[0:03] There's so many of you here, interested, and let's call this meeting to order. Okay, roll call.

[0:14] I am here. Ms. Lomalley, Ms. Fiamalley. Mr. Camp.

[0:21] Chris says on, shall we on, shall we on Zoom?

[0:25] Okay.

[0:25] Probably a committee.

[0:27] Okay.

[0:27] Later.

[0:28] Okay.

[0:29] And Alex is here.

[0:31] And Mr. Brown isn't here yet.

[0:34] We expected.

[0:35] Okay.

[0:36] This is, I'm just reading this so that you know.

[0:40] What are you going to do?

[0:41] The...

[0:42] Or is that...

[0:43] The public participation.

[0:47] Okay.

[0:47] Members of the public who wish to speak through the board let any iteming closed session agenda

[0:53] are invited to do so at this time.

[0:56] Thomas, I'll be living to three minutes per person for a total 20 minutes.

[1:00] Person wishing to speak must complete a request card and hand it to me.

[1:08] So I've got six request cards.

[1:11] Anybody else?

[1:13] Can I say something?

[1:14] I just I mean we're giving three minutes do we have I mean are we is there a

[1:21] reason why we're only giving three minutes right now it's 20 minutes but it's

[1:25] going to be it's OVL is okay I would ask for a loose clock yeah yeah but what

[1:31] I was saying is we kept it your all night no I understand that but it's 4.30 and

[1:36] this is the only thing really on the agenda so I would ask for more time if

[1:40] So it's only three minutes approximately.

[1:43] I don't seem to know if Christus is going to be here to hear these comments because this is why a lot of people are here for comments.

[1:52] Well, I don't know if I didn't.

[1:54] Well, I would also, I would also wonder too if anybody knows if Mr. Brown's going to be here because I think that here he comes.

[2:04] He's going to just wait and see if Christus do that.

[2:06] I think it would be great to have them all on it.

[2:08] Yeah, I agree.

[2:09] Okay.

[2:12] Round we could start.

[2:13] I think we should.

[2:16] All right, I can, are you zooming in?

[2:20] Okay, so we'll like to get them here in the comments as well.

[2:26] Okay, let's see what we can do.

[2:31] Well, we'll just wait for it to log in and then we'll get

[2:45] anybody

[2:47] who wants to go first.

[2:49] Okay.

[2:51] And you're Nicole.

[2:53] Okay, yes. Well, we'll wait till she gets on. No, okay.

[2:58] You're ready for the jokes, Nicole?

[3:02] None for a group of people, right?

[3:05] But once the batch is time to have a dentist appointment.

[3:09] No, never. At two party.

[3:14] Oh, it sounds like you've got a little one in your house.

[3:30] I guess I guess what it's really hurting you can you can tell that to your kids. No, I don't know if it'll help you.

[3:44] Welcome, Dennis, we're not just

[3:48] waiting for Christa Sullivan to get on line so we can

[3:53] stop.

[4:21] She's official today. Okay Nicole, you're on. My name is Nicole Hill. I'm here today

[4:29] to stand beside my mother Barbara Bowling and what should be a Joyce milestone in her

[4:35] life. However, it's being overshadowed by the need to fight for something that is unquestionably

[4:40] cards. Barbara has loyally worked for the Lumpine Unified School District for 32 years

[4:46] in many capacities from classroom A to librarian to office clerk and everything in between.

[4:52] Anyone who's been a part of this community for more than five minutes would know that.

[4:58] Lumpine is a small town, a close community where the majority of people that live here,

[5:03] including the people in this very room, have had children who have experienced the

[5:08] compassion and guidance that Barbara watched through with those days daily.

[5:13] Barbara has been an exemplary employee, a standard many strive to achieve.

[5:18] She was awarded employee of the year, a vote that was won by a landslide.

[5:23] She rarely took time off as her dedication to the needs of staff and children

[5:27] outweighed her personal well-being. During this time she

[5:30] accrued many hours of leave that she sacrificed using throughout her

[5:34] years in order to fulfill her commitment to this school.

[5:38] This time belongs to her, and how it's used should be her choice, yet here we all stand

[5:43] today in trying to convince the board not to take that choice away from her.

[5:48] She is asking to use her own approved time prior to her official retirement date, which is

[5:53] approximately half of the hours that she was allowed to accumulate.

[5:57] This is a request that has been approved for and for in the past with no hesitations.

[6:02] Such requests have been authorized for employees as recently as five years ago and for people

[6:09] with less service time as Barbara has devoted to this school.

[6:13] To my knowledge, these requests have never been denied.

[6:16] The precedent for this has already been set.

[6:19] Why are there any reservations in granting it this time?

[6:23] The reasons have nothing to do with any of the things I just said.

[6:27] Unfortunately, the reasoning seems personal in this case.

[6:29] There is zero valid justification for denying her request, none.

[6:35] There is no question what the ethical moral and just decision is in this situation.

[6:40] Earned leave is not a gift or a favor.

[6:43] It is a form of deferred compensation that she has rightfully earned.

[6:48] Barbara showed up.

[6:49] She showed up every single day without fail.

[6:52] She was viable, dependable, dedicated, and asked for nothing in return.

[6:57] It would be a disgrace not to grant her this last request as she exits quietly her final days

[7:02] of her career.

[7:03] The impact that Barbara has had on low-pungent five school district for the past 32 years

[7:08] counts for something.

[7:10] It means something to her and to all of the lives she has touched along the way.

[7:14] Her dedication mattered, her loyalty unwavered, she made a difference.

[7:20] While the decision is at the discretion of the board, historical practice shows that multiple

[7:24] previous boards have repeatedly permitted retiring employees to use their

[7:29] accumulated lead balances leading up to their retirement date. Why is Barbara

[7:34] being treated any differently? I refuse to believe that the board, the selected

[7:40] board of officials, won't make the morally correct decision to approve Barbara's

[7:43] request after everything she's given so much for so long to this school system

[7:48] and to these students. Thank you for your time.

[7:52] Thank you, Nicole. Joseph? What are the meds?

[7:57] Nope. Well, we'll go ahead and do that.

[8:06] Yeah, we need Joseph only. Again, here to speak of Apple Barberblom and his mother.

[8:12] I'd just like to say I've seen her come to work every day for better than 30 years.

[8:18] She's missed family trips, put this school district ahead of her own health.

[8:24] You name it.

[8:26] Hey mom, just take a day off, come with us, you know how many I've got to go to work.

[8:32] So at this point, I'd just like to respectfully request that this board go to work for her.

[8:42] I've lived in this community almost my whole life.

[8:45] You see the less and less people will stand up for this community and will want to step up and be there for the kids.

[8:52] She's always been there for the kids. She's always prioritized this community. And I'd like for you to prioritize her.

[8:58] Thank you.

[8:59] Thank you.

[9:00] Thanks so much.

[9:04] Hey, remember would you like to do that?

[9:06] Okay, thanks.

[9:06] Thank you.

[9:09] Bob, would you?

[9:10] I'm going to yield my time to the brand.

[9:12] Okay.

[9:13] You can both talk.

[9:15] I mean, I don't have anything to say to it.

[9:18] It hasn't been said.

[9:19] I agree with everybody who's meeting so far.

[9:21] And I think Brandy's going to say much more eloquently

[9:23] than I can.

[9:23] Okay, Brandy.

[9:25] Charlie, eloquently?

[9:26] I'm sure you will.

[9:29] I watched the video of the last week's September board game.

[9:34] I wasn't here, but I watched it.

[9:36] And I listened very closely to what Barbara said.

[9:38] People have closed session.

[9:40] She made a very direct and very simple request that she had made previously to be actually put on the agenda before the last year of school year.

[9:51] So this is not a last-minute thing that she's springing with this thing. This is not a malicious thing.

[9:58] This is not something out of the ordinary. This is a regular ordinary request.

[10:02] And there seemed to be a built-up ad while she's making her request for pain for her sick time

[10:11] and her vacations time. Obviously, she's approved for over more than three decades of work and

[10:16] service to this district. There seemed to be some blending of different issues. What happens

[10:23] to library is not what I'm talking about. It's not what Nikki talked about, it's not what Joe talked

[10:29] about. It's not for concern. It is a concern, but that's a later concern. Today's concern is for

[10:37] Ebola. The library, not a building, books, a person. And since no action was taken and that

[10:48] ordaining that I watched, I didn't know if the decision had been made. So I asked Barbara to,

[10:54] Barbara, didn't you hear any word?

[10:56] Do you have any?

[10:57] I'm hearing anything.

[10:59] So I think it's a cross of that decision is pending.

[11:03] And my fingers are crossed that close session tonight,

[11:08] and the employee disciplinary dismissal release complaint,

[11:12] you guys will be discussing this.

[11:14] And the decision will be made very quickly.

[11:17] It's not only as you put our health over the district in past,

[11:22] It is having health issues occur.

[11:28] We all know when our life stresses us out, and we can't eat, and can't sleep, and

[11:36] shake.

[11:38] And on this position that your employee isn't, and not just solely, not just alone.

[11:46] That's why these people are here today, because we all feel it is terrible for you and should

[11:53] not be. So I'm here to implore each one of you five board members that really

[12:04] sure any unique position you are a complete individual each one of you. And

[12:11] yet your role tonight is not about you. Your job tonight is to go to side your

[12:19] individual desires and your individual relationships and your personal

[12:23] faith to that age. Put all that aside because this is not about you. This decision is

[12:31] to be solely made for the benefit of one-time unified school district. And in

[12:37] other words each one of you is not considering what you want. You are considering

[12:41] the role as a board member and that that necessitates that you do what's best

[12:47] through this district. And we often all have to walk in those shoes, and we know it's not easy.

[12:54] But it's not a fine. So, as a board member, you start the culture of this organization at

[13:01] the topmost level, and the effect that you have on all of us cannot be overstated. It's huge.

[13:07] In fact, we're often reminded of Dr. Skoolbredfis at Employee Appreciation Weeks.

[13:13] weeks, each week in the evil, we're reminding, including in the smarties, that no one ponding

[13:20] unified what it is, it is a collection of people, and that makes the district special.

[13:29] It is empowering, and it is a force for good, because we show up for people, and we give

[13:37] respect, and see them.

[13:39] And we act on others behalf with compassion and compassionate decisions.

[13:46] And we look at the needs of others because it's the right thing to do, absolutely the right

[13:52] thing to do.

[13:53] And we are going to do this over and over again, because that's how we improve lives.

[14:02] And if this is this state from the EGLE summarized back to school dinners and appreciations that

[14:10] we've heard. If it's stated as a given, then that is what long time the entire collection

[14:18] of its people does. And that includes you. You for most.

[14:25] Hearing spoken or written words

[14:27] is one thing. It's hopeful. It's very hopeful. It expresses what we wish for, what we wish

[14:35] to be, but actions are the actuality of what we are. It is the evidence seen by what people

[14:45] do and now what they say that hits on screen with this district and its collection of people

[14:52] We all truly are, now which we wish to be, we are.

[14:59] So again.

[15:04] I am 100% rooting for this district because I love this this year. That's why I work here. So

[15:12] I have any other choices I've made. I choose to work here.

[15:18] The board might have the option,

[15:20] not to pay Barbara her sick or vacation time. I don't know the ins and outs of all that.

[15:25] I've been here for a long time. I know every word, Nikki said, I'm fast precedent, is true.

[15:30] of seeing it. So assuming this is a notion, you can choose it. Choosing it, you will

[15:39] be kicking out the beat of a vulnerable one of our own, one of your own, one of our

[15:47] own multi-decade employee who showed up and did her work, sharing those acts and a lovely

[15:57] they send off into retirement.

[16:05] You can wrap that decision in a really pretty package.

[16:09] You can make comments about a loophole or technicality

[16:13] and a date on a piece of paper, budget concern,

[16:18] or whatever blank comes to mind that you feel like filling in

[16:22] to make such a despicable act palatable.

[16:29] You have no choice.

[16:31] You can decide to live the words we sew off in here.

[16:35] What makes lone-time unified, so special, so empowering, and a force for good is the way

[16:46] you show up for people,

[16:49] give respect, see them, react on behalf of others with compassion

[16:55] and compassionate actions.

[16:58] We look at the needs of others because that's a great thing to do, and that's how we improve

[17:04] lots.

[17:05] living a life of this dish. And if that's who we are, our actual, actionable reality.

[17:18] Out in the air words on a page or spoken, then the district, as forward, will make the right decision.

[17:26] and you will pay a bar of revolving all of the segregation time,

[17:33] and this decision is far

[17:35] large enough than what you want to be, probably.

[17:40] They have the most damaging effect on one,

[17:45] but your decision matters to all of us, because

[17:49] it is evidence, we're looking for on how we are all treated in this collective, how we

[17:58] should all expect to be treated,

[18:02] and how low time expects us to treat others.

[18:08] Because that's like in law.

[18:12] So would you tell us to do your decisions,

[18:17] lay down the foundation, board, and in this district,

[18:21] expect us all to act upon working

[18:23] and are collective, what matters will be born with.

[18:28] And this board's choice will either be one of respect,

[18:31] passion, or disregard, and cruelty.

[18:37] I don't say any of that like it. The effect of your decision

[18:42] will far outlive September 30th date, or any perfect budget, and unrighteousness.

[18:55] Hey, Barbara Bowling. Hey, Barbara Bowling, what your own books show, she has earned, and I'm

[19:03] You look at it, it's elective, this way, your evidence, your

[19:09] your decision, what long time do you have to make sure it's

[19:13] Thank you.

[19:14] Thank you, Brandy.

[19:15] Thank you, Brandy.

[19:17] And the last, not least, Rachel.

[19:25] Good evening, board members and superintendent.

[19:27] My name is Rachel Beaton.

[19:29] I'm a resident tax care parent of a former student

[19:33] in Bloomingham Elementary School.

[19:36] I am here regarding the emergency agenda item

[19:39] to extend the retirement date of our office staff member.

[19:44] I want to begin by acknowledging the emotion in the room.

[19:48] Loenio has been blessed with decades of hard work

[19:51] from caring staff.

[19:54] We all feel gratitude and it is natural

[19:58] to want to honor a long career with flexibility.

[20:02] But as board members, you bear a heavy burden.

[20:05] You cannot vote with emotion.

[20:09] You must vote with logic, policy, and fiscal responsibility.

[20:14] While we honor the past, this decision cannot take personal sentiment into account.

[20:20] In May of this year, a definitive retirement date was submitted and accepted.

[20:25] At that moment, the district's operational and financial planning was set.

[20:28] This employee already received a secure retirement pension, allowing a retiree to retroactively alter

[20:37] their timeline solely to exhaust the accumulated PTO at the taxpayer's expense, set a dangerous,

[20:45] costly precedent. This board approves this extension, establishing the new standard.

[20:51] You are signaling that official board accepted retirement dates are merely suggestions.

[20:59] This creates an unpredictable financial liability.

[21:06] Furthermore, keeping a retiring employee on an active payroll strictly to burn leave

[21:11] freezes that position, delaying the hiring, and onboarding of a new replacement.

[21:16] Public funds belong in the classroom.

[21:22] They belong to student resources, health, and safety.

[21:26] This issue is deeply personal to me.

[21:31] When my child attended Loenium, I was repeatedly told

[21:35] that the school did not have resources for my child to get it.

[21:40] It is completely unacceptable to tell a parent

[21:43] that they are not enough resources for our children in the classroom while simultaneously

[21:48] finding funds to artificially extend and administrative to part of it.

[21:54] A simulated TTO is a benefit for active employment.

[21:58] It is not a financial mechanism to give extra perks to someone already transitioning into

[22:03] a pension, especially when our student resources are complex.

[22:07] So when you looked about tonight, I urge you to separate personal affection from public duty.

[22:16] We must maintain strict boundaries and total transparency.

[22:21] I ask the board to stand firm on the retirement date submitted in May.

[22:28] Deny the extension request and keep our focus entirely on the safety,

[22:33] help and feature of our students. Thank you. Thank you very much Rachel and thank

[22:40] you all for your comments. We will surely think about it. We will make these decisions.

[22:49] So thank you very much. Okay. Do I have a motion to go into closed session?

[22:57] So moved also.

[23:00] On.

[23:01] On table.

[23:02] Oh, roll call roll call.

[23:04] Society?

[23:05] Yeah.

[23:07] Yes?

[23:08] Yes.

[23:09] Yes.

[23:09] And uh,

[23:10] Krista?

[23:10] Yes.

[23:12] Yes.

[23:13] Thank you.

[23:14] We'll do that thing.

[23:17] I.

[23:17] No.

[23:17] No closed session.

[23:18] I know.

[23:19] Open session.

[23:21] This.

[23:21] Okay.

[23:32] Are we ready or no?

[23:34] No, we have to wait.

[23:35] to the bill.

[23:38] Do I have a motion that we go into open session, reconvene?

[23:48] So, ma'am.

[23:49] Second.

[23:51] And we're all called. Mr. Kemp.

[23:53] Yep.

[23:54] Mr. Chris Otter.

[23:55] Here.

[23:56] Mrs. Pomello.

[23:57] Yes.

[23:59] Mrs. Sullivan.

[24:02] Yes.

[24:03] Yes, we did.

[24:05] I could understand for myself, yes, we need to register a little.

[24:08] 50 votes.

[24:09] Okay, please stand for the population.

[24:16] It's right to read the list.

[24:18] I'm the United States of America and the Republic.

[24:22] I'm going to stand.

[24:23] One nation.

[24:24] I'm here.

[24:25] I'm here to visit with Lex G and Justin's program.

[24:31] Oh, right.

[24:31] it. There was action taken in closed session.

[24:38] And that's that action is going to be explained.

[24:43] It can't talk about it right now. Barbara, Barbara, no. Okay. Then we have discussions

[24:51] on the audited financial report. And again, I don't know if anything else has any comments

[25:01] on the unhearted financial report, but in talking and researching and looking at the

[25:13] fight for this year and the audit for last year, and in, you know, seeing that we all of a

[25:24] sudden didn't have money at the end of the school year to hire a teacher at low

[25:32] annual for social studies. Then we we need. Thank you all. Thank you guys.

[25:41] Appreciate it. We can't be in that position again. We should have known we should have

[25:50] In January, in January, if you had told me you were going to hire a teacher for the 26th, 27th school year, I would have told you the exact same thing.

[25:58] I did not know there was a teacher going to be hired until it's on the agenda.

[26:02] So I do not know and I'm wondering why if we have, if there's a teacher coming play, I think I should have known about months ahead of time.

[26:10] Marjan, can I interject just for a second?

[26:14] Rachel, these questions I think need to be directed to Will, not Marjan.

[26:18] Again.

[26:22] I mean, both of them.

[26:23] I think I'm working together.

[26:27] Right.

[26:28] Exactly.

[26:29] And that's where I'm going to.

[26:30] Okay.

[26:31] I spoke with Tom Snyder today and expressed my concerns and he said, you know, we've always

[26:37] historically showed me on paper where that we've always had 1.5 million to reserve and it's

[26:47] not looking that way this year.

[26:49] Again, if this is not, this is all, I report the numbers, I tell you what the budget is,

[26:55] I tell you, you guys approved the budget, I tell you when it's out of budget, when I tell

[26:59] you when there's not as many to do this, there's a lot of expenditures that happen, that

[27:03] I have no control over because I am an employee, I am not the person you know.

[27:07] Okay, so should that or the approvals?

[27:11] To that, to that part, Tom has said that he's going to work with you and Will, and working

[27:20] on the budget and also making the budget more understandable, you know, just clear.

[27:27] So he's going to be working with you, he's going to ask Will to call Tom Sider, set up

[27:33] some appointments, and then he's going to come with a new board and have a session with

[27:40] a new board on budgets as well.

[27:42] Next year you're saying?

[27:44] No, this is going to happen between Will and Margie Ann.

[27:49] But I mean you said the new board.

[27:50] It's a new board.

[27:51] Yes.

[27:52] It's a long, very, very, very, very long time.

[27:53] It's a new board.

[27:54] Yeah, you're saying they're going to meet

[27:56] and then we're going to have OK.

[27:58] So the new board will understand better

[28:01] that the budget will be clear.

[28:03] And we can really see what's coming down the line.

[28:07] and we're going to have more communication on that back because I don't want to see that.

[28:18] I appreciate what you do and the budget is you explain it.

[28:25] The last meeting is a good question and you answered them completely and I appreciate all of the compilation that you give to us and to me it's understanding.

[28:34] it and it is our job and will job to make sure that we are solvent and that we're not

[28:43] overspending.

[28:45] It is not margins job.

[28:46] It is margins job to for us to ask not necessarily for the board but for will to ask if this

[28:56] makes sense and in prior years it has worked that way and it has worked that way very well.

[29:02] So, I think if we can continue to do that, that would be beneficial.

[29:07] I think it's very good I did to have Tom come in and have a meeting as well.

[29:11] And yeah, and work with both of them on getting a clear understanding of what's being spent,

[29:19] where it might ease going and have a clear budget.

[29:23] You know, so, a simpler, simplified, not simplified, but it's clear.

[29:28] I mean, yeah, I've worked with Tom every single year and he does look over myself and he he's going to pretty much just the same thing is what I'm doing in explaining to you guys.

[29:39] I think it's a good idea to have Will there.

[29:42] Yes. The other thing I want to mention to you that he does approve our budgets.

[29:48] The Tom signer does and if he has major concerns, he has called me and or I've had major concerns, I've called him.

[29:54] And there was a letter actually in your packet from last meeting.

[30:00] Second, it was approved, and it looked as bad as my budget that I put on the projected budget. They approved it because it makes sense that because the restrictive funds are not in income. And I, like I said, I asked to talk to Tom quite often. And so I do know that, you know, I'm more than willing to work with Tom. Okay. I'll say one thing. You didn't know this much. I did call Tom and asked him how you're working relationship was. He said very good. I will state that. Thank you.

[30:32] So moving forward then, that's the plan and we'll just keep better eye on that budget and

[30:40] well and I think that's a great idea of the new board coming in as well because it is difficult

[30:44] coming in as a new boardman or trying to understand the budget. But again, I will say

[30:51] and I'll give everybody this advice because I've been doing it very long time. I have never been

[30:55] turned down by Margianne if there is a question and in my opinion it is a great idea to go to Margianne

[31:02] before board meetings so that we all are or I guess understanding of the budget if we do have

[31:10] questions. I think it's great to have the to have the questions here so the public can hear but

[31:14] but personally because the public should hear should hear that so I appreciate you always asking

[31:20] else question, but she doesn't ever turn you down. If you have questions about it.

[31:25] No, hard to answer. The answer is my question outside the meeting in the meeting at the

[31:30] also I remember when you all were sat on the board. I did say that I can give you an in-depth

[31:36] discussion on where I get my all my numbers and why they're what they are and I can explain every

[31:41] little page of the budget to tell you that I got them. Thanks. Okay anything else for a discussion?

[31:48] There is a word here on page 4, state income increase overall by 16, 4, 25.

[31:54] Is that just a title because on the line item said 7, 8, 7, 8, 8?

[32:04] Yeah, it looks like that.

[32:05] Okay, that was it.

[32:06] Because where is that hold up?

[32:11] So that will show right here on the page.

[32:14] Yeah, that first.

[32:16] This one.

[32:18] Yeah, you know, it was so other state would have been.

[32:22] The difference is 78. So yeah, so it's a typo of 16. Yeah, just your summary. It's that's it's the part. Yes. Yeah, we can just correct that. So yeah, any

[32:37] other questions or comments?

[32:41] Okay. So look that. Do I have a motion to adjourn?

[32:48] Okay, and we'll have roll call, Mr. Kim, Mr. What's on it, Mrs. LaValle, yes, and yes, and yes, and yes. Okay, it's making this a journal. Thank you all for coming.

Lone Pine Unified School District, CA meeting

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