Apr 08, 2026 April 8, 2026 - Business Meeting

[00:00:04]

OKAY. HELLO AND WELCOME TO THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING OF APRIL 8TH, 2026.

[2.1 Call to Order]

OKAY BEFORE WE BEGIN, LET'S NOTE THAT TRUSTEE WILL TREAT AND DARRA AND TRUSTEE DARRA GORDON ARE UNABLE TO JOIN THIS EVENING DUE TO WORK TRAVEL. TONIGHT IS EXPECTED TO BE A STRAIGHTFORWARD BUSINESS MEETING.

[2.4 Opening Remarks]

THE LINE BY LINE REVIEW IS COMPLETE, AND THIS IS OUR FINAL MEETING BEFORE THE APRIL 21ST SESSION, WHEN THE BOARD WILL BE ASKED TO ADOPT THE BUDGET THAT GOES TO VOTERS IN MAY.

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS, TONIGHT IS A GOOD TIME TO RAISE THEM.

AS ALWAYS, YOU CAN REACH OUT TO MR. RICKEY AND HIS TEAM OR TO MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR FURTHER DETAILS ABOUT THE BUDGET.

PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DEFINED BY OUR COMMUNITY'S SHARED COMMITMENT TO GIVING EVERY STUDENT A STRONG, WELL-ROUNDED EDUCATION WITH ACCESS TO CHALLENGING ACADEMICS AND A WIDE RANGE OF OPPORTUNITIES ACROSS OUR SCHOOLS, THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO STRENGTHEN WHAT IS TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM, PROVIDE MORE TARGETED HELP FOR STUDENTS WHO NEED IT, AND BETTER PREPARE STUDENTS FOR WHAT COMES NEXT.

AT THE HIGH SCHOOL, STUDENTS BENEFIT FROM A BROAD AND RIGOROUS PROGRAM WITH STRONG PARTICIPATION AND PERFORMANCE IN ADVANCED PLACEMENT AND OTHER COLLEGE LEVEL COURSES, AS WELL AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESEARCH. THE ARTS, ATHLETICS AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT.

STUDENT OUTCOMES REMAIN STRONG ACROSS THE BOARD, REINFORCING PELHAM PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS A HIGH PERFORMING DISTRICT, AMONG THE BEST IN THE STATE AND AMONG THE BEST IN THE COUNTRY.

JUST AS IMPORTANT, WE ACHIEVE THIS WHILE BEING RESPONSIBLE STEWARDS OF TAXPAYER RESOURCES IN THE 2026 2027 BUDGET PROPOSAL. WE ARE AGAIN MANAGING THE BUDGET TO THE TAX CAP IN THE FACE OF RAPIDLY RISING COSTS THAT HAS REQUIRED DISCIPLINE AND, IMPORTANTLY, REAL RESTRAINT. EVEN THOUGH THE OVERALL NUMBER IS LARGE, THE OVERALL BUDGET NUMBER IS LARGE.

THIS IS A LEAN BUDGET. THE DISTRICT HAS A CLEAR STRATEGIC PLAN THAT GUIDES ITS WORK.

AS WE LOOK AHEAD, WE NEED TO BE CLEAR THAT THE DISTRICT CAN'T CONTINUE TO RELY ON CUTTING OR HOLDING BACK INVESTMENT AND EXPECT TO MAINTAIN OR GROW THE LEVEL OF EXCELLENCE THAT OUR COMMUNITY EXPECTS. OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO NOT JUST MAINTAIN EXCELLENCE, BUT TO ENSURE IT CONTINUES TO GROW. THIS BUDGET REFLECTS DISCIPLINE TODAY, WHILE MAKING CLEAR THAT SUSTAINING EXCELLENCE REQUIRES PLANNING AND INVESTMENT IN WHAT COMES NEXT. I'LL CLOSE BY CONGRATULATING OUR WINTER SCHOLAR ATHLETE TEAMS RECOGNIZED BY THE NEW YORK STATE PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION. THESE STUDENTS EXEMPLIFY EXCELLENCE IN BOTH THE CLASSROOM AND IN COMPETITION, WHICH IS NO SMALL ACHIEVEMENT. CONGRATULATIONS TO BOYS, ICE HOCKEY, BOYS, INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD.

BOYS, SWIMMING AND DIVING, GIRLS BASKETBALL, GIRLS BOWLING AND GIRLS.

INDOOR TRACK AND FIELD. IT'S AMAZING ACHIEVEMENT.

AND WITH THAT, I'LL TURN IT OVER TO DOCTOR CHAMP.

OKAY, ACTUALLY, LET ME DO SOME MINUTES FIRST.

YES. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE? 3.1 THROUGH 3.3 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

[3. Approval of Minutes]

FROM FEBRUARY 25TH, MARCH 4TH AND MARCH 18TH MEETINGS.

ARE THERE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE MINUTES? NO.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. NONE OPPOSED. SO THOSE MINUTES ARE ALL APPROVED.

NOW I'LL HAND IT OVER. OKAY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[4.1 Superintendent's Report]

AND WE'RE HOPING SPRING IS REALLY AROUND THE CORNER.

TODAY WAS BELOW FREEZING, BUT OUR TREES ARE BLOOMING AND IT'S ALWAYS A BEAUTIFUL TIME OF YEAR TO BE IN PELHAM.

SO WE'RE EXCITED TO BE BACK. AND THIS IS THE FINAL STRETCH TO TO THE END OF THE YEAR.

SO I'LL JUST START WITH ONE EXCITING THING AND THEN I'M GOING TO GO INTO SOME, MORE.

NOT AS EXCITING THINGS, BUT PART OF THE SPRING FOR US ALWAYS IS THE TIME OF YEAR WHERE WE LOOK FORWARD TO OUR MAY BOARD MEETING,

[00:05:02]

SO THE LIST OF TENURE CANDIDATES FOR THIS YEAR HAS BEEN POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE, AS WE DO EVERY YEAR AROUND THIS TIME.

SO IF ANYONE'S LOOKING FOR THAT, IT'S ON THE DISTRICT PAGE UNDER HUMAN RESOURCES.

DOWN AT THE BOTTOM, THERE'S A COLLAPSIBLE ACCORDION.

SO WE HAVE A GREAT LIST OF TEACHERS, TEACHING ASSISTANTS AND ADMINISTRATORS THIS YEAR.

SHANA CHIBBARO, CYNTHIA CONRAD, JILL DEJESUS, RAFI DOUGAN, SAMANTHA MASTROIANNI BATTAGLIA, OLGA MEDINA, DANIELLE POWERS, JOLENE RUBANO, SABRINA CASCIO, ANGELA.

SNYDER, LEILA. ZAHID MARIA DIAZ, AND I SHOULD SAY I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY EACH YEAR.

PART OF MY JOB IS OBSERVING TEACHERS AS WELL, AND WE ALL KIND OF TAKE A CRITICAL STRATEGIC YEAR IN THEIR LIFE.

SO I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY OF SEEING THEM IN THE CULMINATING YEAR IN THEIR TEN YEAR YEAR. SO IT'S BEEN WONDERFUL TO BE IN THE CLASSROOMS OF EACH OF THESE PEOPLE AND JUST SEE SEE HOW TALENTED THEY ARE, THEIR COMMITMENT TO OUR STUDENTS, THEIR SKILL IN THE CLASSROOM, AND THEN TO TALK WITH THE ADMINISTRATORS OVER THE YEARS TO HEAR HOW THEY'VE GROWN AND THE CONTRIBUTIONS THAT THEY HAVE TO THE SCHOOL.

ADDITIONALLY, WE'VE GOT THREE ADMINISTRATORS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE I WILL BE RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD FOR TENURE DOCTOR TITAN, I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THAT. WE ACTUALLY TECHNICALLY ALREADY AWARDED IT TO HER, BUT WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO CELEBRATING THAT WITH HER IN MAY WHEN SHE'S BACK.

AND ALSO BE RECOMMENDING TO THE BOARD. MR. SHAUN LLEWELLYN, OUR HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, AS WELL AS DOCTOR MARIA THOMPSON, MIDDLE SCHOOL ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL FOR TENURE.

SO THOSE LISTS ARE THERE ON THE ON THE WEBSITE IF ANYONE WANTS TO SEE THAT I WILL SAY WE, WE HAVE, WE WORK EVERY DAY TO ENCOURAGE FOLKS, WE WANT TO HEAR YOUR FEEDBACK EVERY DAY, NOT JUST AT THIS FINAL JUNCTURE IN THE MILESTONE IN THE CAREER PROCESS.

SO JUST A REMINDER, IF FOLKS HAVE FEEDBACK ON OUR STAFF AT ANY POINT IN TIME, PROBATIONARY OR TENURED, WE'D LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU. SO PLEASE DO FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO TO CELEBRATING THEM IN MAY.

STEPPING BACK A LITTLE, JUST TO A COUPLE COUPLE THINGS THAT HAVE HAPPENED OVER THESE FIRST COUPLE OF DAYS OVER THE SPRING BREAK AND THE FIRST DAY BACK.

I KNOW THAT PARENTS AT THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, HIGH SCHOOL GOT A NOTIFICATION FROM THE ADMINISTRATORS ABOUT A THANKFULLY A VERY MINOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT THAT HAPPENED BEFORE SCHOOL STUDENT ON THE WAY TO SCHOOL. THEY GOT KIND OF NICKED BY A CAR.

A STUDENT WAS RIDING A BIKE. NICKED BY A CAR ON THEIR WAY HERE.

YESTERDAY. YES. YESTERDAY MORNING. AND THAT WAS WELL BEFORE OUR CROSSING GUARDS ARE EVEN ON DUTY AT THAT POINT.

BUT THANKFULLY, THE STUDENT WAS FINE. MINOR MINOR ABRASION AND WE'RE SUPER THANKFUL FOR THAT.

BUT JUST REMINDERS, ESPECIALLY NOW WITH THE SPRING WEATHER, MORE STUDENTS MAY BE WALKING AND BIKING.

PLEASE CONTINUE TO BE COGNIZANT OF PEDESTRIAN SAFETY AROUND THE SCHOOL CAMPUS, EVERYWHERE IN THE TOWN, OBVIOUSLY, BUT SPECIFICALLY AROUND SCHOOL CAMPUS, ESPECIALLY DURING ARRIVAL AND DISMISSAL TIMES, BECAUSE THERE ARE A LOT OF STUDENTS GOING A LOT OF DIFFERENT WAYS.

SO WE'RE CONTINUING TO TALK THROUGH PTA COUNCIL ABOUT WAYS THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO PARTNER AND STRENGTHEN THOSE EFFORTS. AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE THE FOLKS IN BOTH THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES, AS WELL AS PTAS WHO HAVE COMMITTED TO PROACTIVE EFFORTS TO KEEP OUR STUDENTS SAFE.

SO JUST WANTED TO PUT THAT REMINDER OUT THERE.

ALSO RECENTLY, I KNOW FOLKS SAW OUR NOTICE OVER THE BREAK THAT UNFORTUNATELY, WE DID DISCOVER SOME ANTI-SEMITIC GRAFFITI ON A PLAYGROUND AT HUTCHINSON. SO OBVIOUSLY VERY SADDENED TO HEAR THAT AND TO FIND THAT APPRECIATED THE PARENT WHO DISCOVERED THAT AND REPORTED IT TO THE POLICE RIGHT AWAY, WHICH IS EXACTLY THE RIGHT THING TO DO.

THEY RESPONDED RIGHT AWAY, DOCUMENTED IT, REMOVED IT TO REALLY MINIMIZE THE EXPOSURE AND HARM TO TWO FOLKS FROM SEEING THAT.

SO I JUST WANTED FOLKS TO KNOW THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ARE CONTINUALLY KEEPING IN MIND AND CONTINUALLY REACHING INTO.

STUDENTS DON'T ONLY GET THOSE LESSONS WHEN THINGS LIKE THIS HAPPEN OR, YOU KNOW, ONCE IN OUR SYSTEM AT EACH LEVEL AT THE FIFTH GRADE, EIGHTH GRADE, AND 10TH GRADE, THERE ARE INTENTIONAL CURRICULAR ELEMENTS THAT ARE ARE BUILT INTO ALL OF OUR INSTRUCTION WITH STUDENTS SO THAT IT'S SOMETHING THAT IS EXPLICITLY TAUGHT TO AT THOSE JUNCTURES. AND ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS ARE WORKING FROM DAY ONE WITH STUDENTS TO BUILD A CULTURE OF KINDNESS, CARE AND RESPECT FOR ALL PEOPLE. UNDERSTANDING WHAT ANOTHER STORIES AND CELEBRATING THOSE.

GETTING TO KNOW ONE ANOTHER. APPROACHING OUR LITERATURE THROUGH WINDOWS AND MIRRORS AND SLIDING GLASS DOORS.

THERE'S JUST SO MANY WAYS THAT WE WORK TO TRY TO CREATE A CULTURE OF BELONGING FOR EVERYONE.

SO I JUST I DO WANT FOLKS TO KNOW TO KNOW THAT BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS A QUESTION OF WHAT DO WE DO? HOW DO WE DO IT? WE'RE NOT DOING ENOUGH. THIS IS ONGOING, CONTINUAL WORK FOR US, AND WE WORK TO DO IT IN AN EMBEDDED WAY.

[00:10:01]

SO IN ADDITION TO THE CURRICULAR BASED WORK THAT'S ONGOING AS OUR NOTE SAID MISS KEANE THOMPSON HAD PLANNED TO DO SOME FOLLOW UP WITH THE STUDENT.

SO I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE IN THE BUILDING WITH HER ON TUESDAY WHERE SHE WAS HOLDING TOWN HALLS WITH EACH OF THE GRADE LEVELS AND TAILORING A LESSON TO THEM ABOUT OUR LANGUAGE, ABOUT HOW EACH OF US HAS A STORY. AND THERE ARE THINGS THAT ARE SPECIAL AND UNIQUE ABOUT US FROM OUR CULTURE, OUR BACKGROUND, OUR FAMILIES AND HOW THE WORDS THAT WE USE AND THE SYMBOLS THAT WE USE CAN BE HURTFUL AND HARMFUL, BUT HOW WE AS A COMMUNITY NEED TO COME BACK TOGETHER AND NAME IT AND AND REPAIR THE HARM THAT WAS CAUSED TO ONE ANOTHER.

AND SHE DID IT JUST IN A REALLY BEAUTIFUL, AGE APPROPRIATE WAY, ANCHORED AROUND A STORYBOOK IN SMALLER GROUPS, YOU KNOW, KIND OF KINDERGARTEN AND FIRST GRADE TOGETHER, SECOND AND THIRD. AND IT WAS JUST, I THOUGHT IT WAS JUST REALLY WELL DONE. SO I WANTED REALLY FOR THE BOARD TO KNOW THAT WE DO FOLLOW THROUGH BOTH PROACTIVELY AS WELL AS REACTIVELY, ALWAYS KEEPING IN MIND THE DEVELOPMENTAL LEVEL OF STUDENTS AND THAT NEED TO REACH INTO ISSUES AND CONTINUE TO DO THIS ONGOING WORK THROUGH THE LENS OF STRENGTHENING THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY. SO IT WAS PROUD OF HER AND THANKFUL TO BE THERE FOR THAT.

TONIGHT ON THE AGENDA. AND WE, I MENTIONED THIS LAST TIME, BUT I THOUGHT IT WAS WORTH MENTIONING AGAIN. AND YOU IN OUR POLICY SECTION, YOU'LL SEE AGAIN FOR SECOND READING A SERIES OF POLICIES.

THIS IS COMING OUT OF OUR POLICY AUDIT. BUT I GUESS RELATED TO, YOU KNOW, TO THE ISSUE WE JUST HAD AT AT HUTCHINSON, IT'S ALWAYS IMPORTANT FOR US TO MAKE SURE THAT ANY POLICIES RELATED TO HOW WE TREAT ONE ANOTHER.

AND IN THIS CASE, TITLE NINE, EQUAL OPPORTUNITY FOR EMPLOYMENT, SEXUAL HARASSMENT, ETC.

THAT THESE ARE UPDATED AND CURRENT. SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO ENFORCE THROUGH EVERY LEVEL, NOT JUST THE EDUCATIONAL, BUT ALSO THE POLICY LEVEL OF THE KIND OF CULTURE THAT WE AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT WANT.

IN PARTICULAR, MANY OF THESE DEAL WITH EMPLOYMENT CULTURE.

SO OUR PROFESSIONAL CULTURE AS WELL AS OUR STUDENT CULTURE.

SO THOSE ARE UP FOR SECOND READING TONIGHT. I WOULD ASK THE BOARD IF YOU'RE COMFORTABLE WITH THEM. WE DID, I THINK SYD GAVE SOME SOME, A COUPLE LITTLE QUICK UPDATES LAST TIME.

WE HAVEN'T RECEIVED ANY ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THAT I'M AWARE OF.

SO IF YOU WOULD BE WILLING TO DO WAIVE THE THIRD AND APPROVE THEM, THAT'D BE GREAT BECAUSE DOCTOR FITZGERALD AND I HAVE TALKED ABOUT ONCE THESE ARE PASSED, THEN PUTTING A REMINDER UPDATE OUT TO THE INTERNALLY TO OUR STAFF TO JUST CONTINUE TO REINFORCE THAT CULTURE OF EXPECTATION, EXCELLENCE. IF YOU SEE SOMETHING, SAY SOMETHING AND JUST REALLY CONTINUING TO WORK TO CREATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STAFF.

SO THAT'LL GIVE US THE ABILITY TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THOSE.

AND FINALLY, JUST A QUICK CONSTRUCTION UPDATE.

I KNOW WE HAVEN'T HAD A BOND STEERING MEETING YET. WE ARE SCHEDULED FOR OUR NEXT ONE NEXT WEEK.

I KNOW WE HAVE. YES. GOOD REMINDER. WE HAVE OUR PLANNING MEETING OUR ECM MEETING TOMORROW AFTERNOON TO BE FOLLOWED BY BOND STEERING NEXT WEEK.

SO WE, BUT WE DO HAVE REALLY TWO THINGS I WANTED TO MENTION TOMORROW NIGHT.

WE DO HAVE AN INFO, A PARENT INFO SESSION SPECIFICALLY FOR PARENTS AT COLONIAL AND PROSPECT HILL BECAUSE WHILE SO MUCH OF OUR CONVERSATION AND ATTENTION HAS BEEN ON SIWANOY BECAUSE IT'S SUCH A BIG PROJECT WE ARE ALSO DOING PROJECTS AT THE OTHER TWO SCHOOLS AND THOSE ACTUALLY ARE GOING TO BE STARTING THIS SUMMER.

SO 7:00 THERE'S GOING TO BE A REMOTE MEETING.

THANK YOU TO. ALEX. SENT OUT A REMINDER THIS EVENING ON PARENT SQUARE.

THAT SHOULD BE PROBABLY LESS THAN AN HOUR. WE'LL HAVE WE'LL BE THERE WITH OUR CONSTRUCTION TEAM.

JUST GIVING A QUICK UPDATE ON THE WORK THAT'S PLANNED FOR SUMMER OF 2026, SCHOOL YEAR 2627 AND SUMMER OF 2027 AT COLONIAL AND PROSPECT HILL.

SO PARENTS HAVE AN IDEA OF WHAT TO EXPECT. SO THE GOOD NEWS IS THIS SUMMER IS GOING TO BE KIND OF A LITTLE BIT SMALLER SCALE OF WORK.

IN GENERAL, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR BOTH PROSPECT HILL AND COLONIAL IS DOING ANY OF THE ROOFING WORK THAT WAS IDENTIFIED.

SO VERY SMALL AMOUNT AT COLONIAL OVER THE ENTRANCE PERGOLA PROSPECT HILL OBVIOUSLY IT'S MORE LOOKING AT THE SLATE ROOF AND THEN DOING SOME INITIAL PIPING PREP WORK. THAT'S KIND OF THE SHORT VERSION FOR THE HVAC SYSTEMS. WE NEED TO, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO DO THE CHANGEOVER TO THE NEW SYSTEMS UNTIL SUMMER OF 2027.

SO THAT MEANS WE HAVE TO START INSTALLING THE NEW SYSTEM, BUT KEEP THE OLD SYSTEM RUNNING FOR ANOTHER SCHOOL YEAR.

SO THAT'S GOING TO KEEP THE THE WORK TO THIS SUMMER A LITTLE BIT LOWER IMPACT PROBABLY.

WE'LL DO SOME WORK OVER THE SUMMER. THE THINGS THAT ARE MESSY, DIRTY, LOUD, THAT WILL BE SUMMER.

WE ARE LOOKING TO DO SOME WORK THOUGH. SECOND SHIFT DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.

NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. SO THAT'LL BE AN EVENINGS, MAYBE ONE, MAYBE TWO CLASSROOMS AT A TIME.

[00:15:01]

THERE'S ALL KINDS OF INFRASTRUCTURE ABOVE THESE DROP CEILINGS. DO THE WORK THAT'S ABOVE THERE. REPLACE THOSE CEILINGS.

SO THAT'S KIND OF THE PREP WORK. AND THEN YEAR TWO WILL BE THE BIGGER PUSH THE SUMMER, BIGGER SUMMER BECAUSE THAT WILL BE MUCH MORE THE DIRTY WORK OF COMPLETELY REPLACING CEILINGS PAINTING AND CONVERTING THOSE SYSTEMS OVER.

SO SO THAT'S A REMINDER FOR TONIGHT, FOR, FOR TOMORROW NIGHT FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS TO TUNE IN, WE'RE GOING TO DO OUR BEST TO REMEMBER TO RECORD IT SO THAT WE CAN THEN POST IT AND SEND THAT OUT FOR FOLKS WHO ARE NOT ABLE TO ATTEND THE SESSION.

AND THEN FINALLY, ONE PIECE OF FEEDBACK THAT WE GOT AT THE LAST SIWANOY COMMUNITY SESSION THAT I KNOW THERE'S BEEN SOME DEBATE OR, YOU KNOW, FOLLOW UP FEEDBACK FROM. I JUST WANT TO TOUCH A LITTLE BIT ON THE SIWANOY FENCE.

THE REASON WE DO OUR INFO SESSIONS IS TO KEEP EVERYONE INFORMED ON WHERE WE ARE, BUT ALSO TO GAIN FEEDBACK. SO THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THOSE IS TO GET FEEDBACK SO THAT WE CAN THEN BE RESPONSIVE TAKING ALL FEEDBACK INTO CONSIDERATION.

SO WHAT THE PLANS PRESENTED AT THE SIWANOY INFO SESSION SHOWED WAS A TEN FOOT FENCE AROUND THE PERIMETER OF SIWANOY.

THAT WAS BASED ON DISCUSSION WE'D HAD WITH OUR SECURITY CONSULTANTS AND BEST PRACTICES AROUND SECURITY AND TRYING TO PROVIDE A SAFE ENVIRONMENT FOR STUDENTS WHEN THEY'RE AT SCHOOL AND ALSO, YOU KNOW, BEST PROTECTION FOR THE PROPERTY IN THE HOURS WHEN THE PROPERTY IS NOT OPEN FOR PUBLIC.

WE DID GET LOTS OF FEEDBACK. WE GOT FEEDBACK THAT NIGHT FROM SEVERAL PEOPLE.

AND SO HEARING THAT FEEDBACK AND THE ADDITIONAL FEEDBACK THAT'S COME IN, I'VE DIRECTED THE ARCHITECTS TO CHANGE THE PLAN DOWN TO AN EIGHT FOOT FENCE.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE IS ON MOST OF THE CURRENT EXISTING SIWANOY PERIMETER.

THE TALLER FENCING THAT YOU ALREADY SEE, THAT'S AT EIGHT FEET.

SO WHAT WE'RE DOING IS TAKING MOVING IT DOWN TO THE EXISTING HEIGHT FOR MOST OF IT.

SO IT SHOULDN'T BE A CHANGE OTHER THAN NEW FENCE.

IT SHOULDN'T BE A CHANGE FOR THE BULK OF THAT PROPERTY ANYWHERE THAT IT'S THE LOWER FOUR-FOOT FENCE, THAT'S WHAT'S GOING TO CHANGE, BUT IT'LL BE UP TO MATCH THAT. SO THERE WILL BE A LITTLE BIT OF A CHANGE.

BUT WHAT THAT DOES IS IT PROVIDES BETTER SAFETY PROTECTION WHILE STUDENTS ARE IN SCHOOL.

WE WILL BE ABLE TO PROGRAM THE GATE LOCKS THE SAME WAY WE DO AT THE OTHER SCHOOLS, REMOTE ACCESS.

SO THEY'LL BE LOCKED DURING SCHOOL HOURS, BUT WE CAN PROGRAM THEM TO BE OPEN AFTER SCHOOL HOURS UNTIL DUSK, WHEN THE PROPERTY'S CLOSE. OPEN ON THE WEEKENDS TILL DUSK WHEN THE PROPERTY'S CLOSED.

SUMMER. SAME THING. AND ONE THING WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, WE HAVEN'T TRADITIONALLY SAT AND PROGRAMED EVERY SINGLE DAY OFF INTO THE SCHEDULE.

BUT THINGS LIKE SPRING BREAK, FEBRUARY BREAK.

YOU KNOW, JIM AND I HAVE ALREADY TALKED AND PUT A PROCESS IN PLACE IN HIS OFFICE TO MAKE SURE THAT, ESPECIALLY ON THE LARGER BREAKS THAT WE CAN PROGRAM THAT IN SO THEY CAN STILL BE THAT SAME COMMUNITY RESOURCE.

I SHOULD ADD TOO, WE HAVE, WHILE SOME FOLKS THINK IT'S FINE TO KEEP THEM OPEN ALL NIGHT, WE'VE GOTTEN FEEDBACK.

THEY'D RATHER KEEP THEM OPEN. ON THE OTHER HAND, WE'VE HAD COMPLAINTS FROM NEIGHBORS ABOUT AND FROM THE POLICE DEPARTMENT ABOUT HAVING THEM HAVING TO BE CALLED LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THERE'S DISRUPTIVE PRESENCE ON THE PROPERTY.

SO, YOU KNOW, IT'S A BALANCING ACT. THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.

WE ABSOLUTELY WANT TO RESPECT AND BE A RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITY AND THE NEIGHBORS. AND WE ALSO HAVE TO PROVIDE SAFETY AND PROTECTION FOR THE PROPERTY AS WELL AS THE STUDENTS.

SO I THINK THE EIGHT FOOT WILL BE, I BELIEVE, A BETTER BALANCE TO THAT.

THANK YOU. YEAH. YOU'RE WELCOME. I THINK I'LL BE ON THAT.

WELL, LIKE I SAID, AWESOME. AND THEN BOND STEERING AND THEN WE'LL HAVE A MORE THOROUGH UPDATE AT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING.

OKAY, THAT'S IT FOR ME TONIGHT. THANK YOU, DOCTOR CHAMP.

NEXT WE'LL HAVE EMERSON GIVE HER UPDATE. SO FIRST OFF, ON THE FRIDAY BEFORE SPRING BREAK,

[4.2 Ex Officio Student Report]

AND THIS IS ALL GRADES. SO THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER AND THEY LISTENED TO OTHERS SHARE THEIR OWN WRITING PIECES SUCH AS STORIES, POEMS, LETTERS, OR THEY COULD READ A FAVORITE POEM OR ENTRY FROM A SPECIFIC BOOK.

IT'S A REALLY FUN AND MEANINGFUL EVENT, AND IT GIVES STUDENTS A CHANCE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES AND CONNECT WITH STUDENTS IN OTHER GRADES.

NEXT OFF, STUDENT GOVERNMENT ELECTIONS ARE TAKING PLACE THIS MONTH.

THIS WEEK, GRADE LEVEL POSITIONS ARE OPEN FOR STUDENTS TO APPLY FOR.

SO STUDENTS WILL BE ELECTED FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENTS WITHIN EACH GRADE.

AND THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR STUDENTS TO GET INVOLVED AND HELP MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY, ALONG WITH LATER IN THE MONTH. ELECTIONS FOR SCHOOL WIDE GOVERNMENT WILL BEGIN, WHICH IS THE SAME POSITIONS, BUT IT'S FOR THE ENTIRE SCHOOL BODY. SO THAT'S OPEN FOR 10TH TO 12TH GRADERS.

THE HIGH SCHOOL SPRING MUSICAL IS ALSO TAKING PLACE NEXT WEEKEND.

OUR CAST AND CREW HAVE BEEN WORKING INCREDIBLY HARD TO BRING PIPPIN TO LIFE, DEDICATING SO MUCH TIME AND EFFORT TO EVERY PART OF THE PRODUCTION.

THEIR COMMITMENT HAS REALLY SHOWN THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS AND IT IS SURE TO BE A GREAT PERFORMANCE.

PLEASE COME OUT AND SUPPORT THEM. FINALLY, THE THIRD MARKING PERIOD ENDS FRIDAY, APRIL 17TH.

[00:20:01]

IT'S ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR STUDENTS IN GRADES TEN THROUGH 12 SINCE THEY'RE ALSO BEGINNING TO PREPARE FOR AP SEASON.

THANK YOU. IT'S A BUSY TIME OF YEAR. YES. THANK YOU.

YES. THANK YOU. THAT'S GREAT. THANKS, EMERSON.

AND AS ALWAYS, IF YOU NEED TO TAKE OFF, WE TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU. OKAY, BEFORE WE MOVE TO THE BUDGET DISCUSSION, I'D LIKE TO MOVE UP PUBLIC COMMENT IF YOU'D LIKE TO COME UP TO THE

[5. Communications and Comments from the Public]

I AM A PARENT OF A THIRD GRADER AT SIWANOY. I'M REPRESENTING ABOUT TWO THIRDS OF THE PARENTS TONIGHT.

WE'VE EMAILED DOCTOR CHAMP ALREADY AND WE APPRECIATE YOUR RESPONSE, BUT WE'RE HERE TO REALLY DISCUSS CONDENSING OUR THIRD OUR THREE THIRD GRADE CLASSES INTO TWO FOR FOURTH GRADE NEXT YEAR. I DO UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET CONSTRAINTS DESPITE OUR VERY HIGH TAXES THAT WE PAY.

BUT I DON'T THINK THAT THIS SHOULD REALLY BE A BUDGET ISSUE.

WE HAVE HEARD FROM THE TEACHERS THAT THIS CLASS IS DIFFERENT.

THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A PROBLEM LAST YEAR.

CONDENSING THAT THIRD GRADE CLASS INTO THIS CURRENT FOURTH GRADE CLASS.

BUT THEY'RE VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THIS THIRD GRADE CLASS.

THEY SAID THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS IN THE CLASS, AND THERE ARE STUDENTS THAT ARE EASILY DISTRACTED BY THESE DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS, AND THEY WORRY THAT THE LARGER CLASS SIZES WILL REALLY IMPACT THEM.

SO I'M HERE TONIGHT TO ASK YOU TO PLEASE LOOK INTO THAT.

SPEAK TO THE TEACHERS, REALLY INVESTIGATE THIS BEFORE YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO COLLAPSE TO TWO CLASSES, AS WE THINK THIS COULD BE REALLY DETRIMENTAL TO OUR STUDENTS.

SO THANK YOU. I APPRECIATE YOU COMING. THANKS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

OKAY. NEXT WE CAN MOVE TO THE THE BUDGET DISCUSSION.

[4.3 Budget Discussion]

OKAY. I'LL KICK US OFF BY TALKING ABOUT. WE HAD FINANCE COMMITTEE YESTERDAY MORNING.

YESTERDAY MORNING? YES. AND IT'S A LONG WEEK.

OKAY. SO THE THE THE BUDGET HAS NOT CHANGED SIGNIFICANTLY SINCE OUR LAST DISCUSSION, BUT THERE ARE A FEW AREAS I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT.

AND THEN JIM AND DOCTOR CHAN, MAYBE YOU CAN FOCUS ON THEM A BIT.

FIRST THERE IS A CHANGE IN EXPENDITURE EXPENDITURES OF APPROXIMATELY 200.

WELL, $273,000. IT IS THE MAJORITY OF THIS INCREASE IS DUE TO AN UNANTICIPATED SPECIAL EDUCATION COST. MY, MY RECOMMENDATION IS THAT THIS GETS INCORPORATED INTO THE BUDGET, THAT WE DON'T CUT ANYTHING OUT OF THE BUDGET TO ACCOMMODATE FOR THIS. BECAUSE WE CAN'T CUT IT CUT ANYMORE.

AND SECONDLY, I WANT TO NOTE THAT THE USE OF FUND BALANCE SPECIFICALLY FOR DEBT SERVICE HAS DECREASED YEAR OVER YEAR, BUT ALSO FROM THE PRIOR VERSION OF THE BUDGET.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THAT DECREASE. AND JIM WILL GO OVER THAT.

AND THIS IS BECAUSE THE EXPECTED TIMING OF THE BAN FOR THE SHORT TERM BORROWING FOR THE BOND PROJECTS WILL NOW LIKELY HAPPEN IN JULY OR LATER INSTEAD OF JUNE.

AND BECAUSE OF THAT, THE INTEREST PAYMENT WILL NOT BE WILL NOT START UNTIL 2027, 2028, AND SO DOES NOT NEED TO BE INCLUDED IN THIS BUDGET. AND THIS IS IMPORTANT JUST TO TALK ABOUT THE, THIS IN THE CONTEXT OF FUND BALANCE IN GENERAL.

THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN VERY INTENTIONAL AND STRATEGIC IN USING FUND BALANCE FOR ONE TIME INVESTMENTS LIKE THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, HVAC, NEW PLAYGROUNDS, THE HOUSE PURCHASE, AS WELL AS USING FUND BALANCE TO HELP MANAGE THE TAX LEVY AND CLOSE SOME OF THE SOME SMALL BUDGET BUDGET GAPS. HOWEVER, WE'RE REACHING AN INFLECTION POINT WHERE WE NEED TO SCALE BACK THE AMOUNT OF FUND BALANCE THAT THE BUDGET USES FROM YEAR TO YEAR. WE NEED TO PRESERVE FUND BALANCE TO BE THE DRAWDOWNS ON FUND BALANCE TO BE IN ORDER TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, WE NEED TO HAVE RESERVES IN PLACE.

AND THEN IT IS ALSO IMPORTANT IN MAINTAINING THE DISTRICT'S TRIPLE A BOND RATING OR CREDIT CREDIT RATING PARTICULARLY AS WE APPROACH THE

[00:25:01]

AND YOU CAN SPEAK MORE TO THIS OF COURSE. I ASKED WE ASKED HER TO IF SHE COULD ADD THINGS BACK TO THE BUDGET, LIKE IF STATE AID COMES IN HIGHER OR SOMETHING.

WHAT WOULD SHE LIKE TO ADD BACK? AND ONE OF THESE ITEMS IS SOME OF THE FUNDING FOR PELHAM TOGETHER.

$20,000 WHICH PELHAM TOGETHER SUPPORTS THE DISTRICT IN SOME IMPORTANT WAYS THAT MAY NOT ALWAYS BE VISIBLE TO US.

SO MAYBE YOU COULD GO, YOU KNOW, GO THROUGH SOME OF THAT.

AND WE ALSO, AND DOCTOR CHAMP AND I AGREE WITH HER WITH THE, ON THIS ONE FOR SURE THAT IF THERE'S BUDGET, IF THERE'S ADDITIONAL BUDGET IN THE RANGE OF 28,000 TO $38,000, WE SHOULD ADD BACK THE SUPPORT FOR ALEX IN COMMUNICATIONS.

BECAUSE THE DISTRICT HAS MADE A LOT OF ALEX IS HERE, THE DISTRICT HAS MADE A LOT OF PROGRESS IN IMPROVING COMMUNICATIONS AND BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN THE LEVEL OF RESPONSIVENESS AND TRANSPARENCY THAT THE COMMUNITY EXPECTS WOULD REQUIRE, YOU KNOW, WOULD REQUIRE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT IF WE IF WE COULD FIND IT IN THE BUDGET.

AND THEN FINALLY, AT FINANCE COMMITTEE, WE REVIEWED STAFFING TRENDS OVER TIME, AND I THINK WE.

I THINK WE REVIEWED THIS LAST YEAR AS WELL. SO LOOKING BACK TO 2015, THE DISTRICT REACHED A HIGH OF APPROXIMATELY 382 BUDGETED STAFF IN THE 2023 2024 SCHOOL YEAR.

AND THIS PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES 372 STAFF. AND I'M ROUNDING BECAUSE IT'S, THERE'S A, IT GOES TO THE 10TH DECIMAL PLACE. JACKIE CAN YOU SAY THE NUMBERS AGAIN? IN 2023, 2024, IT, IT WAS ABOUT 372.

AND THAT INCLUDES STAFF THAT IS FUNDED BY GRANTS AS WELL.

IT'S JUST A TOTAL STAFF 372. OH 382 SORRY. IN 2023 2024 AND OUR PROPOSED BUDGET INCLUDES ABOUT 372 STAFF. AND SO WHILE THE DISTRICT'S COME DOWN FROM THAT KIND OF POST, COVID PEAK STAFFING REMAINS ABOVE PRE-COVID, LIKE IF YOU GO BACK THE HIGHEST IN THAT TIME FRAME, PRE-COVID 2015 TO 2020 WAS 359 STAFF MEMBERS. BUT I, YOU KNOW, THIS REFLECTS THE SUSTAINED INCREASE IN STUDENT NEED THAT THE DISTRICT CONTINUES TO ADDRESS. POST POST COVID. AS A REMINDER, THIS, THIS INCREASE IN STAFF IS PRIMARILY, YOU KNOW, CLASSROOM STUDENT FACING ROLES.

THE DISTRICT HAS ONLY ADDED ONE ADMINISTRATOR OVER, I THINK WE SAID LAST YEAR TEN YEARS.

SO IT'S BEEN 11 YEARS NOW, RIGHT? IT'S A YEAR LATER.

OVER THE PAST 11 YEARS AND ENROLLMENT HAS REMAINED RELATIVELY STABLE.

RANGING BETWEEN 2800 AND 2900 STUDENTS OVER THE TIME PERIOD.

AND I THINK WE KNOW WE SAW FROM THE DEMOGRAPHIC STUDY THAT THERE WILL BE SOME AT SOME SCHOOLS, SOME SOME INCREASES HAPPENING IN THE NEXT IN THE COMING YEARS.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'D TURN IT OVER TO JIM AND DOCTOR CHAMP TO GIVE SOME ADDITIONAL CONTEXT ON THOSE THINGS AND ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE OPEN IT UP.

YEAH, MAYBE IF I CAN JUST JUMP OFF FIRST. JACKIE LEFT BECAUSE THIS IS, I THINK THE MORE STRAIGHTFORWARD AND JIM'S GETS MUCH MORE INTO THE TECHNICAL NUTS AND BOLTS. YEAH. SO, YOU KNOW, I THINK THESE ARE GREAT QUESTIONS AND GREAT CONVERSATIONS.

YOU KNOW, THINKING ABOUT THE STAFFING TRENDS, CERTAINLY I THINK WE SAW PEAKS RIGHT AFTER THE PANDEMIC BECAUSE WE WERE ALL RIGHTLY SO CONCERNED ABOUT THE, THE PANDEMIC'S ON ACADEMICS AS WELL AS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING.

SO PLUS AT THE SAME TIME, EVEN PRE-PANDEMIC AND POST BUILDING OUT, YOU KNOW, STRATEGIC PLANS TO SUPPORT THE GOALS AND THE VISION THAT WE HAVE AS A COMMUNITY SCHOOL COMMUNITY. SO THE GROWTH THAT THAT YOU SEE IN THOSE NUMBERS REALLY IS A RESULT PREDOMINANTLY OF GROWTH IN PROGRAM FROM OUR STRATEGIC PLANS COMBINED WITH SUPPORTS THAT SOME THAT ADDED ON DURING THE PANDEMIC, SOME WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO, TO PULL BACK A LITTLE BIT ON AND SETTLE BACK INTO MORE OF A TYPICAL PATTERN.

BUT AT THE SAME TIME, TO YOUR POINT, WE'VE, WE'VE SEEN GROWTH IN OTHER AREAS.

TRACI'S BEEN REALLY TRANSPARENT WITH US ABOUT ESPECIALLY THE GROWTH NOT JUST HERE, BUT STATEWIDE, NATIONALLY, YOU KNOW, IN SPECIAL EDUCATION 504.

SO WHEN WE LOOK AT, YOU KNOW, WHO, WHAT ARE THOSE ACTUAL STAFF, YOU KNOW, AREAS THAT WERE INCREASED WHEN WE LOOK ACROSS THE LIST, YOU KNOW, SOME OF IT WAS STRAIGHT PROGRAMMATIC, THE ADDITION OF A PROGRAM AT THE ELEMENTARY, WHICH IS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I THINK IS SPECIAL AND UNIQUE ABOUT PELHAM.

AND THAT PROVIDES A VERY ENRICHED PROGRAM FOR OUR ELEMENTARY STUDENTS THAT ADDED STAFFING.

[00:30:01]

SO THOSE TEACHERS IN THOSE AREAS HAS CORRESPONDINGLY GROWN.

AND THEN YOU CAN SEE WHERE WE'VE INVESTED OVER TIME AS WELL IN SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING SUPPORTS TO TO BE PART OF OUR MTS PROCESS.

CLINICIANS AS WELL AS INTERVENTION TEACHERS TO SUPPORT THAT MTS MODEL.

SO BETWEEN, YOU KNOW, BEING UP TWO INTERVENTION TEACHERS FROM WHERE WE WERE YOU KNOW, TEN YEARS AGO, SOCIAL WORKERS ADDITION OF TWO PSYCHOLOGISTS PLUS THE ENL PLUS A SPECIAL EDUCATION.

YOU REALLY QUICKLY SEE THAT OUR INVESTMENT HAS BEEN HEAVILY IN THAT MTS SUPPORT AREA TO MAKE SURE THAT STUDENTS HAVE A STRONG FOUNDATION UPON WHICH TO BUILD THOSE ACADEMICS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE SSL IN PLACE, THEY'RE NEVER GOING TO GET TO THE, YOU KNOW, TO ACHIEVE AT THE HIGH LEVELS ACADEMICALLY THAT WE THAT WE WANT FOR THEM.

SO THE BALANCE OF TWO HAS BEEN GREAT. AND THAT'S WHERE OUR INVESTMENT HAS BEEN THESE LAST SEVERAL YEARS.

AND I WOULD SAY TO YOU SEE THE INVESTMENT IN THAT IN STUDENTS HAVING MORE SUCCESS THROUGHOUT THE YEARS NEEDS BEING MET.

BUT THAT DOES COME AT A COST. I MEAN, THAT'S FOR SURE.

BUT I THINK THAT'S WHERE, YOU KNOW, WE'VE TRIED TO, TO PURSUE THOSE THINGS THAT ALIGN WITH OUR VALUES.

JUST REAL QUICK TO, TO GO BACK TO THAT, WHICH YOU MENTIONED, THE QUICK SHORT LIST OF LIKE IF WE GOT A LITTLE BIT MORE MONEY AND JIM AND I KEEP GETTING EMAILS FROM OUR PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS WITH MORE EXTENDERS AND MORE EXTENDERS ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS.

SO I THINK IT'S MID, MID APRIL IS THE EARLIEST AT THIS POINT.

THEY'RE BACK TILL NEXT WEEK, RIGHT? SO WE'RE NOT ANTICIPATING A LOT BECAUSE WE WERE ONE OF THE FEW DISTRICTS THAT DID GET MORE THAN THAN TWO THIRDS OF THE STATE. BUT A COUPLE THINGS THAT YOU MENTIONED, I THINK REALLY ARE TOP OF MY LIST AND HAVE BEEN, EVERYTHING HAS BEEN BOTHERING ME ABOUT WE HAD TO CUT OUT OF THIS BUDGET. SO I DON'T WANT TO BUT IN PARTICULAR, A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT REALLY, AS I THINK MORE ABOUT IT, ARE CONCERNING AND I WANT TO FIND.

AND BASED ON, YOU KNOW, ASSUMING YOUR DIRECTION IS THAT OF THE WILL OF THE BOARD, WHICH I THINK IT IS.

WE'RE GOING TO DO WHAT WE CAN TO TRY TO FIND SPACE FOR SOME OF THESE THINGS. WE DID REDUCE SOME CONSULTANTS, AND IN THE INITIAL INITIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE BUDGET, WE WERE LOOKING TO REDUCE THAT PELHAM TOGETHER CONTRACT A BIT.

WE DID HAVE THAT CONVERSATION WITH THEM. BUT AT THE SAME TIME, LOOKING MORE DEEPLY INTO WHAT ARE, WHAT IS THAT REACH THAT THEY, AND THEY PROVIDE SO MUCH FOR OUR STUDENTS. I THINK, YOU KNOW, WE KNOW ABOUT THE THINGS LIKE THEY HAVE SOCIAL WORK INTERNS WHO DO SOME OF THEIR WORK HERE WITH SOME OF OUR STUDENTS.

THEY WORK WITH OUR SECONDARY ADMINISTRATORS TO BRING IN REALLY RELEVANT OUTSIDE SPEAKERS AND THAT SPEAKERS FOR THE STUDENTS AS WELL AS PARENT SESSIONS IN ALIGNMENT WITH THAT. SO THEY DO A LOT FOR PARENT EDUCATION, COMMUNITY AWARENESS.

THEY DO THE DIRECT SUPPORT AND COUNSELING FOR STUDENTS.

THEY ALSO HAVE BEEN REALLY EXPANDING TO OUR STUDENT LEADERSHIP VOICE IN CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, WORKING, HELPING STUDENTS PREPARE WITH INTERNSHIPS. THEIR, THEIR YOUTH COORDINATOR HAS BEEN REALLY PIVOTAL IN HELPING STUDENTS GET MORE INVOLVED IN ADVOCACY AND LEARNING AROUND MENTAL HEALTH. AT THE ADVOCACY AT THE STATE LEVEL, EVEN DOING SOME ADVOCACY AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, PARTNERING WITH THE SCHOOLS ON THE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH OF THE SEAL OF CIVIC READINESS.

JUST ALL THESE AREAS WHERE THEY'VE GOT RESOURCES AND ENERGY AND TIME TO HELP WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR KIDS.

SO I THINK THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT PIECE AS YOU'VE SHARED.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I, I AGREE SOMETIMES YOU MAKE A FIRST CUT AND SOMETIMES YOU GOT TO GO BACK AND MAYBE THAT FIRST CUT IS A LITTLE TOO DEEP.

OUR CHALLENGE IS GOING TO BE AS I LOOK AT MY FRIEND JIM, THE NUMBER IS STILL THE NUMBER.

SO TO GET SOMETHING IN WE'VE GOT TO JUST DO SOME SOME JUGGLING.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DO THAT AS WE GO THROUGH YOU KNOW, THROUGH THESE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS TO GET READY FOR APRIL 21ST FOR THE BUDGET FINALIZATION, BUT I WOULD SAY THAT DEFINITELY WOULD BE A TOP PRIORITY TO ME IS TO TO FIND THE FUNDS TO CONTINUE TO FULLY FUND THAT PARTNERSHIP.

AND I DO AGREE THAT'S ABOUT $20,000. AND THEN FOR THE SUPPORT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO USE CONTINGENCY FUNDS FOR THESE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO BRING ON ADDITIONAL SUPPORT FROM BOCES, TO HAVE THAT SAME SUPPORT WEEK IS GOING TO BE JUST SHY OF $28,000.

SO IT'S AGAIN, IT'S NOT, IT'S NOT SMALL IN, IN $99 MILLION BUDGET.

I KNOW THAT SOUNDS SMALL, BUT WHEN YOU'RE REALLY CUTTING DOWN THIS CLOSE TO THE, TO THE MARGIN, YOU DO STRUGGLE FOR THOSE DOLLARS. THE GOOD THING ABOUT THAT IS IF WE CAN FIND IT, WE DO GET 39% REIMBURSEMENT RATE FROM BOCES.

SO IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR. SO YES, WE'VE GOT TO FRONT THE MONEY THIS YEAR, BUT IT COULD ADD TO REVENUES IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR.

SO WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO SOME WORK THERE. TO SEE IF WE CAN FIND ANYTHING.

BUT AGAIN, THIS IS ON TOP OF WHICH JACKIE'S ALREADY SHARED.

[00:35:03]

SO IT'S REALLY ADDITIVE TO THAT. THAT'S OUR CHALLENGE FOR SURE.

YES. SO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT ALL THAT, BUT KNOW THAT WE'RE TRYING, WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO TRY THERE TO GET THERE WITHOUT JIM HAVING A CORONARY.

YES. THANK YOU. AND THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE FOR YOUR TIME YESTERDAY MORNING.

I THINK IT WAS A GOOD USE OF OUR TIME TO BE ABLE TO KIND OF GIVE AN UPDATE ON WHERE, WHERE THE BUDGET IS, AND ESPECIALLY AFTER THE BOARD HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO GO THROUGH THE BUDGET LINE BY LINE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT RIGHT OFF THE BAT IS KIND OF FROM THE BUDGET BOOK IS THAT PAGE ONE WHERE WE HAVE THE SUMMARY, THE BUDGET. AND AGAIN, I JUST, I GAVE A QUICK HANDOUT TO THE BOARD MEMBERS THIS MORNING OR THIS THIS EVENING OF WHAT THAT PAGE ONE LOOKS LIKE.

AND THEN AS AS WE HEARD EARLIER WE'RE LOOKING AT THE BAN, WHICH IS A BOND ANTICIPATION NOTE OR THE BORROWING FOR THE CAPITAL PROJECT. AS, AS WE'RE MOVING ALONG AT THIS POINT IN TIME, IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE WE'RE GOING TO GO OUT FOR THAT BORROWING IN THE JUNE TIME FRAME.

AND THE REASON IT WAS IN THE BUDGET INITIALLY WAS IF WE BORROWED THE MONEY IN JUNE, WE WOULD HAVE AN INTEREST PAYMENT DUE JUNE OF NEXT YEAR, WHICH WOULD BE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET. IF WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THAT IN JUNE AND THIS IS GOING TO HAPPEN JUNE OR SOMETIME OR JULY OR SOMETIME THEREAFTER, WE'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE THAT INTEREST PAYMENT FOR THAT BORROWING.

WE'RE STILL GOING TO HAVE TO BORROW THE MONEY. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF NOT JUNE, JULY, AUGUST TIME FRAME AND HOW THAT CONSTRUCTION MOVES FORWARD AND THE CASH IS DRAWN.

SO WHAT WE DID IS WE LOOKED AT THAT AND WE JUST MADE THE ADJUSTMENT, YOU KNOW, A PROJECTED FORECAST OF WHAT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE.

TAKING THAT BORROWING OUT AND THE CORRESPONDING USE OF THE DEBT SERVICE FUND THAT WAS GOING TO BE USED TO SERVICE THAT PORTION OF THAT INTEREST PAYMENT.

BECAUSE AGAIN, WE TALKED ABOUT USING THE IN BOND FEASIBILITY WHEN WE HAD CAPITAL MARKETS HERE, WE TALKED ABOUT USING THE DEBT SERVICE FUND STRATEGICALLY TO HELP KIND OF KEEP THAT TO SMOOTH THINGS OUT AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

SO AS YOU LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THE BUDGET YEAR TO YEAR CHANGE IS LOWER BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY THERE'S LESS EXPENSES BECAUSE THAT INTEREST PAYMENT IS NOT BEING MADE IN NEXT YEAR. BUT THE PROPERTY TAX LEVY AMOUNT REMAINS THE SAME.

SO YOU'RE KIND OF LOOKING AT FOR THE, FOR THE, FOR THE HOMEOWNER AND THE IMPACT ON THE PROPERTY TAXES, IT'S NO DIFFERENT FOR THE BUDGET THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.

AND THAT WAS, THAT WAS PUT FORWARD. THAT'S NOT DIFFERENT OTHER THAN THE INTEREST PORTION OF THE BOND PAYMENT OR THE BAND PAYMENT.

SO THAT WAS ONE OF THE THINGS WE TALKED ABOUT AT THE FINANCE COMMITTEE.

ONE OF THE THINGS WE ALSO TALKED ABOUT WAS HOW USING FUND BALANCES IS A GOOD THING, BUT YOU HAVE TO BE MEASURED IN THE USE OF THAT FUND BALANCE.

AND I THINK PELHAM HAS DONE A VERY GOOD JOB IN USING THE FUND BALANCE AND USING IT IN REALLY STRONG WAYS THAT SUPPORT THE DISTRICT.

IT WAS MENTIONED THEY WERE USED FOR THE HVAC HERE.

THEY'VE BEEN USED FOR PLAYGROUNDS, THE PURCHASE OF THE HOUSES THEY HAVEN'T REALLY BEEN USED FOR THOSE RECURRING OPERATING COSTS, WHICH IS HOW YOU CAN KIND OF FIND YOURSELVES AND GET YOURSELVES IN A, IN A HOLE.

BUT ALSO WE'RE KIND OF, WE'RE LOOKING AT OUR FORECAST.

AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS WE LOOKED AT THIS YEAR. AND THIS YEAR, WE'RE GOING TO SEE A BIT OF A DRAWDOWN OF OUR FUND BALANCE.

SO AS AS WE LOOK TOWARDS THAT, THAT'S WHY WE'RE WE'RE KIND OF SAYING, OKAY, YOU GOT A LITTLE BIT OF A YELLOW LIGHT BLINKING HERE.

LET'S MAKE SURE WE'RE BEING SMART IN OUR DECISIONS AND USES OF FUND BALANCE, BECAUSE HAVING A FUND BALANCE IS IMPORTANT.

IT SHOWS THE HEALTH OF THE DISTRICT WHEN YOU GO OUT TO BORROW MONEY.

THE BOND RATING AGENCIES LIKE TO SEE THAT YOU HAVE A FUND BALANCE.

AND IT'S A IT'S A BALANCED APPROACH IN WHAT YOUR FUND BALANCE IS AND HOW HOW YOU USE IT AND HOW MUCH YOU USE OF IT.

AND I WON'T SAY THERE'S A, THERE'S NOT A PERFECT NUMBER OUT THERE.

BUT IT'S, IT'S KIND OF YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE NOT, YOU DON'T HAVE CONSISTENT DRAWDOWNS OF THAT FUND BALANCE YEAR AFTER YEAR, BECAUSE EVENTUALLY YOU'RE GOING TO EMPTY THAT POT OR THE EMPTY THAT SAVINGS ACCOUNT, WHICH IS REALLY WHAT A FUND BALANCE IS.

SO WE WANT TO THINK ABOUT THAT. AND THAT'S KIND OF ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT IT'S IMPORTANT THE BOARD IS AWARE OF.

AND WE TALKED ABOUT THAT IN THE FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING.

AS WE GET THROUGH THIS BUDGET YEAR, IT'S ALSO INTERESTING.

EVERY YEAR, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS SHARE INFORMATION AND WE SHARE SOME OF THAT INFORMATION THAT WE GET WITH THE BOARD MEMBERS.

AND THE BOARD PRESIDENTS EVEN HAVE A SECRET, NOT SECRET, BUT THAT'S A BAD WORD.

I'M SORRY, BUT. BUT BUT THEY WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND THEY COMMUNICATE.

YEAH. NO SECRET, BUT BUT THEY WORK WITH EACH OTHER AND THEY COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER.

[00:40:03]

AND IT'S GOOD TO HEAR WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OTHER DISTRICTS AND WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE SEEING AND WHAT'S HAPPENING.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE GET EVERY, EVERY WEEK THIS TIME OF THE YEAR, NOT LAST WEEK BECAUSE IT WAS A VACATION WEEK FROM THE WESTCHESTER SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION IS KIND OF WHERE EVERY DISTRICT WHO CHOOSES TO SHARE THEIR INFORMATION IS WITH THEIR PRELIMINARY BUDGET.

AND WHAT, WHAT I HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO DO AND WE LOOKED AT IN THE BUSINESS OFFICE IS WE JUST WANTED TO TAKE A LOOK AT WHAT, WHAT PELHAM USAGE OF FUND BALANCE IS COMPARED TO OTHER DISTRICTS THAT CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SURVEY.

SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE EVERYBODY, IT'S NOT ALL INCLUSIVE.

AND WE'RE RIGHT NOW AS IT WAS ORIGINALLY PROPOSED, WE'RE ABOUT 4.4, A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 4% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET USE FUND BALANCE AS WE AS WE PULL IT BACK. IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN 3% OF THE TOTAL BUDGET BECAUSE THE PULLBACK IS JUST ABOUT UNDER $1 MILLION.

AND YOU LOOK AT IT, IT CAN BE AS HIGH AS 4.4, AS LOW AS SOME DISTRICTS 0.36.

SO IT REALLY DOES VARY FROM DISTRICT TO DISTRICT.

IT VARIES ON WHAT EVERY DISTRICT IS DOING BECAUSE AGAIN, EVERY DISTRICT HAS A STORY TO SOMEBODY MAYBE GOING THROUGH CONSTRUCTION, SOMEBODY MAY HAVE A ONE TIME, THEY MAY BE PURCHASING SOMETHING OR PUTTING HVAC ON THEIR BUILDING.

SO YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT EVERY, WHAT EVERY DISTRICT IS DOING. WE DON'T GET ALL OF THAT INFORMATION, BUT IT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO JUST KIND OF SEE WHERE EVERYONE ELSE STANDS. AND WE'VE SHARED THAT INFORMATION WITH THE BOARD AS WELL.

I WOULD SAY ONE OF THE AND JIM AND JACKIE MAYBE COULD SPEAK MORE TO THIS THAN ME.

BUT ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE THAT A LOT OF DISTRICTS DON'T HAVE IS THE DEBT SERVICE RESERVE, WHICH IS CALCULATED WITHIN THIS AS WELL. IT'S A FUND BALANCE.

IT'S A FUN BALANCE, RIGHT? SO THAT'S WHEN WE AGAIN, AS JIM SAID, WE'VE USED THAT VERY STRATEGICALLY AND IT'S GREAT THAT WE HAVE IT.

AND IT'S A DEFINITELY A GREAT TOOL AND LEVER FOR US.

BUT THAT ALSO, I THINK, COULD SPEAK TO PARTIALLY WHY OUR USE WITHIN THE BUDGET IS A LITTLE BIT PERCENTAGE.

YEAH, IT'S A HIGHER PERCENTAGE BECAUSE WE'VE GOT THAT TOOL AND OTHERS DON'T. AND WE'VE AND WE'VE BEEN FORTUNATE TO DO THAT POST COVID SO WELL DURING COVID, SCHOOL DISTRICTS GENERATED FUND BALANCES AND IT WASN'T EXCLUSIVE TO PELHAM.

YEAH. POST COVID DISTRICTS DREW DOWN THEIR FUND BALANCES.

SO AGAIN, AND I'M SURE THE MEMBERS TALKING TO OTHER MEMBERS OF OTHER DISTRICTS, THEY'RE KIND OF HEARING THE SAME THINGS FROM DISTRICT TO DISTRICT.

WHAT I ALSO INCLUDE IS I SHARED WITH THE BOARD SOME INFORMATION ON, ON OUR HISTORICAL USE OF OUR RESERVES AND FUND BALANCES.

IT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SHARED BEFORE, BUT YOU CAN KIND OF SEE HOW IT'S EBBED AND FLOWED OVER THE YEARS AND KIND OF HOW WE'VE IDENTIFIED THE USE OF IT, HOW WE'VE TRIED TO USE IT FOR THOSE ONE TIME EXPENSES.

AS WE LOOK AT THE BUDGET, THERE WERE SOME THERE WERE SOME CHANGES.

AND THERE'S THERE'S ALWAYS ADDS AND TAKES FROM THE FROM THE PERSON IN THE FINANCE SEAT.

IT ALWAYS FEELS LIKE THERE'S MORE ADDS THAN TAKES. AND CERTAINLY HERE WE FOUND OURSELVES AGAIN FIRST CUT AS, AS THE SCHOOLS HAVE LOOKED, THE SECONDARY CAMPUSES HAVE LOOKED AT THEIR SCHEDULING.

IT LOOKS LIKE THERE'S, THERE'S SOME ADJUSTMENTS, ADJUSTMENTS THAT HAVE BEEN MADE, SOME, SOME POSITIVE, SOME NEGATIVE, BUT IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE ON THE POSITIVE SIDE.

WE'VE GOT COSTS RELATED TO A STUDENT NEED THAT THAT WE WERE, WE WERE QUITE FRANKLY UNAWARE OF PRIOR TO THAT, THAT DIDN'T EXIST PRIOR, PRIOR TO THE BUDGET DEVELOPMENT THAT, THAT HAS, THAT HAS EXISTED POST BUDGET DEVELOPMENT.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THE DISTRICT IS REQUIRED TO REQUIRE TO PROVIDE FOR THE FREE AND FREE AND APPROPRIATE EDUCATION.

SO THAT, THAT THAT EXPENSE IS, IS IS NOTED AS WELL.

AND THAT KIND OF IS THE MAKEUP OF THE INS AND THE OUTS OF KIND OF WHERE WE LOOK AS FAR AS THAT $273,000 GOES.

SO HOW ARE WE GOING TO FIX IT, JIM? THAT'S THE OTHER QUESTION. THERE'S A COUPLE OF WAYS YOU CAN DO IT.

YOU CAN, YOU CAN CUT, YOU CAN ADD REVENUE. YOU COULD USE FUND BALANCE.

WE TALKED ABOUT FUND BALANCE. I'M NOT SURE THAT'S A THAT'S AN AVENUE YOU WANT TO EXPLORE.

RIGHT NOW. WE LOOK AT OUR REVENUES. WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT OUR REVENUES.

AS DOCTOR CHAMP MENTIONED, WE LOOK AT STATE AID.

WE ARE VERY FORTUNATE THAT WE WERE FULLY FUNDED WITH FOUNDATION AID THIS YEAR.

AND A LOT OF DISTRICTS ARE AT WHAT'S CALLED HOLD HARMLESS.

SO THEY'RE KIND OF ALREADY RECEIVING MORE THAN FOR THE FORMULARY WOULD ALLOW THEM TO HAVE.

AND THEIR INCREASE WAS 1% IN THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET.

AND WHAT WE'RE HEARING FROM OUR INTERNAL GROUPS NOW IS THAT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO END UP BEING 2% FOR THOSE DISTRICTS.

SO OUR EXPECTATION HERE IS THAT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE UP A LOT OF MONEY AT THE STATE LEVEL.

AND WE DON'T HAVE HIGH EXPECTATIONS THAT IT'S GOING TO LEAVE A LOT OF CAPACITY FOR OTHER DOLLARS TO FALL AND FALL BACK TO A DISTRICT LIKE PELHAM THAT WAS FULLY FUNDED IN THE

[00:45:02]

YEAH. HISTORICALLY, WE'VE, WE'VE, WE'VE ALWAYS HAD A LITTLE BIT IT COULD BE IN THE TEN, 15, 20, $50,000 RANGE. BUT AT THIS TIME, WE'RE NOT HEARING ANYTHING THAT WOULD LEAD US TO BELIEVE THAT IT'S GOING TO BE AT A LEVEL THAT WOULD ADDRESS THE, THE ADDITIONAL EXPENSES THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE.

SO WE MAY GET A LITTLE BIT IN STATE AID. WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT OUR OTHER MISCELLANEOUS REVENUES.

WHAT ARE THOSE? THOSE ARE SALES TAX REVENUES.

THOSE ARE OUR TUITION OUR BORDER PROPERTIES. THAT, THAT COULD BE INTEREST INCOME THAT WE RECEIVE THOSE TYPES OF CATEGORIES. SO WE'RE GOING TO WE'RE GOING TO LOOK AT THAT AND SEE IF HOW ACCURATE THEY ARE.

WE THOUGHT WE DID A PRETTY GOOD JOB BECAUSE THE TIGHT BUDGET, WE LOOKED AT IT A COUPLE OF TIMES IN, IN IN OUR FIRST SHOT WITH THIS BUDGET, BUT THINGS CHANGE AS WELL. I THINK THE, THE FED HELD ON ON A REDUCTION THAT WE THOUGHT THEY MIGHT HAVE.

I THINK BEFORE WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THERE POTENTIALLY BEING A DECREASE AT THEIR LAST MEETING.

SO WE'LL LOOK AT THAT THOUGH, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE IT IS. AND YOU CAN SEE IN THE TREASURER'S REPORT THIS EVENING WE AGAIN WE PUT IN THERE WHAT OUR WHAT OUR INTEREST INCOME IS WHICH IS WAS AS HIGH, I THINK AT 5% WERE IN THE THREES NOW.

SO IT'S, IT'S BEEN DROPPING BUT IT'S CERTAINLY NOWHERE NEAR THE LEVELS IT WAS AT FIVE YEARS AGO OR EVEN THREE YEARS AGO IN THE LAST LESS THAN 50 BASIS POINT RANGE. SO IT'S STILL A VERY POSITIVE IMPACT TO PELHAM.

SO AS WE GO THROUGH THE BUDGET, I MEAN, AGAIN, THESE ARE THE THINGS WE'RE GOING TO DO. WE LOOKED AT TRANSPORTATION. WE'RE NOT. NOW THAT ALL THE TRANSPORTATION REQUESTS ARE IN, WE'RE NOT SEEING ANY ANY MAJOR CHANGES THERE.

WE WERE HOPING, BUT BUT WE DIDN'T WE DON'T SEE ANY ANYTHING THAT'S HAPPENED THERE. AND THEN AS THE BUILDINGS CONTINUE TO FINALIZE THEIR STAFFING BASED ON THEIR COURSE AND CLASS REQUESTS, AGAIN, THERE'S GOING TO THERE'S GOING TO BE INS AND OUTS THERE, THERE MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO FOR THEIR, FOR THERE TO BE SOME, SOME FUNDS AVAILABLE. AND THEN AGAIN, IT COULD FALL THE OTHER WAY BASED ON STUDENT STUDENT CHOICE AND ENROLLMENT AND STUDENT NEED. SO WE'RE GOING TO WORK, WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH ALL OF THIS.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO COME UP WITH, WE'RE GOING TO WORK TO COME UP WITH A PLAN. WE'RE GOING TO SHARE IT CERTAINLY WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE SO THAT THE BOARD HAS PLAN AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO TO PASS THAT BUDGET ON APRIL 21ST, BUT BEFORE THE COMMUNITY.

OKAY. THANKS, JIM. SO DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY? I MEAN, I KNOW WE JUST WENT THROUGH, I GUESS A COUPLE OF A COUPLE OF THINGS.

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET? AS WE HEAD INTO THE HOME STRETCH, I GUESS, OF A BUDGET.

IF THERE ARE ANY GUARDRAILS AND THERE'S NO PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.

LOOK, FOR THE LAST FOUR YEARS THAT I'VE SAT ON THIS CHAIR OR SOMEWHERE HERE ON THE BOARD, WE'VE WE'VE BEEN VERY CAUTIOUS WITH OUR BUDGET.

THERE'S BEEN YEARS THAT WE COULD AFFORD TO DO MANY THINGS AND KEEP PROGRAMING OR WHEN WE WERE JUST COMING OUT OF COVID, ENHANCE OUR PROGRAMING BECAUSE WE KNEW WE NEEDED IT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

UNFORTUNATELY, THIS YEAR WE'RE LOOKING AT A VERY DIFFERENT YEAR WHERE WE HAVE TO KEEP VERY TIGHT REINS.

IT'S NOT JUST THE ECONOMY, BUT IT'S ALSO EVERYTHING ELSE THAT'S GOING ON AROUND WHERE WE FEEL LIKE OUR STUDENTS ARE VERY SUCCESSFUL.

WE WANT TO CONTINUE FOR THEM TO BE SUCCESSFUL, BUT THAT ALSO MEANS WE HAVE TO BE VERY TIGHT WITH THE SPEND THAT WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN THE UPCOMING YEAR. AGAIN, THE ECONOMY IS NOT HELPING US.

WE THERE'S A LOT OF FLUCTUATION. THERE'S ALSO A BIG INCREASE IN OUR SPECIAL NEEDS.

YOU KNOW, ASSETS THAT ARE BEING DONE BY THE COMMUNITY AND WE WOULD LOVE TO PROVIDE FOR THAT AND WE WANT TO PROVIDE FOR THAT.

SO THAT MEANS IF WE'RE USING THE SAME AMOUNT OF MONEY AS WE BUDGETED, WE HAVE TO CUT SOMEWHERE ELSE.

AND IT BREAKS MY HEART THAT WE WILL HAVE TO CUT SOMEWHERE LIKE PELHAM TOGETHER PROGRAMING, BECAUSE THEY DO PROVIDE SO MUCH FOR THE COMMUNITY. SO I WOULD JUST ASK IF THERE'S ANY WAY THAT WE COULD FIND THIS MONEY SOMEWHERE.

AND I KNOW IT'S TIGHT BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, THE THE ELECTRIC BILLS AND THE HEATING BILLS ARE ONLY GOING TO GO UP, ESPECIALLY WHEN WINTER DOESN'T SEEM TO WANT TO LEAVE US THIS YEAR. TELL ME ABOUT IT. SO I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

BUT IT'S JUST WE'RE VERY AS A BOARD, I FEEL LIKE THIS IS A TIGHT YEAR.

THIS IS A VERY TIGHT YEAR. WE'VE SEEN, YOU KNOW, GOVERNMENTS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AROUND THAT INCREASE THEIR TAXES.

AND WE'RE TRYING TO REMAIN WITHIN OUR TAX CAP.

SO IT IS JUST VERY TIGHT. WE ALL, YOU KNOW, LIVE HERE.

SO IT'S IT'S VERY HARD. WE UNDERSTAND WHAT OUR YOU KNOW, WHAT OUR THE PARENTS AND THE COMMUNITY'S GOING THROUGH.

SO, YOU KNOW, SOME, SOME OF THE THINGS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE TIGHT THIS YEAR. AND I HOPE THAT EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS WHY,

[00:50:01]

I FEEL I FEEL LIKE WE WERE AT THE POINT NOW WHERE WE'RE MANAGING THE BUDGET TO THE TAX CAP, WHICH I UNDERSTAND THE TAX CAP IS IMPORTANT. IT HAS IT HAS MADE SCHOOL DISTRICTS MANAGE MANAGE THEIR BUDGETS AND I GUESS MORE A MORE RESPONSIBLE WAY FOR FOR SURE. BUT IT DOES GET TO THE POINT WHERE IT'S, IT'S IT'S DIFFICULT WHEN YOU CAN'T MAINTAIN WHAT THE, THE EXCELLENCE THAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HAS IF WE'RE MANAGING, IF THAT'S THE ONLY, YOU KNOW, WE'RE MANAGING SOLELY TO THIS, TO THIS NUMBER.

SO WE, WE, THAT'S DEFINITELY A, I WANT TO BE CLEAR THAT IS WHERE WE'RE, THAT IS THIS BUDGET THAT NEEDS TO BE TAX COMPLIANT.

THAT IS WHAT WE SET OUT AT THE BEGINNING OF BUDGET SEASON.

BUT WE AS NATALIE SAID, WE'VE SEEN MANY DISTRICTS GO THROUGH THE CAP SEVERAL TIMES.

OUR PLANNING TO DO SO AGAIN THIS YEAR. I THINK THEY'RE SHARING THE DISTRICTS ARE SHARING THE POTENTIAL TO DO THAT WITH WITH SOME ARE AND SOME ARE STILL HOLDING IT VERY CLOSE.

BUT YES, WE'RE AWARE OF SOME DISTRICTS THAT ALREADY ARE.

YEAH, I JUST WANT I JUST WANT THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND THAT NEXT YEAR THE DISCUSSION WILL BE ABOUT WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT, RIGHT? TO LIKE, WHAT IS THAT? WHAT IS IT THAT WE WANT AND HOW HOW ARE WE GOING TO WE MEANING THE ENTIRE COMMUNITY? FOR THE, FOR THE EDUCATION OF THE STUDENTS. AND IF THERE'S TO INVEST IN, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO CONSIDER THAT.

I THINK OVER THE TAX CAP, YOU KNOW, I THINK WE'VE ALSO BEEN VERY TRANSPARENT ABOUT IT, RIGHT? LIKE WE'VE, WE'VE NOT BEEN HIDING IT. WE'VE BEEN EVEN LAST YEAR TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE CAN'T CONTINUE, WE LIKELY CANNOT CONTINUE BEING STAYING WITHIN THE NOT SURPASSING THE TAX CAP.

AND YET THIS YEAR, WE STILL GAVE YOU THE THE CHARGE OF KEEPING TO THE TAX CAP.

AND THIS IS A REALLY, REALLY TIGHT BUDGET. SO WHEN YOU YOU KNOW, JIM, YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT THE 273 AND THEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE DISCUSSING PELHAM TOGETHER AND SOME OTHER THINGS. I KNOW YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD, YOU KNOW, THE ADMINISTRATION WOULD BE LOOKING AT REVENUE, YOU KNOW, WHERE RELOOKING AT IT BECAUSE YOU'VE LOOKED AT IT A NUMBER OF TIMES.

I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, AND I DON'T EXPECT YOU TO HAVE AN ANSWER TONIGHT, BECAUSE IF YOU DID, THEN MAYBE WE WOULDN'T BE LOOKING AT THIS. BUT ARE THERE, AND I HATE TO SAY IT, BUT OTHER AREAS WHERE WE MIGHT CUT THAT WE DIDN'T WE DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE POSSIBLE OR. WE DIDN'T WANT TO CONSIDER BUT ARE GOING TO CONSIDER THIS YEAR, BUT LET THE COMMUNITY KNOW THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE ARE STAYING TAX CAP COMPLIANT.

I MEAN, I DON'T EVEN WANT TO SAY THOSE WORDS BECAUSE I KNOW HOW TIGHT THIS IS.

YEAH, AND I, YOU KNOW, I THINK THE PROCESS THAT WE WENT THROUGH TO GET HERE WAS A LOT OF THAT KIND OF LIKE LITERALLY POST-IT NOTES ON SHEETS OF WHAT ARE, YOU KNOW, WHAT ARE ALL THE THINGS THAT WE COULD CONSIDER WHICH OF THESE ARE ABSOLUTE NEEDS BECAUSE REGULATORY REQUIREMENT YOU KNOW, LEGAL? ABSOLUTELY. YOU KNOW THOSE THINGS OBVIOUSLY OFF THE TABLE.

WE CAN'T TOUCH IT. WE HAVE TO BUDGET FOR THOSE.

AND THEN OF THE WANTS SIDE OF THINGS, THEN THAT'S WHERE IT GOT MUCH HARDER BECAUSE A LOT OF THOSE ARE THE THINGS THAT MAKE.

PELHAM. PELHAM. YEAH. SO THEN HOW DO YOU PRIORITIZE? AND THAT'S WHERE IT WAS. OKAY. HOW MANY WHICH ARE CLOSEST TO THE CLASSROOM, WHICH IS VERSUS WHICH ARE FARTHEST AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM? SO THAT'S WHERE WE LED TO THINGS LIKE, YOU KNOW, NOT FILLING A MAINTENANCE MECHANIC POSITION AND REDUCING CONSULTANT SERVICES, SOME OF WHICH ARE FACILITIES RELATED. SO AGAIN, TO YOUR EARLIER QUESTION, EVENTUALLY THOSE THINGS HAVE TO COME BACK.

WE CAN GET BY WITHOUT THOSE FOR A YEAR MAYBE.

HOPEFULLY. WE'RE PLANNING ON IT. WE WILL. BUT BUT THOSE THOSE SHORT TERM.

YES. LONG TERM. NO. SO SO HOW DO WE STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM THE CLASSROOM? AND THEN WHEN WE WENT THROUGH THOSE THINGS AND WE STILL WEREN'T THERE, WE HAD TO GET A LITTLE CLOSER.

IT'S JUST LITERALLY THE TRIMMING IS THE BEST. YEAH, YEAH.

SO YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S IT. WE'VE GOT FROM NOW UNTIL THE 21ST TO GO BACK, SEE IF ANYTHING HAS CHANGED ON THE REVENUE SIDE.

RELOOK AT SOME THINGS. YOU KNOW HOW SOMETIMES YOU PUT OUT YOU MAKE A.

AND LIKE WE DO WITH EVERYTHING, YOU MAKE A SOMETHING FOR FOLKS TO REACT TO.

SO THIS BUDGET HAS BEEN SOMETHING FOR US TO PRESENT TO YOU AND, YOU KNOW, COMMUNITY THAT'S LISTENING TO REACT TO.

YEAH. AND SAY, OKAY, DID WE GET IT RIGHT? OR DO WE NEED TO, DO WE NEED TO DO A LITTLE MAYBE WE MADE, YOU KNOW, PELHAM EXAMPLES, PROBABLY PELHAM TOGETHER IS PROBABLY THE BEST EXAMPLE. WE MADE A CUT HERE THAT.

[00:55:02]

YEAH. WE NEED TO RETHINK THAT. RIGHT. AND SEE, WAS THERE SOMETHING ELSE THAT DID MAKE THE CUT RIGHT, THAT MAYBE ISN'T AS DIRECT OF AN IMPACT AS WHAT THIS IS? YEAH. AND YOU KNOW, I KNOW IT WAS MENTIONED TONIGHT, THE C L AND WHEN YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT, I THINK WE WERE TALKING ABOUT THE STAFFING INCREASE STAFFING AND THE C L NEEDS OF STUDENTS.

YOU KNOW, MY MY CONCERN WOULD BE AND I, AND I KNOW WHERE WE STAND WITH THE STRATEGIC PLAN AND EVERYTHING.

AND THAT'S BUILT IN AND THIS IS, IS CLOSE TO THE STUDENTS.

I CAN IMAGINE SOME QUESTIONS FROM THE COMMUNITY ABOUT THE INVESTMENTS WE PUT THERE.

BECAUSE THEY'RE THINKING, YOU KNOW, THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT SCHOOLS ARE NOT JUST ABOUT READING, WRITING AND MATH. YOU KNOW, SCHOOLS ARE EXPECTED TO FULFILL NEEDS THAT ARE NOT BEING FULFILLED ELSEWHERE.

YOU KNOW, AND IF AND IF A CHILD DOESN'T HAVE THESE NEEDS MET, THEY'RE NOT GOING TO LEARN, RIGHT? RIGHT. SO I THINK. THERE'S SO MANY FACTORS HERE, BUT GETTING THAT EXTRA SUPPORT FROM BOCES TO HELP ALEX GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THESE THINGS IS, IS IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

SO ANYWAY, SO JUST SOME THOUGHTS. YEAH. I MEAN, I'LL JUST ADD THAT YOU KNOW, WHEN WHEN I WAS LOOKING AT THIS BUDGET AND LISTENING TO THE PRESENTATIONS AND HEARING, YOU KNOW, HOW THE DECISION PROCESS WAS MADE AND WHAT YOU SAID TONIGHT REALLY RESONATED WITH ME BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND I MET WITH JIM AND JACKIE TO ASK MORE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS AND GET DOWN INTO SOME DETAILS THAT WE DIDN'T COVER HERE, THAT THAT, YOU KNOW, I HAVE ALL THESE QUESTIONS ALL THE TIME.

SO I'M FILLED WITH QUESTIONS, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES TO BUDGETS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, IT REALLY DOES. YOU SEE OUR STRATEGIC PLAN REPRESENTED IN THESE NUMBERS, RIGHT? LIKE WE ARE VERY WE SPEND A LOT OF MONEY. WE PUT A LOT OF RESOURCES TOWARDS THINGS THAT IMPACT OUR STUDENTS CLOSELY TO INSTRUCTION STIPENDS FOR DIFFERENT PROGRAMS, TEACHERS, CLUBS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT ENRICH OUR STUDENTS LIVES AND EXPERIENCE HERE AND MAKE PELHAM SPECIAL OR STAND OUT OR MAKE PELHAM FEEL LIKE PELHAM AND THAT WE ARE AT A POINT THIS YEAR WHERE I KNOW WE'VE SAID THIS A MILLION TIMES, BUT I THINK WE CAN SAY IT A MILLION MORE BECAUSE IT REALLY NEEDS TO HIT HOME.

THIS IS A REALLY TIGHT BUDGET. I THINK THAT THE DISTRICT HAS BEEN VERY RESPONSIBLE, AND US AS BOARD MEMBERS HAVE ASKED THE QUESTIONS THAT WE'VE NEEDED TO ASK TO TO STEWARD TO BE THOSE FINANCIAL STEWARDS OF THE DISTRICT, TO TO MAKE SURE THAT EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR IS HAVING THE MOST IMPACT IT CAN HAVE FOR OUR STUDENTS. AND THEIR HARD DECISIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO BE MADE.

AND NO ONE, I THINK NONE OF US LIKE TALKING ABOUT HAVING TO CUT THINGS FROM THE BUDGET.

WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE AS MUCH AS WE CAN.

THAT'S WE ARE. AND WE DID HAVE, YOU KNOW, SAY, AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS PROCESS, STAY WITHIN TAX CAP.

TAX CAP COMPLIANT WAS IMPORTANT. AND SO WE DID THAT THIS YEAR.

BUT THAT DOES MEAN HARD CHOICES. WE'RE NOT GOING TO GET EVERYTHING WE WANT TO SEE.

WE MAY NOT BE HAPPY WITH THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT INCLUDED.

I THINK WE CAN FEEL COMFORTABLE THAT THE THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED ARE IMPORTANT AND MAINTAINING OUR EXISTING PROGRAMS, WHILE MAYBE AND MAYBE SOME OF IT'S FURTHERING, YOU KNOW, EXPANDING A LITTLE BIT OR, YOU KNOW, BUT WE'VE MADE THESE INVESTMENTS OVER THE LAST DECADE, YOU KNOW, SINCE COVID.

AND I THINK WHAT WHAT WE HAVE HERE, WHILE NOT PERFECT OR WHILE NOT WHAT EVERYBODY I THINK WANTS TO SEE, BECAUSE WE DO HAVE TO STAY WITHIN THE TAX CAP, I THINK IT IT IT'S NOT GOING TO IN THE LONG TERM.

IF WE MAYBE NEXT YEAR HAVE TO REALLY DECIDE IF WE'RE GOING TO WHAT THAT CONVERSATION IS GOING TO BE.

I DON'T I DON'T SEE IT HAVING A LONG TERM NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OUR STUDENTS AS LONG AS, YOU KNOW, NEXT YEAR WE'RE NOT LOOKING TO CUT EVEN FURTHER, BUT WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO ASK OUR COMMUNITY TO BE REALLY UNDERSTANDING ABOUT WHAT IT MEANS. LIKE, WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO STAY WITHIN THE TAX CAP THIS YEAR? AND SO HOPEFULLY OUR COMMUNITY WILL ATTEND YOUR PRESENTATIONS THAT YOU'RE GOING TO BE GOING ON.

YOU KNOW, THAT THE CIRCUIT, THE BUDGET CIRCUIT THAT'S GOING TO START AND ASK THE QUESTIONS THAT THEY NEED TO ASK TO GET COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT WE'RE ASKING OF THEM SO THAT WHEN WE APPROVE THIS NEXT WEEK, RIGHT NOW IT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET. AND I'M GOING TO SAY THIS, JIM, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT IT'S IMPORTANT TO SAY IT, BUT RIGHT NOW IT'S THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET. WHEN WE VOTE ON IT NEXT WEEK, IT'LL BECOME THE BOARD'S BUDGET THAT YOU'RE GOING TO GO PRESENT TO THE COMMUNITY WHEN THE

[01:00:02]

AND SO WE WANT THE COMMUNITY TO UNDERSTAND AS BEST THEY CAN, EVERYTHING THAT WE HAVE ALL SPENT SO MUCH TIME TALKING ABOUT AND THINKING ABOUT. YES, I'VE BEEN HEARD. THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME.

I THINK JUST ONE POINT TO ADD ON TO TO CATHERINE'S IS I HOPE THE COMMUNITY REALIZES HOW MUCH ATTENTION IS BEING PAID. OBVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, THE DISTRICT IS IS RESPONSIBLE FOR STUDENTS EDUCATION.

AND AT THE SAME TIME PAYING A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ATTENTION TO THE COMMUNITY, RIGHT? LIKE, NOT JUST WHAT YOU WERE HIRED TO DO, WHICH IS EDUCATE THE STUDENTS, BUT ALSO WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR PELHAM TAXPAYERS? AND WE'VE ASKED YOU YEAR AFTER YEAR TO STAY WITHIN THE TAX CAP, AND IT'S REACHING A POINT WHERE IT'S LIKE, OKAY, COMMUNITY, WE'VE, WE'VE BEEN DOING THIS, THIS IS A YEAR WHERE WE, WE COULD HAVE EASILY SAID, OKAY, WE GET IT AND PLEASE TRY TO STAY AS CLOSE TO THE TAX CAP AS POSSIBLE.

BUT YOU KNOW, WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE ASKING FOR ANOTHER YEAR TO, TO, TO DO IT BECAUSE WE KNOW IT'S HARD OUT THERE AND PEOPLE ARE PAYING AS WAS MENTIONED, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TAXES. AND SO I JUST HOPE THAT MESSAGE GETS OUT THERE.

AND THAT'S NOT NECESSARILY FOR YOU TO SAY, YOU KNOW, IN YOUR, IN YOUR TOUR, ON YOUR TOUR.

BUT CERTAINLY, YOU KNOW, I FEEL COMFORTABLE SAYING IT THAT IT'S NOT LIKE THE DISTRICT IS UNAWARE OF THE IMPACT ON, ON THE COMMUNITY. SO WHEN PEOPLE START, JUST START PAYING ATTENTION TO THE BUDGET BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S YES, YOU ALL HAVE BEEN WORKING ON IT AND WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT IT.

BUT WHEN IT, WHEN IT BECOMES THE, THE BOARD'S SORRY, BOARD'S BUDGET, THE BOARD'S BUDGET.

YES. I'M, I'M, I'M GETTING THE SUPERINTENDENT BOARD.

YEAH. RIGHT, RIGHT, RIGHT. THANK YOU. AND YOUR AND YOU START YOUR PRESENTATIONS.

PEOPLE WILL START NOW LOOKING AT THE DETAILS, RIGHT? SO I JUST WANT THEM TO KNOW THAT YEAH. YOU HAVE A LOT OF THINGS YOU'RE TRYING TO BALANCE.

YEAH, I APPRECIATE THAT. AND I, YOU KNOW, THE THING I THINK ABOUT TOO, AND I KNOW IT PROBABLY GOES WITHOUT SAYING, BUT I'M GOING TO SAY IT ANYWAYS. YOU'RE ALL TAXPAYERS.

SO YOU'RE THE SAME LEVEL OF SCRUTINY AND DIRECTION AND ACCOUNTABILITY THAT YOU'RE PUTTING ON US.

YOU'RE DOING IT AS FIDUCIARIES OF THE DISTRICT, BUT YOU'RE ALSO GOING HOME AND PAYING THE SAME TAX BILLS THAT YOU'RE ASKING OTHERS TO PAY.

SO I THINK THAT'S ALSO AN IMPORTANT AND I EVEN, YOU KNOW, I LOOK AROUND THE ROOM AND I SEE ALEX AND I SEE JACKIE AND SO MANY PEOPLE THAT WORK IN THE DISTRICT THAT ALSO LIVE IN THE DISTRICT.

SO I THINK THAT JUST THAT BUILT IN ACCOUNTABILITY OF YOU'RE NOT ASKING OTHERS TO DO SOMETHING THAT YOU'RE NOT DOING YOURSELF.

I KNOW IT MAY NOT FEEL THAT SYMPATHETIC AT THE END OF THE DAY, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT THAT'S A BUILT IN ACCOUNTABILITY MEASURE FOR YOU AS A BOARD.

AND I'VE APPRECIATED AS HARD AS THIS TASK HAS BEEN THIS YEAR, WE'VE APPRECIATED WE ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE CLEAR DIRECTION THE WILLINGNESS TO DIG IN AND UNDERSTAND AND ASK THE QUESTIONS. SO THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CAN BE TRANSPARENT AND BE HONEST ABOUT WHAT'S THERE AND TRY TO DELIVER SOMETHING THAT'S, THAT IS FOCUSED ON OUR VALUES AND THE CORE OF WHAT MAKES US SUCH A GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT AND MAINTAIN THOSE THINGS.

YEAH. AND PART OF WHAT MAKES IT SUCH A GREAT SCHOOL DISTRICT IS OUR COMMUNITY COMES OUT AND VOTES YES ON OUR BUDGET YEAR AFTER YEAR, WHICH WE'RE THANKFUL FOR. SO I THINK PEOPLE TAXES ARE ALWAYS A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION, BUT THE COMMUNITY SUPPORTS THE SCHOOLS AND WE HOPE TO SEE THAT CONTINUE. YOUR TOUR COUNTS HAS A VERY BIG IMPACT BECAUSE I'VE SPOKEN WITH OTHER DISTRICTS WHERE THEY HAVE NOT PASSED THEIR BUDGET.

AND I ASKED, OH, SO DOES YOUR SUPERINTENDENT GO AROUND AND TALK TO GROUPS? LIKE, OH, NO. SO I'M LIKE, HOW DO PEOPLE KNOW WHAT'S WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET? WHAT'S IN THE BUDGET? THEY DON'T. AND THAT'S WHY THEY VOTE NO, RIGHT? BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT THEIR TAXES TO GO UP. SO I KNOW IT'S SO MUCH TO ASK OF YOU AND SO MANY HOURS.

AND THEN BESIDES THE BOND, YOU KNOW, AND ALL IT'S, IT'S APPRECIATED BECAUSE IT REALLY, IT'S EDUCATING PEOPLE WHO, YOU KNOW, WHO ARE VERY BUSY AND ARE NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE INS AND OUTS.

AND THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY SEE, WAIT, MY TAXES ARE GOING TO GO UP BY THIS AMOUNT.

YEAH. AND, AND YOU GOING TO, YOU KNOW, TALK TO THE SENIOR GROUPS TO ALL THE COFFEES AND WHATNOT.

THEY MAKE A DIFFERENCE. BUT I KNOW IT'S A, AN INVESTMENT OF TIME AND ENERGY.

[01:05:06]

SO YEAH. THANK YOU. WE'RE TRYING SOMETHING A LITTLE NEW THIS YEAR IN ADDITION TO THAT.

OKAY. ALEX AND STEVE AND I TODAY FILMED THE START OF OUR FIRST LITTLE VIDEO SERIES.

I'M TRYING TO DO, LIKE, TWO MINUTE VIDEOS REALLY KIND OF TO THAT PERSON, LIKE PEOPLE WHO THEY DON'T HAVE THE TIME AND ENERGY TO SPEND ALL THIS TIME, BUT LIKE, THAT'S REALLY GOOD. YEAH, JUST REAL QUICK, WATCH IT ON THE TRAIN.

THE MOST PEOPLE ON TIK TOK. I WAS JOKING ABOUT BECOMING AN INFLUENCER.

BUT YEAH, NO, I'M NOT EVEN ON INSTA YET. SO. THAT'S INCREDIBLE BECAUSE ONE OF THE MAIN, ONE OF THE TOP REASONS PEOPLE DON'T VOTE IS BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL INFORMED ENOUGH TO MAKE A CHOICE, RIGHT? SO YEAH, YOU KNOW, REALLY WHERE YOU HAVE TO ASK YOU LIKE, ARE YOU BEING THE COMMUNITY IS WHAT DO YOU NEED? HOW MUCH INFORMATION DO YOU FEEL YOU NEED TO FEEL INFORMED ENOUGH TO COME TO THE POLLS AND MAKE A CHOICE ABOUT THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, ABOUT FOR OUR SCHOOLS? AND THAT'S INCREDIBLE BECAUSE MAYBE THAT A COUPLE TWO MINUTE VIDEOS ON THE TRAIN IS WHAT'S GOING TO HELP SOME PEOPLE THINK OF MAYBE A FEW QUESTIONS THEY WOULDN'T HAVE THOUGHT OF BEFORE OR FEEL THAT THEY HAVE ENOUGH INFORMATION TO VOTE.

YEAH. THIS ALSO EMPHASIZES THE NEED FOR GOOD COMMUNICATION PARTNER.

YES IT DOES. THE FACT THAT WE NEED WE NEED TO SUPPORT THAT WITH BUDGET.

OKAY, SO I'M GOING TO GET ON MY SOAPBOX FOR JUST A MINUTE.

I DO THIS, I FEEL LIKE IT'S BEEN A COUPLE OF YEARS NOW THAT I'VE DONE THIS, BUT IT'S A TRADITION.

YEAH. WHEN I, WHEN I THINK OF THE BUDGET, I MEAN, IT'S A PEOPLE BUDGET.

IT'S LIKE THE, THE VAST MAJORITY IS PEOPLE COSTS AND THE TAX CAP FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, IS A MATH PROBLEM THAT YOU CAN'T REALLY SOLVE IN THE LONG TERM.

WHEN YOU HAVE BENEFITS THAT ARE LIKE A THIRD OF THE PEOPLE COSTS, AND THEY'RE GROWING IN DOUBLE DIGITS EVERY YEAR, AND YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP OVERALL COSTS TO 2%.

YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A SITUATION WHERE YOU'RE INEVITABLY LOOKING AT HAVING TO LIMIT PROGRAM IF YOU'RE GOING TO MAINTAIN THE TAX CAP COMPLIANCE.

SO YOU TO ME, IT'S A MATTER OF LIKE TRYING TO TRIAGE AND MINIMIZE THAT AS MUCH AS WE CAN, WHICH I THINK WE'VE DONE OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS. AND THEN AT SOME POINT YOU SORT OF HAVE TO RIP THE BAND AID OFF AND, OR YOU DECIDE YOU'RE GOING TO CHANGE YOUR PROGRAM AND NOT HAVE IT BE WHAT IT'S BEEN FOR STUDENTS OVER THE LAST, YOU KNOW, NUMBER OF YEARS.

AND, AND THAT'S A CHOICE TOO. I DON'T THINK THAT MOST PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WOULD WANT TO GO DOWN THAT PATH, BUT BUT IT'S SOMETHING THAT WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION ABOUT, I WOULD THINK NEXT YEAR ABOUT WHAT YOU KNOW, WHAT THE COMMUNITY'S VALUE WHAT IT, WHAT THE COMMUNITY VALUES MOST IN TERMS OF WHAT THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS CAN OFFER OUR STUDENTS.

SO. THAT'S MY 30S ON IT. OKAY. OKAY.

AND THAT'S ALL I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THAT. SO I THINK WE'RE HEARING FROM YOU GET TO WORK AND SHARE WITH THE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND GIVE US A BUDGET THAT REALLY PRESERVES AS MUCH PROGRESS AS POSSIBLE AND KEEPS A LOT OF THE GREAT THINGS THAT ARE ALREADY IN THE BUDGET.

AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN GET BEHIND AND PUT BEFORE THE COMMUNITY.

YEAH. OKAY. WE CAN DO THAT. ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU.

THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. THANKS. THE FINANCE COMMITTEE, TOO.

YES. ALWAYS VERY HELPFUL FOR US TO TO WORK WITH YOU ON GETTING TO GETTING TO WHERE WE GET.

OKAY. SO JUST AS A REMINDER TO FOLKS, OUR NEXT MEETING IS ACTUALLY A TUESDAY, NOT A WEDNESDAY.

IT'S TUESDAY, APRIL 21ST, AND THAT'S BECAUSE OF THE BUDGETARY TIMELINE.

STATE REQUIREMENTS FOR ADOPTING THE BUDGET. IT'S A TUESDAY.

YES, IT'S A TUESDAY. I KNOW THAT KEEPS THROWING ME OFF. I LOOK AT THE CALENDAR, AREN'T WE DON'T WE SHOULD HAVE A MEETING ON THE 22ND. BUT THEN REMEMBER YOU CAN HAVE WEDNESDAY OFF BECAUSE WE'RE TRAINING ON TUESDAY.

YES, YES. AND IS THAT 430? NO. THAT'S NORMAL.

IT'S A NORMAL TIME. NORMAL TIME. SIX 3736 3730.

YEAH. YOU'RE THINKING PROBABLY OF THE WHEN WE ADOPTED THE BUDGET RESULTS LAST YEAR, WE DID A REALLY SHORT 430.

YES, I AM THINKING OF THAT. YEAH. OKAY. OKAY.

SO I DON'T THINK WE HAVE COMMITTEE REPORTS BECAUSE IT WAS SPRING, BECAUSE IT WAS SPRING BREAK AND WE DON'T FINANCE AND WE JUST COVERED FINANCE,

[01:10:02]

ANY, ANY, ANY QUESTIONS FOR ANY OF THE CABINET OR MYSELF ON THINGS ON THE AGENDA.

AND JIM, I DIDN'T KNOW YOU ALWAYS HAVE SOMETHING IN THERE, BUT ACTUALLY DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THERE'S MUCH ON THE BUSINESS AGENDA THAT IS NEEDS CLARIFICATION. NO, I'M SURE YOU'RE DYING TO KNOW WHAT A RED MAX 2300 IS, WHICH WE'RE DISPOSING OF BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW.

IT'S A HEDGE CLIPPER ARE. THE REALLY LONG, REALLY LONG ONES.

SO IT DOESN'T WORK ANYMORE? YEAH, IT'S. WE'RE RETIRING IT.

OKAY. AND THE THE RENTAL OF RISERS AND PARTY TENT.

THAT'S ALL FOR GRADUATION. THAT IS FOR GRADUATION.

YES. SO I WOULD SAY THAT'S JUST AS A JUST A POINT OF INFORMATION.

THAT'S SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T USED TO PAY FOR RIGHT BEFORE THE PANDEMIC.

THAT WAS A SENIOR CLASS. PARENTS CONTRIBUTED EACH YEAR TOWARDS THAT.

IT WAS GETTING PRETTY EXCESSIVE. YEAH. AND THEN DURING THE PANDEMIC, WE HAD A LOT OF RESERVES.

THERE WERE A LOT OF CHALLENGES GOING ON FOR FOLKS FINANCIALLY.

SO THAT IS THE POINT AT WHICH THE DISTRICT PICKED UP THE COST OF THOSE.

AND IT'S MADE IT SO THAT THE OTHER SCHOOLS CAN TAKE ADVANTAGE.

THAT'S BEEN THE GREAT PART. PART OF THE PROBLEM WAS THAT I THINK, IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY, SENIOR PARENTS WERE PAYING FOR IT, BUT OTHER SCHOOLS WERE USING IT OR POTENTIALLY USING IT POTENTIALLY, I THINK, MORE THE BIGGER, HARDER PILL TO SWALLOW WAS WHEN THEY WOULD PAY FOR IT AND THEN IT WOULD GET RAINED OUT AND WE'D GO INSIDE.

YES. YEAH. SO THEY AND THE, YOU KNOW, 18, 19, $20,000 FOR A TENT.

AND THEN WE DIDN'T USE IT. WE DIDN'T USE IT. YEAH. THAT'S RIGHT. SO WE DO OUR BEST TO GET FULL USE OF IT NOW, ESPECIALLY SINCE WE'RE PAYING FOR IT. AND YEAH, IT'S ACTUALLY TURNED OUT, I THINK TO BE A WONDERFUL ASSET TO DO IT THE WAY THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IT. YEAH. SO. OKAY, OKAY. ALL RIGHT. SO YEAH, NO FURTHER REPORTS.

OKAY. TO WE DON'T HAVE WE ALREADY DID COMMUNICATIONS AND COMMENTS FROM THE PUBLIC.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 6.1 THROUGH 6.4 AS A CONSENT AGENDA?

[6.1 Motion to Accept Treasurer's Report for the Period Ended February 28, 2026]

[6.2 Motion to Approve 2025-2026 Budget Transfers]

[6.3 Motion to Approve Side Letter of Agreement with the Pelham Administrators' Association]

[6.4 Motion to Award Rental of Risers (Stage) Bid as bid on April 6, 2026, #7 - 2025/2026, for the 2025-26 School Year]

I'LL TURN IT OVER TO SID NOW FOR POLICY DISCUSSION.

[7.1 Policy 1337 - Duties of the School Attorney (First Reading)]

THE SCHOOL ATTORNEY. THIS IS THE FIRST READING DUTIES OF THE SCHOOL ATTORNEY.

WE HAD SOME INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC ON THIS. AND SO WE TOOK A LOOK AT IT AND I THINK THE DISTRICT ALREADY GENERALLY DOES THIS, BUT WE THOUGHT IT WAS APPROPRIATE TO ADD SOMETHING THAT SORT OF EXPLICITLY SAYS THAT WHENEVER THE DISTRICT'S GOING TO BE MAKING ANY MATERIAL COURT FILING THAT THEY'LL CONSULT WITH COUNSEL.

AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, EVERYONE SEEMED COMFORTABLE WITH THAT AND FELT LIKE IT WAS A GOOD THING TO REMIND THE ADMINISTRATION OF SOMETHING YOU GENERALLY DO CAPTURE IT AND POLICY IS JUST REINFORCES THAT. YEP. SO THEN WE HAVE SECOND READINGS AS DOCTOR CHAMP MENTIONED

[7.2 Policy 3421 - Title IX and Sex Discrimination (Second Reading)]

[7.3 Policy 6120 - Equal Employment Opportunity (Second Reading)]

[7.4 Policy 7551 - Sexual Harassment of Students (Second Reading)]

[7.5 Policy 5685 - Extreme Heat (Second Reading)]

SEXUAL HARASSMENT POLICY AND EXTREME HEAT. THE ONLY COMMENT THAT I HAD LET ME FIND WHICH ONE IT IS. SO I THINK IF YOU LOOK AT.

SORRY SO POLICY 3421, WHICH IS TITLE NINE. AND THEN THE OTHER TWO ALL HAVE SIMILAR PROVISIONS AROUND SORT OF PROHIBITION OF RETALIATORY BEHAVIOR, I THINK IN THREE, FOUR, TWO, ONE, WE DIDN'T MAKE THE CONFORMING CHANGE.

THERE'S THIS SORT OF RETALIATION SENTENCE THAT WE CHANGED EVERYWHERE ELSE TO A SENTENCE THAT STARTS WITH HOWEVER WHICH IS THE SAME CONCEPT, BUT I THINK WE ALL AGREED IT WAS SORT OF A LITTLE CLEARER THE WAY WE REWROTE IT.

SO I WOULD JUST MAKE A MOTION TO AMEND POLICY THREE, FOUR, TWO, ONE TO USE THAT SAME LANGUAGE.

[01:15:06]

SO I WOULD SUGGEST THAT WE COULD MAYBE PUT ALL THESE ON THE AGENDA FOR A VOTE, BUT THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

I'M JUST GOING TO ASK FOR VALERIES PURPOSES FOR MINUTES.

CAN YOU JUST DO YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE PAGE NUMBER WHERE THAT CHANGE WOULD BE MADE? IT'S SO WE APPROVE IT WITH THE CLERICAL 343421.

PAGE 11. IT'S THE FIRST PARAGRAPH UNDER PROHIBITION OF RETALIATORY BEHAVIOR IS THE HEADING AND THAT LAST SENTENCE THAT STARTS WITH RETALIATION GETS REPLACED WITH THE SENTENCE IN THE OTHER TWO POLICIES THAT STARTS WITH HOWEVER.

GOT IT. OKAY. AWESOME. OKAY. OKAY. AND THEN THE LAST POLICY THAT'S ON HERE IS 7.6 IS

[7.6 Motion to Rescind and Delete Board of Education Policy 3511]

AND THEN ALSO BRINGS IN SOME OF THE STUFF THAT WE HAD DONE IN OUR EXISTING POLICY THAT WE THOUGHT WAS USEFUL AND, AND OUTSIDE THE BOUNDS OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR REQUIRED.

SO YEAH, THAT WAS PREDOMINANTLY THOSE LAST TWO SENTENCES.

YEAH. OKAY. ANY COMMENTS OR QUESTIONS ON THOSE? OKAY. DO. OKAY. DO I HAVE A MOTION TO WAIVE THE TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING FOR POLICY THREE, FOUR, TWO, ONE AND APPROVE IT WITH WITH WITH, WITH THE CLERICAL CHANGE THAT WE NOTED.

SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY.

SO THAT ONE'S APPROVED. CAN WE TAKE 7.3? DO I HAVE A MOTION? TAKE 7.3 TO 7.5 AS A CONSENT AGENDA. DO YOU WANT TO TAKE 7.6 ALSO? CAN I DO THAT? SHOULD I DO IT? I CAN DO IT ALL TOGETHER.

DO WE NEED TO ADD 7.1? 7.1 IS A FIRST READING.

SO WE'RE GOING TO. OH RIGHT. WE'LL JUST TALK ABOUT IT AGAIN. YEAH. SORRY. NEXT MEETING. I SHOULD HAVE MENTIONED THAT. OKAY.

OKAY, SO CAN I BECAUSE WE SAID IT, BUT THEN I WAS I MISSED IT.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO TAKE 7.3 THROUGH 7.6 AS A CONSENT AGENDA.

SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. AND THAT IS TO WAIVE THE FOR FOR 7.2 TO 7.5 TO WAIVE THE THIRD READING AND APPROVE THOSE POLICIES. AND FOR 7.6 TO RESCIND THE POLICY.

YEAH. OKAY. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY. GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

THERE YOU GO. GOOD JOB THERE. APPROVED. HOW MANY POLICIES ARE YOU UP TO NOW? WE DON'T EVEN KNOW. WE LOST TRACK. WE NEED THAT THERMOMETER.

THERMOMETER. SO. WE'LL WORK ON THAT THERMOMETER.

JUST GOING TO WALK AROUND WITH IT. YEAH. OKAY.

[8.1 Motion to Approve Schedule A - Instructional]

[8.2 Motion to Approve Schedule B - Extra Duty Appointments]

[8.3 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Instructional]

[8.4 Motion to Approve Schedule C - Non-Instructional]

[9.1 Motion to Approve Schedule D - Committee on Special Education (Confidential)]

SO MOVED. SECOND. OKAY. DO YOU HAVE ANY COMMENTS ON THAT? NOTHING REALLY OF NOTE. WE'VE GOT SOME MORE FMLA LEAVES.

APPOINTMENT OF A LEAVE OF ABSENCE RELATED SPRING COACHING POSITION.

STILL FINISHING THOSE OUT FOR THE FOR THE SPRING SEASON WHICH HAS BEGUN.

SOME OBSERVERS AND SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS CONTINUING TO GET THOSE.

AND THEN FINAL ONE IS AGAIN, JUST FOR OUR NON-INSTRUCTIONAL STAFF.

OH, FMLA LEAVE OF ABSENCES AND FOLKS TO ADDITIONAL MONITOR AND FOLKS TO HELP WITH SUPERVISION OF ATHLETICS FOR THE REMAINDER OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.

ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED. SO THAT'S ALL APPROVED.

DO WE HAVE ANY NEW BUSINESS? DO WE GET 9.1 IN THAT MOTION? YES WE DID. THANK YOU. YEAH. KATHRYN MISSED THAT PART OF THE CONVERSATION.

NO NEW BUSINESS ON MY PART. OKAY. I'LL TAKE A MOTION TO ADJOURN.

SO MOVED. SECOND. SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OKAY.

THANK YOU EVERYONE. THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.