[00:00:03]
>> READY TO GO? WELL, WELCOME EVERYBODY.
[1. Opening Items]
TODAY IS TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 2024.THIS IS OUR BOARD WORK SESSION, AND IT IS A RESCHEDULED MEETING WHERE WE INVITE THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF TO JOIN WITH US TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT BUDGET.
AS WE GET STARTED, I JUST WANT TO SAY WELCOME ALL OF YOU WONDERFUL FOLKS FROM THE COUNTY STAFF AND COMMISSIONERS. IT'S GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE.
WE ARE MISSING ONE OF OUR BOARD MEMBERS, MICHELLE WYMAN HAS A FAMILY FUNCTIONS TONIGHT.
SOMETHING SHE DEFINITELY NEEDS TO BE AT, AND I KNOW Y'ALL SUPPORT THAT.
I JUST AGAIN, WANT TO RECOGNIZE SOMETHING WE ALL KNOW JUST A GREAT RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS HAS BEEN FOR A LONG TIME.
WE ALL VALUE THAT SO MUCH AND BOTH STAFF WORK TOGETHER SO WELL.
WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE THAT IN THIS COUNTY AND SHOULD NOT EVER TAKE IT FOR GRANTED, AND WE DON'T, SO THAT'S PART OF THE PURPOSE OF THIS MEETING, BUT WE REALLY, VERY MUCH VALUE THAT.
I KNOW ALL OF US FEEL THAT WAY.
LET'S START WITH THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
>> THANK YOU. CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER.
>> THANK YOU VERY, I GUESS I SHOULD USE THOSE WORDS.
>> I NEED TO HAVE A MOTION FROM A BOARD MEMBER TO APPROVE THE AGENDA.
WELL, WE CAN MOVE INTO OUR DISCUSSION ITEMS AND VERY AGAIN, COMPLICATED AGENDA,
[2.01 Budget Discussion with Caroline County Commissioners]
BUT IT IS ABOUT AS IMPORTANT TOPIC AS WE COULD POSSIBLY TALK ABOUT, AND THAT'S THE BUDGET FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.I THINK WE HAVE A PRESENTATION THAT GOES OVER THAT.
>> YEAH. GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME.
GLAD TO HAVE YOU GUYS HERE AND THE STAFF TONIGHT FIGURE WE WOULD WALK THROUGH AN OVERVIEW OF WHERE WE'RE AT BUDGET WISE AND WHAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, FULL TRANSPARENCY.
I KNOW THE COMMISSIONERS HAVE RECEIVED THE ORIGINAL DRAFT BUDGET INFORMATION THAT THEY RECEIVED.
OUR BOARD HAS RECEIVED THAT AS WELL.
WE'VE NOT SHARED IT OUT PUBLICLY BECAUSE WE BELIEVE THERE ARE SOME INACCURACIES POTENTIALLY IN THAT INFORMATION, SO WE'RE NOT USING ALL OF THAT DATA AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO MAKE DECISIONS FOR OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM, AND WE'RE WAITING FOR GUIDE DOCS RELATED TO SOME OF OUR QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DATA THAT'S THERE.
BUT WE DO BELIEVE THERE ARE DEFINITELY SOME INACCURACIES.
WE'RE HOPING TO GET THAT SOON.
BUT AGAIN, ITS NO REAL CHANGE FOR ANY OF US WHO'VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR A LITTLE WHILE.
WE'RE USED TO GETTING DRAFT NUMBERS IN JANUARY THAT GET CHANGED QUITE A BIT, THEN USUALLY HAVE GOOD FIRM NUMBERS IF WE'RE LUCKY BY MID END OF APRIL, I DON'T SEE THAT THIS YEAR IS GOING TO BE ANY DIFFERENT IN THAT PIECE.
AS WE WALK THROUGH THE BUDGET TONIGHT, AT LEAST THE BUDGET DISCUSSION WE WANT TO LEVEL SET WITH COMMISSIONERS WHAT SOME OF OUR CURRENT FISCAL OUTLOOKS LOOK LIKE AS WE'RE ENTERING INTO BUDGET DEVELOPMENT FOR FY 25 INTO NEXT YEAR.
SOME OF THE CHALLENGES WE'RE FORESEEING WE NEED TO WORK THROUGH.
WE'LL ALSO SPEND A LITTLE TIME TALKING ABOUT SOME OF THE IMPACTS OF BLUEPRINT.
IT'S NOT EVERYBODY'S FAVORITE TOPIC.
BLUEPRINT IS THE WAY THAT THINGS ARE BEING DONE NOW IN MARYLAND.
AT SOME POINT WE'LL STOP CALLING IT BLUEPRINT BECAUSE IT IS JUST WHAT'S THERE NOW FOR THE WAY THAT EDUCATION GETS FUNDED.
WALK THROUGH THAT DISCUSSION AND THEN SPEND A LITTLE TIME TALKING ABOUT WHAT OUR PRIORITIES ARE LOOKING LIKE FOR NEXT FISCAL YEAR THAT WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO KEEP AT THE TOP OF OUR LIST.
MY FINAL BUDGET IS DUE TO THE BOARD IN APRIL.
WE MOVE TO THE DATE OF APRIL BECAUSE OF ALL THE CHANGES THAT HAPPEN THROUGH STATE DATA AND OUR FUNDING IS SO CONTINGENT UPON WHAT THE STATE PROVIDES, IT'S HARD FOR ME TO GET AN ACCURATE, CLEAR PICTURE TO GIVE MY BOARD A REAL UNDERSTANDING UNTIL WE KNOW WHAT THE NUMBERS ARE GOING.
WITH THAT, OBVIOUSLY, COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF, MY STAFF AS WELL.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS, ANY DISCUSSION POINTS, LET'S JUMP RIGHT IN AS THEY POP UP THEN.
THEN THE LAST PIECE IS JUST A PART OF CAPITAL PROJECTS WHICH I KNOW THE COMMISSIONERS ARE AWARE, BUT WE JUST WANT TO KEEP THOSE AT THE FOREFRONT OF THE CAPITAL THINGS WE'RE WORKING THROUGH BOTH SHORT TERM AND LONG TERM AS WE MOVE FORWARD.
THE CURRENT FISCAL PICTURE FOR US, JUST EVERYBODY IS AWARE THAT EVERYBODY IN THE ROOM IS LIVING THIS, THE AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN, FUNDING THE COVID MONEY.
COVID MONEY FOR US COMES OFF THE BOOKS THE SAME AS YOU GUYS.
[00:05:04]
ANYTHING WE'RE USING FUNDING FOR THAT, WE HAVE TO GET IT OFF THE BOOKS BY THEN.ANYTHING THAT'S A RECURRING EXPENSE, IT HAS TO STOP OR HAVE TO FIND A NEW WAY TO FUND IT.
WE TRY TO USE A LOT OF OUR ART FUNDING FOR THINGS THAT WERE NOT RECURRING.
WE TRY NOT TO PUT A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF STAFF IN IT, WHICH WILL HELP US.
BUT WE DEAL WITH A FEW STAFFING LEVEL POSITIONS THAT ARE IN THERE THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, AND THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
IS IT SOMETHING THAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE OR IS IT SOMETHING WE CAN PICK UP TO A GRANT OR IS IT SOMETHING WE LOVE ITS USEFULNESS AND IT'S TIME TO MOVE ONTO A DIFFERENT PRIORITY.
WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT NOW.
SO LEADS IS ANOTHER BIG GRANT PROGRAM THAT WE WERE PART OF FROM MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
LEADS IS IN ESSENCE THAT MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENTS COVID MONEY.
THEY JUST GAVE IT A FANCY NAME.
THE MARYLAND LEADS GRANT IS THEIR COVID MONEY.
IT ALSO SUNSETS IN SEPTEMBER, SO ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE BEEN DOING AS A SCHOOL SYSTEM THROUGH THAT GRANT ALSO DISAPPEARS.
COMING OFF THE BOOKS AT THE END OF SEPTEMBER 24, OVER THE TIME PERIOD, THE COVID MONEY WE'RE TALKING PROBABLY UPWARDS OF $1,819 MILLION WORTH OF FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES THAT THE SCHOOL SYSTEM HAS BEEN ABLE TO UTILIZE, BE COMING OFF THE BOOKS BY SEPTEMBER.
NOT ONLY IN ONE YEAR, BUT THAT WE'VE USED OVER THE TIME PERIOD OF THAT.
A BIG CHALLENGE WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
I'M SURE YOU'RE SEEING THIS IN DISCUSSION WITH OTHER COUNTIES, ARE SEEING IT PLAY OUT IN THE BALTIMORE SUN AND WASHINGTON POST.
THE BLUEPRINT FUNDING FORMULA IS THE WAY THAT THEY'RE STRUCTURED.
THE ONE NICE THING ABOUT FUNDING FORMULA IS WE CAN LOOK AT IT OVER THE COURSE OF THE LEGISLATION AND KNOW PRETTY MUCH WHAT THE INCREASE IS GOING TO BE YEAR OVER YEAR IN FUNDING.
AS YOU LEAKS TO FOUNDATION, THE FUNDING FORMULAS INCREASE ON AVERAGE MOST YEARS, SOMEWHERE IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 3.9 TO OVER A 5% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR.
EXCEPT FOR THIS YEAR FROM FY 24 AND FY 25, THE BUDGET IS ONLY SET FOR A STATE MANDATED INCREASE OF 1.7%.
THAT IS ONLY ON THE FOUNDATION FORMULA.
BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD UNDERSTANDING.
OVERALL, THE REAL BUDGET PICTURE BY THE STATE, WE CAN HAVE DISSIPATED INCREASE OF ABOUT 1.7% INCREASE IN THE FUNDING FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, TOTAL FROM ONE YEAR TO THE NEXT BASED OFF THE WAY THE FORMULA IS STRUCTURED.
WHY IS THAT SUCH A CHALLENGE? YOU GUYS ALL KNOW THIS.
WE'RE ALL LIVING THROUGH INFLATION.
I THOUGHT WE WERE GOING TO GET BELOW 3% I THINK WE DID FOR ABOUT A WEEK OR TWO.
AND I THINK THE UPDATE I GOT THIS PAST FRIDAY, WE'RE BACK OVER TO 3% AGAIN FOR INFLATION.
SO IF INFLATION IS RUNNING AT BEST 3% AND WE GET A 1.7% INCREASE, I'M ALREADY BEHIND. AND THAT'S ASSUMING.
JUST KEEP DOING WHAT WE'RE DOING NOW, IF WE DID IN TERMS OF HEALTH INSURANCE, IN TERMS OF SALARIES AND ALL OF THOSE THINGS, WE HAVE TO FUND OBVIOUSLY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT.
WE ARE SELF INSURED THROUGH ISTHMIC HEALTH INSURANCE ALLIANCE.
WE DON'T HAVE OUR FINAL RATE NUMBERS YET AT ALL.
THEY WILL TYPICALLY BE MASH RIGHT NOW, WE'RE ANTICIPATING HOPEFULLY AROUND 5% TO 6% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE.
AGAIN, I GO BACK TO THE 1.7 INCREASE IN THE FUNDING FORMULA.
BUT THOSE ARE THE CURRENT FISCAL PIECES WE'RE WORKING THROUGH THAT WILL JUST CONSTRAIN US A LITTLE BIT IN THIS ONE YEAR.
THE ONE PIECE THAT I HAVE BEEN SHARING WITH OUR STAFF AS WE'RE WALKING THROUGH AND TALKING ABOUT BUDGET DEVELOPMENT, FUNDING FORMULA FOR BLUEPRINT ONLY GOES UP 1.7 THIS YEAR.
BUT IN THE NEXT TWO YEARS, EACH YEAR SEES ABOUT A 5% OR A LITTLE OVER A 5% INCREASE YEAR OVER YEAR FOR THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THOSE ARE SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES FOR US.
FOR ME, FROM A BUDGETING STANDPOINT, WHAT WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT AND WHAT I'LL BE PROPOSING TO THE BOARD ARE STRATEGIES THAT HELP US GET THROUGH ONE TOUGH YEAR.
NOT STRATEGIES THAT TOTALLY UP END THE STRUCTURAL COMPONENT OF OUR BUDGET.
WE'RE NOT LOOKING AT A BUDGET, WE'RE NOT GOING TO BALANCE THE BUDGET ON THE BACKS OF REDUCING POSITIONS AT THE CLASSROOM LEVEL BY ANY MEANS.
I KNOW YOU'RE HEARING A LOT ABOUT THAT, PROBABLY THE SUN WASHINGTON POST, THOSE SORTS OF THINGS FROM LARGER COUNTIES.
IT'S NOT A TACTIC WE'RE LOOKING AT BECAUSE HONESTLY WE'RE LOOKING AT ONE TIGHT YEAR.
THEN THE OVERALL IMPROVEMENT BY THE FOLLOWING TWO YEARS, ONCE WE GET OUT PAST FY 27.
I HAVE ZERO CONFIDENCE THAT WE KNOW WHAT THE BUDGET PICTURE LOOKS LIKE AFTER 27, BECAUSE BLUEPRINT IS ONLY FUNDED THROUGH 27. INCREASE IS LOW GRADE ON PAPER, BUT THE STATE'S NOT FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT YET.
THE SAME POINT. I DON'T EXPECT THE STATE WILL FIGURE OUT HOW TO FUND IT UNTIL '27.
[00:10:05]
HONESTLY, I'M NOT GOING TO WORRY ABOUT '28 UNTIL IT GETS CLOSER TO THE ROAD.BUT I KNOW FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'VE GOT ONE TOUGH YEAR, AND WE'VE GOT TWO YEARS THAT WILL LOOK BETTER AFTER THAT AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO HELP US GET WHERE WE NEED TO.
A COUPLE OF BLUEPRINT THINGS JUST TO SHARE.
THESE ARE JUST THE REALITY OF IT.
I KNOW WE'RE IN LEGISLATIVE SESSION RIGHT NOW AS WELL, AND YOU GUYS ARE PROBABLY INUNDATED WITH THINGS FROM MACO ABOUT BILLS THAT ARE BEING CONSIDERED.
THERE'S A LOT OF VERY POSITIVE THINGS IN THERE FOR STUDENTS.
IT'S THE FISCAL NOTE, AND THE REALITY THAT'S COMING TOGETHER THAT'S MAKING IT A CHALLENGE FOR US TO OPERATE FROM.
THE BLUEPRINT DESIGN, THOSE ARE JUST THE FIVE PILLARS THAT ARE THERE.
BUT I THINK IT HELPS TO TALK IN THE REAL COST OF WHAT'S GOING ON IN TERMS OF LOOKING AT WHERE THEY'RE FUNDING US, WHERE THEY SAY THE MONEY HAS TO GO.
WHAT IT'S ACTUALLY COSTING TO DO THE WORK THAT WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO BY LAW.
ONE OF THE EASIEST PIECES TO SEE WHERE BLUEPRINT LEGISLATION HAS UNDERFUNDED US, AND THERE'S A COUPLE OF BILLS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN ABOUT MAKING ADJUSTMENTS TO EITHER THE COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS STANDARD OR TO THE LANGUAGE AROUND PAYING FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT.
BUT THEY'RE BOTH BEING CONSIDERED GENERAL ASSEMBLY BECAUSE THE WAY THE BLUEPRINT FORMULA WAS SET UP, ON AVERAGE, WE GET ABOUT 1,000 BUCKS A KID ONCE THEY'RE DEEMED CCR, COLLEGE AND CAREER-READY.
WE GET ABOUT 100 BUCKS A YEAR FOR A KID OVER TWO YEARS, JUNIOR AND SENIOR YEAR, SO IT'S NOT $2,000 PER KID.
THE WAY IT'S WRITTEN IS ONCE YOU ARE CCR, DUAL ENROLLMENT IS TO BE FREE FOR YOU AT NO COST, SO NO COSTS FOR BOOKS, TUITION FEES, TRANSPORTATION TO GET TO AND FROM, YOU NAME IT, ALL TO BE PAID FOR BY THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.
THE FORMULA GIVES ME JUST ABOUT $2,000 PER KID.
A DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASS COSTS ALMOST $1,000 FOR ONE CLASS.
LEGISLATION REQUIRES ME TO PAY FOR ALL COSTS.
COMMUNITY COLLEGES HAVE NOT CUT BACK FEES, THE FEES ARE STILL THERE.
IF YOU HAVE A KID IN COLLEGE, THE FEES GET YOU.
THE TUITION MIGHT BE THIS, BUT THE FEES WILL COME IN AND COST YOU PROBABLY AT LEAST A THIRD OF WHAT THE TUITION COST IS.
OUR DUAL ENROLLMENT BILL FOR THE FIRST-SEMESTER WAS OVER $130,000.
WE DIDN'T PAY THAT MUCH IN DUAL ENROLLMENT LAST YEAR.
>> FOR THE WHOLE YEAR. OUR FIRST SEMESTER COST WAS OVER 130.
IF OUR SECOND-SEMESTER DUAL ENROLLMENT COST IS THE SAME, WE WILL HAVE BLOWN THE COLUMN IN THE CHART FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS NUMBERS, THE CCR AMOUNT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE BY A LONG SHOT, AND IT'S SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR MORE THAN JUST DUAL ENROLLMENT.
IT'S SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR DUAL ENROLLMENT, SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR AP EXAMS, IT'S SUPPOSED TO PAY FOR COLLEGE EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITIES, CAREER EXPLORATION OPPORTUNITIES, AND WE'RE GOING TO BLOW IT ALL ON DE.
SO IF YOU HEAR THOSE BILLS BEING DISCUSSED THAT ARE OUT THERE, SOME ARE BETTER THAN OTHERS, BUT THAT'S WHAT THEY'RE TRYING TO GET AT, IS IF THE STATE DOESN'T HAVE THE MONEY TO GIVE SCHOOL SYSTEMS MORE TO COVER THE COST, THEN THEY GOT TO FIX THE LANGUAGE BECAUSE THE MATH DOES NOT ADD UP, PERIOD.
IT'S GREAT, KIDS ARE TAKING DUAL ENROLLMENT, BUT WE DON'T HAVE THE CREDIT CARD TO PUT IT ON, WE DON'T HAVE THE STUDENT MONIES, AND THE LAW SAYS THOU SHALL, SO, THEREFORE, I HAVE TO CUT OTHER PLACES TO BE ABLE TO COVER THOSE EXPENSES.
A COUPLE OTHER CHALLENGES THAT ARE COMING UP, AND JUST SO WE'RE THERE WITH THE REALITY OF IT.
BLUEPRINT REQUIRES THAT I GET ALL STARTING TEACHER SALARIES IF THEY'RE ON THE CAREER LADDER, BUT I HAVE TO GET ALL STARTING TEACHER SALARIES, THE $60,000 BY FY27, THAT'S JULY 1, 26.
RIGHT NOW WE ARE ABOUT 12% FROM GETTING TO 60.
IF I TRY TO CARVE IT OFF EACH YEAR, 4% A YEAR TO GET THERE BY THAT FISCAL YEAR, AND I'M NOT SAYING IT'S HOW WE'LL DO IT, IT'S GOT TO BE NEGOTIATED.
BUT WE'RE ABOUT 12% AWAY FROM GETTING THERE, AND THAT'S JUST FOR TEACHERS.
BLUEPRINT ONLY SPELLS OUT TEACHERS, BLUEPRINT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT ADMINISTRATORS, BLUEPRINT SAYS NOTHING ABOUT SUPPORT STAFF.
YOU CAN'T RUN A SCHOOL WITHOUT EITHER ONE OF THOSE OTHER TWO GROUPS.
THE BLUEPRINT ONLY CALLS OUT ONE GROUP.
I AM REQUIRED BY LAW TO GET ALL STARTING TEACHER SALARIES TO $60,000, COME HELL OR HIGH WATER, I HAVE TO HIT THAT.
I DON'T HAVE TO HIT MARKS FOR ADMINISTRATORS AND SUPPORT STAFF.
ETHICALLY, I HAVE TO, BUT BY A LONG OVERFUNDED ONE IS THAT.
SO IT'S GOING TO BE A CONUNDRUM WE HAVE TO WORK THROUGH TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE GET THERE.
>> [INAUDIBLE] THEM, I GET IT NOW, STARTING TEACHERS HAVE TO BE AT 60,000.
[00:15:02]
>> BUT TEACHERS THAT ARE ALREADY HERE DO NOT HAVE TO HIT THAT 60,000.
>> CORRECT. YOU'RE RIGHT, BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE [OVERLAPPING].
>> THAT'S COMING FROM THE STATE.
>> YEAH. BUT THE ONLY WAY TO GET THERE IS TO LIFT.
>> EVERYBODY IN SOME FORM OR FASHION, OR YOU'LL HAVE A BUNCH OF FIRST-YEAR TEACHERS AND NOBODY ELSE AROUND.
BUT NO, DON, YOU'RE RAISING A GOOD POINT.
THESE ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'VE SEEN, AGAIN, IN THEORY VERSUS PRACTICAL THINGS.
I CAN WANT AND WISH TO INCREASE SALARIES FOR OTHER EMPLOYEE GROUPS, BUT IT WILL COME DOWN TO WHERE ARE THE DOLLARS AND IT WILL COME DOWN TO WHAT AM I REQUIRED TO DO? THESE ARE THE CHALLENGES WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH, THE OTHER PIECES AS THE BLUEPRINT DOES KICK INTO WHEN IT BECOMES MORE OPERATIONAL SESSION THE FISCAL SIDE.
AARON HAS TALKED ABOUT IT BEFORE, AND OBVIOUSLY, SHE CAN JUMP IN IF NEED TO.
BLUEPRINT IS GOING TO REQUIRE US TO, SUPPOSEDLY, BY NEXT SCHOOL, YEAR WE'RE FIGHTING IT AND WE'RE GOING TO KEEP FIGHTING IT BECAUSE THE STATE HASN'T DONE THEIR PART, I'LL EXPLAIN THAT IN A SECOND, BLUEPRINT IS SUPPOSED TO REQUIRE US BY NEXT YEAR TO ATTRACT 75% OF THE SPENDING IN MOST OF OUR BUDGET CATEGORIES TO THE STUDENT LEVEL, WHICH MEANS TO THE SCHOOL LEVEL, SO 75% OF CERTAIN BUCKETS OF FUNDING, [INAUDIBLE] STORY ED, WHICH IS [INAUDIBLE] KIDS, SPECIAL ED, EL, WE GOT TO TAKE THE DOLLAR AMOUNT DOWN AND TAKE IT TO THE KID LEVEL.
AN EXPENSE WHERE I MIGHT BUY, AND THE BEST EXAMPLE IS SOMETHING OUT OF BILL SHOP, OUT OF [INAUDIBLE], FOR BUYING FILTERS FOR HFF EQUIPMENT.
I NOW NEED TO, WHEN I BUY FILTERS, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CODE THE FILTERS TO HOW MANY FILTERS ARE GOING TO FREDERICKSBURG, HOW MANY ARE GOING TO GREENSBORO, HOW MANY ARE GOING TO, BECAUSE I GOT TO BREAK MY CODINGS OUT BECAUSE 75% OF THE MONEY HAS TO FILE THE KID.
I CAN ONLY TAKE 25% OFF THE TOP FOR RUNNING THE OVERALL DISTRICT, 25% OFF THE TOP DOESN'T GET YOU REAL FAR WHEN YOU'RE DOING THAT.
WHAT WE'LL ALSO HAVE TO START LOOKING AT IS SPLIT FUNDING, AND AARON MIGHT THROW SOMETHING AT ME ON THIS, BUT WE CAN'T QUITE FIGURE OUT HOW TO DO IT WITHOUT DOING IT TO SPLIT FUND THE STAFFING POSITION.
IF RICK IS A TEACHER AT GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, HOW MANY EL KIDS DOES RICK HAVE IN HIS CLASS? HOW MANY SPECIAL ED KIDS DOES RICK HAVE IN THIS CLASS? HOW MANY KIDS ARE [INAUDIBLE] MEALS DOES RICK HAS CLASS? HOW MANY KIDS NOT IN THOSE BUCKETS DOES RICK TEACH? RICK'S CODING FOR HIS SALARY MAY COME THROUGH FOUR OR FIVE DIFFERENT BUCKETS FROM ONE PERSON, AND WE NEED TO DO THAT FOR EVERYBODY.
>> WE HAVE RETIREE HEALTH INSURANCE.
WE OFFER WONDERFUL BENEFIT FOR RETIREES.
WHAT SYSTEMS ARE DOING RIGHT NOW AND TRYING TO PREPARE FOR THIS IS THEY'RE TRYING TO LOOK AT HOW DO I HANDLE RETIREE HEALTH BENEFITS.
IT DOESN'T FIT IN THE 25%, SO DO I GO TO THE LAST SCHOOL THAT THAT TEACHER WORKED AND THEIR RETIREE HEALTH BENEFIT THEN GOES TO THE MONEY THAT COMES OUT OF THAT SCHOOL TO COVER THEIR HEALTH BENEFIT BECAUSE IT'S GOT TO SHOW UP SOMEWHERE.
THESE ARE THE THINGS THAT ARE MAKING IT VERY CHALLENGING, AND RIGHT NOW WITH A FINANCIAL SHOCK THAT IS SMALL, YOU CAN'T DO THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL IN BUDGETING WITH A STAFF THE SIZE WE HAVE.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE YOU NEED TO DO THAT, BUT THAT IS WHERE THIS IS GOING.
THERE ARE A COUPLE LEGISLATIVE THINGS THAT ARE OUT THERE THAT ARE TRYING TO FIX THAT A LITTLE BIT AND HOPEFULLY IT DOES.
THE WAY THAT SOME OF THAT IS SET UP.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE DOING THIS BY NEXT YEAR.
THE SUPERINTENDENTS ASSOCIATION HAS SENT A LETTER TO BOTH THE, AIB, ACCOUNTABILITY INUNDATION BOARD AND TO THE STATE SUPERINTENDENT REQUESTING THE DELAY BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO PIECES THAT THE STATE WAS SUPPOSED TO DO TO ENABLE US TO DO IT, AND THEY HAVEN'T DONE EITHER ONE OF THEM.
THEY HAVEN'T STARTED ONE OF THEM AND THEY HAVEN'T FINISHED THE OTHER.
BOTH WERE SUPPOSED TO BE DONE BY JULY 1 OF '23 AND IT'S STILL NOT DONE.
SO WE'RE ASKING FOR THEM TO DELAY THAT PIECE.
THE MESSAGE I WOULD SAY IS DELAYING IT DOESN'T MEAN EVERYBODY HATES THE BLUEPRINT.
DELAYING IT IS COMMON SENSE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT READY FOR IT, AND I AM NOT GOING TO HAVE OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM CREATE SOMETHING THAT WE DON'T KNOW IS GOING TO BE RIGHT AND THEN HAVE THEM COME BACK LATER AND TELL US, NO, THAT WASN'T HOW WE WANTED IT DONE.
NOW LET'S DO IT ALL OVER AGAIN.
WE'RE TOO SMALL. WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO IT, IT'S A WASTE OF TIME.
SO THOSE ARE THE OPERATIONAL CALLS THAT I HAVE TO BE PREPARED FOR AND THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE SET TO BE ABLE TO PUT IT IN PLACE.
IF THEY DON'T PULL BACK THE DEADLINE ON THAT,
[00:20:03]
ANY SCHOOL SYSTEM THAT DOESN'T MEET THEIR REQUIREMENTS CAN HAVE THEIR FUNDING FUNDING WITHHELD, 25% OF IT WITHHELD UNTIL YOU DO MEET THOSE REQUIREMENTS, AND AT THAT POINT THEY WILL RELEASE YOUR FUNDS.TERRIBLE. SO I DON'T THINK THEY'RE AT THE HOPE WITHHOLDING FUNDS STAGE, BUT I DON'T WANT TO FIND OUT.
WE'RE NOT WEALTHIER JURISDICTION THAT CAN PLAY THOSE GAMES, BUT WE ARE GOING TO ADVOCATE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE THINGS IN PLACE BEFORE WE'RE REQUIRED TO DO IT.
THAT'S THE BIG PIECES IN THE BLUEPRINT THAT WE'RE WORKING THROUGH, AND WE KNOW THERE ARE EXTRA COSTS.
WHAT I WILL DO, AS THERE IS LEGISLATION, IS IT'S STARTING TO MOVE.
IF THERE ARE ANY BILLS THAT I THINK CAN HELP US IN THIS FRONT, I'LL BE HAPPY TO SHARE THEM WITH YOU GUYS, BECAUSE THERE NEEDS TO BE SOME ADJUSTMENTS.
I'M NOT THE ONLY COUNTY, WE'RE NOT THE ONLY COUNTY REALIZING IT, SMALL AND LARGE ARE REALIZING IT BUT FOR SOME REASON, FOLKS DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT.
THIS YEAR, FOR SOME REASON, THEY JUST DON'T WANT TO HEAR THAT THEY NEED TO MAKE TWEAKS.
I KNOW THERE'S NO MONEY, BUT SOME OF IT'S PRETTY SIMPLE.
ONE SIMPLE TWEAK THAT'S OUT THERE THAT HOPEFULLY WILL BE GOOD WITH OPERATIONALIZING COSTS.
THERE'S A BILL OUT THERE THAT'S GOTTEN VERY GOOD TRACTION SO FAR AND IT DEALS WITH CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY FUNDING.
SO YOU SAW IN THE EARLY DATA, EARLY NUMBERS, THERE'S A COLUMN CALLED CONCENTRATION OF POVERTY.
SO IF YOU HAVE A HIGHER POVERTY SCHOOL WHICH AS OF NEXT YEAR SEVEN OF OUR SCHOOLS WILL QUALIFY.
WITHIN TWO YEARS, ALL NINE OF OUR SCHOOLS WILL QUALIFY.
IT'S AN EXTRA POT OF FUNDING AND ALL OF IT GOES TO THE SCHOOL LEVEL TO DO THINGS AT THE SCHOOL IN ADDITION TO WHAT YOU'RE ALREADY DOING.
WE CAN'T USE IT FOR SALARY, BUT I CAN USE IT IF WE NEED ADDITIONAL STAFFING, I CAN USE IT IF WE NEED TO RUN SUMMER PROGRAM, I CAN USE IT IF WE WANT TO DO SOMETHING FOR PARENTS AND FAMILIES TO PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORT.
WHETHER IT BE BEHAVIORAL SUPPORT, YOU NAME IT, IT PROVIDES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY.
RIGHT NOW, THE WAY THE LAW IS AS WRITTEN, WE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE 40, FOUR, ZERO COMMUNITY SCHOOLS TO BE ABLE TO TAKE MONEY OFF THE TOP TO ADMINISTER THE GRANTS, BECAUSE EACH SCHOOL THAT GETS THAT FUNDING HAS A FAIRLY LARGE GRANT, THEY HAVE TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT TO THE STATE.
WHEN THEY PASSED THE LAW, WE NEEDED 40 SCHOOLS IN YOUR JURISDICTION IN ORDER TO QUALIFY TO HAVE ANY MONEY OFF THE TOP TO MANAGE THE GRANT.
THERE IS A BILL, AGAIN, SEEMS TO HAVE GOOD ATTRACTION.
EVERYBODY AGREES THAT WOULD ALLOW SCHOOL SYSTEMS TO TAKE UP THE 10% OFF THE TOP TO HELP MANAGE THE GRANT.
IT'S A LOGICAL COMMON SENSE APPROACH BECAUSE RIGHT NOW ONCE WE GO TO SEVEN SCHOOLS NEXT YEAR, IT WILL BE ERIN AND IT WILL BE NICOLE FISHER TRYING TO HELP MASSAGE AND MANAGE SEVEN INDIVIDUAL GRANTS FOR SEVEN SCHOOLS OF VARYING SIZE, VARYING DOLLAR AMOUNTS, AND VERY CHALLENGING TO STAY ON TOP OF.
SO THAT'S A SMART FIX THAT THEY SEEM TO BE WILLING TO DO BECAUSE IT DOESN'T COST THEM A PENNY.
WE HOPE WE CAN FIND SOME MORE SMART FIXES THAT THEY'RE WILLING TO SUPPORT OVER ANNAPOLIS THIS YEAR.
AS WE DIG IN, WHAT ARE OUR PRIORITIES FOR GETTING THROUGH THIS YEAR? AS I SAID, WE WANT TO MAINTAIN REASONABLE STAFFING LEVELS AND COMPETITIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
AS I SHARE WITH OUR STAFF, AND I'LL SHARE TOMORROW AT FEDERALSBURG AND PRESENT THERE, COMPETITIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS MEAN COMPETITIVE WITH PEOPLE AROUND US.
IT DOESN'T MEAN COMPETITIVE WITH THE HOWARD AND MONTGOMERY.
IT'S NOT EASTERN SHORE COMPETITIVE.
WE WANT TO BE COMPETITIVE WITH THOSE AROUND US AND WE DO WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR STAFFING LEVELS.
SO THE SEPTEMBER 30 COUNT, WHICH IS ONE OF OUR OFFICIAL ENROLLMENT COUNTS DO.
AT SEPTEMBER 30, WE WERE DOWN A LITTLE BIT.
WE'RE NOT AS DOWN AS THE PROJECTION SHOWED BECAUSE IT'S A THREE-YEAR AVERAGE NOW AND OUR LAST PRE-COVID YEAR FELL OUT OF THE FORMULA.
SO WE HAVE BEEN TRENDING UPWARDS EVER SINCE THE NUMBERS WENT IN.
WE'VE GOT ABOUT 60-70 MORE KIDS SINCE SEPTEMBER 30 COUNT WENT IN, AND IT HASN'T SLOWED DOWN.
WE'RE ADDING THEM IN ALMOST EVERY SCHOOL.
WE'RE UP KIDS. CAROLINE COUNTY IS NOT LOSING KIDS.
SO IF MY NUMBERS KEEP GOING UP, WE CAN'T FIND BUDGETARY SAVINGS BY REDUCING TEACHERS, WE JUST CAN'T DO THAT.
WE WANT TO MAINTAIN OUR STAFFING LEVELS WHERE THEY SHOULD BE, AND MAINTAIN COMPETITIVE SALARIES AND BENEFITS.
SECOND PRIORITY FOR US IS MAINTAINING HIGH-YIELD POSITIONS THAT WE PAID FOR OUT OF ARP AND LEADS.
ONE OF THOSE SCHOOL SYSTEM MADE A DECISION A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO DURING A TIGHT BUDGET YEAR TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL.
I UNDERSTAND WHY THEY MADE THE DECISION WHEN THEY DID.
[00:25:01]
WE DIDN'T HAVE THE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO PUT IT BACK IN TWO YEARS AGO.WE WERE ABLE TO ADD IT BACK IN USING LEADS, USING ONE OF THE STATE GRANTS.
IT IS A PRIORITY FOR ME TO KEEP THREE APS AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL, THE HOME PRINCIPAL.
I THINK YOU'D BE HARD-PRESSED TO FIND A SCHOOL OF 1,300 KIDS.
NORTH HIGH IS ABOUT 1,300 NOW THAT HAS LESS THAN THREE APS.
SO THAT'S A PRIORITY FOR ME, MAKING SURE I KEEP IT IN THERE.
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE LEAD PROGRAMS THAT WE NEED TO DO, AND I NEED TO FIGURE OUT HOW WE CAN CONTINUE TO FUND THAT.
STACY'S HERE AS YOU GUYS, GRANT COORDINATOR.
TARA AND ERIN HAVE LOOKED VERY CLOSELY AT SOME OF OUR GRANTS TO SEE IF THERE ARE WAYS THAT WE CAN USE OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY TO FUND POSITIONS THAT WE'VE STARTED THROUGH ARP AND LEADS.
IF THERE ARE POSITIONS OR PROGRAMS THAT WE'VE STARTED THROUGH A GRANT, WE CAN CONTINUE THROUGH A GRANT.
WHAT I CAN'T DO IS ALL SET OUT OF MY LOCAL BUDGET INTO A GRANT AND I'M PLANNING.
SO WE'VE GOT TO BE CAREFUL OF THOSE RULES, BUT I CAN MASSAGE THESE GRANTS TO KEEP THOSE THINGS DOWN WHERE WE NEED TO.
THEN THE LAST, FOR THE PRIORITY, IT HAS TO BE THERE.
I'VE GOT TO DO WHAT'S REQUIRED BY LAW FOR BLUEPRINT.
WE'VE GOT TO HIT OUR MARKS THERE TO MAKE SURE WE'RE SUBMITTING AND DOING WHAT WE NEED TO CONTINUE TO BE FINE [NOISE].
WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH. AGAIN, AS WE'VE SAID, IT'S GOING TO BE A CHALLENGING BUDGET YEAR.
THE GOOD NEWS IS, EVERY SCHOOL SYSTEM IS IN A CHALLENGING BUDGET YEAR, BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS TIED TO THE SAME FORMULA.
THE ONLY PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE A CHALLENGING BUDGET YEAR ARE THOSE WHO MAY HAVE THE ABILITY TO GET A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE OVER BY LOCAL, OVER THEIR MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT OR THEIR LOCAL SHARE, WHICH WE'RE NOT ASKING.
WE COMPLETELY UNDERSTAND THE BUDGET PICTURE OF THE COUNTY, AS SEVERAL OF US IN THIS ROOM HERE AS WELL.
THOSE ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE REALLY GOING TO BE ABLE TO BLOW US OUT OF THE WATER WITH ANYTHING.
THE REST OF US, WE'RE ALL IN THE SAME BOAT, AND PRETTY MUCH EVERYBODY AROUND US, WE REALLY ARE ALL ON THE SAME BOAT.
SO WE FEEL WE CAN BE COMPETITIVE, WE FEEL WE CAN DO SOME OTHER THINGS TO GET THROUGH.
THAT'S WHERE WE ARE BUDGET WISE IN DEVELOPMENT.
I KNOW THERE'S SOME PRELIMINARY INFORMATION THAT YOU GUYS HAVE LOOKED AT THAT SHOWS THE COUNTY HAS SWITCHED.
WE'LL BE MOVING FROM LOCAL SHARE AND TO MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT WHICH IS PART OF THE BLUEPRINT FORMULA AND THE STRUCTURE AND THE WAY IT'S SET UP.
DANNY OR ERIN ARE PROBABLY BETTER EQUIPPED.
THEY'RE GOING TO BE EXPLAINING A LITTLE BIT OF WHY THAT HAPPENS WHEN IT DID.
I DID GO BACK AND LOOK WHEN THE DEPARTMENT OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES DID THEIR PROJECTIONS BEFORE COVID.
THEY ACTUALLY PROJECTED, WE WOULD HAVE HIT THAT MARK TWO YEARS AGO, BUT WE'RE THERE NOW, AND THAT'S JUST PART OF THE WAY THE FORMULA WORKS AND WE UNDERSTAND IT PUTS AN EXTRA STRAIN ON ONE OF THE COMMISSIONERS THIS YEAR WHEN THAT TOOK PLACE OR WHEN THAT WILL TAKE PLACE.
BECAUSE EVEN IF THE OUR NUMBERS CHANGE FROM THE STATE, IT'S PROBABLY STILL GOING TO BE A LOCAL SHARE KIND OF SCENARIO.
WHICH I KNOW IS THAT IT'S A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A BURDEN FOR YOU GUYS I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.
SO IF YOU GUYS HAVE ANY QUESTIONS, COMMENTS.
>> HOW MANY NEW STUDENTS DO YOU HAVE THIS YEAR SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE SCHOOL YEAR? DO YOU KNOW ROUGHLY?
>> WE'VE ROUGHLY ADDED SOMEWHERE PROBABLY ABOUT 70 SINCE SEPTEMBER 30, COUNT WENT IN.
>> PROBABLY ABOUT 70 OVERALL, NET.
>> GREENSBORO, I'D HAVE TO LOOK ALONE, BUT THEY'VE GOT THE BIGGER SHARE.
>> THEIR NET MIGHT BE HIGHER BECAUSE IT'S COUNTY WIDE.
I WOULD SAY THEY'RE PROBABLY WITHIN THAT TRACKS.
EVERYBODY'S GROWING. THEY'RE JUST GROWING FASTER WHICH ALSO MEANS TYPICALLY LOCKER AND NORTH ARE GROWING AS WELL.
>> ARE THEY HOMESCHOOLED KIDS RETURNING OR HAVE ANY IDEA?
>> A FEW HOME SCHOOL RETURNING, MOVERS.
>> THEY'RE BRINGING THEIR KIDS WITH THEM?
THEY CAME BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30 [OVERLAPPING].
>> I KNOW [LAUGHTER] SEPTEMBER 30 [LAUGHTER].
>> NOBODY PAYS ATTENTION TO THAT.
>> HOW MANY OF THOSE ARE MULTI-LANGUAGE [OVERLAPPING] GREENSBORO.
>> YEAH. FAIR PERCENTAGE OF AT LEAST 75 I WOULD FOR GREENSBORO ITSELF.
AT LEAST INHABITED FAMILIES OR HOUSEHOLDS THAT ARE KIDS MIGHT NOT BE, BUT MY GUESS IS FIVE FAMILIES.
>> WELL, THAT IN A DIP FOR FY 25,
[00:30:02]
YOU'RE HEARING ABOUT THESE OTHER SYSTEMS THAT ARE CUTTING POSITIONS OR THREATENING TO CUT POSITIONS.IT'S JUST, WE'RE TALKING ABOUT PREVIOUSLY ABOUT IT BEING A LONG-TERM SOLUTION TO IT, HOPEFULLY, A TEMPORARY PROBLEM, YOU CUT THOSE POSITIONS.
IT'S NOT EASY TO RECRUIT AND RETAIN TEACHERS.
A SYSTEM THAT'S DOING THAT VERY, IN MY OPINION, VERY FOOLISH BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT NECESSARILY GOING TO REPLACE THOSE QUICKLY IN THE FOLLOWING YEARS AND IF THEY REDUCE THEIR NUMBER OF TEACHERS.
WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? MEAN? BIGGER CLASS SIZE ALMOST HAS.
WHAT'S THE OTHER ALTERNATIVE? I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S A PLOY.
SOME OF THESE COUNTIES ARE USING THAT TO GET MORE MONEY OUT OF THEIR LOCAL FUNDING, PUT PRESSURE ON THEIR COUNTY COUNCIL OR COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
IT'S JUST A GAME YOU SHOULDN'T PLAY FIRST OF ALL.
BUT IF THEY ARE SERIOUS ABOUT IT, I THINK IT'S A HUGE MISTAKE AND THAT IS ASSUMING THAT WHAT WE BELIEVE IS GOING TO HAPPEN THE SUBSEQUENT YEARS, THE MONEY'S GOING TO GO BACK UP.
I MEAN, THAT MEANS THAT GUESS, THAT MEANS YOU'RE TRUSTING THE STATE.
>> ONE THING AND PART OF THAT FOR LIKE US AND OUR FUNDING IS FAIRLY STABLE.
WE'VE HAD A FAMILY RELATIONSHIP LEAKS IN MY CAREER WITH COMMISSIONERS.
WE KNOW THE FUNDING IS STABILITY REALLY HELPS.
WHEN SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES, WHEN THEY HAVE A YEAR WHERE THEY GET WELL ABOVE AND WHERE IT'S A MOUNTAIN HARD TO IT'S HARD TO MANAGE.
ONCE YOU GO UP, YOU HAVE TO STAY RIGHT BECAUSE.
>> WELL ONCE YOU CAN USE THE CURRENT THAT LEVEL, IT'S HARD TO.
I THINK WHAT I MEAN ULTIMATELY WHAT I'M GETTING AT IS WE'RE SEEING POPULATION.
GROWTH IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHICH THE FORMULAS ARE WAY OVER MY HEAD TO UNDERSTAND.
BUT I CAN'T IMAGINE THAT THE LOCAL SHARE GOES DOWN WHEN POPULATIONS ARE GOING UP.
THE PROBLEM IS WE'RE NOT SEEING A LOT OF CONSTRUCTION OR TAX REVENUE GROWTH IN PROPERTY TAX AT THE NORTH END OF THE ACCOUNTING AND STRUCTURES, ARE THERE? YES, WE HAVE INCREASED ASSESSMENTS BUT IT'S NOT DUE TO NEW CONSTRUCTION RAISING PROPERTY TAX REVENUE.
I DON'T FEEL LIKE WE'RE GETTING A LOT OF INCOME BOOST OFF OF THE PEOPLE THAT ARE MOVING IN AS WELL.
SO IT'S DISPROPORTIONATELY PUTTING MORE PRESSURE FOR THE COUNTY TO SUPPORT THE BOARD OF EDUCATION THROUGH OTHER TAXPAYERS, PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE KIDS, OR PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE AND THEIR KIDS ARE GROWN OR ALL OF THOSE THINGS.
I THINK THE POPULATION GROWTH WITHOUT SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE INCREASE THROUGH ADDITIONAL CONSTRUCTION I THINK IS CONCERNING.
I DON'T KNOW HOW WE'RE GOING TO KEEP UP WITH IT IF THE TRAIN CONTINUES.
>> I DO HAVE A FOLLOW-UP QUESTION, DRAVISON FOR YOU, DANNY, OR WHOEVER, IF THERE'S DEVELOPMENT IN A TOWN.
WE HAVE BEEN, BILL AND I RECEIVED AN EMAIL, AND I'M GRATEFUL THAT WE DID FROM SOMEONE WHO'S LOOKING TO DEVELOP IN THE TOWN, DENTON.
DENTON DIRECTED THE PERSON TO TALK TO US TO SEE WHAT THE IMPACT COULD BE ON THE SCHOOL SYSTEM FOR 100 HOME DEVELOPMENT, 100 UNITS, WHATEVER IT WAS, TOWNHOMES AND HOMES, IF IT'S IN THE TOWN, WHAT DOES THAT DO FOR THE COUNTY FROM THAT SORT OF REVENUE?
>> YEAH. INITIALLY, WE WOULD RECEIVE AN IMPACT FEE OF $5,000 PER UNIT.
IF YOU HAD JUST SAY 100 UNITS COME, WHETHER THEY'RE SINGLE-FAMILY APARTMENTS, WE WOULD RECEIVE $5,000 PER UNIT IMPACT.
BUT THAT'S EARMARKED SPECIFICALLY FOR BOARD OF CAPITAL CONSTRUCTION, SO WE SET THAT OFF TO A SEPARATE FUND AND THEN WE WOULD HAVE TO OBVIOUSLY WORK WITH ESTA AND THAT WOULD BE PHASED INTO THE TAX ROLE AND JUST DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE OF STRUCTURE THEY BUILT, THAT WOULD GET TURNED INTO OUR TAX ROLE AND WE WOULD BUILD THE ANNUAL TAX BILL ESSENTIALLY BUT ABOVE AND BEYOND THE ADDITIONAL IMPACT.
BUT AGAIN, THAT'S NOT OPERATIONAL.
>> THAT WAS ONE OF THE CHANGES THAT THEY MADE FROM THE OLD EXCISE TAX?
>> BECAUSE UNDER THE OLD EXCISE TAX, IF YOU TOOK A PIECE OF GROUND AND SUBDIVIDED IT, YOU GOT AN EXCISE TAX FOR EACH LOT YOU CREATED.
THE PROBLEM WAS IF YOU COME IN AND BUILD A 100-UNIT APARTMENT COMPLEX,
[00:35:01]
YOU'RE NOT DIVIDING THE LOTS, SO YOU GOT NOTHING.SO THAT'S A CHANGE THAT WE MADE THAT WAS A LITTLE BIT CONTROVERSIAL FROM A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO, BUT TO FOLLOW UP WITH THE BLUEPRINT, IT'S A BAD IDEA.
IT WAS A BAD IDEA THE DAY THEY STARTED.
WHEN YOU IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM THAT THE STATE CAN'T EVEN UPHOLD THEIR END OF THE DEAL AND YOU PUT BOARDS OF EDUCATION AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS IN POSITIONS WHERE I HAVE NOT TALKED TO ONE PERSON IN ALL OF THE CONVENTIONS AND EVERYWHERE WE'VE BEEN WHO THINKS IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
IT'S THE PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING AND THEY'RE GETTING FEWER AND FEWER BECAUSE IT'S HARDER TO PUT THEM IN A CORNER AND ASK THEM IF THEY THINK IT'S A GOOD IDEA.
NOW, JUST THE FACT THAT YOU TAKE YOU TAKE A PROGRAM THAT DOESN'T EVEN ENTER INTO THE COMPENSATION QUESTION SUPPORT STAFF, I MEAN, DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT? WHEN COMPTROLLER FRANCHISE WAS COMING HERE SOME YEARS AGO AND GIVING THE GOLDEN HAMMER AWARDS AND TALKING ABOUT HOW CLEAN OUR SCHOOLS ARE AND HOW WELL MAINTAINED THEY ARE.
SO YOU'RE GOING TO SAY WE'RE GOING TO PAY EVERYBODY ELSE, BUT WE'RE NOT GOING TO PAY THOSE PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY'RE NOT IMPORTANT WHEN YOU START TALKING ABOUT EARLY PRE-K EDUCATION.
BUT THEN YOU TURN AROUND AND IMPLEMENT STANDARDS.
I THINK WE HAVE ABOUT HALF OF THE DAYCARES THAT, THAT WE HAD BEFORE COVID BECAUSE THE STATE HAS COME IN AND INCREASED THE REGULATIONS.
WHO WANTS TO TAKE THEIR HOME AND TURN IT INTO A SCHOOL AND BE SUBJECT TO ALL OF THIS STUFF? FOR EVERYTHING THEY TRIED TO DO? THEY'VE SHOT YOURSELF IN THE FOOT, ON THE OTHER SIDE.
WHEN WE SAY WE'LL COMPLY, WELL, WE WILL.
BUT IT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE TO ME TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM WHERE WE HAVE TO SIT AROUND AND WORRY ALL THE TIME ABOUT WHETHER WE'RE GOING TO BE ABLE TO BASIC REQUIREMENTS OF THIS, IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
I THINK THAT PART OF THE ADVERSARIAL RELATIONSHIP THAT HAS BEEN DEVELOPED OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS BETWEEN COMMISSIONERS AND BOARD OF EDUCATION IS BECAUSE OF THE WORK.
ALL THESE PEOPLE WHO THOUGHT IT WAS WONDERFUL CAN'T FIND THEM NOW. IT'S A SHAME.
I MEAN, I HAVE THOUGHT TO MYSELF BEFORE, IF WE HAD A YEAR, THAT WE COULD COME ALONG AND SAY, WELL, OUR REVENUES ARE UP IN, THE BOARD IS STRUGGLING HERE A LITTLE BIT, CAN WE COME BACK IN AND WORK TOGETHER? YOU'RE EVEN PRECLUDED FROM DOING THAT BECAUSE THEN THAT TIES YOU INTO THAT HIGHER.
THAT DID NOT EVEN BE ABLE TO COME BACK AND SAY, CAN WE WORK TOGETHER AND HELP EACH OTHER WITH MONEY? BECAUSE IF YOU DO, YOU'RE PENALIZED.
>> WE'RE GOING THROUGH THAT CURRENTLY WITH THE NON-REOCCURRING CALLS FORM THAT WE JUST RECEIVED HAD ON THE AGENDA AND WE'LL BE SENDING OVER FOR YOUR GUY'S SIGNATURE THE CATEGORIES THAT THEY MAKE YOU ATTEST TO OR REQUIRE THAT IT'S NON-REOCCURRING, SO NARROWED OR TIGHT WINDOW TO DO ANYTHING LIKE YOU MENTIONED MAKES IT IMPOSSIBLE. YEAH.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE THE FLEXIBILITY THAT THERE'S NO.
>> YOU ASSUME BAD INTENT FROM EVERYBODY.
>> TO ADDITIONAL STAFF TO DO THE REPORTING.
I MEAN, WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT ALL.
>> WHEN WE GET FROM THE MARYLAND STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
ONCE THAT GUIDANCE COMES THROUGH.
>> IT'S GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE MONEY THAT'S SPENT ON EDUCATING THE STUDENTS TO DO THE REPORTING IN THE TRATO.
>> HAVE TO BE PART OF OUR 25%.
WHAT WE SAID HERE THAT CARBS THAT HIGH, SMALLER, AND SMALLER.
>> BUT YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW MUCH STAFF, YOU'LL HAVE TO ADD AT LEAST ONE.
I CAN GUARANTEE YOU AT LEAST ONE, BUT IT WILL DEPEND ON WHAT THE RULES OF THE ROAD ARE WHEN WE GOT.
>> PRETTY MUCH EVERY ACCOUNT NUMBER IN OUR CHART OF ACCOUNTS.
RIGHT NOW, WE HAVE A LOT OF SYSTEM-WIDE.
WHEN WE BUY TEXTBOOKS OR WHEN WE BUY LAPTOPS, IT'S CODED SYSTEM-WIDE.
NOW THAT ONE ACCOUNT NUMBER IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE SPLIT OUT INTO 10 FOR OUR 10 LOCATIONS.
THEN ACCOUNTS PAYABLE IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE KEYING IN 10 ACCOUNT NUMBERS INSTEAD OF ONE.
PLUS I NEED ACCOUNTANTS ON STAFF TO SPLIT EVERYTHING OUT AND DO WE LOST ACCOUNTING?
[00:40:01]
>> WE HAVE ONE SYSTEM THAT'S MOCKED THIS OUT, THE LARGER SYSTEM THAT WE TALKED TO AND THEY'RE UPWARDS OF, AND I KNOW YOU'LL PROBABLY UNDERSTAND IT BETTER.
THEY'RE UPWARDS OF OVER 70,000 ACCOUNTING CODES IN THEIR ACCOUNT.
>> I WAS GOING TO ASK WHETHER YOUR SYSTEM EVEN HAD THE CAPABILITIES THAT I'M THINKING.
>> WE MIGHT HAVE TO OVERHAUL OUR ACCOUNT CURRENT ACCOUNT STRUCTURE BECAUSE WE MIGHT NOT BE ABLE TO DO, WE WILL MEET ALL OF THESE REQUIREMENTS WITH THE CURRENT ACCOUNT STRUCTURE.
ONCE YOU ESTABLISH THOSE GL STRINGS AND CODES, IT'S VERY HARD TO GO BACK AND TEAR THOSE APART AND TRY TO RECREATE.
SO NOW YOU'RE STUCK WITH THE EXISTING, BUT TRYING TO.
>> WHICH IS ALSO WHY WE'RE NOT TOUCHING.
>> STARTED SOFT. MY HEAD SPIN.
>> ONCE THEY GIVE US THE TAL BOOK.
BASICALLY THE ACCOUNTING BIBLE.
ONCE THEY GIVE US THE NEW ACCOUNTING BIBLE, THEN WE WILL TOUCH IT. WE WILL NOT TOUCH IT.
>> CAN I JUST SHARE THAT? I DON'T UNDERSTAND THE BENEFIT.
I DON'T SEE WHERE IT ACTUALLY SHOWS ANYTHING.
I DON'T SEE WHERE IT YIELDS ANYTHING.
YOU'RE SPENDING ALL THIS TIME AND MONEY ON SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T YIELD ANYTHING.
>> BECAUSE SOMEBODY WHO DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT COMING UP WITH THE MONEY AND DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT HOW WE'RE GOING TO DO THIS.
DOESN'T HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THAT.
>> WHAT YOU'RE SAYING IS IT DOESN'T IMPROVE, A TEST SCORE DOESN'T IMPROVE, IT DOESN'T IMPROVE ANY EDUCATION. ANY KIND OF GAIN OF KNOWLEDGE ON THE STUDENT.
>> WE'VE HAD THIS ENTIRE MEETING AND WE HAVEN'T TALKED ABOUT IMPROVING OUTCOMES, WE'VE TALKED ABOUT IMPLEMENTING BLUEPRINT FOR THE FIRST HOUR.
>> WHEN YOU SAID HERE TODAY WE'RE IN OUR BUDGET WE STARTED OUR BUDGET.
THE BIGGEST NUMBER IN OUR BUDGET WE WON'T KNOW.
WE'LL BE INTO OUR BUDGET HEARING BEFORE WE REALLY KNOW WHAT OUR NUMBER IS.
BECAUSE THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT OUR NUMBER IS.
IT'S A CLOWN SHOW. I'M TELLING YOU, MAN, IT HAS BEEN AND IT IS. I'M SORRY.
>> NOBODY WANTS TO HEAR THAT, BUT IT IS.
>> WHEN ARE THEY SUPPOSED TO GIVE YOU THIS BIBLE?
>> THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO IN JULY 1 OF 2023.
>> BECAUSE I HAVE A FEELING I'M READY TO CALL SOMEBODY'S BLUFF.
SEE IF THEY REALLY WILL HOLD FUNDING.
>> THEY WERE SUPPOSED TO. WELL, TROY, I'LL BE CALLING THEIR BLUFF BECAUSE I'M NOT MAKING ANY MOVE UNTIL I HAVE IT.
>> I 100% AGREE. WERE WE NEED BACKING FROM ME I WILL BACK YOU ON THIS.
>> WE'RE NOT MAKING ANY SHIFTS UNTIL WE HAVE THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ERIN, I'M NOT GOING TO ASK ANYBODY ON HER TEAM TO MAKE ANY CHANGE UNTIL WE HAVE THE RULES OF THE ROAD.
>> ANY SENSE IN HER GOING TO WORK THREE OR FOUR TIMES?
>> I'M NOT BEING SMART, BUT YOU'RE SAYING EVERYTHING THAT WE'VE BEEN SAYING AND THINKING FROM DAY 1.
BUT THE FIRST TIME THIS WAS PRESENTED, I THINK ALL FIVE OF US WERE LIKE ARE YOU KIDDING? I MEAN, THERE'S JUST NO WAY IT'S GOING TO WORK.
IF I WAS BETTING IT'S GOING TO GO AWAY.
IT HAS TO GO AWAY. IT JUST CANNOT WORK.
>> I DON'T SEE IT MAKING BILL 20.
>> I DON'T THINK IT WILL. IT CAN'T.
>> HOW MUCH DAMAGE OCCURS BETWEEN NOW AND THEN?
>> CAN YOU POINT OUT YOU CAN'T JUST CHANGE THE SYSTEM?
>> PART OF THIS IS A DISTRACTION AWAY FROM ACTUALLY NAILING THE CURRICULUM AND COMING UP WITH LOCAL SOLUTIONS.
ALL THE TIME AND ENERGY SPENT ON UNDERSTANDING AND TRYING TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO IMPLEMENT THIS.
>> I'LL BE HONEST, WE DO HAVE OUR BILL COMMITTEES, WE HAVE FOLKS WORKING ON IT, BUT WE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN AS AN ADMINISTRATIVE TEAM TO KEEP THE BURDEN OFF THE SCHOOLS.
BECAUSE OUR TEACHERS NEED TO TEACH, OUR SPORT STAFF NEED TO DO WHAT THEY DO.
OUR PRINCIPALS REALLY DO NEED TO BE PRINCIPALS AND LEAD THE BUILDING.
WE NEED THEIR INPUT, WE NEED THEM BE PART OF.
BUT THE BURDEN WE'RE CARRYING THE BURDEN IN THIS BUILT BY AND LARGE BECAUSE IT'S AN ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN.
THEY STILL NEED TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO FOR KIDS EVERY SINGLE DAY, REGARDLESS OF WHAT THE STRUCTURES LOOK LIKE THAT PROVIDE THE FUNDING TO DO IT.
>> AS FAR AS PILLARS 3 AND 4 WHICH HAVE TO DO WITH CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION TEACHING KIDS, WE'RE DOING ALL THAT.
IT'S HAPPENING, IT'S ORGANIC, IT'S PART OF OUR LANGUAGE.
WE'RE VERY SUCCESSFUL IN THOSE AREAS.
MY ONLY PERCEPTION IS THAT THIS FINANCIAL PIECE DOESN'T SPEAK DIRECTLY TO IMPROVING STUDENTS.
NOT IN THE SCORES BUT THEIR SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, AND THEIR FEELING OF BELONGING.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE FOCUSING ON, THE OTHER PILLARS AND WE FEEL VERY GOOD ABOUT WHERE WE'RE HEADED THERE.
THAT PART OF THE BLUEPRINT, WE'RE EXCELLING.
IT'S THIS PART THAT SPENDS ALL THIS TIME.
[00:45:03]
>> IT'S WHAT FALLS UNDER PILLAR 5 IS WHAT?
>> IT'S COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. YEAH, EXACTLY.
>> THE ACCOUNTABILITY PORTION.
>> IF IT GOES AWAY. YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT THE FINANCIAL PIECE, YOU CAN'T JUST FLIP A SWITCH AND CHANGE THAT.
THAT'S GOING TO BE IN PLACE, ALL THOSE CODES AND SO FORTH.
EVERYTHING LARRY SAID IS RIGHT ON TARGET.
I HADN'T THOUGHT OF IT THIS WAY.
THE DIFFICULTIES GOING ON IN THESE OTHER COUNTIES, THE FIGHTING THAT'S GOING ON.
>> IT'S NOT ONLY GOING TO BE BETWEEN THE BOARD OF EDUCATION AND THE COMMISSIONERS IT'S GOING TO BE BETWEEN OTHER DEPARTMENTS WHERE THEY'RE GOING TO SAY YOU'RE SPENDING ALL THIS TIME MONEY WHAT ABOUT US? EVERYBODY'S ALWAYS WORRIED ABOUT US.
>> WE MAY BE YOUR LARGEST PART OF THE BUDGET, BUT THERE'S STILL A LOT OF OTHER IMPORTANT [OVERLAPPING]
>> YOU CAN'T GET RID OF THE FIRE, YOU CAN'T GET RID OF HUMANE SOCIETY.
YOU CAN'T GET BLOOD OUT OF STONE AND YOU CAN'T KEEP JUST RAISING TAXES. IT JUST THERE'S NO WAY.
>> ESPECIALLY FROM A COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE THE INCOME TO EVEN IF YOU COULD RAISE THE INCOME TAXES.
>> IF YOU CAME TO US, AND I DON'T REALLY CARE I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, OTHER COUNTIES WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO DO IT, BUT I DON'T CARE ABOUT OTHER COUNTIES I CARE ABOUT THIS COUNTY.
IF HE CAME TO US AND SAID OUR GOAL IN THIS COUNTY IS TO GET TEACHERS TO A CERTAIN PAY LEVEL, I THINK WE COULD SIT DOWN AND WORK TOGETHER.
WE COULD DO IT HERE, BUT IT'S BEEN TAKEN OUT OF OUR HANDS.
I MEAN WE'RE SO BUSY TRYING TO FIGURE ALL THIS STUFF OUT AND WAITING FOR SOMEBODY ELSE TO TELL US WHAT WE HAVE TO DO WHEN THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WE HAVE TO DO EITHER.
TO ME, IT'S TAKEN THE WHOLE LOCAL AUTONOMY.
IT'S TAKEN THE ABILITY FOR US TO TAILOR PROGRAMS THAT WILL WORK FOR US.
NOT THAT WORKS IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY OR PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY. THAT'S UP TO THEM.
>> TOP-DOWN MANAGEMENT THAT TOOK ANY AUTHORITY OR CONTROL AWAY FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENT.
>> YEAH. THAT'S JUST ABOUT EVERY PIECE OF LEGISLATION THAT I'VE SEEN THIS YEAR, IT HAS THAT PURPOSE.
>> YOU MENTIONED FOUNDATION FUNDING.
>> FOUNDATION IS UNRESTRICTED AND THAT'S THE LARGEST PART OF THE BUCKET FOR US.
>> YES. WELL, STATE AND LOCAL, YOU EACH HAVE US COMPONENT.
BUT YEAH, THAT'S THE FOUNDATION IS THE MOST FREE OF THE FUNDING THAT WE GET OUT OF THAT BUCKET.
>> THAT STATE FUNDING PORTION IS GOING AT 1.7% OF THE BUDGET.
>> THAT PART OF THE FORMULA GOES UP 1.7.
>> DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT TOTAL NUMBER IS?
>> 46.6 MIL IS WHAT NEXT YEAR'S, THE TOTAL PER STATE AND LOCAL.
>> THAT'S NOT HOW MUCH IS GOING UP.
>> THAT'S NOT HOW MUCH IS GOING UP.
>> I'M JUST CURIOUS HOW MUCH OF THAT 1.7 IS ON THE COUNTY AND HOW MUCH IS ON THE STATE.
>> I DON'T HAVE THAT [INAUDIBLE].
>> I DON'T HAVE A [INAUDIBLE] OUT OF EITHER.
>> LOOKING TO SEE IF I STILL HAD IT IN MY RECENT EMAIL OF THE BREAKDOWN.
>> WE'RE ALSO AWARE THAT YOU'RE LOOKING THAT UP.
WE'RE SWITCHING FROM NOE LOCAL SHARE, WHICH INCREASES YOUR COST.
>> THE STATE AID ACTUALLY DECREASED SLIGHTLY DUE TO THE DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT.
THE 1.7 PERCENTAGE INCREASE DOES NOT COVER OUR DECREASE IN ENROLLMENT.
>> WAS THE COVID YEAR FALL OR THE PRE-COVID.
>> WAIT TILL YOU HEAR THE EXPLANATION.
>> THE ENTIRE 1.7% INCREASE BEING ON THE COUNTY.
>> IT WAS EATEN UP BY THE LOSS ENROLLMENT.
OVERALL, ROUGHLY GET OUT THAT KIND OF AN INCREASE FOR SIGNATORIES. IT'S ALL IN THE BUDGET.
>> WAIT UNTIL YOU HEAR THE EXPLANATION ABOUT WHY THE DISPARITY GRANT WENT DOWN.
>> YEAH, I SHARED WITH OUR BOARD OVER THAT ONE BECAUSE THAT WAS TOO CRAZY [OVERLAPPING].
>> LIKE I SAY, WHO SAT DOWN AND [OVERLAPPING].
>> I HAVE IT ON THE PHONE BUT IT'S HARD TO SEE.
>> BUT WE THINK THE LION'S SHARE OF THE WHEN IT COMES FROM THE CAMP.
[00:50:01]
>> I WILL DEFINITELY LOOK INTO THAT.
>> WELL, I'M HERE, I'M CURIOUS.
>> I CAN SEE IT BUT IT'S HARD TO SEE THE PRIOR YEAR.
>> BECAUSE THE PRIOR DOESN'T SHOW UP IN THAT SAME COLUMN OF THE OTHER SPREADSHEET.
>> SO AS TIMING GOES FOR THIS WHOLE PROCESS, SO TODAY STACY AND I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT DOWN AND PRESENT ALL OF OUR OUTSIDE AGENCIES, INTERNAL DEPARTMENTS REQUESTS, AND NEXT WEEK YOU GUYS WILL JOIN US FOR OUR ROUND TABLE AND WE'RE STARTING THROUGH THAT.
IT'S REALLY BEEN OUR PRACTICE IN THE PAST TO USE WORST CASE SCENARIO.
WE'RE USING THE PRELIMINARY NUMBER THAT WE HAVE IN THE SHEET AS WE GO THROUGH THIS.
AS WE MENTIONED BEFORE, END OF APRIL HAS BEEN WHEN WE TYPICALLY GET THE FINAL NUMBER.
I KNOW YOU MENTIONED THAT TOO.
THAT STILL SEEMS TO BE IN LINE WITH THIS YEAR AND HOW OPEN ARE THEY TO SOME OF THE COMMENTS OR SUGGESTIONS YOU GUYS HAVE BEEN BRINGING UP ABOUT THE FORMULA.
>> DO YOU KNOW HOW THE LEGISLATION GOES? THE THING WE'VE HAD, I THINK, THE MOST POSITIVE FEEDBACK ONE HAS BEEN, I FORGET THE BILL NUMBER, BUT THE ONE FOR CONSERVATION OF POVERTY SCHOOLS. BECAUSE IT'S NO COST.
>> OF CHANGES LIKE 10% OUT OF THAT.
>> IT DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING IN THE FORMULA, IT JUST CHANGES WHAT WE CAN DO WITH IT.
SO THAT'S ONE WHERE THEY'RE, OH YEAH, GREAT IDEA, DOESN'T COST US ANYTHING.
WE LOVE THESE BILLS. I NEED TO WAIT TO SEE HOW THINGS, ESPECIALLY IN THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS, FOR SOME BILLS THAT ARE TRYING TO MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO THE FORMULA, BECAUSE WE ALSO KNOW THE STATE HAS NO MONEY.
THEY KEEP SAYING THEY HAVE NO MONEY, BUT THEY TEND TO HAVE MONEY FOR THINGS THEY WANT TO HAVE MONEY FOR.
>> SO JUST FOR CURIOSITY FOR ALL PROCESS?
>> I WISH I HAD A CLEAR ANSWER ALSO ON THE FORMULA PIECE.
SO THE CHALLENGE THAT WE HAVE FOUND IN THE FORMULA, GENERALLY SPEAKING, IN US AND AT LEAST ONE OTHER SCHOOL SYSTEM, OUR RATES OF POVERTY INCREASE AS SUCH THAT WE ARE A COMMUNITY ELIGIBILITY PROVISION DISTRICT, SO ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS QUALIFY FOR CEP AS A PROGRAM.
ALL OF OUR KIDS GET FREE MEALS AT THE SCHOOL BECAUSE POVERTY RATES ARE SO HIGH, WHICH IS A FANTASTIC PROGRAM, DEFINITELY GOOD FOR US TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FOR OUR KIDS.
WE BELIEVE, AND I VERY MUCH SUGGEST A HEARING ON THIS, BECAUSE IT APPEARS TWO COUNTIES THAT WE KNOW OF THAT BOTH BECAME CEP THIS YEAR, WE BOTH SEEM TO HAVE SOME INACCURACIES IN OUR LINES AND THE FORMULA.
WE BOTH HAVE THE SAME QUESTIONS, WE BOTH SEE THE SAME INACCURACIES, AND WE'RE WAITING FOR RESPONSE FROM THE STATE.
OUR RESPONSE SO FAR HAS BEEN, WE ARE DEFINITELY LOOKING AT IT, IN ESSENCE.
THE FACT THAT WE DIDN'T GET A SHORT ANSWER LEADS ME TO BELIEVE WE PROBABLY ARE MORE ACCURATE THAN NOT.
AND NOW THEY'RE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHAT ARE THEY DOING.
WE BELIEVE WE ARE MORE ACCURATE.
WHAT I WILL SAY IS, I HOPE THAT IN US BEING MORE ACCURATE, IT DOESN'T.
I HOPE IT'S A BANK ERROR IN OUR FAVOR, AND NOT IN DOING SO ADDS ADDITIONAL PAIN TO THE COUNTY'S BUDGET.
>> AND THAT'S WHAT I WOULD SAY.
>> AND I DON'T KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT. I REALLY DON'T.
>> WE REALLY WON'T KNOW UNTIL WE GET TO THAT.
IT'S APPROPRIATE TO HAVE THE MONOPOLY REFERENCE [LAUGHTER].
>> IT'S IN THE COMPACT NUMBERS.
>> ACCORDING TO THE MSD SPREADSHEET THAT WE SAW, WE GOT POOR BY THAT.
>> WE ARE THE POOREST IN THE STATE.
>> WE HAD THE LOWEST WEALTH PER PUPIL OF ANY JURISDICTION IN THE STATE.
>> ACCORDING TO THE DISPARITY GRANT, WE GOT RICHER, SO THAT'S WHY THE REDUCTION IN THE DISPARITY GRANTS.
>> THE STATE GOT SPLIT OVER, TOO.
>> [OVERLAPPING] SEE, THAT'S WHAT I NEVER UNDERSTOOD.
AFTER ALL THESE YEARS OF HAVING YOU EXPLAIN ONE WAY, THEN I GOT TO EXPLAIN.
ALL IT DOESN'T REALLY HAVE TO DO WITH YOU IS HOW THE STATE [OVERLAPPING].
>> IS YOU AND RELATIVE TO EVERYBODY ELSE?
>> [OVERLAPPING] THAT'D BE 75% RULE.
>> WHERE IS THAT? THE STATE AVERAGE.
>> IT GETS YOU TO 75% OF THE STATE AVERAGE.
SO IF THE STATE AVERAGE DROPS, YOU'RE JUST TIGHTENING THAT.
>> WELL, EVEN IF WE STAYED THE SAME, EVEN IF WE DIDN'T GAIN, IF THE STATE DROPS, OUR DISPARITY DROPS BECAUSE IT'S ONLY BRINGING US WITHIN 75% OF THE STATE AVERAGE.
WE DIDN'T CHANGE, OUR WEALTH DID CHANGE, IT'S JUST THE STATE.
WE DIDN'T DROP AS MUCH AS THE STATE DROPPED OVERALL.
>> WE'RE ALREADY POOR [LAUGHTER].
[OVERLAPPING] AND THAT WAS PART OF THE DEAL LAID OUT TO ME WAS THAT YES,
[00:55:01]
BUSINESS OWNERS, PEOPLE SOLD INVESTMENTS, THOSE TYPES OF THINGS LAST YEAR AND THE STATE APPEARED TO BE MUCH WEALTHIER.THIS YEAR YOU DON'T SEE AS MUCH OF THAT ACTIVITY HAPPENING.
SO THE APPARENT WEALTH OF THE STATE AND THE INCOME TAX THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE PAID IN THE STATE DROPPED ALL STAYED THE SAME.
SO OUR DISPARITY GRANT JUST GOT CUT.
>> ONLY BY THIS LOTTERY [LAUGHTER].
>> THAT'S FUNDAMENTALLY FLAWED, NOT SO SIMPLE.
>> IT'S ALL FLAWED. THAT'S WHY I SAID A MONOPOLY IS PRETTY APPROPRIATE [NOISE].
>> JUST IF IT'S JUST WORTH SHARING THE WEALTH PER PUPIL IN CAROLINE AND IT TAKES INTO THE CALCULATION ALL THE TAX ON THE RECOMMENDATION, 380,000 PER PUPIL.
BASICALLY THE NEXT CLOSEST IS WICOMICO AT 383,000.
JUST AS A COMPARISON BECAUSE IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO DO.
OUR NEIGHBOR TO THE EAST OF US 1.34 MILLION.
THAT'S WHY I TRY TO REMIND OUR STAFF TO NOT COMPARE US TO DALTON COUNTY.
JUST CAN'T AT ALL ON ALMOST ANY FIRM.
RIGHT THERE IS PROBABLY THE BIGGEST DRIVER TO NOT DO IT.
WE'RE ACTUALLY MORE LIKE WHY WICOMICO NOW FOR WEALTH INSTEAD OF DORCHESTER.
DORCHESTER'S COME UP A LITTLE BIT.
>> OUR DISPARITY GRANT LEFT HERE AND WENT TO DORCHESTER.
YOU KNOW DORCHESTER [LAUGHTER] DORCHESTER'S DISPARITY IS GOING UP, 400,000 OR 500,000.
>> BUT THAT'S DIVIDED INTO PER PUPIL?
>> WE ARE PER CAPITA ACROSS THE COUNTY.
SO IF YOU HAD A HIGHER PERCENTAGE OF SCHOOL-AGE CHILDREN VERSUS OTHER, YOU COULD SKEW ONE WAY OR ANOTHER.
>> WE HAVE ABOUT 1,000 MORE KIDS THAN THEY DO [OVERLAPPING].
>> COUNCILMAN PFEIFFER TOLD ME THAT YOU HAVE A FAMILY THAT'S VERY LONELY WHEN YOU'RE AT HOME [LAUGHTER].
>> BECAUSE I'M TRYING TO WORK OUT ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING WHEN YOU'RE TIED TO FOUR MINUTES.
>> SO THIS IS THE CHALLENGE WE'RE WORKING THROUGH.
WE WILL OBVIOUSLY KEEP EVERYBODY IN THE LOOP AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION.
AARON AND DANNY TALK FREQUENTLY.
AS WE GET ANY UPDATE, WE'LL MAKE SURE WE'LL SHARE IT WITH YOU AND IF THERE'S ANY MOVEMENT THAT SEEM TO BE HAPPENING IN LEGISLATIVE PLAN, THE THINGS THAT WILL HELP US, WE'D BE HAPPY TO.
I KNOW I'VE TALKED WITH LARRY, WE'VE GOT SOME LEGISLATION, TRAVIS, I HAVE WITH YOU AS WELL.
IF ANYTHING POPS UP THAT WE MIGHT WANT TO THINK ABOUT SENDING SOMETHING IN ON OR WE'RE TALKING ABOUT, PLEASE REACH OUT.
THE HOUSE BILL 1157 WROTE YOUR OWN EDUCATORS.
HAVE YOU LOOKED AT THAT ONE? I DID A HOUSE BILL CALLED 1441 EARLY CHILDHOOD PUBLIC FUNDED PRE-K.
>> OKAY, I'LL TAKE A LOOK AT MORE.
>> WHEN YOU DO THE COLLECTIVE BARGAINING AGREEMENT TO SUPPORT STAFF? DO YOU HAVE AN PROJECTION OF THE FINANCIAL IMPLICATION THAT'S GOING TO HAVE ON BUDGET?
>> I HAVE ZERO PROJECTIONS BECAUSE THEY HAVE YET TO COME TO THE TABLE TO START TALKING.
SO WE HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY COME AND SEE WHERE THAT GOES.
THEIR CONTRACT IS UP FOR NEXT YEAR.
>> I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.
>> SO WE WOULD BE BUDGETING FOR IT IN '26?
>> THE LAST SLIDE I HAD WAS REALLY JUST ABOUT CAPITAL PROJECTS AND ONE TO REALLY THANK YOU GUYS FOR THE SUPPORT FOR THESE NORTH HIGH.
THE FIRST PART OF THE ROOF LOOKS REALLY GOOD.
SECOND PART WILL LOOK REALLY GOOD TOO WHEN IT GETS DONE THIS SUMMER.
BE GREAT TO HAVE THAT PROJECT DONE.
WE'RE ALL SET FOR THE PES ROOF REPLACEMENT AS WELL, WHICH WILL BE WONDERFUL I WILL SAY, AND ALLOW BILL TO SHARE AS WELL.
THE [INAUDIBLE] ROOFS MADE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE.
LITERALLY, IF THERE WAS A ROOF PROJECT THAT MADE A TREMENDOUS DIFFERENCE ON A SCHOOL THAT WE'VE DONE PROBABLY IN MY CAREER, [INAUDIBLE] IS IT.
I DON'T KNOW IF YOU COULD SAY A ROOF LOOKS GOOD, BUT THE ROOF LOOKS GOOD.
BUT IT ALSO HAS REALLY, IT'S OBVIOUSLY MUCH SAFER.
SOME WE'VE BEEN CHASING 10 YEARS.
IT REALLY HAS MADE A BIG DIFFERENCE WITH THAT BUILDING. WE APPRECIATE THAT.
HOPE TO BRING THE SAME TO PRESTON WHEN WE GET TO THEM THIS SUMMER.
WE ARE SET MYSELF, BILL, AND AARON WILL BE MEETING WITH ALEX DONAHUE WHO WAS THE HEAD OF THE INTERAGENCY IN SCHOOL CONSTRUCTION.
[01:00:01]
LATER THIS MONTH, HE'S COMING TO CAROLINE COUNTY.HE OFFERED, WE TOOK HIM UP ON IT FOR A SIT DOWN OF, OKAY.
WE'RE THINKING WE MIGHT BE IN A POSITION TO LOOK AT BUILDING A NEW SCHOOL IN FY '28 WAS THE CONVERSATION THAT I HAVE WITH TRAVIS AND DANNY AND JUST THINKING ABOUT ONE THAT COULD POSSIBLY FALL, IT WOULD BE BILL AARON AND I'S FIRST SCHOOL.
THAT'S A NEW BUILD AND THE RULES HAVE CHANGED EVEN SINCE WE DID GREENSBORO.
WE WANT TO SIT DOWN WITH MR. DONAHUE AND SAY UP FRONT RIGHT NOW, LET'S ROAD MAP OUT EVERYTHING THAT HAS TO HAPPEN TO MAKE SURE WE'RE IN THE QUEUE AND EVERY I IS DOTTED AND T IS CROSSED.
WE ARE IF FUNDING BECOMES AVAILABLE TO PULL THIS OFF BY FY '28, SO WE'RE READY TO GO.
WE KNOW THERE'S GOING TO BE A FEASIBILITY STUDY THAT HAS TO BE DONE BECAUSE THERE'S A HIGH POTENTIAL FOR A LOCATION CHANGE FROM WHERE IT IS, BUT YOU HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH HOOPS TO GET TO THAT POINT.
BUT WE ALSO WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ABLE TO MAXIMIZE EVERY STATE DOLLAR ALONG THE WAY.
ALSO TO PRIORITIZE THIS PROJECT FROM THERE ON.
WE MEET WITH HIM IN ABOUT A WEEK.
>> HE'LL SPEND A FEW HOURS WITH US TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE IT ALL ROAD MAPPED OUT.
BECAUSE LOCKEMAN'S, DEFINITELY.
>> HE WAS IN THE SPEAKER, ONE OF THE CO LEGISLATIVE CALLS THAT WE HAD.
THE GUY SEEMS TO BE VERY KNOWLEDGEABLE GUY.
>> THE FACT HE WAS, I WON'T SAY MUCH ABOUT THE OTHER GUY.
BUT SINCE ALEX HAS BEEN THERE, IT HAS BEEN A HANDS ON APPROACH.
IT'S BEEN A LET'S SIT DOWN AND TALK, LET'S WORK THROUGH IT, LET'S SEE WHAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN.
THERE DEFINITELY SEEMS TO BE A PUSH UNDER HIM TO GET THE DOLLARS OUT OF THE WAY.
IF THEY HAVE THE FUNDING TO GET IT OUT BECAUSE IT DOESN'T DO THEM ANY GOOD TO HOLD ON TO.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE SPLIT IS? STATE LOCAL SPLIT, YOU STILL THINKING 93-7?
I WOULD BE SHOCKED IF THAT CARRIED BEYOND NEXT YEAR, GOING BACK TO LIKE 88-12 90-10 SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
IF [INAUDIBLE] GETTING WORSE. THIS THIS 94-6 WAS REALLY ON FOR TWO YEARS.
WHAT DOESN'T HELP IS THE STATE TALKING ABOUT HOW BROKE THEY ARE.
>> NOW, IS THAT AT TIME OF CONSTRUCTION OR IS THAT ONCE YOU GET INTO QUE, YOU GET THE 94-6.
>> THAT'S OF APPROVAL. AS WE GO THROUGH THE PROCESS, THEY'LL LOCK IN ON WHAT THE PERCENTAGE IS GOING TO BE AND THEN WE'RE LOCKED IN.
IF IT'S A ONE YEAR FEASIBILITY, TWO YEAR BUILD AND THEY DECIDED THEY WANT TO DO JUST ANOTHER TWO YEARS AND THEN TALK ABOUT EVERY TWO YEARS, WE'D BE LOCKED INTO THAT PERCENTAGE FOR THAT PARTICULAR PORTION OF THE BUILD.
JUST LIKE NORTH CAROLINA ROOF, THE FIRST YEAR WAS 88-12, NEXT WAS 94-6 BECAUSE THEY CHANGED IT.
>> DO YOU HAVE ANY TYPE OF A BALLPARK NUMBER?
>> WE'LL HAVE TO ESTIMATE THAT?
>> I ESTIMATED 65 MILLION BASED ON GES, BASED ON SOME OTHER SCHOOLS.
WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS BASED ON THE SQUARE FOOTAGE, THE LOCKEMAN IS NOW AT ABOUT 108,000.
IT'S $408 PER SQUARE FOOT FOR CONSTRUCTION WITH SITE DEVELOPMENT, WHICH MOST LIKELY THIS WOULD BE A SITE DEVELOPMENT.
LOCKEMAN'S A LITTLE LOW UNDERSIZED FOR A NEED.
110,000 SQUARE FEET, LOOKS LIKE AT THAT COST AND THAT MAY CHANGE A LITTLE BIT NEXT YEAR GOING FORWARD IN THE YEAR FOLLOWING.
BUT AT THE CURRENT 481, LOOKING AT 52,910,000, AT 120,000 SQUARE FEET, LOOKING AT 57 MILLION.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE IC IS GOING TO PROVE, BUT I TOOK IT UP TO 130,000 SQUARE FEET, 62 MILLION.
>> WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A LOCAL SHARE ANYWHERE BETWEEN 4-8 MILLION?
>> WE INITIALLY SAT DOWN AND HAD A VERY PRELIMINARY, JUST KIND OF A SPIT BALL.
WE COME BACK TO THE 2028 YEAR LOT BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN WE HAVE SOME DEBT THAT FALLS OFF ON THE COUNTY LEVEL.
I DON'T WANT TO SAY A LOT, BUT WE'RE STARTING TO ACCUMULATE SOME SMALLER FALL OFFS TO THAT POINT.
[01:05:04]
WAS THAT 80-20 WHEN WE DID THAT OR 79-21?>> IT WAS DEFINITELY A LOT HIGHER.
>> I OBVIOUSLY LOVE TO SEE ANYTHING. [LAUGHTER]
>> THERE WASN'T ANY FURNITURE THAT DIDN'T INCLUDE [INAUDIBLE], RIGHT?
>> YOU CAN'T USE THE MONEY TO PURCHASE.
>> I THINK AT THE TIME, I DON'T KNOW HOW ACCURATE IT CAME DOWN TO, BUT WE ALMOST JOKED THAT IT WOULD BE 60-40 BY THE TIME IT WAS OVER ONCE WE GOT THROUGH THE WHOLE PROCESS AT THAT TIME.
NOW, WHETHER THAT ENDED UP TRUTHFULLY THAT SPLIT.
>> [INAUDIBLE] FY '28. [LAUGHTER]
>> YOU'RE COUNTING ALREADY? [LAUGHTER]
>> WELL, JUST SO EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THE CAPITAL ISSUES THAT WE'RE FACING RIGHT NOW.
THE DETENTION CENTER, WE WERE ABLE TO DO THE NORTH CAROLINA HIGH ROOF AND THE FEDERAL COURT ROOF BECAUSE WE REALLOCATED FUNDS THAT WERE SET ASIDE TO RENOVATE THE DETENTION CENTER.
THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE DETENTION CENTER STILL DOESN'T NEED TO BE DONE.
WE'RE IN DISCUSSIONS RIGHT NOW ABOUT A REGIONAL JAIL.
THE LATEST PROJECTION I SAW ON THAT, IF IT DOES CARRY THROUGH TO FRUITION, I THINK OUR PORTION ON THE BUILD WOULD BE AROUND 20 MILLION, WAS IT?
IF WE HAVE TO BUILD OUR OWN DETENTION CENTER HERE AT THE COUNTY QUEEN ANNE REGIONAL FACILITY FALLS THROUGH, WE COULD BE LOOKING AT 25-30 MILLION AS A LOCAL SHARE, BECAUSE THEY DO, THE STATE DOES A 50, 50 SPLIT ON CONSTRUCTION COSTS, AND DETENTION CENTERS ARE EXTREMELY EXPENSIVE TO BUILD BECAUSE OF THE SAFETY FEATURES THAT HAVE TO BE INSIDE.
THAT BUILDING, YOU GUYS ALL KNOW, THE HISTORY.
TROY PROBABLY WORKED IN THE BASEMENT THERE.
WE RODE THAT HORSE AS FAR AS IT CAN BE RIDDEN AND WE HAVE NO CHOICE.
>> [OVERLAPPING] BEYOND. THE HORSE, IT LAND THERE AND DEAD STILL RIDING IT [LAUGHTER].
>> THE SCHOOL THAT WE WANT TO REPLACE HAS BEEN RODE ABOUT AS LONG [OVERLAPPING] IT'S THE SAME SITUATION.
IT'S BEEN A GOOD ONE BUT IT'S IT'S PASSED.
WE NEED TO DO BETTER FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
>> YEAH, ME TOO. YOU WERE A COUPLE OF YEARS BEFORE ME.
[LAUGHTER] THE BATHROOM STILL LOOKS THE SAME.
>> LARRY SAYS IT WAS PRACTICALLY NEW BACK THEN.
>> WE HAVE THAT WE HAVE AN OFFICE SPACE ISSUE.
CIRCUIT COURT WANTS IT OUT OF THE COURT BUILDING, AND THEY NEED THE SPACE.
MY UNDERSTANDING IS THEY'RE WORKING ALWAYS.
>> PEOPLE HAVE ALWAYS, CURRENTLY.
>> WE HAVE AN OFFICE SPACE SHORTAGE. WHAT ELSE CAN I PREDICT? CHEST COLLEGE, WHICH OUR SHARE OF THAT IS $4,000,000.
IF THE GOVERNOR KEEPS IT IN HIS BUDGET RIGHT NOW, THAT'S QUESTIONABLE WHETHER OR NOT THIS IS PENOLOGY.
>> THEY HAVE ASKED FOR US TO CONTINUE WORKING THROUGH OUR BUDGET AND THE OTHER COUNTIES BUDGETS WITH THE INITIAL FIRST YEAR DESIGN 20 IN THERE, IT'S ABOUT 452,000 IN THE UPCOMING BUDGET FOR US.
>> THEY'RE PAYING THIS, THEY'RE ACTIVELY WORKING TO TRY TO GET THAT RESTORED.
>> THEY REBASED BUT IT WAS A 9% CUT.
>> [OVERLAPPING] THINK OF 10% WORK.
>> BUT WHAT I TOLD THEM WAS THAT AS A POOR OLD DUMB BOY FROM GREENSBORO, WHEN YOU GIVE SOMEBODY 10% LESS THAN YOU DID THE YEAR BEFORE, YOU CUT THEM, YOU REBASE IT OR FREEBASE IT OR WHEREVER YOU WANT TO DO.
BUT THEY GET LESS MONEY, BUT NOT ACCORDING TO THE BUDGET DIRECTOR.
>> WELL, IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE MORE THAN 10% OFF THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS.
>> WE GOT A LOT OF KIDS THERE FOR DOING ENROLLING.
[01:10:02]
WE'RE HELPING THEM ON THE ENROLLMENT SIDE.>> I MEAN, IT IS PART OF WHY OUR FORMULA IS GOING UP.
>> [LAUGHTER] WE HAVE A BUMP IN ENROLLMENT FROM CAROLINE COUNTY.
CONSTRUCTION IS SOLELY BASED OFF OF POPULATION.
OUR OPERATING CONTRIBUTION TO THE COLLEGE IS BASED OFF OF HOW MANY CAROLINE COUNTY RESIDENTS ARE ENROLLED IN THE SCHOOL.
>> THEY HAVE ASKED FOR A 4.5% INCREASE.
BUT TO CAROLINE COUNTY, IT'S MORE LIKE 9% DUAL ENROLLMENT IS ENROLLMENT COULD EXPLAIN.
>> [INAUDIBLE] SEMESTER IT WAS 90.
>> YOU GUYS ARE, THAT WOULD BE AN EXCELLENT QUESTION ABOUT THAT [INAUDIBLE].
>> THAT'S DEFINITELY QUESTION TO GET ANSWERED IF THE ROMAN KIDS ARE INCLUDED.
>> THEY HAVE TO BE. I THINK THEY ARE GOING TO, SO.
IN THE MEANTIME, WE JUST LAID OUT ALL THESE CAPITAL PROJECTS, THE SCHOOL WE ALL AGREE WE NEED A NEW SCHOOL.
I THINK ALL THREE OF US AGREE.
OBVIOUSLY, THE DETENTION CENTER, ALL OF THESE THINGS WITH INTEREST RATES, THE WAY THEY ARE, I BELIEVE WE NEED TO BE FISCALLY RESPONSIBLE AND TRY TO BUILD UP REVENUE, OR BUILD UP OUR FUND BALANCE SO THAT WE CAN PAY FOR A LOT OF THIS STUFF WITHOUT HAVING TO FINANCE THE COUNTY IS GETTING TO A POINT WHERE A LOT OF OUR DEBT IS STARTING TO FALL OFF AND THE MONEY THAT WE PAY IN DEBT SERVICE ON INTEREST LEAVES THIS COUNTY.
AND IT'S NEVER FELT, YES, IT GETS US THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT THAT WE NEED RIGHT NOW, BUT WE PAY FOR IT FOR 30 YEARS, 20 YEARS, HOWEVER LONG THE BONDS ARE.
SO WE'RE FINALLY GETTING TO A POINT WHERE WE CAN GET AHEAD OF SOME OF THIS DEBT AND NOT SPEND SO MUCH MONEY ON INTEREST IN DEBT SERVICE.
AND I REALLY FEEL LIKE, WE NEED TO TRY TO BUILD THAT FUND BALANCE SO WE CAN GET AHEAD OF THESE PROJECTS AND NOT HAVE TO BORROW AS MUCH MONEY.
>> THE DEBT SERVICE, IT'S INVISIBLE MONEY.
SPEND IT. WHAT DID YOU GET FOR IT.
BUT CREDIT CARD INTEREST, THERE IT GOES.
DOESN'T DO ANY GOOD FOR YOUR COUNTY.
>> WE'RE FINISHING UP TO ROOT.
WE'RE FINISHING UP ON PARTIAL TO FINISH THE [INAUDIBLE].
>> YOU HAVE TWO IN THE BUDGET REQUEST?
>> [OVERLAPPING] PRESSED IT AT A PARTIAL ROOF REPLACEMENT.
UNFORTUNATELY WHEN THEY YOU GUYS HAVE THAT.
YOU'VE HEARD IT BEFORE WHEN YOU RENOVATED SPACE.
IF THE ROOF ISN'T OLD ENOUGH, YOU CAN'T TOUCH IT.
IT'S GOT TO HIT THE YEARS OF SERVICE BEFORE THEY'LL GIVE YOU THE MONEY OR YOU'RE DOING IT ON YOUR MONEY, NOT ANYTHING YOU GET FROM THEM, WHICH IS JUST STRANGE.
THE SCHOOL IS NOT THAT OLD AND WE'RE REROOFING IT.
WE DID THE SAME THING, COLONEL. REROOFED IT AFTER IT WAS DONE BECAUSE IT WASN'T OLD ENOUGH AT THE TIME.
>> WE GET SOME SEED OUT THERE SOON ON THAT NEW DIRT.
EXTRA SPACE WE GOT. WHICH WOULD BE NICE YEAH.
COMING TOGETHER. SO THAT WAS THE LAST I HAD FOR BUDGET INFORMATION.
AT THIS POINT. WE'RE GOING TO WORK THROUGH IT.
I MEAN, I KNOW WE WILL, FROM OUR SIDE, CONTINUE TO APPRECIATE YOUR SUPPORT AND CREATIVITY WHEN IT COMES TO SOME OF THE THINGS WE TRY TO FIGURE OUT HOW TO GET DONE.
THAT'S FOR SURE, I APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP THAT'S NOT TAKEN FOR GRANTED BY ANY MEANS, EVEN WHEN IT DOESN'T INVOLVE BUDGET FOR YOUR WATER.
I APPRECIATE THE PARTNERSHIP FOR THE HELP THIS MORNING KATHLEEN GOT THE PHONE CALL FROM ME THIS MORNING.
WHAT CAN YOU HELP US OUT WITH? [LAUGHTER] WE APPRECIATE IT AND ARE VERY THANKFUL.
>> NO FURTHER QUESTIONS THERE.
WE MOVE ON ON OUR AGENDA OF UPCOMING MEETINGS AND EVENTS.
[3. Upcoming Meetings/Events]
[01:15:07]
>> YOU GUYS ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US AT ANY OF THESE OTHER BOARD EVENTS COMING UP.
>> WELL, I KNOW I'VE SEEN COMMISSIONERS AT THE PRESENTATIONS AND I KNOW THAT'S APPRECIATED.
IN SOME OF THESE OTHER THE ART SHOWS ARE ALWAYS TERRIFIC.
>> I THINK WE'RE WE'RE 100 DISTRICT 3060.
IF ANYBODY WANTS TO RIDE, LET US KNOW.
>> YOU'RE RIGHT, COMMISSIONER, [INAUDIBLE] [LAUGHTER]
>> HAVE YOU SEEN THE BILL ABOUT THE PLAYGROUND SURFACING, THE RUBBER TIRE, RUBBER HEATING UP?
>> IT HAS TO IT HAS TO BE TESTED AND IT CANNOT HAVE FACE OR ANY OTHER CHEMICAL THAT ANY PLAYING SURFACE WOULD HAVE TO BE TESTED.
IF IT DOES HAVE, I'M PRETTY SURE ALL OF THEM DO, IT HAS TO BE TOTALLY DIFFERENT IN AND USE ARTIFICIAL TURF HAS GOT TO HAVE A CHAIN OF OWNERSHIP.
SO THIS IS THE STUFF WE'RE WE'RE WE'RE DEALING WITH.
>> THERE'S THERE'S ABOUT 3,000 PIECES OF STUFF.
>> ALL THE TIRE PLAYGROUNDS HAVE TO BE TESTED TO MAKE SURE THAT IT DOESN'T HAVE BAD STUFF IN IT.
>> [INAUDIBLE] AND OTHER CHEMICALS.
>> SHOULD HAVE JUST STAYED WITH SAND.
[LAUGHTER] GIANT LITTER BOX DOWN SURFACE.
I GREW UP HAD LIKE MULKEY BARS.
I FELL OVER THEM FOR BECAUSE IT WAS O NO, YOU WERE GLANDS OX MATERIAL.
BROKEN ARM TIRES WERE VERY PERSONAL.
PERSONAL ETER THEY HAVE RUNNING ACROSS THEM AS A KID.
PLAYGROUND LEAD PAINT IN YOUR HOUSE?
>> WE'RE AT THE POINT OF ADJOURNMENT AND DESPITE ALL THE DIFFICULT AND DEPRESSING THINGS, WE'RE NOT YELLING AT EACH OTHER, WE'RE NOT FIGHTS OVER.
IT'S SAME OPENING COMMENT TO REPEAT, BUT SOME OF THE STUFF IS DEPRESSING AND IT'S FRUSTRATING BUT WE'RE ALL FEELING THE SAME PAIN.
WE'RE IN IT TOGETHER AND I KNOW WE ALL FEEL THAT WAY.
AND REALLY GOOD CREW TO WORK WITH I APPRECIATE THAT, THAT SAID THERE'S NOTHING FURTHER.
>> THANK YOU, [INAUDIBLE].
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.