate, but there are substantial
amount of those. I tried taking a look at whether there was some easy way for me to present, you know, the changes, but it it it's they're significant. So, it would literally be, you know, a significant amount of work to go and say this person went here and their salary
was lower. So, I I kind of look at it in the from the 30,000 view, 30,000 foot view, like how are salary costs altogether and who are we still needing to hire? Um Brad's had mentioned a few areas where we think there might be
changes. I don't know Brad if you wanted this if this makes sense to talk about it here or >> so it it's not anything that we're ready to act on right now. We are, as I said, going to be asking principles
specifically um within the programs at the elementary and even the middle school level to see to to essentially do a staffing audit um with the special education department to see if um we are optimizing the staff that we do have. That being said, um you know, to say
that I'm not concerned, um would would certainly be false because I am concerned about our current class sizes. Um and when I talk about class sizes, just our general um you know, class sizes across the board are a concern.
And there's certainly concern with, you know, if we're going to move forward in FY27 as we did in FY26 and potentially look at even more cuts. I'm not sure the district will be able to sustain that uh just because of the current situation
that we're I shouldn't say the district will not be able to sustain that because um you know central office uh staff were were over at NIST last week and we're walking through seventh grade classrooms with 32 students in them. Um for those
of you familiar with seventh grade uh that is a very very difficult number of students to have in a classroom. Um some would consider it the most challenging grade level there is um just because of um you know the the makeup of students changes adolescence things of that
nature. It's a challenge and again in having our first preliminary meeting with the towns it doesn't look like much is going to be changing um with regard to what the towns are asking us. You know that 2.5% levy is zero less than
zero for us most likely. So moving forward um again getting that END up was very very important. Um but we may have to address some areas this year with staffing which is a concern because I
know the towns are also stressed um with their um with town staff whether it be town halls, police, fire, DPW um you name it. I know that everyone is um you know in the same situation or reporting the same situation the school district
is. Uh so I certainly want to be very cautious if I'm asking to add positions um during the school year. So the so the other area that I'm kind of watching closely is our heating line which I think is under budgeted at the
moment. um when we have if you take a look at that section, it's down um just on page uh 18 of the detail, but we we budgeted 461,000 for heat across the district. And our um our POS and our
anticipated expenditure based on last year's is $599. So we have about $140,000 short in that that area, I believe. And again, until we are further into the year, I believe we'll be able to cover that with potentially the
electric side, but I again, I won't know that for sure until we're a little further along. So, that's a little area I'm watching. Um, capital, I think we're still working on developing how that's going to be spent. Um, there is a capital plan. It probably needs some
dusting off. I don't know, Jeremy, if you have you and Dave had spoke about that this year on on the use of that. It's lower. The capital projects that we were we had budgeted were only right around 150,000. Um so I'm sort of assuming that that
will be fully expended. Let me see if there are other areas. I think I think that's it. Uh we're we have uh you know some health insurance is close. We're about 260,000 we have available right now. that can change
really quickly with a few a few people jumping on for um you know benefits or people jumping off. So we will continue to look at that. But if it turns out that the bus is not not needed and we will not be built for that at all this
year, that would be another area that we could actually include if we did a reertification of the budget which would affect would help the towns. I don't know if there's any other questions on the FY26 right now. So, it it does sound like um that budget
uh the bus situation is something that could help the budget. Um I'm I am concerned on the heating side. Um if we were going into it, you know, 130,000 plus or minus short. Um, you know, I
don't know how the warm weather um right now is if if that's helping um delay heating costs at all, but I know that, you know, heating costs can be a wild card as well with um the the energy
costs rising. So, h how sure are you about the busing situation, superintendent? Um, when are you feeling comfortable on making a decision on that? >> As far as the number of buses? >> Yeah.
>> Um, so I would just need to check again. There was a little bit of an issue with an afternoon run. Um, and what I'm not entirely sure of at this point and D was not entirely sure of how much of that was due to the construction that was
going on because that did lead to some delays. But I can certainly check in with her. Um, you know, I know that a little bit of that savings was um eaten into at least for at least a week or two, but it was not um again, it was not
all three runs. It was not morning and afternoon either. It was just the afternoon um that was reported to me. So, we can certainly check on that, but that savings um having to potentially add in a full bus is not something that D was thinking we would have to do. Um,
but we did want to give it a couple of weeks and it's been just about a couple of weeks now. Uh, just to see if it was helping, if it was having any impact at all. Um, or was this just a short-term um, issue due to the construction that was happening in town
>> and I do know that some of the construction is wrapping up at least in Pero like things are the bus routes are getting back to normal. something that was very challenging just so you are aware of it and if you're able to uh speak to your constituents on
the town side it would be helpful. We did not know that Townson was um going to be doing road construction with PPO. We got several weeks notice um that it was happening. We got an email stating it was going to happen. We did not
receive anything from Townsend um stating that there was going to be uh road construction at the start of the school year, which really does that's certainly a challenge. Um you know, especially when busing for the first month is such a challenge to begin with,
but having to deal with um construction on top of that was certainly not helpful. I can reach out to Veronica on my side and see if I can figure out what happened there. Maybe, you know, in the best interest, maybe it just got lost.
Um, but certainly knows. >> Yeah. And again, I'm not I'm certainly not um blaming anyone. It's just it's just more of an issue of if we are able to communicate it, it's just helpful. It may not it may not fix anything um and
it may not change the outcome but it it is helpful just so we're able to um problem solve and we're able to give D a heads up. So thank you Ken. >> No problem. Um,
so what I believe needs to um happen now that we're through um sort of the the first quarter of this budget. Um we have some town meetings coming up. We have our own
meeting coming up. um is is just starting to plan around for for the FY27. So, we'll need to to do that at a future meeting. Um if there's, you know, any other
pertinent FY26 budget information that we need, um please let us know that. Um I'll be interested to learn the staffing review. I know that that was something that we were asking to really understand for the October meeting of the full
board if at all possible. Um but if not for the next finance committee meeting and um you know when I say for for the full school committee to to understand is just where we're at not to delve into um the the nuances of it but just so
that we are having an awareness of of what is filled not filled and what might be needed. you know, I don't want to go in into it uh in depth, but then for the next budget meeting, if we have those numbers um to help plan for the FY27
budget, that would be really helpful. Lisa and Keenan, anything else that you need for um the FY26? >> Uh not for 26. Um I want I want to try to be super brief and just jump back to 25 for one thing. I missed one thing
when I flipped a page. Um I think this is for Jeremy. Um we had mentioned that due to the budget issues or whatnot, we had delayed a bunch of capital and tech projects. Um is there just like a brief overview of what some of those are? Like
nothing no detailed specifics are needed. Just like something that might if we need to do it in 27, what are those items? >> Uh if I could just pause for a moment so I can grab those. I can get that for you momentarily.
There's another topic that you guys want to move on to while I look that up. Uh feel free. >> Sure. We can start looking at our our meeting dates. Um Keen, what um what works for you um towards the end of of
October. So, I am generally as long as the meeting starts before I know we traditionally I believe do 9:00 a.m. here. Um, and we're going on an hour and a half in this meeting. So, if as long
as we start at 9 or before 9 any day I should be fine. Um, afternoons are kind of a disaster uh for me. Uh, but let me just look at my calendar here and >> I hope we're only at an hour and five
minutes right now. We started. >> Oh, yes. Hour five. Yes. Sorry. >> We did make him get up early. So, >> yeah. Yeah, you did do that. >> Um, my roommate wasn't impressed with my
alarm going off at 7:30, I must say. >> Uh, on Thursdays or Tuesdays and Thursdays after 5:00 p.m., I can make work. I prefer not the afternoon, but I can make it work if I have to.
>> Yeah. Um, so are you okay in a morning? Um, and I'm gonna defer to the administration um for for what they might have based on Kenan's morning time schedule for that last week in October.
Um so the maybe the if we stick with a Thursday um if you have something on that um on that day the the 30th the the 20 I would I would say actually
the 29th 30th 31st >> I cannot do the 29th I have jury duty. >> Okay. um civic duty. So the 30th or the 31st I would say are the days available in the morning. >> Does that work for the administration?
>> 30 is good for me. >> I'm just double checking. >> When is the half day for the school? >> That's the 31st. >> Uh the 31st. Okay. Well, we're looking at the 30th, correct? >> Yes,
>> it works for me. >> I have no conflict. >> And And does the 8:30 work or eight? Sorry, Kenan. >> I can I can make either work. Same. So, do you want to make it for the 30th
on at 8:00? >> What works best for the administration 8 or 8:30? >> Honestly, either works for me. >> I will put in the selfish take for 8:30. >> 8:30. >> All right. 8:38 is on the on the 30th,
right? If there's nothing else, a motion to adjurnn. >> Uh, did you want >> Oh, just want to hear from Jeremy. Yeah. >> Yes. Thank you. Sorry, Jeremy. >> Um, so Keenan to first the broad answer to your question is no. I don't think there's a lot that we could do to mimic
this in the future because most of it is when we're talking capital and refreshes. The specifics vary, but it's all basically kicking the can down the road. The work still needs to be done. In this case, some of it we took advantage of the changes we were making.
uh because we had had the ongoing Ashb discussions going on a significant portion of the uh plans whether it was directly through the capital fund or some of the refreshes uh were ash focused because we were had that
momentum in place. So we obviously put holds on those. Uh so Ashb floors was on the list as well as uh control systems for the HVAC system was on the list. uh CCTV cameras and access control, which
is basically security systems for Ashb was also on the list. Um and that one was fairly significant. That was looking like it was going to be about $100,000 uh because of increased costs of the copper and the wiring and things like that. Um, we also had pathways at
Spalding that we were going to be building for kindergartens walking kindergarteners walking around uh through snow because kindergarten was moved over to Squanook. We cut that. Uh, we put a hold on a portion of the
Chromebook refresh. We reduced how much we were purchasing there uh because we were trying to reduce Chromebooks in the district in general as a budget cut. So, we were reducing the refresh planned uh to take steps ahead of time on that. Uh
we also did not replace we replaced the network switches across the district. Uh part of that we did get funding that covered a lot of that cost, but we cut Ashb out of that project uh for the same reasons. So, those switches haven't been refreshed.
Uh all these keep in mind if we do reopen Ashb are going to be largely costs that we will then have to implement. Uh we also put a hold on classroom projector uh replacements and the audio components that are connected
to those. Uh I didn't do any planned refresh for the projectors. That's partially biting us right now as we're having increases of systems failures that then we're having to address. Uh so we can't really keep kicking that particular can down the road. Uh that
was really the big broad items. Oh, I already unmuted. Thank you. That's that's great. Thank you. I appreciate that. >> Sure. All right. >> Appreciate that. Um and and actually before we close, Brad, you had you had given a pretty broad list. I tried to
write it down in case I missed something of the list. Um is there a way to maybe get that list um and maybe a timeline um at some point? um of when these kind of budget things took place. You had given
us um areas like you know capital and the licenses and if you had that list that could get sent to us that would be super helpful to to put in the notes. >> Um just because we don't have Robin here. I know I can listen to tape again. >> Sorry being lazy. If you have the list
send it. If not I'll listen to the tape and make sure I got my notes right. >> I can send >> Okay. And and the same with your thing, Jeremy. I feel like we've got um additional resources there that might be helpful as we plan for the future of what might be needed. Um so if you have any material
you want us to look at, let us know. Other than that, I would um now entertain a motion to close. >> I'll second. >> Oh, I didn't first. I Okay, I'll motion to >> Yeah. So, I've got I've got a
>> I should have said so moved, but >> So, I'll I'll take a first from Lisa. I'll take Kenan's second. Uh, roll call. Uh, Lisa Martin. >> Yes. >> Keenan Francois. >> Yes. >> Craven. I'm a yes. Uh, to all of you
that uh helped out with our questions and answers. Appreciate it very much. Um, I know it's a lot of questioning for information that you all know, but appreciate your patience with us as we um ramp up on our learning curve here. So, appreciate it. Um, have
a great day. We'll see you soon. Bye. >> You. >> Thank you. And here.