[00:00:06]
>> [BACKGROUND] WAIT FOR MISS SHAW.
IT IS FIVE O'CLOCK ON THE NOSE.
LITTLE AFTER 5:00, BUT FIVE O'CLOCK.
WITH THAT SAID, I'M GOING TO CALL TO ORDER THE FEBRUARY 28TH,
[1.01 Call to Order]
2024 BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY FY 25 BUDGET HEARING.BEFORE WE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE, WE DO HAVE A MEMBER WHO IS ATTENDING VIRTUALLY, SO TONIGHT WE WILL BE CONDUCTING ALL OF OUR VOTES VIA ROLL CALL VOTE, AND WE WILL BE DOING THE SAME THING RIGHT NOW TO ESTABLISH A QUORUM.
MS. OLSON, CAN YOU PLEASE ESTABLISH THE QUORUM?
>> OKAY, WE HAVE ALL MEMBERS PRESENT, WE DO HAVE A QUORUM.
SO PLEASE STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
THANK YOU. WE WILL START OFF TONIGHT WITH ITEM 104,
[1.04 Presentation of CCPS Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request]
THE PRESENTATION OF THE CCPS FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST. DR. LAWSON.>> THANK YOU, MS. HAWLEY. WE'LL GET RIGHT TO IT.
NICE TO SEE SUCH A NICE CROWD THIS EVENING.
BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THIS WITH THIS GROUP, WHICH WILL LIKELY BE THE LAST TIME, I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU.
IT'S BEEN QUITE A BIT OF WORK.
THERE HAVE BEEN, I GUESS, CHALLENGES THIS BUDGET CYCLE THAT WE'RE NOT USED TO, SHOULD I SAY.
BUT I APPRECIATE YOUR ATTENTION TO THE DETAIL, YOUR WILLINGNESS TO ASK QUESTIONS, WHETHER IT'S IN A TEXT OR AN EMAIL, OR IN PUBLIC.
WE'RE TRYING TO GET AS MUCH INFORMATION AS WE CAN, AND I THINK YOU'LL BE PLEASED WITH THE FINAL PRODUCT.
A LOT OF WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS THE SAME AS WHAT WE SHOWED YOU ON FEBRUARY 7TH.
HOWEVER, THE NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE DIFFERENT.
DO I HAVE CONTROLLER DEAL? I HAVE THIS. NEXT SLIDE.
AS WE'VE MENTIONED BEFORE, OUR THREE AREAS OF FOCUS, OUR PRIORITIES, OUR ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, KEEPING CLASS SIZE AT A MANAGEABLE LEVEL AND SAFETY.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS TAKE THE NEXT FEW MINUTES AND GO THROUGH AND SHARE SOME QUANTITATIVE MARKERS WITH THE BOARD.
THE FIRST BEING, THERE'S A LOT OF DISCUSSION ABOUT TEST SCORES.
FIFTEEN PERCENT SOMEHOW IS THE NUMBER.
YOU SEE ON SOCIAL MEDIA QUITE A BIT, THAT THE TEST SCORES ARE ONLY 15% PROFICIENCY.
WHAT I'D LIKE TO DO IS LAY OUT FOR YOU IN A SPECIFIC WAY THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'VE BEEN TRACKING, AND THIS IS TYPICALLY WHAT WE DO ALL THE TIME.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE HERE IS THIS IS GRADE 3, AND THESE ARE MCAP, MARYLAND COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT PROGRAM, AND THIS IS THE STATE TESTING.
IF YOU NOTICE, YOU'RE MISSING YEARS '20 AND '21.
'20 WAS THE YEAR WE BROKE FOR COVID, IT WAS MARCH 13TH OF 2020.
THERE WAS SOME SPOTTY TESTING IN '21, BUT IT WAS NEVER CALCULATED INTO THE FEDERAL AND STATE REQUIREMENTS.
WHAT YOU SEE IS THE TREND FOR OUR THIRD GRADE, WHICH ISN'T BAD, THERE'S AN UPWARD TRAJECTORY, AND AS A SUPERINTENDENT, IT'S TYPICALLY WHAT I LOOK FOR ON A REGULAR BASIS, IS JUST A CONSTANT IMPROVEMENT.
BY AND LARGE, THIRD GRADE IS IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE.
IF YOU LOOK AT FOURTH GRADE, IT GETS BETTER.
[00:05:01]
YOU CAN SEE, AGAIN, THE PROGRESSION FROM 2016.KEEP IN MIND THAT IN 2016, WE WERE ONE OF THE LOWEST PERFORMING LANGUAGE ARTS SCHOOL SYSTEMS IN THE STATE, AND WE'VE TAKEN GREAT STRIDES TO IMPROVE THAT.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE EIGHTH GRADERS LAST YEAR, THEY MISSED TWO FULL YEARS OF TESTING.
I THINK IT'S PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT WHEN WE LOOK AT THE MATHEMATICS PIECE, WHICH I'LL SHOW IN A SECOND.
ANOTHER THING I ALWAYS TRY TO POINT OUT IS THAT HOW DO WE STACK UP COMPARED TO THE STATE IN TERMS OF DEMOGRAPHICS? WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS THAT WE CONSISTENTLY OUTPERFORM OUR DEMOGRAPHICS.
HOWARD COUNTY AND WORCESTER COUNTY ARE THE TWO WEALTHIEST COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND, AND TYPICALLY THEY'RE ONE, TWO IN TERMS OF PERFORMANCE, WITH YOUR POOREST COUNTIES, BALTIMORE CITY OFTENTIMES, AND THERE ARE A COUPLE OTHERS, THAT PARTICULARLY SCORE LOW.
THE CORRESPONDENCE WITH WEALTH IS REALLY JUST UNDENIABLE.
SO WE TAKE A LOT OF PRIDE WHEN WE SCORE IN THE TOP 10 FOR EIGHTH, NINTH, 11TH, BECAUSE TYPICALLY WE'RE ABOUT 16TH OR 17TH WHEN IT COMES TO WEALTH.
AGAIN, YOU CAN SEE REAL GROWTH HERE.
I WANT TO GIVE SOME CREDIT TO OUR LANGUAGE ARTS FOLKS.
[INAUDIBLE], THEY ARE COORDINATORS FOR ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY LANGUAGE ARTS, AND THEY OWN A LOT OF THIS.
WHEN PEOPLE TALK ABOUT THE CENTRAL OFFICE ADMINISTRATORS, THERE'S TWO OF THEM RIGHT NOW, AND THE WORK THAT THEY DO IS REALLY SECOND TO NONE.
THEY HAVE BOTH BEEN SELECTED BY THE STATE TO BE ON EXPERT REVIEW TEAMS FOR THE BLUEPRINT TO GO AND MONITOR OTHER SYSTEMS AS IT RELATES TO LANGUAGE ARTS.
ALSO, WE ARE GOING TO BE A LEARNING LAB SYSTEM WHERE OTHER COUNTIES WILL COME TO US TO SEE WHAT WE'RE DOING AS IT RELATES TO LANGUAGE ARTS.
THE AREA OF THE MOST IMPROVEMENT IS 10TH GRADE.
WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS SAY TO MYSELF THAT WE TAKE THE KIDS WHEN THEY'RE HERE IN THIRD GRADE, AND THEY'RE COMING IN AT A FAIRLY LOW LEVEL, AND THEN OVER TIME, WE MOVE THEM ALL THROUGHOUT THEIR CAREER WITH OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND IT'S SOMETHING WE'RE REALLY PROUD OF.
THE FACTS SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
WHEN YOU HEAR PEOPLE SAY OUR TEST SCORES ARE IN THE DUMP, NO, THEY'RE NOT, THEY'RE JUST NOT.
AGAIN, THIS IS SIX, SEVEN YEARS OF LONGITUDINAL DATA.
EVERYBODY'S HAPPY. WELL, I'M GETTING READY TO BRING YOU DOWN, BECAUSE HERE'S MATHEMATICS.
THE ONLY SAVING GRACE I FIND WITH MATHEMATICS IS THAT WHILE OUR SCORES HAVE GONE DOWN, OUR STATE RANKINGS HAVE NOT.
I'LL SAY THAT AGAIN, OUR SCORES HAVE GONE DOWN IN MATH, BUT THE RANKINGS HAVE NOT, WHICH TELLS YOU THAT THE WHOLE STATE IS DOWN.
I CAN TELL YOU HAVING A WIFE IN A SCHOOL SYSTEM IN DELAWARE, THE COUNTRY IS DOWN.
MATHEMATICS IS A BAD PLACE FOR EVERYBODY RIGHT NOW.
I THINK REALLY WHAT IT IS, THIS IS MY OWN LITTLE THEORY AS TO WHY, BECAUSE WHEN WE BROKE FOR COVID FOR REALLY TWO YEARS, I THINK IT'S MUCH MORE TYPICAL FOR A STUDENT AT HOME TO CONTINUE TO READ, TO CONTINUE TO SPEAK, MAYBE EVEN WRITE, WHAT SIXTH OR SEVENTH GRADER'S DOING PRE-ALGEBRA WHEN THEY'RE NOT IN SCHOOL.
REALLY, I THINK THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE HERE.
WE SEE REAL STRUGGLES ACROSS THE STATE IN MATH AND CECIL IN PARTICULAR.
BUT WE ARE LOOKING FOR THE COVID BOUNCE BACK, AND YOU CAN SEE '19 WAS THE LAST YEAR BEFORE COVID.
WE TOOK THE REAL SERIOUS COVID DIP IN '22.
WE BUMPED BACK UP A LITTLE BIT LAST YEAR, AND WE'VE JUST FINISHED A SERIES OF MEETINGS WITH OUR CONTENT COORDINATORS.
I'M CONFIDENT WE'LL SEE SCORES GO UP AGAIN THIS YEAR.
I WOULD ASK THE BOARD TO CONSIDER AS WE MOVE INTO MARCH AND APRIL, AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR A WORK SESSION, MAYBE WE CAN BRING IN OUR MATH COORDINATORS MIKE FELL FOR SECONDARY AND JESS KUBEK FOR ELEMENTARY JUST TO SHOW YOU THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE DOING WITH MATHEMATICS.
FIFTH GRADE WAS WORSE IN THE SENSE THAT THERE WAS A MORE SIGNIFICANT COVID DUMP OR DROP, BUT WE HAVE JUMPED BACK A LITTLE BIT JUST IN 2023.
SEVENTH GRADE, THIS IS WHERE IT GETS DEPRESSING.
THE REALLY SCARY THING WITH SEVENTH GRADE, WE'RE ABOVE THE STATE AVERAGE.
THOSE NUMBERS ARE ABOVE STATE AVERAGE.
FULL DISCLOSURE, WE'RE SHOWING YOU WHERE WE'RE REALLY STRONG AND WE'RE SHOWING YOU WHERE WE'RE NOT.
THIS IS THE AREA THAT HAS THE MOST CONCERN.
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON RIGHT NOW WITH THE ALGEBRA TEST ACROSS THE STATE, AND YOU CAN SEE WE WENT FROM A HIGH IN 2017 TO 47%.
KEEP IN MIND OF WHO'S IN HERE.
YOU HAVE A LOT OF EIGHTH GRADERS IN HERE, THEY'RE YOUR STRONGER ACADEMIC EIGHTH GRADERS THAT ARE TAKING ALGEBRA 1, THEY'RE IN HERE, AS ARE YOUR NINTH GRADERS.
IF YOU'RE TAKING ALGEBRA 1 IN NINTH OR 10TH GRADE, YOU'RE LIKELY NOT ON A REALLY HIGH TRACK FOR MATHEMATICS AS IT IS.
HISTORICALLY, OUR SCORES HAVE COME OUT REALLY STRONG.
[00:10:01]
THIS IS A NEW TEST. I'M NOT MAKING ANY EXCUSES.GIVE US TIME, YOU'LL SEE IMPROVEMENT. MOVING ON TO OUR CLASS SIZE, THE NUMBERS WE SET FOR HEALTHY CLASS SIZES ARE OUR NUMBERS.
THERE'S A LOT OF EXPERIENCE ON THE LEADERSHIP TEAM IN TERMS WE'VE ALL BEEN PRINCIPALS, WE'VE ALL BEEN TEACHERS, AND SO WE KNOW WHAT EFFECTIVE CLASS SIZES ARE.
THESE ARE THE THRESHOLDS, AGAIN, THAT WE HAVE SET, 10:1 FOR PRE-K, THAT'S 10 STUDENTS FOR ONE ADULT, 20:1, 20 STUDENTS TO ONE TEACHER FOR K-2, AND THEN 25:1 THE REST OF THE WAY.
THEN WHAT WE DO IS WE TRACK THE NUMBER OF CLASSES WE HAVE THAT EXCEED THESE NUMBERS OVER THE LAST FIVE OR SIX YEARS.
YOU CAN SEE WE ARE AT A HIGH RIGHT NOW WITH 437.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE DATA CLOSELY, YOU'LL SEE A MOVEMENT OF BUBBLE IN TERMS OF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO HAVE GONE FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL.
FOR INSTANCE, IF YOU LOOK AT MIDDLE SCHOOL, WE HAD 196 CLASSES THAT WERE GREATER THAN 25.
THAT'S A FUNCTION OF AN ENROLLMENT SHIFT GOING FROM MIDDLE SCHOOL TO HIGH SCHOOL.
THAT'S NOT UNCOMMON. BUT AGAIN, SOMETHING WE TRACK PRETTY CLOSELY.
OUR EXPECTATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE TAKING NOTES, WE EXPECT TO POST THIS VERY SOON AFTER THE MEETING CONCLUDES.
IT'LL BE UP FOR PUBLIC VIEW AND YOU CAN HAVE A COPY.
SUSPENSIONS. WE COULD HAVE OUR OWN LITTLE TWO-HOUR MEETING JUST ON SUSPENSIONS.
UNFORTUNATELY, SOMETIMES SCHOOLS DON'T HAVE MUCH CHOICE, BUT TO SUSPEND A CHILD.
WE TRY ALL KINDS OF DIFFERENT ALTERNATIVES.
WE HAVE TWILIGHT PROGRAMS, STUDENTS SERVE DURING THE DAY CONSEQUENCES COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS MIP OR AN IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION EXPERIENCE, BUT THERE ARE TIMES WHERE OUT OF SCHOOL SUSPENSIONS HAPPEN.
IF YOU LOOK, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TYPICAL FROM 2016 TO 2020, THAT'S HOW THINGS WERE.
THERE'S A FAIRLY STATIC PATTERN THERE.
COMING BACK FROM THE PANDEMIC, YOU SAW THE NUMBERS JUMP, AND THEN UP UNTIL LAST YEAR YOU CAN SEE THE 1,150 NOW.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE TABLE, IT'S AWFUL ON THE RIGHT.
WHAT WE DID THERE IS WE LOOKED AT A PARTICULAR POINT IN TIME, SO THAT AS OF FEBRUARY, LET'S JUST SAY 26TH LAST YEAR, YOU CAN SEE THE '22, '23 DATA.
IF YOU SEE THIS COLUMN RIGHT HERE, THIS WAS AS OF THE THIRD WEEK IN FEBRUARY LAST YEAR, COMPARED TO THE THIRD WEEK IN FEBRUARY THIS YEAR.
WE'RE TRYING TO GIVE YOU A REAL TIME AND YOU CAN SEE WE'RE STARTING TO GET BACK DOWN TO WHERE WE HISTORICALLY ARE OVER HERE.
I DO THINK YOU'RE STARTING TO SEE A GRADUAL RECOVERY FROM COVID, PLAIN AND SIMPLE, ACADEMICALLY AS WELL AS BEHAVIORALLY.
AGAIN, THE BOARD, ANY QUESTIONS ALONG THE WAY, JUST HOLLER.
BUT I GUESS MY POINT HERE IS WE TRACK THIS INFORMATION VERY CLOSELY.
THESE ARE RISK OF SELF-HARM ASSESSMENTS.
THESE OCCURRED AT THE BUILDING LEVEL BASED ON A CHILD INDICATING THAT THEY ARE A THREAT TO THEMSELVES.
SOMETIMES IT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE CHILD, SOMETIMES IT COMES STRAIGHT FROM THE TEACHER.
THE TEACHER WILL REPORT TO THE GUIDANCE SERVICES OFFICE THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT THIS CHILD.
YOU CAN SEE WE TRACK HERE THE SAME THING.
POINT IN TIME LAST YEAR TO A CERTAIN POINT IN TIME THIS YEAR.
AGAIN, THE NUMBERS ARE DEFINITELY STARTING TO REVERT BACK TO PRE-COVID.
THERE'S A REAL RIGID STRICT PROTOCOL IN PLACE FOR WHEN A CHILD INDICATES THEY MIGHT BE A DANGER TO THEMSELVES.
>> I DO THINK IT'S INTERESTING TO POINT OUT JUST IN RELATION TO TEST SCORES.
WE JUST SAW TEST SCORES AND NOW WE'RE SEEING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES OF OUR CHILDREN.
I MEAN, I THINK IT'S AN IMPORTANT POINT IS THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE DEALING WITH A LOT OF STUFF.
POVERTY, TRAUMA, MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES, MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS, THEY'RE ON THE RISE.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES, IT'S REALLY HARD TO EXPECT CERTAIN STUDENTS TO COME TO SCHOOL PREPARED TO LEARN WHEN WE'RE DEALING WITH ALL OF THESE OUTSIDE THINGS IN THE COMMUNITY. I JUST WANTED TO [OVERLAPPING]
>> I SEE A LOT OF NEW FACES IN THE AUDIENCE WHICH IS GREAT.
YOU PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WE HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED HANDLE WITH CARE.
IF SOMETHING HAPPENS IN THE COMMUNITY, THE POLICE WILL NOTIFY US.
WE NOTIFY THE PRINCIPAL THAT HEY, SUCH AND SUCH CHILD, SEVEN-YEAR-OLD, THIS HAPPENED IN THEIR HOME OVER THE WEEKEND.
AGAIN, IT'S CALLED HANDLE WITH CARE AND IT HAPPENS ON A PRETTY REGULAR BASIS.
SOME OF OUR STUDENTS SEE STUFF THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF US HAVE NEVER HAD TO DEAL WITH, MYSELF FOR SURE.
WE HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT OUR TEACHERS, OUR PARAPROFESSIONALS BEING INJURED AS A RESULT OF INTERACTIONS WITH STUDENTS.
[00:15:01]
SOMETIMES IT'S SIMPLY BREAKING UP A FIGHT WITHOUT TAKING THE WAIT TIME THAT ME AS A MATH TEACHER LIKES TO TAKE.WHAT YOU NOTICE HERE IS EACH YEAR, SO THERE'S YOUR COVID YEAR, BUT YET WE STILL HAD SOME.
THAT'S BECAUSE WE WERE BRINGING BACK THE 5 PERCENT NEEDIEST IN OUR SCHOOL.
WE WERE BRINGING BACK SOME VERY NEEDY STUDENTS.
WHAT YOU NOTICE HERE IS THAT THESE INCIDENTS ARE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR WHERE? ELEMENTARY, AND MORE SPECIFICALLY, THEY'RE MOST LIKELY TO OCCUR PRE-K, K, GRADE 1.
WE ARE SEEING 4, 5, 6-YEAR-OLDS WHO COME IN WITH VERY LITTLE IN THE WAY OF SOCIAL SKILLS AND REALLY SOCIALLY APPROPRIATE BEHAVIORS IN A GROUP SETTING.
IT COULD BE SIMPLY SOMETHING LIKE IF A TEACHER BENDS DOWN TO SUPPORT A CHILD AND THE CHILD THROWS A HEAD BUTT.
RIGHT THERE, THAT'S A FORM THAT GETS FILLED OUT.
IF YOU HEAR PEOPLE MAKING THE CASE THAT OUR MIDDLE AND OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE THIS CRAZY, IT'S NOT THE CASE.
WE'RE SEEING THE REAL SIGNIFICANT INCIDENTS WITH OUR 4, 5, AND 6-YEAR-OLDS.
IF WE BROKE THIS DOWN, THIS 345 BY GRADE, YOU WOULD SEE IT SKEWED VERY MUCH TOWARDS OUR LITTLE GUYS.
AGAIN, IT'S INTERESTING INFORMATION.
IT ALIGNS WITH THE THINGS WE FOCUS ON AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WITH THAT, I BELIEVE I AM TURNING IT OVER TO MS. SOPA.
>> GOOD EVENING. IN ONE OF OUR EARLIER PRESENTATIONS, WE SHARED SOME INFORMATION FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES, AND THEY HAD SOME DATA ON OUR FUNDING, OUR RANK IN THE COUNTY, OUR FUNDING IN THE COUNTY FOR FY21, 22, AND 23.
MOST RECENTLY, IN FACT, JUST IN THE LAST WEEK, THEY RELEASED DATA FOR FY24.
JUST TO REVIEW THIS WITH YOU, THEY TAKE EVERY COUNTY AND LIST THE STATE PER PUPIL FUNDING, THE LOCAL PER PUPIL FUNDING, AND THE TOTAL.
IN THIS CHART, THEY DON'T INCLUDE MISCELLANEOUS LIKE THEY HAVE IN SOME OF THE PAST CHARTS, AND THEY'RE ALSO STILL NOT INCLUDING FEDERAL BECAUSE OUR SR DOLLARS ARE STILL INCLUDED IN OUR FUNDING FOR FY24.
IT'S JUST LOOKING AT STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE RANKING BY STATE PER PUPIL FUNDING, CECIL RANKED NINTH IN THE STATE FUNDING.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR RANKING BY LOCAL PER PUPIL FUNDING, WE RANK AT 17TH IN THE STATE.
IF YOU LOOK AT OUR RANKING BY TOTAL PER PUPIL FUNDING, TOTAL MEANING STATE PLUS LOCAL, WE COME IN AT 23RD IN THE STATE.
THE THING THAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS IS CECIL FOR FY24 RANKS 16TH IN WEALTH IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
SOMETHING THAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT TO KNOW IS THAT THIS STATE NUMBER, THE AMOUNT THAT WE GET FROM THE STATE, THERE'S A VERY SPECIFIC FORMULA THAT'S RELATED TO COUNTY WEALTH AND ENROLLMENT, AND SO THIS FORMULA IS APPLIED ACROSS SCHOOL SYSTEMS. ANY OPPORTUNITY TO MOVE CECIL UP IN TOTAL RANKING IS NOT GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE STATE LEVEL.
THAT'S A PRESCRIBED DOLLAR AMOUNT.
THE ONLY WAY THAT WE CAN REALLY MAKE AN IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS RECEIVING FUNDING RELATIVE TO OUR WEALTH RANKING IS REALLY TO CHANGE THIS LOCAL RANKING.
SOMETHING THAT I REALLY WOULD LIKE YOU TO LOOK AT IS ALTHOUGH CECIL IS RANKED 17TH IN LOCAL FUNDING, IF YOU LOOK AT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CECIL AND PRINCE GEORGE'S, 6,170 DOLLARS PER STUDENT IN CECIL COUNTY.
IN PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, IT'S 7,565 DOLLARS PER STUDENT.
WITH JUST AN ADDITIONAL 1,200 DOLLARS PER STUDENT IN LOCAL FUNDING, SO IN OTHER WORDS, IF WE WERE TO RECEIVE AN ADDITIONAL 1,200 PER STUDENT, THAT WOULD BRING US TO 7,370 DOLLARS PER STUDENT FOR LOCAL FUNDING.
WHICH WOULD KEEP US AT 17TH, SO WOULD NOT MOVE US UP IN OUR RANKING FOR LOCAL FUNDING.
IT WOULD BRING US TO 17,878 DOLLARS PER STUDENT IN TOTAL FUNDING WHICH WOULD MOVE US FROM 23RD TO 17TH, WHICH IS MORE CONSISTENT WITH OUR WEALTH RANKING.
IT WOULD ALSO MEAN AN ADDITIONAL 17.3 MILLION DOLLARS FOR CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR FY24.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN[OVERLAPPING]
>> I NEED TO INTERRUPT YOU UP THERE, MS. SOPA.
WE WERE REALLY INTENTIONAL ABOUT THIS SLIDE BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN MAKING IT CLEAR THAT ACTUALLY IT WAS LAST YEAR, WE WERE LAST IN THE STATE IN FUNDING.
THE PUSHBACK WE'VE RECEIVED FROM OTHERS HAS BEEN YEAH, BUT THE COUNTY FUNDS YOU WITH 17TH? WELL, THE COUNTY FUNDS US AT 17TH AS A FUNCTION OF THE FORMULA.
THEY COULD CONTINUE TO FUND US AT 17TH AND GIVE US ANOTHER, WHAT IS THAT? ONE THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED DOLLARS AND WE STILL STAY AT 17TH.
NOT ALL 17THS ARE THE SAME THING.
THIS IS REALLY THE FRUSTRATING PIECE FOR US, IS THAT THE WAY THE MARYLAND STATE FUNDING FORMULA WORKS IS WHAT SEPARATES YOU FROM ANOTHER COUNTY IS HOW ARE YOU BEING FUNDED AT THE COUNTY LEVEL? THE STATE IS LOCKED IN,
[00:20:01]
ITS STATUTE AND HOW IT GETS CALCULATED.IT'S THE COUNTY CONTRIBUTION THAT MOVES YOU IN THE RANKING.
JUST TO REITERATE MS. SOPA'S POINT IS THAT AN ADDITIONAL 1,200 DOLLARS FROM THE COUNTY KEEPS US AT 17TH ON THE COUNTY SIDE, BUT IT RAISES US AS UP 17TH ON THE STATE SIDE.
THAT'S REALLY AN IMPORTANT PIECE.
>> WHICH IS MORE CONSISTENT WITH WHERE WE ARE LOCAL WEALTH.
>> AT WHAT CONDITION WAS WHERE WE'VE BEEN HISTORICALLY.
>> WE'VE BEEN FALLING IN THE PAST FEW YEARS.
WE WERE HISTORICALLY FUNDED 17TH, 16TH IN THE STATE, AND RECENTLY WE'VE GONE DOWN TO 21ST, 23RD, 24TH, BACK UP TO 23RD.
KEEP IN MIND WE'RE ONLY WHAT, 38 DOLLARS PER STUDENT MORE THAN QUEEN ANNE'S COUNTY WHO'S IN THE LAST PLACE.
SO IT'S NOT LIKE WE RECEIVED SIGNIFICANTLY MORE FUNDING PER STUDENT.
>> ON THE STATE SIDE, THESE ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE YOUR POOR COUNTIES.
UP HERE, THESE ARE MOST LIKELY TO BE YOUR WEALTHIER COUNTIES.
THERE'S A DIRECT INVERSE PROPORTION THERE.
>> THAT'S WHAT I NEED. I THINK THIS WAS A QUESTION BEFORE, HOW CAN WE BE FUNDED AT NINTH, FUNDED AT 17TH AND NOW BE 23RD? IT'S NOT AN AVERAGE OF OUR RANKING NUMBER.
IT'S ADDING OUR STATE FUNDING PER STUDENT, OUR LOCAL FUNDING PER STUDENT TO GET OUR TOTAL FUNDING PER STUDENT, AND THEN RANKING THOSE NUMBERS.
THEY'RE JUST SOME DATA. THIS SLIDE HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE WE BEGAN OUR PRESENTATIONS BACK IN JANUARY.
AS OF NOW, THIS STILL STANDS AS WHAT WE ARE PREDICTING, THE INFORMATION WE HAVE AT THIS TIME OF WHAT OUR STATE BLUEPRINT FUNDING WILL BE.
KEEP IN MIND, ALTHOUGH IT LOOKS LIKE, AND IT IS A $1.3 MILLION INCREASE FROM LAST YEAR, YOU CAN LOOK THAT CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY IS A $1.6 MILLION INCREASE.
THAT'S SPECIFICALLY FOR NINE SCHOOLS FOR VERY SPECIFIC PURPOSES.
YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN SUPPLEMENTAL PRE-KINDERGARTEN.
BUT THEN LOOK AT THESE DECREASES.
OUR FOUNDATION PROGRAM, GUARANTEED TAX BASE, THESE ARE THE PLACES WHERE WE CAN USE THOSE MONEY TO FUND CLASSROOM TEACHERS ACROSS THE COUNTY.
THAT'S WHERE OUR STATE FUNDING IS DECREASING TO INCREASE SOME OF THESE VERY SPECIAL POPULATIONS LIKE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY AND PRE-K.
THIS SLIDE HAS ALSO NOT CHANGED.
THIS IS A REMINDER OF THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN MOE VERSUS LOCAL SHARE.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT LOCAL SHARE IS A FUNCTION OF HOUSE BILL 13 FOR BLUEPRINT AND THAT THE COUNTY IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE THE HIRE OF THE TWO AS THEIR MINIMUM FUNDING FOR THE FISCAL YEAR.
WE HAVE BEEN FUNDED AT MOE FOR 22, 23, AND 24, AND AS OF FY 25 LOCAL SHARE TOPS OUT OVER MOE.
THIS RIGHT NOW, UNLESS WE RECEIVE ANYTHING THAT CHANGES IT FROM THE STATE, THIS IS THE MINIMUM REQUIRED ALLOCATION FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR FY 25.
THIS IS OUR ANTICIPATED REVENUE.
THE ONLY THING THAT'S CHANGED HERE SINCE THE LAST PRESENTATION IS THAT IN OUR OTHER REVENUE, THIS IS OUR MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, OUR INTEREST REVENUE.
WE'VE ALSO BEEN RECEIVING SOME OF THE DONATE, THE REBATE.
WE HAVE SOME COMMUNITY MEMBERS WHO HAVE BEEN CONTRIBUTING.
AS OF OUR LAST PRESENTATION, WE HAD $7,500 IN CONTRIBUTIONS.
SINCE THEN IT'S GONE UP TO $9,131.15.
ALL WE DID WAS INCREASE BY ABOUT $1,600 OF THE DIFFERENCE.
YOU COULD SEE THE INCREASE IN OTHER REVENUE WHICH DECREASES THE DEFICIT THAT WE HAVE.
BUT STILL KEEPING IN MIND, WITH ALL THINGS EQUAL, THAT IF YOU LOOK AT REVENUE FROM FY 24 TO PROJECTED REVENUE FOR FY 25, YOU'RE LOOKING AT AN $8.8 MILLION DEFICIT BEFORE YOU EVEN START TO LOOK AT SOME OF THE INCREASES THAT ARE HAPPENING FOR FY 25.
THIS WAS PRESENTED AT THE LAST MEETING AS WELL.
WHAT THIS IS TO ILLUSTRATE IS THAT REGARDLESS OF WHAT WE ADD TO THE BUDGET, THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE INCREASING.
THESE ARE THINGS THAT WE'RE NOT NECESSARILY HAVING CONTROL OF.
SALARIES. WE'RE REQUIRED BY BLUEPRINT TO HAVE A FIRST-YEAR TEACHER MAKING A MINIMUM OF $60,000 A YEAR BY FY 27.
THE FIXED CHARGES THAT GO ALONG WITH SALARIES.
FIXED CHARGES ALSO INCLUDE OUR HEALTH CARE.
HEALTH CARE IS UP SIGNIFICANTLY AND WE'VE BEEN MEETING WITH OUR CARRIERS AND PREPARING FOR FY 25.
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THE COST OF HEALTHCARE AND THE CLAIMS THAT WE ARE SEEING AS A SELF-FUNDED SCHOOL SYSTEM.
NON-PUBLIC PLACEMENTS, AS WE DISCUSSED, THOSE ARE STUDENTS WHO HAVE NEEDS THAT REQUIRE A MORE RESTRICTIVE PLACEMENT.
WE MUST PAY FOR THOSE PLACEMENTS, AND THE COST OF THOSE PLACEMENTS IS EXPENSIVE, IN ADDITION TO THE TRANSPORTATION OF STUDENTS TO AND FROM THOSE PLACEMENTS THAT WE MUST PROVIDE.
[00:25:03]
TRANSPORTATION. AGAIN, JUST MOVING STUDENTS TO AND FROM SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL ACTIVITIES.THIS BIG NUMBER, REALLY STEMS FROM A SHORTAGE OF OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST, PHYSICAL THERAPIST, SPEECH PATHOLOGISTS, AND THE FACT THAT WE RELY ON THESE COMPANIES TO PROVIDE THESE SERVICES WHEN WE CANNOT HIRE THOSE PEOPLE, AND THE COST FOR THOSE SERVICES INCREASES ALL THE TIME.
WE'RE ALSO AT THE POINT NOW WHERE SOMETIMES WE'RE HAVING TO DEAL WITH, THEY PROVIDE VIRTUAL SERVICES.
WHEN THEY PROVIDE A VIRTUAL SERVICE, WE STILL HAVE TO HAVE AN ADULT IN THE ROOM TO SUPERVISE THE STUDENT.
NOW WE'RE HAVING TO HAVE SOMEONE IN THE ROOM, PLUS WE'RE PAYING SOMEONE ON A COMPUTER SCREEN TO PROVIDE SERVICES WHEN THEY CANNOT GIVE US A FACE-TO-FACE PERSON.
CONTRACTED SERVICES ARE INCREASING.
OUR GENERAL LIABILITY INSURANCE IS UP ABOUT $200,000 PROJECTED FOR FY 25.
BECAUSE OF THAT, YOU WON'T SEE THAT IN THIS BUDGET REQUEST, BUT IN THE FIRST BUDGET REQUEST THAT WE PRESENTED EARLIER THIS YEAR.
THESE WERE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE PROPOSED AS DECREASES TO TRY TO OFFSET AND BALANCE THE BUDGET.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE BOARD REQUEST, WHAT YOU SEE IN THIS PRESENTATION IS EVERYTHING THAT YOU'VE REQUESTED TO RETURN TO THE BUDGET PLUS THE THINGS THAT YOU ASKED US TO ADD TO THE BUDGET AFTER THE LAST MEETING.
THIS IS JUST AN EXAMPLE OF SOME FY 22 AND FY 23 ACTUAL NUMBERS, REMEMBERING THAT WE'RE IN THE MIDDLE OF 24.
GIVING YOU A NUMBER RIGHT NOW WOULDN'T BE AN ACCURATE NUMBER BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T FINISHED THE FISCAL YEAR.
BUT YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN UTILITIES OVER ONE YEAR.
YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN INSURANCE FROM 22-23, AND LIKE I SAID, 24-25, WE ALREADY PROJECTED ALMOST $200,000 OF AN INCREASE.
YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE IN NON-PUBLIC PLACEMENTS.
THESE CONTRACTED SERVICES, THESE ARE A LOT OF THE THINGS THAT I MENTIONED ON THE LAST SCREEN.
DUAL ENROLLMENT AND EARLY COLLEGE.
YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE AND THIS CAME ALONG WITH REQUIREMENTS THROUGH CCR AND BLUEPRINT THAT THE FUNDING THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO USE FOR THESE TYPES OF THINGS.
THE ATHLETICS CONTRACTED SERVICES.
THOSE ARE OFFICIALS AND THOSE ARE GAME SECURITY, AS FAR AS OUR SHERIFF'S DEPUTIES THAT PROVIDE SECURITY GAMES, SO COSTS ARE GOING UP THERE.
YOU CAN SEE INCREASED COSTS IN TRANSPORTATION, ESPECIALLY AS WE HAVE TO PURCHASE BUSES.
THIS IS THE ACTIVE HEALTHCARE INCREASE FOR ONE YEAR.
KEEP IN MIND, WHEN WE ARE SELF-INSURED, WE PAY FOR THE ACTUAL CLAIMS. YOU PREDICT THE BEST THAT YOU CAN, NOT KNOWING WHAT YOUR CLAIMS WILL ACTUALLY BE.
AN INCREASE IN PENSION FOR OUR LOCAL SHARE, THE PORTION OF THE PENSION THAT WE PAY FOR OUR TEACHERS AND STAFF.
>> MISS [INAUDIBLE] A QUESTION? FOR THE HEALTH CARE, WHERE ARE WE GETTING THE ESTIMATES? IS THAT FROM OUR HEALTHCARE? WHERE DOES THAT COME FROM?
>> OUR ESTIMATES, WE WORK WITH A CONSULTANT.
WE WORK WITH WTW, WILLIS TOWERS WATSON, AND WITH THE HEALTH COMPANIES.
WE'VE HAD A MEETING WITH EXPRESS SCRIPTS WHO IS OUR PRESCRIPTION PROVIDER, AND CARE FIRST AND AETNA, WHO ARE OUR MEDICAL CARE PROVIDERS.
>> THAT ALSO INCLUDES RETIREE HEALTHCARE AS WELL.
>> THIS IS A REMINDER OF THE STATE CATEGORIES BECAUSE THIS IS HOW YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THE BUDGETED NUMBERS DISPLAYED.
>> PASSING OF THE MOUSE. GOOD EVENING EVERYONE.
EDUCATION SERVICES BUDGET IS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT IT WAS, VERY LIMITED CHANGES FROM OUR PREVIOUS PRESENTATIONS.
WHAT YOU'LL SEE WHEN WE SEE THESE NEXT LINES ARE ALL OF THE LINES IN ED SERVICES BUDGET.
THE BLUE THAT YOU SEE HERE, I WANT TO REMIND THE AUDIENCE AND OUR BOARD THAT THESE ARE THINGS THAT ARE REQUIRED AS A PART OF BLUEPRINT, THE THINGS THAT YOU SEE IN BLUE.
THE ADDITIONAL POSITIONS AND FIXED CHARGES WILL APPEAR AT A SLIDE.
TOWARD THE END OF THE PRESENTATION, YOU REQUESTED AN ADDITIONAL 64 POSITIONS TO OFFSET LARGE CLASS SIZES.
ONE THING YOU WILL SEE IN THIS BUDGET ARE THESE NEXT LINES ARE THE ECA AND DUAL ENROLLMENT INCREASES THAT YOU REQUESTED LAST TIME WE PUT THAT TOGETHER.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE LINES IN THE ED SERVICES BUDGET.
THE FIRST THING YOU'RE GOING TO SEE IS AN INCREASE IN THE AREA OF ASSESSMENT AND ACCOUNTABILITY.
THAT IS SIMPLY A HUGE INCREASE YOU'LL SEE OVER HERE.
THAT IS DUE TO THE FACT THAT SAT AND PSAT, AS WELL AS OUR MAP ASSESSMENTS WERE ALL IN SR FUNDS.
THEY HAVE NOW RETURNED BACK TO OUR OPERATIONAL BUDGET.
THE NEXT THING YOU'RE GOING TO SEE DOWN HERE ARE STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES.
THOSE STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES ARE AN INCREASE TO THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY FUNDS.
THESE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS, WHICH WE WILL NOW HAVE NINE SCHOOLS COME RIGHT IN FROM THE STATE, ARE REQUIRED TO BE SPENT ON OUR STUDENT PERSONNEL SERVICES LINE.
DR. HAMMER, COULD YOU DESCRIBE FOR THE AUDIENCE PRIMARILY, WHAT IS THE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOL AND WHAT THOSE SCHOOLS RECEIVE THROUGH THE BLUEPRINT? CERTAINLY, CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS ARE THOSE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A HIGH FRAME REDUCED MEALS RATE.
[00:30:04]
WE HAVE NINE SCHOOLS RIGHT NOW.CURRENTLY WE HAVE FOUR SCHOOLS THAT ARE CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS.
THOSE SCHOOLS, FIRST OF ALL, THEY RECEIVE POSITION FUNDS.
ONE IS FOR A COMMUNITY SCHOOL ADVISOR, WHICH IS STAFF MEMBER WHO HELPS FAMILIES TO NAVIGATE ACCESS TO RESOURCES AND SUPPORT THAT THEY MAY NEED.
THE SECOND PIECE IS A NURSE OR A HEALTH PRACTITIONER IS ALSO PROVIDED IN THOSE SCHOOLS.
>> THE REASON I ASKED DR. HAMMER TO DO THAT IS BECAUSE I THINK IT'S A COMMON THOUGHT IN THE PUBLIC THAT WITH THAT LARGE INCREASE OF MONEY COMING FOR CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS, WELL, WHY CAN'T YOU JUST TAKE THAT AND USE IT TO REDUCE CLASS SIZES? CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY REVENUE CANNOT BE USED TO REDUCE CLASS SIZE.
IT HAS TO BE USED TO SUPPORT THE HEALTH AND WELLNESS OF THE STUDENTS, AS WELL AS A COMMUNITY OUTREACH WORKER IN EACH OF THE COP SCHOOLS.
>> SOME OTHER INCREASES YOU'LL SEE HERE IN ALL ED, THIS IS THE RETURN OF OUR TWILIGHT INTERVENTION IN OUR SECONDARY SCHOOLS RETURNING FROM SR BACK INTO OUR BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THAT'S A LARGE INCREASE HERE.
FINALLY, OUR MEDIA PROGRAMS. WE HAD SOFTWARE LICENSES THAT WERE IN OUR SR BUDGET.
THAT HAS RETURNED TO OUR OPERATING BUDGET AND YOU SEE THE LARGE INCREASE THERE FOR THAT AS WELL.
>> SO WE HAD ASKED DR. HAMMER TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC LINES AND HIGHLIGHT THEM AS JUST BECAUSE WE THINK THEY JUMP OUT, CERTAINLY ENCOURAGE THE BOARD TO, IF YOU SEE LINES THAT AREN'T HIGHLIGHTED AND YOU'D LIKE TO ASK A QUESTION, JUST THROW UP A HAND.
>> YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF DECREASES HERE.
THE BUDGET THAT WE ARE PRESENTING IS BARE BONES.
THAT'S GOING TO PRESENT SOME CHALLENGES FOR US NEXT YEAR.
SOME OTHER ADDITIONS YOU'LL SEE HIGHLIGHTED HERE IN OUR MATH.
WE ARE RETURNING THE ENVISIONED MATH PROGRAM IN ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY BACK INTO THE OPERATING BUDGET.
YOU SEE SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THOSE TWO AREAS.
LIKEWISE, HERE IN ELEMENTARY ELA, THESE ARE OUR TSI FUNDS.
THIS IS OUR TARGETED SUPPLEMENTAL INTERVENTION PROGRAMMING THAT COMES INTO THOSE LINES THAT PROVIDES ON SITE TUTORING FOR OUR STUDENTS FUNDS DIRECTLY FROM THE STATE.
THE FINAL PIECE YOU'LL SEE DOWN HERE, THIS IS NOT AN INCREASE, BUT THIS IS WHERE WE DID PUT THE DUAL ENROLLMENT ECA FUNDS TO SUPPORT OUR NINTH AND TENTH GRADERS. ADMIN SERVICES.
>> THE NEXT AREA YOU WANT TO TOUCH BASED UPON TONIGHT, OUR ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
YOU CAN SEE THE CATEGORIES LISTED HERE, WE'LL DRAW YOUR ATTENTION.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF ITEMS HERE IN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES.
JUST TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE AREA OF SAFE SCHOOLS, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE OF $712,000 THAT REFLECTS THE CAMERAS THAT ARE IN OUR MIDDLE SCHOOLS THAT HAVE AGED OUT, AND WE'LL BE REPLACING THOSE ALONG WITH BOHEMIA MANOR HIGH SCHOOL AS PART OF THAT AS WELL.
THE NEXT AREA IS THE OFFICE OF FINANCE.
YOU'LL SEE A 31% INCREASE HERE.
THAT'S DUE TO OUR INSURANCE RATES INCREASING THE GENERAL LIABILITY AND THE INSURANCE RATES THAT MISS.
SOPA SPOKE OF EARLIER ARE CAPTURED IN THIS LINE.
THAT'S WHY YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE.
THE FOLLOWING STUDENT TRANSPORTATION, 160,000 OF THAT, 260,000 IS ONE SPECIAL EDUCATION PROPANE LIFT BUS, AND THEN THE OTHER, WE'LL GO TO CONTRACTORS TO FULFILL OUR CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATION TO THE CONTRACTORS.
ANOTHER AREA, GROUNDS AND MAINTENANCE, YOU'LL SEE A LARGE PERCENT INCREASE HERE OF 104% OR $151,000 THAT'S BASICALLY AN EFFORT ON OUR PART TO AFFECT OUR 43.5 MILLION DOLLAR OF DEFERRED MAINTENANCE, PARTICULARLY LOOKING AT PAVING, LOOKING AT GROUNDS CONCRETE WORK.
WE HAVE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WE CAN ADDRESS IN HOUSE THAT WE'LL WORK TO DO, BUT AGAIN, YOU'LL SEE AN INCREASE THERE.
THEN FINALLY, THE CAPITAL OUTLAY, YOU'LL SEE A REDUCTION OF $700,000 THERE.
THAT REFLECTS THE $700,000 THAT WE UTILIZE OUT OF OUR FUND BALANCE TO PAY FOR THE WING LANE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE RISING SUN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL SECURE ENTRANCES, WHICH WILL BE MOVING INTO NEXT WEEK, BY THE WAY.
THAT IS COMPLETE. YOU WILL SEE HERE IN ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, A NET INCREASE OF ONLY 1.4%, AND THAT INCLUDES ALL OF OUR UTILITIES AND ANYTHING ELSE THERE.
>> I'LL TALK TO BOTH. THIS IS OUR UNRESTRICTED SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES BUDGET SUMMARY.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS MADE UP OF OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET AND OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET WHICH IS OUR GRANTS.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES, THIS INCLUDES EVERY POSITION IN THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET THIS YEAR PLUS POSITIONS THAT WE HAD TO MOVE FROM A SOURCE, REMEMBER, WE HAD OVER 100 POSITIONS IN SR AND LEEDS THAT HAVE TO COME BACK INTO OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET.
THIS ALSO INCLUDES FIVE ADDITIONAL COMMUNITY SCHOOL ADVISORS THAT WE WERE REQUIRED TO ADD FOR FY 25 AS A RESULT OF CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY FUNDING.
[00:35:05]
IT ALSO INCLUDES THE 64 POSITIONS THAT THE BOARD ASKED US TO ADD TO THE BUDGET TO ADDRESS CLASS SIZE AND OTHER STUDENT NEEDS.THAT IS ALL ADDRESSED HERE IN THIS SLIDE, AGAIN BY SALARIES BY STATE CATEGORY.
FIXED CHARGES ARE THEIR OWN STATE CATEGORY.
YOU CAN SEE AN INCREASE OF 24.6 MILLION.
>> BECAUSE I'M A MATH TEACHER AND I PERSEVERATE ON THIS.
WHEN I LOOK AT THESE HISTORICALLY, I LOOK AT THAT INCREASE DECREASE ON THE SALARIES LINE TO SEE HOW MUCH MORE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IN PAYROLL.
TO ME, THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD WAY TO GAUGE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
THAT NUMBER IS EXTRAORDINARILY HIGH.
SOPA SAID, IT'S HIGH, NOT BECAUSE OF JUST PAY INCREASES, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE A CHALLENGE.
IT'S HIGH BECAUSE WE'RE BRINGING IN NEW POSITIONS AT THE BOARD'S REQUEST.
I BELIEVE IT WAS 64 POSITIONS.
SOME NEW COP POSITIONS, CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY, AS WELL AS BRINGING BACK POSITIONS FROM SR.
IT'S NOT JUST AN INCREASE DUE TO COST OF LIVING ALLOWANCES, THERE'S OTHER THINGS MAKING THAT NUMBER VERY, VERY LARGE THIS YEAR.
>> IT'S ALSO NOT JUST COST OF LIVING INCREASES, IT'S STEP INCREASES.
SO SOMEONE WHO IS A THIRD YEAR TEACHER, WHO MOVES UP A STEP TO A FOURTH YEAR TEACHER.
KEEPING IN MIND THAT IT'S NOT ALL COST OF LIVING RAISES, THIS IS OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET POSITION SUMMARY.
AGAIN, THESE ARE OUR STATE CATEGORIES ACROSS THE TOP.
THESE ARE OUR OBJECTS OR DESCRIPTIONS OF OUR POSITIONS DOWN THE SIDE.
AGAIN, THIS 2001.4 INCLUDES THE POSITIONS IN OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET THIS YEAR.
IT INCLUDES POSITIONS THAT ARE COMING BACK INTO THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET FROM THE SR AND LEEDS GRANTS.
IT INCLUDES THE FIVE NEW CSA'S THAT ARE REQUIRED THROUGH CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.
IT INCLUDES THE 64 POSITIONS THAT THE BOARD ASKS US TO ADD TO ADDRESS CLASS SIZE AND STUDENT NEED.
THIS BRINGS US TO OUR TOTAL UNRESTRICTED BUDGET SUMMARY.
EVERYTHING THAT DR. HAMMER AND DR. BUCKLEY SHARED, TOGETHER WITH THE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES, MAKES UP OUR TOTAL UNRESTRICTED BUDGET.
HERE, NOW WE HAVE SALARIES IN ALL OF THESE STATE CATEGORIES.
WE HAVE OUR FIXED CHARGES CATEGORY, OUR TOTAL FY 25 REQUESTED UNRESTRICTED BUDGET, AND YOU CAN SEE THE INCREASE FROM 24-25.
AGAIN, KEEPING IN MIND THIS IS BRINGING BACK THINGS THAT WERE PAID FOR BY SR AND LEEDS AND ALSO THE THINGS THAT THE BOARD HAS ASKED US TO ADD FOR FY 25.
OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE WE FIRST PRESENTED IT IN JANUARY.
AT THIS TIME, THIS IS WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT WHAT OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET WILL INCLUDE.
THESE ARE SALARIES AND FIXED CHARGES FOR THE RESTRICTED BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE THE REDUCTION FROM 24-25.
AGAIN, THAT REDUCTION IS BECAUSE OF THE $16.4 MILLION IN LEEDS AND ESSA THAT WE WILL NOT HAVE IN FY25 AND THE POSITIONS THAT WERE PAID FOR OUT OF LEEDS AND ESSA.
YOU CAN SEE THAT'S WHERE THE REDUCTION COMES FROM.
THOSE POSITIONS, WE HAD TO PUT BACK INTO THE UNRESTRICTED BUDGET.
THIS ALSO HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE OUR FIRST PRESENTATION.
THESE ARE THE STATE CATEGORIES AND THE OBJECTS OR THE POSITION DESCRIPTIONS.
THESE ARE THE POSITIONS THAT WE ARE BUDGETING FOR OUR RESTRICTED PORTION OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET FOR FY25.
>> [NOISE] MISS SOPA, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHY THERE IS A 2.0 INCREASE IN COORDINATOR AND SUPERVISORS ON THE RESTRICTED SLIDE, PLEASE?.
>> THIS DOESN'T SHOW A 2.0 INCREASE.
IT'S JUST SHOWS A 2.0 TOTAL ON THE CHANGE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'M SORRY. IT'LL SEE THE INCREASE. I'M SORRY.
>> ONCE WE GO TO THE INCREASED PAGE, ALL THIS SHOWS YOU IS WHAT THE TOTAL IS.
THIS IS OUR TOTAL RESTRICTED BUDGET SUMMARY.
THIS TAKES ALL OF OUR STATE CATEGORIES SALARIES INCLUDED, FIXED CHARGES AS ITS OWN STATE CATEGORY AND LOOKING AT OUR FY24 BUDGET TO OUR FY25 BUDGET IS A REDUCTION OF $13.4 MILLION.
NOW KEEP IN MIND, WE SAID WE'RE LOSING $16.4 MILLION FROM LEEDS AND ESSA.
OUR TITLE I FUNDING HAS INCREASED SOMEWHAT.
ADDITIONAL JUDY CENTER GRANTS, THOSE HAVE INCREASED READINESS FOR KINDERGARTEN AND PRE-K EXPANSION.
WHILE WE LOST ESSA AND LEEDS, WE DID ADD SOME OTHER RESTRICTED FUNDING WITH SOME DIFFERENT TYPES OF POSITIONS.
THEY JUST AREN'T CLASSROOM TEACHER POSITIONS.
AGAIN, THIS SLIDE HAS NOT CHANGED IN ANY OF THE PRESENTATIONS.
THIS TAKES THE TWO SLIDES THAT I ALREADY SHARED, ONE THAT HAD OUR UNRESTRICTED POSITIONS AND ONE THAT HAD OUR RESTRICTED POSITIONS AND PUTS THEM TOGETHER FOR A TOTAL.
[00:40:02]
AGAIN, OUR STATE CATEGORIES ACROSS THE TOP AND OBJECT DESCRIPTIONS DOWN THE SIDE.KEEPING IN MIND THAT THIS IS ALL OF THE POSITIONS THAT WE ARE OPERATING WITH RIGHT NOW AT THIS PERIOD IN TIME.
IT ALSO INCLUDES FIVE NEW CSAS AND THE 64 POSITIONS THAT YOU ASKED US TO ADD TO THE BUDGET.
HERE'S WHAT DR. LAWSON I THINK WAS REFERRING TO.
THIS IS WHERE WE'RE COMPARING OUR FY24 BUDGETED POSITIONS TO OUR FY25 BUDGETED POSITIONS.
HE ASKED ABOUT THE CHANGE IN COORDINATOR.
THIS ADDITIONAL 1.0 COORDINATOR WAS PART OF OUR READINESS FOR KINDERGARTEN GRANT THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE A COORDINATOR WHO'S HELPING TO FACILITATE, OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD, MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OF JUDY CENTER MONEY READINESS FOR PRE-K EXPANSION.
THIS IS SOMEONE TO HELP MANAGE THAT FUNDING IN THOSE GRANTS AND IS GRANT FUNDED HENCE BEING PART OF THE RESTRICTED BUDGET.
THIS BRINGS US TO OUR TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET SUMMARY.
AGAIN, I SAID OUR OPERATING BUDGET IS MADE UP OF OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET PLUS OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET.
THIS TAKES THOSE TWO BUDGETS, COMBINES THEM BY STATE CATEGORY.
SALARIES ARE INCLUDED IN THESE LINES, AND FIXED CHARGES IS ITS OWN STATE CATEGORY.
YOU CAN SEE OUR REQUESTED OPERATING BUDGET FOR FY25 IS A $12.5 MILLION INCREASE OVER OUR 24 OPERATING BUDGET.
LOOKING AT THE OPERATING BUDGET DISTRIBUTION, THIS IS WHERE WHEN WE FIRST PRESENTED AT THE BEGINNING IN JANUARY, WHEN WE PRESENTED THE REALITY OF WHAT A BUDGET WOULD LOOK LIKE WITHOUT ADDITIONAL LOCAL APPROPRIATION, FOR GOOD REASON THERE WAS LOTS OF CONCERNS ABOUT POSITIONS BEING CUT, ABOUT PROGRAMS BEING CUT, ABOUT EVERYTHING THAT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALSO BELIEVE IS IMPORTANT.
BUT WHAT WE REALLY NEED TO LOOK AT HERE IS HOW OUR BUDGET IS CONSTRUCTED, AND WHEN WE DO HAVE TO MAKE CUTS TO HAVE OUR REVENUE BALANCE, OUR EXPENSES, WHERE CAN WE MAKE THOSE CUTS? WHAT'S LEFT TO CUT? IF YOU LOOK HERE ARE UNRESTRICTED SALARIES AND WAGES.
THIS BIG PIECE OF THE PIE RIGHT HERE, 58 PERCENT.
THEN YOU LOOK AT THE FIXED CHARGES THAT GO ALONG WITH THOSE.
THEN YOU LOOK AT THE CONTRACTED SERVICES.
LIKE I MENTIONED, THOSE ARE THE COMPANIES WHERE WE PAY FOR OT SPEECH SERVICES, PHYSICAL THERAPY SERVICES THAT ARE REQUIRED BY STUDENTS IEPS.
THEN YOU LOOK AT OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET, WHICH IS RIGHT HERE, THIS YELLOW PIECE.
THAT'S ABOUT SIX PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET.
WE CAN'T CUT OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET TO BALANCE OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET.
WHAT DOES THAT LEAVE US WITH? IF WE'VE GOT TO MAKE CUTS SO THAT WE CAN BALANCE THE BUDGET, IT LEAVES US WITH THIS PIECE OF THE PIE RIGHT HERE, THIS UNRESTRICTED $40.7 MILLION.
IN THAT $40.7 MILLION, YOU HAVE UTILITIES, YOU HAVE LIABILITY INSURANCE, YOU HAVE TRANSPORTATION, YOU HAVE NON-PUBLIC PLACEMENTS FOR SPECIAL ED, YOU HAVE ALL OF THE SUPPLIES, THE SPORTS, THE FINE ARTS, ALL OF THE THINGS THAT EVERYBODY AGREES, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE CUTS FROM THE BUDGET.
BUT YOU START TO HAVE A PROBLEM OF, IF I HAVE TO COME UP WITH $21 MILLION, IF YOU DON'T CUT PEOPLE, YOU CAN'T CUT IT ALL FROM HERE.
WHERE ARE YOU GOING TO MAKE THE CUTS? THIS IS JUST REALLY AN ILLUSTRATION THAT THERE'S NOT A LOT LEFT.
WHEN EVERYBODY SAYS BALANCE THE BUDGET BUT DON'T CUT, WHAT'S IMPORTANT, EVERYTHING IS IMPORTANT AND IT BECOMES REALLY CHALLENGING TO DECIDE WHAT'S MORE OR LESS IMPORTANT OR HOW CAN WE DO WITHOUT X SO THAT WE CAN PAY FOR Y.
>> CAN I INSERT A COMMENT HERE? DO YOU MIND? I STILL HAVE YET TO HEAR ANY SORT OF ARTICULATION ABOUT WHAT WE SHOULD CUT.
THAT ISN'T ANY OF THESE THINGS.
THE ONLY THING I'VE HEARD IS WELL, BESIDES SORRY, DR. LAWSON, BESIDES YOUR SALARY AND INCREASES TO THAT AND RAISES FOR ADMINISTRATION, I MEAN, ALL OF THESE THINGS DON'T EVEN MAKE A DENT AND WHAT WE WOULD NEED.
NOT TO MENTION WE WOULD HAVE TO RENEGOTIATE LABOR CONTRACTS, WHICH IS A WHOLE OTHER CAN OF WORMS. I JUST WANTED TO MAKE THAT POINT.
I HAVE YET TO HEAR ANY VIABLE SOLUTION. IS IT JUST ME?
>> FOR OUR LARGE CAP REQUESTS, AS YOU CAN SEE, WE HAVE SEVEN SCHOOLS THAT WERE LISTED TO BE REPLACED FOR THIS PROJECT AND IT EQUALS OUT TO SIX PROJECTS.
[00:45:03]
OUR NUMBER 1 PRIORITY IS GOING TO BE THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE HIGH REPLACEMENT PROJECT.THAT TOTAL COST FOR THAT PROJECT IS GOING TO BE $181 MILLION.
IF YOU LOOK AT ROW 1, YOU CAN SEE THAT THE TOTAL COST OF THAT PROJECT AND THEN THAT NEXT COLUMN IS GOING TO BE WHAT'S COMMITTED BY LOCAL FUNDS FOR THAT PROJECT.
THEN THAT THIRD COLUMN OF STATE FUNDS THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUIRED FOR THAT PROJECT. THAT GIVES US OUR TOTAL.
THEN AS YOU GO DOWN, IF YOU CAN GO DOWN TO THE NEXT COLUMN, THIS IS WHAT WE RECEIVED FOR THIS FROM THE STATE AND THEN THE NEXT ONE IS WHAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE LOCAL.
WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE REQUESTED FOR THIS UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR IS $11 MILLION.
THEN THAT'S GOING TO BE THE AMOUNT THAT'S GOING TO BE REQUESTED THROUGHOUT THIS PROJECT UNTIL IT'S COMPLETED BY THE LOCAL FUNDS.
>> IS IT MY UNDERSTANDING THAT BECAUSE THIS PROJECT LOOKS LIKE IT'S BEING EXTENDED FOR SO LONG, THERE'S ADDED COSTS.
>> TODAY'S PRICE IS NOT TOMORROW'S PRICE.
>> WHO'S COVERING THOSE COSTS? BECAUSE THE STATE IS READY TO GIVE US ALL THE MONEY.
>> MISS HALL, THAT'S REALLY DOMINATED A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION INTERNALLY.
DR. BUCKLEY HAS AN UPDATE I THINK THAT'LL MAKE SENSE TO FOLKS.
>> THE BIDS FOR THE NORTHEAST MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL PROJECT WENT ON THE STREET TODAY, AND THEY WILL BE DUE BACK ON MARCH 28.
IT'LL BE A 30-DAY PERIOD OF TIME WHERE OUR CONTRACTORS AND VENDORS WILL BE ABLE TO PUT TOGETHER A BID PACKAGE FOR THE PROJECT.
THE WAY THAT THE BID IS BROKEN DOWN IN THE WAY THAT THE DOLLARS ARE FUNDED, THERE'S A BRICKS AND STICKS PORTION OF THAT BUDGET AND THE DOLLARS ARE THERE FOR THE BRICKS AND STICKS PORTION OF THE BUDGET.
THEN YOU START TO GET INTO THE ANCILLARY COST ASSOCIATED WITH NEW CONSTRUCTION.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THERE THAT IN THE OUT YEARS LOOKING TO CAPTURE DOLLARS TO BE ABLE TO PURCHASE NEW FURNITURE AND OTHER THINGS THAT WOULD GO IN TECHNOLOGY THAT WOULD GO INTO SUPPORT.
THE ACTUAL CONSTRUCTION OF THE BUILDING BRICKS AND STICKS, THE DOLLARS ARE THERE FOR THAT BASED UPON WHAT'S ALLOCATED FROM THE STATE, BASED UPON WHAT'S ALLOCATED FROM THE COUNTY.
THE LENGTH OF TIME THAT THE COUNTY IS RIGHT NOW IN TERMS OF FUNDING THE PROJECT, WHAT THAT COULD CREATE IS A SITUATION WHERE CONTRACTORS WOULD DO A SHORT TERM BID AND WANT TO COME BACK AND REBID AFTER A TWO OR THREE-YEAR WINDOW OR PERIOD OF TIME SIMPLY BECAUSE THE COST OF CONSTRUCTION ARE UNKNOWN.
IF YOU LOOK BACK TWO YEARS AGO, THERE WAS A TREMENDOUS SPIKE IN MATERIAL COST.
CONTRACTORS WERE TRYING TO RECAPTURE THOSE COSTS IN THE MIDDLE OF PROJECTS.
THEY DON'T WANT TO BE CAUGHT IN THAT SITUATION.
THEY'LL SECURE A BID FOR 2-3 YEARS.
WE'RE TRYING TO SECURE A BID, IS VERY CHALLENGING FOR THE SCOPE OF WORK THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT IN THIS PROJECT, IF THAT ANSWERS YOUR QUESTION.
>> I THINK EVERYBODY'S GOING TO GET THIS BUILDING DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT? THERE'S SOME RESTRICTIONS IN TERMS OF FUNDING BUT YOU GOT TO STAY POSITIVE.
>> THERE ARE A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT OPTIONS WITH THE BIDS THAT ARE GOING OUT RIGHT NOW.
THERE'S DIFFERENT BID PACKAGES THAT ARE GOING OUT, MASONRY WORK, SITE WORK, STEEL WORK, ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TYPES.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A BID ALTERNATE.
THERE'S GOING TO BE A TWO-PHASE BID THAT'S GOING TO GO OUT, THERE'S GOING TO BE A THREE-PHASE BID THAT'S GOING TO GO OUT.
IN THE TWO-PHASE BID, IT IS TO BUILD THE ENTIRE STRUCTURE, OCCUPY IT, THAT'S PHASE 1.
PHASE 2 WOULD BE THE DEMOLITION OF THE OLD NORTHEAST HIGH SCHOOL AND THE RE-PURPOSING OF THAT SITE.
IN THE BID ALTERNATE, THERE'S A THREE PHASE PROJECT.
IT WOULD BE, BUILD THE HIGH SCHOOL, EXCUSE ME, BUILD THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, OCCUPY THE MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUILD THE HIGH SCHOOL, OCCUPY THE HIGH SCHOOL WOULD BE PHASE 2.
PHASE 3 WOULD THEN BE THE DEMO.
THE CONTRACTORS THAT WE'RE WORKING WITH HAVE DONE THEIR DILIGENT WORK IN TERMS OF SECURING A PROCESS FOR US TO COMPLETE THIS WORK IN AS TIMELY FASHION AS THE FUNDING WILL ALLOW.
THAT'S WHY WE HAVE A TWO-PHASE PROCESS, A THREE-PHASE ALTERNATE BID, AND WE'LL SEE WHERE THE NUMBERS COME IN.
>> DEPENDING WHERE THE NUMBERS COME IN IT'S GOING TO BE VERY INFORMATIVE FOR THE BOARD TO SEE, ARE WE GOING TO BRING ALL THE STUDENTS SIX THROUGH 12 IN AT ONCE WHEN THE ENTIRE CAMPUS IS FINISHED OR ARE WE GOING TO BUILD MIDDLE, OCCUPY, BUILD HIGH, OCCUPY.
THE LADDER IS GOING TO BE MORE PRICEY SIMPLY BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A SCHOOL OPERATIONAL WHILE YOU'RE TRYING TO BUILD ANOTHER SCHOOL RIGHT NEXT TO IT AND THERE'S ALL KINDS OF SAFETY PRECAUTIONS.
[OVERLAPPING] WE'LL KNOW A LOT MORE IN THE NEXT 60 DAYS, JUST OPTIONS, WHAT ARE OUT THERE.
ALSO IT'S GOING TO REALLY TAKE A CLOSE, WE'RE GOING TO GET A REAL GOOD LOOK AT THE IMPACT OF EXTENDING THIS TIMELINE.
AT SOME POINT IN TIME SOMEBODY IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE RESPONSIBLE TO PAY FOR THE OVERAGE.
>> I MEAN, MEANWHILE WE HAVE ALL THESE OTHER PROJECTS THAT ARE EXTENDED BECAUSE WE'RE NOT GOING TO BUILD MORE THAN ONE SCHOOL AT A TIME, RIGHT?
[00:50:05]
>> WHEN YOU'RE LOOKING AT 30 SCHOOLS YOUR TURNAROUND TIME WHEN YOU GO BACK TO SCHOOL NUMBER, 29, SORRY.
BUT YOUR TURNAROUND TIME WHEN YOU GO BACK TO SCHOOL 1 IS GOING TO BE PRETTY SIGNIFICANT.
>> CORRECT. WE'LL GET A SMALL CAP.
FOR OUR SMALL CAP REQUEST, THIS LIST HAS WENT DOWN FROM OUR LAST PRESENTATION.
IT WAS A LITTLE BIT LONGER IN TERMS OF 20 ITEMS. WE RE-EVALUATED AND CAME BACK WITH OUR TOP 10 IN TERMS OF THINGS THAT WE NEED TO HAVE DONE.
AS YOU CAN SEE, A LOT OF OUR PARKING LOTS ARE IN BAD SHAPE.
WE NEED TO REPLACE THE CHILLER AT THE SCHOOL ATTACK AND WE NEED SOME ROOF REPLACES IN A COUPLE OF OUR BUILDINGS.
WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THE PARKING LOT REPLACEMENT AND THE CHILLER, THOSE THINGS HAVE BIG IMPACTS ON SCHOOLS.
SCHOOL ATTACK OR THAT CHILLER GOES DOWN, YOU HAD TO STOP SCHOOL FOR A DAY.
WEATHER IS THE WAY IT IS, THE PARKING LOTS ARE GETTING IN WORSE SHAPE.
THESE ARE REALLY THINGS THAT WE NEED IN TERMS OF UPGRADES IN OUR SCHOOLS.
ONE THING I DO WANT TO REMIND EVERYBODY, THIS IS DIFFERENT THAN LARGE CAP.
SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET CONFUSED IN TERMS OF LARGE CAP PROJECTS WITH STATE AND LOCAL AND SMALL CAPS ARE JUST STRICTLY LOCAL FUNDS THAT GOT TO BE SUPPORTED BY THAT. THAT'S OUR NUMBER FOR THIS.
>> CAN I JUST, ALSO, I'M SORRY I'M TALKING A LOT.
CLARIFY PRIORITY NUMBER 1, THE $925,000 PROJECT FOR THE CHILLER REPLACEMENT.
THAT WAS A RESULT OF THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WANTING TO REIMBURSE US FOR US COVERING THE REMAINDER OF THE PROJECT BECAUSE WE SEALED THE GRANT FOR $1.3 MILLION.
BUT THE GRANT THAT WE SEALED IS THE OTHER PART.
THAT $925,000, WE'VE GOTTEN A COMMITMENT FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO REIMBURSE US BECAUSE WE HAVE TO PAY FOR THAT OUT OF FUND BALANCE.
>> IT JUST ADDS TO THE DYNAMIC OF US NEEDING TO HAVE A HEALTHY FUND BALANCE.
>> A SYSTEM THAT HAS A $275 MILLION OPERATING BUDGET, YOU CANNOT OPERATE PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK TO PAYCHECK.
EVERY PAY CYCLE IN CECIL COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, ROUGHLY $7 MILLION GOES OUT THE DOOR.
YOU HAVE TO STAY LIQUID AND OUR REVENUE COMES IN STAGGERED.
WE GET REVENUE FROM THE COUNTY EVERY MONTH AND REVENUE FROM THE STATE EVERY OTHER MONTH.
MY NEXT LIFE I WANT TO BE A CFO.
WE HAVE TO STAY LIQUID AND SO I THINK IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE TO EVEN CONSIDER OPERATING WITH LESS OF A FUND BALANCE THAN WE DO.
>> WE'RE GOING TO SEE LATER IN THE AGENDA THE PERRYVILLE FIELDHOUSE.
AGAIN, THAT IS SOMETHING THAT THE OVERAGE FOR THAT, ANYTHING THAT DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE NEXT FOUR MONTHS SHOULD THE BOARD APPROVE THAT PROJECT, WOULD BE COVERED UNDER SMALL CAP FOR FY25 ACCORDING TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVES.
I TAKE A LOOK AT THIS LIST AND JUST TAKE A LOOK AT THIS LIST.
THAT'S ALL I SAY BECAUSE ESSENTIAL VERSUS HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS, NON-ESSENTIAL I SHOULD SAY VERSUS NON-PRIORITY NEEDS IS SOMETHING TO JUST KEEP IN MIND. THAT'S ALL.
>> THERE ARE THREE BUDGETS AND THREE VOTES.
THE PAST TWO SLIDES WE SHARED THE CAPITAL BUDGET WHICH IS LARGE CAPITAL PROJECTS, SMALL CAPITAL PROJECTS.
ANOTHER BUDGET THAT WE HAVE IS OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET.
KEEP IN MIND THAT THE COUNTY SELLS BONDS TO FINANCE MAJOR CAPITAL ADDITION AND RENOVATION PROJECTS.
THEY SELL THOSE BONDS AND THEN THEY PAY PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON THOSE BONDS.
WE ARE REQUIRED TO REPORT THIS AS OUR BUDGET AND PART OF OUR FINANCIALS, BUT THE COUNTY PAYS THE PRINCIPAL AND INTEREST ON OUR BEHALF BECAUSE THEY FUND THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS.
THIS IS DATA THAT CAME DIRECTLY FROM COUNTY GOVERNMENT.
SO FOR FY25 THE INTEREST PAYMENTS ARE $5.7 MILLION. I'M SORRY.
THE PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS ARE $5.7 MILLION, INTEREST PAYMENTS, $2.9 MILLION FOR A TOTAL DEBT SERVICE BUDGET OF ABOUT $8.6 MILLION.
WE HAVE A CAPITAL BUDGET, A DEBT SERVICE BUDGET AND THEN OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
THE WHOLE BEGINNING OF OUR PRESENTATION TODAY WAS OUR OPERATING BUDGET, OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET PLUS OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET.
AT THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE PRESENTATION WE SHARED WHAT WE ANTICIPATE AS OUR LOCAL MINIMUM ALLOWED BY LAW ALLOCATION FROM THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT,
[00:55:02]
WHAT WE ARE PROJECTED RIGHT NOW TO RECEIVE FROM THE STATE AND RESTRICTED AND UNRESTRICTED FUNDS, WHAT WE ARE PROJECTED TO RECEIVE FEDERAL RESTRICTED FUNDS.THIS IS OUR PROJECTED OTHER REVENUE, MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE, INTEREST REVENUE OR THE DONATE THE REBATE FUNDS WHICH GIVES US TOTAL REVENUE PROJECTION OF $248.7 MILLION.
NOW, WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR UNRESTRICTED EXPENSES AT 252 MILLION, OUR RESTRICTED EXPENSES IS 17 MILLION, OUR TOTAL OPERATING BUDGET AT 270 MILLION.
THAT LEAVES US A $21.4 MILLION DEFICIT IN REVENUE.
IT'S NOT GOING TO COME FROM THE STATE AND IT'S NOT GOING TO COME FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND IT'S NOT GOING TO BE OTHERS.
>> JUST TO CLARIFY, THAT'S 21.486 MILLION OVER LOCAL SHARE.
>> OVER LOCAL SHARE WHICH IS RIGHT HERE, THIS 93 MILLION.
>> I THINK A GOOD WAY TO GET YOUR HEAD AROUND THIS IS THAT TO DO NEXT YEAR, WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR, PAY ATTENTION TO ME HERE, IS GOING TO REQUIRE $17 PLUS MILLION.
TO GET THE ADDITIONAL 64 POSITIONS THAT THE BOARD REQUESTED IS ANOTHER $4.5 MILLION.
THAT'S HOW YOU GET UP TO THE 21, ALL RIGHT? SEVENTEEN TO DO NEXT YEAR WHAT WE'RE DOING THIS YEAR AND ANOTHER 4.5 TO GET THE 64 POSITIONS THAT THE BOARD REQUESTED.
>> BOARD HAVE ANY QUESTIONS? NO.
>> OKAY. THAT JUST BRINGS US TO OUR LAST SLIDE WHICH IS A REMINDER OF THE REST OF OUR BUDGET CYCLE.
OUR BUDGET IS DUE TO COUNTY COUNCIL BY MARCH 1.
ON JUNE 12, OUR BOARD WILL MEET TO APPROVE OUR FINAL BUDGET FOR FY25.
UNTIL THEN, TOMORROW NIGHT, THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS HOLDING HER PUBLIC HEARING FOR CITIZEN INPUT INTO THE FY25 BUDGET.
THEY WILL RECEIVE OUR BUDGET BY APRIL 1.
SHE SHOULD SUBMIT HER PROPOSED BUDGET TO COUNCIL AT SOME POINT IN APRIL, WE DO NOT YET HAVE A DATE, WE WILL HAVE A PRESENTATION OF OUR BUDGET TO COUNCIL.
RIGHT NOW, ACCORDING TO THEIR WEBSITE.
MAY 16, THERE'S A COUNCIL HEARING ON THE COUNTY ANNUAL BUDGET, AND ON JUNE 4, COUNCIL WILL ADOPT THE COUNTY ANNUAL BUDGET.
>> TO CLOSE OUT BEFORE ANY DISCUSSION OBVIOUSLY AND EVENTUALLY, I'M GOING TO CALL OR ASK FOR VOTES.
AS PRESIDENT OF THE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION IN MARYLAND, WE'VE BEEN GATHERING, I WOULD SAY, THE STATUS OF ALL THE COUNTIES IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO KEEP AN EYE ON.
ARE WE AN OUTLIER? AND I HAVE SOME QUICK INFORMATION HERE THAT I THINK YOU'LL APPRECIATE.
CARROLL COUNTY IS REQUESTING $18,000,000 ADDITIONAL.
FREDERICK COUNTY IS REQUESTING $63,000,000 ADDITIONAL.
ARUNDEL COUNTY IS REQUESTING $84,000,000 ADDITIONAL CHARLES COUNTY 30 MILLION, HARTFORD COUNTY, 40 MILLION, HOWARD COUNTY, 47 MILLION.
I THINK WHAT THIS POINTS TO IS THAT THE STATE OF MARYLAND RIGHT NOW IS IN AN INFLECTION POINT AS IT RELATES TO BUDGETING FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION.
THERE ARE AMBITIOUS GOALS AND HONESTLY I'M BIASED.
I THINK THE GOALS OF THE BLUEPRINT, THE PRE K, THE COLLEGE CAREER READINESS, THERE ARE SOME REAL GOOD THINGS IN THERE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE EASY.
I THINK FOR ANY COUNTY IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND TO TRY TO DO THIS WITHOUT BUYING FROM THE COUNTY PARTNERS IS JUST GOING TO REPRESENT A CHALLENGE THAT'S INSURMOUNTABLE FOR SOME COUNTIES.
WE THINK THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET, THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE THING TO DO FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR FAMILIES.
WE'LL LEAVE IT TO THE POWERS THAT BE TO MAKE ULTIMATELY THOSE DECISIONS.
BUT WE THINK THIS IS A RESPONSIBLE BUDGET.
WITH THAT, WE'D ENTERTAIN ANY QUESTIONS THE BOARD MAY HAVE.
>> WE WILL HAVE TIME FOR DISCUSSION LATER, BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS, YOU CAN ALSO ASK THEM NOW.
>> OH, NO. I'M SORRY. IT'S FOR THE BOARD'S TONIGHT QUESTIONS.
BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS FOR US, YOU CAN DEFINITELY TALK TO US AFTER THE MEETING.
>> I'LL BE GLAD TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
NEXT UP IS PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST.
>> I WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THE FINANCIAL OFFICER HAS A REALLY COOL THING SHE WANTS TO SHOW.
IT'S BEEN QUITE CONTROVERSIAL AND THIS IS JUST REFLECTS HUNDREDS OF HOURS OF WORK BY A LOT OF PEOPLE.
WHAT SHE'S GOING TO SHOW IN THE COUNTY GOVERNMENTS CRY FOR A LINE BY LINE BUDGET.
WE HAVE SOMETHING WE WANT TO SHARE.
>> AS WE STATED AT MANY OF OUR MEETINGS, OUR BUSINESS SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND TECHNOLOGY SERVICES DEPARTMENT HAVE BEEN WORKING TOGETHER TO CREATE THIS LINE BY LINE BUDGET.
YOU SAW A DRAFT OF IT FOR OUR FEBRUARY 6 MEETING AND SO COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND
[01:00:05]
THE COUNTY COUNCIL WILL RECEIVE THIS BOOKLET THAT WILL INCLUDE A LETTER WHICH WILL OUTLINE OUR REQUEST FOR OUR FY25 BUDGET, AN ORGANIZATION OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.IT WILL INCLUDE OUR REVENUE SUMMARY WITH A YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON AND AN EXPENSE SUMMARY WITH A YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON FOR THIS YEAR OVER YEAR BUDGET THAT THEY'RE REQUESTING.
OUR UNRESTRICTED BUDGET, WE WILL HAVE A YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON SUMMARY, YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON BY DEPARTMENT, DEPARTMENT DETAIL.
THEN WE ACTUALLY TAKE IT TO A REPORT THAT COMPARES ACTUALLY BY ACCOUNT.
WOULD DO THE SAME THING FOR OUR RESTRICTED BUDGET.
WE HAVE SUMMARIES BY GRANTS, COMPARISONS BY PROJECT, COMPARISON, ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE ACCOUNT LEVEL.
YOU'LL SEE THE SAME FOR OUR CAPITAL BUDGET AND OUR DEBT SERVICE BUDGET.
THE WAY THIS BOOKLET IS SET UP AS WE GO FROM THE MOST GLOBAL REPORT DOWN TO THE MOST SPECIFIC REPORT, REVENUE AND EXPENSE.
WE HAVE OUR STAFFING SUMMARIES AND WE ALSO HAVE AN APPENDIX.
JUST TO GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE FOR OUR OPERATING BUDGET.
YOU CAN SEE OUR YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON, WHICH TAKES US FROM OUR FY21 ACTUAL, ALL THE WAY TO OUR FY25 BOARD REQUEST.
I MIGHT MAKE YOU A LITTLE DIZZY, BUT I'M TRYING TO [LAUGHTER] GET TO SOME OF THE ONES THAT YOU MIGHT FIND A LITTLE MORE INTERESTING.
YOU CAN SEE OUR DEPARTMENTS, YOU CAN SEE OUR STATE CATEGORIES, YOU CAN SEE SPECIFIC OBJECTS.
THESE ARE YEAR OVER YEAR REPORTS.
WHEN WE GET DOWN A LITTLE BIT FURTHER, THIS BY THE WAY, IS A 503 PAGE DOCUMENT.
[LAUGHTER] YOU CAN SEE THESE ARE THE DETAIL REPORTS THAT OUR BOARD SAW FOR FEBRUARY 6.
HERE YOU CAN SEE ALL OF OUR EXPENSE DETAIL.
YOU CAN SEE OUR ACTUAL DETAIL REQUEST FOR FY25.
THAT ALSO INCLUDES FY23 ACTUALS, OUR FY24 APPROVED BUDGET, OUR FY25 BOARD REQUEST.
WE GO THROUGH EVERY ACCOUNT FOR OUR DETAIL.
I JUST WANT TO SHOW YOU ONE MORE THING SO YOU CAN SEE HOW GRANULAR. [OVERLAPPING]
>> SHE'S SHOWING OFF AT THIS POINT. [LAUGHTER].
>> I AM. HUMOR ME. HUMOR ME. JUST A COUPLE MORE MINUTES.
>> YOU KNOW WHAT, I THINK MS. SOPA DESERVES TO SHOW OFF.
>> SHE'S GETTING A GENERAL AWARD IN HER FUTURE.
>> HERE WE HAVE OUR YEAR TO YEAR COMPARISON BY ACCOUNT.
EVERY ACCOUNT NUMBER IN OUR GENERAL LEDGER, IN OUR EXPENSE BUDGET, SO YOU CAN SEE ACTUALLY BY ACCOUNT ACROSS THE YEARS.
>> TWENTY-FIVE THOUSAND ACCOUNTS.
THE REPORT FOLLOWS THIS FORMAT.
IF YOU DON'T FIND WHAT YOU WANT IN THE DETAIL ACCOUNT, AND YOU WANT TO SEE IT ACTUALLY BROKEN APART BY ACCOUNT, BY LOCATION, YOU CAN ACTUALLY GO TO THIS.
THE APPENDIX OF THE REPORT ACTUALLY HAS A CHART OF ACCOUNT.
IF YOU NEED TO UNDERSTAND WHAT THESE NUMBERS MEAN, BECAUSE IT MIGHT LOOK CONFUSING, IF YOU DIDN'T LIKE WHAT YOU SAW AND DIDN'T WANT TO USE THE DETAIL REPORT, YOU CAN GO TO THE APPENDIX AT THE END AND FIND OUT WHICH EVERY ACCOUNT STANDS FOR.
I'M VERY PROUD OF THE PEOPLE THAT WORKED IN MY DEPARTMENT REALLY HARD FOR THIS.
>> I HAVEN'T CALCULATED. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I WAS JUST GOING TO ASK HOW MANY HOURS THAT TOOK.
>> IT TOOK A LOT OF PEOPLE A LOT OF TIME AND WE'RE BEING ASKED TO DO THIS FOR FY17 THROUGH FY24 AS WELL.
WE'VE ALREADY STARTED WORKING ON COMPILING THAT.
KEEP IN MIND THAT'S LIKE AUTOPSY DATA.
BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY FINISHED THOSE YEARS AND WE ALREADY HAVE ANNUAL COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL REPORTS FOR THOSE YEARS.
BUT YOU WILL SEE THESE BUDGETS POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AS THEY ARE COMPLETED.
>> I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE MS. SOPA.
THAT THE COUNTY WANTS A REPORT THAT LOOKS LIKE THEIRS, BUT THEY PAY FOR A PLATFORM AND A CONSULTANT TO DO THAT WORK.
I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT NOTE.
I ALSO WANT TO THANK YOU AND DR. HAMMER FOR THE INFORMATION YOU PROVIDED ON CLTV REGARDING THIS BUDGET AND THAT PROCESS.
[APPLAUSE] I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO TAKE A LOOK AT THAT BECAUSE IT'S VERY INFORMATIVE.
SO THANK YOU. ARE YOU FINISHED NOW?
>> I'M DONE. SORRY. [LAUGHTER]
>> SHE GOT A NEW TOY. [OVERLAPPING].
>> NEXT UP, WE HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS ON THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST. MS. OLSON.
[1.05 Public Comments on the Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request]
I'M JUST GOING TO HIGHLIGHT A FEW THINGS FROM THE PUBLIC PARTICIPATION POLICY.
THIS EVENING A TIMELINE FOR COMMENTS HAS BEEN ESTABLISHED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT.
IN GENERAL, 3 MINUTES WILL BE ALLOTTED TO INDIVIDUALS.
SPEAKERS MAY NOT YIELD THEIR TIME TO SOMEONE ELSE OR SPEAK ON BEHALF OF AN ANONYMOUS INDIVIDUAL.
[01:05:01]
REMARKS THIS EVENING MUST BE IN REGARD TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET ONLY.RUDE, SLANDEROUS, OR THREATENING REMARKS ARE CONSIDERED OUT OF ORDER.
THE BOARD PRESIDENT MAY INTERRUPT OR TERMINATE AN INDIVIDUAL STATEMENT WHEN IT IS TOO LENGTHY OR VIOLATES THE GUIDELINES.
THE BOARD ALSO ENCOURAGES SPEAKERS TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN COPY OF THEIR REMARKS.
THE BOX IS ACTUALLY AT THE END OF THE TABLE NEAR WHERE MS. ROGERS IS SITTING AND YOU ARE WELCOME TO PLACE YOUR REMARKS IN THE BOX WHEN YOU'RE FINISHED SPEAKING OR AT THE END OF THE EVENING.
WE HAVE FIVE PEOPLE SIGNED UP THIS EVENING TO SPEAK.
WE'D LIKE TO HAVE EVERYONE PREPARED TO MOVE UP WHEN THE OTHER PERSON HAS FINISHED.
OUR FIRST SPEAKER AT THE PODIUM ALREADY IS SEAN BRIM AND HE WILL BE FOLLOWED BY LORI RINCO.
SEAN, IF YOU WOULD PUSH THE BUTTON ON THE MICROPHONE UNTIL YOU SEE THE GREEN LIGHT. THANK YOU.
>> PRESIDENT HAWLEY, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, ADMINISTRATION, MY FELLOW CITIZENS OF CECIL COUNTY.
I'M SEAN BRIM AND I'M ON THE CECIL DEMOCRATIC CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
I'M ALSO A FOURTH GENERATION RESIDENT OF CECIL COUNTY.
MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS SET DOWN ROOTS HERE A CENTURY AGO, RAISED THEIR FAMILIES.
IN ALL THAT TIME, VOTERS AND TAXPAYERS, DEMOCRATS, REPUBLICANS, AND INDEPENDENTS ALIKE COULD AGREE ON AT LEAST ONE THING.
PEOPLE MOVE HERE TO CECIL COUNTY RATHER THAN PENNSYLVANIA DELAWARE.
NO OFFENSE, DR. LAWSON, BECAUSE OUR SCHOOLS SERVE THE NEEDS OF STUDENTS AND PARENTS THE BEST OUR TEACHERS ARE BEST OF BREED.
THE THINGS CCPS TEACHERS TAUGHT ME SAVED MY LIFE, BUT NEVER IN MY LIFETIME HAVE WE EVER HAD A COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT DISAGREED WITH THIS POLICY OBJECTIVE OF EDUCATING OUR CHILDREN.
NEVER HAVE WE HAD A GOVERNMENT SO HOSTILE TO THE SCHOOLS, THE ADMINISTRATORS, THE SUPERINTENDENT TEACHERS, AS WE HAVE IN THE HORNBERGER ADMINISTRATION.
CECIL VOTERS REJECTED THE CULTURE WAR NONSENSE IN 2020' S BOARD OF EDUCATION ELECTION WAS A CLEAR STATEMENT THAT WE LOVE OUR SCHOOLS AND WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO BE DAMAGED.
MONEY SPENT ON SCHOOLS IS AN INVESTMENT IN OUR FUTURE, AND THAT'S THE WAY THE COUNTY HAS TREATED THE MATTER UNTIL 2021.
THE SUPERINTENDENT IS GOING TO SUBMIT AN F HUNDRED 25 BUDGET THAT IS ABOVE THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE NEED TO KEEP, AT LEAST THE STATUS QUO.
THAT'S THE RIGHT CALL AND IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO.
I WAS READING ABOUT THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS RECENTLY.
SOMEONE WENT TO THE TROUBLE OF STORING THEM AWAY FOR AN UNKNOWN FUTURE.
THAT SAYS SOMETHING ABOUT THEM.
OUR SCHOOLS SAY SOMETHING ABOUT US, OUR PRIORITIES.
LET'S MAKE SURE THAT HISTORY IS AS KIND TO US AS IT IS TO THOSE WHO SENT THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS.
PUT THEM IN A CAVE FOR AN UNKNOWN FUTURE.
THANK YOU VERY MUCH [APPLAUSE].
>> LORI RINCO, FOLLOWED BY LINDSAY BERGMAN-DEBES.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HAWLEY, DR. LAWSON, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND GUESTS.
I'M A TEACHER AT NORTH EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL AND PRESIDENT OF OUR CECIL COUNTY CLASSROOM TEACHERS ASSOCIATION.
OF COURSE, KIDS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO SPORTS.
OF COURSE, KIDS SHOULD HAVE ACCESS TO ALL THE ACADEMICS THAT WILL HELP THEM EXCEL, HONORS, AP COURSES, GT CLASSES, DUAL ENROLLMENT.
OF COURSE, THEY SHOULD HAVE BAND AND CHORUS, AND MUSIC AND ART, AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE.
ACCESS TO A MEDIA CENTER WITH A FULLY STAFFED MEDIA SPECIALIST TO HELP THEM MEET THEIR NEEDS.
ACCESS TO SPORTS, ACCESS TO EXTRACURRICULAR THINGS.
WHY WOULD ANYBODY IN THEIR RIGHT MIND WANT OUR KIDS TO HAVE ANYTHING LESS THAN THEY HAD THIS YEAR NEXT YEAR? WHY WOULD WE WANT THEM TO HAVE ANYTHING LESS THAN THEIR PEERS IN OTHER COUNTIES AND STATES AROUND US? THANK YOU.
THE SLIDES HERE SHOWED THE PRIORITIES OF REDUCING CLASS SIZES, THINGS THAT TEACHERS HAVE BEEN ASKING FOR FOR YEARS, AND YOU'VE HEARD IT, SAFETY ISSUES.
REDUCING CLASS SIZES MEANS WE'LL BE ABLE TO ADDRESS KIDS MORE INDIVIDUALLY TO MEET THEIR NEEDS, HAVE MORE TIME WITH THEM.
SAFETY THINGS AMONG OUR STUDENTS, THINGS THAT RESULT IN REGULAR, TRADITIONAL SUSPENSIONS.
SELF-HARM THAT MOST PEOPLE MAY NOT THINK OF, THAT ARE AFFECTING OUR STUDENTS.
HONESTLY, OUR STAFF SAFETY, OUR STAFF ARE BEING INJURED REGULARLY, AND WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO MEET THE NEEDS OF OUR STAFF, AND THE STUDENTS ARE HAVING CONDITIONS THAT CAUSE THESE THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR ADDRESSING THOSE PRIORITIES.
OUR 1,300 TEACHERS, RSPS, PARIS COUNSELORS, SUPPORT STAFF.
WE COME TO WORK EVERY DAY READY TO HELP OUR KIDS.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE LOOKING TO DO. WE'RE DEVOTED.
[01:10:02]
THAT'S OUR PASSION.OUR SUPPORT PERSONNEL COULD GO TO OTHER PLACES AND DO THE SAME THING, BUT THEY'VE DECIDED TO COME HERE BECAUSE IT'S WHAT'S BEST FOR OUR KIDS IN OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR THAT AND NOTE THAT WE REALLY NEED TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE RECRUITING AND RETAINING OUR FOLKS.
WE NEED TO HONOR THEIR NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS AND WE NEED TO MAKE SURE THEY'RE SAFE, AND THE BUDGETS THAT YOU'RE PROPOSING UP HERE WILL DO THOSE THINGS.
YOU'VE MADE THAT A PRIORITY, AND I THANK YOU FOR THAT.
WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR KIDS GET THE BEST EDUCATION POSSIBLE.
IT MAY SOUND TRITE, BUT THEY REALLY ARE OUR FUTURE.
YOU'VE SHARED A BUDGET THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS AND PROVIDE FOR WHAT THEY NEED AND DESERVE.
AFTER THAT VOTES TAKEN, IT'S GOING TO GO TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND IT'S UP TO EVERYBODY HERE WHO BELIEVES IN THE VALUE OF OUR CHILDREN AND THEIR EDUCATION.
YOU NEED TO STAND UP AND BE CHAMPIONS FOR OUR CHILDREN.
SPEAK FOR THEM WHEN THEY CAN'T SPEAK.
OUR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE ON FIRE.
ALLOW THEM TO STAND UP AND SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES.
THEY HAVE MINDS TO THINK, AND WE'VE TAUGHT THEM TO DO THAT.
THEIR PARENTS HAVE FOSTERED THAT. LET THEM GO.
>> LINDSAY BERGMAN-DEBES, FOLLOWED BY CHRISTINE GIVENS.
>> I WANT TO THANK THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE LEADERSHIP TEAM FOR ALL THE HARD WORK THAT HAS GONE INTO THE BUDGET.
IT SADDENS ME THAT SOMETHING SO STRAIGHTFORWARD HAS BEEN POLITICIZED TO THE EXTREME BY OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT AND THAT OUR COUNTY'S CHILDREN COULD SUFFER DUE TO IDEOLOGIES THAT DO NOT VALUE AN EQUITABLE PUBLIC EDUCATION.
I WANT TO SHARE PARTS OF MY STORY IN HOPES THAT IT'LL GET BACK TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THEY WILL FEEL SOME EMPATHY FOR EDUCATORS.
I WENT TO PUBLIC SCHOOL IN PENNSYLVANIA.
IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL I WAS IN THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM, WHICH PRESENTED ME WITH EVERYTHING FROM LOGIC PUZZLES TO BASIC ALGEBRA TO SOLVE.
I STILL REMEMBER UNITS FROM THAT PROGRAM.
WE DID ONE ON AUSTRALIA, WE DID ONE ON GREEK MYTHOLOGY, THINGS THAT WOULDN'T NORMALLY BE COVERED IN REGULAR CLASSES.
IF CCPS ISN'T FULLY FUNDED, THE GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM IS A POTENTIAL CUT, AND SOME STUDENTS COULD MISS OUT ON EXPERIENCES THAT WOULD STICK WITH THEM FOR A LIFETIME.
IN HIGH SCHOOL, I WAS EDITOR OF THE YEARBOOK DURING A TIME WHEN THE CLASS WAS TRANSITIONING FROM FILM CAMERAS TO DIGITAL CAMERAS.
I WORKED WITH ADOBE SOFTWARE IN THAT CLASS, SOFTWARE I STILL USE TODAY IN MY CURRENT JOB.
STUDENTS IN THE INTERACTIVE MEDIA DESIGN PROGRAM AT CECIL COUNTY SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY ARE DOING WHAT I DID AT A HIGHER LEVEL, PREPARING THEM FOR CAREERS IN GRAPHIC DESIGN AND OTHER COMMUNICATION'S ADJACENT FIELDS.
I WOULD HAVE JUMPED AT AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THAT AS A TEENAGER.
BUT STUDENTS GETTING ACCEPTED TO SCHOOL OF TECH THIS YEAR CAUTIONED THAT PROGRAMS ARE DEPENDENT ON FUNDING, SOMETHING THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT.
FAST FORWARD THROUGH MY EXPERIENCE AS A FIRST GEN COLLEGE STUDENT AND GETTING A MASTER'S IN SECONDARY EDUCATION TO SEPTEMBER 2020.
I GOT MY FIRST FULL-TIME TEACHING JOB IN DELAWARE DURING THE PANDEMIC, AND I REALIZED I WASN'T CUT OUT FOR IT.
I HAD IMMENSELY REWARDING MOMENTS, BUT I ALSO FELT OVERWHELMED BY WEEKLY UPDATES TO PARENTS AND CONSTANTLY CHECKING IN WITH STUDENTS WHO WERE NOT PUTTING FORTH THE EFFORT.
BY 2021, WE WERE BACK IN-PERSON AFTER A TUMULTUOUS YEAR AND STUDENTS HAD GREATER EMOTIONAL NEEDS THAN I COULD DEAL WITH.
TEACHING IS NOT FOR THE FAIN OF HEART.
IT REQUIRES AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF DEDICATION, STRENGTH, AND COMPASSION TO GUIDE STUDENTS NOT JUST ACADEMICALLY, BUT PERSONALLY.
TEACHERS WHO OFTEN GO UNRECOGNIZED DESERVE MORE CREDIT, MORE FUNDS, AND MORE RESOURCES.
IF OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT SPENT JUST A WEEK IN A MIDDLE SCHOOL CLASSROOM, THEY WOULD WITNESS FIRSTHAND THE CHALLENGES AND TRIUMPHS THAT TEACHERS NAVIGATE DAILY.
THE LIMITS IMPOSED BY MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT FUNDING HINDER THE INCREDIBLE WORK OF OUR TEACHERS THAT THEY STRIVE TO ACCOMPLISH.
IN CONCLUSION, I IMPLORE OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT TO RISE ABOVE POLITICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND PRIORITIZE THE WELL-BEING OF OUR CHILDREN AND THE DEDICATED STAFF WHO SERVE OUR COMMUNITY.
I WANT THEM TO FULLY FUND CCPS, ENSURING THAT WE DO NOT FACE CUTS, AND PROVIDE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ENHANCE WHAT IS ALREADY A FOUNDATION FOR SUCCESS.
OUR CHILDREN AND OUR COMMUNITY DESERVE NOTHING LESS.
>> CHRISTINE GIVENS, FOLLOWED BY OUR FINAL SPEAKER FOR THIS EVENING, JORDAN SEGUIN.
>> GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT HAWLEY, OUR SCHOOL BOARD, OUR LEADERSHIP TEAM, AND GUESTS.
MY NAME IS CHRISTINE GIVENS AND I AM THE CO-FOUNDER AND PRESIDENT OF CECIL SOLIDARITY.
TONIGHT, ON BEHALF OF THE CECIL SOLIDARITY COMMUNITY, I'D LIKE TO USE THIS TIME TO ACKNOWLEDGE AND SHARE OUR APPRECIATION FOR
[01:15:03]
THE TIRELESS WORK THAT ALL OF YOU HAVE PUT IN ALL OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND YOUR UNWAVERING COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED IN PUTTING OUR STUDENTS FIRST, AND IN BEING TRANSPARENT AND INFORMATIVE WITH FACTS TO SUPPORT YOUR STATEMENTS AND WHAT OUR STUDENTS NEED AND WHY THEY NEED THAT OVER THE PAST YEAR.WE UNDERSTAND THAT CREATING A BUDGET, PARTICULARLY WHEN FOCUSED WITH A MULTITUDE OF CHALLENGES AND ROADBLOCKS, IS AN INCREDIBLY COMPLEX AND DEMANDING TASK.
THROUGHOUT THESE CHALLENGING TIMES, YOU HAVE REMAINED STEADFAST AND UNSHAKABLE IN YOUR MISSION.
YOU HAVE SHOWED EXCEPTIONAL POISE.
YOU HAVE BEEN PROFESSIONAL AND YOU'VE BEEN FULL OF COMPASSION.
YOU HAVE RISEN ABOVE THESE OBSTACLES AND RESILIENCE, AND AS A RESULT OF THAT, WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THE BUDGET THAT YOU PRESENTED TODAY.
WE LIKE TO SEE THAT THE REVISED BUDGET THAT WE SHOWED TODAY, THAT YOU'LL SOON PRESENT TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE, IS NOT ONLY FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE, BUT ALSO DESIGNED TO CULTIVATE A POSITIVE AND TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT FOR ALL STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY OUR MOST VULNERABLE CHILDREN.
AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT YOUR JOB HASN'T BEEN EASY, AND IT DOESN'T SEEM LIKE IT'S GOING TO GET ANY EASIER ANYTIME SOON.
WE'D LIKE TO REMIND YOU THAT YOU HAVE THE SUPPORT OF US, OUR FULL SUPPORT, AS WELL AS THE SUPPORT OF THOUSANDS OF COMMUNITY CITIZENS ACROSS THIS COUNTY, THIS STATE.
I WENT TO A COUPLE OF MEETINGS IN ANNAPOLIS AND THE STATE KNOWS ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING HERE, AND THEY ARE ALL SUPPORTIVE AS WELL, AND THEY SEND THEIR SUPPORT AND THEIR LOVE AND THEIR APPRECIATION.
EVEN NEIGHBORING STATES, DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA, VIRGINIA, PEOPLE FROM ALL WALKS OF LIFE HAVE JOINED IN FORCES IN SOLIDARITY, ADVOCATING FOR OUR STUDENTS AND FOR YOU ALL.
WE ALL HAVE ONE GOAL IN MIND, TO PRIORITIZE OUR STUDENTS ABOVE POLITICS AND PETTINESS.
HOPEFULLY, WHEN WE GET OVER THIS HILL, WE CAN RETURN TO BUSINESS AND MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE USING OUR COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS AND HARNESSING OUR COLLECTIVE INTELLIGENCE AND RESOURCES TO ENSURE THAT EVERY STUDENT HAS THE BENEFITS TO ENABLE TO RECEIVE A WORLD CLASS EDUCATION.
TOGETHER, WE POSSESS THE POWER TO SHAPE A FUTURE WHERE EVERY STUDENT HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND TO THRIVE.
THANK YOU AGAIN FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS IN THIS COMMUNITY.
DESPITE WHAT CERTAIN PEOPLE MAY SAY, YOUR WORK IS APPRECIATED, VALUED, AND LOVED IN OUR COMMUNITY.
>> OUR LAST SPEAKER WILL BE JORDAN SEGUIN.
>> HI. MY NAME IS JORDAN SEGUIN, AND I'M A SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER AT BAY VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.
I BEGAN ATTENDING BOARD MEETINGS LAST YEAR OUT OF LOVE AND CONCERN FOR MY STUDENTS.
THE MINIMAL BUDGET THE LAST THREE YEARS HAS HAD A HUGE NEGATIVE EFFECT ON OUR STUDENTS.
PARTICULARLY AFFECTING THOSE WHO REQUIRE ADULT ASSISTANCE OR SUPPORT.
I SAW THAT FIRSTHAND IN MANY OF MY NEEDY STUDENTS.
I'M HERE AGAIN BECAUSE THE ORIGINALLY PROPOSED CUTS WOULD PUT PREVIOUSLY STRUGGLING STUDENTS IN A DIRE SITUATION.
IT IS CLEAR TO ANYONE WHO WORKS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT WE ARE IN NEED.
EVEN IN AREAS OF FOCUS OF THE BLUEPRINT FOR EDUCATION, LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION HAVE HAD TO LIMIT RESOURCES, LIKE SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHERS AND PARAPROFESSIONALS.
THIS MEANS OUR TEACHERS ARE SPREAD THIN AND STRUGGLING TO GET THROUGH ALL OF THE WORK THEY HAVE.
THIS MEANS OUR STUDENTS WITH IEPS, ESPECIALLY THOSE WITH HIGHER NEEDS, ARE STRUGGLING ALONG WITH THE TEACHERS THAT SERVICE THEM.
THE LARGER CLASS SIZES MEANS GENERAL EDUCATORS ALSO CANNOT GIVE OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS THE ADDITIONAL ATTENTION THEY NEED.
THE VERY BASIC ANSWER IS TO HIRE MORE TEACHERS AND MORE PARAPROFESSIONALS.
THE NUMBER OF NONVERBAL AND BEHAVIORALLY CHALLENGED STUDENTS HAS RISEN EXPONENTIALLY.
THE NUMBERS OF PRESCHOOL STUDENTS WITH NEEDS HAS RISEN SO MUCH THAT MOST PRESCHOOL ROOMS IN THE COUNTY ARE AT OR ALMOST AT CAPACITY, AND MANY TYPICALLY DEVELOPING PEERS IN THE SETTING HAVE MANY BEHAVIORAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS AS WELL.
THE SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS FACING DOWN A WAVE OF STUDENTS THAT NEED TO BE EDUCATED, AND ALREADY HEAVY LIFT WITH ONLY OUR CURRENT STAFFING.
THAT IS WHY I WANT TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD THAT ADVOCATED FOR MORE TEACHERS AND PARAS IN THIS NEW BUDGET.
THANK YOU FOR RECOGNIZING OUR NEEDS.
PLEASE VOTE YES FOR THIS NEW BUDGET THAT SUPPORTS KEEPING OUR PROGRAMS AND ADDING MORE STAFFING.
I ALSO HAVE A FAVOR TO ASK OF BOTH OUR BOARD MEMBERS AND OUR MEMBERS OF THE AUDIENCE.
PLEASE DO NOT STOP ADVOCATING FOR OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT EVEN AFTER THIS UPCOMING PRIMARY ELECTION.
NO MATTER WHO HOLDS THE SEATS OF COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND COUNTY COUNCIL NEXT YEAR, THE 2024-'25 BUDGET WILL STILL BE DECIDED BY THOSE CURRENTLY IN OFFICE.
THE PRESENTED BUDGET IS NOT ABOUT GREED.
THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT WE NEED FOR OUR CHILDREN TO LEARN AND THRIVE.
THIS IS THE BUDGET THAT OUR STUDENTS NEED.
[01:20:02]
[APPLAUSE]>> THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR SPEAKERS TONIGHT.
NOW IT'S TIME FOR GENERAL DISCUSSION AMONG THE BOARD MEMBERS.
[1.06 General Discussion - Board Members]
I'D LIKE TO OPEN.I'M GOING TO TRY NOT TO TALK, BUT YOU GUYS GO AHEAD AND IF THERE'S ANYTHING YOU'D LIKE TO SAY.
>> I'D JUST LIKE TO MAKE A QUICK REMARK LISTENING TO OUR SPEAKERS, AND I SPEND A LOT OF TIME IN THE CLASSROOM.
I VOLUNTEER SEVERAL TIMES A WEEK IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.
I SEE THE NEEDS. WE HEAR THE NEEDS.
THE NEEDS ARE THERE. THEY'RE REAL.
PEOPLE CAN SAY THAT, WE'RE JUST HIDING IT.
THIS IS JUST NOT TRUE WHAT WE'RE DOING.
IT'S SMOKE AND MIRRORS, WHATEVER.
THIS IS TRUE. WHAT'S HAPPENING IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.
WE NEED THIS BUDGET, WE NEED TO BE FUNDED.
I KNOW YOU CAN TELL WHAT I'M GOING TO VOTE IN A FEW MINUTES.
I KNOW IT'S A LOT. I UNDERSTAND THAT WHEN YOU ASK SOMEONE TO PUT UP $20,000,000 IT'S NOT A SMALL ASK, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT OUR STUDENTS ARE WORTH IT.
I BELIEVE OUR COUNTY IS WORTH IT.
THAT'S WHY I ALSO WANTED TO ADD THE EXTRA FIVE MILLION, 4.6 MILLION THAT WE NEEDED FOR OUR EXTRA TEACHERS.
I'M IN THAT CLASSROOM, I SEE IT EVERY MONDAY AND THURSDAY.
I'M IN THE CLASSROOMS. I HEAR FROM OUR TEACHERS, I HEAR FROM OUR STUDENTS.
IT'S NOT SMOKE AND MIRRORS, WE'RE NOT OUT THERE JUST SAYING, OH, WE'RE GOING TO CUT THIS JUST BECAUSE WE THINK THAT THAT WILL GET US MORE MONEY.
THEY DON'T LIE. FUND OUR BUDGET.
>> THANK YOU. MS. HEATH. DOES ANYONE ELSE WANT TO OH.
>> I'LL GO AHEAD. CAN YOU HEAR ME?
>> YEAH. GO AHEAD AND MS. DIXON.
>> I APPRECIATE EVERY ONE OF YOU.
THIS IS WHAT I'M GOING TO GET EMOTIONAL AS I VERY OFTEN DO.
I ABSOLUTELY WANT THE BEST FOR OUR CHILDREN.
I ABSOLUTELY WANT TO THE BEST FOR OUR COMMUNITY.
I AGREE THAT WE NEED MORE TEACHERS IN PARIS.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND THAT NOBODY WANTS ANY BUDGET CUTS, NOBODY WANTS ANY POSITIONS MOVED.
I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND ALL OF THAT.
BUT WE NEED A BUDGET THAT'S SUSTAINABLE FOR OUR COUNTY.
MY CONCERNS IS THAT THIS BUDGET IS NOT A BUDGET THAT OUR COUNTY CAN SUSTAIN, ESPECIALLY OVER A LONG PERIOD OF TIME.
WHEN, FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, WHEN WE DO MLE, THIS YEAR, THEN IT GETS BIGGER NEXT YEAR, AND THEN WHAT HAPPENS THE YEAR AFTER THAT?
>> CAN I ASK YOU A QUESTION, MS. DIXON, WHAT DO YOU PROPOSE AS A SOLUTION OR A CUT TO THIS BUDGET?
>> WELL, I REMEMBER ON FEBRUARY SIXTH FEBRUARY SEVENTH, WHICHEVER DAY, EXCUSE ME, THAT WE WENT THROUGH THE BUDGET LINE-BY-LINE.
I WAS THERE AND WE WENT THROUGH IT.
I COULD SEE SOME PLACES WHERE MAYBE WE COULD MAKE SOME BUDGET CUTS.
BUT I ALSO REMEMBER WHEN WE MADE THE PROPOSAL OF THIS BUDGET, THAT WE KNEW THAT IT WAS A BIG ASK.
WE DID WE SAID THAT WE WERE ASKING FOR EVERYTHING WE COULD POSSIBLY GET.
>> I DON'T THINK THAT WE WERE ASKING FOR EVERYTHING WE POSSIBLY GET.
IT'S A PRETTY BARE BONED BUDGET.
WE DID ASK FOR MORE TEACHERS AND PARIS, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE THAT ARE NOT IN THIS BUDGET.
>> I DO STILL THINK THE QUESTION IS STILL UP IN THE AIR AS TO WHAT IS THE SPECIFIC THING THAT RENEE DIXON THINKS WE SHOULD CUT FROM THIS BUDGET.
WE'VE LOOKED THROUGH IT AT NAUSEUM, WE CAN FIND $6,000 HERE THAT WE COULD TAKE OUT FOR A MEMBERSHIP.
MAYBE THAT WE THINK IS VERY VALUABLE, THAT MAYBE WE COULD TAKE OUT.
IF WE REALLY, REALLY DUG DEEP AND FOUND SOME THINGS THAT WE THINK ARE VERY IMPORTANT THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE LOOKED AT IS NOT NECESSARY.
WE MAY FIND $100,000 MAYBE, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.
BUT WITHOUT TALKING ABOUT POSITIONS OR TALKING ABOUT TAKING AWAY TECHNOLOGY, WHICH ARE THE BIG PRICEY ITEMS, AND TO JUST SAY, LET'S FIND IT.
I DON'T WANT TO TAKE AWAY PEOPLE.
I DON'T WANT ANYBODY GOING BUT FIND A WAY TO CUT MILLIONS.
[01:25:02]
I THINK THAT'S NOT A GENUINE STATEMENT WITHOUT SAYING WHAT THE ACTUAL THING THAT YOU THINK WE SHOULD CUT IS.>> MR. DAVIS. SORRY GUYS, MR. DAVIS.
MS. DIXON. DO YOU WANT TO RESPOND?
>> WELL, SURE. I MEAN, AGAIN, AS MUCH AS WE DON'T, I MEAN, EVERYBODY WANTS TO GET RAISES.
I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE OUT THERE, BUT THEY DEFINITELY DESERVE THEIR 3.75% RAISE WITHOUT A QUESTION.
BUT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A DEFICIT AND WE'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN HIRE MORE TEACHERS, MAYBE WE COULD LOOK AT THE UPPER MANAGEMENT RIGHT NOW AND ASK THEM TO NOT TAKE THEIR RAISES THIS YEAR, OR MAY PASS THE RAISES.
>> IF THE UPPER MANAGEMENT, THE CARVER CENTER AND THE ADMINISTRATION CENTER, IF THEY DIDN'T TAKE THEIR 3.75% RAISE THIS YEAR, WE WOULD SAY 793,601.24%.
>> I THINK THAT NUMBER IS FALSE.
>> WE'VE DONE THE CALCULATIONS BEHIND THAT, I THINK IS MS. SOPA IS RAISED.
>> IT'S ABOUT 630,000 FOR ALL AND IT'S NOT JUST CARVER CENTER, IT'S ALL ADMINISTRATIVE PRINCIPALS, ASSISTANT PRINCIPLES, COORDINATORS.
>> IF WE DIDN'T GIVE ANY RAISES TO ALL ADMINISTRATIVE IN THE COUNTY, IT WILL COME TO ABOUT $600,000.
>> EVEN SO THAT 600, SOME THOUSAND DOLLAR THAT WE WOULD POTENTIALLY WOULDN'T EVEN MAKE A DENT IN WHAT WE NEED.
NOT TO MENTION YOU'RE DEVALUING OUR EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES BECAUSE WE'VE ALREADY ELIMINATED A LOT OF POSITIONS.
>> OH, YEAH, AND REOPENING CONTRACTS.
>> CAN I SPEAK TO THAT ISSUE SO THE COMMUNITY KNOWS? IN THE EVENT A BOARD TO NOT HONOR A CONTRACT AND THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING GROUP WANTED TO CONTEST THAT, THEY WOULD DO SO THROUGH THE PUBLIC SCHOOL LABOR RELATIONS BOARD.
AND WHEN THAT HAPPENS, A MEDIATION WOULD BE ATTEMPTED.
AND EVENTUALLY AN ARBITRATION.
PART OF THAT PROCESS WOULD BE TO HAVE THE PARTIES COME FORWARD AND SAY, WHY CAN YOU NOT HONOR THAT CONTRACT? WELL, FOR US, IT WOULD BE EASY BECAUSE WE WOULD SAY LACK OF REVENUE.
IN THE PROCESS IT THEN WOULD SAY, OKAY, CAN THE COUNTY HONOR THAT? IN THIS INSTANCE, THE COUNTY WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO SAY, WE CAN'T HONOR THIS INCREASE BECAUSE THE REVENUE IS THERE.
THAT'S JUST PRACTICE, PAST PRECEDENT ON THESE KINDS OF ISSUES.
REOPENING A COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT, REOPENING A CONTRACT IS A VERY TRICKY THING.
THE BOARD CAN'T UNILATERALLY SAY, WE ARE NOT HONORING YOUR CONTRACT.
A CONTRACT IS AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN TWO PARTIES, SO YOU NEED THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN BOTH PARTIES TO REOPEN THE NEGOTIATIONS.
IT'S NOT AS SIMPLE, YOU CAN DECIDE, AND THEN IT HAPPENS, WHETHER IT'S THE TEACHERS ASSOCIATION, OUR SUPPORT PEOPLE, OR OUR A AND S GROUP, THE ADMINISTRATORS.
>> IF I'M UNDERSTANDING THE SUGGESTION CORRECTLY, IT'S NOT EVEN FOR ALL EMPLOYEES IN THAT GROUP, IT'S FOR EMPLOYEES THAT ARE ONLY IN TWO LOCATIONS.
I WOULD ARGUE THAT ANYONE WHO THINKS THAT WE CAN RUN A SCHOOL SYSTEM WITH 29 SCHOOLS, 15,000 STUDENTS, 2000 PLUS EMPLOYEES WITHOUT ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES, AND ALL OF THE THINGS THAT GO INTO IT, BUSINESS SERVICES, HR, CONSTRUCTION, EVERYTHING AT THE BUILDINGS THAT AREN'T NECESSARILY SCHOOLS.
I THINK THAT YOU'RE BASICALLY SAYING, ANYONE AT A BUILDING THAT'S NOT A SCHOOL ISN'T IMPORTANT AND THAT COULD NOT BE MORE INCORRECT.
YEAH. THAT'S MY OPINION ON THAT.
>> THE COMMUNITY ARE AWARE THAT WE HAVE 6.8% OF OUR WORKFORCE, OUR ADMINISTRATORS, WHICH MEANS THAT 93.2% ARE NOT.
AND THE 6.8 IS A NUMBER THAT WE WILL STAND BY. I'M SORRY, MR. DAVIS?
I JUST WANT TO SAY, I THINK THAT WE HAVE BEEN FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE WITH THIS BUDGET, AND I THINK WE'VE GONE THROUGH IT LIKE WITH A FINE TOOTH COMB.
I AM PROUD OF WHAT THIS BOARD AND THE DELIBERATIONS THAT WE'VE HAD ON THIS.
I THINK WE'RE ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF HISTORY WHEN THEY LOOK BACK ON WHAT WE'VE DONE WITH THIS BUDGET.
NO ONE CAN SAY THAT WE JUST DID IT WITHOUT THINKING THROUGH EVERY POSSIBLE CUT, EVERY POSSIBLE THING WE CAN DO.
FOR FOLKS TO SAY OTHERWISE WOULD NOT BE BEING HONEST ON THE ISSUE.
SO ANYWAY, I JUST WANT TO SAY I'M PROUD OF WHAT THE BOARD HAS DONE WITH THIS AND I STAND BY IT. THANK YOU.
>> I WANT TO GO BACK BECAUSE I'M ONLY HEARING LIKE $600,000 WORTH OF CUTS OUT OF THIS BUDGET.
>> ARE YOU ASKING THE FERNS, OTHER SUGGESTIONS?
>> ARE THERE OTHER SUGGESTIONS BESIDES MISS DAVID,
[01:30:05]
MISS DAVIS, MS. DIXON?>> HONESTLY, I CAN'T THINK OF ANY AT THE MOMENT.
I KNOW THAT MAYBE, SORRY, THAT MAYBE WE COULD COMBINE MAYBE MORE OF THE VICE PRINCIPALS COULD START HELPING OUT IN THE CLASSROOM, MAYBE THE COMMUNITY. YEAH.
THESE ARE THE SAME COMMENTS WE'RE HEARING WHEN SOMEBODY'S OPPOSING THESE CONVERSATIONS ON FACEBOOK.
THEY'RE NOT REAL SUGGESTIONS BECAUSE IT DOESN'T REALLY GET US ANYWHERE.
IT'S FAKE NEWS, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD.
>> EVERYONE CAN SAY WE NEED TO CUT, BUT WHEN WE LOOK AT THIS BUDGET AND WE LOOK AT PLACES WHERE WE CAN MAKE SIGNIFICANT CUTS, I'VE NOT HEARD ANYONE GIVE ANY VIABLE SOLUTION.
BECAUSE 80% OF OUR BUDGET IS PEOPLE, AND THAT'S THE ONLY PLACE TO CUT AND WE CAN'T AFFORD TO CUT PEOPLE.
>> IS THERE ANY OTHER DISCUSSION?
>> I DO WANT TO SAY I THINK WE'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY I'M GOING TO SAY IT RIGHT NOW, BUT I'M GOING TO ANYWAY.
I DO WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE COUNTY AND TO THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT FOR THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE MONEY AVAILABLE AS A COUNTY.
WHATEVER THAT MEANS, HOWEVER, YOU LOOK AT THE FACT THAT WE DO HAVE MONEY AVAILABLE, THAT'S A GOOD THING.
OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS MONEY TO BE ABLE TO HELP IN THIS SITUATION.
WHETHER OR NOT YOU LIKE THE PEOPLE THAT ARE INVOLVED IN THE COUNTY OR YOU DON'T, WE HAVE FUNDS.
OUR COUNTY IS WELL OFF WHEN IT COMES TO BEING ABLE TO HELP WITH THIS ASK.
I HOPE THAT NOW THAT WE ARE CRYSTAL CLEAR WITH OUR BUDGET THAT MS. SOPA'S TEAM PUT TOGETHER EVERYTHING THAT'S BEEN ASKED FOR.
AND THAT THERE ISN'T ANYTHING, THERE'S NO BOOGIEMAN TO LOOK FOR UNDER THE BED ANYMORE.
WE KNOW WHAT IT IS, WE KNOW WHERE THE MONEY IS BEING SPENT.
I JUST HOPE NOW THAT WE BEING IN A VERY FAVORABLE POSITION AS A COUNTY CAN FUND THE SCHOOLS LIKE WE NEED IT FUNDED.
>> CAN I PIGGYBACK ON THAT A LITTLE BIT? BECAUSE SOMEBODY HAD MENTIONED DOING THIS LONG-TERM.
IS THERE A CONCERN FOR A LONG TERM? I JUST WANT TO SAY THAT A THIS IS A VERY RESPONSIBLE BUDGET, REALISTIC BUDGET.
WOULD I LIKE TO SEE IT BIGGER, ABSOLUTELY, BUT I THINK IT'S REALISTIC.
THE COUNTY HAS CONSISTENTLY STATED THAT OUR ECONOMY HAS NEVER BEEN STRONGER.
IT'S MY HOPE THAT THEY WILL MAKE AN INVESTMENT IN PUBLIC EDUCATION.
WE ALL KNOW EDUCATION IS EXPENSIVE.
BUT OUR STUDENTS ARE WORTH IT.
I HAVE REVIEWED COUNTY ACT FIRST TILL I'M BLUE IN THE FACE, AND I COULD RECITE NUMBERS TO ANY OF YOU FOR HOURS.
I'M TELLING YOU THERE IS MORE THAN ENOUGH MONEY IN THE COUNTY BUDGET TO SUPPORT THIS VERY REALISTIC REQUEST AND PROVIDE ADEQUATE FUNDING FOR YEARS WITHOUT RAISING TAXES.
THAT IS MY OPINION WHEN I LOOK AT ALL OF THESE NUMBERS, [APPLAUSE] SO I DON'T BUY THAT EXCUSE.
I ALSO THINK IF WE APPROVE THIS BUDGET TONIGHT, IT'S OUR BOARD-APPROVED BUDGET.
IT WILL GO TO THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE AND THEN IT'S IN HER COURT.
IF WE DO NOT RECEIVE THE FUNDING THAT WE NEED AS OUTLINED IN OUR APPROVED BUDGET, THERE WILL BE CUTS.
I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY THAT'S A SCARE TACTIC.
WE NEED TO RECEIVE THE FUNDING OUTLINED IN THIS BUDGET.
THAT'S WHAT OUR STUDENTS DESERVE, SO I'M GOING TO STOP NOW.
DOES ANYONE ELSE HAVE ANYTHING ELSE THEY WANT TO SAY? WITH THAT SAID, I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE WE ARE.
CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST OPERATING BUDGET.
[1.07 Consideration of Adoption of Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request - Operating Budget]
I NEED TO MAKE THAT RECOMMENDATION.>> I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE THE OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 FOR A TOTAL OF $270,199,963 WITH A COUNTY APPROPRIATION OF $115,036,892.
YOU HEARD MY RECOMMENDATION. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? WE ARE GOING TO DO A ROLL CALL VOTE, MS. OLSON.
[01:35:10]
>> THE MOTION IS APPROVED FOUR TO ONE.
NEXT, THE CONSIDERATION OF THE ADOPTION OF
[1.08 Consideration of Adoption of Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request - School Construction Budget]
FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BUDGET.ONE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS. DO YOU WANT ME TO DO THIS WITH YOU? [NOISE] [BACKGROUND] I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVED THE SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $47,281,463 WHICH INCLUDES A COUNTY APPROPRIATION OF $17,557,463. IS THERE A MOTION?
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MS. OLSON, ROLL CALL, VOTE, PLEASE.
>> MOTION IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY.
CONSIDERATION OF ADOPTION OF FISCAL YEAR 2025 BUDGET REQUEST DEBT SERVICE BUDGET.
[1.09 Consideration of Adoption of Fiscal Year 2025 Budget Request - Debt Service Budget]
>> I RECOMMEND THAT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE THE DEBT SERVICE BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2025 IN THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF $8,650,427 WHICH INCLUDES A COUNTY APPROPRIATION OF $8,650,427.
>> ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MS. OLSON, ROLL CALL, VOTE, PLEASE.
>> MOTION IS APPROVED UNANIMOUSLY. NEXT UP. GOODNESS. CCPS RFP NUMBER 2409,
[1.10 CCPS RFP #24-09 – Perryville High School - New Field House Project]
PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL NEW FIELD HOUSE PROJECT.BEFORE THE RECOMMENDATION, I THINK WE NEED TO HAVE A DISCUSSION JUST FOR THE PUBLIC'S AWARENESS.
THIS HAS BEEN ON OUR AGENDA IN JANUARY, IN FEBRUARY, AND THEN WE HAD A SPECIAL MEETING, I THINK FEBRUARY 20TH, TO TALK ABOUT IT AS WELL.
IT'S GOOD UNTIL FEBRUARY 29TH, WHICH IS TOMORROW.
IT WAS ORIGINALLY DUE FEBRUARY 20TH.
IF WE DON'T APPROVE THIS PROJECT, IT WOULD HAVE TO GO OUT FOR REBID IF THE BOARD SO DESIRES.
DOES ANYONE WANT TO TALK ABOUT THIS PROJECT BEFORE I START TALKING ABOUT IT?
>> YEAH, WE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE.
IT'S A PROJECT THAT WE WANT TO GIVE, THAT WE WANT TO DO FOR THE PERRYVILLE.
BEFORE I SAY THE THINGS THAT I DON'T AGREE WITH, I JUST THINK PERRYVILLE SHOULD HAVE A FIELD HOUSE.
THE TIMING OF IT IS JUST BAD RIGHT NOW WITH EVERYTHING WE'RE TALKING ABOUT AND CUTS AND THE LIST THAT WE SHOWED EARLIER OF NEED TO HAVES.
I THINK THIS IS A NICE TO HAVE.
WE'VE ASKED THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO REALLOCATE THE MONEY, AND THE ANSWER IS NO.
AT THIS POINT, FOR ME, I DO STILL HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE SHOULD SPEND 1.327 MILLION DOLLARS ON A FIELD HOUSE WHEN WE HAVE MORE PRESSING NEEDS.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE IT CLEAR THAT I DON'T THINK IT'S A BAD THING TO HAVE A FIELD HOUSE FOR PERRYVILLE.
I THINK PERRYVILLE NEEDS A FIELD HOUSE.
IT'S JUST MAYBE THE TIMING RIGHT NOW AND THE USE OF OUR MONEY AT THIS POINT DOESN'T FIT THE NEED RIGHT NOW.
>> I'M GOING TO PIGGY BACK ON WHAT MR. FERNANDO JUST TALKED ABOUT.
I MEAN, I AGREE THAT THIS PROJECT HAS BEEN ON OUR PLATE FOR A WHILE AND I THINK THE STUDENTS AND THE ATHLETES AT PERRYVILLE WILL GREATLY APPRECIATE HAVING THAT FIELD HOUSE.
I THINK THEY NEED IT AND THEY'VE BEEN PROMISED IT, AND I KNOW IT'S A BAD TIMING AND THINGS LIKE THAT, BUT THERE'S A LOT OF THINGS THAT WE DO IN THE COUNTY THAT MAY BUMP UP AGAINST BAD TIMING.
[01:40:06]
THIS IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE FOR ALL OF US, I BELIEVE, THE ENTIRE BOARD, AND WE STRUGGLE WITH HOW TO MOVE FORWARD ON IT EVEN THOUGH IT'S A BAD TIME BECAUSE OF DIFFERENT OTHER BUDGET ISSUES THAT YOU BUMP UP AGAINST IT.I'M STRUGGLING WITH IT MYSELF AS A BOARD MEMBER.
I REALLY AM ON BECAUSE I'M A FORMER ATHLETE AND I UNDERSTAND HOW IMPORTANT IT IS FOR ATHLETES TO HAVE THE PROPER SETTINGS AND TO CHANGE INTO THEIR CLOTHING AND ALL THAT, AND THEY SHOULDN'T BE PUNISHED FOR IT.
BUT THAT'S HOW I FEEL RIGHT NOW. I'LL PASS IT ON TO MISS LISA.
>> THANK YOU. MR. DAVIS. I AM AN ATHLETE.
MY KIDS WERE ALL ATHLETIC AND PLAYED IN MULTIPLE SPORTS.
ATHLETICS HAS BEEN A PART OF MY LIFE AND MY FAMILY'S LIFE FOR MANY YEARS.
I WANT PERRYVILLE TO HAVE A FIELD HOUSE. I DO.
THE TIMING RIGHT NOW, IT'S NOT THE TIME; I DEFINITELY DON'T THINK.
I THINK THE MONEY SHOULD BE SPENT IN OTHER WAYS.
WE HAVE OTHER SMALL CAP PROJECTS THAT NEED TO BE DONE.
BUT I'M GOING TO BE COMPLETELY HONEST.
MY FEAR IS THAT, IF WE DON'T GO AHEAD AND DO THIS, THAT THIS SMALL CAP PROJECT IS GOING TO BE PUSHED TO NEXT YEAR.
THAT WILL BE THE SMALL CAP PROJECT THAT IS FUNDED AGAIN AND WE WILL NOT HAVE ANY OTHER SMALL CAP PROJECTS FUNDED BECAUSE OUR COUNTY EXECUTIVE WANTS THIS DONE.
I FEEL LIKE I'M REALLY IN A PICKLE.
>> I THINK WE'VE PROLONGED THIS VOTE FOR A LONG TIME, GUYS.
THIS IS WHY, WE'RE ALL IN A PICKLE.
WE ASKED FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE TO FUND, I THINK, EIGHT OTHER PROJECTS THAT COULD BE USED, IN MY OPINION, AS A HIGHER PRIORITY NEEDS.
THERE'S 1.7 MILLION DOLLARS ALLOTTED FOR THIS.
I JUST DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY THIS IS A HUGE PRIORITY FOR THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE. I'LL BE HONEST.
I DO THINK THAT UNDERFUNDING OUR SCHOOLS ON ONE HAND, AND THEN SPENDING 1.7 MILLION DOLLARS ON A PROJECT THAT'S NOT A HIGH PRIORITY NEED.
DO THE STUDENTS OF PERRYVILLE DESERVE THIS? THEY ABSOLUTELY DO.
BUT AGAIN, I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S REALLY FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE TO DO A PROJECT LIKE THIS AT THIS TIME WHEN YOU SAW THE OTHER SMALL CAP THINGS.
MY FEAR IS, IF I KNEW THAT THIS FIELD HOUSE COULD HAPPEN AND ARE OTHER SMALL CAP PRIORITIES ON THIS LIST THAT ARE SAFETY ISSUES.
PARKING LOTS ARE SAFETY ISSUES.
QUALITY SCHOOLS; WE HAVE A ROOF THAT'S LEAKING AT ELK NECK ELEMENTARY.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S A PRIORITY OVER A FIELD HOUSE.
IF I WAS GUARANTEED WE COULD GET IT ALL, THEN GREAT.
BUT THERE'S NO GUARANTEE OF THAT.
I JUST FEEL LIKE IT'S A LOT OF MISMANAGEMENT OF FUNDS AND FISCALLY IRRESPONSIBLE IN MY OPINION.
BUT I DO GO BACK AND FORTH. I DO.
>> I DON'T KNOW IF I CAN SAY THIS. DIANA, YOU AND I TALKED ABOUT THIS TODAY, SORT OF DETECTED.
THE PROBLEM IS EVERY TIME WE PUT IT OFF AND THEN IT COMES UP AGAIN, IT'S LIKE 100,000 MORE.
I COULD BE OFF ON THAT, BUT IT'S MORE EVERY TIME.
BUT I HEAR WHAT YOU SAID TODAY, DIANA IN OUR TEXT, THAT BUT WHEN WE DON'T DO THAT OTHER PROJECT, WHATEVER THAT OTHER PROJECT IS, LIKE THE ROOF THAT WE REALLY NEED, THAT PRICE GOES UP.
EVEN THOUGH WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN UP.
A BIT ON IT, THAT PRICE STILL GOES UP.
>> ALL THE PRICES ARE GOING TO GO UP IS BASICALLY.
>> I HEAR WHAT YOU'RE SAYING TOTALLY.
>> CAN I ADD SOMETHING? JUST I GUESS FOR THE BOARD'S, I GUESS REMINDER THAT THE CONDITIONS THAT WE SAW TODAY, BASICALLY SAY THAT WE FULLY EXPECT THE PROJECT TO BLEED INTO FY 25 BECAUSE IT'S GOING TO BE A NINE-MONTH PROJECT.
PART OF THE STIPULATION IN TODAY'S RESPONSE FROM THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE IS THAT, WHATEVER BALANCE IS LEFT MOVING IN THE FY 25, WILL BE PUT AS PART OF OUR SMALL CAP.
IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DOUBLE WHAMMY THERE.
>> THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT.
>> YEAH, IT'S A LITTLE BIT OF A DOUBLE WHAMMY IN THE SENSE THAT,
[01:45:03]
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE A POT OF SMALL CAP.WELL, WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING AT A MONTH AGO, NOW 900,000 OF IT'S GOING TO THE AIR CONDITIONER AT SCHOOL, AT TECH.
LET'S JUST SAY HALF OF THE 1.3, SO ANOTHER $700,000 IS GOING TO COME OFF NEXT YEAR'S SMALL CAP TO COVER THE FIELD HOUSE.
I JUST THINK THAT'S A PLAYER [OVERLAPPING] IN THE CALCULATION.
>> IF WE DON'T DO IT, THEN THE ONLY THING THAT MAY BE FUNDED IN SMALL CAP NEXT YEAR, IS A 1.7 MILLION DOLLAR FIELD HOUSE.
>> I JUST THINK IT'S INTERESTING CAUSE WE'RE HAVING TO COMMIT EVEN MORE SMALL CAP FOR ANOTHER FISCAL YEAR WHERE WE DON'T REALLY WANT TO PUT THIS AS A PRIORITY.
WE DIDN'T LIST IT AS A PRIORITY LAST YEAR ON OUR LIST AT ALL.
IT HASN'T BEEN ON OUR LIST AT ALL, AND IT STILL WAS SOMETHING THAT THE COUNTY EXECUTIVE WANTED TO FUND.
FOR TWO YEARS IN A ROW NOW, WE'VE NEVER ASKED FOR IT, BUT IT'S THERE.
>> BUT IT'S LIKE WE'RE GOING TO BE IN A LOSE-LOSE SITUATION.
ITS LIKE ASKING ME, DO YOU WANT THE ORANGE OR THE GRAPE FLAVORED CYANIDE? WHICH ONE WOULD YOU LIKE? THEY'RE BOTH GOING TO GO DOWN PRETTY GOOD, BUT IT'S GOING TO KILL ME AT THE END OF THE DAY.
>> TIERNEY, THANK YOU. THAT'S MY FAVORITE TIERNEY LINE, BY THE WAY [LAUGHTER].
IS THERE ANY MORE DISCUSSION? I DON'T THINK WE CAN PUT OFF THIS VOTE ANYMORE.
MS. OLSON, DO YOU WANT TO JOIN ROLL CALL VOTE? OH YEAH, THERE'S A RECOMMENDATION.
I RECOMMENDED THE BOARD OF EDUCATION OF CECIL COUNTY APPROVE AN AWARD OF CONTRACT TO BSS CONTRACTORS, LLC FOR THE AMOUNT OF $1,327,000 FOR THE CCPS RFP NUMBER 24_09, PERRYVILLE HIGH SCHOOL NEW FIELD HOUSE PROJECT.
THIS PROJECT WILL BE FUNDED BY CAPITAL BUDGET FUNDS.
>> OKAY. YOU'VE HEARD THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION.
I ANTICIPATE THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY TOUGH DECISION.
I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY THAT WHATEVER THE MAJORITY OF THE BOARD DECIDES, I WILL SUPPORT.
BUT WITH THAT SAID, ROLL CALL VOTE. SORRY. I NEED A MOTION.
IS THERE A MOTION? THERE A SECOND.
I'LL SECOND IT, JUST SO WE CAN VOTE.
ANY FURTHER DISCUSSION? MS. ROGERS?
>> I LOVE ATHLETICS, BUT IT'S A NO.
>> WITH THREE YESES, TWO NOS, ONE OPINION, NO.
THE MOTION CARRIES THREE TO TWO.
SEEING WE ARE AT THE END OF OUR AGENDA, I WANT TO THANK EVERYBODY FOR COMING OUT THIS EVENING AND MEETING IS ADJOURNED. THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.