NASB BOE 07-21-26

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

Recording

get started since 31
um approval or modification of agenda.
Do you have anything to add?
We do need to add
approval of non minutes which we have to
have to do within 72 hours. So
>> um I know we've passed around the
nonpublic meeting minutes. Um any issues
or concerns regular minutes?
>> Nope.
>> Seeing none, I need a motion to approve.
>> I'll make a motion to approve the
minutes.
>> I will second.
>> Any further discussion? Nope.
>> Seeing none. All those in favor say I.
I.
>> Opposed.
We will now open it up for public
comments.
There's a microphone. Sorry.
Yeah.
>> Um, Sean Gzel, Alexandria.
Why are we here?
>> Just curious. You know, we have a
meeting and agenda. So, if you could
give us a little bit background about
why we're here, that would be awesome.
>> Sorry,
public comment afterwards, too.
>> Right. We have public comment
afterwards. What we might do is I
figured the first public comment might
be pretty mellow. Um but then there
might be more at the end. Um so we're
here to discuss the budget for this
year.
Now that we've had our special meeting,
we have some further information
currently.
>> Awesome. Thank you.
>> You're welcome.
Madam Chair, if nobody else is
interested in speaking, may I recommend
that we move forward with the regular
presentation because it's kind of hard
to ask questions as was just pointed out
when we haven't heard what the agenda
is. So that would be just wasting time
saying, well, you know, we have to have
public comment for so long.
Correct. But we do have to because our
agenda states, we have to do it just
like you said. So, all right.
So, what we'll do is we'll move on in
the agenda and get some information.
Um,
do you want to be happy? Who wants this?
>> Do do you want to introduce the topic,
Brian?
>> So, yes. Um,
>> you're so lucky.
>> Yes. Um, recently, um, Michael Lmani,
our business administrator, and I had a
conversation with the DRRA, um, and the
DRA informed us that the, uh, two
warrant articles, actually all three of
the warrant articles, um, that were
being funded, um, did not pass. So
that's why we are here to uh share with
you what we've learned and what our
plans are moving forward. Um
>> yes so that um Michael and I uh b
recently met with the department of
revenue administration
um and they are the ones who are
responsible for setting our tax rates.
And um when we submitted our our our
material and they did an audit of the
material or of the vote in the election
um the two three board articles required
a three-fifth majority which they did
not receive.
So they did not pass.
And we are um we discussed earlier with
the board a plan for moving forward. and
we'd like to discuss the the totality of
that situation with you and have uh
Michael kind of work work through it
with you. But our goal is to, you know,
work with the the teachers to um
keep everybody here and and and start
the year off on August 31.
>> You want to talk specifically the two
warrant articles? I'll just bring up the
money. You want me to do that? Go ahead.
>> Okay.
>> Thank you.
>> Thank you, Chris. Thank you.
>> So, to just to be more specific, um this
was publicly stated, I believe, and I
think we saw it in the paper, too, that
um the operating budget clearly failed.
Everyone understood that the district
was given um and by default, the default
budget is now the district's budget. So,
in the failure of that Warren article,
the district received the default
budget. The default budget itself is
184,000 below the tax cap. So we
reviewed the tax cap calculation with
the DRRA. This is what was provided. The
DRA um agreed with the calculation. So
cuz the first thing always is where did
this come from? Are you in like do we
have the right tax cap calculation? We
do. So the operating budget gave the
district in all the other special
warrant articles if they were below that
184,000 they didn't need the
supermajority 3-fifths vote. Um the when
we start there was two warrant articles
that passed article
five
I'm sorry
article five the new found teachers
union contract.
This article received 58%. We It needed
68% and the reason why it needed that is
because I'm sorry 60%. So it failed by
2%. Um this is unfortunate.
Um the reason why it needed it was the
appropriation that it was needed to re
raise for the first year was $378,989.
So the DRRA did was we initially before
Brian and I got here if they had signed
an MS22 that said, "Oh, this passed."
The DRA would have disallowed that. So
that was the conversation um that Brian
and I had. The second warn article is
warrant article number eight, which was
for I'll read it specifically.
Yeah. Propane boilers, HVAC controls,
and HVAC units at Newfound Regional High
School. This also had been listed. It
had passed and it it had passed a simple
majority at 58% also. Um but because
that was over the tax cap, it failed. So
what failed is the appropriation, the
warrant article, if it's not funded,
fails. Um we've already engaged with the
Newfound Teachers Union. Um we
understand this is a a pretty big deal,
especially at this time in the year. Um,
we know this has a major impact on the
community and kids. Um, so the first
thing we wanted to do is transparently
get this out here. Um, we immediately
contacted the union. We've already
started and engaged with them um to look
at um possibilities within uh a contract
to see what we can do. Um myself and my
staff are rebudgeting FY27, looking at
the default budget um dollar amount. So,
the first thing we did was we put a
fries uh um a freeze on any new hiring.
Um we also have stopped any money
contracts that are going out. We're
going to start with that as a threshold
and we're calculating out all the
current employment contracts that we
have um to get an idea of where we are
in the FY27 budget. What have we already
obligated?
and then we're going to try to cover
whatever we can within um the first year
of that contract, the CVA contract that
failed. So part of what we're doing in
the negotiation saying look what can we
do to continue our main goal is just
simply to maintain our staffing the way
we have it now. So
um would you like to speak to that? I
think we've all discussed this and on
public some of our options with our
attorney and our our main goal right now
is to find out where we are in terms of
the FY27 budget. What have we already
obligated? We're going to look at every
single contract from um grounds all the
way through um transportation and um see
where we fall.
Um so in regards to options is is I mean
the options kind of before us is we
could have a um you know there's always
the option um based on budgeting that
there is the option to have a special
meeting. I think we know where that I
don't know about other board members,
but I feel like that's not um something
that's productive use of our time in the
fall. Um [clears throat] is it
>> or the money
>> or the the money to have a meeting um as
well. Um it's costly to have a special
meeting. Um some other options. One, we
have a we have a hard bottom line. Um
and try to like going to have to uh work
work the numbers um and see where we can
save. Um I think getting out in front of
it and trying to um start working with
the the teachers union to try to see
what we can do based on the numbers that
Mike is able to look at and find. Um
there are um you know unfortunately with
just finding out from the DRA that they
are not going to until we had the
meeting at the end of June um we were
not aware of the that the DRA was not
going to honor those. We were under we
were I mean clearly under the impression
um that both of those articles had
passed. Um so news to us as it is news
to everybody here as well I'm sure. Um
so
Do
>> you have a
>> No.
No.
>> Yes.
>> Um the other thing is there's legal
constraints of what we can do. Um so
legally, uh it failed. So it's not like
we if we had a million dollars to spend
that we could override what the voters
wanted to do. So that's constraints
there. The other thing we're going to
have to do is because it failed, that
means the entire three-year contract has
failed. So, at some point soon,
hopefully, we're going to have to
renegotiate the teachers contracts
again. Uh because once that's what you
have to do when it when it fails.
>> Michael, you can
>> um we are trying to
we have to close out FY26. So closing
out Fi the the the financials for FY26
is underway.
And
what Michael and I and the rest of the
central office are trying to do is to
allocate the bottom line budget, the
default budget, which is what we have
into um the positions. As Michael said,
all contracted, all contracts are going
to come in and they're going to take uh
priority, right? We're going to try to
figure out how much money we have
because there's only, you know, a finite
amount of money where there's wiggle
room because contracts are contracts.
Um, so our goal is to do our very best
for the for the teachers. That's our
goal. Um, and working together to come
up with a path forward. Um, clearly if
58% of the voters came out, they're
supporting you.
but we just needed that extra 2% to get
us over that hump. So, I believe there's
goodwill um and support for uh the
educators in this district and it's our
goal to continue to support you.
>> No, I I mean if you want you could open
up
>> for questions. I don't think that's
usually you have just a public comment,
>> right?
>> Yeah.
>> Um I make a motion to open it up for um
kind of an open question and answer
because I'm sure there's lots of parting
questions. Make a motion to open up for
question and answer.
>> Okay. Any further discussion? See none.
All those in favor say I.
>> I oppose.
we will kind of follow just you know
decency as rules but just decency and
try not to make the question like a
10-minute long conversation but like if
you can try to keep it pointed because I
I want to allow everybody to be able to
ask the questions um but please if it's
already been asked um or just keeping it
>> and if you have a statement that's fine
too
>> right yes [laughter]
>> I think I just need to request
permission to speak so I'm an employee
and resident
>> yes we allow employee yeah we that is
our
>> I'm just going to start off by saying
I'm very disappointed that it took us
from March when we had election results
to July to figure this out as a teacher
and as someone who was given my contract
in April and had it signed and then
returned it and had the board sign it
and then to be told in July, "Just
kidding."
That to me is a smile on the face and I
understand that this is the DRRA getting
involved. But we can only ask our
teachers to endure so much uncertainty
before we have to just throw our hands
up and say is it worth it? I think we
are all aware that and you can look at
the public data of any CPAs in the state
in the lakes region alone new found is
near
and now we are being told that the
contracting negotiator trying to help us
retain staff we want to retain to
attract new staff we need was exactly so
I just want to say I'm very disappointed
I'd like to ask it sounds like there's a
little uncertainty
can you guarantee this board tonight to
the teachers that the contracts we sign
in the April with the pay will be the
pay we can expect in that first paycheck
in September
cuz we need that certainty. I don't know
anyone here who can just not know when
they're going to get paid and feel okay
financially.
We have families, we have our own
children, we have our own spouses, we
have our own bills. I understand taxes
are high, but all we were asking for is
a simple ways to meet near the area. So,
I want to know, can you guarantee to me
tonight board that the teachers can
expect the pay that was promised to them
in their April contracts?
And if not, I'd like to know what the
plan is to try me now.
So, the funds uh to fund that race were
not appropriated. So, we cannot
guarantee [clears throat] that.
I'll just say that directly. Um I
understand you're disappointed. I would
be too.
I I think anyone in this room would be
um
I can't answer the question of why you
wouldn't have known this on March 11th.
Every Warren article and many of you
have lived there for a long time. Every
warrant article on that ballot has to
come within the tax cap.
A lot of people in this room know that.
So I don't know why that was
communicated differently. Um the what
we're what we're doing specifically to
answer your second question is we
immediately opened up a dialogue with
yourself and in the new found teachers
union to look at possibilities. We want
soon as this came out we contacted even
before this meeting. Um I I think Brian
and I had been here for a week at that
point.
So what we're doing internally is we've
done a full evaluation of every single
vacancy in the school district, put a
freeze on hiring, we're validating all
personnel, we are putting a freeze on
other contracts until we have um the
obligated portion of FY27 fully decided
almost within pennies.
Um then we're going to take the
remaining uh to get to the default
budget. Um we're going to look at by
function distributing that out so we can
start doing so we can approve purchase
orders and at least get supplies and
things rolling in the district. We've
begun doing that process but very
slowly.
We're going to then sit down internally
and reserve and say, "What do we have
left?"
And then we're going to hit existing
contracts to see if we can pull back
some money from that to see what we can
bring to negotiations with you to get
you as close to whole on your current
year as possible. At the moment, that's
the best we can do
in order to protect the existing
staffing. Our main goal is not to have
to lay people off in order to pay for
this. So, we're we're going
systematically through it. We're trying
to do this as fast as we can.
Unfortunately, we are also trying to
close out the FY26. We're 2 years behind
in audits. Your FY23, you really had no
audit. So, you have no audits for 3
years. Um, we're working with an auditor
on it. Um, you exceeded your FY26 budget
by almost a half a million dollars.
We're looking at that. So, we're going
to even be trying to negotiate
settlements on not possibly not being
able to pay that.
So, we have a lot going on and we have 2
[clears throat] months before we begin
budgeting for FY28.
So, our first priority is looking to see
what is real in the FY27 budget. um what
we are obligated to pay in order to keep
school operations running, including
extracurriculars [snorts]
and then maintaining our staffing and
what do we have left in funds to take to
the negotiation table in order to fund
as much of that contract as we can.
>> School starts in one month. Are teachers
going to know what their pay will be
when school starts in one month?
We are so that you're getting paid on
status quo which is what [clears throat]
would happen if if a for a failed
warrant article in CBA. So you're going
to get paid your benefits are going to
get paid all of that. You're essentially
we have to put you on the existing
contract you had in the prior year. I'm
just going to use a hypothetical
example. If you're making 65,000 in
FY26, your FY27 contract would be
exactly the same status quo.
I'm just being real. I'm not trying to
beat around the bush or lie to anyone.
That is the status quo of our starting
point. And then we begin negotiating.
Um, I've only had to
negotiate a very tough contract in the
middle of the year. Um, one time,
uh, it was a three-year contract. We
retropaid all of our staff going back to
the beginning. So, even though you you
started getting paid on your old
contract, we came to an agreement. we
retropay you in a lump sum on let's say
that we were coming into your third
paycheck we retro put the retropay
amount as a lump sum and pay and you're
in and your fourth paycheck
so that's the process that we would be
going through
Crystal um to follow up what Tyler said
if we're reverting back to the prior
year contract
how does that invol olve our health
trust issue. We went from because in the
last contract it was $1,000 deductible.
This year it was going to a $500
deductible.
Is it going to be 500 or a,000?
All right.
If it was I don't know the specifics of
whether or not that specifically was a
cost item in the 378,000 that was
calculated. Um, if this was a health
trust item where that was the only plan
available to you, you would still you
would be going through with the exact
same health insurance. So, your
increases in insurance would be covered
under the existing operating budget. It
would not have been a cost item under
that that warrant article. Um, and
unless there is a material change to the
benefit
>> and I think there was one, right? there
was
covering a portion of the deductible and
a percentage of what the district paid.
So the district's portion paid a little
bit. Technically that would have failed
too.
So it would be the same dollar amount
with what we would cover under the
operating budget would be um the
increase in the cost of insurance based
on the same percentage share of the
prior contract. That's generally how
status quo would work. So it's not that
we're going to pay the same dollar
amount. I think your your um health cost
went up 16%. Was it
18% in that ballpark? 16 18%. That would
be covered under the operating budget
because it would be a light plan.
>> But what about the deductible? Because
we were going from $1,000 deductible
reimburse down to 500. So I would say
>> so this was a health trust. Um
>> that was only
>> right. We were covering so say they I'm
going to just try to keep it simple. Say
they had a$1,000 deductible. We had a
lump sum and helped cover 500 within
health trust told us we could not do
that. So um part of
>> an H
>> sort of it was kind of
>> Yeah. Yeah. It was kind of a little bit
different. Um but we were increasing the
percentage covering for to offset for
that. So that's I think right now it
would be status quo until we can get
back to the members. They can get
members. Um I know we as a board would
like to like um we'll probably have to
nominate some people and start like
discussions um with the union for
negotiations whether it be temporary
whether it be longterm. We're going to
have to reopen negotiations for a
long-term plan for um the ballot for
next year anyhow. Um, so, you know,
we're going to have to do that tonight
um to get that moving too because that's
the best way forward and that way we can
have real time um updates as well from
Mike and and Brian and the team where
they're at and what they're finding and
where things are moving.
>> Thanks. You're welcome.
We're in Wendel, New Hampton. I have a
couple of questions.
In the budget that passed
and in the example that Mike gave about
somebody that made $65,000,
would step increases be impacted
by the budget failing or or they or were
you built into the regular budget for
teachers salaries?
um the step increases would have been
built into the cost items in the warrant
article. There's no evergreen clause in
that that I know of. And when talking to
our attorney, we we would be at status
quo, which is the exact same contract,
no sub increase. Um one of the items was
did was there mistake in the calculation
of those? I don't know. And we're so
instead of trying to go in and
recalculate what was essentially in the
default. So you didn't get the operating
budget. Let's let's start there. You got
the default budget. So that is a
calculated budget.
We are in the methodology of how we're
we're looking at this. We're going to
take the teachers contract as status
quo. We're going to take um all existing
contracts based on what has been
obligated and then we're we're going to
see. So if this step increase was
budgeted and that and let's say it was
mistakenly budgeted for it in the
operating budget which would mean
technically it would have been counted
twice. I don't believe that was the case
cuz I think you amended it at your
deliberative session. um it would still
we would be calculating that in
>> okay
>> so we're looking we're any savings from
and one other example like staff
turnover any savings in that is going to
be realized in the exercise of looking
at all existing employment contracts
>> okay let's [clears throat] we're a
little delayed in finding out that the
contract failed
they but had They found out after the
vote there is a process for the uh
contract to be renegotiated
special meeting to go back to the
drawing board and revote again and
authorize whatever would need to be
added in.
>> We don't have that just to answer that
first part.
you don't have an evergreen clause and
it also wasn't listed in your warrant
article to be able to do that and
>> thought it was state law that
>> teachers union contract failed that they
could go back to the negotiating table
and have a second bottle with a special
meeting.
>> I'd be happy to give you a written
response explaining why.
>> Is that all right? I'm just telling you
that's not the case. We did talk to our
attorney about that. Um obviously with a
50 8% pass we would do that.
We don't have that as an option.
>> Okay. And I guess my final question on
this particular issue is are we all in
agreement that whatever solution we're
looking at is an agreement for just
fiscal year 27. and that before the
second and third year um is addressed,
there would have to be renegotiations
and a new vote at the town meeting in
March of next year.
>> Yes. So, just to reinforce what Melissa
had said earlier,
we're we're looking at year one
currently, what we can cover in that
within the current operating budget and
that's all we can do. um we can and we
are preparing and looking at FY27 also
looking at FY28 just to save time
because we're going through this with
each department and um that warrant
article show up on the FY28 uh warrant
or FY20 the 2027
warrant
y
Hello Rich. Again, I just have one
question. Considering regardless of who
who dropped the ball on this that we we
were informed late in [clears throat]
this process, I think it's fair to
assume that if some teachers knew they
were not going to get the pay increase,
they probably would have looked. I think
that's just a reality in most jobs.
Instead of just telling us we're going
to try and make it right, we're going to
have to start on the status quo. Would
you allow teachers to look elsewhere
considering the late notice so without a
penalty? Because the way I'm hearing it
sounds like the contracts be the equal
and correct me that is what you're
saying because the vote failed. So would
that mean teachers should be allowed to
look elsewhere? So I don't think it's
fair to tell them we're going to work on
it, but we expect you to work on
contract.
>> I think that's fair. I'm going to let
our board chair answer that.
I guess I'm I'm one person, but I mean I
know that years past we've let people um
break their contract in in July and
August. So it wouldn't be outside of the
purview of the board to do that. We have
we have allowed it in the past. Um, so I
mean it would have to be a board vote,
but like we've just in history of what
the board has done in the past. Um, we
have allowed people out of their
contract like
>> without a penalty
>> without a penalty.
>> I think what he's asking is he are they
even under contract right now since
>> So are we under
hypothetically here if a teacher were to
apply for job would they have to say
they're under contract or could they say
no I'm currently not under contract
because technically a thing.
It's the same contract as last year.
>> But we didn't we didn't sign those. We
didn't sign agree that we signed a new
one. So I'm saying because we signed new
>> that is way above me. It's going to be
like the attorney question because I
don't want to give you I I just don't
want to give you an answer and then be
like, "Oh yeah, the attorney says that's
not right." Like I just don't want to.
>> Could someone give me that answer by
email?
>> Yeah. Yeah.
>> Let us give you that answer by email.
Normally I'd answer and say yes. you're
not under contract with you
acknowledging that you also are not
under contract.
You wouldn't want to answer that
question, right?
>> So, um I I think Melissa's answer is
strategic and understanding that we will
work with teachers that we understand
the situation that that that's a
possibility. For us to say that you're
not under contract is I think would be a
tough thing for us to say just as much
as it would be for you to say. And if
you would publicly acknowledge that you
also recognize you're no longer under
contract,
this would make negotiations a little
bit easier. I don't think you want to do
that. We wouldn't do that either.
>> Is that fair?
>> That's fair. But the board would
consider a lot of people.
>> I I Yes, absolutely. We understand the
position you're in. We are very
empathetic to it if we could. You know,
we're in this situation and our there's
no point in looking back and saying,
"Oh, this person did that or it It's
just it's a sunk cost at this point.
We're we're moving forward and we're
trying to do it in a short amount of
time as possible.
>> Hi, Jess Blaze. Uh New Hampton. So, if
the district held property that had
certain value and determined that they
were going to sell that for market
value, would it be within the realm of
the board to move those funds to cover
what needed to cover. Uh
>> so that's it. That's it. We're thinking
about like if it was my money and I
could sell a property, then I would have
those available, right? It's a little
bit different because we
the way the law works for taxation one,
it's not that easy for us to sell a
property either. So there's a lot of
hypothetical
good stuff in there. Um so no, we
couldn't do that automatically. We would
have to have a hearing. We have to um
have a vote to appropriate those funds
as un I think we could do it under
unanticipated revenue, hold a public
hearing, etc. We could put it towards a
purpose. However,
restoring a CBA is a cyclical cost also.
So there's it's very complex.
>> Yeah. I just I I I hope I and I know I I
know this is a very
It's it's not it's not good. I mean, I
know it doesn't feel good, but please
know that we are committed to, you know,
getting this right, getting really
getting the finances under control.
That's where the problem is. So, we are
having a very hard time, you know,
looking back historically to 2023. So
I I am committed to doing what is best
for you to do your job
so that our kids get the best education.
So please know that you know we we we
have no idea right now with FY27. So we
are working feverishly to figure it out
to get you as close to whole as
possible.
So I hope you know
with 58% of the community supporting you
know that the support it just has to be
presented differently has to be packaged
differently people have to have an
understanding the community has to have
an understanding of the budget
and I am committed and Michael's
committed to being as fiscally
conservative and and and and
transparent with you as possible. So,
please know that that is our plan. That
is my plan
that we don't run into this
again.
Hi, I'm Greg Mson, taxpayer,
and I just want to thank the board for
taking all the explosive arrows. I know
it's a tough job and you're trying to do
the best you can. I have a comment and a
question. First comment is we already
vote in March and have you considered
moving that vote to November when
everyone was voting. It just made it
more representative of the communities
because everyone's here. I know I
personally have some family business to
take care of and always
I don't know if that would make a
difference but it just seems like a
turnout on voting is smaller than it is
or would be in comment for your
consideration.
Second thing, being in industry, working
with several major corporations, being
project manager, I know it's a tough
tough job to cut budgets, cut staff, cut
this, cut that. And those are tough
decisions.
We kind of look at 5 10% cuts every year
just to replenish and rejuvenate
what we're doing. You made a comment in
the very beginning that our number one
priority was to maintain staff and
I have a lot of respect for teachers
don't get that wrong but why is that
your number one priority
just curious and and I know that may I
don't
any teachers or anything but in my
business that wasn't our number one
priority to me against staff it to
maintain all of you.
So you made the comment whether your
number one priority.
>> I turned on
>> I did.
>> Yes,
>> I turned on. Hello.
So,
no, it's on. Um the
the reason why it's a priority here is
because we have already cut a ton of
staff. So we are if you look at our
class sizes and so on, there's been a
pretty strong support for the class
sizes that exist. This is also a
district that saw three towns leave and
with no tax gap
have no problem doubling their own taxes
amazingly.
and
to the detriment
of the general education of all their
students and this cooperative.
So we have already experienced the
downsizing. We have experienced the
closing of an elementary school
and we want to maintain the seats and
the quality classes that we have now.
If you look at our SAU office come to
the trailer, we have six people working
in a hallway. I mean, it's a joke.
So, people ask me, "Why are you going up
there? Your office is a triangle in a
trailer. I don't give a crap. I I work
on three monitors all day. It doesn't
matter. You can practically put me in
the dark." It's a challenge to make a
school district like this. bring it back
and and make it something that you have
pride in, but that people around you
recognize that pride and want to compete
against you. And you need that back. So,
cutting and depleting it and shutting
down schools and leaving these vacant
buildings in your community is a death
sentence. And business [clears throat]
people like me who own properties
think that is just dumb for the whole
entire community. And I'm willing to
help you.
Brian is very excited to help you. This
board, you know, they they faced a lot
of horrific decisions. Let's turn that
around. Let's get your budgets passed.
Let's not deal with default budgets,
which is a copout on budgeting, isn't
it? A default budget is what? three
sentences deciding what you get to spend
on your kids. That's dumb.
We need to pass real budgets and debate
them. If you don't like what's in the
budget, come in and change it and then
vote for it.
So that's why we came here. That's why
it's a priority. Um we have other
priorities, too. We don't want to get
rid of banned sports. It's ridiculous.
So we're trying to maintain your
programs and your programs are staffed.
So that's what makes the program. So for
us cutting it you it's like a consulting
company if you cut all your consultants
what's the point
here they are the education is brought
through the classroom it's brought
through your seats it's brought through
those opportunities and if we keep
losing that you don't have a school
anymore period
>> and I I'd also like to add the priority
tonight because it affects the teachers
right that's why it's a priority because
this is the the the the the fire we're
dealing with right now is making sure
our teachers based on this failure of
the the the the vote. My priority is to
keep as as whole as I can the teachers
who are doing the hard work who are in
the trenches every day. So that it's my
priority to to to work with them to to
to keep them whole to keep them here
doing the great work that they do.
Sean Kzle, Alexander again. Sorry
earlier. I just want to cut to the
chase, but I, you know, I do want to
applaud Michael. Michael, welcome back.
I, you know, was very happy to see your
name or hear your name. Um, because we
do, we fight this stupid budget every
year among the budget community. We
fight the tax cap. Um, teachers are very
important. They're incredibly important.
I've shared with them for years. I have
a sophomore at the high school who's
doing absolutely amazing and I have a
incoming kindergartener
and in my sophomore's time at Newound
there has been loss there he's lost
programs he wasn't able to take um
foreign language in the middle school
now starting to take it in the high
school he's actually taken an honors
VATS course over the summer so that way
he can get into AP US history in the
fall but there's not enough room because
there's not enough teachers he is going
over and above and
you you know, I want to make sure that
my incoming kindergartner when he's at
the sophomore level, he has an
opportunity to to be at the big foreign
language in high school. And that's
what's, you know, that's why we need to
protect our teachers. We need to do
what's best. And I know Michael and
Brian are going to fight tooth and nail
to do this for our our teachers because
our teachers are the core of our our
district. You know, they are here every
single day for our students, making this
place a better place to be. Our our
teachers, our administrators, our staff,
every single person in this district is
important and we need to recognize that
and we need to keep fighting and we need
to get rid of this stupid tax cap. Come
in like Michael said, debate the budget.
You don't like it, come in and debate.
Stop pying our hands because that's a
cop out. Put in the tax cap, you're c
it's a cop out. You don't like it, too
bad. You get social security got two and
a half% increase this year. You know who
else got that? I got 3% in my corporate
job. Yeah, that might be nice. But what
CPI was three and a half%. We're all
fighting. We are all fighting and we
need to fight about what's worth it and
that's taking care of our community.
Thank you.
>> Hi Janine Nars Meredith. I'm a teacher
at Bees. I've been listening and I
possibly misunderstood. So, I just need
some clarification.
So, um Mike Mike is saying how you're
going through the whole budget and then
if there's reserve money, you're going
to look at a way of trying to give
teachers and staff something towards the
But I thought Mr. Torsy said that even
if you came up with a million dollars
that you're not allowed to give us any
money. And perhaps I misunderstood that.
That's just why I'm trying to get
clarification.
>> Um, it was not any money. It's that I
mean the voters may fail, but we have to
work with default budget.
>> So, if there's money in there based on I
believe based on the teachers we had
last year, we may have lost them,
whatever. And we can if there's we can
find money someplace else, we can use
last year's budget money if there, you
know, if we can find surplus in there to
move to to put against the teacher
contract this year because we're still
staying within the law of using the
teacher budget money. You can't just
find a million and add that whole thing
in. You understand what I'm saying?
>> Right. But you're saying that you can
shift the funds within the default
budget. you're going to shift so to
speak around
>> but I didn't think you were allowed to
>> because it failed. So I just want
clarification so I'm understanding what
I'm trying to think.
>> Just to summarize I think what Mr. Tori
was saying was
even if we like there's not a million
dollars extra spend we're working with
the confine on with the confines of the
default budgets bottom line. So I gave a
methodology of how we're looking at
existing obligations
and we can sit down with the teachers
and say would this be obviously we need
to negotiate with them too and say look
if we found this amount of money where
would we put it
>> we could do we could actually put a
little bit towards health insurance
which is what we do in a negotiating
room we're looking at the whole
compensation package under a this year's
agreement you know we have to have anou
basically extending the existing
contract for one year and then we would
build a warrant article and negotiate a
contract possibly another three-year
agreement starting at that you would see
in the next warrant and we probably um
discuss that and debate that a little
bit differently than it was done this
prior year.
>> Okay. So if reserve money is found and
you sit down with the union again,
essentially go through negotiations
again and you both agree to whatever it
is, doesn't it have to go back to the
voters before it can happen or no?
>> No, we're actually allowed to transfer
funds within the as long as a function
was not zeroed out. You've heard it like
no, whatever. Yep. So, um, all the
teachers are are already partially
funded, right? In the appropriation that
you've already voted for by voting down
the operating budget, you voted for the
default budget, so you've already
appropriated that, we can transfer that,
but we can't extend that to another
>> Okay?
>> So, we're not obligating anything beyond
the current fiscal year when we begin
negotiating.
Is that one? I think
>> Sarah hurts me. Um, the other word
article that we thought passed that did
not, what's happening with that?
>> I think it's that one.
>> Which which one?
>> No. No. I'm talking about the
microphone.
>> No, the H. Yeah. No, that was
>> article eight.
>> Yeah, that was also
>> Mine's off. They're not doing that.
>> No, I can.
>> I We're just trying to That's off
because we're trying to figure out which
microphone's making a whole bunch of
feedback noise.
>> Everything.
>> I thought that would added to the
ambiance.
>> Yeah. I mean, it adds a little bit, but
>> it makes me sustain.
>> So, what did she ask? That was not the
HC and then Okay. Yeah.
>> Oh, now it's not on.
>> Not on.
>> Push it one way or the other.
>> You want me to answer
the budget?
>> Not anymore.
>> Go ahead.
>> Well, I can try to just speak loud.
There you go.
>> I can bring this one up there. This one
works.
>> You know that upsets me a little bit. So
maybe it's good that I'm speaking loud
to have people come up here and TALK
ABOUT THE STUPID TAX cap which has
repeatedly
reinforced
every time it's been challenged. So the
voters want the tax cap. We need to
think about the taxpayers.
You can talk all you want about making
sure the teachers are funded,
but using Danberry as an example, two
years ago, the booklet, the school
annual report showed there were like 60
kids in January and there were 10
teachers listed for 60 kids
and that did not include parents. There
was five or six pairs. On top of that,
enrollment in this district has been
going down, down, down. And the spending
has been going up, up, up. Rubber's got
to meet the road. And I think it finally
has. And adjustments need to be made.
When you look at the total number of
students in this district, used to be
1,600.
Now we're down to a thousand. It's
projected in the next five years that
it's projected in the next five years
that we may be as low as 800.
So obviously adjustments in staffing
need to be made. And everybody mumbles,
oh times have changed. Um classrooms are
different. Well, we've got a lot of
classrooms that only have 8, 10, 12 kids
in when state standards are 25 to 30 for
elementary school kids.
U it's great to say my kids in a class
of 12 kids, but the taxpayer that's
being forced out of their home because
they can't pay their property taxes,
that doesn't keep them warm at night
knowing that there's classes with just
12 kids in
I'm going to try to talk. Anyways,
for those of you who are parents,
I want you to imagine 25 of your child
in one room with you at once
demanding help.
And I want you to think about how well
that's going to go. I'm not a parent. I
have nieces and nephews which are no
different. I can't imagine what the
thought of my nieces running around
yelling for help when she's kindergarten
age. I think teachers have a tough job.
I think not everyone is cut out to be a
teacher. It's definitely what we call.
But I can guarantee you just about every
person in this room can think better and
think of a teacher that made a
difference in their life. It could be
elementary school. It could be middle
school. It could be high school.
I'm never going to forget Mr. Bob Ward,
my main course teacher.
Rest in peace, right? Made an impact on
me. He's the reason I stand before you
today. Without his influence, I would
not be a teacher.
I have a simple ask that we are going
through contracts. I understand taxes
are tough. I myself am a taxpayer in
town. My own mortgage is going up
because I voted to fund schools. An
educated populace is good for all of us.
When we are old and cannot take care of
ourselves, the human brain will break
down. These kids are the ones taking
care of us. And I'd like them to be
educated and know what they're doing.
So I ask the board when we are reviewing
contracts,
when we are deciding those difficult
decisions that I do not think you have
to make, please as we say every single
meeting and decision what is best for
these kids and my argument would be what
is best for the kids is keeping as many
people who are with them day in and day
out in front of them as possible. If we
are going to try and force 25, 30 kids
in a room to maybe cut five bucks off
your property taxes,
we just do the whole group of kids.
Statistics show the more kids in the
classroom, the harder it is to learn.
So if you think that is a solution or a
question of your own child, multiply
them by 25 and think to yourself, do I
want to do this every day? Thank you.
I'd like to make a comment, too.
>> Spending
hasn't
gone up because of irresponsibility.
Look nationwide.
Last time I walked into the grocery
store, that loaf of bread has cost me
exponentially more than it cost me a
year ago or even longer. We're not
frivolously spending and wasting
taxpayer money. Some of this, not all of
it, some of this is clearly because of
inflation, rising costs of goods and
services and things that we are mandated
to supply.
So we are dealing with that as best we
can
trying to work within the defined budget
that we're allotted.
>> Hi, my name is John Bailey. I teach at
the high school I do not live in
district. Is it okay for me to speak?
Right. Um, thank you. Uh, as someone who
does not live in the district, I can
tell you that the reputation of our
district is not good. And I talk to
friends where I live. They know I'm a
teacher. They ask me where I teach. I
tell them I teach at Newfound. And the
reaction is, oo,
wow, I heard things are really bad over
there.
Yeah, they are. And then they asked me
why I stay.
And because even though I do not live in
district, I love teaching here. I love
my colleagues. I love my students. I all
my colleagues. [clears throat]
We we put our hearts and souls into this
job. And that's why I stay. Um, one
question [clears throat] I have is if
the if the state if anybody has
approached the state at all for any type
of help because over the spring and
summer the the state has passed a number
of laws that have made it harder to fund
public education. Not just not help but
have made it more difficult. So I think
we're all on the same side in this that
we all want the same thing but help is
out there. help is out there in the
state and the state not only refuses to
help but the state also makes it
actively hard to help us. So I wonder if
if anybody has has reached out to the
state and I think um and the other
argument I have um for class sizes and I
know I don't have a vote in the tax cap.
I don't not being a taxpayer in the
district. I guess I don't have an should
have an opinion on it, but I think we
should look at it also financially. So
those same people that I talked to who
who hear that Newfound is not a good
district, they are not moving here. And
if it's out there, then it's then other
people are not going to move here. They
are not going to consider our district.
And for those of you that do live in
district, think about what that's going
to do to your property values. So then
the tax cap isn't even going to matter
because your property is going to be
worth so much less than you bought it.
So it's not just as Tyler was saying,
it's not just an investment in our kids
in our next generation. It's also a
direct financial investment into your
biggest asset which is your in your
property. So I think we should consider
that as well.
>> Just so you know, Michael and I have
every intention of doing just that,
right? increasing value, increasing um
uh
increasing what what a great place this
this this can be, should be, and will be
and continue to be because there are so
many great things that are happening in
this district and in the surrounding
communities that
we need to continue working and pushing
towards that. So, I I I will reiterate
that Michael and I are up for the
challenge and we are are are we're with
you. We're with you because a stronger
school is a stronger community. A
stronger community attracts more
families, more people, and garers more
support.
>> Sorry.
>> No, you're fine. Um my name is Tess Ser.
I'm a resident of Danbury recently
graduated high school. Um and I just
want to say a few things that I have
written down. Um, if we do not make our
teachers whole, we will lose the
educators every district is competing to
keep. The most talented, experienced,
and dedicated teachers have options.
If we are if all we're doing is
invalidating their contracts, they will
leave and the students are going to be
the ones that will pay the price. This
district has accomplished remarkable
things because of its educators. Our
middle school was recently recognized as
a middle school of excellence. In the
last two years, Newfound Regional High
School has graduated validictorians who
went on to Ivy League universities. And
those achievements did not just happen
by accident. They happened because of
these exceptional teachers that are
invested in our exceptional students.
But we are already seeing the warning
signs. We struggle to fill positions in
things like world languages and special
education. We close elementary schools.
These positions remain vacant or
experienced teachers leave and students
are the ones who lose opportunities.
They lose access to coursework, to
meaningful relationships with educators
and the challenges that prepare them for
the college and their careers and the
rest of their lives. I urge the board to
continue working toward a fair agreement
that reflects the value of our educators
because supporting teachers is about
protecting the quality of education that
our students receive and ensuring that
Newf Found remains a district that
families are proud to be a part of. And
to everyone here worried about their
property taxes, I understand. Trust me,
I hear these conversations at home and I
hear them throughout my community and
they are completely valid. But the
reality is that this is bigger than
newfound.
New Hampshire has built a system that
relies too heavily on local property
taxes to fund public education. We are
asking communities and taxpayers to
shoulder a responsibility that should be
s shared by the state of New Hampshire.
That is a systemic failure and our
students and our teachers are the ones
paying the price for it. I do not blame
the taxpayers for feeling frustrated. I
blame a system that forces communities
to choose between affordable taxes and
adequately funding their schools and
their education. That should never be
the choice. Tonight, however, while we
can't solve the state's funding crisis,
what we can do is decide whether we will
support the teachers who have made this
district something to be proud of and
continue fighting for the students that
they serve every single day. Thank you.
[applause]
All right. Well, thank you everybody for
comments. Oh, go ahead. [clears throat]
>> Hello again. And Tess failed to mention
that she was one of those valictorian
people that went on to an Ivy League
school. So, it's so great to see her
back speaking to us tonight. [applause]
getting back to some of the earlier
discussions, Tyler, it wasn't a little
$5 increase in property taxes. Had the
budget passed, when I calculated what my
property taxes were going to go up, it
was $800.
That's not five bucks increase. Number
one. Number two, when I was growing up
back in the dark ages, I was in classes
of 30 kids and I KNEW I WAS THERE TO
LEARN. UNFORTUNATELY,
many parents today feel it's the
teachers obligation and they send their
kids to school not understanding that
they're there to learn, to get educated
so they can support themselves.
And you know, I'm not anti-teer, but
when you look at the small class numbers
that we've been sustaining,
consolidation of schools makes sense. I
could see if we had 10 and 12 kids in a
classroom and we had stellar
student scores, but we don't. They're in
the pits except for the middle school. I
will give give Chris credit that middle
school have gone up, but they're still
only
not up there in the 80s, which you would
think with small classes they would be.
The smallest school with the smallest
classroom was Danberry. They had the
lowest in our district. So, how do you
have classrooms with six, seven, eight
kids in them and they're 50% or under
can't agree or right. How do you explain
it? But you expect to keep paying the
money. So something fundamentally has to
change. Taxpayers can't keep paying it.
The students need to start working
harder and teachers need to um realize
that they are publicly funded. So
I'm done.
Hi Ann Alexander. Madam chair, can we
try to remind us that we should be
talking about what we're here to speak
about and try to focus back on that
please
mouth again. I'm getting brave. I'm up
for a second time. um once everything is
figured out because I know this is
extremely complex. None of us want to be
here. I can't even imagine how you're
all feeling facing all of us. We'll be
beginning a contract even if it's the
default amount from last year that we
will sign again before we begin the new
year. Will there be some contract that
we sign so that we know whatever amount
be it the last year's amount the new
year you know whatever amount
>> we're going to have what I'm going to
propose once we're done public comment
is a motion to um start negotiations and
work with that with the um the
>> with the hope that we will be
>> for something like for us to start
something ASAP for this year memorandum
of understanding whatever it might be
and then we also have to initiate
contract negotiations for next year as
well. We're going to have to do a two.
>> I just think perhaps that would help a
lot of the feelings if there was an
actual piece of paper that told us
exactly what it is we're going to be
doing.
>> Absolutely. Don't disagree. The
uncertainty is is not fun. Um but
unfortunately,
you know, we only know what we know
until Mike gets a little bit more time.
um at least they were both Brian and
Mike were proactive and trying to get
this out there as soon as they knew the
information. Um and I appreciate that um
and the candid um way of just letting
people know what what we got when we got
it. Um but now we need to try to
continue to move forward and um as many
fires as we
>> and try not to get
Seeing no comment, we'll move on. Um
for the board, um I know that I had
mentioned briefly, um I would like to
make a motion to enter into negotiations
with the union.
>> I'll second it.
>> Okay. Any further discussion? Seeing
none. All those in favor say I.
>> I oppose. Extensions. Okay. Um I don't
mind being one of we can only do two
because there's five. There's we have a
vacant board member vacant opening right
now for Bristol on the board. Um that
hopefully I have gotten I'll put in a
little plug. I've got no people
interested in the Bristol nominations.
So if you know anybody, we're still
looking for nominations. I've not gotten
a single email. So please
>> Okay. So FYI, get those feelers out
there. Um,
I would be willing to do negotiations
again, but we'd only do two because a
three would make four. So,
>> I'm willing to do it, too.
>> It's up to you.
>> So, I nominate Melissa and Michelle. I
make a motion to nominate Melissa and
Michelle.
none, all those in favor say I. I.
Opposions.
Okay. Um
what was that?
>> We they weren't on the agenda for
tonight. We were just this was special
meeting just for budget stuff. Um and to
deal with kind of a plan um thought
there was something else.
>> Oh yes, that was my other thing. I
wonder if they were right to that
because the budget committee chair is
saying there um that we should have a
budget committee meeting sooner rather
than later.
>> Huh?
>> Yes. Because I think budget committee is
going to need to do more since you
happen to be sitting right out there in
the audience.
>> Perfect.
>> But I think those I think those are are
the plans. Start negotiations with the
unions. Um might continue working on the
budget. have a budget committee meeting
as well to try to um to try to get a
handle on things too and start working
because it's going to be go hand in hand
this year as well as next year. So,
we'll do that in three days.
>> I would just like I would just like to
say um late Saturday afternoon, Michael
and Brian were both working and I got a
call about this. So, we're taking it
serious.
It's the first As soon as they figured
it out, they started calling us trying
to make a plan.
>> Anybody else have any further comments?
>> Board members.
>> I'll make a motion to adjurnn.
>> I We're I'm ready for
>> ready to work.
>> I'm ready to rock and roll. So
>> I still make a motion to adjurnn.
>> I'll second the motion. All those in
favor say I.
>> I.
>> Turn the mic off.
>> Have a good night.
>> Thank you everybody for coming. I
appreciate it.