[Speaker 1] (3:58 - 3:58) That's their special [Speaker 2] (3:59 - 4:01) I think we all were wearing the same thing. We have [Speaker 1] (4:01 - 4:03) They're for the kids. No, I'm kidding. [Speaker 2] (4:03 - 4:04) Alright, let's get going. [Speaker 1] (4:04 - 4:05) I know. [Speaker 2] (4:05 - 4:05) We have to get going. [Speaker 3] (4:05 - 4:06) I'm gonna watch that there. [Speaker 4] (4:06 - 4:06) Why? [Speaker 3] (4:06 - 4:07) I [Speaker 4] (4:07 - 4:07) I'm on a deadline. [Speaker 3] (4:07 - 4:07) need to get that. [Speaker 3] (4:07 - 4:09) Before Devin finishes looking, [Speaker 3] (4:09 - 4:11) I'll take the special remedy. [Speaker 4] (4:11 - 4:11) Sometimes. [Speaker 1] (4:11 - 4:12) There you go. [Speaker 3] (4:13 - 4:15) Tell you what, I'll double that. Alright, you too? [Speaker 2] (4:15 - 4:16) We are [Speaker 3] (4:17 - 4:17) Oh [Speaker 4] (4:17 - 4:17) Alright. [Speaker 2] (4:17 - 4:18) we have feedback here. [Speaker 1] (4:20 - 4:21) I don't know what it is. [Speaker 3] (4:23 - 4:23) You just turned that down. [Speaker 2] (4:45 - 4:46) project my voice. [Speaker 1] (4:46 - 4:48) Our head, you can you just just apply it. [Speaker 2] (4:48 - 4:49) I you don't remember [Speaker 1] (4:49 - 4:49) Yeah. [Speaker 2] (4:49 - 4:50) here. No no no, I got it. [Speaker 2] (4:51 - 4:53) We're good. Neither of us have an issue with volume. [Speaker 1] (4:53 - 4:54) No. [Speaker 1] (4:55 - 4:55) I think so. [Speaker 2] (4:55 - 5:09) Okay, good evening everyone. Thank you for joining us. This is uh Monday, February ninth for the Joint Select Board, School Committee and Finance Committee meetings. If you wouldn't mind oh we are being recorded. If you wouldn't mind rising for the pledge. [Speaker 1] (5:14 - 5:14) Yeah. [Speaker 2] (5:16 - 5:26) to supply our United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. [Speaker 2] (5:34 - 5:38) Okay, um we are joining you this evening [Speaker 2] (5:40 - 5:49) In order to discuss the utility reserve usage agreement um between the school district and the town, um do you guys wanna call your meeting to order? [Speaker 5] (5:50 - 5:55) Um yes, I'm Glenn Castor, uh chair of the school committee and we will call our meeting to order. [Speaker 2] (5:55 - 5:55) Great. [Speaker 3] (5:56 - 5:59) I'm Eric Cartman, chair of the Finance Committee and I call the Finance Committee meeting to order. [Speaker 2] (6:00 - 6:00) Perfect. [Speaker 2] (6:01 - 6:15) Okay, so this was a hanger on from the prior joint conversation and we wanted to make sure we had some resolve before we would go into the budget for this year. There were some questions, you know, what's happening for the school, [Speaker 2] (6:15 - 6:18) the future budget which we'll be seeing coming up. [Speaker 2] (6:18 - 6:20) School had their presentation, [Speaker 2] (6:20 - 6:26) I think we have some answers there and hopefully we can just answer all the questions and put this particular topic. [Speaker 5] (6:29 - 6:49) Okay, um I'll just start. Um thank you for uh everyone for attending. Um I'm gonna turn this meeting over to Miss Stella who will talk about um how we came to be here starting in F_ Y_ twenty five, which would have been February of twenty twenty four. Then we'll move into F_ Y_ twenty six. But I understand Mr. [Speaker 5] (6:49 - 6:50) Kalishman has a couple comments first. [Speaker 6] (6:51 - 6:57) Yeah, I was just gonna say that, you know, somebody who's wasn't there when this all went down, I can completely understand how it's confusing. [Speaker 6] (6:57 - 7:02) It took me quite a few meetings with Cheryl to really wrap my head around the timeline and everything that happened. [Speaker 6] (7:02 - 7:15) I think the good news for all of us is that this MOU is over and done with and we will be funding our budget, funding the utilities in our budget just like we did in FY25 and FY26. And with that, I'm going to turn it over to Cheryl to sort of discuss the timeline. [Speaker 2] (7:50 - 7:53) Bear with me, I don't usually use T_V_ so [Speaker 2] (7:58 - 8:15) Alright, thank you everyone. Um so if you will indulge me and just let me walk through the whole timeline and then we can um certainly um answer uh questions afterwards. So um we started this whole process [Speaker 2] (8:15 - 8:17) Back in October of 2023, [Speaker 2] (8:17 - 8:25) there were four tri-chair meetings that we had prior to developing the school budget for FY25. [Speaker 2] (8:25 - 8:33) The main focus of those tri-chair meetings was to talk about school budget issues that we knew that we were facing. [Speaker 2] (8:33 - 8:37) The majority of that time was spent on transportation costs, [Speaker 2] (8:37 - 8:39) the new school operating costs. [Speaker 2] (8:40 - 8:47) special education and then the fact that we're losing our ESSER and other pandemic funding as well. [Speaker 2] (8:49 - 9:07) So then January 29th 2024 the school committee did submit to the town their voted FY 25 school budget which was a 5.1% increase to the budget and this budget did include money for utilities at the elementary school. [Speaker 2] (9:08 - 9:11) February 5th of 2024, [Speaker 2] (9:11 - 9:22) the school committee presented their budget to the finance committee. Again that budget was a 5.1% increase, which again included the money for the utilities at the new elementary school. [Speaker 2] (9:24 - 9:26) Then February 9th of 2024, [Speaker 2] (9:26 - 9:33) the town administrator emailed the superintendent and the select board that he was proposing a school appropriation of 3.84. [Speaker 2] (9:34 - 9:45) or thirty two point one nine nine million, and advancing in addition two warrant articles for utilities and special education to fully fund the school committee voted budget. [Speaker 2] (9:46 - 9:59) Um so as a result of that, the school had to reduce the appropriated budget to reflect the decreased appropriation. This meant that the original utilities that we had in our budget uh were zeroed out. Then [Speaker 1] (9:59 - 10:01) Then May 20th of 2024, [Speaker 1] (10:02 - 10:06) town meeting voted to approve the appropriation for the school budget, [Speaker 1] (10:06 - 10:09) which was $32,399 in Article 3, [Speaker 1] (10:09 - 10:23) which was a combination of tax levy, local receipts and the free cash from utilities. On that same date is when the utility reserve MOU was signed by the town administrator and superintendent. [Speaker 1] (10:34 - 10:34) Uh mark. [Speaker 1] (10:49 - 10:49) It's okay now. [Speaker 2] (10:50 - 10:50) No. [Speaker 1] (11:07 - 11:07) Good. [Speaker 3] (11:08 - 11:09) Sounds good. [Speaker 1] (11:09 - 11:18) 'Kay. Um March twenty th twenty twenty five we received so now we're going into um FY twenty six. [Speaker 1] (11:19 - 11:22) March twentieth twenty five we received questions from the finance committee. [Speaker 1] (11:23 - 11:24) Um, [Speaker 1] (11:26 - 11:28) I'm sorry, this is jumping ahead. [Speaker 1] (11:29 - 11:31) Taking it back to December 23rd, 2024, [Speaker 1] (11:32 - 11:35) we had a tri-chair meeting discussing the FY26 school budget. [Speaker 1] (11:36 - 11:43) Per the meeting minutes, it was discussed to consider funding the FCS utility costs outside of the appropriation similar to last year. [Speaker 1] (11:44 - 11:46) January 13th, 2025. [Speaker 1] (11:47 - 11:51) The trichair meeting materials were presented at that time by the school department. [Speaker 1] (11:51 - 12:01) In those materials, it assumes that $200,000 from the utility is reserved to fund the utility costs at the elementary school, [Speaker 1] (12:01 - 12:02) same as last year. [Speaker 1] (12:03 - 12:04) January 17, [Speaker 1] (12:04 - 12:05) 2025, [Speaker 1] (12:05 - 12:07) the trichair meeting minutes state Ms. [Speaker 1] (12:07 - 12:10) Fletcher supports removing $200,000 under the utility. [Speaker 1] (12:11 - 12:13) January 20th, 2025, [Speaker 1] (12:13 - 12:26) the school committee FY26 voted budget shows zero in the utility line for the elementary school for FY25 and FY26. This was provided to the town and posted to the website. [Speaker 1] (12:29 - 12:40) March 20th, 2025, received questions from the finance committee asking why we need to fund $200,000 in free cash for a line item that was originally budgeted for $214,000. [Speaker 1] (12:41 - 12:47) We answered that back to them on March 20th, 25th, stating that if it's not funded through free cash, [Speaker 1] (12:47 - 12:51) we need to add it back to our budget and again increase our appropriation. [Speaker 1] (12:52 - 12:53) April 16th, 2025, [Speaker 1] (12:54 - 12:56) we actually took all the budget questions, [Speaker 1] (12:56 - 13:00) because we received a lot of budget questions throughout the process from Finance Committee and others. [Speaker 1] (13:00 - 13:02) We took all of them, put them into one document, [Speaker 1] (13:03 - 13:04) posted them on our website. [Speaker 1] (13:05 - 13:14) Question number 14 in those materials again was around the $200,000 for utility reserve and again stating that it was not being carried in our budget. [Speaker 1] (13:16 - 13:27) April 17th and April 18th of 2025 I sent a memo to the select board and the Finance Committee from the school department again clarifying how the utility money was used, [Speaker 1] (13:27 - 13:28) the timeline, [Speaker 1] (13:29 - 13:29) the background, [Speaker 1] (13:29 - 13:31) why it was funded this way. [Speaker 1] (13:32 - 13:53) Well, how it was originally budgeted in that we were asked to reduce our budget and so that utility line got reduced. And then we come to uh May nineteenth, twenty twenty five, again town meeting votes to approve article five which included two hundred thousand from free cash to the utility reserve line of the Swampscott Public Schools operating budget. [Speaker 1] (13:56 - 13:57) That's it. That's the timeline. [Speaker 4] (14:01 - 14:04) Katie, I have a question. Can because we're talking about two different years here. [Speaker 1] (14:05 - 14:05) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 4] (14:05 - 14:07) Um can we address the [Speaker 4] (14:08 - 14:23) the utility th the M_O_U with utility that came into effect in twenty twenty five that was the twenty twenty four conversations before we go into the twenty twenty six M_O_U. [Speaker 4] (14:26 - 14:26) Sure. [Speaker 4] (14:27 - 14:40) Um because it gets to me it gets really confusing and I also um just so that we're really clear um I didn't support removing 200k that was an inaccurate statement. [Speaker 4] (14:40 - 14:53) I did supp absolutely supported having 200 thousand still in a utility M_O_U utility line item to offset offset that's the key word. [Speaker 4] (14:54 - 14:55) um the utility expense. [Speaker 4] (14:57 - 15:12) And when I look at this, I think Mr Grishman uh the people who were the chairs are the one who has actually can elaborate more on what conversations happen in tri-chair. But I think what's really really important here is tri-chair is a [Speaker 4] (15:13 - 15:24) A mechanism that's used to have conversations to facilitate ideas and then the responsibility of those chairs is to bring that information back. It's not to make decisions. [Speaker 4] (15:24 - 15:33) And what happened in 2024 is really clear. There's an MOU that uses the word offset, [Speaker 4] (15:33 - 15:35) not replace. [Speaker 4] (15:36 - 15:36) So [Speaker 4] (15:38 - 15:42) That's, I think that's a big, a big, big problem here. [Speaker 4] (15:42 - 15:48) And I think that that needs to be, for me, that's what needs to be ad addressed. And [Speaker 4] (15:49 - 15:56) I think I did read an email that was sent to um Katie and Danielle from Ms. [Speaker 4] (15:56 - 16:00) Steller and it does highlight that it says I think [Speaker 4] (16:01 - 16:14) This I think this is where people are getting confused as a school committee voted on a budget that included utilities at SEC after the school committee voted and approved their budget at the end of January there was discussion on reducing that number. [Speaker 4] (16:15 - 16:22) Unfortunately at the time there was no meeting minutes from all the tri-chair and other meetings so there is no written record of what was said verbally. [Speaker 4] (16:23 - 16:26) So from my point is I think that town meeting [Speaker 4] (16:27 - 16:48) And the select board, we were informed that the additional two hundred thousand was to offset the budget, the school's budget. Not to fund the school budget. And to me, that's where the issue for twenty, twenty five lies. The issue for twenty twenty six [Speaker 5] (16:48 - 16:49) Well, it's let's [Speaker 4] (16:49 - 16:50) a different a different issue. [Speaker 5] (16:50 - 16:54) just stop there then, because since we're gonna break it down into two separate [Speaker 5] (16:54 - 17:00) I think it's important we just stop and say so for clarity, twenty twenty five, [Speaker 5] (17:01 - 17:03) the original year of the M_O_U_ [Speaker 5] (17:04 - 17:09) was the utility where there the utility line item was zeroed out correct? [Speaker 4] (17:10 - 17:10) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 5] (17:10 - 17:12) Okay, so so even if [Speaker 5] (17:13 - 17:19) The M.O.U. used the word offset. The reality is there was no funds in the budget to offset, correct? [Speaker 1] (17:20 - 17:20) Correct. [Speaker 5] (17:20 - 17:25) Okay, so this okay, so before we go to twenty twenty six. [Speaker 5] (17:27 - 17:27) But [Speaker 6] (17:28 - 17:36) So we have a we have an email that Eric requested and Patrick weighed in on, and I just wanted to see whether or not [Speaker 6] (17:36 - 17:43) This all jives with what those votes were and if that's important for people to understand as well for 2025. [Speaker 5] (17:44 - 17:44) Yep. [Speaker 6] (17:44 - 17:55) Right, so, as I understand it, originally this school budget, there was a separate article four for FY 25, but [Speaker 6] (18:02 - 18:03) That was indefinitely postponed. [Speaker 7] (18:04 - 18:08) Right. I think at the time initially the thought was we'll use some kind of fund, [Speaker 6] (18:08 - 18:08) Yeah. [Speaker 7] (18:08 - 18:17) but then I think that upon further consideration, maybe the town administrator or town staff, they said you know what, for something that we only expect to last a year or two, it shouldn't be a fund. [Speaker 7] (18:17 - 18:27) You should do it differently. So we indefinitely postponed that article, but then asked the town to increase the appropriated budget for the school by that same $200,000. [Speaker 7] (18:28 - 18:31) I think that's all that did, and Patrick can expand, but [Speaker 4] (18:31 - 18:31) So that was [Speaker 6] (18:31 - 18:39) Right, that's where I think, at least I'm still a little confused is that so the schools first put the money in the budget, [Speaker 6] (18:40 - 18:43) then we're told to take it out. [Speaker 1] (18:43 - 18:43) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 7] (18:43 - 18:43) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 7] (18:43 - 18:44) Correct. [Speaker 6] (18:44 - 18:47) Then at town meeting we effectively put it back in. [Speaker 7] (18:47 - 18:48) Thank you. [Speaker 1] (18:48 - 18:48) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 7] (18:48 - 18:55) No th well, the two different things though, right? Uh tha that it depends on your perspective, I guess. But what was done at town meeting was the additional funding. [Speaker 6] (18:56 - 18:56) Right. [Speaker 7] (18:56 - 19:08) The the the challenge is here, I'm not sure everybody was understanding that the original funding that was taken out in that kind of in version one to version two that Cheryl took us through, I don't think that was clear to the entire, you know, to everybody. [Speaker 7] (19:09 - 19:14) So that that's the missing money, not the f the extra funding, that that's I think we know where th what that is, but [Speaker 5] (19:14 - 19:14) Yeah. [Speaker 7] (19:14 - 19:24) I think at some point Cheryl you would kind of saying when you went from version one to version uh I think you said at the end of the day when the town administrator submitted the [Speaker 7] (19:24 - 19:34) 32 199 or whatever that number was. Did you say it got back to the superintendents recommended budget when you added in the additional like reserve dollars? [Speaker 1] (19:35 - 19:52) Correct so he funded the full appropriation that the school committee had initially submitted but by doing it he did it through the appropriation like you typically see. [Speaker 1] (19:52 - 19:54) And then he also funded our budget with [Speaker 1] (20:18 - 20:28) we wouldn't have it and so therein lies kind of and then it got back so then effectively we were funded at 5.1 but in these two other mechanisms [Speaker 2] (20:29 - 20:33) But those then showed up back in your budget. [Speaker 2] (20:33 - 20:34) They're just funded through free cash. [Speaker 1] (20:34 - 20:35) correct right [Speaker 3] (20:36 - 20:38) Yeah, so what I'm challenged with, I guess, [Speaker 3] (20:38 - 20:44) at the end of the day, and I think I remember just even kind of through those versions, there were several. [Speaker 3] (20:44 - 20:53) back and forth. So there's several changes to your budget. I remember working with you and having spreadsheets and trying to exchange go you know kind of roll it forward from the first version we'd reviewed to the final. [Speaker 3] (20:53 - 21:07) So you being asked to make a lot of changes to make things work and and you were doing that. Um what I'd challenge you was that at the end of the day that the M_O_U_ was signed, I don't know if it was before or after town meeting, but it was the day of town meeting and it was already kind of [Speaker 1] (21:07 - 21:08) Done. [Speaker 3] (21:08 - 21:10) it was yet was it but it was a the M_O_U_ was kind of [Speaker 1] (21:11 - 21:11) You [Speaker 3] (21:11 - 21:12) It wasn't funded the way that [Speaker 1] (21:12 - 21:12) right [Speaker 3] (21:12 - 21:15) writing on the M_O_U_ thought it was, even on the day it was signed. [Speaker 1] (21:15 - 21:16) Right. [Speaker 3] (21:17 - 21:17) Right. [Speaker 1] (21:17 - 21:17) Yep. [Speaker 3] (21:20 - 21:21) I think that just kinda goes to show that [Speaker 3] (21:22 - 21:29) certainly there wasn't clarity even perhaps among the superintendent and the town administrator as far as where the numbers were on the day they were both signing that agreement. [Speaker 1] (21:29 - 21:33) I think that's the key piece right? It's so much, it's clear as mud really, right? [Speaker 1] (21:34 - 21:39) from the very get go to the point that we're at now where we're still sitting here trying to exactly [Speaker 4] (21:39 - 21:39) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 1] (21:39 - 21:40) happen. [Speaker 1] (21:40 - 21:42) Which I think is why [Speaker 1] (21:43 - 21:49) um you know going into this budget cycle there was no way with which [Speaker 1] (21:49 - 22:13) we were going to be funding the school committee budget this way because it gets incredibly confusing and unless you've been in every meeting and in every discussion since 2023 and on every email and because there was a lot of back and forth and some of those individuals unfortunately are not here to speak to that. [Speaker 1] (22:15 - 22:26) It's just it's not it's not a it's not a good way to to fund a budget with which we know we need we obviously need the money for the utilities. I think the initial thought process behind it was [Speaker 1] (22:27 - 22:48) And I'm not saying it was good, bad or indifferent, but the initial thought process back in twenty twenty three was we knew we had increased facility overall facility related costs for the new school building and that the intention or the thought was once we have solar fully up and running on the roof and on the parking lot canopy, [Speaker 1] (22:49 - 22:52) those costs in theory should be going down. [Speaker 1] (22:52 - 23:01) And so I think there was a hesitation to build something into the budget that would eventually might be going down. Now obviously [Speaker 1] (23:01 - 23:03) We now are in a different situation again [Speaker 2] (23:03 - 23:04) Yes. [Speaker 1] (23:04 - 23:20) with that we have solar going up on the roof, but but now the parking lot canopy is a no-go and not for anything from us. It's a National Grid issue and as we talked about when we presented the budget, which I'm sure you'll hear about for the town as well, [Speaker 1] (23:20 - 23:27) you know the supply charges are going up such that actually $200,000 isn't even enough. [Speaker 1] (23:27 - 23:40) um to fund the utilities at the school. But I think the original intent was a positive intent and and through the since twenty twenty three it's gotten very muddied and confusing for all um [Speaker 1] (23:41 - 23:56) And, you know, I think that was, like I said, the impetus behind it initially. And you know, similar, you know, if you recall to that first year, it was just wasn't just the schools, the town also received fifty thousand dollars from a free cash pad levy, because it was kind of the similar [Speaker 5] (23:56 - 23:56) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 1] (23:56 - 23:57) similar, but [Speaker 1] (23:58 - 24:15) That the town eventually would no longer be having to pay the Hadley utility costs. And so they it was the same thing for them. Fifty thousand went into the town budget, they used it to pay the bills at Hadley. Twenty thousand came into the school budget, we used it to pay the utilities at the the new elementary school. [Speaker 1] (24:15 - 24:18) It's the same thought process we looked Same at. thought process, right. [Speaker 2] (24:19 - 24:20) All right, [Speaker 6] (24:20 - 24:20) And [Speaker 2] (24:20 - 24:20) you don't. [Speaker 6] (24:20 - 24:23) and I was going to say really that explanation [Speaker 6] (24:24 - 24:29) the ideologies parallel each other because we didn't have $50,000 in our budget and we were offsetting at Hadley. [Speaker 7] (24:30 - 24:30) Correct. [Speaker 6] (24:30 - 24:32) We were fully funding Hadley with the utility. [Speaker 7] (24:32 - 24:32) Correct. [Speaker 6] (24:32 - 24:32) So [Speaker 3] (24:32 - 24:32) Exactly. [Speaker 6] (24:32 - 24:37) that aligns with what the school did, even though that is not the language of the M_O_U_ [Speaker 7] (24:38 - 24:38) Correct. [Speaker 3] (24:38 - 24:38) Correct. [Speaker 2] (24:38 - 24:43) But the the question I think where the where where it differs is that we did have money in our budget for utilities. [Speaker 2] (24:45 - 24:53) I certainly thought when you know this were cost that, but we all thought we all knew that we didn't know what the utility costs were gonna be, [Speaker 6] (24:53 - 24:53) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 2] (24:53 - 25:05) this was an additional well I think we all pretty much thought it was an additional amount to deal with it, right? But we didn't I don't I don't think many people realise that it literally had been zeroed out and this was the only [Speaker 1] (25:05 - 25:05) Right. [Speaker 2] (25:05 - 25:07) money being used for utilities. [Speaker 1] (25:07 - 25:07) And [Speaker 6] (25:07 - 25:07) Is it? [Speaker 1] (25:07 - 25:11) just to be clear, we did have money for utilities in our budget just not at that location. [Speaker 6] (25:11 - 25:12) At the elementary school. [Speaker 1] (25:12 - 25:14) Right, so Okay. similar to the town, [Speaker 8] (25:14 - 25:14) Right. [Speaker 1] (25:14 - 25:19) right, we still budgeted for utilities that at the middle school and high school. [Speaker 2] (25:19 - 25:19) Oh, okay. [Speaker 8] (25:19 - 25:19) Yeah. [Speaker 2] (25:19 - 25:19) Okay. [Speaker 1] (25:19 - 25:24) It's just like the town still budgeted for utilities for, you know, their other buildings. [Speaker 6] (25:24 - 25:24) Yep. [Speaker 1] (25:24 - 25:34) But the town didn't increase, you know, the town didn't increase their utility budget for Hadley and we we also didn't increase our utility budget for the elementary school. [Speaker 6] (25:36 - 25:36) Okay, [Speaker 9] (25:36 - 25:37) That's [Speaker 6] (25:37 - 25:37) so [Speaker 9] (25:37 - 25:37) all. [Speaker 6] (25:37 - 25:42) are there any additional questions about the birth of the issue, [Speaker 6] (25:42 - 25:43) which was 2025? [Speaker 9] (25:45 - 25:45) No. [Speaker 10] (25:46 - 26:03) Not a question but a a statement for anyone that's watching at home that they could watch the annual town meeting at two hours 33 minutes 43 seconds where Tasfia also made the same question on the floor in front of all the town meeting members of is the account being zeroed? [Speaker 10] (26:04 - 26:09) And this is the only money that's being used, which it was confirmed on the floor in front of all the members. [Speaker 6] (26:10 - 26:11) That was which [Speaker 1] (26:11 - 26:12) What year? [Speaker 6] (26:12 - 26:12) year? [Speaker 10] (26:12 - 26:12) That [Speaker 1] (26:12 - 26:13) Yes. [Speaker 10] (26:13 - 26:18) was at the May nineteenth twenty twenty five annual town meeting on night one. [Speaker 6] (26:19 - 26:19) So that will be [Speaker 11] (26:19 - 26:19) Okay, [Speaker 6] (26:19 - 26:20) for the [Speaker 11] (26:20 - 26:20) yeah, that's [Speaker 6] (26:20 - 26:20) next [Speaker 11] (26:20 - 26:21) where, right, [Speaker 6] (26:21 - 26:21) fiscal year [Speaker 10] (26:21 - 26:21) and Yeah. [Speaker 6] (26:21 - 26:21) it's [Speaker 11] (26:21 - 26:21) the right. [Speaker 6] (26:21 - 26:21) year [Speaker 1] (26:21 - 26:21) So [Speaker 6] (26:21 - 26:21) is twenty [Speaker 1] (26:21 - 26:21) right. [Speaker 11] (26:21 - 26:22) right. [Speaker 6] (26:22 - 26:22) three. [Speaker 1] (26:22 - 26:22) That's what it was. [Speaker 6] (26:22 - 26:23) So that will be important in [Speaker 11] (26:23 - 26:23) In [Speaker 6] (26:23 - 26:24) the [Speaker 11] (26:24 - 26:24) a next minute. [Speaker 6] (26:24 - 26:24) part of In the conversation. [Speaker 11] (26:24 - 26:24) a minute. [Speaker 1] (26:24 - 26:25) Yeah, that's right, [Speaker 11] (26:25 - 26:25) That's [Speaker 1] (26:25 - 26:25) that's right. [Speaker 11] (26:25 - 26:25) right. [Speaker 1] (26:25 - 26:26) We're not quite [Speaker 6] (26:26 - 26:26) Okay, because [Speaker 1] (26:26 - 26:26) to the [Speaker 6] (26:26 - 26:26) because [Speaker 10] (26:26 - 26:26) Mm. [Speaker 6] (26:26 - 26:30) uh that's maybe a good segue though for [Speaker 11] (26:30 - 26:30) Right. [Speaker 6] (26:30 - 26:31) twenty twenty six. [Speaker 11] (26:31 - 26:31) Yeah. [Speaker 10] (26:31 - 26:32) It's got something on the [Speaker 6] (26:32 - 26:33) Oh, you do? [Speaker 10] (26:33 - 26:33) seventeen [Speaker 6] (26:33 - 26:33) Go right ahead, Eric. [Speaker 10] (26:33 - 26:35) point five in that I think [Speaker 12] (26:36 - 26:38) You went over, you went over. [Speaker 3] (26:38 - 26:39) We speak up Eric again here [Speaker 2] (26:39 - 26:39) Yes. [Speaker 3] (26:39 - 26:40) Yes, is this one on? [Speaker 13] (26:42 - 26:42) Is this better? [Speaker 6] (26:43 - 26:43) Yes. [Speaker 12] (26:43 - 26:43) Yes. [Speaker 13] (26:43 - 26:44) Great. [Speaker 13] (26:45 - 26:49) So it's the school has an appropriated budget, [Speaker 13] (26:49 - 26:57) but then also has money from other sources. And I think some of the operating costs at the elementary school. [Speaker 13] (26:57 - 27:19) And I don't know how much of those of utilities are covered by the after school YMCA program and I think other uses and rental fees of the at the school. So there is like some of the some outside money being used to offset the cost of operating the SES. So it's not fully zeroed out. It's just there's different buckets to pay for different things. [Speaker 13] (27:20 - 27:21) Right. [Speaker 13] (27:21 - 27:26) And then I think also it's worthwhile looking a little closer at this MOU. [Speaker 13] (27:26 - 27:41) in that, you know, we all think we know what it says, but it it actually doesn't say a lot, right? You know, it talks about the increase in the utility fund, but it doesn't say compared to what, right? Is it compared to all three elementary schools? [Speaker 13] (27:42 - 27:46) But at the time Clark was still part of the schools. So is it [Speaker 13] (27:46 - 27:56) Clark. The increase of the new school plus Clark over Clark and Stanley or just Stanley or so it's not clear what was meant, right? What was the baseline was not defined. [Speaker 13] (27:58 - 27:59) And then [Speaker 13] (28:01 - 28:04) sorry, [Speaker 13] (28:05 - 28:06) let me get my notes. Uh [Speaker 13] (28:07 - 28:22) And then it's, yeah, it also doesn't talk about what funds you can use to pay for those costs right? Is it, you know, the appropriated funds or is it also the total, you know, school budget right? 'Cause the school budget is thirty odd million and the total budget is closer to forty, right? [Speaker 13] (28:23 - 28:41) Um and so this agreement is lacking some of the necessary specifics and how to calculate the increase and I think at this point it's hard to sort of look back and figure out what it was especially since you know the former town ministry is not here former superintendent's not here um yeah. [Speaker 6] (28:43 - 28:44) We'll tap you for the, [Speaker 6] (28:44 - 28:46) if we ever have to do another MOU, [Speaker 6] (28:46 - 28:48) we'll get your opinion [Speaker 13] (28:48 - 28:48) I [Speaker 6] (28:48 - 28:49) on it. [Speaker 13] (28:49 - 28:49) hope not. [Speaker 6] (28:50 - 28:51) Hopefully we won't be doing any, [Speaker 6] (28:51 - 28:52) but I agree. [Speaker 6] (28:52 - 28:55) There are, the baseline is missing. [Speaker 6] (28:55 - 29:01) I think it's interesting to bring up what the thoughtful use of Clark was at the time. [Speaker 6] (29:01 - 29:06) Did we think we were fully funding utilities that specific Clark was operational? [Speaker 6] (29:06 - 29:10) Probably not because we knew we weren't using it. So it was probably some other version of [Speaker 6] (29:10 - 29:36) enough Clark, right? So I have to imagine that there although the MOU does not describe it as a very detailed process there would have been more detailed conversations about that so but they should be in any version of what we're doing on a go forward it should be detailed so that there is no confusion if all the players changed we would still be able to do the same mechanics. [Speaker 6] (29:37 - 29:44) Um and that's that's not what happened here, uh which is why we are here tonight um [Speaker 6] (29:45 - 29:45) So [Speaker 2] (29:45 - 29:45) Item twenty six. [Speaker 6] (29:45 - 29:47) off to twenty six. [Speaker 6] (29:48 - 29:49) So um one thing I will note [Speaker 1] (29:59 - 30:13) and it's my memory has been jogged, we discussed the matter and um we noted that the line item would be zeroed out for fiscal year twenty six. There was not [Speaker 1] (30:14 - 30:39) From my recollection, there was not great conclusion about fiscal year 2025 at that meeting, but we were clear about what we were doing for fiscal year 2026 with the school budget that we acknowledge um that there would be no funds other than these funds because apparently I said in the meeting uh what are our options to not have electricity at the elementary school and so [Speaker 3] (30:39 - 30:41) Your memory is one hundred percent correct. [Speaker 4] (30:41 - 30:41) Yes, [Speaker 3] (30:41 - 30:41) It [Speaker 4] (30:41 - 30:41) okay. [Speaker 1] (30:41 - 30:41) Okay. [Speaker 5] (30:41 - 30:41) Okay. [Speaker 3] (30:41 - 30:43) Make seventh if you really like it. [Speaker 6] (30:43 - 30:50) May 7th, if for anyone at home, hour two, 46 minutes, 40 seconds. [Speaker 1] (30:50 - 30:52) All right. We go with the receipts. [Speaker 1] (30:53 - 31:09) So I just want to add that to the timeline that at least for 2026, there was a more clear understanding what the school had been doing for the budget going into pre-town meeting than maybe we had for 2020, [Speaker 1] (31:09 - 31:10) fiscal year 2025. [Speaker 3] (31:12 - 31:13) You were so good at that part. [Speaker 1] (31:13 - 31:17) I mean, I guess maybe we learned from our mistakes. But here we are still, so [Speaker 7] (31:17 - 31:17) Oh [Speaker 1] (31:17 - 31:18) um [Speaker 7] (31:18 - 31:19) You wanna stay out of the way. [Speaker 1] (31:21 - 31:26) are there any other clarity that is necessary for 2026? [Speaker 1] (31:32 - 31:33) Okay. [Speaker 7] (31:33 - 31:34) There is a hand up there. [Speaker 1] (31:34 - 31:35) Uh we do not [Speaker 3] (31:35 - 31:35) Yeah. [Speaker 1] (31:35 - 31:38) have public comments. [Speaker 7] (31:38 - 31:38) Okay. [Speaker 1] (31:38 - 31:38) Um [Speaker 1] (31:39 - 31:52) Appreciate that question, but we'd like to put it in writing to myself and the school committee chair. We would be happy to answer it. [Speaker 3] (31:52 - 31:52) Absolutely. [Speaker 1] (31:56 - 31:57) Any other questions? [Speaker 1] (32:02 - 32:04) Okay, seeing none. [Speaker 8] (32:07 - 32:07) And it's a journal. [Speaker 1] (32:07 - 32:18) I mean, I just really want to make sure everybody's got clear that uh what the information has been that's provided and that we're in a space to move forward at [Speaker 9] (32:18 - 32:18) I think it's [Speaker 1] (32:18 - 32:18) lease on [Speaker 9] (32:18 - 32:18) the time [Speaker 6] (32:18 - 32:18) Hmm. [Speaker 9] (32:18 - 32:19) to do it, so [Speaker 1] (32:19 - 32:19) on this topic. [Speaker 9] (32:19 - 32:20) I don't think it has any other [Speaker 3] (32:21 - 32:21) All right. [Speaker 9] (32:21 - 32:22) brilliant thoughts. [Speaker 6] (32:22 - 32:23) I think Well, we got a question. [Speaker 10] (32:25 - 32:33) Can I c can I just ask you Jeez, it's really loud one clarifying question just to make sure I totally understand Please. twenty twenty four, what happened in May. [Speaker 1] (32:33 - 32:34) Twenty twen [Speaker 10] (32:34 - 32:35) Twenty twenty five [Speaker 1] (32:35 - 32:35) yes. [Speaker 10] (32:35 - 32:35) budget. [Speaker 10] (32:36 - 32:52) So at the town meeting, an additional two hundred K_ was added as utilities to the school budget. But not there was no additional two hundred K_ that went for to the school from the M_O_U_ right? The M_O_U_ is concurrent. [Speaker 3] (32:52 - 32:53) Right, you're correct. [Speaker 10] (32:53 - 32:54) Okay, okay, thank you. That's what I thought. [Speaker 3] (32:58 - 33:02) Well with that I'll make a motion if everyone is we're done, I'll make a motion to adjourn the school committee. [Speaker 3] (33:03 - 33:04) Someone please make a motion to adjourn. [Speaker 6] (33:05 - 33:06) Motion to adjourn. [Speaker 3] (33:06 - 33:06) Second. [Speaker 1] (33:07 - 33:07) Is this working? [Speaker 3] (33:07 - 33:08) All in favour? [Speaker 1] (33:09 - 33:09) Yes. [Speaker 3] (33:09 - 33:09) I. [Speaker 1] (33:10 - 33:10) Yes. [Speaker 11] (33:11 - 33:12) Make it a motion. [Speaker 3] (33:12 - 33:13) Wasn't it a chip? [Speaker 3] (33:14 - 33:14) Was [Speaker 11] (33:15 - 33:16) Make it a motion. [Speaker 11] (33:16 - 33:17) Wasn't it adjourned? [Speaker 3] (33:18 - 33:18) Second. [Speaker 11] (33:19 - 33:19) Second. [Speaker 11] (33:19 - 33:20) Second. All those in favour? [Speaker 11] (33:22 - 33:22) I move to adjourn. [Speaker 1] (33:23 - 33:26) And before I entertain that motion I would like to say happy birthday to [Speaker 3] (33:26 - 33:26) Oh. [Speaker 1] (33:26 - 33:28) Ujanja, because I heard that [Speaker 3] (33:28 - 33:28) Hooray. [Speaker 1] (33:28 - 33:29) it was your birthday. [Speaker 11] (33:30 - 33:30) Well that's all right. [Speaker 1] (33:31 - 33:34) Did David made a motion, can I have a second? [Speaker 11] (33:34 - 33:38) Um I just wanna say thank you to Charles Stella for that timeline and walking us through [Speaker 1] (33:38 - 33:39) Oh yeah. [Speaker 11] (33:39 - 33:46) and providing clarity and being a welcome to you know explain the mud. Um it's appreciated. So, [Speaker 1] (33:46 - 33:46) Yeah [Speaker 11] (33:46 - 33:47) thank you for that. [Speaker 1] (33:48 - 33:49) And a second? [Speaker 11] (33:49 - 33:49) And second. [Speaker 1] (33:49 - 33:50) All in favour? [Speaker 12] (33:51 - 33:51) Aye. [Speaker 11] (33:51 - 33:52) Aye. [Speaker 1] (33:52 - 33:52) Aye. [Speaker 1] (33:53 - 33:54) Hey, thank you all very much. [Speaker 11] (33:57 - 33:57) I can't I like [Speaker 13] (33:57 - 33:57) to You can't [Speaker 11] (33:57 - 33:58) be around [Speaker 13] (33:58 - 33:59) get reliefs on your hand when you're drinking. [Speaker 1] (33:59 - 34:00) You have to bring it way down. [Speaker 1] (34:00 - 34:03) Sorry. But I think it should count when they need it. [Speaker 13] (34:03 - 34:04) I think it's fine. [Speaker 10] (34:04 - 34:04) I think so. [Speaker 11] (34:04 - 34:05) It's true. I'm not sure if you [Speaker 13] (34:05 - 34:05) Put it down here. [Speaker 3] (34:05 - 34:07) Here, glutton, here you are, glutton. [Speaker 1] (34:07 - 34:08) You don't think so? Is this the outline? [Speaker 13] (34:08 - 34:10) I look all the bad luck and then I put it back to me. [Speaker 6] (34:10 - 34:11) Mm-hmm. [Speaker 13] (34:11 - 34:11) Oh, you know. [Speaker 3] (34:11 - 34:11) Well, me, [Speaker 1] (34:11 - 34:11) Is [Speaker 3] (34:11 - 34:12) I'm I [Speaker 1] (34:12 - 34:13) this right track meeting? [Speaker 3] (34:13 - 34:13) I'm making [Speaker 1] (34:13 - 34:13) Is this right? [Speaker 3] (34:13 - 34:14) my computer.