[00:00:01]
[1. Opening Items]
IT IS TUESDAY, MARCH 15TH AND WE'RE HAVING OUR BOARD CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARD OF EDUCATION WORK SESSION.WE OPENED OUR MEETING AT 5:10 WITH A MOTION BY MR. DIGIACOMO AND A SECOND BY MR. JONES.
THERE'S A 50 IN FAVOR OF GOING TO OPEN SESSION AND THEN WE HAD A MOTION BY MS. WAYMAN AND A SECOND BY MR. BARTON AND A 50 SUPPORT TO GO IN A CLOSED SESSION TO DISCUSS RELATIONS WITH OUR UNION-NEGOTIATED AGREEMENT AND OVERALL PERSONNEL.
THAT BEING SAID IT'S NOW 6:03, DO I HAVE A MOTION TO RECONVENE AN OPEN SESSION?
>> MOTION BY MR. DIGIACOMO, SECOND BY MS. WAYMAN. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> AYE. THANK YOU. LETS STAND FOR THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> BOARD MEMBERS, APPROVAL OF THE AGENDA.
WE HAVE A SHORT WORK SESSION AGENDA WITH THE BUDGET AS A TOPIC TODAY.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO ACCEPT THE AGENDA AS PRESENTED?
>> [INAUDIBLE] DO WE NEED TO ADD THE CALENDAR?
>> I THOUGHT WE'RE JUST GOING TO DO THAT WITH UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS AND ANNOUNCE IT.
>> WE HAVE AN AGENDA WITH THE END UPCOMING MEETINGS AND AGENDA WE'D HAVE A SLIGHT REVISION WE'RE GOING TO DISCUSS.
DO WE HAVE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA?
>> SECOND. BY MR. JONES. ALL THOSE IN FAVOR?
[2. Discussion Items]
LET'S TALK ABOUT NUMBERS. BUDGET>> GOOD EVENING MEMBERS OF BOARD.
WE'RE HERE TO TALK BUDGET, TO TALK NUMBERS.
ERIN AND I WILL BE WALKING YOU GUYS THROUGH TONIGHT WHERE OUR RATE AND NOW BUDGET-WISE, AND THEN OBVIOUSLY WE'VE SUBMITTED SUPERDENSE BUDGET TO THE BOARD FOR THEIR CONSIDERATION.
THAT POINT NOW, WE'RE LOOKING FOR FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD, OF COURSE, THAT COULD END UP IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT HOW WE'VE GOT THINGS STRUCTURED IN TERMS OF ADDITIONS, CHANGING UP. THAT'S WHERE FRAMEWORK.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE A LITTLE BIT CLEARER PICTURE, SOMEWHAT OF EXPENSES GOING UP.
THERE'S SOME NEW ITEMS ERIN'S GOING TO WALK YOU GUYS THROUGH OF SOME THINGS THAT HAVE CHANGED IN THE BUDGET FROM THE LAST TIME THAT THE BOARD HAS REVIEWED IT.
THERE'S ALSO ANOTHER REALLY INTERESTING PIECE.
THIS BOARD HAS NEVER BEEN PRESENTED IN MY KNOWLEDGE.
MR. NEWCOMB, AND EVEN IN DURING YOUR TIME OF TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS IN FRONT OF IT.
USUALLY THERE IS ONE SCENARIO AND WE ADJUST AND TWEAK FROM THERE.
THIS YEAR ERIN AND I HAD A CONVERSATION DECIDED THE BEST THING WE CAN DO FOR THE BOARD, THE CLEAREST PICTURE, TO PROVIDE TWO DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT ARE IN FRONT OF YOU.
THE SHORT OF IT AND THE REASON WHY.
THERE ARE NEW FUNDING FORMULAS IN THE STATE OF MARYLAND.
BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION CHANGED UP THE FUNDING FORMULAS FOR SCHOOL SYSTEMS. ERIN, WE'LL WALK YOU THROUGH SOME OF THE DETAILS ON THAT TONIGHT FOR HOW THAT SWITCH HAS CHANGED.
BUT IN ESSENCE, WHEN THE NEW FORMULAS WERE CREATED, MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IS CHARGED WITH CREATING THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT CALCULATION.
THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THE COUNTY HAS TO GIVE US.
THEY GAVE US THAT NUMBER IN JANUARY.
THAT NUMBER WAS REFLECTED ON THE BOARD DOC OR THE BUDGET DOCUMENT YOU RECEIVED AT THE FEBRUARY BOARD MEETING WHEN WE SUBMITTED THE BUDGET TO YOU.
SINCE THEN WITHIN THE LAST TWO WEEKS.
>> THIS IS SCENARIO TWO, WHICH IS.
>> THE ORIGINAL FIGURE WE HAD?
>> NO. THE ORIGINAL FIGURE WAS BASED ON THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES MODELING ASSUMPTIONS WHICH WERE WAY OFF.
>> THE JANUARY NUMBERS WERE WAY OFF.
>> THAT WAS LET DOWN NUMBER 1.
WE FOUND OUT THAT THEIR NUMBERS WERE BASED ON MODELING ASSUMPTIONS, PRE-PANDEMIC ROMAN.
FAIRLY EARLY ON, MIDDLE OF JANUARY, NOT TO TRUST THOSE NUMBERS.
BUT WE HAD NOTHING ELSE TO BASE IT ON.
WE HAD NO IDEA AND NOBODY WOULD GIVE US [INAUDIBLE].
>> THE SCENARIO TO MR. DIGIACOMO IS THE MSDE CALCULATION FOR WHAT WE WOULD BE GETTING FROM MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
IF YOU'LL GET THE COUNTIES APPROPRIATION, THAT'S THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT PIECE.
THAT'S MSDS CALCULATION BASED ON THE FORMULA.
TWO WEEKS AGO IN A BILL THAT'S BEFORE THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY THIS POINT IN TIME FOR DISCUSSION ABOUT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT AND HOLD [INAUDIBLE] FOR SOME SYSTEMS, IN THE FISCAL NOTE FOR THAT BILL, WHICH WON'T HAVE AN IMPACT ON US.
[00:05:03]
DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DISCOVERED WHAT THEY'RE SAYING IS AN ERROR BY MSDE, NOT IN THE RIGHT SIDE.IT'S NOT A BANK ERROR IN OUR FAVOR.
THAT 14 SCHOOL SYSTEMS MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT NUMBERS ARE HIGHER THAN THEY SHOULD BE IN MSDS CALCULATION.
DEPARTMENT LEGISLATIVE SERVICES HAS OUR CALCULATION AT A ALMOST 16,000,0001, 16,081,000.
IT'S GOT A HUNDRED THOUSAND MOREOVER, WE HAD LAST YEAR.
RIGHT NOW, MSDE IN DEPARTMENT LEGISLATIVE SERVICES HAVE NOT REACHED A DECISION OVER WHO'S CORRECT, AND WHO'S NOT CORRECT.
>> IT'S A SIGNIFICANT PIECE FOR A SYSTEM OF OUR SIZE.
>> THREE HUNDRED AND HOW MUCH?
>> EVEN THE BIGGER NUMBER, THE 449 IS OVER 400,000 LESS THAN WHAT WE HAD ANTICIPATED.
>> WHAT THEY HAD ORIGINALLY TOLD US, BECAUSE THEY KNEW WE STARTED THE BUDGET PROCESS IN THE FALL.
THAT IS THE ORIGINAL FIGURE THAT WE WERE TOLD TO.
>> EITHER [LAUGHTER] WAY YOU'VE LOOKED AT IT, IT'S LESS THAN WE THOUGHT.
>> BUT WE'RE HOPING SCENARIO 2, BECAUSE IT'S LESS BUT NOT AS BAD.
>> BUT THAT IS BAD. I THINK WHERE WE ARE, WE FEEL IN OUR CONVERSATIONS AND TALKING WITH OTHER SYSTEMS, WHEN THE ANSWER COMES DOWN ON, IT'S NOT GOING TO BE MORE THAN TWO.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE LESS THAN ONE.
IT'S PROBABLY EITHER GOING TO BE ONE OR TWO.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A THIRD OPTION BECAUSE IT REALLY COMES DOWN TO THE WAY THEY'RE CALCULATING THE FOUNDATION DOLLARS IN SCHOOL SYSTEMS SHOULD RECEIVE.
TONIGHT FOR THOSE PURPOSES, WE DID BRING BEFORE THE BOARD REALLY TWO SEPARATE SCENARIOS BECAUSE WE DO BELIEVE IT'S EITHER GOING TO BE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IN NUMBER 1 OR IN NUMBER 2.
EITHER ONE IS GOING TO BE CORRECT.
THERE PROBABLY WON'T BE ANY MIDDLE GROUND AND THERE WON'T BE A CASH COW WE'RE MISSING SOMEWHERE.
BUT THERE ALSO WON'T BE ANYTHING LESS THAN SCENARIO 1.
AGAIN, WE BELIEVE IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OR TWO, SO IT'S EASIER FOR US TO OPERATE ON THOSE GUIDELINES.
I JUST WANTED TO EXPLAIN THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TWO SITTING IN FRONT OF YOU.
ERIN IF I COULD, I'LL PASS TO YOU TO HAVE YOU EXPLAIN WHAT SOME CHANGES ARE THAT ARE WITHIN THE BUDGET DOCUMENT FROM LAST TIME THE BOARD HAS SEEN IT AS WELL AS SOME OF THE THINGS THAT'S HAPPENED IN THE LAST MONTH THAT'S HAVING A PROFOUND IMPACT ON THIS YEAR'S BUDGET AND ONE AS WE FORECAST FOR NEXT YEAR.
>> SURE. GOOD EVENING, PRESIDENT AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD.
SO AS DR. SIMMONS EXPLAINED, THE BLUEPRINT, LEGISLATION IS NOT BRINGING US THE FUNDING THAT WE WERE ANTICIPATING.
LIKE HE MENTIONED SCENARIO ONE THAT YOU REPRESENTED WITH SEVERAL MONTHS AGO.
THAT WAS BASED ON AT THAT POINT IN TIME, WE THOUGHT THAT THE NEW FUNDING FORMULAS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE THE LOCAL SHARE GO ABOVE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
WE FELT WE WERE GOING TO BE UNDER THE NEW LOCAL SHARE REQUIREMENT AS OPPOSED TO MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT REQUIREMENTS.
THEN WE FOUND OUT UP WE'RE BACK AT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT.
THE BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION DID NOT HELP US AND NOW WE'RE STUCK BETWEEN WHICH MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT CALCULATION ARE THEY GOING TO GET WITH STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION OR THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES.
I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT THE CALCULATION DONE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES, THIS CALCULATION DISPROPORTIONATELY IMPACTS THE LEAS WITH SMALLER POPULATIONS AND LOWER WEALTH.
THAT LOWER NUMBER THAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT IF THEY GO WITH THAT, THE DLS NUMBER, OR IT'S HURTING ALL OF THE LOWER WEALTH AND SMALLER POPULATION COUNTIES.
YOUR ALLEGHENY, YOUR DOOR CHEST OR YOUR GARRETT, SOMERSET.
>> [OVERLAPPING] YOU SELECT AN ANSWER EVEN ON HERE BECAUSE IT'S.
>> NOT CREATED OR TALBOT. RIGHT?
>> ACTUALLY QUEEN ANSWERS ON THE LIST.
>> I GUESS BECAUSE THEY'RE SMALLER, I GUESS IT IMPACTED THEM.
>> COUNTY PROBABLY KNOW CECIL DIDN'T REALLY CAME DOWN TO WAS ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED IN THE WEALTH PIECE.
IT'S THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD OF ACCOUNTING [OVERLAPPING] LIKE A COW.
LIKE WE'RE USED TO NOT HAVING A LOT OF FUNDS.
WHEN THE PANDEMIC HIT, WE DIDN'T REALLY FALL APART BECAUSE WE DIDN'T HAVE A LOT TO LOSE FINANCIALLY.
MOST OF WHAT WE HAVE, WE DIDN'T SEE A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF BUSINESSES IN CAROLINE TRULY SHUT DOWN.
WE DIDN'T SEE THAT SORT OF THING HAPPENING WHERE IF YOU'RE IN A FREDERICK, LOT OF WORK TIED TO THINGS THAT DID SHUT DOWN.
A COUNTY LIKE FREDERICK SAW A BIG DIP IN WEALTH.
NOW THEY HAVE LOT FIREPLACE TO DROP FROM HIM.
BUT THEY LOST A LOT OF WEALTH COMPARED TO US IF OUR FALL, SO WE DIDN'T MOVE MUCH.
[00:10:01]
THAT WEALTH FUNDING, THE WAY IT'S SET UP.THOSE WHO LOSE THE MOST WEALTH IN A YEAR DO THE BEST WHEN IT COMES TO STATE PUMP.
THOSE WHO LOSE THE LEAST BECAUSE THEY PUT YOU ALL LOOKING AT 24 COUNTY CLASSIFICATION.
WE DIDN'T LOSE, WE DIDN'T LOSE WEALTH AS BAD AS EVERYBODY ELSE DID.
BUT TYPICALLY WHAT HAPPENS IS WE DON'T GAIN.
THE OTHERS ARE STUDYING GAIN, AND THAT'S HOW WE USUALLY END UP DOING WELL, THIS IS THE LAST TIME WE SAW IT PROBABLY WOULD'VE BEEN DURING THE RECESSION.
PROBABLY ONE OF THE HOUSING BUBBLE BURST LIKE THAT TIME PERIOD WHERE YOU SEE SMALLER LIKE US FOR CHAPTER SOMERSET IN PARTICULAR ON THE SHORE.
>> WE DON'T HAVE A LOT OF RESTAURANTS ANYWAY, SO WE'D KNOW A LOT OF THEM SHUT DOWN, BUT ALL OUR POULTRY FARMS AND GRAIN FARMS AND RURAL BUSINESSES JUST KEPT CHUGGING ALONG.
>> LOBBY WILL WORK IN WHAT WERE CONSIDERED ESSENTIAL BUSINESSES.
>> WALMART TEACHERS, THE FOOD DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS, THOSE THINGS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] JUST MAKES IT HARD FOR US TO WHEN SO MUCH REFUNDING IS TIED TO THE STATE, THAT MAKES IT TOUGH.
>> TO MOVE TO THE NEXT LINE ITEM UNDER REVENUE, LINE ITEM NUMBER TWO, STATE UNRESTRICTED REVENUE.
THIS IS INCREASED SLIGHTLY FROM THE FEBRUARY PRELIMINARY BUDGET REQUEST, AND THAT'S DUE TO THE FACT THAT SOME OF THE STATE REVENUE COMING IN IS NOW COMING IN AS UNRESTRICTED.
IT'S NOT IN A RESTRICTED BUCKET WHERE WE HAVE TO ACCOUNT FOR IT SEPARATELY AND IT HAS TO BE SPENT ONE THERE'S CERTAIN PRIORITIES OF THE GRANT.
SO IT'S JUST A SLIGHT INCREASE.
LINE ITEM NUMBER THREE, I ADDED THIS TO THE LIST BECAUSE IN LOOKING AT ACTUAL NUMBERS OR INTEREST REVENUE IS WAY BELOW WHAT WE'VE BUDGETED.
WE USED TO ACTUALLY EARN $50,000 WORTH OF INTEREST REVENUE [LAUGHTER].
INTEREST RATES HAVE PLUMMETED IN ORDER TO TRUE THAT FIGURE UP, SO THAT NEXT YEAR WE'RE NOT IN A SITUATION WHERE WHEN WE END THE YEAR REVENUE WAS OFF.
I NEED TO TRUE THAT NUMBER UP.
THAT'S WHY YOU SEE A DECREASE OF 20,000 FOR INTEREST REVENUE.
MOVING ON DOWN TO THE REDUCTIONS THAT'S HIGHLIGHTED IN GREEN, BECAUSE WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ANOTHER ONE OR TWO POSITIONS.
AS PEOPLE ARE NOTIFYING THE HUMAN RESOURCES OFFICE IF THEY'RE RETIRING OR RESIGNING, WE'RE GOING THROUGH THE POSITIONS TO SEE WHAT CAN BE REALIGNED TO OTHER NEEDS OF THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THAT NUMBER HAS INCREASED SLIGHTLY.
MOVING ON DOWN TO THE NEXT SECTION, THIS IS THE SECTION THAT EVERY TIME I TURN AROUND DUE TO INFLATION, SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING UP [LAUGHTER].
EITHER THE COST IS GOING UP JUST BECAUSE IT'S A COST OF DOING BUSINESS OR IT'S A SURPRISE THAT I DIDN'T EVEN SEE COMING.
I WILL JUST MOVE DOWN THOSE ITEMS AND EXPLAIN THEM IN ORDER.
>> ERIN, I'M SORRY, BEFORE YOU GO TOO FAR DOWN THAT [OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE I JUST PROPOSED REDUCTIONS ON AIRS JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT AND IT'S ACTUALLY STILL ON THERE.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME OTHER REDUCTIONS OF COST OF DOING BUSINESS, INCREASE YOUR BALANCE AND OUT REDUCTIONS.
WE SQUEEZED EVERYTHING SO BORED, BUT SOMEBODY ACTUALLY DID REACH OUT TO ME AND SENT ME SOME NUMBERS.
I JUST WANT TO SAY IT PUBLICLY ABOUT THE BENEFIT OF CURRICULUM AND THEIR OUTREACH INTO THE SCHOOL AND THE BUSINESSES ARE SUPPOSED TO BE IN DUE, I BELIEVE, SUPPORT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT.
IT'S INTERESTING. WE'RE JUST SITTING HERE AT SAYING WE DIDN'T FALL AS MUCH SOME OF THESE OTHER COUNTIES BECAUSE OF THE TYPES OF BUSINESSES WE HAVE.
THAT BEING SAID, IT'S SOMETIMES IT'S HARDER TO GET THE BUSINESSES.
WE HAVE FREE MONEY, ENOUGH FREE MONEY TO SUPPORT PROGRAMS LIKE THIS.
I'M JUST ASKING IF SOMEWHERE IN AN $80 MILLION BUDGET, WE CAN'T KEEP $20,000 FOR THE CURRICULUM AND TEACHING.
BENEFITS OF THAT PROGRAM BRINGS TO OUR STUDENTS.
I MEAN, EVERYTHING IMPACTS OUR STUDENTS, I GUESS EVERY EVERYTHING WE TALKED ABOUT.
BUT $20,000 IN THE BOOK, PICTURES OF THINGS.
I MEAN, IF YOU GO TO THE RAINY DAY FUND FOR FIVE YEARS AND CUT AND COVER IT FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS, ALMOST.
I DIDN'T GET AN EMAIL ABOUT IT, SOMEBODY ASKING ME ABOUT IT AND I JUST THOUGHT I'D MENTIONED IT AND SEE WHAT INPUT INSIGHT PEOPLE THAT OWN THAT.
>> I'D LIKE TO PIGGYBACK OFF IT IS DOWN HERE.
[00:15:02]
BUT WE HAD TALKED ABOUT INCREASING THE SCHOLARSHIPS.I WANT AND THAT DIDN'T MAKE THE CUT.
THAT'S $5,000 IN $90 MILLION BUDGET REALLY? BECAUSE WE MEET TEACHERS EVERY YEAR FOR THE PAST FEW YEARS, WE'RE NOT HITTING THE MARK ON GETTING MINORITY TEACHERS BECAUSE THAT SECOND ONE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FOR A MINORITY TEACHER.
I REALLY FEEL STRONGLY WE NEED TO PUT THAT BACK IN THERE.
BECAUSE I THINK THE PLAN WAS TO HAVE FOUR SCHOLARSHIPS TWO FOR KERNEL.
CORRECT. TWO FROM NORTH CAROLINA.
ONE SCHOLARSHIP WAS GOING TO BE TOTALLY BASED ON MERIT AND BREATHE AND ALL OF THAT.
THEN TO MINORITY SCHOLARSHIPS. DO I HAVE IT RIGHT?
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS ONE KERNEL.
>> ONE KERNEL ONE NOT TYING OR THIGH.
THEN ONE RIGHT NOW IS FOR MINORITY CANDIDATE.
>> THAT'S ANY PLACE [OVERLAPPING] AND THAT'S IN PLACE.
I THINK THE CONVERSATION, IF I REMEMBER IN MY NOTES, WAS TO ADD A SECOND ONE AS A MINORITY CANDIDATE AND BOTH OF THOSE COULD COME FROM EITHER A SCHOOL FOR EITHER ONE OR BOTH.
>> OKAY, THAT'S FINE. THAT'S RADICAL. [INAUDIBLE].
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT'S NOT SIX.
>> BUT IT'S GOING TO INCREASE IT TO SOMETHING THAT'S PART OF WHY WE HAVE OUR SESSION TONIGHT, THE BOARD, TO HELP WITH THOSE PRIORITIES.
MR. GOOGLE, MY FANS SAY ON THE JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT PIECE I HAVE A MEETING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF JA OF EAST AND THESE FOR SURE BELIEVE NEXT WEEK, MAYBE LATER THIS WEEK.
WATCHING MY COLLEGE, I'VE BEEN COMING UP WITH HER IN THE NEXT WEEK TO TALK ABOUT OPTIONS SCENARIOS BECAUSE ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAROLINE COUNTY HAS A CHALLENGE, IT HAS BEEN WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT.
I'VE BEEN INVOLVED WITH IT SINCE FIRST STARTED.
MR.WALLABIES IS OUR REPRESENTATIVE NOW, IT WASN'T MODEL THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COMING IN AND GETTING THAT BUSINESS SUPPORT BOARD DID HELP WITH THE SEED TO TRY TO GET IT GOING AND TRYING TO FIND A WAY THAT'S SUSTAINABLE LONG-TERM.
>> THAT'S WHY I RECALL IT, REMEMBER IT.
PART OF IT IS IT'S TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO COME UP WITH A MORE VIABLE, SUSTAINABLE OPTION.
FOR COUNTING, JAY HAS A WORD THAT CAN LOOK AT THAT LOCALLY.
BUT THEIR PRESIDENT, JUNIOR, JAMIE AND I, WERE GOING TO TALK ABOUT WHAT OPTIONS.
THANKS FOR US TO CONSIDER, THAT EVEN SHE IS CONSIDERING.
>> WHILE TEACHERS ARE OUR NUMBER ONE STAFF EXPENSE, BUT WE HAVE A LOT OF STAFF, WHETHER THEY'RE CAFETERIA MANAGERS OR TRANSPORTATION MANAGER.
I MEAN, WE ARE AND WE TALKED ABOUT OURSELVES BEING THE LARGEST BUSINESS IN THE COUNTY.
IF WE'RE THE LARGEST BUSINESS IN THE COUNTY, I DON'T KNOW WHAT DOLLAR FIGURE OF ASSOCIATED WITH SUSTAINABLE. I THINK WE STARTED IT.
>> HE STARTED AT 20TH [INAUDIBLE]
I THINK THAT WE [INAUDIBLE] THINK WE STARTED FEELING DOWN AND THEN IT WAS A PIECE OF, THERE WASN'T A QUITE, THE SUPPORT, THE HUMAN SUPPORT WAS THERE.
IT WAS THE FISCAL SUPPORT WHICH HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR ENTITIES IN YOUR COUNTY OVER TIME AGAINST ANYBODY WHO ARE COUNTING, BUT WE DON'T HAVE 200 NONPROFITS THAT PROBABLY FALL.
>> WHERE IT'S EASIER TO FIND THE FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGE WITH THIS COMPANY FOR A LOT OF IT.
>> THE INTENT WAS TO- [OVERLAPPING]
>> I DO. I RECALL TIME AND DAY.
I WOULD SAY, I DON'T WANT TO SIDETRACK YOU.
I JUST THOUGHT ABOUT IT, AND THEN MR. JACK YOU MAY HAVE MENTIONED THE SCHOLARSHIP.
IT SEEMS LIKE A SMALL THING NOW.
WHEN I HEAR ABOUT SCHOLARSHIPS TOO, WE TALKED ABOUT IT AND NOT TO DELAY IT BUT AS WE ADD MORE THERE'S ALSO BEEN A COMPONENT OF, IS THE PROCESS WE'RE DOING THE RIGHT PROCESS, UP FRONT IN IT, ON THE FRONT END, BECAUSE I THINK WE'VE HAD A FEW ISSUES WITH GETTING THOSE INDIVIDUALS LINED UP ON THE BACK END.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE SOLUTION IS.
>> WHAT DO YOU MEAN? I DON'T UNDERSTAND.
>> SOME OF THEM HAVE SWITCHED MAJORS TO TEACHING.
>> THAT'S EXPLAINED UPFRONT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT THEY HAVE TO PAY IT BACK.
[OVERLAPPING] BECAUSE I REMEMBER, WHEN I WAS TEACHING, THERE WAS A STUDENT THAT TOOK THE SCHOLARSHIP NOT KNOWING THAT SHE'D HAVE TO PAY IT BACK.
I'M LIKE, "LOOK, IF THAT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, BUT IF YOU'RE NOT SURE, DON'T TAKE IT."
>> ALSO WE GOT MULTIPLE CONTRACTS THAT'S SIGNED AND RENEWED THAT GOES OVER THE FACT THAT THEY PAY IT BACK IF THEY DON'T COMPLETE THE MAJOR.
THEN YOU SWITCH THE MAJOR THERE'S A CONTACT NEEDS TO BOARD.
THEY SWITCH IN TERMS OF SAYING IT SHOULDN'T EVEN CHANGE FOR THE CONCENTRATION AS IT MOVES
[00:20:01]
OUT OF THE TARGET AREA INTO SOMETHING THAT'S NOT.[NOISE] THEN THERE'S THESE BY WHICH THEY CAN ASK FOR THAT TO BE APPROVED OR NOT.
BUT THEY HAVE TO WORK THROUGH THAT PROCESS.
WE HAD TALKED ABOUT IT INTERNALLY OF WAYS TO STRENGTHEN OUR PROCESS TO SUPPORT OUR KIDS GOING IN.
WE'VE LOOKED AT OTHER MODELS THAT COULD EXIST, I'VE GIVEN YOU ON THE BACK END AS WELL.
WE'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT ALL ASPECTS OF THAT PIECE.
>> I JUST ASKED THAT BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW.
IF WE'VE NOT SO THAT WE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TO DO, BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT DISCUSSION TO HAVE IN WHETHER A COUPLE OR OUR INITIAL SCHOLARSHIPS DON'T CHANGE, BUT I DON'T KNOW.
STUDENT LOANS, AND CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, THEY'RE BASICALLY ZERO PERCENT AS LONG AS YOU'RE STILL GOING TO SCHOOL.
>> I THINK THE PAYMENTS ARE DEFERRED AS LONG AS YOU'RE ARE IN SCHOOL.
>> [OVERLAPPING] BUT INTEREST IS ACCRUING.
[OVERLAPPING] IT'S USUALLY A LOWER INTEREST RATE IF THEY'RE SUBSIDIZED LOANS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT MIGHT BE A SITUATION WHERE WE'RE SAFE OR I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE SAFE OR NOT.
THAT GOT ME THINKING TOO, ARE PART-TIME EMPLOYEES, FOR EXAMPLE, IES DO THEY HAVE ACCESS TO TUITION REIMBURSEMENT?
>> I'D LIKE TO ANSWER, BUT I DON'T WANT TO ANSWER INCORRECTLY.
I CAN DEFINITELY LOOK INTO IT.
>> I JUST ASKED THAT BECAUSE TO ANSWER IF THEY ARE GREAT OR THEY'RE NOT GREAT, BUT TALKING ABOUT GROWING, LEARNING AND WHATNOT.
WE'VE HAD THESE COMMENTS FROM OUR IES IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.
THE WAY EVEN THE BLUE RIBBON, THE CURRENT IS PUSHING THE FOCUS ON TEACHERS ANYWAY, IF THERE WAS A SEPARATE PROGRAM FOR IRAS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN GROWING THEIR SKILL SET, AS A WAY TO GET THOSE BENEFITS.
IF WE CAN SUPPORT THEM, THAT'S A BUDGETARY ISSUE.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S PART OF THE DISCUSSION ON WE CAN SUPPORT THEM, IT'S THE RIGHT WAY TO DO IT ON THE FRONT END, ON THE BACK END OR THROUGH THE PROCESS. I DON'T KNOW.
>> HOW MANY ISSUES HAVE WE HAD, WOULD YOU SAY, APPROXIMATELY WITH PEOPLE CHANGING AND NOT?
>> WELL, I LOOKED AT IT THE OTHER DAY BECAUSE I WAS LOOKING AT WAYS OF GENERATING IDEAS OF WAYS WE CAN BETTER SUPPORT INDIVIDUALS THAT GO IN.
WHEN WE FIRST STARTED IT, THERE WASN'T AS MUCH OVERSIGHT.
LITERALLY WHEN WE STARTED PROBABLY IN LA, IT WASN'T THAT SUCCESSFUL THEN, IT'S GOTTEN MORE SUCCESSFUL THAT WE HAVE ISSUES THAT POP UP EVERY NOW.
I WOULD SAY, WHEN I LOOK, I THINK WE'VE HIRED OR INTERVIEWED, I THINK IT WAS 16 OR 17 OF THE CANDIDATES WE'VE RECEIVED THE SCHOLARSHIP OVER THE YEARS WE'VE INTERVIEWED.
THERE WERE PROBABLY FIVE OR SIX THAT HAD DROPPED AND DID NOT FINISH.
>> THERE WERE SOME THAT HAVEN'T EVEN STARTED.
>> THERE WERE A COUPLE WHO HADN'T STARTED.
>> YOU DIDN'T GIVE THEM THE MONEY, IS THAT RIGHT?
>> NO. BUT THEY RECEIVED BUT THEN DID NOT GO. [OVERLAPPING]
>> A COUPLE OF MONTHS SOMETHING CHANGED.
>> YEAH. THOSE WILL HAPPEN WITH ANYBODY GOING TO SCHOOL, BUT THOSE ARE THE PIECE IF IT DOES HAPPEN, IT IS THAT PARTLY.
WE COULD'VE AWARDED IT ELSEWHERE.
JUST DEPENDS ON THE TIMING OF US FINDING OUT IF WE CAN AWARD IT ANYWHERE ELSE BUT WE'VE HAD MORE SUCCESSFUL WITH IT THAN NOT.
BUT THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE'VE STARTED TO LOOK AT IT, HOW CAN WE BETTER SUPPORT WHEN THEY GO IN AND LOOKING AT OPTIONS OF ADDING A MENTORING COMPONENT THAT'S REQUIRED, RIGHT NOW IT'S OPTIONAL.
IF YOU ASK FOR A MENTOR, YOU'LL GET ONE.
WE'RE LOOKING AT MOVING IT AWAY FROM AN OPTIONAL TO WE ARE GIVING YOU THIS.
YOU ARE GETTING A CCPS MENTOR THAT'S GOING TO KEEP TOUCH WITH YOU OVER TIME BECAUSE WE WANT TO KNOW AND WANT TO SUPPORT YOU.
WE ALSO WANT TO KNOW UP FRONT IF YOU ARE HAVING THIS FALSE ABOUT CHANGE AND CAN WE EDUCATE YOU WHAT THAT MEANS BUT ALSO IS IF YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT CHANGING, NOTIFY US NOW BEFORE YOU TAKE THE NEXT INSTALLMENT AND, OR MORE.
WE'RE TRYING TO BUILD SOME OF THOSE PIECES IN BECAUSE AGAIN, THERE'S THINGS WE CAN STRENGTHEN WITH THAT PROCESS TO TRY TO GET A SUCCESS RATE HIGHER.
>> HAVE YOU GOTTEN THE MONEY BACK?
>> WE HAVE NOT BEEN SUCCESSFUL FOR MANY.
>> EVEN IF IT'S A SMALL PERCENTAGE, I THROW THAT OUT THERE BECAUSE I FEEL LIKE THE SYSTEM'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE AT SOME POINT.
BUT AS YOU ADD MORE SCHOLARSHIPS, YOU ADD MORE OPPORTUNITIES.
>> THE MONEY GOES TO THE INSTITUTION, I'M I RIGHT?
>> BUT INSTITUTION DIDN'T REIMBURSE US?
>> NO, IT GOT PLACED IN THE STUDENT'S ACCOUNT, WE SEND IT TO THE INSTITUTION AND THEY PUT IT [OVERLAPPING] ON THAT STUDENTS ACCOUNTS.
>> THE AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE STUDENT AND CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS,
[00:25:03]
IS NOT THE INSTITUTION AT CAROLINE COUNTY?>> DOES THE STUDENT STILL HAVE ACCESS TO THAT MONEY IN THEIR ACCOUNT?
>> YES. IT WAS EITHER USED FOR TUITION OR REMEMBER FOR BOOKS.
>> BUT I THINK THEY CAN'T JUST SKETCH IT OUT.
[OVERLAPPING] IT HAS TO BE SOMETHING AT THE SCHOOL.
>> YEAH. THEY CHANGED THEIR MIND WHEN THEIR MAJOR IS STILL THERE.
>> IT'S NOT THE KID'S FAULT. I STILL DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD GO ON.
>> WE NEED TEACHERS. [OVERLAPPING]
>> THAT WAS MY QUESTION. NOT TO STEP ON TEACHERS SOURCE BUT THEY COULD HAVE APPLIED.
THEY GOT GOOD GRADES AND THEY GOT ACCEPTED BECAUSE WE REALLY NEED A MATH TEACHER AND THAT WAS THE THINGS THAT PUSHED THEM UP OVER THE TOP OF THE RACE HERE.
THEN NOT A TEACHER ANYMORE THEY TRANSITION THE FELLOW TEACHER BUT WHEN WE HAVE PLANNING AS [INAUDIBLE]
>> IT USED TO BE HISTORY BUT NOT ANYMORE. VISAT.
>> VISAT HAVE A LOT OF GRADUATES.
>> WE PAY FOR FOUR YEARS AND THEN WE DON'T NEED ANY HISTORY.
>> THE REQUIREMENT FOR THEM IS THAT AT THE END OF THEIR COLLEGE THEY HAVE TO INTERVIEW WITH US.
I THINK THERE'S SOMETHING IF THEY ACCEPTED A POSITION, THEN THEY NEED TO TAKE THE POSITION OR PAY IT BACK.
>> WE HAVE SO MUCH TO DO TALKING ABOUT BUDGET AS A GOOD BUDGETARY LINE ITEM I THINK NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED.
IN THIS BOARD WE ALSO NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW THE LATTER SUPERINTENDENT AT WHAT POINT IS THE RIGHT TIME TO DIVE IN TO.
IS THIS THE RIGHT STRUCTURE WE HAVE TO INCREASE THAT LINE ITEM OR NOT.
ONE TO ONE MAKE THAT DECISION.
>> WELL, JUST SAY, IN THIS BUDGETARY CYCLE WE'RE GOING THROUGH, ARE WE GOING TO STAY WITH WHAT WE HAVE AND PUSH FOR THIS LINE ITEM TO BE ADDED ON SCHOLARSHIPS OR LEAVE IT AS IT IS OR DO WE WANT TO PUSH FOR THIS ONE ITEM TO BE ADDED AND REVIEW THE PROCESS AND HOW IT'S DELIVERED OR DO WE WANT TO HOLD OFF ON THAT LINE ITEM, REVIEW THE PROCESS AND PUSH THE LINE ITEM AND THEN WE HAVE AN IMPROVED PROCESS.
I GUESS I'M ASKING THE BOARD TO LOOK AT THAT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I BELIEVE WE SHOULD INCLUDE THE SCHOLARSHIP IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, THE ADDITIONAL ONE.
WE CAN THEN LOOK AT THE PROCESS, WE ARE LOOKING AT IT NOW.
THE TEACHERS AND WE NEED DIVERSE TOOL TO DRAW FROM THEM DIVERSE CANDIDATES.
HAVING A SCHOLARSHIPS IS A GOOD THING.
THE QUESTION IS WHETHER OR NOT THE NUMBERS WILL FIT WHATEVER, WE CAN MAKE IT WORK.
>> I WOULD AGREE TO THAT. WE TRY AND MAKE THAT 5,000 WORK, BUT DEFINITELY IF WE CAN FIX IT, DEFINITELY.
>> WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE LOOKING TO FIX IT.
>> HUNDRED PERCENT, WE SHOULD BE.
>> I THINK THAT MENTOR IDEA IS GOOD.
I THINK THAT'S ENOUGH [OVERLAPPING] TO HAVE THAT BE A SCHEDULED CHECK TYPE THING.
>> IF YOU WAIT FOR A KID TO ASK FOR HELP YOU'RE PROBABLY GOING TO BE WAITING FOREVER.
>> SOMETIMES THEY THINK OF IT AS WEAKNESS.
>> MAYBE WE COULD DO SOMETHING LIKE HAVE A POOL OF ONE OR TWO STUDENTS WHERE IT FALLS THROUGH, BOOM, THESE ARE THE STUDENTS YOU GO TO.
>> HERE'S YOUR ALTERNATE, YEAH.
>> IF THERE ARE STUDENTS WHO DO NOT HAVE A MODEL TO LOOK AT AS FAR AS SOMEONE BEING IN COLLEGE AND FOR THEM TO SEE ALL THE PROCESSES THAT ARE INVOLVED.
THEY LOST [INAUDIBLE] WITHOUT THAT SUPPORT.
I THINK THAT MENTOR IDEA IS VERY IMPORTANT.
>> I WOULD INCLUDE THAT FOR THIS YEAR THAT WE COULD, [OVERLAPPING] I WOULD INCLUDE THAT.
>> THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HOPING, THEY GET MOPPED, GET ALL MODIFICATIONS DONE AND READY TO GO.
AARON, DO YOU WANT TO LOOK AT THE OTHER [OVERLAPPING] COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS ADJUSTMENTS?
>> I'LL TRY TO BREEZE THROUGH SOME OF THE ONES THAT HAVE CHANGED.
WELL, BEFORE I GET TO THE CHANGES, I JUST WANT TO MENTION THAT HEALTH INSURANCE RATE INCREASE, JUST LIKE WE WERE HOPING FOR NUMEROUS SNOW REMOVAL DURING THE MONTH OF MARCH, I'M ALSO HOPING THAT WHEN WE GET THE FINAL RATES IN APRIL THAT THEY WILL GO DOWN AND WE WILL NOT STILL BE AT 10 PERCENT.
>> YOU'RE RIGHT ON SNOW DAYS, [LAUGHTER] I JUST WANT TO SAY.
[OVERLAPPING] YOU HAVE SNOW ON SATURDAY, WE APPRECIATE THAT.
[00:30:03]
>> THE CAPPING WILL LOWER HEALTH INSURANCE RATES.
>> I'M SURE THAT WOULD SAVE A LOT MORE MONEY THAN THE SNOW REMOVAL.
>> YES. IT IS A BIG TICKET ITEM.
>> BECAUSE EVEN ONE PERCENT, THAT'S WHAT, 90,000?
>> YES. CORRECT. ONE PERCENT IS 90,000.
IN PUTTING THIS TOGETHER, IN MY MIND, I'M SITTING HERE AND THINKING ABOUT MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, THAT'S A SWAYING OF OVER $300,000.
THEN HEALTH INSURANCE, EVERY ONE PERCENT, YOU'RE TALKING 90,000.
THIS BUDGET IS STILL WHAT'S MEANT REALLY UNTIL WE GET THE MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT AND THE HOME INSURANCE RATES, THE NUMBERS ARE STILL UP FROM HERE.
THE NUMBERS ARE STARTING TO COME IN FOR SOME OF THE COSTS OF DOING BUSINESS, AND THOSE ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED.
WE'VE GOT OUR RATES FOR MAY FOR PROPERTY AND LIABILITY AND CASUALTY INSURANCE.
THIS IS BASICALLY JUST FOR ALL OF OUR VEHICLES, GENERAL LIABILITY, AND PROPERTY.
THAT'S GOING UP APPROXIMATELY $30,000.
I ALSO ADDED A LINE ITEM FOR THE FUEL COSTS.
THIS IS NOT ANY PARTICULAR SCIENCE SO THERE'S NO METHOD FOR MADNESS TO THE $75,000.
IT REPRESENTS ABOUT A 50 PERCENT INCREASE OVER WHAT WORKING NOW.
NOW A 50 PERCENT INCREASE, PROBABLY ISN'T GOING TO BE ENOUGH.
>> NO, BUT IT'S GOOD YOU'RE THINKING OF IT.
>> RIGHT. IT'S ON HERE, WE'LL REVISIT IT EVERY MONTH.
I JUST WANT TO [OVERLAPPING] [LAUGHTER] RIGHT.
WE ADD IT TO THE LIST OF HAVING HUGE NUMBER TOO.
THE ONE REGULAR [INAUDIBLE] THAT HUGE NUMBER.
THE EMPLOYER SHARE OF TEACHER PENSION COST HAS INCREASED.
NOW I KNOW WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE PERCENTAGE, YOU'RE LIKE, "WELL, WAIT A MINUTE, IT JUST WENT FROM 4.17 PERCENT TO 5.12 PERCENT." JUST LOOKING AT THAT I WOULD SAY, "NO BIG DEAL." BUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT A TEACHER SALARY BASE OF APPROXIMATELY $44 MILLION THAT ARE IN THE TEACHER PENSION SYSTEM, THAT DOES MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
THESE FIGURES WERE PUT OUT BY THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES.
I MEAN, IT IS WHAT IT IS WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE.
WE TRIED TO PUSH FOR A SUPPLEMENTAL, TO GET SOMETHING ADDED TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL BUDGET DURING THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION, BUT I DON'T THINK ANYTHING EVEN GOT INTRODUCED.
>> I DON'T THINK ANYTHING GOT INTRODUCED.
WE WERE HOPING FOR A PHASE IN THAT DIDN'T GET INTO.
BASICALLY, LET US ABSORB IT OVER FEW YEARS.
THE WAY IT LANDED HERE, THE STATE RETIREMENT BOARD ENTITY, WHATEVER IT IS, WHOEVER RECEIVED STATE RETIREMENT INVESTMENTS, MISSED THE MARK FOR WHAT THEY EXPECTED THEIR RETURN ON INVESTMENTS BY A GOOD AMOUNT.
[LAUGHTER] ON THE OVERALL STATE PICTURE, IT WAS 70 MILLION.
IT WAS HUGE. THEY WERE LOOKING FOR A SEVEN POINTS SOME RETURN ON INVESTMENT.
>> WELL, TELL ME WHERE THAT IS.
>> YEAH, ME TOO. [LAUGHTER] THEY WERE AS BIG AS SEVEN.
WE WERE EXPECTING SEVEN PERCENT RETURN.
THEREFORE, EVERY SYSTEM HAS TO ABSORB THAT PERCENTAGE INCREASE.
AGAIN, EVERY COUNTY HAS THE SAME PERCENTAGE SHARE, IS FEELING THE SAME TENSION, FRUSTRATION ON THE MIDST OF EVERYTHING ELSE.
AGAIN, WE WERE HOPING FOR LEGISLATIVE FIXES, THERE'S NOT.
BUT IT IS UNFORTUNATE COSTS WE HAVE TO ABSORB.
[OVERLAPPING] ABSOLUTELY MUST.
> IT'S JUST TEACHERS PENSION, IT'S NOT LIKE AARON'S PENSION?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. THIS IS JUST THE INCREASE FOR THE TEACHER PENSION.
THE EMPLOYEES PENSION, THAT'S A SMALLER WAGE BASE, ESPECIALLY SINCE SOME OF THAT GOOD SERVICES PICKS UP THE CALLS BECAUSE THEIR EMPLOYEES ARE ON EMPLOYEES PENSION, AS WELL AS A LOT OF GRANTS.
A LOT OF PEOPLE FROM PENSION SYSTEM ARE PAID OUT OF GRANTS.
BUT THAT COST DID INCREASE AND THAT'S ACCOUNTED FOR IN LINE NUMBER 7, WHERE IT SAYS INCREASE OUTPATIENT FOR FIXED CHARGES.
BECAUSE IT'S A SMALLER NUMBER I JUST WANT IT IN WITH SOME OF THE OTHER INCREASES IN THE FIXED CHARGES CATEGORY.
>> BECAUSE OF SOME OF OUR BUILDINGS WHERE THEY HEATED WITH FUEL OIL?
>> WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING TO CHANGE THAT ALSO.
>> YES. GOOD POINT. [LAUGHTER]
>> WE'LL LOOK AT THAT ONE TOO. GOOD POINT.
>> WITH THIS ADDITIONAL 375,000, ARE THEY GOING TO INCREASE THE PENSIONS FOR TEACHERS
[00:35:02]
OR JUST INCREASING HOW MUCH YOU HAVE TO PAY?>> INCREASING OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE FUND, TO BE ADDED TO WHAT THEY DO NOW.
>> THEY INCREASED OUR CONTRIBUTION BUT THEY LOWERED THE SHARE OF THE MSDE PAYS ON OUR BEHALF.
BASICALLY, IF THE CFO'S, WE HAD AN EMAIL GOING AROUND AND EVERYBODY SAID, "WHAT IS GOING ON? THE STATES GETTING A BREAK AND WE'RE PAYING MORE." TRULY.
>> WE'RE TRYING TO BALANCE THEIR BUDGET.
>> FROM THE BACKS OF THE LOCALS.
>> WE'RE GOING TO GIVE YOU THIS FOR BLUEPRINT.
HERE, WE'RE GOING TO TAKE IT FROM HERE TO GIVE IT TO YOU HERE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] SO FAR REACHING OUT THE FENCE TO GRAB APPLES FROM THE COUNTY TREE.
>> BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE ENOUGH APPLES ON THEIR TREE.
>> TO FIND IT OUT THOUGH BUT IT'S [OVERLAPPING] ORANGE TREE.
>> JUST TRYING TO WRAP MY HEAD AROUND IT. [LAUGHTER]
>> TRUST ME, IT'S FRUSTRATING EVERY TIME. [LAUGHTER]
>> THE GUARANTEED PENSION, IT'S A HARD THING TO MANAGE.
OBVIOUSLY, I'M NOT A MONEY MANAGER PER SE.
I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THE PEOPLE WERE INCOMPETENT, BUT THEY'D BEEN THIS REMARK FOR DECADES.
BECAUSE IF YOU RECALL, THE OLD PENSION SYSTEMS AND THEY SET THE STANDARD AS EXPECTATION GUARANTEED WHICH YOU COULD HAVE, AND THEN THEY TOOK IT AWAY BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T GIVE THAT TO EVERYBODY.
THEN THEY STARTED THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM, AND I DON'T KNOW WHO FELL IN WHAT, BUT YOU DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING, ZERO, THE EMPLOYEE DIDN'T CONTRIBUTE ANYTHING BUT THE STATE PUTTING MONEY FOR YOU.
WELL, THEN THEY REALIZED DOWN THE ROAD THEY COULDN'T AFFORD TO PAY THE PEOPLE THEY GUARANTEED, SO THEN YOU HAD TO PAY ONE PERCENT, THEN YOU HAD TO PAY TWO, THEN THREE, AND NOW FOUR.
NOW YOUR EMPLOYEES, YOU'RE PUTTING IN FIVE, SIX?
>> FOUR PERCENT THEY PUT IN HERE.
>> FIVE OR SIX, [OVERLAPPING] AND THEN THE EMPLOYER IS MATCHING A CERTAIN AMOUNT.
BUT BECAUSE THEIR PROJECTIONS ON THEIR INVESTMENTS AREN'T GOING UP, THEY COME BACK AFTER THE FACT SAYING, "HEY, WE NEED SOME MORE BECAUSE WE ALREADY GUARANTEED EMPLOYEES THIS." IT'S BEEN A PERPETUAL CHANGING DYNAMIC FOR DECADES.
BUT TO AARON'S POINT HERE WHEN IT COMES TIME, THEY PUT MORE ON THE LOCAL BACKS THAN THEIR BACKS.
>> I HOPE IT ISN'T A COMMON OCCURRENCE THAT WE HAVE [INAUDIBLE] INCREASE IN OUR BUDGET BECAUSE [LAUGHTER] WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO IMPLEMENT BLUEPRINT IF THAT'S THE CASE.
WHICH BRINGS ME TO THE NEXT LINE, LINE NUMBER 18.
IT'S AN EXISTING POSITION THAT WE HAVE, OUR MENTAL HEALTH COORDINATOR.
IT'S BLUEPRINT FUNDING THAT HAS BEEN REDIRECTED.
WHEN I EXPLAINED EARLIER THAT OUR STATE REVENUE WENT UP BECAUSE SOME OF IT USED TO BE ACCOUNTED FOR IN GRANTS AND NOW IT'S BEEN ROLLED INTO PART OF OUR UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET.
THIS POSITION THAT WERE REQUIRED BY LAW IS NO LONGER GRANT FUNDED, IT'S NOW PART OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET FOR UNRESTRICTED OPERATING BUDGET.
>> TECHNICALLY, THEY'RE GIVING US THE MONEY FOR IT, BUT THEY'RE GIVING IT TO US IN AN UNRESTRICTED BUCKET, WHERE BEFORE THERE WAS, LITERALLY, HERE'S 83,333 TO USE FOR THIS POSITION.
IT'S NOT NEW MONEY, IT'S NOT OLD MONEY, IT'S JUST THEY TOOK OLD MONEY, PUT IT IN A NEW BUCKET AND TOLD YOU, AND YOU STILL GOT TO USE THAT MONEY FOR THAT AND I'M NOT\ [OVERLAPPING]
>> ALREADY THIS HAS BEEN AWESOME WE STILL HAVE TO DO WITH.
>> APPROPRIATE FUNDING TO THAT POSITION.
HOPEFULLY, IN THE LONG RUN, IT'LL BE A LITTLE EASIER PAPERWORK WISE BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE TO FOLLOW THE REPORTS.
MAYBE IT WILL STREAMLINE THINGS A LITTLE BIT.
>> YES. MS. GALLOWAY HAS BEEN IN THAT POSITION FOR US SINCE WE STARTED. YEAH.
>> THAT'S THE EXACT AMOUNT OF GRANT FUNDING THAT WAS COMING IN, 83,333 IS WHAT WE'VE BEEN GETTING FOR THREE YEARS NOW.
>> THREE YEARS SOMETHING. YES.
PLEASE STOP ME AT ANY POINT IN TIME IF YOU GUYS WANT TO DISCUSS PRIORITIES AND WHERE THINGS FALL ON THE LIST OF ADDITIONS.
I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS STILL THE WORLD'S NUMBER 1 PRIORITY [INAUDIBLE] FOR ALL EMPLOYEES.
WE ALSO HAVE TO BUDGET FOR WORKERS COMP AND FICA ASSOCIATED WITH THE SALARIES.
IT WENT DOWN A MILLION DOLLARS FROM FEBRUARY.
>> THAT'S BECAUSE BASED ON THE LOWER MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT, WE HAVE LESS FUNDING COMING IN THAN WE ORIGINALLY THOUGHT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THIS IS THE PLACEHOLDER REMEMBER TOO, JUST DROPPING.
>> YEAH. THE NEXT QUESTION THAT I WAS GOING TO ASK WHEN YOU WERE DONE, ABOUT PLACEHOLDERS.
>> THIS ONE'S A PLACEHOLDER NEGOTIATIONS WERE STILL GOING ON.
>> WE'RE STILL VERY EARLY IN THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS.
>> YEAH. THE NUMBER OF TRULY IS OF STATE PLACEHOLDER DEPENDING ON HOW NEGOTIATIONS IS.
>> EXPLAIN, PLACEHOLDER TO ME.
I GET IT, BUT THEN, HERE LET ME LOOK MY WHOLE LOGIC. OKAY?
>> IF WE TALK ABOUT PLACEHOLDERS AND I GET IT,
[00:40:03]
BUT THEN, YOU SAID WE HAVE TO MOVE MONEY AROUND SOMETIMES AND I GET WHEN WE HAVE TO MOVE.FUEL COSTS GO UP, WE'VE GOT TO PAY FEW COSTS, I GET THAT.
BUT THEN THERE'S SOMETIMES WE HIRE THIS POSITION OR THAT POSITION AND IT WASN'T IN THE BUDGET.
IS THERE A GUIDELINE FOR WHEN YOU START MOVING THINGS AROUND, WHEN YOU ADD A POSITION THAT WASN'T THERE, HOW FLUID IS THE BUDGET THAT WE APPROVED?
>> SOME POSITIONS ARE ADDED THROUGH GRANTS.
[OVERLAPPING] INCLUDING POSITION THAT WE ADDED IN HUMAN RESOURCES.
BECAUSE I'VE HEARD PEOPLE SAY, HOW DID YOU GET THAT THERE, HOW DID THAT GET ADDED TO THE BUDGET? THAT TRULY IS GRANT FUNDING THAT WE HAD TO SUBMIT FOR AND GET APPROVED, AND WE DID NOT HIRE FOR THAT POSITION UNTIL THE GRANT HAVE BEEN APPROVED AND THAT POSITION HAS BEEN APPROVED.
>> WE HAVE HAD SCENARIOS BEFORE WHERE WE NEED TO ADD A STAFF AND POSITION CAUSE WE HAVE AN INFLUX OF KIDS.
THEN WE'RE LOOKING AT A STAFFING POSITION, BUT REALLY WHAT THAT COMES DOWN TO IS WE HAVE TO SIT DOWN AND LOOK TO SEE WHAT LINE ITEMS WE MAY OVERRUN ON OR UNDER RUN, OR WHERE DO WE BUILD IN FOR, SAY, WE'RE ANTICIPATING FUEL COSTS HERE, BUT WE THINK WE SHOT HIGH.
THEN HOW DO WE CREATE THE SPACE WE NEED TO BE ABLE TO ADD THAT EXTRA TEACHING POSITION BECAUSE WE'VE GOT AN INFLUX OF KIDS SOMEWHERE.
WE TRY NOT TO BE SO TIGHT WITH THE BUDGET THAT YOU CAN'T INCUR THAT WHEN IT COMES UP, BUT WE ALSO ARE TRYING TO BE RESTRICTIVE ENOUGH THAT WE'RE TRYING TO BE AS ACCURATE AS WE CAN IN THE CATEGORIES MAY COME IN TO KNOW TRULY WHAT, WHERE WE ARE.
IN EACH LINE THAT HAD BEEN TRIED TO HIT EXACTLY WHERE WE ARE, THAT'S WHY WE LOOK AT MULTIPLE YEARS OF BUDGETS TO TRY TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THAT LINE ITEM IS GOING TO FALL.
GOES INTO A LOT OF WORK WHERE AARON'S PUTTING IN, IN TERMS OF TRUING THINGS UP IN MULTIPLE CATEGORIES.
WE TRY TO GET AS CLOSE TO ACCURATE AS POSSIBLE, IN MOST OF THOSE AREAS.
>> THERE IS SOME FLUIDITY IN IT.
>> YES. IN A 90 OR WHEREVER IT IS, $80 BILLION BUDGET, THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME.
BECAUSE WE'VE GOT TO BE ABLE TO ACCOUNT FOR, IF WE HAVE THOSE, IN SOME OF OUR MAINTENANCE RELATED BUDGET ISSUES.
IF WE END UP HAVING NOW A ROOF, WE'VE GOT INSURANCE THAT WE HAVE THINGS TO TAKE CARE OF ROOF TYPE ISSUES.
TYPICALLY, WE HAVE PROCESSES TO GO THROUGH FOR THAT.
BUT IF WE WERE TO HAVE, SAY, A MAJOR PLUMBING ISSUE, PIPE BREAKAGE ISSUE, IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S COVERED, BUT IT RESULTS IN US HAVING TO GO AND DO SOME EXTENSIVE PLUMBING, WE'VE GOT TO HAVE THE WIGGLE ROOM.
WE HAVE TO FIND THAT WITHOUT HAVING TO GO TO SAY HITTING FUND BALANCE, WITHOUT IT BEING SOMETHING BIG ENOUGH THAT'S WORTHY OF REALLY TOUCHING FUND BALANCE FOR A BIG PROJECT.
>> NOT JUST STALL IN THERE, TO AARON, I GOT TWO POINTS.
I GUESS ONE IS, JUST ROUGH OFF TOP OF YOUR HEAD, NOT IRONING IT OUT, BUT WE'RE USUALLY KNOCK ON WOOD, [NOISE] BEEN LUCKY WITH NO MAJOR CATASTROPHES.
SAY AN $80 MILLION BUDGET CLOSELY, IT'S 70 THERE.
[OVERLAPPING] OVER THAT NOW, BUT IT WAS LAST, NOW IT'S GROWING, IT'S OVER $80 MILLION DOLLARS.
WE'RE USUALLY, TYPICALLY AT THE END OF THE YEAR, THAT'S EXCESS OF 300, 400, 500 SOMETIMES 600, BUT LAST [OVERLAPPING] I MEAN, IT RANGES BETWEEN 300 - 600.
>> I MEAN, OVER THE DECADE I'VE BEEN HERE.
WELL, THAT'S A HALF A PERCENT, [OVERLAPPING] I'M JUST SAYING THAT, A HALF PERCENT OF AN $80 MILLION BUDGET, WHICH IS CRAZY.
IT'S A LOT OF MONEY, BUT NOT REALLY.
BUT WHEN YOU GET IN A JAM AND YOU SEE A WORKLOAD ISSUE FOR WHETHER IT'S A $100 THOUSAND ADMINISTRATOR OR A $60 THOUSAND TEACHER POSITION, IT'S FLUID, NOT IN CONTINUING ALL THE INDIVIDUAL LINE ITEMS. IN AN EMERGENCY, WHEN LEADERSHIP DECIDES YOU NEED THIS, AND THEN EVEN IF IT WAS TIGHTER THAN THAT, WE'RE LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE IN A COUNTY THAT WE ALSO HAVE A RAINY DAY FUND THAT CAN BRIDGE US FOR SHORT-TERM PRIORITIES.
>> NOW THAT YOU HERE, SHORT-TERM, ONETIME [OVERLAPPING] COSTS REALLY ARE THE FISCALLY, THAT'S WHAT IT SHOULD BE HIT FOR IS ONETIME COSTS THAT ARE BIG, THAT WE CAN'T WORK THE BUDGET.
THINGS THAT NEED TO BE TAKEN CARED OF THAT WAY, YOU TRY TO DO IT THROUGH THAT PROCESS, BUT YES.
>> BUT IF IT WASN'T [NOISE] BUDGETED AND THEY'RE JUST TOO TIGHT THAT YEAR TO HIT IT, YOU COULD HIT IT AND THEN BUDGETED THE NEXT YEAR.
IF IT'S IN THERE, YOU COULD GET IT.
>> IN ONE OF THE THINGS THAT AARON AND I BEEN BEEN TALKING ABOUT A LOT THIS YEAR, TALKING ABOUT WITH WC [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL AS REALLY, IF WE'VE GOT A NEW SOFTWARE PLATFORM WHICH IS WORKING VERY WELL ON BUILDING INTO WORKING EVEN BETTER ON POSITION CONTROL, THINGS ALONG THOSE LINES OF, WE HAVE A LOT OF CONVERSATIONS AROUND THE FACT THAT RECURRING BUDGET EXPENSES.
[00:45:04]
IT'S NOT SAYING OUR BOARD DOESN'T UNDERSTAND.I THINK THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT PART VERY WELL.
I THINK WE'LL HAVE TIMES FOLKS WHO AREN'T IMMERSED IN BUDGETING AT TIMES, NOT THAT YOU HAVE TO BE A BUDGET WIZARD.
IT'S A STRUGGLE WHEN YOU HEAR THAT WE GET AN INFLUX OF MONEY FROM A POD OF PHONES LIKE [INAUDIBLE] OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
THEY'RE GREAT, EXCEPT FOR, IT'S LIKE WINNING THE LOTTERY.
YOU GOT TO BUY SOMETHING WITH IT ON THAT ONETIME EXPENSE OR YOU HAD A BIG WINDFALL SOMEWHERE, YOU CAN BUY SOMETHING WITH IT.
BUT YOU CAN'T PUT YOURSELF INTO SOMETHING THAT'S GOING TO BE A RECURRING COSTS YOU CAN'T AFFORD TWO, THREE YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
THAT'S THE WAY THAT WE ALSO HAVE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THINGS LIKE POSITION CONTROL.
WHAT ARE WE LOCKING OURSELVES INTO IN TERMS OF OUR UTILIZATION OF STAFF, AND YOU CAN SEE THAT IN OUR REDUCTIONS COMPONENT IN LINE 1, OF US LOOKING AT RE-DESIGNING AND RE-UTILIZING POSITIONS, BECAUSE 85 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET IS PERSONNEL.
THAT'S THE PART WE'VE GOT TO REALLY FOCUS IN THE MOST, OF HOW ARE WE UTILIZING THAT BEST, MAKING THE BEST USE OF THE FUNDS, BEST USE OF PEOPLE, BECAUSE THOSE ARE RECURRING COSTS.
WHEN WE GET HIT WITH [NOISE] AN INCREASE TO THE TEACHER PENSION SHARE, NOT ONLY ARE BEING HIT WITH A SALARY, WE GET A COST OF DOING BUSINESS THINGS START GOING UP BECAUSE OF OUR RECURRENT COSTS PIECE GOING UP.
WE'VE GOT TO REALLY LOOK AT THAT WHEN WE'RE LOOKING AT THOSE EXPENSES AND WE'RE ADDING THINGS.
ARE THEY THINGS THAT WE'RE INCREASING, SAY, IF WE INCREASE TEXTBOOKS, THAT'S NOT A RECURRING, YOU BUY AT ONE TIME IT'S DONE.
BUT IF WE'RE INCREASING THAT ADD STAFFING, THAT'S A YEAR-OVER-YEAR EXPENSE.
WE HAVE TO FACTOR IN PLUS INCREASES, PLUS EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT.
ITS JUST THAT CHALLENGE THAT WE'VE GOT TO CONTINUE TO LOOK AT, TO AVOID THOSE PITFALLS.
>> YOU'VE PROBABLY HAD TO FOLLOW. YOU WERE GOING SOMEWHERE WITH THE FLUIDITY OF THE BUDGET AND HOW WE GOT FROM 2.3 TO1.3 PROBABLY.
>> THAT WAS NOT PART OF IT, TO ME THAT'S A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
YOU SAID, WHEN YOU CAME UP WITH WITH THE 23-
>> I CAN EXPLAIN IT, BUT I DON'T THINK I CAN BECAUSE IT'S A NEGOTIATED LINE ITEM.
>> YEAH. WE COULD PROBABLY FURTHER EXPLAIN IT IN CLOSED SESSION IN TERMS OF THE TRUE DETAILS OF WHAT THAT WOULD REPRESENT.
>> MAIN THING OVER ANOTHER, LIKE THE [NOISE] $1.3 MILLION, IT IS MORE ACCURATE NOW?
>> BASED ON THE FUNDING STREAM THAT IS COMING IN.
>> YES. AS TO THE LAST TIME WE MET, IF WE LOOK AT JUST EVEN THE RED, [NOISE], WE'VE INCREASED THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS BY A LITTLE OVER FOUR OR BY CLOSE TO $500 THOUSAND.
THERE'S A HALF MIL THAT WE THOUGHT WE HAD, AND LOST.
SO TAKING THAT DIRECTLY OFF, WE'RE ASSUMING THE BOARD'S NUMBER 1 PRIORITY, IS STILL GOING TO BE EMPLOYEE COMPENSATION.
>> IT'S GOING TO COME FROM SOMEWHERE.
>> THAT'S MAXIMIZING WHAT WE HAVE GIVEN SCENARIO 1, WHICH IS THE LOWER MAINTENANCE COVER AMOUNT.
THAT'S MAXIMIZING EVERYTHING WE HAVE OUT OF THE COST OF DOING BUSINESS PUTTING IN AS THE SALARY AGAINST THIS.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT WAS JUST A BIG NUMBER.
>> [LAUGHTER] WE WEREN'T EXPECTING THE NUMBERS TO DROP LIKE THAT.
THE PLACEHOLDER THING, I'M HAVING A HARD TIME ON MY MIND WRAPPING AROUND THAT.
>> WE CAN LEAVE IT AS A BLANK.
I THINK WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE.
IF WE LEAVE IT AS A BLANK, IT GIVES FALSE HOPE A LOT OF THINGS BELOW THAT MAY END UP BEING FUNDED HENCE THE SALARY IS GOING TO BE WHAT TAKES THE MOST OUT OF THIS.
THAT TRULY REPRESENTS JUST US WITH AN ASSUMPTION OF IF WE COULD GIVE X NUMBER OF WHETHER IT'S A PERCENTAGE OR AN INCREMENT PLUS A PERCENTAGE, A BALLPARK OF WHERE THAT MAY FALL, IT JUST HELPS US IN TERMS OF WHAT MAY BE A REALISTIC NUMBER.
IT MAY NOT BE FOR NEGOTIATIONS.
IT COULD BE HIGHER, IT COULD BE LOWER.
BUT IT'S OUR BEST REPRESENTATION AT THAT TIME.
WE'VE KEPT THE SAME NUMBER ACROSS MOST BUDGETS, BOTH SCENARIO 1 AND SCENARIO 2 BECAUSE WE DON'T KNOW WHICH SCENARIO IS ACCURATE TO KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WE'RE TRULY GOING TO HAVE TO PUT THAT WAY.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IF WE DO HAVE A SCENARIO 2 WITH MORE REVENUE COMING IN, IT WOULD BE THE BOARD'S DETERMINATION.
DO WE INCREASE ONE ITEM [INAUDIBLE] OUR ENHANCEMENTS TO, GIVE MORE TO OUR EMPLOYEES AND OTHER ITEMS WILL DROP BELOW THE LINE.
>> YEAH. THAT COMES TO THE NEGOTIATIONS PROCESS.
>> IT'S A FACTOR OF TWO THINGS. TELL ME IF THIS IS WRONG.
IT'S A FACTOR OF THE NEGOTIATION PROCESS AND THE MONEY AVAILABLE? [BACKGROUND] IT'LL DROP BECAUSE THE MONEY IS AVAILABLE ISN'T THERE.
THE PLACEHOLDER THING, CORRECT ME IF THIS IS WRONG, A COMPARABLE.
[00:50:03]
WE'RE PLANNING A TRIP TO CALIFORNIA AND WE'RE DRIVING.FOR YOUR BUDGET FOR YOUR TRIP, YOU'RE GUESSTIMATING HOW MUCH YOUR FUEL WILL COST, HOW MUCH YOUR FOOD WILL COST, AND VARIOUS THINGS.
FUEL, YOU CREATE A PLACEHOLDER.
HERE'S HOW MUCH WE'RE GOING TO HAVE FOR GAS FOR OUR VEHICLE THAT GETS 10 MILES TO THE GALLON.
OH, THAT JUST CHANGED IN THE LAST 30 DAYS.
THEY'VE JUST CHANGED IN THE LAST YEAR.
PLACEHOLDER IS, THIS IS WHAT I'M ESTIMATING FOR MY VACATION BUDGET FOR FUEL, PLACEHOLDER AND THEN WHEN WE ACTUALLY GET TO THE DAY, YOU MAY HAVE TO EAT FAST FOOD INSTEAD OF RESTAURANTS BECAUSE YOU DON'T HAVE THE MONEY FOR FOOD THAT YOU THOUGHT YOU HAD.
>> TURN AROUND AT THE CALIFORNIA LINE.
>> YOU DON'T MEAN THAT. [LAUGHTER] GO TO MISSOURI INSTEAD.
>> LOOKING AT PRIORITY-WISE, IF WE LOOK AT SCENARIO 1 AND I'M NOT A PESSIMISTIC PERSON BY ANY MEANS.
BUT IF I'M LOOKING AT BUDGET-WISE, LET'S START WITH THE ONE THAT LOOKS SMALLER AND PREPARE FOR THE WORST SCENARIO.
IF NOT, THEN WE CAN BE HAPPY IF MSD ENDS UP BEING RIGHT.
BUT TO START THERE, AND WHERE WE HAVE THE LINE DRAWN IS AGAIN, BASED ON WHAT WE HAD SHARED WITH THE BOARD PRIOR TO AGAIN, APPRECIATE YOUR PERSPECTIVE AS WELL IN TERMS OF THE ORGANIZATION AND STRUCTURE OF THE ADDITIONS, SALARY ENHANCEMENTS, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.
SUPERVISOR SPECIAL EDUCATION, WE HAVE TO INCLUDE THAT, AND THE BUDGET IS REQUIRED BY LAW RIGHT NOW AT THE INTERIM POSITION.
THAT'S BEING FUNDED THROUGH BASICALLY UNSPENT SALARY ON THE DIRECTOR OF STUDENT SERVICES POSITION BEING OPEN.
THAT'S HELPING TO OFFSET THAT NOW.
BUT REGARDLESS, THAT POSITION NEEDS TO COME BACK IN AS A PIN POSITION IN THE BUDGET DEPENDING ON WHERE THINGS GO, BOARD-WISE.
BUT THAT'S GOT TO COME BACK IN LEGISLATIVELY.
LEGALLY, IT'S GOT TO BE THERE, SO WE NEED TO ADD THAT BACK IN AS A POSITION.
THE BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATOR IS UNFUNDED MANDATED POSITION IS THERE.
IT IS WAY TOO INTENSIVE WORK AND WE'LL BE GOING INTO NEXT YEAR SEEING AS THIS TIMELINE REALLY PICKS UP.
WE CONTRACT WITH SOMEONE NOW WHO'S DOING A GREAT JOB TO BRIDGE THE WORK IN.
IT'S NOT QUITE FULL-TIME WORK THIS YEAR AS WE'RE TRYING TO BRIDGE THIS GAP, BUT AS IT GOES INTO IMPLEMENTATION, IT IS DEFINITELY FULL-TIME, 100 PERCENT, THE WORK'S THERE AND IT'S NOT SUSTAINABLE IN THE MODEL WE HAVE.
>> THE ALTERNATIVE IS TO TAKE SOMEBODY WHO'S ON YOUR STAFF.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT WOULD HAVE TO GO TO THEM.
>> THEN WHATEVER THEY'RE DOING NOW, LET THEM HAVE IT.
[OVERLAPPING] AARON COULD DO THAT [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER]
>> I WANTED TO COME BACK TOMORROW, MR. BARTON.
LET'S NOT SUGGEST AARON TAKE THAT ROLE [OVERLAPPING]
>> ASSUMING I HAVE TO DO ANOTHER ROLE.
>> SOME SYSTEMS LOOK AT THAT INITIAL [OVERLAPPING].
>> LET ME JOIN THE NUMBER CRUNCHING.
>> YEAH. SOME SYSTEMS LOOKED INITIALLY AT CAN THIS BE ABSORBED BY OTHERS.
IN A TRANSITION YEAR LIKE THIS, SOME HAVE TRIED.
BUT IN ALL REALITY, ONCE IT KICKS OFF, IT'S WAY TOO INTENSE IN TERMS OF PLANNING, RECORDING, AND EVERY OTHER COMPONENT THAT GOES IN. [OVERLAPPING]
>> IT'S AN UNFUNDED MANDATE, BUT IT'S A MANDATE NONETHELESS.
>> WELL, ONE THAT YOU WANT TO DO PROPERLY.
>> YES. IT'S OUR 10-YEAR PLAN.
>> WHEN PEOPLE LOOK AT THIS AND LOOK AT THESE NUMBERS, IN SOME CASES, A POSITION WOULD BE SALARY AND BENEFITS, CORRECT? IS IT THE TOTAL COST OF JUST SALARY?
>> [OVERLAPPING] THE 80,000 YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? [OVERLAPPING].
>> SALARY. [OVERLAPPING] JUST SALARY.
>> THE BLUEPRINT IMPLEMENTATION COORDINATOR, IS THAT A CONTRACT?
>> THAT'S A SALARIED FULL-TIME POSITION.
>> THEN, OF COURSE, THE GRANTS ACCOUNT WHICH AARON HAS DESCRIBED TO THE BOARD BEFORE, THE WAY THAT WE'D BE LOOKING AT FUNDING THAT POSITION, WHICH IS WE CAN PULL SO MUCH INDIRECT COST OFF OF GRANTS AND WE BELIEVE WE CAN FUND AT LEAST 75 PERCENT OF THIS POSITION CHARGING IT TO THE GRANTS WE ALREADY HAVE.
>> WE CAN FIND SOMEBODY TO DO THAT FOR 17,000?
>> THAT'S 25 PERCENT OF THE COST OF THE POSITION.
WE ONLY NEED THE CHARGE [OVERLAPPING]
>> WE ONLY NEED TO ABSORB A QUARTER.
>> WE ONLY NEED TO BILL 17,000 INTO THE BUDGET.
>> [OVERLAPPING] GREAT WAY AND USE SOMEBODY ELSE'S MONEY TO PAY FOR IT, WHICH IS REALLY GOOD, AND THEY GET SUSTAINABLE AS WELL.
>> BUT AS YOU CAN SEE THAT LINE ITEM'S HIGHLIGHTED IN ORANGE BECAUSE IT FALLS THE LINE.
>> THINGS WILL CHANGE AS THE REVENUE NUMBERS, WE FIND OUT WHERE WE'RE GOING WITH THAT AND ALSO THE HEALTH INSURANCE RATE.
THEN IF SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES, BASED UPON THE BOARD'S RECOMMENDATION, THE LINE WILL CHANGE.
>> LIKE I HAD DONE THE NOTE, OBVIOUSLY, IT'S MOVING THE TEACHER SCHOLARSHIP POSITION BACK ABOVE THE LINE.
THAT WOULD MOVE UP HIGHER ON THAT LIST SO WE COULD DO THAT, OBVIOUSLY.
[00:55:02]
>> THEN YOU HAVE LIKE LOGISTIC SUPERVISOR OF SPECIAL EDUCATION, 90,000, JUST THE SALARY?
>> WHERE HAVE YOU ACCOUNTED FOR THE BENEFITS BECAUSE THAT'S NOT CHUMP CHANGE?
>> GOOD QUESTION. THIS IS THE WAY IT'S ALWAYS BEEN DONE.
ONCE WE DETERMINE WHICH POSITIONS FALL ABOVE THE LINE, GO AHEAD AND ADD THE BENEFITS IN AT THAT POINT IN TIME, I THINK KNOWING WHAT I KNOW NOW GOING FORWARD, I WILL GO AHEAD AND ADD THE BENEFITS FOR EVERY POSITION, TO BEGIN WITH, AND GIVE THE WHOLE DOLLAR AMOUNT IN THE BEGINNING.
>> [OVERLAPPING] LET'S SAY INSTEAD OF 90, IT WOULD SAY 100?
>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA.
>> IT'S JUST A BUDGETING PRACTICE WE HAVE NOT DONE THAT WE NEED TO [OVERLAPPING]
>> THIS IS THE WAY IT WAS ALWAYS DONE AND [OVERLAPPING]
>> BUT I THINK FOR COMMUNICATION PURPOSES AND FOR EVERYBODY THAT IT WOULD BE [OVERLAPPING] THE TOTAL NUMBER.
>> YEAH. WELL, IS THAT NUMBER REFLECTED NOW IN YOUR TOTAL? HEALTHCARE IS GOING TO BE THE BIGGEST CHUNK OF THOSE.
WOULD THAT BE IN YOUR TOTAL BUDGET IN HEALTHCARE CURRENTLY? IN OTHER WORDS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO HAVE TO CUT SOMETHING OUT IN ORDER TO COVER THOSE BENEFITS.
YOU'VE ALREADY ACCOUNTED FOR IT SOMEWHERE.
>> IN THE CURRENT SCENARIO, YES, BECAUSE WE HAVE AN INTERIM PERSON IN THAT ROLE. [OVERLAPPING]
>> YEAH. IT'S STILL A PLACEHOLDER, BUT IN THE END [OVERLAPPING] YOU DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR HEALTHCARE COSTS ARE GOING TO BE.
>> EXACTLY. THAT CAN VARY DEPENDING ON IF THEY'RE AN INDIVIDUAL OR A FAMILY.
>> ANOTHER WAY OF SAYING PLACEHOLDER IS NOT BEING [INAUDIBLE] IS BEST PROFESSIONAL ESTIMATE.
YOU KNOW HOW TO PUT UP WITH THESE ESTIMATES AND YOU JUST ARE MAKING YOUR BEST SHOT AT IT. [OVERLAPPING]
>> I THINK I'M UNDERSTANDING IT A LITTLE BETTER.
>> BUT THERE'S SO MUCH [OVERLAPPING]
>> AARON, CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG TOO BECAUSE EVERY LINE ITEM IS DIFFERENT, EVERY REVENUE SOURCE IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY DAY, LEST NOT EVERY YEAR IS DIFFERENT.
BUT WE'RE SAYING SOME OF THESE POSITIONS, $80,000 OR 8,333, THAT IS THE POSITION, THAT'S THE SALARY.
IT'S CONFUSING, BUT IT'S JUST THE WAY IT IS THOUGH, BUT WHEN WE SEE TEACHERS AND WE'VE ALWAYS SEEN TEACHERS MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, $60,000, THAT'S NOT THE SALARY.
BECAUSE IF YOU HIRE STARTING TEACHERS AT 48.
IT COULD BE 58 IF YOU HIRE SOMEBODY FROM ANOTHER COUNTY AND OVER A 10-YEAR PERIOD OF EXPERIENCE AND AVERAGES, SOMEBODY'S COME UP, WELL, WHEN WE'RE BUDGETING, WE'RE JUST GOING TO PUT 60 IN.
SOMETIMES YOU SAVE 10 GRAND, SOMETIMES YOU MIGHT BE TWO GRAND OVER OR WHATEVER.
[LAUGHTER] [OVERLAPPING] IT'S NUMBERS, AND I DON'T DO NUMBERS, BUT THERE'S ALSO SOME ART TO IT.
THERE'S ALSO SOME AVERAGES AND GRAY AREAS.
BUT THE BOTTOM LINE IS THE BOTTOM LINE AT THE END OF THE DAY AND I'D RATHER BE $400,000 TO THE GOOD AT THE END OF THE YEAR THAN $400,000 TO THE BAD AND HAVE TO BE CALLING THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OR SOMEBODY.
>> WE'RE SAYING WE NEED TO HIT FUND BALANCE TO JUST MAKE IT THROUGH THE LAST MONTH OF SCHOOL?
>> RIGHT. WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A COUPLE OF POSITIONS WHERE THAT WAS THE SALARY AND I WAS PRETTY SURE THAT THE 60 A TEACHER ISN'T ALWAYS THE DOLLAR FIGURE.
>> THEN FROM THE BOARD'S PERSPECTIVE, THAT'S HOW YOU GET THINGS LIKE SALARY LAPSE.
AARON DESCRIBED THAT IN AN EARLIER SESSION.
WE DON'T BUDGET TRUE TO ACTUAL FOR EVERY SINGLE SALARY.
IT WOULD BE JUST WAY TOO HARD OF A MOVING TARGET TO HIT.
WHEN YOU HAVE SOMEBODY WITH MORE EXPERIENCE LEAVE AND YOU GET SOMEBODY THAT'S NOT AT THE SAME POINT, THAT'S A GAP, BUT THAT HELPS US WITH [OVERLAPPING]
>> THREE HUNDRED TO SIX HUNDRED THOUSAND MARK.
>> IT ALSO HELPS WITH THE FUEL COSTS RIGHT NOW.
>> THAT'S WHERE THAT [OVERLAPPING].
>> YOU'LL HEAR PEOPLE SAY, OH, IT'S A GUESSTIMATE.
NO, IT'S NOT. IT'S YOUR BEST PROFESSIONAL [INAUDIBLE].
SEE, YOU'RE NOT JUST GUESSING, YOU'RE TRYING TO COME UP WITH THE ESTIMATE TO THE BEST OF YOUR ABILITY AND THERE'S SOME MOVING TARGETS THERE.
YOUR ESTIMATE IS BETTER THAN SOMEBODY WHO IS NOT STUDYING.
IF YOU CAN PREDICT THE FUEL COST IN JUNE, I WANT TO KNOW WHAT THE WINNING LOTTERY NUMBERS ARE GOING TO BE, [LAUGHTER] BUT YOU CAN ONLY DO YOUR BEST.
THAT'S AGAIN, PART OF THAT PLACEHOLDER MENTALITY.
A BUDGET IS A PLAN, NOT SOMETHING THAT IS WRITTEN, NOT TATTOOED ON US.
IT'S A PLAN THAT YOU HAVE TO ADJUST AS YOU DO FOR THE YEAR.
WHEN YOU CREATE THIS IT'S PRETTY FLUID.
YOU COULD TRY TO MINIMIZE THE FLUIDITY OF IT, BUT THAT'S MY UNDERSTANDING OF IT.
>> IT IS A LIVING BREATHING DOCUMENT EVERY SINGLE DAY.
[01:00:02]
IT'S NOT STAGNANT BY ANY MEANS. [OVERLAPPING]>> IT SOMETIMES NAMES ASSISTANCE BREATHING.
>> IT NEEDS TENDER CARE ALL THE TIME [LAUGHTER].
>> THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER SEEN TWO OPTIONS THIS LATE IN THE GAME.
THERE IS A DEFINITE SPLIT BETWEEN THE TWO AND RIGHT NOW I DON'T KNOW IF WE'RE GOING TO NEED TO CALL A MEDIATOR OR WHAT.
END OF LAST WEEK, I THINK IT WAS, OR MAYBE IT WAS EARLY THIS WEEK, MSDE HAS GONE BACK AFTER RECEIVING WORD FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES HAD SAID THANK YOU, BUT NO, WE'RE RIGHT.
THE TWO SIDES SAYING THEY'RE RIGHT.
WE'LL HAVE AN ANSWER, [OVERLAPPING] WE JUST DON'T KNOW WHEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE IT.
I THINK LAST YEAR WE DIDN'T GET FINAL BUDGET NUMBERS AND IT WAS MORE BECAUSE OF COVID IMPACTS, BUT WE DIDN'T GET FINAL BUDGET NUMBERS TILL WAS IT END OF MAY? IT WAS LATE LAST YEAR..
>> [OVERLAPPING] IT WAS PRETTY LATE.
>> IT WAS REAL LATE LAST YEAR BECAUSE IT IMPACTED SPECIAL ED STAFFING PLAN WHICH THE BOARD HAD TO HEAR AT A WORK SESSION IN JUNE.
EVERYTHING WAS SO DELAYED BECAUSE OF THAT.
WE FEEL CONFIDENT IT'S GOING TO BE ONE OF THESE TWO.
LET'S JUST HOPE THEY CAN IRON OUT WHICH ONE IS GOING TO BE SOONER THAN LATER.
[NOISE] I'D LIKE TO HOPE IT'S THE HIGHER ONE, BUT I'M PREPARED FOR THE OTHER JUST IN CASE AND I WANT US TO BE PREPARED.
WE DON'T WANT TO WRITE CHECKS WE DON'T HAVE.
>> THE NCHS, AP, OR DEAN OF STUDENTS.
YOU HAVE 66 AND 85 THAT WAS GOING TO DEPEND ON IT IF IT WAS THE AP OR THE DEAN OF STUDENTS, IS THAT CORRECT?
>> HOW ARE YOU GOING TO DECIDE?
FUNDING. FUNDING IS A BIG PART OF IT [OVERLAPPING].
>> YEAH. PERSONALLY, I WOULD PREFER AN AP.
AN AP HAS MORE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY CAN ASSUME.
THEY CAN HELP WITH OBSERVATIONS.
THEY JUST HAVE MORE LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES, SO I'D PREFER THAT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] IF WE CAN AFFORD IT, WE'RE GOING AP.
>> THAT WOULD BE THE PREFERENCE AS LONG AS WE CAN AFFORD IT.
>> RIGHT. OKAY. IT MAKES SENSE.
>> WE'RE LOOKING FOR A REAL SOLUTION, NOT A TEMPORARY.
THEY'D BE HAPPY EITHER WAY, AND I TOTALLY GET THAT, BUT WE WANT TO MAXIMIZE THAT DOLLAR TO GET ONE OF THE BEST.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE OVER 1,300 KIDS PROBABLY FOR THE NEXT 3-4 YEARS, OR DARN CLOSE TO IT.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE BIG. THAT EXTRA SET OF HANDS WOULD BE REAL HELPFUL.
>> IT'S AMAZING. PEOPLE THAT AREN'T IN EDUCATION DON'T UNDERSTAND.
YOU ALLOCATE US 100 KIDS IN A BIG SCHOOL, THAT'S HUGE.
IT'S HARD TO UNDERSTAND UNLESS YOU'RE REALLY THERE WHAT THOSE 100, 150 STUDENTS ARE DOING.
IT'S LIKE IN A CLASSROOM, 25 OPPOSED TO 30 STUDENTS.
YOU GET AT THE 30, YOU'RE GETTING INTO CROWD CONTROL MORE THAN KNOWING YOUR STUDENTS AND REALLY REACHING THEM AND TEACHING THEM.
IT IS HUGE. BECAUSE IT USED TO BE AROUND 1,100.
>> YEAH. DOES THE BOARD HAVE ANY OTHER QUESTIONS OR CONSIDERATIONS FOR REORGANIZING OR RESTRUCTURING SOME OF THE OTHER LINE ITEMS THAT ARE FALLING BELOW THE LINE?
>> NO, I APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT WENT INTO BRINGING US TO SCENARIOS THAT ARE SO WELL ORGANIZED.
I MEAN, YOU'RE DOING THE BEST YOU CAN WITH WHAT YOU HAVE IS WHAT I THINK.
>> FEEL A LITTLE BIT LIKE WE'RE BACK IN COLLEGE AND WE'RE SITTING HERE LOOKING, GOING, OKAY.
>> I DON'T KNOW WHAT ELSE [OVERLAPPING]
>> I'D LOVE TO HAVE THIS, BUT [OVERLAPPING]
>> I BETTER GO TO THE FOOD I CAN AFFORD RIGHT NOW.
EVERY ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT GET ADDED IN AND THEY TRULY ARE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THEY ALL LOOK LIKE THEY NEED IT.
>> THAT GET ADDED AT ONE SCENARIO AND CUT OUT ON THE OTHER SCENARIO, YOU CAN MAKE A CASE FOR EVERY ONE OF THEM.
I LOOKED AT THE MAINTENANCE COORDINATOR AND I KNOW THERE ARE VERY FEW PEOPLE IN THAT GROUP AND THEY LOST SOME PEOPLE UNTIL YOU LOSE INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE, AND IT'S REALLY GOOD TO BUILD UP YOUR TEAM.
IT'S JUST SUCH A BIG INFRASTRUCTURE.
IT'S JUST SUCH A SHAME TO SEE SOMETHING SO IMPORTANT LIKE THAT DROPOUT, BUT WHAT'S THE ALTERNATIVE? THERE'S A WHOLE LOT OF THINGS THERE THAT YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE DROP OUT BECAUSE THEY ARE SO SHORT OF STAFF AND SHORTER PEOPLE.
WELL, WHAT CAN YOU DO? LET'S HOPE FOR THE HIGHER NUMBER.
>> I APPRECIATE YOU EXPLAINING IT BECAUSE WHEN YOU SAID THAT'S HOW IT USED TO BE DONE, I LIKE THE FACT THAT YOU'RE THINKING ABOUT TALKING TO PEOPLE LIKE I SAID,
[01:05:03]
WE'RE NOT NUMBERS PEOPLE AND MAKING IT MORE TRANSPARENT AND UNDERSTANDABLE.I JUST TRULY APPRECIATE THAT, SO THANK YOU.
>> I'M ALWAYS OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS.
>> I THINK THAT'S A GOOD IDEA, LOOKING AHEAD TO PRESENT IT AS IT REALLY WILL BE.
THAT'LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR US.
I THINK IT'LL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE FOR THE PUBLIC.
>> IF THE BOARD HAS NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE BUDGET, THE NEXT STEP OBVIOUSLY WILL BE BRINGING TO YOU EACH BOARD MEETING.
FROM HERE ON AND OUT UNTIL WE'RE READY TO APPROVE IT ONCE WE GET THE FINAL NUMBER EVEN BEFORE THE BOARD MEETING, IT'LL BE IN THE UPDATES SAYING, HEY, THIS SIDE WON OR WHATEVER.
BUT WE'LL MAKE SURE THE BOARD'S AWARE OF WHERE THAT IS.
EACH BOARD MEETING, THERE'LL BE AN UPDATE AND A CHANCE TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK IN TERMS OF WHERE IT IS.
EVEN IF THERE'S NO CHANGE, IT'LL STILL BE ON THE AGENDA TO JUST SAY, HEY, HERE IS.
THERE'S NO CHANGE, BUT HERE'S WHERE IT SITS JUST SO IT STAYS AT THE FOREFRONT UNTIL WE GET EVERYTHING FINALIZED.
>> [OVERLAPPING] I FEEL A LOT MORE COMFORTABLE WITH IT THIS YEAR THAN I DID LAST YEAR.
I DID NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE AT ALL WITH IT LAST YEAR.
>> [OVERLAPPING] UNDERSTAND THE NUMBER AND WHAT THEY MEAN.
>> JUMPED IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
IT WAS A LOT TO DIGEST, DEFINITELY.
BOARD MEMBERS HEARING NO OTHER COMMENTS ON THE BUDGET,
[3. Upcoming Meetings/Events]
WE'VE GONE TO UPCOMING MEETINGS, AND THERE'S A LIST HERE ON THE BOARD DOCS.>> THAT TELL ME MORE AND MORE WILL BE ADDED I'M SURE, AND AS THE BOARD ASKED LAST MONTH, RACHEL SETUP THE GOOGLE SHEET FOR THOSE WHO DO WANT TO GO IN AND MAP WHO'S COVERING WHAT EVENTS, WE CAN RESEND THAT LINK OUT AFTER THE BOARD MEETING IF NEED BE.
>> BUT IT IS THERE AND IT DOES HELP IF YOU'RE TRYING TO KEEP TRACK OF WHO'S GOING WHAT TO WHAT.
>> IS THE TRACTOR DAY ON HERE?
>> TRACTOR DAY IS NOT BEEN ADDED YET BUT THERE IT IS.
>> YES. NEWS TO RACHEL, I GUESS, BUT WE DISCUSSED IT AND I APPRECIATE THE BOARDS FLEXIBILITY.
RACHEL, WE AND [LAUGHTER] TO THE PUBLIC WE ARE MOVING OUR BOARD MEETINGS FOR THE NEXT THREE.
THE APRIL 5TH BOARD MEETING WILL NOW BE APRIL 6TH, THE APRIL 19TH WORK SESSION, WILL NOW BE APRIL 20TH, EXCUSE ME.
THE APRIL 6TH BOARD MEETING WILL START NORMALLY WITH A FIVE O'CLOCK CLOSED SESSION AND ENROLLING INTO OUR NORMAL BOARD MEETING ON THE 6TH.
ON THE 19TH WORK SESSION WILL BE PUSHED TO THE 20TH WITH A CLOSED SESSION FOR THE BOARD TO MEET WITH ME FROM 4:00 TO 6:00 AND THEN OUR NORMAL WORK SESSION FROM SIX ON THE 20TH OF APRIL.
THEN OUR MAY 3RD BOARD MEETING IS BEING MOVED TO MAY 4TH.
EVERYTHING ELSE BEING THE SAME.
>> THAT FIVE O'CLOCK CAN WAIT FOR.
I APPRECIATE THOSE LITTLE CHANGES TWEAKS.
[NOISE] THEN WE'RE GETTING SERIOUSLY CLOSE TO THE END OF THE YEAR ACTIVITIES: CONCERTS, GRADUATIONS, ETC.
>> I WANT TO GIVE HER THIS SPEAKER INFORMATION.
>> [NOISE] SPEAKERS FOR GRADUATION WILL BE MR NEWTON FOR CONVERSION HIGH SCHOOL AND MR. [INAUDIBLE] FOR CAROLINE HIGH SCHOOL.
THEY'VE GOT PLENTY OF TIME TO WORK ON WRITING THEIR SPEECHES.
[LAUGHTER] THERE'S NO CRYING IN SPEECHES.
>> FEEL FREE. I WAS SUPPOSED TO MENTIONED DR. SIMMONS EARLIER THAT LOOKS LIKE OUR TWO HIGH SCHOOLS ARE SENDING DELEGATIONS, SO TO SPEAK, TO THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS MARYLAND SCHOOL FUND TO CHANGE YOUR POINT ON MARCH 24TH.
THEY'RE GOING TO GET SPECIAL RECOGNITION FROM THE ANNOUNCER AT THAT EVENT, THERE'S THOUSANDS OF KIDS WHO GO INTO WATER THAT DAY.
>> THE ANNOUNCER IS YOURS TRULY.
[LAUGHTER] I MEAN YOU WILL SINGLE OUT CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND I PLAN TO DO IT.
THEY GIVE ME A SCRIPT, BUT I GET TO VARY JUST A LITTLE BIT.
THERE'S AT LEAST ONE STUDENT THAT I'VE WRITTEN HERE, I'M GOING TO CALL HER OUT BY NAME, BUT IT WON'T BE ABLE TO GO HOME.
[LAUGHTER] BUT I WILL DEFINITELY GIVE A SHOUT OUT TO CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
>> THAT'S ALL VOLUNTEER ON MY PART SO IF I HAVE TO VOLUNTEER MY TIME TO BE OUT THERE, WHICH YOU ALL HAVE TO DO,
[01:10:02]
I'M NOT GOING INTO WATER WITH THEM [LAUGHTER] BUT I'LL BE RIGHT THERE WITH THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF IT, IT'S REALLY A FUN THING TO WATCH.THAT'LL BE THE GOAL. IT'S USUALLY ON CHANNEL 11.
SO THERE'LL BE AT THE NOON NEWS AND THEY TRY TO TIME IT HELICOPTER OVERHEAD, WE'LL SEE IT'S BEEN TWO YEARS SINCE THEY DID THIS IN PERSON.
I THINK THEIR SCHEDULE IS 9:0 0 TO 2:00.
THERE'LL BE ARRIVING EARLY, THEY GET SOMETHING TO EAT, AND THEN THEY TAKE OFF THEIR JACKETS AND THEIR SWEAT AND STAYING AROUND FOR A LONG TIME BEFORE THEY GO INTO WATER.
THE BEST THING THEY CAN DO IF ANYBODY'S LISTENING TO THAT, KEEP YOUR JACKET ON, EVEN THOUGH IT'S MARCH, UNLESS IT'S REALLY WARM OUT, DON'T BE WALKING AROUND OUT THERE IN YOUR BATHING SUIT AND BAREFOOT.
DON'T WEAR FLIP-FLOPS. WEAR ANYTHING ELSE ON YOUR FEET BUT NOT FLIP-FLOPS.
FLIP-FLOPS WILL BE FLOATING IN THE WATER.
>> THIS WEEKEND IS SPECIAL OLYMPICS, POLAR SUPER PLUNGE, THIS 24 HOUR EVENT DISCHARGED AT 10 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY, ONE PLUNGE AN HOUR UNTIL SATURDAY MORNING AT 10:00.
ALSO COVERED VERY HEAVILY BY CHANNEL 11, WPA, BIG SPONSORS, SPECIAL EVENTS.
I'LL BE THE ANNOUNCER THERE AND I AM A SUPER PLUNGER, SO I'LL BE GOING INTO THE WATER ONCE AN HOUR.
I'M PART OF THE UNIFIED TEAM WITH A SPECIAL OLYMPICS ATHLETE.
>> EVERY HOUR, YEAH. PEOPLE TALK ABOUT, IT'S AN IMPORTANT WORD INCLUSION, SPECIAL OLYMPICS HAD LIVED THAT SINCE THE 1960S, INCLUDING THESE ATHLETES, THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, YOUNG AND OLD BECAUSE MY PARTNER IS 51 YEARS OLD.
I'VE BEEN CALLED OLD, I'M OLDER, BUT IT'S NOT JUST FOR KIDS.
UNIFIED PROGRAMS AT OUR SCHOOLS REALLY TRULY INCLUDES THESE YOUNG PEOPLE, THESE STUDENTS WITH EVERYBODY.
WONDERFUL, THANK YOU SIMON. THAT'S MY SHOUT OUT.
I'M TRYING TO BRAG ON SPECIAL OLYMPICS, AND PRAISE CAROLINE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR BEING SO INVOLVED.
UNIFIED SPORTS DIDN'T USE TO EXIST, AND WE'VE BEEN HERE ABOUT 10 YEARS? I'M NOT SURE HOW LONG IT'S BEEN HERE AND IT NARROWS FOR ABOUT 10 OR 11 YEARS, MAYBE A LITTLE LONGER BUT THE WONDERFUL THING TO SEE.
IT REALLY IS INCLUSION HAPPENING RIGHT BEFORE YOUR EYES.
WHEN YOU SEE THESE KIDS WITH THEIR ARMS AROUND EACH OTHER AND HELPING EACH OTHER AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER, SOMETHING AMAZING. SPEECH DONE I PROMISE.
>> NEXT QUESTION IS THE BOWLING EVENT, IS THAT SOMETHING WE COULD GO TO AND [INAUDIBLE] STUCK ON OATH, IS THAT THING THAT ARE OPEN?
>> YES. SECAC BOWLING EVENT, IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN GOING JUST EMAIL TWIG AND SHE CAN GET YOU THE INFORMATION FOR SIGNING UP FOR IT.
IT IS AN OPEN COMMUNITY EVENT.
>> IS THAT AN EASTERN AT THE BOWLING? IT IS AN EASTERN.
>> OKAY, THANK YOU. I THOUGHT IT WAS EASTERN.
>> YEAH, BECAUSE CHESTER TOWN HAS BEEN CLOSED FOR YEARS.
>> THE DOVER I DIDN'T KNOW. IT'S EASTERN OR DOVER.
>> YEAH, PRETTY SURE IT'S EASTERN. THANK YOU. RACHEL.
>> YEAH, THEY DON'T DO DUCKING.
>> I ACTUALLY GET SOMETHINGS HANDS DOWN.
>> GOOD STUFF, BOARD MEMBERS, ANYTHING ELSE BEFORE WE GO TO CALLS? HEARING A MOTION TO ADJOURN?
>> SECOND BY MR. JONES, ALL THOSE IN FAVOR.
>> [NOISE] THANK YOU ALL.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.