[2:18] I think you're all
[2:33] » Hey Ray,
[2:35] >> I'm in.
[2:37] >> Recording in progress.
[2:39] Hey Ray, how are you?
[2:46] [laughter]
[2:47] >> Yeah, we got a little bit of rain all of
[2:48] a sudden there.
[2:50] >> Yeah.
[3:08] Well, I suppose we need rain,
[3:20] but it's a lot less cheery than the blue
[3:22] skies we had for a few days.
[3:36] Hey.
[3:38] >> So, Ray Oh, yeah. I'm on I'm in my car.
[3:43] I'm heading home. Um I'll get on uh when
[3:46] I get there.
[3:49] >> Okay. Are are you're heading from the
[3:52] post office to your house or
[3:54] >> Yeah.
[3:54] Okay.
[3:56] >> Thank you.
[3:57] >> Yeah.
[4:02] » Lonnie is not going to be with us. I
[4:05] have no idea about Katherine,
[4:08] but we need all three of them in
[4:13] Lori. Good to see you again.
[4:17] >> Long time no see, Ray.
[4:18] >> Yeah, Ray. Really?
[4:20] 24 hours anniversary. [clears throat]
[4:24] >> Less than that.
[4:25] >> Like Groundhog's Day.
[4:27] >> Yes, cuz we lasted a while.
[4:53] I'm curious whether anybody knows about
[4:56] what happened with the pressure test
[4:58] that
[5:00] Nicole was going to do on the train
[5:03] station
[5:05] offices.
[5:10] No one's here that went to it.
[5:13] >> I'm out of the loop, of course.
[5:16] >> Yeah.
[5:20] [clears throat]
[5:22] Hopefully. I mean, she did a lot of lot
[5:24] of insulating work. Hopefully, there's
[5:28] some impact showing in the
[5:32] or test.
[5:35] Oh, wait.
[5:37] Hear from Mary some point, I suppose.
[5:40] All right.
[5:44] Are we all ready now?
[5:46] >> I mean, yes, they're still printing, but
[5:47] you can go ahead and get started.
[5:48] >> Okay. Thanks.
[5:50] >> All right. So, I'll I'll open this
[5:53] meeting. Oops.
[5:59] uh the Dart Bennington Grad School
[6:01] Credential Committee meeting for
[6:04] Wednesday, September 9th, 2026
[6:08] at uh
[6:10] open it and um I don't see anybody to
[6:14] offer public comments.
[6:17] So we will move to the consent agenda. I
[6:20] would ask permission to move the the um
[6:27] actual agenda puts the uh financial
[6:30] report down in um
[6:34] treasurer's report in FYI, but I'd like
[6:39] to move it to the consent agenda area
[6:42] where it has normally been. If that's
[6:45] acceptable to the rest of the board
[6:47] that's here,
[6:49] I'll make the motion we do it. Um,
[6:53] have a second.
[6:58] » A second.
[7:00] >> Okay. All in favor?
[7:03] >> I.
[7:06] » Matthew, you're in favor.
[7:08] >> Okay. All right. So,
[7:12] >> now we got a headphone.
[7:14] Okay. Uh Doug, so do you want to would
[7:19] you like to go ahead with your treasures
[7:21] report?
[7:22] >> Certainly. Yep. Um again, not a lot this
[7:26] month. Um this is a fairly slower time.
[7:29] Um so uh transition from uh Mnt to Bank
[7:34] of Bennington has been going very well.
[7:37] Um, as we talked about last month, uh,
[7:40] we're beginning to use the new accounts
[7:43] as the primary. So, all new checks and
[7:45] everything have been written from there.
[7:47] Um, the first state aid for this fiscal
[7:52] year is due tomorrow. Um, last I had
[7:55] talked to Renee, the state had said
[7:57] everything was going to be on time. Uh,
[8:00] so we will find out uh tomorrow or
[8:03] Friday, depending on which day I can go
[8:04] in and check to make sure that that went
[8:07] into the new account. Um, so what I'm
[8:10] going to request in case it doesn't, is
[8:14] for a motion um for us to transfer funds
[8:19] as needed from the old Mnt accounts to
[8:24] the new Bank of Bennington accounts.
[8:26] That way there, if it does go into the
[8:29] old account, I can just have Britney cut
[8:31] a check from that account and deposit it
[8:33] into
[8:35] um the new account for items going
[8:38] forward. Um and I don't have an exact
[8:40] amount. That's why I wanted to just make
[8:42] it a general as needed transfer from old
[8:46] to new.
[8:47] Okay,
[8:48] >> Doug, would it make sense to just say
[8:52] any funds that are deposited into the
[8:56] Mnt account that are dispersed should be
[8:59] transferred over to Bank of Bington?
[9:01] >> Um I think Kieran um as needed is better
[9:04] because there's still
[9:06] >> well becauc because there's still some
[9:08] funds that have been in there that we're
[9:10] kind of leaving. So, you know, depending
[9:13] on how much checks are over the next
[9:15] month or so, um it may be a little bit
[9:18] more than what the state deposit is. Um
[9:21] this way here, I would be able to just
[9:23] do the money, you know, whatever amount
[9:25] was needed versus having to come back to
[9:28] the board for an approval. So, that's
[9:29] why I kind of figured if we just said as
[9:32] needed.
[9:38] » Makes sense.
[9:40] Okay.
[9:42] U so
[9:43] >> I'll make a motion.
[9:45] >> Thank you. And um I'll second it. Are we
[9:49] Do we have any further discussion?
[9:53] Seeing none offered, I call the
[9:54] question. Are we all in favor? I
[10:01] crickets on this.
[10:03] So, Matthew Kieran, could you speak up
[10:06] and say whether you're for or opposed to
[10:09] this?
[10:12] >> Not kidding.
[10:13] >> I I'm in favor.
[10:15] >> Oh, thank you, Karen.
[10:18] Well, that passes for
[10:22] >> Okay. Um, and then the only other piece
[10:25] that I have to follow up with Renee and
[10:27] the attorney is the final document for
[10:30] the loop on the tax anticipation note.
[10:34] Um, it's just in a holding pattern for
[10:37] that last piece. The good news is so far
[10:41] we haven't needed it. Um, so I haven't
[10:43] really had to push on that. Um, we have
[10:45] the documents.
[10:46] >> Last piece. Sorry.
[10:48] >> Yep. The last piece needed is the
[10:50] attorney opinion letter that she
[10:52] couldn't complete until everything was
[10:54] signed. Um, which has been completed.
[10:57] Um, when I spoke to Renee on,
[11:00] >> I believe it was Thursday of last week,
[11:03] she had sent another email to Dena to
[11:06] follow up on that letter. Um, and I
[11:09] didn't get a chance to talk to Renee
[11:11] yesterday or today to see if that letter
[11:13] had been sent to the bank. Um, so that's
[11:16] the only piece, but like I said, it's
[11:17] not at this point in time, it's not a
[11:20] uh, you know, we're not needing of the
[11:22] funds. There was um, some carryover from
[11:25] the uh, from the um,
[11:29] uh, construction funds that weren't
[11:31] dispersed. So, that's been in the
[11:33] operating account, which kind of floated
[11:35] us, which we normally don't have in our
[11:37] operating account. Um, so that cash that
[11:40] wasn't dispersed,
[11:42] we've been floating along with for the summer months.
[11:46] >> You've been paying our bills out on the
[11:48] balance sheet as its own entity.
[11:51] >> Exactly. It's still all accounted for
[11:53] and, you know, as the taxes come in or
[11:56] we need to advance from the loan, it's all it's all still there.
[12:00] >> Okay.
[12:01] >> It's just, you know, a cash position,
[12:03] you know, a physical asset.
[12:07] So I have I have one uh particular
[12:10] question which really doesn't relate to
[12:12] our meeting much except that we we do
[12:15] have on our warrant a payment to the
[12:19] painter and he's bugging me for money.
[12:22] So I have a question about will the
[12:25] checks be available tomorrow? Will you
[12:27] come in and sign for them? Is that the
[12:29] way
[12:30] >> typically that's how the process works?
[12:32] Yep. Um, the only thing that would
[12:35] happen is if for some reason I got
[12:36] completely tied up at work and couldn't
[12:38] get over there. But I'd say 99% of the
[12:41] time I go over tomorrow at lunchtime to
[12:44] sign all the checks that were approved
[12:46] tonight.
[12:47] >> Right. So, um, well, that that's good. I could come pick up
[12:54] the check for Roy and the check for the
[12:58] village school and the check for Lori
[13:00] because I dropped
[13:02] I could drop all three checks off to
[13:05] various the parties and of interest.
[13:09] >> Yep.
[13:09] >> Okay.
[13:10] >> Yep. If you stop over in the afternoon,
[13:11] usually usually I get over there by
[13:13] noon. Um so if you stop over anytime
[13:16] after noon time, it should be all set.
[13:19] >> Okay.
[13:21] >> Um
[13:23] All right.
[13:24] >> And then my last little my last little
[13:26] bit will be the same thing I said at the
[13:28] village meeting last night. Um, I'm in
[13:30] the process of uh updating tax bills. My
[13:34] goal is to have all of those um out in
[13:37] uh into Matt's office. Uh hopefully by
[13:40] Friday or Saturday uh with Monday being
[13:43] the absolute latest. Knock on wood. So
[13:46] far everything's been going smoothly. So
[13:48] if that continues, I'll be uh bringing
[13:51] all the bills and those will be out um
[13:54] very soon to uh all the residents of
[13:56] North Bennington and the Shaffsberry
[13:58] one.
[13:59] I'm sure there will be a collective
[14:02] hurra.
[14:04] >> Yeah, I'm sure.
[14:06] >> Yep. U Well, I think that usually comes
[14:09] in the fact that they pay their bill
[14:12] once they
[14:13] >> Exactly.
[14:15] >> Okay.
[14:15] >> So, unless there's any other questions,
[14:17] that's all I've got and I'm going to
[14:18] jump off and go back to working on tax
[14:20] bills.
[14:22] >> Yeah. I I don't see any other questions
[14:25] offered and I don't have any further
[14:28] questions. So, thank you very much Doug
[14:30] for being
[14:31] >> Thank you guys. Have a good night.
[14:34] >> Thanks.
[14:37] >> Um
[14:40] the agenda.
[14:42] Oh, the consent agenda.
[14:45] Okay. So the consent agenda
[14:59] well that that's the minutes from August
[15:02] 12th May 26 and of course the warrants
[15:07] there's a war
[15:13] » Yep. Thank you.
[15:15] >> And
[15:25] only one.
[15:31] Okay. So, the minutes hopefully you
[15:34] read. Um I read them and they seem to be
[15:38] accurate. Um
[15:41] and then the warrants um there's a
[15:45] warrant which is to do with the transfer
[15:49] of money from the intent account to the
[15:52] bank the bank benitent account
[15:57] in the amount of $300,000
[16:01] and then there are
[16:06] I'm sorry I had some trouble reading
[16:09] because I I went to the eye doctor this
[16:12] morning and I my eyes are still partly
[16:14] dilated.
[16:18] Um,
[16:21] so what is this?
[16:27] Okay. So,
[16:32] there's 300,000, there's a voided check,
[16:35] and then there's $231,36954
[16:42] that
[16:53] Okay.
[16:55] Um that large amount is
[17:00] 221.
[17:03] Oh yeah, 221,369
[17:07] and chain. Uh so that there's payments
[17:11] to the SU for various elements of the
[17:16] services that they provide the district.
[17:20] um that totals of 62,000
[17:26] and
[17:28] 129.
[17:30] There's
[17:32] one one tuition payment to Highland Hall
[17:36] School
[17:37] for
[17:39] $243.
[17:44] a payment to Lorine for her minutes for
[17:48] August for $50.
[17:50] And u
[17:53] then the paint painters check for uh
[17:56] painting the windows on the gym and also
[18:00] uh attending to issues with the gutters
[18:05] left to us by the installers of the
[18:09] gutters
[18:10] or that's 13 and a half thousand
[18:14] And finally, the village school uh
[18:17] tuition for 70 students,
[18:21] 142,000
[18:23] 6
[18:24] >> 60
[18:25] >> 680
[18:28] >> 660. Thank you. Okay. So, um that's so
[18:35] that's the consent agenda.
[18:37] [clears throat]
[18:38] I entertain a motion to approve public
[18:41] parts of the consent agenda.
[18:44] So we can move forward.
[18:47] >> So moved.
[18:49] >> A second.
[18:50] >> Thank you. So all in favor
[18:54] >> I thank you. So
[18:59] I don't think I can.
[19:02] >> All right.
[19:11] Having gotten through the consent
[19:13] agenda, we have no policies, which is
[19:16] the next item on the agenda. The fourth
[19:19] item is the superintendent report.
[19:22] And um the superintendent is not here,
[19:26] but the assistant superintendent is
[19:28] here.
[19:29] Bethany Lorge and
[19:33] or is yours or the table.
[19:35] >> All right. Uh good evening everybody. Um
[19:38] again, my name is Beth Lorge. I'm the
[19:39] assistant superintendent filling in for
[19:41] Tim tonight. Uh a few updates that uh he
[19:46] wanted to share um the updates in
[19:49] regards to the merger study.
[19:51] There is a uh they've uh chosen a lead
[19:56] facilitator. His name his name is David
[19:58] Ys and he is actually um I don't know if
[20:02] they would call him the CEO or the
[20:03] director of the tutorial center here in
[20:06] Bennington. um but he is the lead
[20:08] facilitator and they also chose uh
[20:11] regional facilitators and so the
[20:14] southwest region the region that we're
[20:16] part of chose uh the name is Dr. Lavell
[20:20] Brown and so I'm just going to give a
[20:22] little bit of a snippet of of who Dr.
[20:24] Brown is. Uh Dr. Brown is an
[20:26] accomplished educator, author, national
[20:28] thought leader who has served as a
[20:30] teacher, principal, school c CIO, and
[20:33] superintendent of Ithaca New York
[20:36] schools and is a founder and CEO of Love
[20:39] to Achieve.
[20:42] Named the 2017 New York State
[20:44] Superintendent of the Year, Dr. Brown
[20:46] has received numerous national honors.
[20:49] Uh there's um a humanitarian award,
[20:52] national school boards association 20 to
[20:55] watch. He earned four degrees from the
[20:58] University of Virginia and serves as an
[21:00] adjunct faculty member at Sunni
[21:02] Courtland and St. John Fischer
[21:04] University. As a nationally sought-after
[21:06] speaker and leadership facilitator, Dr.
[21:08] Brown has engaged thousands of educators
[21:10] and leaders through professional
[21:11] learning, strategic planning, community
[21:14] engagement, and initiatives, including
[21:16] the Courageous Leaders Network. He's an
[21:18] author works uh that works focused on
[21:22] and his work is focused on
[21:23] transformative leadership,
[21:24] organizational culture and expanding
[21:26] opportunities for young people. So this
[21:28] was a email that we had received that um
[21:31] gave the biographies for each of the
[21:34] region and each of the region's
[21:36] selections for their um their regional
[21:39] facilitator.
[21:41] uh with the next meeting being the first
[21:43] merger meeting being October 15th.
[21:47] Uh the regional facilitators their their
[21:50] role is basically to um confirm organize
[21:54] merger study committees within their
[21:56] assigned uh regions. Support uh
[21:59] consistent communication with
[22:00] communities throughout this process.
[22:02] Facilitate struct structured merger
[22:05] study conversations.
[22:07] monitor committee engagement and draft a
[22:09] final merger study report and
[22:11] recommendations from their regional um
[22:14] committee. So they have selected a lead
[22:17] facilitator and then all of the regions
[22:19] have their facilitator with the first
[22:22] merger study committee meeting on
[22:24] October 15th
[22:26] >> and we don't know where that will be.
[22:28] >> Do you not have an uh
[22:31] >> no location yet? No, no details on that
[22:36] meeting.
[22:36] >> Nope.
[22:37] >> And whether it's
[22:41] call for all of us to be convened in one
[22:44] location or whether we probably there
[22:47] will be assumed
[22:48] >> I'm assuming there'll be a virtual
[22:49] option as
[22:52] >> um Yeah, go ahead.
[22:56] >> He has no direct experience in Vermont.
[22:59] >> As far as I know that this person is,
[23:01] you know, their experience isn't in the
[23:03] drug store. I will say that most of
[23:05] these regional leaders appear to come
[23:08] from outside of the state. Um some from
[23:11] Massachusetts.
[23:12] Um there's a few there's one or two from
[23:14] Vermont. Um
[23:17] Massachusetts. Yeah, I think there was
[23:21] one from New Jersey possibly. So
[23:25] they're a little bit more regional.
[23:28] >> Yeah. Well,
[23:31] you can't break the form down. No,
[23:33] that's
[23:35] >> uh the second item is just a reminder of
[23:38] a change to the board meeting calendar.
[23:40] So, um an action requested would be uh
[23:44] just to for a motion to adjust the board
[23:46] meeting calendar. So, uh I believe this
[23:49] was
[23:51] included.
[23:53] Um
[24:00] the idea with this is that there is no
[24:03] October meeting of this board. It's just
[24:07] the SPSU.
[24:09] Uh in the SVSU board meeting, they're
[24:11] sharing achievement. So uh achievement
[24:14] across the SVSU will be shared during
[24:17] that meeting but there would be no um in
[24:20] there's no individual boards um that
[24:22] month as well it as in February
[24:26] and then April and June. The idea with
[24:31] October and uh April are that we're
[24:34] sharing achievement um results of
[24:36] students and then uh the February time
[24:39] period is for outreach before budget
[24:41] season and the
[24:45] June one is for retreats. So there will
[24:48] not be board meetings held that during
[24:51] those months.
[24:51] >> No individual board meetings at those
[24:53] months.
[24:54] >> Correct. So, we make continuing
[24:57] resolutions for the board to approve
[25:01] forms.
[25:03] Is that what happens?
[25:05] >> Yeah, I would have to
[25:07] I'd have to get clarification on that
[25:09] one. Yeah.
[25:09] >> Yeah.
[25:11] >> Well, I'm sure the rest of the board is
[25:12] going to be happy with that. [laughter]
[25:15] I don't know about Lori
[25:18] because u it reduces well it reduces our
[25:22] work but it reduces our income as well.
[25:26] Um so do we have any choice about can we we
[25:33] can decide whether we want to push back
[25:35] on this?
[25:37] >> I think you can have discussion about
[25:39] it. Yeah.
[25:42] But I know that the other the other
[25:44] boards have um
[25:46] >> approved it,
[25:47] >> have agreed to have those individual
[25:49] just the SVSU board uh meet during those
[25:52] months.
[25:54] >> Um
[25:56] well, I'd like to hear from
[26:00] Matt, Kieran, and Lori are here.
[26:06] They have
[26:08] objections or comments to make. What choice do we have?
[26:15] » Well, yeah, because we uh we won't have
[26:18] a facilitator, obviously.
[26:21] Ray, I think um when we have the um
[26:29] board meeting directly after the
[26:33] uh vote in March,
[26:36] >> we we always have a paragraph
[26:40] authorizing you to sign warrants.
[26:44] >> Yes.
[26:45] >> Between board meetings. Um, so I don't
[26:49] think that needs to be a separate motion
[26:52] because we've authorized you to do that
[26:54] anyway.
[26:55] >> True.
[26:56] >> So
[26:57] >> that's true.
[26:58] >> I think that's okay.
[27:01] >> I I accept that. I've understood that
[27:05] for a long time. I just like to make
[27:07] sure it's still on on the table.
[27:10] I'll just I'll just rake someone's lawn,
[27:13] Ray, and make up the difference or
[27:15] something, you know. I I'll be okay.
[27:18] Thanks, though.
[27:20] >> Well, you know, maybe maybe we just make
[27:22] it as a stipen for the year instead of the
[27:27] parcel.
[27:28] >> There you go.
[27:31] >> Thanks for asking though.
[27:33] >> Well, I mean, it's it's important. So,
[27:37] and um
[27:40] I I don't mind not having
[27:45] monthly
[27:47] get together like this. I I mean I like
[27:50] it usually but until I unless I make a
[27:53] mess of it but u um but um
[28:00] and this board doesn't have a lot of
[28:04] tenantous business. you know, we
[28:07] basically
[28:09] need to approve our warrants and uh
[28:13] right now our main discussion would be
[28:16] uh
[28:18] the merger
[28:21] effort. Um
[28:24] so I I'm not going to object to it
[28:27] myself
[28:29] and u it won't affect our stipens
[28:33] because they're in the budget. they'll
[28:34] just come to us.
[28:38] >> Um,
[28:39] >> that only they'll only affect our
[28:42] scheduling for our annual meeting
[28:44] because we'd have to do it in January as
[28:46] opposed to when we do meet in February.
[28:50] >> Yeah.
[28:53] >> Well, normally it's in March. Well,
[28:56] >> right. We usually set a date usually
[28:59] that February meeting,
[29:03] » right? But that that I don't think we
[29:05] can change that because that
[29:08] um that's tied to a vote.
[29:15] And uh so that's the one thing that I
[29:17] don't think we we really want to change.
[29:23] Um Paula, you know, we we normally put
[29:26] that meeting on a Saturday anyway
[29:29] because um
[29:31] uh
[29:34] the community keeps saying, "Well, yes,
[29:36] we keep that meeting on Saturday." And
[29:39] then and and it is a meeting that has
[29:43] um
[29:45] doesn't affect the vote on the budget
[29:48] because that's by Australian ballot or
[29:51] the vote for individuals
[29:54] to uh assume
[29:57] positions on the uh the board.
[30:05] But um I would
[30:10] seems to me we should do away with the
[30:12] meeting even though it's difficult
[30:14] sometimes to get much participation.
[30:22] That's just my opinion.
[30:29] But u everybody give me your thoughts
[30:32] about what to do about the annual
[30:34] meeting.
[30:36] annual four meeting
[30:42] and you can send them to me in an email.
[30:44] We don't have to discuss it now.
[30:50] Okay.
[30:54] So, I'm it says action required which
[30:57] means we're supposed to accept this,
[30:59] right?
[31:00] >> Motion to it adjusts the calendar.
[31:09] Okay. So, what's the motion?
[31:12] I guess
[31:13] >> we'd be taking off. We normally don't
[31:16] have a meeting in July either.
[31:19] >> Correct.
[31:19] >> We still keep that uh or would we just
[31:22] readjust because we don't really have a
[31:24] lot going on.
[31:26] >> Yeah.
[31:27] It has always been I mean that was
[31:30] that's been not just our board but other
[31:33] boards have not met in July in general.
[31:41] » So could you could you write it?
[31:45] >> Yes.
[31:48] So it would be the it's an adjustment
[31:50] for February,
[31:53] April.
[31:57] Uh
[31:59] February, April, and June.
[32:02] >> Okay. February, April, and June. No
[32:05] meetings.
[32:07] Individual boards just meetings.
[32:10] >> I thought October. Didn't you say
[32:13] October?
[32:14] >> Yes. Sorry, you're right. October,
[32:16] February, April, and June. the October
[32:18] and the February are the ones that are
[32:21] the uh um student achievement that would
[32:25] be done through the SVSU.
[32:27] Um
[32:29] and then the uh the one that is in
[32:35] sorry no February one is the outreach.
[32:38] So the idea is that with budget season
[32:40] approaching that boards would be um
[32:43] spending time in their community and you
[32:45] know uh communicating with them. So
[32:48] nothing in February,
[32:50] nothing in April. That's when student
[32:53] achievement is shared and then nothing
[32:55] in June. The idea behind that is for
[32:58] retreat board retrief
[33:01] >> and that's a change to the calendar
[33:03] going forward or is it just for this
[33:05] year? As of right now, it's just for
[33:08] this year.
[33:09] >> Okay.
[33:18] » I guess we have we kind of being forced
[33:21] into it, aren't we?
[33:24] Um
[33:28] well, we need certain services to to
[33:31] have a board meeting because we now have
[33:34] to we have this dual
[33:37] format where the public can participate
[33:39] through Zoom
[33:41] and u
[33:44] unless we figure out another way to do
[33:46] that.
[33:51] I don't know. I didn't I didn't realize
[33:53] that's what was on this sheet. I saw it
[33:56] for
[34:02] it and then dawned on me that that's
[34:04] what was going to be.
[34:08] So, um
[34:13] can we table this?
[34:20] I don't think we can because it would
[34:22] start next month, wouldn't it?
[34:34] Hey, Justin. Probably just for the
[34:36] October meeting if you like
[35:01] Does someone make a motion and we'll
[35:04] have a
[35:12] » I guess I'll make a motion to
[35:16] the adopt the
[35:22] you know, change schedule for this year,
[35:25] this academic school year.
[35:30] » I'll second that, I guess.
[35:34] » All right. Well, we have a vote. All in
[35:38] favor?
[35:40] I
[35:40] >> I
[35:43] opposed.
[35:46] Abstension.
[35:50] Um just so that I can uh make sure to
[35:52] bring this back. One question would be
[35:54] is this going to be carried over to
[35:56] future ears?
[35:57] >> Yes.
[35:57] >> And then the other one being that could
[36:00] it maybe be adjusted or um or is it have
[36:03] to be to this one? Is that another
[36:05] question that you had or
[36:07] >> Well, my primary objection is to
[36:13] » probably to cancellation of
[36:20] if our annual floor meeting would occur
[36:23] in February,
[36:26] what happens in March? Is that canceled
[36:29] too?
[36:31] It's in pink.
[36:35] Uh, no. The ones that are highlighted
[36:37] are the ones that you're holding.
[36:39] >> Okay.
[36:39] >> Yeah. So, you'll still have them in
[36:40] March.
[36:50] » So, um, let's look at the calendar for
[36:53] next year.
[37:26] Does our charter speak to any specific
[37:28] uh
[37:31] meeting dates?
[37:32] >> It may
[37:34] and that's something I haven't checked.
[37:47] Okay. February of 2027.
[38:07] Yep. We would actually have that annual for meeting in on the 27th
[38:13] of February.
[38:28] Well,
[38:29] >> we usually don't have anybody from the
[38:31] SVSU though for our annual meeting.
[38:34] >> No, we don't.
[38:36] I mean, we we have had, but normally we don't. And um
[38:43] and sometimes we have decent numbers.
[38:48] um
[38:49] sometimes we don't have very much in the
[38:52] way of participation.
[38:57] » I mean I think the annual meeting this
[38:59] year is I mean now that there's been a
[39:01] little bit more movement on the merging
[39:04] of SV like union supervisory unions
[39:08] maybe we'll have a little bit more
[39:11] participation this year or this coming
[39:13] February.
[39:15] >> Yeah.
[39:15] if we can get, you know, like the local
[39:18] >> the local politicians again, you know,
[39:21] to
[39:22] >> come in and potentially, you know, talk
[39:24] and about any updates of where
[39:27] everything's going.
[39:30] >> So, that's a good point. Uh I believe
[39:32] that the merger discussions are supposed
[39:37] to have be at an end by the end of this
[39:41] year, right?
[39:43] >> So,
[39:43] >> yeah. So, u there could be an interest
[39:48] in talking about it depending on what
[39:51] happens to this district
[39:56] for sure. And
[39:59] prior to that,
[40:00] >> end of next year, March 2028,
[40:03] possible community votes on proposed
[40:05] merged districts.
[40:06] >> That's 28. That's a full year beyond.
[40:09] Yes.
[40:10] um
[40:12] >> study the reports are due September 1st
[40:15] of next year,
[40:17] >> right? But I I believe the merger
[40:20] committee work is all this year.
[40:22] >> Correct. And then with their and then
[40:24] the regional um facilitators I believe
[40:28] have their their reports due September
[40:31] 1st.
[40:32] >> Yes. Okay.
[40:33] >> So they're going to give them a long
[40:35] time. They're not going to give the
[40:36] committee much time.
[40:38] >> Correct. Yeah. Well, it's
[40:42] what is that? Is that participation or
[40:44] is that beyond?
[40:48] I think
[40:51] um
[40:53] yeah, I I guess I'm not really happy
[40:56] with this. uh
[40:59] at least I think um
[41:02] I don't I I may not object to the other
[41:05] dates that are on here but I object to u
[41:10] since it does affect an annual meeting
[41:14] for us I object to that and I think I
[41:18] don't see how it in in any way
[41:20] interferes with the supervisory meeting
[41:23] because they don't run the feeding
[41:24] anyway.
[41:25] >> Yeah, I can get clarification. I think
[41:27] that that can still be held
[41:29] >> Yeah.
[41:29] >> and February.
[41:31] Um and then the only other ones were
[41:35] the October,
[41:37] April, June.
[41:39] >> Correct.
[41:39] >> Yeah. But I'll get there. I mean, I can
[41:41] make clarification.
[41:43] >> U
[41:45] because of the calendar.
[41:47] I think March 1st is
[41:51] I should have paid attention to it. I
[41:53] think that's a Monday.
[41:54] >> It is.
[41:54] >> Yeah.
[41:56] Uh so you could normally most people
[41:59] like Bennington holds their their
[42:02] meeting on first Monday, the Monday just
[42:06] before the vote and um our community
[42:10] just decided at some point to move it
[42:13] backwards so that more people they
[42:15] thought more people would participate in
[42:18] the meeting and they haven't changed it.
[42:24] Um, okay. I'll get clarification on that
[42:26] one.
[42:27] >> Okay.
[42:27] >> And then come back to you about it.
[42:29] >> All right.
[42:30] Okay. Um, what else?
[42:33] >> Confirm representative for merger study
[42:35] group. So, that was you, Ray. Correct.
[42:38] >> That's that's me.
[42:39] >> Okay. And then the last thing is just
[42:41] that in the um board
[42:43] >> I mean the board could could say that
[42:45] they're they're still supporting me to
[42:48] be that member, but I don't anticipate a
[42:52] change.
[42:53] >> Okay.
[42:54] Um,
[42:55] >> speak up if you want.
[42:58] >> I'm still good with you doing it, Ray.
[43:01] >> I'm sure Matt can agree.
[43:03] >> All good, baby.
[43:05] >> All right.
[43:06] >> And then the last thing is just that the
[43:08] SPSU goals are in the um in the board
[43:11] packet.
[43:11] >> Yeah.
[43:12] >> Um outlining what the SPSU uh you know
[43:14] decided they wanted their priorities to
[43:16] be. So they're based on policy, merger,
[43:19] and communication.
[43:22] >> Right.
[43:22] >> Preview. That's it.
[43:24] >> Would you like to describe each of those
[43:27] just briefly? I mean, I know what the
[43:29] policy one is.
[43:30] >> So, yeah, the the main idea for each of
[43:32] these is for policy adopt required
[43:34] policies consistent with law, ensuring
[43:36] full full compliance by the end of the
[43:38] 2627 school year. So, making sure that
[43:41] all of our policies that uh we have are
[43:44] updated and reviewed and revised if
[43:47] needed. Um there are some that are very
[43:50] outdated and have not been reviewed in a
[43:52] very long time. The merger participate
[43:55] in good faith in the merger study
[43:56] process. So that's kind of
[43:59] self-explanatory of all the boards uh
[44:01] the SPSU being a part of the merger
[44:03] study and being involved in also sharing
[44:05] that information back to their boards.
[44:08] Um and then communication continue to
[44:10] grow systems for community input
[44:12] especially on the merger study and
[44:14] budget investments priorities. So, um
[44:17] making sure to get feedback from the
[44:19] community about what priorities are
[44:20] financially and also opinions uh as we
[44:24] move through the merger process
[44:27] and that's for just this school year.
[44:29] >> Yeah. And uh that leads us to the
[44:33] chair's report because uh item B is
[44:38] community meeting on regarding the
[44:41] merger study. Uh so I talked to Tim
[44:46] Newold about this and uh I have
[44:50] mentioned it to Tim
[44:52] um Payne as well
[44:55] and Tim Newold has uh talked to Seth
[44:59] Bongards about a meeting possibility
[45:02] which turns out to be uh September 29th
[45:08] and at likely at 5 or 5:30 in the
[45:12] evening.
[45:13] in the uh
[45:16] the school gymnasium.
[45:22] Um,
[45:25] I would assume that we would all
[45:27] participate in that
[45:29] and um,
[45:33] Seth being the most knowledgeable,
[45:37] our most knowledgeable partner from uh,
[45:41] legislative side, but we could invite
[45:43] other legislators who are important to
[45:46] our community. Tim Corkran and uh,
[45:52] Oh, little fair weird. Um,
[45:56] >> Tim just joined us, by the way.
[45:58] >> Oh, hi.
[45:59] >> Yeah.
[46:00] So, uh, actually, I could turn the board
[46:04] the floor over to Tim if he wishes to
[46:07] speak on the the tw the meeting that
[46:11] we're sort of trying to put together for
[46:13] we are trying to put together for the
[46:15] 29.
[46:17] >> Uh, thank you, Ray. So Ray and I talked
[46:20] and um we've been connecting up with uh
[46:24] other people in the community um
[46:26] Southshshire R school, different parent
[46:29] groups and things like that. And the
[46:30] idea is really to have um anformational
[46:34] night. I know that they've done this in
[46:35] some of the other um regions throughout
[46:37] the state and and other um districts,
[46:40] but it's just to make sure our
[46:42] electorate and our district is as much
[46:44] informed about what the processes are
[46:47] happening far as the the merger
[46:49] discussion and the and the and the cessa
[46:52] groups as well and what those might
[46:54] mean. And so the idea is to just um
[46:57] bring folks together so that they
[46:59] understand um what this process is going
[47:02] to look like um where it's going to go
[47:04] and and also get an insight as to what
[47:06] our community wants with this process.
[47:08] Do they want to be um a district that
[47:12] considers merging or do they want to
[47:14] remain their own separate district? So,
[47:16] I think it's a it's a way to get the
[47:18] word out, um, invite as many people as
[47:20] possible, um, and maybe get some
[47:23] legislators there who might be able to
[47:25] speak into, you know, what this may lead
[47:27] into down the road.
[47:31] >> Does that make sense, Ry? Or do you need
[47:32] me to explain?
[47:34] >> No, that's that's the gist of the
[47:37] meeting. Yeah.
[47:38] >> Uh you you had sent me some documents
[47:43] that which are visa documents about the
[47:45] process. Is that right?
[47:47] >> No, they were they were made by parent
[47:48] groups up in the northeast kingdom, I
[47:50] think.
[47:51] >> Okay.
[47:51] >> And um and and and they've shared it out
[47:54] with different districts throughout the
[47:56] state to make sure people are informed
[47:59] and and just gave them a template of
[48:00] different things that they can use. Um,
[48:03] so I think uh people down here need to
[48:07] um look at those, make it our own, and
[48:10] then see if they want to use that as a
[48:12] as the the points they want to share at
[48:15] that meeting.
[48:17] >> And those [clears throat] those
[48:19] documents had a definite focus on
[48:22] preserving school choice. And that's not
[48:27] surprising given that the Northeast
[48:28] Kingdom has a lot of school choice.
[48:32] >> Yeah. And I think the some of the other
[48:34] people um in the Manchester area have
[48:36] also been involved in the creation of
[48:38] these. Um and if you're up in that where
[48:41] up in up in that area, they're already
[48:44] um lawn signs out uh in various places
[48:47] that say, you know, maintaining school
[48:49] choice and stuff like that. So they're actively um
[48:55] making their position known in some
[48:56] parts of the in in the Manchester
[48:59] region.
[49:01] >> Yeah. And uh the school choice districts
[49:05] tend to be on this diagonal from
[49:07] southwest to northeast
[49:11] >> concentrations in northeast and
[49:14] southwest. Yeah, if you go back to when
[49:16] um when the maps were first started
[49:18] putting out, I think one of the maps did
[49:20] have sort of a a swath from the the
[49:23] southwest to the northeast of these are
[49:25] where the the schools and the
[49:27] communities that have um choice or who
[49:30] are nonoperating
[49:32] um mostly are.
[49:35] So, you're right.
[49:38] Now, I I skimmed through the U
[49:42] document that was colorful. I skimmed
[49:45] through both documents, but I looked at
[49:47] the one that has the color and it's
[49:50] easier.
[49:52] Um
[49:53] that they're they're both interesting to
[49:56] read and they they
[49:59] point out the pitfalls for nonoperating
[50:02] districts in Yes. those communities. if
[50:05] they want if their community wants to
[50:08] continue the operating system that
[50:10] they're under, which is a choice system.
[50:13] >> Exactly.
[50:15] >> But um and I I know I sent this out late
[50:20] today because I I did I just didn't get
[50:23] it done. But uh I'd appreciate it if u
[50:28] and Matthew would look at those
[50:31] documents
[50:33] and uh Lori as well. Um
[50:37] because I think they're crucial to us
[50:41] working with our community to see it
[50:43] that we'll
[50:46] you know we will have to vote on this in
[50:49] some way or another.
[50:51] And uh [clears throat]
[50:54] the
[50:55] um as it is fairly clear from reading
[51:00] them the uh if you want to remain as a
[51:03] choice district, you're going to have to
[51:05] vote not to merge
[51:09] with the uh in in the merger group that
[51:12] we're in.
[51:14] Now I don't is there any option for us
[51:18] to switch to a different merger group?
[51:20] Can do you know that?
[51:23] Have you thought about that or I I
[51:25] suspect not for us?
[51:28] >> I'm sorry. What was the the question
[51:30] again, Ray? It was unclear.
[51:33] >> Well, there are different merger groups
[51:35] or merger studies and you you
[51:37] theoretically can move to a different
[51:40] study group if you
[51:42] >> I I I think you theoretically can. I
[51:44] haven't heard of anybody
[51:46] >> trying to do it
[51:47] >> trying to to create one that hasn't been
[51:50] um a recommendation so far, but that
[51:52] doesn't mean it won't happen.
[51:54] >> Right. And I don't know if there's any
[51:57] advantage for us anyway because we're
[52:04] isolated in our orphan district is
[52:09] >> I I think I think if I go back a couple
[52:11] iterations of this education reform
[52:15] discussion at one point it was thrown
[52:17] out that maybe all of the nonoperating
[52:20] districts could become their own. But I
[52:23] think
[52:23] >> but then they they determined that you
[52:25] had to be contiguous.
[52:26] >> I think that yeah the contiguous piece
[52:29] became problematic there.
[52:31] >> Yes.
[52:33] So I I think that um
[52:37] well just my perusal of it says suggest
[52:41] to me that if we want to stay
[52:44] nonoperating and provide choice for our
[52:47] students then then we have to u reject
[52:51] merger but we'll have to do that through
[52:54] a vote as as I understand it. Is that
[52:58] correct?
[53:00] >> I don't. Yeah.
[53:04] Previously in 2016,
[53:07] Act 46,
[53:09] we we could uh excuse ourselves from the
[53:13] vote
[53:15] because of our different operating
[53:16] system. And we did uh despite the
[53:21] superintendent of the Vermont
[53:24] superintendent schools,
[53:26] Dan French, trying to tell us we had to
[53:28] vote. he turned out to be incorrect.
[53:33] But now I think we don't have that
[53:35] option. So we do have to have a
[53:37] community v mode.
[53:40] So
[53:42] uh we need to know what our community
[53:44] thinks and that's part of the reason
[53:47] behind this meeting. I don't know if
[53:49] we'll get sufficient interest to have
[53:53] some
[53:55] a census of the meeting tell us
[53:58] something of of use
[54:01] something we didn't know already.
[54:06] Is that enough said on this topic?
[54:10] Anybody else have anything else to say?
[54:17] All right. So, and that's
[54:21] so we're we're we've sort of affirmed by
[54:25] not affirming anything that I'm going to
[54:28] continue as the representative for this
[54:30] study group and u [clears throat]
[54:36] you know where to find some information
[54:38] about what's going to happen.
[54:40] >> The plan is September 29th for that uh
[54:44] community meeting.
[54:45] >> Yes. Okay. That's a Tuesday.
[54:48] >> Okay.
[54:50] >> 5:30 in the North Benon gymnasium, which
[54:53] you've never been. So,
[54:55] >> yes, I have. Oh, you have a Okay.
[54:58] >> She came to visit. It was great.
[55:02] >> I got a great tour. Thank you, Tim.
[55:06] >> It's a
[55:08] old but tiny little building.
[55:11] >> Exactly. and and you know if you maybe I
[55:14] could show you some pictures of what it
[55:16] looked like before the renovations in
[55:18] late 90s.
[55:23] It's quite quite a change. So anyway,
[55:27] um
[55:30] that's that. Uh I I had a facility
[55:35] a kind of a brief discussion of what we
[55:38] accomplished this summer on the
[55:40] facility. We had
[55:43] basically three projects,
[55:46] two of which have been completed.
[55:49] uh we couldn't get all the pieces the uh attempt to resolve um the
[55:58] occasional leakages from the west wall
[56:02] of the building into the building from
[56:08] excessive moisture and soil. We we were
[56:12] going to excavate
[56:15] uh rep three points where it was stone
[56:18] foundation.
[56:20] Um coat that with a
[56:24] u rubberized coating that prevents
[56:26] intrusion and then uh
[56:30] re
[56:33] returned the soil that was excavated.
[56:36] And um
[56:41] also in Kate in
[56:45] remove probably the concrete enclosures
[56:48] to the windows that are at the uh
[56:53] lower level there
[56:56] uh with uh a different sort of enclosure
[56:59] galvanized steel enclosure but we
[57:02] couldn't get u
[57:05] the excavation
[57:07] the masonry work and the uh
[57:13] other work all together.
[57:16] So, so that we could get it get it done
[57:18] in the time we have. So, we're going to
[57:20] do that.
[57:22] Our my plan is Tim's plan is that we'll
[57:26] do this next year, next summer when we
[57:29] can get a better ordinance.
[57:32] But we did accomplish two other tasks.
[57:35] One is uh
[57:38] repainting the uh arched windows in the
[57:41] gymnasium which were beginning to show
[57:45] signs of rust on the exterior in order
[57:48] to preserve it because u those windows
[57:52] which are from the 1930s
[57:55] would be very difficult to replace or
[57:58] rebuild. So we need to preserve it even
[58:01] though of course there's single pain and
[58:04] that's that is a big heat loss.
[58:08] We successfully did that. And um
[58:13] as I've said before,
[58:16] um I had Roy go look up use the lift to
[58:20] look at the gutters to see if there what
[58:23] why they were having some leak issues
[58:26] and he he discovered why that was and u
[58:30] I asked him to take care of and that got
[58:33] done. The other item that we wanted to
[58:36] do was um the
[58:41] pickup of the um dumpster
[58:47] off the parking lot. Uh was creating a
[58:52] large divots in the parking lot.
[58:57] um making it difficult to you know a
[59:01] little less
[59:03] a little more difficult to
[59:07] act
[59:09] to to pick the dumpsters up and dump
[59:11] them. So,
[59:13] uh we um count contracted with
[59:21] concrete impressions, was it to create a
[59:25] slab of [clears throat] concrete there
[59:27] that would obiate that problem, which
[59:30] has been done.
[59:34] So, um
[59:36] hopefully
[59:38] we've uh prevented the parking lot from
[59:42] having to be repaved anytime soon and uh
[59:46] given it solid foundation for many years
[59:49] to come.
[59:51] That's all been done if I we are paying
[59:55] directly the painter and Tim
[59:59] uh will pay for the concrete. will
[1:00:02] reimburse the middle of school for that.
[1:00:07] Okay, so that's all I have to report and
[1:00:11] um
[1:00:14] see else down here.
[1:00:18] [clears throat]
[1:00:20] Okay. Yep.
[1:00:23] I think we're done. So, I'd entertain a
[1:00:26] motion to uh adjourn the meeting.
[1:00:29] >> Motion to adjurnn.
[1:00:31] Thank you.
[1:00:31] >> Second that.
[1:00:33] >> All in favor? Yes.
[1:00:35] >> I
[1:00:36] >> Good night. Thanks for being here.
[1:00:38] >> So, Ray, we'll see you in Octo We'll see
[1:00:41] you in November. Correct.
[1:00:44] >> In November. Yes.
[1:00:45] >> Okay. No October.
[1:00:48] >> Well, yeah. Okay. Right.
[1:00:50] >> I mean, maybe I'll see you before then,
[1:00:52] Ray. But
[1:00:55] >> I'll see you tomorrow afternoon, Ray.
[1:00:58] >> Okay. Okay.
[1:00:59] >> Cuz you're you're the delivery guy
[1:01:01] tomorrow, I guess. Thanks.
[1:01:02] >> Yes, I'm going to be the delivery guy.
[1:01:05] >> All righty. Thanks so much.
[1:01:07] >> Okay. Take care.
[1:01:08] >> Have a good night.
[1:01:09] >> Good night.
[1:01:10] >> Thanks everybody. Have a good night.
[1:01:12] >> Yeah.
[1:01:16] Just for me, this is great.
[1:01:18] >> You can keep those. Yep. You like um All
[1:01:20] right. I will get
[1:01:25] a triggeration
[1:01:27] on that February.