Mar 18, 2024 Board of Education

[1.01 Pledge of Allegiance]

[00:00:11]

MEETING SPECIAL TO ORDER. I LIKE TO START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE AND A MOMENT OF SILENCE.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A WORK SESSION WITH STAFF TO BE PREPARED TO SEND THE BUDGET TO THE COMMISSIONERS. MY GOAL AND HOPE IS THAT EACH DEPARTMENT WILL GO THROUGH THE BOOK AND FIND OUT WHAT AREAS THAT YOU SEE THAT WE COULD POSSIBLY MAKE SOME CUT, AND ALSO WITH MY COLLEAGUES AND I TO REALLY DO THE WORK TO TRY TO COME UP WITH SOME SO WE CAN HAVE A UNIFIED BUDGET TO SEND TO THE COMMISSIONERS. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE MUST DO, SO TODAY, THE HOPE AND PRAYER IS THAT WE CAN REALLY DIG DEEP, WORK HARD, SEND SOMETHING TO THE COMMISSIONERS, AND THEN ONCE THEY HAVE THE MEETING, THERE IS STILL PROBABLY WORK TO DO AFTER THAT. ONCE YOU GET THIS, I'M HOPING THAT WE REALLY GET SOMETHING WITH THE

[1.02 Budget Work Session with Staff]

>> GOOD MORNING, PRESIDENT DWIGHT AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY AND BOARD OF EDUCATION. WE ARE HERE TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, WE CAN SKIP OVER THOSE AND MOVE ONTO THE NEXT AREA. WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OUTLINE AN ORDER OF EVENT IN WHICH WE CAN GO. SO WITHOT FURTHER ADO, IF THAT'S OKAY

WITH THE TEAM. >> THAT IS FINE.

>> SO CAPITAL OUTLINE IS ON PAGE FIVE, AND WE HAVE MEMBERS OF MY TEAM, MR. JOHNSON, MR. NAVARO TO OFFER SUPPORT.

>> I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS.

ACTUALLY, THIS IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A SIMILAR QUESTION FOR EVERYBODY THAT IS HERE. BUT IN -- YOU KNOW, THE LAST NUMBER OF MONTHS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I HAVE SPECIFICALLY BEEN REQUESTING IS PROOF OR EVIDENCE WERE ANALYZATION OF SPECIFIC DEPARTMENTS HAS OCCURRED, AND WHERE THOSE BUDGET CUTS MAY HAVE BEEN MADE. SO THIS IS A VERY LARGE QUESTIO, RIGHT? BUT THIS IS WHAT SHOULD BE EASILY ANSWERED IF THESE THINGS HAVE BEEN HEARD. MY QUESTION IS, OF ALL OF THESE NUMBERS HERE, AND ALL OF THE PROJECT'S THAT ARE EITHER IN PROGRESS OR NEED TO BE IN PROGRESS, HOW MANY OF THESE HAVE BEEN ANALYZED ? HOW MANY COULD BE PUT ON HOLD? HOW MANY ARE IN PROGRESS WHERE WE'VE ALREADY STARTED AND LEGALLY WE CAN'T MOVE AWAY FROM THAT AND WE CAN'T CHANGE IT. WHAT COULD THE POTENTIAL COST SAVINGS BE OF ANY PROJECTS THAT WE DO DELAY?

>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT WHITE, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. I AM DIRECTOR OF SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION. I BELIEVE, THE BEST WAY FOR ME TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, IS TO STEP BACK A LITTLE BIT. TO PROVIDE YOU WITH AN OVERVIEW OF REALLY HOW THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BUDGET WITHIN THE OPERATING BUDGET INTERACT WITH THEIR C.O.P.. THIS IS A VERY SMALL FRACTION OF DOLLARS THAT GOES TO SUPPORT OUR CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM

[00:05:03]

FOR EXAMPLE, AT THE LOADING DOCK, AND THAT WINDY HILL MIDDLE SCHOOL. WE REDUCE THAT BY ABOUT $15,000. WE ALSO HAVE SOME CARPET AND MISCELLANEOUS SCHOOLS. WE REDUCED THAT VALUE BY $10,000. BUT REALLY, ESSENTIALLY, MOST OF THE WORK THAT OUR STAFF OF THREE DOES IS REPRESENTATIVE OUT OF THE CIP.

AND CURRENTLY, WE ARE MANAGING ABOUT 53 PROJECTS TO THE TUNE OF ABOUT $153 MILLION IN TERMS OF PLANNING AND PRODUCT MANAGEMENT AND DESIGN. I HOPE THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.

>> THINK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT. I DID HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION.

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SMALLER PROJECT WHERE YOU CAN REDUCE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT VERSUS ELIMINATE THEM, WHY WAS THERE A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A REDUCTION AND AN ELIMINATION ALTOGETHER? WHAT WAS BEHIND THAT, THE REDUCTION VERSUS THE

ELIMINATION OF IT ? >> SHIRT. SO IT IS DIFFICULT TO SOMETIMES GAUGE WHAT KIND OF RANGE YOU MAY NEED IN TERMS OF CONCRETE REPAIRS, FOR EXAMPLE, OR CARPET. SO ESSENTIALLY, IT REALLY IS A SCOPE REDUCTION TO REALLY ANALYZE WHAT AREAS ARE GOING TO BE MORE CRITICAL. WHAT DO WE ABSOLUTELY NEED TO GET DONE AT THIS POINT WITHIN THIS FISCAL YEAR? THAT'S HOW THE

ANALYSIS WAS DONE. >> SO OF THOSE, WAS THERE A DETERMINATION OF THE CRITICALITY FOR ANY OF THOSE? AND IS THERE A POTENTIAL THAT EVEN FURTHER COST COULD BE ELIMINATED, OR IS THIS REALLY THE BOTTOM LINE?

>> IT'S REALLY THE BOTTOM LINE. THESE PROJECTS, LIKE FOR EXAMPLE, THE CONCRETE THAT IS DISINTEGRATING AT A NUMBER OF THESE LOCATIONS, IS PRETTY CRITICAL. AND WE HAVE TO HAVE DOLLARS ALLOCATED WITHIN THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BUDGET. WE CAN'T PUT IT IN A RECURRING MAINTENANCE BUDGET. THOSE DOLLARS DO LIE WITHIN MY BUDGET. I WOULD SAY THAT THAT

IS FAIRLY CRITICAL. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU ARE WELCOME. >> REGARDING CAPITAL OUTLAY, ARE NO I KNOW OUR FIRST BUDGET BOOK WAS PUBLISHED ON THE 25TH.

1.2 MILLION APPROXIMATELY OF THE BUDGET WAS PUBLISHED ON MARCH 14TH. THE AMOUNT WAS STILL 1.2, BUT THERE WAS A VARIANCE OF ABOUT $11,200 IN THE AMOUNT. CAN THE DIFFERENCE BE EXPLAINED? ALSO, WHEN YOU REFER TO THE 450,000 THAT WAS REMOVED FOR THE PLANETARIUM, WAS THAT TAKEN INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN THE FIRST BUDGET BOOK WAS PUBLISHED?

>> GOOD MORNING. YES, THAT WAS. >> IF YOU COULD JUST EXPLAIN THAT $11,200 DIFFERENCE.

WHAT PART OF THE CAPITAL OUTLAY BUDGET THAT WAS.

>> IT'S IN CAPITAL OUTLAY OVERALL. AND I TOOK THE AMOUNT

[00:10:04]

IN CAPITAL OUTLAY, THERE WAS AN $11,200 CHANGE. AND I'M JUST NOT SURE WITHOUT GOING TO THE FULL BOOK AND DOING THEM IN TIRES READ SHEET TO CALCULATE EACH OF THE ACCOUNTS OF WHAT

CHANGED AND WHY. >> WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO START,

MR. JOHNSON? >> I HAVE THE ANSWER. THE BUDGET PRESENTED IN JANUARY DID NOT INCLUDE A $10,000 AMOUNT FOR COMPENSATED ABSENCES. THERE ARE TWO TIMES OF COMPENSATED ABSENCES. THIS IS FOR TWELVE-MONTH EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ELIGIBLE TO WORK VACATION DAYS. IT'S THE PAYOUT FOR UNUSED VACATION DAYS EARLY, PON COMPLETION OF SERVICE. THE SECOND TIME WE COMPENSATE ABSENCE IS A PAYMENT FOR UP TO FIVE UNUSED, EARNED VACATION DAYS. IT'S PAY DURING THE SUMMER AND EARLY FALL. THEY ARE ABLE TO CASH IN UP TO FIVE PREVIOUSLY EARNED BUT UNUSED VACATION DAYS.

>> AND SO OUT OF THOSE TWO POLICIES, IN REGARDS TO THE SECOND POLICY REGARDING THE FIVE UNUSED DAYS, IS THAT PUBLISHED IN ALL OF OUR NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS?

>> NO, BECAUSE IT'S NOT IN THE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS. WITH THE POSSIBLE EXCEPTION OF ONE OF THEM.

>> SO IT'S A SCHOOL SYSTEM POLICY?

>> IT'S A -- >> I SHOULDN'T SAY POLICY,

IT'S PROCEDURE. >> IT IS FOR ONE GROUP OF

EMPLOYEES. >> WHICH GROUP? THE MAC MEET

AND CONFER. >> MEET AND CONFER?

>> YES. >> SO FOR THE MEET AND CONFER, IS THAT THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES THAT WORK WITH CAPITAL OUTLAY?

>> THIS WAS STRICTLY FOR -- THE EMPLOYEES THAT ARE PART OF

CAPITAL OUTLAY. >> SO WHAT WITH THE FINANCIAL IMPACT BE IF WE DID NOT PAY OUT UP TO FIVE DAYS FOR EMPLOYEES IN ONE YEAR? WHAT WOULD THAT LOOK LIKE? THIS IS KIND OF LIKE TURNING OVER EVERY ROCK AND UNDERSTANDING THAT. WHAT WOULD

THAT LOOK LIKE? >> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO ESTIMATE THAT NUMBER. WE DO KNOW HOW MANY VACATION DAYS EMPLOYEES USE AND HAVE AVAILABLE. SOME MAY CHOOSE TO CASH IN SOME VACATION DAYS, OTHER EMPLOYEES CHOOSE TO LET THEM ACCUMULATE AT A HIGHER RATE THAT IS CAPPED.

>> I AM CURIOUS TO KNOW -- MAYBE NOT TODAY, BUT AFTER THIS -- WHAT THE METHODOLOGY BEHIND DOING THAT, OR HOW THAT POLICY OR PROCEDURE OR WHATEVER CAME ABOUT. WHY WE CREATED THAT, OR WHY WE DO THAT. THE HISTORY BEHIND IT, I WOULD BE CURIOUS

TO KNOW. >> THE MEET AND CONFER FOLLOWS THE CALVARY COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT. AND IN THE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, MEMBERS CAN CASH IN UP TO FIVE

DAYS OF PAID LEAVE. >> THANK YOU. SO IT'S ACTUALLY TWO GROUPS OF EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST ONE. THAT'S YOUR

CLARIFICATION? >> DEFINITELY, BUT IT ALSO POINTS TO THE CALVERT ASSOCIATION STAFF WITH RESPECT

TO TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. >> OH, FOR TERMINATION OF EMPLOYMENT. BUT NOT FOR CASHING IN. SO IT'S NEGOTIATED IN ONE, AND THEN A SECOND ONE GETS TO -- GOT YOU.

[00:15:03]

>> I APOLOGIZE FOR SPEAKING. >> THAT'S OKAY. I WAS JUST

WONDERING. >> BRINGING UP COMPENSATED ABSENCES, JUST WE CAN COVER THE WHOLE BUDGET, IT LOOKS TO ME LIKE WE -- OUR NEW BUDGET, AIMING REVISED BUDGET FOR 'FY 24 IS $148,000 ACROSS ADMIN AND PRINCIPLES AND SUPERVISORS AND -- I DIDN'T GET THE 10,000 IN CAPITAL OUTLAY, I THINK. BUT THAT NUMBER 2025, THE 448,000, HAS BEEN REDUCED TO 369,000.

THAT'S CLOSE TO AN $80,000 DROP, 18%. IS THAT A RISK, OR IS THAT JUST BASED ON THE FACT THAT LESS PEOPLE HAVE BEEN

UTILIZING THAT? >> IS BASED ON THE BEST ESTIMATE, AND THAT NUMBER WILL AGREE DEPENDING ON HOW MANY EMPLOYEES CHOOSE TO CASH IN THEIR VACATION DAYS AND WHAT THEIR BALANCES ARE UPON DEPARTURE.

>> I CAN IMAGINE THAT IS A VERY DIFFICULT NUMBER TWO GUEST. BUT JUST TO KNOW THAT IT IS DOWN, WE HAVE NOT GROWN THAT IN OUR

BUDGET FOR FY '25. >> ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? OKAY.

THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU. NEXT ON THE OUTLINE IS TRANSPORTATION WITH MR. HOOK, MR. NAVARO , AND MR.

JOHNSON. >> I GUESS I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT HOW WE TRANSITION, AND I SHOULD'VE THOUGHT ABOUT THIS WHEN SCOTT MADE HIS COMMENT ABOUT STAFF BEING ACCOUNTED FOR IN CAPITAL OUTLAY. WHAT IS THE METHODOLOGY BEHIND ACCOUNTING FOR STAFFING IN THE VARIOUS STATE EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES, OTHER THAN ADMINISTRATION OR UPPER-LEVEL ADMINISTRATION OR

INSTRUCTION? >> WHAT IS THE POLICY?

>> WHAT IS YOUR THINKING? I HAVE SEEN SOME SYSTEMS WERE STAFFING IS -- YOU ARE CLASSIFIED EITHER ADMINISTRATION, MID-LEVEL, OR INSTRUCTION. YOU ARE PUT IN ONE OF THOSE THREE STATE EXPENDITURE CATEGORIES. AND I'VE SEEN OTHER DISTRICT DO THIS ALSO. THEY PUT THE STAFFING IN THE CATEGORY WHERE IT RELATES TO THEIR WORK.

>> WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO CHARGE THE COST FOR SALARIES AND WAGES IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREA. FOR EXAMPLE, IN TRANSPORTATION, ALL THE COSTS FOR STUDENT TRANSPORTATION ARE IN THIS CATEGORY. ONE BIG EXCEPTION, HOWEVER, IS FOR FIXED COSTS.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, DENTAL, RETIREMENT, AT THAT ARE OF. WE DON'T SEE THOSE IN THE STUDENT TRANSPORTATION CATEGORIES.

>> OKAY. >> SO NEXT WE ARE GOING TO GO WITH TRANSPORTATION. PAGE 92. 90 3A. 93 A.

>> I WILL GET MY QUESTIONS OUT OF THE WAY. SO IT APPEARS THAT THE BUS CONTRACTS OVERALL, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE ABOUT A 3.7% INCREASE. 19.8 MILLION TO 20.7 MILLION. I HOPE I GOT THAT RIGHT. AND THE BIGGEST INCREASE WITHIN THAT IS SPECIAL ED. I DON'T KNOW IF THAT WAS JUST BECAUSE -- IF WE JUST HAPPENED TO START CHARGING ME THINGS TO THAT, OR IS IT TRULY -- IT'S A 10% INCREASE IN SPECIAL ED TRANSPORTATION. IT GOES UP TO $5.7 MILLION. IF YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THAT.

[00:20:02]

>> AND THE DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION. TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION, THIS KIND OF FELL IN MY LAP IN DECEMBER. LOOKING AT THE TRENDS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY HAVING RIGHT NOW IN TRANSPORTATION AND REGIONAL PROGRAMS, WE ARE LITERALLY A RUBBER BAND THAT IS STRETCHED AS FAR AS IT CAN STRETCH WITH ALL THE DIFFERENT PROGRAMS WE ARE TRYING TO GET STUDENTS TO DO THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY. I HAD ADDED IN TWO BUSES TO HELP REMEDIATE SOME OF THAT. HOWEVER, IN THE SAME TIMEFRAME THAT HAD BEEN HERE NOW AND I'VE BEEN LOOKING AT IT, WE HAVE BEEN DISCUSSING THE USE OF ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES, WHICH WAS WROUGHT UP IN A PREVIOUS MEETING. IF WE LOOK AT USING THE ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES, WE WOULD ACTUALLY BE ABLE TO TRIM PROBABLY FOUR OR FIVE OF OUR COUNTY BUSES, SO THAT WOULD BRING OUR NUMBER OF BUSES DOWN. ACTUALLY, OUR SPECIAL ED NUMBER WOULD COME DOWN FURTHER THAN PROPOSED. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE

AS HIGH. >> SUPER. SO YOU CAN REDO

THOSE FOR US? >> YES. WERE WORKING ON AN ANALYSIS RIGHT NOW WHAT THE COST SAVINGS WOULD BE.

THERE'S A LOT THAT GOES INTO IT. PURCHASING VEHICLES, HIRING DRIVERS THAT DRIVE THE VEHICLES. SO WE ARE JUST WORKING ON THE ANALYSIS RIGHT NOW FOR THE ACTUAL SAVINGS.

>> I WILL ALSO NOTE THAT THAT AMOUNT WILL VARY FROM YEAR TO YEAR, AND THERE IS SOME LEVEL OF UNPREDICTABILITY, BECAUSE WE SOMETIMES HAVE ROADS THAT NEED TO BE ADDED FOR PESCHEL ED, AND CONSEQUENTLY, THERE'S A HIGHER LEVEL OF UNCERTAINTY IN THIS ACCOUNT THEN THE TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNT.

>> SO WE HAVE THIS IN A SEPARATE BUDGET. I GUESS SO.

IT'S A 1.2 MILLION. PAGE 83. SO THAT'S CALLED -- THAT IS IN SPECIAL ED. IT'S NOT IN TRANSPORTATION. BUT IS THAT TRANSPORTATION? I DON'T KNOW IF ANYONE FROM SPECIAL ED THIS

YEAR. >> DR. ANDERSON WILL BE ABLE TO DISCUSS SPECIAL ED PAGES. HOWEVER, THAT'S THE TUITION.

IT'S NOT ANYTHING TO DO WITH -- OKAY. OKAY. GOOD. THAT'S NOT IN YOUR BUDGET. OKAY, SO THAT WAS MY ONE QUESTION. THERE IS A BIG OTHER CATEGORY FOR CONSULTANTS. OR IN THE CONTRACT SERVICES. $183,000. YOU KNOW WHAT THAT IS?

>> THE OTHER CONTRACT SERVICES ARE CONTRACTS WE HAVE FOR OUR GPS IS. THE CONTRACT WE HAVE FOR OUR ROUTING SOFTWARE, THESE ARE YEARLY COSTS THAT WE HAVE TO PAY THE COMPANY TO USE THEIR PRODUCT. IT WOULD ALSO BE FOR THE COMPANY THAT INSTALLS AND MAINTAINS OUR CAMERA SYSTEMS. IT'S FOR THE COUNTRY THAT MAINTAINS AN ALSO RADIATORS ON OUR BUSES. THOSE ARE THE CONTRACTED SERVICES. AND ACTUALLY, THAT NUMBER WILL PROBABLY COME DOWN AS WELL. I WAS AN ESTIMATE BASED ON THE OLD GPS CONTRACT. WE ACTUALLY GOT A BETTER DEAL ON IT, SO

THAT NUMBER WILL COME DOWN. >> THANKS FOR ANSWERING MY QUESTION, BECAUSE I KNOW WE DID A MOVEMENT ON A NEW CONTRACT FOR THE COMING YEAR, AND I'M VERY INTERESTED IN SEEING THE TECHNOLOGY GET UPGRADED, AS WELL AS

POTENTIAL SAVINGS HE MAKES. >> FROM A SAFETY AND SECURITY PREFERENCE, IS A PRIORITY TO MAKE SURE OUR DRIVERS AND CHILDREN ARE SAFE ON THE BUS FOR SURE. JUST GO BACK TO THE SPECIAL EDUCATION AND ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION, YOU AND I HAVE HAD SOME GENERAL TRANSPORTATION DISCUSSION. AND WHEN THAT DOCUMENTATION IS PRESENTED TO US, I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SEE -- ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I ASKED -- SORRY, A LOT OF THINGS IN MY BRAIN RIGHT NOW. I ASKED ABOUT FLEET VEHICLES AND WHAT THE LIABILITY INSURANCE IS AND HOW MUCH WE PAY FOR GAS. I WOULD ASK THAT ALL OF THAT BE INCLUDED IN THAT ESTIMATE YOU ARE GOING TO PROVIDE, BUT ALSO AS A CONTRAST TO THAT, WITH THE COST OF A SERVICE EXCLUSIVELY WOULD ALSO COST. THAT WOULD REALLY BE HELPFUL FOR ME

[00:25:03]

>> FRIDAY AFTER USE OAK WITH ME, I TALKED TO MY COUNTERPART OF THE SERVICE. I'M WAITING FOR A RESPONSE BACK ON WHAT

THEY FOUND. >> AND I KNOW THAT YOU GUYS ANALYZE OR ARE KEEPING TRACK OF THE NUMBER OF HOURS THAT BUSES ARE ON THE ROADS, RIGHT? AND I KNOW THAT IT WAS NEGOTIATED PREVIOUSLY BUT THERE WAS A MINIMUM OF EIGHT HOURS. AND IN THAT, KEEPING TRACK, I THINK IT'S SAFE TO SAY THAT THERE ARE A NUMBER OF BUSES. AND I'M NOT LOOKING AT YEARLY AVERAGE, I WOULD SAY THAT FOR CONTEXT. BUT THERE IS A NUMBER OF BUSES THAT ARE WRITTEN RUNNING LESS THAN EIGHT HOURS A DAY, AND IN SOME CASES, CAN VERBALLY LAST. AND I HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO TAKE THE TIME TO COME THROUGH ON THE BUS CONTRACTS, BUT I KNOW THAT OCCASIONALLY THERE PICKED UP. MAYBE IT'S A FIELD TRIP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY OR THINGS LIKE THAT. IS THERE A REQUIREMENT FOR A BUS TO PICK UP THE ROUTE, OR CAN THEY

DECLINE? >> FOR THAT M.O. YOU BY THE DRIVERS, THEY'RE SUPPOSED TO BE PICKING UP ADDITIONAL AS

PART OF THE EIGHT HOURS. >> ARE WE CONSISTENTLY SEEING THE ROUTES ARE BEING PICKED UP?

>> THERE'S BEEN A FEW THAT HAVE NOT, AND OTHER CONTRACTORS

TRY TO COVER FOR THAT BUS. >> THANK YOU.

>> ABOUT HOW MANY EMPLOYEES DO WE HAVE WHO TAKE VEHICLES HOME? DO WE HAVE EMPLOYEES THAT TAKE VEHICLES HOME?

>> NO. VEHICLES ARE PARKED IN FRONT OF THE OFFICE.

>> AND I GO BACK TO MY QUESTION? IF THERE'S ANOTHER BUS DRIVER OR INDIVIDUAL WHO NEEDS TO PICK UP THE ROUTE, AND THEY GO OVER EIGHT, WE HAVE TO PAY THEM AN ADDITIONAL NUMBER

OF MONEY, RIGHT? >> THEY WILL PAY THEM ANYTHING OVER EIGHT HOURS THAT THEY WORK.

>> SO IT'S NOT VERY FISCALLY RISK POSSIBLE OF US TO CONTINUE

TO DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT. >> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> MR. WHITE, SOMETIMES I'VE ALLOWED THE TRANSPORTATION STAFF TO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES HOME IN INCLEMENT WEATHER INSTEAD OF COMING INTO THE OFFICE AND PICKING UP THEIR

VEHICLE. >> AND YOU HAVE PEOPLE THAT ARE MAY BE ON CALL OR SOMETHING, THEY TAKE THEIR VEHICLES HOME SO THEY CAN WORK TO SOMETHING? AS FAR AS FACILITIES?

>> IT WAS THE DIRECTOR AND THE SUPERVISOR, THE TWO VEHICLES THAT WE HAVE. WE USED TO TAKE THEM HOME, THEN WE STARTED WEEPING THEM AT THE OFFICE. FOR ME, IT'S NOT A BIG DEAL. I LIVE ONE MILE FROM HERE. I GIVEN THE WORK VEHICLE AND GO WHEREVER I NEED TO GO. DURING BAD WEATHER, AT 1:00 IN THE MORNING, YOU CAN JUST GET IN THE CAR TARTED UP.

>> THANK YOU. >> I HAD A QUESTION. WITH THIS NEW FLEET OF ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES REPLACE THE TAXI COST? YES, UNLESS WE GO OVER THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ALTERNATIVE VEHICLE ROLES. A PERFECT EXAMPLE WOULD BE A LOT OF OUR TAXING COST FOR NORMALS DIDN'T WHERE WE CAN'T SEE HOW TO GET A BUS TO DO IT EFFICIENTLY. FOR INSTANCE, WE HAVE A STUDENT IN CHARLOTTE THAT GOES TO PATUXENT HIGH SCHOOL EVERY DAY, SO WE HAVE TO PICK THAT STUDENT UP WITH A TAXI BECAUSE HE COULDN'T FIND A WAY TO MAKE THE BUSES WORK WITH CHANGING BUSES. IT WOULD DEFINITELY CUT DOWN ON THE TAXI COST.

>> OF THE SERVICE THAT WE ARE LOOKING INTO POTENTIALLY

ALLEVIATES THEM OF THAT? >> IT COULD, YEAH. IF WE HIRED A SERVICE AND THEY PROMISED US THAT.

>> I NOTICED UNDER OTHER, THAT THERE'S OTHERS AND MISCELLANEOUS ARE ON THIS ONE. IT'S AN INCREASE OF 66.8. IS

THIS POSSIBLY UNDER OTHER? >> SURE, MR. JOHNSON.

ORIGINALLY, IN THE BUDGET I PROPOSED, IS ABOUT 150,000. MR. JOHNSON NOTICED THAT SOME OF OUR COST THIS YEAR WERE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER, AND I BELIEVE THAT THOSE COSTS ARE

[00:30:03]

>> IN ADDITION, IF I MAY ADD TO THAT LIPS 'FY 24, WHEN WE HAD A BUDGET TRANSFER THAT WILL INCREASE THAT AMOUNT TO REFLECT ACTUAL COST TODAY WITH REDEMPTION AND AIR

TRANSPORTATION ACCOUNTS. >> IC UNDER NEW TECHNOLOGY, THERE'S A 595% INCREASE. THAT'S NOT THE GPS?

>> I SPOKE AT THIS AT ONE OF OUR OTHER BOARD MEETINGS. OUR CAMERA SYSTEMS CURRENTLY ON OUR BUSES ARE BECOMING VERY ANTIQUATED. WE ACTUALLY HAVE THREE DIFFERENT TIMES OF CAMERA SYSTEMS. THREE DIFFERENT VERSIONS OF THE CAMERA SYSTEM.

THEY'RE TRYING TO GET RID OF THE VERY OLD SYSTEM FIRST TO REPLACE ALL 215 BUSES WOULD COST ABOUT $660,000. WERE TRYING TO BREAK IT UP OVER THREE YEARS. THAT WAY AT THE END OF THE THREE YEARS, WE WOULD HAVE ALL BRAND-NEW CAMERAS THIS AND IT WOULD BE THE MOST UP-TO-DATE ONES.

>> THANK YOU. >> MY QUESTION IS RELATED TO THE CHANGE AGAIN BETWEEN THE TWO LOOKS. STUDENT TRANSPORTATION LOOKS LIKE IT'S ALSO COMPENSATED BALANCE.

THE PROPOSED AMOUNT -- I MISSED THE QUESTION, SORRY.

>> LOOKING AT THE DIFFERENCE IN THE TWO BOOKS, THE STUDENT TRANSPORTATION EXPENDITURE CATEGORY, IS VERY MINUTE. I JUST WANTED TO KNOW IF THAT WAS RELATED TO COMPENSATED

BALANCES. >> THERE ARE OTHER UPDATES IN THE ACCELERATING WAGE ACCOUNTS.

>> C MADE UPDATES TO THE SALARIES AND WAGES?

>> IN THE JANUARY BUDGET, AND IN THE MOST RECENT BUDGET FROM LAST WEEK, $528,000 IN SEVERAL OTHER COMPENSATION ACCOUNTS.

>> ARE WE MAKING A CHANGE BECAUSE OF ANTICIPATED CHANGES IN THE AMOUNTS EMPLOYEES ARE EARNING? ARE WE ACCOUNTING FOR MAYBE AN EMPLOYEE HAS BEEN HERE FOR YEARS WITH A HIGHER SALARY POSSIBLY LEAVING? HIRING A NEW EMPLOYEE AT A LOWER SALARY

BECAUSE OF ITS VARIANTS? >> THEY UPDATE WAGE AND SALARY ACCOUNTS ACROSS THE SPECTRUM FOR ALL THE TRANSPORTATION EMPLOYEES, INCLUDING REFLECTING A NUMBER OF FACTORS. IT REFLECTS STEP INCREASES, FUNDING TOWARDS STEP INCREASES, TRAILING 2.57%. AND IT ALSO REFLECT UPDATED INFORMATION ON YEAR-TO-DATE BUS COST FOR EXPENDITURE ACCOUNTS.

>> ALONG THOSE LINES, IT LOOKS LIKE FINANCE -- WHICH IS GOING TO ASK YOU ABOUT. I REALIZED IT WAS PUT IN TRANSPORTATION.

>> THAT WAS TRUE THIS FISCAL YEAR. STAFF ACCOUNT FOR PEOPLE, TRANSPORTATION, AND MOST OF THAT PERSON'S RESPONSIBILITIES ARE FOR STUDENT TRANSPORTATION. AND SO IT SEEMED APPROPRIATE TO CHARGE THOSE COSTS'S FOR THAT SERVICE AS WE CHARGE OTHER COSTS IN DISTRICT TRANSPORTATION TO THIS

[00:35:01]

COSTS. >> BUT THEY STILL REPORT TO YOU?'S THE MAC AT THIS TIME, YES.

>> SO GOING BACK TO THE CAMERA QUESTION, WHAT WITH THE IMPACT BE IF THAT MONEY DID NOT GET SET ASIDE FOR NEW CAMERAS? DO WE HAVE ANY CAMERAS THAT ARE IN DISREPAIR RIGHT NOW, ARE NOT WORKING, OR THE QUALITY IS POOR? BE MAC ACTUALLY, RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE SPARE CAMERAS. WE DO HAVE CAMERA SYSTEMS AVAILABLE. IT WOULD JUST BE ONE YEAR WE WON'T PURCHASE THE NEWEST ONES. BUT WE DO HAVE A SMALL STOCKPILE SITTING IN THE SHED IN OUR STORAGE FACILITY. AND THEY BELIEVE WE HAVE -- IT'S EITHER EIGHT OR NINE THAT ARE COMING FROM OUR GRANT FOR RISK MANAGEMENT. WE HAVE A.I.D.S. OF THE NEW OLD MODELS

COMING. >> SO THERE IS A POTENTIAL THERE FOR -- I HATE TO USE THE WORD COST SAVINGS, BECAUSE IT WOULD JUST BE REALLOCATING ELSEWHERE, BUT THAT IS A

POTENTIAL. >> YES.

>> THANK YOU. >> IS THERE A SUBSTITUTE ADMINISTRATOR IN YOUR DEPARTMENT THAT TEACHES ONLINE

CLASSES OR SOMETHING? >> CURRENTLY NOW, THREE DAYS A WEEK, I HAVE A SUBSTITUTE, INTERIM SUPERVISOR.

>> AND YOU ARE HIRING OR IN THE PROCESS OF HIRING A DIRECTOR?

>> CORRECT. >> OKAY. SO WHAT ARE THE DUTIES

OF THAT PERSON? >> RIGHT NOW, MR. HANEY IS TAKING CALLS FROM UPSET PARENTS. HE TAKES THOSE CALLS.

IN FACT, IF I GO BACK, I WOULD BE TEACHING HIM HOW TO DO THE BUS VIDEO AND IS GOING TO BE WATCHING SEVERAL BUS VIDEOS FOR US. HE'S ALSO BEEN HUMBLING ROUTE ASKED TENSION. WE'VE BEEN GIVING HIM THINGS THAT DON'T NEED YEARS OF TRANSPORTATION EXPERIENCE TO HANDLE, SO HE HAS BEEN HELPING WITH THOSE TYPES. OF PROCESSES.

>> OKAY. SO THIS IS A POSITION THAT WAS JUST ADDED? OR IT'S

OBVIOUSLY COMPENSATED. >> I'M NOT SURE HOW HE'S COMPENSATED, BUT IS FILLING IN MICE BUT AS I'VE TAKEN OVER

FOR AT INDIRECT. >>'S WAS PARTIALLY BACKFILLING THOSE SERVICES. IN THE PREVIOUS ROLE OF TRANSPORTATION.

>> IF WE HIRE SOMEONE, WITH THAT POSITION STILL BE THERE OR

WHAT? >> I WOULDN'T IMAGINE.

>> OKAY. >> SO WHILE WE ARE ON TRANSPORTATION, MR. HOOK, ONE OF THE QUESTIONS THAT I DID ASK IN AN EFFORT TO BE TRANSPARENT SO THAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS AND UNDERSTANDS THE QUESTIONS THAT WE ARE ASKING -- ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I ASK IS FOR A NUMBER OF FLEET VEHICLES, EXCLUDING MAINTENANCE OR OTHER VEHICLES THAT WOULD BE JUST A GENERAL. I HAVE REQUESTED A BREAKDOWN. SO THERE IS SOME INFORMATION IRIS THE AND ALSO ASKED ABOUT GAS ON THE BILLING INSURANCE AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THE QUESTION THAT REMAINS TO BE ANSWERED IS, WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME AN ANALYSIS OF THAT WAS COMPLETED ? DO WE KNOW THAT THE FLEET VEHICLES AND THE INSURANCE AND THE GAS ARE COST-EFFECTIVE AS COMPARED TO JUST GIVING EMPLOYEES REIMBURSEMENT? THAT MIGHT NOT BE AN ANSWER THAT YOU HAVE TODAY, BUT THAT WILL BE SOMETHING BENEFICIAL FOR US TO KNOW. THANK YOU.

>> OVER TIME, IT LOOKS LIKE -- LAST IN 2023, WE INCURRED 153,000 WHAT WE'LL NEED BUDGETED 75,000 FOR THIS YEAR, BECAUSE WE PROBABLY WANT TO TO REDUCE THAT DRAMATICALLY. BUT RIGHT NOW, SPENDING WISE, WE ALREADY SPENT 96% OF OUR BUDGET. SO ARE WE AT RISK THERE?

>> SO THE GAME PLAN FOR OVERTIME, THAT MOSTLY IS BEING TAKEN UP BY OUR OUT OF COUNTY BUSES. I HAVE ACTUALLY BEEN WORKING WITH FINANCE TO COME UP WITH A GAME PLAN ON HOW WE CAN

[00:40:04]

DOWN ON OUR OVERTIME. >> BUT THEN THEY POTENTIAL TO HAVE A SERVICE THAT MAY ELIMINATE THAT ALTOGETHER.

>> IF WE ARE USING OTHER VEHICLES. CORRECT.

>> AND WHAT IS THE EXTRA DUTY EXTRA PAY?

>> THAT IS BUS ASSISTANCE. THEY ARE GUARANTEED SEVEN HOURS A DAY. WE HAVE QUITE A FEW BUS SYSTEMS TO WORK OVER SEVEN HOURS A DAY, SO THAT COVERS ANYTHING OVER THE SEVEN HOURS UNDER THE OVERTIME. SO IF YOU ARE WORKING BETWEEN 35 AND 40 HOURS A WEEK, THAT WOULD BE COVERED BY EXTRA DUTY DAY.

>> OKAY. SO THEN WHAT WE ARE SAYING IS -- WE HAVE HERE 35 BUS SYSTEM, WHICH IS IN THE BUDGET. THEY ARE PAID THROUGH

-- THEY ARE NOT BEING SALARY? >> THEY ARE PAID HOURLY. AND AGAIN, THEY WERE MOVED FROM SIX HOURS TO SEVEN HOURS GUARANTEED PAY. SO IF THEY ARE ON A BUS FOR 7 1/2 HOURS, THAT EXTRA HALF HOUR COMES FROM THE EXTRA DUTY EXTRA PAY.

>> I GOT YOU. OKAY. >> AND I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WOULD BE FOR YOU OR NOT, BUT IS THERE TRANSPORTATION THAT GOES BETWEEN THE HIGH SCHOOLS TO ALL THE OTHER SCHOOLS FOR LUNCHES

AND THINGS LIKE THAT? >> THAT'S NOT ME ON THAT ONE.

>> IT'S ONE OF THE BUDGET LINES, YES. IF IT'S NOT ON SERVICES LISTED HERE, IT WOULD BE UNDER THE OTHER CATEGORY.

>> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE BUSES THAT TAKE THE HIGH

SCHOOLERS TO ELEMENTARY? >> WHAT WERE YOU SAYING?

>> I THOUGHT YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE THAT WAS

LURCH WHAT I ASKED. >> OKAY, YEAH. THINK YOU.

>> BACK TO BUS ASSISTANCE. WHY? IS THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVE A SEVEN HOUR DAY? YOU MENTIONED THEY GET AN EXTRA HALF HOUR.

>> I'M SORRY, YES. >> SO THEY WORK 7 1/2 HOURS, AND THAT IS THEIR DAY, THAT HALF AN HOUR, YOU HAVE TO FILL

ANY TIME SHEET FOR? >> TO GET THEM PAID THEIR HALF HOUR -- THIS IS MORE OF A FINANCE WESTERN.

>> SO WHERE IS THE DUTY PAID BY? AND SO IT HAS TO BE NEGOTIATED INTO THE AGREEMENT, THE 7 1/2 HOUR DUTY DAY. IF WE MAKE THAT CHANGE WHEN WE CHANGED THINGS FOR BUS DRIVERS? I GUESS I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHEN THAT BECAME AN ISSUE.

>> WE MADE THE CHANGE THIS PAST FALL. BOTH PARTIES SIGNED AN AGREEMENT THAT THEIR DUTY THEY WOULD BE SEVEN HOURS.

>> IS WILL BE SIGNED AN AGREEMENT -- I THOUGHT THE DUTY DAY WAS 7 1/2. SO WHAT IS THE 7 1/2?

>> I WAS JUST GIVING AN EXAMPLE OF EXTRA DUTY EXTRA PAY. THEIR DUTY DAY IS SEVEN HOURS, BUT THEY WORK OVER SEVEN HOURS, THEY WOULD FILL OUT A TIME SHEET TO GET THE EXTRA, AND THAT COMES OUT OF THE EXTRA DUTY EXTIRPATE.

>> I APOLOGIZE. IT SOUNDED LIKE TO ME YOU WERE SAYING THERE'D

BE A 7 1/2 HOURS. >> SEVEN HOURS. ANYTHING ABOVE THAT, THEY WILL HAVE TO FILL OUT A TIME SHEET.

>> SO ARE WE STILL DOING THINGS BY PAPER? LET ME ASK THAT

[00:45:04]

QUESTION. >> SOME, YES.

>> MORE THAN 130,000 WILL BE SENT THIS YEAR. ON OVERTIME

THERE. >> YES.

>> SO I GUESS I HAVE TWO COMMENTS. CAN WE MAKE A MOVEMENT INTO THE 21ST CENTURY, AND MOVING FORWARD, CAN WE POSSIBLY CAN ENTER DOING A ZERO-BASED BUDGET? BECAUSE MY PERSONAL FEELING IS THAT THERE ARE THINGS TILTED TO NUMBERS IN THIS BOOK THAT HAVE BEEN IN THIS BOOK FOR YEARS, AND IT'S POSSIBLE THAT NO ONE EVEN UNDERSTOOD AND WHERE THE ORIGINAL REST OF IT CAME FROM, AND THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOW IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE HAS BEEN INFLATION. WE'VE HAD COVID, AND I THINK WE NEED TO DIG BACK TO OUR ROOTS AND DO ESTIMATE ON WHAT ARE BASE IS AND WHAT IT REALLY TAKES TO RUN THE BASE OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM. I AM NOT SAYING THAT THERE'S ANYTHING ERRONEOUS IN THE BOOK. I JUST THINK YOU'D BE VERY INFORMATIONAL FOR MY COLLEAGUE 200 AND WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE, AND HOW THEY WORK.

SAID IN THE VERY BEGINNING, THIS WORK SESSION, WE ARE GOING TO TRY TO GO PAGE BY PAGE AND SEE IF THERE'S ANY SAVINGS, ANYTHING. WHATEVER THAT NUMBER IS AFTER THE QUESTIOS, AFTER THE DISCUSSION, IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT CAN BE SHAPED AND CHANGED A LITTLE BIT PRIOR TO TOMORROW, WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE WITH THAT IS. BUT STILL, AFTER TOMORROW, IF YOU COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND HE WOULD LIKE TO REVISIT -- THEY DO.

>> UP NEXT, WE HAVE MEMBERS FROM OUR COMMUNITY RESOURCES TEAM.

TO SUPPORT HIS FAMILY. >> HOW NICE.

>> THERE MAY BE SOME QUESTIONS THAT WE DON'T KNOW THE ANSWERS TO, BUT HE HAS GIVEN US SOME INFORMATION AHEAD OF TIME.

>> OKAY.

SO THERE'S A LINE ITEM FOR IT. IT'S A SMALL NUMBER, I REALIZED. WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS ANY WHICH WAY WE CAN TO SAVE. WHAT IS THE INCREASE IN THE PRINTING OF $5000. WHAT IS IT THAT WE ARE PRINTING? I'M SORRY, IT IS PAGE 43. IT'S UNDER SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS. IS THERE SOMETHING SPECIFIC THAT WE ARE PRINTING? AND WHY IS THERE A $1000 INCREASE? AND

COULD WE NOT PRINT IT? >> THE PRINTING WENT DOWN. I

THINK IT'S THE NEXT LINE. >> YEAH, BUT IT WENT FROM -- IN '21, IT WAS 700 $38, AND THERE WAS NOTHING A '22, '23. NOW IT IS CREEPING UP TO 1750. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE INTEREST IS FROM. OR WE NEEDED TO BRING IT BACK UP FOR '25? NO? THERE

YOU GO. >> IT APPEARS THAT SOME OF THAT MONEY IS FOR THE RETIREMENT BENEFIT AND INFORMATION THAT WE SEND TO INDIVIDUALS. AND AGAIN, NOT 100% SURE. HE GAVE US SOME

[00:50:08]

OH, OKAY. THAT MAKES SENSE NOW. THANK YOU.

SO IT'S NOT THAT WE ARE PRINTING MORE PAPER, NECESSARILY, BUT THAT WE HAVE SPECIFIC TYPES OF INK FOR I.D.

BADGES AND THINGS LIKE THAT. THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION ON THE PHOTO I.D.S. WE ALWAYS SEEM TO BUDGET HIGH. WHAT ARE WE ASPIRING TO? WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT IS, WE PUT 10,000 IN THE BUDGET FOR THE PHOTO I.D.S. AND IN THE PAST, WE HAD 2300 5000 IN THE PREVIOUS YEARS, BUT I REMEMBER WE ALWAYS USED TO BUDGET HIGH FOR THAT. I DO SEE

WE DID 13,922. >> ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT THE 3000 TO 10,000? THAT IS RELATED TO THE NEW I.D. BADGE SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE. IT'S BASED ON NEW I.D. READERS INSTALLED IN THE SCHOOLS. WHICH IS RELATED TO THAT PRINTER THAT WE TALKED

ABOUT EARLIER. >> IN LOOKING BACK AGAIN -- OBVIOUSLY, I KNOW WHERE THAT IS INCREASING. IS THERE A WAY THAT WE CAN EVALUATE THE THINGS WE ARE STILL SENDING BY PAPER AND WHY WE ARE SPENDING ALMOST $7000 A YEAR ON THIS? THAT

SEEMS LIKE A LOT OF MONEY. >> SOME OF THE OPEN ENROLLMENT PACKAGES TO GET SET TO HONOREES. WE ARE TRYING TO NAIL

THOSE. >> WHAT IS THE HOLD UP IN EMAILING THEM OR SENDING THEM ELECTRONICALLY VERSUS SENDING THEM IN PAPER? IS THERE -- JUST BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T DONE IT.

>> I ALSO THINK WE HAVE TO TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT NOT EVERYBODY IS RETIRED. SO WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE

SENDING IT. >> SPEAKING FOR MY MOTHER WHO IS RETIRED FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, SHE NEEDS TO LEARN HOW TO DO IT. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MADE IT VERY CLEAR THAT THEY ARE NOT MAILING ANYTHING EVER AGAIN. SHE HAS HAD TO EVOLVE IN THAT RESPECT AS WELL. IT'S MUCH SMALLER SCALE, AND THEY REALIZE THAT, BUT IF WE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS WE CAN BE A LITTLE MORE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, SPENDING ALMOST $7000 IN POSTAGE SEEMS EXCESSIVE TO ME. AND THERE'S NO WAY WE HAVE THAT MANY RETIREES.

>> I WILL FOLLOW-UP. >> THINK. SO I HAVE ONE OTHER.

I SEE A LINE ITEM HERE -- WAKE UP, EVERYBODY. I SEE THAT WE HAVE A REDUCTION HERE IN RECRUITMENT FROM THE OLD BOOK TO THE NEW BOOK. $20,000. WHAT IS THAT IMPROVEMENT, EXACTLY?

CAN SOMEBODY ELABORATE ON THAT? >> IMPROVEMENT OF TEACHERS. SO THE STATE OF MARYLAND DOES NOT PRODUCE ENOUGH TEACHERS, SO WE HAVE TO GO OUT OF STATE IN ORDER TO GET THE TEACHERS.

>> WHAT IS THE RETURN ON INVESTMENT FOR WHEN WE GO OUT US DATE? HOW MANY TEACHERS ARE COMING HERE IF WERE PAYING THAT

MUCH FOR TRAVEL? >> I PERSONALLY WAS RECRUITED FROM BUFFALO, NEW YORK. IT DEPENDS ON WHEN YOU LOOK AT A LOT OF OUR BUILDINGS, A LOT OF OUR INDIVIDUALS ARE FROM OUT OF DATE. I DON'T HAVE THE EXACT FIGURE TO TELL YOU THAT YET.

>> IT'S A PRESENCE ON THE CAMPUSES OUTSIDE OF THE STATE

[00:55:04]

>> I WOULD ASK THAT WHEREVER WE GONE AND SENT SOMEONE FOR RECRUITING, HOW MANY PEOPLE WE HAVE HIRED OR EVEN EXPRESSED AN INTEREST IN OUR COMMUNITY IN COMING HERE AND BEING A TEACHER. AS PART OF THE PROCESS OF ANALYZING ALL THE THINGS WE DO DAY TODAY IN OUR JOBS, THIS IS A BIG AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT WAS EVEN BIGGER. I'M SURE IN PREVIOUS YEARS, THAT MAY HAVE CHANGED. NOT THAT RECRUITING ISN'T SUPER IMPORTANT. I RECOGNIZE THAT. BUT WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WHERE WE ARE RECRUITING, WE ARE GETTING A RETURN ON INVESTMENT.

>> I WILL FOLLOW-UP WITH THAT INFORMATION.

>> THANK YOU. >> WHO NORMALLY GOES ON THOSE RECRUITING TRIPS? THE PRINCIPAL?

>> IT IS MIXED. PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS, WE TRY TO UTILIZE AS MANY PEOPLE AS WE CAN.

>> AND SO ACTUALLY BOARD MEMBERS HAVE BEEN INVITED IN THE PAST. UNDER OUR PROMOTION TO INCREASE DIVERSITY IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WE'VE GONE OUT TO LOCAL RECRUITING FAIRS WITH HUMAN RESOURCES STAFF TO TRY TO ATTRACT TEACHERS AND STAFF TO CALVERT COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS. SO I WOULD THINK THAT WOULD STILL BE AN OPTION, ESPECIALLY FOR SOMETHING

INTERACTIVE. >> THANK YOU.

>> MORGAN STATE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION PROSPECTIVE TEACHERS , AND I WAS LIKE AN INVERSE OF RECRUITING. AND OUR GOAL IS TO SHOWCASE OUR GREAT SYSTEM SO WE CAN HAVE THE BEST AND BRIGHTEST. WE HAVE FLAGSHIP HIGH SCHOOLS, AWARD-WINNING ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS. WE HOPE TO ATTRACT TOP-TIER TEACHERS.

>> I IMAGINE -- DO YOU KNOW OFFHAND WHAT TYPE OF ADVERTISEMENT DO YOU MOST NEW TEACHERS RESPOND TO? WHERE DO WE GET MOST OF OUR NEW TEACHERS? BECAUSE WE ARE ONLINE, RIGHT? WE ARE ONLINE BIG-TIME, I IMAGINE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF EVERY NEW TEACHER COMING AROUND ACROSS THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO HAVE ACCESS TO THAT. OR IF THAT IS WHAT THEY USE MOSTLY. TO THESE PEOPLE, WHEN THEY ARE FACE-TO-FACE, RESPOND WELL? WHAT'S THE MOST EFFECTIVE WAY FOR US TO ATTRACT NEW TALENT?

>> WELL, CERTAINLY, A LOT OF THE SCHOOLS THAT WE VISIT REQUIRE THEIR CANIDATES TO ATTEND THE LOCAL FAIRS. AND IT'S USUALLY DURING FACE-TO-FACE CONVERSATION THAT WE SELL OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM BASED UPON THE BENEFITS, THE AREA, SO THAT USUALLY WORKS PRETTY WELL. OUTSIDE OF THAT, BECAUSE WE ARE A RURAL AREA, I'M NOT SURE THAT AN INDIVIDUAL IN ANOTHER STATE IS ACTUALLY GOING TO SAY, CALVERT COUNTY SEEMS LIKE THE PLACE TO GO TO, JUST BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IT'S GOING TO BE LIKE WASHINGTON, D.C., OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

>> I WOULD ALSO LIKE TO SAY IN REGARDS TO THE ANALYSIS PIECE YOU TALK ABOUT, INSTEAD OF GOING TO RECRUITING FAIRS THAT ARE GENERAL CAREER FAIRS YOU MIGHT HAVE SOMEBODY COMMUNICATE WITH THEM AND SAY, I AM AN ENGINEERING MAJOR. WE REALLY HAVE TO GO TO EDUCATION SPECIFIC CAREER FAIRS AT COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES WITH SCHOOLS OF EDUCATION. THAT HAS BEEN VERY HELPFUL IN THE WAY THAT PEOPLE THAT ARE WALKING BY OUR LOOK FOR JOBS OUT RIGHT OF EDUCATION. THEY ARE SPECIFICALLY TEACHERS LOOKING FOR JOBS. THAT'S BEEN A BIG HELP. AND ALSO, MS. BALINSKI , WE USE HANDSHAKE AS A PLATFORM.

IT'S A WAY TO -- IF WE POST A JOB, HE GOES OUT ON HANDSHAKE,

[01:00:04]

OPPORTUNITIES. >> WITH THAT ADMINISTRATION, DO THEY HAVE A COMPENSATED ABSENCE? IS THERE ANY SORT OF COMPENSATED ABSENCES FOR THE ADMINISTRATION?

>> THE PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING ON A RECRUITING.

>> I'M WRITING NOTES. COULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT THE QUESTION?

>> I'M ASKING ABOUT THE COMPENSATED ABSENCES. IS THAT THE SAME WITH THE ADMINISTRATION?

>> THAT IS TRUE FOR ADMINISTRATION, YES.

>> BUT NONE OF THAT COST IS ALLOCATED?

>> THE COST FOR HR SPONSORED EMPLOYEES IS INCLUDED IN THE COST. IT WOULD BE MINIMAL, IF ANY, IN THIS CATEGORY.

>> WHAT IS THE REASON THAT IT IS NOT LISTED HERE FOR

ADMINISTRATION? >> BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF -- I BELIEVE IT WAS NEGLIGIBLE FOR FY '23. WE MAY, IN THE FUTURE, HOWEVER, ACCOUNT FOR THAT.

>> I THINK IT WOULD BE IMPORTANT IF WE ARE TRYING TO BE CONSISTENT FROM CATEGORY TO CATEGORY, THAT THERE SHOULD BE A LINE ITEM. THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT IT COULD ALWAYS

BE THERE AT SOME POINT. >> AND SO GOING BACK TO LIVE SCAN, ARE WE NOT LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS FOR LIVE SCAN ?

>> THE INITIAL WAS JUST A REPLACEMENT. IF THEY LOSE IT, THEY WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH A REPLACEMENT. I'M SORRY, YES, YES WE ARE. THERE IS A SHARED COST.

>> SO THE EMPLOYEE IS NOT SHARING -- PAYING THE FULL

COST? >> WHAT IS THE FULL COST?

>> I JUST THOUGHT WE WERE RECOUPING ALL OF THEIR LOSSES.

>> I THINK, IF I RECALL, IT WAS AROUND $78. AND I THINK IT'S

NOW $40. >> WELL, THAT'S A WAY TO POTENTIALLY SAVE SOME MONEY. NOT THAT I WANT TO. I AGREE. I RECOGNIZE THAT. I WOULDN'T WANT TO PAY IT. BUT AGAIN, LOOKING UNDER ALL THE ROCKS.

BEEN A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT TO THE AWARDS AND THE MEETINGS AREA.

WELL, I THINK IT IS. IT SAYS HERE IN THE LATEST FINANCIAL REPORT, IS $176,000. THERE'S ANOTHER LINE ITEM AND ADDENDUM.

BUT IN THE LATEST ONE, IT SHOWS 167 ON THE JANUARY EXPENDITURE LIST. AM I MISSING SOMETHING? OR DID IT ACTUALLY

GO UP THAT MUCH? >> WE HAVE SUBMITTED THREE TO SEVEN MEETINGS ACCOUNTS FOR THE BUDGET PROPOSED LAST WEEK.

IT INCLUDES REDUCTIONS TO THREE OF THE ACCOUNT. ONE OF THOSE WAS IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S AWARDS ACCOUNTS AND HR AWARD

MEETINGS. >> IN THE SPREAD ACROSS

[01:05:01]

EVERYBODY. ALREADY. >> WAS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WORKER SERVICES AND MEETING? IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO WRITE DOWN THERE. THERE'S A MEETING THAT'S REQUIRED, THERE MAY BE A COST THAT'S ASSOCIATED. IS IT FOOD? THAT CAN DEFINITELY BE ELIMINATED. WE SHOULD NOT BE PAYING FOR FOOD. AND THEN FOR AWARDS, WHAT DOES THAT LOOK LIKE ? YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN? WE SHOULD BE ANALYZING THAT AS WELL.

>> SOME OF THE INFORMATION I HAVE HERE ON THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH SERVICE AWARD GIFTS, EMPLOYEE OF THE YEAR EVENT, AND RETIREMENT EVENT GIFTS. BUT I CAN GET A FURTHER

BREAKDOWN. >> I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THAT.

BECAUSE WERE LOOKING AT OUR PRIORITIES OF WHERE WE NEED TO CUT AND WHERE WE NEED TO SPEND. WE HATE TO DO IT, BUT -- YOU.

WE'VE HAVE MR. GOTT AND MR. POTEET .

. I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU AN OPPORTUNITY TO GIVE US SOME BACKGROUND ON BOARD COMMENTS FROM LAST WEEK REGARDING THE COMPUTERS. WERE THEY COMPUTERS THAT HAD BEEN REPAIRED? ARE WE SAVING THEM FOR SOMETHING SPECIAL? I BELIEVE THEY WERE PURCHASED WITH FUNDS UNDER THE GRANTS.

>> YES, THANK YOU, MISS CLAGGETT. WE TALKED ABOUT FOUR DIFFERENT MODELS THAT ARE OUT THERE, AND I'D LOVE TO TAKE A MINUTE OR TWO SINCE YOU GIVE ME THAT TIME THE MORNING. I APPRECIATE THAT. THE ISSUE WAS WITH POTENTIAL WASTE FROM -- AS A FUNDAMENTAL AND CRITICAL PRINCIPLE AS WE IMPLEMENT PLANS. WE REALIZE THAT EVERY DOLLAR WE SPEND COMES FROM HARD-WORKING TAXPAYERS. TO ADDRESS THE SPECIFIC CONCERNS FROM THURSDAY'S MEETING, YES, WE DO CURRENTLY HAVE LAPTOPS ON THE SHELF AND STORAGE IN PREPARATION FOR RETURNING THEM FOR THEIR END OF LEASE. THEY WERE INITIALLY FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IN BOTH FY 2021 AND 2022. IN COLLABORATION WITH INSTRUCTION AND FINANCE. THEY HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO STRAIGHT UP PURCHASE THESE LAPTOPS FOR TWO GROUPS OF STUDENTS IN '25, '26. THEY REDUCED INTERVENTION REQUEST BY OVER $3 MILLION. ON OUR ONE-TO-ONE LAPTOP AND PROGRAM.

THEY SAVED CPS OVER 53 MILLION. SAVING $270,000 IN FY 2025 AND FY 26. FOR THE THIRD AND FINAL YEAR OF RELEASE.

[01:10:09]

OR WE COULD EXTEND THEM FOR POTENTIALLY A FOURTH OR FIFTH YEAR IN CIRCULATION IF BUDGET CONSTRAINTS CONTINUE. SINCE WE DON'T NEED TO ENGAGE IN ANY RELEASES AND REMOVING THE ONE TO TWO RATIO. SO WHILE IT MAY SEEM LIKE AN ISSUE ON THE SURFACE, IT WILL SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN THE PROCESS. WE DO HAVE MODELS ON THE SHELF THAT ARE READY TO BE USED AND ARE NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THEY ARE THE LAPTOPS WE PURCHASED FOUR YEARS AGO BACK IN MAY OF 2020. WE CAN EASILY SEND THEM THROUGH THE RECYCLER FOR LITTLE MONEY, BUT WE WILL SAVE MANY MORE DOLLARS THAT ARE CURRENTLY BEING USED BY STUDENTS AND STAFF. AND YES, WE HAVE 144 TEACHER LAPTOPS ON THE SHELVES READY TO BE USED AS EXCHANGES. OF THE 144 TEACHER LAPTOPS, 60 OF THEM FOR CRITICAL HOT-SWAP EXCHANGES IN CASE NEW STAFF ARE HIRED. THE ACCOUNTS WE NEED TO PURCHASE OR EASE ARE ACQUIRED MANY MONTHS BEFORE STAFF NUMBERS ARE FINALIZED. AND THAT ONLY REPRESENTS 5% OF THE LAPTOPS WE ORDERED. THEY WILL BE PLACED IN SERVICE AS NEW STAFF ARE HIGHER OR AS WE HAVE A NEED FOR THEM. WE WOULD MUCH RATHER BE OVER BY 5% THAN SHORT. JUST ONE LAPTOP SHORT FOR A TEACHER, THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE. WE HAVE 224 TEACHER DOCKING STATIONS ON THE SHELF READY FOR INITIATING EXCHANGES. USING NONLOCAL ECF FUNDS THAT THE TEAM WAS ABLE TO SECURE. THIS IS A GRAND TOTAL OF OVER $308,000, AND THESE WOULD DOLLARS THE I.T.

DEPARTMENT WAS AWARDED. OUR I.T. DEPARTMENT SECURED OVER 1.5 MILLION FUNDS. WE USED ABOUT 20% OF THAT MONEY TO PURCHASE THE TEACHER DOCKING STATIONS, SAVING CCP. 60 OF THOSE 204 DOCKING STATIONS ARE FOR CRITICAL EXCHANGES, AND THE OTHER 64 BUT WE USED WHEN THEY GO BAD.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT EXPLANATION. I APPRECIATE YOUR PROACTIVITY AND WORKING TO SAVE THE DISTRICT MONEY. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY IS OFTEN ONE OF THE MOST PENSIVE BLOCKS, WEATHERBEE SCHOOL SYSTEMS, WEATHERBEE OUT IN PRIVATE INDUSTRY, AND I JUST APPRECIATE YOUR ABILITY TO GO OUT AND ANALYZE LEASES TO SEE WHAT WE CAN DO WITH THE PURCHASE, AND I APPRECIATE THAT THOSE PURCHASES HAVE BEEN MADE. I ALSO APPRECIATE YOUR OPINION THAT THEY SHOULD BE STORED VERSUS RECYCLED OR USED FOR PARTS SO THAT WE CAN COVER OUR DISTRICT SHOULD THERE BE A

NEED. >> THANK YOU.

>> I MUST SAY, IT'S VERY UNFORTUNATE THAT THAT WAS PRESENTED AS WE ARE BEING VERY WASTEFUL. ALL THE PERSON WOULD NEED TO DO IS TO SPEAK WITH YOU. AND NOT JUST BLAST OUT PUBLICLY THAT OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS BEING WASTEFUL. THANK YOU.

>> SO THE THING IS, SHE IS NOT HERE TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION.

I'M GOING TO MOVE ON WITH SOME ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS. I'M SURE SHE IS WATCHING AND SHE WILL BE ABLE TO REACH OUT. I REMEMBER A NUMBER OF YEARS AGO WHEN LAPTOPS WERE VERY NEW TO OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM. I NOW ALSO HAVE KIDS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I HAVE THREE BOYS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE DESTRUCTION THAT CAN OCCUR IN MANY WAYS. BUT INITIALLY, WITH BEING FIRST IN LAPTOPS, I THINK I WAS REQUIRED TO PAY A SECURITY DEPOSIT, OR -- LIKE, THERE WAS SOME WARRANTY OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. MY MEMORY IS NOT THAT GREAT. I FEEL LIKE IT WAS $30 A KID. I HAD TO PAY 90 BECAUSE THERE WERE THREE OF THEM, AND I WAS SO UPSET ABOUT THAT. BUT ONE OF THE CONVERSATIONS WAS THAT I HAD ASKED ABOUT MAY BE A RATIO, BUT THEN ALSO MAY BE DOING THAT FOR 6 GRADE. I DON'T KNOW WHO THE

[01:15:02]

DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT? >> THANKS FOR THE QUESTION. WE DO NOT CURRENTLY COLLECT ANY MONIES. SCHOOLS HAVE GOT TO CONDUCT INVESTIGATIONS WHEN THERE'S DAMAGE TO A LAPTOP. IF IT'S DEEMED AN ACCIDENT, THE STUDENT IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM DOESN'T PAY ANYTHING. THANKS TO THE ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE PROTECTION. IF IT'S NEGLIGENCE OR LOSS, THEN YES, THE STUDENT IS ON THE HOOK FOR. THEY ARE BILLED FOR THOSE REPAIRS.

>> WHAT DO WE PAY FOR THE ACCIDENTAL INSURANCE?

>> THEY RUN ABOUT $60 PER DEVICE.

>> SO IT'S A SIGNIFICANT INVESTMENT?

>> IS ROUGHLY 10% OF THE COST OF THE DEVICE.

>> I AM SAYING THIS I HAVE FOUR KIDS, SO DON'T BE ANGRY WITH ME. BUT IS THAT A POTENTIAL COST THAT WE MAY NEED TO PASS ONTO A PARENT? OR COULD THERE BE A SHARE IN THAT COST? THE MAC THAT IS SOMETHING WE CAN ACTUALLY TAKE OFF ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE DETECTION. IT'S DIFFICULT TO EXPECT A YOUNG STUDENT TO PAY FOR THAT, BUT IT IS SOMETHING WE WILL INVESTIGATE. I DO WANT TO GET THE EXACT FIGURE RIGHT.

>> I JUST WAS CURIOUS TO KNOW. >> YOU BUDGETED FOR A 10% LOSS. WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO KEEP IT UNDER THAT. OTHERS ARE JUST 15 TO 20%. AND HONESTLY, THAT IS STILL A LOT OF LOSS. 8 TO 10% IS STILL A BIG CHUNK OF CHANGE. I WILL SAY HATS OFF TO OUR STUDENTS, OUR STAFF FOR CONDUCTING INVESTIGATIONS INTO ALL THE PROCESSES THAT ARE IN PLACE TO KEEP THAT UNDER 10%.

WE ALSO STUDENTS WHO WITHDRAW AND LEAVE UNANNOUNCED.

>> I AM FOREVER HAVING A CONVERSATION WITH MINE, DON'T LEAVE YOUR BACK ON THE DOOR WITH YOUR LAPTOP IN IT. BE MINDFUL OF WHATEVER. SO I RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT. I THINK GENERALLY SPEAKING, KIDS ARE KIDS. I RECOGNIZE THAT. JUST LOOKING AT WAYS TO SAVE MONEY. I DO HAVE ONE OTHER QUESTION. I NOTICED THAT THERE IS A COUPLE OF PALLETS OF CPUS IN A TRAILER THAT IS BEING STORED OUT FRONT OF THE WAREHOUSE. IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE DONATED CPUS. WHAT ARE THOSE USED FOR? IS IT A PROJECT?

>> I DON'T KNOW IF THIS IS ACTUALLY SUPPOSED TO BE FOR FACILITIES. BUT OF COURSE I WILL ANSWER YOUR QUESTION. WE ENGAGE IN A THE IMATION PROGRAM. WE TRIED TO PULL 950 DESKTOP COMPUTERS TO BE ABLE TO REPLACE ALL THE TEACHER DEATH TOPS IN THEIR CLASSROOMS. BEFORE WE DID THAT, THE SCHOOLS AND THE SCHOOL SYSTEM PURCHASED THOSE DESKTOP COMPUTERS, WHICH ARE INCREDIBLY EXPENSIVE. THEY ARE VALUED AT AROUND $700 APIECE. WE HAD ANOTHER 200 DELIVERED HERE. SO WE HAVE ROUGHLY -- EACH YEAR THROUGH THE PROGRAM. THEY COME FROM ALL

OVER THE COUNTRY. >> AND TO SEE IF SOME OF THEM

HAVE COME FROM WHERE I WORK. >> IT'S AN INCREDIBLE PROGRAM AND HAS SAVED THE COUNTY TENS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS.

>> I WOULD AGREE. I'M JUST CURIOUS WHAT THE PURPOSE WAS. I WASN'T SURE IF THERE WAS SOMETHING AS ETA, OR THEY TOOK THE HEART LIKE MIKE LOVE TO DO.

>> WE BROUGHT IN $151,000. >> THANK YOU.

>> LET ME APOLOGIZE FOR TAKING YOUR TIME. I STARTED THAT. I STARTED THAT LINE OF QUESTIONING. IT GETS ME EXCITED, TALKING ABOUT I.T. WHERE A LOT OF FUNDING IS LOCATED. I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR YOU REGARDING OPERATION. THAT AREA IS SENSITIVE TO ME, ESPECIALLY

[01:20:01]

OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE WAREHOUSE AND THE INDIVIDUALS THAT WORK DOWN THERE. THAT HAPPENS TO BE A PASSION OF MINE, AND PROFESSIONALLY I HAVE A LOT A MIXED VARIANCE IN WAREHOUSING AND DISTRICT WASTE MANAGEMENT, THINGS LIKE THAT. I WILL TELL YOU THAT I THINK THERE IS SOME BASE THERE THAT IS BEING UTILIZED THAT WE CAN CERTAINLY PUT UP WITH THINGS IN THIS PLACE. AND I DID NOTICE THERE WERE A COUPLE OF ITEMS AT WORK CLAMBERING ON THE SHELVES. I WOULD ASK THAT YOU BE PROACTIVE IN TRYING TO GET RID OF MATERIALS THAT MAYBE ARE GETTING IN SPACE WE CAN USE THAT FOR OTHER ITEMS. IN PARTICULAR, NOT PICKING ON YOU, BUT LOOKING UNDER EVERY ROCK.

THOSE THREE TRAILERS OUTSIDE THE WAREHOUSE THAT HAD BEEN THERE FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS, I KNOW WE SPENT IN VERY SMALL AMOUNTS OF MONEY TO RENT THOSE THREE. BUT IN ONE, THERE'S AIR FILTERS. I CAN'T IMAGINE -- I DON'T KNOW HOW LONG WE ARE GOING TO LAST IN AN EMPLOYMENT LIKE THAT. I NOTICED THERE'S OF OTHER THINGS THAT MAYBE SOME SHREDDING AND RECYCLING NEEDS TO GET RID OF. INSTEAD OF THERE BEING SOME COMPLACENCY, EVERYBODY SHOULD START TO BE PROACTIVE IF YOU NEED TO ELEVATE THE PARENTS IF THERE'S THINGS AND MATERIALS WE NEED TO GET RID OF. IT WILL BE AN EASY THING TO TAKE CORRECTIVE ACTION. I ALSO NOTICED THAT THERE IS NO INVENTORY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM BEING USED. SO THERE'S A LOT OF PAPER.

THERE WAS SOMETHING, A LONG TIME AGO. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ANYBODY WHO CAN GUESS AT THAT MOMENT EXACTLY WHAT IS IN THERE. I DON'T KNOW THAT ANYBODY KNOWS WHAT THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS ALWAYS EVEN ON THE SHELVES IN THE WAREHOUSE. THAT WOULD BE, IN MY OPINION, CRITICAL TO UNDERSTANDING WITH

THE HOUSE AND SYSTEM IS. >> LIKE GOING BACK TO THAT BEING THE CENTRAL HUB AND US DELIVERING THINGS OUT. YOU KNOW, HOW MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE CAN WE BE BY THINKING ABOUT THOSE THINGS OR RE-EVALUATING ? WE DID AWAY WITH THAT FOR ONE REASON, BUT MAYBE IF TIME TO LOOK AT WHY WE MIGHT NEED THAT BACK. I DON'T KNOW. I WOULD LOVE TO HAVE CONVERSATION ABOUT THAT. I'M EVEN HAPPY TO ROLL UP MY SLEEVES AND VOLUNTEER SOME TIME TO DO SOME RESEARCH. I WOULD DO THAT. THOSE FOLKS OUT THERE ARE TERRIFIC. I APPLAUD THEIR EFFORTS, AND THEY KNOW IT'S A LOT OF THESE FACILITIES.

>> THIS IS A SMALL ONE, BUT AN IMPORTANT ONE. THANK YOU.

>> I DON'T WANT TO SHIELD AWAY FROM THE BLAME HERE, BUT THIS IS SOMEWHAT OF A COMPLICATED ISSUE.

>> THE BIG WAREHOUSE YOU'RE PROBABLY TALKING ABOUT BELONGS

TO THE FINANCE DEPARTMENT. >> I NEED A FLOWCHART.

>> THERE REALLY IS THREE OCCUPANTS OF THAT EMPTY

WAREHOUSE. WE HAVE >> IN BETWEEN THAT IS CHILD NUTRITION. WE'D LOVE TO GET TO WORK TOGETHER ON IT. WE DID REDUCE THE NUMBER OF TRAILS. THERE WERE ORIGINALLY SIX. WE

[01:25:07]

WHEN WE RECEIVED FEEDBACK THAT -- WE CAN'T PUT THEM BACK IN A SINGLE TRAILER AND STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THEM. FOR,

>> WE ARE ABLE TO PICK AND CHOOSE FILTER SIZES TO BE DELIVERED TO THE INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS.

>> I'M NOT TRYING TO OBLIGATE THE REAL ESTATE. BY THE WAY, THERE SOME NIGHT REAL ESTATE IN THAT WAREHOUSE. I WAS EYEBALLING THE SHELVES. NOT TO SAY THAT THAT'S A PERFECT PLACE FOR YOUR FILTERS, BUT I THINK YOU SEE MY POINT. THANK

YOU FOR THE INFORMATION. >> I WAS HAPPY TO FIND A LITTLE

BIT BIGGER PIECE. >> THANK YOU.

>> YOU SAID SOMETHING ABOUT REDUCING THE USE OF THE WAREHOUSE OF ALL PURCHASES AND DELIVERIES. ARE THEY GOING

DIRECTLY SCHOOLS NOW? >> WE WENT TO A VENDOR MANAGED -- WHICH IS PUT OUT FOR BID. AND WE DID THIS SO THAT MARYLAND CAN SOURCE HERE. COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AS WERE AS COUNTY SES ARE IN THE PROGRAM FOR THE SUPPLIES. THEY GET DELIVERED STRAIGHT TO THE SCHOOL . THEY GO MONTHLY TO EACH AND EVERY SCHOOL STATE. WHICH CUT DOWN ON OUR WAREHOUSE SPACE NEEDS. SO IN THE CUSTODIAL SIDE OF THAT WAREHOUSE NOW, RATHER THAN HAVING EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF THE SUPPLIES, WE ONLY HAVE ITEMS SUCH AS FLOOR WAX, OR FLOOR STRIPPER THAT WE USE ON A LIMITED BASIS. SO WE DON'T HAVE TO INVENTORY AND STORE AS MUCH AS WE PRODUCE.

>> SO YOU ARE BUYING A SMALLER AMOUNT OF SERVICE IS THERE?

>> BUYING IN BULK IS GREAT. WAREHOUSE SPACE IS EXPENSIVE, AND IF YOU TURN ELEMENT EACH THE IF THERE IS ANYTHING THAT CAN BE BROKEN DOWN OR CUT, BECAUSE I SEE -- THERE'S ALMOST $130,000 OTHER. AND I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT COULD BE. PAGE 96. I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT ACTUALLY -- IT'S UNDER OTHER. AND MY SECOND QUESTION WAS, IT SEEMS THAT OUR PROPERTY INSURANCE IT'S GONE UP A

CERTAIN PERCENT. >> THAT THE BOOK ISSUE. WE RECENTLY DONE A BUTTON THE JUST. TELL ME IF I'M WRONG.

IT IS NOW 546,000 FOR THE BUDGET, AND OUR BUDGET PREP FY '27, THAT SEEMS IN LINE. THE DIFFERENCE, RIGHT ABOVE THAT, THE UTILITY. WATER AND SEWER. THAT WENT FROM 600 DOWN TO 288 NOW. WHICH SEEMS A LITTLE BIT LOW, BUT ANYWAY, MR. JOHNSON, IF YOU CAN HELP US ON THAT, I DON'T KNOW

>> THIS REPRESENTS THE INITIAL BUDGET. AND SO YOU CAN SEE THAT THE NET OF THESE TWO IS ACTUALLY IN A PROPOSED INCREASE

[01:30:07]

COVERAGE. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. AS FAR AS GOING WITH OTHERS, AND MIGHT BE NICE TO KIND OF HAVE A BREAK DOWN OF WHAT IS ON THOSE ITEMS.

>> COULD YOU PLEASE SHARE WITH ME WHICH OTHER YOU ARE REFERRING TO? IS IT IN THE SOUTHWEST REACHES?

>> THAT WOULD INCLUDE >> OKAY, THANK YOU.

>> SO DO YOU HAPPEN TO KNOW -- SO THAT'S THE LARGEST LINE ITEM IN THE OPERATION WHAT KIND OF SERVICES YOU CONTRACT? THE DIFFERENT CONTRACTED SERVICES FROM ELEVATOR AND ACTIONS, SPRINKLER SYSTEMS, ANCILLARY SYSTEMS, BLEACHERS, ALL THOSE ARE CONTRACTED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE QUALIFIED INSPECTION LICENSES ON SOME OF THOSE ITEMS, SO THEY HAVE TO BE CONTRACTED OUT. THERE'S A LIST GOES ON AND ON AS FAR AS THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO BE INSPECTED HERE AND WE HAVE TO CONTRACT THOSE SERVICES OUT.

>> MR. JOHNSON, WHAT IS THE $60,000 DECREASE IN REPLACEMENT BETWEEN JANUARY'S BUDGET IN MARCH 14TH?

>> I CAN PROBABLY ANSWER THAT FOR YOU. I HAVE REQUESTED SOME REPLACEMENT TRUCKS FOR THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT.

CURRENTLY, WE HAVE THREE DUMP TRUCKS THAT ARE OUT OF SERVICE AND IN THE PROCESS OF BEING REPAIRED. AT LEAST ONE OF THOSE DOES PUT A SHORTHANDED Ú OTHERS WERE FOR THREE BOX TRUCKS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO PLACE VERY HIGH MILEAGE

VEHICLES FOR SEVERAL YEARS. >> SO YOU ARE POSTPONING THAT

REQUEST TO A FUTURE YEAR? >> SO ONE IS USED FOR THE DELIVERY OF FURNITURE. BECAUSE SCHOOLS REQUEST TABLES AND CHAIRS, AND WE SUPPLY THOSE. WE HAUL THOSE. WE HAVE SCHOOL AND MOVING PROGRAMS DURING THE SUMMER, AND WE USE THE BOX TRUCKS. ALSO, WE HAVE LARGE-SCALE PROJECTS THEY ARE WORKING ON FOR SHEET ROCK AND LUMBER. RATHER THAN TRY TO STUFF THAT INSIGHT TO A REGULAR BAN, WE WOULD LIKE TO TRANSPORT IT IN ONE OF THE LARGER BOX TRUCKS. THEY ARE OUTFITTED WITH ALL THEIR HAND TOOLS THAT THEY USE. THEY CAN GO TO A SITE AND HAVE WHAT THEY NEED FOR BASICALLY ANY TYPE OF PROJECT.

WITHOUT HAVING TO LOAD THEM INTO A VAN IN THE STORAGE AREA

OR SPACE. >> THANK YOU.

>> NOW I KNOW -- YOUR GUYS TAKE THEIR VEHICLES HOME?

>> YES. ANYONE THAT FALLS WITHIN OUR EMERGENCY CALL LIST, THESE ARE THE EMERGENCY NUMBERS FOR AFTER HOURS. ANYONE THAT IS ON THIS LIST TAKES A VEHICLE HOME SO THAT THEY CAN RESPOND ASAP TO THAT EMERGENCY. OBVIOUSLY, WE COULD HAVE PEOPLE DRIVE HERE IN A VAN, THE QUICKER THEY GET THERE, WE ARE TALKING THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS IN DAMAGE THAT CAN BE RESPONDED TO FROM ACROSS THE COUNTY.

>> THAT'S WHAT I WAS ASKING. BECAUSE I WAS WONDERING IF THERE WAS SOMETHING HAPPENING FOR THE PERSON TO LIVE THERE

[01:35:03]

>> 11 WITHIN THE SCHOOL FACILITIES DEPARTMENT.

>> SO ALL 11 OF THEM TAKE VEHICLES HOME?

>> YES. >> SO THERE'S NO ROTATION IS FIRST WHO IS ON CALL. THEY ARE ALL IN CALL.

>> ALL THE PEOPLE ON THIS LIST ARE ON CALL ALL THE TIME. FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE TWO PLUMBERS. ONE IS WILLING TO DO THAT OVER THE WEEKEND, THE OTHER, NOT SO MUCH SO. IF ONE IS GOOD WITH IT, I AM GOOD WITH IT AS WELL. SAME THING WITH HVAC. THERE'S ONLY 10 VEHICLES FROM THE HVAC FOREMAN, WHO IS ALSO ON THIS CALL, WE DON'T TAKE HIM OUTSIDE THE COUNTY. HE HAS TO RESPOND IN HIS OWN PERSONAL VEHICLE.

>> AND IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT WAY? I'M JUST LOOKING. I WAS JUST TRIED TO SEE IF THAT IS SOMETHING -- YOU KNOW. IT IS A SERIOUS MATTER, BUT IF WE HAVE 10 VEHICLES AND AN HVAC PERSON, A PLUMBER, ELECTRICIAN, AND ONE OF THEM IS ON CALL, THE OTHER WAS WOULDN'T HAVE TO TAKE VEHICLES HOME. THAT'S HOW WE DO IT AT THE NAVAL ACADEMY. WE HAVE A LIST, AND FROM EACH DEPARTMENT IS ON CALL. I'M NOT TELLING YOU HOW TO RUN YOUR DEPARTMENT OR ANYTHING. THAT'S JUST HOW THEY DO. AND I'M ASKING IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT YOU POSSIBLY CAN DO TO LOWER WHAT IS IN THIS BOOK, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION. YOU HAVE MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT HERE. YOU WILL POINT ME TO THE RIGHT DIRECTION. BUT IT'S $14,000.

>> SO PAGE 97, I BELIEVE IT IS PROGRAM 6020.

>> THAT MILEAGE IS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT LEADS. WE HAVE 12 FIELD TEXT DRIVER ON THE COUNTY. OUR TAX AND NOT STATIONED AT INDIVIDUAL SCHOOLS. THEY ARE DRIVING AROUND. BUT WE DO KEEP THEM IN GEOGRAPHIC LOCATIONS.

>> SO THERE'S NO FLEET VEHICLES FOR THEM TO USE TO

OFFSET THIS PAUSE? >> IS 12 OF THEM IN THE FIELD.

WE DON'T HAVE THAT MANY CREATE TRUCKS.

>> ON THE SAME PAGE, THE REPAIR PARTS, ELECTRONIC, IS THAT YOU

AS WELL? >> YES, IT SHOWS A SUBSTANTIAL DECREASE. THE COMMUNICATIONS LIGHT AS WELL HAS BEEN MOVED.

WE ARE ABLE TO CUT $50,000 OFF OF THAT. FOR NEXT YEAR. THAT'S ACTUALLY FOR OUR INTERNET SERVICE IN THE COUNTY.

>> WHILE WE ARE ON THAT, WHAT DEPARTMENT DID THEY GO TO?

>> TO CATEGORY 202 IN THE STATE FINANCIAL REPORTING MANUAL.

>> SAY THAT AGAIN. >> THEY WERE MOVED TO CATEGORY

202. >> RIGHT. WHAT IS CATEGORY 202.

>> MIDLINE, GOT YOU. AND SO THEN THE ELECTRONIC REPAIRS, THAT'S A BIG DECREASE. WE HAVEN'T BEEN DOWN 100,000 IN

MANY YEARS. >> YES, THAT IS CORRECT. ONE OF THOSE IS AN $86,000 CHARGE THAT WE PAY AHEAD WITH ACF MONIES THE PRIOR YEAR. WE ALSO DID A LOT OF REWIRING WITH SWITCHES

[01:40:05]

COMFORTABLE DECREASING IT. >> EXCELLENT.

>> WHO PROVIDES OUR INTERNET SERVICE?

>> E AND A.

AND ELECTRICITY, IS IT PURELY -- HOW FIRM IS JUST A GUESS ON

HOW THE RATE ARE GOING TO DO? >> SO IN BUILDING THIS BUDGET AND THE TIME CONSTRAINTS ON IT, WE ARE TYPICALLY ASKED TO MAKE AN ESTIMATE IN OCTOBER OR NOVEMBER FOR A BUDGET THAT IS GOING IN PLACE THE FOLLOWING JULY. WE TRY TO MAKE THE ESTIMATE BASED ON WHAT THE INFLATION RATE, THE GOING RATES AT THAT TIME. OBVIOUSLY, IF WE COULD GO BACK AT A LATER DATE AND CHANGE THAT ESTIMATE, IN SOME CASES, WE PROBABLY WOULD.

BUT JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE -- I KNOW IT WAS IN HERE A MONTH AGO AND I INDICATED HOW MUCH FUEL PRICES HAD INCREASED.

SO FROM JANUARY 1ST -- THROUGH JANUARY 15TH, WHEN FUEL PRICES ARE $2.08 A GALLON , PRICES CAME OUT AND WE GET THEM EVERY MONDAY. SO WE ARE TALKING ABOUT A $.62 INCREASE SINCE JANUARY 15TH. FUEL COSTS ARE THE INDICATOR FOR EVERYTHING INFLATION RELATED. SERVICES ARE GOING TO COST MORE, PRODUCTS ARE GOING TO COST MORE BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS TRANSFERRED BY

FUEL. >> SO DOES THAT MEAN WE ARE

ALREADY AT RISK? >> WE ARE GOING TO DO THE BEST

WE CAN WITH WHAT WE HAVE. >> AND THESE RATES FOR ELECTRICITY -- AS FAR AS RATES GO, WE UNDERSTAND USAGE. WE TRIED VERY HARD TO WORK THAT DOWN. BUT RATES --

>> WE HAVE ECHO AT EVERY BUILDING EXCEPT FOR 3. THE TWO WOULD BE SKILLS. FORTUNATELY, ELECTRICAL RATES DON'T TYPICALLY INCREASE AS QUICKLY AS THE OTHER UTILITIES, BECAUSE THEY ARE MONITORED BY THE GOVERNMENT. WERE THE OTHER UTILITIES TYPICALLY DON'T CLIMB AS FAST.

>> I DON'T KNOW HOW FAR BACK, BUT I THOUGHT THEY HAD LOWERED

PRICES RECENTLY. >> IT HAS BEEN ABOUT FOUR YEARS. THEY HAD TWO MAJOR RATE HIKES LAST YEAR.

>> OKAY. THOSE ARE INCORPORATED IN HERE? OKAY. THANK YOU.

YOU. >> THANK YOU, PRESIDENT WHITE.

>> EXCUSE ME, MR. TOWNSEL, BEFORE ANYBODY GETS UP AND A LOT OF THE QUESTIONS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED, COULD WE JUST SWITCH TO PAGE 45 AND ALLOW MR. GOTT TO GO AND THEN MOVED TO I.T. SO THAT MR. POTEET DOESN'T HAVE TO COME BACK ?

>> SURE. INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. THIS WILL BE PAGE 45.

[01:45:02]

>> YES. THE STAFF THAT YOU SEE ON PAGE 45 ONLY COVERS 11 OF OUR AUTHORIZED POSITIONS. ONE OF THEM IS NOW ON PAGE 37, AND

COMMUNICATIONS. WE ALSO HAVE >> WE ARE IN THREE DIFFERENT ACCOUNTS.

ON PAGE 97, OPERATIONS, WE ALSO HAVE MANY TECHNICIANS LISTED THERE. AND ALSO UNDER THE FUTURE READY PORTION OF THE BUDGET, WE HAVE THE PAYOUT IN THE FUTURE AS WELL.

WRITING AND TRYING TO CHANGE PAGES. SO HOW MANY OF YOUR 34 ARE INCLUDED IN OUR OPERATING BUDGET VERSUS GRANTS?

>> SO MR. JOHNSON WAS FANTASTIC IN MOVING OVER 4 1/2 OF THOSE TEXTS. WE HAD THEM IN THERE FOR MANY YEARS. WERE SUPPOSED TO HAVE TWO TRANSFERRED EVERY THREE YEARS, BUT THAT WASN'T ABLE TO HAPPEN. MR. JOHNSON WAS ABLE TO DO 4 1/2 WITH THEM LAST YEAR. PROBABLY THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, WE WILL FIND SOMEONE WE CAN. THEY'RE USED FOR VERY EXPENSIVE INFRASTRUCTURE.

BECAUSE WE DON'T GET ANY REIMBURSEMENTS BACK ON SALARIES. BUT IT HAS BEEN FANTASTIC TO REDUCE IT DOWN.

>> THANK YOU. >> UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES ON PAGE 45, CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT DATA PROCESSING, WHAT THOSE CONSULTANTS ARE USED FOR? DATA PROCESSING AND CONTRACTED

SERVICES? >> THAT IS ONE OF OUR PURCHASED EXPENDITURES. THAT COVERS ALL THE CONTRACTED SERVICES WE HAVE LIKE OUR STUDENT INFORMATION SCHOOL SYSTEM OR FINANCIAL AID SYSTEM. OUR UNIFIED TALENT SYSTEM, EVERYTHING HR USES FOR

RECORDS. RAPTOR. MANY OF THOSE. >> SO IT IS NOT JUST ONE. THIS IS DECEIVIG A LITTLE BIT TO BE MARKED JUST AS DATA PROCESSING.

THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THAT.

>> IT'S NOT FULL I.T. IT'S FOR WHATEVER THE USE IS.

>> WHAT IS THE 20,000 FOR CONSULTANTS?

>> WE'VE ONLY SPENT 11,000 OF THAT THIS YEAR, AND THAT IS TO PAY FOR CONSULTANTS WHO HELP US WORK ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT THINGS. REVISIONS THAT WE NEED TO MAKE. AND SO WE RELY ON SOME EXPERTISE. WE HAVE SOME FANTASTIC ENGINEERS, BUT THERE SOME INCREDIBLY HIGH UP NETWORK ENGINEERS TO HELP US OUT WITH SOME OF THE MORE COMPLEX ONES. EVEN IF IT ISN'T SHOWN IN THE BUDGET BOOK NOW, WE ARE WORKING ON THAT.

>> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I WOULD ALSO ASK THAT JUST LIKE THIS BUDGET, THEY DO HAVE AWARDS, SERVICES, AND MEETINGS, THIS WOULD BE ANOTHER ONE WHERE I'D LIKE TO SEE -- I'D LIKE AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT THOSE ARE AND WHAT WE CAN REDUCE

POTENTIALLY WITH THAT. >> IT ACTUALLY USED TO BE 11

BACK IN 2017, BUT WE CAN -- >> IF YOU ADD UP ALL OF THEM, IT'S WELL OVER $100,000 OR MOW. THE POTENTIAL COSTS

SAVINGS THERE. >> A LOT OF THAT WILL BE FOR REGISTRATION FEES AND EVERYTHING THAT WE ARE GETTING

TOGETHER. >> THANK YOU. THERE WAS ONE

[01:50:02]

GUYS MAILING THAT IS $2000? >> THAT SHOULD ACTUALLY BE AT A HIGHER NUMBER. THAT IS -- THAT COVERS DONATION PROGRAMS. ANYTHING THAT WE MAIL OUT. PLUS, WE HAVE TO RETURN EVERYTHING AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THE COMPUTERS HAVE TO BE

RETURNED TO THE COMPANY. >> SO THIS IS JUST -- I DON'T MEAN TO BE PICKY, BUT IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT IF, INSTEAD OF JUST SAYING POSTAGE, IT CAN SAY POSTAGE AND SHIPPING COSTS.

POSTAGE IS 65% AND SHIPPING COULD BE $2000. SO IT'S REALLY GOOD FOR ME, WHEN I THINK A POSTAGE, I THINK WE MAIL THAT LETTER OR FLAT. BUT SHIPPING, WE HAD TO SEND OR RECEIVE OR

PAY FOR SOMETHING. >> WE DIDN'T SPEND A PENNY ON

STAMPS. >> THAT'S GOOD TO KNOW. I

MEAN, YOUR I.T. DEPARTMENT. >> THERE WAS A LITTLE DISCUSSION ABOUT WHITEBOARDS FROM OUR LAST MEETING. I RECEIVED AN EMAIL AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT, AS FAR AS DELAYING AND BUYING A NEW BATCH OF WHITEBOARDS IN BATCHES, AND WE ARE POSSIBLY TALKING ABOUT DELAYING IT. DOES YOUR DEPARTMENT ALSO MAINTAIN MATERIAL AND HARDWARE IF ONE

DOES GO DOWN ? >> SO THE SMARTBOARD CUTS ACTUALLY STARTED LAST YEAR. WHAT WE STARTED TO DO IS REPLACE THE SYSTEM. THE SCHOOLS HAD TO PAY FOR THEM THEMSELVES.

WE FOUND THAT SCHOOLS JUST WEREN'T GETTING TO A PLACE THEY NEEDED TO BE. DR. TEACHERS WOULD TURN OFF THE LIGHTS AND STILL NOT BE ABLE TO SEE WHAT'S UP THERE. SO WE ASKED IF WE COULD TAKE IT OVER, BECAUSE THESE ARE SO MUCH USED EVERY DAY BY OUR TEACHERS FOR HOURS ON END. SO WE ASKED TO TAKE THAT OVER. ON THE THIRD YEAR, WE WERE GRANTED APPROVAL.

SO HE TRIED TO PUT ALL OF OUR PROJECTORS AND SMART BOARDS ON A 10 YEAR LIFECYCLE. IT'S GOING TO BE ROUGHLY $350-$4000 PER YEAR TO MAINTAIN THAT, BECAUSE WE HAVE MANY SMART BOARDS OUT THERE IN EVERY SINGLE CLASSROOM. SO THEY TOOK ON THAT BURDEN FOR THE SCHOOLS. WE WERE VERY HAPPY, BECAUSE WE HAD THEM ALL REPLACED, AND WE SYSTEMATICALLY GOT RID OF THE WORST 10 TO 15% IN THE FIRST YEAR. WE GOT TO DO THAT AGAIN THE SECOND YEAR, BUT THEN IN THE THIRD YEAR, BECAUSE OF BUDGET CONSTRAINTS, WE HAD $300,000 CUT. AND THE SAME THING IS WHEN TO BE OCCURRING FOR THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR, FY '25. THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY REPLACEMENTS ORDERED AND REPLACED FOR THE I.T. DEPARTMENT FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS. THE GOOD NEWS IS, WE WERE ABLE TO REPLACE ALMOST 40% OF THOSE PROGRAMS SO THE REALLY BAD ONES ARE OUT. WE WILL PICK THAT BACK UP AGAIN IF POSSIBLE BECAUSE TEACHERS WANT THE SMART BOARDS AND PROJECTORS TO BE WORKING. THAT DECISION HAS BEEN MADE TO CUT THEM AGAIN FOR FY '24. IF THEY GO DOWN, IT'S NOT LIKE WE WON'T FIX THEM. THEY WILL ACTUALLY PROBABLY NEED MORE REPAIRS, SO HE WILL PROBABLY BE IN MORE DISREPAIR.

OUR TEXT WILL ASSIST WITH THAT AND TROUBLESHOOT THEM AS WE NEED. WERE LOOKING AT PARTS IN DIFFERENT PARTS OF OUR BUDGET.

AND SO WE DO HAVE SOME OF THIS BUDGETED.

>> THANK YOU. >> MR. WHITE. IF WE CAN SWITCH TO PAGE 37, BECAUSE THE COMMUNICATIONS BUDGET HAS NOW BEEN ABSORBED BY MR. POTEET'S OFFICE. WE JUST WANTED TO MAKE SURE WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK HIM ANY QUESTIONS THERE, OR MR. JOHNSON. I WAS JUST ASKING, WHAT DID YOU MEAN PAGE

[01:55:07]

37? >> SO PAGE 37 IS A NEWLY CREATED SECTION, AND MS. DANIELS CAME ON BOARD. AND SINCE HER RESIGNATION AND WE MOVE FORWARD IN NOT HIRING ANOTHER COMMUNICATIONS PERSON, SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WERE LISTED IN HER BUDGET WERE DELETED, AND SOMEWHERE THEN MOVED OVER TO I.T. BECAUSE OF THE WEB SIGHT IN MAINTAINING SIMILAR SERVICES THERE. SO MR. JOHNSON AND MR. POTEET WOULD BE ABLE TO ADDRESS ANY QUESTIONS YOU HAVE ON PAGE 37.

>> THE CONTRACTED SERVICES, THE WEBSITE?

>> YES, I BELIEVE SO. HONESTLY, SHE DISKING TO THE DEPARTMENT A FEW WEEKS AGO, BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT THE CONTRACT SERVICES WERE

FOR THE WEBSITE >> OKAY. THANK YOU.

>> WITH SOME OF THESE THINGS, I MET WITH MS. AKINS. WOULD SOME OF THEIR STUDENTS BE ABLE TO TAKE ON SOME OF THESE PROJECT

FOR THE WEBSITES OR ANYTHING? >> THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION. THE SUPERVISOR WHO IS GOING TO BE SUPERVISING JESSE NOW CAN TAKE THAT. I WOULD LIKE TO ADD AS WELL THAT I THINK SCHOOL MESSENGER SERVICE IS ALSO ONE OF THE CONTRACTED

SERVICES. >> WE JUST HAVE TO REWORK WHAT

THAT LOOKS LIKE NOW. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU. WE ARE GOING TO FISCAL SERVICES, PAGE 41.

THERE WAS AN ACROSS-THE-BOARD CUT FOR EVERYONE PRIOR TO THE BUDGET BEING LOOKED AT? JUST ACROSS THE BOARD. I JUST WANTED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT WAS THE COMMUNICATION TO DEATH AS THE BUDGET WAS BEING COMPILED IF THERE WAS A COMMUNICATION TO SAY, CUT THE BUDGET 2% FOR THE PRIOR YEAR, IF THAT REQUEST WAS

EVEN MADE. >> THAT REQUEST WAS NOT MADE.

HOWEVER, AFTER THE OFFICIAL BUDGET REQUEST FOR SUBMITTAL, THE DISTRICT ADMINISTRATORS WERE INVITED TO LOOK FOR ADDITIONAL CUTS THAT COULD BE MADE REASONABLY TO THEIR BUDGET. AND WITH THOSE REDUCTIONS HAPPENING RIGHT INTO THE PROPOSED BUDGET FOR FY '25. CERTAIN AREAS PROVIDE LESS OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCH CUTS LIKE UTILITIES AND CERTAIN OTHERS AS

WELL. >> UNDERSTOOD. AND WHAT HAS BEEN THE COMMUNICATION TO STAFF, IF ANY, NOW THAT WE ARE FACING THESE CUTS. HAS ANYTHING BEEN SHARED REGARDING PRIORITIZING WHAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN DESIRING TO PURCHASE IN FISCAL '25? POSSIBLY MOVING THAT INTO 24 IF THERE IS SOMETHING THAT IS A PRIORITY, AND THEN POSSIBLY NOT MAKING CERTAIN PLANS, EXCLUSIVES THAT THEY COULD DIFFER?

>> WE DID HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY IN THE PRINCIPALS MEETING TO TALK ABOUT FREEZING ACCOUNTS FOR THE REST OF FISCAL YEAR '24 INTO FY '25. AND AT THIS STAGE OF THE GAME, YOU CAN GET BY WITH WHAT YOU HAVE INSTEAD OF MASSIVE SPENDING OF THE BUDGET THAT WAS APPOINTED LAST YEAR. WE DID NOT GIVE A DIRECTIVE AS OF YET. WE ARE DOING OUR DILIGENCE AS WE ARE IN THE

THIRD ORDER. >> HAS ANY ANALYSIS BEEN DONE AS OF LAST WEEK OR TODAY, IF THAT DIRECTIVE WAS TO BE MADE?

[02:00:04]

WHAT IS A ROUGH ESTIMATE? >> I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER.

>> AGAIN, SOME OF THE AREAS ARE LESS FEASIBLE TO MAKE IT FREE, LIKE UTILITIES. BUT NO, THAT ANALYSIS HAS NOT BEEN DONE ON

UTILITY ACCOUNTS. >> OKAY. I KNOW WE NEED TO HAVE SOMETHING OUT TODAY TO THE COMMISSIONERS, BUT I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW WHAT THAT NUMBER WOULD LOOK LIKE IF YOU WERE TO ISSUE THAT, SAY, ON APRIL 15TH, WE COULD COME UP WITH A NUMBER. IF YOU COULD GO THROUGH, YOU COULD FIGURE OUT WHAT WE COULD POTENTIALLY SAVE BY DOING THAT. I WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

>> THANK YOU.

QUESTIONS REGARDING FISCAL SERVICES?

>> I WOULD LOVE FOR YOU TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE PROPOSED

CHANGES. >> PAGE 41, THE BIGGEST REDUCTION PROPOSED, IN YEARS PRIOR, COMPENSATIONS WERE CHARGED FOR THE ENTIRE DISTRICT IN THE FISCAL SERVICES CATEGORY. IN THE LAST FISCAL YEAR, THOSE COSTS WERE DECENTRALIZED AND ALLOCATED AND CHARGED TO THE VARIOUS DEPARTMENTS WERE CATEGORIES IN THE BUDGET. SO FOR INSTANCE, FOR STUDENT TRANSPORTATION, COSTS WERE COMPENSATED. AND SO YOU CAN SEE A PRETTY DRAMATIC REDUCTION IN BUDGET REFORM, COMPENSATED ABSENCES WITHIN THE FISCAL SERVICES CATEGORY FOR $29,000 REDUCTION. IN THE CONTRACTED SERVICES ACCOUNT, WE REDUCED THE CONTRACTED CONSULTANS ACCOUNT FROM $25,000-$10,000. AND THE LEGAL FEES ALSO REPRESENT A REDUCTION. THIS FISCAL YEAR IS THE FIRST YEAR -- MOST OF THIS FISCAL YEAR, WE HAVE BEEN CHARGING LEGAL FEES TO FISCAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT FOR INQUIRIES THAT RELATE TO PURCHASING. ANOTHER AREA FOR CHANGE IS A FEW INCHES DOWN, BOARD SERVICES AND MEETINGS. YOU SEE CURRENTLY IN THIS FISCAL BUDGET, WE REDUCE THAT TO 0 FOR 2025. AND OTHER CHARGES REPRESENT A VARIETY OF OTHER PICTURES. THE REDUCTION FROM 66,000 AS AN CHANGE TO $10,000. AND THEN ALSO A REDUCTION IN REPLACEMENT EQUIPMENT, I MERELY, YOU SEE LAPTOP COMPUTERS FROM THIS YEAR'S BUDGET OF $22,400 TO $10,000. SO THE OVERALL REDUCTIONS TO OUR FISCAL SERVICES PROGRAM IS FOR $41,875. 24% REDUCTION, WITH MOST OF THIS BEING FOR REDUCTION AND REALLOCATION OF

COMPENSATION SOURCES. >> FOR THE CONTRACT, WHO IS THE

CONSULTANT OF THAT FIRM? >> IT IS NOT FOR A SPECIFIC FIRM, IT IS A BUDGET CATEGORY, WHICH IS AN ACCOUNT THAT COULD INCLUDE CONSULTING WITH OUR AUDITOR ABOVE REGULAR AUDIT COSTS. AND THAT CAN INCLUDE CONSULTING FOR A VARIETY OF OTHER SERVICES. BUT BECAUSE WE HAVE USED RELATIVELY LITTLE OF THAT SERVICE, WE ARE PROPOSING A REDUCTION IN THAT ACCOUNT.

>> AND I SEE HERE THE REDUCTION IN THE STAFF DEVELOPMENT NEEDS FROM 20,000 TO 10,000. OF THAT 10,000 THAT IS REMAINING, DO WE HAVE A LINE ITEM WITH SPECIFIC TRAININGS THAT ARE REQUIRED VERSUS THAT IT WOULD JUST BE NICE TO ATTEND -- COULD THAT BE REDUCED EVEN MORE? THAT'S A SIGNIFICANT ONE THAT WE NEED TO LOOK AT. BECAUSE I SEE IN A LOT OF -- GENERALLY, I SEE A LOT OF THE CATEGORIES WERE THERE WAS A REDUCTION, BUT NOT IN ELIMINATION. IT WOULD BE REALLY GREAT TO KNOW AND UNDERSTAND. I FULLY RECOGNIZE THAT IT'S KIND OF A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD, BECAUSE WE WANT PEOPLE TO GET THEIR

[02:05:02]

THERE SHOULD BE NOTHING THAT IS BEYOND -- UNLESS IT WAS REQUIRED. WE SHOULDN'T BE PURCHASING ANYTHING. NOT NEW CHAIRS, NOT PENCILS, NOT JACKETS, NOT NOTHING.

EVERYTHING SHOULD BE FROZEN RIGHT NOW.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. NEXT, SPECIAL EDUCATION.

>> I DO HAVE A QUESTION. SALARY LAPSE. SALARY LAPSE. YOUR THOUGHTS? HAVE YOU DONE AN ESTIMATE?

>> WE HAVE NOT QUANTIFIED IT, IF THAT IS THE QUESTION.

>> YES. YOU HAVE NOT QUANTIFIED IT ?

>> WE FACTOR THAT INTO THE COMPENSATION ACCOUNT PROJECTIONS ON A HIGH-LEVEL BASIS.

>> CLARIFY FOR ME. YOU SAID YOU HAVE NOT QUANTIFIED IT, BUT IT WAS FACTORED INTO THE COMPENSATION ACCOUNT IN THE

BUDGET BOOK? >> IT IS ONE OF SEVERAL CONSIDERATIONS OR FACTORS IN THE BUDGET, THOSE BEING THE PREVIOUSLY NEGOTIATD COST INCREASE, THE NUMBER OF TEACHER RETIREMENTS THIS YEAR, WHICH IS OBVIOUSLY UNKNOWN TODAY. THE AMOUNT OF HIRING AND COST SAVINGS, AND THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT COST INCREASES. THE INCLUSION OF SOME FUNDS TOWARD AN INCREASE FOR ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES AND EXPERIENCE CREDIT FOR TEACHERS THAT ARE HIRED WITH YEARS OF TEACHING IS. FOR NEXT SCHOOL YEAR. IT'S NOT QUANTIFIABLE

TODAY. >> WHEN I THINK A SALARY LAPSE, I JUST OF THE LACK OF HIRING A NEW PERSON. ONE PERSON VACATES TODAY. IF YOU WAIT TOO LONG TO HIRE THE NEXT PERSON, WHEN I SAY SALARY LAPSE, THAT IS WHAT I AM'S BEAKING OF. NOT THE OTHER ITEMS THAT YOU MENTIONED. COULD YOU DO SOME ANALYSIS REGARDING COMPENSATION FOR THE SYSTEM TO DETERMINE IF THERE WERE A TWO MONTH -- NO. 30 DAYS? I WILL DO THREE MONTHS, WHICH IS 90 DAYS. AND I WILL JUST GIVE YOU THOSE TWO, BECAUSE I KNOW ANALYSIS CAN BE DIFFICULT AND FUNKY. WHAT THAT MIGHT GENERATE AND SAVE, IF THAT WERE INSTITUTED AS A

POLICY. >> WE WOULD BE HAPPY TO. ARE YOU REFERRING TO A SPECIFIC TARGETING UNIT?

>> ACROSS THE BOARD. >> THANK YOU.

>> ALSO, TONY MAY NEED TO CLARIFY THAT THAT IS SOMETHING THAT MAY BE DONE, WITH NEGOTIATED CONTRACTS. I'M NOT SURE IF THAT WOULD BE IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH ANY OF THEM.

>> COULD YOU REPEAT THE QUESTION? I'M SORRY.

>> SURE. SALARY LAPSE. IF WE DEFER TO HIRE SOMEONE YOU, THE SAVINGS WE'VE HAD OVER THAT TIME PERIOD ON SALARY, IT WOULD THEN BE GOING OUT TO WHERE WE ASK MR. JOHNSON TO DO SOME ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE IF WE INSTITUTED THAT AS A POLICY FOR THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, WHAT WE CAN SAVE IF WE DID A 30 DAY SALARY LAPSE AND A 90 DAYS SALARY LAPSE. MY QUESTION TO YOU WAS, WITH THAT POLICY BE IN DIRECT CONFLICT WITH ANY OF OUR

[02:10:01]

SURE. THANKS. >> SCOTT, I'M NOT SURE IF THIS WOULD FALL UNDER THIS CATEGORY ARE NOT, BUT HAVE WE LOOKED INTO TEACHER BUYOUTS OR TEACHERS GIVING INCENTIVES FOR

EARLY RETIREMENT? >> THERE'S BEEN SOME CONSIDERATION, AND WE BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION FOR

THIS MEETING. >> THANK YOU. COULD THERE BE ANY SAVINGS FOR DOING SOMETHING LIKE THAT?

>> THERE COULD BE POTENTIALLY SOME SHORT-TERM SAVINGS, BUT LONG-TERM SAVINGS MAY OR MAY NOT. SEPARATELY, IT'S NOT MY RECOMMENDATION FOR THE RECORD DISTRICT TO PURSUE THAT AT THIS TIME. IT WOULD DEPEND ON HOW IT IS STRUCTURED.

>> OKAY. THANK YOU. >> SPECIAL EDUCATION.

PAGE 75, THERE SEEMS TO BE A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THE SALARY ITEMS. ARE THERE PHYSICALLY PEOPLE BEING COUNTED DIFFERENTLY? AND HOW DOES THAT WORK?

>> WE MADE A REAL ATTEMPT THIS YEAR TO HAVE OUR BUDGET REFLECT ACTUAL COST, AND ANTICIPATE ACTUAL COSTS. SO UPON ARRIVAL, THERE WAS A LOT OF MOTION BETWEEN CONTRACT AND SERVICES, PARTICULARLY WITH RELATED SERVICE PROVIDERS. OVER IN-HOUSE EMPLOYEES. WE ALWAYS WANT TO HIRE OUR OWN EMPLOYEES AND THE CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE A LAST RESORT FOR US FOR A WHOLE LIST OF REASONS. THERE ACTUALLY MOVING THAT FROM SALARY TO CONTRACTED SERVICES AND VICE VERSA.

>> COULD YOU JUST TAKE EACH, STARTING WITH ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION, AND JUST GO DOWN AND TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT EACH? WHY WAS THERE A BIG REDUCTION IN ALT ED TEACHERS WHERE THEY

WENT? >> I'M GOING TO DEFER TO MR.

JOHNSON. >> I WOULD BE HAPPY TO, I JUST HAVEN'T COMMITTED IT TO MEMORY.

THE ALT ED POSITION AT CTA. >> WHAT IS?

>> THE $16,000. >> THAT WAS MOVED TO CTA.

>> THE BEHAVIORAL SPECIALIST HAS A BALANCE OF CONTRACTED VERSUS IN-HOUSE AND HOW THOSE POSITIONS FALL. WE ARE ALWAYS JUST TRYING TO FILL. IF SOMEONE SAYS I WORK THREE DAYS A WEEK, WE HONOR THAT AND THE SKILL SET THAT WE NEED. SO THOSE ARE

SLIGHT VARIATIONS. >> BUT WE ARE CONSIDERING THESE

ARE EMPLOYEES. >> THIS CHART IS OUR EMPLOYEES,

[02:15:04]

BECAUSE THERE IS SUCH A SHORTAGE OF BEHAVIORAL TEXT AND SPECIALISTS THAT IF YOU HAVE THE BACKGROUNDS AND THE SKILL SET, I AM WORKING WITH YOU. INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE, OR JUST YOUR NORMAL PROJECTED INCREASE. I DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT IS A POSITION CHANGE. SOCIAL WORKERS, AGAIN, IT'S THAT BALANCE OF WHAT PERCENTAGE PAID OUT. IT'S A BALANCING ACT. MY DEADLINE FOR GRANTS IS APRIL 15TH, AND I'M LOOKING AT WHAT I CAN CONTINUE TO FUND. THIS IS THE BEST ACTUAL NUMBER WE CAN COME UP WITH. SPECIAL ED TEACHERS, THAT WOULD JUST BE A REGULAR INCREASE. DID I COVER THE BULK OF WHAT YOU WANT TO

THERE? >> YEAH.

>> JUMPING DOWN, CONTRACTED SERVICES HERE, CAN YOU GIVE ME SOME EXAMPLES OF SERVICES YOU'RE TRYING TO CONTRACT?

>> OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY, PHYSICAL THERAPY, SPEECH.

>> RIGHT. AND I NOTICED THAT -- AND THE OLD ONE AND THE NEW ONE. IT LOOKS LIKE OTHER CHARGES WENT UP, AND THEY PREVIOUSLY PRINTED 190, AND THAT WENT UP SLIGHTLY TO 209.

WHAT ARE THESE OTHER CHARGES? >> OTHER CHARGES CAN BE -- I DON'T KNOW WHY THAT INCREASE HAPPENED.

>> IN THE OTHER CHARGES SECTION, RIGHT OFF THE TOP OF

MY HEAD I DON'T KNOW. >> AND I WOULD SAY THAT GENERALLY SPEAKING, IF IT'S A MISCELLANEOUS OR OTHER AND IT WAS $1000, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN, YOU KNOW, I PROBABLY WOULDN'T EVEN CONSIDER IT. BUT BEING AS THERE'S A LOT OF PLACES IN THIS BUDGET BOOK WHERE THERE ARE OTHER CHARGES AND SERVICES AND IT'S A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS, TO ME, IT WOULD BE BENEFICIAL TO ME, FIRST OF ALL, BUT ALSO TO THE PUBLIC AND ANYBODY ELSE THAT LOOKS AT THIS. ULTIMATELY, IT'S A LOT OF SPECULATION. IF WE COULD MAYBE FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BREAK

THAT OUT. >> CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT PAGE YOU ARE ON? I'M NOT SEEING THE SAME NUMBER.

>> 73. >> I WAS LOOKING AT THE WRONG

NUMBER. >> I'M SORRY.

EVEN IF THERE WAS A DESCRIPTION ABOUT WHAT'S IN OTHER --

>> IT DOES, IN THE DETAIL PAGES. MILEAGE REIMBURSEMENT IS 35 FOR ONE GROUP AND 59,000 FOR ANOTHER AND RELATED SERVICES.

WE SORT OF HAVE TO GO FLIPPING BACK AND FORTH.

>> SHE'S ACCURATE. IF YOU LOOK AT 175, IT DEFINES IT AS MILEAGE, PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS, AND ALLOCATING. THERE WAS A COVID LINEUP, WHICH IS ZERO DOWN AT THIS POINT. AND HE GOES TO THE BACK PAGES. I DON'T KNOW WHY THERE'S A DIFFERENTIAL FROM THE FIRST BOOK TO THE SECOND BOOK, BUT I CAN TALK ABOUT THESE. ARE SPEECH FOLKS, SUPERVISORS -- WE USE OUR OWN VEHICLES WE GO FROM SCHOOL TO SCHOOL. EVEN MYSELF, IF I GET CALLED TO A SCHOOL. UNLESS I AM PLANNING SOMETHING SPECIFIC, AND THAT I WILL TAKE ONE OF OUR VANS. WE DRIVE OUR OWN VEHICLES. AND SO THOSE MILEAGE PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS FOR US, IF I PROVIDE ANY THING TO A MEETING, IT IS A WATER AND ONLY WHEN IT'S A DAYLONG MEETING. IT ALSO INCLUDES THINGS LIKE ALL THE MANDATORY MEETINGS THAT I HAVE TO TAKE FOLKS TO. YOU WILL SEE THAT THERE IS SOME CHANGE IN THE AMOUNT BECAUSE I THINK HISTORICALLY, MORE OF THE SUPERVISORS AND DIRECTOR ARE GOING TO THOSE MEETINGS. BUT IN

[02:20:04]

EVERYBODY. >> AND THIS IS NOT JUST FOR YOU SPECIFICALLY AGAIN. WHEN YOU ARE HAVING TO FLIP BACK AND FORTH, IT WOULD BE MUCH MORE HELPFUL TO HAVE THOSE ITEMS LISTED OUT INSTEAD OF SAYING OTHER CHARGES AND HAVING TO FLIP A COUPLE OF CHARGES TO SEE WHAT THE OTHER CHARGES ARE AND THEN FLIP BACK, ESPECIALLY WHEN IT'S 140 SOMETHING PAGES LONG.

IT WOULD JUST MAKE IT LESS CUMBERSOME FOR ANYBODY

WATCHING. THANK YOU. >> I ALSO HAD A QUESTION ABOUT THIS UNDER PUBLIC SCHOOL PROGRAM. WE ALREADY HAVE THE MILLION, OR WHATEVER FOR THE TUITION.

>> AND I KIND OF TALK ABOUT IT AS A GROUPING, AND THEN IF YOU SURVEY QUESTIONS? AND I WILL GIVE YOU A GENERAL REVIEW, BUT THERE ARE SO FEW STUDENTS IN THESE CATEGORIES THAT I NEED TO BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE CONFIDENTIALITY -- I DON'T WANT TO SINGLE ANYBODY OUT IN MY WRIST WANTS. OUT OF COUNTY LIVING COULD BE OUR STUDENTS WERE PLACED FOR EITHER FAMILIAL OR NEEDS REASONS OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY, AND WE PAY THE EDUCATIONAL COMPONENT. BUT IT'S NOT CONSIDERED TUITION, BECAUSE THEY ARE IN A PROGRAM FOR OTHER REASONS OVERALL. I HATE THIS MICROPHONE EVERY TIME. IT'S NOT A MEETING TO LET YOU THAT, I APOLOGIZE. AND THOSE TWO NUMBERS ARE NOT REALLY PREDICTABLE. OR THEIR NEEDS ARE SUCH THAT WE ARE REQUIRED TO ENCUMBER THOSE FUNDS FOR THOSE SERVICES? WE ARE TALKING OVERALL, BOTH CATEGORIES -- I WILL SAY LESS THAN 50 KIDS. IT'S MAYBE EVEN 40-ISH. BUT IT IS SUCH A SMALL NUMBER, AND IT IS SET BY NEED. NOT IN THE BUDGET BOOK, WE DO RECEIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE TUITION FEES. IT VARIES BETWEEN 40 AND 60% BETWEEN STUDENTS. WE GET SIX PAYMENTS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, SO UNTIL THE FISCAL YEARS OVER, WE DON'T REALLY KNOW

WHAT THE REAL NUMBERS ARE. >> SO THAT EXPLAINS WHY WE ARE CONSTANTLY LOOKING LIKE IT EXCEEDED OUR BUDGET

DRAMATICALLY. >> WE GET SIX PAYMENTS, AND IT USUALLY PUTS US IN VERY CLOSE ALIGNMENT. THE REIMBURSEMENT IS ON A SLIDING SCALE AND IS BASED ON THE INTENSITY OF THE PROGRAM. SO WE JUST DID OUR MIDYEAR POINT QUALIFYING POINT

RIGHT NOW. >> WONDERFUL. SO THEN THE AMOUNT THAT IS UNDER YOUR BUDGET AND TRANSFERS, OR TUITION -- RIGHT NOW IT'S 1.2 MILLION ?

>> YES. >> YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT?

>> I NEVER WANT TO SAY I FEEL GOOD ABOUT IT, BUT I FEEL PRETTY OPTIMISTIC THAT THE REIMBURSEMENTS, WHEN YOU COMPARE THE TWO LINE ITEMS, TUITION VERSUS REIMBURSEMENT, I THINK WE ARE GOING TO BE PRETTY CLOSE TO WHERE WE NEED TO BE.

>> SUPER. BECAUSE RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE SPENT 1.67 MILLION WITH A BUDGET OF 1.2. SO YOU FIGURE THAT'S GOING TO COME INTO LINE THIS YEAR. AND THEN HOPEFULLY THE SAME AS NEXT YEAR. AND IT IS ALMOST IN POSSIBLE FOR YOU TO KNOW --

>> WE'VE HAD SO MANY MOVE INS THIS YEAR, YOU JUST CAN'T PREDICT THEM. THERE MIGHT BE SOME TREND DATA THAT MR. JOHNSON LOOKS AT TO SEE HOW MANY MOVEMENTS YOU TYPICALLY HAVE, AND HE HELPS YOU FIGURE THAT NUMBER. THE OTHER THING, TOO, FOR CONTINUITY OF STUDENTS, IF A STUDENT WAS A RESIDENT OF WASHINGTON, D.C., THEY HAD TO OF BEEN IN THE PROGRAM IN WASHINGTON, D.C.. THEY MAY NOT BE ABLE TO GET A SEAT ANYWHERE ELSE, THAT IS COMMENSURATE AND PROVIDES CONTINUITY FOR THE STUDENTS. IT IS JUST A REALLY HARD DECISION TO MAKE. I TAKE IT VERY SERIOUSLY AND WE HAVE A

[02:25:08]

OUR NEEDIEST KIDS. >> THAT MAKES ME FEEL A LOT

BETTER ABOUT THIS YEAR. >> I DON'T HAVE MUCH EITHER.

ON PAGE 87 WITH THE WORKSHOPS, I KNOW THAT EVERYTHING IS CONSTANTLY CHANGING WITH THOSE WORKSHOPS. IS THAT YOUR STAFF,

OR -- >> WE CALL IT WORKSHOP PAY.

IT'S WHEN TEACHERS ARE CONSULTING WITH EACH OTHER, OR THEY NEED TO GO IN AND RUN WORKSHOPS WITH TEACHERS THAT ARE GOING TO FACE SOMETHING NEW, OR A NEW TECHNIQUE. IT'S THOSE HOURLY TIME SHEETS THAT WE DO THAT WORK AROUND WITH.

>> OKAY. ARE THOSE THE YELLOW TIME SHEETS? BE MY GUEST.

>> I GOT A COUPLE OF TIME QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT. I DON'T KNOW IF WE CAN GET IT DONE ELECTRONICALLY WITH THAT.

>> ONLY WHEN IT FALLS APART, IS WHEN EITHER A PART OF THE PAPERWORK OR IT IS IN TOGETHER OR I JUST GET THE TIME SHEET. I REALLY TRY TO EXPEDITE IT. SOMETIMES IT'S JUST ME TOO.

>> THANK YOU. >> JUST IN GENERAL, WHAT KIND OF SERVICE CONTRACTS ARE JUMPING UP ON THAT SAME PAGE,

87. >> THAT'S THE BALANCE OF IF I COULD GET THE SPEECH AND LANGUAGE PEOPLE THAT ARE OURS, I WOULD TAKE THEM IN A HEARTBEAT. WE ALWAYS TRY FIRST WITH CONTRACTED SERVICES. LIKE RIGHT THERE. LIKE THE INTERPRETERS. SO ALL OF THOSE FOLKS, WE TRY TO GET SOMEBODY FIRST. SIGNING WHICH INTERPRETATION IN PARTICULAR HAD A CHANGE IN LICENSURE OR CERTIFICATION. AND SO THEY ARE SCARCER THAN THEY WERE BEFORE, BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO CATCH UP WITH THE NEW REQUIREMENTS, SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE ARE JUST WORKING THROUGH. SOME OF THAT IS JUST FOR MEETINGS, SOME OF THAT IS TRANSLATION SERVICES.

ALL MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, I'M CECELIA LEWIS, DIRECTOR OF

STUDENT SERVICES. >> I THINK WE ARE ON PAGE 89.

STUDENT MEMBER OF THE BOARD ON PAGE 80 9B . SHE ASKS, UNDER SALARIES AND WAGES, WHAT WORKSHOPS AND WHAT -- WHY WAS IT THERE AN INCREASE OF 309.3%?

>> SO THERE WAS NOT . WE DID NOT REQUEST THAT AMOUNT AND I MET WITH MR. JOHNSON TO HIGHLIGHT THAT ERROR AND I WILL DEFER TO HIM TO EXPLAIN.

>> THANK YOU. IN THE $348,000 AMOUNT I VERTICALLY PICKED UP ONE CELL ABOVE IT, WHICH WAS 277,100 OF CLERICAL WAGES. THAT PORTION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE VERY FIRST SECTION, INSTEAD

OF THE WORKSHOP AMOUNT . >> ALONG THE SAME LINES, AND WORKSHOPS, I WILL LOOK AT THE OLD BUDGET BOOK FOR THAT LINE.

IT IS STILL $61,000 -- ISH. OR AROUND THERE. OR THERE WAS

[02:30:15]

A DECREASE OF 10,000. >> YES, THERE WAS REDUCTION REQUESTED IN WORKSHOP PAY IN LARGE PORTION, COVERED BY THE SCHOOLS . THE WORKSHOP FOR TEACHERS ATTENDING SPECIFIC CONFERENCES, AL SCI, RESTORATIVE APPROACHES. AS WE SUPPORT OUR DISCIPLINARY PRACTICES, WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY TRAINING THE TRAINER AS WELL AS TRAINING STAFF. AND THAT COST IS ASSOCIATED TO EMPLOYEE PAY. THE WORKSHOP COST IS.

>> CORRECT, THE SALARY AND WAGES IS CONNECTED TO EMPLOYEE PAY FOR ATTENDING THOSE WORKSHOPS.

>> IS THERE A WAY TO PROVIDE , PERHAPS THERE COULD BE , INSTEAD OF THOSE EMPLOYEES HAVING TO PHYSICALLY GO TO THE WORKSHOP, IS THERE A WAY FOR US TO COMMUNICATE VIA VIDEOS OR POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS OR THINGS LIKE THAT, BECAUSE THAT IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF MONEY. PLUS THEY HAVE TO BE OUT OF THE BUILDING AND I KNOW THERE IS A SHORTAGE EVERYWHERE AND THAT PUTS A BURDEN ON EVERYBODY. BUT AGAIN, THINKING OUTSIDE THE BOX, IS THERE A WAY TO MINIMIZE , FOR NOW, ANYWAY, THE STAFF LEAVING THE BUILDING AND HAVING TO PAY EXTRA FOR

THAT? >> ABSOLUTELY, WE CERTAINLY ARE ANALYZING ON A DEEP LEVEL, OF WAYS TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE WITHIN COMPLIANCE OF GRANTS THAT WE HAVE WRITTEN, TO ENSURE A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF OUR WORKFORCE IS TRAINED IN APPROPRIATE APPROACHES. AND DISCIPLINE. AND SO WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT WAYS TO REDUCE THAT, FROM ALL WAYS AND IMPACT THE IMPACT TO THE CLASSROOM. BUT WE ARE LOOKING AT ALTERNATIVES AND THAT IS AN AREA WE CAN CONSIDER

REDUCTIONS. >> AND I NOTICED THERE IS A SOCIAL WORKERS LINE IN THE STUDENT -- I AM ON PAGE 89 B. WE HAVE SOCIAL WORKERS AND I AM ON THE OLD ONE. MAYBE IT IS -- THE NEW BOOK IS 947,000 OR SOMETHING LIKE THT. SO THAT WENT UP FROM THE OLD BUT . I SAY OLD. YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

THE OLD BOOK TO THE NEW BOOK. THERE WAS AN INCREASE THERE SO IT JUST IS CONFIRMING, THAT IS IN FACT SUPPOSED TO BE AN INCREASE AND THEN I ALSO NOTICED THAT WE HAVE DOWN BELOW, CONTRACTED SERVICES, WE HAVE CONTACT SOCIAL WORK. CAN YOU EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCE IN THOSE TWO PARTS BUT IT DOES MIRROR WHAT DR. ANSWERS -- ANDERSON SPOKE TO WITH THE SPECIAL EDUCATION. WITH SPECIALIST POSITIONS WE PREFER TO HAVE OUR OWN EMPLOYEES, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WE NEED TO CONTACT. HISTORICALLY, THERE WAS AN ALLOTMENT OF SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WERE ASSIGNED TO OUR OPERATING BUDGET. HOWEVER WE WERE UNABLE TO FILL THEM. SO A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF THAT FUNDING WAS SHIFTED TO CONTRACTED SERVICES. THIS YEAR, WE REQUESTED FOR SOME OF THAT , ACTUALLY THE SPECIFICS ARE THREE SOCIAL WORKERS TO SHIFT BACK TO THE CCP AS BUDGET BECAUSE WE ARE WORKING CLOSELY WITH HUMAN RESOURCES AND RECRUITING AND THAT WOULD SAVE US A ROUTE TO SHIFT FROM THE CONTRACTED SERVICES TO OUR CCPS OPERATING BUDGET.

>> I SEE THAT WE HAVE ALMOST FULLY UTILIZED THE 910,000, WHICH IS ADDED TO YOUR BUDGET FOR SOCIAL WORKERS. FOR EMPLOYEES. IT DOESN'T SHOW IN OUR BUDGET BOOK, BUT AS A MATTER OF FACT, THE WHOLE BUDGET, IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM WENT FROM 3.1 TO 4.2. SO THEY ADDED IN THE SOCIAL WORKERS AND THE SAFETY ADVOCATES. SO NOW THEY RESIDE IN YOUR DEPARTMENT AND THAT IS WHAT THE BUDGET FOR 25 IS BUILT ON. SO THE SOCIAL WORKERS, IT LOOKS LIKE THEY ARE BEING CHARGED TO YOUR DEPARTMENT AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE ARE FULLY ENCUMBERED AND AT 81% OF THE 910,000. SO THAT LOOKS, THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU AS FAR AS THE YOU HAVE A PHYSICALLY AS AN

EMPLOYEE? >> IT DOES, YES.

>> THEN THERE IS THE INCREASED. THEN YOU GO DOWN TO THE CONTRACT AND THE NEW BUDGET , THERE HAS BEEN A

[02:35:03]

AS IT IS NOW 235,000. AND WE HAVE EXCEEDED THAT BUDGET ALREADY. WE HAVE SPENT MORE THAN THAT OR ENCUMBERED, I SHOULD SAY, MORE THAN THAT. DOES THAT MAKE SENSE?

>> SO THAT IS NOT A REFLECTION OF WHAT OUR ANALYSIS SHOWED.

WE HAD QUITE A BIT OF EXCESS FUNDING IN CONTRACT, WHICH IS WHY WE MADE THE DECISION TO SHIFTED OVER TO OUR CCPS OPERATING. SO I WOULD HAVE TO DEFER TO MR. JOHNSON, IN TERMS OF HOW THOSE SALARIES WERE CALCULATED AND SHIFTED TO AN INCREASE BECAUSE THAT DOES NOT --

>> I'M WONDERING, MR. JOHNSON, IT SHOWS $163,000 IN ENCUMBRANCES. IF SOME PEOPLE STARTED AS CONTRACT AND BECAME -- THAT WASN'T THE CASE? OKAY. YOU DON'T THINK YOU HAVE $162,000 WORTH OF PEOPLE

ON CONTRACTS? >> I WOULD AGREE THAT WE HAVE PROBABLY RIGHT AROUND -- I CAN LOOK AT MY NUMBERS IN TERMS OF THE ACTUAL STAFFING. FOR CONTRACTED AT THIS POINT. FOR SOCIAL WORKERS , WE ARE REFERRING TO SOCIAL WORKERS,

NOT SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS? >> THAT'S RIGHT. AT LEAST THAT IS WHAT THIS LINE ITEM IN OUR ACTUAL GENERAL FUND .

>> CAN YOU TELL ME WHICH LINE ITEM ? I AM NOT LOOKING AT THE EXACT SAME NUMBERS. I AM LOOKING AT THE BUDGET BOOK ON PAGE 80 9B. IS THAT WHAT WE ARE REFERRING TO?

>> NO, I'M ACTUALLY LOOKING AT OUR MONTHLY FUND.

>> THIS SHOULD BE. THIS SHOULD BE, WHAT I'VE DONE IS TO UPDATE THE FISCAL YEAR 2024 TO REFLECT THE NEW BUDGET -- THE NEW BUDGET TRANSFERS THAT YOU'VE MADE OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS. SO IT SAYS HERE, CONTRACTED SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE YEAR IS 235,000. AND WE HAVE ACTUALLY, IT SHOWS THE JANUARY REPORT THAT WE EXCEEDED THAT. SO WHEN YOU INCLUDE ENCUMBRANCES. ARE THOSE PEOPLE HEAR? THAT IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT. DO WE HAVE SOCIAL SERVICE , SOCIAL

WORKERS? >> THE QUESTION IS WHETHER THE ENCUMBRANCE AMOUNT IS CORRECT AND UP-TO-DATE.

>> YEAH, AND ACTUALLY BECAUSE THE SPEEDS AND TO MISS LOUIS'S BUDGET FOR 2025. THERE IS 360,000 PUT INTO

THAT. >> I WAS CLARIFYING WITH MRS. LEWIS. YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW MANY CONTRACTED SOCIAL WORKERS WE HAVE RIGHT NOW AND HOW COME IT IS LAST IN THE BUDGET BOOK.

SO SHE DOESN'T HAVE THAT NUMBER , SPECIFICALLY. WE WILL

GET THAT TO YOU. >> OKAY, AND THEN FOR 2025, ARE YOU STILL GOING -- ARE WE STILL GOING TO NEED 360,000 IN

CONTRACTED SERVICES? >> SO WE HAVE BUDGETED FOR THREE CONTRACTED SOCIAL WORKERS AT AN ESTIMATE OF ABOUT $100,000. SO OUR PROPOSAL WAS BASED ON THAT CALCULATION IN TERMS OF ENCUMBRANCES AND HOW THAT TRANSFERRED AND CALCULATED, I'M NOT SURE. BUT I WILL DEFINITELY CONFER WITH MR. JOHNSON, TO SEE HOW THOSE CALCULATION STATES THAT IS NOT MANAGED DIRECTLY IN MY OFFICE. THAT IS SALARIES AND WAGES MANAGED THROUGH THE FINANCE OFFICE.

>> BUT AS FAR AS UP IN THE SALARY LEVEL, YOU ARE GOOD WITH THE 946? THAT DOES REFLECT THE NUMBER OF SOCIAL WORKERS THAT

YOU SAY YOU NEED. THAT WE NEED. >> WE CURRENTLY HAVE IN TERMS OF HOW MANY WE MANAGE, WE HAVE TWO DAYS AND EQUIVALENT OF ONE SOCIAL WORKER, WHO IS COVERED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL EDUCATION. AND WE ALSO HAVE A TOTAL OF 14 SOCIAL WORKERS THAT WE SUPERVISE AND SUPPORT IN OUR OFFICE. THEY ALL HAVE VARYING SALARIES AND EXPERIENCE LEVELS. SO WHAT WE WILL DO IS WE GO BACK AND LOOK AT THE STAFFING AND I WILL WORK WITH FINANCE IN ORDER TO ENSURE THAT NUMBER REFLECTS THE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE IN THEIR ACTUAL SALARIES.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> YOU ARE WELCOME.

[02:40:04]

>> THESE ARE BIG NUMBERS AND WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THEY ARE ACCURATE. SO THAT WE ARE NOT DOUBLE COUNTING ANYBODY. MY LAST QUESTION IS, I'M SORRY -- THE ITEM , THE LINE ITEM UNDERNEATH THE SOCIAL WORKERS IS CALLED SCHOOL SAFETY LIAISON/ADVOCATE. BUT THOSE ARE JUST DSROS.

>> THAT IS CORRECT. THAT IS CONTRACTED TO THE SHERIFF'S

OFFICE. >> HOW MANY MORE ARE IN 2025?

WAS IN COMMUNICATION. >> OKAY, THANK YOU.

>> SO I KNOW WE TALKED AT THE LAST BOARD MEETING ABOUT OTHER WAYS THAT YOU GUYS ARE LOOKING TO CUT SPECIFICALLY, THE --

HELP ME OUT. >> THE CODE OF CONDUCT.

>> THAT SAID, THE CODE OF CONDUCT. AND FIRST OF ALL I THINK THAT IS AN EASY ONE, THAT SHOULD DEFINITELY BE DELIVERED ELECTRONICALLY. IF THERE IS A SIGNAURE THAT IS REQUIRED I WOULD ASK AGAIN, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NITPICKY BUT AS A MATTER OF CONVENIENCE THAT THE FORM WE USE, WHEN A PARENT HAS TO FILL IT OUT, THAT IT BE A FILLABLE PDF FORM AND WE CAN DO A DIGITAL SIGNATURE OR AN ELECTRONIC SIGNATURE TO MAKE IT SO MUCH EASIER INSTEAD OF IT BEING LIKE A WORD DOCUMENT, THAT YOU HAVE TO CHISEL AND YOU KNOW, PLEASE, THAT WOULD MAKE IT SO MUCH EASIER. I THINK WE SHOULD DO IT WITHOUT

DOCUMENTATION. >> WE WILL WORK DIRECTLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. WE ARE CURRENTLY IN PROGRESS OF THE CODE OF CONDUCT REVIEW COMMITTEE AND THAT IS A

CONSIDERATION FOR PROPOSAL. >> THANK YOU.

>> KEEP IN MIND WITH THAT REQUEST, NOT ALL FAMILIES HAVE ACCESS , ACTIVELY TO TECHNOLOGY. MEANING FROM A PARENTAL LEVEL. AND ALSO, EVEN IF THERE ARE, THERE MAY BE SOME FAMILIES WHO MAY NOT WANT TO APPLY A DIGITAL SIGNATURE, SO WE NEED TO HAVE A PLAN B, TOO.

>> WE HAVE HAD DISCUSSIONS RELATED TO THAT. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE ARE EQUITABLE AND ACCOUNTING FOR EVERY FAMILY, SO EVEN IF WE WENT WITH A DIGITAL OPTION, IT WOULD BE AND, NOT ORDER. SO WE WOULD PROVIDE HARD COPIES AS NEEDED.

>> THAT IS A VERY VALID POINT AND I WOULD SAY, LIKE I TOLD YOU, I GET FOUR OF THOSE COPIES. I DON'T NEED FOUR OF THEM. IF THERE'S AN OPT IN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, EVEN PARENTS OR WHATEVER COULD CHOOSE TO GET ELECTRONIC VERSUS

PAPER. THANK YOU. >> I AGREE.

>> THANK YOU. >> THANK YOU.

>> THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EQUITY AND SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT, DR.

GROSS, DR. JOHNSON. PAGE 39 .

>> I HAVE NO QUESTIONS. >> GOOD MORNING. SUPERVISOR OF

EQUITY -- >> GOOD MORNING.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON. IT WAS MORNING.

>> SO ALONG THE SAME LINES, LOOKING AT THE WORDS, SERVICES AND MEETINGS THERE'S A $7000 AMOUNT THERE. AND THERE IS A WAY THAT COULD BE REDUCED OR COULD BE ANALYZED AS TO WHAT IS INCLUDED IN THAT, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL TO TAKE THAT UNDER

CONSIDERATION. >> COULD YOU PLEASE REPEAT

THAT? >> I'M SORRY, WHERE IT IS ON PAGE 30 -- NOT PAGE 39, MY APOLOGIES. THE STAFF DEVELOPMENT -- EXCUSE ME, AWARDS SERVICES AND MEETINGS, AND I KNOW IT DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR TO THIS YEAR BUT IN LOOKING ACROSS ALL OF THE BUDGETS, IF THERE IS A WAY TO REDUCE THAT , OR IF WHATEVER IS MANDATORY TO SEE WHAT THE BREAKDOWN IS, THAT WOULD BE GOOD. AND COULD I ASK, AGAIN ON PAGE 39 WHERE IT SAYS CONTRACTED SERVICES, THE $4000 FOR CONSULTANTS, WHAT IS THAT FOR?

[02:45:01]

>> AS YOU MAY KNOW, THE EQUITY DEPARTMENT IS A DEPARTMENT OF ONE AND I PREFER NOT TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT WAY. SO THE CONSULTATION PIECE IS GOING TO BE TIMES WHERE WE HAVE TO PAY TEACHERS TO CONSULT WITH ME, TO CREATE PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IT COULD BE A BOOK STUDY WE ARE CREATING AND SO I USE THAT TO HAVE DIFFERENT PEOPLE, THAT ARE ACTUALLY IN THE -- TO CREATE WHAT WE ARE ROLLING OUT TO THE ENTIRE

SYSTEM. >> SO IT IS NOT PAYING A CONSULTANT, IT IS PAYING STAFF TO PARTICIPATE?

>> YES, AND AT TIMES IF THERE'S EVER A SITUATION WHERE I NEED ADDITIONAL CONSULTATION, BECAUSE I MIGHT BACK INFORMATION . I MIGHT HIRE SOMEONE TO GIVE THAT INFORMATION IN TERMS OF EXPERTISE. FOR THE MOST PART IT HAS BEEN TO PAY FOR TEACHERS TO CONSULT WITH ME.

>> AND BELOW THAT WERE TALKS ABOUT OFFICE AND OTHER SUPPLIES, I SEE THAT THERE WAS IN FY 21 A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT AND IT DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY AND IT HAS GONE BACK UP , YOU HAVE THE 21,650. CAN YOU EXPLAIN , OR ELABORATE ON WHAT THE OFFICE ,/OTHER SUPPLIES, WHAT THAT WOULD CONSIST OF.

>> I'M PROBABLY GOING TO DEFER. I WASN'T HERE DURING THAT TIME SO I HAVE NO IDEA. I KNOW THAT CURRENTLY, THAT BUDGET IS USED FOR INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS AND BOOKS FOR SCHOOLS. AND SO AS EQUITY TEAMS AND LIAISONS, HAVE TO DEAL WITH SPECIFIC THINGS AT THE SCHOOL, THEY MAY REQUEST BOOKS FOR THE ENTIRE STAFF OR A GROUP OF STAFF WITHIN THAT SCHOOL. SO WE LIKE TO HAVE THE ABILITY TO ORDER THOSE PRODUCTS AND HAVE THEM AVAILABLE. SO THAT IS WHAT IT HAS BEEN. I'M NOT SURE THE SIGNIFICANT DECREASE IN 2022

AND 2023. >> WE CAN LOOK THAT UP FOR YOU.

SURPRISED LOOK. >> THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. MS. JACKIE JACOBS.

COSTS WE ARE TALKING ABOUT? WHERE IT STARTS -- I THOUGHT

IT WAS 66. >> THIS IS A PRETTY BIG AREA.

IT IS HUGE, YEAH. IT STARTS ON PAGE 53.

>> IS THAT THE SALARY? >> YES, STARTS WITH SUPERVISION OF REGULAR INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS.

>> I DIDN'T WANT TO START LATER AND EVERYBODY WANTED TO

START AT THE BEGINNING. >> YOU WANT TO JUMP DIRECTLY TO

THAT? >> I'M SURE WE GOT A LOT OF STUFF TO DO. YOU ARE DOING MID-LEVEL SALARIES? INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES AND THEN YOU ARE DOING OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL COSTS . TEARS OF INSTRUCTION AND THE WHOLE

SHEBANG. >> WHILE SHE'S GATHERING HER PAPERS AND THINGS OVER THERE, I SEE HERE, I AM ON PAGE 53. I WILL START FROM THE BEGINNING. AGAIN, SAME THING HERE. WE HAVE PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS AND THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT.

$46,000, WHICH IS LIKE -- THAT'S THE OLD BOOK. THE NEW BOOK IS DOWN SLIGHTLY. CAN I COME DOWN MORE THAN THAT? ARE THESE REQUIRED MEETINGS? AGAIN, IF IT'S NOT REQUIRED AND THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT COST, ESPECIALLY IF TRAVEL IS INVOLVED, WE SHOULD DO OUR BEST TO MINIMIZE THAT.

>> GOOD AFTERNOON, JACKIE JACOBS, DIRECTOR OF SYSTEM AND INSTRUCTIONAL PERFORMANCE. WHAT WE SEE IN THIS BUDGET ITEM FOR PROFESSIONAL MEETINGS, WE CAN GO BACK AND REVIEW IT. THIS WAS ACTUALLY CUT MULTIPLE TIMES. BASICALLY CONSISTS OF TRAINING

[02:50:06]

THIS AREA. >> IF IT IS NOT ESSENTIAL OR NOT REQUIRED, I THINK THOSE ARE THE THINGS. I KNOW THAT SOME OF THEM, WHILE THEY MAY NOT BE REQUIRED, THEY ARE REALLY ESSENTIAL TO AN INDIVIDUAL. OR A GROUP. THAT IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT THING TO CONSIDER. BUT TAKING A REALLY HARD LOOK AT ALL OF THOSE THINGS, TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE MINIMUM THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN. FOR NOW, ANYWAY.

>> AND YOU GUYS HAVE PRINTING , A ZILLION DOLLARS. 32,000.

WHAT DOES THIS CONSIST OF? >> THIS CONSISTS OF ANY TIME WE NEED TO PRINTED MATERIALS, SUCH AS LOCAL ASSESSMENTS AT THE PRE-K LEVEL OR EARLY CHILDHOOD LEVEL SO THAT STUDENTS HAVE A PAPER COPY. THERE IS AN INCREASE, BASED OFF MY ORIGINAL REQUEST, BECAUSE WE WERE ABLE TO CUT COSTS AND A LATER BUDGET ITEM IN 204. INSTEAD OF PURCHASING WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO PRINT. SO PRINTING WAS ACTUALLY CHEAPER. IT WENT UP A COUPLE THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM MY INITIAL REQUEST FROM THE PRIOR BUDGET BOOK. BUT IT DID SAVE IN THE OTHER CATEGORY.

>> DO YOU SAY CONTRACTED SERVICES FOR PRINTING ? LIKE OUTSIDE VENDOR OR DO WE PRINT THOSE MATERIALS ?

>> ALL OF THESE ARE PRINTED IN-HOUSE.

>> I KNOW GENERALLY SPEAKING, PRINTING CAN BE EXPENSIVE. BUT DEPENDING ON VOLUMES, SOMETIMES IT BENEFITS US TO USE AN OUTSIDE VENDOR, ESPECIALLY IF THEY HAVE COMPETITIVE RATES.

THAT HAS BEEN MY EXPERIENCE. SO WOULD THAT BE SOMETHING YOU GUYS COULD LOOK INTO, IF THERE IS SOMETHING OF A SIGNIFICANT VOLUME THAT WE DID WITH NEED TO PRINT, THAT MAYBE WE LOOK AT USING AN OUTSIDE VENDOR AND THAT OF THE PAPER AND INK WE WOULD USE. IN LAST THE INK IS FREE BECAUSE IT IS PART OF THE CONTRACT WITH MERIDIAN OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. KNOW WHAT

I MEAN? >> I THINK THAT IS DEFINITELY SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK INTO. WE HAVE BASED OFF THE COST OF PRINTING HERE, BUT WE CAN LOOK TO SEE ABOUT THAT.

>> AND JUST TO CLARIFY, THEY ARE NOT PRINTED ON THE INSTRUCTIONAL XEROX MACHINES, THEY ARE PRINTED IN OUR PRINT CENTER THAT HAD A HIGH QUANTITY.

>> SO IT IS A HIGHER CAPACITY PRINTER?

>> CRACKED. >> AND LOWER COST PER COPY?

>> WHAT'S THAT? >> AND LOWER COST PER COPY TO

PRINT THOSE? >> YES, WHICH IS WHY I WAS ASKING. I KNOW THAT THE COST CAN BE SIGNIFICANT. THANK YOU.

>> ON PAGE 55, COULD YOU DISCUSS WHERE THE TEACHERS RESIDED FOR -- THIS IS JUST BROKEN OUT FROM REGULAR ? I'M NOT SURE. AS WELL AS THE VOCATIONAL -- WHO ARE THE VOCATIONAL TEACHERS ? IF THEY ARE CTA, WHERE ARE THEY NOT --

WHY ARE THEY NOT IN CTA? >> THE LINES THAT SHOW NEW AMOUNTS, SUCH AS THE BOOK ED TEACHERS AND -- TEACHERS WERE INCLUDED IN OTHER TEACHER ACCOUNTS, TEACHER SALARY ACCOUNTS. BEFORE THIS BUDGET HOWEVER, THOSE WERE ADDED AS NEW LINES. CLEARLY TO IDENTIFY THOSE AMOUNTS.

>> THEY WERE IN REGULAR ADD? THEY WERE PART OF THE 78,000,975 FOR LAST YEAR -- FOR THIS YEAR?

>> YES, I THINK SO. AND -- >> AND THE EXTRA DUTY, EXTRA PAY, IS THAT -- I SEE, FOR THIS YEAR, YEAR TO DATE THROUGH JANUARY, WE HAVE ONLY SPENT 44% OF OUR 1.9 MILLION.

SO IS THAT WHAT DROVE THE REDUCTION TO 1,785,000?

[02:55:01]

>> IT REFLECTS THE CURRENT COST YEAR-TO-DATE, ALTHOUGH I SHOULD NOTE THAT WE WILL PAY ADDITIONAL COSTS OVER THE NEXT FEW MONTHS, BECAUSE THERE IS A LACK FOR THESE COSTS.

>> SO THESE KINDS OF LINE ITEMS ARE BASED ON A RUN RATE? COSTS ARE, YES. BUT NOT ALL OF THEM. I BELIEVE THERE WAS ALSO A PROPOSED REDUCTION IN SOME OF THE EXTRA PAY FOR EXTRA DUTY BUDGET AMOUNTS, FOR FY '24 THAT MAY HAVE COME FROM ANOTHER

DEPARTMENT. >> AND WHAT ABOUT THE IAS? THERE'S BEEN 10% REDUCTION FROM ONE YEAR TO THE OTHER.

DOES ANYBODY KNOW ABOUT THAT? >> THAT INCLUDES AN ASSUMPTION THAT WE WILL HAVE SOME, TO USE THE PROPER TERM, AND HAVING SALARY LAG . FOR HIRING REPLACEMENT OR SUCCESSOR INSTRUCTIONAL ASSISTANCE. AND THAT NUMBER WILL BE REVIEWED AS WE GET FURTHER ALONG IN THE FISCAL YEAR. IT MAY BE ADJUSTED

UPWARD. >> I SEE, THERE HAS BEEN APPARENTLY A BUDGET ADJUSTMENT , BRINGS THE CURRENT FISCAL YEAR DOWN FROM 4.57 TO 3.99. SO THIS 4.1 IS ACTUALLY INCREASED. IS IT TOUGH TO -- IT IS TOUGH TO GET IAS NOW? IS THAT A CORRECT STATEMENT? ARE WE IN A SHORTAGE?

>> I THINK IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET IAS BUT I ALSO THINK I AS MIGHT BE THE PLACE WE SEE SOME TURNOVER. HR WOULD HAVE TO ANSWER THAT SPECIFICALLY. BUT I THINK SOMETIMES THERE'S

TURNOVER WITHIN THE IA REALM. >> AND THEREFORE THE LAG KIND OF THING TO REFILL? I DON'T WANT TO HUG THE WHOLE THING.

YOU GUYS CAN ASK YOUR QUESTIONS.

>> I HAVE A QUESTION AS FOLLOW-UP TO THIS POST'S QUESTION RELATING -- REGARDING THE LIBRARY. THE ONLINE LIBRARY. THERE WAS A RESPONSE TO IT, WHICH ITEMIZED ALL OF THE PURCHASES WE MAKE FOR ONLINE RESOURCES FOR OUR STUDENTS. HAS ANY CONSIDERATION BEEN GIVEN TO REQUIRING EACH OF OUR STUDENTS TO OBTAIN A COVER LIBRARY CARD AND VERIFIED WITH CALVERT LIBRARY WHICH OF THE ONLINE RESOURCES THEY ALREADY PAY FOUR. SO THERE IS NOT A DUPLICATION OF SERVICES. IT JUST BOGGLES MY MIND SOMEBODY MAY BE GETTING DOUBLE THE MONEY FROM US THAT DOES NOT NEED TO

BE EARNED FROM CALVERT COUNTY. >> WE DONE THAT REVIEW. WE ARE DUE NICK SHORE -- WE DO MAKE SURE OUR LIBRARIANS -- THROUGH THE PUBLIC LIBRARY VERSUS WHAT WE PROVIDE. AND WHEN I MET WITH A GROUP OF THE LIBRARIANS , THE LAST COUPLE OF MONTHS, I DID ASK THEM, OF THESE, WHICH ONES ARE REQUIRED AT THE STATE OF MARYLAND. THERE ARE SPECIFIC ONES THAT ARE REQUIRED. AND ASK THEM IF THERE'S DUPLICATES WITHIN THE PUBLIC LIBRARY AND NONE OF THE ONES THAT WE HAD, THEY WERE AWARE OF, THAT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY PROVIDED. WE WANT TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE NOT GIVING THE SAME RESOURCE TWICE SO WE HAVE DONE THAT ANALYSIS, TO GO THROUGH AND VERIFY AND CHECK . SO THESE ARE SPECIFIC TO THINGS THAT ARE ALIGNED TO OUR COUNTY CURRICULUM AS ADDITIONAL RESOURCES. THERE ARE SOME IN HERE THAT SUPPORT THE HISTORY FAIR AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

>> AND ALSO, CAN WE ALSO CHECK WITH CSM ? THEY ALSO ARE RAY COUNTY AFFILIATED AGENCY . AND THEY MAY HAVE EXPANDED RESOURCES, AS FAR AS ONLINE CATALOG AND I WOULD LOVE FOR STAFF TO BE ABLE TO WORK WITH THEM, TO BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH A SHARED RESOURCE TYPE OF COST. INSTEAD OF THEM PAYING THEIR COST, IS PAYING OUR COST, AND POSSIBLE TO INCLUDE -- POSSIBLE DUPLICATION. THESE CREATE WAYS OF FIGURING OUT WHAT OTHER COUNTY AGENCIES USE THE SAME SERVICES AND HOW WE CAN PIGGYBACK ON THAT. OR YOU KNOW, NOT NECESSARILY WRITE OUT A CONTRACT, BUT THE SHEET TOGETHER SO THERE IS A COST

[03:00:02]

>> ABSOLUTELY AND ANOTHER PLACE WE DO GET ACROSS SAVINGS IS THE STATE OF MARYLAND. SO THERE IS A GROUP THAT THE STATE GOES THROUGH AND LOOKS AT WHAT THE PRICING IS. SO A LOT OF TIMES WHEN WE ARE WORKING INDIVIDUALLY WITH A VENDOR AND THEY GIVE US A COST, WE SAY THIS IS WHAT OUR COST NEEDS TO BE BASED ON WHAT MARYLAND HAS PUT FORTH. WE MAKE SURE THAT WE

ALIGN WITH THAT PRICING. >> RATE, THANK YOU.

>> AS A FOLLOW-UP COME YOU MENTIONED THE LIBRARIANS SAID THEY WEREN'T AWARE IF THE PUBLIC LIBRARY USES ANY OF THESE. BUT DID ANYONE CONTRACT -- CONTACT THE PUBLIC LIBRARY

AND VERIFY THOSE ITEMS? >> PRIOR TO DR. -- LEAVING, I ASKED HER TO DO THAT AND REMOVE ANYTHING THAT IS OVERLAP. SHE HAD SHARED WITH ME THAT THERE WASN'T AND I WOULD HAVE TO GO BACK AND FOLLOW-UP, TO SEE. BUT BASED ON WHAT I AM AWARE OF, WE DO NOT HAVE ANY OVERLAP. THAT I WILL DOUBLE CHECK DIX PARK JUST ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, THAT IS THE PUBLIC LIBRARY DOESN'T USE THAT. THAT SEEMS KIND OF CRAZY TO ME. AND OUT OF THE LIST YOU PROVIDED, HOW MANY OF THEM ARE REQUIRED BY THE STATE OF MARYLAND VERSUS WHAT WE HAVE?

>> I WILL HAVE TO DOUBLE CHECK THAT FOR YOU. I CAN PROVIDE

THAT. >> I THINK THAT MIGHT BE SOMETHING, WHEN WE LOOK AT IT, IT'S NICE TO HAVE VERSUS NEEDS YOU HAVE OR NEED VERSUS A WANTS. WE MIGHT NEE TO DO SOME REDUCTIONS, THERE. ONE OF THE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT WAS POSED, AND I WAS COLLABORATING. -- SENT ME A COUPLE OF QUESTIONS.

AND ONE SPECIFICALLY THAT SHE HAD ASKED ABOUT WAS LIBRARY BOOK PURCHASES. AND THE ANSWER THAT WAS PROVIDED WAS THE LIBRARY BOOK PURCHASES ARE DONE AT THE SCHOOL LEVEL. AND THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 130 SOME ODD THOUSAND DOLLARS. BUT THAT WOULD NOT BE CUTTING ALLOCATION, THE PRINCIPLES WOULD BE ABLE TO REALLOCATE THOSE. WAS AN INABILITY TO REALLOCATE THE FUNDS FROM THE SCHOOL BACK TO SOMEWHERE ELSE? DOESN'T ALWAYS STAY AT THE SCHOOL? THIS MIGHT BE A

QUESTION FOR MR. JOHNSON. >> SO IF YOU GO TO PAGES IN THE BACK, SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION, 107 , ONTO PAGE 112, YOU WILL SEE THE SCHOOL-BASED ALLOCATIONS, EVERY SCHOOL IS GIVEN A PRO PUPIL ALLOCATION AND THEY HAVE

SPECIFIC CATEGORIES. >> I UNDERSTAND, DON'T NEED

THIS ANYMORE. THANK YOU. >> THERE SHOWS , WE ARE SHOWING NO INCREASE IN PERSONNEL. THIS IS ON PAGE 55. FOR TEACHERS , WHO THE PEOPLE WHO COME UNDER THIS INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES AND WAGES. BUT WE DO SHOW AN INCREASE IN TEACHERS DOWN BELOW. DOES THAT MEAN THEY CAME OUT FROM OUR REGULAR

TEACHING STAFF? >> THAT IS CORRECT.

>> SO, THERE IS A PLAN THEN, TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF

DESIGNATED AS GAIT ? >> NO, IT IS SIMPLY THE BUDGET ON PAGE 55 REFLECTS THE COST FOR GATE , SEPARATE FROM REGULAR ED TEACHER'S. NOW IT IS A DIFFERENT LINE.

>> SO IN 2024, WE ACTUALLY SHOULD HAVE -- IS IT HERE? WE SHOULD HAVE MORE THAN THE 150,000 . WE ACTUALLY HAVE MORE

THAN THAT? >> I BELIEVE THAT WE DO. I

BELIEVE WE HAVE FOUR. >> THAT'S CORRECT, WE HAVE FOUR GATE TEACHERS. SPECIFICALLY ASSIGNED AS GATE, TO SUPPORT THE SCHOOLS. THAT ARE ASSIGNED TO SCHOOLS.

>> THAT REALLY SHOULD BE IN THE BUDGET BOOK. IT SHOULD REFLECT -- WHICH IT DOES NOT RIGHT NOW. OKAY, SO THERE'S

NOT INCREASE. >> OKAY. I'M JUST GOING TO KEEP GOING. UNLESS YOU GUYS WANT TO JUMP IN. IN THE MATERIALS OF INSTRUCTION, WE HAVE $206,000 INCREASE FOR ELEMENTARY ELA. CAN WE TALK ABOUT THAT? IT IS PAGE 60.

>> THAT INCREASES BASED ON THE FACT WE USED GRANT FUNDS OF THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS TO PURCHASE THE MATERIALS FOR

[03:05:01]

IT TO 300,000? >> IF YOU LOOK AT INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES ON PAGE 55, YOU WILL SEE AT THE TOP THAT PSYCHOLOGIST AND PSYCHOLOGIST INTERNS ARE LISTED UP THERE. IF YOU LOOK AT THE SALARIES, THEN THE SALARY SHOULD BE REFLECTED AT THE BOTTOM. SO THAT IS WHERE SALARIES OF OUR PERMANENT POSITIONS ARE LISTED. THE CONTRACTED SERVICES SUPPORT ANY ADDITIONAL PSYCHOLOGISTS THAT WE ARE NOT ABLE TO GET . THAT HAS BEEN DECREASED, BECAUSE THE IDEA IS THAT WE WOULD USE THE CONTRACTED PSYCHOLOGIST TO THE GENERAL BUDGET AND HIRE OUR OWN. I WOULD HAVE TO TALK TO MRS. LEWIS SPECIFICALLY , AND MR. JOHNSON, TO DETERMINE IF THOSE NUMBERS ARE ACCURAT, NOT ONLY IN SALARIES BUT THE ACTUAL NUMBER AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE, AS WELL.

>> IT SEEMS TO BE, IF WE ARE MOVING , THE SALARY STAYS THE SAME BUT WE REDUCE THE CONTRACT SO IT WOULD SEEM TO BE A

DISCONNECT. >> OKAY, AND THEN , THERE IS IN CONTRACTED SERVICES, IN OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL COSTS, QUITE A BIT. HAVE YOU GUYS GONE THROUGH THAT QUITE -- THROUGH THAT? THERE'S WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT , 163,000. OF THAT PART , I THOUGHT -- IS THAT PART OF THE NEW GUIDANCE CAREER PEOPLE QUIT

>> IT IS A BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENT REQUIRED BY THE STATE. -- FOR 2024. YOU WILL SEE ON THE SITE AND ALSO --.

>> SO A PORTION OF IT IS CHARGED TO OTHER INSTRUCTIONAL? WHERE IS THE OTHER PART?

>> OTHER COSTS, OTHER PARTS OF THE BUDGET IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES AND I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE A REPORT THAT

SHOWS ALL OF THOSE TO YOU. >> IT IS 976, YOU SAID?

>> AND HUNDRED 24. >> I'M SORRY?

>> 924,000. IN FISCAL YEAR 25.

>> DID YOU SAY SOMETHING ABOUT -- ?

>> I BELIEVE DR. RICKS ASKED FOR GATE FUNDING. BUT IT WAS NOT IN THE BUDGET. IS IS SOMETHING YOU ARE CONSIDERING

PUTTING IN? >> IT IS THERE. UNDER INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES. IT IS BROKEN OUT SEPARATELY. DOWN IN

THE DETAILS. >> WHAT PAGE ARE YOU LOOKING

[03:10:02]

AT? >> 55.

>> IS THAT FOR THIS YEAR? >> THEY WENT DAYS THEY ONLY INCLUDED A PORTION OF THE GATE PEOPLE THIS YEAR. IT SHOULD BE

HIGHER THAN WHAT IT SHOWS. >> SO 430 INSTEAD OF 280 IS

PARTIAL INCREASE FOR 25? >> MR. JOHNSON INDICATED THAT HE PULLED OUT CERTAIN POSITIONS SO THAT THEY WOULD BE VISIBLE IN THE BOOK. SO ONE OF THOSE POSITIONS, THE GATE TEACHERS AND WE HAVE FOUR , SO THE SALARIES REPRESENT THE FOUR GATE TEACHERS THAT WE ALREADY HAVE ON STAFF.

>> NO ADDITIONAL INCREASE ? >> THAT'S RIGHT.

>> OKAY, BUT I DID WANT TO CLARIFY DR. RICKS DID ASK FOR ADDITIONAL. I BELIEVE THE PLAN WAS TWO MORE. I BELIEVE THAT WAS SOMETHING THE BOARD WAS TRYING TO HAVE.

>> AND ON PAGE 67, WE PUT IN 18,000 FOR SKILLS USA. I THOUGHT THAT WE ARE READY PAID FOR SKILLS USA. IS THIS ANOTHER ONE WHERE IT WAS BROKEN OUT? TO BE SHOWN SEPARATELY? MAKE SURE THAT IS NOT ALSO INCLUDED IN THE TRANSPORTATION

BUDGET. >> OKAY.

>> IT'S APPEAR. -- UP HERE.

>> DO WE KNOW WHAT THE 25,000 IS, RIGHT ABOUT THE OTHER?

>> I BELIEVE IT WAS MULTIPLE LINES. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO PROVIDE THE DETAIL ON WHAT IT INCLUDES SPECIFICALLY.

>> AND THEN , THE ATHLETIC TRAINER .

>> WHAT IS YOUR QUESTION? >> I THINK, WE DID SAY THIS 225,000 OR WHATEVER IT IS IN 2024 MEANS WE ARE BRINGING THEM

ON? THAT IS OUR PLAN? >> YES, THEY ARE IN THE PROCESS OF BEING ADVERTISED AND HIRED RIGHT NOW.

>> HAVE WE HIRED ANY? >> IT IS STILL POSTED AT THIS

TIME. >> OKAY, THAT'S JUST ANOTHER ONE OF THESE THINGS. YOU HAVE TO DECIDE, IF IT GOES FORWARD.

I THINK EVERYBODY IS OF THE IMPRESSION IT IS A VERY IMPORTANT THING FOR SAFETY. AND IT IS GOING TO GO FORWARD.

SO THE 380, WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IS CORRECT LEVEL.

>> I'M SORRY? >> MR. HOOK, IF YOU WOULD LIKE

TO COME FORWARD, YOU CAN. >> KEVIN HART, SUPERVISOR OF TRANSPORTATION AND ATHLETICS. GOOD AFTERNOON. IT SHOULD BE LESS THAN THAT. THAT NUMBER WAS FOR CONTRACTED SERVICES, THAT ALSO INCLUDES OTHER CONTRACTED SERVICES WITH ATHLETICS. WE INCREASED IT THINKING WE WOULD HAVE A CONTRACT SERVICE WITH PIVOT, BUT THEY DECIDED NOT TO RENEW THE CONTRACT. THAT MONEY WILL BE SHIFTED OVER TO SALARIES, AS FAR AS EMPLOYEES AND WON'T BE UNDER CONTRACTED SERVICES. BUT THE FINAL COST WILL DEPEND ON A NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FOR EACH OF THE ATLANTIC TRAINERS, WHEN THEY COME IN.

>> OKAY, THAT'S TRUE. WE REALLY NEED TO REFLECT, WE NEED

TO MOVE THIS INTO SALARIES. >> YES, THAT IS THE INTENT. THE REASON IT WAS INCLUDED WAS TO SHOW THAT WE HAVE THE DOLLARS, ALLOCATED. BUT IF WE PUT SOME DOLLARS HERE AND SOME IN SALARIES, WE WOULDN'T SEE THE TOTAL EFFECT OF THE CLASS.

ULTIMATELY THERE WOULD BE SOME BENEFIT COST, TOO. IF WE TAKE THE $380,000 AMOUNT , DIVIDED BY FOUR, THAT IS $95,000. THAT INCLUDES EMPLOYEE BENEFITS, MANDATED AND NEGOTIATED.

>> SO THAT WOULD BE FILTERED THROUGH OUR SYSTEM.

>> ULTIMATELY WHEN THE FOLKS ARE HIRED, THE COST WOULD BE RECORDED AND CHARGED TO SALARY AND BENEFIT ACCOUNTS, RATHER THAN CONTRACTED SERVICE ACCOUNTS.

>> OKAY, THANK YOU. >> I THINK I REMEMBER HEARING

[03:15:08]

>> IT IS ONE OF THE DIFFICULTIES THAT WE HAD WITH SUBSTITUTES, THAT MANY TIMES THEY DIDN'T WORK ON MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS. SO IF YOU WORK FOR FIVE DAYS, THEN WE WILL PAY FOR THE SIX DAY IN ORDER TO COVER MONDAYS AND FRIDAYS SINCE THAT TENDS TO BE A HIGH -- BOTH OF THOSE DAYS ARE HIGH FOR NOT HAVING FILLED ABSENCES WITH SUBSTITUTES.

>> IS THAT A LARGE AMOUNT, OR A LARGE NUMBER THAT WE HAVE TO

PAY FOR THAT? >> I DON'T KNOW SPECIFICALLY AS THAT IS HANDLED THROUGH HUMAN RESOURCES. IT MAY BE MR.

JOHNSON KNOWS. >> WE DON'T TRACK THE COST SEPARATELY, BUT WE CAN CHECK WITH HR STAFF TO SEE IF THEY

HAVE THAT DATA. >> I GUESS THAT I WAS WONDERING BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THEY'RE WORKING 35 HOURS AND GETTING PAID FOR 42. THAT IS A PRETTY SWEET DEAL.

>> MR. WHITE, WE DID SEE INITIALLY, AN INCREASE IN COVERAGE ON THOSE DAYS. WE STILL HAVE UNFILLED VACANCIES FOR SUBSTITUTES . SO I DON'T KNOW AT THIS POINT -- THAT IS THE ANALYSIS THAT WE NEED TO DO. IS, HAS IT CHANGED SINCE

THE INITIAL ONSET. >> I GUESS IF THEY DO IT TO FULFILL THE NEED, I UNDERSTAND. THANK YOU.

>> I'M NOT SURE WHICH CATEGORY IS APPROPRIATE TO ASK ABOUT INSTRUCTIONAL SALARIES. HELP ME OUT, DR. TOWNSEL. I WANT TO ASK, BUT THIS SAYS INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAMS. I DON'T WANT TO GO THERE IF THIS IS THE WRONG PLACE. AND WE'RE GOING TO TALK ABOUT IT LATER. OKAY. SO THE SLIDE FROM OUR BUDGET PRESENTATION ON THURSDAY , THERE WAS A SLIDE WHERE ADDITIONAL BUDGET IMPACTS, NOT REALLY BUDGETED WAS PLACED.

UNDER NEGOTIATED , THERE WAS THE COST OF THE 1% COLA FOR CEA . I KNOW THE NEGOTIATIONS ARE ONGOING. SO WE REALLY CAN'T SAY THAT , THAT WOULD BE THE AGREED-UPON ITEM. HOWEVER, MY CONCERN IS, IS THERE ANYTHING IN THE BUDGET , AT ALL, TO NEGOTIATE THAT AMOUNT, AND ARE YOU SAYING THAT THIS 1% IS JUST A PORTION OF THAT NUMBER, MEANING HAVE YOU ALSO FIGURED IN A LARGE POOL OF FUNDS AND YOU ARE SAYING, OKAY, THIS IS THE COST AND SHOULD WE ALLOCATE A PORTION OF THAT FOR CEA OR CASE. OR ARE YOU SAYING THERE IS NOTHING IN THE BUDGET, BUDGETED CURRENTLY?

>> MAYBE, YOU CAN HELP ME UNDERSTAND THE QUESTION. IF THERE'S NOTHING IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY --

>> IS THERE ANYTHING, AN ESTIMATE AT ALL? SO YOU PUT THAT $3 MILLION AND SAID, THIS IS FUNDS TO BE USED TO DATES FOR NEGOTIATIONS, FOR US TO ALLOCATE AFTER WE DETERMINE WHO GETS WHAT. OR ARE YOU SAYING, THERE'S NOTHING IN THE BUDGET CURRENTLY AT ALL FOR NEGOTIATIONS?

>> MAY I? MAY I PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION TO A WEEKLY UPDATE, RATHER THAN -- SINCE IT PERTAINS TO EMPLOYEE

NEGOTIATIONS. >> I DIDN'T HEAR WHAT YOU

SAID. >> MAY I PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION IN THE WEEKLY UPDATE RATHER THAN IN A PUBLIC MEETING, SINCE IT PERTAINS TO EMPLOYEE NEGOTIATIONS THAT ARE

ONGOING? >> IN MY MIND SHE'S JUST ASKING, IS IT INCLUDED IN THE BUT --

>> IS THERE ANYTHING INCLUDED ? DID YOU INCLUDE ASSUMPTION? DID YOU SAY, WE HAVE $3 MILLION WE CAN USE FOR NEGOTIATIONS? I'M SURE THAT IS NOT THE NUMBER BUT I'M SAYING, DID YOU INCLUDE AN ASSUMPTION FOR NEGOTIATIONS IN THE BUDGET QUITE

>> I HAVE INCLUDED SOME FOR NEGOTIATIONS. YES.

>> OKAY . UNDERSTANDING THE COST OF THE 1.8 IS FOR COLA FOR CEA, THAT IS THE COST. I UNDERSTAND THAT. THEN YOU GET INTO THE NEXT ITEM, WHICH IS A PROCESS -- MINIMUM TEACHER SALARIES. THAT IS UNDERSTOOD. THE PROJECTED MINIMUM COST OF THE MOON GRANTING THE CAREER LADDER. IF WE WERE TO PASS THE

[03:20:03]

>> FOR THE CAREER LADDER? >> YES, OR DO NEGOTIATIONS HAVE TO BE SETTLED , FINAL , FREE NUMBER TO BE PROVIDED? I'M NOT NECESSARILY ASKING THIS QUESTION FOR MY OWN UNDERSTANDING. I BELIEVE I KNOW THE ANSWER. BUT IT IS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT OUR COMMUNITY, OUR COMMISSIONERS, AND EVERYBODY UNDERSTANDS, SOME THINGS CAN BE ESTIMATED , SOME THINGS MAY NOT BE ESTIMATED BECAUSE OF THE NATURE OF WHAT

THEY ARE. >> IT MIGHT BE PREMATURE TO ESTIMATE THE COST OF THE CAREER LADDER BECAUSE IT MUST BE

AGREED UPON BY BOTH PARTIES. >> OKAY. AND MINIMUM COST FOR BOARDS AND VACATION INCREASES, THAT IS FINE. SO SOMETHING I WOULD LIKE FOR MY COLLEAGUES TO CONSIDER. GIVEN THAT THESE ITEMS ARE NOT IN THE BUDGET, AND THAT WE HAVE NOT THROWN OUT ANYTHING THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO PROTECT WITHIN THE BUDGET OR HAVE REMOVED FROM THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET, THAT HE HAS PROPOSED, I WOULD LIKE FOR YOU ALL TO THINK ABOUT A NUMBER THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEND OVER TO THE COMMISSIONERS, AS OUR BUDGET. BECAUSE I DON'T THINK THAT WE ARE GOING TO NECESSARILY FIND A PERFECT SPOT TO BE, GIVEN OUR SITUATION. AND THEN, ONCE THAT NUMBER IS FOUND, FOR US TO APPROVE OUR BUDGET, TO BE PASSED TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND FOR THE SUPERINTENDENT TO CONTINUE TO WORK TO GET DOWN TO WHATEVER NUMBER IT IS, THAT WE PASS ALONG TO THE COMMISSIONERS. WE UNDERSTAND THAT ONCE THE COMMISSIONERS RECEIVED THE BUDGET, THEY WILL THEN ALSO HAVE TO TELL US, WHAT OF THE BUDGET THEY PLAN TO FUND AND GIVE US BACK AND APPROVED BUDGET FOR US TO THEN REVIEW AND IF THEY HAVE CUT , THEN WE ALSO HAVE TO DECIDE WHAT WE ARE GOING TO CUT FROM THE PROPOSAL TO COME UP WITH A FINAL BUDGET, THAT IS OUR BUDGET FOR FY 25. SO THAT GIVES US ADDITIONAL TIME TO REVIEW AND MAKE DECISIONS ON , WHAT IS SUPER IMPORTANT, OR WHAT MAY BE LESS IMPORTANT. BECAUSE EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT , ULTIMATELY. AND FUNDING THE BUDGET IS MOST IMPORTANT. BUT IT ALLOWS US AND GIVS US SOME TIME TO HAVE THE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS, FOR US TO NETWORK, AND FOR US TO REALLY ASSURE THE COMMISSIONERS, THAT WHAT IS BEHIND THE NUMBERS IS SUPPORTED. AND IT ALLOWS THEM TO ALSO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SUPERINTENDENT AND OUR CFO, FOR THEM TO ALSO GAIN AN UNDERSTANDING AND A TRUST LEVEL OF WHAT IS BEHIND THE NUMBERS. I WOULD ALSO SAY THAT IF WE AGREE TO DO THAT, THAT DR. TOWNSEL, YOU HAVE TO WORK REALLY HARD WITH STAFF , WHEN YOU GO ACROSS THE STREET, TO BE ABLE TO EXPLAIN WHAT IS IN THE BOOK. I WOULD LIKE FOR NO QUESTIONS TO BE REMAINING ON THE TABLE THAT ARE UNANSWERED AND THE THERE'S SOME THAT CAN BE ANSWERED LIKE THE CAREER LADDER, THAT THERE IS CLEAR EXPLANATION AS TO WHY THAT CANNOT BE EXPLAINED. BECAUSE IT IS VERY IMPORTANT, TO ME, THAT THE COMMISSIONERS UNDERSTAND WE ARE TRYING TO COLLABORATE WITH THEM IN THIS INSTANCE. AND AT THE SAME TIME, WE ALL ARE TRYING TO KEEP OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM IS FULLY FUNDED AS POSSIBLE. WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GOING TO HAVE TO BE REQUIRED CUTS BUT AT THE SAME TIME, WE DON'T WANT TO SLICE AND DICE THE SCHOOL SYSTEM TO A POINT WHERE STUDENTS CANNOT ACHIEVEAND WE ARE IMPACTING IT TO A POINT OF STAFF LEAVING. STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT DECREASING. JUST TO GIVE YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT. WE HAVE BEEN ADDED SINCE KNOW, NOT TO SAY THAT YOUR QUESTIONS AREN'T IMPORTANT, BUT SOMETHING FOR YOU ALL, FOR EACH OF US TO CONSIDER, TO SEE IF WE CAN COME TO AN AGREEMENT AS TO HOW WE WANT TO MOVE

ALONG. >> THANK YOU FOR THAT. I HAVE TWO CLARIFYING QUESTIONS I AM LOOKING AT. THE SLIDE THAT SAYS ADDITIONAL BUDGET IN CAT -- IMPACTS NOT CURRENTLY -- THE FIRST IS THE TEACHER SALARIES. BELOW THAT, IMPLEMENTATION OF CAREER LADDER AND NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION INCREASES. ARE THOSE TWO BLUEPRINT REQUIREMENTS EXCLUSIVE OF THE TEACHER INCREASE IN SALARIES ?

[03:25:11]

REQUIRED FROM BEYOND? >> THE CAREER LADDER IS REQUIRED TO FY '25. WHAT WAS THE OTHER?

>> AND THEN THE NATIONAL BOARD CERTIFICATION INCREASES.

>> THAT IS PART OF THE CAREER LADDER.

>> THEY ARE BOTH REQUIRED? >> YES.

>> THE ONLY ONE THAT REALLY WAS NOT OF THOSE WAS MINIMUM TEACHER SALARY INCREASE WHICH HAD TO HAPPEN IN -- JULY OF

'26. >> WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THE

NEIGHBORING COUNTIES . >> IN AN EFFORT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE TALKING THE SAME , SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE, RIGHT? THAT IS A BIG CONCERN BECAUSE THERE IS NO WAY IF WE HAVE NEIGHBORING COUNTIES, THAT HAVE ONLY INCREASED, THAT WE CAN THEN NOT INCREASE HERE. AND AT THE SAME TIME, TO LOOK AT CUTTING THINGS LIKE RECRUITING AND IT WOULDN'T MAKE SENSE TO DO ONE AND NOT THE OTHER. ANYWAY.

>> MY OTHER CONCERN WHEN I SHARED ABOUT BEING ABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS WAS CURRENTLY, IN THE PRESENTATION FROM LAST THURSDAY, THE BOTTOM LINE INCREASE REQUESTED FROM THE BOCS HE WAS 13.9. HOWEVER WHEN WE WENT TO SLIDE, WHICH WAS SHORT OF ITEMIZING THAT AND I'M USING THE OTHER POSSIBLE BUDGET REDUCTION OPTIONS, THAT SLIDE TOTALS UP TO ABOUT 11.4.

SO THEY SEEM TO HAVE MYSTERY AS TO WHAT THE OTHER 24, $5 MILLION MAY BE. AND I THINK IF WE STICK WITH THE 13 .9, WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO STAY -- STAY WITH THAT US. -- WHAT THAT IS. THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE ASKED FOR IT ITEMIZED LISTING AT THE LEADERSHIP MEETINGS I ATTENDED AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT TO SEE AND IF THEY CONTINUE TO AFFECT QUESTION, THEN WE SHOULD PROVIDE THAT TO THEM. AND IF IT IS SOMETHING WE CAN'T PROVIDE, WE NEED TO ASK OURSELVES WHY.

AND HAVE A REASON WHY IT CANNOT BE PROVIDED.

>> I WILL START, SINCE I STARTED THE CONVERSATION. MY NUMBER IS

10. >> YOU, LEADERSHIP OF THE COMMISSIONERS BAILEY SAID THEY DIDN'T WANT TO SEND US A BUDGET OF $50 MILLION. I AM WILLING TO CUT BY FIVE. I AM WILLING TO ASK DR. TOWNSEL TO DIG HIS HEELS IN AND FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT FIVE WOULD COME FROM. WHETHER IT BE -- I WOULD LIKELY, LIKE TO SEE IT COME FROM A FREEZE ON SPENDING NOW , SO THAT THERE IS ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT WOULD GO INTO OUR FUND BALANCE THAT WE COULD BE APPROPRIATE TO REVENUE FOR NEXT YEAR. OR A FREEZE NOW THAT WOULD ALLOW US TO DECIDE TO MAKE PURCHASES OF THINGS WE NEED IN FY '25, OR PLAN TO PURCHASE IN FY '25 THAT WE CAN PURCHASE IN '24, WHICH WOULD CREATE THE SAVINGS IN '25. ALSO TAKING A LOOK AT SALARY LABS FOR THE REST OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. TO SEE IF WE CAN GENERATE SOME FUNDS THAT WOULD GO INTO FUND BALANCES AND WE COULD BE APPROPRIATE IN THE '25 BUDGET. BUT THAT IS WHERE IM. I THINK THAT GETTING BELOW 10 IS VERY TOUGH. BUT IT GOES BACK TO THE ORIGINAL REQUEST THAT DR. TOWNSEL MADE WHEN THE FIRST BUDGET BOOK WAS PUBLISHED, IN WHICH WE HAVE AN EXCESS OF EXPENSES OF HER REVENUE OF $10 MILLION.

>> SO I WOULD , TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT, I THINK I'M GOING TO AGREE WITH THAT NUMBER TO BE 10. BUT WE ALSO NEED TO DO OUR DUE DILIGENCE IN MAKING SURE THAT WE GET TOGETHER A LINE ITEM OF WHAT THE BLUEPRINT IS GOING TO COST US. WHAT THE IMPACTS ARE GOING TO BE. AND WE NEED TO WORK ON THAT SOONER RATHER THAN LATER. I KNOW THERE WAS DOCUMENTATION THAT WAS SHARED , ST. MARYS HAS DONE THAT. I'M NOT SURE IF OTHER COUNTIES HAVE DONE THAT BUT WE HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT

[03:30:03]

THIS IS A REAL SERIOUS TIME AND WE SHOULD BE BUCKLING DOWN. AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DOING ANY OF THOSE, ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT REQUIRED SHOULD END. WE SHOULD TAKE FAR MORE SERIOUS APPROACH TO THAT. SO THAT ESPECIALLY WHEN WE DO GO IN FRONT OF THE COMMISSIONERS, THEY FULLY UNDERSTAND THAT WE RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF EVALUATING

TAXPAYER MONEY. >> LET ME CLARIFY WHEN I SAID 10. 10 DOESN'T MEAN CUTTING PEOPLE. 10 DOESN'T MEAN NOT NEGOTIATING IN GOOD FAITH WITH CEA AND CASE. TO ENSURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO RETAIN OUR STAFF. 10 MEANS, WE NEED TO GET , AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, TO COLLABORATE AND FIGURE OUT WHERE WE ARE GOING TO CUT , THAT WILL NOT MAKE OUR STAFF , AND OUR COMMUNITY, BE DISAPPOINTED IN THE LEADERSHIP OF THE BOARD, AS WELL AS THE LEADERSHIP OF THE ADMINISTRATION, AS WELL AS OUR STAFFING . AND FOR US TO MOVE FORWARD AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM, TO GET OVER WHAT I HOPE TO BE A TEMPORARY ISSUE OF THIS $22 MILLION THAT WE DID NOT RECEIVE

FROM THE STATE. >> I AGREE.

>> I AGREE WITH THE 10. THAT IS THE EXACT AMOUNT I PUT DOWN.

AND THE -- ARE A GOOD IDEA. SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN DO A ZERO-BASED BUDGETING GOING FORWARD. BUT I ALSO, I STILL HAVE A QUESTION ON, WHAT IS IN OUR SALARIES? I AM THINKING, I THOUGHT WE DID HAVE ASSUMPTIONS THERE AND IT LOOKS LIKE IT FROM THE NUMBERS. THAT ARE OVER AND ABOVE THE STEP OR WHATEVER WE SET THERE. SO IF WE CAN JUST MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE NOT DOUBLE COUNTING ANY OF THE THINGS THAT COULD -- TO BE CLEAR ON WHAT OUR ASSUMPTIONS ARE. THAT IF WE DO END NEGOTIATIONS, TO COME UP WITH SAYING THIS IS WHAT WE NEED. I DON'T KNOW IF THERE'S ROOM IN THIS BUDGET . EVEN WITH 10 MILLION, WHERE WE CAN INCORPORATE THAT. I JUST DON'T WANT ASKING FOR MORE THAN WE REALLY NEED. THANK YOU.

>> OKAY, FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU COLLEAGUES AND STAFF FOR COMING TOGETHER, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY SHOULD IS A LOT OF HARD WORK AND WORK TO BE DONE. I ALSO AGREE, EXCUSE ME, WITH 10 MILLION. I HAD THE SAME THING AS FAR AS TRYING TO AVOID FURLOUGHS, LAYOFFS, DON'T TOUCH THE SUPPORT STAFF. NO CUTS -- THERE IS A LOT AND I THINK WITH THAT NUMBER, WE GIVE IT TO THE COMMISSIONERS AND LIKE VICE PRESIDENTS HAD, WE HAVE TO DO THE WORK AFTER THAT BUT YES, I AM IN AGREEMENT WITH THAT

NUMBER. >> LIKE TO MAKE A MOTION. THAT THE CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSED BUDGET BE MODIFIED TO SHOW A $10 MILLION ASK FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FOR THE BUDGET. SO THAT WOULD MEAN EXPENDITURES WOULD BE $10 MILLION OVER THE REVENUE THAT IS SHOWN. AND ALSO, I AM MOTIONING THAT WE KEEP -- IN

[03:35:08]

>> FECUND. >> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION?

>> I HAVE A QUESTION. TO GET 10 MILLION, IT IS BASICALLY REVERTING TO THE ORIGINAL SCHEDULE, WHERE IF WE ONLY USE 30 DAYS WE NEED TO MAKE UP $32 MILLION, RIGHT? SO WE USE 20, THAT MEANS 12.5 FOR THE COUNTY. IS THAT RIGHT?

>> I AM ASKING DR. TOWNSEL TO MAKE A DECISION ON CUTTING

DOWN TO $10 MILLION. >> THE COUNTY'S ASK ?

>> TO $10 MILLION. IF HE HAS TO, WITHIN HIS BUDGET, FIND EXPENDITURES TO CUT, FOR THAT DIFFERENCE, I AM GIVING HIM OF THE AUTHORITY TO DO THAT. IN THE SITUATION -- WITH AN UNDERSTANDING THAT ULTIMATELY THE BUDGET COMES BACK TO US.

IT GIVES US, AS COLLEAGUES, ADDITIONAL TIME TO REVIEW WHAT HE IS PROPOSING TO CUT, TO GET TO 10. BECAUSE THE BUDGET IS GOING TO COME BACK TO US, ULTIMATELY AT THE END, FOR US TO ALSO SAY, IN THE BEGINNING YOU CUT THIS BEFORE YOU SEND IT TO THE COMMISSIONERS. WE DIDN'T LIKE THAT BUT LET'S ADD IT BACK IN BUT THEN WE WOULD LIKE TO CUT SOMETHING ELSE, SO THAT WE CAN BALANCE THE BUDGET BACK OUT AND DO RECONCILIATION. SO IT KIND OF BUYS US TIME FOR ADDITIONAL ANALYSIS, ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS, FOR US TO MAKE ADDITIONAL DECISIONS. SO I UNDERSTAND OUR COMMUNITY MAY READ WHAT DR.

TOWNSEL PUTS OUT AND SEND COMMENTS , OR YOU KNOW, IT GIVES TIME FOR PEOPLE TO READ IT, REVIEW IT AND POSSIBLY FOR IT TO BE MORE PALATABLE, ONCE WE FINALLY GET IT BACK AND CAN MAKE A FINAL DECISION. SO ULTIMATELY I'M BUYING TIME.

>> SO THEN, THE COUNTY HAS SAID TO ME, AT ONE POINT, WE JUST WANT YOU GUYS TO ASK US FOR WHAT IS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. AND AS WE MOVE THROUGH THE YEAR, IF IT IS NOT ENOUGH, YOU ARE WELCOME TO ASK FOR BUDGET TRANSFERS. THOSE WERE THE WORDS. SO IF SOMETHING ELSE COMES ABOUT, WHERE THEY GET MORE TAX REVENUE, FROM A REVISED THING, OR WHATEVER. OR NEGOTIATIONS COME UP WITH AN ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT FOR US. AND POTENTIALLY A BLUEPRINT.

IF WE WANTED TO INCREASE THE STARTING SALARY TO 60,000, SOMETIME DURING THE FISCAL YEAR '25, THAT WOULD REQUIRE MORE FUNDS. THAT IS WHAT OUR PLAN WILL BE, TO GO BACK TO THE COMMISSIONERS WITH THESE NUMBERS AND WHAT ADDITIONAL MAY

BE NEEDED. >> WITH UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MAY NOT GET IT. WE MIGHT NEED TO WORK HARDER.

>> I THINK I AM ALSO SEEING BOARD LEADERSHIP IS WILLING TO CARRY THE MESSAGE FORWARD AND COLLABORATE WITH OUR COMMISSIONERS , AND BEING ABLE TO RESOLVE THIS SITUATION.

BECAUSE WE MADE IT -- WE MAY PASSES AND COMMISSIONERS MAY BE UNHAPPY WITH THE TENT. THEY MAY MITIGATE THAT TO US. BUT I THINK THE BOARD LEADERSHIP IS SAYING, EVEN IF COMMUNICATION IS MADE TO US, WE WILL SIT DOWN AND TALK TO THEM. TO ASSURE THEM THAT THEIR QUESTIONS WILL GET ANSWERED. SO ULTIMATELY, THEY CAN FULLY FUND AND ALSO OPERATE THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT, WITH THE REMAINING RESOURCES THAT THEY HAVE, EQUITABLY. AND AS WELL, MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE WHAT WE NEED, TO DO WHAT WE

NEED OVER HERE. >> TO PIGGYBACK ON THAT, I THINK TODAY WHAT WAS EVIDENT, IT DOES SHOW THAT THERE HAVE BEEN -- THERE'S BEEN ANALYZING THAT HAS OCCURRED THROUGHOUT ALL OF THESE DEPARTMENTS. BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER THINGS THAT WE COULD DO. AND LOOKED FOR OTHER CREATIVE WAYS. SO WHAT WE HAVE MADE INROADS, WE ARE NOT QUITE DONE YET. AND THAT IS WHY I MENTIONED THE BLUEPRINT THANKS.

THAT IS GOING TO BE IMPORTANT IN THE EVENT WE HAVE TO GO BACK. THAT WE HAVE TO PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT AND THERE'S NOTHING THAT SPEAKS BETTER THAN A SPREADSHEET. YOU KNOW, THAT SHOWS WHAT THE COST IS GOING TO BE.

>> JUST TO REITERATE, WE ARE GOING TO SAY, OUR BUDGET REQUEST , FOR OUR EXPENDITURES FOR NEXT YEAR, IS GOING TO BE

[03:40:02]

>> WHETHER WE GET A GRANT OR CUT COSTS TO LOWER THE

EXPENDITURE. >> OKAY, BUT THE PRIORITY IS NOT TO CUT PROGRAMS AND STAFF INITIALLY.

>> OKAY, THAT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED. ANY OTHER

DISCUSSION? >> THERE IS NO DISCUSSION FOR ME BUT I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT STAFF UNDERSTANDS WHAT WE ARE ASKING. BEFORE WE VOTE. ARE YOU GOOD, DR. TOWNSEL? MR.

JOHNSON? >> YES, THANK YOU.

>> ALL RIGHT. >> ALL IN FAVOR? OPPOSED? THE

MOTION PASSES. >> I'M SORRY FOR THE LONG DAY.

ADJOURNED.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.