>> WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING OF APRIL 22ND, 2025. [00:00:05] LETS RISE FOR THE PLEDGE. >> >> WILL, WOULD YOU PLEASE REITERATE OUR EXECUTIVE SESSION MOTION? >> OF COURSE. WE MET TO DISCUSS THE EMPLOYMENT HISTORY OF A PARTICULAR PERSON. >> THANK YOU. I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYED THE BREAK, AND WE'RE NOW IN THE HOME STRETCH OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. TONIGHT, WE WILL BE VOTING TO ADOPT THE 2025, 2026 SCHOOL BUDGET. IF APPROVED, THIS BECOMES THE BOARD OF EDUCATION'S OFFICIAL BUDGET TO PRESENT TO VOTERS ON MAY 20TH. I WANT TO EXTEND SINCERE THANKS TO THE BUSINESS OFFICE AND ALL OF THE DISTRICT STAFF INVOLVED IN DEVELOPING A THOUGHTFUL BOTTOMS-UP BUDGET THAT REFLECTS THE BOARD'S EXPECTATIONS, ONE, TO REMAIN MINDFUL OF LONG-TERM BUDGET SUSTAINABILITY IN LIGHT OF RISE IN COSTS, AND TWO TO MAINTAIN THE HIGH QUALITY PROGRAMMING OUR COMMUNITY HAS COME TO EXPECT. SOME POINTS I WILL REITERATE. THE DISTRICT HAS STRATEGICALLY MANAGED STAFFING COSTS THROUGH RETIREMENTS, RESULTING IN A REDUCED HEADCOUNT IN THIS BUDGET, WHICH SAVES OPERATING COSTS. HOWEVER, IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT OVERALL STAFFING HAS GROWN SIGNIFICANTLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS WHILE ENROLLMENT HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY STEADY. ADMINISTRATIVE STAFFING HAS INCREASED BY ONLY ONE POSITION OVER THE LAST 10 YEARS, AND THE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM REMAINS LEAN COMPARED TO OTHER DISTRICTS. THIS YEAR'S BUDGET DOES HAVE THE DISTRICT ADDING A TEMPORARY PART-TIME ADMINISTRATIVE HEADCOUNT TO HELP EXPEDITE THE TRANSITION TO ELECTRONIC REGISTRATION, WHICH WILL IN EFFECT RE-REGISTER STUDENTS ENTERING SIXTH AND NINTH GRADE. WE ARE ALSO USING DEBT SERVICE STRATEGICALLY TO HELP MINIMIZE THE INCREASE IN THE TAX LEVY WHILE PRESERVING SUFFICIENT RESERVES TO SAFEGUARD THE DISTRICT AGAINST FINANCIAL HEADWINDS. THESE ARE ALL FINANCIALLY RESPONSIBLE STEPS. APPROVING A SCHOOL BUDGET IS ARGUABLY THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTION THE BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY TAKES TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE THE QUALITY EDUCATION THEY DESERVE. I WANT TO THANK THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY FOR ITS ENGAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THIS BUDGET PROCESS. YOUR INVOLVEMENT HELPS US BUILD A STRONGER SCHOOL DISTRICT FOR ALL PELHAM STUDENTS. THANK YOU. SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. [3.1 Superintendent's Report] >> GREAT, YES, THANK YOU. JUST A FEW ITEMS TONIGHT, SINCE WE REALLY JUST HAD A COUPLE OF DAYS OF SCHOOL SINCE WE LAST MET. AGAIN, HOPE EVERYONE HAD A WONDERFUL SPRING BREAK AS WELL. I KNOW EVEN THOUGH THE OFFICES SCHOOL IS CLOSED, IT STILL REMAINS BUSY HERE IN DISTRICT. THANK YOU. EVEN THOUGH THE OFFICES SCHOOL WAS CLOSED DURING THE BREAK, A LOT OF WORK STILL CONTINUES ON HERE IN THE DISTRICT, SO WE WERE APPRECIATIVE FOR THE TIME. TWO THINGS I WANTED TO POINT OUT AND GIVE SPECIAL THANKS TO OUR FACILITIES TEAM. I'M SORRY, JIM, IF I'M STEALING THE THUNDER HERE. BUT THE FIRST ONE IS OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS IN SIWANOY COLONIAL AND PROSPECT HILL WHO HAVE CLASSROOMS ON THE TOP FLOOR. WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF WALKING INTO AIR-CONDITIONED CLASSROOMS THIS MORNING. THANK YOU TO THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT WHO PLANNED AHEAD. THEY'VE BEEN WORKING FOR MONTHS TO HAVE THE INVENTORY AND EVERYTHING PREPARED. THOSE TOP FLOORS ARE THE THREE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, AND IT COULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED ON A BETTER DAY SINCE WE TOPPED OVER 80 TODAY. REALLY THANKFUL FOR THEM THAT WAS BILL MCDEVITT, HE'S OUR CARPENTER NOW. >> MAINTENANCE MECHANIC. >> MAINTENANCE MECHANIC, WHO'S BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING THAT HAPPEN. LOTS OF FOLKS WERE INVOLVED IN THAT. THANKS TO JIM AND JOHN CONDON, WHO DESPITE I BROWBEAT, CARRIED OUT MY ORDERS AND JIM AND I SAID EARLIER, I SAID IT AND JIM AGREED BECAUSE HE DIDN'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE, I DIDN'T WANT TO BE THE FILL IN THE BLANK THAT WHEN WE GOT TO THIS FALL, DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH AIR CONDITIONER UNITS WHEN EVERYONE ELSE WAS RUNNING OUT AND BUYING THEM. JIM AND JOHN WERE REALLY DILIGENT AND WORKED A WAY AT ESTIMATING, MEASURING, PURCHASING, SECURING THOSE, AND SO WE'RE REALLY HAPPY FOR KIDS AND TEACHERS THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THOSE. WE'LL BE COMPLETING THE WORK AT THE HIGH SCHOOL BETWEEN NOW AND SEPTEMBER. AGAIN, THAT'S ONLY TOP FLOORS, BUT THOSE ARE OUR FLOORS THAT REALLY GET TO THOSE UNCOMFORTABLY HOT TEMPERATURES THAT WOULD BE OUTSIDE OF THE GOVERNOR'S NEW LEGISLATION. THANK YOU FOR THAT. JUST A QUICK QUICK NOTE THAT I WANTED TO ADD TOO TO JACKIE'S. LATER ON IN THE MEETING, [00:05:01] I KNOW WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE EXTENSIVE REPORTS TONIGHT, BUT WE DID ASK, JIM'S CAN BE SPEAK A LITTLE ABOUT RESIDENCY. CLAIRE AND TRICIA TALKED SOME ABOUT THE STRUCTURE FOR THE CLERICAL TO SUPPORT THE REGISTRATION EFFORT, SO WE'LL CIRCLE BACK TO THAT AND TALK ABOUT THAT CLERICAL POSITION JUST BRIEFLY IN A LITTLE BIT. THE OTHER THING THAT HAPPENED OVER SPRING BREAK IS SOME SIGNAGE. WE HAD BEEN WORKING WITH MR. TOOMBS AND MR. CONDON ABOUT IMPROVING SIGNAGE, IN PARTICULAR FOR GLOVER, BECAUSE OFTEN FOLKS DON'T REALIZE THAT IS SCHOOL PROPERTY, AND THAT ALL SCHOOL RULES APPLY. WE'VE GOT SOME NEW SIGNAGE THAT WE ROLLED OUT THERE AT SIWANOY, AS WELL, PROSPECT HILL. I THINK SOME OF THIS IS STILL GOING ON AS WELL. JUST TO MIND FOLKS, A, IT'S SCHOOL PROPERTY, B, SOMETHING LIKE THE PLAYGROUNDS ARE ONLY OPEN DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. WE'VE HAD SOME NEIGHBORS CONTACTING US RECENTLY WITH CONCERNS ABOUT PEOPLE BEING ON THE PLAYGROUNDS AFTER HOURS, AND THE EVENING HOURS, LATE AT NIGHT, CREATING NOISE FOR NEIGHBORS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. WHILE WE KNOW FOLKS HAVE DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES WITH WHAT GOES ON AT THE SCHOOL PROPERTIES IN THE 24/7 HOURS, THOSE SIGNS ARE THERE PURPOSEFULLY BECAUSE OF WANTING TO BE GOOD NEIGHBORS AND GETTING REQUESTS FROM SOME NEIGHBORS FOR US TO DO SOME INTERVENTION TO TRY TO HELP CALM THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN THOSE OFF HOURS. I KNOW EVEN I SPOKE TO MR. CONDON TODAY, THERE'S ALSO SOME CONCERNS ABOUT SECURING THE PLAYGROUND AT SIWANOY. WE'RE LOOKING TO ADD SOME THINGS TO SECURE THE GATES DURING THE OFF HOURS AND THINGS. THOSE MAY BE SOME CHANGES FOLKS ARE NOT ACCUSTOMED TO AND EXPECTING, BUT WE'RE TRYING TO BE RESPONSIVE TO THE SAFETY AND THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF THE NEIGHBORS ADJACENT TO THOSE PROPERTIES. THANKS AGAIN TO THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT FOR FACILITATING THAT. I JUST WANT TO PERSONALLY SEND A WORD OF CONGRATULATIONS TO THREE OF OUR BOARD TRUSTEES TONIGHT, WHO ARE AGAIN CHOSEN TO PUT IN THEIR HAT AND THE RING FOR THE BOARD SERVICE. JACKIE, NATALIE, AND WILL ARE GOING TO BE RUNNING AGAIN FOR THOSE THREE SEATS. IT IS AN UNCONTESTED ELECTION. VALERIE NOTIFIED ME OF THAT AS OUR DISTRICT CLERK, ONCE THE END OF THE DEADLINE ON MONDAY CAME BY. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO OUR CONTINUED WORK TOGETHER, AND I APPRECIATE YOUR BOARD SERVICE AND BEING WILLING TO CONTINUE IN SUCH A CRITICAL ROLE. TONIGHT, AS WAS ALREADY MENTIONED, WE HAVE OUR BUDGET ADOPTION, SO WE'LL BE GOING THROUGH THAT BRIEFLY. ONE THING I WILL ADD, AND JIM AND I HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THIS ON A DAILY BASIS, THE STATE STILL HAS NOT SETTLED THEIR BUDGET. THE BUDGET THAT THE BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO ADOPT TONIGHT IS BASED ON THE INITIAL STATE AID RUNS FROM THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE. WE HAVE BEEN GETTING SOME INFORMATION FROM DIFFERENT PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS THAT AND JIM WILL CORRECT ME IF I GET THIS WRONG, THE INITIAL RUNS WERE BASED ON NOVEMBER INFORMATION, WHICH INCLUDES CPI AT 1.9. NO, 2.1. >> 3.1. >> 3.1. SEE, I ALREADY GOT IT WRONG. CPI FACTOR AT THAT POINT. THEY WERE CALCULATED AT 3.1 BECAUSE THINGS HAVEN'T BEEN SETTLED, THEY'VE NOW BEEN ADJUSTED TO THE FEBRUARY RATE, WHICH IS A LOWER RATE, WHICH MAY RESULT IN DISTRICTS RECEIVING LESS STATE AID THAN WAS ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED. DIFFERENT SCENARIOS ARE GOING TO AFFECT DIFFERENT DISTRICTS IN SOME WAYS, BUT WE'RE NOT CERTAIN YET HOW IT WILL IMPACT US, BUT THERE IS A CHANCE THAT WE COULD AT THE END OF THE DAY, ACTUALLY BE RECEIVING SLIGHTLY LESS STATE AID FROM THE FOUNDATION AID FORMULA THAN WHAT WAS ORIGINALLY ALLOCATED. I JUST WANT THE BOARD TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT. WE'RE HOPING THAT THEY CAN SETTLE A BUDGET VERY SOON. I HEAR THE THING THAT'S HOLDING THINGS UP AT THIS POINT IN TIME IS THE CELL PHONE LEGISLATION. I THOUGHT OF ALL THINGS. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE OUT BAIL REFORM AND ALL THOSE OTHER THINGS, AND NOW WE'RE STUCK ON CELL PHONES. AGAIN, I'LL JUST ADD THAT TOO. I KNOW THE BOARD'S CERTAINLY EAGER TO GET AN UPDATE FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL ON CELL PHONE. AT THIS POINT, WE'RE WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE GOVERNOR'S BILL FINALLY LOOKS LIKE. ONCE WE HAVE THAT, WE WILL KNOW WHICH DIRECTION TO PIVOT TO FINALIZE A PLAN. THAT IS THE END OF MY REPORT FOR TONIGHT, UNLESS YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ON THOSE ITEMS. >> WITH RESPECT TO THE SITUATIONS AT THE PLAYGROUNDS AT NIGHT IN SIWANOY AND PROSPECT, HAVE WE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE I GUESS PELHAM MANOR POLICE DEPARTMENT IN TERMS OF JUST CHECKING THE SPACE? >> WE HAVE. WE KNOW THEM, THEY KNOW US, AND THEY TAKE OUR CALLS. THEY'RE FANTASTIC. WE'VE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THEM. OUR FACILITIES DIRECTOR HAS, AND AGAIN, ENCOURAGE RESIDENTS IF THEY SEE SOMETHING HAPPENING THAT THEY DON'T BELIEVE IS APPROPRIATE OR AFTER HOURS TO PLEASE CONTACT THEM, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN TAKE THE NECESSARY STEPS. WE SHARED WITH THEM THAT WE'VE KEPT THE ADDED SIGNS UP THERE, AND WE'VE SECURED JUST ONE OF [00:10:01] THE ROLLING GATES JUST TO MAKE SURE THEY KNOW WHAT WE'VE DONE, AND IF LAW ENFORCEMENT NEEDS TO GET INVOLVED, THEY'LL ACT, AND THEY'LL DO THEIR JOB THE WAY THEY ALWAYS DO. >> HAS THE COMPLAINTS BEEN MORE AROUND KIDS HANGING OUT THERE OR MORE THAN THAT? >> NO, I THINK IT'S MORE NOISE AND KIDS HANGING OUT AFTER HOURS. >> QUESTION ABOUT THE STATE BUDGET. IS THIS THIS ON? DOESN'T SOUND LIKE IT'S ON. >> IT'S ON. >> IT'S ON? IF IT'S LOOKING LIKE WE WILL BE GETTING LESS THAN WE THOUGHT, HOW WILL WE HANDLE THAT? >> WELL, WE'RE LOOKING AT A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT THINGS. WE'RE CONSTANTLY LOOKING AT OUR REGULAR REVENUE FORECASTS, WHETHER THAT'S INTEREST INCOME OR MISCELLANEOUS INCOMES, DIFFERENT ITEMS SUCH AS THAT. WE'RE GOING TO KEEP LOOKING AT THOSE THINGS. WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY NEGATIVE OUTLOOK ON THOSE NUMBERS. WHEN YOU GET TO THE POINT, THOUGH, THE BOARD HAS TO ADOPT A BUDGET AT THIS POINT, YOU COULD ALSO UTILIZE ADDITIONAL FUND BALANCE. THIS IS AGAIN, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT FORMULAICALLY IT'S RELATIVELY MINOR AND SOME OF THOSE FUNDS, THAT SPEAKS REALLY MORE TOWARDS THE FOUNDATION AID. THE OTHER STATE AID IS MORE COST DRIVEN, LIKE THE TRANSPORTATION, AND THE [INAUDIBLE], AND THOSE THINGS. THEY CAN COME IN DIFFERENT TIMES AS WELL. WHAT WE ALSO FIND SOMETIMES IS SOMETIMES OUR ACTUAL IN SOME OF OUR EXPENSE DRIVEN AID LIKE [INAUDIBLE] OVER-PERFORMS YEAR TO YEAR, BUT YOU REALLY CAN'T BE SHORT OF THAT. I THINK PRUDENT BUDGETING FOR THE BUDGET IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TO STICK WITH THE RUNS, THE GOVERNOR'S RUN OR THE FINAL RUN WHEN YOU HAVE THE APPROVED BUDGET. THAT'S WHAT WE'VE DONE. AT THIS POINT, THAT WOULD BE THE RECOMMENDATION TO. BUT SAME TIME, KEEP LOOKING AT THOSE OTHER THINGS, BE AWARE OF WHAT IT COULD BE. AGAIN, SINCE YOU'RE TALKING JUST A COUPLE OF TENTHS OF A PERCENTAGE POINT, WE DON'T SEE THAT AS BEING A LARGE EXPOSURE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. >> JUST TO BE CLEAR, THIS DOES NOT IMPACT STATE BUILDING AID. >> RIGHT. THE WAY THIS WAS EXPLAINED TO US IS IT'S ON THE FOUNDATION AID PORTION OF THE BUDGET. >> THANK YOU. >> SEMI-RELATED TO THAT. DR. CHAMP, YOU MENTIONED THAT EVERYONE'S WAITING TO SEE WHAT THE STATE'S CELL PHONE GUIDANCE LOOKS LIKE. IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING. CAN YOU REMIND ME WHAT THE THEN ORDER OF OPERATIONS IS FOR US? I KNOW THAT THE HIGH SCHOOL HAS BEEN WORKING ON IS IT A NEW POLICY, OR A PROPOSED POLICY, OR A PROPOSED SET OF BEST PRACTICES, IS IT SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO VOTE ON? I HONESTLY JUST CANNOT REMEMBER WHAT THE NEXT THING IS, WHETHER IT'S A POLICY OR WHETHER IT'S JUST LIKE SOME ADVICE OR GUIDANCE. >> THEY'VE BEEN MEETING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THEY SENT US THAT FEBRUARY REPORT. I THINK WHAT THEY'VE BEEN DOING IS REALLY JUST EXPLORING THE WHOLE TOPIC. THEY'VE BEEN READING, THE ANXIOUS GENERATION, THEY'VE BEEN TAKING SURVEYS OF STUDENTS AND STAFF, SO THEY'VE BEEN JUST LEARNING ABOUT THE TOPIC AS A WHOLE, GETTING FEEDBACK ON HOW THE ADJUSTMENTS THAT WERE MADE THIS YEAR HAVE BEEN EFFECTIVE, WHERE THOSE MIGHT BE TWEAKED, WHERE THEY MIGHT BE IMPROVED. I KNOW THEY KNOW THE BOARD'S GOAL WAS TO MOVE TOWARDS AS MUCH OF A PHONE-FREE ENVIRONMENT AS POSSIBLE. I THINK THEIR PLAN IS TO COME BACK WITH RECOMMENDATIONS ON WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE. I THINK HOW THE GOVERNOR'S BILL EVENTUALLY LANDS WILL THEN SHAPE THAT. I'LL JUST DO A HYPOTHETICAL, IF THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS WERE THAT THE NEW APPROACH IS WORKING EXTREMELY WELL, AND THEY THINK MAYBE WITH A FEW TWEAKS HERE AND THERE, THAT THEY SHOULD KEEP THE CURRENT APPROACH. BUT IF THE GOVERNOR'S BILL DOESN'T ALLOW THAT AS AN OPTION, THEN OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE NOT GOING TO COME [INAUDIBLE]. >> [INAUDIBLE] BELL TO BELL BASICALLY NO PHONES [INAUDIBLE]. >> SOME OF THE DEBATE IS BELL TO BELL, THE BEGINNING OF THE PERIOD AND THE END OF THE PERIOD OR IS BELL TO BELL THE START OF THE SCHOOL DAY AND THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY. >> I GUESS MY QUESTION WAS LESS ABOUT THE CONTENT OF WHAT'S BEING WORKED ON. IT'S MORE TECHNICALLY IS IT GOING TO BE A POLICY THAT THE BOARD WILL VOTE ON, OR IS IT GOING TO BE OPERATIONALIZED? >> I THINK THEY'RE GOING TO BE MORE THE PLAN FOR OPERATIONALIZING IT, AND THEN THE BOARD WOULD THEN GO BACK TO COMMITTEE AND REVISE THE POLICY IN LIGHT OF THAT. THAT'S HOW I FORESEE THAT. >> BECAUSE THE POLICY WAS BASICALLY PUT INTO PLACE OR ENFORCED THE RULE, THE PROCEDURES THAT WERE IN PLACE IN THE HIGH SCHOOL ALREADY, [00:15:04] THEN HAVE THIS COMMITTEE COME BACK AND TELL US WHAT DOES A CELLPHONE-FREE OR MOSTLY CELLPHONE-FREE SCHOOL LOOK LIKE. >> IN THE SPRING. >> I THINK THAT WORDING, I DON'T REMEMBER EXACTLY, BUT WAS BUILT INTO THE POLICY THAT WE VOTED ON THEN. >> CORRECT. >> I THINK TOO, THE OTHER THING IS LAW WILL SUPERSEDE BOARD POLICY. THERE WAS NO LAW ON CELLPHONES, SO WE ESTABLISHED THE POLICY TO GIVE DIRECTION ABOUT WHAT THE BOARD WANTED TO SEE TOWARDS A CELLPHONE-FREE ENVIRONMENT. NOW THE LAW IS WHAT'S GOING TO THEN BECOME THE NEW BAR OF WHAT WE NEED TO OPERATIONALIZE, SO THAT'S WHY I THINK NEXT WILL BE THE GOVERNOR'S FINAL BILL, FINAL LAW BEING PASSED, THEN THE RECOMMENDATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATORS ON HOW THEY'RE GOING TO OPERATIONALIZE THAT AS A RESULT OF ALL THE STUDY THAT THEY'VE DONE THIS YEAR, THEN I THINK WE GO BACK TO POLICY COMMITTEE AND THEN MEMORIALIZE THAT IN POLICY. >> IT SOUNDS LIKE AT THE END OF ALL THAT, THERE WILL BE SOMETHING THAT THIS BOARD VOTES ON. >> IT'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE. I THINK YES BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO UPDATE OUR POLICY. >> I SEE. >> AS THE GOVERNOR IS PLANNING TO COME OUT WITH SOMETHING VERY SOON. I HAVEN'T READ RECENTLY. >> THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT'S LITERALLY ONE OF THE LAST THINGS THAT'S HOLDING UP THE BUDGET. >> THAT'S ONE. THERE'S A COUPLE OF THINGS HOLDING UP THE BUDGET. CELLPHONE POLICY, THE CELLPHONE PIECES. >> HOLD THE MIC. >> SORRY. THERE'S A FEW THINGS THAT ARE HOLDING UP THE BUDGET, AND ONE OF THEM IS COMING INTO AN AGREEMENT ON THE CELLPHONE. >> THEN JUST WHAT I'M HEARING, JUST TO REITERATE, IT SOUNDS LIKE, AS WE AGREED LAST YEAR, WE'RE WORKING ON A PLAN, EXPLORING HOW DIFFERENT THINGS WOULD WORK, BUT ONCE THE GOVERNOR'S BILL COMES OUT, DEPENDING UPON HOW THE EXTENT OF IT, THEN WE PLUG IN BECAUSE IF IT'S VERY EXTREME TO YOUR POINT, THE BELL TO BELL, THEN THERE'S NOTHING TO DISCUSS. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> BUT IF THERE IS IF IT'S MORE LENIENT, AND WE SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE WANTED TO MAKE A PLAN TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE THEN THAT WOULD BE FOR US TO DISCUSS AND TO SEE THAT. >> THERE'D BE A LOT MORE LEEWAY IN WHAT THOSE RECOMMENDATIONS WOULD LOOK LIKE AND HOW WE'D WANT TO SHAPE OUR POLICY. >> DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT THE IDEAL PLAN WOULD BE? >> NO, I DO NOT. I AM NOT FIGHTING ON THAT. [LAUGHTER] >> BUT I THINK WHAT WAS BEHIND MY QUESTIONS. I THINK I GOT THE ANSWER TO MY QUESTION, WHICH IS IT WILL GO INTO POLICY. IT WILL BE ENSHRINED IN POLICY, WHATEVER IT ENDS UP BEING. WE WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO DEBATE IT. WE WILL BE VOTING ON I THINK THAT'S RIGHT BECAUSE IT'S AN ISSUE THAT I THINK WHEREVER YOU STAND ON THE ISSUE, IT'S IMPORTANT. IT GARNERED QUITE A LOT OF ATTENTION. I'M GLAD WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO AT IT IN THIS FORUM. >> GREAT. THANK YOU. >> DO WE HAVE ANY COMMITTEE REPORTS? [3.2 Board of Education Committee Reports] WE WERE JUST ON SPRING BREAK SO DID YOU HAVE COMMITTEES LAST WEEK? >> NO. >> I'M KIDDING. WE'LL MOVE STRAIGHT TO 4.1. >> CAN I SAY JUST ONE THING. >> YEAH, OF COURSE. >> I KNOW THAT WE SAID THAT CABINET WAS NOT GOING TO BE DOING REPORTS TONIGHT, BUT, JIM, SORRY, I HAVE TO ASK YOU. CLAIRE'S AND TRICIA'S WILL COME UP IN THE BUDGET CONVERSATION. BUT ACTUALLY, NO YOURS WILL AS WELL. WE CAN POSTPONE. I WANTED JIM TO JUST TO TOUCH ON RESIDENCY. >> DO YOU WANT TO DO THAT NOW? >> LET'S DO IT NOW. >> LET'S DO IT. WE BROUGHT IT UP. >> WHILE WE'RE STILL WORKING ON RESIDENCY. GOING INTO THE HOLIDAY. ALWAYS. YES. GO INTO THE HOLIDAY. CERTAINLY, SOME OF OUR INVESTIGATIONS SLOWED DOWN. PEOPLE GOING AWAY AND WE'RE PICKING UP THIS WEEK. THIS YEAR THROUGH THE FIRST THREE QUARTERS OF THE YEAR, WE'VE INVESTIGATED 20 SEPARATE FAMILIES. >> DID YOU SAY 20 OR? >> TWENTY. >> TWENTY? >> YES, 20, MAKING UP 32 STUDENTS. THE RESULTS OF THAT SHOW WE HAVE SIX CONFIRMATIONS. I'LL TALK IN FAMILIES. IF WE DO IT THIS WAY. TEN CONFIRMED NONRESIDENTS. ONE WHO WAS DETERMINED TO BE HOMELESS AND THREE ARE CURRENTLY IN PROCESS. WE'VE TOUCHED DOWN JUST ABOUT STUDENTS FROM JUST ABOUT EVERY SCHOOL, [00:20:01] PREDOMINANTLY THE STUDENTS, THE LARGES NUMBERS IN THE HIGH SCHOOL. BUT THAT WOULD MAKE SENSE BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE MOST OF OUR STUDENTS ARE AS WELL. BUT WE'VE INVESTIGATED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL. WE KEEP MOVING FORWARD. SOME OF THESE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED MULTIPLE TIMES. WE'VE HAD NON RESIDENT DETERMINATIONS AND THEN THEIR CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGE. THEY MAY MOVE OR TELL US THEY MOVE AND DO MOVE OR A STUDENT MAY CHANGE THEIR OVERNIGHT RESIDENCE TO A DIFFERENT PARENT WHO LIVES IN TOWN VERSUS A PARENT WHO DOESN'T LIVE IN TOWN. THERE'S ANY NUMBER OF DIFFERENT REASONS WHY WE MAY INVESTIGATE STUDENTS WHEN STUDENTS WHO WE'VE INVESTIGATED AND DETERMINED TO BE NON RESIDENTS, THEN MOVE INTO TOWN, OBVIOUSLY, THEY'RE IN OUR SCHOOLS. SAME AS IF WE HAVE STUDENTS WHOSE PARENTS LIVE IN TWO DIFFERENT PLACES, AND SAY ONE PARENT RESIDES IN PELHAM, AND THE STUDENTS LIVE WITH THAT PARENT IN PELHAM, THEN THAT STUDENT WILL THEN ATTEND THE PELHAM SCHOOLS. THAT'S HAPPENED ON MORE THAN ONE INSTANCE. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THOSE 20, THERE COULD BE MULTIPLE INVESTIGATIONS JUST AT DIFFERENT TIMES ON DIFFERENT JOBS THAT WE'RE WORKING ON RIGHT NOW. BUT WE KEEP WORKING ON IT. I THINK WHAT WE'VE SHARED BEFORE IS I TALKED TO MY COUNTER. I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO SOME COUNTERPARTS. EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS WORKING ON IT. NOBODY WANTS TO SHARE THEIR INVESTIGATOR BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT ANYBODY TO TAKE ANYONE ELSE'S INVESTIGATOR. WE'RE ENGAGED WITH AN INVESTIGATOR. IT'S USUALLY ONE PERSON, BUT HE ALSO HAS ACCESS TO A SECOND PERSON, SO THEY DO. THEY'RE VERY BUSY, AND THAT'S FINE BETWEEN US AND OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THEY'VE GOT A GOOD REPUTATION WITH OUR ATTORNEY SO THAT THE REPORTS WE RECEIVE, THE ATTORNEYS HAVE CONFIDENCE IN SO THAT WHEN WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THE REMOVAL PROCEEDING WE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. BUT AGAIN, THESE CIRCUMSTANCES CAN CHANGE. EVEN AGAIN, IF WE HAVE A DETERMINATION THAT SOMEBODY'S A NONRESIDENT AND WE COULD HAVE THREE INVESTIGATIONS. ALL IT TAKES IS, AGAIN, A NEW LEASE AND A NEW MOVE IN WITHIN THE DISTRICT. THEY COULD LIVE THERE A WEEK LEGITIMATELY AND THEN MOVE OUT AND WE'RE BACK AT SQUARE ONE AGAIN. I'LL BE HONEST. THERE'S SOME FRUSTRATION ON MY PART, BUT I THINK WE'RE FOLLOWING THE RULES AND WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THE PROCESS, AND HERE WE'RE GETTING REFERRALS FROM OUR SCHOOLS, IF THEY HAVE RETURNED MAIL OR IF A STUDENT SAYS SOMETHING, AN EDUCATOR WILL LET THEIR ADMINISTRATION KNOW. THESE ARE THE WAYS WE'RE LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE TO INVESTIGATE, AND WE'RE JUST WORKING OUR WAY THROUGH THE PROCESS. >> IF YOU SAY 20 FAMILIES, 32 STUDENTS, THAT'S BECAUSE THERE'S STILL ON THE SAME. >> BECAUSE I HAVE MULTIPLE CHILDREN. >> I WANTED TO CLARIFY THAT. IF JUST THINKING ABOUT THE MOVING TO DIGITAL REGISTRATION FOR SIX AND NINTH GRADERS, SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS, IT SOUNDS LIKE THAT RE REGISTERING WOULDN'T NECESSARILY CAPTURE SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS OR WOULD THEY? >> THEY MAY BECAUSE, AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S WHERE THE DATABASE MAY FLAG A DUPLICATE ADDRESS. BUT THEN, AGAIN, WE HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE HAVE LIVED IN TOWN, AND THEN THEY'VE MOVED OUT, OR WE'VE HAD CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE MAY USE A FAMILY MEMBERS ADDRESS OR CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE PEOPLE ARE NAMED ON A LEASE AND THEY HAVE A LEGITIMATE LEASE BUT THEY DON'T LIVE HERE, AND THOSE ARE ALL POTENTIAL CIRCUMSTANCES THAT WE'VE SEEN. >> ONE OTHER QUESTION. WHEN IT'S DETERMINED THAT A STUDENT IS NOT A RESIDENT, AND IT'S THIS TIME OF THE YEAR. WHAT MAY HAPPEN? >> SURE. >> MIGHT THEY STAY UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR? HOW IS THE DETERMINATION MADE ON TIMING OF. >> WELL, THE GENERAL PROCESSES WE'LL DO AN INVESTIGATION. IF WE DO AN INVESTIGATION, WE'LL PROBABLY HAVE FIVE SURVEILLANCES. WE'LL TRY TO GET FIVE SURVEILLANCES BASED ON THE ADVICE OF COUNSEL. WE WILL SEND A LETTER TO THE PARENT OF THE STUDENT INDICATING THAT BASED ON INVESTIGATION, WE'VE COME TO AN INITIAL DETERMINATION THAT YOU DON'T RESIDE WITHIN THE BOUNDARIES OF THE DISTRICT, [00:25:02] AND THEN THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REPLY. AFTER THAT TIME PERIOD HAS ENDED, THEN I HAVE TO MAKE A FINAL DETERMINATION. IF SOMEBODY DOESN'T REPLY MY FINAL DETERMINATION AND I'VE NOT RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, MY FINAL DETERMINATION. I SENT ANOTHER FORMAL LETTER, WHICH IS, I'VE DETERMINED THAT YOU'RE NOT A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT AND THAT AS OF A CERTAIN DATE, YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO ATTEND SCHOOL WITHIN THE DISTRICT. I GENERALLY HAVE TO GIVE THEM A LITTLE BIT OF A LEAD TIME SO THAT THEY CAN PREPARE TO ENROLL THEIR STUDENTS IN THE SCHOOL OF THEIR RESIDENTS. AT THE BOTTOM OF MY LETTER, THOUGH, THERE'S SOME LEGALES. I HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THE PROCESS OF HOW TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL TO THE STATE. THAT'S REQUIRED. THEY HAVE 30 DAYS UPON WHICH TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL AFTER MY FINAL DETERMINATION, AND WHEN THEY FILE AN APPEAL, THEY'RE REALLY ASKING FOR TWO THINGS. ONE IS THEY'RE ASKING FOR IMMEDIATE RELIEF, WHICH MEANS THEY DON'T WANT TO LEAVE BY THE DATE I'VE SET, AND THEN THEY'RE ALSO ASKING FOR AN APPEAL ON THE ENTIRE DECISION. THE STATE WILL GENERALLY RULE PRETTY QUICKLY ON THE IMMEDIATE RELIEF ACTION. AT THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, IF SAY I WERE TO REMOVE SOMEBODY AS OF MAY 15 OR MAY 30, THE STATE'S GOING TO PROVIDE RELIEF TO THE STUDENTS. >> UNTIL THE END OF THIS. >> THEY'RE GOING TO ALLOW THEM TO MAYBE COMPLETE THE YEAR, MAYBE EVEN REMAIN UNTIL THERE'S A FINAL DETERMINATION. THERE'S A LITTLE BIT OF STRATEGY IN PLACE AT THIS POINT IN TIME. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, YOU'D PROBABLY LET THE STUDENT REMAIN THROUGH THE END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR, AND THEN SAY YOU'RE NO LONGER YOU DON'T RESIDE IN THE DISTRICT BY MY DETERMINATION. AS OF JUNE 30, YOU'LL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO ATTEND THE SCHOOL DISTRICT. >> I SEE WHAT YOU'RE SAYING. YOU MAY PUT THAT DATE SO THAT THERE'S LESS LIKELY TO BE AN APPEAL THAT MAY. >> BECAUSE IF THEY GO FOR APPEAL, THE STATE IS LESS LIKELY TO GRANT IMMEDIATE RELIEF BECAUSE YOU'RE ALLOWING THE STUDENT TO COMPLETE THE SCHOOL YEAR. THEN THE SECOND PART IS THE LONGER APPEAL. THE STATE CAN TAKE A YEAR OR A YEAR AND A HALF TO COME TO A FINAL RULING ON THAT. NOW, IF A STUDENT'S BEEN GRANTED RELIEF IN THAT TIME PERIOD, THEY'RE STILL ATTENDING SCHOOL HERE WHILE THE STATE DETERMINES WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO DO. IN THAT TIME PERIOD, THE STUDENT IS HERE LIKE EVERY OTHER STUDENT AND THE PARENT HAS AN OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE IN DISTRICT, AND IF THEY DO MOVE IN DISTRICT, THEN EVERYTHING IS STOPPED AND THE STUDENT IS A RESIDENT OF THE DISTRICT AND ENTITLED TO A FREE AND PUBLIC EDUCATION LIKE ANY OTHER IN DISTRICT RESIDENT. >> JIM, I JUST WANT TO CONFIRM THIS FOR THE PUBLIC THAT WHEN YOUR OFFICE RECEIVES A QUESTION ABOUT A STUDENT'S RESIDENCE, YOU INVESTIGATE IT. I KNOW THAT SOUNDS VERY OBVIOUS, BUT THIS IS A BIG CONCERN TO THE COMMUNITY, AND THERE ARE DIFFICULTIES BECAUSE THERE'S PRIVACY ISSUES. YOU'RE NOT ADVERTISING THE PLAY BY PLAY OF HOW THIS IS WORKING. BUT I THINK I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THE COMMUNITY UNDERSTANDS THAT WHEN A STUDENT, IF THERE IS A SITUATION THAT IS BROUGHT TO YOUR ATTENTION, IT'S INVESTIGATED, AND YOU'RE FOLLOWING A PROCESS THAT'S OUTLINED BY THE STATE BY LAW. >> THE REMOVAL PROCESS. YES, AND THE PROCESS THAT COUNSEL RECOMMENDS. IF WE GET A RETURN PIECE OF MAIL AND IT'S SENT TO US, I DON'T WANT TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THAT WE'RE GOING TO INVESTIGATE EVERY PIECE OF MAIL. WE MAY SEND A LETTER BEFORE THE INITIAL REMOVAL LETTER THAT SAYS, WE GOT SOME RETURN MAIL. CAN YOU TELL US THAT? THEN SOMETIMES THERE'S SOME PRIORITIZATION WHERE YOU MAY BELIEVE THAT THEY ACTUALLY RESIDE IN DISTRICT AND YOU MAY NOT INVESTIGATE IT IMMEDIATELY OR THE INVESTIGATOR MAY KNOCK ON A DOOR AND CONFIRM IT. YEAH, WE MOVED A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. WE NEVER UPDATED OUR THING. THE INVESTIGATOR HAS WORKED AN AFTERNOON OR TWO TO DO THAT. BUT THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'VE DONE THIS YEAR AS WELL. YOU MAY SEE A STUDENT EXITING A VEHICLE WITHOUT ESTATE PLATES. I SAW ONE OF THOSE ONE MORNING. I ASKED THE INVESTIGATOR TO RUN THE PLATE AND THEY INVESTIGATED THE STUDENT, AND THE STUDENT WAS DETERMINED TO BE LIVING WITHIN DISTRICT. THE PARENTS HAD NOT SWITCHED THEIR REGISTRATIONS FOR THEIR VEHICLE. AGAIN, THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED AS WELL. I THINK THEY'RE AGAIN, THOSE ARE JUST DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES. >> ITS COMPLICATED. IT JUST SEEMS COMPLICATED BECAUSE THERE COULD BE SO MANY DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES WHERE A CHILD COULD BE LIVING IN PELHAM, [00:30:04] BUT LET'S SAY THE PARENTS ARE NOT TOGETHER, BUT ONE PARENT LIVES IN CONNECTICUT, WHICH IS REALLY NOT THAT FAR AWAY AND CAN BE DROPPED OFF WITH CONNECTICUT PLATES. I'M NOT SAYING THAT WAS YOUR SITUATION, BUT I'M JUST MAKING THIS UP. BUT I CAN SEE WHY THIS GETS COMPLICATED FOR EVERYONE. THE COMMUNITY, FOR ANYONE THAT SEES WHY DO WE SEE A CAR DROPPING OFF CHILDREN WITH OUT OF STATE PLATES. I COULD SEE HOW THAT APPEARS TO BE A RED FLAG TO A COMMUNITY MEMBER. AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO ASSURE THE COMMUNITY KNOWING WHAT YOU'VE SHARED WITH US AND THE PRESENTATION THAT THE LAWYERS DID EARLY IN THE SCHOOL YEAR THAT WE GO THROUGH A PRETTY SERIOUS PROCESS TO INVESTIGATE THESE SITUATIONS AND MAKE DECISIONS BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SEEING IN THE MOMENT. >> WE FOLLOW THE LAW. OTHER THINGS WE'VE SEEN IS YOU HAVE PARENTS WHO MAY WORK EVENINGS, AND THE STUDENTS MAY SLEEP OUT OF DISTRICT OVERNIGHT TO BE PROPERLY SUPERVISED WHILE THE PARENT IS WORKING IN THE EVENING AND/OR THEY MAY GET PICKED UP AFTER SCHOOL FROM A FAMILY MEMBER WHO TAKES THEM OUT OF DISTRICT FOR CHILDCARE AFTER SCHOOL. >> BUT THEY'RE CONSIDERED TO LIVE IN PELHAM. >> THE PARENTS HAVE VALID LEASES AND THEY LIVE IN TOWN. BUT IF THE PARENTS WANT TO MAKE SURE THE CHILDREN ARE PROPERLY SUPERVISED WHILE THEY'RE WORKING IN THE EVENING. >> THEY MIGHT BE SLEEPING. >> THEY MAY SLEEP AT A RELATIVE OR OUT OF DISTRICT AND THOSE ARE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES. >> BUT THERE'S STILL PELHAM RESIDENTS. >> THOSE ARE OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES THAT YOU MAY COME ACROSS. AT THE SAME TIME, I WANT TO SAY THAT OBVIOUSLY, WE'VE HAD NONRESIDENT FINDINGS. >> SURE. EXACTLY. WE'RE GIVING EXAMPLES OF LEGITIMATE CASES BUT THERE'S CERTAINLY PEOPLE WHO ARE WORK IN THE SYSTEM. >> JIM, JUST TO GO BACK TO THE NUMBERS THAT YOU REPORTED, THOSE 20 FAMILY INVESTIGATIONS, TEN WERE DETERMINED TO BE NON RESIDENT BY YOU. IS THAT THE TEN? >> YEAH, BY THE INVESTIGATOR WITH THEIR EVIDENCE BY ME. >> HAVE THOSE REACHED THEIR CONCLUSION OR THEY'RE JUST YOU'VE MADE THAT DETERMINATION AND NOW THEY MAY BE IN LITIGATION. >> WE DON'T HAVE ANY APPEAL AT THE STATE RIGHT NOW, BUT SOME OF THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN DETERMINED HAVE NONRESIDENTS, THOSE STUDENTS ARE PRESENTLY IN OUR SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY'RE NOW RESIDENTS, OR THEY RESIDE WITH THE PARENT WHO LIVES IN PELHAM NOW. >> THEY CHANGE THEIR SITUATION. >> I HAVE TO SAY, I HAVE TO THANK TRACY HOLTZ. SHE DIDN'T SAY NO THE FIRST TIME WHEN I ASKED HER TO DO A HOME VISIT. SHE'S PULLED IN SOME OF HER OLD TRAINING AS A SOCIAL WORKER. >> NOW HER TAGGED FOR LIFE. >> SHE'S MY FIRST CALL, BUT WE HAVE MADE HOME VISITS AND FAMILIES, THEY'VE SHOWED US THE HOUSE. WE'VE GONE INTO A HOUSE, PLEASE SHOW US THE CLOTHES, SHOWS WHERE THE CHILDREN SLEEP. PLEASE SHOW US THE KIDS SHOES. THAT'S USUALLY A GOOD TIP OFF, TOO. BUT THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT WE OBSERVE AND THREE TIMES, TRACY, THREE, FOUR TIMES. IF AT A CERTAIN PART OF AN INVESTIGATION OR A DETERMINATION, THOSE ARE OTHER THINGS THAT WE'VE DONE. >> THANK YOU. >> THANKS. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> 4.1. WE DON'T HAVE ANYONE FOR COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC, SO WE CAN GO TO 5.1. [5.1 Motion to Approve the 2025-2026 Property Tax Report Card] DO I HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE 2026 PROPERTY TAX REPORT CARD? >> SO I MOVE. >> SECONDS? >> JIM, ANYTHING YOU'D WANT TO SAY ABOUT THIS BEFORE THEY VOTE. >> YES. THE PROPERTY TAX REPORT CARD, THIS IS PART OF BUDGET ADOPTION, WHICH YOU'RE GOING TO VOTE ON SHORTLY. ONCE ADOPTED, THIS HAS TO BE SUBMITTED TO NEW YORK STATE ED WITHIN 24 HOURS. AGAIN, IT'S ONE OF THOSE REGULATORY DOCUMENTS THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE. IT ALSO SHOWS A SCHEDULE OF RESERVES AND OUR FORECASTING AS OF THE END OF FEBRUARY. AS YOU LOOK AT THE SCHEDULE OF RESERVES, I JUST WANT TO BE SENSITIVE FACT, THE BALANCES ARE ESTIMATES. THEY'RE NOT FINAL BECAUSE THE YEAR IS NOT YET FINAL. FINAL NUMBERS WILL BE SUBJECT TO BOARD INPUT REVIEW AND APPROVAL. THESE ARE ESTIMATES AT THIS POINT IN TIME. THE UPDATED LIST OF TAX CARS FROM LEGAL COUNSELS IS STILL PENDING. [00:35:01] THERE COULD BE SOME MOVEMENT ON THAT AS WELL. BUT AT THE POINT OF BUDGET ADOPTION, THIS IS PART OF THE PROPERTY TAX REPORT CARD WE HAVE TO WORK ON CERTAIN ASSUMPTIONS, AND I WANTED TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE ARE VERY CLEAR. >> ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON IT? ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> NONE OPPOSE. THAT MOTION PASSES. [5.2 Motion to Adopt the 2025-2026 School Year Budget] I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO GO OVER IT. I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE 2025-2026 SCHOOL YEAR BUDGET. >> SO MOVED. >> SECOND. >> LET ME GIVE JUST A QUICK BRIEF OVERVIEW BEFORE THE BOARD DOES THEIR FINAL ADOPTION. THIS IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT WE DID AT THE BUDGET OVERVIEW AT THE START OF THIS PROCESS, BUT UPDATED BASED ON THE CONVERSATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD WITH THE BOARD SINCE THAT PROCESS BEGAN. OUR BOARD GOALS FOR THE YEAR, YOU'RE VERY FAMILIAR WITH. WOULD YOU JUST PROVIDE THE THIRD-QUARTER UPDATE FOR THE BOARD ON THAT SO YOU CAN SEE OUR PROGRESS. THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, WE'VE CONTINUED TO KEEP THE BOARD'S GUIDANCE IN MIND AS THIS WAS GIVEN BACK IN OCTOBER, AND AS WE STARTED THROUGH THE PROCESS FOCUSED ON THESE THINGS. AS YOU WILL SEE TONIGHT, FINAL BULLET ON THERE, ACTUALLY, THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHANGES, WE'VE ALREADY TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THAT TONIGHT, WAS EXPLORING ACCELERATION TO THE DISTRICT'S CONVERSION TO ELECTRONIC STUDENT REGISTRATION. MAY WE PAUSE RIGHT HERE FOR A MOMENT. AT OUR LAST MEETING, AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, WE DID NOT HAVE THAT IN THE INITIAL BUDGET. WE DID EXPLORE IT, BUT WE DID NOT BUILD A POSITION IN, BUT BASED ON CONVERSATION FROM OUR LAST BOARD MEETING, WE TOOK YOUR GUIDANCE BACK AND DISCUSS A POTENTIAL APPROACH FOR HOW WE MIGHT START TO BRING OUT A PART TIME CLERICAL POSITION TO START TO ACCELERATE OUR CONVERSION TO THE ELECTRONIC STUDENT REGISTRATION SYSTEM. I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY TURN TO CLAIRE. CLAIRE'S OFFICE OVERSEES REGISTRATION, SO SHE'S BEEN REALLY WORKING HARD TO GATHER SOME DATA TO UNDERSTAND WHAT STAFFING MIGHT HELP AND WHAT TIMELINE MIGHT LOOK LIKE, AND, OF COURSE, DR. FITZGERALD HAS BEEN LOOKING AS WELL AS WHAT ARE THE CSEA RESTRICTIONS OR CONSTRAINTS TO WORK WITH. DR. COMERFORD, DO YOU WANT TO ADD A LITTLE BIT? >> THANK YOU. WE'VE USED THIS REGISTRATION PERIOD FOR THIS YEAR TO GET A GAUGE AND GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT MIGHT TAKE TO RE REGISTER AND DIGITIZE CLASSES GOING FORWARD. JULIANA DE PALO SCHOOL'S REGISTRAR HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN KEEPING CLOSE TRACK OF THE TIME THAT SHE SPENDS ON EACH REGISTRATION, AND THEN ALSO EACH CPSC REGISTRATION. A CHANGE WE MADE THIS YEAR IS THAT ANY STUDENT WHO RECEIVES PRE-KINDERGARTEN SERVICES THROUGH SPECIAL EDUCATION HAS ALREADY REGISTERED AND PROVIDED THE DOCUMENTATION FOR THOSE SERVICES IN THE DISTRICT. WHAT USED TO HAPPEN IS THAT WE HAD A PAPER TRANSFER TO KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION. BUT WE HAVE DIGITIZED THAT PROCESS THIS YEAR THAT WE BELIEVE WOULD BE SOMEWHAT OF A GOOD MAC MODEL OF WHAT IT WOULD TAKE TO RE-REGISTER STUDENTS IN OTHER GRADES. WE KEPT TRACK OF JULIANA'S PROGRESS ON CPSC TO KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION, KEPT TRACK OF THOSE HOURS AND TRIED TO GET AN ESTIMATE. IT'S A VERY NEBULOUS PROCESS BECAUSE ONE FAMILY COULD BE RESPONSIVE AND VERY QUICK, HAVE PROVIDED ALL THE DOCUMENTATION THAT'S BEEN REQUESTED WITHOUT ANY QUESTIONS OR ANYTHING UNDER SCRUTINY. THEN THE PROCESS COULD TAKE 20 MINUTES. THAT WOULD BE ONE STUDENT FOR 20 MINUTES. BUT ANOTHER FAMILY COULD BE NON-RESPONSIVE, COULD PROVIDE TRICKLE-IN DOCUMENTATION, COULD PROVIDE DOCUMENTATION THAT NEEDS FURTHER CLARIFICATION AND FURTHER REVIEW. THAT COULD TAKE UP TO 40 MINUTES TO AN HOUR. IT'S VERY TRICKY TO GET A DECENT SENSE OF HOW LONG. BUT BASED ON THE INFORMATION THAT WE'VE TRACKED, I'M JUST LOOKING FOR MY NOTES, I THINK WE DECIDED THAT IT MIGHT TAKE, FOR A 15-HOUR WEEK BECAUSE AT FIRST WE WERE THINKING ABOUT PART TIME, A 15-HOUR WORK WEEK MIGHT TAKE 10 WEEKS TO REGISTER A FULL CLASS. THAT'S BEING USING THAT DATA THAT WE HAVE AVAILABLE TO US. IN THINKING THAT WAY, IF WE'RE THINKING ABOUT BRINGING ON A PART TIME CLERICAL WHO WOULD BE WORKING THREE HOURS PER DAY, WE'RE THINKING THAT TIMELINE TO READ REGISTER EVERY STUDENT WOULD TAKE SEVERAL WEEKS TO MONTHS. BUT OUR GOAL WOULD BE TO HAVE AT LEAST TWO YEARS DONE IN ONE YEAR. [00:40:08] TWO GRADE LEVELS DONE IN ONE YEAR AND MORE, IF POSSIBLE. BUT THAT WOULD BE NOT OVER PROMISING, AND HOPEFULLY, UNDER PROMISING AND BEING ABLE TO GET THE WORK DONE SOONER, BUT THERE'S A TRAINING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN, AND SO WE'RE THINKING ABOUT HOPEFULLY BRINGING SOMEONE ON IN THE FALL, BUT START A LITTLE EARLIER IN THE SUMMER, HAVE A TRAINING PERIOD, AND THEN COME IN DURING THE FIRST SCHOOL YEAR AND START OFF WITH NINTH GRADE, BEING THE OLDER GRADES AND RE-REGISTER THOSE TO DIGITIZED DOCUMENTS, AND THEN START WITH SIXTH GRADE MID YEAR SPRINGTIME, AND THEN MOVE ON FROM THERE. THAT'S THE PLAN THAT WE DISCUSSED, AND BASED ON THE INFORMATION WE HAD AVAILABLE GUESSING, BECAUSE IT'S NOT ALL WITHIN OUR CONTROL, IT'S IN THE CONTROL OF WORKING WITH FAMILIES AND GETTING THE DOCUMENTATION THAT WE NEED AND MAKING SURE IT REPRESENTS WHAT THE DISTRICT REQUIRES FOR RESIDENCY. >> THANK YOU FOR TAKING US THROUGH THAT. >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT. I THINK THAT WE THOUGHT STARTING WITH A PART TIME HOURLY POSITION WAS A SMALL INVESTMENT IN THIS NEW PROCESS SO THAT WE CAN GET A GAUGE OF HOW EFFECTIVE IT IS AND WHAT THE LONG-TERM NEED IS. THAT'S OUR PLAN WITHIN THIS BUDGET IS TO START THAT THIS LATE SUMMER FALL TO START ON BOARDING, AS CLAIRE SAID. THE BOARD'S AWARE OF OUR STRATEGIC PLANS. I'M GOING TO MOVE ON RIGHT INTO THE EXPENDITURES. THOSE ARE THE MAIN CATEGORIES FOR EXPENDITURES IN THE BUDGET. INSTRUCTION BEING THE LARGEST AND EMPLOYEE BENEFITS TOGETHER, THOSE REPRESENTING JUST OVER 75% OF THE BUDGET, WHICH IS THAT'S WHERE PEOPLE ARE OUR INVESTMENT, AND THAT'S THE HEART OF WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO. THAT'S THE LARGEST PORTIONS THERE. DIFFERENT REVENUE CATEGORIES. WHAT ARE THE FUNDINGS THAT COME TO US TO HELP SUPPORT THE BUDGET. THE BULK OBVIOUSLY COMES FROM PROPERTY TAXES, 77% OF THAT COMES TO US FROM OUR LOCAL TAXPAYERS. WE DO GET JUST OVER 14% IN STATE AID. THAT NUMBER HAS GROWN OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, ESPECIALLY DUE TO THE FULL FUNDING OF FOUNDATION AID SEVERAL YEARS AGO, THAT RAISED US FROM, I THINK IT USED TO GET ABOUT 11% OF OUR REVENUES IN STATE AID UP TO 14, WHICH ACTUALLY IS GREAT BECAUSE THAT REDUCES THE LOCAL SHARE PROPORTIONALLY. WE DO ALSO GET A LITTLE OVER 4% IN MISCELLANEOUS RECEIPTS, AND THEN WE HAVE APPROPRIATED FUND BALLOTS, WHICH IS SOMETHING WE GENERALLY HAVE DONE FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT, USING SURPLUS CARRIED FORWARD FROM PRIOR YEARS TO HELP BALANCE OUT THE BUDGET. CERTAINLY NOT SOMETHING WE WANT TO LEAN ON. BUT SOMETHING THAT IS THERE TO HELP KEEP A STRUCTURE TO OUR BUDGET. THE MAIN BUDGET DRIVERS, AS THE BOARD IS AWARE, IN THIS BUDGET, ARE INCREASES IN SALARIES AND BENEFITS, WHICH ARE LARGELY ALIGNED TO OUR COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENTS, WHICH AS YOU SAW ON A PRIOR SLIDE ARE ABOUT 75%. A LOT OF THAT IS ANTICIPATED CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS FOR SALARIES ACROSS THE BOARD, BUT ANOTHER SIGNIFICANT PORTION THIS YEAR IS COMING FROM INCREASED HEALTH INSURANCE COSTS AND LIABILITY INSURANCE. I KNOW THOSE ARE THINGS THAT WE SEE IN OTHER SECTORS AS WELL. IT'S NOT JUST EDUCATION, BUT THAT'S WHERE SOME OF OUR LARGEST COST DRIVERS IN THIS BUDGET COME FROM. WE ALSO ARE SEEING INCREASES IN TRANSPORTATION ACROSS THE BOARD. A LOT OF THAT'S INCREASING COSTS, BUT INCREASING VOLUME. IN THE COSTS OF CONTRACTS IN PARTICULAR IS WHAT DRIVES THOSE COSTS. ADDITIONALLY, YOU WILL SEE TRANSPORTATION INCREASE RELATED TO SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES WHERE WE HAVE STUDENTS BEING PROVIDED THOSE SERVICES OUTSIDE OF THE DISTRICT. WE'RE REQUIRED TO BUST THOSE STUDENTS. WE ARE SEEING SOME INCREASES IN BOCES EXPENDITURES FOR A VARIETY OF CATEGORIES, WHICH ARE INTENTIONALLY STRATEGIC PURCHASES THROUGH BOCES, BECAUSE IT ENABLES US TO GET EXPENSE-DRIVEN AID IN THE FOLLOWING BUDGET YEAR. WE'VE BEEN SHIFTING TO PROVIDING CONTRACTING WITH MANY SERVICES THROUGH BOCES. WE'RE CONTINUING TO MAINTAIN A CONTINGENCY FUND BALANCE, WHICH ON A $96 MILLION BUDGET IS A VERY SMALL AMOUNT OF MONEY, RELATIVELY SPEAKING, WITH THAT'S PRETTY STANDARD PRACTICE THAT HAS SEEN US THROUGH SEVERAL YEARS, AND WE THINK IS AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL TO BE PROVIDING IN THE BUDGET. AS WAS ALLUDED TO EARLIER, WE DO HAVE A DROP OFF IN BUILDING STATE BUILDING AID THIS YEAR THAT WAS ANTICIPATED. IT WAS SCHEDULED DROP IN AID AS WE FINISHED RECEIPT OF AID FLOWING IN FROM PRIOR CAPITAL PROJECTS. [00:45:04] TURNING TO THE BUDGET STAFFING DRIVER THAT WE TALKED ABOUT. AS THE BOARD KNOWS, WE HAD 13 TEACHER RETIREMENTS, PLUS A TEACHING ASSISTANT AT RETIREMENT THIS YEAR, WHICH GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY TO TRULY SHARPEN THE PENCIL AND SCRUTINIZE WHICH OF THOSE WE NEEDED TO REPLACE BASED ON PROGRAMS AND STUDENT NEED. ALSO GAVE US THE OPPORTUNITY THEN TO FIND SOME SAVINGS THROUGH ATTRITION, WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO NOT REPLACE SOME RETIREMENTS. WE ALSO, OF COURSE, LOOKED AT OUR PROJECTED ELEMENTARY ENROLLMENTS, AND IN ALL CASES, WORK TO STAY WITHIN BOARD GUIDELINES FOR CLASSES. SO NET RESULT IS 4.61 REDUCTION OVERALL IN FTES, THAT'S COMES FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT DEPARTMENTS AND STAFFING AREAS, BUT THAT'S FROM OUR CURRENT BUDGET TO PRELIMINARY BUDGET. THOSE ARE BUDGET TO BUDGET, AS OPPOSED TO ACTUALS TO BUDGET. IMPORTANT TO NOTE IF YOU ARE READING THROUGH THE BUDGET DOCUMENTS. BUT WE WERE FORTUNATE TO FIND THOSE REDUCTIONS NOT ONLY THROUGH ATTRITION, BUT ALSO LOOKING AT SCHEDULING EFFICIENCIES AND DIFFERENT WAYS OF OFFERING COURSE OFFERINGS, SUCH AS GOING TO ALTERNATE YEARS, ETC, AND OR RELOCATING STAFF FROM ONE DEPARTMENT INTO ANOTHER TO COVER THOSE STUDENT REQUESTS AND NEEDS. THE CURRENT PROPOSED BUDGET IS TAX CAP COMPLIANT AND IS BUILT BASED ON NEED. AGAIN, WE SHARPEN THE PENCIL EVERY YEAR,. THIS YEAR'S TAX CAP, BECAUSE THE CPI WAS OVER 2%, WE USE 2% AS THE BASE GROWTH FACTOR BEFORE EXCLUSIONS. YOU WILL SEE HERE AN ADJUSTED TAX CAP ALLOWABLE TAX CAP FROM THE LAST TIME YOU SAW THE BUDGET. AGAIN, THAT WAS BASED ON CONVERSATION FROM OUR LAST BOARD MEETING WHERE THE BOARD ASKED THAT WE DROP THAT TAX LEVY JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE SO THERE WAS AN ADDITIONAL ALLOCATION OF DEBT SERVICE THAT WAS ADDED TO THIS BUDGET TO BRING THE TAX CAP INCREASE ALLOWABLE TO 3.48%. THAT IS A TAX CAP COMPLIANT BUDGET, TAX CAP INCREASE TAX INCREASE OF 2.48%. THIS IS THE OVERALL LOOK AT GLANCE AT THE BUDGET ITSELF, LITTLE OVER $96 MILLION BUDGET. YEAR TO YEAR, BUDGET TO BUDGET, THAT'S A $2.7 MILLION INCREASE BUDGET TO BUDGET, AGAIN, THE LARGEST PART OF THAT BEING SALARIES AND BENEFITS. THEN YOUR HEALTH INSURANCE AND INSURANCE INCREASES ARE THE MAIN DRIVERS THERE. REPRESENTS BUDGET TO BUDGET INCREASE OF 2.9%. AS I SAID BEFORE, THE ALLOWABLE TAX LEVY INCREASE AND THE PROPOSED TAX LEVY INCREASE ARE BOTH 3.48%. YOU'LL SEE THE BREAKDOWN OF THAT. ACTUALLY, IT'S TWO-THIRDS OPERATING BUDGET AND ONE-THIRD CAPITAL BUDGET. OPERATING BUDGET, AGAIN, IS 2.4%, AND THAT'S REALLY WHERE YOUR BUDGET TO BUDGET INCREASE 2.7 COMES INTO PLAY. THE CAPITAL EXCLUSION IS CALCULATED SEPARATELY OUTSIDE OF THE CAP. I KNOW THAT JIM'S DONE A GREAT JOB. I'M NOT GOING TO ASK HIM TO DO IT AGAIN. BUT JUST REALLY EXPLAINING WHICH PARTS WHERE THE OPERATING HITS, WHERE THE CAPITAL EXPENSES HIT, AND WHY CAPITAL FUNDING FOR SAY, THE BOND REALLY IS SEPARATE FROM YOUR OPERATING BUDGET. YES, IT'S THE SAME DOLLARS, COMING FROM THE SAME TAXPAYERS. BUT THE WAY THAT IT'S CALCULATED REALLY COMES FROM TWO DIFFERENT SIDES OF THE EQUATION. JUST A REMINDER AND I THINK THE BOARD KNOWS THIS. WE'VE GOTTEN A CHANCE TO REALLY HONOR A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN ACHIEVING ACROSS THE BOARD IN ACADEMICS AND ATHLETICS. WE'RE GOING TO HAVE HOPEFULLY SOME MUSIC AWARDS COMING UP. I KNOW WE'VE GOT OUR SCIENCE RESEARCH. USUALLY GET THE GROUP HERE AT THE END OF THE YEAR ONCE WE'VE GOTTEN THROUGH ISF AND ALL THE MAJOR EVENTS. WE'VE GOT A LOT OF OTHER EXCITING THINGS COMING UP. WON'T SPEND TOO MUCH TIME HERE. WE JUST CONTINUE TO BE PROUD OF THE OFFERINGS WE HAVE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS THAT OUR STUDENTS ACHIEVE UNDER THE TUTELAGE OF OUR INCREDIBLE FACULTY AND OUR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS. WE'RE THANKFUL FOR THEIR CONTINUED EFFORTS TO BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS. TO BRING THINGS AROUND TOWARDS THE END OF THE BUDGET. WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THIS, AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, IS THE CREATION OF THE AP SEMINAR CLASS. WE GOT A GOOD ENROLLMENT ON THAT, SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE PLAN MOVING FORWARD WITH CONTINUING TO RUN THAT IN THE FALL. WE ARE EXPANDING OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION, FULL TIME STAFFING AT THE SECONDARY LEVEL, BECAUSE WE CONTINUE TO SEE GROWTH THERE, AS WELL AS MAINTAINING ICT AT HUTCHINSON AND CREATING A NEW KINDERGARTEN SPECIAL EDUCATION CLASS. ALL THE DETAILS ARE GOING INTO PLACE NOW OF THE HIRING. THE POSTINGS ARE OUT. THE HIRING PROCESS HAS BEGUN SPACE CONSIDERATIONS AT HUTCHINSON. WE'RE LITERALLY DISCUSSING THOSE TODAY. ALL THE WORK TO PUT THESE INTO PLACE IS WELL IN PROCESS. WE'VE ALREADY TALKED ABOUT MAINTAINING CLASS SIZES, THE PART TIME CLERICAL THAT HAS NOW BECOME PART OF THIS BUDGET TO SUPPORT THE REGISTRATION PROCESSES. [00:50:02] WE ALREADY MENTIONED AS WELL, INSTALLATION OF THE WINDOW AC UNITS. WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT THAT AND THE VARIOUS WORK TO COME. AS I THINK WAS STATED EARLIER, GIVEN GIVEN FINANCIALLY WHERE THINGS ARE, AND GIVEN THE FACILITIES WORK THAT'S BEEN DONE UP UNTIL NOW, WE DON'T HAVE LARGE SCALE PROJECTS. I THINK IT WAS YESTERDAY'S MEETING EARLIER TODAY. WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF LARGE SCALE PROJECTS PLANNED FOR THIS SUMMER, BUT WE DO CERTAINLY HAVE THE HVAC SYSTEMS AT THE AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL. THAT WE'RE ANTICIPATING THAT WORK BEING DONE IN AUGUST. BECAUSE OF THE DELIVERY TIMELINES, VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR ON INSTALLATION DATES. BUT WE'LL GET THERE. I THINK OUR TECHNOLOGY WILL CONTINUING TO SUPPORT THIS WITH OUR CYCLED REFRESH OF THE CHROME BOOKS, CONTINUING TO WORK ON CURRICULUM AND COMPUTER SCIENCE, DIGITAL LITERACY, AND, OF COURSE, OUR EFFORTS ON USING DATA TO SUPPORT STUDENT INTERVENTIONS IN OUR MTSS PROCESS. ADDITIONALLY, AND WE'RE VERY MUCH LOOKING FORWARD TO IT, BRINGING ON A NEW TECHNOLOGY SOFTWARE TO HELP STREAMLINE HR AND BUSINESS PAYROLL PROCESSES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE THAT WORK, JUST AGAIN MORE SUSTAINABLE. FUTURE CONSIDERATIONS. THESE ARE THINGS AGAIN THAT WE CONSIDERED, WOULD LIKE TO KEEP ON THE BOARD'S RADAR FOR FUTURE, SHOULD THE FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES PRESENT THEMSELVES. BRINGING ON UPK WOULD BE WONDERFUL. WE DO NEED ADDITIONAL CLERICAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE OVERSIGHT IN ORDER TO TAKE ON THAT WORK. WE DO, OF COURSE, WOULD LOVE TO CONTINUE TO LOOK FOR WAYS TO BRING IN SUPPORT FOR KINDERGARTEN CLASSES, CONTINUE TO SUPPORT THE INCREDIBLE GROWTH ACROSS THE BOARD, BASED WHETHER IT'S ENROLLMENT, WHETHER IT'S RICHNESS OF OFFERINGS, NEW AND INNOVATIVE COURSES, AS WE HEAD INTO THE NEW PROFILE OF A GRADUATE, AND WE LOOK AT GRADUATION MEASURES OF THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS. WE'RE LIKELY GOING TO BE LOOKING AT SOME CHANGES IN COURSEWORK THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. CERTAINLY WE'VE GOTTEN REQUESTS FOR EXPANSION OF ATHLETICS TEAMS, CLUBS, OTHER EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES. WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO EXPAND THOSE FOR STUDENTS IN TIME. THEN SUPPORT STAFF. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, THE QUESTION WAS RAISED EARLIER, ADDITIONAL BUILDING AND DEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT FOR OUR CURRICULUM LEADERS, FOR OUR BUILDING LEADERS, THINGS SUCH AS DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, DEANS, STAFF DEVELOPERS, ETC. CLERICAL SUPPORT, THAT'S NOT ON THE LIST, BUT CLERICAL SUPPORT FOR THE VARIOUS OFFICES AS WE EXPAND PROGRAM, WE EXPAND OFFERING, WE EXPAND SERVICES. WE NEED THE STAFF IN ORDER TO DO THAT. AGAIN, THE REGISTRATION IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT. BUT THERE'S DEFINITELY NEEDS AROUND THE DISTRICT. WE DO THE BEST WE CAN. WE'VE GOT INCREDIBLE PEOPLE WHO ARE DEDICATED AND HARD WORKING, BUT WE DO WANT TO KEEP THOSE SUSTAINABILITY CONCERNS JUST AT THE FOREFRONT FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION. I THINK THAT BRINGS US TO THE END WITH THE RECAP. WITH THAT, JUST TAKE ANY LAST QUESTIONS, AND LET THE BOARD MOVE TO ACTION IN VOTING WHEN YOU'RE READY. >> I DON'T HAVE A QUESTION, BUT I HAVE A COMMENT FROM NATALIE BECAUSE SHE'S NOT HERE. I'LL READ IT. UNFORTUNATELY, I COULD NOT ATTEND THE MEETING TODAY, BUT I WANTED TO STATE MY SUPPORT OF THE 2025, 2026 BUDGET. THE BOARD HAS TAKEN CAREFUL CONSIDERATION TO HAVE A BALANCED BUDGET GIVEN THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS. THE CURRENT BUDGET IS VERY LEAN, BUT WILL ALLOW US TO MEET OUR CURRENT RESPONSIBILITIES WITHOUT REDUCING PROGRAMMING. I UNDERSTAND THERE ARE CONCERNS ABOUT THE YEAR OVER YEAR INCREASE. HOWEVER, THESE INCREASES ARE A REFLECTION OF THE CURRENT ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND NOT OF INCREASES TO OUR ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE STAFF. YOU WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT. IN FACT, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF HAS REMAINED CONSTANT FOR THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND IS COMPARATIVELY SIMILAR TO PEER DISTRICTS. THAT'S FROM NATALIE. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS? I WON'T REPEAT WHAT I SAID IN THE BEGINNING OTHER THAN I THINK THE BUDGET MEETS THE EXPECTATIONS THAT THE BOARD PUT FORWARD. AT THE END I GUESS, IN THE FALL OF LAST YEAR. THANK YOU. >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE AIMING FOR. I'LL ECHO WHAT YOU SAID JACKIE IN THE BEGINNING, AND ALSO WHAT NATALIE HAD IN HER LETTER WHERE I FEEL I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THIS BUDGET. I'M GRATEFUL FOR ALL THE WORK. I KNOW HOW MUCH WORK GOES INTO JIM'S OFFICE AND THE ENTIRE ADMINISTRATIVE STAFF AND PUTTING IT TOGETHER. REALIZING THAT YOU'RE WALKING A VERY TIGHT ROPE. WE LIVE IN A DISTRICT WITH VERY HIGH STANDARDS WITH AMAZING PROGRAMMING, BUT THEN WE'RE ALSO FACING UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC TIMES, [00:55:01] AND TOUGH DECISIONS HAVE TO BE MADE AT TIMES, AND WE SEE THAT. BUT I FEEL CONFIDENT WITH THIS BUDGET KNOWING THAT, WHILE, YES, LET'S SAY, WITH SOME OF THE PROGRAMMING, IT MAY BE A CLASS IS OFFERED ONE YEAR AND THEN NOT OFFERED THE NEXT YEAR. IT JUST SHOWS THE ATTEMPT AT BEING CREATIVE AND NOT CUTTING THAT CLASS, FOR EXAMPLE, ALTOGETHER. I'M SUPPORTIVE OF THE BUDGET, AND I THINK IT ADDRESSES WHAT THE BOARD ASKED FOR IN THE BEGINNING. >> YEAH, I JUST WANT TO ECHO THAT. I ACTUALLY THINK THE TEAM DID A REALLY GOOD JOB, HOW BEEN ABLE TO NAVIGATE KEEPING A STEADY FLOW THROUGH DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIMES. WELL DONE AGAIN, LOOKING AT THE HIGHLIGHTS AND REVISITING THAT. I THINK IT REALLY HIT ON EVERYTHING AND EVEN SCRAPING IN THE DIGITAL, GETTING SOME OF THAT IN THERE. I THINK WE'LL NEED TO CONTINUE TO EXERCISE THAT. YEAR OVER YEAR. AS THAT GOES. I THINK WE'VE SHOWN THAT THE TEAM HAS REALLY PULLED THAT TOGETHER AND TO DONE IT, AND I THINK WE'RE JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO NEED TO REALLY THINK THROUGH, WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES AND HOW WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE FROM AN ONGOING STANDPOINT. >> I AGREE. I THINK THAT WE'VE BEEN REALLY THOUGHTFUL. WE'VE ASKED REALLY GOOD QUESTIONS. I THINK THAT THE TEAM HAS BEEN REALLY CREATIVE WITH HOW THEY THOUGHT ABOUT THE RESOURCES AND HOW TO USE AND ALLOCATE THE RESOURCES. I THINK THAT JUST GOES TO SHOW HOW SKILLED STAFF AND OUR TEACHERS ARE IN PELHAM AND THAT WE ARE LUCKY TO BE ABLE TO OFFER AND HAVE A TEAM THAT CAN BE RESOURCEFUL AND CREATIVE ENOUGH TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO KEEP OUR HIGH STANDARDS OF PROGRAMMING INTACT ENOUGH WHILE WE ARE LIVING THROUGH WHAT EVERYONE RECOGNIZES TO BE UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC CLIMATE AND UNCERTAIN TIMES. JUST THANK YOU FOR THAT INGENUITY AND CREATIVITY IN OUR PROGRAMMING. I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH EVERYONE SO FAR. I FEEL REALLY COMFORTABLE WITH THE BUDGET AND WHAT HAS COME TOGETHER. >> REDUCTIONS IN HEADCOUNT NEVER EASY, PARTICULARLY FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE TO MAKE IT WORK IN THE BUILDINGS, BUT I THINK OPPORTUNISTICALLY REDUCING HEADCOUNT IN CONJUNCTION WITH RETIREMENTS, I THINK IS A BETTER WAY OF DOING IT, A MORE CONTROLLED WAY OF DOING IT THAN WHAT YOU SEE IN SOME NEIGHBORING DISTRICTS WHERE IT JUST CREEPS UP ON THEM, AND IT'S THE ADJUSTMENTS THEY HAVE TO MAKE ARE NOT CONTROLLED. THEY HAVE TO BREAK THE EMERGENCY GLASS, AND WE DON'T WANT TO BE IN THAT POSITION. I'D RATHER MAKE DIFFICULT CHOICES IN A CONTROLLED WAY IN AN UNCONTROLLED WAY. >> I AGREE WITH ALL THAT. I GUESS I JUST OBSERVE THAT IT'S NOT GOING TO GET ANY EASIER NEXT YEAR OR THE YEAR AFTER. INHERENTLY TRYING TO KEEP EXPENSES GROWING SLOWER THAN INFLATION IS LONG TERM NOT FEASIBLE. THERE'S GOING TO BE AN ISSUE AT SOME POINT, BUT WE'VE BEEN DOING THE BEST WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE. NOT TO BE DOOM AND GLOOM. >> YOU'RE SITTING NEXT TO DOOM AND GLOOM. [OVERLAPPING]. >> IT'S RUBBING OFF ON. >> BUT I THINK YOU'RE RIGHT. I THINK THE REALITY AND YOU'RE SEEING IT IN THE VILLAGES AND THE TOWNS, AS WELL, EVERYONE WHO'S SUBJECT TO THE TAX CAP. THERE COMES A POINT WHERE IT'S MATHEMATICALLY NOT SUSTAINABLE. THANK YOU, FOR THE APPRECIATION OF THE HARD WORK. THANKS TO JIM AND JACKIE, IN PARTICULAR, AND THE WHOLE ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM WHO DUG IN AND MADE SOME REALLY TOUGH DECISIONS. I HAVE TO SAY THANKS TO OUR UNION LEADERSHIP, TOO, WHO CAME TO THE TABLE UNDERSTANDING, AS YOU SAID THERE'S DIFFERENT WAYS YOU CAN MAKE TOUGH DECISIONS. IN THIS CASE, OUR GOAL WAS TO MAKE SURE THAT WE WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT LAYOFFS, AND I LOVED HOW YOU SAID THAT, BREAKING THE GLASS, WHOEVER IT WAS. WE'RE NOT THERE YET, AND JUST APPRECIATED THEIR PARTNERSHIP IN THIS PROCESS AS WELL. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO'S GOING TO MAKE THIS WORK. >> ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> THAT MOTION CARRIES, SO GREAT. [01:00:01] >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> I THINK YOU CAN DO A CONSENT, BUT I'M THINKING JIM AND I SHOULD PROBABLY FILL IN A FEW BLANKS OF [INAUDIBLE]. >> I COULD DO 5.3-5. >> THEY DID. >> WE DID? >> YES. >> WE PASS IT. DO YOU [5.3 Resolution to Cast Vote for SWBOCES Trustees] [5.4 Motion to Approve Estimated Administrative Budget for Southern Westchester Board of Cooperative Educational Services] [5.5 Motion to Approve Tuition Reimbursement for Continuing Education in the 2024-2025 School Year] [5.6 Motion to Approve Administrators' Grant for Continuing Education in the 2024-2025 School Year] [5.7 Motion to Approve Administrators' Grant for Continuing Education in the 2024-2025 School Year] [5.8 Motion to Approve Administrators' Grant for Continuing Education in the 2024-2025 School Year] [5.9 Motion to Approve Revised Out-of-District Special Education Tuition Rates for the 2024-25 School Year] [5.10 Motion to Approve 2024-2025 Budget Transfers] [5.11 Motion to Approve Side Letter of Agreement with the Pelham Administrators' Association] [5.12 Motion to Approve Side Letter of Agreement with the Pelham Teachers' Association] THINK WE COULD DO 5.3-5.12. DO YOU HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 5.3-5.12 AS A CONSENT AGENDA? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> I'M SURE WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT. >> YES. THE FIRST TWO, JIM, I'M GOING TO ACTUALLY ASK YOU TO TALK A BIT ABOUT THE FIRST TWO. THESE ARE SOME ANNUAL MOTIONS THAT THE BOARD NEEDS TO TAKE. >> YES, AS COMPONENT DISTRICTS THAT MAKE UP THE BOSS, SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER. THE BOARDS ASKED TO CAST THESE VOTES. IT IS A SCHOOL DISTRICT. THEY DO HAVE A BOARD. THOSE BOARD MEMBERS ARE VOTED BY THE BOARD OF ADS AS YOURSELVES. THERE'S A SLATE OF THREE FOLKS THERE. THAT'S WHO YOU'RE VOTING FOR. FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, THERE WERE FORMER PELHAM SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS WHO DID SERVE ON THAT BOARD AS WELL. YOU'VE HAD ENOUGH HERE, THERE'S ALWAYS A RETIREMENT HOME OF BOARDS FOR ANOTHER DAY. THEN, SECONDLY, AGAIN, THIS IS PART OF BEING A COMPONENT DISTRICT. WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE ESTIMATED ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET FOR BOSS. THAT'S THEIR ENTIRE ADMINISTRATIVE BUDGET. PART OF BOSS, THE BOARDS NEED TO CAST THAT VOTE. >> JIM, JUST TO BE CLEAR, THE BOSSES BOARD HAS THREE OPEN SEATS AND THREE CANDIDATES RUNNING UNOPPOSED? >> YES. >> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE ASKING THE VOTE TO VOTE FOR ALL THREE. NO ONE OF THE THREE? >> CORRECT. >> SHOULD YOU CHOOSE. >> THEIR NAMES AND THEIR BIOS ARE IN THE. >> YES. JUST THE OTHER ITEMS THAT I WOULD HIGHLIGHT WITHIN THERE, YOU SEE A SERIES OF TUITION REIMBURSEMENTS, OUR CIVIL SERVICE CONTRACT, AS WELL AS OUR ADMINISTRATIVE CONTRACT, YOU HAVE PROVISIONS FOR UNIT MEMBERS TO REQUEST PRE APPROVAL AND RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR CONTINUING EDUCATION. YOU SEE A SERIES. WE DID A COUPLE OF THOSE WERE ADDED LATE, JUST BECAUSE VAL AND I WERE CONNECTING ON THE DETAILS OF THE. YOU'VE GOT THREE ADMINISTRATORS REQUESTING, AS WELL AS ONE OF OUR CIVIL SERVICE TECHNOLOGY STAFF. ADDITIONALLY, JUST A COUPLE OF OTHER ITEMS. >> SORRY, ON THAT. >> YEAH, GO AHEAD. >> ARE THOSE DISCRETIONARY? >> I THINK THE LANGUAGE ON THE CIVIL SERVICE, I BELIEVE IT HAS TO BE JOB RELATED. I DON'T REMEMBER THE EXACT CONTRACT LANGUAGE. YEAH. WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS, THERE'S A BUDGET FOR THAT THAT IS DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE UNIT BASED ON I THINK IT'S SPECIFIC TO DOCTORAL WORK. CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG ON THAT. IF THEY'RE PART OF A DOCTORAL PROGRAM, THEY SUBMIT BY A CERTAIN TIMELINE, AND THEN UNTIL THAT BUDGET LINE IS EXPENDED AS LONG AS IT FITS THOSE TWO AND IS APPROVED BY THE BOARD. I DON'T KNOW IF DISCRETIONARY IS QUITE THE RIGHT WORD. AS LONG AS IT FITS THE CATEGORY, AND THERE'S STILL FUNDING IN THE BUDGET, THEN IT'S A BENEFIT THEY'RE ENTITLED TO. WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE. I WOULD SAY THAT WE HAVE HAD MANY OF ADMINISTRATORS AND CONTINUE TO HAVE MANY OF OUR ADMINISTRATORS CONTINUING TO PURSUE THAT TERMINAL LEVEL EDUCATION. I KNOW DR. FITZGERALD, I KNOW GOT HER DOCTORATE IN HER TIME HERE, DR. COMERFORD, DR. KARL. WE'VE GOT THREE OTHER ADMINISTRATORS CURRENTLY IN THE PIPELINE. I KNOW THERE WILL BE MORE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE AS WELL FROM CERTAIN PEOPLE AROUND THE TABLE EVENTUALLY. [LAUGHTER] >> GREAT. >> IT'S AN ENTITLEMENT. I WOULD SAY, TOO, THERE'S A DEADLINE, AS I MENTIONED, AND THEN HOW IT WORKS IS THEY NEED TO SUBMIT REQUEST BY THE DEADLINE. REGISTER FOR THE COURSE, PAY FOR THE COURSE, COMPLETE THE COURSE, AND THEN SUBMIT A TRANSFER GRADE. WITH A PASSING GRADE, OBVIOUSLY, FOR SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION. >> [INAUDIBLE] OPERATIONS AGAIN? >> REQUEST PERMISSION FOR THE COURSE BY A CONTRACTUAL DEADLINE. BOARD APPROVAL OR SUBMIT TO ME BY A CERTAIN CONTRACTUAL DEADLINE, REGISTER FOR THE COURSE, PAY FOR THE COURSE, COMPLETE THE COURSE, AND THEN GIVE US A TRANSCRIPT DEMONSTRATING SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF THE COURSE, [01:05:05] AND THEN THEY'RE REIMBURSED. >> IT'S A REIMBURSEMENT. >> YEAH, DEPENDING HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REQUESTING THE SUBMISSION, HOW MUCH IS LEFT IN THAT BUDGET LINE. SOMETIMES IT'S FULL REIMBURSEMENT, SOMETIMES IF THERE'S SAY THREE PEOPLE, AND THERE'S X NUMBER OF DOLLARS LEFT IN THE ACCOUNT, IT WOULD BE DISTRIBUTED ACROSS THE THREE PEOPLE. >> IS THERE A DEADLINE FOR THIS TO HAPPEN AT THIS MEETING? >> THERE IS A CONTRACTUAL DEADLINE BY WHICH THEY SUBMIT. WE GENERALLY APPROVE IT AS CLOSE TO THAT TIMELINE AS POSSIBLE. IF WE COULD TABLE I BELIEVE WE COULD TABLE THEM IF YOU HAVE MORE QUESTIONS AND WANTED US TO LOOK MORE DEEPLY INTO. >> I GUESS I'D LIKE TO SEE AT LEAST ONE OF THEM SOMETHING THAT WE THINK ABOUT A LITTLE MORE. >> I THINK WE WOULD HAVE TO CHANGE THE MOTION. WE CAN DO THAT. >> DO PEOPLE WANT TO HOLD ON ALL OF THEM OR? >> IF THERE'S NO BURNING NEED MAYBE WE SHOULD HOLD ON ALL OF THEM. >> YEAH. UNTIL THE NEXT MEETING. >> THAT'LL GIVE US TIME TO FIND ANY FOLLOW UP QUESTIONS THAT YOU MAY HAVE. WE CAN BRING THE CONTRACTUAL LANGUAGE, ETC. THEN I GUESS WE NEED TO CHANGE THE MOTION. DO WE NEED TO RESCIND THE MOTION VAL? >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> DO WE HAVE TO CHANGE THE MOTION? I WAS A MOTION FOR 3-5 TO [OVERLAPPING]. >> IT WAS 5.3. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> YEAH. AS A CONSENT. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> WE'RE JUST TABLEING THREE OF THE ITEMS IN THERE. >> [INAUDIBLE]. >> THERE YOU GO. [BACKGROUND] >> [LAUGHTER] CAN I HAVE A MOTION TO AMEND THE PREVIOUS MOTION? >> MOVED. >> I SECOND. >> I WOULD LIKE TO TABLE A MOTION TO AMEND THE PREVIOUS MOTION AND TABLE ITEMS 5.6, 5.7, AND 5.8. THEN EVERYTHING ELSE IS THE SAME? >> YEAH. THAT'S IT. >> MOVED. >> SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> I THINK WE APPROVED EVERYTHING EXCEPT FOR 6-5 DAYS. >> CHRIS, WERE YOU IN MODEL YOU IN? >> I THINK HE'S BEEN WE'RE THE LONGEST. [OVERLAPPING][LAUGHTER] >> YOU GOT ME THROUGH THAT ONE. THANK YOU. >> GREAT. YEAH, WE CAN FOLLOW UP AFTER. >> DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 6.1 AND [6.1 Motion to Approve Schedule A - Instructional] [6.2 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Instructional] [7.1 Motion to Approve Schedule D - Committee on Special Education (Confidential)] 6.2 AND 7.1 AS A CONSENT AGENDA. >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> I DO WANT TO MENTION 7.1. >> SIX-POINT-ONE. >> OH, IS IT 6.1? >> YEAH. >> SIX-POINT-ONE EXTENDS MRS. GILBERT'S CONTRACT FOR ASSIGN ONE THROUGH THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? >> THAT'S CORRECT. YES. THAT WAS A LATE EDITION BECAUSE WE JUST WERE ABLE TO GET THAT NAILED DOWN AND SIGNED. THE BOARD KNOWS THAT IT WASN'T PRACTICABLE TO GET THAT UP AHEAD OF TIME. WE GOT THAT AND WANTED TO BE SURE TO GET THAT APPROVED SO THAT WE CAN BE SURE TO PAY HER FOR THE GOOD WORK THAT SHE'S DOING. >> ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> UNOPPOSED. THOSE CARRY. [8.1 New Business] [01:10:04] IS THERE ANY NEW BUSINESS? NO COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC. I CAN TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN? >> MOVED. >> SECOND. >> ALL IN FAVOR? >> AYE. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU TO YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.