Feb 28, 2024 February 28, 2024 - Work Session - Budget

[00:00:01]

>> WELCOME. I'D LIKE TO CALL TO ORDER

[2. Public Session - 7:00 p.m.]

PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

>> I'LL ASK MR. ROWE FOR A REITERATION OF THE EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTIONS.

>> WE ENTER THE EXECUTIVE SESSION FOR THE PURPOSES OF DISCUSSING THE EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERSON AND THE PROPOSED ACQUISITION, SALE, TRANSFER, OR LEASE OF REAL PROPERTY.

>> THANK YOU. THIS IS OUR FIRST BUDGET MEETING, SO WE'RE VERY EXCITED TO HEAR THAT PRESENTATION AND DEFINITELY A BIG THANK YOU TO ALL THE ADMINISTRATORS IN THE AUDIENCE, APPRECIATE YOUR HARD WORK.

THANK YOU, JACKIE AND EVERYBODY IN THE BUSINESS OFFICE I KNOW HAS BEEN WORKING HARD ON THIS.

I HOPE EVERYBODY HAD A WONDERFUL MID-WEEK BREAK.

I THINK PEOPLE DID GET SOME REST AND RELAXATION.

I KNOW MANY BOARD MEMBERS WERE ALSO FOCUSED ON THE STORM WATER PROJECT OVER THE BREAK AND THINKING VERY SERIOUSLY ABOUT THAT.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS THAT WE DO SUPPORT THE PROJECT AND WE CERTAINLY WANT THE FLOODING SITUATION TO BE IMPROVED THROUGHOUT PELHAM AND WESTCHESTER.

OF COURSE, OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT IS DIRECTLY AFFECTED WITH COLONIAL SCHOOL.

THE ENTIRE DISTRICT HAD TO BE CLOSED NOT TOO LONG AGO FOR FLOODING EVENT.

WE DO WANT TO FIND A WAY TO WORK COLLABORATIVELY WITH THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM ON A SOLUTION THAT WORKS FOR THE VILLAGE, THE AFFECTED RESIDENTS, AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>> I WANT TO ADD A COUPLE OF THINGS ABOUT THE WHOLE FLOOD SITUATION AND THE MITIGATION, THE DETENTION SYSTEM.

I KNOW THAT THIS IS AN ENORMOUS PROBLEM FOR PELHAM, THE FLOOD SITUATION.

I KNOW IT'S OBVIOUSLY SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER, BUT FOR PELHAM, IT'S A MAJOR PROBLEM.

THIS HAS BEEN WEIGHING HEAVILY ON ME FOR A FEW MONTHS NOW, EVER SINCE THIS CAME ACROSS TO US.

I'M GOING TO SPEAK FOR MYSELF, SO ANYONE ELSE WHO WANTS TO CHIME IN OBVIOUSLY.

I'M IN FAVOR OF US AS A BOARD AND A SCHOOL DISTRICT SUPPORTING A SOLUTION TO THE FLOODING IN PELHAM.

FOR ME, WHAT THAT IS, IS NOT AN EASEMENT.

I THINK THAT'S GOING TO UPSET SOME PEOPLE TO HEAR THAT. BUT I WANT TO EXPLAIN.

I'M NOT SAYING NO TO FIXING THE PROBLEM.

WHAT I'M SAYING IS AN EASEMENT IS NOT THE RIGHT SOLUTION FOR THE DISTRICT.

FOR THE DISTRICT, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE BECAUSE OF THE ENORMITY OF THE PROJECT FOR US TO GRANT AN EASEMENT TO PUT IN THIS LARGE DETENTION SYSTEM AND THE PUMPS.

THE SOLUTION THAT I FEEL MAKES A LOT OF SENSE IS A TRANSFER OF PROPERTY.

THE WAY I SEE IT IS THAT WE DIDN'T START OFF THE SCHOOL YEAR THINKING, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH THAT PROPERTY OVER NORTH SIDE OF PELHAM? THE VILLAGE CAME TO US WITH A SERIOUS PROBLEM AND ASKED US TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT'S PART OF A COMMUNITY THAT'S A VERY TIGHT-KNIT COMMUNITY, I PERSONALLY WANTED TO BE A PART OF THAT SOLUTION.

I THINK PRIOR TO BEING ON THE BOARD, I PROBABLY WOULD LOOK AT THIS WHOLE THING AND SAY, WELL, JUST GRANT THE EASEMENT.

JUST IT'S BLACK TOP.

BEING NOW ON THE BOARD, I HAVE A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

I'VE ALSO LEARNED MORE, BUT I HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO THE SCHOOL DISTRICT THAT FORCES ME TO NOT ONLY THINK ABOUT WHAT'S BEST FOR PELHAM, BUT I ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT'S BEST FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

AS I THOUGHT ABOUT THIS, IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE IN US-THEM.

BECAUSE I REALLY DON'T LIKE THE WAY THIS IS TRANSPIRED.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY BECAUSE I KNOW INDIVIDUALLY WE ALL WANT THE SAME THING.

[00:05:01]

SOMETHING THAT IS AS ENORMOUS AS THIS, THAT COMES WITH RISKS, AND A WHOLE LOT OF OTHER WORK THAT WOULD BE INVOLVED IN HAVING THIS ON SCHOOL PROPERTY WOULD MAKE IT SUCH THAT IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR US.

A TRANSFER OF PROPERTY DOES MEAN A VOTE AND I THINK THAT'S THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION.

I DON'T BELIEVE THAT WE WOULD BE PUTTING FLOOD MITIGATION ON THE BALLOT.

IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT FOR ME.

IT'S ABOUT THE FACT THAT THE REALITY OF THE SITUATION IS TO SELL SCHOOL PROPERTY, YOU NEED TO VOTE.

WITH THAT, I BELIEVE THE TOWN WOULD ACTUALLY VOTE YES.

I WOULD BE THE FIRST ONE.

I WILL BE KNOCKING ON DOORS BECAUSE I WANT TO BE A PART OF THE SOLUTION.

I'M JUST NOT IN FAVOR OF THE EASEMENT PATH BUT I'M IN FAVOR OF THE TRANSFER PATH.

I WANTED TO SHARE THAT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AVEMARE, I AGREE WITH YOU.

I'M IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE STORM WATER PROJECT IN THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM.

PELHAM MANOR HAS A PROJECT AS WELL. I'LL SPEAK FOR MYSELF.

WE ALSO WANT TO PRESERVE JULIAN'S PLAYGROUND IN WHATEVER PROJECT IS CONSIDERED AT JULIAN'S.

LIKE YOU, WHILE I'M NOT FOR THE EASEMENT FOR ALL THE REASONS THAT YOU JUST STATED, I DO THINK A TRANSFER OR A SALE OF THE PROPERTY MAKES SENSE FOR THIS.

>> SORRY, NATALIE, GO AHEAD IF YOU WANT.

>> NO, YOU CAN GO.

>> I WAS JUST GOING TO SAY I WOULD JUST ADD, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE BUT I REALLY BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A PATH HERE TO A RESOLUTION OF THIS THAT IS GOOD FOR THE DISTRICT, HELPS THE DISTRICT IN ADDITION TO HELPING THE VILLAGE.

>> I'LL REITERATE WHAT MY FELLOW FOUR MEMBERS HAVE SAID.

LOOK, WE ALL WANT TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION.

BUT THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WHEN YOU SIT ON THIS BOARD AND YOU HAVE A FIDUCIARY DUTY TO THIS BOARD, YOU UNDERSTAND AND YOU HAVE TO ABIDE BY IT.

WE CANNOT DISREGARD A VOTE IF IT GOES INTO A VOTE.

IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT I AM WILLING TO DO IF THE VOTERS VOTE NO, I AM NOT WILLING TO DISREGARD THAT.

HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK THE VOTE, WHICH WE'VE DONE TWO IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND GONE WELL, AND ONE FAILED, AND THIS BOARD DID NOT DISREGARD THAT VOTE.

AS A MEMBER OF THIS BOARD, I THINK THE WAY FORWARD IS IF THERE IS A PROPOSAL OR ANYTHING THAT WE PUT FORWARD, IT HAS TO GO THROUGH A VOTE.

I DO BELIEVE THIS COMMUNITY WOULD STICK TOGETHER AND YOU DO WHAT IT NEEDS TO DO.

BUT WHATEVER HAPPENS IN THAT VOTE, WE HAVE TO THEN ABIDE BY THAT VOTE.

WE CANNOT DO A FAIL SAFE.

I'M AN IMMIGRANT, ENGLISH IS MY SECOND LANGUAGE, I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE.

BUT WHAT I UNDERSTAND THAT MEANS IS WE WOULD DO AN EASEMENT EVEN AFTER THE COMMUNITY HAS VOTED NO, WHICH I DON'T THINK THEY WILL, BUT I WANT TO SAY WE DO HAVE A PATH FORWARD, I BELIEVE WE DO.

I BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE PUT OUT FOR A VOTE.

>> I WOULD CONCUR WITH MY COLLEAGUES.

THE THING ABOUT AN EASEMENT IS THAT IF AN EASEMENT IS GRANTED, WHAT THAT ALLOWS IS THE VILLAGE TO THEN BE ABLE TO PUT ALL OF THIS EQUIPMENT UNDERNEATH THE GROUND, ON TOP OF THE GROUND.

BUT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT STILL RETAINS OWNERSHIP.

THAT'S THE FUNDAMENTAL POINT THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD THEN OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY.

YES, WE COULD MAKE LOTS OF ATTEMPTS TO INDEMNIFY THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS AGAINST FUTURE ISSUES, FOR WHICH THERE ALMOST CERTAINLY WILL BE.

THAT'S JUST NOT A BURDEN THAT IT MAKES SENSE FOR THE DISTRICT TO OWN THAT PROPERTY.

I WOULD IMAGINE THE VILLAGE WOULD WANT TO OWN THE PROPERTY, SO THEY HAVE FULL CONTROL TO BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO MAKE SURE THE WHOLE THING WORKS.

I WOULD DEFINITELY SAY WE WANT TO BE PART OF THE SOLUTION, AS ALL OF MY COLLEAGUES SAID, WE ARE VICTIMS OF IT TOO.

A TRANSFER OF OWNERSHIP, WE WANT TO EXPLORE THAT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN THINGS THAT WE'D WANT TO MAKE SURE ARE PART OF THAT TRANSFER ONE IS.

[00:10:01]

BUT OTHERWISE, IT'S THEIR PROJECT AND I THINK WITH FULL OWNERSHIP THEN THEY HAVE THE ABILITY TO EXECUTE THE WAY THAT THEY WANT.

I THINK IT MAKES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF SENSE.

WHEREAS AGAIN, AN EASEMENT CARRIES ALONG WITH IT THE LIABILITY THAT WE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT WOULD OWN A PIECE OF PROPERTY UPON WHICH THAT'S JUST NOT THE MAINTENANCE RESPONSIBILITIES, ALL OF THAT.

IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT TO BEAR THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

>> I THINK THE ONLY SORT OF CLARIFICATION I'D MAKE OR ADDITION IS THAT WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSFER OF PROPERTY, I WOULDN'T WANT PEOPLE TO THINK, BECAUSE WE ARE TALKING VERY GENERICALLY HERE, THAT A TRANSFER IS JUST A GIFT.

THE WAY I CERTAINLY SEE IT, AND I THINK MY COLLEAGUES ON THE BOARD SEE IT THE SAME WAY, IS THAT WE ARE WILLING TO EXPLORE TRANSFER OF PROPERTY IN SOME TRANSACTION THAT WOULD LEAVE THE DISTRICT NO WORSE OFF.

IT WOULDN'T JUST BE A STRAIGHT OUT GIFT, IT WOULD BE A TRANSFER FOR SOME CONSIDERATION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DESIGNED YET.

I DON'T THINK IT WOULD BE A STRAIGHT UP GIFT.

IT WOULD BE A MORE NUANCED TRANSACTION THAN THAT.

>> I THINK WE'RE ALL WANTING TO FIND A WAY TO SAY YES, A WAY FORWARD.

AS SID SAID, THAT'S POSITIVE FOR THE VILLAGE AND FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND WE ARE GENUINELY WORKING HARD TO FIND A WAY TO SAY, YES LET'S SOLVE THIS PROBLEM. YES.

>> CAN I MAKE A MOTION?

>> YES, PLEASE. YES.

>> [LAUGHTER] YES.

I'D LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION FOR THE BOARD OF EDUCATION TO AUTHORIZE REPRESENTATIVES TO EXPLORE A TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY FOR CONSIDERATION.

>> IS THERE A SECOND?

>> SECOND.

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR?

>> THE ONLY AMENDMENT I'D WANT TO MAKE IS JUST SOMETHING THAT JUST REAFFIRMS THE COMMITMENT TO JULIAN'S PLAYGROUND IN THAT LEGACY.

>> MAKES SENSE.

>> SORRY IF I MAY.

I DON'T THINK YOU NEED TO ADD IT, BUT I'LL JUST SAY THAT ANY EXPLORATION WOULD ALSO, I THINK INCLUDE AS ONE OF ITS TOP PRIORITIES THE CONCERNS OF THE RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE IMMEDIATE NEIGHBORHOOD.

I DON'T THINK THAT NEEDS TO BE IN THE MOTION.

I'M JUST STATING THAT.

>> I KNOW I'M JUST TAKING NOTES.

>> THE MOTION SAYS, AUTHORIZE A REPRESENTATIVE IS THAT THE LANGUAGE YOU USED?

>> AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVES.

>> I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE AND I COUNTED UP THE MINUTES, IT'S IN THE HOURS.

THIS IS A VERY IMPORTANT ISSUE.

BUT I'VE MADE A PLEDGE TO THE COMMUNITY THAT I WILL BE FOCUSED ON EDUCATION AND WE NEED OUR ADMINISTRATORS AND OUR BOARD FOCUSED ON EDUCATION, ESPECIALLY AS WE'RE COMING INTO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN.

OUR BUDGET, I THINK IS AN IMPORTANT POINT.

WE'RE AUTHORIZING REPRESENTATIVES AND I GUESS I WOULD JUST ASK THAT THE VILLAGE COME TO THE TABLE AND WORK WITH OUR REPRESENTATIVES SO THAT WE CAN MOVE FORWARD.

YES, ON THE STORM WATER PROJECT, BUT ALSO YES.

ON THE PRIMARY MISSION OF THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.

>> THIS IS NOT FOR THE MOTION. I'M JUST PUTTING THIS OUT THERE. MAYBE I SAID IT BEFORE.

I WOULD JUST LIKE THIS TO BE A RESET BUTTON ON THIS WHOLE THING.

LET'S RESET WHERE THIS CONVERSATION HAS GONE AND THE INTERACTIONS OR LACK OF INTERACTIONS AND JUST HAVE THIS GO FORWARD IN A VERY POSITIVE WAY.

I WANT TO SAY THAT.

>> PUTTING THAT OUT IN THE UNIVERSE?

>> IN THE UNIVERSE, YES.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT IT IN THE MOTION.

>> [LAUGHTER] ALL IN FAVOR?

[00:15:01]

>> AYE.

>> ANY OPPOSED? ANY ABSTENTIONS? THE MOTION CARRIES UNANIMOUSLY.

WE DO HAVE OUR COUNSEL HERE THAT'S AWARE OF ALL OF OUR AUTHORIZATION AND DIRECTION, SO I'M REALLY LOOKING FORWARD TO MOVING FORWARD IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION.

>> BEFORE WE GO INTO THE AGENDA OF THE DAY.

>> SHOULD I APPOINT A CLERK PRO TEM?

>> YEAH.

>> ITEM 3.1 MOTION TO APPOINT CLERK PRO TEM,

[3.1 Motion to Appoint Clerk Pro Tem]

LET'S DO THIS AND THEN WE CAN DO THAT. SURE.

>> DO WE GET A SECOND ON THAT?

>> SECOND.

>> OKAY.

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALL IN FAVOR?

>> AYE.

>> ONE OTHER QUICK THING.

I WANT TO DO A RECOGNITION, A BIG THANK YOU TO DR.

BOWMAN. I'LL LET YOU.

>> YES. ON OUR AGENDA TONIGHT, BEGRUDGINGLY, WE TRIED TO TURN IT AWAY, BUT LATER ON IN OUR PERSONNEL AGENDA TONIGHT, I WILL BE ASKING THE BOARD TO ACCEPT THE RESIGNATION OF DR.

BOWMAN. SHE HAS BEEN OFFERED A POSITION MUCH MUCH CLOSER TO HOME AND WAS APPOINTED TO THAT POSITION AS ASSISTANT SUPERINTENDENT FOR CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION IN THE GARDEN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

BEGRUDGINGLY RECOMMENDING THAT TO THE BOARD TONIGHT.

JUST WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT TONIGHT WE'LL BE ACKNOWLEDGING DR.

BOWMAN MUCH MORE EXTENSIVELY LATER ON IN THE YEAR, BUT JUST WANTED TO POINT THAT OUT TONIGHT.

ALICE, THANK YOU. THE WONDERFUL WORK YOU'VE DONE WITH US.

ALICE WILL BE WITH US THROUGH THE REST OF THE YEAR.

SHE WON'T BE GONE QUICKLY.

WE'RE GOING TO GET EVERYTHING OUT OF WHERE WE CAN IN THAT TIME.

I JUST WANTED TO RECOGNIZE HER AND THANK HER FOR HER WORK.

I DON'T KNOW IF ALICE WANT TO SAY ANYTHING OR IF THE BOARD WANTED TO JUST BRIEFLY MENTION ANYTHING TONIGHT YES. FOR YOU.

>> I JUST WANT TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE TO THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, TO THE BOARD, TO DR.

CHAMP, TO MY COLLEAGUES IN CABINET, TO THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF, TO OUR TEACHING STAFF.

YOU'VE ALL WELCOMED ME WITH OPEN ARMS AND BEEN INCREDIBLY SUPPORTIVE.

I HAVE LEARNED A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT FROM EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU, AND I AM IN AWE EVERY SINGLE DAY AT THE LEVEL OF SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE FOR CHILDREN.

KIDS ARE FIRST HERE, KIDS ARE IN THE MIDDLE, KIDS ARE LAST.

EVERYTHING'S ABOUT THE KIDS, WHICH IS WONDERFUL.

IT IS VERY BITTERSWEET FOR ME TO BE TENDERING MY RESIGNATION HERE.

I DO LOVE IT HERE, BUT AS DR.

CHAMP SAID, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES ON THE CLOSER TO THE HOME FRONT AND WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME PROFESSIONALLY AS WELL.

I PROMISE THAT THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS WILL BE 100% SERVICE TO THE PELHAM DISTRICT AND TO ALL OF OUR KIDS, SO THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, AND CONGRATULATIONS.

WE'LL DEFINITELY MISS YOU, BUT WE'RE HAPPY THAT YOU HAD THIS OPPORTUNITY, AND I THINK WE'RE GOING TO BE PLANNING MORE OPPORTUNITY FOR RECOGNITION DOWN THE LINE.

>> YES. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> OKAY.

>> OKAY.

>> I THINK WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE LINE BY LINE BUDGET REVIEW.

>> OKAY. YES, THE MAIN EVENT OF THE EVENING. THANK YOU SO MUCH.

>> OH, YEAH.

>> COULD YOU BRING UP COMMUNICATION?

>> MOVE UP PUBLIC COMMENT.

[5.1 Communications and Comments from the Public]

>> YEAH.

>> WE'LL OPEN PUBLIC COMMENT IF ANYBODY'S HERE TO SPEAK.

>> I'M SORRY. HI, STEPHEN CHEKAN. 917 WASHINGTON AVENUE.

SO JUST SO WE'RE ALL CLEAR BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF PUBLIC STATEMENTS GOING BACK AND FORTH, AN EASEMENT IS OFF THE TABLE 100% IS THAT CORRECT?

>> WE'VE BEEN CLEAR ON THAT. YEAH.

>> THEN SECONDLY, WHAT YOU JUST VOTED ON IS AN EXPLORATION TO MOVE FORWARD, AND BY MOVING FORWARD, YOU MEAN BY EXPLORING A SALE OF THE PROPERTY.

>> OR TRANSFER. I THINK THE EXACT LANGUAGE WAS TRANSFER. IN CONSIDERATION.

>> TRANSFER OF THE PROPERTY IN CONSIDERATION.

[00:20:03]

>> IN CONSIDERATION FOR EITHER CASH OR SOMETHING.

>> SOMETHING OF VALUE.

>> THAT WOULD BE SUBJECT TO A VOTE OF THE COMMUNITY, CORRECT?

>> CORRECT.

>> CORRECT.

>> THAT CLARIFIES IT. THE OTHER THING, THE REASON I CAME IT WASN'T THAT ONE IS I'M NOT SURE IF YOU'RE AWARE.

THERE WAS AN INTERVIEW POSTED THIS MORNING ON YOUTUBE CALLED 914 WIRED AND THEN IT WAS AN INTERVIEW OF THE MAYOR OF THE VILLAGE OF PELHAM CHANCE MULLEN, AND IT TOOK PLACE ON MONDAY, SO TWO DAYS AGO.

THIS IS A DIRECT QUOTE FROM THE MAYOR, AND THIS IS CONCERNING TO ME.

I HAVE SPOKEN, I, MEANING THE MAYOR, HAVE SPOKEN TO ONE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEMBER RECENTLY TODAY, WHICH WOULD HAVE BEEN MONDAY.

I'M OPTIMISTIC THAT WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO START THINKING ABOUT DESIGNS FIRST RATHER THAN THE LEGALITIES, WHICH I THINK MIGHT HELP BRING DOWN THE TEMPERATURE A LITTLE BIT.

I'M MORE OPTIMISTIC THAN I HAVE BEEN THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS, I GUESS.

WHY IS ONE INDIVIDUAL ON THE BOARD HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH THE MAYOR? HAS THIS BEEN AUTHORIZED AND WOULD JUST LIKE TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON?

>> I'LL JUST SAY I THINK MULTIPLE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN TO DIFFERENT VILLAGE TRUSTEES AND THE MAYOR NOT AS NEGOTIATORS OR NOT SPEAKING ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD, WE HAVE TRIED TO HAVE AN OPEN DIALOGUE.

>> BECAUSE FROM THE QUOTE, THE WAY THE QUOTE READS AND WHAT WAS SAID IS THAT, ONE PERSON IS HAVING A DISCUSSION AND THERE WAS OPTIMISM BASED ON THAT INDIVIDUAL DISCUSSION THAT HAPPENED, WHICH WASN'T A BOARD DISCUSSION.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE WAS AUTHORIZATION, SO THAT JUST RAISES CONCERNS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON.

>> I THINK I CAN'T SAY WHAT THE MAYOR'S INTERPRETATION OF THE DISCUSSION WAS, BUT WE'VE AT LEAST ME, TO THE EXTENT THAT I HAVE ANY AUTHORITY AS PRESIDENT, I'VE JUST SAID PEOPLE ARE OPEN TO DISCUSS THINGS, AND WITH THE UNDERSTANDING THAT IT'S NOT AN OFFICIAL POSITION OR NEGOTIATION, BUT TRYING TO BE OPEN AND COOPERATIVE.

I THINK MULTIPLE BOARD MEMBERS HAVE SPOKEN INFORMALLY WITH VILLAGE TRUSTEES JUST TO TRY TO KEEP THE LINES OF COMMUNICATION OPEN.

WE DID JUST HAVE A REPRESENTATIVE.

THERE MAY BE A MORE FORMAL PROCESS GOING FORWARD.

>> I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION IN CASE YOU'RE UNAWARE BECAUSE IT WAS JUST PUT UP THIS MORNING. THANK YOU.

>> THANKS.

>> THANK YOU.

>> AT THE BEGINNING OF OUR LINE BY LINE BUDGET.

[4.1 Line by line Review]

THANK JACKIE V. HEAL WHO'S WITH US TONIGHT, OUR DISTRICT TREASURER AND THEIR OFFICE.

WHO DOES AN INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF WORK EACH YEAR TO ASSEMBLE THE BUDGET.

BUT THAT WORK IS REALLY YEAR ROUND WORK.

IT JUST CULMINATES AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, AND IT WILL CONTINUE TO BE AN EVOLVING DOCUMENT AS WE GO THROUGH THESE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS AND MONTHS TOWARDS BUDGET ADOPTION.

I ALSO WANT TO THANK THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM.

I THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE TONIGHT TOO.

THE WORK THAT THEY DO AT THE DEPARTMENT BUILDING LEVEL TO ASSEMBLE, THIS IS INCREDIBLE. IT'S VERY DETAILED.

A LOT OF SCRUTINY, THOUGHT, AND INTENTIONALITY IS PUT INTO THIS, SO I'M GOING TO SHIFT OVER TO THE PRESENTATION SCREEN TO GET IT KICKED OFF AND I'M GOING TO PASS IT TO JIM AT A CERTAIN POINT AND WE WILL GET THINGS ROLLING THROUGH DETAILS. AS WE BEGIN, AND SIMILAR TO WHAT WAS SHARED WITH YOU BACK AT OUR BUDGET OVERVIEW EARLIER THIS MONTH, THE BUDGET THAT'S BEING PRESENTED TO THE BOARD FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IS THE TOTAL APPROPRIATION BUDGET OF $93,400,000, WHICH REPRESENTS A BUDGET TO BUDGET INCREASE OF 2.68%.

THE PROJECTED PRELIMINARY ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY INCREASE AS THIS BUDGET IS CONSTRUCTED IS THAT 2.68%, AND THE TAX LEVY INCREASE PER THE PRELIMINARY BUDGET IS THE 2.68.

IN ESSENCE, THIS IS A TAX COMPLIANT BUDGET THAT IS BEING PRESENTED TO THE BOARD WITH THE PROPOSED TAX LEVY OF 2.68%.

[00:25:02]

THERE'S SO MANY DIFFERENT COMPONENTS TO THE BUDGET THAT GO INTO THIS.

IT'S NOT ONE SIMPLE MASS PROBLEM, BUT IT'S REALLY A YEAR-LONG, AN ANNUAL LOOK AT A NUMBER OF COMPETING PRIORITIES FOR US AS A DISTRICT.

INSTRUCTIONAL GOALS, VISION.

WE'VE TALKED ABOUT STRATEGIC PLANNING, MAINTAINING ADEQUATE RESERVES, THINKING ABOUT WHAT ARE THE LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM FINANCIAL FORECASTS, WHAT IS THE PROPERTY TAX CAP IMPACT, ETC., AND A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT FACTORS THAT DRIVE THE ANNUAL BUDGET, AND THAT WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT EACH YEAR, AND EACH YEAR IS UNIQUE.

IT PRESENTS DIFFERENT CHALLENGES, DIFFERENT OPPORTUNITIES.

AS WE KNOW THIS YEAR, THIS WAS REALLY A MAINTENANCE YEAR, BECAUSE WE ARE FINISHING OUT ONE STRATEGIC PLAN, WE HAVEN'T YET CRAFTED THE NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.

A YEAR TO STAY STEADY, BUT THEN NOT YET TAKE THAT GROWTH POSITION, BUT TO RESERVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT ONCE WE'VE TAKEN THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME AROUND AND DESIGN THE NEXT YEARS.

WE THOUGHT IT WAS HELPFUL TO HAVE THIS GRAPHIC TO JUST SHOW THE VARIETY OF DIFFERENT COMPETING PRIORITIES THAT ARE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

EARLIER IN THE YEAR, WE DID SPEND TIME TALKING ABOUT THE PROGRAMMATIC HIGHLIGHTS AND GROWTH.

WE'RE NOT GOING TO GO ALL THROUGH THOSE AGAIN.

WE SPENT A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF TIME ON THAT THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE ARE REALLY WRAPPING UP TWO VERY RELATED STRATEGIC PLANS.

BUT WHAT I THINK THAT YOU'LL SEE AS WE GO THROUGH THIS, JUST TO REMIND YOU OF A FEW THINGS, IS WE'VE INVESTED HEAVILY IN THE PROGRAM FOR OUR STUDENTS.

THE DISTRICT, TRADITIONALLY, IS ONE THAT VALUES RICH OFFERINGS FOR STUDENTS, VALUES A WELL-ROUNDED STUDENT EXPERIENCE, VALUES ENRICHED EXPERIENCES, LEARNING IN THE CLASSROOM, OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOM, AND ACTIVITIES THAT SUPPORT STUDENTS IN THE MENTAL HEALTH WELLNESS, PHYSICAL HEALTH CIVICS, ALL THE DIFFERENT AREAS OF WELL-ROUNDED LIFE.

THAT IS SOMETHING WE'VE HEAVILY INVESTED ON OVER THE YEARS, AND OVER THE LAST THREE PRIOR BUDGETS, THE BOARD WILL REMEMBER THAT THE STATE FINALLY FULLY FUNDED OUR FOUNDATION AID.

THAT GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE LAST THREE YEARS TO FINALLY ADD IN SOME PIECES OF PROGRAM THAT WE WEREN'T ABLE TO DO PRIOR BECAUSE WE HADN'T RECEIVED THAT FOUNDATION AID.

AS OF LAST YEAR, THAT WAS OUR FINAL INFUSION OF FOUNDATION AID TO BRING US UP TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE, WHICH BRINGS US THEN TO THIS YEAR.

BUT SOME OF THOSE HIGHLIGHTS, JUST TO REMIND YOU, SOME OF THIS DOESN'T EVEN BEGIN TO COVER THEM, BUT JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG.

WHERE WE WERE 5-10 YEARS AGO TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY, WE'VE GOT CONSISTENT DISTRICT-WIDE PROGRAMS IN THE ACADEMIC REALM, SUCH AS MATH IN FOCUS.

WE'VE GOT READING AND WRITING WORKSHOP ACROSS THE GRADE LEVELS, LESS FROM GRADES 2 THROUGH 5.

SCIENCE 21, RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM IS NOW ACROSS ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS.

THAT'S WORK THAT'S HAPPENED PREDOMINANTLY LAST FIVE YEARS, SOME OF THAT EXTENDS LONGER THAN THAT, BUT A HUGE UPLIFT AND REALLY RENOVATION OF OUR ELEMENTARY CORE CURRICULUM.

INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE BECAME JUST FROM PLANTING THE SEEDS OF THAT IN THE OLD STRATEGIC PLAN TO BEING AUTHORIZED AND NOW REAUTHORIZED AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL, AND REALLY DEEPENING THAT WORK THANKS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF SOME FOLKS HERE AND THE TEACHERS THAT HAVE ENGAGED AND REALLY COME TO EMBRACE THAT APPROACH.

THEN WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR HIGH SCHOOL, WE'VE HAD INCREDIBLE GROWTH IN OUR UPDATED ELECTIVES, INCREASE IN DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES OFFERED AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.

WE'VE WORKED TO KEEP THAT CATALOG FRESH, CURRENT, AND TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO ENGAGE IN COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE WORK AT A GREATER LEVEL.

ON THE MTSS SUPPORT SIDE, AS WE ALL KNOW, WE'VE INCREASED OUR FLEET OF ACADEMIC INTERVENTIONISTS.

DR. BOWMAN HAS LED WORK ON THE SHIFT TO MULTI-TIERED SYSTEMS OF SUPPORT AND DEEPENING THAT WORK.

HAVING BUILDING LEVEL TEAMS. CREATING A DISTRICT LEVEL TEAM.

BRINGING IN BRANCHING MINDS.

DOING WORK ON TIER 1 INSTRUCTION.

USING DATA MORE AND MORE TO INFORM OUR WORK, AND TO GIVE US MULTIPLE SOURCES OF DATA TO GET A BETTER PICTURE OF OUR STUDENTS, AND THEN PROVIDE THE APPROPRIATE INTERVENTIONS.

HAVING DEDICATED INTERVENTIONISTS AND TRAINING THEM MORE SPECIFICALLY.

CONTINUING ON INTO THE BELONGING AND WELLNESS.

WE'VE INCREASED OUR EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND PARTICIPATION, WHETHER THAT'S CLUBS, SPORTS, ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES, AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS TO EXPAND OUTSIDE OF THE SCHOOL.

AS WE MENTIONED EARLIER, WE'VE INCREASED OUR MENTAL HEALTH STAFF, OUR CLINICAL STAFF.

WE'VE INCREASED, OVER THE YEARS, PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, SCHOOL COUNSELOR AT THE ELEMENTARY LEVEL.

WE'VE INCREASED OUR ENL SUPPORT.

ALL THAT IS TO PROVIDE STUDENTS, MEETING THEM WHERE THEY ARE AND GIVING THEM WHAT THEY NEED SO THAT THEY CAN THEN FLOURISH AS STUDENTS.

THEN TECHNOLOGY, OUR TECHNOLOGY HAS CONTINUED TO GROW IN TREMENDOUS WAYS.

PRIOR TO THE PANDEMIC, OUR DIRECTOR OF TECHNOLOGY REALLY HAD US ON A STRONG PATH TOWARDS A PLANNED REFRESH OF CHROMEBOOKS.

WE GREW FROM A SPORADIC GRANT-BASED APPROACH WHEN I FIRST STARTED THE DISTRICT,

[00:30:05]

WE HAVE K-12 ONE-TO-ONE CHROMEBOOK RATIOS, PLUS ADDITIONAL TECHNOLOGIES.

WE HAVE INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS AND DOCUMENT CAMERAS IN ALL ROOMS. WE HAVE DIGITAL FLUENCY CURRICULUM, K-12.

WE'VE BEEN A LEADER IN THAT AREA IN THE STATE.

WE'VE EXPANDED THE LEARNING AND ASSESSMENT RESOURCES AND SOFTWARE FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STUDENTS, AND WE'VE HAD AN INCREDIBLY GROWN AND ROBUST INFRASTRUCTURE THAT HAS EXPANDED EXPONENTIALLY AS OUR PHYSICAL PLANT HAS GROWN, IN ADDITION TO OUR RELIANCE ON TECHNOLOGY FOR EVERYTHING FROM SAFETY AND SECURITY TO INSTRUCTION.

THE OUTCOMES OF THAT, WE LOOKED SOME OF THOSE, AGAIN, AT OUR WORK SESSION, BUT SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE NUMBERS OF AP EXAMS TAKEN BY OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS WITH STILL MAINTAINING OUTSTANDING RESULTS.

AS I MENTIONED, MORE DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES, SO WE CAN INCREASE THE NUMBER OF PERCENTAGE OF OUR GRADUATING STUDENTS WHO HAVE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE A COLLEGE LEVEL COURSE, WHICH IS ONE OF THE BEST PREPARATIONS FOR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE.

INCREASING STUDENTS ATTENDING FOUR-YEAR COLLEGE, INCREASING IN OUR SAT SCORES AND CRITICAL READING AND MATH.

WE'VE BEEN RECOGNIZED, CONTINUE TO BE RECOGNIZED REGIONALLY, STATE, AND NATIONALLY IN PROGRAMS LIKE SCIENCE RESEARCH.

WE HAD OUR SECOND PRESIDENTIAL SCHOLAR THIS YEAR.

FORENSICS DEBATE, ARTS, ATHLETICS, YOU NAME IT, ACROSS THE BOARD, OUR STUDENTS ARE FIRING ON ALL CYLINDERS AND REALLY DEMONSTRATING INCREDIBLE LEVELS OF SUCCESS AND RECOGNITION.

OF COURSE, LET'S NOT FORGET, VERY PROUD THIS YEAR, COLONIAL SCHOOL BEING RECOGNIZED AS A BLUE RIBBON SCHOOL BY THE US DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.

THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN BY MISTAKE.

THAT HAPPENS BY DESIGN, A LOT OF HARD WORK, A LOT OF FOCUS, AND A LOT OF CARE FOR THE WHOLE CHILD.

CONGRATULATIONS, AGAIN, TO RACHAEL ON THAT.

[APPLAUSE] WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A LITTLE ADVERTISEMENT.

WE ARE VERY EXCITED TO HAVE THE NATIONAL TEACHER OF THE YEAR, WHO WILL BE JOINING US AT SUPERINTENDENT'S CONFERENCE DAY ON MARCH 15, RACHEL.

DR. BOWMAN AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SEE HER AT A SESSION IN WASHINGTON DC WHEN WE WERE BEING HONORED FOR THAT.

WE'RE THRILLED THE PEF IS SPONSORING HER TO COME HERE.

WE'RE REALLY EXCITED TO KIND OF BRING THOSE TWO WORLDS TOGETHER AND HOPE THAT SHE IS A GREAT INSPIRATION.

WE'LL BE SENDING SOME INVITES TO THE BOARD TO JOIN US FOR THAT EVENT AND TO THE PEF AS WELL, WHO PROVIDED US WITH A GRANT TO BRING REBECCA IN.

FINALLY, ALL SIX OF OUR SCHOOLS, WE HAVEN'T MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THIS, BUT IT'S TRUE.

ALL SIX OF OUR SCHOOLS WERE IDENTIFIED BY US NEWS AND WORLD REPORT AS TOP SCHOOLS THIS YEAR. THAT'S A BIG DEAL.

SIX OUT OF SIX IS A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT.

[APPLAUSE] SOMETHING TO BE PROUD OF.

AGAIN, THESE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN BY MISTAKE, THEY HAPPEN BY DESIGN.

THAT'S THE CULMINATING WORK OF MANY YEARS AND SOMETHING FOR US ALL TO BE PROUD OF.

AS WE MOVE INTO MONEY AND TRANSITION INTO FUNDING, THESE THINGS DON'T COME FOR FREE.

[LAUGHTER] BUT AGAIN, THESE COME WHAT ARE OUR COMMUNITY VALUES, WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES.

WHERE YOU PUT YOUR TREASURE, THERE YOUR HEART IS THE TREASURE PRINCIPLE.

OUR COMMUNITY HAS CONTINUED OVER AND OVER AGAIN TO INVEST IN OUR SCHOOLS.

THEY TREASURE OUR STUDENTS.

THEY VALUE THE EDUCATION THAT THEY GET, AND AS SUCH, THAT'S WHERE OUR FUNDING HAS BEEN GOING.

TONIGHT, WE'RE GOING TO GO JUST AS QUICKLY AS WE CAN, BUT IN DEPTH SO THAT THE BOARD HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO REALLY UNDERSTAND AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS LINE BY LINE PROCESS WHAT THE BUDGET IS COMPRISED OF.

WE WILL BE DOING THE LINE BY LINE OVER THREE MEETINGS THIS YEAR INSTEAD OF DOING A FULL DAY SATURDAY.

THIS IS THE FIRST OF THREE AND YOU'LL SEE TONIGHT'S FOCUS IS ON PREDOMINANTLY THE INSTRUCTION TECHNOLOGY AND BOCES PORTIONS.

JUST TO KICK THINGS OFF, WE'LL START WITH OUR REVENUE AND OTHER FINANCING SOURCES.

WE LIKE TO SHOW THE GENERAL OVERVIEW OF WHERE OUR FINANCES COME FROM, SO PROPERTY TAXES CONTINUE TO BE THE LARGEST PROPORTION OF OUR REVENUES, FOLLOWED BY STATE AID.

AS FOLKS WILL REMEMBER FROM PRIOR YEARS, AS OUR STATE AID HAS INCREASED WITH THE FULL FUNDING OF THE FOUNDATION, IT'S TAKEN A BIGGER PORTION OF OUR REVENUES HAVE COME FROM STATE AID, WHICH HAS BEEN GREAT.

THE STATE OWED US THAT MONEY FOR MANY YEARS.

THEY'VE BEEN MAKING SQUARE ON THAT, SO JUST UNDER 77 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET REVENUES ARE COMING FROM PROPERTY TAXES.

ADDITIONAL MUCH SMALLER CATEGORIES, MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS, APPROPRIATION OF FUND BALANCE, DEBT SERVICE RESERVE, AND THEN APPROPRIATIONS FROM A COUPLE OF OTHER RESERVES, ERS AND TRS, WHICH ARE EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEM, TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM.

WE'LL BE GOING MORE INTO DEPTH IN THOSE AS WE GO THROUGH THE PRESENTATION.

I'M GOING TO STEAL MR. RICKY BACK SHORTLY.

THIS PIE CHART SHOWS YOU REALLY THAT BROKEN DOWN IN JUST A MUCH MORE GRAPHICAL WAY.

AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE THE LARGEST PROPORTION IS PROPERTY TAX, FOLLOWED BY THE DARK BLUE IS THE STATE AID.

THAT PIECE OF THE PIE HAS BEEN GETTING A LITTLE BIT BIGGER.

THEN YOU SEE THE TWO OTHER CATEGORIES.

I'M GOING TO PASS HIM THIS FROM

[00:35:02]

I'M THE LAY PERSON, HE'S THE TECHNICIAN, AND HE ENJOYS IT. [LAUGHTER]

>> I GUESS I'M IN THE RIGHT JOB.

>> YES. [LAUGHTER] MR. RICKY, SHINE A LITTLE BIT HERE ON THIS.

>> THANK YOU, DR. CHAMP. THANK YOU, BOARD, AND WELCOME TO THE BUDGET SEASON OF 2024-25 BUDGET. AGAIN, AS DR.

CHAMP MENTIONED BEFORE US THIS EVENING, THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS PROPOSED A TAX CAP COMPLIANT BUDGET.

THIS IS OUR 13TH YEAR WITH THE TAX CAP LEGISLATION.

REALLY WHAT THAT DOES IS EVERYONE SEEMS TO THINK THAT THE TAX CAP IS JUST A TWO PERCENT CAP AND THAT'S WHAT IT IS.

BUT THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT IT IS.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN THAT AND CERTAINLY TWO PERCENT CPI IS PART OF THAT.

BUT AS YOU CAN SEE HERE, THE TAX CAP REALLY LIMITS THE TAX LEVY GROWTH TO THE LESSER OF TWO PERCENT OR CPI.

THERE ARE CERTAIN ADJUSTMENTS THAT ARE ALLOWABLE BASED ON THOSE ADJUSTMENTS PROVIDED BY THE OFFICE OF REAL PROPERTY AT NEW YORK STATE.

AS WE ALL HAVE FELT, CERTAINLY COST OF THINGS HAVE BEEN MORE EXPENSIVE.

CPI, WHICH IS INFLATION FOR 2023 IS 4.12 PERCENT.

WITH THAT, WE ARE LIMITED TO A CAP OF PERCENT.

THERE ARE CERTAIN EXCLUSIONS ALLOWED UNDER THE TAX CAP, WHICH ARE FOR OUR CAPITAL EXPENDITURES.

CAPITAL EXPENDITURE THAT WE THINK OF IS THE DEBT THAT WE PAY ON MONEY THAT WE'VE BORROWED OR IF WE HAVE A CAPITAL PROJECT THAT WE WANT TO PAY CASH FOR.

THOSE ARE THINGS THAT CAN BE TAXED FOR OUTSIDE OF THIS TWO PERCENT CAP, BUT THEY'RE CERTAINLY STILL PART OF THAT TAX PROPOSAL.

THAT'S ONE OF THE ALLOWABLE THINGS.

THE OTHER ONE IS FOR PENSION COSTS.

IF PENSION COSTS GROW FROM YEAR-TO-YEAR IN EXCESS OF TWO PERCENTAGE POINT RATES IN THAT YEAR, YOU HAVE THAT.

THIS YEAR, THE ERS OF THE EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM, HAD AN ALLOWABLE TAX CAP EXCLUSION OF 0.01 PERCENT.

IT WAS A VERY MINIMAL AMOUNT.

THAT WAS PART OF THE CALCULATION IN OUR TAX CAP. NOW, WHAT DO WE HAVE TO DO? AGAIN, ALL OF OUR BUDGETS GO BEFORE THE COMMUNITY, AND WITH THAT, THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS.

WHEN THE BOARD PUTS FORWARD A TAX CAP COMPLIANT BUDGET, TO PASS THAT BUDGET, YOU NEED A SIMPLER MAJORITY, WHICH IS 50 PERCENT OF THE VOTERS PLUS ONE VOTE.

IF YOU HAVE A BUDGET THAT'S ABOVE THE TAX CAP, AND THAT'S NOT WHAT'S BEING PROPOSED HERE, IN INSTANCES LIKE THAT, YOU NEED A SUPER MAJORITY.

A SUPER MAJORITY IN THIS CASE IS 60 PERCENT OF THE VOTERS PLUS ONE VOTE.

IN EITHER INSTANCE, IF NO BUDGET IS APPROVED AFTER TWO FAILED VOTING ATTEMPTS, A DISTRICT MUST ADOPT A CONTINGENCY BUDGET.

THAT CONTINGENCY BUDGET MANDATES A ZERO PERCENT TAX LEVY INCREASE.

IN THIS INSTANCE FOR THE DISTRICT, THE IMPACT OF THAT WOULD BE $1.9 MILLION IMPACT OF REVENUE ON THE BUDGET.

NOW, HOW YOU ADDRESS THAT COULD HAPPEN IN A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

IT COULD BE ADDRESSED IN EXPENDITURE REDUCTIONS AND/OR INCREASED APPROPRIATIONS OF FUND BALANCE OR ANY COMBINATION OF THAT IF THAT WERE TO SO HAPPEN.

BUT AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST THE TYPES OF THINGS AND HOW YOU WOULD HAVE TO ADDRESS IT IF YOU FOUND YOURSELF IN THAT SITUATION OR ANY DISTRICT FOUND THEMSELVES IN SUCH SITUATION.

IN ONE OF OUR APPENDICES, YOU'LL SEE THE HISTORY OF THE VOTING PERFORMANCE IN PELHAM.

THIS COMMUNITY HAS ALWAYS BEEN VERY SUPPORTIVE OF SCHOOL DISTRICT VOTES AND CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING ANY OF US TAKE FOR GRANTED.

I THINK PART OF THIS, WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW AND GOING THROUGH THIS BUDGET AND A DELIBERATE EXERCISE OVER THE NEXT THREE MEETINGS AND MORE THAN THAT IS REALLY A GOOD PROCESS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE VOTE AND THE BUDGET THAT'S PUT BEFORE THE COMMUNITY IS THE RIGHT BUDGET.

HERE'S THE TAX CAP CALCULATION.

IF YOU LOOK AT THE TOP, LAST YEAR, THE DISTRICT TAXED RESIDENTS FOR $70,002,518.

I MENTIONED THERE'S A TAX CAP GROWTH FACTOR OF 0.72 PERCENT.

THEN THERE'S CERTAIN EXCLUSIONS YOU HAVE TO TAKE OUT, WHICH ARE THE CAPITAL EXCLUSIONS THAT I MENTIONED.

ON THE MIDDLE OF THE PAGE, YOU SAY ON THE LEFT-HAND SIDE IT SAYS EQUALS PRIOR YEAR TAX LEVY LIMIT 68,251,800.

THAT'S WHAT THE BUDGET WAS OR THE TAXES RAISED TO SUPPORT, THE NON-CAPITAL PORTION OF THE BUDGET.

NOW THAT WE'VE NORMALIZED THAT, WHAT WE NEED TO THEN DO IS ADD THAT TWO PERCENT TAX CAP FACTOR THAT WE MENTIONED EARLIER.

THEN AT THAT POINT, WE CAN ALSO ADD BACK IN WHAT OUR EXPECTED CAPITAL EXPENDITURES WERE GOING TO BE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR AS PART OF THIS EXCLUSIONS.

THERE YOU SEE THE $4,428,655.

THIS BUDGET, THERE'S A PROPOSED USAGE OF A DEBT SERVICE FUND.

[00:40:01]

WE ANTICIPATE THAT THIS MONEY IS BEING AVAILABLE FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR, WHICH IS ADVANTAGEOUS TO THE TAXPAYER.

THEN ON THE BOTTOM YOU SEE THAT SMALL ERS PENSION.

THAT'S A SMALL EXCLUSION WHICH ALLOWED FOR THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO TAX FOR AN ADDITIONAL $6,224 UNDER THE TAX CAP.

WHEN YOU RUN THROUGH THE CALCULATION, YOU COME TO AN ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY OF $71,876,715.

DR. CHAMP MENTIONED 2.68 PERCENT YEAR-TO-YEAR VARIANCE ON THE TAX LEVY.

[NOISE]

>> JUST A FOOTNOTE ON THAT.

>> THANK YOU. THE SMALL TYPE AT THE BOTTOM, AND I GUESS THIS RELATES UP TO WHAT I TALKED ABOUT, THE APPROPRIATION OF THE DEBT SERVICE, THE 2,175,000.

THAT APPROPRIATION OF DEBT SERVICE FUND IS BEING APPLIED SO THAT THE BOARD AND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT DOESN'T TAX RESIDENTS MORE MONEY TO SERVICE DEBT.

IF THOSE MONIES WERE NOT AVAILABLE AND THE DISTRICT NEEDED TO RAISE FUNDS FOR THAT THROUGH TAXATION, YOU WOULD HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT WITH A TAX CAP COMPLIANT BUDGET AND YOU COULD HAVE AN ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY UPWARDS OF 5.78%.

THAT'S WHAT THAT $2.175 MILLION BUYS YOU, AS FAR AS THE IMPACT TO THE PROPOSED TAX ON WHAT WE SEE RIGHT NOW.

I THINK THAT'S JUST IT'S GOOD TO SEE AND IT'S GOOD TO SEE THAT IT'S DEFINITELY PLAYING AN IMPORTANT ROLE ON THE RESIDENT TAXPAYER.

>> IS THAT THE ENTIRE DEBT SERVICE FUND THAT WAS A BALANCE?

>> THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE RIGHT NOW. WE HAD APPLIED THAT.

WE DON'T SEE THE NEED TO APPLY THOSE FUNDS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS FAVORABLE, OBVIOUSLY, BECAUSE THEN THEY'RE AVAILABLE.

>> THAT'S THE WHOLE BALANCE OF THAT FUND THAT WHAT'S PROPOSED?

>> YES. IN THE UPCOMING YEAR, HOPEFULLY, WE'RE WORKING ON CLOSING OUT THE 2018 BOND.

WITH THOSE SURPLUS DOLLARS, WHICH WE ESTIMATE TO BE IN THE $3 MILLION RANGE, THOSE DOLLARS WOULD FLOW DOWN TO THE DEBT SERVICE FUND.

SHOULD THESE MONIES BE UTILIZED, THOSE NEW DOLLARS WOULD THEN HELP TO REFRESH THAT AND THEY COULD BE USED FOR THE SAME PURPOSE MOVING FORWARD.

WHAT ARE THE COMPONENTS OF THIS YEAR'S TAX INCREASE? AGAIN, AS YOU SEE, THE GROWTH FACTOR ACCOUNTED FOR 0.72%.

THAT CPI WITH THE EXCLUSION IS ANOTHER 1.95%, OR IT COMES TO A TOTAL OF 2.67%, AND THEN THAT SMALL 0.01%, THE ERS PENSION EXCLUSION BRINGS US UP TO 2.68%.

AGAIN, ANOTHER ILLUSTRATION TO SHOW FOLKS WHERE THE NEW TAX DOLLARS ARE BEING GENERATED AND WHERE THEY'RE DEDICATED TO.

MORE ABOUT BUDGETING IN THE TASK CAP ERA.

WE HAVE TO REALLY WORK HARD TO MAKE SURE THAT WE MANAGE OUR EXPENDITURES TO KEEP IN LINE WITH OUR REVENUES AND TRY TO REDUCE OUR RELIANCES ON FUND BALANCE AND RESERVE APPROPRIATIONS.

BECAUSE AGAIN, WE HAVE LIMITED CONTROLLABLE REVENUE SOURCES.

WE HAVE PROPERTY TAXES, WE HAVE STATE AID, WE HAVE SOME INTEREST INCOME, AND FUND BALANCES AND RESERVES, WHICH IS LIKE YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT.

THEY CAN BE USED, BUT AGAIN, YOU WANT TO USE THEM STRATEGICALLY.

ASSESSED VALUATION AND NON-HOMESTEAD.

EVERY PROPERTY THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT IS ASSESSED ANNUALLY.

IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT, A HOMESTEAD PROPERTY IS LIKE A SINGLE FAMILY HOME, AND A NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTY, THINK OF THAT LIKE A GROCERY STORE, LIKE A CHICO'S OR SOMETHING THAT'S A NON HOMESTEAD PROPERTY.

AGAIN, AS WE LOOK AT IT THIS YEAR, AND I THINK WE ALL SEE IT, THE ASSESSED VALUE OF PROPERTY HAS INCREASED YEAR-TO-YEAR.

WHAT YOU SEE HERE IS A 10-YEAR RUN-OUT OF THE ASSESSED VALUATION OF TOTAL PROPERTY VALUES WITHIN THE DISTRICT OVER THE YEARS.

NOW, WHAT YOU HAVE HERE, THOUGH, IS A BREAKDOWN OF HOMESTEAD VERSUS NON-HOMESTEAD.

AGAIN, WHAT WE SAW THIS YEAR WAS, WE SAW HOMESTEAD PROPERTY VALUATIONS WERE CLIMBING A LITTLE BIT FASTER THAN NON-HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES.

THAT'S WHAT WE'VE SEEN HERE, BUT AGAIN, IT'S A NICE GROWTH ON BOTH SIDES.

BUT WITH THE GROWTH OF THE BASE FACTORS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT, WITH THE HOMESTEAD VALUES GROWING A LITTLE BIT FASTER, THAT MEANS THAT THE HOMESTEAD PROPERTIES ARE GOING TO ABSORB A HIGHER PROPORTION OF THOSE TAXABLE DOLLARS OF THE MONIES THAT WE'RE TRYING TO RAISE THROUGH TAXATION.

WHAT WOULD THE EFFECT OF A SCHOOL TAX INCREASE BE FOR THIS YEAR? AGAIN, WE LOOKED AT THREE DIFFERENT SCENARIOS AND DIFFERENT AREAS, IF YOU HAVE A PROPERTY THAT A CHANGE ASSESSMENT VALUE AT 5% OR 8.26%,

[00:45:03]

THIS CHART, IT'S IN THE BUDGET BOOK AND WE PUT IT ON OUR WEBSITE.

IT GIVES FOLKS AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT THE IMPACT OF THAT, THAT ANNUAL INCREASE WILL BE YEAR TO YEAR.

STATE AID. AS DR.

CHAMP MENTIONED, OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, THE DISTRICT HAS REALLY STARTED TO RECEIVE A MUCH GREATER PORTION OF STATE AID THAT WE'VE REALLY BEEN UNDERFUNDED FOR ALL OF THOSE PREVIOUS YEARS.

THAT'S REALLY BEEN GREAT. THE DISTRICT HAS HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO EXPAND PROGRAM AND PUT THOSE DOLLARS TO USE.

AS YOU SEE, IT COMES IN MANY DIFFERENT FACTORS.

THE BIGGEST ONE THAT I WAS JUST TALKING ABOUT IS FOUNDATION AID.

AS YOU SEE LAST YEAR, IT WAS JUST UNDER $8 MILLION AT $7.9 MILLION.

THIS YEAR WE SEE ABOUT A $318,000 INCREASE, WHICH IS TERRIFIC, A CHANGE OF 4%.

I KNOW I SPOKE AT PREVIOUS MEETINGS, OTHER DISTRICTS HAVE CERTAINLY NOT BEEN AS FORTUNATE BECAUSE, FORMULAICALLY, THEY'VE NOT BEEN ENTITLED TO AS MUCH AS WHAT THEY'VE BEEN RECEIVING IN THE PAST, AND THE GOVERNOR HAS TRIED TO PULL SOME OF THAT BACK.

IN OUR INSTANCE, OBVIOUSLY, WE WEREN'T RECEIVING WHAT WE WERE ENTITLED TO AND WE'RE GETTING UP TO WHERE WE SHOULD BE.

FOR A LONG PERIOD OF TIME, THE FOLKS OF PELHAM HAVE BEEN BEARING A GREATER PORTION THAN WHAT THE FORMULAS REALLY HAD ENVISIONED THEM TO BE ABLE TO DO.

THIS WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO GET UP ON THAT LEVEL.

NOW, I THINK WHAT WE'RE SEEING AT THE STATE IS, HOW ARE THEY GOING TO MANAGE THAT, AND HOPEFULLY, STAY AT THAT LEVEL MOVING FORWARD. I'M SORRY.

>> SOMETIMES THERE'S QUESTIONS ABOUT THE BUDGET GROWTH OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS?

>> SURE.

>> BUT WOULD YOU SAY THIS IS THE MAIN DRIVER OR A SIGNIFICANT DRIVER OF THE BUDGET GROWTH THAT WE ACTUALLY RECEIVED MORE MONEY FROM THE STATE AND THE STRATEGIC DECISION WAS PUT IT RIGHT BACK INTO THE INCREDIBLE EDUCATION THAT WE'RE DELIVERING.

WE'RE HEARING EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL RECOGNIZED US NEWS, NATIONAL BLUE RIBBON, MULTIPLE NATIONAL LEVEL RECOGNITION OF STUDENTS.

I THINK IT'S THE RIGHT DECISION.

>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD WAY TO FRAME IT, THAT THOSE INCREASED DOLLARS HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TOWARDS THE EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

REMEMBER, DURING ALL THOSE YEARS, WE'VE STILL HAD A TAX CAP COMPLIANT BUDGET ALL THOSE YEARS.

CERTAINLY, FOUNDATION AID HAS REALLY MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE IN THAT IMPACT.

THERE'S SOME OTHER REVENUES THAT WE CAN SHARE TOO. I'M SORRY, WILL.

>> JIM, CAN I JUST PICK UP ON THAT AND PERHAPS FRAME IT IN A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT WAY, COMPLIMENTARY WAY, I GUESS, WHICH IS I THINK WHEN YOU LOOK, AND I'VE MENTIONED THIS IN THE LAST MEETING, AT THE INCREASE, WOULD YOU TAKE OUT THE ONE-OFF EXPENSES, CAPITAL EXPENDITURES AND YOU LOOK AT THE INCREASE IN OPERATING EXPENSES YEAR OVER YEAR.

I THINK WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT FIVE PERCENT-ISH INCREASE IN WHAT I WOULD CALL OPERATING EXPENSES.

BUT WE'RE ONLY INCREASING TAXES BY 2.68%.

WOULD IT BE FAIR TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE MIX OF OUR REVENUE SOURCES OVER TIME, WE'RE BECOMING INCREASINGLY DEPENDENT, TO SOME EXTENT, UPON STATE AID AND ALSO INTEREST INCOME, THAT'S BEEN ANOTHER WINDFALL OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS? IS THAT FAIR TO SAY?

>> I THINK THAT'S COMPLETELY FAIR TO SAY.

>> I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO ASK THIS QUESTION, BUT I'M GOING TO ANYWAY.

THERE ARE SOME PERHAPS CONCERNING TRENDS EVOLVING OVER STATE AID AND WHO KNOWS WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO INTEREST INCOME.

THAT'S COMPLETELY OUT OF OUR CONTROL.

OBVIOUSLY, YOU'RE PAID TO WORRY.

[LAUGHTER] I WORRY TOO, I'M JUST NOT PAID FOR IT.

BUT IF WE SAW THOSE REVENUE LINES, STATE AID AND INTEREST INCOME DECREASE MATERIALLY, THAT WOULD BE A PROBLEM.

HOW DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? WHAT WOULD OUR APPROACH BE?

>> WELL, I THINK THAT THAT REQUIRES A LOT OF THOUGHT AND CONVERSATION.

THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN APPROACH IT.

AGAIN, YOU CAN HOLD YOUR EXPENDITURES AND THEN TRY TO DETERMINE HOW YOU WANT TO MAINTAIN PAYING FOR THOSE EXPENDITURES.

[00:50:01]

WE'RE IN A FORTUNATE POSITION.

WE HAVE A SOLID FUND BALANCE.

I THINK IN SOME RESPECTS YOU HAVE THE BENEFIT OF SOME TIME TO BE ABLE TO BE DELIBERATE AND MAKE GOOD DECISIONS AND NOT HAVE TO MAKE VERY VAST DECISIONS.

BUT YOU WOULD HAVE TO CONSIDER DIFFERENT WAYS TO DO.

WOULD YOU THEN CONSIDER REDUCING PROGRAM OR REDUCING EXPENDITURES IN DIFFERENT WAYS, OR LOOKING FOR OTHER REVENUE SOURCES, OR TAPPING A HIGHER TAXATION? THERE'S A COUPLE DIFFERENT WAYS YOU COULD LOOK AT IT.

>> WELL, JUST AS WE GO THROUGH THIS BUDGET PROCESS, IN THE BACK OF MY MIND I GUESS WHAT I'M GOING TO BE THINKING IS, AGAIN, THE PERCENTAGE OF OUR REVENUES THAT COME FROM SOURCES OVER WHICH WE HAVE LITTLE CONTROL HAS INCREASED OVER TIME.

I THINK THAT'S JUST POTENTIALLY A REASON TO BE VERY MINDFUL OF OUR EXPENSES GROWTH.

>> AGAIN, I AGREE, AND WE LOVE DIVERSIFICATION, BUT WITH THAT COMES THE CONCERN THAT YOU'VE JUST JUST MENTIONED. I AGREE.

THE OTHER STATE FUNDS THAT WE TALK ABOUT ARE BUILDING AID.

A BUILDING AID IS USED TO HELP PAY FOR EXPENSES THAT WE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE.

IF YOU WERE TO GO BACK TO THE TAX CAP FORMULA, YOU WOULD SEE THERE'S A PORTION THERE WHERE WE ACCOUNT FOR BUILDING AID.

THEN WE HAVE BOCES AID. IT'S ANOTHER EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM, REALLY SCHOOL THAT WE'RE A PART OF FOR COOPERATIVE SERVICES.

THE REAL BENEFIT OF USING THE BOCES PROGRAMS ARE THAT WE'RE INCENTIVIZED BY THE STATE IN RECEIVING AID BASED ON SOME OF OUR BOCES EXPENDITURES IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

IF WE, LET'S JUST USE A SIMPLE EXAMPLE, SPEND $100 TODAY ON A BOCES PROGRAM, NEXT YEAR WE MAY GET $48 BACK FROM THAT ON BOCES, DEPENDING ON WHAT THE PROGRAM IS.

AS WE LOOK AT OUR DIFFERENT REVENUE SOURCES AND HOW WE SPEND DOLLARS, THOSE ARE SOME DELIBERATE DECISIONS WE MADE OVER THE YEARS.

WE'VE LOOKED AT CHANGING SOME OF OUR SPENDING PATTERNS IN BOCES OVER THE YEARS FOR THAT SPECIFIC REASON.

WE ALSO RECEIVED SOME AID FOR TRANSPORTATION.

WE'RE NOT A BUSING DISTRICT, BUT WE DO TRANSPORT OUR STUDENTS OUTSIDE THE DISTRICT, THEN WE'LL HAVE AN EVENING TO DISCUSS TRANSPORTATION.

WE ARE THE BENEFACTORS OF SOME TRANSPORTATION AID AND THEN SMALLER AMOUNTS FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, HIGH TAX AID, WHICH HAS BEEN A FLAT NUMBER AS LONG AS I CAN REMEMBER IT, AND SOME OTHER SMALLER AID ITEMS. BUT THE TOTAL AMOUNT, AS YOU CAN SEE, IS $13.3 MILLION, WHICH IS A NICE PART OF OUR BUDGET.

AS YOU COULD SEE, THE PERCENT CHANGE YEAR TO YEAR IS 4.45%.

WE HAVE DIFFERENT MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS.

WE TALKED ABOUT INTEREST EARNINGS WHICH IS NEAR THE BOTTOM BUT AT THE TOP HERE, WE HAVE SALES TAX.

WE'RE THE RECIPIENTS OF A PORTION OF SALES TAX THAT ARE COLLECTED BY THE COUNTY THAT ARE DEDICATED TO THE SCHOOLS, WHICH IS TERRIFIC.

THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN NICELY OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE STATE PERMITTED THE COUNTY TO ENACT LEGISLATION FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO RECEIVE A GREATER AMOUNT OF SALES TAX.

WE SEE THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN TO OVER A MILLION DOLLARS.

WE RECEIVE SOME MONEY FOR TUITION FOR STUDENTS.

WE HAVE SOME STAFF MEMBERS WHO BRING THEIR STUDENTS TO OUR SCHOOLS, FOR THAT THEY PAY TUITION.

THERE ARE A LIMITED NUMBER OF FOLKS IN CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES WHO MAY HAVE MOVED OUT OF TOWN, WHO ARE PERMITTED TO STAY IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, THEY'LL PAY TUITION.

THEN IN OTHER INSTANCES, WE HAVE SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IF WE HAVE CAPACITY AVAILABLE IN A SPECIALIZED SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS WHERE WE'LL RECEIVE STUDENTS FROM OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS AND BE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SYSTEM.

IF WE'VE GOT EXCESS CAPACITY, WE'RE ABLE TO RAISE SOME MONEY OFF OF THAT.

ON THIS EVENING'S AGENDA LATER TONIGHT, YOU'LL SEE THE RATES ARE SET EVERY YEAR BY THE STATE, AND THERE'S AN AGENDA ITEM TO ADJUST THOSE RATES.

INTEREST EARNINGS HAS BEEN A GREAT NUMBER.

JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, IT WAS BARELY NOTHING.

THIS YEAR, WE ANTICIPATE EARNING OVER A MILLION DOLLARS IN INTEREST INCOME DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THIS BUDGET.

THERE'S A LOT OF TALK ABOUT INTEREST RATE REDUCTIONS IN THE UPCOMING FUTURE.

THEN THERE WAS SOME LESS THAN GOOD NEWS, I GUESS, ECONOMICALLY.

THEN THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT HOLDING THE RATES A LITTLE BIT HIGHER.

BUT I THINK COLLECTIVELY, WE KNOW THAT THE OVERWHELMING CONSENSUS IS THAT THOSE RATES ARE GOING TO COME DOWN, AND THE DESIRE IS TO BRING THOSE RATES DOWN OVER THE NEXT FEW YEARS TO A LOWER LEVEL.

THEN WE HAVE OTHER MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS LIKE UTILITY PAYMENTS, PAYMENTS FROM THE TOWN, RENTAL CHARGES IF PEOPLE RENT OUR FACILITIES, IF WE AUCTION SOMETHING OFF, PROCEEDS FROM AUCTIONS OF SURPLUS ITEMS.

[00:55:02]

AS YOU CAN SEE, SALES TAX $1.35 MILLION, ALMOST CLOSING IN ON A MILLION DOLLARS IN TUITION.

PRIOR YEAR EXPENDITURES, SO INCLUDES ARTS IN ED.

ALSO, I MENTIONED WE'RE PART OF BOCES.

IF BOCES RUNS A PROFIT, THEY HAVE TO KICK IT BACK TO THEIR MEMBER DISTRICTS, OF WHICH WE'RE ONE OF THEM, SO EVERY YEAR WE'LL RECEIVE A PORTION OF THAT.

THEN INTEREST INCOMES, AS YOU COULD SEE THAT LAST YEAR WE ADDED $800,000.

WE'RE AT 1.1 IN THIS PARTICULAR BUDGET.

THEN UNDER OTHER FUNDING SOURCES, WHICH IS OUR FUND BALANCE OR RESERVE FUNDS, AND YOU REALLY WANT TO THINK OF THAT AS YOUR SAVINGS ACCOUNT, NOT A RENEWABLE DOLLAR.

AGAIN, NEW YORK STATE RECOMMENDS DISTRICTS CREATE RESERVE FUNDS FOR LONG-TERM LIABILITIES, WHICH WE DO HAVE FOR OUR TAX CERTIORARI RESERVE.

WE ALSO HAVE RESERVES FOR OUR RETIREMENT SYSTEM SO WHEN THAT CHANGES, WE'RE GOING TO BE PROPOSING DRAWING DOWN SOME OF THOSE FUNDS THIS YEAR FOR RETIREMENT FUND PAYMENTS.

THE GOAL IS TO MAINTAIN RESERVES AGAINST LIABILITIES AND SUPPORT THE BUDGET APPROPRIATELY THROUGH THE PLANNED UTILIZATION OF RESERVES, SO SMART UTILIZATION OF RESERVES OVER TIME.

THIS BUDGET, THIS IS THE BREAKDOWN OF THE PROPOSED UTILIZATION OF THAT.

AS YOU CAN SEE, IT'S ABOUT $1.2 MILLION FROM PRIOR YEAR CARRY FORWARD.

I JUST MENTIONED ABOUT 800,000 FROM THE ERS PENSION RESERVE.

THEN WE HAVE THE TRS, WHICH IS THE TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM RESERVE.

THAT DEBT SERVICE FUND KEEPS COMING BACK AGAIN, THAT $2.175 MILLION FOR A TOTAL OF $4.385 MILLION, WHICH THEN AGAIN, THAT MAKES UP ABOUT 4.7% OF THE BUDGET.

THAT'S THE REVENUE PART. SORRY.

>> CAN I ASK A QUESTION?

>> YES.

>> THE CAPITAL RESERVE DEDICATED FOR GLOVER FIELD, BECAUSE THERE WAS SOME DISCUSSION IN THE FACILITIES COMMITTEE THAT GLOVER FIELD IS STILL IN GOOD CONDITION BUT APPROACHING THE END OF LIFE AND MAY NEED TO BE REPLACED AT SOME POINT, AND WE HAVE THAT DEDICATED FUND FOR THAT.

>> WE DO, YES.

>> DO YOU KNOW THE TIMING IF WE NEED TO MAKE A DECISION?

>> YES. WE HAD A FACILITIES COMMITTEE MEETING YESTERDAY.

ONE OF THE ITEMS DISCUSSED WAS [OVERLAPPING]

>> IT FEELS LIKE WEEKS AGO. IT WAS ONLY YESTERDAY?

>> IT WAS YESTERDAY MORNING. I KNOW.

>> THAT WAS THREE MEETINGS AGO.

>> IT WAS YESTERDAY MORNING.

>> PROBABLY SO.

>> THE ORIGINAL GLOVER FIELD FOR THE FOOTBALL FIELD, I BELIEVE, WAS INSTALLED ABOUT IN 2013, SO WE'RE AT ABOUT YEAR 11 OF UTILIZATION OF THAT FIELD.

TURF FIELDS, YOU CAN GENERALLY EXPECT TO GET BETWEEN 12 AND 15 YEARS OF USE.

WHAT WE FIND IS THAT THE FIELD'S IN GOOD CONDITION, WE MAINTAIN IT.

WHEN WE HAVE RIPS OR CUTS, WE DO A NICE JOB IN MENDING THE SEAMS AND TAKING CARE OF IT, BUT THE FIELD ISN'T GOING TO LAST FOREVER.

AS WAS MENTIONED SOME YEARS AGO, THE DISTRICT CREATED A CAPITAL RESERVE FOR FIELDS AND, AS I UNDERSTAND IT, FOR REPLACING GLOVER FIELD FOR THE NEXT GRASS FIELD OR THE TURF FIELD WHEN IT GOES DOWN.

TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT, TO UTILIZE THOSE FUNDS, THE BOARD WOULD NEED TO CREATE AN AUTHORIZATION FOR A BALLOT ITEM.

IT WOULD BE A SEPARATE BALLOT ITEM IN THE BUDGET.

IT WOULD NEED TO BE APPROVED PROBABLY AT THE NEXT BOARD MEETING OF MARCH 20TH.

BEFORE THAT, SEQUENTIALLY, YOU'D HAVE TO DO A SECRET RESOLUTION THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE AN IMPACT, THE TYPE 2 IMPACT.

THAT'S OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE THE FIELD IS ALREADY THERE.

IT'S A REMOVE-AND-REPLACE TYPE OF A PROJECT.

THAT WOULD GIVE US THE TIME TO START THE PROCESS OF REMOVING AND REPLACING THAT FIELD SO THAT WE'RE NOT IN A POSITION WHERE THE FIELD STARTS TO FAIL AND THEN WE'RE WORKING FROM BEHIND.

THIS GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE, TO BE A LITTLE BIT PROACTIVE, AND GETTING THAT FIELD REPLACED REALLY BEFORE IT GETS INTO A CONDITION THAT WE'RE NOT REALLY PROUD OF OR THAT WE FEEL RUSHED INTO DOING.

>> JIM, TO BE CLEAR, WHAT IMPACT, IF ANY, WOULD THAT HAVE ON THE ACTUAL BUDGET?

>> I DIDN'T MENTION THAT. THANK YOU [OVERLAPPING] SINCE IT COMES OUT OF THE CAPITAL RESERVE AND IT'S A SEPARATE BALLOT ITEM, IT WOULD HAVE A ZERO IMPACT.

IT'S A SEPARATE ACCOUNT THAT WE HAVE.

THE ONLY WAY YOU CAN SPEND THAT MONEY IS BY A PUBLIC VOTE.

UNLESS THE VOTE IS VOTED IN THE AFFIRMATIVE, THE MONEY STAYS THERE UNTIL THE PUBLIC VOTES TO RELEASE THOSE FUNDS.

THAT'S THE PARTICULAR OF HAVING THAT CAPITAL RESERVE.

>> YOU SAID MARCH 20TH?

>> MARCH 20TH.

>> WOULD BE THE DEADLINE.

>> WE TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT FACILITIES

[01:00:02]

THAT'S THE BORING PART OF THE BUDGET A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD THINK.

NOW WHAT'S THE EXCITING PART? WHAT ARE WE GOING TO SPEND OUR MONEY ON? AGAIN, THIS IS THE BIG SHEET THAT YOU SEE AS NO SURPRISE.

MOST OF THE DOLLARS ARE SPENT ON SALARIES AND BENEFITS.

EDUCATION IS A PEOPLE BUSINESS AND THAT'S WHERE THOSE DOLLARS ARE SPENT.

WE CAN GO DOWN EACH ONE OF THESE AGAIN, AS YOU SEE WHAT THE ADOPTED BUDGET WAS LAST YEAR, THE VARIANCE FROM YEAR TO YEAR IN DOLLARS AND PERCENTAGE AND A PERCENTAGE OF THE TOTAL EXPENSE BUDGET THAT'S BEING PRESENTED HERE.

IF YOU LOOK AT IT IN THE PIE CHART, WHICH REALLY ISN'T A SURPRISE, AGAIN, MOST OF THAT IS TAKEN UP BY INSTRUCTION AND GENERAL SUPPORT A SMALL PORTION OF DEBT SERVICE, AND THAT OTHER PORTION ON THE LEFT THAT YOU SEE THERE IS EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, WHICH AGAIN, THAT REALLY RELATES BACK TO THE PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING THE INSTRUCTION.

ANOTHER LOOK AT IT AS WE LOOK AT IT IN SALARIES, ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE, IN BLUE, THAT MAKES UP ABOUT A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN HALF OF IT AND THEN EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, IS THAT BOTTOM LEFT CORNER OR QUADRANT THAT YOU SEE THERE.

THAT OTHER QUADRANT THERE THEN THAT YOU SEE IS TEXTBOOKS, DEBT, SERVICE, SUPPLIES, AND TUITIONS, AND OUR BOSSES' EXPENDITURES.

THIS IS SOMETHING THAT'S JUST REQUIRED BY STATE LAW.

AS WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGETS IN THE THREE COMPONENT CATEGORIES, INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS MAKE UP JUST SHY OF 75% OF OUR BUDGET, 74.9%.

CAPITAL, IT MAKES UP 16% OF THE BUDGET.

THE ADMINISTRATIVE COMPONENT OF THE BUDGET IS 9.1%.

WE SAY IT EVERY YEAR BY STATE LAW THAT CANNOT EXCEED 10%.

AGAIN, WE FALL BENEATH THAT AND ARE COMPLIANT WITH STATE LAW.

AS YOU LOOK AT THE LARGER CATEGORIES, BUDGET TO BUDGET, WHAT'S DRIVING THE CHANGE? AS YOU CAN SEE, SALARY AND BENEFITS IS DRIVING A SIGNIFICANT PORTION OF THE BUDGET YEAR TO YEAR.

THAT'S $3.4 MILLION WITH SPECIAL EDUCATION DISTRICT NEEDS DRIVING ABOUT $500,000.

TRANSPORTATION 300.

AS WE LOOK AT OUR BUDGET YEAR TO YEAR, LAST YEAR WE HAD A TWO MILLION DOLLAR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE FOR THE HVAC REPLACEMENTS WHICH ARE STILL WORKING ON IN THIS BUILDING AND PLACE AT COLONIAL.

THAT TWO MILLION DOLLARS IS NOT IN THIS BUDGET.

THEN WE HAVE ALL OTHER SMALLER CHANGES.

AGAIN, THE YEAR TO YEAR CHANGE IS JUST $2.4 MILLION OR 2.68%.

IF YOU WERE TO TAKE OUT AGAIN THAT CAPITAL AND DO AN APPLES TO APPLES, YOU'RE LOOKING AT $4.4 MILLION.

I LIKE THIS CHART.

THIS IS THE STUFF THAT [LAUGHTER] IT'S GOOD FOR FINANCE PEOPLE.

WHAT THIS REALLY DOES IS IT GIVES YOU AN UNDERSTANDING OUT OF WHAT THE CHANGES ARE IN THE BUDGET.

ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE, AGAIN, SHOWS YOU THE VARIANCES IN THE REVENUE YEAR TO YEAR.

ON THE RIGHT IT SHOWS YOU WHAT THEIR EXPENDITURE VARIANCES ARE YEAR TO YEAR.

AS YOU FLOW DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THE PAGE, YOU CAN SEE THE TOTAL INCREASE IN REVENUES YEAR TO YEAR IS $2.4 MILLION.

THE REVENUE AND THE EXPENDITURES IS $2.4 MILLION.

OF COURSE, THERE'S A LOT OF DETAIL BEHIND THAT, THAT'S PART OF LINE BY LINE.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS JUST TO GIVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF WHERE THOSE NUMBERS ARE CHANGING FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

AGAIN, THE BUDGET AT A GLANCE, $93.4 MILLION.

IT IS A COINCIDENCE, 2.68%, 2.68%, AND 2.68%.

AGAIN, I THINK EVERY YEAR WE'VE WORKED ON THE BUDGET, THERE'S ALWAYS BEEN CHANGES. THINGS DO CHANGE.

INTEREST INCOME CAN CHANGE DEPENDING ON WHAT WE HEAR ABOUT HAPPENING IN THE ECONOMY.

WE CAN HAVE MORE TUITION STUDENTS.

A DISTRICT CAN APPROACH PELHAM AND SAY, ARE YOU ABLE TO TAKE ANOTHER SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENT? WE CAN MAKE THOSE MODIFICATIONS.

WE MAY HAVE SOMEONE MOVE INTO THE DISTRICT OR SOMEONE IN THE DISTRICT WHO NOW REQUIRES DIFFERENT NEEDS, AND IT MAY BE A MORE COSTLY OR LESS COSTLY PROGRAM.

WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO IS WE'RE GOING TO TRACK THOSE CHANGES AS WE WORK THROUGH THE PROCESS.

WE'VE DONE THAT EVERY YEAR, AND THAT'S PART OF THE PROCESS OF GOING THROUGH THE BUDGET CYCLE.

WE'VE GOT A NUMBER OF MEETINGS, OBVIOUSLY.

WE'VE GOT, I THINK, THREE LINE BY LINE MEETINGS AND THEN A BUDGET ADOPTION MEETING AFTER THAT, PUBLIC HEARING, AND THEN THE FINAL BUDGET VOTE, I BELIEVE IS MAY 21ST.

[01:05:02]

>> YOU'VE ALWAYS HAD REALLY AN OPEN DOOR POLICY FOR BOARD MEMBERS WHO HAVE QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEW BOARD MEMBERS.

IF YOU WANT TO GO OVER ANYTHING.

>> THANK YOU FOR MENTIONING THAT. ABSOLUTELY. WE'LL GO OVER LINE BY LINE. HAPPY TO DO THAT.

WE'RE TRYING TO SCHEDULE MEETINGS WITH OUR FINANCE COMMITTEE BECAUSE I THINK THERE'S GOING TO BE QUESTIONS THAT ARE COMING OUT OF THE BUDGET.

CERTAINLY BOARD MEMBERS CAN ASK THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEMBERS, THE BOARD MEMBERS CAN ASK US DIRECTLY.

WE'LL GIVE YOU THE ANSWERS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR.

WE'LL GIVE YOU THAT INFORMATION.

>> THANKS.

>> THANK YOU. I THINK NOW WE TRANSITION TO THE ACTUAL LINE BY LINE ITSELF IF THERE'S NO MORE QUESTIONS ON THE OVERVIEW AT THIS POINT.

I BELIEVE THAT IT'S DR. BOWMAN TO KICK THINGS OFF.

IF YOU CAN GIVE US PAGE NUMBER.

>> IF EVERYONE COULD START ON PAGE C-9.

THE FIRST LINE IS OUR 2010 145 LINE, WHICH INCLUDES SALARIES.

AGAIN, THE BUDGET INCREASE HERE REFLECTS RECENT HISTORICAL EXPERIENCES.

IT IS A LIMITED INCREASE DUE TO SOME INCREASES IN OUR NEED FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AROUND NEW COURSES IN THE HIGH SCHOOL, AS WELL AS OUR SEAL OF CIVIC READINESS PROPOSALS AND UPDATES IN OUR LITERACY DEVELOPMENT.

WHEN WE MOVE TO THE NEXT CODE, WHICH IS THE 419 CODE, THAT'S WHERE WE PAY OUT FOR OUR RESPONSIVE CLASSROOM.

SORRY, FOR THAT. ALSO WHERE WE ADDED THE CULTURAL COMPETENCY CONSULTANT COST AS WELL.

>> DR. BOWMAN, JUST ONE REMINDER I WAS GOING TO ASK.

I'M SORRY, I HAD A QUESTION FOR YOU JUST A MOMENT AGO.

CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT DID YOU JUST MENTION UNDER THE FIRST CODE? I'M SORRY.

>> 419.

>> I GOT IT. SORRY, IT'S LATE.

COULD YOU JUST REMIND US THE STATUS OF THE SEAL OF CIVIC READINESS? I BELIEVE WE'RE LOOKING TO PILOT THAT AT THE HIGH SCHOOL NEXT YEAR.

>> WE ARE PILOTING IT THIS YEAR IN THE HIGH SCHOOL WITH OUR AP GOVERNMENT STUDENTS AND WE'RE LOOKING TO INCREASE EXPENSE.

>> THANK YOU. THAT'S WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT. APOLOGIZE FOR THAT.

>> NO PROBLEM. NEXT PAGE, C-10. AGAIN, THE FIRST PORTION WITH THE 150 LINE IS SALARIES.

WE HAVE BOTH MY OFFICE AS WELL AS BUILDING ADMINISTRATORS, AND THOSE ARE BASED UPON CONTRACTUAL AGREEMENTS.

WE HAVE SALARIES FOR 160, OUR CLERICAL ASSISTANCE, AND THOSE EXPENDITURES ARE BASED ON STAFFING VACANCIES THAT WE HAVE AS WELL.

THEN AGAIN, IF YOU LOOK AT 165, WE HAVE REDUCED THAT BASED ON OUR RECENT HISTORICAL EXPERIENCE TO NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO FILL THOSE ROLES.

ONCE WE GET PAST THAT, WHEN WE GET TO THE 400 LINE, WE ARE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOME OVERALL BUILDING BUDGETS, AND YOU'LL SEE AS I MOVE FORWARD THAT THOSE FORMULAS ARE BASED ON A PER PUPIL EXPENDITURE, AS WELL AS NEED FACTORS THAT INCLUDE FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH, STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, AND OUR ENL STUDENTS.

SOME OF THOSE ITEMS HAVE SHIFTED WITHIN THE BUDGETS OF THE BUILDINGS, AND I'LL GO THROUGH THEM WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT FURTHER.

FOR STARTERS, YOU'LL SEE IN THE 450 LINES FOR EACH OF THE BUILDINGS, THESE SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS ARE BASED UPON RUNNING OUR OFFICES.

THESE ARE NON-INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS, AND SO YOU'LL SEE SOME REDUCTIONS IN THAT ASPECT, AND THOSE WILL BE OFFSET A LITTLE BIT LATER WHEN WE MOVE TO PAGE C13.

JUST PUT A PIN IN THAT, AND YOU'LL SEE WHERE THAT HAS BEEN APPROPRIATED FOR NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.

MOVING ON TO PAGE C11.

OUR TEACHERS' CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS.

[01:10:01]

WHEN YOU MOVE ON TO THE 2070 CODES, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THAT'S WHERE WE HAVE SOME OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES FOR OUR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPERS, AS WELL AS CONFERENCES AND WORKSHOPS AND CURRICULUM COACHES.

MOVING ON TO PAGE C12.

COMING UP IN THE NEXT MEETING WE'LL GO INTO MORE DEPTH ABOUT OUR SALARIES, AND SO THIS IS REALLY WHERE A LOT OF THAT LIVES FOR OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

BUT YOU'LL SEE TEACHERS' SALARIES FOR OUR 120 CODE AND OUR 130 CODE.

THESE PRELIMINARY BUDGETARY EXPENSES DO INCLUDE STEP INCREASES, BUT THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING UNITS ARE CURRENTLY UNDER NEGOTIATION, SO THOSE WILL BE REFLECTED LATER ON.

WHEN WE GET TO STIPENDS, IF YOU WANT TO TAKE A LOOK AT APPENDIX 4, IT GOES INTO MUCH MORE DEPTH.

PARTICULARLY WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS HOW WE INCLUDE ADDITIONAL FUNDS FOR EXTRA DUTY ASSIGNMENTS BASED ON NEEDS THAT WE HAVE.

WHEN WE HAVE TEACHERS WHO HAVE OVERAGES, THAT'S WHERE THAT COMES FROM.

UNDERNEATH THAT WE HAVE 133, WHICH IS MANDATED HOME INSTRUCTION.

JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS IS OUR HOURLY IN-HOUSE HOME INSTRUCTION THAT OCCURS, NOT WITH CONTRACTUAL AGENCIES THAT ARE OUTSIDE COMING IN, BUT THIS IS FOR OUR OWN EMPLOYEES.

AGAIN, DAILY SUBSTITUTE TEACHER SALARIES, THAT'S NOT ONLY FOR WHEN YOU HAVE A DAILY SUB, BUT IF YOU HAVE A TEACHER WHO TAKES A CLASS AS A COVERAGE FOR A DAY.

MOSTLY THAT'S ON THE SECONDARY LEVEL IF YOU TAKE A PERIOD COVERAGE OF A COLLEAGUE.

SALARIES FOR OUR CLERICAL ASSISTANCE IS 160 AND THAT'S FOR OUR ATTENDANCE OFFICERS.

LUNCH PROGRAM SUPERVISION, WE ARE ADJUSTING THAT BACK TO THE ACTUAL EXPENSES THAT OCCURRED IN THE 2022, 2023 YEAR.

CLERICAL SUBSTITUTES, AGAIN, THIS BUDGET REFLECTS INCREASED RECENT HISTORICAL EXPENSES.

WE'RE JUST MAKING THAT QUICK ADJUSTMENT THERE.

WE MOVE ON TO EXPENSES AND EQUIPMENT.

>> I'M SORRY, I'LL JUMP IN A LITTLE BIT.

ON LUNCH PROGRAM, YOU DO SEE AN INCREASE THERE.

WE DID HAVE A SURPLUS IN THAT LUNCH FUND THAT WE HAD TO DRAW DOWN.

WE WERE IN THE PROCESS OF DRAWING THAT DOWN.

WE'VE MOVED THAT DOWN TO THE LEVEL THAT IS NOW ACCEPTABLE.

WITH THAT, WE'RE RETURNING TO THE MORE HISTORICAL LEVELS THAT WE'VE BUDGETED FOR YEAR TO YEAR.

AS YOU LOOK AT IT, THAT'S WHY YOU SEE THAT VARIANCE YEAR TO YEAR.

>> ALSO, THIS IS WHERE YOU HAVE CONTINGENCY POSITIONS IN THE BUDGET, TEACHING POSITIONS, OR?

>> AS WE BUILT THE BUDGET, AS WE DO EVERY YEAR, WE BUILT TWO CONTINGENT POSITIONS IN PLACE.

AGAIN, WE'RE GOING TO SPEND OUR WHOLE MEETING ON STAFFING, BUT AS WE LOOK AT, SAY, THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, WE BUILT IT WITH TWO CONTINGENT POSITIONS.

BASED ON ENROLLMENT, WE ENDED UP USING THOSE POSITIONS.

THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, AGAIN, BASED ON ENROLLMENT INCLUDES THOSE POSITIONS.

NOW WE ADD TWO MORE CONTINGENT POSITIONS ON TOP OF THAT, BECAUSE THOSE CONTINGENT POSITIONS WERE USED.

>> BASED ON ENROLLMENT.

>> BASED ON ENROLLMENT.

>> WHICH IMPACTS CLASS SIZES.

>> YES.

>> MOVING ALONG TO EQUIPMENT.

THE NEXT LINE, THE 2010, 200 LINE, THAT'S THE FUND THAT IS USED TO FUND OUR FLEXIBLE FURNITURE EXPENDITURES OVER A YEAR.

YOU'LL SEE THAT WE ARE SLOWING THE PACE OF THIS PHASE FUNDING TO REFLECT THE INDIVIDUALITY OF EACH OF THE CLASSROOMS IN EACH OF THE SCHOOLS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCORPORATING SOME OF THE INDIVIDUAL OPPORTUNITIES THAT EACH CLASSROOM PROVIDES AND SOME OF THE DIFFERENT STYLES THAT TEACHERS ARE LOOKING TO INCORPORATE SO THAT THEY CAN HAVE THEIR SPACE REFLECT THE NEEDS AND ALSO THE STRUCTURE OF THE ROOMS IN WHICH THEY'RE TEACHING.

>> THAT'S BASED ON LESSONS LEARNED, I GUESS.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

>> ACTUALLY, SOUNDS LIKE BEING VERY THOUGHTFUL AND USING THE MONEY IN THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY.

>> YES, ABSOLUTELY. A HUNDRED PERCENT.

MOVING TO C13, THE FIRST LINE HERE WHICH IS THE 2010, 400 CODE, DISTRICT-WIDE CONTRACTUAL.

THE INCREASE THERE YOU'LL SEE IS DUE TO THE INCREASED NUMBER OF RESIDENCY INVESTIGATIONS THAT HAVE BEEN TAKING PLACE IN THE ANTICIPATION THAT

[01:15:02]

>> THE TENT FOR GRADUATION.

>> SORRY. THE TENTS GOT MORE EXPENSIVE?

>> WE PUT IT HERE.

>> THE TENTS GOT MOVED THERE.

>> TO THE RESIDENCY.

>> RESIDENCE.

>> NEXT. MOVING DOWN, YOU'LL SEE THIS IS ALSO PART OF WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS BUDGETS COME IN AND HERE'S WHERE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT CONTRACTUAL AREAS, SO THINGS LIKE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONFERENCES, MEMBERSHIPS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS.

YOU'LL SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME CHANGES BUT IT'S REALLY JUST, LIKE I SAID SAID EARLIER, WHERE WE WERE DECREASING, HERE WE'RE INCREASING AND IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE WHEN WE GET DOWN TO MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.

THESE MATERIALS SUPPLIES ARE INSTRUCTIONAL AND SO THE REDUCTION IN THE COSTS FOR RUNNING OUR ADMINISTRATION, SO THE OFFICES HAS BEEN REALLOCATED SO THAT IT'S MORE CLOSELY ALIGNED WITH INSTRUCTION.

BUT MOVING UP A LITTLE BIT, SORRY, I'M GOING A LITTLE OUT OF ORDER.

AS DR. CHANT MENTIONED EARLIER, ARE STILL CONTINUING TO BE PART OF THE IB IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL YEARS AND SO THAT'S IN THE 401 CODE.

THE 406 CODE IS AGAIN, REGIONAL ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP DUES, CURRICULUM COUNCILS, TRI-STATES, THOSE ORGANIZATIONS WITH WHICH WE TAKE PART.

UNDERNEATH, YOU HAVE OUR INTERN SUPPORT PROGRAM EACH YEAR.

WE HAVE IN THE PAST, BUDGETED FOR 10 INTERNS.

WE'VE HAD A HARD TIME FINDING 10 INTERNS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS AND SO WE'VE ADJUSTED TO BUDGET FOR EIGHT INTERNS.

YOU'LL SEE THAT AGAIN IN A DIFFERENT PORTION OF THE BUDGET.

BUT THE PART OF THAT THAT I WANT TO MAKE SURE IS CLEAR IS THAT THIS IS THE PORTION OF THE BUDGET THAT IS SPENT WITH OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITIES.

PORTION OF THE INTERNSHIP BUDGET IS FOR THE UNIVERSITIES PARTNERSHIP, AND A PORTION OF IT GOES TO THE STUDENTS THEMSELVES, THE INTERNS.

THIS PART IS THE PART THAT YOU WOULD SEE THAT GOES TOWARDS THE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOLS.

>> WE BUDGET FOR EIGHT.

DO WE HAVE EIGHT?

>> WE [OVERLAPPING] HAVE HALF A DECADE.

>> OKAY.

>> THAT'S THE ECONOMY AND ALSO THE FACT THAT THE NUMBER OF ACTUAL PEOPLE GOING TO TEACHING HAS DROPPED TREMENDOUSLY AND ALSO COMPETITION WITH OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS WHO HAVE THE SIMILAR PROGRAMS. DO YOU COMPOUND THAT ALL? I HAVEN'T SEEN EIGHT INTERNS SINCE I STARTED.

>> YOU HAVEN'T SEEN WHAT?

>> I HAVEN'T SEEN EIGHT INTERNS IN THIS DISTRICT SINCE I STARTED HERE.

IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND THEM.

THERE'S GREAT COMPETITION FOR THAT.

BUT WHEN WE DO FIND THEM, THEY DO A GREAT JOB FOR US.

>> YEAH.

>> YOU SAID THE FIRST FACTOR WAS THE ECONOMY?

>> YES.

>> BECAUSE ARE THEY REQUIRED TO DO THE-

>> [OVERLAPPING] JOBS AS TEACHERS.

>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO AN INTERNSHIP? YOU COULD JUST GO STRAIGHT IN TO BE ALLOWED

>> [OVERLAPPING] BEEN SUCKED UP BACK INTO THE TEACHER RANKS.

>> THERE ARE STUDENT TEACHER REQUIREMENTS SO THAT'S DIFFERENT THAN THIS INTERNSHIP PROGRAM.

THERE'S MONEY PAID TOWARDS TUITION AND MONEY PAID TOWARDS EXAMS.

>> STUDENT TEACHER IS STILL IN SCHOOL?

>> YES.

>> AND AN INTERN HAS GRADUATED.

>> [OVERLAPPING] THEY'RE PRE-SERVICE BUT SOME OF THEM DO GET CERTIFICATIONS ALONG THE WAY.

SOME OF THEM ARE MULTIPLE CERTIFICATIONS BECAUSE SOMETIMES THEY GET THE ELEMENTARY CERTIFICATION AND THEN THEY MOVE ON TO TRY TO GET A SECOND CERTIFICATION, AND WE CAN SUCK THEM INTO THAT INTERNSHIP ROLE.

WE'VE HAD A GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH IONA OVER THE YEARS, BUT WE ALSO EXPANDED TO OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS.

BUT THERE IS, LET'S JUST SAY THAT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE CAUGHT ON TO THAT GIG, SO IT'S VERY HARD TO FIND THEM.

THEN THROUGH COVID, AS YOU KNOW, THE FACT THAT THERE WAS SUCH A LACK OF SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS DISTRICTS JUST BROUGHT THEM IN.

DISTRICTS TRYING TO RECOVER FROM THAT AND PROGRAMS BECAUSE IT'S NOT, UNFORTUNATELY THE EDUCATION FIELD HASN'T BEEN AS POPULAR WITH A LOT OF COLLEGE GRADUATES.

>> BUT IF WE'VE HAD SUCCESS WITH THE INTERN PROGRAM, AND THERE ARE ALL THESE NEW CHALLENGES FROM A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE, WHAT COULD WE BE DOING TO BECOME MORE ATTRACTIVE?

>> YOU CAN PAY THEM MORE.

>> HOW MUCH?

>> I'M NOT SURE. I HAVEN'T REALLY DONE THAT RESEARCH.

IF A DISTRICT WANTS TO EXPLORE THAT WE CAN INCREASE THAT TO THE BUDGET.

>> IT SEE RELATIVE TO [LAUGHTER] 93.

IF YOU'RE SAYING THAT THESE COULD BE REALLY GREAT LEVERS TO CREATE A NEW PIPELINE OF TALENT, SEEMS WORTHY IF INVESTMENT [OVERLAPPING]

[01:20:02]

>> IF THAT'S WHAT THE INVESTMENT WISHES IS, THEN THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE DISTRICT SHOULD PURSUE.

>> IT'S WELL WORTH SOME RESEARCH.

I KNOW IF THAT'S COME BACK TO THE NEXT MEETING OR COME BACK FOR THIS LINE ITEM, BUT THAT WOULD BE OF INTEREST.

>> ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO UNDERSTAND WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS MAY BE PAYING COMPARATIVE?

>> ALL OF IT.

>> IF OTHER DISTRICTS YOU JUST SAID HAVE CAUGHT ON, HAVE THEY CAUGHT ON IN WHAT WAYS, AND WHO'S THE MOST SUCCESSFUL AND HOW DO WE BECOME THE MOST SUCCESSFUL?

>> PART OF ME WONDERS IF THEY'RE HAVING ANY MORE SUCCESS THAN WE ARE OR NOT.

>> FOR WHAT?

>> THEY'VE CAUGHT ONTO THE IDEA FOR SURE.

I THINK STEVE'S POINT OF SUPPLY I THINK IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST ISSUES.

[OVERLAPPING] WE COULD CERTAINLY DO SOME WORK ON RATES AND SUCCESS.

I THINK ONE OF THE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'LL NEED TO THINK ABOUT, AND I'M SURE WE'LL GET TO IT AS THE CONVERSATION EVOLVES, IS THERE'S LOTS OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT KIDS.

THIS CERTAINLY IS ONE THAT IS VERY COST EFFECTIVE.

GIVES THE PERSON AN OPPORTUNITY THAT I THINK IS A STRONGER PREPARATION THAN YOUR TYPICAL STUDENT TEACHING.

BUT THERE ARE A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT WAYS THAT WE CAN SUPPORT KIDS.

I THINK THAT'S MAYBE ANOTHER PIECE OF THE CONVERSATION IS, AND THIS IS WHERE THE EXPERTISE OF THE ADMINISTRATORS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

WHAT IS THE BEST APPROACH TO THAT?

>> JUST IN GENERAL, WE HAVE STRATEGY ON OUR BRAINS SO, WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA FOR CREATING A MORE VIBRANT PIPELINE OF TALENT INTO THE DISTRICT? WE'D LOVE TO BRAINSTORM THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION.

>> THAT MAY BE PART OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN DISCUSSION TOO BECAUSE WE HAD SAID POSSIBLY STAFFING OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT IS ONE OF THE PILLARS OF THE STRATEGIC PLAN.

>> WE CAN TAKE A LOOK AT SOME RESEARCH ON INTERNSHIP RATES IN OTHER DISTRICTS.

>> SURE.

>> THANKS, STEVE. MOVING ALONG TO PAGE C14.

DISTRICT WIDE MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES IN OUR 456 CODE HAS REMAINED FLAT YEAR OVER YEAR, AS HAS OUR TUITION FOR CHARTER SCHOOLS.

WHAT WE SET ASIDE, WE'VE GOT ONE HISTORICALLY, I THINK A CHARTER SCHOOL STUDENT PAYING TUITION FOR WHOM WE BUDGETED TUITION.

IN OUR TEXTBOOK CODE, YOU'LL NOTICE THAT ANY CHANGES HERE ARE SUPPORTED IN OUR MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES CODE.

THIS IS JUST, AGAIN, SOME OF THE REALLOCATION OF OUR BUILDINGS BUDGETARY CODES.

NEXT WE'RE GOING TO MOVE TO PAGE C23 [NOISE] WHERE WE'LL TALK ABOUT OUR LIBRARY AND AV EQUIPMENT.

THE FIRST PORTION WHICH IS THE 131 CODE, 150 CODE, AND 165 CODE, THOSE ARE ALL SALARIES FOR OUR LIBRARY AND AV STAFF.

AT THE TOP, WE HAVE OUR TA'S WHO SUPPORT OUR ELEMENTARY LIBRARIES AND THE AV SPECIALISTS IN THE SECONDARY WHO REALLY DOES SERVICE K12 THOUGH.

WE HAVE OUR LIBRARIANS UNDER THERE, THAT'S THE TEACHERS STAFF AND THEN SUPPORT STAFF AND SUBS WHO COVER FOR THOSE FOLKS LISTED EARLIER IN THE SECTION.

WHEN WE GET TO THE MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES, YOU'LL SEE THAT THEY LARGELY REMAIN THE SAME WITH ONE EXCEPTION, WHICH IS THE MIDDLE SCHOOL WHERE WE ARE BUDGETING TO HAVE 10 POWER TOWERS, WHICH YOU'LL SEE RIGHT HERE SO THAT THE STUDENTS CAN MAKE SURE THAT THEIR DEVICES ARE FULLY CHARGED WHEN THEY COME TO THE LIBRARY.

BECAUSE SOMETIMES MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS FORGET TO CHARGE THEIR DEVICES.

>> I'VE HEARD A LOT ABOUT THAT ACTUALLY.

[LAUGHTER]

>> YES. OTHERWISE, EVERYTHING ON THIS PAGE SEEMS RELATIVELY STABLE FROM YEAR TO YEAR.

THEN, WHERE WE'RE GOING TO MOVE NEXT IS H3-H5 IS WHERE YOU'LL SEE A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL FOR THAT.

IT'S IN, WHERE DID I END UP JACKIE?

>> APPENDIX 4?

>> YES, APPENDIX 4 PAGE H3 AND H5.

THAT'S WHERE YOU'LL SEE OVER AND HERE THERE ARE OUR STIPENDS AND THAT'S IF YOU WANT TO LOOK TO SEE THE STIPENDS IN GREATER DEPTH, IT'S A ROLLOVER YEAR TO YEAR, SO THERE'S NOTHING NEW TO SEE.

YOU'RE WELCOME TO TAKE A LOOK.

[01:25:01]

>> YOU'RE BASED ON COLLECTIVE BARGAINING?

>> RIGHT, WHICH IS UNDER NEGOTIATION.

>> THOSE NUMBERS COULD CHANGE, BUT THEY COULD.

YES.

THIS IS FOR CLUBS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT NOT FOR ATHLETIC?

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> I WOULD SAY I KNOW THAT DR. GARCIA WORKS WITH THE UNION ON A FAIRLY REGULAR BASIS TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THESE AS CLUBS COME INTO AND OUT OF FAVOR AND ARE SUBSCRIBED OR UNDERSUBSCRIBED MORE THAN ONCE.

I KNOW HE'S COME TOGETHER.

>> [OVERLAPPING] STILL IS THAT, IF SOMETHING IS NOT POPULAR, IT MAY NOT BE FILLED.

WE MAY NOT FILL IT IF YOU WANT TO REMOVE A CLUB OR ACTIVITY THAT HAS TO BE COLLECTIVELY BARGAINED.

SOMETIMES WE JUST DON'T FILL THEM.

AGAIN, IT'S BASED ON STUDENT INTERESTS AND IT'S NEGOTIATED BY THE STIPEND.

WE TRY TO KEEP IT AS EVEN AS POSSIBLE.

THIS IS A SIMILAR CLUB OR ACTIVITY, YOU WANT THE SIPHON TO BE AT A SIMILAR LEVEL.

AT THIS YEAR, I DON'T BELIEVE WE'VE GOT ANYTHING.

>> NO BUT IT'S BEEN AT LEAST TWICE, I THINK THAT I REMEMBER IN PRIOR YEAR [OVERLAPPING] UPDATES.

>> THAT'S EVERYTHING FOR ME.

>> GREAT. THANK YOU.

>> NEXT ON OUR AGENDA?

>> INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, JOHN SEBALOS.

>> NO TECHNOLOGY.

>> HE'S GOT SOME TECHNOLOGY.

[BACKGROUND] IT'S LIKE IF I DIDN'T HAVE NUMBERS IN MY REPORT.

>> [INAUDIBLE].

>> EXACTLY.

>> GIVE ME ONE MINUTE. IS THAT OKAY OR DO YOU NEED THAT IN FULL SCREEN? IT'S UP TO YOU. [BACKGROUND] I'M GOOD.

IS EVERYONE OKAY SEEING THAT SCREEN?

>> YES.

>> JUST BECAUSE IT'S EASIER. I HAVE SOME NOTES ON HERE FOR MYSELF AS WELL, SO IT JUST MAKES IT A LITTLE EASIER FOR ME.

GREAT. I KNOW YOU GOT TO TALK INTO THIS, RIGHT?

>> YES.

>> I'M GOING TO GET STARTED. EXCELLENT. I JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE THIS EVENING FOR ALLOWING ME TO PRESENT OUR BUDGET FOR THIS YEAR.

WITH OUR OVERVIEW FOR TONIGHT, I JUST WANT TO START WITH A QUICK QUOTE FROM GEORGE COUROS.

I THINK IT HELPS SET THE TONE FOR WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WITH TECHNOLOGY WITHIN PELHAM FOR THE NEXT YEAR.

WHAT I CARE ABOUT IS THAT KIDS ARE INSPIRED TO BE BETTER PEOPLE BECAUSE OF THEIR EXPERIENCES IN SCHOOL.

I THINK THAT'S A REALLY IMPORTANT THING TO HAVE IN MIND AS YOU START TO GO FORWARD INTO THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR, BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE DO HERE IN TECHNOLOGY IS NOT JUST ABOUT TECHNOLOGY, IT'S ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR OUR STUDENTS HERE IN PELHAM.

I THINK THAT'S A CORE FOUNDATION OF EVERYTHING THAT WE'RE DOING HERE DAY TO DAY IN OUR SCHOOLS.

THIS IS GOING TO BE A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF EVERYTHING WE'RE GOING TO GO OVER FOR TONIGHT.

THAT WAY YOU CAN GET AN IDEA OF HOW WE'RE GOING TO MOVE ALONG.

LET'S START WITH THE TECHNOLOGY PROFILE.

I THINK THIS IS REALLY INTERESTING.

THIS IS THE PROFILE GOING BACK TO RIGHT BEFORE COVID FOR 2019 AND '20.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, THIS IS A ROUGH IDEA OF WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE IN TERMS OF USERS, SCANNERS AND COPIERS, PRINTERS AND SO FORTH.

I THINK IT'S ALWAYS INTERESTING TO GO BACK TO THIS SLIDE AND THEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT THE PROFILE FOR WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR AND HOW MUCH IT'S ACTUALLY EXPANDED.

IT JUST GIVES YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A NARRATIVE.

THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE HOW MUCH TECHNOLOGY HAS GROWN, NOT JUST IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL STUFF, BUT WHAT'S ALSO NOT ON HERE IS HOW MUCH SOFTWARE WE'RE ACTUALLY PROVIDING, NOT JUST FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING, BUT FOR DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS.

WE'RE GOING TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT AS WE GET FURTHER ALONG.

BUT I DO THINK THIS IS A REALLY INTERESTING COMPARISON WHEN YOU GO BETWEEN THE TWO SLIDES.

OBVIOUSLY THE THINGS IN YELLOW ARE THINGS THAT ARE

[01:30:02]

BECAUSE OF EVERYONE'S SUPPORT AND THE COMMUNITY SUPPORT LAST YEAR WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WAS WE GAVE EVERY INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF MEMBER IN THE DISTRICT AN ACTUAL LAPTOP LIKE I'M USING TODAY.

AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WE ACTUALLY GOT RID OF PHYSICAL DESKTOPS IN CLASSROOMS, SO THAT WAY TEACHERS HAVE MOBILE DEVICES, SO THAT WAY THEY CAN GO AROUND, THEY CAN PLUG IN.

IT'S A LITTLE EASIER TO USE AND IT MIMICS THE EXACT SAME SETTING THAT WE HAD AT THE SECONDARY CAMPUS, BOTH HERE IN THE MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS.

>> JOHN, WHAT'S A DOC CAMERA?

>> THE DOC CAMERAS ARE THESE, SO THESE IPEVO CAMERAS.

I HOPE I DON'T TRIGGER A COUPLE OF PEOPLE, BUT WE ACTUALLY USE THESE DURING COVID AS THE CAMERAS IN THE ROOM.

NOT ONLY ARE THEY A DOCUMENT CAMERA, BUT THEY CAN ACTUALLY FILM WITHIN THE ROOM AS WELL.

MICROPHONES BUILT INTO IT AND IT PLUGS INTO USB.

BUT ITS INSTRUCTIONAL PURPOSE IS ACTUALLY USED TO PUT ACTUAL WORKSHEETS UNDERNEATH ON THE PODIUM.

THAT WAY YOU CAN ACTUALLY SCAN AND WRITE AND IT DISPLAYS ON THE SCREEN.

THIS IS JUST AN OVERVIEW OF EVERYTHING WE HAVE IN PELHAM AND HOW IT WORKS OUT.

IT GOES BACK TO THOSE IPEVO DOCKING DISPLAYS.

WE'RE WIRELESSLY CASTING ON ALL OF OUR INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS.

ALL OF OUR INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS HAVE A DEDICATED MOBILE DEVICE.

WE'RE IN A TRUE ONE TO ONE SETTING IN SIX THROUGH 12, AND WE HAVE DEDICATED CARTS IN OUR K-5, ALONG WITH FIVE IPADS FOR DEDICATED TO EACH K-1 CLASSROOM AND WE HAVE AN EXTENSIVE SUITE OF INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS. HOW WE MAKE THIS WORK, PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WELL, WITH THE SUPPORT OF OUR BOARD WAS HAVING A DEDICATED K-12 INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY SPECIALIST WITH ALICIA DEL MASTRO.

I THANK THE BOARD AND OUR ADMINISTRATION AND OUR TEACHERS FOR THE SUPPORT IN THAT POSITION.

IT'S PROBABLY BEEN ONE OF THE MOST VITAL POSITIONS WE HAD SINCE COVID IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO SUPPORT OUR TEACHERS WITH THE PROPER USE OF TECHNOLOGY WITHIN ALL OF OUR CLASSROOMS. WE HAVE A CONSISTENT REFRESH CYCLE FOR OUR FIFTH AND NINTH GRADERS.

THAT WAY THEY'RE GETTING A NEW DEVICE EVERY FOUR YEARS.

WE HAVE A DEDICATED JUNIOR NETWORK TECHNICIAN THAT'S NEW TO US FOR THIS YEAR, APPROVED FROM LAST YEAR'S BUDGET, THAT ACTUALLY MANAGES THE ENTIRE ONE TO ONE PROGRAM ON THE SECONDARY CAMPUS.

THAT'S BEEN A REALLY NICE CHANGE FOR US BECAUSE ALONG WITH MANAGING THAT ONE TO ONE PROGRAM, WE'RE ABLE TO DO A LOT OF OUR REPAIRS IN HOUSE AS WELL.

WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF ONGOING PD DAY TO DAY MAINTENANCE OF OUR SOFTWARE, A LOT OF HELP FROM THE LHRIC.

THEY'RE A FANTASTIC PARTNER FOR US AS A DISTRICT AND WITHIN THE REGION.

WE RELY ON THEM A LOT.

ALSO, IF YOU'RE A PARENT HERE IN THE DISTRICT, WE ALSO HAVE THAT PARENT STUDENT HELP DESK WHICH HAS REALLY BEEN NICE FOR OUR COMMUNITY AS WELL.

AGAIN, EVERYTHING CENTERED AROUND OUR PELHAM TECHNOLOGY GOALS.

WHILE THIS HELP DRIVES EVERYTHING THAT WE DO WITHIN PELHAM, IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE A SUPPORT TO OUR STRATEGIC PLAN AND ANYTHING THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO WHEN IT COMES TO TEACHING AND LEARNING.

OBVIOUSLY, WE BROKE THESE DOWN AND YOU SAW THESE LAST YEAR AS WELL, INTO THREE MAIN TOPICS OF CURRICULUM INSTRUCTION, DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP AND FLUENCY, AND DATA PRIVACY, AND SECURITY.

I THINK THOSE ARE THREE PRETTY BIG GOALS THAT WE'RE GOING TO START TO LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE AT THE END OF THIS YEAR.

THAT WAY WHEN WE START TO BUILD A NEW PLAN FOR 25 THROUGH 28, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE A GOOD IDEA OF WHERE WE ARE.

THESE ARE SOME OF OUR MAJOR PROJECTS THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH THIS YEAR.

THE FIRST THREE I'M GOING TO DRAW ATTENTION TO ARE CYBERSECURITY, OUR DATA VIZ WITH INFINITE CAMPUS AND BRANCHING MINDS.

WHEN IT COMES TO CYBERSECURITY, ONE OF THE THINGS WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO DO STARTING LAST YEAR AND CONTINUING TO THIS YEAR ARE FISHING CAMPAIGNS WITH ALL OF OUR STAFF.

AT WORK I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE GET THESE OUT.

IT'S HELPED TO EDUCATE OUR STAFF TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE [NOISE] READING BEFORE YOU CLICK AND SO FORTH.

WE ESTABLISH MULTI FACTOR AUTHENTICATION ON THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR ALL INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

YOU HAVE TO HAVE MFA TURNED ON IF YOU'RE ACCESSING ANY OF OUR GOOGLE SWEEP PRODUCTS.

DATA VIZ IS BRAND NEW TO THE DISTRICT.

I THINK THE BOARD HAS ACTUALLY SEEN A LITTLE BIT OF THAT.

IT'S JUST TABLEAU THAT SITS ON TOP OF INFINITE CAMPUS AND OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF BRANCHING MINDS.

ONE OF THE BIGGER ONES THAT WE DID THIS YEAR WAS OUR TRANSITION TO PARENT SQUARE.

THE NICE THING ABOUT PARENT SQUARE FOR US AS A DISTRICT IS THAT IT WAS ABLE TO TAKE, I WOULD SAY, THREE DIFFERENT PRODUCTS AND PUT IT INTO ONE.

THAT WAY WE'RE ABLE TO STREAMLINE OUR COMMUNICATIONS.

I KNOW ALEX HAS BEEN WORKING ON THAT COMMUNICATIONS AUDIT, AND THAT WAS ONE OF THE SUGGESTIONS.

I THINK THIS HAS BEEN A HOME RUN FOR NOT JUST THE DISTRICT, BUT FOR THE COMMUNITY AS WELL.

WE HAVE A BRAND NEW SECURITY OFFICE HERE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, AND A LOT OF THESE ARE JUST REPEATED FROM LAST YEAR.

STILL STAYING COMPLIANT WITH NEW YORK STATE ED LAW 2D.

OUR COMPUTER SCIENCE AND DIGITAL FLUENCY STANDARDS WORK.

WE'RE STILL CONTINUING OUR DIGITAL CITIZENSHIP MONTH.

THIS YEAR, ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROJECTS THAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH IN NOVEMBER IS OUR WHEN UPGRADES THROUGH THE LHRIC.

I DRAW ATTENTION TO THIS BECAUSE IF YOU'VE HEARD ME, A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, I TALKED ABOUT HAVING A REDUNDANT INTERNET LINE THAT WE ESTABLISHED AT HUTCHINSON.

EVERY FIVE YEARS THROUGH THE LHRIC, WE ACTUALLY GO UP TO BID FOR SOMETHING CALLED WAN OR

[01:35:02]

WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO AS OF LAST YEAR WAS BECAUSE THE LHRIC GOES OUT TO BID FOR THIS FOR US, WE HAD A CHANGE IN VENDOR.

THAT ALLOWED US TO ACTUALLY CHANGE OUR ENTIRE TOPOGRAPHY WITHIN PELHAM TO ENHANCE IT AND MAKE IT MORE REDUNDANT.

INSTEAD OF A TRADITIONAL HUB AND SPOKE, WE WERE ABLE TO MIGRATE TO WHAT'S CALLED A HYBRID MESH AND WE WERE LIVE AS OF NOVEMBER 2023.

WE WERE ALSO ABLE TO SAVE THE DISTRICT ABOUT $3,000 A YEAR BY MAKING THIS TRANSITION IN VENDOR.

I WANTED YOU TO BE ABLE TO SEE THIS.

I TRY TO USE REALLY SIMPLE SHAPES AND COLORS, [NOISE] SO THAT WAY IT'S EASY WITHOUT EXPOSING ALL OF OUR VITAL INFORMATION.

BUT YOU COULD SEE IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE TWO INTERNETS, THE ONE ON THE LEFT WOULD BE ROCKLAND BOCES, THE ONE ON THE RIGHT WOULD BE 450 OVER IN [INAUDIBLE] AND THE BLUE IS THE HIGH SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL CAMPUS.

IT GOES TO ALL FOUR BUILDINGS.

THAT BACK UP AT ROCKLAND OVER HERE ON THE TOP LEFT IS A BACKUP INTERNET CONNECTION IN CASE THE MAIN ONE GOES DOWN.

BUT WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO WITH THAT NEW BID WAS WE WERE ABLE TO CREATE MORE DIRECT CONNECTIONS.

THAT WAY WE CAN ALSO RUN BACK UP, NOT JUST FROM HUTCH, BUT FROM ALL OF OUR OTHER BUILDINGS BACK TO THE HIGH SCHOOL AS WELL.

IT'S BEEN ABLE TO CREATE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A MESH NETWORK FOR US, WHICH IS REALLY NICE.

WITH TECHNOLOGY GROWING, AGAIN, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THE ROLE OF A DATA PRIVACY OFFICER A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO.

BUT IT'S INTERESTING BECAUSE WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY GROWING, IT'S NOT JUST THE DAY TO DAY STUFF OF WHAT WE'RE SEEING IN TERMS OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.

THERE'S A LOT OF TRANSITIONS WITHIN BUSINESS AND FACILITIES THAT HAVE GONE FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL.

WE'RE TALKING ABOUT VERIZON GOING FROM COPPER LINES TO FIBER OPTIC NOW, EMERGENCY 911 THAT'S EXISTING OVER OUR VOIP INFRASTRUCTURE, CAMERAS THAT ARE GOING FROM ANALOG TO DIGITAL, HVAC THAT HAS SERVER REQUIREMENTS AND ONLINE CAPABILITY.

THE SAME THING WITH OUR XEROX MACHINES AS WELL.

WHEN WE LOOK AT THE TEACHING AND LEARNING, AND I'M TALKING ABOUT LIKE JUST WITH THE COMMUNITY, THINK ABOUT ALL OF THE PARENTS WE'VE JUST ON BOARDED OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF FOR OUR K-5 REPORT CARDS AND THE PARENT PORTAL.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN ADDITIONAL 1,900 USERS THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO SUPPORT OUR IMPLEMENTATION OF PARENT SQUARE AND OUR CHROMEBOOK PROGRAM.

THOSE ARE JUST THINGS I WANTED YOU TO HAVE AN IDEA OF WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TECHNOLOGY THAT'S GROWING.

THIS IS WHAT THE ORGANIZATIONAL CHART ACTUALLY LOOKS LIKE WITHIN OUR DEPARTMENT.

I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR YOU TO SEE THIS AS WE TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT MAKES EVERYTHING WORK IN PELHAM.

YOU COULD SEE IF YOU LOOK ON THE VERY LEFT IN THE GREEN, THOSE ARE ALL OF OUR LHRIC EMPLOYEES.

THAT'S HOW WE DIVVY UP OUR WORK.

THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IN BLUE UNDERNEATH OUR DIRECT REPORTS AND OUR PELHAM EMPLOYEES AND OUR LIBRARY MEDIA SPECIALISTS, THEY WORK WITH US IN TERMS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, DIGITAL LITERACIES AND SO FORTH. AGAIN, WE BELONG TO SOMETHING CALLED LHRIC MANAGED IT.

IT'S BEEN A HOME RUN FOR US.

I FEEL AS A DISTRICT, I KNOW THERE'S ABOUT 13-15 COMPONENT DISTRICTS THAT ALSO BELONG TO THIS AS WELL.

THE MORE DISTRICTS THAT COME ON, THE CHEAPER THE SERVICE ESSENTIALLY BECOMES.

BUT A LOT OF OUR INCIDENTS, WE'VE SEEN ABOUT 65 PERCENT CAN BE RESOLVED REMOTELY.

WHEN YOU HEAR TEACHERS, AND I ALWAYS TELL PARENTS, PUT THEM IN THE HELP DESK BECAUSE IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY REQUIRE SOMEONE PHYSICALLY TO COME TO YOU.

A LOT OF THE STUFF CAN BE RESOLVED REMOTELY.

IT'S BEEN A REALLY GREAT BENEFIT TO THE DISTRICT.

THIS IS INTERESTING. THIS IS MARCH 1ST OF LAST YEAR.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK AT THE CHART ON THE LEFT IS HOW MANY INCIDENTS WERE OPENED AND HOW MANY INCIDENTS WERE RESOLVED AT THAT POINT.

WE'RE LOOKING AT 2,200 AND 2,100.

AS OF TODAY, THAT NUMBER IS 2,600 OPENED AND 2,500 RESOLVED.

WHY IS THAT INCREASE EVEN MORE? IF YOU HEARD ME TALK ABOUT IT, WE'VE ON BOARDED MORE PARENTS INTO OUR K-5 REPORT CARD, OUR NEW MEET THE TEACHER PROGRAM THAT WE'RE USING AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND SO FORTH.

ANYTHING THAT YOU CAN THINK OF THAT WE'RE EXPANDING ON, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO REQUIRE MORE RESOURCES.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING THAT.

BUT THE NICE THING ABOUT IT IS THAT OUR RESOLUTION TIME HAS BEEN THE SAME.

IT'S USUALLY WITHIN A DAY IN TERMS OF ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND 48 HOURS TO CLOSURE.

WE HAVE PRETTY GOOD RESOLUTION TIME WITHIN THE DISTRICT.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS FOR YOU SO THAT WAY YOU CAN SEE IT BECAUSE WE'RE ABOUT TO GET INTO OUR LINE BY LINE.

THE CONTINUATION OF ALICIA'S POSITION IN THE DISTRICT IS A BIG THING FOR US.

OUR CONTINUED REFRESH OF THE ONE-TO-ONE PROGRAM.

WHEN I TALK ABOUT CYBERSECURITY, JUST CONTINUING WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH OUR FISHING CAMPAIGN.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOME PEN TESTING AS WELL FOR THE DISTRICT.

ONE OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE STARTING THIS SPRING, BUT GOING FULL BORE INTO THE SUMMER, IS CALLED VIRTUAL SERVER HOSTING.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE A VIRTUAL SERVER HERE THAT HOSTS OUR PRINT SERVER, ALL OF OUR FILE MANAGEMENT.

WE'RE GOING TO BE MOVING OVER TO THE LHRIC TO ACTUALLY HOST ALL OF OUR SERVER COMPONENTS SO THAT WAY THEY DO REDUNDANT BACKUPS, ALL THE SECURITY AND STUFF LIKE THAT SO THAT WAY THERE'S NOT A PHYSICAL BOX SITTING HERE IN PELHAM.

[01:40:02]

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT DIFFERENT DIGITAL SIGNAGE SOLUTIONS HERE FOR THE SECONDARY CAMPUS.

WHEN YOU WALK INTO THE HIGH SCHOOL AND YOU SEE THE TVS, WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT A DIFFERENT SOLUTION IN TERMS OF BEING ABLE TO BROADCAST MESSAGING THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL.

WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE OUR WORK WITHIN COMPUTER SCIENCE AND DIGITAL FLUENCY.

OUR PARENT HELP DESK IS STILL GOING TO CONTINUE.

WE'RE GOING TO EVALUATE AND LOOK TO CONTINUE SHIFTS FROM THE LHRIC IN OTHER BOCES AND OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT OF ED LAW 2D AND DATA PRIVACY.

THIS IS A GREAT CHART BECAUSE THIS ACTUALLY TAKES ME THROUGH MY CAREER IN POEM FROM WHEN I ACTUALLY STARTED TO ABOUT NOW.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, WHAT I DID WAS IF YOU LOOK AT 18-19 IN THAT FIRST NUMBER OF 73 MILLION, THAT'S THE OVERALL BUDGET.

THE NEXT COLUMN NEXT TO IT, THAT 1.8 IS HOW MUCH TECHNOLOGY WAS AND ACCOUNTED FOR ABOUT 2.5 PERCENT OF THE BUDGET AT THAT TIME.

AS YOU SEE, AS WE'VE GROWN, OBVIOUSLY TECHNOLOGY HAS GROWN UP, BUT WE'VE ONLY GONE UP TO 3.13 PERCENT OF THE OVERALL SPEND IN OUR BUDGET.

WE'VE BEEN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH WHAT WE'RE DOING HERE IN PELHAM, ESPECIALLY WITHIN TECHNOLOGY AND YOU SEE HOW MUCH WE'VE GROWN.

IT TAKES A LOT OF PRIDE FOR US AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT I THINK THE COMMUNITY SHOULD TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE IN AS WELL BECAUSE I THINK WE ARE PROVIDING EXCELLENT SERVICES FOR THE VALUE THAT WE'RE BRINGING HERE.

AS WE GO INTO OUR LINE BY LINE, I JUST WANTED YOU TO TAKE A LOOK.

THIS CHART, AND I USED THE SAME ONE LAST YEAR, BUT IT'S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE ALWAYS HAVE TO START WITH OUR WHY, AND TEACHING AND LEARNING IS ALWAYS THE CORE OF TECHNOLOGY.

TECHNOLOGY IS NOT THE CORE OF TEACHING AND LEARNING.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT THAT AND WHEN WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT OUR TECHNOLOGY GOALS AND A STRATEGIC PLAN, THAT'S HOW WE WERE ABLE TO DEVELOP ALL OF OUR DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS AND WHERE WE'RE LOOKING TO GO.

JUST TO LET YOU KNOW, OUTSIDE OF THE BIGGER PROJECTS, THERE'S NOTHING THAT'S GOING TO BE REALLY CHANGING OR DRAMATIC IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO.

BUT LET'S GO INTO OUR LINE BY LINE SO THAT WAY WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE A LOOK.

IF YOU GO INTO YOUR BUDGET BOOKS, IT'S ACTUALLY GOING TO BE WHERE DR.

BOWMAN LEFT OFF.

IT'S GOING TO BE ON PAGE C24.

[NOISE] I APOLOGIZE.

I'M PULLING MINE UP OVER HERE AS WELL.

ARE WE GOOD TO GO?

>> YEAH.

>> OKAY. GREAT. FOR C24, THE FIRST TWO, 150 AND 160, THOSE ARE MINE AND MY SUPPORT STAFF SALARIES.

THAT'S JANET EGAN AND JIM BAKER.

THAT'S FOR THE THREE OF US.

IN 220, THAT IS COMPUTER HARDWARE.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY COMPUTER HARDWARE? WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT THIS WHEN WE GET TO THE BOCES RFS.

IF WE NEED TO MAKE A DIRECT PURCHASE FROM THE DISTRICT FOR LARGER ITEMS SUCH AS DESKTOPS, LAPTOPS, INTERACTIVE DISPLAYS, IF WE NEED SOMETHING REALLY QUICKLY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO DO THAT.

THAT'S WHY WE ACTUALLY HAVE THAT BUDGET LINE ITEM IN HERE.

WE TRY TO PURCHASE AS MUCH AS WE CAN THROUGH BOCES.

AND IF YOU HEARD MR. RICKY TALK ABOUT BEFORE, WE TRY TO DO THAT SO THAT WAY WE CAN GET THE STATE AID ON THE BACK END AND THE SUPPORT FROM THEM AS WELL.

NOT THAT BOCES WOULDN'T SUPPORT IT IF WE BUY IT DIRECTLY, BUT WITH THE BOCES PURCHASING, THERE'S EXTENDED LICENSING AND STUFF LIKE THAT AND WARRANTIES THAT THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE FOR US WHEN WE GO THAT ROUTE.

>> I KNOW THAT A LOT OF HARDWARE IS BEING BOUGHT THROUGH BOCES, SO IT MIGHT BE HARD FOR YOU TO KNOW.

BUT LIKE HOW ELSE ARE HARDWARE COSTS IN GENERAL NOW THAT COVID SUPPLY CHAIN ISSUES ARE BEHIND US, SHIP SHORTAGE BEHIND US, IS HARDWARE BECOMING MORE AFFORDABLE?

>> HARDWARE, IT'S FUNNY BECAUSE CERTAIN THINGS HAVE GONE REALLY UP AND CERTAIN THINGS HAVE GONE REALLY DOWN.

LET'S TAKE FOR EXAMPLE, WHEN WE LOOK AT LIKE SWITCHING UPSS AND SO FORTH, THOSE PRICES HAVE ACTUALLY GONE UP.

HAVE THE COST OF WIRELESS ACCESS POINTS, JUST BECAUSE THOSE ARE A DIFFERENT TYPE OF CHIP THAT GOES INTO THERE.

THOSE COSTS HAVE ACTUALLY GONE UP AND HAVE STAYED UP.

I HAVEN'T NECESSARILY SEEN THEM COME DOWN ENOUGH TO BE LIKE THEY'RE GOING DOWN.

WHAT WE HAVE SEEN COME DOWN IS THE ACTUAL COST OF LAPTOPS, DESKTOPS, AND CHROMEBOOKS, ESPECIALLY SOME OF THEM BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT A CHEAPER PROCESSOR IN IT.

IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY MEAN THAT YOU'RE GETTING LESS QUALITY, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO MASS PRODUCE THOSE TYPES OF PROCESSORS A LITTLE BIT EASIER.

IF YOU'RE LOOKING AT IT IN TERMS OF THE OVERALL PICTURE, I WOULD SAY IT'S NET NEUTRAL, BUT THAT'S WHAT I'M THINKING.

LET'S LOOK AT NUMBERS 400 AND 420.

FOUR HUNDRED IS FOR MAINTENANCE SUPPORT AND EXPANSION.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK, THERE'S A LITTLE BUBBLE IN THERE FOR ESTIMATED EXPENDITURES FOR THIS YEAR.

WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING TO DO A SWITCH REPLACEMENT PROJECT, SO THAT'S WHY THAT NUMBER IS A LITTLE INFLATED FOR THIS YEAR, BUT WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY REQUESTING IS GOING TO BE FAIRLY FLAT.

[01:45:01]

A LOT OF IT WAS FOCUSED AROUND COMPUTER SCIENCE AND DIGITAL FLUENCY FOR THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS, AND FOR LAST SUMMER, WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO DO IS DO SOME GOOGLE TRAINING FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT, GO GUARDIAN AND SO FORTH.

FOUR-FIFTY IS CALLED MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES.

THAT'S FOR OUR CHROMEBOOK SUPPORT IF WE NEED TO BUY CHORDS, CASES, AND REPLACEMENT.

AGAIN, WHAT WE TRY TO DO AS MUCH AS WE CAN WHEN IT COMES TO MATERIALS AND SUPPLIES AND 220 IS WE TRY TO PROCURE THROUGH BOCES AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE IS LINE 460.

WHAT I WANT TO DRAW ATTENTION TO IS THE OVERALL COST THAT WE'RE LOOKING TO REQUEST IS GOING DOWN.

THE REASON WHY YOU'RE SEEING THAT COSTS GO DOWN AND WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE ACTUAL SPEND BELOW IS BECAUSE WE'VE MOVED A LOT OF THOSE SOFTWARE LICENSES OVER TO BOCES.

IF YOU RECALL LAST YEAR, WHY WE DO THAT, NUMBER 1 IS FOR ED LAW 2D COMPLIANCE AND CONTRACT SO THAT WAY THEY'RE ABLE TO PROCURE, THEY'RE ABLE TO NEGOTIATE ON BEHALF OF THE DISTRICT.

WE GET MORE AGGRESSIVE PRICING BECAUSE WHEN MORE DISTRICTS PURCHASE FROM THE BOCES, THEY'RE ABLE TO GET BETTER PRICES ON LICENSING, AND THEN THEY'RE ABLE TO HELP WITH A LOT OF THE ED LAW 2D COMPLIANCE, WHICH IS HUGE FOR US.

THE OTHER BIGGEST BENEFIT, LIKE MR. RICKY WAS SAYING BEFORE IS THE STATE AID THAT WE RECEIVE ON THE BACK END.

WE'VE SHIFTED OVER THE LAST FIVE YEARS A LITTLE OVER $115,000 OVER TO THAT LHRIC RFS.

SO THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING THAT BUDGET LINE CONTINUALLY GO DOWN.

ANY QUESTIONS ON ANY OF THE LINE ITEMS ON C24? EXCELLENT. LET'S GO TO APPENDIX 5 IN YOUR BUDGET BOOKS.

[NOISE] IN APPENDIX 5, I THINK IT'S GOING TO BE THE THIRD PAGE ON HERE.

IT'S CALLED THE LHRIC RFS.

[NOISE]

>> IT'S RIGHT AFTER I-3.

>> I'M SORRY ABOUT THAT.

>> THE FOURTH PAGE.

>> IT'S AFTER I-3.

THIS IS DATED AS OF JANUARY 29TH.

THERE WILL BE CHANGES TO THIS AS WE GO ALONG.

NOTHING THAT'S GOING BE REALLY DIFFERENT.

YOU MIGHT SEE SOME DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS CHANGE.

LET'S GO THROUGH THE BIG ITEMS THAT ARE GOING TO BE ON HERE.

WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE IS THERE'S FIVE COSERS THAT ARE ON HERE; 444, WHICH IS DISTANCE LEARNING, 510, WHICH IS INSTRUCTIONAL TECH, 554, WHICH IS MODEL SCHOOLS, 611, WHICH IS MANAGEMENT SERVICES, AND 612, WHICH IS IN TELEPATH.

COSERS ARE ACTUALLY CREATED BY NEW YORK STATE, AND THEY'RE REGULATED BY NEW YORK STATE.

THE WAY THAT COSERS WORK IS THAT THEY'RE REFLECTIVE OF STUDENT USE AND THE IMPACT ON LEARNING.

FOR EXAMPLE, IF WE WERE TO LOOK AT COSER 510, THAT GETS AN ESTIMATED 56% REIMBURSEMENT BACK WHEN YOU PURCHASE THROUGH BOCES, VERSUS SOMETHING LIKE 611 AND 612 WHERE THEY'RE ABOUT 46 AND 29% RESPECTIVELY ON THE BACK-END IN TERMS OF REIMBURSEMENT, BECAUSE THEY DON'T DIRECTLY IMPACT STUDENT LEARNING.

THAT'S HOW THEY CREATE THESE DIFFERENT COSERS AND THAT'S WHY YOU SEE DIFFERENT LINE ITEMS IN HERE.

FOR 444, YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE THAT THERE'S NOTHING IN THERE.

IF YOU TAKE A LOOK ON THE LEFT, THAT GCN ONLINE COMPLIANCE TRAINING, AND THAT'S WHAT WE USE IN DISTRICT FOR COMPLIANCE TRAINING.

THAT ACTUALLY GOT MOVED TO A DIFFERENT COSER, IT GOT MOVED TO 611.

THAT'S WHY THAT LOOKS ZEROED OUT, BUT IT'S STILL THERE.

WHEN WE TAKE A LOOK AT 444, THAT ZERO, IT'S JUST MOVED OVER.

WE'RE NOT USING THAT ITUTOR SERVICE ANYMORE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT COSER 510, THERE'S A COUPLE OF ADDITIONS IN HERE THAT ARE NEW.

LEARNING A-Z, WHICH IS 510-060, THAT'S BRAND NEW ON THERE.

THAT USED TO SIT IN ANOTHER COSER UNDER LIBRARY.

THEY MOVED IT OVER TO THE LHRIC RFS.

THAT'S WHY YOU'RE SEEING THAT POP UP IN HERE.

BUT EVERYTHING ELSE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING IN HERE IS A ROLLOVER FROM LAST YEAR IN TERMS OF WHAT WE'RE USING.

THERE IS NOTHING NEW THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT THAT'S NECESSARILY DIFFERENT FROM LAST YEAR.

THAT'S ALL OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY WITHIN 510.

WHEN WE LOOK AT 554 FOR OUR MODEL SCHOOLS AND INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICE.

WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO NOTICE IS THERE'S A LINE ITEM 4, WHAT'S CALLED GENERAL MEMBERSHIP.

THAT MODEL SCHOOLS' GENERAL MEMBERSHIP, ON TOP OF ALICIA PROVIDING INSTRUCTIONAL TECHNOLOGY, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR OUR TEACHERS, THE LHRIC PROVIDES ALSO A LOT OF DIFFERENT ONLINE COURSES AND IN-PERSON COURSES THAT TEACHERS CAN SIGN UP FOR PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT.

[01:50:02]

WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE WITH THESE KIOSK SERVICES IS THE COST FOR EACH SOFTWARE IN TERMS OF LICENSING, THE NEGOTIATIONS, AND THE HOLDING OF THE CONTRACT THROUGH LHRIC.

EVEN THOUGH THERE'S ALL THESE DIFFERENT KIOSK ADS ON HERE, IT'S STILL CHEAPER FOR US TO GO THROUGH THE LHRIC EVEN WITH THOSE KIOSK SERVICES ON THERE.

WHEN WE LOOK AT 611 WHICH IS MANAGEMENT SERVICES, I WANT YOU TO THINK, THAT HAS LAND, THAT HAS CLASS LINK, INFINITE CAMPUS, AND SO FORTH.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WAS ADDED ONTO THE LHRIC RFS FOR THIS YEAR, OBVIOUSLY, IS OUR NEW USE OF DATAVERSE.

THAT'S A NEW ADDITION ON THERE.

PARENTSQUARE IS ALSO GOING TO BE UNDER THIS AS WELL.

THAT'S UNDER 611.

THEN 612 IS IN TELEPATH, SO THAT'S OUR INTERNET SERVICES.

THAT'S THE ENTIRE LHRIC RFS.

JUST REMEMBER, WE ARE TRYING TO ALWAYS PROCURE OUR STUFF THROUGH THE LHRIC.

THEY'RE A GREAT PARTNER FOR US.

THAT'S EVERYTHING I HAVE FOR YOU.

WERE THERE ANY QUESTIONS WHEN IT COMES TO THE LHRIC RFS OR ANYTHING THAT YOU'RE SEEING ON HERE?

>> WE'VE ADDED THINGS LIKE PARENTSQUARE, DATAVERSE.

ANY SOFTWARE THAT WE CAN JETTISON FOR THIS BEING RETIRED, OR?

>> YEAH, THERE IS ACTUALLY.

THERE'S THREE.

LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT THE RFS.

IT'S BECAUSE IT'S NOT REFLECTED ON HERE YET.

THERE'S A LINE ITEM 611, 475 CALLED FORECAST 5 THAT'S USED BY THE BUSINESS OFFICE.

WE'RE GOING TO BE RETIRING THAT.

THERE IS A LINE ITEM IN HERE FOR DATA WAREHOUSING, IT'S CALLED DW TEACHER.

WE'RE GOING TO BE CUTTING THAT OUT AS WELL.

WE'RE GOING TO BE CUTTING BACK ON SOME OF OUR LICENSING WITHIN 510 TO HELP MAKE THINGS ALMOST A LITTLE LOWER FOR THAT.

>> JUST BECAUSE THERE'S NO CONVERSATION REGARDING TECHNOLOGY TODAY THAT DOESN'T SOMEHOW INCLUDE THE LETTERS AI AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, JUST CURIOUS, IS THERE ANYTHING IN HERE THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT THAT'S, AGAIN, FROM A STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVE, WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT?

>> IN TERMS OF BUDGET, NOT RIGHT NOW.

I THINK WITH AI IT'S ALWAYS CHANGING.

I THINK ONE OF THE MORE IMPORTANT THINGS IS TO JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GROUNDED IN WHAT WE BELIEVE AS A DISTRICT IN TERMS OF AI.

BUT IN TERMS OF ANY BUDGETARY FACTORS WHERE I THINK AI IS GOING TO HAVE ANY INFLUENCE, I DON'T THINK THERE'S ANYTHING THAT I'M FORESEEING THAT WE'RE GOING TO NECESSARILY NEED RIGHT AWAY.

WE DO HAVE ALLOCATION FUNDS IN CASE WE WANT TO PILOT SOMETHING OR IF WE SEE SOMETHING WE LIKE, BECAUSE THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT ARE ALWAYS BEING SPURNED UP, MAGIC SCHOOLS, SCHOOLAI, OUTSIDE OF THEIR REGULAR CHATGPT OR GEMINI.

AGAIN, THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IF WE WANTED TO, BUT I THINK WE'RE IN AN EXPLORATORY STAGE RIGHT NOW.

>> THERE'S SOME PERSONALIZED TUTORING, LIKE KHANMIGO.

>> THERE IS.

>> THAT SEEMS PRETTY POWERFUL.

>> THEY ARE. THEY'RE EXTREMELY POWERFUL.

WE'VE HAD A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AT OUR SECONDARY CAMPUS WHERE ALICIA AND I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO WORK WITH DR. CALLAHAN AND DR. THOMPSON AND THEIR DEPARTMENTS AND ACTUALLY SHOW THEM, WHAT IS IT? WHAT DOES THIS DO? BECAUSE THERE'S A LOT OF UNKNOWN WITH IT, AND IT'S ALWAYS CHANGING.

THOSE CONVERSATIONS ARE PART OF THE INITIAL PIECES, AND THEN WE'RE STARTING TO SEE WHERE WE'RE GOING TO GO FROM THERE.

>> DO WE HAVE LIKE TURNITIN?

>> WE DO.

>> THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD HAVE.

>> WE DO HAVE TURNITIN. WE DO SUBSCRIBE TO TURNITIN.

YOU WOULDN'T SEE IT ON ANY OF MY LINE ITEMS. IT EXISTS UNDER LIBRARY SERVICES.

>> TRYING TO DESCRIBE WHAT TURNITIN IS.

>> IT'S LIKE A PLAGIARISM CHECKER.

>> IT'S A PLAGIARISM CHECKER, CORRECT.

>> IT CAN CHECK FOR MAYBE AI-GENERATED STUFF.

>> IT SAYS IT CAN. IT'S INTERESTING.

WE COULD HAVE A WHOLE DIFFERENT CONVERSATION AROUND THAT.

I DON'T WANT TO GO INTO THAT PART OF IT TODAY.

BUT THERE IS A BUILT-IN AI DETECTION TOOL WITHIN TURNITIN.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? EXCELLENT. THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, JOHN.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU, JOHN. IF THE BOARD AND THE MEMBERS CAN STAY ON THAT TAB, APPENDIX 5.

>> JIM, DO YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT YOU GO TO PUT THERE?

>> WE'RE ALL SET, JOHN. THANK YOU.

AGAIN, WE CAN JUST GO THROUGH BOCES IN A BROADER ASPECT.

I THINK, JOHN DID A GREAT JOB DETAILING EXACTLY THE PART RELATED TO TECHNOLOGY.

WHEN WE TALK ABOUT TRANSPORTATION,

[01:55:02]

AGAIN, A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY ABOUT BOCES.

BOCES BOSS WAS CREATED IN THE 1940S.

MEMBER SCHOOL DISTRICTS MAKE UP A BOCES.

WE'RE PART OF THE SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER BOCES.

IT'S A WAY FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICTS TO COLLABORATE ON EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, HOPEFULLY, TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT AT A LOWER COST, OR TO BE ABLE TO DO THINGS, LIKE IN TECHNOLOGY, WHERE YOU DO THEM IN GREATER NUMBERS AND YOU CAN PROVIDE BETTER SERVICES.

THAT'S WHY WE USE OUR BOCES.

AT THE SAME TIME WE HAVE THE BENEFIT OF RECEIVING EXPENSE-BASED REVENUE ON THE FOLLOWING YEAR. THAT'S REALLY GREAT.

AS WE LOOK AT THE PAGE I-1, YOU CAN SEE THE BUILD-UP OF OUR BOCES.

IT'S I-1 THROUGH I-3.

AGAIN, A NUMBER OF ALL OF THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE PURCHASED THROUGH BOCES.

AGAIN, OUR BOARDDOCS PROGRAM, OUR CLIMATE SURVEY, WHICH WAS DONE LAST YEAR, WHICH IS NOT PART OF THIS YEAR'S PROPOSED BUDGET.

WE HAVE AN ADMINISTRATIVE CHARGE.

BECAUSE WE ARE A MEMBER DISTRICT OF BOCES, WE DO BEAR A COST OF THAT AND THAT COST IS BORNE OUT BY ALL OF THE DISTRICTS.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THAT'S THAT $416,000 FEE YEAR TO YEAR, SLIGHTLY DOWN 0.3% BUDGET TO BUDGET.

ALSO FOR INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES, WE USE BOCES.

FOR OCCUPATIONAL EDUCATION, CAREER TECHNICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS, WE DO HAVE STUDENTS USE THOSE PROGRAMS AND WE'VE BUDGETED FOR THOSE PROGRAMS AT THE LEVEL WE HAVE THEM FOR THIS YEAR.

>> WHAT'S AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THOSE?

>> IF A STUDENT CHOOSES TO PURSUE A CAREER AS A VETERINARIAN TECHNICIAN, EMS, FOOD SERVICES, FORESTRY, THOSE TYPES OF CAREERS.

>> ARBORIST IS IN BIG DEMAND. THE TREES.

>> THE TREES, FORESTRY.

EXACTLY. ALL OF THOSE TYPES OF PROGRAMS ARE PROGRAMS THAT ARE OFFERED THROUGH THE BOCES SCHOOL AND THE BOCES CAMPUS.

>> IF A STUDENT IN HIGH SCHOOL IS INTERESTED IN BECOMING A VETERINARIAN.

>> A VETERINARIAN TECHNICIAN.

>> A VETERINARIAN TECHNICIAN. HOW DOES THAT AFFECT THEIR SCHOOL DAY?

>> SOME OF THEM ARE FULL DAY, SOME OF THEM ARE HALF DAY.

THE WAY THAT THE COURT CLASSES MIGHT BE SCHEDULED, THEY WOULD BE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL IN THE MORNING OR IN THE AFTERNOON, AND AT THE OTHER PART OF THE DAY, THEY WOULD GO TO BOCES.

SOME OF THEM ARE FULL TIME, IT DEPENDS ON THE NATURE OF THE PROGRAM AND WHAT THE REQUIREMENTS ARE.

IF IT'S FULL TIME, THEY'RE AT BOCES FULL TIME.

>> I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF POSSIBILITY THERE.

HOW MANY KIDS ARE ENGAGED IN THAT KIND OF ACTIVITY?

>> A LOT MORE THAN USED TO.

>> [OVERLAPPING] WHEN I STARTED IN THE DISTRICT, WE ONLY BUDGETED FOR 10 SLOTS.

NOW WE'VE TAKEN AWAY THAT LIMIT AND WE BUDGET FOR WHATEVER WE GET IN DEMAND, AND THAT'S INCREASED NOW UP TO, I BELIEVE, 26 SLOTS. [OVERLAPPING].

>> TWENTY-SIX THIS YEAR.

WE HAD 16 LAST YEAR.

BOCES COMES TO OUR EVERY YEAR TO TALK TO THE KIDS, YOU GO YOUR JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR, YOU CAN'T GO BEFORE THEN BECAUSE YOU'VE GOT TO GET IN YOUR REQUIREMENTS.

>> SURE.

>> SOME OF THE ARTICULATIONS, DEPENDING ON WHAT YOU TAKE, CAN FULFILL CERTAIN REQUIREMENTS.

YOU COULD GET YOUR ENGLISH 12 CREDIT THROUGH AN ARTICULATION THERE IF SO NEED BE.

IT COULD SOMETIMES FULFILL AN ELECTIVE CREDIT.

IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY TO EXPLORE WHAT'S AVAILABLE.

SOUTHERN WEST CHESTER DOESN'T HAVE ARBORISTS UNFORTUNATELY.

THEY HAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF PROGRAMMING THAT THEY WILL OFFER THAT OUR KIDS WILL GO TO.

COSMETOLOGY IS VERY POPULAR, HVAC IS VERY POPULAR.

DATA PROGRAMMING AND COMPUTER SCIENCE IS VERY POPULAR.

THEY HAVE SOME PRE-ENGINEERING COURSES.

TECH IS VERY POPULAR.

>> DO THE STUDENTS WHO GO THAT ROUTE, GO TO COLLEGE AFTERWARDS?

>> IN THIS PARTICULAR DISTRICT A LOT DO.

I THINK IT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THEM TO EXPLORE CAREER INTERESTS, AND SOME OF THESE PROGRAMS END IN CERTIFICATIONS.

LIKE EMS DOES END IN A CERTIFICATION.

HVAC MAY AS WELL, THE AUTO TECH AS WELL.

THEY'RE PRETTY RIGOROUS PROGRAMS AND HARD TO GET THROUGH, AND THEY CAN END IN A [OVERLAPPING] CERTIFICATION EXAM, A CREDENTIAL THAT YOU COULD TAKE WITH YOU, BUT A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS DO END UP GOING ON TO COLLEGE, JUST EVEN HAVING THIS, THIS IS AN ENHANCING TYPE OF EXPERIENCE [OVERLAPPING]

>> YOU HAVE BOTH. YOU HAVE YOUR CAREER READY AND YOU CAN CONTINUE TO COLLEGE.

[02:00:04]

>> EXACTLY.

>> IS THIS SOMETHING WE SHOULD BE LOOKING AT EXPANDING, DO YOU THINK? OR EXPANDING EITHER EXPOSURE? HOW SHOULD WE THINK [OVERLAPPING]

>> WE HAVE STARTED. WE'VE OPENED UP THE NUMBER OF SLOTS.

[OVERLAPPING] WE'RE NO LONGER PREDETERMINING THAT.

WE HAVE BEEN WORKING TO MAKE SURE THAT THE STUDENTS UNDERSTAND THEIR OPTIONS, AND SO GREATER EXPOSURE, FEWER HOOPS TO JUMP THROUGH.

WE HAD A LOT OF HOOPS IN PLACE BEFORE.

BY ELIMINATING SOME OF THOSE STEPS, THAT'S DEFINITELY INCREASED OUR ENROLLMENT.

>> I THINK IT'S COOL.

>> AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, AS IN EVERY YEAR, WE TALK ABOUT THAT CONTINGENCY.

SAY, WE HAVE 26 BUDGETED.

IF 28 KIDS PRESENTED THEMSELVES, THAT'S AN AREA WHERE THEN WE WOULD LOOK TO DO THAT, BUT WE WANT TO PROVIDE THAT OPPORTUNITY.

>> JIM, JUST REAL QUICK LOOKING AHEAD, DO YOU SEE ANYTHING IN THESE COUPLE OF PAGES THAT WE NEED THE ADMINISTRATORS FOR AT THIS POINT? I KNOW THERE'S A FEW INSTRUCTIONAL THINGS, BUT I'M THINKING MAYBE WE CAN HANDLE THOSE.

>> I THINK SO. AGAIN, IT'S REALLY FOR THOSE SPECIALIZED SERVICES, I THINK, THAT WERE BEST ABLE TO BE DELIVERED THROUGH, AGAIN, THE CONSORTIUM OF MANY DISTRICTS WHERE WE MAY HAVE A NEED FOR ONE OR TWO OR FIVE DISTRICT WIDE AND WHEN WE COMBINE IT WITH MANY DISTRICTS, WE'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THROUGH BOCES, THEY'RE ABLE TO PROVIDE THAT SERVICE TO ALL DISTRICTS, BUT I DON'T THINK WE HAVE A NEED FOR THE ADMINS.

>> THANK YOU-ALL SO MUCH. I KNOW IT'S SUPER LATE.

THANK YOU FOR ENDURING.

I REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR BEING HERE, APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DID AND SLEEP FAST.

>> IT'S GETTING WINDY OUT THERE TOO. [LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] BE CAREFUL.

>> THANK YOU. BE CAREFUL GETTING HOME.

>> AGAIN, YOU SEE THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST TOO, SAY, I TUTORED SOMETHING, NOT THAT WE'RE SUBSCRIBING TO THIS YEAR, BUT SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN IN THE PAST, INTERCLASSIC ATHLETICS, OUR OFFICIALS FOR THE SPORTING EVENTS.

THAT'S COORDINATED THROUGH BOCES.

HEALTH, WELLNESS AND SAFETY, WHERE OUR [INAUDIBLE] REPRESENTATIVE AND A SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM.

AGAIN, BOCES HEADS UP A SCHOOL SAFETY PROGRAM.

WE HAVE A TEXTBOOK SERVICE.

THIS IS SOMETHING WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS WHO LIVE IN OUR DISTRICT WHO DON'T ATTEND OUR SCHOOLS AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN WE DON'T HAVE REQUIREMENTS TO HELP THEM.

PART OF THAT IS OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION AND ANOTHER PART OF THAT IS TEXTBOOKS.

WE USE THE BOCES SERVICE IN COORDINATION WITH THEIR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY GET THE TEXTBOOKS THAT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO.

SO IT'S ANOTHER SERVICE WHERE BOCES HELPS US WITH THAT.

WE HAVE AN ARTS AND EDUCATION PROGRAM.

THAT'S WHERE WE WORK WITH THE SCHOOL CLASS TRIPS.

AGAIN, WE RECEIVE THAT REVENUE BASED AID IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

TRANSLATION SERVICES, AGAIN, A HOST OF DIFFERENT THINGS.

I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS ON PARTICULAR ITEMS.

>> ONE THING I JUST WANTED TO MENTION, I'D MENTIONED TO THE BOARD, THE CLIMATE SURVEY.

I KNOW WE CERTAINLY SPENT A LOT OF TIME ON THAT THIS YEAR AS PART OF THE GOALS, AND I THINK SAW SOME REALLY POSITIVE OUTCOMES IN APPROACHING THE BUDGET.

WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT WE DID THE COMMUNICATION SURVEY LAST SPRING, AND ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS THERE WAS FOR REGULAR RE-SURVEYING.

OUR RECOMMENDATION GOING INTO THIS BUDGET WAS MAYBE THAT WE ALTERNATE BETWEEN THE TWO.

THE COMMUNICATION SURVEY WAS A MUCH LOWER COST ITEM, AND THAT'S SEPARATE FROM BOCES.

THAT'S OUR PROPOSAL HERE.

WE CERTAINLY CONTINUE TO BE COMMITTED TO THE WORK IN TAKING THE LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE SURVEY AND WE'LL BE CONTINUING WORK WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS AND CARRY THOSE THINGS FORWARD, BUT THOUGHT IT MIGHT MAKE SENSE TO ALTERNATE BETWEEN THE TWO.

I JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE THE BOARD WAS FULLY AWARE OF THAT.

>> I GUESS ANOTHER PART OF THIS IS PROGRAMS PROVIDED FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS.

AGAIN, OUR MEETING ON MARCH 20TH, THAT'S WHEN TRACY HOLTZ IS GOING TO PROVIDE THE OVERVIEW FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION AS WELL.

I THINK AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE BOARD HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THAT.

I THINK AT FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE'RE PLANNING TO GET A MEET AND PROVIDE A LITTLE BIT MORE DEPTH ON WHAT'S DRIVING SOME OF OUR COSTS RELATED TO THAT.

I'M HEARING THE RAIN BEHIND US TOO.

>> I KNOW. THE RAIN AND THE WIND BEHIND US.

>> THEN THE LAST LINE YOU SEE THERE IS TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR.

WE CALL IT BEPT, BRONXVILLE, EASTCHESTER, PELHAM, TUCKAHOE.

THAT'S OUR TRANSPORTATION CONSORTIUM.

THERE'S A COORDINATOR, AGAIN, THAT HEADS THAT UP FOR ALL OF OUR FOUR DISTRICTS.

WE WORK COOPERATIVELY FOR OUR OUT OF DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION, SO IT'S A PROGRAM THAT WORKS WELL, AND IT'S GOOD HAVING THE DISTRICTS DOWN IN THIS AREA WORKING ON THAT PROGRAM.

[02:05:06]

>> I THINK THAT COVERS IT FOR TONIGHT.

>> TWO MORE TO GO.

>> THIS IS ALWAYS THE BIGGEST LEFT.

>> YEAH, THIS IS A BIG ONE.

>> JIM, THANK YOU. JACKIE, THANK YOU.

IF YOU'RE STILL AWAKE OVER THERE, I CAN'T SEE IT. [LAUGHTER]

>> THANK YOU.

>> ALWAYS THE LEVEL OF DETAIL AND ATTENTION THAT YOU PUT ON THIS IS REALLY JUST INCREDIBLE AND SOMETHING I'VE NEVER SEEN IN ANY OTHER DISTRICT TO THIS LEVEL OF DETAIL, THIS LEVEL OF TRANSPARENCY.

>> THERE'S GOING TO BE INQUIRY AND THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE.

AS WE GO THROUGH THAT, CERTAINLY THAT'S PART OF THE UPDATES WITH THE BOARD AND THEN A FINAL BUDGET FOR THE BOARD TO VOTE IN APRIL TO PUT ON THE BALLOT.

>> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU.

>> WITH THAT, UNFORTUNATELY, WE DO STILL HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF BUSINESS TO DO.

BUT WE KEPT IT TO ONLY THAT, WHICH WAS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY TO KEEP THE BUSINESS OF THE DISTRICT MOVING FORWARD.

I THINK THAT WOULD BRING US TO 6.1.

>> DO WE HAVE DONATIONS?

>> THERE IS A DONATION THAT GOT OUT OF ORDER TONIGHT.

>> DID THEY MOVE IT?

>> YES, 6.4.

IT'S CUT ON THE BODY.

>> I WOULD PROPOSE A MOTION TO APPROVE 6.1 THROUGH 6.3 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

[6.1 Motion to Approve 2023-2024 Budget Transfers]

[6.2 Motion to Approve Revised Out-of-District Special Education Tuition Rates for the 2023-24 School Year]

[6.3 Motion to Participate in Southern Westchester BOCES Cooperative Bids]

>> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND.

>> ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE ITEMS? BUDGET TRANSFERS, SPECIAL EDUCATION, TUITION RATES, PARTICIPATION IN BOARD'S COOPERATIVE BIDS?

>> NO. THIS IS PRETTY MUCH STANDARD APPROVAL OF [OVERLAPPING]

>> I THINK THOSE RATES ARE WHAT I TALKED ABOUT A LITTLE BIT EARLIER.

>> ALL IN FAVOR.

>> AYE.

>> ANY OPPOSITION? NO. THEN 6.4 IS A MOTION TO ACCEPT A DONATION.

[6.4 Motion to Accept a Donation]

>> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND.

>> I'LL READ THIS. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT THE MONETARY DONATION OF $6,000 FOR THE SECOND INSTALLMENT TOWARD THE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL AFTER SCHOOL MATH PROGRAM FOR FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADERS FOR THE '23/24 SCHOOL YEAR AND THAT GRATITUDE BE BESTOWED UPON ITS DONOR, THE FRIENDS OF THE PELHAM CIVIC ASSOCIATION.

THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AUTHORIZES THE SUPERINTENDENT TO ACCEPT FURTHER DONATIONS FOR SUCH PURPOSES THROUGH THE END OF THE '23/24 SCHOOL YEAR.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT THE DONATION OF $1,320 TO BE USED TO PURCHASE BOOKS FOR THE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL SPECIAL BOOK PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWS FAMILIES TO COMMEMORATE A SPECIAL EVENT OR MILESTONE IN THE LIFE OF A STUDENT BY GIFTING BOOKS IN THEIR NAMES, AND THAT GRATITUDE BE BESTOWED UPON THEIR DONOR, THE HUTCHINSON SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES HEREBY ACCEPT A MONETARY DONATION RESULTING FROM THE DISSOLUTION OF THE LIEUTENANT JOSEPH G. LEAVEY FOUNDATION.

THE AMOUNT IS CURRENTLY UNKNOWN, BUT APPROXIMATE TO $13,000 AND GRATITUDE IS HEREBY BESTOWED UPON ITS DONOR, THE LIEUTENANT JOSEPH G. LEAVEY FOUNDATION.

ANY COMMENTARY ON THE LAST ONE?

>> I CAN ADD SOME BACKGROUND IF THAT'S HELPFUL TO THE BOARD.

LIEUTENANT LEAVEY PERISHED, 9-11 FDNY MEMBER IN THE FORMER HUTCHINSON SCHOOL.

THERE WAS A PLAQUE DEDICATED TO LIEUTENANT LEAVEY ON THE CORNER OF THIRD IN LINCOLN.

THANK YOU. RIGHT ON THE CORNER THERE.

WE HAVE COLLECTED THAT PLAQUE AMONGST THE OTHER PLAQUES ON THAT SITE.

THAT WAS ANOTHER DISCUSSION ITEM AT OUR FACILITIES MEETING YESTERDAY, WORKING ON PUTTING TOGETHER A PROPER WAY TO HONOR THOSE THAT WERE PREVIOUSLY REMEMBERED AT THE FORMER HUTCHINSON SCHOOL AND INCORPORATING THAT INTO THE NEW POCKET PARK AREA AT THAT CORNER.

AGAIN, THIS RELATES BACK TO FDI MEMBER LIEUTENANT LEAVEY, I BELIEVE A HUTCHINSON PARENT AS WELL.

>> BUT THE $13,000-ISH THAT IS COMING OUR WAY, WHERE DOES THAT GO? WHAT DOES IT GET USED ON? DO WE KNOW?

>> THAT CAN BE UNDETERMINED AT THIS TIME.

[02:10:01]

AS WE KNOW MORE INFORMATION, WE'LL BRING THAT FORWARD TO THE BOARD.

I DON'T THINK WE EXPECT THAT TO BE SOMETHING THAT'S SIMPLY ABSORBED INTO THE GENERAL FUND.

I THINK THAT WE'D WANT TO DEDICATED PURPOSE FOR [OVERLAPPING].

>> I ALWAYS ON 9-11 TRY TO READ ABOUT SOME OF THE PEOPLE AND THERE'S ANOTHER NAME THAT WE CAN REMEMBER. ALL IN FAVOR?

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> ANY OPPOSITION? NO. THEN 6.5 IS A MOTION TO APPROVE CALENDAR FOR THE '24/25 SCHOOL YEAR BUDGET?

[6.5 Motion to Approve Calendar for the 2024-2025 School Year Budget]

>> YES.

>> WOULD SOMEONE LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION?

>> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND.

>> THE BUDGET SCHEDULE IS RIGHT THERE AS PART OF THAT RESOLUTION, JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE KEY MILESTONES OF THE BUDGET PROCESS, SO THE BUDGET PROPOSAL, THE LINE BY LINE PORTIONS OF THE BUDGET, THE ADOPTION, STATE MANDATED BUDGET HEARING, AND THEN THE BUDGET VOTE MEMBER ELECTION ITSELF.

ONE IMPORTANT ITEM OF NOTE, AS THE BOARD KNOWS, AT OUR LAST MEETING, WE APPROVED THE BOARD MEETING DATES.

WE REVISED THE CALENDAR TO INCLUDE THE STRATEGIC PLANNING WORK SESSIONS.

MANY OF THESE MEETINGS WILL ACTUALLY BEGIN AT 03:30 WITH THE STRATEGIC PLANNING.

THIS BUDGET CALENDAR ONLY HIGHLIGHTS THE PORTION THAT RELATES TO THE BUDGET.

FOR EXAMPLE, MARCH 20, I THINK THAT'S ONE THAT WILL BEGIN AT 03:30.

WE'LL DO 03:30-06:30 OF STRATEGIC PLANNING EXECUTIVE SESSION AND THEN THE BUDGET WORK WILL BEGIN AT 07:30 AS INDICATED ON THE CALENDAR.

I KNOW THAT WE HAD A LITTLE BIT OF CONVERSATION AND I KNOW WE NEED TO FIRM UP.

THERE ARE A LOT OF LOGISTICAL ISSUES AROUND BEING ABLE TO GET THE ROOMS SET UP AND LIVESTREAM AND ALL THAT, GIVEN THAT WE'RE IN THE SCHOOL SETTING.

MY RECOMMENDATION AT THIS POINT IS THAT CERTAINLY WILL REMAIN OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR THE STRATEGIC PLANNING SESSIONS, BUT TO NOT ACTUALLY LIVESTREAM THOSE.

WE'LL HAVE THE STUDENTS SCHOOL END.

LET THE STUDENTS GET DISMISSED.

CUSTODIANS COME IN AND GET THE ROOM SET UP ABSOLUTELY OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

BUT WE WOULDN'T HAVE A LIVESTREAM AVAILABLE FOR THAT PORTION.

BUT ABSOLUTELY WHAT I WOULD RECOMMEND IS THEN WHEN WE DO OPEN OUR PUBLIC MEETING, THE REGULAR BUSINESS MEETING, THAT WE PROVIDE AN UPDATE OF WHAT OCCURRED IN THAT WORKSHOP SESSION, IF THAT'S AMENABLE TO THE BOARD. WHAT I KNOW THAT WOULD HELP.

>> [OVERLAPPING] TOWARDS OUR VALUED AV TEAM.

>> YEAH. WE WANT TO MAKE THINGS FEASIBLE FOR OUR CUSTODIANS FOR OUR AV TEAM AND AT THE SAME TIME FACILITATE THE WORK OF THE BOARD.

>> ALL IN FAVOR?

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> THAT MOTION CARRIES. FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE INTERESTED IN GETTING A COPY OF THE PAPERWORK THAT DO YOU HAVE PRINT OUTS AT THE AT THE BUSINESS OFFICE.

>> [OVERLAPPING] FOR BUDGET?

>> YEAH, FOR THE BUDGET.

>> IT'S UP ON THE WEB PAGE.

>> OH, OKAY.

>> THAT WENT UP THIS AFTERNOON.

>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT WENT UP THIS AFTERNOON.

>> AS SOON AS WE COULD.

>> IT'S AT THE LIBRARY OR SOMETHING.

>> WHEN THE FINAL BUDGET IS READY FOR VISIBILITY, YES.

>> THAT'S LIKE A LAW.

>> WE'LL HAVE ABOUT THE SCHOOLS AND THE LIBRARY.

>> I WOULD ACCEPT A MOTION TO APPROVE ITEM 7.1 THROUGH 7.4 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

[7. Superintendent's Personnel Recommendations]

>> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND.

>> THIS HAS OUR.

>> YES.

>> HAPPY FOR YOUR NEW OPPORTUNITY, BUT SAD TO SEE YOU GO. ITEM.

>> YES.

>> I WILL MAKE ONE NOTE.

I DID MAKE A CLERICAL ADJUSTMENT TO DR.

BOWMAN'S HAD THE WORD IRREVOCABLE THAT WASN'T NECESSARY.

THAT'S 7.1 ITEM 1, ALICE BOWMAN.

THE PRINTED COPY SAYS, IRREVOCABLE RESIGNATION, BUT THAT I REMOVED THAT IN THE ACTUAL AGENDA, SO JUST RECOMMENDING TO APPROVE THAT AS AMENDED.

>> THE WORD IRREVOCABLE IS STRICKEN.

>> CORRECT.

>> ANY OTHER COMMENTS OR ABOUT THESE ITEMS? NO. ALL IN FAVOR.

>> AYE.

>> THE MOTION CARRIES.

THAT'S IT. THERE'S NO MORE?

>> NO MORE PUBLIC.

>> I'LL ACCEPT.

[02:15:02]

>> YEAH, SURE. I MAKE JUST A FINAL POINT OF INFORMATION.

I'VE BEEN WORKING WITH ALEX AND IAN ON PUTTING TOGETHER INFORMATION SESSION REGARDING THE CELL PHONE POLICY THAT SOME FOLKS TO SPEAK ABOUT HOW THEY'RE IMPLEMENTING CELL PHONE POLICIES IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS AND AROUND THE NATION.

OUR POLICY COMMITTEE IS ACTUALLY MEETING TOMORROW TO I THINK, HOPEFULLY BE LOOKING AT A FIRST DRAFT OF POTENTIAL POLICY.

MARCH 6TH, THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR FOLKS TO JOIN A REMOTE PANEL TO SEE HOW OTHER FOLKS AROUND THE NATION ARE ADDRESSING CELLPHONE USE.

THAT EMAIL WILL BE COMING OUT AND THAT'LL BE FOLLOWED BY AN OPPORTUNITY FOR PARENT ENGAGEMENT WORLD CAFE STYLE SESSION, REALLY HOPING THAT HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS IN PARTICULAR OR SOON TO BE HIGH SCHOOL PARENTS MAY COME AND BE PART OF THAT AND SO WE CAN GET SOME FEEDBACK ON THAT.

>> THAT'S 6TH, AT NOON.

>> THANK YOU. MARCH 6TH, AT NOON AND WE'RE MAKING IT REMOTE SO THAT IT CAN BE ACCESSIBLE TO FOLKS.

>> NOT YOU SHOULD EVER EMULATE THE BRITISH.

BUT [LAUGHTER] THE UNITED KINGDOM, WELL, MAYBE IT'S JUST ENGLAND, THE EQUIVALENT OF FEDERAL LEVEL IS EDGING TOWARDS A NATIONWIDE CELLPHONE BANNING.

IT'S WORTH JUST AS A DATA POINT, LOOKING AT MAYBE NOT A CELLPHONE BANNED, BUT SOME ENFORCEMENT.

FYN FEEL FREE TO IGNORE IT IF YOU WANT.

>> NO, I'M AWARE.

>> GREAT.

>> I'LL ACCEPT A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

>> SO MOVED.

>> SECOND.

>> ALL IN FAVOR?

>> AYE.

>> AYE.

>> WE ARE ADJOURNED.

>> DO THESE PAGES GO IN THE BUDGET BOOK?

>> YES.

>> THERE'S OTHER PROCESS.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.