Epping School Board Meeting 6/18/2026

Speakers are labeled SPEAKER_N. This transcript is machine-generated.

Recording

I'd be like summer I
>> have shades of pink lay my medicine and
then I can't get in my pool.
>> We're going to get started.
>> All right. Good evening. Thank you for
coming to the the public hearing of the
Eping School District on July 16th,
2026. The discussion topic tonight for
our public hearing is a donation
approval for uh football lockers. And if
you give me just a minute, I'll
>> Do we not do it?
>> Not for the public hearing. We'll do it
for we'll do it for the meeting.
>> Thank you.
>> Uh let's see. Yeah, let me get down to
the for the
>> I can explain it if you would like.
Sure. Um so Cornerstone Builders has
actually made the donation to the Eping
New Market boosters team um to do the
lockers. These have been talked about
for a couple years now.
We've gone back and forth, but
Cornerstone Builders came through and
has given us an estimate about $8,375
to build these lockers and have them
installed. So, the donation would
actually go to the New Market boosters
and then the boosters would pay this
bill. So, we're just kind of accepting
the donation, but it's really their
donation, but then they're giving it to
the SAU office, obviously, because
that's where the locker room is stored.
So, it's kind of like a mixed We're not
really taking the donation.
>> So, but it's in our building. So,
>> we're accepting as a gifting kind
>> as a gift,
>> which requires an estimate. Correct.
But,
>> but uh are we like vetting the people
doing it?
>> That's not our call. It's through the
like I'm going to I'm going to make sure
I get an insurance binder
>> that them you know that we have
>> an insurance B from Cornstone Builders
um and all of that part of it but I'm
not really vetting them because the
donation's going to boosters club
>> right but they're but they're doing the
work in our building
>> uh no they're not they're building them
outside
>> and then they're delivering them and and
>> and installing them
>> installing them. That's correct. So
building of the the lockers will be done
outside off grounds
>> and then and then one very quick day of
installation.
>> Yeah.
>> My question
>> this is my expertise when it comes to
nonprofits
is it's the donation is beginning to is
being given to an outside nonprofit that
is not affiliated with our school.
Right.
>> So that should all happen. Once that
happens,
if that
nonprofit wants to gift
those lockers to us once they are
completed,
>> we can accept that gift and then from
there we take the gift,
make sure there's insurance, make sure
everything is set before the
installation starts in our building.
I'm in agreement, Robin, and sorry to
cut you off, but and and I do apologize.
As you know, I I just got back from from
vacation myself and I I was have not had
a chance to catch up with my team. And I
want to say this, but we recently had a
policy change as as well that now gives
superintendent authority to accept up to
a value of of 10,000, which wouldn't
require the public hearing. And so I I
also agree with Robin's statement. I
think it's best to have the the
completed product,
>> inspect the completed product, and then
say if you wish to donate the completed
product to us, then we don't have
anything to do with Cornerstone Builders
or anything like that. And then we go
through the process of accepting the the
final product and still making sure uh
we agree with the installation and and
the insurance and all those things that
you've described to make sure it's done
appropriately.
>> Right. And that's exactly how I would
think that it should go because it keeps
us out of the whole loop of being
involved with another nonprofit,
accepting a gift and donation and all
that.
>> It just keeps us out of it as a school
district
>> until it's gifted to us,
>> right?
>> Then it becomes you can accept under as
long as it's approved, the the process
has been approved, the the material has
been approved, [clears throat] then then
that the new change comes into effect
that you can accept that.
>> Correct. Previously, it was a much lower
threshold which would require the public
hearing and we chose to to change that.
>> Right.
>> Because and to be clear at this point we
don't know that the market pushes have
accepted this. Correct.
>> I believe they have.
>> They have. Okay. [clears throat]
>> Or they I think they have. It was an
email that we received to say can we do
this and it sounds like they wanted to
move forward with it. So, I'm assuming
they have accepted this, but because the
work finished product and work to
install would be done at the SAU, they
wanted to make sure that we would be
able to accept it.
>> What about I would imagine some things
need to be removed.
Are there are there are there
>> so there's benches there now and what
they're proposing is that they kind of
go up on these benches there and no they
have they have some limited but very
limited and this is what they've been
asking for for years as we know
>> um from from some
>> yes so [clears throat] I mean I for the
public in my time on the board we've had
several discussions so I just want to
circle back to that I hate that term
really get that vocabulary
>> but we had I don't know two years ago We
had a large donation
and we we fast-tracked
a a a company and a and some
representatives onto our agenda
>> for a a total overhaul of the locker
room. [clears throat]
>> That is
>> that was a total bust.
>> It was when we went through the vetting
process, it correct it they did not meet
the vetting requirements and it was it
did not end up coming to fruition as as
is completely accurate. Then we had it
came up recently at Josh's last
presentation because there was there was
an inclusion of some locker room changes
and I I have no interest in going back
to watch the video. However, it was kind
of stated that the locker rooms that we
have at the SAU are substandard
or some words like that they were junk
that we weren't. So now
we're going we're changing that
statement. So, I just want to be because
I've been following along on this locker
room. I'm not saying they are, but that
was kind of said that these locker rooms
were just substandard. We shouldn't be
using them, which is why we needed to
build them, which was part of the
capital improvement. And now we're
saying, now we're saying because if
we're going to invest in this locker
room, then we need to do it. Like that's
this is what we're doing. I know we had
parents painting it like a year ago. So,
is this our effing new market football
locker room? And if it is, I I think
it's great. Someone wants to donate it.
But
>> so, I think
so. Then, let's not then let's not if
let's not invest anything. I don't want
to take this guy's money to use this
locker room for this season and then we
have a c a new capital improvement plan
that includes new locker room somewhere
else and it it's a waste of this guy's
money.
>> Yeah. Let me try to shed a little light
on it. I think there's a difference
between make do with what we have for
now until we have that longerterm plan
which is more investing in very likely a
different location is true. So, if I we
have had conversations with New Market
Superintendent and and our and and our
uh athletic directors and business
administrators. We've had a couple of
those meetings. And I would say that in
the short term, we want to make do with
what we have and make it as best as we
possibly can for our students and what
their needs are. And this is a booster
donation in essence, right? It's a
booster donation and they wish to do
this with their money and their their
efforts and their things and so I
support that. That's absolutely
accurate. Do I think that they plan on
being there for another 5 years? No. I
think their hopes are that that we
develop some other plans to further
promote the facilities of of this
program. So to put it in perspective, it
is more like how do we make do with what
we have right now? and they have this
connection to this Cornerstone Builders
and they can make it do. But do I think
that they are investing $8,300 worth of
value um as their long-term solution?
No, I don't think that that's their
plan.
>> But does this gentleman who's making
this donation understand that he's
donating, let's just say, $10,000 for
rounding up. He's he's he's rounding up,
but there's there's a I mean, I I just
want to be clear with this guy
[clears throat] that like, thank you.
That's so nice. And he's obviously an
Eping resident or an Eping company.
But this is this is going to carry us
for a year.
>> Well, no, because that's where there's
no guarantee and right now there is no
understanding of what that next step is.
And so, as we've all and you are all
very experienced and been in the
community a long time, we can have hopes
of what that next facility will be. And
in 10 years, we might still be talking
about the hopes of that facility. or as
effective and efficient as we've been.
Yeah, it it might be 2 or 3 years and
then that's a good thing if we are able
to do that. So again, I don't think it's
our place. It's the the booster's place.
They have decided that this is
beneficial to their students and their
student athletes now. And and in the
meantime, it's up to us to decide
whether we accept this generous donation
or not. and and frankly as we just
pointed out and I you know how much I
respect this board and and and
understand this board but with the
recent change it really will come to a
decision whether I feel I can accept
this or not. Obviously I always value
the board and there was a public hearing
scheduled this evening and I value that
input.
>> Well I think because because you're it's
changing the makeup of part of our
buildings. I think whether we have
approval or not we it needs it needs to
be brought to our attention. So it is
required that anything over $5,000 and
that that current policy is that I do
inform the board. So it would always be
brought to your attention regardless or
not
>> that impacts future decisions like
>> so anyway
>> the the painting and it was not included
>> in their estimate. Is that being done by
our facilities team is is that
>> I think that would be a conversation
later we're going to have with the
boosters of what that next step looks
like. Maybe the boosters club is going
to do it right. Maybe they have people
that they can send in and just paint
them. Maybe they're not going to paint
them. Maybe they like them just being
wood and that. I don't know.
>> I think that conversation needs to
happen though. Again, it's our building.
>> Yep.
>> We need to know what the plan is because
if it's going to go spend $500 worth of
paint, which is reasonable. That's not
unreasonable. Too bad the um turf tank
can't paint it.
It has [laughter]
it has it limitations.
>> Still working
over
>> I know Robin has a question. I want to
throw this out here though. Says it
sounds like the understanding is the ep
new market boosters organization has
already accepted this 8375 then it
wouldn't it's not appropriate for us to
do it because it's funds that weren't
coming to us. we're going to get the
byproduct of it to and to that end I
would say should it should it come back
and end up being over the threshold for
us to have public hearing for the
delivery and installation of those
new lockers then that's another
conversation for us to have otherwise I
think by policy that should come to to
you guys as Julie mentioned I think we
definitely should be made aware when
when they do come and and what that
anticipated cost be certainly I still
want to know they've been if we're not
do if we're not doing the installation I
want to know whoever is has the
appropriate insurance and everything for
it but [snorts] it does not seem like
this is the appropriate venue for us to
try and figure that part out because
that sounds like it is potentially a
separate cost from whatever's been
donated to the boosters already
>> if the and if the boosters want to make
that donation [clears throat] and it' be
a separate action alto together
>> we can get those answers as well and
inform the board at that
And I just want I'm I'm okay with it. I
I understand both sides of the decision
making of it. I just want to make sure
he's aware that we are at least aware
that we're exploring other options for
future locker rooms. Other than that,
it's fine. But I think he should
>> be given a heads up. That's all.
>> So I think we're confusing two different
things here.
We're lockers are what we're talking
about.
>> We're not talking about the building and
the locker room.
No, this is an acceptance of
>> So, we're talking about two different
things. We cannot connect both of them,
>> right? Locker rooms are [snorts] our
responsibility, our district, our
building, our space.
>> These are lockers that will be brought
already pre-assembled
into our building as a gift from a other
nonprofit. And I still feel the whole
procedure has to happen the way that I
said it has to happen. It can't we it's
not a gift that we have to accept. It's
a gift that they have to accept. I would
actually want in writing that they
accepted this gift as a Eping New Market
booster club. I would want in writing
that they accepted this gift because
once that gift is accepted, then it
becomes their ownership. So then if that
nonprofit wants to then donate those
lockers to us to place into our space,
then we have the right to say who's ever
going to be installing it, right?
insurance, whatever. But we're not
talking about locker rooms. Locker rooms
are a total different category
altogether. Space is a total different
category altogether. That's a long range
plan that we have talked about in the
future or whatever.
>> That is separate.
>> So, it has to be totally separate
things. We're not talking about locker
rooms. We're talking about lockers.
>> Correct. And they're open lockers where
stuff go.
>> And that that's what we need to focus on
the lockers. And we really can't focus
on anything until we know that one new
market effing football has new has
accepted that gift from this
>> business right that's want once that
gift has been accepted
>> well I think they were accepting it with
the ter with the thoughts that we would
>> I think they just didn't want to have
them built and accepted and then they're
stuck in then we say no we can't accept
it's not a completed project
>> right we can't accept something that we
don't know is built yet. We can't accept
something that isn't physical that we
can put our hands on and say this
exists. So,
>> it's kind of like a tricky one.
>> It's a very tricky one.
>> But they're not going to move ahead and
tell this builder to build these lockers
unless they have the commitment we're
going to accept.
>> But you know what?
>> And I'm just going to say this way back
when I was PTO president, we put the it
doesn't exist anymore. We put a whole
fencing system up out here, right? We
gifted it to the school after completion
of the fencing. Mhm.
>> Once the fence was completed, we gifted
it to the school. A separate nonprofit
gifted it to the school. The school
accepted that gift at that point after
that fence was now the responsibility of
the school district. And that's exactly
the same thing that has to happen this
way. It has to happen that way.
>> We can't have
>> they don't want to build it unless we
say yes, but we're not the nonprofit
accepting the donation.
>> That's the problem.
>> But we can't have it both ways, though.
can't expect to be notified and have a
conversation ahead of time but then be
like we can't even talk like we can't
have it both ways like that. So I
understand why the conversation has to
happen.
>> No, the conversation has to happen but
we can't
the gift has to come from the new the
new market nonprofit to us but they have
to have a product to present as a
donation. That's what I'm saying. They
have
>> we I think we all understand that part.
It's just we have to have the
conversation about whether we would be
willing to consider accepting something
like this and as a board we don't have
we don't actually get to make the
decision. Bill does.
>> So
>> if it stays under the 10,000 correct and
why wouldn't we want it?
>> Of course we would want the donation but
it's not the right it's the process that
matters. It's not it's not the donation.
It's the process that matters.
>> Yeah. No, absolutely. And I think
>> that's all that that's it's the process
that matters
>> and I think we all get that piece
>> to protect to protect everybody. And I
think we're also all pretty clear that
it's lockers, not locker rooms. That is
Yes, we Yes. So I I think it was just
once we get to talking about we're
saying that the the locker rooms haven't
been said. You're talking then you're
talking about space. You're not talking
about the lockers.
>> Correct. Well, yes, but they're talking
in the quote they mentioned that
painting and nail filling isn't
included. So we just have to there's
going to be additional
>> once we have the lockers, even if we had
a different space that we're looking at,
maybe we would move them to the new
space. I mean once we own them we can do
anything. It doesn't mean like that the
SAU shuts down and the locker room's not
there anymore. We can still use these
lock.
>> I'm very clear on the direction.
>> I would like to request um I don't need
his name but we have a first name only
on this proposal. So I think we it's
fair to get a full name of so we know
who's building them because you're going
to have to vet him do [clears throat]
get your insurance. I I would disagree
>> and only because this is we're not
accepting this money. The boosters are
[clears throat]
>> but we need to know who's we need we
need more information from the builder.
>> The boosters need to bet whoever is not
built this because they're the ones
accepting the money. We have to vet the
final product.
>> It's the installation for the insurance.
>> Once they gift it to us, then we need to
know everything.
I I'm gonna disagree with because let's
be honest, you wouldn't want me building
them.
So, we're gonna accept something. I can
build. Sure, I'll get a nail gun some
five whatever 5/8 by whatever. Sure,
I'll build something. Do Do we not
really want to do we really not want to
check this person? I'm not saying I am
not I am certain that this is is good
but we make assumptions and assumptions
>> but we'll have the luxury of seeing the
product before accepting the product.
>> Can I ask maybe that Josh can at least
as our as our maintenance person can
because again I'm anybody could build
these and bring them in and we have a
bunch of high school boys in a locker
room hanging on them, climbing on them.
If I build them, they would not be safe.
[laughter]
>> If something So, so I'm just asking that
we we're bringing something in to a
building.
>> That's a good prep.
>> And and then we're saying we're just
making an assumption. I'm all for this.
I'm 100% on board, but let's do it.
Let's let's have our checks and
balances.
>> I think it would be helpful to get a
before and after photo
>> one and let us see what it looks like.
>> We'll get it going to be a piece of
crap.
>> I get I get that. I get that we but but
we're just going to say they're going to
show up and they're going to be these
boxes and we're going to go
>> all right they
>> No, we will inspect them and and somehow
>> throw them in into the locker room.
Yeah,
>> I'm sure it's all it's all good. But
until we need to know it's all good,
>> right? And that that's where the that's
where after the completion is done and
it gets accepted as a gift to us. That's
when we have a right to ask all of those
things and questions of like how you
know all of that stuff because you're
right. I mean, I can't I can't honestly
imagine in my mind that someone's going
to take $8,000 and do a lousy job
because every
but we've had still but still
>> we had other weird locker room locker
similar situation and I hate to bring it
up but that whole thing was
>> Yeah. Yeah. But it was sold to us. It
was sold to us like a youth car
>> to accept.
>> Um and that would be the bigger
difference between the two.
>> It's not our gift right now to accept.
>> Okay. It's the Eping new market football
boosters to accept that donation from
that person. Okay.
>> Let them do their thing. And then once
that is complete, whatever part of that
is complete, then if when once new
football says we want to donate this to
the Eping School District,
>> that's when we go through that process.
>> Protect everybody involved. Protect
everybody involved.
>> I agree. Um, do [clears throat] we have
who is do we know who the effing new
market boosters president is?
>> I do not know at this point. Uh,
>> I'll find out.
>> I think that would be helpful.
>> The first note I just [clears throat]
put down is I'm going to contact
everyone tomorrow and some things
>> they switch at the end of the year and I
don't know.
>> I have no idea.
>> Well, that was interesting. Yeah.
I think where we find ourselves is uh
tonight we will not be accepting the
donation as it is not actually coming to
the school district market football
boosters and we will wait for a date in
the future to hopefully find out about
donation of new lockers for the market
football team. So uh I will open it if
there's any public comments about the
discussions that we've had.
Seeing hearing none
>> it's got to close the public hearing.
>> Yeah. We will close the public hearing.
We will we are going to move into our
scheduled epic school board meeting for
July 16th. You all rise and join me in
the 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.
>> Thank you all very much.
>> And let's see. Uh do we have any public
comment to start this evening? See any?
We will pass on public comment. We have
several scheduled talks this evening.
And the first is going to be uh food
services meal cost discussion with our
chef Mos.
I think if you want to grab any of these
seats over here on the side, we'll be
able
to walk in at the same time.
>> You can walk in
>> the preset. Oh. Oh, yeah.
>> Yep. You can speak to that while you're
there.
>> I know a little bit about that.
>> You do.
>> Unless you want to stay a really long
time
meeting.
>> I was just going to run with it, but
>> yeah,
>> he's the question. Yeah,
>> we'll let him go.
>> Okay.
>> So, this is the
this is the request I didn't want to
make. Uh you probably didn't want to
hear. Uh we asked for a small meal price
increase. I think a 22. So it's been
four years or so. Uh at the time we only
did a 25 cent increase for I think it
was just the elementary to bring
everybody up to 350. Um at the time and
I want to honor you had said can we is
this going to future proof us a little
bit? So I do want to say I have waited
until the 11th hour to make this request
which is why it feels like a big jump.
Um, I don't think anybody could have
predicted where we'd be four years ago
in in terms of food costs, fuel costs,
>> all of those things go directly to uh
what I do on top of uh all the issues we
had then as well with uh plastic and
aluminum and all the other uh
commodities. Um, so, uh, I appreciate
that I could get this to you, uh, before
this meeting so you could see through
it, see it because, uh, I essentially
have built two giant infographics.
Um, so I just want to explain kind of
where this is going.
Uh so this pricing structure is based on
uh what we call the the PLE the uh paid
lunch equity tool which is sort of a
worksheet that the USDA sends out to
make sure that we're are charging
um a meal price that's going to be
equitable across all of the
eligibilities that we don't have special
meals uh for the paid kiddos and and
crackers and water for the the free
meals that sort of thing. Um what we
have seen is these big jumps to where
now the
um the PL tool the paid launch equity
tool is saying that we should be at
$4.15.
So I wanted to show you what that looks
like if we were to start charging $4.15
for meals. Um so in that time since our
last uh update uh maybe a little bit
before uh food and equipment cost has
gone up incredibly. Our uh consu a lot
of this is based on the consumer price
index and then there's a small bump that
the USDA includes for inflation and that
sort of thing. So uh it's a cumulative
effect. I remember explaining this uh
back then actually. Um I think inflation
was at 9% that year or something
incredible. So uh we're still feeling
these effects. So uh the consumer price
index is showing uh it's gone up a lot.
Uh I also want to take this time to
thank you. We're going to move into
labor and wage. So every year since I
became director, this is I'm going into
my sixth year. Uh you've been generous
enough to help get food services into a
competitive wage. Uh, we're now starting
at $15 an hour. We were at $10.50 when
Christine and I got here, which
>> um I can tell you we have some positions
open right now and I have more
applications than I've ever seen coming
through. Uh where we're not just
grabbing somebody that can fog a mirror.
Maybe I can get somebody with actual
experience and skills, you know, um
somebody who's going to help us make the
absolute best meals that we can uh
instead of just making do. I see I see
you giggling, but
>> I haven't heard that a long time. Yeah.
[clears throat] Uh so in the last four
years we've uh had an increase in wages
in $4.50.
So the generity generosity is uh
extremely welcomed and appreciated but
that does create more of a burden on our
costs for what we have to do for our
department. uh especially
yes especially when uh the current model
seems to be moving away from processed
foods and a lot more emphasis on scratch
cooking um
and turning whole foods into lunches um
and meals. Uh, I heard I was at a
director's conference two weeks ago. Um,
and it was mentioned that New Mexico has
they're one of the 15 states that's
that's really drilling down on no dyes,
no food additives, no processed. Uh, New
Mexico has said no processed food, which
means if the chicken comes in pre-cooked
with specks of black pepper on it, it's
considered processed food and they can't
do it. So, we're not to that extreme,
thankfully, where we have to use like
raw proteins and do all of those things.
Um, but it does show a trend towards
uh communities wanting a higher level of
food service. They want less processed
foods, uh, more recognizable
ingredients. Um, and this year,
thankfully, Christina and I were working
on a grant for um a proposal that we
sent to the USDA uh in in a few months,
maybe a month or two. Um, but right now,
we're testing a solicitation to help
small districts like Eping. Um, I think
something like 57% of districts in the
nation are a thousand students or less.
So, we're actually in the majority when
it comes to district size.
uh it's very difficult for a lot of food
service directors to to reach out and
find those ingredients. So uh we were
working on a grant this year to model
that and create a template that we can
give to the USDA. The benefit of this of
course it's good to have more in the
region to do things uh is I I feel a lot
more plugged in to the local uh
producers. I'm very excited about some
of the the angles that I think we can
start bringing in some of those good
products. Uh but I would need the funds
to really make that happen for our meal
service.
Um
if it was not for the money that that
grant provided, we would probably have
been in the red this year because the
cost of the service was not met with the
revenue that was coming in. uh we did
very well in all the carts we did very
well with grants and other um fiscal
management let's say uh but if it was
not for that grant I think we would have
been in real trouble this year so this
is this is why it sort of came to a head
I think I have to ask the thing that
nobody wants to ask so
um last but not least is uh especially
this year we're seeing some serious you
mentioned the walk-in we've had a lot of
deferred maintenance in what we're doing
Um, I know I've mentioned again and
again that the equipment is sold. We
can't even find parts anymore. We're
just sort of uh rigging things to to
make them effective. Um,
it's it's becoming very expensive, shall
we say, to the point where when we have
a walk-in go down twice in a single
year, uh, the amount of product that we
lost was essentially the cost of a new
unit. I think between the last two
years, we've had almost $30,000 in
repairs.
That's that's a whole combi. That's a
whole space age 21st century steamer
oven, convection oven combination piece
of equipment that would be way more
useful for our program than uh helping
keep the repair guys afloat. So, uh
that's what I'm bringing. Uh looking at
our past budgets, uh our expenses have
dropped have jumped over $100,000 since
the last request. So there's a definite
need here. Um and I also wanted to show
you how my operating ratio breaks down.
Generally, I'm trying to hit the 40
4020. So 40% food, 40% labor, and then
20% is that overhead the mentioned with
the repairs. um that sometimes includes
uh non-food items like packaging and the
things that make our foods attractive to
students. So that's where all these
costs are going.
Some of the [clears throat] some of that
overhead also includes like the vending
machines and and whatnot.
>> The vending machines are are paid.
They're paid for. Uh we got that with a
um boy a late CO grant.
>> One of my co grants.
>> Oh, sorry. I guess just like the any of
the the upkeep or any of the packaging
for food products that are going into
the into those machines.
>> Uh mostly they're they they come
individually wrapped a lot of those
things. Um unfortunately that is the
more processed side of things. Okay.
>> We have played with doing uh parfets and
other housemade items packaged uh
especially in the refrigerated vending.
>> Um but we haven't had a lot of success
with that. Either the packaging doesn't
quite work or that sort of thing. So u
but I was very happy to see about 25% of
our uh alle cart revenue was coming
through those machines. So they do
create a um very
um positive I think effect on the
students that can access those foods and
drinks uh even when we're not around to
provide them. U so the vending I think
is has been wonderful lifesaver. Um, now
on this slide, I wanted to sort of take
that same data and show you how it would
apply directly to this 415. Um, so a
$166 of that would go directly to labor.
166 of that would go to increased food
costs to make up for uh more local
foods, more scratch cooking, um, and
then just to try to catch up with that
22% increase we've had in the CPI and
everything that we're doing. um just
shopping for groceries. I think
everybody can see that groceries and
fuel is is up incredibly. Um so in that
time our food cost has gone up 158%. The
labor and wage has gone up 115% and that
does include uh the FICA and all the uh
insurance and taxes. I pulled those out
of our budget data. Um, and then the
overhead cost, a lot of that, majority
of that is the repairs. Uh, just
constantly trying to keep pro, uh,
equipment functioning. Um,
just as a little fun little throw in
there, I wanted to show you what uh,
some of our top items look like. Um, in
that top right there, it's uh, a lot of
proteins. Obviously, those are the more
expensive uh, components of what we
cook. Um, but like the meatballs have
almost doubled in price and that's our
number one seller at the secondary
school is the Korean meatballs. Uh,
the
now that I'm looking at the Asian
chicken, the chicken patty, these are
all our top sellers and they um have
gone up incredibly
in in cost.
There's a on your third slide, fourth
slide, two, three, four, it says area
meal price averages and it says extra 16
L field. What is that? I don't
understand.
>> Okay, so on on this slide,
>> did I jump ahead? I'm sorry.
>> Just a little bit. Um,
>> I didn't know if you were I didn't know
if you were done or
>> Yeah, I just the last point I wanted to
make uh was that
>> that bottom part which is the
our pricing had an increase of 18% but
we're asking for less than a 16% on the
meal price increase. So there's still a
little bit of belt tightening that would
need to happen but um this is just to
bring us up to what the USDA recommends.
Uh so on the third part where we talk
about the return of the PL PLE tool, uh
that top part is a screenshot of that
tool showing um that they're
recommending a 65 cent increase which is
I understand it's a big jump. Um
what you're asking about uh Julian that
bottom right is some of the I just
wanted to kind of give you a comparison
of of what districts near us comparable
districts are doing. Um, and that
includes exit which is SA 16. So the SAU
number is
>> are those percentages. So S exit 16.
>> That's the SA number.
>> Oh, SAU.
>> That's the So
>> yeah. Um
>> All right.
>> The
>> Well, you averaged all of these
districts.
>> I did.
>> Uh, some are higher, some are lower.
This was what they have posted. Now,
they're also talking to their school
boards about needing more. Not
necessarily all of those, but there was
a thread 3, four weeks ago where all the
food service directors were like, "I
have to go talk to my board. What What
are we doing? What's going on? Who's
who's increasing prices?" Uh, just about
everybody said, "We're we're looking at
a meal price increase," but they
couldn't say at the time what that was
going to be. Um,
so that that left part explains what the
PL uh tool
is a recommendation from the USDA about
where we should be on our meal meal
prices. Um,
I did want to put in there that
breakfast uh is actually a very minority
a very minor part of our meal service.
It's difficult to get children up at 7
in the morning. I understand uh I had
one myself. But uh there I think we can
get away with just a minimal price
increase on the breakfast items.
Can I ask you a question about the tool?
>> Does that factor in um any of your
capital improvement plans or does does
it allow allow for any factoring in of
your capital improvement plans? I know
in general it's supposed to be kind of a
net zero cost covering operation, but
you've just mentioned, you know, we we
had the freezer go down twice and then
we could have bought it sounds like
quite a wonderful piece of uh
advanced oven.
>> Oh, a combi would be brilliant. So, it
is in my plan. I would [clears throat]
love to have three combi ovens down the
road. Um, this does at this price, at
this meal price, it does provide a small
amount of profit that would then go
towards the capital improvement.
>> You can't put into that part of the fun.
>> Um, we're only allowed as as food
service uh, school food authorities,
SFAS, but we're only allowed to keep
three months of operating revenue, which
for Eping is about $150,000.
Uh, we were able to build that up in
year one. So, since school year 21,
we've carried over $100,000 balance in
that. what I call a safety net.
>> But we don't like to dip into that
because it's a safety net. So if, like I
mentioned, if I didn't have that $50,000
grant this year, rather than come to you
and say, "I'm in the red, we need
$5,000," that comes out of the reserve
fund that acts as a buffer um so that we
don't catch the community off guard and
be like, "Oops." You're saying the final
numbers would have looked very different
than than because of that grant
thankfully.
>> Thankfully,
>> and the price connection,
>> which is funny because when I when I
when we [clears throat] when I signed us
up for the grant, when I applied and
went through the whole thing, I was
like, this is going to be our new
serving line. And now it's like, well,
it's going to be
>> a new warmer and a new all the things
that have broken over the last year.
>> Sure. Okay.
>> Um, how much was that grant for?
>> It was $50,000.
>> 50,000.
>> I believe you've accepted half. Uh, we
did both. Yeah.
>> And the second half is on the way or has
landed or will soon.
>> Uh, we're wrapping that up, I want to
say next month,
>> possibly September. So,
>> okay.
>> So, so in theory, there should be enough
revolving money going in there every 3
months,
>> right,
>> that some of this other equipment that
you would like to get, you can start
lining up to purchase for summer
installations. So, I mention all this
because even though we're nonprofit, we
do still have to pay our bills and keep
up with our upkeep,
>> which we haven't been doing
>> aging equipment. I I just want a couple
comments and I don't know if we're there
yet, but uh I want to say thank you,
Moss. I I know this is a huge ask of our
community and but I also want to commend
you on we've gone four years without
asking for any of those increases and
you've always managed to deliver the
food and the quality to our students uh
at a lower cost than a happy meal
>> is is what you're doing and that we want
to talk about processed food versus what
you're delivering is is very different
and I want to say that I've seen the
numbers and I know we haven't gone into
them but our participation rates
continue to to be where they should be
and and grow. Um, also I I really
appreciate the board's contributions as
well as as yours advocating for our our
employees and going from $10 to $15 an
hour is the right thing to do, but it's
a huge additional cost to running the
program. Mhm.
>> And and so I have to say I really
appreciate how your concentration on
data and your you're coming to us first
and now to the board is a big ask and we
know this is a big ask of of the board
but the average cost of a happy meal
right now is $550 $6 and and and uh um
and I also want to say thanks to the
collaboration with the board and I had
this conversation with Moss already is
that our our food debt is much lower
than it ever has been. And and so we
we're working on it and we're continuing
to hold those families accountable
>> around that. And uh so we know it's a
big ask and and we know it's a challenge
and we know that there's families that
are can struggle with this, but overall
the majority of our families are getting
a quality meal that they can afford and
we're still delivering that and still
providing the wage which is appropriate
which again you guys understand and I'm
more saying this for the public. Your
finances are completely separate from
anyone else's finances. He has to break
even and has to be self-supported.
>> And now with our aging equipment, which
is no again, no fault of anyone
currently,
>> but in the past,
>> we have some aging equipment that we
have to be aware of as as well.
>> No, I think it goes it it should not go
unnoticed. That that was a question I
did have for you several years ago. And
I'm excited that we made it as far as we
did on on the [clears throat] meal costs
that we had. I hope we can do it again
with at this level. Certainly, there's
hope that things are going to get better
uh fiscally for everybody. But I think
anytime we can have a pricing change
like that that lasts for a significant
period of time. I mean certainly four
years that's somebody's
>> whole high school career or most of
their elementary career. So at least
they have something that they can kind
of hang their hat like all right this is
what meals are going to cost for the
next several years and we are a district
that's coming back and oh this year it's
this much next year it's this much and
we're not doing that. I I think that as
painful as it is to see the jump, it's
nice to be able to say, "All right,
well, yeah, it's gone a lot, but at
least it's going to stay there for a
while."
>> Periods of stability help. Um, and it's
it's a part of it's going to be part of
my marketing push for the beginning of
the school year.
>> Uh, to show that I still believe we are
the cheapest option uh, and the
healthiest to be honest. Not that that
really is everybody's first concern.
Usually it's cost but
>> um I do still believe uh school food is
always the best value
>> when it comes to those things. Uh we are
heavily subsidized. We do use USDA
commodities and things like that that
helps keep our cost down. Uh but it's
these trends and these moves towards
um
not standard school food. You know, we
don't do the square pizza and the canned
green beans anymore. Like we're serving
real pizza and fresh green beans.
>> I kind of miss the square pizza.
>> What else?
>> I actually had some requests. People are
asking for the throwback.
>> It's not It's not unhealthy.
>> Well, the salt the salt's a little too
high for us.
>> So creamies. [laughter]
Actually, the last few weeks of last
year, uh my secondary school uh FSA lead
uh said, "I really want to do Sloppy
Joe's, the lunch lady song."
>> Some of the kids were asking for Sloppy
Joe's. I'm like, "You know what? If it
makes the people happy." I I was not
crazy about the idea, I'll tell you
that. We laughed about it because uh
Moren was like, "No, this is going to be
a good thing." Gang busters. They
absolutely loved it. So sometimes
sometimes the throwback is a thing.
>> Make it healthy. Yes. So c just to just
to be clear on the money the cost. So um
can you can you just describe so because
we have different prices. So you said
you've been talking about 415 for lunch
both schools.
>> Yes. Both schools.
>> And they're both at 350 both going to
415,
>> And breakfast is going from
>> 2 to 225. So it's across the board,
>> It's a lot easier if it's the same
price. Generally speaking, the meal
planners
>> I just wanted I just I didn't see that
in there. So,
>> well, I did I did want to show you. So,
the weighted average there, if we were
to go to tier pricing,
>> uh because that was a question I
expected. Um because we have to hit that
average of 415, the elementary would
still be at $4 and the secondary would
be at 425 in order to hit that average,
the weighted average. We sell way more
meals at elementary than we do at the
middle high school. I think it makes
more sense because we are one district
and kids are moving and parents are
loading money and they're paying it
makes it more sense like breakfast costs
this and lunch cost this.
>> It's a lot easier to communicate. It's a
lot. [clears throat]
>> I just think it's like you're just one
district.
Absolutely easier to budget but two
total different serving levels,
>> right? You don't serve elementary the
same amount you serve high school
>> almost. You shouldn't be
>> the
>> high school kids need more.
>> They do, but it's a it's a calorie count
that the USDA sets.
>> So So then we then we're going to get
into some questions I have about the
USDA.
>> Well, I I can answer some questions, but
I can't really
>> He doesn't have control over them.
>> So, but he does. Yeah, directors do.
>> There is some choice there involved.
>> So,
>> and I'm I'm I'm getting into a position
of of some influence.
>> Exactly. But not anything where it's
like
>> so
>> we actually got I'm sorry, Julie, but we
actually got in trouble for serving too
many calories at our last administrative
review.
>> People don't cook who was making those
decisions.
>> So also and I absolutely support um your
staff earning livable wages. However,
when we have our discussion and we
approve the wages that you recommend,
again, totally supportive of it. We're
not discussing the impact of that on
your budget. And that really should be
part of our conversation because we met,
let's say, three months ago to approve
the the um wage increases. Yay. They
they deserve it.
>> We should have said, however,
that is going to impact meal prices. We
We've never had this conversation. In my
mind, I know you're separate, but then
we talk personnel and we're approving
all these things and we're not thinking
like, hey, hey board, if you're going to
approve this percentage increase,
>> it's got to come from somewhere and it's
got to come from it's not coming from
the school budget. It's coming from the
parents who are buying the lunches. So I
do think that
we have made an error on our part in not
in not fully discussing that each year
when we talk about the increases in like
all the other increases they just come
from the larger budget. Yours is part of
our budget but not really and I know
it's confusing and we get it but those
increases are why we're having this
conversation right now. over the years
over the years we've gone from what did
you say $10 to $15 per they and again I
100% support that I don't love the 65
cents in I don't love the large increase
I get the increase I'll support an
increase I don't love it's 90 cents a
day per f per for families that eat
breakfast and lunch at school it's 90
cents times five so it's it's a 450
increase times four because there's four
weeks a month
>> for for some of us that's not a lot and
for some it is a lot. So while I don't
want to make an increase each year I
think it's too much for one year
honestly. Um
>> for one year
>> for for for a couple of years
>> after four years
>> I understand that but we're right but
then maybe we need to come back and
revisit this every two years. think
asking if we're going to go four years
and ask for a larger increase. Let's
let's break it up. Hey, let's let's let
people work into it. Let's say okay, so
then that would be two years ago would
have been an increase would have been4
>> which is a little which for some
families and I'm a family who's I spend
a lot of money on breakfast and lunch
and I can afford it. I can afford it
>> but maybe some people can't. Yeah. So,
>> I don't want I don't want to continue to
derail the conversation a ton, but we
did have to address a couple other
things in that time period
>> uh because between when Moss came to us
with his original price increase, that's
when the wages had a huge jump and that
was something that we weren't part of.
That was part of what drove that initial
conversation for us was it went from
people working at fast food restaurants
making 70 plus an hour to be
>> 125 $20 an hour. We knew that if we
didn't come up with a more substantial
wage for our food service employees,
>> we wouldn't get anybody.
>> Remember, it was over 7%.
>> Oh, yeah. It was massive.
>> So, I think the odds on something like
that happen again over the next four
years is probably existent, but that
certainly factored a lot into where
we're at today. And I don't I don't
anticipate something like that happening
again in the next four years where we
want to see another substantial wage
increase like that come across the board
for hourly employees in the in the
private sector let alone the the public
sector. So just to kind of frame that up
a little bit of there was a big external
factor on why we had such large
increases. Not that we wouldn't have had
increases anyway to continue to support
having quality staff here but we didn't
want to lose people. We we've got a
fantastic food service crew and the
thought of losing them to McDonald's or
Wendy's instead of serving the kids
here. No, we need they need to be able
to earn a living here.
>> My department's attrition has been very
low. Uh we lost two this year. One uh
she simply didn't want to work. She
wanted to stay home with her husband.
Completely understand. The other became
a grandmother.
>> She gave me notice three years ago. The
second I have a grandchild, I'm out.
So when she when she approached me last
month, I said, "Hey, you gave so much
notice." [laughter]
Uh, but those those are good reasons for
losing staff. I I honestly thank you for
helping me keep all that institutional
knowledge and
>> food service is usually the department
probably behind teachers with the
biggest hearts. Yeah.
>> The ones that absolutely care
>> so much about uh these students. So uh I
appreciate that. Thank you. Well, when
you weigh the pros and cons of it, I
would much rather four years of
stability and a six an increase like
this versus the incremental increases
and the roller coaster and being able to
budget and all of that, I would I would
much rather keep that piece to it. But
even as a parent who could not afford
lunches for a lot of my child's
childhood, I think being upfront and
being able to be like, we're proud that
we haven't had to raise prices for this
long
that we know what the world is like out
there. We no one could anticipate it
because we could have had this
conversation four years ago when we or
whenever we did that uh wage increase.
We could have asked you what the effect
on the budget would be. There's no way
to anticipate what's happened over the
past two years. So any information
provided at that point would have likely
been incorrect because of where we where
we stand. So I I hate it. Obviously this
is never something that I
enjoy supporting for lack of a better
word, but it's it's something we have to
do to keep the right people the quality
of food and whatnot.
>> Go ahead, Robin. And I wait.
>> I have a bunch of questions. What you
mean not? In fact, we got to right.
>> Oh, I'm I'm up for
>> dueling board members. Me and Robin.
Yeah.
>> First of all, I think is in every
anything in life. I know what you're
saying. Some people can't afford some
people. I've not seen a decrease of
families that take their children out to
dinner no matter how much prices have
raised in restaurants. Same families
year after year after year still out
there having all about choices. We
decide as parents are most important to
our family and what we decide to do
about that. That's what So I I don't
want to anticipate what someone can
afford, what someone can't afford.
That's their choices they make as a
family, right? So, um I personally think
in my opinion, I think it breakfast
should be $3 across the board for
everybody.
>> Sounds good.
>> That's what I personally think because
if you're it's a great con it's it's
great. I mean, I don't know how many
people you have participating in
breakfast.
>> 23%.
>> Okay. And I just know when I was in the
elementary school here which is was a
low it's lower
>> something like that
>> enrollment here than when I did I had
325 kids every day for breakfast.
>> Well at the elementary we are about that
number.
>> So and that's wonderful
>> middle high schools maybe.
>> Well that's just because I don't want to
get out of bed.
>> They're barely awake. We need when they
are there that again a choice right
that's a choice.
>> Out of curiosity is profit margins
bigger for breakfast than it is lunch?
>> No. Okay. Breakfast often tends to be a
loss leader. Yeah,
>> we're just trying to build excitement
and and it's it's part of the service.
>> Uh they're here and we need to feed
them. So
>> we we try to get them things that they
will be excited to come up and choose.
>> Um
my own opinion is labor can never be
higher than food costs,
>> right? We can't be we can't be paying
people a very very high wage and that
we're losing money. We're you know what
I'm saying? We can't
>> Yeah. Food generally is more
>> food has to be the number one priority.
Food cost has to be the number one
priority if we're going to do anything.
So
>> in commercial restaurant uh the gap is a
lot wider here. Here they're generally
very close.
>> Very close.
>> Unless you pay.
>> And my other question is the USDA you're
not going to get away from processed
foods. That's their livelihood. That's
what they do. They serve junk. They give
the schools junk. That's what they do.
>> So how are you going to get away from
like how you're saying you want to not
do as much processed foods and all that?
So, how do you use the quantities
>> to and to make the meals that you need
to make and use the stuff that they give
you,
>> which is a very low quality?
>> The the processed foods. Now, New
Hampshire is one of the five states that
doesn't do what we call commodity
processing where uh I send a value of of
80,000 pounds of cheese
>> here. Here might be 3,000.
>> Yeah. thousands of pounds of cheese to a
pizza company and I give them the value
of that cheese and they give me a a
rebate on pizza made with that cheese.
>> Uh New Hampshire doesn't do that. We
just get what's called brown box where
it just it's canned, frozen, comes in a
brown box.
>> Y
>> that stuff is actually a little bit more
clean label than what you might expect
from a pie or something like that.
Something that's made and then given to
us. Uh I can tell you that the big push
we had at our director's conference two
weeks ago uh is where there's a
a group of directors. I think it's 15 or
20 of us from all over the nation. San
Diego
uh I might be the most northeast now
that I think about it. Uh and then we
meet with manufacturers like General
Mills, Land of Lakes. Uh, and that was a
major point of concern. How how can we
get more clean label? We're reducing our
We're taking the titanium dioxide out.
We're taking the red 40 out.
>> Red.
>> And we really focused on what can we do
to still meet this demand
uh but within this the food system that
already exists. So, there's a lot of
attention paid to that. Um, but what I'm
excited about is keeping those federal
dollars here with uh New Hampshire and
Maine and possibly uh like
Massachusetts. Uh, next year for
instance, I'm excited about using
Fantini bread which is baked
>> uh I think in Havil.
>> What was it? Strat Stratam.
>> You're getting there.
>> I'm getting there.
>> Chester. [laughter]
I know it's pivoty. I got that
>> pivoty.
>> Uh,
>> you've only been here five years.
>> I'm acclimating. We'll get there. Uh
>> is is there a way for the district to
budget for other
needs in this food service industry like
repairs to I realize we don't own the
walk-ins but like as we're moving
forward like is that something because
we ended up with a surplus at the end of
the year and is that something that we
could be thinking about
>> so we don't get into situations like
this where we where he has to repair
something twice in a year clearly.
Clearly, you weren't planning for that
and it's $10,000.
Now, we're making up for it. Is that
something that the district could
offset?
>> Yeah, I can budget for things that are
connected to the building. So, if
it's weird, but food service, it's like
if it's not a fixed to the building,
then it's part of the food service
program.
>> Right. Right.
>> If it's a fixed to the building and
can't be moved, if the food service
program was to leave, then it has to be
in the food service budget.
>> Yeah. You're one of those really
>> I know. I'm just thinking about I'm just
thinking about how to help how to help
>> when it comes to allowed costs. Um we it
can flow this way. It just can't flow
that way,
>> Which is why a lot of districts are like
you're on your own.
>> I I would absolutely not refuse an
infusion of capital improvement.
>> Yeah. Because we have we have a surplus
every year. Not, you know, we try not to
have a big one, but like that to me, the
surplus would be a great use. It would
be a great use of the surplus to have
that money go to you because it's
already come out of our taxes and
because now we're asking
>> such a separate
>> I know it is, but
yeah,
>> but we're looking at I you know, so it's
aboutund for those families that eat all
meals.
>> It's okay.
>> Yeah, I know. I was in the middle of
talking first before you interrupted me
and then I interrupted you. So, um,
>> so, uh, it's $180
a year. Additionally, a family, 90 cents
a day, $450 a week, 40 weeks, it's $180,
>> right? Maybe a little less, but 180 days
on the calendar.
>> One student.
>> One student. Correct. One student. Yes.
That's that's the increase it for one
student.
>> So, a family of a family that has three
students in the district, it's in it's
approximately an eight $600. And I can
tell I wish my kids only spent that
money, you know, because they they're
spending more because they're buying the
the high middle high school have the
opportunity, which is great. You and you
and you have the opportunity to put
limits, but you know, I wish lunch only
costs four or 15 a day, but it doesn't.
It's usually it's more than that, right?
>> Because they're spent they're buying all
cart items and things like that. So,
>> so to answer the the question like do
high school kids get more food? Not
necessarily, but they do have access to
more
>> add-ons. Right. But their serving
portions, if you're going just by the
>> USDA guidelines, the serving portions
are supposed to be higher at the high
school level, right? They're not
supposed
to 12th grader.
>> It's like one extra meat component and a
few hundred calories or something like
that. You might sort of change, but I
mean they figure so they so technically
yes, but at the elementary we do we do a
half cup portion. It should be 38 of a
cup or something like that. But, uh,
again, like budgeting,
>> it's a lot easier just to say a half
cup, half cup. Um,
>> and I will say, um,
I'm not sure how much equipment has been
bought since Christine and Bill have
been here for the food service, but I
know the equipment that has been bought
in the past has been very lowgrade,
cheap,
>> used, used,
>> used replacement. We did not spend money
well when it came to putting money into
the food service equipment that needed
to be done.
>> Sometimes limping along is all you can
do.
>> Well, when we paid $500 for a stove that
takes 90 minutes to heat up water,
>> you know that one.
>> That's a problem.
>> Yeah, I got rid of her. Yeah, she's
gone.
>> That's a problem. So, um, no one was
overseeing all that. We have a different
group that can oversee that we're making
sure that we're spending money on the
equipment that we're doing it. It's
going to be well, it's going to be good
equipment. that that really has to be
the longevity of equipment and how long
it's going to last and as well
>> I'm sure as the director you're I mean I
know when I was over here as a stickler
about keeping it clean keeping it
>> that's a big part how you use it how you
clean it
>> we've had a preventative maintenance
contract for three years and that's
that's done wonders for helping squeeze
when the equipment is kept up it's
amazing what it can do
>> um so when you said there was a $100,000
jump in costs um is this due to labor
equipment and food costs
Yes, the whole budget, not just
>> the entire FNS budget.
>> Okay,
>> from these [clears throat] last few
years,
>> this is my big question that I have for
you. And you probably not I don't even
know if you're going to be able to
answer it. Maybe you want to, but what
if we stepped away from the USDA? What
if we stepped away from the child
nutrition program
>> and ran and ran our lunch program as we
want to run it?
>> Yeah. as we want to put the prices in um
as we want to do the the the fresh
cooking,
>> You know, um
>> cost of a meal would increase.
>> We would not be the first. There are
there stories of London dairy for a
couple years.
>> There are schools that have walked away
because yeah,
>> uh but you'd be looking at a 1012.
>> Oh yeah.
What meal cost?
>> That's good for people to know.
>> Right. Right. It's good for people to
understand that if we were to walk away
from all of the guidelines that we're
stuck that we are stuck with by law that
all the stuff that we have to do that,
you know, the calories and the and the
process and all that. If we decided to
forgo all that and do the all the to I
love scratch cooking, so that's to me
the more scratch cooking you can do the
better,
>> Um but if we were to walk away from
that,
>> we're talking a
>> exponential jump,
>> a big jump. And then you're also talking
scratch cooking. You're also talking
more labor costs involved in that
because there's a lot more teaching that
is involved with that because you have
to teach people how to really really
cook at that point. Right.
>> Right. So, I previously mentioned
bringing in raw proteins that saves a
couple hours per Yeah.
>> per employee
>> by having um this brown box and other
things come in. The one of our top
sellers is these Asian uh
chicken and rice dishes.
>> Uh the chicken's breaded, it's
pre-fried. We don't have fryers. Uh the
sauce is already made. That's a few
hours easy. So there's a lot of utility
>> sort of baked into, pardon the puns, the
uh the food that we're purchasing for
our
>> mass buffet style of service.
>> Okay. So my other question was how how
much of our staff each how much of our
staff each lunch? Like how many how much
>> like faculty and such purchase?
>> I think it's 15 to 20.
>> No.
>> 15 to 20 people.
>> No. or percentage. Yeah,
>> Uh it's not a huge percentage.
>> Uh it's funny because I do look at the
adult sales as a metric for how good
we're doing because
>> we've got money and we've got cars. We
can go anywhere we want, but if you're
going to come meet with me,
>> that's a vote of confidence. And I even
have uh I missed the Korean meatballs
>> um school nurse will come up on those
days and buy four orders to go as she's
walking out cuz that's dinner for her
family.
You're taking it home for dinner.
>> Yeah, that's good.
>> Gold star for us. Yeah.
>> Good. No, I mean I was wonder I
personally think just my personal
opinion alone is I I think $3 is
reasonable breakfast to at both levels.
I think
>> adding it up 25 cents is you got to look
at what's you're not going to go buy
your child breakfast outside of school
for less than $3,
U I was looking at these averages and
then the uh the weighted score 230. So I
I kind of rounded down to 225
>> that it feels doable.
>> I mean I think after four years just
given what's happening in the economy
with the the food prices they are
starting to come down. Yes. But still
they're never going to come down to what
they were. It's always going to be
higher. We're not we're never going to
get back to what we were before.
inflation goes
>> and anybody that thinks that they're not
living in the real world.
>> So we we it's going to always be higher.
It's going to always be more expensive.
So to me, if you can if you're if you're
going to have your child have a
wellbalanced meal for 415 425 a day,
that is more than reasonable in my eyes.
>> Something you just said triggered. It's
it's funny because if we do get to a
point where we have our complete reserve
[snorts] fund, we've got 150,000 in the
bank, rainy day fund, all the
equipment's paid for,
there is a there is a formula where the
PLE will say
you're good and we could then at that
time actually drop prices. We there is a
there is a a mechanic for um we're doing
so well that now we can probably hold a
lot longer than four years. That sort of
thing.
>> Hold a lot longer because once you drop
>> you're never going to get back up again.
>> Except when it comes to school meal
prices like there is there is an an
instance where that could happen.
>> Doing so good that we're going to
>> in a perfect world full of rainbows and
ponies.
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Yeah. That could happen. No, I mean I
don't think what you're asking for is
unreasonable giving what people are
willing to pay outside of school. I
really don't.
>> It's it's just a big change.
>> It's a big change, but it's a four-year
change. It's not like it it's been
happening every two years or every year.
It's a four-year change.
>> Well, I appreciate that you're willing
to talk about it. Thanks.
>> I support the breakfast increase. I
think that's
>> easy for people to swallow. Um I think
65 cent increase is going to be tougher
for families.
>> Um I would support going from 350 to
four.
>> Four. Yeah, I I mean I'm probably going
to be the minority, but I it's not that
I don't it's it's not that I don't think
that it's worth it. It's just a big
incre It's just a big increase, I think,
for families. I mean, I don't even love
going 350 to four,
>> but it's a little bit of a rounder
number. Um
>> it's more palatable.
>> Yeah. I And I I would support the
helping support the food program.
our budget's set, but we're heading into
budget season. So, we can think about
like, are there things that we could do
to help offset that? Because we did
support the increase of your staff. And
again, I don't think we factored in that
that increase was then going to cost the
families directly. Um, and so I think
that I would 100% look at to this budget
to say, okay, how can we support
Moss? How can we support the food
service program? How can we support the
families altogether? Um,
do we need to budget $10,000 for
repairs, food service repairs? Or do can
we cover the cost of the uniforms and
the shoes? Are these things, you know,
we buy our teachers t-shirts, why can't
we pay pay for the food service
t-shirts?
>> I I don't know. I'm just I'm just
throwing out ideas. But I would,
again, just turning it all back to the
parents. I'm not saying, "Yeah, you're
right. A Starbucks is $6." Like, but
people aren't making those comparisons.
Like, they're not saying like, "Well,
you know, I spend it's okay. I'll spend
65 cents more on or $3 more." And again,
we're talking about families that have
some have two, three, four kids.
>> And then your last request,
I mean, I can't really I can get behind
like us covering your costs. I think if
we're going to increase the cost, it
just needs to be uniform for everybody.
So that means that the reduced costs are
going to go reduced lunch costs are
going to go up. I I think we have to do
that for but again I still
>> but we don't have control of
>> Yeah. So if if we want to talk about
that last
No, I understand that. But he's asking
for us on the last request, he's asking
for the school district [snorts]
>> to to cover $1,728,
which would what I'm I'm assuming you're
saying is that whatever the reduced cost
is is going to stay the same next year,
>> right? That's set by the US. That's
>> that's another battle that goes down,
>> So So what is this seven? So, you're
asking for $1,728.
What is that for? Sorry, I'm just
>> This is This is under
>> I'm just like cutting the G here. I'm
just the number.
>> This is the under the umbrella of if you
don't ask, you'll never know. Right. So,
while we're talking about meals and
we're talking about prices, uh this is a
trend that's happening in a lot of
districts where the the district will
pick up the cost of the reduced price
lunch. The state already picks up the 30
cent reduced price breakfast. Uh, and
one of the reasons for doing this is to
really incentivize filling out that meal
application form because that data
usually in conjunction with because uh I
work directly with like SNAP benefits
and such.
>> So I can pick up students and put them
on free and reduced usually free uh if
they're already under federal subsidies
like SNAP, TANNIF, FDPR, FDI, FBDIR,
>> one of those alphabet soup. Um,
>> in Eping it's it's a little unusual
because the the free reduced paid split
we're 20% free and reduced but it's 18%
free. So it's only 2 3% reduced. So that
little sliver in the middle I'm saying
if we remove that there's an incentive
there to fill out these forms and then
we have a better idea of what the
demographic looks like. uh we have less
struggle trying to fund the title one
and I believe because we just did the
index uh enrollment reduced I have to
provide my data three times a year to
the state where we're at and
demographically socioeconomically that
sort of thing. Um that I believe goes to
district funding
>> but we don't we don't free and reduce
numbers for title one acceptance. It's
part of the
>> It is part of
>> from the state whether
>> we can't take the free and reduced list
and say these kids are eligible to
>> no
percent. That's a no no
>> generally I'm the only one who knows
>> and that's how it should be where the
bodies are buried. Right.
>> That's how it should be. Can you can you
explain how us paying the 17
>> 17 17280
>> leads to an incentive to fill out the
paperwork? I'm I'm not seeing
>> what that is.
>> In my experience, I I actually told the
USDA, you need to call this the shame
report because very few people want to
fill out something that says A, I need
assistance, I need help, and b here's my
income, here's my social security,
here's my address, all that information.
Uh, I still get applications that I have
to refuse. I think I did eight or 10
last year because they didn't put down
their social the last four of their
social security number.
>> And really, it's just a a quick cross
check. Are they on staff? That sort of
thing. Or are you who you say you are
because they have that information
already.
>> Um, so a lot of people will refuse to
fill out the form because they just
don't see the point. Why am I giving up
all this personal information when I may
not even
uh
qualify
>> qualified for?
>> Uh so that that extra incentive of there
is no reduced it's paid or free
uh has resulted in other districts in a
much larger number of those forms coming
back.
>> Oh okay. So I think in a roundabout way.
So instead of you saying that you could
try and apply for free or reduced,
you're just applying for free is how you
>> if you get the reduced eligibility, uh
it would be considered free
>> because we're up. Okay.
>> Right. That's what I was trying to
understand. I was trying to understand
how we're how that incentivizes people
to fill out paperwork. Now I understand
it's because for everybody it would be
free. I think in at last count it was
low teens or or mid- teens um number of
students on the reduced. So it's a very
small percentage which is why I was like
wow with a number that small couldn't
hurt to ask.
>> Couldn't hurt to put that in front of
the board.
>> To be clear though the whatever the
reduced was so what is reduced lunch
reduced breakfast what does that cost?
>> 30ent 30 cents. But here in New
Hampshire it's free the state.
>> Okay. But but if I qualify for reduced
breakfast,
>> you have to pay 30.
>> I have to pay 30 cents a day for
>> But then why
>> because you used to pay 30 cents,
>> but New Hampshire picks up that 30
cents.
>> Okay. So what about lunch?
>> Lunch is 40. They don't they don't pick
up.
>> Okay. Okay. So we'll talk about lunch
then.
>> So lunch is 40. So if if our if our if
our whatever the cost increase is for
lunch cuz it's going to go up some some
something.
It's still 40 cents.
>> It is.
>> It doesn't. Right.
>> Okay. Correct.
>> So these things are kind of they're
separate and I know I jump probably jump
ahead but [laughter] um
>> yeah I'm not sure I support that. We've
had a lot of discussions about lunch
costs and again I want to see
I mean the state is saying you make
enough you make this much money so you
have to pay 40 cents a day. I'm not sure
I support the taxpayers or the school
budget picking up that 40 cents a day. I
get it that it's not a lot of money or
not a lot of kids
>> and they can make they can make a good
salary and only pay 40 cents a day.
>> That's what I mean. I'm not in I'm not
at [snorts] the moment I'm not in
support of that.
>> I think the other side of it
>> I'm just trying to put myself out there.
This is where I'm living. I don't know
where everybody else is cuz I'll shut up
now. So the same thing.
>> I think I think the other part of that
though is
>> what what do those numbers translate to
in money back from the state and title N
funding for every person that we pick up
as a free or reduced student that goes
into the calculation for the title N
funding. So how how much
>> it wouldn't change th those numbers.
They still would be reported as a
reduced student but the district is
paying them.
>> Right. Right. But what I'm saying is
we're not getting them now. So if we add
18 people to the to the count that we
have in free and reduced, how much more
money is that from the state?
>> It depends. And they don't tell us the
number on the threshold.
>> Really?
>> I think that's that's the part that
>> I couldn't tell you whether we're three
students off or 55 students off. We we
don't ever have that information.
>> Return on investment. Right.
>> Right. Exactly. That's where it comes
down to. If we're going if we'd get
$6,000 or more back to the district for
having to pay,
>> there's absolutely no way of calculating
that Ben, unfortunately.
I I don't think there's any
>> debate on it has to go up, right? The
costs have gone up. I I think where we
probably went a little bit astray is
waiting the four years. And I think this
type of discussion has to happen
annually and look ahead versus looking
back and saying, "Okay, we're trying to
do a catchup for four years now versus,
>> you know, doing the right thing, keeping
the pricing locked and all that, but
trying to make those smaller
increments." Um, I was doing some math
because that's what I do. Did we look at
two increases over the year? Semester 1,
semester 2 as a gradual step up. And
looking at the math, so right now we
would say surprise, you're coming back
to school in four weeks. We're going to
increase you X. Can we lower that
increase?
>> Parents and families for it. Hey, in the
second semester it's going to go up to a
different number. uh just try to balance
it out so it's not here 65 cents
increase I was thinking
>> but they have to know exactly when it's
going to go up the second absolutely
100% wide open
>> yes whatever that semester might look
whatever it has to be known
>> that's going to happen
>> that going to happen
>> but I do think we have to get to that
number that it's just it right I mean
the 18% or so increase that's there I I
don't think it's unreasonable for where
grocery prices and things have gone.
It's just not I mean everything is more
than that.
>> Um so it's amazing that you can still
produce what you produce at that price
point.
>> Well, it's it's a whole food system like
it's subsidized and
>> understood and just all the work that
goes into getting those subsidies too.
>> It's still management. No matter what
you're getting, if you don't know how to
do handle it well, you're not going to
do well, right? you have to give
yourself credit for the management
>> because that is a big piece of making
everything come together
>> right so I appreciate that uh and I I if
that's what we have to work with
>> I can make it work
>> that's just a suggestion I [laughter] go
I get this is a big
>> I go one I'd go one year at a so so I do
an incre a smaller increase this year
and next year I think mid year people
forget that stuff at the beginning of
the year honestly hey by the way on
January 15th meal present that's not
going to live in your brain. I mean, it
might in yours, but I I mean, that's
Come on. That's a lot. You know what I
mean?
>> Well, that would be my responsibility to
put that market.
>> I know. I I I mean, I' I'd support that
over a big increase, but I
>> So, let's do this. Let's break this up
into [clears throat] three three parts.
We got two parts we can deal with now
and we still have the the walk-ins to
talk about. But so
who who would like to make a motion on
whether or not we want to support the 17
2880 reduced lunch.
>> Can I just make a comment on that?
>> Can if you're willing to make a motion.
>> No. I'll make a motion that we
discussed.
>> Yes.
>> Okay. I'll make a motion to so so move
whatever you said. Um
um but I have to agree with Julie.
Get your cans together. Listen, I don't
we haven't seen each other and I got a
month's worth of schoolboard energy to
bring to the table. I would rather see
us spend money as a district in areas
that we can legally
>> Yeah, agree.
>> help the food service department out
with equipment
>> in areas like that because that's more
longstanding
>> than just picking up the 17
>> 28
>> 80. I can't even read that. 80. Um, but
that's just my opinion. I would rather
help on the other end with the food
service, whatever we can do legally to
help with equipment or long-term things
like that rather than pick up on that.
That's just my personal opinion.
>> So having a motion by myself, a second
by Robin. We had discussion. All those
in favor of the school board or the
district picking up the 172880
to cover the cost of reduced lunches,
say I.
All those opposed.
Right. That's 05. So that's not passed.
>> Can I ask a procedural question? Why
would you make a why would you make a
motion that you don't support?
>> Just to get it on the table. Just move
it. So you make a motion for something
else. Okay. I didn't know that.
>> And I do I do appreciate the
conversation.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Okay. Yeah. Yeah.
>> All right. So I appreciate that you
discussed this.
>> Yeah. It was a good idea. I don't dis
disagree with the idea, but
>> No,
>> just a thought. Sorry.
>> Just an idea. Yeah.
>> Yeah. And then if it ever comes up
again, we have a discussion point. All
right. Uh so I will now make a motion to
move forward with Moss's presented meal
increases for the 26 27 and beyond
school years.
>> Can I just
>> So we got a motion. We got a motion in a
second. Motion. You second it. We have
discussion
>> discussion. Can I suggest that we break
that into breakfast and lunch?
>> How so?
>> So, can we can we vote to approve the
increase the breakfast increase and then
vote to increase the because as I
already said, I will support the
breakfast increase. I will not support
the okay
>> uh lunch increase as it stands. I
support a an increase and I would
>> I I don't know how to counter motion
that, but we'll get there. We'll get
there. who will receive your second.
>> All right. And I'll I'll withdraw my
motion. I'll make a new motion uh to
move to see if the board will support uh
Moss's proposal for the increase for uh
breakfast at um the elementary and
middle high levels for the 26 27 and
beyond school year.
>> So moved.
>> Second.
>> Oh,
>> I made I
>> All right. So good motion. That's all
right. I made the motion. Robin second
and we can open it back up for
discussion. So now we're just talking
about
>> breakfast. Breakfast
>> which Moses
proposed as a uh
>> see $2 $2.65. Is that right?
>> $225.
>> That's 25
>> 25 cents increase a day for breakfast.
>> No increased pre- reduced.
>> So thank
>> I support that. Anybody have any other
discussion points about the breakfast
hearing? None. All those in favor of uh
supporting the breakfast increase say I.
>> I.
>> All those uh opposed.
>> None. That passes 5 seconds. All right.
So, we got the breakfast done.
All right. Now, I'll make a motion uh to
for the board to support the district uh
approving Moss' increase for lunches to
$4.25. 25 cents.
>> 450
>> 415
>> Oh, sorry. 415. Sorry. Sorry. I keep
looking. I keep looking at the one over
here in the corner and the one up on the
on the
>> uh So, sorry. Make a motion that the
district support Mon's recommendation of
a increase to $4.15 for lunches uh for
the district for the school year 2627
and beyond.
>> Second. Motion by Ben, second by Robin.
open that up for discussion.
>> So now what do I do if I want to like
counter that?
>> You vote this one down and then you can
if it if the motion fails then there
will be new
>> motion. But so my discussion would be
that I would propose that I would
suggest that we make a different motion
either either something along the lines
of what Matt which is is a completely
different motion or we we
>> like being unique.
>> Yes. or we and also I would like us to
think about you know how can we break
this up into into a little more
manageable bites for families. So
whether it's one increase this year and
an increase next year semester, don't
love that, but I'd probably vote yes on
that. But I would or I would [snorts]
say like let's move it to like $4 for
next year and then we come back to the
table. We come back to the
>> to the discussion next year based
especially around salary increases and
things like that and we start to be a
little more creative on how to support
your budget. How can the school budget
support your budget in other creative
ways that are legal?
>> So, I'm gonna vote no on that. I'm just
telling you right now.
>> That's right. So, I think so I guess
let's put a question to you, Moss. How
in in those two scenarios, let's start
with going to $4 a meal instead of $415.
Are you allowed to do that? Can you can
you set it? Okay. And then what what
impact would that have on your finances
that you can anticipate for this year
instead of moving to the 415?
>> Uh it would it would be a little less of
a um
uh amount for those capital improvements
and uh maybe fewer local foods that sort
those sort of things. I mean
>> All right. So about 15 cents a meal is
not going to have a a significant impact
on like your voting fund or things like
>> Okay. All right. Is that okay? And then
if we were to look at something like I
was proposing of going what was like 385
>> 375 and 415 would get you back to that
415 mark which would allow you seems to
invest in that capital improvement
bucket and keep that funding. wouldn't
really come till the tail end of the
year, but
>> lineup for next year.
>> That would that be a a a more palatable
solution or would that cause more
struggles in the at the beginning of the
year than the other the other proposal?
>> I I can make it work. We we can make
that
>> make happen.
>> Does it make a lot of extra work versus
>> putting the price out?
>> A little bit. I mean, it would just the
there there'd be a little bit more focus
on the alikarts and those sorts of
things. So, it would it would come from
elsewhere. Uh we would just have to
fight a little harder to get what we
needed. Uh because we only keep what we
kill. So, uh yeah, we it have to be a
little bit smarter.
>> Depended on that. [laughter]
>> Be a little have to be a little smarter
about menus and then um really focusing
on allocarts a lot more than I'm already
planning to.
I guess I have one more question around
Julie's suggestion about going to $4. If
if we were to do that in person, then we
will have the discussions about how how
the district can try and help infuse
some more money into the food service
program as far as what what we're
legally allowed to do for capital
improvements and things like that.
What what impact do you think that that
would have on a future price increase
timeline? Do you think you'd be able to
survive at $4 for a couple of years? Is
this something that you would definitely
feel like we'd have to come back and
talk about the the food costs next year?
>> I I do like the idea of reviewing this
annually. I think that's smart. Uh I
don't think I can say what based on the
last few years. I I could not tell you
where we're going to be next year. Um
but
>> I do like the idea of when I come and we
do the uh sort of the state of the
department address
>> uh at that time discuss where we are uh
with budget equipment that sort of
thing. I think that's smart.
>> Great.
>> Any other discussion?
>> I have a question.
>> George, that's what the discussion.
>> What did the USDA recommend you do for
pricing?
>> 415.
>> 415. And that was their recommendation
based on what's happening around the
host state,
>> right? So at the what was that the third
slide or something? So it's the uh 2%
rate increase plus the uh CPI value. So
this is all inflationary data
>> fact based and yeah
>> fact based okay um that's my question. I
mean, it's like
we we could be one war away from
>> having $6
>> for a meal. And it's it's a reality.
This is a reality that's happening
around our world. So, I think four years
we haven't done anything. I'm I don't
have a problem at all with the 415.
Personally for me, I I don't like the
15. I'd rather go 25 or or four. I don't
like the 15 cent kind of weirdness of it
all.
>> Yeah. I don't like the idea of carrying
that many dimes and nickels.
>> Yeah. I just think it's, you know, you
don't really people don't think about
that stuff, but it it really is, it
really is a very big pain when you're
collecting
>> lunch. It It's a big pain.
>> So, I mean,
>> they can't pay cash. They can't pay
cash.
>> See the check, right? You don't take
>> Oh, yeah.
>> Oh, you do?
>> I take everything but a promise.
>> I didn't know.
>> Some districts don't know. So, I
>> people put $10 on their account
>> in the lunchroom. Uh, not. I think we'd
be silly, too.
>> Yeah, exactly. That's how they That's
how
>> they're Sometimes there's things where I
raise an eyebrow. I see a lot of $2
bills. I start to question where they're
coming from.
>> They're legitimate. They're on there
again.
>> But But who's
>> sometimes that happens? Uh, marker.
>> But yeah, uh, we take cash, check, and
even the credit cards through our
portal.
>> The majority.
>> But but if I
>> the credit card,
>> majority is credit card check. If a
student walked in with $4.15 that day to
buy lunch,
>> that that is a transaction that's
allowed.
>> Absolutely.
>> Okay, that's great. That's some great
>> I'm just saying I'm in support of the
USDA says that you should launch based
on that.
>> one other comment.
>> One more for you.
>> Yeah, you know, I've been quiet. Um, but
the $4 you could make work. I could
>> and that would be the least additional
work on the team, right? Because you
could plan obviously you have two new
staff members starting,
>> right? Yes.
>> This year, so you have a ramp up time
for that, but why kind of
>> dirty things up a little bit mid year if
you didn't have to?
>> I'm bringing you the recommendation and
then you're representative of the
community. So you would let you would
tell me what's palatable and then we'll
move forward
>> based on what we decide. I tell you
based on the evidence that you were
given to great choice.
>> I just know that as a
>> parent trying to double everything in my
brain. If you told me that lunch is one
cost for this half of the year
increasing on this half the year and I'm
already budgeting I'm going to I'm now
immediately annoyed.
>> So it's
Courtney I am with you. I I just cuz
like right now I'm thinking of how I'm
juggling sports, my daughter's work, uh
her driver's ed schedule, my work
schedule, physical therapy, and now I
need to remembering,
>> right? But now I have to [laughter]
remember
>> why is my school district saying, "Oh,
it's $4 for these months and then it's I
I hate that.
>> I I really do." And I would rush out
there, bite the bullet, and say, "You
know what? It is 515."
>> Sorry. Sorry. [laughter] Sorry. It's
$4.15. It is what it is.
>> It's seven. It's less than 17 cents over
the cost of those four years. Like it
just
>> it's yes, review it annually moving
forward. Everyone knows that's going to
be affected by this increase. What's
been going on in this world in this
country and all of that? This isn't a
surprise. This isn't the it sucks. I
hate it. I don't want to do it. I was
one of those
>> I was one of those parents too that
didn't want to fill out a form when I
couldn't afford really lunch because I
didn't. It gets a lot and I somehow bit
the bullet and made it work. But it's it
sucks. So sometimes you just got to do
what you got to do and I think we've
found ourselves in that position and we
can correct moving forward
year-over-year, but there's no changing
what reality is right now.
>> M I do I do support the increase. I
would support a single price, though
it's less work on your team. Um I think
we also owe it to keep it if we can make
$4 work and not charge families. I know
it's only 15 cents and but it does add
up with everything else that has
happened, right? It is an additional fee
that they have to come up with. So, if
we can make four work, I would love to
see four come forward.
>> So, I I so I kind Sorry, Ben. I've also
been pretty quiet. Um I also I just I'm
having a hard time grasping the concept
and I would now go back to five minutes
ago when we made that first vote. We
can't I can't how can we in good contra
sit here and and go on about the cost to
a family when we just said no to paying
the reduced cost for that was $1,700. We
how can we do that? Like if we're we
can't for them
>> I mean really we should take care of
everything.
>> Well Robin if we're going to be really
we really want to have the conversation
I think all food should be free for
children. We should be feeding the
children. Feeding children should never
be an argument to me. So
>> and I don't agree but someone's got to
pay for it somehow.
>> Correct. you were I wish you were on the
board six months ago.
>> I to me there should be zero questions
asked when it comes to [laughter]
feeding children. Like that's just
insane. Anyway, I got some meetings for
you to watch.
>> I don't think you and Robin will be
here.
>> Oh, I Yes. Um no, feeding children in
general should be
>> But anyh who, not what we're talking
about. I just we can't just sit here and
be like, we just said no to paying
$1,700 for reduced cost lunch, but then
now be nickeling and dumping over 15
cents per meal. Like that's insane. to
me because there was a difference
though. It's not if if you're if you're
going to put a motion into everything,
which I love. If you're going to put
>> putting principle into this,
>> what my thing was, I would rather take
the 1728 and put it towards equipment
that is going to help the food service
program continue to offer the type of
meals that they offer. The government
already paid their 30. They're getting
that. So it's not like this they're not
there's no reimbursement happening with
these students right
>> um and then you know
>> well we we do get we do get that 30
cents
>> you do get we do get that money from
them so we are getting reimbursed for
those re uh reduced children it's not
like we're not um but there also comes a
responsibility is and I'm sorry and I'm
going to go back on this I'm back on
this we got the parents we brought the
children into this world it's our
responsibility to take care of them so
what we can't do we get help with.
>> We're not We're not argu You and I are
on the same page. You're just arguing.
>> I don't think we need to pay free meals
for every single child that is in the
school district.
>> That's not what we're talking about.
That's not our That's not what we're
discussing and voting on here. My point
is we can't have it both ways. I support
you. I agree. It should be 415. I don't
think because we can't sit here and
argue over 15 cents per meal for a
family when we just said no to this
amount here to pay for reduced cost
lunch. Like you can't have it both ways.
if we're c worrying about the cost and
how it affects our families,
>> but our redu our families who who
qualify for reduced their their costs
are not increasing at all. So their 40
cents for five lunches is still $2.
>> So and so what Moss is saying is like
let's do them a solid. Let's not they
don't even have to pay the $2, which is
$2 time 40 weeks is $80 a year.
>> Let's do them a solid and let's just
let's just throw them a bone. I also I
also see this as an opportunity for my
department to help the larger district
and community, which is why I bring it
>> Well, my point is the families that
we're worried about that are going to be
most affected by this are a lot in a lot
of cases that they fit into are the same
type of families that are paying reduced
cost lunch.
>> So, we're worried about them over here,
but not over here.
I would I would I would disagree though
because I I mean I think that Eping is
is a pretty like middle class family and
to go up to go up
>> $5 a week, $20 a month like that that
does impact are people going to pay it?
Yes. But now my budget went up my
because I I do it all all breakfast, all
lunches and all all the carts. It's like
50 [clears throat] bucks a week
>> and it goes up and it's fine but it it
does it does well 25 a kid but but it it
does it does matter. It I do feel it but
I can make it work you know. So I mean I
do feel it. So 15 cents
>> it's it's I think $4 is a better round
number. I think it's more palatable to
go from 350 to four than 350 to 415. I
think that'd rather do just four across
the board, but then I know that that
hurt that affects what he's trying to
>> Recommending is 415.
>> A comment. What he's recommending is
415. And ideally, I think that's what we
all hope for. But with the commitment
that the board has also already made is
for a task to for Moss and and Christine
to be curious around can we keep the
cost at $4
because we understand that that
additional 15 cents might be going to
more larger capital improvements and so
forth. But with the boards understanding
that, hey, let them do their work and
see if that's possible. and we have
$110,000 right now in the in the food
service reserve. If if if $4 was not
working, we've agreed that Moss would
come back annually and say, "We tried we
tried to to to respect the wishes of the
board and the community and and and we
tried it at $4. Here's why it didn't
work, or here's how we did make it work,
and thanks for your support on whatever
creative ways to support [snorts]
>> legally, as we keep saying, uh um to
make that happen." So, I see where this
conversation is going and I really do
appreciate the thoughtfulness of this
board and and how much passion you
really do put into this and and that is
not always seen. So, I would make a
recommendation. I think for the
district, we would appreciate a $4
increase. I think the simplicity of it
for our our own food service people, for
our parents and our students would be
appreciated. I I love Matt's creativity,
but at 375 and then 415, it's probably
going to average out to about $4 for the
for the year anyways. And then we're
still going to review afterwards at the
end of that 415 if anything if it's
working or not working. So, I would
suggest that we settle on the $4 with
the understanding that we're going to do
some homework and see, can we budget in
other ways that's distributed across the
whole budget to support the the the food
service? uh uh program. Thank you.
>> I thought of 395, but [laughter] four
because that was just
>> I'm going to call I'm going to call for
a vote on this. We've had the motion on
we've had discussion for a healthy 10 to
15 minutes,
>> the elderly that are struggling to do
their meals.
>> So the the motion on the table right now
is to support Moss's request for 415 for
lunches for the school year 2026 27 and
and potentially beyond. So, all those in
favor say I.
>> It's at 4:15. 4.
>> Robin, I think you support this.
>> I feel like you support. [laughter]
>> I feel like you should say yes because
you really support this. But you do
whatever you do.
>> M come back and and we'll we'll look at
this every year. But that's not
>> what I wanted to hear. We'll look at it
every year,
>> right? But that's the price that we are
putting into effect right now. And if we
take no action on it, that's what the
price will be next year.
>> So, we're not we're not we're not
talking about what Bill just said.
>> We're not we're dealing motion on the
table. We're dealing with the motion on
the table right now. So, all those in
favor of supporting MOS's recommendation
of $4.15 for lunches say I
>> all those opposed.
Okay, that fails.
Zero to five.
>> I'll make a motion [laughter]
to uh to support the increase of lunches
at EES and EMHs from $3.50 50 cents to
$4 for the full school year with the
understanding that we are going to
take a look at this every year.
>> Motion by Julie, second by Matt.
>> All those in favor? Sorry, discussion on
this one.
>> No. Okay. [laughter]
>> All those in favor say I.
>> Any oppose?
>> That passes 5.
>> Before we move on, does anyone have a
laptop charger they want? Are you But
we're in a library that must
>> I do as well. Are you done with yours?
>> Wow.
>> Lots of them.
>> I appreciate
Sorry, Josh.
I know. I was watching Josh's body.
We're worried about
>> No, we're not done.
>> I'll just say yes.
>> My head. I know he's got a second
coming.
>> Yeah. Just to try and try and get
everything done all at once. Let's have
the discussion about the the walk in.
>> You're not done yet. [laughter]
>> One more.
>> So, where where are we at with with the
walk-in at this point? It's repaired.
It's running. What we're looking
>> So, one of the caveat one of the things
that we have to do is as uh an SFA of
the USDA, alphabet soup, is uh anything
anything over $10,000 has to go through
certain considerations. So, uh we've
been waiting
quite a long time for a third quote to
materialize. Uh we finally got that last
week, I believe.
>> Um even then, uh of the six I sent out,
we got three quotes, but two were
relatively incomplete.
>> Uh they don't include installation or
they don't have the full thing,
>> which was super disappointing to see in
>> Yeah. One was informal. Uh so two, one
that was informal and one that did not
include installation, I believe, were
14. Mhm.
>> Uh but JWS, Joe Waren Sons that we have
a uh maintenance contract with,
>> is only $50 more. So, uh for me, I would
recommend JWS
because they'll be servicing this from
now on. They made the initial
recommendation. Uh I found them to be
really good for us.
but with the six quotes that went out, I
feel they had the strongest one. So it
was 1447 and change.
>> $14,047.71.
>> 71.
>> And we already have a working
relationship with them.
>> We do.
>> I've always reported
horrendous.
>> No, no details, no installation, no
contract.
>> And they probably did that on purpose
because they really wanted to lack of
trying.
>> The ones that said they could do it for
$2,50
>> incomplete. No installation ships from
Pennsylvania. [laughter] Yeah, figure it
out.
>> Did you did you budget for this?
>> So, this is a product of the the failure
of the unit.
>> So, this will come out of that.
>> Can you explain to me what? Yes.
>> EMHs.
>> What?
>> EMHs walking cooler.
>> The one on the left.
>> Okay. The one on the left.
>> Uh, it's a 6x7 box. So, the box is fine.
Um, which was for some reason a
complication in getting the quotes. Uh
but we need a new evaporator and
compressor. Uh but the compressor is
already working on a deprecated um
coolant 404 or something like that. So
that replacing that which they've had to
charge it three maybe four times this
year.
>> Um the cost per pound of that coolant
just keeps going up.
>> I think it was 70. Yeah.
>> But that walk-in was a problem since the
minute it's been put in.
>> I wouldn't doubt it.
again, putting in cheap stuff because
you want to save bucks. And that's
exactly what that was. Turn an office
into a walk-in.
>> You get a you get about a 15year useful
life out of equipment like this, it went
in in09.
>> So even if it came in used, so like the
Fuller King over here,
>> we got our money's worth.
>> But this is one of those things that
>> how much you spend when
>> we start talking capital improvement,
>> how much you spent repay over since.
>> Yeah, good question.
>> Yeah, exactly. So, that's a whole
difference about getting your money for
it.
>> Not to mention uh the product that we
lost.
>> We had we had a gorgeous pork loin.
>> It was planned.
>> Well, there was an event, wasn't it?
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
>> Holiday dinner. I think we were doing a
a roast pork loin and and
>> it was ready to go and we had to throw
it all out.
>> That sounds so delicious.
>> 70°. [laughter]
>> Oh, spiced applesauce, Brussels sprouts.
I'm telling you,
>> I hope you just
>> gorgeous. Does insurance cover the loss
for that when it goes
>> over?
I prefer the um
>> refrigerated kind.
>> It's over a th000. If it's under $1,000,
it's not worth it because we have $1,000
deductible. So,
>> and then and then you have to worry
about how does that
>> Yeah. future cost. Yeah.
>> I support that. I support this.
>> Yeah. Does anybody have any questions
for from Oscar about that?
>> No, I think go with this works. So, I
would I would make a motion to approve
the contract with JWS for them to do the
installation and uh maintenance, I
believe. Right. Yes.
>> Uh for $14,47.71.
Can I get a second?
>> All right. Uh so, made motion second.
All those in favor say I.
>> I. Any oppose? That passes 5.
Have fun getting the new washin parts
installed.
>> Thanks. Hope it's blistering.
>> Got to call J. I'm like, "Hey, get down
here."
>> We need to get it.
>> Luckily, this time of year, I there's
probably $20 worth of product in there
right now. So, if it went down, I'd lose
some American cheese and that's about
it. [laughter]
>> Right. This is the time to do it.
>> thank you, M.
>> I appreciate the discussion. Thank you.
>> If I ever win like Detroit, you're going
to have the most unbelievable cafeteria
in the world.
>> If you if you win the lottery, is that
>> lottery? Yeah, I like that. You'd have
to approve.
>> I said that too. Everyone I know we have
to I know we have that trend. It
[laughter] depends on what quality the
product is.
>> All right. So get off the board just
>> poor Josh. [laughter]
>> All right. So that was our director.
Next we're going to be having a
discussion about the facilities set
facilities shed and we have Josh Martin
here to bring us up to speed on
everything he's learned about the new
shed.
>> Mr. Josh Martin, how are you?
>> Josh.
>> Yeah, [laughter]
depends on who you
>> depends how you spell it.
>> Thank you very much for your patience
tonight, Josh.
>> And he learned a lot.
>> He likes to be educated like that.
>> Yeah. The more you know.
>> That's right.
>> I mean, it's happening in my building.
>> My buildings.
>> Election day. I learned more about a
water sewer treatment plant.
>> Yeah,
>> that was
true.
>> All right. Um I know we um we talked
about this uh a while ago. We had the
athletics piece in it. Um and that was
the wrong approach. Um this is something
that facilities this is definitely a
need for facilities with the equipment
that we have um and with uh with the
spaces that we have now. Um so I'll kind
of just kind of get into it a little
bit. Our current deficiencies um we
currently don't have a space uh for the
new loader that we we had purchased here
this past fall. Um and the dump truck we
had purchased the spring prior as well.
spring year just over a year ago now. Um
neither one of those pieces of equipment
fit in any of our current spaces. Um uh
now and then we currently have to take
the spinner off of our pickup truck to
make it fit in between the rafters in
the it's or in between the uh the studs
in the garage just so we can shut the
garage door and we don't have any space
to to walk around the truck. We have to
open the door, walk around the truck,
put the spinner on. Anyway, um and then
if any of that equipment breaks, uh we
have no place to uh to fix the equipment
really. Uh we either have equipment
inside um our the garage space that we
have out back um is pretty much full of
equipment. So, there's really no space
unless we take all the equipment out,
move it, and then bring the piece of
equipment in that we need to to work on.
we're laying on the ground, you know,
banging out shear pins, uh, in the
elements, 3:00 am, whatever it might be
in the middle of winter, something
something breaks. Um,
and then, uh, you know, we don't have
the space to properly do maintenance on
our on our equipment. You know, oil
changes, belt changes, uh, stuff like
that. We don't we don't even have a
workbench, um, in in either one of the
garages. It's currently a couple of
tables that we put out uh in the summer
so that we can, you know, sharpen blades
for mowers and have a space that we can,
you know,
jerryrig some things together if we need
to uh to fix some of our some of our
equipment. Um and during the spring and
the thaw season, um there's almost no
way to to reach the uh during mud
season, I would say. uh that that season
between uh end of winter and beginning
of spring. Um we almost cannot make it
out to our service shed uh out in the
back. Um and I'll show you a picture
here in a minute. Um and then we
currently have no uh no storage space
for salt or sand um for ice treatment
here on campus. we have to um you know
Mo was great this past season u down at
the the town shed and we could call him
you know call or usually the night
before and say hey could one of your
staff meet us there meet us there early
and you know they would for the most
part accommodate that but they're that
means the town
you know they're paying overtime or they
they have to adjust their schedule to to
make sure that we can we can open school
on time.
Um, so this is kind of uh these are a
couple pictures. Um, you know, you can
see the the ruted area there with still
the snow on that back field. Um, it
becomes almost impossible and we really
don't have a place to store our
equipment up here um at our at our other
maintenance shed off the end of the the
high school. You know, the loader's too
big to fit there with the two trucks.
Um, so we really it it forces us to go
and park this back there at that at that
current shed. Um, and that the new case
loader that we purchased uh is much
heavier than a regular truck. Um, and we
found out that um it's very good that we
got the one with four-wheel drive.
>> Yeah. Because because then then you're
thinking of a big piece of equipment and
then what can we get it unstuck with?
Um, and as you can see in the the
picture there on the right, it's not
going to fit in that garage in any any
way, shape, or form.
>> Got these two levels on it,
>> right? Um,
so I guess what I'm what I'm proposing
um is a facilities garage um home for
our equipment, loader, pickup truck,
dump truck, uh the new uh the new
district van, um and to still house our,
you know, mowers, blowers, trimmers,
small equipment that we that we have. Um
and then also separated from that is our
salt shed uh to contain the winter salt.
Uh the the town is has said um that'd be
a great way to go. They can they'll
they'll deliver the salt that they have
from the town shed. They'll deliver it
here. We can put it in the salt shed for
them uh or for us. And then now that we
have this loader, we can load our
equipment uh we can load this the
sanders and um be able to treat our own.
And um you know on those in between
storms we can contact the town get
another delivery of that that sand or
salt and you know we don't have to wake
anybody up at you know 4:30 5:00 in the
morning uh for us to to get that
material.
>> Um and so where would this be located?
Um and
for for me and our staff I think this is
the best place. This is where the
current shed is that we we house most of
our stuff. This is where the loader sits
for the most part um all winter long in
the summer as well. Uh is behind the
elementary school, behind the baseball
field, by the football field or soccer
field area and practice fields back
there. It's it's out of the way enough.
and there's there's currently space back
there. There's a couple of large rocks
and there's the the fire pit that we you
know the seniors and eighth grade do um
at the end of the year. Um, but that
space wouldn't take much to to uh
retrofit this. Um,
>> can everyone see where it's proposed?
Where
>> would Would you take down the old shed?
>> That little shed, I guess, to the left
of that. That's the uh like concession
stand shack, whatever you want to call
it. We would just we would move that a
little bit closer towards um
>> I guess home plate on the baseball
field, if you will.
>> Um just to create a little bit more
space for this. Um when I was doing uh
when I was getting quotes, uh the
electrician came over um
because of
there wasn't [clears throat] a lot of
there wasn't uh budgeted for certain
things in the past that that cable
that's run under the ground is direct
cable underground. There's no conduit
there. It's to a junction box. Um so so
something that we would do with this
project would be from that uh baseball
pump house um you know run new conduit
to this building house that electric uh
electrical panel inside instead of in
the ground uh that supplies the athletic
shed and our current shed and also goes
to the uh the scoreboard there for
softball and soccer on the baseball
softball multi-use field. Um,
and this is kind of a picture of what it
would look like. Um, I don't know if you
guys remember the last time I had the
the lean to on the side was where we're
going to contain salt. I I second
guessed myself. I don't think that's the
best spot for it. I think we should have
it separate from this building. Um, but
that would be where the uh the district
van uh would be parked is under that
[laughter] lead to so that um you know
if athletics is using it after hours,
they can return the van. They don't have
to open a garage door. We'll just have a
drop box like a garage would have. They
can drop the key in there and you know
it's still protected. We would never
have to shovel the snow off it or
anything like that. It's still protected
from the elements for the most part. Um
and then the the garages, the garage
doors would fit uh our equipment. Um you
know, three truck or two trucks, uh a
loader, a tractor, um lawn, uh we have
two lawnmowers, and then one bay would
be for our attachments for small
tractors and uh loader bucket and
attachments for that as well that we
have uh stored currently outside because
we don't have space inside. So the salt
this picture that like the blue picture
which has a six bay garage there there's
is there's another
>> yeah it' be a
>> 10t wide by 10t deep with 8ft walls with
just a a single flat roof flat roof but
>> next to it or behind
>> Yeah. It wouldn't be in this same spot.
>> But you're So you've gotten quotes for
all of these. So you've priced it out
>> with different people cuz typically we
do three.
>> So I haven't gone that far yet. I've
gotten one quote for each thing because
>> what I I really hate doing is if this is
not going to move forward, you've then
gone and pestered three three people for
each different thing. Um that would be
something we have to do when we move if
we were to move forward.
>> But you don't want to I don't want to go
and ruin a lot of relationships on
project that's never going to come to
fruition. So, I got one quote and we're
hoping that's kind of gives us a good
ballpark number. Um, and then if it were
to come to fruition, then we go ahead
and we get multiple different quotes for
for each part of the the project. And
this is the this is kind of broken down
into the bigger the bigger pieces. Um,
so the concrete foundation and site
prep, uh, that $58,400 that includes,
um, it's a 34 by 92 ft pad with a 3ft
knee wall around the outer edge. So that
you know when rain and whatever is is
falling off the building or we've got
trucks in there that are just coming off
from plowing, sanding, we then have that
separation of the metal structure from
the um from the salt that could
deteriorate the the structure. Um
>> perimeter drainage around it.
>> What's that?
>> Is there perimeter drainage
>> because that's wet all the time, right?
So, is there going to be anything that
you're going to put around the building
to keep the
>> That's where the paving comes in.
>> I mean, it rains there now.
That's what I want to ask you. When you
get into the paving, like what you're
looking at paving.
>> Yeah. Um
>> and then the building itself, um this
has gone up quite a bit. I know we
talked about it when I brought it to you
guys the first time. He said, "If you
know, if we kick this can down the road,
next time you bring it to us, it's going
to be $105,000 more. It end up being, I
think, only like $4 or $5,000 more, but
the longer we wait, those costs are
going to go up."
>> Um, and then electrical, this is from
the electrician that we use all the
time, uh, here on site. He was the one
that did the work originally when we
didn't have a good budget to do the work
and he's, um, you know, so he he knew
where everything was already. and Sigma
said that if we're going to do this, you
got to dig up the ground anyway. Let's
dig it up, do the electrical, right,
when we have the when we have the time
for it. And then uh the paving. So, I'll
go I can go back to the to the picture
of where the building was. I don't know
if you guys can see that.
>> Yeah. Where all the mudding pot is what
I was looking at.
>> Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So, so I guess uh you
can see that you can see the building
there. That's our current shed. We would
pave between that shed and the new
proposed shed. And then we would also
pave if you go to the picture where um
I'm kind of showing the location. Pave
from the back of the elementary school
parking lot. There's that access road
that goes um in front of the uh the
markup field there. Uh you'd pave a pave
a roadway to this space and then pave
between those two buildings. That's what
that paving included.
>> So would you be tying in floor drainage
from the new shed into paving drainage?
Because if you're going to have all the
salt and snow melting off that, you
don't want that just sitting in on the
concrete floor in there. You want all
that draining off. So, how how you
getting that out of the building and
away from anything else because the salt
content kill the trees,
>> Yeah. I
there's not
I mean it's tough because the closest
like I guess sewer drain and that the
space to the right of where I'm
proposing is a or it used to be a
protected wetlands. It's very dry for
the most part now. I don't know if
that's any different from what it what
it used to be. We'd probably have to
look into that.
>> It used to be protected. It's not
protected anymore.
>> I don't know.
>> And I've just heard through the grape
vine that there was a spotted turtle
sanctuary or something there.
>> Yeah, it was further back like that back
corner
>> area.
>> So, yeah, I guess that would just be a
question on
>> Yeah. How how are we going to tie in
drainage from that building? The
>> pre preferably
sewer, but something obviously. Yeah.
Okay.
>> Which is why I asked about
>> I um
it's obvious we have a need. I don't
disagree with that at all. Um and I like
that it's going to come. You haven't
even mentioned impact fees, but that
it's not going to be a cost to the
My only concern which we did to discuss
last time is sort of our long-term
planning in terms of that area back
there. And so that was my biggest
hesitation the last time was
not necessarily the cost but like we
have talked we have a fields committee
and we talked a lot the community talks
a lot about the track and we don't have
bleachers out there and there's like a
there's just a whole lot of things and
that's going to be um
so we're making it it is a need and no
doubt about that and it's not going to
cost taxpayers although they're not
going to know that because they don't
watch the board meetings and so they're
going to be like, "Oh my god, the
district's building a six thing and for
a loader. We didn't need any of that."
Anyway, regardless, it's going to be out
front and center for everybody to see.
And I don't think we have a long-term
plan about that that part of our
school. And that concerns me that we
don't have we haven't moved forward from
the last time you were here. I do
appreciate you've you know, you took the
like locker room out. you did you made
some adjustments and stuff and then you
heard what we were saying and I 100%
support this. What I don't support is
that we don't we don't have a plan. We
don't have a future plan for anything
else to share with our community that
we're building this and then in a year
we're going to do this and in a year
we're going to do this which we have
done with like our roofing and some of
our other projects have we had we set
aside money for paving and we you know
so we've we've done all these kind of
expensive things and even though
technically this isn't costing us
anything. It's a space that is has been
neglected for so many years and the
community
they're they're actively want
some input into what's going to happen
back there and we haven't made any kind
of improvements while we're improving
the locker room. Um but
>> we're accepting a donation.
>> Yeah, I know. But it is an improvement.
Yeah, that does help athletics. But
again, like I said, we've talked about
like there's no bleachers to watch a
game. There's I mean it's it's
>> you and I are on the same page 100% on
>> I think
for Josh's sake I think he has separated
this out from the athletics piece so
that he doesn't like this is what he
needs for his department. Like I I hear
you. I'm 100% on the same page. But he's
here on his own this time. Correct me if
I'm wrong. To separate that piece out
because there's a lot more conversation
there than there is here. So for Josh's
sake, I think as much as I agree like
it's it's hard because on one hand that
whole area as a whole we need to do
something with and have a plan for. But
I just wanted to
>> so thank you Courtney and and that is
exactly
>> absolutely accurate. We're all in 100%
agreement on we did intentionally
separate this. We think we as Josh
started very candidly the the
conversation beforehand is we all
recognize that there's there's a future
for for that area but it's really hard
for us to develop a future plan for an
area. Let's say you don't approve Josh's
project tonight and then we do all this
work to to approve this. So it's a
catch22 from our perspective, right?
>> So we did intentionally separate the
two. Not to say that there is no plan
for those things, but there is great
ideas and and thankfully we're at a
point now where we can tackle that
because thankfully thank uh Julie you
brought it up all those needs for paving
and roofing were in the boilers were the
major needs and we did develop and and
thanks to the board support, community
support and all the efforts of everyone,
we've gotten to to the point where the
needs are now taken care of and now we
can look at some wants and are and where
can we support those and how can we
support those going forward and then how
do you eat an elephant one bite at a
time and we think last time we bit off
too much to chew and it confused the
conversation because we didn't have
answers nor should we have answers
because we envision incorporating uh uh
lots of input right it's not just our
wants and needs it's the board's wants
and needs the community's wants and
needs and what can we develop and and
support and so we bit off too much last
time and I think that muddled the
conversation and it confused the
conversation. So, we're taking one bite
this time and and if we get this
approved and move forward, then the plan
is to develop the plan for that area and
what what is possible to give us the
athletic facilities that that the
community has been asking for. And I
think that's what I'm hearing echoes of.
and we want that too, but really we want
to be able to do it in a systematic way
and develop that plan and uh have an
understanding of it and that takes some
time and this is the first bite to
possibly help move that forward.
>> I will say that I
obviously on that same page that being
said at some point in somewhere we're
talking about this I would like to agree
and commit to actually meeting as a
facilities committee and starting this
conversation because
>> um The shed has become a need at this
point, which I understand separating it
out from everything, but the rest of it
is currently I would still put in the
want category, but it's going to very
quickly become a need. And I don't think
we want to be scrambling.
>> We're eager to do that, too, too.
>> And I don't like the I guess the the
thing is is that let's say let's say it
takes five years to get this like
facilities massive capital improvement,
not facilities, athletics plan. All of a
sudden, we have now we put this building
in we it's it's in the it could be
potentially be in the middle of I guess
maybe I'm maybe I don't love the
location because it's we're adding a
building to our a very large athletic
area that could potentially grow and the
whole thing could get a complete
overhaul for all we know. Who knows?
Maybe this town's going to be so
generous I'm going to donate millions of
dollars.
>> Robin's going to give it.
>> But when she went the lottery, I guess
where where am I? I mean, I say yes to
this, but the the the the what I'm stuck
on is that we're putting this permanent
building, moderately permanent building
>> in our I mean, it could be taken down. I
mean, it could be taken down just like
the locker room could be disassembled.
And um
>> I mean, we could take this.
>> Yeah, I know. No, I know. But I but now
it's it's it's it potentially could be
in the way of future growth for our So
like can it go somewhere else?
>> Do you Well, so I've done a lot of
thinking on that and
>> there's really no other place on on the
campus that we own now unless you want
to get rid of the elementary school uh
field out here. That would be honestly
that'd be a for me a better spot.
>> Um it's already flat. You throw a pad
out there. sewer line. We could tie
everything in. It runs right under this
road. Um, but then you're taking away
rec soccer. You're taking away
elementary school playground over here
or recess.
>> We get a lot of complaint from the
abutters.
>> What abouts?
>> Everybody lives in those apartments and
houses right behind that field.
>> I get a lot of complaints from the
parents. I guess THAT'S WHY THAT'S WHERE
I'm that's my I'm thinking in future
thinking about like a a potential
renovation of our athletic fields which
the community is wanting.
>> I still think that would be that would
be an addition to the space than a than
a subtraction to the space.
>> And I also don't think Sorry.
>> No, you're fine. I also don't think that
the athletic piece I don't want to say
the athletic piece doesn't happen
without something like this or
I just it this is kind of and that's how
kind of how we presented the last time
was this was the the first step into
into building that athlet athletic space
because the current garage out there
right now is a 24x4 foot twocar garage.
You close the two garage doors, you have
a brand new locker room space for those
athletic fields,
>> right? without without this.
>> Now you don't have that new locker room
space and you can't even take that first
step to say, "Okay, now we got a locker
room space where we can take the lockers
that were just donated or not or painted
or not [laughter] and they're they're
screwed in. They're screwed into the
wall. You unscrew them and now they're
>> I'm building them. I am building the
lockers.
>> That's fine. And I'll take a look at
them when they're done and I'll say
thanks but no thanks."
>> There you go. Can I ask just based on
what cuz you obviously reported some of
that last presentation. Based on what
you know and what's been hypothetically
talked about, is this going to interfere
with anything?
>> Is it in the middle of
>> We don't know. We don't We don't know.
>> I've had conversations with other
stakeholders that that want to spend
money um that want to spend money to
upgrade the athletic facilities and they
they want bleachers. Yes, I know that.
They want a nice nice new press box.
They want uh you know those spaces out
there that we already have to you know
the building the structure is already
built. We wouldn't tear it down. um we
would then retrofit the inside to then
house that space. And you know, those
are just the ideas that were, you know,
thrown at the wall. Um but we nobody in
those groups sees any of that moving
forward without without addressing the
needs for facilities first and allowing
those spaces to become available to also
expand athletics in that space.
>> Josh, question on the building itself.
Do you see a need for a wash bay in
there? Like water, things of that
nature?
>> You're going to have to an eyewash
station?
>> A what? No, he's talking about washing
the vehicles
>> for the maintenance of the vehicles and
everything else.
>> Um, the town lets us use that stuff.
That's something. So,
>> it's another 25 30,000 if you want to
put uh drainage and a leech field out
back there and, you know, build up all
these things. Um, and I think that's
getting getting too far. I mean, this
this building wouldn't have a a bathroom
in it. Um, you know, it wouldn't have
plumbing. It would have it's it doesn't
exceed the uh the limits that it needs
fire suppression. It's detached from the
from the school, detached from every
every other garage. We don't need a fire
suppression system. That was another one
of the big costs. Um, if you have it
here just right across the street, it's
not beyond 30 ft and you would need a
fire suppression system because of the
um because of the proximity to the
building. Um, because it's out there,
you don't you just need
>> fire extinguishers every I think it's 40
feet. It could
>> Don't quote me on that.
>> You would just need fire extinguishers.
Um, we are able to use the town has a
great system where they are. It's hot
water all year long. We can go there. We
can wash our vehicles and that's what we
do now. Um, and that's what we can could
continue to do.
>> Okay. Hypothetically, if this goes out
where it is, looking at that as the
nucleus of future plans, right?
>> The power that's being run there.
>> Is that future proofing for the power
that we would potentially need and
throwing it out there for lights,
everything else? Is that all being
incorporated in at this point rather
than paying twice for something later
on? You're talking about like lights on
athletic field.
>> That's gonna have to be upgraded anyway.
That's not
>> understood. But as they're digging,
putting conduits, everything else that
go out there or whatever
>> that's going to be the power we have now
and the power that supply this building
is coming from the baseball pump house
that would never be able to supply power
to lights on the field. We would then
have to that would be a bigger
excavation project coming from the
building itself across the parking lot.
>> So that's Yeah.
The reason for this proposal is because
you need a place to safely store the
vehicles that are that been purchased by
the school district
>> and protect our
>> need protection of vehicles. You need a
place to be able to repair the vehicles.
This is what this is all about,
>> Future needs of the athletic. That's a
total difference opinion.
>> It's not a need. That's something that
the summer retreat and further
discussions need to go out. We still
need to go out to the community because
I am not in agreement that this
community wants this gigantic athletic
facility in this town. That is that's a
total different subject. Further
investigation, surveys, you name it.
That all has to happen. This is about
making sure we can have a place that we
can store our vehicles properly, make
sure they're under protected weather,
make sure that they can be cleaned,
stored, repaired, all that. That's what
this is about, right? Yep.
>> So, just want to kind of bring that in.
>> It's not about the future effort.
>> Yeah. That's why I took that piece out
of this one because we kind of we get
down those avenues and that's why I
wanted to just focus on what everybody
wants.
>> Just focus on what our facilities needs
are now. Yeah.
>> Do we have impact? Do we have access to
$25,000
or more? Sorry, I caught you at a
battle. [laughter]
>> I have a dry cop and it comes at the
worst time.
>> What do we have for impact fees? Um, so
currently we have about well
>> 500,000.
>> There's two different things going on.
Um, we have the
repeater project that is coming up. Um,
we have a meeting next week with the
town to talk about that cost and the
shared expense for that.
>> Um, so some of that money is going to
have to come out of in fees. I'm sorry.
So given what I think is going to happen
during discussion with that keeping in
mind we'd have about $390,000
left.
>> After paying for the
>> after
it goes the way that
>> and we have that next week that meeting.
>> Y [clears throat]
So, it's not going to it's not going to
be taxpayers not going to have to
build,
>> Well, I'll support this. Uh I don't I
don't I don't love
>> I like to say things publicly just
because I don't love that we don't have
more of a plan, which is not all on you.
It's a district plan. Um I think we're
getting a little ahead of ourselves.
However, I do think that the need is
pretty significant. Um, and you've
looked at the at our um site and there's
nowhere else to put it. So, I trust you
on that. I just don't love that. I do
think there's a lot of work to be done
around um athletics and I do think it is
I think there are some that are very
passionate about um improving our
athletic fields and some people in our
community who say it's not a need. And
so I think it is I think it's it's a big
conversation we've been putting off for
a very long time and the time is because
I'm going to tell you as soon as that
shed goes up you're going to hear it.
>> But I think you're going to hear I agree
with Robin. They're separate
conversations
>> but I also agree with Josh.
>> It's the start of that conversation and
it is time. I agree with we got to
start.
>> We're all in a complete agreement
>> and this is where the December routine
will be. Let's nail down what people
think are important for capital
projects.
>> Yeah. What's our I mean, and again,
what's our plan? What's what's the
what's the how are we going to how are
we going to start talking about this?
Not even making it happen. How are we
going to start?
>> Again, I would let's take the vote on on
this,
>> but they're
tied. So, I I it's it's not fair to say,
well, let's just vote yes on this
because we're we're essentially putting
it. So we would create that committee
and make sure that committee started
meeting and having and and having um
>> everyone has has expressed it. It would
it would start having those meetings
conversations. Even the board currently
is split on what that whatever that ends
up being. Um, but we have we owe it to
the community and it is a conversation
that we all can agree has it's been a
long time coming and and so we have to
have that conversation and we will
continue to have that conversation and
bring those updates back and whether
it's surveys whether it's uh through
other recommendations and and we will
continue and develop that project
whether it comes to fruition maybe maybe
not [clears throat] but at least we'll
develop that project and get those
answers.
A couple more questions. Courtney,
>> two um one, can we please set a date and
like to get this committee together to
actually start this application because
I feel like [clears throat] it's just
going to continue to fuel other
conversations like this one right now
and I think Julie and I are both
ready to get this actual conversation
started in
>> when would you like to get it started?
>> 8:30.
>> Couple months. [laughter]
>> I will do that. Let's go
>> at the summer retreat. I would like to
get people's opinions of what they feel
are the top three projects that this
district should be focusing on long
>> term the discussion
>> yes but that's we've already talked
about this committee like that's top
three but we also need to have this
conversation in general even
>> conversation about the athletics
>> the facilities and fields in general
whether it's maintaining fields anything
like that that conversation needs to be
had and started because it is a need for
many
>> didn't we get rid of the fields didn't
we get rid of the athletic committee
>> we We we weren't doing it yet.
>> We created one beginning
>> that Julie and I are both on. So, we did
create that committee.
>> There's a new there's a new committee,
>> I think it's just from from Courtney,
from the district perspective,
>> the future of facilities and athletics,
>> we we are ready to go. Okay.
>> But I also respect Robin's understanding
if the board needs more further
conversation on August 13th, but if you
want to start it sooner, we can put it
out sooner. I leave that up to you.
>> Okay. Second question,
>> who's on this committee?
>> Well, right now we have to discuss the
makeup of the committee, but
>> we haven't even got that part.
>> Well, ironically, the board members have
been selected. So, you need to select
the other members
>> can come next
>> meeting with a per idea of what that
committee makeup would be easily
>> or or or at least the members like who
from the doesn't have to be names, but
it's like we need two community members.
Yeah. Yeah.
>> Correct. That's what I did. Yeah. Second
question to bring it back to a
facilities thing. I understand it's not
the most ideal spot, but it's where it
has to go.
How confident are you that we can solve
this drainage issue? And
>> with pavement, it solves the issue.
>> Okay. So, it's going to drain all of
that. It's going to keep it away from
the trees and all of that stuff and
drain it to where it needs to go. like
all that salt water and
>> well I guess back to where Matt's you
know we go and spray the trucks off at
the town. We're not sitting there
spraying the salt salt water off of the
>> trucks and then going into this
>> turtle sanctuary or
>> the salts there turtle turtle.
>> I mean it dries out every summer now. I
can't see a turtle living there. Would
you um you know the entrance like the
outhouse is [clears throat] right there
and there's like the walkway entrance
>> uh by the baseball field
>> next to the you know that little
entrance there but you can't pull a
vehicle in there. But would you pave
that?
>> It is. [clears throat]
>> No, it's rocks.
>> Well, it's that's where I'm talking
about paving is from the elementary
school all the way to the shed.
>> I I'm just talking it's paved up that
like that area. That's what I'm talking
>> Okay. You're going to paving You're
going to pave that all the way up.
You're going to pave that.
>> Well, we can pave a spot for
>> Yeah. [clears throat] I'm I'm saying the
reason I'm saying that is for
accessibility.
>> It's not that that walkway for some
people is not very accessible.
>> If we're going to pave it,
>> if we're going to pay If we're going to
pay
>> if we're going to But if you weren't
because you're paving really for
vehicles, right? But that's not the
vehicle entrance. Maybe you're going to
widen that. Are you going to widen that?
>> No, the vehicle entrance is further
down.
>> Yes. Yes. And you're going to pave that.
But also just
>> Yeah. Just get rid of the road.
>> It's already paved up the little the
little hill through the gate and then it
stops and it stops and then
it's going to be there to make it.
>> Am I Am I right? It still works. It will
make it more accessible. It needs to be
more handicapped.
>> Yes. Yep.
>> Can I get a motion? Can I just make one
other comment because it been made I
know. I'm sorry, but it's been made that
there's no tax impact, but I think it's
worth stating that anytime a new
building goes up, there's a tax impact
maintaining it.
>> Right. There is still a cost that is
associated with that.
>> Yeah. So, just want to put that out
there. It's
>> with uh this electrical quilt that I
got, they're putting in uh you know, new
LED lighting. Um so, it's
>> low impact and you know, we would be we
wouldn't be using the the garage that's
out there now. We would still be using
the same amount of electricity, I guess,
in another garage. Yes. That other
garage would potentially be repurposed
at another time,
>> but use less than this would be.
>> Yes. No, it I think
>> I do recognize that.
>> Yeah, it's still creating a building.
It's gonna cost more to maintain.
>> If in two months if in two months when
we're sitting around budgets and you're
like, "Oh, yeah. My budget went up
$20,000 because the because of the shed,
we're going to be like,
>> "All right, Josh,
>> can I ask one more question for
everyone? What's the material of the
shed?"
>> Steel.
>> Okay. Thank you. That's all I need to
>> [laughter]
>> So, can I get can I get a motion to
approve the project so that Josh can
move forward with getting the three
quotes that we need to the final cost
and start uh start making plans for
construction?
>> I'll make a motion to accept the
proposed um building plan that Josh has
presented this evening.
>> I will.
>> All right. Moved by Julie, seconded by
Courtney. All those in favor say I.
>> All opposed? None. Pass 5.
We just had to make you work for it,
Josh. Sorry.
>> Last time I think we would have got a
32. I'm also I'm
[laughter] But we we couldn't just give
it to you. We just had we had to make it
>> I had to work for the turf tank, too.
You're not I can't wait to invite you
out to when we're using it for the
parking lot this summer.
I was going to say I was going to say an
email to us because the contractor doing
the seal coating has also wants to come
out and take a look at it so that he can
potentially imp
Julie we'll make a video. I mean I might
be I'm
>> I got to do the paving over here first.
Busy summer
meetings negotiation
>> after using it for a full year that has
no text. Can you text me on Monday? It's
um phenomenal. Make sure make sure you
get that when you come for your budget
and everything.
>> No, no, no. Not this Monday. It's the
Monday after Monday, right?
>> But if you could just cuz those are the
type of things.
>> I just don't want to forget.
>> Yeah. And not only that, like we could
do the trident in the trident in the
fields for
soccer, football, you know, we did a
homecoming logo, you know, senior day
for softball. We did the the numbers for
the seniors in the field. Um there's so
many things you can do. I can't wait to
finish.
But at least it's a remote.
>> Well, I guess
I would never do it to the public.
>> No, it was just it was just it was just
committee. I'm
>> Thank you, Josh.
>> Thanks for hanging out with us.
Have a good day.
>> It's the last one.
>> No, we're actually off until August
right now.
>> And then for pair of professional
negotiations, I know I set the dates or
the ground rules.
>> Yep. Uh, so did did you and Courtney
have a chance to to talk about those and
send anything back or were you happy
to talk about
>> ground rules?
>> No. Oh, good. I reviewed them. They
>> I reviewed them. They look
>> Okay, fantastic. I'm sure we'll be
looking forward to starting to get some
updates from you guys once the
negotiations start having that set.
>> Yep. Monday the 27th.
>> Nice. Good. All right. Well, I keep my f
fingers crossed for that it goes
smoothly. Uh, let's see. Policy
>> Well, I have a couple things on
superintendent.
>> You want to do all you want to say that
to do it with the superintendent? Okay.
Uh, let's see. Wellness didn't meet. Uh,
let's see. Emergency management.
>> Let's see. Future.
>> No, we haven't.
>> We got to get that going.
>> Uh, let's see. Turn loses over. That's
it. All right. So we're pretty much all
caught up in except for policy and I
guess we'll include that as part of the
superintendent report.
>> Uh in that case, Bill,
>> uh so two things. One is I want to thank
our we had our professional development
master plan. Uh this is uh up every 5
years and we have a certain makeup of
committee members uh that's required by
the state and we went through that
process and so we have that new master
plan um for your perusal. What it
requires though is is is it requires
your approval and then I submit it to
the state and the state then gives us
their feedback or approval on it and
it's just part of that process.
There was quite a bit of uh input. Um we
had uh uh several teacher representation
uh representatives, the pair of
professionals and also the nurses and we
went through with administration and we
updated it and we're very pleased that
the professional development plan we
felt is something that's very positive
and and very supported by the whole
committee and we wish to move forward
with that and so we need your approval
of the plan uh as part per per the
requirement so then I can submit it to
the state so we can move forward with
And when do you need to have it
submitted to the state by?
>> Well, at this point ASAP because it we
wish it they do have a very quick
turnaround, but we do want it before the
start of the new school year.
>> I mean, this is
a pretty lengthy document.
>> It is a very and I I I have not looked
it over. I I perused it. Um I'm not
really comfortable approving it. Um, it
also would be helpful to know what's
changed. Um, like we do with handbooks.
So, I'm sure this is a duplicate in some
form of what the previous one was with
some update. Somebody went through and
updated it. I
>> So, we updated it quite significantly
and and so I can give you a copy of the
old one. So, the graphics are updated.
Um, there are very a lot of the forms
are some of the same. That that is
accurate. But um to say that we do not
have like uh like we do with policy with
where here's [clears throat] some yellow
changes and here's the old one. The
changes were quite a bit significant
that that that is not possible. But I
can easily give you a link to the old
one if you wish to look at the last
year's or the last it was in place for
five years.
>> That would probably be
>> but if others have [clears throat]
feel comfortable approving it and I I I
wish to move forward with it. But um if
I if you need more time I understand.
>> Right. So I guess how how many people
have had a chance to read through the
entire
>> I just breeze through it. I would need
more time to read through it. It's it's
a hefty document.
>> It is it is it's it's not it's not a
small plan.
>> I don't want to approve something
>> with the board.
>> You do?
>> Yeah. So I
>> can it wait two weeks?
>> It can wait two weeks. It will have to
wait two weeks.
>> I actually think it's three. Is it three
weeks? But wait either way, whatever the
next meeting.
>> Yes. What But what But what But what But
what But What But What But What But What
But What But What But What What But What
What But What What But What What But
What What But What What But What What if
we don't wait that long? What if we
>> I don't think we
>> Oh, we can't we can't do it unless we do
it in a meeting. Okay.
>> I think we're fine.
>> But we would have to uh approve it at
that meeting.
>> Yeah. I will make a point to review
[cough and clears throat]
and send over any comments that I might
have. Um
>> Perfect.
>> Yeah, I would certainly encourage
anybody you see something, email Bill
immediately. That way anything that
needs to be addressed can be
>> addressed prior prior to
>> Yeah. Because we want to approve it in
two weeks. We don't want to come back
and have questions in this and say, "Oh,
come back with us another two weeks with
your answers to this." Correct. Get your
questions in, right?
>> Get everything done and then Okay.
>> And anybody who has [clears throat] any
questions, we'll discuss them all here
in public so the public understands what
we what we found and what what the
changes were. But yeah, let's try and do
whatever we can to make sure we have a
final product on the 4th. [snorts] I
think it is. Yeah, like that.
>> Six.
Can I just ask that you do send a copy
of the old just for someone who's read
>> I will send it out tomorrow.
>> Thank you for all of us.
>> I need you to know what I'm looking at.
>> Yeah. So I'll be like, "Yeah, it looks
great." [laughter]
>> All right. So we will we will table we
will table the profession professional
development master plan till the first
meeting in August. Uh the next thing I
have for you and coincidentally it is
from the um um from the the football
boosters and they have a proposal and
I'm informing you of this because it
does not exceed uh anywhere near the
10,000. Um they wish to improve the
press box um improvement project. It is
long overdue like a lot of those things.
They have safety and accessibility
concerns. So the stair rails and the and
the rails at the top, they're going to
replace those so that to improve the
safety and the good access to that. Uh
they also wish to uh make sure that the
structural integrity is there, address
any deteriorating flooring and weather
proofing because there's some weather
damage uh inside that's just not being
mitigated the appropriately. Um then
they want to um expand some of the
broadcasting and scoring equipment and
and looking at that. Um that is not um
uh part of this uh donation but that is
future plans for this
but then protect the facility from
further weather damage. I've already
talked about and pest infiltration um
and then just enhance the impairments of
of the whole athletic complex. So, it's
a minor um facelift of the press box is
what I'm informing you of. They've
estimated that this would not cost
anywhere uh near $5,000. They have the
site preparation, staircase, foundation,
all of that at 2,000, the deck and
staircase construction at $2,200. Um and
then the exterior improvements are power
wash and and and um some of those
things. So, it is well under the the the
the dollar amount and they wish just to
give it a a facelift and I'm informing
you of that.
>> Ken, who owns the press box?
>> We own the press box. It is a school.
>> So, this would be a gift that they would
be giving to us.
>> Correct.
>> To upgrade the press box,
>> correct?
>> So, earlier we were talking I said, "Oh,
who's the president of the boosters?"
And you said you weren't quite sure.
Well, so this is from um
>> who's I guess
>> Scott Cookish is is who who's
[clears throat] developed this proposal
and I guess so I've had conversations uh
around that. I don't know if he's the
president or not. So that's where I
>> I think we need to get that in alignment
um that [clears throat] you should
probably be communicating with either
their board or their president and if
it's him great but like
>> it can't just be a community member.
>> No no
>> who's involved in the boosters. And I
just think that we need if if we're
going to be having these kind of um this
kind of collaboration, we need to be
very clear on and so that we're not, you
know, he's saying this, but who is he in
regards to
>> I [clears throat] will get that answer
for you.
>> It has to come from the board.
>> So their board has obviously discussed
this work and whatever and he's the
representative. Again, I just don't know
if he's the president.
>> I just think we need to know that we're
communicating with and that the if he is
the president, great. And if he's not
that the president is is it's all it's
all it's all
>> you know and it's not a bad thing if we
we should have somewhere on record who
is in charge of the effing new market.
>> I will get that for you and it does
change and it has changed but I will get
that for you. Yeah.
>> No and that's it for uh [clears throat]
for for for me. Um other than we we've
had our our leadership retreat with the
administrators for the past 2 days and
the feedback has been overwhelmingly
very positive um in our team building
and moving forward with administrative
responsibilities and planning for the
district. I have to say um some have
said it was the the best we've had in in
the six years and so it was really
really uh good work.
>> So we're very proud of that. When you
say administrator retreat,
>> it's the full district leadership team.
So,
>> district. So, it's not just
administrators.
>> It is not just administrators. It
includes our building.
>> Yes. I just want to be clear. We we we
>> middle management as we've been
affectionately calling some of those
>> leadership team.
>> Leadership team.
>> District leadership team. Great. Yes.
>> We're still working on those muddy
roles.
>> I know. I'm sorry to be so difficult
tonight, but
>> that was good.
>> All right. Uh so [clears throat]
then let's move on to policy. We've got
uh JR got several of them.
>> A couple get rid.
>> Um Oh, and I guess I I I want to
frontload this since I uh attended the
last policy meeting just to kind of get
my my toes wet on how the policy
committee works. Um if if anyone on the
board has some feedback or thoughts
about policy JICD,
>> if you wouldn't mind emailing them to
either me or Robin and we'll take those
back because we're going we're going to
be talking about next week.
>> Next week. Yeah.
>> Yeah. Um, and I know that's one that
we've we've already had some
conversations about, but if you have
some thoughts about areas that uh stick
out to you about what what needs focus
or improvement, if you want to send
those off to us so we can start having
some of those discussions at the policy
uh committee level, I think that would
be great.
>> When do you need them?
>> Uh before uh before 9:00 a.m. on
Tuesday.
>> Were they
the first?
>> I thought it was good. I thought it was
good. I was I I think
>> I liked being critiqued. It was a lot.
>> No, it was it was it was uh it was
impressive to be a part of because there
were quite a few things that were uh
cross referenced to go into the policies
that we were talking about and then a a
lot to think about for planning for
future stuff.
>> We have a lot more work coming up as you
know.
>> There's so many that are required policy
upgrade updates plus all the stuff that
>> we as a board are trying to make a
priority to update to get on top of.
It's never
>> we just Yeah, we just
>> we just reviewed that or reapproved it
on November 6, 2025. So it's it's fresh.
>> Okay. Uh so uh I guess why don't I turn
it over to Robin and Bill for
>> this first of two.
>> Yeah, right. Yeah. So JR AR is student
records and information access first
read. Very minor changes. If you look at
section F, there's some language that's
added in there around parents are being
eligible. Uh, students shall be provided
with a notice of rights under FURPA.
It's just making sure that that
publication is is in our student
handbooks andor on our our website as
well as one of those requirements. And
then uh if you uh go down a little bit
further, um uh there's another area
that's added. It says the school
principal is responsible for record
maintenance, access and destruction of
all student records. School principal
will ensure that all records are
maintained in accordance with
applications. And then the director of
student services is the one responsible
for any of the special education records
and making sure that those meet all
those compliances. And that is uh the
most of it except for the very end. Uh
there's eyes fees for copying andor
mailing records. We just wanted to make
sure that this page stayed updated. Um,
and it's going to be 25 cents per page
uh copied plus postage if that. That is
hardly ever charged anymore, by the way,
because most of the it's digitally um
exchanged when people ask for it. But it
is something that we do have to review
if paper copies are are requested.
>> The only thing I wanted to find when I
found that it was 25
cents per side
>> per side. It goes onto a double-sided 50
cents per document.
>> Kingston charges $3.
>> Per copy.
>> Per copy. Okay.
>> So, if you have any questions, uh that
is first read. Uh please get them to me,
Robin, or Ben. Uh any uh uh updates or
concerns around J.
The next one is EBBa,
use locations of automated external
defiills.
Um and and this is a first read. So
again, there's some highlights in here,
very minor. Under D, uh it's it says the
school nurse in in coordination with the
superintendent's office will maintain a
record of all maintenance which has been
performed on the AEDs. And then E, uh,
also in coordination with the
superintendent's office, those two lines
were added, um, just to make sure that
the nurses have done an excellent job of
maintaining them, doing their checks on
them, and replacement of batteries and
pads also have to be replaced every two
years. We just wanted to make sure that
that was since they're district-wide,
um, pieces of equipment that we will be
keeping records of that at the SAU
office as as well. And that's it for uh
that one.
>> Do we get that? I think the question
came up. Do we have that done through
Cintas or something?
>> Not on this one. That is the um um fire
extinguishers and uh other things. This
is not Cintas. This is our nurses have
that responsibility.
>> Um and they just like syntax. There's
little check boxes that it's done and
when it's done and they sign off on it
being done. And it's just basically
monthly checks on the batteries, uh,
making sure they're charged and and and
in place. And then the pads also have,
uh, expiration dates, and there's always
two sets of pads, uh, uh, an adult set
of pads and a child set of pads that
have to be replaced when they expire.
>> Yeah. And then you notice from the
meeting, I remember
said approved personnel. [clears throat]
I don't want I want to know who the
approved person is. Nurse, whatever. I
want to know who it is.
>> So, um and that that
>> um the next two are actually u coming to
try to as we go through our
our policies. There's 80 required
policies in New Hampshire, roughly 80
required policies and another 40 or so
recommended policies. We have well over
240 policies in in Eping right now. And
so we're really going through thanks to
the effort of the policy committee and
and also uh Sarah Sauier is just such a
wellorganized person. She's she's really
making uh quite a list of keeping us on
task. Uh but GBGBA
use of automated external defiills is
being recommended to be rescended
because it's redundant uh with other
policies that we already have in place.
>> [clears throat]
>> Um, we'll put that on for a second read.
Um, and you can have that conversation
then. And then the last one is KFD.
Also, use of automated external
defibrills. Again, this was previously
GB GBA. We have both. I don't know how
that happened. One wasn't rescended when
the other one was replaced. So, now
we're recommending the resension
of both. [laughter]
>> Uh, it's been a long night. Mhm.
Welcome.
>> So, that's it for policy update and we
will be having more coming.
>> Well, we're getting good because when I
was a school board member before, we had
over 800 policies in our district.
>> What? [snorts]
>> And a lot of them weren't policies. They
were directives, which is a big
difference.
>> So, we're getting good with 200.
>> Can't even imagine trying to keep track
on those.
>> I was on the policy committee back then,
too.
personnel.
>> Uh so I'm very uh um uh well, first I'd
like to take uh the uh Cheryl Bennett uh
EEES math and literacy intervention
teacher nominee. Cheryl has been with us
um and she has a great deal of
experience if you've had a chance to
look through her resume in this area. Um
and so we're very pleased to have Cheryl
came on as a PAR professional and now
we're moving and she was interested in
the literacy intervention uh teacher
nominee. So, I uh with excitement, I'm
nominating Cheryl Bennett for the EES
math and literacy intervention teacher.
>> All right. So,
>> I'll make a motion to accept Cheryl
Bennett uh for the position of EES math
and literacy teacher nominee. Is that
that to that's replacing
>> Daniel Katti? Yep.
>> She's a pair of professional
>> in title one.
>> Oh, excuse me. Title one. I think title
that's what title
>> yes [clears throat]
>> yeah she's already currently here
>> moved by Julie seconded by all those in
favor
>> I
>> perfect
>> uh so um uh we do have resignation EMHs
special education Rebecca Lal um I wish
her the best moving forward uh sometimes
that that happens where we just need
other opportunities and So, I wish
Rebecca the best, but I do have the
resignation of our special education
teacher, EMHs.
>> I will make a motion to accept the
resation of Rebecca.
>> Second by Courtney. All those in favor
>> I. All those opposed.
So, I just wanted to give you a brief
because you always often ask. Um, we are
still in a very great position and and
honestly, we've been this is the best
we've been in um um at this time of
year. EMHS does have a special education
teacher opening. Um we will fill that
with contracted service if not possible
to to fill it with with um a nominee.
And we will have a long-term substitute
in Spanish. We have not found that
person yet. That's just due to to um a
teacher um
leave. Um
>> did we I do I do I know did we do that
we did that recently? We maybe I missed
>> No. So we have um this is um where I
>> we have a pregnancy and and so she will
be leaving and I'm informing you that we
will be having a long-term substitute in
Spanish for for the start of the the
>> Okay. Sorry. Gotcha.
>> Yep. Yep. No worries. It's all
>> I was like, did I miss something? Did I
miss I did we have Spanish teacher.
>> So, it's all connected. So, that's it
for EMHs as in our professional staff
positions. EES, uh, we just we did have
obviously the math and literacy, but now
we have Cheryl Bennett um coming in
there. And then we will have a long-term
substitute grade one teacher. That one
you did, uh, have come before you for a
medical need. Um, and then we will uh
need a long-term substitute for prek
occupational therapists if we can find
that. If not, it will be filled with a a
contracted service. But really, we're in
really good shape. Um, there's been
times where we've had a lot more
vacancies and a lot more turnover. So,
I'm very pleased to to be where we're at
right now. Um, I won't go into all the
details. We're always looking for some
pair of professionals, always looking
for uh some of those, but other than
that, that's where we're at.
I I mean I think at this point it's safe
to say that and I'm sure Sarah Sauier is
all over this but it's time it's it's
July 16th. We have to contract for
special ed. We cannot we cannot hire for
those positions. I imagine she's
>> well on our way well on our way but but
it's we can't wait. We just have to
contract for
>> No. And we will, and I have to say
thanks to Sarah's efforts, um, we have
contracted, we will be contracting, um,
and that just requires a 60-day notice.
If we are to fill it with, um, a
permanent position, we just have to
carry that 60-day notice for for the
contracted service.
>> So, it's it's a good
>> contracted services are everywhere.
>> No, they are. I mean, they're taking
over the whole entire medical field as
well. Contracted everything.
>> Just can't find the people
>> to fill the positions. We currently have
14 film contracted employees
>> all these ones
>> pair of professionals and and some of
the other OT's and yes
>> we may not know the answer to this but
with are we confident we'll find a
long-term sub for Spanish because here
I'm thinking that we now only have one
foreign language teacher in EMHs
>> Courtney I wish to say that I I would
tell you I'm confident um but every
district has struggled with world
language quite significantly.
>> Um so we will do our best for our
students as we always do
>> and we will continue to look but to be
completely honest no I would not say
with confidence I don't know what the
solution will be at this moment.
Obviously, it's just hard to
>> No, I know.
>> We already cut our French program and
now we have to find someone who knows
sign language. A lot of our sign
language.
>> Well, it's not quite that simple, Robin,
because we have current students that
are in the Spanish program.
>> Wonder if we could somehow offer
signage.
>> Wait, are both Spanish teachers going to
be? Well, is the other Spanish teachers?
>> One will be here. Yeah. Okay.
>> And one is not starting the year.
>> Not starting the year.
>> Okay. Um,
yeah. I mean, I think that's a bigger
question. It it it reminds me of our
steam question, our steam problem is in
and how do we we've I know there's been
discussions around the middle school and
the middle school schedule and we we
obviously would want to offer Spanish to
our middle schoolers. However, I think
we need to prioritize our high schoolers
and it's not ideal because it's great
for kids to take Spanish one in in 8th
grade if possible. But
>> now like they're all they're all losing
out. You know what I mean? So, I mean, I
think I think it needs to be, you know,
we need to make sure our high school
students are earning credit from a
qualified person. You know, we can't put
a long-term sub in Spanish 3 and say go
teach um if if they're not qualified.
And I'm not even saying certified. I'm
saying qualified.
>> I I got to pick it up what you're
putting down.
>> So, I'm just saying that like yeah, I
think we need need to rethink it.
Foreign language has been a pro. It's
been difficult. It's been difficult.
>> Have have I'm just going to put this out
there. Um have have any of the students
gone to be Alex for Spanish?
>> Our students have not uh
um they like our teachers and so I would
say the majority of our students are
taking the the the Spanish with our
teachers, but I have heard of that
elsewhere. Um um and I can't say
definitively if we don't have one or two
students that might have taken that
course because scheduling or whatever,
but for the most part I I I would say
our students are very pleased with our
our current Spanish teachers and and
have have taken them with them
>> that there's no teachers available to
come in house. That is an option.
>> It is
an option and I think that needs to be
made available. A lot of the a lot of
the Spanish students, they just really
like because there's teachers that will
require them to only speak Spanish in
the classroom. So, it immerses them. And
I know many children, many students come
out of that Spanish 2 class this past
year, their freshman year, um, feeling
like they learned a lot more because
they're immersed in the language. You
really don't know how much you don't
know. you get dropped into Spain for 10
days after taking a year of the Spanish
and realizing you don't have the best.
>> We all have the same concerns and we'll
work our best to find solutions to best
meet the needs of our students.
>> Are there any remote options like any
teachers are offering to do stuff?
>> Well, that's where Vlax comes in. um
which is a bit [clears throat] more
asynchronous not synchronous as as
you're proposing we will explore
anything and everything at this point um
to to fulfill what we can
>> ma'am all right thank you very much uh
moving on uh financial business and
district services
you have anything to say
>> no I I mean I can just do it under any
comment but we had our audit this week
so um
the auditors were there high force and
um very successful like they didn't find
any findings. So that's always good to
[laughter] know that we're always their
first district that we do where I'm I
always schedule the very first one of
the week. So books close and I'm ready
to roll. So they're always very happy
that when they show up I'm ready even
though we're just closing out books. Um
so it was great. They're not coming back
tomorrow because they got what they
need. But of course, they'll still come
after me for things. So, I should have
our exact number where we end. They hope
to get me the adjusting journal entries
by maybe Monday. So, um I will know the
exact fund balance of where we're ending
our year within the week.
>> Yeah. So, that the only update I have at
the moment. So I I had one uh piece of
uh financial business come up and this
came from the Boris and um so I'm coming
down to us we we own 12 acres of land
>> I don't know I'm the only one that knew
this this is wild
>> so we we own 12 acres of land behind the
safety complex. Um, and the reason this
came up is uh they were tested to make
use of that cliff and the boy scouts.
Apparently, it's gotten quite overgrown.
There's fair amount of poisoning and so
they they thought that they would see
the town take it over and deal with
voice things like that. And they
discovered that the town doesn't own it.
Uh, so they fell fell into our lady. We
had quite a bit going on last month. So
I I elected to wait till now to put this
before all of us and [clears throat]
and after speaking with Jake, they are
just they have offered this as purely
just a way to get the the ball rolling.
It's all kind of factf finding and
everything at this at this point. But I
thought it was worth bringing to the
board and saying, "Hey, we have this
land. It's not that far away. We've
talked about some projects that would
require land to to do." Um, so
we don't need to necessarily come to any
decisions tonight, but I think it's
worth taking a look through this, see
where it is. There is there's access to
it. Um, obviously we wouldn't be able to
probably necessarily walk from campus
down there for things, but I don't know
if that's necessarily a deal breakaker,
per se. Uh, but I think it's worth at
least having some future conversation on
do we want to keep all the land? would
we entertain potentially
separating part of it? Um I also think
that when we talk about again it' be a
good idea to have have the Boy Scouts
leadership here because they're also
listed as some of the the caretakers for
the land. So I think it would only be
appropriate that all of us that are the
uh the current land owners should be in
the room having the discussion when we
have it. But I at least wanted to get
this on the radar for everybody. Um, I
did also kind of quote the idea by Jake
about at least going down and maybe
taking a walk through. So, um, I'll just
ask, this is a little struggle question,
but if I could get that arrange, how
many people would be interested in
trying to do that? It would have to be
wrong on a weekday.
Everybody wants
>> We're all curious. Yeah.
>> I can't I can say that I actually know
that land well. I spent a lot of time on
that land growing up because my my
parents um live in that house across
from the town hall. Um my mom used to
own that daycare back there. So I spent
a lot of time in that woods. It is a
really cool space. Um I will say a lot
of it around the river bank is a pretty
can be a steeper drop off to the river.
Um but it is a really cool space back
there. Um it did get overgrown. It did
get a little poison ivy e. Um, and I
just want to throw it out there, I'm
sure we all will, that
ideally I think it would be great for us
to keep it, but at the end of the day,
whoever is going to make the best use
out of it, because I do think it's a
really cool piece of land that we should
utilize to the best of the population.
So, I
do think that we should all think of a
little field trip.
>> It's painful. It's peaceful. It's cool.
It's I think we can do a lot of cool
things with it whether it be us or it
also has rightway access from correct
daycare does have trail access to it as
well because that trail actually runs
behind that daycare as well into that
land.
So Ben, if you want us to help organize
that or if you want to contact Jake and
let him know that we're all interested
in the not too distant future, but by
all means, please take some time to read
through the original D and some of the
write up that came along with this that
they did a very nice job of marking
everything out on the property map and
>> Um,
1914
>> I bet Cliff Craig knows a lot about that
>> I'm sure [laughter and clears throat] he
does. the boy scout
>> and and that's why I want to have the
leadership from the Boy Scout troop here
because they are they are
>> I can I can help you with that. My son a
lot of like just town history in general
things that happened to the town's
people back there and all that.
>> So by all means please read through give
it some thought. Um I think I kind of
lean on Bill and Christine a little bit
to think uh you know we have had some
conversations about you know our
football facilities, track facilities,
things like that. Granted, it wouldn't
necessarily be right on campus, but I
don't know that that's necessarily
>> We have a van.
>> Yep, that's right. We have a van now.
>> And it's within walking distance of the
school.
>> It is within
>> um it could be could be from the track
and still be offered up with
recreational space, too. So, I don't
know that it necessarily needs to be
completely exclusive to the school, but
all things that I think are worth
considering talk about next time.
>> Um so, just want to make sure I got that
to you guys and and
timely manner that we're not by
everything else. I will reach out to
Jake if everybody's got some pretty
relative uh availability. I'll talk to
him. I think he will send another doodle
invite when we all make it for a vlog
and uh I'm sure we can get that
scheduled fairly short.
>> Do you have the whole Do you have the
whole deed?
>> I've got everything. It's all in the
>> I do I do this
to
goats.
>> We brought them up to the high school to
do all this
>> bring
the extra land.
>> But yeah, I think if we're going to talk
about the same, we should have here as
well. They are
>> forget the
terminology. We own it, but they are
part of the decision process.
facilities
forever.
just so I'm clear.
I don't want to
>> I can um with Julie's help find out who
the head of the Boy Scouts is
>> and then invite them to the next
>> No, but he's still involved. But I I can
give you the names of the board members.
Um and if you want probably the board
would be the best people.
>> Perfect. Thank you.
>> Uh let you know that those people are.
So, uh, let's see. So, that I think is
it for financial district with us. We
got minutes. So, we have the public
hearing minutes from June 11. Those were
real short.
>> That was a quick
>> uh anybody any questions or comments
about the public hearing minutes from
>> I'll take a motion.
>> I'll second that.
>> All right. Move by second by Julie. All
in favor say I. I.
>> All oppose.
>> Sorry. Can I just ask a question?
>> You can.
>> Um only because I wasn't present.
>> I did the minutes but
Well, because you were
>> I was I did it remotely from home. So,
>> but you were on the you were on the
phone for the meeting.
>> No, because you lost power in the dark.
>> That was the public hearing.
>> No, for the
public.
>> You were here for the public. I just
want to make sure
that was real short.
>> That one was very very
pass.
>> All right. The session minutes from June
18th. This is when you weren't
physically.
>> I did. Yes.
>> So you
say you you were still present because
you were on the phone. You had to hear
>> Okay. I just want to make sure I'm going
the right way. Uh, so I reached out to
Sam and just had one minor correction.
It originally said YouTube
u,
but that was the only issue I found with
the minutes.
>> Anybody else? No. Okay. Uh, can I make a
motion for the deliverance?
>> Moved by second by Matt. All in favor?
zero. uh public meeting from June 18th.
>> You do need to note in there somewhere
that it was a roll call vote. Yes, it
was because like we did with the meeting
that I was I forget policy at one point
>> okay
>> it doesn't spec it just needs to
specifically say that
>> okay so
pass as amended
>> so if I get a motion for the meeting
minutes as amended so moved
>> by second by all in favor say
I
pass
then
pretty short.
Anybody else?
No comments. Can I get a motion to
approve the public meeting?
>> Second by. All those in favor say I.
>> All those opposed? Any extensions?
5. All right. Manifest.
>> [snorts]
>> You got a lot to do.
Okay. Deposited on June 12th6 in the
amount of $194,9419.
>> All right. Can we fall into a rhythm
here? [laughter]
>> Move by second by Robin. All those f I
passes by zero.
>> All right. Accounts payable deposit on
June 18th $87.93.
Motion
>> secondly seconded by Robin. All in favor
>> I passes
pay on June 26
$280,96.
Make a motion by Rob. All those in favor
All right. Uh to the next four. Payroll
deposited on June 18th, 2026 in the
amount $297,1162.
Payroll deposit on June 18th, 2026 in
the amount of $86,669.
Thank you. That should be shot.
[laughter] Payroll deposit on June 18th,
2026 in the amount [clears throat] of
$1,96.65
65 and payroll deposited on June 1826 in
the amount of $191,12412
by second by all those favor say
>> I opposed pass
the next three payroll deposit on June
26
$26,461
to SS payroll deposit on June 26 6 2016
$5,85011
payroll deposit on June 26 2016 $314,439
make a motion move by Courtney by Robin.
All those favor say I. Hey post fast
okay
I'll do the next three uh payroll
deposited on June 30th uh 226 in the
amount of $43,55722
payroll deposit on June 30th 26 in the
amount of $47632
payroll deposit on June 30th
$1,97129
Make a motion by Courtney. All those in
>> A poster
pass. Oh, darn it. [laughter]
>> I'm going to have to do the last three.
All right. All right. Accounts payable
deposit on June 30th 2016 $8,9280.
Can I get a motion?
>> Moved by Courtney, second by Rob. All
those in favor say I.
>> I. That passes 5. Accounts payable
deposited on July 10th, 2068 $847,95245.
Make a motion by Gordon second. All
>> I post that passes by Z. Last one
payable deposit on July 14 2016 $6,800.
>> second
pass by [laughter]
going to want to watch his house TV.
[laughter] Carter,
>> can I get a copy of this recording,
please?
All right. Uh, let's see. Board
comments. Let's start. Bill, you have
any final comments?
>> No, I'm all set. Thank you.
>> Uh, I was going to say no. The only uh
request would be um I don't think we
have it. We had uh all the meeting
dates. Have we already like finalized
all the meeting dates and like committee
reports, superintendent reports,
principal reports? Remember we have this
really beautiful
>> I'll bring it. Oh, I'll get it to you.
Actually,
>> that would be great if we could just get
if I could just get an update because I
>> because sometimes there's months where
we don't
>> there's it might be on the website.
>> Did we already did we already review it
>> for the July? So, we do we do the
meeting?
>> No, I don't think we have.
>> Yeah. So, if if we could or maybe
>> send a draft to you and then we'll we'll
look at it at
>> because sometimes it it conflicts with
like vacations and Christmas and stuff
like that. So that would be helpful
because I just first that's it.
>> The only comment I have is one I made as
we were walking in over here is how
great the grounds look. Uh how much
work's being done over the summer. So uh
kudos to the entire team for making it
look fantastic out there. So that's
awesome.
>> The trees have gone.
>> Um I guess the only thing is I just got
today. Not sure where I'm going to be
helping out, but um we have a tournament
coming up. boys teams going to be doing
a tournament starting Friday, August I
mean July 31st to August 2nd. So um
>> what kind of tournament?
>> Basketball. Oh. So um as someone who's
run tournaments in the past up here, it
can it's phenomenal to see some of the
teams are coming from all over the place
the games that played. So um I just put
a shot. I have it on.
>> You're volunteering.
>> I'm just volunteering.
>> When is that?
>> That's Friday. It ends on the second. So
it ends Sunday. So, it's like Friday.
>> Friday or Friday?
>> 31st. 31st.
>> I'm sure I'm sure I'm hoping that it
will be put on the website. I'm hoping
that like will be outdated to the
community. Chris sent me an email about
it today. So, I'm hoping it will be out
there. So, if not, I'll ask.
I was going to say I was good, but I
just want to also throw out there to I
guess a couple mentor facilities in
general that we are able to host these
tournaments because we do have really
great indoor facilities for you
basketball, all those kinds of things.
So, it's kind of a testament to that. We
get a lot of compliments on our indoor
facilities and what we are able to host
because we're one of the only smaller
districts who can host something like
that. So, I think it's just really cool
to highlight that we do have some really
great facilities. The reason But this
it's the reason why the gym was built.
It was built to hold tournaments. It was
built to have consciousness. It was
built for that type of stuff. We now
we're getting to move towards that
direction which we should be doing.
But that was a selling point to the
community to put that gym in the side
that it was put in was to hold
tournaments of all different athletics,
concerts, everything.
We're finally using it. We're finally
using it to build stuff and it's great.
It's awesome because we do get a lot of
compliments with other more prestigious
sounds coming in and I'm blown away what
our facilities are.
>> It's a good complex.
>> Okay. I think the only comments I had
that I have tonight is I'd like to say
thank you to everyone that has made the
past month and a half possible. We've
had tons of meetings whether it's public
meetings sessions, our regular meetings,
nonpublic meetings. So, thank you to all
the staff. Thank you to the to the
members of the public that came out and
helped continue to support the school
throughout the entire month of June,
whether it's coming to graduation, uh
enjoying some of the other end of year
events, supporting the delivery session,
everything that we had going. It's been
it's been great to be a part of that.
I'd like to take a moment to thank all
of you as well because it's been a
unprecedented amount of extra time
required this year to do what we do uh
to serve on the school board and I think
that you all deserve to be recognized
for that because it's been many many
extra hours of of work to try to get
through just the last couple weeks
alone. So, thank you very much for all
the time effort
>> and thank you.
>> That's it. I'll I'll continue to try. Uh
I I want to uh bring up something that
we probably need to consider either if
not the next meeting one shortly
thereafter. Um and I think Adam and G
said he was going to send a letter about
this but we really need to discuss about
um including his moderator budget
especially what took place this year. So
just one of the things to think about
the future
in the past too.
Yeah, if you want [clears throat]
because I know
>> that's it for my comments other than
again summer summer's half over
I know I know it's half over so you know
get your pool days in
get your travel in enjoy your summer
because school is coming
>> nom
uh our next meeting is scheduled for
August 6th at 6:00 p.m. here in the
elementary school media center. We are
going to have a nonpublic this evening.
Um we will be going into non public
under RSA 913
section 2 parts A and C. Uh so I need a
roll call vote on that and then we will
immediately vote after. So if I get a
roll call vote please.
>> Oh sorry.
Dwelling ashes,
>> night