[0:01] All right. Good evening. I'm going to

[0:02] call to order the April 15th meeting of

[0:04] the Whimman Hansen Regional School

[0:05] Committee to order. If we can all please

[0:07] stand for the pledge of allegiance.

[0:11] » I pledge algiance to the flag of the

[0:14] United States of America and to the

[0:16] republic for which it stands, one nation

[0:19] under God, indivisible, with liberty and

[0:23] justice for all.

[0:28] Um, and I I we're going to have just

[0:31] have a moment of silence. Ela Nukem, who

[0:33] was a par professional Duval, um, passed

[0:36] away recently. Um, so we take a moment

[0:38] of silence to think of her and her

[0:40] family.

[0:52] Okay. Um, I want to announce that we're

[0:54] being recorded and broadcast by WHCA.

[0:57] Um, and we are going to go into public

[1:00] >> just for moments of silence. I don't

[1:02] know if anybody is aware of this, but

[1:04] John Non passed away. Uh, John Nune was

[1:07] a school committee member years ago and

[1:09] was on our finance committee in the town

[1:11] of Whitman. So, uh, he had his his

[1:14] funeral today.

[1:15] >> Okay. So, I'm sorry about that. So, if

[1:16] we um include John Non in your thoughts

[1:18] as well.

[1:21] So we are being recorded by WHCA um as I

[1:25] said and now we will um want to public

[1:27] comment and we have

[1:29] one

[1:30] >> one is it Mr. Kane?

[1:32] >> It is Mr. Kane. Thank you very much

[1:33] Jason.

[1:37] » Hi guys Sean Kane 31 Farest Street um

[1:40] also select board member in Whitman. Um

[1:42] I just like to speak briefly about the

[1:44] budget.

[1:47] I think two big questions were on our mind as we

[1:51] presented this last budget scenario. One

[1:54] was

[1:56] how could we potentially provide or

[1:58] present a budget that would avoid an

[2:00] override? The feedback from the

[2:02] community about an override is not very

[2:04] positive right now and we're thinking

[2:06] it's in all of our best interest if we

[2:08] come up with a scenario that would avoid

[2:09] an override. So that was one of the

[2:11] concepts. The other concept that really

[2:13] drove um how we organized the scenario

[2:15] was we wanted to share the burden. So we

[2:18] had about $500,000 that we had to cut

[2:20] out of the out of the budget. And what

[2:23] Mary Beth Garta did was she took about

[2:25] half a little bit more than half and she

[2:28] took it from the the departments in

[2:30] Whitman mostly public safety but also

[2:32] library and almost very deliberately

[2:35] every department with that shared burden

[2:37] kind of concept in mind.

[2:40] She also moved the the school assessment

[2:43] from we had a lower assessment which was

[2:44] our projected um based on our revenue

[2:47] proportion kind of formula and she

[2:49] bumped that up your school assessment up

[2:52] to 4.85. It was a little bit lower about

[2:54] $120,000 roughly lower. So she bumped

[2:57] that up to the full amount but then we

[2:59] had targeted non-mandated busing as a

[3:02] potential area to save some

[3:06] cut some money.

[3:08] what became pretty clear is that it's

[3:10] not that simple. I mean, fairly

[3:12] obviously, but even in the in the couple

[3:14] weeks that this has kind of been going

[3:15] on, even my level of understanding of

[3:18] this scenario has significantly grown

[3:19] with the the research and the feedback

[3:21] has been really helpful. Um, so it's

[3:24] obvious that simply eliminating

[3:26] non-mandating busing, you can't just do

[3:28] that because there are additional costs

[3:30] that would have to be incurred because

[3:32] of it.

[3:33] But are there ways that we can save with

[3:35] transportation? You know, I'd like to

[3:37] kind of just

[3:39] pause at that for a second. Are there

[3:41] ways that we could potentially save with

[3:42] transportation um as a means to save

[3:45] some money

[3:47] to do that I think does get fairly

[3:49] complex and I I'd ask that maybe

[3:52] somebody looks into it. Sounds like

[3:53] people are looking into it, but simple

[3:58] simply from my perspective I should say

[4:01] we're paying for non-mandated busing.

[4:03] So, a paying for I want to be careful my

[4:05] statements because I don't want to be

[4:07] inaccurate, but any student who's

[4:09] eligible who is outside the range um no

[4:14] who's inside the range of a mile and a

[4:15] half would be eligible for a seat on a

[4:17] bus.

[4:19] The exception of within a half mile.

[4:22] >> Yeah. Within the um walking zone or

[4:26] Yeah. So roughly a half mile, but there

[4:27] are some exceptions. So from a half mile

[4:30] to a mile and a half, any literally any

[4:32] eligible student has a seat on a bus if

[4:35] they chose to sit on the bus.

[4:38] So just thinking out loud like are there

[4:41] ways if it instead of being all or

[4:43] nothing, are there ways that could be a

[4:45] little bit of a compromise so that if

[4:46] kids opted out and didn't actually want

[4:48] to take the bus that we could pull back

[4:49] on some bus, you know, things like that.

[4:51] Are there cost savings that we can we

[4:53] can make with transportation? So, that's

[4:55] one kind of concept that we've been

[4:56] thinking.

[4:58] >> Sean, I just want So, it's been three

[4:59] minutes, so I don't know if you could um

[5:00] how long your your statement was, but we

[5:03] just want to kind of wrap it up if you

[5:04] could.

[5:05] >> Sure. Just one more point.

[5:06] >> Yep.

[5:06] >> Thank you.

[5:10] » This last part is kind of the difficult

[5:11] part and it deals with the regional

[5:12] agreement. Right now, from our

[5:14] perspective, my perspective, working

[5:17] with some of the the leadership team,

[5:19] crunching some of the numbers. From our

[5:21] perspective, if you look at

[5:23] transportation costs, Whitman

[5:25] non-mandated and mandated, and Hansen

[5:28] non-mandated and mandated, you simply

[5:31] tallied up the total cost, it's about $2

[5:33] million. You subtract the reimbursement,

[5:36] which is about $1.3 million. Have what's

[5:39] left over. If you look at what the costs

[5:41] are, not what we're reimbured, but what

[5:43] the costs are, it's about 5050.

[5:47] The cost for Whitman and the cost for

[5:49] Hansen are about equal. So, when we're

[5:52] doing the math that way, it seems like

[5:54] for and I I do want you to be skeptical,

[5:56] and I I'm throwing this out there not

[5:58] because I'm trying to like rub this in

[6:00] your face or something. This is honestly

[6:02] how I'm viewing the numbers. So, I want

[6:03] you to gain a perspective of my angle, I

[6:05] guess. So I I would I'd ask you to kind

[6:08] of do some independent or ask the the

[6:10] administration to kind of pres present

[6:12] some research that shows like a a

[6:14] transportation analysis so you can maybe

[6:17] just appreciate where we're coming from.

[6:19] our perspective, it looks like the

[6:20] costs are about equal 50/50. So then

[6:24] when you separate out non-mandated

[6:26] busing, it puts us at a distinct

[6:28] disadvantage.

[6:30] even the 6040 split wouldn't be in our

[6:32] favor. But now to go beyond 60 means

[6:35] it's really much not in our favor. So

[6:38] that's kind of why this has been a hot

[6:39] button issue for us financially. Um I

[6:42] know I'm running long so I'll wrap up.

[6:44] Every dollar in Whitman right now like

[6:46] en Hansen really matters. So for us, if

[6:49] this is an area that we can really focus

[6:50] on together and find some compromise in

[6:53] the way to one, maybe come up with a

[6:55] scenario that avoids an override and two

[6:58] find some cost savings that is not going

[6:59] to put kids at risk. I I want to make

[7:02] that clear. My intention is not to like

[7:04] throw kids under the bus or put this in

[7:06] the back of kids. Are there intelligent

[7:07] ways that we can save on transportation

[7:10] um without putting kids at risk safety

[7:12] wise

[7:14] and get through the budget and kind of

[7:16] together.

[7:16] >> Okay. All right. Thank you very much,

[7:18] Sean.

[7:18] >> Thank you.

[7:20] >> Okay.

[7:21] >> Um

[7:22] All right. So, the first item on the

[7:24] agenda is the superintendent update.

[7:29] >> Thank you very much. Um as promised,

[7:32] some uh photographs

[7:35] uh of what we've experienced in the

[7:37] district over the last week or so. Let

[7:39] me just pull it up on my side, too, so

[7:42] can see where we are.

[7:45] Um

[7:48] Okay, we're on the same place. Um, so,

[7:51] uh, around the horn, around the

[7:53] district, uh, this is preschool, uh, one

[7:56] of the classrooms, and they're playing

[7:57] an awesome game, uh, where everybody's

[8:00] holding on to that, um, uh, flexible

[8:04] rubber bandandy, uh, thing. Uh, next,

[8:08] um, this is getting outside. Uh,

[8:11] obviously last week, not today, because

[8:13] they got coats on. Um, and this is uh

[8:17] another room uh that we swung into where

[8:20] uh they were having a really fun chat

[8:23] about um uh about all kinds of things

[8:26] actually. So that was great. Uh next

[8:30] um is

[8:32] uh that is at uh Indian Head and those

[8:35] are the kindergarten kids in a glow

[8:38] pumpkin or glowfish uh activity which is

[8:42] really cool using a black light. Um

[8:45] these are uh students uh that are

[8:48] learning cursive.

[8:50] So I was sort of fascinated by that

[8:52] because I didn't think we were doing

[8:53] that anymore. But um but according to uh

[8:57] Mr. Tranter, that's what's happening. Uh

[9:00] next uh is at Duval. Uh this is

[9:04] something that uh Miss Craig brought to

[9:06] the school last year as when she was

[9:08] assistant principal. Um it's a

[9:11] organization that comes uh and does a

[9:14] whole drumming experience uh for

[9:17] students uh both uh in a subsparate

[9:20] program and then peers. So partners who

[9:22] are uh who who join them. So a bunch of

[9:25] staff come and support uh kids um both

[9:29] in gened classrooms as well as the in

[9:31] the uh ASD and TLC room. So it's a

[9:34] really cool experience. Um, next is

[9:37] yours truly, uh, putting up a sign. And

[9:40] if you go to the next one, Jason, you'll

[9:42] see that, uh, that's Gia. Um, and we're

[9:46] putting up the VCOS way sign, uh,

[9:49] because they won it at the basket

[9:51] raffle. Um, it was awesome. Uh, next is

[9:56] at Connley. Those are second graders.

[9:58] Um, and those are projects about

[10:00] measuring. So, it's about sort of

[10:02] measuring around the school and around

[10:04] town.

[10:05] Uh next are some scientists also second

[10:09] grade um looking at eggs and other items

[10:12] that are found around uh the school.

[10:16] Uh we move over to Whitman Middle. Um

[10:19] there's a hardy group uh getting ready

[10:22] to take a tour.

[10:24] And next, uh, and I'm sorry that I keep

[10:27] showing up in these pictures. Um, uh,

[10:31] but people send them to me because they

[10:32] know that that that that I want to be

[10:34] seen. Um, but that's me, uh, killing

[10:37] some kids in, uh, in pickle ball.

[10:41] >> Two on one.

[10:42] >> So, you're taking them down. Taking them

[10:43] down.

[10:44] >> Yeah. Taking them down. So, uh, they

[10:46] couldn't believe how good I was. Um this

[10:49] is the uh Excel uh program exclus

[10:56] uh uh helps to manage. Um and uh we

[11:00] provided uh coffee uh and other treats

[11:04] at all uh of the schools the day after

[11:08] conferences. Um, so it was kind of a

[11:10] nice treat for the staff to get um and a

[11:12] nice way to sort of say we we know that

[11:15] last night was long and we're glad that

[11:16] you're back.

[11:18] Um, this is over at the high school. Um,

[11:22] it was a cleanup day. Um, and thank you

[11:25] to Mr. Pharaoh for snapping these shots.

[11:28] Um, next is the team that was actually

[11:31] out and doing the cleaning.

[11:34] Um, this is over at Hansen Middle. Um,

[11:38] and this is a cool competition that they

[11:40] ran and there's three of the the

[11:42] winners.

[11:44] Uh, and then this is also at Hansen

[11:46] Middle and those are students um who are

[11:49] working on uh a literacy project.

[11:53] And next uh last night uh was the um

[11:58] family food festival, international food

[12:00] festival. Uh it was a wonderful

[12:02] experience. Uh there were uh foods from

[12:06] a whole bunch of different countries.

[12:08] Students signed up um and uh brought in

[12:12] uh treats either from their own um sort

[12:16] of background or from anywhere. So uh we

[12:19] had dozens of countries um represented

[12:23] uh we had uh singers um the band and I

[12:28] think this is McKenzie is that right? Um

[12:31] who sang for over an hour. God bless

[12:33] her. Um and these are a couple of kids

[12:37] representing Denmark. Um so it was a

[12:39] really wonderful experience um that

[12:43] again Dr. C. Mishnewise um brought to

[12:46] the district last year um and has

[12:49] managed to keep it going uh and um

[12:53] hopefully continues on next year. Um the

[12:56] next two just because I had to um

[13:00] there's a question about how many people

[13:02] fit on the seat of a bus. So I asked the

[13:05] Duval folks to take a picture. These are

[13:07] three adults um sitting on a seat. So

[13:10] you can see that Mrs. Curley is really

[13:13] not in a safe place right now. Um so not

[13:16] a good idea. Um and the next is uh those

[13:20] are three fifth graders. Um, and Sophia,

[13:24] you can see, is kind of in the same

[13:26] position as Mrs. Curley, kind of hanging

[13:28] out into the middle. So, um, when folks

[13:31] talk about how many people ride a bus

[13:33] and what is that number supposed to be,

[13:36] um, this is some nice visual, uh,

[13:39] evidence of, um, what that might

[13:41] actually look like. So,

[13:44] those are some things happening around.

[13:46] Um, some quick other updates. We had

[13:49] some concerns about this building. uh

[13:52] the gym and there was a tarp that was uh

[13:54] laid out um that that uh some folks felt

[13:58] looked kind of icky. Uh there was also

[14:01] some concern about the seats in the

[14:03] cafeteria and a lot of them were

[14:04] missing. Um I went down with u Mr.

[14:08] Pharaoh and Mr. Driscoll to look at both

[14:10] of those and understand what was going

[14:13] on. both situation, the gym situation is

[14:16] a leak in the roof. 20-year-old building

[14:19] um and it's been repaired. So hopefully

[14:22] that um is taken care of. Uh and the

[14:25] cafeteria seats um I learned uh that

[14:29] they twist and as they twist, they snap.

[14:32] The plastic snaps and then they go away.

[14:34] And so um I learned that we spent $7,000

[14:37] last year on replacement seats that

[14:40] don't twist as much. So, we'll probably

[14:43] be continuing that project uh moving

[14:45] forward so people aren't sitting on a

[14:47] pole. Um

[14:50] the uh we had um nice news from uh

[14:54] Hansen Middle. Uh we have an Eagle Scout

[14:56] and I'm not sure if this comes to you

[14:58] all as a um a vote or whatever, but um

[15:03] uh it's an exist there's an existing

[15:05] structure over there that um is the um

[15:09] the cabin that thorough used uh in

[15:12] Walden at Walden Pond and Eagle Scout is

[15:15] going to come and fix it up. So I don't

[15:18] think that's a vote thing, but uh it's

[15:21] nice to know. uh our active mind

[15:23] students here at the high school won a

[15:25] video competition uh last week. So good

[15:28] for them at the uh gathering. Um and

[15:32] then uh and just some quick thoughts in

[15:35] terms of the budget. Um we uh got some

[15:39] good news in terms of FY27

[15:42] that we uh I had mentioned uh once or

[15:46] twice that there were some

[15:48] considerations of cutting title one. Um

[15:51] there uh there were some cuts across the

[15:55] state. Some folks uh lost as much as 50%

[15:58] of their title one funding. Um we were

[16:02] sort of threatened or warned about that

[16:04] potentiality. Um luckily the numbers

[16:07] came in and and we've uh were almost

[16:09] even. It's about $6,000 difference. Um

[16:12] so that's actually really helpful and we

[16:15] were counting on that in the upcoming

[16:17] budget. So that's helpful. Um the House

[16:20] Two numbers just came out. Um that's the

[16:23] second version of the budget after the

[16:25] governor's budget. Um Mr. Wells and I uh

[16:28] just started looking at those today. So

[16:30] we'll continue to look at that and we'll

[16:33] give you updates on that. Um and looking

[16:35] toward FY27.

[16:37] Um uh we uh I put out to the staff uh

[16:43] earlier this week um a request for

[16:46] feedback on professional development. um

[16:49] and how we can reflect on our practices

[16:52] and um rather than sort of aim toward a

[16:56] shiny new thing. Um what do we know

[16:59] about what's um what's great work as a

[17:03] classroom teacher or as a counselor or

[17:04] as a nurse? Um and how can we make that

[17:07] the foundation of our professional

[17:09] development next year? So we're forming

[17:11] a committee. uh we'll have uh people

[17:13] working together so that before the year

[17:16] even starts there'll be an entire uh

[17:18] layout of what PD offerings will be

[17:21] available to folks next year. So I'm

[17:23] excited about that and that's all I

[17:25] have.

[17:26] >> Okay. Thank you Dr. Marcus. Any

[17:28] questions for Dr. Marcus?

[17:32] » Mr. Marks,

[17:33] >> you mentioned the uh the Eagle uh

[17:36] project. as a Eagle Scout myself and and

[17:39] former scout leader here in in Whitman,

[17:42] uh I love hearing about these Eagle

[17:44] projects no matter where they're at, but

[17:46] seeing kids and and I know we had one

[17:48] last year uh where somebody did some uh

[17:52] built a platform for the for the music

[17:54] department. I love seeing that stuff

[17:56] come back into the town. Uh part of one

[17:58] of the requirements of that Eagle

[18:00] project is it has to benefit one

[18:01] specific beneficiary. I don't think it

[18:03] ended up coming to this committee, but

[18:05] usually they do have to speak to

[18:06] somebody within the school department to

[18:07] make sure that it's okay. Uh, but I love

[18:10] to see that stuff. Awesome.

[18:12] >> Great to great to see that continuing

[18:14] here at Manson Beach.

[18:17] >> All right. Um, all right. Well, before

[18:19] we get to the action items, I I feel

[18:21] like it's been a little while since as

[18:22] the chair I've apologized for something,

[18:24] so I feel like we're here. Um, so, uh,

[18:28] my mother doesn't live here in town, so

[18:29] she always asks me to send her like the

[18:32] meetings that I'm in so she can watch

[18:33] them because she's a proud mom. Um, for

[18:37] reasons I don't know. And, um, last

[18:40] week, Dr. Marcus and I went to the joint

[18:42] select board meeting and the FINCOM

[18:44] meeting. And when my mother came by to

[18:48] visit this weekend, I did not mention

[18:51] it. And I was wondering why I didn't

[18:52] mention it. And when I thought about it, was because at one point during that

[18:55] meeting, I got a little um frosty with

[18:59] an um one of

[19:00] >> you should have

[19:01] >> one of the people on the select board.

[19:02] But I don't think that that's I I was

[19:05] but the point to realize is I was

[19:06] embarrassed by that

[19:07] >> and I don't um and this is my first

[19:09] budget season. Um and obviously it's

[19:12] very it's very tense and things like

[19:14] that, but I just thought I would bring

[19:15] that up to first say that I I I want to

[19:17] make sure that I represent you guys well

[19:18] when I go to these things. Um but also I

[19:21] just hope that as we all kind of

[19:22] traverse through this process that we

[19:24] are keeping being civil and being you

[19:27] know um representing the board well when

[19:30] we deal with other board member other boards and other committees and

[19:33] also when we deal with each other

[19:34] because obviously there's going to be

[19:35] some difficult discussions that we're

[19:36] going to have over the next few weeks

[19:37] about things and I just hope that we can

[19:39] I I think I I've really enjoyed I feel

[19:41] like how kind of cordial and civil we've

[19:43] all been the last couple months as a

[19:45] committee and I just I would hope that

[19:46] we're not we don't we don't kind of fall

[19:48] back uh some of the you know as things

[19:51] get tense, people get tense and we you

[19:53] know do those things and I just I hope

[19:54] that we can all kind of work together

[19:56] because we're you know we're all in this

[19:58] together. So um but I wanted to say that

[20:00] because when I realized I didn't want my

[20:02] mom to see it, I realized I didn't want

[20:04] you guys to see it either. So um

[20:05] >> I want to thank you. Yes, M.

[20:07] >> Does it does this apply to us? Can we

[20:10] get Frosty or is it only the chair? And

[20:12] the reason I asked that is that I did

[20:14] see your meeting and I did when we're fighting for children's

[20:20] this these towns have put our uh budgets

[20:22] in the lower 1 percentile and called

[20:24] that normal is normalized under funding

[20:27] to a point that some some somebody's gut

[20:31] say no at points and and and as far as

[20:34] representing me or what I would think

[20:36] was right. you've never been out of line

[20:38] and uh and maybe for yourself you feel

[20:41] as you always want to be cordial income

[20:43] but sometimes saying no strongly

[20:46] >> is the most appropriate thing to do.

[20:48] >> Yeah.

[20:48] >> Wow.

[20:48] >> Like I said I I I'm trying to keep up my

[20:50] like uh Richie Cunningham

[20:53] persona.

[20:55] >> I know. I know. When I when I was a

[20:56] teacher I I I practiced being like the

[20:59] very calm person. So then when I did

[21:01] bust out my my like teacher voice,

[21:04] everyone paid attention. So I guess

[21:05] maybe that's what I was doing. But I

[21:06] still I was icky about it and I just

[21:08] wanted to apologize for that. Um

[21:10] >> Sure.

[21:10] >> Well, thank you.

[21:11] >> So, um and um

[21:13] >> Oh, Mr. Boyce,

[21:14] >> can TJ play the fonts

[21:17] >> or or Glenn?

[21:18] >> I think he's more of a chachi, actually.

[21:20] >> Okay,

[21:22] sorry.

[21:23] >> I thought you were going to be nice.

[21:26] >> Joanie loves Chachi. What can I say? Um

[21:28] all right. Um for the first action item,

[21:30] we have a vote on an amendment for the

[21:32] project funding agreement. Um, this was

[21:35] in our packet and was taken out because

[21:36] it did have some um sensitive

[21:38] information in it that like banking

[21:39] information numbers and stuff on it

[21:41] because I'll let Miss Stafford explain

[21:43] what the the because she understands it

[21:45] better as the chair of the building

[21:46] committee. Um, but we just need to vote

[21:48] on that tonight so we can authorize um

[21:51] some stuff for the middle school

[21:52] building project. So, the Stafford.

[21:53] >> So, we get a lot of things every it

[21:56] seems every other week um that we have

[21:58] to fill out. We have to sign this um one

[22:01] paper. Uh we already did the IMA and we

[22:04] all voted on that. This paper concerns

[22:07] that the funding from well the I

[22:10] shouldn't say that the propay the

[22:12] reimbursement from MSBA will go directly

[22:15] to the town of Whitman now since they

[22:17] are the ones who are going to give us

[22:18] the money. Um so we had to um just sign

[22:22] it. Um Dr. Marcus is um just he's the

[22:26] only one that needs to really authorize

[22:27] to be signing it. Um so that the uh

[22:30] propay from MSBA will now go directly to

[22:33] the town of Whitman. Um so and they'll

[22:36] you know they'll send us the money that

[22:38] you know it's kind of back and forth

[22:40] thing and then we can pay and then we

[22:42] pay the bills. Um so um that's all that

[22:46] we just need to vote that we're okay

[22:48] with that. We've done the IMA so this is

[22:50] just another extension that MSBA wants

[22:53] us to do.

[22:55] >> Any questions? Miss Blackman. So, does

[22:57] this mean that the town of Whitman will

[23:00] be receiving the interest on the Thank

[23:03] you. project rather than the Whitman

[23:06] Hansen Regional School District?

[23:07] >> Yes. Well,

[23:08] >> which which might I don't know if the towns did consider that when they

[23:13] were planning their budget, but I just

[23:15] thought I would mention the fact that

[23:17] Whitman is going to actually benefit as

[23:20] a town from it rather than the school

[23:22] district,

[23:22] >> which would they would have anyway

[23:24] because that's a separate account. the middle school. So even if the

[23:28] interest came under the middle school,

[23:30] it would be going back to the towns

[23:33] anyway. It would reduce their uh owing

[23:36] their, you know, what they would owe on

[23:37] their budget. So it it kind of works out

[23:40] um the same way. It's just to me it's a

[23:43] little convoluted because we have to go

[23:45] back and forth and back and forth, but

[23:47] you know, that's what MSBA agreed and

[23:49] Whitman uh agreed to help us out to get

[23:52] this done, the project done.

[23:54] >> Yeah. And just to to build on

[23:56] Stephanie's I had thought I was just

[23:58] about to talk about the debt too. Thank

[24:00] you

[24:02] in a little different way. When we

[24:04] originally presented our budget, did we

[24:05] have to pull back and even if it was

[24:08] going to be

[24:09] >> um given back and forth or whatever, we

[24:11] had to shift our budget over from that

[24:13] debt over. Do we have a rough amount how

[24:15] much we shifted? So we just have a sense

[24:18] of how much they're getting back in

[24:19] interest

[24:20] >> to pay pay back. I mean

[24:22] >> it's not it's not a small amount. So,

[24:25] >> all I know is um and Matt can probably

[24:27] help out too is we have paid all the

[24:30] bills that we have agreed on so far and

[24:32] we have a balance of $75,000.

[24:35] >> Um so, um I don't know if Matt can

[24:38] answer anymore with that as far as

[24:41] interest wise or whatever.

[24:42] >> So, the interest it goes with the

[24:44] borrowing. So, they use that interest

[24:45] and they it reduces the amount of money

[24:47] that you end up borrowing in the end.

[24:48] So, you only borrow the total amount of

[24:50] money that you need for the project. um

[24:52] and the interest can offset that a

[24:53] little bit plus you know MSBA fund comes

[24:55] in offsets with the total borrow as

[24:57] well. So it all is kind of a total

[24:58] package directed at the school and all

[25:00] that money stays with the school.

[25:02] >> Thank you.

[25:04] >> Any other questions for Miss Stafford or

[25:06] Mr. Wells or Dr. Marcus?

[25:09] Okay. Can I have a motion to approve the

[25:11] amendment for the PFA?

[25:13] >> Motion.

[25:14] >> Second.

[25:15] >> Okay.

[25:15] >> All in favor? All right. Thank you guys

[25:18] very much.

[25:18] >> Thank you.

[25:19] >> All right. Next up, we have the

[25:20] acceptance of a donation from the Kowani

[25:22] Club of Hansen Foundation. Dr. Marcus,

[25:24] do you want to speak to this?

[25:25] >> Um, yes. And I Mr. Tranter was here, but

[25:28] I'm not sure they ran away.

[25:31] Um,

[25:33] this is uh an annual donation uh that

[25:37] the Kuanas Club of Hansen has um been

[25:40] giving to the Indian Head School. Um the request is to be able to over uh the

[25:48] next uh five years um provide about 120

[25:54] uh dictionaries per year. So 600 alto

[25:57] together um to the Indian Head School uh

[26:01] fourth grade students.

[26:05] » Okay.

[26:06] >> No questions.

[26:07] >> Sorry.

[26:08] >> I move we approve the donation.

[26:10] >> Second.

[26:11] >> All right. All in favor?

[26:13] >> All right.

[26:14] >> Oh, I just have to abstain because I

[26:15] have a fourth grade.

[26:18] >> This was all the ice dictionaries.

[26:21] >> Yeah.

[26:22] >> Okay. All right. Um Whitman Hansen

[26:25] Regional High School student council

[26:27] field trip.

[26:28] >> We have some Dr. Marcus, do you on that

[26:32] or is that

[26:32] >> Yep. This is a request for uh the high

[26:35] school student council to go to the

[26:37] vision conference um which is the

[26:40] national conference of um school

[26:42] councils. This is the funny one in uh

[26:46] when um Mr. Wells and I were looking

[26:49] through the budget and we found that

[26:52] there was um money from something from a

[26:56] revolving account going to MASC.

[26:58] Uh, and we we freaked out because we

[27:01] thought that their high school revolving

[27:03] account was paying for MASC. Well, it

[27:06] is. It's the Massachusetts Association

[27:08] of Student Councils,

[27:11] not not school councils. So, um, but

[27:15] this is so that that's what this this is

[27:18] that we found that we thought was a

[27:20] scary thing, but it's actually a really

[27:22] wonderful thing. um student council

[27:24] going to uh the um the program uh up in

[27:28] New Hampshire. Uh it will uh sponsored

[27:31] by Mr. Morardi. Um there are two adults

[27:35] going, Mr. Morardi uh and Miss Scott. Um

[27:39] and the members of the student council

[27:41] can see the times that they're going. Um

[27:43] and I recommend approval of this

[27:46] >> motion to approve.

[27:47] >> Second. Okay.

[27:48] >> Any questions? Okay. All in favor?

[27:52] All right.

[27:54] Okay. I don't think we have anything in

[27:57] paper on this, but we have next item is

[27:58] review capital request item. So, Dr.

[28:01] Marcus, you want to take this one? I

[28:02] feel like I'm

[28:03] >> dropping everything off on you.

[28:05] >> Sure. No, that's okay. Um so we uh had

[28:09] put in um a request to um the two town

[28:14] managers um to um have them put on the

[28:18] warrant uh uh a the paving of um to

[28:23] start with the paving of the lower lot

[28:26] um over here at the high school. uh we

[28:29] got a quote um so the the initial um uh request for the article was 191,000 I

[28:38] think um and the split uh on that was to

[28:42] each town 114 and whatever the other

[28:47] piece is 70 something thank you um and

[28:51] uh along the um the way we've had the

[28:55] this conversation uh that I talked about

[28:57] with um a company that's going to be um

[29:01] putting together a um a solar farm uh uh

[29:05] right next to us, right on the other

[29:07] side of the um power lines. Um and there

[29:11] are have been initial conversations with

[29:13] the company um about them using our road

[29:18] and what um what how we would arrange

[29:22] sort of them working uh with the road

[29:24] and their willingness to provide some

[29:27] service or some um uh financial

[29:31] arrangement with um with the district in

[29:35] terms of using the road. Um we mentioned

[29:40] the uh notion of paving. Uh we a we um

[29:44] gave the quote. Um the the solar company

[29:49] actually looked at some other quotes um

[29:52] and uh they felt comfortable um being

[29:56] able to provide us um with that amount

[29:58] of money. Now there's more to it because

[30:01] it's not you know one one of the things

[30:03] that uh in our conversation with deesse

[30:06] today um we learned that you know there

[30:09] are um systems in place and ways that

[30:12] the money um has to come to us. It has

[30:15] to be done appropriately. However, um

[30:18] given that uh we um had we're working on

[30:22] those conversations um

[30:26] in the in the midst of this just as we

[30:28] were getting close um the company has

[30:30] run into a little bit of a delay uh in

[30:33] terms of making the cut through from our

[30:37] road over to where the power lines are.

[30:40] It's um short short distance. Um and so

[30:44] they're trying to work that out. So

[30:45] there's been a little bit of a delay. Um

[30:48] but they uh are very positive. They

[30:51] think that the delay is only about six

[30:52] months. Um and uh it it makes me think

[30:58] that if we can um have the project of

[31:03] paving funded in a in a um in a

[31:06] different way um then it's a way for us

[31:10] to be able to reduce that capital

[31:12] request. um uh and move it either hold

[31:17] off uh and wait because we also um

[31:21] discover that the um town of Hansen

[31:24] wants to wait until um uh the fall and I

[31:28] know Miss Green is here. Um and so um

[31:34] uh so so we would have to wait for that

[31:36] anyway and that would then lead if the town of Whitman didn't have a

[31:40] fall town meeting it would end up back

[31:41] in at the spring anyway no matter what.

[31:45] And so, um, that concept of this is

[31:48] going to get delayed until the spring

[31:50] anyway, um, works in the favor of, um,

[31:55] you know, accepting, uh, this, um,

[31:58] donation or however this works, um, from

[32:01] the, um, from the solar company, um, and

[32:04] gives us the ability to, um, take it off

[32:08] of capital at this point.

[32:14] more to it.

[32:16] Shall I keep going?

[32:17] >> No.

[32:20] >> So, that would be my recommendation. Um,

[32:24] it's uh we're the the the articles went

[32:28] to the two towns through um uh through

[32:32] the business office through um

[32:35] superintendent's office. Um, so the

[32:38] reason it's an action item is really to

[32:41] um allow me um the permission or give me

[32:47] the permission to uh resend those

[32:50] requests um to the two town uh

[32:53] administrators.

[32:56] So, first of all, as somebody who sits

[32:58] on our capital and operations um

[33:01] subcommittee, there were a lot of other

[33:04] projects that we also had that we would

[33:06] have liked to have done. The longer we

[33:08] wait, the more the those

[33:10] >> areas deteriorate.

[33:12] Um, so I I feel like I I understand that

[33:18] we're

[33:19] doing what we can to ease the burden on

[33:21] the towns, but at the same time it might

[33:24] come back later as a more expensive

[33:26] cost. Um, and then throwing my realtor

[33:29] hat on. Um, are we giving them a right

[33:33] of way? Is that like a an easement? Um,

[33:37] what what is it that legally we're

[33:39] giving them? Um, can we legally because

[33:43] we lease the we don't own the property,

[33:47] right? So, like has this been run

[33:49] through the lawyers? Like all of that

[33:51] fun type of

[33:53] >> legal questions, I guess.

[33:55] >> Yeah, we've we've run some some of the

[33:58] initial thoughts um through council. Um,

[34:02] but it this is going to need to be

[34:03] firmed up um and we have to get clarity

[34:06] on what that is. the the the request

[34:09] from the company um is simply the use of

[34:14] the road um to be able to cut across um

[34:18] over to that property. We don't own

[34:20] anything beyond the road. So, they're

[34:22] just using our road to go into um the uh

[34:26] the right way the

[34:29] >> of the of the road. I know what you're

[34:32] asking about is what what off the off of

[34:35] the road are we giving them permission

[34:37] for and is that a right of way?

[34:39] >> So,

[34:40] >> no, if if we allow them to use our road,

[34:43] then that's that's establishing a legal

[34:46] precedent for the company to continue.

[34:49] And I don't know what the parameters of

[34:51] it are as far as that goes, but I just I think that it's wonderful that the

[34:58] company's willing to help us out. I am

[35:01] very concerned, however, about

[35:03] postponing projects. And if they're

[35:05] willing to help us out with this, but we

[35:07] could maybe get this taken care of

[35:09] sooner because that lot is

[35:12] >> very dangerous, then they could help us

[35:15] out with some of the other paving

[35:16] projects. For instance, the student lot

[35:18] here at the high school needs to be

[35:20] redone. The fire road here at the high

[35:22] school needs to be redone. So, it's not

[35:24] like there's a shortage of places where

[35:26] that money could benefit us down the

[35:28] road. And I'm just very concerned about

[35:31] us

[35:33] um you know delaying things especially

[35:38] now that there's some bumps that we

[35:41] might be hitting. So

[35:44] >> I'm going to do two things. One is going

[35:46] to be a question. Um it is my

[35:48] understanding that the regional school

[35:50] owns this building but leases the other

[35:53] buildings. Correct. So

[35:55] >> this building is is ours and the others

[35:57] are leased. Okay. And then um within the

[36:01] same context of that and Stephanie

[36:04] mentioned precedents are we is is it on

[36:08] the table that we will be doing a lease

[36:11] for a period of time access of say 30

[36:14] years or something or is it is it just

[36:16] fullon access

[36:18] >> because that can end up being an

[36:20] easement.

[36:20] >> Yeah. No, I hear you. So we won't have

[36:23] anything to do with the solar project or

[36:26] whatever. different property. So, um the agreement would be that we're

[36:34] allowing them to use a road that they're

[36:38] going to create on their own property.

[36:41] Um and use but use our road. Yeah. The

[36:43] question is that small amount that might

[36:47] be considered an easement or a

[36:49] >> Okay.

[36:50] >> Yeah. I have to figure that out. And

[36:52] then to continue on, um,

[36:56] just back to what Stephanie said, when

[36:59] you're considering your costs, you're

[37:02] considering a long-term view when you're

[37:04] doing a municipal thing. You're not

[37:05] considering the, "Oh, we get a deal

[37:07] today and we're not going to see it

[37:09] again because those things are rotating

[37:12] every single year." And and the sooner

[37:14] you can get to them, the reduced costs

[37:16] of the overall. We've seen this and I

[37:19] and she brings up a great point because

[37:20] we saw that we had to build a whole new

[37:23] middle school because we didn't address

[37:26] uh leaks in a roof in in a proper and

[37:29] timely full-on manner. We have other

[37:32] leaks in other roofs and other issues.

[37:34] So, a real thought on uh c and I also

[37:40] understand I was at the meeting last

[37:41] night that where you're at. So just some

[37:45] I think she brings up a valid point and I and well understanding the

[37:49] situation you're in at the same time if

[37:50] it's possible um to think long term

[37:55] >> as well.

[37:58] >> Mr. Ry,

[38:01] >> this is more of a procedural question,

[38:03] but it's probably too late to change the

[38:06] town meeting warrant at this point

[38:07] anyway, is it not?

[38:08] >> No, we can just pass over it. We can't

[38:10] just pass over,

[38:11] >> right? But so if it we could perhaps

[38:14] give Mr. Dr. Marcus two weeks to firm up

[38:18] some of these details before we make any

[38:20] decisions if there's no actual change to

[38:22] the

[38:23] >> warrant. Oh, I see what you're saying.

[38:25] >> Can I ask just quickly that because I

[38:28] think you mentioned earlier and in past

[38:31] I think it was mentioned that the

[38:34] capital is actually outside the warrant.

[38:36] is it wasn't sent over as

[38:39] >> it's it's outside the assessment, right?

[38:41] So, it's it own

[38:42] >> set out in ours. We we didn't have it in

[38:45] the assessment. So, he can we could vote

[38:47] to do that at any time, couldn't we?

[38:49] What is it?

[38:52] >> Not that I want to. I'm just saying just

[38:54] for procedural reason, you know.

[38:56] >> So, at this point with I know for sure

[38:59] Hanson's warrant is closed, I believe.

[39:01] >> Oh, the warrant being closed. Okay.

[39:02] Thank you. like we would be talking

[39:03] about someone getting up at town meeting

[39:05] and tableabling the article or passing

[39:07] it over because we don't need the money,

[39:09] >> right?

[39:10] >> So, we don't need to

[39:11] >> if we have things that we would like to

[39:13] see further clarified, we don't need to

[39:16] vote tonight. We could vote the 29th.

[39:18] >> Okay.

[39:18] >> Um which would still be the week before

[39:20] both town meetings.

[39:21] >> Perfect. Thank you.

[39:27] » Okay. So

[39:28] >> it

[39:29] >> to hold

[39:31] to table it till

[39:34] >> second

[39:36] motion.

[39:37] >> Okay. So we have a motion to second the

[39:39] table to the 29th.

[39:41] >> Okay. All in favor?

[39:44] >> All right. Thank you.

[39:45] >> All right. Um we're zipping right along.

[39:49] Um next up we have approval of meeting

[39:51] minutes for March 11th and March 25th.

[39:54] Motion to approve.

[39:56] >> Uh the minutes for the 25th,

[40:02] >> right? May the 25th.

[40:03] >> Yeah.

[40:04] >> Um the executive session portion has um

[40:08] one person vote listed as abstained and

[40:10] then says the motion passed unanimously.

[40:12] >> Is that I don't think it's technically

[40:14] true, right? Okay.

[40:18] >> Miss Black. Um, also on the um the

[40:22] minutes for the 25th um the numbers the

[40:27] figures for the warrant subcommittee um

[40:29] were not listed in there. They were

[40:31] listed on the other one. I think for

[40:33] continuity it would make sense. I did

[40:35] already send them to Jen, but um if we

[40:38] can just update the minutes to to

[40:40] reflect the amounts that were that were

[40:42] approved. Y

[40:45] >> any other comments? All right. All

[40:48] right. So, can I have a motion to

[40:48] approve these?

[40:49] >> You have a motion,

[40:50] >> but I guess with the amendment with

[40:52] those changes

[40:53] >> with those changes.

[40:54] >> Yeah. So, do we get a second on the one

[40:55] that motion that you

[40:56] >> No,

[40:56] >> I don't know. I was second.

[40:58] >> So, well, no. I think we want to make a

[41:00] motion to do with the changes.

[41:01] >> I believe Mr. Boyce made a motion with

[41:03] the amendments.

[41:03] >> Oh, did you?

[41:05] >> Yes.

[41:05] >> Okay.

[41:07] >> Is there a second?

[41:07] >> Second.

[41:08] Chris. Okay. All right. All in

[41:09] favor?

[41:11] >> All right.

[41:13] Okay. So, next up we have subcommittee

[41:15] reports starting with uh Miss Blackman.

[41:18] All right. So, um we did um good luck.

[41:21] >> I do have a report here in the um

[41:26] in your packets for you. So um on we've

[41:30] met so sub policy subcommittee met on

[41:33] April 1st and again on April 8th um we

[41:36] reviewed a number of um policies which

[41:40] are listed on both the front and the

[41:43] back of your um the paper and um most we

[41:50] um decided to move forward to the full

[41:53] committee and you have those in your

[41:56] March and April

[41:58] um folders. Um there was one that Mr.

[42:03] Trestle got a little twitchy about which

[42:05] dealt with um fussing. Um so we skipped

[42:08] over that because we want to wait until

[42:11] we have a um an updated regional

[42:14] agreement um to make sure that we're in

[42:17] line with the regional agreement. And

[42:19] then um there were several um that we

[42:22] tabled um from this last meeting because

[42:25] we wanted feedback from food services

[42:27] because they were related to food

[42:29] services and um Mr. Pharaoh got us

[42:33] answers the next day which was amazing

[42:35] but we can't um approve those until our

[42:38] next meeting which is not until May

[42:41] 13th. So, um, I guess my only question

[42:45] is does anybody have any questions about

[42:47] any of the

[42:49] troublemaker? All right, Mr. Murphy.

[42:52] >> I It's not really troublemaking, I don't

[42:54] think.

[42:54] >> No.

[42:55] >> Um, the DB policy for regional school

[42:58] district annual budget refers to a

[43:00] finance subcommittee, which I don't

[43:02] think we actually hold. So, I don't know

[43:04] if that needs to be adjusted to budget

[43:07] subcommittee.

[43:10] » Um,

[43:12] Which one is this? Sorry,

[43:13] >> this is a DB

[43:14] >> DB.

[43:15] >> And this is the um fourth paragraph. It

[43:17] says at the discretion of the finance

[43:19] subcommittee, an informal public

[43:20] information meeting may be held to

[43:22] solicit input from the general public.

[43:24] >> And then it it refers to the finance

[43:26] subcommittee again like two sentences

[43:28] later.

[43:29] >> So I think we did talk about that. So

[43:32] that might just be a thing we missed.

[43:34] >> So

[43:35] >> um

[43:36] >> I can appreciate the vast amount of

[43:39] policy you've been looking at.

[43:40] >> Yes. Yes, you can see by the thickness

[43:42] of the packets how much we've been going

[43:44] through. Um, but one of the things that

[43:48] I guess I will put before this committee

[43:50] to consider um is the naming of the

[43:55] committees and what different committees

[43:57] all stand for. Right now, we seem to

[43:59] have a lot of committees. um a finance

[44:04] committee in other districts anyway that

[44:07] I've looked at incorporates

[44:10] the budget, the warrant and maybe like

[44:14] capital or something along those lines.

[44:16] So, they're looking at a broader picture

[44:18] of I don't know if that's something that

[44:20] we want to consider at some point when

[44:24] we reorganize. But um

[44:29] I I guess my only concern is making sure

[44:32] that we're

[44:34] with policy broad enough that we're not

[44:36] pigeonholding ourselves but at the same

[44:38] time not doing anything um too minute

[44:43] but I am open to the will of the committee. Any

[44:54] other comments or questions for Miss

[44:56] Blackman?

[44:59] >> Do do we want to make a decision about

[45:01] finance committee versus budget finance

[45:04] subcommittee?

[45:04] >> We

[45:05] >> we're discussing so that

[45:07] >> is this the first reading second read on this. So

[45:13] we would we can certainly make that

[45:15] adjustment.

[45:17] And then just just reading it in the

[45:20] paragraph,

[45:22] I don't even I mean I suppose budget

[45:24] subcommittee would make a little more

[45:26] sense, but says the superintendent and

[45:29] members of the finance subcommittee will

[45:31] make every effort to fully inform all

[45:33] member communities and their officials

[45:34] of the budget plans of the district.

[45:37] then um at the discretion of the finance

[45:40] subcommittee and or I guess prior an

[45:42] informal public information meeting may

[45:44] be held to solicit input from the

[45:46] general public

[45:48] like what is an informal public

[45:50] information meeting seems oxymoronic to

[45:54] me um and isn't that like is this not

[45:58] our public budget hearing or is that

[46:00] totally different because to me that's

[46:02] what it sounds like in which case I

[46:05] wouldn't I would recommend not

[46:06] specifying ing a subcommittee because we

[46:08] just do that as a committee.

[46:10] >> I mean, the next sentence is in

[46:11] accordance with the district agreement,

[46:12] a public hearing shall be held. So, it

[46:14] sounds like it's two separate things,

[46:16] >> which is weird.

[46:18] >> So, if it's two separate things,

[46:20] >> the spirit of this and when we talked

[46:22] about it was that the budget

[46:25] subcommittee as it currently exists does

[46:28] have the ability for the public to go

[46:29] there. Okay.

[46:30] >> So, I think these words would be so

[46:32] that's the informal public to talk about

[46:34] things in the subcommittee that have to

[46:37] get brought to the full committee, but

[46:38] it wouldn't be the public hearing or

[46:40] anything like that. It would be when you

[46:41] have the budget subcommittee, whoever

[46:43] wanted to go could hear the context of

[46:46] what's taking place with the finances.

[46:48] >> Okay, that makes sense.

[46:49] >> The existing policy calls also says that

[46:52] you can hold an informal public

[46:53] information meeting. It just leaves the

[46:55] subcommittee part out,

[46:57] >> right? And so in that case, that would

[46:59] be just our open like our meetings. M

[47:03] >> that's probably because we have had a

[47:05] budget subcommittee standing budget

[47:08] subcommittee

[47:09] >> right yep

[47:12] >> so is there any

[47:14] >> Mr.

[47:15] And if I'm reading the the

[47:19] table of contents on the front here, DB

[47:21] is mass recommendation. So this this

[47:23] policy here is basically just

[47:27] in is it adding language from the mask

[47:30] policy or is this is exactly what the

[47:32] mask policy says?

[47:34] >> This is the mask policy.

[47:36] >> Okay.

[47:41] I mean I I understand uh TJ's point

[47:45] about you know we don't have a finance

[47:47] subcommittee so this doesn't give

[47:49] discretion to the budget subcommittee

[47:52] this gives discretion to a subcommittee

[47:54] that doesn't exist right

[47:56] >> so I think and I understand what you're

[47:57] saying about well maybe we when we

[47:59] reorganize we have the ability to

[48:01] >> change wording or or change the name of

[48:03] some of these committees and whatnot I I

[48:04] do think it would it there's value in

[48:07] having it match what we do have.

[48:09] >> And then if it's something that through

[48:11] reorganization or through creation of

[48:13] new subcommittees or merging of

[48:15] subcommittees we change that that could

[48:17] always go back to the policy committee

[48:19] to modify that that title. Correct.

[48:22] >> Um would the full committee be open to

[48:26] budget finance subcommittee? Therefore

[48:30] we can cover both bases.

[48:37] » I am budget and finance subcommittee. I

[48:40] don't

[48:40] >> budget finance sub so that that it's

[48:42] either or type of a thing, but are we

[48:44] going to have a finance subcommittee?

[48:47] >> It would be the same committee doing

[48:49] >> same things with a new name.

[48:52] >> Do you have to have the committees that

[48:54] are listed or these are just rules? If

[48:56] you have the committee, say the budget

[48:59] every year, usually you make a a

[49:01] five-year plan, you know, you wouldn't

[49:04] have the budget every year. Hopefully,

[49:08] >> we have an operating

[49:09] >> I think the the point I made before you came back in was like right

[49:13] now we're we're giving discretion to an

[49:16] entity that doesn't currently exist. So,

[49:19] you're right. I mean, you know, you call

[49:22] it whatever you call it. It is what it

[49:23] is. But I think I I think your

[49:25] compromise is fine because it it is at

[49:27] least giving discretion and giving some

[49:29] level of authority to a subcommittee

[49:31] that actually exists as opposed to one

[49:33] that could theoretically exist at some

[49:36] date in the future.

[49:37] >> So if we want to do it budget or budget

[49:41] finance subcommittee, I'm fine with

[49:42] that. But I think including the budget

[49:44] subcommittee that does exist in that

[49:46] wording is important.

[49:48] >> Okay.

[49:54] Any other questions about any of the

[49:56] policies before you?

[49:59] >> Thank you. You did a wonderful job. You

[50:01] all did.

[50:04] » It's really Miss Blackman. I just

[50:06] >> Oh,

[50:06] >> I just sit there.

[50:07] >> You just look pretty, right?

[50:09] >> Does his Richie Cunningham thing.

[50:11] >> He does the Richie.

[50:12] >> Not Not the case.

[50:14] >> I I think you play.

[50:15] >> So, these are all second reads.

[50:16] >> Um, so the first packet is second reads

[50:18] and then the second packet is first

[50:20] reads. Okay, that's confusing.

[50:25] >> They're in two separate folders in your

[50:29] >> I'm just being different.

[50:30] >> Now, which one is which?

[50:32] >> Very funny.

[50:34] >> I I specifically put current and mask

[50:37] versioned

[50:38] and I tried to be clear about what it

[50:41] was that we were doing for

[50:45] adjustments, right? But again, we're

[50:48] covering

[50:50] >> a multipleyear project in very few

[50:53] months. So

[50:55] >> So for this second read, it's just a

[50:59] second read. There's no vote or anything

[51:01] required for tonight. There's

[51:03] >> George's

[51:04] >> you could if you've already discussed it

[51:06] at the second read you could make the

[51:08] motion to wave the third read and accept

[51:11] then make the motion to accept as the

[51:14] second read that first packet then that

[51:16] would be clear the decks that she's done

[51:19] a lot of work and then the next time you

[51:21] just go into the regular second read of

[51:24] tonight's first

[51:24] >> read

[51:26] just require that every motion to wave

[51:29] third and then move forward

[51:31] >> I'm Sorry.

[51:32] >> Oh, no. No. It's okay.

[51:33] >> I move to wave reading and accept.

[51:36] >> Okay. It's not okay now cuz I was going

[51:38] to say something.

[51:40] >> It was okay if you were going to say

[51:41] something. Skip over me.

[51:42] >> Okay. So, we have a first time have a

[51:43] second. Then we'll have

[51:45] >> n discussion. Now you get to discuss.

[51:48] >> Okay. Oh, wow.

[51:49] >> Now I got to apologize for Chris.

[51:51] >> Cry over here.

[51:52] >> Um, first of all,

[51:56] this is really good work. I uh if it is

[52:01] you as we've been told I and and your

[52:04] attention to the public uh I I I've

[52:06] gotten a couple of phone calls saying

[52:08] that this committee really um listened

[52:11] and uh allowed for a lot of dialogue

[52:13] with the public. This is amazing and I

[52:16] want to I want to thank everybody who worked on this from uh those on my

[52:20] our committee to those out in the public

[52:23] who contributed. Um thank you so much.

[52:27] Great work. Thank you.

[52:29] >> And I definitely do not do it alone.

[52:31] >> Mr. Pharaoh and Dr. Samayweis also

[52:35] >> and staff and staff. I'm including you

[52:37] as the public.

[52:37] >> Yes.

[52:39] >> Yeah.

[52:41] >> All right. So, we have a first and

[52:43] second to

[52:44] uh wave the second reading and move to a

[52:47] vote. So, it will be two votes, right?

[52:49] It'll be a vote to move it to the second

[52:50] reading and then we'll have a move uh to

[52:52] wave the second reading and then third

[52:55] the third reading.

[52:55] >> Yeah, wave the third. I didn't I didn't

[52:57] read this. I didn't read the second

[52:58] time. So, I'm waving both of them

[52:59] >> and accept with the change.

[53:00] >> I only read it once.

[53:02] >> That's for yourself.

[53:03] >> Yeah.

[53:04] >> So, so we have a motion to wave the

[53:05] third reading. I'll step

[53:07] >> all in favor. Okay. And then can I have

[53:10] a motion to um accept these policies

[53:13] with the the added change of budget

[53:15] finance committee?

[53:16] >> Can I can Oh, you do it.

[53:18] >> Motion.

[53:19] >> Okay.

[53:20] >> Second.

[53:20] Any discussion?

[53:23] Okay. All in favor? All right. Very

[53:26] good. Thank you.

[53:29] >> Okay.

[53:30] >> Um,

[53:32] is that is that all for policy, Miss

[53:34] Blackman?

[53:35] >> Um, I believe so.

[53:38] >> Yes.

[53:38] >> Because this other one's first reading,

[53:40] right?

[53:40] >> This is the first packet is first

[53:42] reading.

[53:42] >> Yep.

[53:44] >> All right. So, now turning turning

[53:46] things over to Miss Blackman for the

[53:48] warrant subcommittee.

[53:50] >> So, the warrant subcommittee met on

[53:53] April 3rd. At that time, we reviewed and

[53:55] signed the accounts payable warrant in

[53:56] the amount of $6182,75741,

[54:01] the food services warrant for $55,561,

[54:06] and the payroll warrant for 1,647,294.

[54:12] There were no warrants for the Whitman

[54:13] Middle School building project at that

[54:15] time. And I need a motion to approve the

[54:18] payment of said warrants.

[54:20] >> So moved.

[54:22] >> Second.

[54:22] >> All right. Any discussion? All in favor?

[54:26] All right. All right. And now, attorney

[54:29] Blackman. No, actually, Mr. Voice. Mr.

[54:31] >> Mr. Boyce with the Pilgrim Area

[54:33] Collaborative.

[54:34] >> So, we did meet um our April meeting was

[54:37] last Thursday. Um there were two of us,

[54:41] uh Tendra Stson from Marshfield and

[54:45] myself who serve on the budget

[54:47] subcommittee. And this was we started an

[54:49] hour earlier so that we could get in our

[54:52] time with um our business manager

[54:57] um and obviously our executive director.

[55:00] So we had covered quite a bit the big

[55:04] and it was the biggest thing on our

[55:06] agenda for our regular meeting. You can

[55:09] see we're just over $11 million for our

[55:12] presentation of the FY27 budget.

[55:16] uh there would no there's a few key

[55:18] highlights below but basically um

[55:23] it's not just no uh significant

[55:25] additions or or no new positions were

[55:28] added but really it was the across the

[55:31] board 3% increase and you can see that

[55:34] can vary with collaborives between three

[55:37] and 5%. Um

[55:41] this actually though, you know, and I

[55:43] think when I started 10 years ago,

[55:46] um representing us at the collaborative,

[55:49] it was way down in the 50s or 60s. So

[55:52] now we're at 74,000. And I'm not selling

[55:56] that as a you know, that's that's a

[55:58] terrible thing. We're keeping pace with

[56:00] the others and we're being mindful. The

[56:04] 3% does also go across the board for a

[56:07] lot of services. I didn't bring the

[56:10] whole services list and I thought maybe

[56:12] there would have been a little bit of

[56:13] detail but um that was left off. But we

[56:16] do have our second read uh for the

[56:19] budget next month or second go through.

[56:23] We'll have the budget subcommittee May

[56:25] 7th before the regular May 7th meeting.

[56:28] So there still be more to come from that

[56:30] and I know we'll probably get a lot more

[56:33] um completed documentation.

[56:36] We also had policy updates

[56:40] 4,000 and 6,000 series that were

[56:43] introduced as a first read and as you

[56:45] can see from here it's an ongoing effort

[56:48] uh to review and revise pack policies.

[56:51] Uh Mr. Blackman, you probably would have

[56:54] enjoyed this but maybe you would have

[56:55] found this is enough. I don't need to

[56:57] see any more policies. But anyways, um

[57:01] obviously with compliance law compliance

[57:03] and and desi regulations and I know we

[57:06] have it on the pack website,

[57:10] but don't think that these are right up

[57:12] because it's the first read right up

[57:15] there in black and white. We are still

[57:17] going through. Um now Becky does a great

[57:20] job for us putting together the

[57:22] documentation and so forth. Um, so we're

[57:26] still with that. And then PAC has turned

[57:29] 50 years old this year.

[57:32] >> And they had during that day, I wasn't a

[57:36] part of it or or I I know a few people

[57:38] were um a celebration at the uh Pilgrim

[57:43] Area Coll um the Pilgrim Academy

[57:47] uh in Plymouth. Uh, Representative

[57:51] Michelle Badger was a former pack

[57:56] representative from Plymouth. Um, she

[57:59] left a couple years ago and she ran for

[58:04] office and congratulations to her. I

[58:07] think she took office maybe last year.

[58:09] Um, but she and Kendra and myself and

[58:13] Sheila have been the long-standing

[58:16] members. And I just like to mention that

[58:18] because I I often hear from Kendra or

[58:22] Michelle in the past, well, who who's

[58:25] going to be chair? Who's going to be

[58:26] chair? And you guys can do it. You're

[58:29] doing great with it. So, uh, this year

[58:31] it's actually Sheila uh, Vaughn uh, from

[58:34] Kingston who is our chair. So, just

[58:36] adding a few pieces there. If you have

[58:39] any questions, let me know. Um, I always

[58:42] like the repeat piece like the SSC and

[58:45] the other uh collaboratives that we

[58:47] belong to.

[58:49] >> Thank you.

[58:50] Mr. Boyce. Any questions for

[58:51] Mr. Boyce?

[58:54] >> Okay.

[58:55] >> Um, Mr. Wy, do we have anyone on the

[58:59] >> No, there's no one in the

[59:00] >> Okay. And there's no one um that signed

[59:03] up in person for hold comments. So, um

[59:05] we're going to vote to go into executive

[59:07] session. Before we do that, I do want to

[59:10] um thank Jason Cook um for all the work

[59:12] that he did. Um we are experimenting

[59:14] with ways to allow people who cannot

[59:17] physically be here at the um in our

[59:20] space to be able to contribute to public

[59:21] comment. Um he has acquired for us from

[59:25] WHCA a device called the owl, which is

[59:27] what this thing that's like looking at

[59:29] me the whole meeting.

[59:32] >> It literally says owl.

[59:33] >> It says owl on it. Looks like an owl. Um

[59:35] and as if you might have seen this on

[59:37] the agendas, but there's a meeting link

[59:39] and that'll be there for every meeting

[59:41] so that individuals that are not able to

[59:42] attend um in person, you know,

[59:45] especially, you know, people that might

[59:46] be disabled or have difficulty traveling

[59:48] would be able to participate in public

[59:49] comment with us uh through this method.

[59:51] And I just want to thank Jason because

[59:53] he and I have been working and I say he

[59:54] and I have been working on it, which is

[59:55] like I'm like Jason, can you figure out

[59:56] how to do this? And then Jason just did

[59:58] all the work, but I'm taking partial

[59:59] credit for it as well. Um,

[1:00:02] so

[1:00:04] somebody's got there's got to be one

[1:00:05] person who asks, right? The person. But

[1:00:08] I I just want to thank Jason um for all

[1:00:09] the work that he did to put this

[1:00:10] together today and all the work he does

[1:00:12] for the school and for the school

[1:00:14] committee throughout the whole year as

[1:00:16] well because it's uh he is one heck of a

[1:00:18] chap. So I just want to thank him for

[1:00:19] that. Um so

[1:00:26] um with that I am we are going to be

[1:00:28] entering into two executive sessions. Um

[1:00:30] we will not be returning after uh only

[1:00:32] to adjourn. Um so the first executive

[1:00:35] session is to discuss strategy with

[1:00:36] respect collective bargaining or

[1:00:38] litigation if an open meeting may have

[1:00:39] detrimental effect on the bargaining or litigating position of the public

[1:00:43] body and the chair so declares and I do

[1:00:45] declare um for unit B and unit C. Um,

[1:00:48] and the second one is to comply with or

[1:00:50] act under the authority of any general

[1:00:51] or specific law or federal grant and aid

[1:00:54] requirements. And that is to approve

[1:00:55] executive session meeting minutes for

[1:00:56] February 4th, March 11th, and March

[1:00:58] 25th. So, I'm going to um I need a

[1:01:01] motion to go into executive session.

[1:01:04] >> So moved.

[1:01:04] >> Second.

[1:01:05] >> Okay. It's going to be a roll call vote.

[1:01:07] Mr. Boyce,

[1:01:08] >> yes.

[1:01:08] >> Miss Diffen,

[1:01:09] >> yes.

[1:01:09] >> Mr. Degraio,

[1:01:10] >> yes.

[1:01:10] >> Mr. Ralphie,

[1:01:11] >> yes.

[1:01:11] >> Mr. Trestle, yes. Mr. Marks,

[1:01:13] >> yes.

[1:01:13] >> Miss Hill,

[1:01:14] >> yes.

[1:01:14] >> Mr. McCllum,

[1:01:15] >> yes.

[1:01:16] >> And Miss Blackman,

[1:01:17] >> yes. Okay. All right, everybody. Thank

[1:01:19] you very much for coming out. Um, and

[1:01:21] we'll see you all. Our next meeting is

[1:01:23] the 29th, the Wednesday after vacation.

[1:01:25] Um, we also have a budget subcommittee

[1:01:27] meeting that day as well. So, hope to

[1:01:29] see you all there. Have a great vacation

[1:01:31] for those that

[1:01:32] >> here. We're going upstairs. Great

[1:01:34] vacation. What?

[1:01:35] >> I have a picture.

Whitman-Hanson Regional School District, School Committee - April 15, 2026 Meeting

Transcript