[0:00] call the we're going to open the meeting
[0:01] here at 8:22
[0:04] and um
[0:07] the first order of business
[0:10] is to review the minutes of October 7th,
[0:12] 2025.
[0:20] » We got a first
[0:21] >> second.
[0:22] All those in favor approve the
[0:24] minutes.
[0:27] >> 300.
[0:29] >> Financial statements. Warrants. Shelley.
[0:32] >> Uh, since the October 7th meeting, 38
[0:34] warrants were signed electronically
[0:36] totaling $235,79.66.
[0:41] I did send you the general fund expense
[0:43] report. There's nothing new to be
[0:44] concerned about. We have about $180,000
[0:47] left to get us through the rest of the
[0:48] year. So, we're closely monitoring the
[0:51] accounts to make sure that we don't have
[0:52] any major overages and we can balance
[0:54] the budget, but right now things seem
[0:57] like we're in good.
[0:58] >> Excellent.
[1:00] >> Thank you so
[1:07] um hope everyone got my Sunday.
[1:10] >> Y so transition back was great. Student
[1:14] absences were really following. It's
[1:16] been pretty low. the January highlights.
[1:18] Not a whole lot to report as we enter
[1:21] the new year assessments coming up. So
[1:24] by the next uh school committee meeting,
[1:26] I'll be able to provide information on
[1:27] the data. Um but we have some great
[1:30] things to come work
[1:32] and I also include
[1:34] for you.
[1:37] Sweet. Thank you. Thank you.
[1:40] All right.
[1:43] public comment.
[1:47] We have Kate in the room. No one's
[1:49] storming down the door. All right. And
[1:53] un business is none. And then we got a
[1:55] cat's butt on the screen.
[2:00] And all right, new business. And this is
[2:02] actually the big business of the
[2:03] meeting. So as we cruise along here, but
[2:05] is the budget discussion, the initial
[2:07] discussion of the budget. So um
[2:12] share
[2:21] and then explain.
[2:25] » All right.
[2:27] I'm going to go through this
[2:28] really quickly. Um
[2:31] there's a lot of good info for us to
[2:33] talk about, but this is just the first
[2:35] pass. And the nice thing about Conway
[2:38] whose town meeting is not till June. So
[2:40] we have plenty of time to go through the
[2:42] budget process. Technically we have a
[2:44] March vote on the calendar. Um if we're
[2:47] not ready to make decisions by then we
[2:48] can push it off. So um Conway's not in
[2:52] the worst shape out of the elementary
[2:55] schools this year. Can you get to the
[2:59] We're going to start talking about level
[3:00] service budget as we always do. Um, all
[3:03] of the elementary schools are above 5%
[3:06] for level service budget. So, just as a
[3:08] quick reminder, level service does not
[3:10] mean level funding. Uh, level service
[3:12] means that we've replicated staffing and
[3:14] programs from the prior year in the new
[3:16] budget, but there's always for at a
[3:19] minimum wages for COLA. So, the level
[3:22] service budget comes in at 5.71%
[3:24] or just about 133,000.
[3:27] These are the different expense
[3:29] categories captured within the budget.
[3:30] And you'll see these categories in your
[3:32] monthly expense reports, which is why I
[3:34] present the budget in the same way. You
[3:37] can see in the far column uh the total
[3:40] growth there. Uh the growth would
[3:42] include wages and non-wage expenditures,
[3:45] which we're going to break down in the
[3:46] next couple of slides. But overall, um
[3:49] it's right now about a 50/50 split as
[3:52] far as what the growth is, whether it's
[3:54] wage or non-wage. And we don't typically
[3:56] have a significant level of non-wage
[3:58] growth at Conway Grammar School, but
[4:01] there is one thing impacting us this
[4:02] year. So the next slide we're going to
[4:04] talk about uh wages. So let's look at
[4:06] that first. Of that 5.71%
[4:10] 3.04 is who the wage obligations. So
[4:14] we've taken into account all of our
[4:15] non-union staff and contracts. So,
[4:18] secretary, custodial, cafeteria, um,
[4:21] anyone else on the ground that's not on
[4:23] the the unit A or the unit C contract,
[4:26] and then administrative renewals, which
[4:28] would also include Conway's portion of
[4:30] central office expenses. On the right
[4:32] hand side of the slide, you can see the
[4:34] primary driver of the budget growth at
[4:37] about 58,000 is contractual obligations.
[4:41] So, that has to do with year two of the
[4:43] contract. um teachers are receiving 4%
[4:47] if they're on the top step. Otherwise,
[4:49] if it's step plus cola at three, they're
[4:51] seeing 6.22% growth. And we do have one
[4:55] faculty member who has advanced their
[4:57] degree, so they'll be moving a column as
[4:59] well, which um results in a larger
[5:02] increase. And then, uh unit C, all of
[5:05] our IAS are funded outside of the
[5:07] general fund in Conway. So, IAS are
[5:10] seeing wage growth, but it does not have
[5:12] a general fund impact, which at the
[5:14] moment, this is what we're talking about
[5:15] when we look at our budget for level
[5:17] services. It's strictly the general
[5:18] fund. All I will move up. We added a new
[5:22] step. There's a 2 and a half% cola plus
[5:25] about a 3% step. So, IAS will see a 5
[5:28] and a half% growth in their wages. And
[5:31] then we added $6,000 for summer stipens.
[5:34] That's based on the prior year services
[5:36] we provided. Um the structure of our
[5:39] summer programs has changed a little bit
[5:41] and the need to find a higher level is
[5:44] necessary. Plus the contract grew um
[5:47] particularly in the teacher contract.
[5:49] >> Pleasure to say hey Phil I'm going to
[5:50] mute you if you don't mind. We're
[5:52] getting some feedback from you. So just
[5:54] be sure you unmute when we can talk.
[5:55] Okay.
[5:57] >> The hourly rate changed for teachers in
[6:00] the contract with the new contract that
[6:01] we negotiated. So that's causing some
[6:03] growth in our wages as well for summer
[6:05] programs. So we're not necessarily
[6:08] adding staff or growing the program.
[6:09] It's just covering existing needs. So
[6:12] the remaining uh two and a halfish% if
[6:16] we go to the next slide Darius is
[6:18] related to nonwage obligations. We don't
[6:21] normally see significant growth here
[6:24] unless there's some major change with a
[6:26] funding source or a contract. We're
[6:29] seeing the growth under student services
[6:32] which is our transportation line. It's
[6:34] not actually a growth in the cost of our
[6:37] contract outside of the two and a half
[6:39] percent which only totals a couple
[6:40] thousand dollars. However, we did fund
[6:44] part of our transportation costs with
[6:45] rural aid in the current year. Conway is
[6:48] ineligible for rural aid in um the new
[6:51] year. So, we are going to see a shift in
[6:54] that expenditure. So, again, not an
[6:57] increase in the actual cost, just a
[6:59] change in the funding source.
[7:00] >> Right. and Conway lost the rule aid
[7:03] designation because the average income
[7:06] of the town went up. So somebody moved
[7:09] into town that was making money in order
[7:11] for that move that way. They must make
[7:13] significant amount of money. That's that
[7:15] millionaire
[7:15] >> Yeah.
[7:16] >> conversation we had in the past. But
[7:17] that is one of the indicators in rural
[7:20] aid is the amount of the
[7:21] >> the income level of the town.
[7:23] >> Crazy
[7:24] >> which is the general, right? And so if
[7:26] you take a small town and you increase
[7:28] it by
[7:29] >> one or two very wealthy people, which is
[7:32] my guess because
[7:33] >> yeah,
[7:34] >> I don't think 30 people moved in with a
[7:36] slightly higher income, which you would
[7:38] have to do.
[7:38] >> And I don't think that the enrollment
[7:40] numbers changed enough. So rural aid and
[7:42] chapter 70 have to do with enrollment
[7:44] and income in your town or wealth of
[7:47] your town. Um the rural aid formula is
[7:49] slightly different because it has to do
[7:51] with um students per
[7:55] uh I don't know what the right word is.
[7:56] I can't think of it.
[7:57] >> Um
[7:58] >> what's that?
[8:00] >> I don't know if it's square mile. Maybe
[8:02] it is. It has to do with you know the
[8:04] size of your town.
[8:06] >> Um
[8:07] >> so I don't think enrollment is the
[8:09] factor here. And Conway has received
[8:12] rural aid for years.
[8:14] >> Oh no, it's been confirmed it was
[8:15] income. Yeah, they wrote me a note.
[8:17] >> They must know.
[8:18] >> They wrote me a note and said that.
[8:20] >> Um, so this really is a growth to our
[8:23] budget and we talk about not using
[8:27] unreliable consistent funding sources in
[8:29] all of our budget. We anticipated that
[8:32] Conway would be eligible for this again.
[8:34] Um, and you know, it could come back in
[8:37] the future, but for next year it's just
[8:38] not going to be a funding source that we
[8:40] have access to.
[8:42] >> So that's one component here. and
[8:43] $32,000 is over a percentage point. 1%
[8:47] is about $24,000. So, um it's it's
[8:50] pretty significant growth. The other
[8:52] impact here is the central office health
[8:54] insurance, which we've had conversations
[8:56] about in the current year. So, because
[8:59] we're seeing an overage in 26 that we
[9:01] did not have budgeted from that October
[9:03] 1st increase, that's going to come into
[9:05] play in 27 automatically. We're going to
[9:08] see growth of 20%. and we have a
[9:10] placeholder, even though we do not know
[9:12] what the rates will come in at, we have
[9:14] a placeholder of 20% growth again in the
[9:16] budget. Um, so that's a $30,000 increase
[9:19] right there. So, we wouldn't normally
[9:20] see this type of expenditure um on our
[9:23] budget in a typical year. We would have
[9:25] had to deal with the rural aid challenge
[9:27] no matter what, but this is another, you
[9:29] know, 1.25% or so that we're having to
[9:32] absorb. So, it's causing some
[9:34] significant budget growth that we can't
[9:35] really escape from. Um there's not an
[9:38] alternative funding source for us to go
[9:39] to for those two pieces.
[9:42] Any other questions before we keep
[9:44] going? All right.
[9:46] Um so just revolving funds at a glance.
[9:49] Uh you can see school choice is growing.
[9:52] That is primarily because we pay our
[9:55] sick buyback for teacher retirements out
[9:57] of school choice. That's estimated at
[9:59] about $60,000 for next year. Um I'm
[10:03] comfortable with this number. We're
[10:05] still at a healthy balance. I want to
[10:06] say we're at about $400,000 even after
[10:09] these expenditures. So, we're in a safe
[10:11] place there. And then you can see
[10:13] minimal growth in all of the other
[10:15] grants that we utilize in revolving
[10:17] funds, which is primarily related to
[10:19] wages. There's no non-wage growth in
[10:21] these expense categories. And then the
[10:23] rural aid, you can see zeroed out. So,
[10:25] even though we don't have the rural aid,
[10:27] because school choice is up with the
[10:29] sick buyback, we are spending more than
[10:31] we did in the prior year from grants and
[10:33] revolving funds.
[10:34] Next slide shows the total budget. Uh
[10:37] you can see we're at almost three and a
[10:39] half million that 5.71% for the general
[10:42] fund plus revolving funds and grants and
[10:45] then our total.
[10:48] >> Okay, Mr. Modesto.
[10:50] >> Yeah, I have that Madden thing now. I
[10:51] can do that.
[10:53] >> So what does that look like for cost per
[10:55] pupil? You can see our cost per people
[10:57] at 146 students which does include
[11:00] resident and school choice enrollment
[11:02] which is remaining relatively flat from
[11:04] the prior year. We're down a couple of
[11:06] kiddos um which is basically school
[11:09] choice residents are staying about the
[11:11] same from the prior year but we're at
[11:12] roughly $24,000 per student.
[11:18] And next we're going to talk about
[11:19] principal's budget. So part of our
[11:20] process is always considering new needs
[11:22] and initiatives on the ground here in
[11:24] the building. things that Kristen thinks
[11:25] we might need um outside of capital
[11:28] expenses, just regular day expenditures.
[11:30] It is pretty minimal um but it does
[11:32] equate to about a half a percentage
[11:34] point. So, we're looking for an
[11:35] additional $9,500 which is mostly for um
[11:40] split about 50/50 curriculum textbooks,
[11:43] which is primarily um consumables for
[11:46] our new curriculum that we've rolled out
[11:48] in the last couple of years. Uh we're
[11:50] seeing an increased need for workbooks
[11:52] and things of that nature. Laura is
[11:55] going to see if she has an alternative
[11:57] funding source so that we can keep this
[11:59] request down. Perhaps she has some other
[12:02] grant that we can tap into that we don't
[12:04] really rely on for general fund
[12:06] purposes. Um we are still trying to
[12:08] assess whether or not that consumable
[12:11] need is a year afterear expenditure or
[12:14] if it's one time. If it's one time, then
[12:16] we could pull the money from school
[12:17] choice as well and just buy what we need
[12:20] and then not have to inflate our budget.
[12:23] Special education contracted services is
[12:25] exactly what it sounds like. People that
[12:27] we bring in service providers to meet
[12:29] needs of our students in the building.
[12:31] We are seeing a growth in that area.
[12:34] Everyone's rates are going up. Um needs
[12:36] of the students may change. So we're
[12:37] looking for an additional $5,000 there.
[12:40] So that brings our total budget request
[12:42] with principles plus level services to
[12:44] 5.8. 81% at just over $135,000.
[12:50] What's next? Enrollment. So, enrollment
[12:53] is down slightly in this slide for
[12:55] projected um compared to the current
[12:57] year at 146. I expect that we'll see
[13:00] this go up. Kristen does an excellent
[13:03] job of making sure she can balance
[13:05] school choice. However, part of the
[13:07] decline in enrollment here is because of
[13:09] our Wings program. So, if you remember,
[13:11] we talked about Wings last year. Um,
[13:13] we've had a hard time finding a solid
[13:17] teacher replacement in that program um,
[13:19] since June and Tracy retired several
[13:22] years ago. And rather than taxing our
[13:26] existing staff any further, we've made
[13:28] some conscious decisions internally to
[13:31] not replace the sixth grade students who
[13:33] are leaving the program, which I think
[13:35] there are four or five.
[13:37] >> Um, so that is going to see we'll see a
[13:40] drop in enrollment there. However, I do
[13:42] think there is potential for K and preK
[13:45] possibly um particularly kindergarten
[13:47] and maybe to add some new school choice
[13:49] students in there. And this is just
[13:51] based on what we know of the census. So
[13:53] those numbers for K and preK are
[13:55] estimated. Um so those could change
[13:57] slightly as well. So I expect we'll
[13:59] probably be around 140 instead of 135.
[14:04] » Moving ahead, we are looking I think
[14:06] just at historical information and just
[14:08] some other thoughts for us to consider.
[14:11] So Conway's budget prior to the last two
[14:13] years has been pretty reasonable. Um I
[14:16] think the 2 and a half 3% is where we
[14:19] would like to be. In 2025 we had the
[14:23] increase in transportation. Um and
[14:26] similar to this year where we don't have
[14:28] another funding source to put that on,
[14:29] we grew the budget which was almost a 5%
[14:32] increase. In 2026 the growth is related
[14:35] to the loss of ESSER funding. So we had
[14:37] used ESSER to supplement the budget in
[14:39] the prior year. We don't have that in
[14:41] the current year. So that grew our
[14:43] budget by 5.25%.
[14:45] So the pass will be at three years now
[14:47] if we move forward with over 5% in the
[14:50] current year. So that's something that
[14:51] we should talk about. Last year it
[14:53] really wasn't an issue because Conway's
[14:55] portion of Frontier's budget was down
[14:57] like $200,000. So there wasn't an issue
[15:00] to increase the elementary school
[15:02] budget. We don't quite have a sense yet
[15:04] of what's going to happen with
[15:05] Frontier's budget. The state chapter 70
[15:07] is not out yet. Um, so we haven't looked
[15:10] at assessment and Frontier's budget, if
[15:12] you've read the paper or watched the
[15:14] school committee meeting for fun. Um,
[15:18] the the level service budget was around
[15:20] 9%. Am I remembering that right?
[15:23] >> Yes.
[15:24] >> 8%ish. Um, about a million dollars was
[15:27] what was in the paper for growth on the
[15:29] budget itself, which is significant.
[15:31] Usually, we're around 300,000. So, um,
[15:34] it's going to be a taxing year across
[15:36] the board. And the town is going to see
[15:38] the health insurance increase on their
[15:40] side as well. Not just for school
[15:41] employees, but any other town employees,
[15:44] DPW, fire, police, town offices. So, um,
[15:47] it could be a more challenging budget
[15:49] season for us. We might have to be a
[15:51] little bit creative in how we navigate
[15:54] next steps.
[15:55] >> Yeah. I mean, to run off with Shel said,
[15:57] we'll know the state's budget on the
[15:58] 23rd, that Friday. The governor is going
[16:00] to um present it and that that'll give
[16:04] us the the cherry sheets, the
[16:05] assessments for the town. So, we'll know
[16:07] where Frontier does is is nowhere near
[16:10] ready to where they're going to land on
[16:11] their numbers, but we'll know the
[16:12] assessment numbers so we know how each
[16:14] of the moves will affect what the town
[16:16] can afford. Um, and then we'll have a
[16:18] general idea of what kind of income the
[16:19] town got. Um, and so at the same time
[16:22] and then start talking with them and so
[16:25] um about where it all ends out. So, it's
[16:27] kind of really it's premature um these
[16:29] percentages the percentages this year if
[16:31] we came in oh 4%
[16:34] um depending where you know Frontier
[16:36] lands and depending where the town lands
[16:38] we really there's we don't have enough
[16:40] information to know if it's a good
[16:41] budget or bad budget based on previous
[16:43] numbers again because of healthcare
[16:46] >> um the healthcare increase and again
[16:48] Shelley said you know Frontier's budget
[16:50] it was a half a million dollars increase
[16:52] and we usually grow the whole budget by 300,000 so that just on healthcare.
[16:57] So, um you know, we don't we just don't
[17:00] know how that impacts the town, what
[17:02] their liability is going to be for that
[17:04] increase.
[17:05] >> One of the towns picked up the town like
[17:06] it's like it just we just don't know. I
[17:09] think is it was it Sunderland got dinged
[17:11] last year?
[17:12] >> Sunderland's had a couple of big years.
[17:14] Um Conwayley was a little bit high too.
[17:17] Deerfield enrollment is declining for
[17:19] Frontier, so they'll probably see a
[17:21] decrease again.
[17:22] >> So, yeah. Yeah, it looks like No, it
[17:24] looks like Sunderland it looks like
[17:25] Sunderland's going to get a hit again
[17:28] >> because their enrollment is going up
[17:31] compared to everybody else's which is
[17:32] reducing. So, um yeah, it's going to be
[17:37] interesting. And with how Frontier
[17:40] works, just one assessment is very
[17:42] difficult to sometimes it's very
[17:44] difficult to drop
[17:46] how much that town has to give based on
[17:49] the assessment. It doesn't it's not it's
[17:51] not smooth in the sense of like let's
[17:53] say we're going to increase the budget
[17:54] at Frontier for $500,000
[17:58] the percentage of a town paying you
[18:00] could reduce it by 300,000 and they're
[18:02] still paying a greater percentage um due
[18:05] to what the state says they can afford.
[18:07] So it gets um there's still a lot of
[18:10] work to do in the budget season and
[18:13] it'll be interesting with our four towns
[18:15] what the town's approach is going to be.
[18:18] Um, I just have the conversation now
[18:20] because in the sense of like is it a
[18:22] year that they're going to try to do
[18:27] um, you know, Prop 2 and a half to try
[18:30] to increase slightly more because you
[18:32] you're they're going to have the problem
[18:34] for multiple years. You're going to see
[18:35] insurance at 15 to 20%. As you as we
[18:39] talked to the experts for next couple
[18:40] years before it it reassures itself. So
[18:44] towns just can't afford that based on
[18:46] their current um way income that they're
[18:49] getting on, you know, growth. There's
[18:51] not as a lot of growth in towns based on
[18:53] residential. So,
[18:55] >> and they're going to hit get hit in the
[18:56] same way we are with central office. So
[18:58] even if they have free cash that passes
[19:00] out of town meeting to fund this year's
[19:02] overage, it's not built into the budget.
[19:04] So they're going to see a multi-year
[19:06] increase next year. Yeah, that's and
[19:08] that's kind of my my thought process is
[19:11] a appreciate the groundwork now knowing
[19:13] that not everything's set. We're going
[19:15] to see some more things change, but like
[19:18] if it's an ongoing expense, you can't
[19:19] sweep it under the rug one year because
[19:21] then you have to like you just said, you
[19:22] have a multi-year increase the next
[19:24] year.
[19:25] >> Yeah. So,
[19:27] >> yep. And so, and excuse me. And so, our process on this is January is just
[19:33] is like introductory. This is a class,
[19:36] this introductory class of let's this is
[19:38] what the numbers are and then the next
[19:40] class will be we'll we'll add up on top
[19:42] of that. We'll kind of refine those
[19:44] numbers, add more information to it and
[19:46] we'll build build our budget. All right,
[19:48] Phil, I see you unmuted.
[19:50] >> Yeah. So, um just first of all, you
[19:53] know, every every year I am I am so
[19:54] impressed with your budget presentation
[19:57] and your budget uh the work that you do
[20:01] on it. I just want to say that before I
[20:03] get into specific questions which um the the the health insurance thing of
[20:12] course
[20:13] you know all these all these things are
[20:15] not problems of our making they're just
[20:18] things we have to deal with. Um but the the the
[20:25] you know the the newspaper articles etc
[20:28] covering these questions have been
[20:31] brutal. the the the school districts
[20:33] that did opt out of the Hampshire Trust
[20:37] the um saying that it was hiring
[20:41] consultants that were quoted as saying
[20:44] it's insane to stay in it and um you
[20:47] know you can't just do nothing and
[20:51] >> um the the
[20:53] >> what's that?
[20:55] >> So we have the announcements coming over
[20:57] the intercom from the school right now.
[20:58] >> Okay.
[21:00] >> Um
[21:00] >> so let's pause. Let's pause for 30
[21:02] seconds.
[21:02] >> All right.
[21:03] >> Because we're pledging
[21:07] and to theublic
[21:10] one nation under God, indivisible,
[21:14] liberty and justice for all.
[21:17] >> At high grammar school, we follow the
[21:22] community agreement. We take care of
[21:29] our material
[21:33] environment.
[21:34] We take care of ourselves. We take care
[21:39] of each other. Today is Monday, January
[21:43] 12th. Lunch today is grilled cheese. A
[21:46] water beneath and and and
[21:51] the water
[21:53] and bubble means someone is very kind
[21:56] and brave and brave and you look up to
[22:00] them.
[22:02] >> Happy birthday to
[22:05] Robin.
[22:07] >> It's now time for the morning meeting.
[22:12] » All right, Phil. Grilled cheese for
[22:14] lunch.
[22:16] That's okay.
[22:18] >> Um, so, so you know, and I guess this pertains to Frontier, but it also
[22:22] pertains to town hall. You know, is are
[22:25] we going to have
[22:27] the ability during our budget
[22:30] presentation at town meeting to
[22:33] talk about what we're doing proactively?
[22:39] uh be it be it you know any of the
[22:42] options that we've discussed previously
[22:44] the going our own way joining the GIC
[22:48] whatever um are we going to be able to
[22:51] have something to say about that this
[22:54] aspect of our budget besides just we're
[22:58] sticking it out and seeing what happens
[23:02] >> yeah I mean I think uh so a couple
[23:03] things one is the so some members have
[23:06] left the trust But to put it in
[23:09] perspective, I think it was five or six
[23:11] towns and they equal 3% of the
[23:14] enrollment of the trust. It was 3 and a
[23:15] half% or 3.2%. So a very small number of souls have left the trust. Um and we
[23:24] haven't seen the numbers from the state
[23:25] about what um which the GIC is going to
[23:29] go up percentage-wise, but we are told
[23:31] it's going to be double digits. They're
[23:33] getting hit just as hard. and um Maya
[23:36] for those you know communities in Maya
[23:38] they're looking between 15 and 20% that
[23:40] we're hearing. So I think you're going
[23:42] to see 20% across the board no matter
[23:43] who you're enrolled with. Um so anyway
[23:47] so just just kind of a clarification of
[23:49] that out there. They're not saying that
[23:50] in the paper because I don't think
[23:51] anybody's told them that. Um
[23:54] >> the we have met and Verique would have
[23:56] to talk for the town of Conway about
[23:58] what they're doing. I just happen to be
[24:00] in meetings with her where we have work
[24:02] working on a having a backup plan should
[24:05] the trust continue to have issues and we
[24:08] need to withdraw and um either
[24:11] self-insure or do a um what do they call
[24:14] it a group?
[24:17] >> It's not a group purchasing. It's
[24:19] >> it's coming together. It's not group
[24:21] purchasing but you're working with
[24:22] others to
[24:23] >> do whatever. So, we have had that
[24:25] conversations with um insurance uh
[24:28] vendors, so to speak, so that we have
[24:30] that lined up should we need to move.
[24:33] So, that backwork is being done. But I
[24:35] can't talk for the town of Conway
[24:36] because
[24:38] >> I'm just, you know, knowing that they're
[24:40] in the meeting
[24:41] >> to have those backup plans in place. So,
[24:44] >> so the other thing with health insurance
[24:45] is the GIC window has passed, right? you
[24:48] have until December 1st to make your
[24:51] letter of commitment and then they gave
[24:52] an extension of January 5th and none of
[24:56] our towns that are with the trust or
[24:58] Frontier have opted to go with the GIC
[25:01] the states program. So that's not that's
[25:03] not a choice. So really the options
[25:05] right now are sticking it out with the
[25:07] trust
[25:08] >> um which hopefully the trust will have
[25:12] preliminary numbers at the February
[25:14] insurance advisory committee meeting
[25:17] which doesn't
[25:20] for Conway it's not an issue because
[25:22] your budget meetings aren't till June.
[25:24] So the town has plenty more time for
[25:26] Frontier it'll be more challenging
[25:28] depending on when those numbers come in.
[25:30] Um the other towns Weightley and
[25:34] Deerfield are
[25:37] Deerfield's April so they have some time
[25:40] too. Um so we'll be able to have more
[25:42] conversations about it, Phil. But
[25:45] staying with the trust really would be
[25:47] the most beneficial for everybody
[25:49] involved. It's just a matter of what
[25:51] does that look like structure-wise
[25:52] moving forward.
[25:55] And so and also understand so that those
[25:58] who have left they have to pay their
[25:59] runoff.
[26:01] >> Um and the state has allowed the state
[26:04] has allowed them to take on debt um with
[26:07] new legislation but they're still got to
[26:09] pay the bill. They're just going to
[26:10] spread that bill out over several years.
[26:13] Um so basically what I mean by the
[26:15] runoff is that is once you leave um the
[26:19] trust stops paying for your bills. So
[26:21] anything that's in cycle you got to pay
[26:23] out of pocket and so and you could
[26:26] depending on unless you really I don't
[26:28] know how people can survey their
[26:29] membership because you can't just look
[26:31] around the room because they're also
[26:32] talking about spouses and children those
[26:34] plans. So I mean you can be paying off
[26:36] hundreds of thousands of dollars.
[26:38] >> Um and so they got to find the money for
[26:41] that as well to leave. So there's a part
[26:43] of us like you know um you know trying
[26:47] hoping that you know there is some
[26:49] hoping that the trust works out. Um but
[26:52] we also are not naive enough not have a
[26:53] backup plan. Like I said we c we have
[26:55] something called a parachute plan. So if
[26:57] things do not go well um we have a plan.
[27:00] It's going to cost money. Um but it
[27:02] won't be as bad. People will not be
[27:04] without insurance. It's the number one
[27:05] thing. We're going to take care of our
[27:06] people
[27:07] >> and you know to there will be some
[27:09] expense but um you know I it's uh
[27:15] the details of those plans are those
[27:17] we'll if we need it right I'm not going
[27:18] to take the parachute out right now.
[27:22] So I I I guess my point in all this, one
[27:25] of my point is that um this is going to
[27:28] be I um my prediction is that this is
[27:31] going to be the the main issue budget at budget, you know, at at town meeting
[27:37] and um you know, it's going to require
[27:42] significant amount of explanation
[27:45] uh um which is difficult to do in that
[27:49] setting. These are complex issues
[27:53] and Jesus um and the uh you know does
[28:00] the does the trusts uh
[28:04] new consultants you know are we going to
[28:06] be getting presentations from them or
[28:08] anything like that u um any any
[28:12] >> I don't they will present to the
[28:15] insurance advisory committee which is a
[28:18] public meeting and open for anyone to
[28:20] attend and Verinique and Shawn have been
[28:24] attending those meetings. I know that
[28:25] because I see them on the roster. Um
[28:29] there may be opportunity for the
[28:31] consultant to have meetings with
[28:33] individual units if they so desire. We
[28:36] haven't really broached that yet, but I
[28:38] do think it is up for discussion. The
[28:40] consultant is incredible. The amount of
[28:43] information and support and feedback
[28:45] that the trust is getting is
[28:48] >> nothing like I've ever seen before with
[28:50] the prior executive director. Not that
[28:51] Joe did a bad job. I just think the
[28:54] tools in the toolbox were not as
[28:56] expansive and we're getting a lot more
[28:58] analysis and information and data. Um
[29:01] I'm less concerned about the renewal
[29:04] component than I am about the financial
[29:07] piece as to whether or not we actually
[29:08] have enough money to make it to July
[29:10] 1st.
[29:11] >> Yeah. without some other dramatic
[29:14] change. So, uh, we're going to get a
[29:16] renewal, whatever that looks like. If
[29:18] it's 20%, 25%, we're not escaping that.
[29:22] As Darius said, we're seeing that across
[29:23] the board with my end and the GIC. So,
[29:27] um, the renewal I don't think is
[29:29] necessarily the issue, but being able to
[29:31] explain the October 1st increase, which
[29:34] is going to hit your budget next year,
[29:37] and the new increase, it's going to have
[29:39] to be talked about. And you know, I I
[29:41] would think that people in the community
[29:44] are aware.
[29:45] >> Yeah. I mean, we'll I mean, we'll we'll
[29:47] deal with town meeting when town meeting
[29:49] and you know, I mean, Shel and I will be
[29:52] there. We probably speak
[29:54] >> in the community probably speak the
[29:56] strongest on understanding it because
[29:57] we've been really deep for a year. Um,
[30:01] >> and if people I mean people either
[30:04] understand or not understand it. They're
[30:05] going to point fingers, but we didn't do
[30:07] it. Um, you know, you know, it's like
[30:10] it's insurance across the board. And
[30:12] that's the other thing that's the only
[30:13] thing I can see is is I guess comforting
[30:16] within it is that we're seeing 20%
[30:18] across the board. So, it's not just the
[30:20] trust. The trust keeps getting hammered.
[30:22] Everybody's getting hammered and the
[30:23] trust is still market value a good a
[30:27] good buy um in comparison to the other
[30:30] plans. And so, when that comes out of
[30:32] whack, then people will have the we'll
[30:34] be on a hotter seat. If that if that
[30:36] comes out of whack, we'll be on a hotter
[30:38] seat. But
[30:39] um
[30:40] >> I I I you know and that's all well I I
[30:43] think though that um because of our
[30:46] institutional structure and the need to
[30:48] sort of get four towns
[30:51] lined up behind the budget before town
[30:54] their town meetings. Um the I I think
[30:59] you know having that consultant me
[31:02] address a joint committee a joint
[31:04] meeting of our school committees would
[31:06] be beneficial um just in in terms of
[31:09] educating people and um give giving the
[31:13] communities as much information and
[31:16] knowledge as possible. But um
[31:19] >> yeah, I think um I don't think it's a a
[31:21] wrong idea. I just think we need to have
[31:23] what are we educating them on first? And
[31:25] so the frontier budget um you know is in
[31:30] holding until the next month,
[31:32] >> right? Um so the February meeting will
[31:34] be um I use the word fireworks but it'll
[31:37] be fireworks in the sense of um we'll
[31:41] have the numbers and we'll have the real
[31:44] uh ask the towns and then we're going to
[31:47] have to make some decisions about what
[31:49] level of reductions are going to be
[31:50] needed in order to meet you know where
[31:53] the towns stand because again right now
[31:55] we don't know we don't know how much
[31:57] money the towns have even even if our
[31:59] asks are reasonable you know what I mean
[32:01] we don't know, you know, I mean, they
[32:03] may have an idea, the towns themselves,
[32:04] but it'll be a it'll be public when the
[32:07] governor puts the budget out. And that's
[32:09] kind of everybody I think everybody
[32:10] holds their cards close until after the
[32:12] governor's budget comes out. Um, and for
[32:14] the first time, you know, at Frontier,
[32:16] we usually don't go public um with the
[32:19] budget until after the assessments. But
[32:21] we did similar to today, we wanted
[32:24] everybody to have the information so
[32:25] that the February meeting can go right
[32:27] into discussion and not have people say,
[32:30] "Explain to me where school choice is,
[32:32] explain to me why world aid is, explain,
[32:34] you know, so we have all those numbers
[32:36] already came out at that last meeting."
[32:37] So
[32:39] >> yeah and I I think you know looking at
[32:43] the the topline budget information these
[32:48] I I you know I think Darius your your
[32:49] earlier comment about how historically
[32:52] 3% is a good number to come in at that
[32:54] is that has proven to be correct and we we regularly hear from residents that
[33:00] that's a number that people are
[33:02] comfortable with. Um and but it at the same time the needs are the needs
[33:08] and um that's that is an arbitrarily an
[33:14] arbitrary number and I always have a
[33:16] hard time
[33:18] saying no ignore ignore the needs and go
[33:21] with an arbitrary number instead. That's just not the way we should be
[33:26] doing business. But um
[33:29] >> right, the one thing I I also want to
[33:30] make sure is that as we if we have to
[33:32] make reductions and such, is the plan
[33:36] more than a one-year plan?
[33:38] >> You know what I mean? And so that's
[33:39] going to be the conversation also at the
[33:41] frontier level is that if you know so
[33:44] you know schools can reduce their
[33:47] services, right, if the town's people
[33:49] want that, right? It's your school
[33:50] districts um and so forth. But will we
[33:55] be in the same boat next year about how
[33:56] we're funding it? Right? And so, um, you
[34:00] know, if if we're expecting insurance to
[34:02] go up again the following year, what is
[34:04] going to be the expectation the
[34:05] following year? Because you can only you
[34:07] can only cut so much services before um
[34:10] either people walk and try to find
[34:12] services elsewhere um or we start
[34:15] providing a product that's not the
[34:16] standard we want. So um as a community
[34:20] so
[34:21] >> which here has a huge impact because of
[34:23] the number of school choice students
[34:24] that we have right so we want to make
[34:26] sure that we're providing strong
[34:28] programming and strong services so that
[34:29] we can continue to bring in
[34:32] >> um outside students can you go back to
[34:34] the enrollment slide just to look at
[34:36] that quickly
[34:37] >> double down our problem right yeah
[34:40] services and we lose that funding we get
[34:42] from that
[34:43] >> you know if you only had 89 resident
[34:45] students your fifth grade class would
[34:47] seven students if we didn't have the
[34:49] school choice. So, you know, there's a
[34:52] lot of negative talk about school choice
[34:55] in communities. That's not the case in
[34:57] Conway. It really enriches what the
[34:59] school has for a community. Um and it
[35:03] allows us to have stronger programs and greater offerings. So, um we have to
[35:08] be careful with how much we actually cut
[35:10] back. Um can we go to the last slide
[35:13] just to finish up?
[35:15] >> Uh one more.
[35:17] Okay. So, just reminders andformational.
[35:20] So, we're looking at 5.881
[35:22] with level services plus the principal's
[35:24] budget and uh the level service
[35:27] breakdown. About 3% of that is wages. If
[35:31] that was our only challenge right now,
[35:32] we'd be in a really good spot. We could
[35:34] handle a 3% wage growth increase with
[35:37] the contract, which is rich, and we
[35:39] settled at really good places for our
[35:41] staff. Um, but we have the rural aid
[35:44] challenge of losing $30,000 roughly in
[35:47] rural aid and then we have the central
[35:49] office health insurance challenge. So
[35:51] those are the major drivers. So the
[35:53] conversations will continue internally
[35:55] as we go through the process to see and
[35:58] weigh, you know, if we did cut back an
[36:01] IIA, what does that look like based on
[36:04] programming to help? Because cutting an
[36:06] IIA would help fund 1% of the budget.
[36:09] Um, but we have really have to look at
[36:12] what that impact is across the board.
[36:14] Level service, um, I'm sorry, 1% budget
[36:17] increases, $23,000. You can see the
[36:20] breakdown of our full-time equivalent
[36:22] staff for unit A and unit C. The one
[36:24] comment I want to make about the IAS is
[36:26] that we did take into account um, with
[36:30] the wings number wing students
[36:32] increasing that we will have some
[36:33] reduction in IAS because they were
[36:35] serving as oneto ones and those students
[36:37] are no longer in the program. Um the
[36:40] wings conversation is bigger because
[36:42] what is the long-term impact of not
[36:44] having that program should we not be
[36:46] able to find a teacher which we are
[36:48] going to post for is that correct? You
[36:50] said that you were going to post just to
[36:52] see if anything wonderful comes in
[36:54] because if we did get a really strong
[36:56] qualified teacher that specialized to
[36:58] meet the needs of students, we could
[37:00] bring in tuition in students again which
[37:03] you know there's a lot of things to
[37:05] consider here. I think for me budget
[37:08] wise the primary one is if we don't have
[37:10] a specialized program we're at higher
[37:12] risk for not meeting the needs of
[37:14] resident students which results in an
[37:16] out of district placement which could be
[37:18] 4050 $60,000
[37:20] >> which is multiple percentage points. So
[37:23] we'd really like to keep the program
[37:25] thriving if we can. Um so we'll continue
[37:28] those conversations. Sick buyback is
[37:30] justformational purposes. Um we have
[37:32] that paid on school choice currently.
[37:34] And then we talked about the health
[37:36] insurance. So, um, lots of things to
[37:39] come and we'll have more in February,
[37:42] right?
[37:43] >> I mean, we we say that the sick buyback,
[37:45] sick pay buyback isformational.
[37:48] It's on school choice, but if it wasn't
[37:50] on school choice, something else would
[37:52] be. Um,
[37:54] >> yep.
[37:54] >> And you know, again, our sick pay
[37:58] buyback contract provisions, which were
[38:01] done many years ago, many years ago now,
[38:04] um, are are probably the most for the
[38:08] union, the the most lucrative in the
[38:11] state. Um, way out of line with what the
[38:13] state average is. Um, and again, you
[38:17] know, the the the the
[38:20] light at the end of the tunnel is that
[38:22] there is a expiration date to these.
[38:24] It's still I don't know how many years
[38:26] away. Not enough. Um, but
[38:29] >> too many.
[38:30] >> Yeah. Um, but that this is
[38:32] >> that's still that for for two employees,
[38:35] that's a brutal number.
[38:37] >> Just a budget wrecking number. Um, so
[38:40] thank goodness for school choice for
[38:42] that reason alone. But um it's that's just that's just bad
[38:49] >> bad terminology. That's a problem we
[38:51] already own, right? And I think this the
[38:53] beauty of that school choice funds it's
[38:56] a it does have an ending sight whereas
[38:58] some of those other budget pressures are
[39:01] ongoing or or even more significant
[39:03] moving forward. So
[39:06] um say it can be used for something
[39:08] else, but I don't want to use funds like
[39:10] that for anything that's not oneoff at
[39:12] all.
[39:14] Yeah. All right. So, that's where we are
[39:17] with the budget since I'm sharing this
[39:19] thing here. Um, and so
[39:23] beginning of the discussion. So, the
[39:24] next thing on the agenda is uh the
[39:27] school improvement plan. So, you know,
[39:30] usually we approve this much earlier in
[39:31] the school year that the scheduling of
[39:35] things um wasn't great. And I kind of
[39:37] talk about this. So you guys had got
[39:38] this plan a few months ago um just so
[39:41] that you knew what we were already kind
[39:43] of working on and Kristen's going to go
[39:45] through it.
[39:46] >> Oh, so I sent it out again yesterday. I guess I'll start with does anyone have
[39:49] any questions or I know you're really
[39:52] good at looking.
[39:55] Do you have any questions, Phil?
[40:01] » No, I've always thought these are pretty
[40:03] good. Oh,
[40:06] >> any uh
[40:08] >> do you want you want to just do any
[40:09] highlights on it so far? You don't have
[40:10] to go through the whole thing, but
[40:11] >> I'm sorry. Yes.
[40:12] >> I don't Yeah, I never like one. So, we
[40:15] have Elaine was here. She's like, "Don't
[40:16] you dare read us a document we should
[40:18] read."
[40:18] >> Um but just kind of any is there
[40:20] anything highlights on that stuff so far
[40:21] this year?
[40:22] >> Yes.
[40:22] >> Just to put you on the spot.
[40:23] >> No, no, no, no. The the main goals I
[40:25] mean there it's hard to have goal one,
[40:27] two, three because they're all sort of
[40:28] equal. um uh foster school culture where
[40:32] students sat and families feel valued,
[40:34] respected, and connected. I mean, when
[40:36] you when that's when all the hard work
[40:39] can come is when you have that. So,
[40:41] that's always front and always appears
[40:44] on our school improvement plan.
[40:45] Diversity, equity, inclusion is goal
[40:48] number two with the action steps that
[40:50] we'll be taking for that. Um and then
[40:54] academic achievement and growth. So
[40:57] under each goal we have many many
[40:59] activities but we felt like those were
[41:01] the three major areas um for school
[41:04] improvement plan and we also want to
[41:05] make sure that it's um doable within
[41:08] because they change from year to year.
[41:09] I'll make sure we like to see at the end
[41:12] done done done even though some of them
[41:14] will continue obviously they're
[41:15] continuous but those are all major
[41:18] focus. Thank you.
[41:20] >> Any questions on the school improvement
[41:21] plan?
[41:23] Um, it is. You do have to vote to
[41:27] approve to accept it. So, I'm going to
[41:31] need a motion in a second.
[41:32] >> A motion to accept it.
[41:34] >> Second.
[41:35] >> Have a first and second. All those in
[41:37] favor?
[41:39] Three up.
[41:42] Um,
[41:44] the next thing on the agenda is appoint
[41:46] member to superintendent agreement
[41:47] subcommittee. So, um, a few couple
[41:51] years, three years ago, we created the
[41:53] superintendent agreement, um, to help
[41:56] create language on the hiring, um, and
[42:00] dismissal of the superintendent because
[42:02] our regional contract was, um, the UN 38
[42:06] uh, regional agreement doesn't exist in
[42:09] paper. Um and so we put that together so
[42:11] that um you know should you have to hire
[42:13] a new superintendent eventually you will
[42:16] um there would be figure out there would
[42:18] be a system of how to do that. Um in the
[42:20] agreement it says every two years we'll
[42:22] review it. Um there was talk about u
[42:25] maybe we should start adding to it kind
[42:27] of slowly create a 38 agreement at least
[42:31] in some of the operational stuff and
[42:32] this came out of the chair's meeting. um
[42:34] things like the calendar, you know,
[42:37] let's say we go to the count, we do it
[42:38] at the joint meeting. Everybody in the
[42:40] past has just kind of um worked together
[42:44] um which is which is good. But what if
[42:45] you had what if say Conway said, "We're
[42:48] not coming back to school. We are
[42:50] adamant we're not coming back to school
[42:51] until after Labor Day. You know, you are
[42:54] your own governing body. You could do
[42:55] that." And there was and then the rest
[42:58] of the district would be in a pinch
[43:00] because you were on the same bus
[43:01] contract. You know what I mean? there
[43:03] would be a lot of work um on that. So,
[43:06] we want to kind of create stuff maybe
[43:09] again some of the smaller kind of things
[43:10] like how do we vote the calendar and put
[43:13] that in there? How do we vote and some
[43:15] of these other kind of things and so
[43:16] anyway to do all that we need a
[43:18] subcommittee to do that work? Um, and so
[43:20] I'm looking for a
[43:22] >> So can I can um can I can I just ask a
[43:25] question at the threshold here? Um, and
[43:28] because the the rationale that you just
[43:30] advanced, these are these are the
[43:32] rationale. I mean there's so many more
[43:34] of these specific examples.
[43:36] >> Yep.
[43:37] >> That are applicable. And all of these
[43:40] rationale spoken and yet unspoken here
[43:42] today are the the ration for going
[43:46] full-on K through 12 district. Yep.
[43:49] >> Um and the more
[43:53] in one sense the mo the more we
[43:57] take these issues peacemeal
[44:01] the less
[44:03] um the less incentive the less energy
[44:06] there will be going forward to really
[44:10] address all of the root cause for all of
[44:12] these. So that's just an observation. I don't it are are we
[44:20] you know yes these are our institutional
[44:23] defects um but is not the best way to
[44:28] address our institutional defects to
[44:31] really address all of them rather than
[44:34] peace meal. So,
[44:38] >> um, yeah. So, I hear I hear what you're
[44:40] saying. My counter to that would be the
[44:44] problem with the regionalization
[44:45] conversation is money.
[44:48] And so, it's money and insurance and so
[44:50] forth. And so, um, where these are the
[44:53] non-monetary issues that, um, you know,
[44:57] I hear what you're saying that, you
[44:59] know, you're going to fix those or if
[45:01] you can figure out the monetary stuff,
[45:02] then you would have everything in place
[45:05] on how an idea of how things run
[45:06] together. So, I mean, I hear what you're
[45:09] saying, but
[45:12] you without solutions to this, we're
[45:14] going to have more you could have some
[45:15] major problems if
[45:20] » So, Anyway,
[45:21] >> I'm not chair. I'm just chair.
[45:25] >> So, we need a committee member for this.
[45:27] >> We need a committee report.
[45:29] >> And normally Elaine could appoint
[45:31] somebody if
[45:36] I do it if none of you want to, but
[45:41] » if one of you wants to.
[45:43] >> What does the commitment look like? When
[45:45] and where? Where? I imagine there'll be
[45:48] virtual meetings.
[45:51] Probably a couple depending on how deep
[45:53] it gets into it.
[45:55] >> Well, I don't mind doing it either,
[45:56] Phil. I mean, I know you do a lot
[45:57] already, so I don't mind doing it.
[46:02] >> That's fine.
[46:03] >> If you think I'm I'm a good fit for you.
[46:06] >> Yeah.
[46:07] >> Um, you are the vice chair, so
[46:10] technically I guess you do the
[46:11] appointment.
[46:13] I will appoint.
[46:15] >> Okay.
[46:16] >> Any objection? I'm seeing.
[46:20] » I think you're the right guy.
[46:22] >> That's one. I'll point you.
[46:25] >> All right. So, we have that appointment
[46:28] and um love you as a backup Phil. I
[46:31] guess the next thing on the agenda is
[46:33] the capital project. So, we don't have
[46:36] um we were looking at that front
[46:38] entrance and you know, I kind of been
[46:41] out there looking at it as well. Again,
[46:43] looking at replacing that cement. Um
[46:47] my gut on that is it's a bad fiscal year
[46:50] to be spending on something that isn't
[46:53] absolutely dysfunctional or a safety
[46:56] issue. It's getting there. Um and I know
[47:00] it's a different pocket of money for
[47:01] those watching at home. Um it's you know
[47:04] the capital is a different you know we
[47:06] have that savings where we continue to
[47:08] do improvements but um where I the
[47:13] difficulty is that either you do it
[47:14] repair it or you do the whole thing over
[47:16] and the difference in cost was you know
[47:19] uh 30 around 20 to $30,000 let's go the
[47:22] higher end $30,000 more and so um
[47:28] and I don't think it needs to be done
[47:29] ASAP so
[47:31] >> yeah whatever I the repairs I haven't
[47:33] done to it. I've got it. So, the safety
[47:36] issue we made for now.
[47:38] >> Yeah.
[47:38] >> It's aesthetically not the best, but
[47:40] it's also not a year to be focused on
[47:42] aesthetics.
[47:42] >> Yeah. So, anyway, I put that back on the
[47:45] agenda to have that discussion because
[47:47] it is ultimately your decision. Um
[47:50] Kristen, is there anything else in the I
[47:53] know we have our capital list and I
[47:56] didn't review it. two floors if we're
[47:59] moving along with that. They probably be
[48:01] a high a high priority.
[48:02] >> Okay.
[48:03] >> Other than that,
[48:04] >> Jesus.
[48:05] >> All right. So, we could we could shift
[48:08] over away from the front entrance and do
[48:10] the classroom floors. Continuing to do
[48:14] >> um let me just get the numbers on that
[48:16] up. Give me one second.
[48:20] >> Jesus.
[48:21] >> That was part of like the fiveyear plan,
[48:22] right? Flooring replacement. So I think
[48:25] you know we talked about that for quite
[48:27] a while
[48:28] cut and dry in our capital meeting
[48:31] discussion.
[48:32] >> Yet
[48:35] don't
[48:42] reading the tea leaves
[48:45] is next year. What are the prospects
[48:47] for, you know, that I if if if if we're
[48:51] saying this isn't a good year, we're
[48:54] also saying next year, that implies that
[48:57] next year is going to be better or the
[48:58] year after is going to be better.
[49:00] >> Is it? Is it?
[49:02] >> It's a fair I mean, it's a good fair
[49:03] question, Phil. Right. Like you how long
[49:04] do you you pause for?
[49:06] >> Yeah.
[49:06] >> Um here's the capital plan.
[49:11] >> Oops.
[49:11] >> Right. We're also not going to lose
[49:13] rural aid again. Right. If we get it
[49:17] back, that's a plus, but we won't lose
[49:18] it again. That's one hit that won't
[49:22] be.
[49:22] >> Yeah. I mean, so looking like so what we
[49:25] had in priority is we had this front,
[49:27] this is why we talked about we had the
[49:28] front sidewalk
[49:30] um the two plans of 40 to 80.
[49:34] But if we do the classrooms for 30, we
[49:38] continue working on that. We don't stop
[49:40] completely.
[49:42] Um,
[49:44] we don't stop all capital projects. We
[49:45] continue moving forward. We just we just
[49:48] not do the front entrance next year.
[49:52] That sound
[49:56] » Well, I mean, the the the other the
[49:58] other part of this too is that we are,
[49:59] of course, the only elementary school in
[50:01] the district with a well, I don't know
[50:04] if that's true anymore, but we we have
[50:06] our own uh capital stabilization fund.
[50:10] >> Yep. And there is the option to do the
[50:13] work out of that. And
[50:17] um yeah,
[50:17] >> that's what we're Yes, I'm talking
[50:19] about. Yes, I'm talking about requesting
[50:21] to use 30,000
[50:24] >> next year to do that. and and so the the
[50:27] budgetary impact would be uh an
[50:30] associated request to fill to refill
[50:33] that stabilization cap in that which
[50:36] does not necessarily need to be made or
[50:38] need to be made in full or whatever. So
[50:42] there is sort of a
[50:44] >> I don't know
[50:45] >> it's not necessarily an eitheror.
[50:48] Um
[50:51] uh yeah. So
[50:52] >> the other thing is is if we get rural
[50:54] aid back, we could talk about using that
[50:56] for a capital. It could be put towards
[50:58] the front entryway for next year if we
[51:01] get funding back in that regard because
[51:04] using it as a budget offset clearly is
[51:07] not the best option for us. We don't
[51:10] want to have to continue to go up and
[51:11] down in the budget that way.
[51:15] But there is a significant amount of
[51:17] money in this fund. I I think last time
[51:19] the accountant told me it was like
[51:20] $275,000
[51:21] in that stabilization fund.
[51:23] >> Well, the idea was to have the the
[51:25] boiler the boiler uh
[51:28] >> number the funds available for for a
[51:30] major
[51:32] >> emergency. So, um
[51:35] All right. So, I'm looking at um
[51:37] approving that we move forward with the
[51:39] $30,000 classroom project for next year
[51:42] for capital.
[51:44] >> Bill, based on your knowledge of the
[51:46] town budget, does that make sense? not
[51:47] to go more aggressive with dollars, just
[51:49] to go with the 30.
[51:51] >> You know, my
[51:54] um I my my sitting here right now, my my
[51:57] take is, you know, take care of the
[51:59] building's needs that these are these
[52:01] are among the
[52:04] you know, historically we've done well
[52:06] at town meeting because these are the
[52:08] things that are so apparent and that
[52:10] people can really wrap their heads
[52:12] around what these are that we're asking
[52:14] for. And historically the general
[52:16] concept of taking care of the building
[52:19] has it meets with widespread public
[52:22] approval. But um the you know so so I
[52:27] you know I would be okay with doing more
[52:30] but um I you know I don't
[52:35] >> we don't have to decide that
[52:38] meeting soon. So this could go back on
[52:40] agenda for discussion with Ela here as
[52:42] well. I think I think that's probably a
[52:44] smart move. I'm a little torn myself,
[52:46] honestly.
[52:47] >> Um I I hate to have it be just that the
[52:52] straw that breaks the camel's back in
[52:54] the meeting where all of a sudden this conversation about capital becomes
[52:57] a little contentious for the first time
[52:59] ever because we have a five and a half%
[53:01] request on the budget,
[53:02] >> right?
[53:03] >> Um
[53:05] >> I don't know.
[53:06] >> Yeah. No, they the general public
[53:08] doesn't see the silos of money as
[53:11] easily.
[53:13] >> They, you know, they look at they they
[53:14] look at every warrant article and if
[53:16] they look at warrant I mean you have the
[53:18] money to spend and then request you
[53:20] don't have to request to get re have it
[53:22] be filled back filled the same year but
[53:24] I wouldn't get into that practice. I
[53:26] would try to always keep that backfilled
[53:29] as you do as you use it.
[53:30] >> And there have been years that it's not
[53:32] been fully backfilled. They've done
[53:34] we've done a partial. you know, if we
[53:35] spend 30, then we ask for 15 to go back
[53:38] in. There's definitely that has
[53:40] happened.
[53:42] >> What do you think, Bill? Wait another
[53:43] month, see more information on the
[53:45] state.
[53:45] >> I mean, I I guess and just to um just to
[53:48] Shel's point that, you know, we we have
[53:50] that that is true. We have the the you
[53:53] know, and um you know, I was part of the
[53:57] group that originally created the
[53:59] stabilization the the cap the grammar
[54:01] school capital stabilization fund. And
[54:03] Darius is right. The purpose was so that
[54:06] if one or both boilers explode, um, you
[54:10] know, we we don't need to
[54:14] uh cancel school to have a town meeting
[54:16] and uh, etc. that we that we're ready to
[54:19] go and we can
[54:21] we have the money in place. And so to
[54:24] me, the the the amount in the
[54:27] stabilization fund should always bear a
[54:29] relationship to the cost of boiler
[54:31] emergency boiler repairs. That was its
[54:33] original purpose. Um but
[54:36] >> all right. So I think yeah, so I think
[54:38] it's a we we'll continue this
[54:40] conversation. Um we're just not going to
[54:41] take action on this today. Um and we'll
[54:44] continue we'll put that on the
[54:46] unfinished business next month. Sounds
[54:48] good.
[54:49] >> Yeah.
[54:52] >> All right. Now we're down to reports.
[54:55] Chair is not here for a chair report. Um
[54:58] collaborative.
[55:00] Who goes to the collaborative?
[55:02] Did
[55:02] >> you go?
[55:04] >> I did. Yes. It was just a review of the
[55:06] budget.
[55:08] >> All right. I also understand they're in
[55:10] the final stages of their hiring, too,
[55:12] right?
[55:12] >> Yeah.
[55:13] >> Um they're gonna announce that today,
[55:14] aren't they? Who they finalist, sir?
[55:16] >> Yes, probably. I got an email, so
[55:19] >> Okay. Um yeah, when you get the uh who
[55:22] the files are, I'd love to know who they
[55:23] are. Um and then superintendent report
[55:27] is
[55:29] I sent it out as part of the packet.
[55:31] Remember was on it. It was just the
[55:32] timeline for the budget for those who
[55:34] curious about how the state budget
[55:35] timeline was um and so forth. The first
[55:39] thing was but um you have that and that
[55:43] is to the end here.
[55:46] Any other uh business?
[55:49] >> Motion.
[55:51] to adjourn. Jared does a first.
[55:54] >> Second.
[55:55] >> Tori does a second. All those in favor?
[55:57] >> I.
[55:58] >> Thank you. Thank you.