[00:00:04] G OOD EVENING, EVERYONE, AND WELCOME TO THE JULY 7TH BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING. [1. Opening Items ] WELCOME TO THOSE PRESENT AND WELCOME TO THOSE WHO ARE JOINING US VIRTUALLY. AND AT THIS TIME, WE NEED A MOTION TO GO BACK INTO OPEN SESSION. PLEASE MAKE A MOTION TO GO BACK IN SESSION. SECOND, ALL IN FAVOR. AYE. SO CARRY. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND WE WILL BEGIN WITH OUR PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE. I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND TO THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH IT STANDS. ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. ALL RIGHT. AND WE WILL SHARE OUR MISSION STATEMENT AND VISION FOR CAROLINE COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION, OUR MISSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH FAMILIES AND COMMUNITY, WE PREPARE ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE COLLEGE CAREER AND LIFE READINESS THROUGH A CHALLENGING AND PROGRESSIVE EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE. OUR VISION, EVERY STUDENT WILL BE PREPARED, EMPOWERED, AND INSPIRED TO THRIVE IN AN EVER CHANGING AND DIVERSE WORLD. AGAIN, WELCOME TO OUR MEETING AND WE NEED APPROVAL FOR THE AGENDA. PLEASE. I'LL MAKE A MOTION TO APPROVE THE AGENDA. CAN I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. IT'S BEEN PROPERLY MOVED AND SECONDED THAT OUR AGENDA FOR THE EVENING GO FORWARD AS IT IS. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND I'M SORRY, I WAS HAVING COMPUTER ISSUES A SECOND AGO. DID WE? WHAT WAS THE VOTE FOR? CALLING THE MEETING TO ORDER. DID WE DO IT? YES YEAH. NOT A PROBLEM. AND, MISS BARRY, DO YOU HAVE PUBLIC COMMENTS TONIGHT? [2. Public Recognitions / Comment ] OF EDUCATION DESIRE TO HEAR THE VIEWS AND HAVE THE ADVICE OF INTERESTED CITIZENS. THE PUBLIC COMMENT SESSION IS HELD AT EACH BOARD MEETING FOR THAT PURPOSE. THE TIME ALLOTTED FOR THE PUBLIC COMMENT PORTION OF THE AGENDA IS NO MORE THAN 30 MINUTES TOTAL. THE BOARD OF EDUCATION DOES NOT ENGAGE IN A DISCUSSION OF THE MATTER BEING BROUGHT TO IT, BUT WILL, IF APPROPRIATE, DIRECT THE SUPERINTENDENT TO RESPOND AT A LATER TIME. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE ADVISED THAT EACH PERSON ADDRESSING THE BOARD WILL HAVE A FIVE MINUTE TIME LIMIT. ONCE THE TIME LIMIT HAS BEEN REACHED, THE SPEAKER WILL BE ASKED TO FINISH THEIR COMMENTS. EMPLOYEES WHO HAVE CONCERNS THAT ARE NOT WORK RELATED AND WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE THE BOARD OF ED FOR PUBLIC COMMENT. AS A PARENT AND OR A CITIZEN MAY DO SO ACCORDING TO THE PROCEDURES OUTLINED IN THE POLICY SPECIFIC AND PERSONAL REFERENCES TO STUDENTS, EMPLOYEES OR OTHERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE BOARD OF ED WILL NOT BE PERMITTED. SHOULD SOMEONE WISH TO BRING SOMETHING TO THE ATTENTION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT OF THE BOARD ABOUT A SPECIFIC PERSON OR STUDENT, THEY MAY DO SO IN WRITING TO THE SUPERINTENDENT OR THE BOARD. RUDE, SLANDEROUS, OR THREATENING REMARKS OR OTHER BEHAVIOR THAT IS DISRUPTIVE OR INTERFERES WITH THE ORDER OF THE MEETING IS NOT PERMITTED. INDIVIDUALS MAY NOT GIVE THEIR TIME TO OTHERS ON THE LIST OF SPEAKERS, AND MATTERS INVOLVING PENDING APPEALS ARE NOT PERMITTED, AND THE FIRST SPEAKER OF 2 SIGNED UP FOR NIGHT IS MR. TIM EVENING. I WOULD LIKE TO ADDRESS SEVERAL CONCERNS THIS EVENING. FOR YEARS I'VE WORKED WITH STUDENT ATHLETES AND THEIR FAMILIES, HELPING YOUNG WOMEN NAVIGATE THE RECRUITING PROCESS, COMMUNICATE WITH COLLEGE COACHES AND PURSUE OPPORTUNITIES TO COMPETE TO COMPETE AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL. COACHING HAS GIVEN ME A PRIVILEGE TO WATCH ATHLETES GROW NOT ONLY IN THEIR SPORT, BUT IN CONFIDENCE, RESILIENCE AND THEIR CHARACTER. MY FIRST CONCERN IS WITH THIS SITUATION, WITH THE STADIUM FIELD, WHICH I AM NOT GOING TO REVISIT ANY OTHER CONVERSATIONS OF WHAT HAS ALREADY TAKEN PLACE, BUT I DO BELIEVE THE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN HOW IT WAS PROCESSED, PLANNED, COMMUNICATED, AND EXECUTED THE DECISIONS DIRECTLY AFFECTED THE STUDENT ATHLETES WERE MADE WITHOUT FAMILIES HAVING CLEAR INFORMATION, ADEQUATE TIME TO PREPARE THEIR CONCERN. WHAT CONCERNS ME THE MOST WAS THE IMPACT ON THE PARTICIPATION AND THE TRUST ATHLETES PROVIDE. [00:05:10] ATHLETICS PROVIDE YOUNG PEOPLE WITH CONFIDENCE, DISCIPLINE, TEAMWORK AND PURPOSE. WHEN COMMUNICATION IS UNCLEAR, IT CREATES CONFUSION AND UNCERTAINTY FOR STUDENTS WHO MAY ALREADY HAVE ALREADY MAY BE HESITANT TO PARTICIPATE. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT MANY FAMILIES HAVE LEGITIMATE HAD LEGITIMATE CONCERNS ASKING ABOUT VARSITY ATHLETES COMPETING ON A PRACTICE FIELD RATHER THAN A PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERED STADIUM FIELD. THIS ISSUE BECAME PERSONAL FOR ME AND MY FAMILY. MY 2 DAUGHTERS RECENT ASHLYN, EXPRESSED CONCERNS ABOUT PLAYING VARSITY GAMES ON A PRACTICE FIELD. OUR FAMILY HAS HAD EXPERIENCE WITH THE REALITY OF SERIOUS SPORT INJURIES. WE HAVE WATCHED 2 OF OUR DAUGHTERS SUFFER FROM SEASON ENDING INJURIES REQUIRING SURGERY, REHABILITATION AND LONG RECOVERIES. THOSE EXPERIENCE EXPERIENCES LEFT A LASTING IMPACT ON THE ENTIRE FAMILY. REASE HAD WATCHED HER OLDER SISTER RECOVER FROM AN ACL INJURY, ONLY TO EXPERIENCE THE SAME EXACT INJURY HERSELF LESS THAN 2 YEARS LATER. THE EXPERIENCE WAS SO SIGNIFICANT THAT SHE STARTED THE MORGANS MESSAGE AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL TO PROMOTE MENTAL HEALTH AND AWARENESS FOR STUDENT ATHLETES. ASHLYN GOT TO WITNESS BOTH OF HER SISTERS GO THROUGH THESE DIFFICULT RECOVERIES. SO YES, THEY WERE SCARED WHEN A CLOSE FRIEND SUFFERED A SEASON ENDING INJURY THE VERY FIRST GAME. JUST OUR FAMILY MADE THE DECISION THAT THEY WOULD NOT PLAY UNDER THEM CIRCUMSTANCES. WHAT BECAME TROUBLING WAS HOW THEIR CONCERNS WERE CHARACTERIZED, RATHER BEING VIEWED AS YOUNG ATHLETES EXPRESSING FEAR AND SAFETY CONCERNS. IT WAS SUGGESTED THAT THEY ARE MAKING A STATEMENT TO CHALLENGE THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. THIS SITUATION ESCALATED WHEN THEY WERE ALLOWED TO DRESS WARM UP WITH THEIR TEAM, ONLY TO BE TOLD SHORTLY BEFORE THE GAMES THAT THEY WERE NOT ALLOWED TO PLAY. EVENTUALLY, THEY WERE DISCHARGED FROM THE TEAM. MEMBERS. IS THIS A MATTER THAT'S PENDING AN APPEAL? NOT AT THIS TIME. WE HAVE NOT SUBMITTED. WE HAVE NOT SUBMITTED THE APPEAL TO THE BOARD. YOU HAVE NOT APPEALED? NO, WE HAVE NOT SUBMITTED AN APPEAL TO THE BOARD. OKAY. EVENTUALLY, THEY WERE DISCHARGED FROM THE TEAM ONCE AGAIN. MINUTES BEFORE THE GAME, THE COACH INFORMED THEM THEY WERE REMOVED FROM THE TEAM. THEY WERE FORCED TO GRAB THEIR BAGS AND THEIR EQUIPMENT. WALK OFF THE FIELD ALONE, EMBARRASSED AND HUMILIATED IN FRONT OF TEAMMATES, PARENTS AND THE OPPOSING TEAM. REGARDLESS OF ANYONE'S OPINION ABOUT THIS FIELD, THESE ARE CHILDREN. NO STUDENT ATHLETES SHOULD BE PUBLICLY EMBARRASSED, ISOLATED, OR MADE AN EXAMPLE OF FOR EXPRESSING THEIR CONCERNS ABOUT SAFETY. WHEN WE APPROACH THE ADMINISTRATION, WE HOPED FOR UNDERSTANDING AND SUPPORT. INSTEAD, IT FELT AS THOUGH THE ACTIONS TAKEN AGAINST OUR CHILDREN. WERE DEFENDED AND JUSTIFIED. THAT IS WHY I'M HERE TONIGHT. MY CONCERN IS NOT OVER A FIELD, BUT HOW YOUNG STUDENT ATHLETES ARE TREATED WHEN THEY EXPRESS FEAR, VULNERABILITY AND CONCERN FOR THEIR WELL-BEING AT THE END OF THE DAY. THESE ARE CHILDREN. THEY DESERVE LEADERSHIP THAT LISTENS, THAT PROTECTS, THAT TREATS THEM WITH FAIRNESS AND DIGNITY AND COMPASSION. THANK YOU. THAT'S DOING THE 5 MINUTE TIME LIMIT, RIGHT? THEN I'LL LEAVE I'LL LEAVE YOU. I'LL WRAP UP WITH THIS. MY FINAL 2 THOUGHTS IS OUR FAMILY WILL GET THROUGH THIS. BUT WHAT WE ALWAYS DO WITH OUR FAITH AND READING IN JAMES 1 THROUGH 12. AND SECONDLY, WE JUST HOPE YOU DO BETTER. THANK YOU. APPRECIATE YOUR COMMENTS. AND OUR SECOND SPEAKER SIGNED UP IS MISS REESE GOOD EVENING TO ALL. AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, MY NAME IS REESE A FEW MONTHS AGO. SINCE THEN, MY SISTER, BEST FRIEND, AND I WERE ALL KICKED OFF THE LACROSSE TEAM, WHICH I'VE BEEN A PART OF, THE LACROSSE TEAM, WHICH I'VE BEEN A VARSITY STARTER FOR WHAT WOULD HAVE BEEN 4 YEARS AT THE BEGINNING OF THE [00:10:08] SEASON. THE ONLY THOUGHT THAT CROSSED OUR MINDS WAS OUR PHYSICAL STATE, UNTIL WE WERE TOLD IN FRONT OF THE ISLAND AND NORTH CAROLINA LACROSSE TEAM, ALONG WITH DELMARVA SPORTS NETWORK, THAT WE HELD THE TEAM HOSTAGE. WE HAD TO WALK ACROSS THE FIELD IN FRONT OF ALL OF THOSE PLAYERS. WE WERE UPSET AT FIRST, YES, BECAUSE THAT'S ALL THAT WE KNEW. BUT WHEN WE SAT BACK AND REALIZED THAT NOBODY ON THAT TEAM OR THEIR PARENTS HAD SYMPATHY, AND I WOULD BE WILLING TO BET MONEY THAT IF ANYONE ELSE'S KID RECEIVED THAT TREATMENT, THEY WOULD NOT BE HAPPY EITHER. AND WHAT WAS IT FOR? FOR KIDS DOING WHAT THEY BELIEVED IN AND STANDING UP FOR WHAT THEY BELIEVE IN. ISN'T THAT WHAT WE ARE TAUGHT THROUGHOUT SCHOOL? OR IS THAT ONLY FOR CERTAIN TOPICS TO FULFILL OTHERS AGENDAS? WE HAVE ZERO REGRETS AND WOULD NOT HESITATE TO STAND UP FOR OURSELVES AGAIN, EVEN IF THAT MEANS TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH ADULTS THAT PUT CHILDREN IN HARM'S WAY AND THEIR MENTAL HEALTH. TO BE BULLIED AND TO FEEL UNSAFE IN THEIR OWN SCHOOL SPEAKS VOLUMES. THE KIDS THAT YOU KICKED OFF FROM THAT TEAM WERE ALLOWED TO BE TALKED ABOUT FOR A WHOLE DAY BY THE COACH. THAT IS EXTREMELY DISRESPECTFUL TO YOUR OWN STUDENTS. THE CHOICES THAT WERE MADE WERE MADE, BUT PLEASE DO NOT FORGET THAT WE WILL NEVER FORGET WHAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR. WE DO FORGIVE BECAUSE PEOPLE MAKE MISTAKES, BUT TO ABUSE YOUR STUDENTS MENTALLY WAS NOT A MISTAKE. WITH THAT BEING SAID, I PRAY TO GOD THAT HE GUIDE YOU ALL DOWN BETTER PATHS IN THE FUTURE SO NONE OF YOUR FUTURE STUDENTS HAVE TO MENTALLY BE BULLIED AND TAXED BY YOUR OWN STUDENTS, STAFF, AND FACULTY. LASTLY, A QUOTE FROM A FEW OF THE BOARD MEMBERS THEMSELVES. IT IS NOT WHAT YOU SAY, BUT HOW YOU MAKE THEM FEEL. THANK YOU ALL AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT. THANK YOU. THAT'S IT FOR OUR. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND WE WILL MOVE ON TO DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY WITH PERSONNEL. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT WAYMAN. DOCTOR SIMMONS, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. TONIGHT'S PERSONNEL AGENDA HAS ONE LEAVE OF ABSENCE AND FIVE RESIGNATIONS. AND THEN AN ADDENDUM WITH 2 ADDITIONAL RESIGNATIONS. THANK YOU. DOCTOR WILL BE STILL THERE FOR THE SECOND ITEM. SO YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD AND SHARE THAT FOR YOU. ALSO ON THE CONSENT AGENDA TONIGHT FROM MY SHOP IS A CONTRACT REQUEST TO CONTRACT WITH K-12 SYSTEM CHANGE SOLUTIONS TO PERFORM GRANT OVERSIGHT AS WELL AS SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE WITH A GRANT THAT WAS AWARDED BY MSD, THE MARYLAND GROW YOUR OWN EDUCATORS GRANT. THIS WAS A GRANT THAT WAS APPLIED FOR BY A COLLABORATIVE OF SEVEN SCHOOL SYSTEMS THAT INCLUDES CAROLINE. AND THE COLLABORATIVE, THE GROW YOUR OWN COLLABORATIVE WAS AWARDED $4.6 MILLION TO STAND UP IN THOSE 7 SCHOOL DISTRICTS, A TEACHER APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM THAT WILL SUPPORT OUR SUPPORT STAFF THAT THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BECOME LICENSED TEACHERS AT NO COST TO THEM, AND THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ALSO GET CREDIT FOR THE WORK THAT THEY DO COMING TO WORK EVERY DAY. IT'S A GREAT PROGRAM, AND WE NOW WILL BE ABLE TO TO STAND THAT PROGRAM UP IN THESE SEVEN COUNTIES. WITH THAT, WE WROTE TO SOME TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE USING K12SCS CAROLINE, HOWEVER, WAS THE LEAD APPLICANT AND THEREFORE IS THE FISCAL AGENT FOR THE ENTIRE COLLABORATIVE. SO WHILE THE EACH INDIVIDUAL COUNTIES ALLOTMENT DOES NOT GO OVER $100,000. THE ENTIRE CONTRACT DOES. AND SINCE IT WILL RUN THROUGH OUR BOOKS, IT DOES REQUIRE US COMING TO YOU AND SEEKING APPROVAL FOR THAT CONTRACT. IT HAS 0 IMPACT ON OUR BUDGET BECAUSE IT WILL ALL BE PAID FOR. OUT OF THAT 4.6 MILLION GRANT FUNDING THAT WE RECEIVED. BUT WE WILL HAVE A 4 YEAR CONTRACT FOR $686,000 FOR THAT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. SO AGAIN, IF WE WERE APPLYING ON OUR OWN, IT DOES NOT MEET THE THRESHOLD, BUT BECAUSE WE ARE DOING ALL THE PAPERWORK AND ALL THE FISCAL WORK FOR THE 7 COUNTY COLLABORATIVE, AND IT RUNS THROUGH OUR BOOKS, IT DOES GO OVER THAT $100,000 THRESHOLD. JUST FOR CLARIFICATION, THE 686 THAT YOU TALKED ABOUT. IS THAT CAROLINE'S OR IS THAT. NO, THAT'S THE ENTIRE. SO EACH INDIVIDUAL DISTRICT WAS, I BELIEVE, 98,000. OKAY. YEAH. OKAY. SO THAT'S ALL SEVEN TOGETHER, RIGHT? IS 686. OKAY. YEAH. WELL, CONGRATULATIONS, DOCTOR WILLOUGHBY, FOR THE HARD WORK YOU DID ON THAT. I KNOW ALL THE SCHOOL SYSTEMS WILL PROFIT FROM THE WORK, BUT MAKES US FEEL GOOD TO KNOW THAT CAROLINE STOOD OUT IN DOING THAT THAT NEED WORK. SO WE THANK YOU FOR THAT. [00:15:07] I'LL MAKE A MOTION THAT WE APPROVE THE CONSENT AGENDA. [3. Consent Agenda ] SECOND. ALL IN FAVOR? OKAY. THANK YOU. INDIVIDUAL ACTION ITEMS. NONE TONIGHT. OKAY, THEN WE'LL MOVE TO OTTER. [5. Reports and Presentations ] I'LL BE BACK. OTTER BUCKLE UP CAMPAIGN. AND WE'RE LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS. THIS OTTER BUSINESS. OH. YOU ARE .USEFUL. GOOD EVENING, DOCTOR SIMMONS. PRESIDENT WAYMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE BOARD. IT'S NICE TO SEE ALL OF YOU TONIGHT. I AM HERE WITH 2 OF OUR ARMY. WE'RE NOT CALLING OURSELVES A COALITION. WE'RE CALLING OURSELVES AN ARMY. SO, JAMIE BEACHY, AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, DIRECTOR OF CAROLINE COUNTY RECREATION AND PARKS. AND THEN ALONGSIDE HER IS AMANDA SQUIRES, WHO IS THE CLINICAL COORDINATOR WITH ME AT CHOPTANK, BUT IS ALSO AN OFFICER AND MEMBER OF GOLDSBORO FIRE DEPARTMENT. SO TONIGHT, WE ARE HERE TO FORMALLY INTRODUCE CAROLINE COUNTY'S CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY AWARENESS CAMPAIGN. YOU OTTER, BUCKLE UP. SO THIS CAMPAIGN AND I'M GOING TO READ A BIT BECAUSE GOT A LOT AND PUT SOME STUFF ON PAPER. THIS CAMPAIGN WAS BORN OUT OF BOTH TRAGEDY AND CONCERN. SO IN JANUARY OF 2025, WITHIN A SINGLE WEEK, SEVERAL CHILDREN IN NORTHERN CAROLINE COUNTY WERE INJURED IN MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES BECAUSE THEY WERE EITHER UNRESTRAINED OR IMPROPERLY RESTRAINED. SO LOCAL EMS PROVIDERS, EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT STAFF AND HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS WITNESSED PREVENTABLE INJURIES RANGING FROM BROKEN BONES TO SERIOUS HEAD TRAUMA, INJURIES THAT COULD HAVE BEEN REDUCED AND PROBABLY PREVENTED THROUGH PROPER CHILD PASSENGER RESTRAINTS. SO AFTER SEEING ONE TOO MANY INJURED CHILDREN, A CONCERNED TRAUMA NURSE WHO COULD NOT BE WITH US TONIGHT SHARED HER FRUSTRATIONS WITH A LOCAL PEDIATRIC PA. THAT WOULD BE ME. AND THAT CONVERSATION SPARKED A COMMUNITY WIDE EFFORT. WHAT FOLLOWED WAS REALLY AN EXTRAORDINARY COLLABORATION AMONG ORGANIZATIONS WHO, IN CAROLINE COUNTY ARE COMMITTED TO PROTECTING CHILDREN. THAT INCLUDED CAROLINE COUNTY RECREATION PARKS, THE CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, CHOPTANK COMMUNITY HEALTH, CAROLINE COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF EMERGENCY SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. I'M NOT LEAVING ANYONE OUT. GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE GREENSBORO JUDY CENTER, ALONG WITH LOCAL VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTS AND OTHERS. WE WANT TO ESPECIALLY RECOGNIZE AND THANK GREENSBORO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND THE GREENSBORO JUDY CENTER FOR THEIR STRONG PARTNERSHIP AND SUPPORT. THEIR COMMITMENT TO REACHING FAMILIES WHERE THEY ARE HAS REALLY BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING US EXPAND THIS EDUCATION AND AWARENESS. THEY ALSO HOSTED ALL OF OUR MEETINGS ZOOMED AND DID ALL THE THINGS FOR US AS WE WORKED ON THIS OVER THE LAST YEAR. OVER THE PAST YEAR AND A HALF, COUNTLESS HOURS MEETINGS, GRANT APPLICATIONS, AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS HAVE BEEN DEDICATED TO IMPROVING CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY. AS A RESULT, OLLIE'S ARMY OTTER, NAMED OLLIE OLLIE'S ARMY, HAS HOSTED NUMEROUS CAR SEAT CHECKS, PROVIDED FREE CAR SEATS TO FAMILIES IN NEED. WE HAVE TRAINED AND CERTIFIED MORE THAN A DOZEN CHILD PASSENGER SAFETY TECHNICIANS WITHIN THE COUNTY. THOSE ARE FOLKS WHO ARE TRAINED. IT IS A LENGTHY TRAINING. IT REQUIRES RECERTIFICATION, BUT THEY ARE TRAINED TO SUPPORT INSTALLATION OF CAR SEATS IN A WAY THAT IS, MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED, RECOGNIZED AND ABIDES BY ALL THE LAWS, AND THEN ALSO LAUNCH THIS PUBLIC AWARENESS CAMPAIGN FEATURING OUR OTTER MASCOT, OLLIE, WHOSE NAME WAS CHOSEN BY OUR COMMUNITY RECREATION AND PARKS, PUT OUT A SOCIAL MEDIA CALL FOR SUGGESTIONS. I LOST MY VOTE WAS CLICK. HIS NAME IS OLLIE. AS PART OF THE NEXT PHASE OF THIS CAMPAIGN, WE'RE EXCITED TO INTRODUCE ADDITIONAL MEMBERS OF OLLIE'S ARMY. AND IN THAT FIRST SLIDE, I'M SORRY. JUST FOR A SECOND, RACHEL. YOU'LL SEE THERE. THAT IS WE ARE DOING SOME SIGNAGE. I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IS A PICTURE OF A SIGN THAT'S ACTUALLY UP. THERE ARE LOTS OF SIGNS UP THAT ONE IS AT THE FOR PARK THERE ON THE RIGHT. JUST KIND OF SCROLLED IN THERE WITH A QR CODE. THE QR CODE IS PART OF THE EDUCATION CAMPAIGN, AND IT ALLOWS YOU TO SIGN UP FOR AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE A CAR SEAT INSTALLED. SO THAT WAS JUST IN THE CAROLINE REVIEW AND WILL BE OUT AND ABOUT. AND THEN THERE WAS SOME INFORMATION SHARED THERE ABOUT PROPER INSTALLATION OF CAR SEATS AND USE OF CAR SEATS. BUT THERE ARE SOME STARS OF OUR UPCOMING CAR SEAT EDUCATION MATERIAL. THESE INDIVIDUALS REPRESENT TRUSTED VOICES IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO SHARE A PASSION FOR KEEPING CHILDREN SAFE. SO THERE IN THE MIDDLE, AND I THINK RACHEL DESCRIBED HIM. WELL IS OUR LAB DOCTOR SIMMONS, WHO WILL BE ONE OF THE STARS OF OUR CREW OF SAFETY HEROES. ALONGSIDE OF HIM AS A RACCOON IS SHERIFF BAKER. [00:20:06] TO HIS LEFT IS OUR JUST RECENTLY RETIRED SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICER FROM GREENSBORO, DEPUTY DREW. THERE IS A LOVELY STORK. SHE IS A LADY WHO YOU MIGHT FIND ON AN AMBULANCE OR FIND IN A SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTER. SHE COULD BE ANYWHERE. SHE COULD BE ANY OF US WITH THOSE CERTIFICATIONS. BUT SHE'S NOT. SHE'S. BUT SHE DOESN'T HAVE A NAME TAG. AND THEN THERE'S OLLIE AND OLLIE'S MOM. AND SO WE ARE JUST INCREDIBLY GRATEFUL FOR YOUR WILLINGNESS, THEIR WILLINGNESS TO LEND THEIR VOICES AND FACES TO HELP US SPREAD THIS IMPORTANT MESSAGE? WE WANT TO THANK THE CAROLINA FOUNDATION AND THE CAROLINE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT FOR SOME GENEROUS GRANT SUPPORT THAT'S HELPED TO GET THIS CAMPAIGN OFF THE GROUND AND TO RECREATION PARKS FOR REALLY TAKING THE LEAD IN ORGANIZING AND OPERATIONALIZING THIS WORK. JIMMY BEACH IS VERY GOOD AT THAT AND HAS GRACIOUSLY LENT HER TIME, HER TALENTS, AND HER STICKER MACHINE AND OTHER OTHER THINGS THAT SHE CAN DO OVER AT RECREATION AND PARKS TO US. ALSO THANKFUL TO BILL MENGEL AND THE FACILITIES TEAM FOR THEIR SUPPORT. WE GOT THE OKAY TO PLACE THESE SIGNS AT THE EXITS OF ALL OF OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL AND JUDY CENTERS. WEREN'T REALLY SURE HOW THE HIGH SCHOOL WOULD FEEL ABOUT HAVING THE OLI OTTER AND THE CAR SEAT AT THEIR EXIT. SO WE'RE GOING TO HOLD OFF ON THOSE PLACES, BUT VISIBILITY IS REALLY CRUCIAL IN REINFORCING THE MESSAGE WITH OUR FAMILIES. AND SO WE'RE EXCITED ABOUT ROLLING THOSE OUT. SO YOU'RE GOING TO START TO SEE OLI OUT AND ABOUT IN PLACES WHERE KIDS AND FAMILIES GATHER MOST. THEY'RE UP AT PARKS ALMOST EVERY PARK. ALMOST. YEP. THEY'LL BE AT THE SCHOOLS, ATHLETIC FIELDS. WE'VE GOT THE OKAY FROM MANY OF OUR MUNICIPAL SPACES AND SO MUNICIPAL PARKS A MISSING IF YOU THINK A KID HANGS OUT THERE, THE SIGNS WILL ALSO BE THERE. THEY'LL BE AT THE EXITS TO ALL OF OUR SHOPS AND COMMUNITY HEALTH LOCATIONS AS WELL. MOTOR VEHICLE CRASHES REMAIN ONE OF THE LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH FOR CHILDREN AGES 1 TO 13. AND STUDIES SHOW THAT MORE THAN HALF OF ALL CAR SEATS ARE USED INCORRECTLY. SO WE HELP HOPE BY WORKING TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY THAT WE CAN HELP ENSURE THAT MORE CHILDREN ARRIVE HOME SAFELY AFTER EACH RIDE. SO THANK YOU FOR LETTING US INTRODUCE OUR BAND OF SAFETY HEROES TONIGHT. AND AGAIN, DOCTOR SIMMONS, THANK YOU FOR AGREEING TO PARTICIPATE. NEXT STEPS ARE A REALLY COOL ACTIVITY BOOK WHICH WILL STORE ALL OF OUR FRIENDS HERE. AND WE WILL BE PUSHING OUT, WE'VE ALREADY PUSHED OUT SOME OF THE EDUCATION THROUGH SUMMER CAMP. AND THEN AS SCHOOLS GET STARTED WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY SCHOOL COORDINATORS TO EMBED THIS IN SOME OF WHAT WE ARE USING IN THE SCHOOLS. SO WE REALLY WANT TO NORMALIZE IT. I THINK OUR END GOAL WOULD BE, AND I THOUGHT OF THIS. WE WANT TO COME UP WITH A REALLY ANNOYING JINGLE, AND WE WANT TO TEACH THE KIDS TO SING IT SO THAT THEY'RE IN THE BACK SEAT OF THE CAR SINGING THIS JINGLE UNTIL THEIR PARENTS BUCKLE THEIR SEAT BELTS. I'VE ALSO GOT SOME STAFF THAT DO CAR RIDER THAT ARE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS OR LIKE, CAN I GET A HANG TAG? CAN I GET A POSTER? YEAH. SO YEAH, SO WE'RE SUPER EXCITED. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR JAMIE OR AMANDA, WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER THEM. BUT OTHERWISE, THANK YOU FOR LETTING US SPEAK TONIGHT. NO QUESTIONS, BUT THANK YOU FOR SHARING.I THINK IT'S A GREAT INITIATIVE. AND I JUST JOTTED DOWN SCHOOL WIDE, IF WE CAN INCLUDE IT IN OUR MEDIA THAT GOES OUT TO FAMILIES. ABSOLUTELY. SO THAT WE CAN REACH AS MANY AS POSSIBLE. MAYBE WHEN YOU DO FLIERS, THE POST OFFICES ARE ALWAYS A GOOD PLACE WHERE PEOPLE PICK UP AND WE'LL SHARE WITH SANDY. WE REALLY WANT TO GET THE QR CODE OUT SO THAT FOLKS ARE ABLE TO SCAN THAT QR CODE. IT GOES DIRECTLY TO PUT THEIR INFORMATION IN TO BE ABLE TO SIGN UP FOR A CAR SEAT CHECK. SO SOUNDS GREAT TO SHARE. I'LL LEAVE THAT ONE HERE IF YOU GUYS WANT TO POST IT HERE IN THE DISTRICT OFFICE. YOU'RE WELCOME TO. WE'VE GOT LOTS OF POSTERS, SO IF THERE'S OTHER PLACES THAT YOU WANT, IF YOU WANT OTHER LOCATIONS. OH THAT'S RIGHT, I ALREADY GAVE BILL HIS POSTERS. GOOD. LOOK, I APPRECIATE EVERYTHING YOU GUYS ARE DOING WITH THIS. IT'S REALLY COOL. AS I TOLD CHRISSY EARLIER, WHEN JAMIE CALLED ME TO SAY. HEY, I NEED A FAVOR. AND SHE SAID, IT'S NOT WHAT YOU THINK IT'S GOING TO BE. SHE WAS RIGHT. BUT THE NO, I REALLY APPRECIATE THE OUTREACH AND THE WORK YOU GUYS ARE DOING. ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP SHARE THE MESSAGE AND HELP MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE INCLUDING AND ALSO CONNECTING WITH. I CAN'T WAIT TO HEAR THE CONVERSATION WITH THE COMMUNITY SCHOOLS COORDINATORS. I KNOW WE'VE HAD OUTREACH TO US FROM OUR FAITH BASED COMMUNITY AS WELL OF HOW THEY CAN HELP SUPPORT IF THERE'S ANY CONNECTIONS WE CAN HELP MAKE IN THOSE ARENAS AS WELL TO PUSH ANYWHERE, LIKE I SAID, ANYWHERE THAT HAS KIDS. YES. ANYTHING WE CAN DO TO HELP GET IT OUT THERE. I APPRECIATE THAT. THANK YOU. AND I, I SHARED WITH DOCTOR SIMMONS EARLIER. IT'S BEEN REALLY FUN TO USE THE OTHER SIDE OF MY BRAIN ON THIS PROJECT. SO THANK YOU AGAIN TO THE REST OF THE ARMY FOR ENTERTAINING AN IDEA THAT WE HAD JUST DUE OUT OF FRUSTRATION ABOUT SOME OF THE INJURIES THAT WE WERE SEEING. [00:25:02] SO YEAH, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING TONIGHT, LADIES. VERY IMPORTANT. YES. AND THAT'S WHAT IT REALLY IS. YEAH, YEAH. OKAY. THANK YOU. AND NOW WE WILL HEAR FROM MR. MENGEL, WHO JUST LOVES PRESENTING A BOARD MEETINGS. HE DOES IN JULY. THIS IS GREAT. GOOD EVENING. PRESIDENT WAYMAN, MEMBERS OF THE BOARD AND DOCTOR SIMMONS. I'M HERE TONIGHT TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT MAYBE THE DEVASTATION YOU'RE SEEING OVER AT DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THESE DAYS. AND WHAT IS GOING ON WITH THAT? IT CAME TO OUR ATTENTION A WHILE AGO AND ACTUALLY DOCTOR SIMMONS BROUGHT ME ON AS MAYBE 3 YEARS AGO, 3 SOMEWHERE BETWEEN 3 AND 4 YEARS AGO. HE CALLED ME UP AND SAID, THERE'S A MEETING AT DENTON ELEMENTARY. I THINK YOU NEED TO BE THERE. I FIGURED IT WAS GOING TO BE A COUPLE PEOPLE. THERE'S LIKE 16 PEOPLE OUT THERE TALKING ABOUT THIS PROJECT, AND I WAS LIKE, WOW, OKAY, THIS IS GOING TO BE PRETTY BIG. SO WHAT ARE THEY DOING? I HAVE CHRIS BUT I JUST WANT TO KIND OF GIVE YOU A LITTLE JUST THE FRONT OF WHAT'S HAPPENING. WE'RE, WE'RE, IT'S CALLED THE DENTON ELEMENTARY STORMWATER MANAGEMENT PROJECT. AS YOU KNOW, OF COURSE, WE HAVEN'T HAD A LOT OF RAIN THE LAST 2 YEARS. SO IT'S FORTUNATELY, IT'S WORKED OUT PRETTY WELL. WE MAY NOT NEED IT FOR A WHILE, I GUESS, BUT WHEN WE USED TO GET A LOT OF RAIN, ESPECIALLY IN THE FRONT BETWEEN THE PARKING LOTS WHERE THE FLAG IS AT WOULD JUST FLOOD AND FLOOD AND IT WAS REALLY BAD. A LOT OF COLLECT A LOT OF PARTICLES, A LOT OF POLLUTION, A LOT OF DEBRIS. AND SO WHAT CHRIS AND HIS TEAM ARE COMING IN TO DO IS THEY'RE GOING TO DIG OUT THOSE AREAS AND THEY'RE MAKING PONDS, I THINK A TOTAL OF 5 PONDS THAT ARE GOING TO BE CONNECTED TO THE TO THE UNDERWATER, UNDERGROUND STORMWATER DRAINS. AND WE'RE ALSO DOING A OUTDOOR LIVING SPACE CLASSROOM THAT'S GOING TO ACCOMPANY THIS WHOLE PROJECT. SO WITHOUT ANY FURTHER ADO, I'M GOING TO ASK CHRIS TO COME UP HERE AND HE CAN KIND OF FILL IN THE GAPS FOR YOU. AND AT THE END, IF THERE'S ANY QUESTIONS, FEEL FREE TO ASK. AND AS CHRIS IS COMING FORWARD ALSO JUST SO THE BOARD AS A REMINDER TO THE BOARD TOTALLY GRANT FUNDED PROJECT CAME TO US THROUGH LESLIE GRUNDON. AND IT WAS A PARTNERSHIP TO ENVISION THE CHOP TANK I DIDN'T KNOW EXISTED UNTIL I MET WITH LESLIE AT THE TIME. AND THERE WAS FUNDING, IN ESSENCE TO DEAL WITH STORMWATER RETENTION IN, THEY WERE LOOKING AT A SCHOOL BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF IMPERVIOUS SURFACE AND ANYTHING WITHIN THE CHOPTANK CATCHMENT AREA OF WHAT COULD BE DONE, WHAT WOULD BE A MEANINGFUL, REASONABLE APPROACH. DENTON STUCK OUT ALSO BECAUSE DENTON HAD SOME PAVEMENT ISSUES THAT AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE BUDGET WAS NOT ONE WHERE WE COULD COVER PAVING. SO WE LOOKED AT IT AS AN ALTERNATIVE. AND THAT LITERALLY IS WHERE THE CONVERSATION STARTED FROM. AND IT'S TAKEN THIS MUCH TIME NOT BECAUSE OF ANYBODY'S WORK. IT WAS THE FUNDING WAS THERE. AND THEN WAS IT GOING TO BE THERE OR NOT? THERE WERE SOME FEDERAL THINGS THAT HAPPENED ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO. THEY WEREN'T SURE IF THE FUNDING WAS GOING TO DISAPPEAR, AND THEN THE FUNDING ENDED UP STILL THERE, AND THEN IT WAS ABLE FOR THE PROJECT TO MOVE FORWARD. SO NOT LOCALLY FUNDED, ALL GRANT FUNDED AND REALLY AWESOME STUFF. SO JUST WANTED TO GIVE THAT FOR THE FOLKS WHO MIGHT BE WATCHING AT HOME AS WELL AS IT'S NOT COMING OUT OF OUR LOCAL BUDGET. YEAH. NO, SORRY. AND, AND I'M DONE. SORRY, CHRIS. HI EVERYONE. MY NAME IS CHRIS JOHNSTON. I'M A DESIGNER AND PROJECT MANAGER AT RAU ENGINEERING. WE WERE THE THE ENGINEERING FIRM AWARDED TO TO DO THIS JOB. SO AS YOU AS BILL AND DOCTOR SIMMONS SAID, THIS IS THIS IS PRIMARILY ABOUT STORMWATER, BUT THERE'S ALSO A FEW CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS THAT ARE KIND OF ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. AND THANKFULLY, MD. ALLOWED THE MONEY THAT WAS MEANT FOR STORMWATER TO ACTUALLY BE APPLIED TO EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES AND CAMPUS IMPROVEMENTS. SO DO I JUST SAY CLICK OR. YEAH. AND I BELIEVE OKAY. SO THIS IS THE, THE PDF VERSION, RIGHT? THIS IS NOT THE OKAY, NOT THE POWERPOINT VERSION. OKAY. SO I'M GOING TO JUST GIVE YOU A BROAD OVERVIEW OF WHAT'S HAPPENING THERE TO HIGHLIGHT SOME OF THE MAIN FEATURES OF THIS PLAN. THOSE MAIN FEATURES ARE CONSIST OF PRIMARILY PERMEABLE PAVERS IN THE PARKING LOT 6 BIO TENSIONS AND OUTDOOR LIVING CLASSROOM SPACE, AND A FEW MINOR OTHER ENHANCEMENTS. THE NEXT ONE ACTUALLY, I'M SORRY, CAN YOU GO BACK TO THE LAST SLIDE? JUST REAL BRIEFLY I'M SURE MANY OF YOU KNOW WHERE DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS, BUT FOR THOSE WHO DON'T, IT'S THE SOUTH PART OF TOWN. I HIGHLIGHTED IN THE MAP THERE IN YELLOW IS DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OFF SHARPE ROAD KIND OF ACROSS THE HIGHWAY FROM THE WALMART. OKAY. CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE? SO THIS IS AN AERIAL VIEW ON THE LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE EXISTING CONDITIONS. NOW. IT'S A ORIENTED NORTH. SO THAT'S THE SCHOOL IN THE CENTER. AND YOU HAVE THESE BIG PARKING LOTS OF ASPHALT SURROUNDING THE SCHOOL. IN THE RED, THE RED BOX YOU SEE THERE IS THE LOCATION OF THE PERMEABLE PAVERS THAT ARE GOING IN RIGHT NOW. [00:30:02] AND THE GREEN BOXES, THE GREEN AREAS ARE THE LOCATIONS OF THE 6 ALTOGETHER 6 BIO DETENTION AREAS THAT COLLECT THAT, THE DIRTY RUNOFF FROM THE PARKING LOT. ALSO PART OF THIS IS WE HAVE A TREE PLANTING ON THE SOUTH FIELD, THE LIGHT GREEN BOX THERE. IT WAS JUST AN OPPORTUNITY TO KIND OF INCREASE THE FORCE. SO WE DID IT. THAT WAS COMPLETED OVER 2 YEARS AGO, SO I WON'T BE TALKING ABOUT THAT. THE. THERE'S ALSO A COURTYARD ENHANCEMENT AND THE THE ENTRANCE OF THE SCHOOL. WE CAN'T REALLY SEE IT FROM HERE, BUT THERE'S A SMALL GREEN BOX THERE. AND THEN LASTLY, THERE'S A LIVING CLASSROOM TO THE EAST SIDE OF CAMPUS ON THE OUTSIDE WHERE AN OPEN TURF SPACE TO THE, TO THE RIGHT IS BASICALLY AN OVERVIEW OF THOSE OF THOSE ELEMENTS TAKEN FROM THE CONSTRUCTION DRAWINGS. GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. HERE'S THAT VIEW KIND OF ZOOMED IN SURROUNDING THE PARKING LOTS HERE. SO THE MAIN FEATURES PERMANENT PAVERS, BIO RETENTIONS, COURTYARD PLANTINGS, LIVING CLASSROOMS. CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. SO PERMEABLE PAVERS ARE SITUATED ON THE NORTH. THE MOST NORTHERN PARKING LOT OF THE SCHOOL. ESSENTIALLY WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE, WE ARE EXCAVATING AND REMOVING THE PARKING, THE PARKING SPACES NORTH AND SOUTH OF THE ACTUAL DRIVE BILE ITSELF. AND THE DRY BILE ITSELF IS GOING TO REMAIN ASPHALT, WHICH IS ACTUALLY GOING TO BE REPAVED LATER THIS SUMMER. SO WE'RE NOT CHANGING THE GRADES HERE. WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING TO RESTORE THE EXISTING GRADES. SO IT'S FLUSH. SO IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO RUN OFF. AND BASICALLY THE PAVERS FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW, THEY'RE BASICALLY THEIR PRECAST MODULAR BLOCKS THAT GO ON TOP OF A STONE RESERVOIR OF STONE. AND SO THE REASON WHY THE MODULAR IS THEY LEAVE A SPACE BETWEEN THOSE BLOCKS FOR THE WATER TO GET PAST THEM INTO THE GROUND, AND IT CAN TEMPORARILY STORED AND THEN INFILTRATE INTO THE GROUND. ONE THING WE FOUND WHEN WE DID THIS PROJECT IS CAROLINE COUNTY IN GENERAL, BUT ESPECIALLY THIS SITE IS VERY, VERY SANDY. SO THAT MEANS THE WATER DISAPPEARS PRETTY QUICKLY. IN MOST CASES. SO THAT'S A THAT'S VERY GOOD. BUT IF IT DOESN'T, IT'S OKAY. IT, IT WILL, IT WILL RISE UP, OVERFLOW THE PARKING LOT AND ACTUALLY HAS A, WE'RE ALREADY BUILT INTO THE PARKING LOT AND OVERFLOW INTO A BIORETENTION FOR ADDITIONAL TREATMENT AND STORAGE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. HERE ARE SOME ADDITIONAL IMAGES OF WHAT PAVERS LOOK LIKE. AND ACTUALLY, I WAS ABLE TO CAPTURE SOME RECENT PHOTOGRAPHS OF PHOTOGRAPHS OF CONSTRUCTION HAPPENING RIGHT NOW TO THE RIGHT. AND MAKING QUICK WORK OF THAT. WE ARE ACTUALLY AHEAD OF SCHEDULE FOR THE, FOR THE PAVING. YEP. CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE. I'M NOT GOING TO GO OVER EACH EACH ONE OF THE BIO ATTENTIONS. I JUST WANT TO GET KIND OF AN OVERVIEW OF JUST A GENERAL SENSE OF WHAT THEY'RE GOING TO LOOK LIKE. THE MAIN AREA THAT BILL MENTIONED WHERE IT FLOODS THE MOST. WE HAVE 3 BIO RETENTIONS CONNECTED BY UNDER DRAINS IN THE CENTER OF THE PARKING LOT. THE, WHAT THOSE UNDER DRAINS DO IS IF IT, IF IT OVERFLOWS, IF IT HAPPENS TO OVERFLOW, IT WILL CONNECT TO THOSE PIPES INTO THE EXISTING SUBTERRANEAN EXISTING STORM DRAIN NETWORK. BUT AGAIN, VERY SANDY SOIL. I DON'T EXPECT THIS TO OVER FLOOD. SO FEEL GOOD ABOUT THAT. THE LIVING CLASSROOM ELEMENT IS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE SCHOOL. IF YOU CAN, IF YOU CAN SEE FROM THE AERIAL IMAGE THERE REALLY IS NOT MUCH OUT THERE. YOU HAVE A COUPLE TREES ON THE FAR, FAR BORDER OF THE SCHOOL ALONG THE FENCE LINE, BUT REALLY THERE'S NO TREES CLOSE TO SCHOOL. IT'S JUST VERY BARREN, VERY OPEN, JUST JUST JUST TURF. SO IN ORDER TO, IN ORDER TO DO A LIVING CLASSROOM, WE WANTED TO PROVIDE THE KIDS SHADE, WHOEVER, WHATEVER CLASSES GO OUT THERE, YOU NEED SOME SHADE. SO WE HAVE A TREE PLANTING SPECT IN HERE, BUT SHORE RIVERS, THE NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION THAT IS GOING TO TAKE CARE OF THE TREES. BUT, BUT UNTIL THOSE TREES ARE MATURE ENOUGH, WE ARE ACTUALLY GOING TO PUT AN OVERHEAD PERGOLA STRUCTURE WITH SLATS ON TO PROVIDE SOME AMOUNT OF SHADE AS WELL. AND YOU CAN MODIFY THAT. ADDITIONALLY, YOU CAN PUT YOU CAN PUT ADDITIONAL FABRIC OVER THAT. YOU CAN DO ALL KINDS OF THINGS TO IT, BUT IT PROVIDES SOME KIND OF TEMPORARY SHADE INTO THOSE TREES OR MATURE. CAN YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? THIS IS A CLOSE UP VIEW, A PLAN VIEW OF THAT LIVING CLASSROOM. IT'S VERY SIMPLE. IT'S A CONCENTRIC CIRCLE. AND YOU HAVE THE PERGOLA ON TOP OF THAT CIRCLE. THE CIRCLE IS BASICALLY STONE DUST. THAT'S ALL IT IS A VERY THIN LAYER OF STONE DUST. AND OVERHEAD, YOU HAVE THE SLATS YOU SEE THERE. AND THEN THE DESKS ARE, ARE GOING TO BE KIND OF LIKE ALMOST LIKE A, A BENCH, A DUAL BENCH SLASH TABLE, DESK. THOSE ARE GOING TO BE ACTUALLY BUILT BY STUDENTS, I BELIEVE CAROLINE COUNTY ALREADY BUILT. [00:35:03] GOT THEM. OKAY. SO THAT WAS ACTUALLY COMPLETED BY STUDENTS. THEY'RE GOING TO GO IN THERE. AND THEN THE LIVING CLASSROOM ALSO HAS PLANTINGS ON THE PERIPHERY OF THAT, OF THAT CIRCLE, KIND OF AS A BUFFER, JUST TO JUST INCREASE THE POLLINATORS, THE HABITAT, AND THEY THEMSELVES BECOME A PLACE TO EDUCATE STUDENTS, WHICH IN MY. MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE'S PLANS FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB TO ACTUALLY HELP MAINTAIN THE PLANTINGS. SO IT'S A REALLY GREAT PROJECT IN THAT REGARD. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. SOME OTHER ENHANCEMENTS THAT ARE HAPPENING. THE ENTRANCE COURTYARD IN THE SCHOOL. IT ALREADY HAS PLANTINGS. WE'RE NOT REALLY WE'RE NOT REALLY WE'RE NOT REINVENTING THE WHEEL HERE. IT REALLY JUST KIND OF FILLING OUT THE SPACE. SO IT'S NOT SO I GUESS DEAD LOOKING AND ESPECIALLY MATTERS IN THE WINTER TIME WHEN THERE'S NOT, THERE'S NO GREEN GOING ON. SO THEY'RE GOING TO HAVE A LITTLE BIT OF TEXTURE, A LITTLE BIT OF WINTER INTEREST. JUST KIND OF FILL UP THAT THAT THAT WELCOMING ENTRANCE. NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. VERY BRIEFLY THERE, WE'RE ALSO RECONSTRUCTING THE, THE MAIN ENTRANCE SIDEWALK COMING FROM THE PARKING LOT TO THE SCHOOL. THE CURRENT CONCRETE PARKING LOT, CONCRETE SIDEWALK IS A BIT, IT'S FALLING APART A LITTLE BIT, BUT IT'S ALSO KIND OF HAS A WEIRD HOOK TO IT. SO WE'RE RIPPING IT OUT AND MAKING IT STRAIGHT AND JUST PUTTING SOME WELCOMING NATIVE GRASSES ON EITHER SIDE OF IT. AND WITH THAT, I CONCLUDE, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS? I THINK YOU ANSWERED IT, BUT AT THE BEGINNING I HEARD MR. MENGEL MENTION PONDS, BUT BY PONDS, IS IT THE BIO RETENTION AREAS? THEY DON'T REALLY HAVE A LOT OF LIKE POND DEPTH TO THEM. WE'RE NOT TALKING LIKE SWIMMABLE PONDS. CORRECT. YEAH, THAT'S A VERY IMPORTANT DISTINCTION. COULD YOU GO BACK A FEW SLIDES TO BIO RETENTIONS. SO RIGHT THERE. YEAH. SO THEY'RE GOING TO BE PLANTED WITH WITH NATIVE PLANTS THAT ARE BOTH DROUGHT TOLERANT AND FLOOD TOLERANT. THE VERY, THE PLANTING PLANS VERY LOW MAINTENANCE. THEY ARE NOT HOLDING WATER. THE, THE WATER THAT GOES INTO THESE PONDS WILL BE VERY TEMPORARY, VERY TEMPORARY. IT'S GOING TO DISAPPEAR PRETTY QUICKLY. THESE ARE NOT YOUR TRADITIONAL COMMERCIAL PONDS. SO WATER PONDS. YEAH. SO THERE'S REALLY NO CONCERN OF THAT HERE. GREAT QUESTION. AND THEN THE PAVERS THAT'S THE AREA WHERE THE THE LIKE THEY'LL BE PARKING ON THE PAVERS AND THEN THERE'LL BE LIKE A DRIVE THROUGH. CORRECT. SO SO THERE'S NO CHANGE IN PARKING. AND ACTUALLY I ASSUMED THAT BUT YEAH. YEAH. THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION. YEAH FOR SURE. YEAH. YEAH. SO WILL THE PAVERS ARE WHAT WHAT'S HOLDING BACK SAY 1 OR 2 YEARS WEEDS GROWING THROUGH OR DO THEY. YOU HAVE NOT SEEN THAT. IT CAN CERTAINLY HAPPEN. IT DOES HAPPEN. WITH THIS, THIS IS A PRETTY ROBUST PAVER SYSTEM. YOU HAVE A, IT'S, YOU GOT A LOT OF STONE IN THERE. THERE'S ALSO A, THERE'S ACTUALLY A MAINTENANCE PLAN AND WARRANTY WITH THE MANUFACTURER THAT, WITH THAT. AND I'LL ALSO BE WORKING WITH BILL AND HIS TEAM FOR THE, THE GROUNDS, THE GROUNDS CREW AS WELL. I DON'T FORESEE THIS HAVING MUCH WEEDS. THE WEEDS HAPPEN IF YOU ALLOW THE DIRT BETWEEN THEM TO ACCUMULATE. AND SO THAT'S HOW YOU DEAL WITH THAT. BUT I DON'T FORESEE A LOT OF WEEDS WITH THIS OR A LOT OF MAINTENANCE. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS? JUST AS A POINT, AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU GUYS HAVE PUT IN THE TEAM THAT'S BEEN PART OF THIS PROJECT. WORK CLOSELY WITH DENTON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STAFF AS WELL TO KIND OF GIVE INPUT INTO VARIOUS ASPECTS IN TERMS OF NOT ONLY THE ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB FOR MAINTAINING, BUT THE LIVING CLASSROOM, LIKE WHERE IT SHOULD BE LOCATED. I KNOW RICO WAS INVOLVED IN THE LOCATION OF THAT AS WELL FROM A SAFETY STANDPOINT, BUT IN TERMS OF WHAT IS A USABLE SPACE LOOK LIKE, THEY DID A GREAT JOB OF PARTNERING WITH THE SCHOOL, WHICH WAS WHICH WAS NEAT TO GET THEM INVOLVED AS WELL. I'M ALREADY OVER HERE THINKING LIKE, OH, THERE'S ANOTHER SPACE FOR MY DIETITIAN TO LIKE MEET WITH, WITH KIDS THAT DOESN'T INCLUDE SPACE IN THE BUILDING. SO THAT'S NICE TO HAVE THAT EXTRA SPACE FOR THEM. I WILL SAY THERE WAS, YOU KNOW, THIS, THIS PROJECT WAS MAINLY ABOUT STORMWATER, BUT THE CLASSROOM CLASSROOMS. MOST INTERESTING TO EVERYBODY. AND IT TOOK A LOT OF DESIGN BY COMMITTEE. AND I MEAN, I HAD TO I HAD TO TALK PEOPLE DOWN FROM SHARKS WITH LASERS AND A SWIMMING POOL. SO WE GOT THEIR IDEAS, CRAZY IDEAS. SOUNDS GREAT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR YOUR TIME. YEAH. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. AND I'M SURE THAT OUTDOOR CLASSROOM, YOU KNOW, FOLKS WILL BE JUST WAITING TO GET OUT THERE AND HAVE A LINEUP. YES. THANK YOU. AND, MR. MENGEL, YOU'RE COMING BACK TO US? SURE. GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN. I COME TO YOU TONIGHT WITH EXCITING NEWS ABOUT THE BUILD. FIRST OF ALL, I WANT TO PREFACE THAT THIS MAY LOOK LIKE IT'S AN ACTION BOARD ACTION ITEM. [00:40:04] IT'S NOT. I'VE NEVER BUILT A SCHOOL BEFORE, AND I'M LEARNING BY FIRE EVERY DAY. MY LEARNING CURVE IS STRAIGHT UP. THERE IS A LOT OF STUFF THAT GOES INTO IT. AND SO I FIGURED MAYBE IT MIGHT BE WISE TO GET THE SIGNATURES AFTERWARDS. I DON'T KNOW IF I'M GOING TO NEED THEM. SO THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE A SHEET LIKE THIS TO START OFF WITH. SO SO WHAT HAPPENED ON JUNE 7TH OBVIOUSLY WAS OUR BOARD MEETING AND THERE WAS A BOARD MEETING FOR THE MSA, THE MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY. A VERY HUGE VITAL STEP OCCURRED AT THAT PARTICULAR MOMENT WHEN THEY WENT AND THE SELECTION COMMITTEE THAT I'M ON RECOMMENDED TO THE MSA BOARD, AN ARCHITECTURAL AND ENGINEERING DESIGN FIRM. I WANTED TO BRING IT TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT NIGHT, BUT IT WAS LITERALLY AT 1:00, 2:00 IN THE AFTERNOON WHEN THEY APPROVED IT. WE STARTED 6. I JUST IT WAS IT WAS JUST TOO CLOSE FOR ME. SO WE HELD OFF UNTIL, TILL NOW. SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE ABOUT A MONTH BEHIND. SO WHAT I WANT TO DO IS I JUST WANT TO GIVE YOU A TECHNICAL OVERVIEW OF WHAT IS, WHAT'S GOING ON. SO IF YOU RECALL, BACK IN DECEMBER, CCPS ENTERED INTO AN MOU AGREEMENT WITH THE MSA, AND THEY ARE THE LEAD IN THE WHOLE PROJECT. OKAY. THEY TAKE CARE OF ALL THE CONTRACTS. THEY DO ALL THOSE APPROVALS THROUGH THEIR MSA BOARD. SO I DON'T HAVE TO BRING THOSE TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. THERE WILL BE SOME TIMES WHEN I WILL BRING THINGS TO YOU FOR APPROVAL. THERE'S SOME THINGS. IT'S A 2 PART SYSTEM, THE MSA AS WELL AS THE BOARD OF EDUCATION. AND THAT WILL COME OVER THE NEXT 18 TO 20 MONTHS. SO MORE TO COME ON THAT. ALRIGHT. THE FEE THAT THIS ARCHITECT FIRM IS GOING TO CHARGE IS A LITTLE OVER $3.5 MILLION AND IS FUNDED BY THE FY 27 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN AND LOCAL COUNTY FUNDS. IT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE IAC. I FEEL VERY CONFIDENT. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE IS A 4 PERSON COMMITTEE MADE UP OF 2 PEOPLE FROM THE MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY, 1 PERSON FROM CCPS, THIS GUY AND THE EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES PLANNING. OUR CONSULTANT DOCTOR LIEBER. IN THAT MEETING ALSO, THERE WERE 2 PEOPLE FROM THE MSA WHO HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO WITH THE EVALUATIONS, NOTHING TO DO WITH GRADING, NOTHING TO DO WITH ASSIGNING POINTS TO ANYTHING. THEY WERE STRICTLY THERE TO ADVISE AND GUIDE US ON THE LEGALITIES OF WHAT WE CAN AND WHAT WE CANNOT DO. THEY WERE THE VICE PRESIDENT OF PROCUREMENT AND PROCUREMENT OFFICER THAT WERE THERE. THEY PRIMARILY TOOK NOTES. AND IF WE WOULD GET OFF TRACK, THEY'D BRING US BACK IN LINE REAL QUICK. I GOTTA TELL YOU, I'VE BEEN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN PROCUREMENT AT THE STATE LEVEL FOR OVER 15 YEARS. I AM SO IMPRESSED WITH HOW THIS PROCEDURE GOES. I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. THIS IS WAY MORE THAN JUST MAKING SURE YOUR T'S ARE CROSSED AND I'S ARE DOTTED. THERE'S PROCEDURES FOR PROCEDURES, THERE'S PROTOCOLS FOR PROTOCOLS. IT HAS TO BE TO THE NTH DEGREE AND ABSOLUTELY CORRECT. BECAUSE THE PROJECT, THE SCOPE IS SO LARGE, THE DOLLAR AMOUNT IS SO LARGE AND THESE FIRMS IT'S A BIG CHUNK OF THEIR BUSINESS. IF THEY GET THE GET THE AWARD. UNFORTUNATELY, ONLY ONE FIRM GETS THE AWARD RIGHT. SO IT'S A VERY, VERY TECHNICAL PROCESS. I'M GOING TO GO THROUGH IT A LITTLE BIT HERE IN A SLIDE OR 2. BUT I WANT TO GO BACK HERE TO ABOUT 3 AND A HALF MONTHS AGO. SO THIS HAS BEEN ABOUT 3 AND A HALF MONTH PROCESS JUST TO GET TO THE A AND E. SO BACK IN MARCH, ABOUT MARCH 10TH, WE SENT OUT AND ISSUED OUT THE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS. WE HAD TO QUALIFY FIRMS FIRST BEFORE WE COULD PROCEED ON TO THE RFP. WE RECEIVED IN 1 WEEK OR 2 WEEKS LATER WE RECEIVED 23 FIRMS RESPONSES. I DIDN'T THINK THERE WERE THAT MANY FIRMS IN MARYLAND, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU. SO THE SELECTION COMMITTEE WE MET, WE HAVE A VERY DETAILED, VERY THOROUGH EVALUATING SYSTEM THAT IS USED. AND WE WENT THROUGH THAT SYSTEM AND WE WERE ABLE TO KIND OF PULL OUT 2 FIRMS THAT WERE NOT QUALIFIED. SO NOW WE'RE DOWN 21. SO THEN WE MADE NOTICE TO THOSE OTHER. 21 THAT, HEY, CONGRATULATIONS, YOU QUALIFIED. YOU MADE IT THROUGH TO THE NEXT ROUND. YOU KNOW, IT'S, IT'S KIND OF LIKE A SPORTS TOURNAMENT, RIGHT? YOU WIN, YOU MOVE ON. SO THEN WE DID THE, WE ISSUED THE RFP AND APRIL 6TH THROUGH 21 FIRMS. A WEEK LATER, WE HAD A PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE MEETING WITH THESE GUYS. AND THEN THE NEXT DAY, 2 DAYS LATER, WE ACTUALLY HAD THEM COME OUT AND WALK THE SITE AT, AT NORTH CAROLINA. I BELIEVE THAT WAS THE DAY OF NORTH CAROLINA'S GRADUATION. THERE WAS A LOT GOING ON THAT DAY. I THINK I WAS TALKING TO FRANKIE THAT DAY. ALSO I WAS, I WAS THERE SO THEN WE GOT DOWN TO THE 21 WHEN WE GOT IT DOWN TO 6. 6WASN'T A SET NUMBER. IT'S JUST THE OTHER 15 JUST DIDN'T MAKE THE GRADE. SO WE WERE DOWN TO 6, WHICH WAS GOOD. SO NOW WE'RE DOWN TO SIX AND WE ARE TALKING. [00:45:05] OKAY, NOW WE GOT TO DO THE INTERVIEW. SO WE HAD 2 DAYS OF INTERVIEWS WHERE THEY CAME AND THEY DID THEIR DOG AND PONY SHOW ORAL PRESENTATIONS. THEY ANSWERED A BOATLOAD OF QUESTIONS FROM US, FROM THE SELECTION COMMITTEE. TOOK 2 DAYS FOR THAT PROCESS TO GO THROUGH. THE SELECTION COMMITTEE MET THE AT THE END OF THE SECOND DAY TO KIND OF WHITTLE THAT DOWN A LITTLE BIT MORE. WE REALIZED THAT OUT OF THOSE SIX, THERE'S 2 THAT JUST WEREN'T WEREN'T GOING TO BE GOOD FOR US. SO NOW WE'RE DOWN TO 4. AND SO NOW THE 4 ARE HAVE 2 DAYS TO PRESENT THEIR BEST AND FINAL OFFER TO US. AND THAT'S THE FINAL STAGE. THAT WAS THE FINAL STAGE. WHAT I DO WANT TO TELL THE BOARD IS THAT JUST BECAUSE A COMPANY COMES IN WITH THE LOWEST QUOTE, DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY'RE AN AUTOMATIC WIN. THIS IS DONE BY CERTAIN SEGMENTS, AND EACH SEGMENT CARRIES A CERTAIN WEIGHTED NUMBER. AND WE JUST ADD THOSE NUMBERS UP AND WORK OUR WAY ACROSS. SO IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE HERE, THIS IS THE WEIGHTED CRITERIA THAT WAS USED IN GREAT DETAIL. THESE ARE JUST THE TITLES. AND THEN THERE'S PARAGRAPHS FOR WHAT EACH ONE MEANS. THE FIRST 11. 1 THROUGH 11 ARE WHAT WE USED FOR THE RFQ. THE QUALIFICATION AS WELL AS THE RFP. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE QUALIFICATION AND THE PROPOSAL WAS THAT NUMBERS 8 AND 9 WERE NOT INCLUDED IN THE QUALIFICATION. THOSE ARE VERY, VERY DETAILED SUMMARIES THAT COMPANIES, YOU KNOW, PUT IN. AND THOSE 2 DID NOT REPLICATE A REASON WHY A FIRM WOULD BE QUALIFIED OR NOT. SO WHEN THEY'RE DOING RFQ, THEY ACTUALLY DID NINE CRITERIA. THEY MOVED ON TO RFP. NOW THEY HAD 11. A LOT OF THE 1 THROUGH 11 WERE PRETTY MUCH REUSED AGAIN. AND SO IT WAS KIND OF EASY READING. BUT THEN WE HAD TO REALLY READ THE NUMBERS 8 AND 9. THERE WAS A LOT OF DETAIL IN THERE. ONCE THEY GOT TO THAT, ONCE YOU MOVED ON, LIKE I SAID, THEY MOVED ON TO THE ORAL PRESENTATIONS THAT HAD A TOTALLY DIFFERENT SCORING SYSTEM ALTOGETHER. SO WE TOOK THE SCORING FROM THE ONE THROUGH 11. AND THEN WE ADDED THE ORAL PRESENTATION. AND THEN YOU MAKE IT TO THE FINAL ROUND. AND THAT'S THE FINANCIAL. AND THAT'S A DIFFERENT SCORING ALTOGETHER. SO REALLY ONLY 4 OUT OF THE 23 FIRMS GOT FULL ACROSS THE LINE GRADES. AND SO THEN FROM THERE WE FIGURED OUT WHO WAS GOING TO BE AWARDED THE CONTRACT. NEXT SLIDE. GO DOWN A LITTLE BIT, A LITTLE BIT A LITTLE BIT. HERE WE GO. OKAY. SO LIKE I SAID, ON JUNE 7TH THE SELECTION COMMITTEE RECOMMENDED TO THE MSA BOARD TO HIRE AN AWARD. CRABTREE AND ASSOCIATES ARCHITECTS AS THE FIRM THAT WILL BE DOING OUR DESIGN AND OUR ARCHITECTURAL SERVICES. THIS COMPANY HAS BEEN AROUND FOR A VERY LONG TIME. THEY ARE VERY WELL RESPECTED. THEY ARE VERY DEEPLY ROOTED IN BOTH THE WESTERN SHORE AND THE EASTERN SHORE. CURRENTLY THEY ARE WORKING ON KENT. KENT MIDDLE SCHOOL, KENT COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL. SO THAT'S, THAT'S THEIR, THEIR MOST RECENT DESIGN THEY'RE WORKING ON NOW. I WOULD NORMALLY SAY THAT'S IT. IF YOU GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, JUST SAY YOU SEE THERE'S QUESTIONS. HOWEVER, I FEEL LIKE A CHEAP COMMERCIAL HERE. WAIT, THERE'S MORE. I DO HAVE A GRAND ANNOUNCEMENT TODAY, SO AS SOON AS THE SELECTION COMMITTEE GOT DONE AND CAME UP UNOFFICIALLY BEFORE WE REPORTED TO THE, TO THE MSA THAT THIS IS THE, THIS IS WHO WE'D LIKE TO RECOMMEND FOR, FOR AWARDING. THE VERY NEXT MORNING, WE SHIFTED GEARS IMMEDIATELY AND WENT INTO THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT PHASE. WE WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME PROCESS. I HAD TO READ ALL THOSE, ALL THOSE RFPS, ALL THOSE RFQS AND GO THROUGH ALL THAT. WE GOT IT DOWN. AND AS OF 130 THIS AFTERNOON, THE MSA BOARD APPROVED THE CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT, AND DOCTOR SIMMONS AND I SPOKE TODAY. IT'S LIKE, DO WE DO WE TELL THE BOARD TONIGHT OR SHOULD WE WAIT TILL AUGUST? WE KNOW IT'S OFFICIAL NOW. IT'S OFFICIAL. IT'S PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE. LET'S JUST GET IT OUT THERE. SO I DON'T REALLY HAVE MUCH IN TERMS OF PRESENTATION EXCEPT OUR CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT COMPANY IS GOING TO BE OAK CONSTRUCTION. OAK OAK IS VERY WELL SITUATED ON THE WESTERN SHORE. AND THEY DO HAVE SOME BUILDS AND SOME REDESIGNS AND RENOVATIONS OVER HERE IN EASTERN SHORE. LET ME READ YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEM. THEY HAVE 55 YEARS OF CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT SERVICES, 4 BILLION IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS. THEY'VE DONE OVER 120 EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES. 40 OF THOSE HAVE BEEN THROUGH CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT AT RISK, WHICH IS THE BUILD THAT WE WILL USE TO BUILD THIS, THIS MIDDLE SCHOOL AS WELL. 59 SECONDARY SCHOOL SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN BUILT, 26 REPLACEMENT SCHOOLS ON OCCUPIED SITES. NOW WE'RE GOING TO BE ON AN OCCUPIED SITE WITH NORTH CAROLINA BEING ACTIVE, BUT IT'S NOT GOING TO BE IT'S GOING TO BE A NEW BUILD. IT'S NOT GOING TO BE A REPLACEMENT SCHOOL. BUT THEY ALSO DO HAVE 63 OCCUPIED SITE CONSTRUCTION PROJECTS THAT THEY'VE DONE. [00:50:06] OF THAT, 59 SECONDARY SCHOOLS, 17 OR 16 HAVE BEEN NEW CONSTRUCTION ALTOGETHER, 16 HAVE BEEN REPLACEMENT SCHOOLS ON AN OCCUPIED SITE. 27 HAVE BEEN THE PHASE OCCUPIED RENOVATION ADDITIONS. AND IF YOU'RE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT, THAT'S LIKE WHEN THEY JUST RENOVATE A CERTAIN SECTION OF THE BUILDING AND ALL THE KIDS GET CRAMMED INTO ANOTHER PART, AND THEN ONCE THEY GET THAT DONE, THE KIDS GO INTO THE NEW PART AND THEN THEY GO TO, I KNOW IT VERY WELL. MY, MY SENIOR YEAR IN HIGH SCHOOL, ACTUALLY, ALL MY MY 3 YEARS IN HIGH SCHOOL. YEAH. I NEVER SAW MY FULL BUILDING. IT WAS THREE PHASE. IT'S IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR TEACHERS. IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR ADMINISTRATION. IT'S A BAD DEAL FOR STUDENTS. IT'S ACTUALLY MORE EXPENSIVE THAN IT IS ABOUT THAN IT IS NOW, THAN TO BUILD A BRAND NEW SCHOOL FROM THE GROUND UP. SO YOU DON'T SEE TOO MUCH OF THAT GOING ON ANYMORE. OH, CONSTRUCTION JUST, YOU KNOW, JUST A COUPLE SCHOOLS HERE IN THE AREA IN THE EAST SHORE, OBVIOUSLY THEY'RE DOING KING COUNTY MIDDLE SCHOOL. THEY DID RENOVATIONS, EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS ON CRISFIELD HIGH SCHOOL AND SOMERSET SHOWELL ELEMENTARY IN WORCESTER. THEY BUILT THE SOMERSET TALBOT OR SOMERSET COUNTY TECHNICAL, TECHNICAL HIGH SCHOOL. THEY DID EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS ON STEPHEN DECATUR HIGH SCHOOL CHURCHILL ELEMENTARY AND SUMMERSVILLE ELEMENTARY IN QUEEN ANNE'S. THEY'VE BOTH BEEN WORKING ON AND THEY ALSO DID EXTENSIVE RENOVATIONS ON SALISBURY UNIVERSITY. SO THEY DO GET THE K-12 ENVIRONMENT. THEY DO GET AND UNDERSTAND THE EDUCATION ENVIRONMENT. SO I JUST WANT TO LET YOU KNOW THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE'RE OFF AND RUNNING. THINGS ARE GOING FAST, REALLY FAST. THE THE A AND E FIRM. CRAS WHAT WE REFER TO THEM AS. THEY'VE HAD A MONTH ALREADY TO START PUTTING TOGETHER THE DESIGNS AND WE'RE ACTUALLY MEETING WITH THEM TOMORROW FOR OUR FIRST OFFICIAL MEETING WITH LIKE, THEY CALL IT AN OWNER'S MEETING. SO WE'RE MEETING WITH THEM AND WE'LL BE MEETING WITH THEM FOR THE NEXT 18 MONTHS, TWICE A WEEK TWICE A MONTH, TWICE A MONTH, EVERY TWO WEEKS. YEAH. SO YEAH, THINGS ARE GOING TO MOVE PRETTY QUICKLY HERE AS WE START TO GET. OUR FIRST MEETING WITH THEM WAS BASICALLY INTRODUCTIONS AND THE ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING FIRM HEARING FROM THE MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY FOLKS HOW QUICKLY THEY WOULD LIKE THEM TO MOVE TO HIT STATE TIMELINES. THAT WAS MOST OF THE FIRST MEETING AND GOING, IS THIS DOABLE FOR WHAT WE'RE HOPING YOU CAN PRODUCE AT THIS PACE SO WE CAN MAKE SURE WE STAY IN LINE FOR OUR FUNDING PIECES. THAT WAS MEETING ONE, MEETING 2 TOMORROW, WHICH BILL AND I WILL BE PART OF 1 OF OUR MEETINGS TOMORROW ABOUT THE BILL, SHOULD PROVIDE SOME INFORMATION THAT THEN THAT WE CAN START SHARING WITH THE BOARD ABOUT SORT OF WHAT IS THE NEXT STEP IN THE TIMELINE AND PROCESS. CRABTREE AND CRABTREE AND ASSOCIATES DID TALK ABOUT THERE WILL BE AT LEAST 2 COMMUNITY INPUT OPPORTUNITIES AS WELL AS BOARD INPUT OPPORTUNITIES. AND THEN AT SOME POINT IN THE PROCESS, THERE'S MORE WORK WITH STAFF AT THE SCHOOL DURING THEIR PHASE. BUT THEIR TIMELINE OF WORK, IN ESSENCE, IS END OF FROM WHAT WE WERE HOPING TO HEAR. THIS WILL HOPEFULLY BE CONFIRMED TOMORROW. IN ESSENCE, THEY HAVE LESS THAN 12 MONTHS TO GET THEIR ENTIRE DESIGN PROCESS DONE AND EVERYTHING SUBMITTED. SO THEIR FIRST STEP WILL BE DETERMINING WHERE TO PUT THE BUILDING ON THE ACREAGE. FIRST STEP ONE IS IDENTIFYING WHERE IS THE BEST SPOT TO PUT IT, AND THAT WILL INCLUDE FEEDBACK FROM THE BOARD AND COMMUNITY, BECAUSE DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU PUT IT, THERE'S A DEVELOPMENT BEHIND NORTH THAT MAY HAVE SOME REAL FEELINGS, AND WE MAY HAVE SOME REAL FEELINGS ABOUT WHERE TO ORIENT THE BUILDING AFTER THAT. THEN COMES WHEN YOU FIGURE OUT WHERE TO PUT IT. THEN COMES THE WHAT DOES IT ACTUALLY LOOK LIKE INSIDE THE FUN IN MY EYES, THE FUN LAYOUT TYPE STUFF THAT YOU GET INTO THAT PLAN ROUGHLY, WOULD BE TO TRY TO HAVE THAT STUFF DONE BY AROUND DECEMBER IF THEY CAN HIT WHAT MSA WAS HOPING AFTER DECEMBER. WE'RE FAIRLY FIRM ON WHERE IN THE PROPERTY. WE'RE FAIRLY FIRM ON WHAT IT WILL ROUGHLY LOOK LIKE INSIDE THE LAYOUT, AND THEN, IN THEIR WORDS, NOT MINE. THEY GET THE HARD WORK ON WHAT MOST PEOPLE WOULD VIEW AS THE BORING ARCHITECTURAL DRAWINGS OF WHERE ARE ALL THE OUTLETS AND THE CONSTRUCTION AND ALL OF THOSE. LIKE THEY DO ALL OF THAT ONCE THEY GET THOSE THINGS SET, BECAUSE THEY NEED TO HAVE THEIR ENTIRE PACKAGE OF DRAWINGS READY TO SUBMIT WITHIN ABOUT A YEAR. YES. SO THEY NEED TO GET ALL THAT DONE. SO THAT'S ROUGHLY IN, IF YOU'RE THINKING IN YOUR HEAD, THAT'S ROUGHLY WHAT OUR TIMELINE LOOKS LIKE. AS WE KNOW IT FROM THE LAST MEETING, WE'LL FIND OUT TOMORROW IF THEY CAN MEET THOSE PIECES WITH SOME OF THOSE DESIGN PIECES. BUT IN ESSENCE, AS A BOARD THROUGH DECEMBER, WE PROBABLY WILL HAVE A GOOD IDEA. I WOULD VENTURE TO SAY OVER WHERE ON THE PROPERTY AND ROUGHLY WHAT THE INSIDE OF THE STRUCTURE WILL LOOK LIKE IN TERMS OF LAYOUT OF CLASSROOMS AND THOSE [00:55:05] THINGS AND FUNCTIONALITY. BY BASICALLY THE FIRST OF THE YEAR, IF ALL GOES ACCORDING TO PLAN, AND IF FUNDING STILL CONTINUES, WE ARE MR. MENGLES GOING TO CONTINUE TO DELIBERATE. BECAUSE I'M PUTTING THE LOCK ON HIM. WE'VE BEEN HITTING ALL MARKS ON OUR TIMELINE AND THINGS HAVE BEEN MOVING WELL, WHICH IS ALSO WHY MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY IS PUSHING TO MAKE SURE THAT CERTAIN DOCUMENTS ARE READY BY A CERTAIN TIME FROM THE ARCHITECT. SO WE DON'T GET BEHIND APPROVAL SCHEDULES BECAUSE IF YOU FALL BEHIND, YOU MAY FALL OUT OF THE MONEY AROUND AT A CERTAIN POINT. SO THEY WANT TO KEEP US MOVING AND THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB. MSA HAS BEEN WONDERFUL TO WORK WITH. I WILL GIVE A PLUG TO THEM. WHEN BILL AND I WERE TALKING TODAY, HE'S NEVER BUILT A SCHOOL BEFORE. I'VE NEVER BUILT A SCHOOL BEFORE. WE BOTH HAVE WORKED IN BUILDINGS THAT ARE BEING BUILT. JUST BECAUSE YOU WORKED IN THE BUILDING BEING BUILT DOESN'T MEAN YOU KNOW HOW TO BUILD A SCHOOL. MARYLAND STADIUM AUTHORITY IS PROVIDING THAT EXPERTISE TO MAKE SURE THE PROCESS DOES MOVE VERY WELL. AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE EVERYTHING LINED UP AND ALSO THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST VALUE FOR THE DOLLAR AND THAT ASSURING WE'RE HITTING ALL THE MARKS THAT WE KNOW WE WON'T HAVE HANG UPS BY OUR OWN DOINGS, BY THIS FORM NOT BEING FILLED OUT PROPERLY, OR THIS PART OF THE PROCESS TAKING LONGER THAN IT SHOULD, BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE THE RIGHT GREASE FOR THAT PART OF THE WHEEL TO GET IT TO MOVE FASTER. THEY HAVE BEEN ABSOLUTELY STELLAR SO FAR TO WORK THROUGH AND PUSH THIS PROCESS AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE GETTING THE BEST VALUE AND THE BEST SCHOOL FOR OUR KIDS THAT WILL LAST US FOR A LONG TIME. THE MSA MY EXPERIENCE WITH THEM, ESPECIALLY THE LAST 5 WEEKS WORKING WITH THEM ALMOST A COUPLE TIMES A WEEK THEY'RE VERY HIGHLY RESPECTED AND THEY COMMAND A LOT OF RESPECT FROM FIRMS AND FROM COMPANIES. I'M NOT GOING TO SAY THEY HAVE A WAND AND WHEN THEY WAVE IT, PEOPLE JUMP. BUT WHEN THEY WHEN THEY TALK, PEOPLE ARE LISTENING AND PEOPLE ARE REACTING. SO IT'S REALLY GLAD THEY'RE IN OUR CORNER, ON OUR SIDE. THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE IT AS EASY AS POSSIBLE FOR US. IF BY DOING A LOT OF HEAVY LIFTING, I CAN ALSO SHARE I GET THE OPPORTUNITY TO WORK WITH DOCTOR LIEBER ON THE KENT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROJECT BECAUSE WE HAVE A SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTER THERE AND THAT, THAT KNOWING THAT THAT'S THE GROUP, THEY'VE BEEN FANTASTIC. I GOT TO WALK OUT THE, THE PROCESS OF LAYING OUT THE SCHOOL BASED HEALTH CENTER TO THE POINT THAT THEY CALLED ME BACK ABOUT SIGNAGE PLACEMENT AND OTHER THINGS. THEY'RE VERY DETAIL ORIENTED, VERY RESPONSIVE. YOU KNOW, AND I MEAN, WORKED THROUGH IT IN A REALLY GOOD WAY. IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD TO KNOW THAT THAT'S THE SAME. SO IT'S FUNNY YOU MENTIONED KENT MIDDLE SCHOOL BECAUSE THIS HAD NOTHING TO DO WITH HOW I GRADED THEM OR HOW I FAVORED THEM OR ANYTHING OR DIDN'T FAVOR THEM 1 WAY. BUT CRA IS THE ARCHITECT AT THAT SCHOOL, AND OAK IS THE BUILDER OF THAT SCHOOL. SO DID NOT KNOW WORKING TOGETHER AGAIN ON THIS SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, 40 MILES DOWN THE ROAD. WELL, JUST INTERESTING. BILL WILL BE BEHIND BARS IN FRONT OF BARS. SO I DON'T KNOW, THEY'RE EXPERIENCING A LITTLE COUPLE ISSUES. MICHAEL'S LIVING. RIGHT. A LOT OF COMMUNITY HURDLES. SO YEAH, I'M EXCITED THAT THERE'S THIS MOVING FORWARD. BUT AND THAT AND THE EXPERIENCE WITH WITH THEM HAS BEEN GREAT. SO YEAH. THAT'S GREAT. YEAH. MR. MENGLE. YES. THANK YOU FOR. YOU'VE PUT A LOT OF TIME AND ENERGY AND YOU GOT A LOT MORE TIME. YOU JUST START. BUT THANK YOU. I KNOW. THANK YOU. BUT JUST TO HEAR ALL THAT'S BEEN DONE. AND THE TIMELINE REALLY KIND OF AMAZES ME THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT KNOWING WHAT SHOULD BE KNOWING IN DECEMBER. YEAH. SO WE DEFINITELY. I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR THE WHOLE BOARD APPRECIATES, YOU KNOW WHAT, WHAT YOU'VE GONE INTO DOING THIS AND I'M LIKE DOCTOR SIMMONS, WE WE DEFINITELY DON'T WANT TO MISS THOSE THOSE DATES FOR STATE MONEY. YEAH YOU KNOW ABSOLUTELY. BUT THANK YOU. YOU'RE WELCOME. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS. I'M GOING TO STOP PICKING ON YOU TO KEEP ON PICKING. WE WILL KEEP THE WEBSITE UPDATED AS WE GET MORE INFORMATION TO THAT. WE CAN SHARE IT WITH THE COMMUNITY. SANDY'S GOT THE PAGE WORKING. SHE'S WORKED WITH JANINE ON SOME LAYOUT THINGS BUT WE'LL DO WHAT WE CAN THERE TO HELP KEEP INFORMATION FLOWING AS WELL ONCE WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE. BUT IT LIKE BILL SHARED, STARTING TOMORROW, THINGS REALLY START TO RAMP UP AND BECOME A LITTLE MORE REAL. ONCE WE GET SOME MEAT ON THE BONE, IT'LL BE GOOD. KIND OF MAKES ME FEEL GOOD TOO. THEY'RE ASKING PEOPLE WHERE THEY WANT TO SEE. THEY DO IT AND THEY REALLY DO A GREAT JOB OF, YOU KNOW, TAKING THAT FEEDBACK, PUTTING IT IN. YEAH. AND MASSAGING IT, REACHING BACK OUT, LETTING YOU LOOK AT IT. MAKE SURE YOU'RE HAPPY WITH IT. MAKE SURE IT MAKES SENSE. YEAH, IT'S BEEN REALLY GOOD. IT'S VERY FEASIBLE. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THAT WAS GREAT NEWS. [01:00:01] GREAT NEWS. DOCTOR SIMMONS, YOUR SUPERINTENDENT'S REPORT. YES. SO MY REPORT WILL BE KIND OF SHORT TONIGHT. IT WAS REALLY JUST HIGHLIGHTING THE LAST DAY OF SCHOOL WHICH WAS A WONDERFUL LAST DAY. HAD A GREAT TIME PARTICIPATING IN THE 5TH GRADE. WASN'T A DUNK TANK, BUT IT WAS A DUNK BUCKET THAT FELL ON YOU, BUT IT WAS A GREAT TIME. KIDS WERE WONDERFUL. THE STAFF WERE GREAT. BUT WE DID HAVE A WONDERFUL LAST DAY AND, AND ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS. IT WAS GREAT TO, IT'S GREAT TO SEE THEM, BUT GREAT TO LET THEM GO HAVE A SUMMER AFTER A LONG YEAR. IT WAS GREAT TO LET THE STAFF GO ON THE 18TH TO GO CELEBRATE THE SUMMER FOR 10 MONTH STAFF. THE TOUGH PART OF REALIZATION THOUGH, CAME THAT THE ONLY DAY WE WEREN'T RUNNING A BUS PRETTY MUCH ALL SUMMER WAS ON THE 18TH. ON THE DAY THAT 10 MONTH STAFF, THEIR LAST DAY WAS THE ONLY DAY WE DIDN'T HAVE BUSSES RUNNING BECAUSE WE STARTED PICKING UP KIDS THE FOLLOWING MONDAY FOR THE CAMP THAT OR THE PROGRAM THAT THE YMCA PUTS ON FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL KIDS. SO SUMMER BREAK WAS 1 DAY. AND AS OF JUNETEENTH, AS SOMEONE REMINDED ME WHEN WE WERE OFF THAT DAY, IT WAS OUR FIRST FRIDAY OFF AS WELL. 2 MONTHS FROM JUNETEENTH, WE BE WELCOMING ALL STAFF BACK. TO START. YEP. THAT WAS JUST LOOK, IT'S JULY NOW. CRAZY. IT'S MOVING, BUT YEAH. OH, SOMEBODY WAS KIND ENOUGH ON THE 19TH TO SHARE THAT WITH ME GOING THERE BACK IN TWO MONTHS. ARE YOU READY? NICE. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. BUT IT'LL BE GOOD. NEXT YEAR WITH, YOU KNOW, A SNOWLESS YEAR AND GETTING OUT EARLY AND, YOU KNOW, ALL THAT GOOD STUFF. BUT AGAIN, IT WAS A GREAT END OF THE SCHOOL YEAR. EVERYBODY WAS WONDERFUL. THE KIDS WERE GREAT. YEAH. SO MUCH FUN. WE GET TO DO IT AGAIN. COME, COME AUGUST. OKAY. THANK YOU. ANY BOARD MEMBERS WHO WANT TO GIVE REPORTS? OH, BECAUSE I WASN'T AT THE LAST MEETING. I JUST WANT TO SAY PUBLICLY, I HAVE GOTTEN SUCH AMAZING FEEDBACK ON GRADUATION IN NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL. HOW WELL IT WENT, HOW NICE IT WAS TO BE OUTSIDE. I MEAN, THE WEATHER WAS GORGEOUS, BUT IT DID NOT GO UNNOTICED. THE AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT WAS PUT INTO MAKING THAT AN OUTDOOR GRADUATION AND NOT JUST A GRADUATION THAT WAS OUTDOORS. AND SO I'VE HAD ENOUGH PARENTS SAY SOMETHING TO ME THAT I FELT LIKE I WANTED TO, TO JUST MAKE THAT KNOWN. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND TO THE, THE STAFF, THE ADMIN AND STAFF IN THE BUILDING. THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB. THANK YOU. FANTASTIC JOB. YES. I THINK BOTH OF THEM WERE OUTSTANDING GRADUATION CEREMONIES. I JUST WOULD LIKE TO SHARE THAT THE RETREAT AT THE CHESAPEAKE BEACH CLUB. IS THAT CORRECT? YEAH, I KNOW WHERE IT IS. I'M NOT SURE YOU KNOW THE PERFECT NAME, BUT IT WAS A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL RETREAT. IT WAS VERY ENCOURAGING. I'M NOT BOASTING, BUT CAROLINE WAS REALLY RECOGNIZED FOR THE ACADEMIC WORK THAT IS GOING ON WITHIN OUR COUNTY. AND I JUST FELT REALLY PROUD TO HEAR THE COMMENTS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON IN CAROLINE AND DOCTOR BRIGHT ALWAYS SPEAKS SO WELL, AND SHE, IT WAS JUST A WORTHWHILE DAY. I ENJOYED IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, RIGHT STRAIGHT THROUGH TO THE END, INCLUDING THE LUNCH, BECAUSE THE SEAFOOD WAS REALLY GOOD TOO, BUT IF YOU HAVE A CHANCE NEXT YEAR TO GO, IT'S DEFINITELY WORTHWHILE TO BE THERE AND TO TO HEAR WHAT THE EASTERN SHORE SUPERINTENDENTS AND COUNTIES ARE DOING, BECAUSE WE ARE NOT, YOU KNOW, BEHIND BY ANY MEANS. WE'RE DOING JUST AS WELL AS, YOU KNOW, IF NOT BETTER THAN SOME OF THE LARGER COUNTIES THAT YOU MAY HEAR ABOUT MORE. BUT WE'RE HOLDING OUR OWN. AND I FELT REALLY GOOD WHEN WE WERE THERE THAT DAY. OKAY. ANY UNFINISHED BUSINESS? BOARD. MEMBERS. [Items 7 & 8] FUTURE ACTION. I KNOW THAT WE HAVE OUR. I DON'T HAVE MY DATES IN FRONT OF ME, BUT OUR NEXT BOARD MEETING IS AUGUST THE 4TH. AUGUST 10TH. NEW TEACHERS WILL HAVE THEIR BRUNCH AT NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL. IS THAT A 8 OR. WE'RE NOT SURE. 8:30. 8:30. OKAY. YEAH. AUGUST 11TH IS OUR BOARD RETREAT, AND WE'LL GET MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT. SO WE DO HAVE SOME BUSINESS COMING UP. SO WE ALL WANT TO STAY ALERT AND WATCH FOR ALL THE BACK TO SCHOOL NIGHTS TO YOUR LIST. [01:05:01] OH, BLESS YOUR HEART. THANK YOU FOR THAT. BLESS YOUR HEART. REALLY EXCITED. BUT THEY'LL BE. THEY'RE ALL THERE. THANK YOU. OKAY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. RACHEL. SHE'S KEEPING US IN CHECK IF THERE'S FAR AWAY SO FAR. OKAY. OKAY. LOTS OF DAYS BEFORE THEY COME. WE GOT ABOUT 6 MORE WEEKS, MAYBE. SURE. SO IF THERE'S NO OTHER BUSINESS, CAN WE HAVE A MOTION FOR THE MEETING TO BE ADJOURNED? MAKE A MOTION FOR ADJOURNMENT. SECOND, IT'S BEEN MOVED AND SECONDED THAT OUR MEETING FOR TONIGHT BE ADJOURNED. ALL IN FAVOR? AYE. OPPOSED? SO CARRIED. THANK YOU. * This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.