Feb 13, 2024 February 13, 2024 - Budget Work Session - 4 p.m.

[00:00:06]

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE FEBRUARY 13TH, 2024 SCHOOL BOARD BUDGET WORK SESSION TO ORDER.

[A. Meeting Opening]

[B. Citizens Budget Advisory Committee Annual Report]

WELL, GOOD AFTERNOON, CHAIRWOMAN HEFFRON, VICE CHAIR COKER AND TO OUR THREE NEW SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

MY NAME IS JASON YOUNG.

I HAVE THE PRIVILEGE OF SERVING AS THE CHAIR FOR THE CITIZENS BUDGET ADVISORY COMMITTEE, MORE COMMONLY KNOWN AS CBAC.

AND I'M HERE TODAY, BUT I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HERE TO SPEAK.

I HAVE SEVERAL MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE, WHO ARE ALSO GOING TO SPEAK TO YOU AS WELL.

WE HAVE A FEW MINUTES OF PREPARED REMARKS, AND AFTER WHICH WE'RE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MIGHT HAVE.

SO, ESPECIALLY FOR OUR NEW FOLKS.

JUST A LITTLE BIT ABOUT OUR COMMITTEE.

SO THIS COMMITTEE WAS CHARTERED TO ASSIST CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THE SCHOOL BOARD IN THE EVALUATION AND ALLOCATION OF RESOURCES TO ENSURE A HIGH QUALITY, EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT SCHOOL DIVISION.

AND NOW YOU CAN SEE A LIST OF OUR SCHOOL MEMBERS, OUR COMMITTEE MEMBERS, OUR COMMITTEE TAKES OUR WORK VERY SERIOUSLY AND LIKE TO THANK AND RECOGNIZE THE MEMBERS OF OUR COMMITTEE AT THIS TIME, DR.

SAMUEL PERRY, RENAL PATEL, DUANE MCLEAN, SEAN EKIERT, AND GEORGE CROCKER FOR THEIR WORK AND THEIR COMMITMENT TO CBAC.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT CBAC IS AN INDEPENDENT COMMITTEE.

IT'S MADE UP OF PARENTS AND CITIZENS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, ALL OF WHOM HAVE A SHARED INTEREST IN MAKING SURE THAT CPS SCHOOLS ARE THE BEST THEY CAN BE, AND SPECIFICALLY THAT THEY HAVE THE APPROPRIATE FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO MEET THEIR MISSION.

IT'S ALSO IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NO ONE OUR COMMITTEE IS AN EMPLOYEE OF CCPS SO SUCH THAT WE CAN MAINTAIN A TRUE SENSE OF INDEPENDENCE IN OUR WORK AS WELL AS IN OUR RECOMMENDATIONS. SO, WE GO THROUGH A LOT OF MATERIALS AND WE HAVE A LOT OF MEETINGS, AND I'D LIKE TO TAKE A MOMENT TO THANK EVERYONE WHO HAS ASSISTED US IN KIND OF OUR MISSION THIS YEAR.

THAT INCLUDES OUR SUPERINTENDENT, DR.

DAUGHERTY, OUR DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT, DR.

TYLUS, OUR CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER, BOB MEISTER, OUR DIRECTOR OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET, KAILYN CAMPBELL.

AND THE WOMAN WHO KEEPS US ALL ORGANIZED.

OUR CLERK OF THE SCHOOL BOARD [INAUDIBLE] AS WELL AS MANY OTHERS, THROUGHOUT THE CCPS TEAM WHO'VE ASSISTED OUR COMMITTEE IN ITS WORK THIS YEAR.

SPECIFICALLY AND WE DID THIS LAST YEAR AS WELL.

AND WE'RE GOING TO DO IT AGAIN BECAUSE THEY DO SUCH A GREAT JOB.

WE WANT TO THANK BOB AND KAILYN FOR ALL THAT THEY DO.

AS YOU KNOW, THE PROPOSED BUDGET IS OVER $900 MILLION.

IT HAS CONTRIBUTIONS FROM FEDERAL SOURCES THAT HAVE CONTRIBUTIONS FROM STATE SOURCES AND LOCAL SOURCES AS WELL.

TO SAY THE BUDGET IS COMPLEX WELL, THAT WOULD BE A REALLY COLOSSAL UNDERSTATEMENT.

AND BOB AND KAILYN, THEY KNOW THIS BUDGET INSIDE AND OUT.

ON THE RARE OCCASION WE'RE ACTUALLY ABLE TO STUMP THEM, I LIKE TO TRY TO DO THAT.

AND THEY CAN'T IMMEDIATELY ANSWER THE QUESTION.

LITERALLY, BY THE TIME WE LEAVE THE MEETING, THEY HAVE EMAILED US AN EXPLANATION AND THE ANSWER TO OUR QUESTIONS.

SO WE JUST LIKE TO AGAIN COMMENT THAT OUR FINANCE AND BUDGET OPERATIONS ARE IN REALLY SOUND HANDS WITH BOB AND KAILYN AT THE HELM.

AND LASTLY, I'D LIKE TO THANK OUR SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE ANN COKER, FOR HER STEADFAST COMMITMENT AND WORK ON OUR COMMITTEE.

AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED THAT YOU RECENTLY REAPPOINTED FOR ANOTHER TERM WITH CBAC I'M GLAD WE DIDN'T SCARE YOU AWAY.

AND GLAD THAT THE BOARD SAW FIT TO YOU SERVE ANOTHER TERM.

SO LET'S TALK ABOUT THE BUDGET A LITTLE BIT.

SO THE SUPERINTENDENT HAS A AS YOU CAN SEE UP THERE, PROPOSED A BUDGET OF ALMOST $914 MILLION THIS YEAR.

THIS IS ABOUT $29 MILLION HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR'S BUDGET.

NOW, WHEN I THINK OF $29 MILLION, I'M LIKE, WOW, THAT'S A LOT OF MONEY.

BUT IN THE CONTEXT OF A $900 MILLION PLUS DOLLAR BUDGET, IT'S A LITTLE OVER 3% HIGHER THAN LAST YEAR, ACTUALLY, UNDER THE CURRENT, KIND OF INFLATION RATE THAT WE'RE FACING. THIS BUDGET AS IT IS EVERY YEAR IS A TRUE NEEDS BASED, NEEDS BASED BUDGET, THERE IS NO FLUFF TO IT.

IN FACT, AS WE'RE GOING TO EXPLAIN, THERE ARE A FEW AREAS WHICH WE WILL DISCUSS, THAT WE CURRENTLY CURRENTLY FEEL THAT MORE FUNDING NEEDS TO BE CURRENTLY ALLOCATED.

SECONDLY, YOU'LL SEE UP THERE THAT THERE'S AN ADDITIONAL $17.5 MILLION IN HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS THAT ARE NOT FUNDED IN THIS BUDGET, BUT THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSES FUNDING FOR IF ADDITIONAL STATE REVENUES BECOME AVAILABLE ONCE THE STATE BUDGET IS PASSED.

OUR COMMITTEE IS IN FULL SUPPORT OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S INTRODUCED BUDGET OF $913 MILLION.

[00:05:01]

SO WE HAVE FIVE THEMES THAT WE'RE GOING TO EMPHASIZE IN OUR PRESENTATION THIS YEAR.

TEACHER AND STAFF COMPENSATION, INCREASED MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORTS, INCREASED FUNDING FOR ADDITIONAL SCHOOL SAFETY OFFICERS, INCREASED FUNDING FOR MAJOR MAINTENANCE, AND INCREASED FUNDING FOR BILINGUAL LIAISONS.

SO FIRST OFF DR. DAUGHERTY'S PROPOSED BUDGET RECOMMENDS A 4% RAISE FOR TEACHERS AND CCPS STAFF.

AS YOU CAN SEE UP THERE, THAT EQUATES TO A BUDGETARY FIGURE OF ALMOST $25 MILLION.

WE FEEL THIS FIGURE IS REFLECTIVE OF THE CURRENT INFLATIONARY PRESSURES ON OUR IN BOTH OUR LOCAL AND NATIONAL ECONOMY.

WE WOULD BE REMISS IF WE DIDN'T TAKE A MOMENT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE TREMENDOUS VALUE AND APPRECIATION THAT WE HAVE FOR CCPS, STAFF AND TEACHERS.

THROUGH OUR WORK WE'RE AFFORDED THE OPPORTUNITY TO MEET, TALK WITH, GO IN OUR SCHOOLS AND VISIT AND SEE FIRSTHAND THE WORK THAT CCPS EMPLOYEES PUT FORTH ON A DAILY BASIS. IT IS OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY.

THEY CARE DEEPLY FOR OUR CHILDREN AND OUR EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM.

AND WE MUST CONTINUE TO MAKE PROACTIVE STEPS TO APPROPRIATELY COMPENSATE THIS HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WORKFORCE.

WE FEEL THAT THIS RAISES REFLECTIVE OF THAT.

SO LAST YEAR, WE SPENT CONSIDERABLE TIME THIS COMMITTEE, AND WE CAME TO YOU WITH A REQUEST TO INCREASE STAFFING OF OUR SCHOOL COUNSELOR POSITIONS. DUE TO THE RISING IMPACT OF STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS, WE SAW THAT VERY VISIBLY IN OUR VISITS.

AND WE KNOW THAT'S BACKED UP BY DATA NATIONALLY SHOWING THAT A SIGNIFICANT RISE IN MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS BY OUR NATION'S YOUTH.

WE'RE HAPPY TO HEAR THAT REQUEST WAS HEARD.

RIGHT? YOU GUYS LISTENED TO US.

AN ADDITIONAL $1.1 MILLION WAS APPROPRIATED TO ELIMINATE, SHARED COUNSELOR POSITIONS AT OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS.

SO THIS YEAR, WHEN WE DID OUR FIRST WHEN OUR SCHOOL VISITS, YOU BETTER BELIEVE WE ASKED HOW THAT WAS WORKING.

AND WHEN WE WENT TO MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS, THEIR STAFF REPORTED THAT ELIMINATING THE SCHOOL SHARED COUNSELOR POSITION HAD MADE A NOTICEABLE IMPACT ON THEIR ABILITIES TO ADEQUATELY RESPOND TO STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH NEEDS.

NOW SIMILARLY, WHEN WE VISITED OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THIS YEAR, WE HEARD THE EXACT SAME THING WE HEARD IN OUR MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOLS LAST YEAR THAT THE SHARED SCHOOL COUNSELOR POSITIONS THAT ARE STILL PRESENT IN OUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS ARE STILL CREATING A MYRIAD OF PROBLEMS FOR THEM.

SO IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THERE'S 19 OF THEM WHERE STUDENTS SHARE THEIR SCHOOL COUNSELORS.

SO STUDENTS ARE UNABLE TO ACCESS THEIR, THEIR SHARED SCHOOL COUNSELOR RIGHT WHEN THEY'RE AT THE OTHER SCHOOL AND WHEN A COUNSELOR IS AT THE OTHER SCHOOL, WHO FILLS IN FOR THEM.

TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, THEY'RE HAVING TO FILL IN THAT TAKES AWAY TIME FROM THEIR DOING OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES THAT THEY ALREADY HAVE, A MILLION OTHER DUTIES THAT THEY HAVE TO DO, AND IT REALLY PUTS THEM IN POSITIONS THAT THEY'RE REALLY NOT FULLY QUALIFIED TO SERVE IN.

SO IT SEEMED PRETTY CLEAR TO US THAT IN SCHOOLS WHERE THE SHARED SCHOOL COUNSELOR POSITIONS WERE ELIMINATED THINGS HAVE IMPROVED.

WHEREAS IN THESE 19 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS THAT CONTINUE TO SHARE SCHOOL COUNSELORS WITH ONE ANOTHER, THE SAME PROBLEMS CONTINUE.

SO AS SUCH, WE'RE RECOMMENDING FOR AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION BE ALLOCATED TO FUND NINE AND A HALF FTE SCHOOL COUNSELOR POSITIONS.

THIS WOULD FULLY ELIMINATE THE SHARED SCHOOL COUNSELORS THAT EXIST AT OUR AT 19 ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

WE FEEL THAT EVERY CHILD IN EVERY CCPS SCHOOL DESERVES THE SAME EQUITABLE ACCESS TO A SCHOOL COUNSELOR.

AND RIGHT NOW, THAT SITUATION DOES NOT EXIST AT 19 CCPS SCHOOLS, AND WE FEEL THIS NEEDS TO BE CORRECTED.

AND ADDITIONALLY, WE'D LIKE TO FURTHER SUPPORT.

THERE'S $1.9 MILLION IN SUPERINTENDENT'S BUCKET OF UNFUNDED EXPENSES AT $17.5 MILLION.

TO FOR TARGETED PAY INCREASES FOR OTPT JOB FAMILIES.

SO THIS INCLUDES SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS.

THIS INCLUDES SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS.

THIS INCLUDES SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS.

AND QUITE SIMPLY THIS THIS FUNDING IS NEEDED TO TO KEEP PACE FOR THESE POSITIONS THAT REQUIRE SPECIALIZED LICENSURE WITH THE LOCAL RICHMOND SCHOOL PAY MARKET. WE ARE BELOW MARKET AND WE CANNOT KEEP THESE FOLKS.

WE HAVE SEVERAL UNFILLED POSITIONS, THAT ARE CURRENTLY IMPACTING OUR ABILITY TO DELIVER SERVICES IN THOSE AREAS.

[00:10:03]

SO I'M NOW GOING TO TURN OUR PRESENTATION OVER TO OUR VICE CHAIR, DUANE MCLEAN, TO TALK TO YOU ABOUT SCHOOL SECURITY.

THANK YOU. HI, I'M DUANE MCLEAN, VICE CHAIR OF THE CBAC COMMITTEE, AND I'M HERE TO TALK ABOUT SECURITY. WE HAVE A SHARED INTEREST IN MAKING SURE ALL OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE AS SECURE AS POSSIBLE.

THIS INCLUDES ONGOING RENOVATIONS TO BUILDING VESTIBULES ON SITE CAMERAS, SECURE DOORS AT OTHER POINTS OF ENTRY, AND SECURE STAFF.

IN RECENT SCHOOL VISITS SEVERAL CONCERNS WERE BROUGHT TO OUR ATTENTION.

AMONG THEM WERE THE NEED FOR ADDITIONAL TRAINED SECURITY PERSONNEL TO PATROL RESTROOMS AND OTHER AREAS WHERE CHILDREN CONGREGATE.

THESE ADDITIONAL PERSONNEL ARE ALSO NEEDED TO MONITOR ENTRY AND EXIT POINTS IN ORDER TO KEEP OUT POTENTIAL DANGERS AND ENSURE CHILDREN ARE NOT EXITING THE SCHOOL PREMISES WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE OR APPROVAL.

ADDITIONALLY, WE FOUND THAT AT SCHOOLS USING TRAILERS FOR OVERFLOW CLASSROOM SPACE, THERE ARE PARTICULAR SAFETY CONCERNS DURING BOTH SCHEDULED SCHOOL EVENTS FOR CLASS CHANGES AND IN THE CASES OF UNSCHEDULED RESTROOM PASSES TO THE MAIN BUILDING FROM SINGLE MODULE TRAILERS.

CAMERAS AND SECURITY PERSONNEL SHOULD BOTH BE DEPLOYED TO MONITOR THESE PATHWAYS.

FURTHERMORE, ALL TRAILERS, WHETHER THEY BE MULTI CLASSROOM SUPER TRAILERS OR SINGLE MODULAR SINGLE MODULE TRAILERS, SHOULD BE SECURE IN CASES WHERE LOCKDOWNS ARE NECESSARY.

THIS INCLUDES DOORS THAT CAN BE LOCKED AND WHERE THERE ARE WINDOWS THEY SHOULD ALSO BE SECURE.

LASTLY, NO SCHOOL SHOULD HAVE TO PULL TEACHERS OUT OF THE CLASSROOM OR AWAY FROM THEIR PLANNING PERIOD TO PROVIDE FOR BUILDING SECURITY.

WHEN THIS HAS TO BE DONE, IT SHOULD BE AN EXCEPTION DUE TO EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES AND NOT AS A NORMAL COURSE OF ACTION DURING A SCHOOL DAY.

OUR STUDENTS CANNOT LEARN IF THEY DON'T FEEL SECURE AND OUR TEACHERS, WHO ARE ULTIMATELY THE LAST LINE OF SECURITY IN CLASSROOMS AND LUNCH ROOMS SHOULD NOT ALSO HAVE TO BE THE FIRST AND SECOND LINES OF SECURITY AROUND AND IN THE BUILDINGS.

SO OUR PROPOSAL IS FOR SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICERS AT ALL ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS AT A COST OF $4.2 MILLION.

HI. GOOD AFTERNOON, I'M SEAN EKIERT.

I GET TO OUR NEXT TOPIC OF CONVERSATION, WHICH IS AROUND MAJOR MAINTENANCE.

AS MISS COKER AND MISS HEFFRON WILL RECALL, WHEN YOU ALL WERE FIRST ELECTED TO THE SCHOOL BOARD, WE WERE FACING A PRETTY SIGNIFICANT BACKLOG OF UNFUNDED, UNCOMPLETED MAJOR MAINTENANCE PROJECTS.

OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS, THERE'S BEEN A LOT OF ONE TIME FUNDING SOURCES THAT HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE.

THANK YOU. ONE TIME, FUNDING SOURCES HAVE BECOME AVAILABLE, TO ADDRESS SOME A LOT OF THOSE ISSUES.

THOSE HAVE BEEN, FEDERAL FUNDS, PARTICULARLY AROUND THINGS LIKE HVAC AND AIR CIRCULATION RELATED TO THE PANDEMIC, AS WELL AS, COUNTY DEBT ISSUANCE TO ADDRESS SOME OF THESE THINGS AND THE USE OF COUNTY AND SCHOOLS YEAR END BUDGETARY SURPLUS DOLLARS, THAT HAVE BEEN APPLIED TO A LOT OF THESE MAJOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS. AND THAT IS THAT'S BEEN FANTASTIC.

THAT'S GREAT THAT WE'VE BEEN ABLE TO PUT THOSE FUNDS TO WORK.

THE FEDERAL FUNDING, PRIMARILY THE ESSER FUNDS FROM FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT WILL ARE PRIMARILY GOING TO SUNSET AFTER THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR.

AND WE NEED A SUSTAINABLE, CONSISTENT SOURCE SO WE DON'T FALL BACK INTO ANOTHER ONE OF THESE BACKLOGS OF MAJOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS. THERE'S 67 BUILDINGS IN THE SYSTEM.

WITH THAT MANY FACILITIES, SOMETHING IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE BREAKING AND ALWAYS GOING TO BE IN NEED OF REPAIR.

AND WE CAN'T JUST KEEP PUTTING BAND-AIDS ON THINGS WHEN THEY POP UP.

ANNUAL MAINTENANCE EXPENDITURES OVER THE PAST FOUR YEARS HAVE AVERAGED MORE THAN $28 MILLION.

THIS REQUEST THAT'S IN THE THE SUPERINTENDENT'S LIST OF UNFUNDED PRIORITIES IS TO MAKE THE BUDGETARY CONTRIBUTION $9 MILLION FROM UP FROM THE $6 MILLION THAT'S CURRENTLY INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET, STILL WELL BELOW THAT $28 MILLION OF WHAT WE'RE SPENDING EACH YEAR.

SO OUR RECOMMENDATION IS TO MAKE THAT INCREASE IN THIS NEXT FISCAL YEAR AND TO BE THINKING AHEAD TO FUTURE FISCAL YEARS AND MAKING THIS A SUSTAINABLE FUNDING SOURCE FOR MAJOR MAINTENANCE ITEMS. WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO APPLY WHEN THOSE ONE TIME FUNDING SOURCES POP UP.

WE WANT TO PUT THOSE TO WORK IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WE'D LIKE TO SEE THOSE BE ABLE TO GO TO THOSE UNFUNDED CAPITAL PROJECTS AND BIGGER PROJECTS THAT THAT ARE IN NEED OF ADDITIONAL RESOURCES AND NOT

[00:15:08]

THANK YOU. I'M GOING TO TURN IT OVER TO RENAL PATEL FOR OUR NEXT ITEM.

GOOD AFTERNOON.

MY NAME IS RENAL PATEL AND I WOULD LIKE TO CONTINUE OUR RECOMMENDATIONS AND DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE BILINGUAL LIAISONS AND THEIR PLACEMENT IN THE SCHOOLS.

CCPS CURRENTLY FUNDS 14 SCHOOLS WITH THE BILINGUAL LIAISONS FOCUSED MAINLY TOWARDS SPANISH SPEAKING COMMUNITIES.

BASED ON THE 2024 DATA, PER THE VDOE WEBSITE, WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL NINE SCHOOLS THAT COULD BENEFIT FROM THIS FROM THE LIAISON, AGAIN FOCUS MAINLY TOWARDS THE SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION.

DURING OUR SCHOOL VISITS, WE HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH THE SCHOOL STAFF ABOUT THE INFLUX OF THE, INFLUX IN THE DIVERSE POPULATIONS, MAINLY AGAIN FOCUSED ON THE SPANISH COMMUNITY.

IN OUR OPINION, HAVING THE BILINGUAL LIAISON WILL CERTAINLY HELP BRIDGE THE COMMUNICATION GAP BETWEEN SCHOOL STAFF AND THE STUDENTS AND THE FAMILIES AND HELP CLOSE THE EQUITY GAP FOR THESE STUDENTS.

DURING THE LAST MONTH'S BUDGET WORK SESSION, DR.

D HAD MENTIONED IN HIS REMARKS THAT HAVING BILINGUAL LIAISONS HAVE CERTAINLY HELPED CONNECT OUR COMMUNITY AND HELPED OUR FAMILIES.

AS A RESULT, WE ARE NOW SEEING ENGAGED PARENTS WHO ARE CONNECTED TO THE COMMUNITY RESOURCES.

WE COULDN'T AGREE MORE WITH DR.

D'S REMARKS AND THE POSITIVE IMPACTS THIS SERVICES WILL CONTINUE TO BRING TO OUR STUDENTS AND THE PARENTS.

I'M GOING TO HAND IT OVER BACK TO JASON.

SO I'M JUST GOING TO KIND OF CLOSE THIS OUT HERE AND THEN WE'LL OPEN IT UP IF YOU ALL HAVE ANY QUESTIONS FOR US.

SO IN CLOSING, WHILE WE FULLY SUPPORT DR.

DAUGHERTY'S PROPOSED BUDGET OF NEARLY $914 MILLION, WE SEE A NEED FOR AN ADDITIONAL $19 MILLION TO FUND ALL THE CRITICAL NEEDS IN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS THIS YEAR.

NOW, $19 MILLION MAY SEEM LIKE A TALL ORDER, BUT HISTORICALLY, THIS IS KIND OF CONSISTENT WITH WHERE WE'VE BEEN IN PAST YEARS.

LAST YEAR, THE PROPOSED BUDGET WAS ABOUT $17 MILLION SHORT, SO WE'RE NOT TOO FAR OFF, RIGHT? SO HOW DO WE GET THERE? WELL, WE SEE TWO WAYS, RIGHT.

FIRST, WE'RE STILL WAITING ON THE PASSAGE OF THE STATE BUDGET.

LET'S ALL HOPE IT'S NOT IN SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR.

HOPEFULLY IT'LL OCCUR THIS SPRING.

AS OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

RIGHT. WE WANT YOU TO BE TALKING AND ADVOCATING WITH OUR CHESTERFIELD STATE SENATORS AND STATE DELEGATES, ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE $19 MILLION SHORT IN OUR BUDGET THIS YEAR AND WHY WE NEED ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDING TO FILL THAT GAP.

OKAY. SO AND THE SECOND WAY IS CONTINUING TO ENGAGE WITH OUR COUNTY PARTNERS, OUR BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, RIGHT.

AND DISCUSSIONS TO FULLY FUND THE CCPS BUDGET.

I KNOW WE'VE ALL GOTTEN RECENTLY OUR TAX ASSESSMENTS.

RIGHT. AND IF YOURS IS LIKE LIKE MINE, IT'S GONE UP A LITTLE BIT, RIGHT.

SO, THAT MIGHT NOT BE GREAT NEWS FOR YOU AND ME, BUT IT IS GOOD GOOD NEWS FOR OUR CCPS BUDGET AS AS WE KNOW, OUR COUNTY COFFERS SHOULD BE QUITE FULL THIS YEAR.

WE ALSO KNOW THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE.

THAT DOESN'T ALWAYS HAPPEN.

SO WE REALLY NEED TO STRIKE WHILE THE IRON IS HOT.

WE CONCLUDED LAST YEAR'S PRESENTATION WITH A PLEA FOR Y'ALL TO SIT DOWN WITH YOUR COUNTY COUNTY COUNTERPARTS ON THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS TO ENSURE THAT OUR BUDGET IS FULLY FUNDED.

YOU DID THAT RIGHT.

AND AND WE'RE REALLY ELATED TO HEAR THAT WE SEEM TO HAVE A MUCH MORE KIND OF FUNCTIONAL RELATIONSHIP NOW BETWEEN OUR SCHOOL SYSTEM AND OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT YOU GUYS ARE WORKING TOGETHER, TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN.

AND WE JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT THAT THAT PROGRESS CONTINUE IN THIS VERY COLLABORATIVE FASHION THAT, THAT IT STARTED WITH LAST YEAR.

AND LET'S JUST CONTINUE THAT THIS YEAR.

AND FINALLY, JUST TO REMEMBER THAT, THAT, THAT THE NUMBER WE'RE LOOKING AT IS NOT $913 MILLION.

IT'S $931 MILLION FOR THIS UPCOMING YEAR.

AND THANK YOU.

ON BEHALF OF THE COMMITTEE, THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE INPUT, INTO THIS BUDGETARY PROCESS.

WE RECOGNIZE THAT THIS BOARD HAS, HAS BEEN WILLING TO LISTEN TO US IN PRIOR YEARS, AND THAT IS SO TREMENDOUSLY APPRECIATED.

AND THANK YOU, RIGHT, FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO.

YOU GUYS ARE UNDERAPPRECIATED.

YOU GET A LOT OF FLAK PROBABLY, AND COMPLAINTS ALL THE TIME.

THANK YOU FOR THE WORK THAT YOU DO TO SUPPORT CCPS SCHOOLS.

WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE CHALLENGES FACING OUR SCHOOL SYSTEMS, AND SOME OF THOSE CHALLENGES ARE, ARE QUITE IMMENSE.

[00:20:05]

SO LET'S JUST MAKE THAT HAPPEN THIS YEAR.

WE CAN'T ALLOW, YOU KNOW, CHESTERFIELD IS CONTINUING TO GROW FASTER THAN ANY OTHER LOCALITY HERE, HERE IN CENTRAL VIRGINIA.

AND WE CAN'T ALLOW THIS TREMENDOUS GROWTH OF THE COUNTY'S OCCURRING, TO OUTPACE OUR SCHOOL RESOURCES.

I AND THE REST OF OUR COMMITTEE ARE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE AT THIS TIME.

THANKS SO MUCH. THANK YOU, MR. YOUNG. MR. MCLEAN, MR. EKIERT AND MISS PATEL, BOTH FOR YOUR PRESENTATION AND FOR ALL OF THE HARD WORK THAT YOU PUT IN, AND SERVING OUR COMMUNITY ON THE COMMITTEE.

SO THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THAT.

BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? I TOO, JUST WANT TO ECHO, THANK YOU TO THE COMMITTEE FOR ALL OF YOUR HARD WORK.

AND YOU CAN'T SCARE ME AWAY.

THIS IS MY MY, MY LOVE IS IN THE THE FINANCIAL WORLD.

SO, I'VE REALLY ENJOYED, YOU KNOW, LISTENING TO YOU GUYS DELIBERATE, AND THE CONVERSATIONS AND THE QUESTIONS.

AND YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU CAN'T STUMP OUR FINANCE DEPARTMENT.

THEY'RE PRETTY GOOD. BUT WHAT I APPRECIATE IS YOU TAKE THE BUDGET THAT HAS BEEN PUT FORTH AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT ELSE, RIGHT? WHAT ELSE IS THERE THAT IS IMPORTANT TO, BRING TO THE TABLE FOR CONSIDERATION? SO THANK YOU FOR NOT JUST TAKING THE CURRENT INFORMATION BUT THINKING BEYOND THAT.

SO REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

I WANT TO ECHO WHAT THEY'VE SAID.

IT'S. I'VE READ THROUGH THE REPORT, READ THROUGH EVERYTHING.

AND I WAS STUNNED BY THE LEVEL OF DEPTH THAT YOU GUYS HAVE CLEARLY GONE THROUGH.

IT'S IMPRESSIVE. I JUST HAVE A QUICK QUESTION ABOUT THE BILINGUAL LIAISONS.

EVERY PRINCIPAL THAT I SPOKE WITH LOVED THEIRS.

THEY ARE SUCH AN ADDITION TO THE COMMUNITY, AND I REALLY LIKE THAT YOU ALL ARE SAYING NINE MORE.

WHERE ARE THEY? I'M SURE IT'S A LIST SOMEWHERE.

I'M CURIOUS. AND WHAT IS THE CRITERIA? YEAH. SO, AND BOB AND KAILYN, YOU GUYS CAN FEEL FREE TO CHIME IN.

BUT RIGHT NOW, MOST OF THE BILINGUAL LIAISONS ARE AT SCHOOLS THAT HAVE A HIGHER THAN A 35%, SPANISH SPEAKING POPULATION.

AND WE KIND OF CAME UP WITH THE NINE IF WE IF WE TOOK IT DOWN, IT COULD BE MORE THAN THAT.

RIGHT. BUT, YOU KNOW, WE TOOK IT DOWN TO KIND OF THAT 25%, KIND OF BARRIER, OR LEVEL, TO PROPOSE A MAP. BUT WE ALSO WANTED WE DIDN'T PROPOSE SPECIFIC SCHOOLS.

RIGHT. BECAUSE YOU ALL KNOW THAT BEST YOU ALL KNOW THE SCHOOLS AT THEIR HIGHEST NEED.

BUT WHEN WE WENT ON OUR SCHOOL VISITS, IT WAS VERY CLEAR THAT SOME OF THE SCHOOLS THAT DIDN'T HAVE THEM WERE HAVING REAL COMMUNICATION CHALLENGES, COMMUNICATING WITH A LARGE NUMBER OF PARENTS COMING IN, AND THEY JUST COULDN'T COMMUNICATE WITH THEM.

AND WE SAW A REAL NEED TO INCREASE THAT VALUABLE POSSESSION.

MR. YOUNG, JUST A QUESTION FOR YOU.

THE SECOND TO LAST SLIDE, IT STATED AN ADDITIONAL $19 MILLION.

ABOUT $19 MILLION IS NEEDED TO FULLY SUPPORT CCPS OPERATIONS.

THE $17 MILLION HIGH PRIORITY NEEDS AND THEN ABOUT $2 MILLION CBAC PROPOSED INITIATIVES.

THE $2 MILLION CBAC PROPOSED INITIATIVE, WHICH STRICTLY FOR THE MAJOR MAINTENANCE FUNDING.

IS THAT CORRECT OR AM I MISSING NOT READING IT CORRECTLY? NO. THE THE MAJOR MAINTENANCE FUNDING WAS INCLUDED IN THE SUPERINTENDENT'S $17.5 MILLION SO THAT THE $2 MILLION, WHICH IS ONE, $1,684,000, ARE FOR $1 MILLION FOR THE ADDITIONAL SCHOOL COUNSELOR POSITIONS.

THAT WAS NOT IN HIS UNFUNDED BUCKET.

AND THEN THE 600, $684,000 FOR THE BILINGUAL LIAISON [INAUDIBLE] WHICH ALSO WAS NOT IN THAT BUCKET.

THANK YOU FOR CLARIFYING THAT FOR ME I APPRECIATE IT.

SURE THING. THANKS SO MUCH, MR. YOUNG. THANK YOU TO THE MEMBERS OF CBAC FOR ONCE AGAIN GIVING US A GREAT PRESENTATION AND A LOT TO THINK ON.

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH.

NEXT, WE HAVE A 2024 LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM UPDATE FROM MR.

[C. 2024 Legislative Program Update]

THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIRMAN. BOARD MEMBERS.

DR. DAUGHERTY, I'M GOING TO GIVE YOU KIND OF A BRIEF UPDATE ON WHERE THINGS ARE WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

AS OF TODAY, WE'RE OFFICIALLY AT THE HALFWAY POINT.

THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES HAS ADJOURNED FOR THE DAY.

THE SENATE IS STILL IN SESSION.

AS OF TOMORROW THEY NO LONGER CONSIDER BILLS AND THEIR HOUSE OF ORIGIN, WHICH MEANS THE HOUSE CAN ONLY CONSIDER SENATE BILLS.

[00:25:02]

WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THERE TOO, IS AND I'LL TALK A LITTLE BIT LATER IN MY CONVERSATION WITH YOU IS ABOUT THE BUDGET PROCESS AND WHAT COMES NEXT.

PART OF THIS SLIDE DECK IS JUST KIND OF A BRIEF REMINDER, REALLY, FOR THE THE PUBLIC OF THE LEGISLATIVE PROGRAM ITSELF, SOME OF THE THINGS WE PUT IN PLACE, AND YOU'LL RECALL, OBVIOUSLY, THE CONVERSATIONS WE'VE HAD FOR THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION PROPER.

TIMELINE, PERSPECTIVE, OBVIOUSLY THE BIG PIECE THERE WAS DECEMBER THE 6TH, WHERE WE MET WITH THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION, EXPLAINING TO THEM KIND OF OUR OUR CORE PRIORITIES, ALSO REALLY TALKING WITH THEM ABOUT SOME OF THE THINGS WE REALLY WANT TO SEE THEM ADVOCATE FOR ON BEHALF OF CHESTERFIELD SCHOOLS.

THE GOVERNOR DID ANNOUNCE HIS BUDGET ON DECEMBER THE 20TH.

IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT WHAT THE GOVERNOR, REALLY INTRODUCED IN HIS BUDGET WAS A PRIMARILY A DIFFERENT CONCEPT WITH REGARD TO TAXES AND HOW THINGS ARE FUNDED IN HIS BUDGET. THE HOUSE AND SENATE ARE SHORTLY UPENDED THAT WHOLE PROCESS.

SO WHAT YOU'LL SEE COME THEIR PROPOSALS IS LARGELY IS TAKING AWAY SOME OF THE THINGS THE GOVERNOR HAD DONE IN ORDER TO, IN THEIR TERMS, FUND ADDITIONAL PRIORITIES.

HOPEFULLY SOME OF THOSE BEING EDUCATION.

TODAY, OBVIOUSLY, IS A CROSSOVER DAY AS OF TOMORROW OBVIOUSLY, AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THEY'LL HEAD INTO THE NEW TERMS OF THEIR LEGISLATIVE PROCESS.

ON SATURDAY, EACH HOUSE WILL INTRODUCE THEIR RESPECTIVE BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

THEY'LL VOTE LATER NEXT WEEK, NEXT THURSDAY, LARGELY ON THAT BUDGET PROCESS.

TYPICALLY, IT'S KIND OF A PRO FORMA PROCESS.

VERY RARELY WILL ANYTHING CHANGE BASED ON WHAT COMES OUT ON SUNDAY.

FROM THERE, THEY WILL THEN APPOINT A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE, WHICH WILL COME TOGETHER KIND OF BASICALLY ABOUT 20 LEGISLATORS OUT OF 140 THAT WILL NEGOTIATE LARGELY AMONGST THEMSELVES, OF WHAT THEY WILL PROPOSE TO BE THE FINAL RESOLUTION.

BUT PUT FORWARD OUR HOPE, OBVIOUSLY, IS THAT THEY THEY HAVE A PROCESS THAT IS UNANIMOUS AND THAT THEY PUT THAT FORWARD.

OBVIOUSLY THERE IS A CONCERN WITH REGARD TO THE GOVERNOR AND WHAT HE MAY, MAY OR MAY NOT DO WITH REGARD TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY'S PROPOSALS, MAINLY BECAUSE THEY WILL DRAMATICALLY CHANGE HIS INTRODUCED BUDGET.

THE VETO SESSION IS IN MID-APRIL, TYPICALLY CONSTITUTIONALLY, ABOUT TEN DAYS PRIOR THE GOVERNOR HAS TO ANNOUNCE HIS ACTIONS ON LEGISLATION.

SO WE'LL SEE SOME THINGS HAPPENING KIND OF LATER IN MARCH AS HE BEGINS TO LOOK AT LEGISLATION WHETHER TO SIGN BILLS, AMEND BILLS OR VETO BILLS.

THE SESSION ITSELF IN APRIL WILL DETERMINE, OBVIOUSLY, THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN AMENDED OR VETOED, AND THEY'LL VOTE ON THAT.

WE WORK TOWARDS THERE OBVIOUSLY, THE OTHER PIECE OF MY JOB RESPONSIBILITIES, TOO, IS TO ADAPT AND BRING TO YOU ANY POLICY CHANGES WE HAVE TO HAVE IN PLACE BY JULY 1ST.

LEGISLATE PRINCIPLES ARE IMPORTANT.

WE DON'T TYPICALLY BRING TO THE BOARD SPECIFIC POSITIONS ON LEGISLATION.

WHAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO DO IS TO HAVE A LARGER CONVERSATION ABOUT OUR PRIORITIES.

SO IN THE SENSE THAT AS I LOOK AT LEGISLATION, AS YOU LOOK AT LEGISLATION, HOPEFULLY OUR DELEGATION LOOKS AT LEGISLATION.

THEY'LL CONSIDER HOW THESE KEY PRIORITIES THAT'S EQUITABLE, FAIR AND UNBIASED ACCESS TO ALL OPPORTUNITIES, SUPPORTING THE MAXIMUM DISCRETION WITH THEIR BUDGET DECISIONS, FLEXIBILITY, RELAXATION ON CERTAIN MANDATES.

I'LL TALK ABOUT THAT IN A LITTLE BIT.

AND OPPOSITION TO ANY NEW REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE NOT FULLY FUNDED.

SO THE LEGISLATURE POSITIONS TALK A LITTLE ABOUT KIND OF THE FUNDING PIECE, AND WE'VE TALKED EXTENSIVELY REGARDING JLARC AND WE KNOW FIRSTHAND, OBVIOUSLY, LOOKING AT THE JLARC RECOMMENDATIONS THAT OUR SCHOOL DIVISION STANDS TO RECEIVE BY THEIR REPORT, AN ADDITIONAL $200-300 MILLION IN INCREMENTAL FUNDING FOR OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.

AS WE SAID BEFORE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY AND ELECTED OFFICIALS, THAT WE WILL CLEARLY TAKE THAT MONEY, PRODUCE RESULTS AND SHOW THEM HOW WE'VE INVESTED THAT MONEY ON BEHALF OF OUR CITIZENS, CLEARLY INTO THE CLASSROOM.

INVESTING THE WORKFORCE IS A KEY PIECE THERE.

WE KNOW THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET HAS PUT IN THERE.

COMPENSATION OBVIOUSLY INCREASES FOR OUR WORKFORCE.

WE LOOK TO SEE SOME OF THOSE INCREASES WITH REGARD TO THE HOUSE AND SENATE HERE IN A COUPLE OF DAYS.

AND OBVIOUSLY THE COLLABORATION WITH OUR COUNTY GOVERNMENT HAS BEEN KEY, BOTH AT YOUR LEVEL IN DISCUSSING CONVERSATIONS, THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS, AS WELL AS THE STAFF LEVEL, COLLABORATING WITH THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT ON DIFFERENT PRIORITIES THEY HAVE AND THAT WE HAVE WERE SURELY THEY'RE THE SAME ONES, BUT ADVOCATING ONE OF THE SAME WITH THE LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION.

RECOVERY ACADEMY IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE.

THE GOVERNOR DID INTRODUCE FUNDING FOR RECOVERY ACADEMY.

AS YOU KNOW, WE'RE FUNDED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY TO YOUR FUNDING.

ESSENTIALLY, WE'RE UP FOR NEW FUNDING COME JULY 1ST.

THE GOVERNOR PUT IN PLACE ABOUT $500,000 FOR THAT FUNDING.

I'VE HAD SOME CONVERSATIONS WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

THEIR THEIR INTENT ACTUALLY IS TO BEGIN TO LOOK AT EXPANDING RECOVERY SCHOOLS ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH.

STILL LOOKING AT AS YOU KNOW, OUR RECOVERY ACADEMY IS STRUCTURED MORE TOWARDS THE REGION RUN SCHOOLS.

THEY'RE LOOKING TO EXPAND THAT, TO LOOK AT, THE VIRGINIA BEACH AREA AS WELL, NORTH VIRGINIA AREA.

SO WE'LL HEAR MORE ABOUT THAT OBVIOUSLY IN THE COMING DAYS.

WE'RE EXCITED TO KNOW THAT CLEARLY THAT, OUR THE WORK THAT WE'VE DONE IN CHESTERFIELD HAS BEEN KIND OF THE MARKER FOR THAT CONVERSATION GOING FORWARD.

[00:30:04]

WITH REGARD TO, THE BUDGET AND LEGISLATION.

SO AS FAR AS LEGISLATION, YOU'RE BEGINNING TO SEE UPDATES FROM ME ABOUT LEGISLATION THAT'S BEEN PASSED.

WHAT I TRY TO DO IS REALLY TO STREAMLINE THOSE PIECES BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE DRAMATICALLY DAILY, HOURLY, ALL THOSE FUN THINGS HAPPEN.

BUT I TRY TO GIVE YOU UPDATES ON LARGER PERSPECTIVES OF THINGS, AND I'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE YOU ON DIFFERENT TOPICS.

YOU KNOW, WE I TALKED IN AN EARLIER SLIDE ABOUT THE THE RELAXATION OF MANDATES ARE UPON US.

I TALK ABOUT THE THE PIECE ABOUT NO NEW MANDATES THAT AREN'T FUNDED.

AND AS I AS I WORK WITH THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, WE SEE IF YOU LOOK AT DIFFERENT LEGISLATION ONE BY ONE, CUMULATIVELY, YOU GET WORRIED ABOUT THE IMPACT IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON OUR SCHOOL DIVISION.

EVERYTHING IS VERY WELL INTENTIONED, BUT I'LL TELL YOU, AS I BEGIN TO GO THROUGH AND TALK WITH LEGISLATORS, IT IS BEGINNING TO PILE UP AS FAR AS THE REQUIREMENTS THAT ARE COMING ON SCHOOLS. AND I KNOW 1 TO 1, AS WE TALKED TO OUR DELEGATION, THEY'RE VERY COMMITTED TO IT.

I'VE KIND OF SHIFTED MY CONVERSATION WITH THEM IN THE SENSE OF LOOKING AT THINGS CUMULATIVELY THAT YOU PUT UPON US.

SO IT'S NOT SO MUCH THE NOTIFICATION OF THIS ONE TOPIC AREA TO PARENTS, BUT IT'S THE FIVE NOTIFICATIONS YOU'VE PUT ON US.

AND SO JUST TO BEAR WITH ME, I JUST WANT TO TELL YOU SOME OF THE TOPICS THAT I KIND OF CULL THROUGH LEGISLATION, THINGS THAT ARE GOING TO BE NEW TO US.

OKAY. SO YOU THINK ABOUT IN TERMS OF ALLERGY AWARENESS, A CAPITAL RESERVE FUND DISCIPLINE, DUAL ENROLLMENT, EMPLOYEE VERIFICATION, EVACUATION PLANS, EXCESSIVE FOOD DONATION, EXPEDITED RETAKES, FENTANYL AWARENESS, FIRE DRILLS, FOIA, FREE MEALS, GLUCAGON HAZING, SUPPORT SERVICES TO HOMELESS STUDENTS, LICENSURE LITERACY PLAN UPDATES, MENTAL HEALTH, NARCAN NOTIFICATIONS, OPEN ENROLLMENT, P.E., LEGISLATIVE POSITIONS.

PROCUREMENT, SEAT TIME, SPECIAL EDUCATION REFORM, TAXES, TEACHER SALARIES, TITLE NINE DISCRIMINATION, MINIMUM WAGE INCREASES.

JUST A FEW QUICK THINGS OF ALL THE THINGS THAT ARE COMING OUR WAY.

AGAIN, ALL VERY WELL INTENTIONED.

A LOT OF THINGS ARE GOING TO REQUIRE US TO MAKE CHANGES IN OUR OPERATIONAL PIECES.

NOT ALL OF THESE ARE FUNDED.

AND AGAIN, TAKEN IN ISOLATION.

THEY ARE VERY WELL INTENTIONED, I'LL SAY THAT SINCERELY, BUT IT'S THE CUMULATIVE EFFECT THAT WE'RE BEGINNING TO KIND OF SEE WITH THAT.

SO TRYING TO WORK THROUGH THAT TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT IT'S GOING TO HAVE ON US, SOME OF THOSE THINGS ARE DAY TO DAY OPERATIONAL PIECES.

WE'RE A LARGER SCHOOL DIVISION.

WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO MANAGE THOSE.

BUT ALSO IN MY ANALYSIS TO I TRY TO LOOK AT AND SEE EXACTLY WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, OBVIOUSLY AT THE BUILDING LEVEL FOR THE PRINCIPAL, FOR THE TEACHERS.

AND SO JUST SAY THAT KIND OF AS A PREVIEW FOR THE NEXT MONTH, ESSENTIALLY IN OUR WORK WITH THE GENERAL [INAUDIBLE] YOUR CONVERSATIONS TOO, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO TO THINK IN TERMS AND TALK IN TERMS OF THAT CUMULATIVE EFFECT, IF YOU WILL.

SO THE LAST PIECE I WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE BUDGET PROCESS.

SO THE BUDGET PROCESS, IT'S BECOME VERY POLITICAL.

RIGHT. SO THE GOVERNOR INTRODUCES HIS BUDGET.

HE PRIMARILY FUNDS IT BASED ON, WHAT HE BELIEVES HE WANTS TO DO AS FAR AS FUNDING TAXES.

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY SAID FROM LITERALLY THE DAY THAT THE GOVERNOR'S BUDGET SAID, WE'RE GOING TO UPEND THAT AND DO SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

SO AS THE GENERAL SAYING COMES OUT AND THEY INTRODUCE THEIR PLANS ON SUNDAY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN THE HOUSE AND SENATE.

I'LL TELL YOU RIGHT NOW THAT A LOT OF THE CONVERSATION REGARDING JLARC HAS BEEN PUT ON PAUSE.

AND WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS THEY'VE ESTABLISHED, AND TRY TO SAY THIS WITHOUT LAUGHING, BUT THEY'VE ESTABLISHED A, A COMMITTEE TO STUDY THE JLARC STUDY.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE SEEN IN YEARS PAST HAPPEN.

I THINK SEEING SOME OF THE PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN APPOINTED TO THAT COMMITTEE ON THE HOUSE SIDE, I THINK THERE'S A SERIOUSNESS TO WHICH THEY'RE DOING.

THERE'S A FRUSTRATION AT THE LOCAL LEVEL TO KNOW THAT WE'RE GOING TO STUDY THE STUDY THAT ALSO IN MIND WHAT WE I'VE SEEN HAPPEN IN THE LAST WEEK.

AND BOB MEISTER TALKED ABOUT THIS ACTUALLY, YESTERDAY IS A LOT OF THE LEGISLATION WAS INTRODUCED IN THE [INAUDIBLE] COMMITTEES HAS BEEN MOVED TOWARDS THAT JOINT STUDY COMMITTEE. SO BILLS THAT WERE PUT IN PRIMARILY TO DEAL WITH THE JLARC RECOMMENDATIONS HAVE BEEN PUT TOWARDS THAT STUDY COMMITTEE.

WHAT YOU TAKE OF THAT IS WE MAY NOT SEE A LOT OF MOVEMENT IN THEIR BUDGET PROPOSALS.

FROM THE HOUSE AND SENATE SIDE.

THE OTHER PIECE THAT I'VE SEEN RECENTLY THAT'S HAPPENING IS THEY'VE REALLY STRUCTURED THEIR INCREASE ON FUNDING PIECES WHEN IT COMES TO [INAUDIBLE] AT RISK AND IN SPECIAL EDUCATION, THAT'S THE THREE PRIMARY BUCKETS THAT THEY'RE LOOKING AT.

THEY'RE TENDING TO LOOK, IN MY ESTIMATION, TO MOVE AWAY FROM FUNDING BY THE RATIOS OF POSITIONS.

AND WE KNOW WELL OBVIOUSLY THE IMPACT IT HAS.

WE LOOK AT COUNSELORS.

AND SO WHAT WE'LL SEE ON SUNDAY IS, IS A BLENDING OF THAT, THAT ASPECT.

WHY THAT'S IMPORTANT IS BECAUSE THROUGH JLARC, THEY'RE MOVING TOWARDS REALLY KIND OF THAT STUDENT PER STUDENT FUNDING FORMULA.

THERE'S A GOOD AND BAD PART WITH THAT TOO.

[00:35:01]

WE'RE CONCERNED, JUST LIKE ANYBODY ELSE WOULD BE CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT THAT FORMULA DOES FROM DAY ONE.

DOES IT MEAN AN IMMEDIATE INCREASE, IMMEDIATE DECREASE BASED ON HOW THEY DO THAT? SO WE'RE KIND OF LOOKING TOWARDS SEEING HOW HOW THAT WORKS.

THEY'RE MOVING LEGISLATION AWAY AND KNOWING THAT THAT JOINT COMMITTEE IS GOING TO LOOK AT THAT, PRESUMABLY TO COME BACK THE NEXT SESSION BECAUSE THEY HAVE A NEW FORMULA.

AND SO THERE'S CONCERNS ABOUT THAT PIECE, TOO.

WITH THAT IN MIND, THEN THE THOUGHT PROCESS WOULD BE A LOT OF THE MONEY THEY MAY PUT IN COME SUNDAY WOULD BE ON THE COMPENSATION FRONT.

SO ALL THAT A LITTLE BIT JUST PERSONALLY ON ME AND MY ANALYSIS, WATCHING THE LEGISLATION, TALKING TO LEGISLATORS, TALKING TO SOME OF MY COLLEAGUES ACROSS THE STATE, THAT'S SORT OF WHAT WE'RE WE'RE SEEING.

CLEARLY IT'S UP TO THE LEGISLATIVE COMMITTEES AND THEIR STAFF, WHAT THEY RECOMMEND ON SUNDAY.

SO OBVIOUSLY, I'LL BE KEEPING TABS.

SUNDAY IS A VERY, DAY IN FLUX WITH REGARDS TO THEIR, ANNOUNCEMENTS THEY GIVE OUT, AND I'LL SEND YOU AN UPDATE LATER THIS WEEK TO EXPLAIN THIS.

BUT ESSENTIALLY WHAT HAPPENS ON SUNDAY IS THEY HAVE THEIR FORMAL PRESENTATIONS, BUT WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THE FINE PRINT.

SO THEY PUT INTO WRITING THE ACTUAL BUDGET AMENDMENTS.

SO YOU'LL HEAR THE VERY POLITICAL COMMENTS ON SUNDAY AFTERNOON.

WE'VE PUT TOWARDS X AMOUNT OF MONEY FOR THIS PRIORITY FOR EDUCATION.

WHAT TAKES LIKE LITERALLY 48 HOURS IS FOR THE FINE PRINT TO SHOW UP.

THE FINE PRINT THEN TELLS YOU, DO YOU HAVE TO HAVE MATCHING FUNDS? DOES IT TAKE EFFECT IN FIVE YEARS? DOES IT TAKE EFFECT TOMORROW? ALL THOSE FUN THINGS.

SO YOU'LL HEAR THINGS ON SUNDAY IN THE MEDIA FROM ME REALLY TOP LEVEL PIECES LATER? PROBABLY TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY WERE HEAR MORE ABOUT THE SPECIFICS THAT COME FROM THAT TOO.

THE LAST PIECE I WILL SAY IS WITH REGARD TO THE BUDGET LEGISLATION.

I WAS JOKING WITH DR. THOMAS [INAUDIBLE] NOTHING EVER DIES IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY.

SO THINGS YOU HEAR THAT HAVE BEEN KILLED LEGISLATIVELY WILL COME BACK.

DEALS ARE CUT, DEALS ARE BROKEN, PROMISES ARE MADE.

ALL THOSE FUN THINGS HAPPEN IN POLITICS.

THOSE THINGS WILL HAPPEN IN THE NEXT MONTH.

SO I'LL CONTINUE TO KIND OF KEEP YOU UPDATED CERTAINLY.

YOU KNOW, MY COMMITMENT TO YOU AS THE BOARD IS TO TO GIVE YOU THE TOP LEVEL UPDATES.

IF YOU HEAR OF THINGS, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ME.

AND I KIND OF POINT YOU IN THE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

AND WITH THAT, I'M HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS YOU MAY HAVE.

THANKS SO MUCH, MR. SMITH.

BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY QUESTIONS OR DISCUSSION? I THINK WE SHOULD WORK WITH THE COUNTY TO BUILD A ROAD DIRECTLY FROM OUR OFFICES TO RICHMOND, JUST FOR YOU, BECAUSE I THINK THAT'D BE A VERY WELL TRAVELED ROAD BACK AND FORTH WITH THE AMOUNT OF TRIPS YOU MAKE.

THANK YOU FOR WHAT YOU DO.

I DON'T REALIZE IF I DON'T KNOW IF A LOT OF PEOPLE REALIZE, THE COMMITMENT THAT YOU HAVE, IN BEING A LIAISON AND TRAVELING BACK AND FORTH.

SO, YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITY TO ARTICULATE WHAT YOU'RE LEARNING IN THE HOUSE, IN THE CHAMBER AND COME BACK TO US AND SHARE, THAT IS INVALUABLE.

SO I GREATLY APPRECIATE THAT.

I AM SADDENED TO HEAR THAT THERE'S GOING TO BE A STUDY TO STUDY JLARC, IT'S PRETTY SELF-EXPLANATORY.

THIS IS NOTHING NEW.

THIS THE COMMONWEALTH HAS UNDERFUNDED, THE COMMONWEALTH SCHOOLS FOR YEARS.

MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BEHIND.

WE ALL KNOW THIS.

SO TO HEAR THAT THIS IS GOING TO BE PROLONGED EVEN MORE IS IS CONCERNING WITH THE BUREAUCRACY OF THE ADDITIONAL RED TAPE IS WHAT IT SOUNDS LIKE IS BEING APPLIED TO THIS.

AND SO, LIKE ANYTHING ELSE, WE'LL HAVE TO STRAP OUR SEAT BELTS AND, AND WAIT TO SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT.

BUT WITH ALL THAT BEING SAID, I DON'T HAVE DIRECT QUESTIONS FOR YOU.

I JUST WANT TO THANK YOU AND APPRECIATE WHAT YOU DO FOR THE SCHOOL BOARD AND THE COMMUNITY AT LARGE.

WITH YOUR BACK AND FORTH AND THE INFORMATION THAT YOU SHARE.

SO THANK YOU, THANK YOU. I.

AGAIN, I'LL JUST ECHO WHAT STEVE SAID.

THANK YOU FOR DOING THE WORK.

IT'S NICE THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS DOING IT TOO, BECAUSE I'M, LIKE, TRYING TO KEEP UP AS WELL.

YOU MENTIONED THAT YOU BELIEVE THE BUDGET, THAT THEY'RE MOST OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE FOCUSING ON IS ELL SPED AND YOU MENTIONED ONE THIRD ONE I MISSED, AT RISK.

THANK YOU. I MISSED THAT ONE.

AND THEN IF YOU WERE GOING TO TAKE AN EDUCATED GUESS, RIGHT, ON SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY'RE ASKING US TO DO ARE DO YOU BELIEVE IT'S SOMETHING THAT NEEDS TO BE IMPLEMENTED THIS YEAR? SO, FOR EXAMPLE, THE STORAGE OF INFORMING PARENTS THAT THEY SHOULD STORE THEIR WEAPONS [INAUDIBLE].

OKAY. SO LIKE IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK IS GOING TO SAY OKAY, FY 25 IMPLEMENTATION OR IS THAT SOMETHING WE NEED TO START THINKING ABOUT SOONER THAN THAT? SO TYPICALLY THINGS ARE POLICY RELATED, LIKE MAYBE A NOTIFICATION OF WHATEVER TOPIC MAY BE THE TOPIC OF THE DAY.

TYPICALLY WHAT THEY'VE DONE IS IT'LL HAPPEN IN TWO FOLDS.

USUALLY IT'S JULY 1ST.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN YEAR ROUND SCHOOL STARTS IN TWO WEEKS.

AND THE KIND OF THE LAG TIME THERE, THE SECOND PIECE THEY LOOK TOWARDS SOMETIMES IS THEY WILL, ASK THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION TO ESTABLISH WHAT'S KNOWN AS A MODEL POLICY.

[00:40:01]

AT HEART, WHEN THEY DO THE MODEL POLICY, I WILL SAY THE INTENT IS IS WELL INTENTIONED.

IT'S THE INTENT IS THAT THERE IS SOME SORT OF CONSISTENCY ACROSS THE COMMONWEALTH, EVEN REGIONALLY, THE NOTION THAT THAT WE AND OUR PEERS AND RICHMOND AND HRINKO HAVE SOMETHING THAT'S CLOSE TO EACH OTHER WITH REGARD TO THAT.

BUT SOME OF THESE NOTIFICATION PIECES ARE PRETTY QUICKLY TO BE DONE.

NOW I WILL SAY THAT, AND THAT'S A GOOD EXAMPLE OF SO THE NOTIFICATION PIECE, STRIKES RIGHT TO TO TO ME AND TO MY TEAM, IN THE SENSE OF COMMUNICATIONS. SO ON THE ONE HAND WE CAN HANDLE THE NOTIFICATION PIECE.

THERE'S ALSO A WEIRD TIMING PIECE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO PRODUCE THE, THE CODE OF CONDUCT, THE STUDENT HANDBOOK, AND ALL THIS HAS GOT TO GO, GO TO PRINT.

AND SO GETTING THOSE ALL THOSE IN PLACE TO DO, WE ALWAYS ASK FOR KIND OF MORE TIME WITH THAT.

SO. THANK YOU.

THANKS SO MUCH, MR. SMITH, I APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU. ALL RIGHT, MR. MEISTER, WE HAVE OUR PROPOSED FY 25 OPERATING BUDGET AND FIVE YEAR PLAN.

[D. Proposed FY25 Operating Budget and 5-year Plan]

OTHER MEMBERS OF THE BOARD, DR.

DAUGHERTY, APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COME HERE AND, DO A HANDFUL OF THINGS WITH YOU THIS AFTERNOON.

ACTUALLY, ONE, I WILL RECAP THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.

SOON THIS WILL BE YOUR BUDGET.

I WILL GIVE YOU ONE LAST, PRESENTATION OF THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED A SHORTER VERSION THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE BEFORE, FEAR NOT.

BUT I WILL ALSO COME TO YOU WITH A FIVE YEAR PLAN.

WE'LL TAKE THIS PROJECTION AND EXTEND IT OUT A HANDFUL OF YEARS.

AND THAT'LL BE THIS DISCUSSION HERE.

AFTER THIS, THERE IS A COUPLE OF OTHER TOPICS AROUND, BOTH THE OPERATING PLAN AND THE CIP FOR BOARD DISCUSSION.

I'M HAPPY TO STAND AND FACILITATE ANY OF THAT AS WELL.

BUT AS WE START THIS PROCESS, I WANT TO REMIND YOU WHERE WE ARE IN THE PROCESS.

WE'VE COLORED A LITTLE BIT MORE BLUE AT THIS POINT.

WE'RE THROUGH OUR OUR TOWN HALL DISCUSSIONS.

YOU'VE HEARD SOME FEEDBACK FROM YOUR COMMUNITY AT THIS POINT.

AND AS MR. SMITH ALREADY TALKED ABOUT, THE STATE IS VERY MUCH IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR PROCESS.

THERE'S STILL A LOT OF UNKNOWNS THERE, BUT WE ARE STILL DRIVING TOWARDS THE, NEXT THURSDAY'S SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL IN ORDER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE COUNTY.

AND AS MR. PARANTO SAID, BUCKLE UP.

SO TO RECAP, WHAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S BUDGET WAS YOU REMEMBER THE $913.7 MILLION NUMBER.

OUR FRIENDS AT CBAC MENTIONED THAT AS WELL.

THIS IS ABOUT A $29 MILLION INCREASE FROM PREVIOUS YEARS, DOWN FROM WHAT WE HAVE SEEN, PREVIOUSLY.

AND KEEPING IN MIND THAT WAS BASED ON THAT GOVERNOR'S PROPOSED BUDGET AS OF DECEMBER 20TH, WE FULLY EXPECT THERE TO BE A NUMBER OF CHANGES.

WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE AFTER THE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS IS A BIG UNKNOWN AT THIS POINT.

WHERE DO WE SPEND THAT MONEY? JUST TO REMIND YOU, IN THE PUBLIC.

THE BULK OF THIS FUNDS GOES TOWARDS INSTRUCTION.

THAT'S NOT A SURPRISE.

70% THERE.

THERE ARE OTHER MAIN GROUPS BEING THINGS LIKE OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, TECHNOLOGY THAT TRANSPORTATION.

NO NEW GROUND THERE.

NOW, HERE, I'LL PAUSE FOR JUST A MOMENT.

THIS IS OUR CURRENT SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.

THE REVENUE SIDE $28.9 MILLION.

ONCE AGAIN, REALLY THANKFUL FOR THE COUNTY, FOR THE $20 MILLION CONTRIBUTION.

AT THIS POINT IN THE PROCESS.

THEY ARE ABOUT TO KICK OFF THEIR PROCESS AS SOON AS OURS IS DONE IN MARCH.

SO WE'LL SEE IF THERE'S ANY, MOVEMENT IN THERE.

THE STATE NUMBER OF THAT, $14.5 MILLION THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT BEFORE, OFFSET BY SOME USE OF RESERVES, GETS US TO THAT $29 MILLION OF AVAILABLE FUNDS WE HAVE AS OF WHAT IS KNOWN TODAY. DR.

DAUGHERTY CAME TO YOU AND PROPOSED A BALANCED BUDGET AT THAT $28.9 MILLION THROUGH THE VARIOUS BUCKETS LISTED THERE, WITH ACKNOWLEDGMENT THAT THERE IS AN ADDITIONAL $17.5 MILLION OF OTHER UNFUNDED INITIATIVES THAT WE VIEW AS NEEDED AND VERY IMPORTANT, BUT AS IT CURRENTLY STANDS, ARE NOT FUNDED AT THIS POINT.

NOTED IN THE FOOTNOTE, YOU RECALL, THE GOVERNOR DID ALSO INCLUDE A 1% ONE TIME BONUS IN HIS BUDGET.

WE HAVE EXCLUDED THAT FOR NOW TO THE EXTENT THAT BECOMES A REALITY AT THE END OF THIS PROCESS, WE'LL HAVE TO GO BACK AND REVISIT THAT.

BUT GIVEN IT WAS ONLY ONE TIME FUNDING, I DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD PRUDENT TO PUT IT INTO THE ONGOING OPERATING FUND AT THIS POINT WE'LL MAKE THAT DECISION AS WE LEARN MORE.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF A DOUBLE CLICK ON THOSE INVESTMENTS.

THIS PAGE TALKS ABOUT THOSE $28.9 MILLION OF INVESTMENTS THAT WE HAVE CURRENTLY LOADED INTO THE BUDGET.

THE BIGGEST NUMBER ON HERE, YOU'VE HEARD IT A COUPLE TIMES TODAY ALREADY, IS THAT 4% INCREASE FOR COMPENSATION TOTALING ABOUT $25 MILLION.

OTHER REQUIRED INCREASES, LARGELY INFLATION CONTRACTUAL ADJUSTMENTS, DEBT CUSTODIAL CONTRACT.

[00:45:07]

AND LASTLY, MAINTAINING SERVICE LEVELS, INCLUDING FACILITATORS THAT FIRST STEP IN THE LIAISONS.

THANK YOU FOR OUR CBAC COMMITTEE FOR PUSHING THAT AGENDA.

PSYCHOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, DAY PORTERS AND ADDITIONAL STAFF POSITIONS WAS THE OTHER PIECE OF THAT.

THIS WAS A LOT TO CONSIDER, BUT WE RECOGNIZE THAT WASN'T ALL THAT WAS NEEDED.

AS A DISTRICT THE SUPERINTENDENT PROPOSED AN ADDITIONAL $17.4 MILLION, AS OUTLINED HERE, $5.4 MILLION IN SOME OF THE EXISTING BONUSES THAT CURRENTLY EXIST IN THE SYSTEM, MOST NOTABLY THE HIGH NEEDS BONUS, AS WELL AS IA AND CUSTODIAL BONUS AND THE OTHER NEEDS PRETTY B ORING TOPIC FOR SOME REALLY IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT SIT UNDERNEATH HERE IN THAT $12 MILLION, INCLUDING SECURITY OFFICERS, MAJOR MAINTENANCE, SOME OF THE TARGETED COMPENSATION INCREASES, IF YOU RECALL, THOSE ARE FOR THE SPEECH LANGUAGE PATHOLOGISTS, OT, PT, SOCIAL WORKERS.

THAT WAS ALSO TALKED ABOUT BY OUR CBAC FRIENDS EARLIER.

UTILITIES, ASSOCIATE PRINCIPAL 212 MONTHS.

SUBSTITUTE PAY IF YOU RECALL, WE ARE CURRENTLY BELOW THE REGIONAL AVERAGE.

THIS WOULD MOVE OUR SUBSTITUTE PAY BACK TO THAT REGIONAL AVERAGE CONTINUING TO PURCHASE THE FILTERS THAT WE'VE COME ACCUSTOMED TO IN OUR BUILDINGS.

AND LASTLY, CONTINUING TO INVEST IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND SCHOOLS.

THESE ADDED TO THAT $17.4 MILLION THAT WE BELIEVE ARE NEEDED, BUT AS OF TODAY IS NOT CURRENTLY FUNDED.

ONE LAST TIME TO LOOK AT THIS PAGE.

YOU'LL NOTICE IN THIS BUDGET SUMMARY IT'S LABELED REVISED IF APPLICABLE.

OFTENTIMES AT THIS POINT IN THE GAME WE KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE THAN WE DO NOW.

EITHER WE HEAR NEWS FROM THE STATE FOR DIFFERENT CHANGES THAT SEEM, RELEVANT OR OBVIOUS THAT WILL EVENTUALLY GO THROUGH.

THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TIME WHERE WE MIGHT HAVE ADJUSTED THE SUPERINTENDENT'S, BUDGET TO REFLECT THOSE.

AS YOU JUST HEARD FROM MR. SMITH, WE DON'T KNOW WHAT WILL ULTIMATELY COME FROM THAT PROCESS.

SO WHILE THIS SAYS REVISED, IT'S THE SAME BUDGET THAT YOU SAW, ON JANUARY 23RD, I BELIEVE THE DATE WAS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED AND WHAT WE'VE WALKED THROUGH.

SO KEEPING THAT IN MIND, WE LOOK FORWARD TO, ONGOING DISCUSSIONS ON THAT OVER THE COURSE OF THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON.

THIS IS ACTUALLY THE FIRST NEW SLIDE I AM SHARING WITH YOU HERE TODAY.

THIS IS OUR ALL FUNDS VIEW.

SO A LITTLE BIT OF A WALK THROUGH OF WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING AT HERE.

THAT FIRST LINE WITH THE ASTERISK ON IT IS THE OPERATING BUDGET THAT REFLECTS THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED BUDGET.

THAT'S WHAT YOU'VE ALL HEARD, A NUMBER OF TIMES AT THIS POINT, AS PRESENTED, FOR THE $913.7 MILLION AND ROUGHLY 3.3% INCREASE, INFLATION ISH, GROWTH HERE, KNOWING THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE.

GRANTS AND FOOD SERVICES ARE WHAT'S ADDED HERE.

THESE ARE ADDITIONAL FUNDS THAT THE SCHOOL NEEDS TO WORK.

GRANTS INCLUDES TITLE FUNDS, IDA, THINGS LIKE THAT.

AND OUR FOOD SERVICE FUND, AS YOU WOULD SUSPECT, IS THE ON GOING, OPERATION OF OUR CAFETERIA STAFF.

BOTH OF THOSE INCREASED A LITTLE BIT MORE, CLOSER TO 5% BASED ON AVAILABLE FUNDING AND SOME OF THE ONGOING, EVOLVING, FOOD SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES. THAT MOVES OUR TOTAL FY 25 PROPOSED FOR CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO JUST OVER $992 MILLION, ROUGHLY ABOUT THAT 3.4% INCREASE.

OVERALL.

WE ARE THE FISCAL AGENTS FOR THE APPOMATTOX REGIONAL GOVERNOR'S SCHOOL.

SO WHAT YOU WILL ULTIMATELY BE ASKED TO APPROVE AND MANAGE INCLUDES THAT BUCKET AS WELL.

YOU CAN SEE A BUDGET OF ABOUT $5.3 MILLION THERE, [INAUDIBLE] TO US, THE SAME 3.4 ISH PERCENT INCREASE FOR [INAUDIBLE], BRINGING THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF BUDGET THAT YOU ARE ULTIMATELY LOOKING TO APPROVE NEXT WEEK, SHOULD NOTHING CHANGE, IS JUST UNDER $998 MILLION, FOR FY 25.

I WON'T DO THIS NEARLY THE JUSTICE THAT MR. SMITH DID, BUT SUFFICE IT TO SAY, HIS UPDATE CARRIED OVER HERE.

BUT THE ONE THING I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE AWARE OF, WE'RE GOING TO HEAR A LOT OF THINGS OVER THE NEXT WEEK, BUDGET SUNDAY THERE WILL BE NOISE OUT OF THAT.

YOU'LL CONTINUE TO HEAR UPDATES.

MY LAST BULLET.

WE'RE NOT LIKELY TO HAVE MUCH CLARITY ON WHAT THE STATE ANSWER WILL BE BY THE TIME WE GET TO THURSDAY.

SO NOT SURPRISINGLY, GIVEN THE AND YOU'VE HEARD DR.

DAUGHERTY TALK ABOUT THIS, THE BACKWARDS PROCESS, WE CONTINUE TO FLY A BIT BLIND ON OUR EXPECTED REVENUE.

WE TRUST THAT THE STATE PROCESS WILL WORK ITSELF OUT BEFORE SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR, KNOCK ON WOOD.

BUT WE ARE NOT LIKELY TO HAVE MUCH ADDITIONAL CLARITY BEFORE THURSDAY'S REQUEST FOR APPROVAL.

SO THAT'S WHERE I'LL STOP THE RECAP OF THE CURRENT BUDGET, AND I'LL TAKE YOU AHEAD AND LOOK AT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN.

[00:50:04]

FIRST AND FOREMOST, IT'S THE STUDENTS.

AND HOW DO WE DO WHAT'S RIGHT FOR THE STUDENTS.

AND WE GET THERE THROUGH RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION OF OUR STAFF, MAKING SURE WE'RE PAYING COMPETITIVE WAGES AND DRIVING OUR STAFF, COMPENSATION WHERE IT NEEDS TO BE.

MAINTAINING THOSE SERVICE LEVELS.

YOU CAN READ THAT LARGELY AS COVERING INFLATION AND COVERING GROWTH.

AND LASTLY, ADDRESSING THOSE CRITICAL NEEDS ACROSS THE DISTRICT EVERY YEAR, THERE'S ADDITIONAL THINGS THAT ARE NEEDED TO CONTINUE TO MOVE US FORWARD.

THIS I WOULD LOVE TO BE A MUCH BIGGER BUCKET THAN WHAT WE'RE ASSUMING HERE, BUT I'M NOT WILLING TO IN THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, DO SOMETHING LIKE ASSUME A LOT OF ADDITIONAL JR FUNDING COMING IN HERE WHAT YOU WILL SEE AS YOU LOOK AT THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, IT'S A MODEST PLAN, 4 TO 5% GROWTH, KIND OF THE TRENDS WE'VE SEEN GOING FORWARD.

I SINCERELY HOPE BY THE TIME THE STATE IS DONE STUDYING THE STUDY THAT WE'RE ABLE TO INCREASE THIS LONGER TERM PLAN, MEANINGFULLY GOING FORWARD.

SO WHAT ARE THOSE KEY ASSUMPTIONS THAT ARE UNDERLYING THIS, THIS PLAN? YOU CAN SEE THEM HERE.

FIRST AND FOREMOST, THE FY 25 DOLLARS YOU SEE HERE REFLECT THAT SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED PLAN.

I DO NOT ASSUME ADDITIONAL FUNDING IN FY 25 IN THIS BUDGET.

WE DO ASSUME THAT GROWTH THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT.

YOU'VE SEEN THE SLIDE A FEW TIMES.

I'LL SHOW IT QUICKLY GOING FORWARD OF ABOUT 2,000 ADDITIONAL STUDENTS BY FY 29.

THAT CONTINUED FOCUS ON PAY.

WE DON'T GET TO OUR END STATE NEXT YEAR IN THIS PRESENTATION, BUT WE DO ASSUME THAT WE WORK TOWARDS BOTH THE $16 AN HOUR MINIMUM PAY FOR FOR THOSE POSITIONS, AS WELL AS THE $60,000 STARTING SALARY FOR TEACHERS THAT WE'VE LONG SAID IS A TARGET WE WANT TO GET TO.

WE GET TO THOSE BY THE END OF THIS PLAN, BUT IT IS A STEADY PATH FORWARD ON THE COMPENSATION FRONT, WE RECOGNIZE INFLATION, AND WE'RE ALSO PLANNING FOR THOSE NEW SCHOOLS, THAT ARE IN OUR CURRENT CIP.

I DIDN'T SHOW UP BEFORE BECAUSE I WANT TO SHOW IT HERE.

JUST A QUICK RECAP OF THE CIP AS WE THINK ABOUT THAT.

A NUMBER OF NEW SCHOOLS, REPLACEMENTS ON THE HORIZON, FALLEN CREEK, RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER, THE WEST AREA MIDDLE SCHOOL, TO BEGIN STAFFING THAT REALLY SOON. AND A NUMBER OF ITEMS GOING OUT THERE I WON'T READ THEM TO YOU AGAIN YOU'VE SEEN THEM BEFORE, BUT A REALLY AGGRESSIVE CIP AND WE'RE REALLY EXCITED.

AND WE REALLY NEED THESE SPACES, FOR THE ONGOING, GROWTH AND STABILITY OF THE DISTRICT.

ON THAT GROWTH YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE A FEW TIMES AT THIS POINT.

THIS REFLECTS THE GROWTH THAT UNDERLIES THIS FIVE YEAR PLAN OF ABOUT THOSE 2,000 STUDENTS, LARGELY K THROUGH 12.

OBVIOUSLY, PRE-K WOULD BE EVEN ON TOP OF THIS, WHICH WE DON'T SHOW IN THIS SLIDE.

SO WHERE DOES THAT TAKE US? YOU TAKE THOSE ASSUMPTIONS.

WE'VE ASSUMED BY THE TIME IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE, IT WINDS UP BEING ABOUT A 4 OR 5% GROWTH ANNUALLY IN OUR PLANS, AND IT GETS US TO JUST ABOUT $1.1 BILLION B Y FY 29, YOU'LL HEAR DR.

DAUGHERTY TALK ABOUT A DISTRICT.

OUR SIZE SHOULD BE CLOSER TO 1,415.

I WISH I COULD SEE A PATH THERE RIGHT NOW INSTEAD, WE'LL LAY THIS OUT AS WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE A UNFORTUNATELY A BIT MORE REALISTIC PATH OF EXPENSES, BUT WE COULD EASILY BUILD A PATH THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY MORE THAN THIS.

BUT IN THE SPIRIT OF TRYING TO PROVIDE YOU AND THE PUBLIC A MORE REALISTIC EXPECTATION GOING FORWARD, WE GET TO ABOUT $1.1 MILLION OR BILLION BY THE END OF THIS PERIOD.

IT'S A LITTLE BIT EASIER TO SEE ON THE NEXT SLIDE AS WE LOOK AT THE INCREMENTAL PIECES EACH YEAR, FY 25, YOU CAN SEE THAT'S THE $28.9 MILLION THAT WE'VE TALKED ABOUT FOR THE OPERATING PLAN.

YOU SEE A BIGGER JUMP UP IN FY 26 LARGELY DUE TO TWO REASONS.

THE FIRST AND FOREMOST IS THE INITIATIVES THAT WE WEREN'T FUNDING IN 25 BECAUSE THEY'RE STILL ON HOLD, FOR LACK OF A BETTER WORD, WE'RE ROLLING MOST OF THOSE INTO FY 26. AND IN THAT REQUIRED BUCKET, THERE ARE THINGS LIKE INCREASED DEBT SERVICE PAYMENTS AND INFLATION AND ONGOING GROWTH FOR OUR STUDENTS THAT CONTINUES TO ROLL FORWARD THROUGH THROUGH FY 29.

AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE INCREASES AS WE GO HERE.

THE OTHER NOTE ON HERE, WE TOOK A REASONABLE EXPECTATION OF REVENUE IN THE PLAN THAT'S OUTLINED IN YOUR ATTACHMENT.

THAT GETS TO ABOUT THE $30 MILLION A YEAR THAT WE'RE SEEING HERE, BASED ON WHAT'S IN THE IN OUR CRYSTAL BALL, WE FULLY HOPE THAT THINGS LIKE JLARC COME IN AN ADDITIONAL COUNTY FUNDS COME IN TO MAKE US EXCEED THAT.

BUT I WANTED TO BE OPEN WITH THE BOARD HERE THAT THE, CONSERVATIVE ASSUMPTION ON REVENUE IS ABOUT $30 MILLION A YEAR GOING FORWARD, WHICH IS ABOUT WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT THIS YEAR.

SO WITH THAT, WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? SCHOOL BOARD MEETINGS, OBVIOUSLY, TONIGHT, IS A BIG ONE.

WE HAVE THE PUBLIC HEARING, IN THE BUSINESS MEETING AT 6:00.

WE HAVE THE REQUEST FOR SCHOOL BOARD APPROVAL NEXT WEEK ON THE 22ND ON THURSDAY, WHICH WILL KICK OFF THE COUNTY PROCESS.

[00:55:06]

SO WITH THAT YOU HEARD MR. SMITH TALK ABOUT THE STATE PROCESS.

YOU'VE SEEN THIS SLIDE BEFORE, BUT I WANT TO ONE MORE TIME ADVOCATE OR ASK THE CITIZENS OF THIS COUNTY TO ADVOCATE TO THEIR STATE REPRESENTATIVES FOR SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION AND SUPPORT FOR A TIMELY PROCESS SO WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING FOR AND WE'RE NOT SITTING HERE IN SEPTEMBER COMING BACK TO THIS BOARD WITH A WITH A BUDGET THAT IS, QUITE FRANKLY, OLD BEFORE IT STARTS.

SO WITH ALL THAT, I'M HAPPY TO TAKE QUESTIONS ON THE FIVE YEAR PLAN AND ANYTHING IN THIS DECK KEEPING IN MIND THAT THERE IS A DISCUSSION IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS ON ANY FEEDBACK YOU MAY HAVE ON THE OVERALL BUDGET AND CIP.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU MR. MEISTER. BOARD MEMBERS, ARE THERE ANY DISCUSSION OR QUESTIONS? A QUICK QUESTION FOR YOU.

THE KEY ASSUMPTIONS INFLATION AT 3% FOR MOST ITEMS WHERE WAS THAT DERIVED FROM? WE ALL KNOW THAT THE FED TARGET IS 2%.

WE'VE BEEN RUNNING THREE, THREE AND A HALF, ACROSS MOST ITEMS WE HAD THAT THEY'D GET TO 3% AND THAT'S LARGELY WHERE IT CAME FROM.

IT WASN'T, NECESSARILY ANYTHING MORE SCIENTIFIC THAN THAN THAT.

OKAY, I THINK IT'S HIGHER OR WILL BE MY PERSONAL OPINION WITH WHAT WE'VE BEEN SEEING.

THAT'S WHY I'M ASKING.

MY CONCERN IS WE'RE WE'RE FOR LACK OF A BETTER EXPRESSION, WE'RE TAKING A SHOT AND MISSING THE TARGET BENEATH INSTEAD OF AT LEAST GETTING IT ON THE ON THE PAINT.

THAT'S MY ONLY CONCERN WHEN WE'RE PROJECTING FOR WHAT'S TO COME.

WE'VE JUST STEADILY HAVE SEEN THE INCREASE, ACROSS THE BOARD WITH EVERYTHING.

I DON'T SEE THAT GOING AWAY ANYTIME SOON.

AND SO I JUST HAVE CONCERN OF THAT, AND THAT'S ALL.

I APPRECIATE YOU HEARING ME ON THAT.

YEAH. NO, I CAN'T ARGUE WITH, WITH THAT POINT OF VIEW.

I DO RECOGNIZE THAT THE STATED TARGET IS 2%, SO I WORRY GOING TOO MUCH MORE THAN THAT IN A LONGER TERM PLAN MAY OVERSTEER THE OTHER WAY, BUT IT'S HARD TO ARGUE WITH RECENT INFLATION TRENDS.

[INAUDIBLE] TO HEAR ABOUT THE BUDGET ONE MORE TIME [LAUGHTER].

MIC] THAT WAS EVERYTHING FOR ME BECAUSE I HAVE WE HAVE.

SO THE NEXT ITEM ON THE AGENDA IS A DISCUSSION ON THE OPERATING PLAN.

[E. School Board Discussion: FY2025 Operating Budget]

YOU'VE SEEN THE PRESENTATION HERE.

SO IT'S UP TO THE SCHOOL BOARD'S DISCRETION ON THE DISCUSSION ON THE OPERATING PLAN.

THANK YOU. SO, BOARD MEMBERS, DO YOU HAVE ANY ITEMS THAT YOU'D LIKE TO DISCUSS REGARDING THE OPERATING BUDGET? I DO, YES, MA'AM.

SO I PUT OUT A SURVEY TO MY COMMUNITY, DALE DISTRICT OR ANYBODY WHO ATTENDS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

AND I WAS JUST ASKING ABOUT THE UNFUNDED REQUIREMENTS.

IF WE HAD TO CHOOSE, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE MIGHT NOT GIVE US THE MONEY THAT WE NEED.

WE NEED TO BE PREPARED TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

AND I APPRECIATE ALL THE CONSTITUENTS WHO RESPONDED.

I HAD 55 RESPONSES, 55 RESPONSES SO FAR WHERE THEY RANKED THE UNFUNDED REQUIREMENTS.

AND SO JUST AS A DISCUSSION FOR THE BOARD IS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT CAME UP WAS THE SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER.

AND SO WHAT, THE CONSENSUS IS WE'RE SUPPORTING THAT POSITION IF WE CAN MAKE THE JOB DESCRIPTION A LITTLE TIGHTER.

RIGHT. SO THE QUESTION ABOUT THEM BEING ARMED, WE NEED SOMETHING IN THE JOB DESCRIPTION THAT SAYS THEY WILL NOT BE ARMED.

AND IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE ARMED, IT WOULD BE A VOTE AMONGST US TO CHANGE THAT JOB DESCRIPTION.

RIGHT. IT CAN'T NOT JUST BE AT THE DISCRETION OF THE PRINCIPAL FOR EXAMPLE.

THEY WERE ALSO ASKING FOR QUESTIONS REGARDING, THERE WAS SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE VIRGINIA BEACH MODEL VERSUS WHAT WE'RE GOING TO DO.

WE'RE NOT DOING THE VIRGINIA BEACH MODEL.

CORRECT. THAT IS NOT OUR PLAN.

OUR PLAN IS TO, AS DESCRIBED BY MR. MCLEAN FROM THE CBAC COMMITTEE, IS TO ASSIST IN THE FRONT OFFICE HANDLE ISSUES THAT MIGHT ARISE FROM PASSIONATE ADULTS THAT COME INTO THE BUILDING, MAKING SURE CHILDREN DON'T LEAVE WHEN THEY'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO LEAVE, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.

I THINK THE PUBLIC IS NOT THEY.

THE RESPONSES WERE INDICATIVE OF THEM NOT UNDERSTANDING WHAT THAT PERSON IS GOING TO DO.

RIGHT. SO I THINK IF WE CLEAR UP THE LANGUAGE A LITTLE BIT, THEN IT'LL MAKE PEOPLE FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE ABOUT HAVING A SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER IN THE BUILDING.

AND THE PRINCIPALS THAT I'VE SPOKE TO, THEY'RE IN FAVOR OF IT AS LONG AS IT'S DEFINED ROLES.

RIGHT. THE OTHER THING, THE ANNUAL SUB, I KNOW THAT WAS ESSER FUNDING, BUT ALL MY PRINCIPALS WANT THAT ANNUAL SUB, SO I DON'T

[01:00:07]

AND SO IF WE CAN DO SOMETHING TO SUPPORT THAT AS A BOARD, I THINK WE CAN TRY TO GET CREATIVE.

AND WHILE WE'RE ASKING FOR THINGS, YOU KNOW, LET'S JUST CONTINUE TO ASK FOR THINGS.

YOU'RE GOING TO ANSWER THAT I GOT MORE GO AHEAD, I GOT MORE.

GO AHEAD. WELL, I KNOW YOU GOT MORE.

SO THE ANNUAL SUB SO I WANT TO GIVE A LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY, IF I MAY, MADAM CHAIR.

AND THAT IS, WHEN WE WHEN, WE GOT HERE, THERE WAS A, THERE WAS A LACK OF SUBSTITUTES.

AND SO WE WERE PROBABLY IN THE 60 RANGES, IF POSSIBLE, OF COVERING CLASSES WITH SUBS.

AND SO, WE CAME UP WITH THE IDEA OF THE ANNUAL SUBS WITH THE ESSER FUNDING TO SAY, OKAY, LET'S TRY TO FIND OUT IF THIS IS A GOOD IDEA.

LET'S HELP OUR SCHOOL. SO EVERY SCHOOL GOT AN ANNUAL SUB FOR USE BECAUSE OF THAT.

SINCE THAT TIME I MEAN, WE HAVE DONE AN AMAZING JOB WITH THROUGH HR AND OUR HIRING PRACTICES TO, YOU KNOW, THE GOAL IS GET TO 3,000 SUBSTITUTES AND OUR RATES ARE IN THE UPPER 80S AND SOMETIMES WE GET TO 90%.

SO THE ISSUE WHICH THE COST OF THIS YEAR WAS $4.5, BUT NEXT YEAR IT WAS $4.2.

NEXT YEAR IS $4.5 MILLION TO THE BUDGET.

IT WASN'T THAT WE WEREN'T AGAINST HAVING THEM.

IT'S THAT WITH ALL THE OTHER PRIORITIES, THERE WAS NOWHERE TO PUT IT IN THE BUDGET.

SO I'M GIVING AN UPDATE JUST ON THE HISTORY OF THE ANNUAL SUBS.

EVERYBODY WOULD LOVE TO HAVE ANOTHER PERSON IN THE BUILDING, THERE'S NO DOUBT ABOUT IT.

IT'S THE POINT OF DO WE GET THE FUNDING? HOW DO WE GET THE FUNDING? ALL FOR IT, IF WE DON'T GET THE FUNDING, WHAT ARE YOU WILLING TO CUT TO PUT THEM IN? RIGHT. SO THAT'S I'M JUST GIVING A HISTORY OF THAT, MADAM CHAIR, AND THAT SOME THOUGHT WAS PUT INTO THAT AS WELL.

LIKE WHERE WOULD WE BE WILLING TO ASSUME RISK OR WHAT WOULD BE WILLING TO CUT TO GIVE THEM THE ANNUAL SUB? AND SO ONE OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS WAS, WHY DON'T WE ASK THE SCHOOL, THE PRINCIPAL, WHAT WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE, THE ANNUAL SUB OR THE SCHOOL SECURITY OFFICER, FOR EXAMPLE? BECAUSE IF YOU ALREADY HAVE AN SRO, ARE YOU COMFORTABLE WITH WAITING FOR FUNDING TO GET YOUR SSO, OR WOULD YOU RATHER HAVE THE ANNUAL SUB LIKE THE THE ENVIRONMENT AT EVERY SCHOOL IS DIFFERENT, AND I THINK THE PRINCIPALS ARE THE BEST GAUGE OF WHAT WOULD MAKE THE MOST IMPACT FOR THEM.

IF THAT WAS SOMETHING SOMEONE WANTED TO CONSIDER.

I JUST ADD REAL QUICK.

JUST REMEMBER THAT THE SSOS ARE FOR THE SCHOOLS THAT DON'T HAVE ANYTHING, SO THEY DON'T ALREADY HAVE AN SRO, SO THIS WOULD BE FOR THE ELEMENT.

CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG, BUT IT'S FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS AND THE MIDDLE SCHOOLS AND HANDFUL OF MIDDLE.

YES. YEAH. OKAY.

THANK YOU. AND SO THE NEXT QUESTION, THE NEXT COMMENT IS ABOUT CAPITAL IMPROVEMENTS.

SO THAT'S NOT WHAT WE'RE DISCUSSING RIGHT NOW.

CORRECT. THAT'S NEXT TOPIC OKAY.

SORRY. AND SO THE TARGETED THE TARGETED COMPENSATION INCREASES THAT WE'RE DOING.

I CONCUR WITH CBACS RECOMMENDATION TO INCREASE OUR BILINGUAL LIAISONS.

I'VE BEEN TO A SCHOOL TODAY THAT DID NOT HAVE ONE OR SHARED ONE, AND THEY MEET BEYOND THE 25% NUMBER THAT THE CBAC WAS USING TO GET THAT NUMBER. SO IF WE CAN MAKE SURE WE'RE PUTTING THE LIAISONS WHERE THEY'RE ACTUALLY NEEDED AND NOT JUST EVERYBODY GETS ONE BECAUSE YOU MIGHT NOT NEED ONE, RIGHT? SO THAT WAS ONE.

AND THEN INCREASING THE COMPENSATION FOR THOSE SPECIALTIES THAT WERE MENTIONED IN CBAC AND ALSO MENTIONED IN SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSAL REGARDING SOCIAL WORKERS, I ATTENDED A MENTAL HEALTH WEBINAR TODAY, AND IT WAS DISCUSSING ALL THE THINGS THAT WE CAN DO TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES FOR OUR KIDS BECAUSE THEY ARE GROWING UP IN A DIFFERENT ENVIRONMENT THAN WHAT WE DID.

AND THOSE SERVICES ARE DIRE, NECESSARY FOR THEM TO SUCCEED AND THEN ALTERNATE AN ALTERNATIVE PLACE FOR FOR CHILDREN TO GO THAT LEARN DIFFERENTLY.

I KNOW THAT'S NOT IN HERE, BUT THAT'S JUST SOMETHING FOR A FIVE YEAR PLAN THAT I WOULD THINK WE CAN DISCUSS ABOUT.

HOW DO WE HANDLE BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THAT OUR CHILDREN ARE HAVING.

YOU KNOW, SOME KIDS CAN'T SIT DOWN IN A DESK FOR THE 6 TO 8 HOURS A DAY, RIGHT.

BUT THEY LEARN JUST FINE IF THEY WERE IN A SMALLER SETTING.

WE DON'T HAVE THE ABILITY TO GIVE A CLASSROOM OF 1 TO 12 OR 1 TO 15.

THAT'S NOT WHAT OUR THAT'S NOT CAPABLE FOR US.

BUT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET CREATIVE AND FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE EDUCATE THAT POPULATION OF KIDS THAT THAT LEARN A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY.

AND THAT'S MY STATEMENT FOR THE FIVE YEAR PLAN, NOT FOR RIGHT NOW, BUT SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD ALSO THINK ABOUT AND I THINK THAT WAS[INAUDIBLE].

THANK YOU, MISS CHATTERS.

[01:05:01]

FOR THE SSO I THINK A QUESTION THAT NEEDS TO BE ANSWERED IS, YOU KNOW, IT'S 49.

THE HEAD COUNT I THINK IS 49.

SHOULD THAT PROCESS THROUGH AND BE APPROVED, FUNDING SHOULD BE THERE.

WHAT WOULD BE THE TIME FRAME TO HAVE 49 INDIVIDUALS, WHATEVER THE UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR JOB IS TO BE TRAINED AND IN A SCHOOL ASSIGNED, AND FULLY FUNCTIONING.

THAT'S A REALLY GOOD QUESTION.

SO THE THE POINT FOR SSOS WOULD BE TO ALLOW THEM TO GO THROUGH A TRAINING PERIOD.

WE, WE DO NOT EXPECT THAT WE WOULD HIRE ALL 49 AT ONE TIME BECAUSE JUST WE CAN'T HIRE ANYTHING ALL AT ONE TIME.

THEY'RE JUST NOT OUT THERE.

BUT TO, HIRE BEFORE THEY EVER GO INTO A SCHOOL.

THEY WOULD GO THROUGH, TRAINING, WITH OUR TEAM.

WE WOULD ALSO RETRAIN THE PEOPLE WE ALREADY HAVE.

SO NOT ONLY WOULD THE 49 GO THROUGH A TRAINING, BUT ALL OF THE SSOS THAT WE HAVE WOULD GO THROUGH THE SIMILAR TRAINING DEALING WITH THE OFFICE DÉCOR, OFFICE MANAGEMENT, DEALING WITH EMERGENCIES, HOW TO TALK TO PARENTS, HOW TO TALK TO STUDENTS, THEIR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES.

WE WOULD NOT IMPLEMENT UNTIL WE CAME TO THE BOARD WITH A FULL PLAN OF TRAINING, IMPLEMENTATION AND A VERY TIGHT JOB DESCRIPTION.

THAT AND THEY WOULD NOT HAVE, THEY WOULD NOT CARRY A WEAPON.

THEY WOULD CARRY A WALKIE TALKIE.

THEY WOULD BE THEY WOULD BE DRESSED APPROPRIATELY [INAUDIBLE] SO PEOPLE CAN TALK TO THEM OR HAVE A QUESTION, YOU CAN GO TO THEM.

SO THAT WOULD BE OUR PLAN, SIR.

THANK YOU. ANY OTHER COMMENTS? YES. SO I TOO HAVE BEEN HEARING ABOUT THE ANNUAL SUB.

JUST OF COURSE, EVERYONE LOVES THE ANNUAL SUB.

WE UNDERSTAND THAT IT IT ALLEVIATES SOME PAIN IN A BUILDING AND IT MAKES TEACHERS IT MAKES EVERYTHING FLOW A LOT EASIER.

AND THAT'S WHAT WE HEAR AGAIN AND AGAIN.

I KNOW FROM THE ROI REPORT THAT WE WERE SHOWN THAT THE NUMBER FOR AN ANNUAL SUB IS IN THE 60S RANGE.

WHAT WAS IT? THE SALARY.

$60,123.10 PER POSITION WITH 66 ESSER FUNDED POSITIONS.

RIGHT. SO THAT BEING SAID, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT JUDGING FROM EVERY SINGLE PERSON, EVERY SINGLE, SCHOOL SEEMING TO REALLY WANT THIS, IS THERE ANY WAY THAT WE COULD HAVE SOMETHING SIMILAR TO THIS AT A LESSER COST, OR IS IT DO WE HAVE TO THINK ABOUT? JUST THIS JUST IS JUST FOR THE BOARD TO TO CONTEMPLATE.

ONE ANNUAL SUB AND BENEFITS WOULD COVER 458 DAYS OF CLASSROOM COVERAGE.

THAT WOULD BE, TWO AND A HALF YEARS OF DAILY SUB COVERAGE.

ONCE UP ONE ANNUAL SUB, MEANING THE THE ALL IN COST OF ONE SUB YOU COULD COVER 480 DAYS WITH A DAILY SUB.

AND I THINK THAT THE COMPARISON THAT'S USED IN THE IN THE IN DR.

FOX'S REPORT IS THE 2.7 TIMES THE COST.

SO YEAH AN ANNUAL SUB IS 2.7 DAILY SUBS.

JUST YOU KNOW AS FROM A FROM A PURELY YEAH BUDGET BUDGET PERSPECTIVE.

THE BIG PIECE OF IT THE $60K.

KEEP IN MIND IT'S A BENEFITED POSITION.

SO YOU'RE PAYING HEALTH CARE VRS ETC..

AND THAT MAKES UP THE BULK OF THE COST OF IT.

OKAY I TOTALLY UNDERSTAND.

I I'M JUST THROWING IT OUT THERE.

THAT IS THERE ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT IT ANOTHER WAY.

IF IT'S 2.7 THEN MAYBE WE FIGURE OUT HOW TO MAKE IT A ONE.

I DON'T KNOW, JUST SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.

ALSO, WITH MISS CHATTERS SPEAKING ABOUT ADDRESSING THE WAY SOME CHILDREN MIGHT LEARN DIFFERENTLY AND AN ALTERNATIVE OPTION FOR THAT.

I SIT ON THE BOARD OF THE CODE RVA AND THAT PLACE TAKES EVERY STUDENT.

THERE IS NO BARRIER TO ENTRY, AND THOSE KIDS ARE WALKING OUT, SOME OF THEM WITH ASSOCIATE'S DEGREES, VERY VALUABLE SKILL SETS, VERY HAPPY IN THE BUILDING.

YOU TAKE THE BOUNCY KIDS WHO DO NOT LIKE TO SIT DOWN, WHICH, I MEAN, FRANKLY, I'M ONE OF THOSE KIDS, SO I FEEL THAT, AND THEY'RE

[01:10:08]

NOT HEY, JOHN, YOU NEED TO SIT DOWN.

BUT HEY WOW, THAT WAS A GREAT IDEA.

I'M SO GLAD THAT YOU CAME UP WITH THAT.

SO THAT'S WHAT WE ARE IN OUR HEARTS.

THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR.

WE WANT ALL OF OUR KIDS TO BE SEEN AND HEARD AND KNOWN.

THAT'S AN OPTION.

THAT'S ONE PLACE THAT I KNOW THAT THESE DIFFERENT LEARNING STYLES CAN FLOURISH, AND MAYBE WE CAN LOOK AT OTHERS AND I'M SURE THERE ARE OTHERS OUT THERE.

ANOTHER THING THAT I HEARD AGAIN AND AGAIN WAS, WHEN STUDENTS AREN'T QUITE SURE HOW TO BEHAVE IN A CLASSROOM AND THEY NEED TO BE SOCIALIZED IN A CERTAIN WAY, THERE MIGHT THERE'S NOT REALLY A SPOT TO PUT THEM.

AND WHEN THEY THE SPOT THAT'S AVAILABLE IS AN ONLINE OPTION, THEY ARE NOT LEARNING HOW TO BEHAVE.

SO IT'S JUST WE NEED TO THINK OF ANOTHER ANOTHER WAY TO LOOK AT THAT.

AND AGAIN, THAT'S NOT THIS YEAR.

IT'S JUST KEEP IT IN OUR HEADS.

THAT'S ALL. THANKS.

JUST HAVE A MATH CLARIFICATION REAL QUICK.

SO IF THE GOVERNOR IF THEY INCLUDE AND KEEP THAT 1%, BONUS, OUR IMPACT TO US WOULD BE $2 MILLION.

SO THE 1% BONUS WOULD REFLECT $2.9 MILLION OF ADDITIONAL STATE FUNDS.

IT WOULD COST US ABOUT $6.5 MILLION TO PROVIDE A 1% BONUS TO ALL STAFF.

SO THREE AND A HALF, $3.5 MILLION ADDITIONAL.

JUST SOMETHING TO KEEP IN MIND IF THAT STAYS IN THE BUDGET.

WE DON'T CURRENTLY HAVE THAT IN OURS, SO SOMETHING TO THINK THROUGH.

NO. WE WOULD HAVE TO COME UP WITH $3.5.

WE'D HAVE TO COME UP WITH $3.5.

I VERY RARELY GIVE THE GOOD SIDE OF THAT, BUT BECAUSE IT'S ONE TIME FUNDING, IT WOULD BE A CONSIDERATION FOR SOMETHING LIKE YEAR END FUNDS.

SURE. OKAY.

THANK YOU. I WOULD JUST SAY I THESE ARE GREAT.

I THINK I'M HEARING THE SAME THINGS EVERYONE ELSE IS HEARING.

SO I'M GLAD THAT WE'RE ALL THOSE THINGS ARE BUBBLING UP TO THE TOP FOR US.

AND THE ANNUAL SUBS AS WONDERFUL AND, IMPORTANT, AS THEY'VE BEEN THROUGH THESE PAST COUPLE OF REALLY, REALLY HARD YEARS FOR OUR IN-PERSON LEARNING.

YOU KNOW, IT'S HARD TO LIKE YOU SAID, MISS CHATTERS, LIKE WE ALMOST ARE FACING SCHOOL SAFETY OR ANNUAL SUBS, AND WE'RE, YOU KNOW, HAVING TO MAKE THIS CHOICE. NOW, I LIKE CBACS APPROACH OF HOW ABOUT WE JUST HAVE MORE MONEY? SO I AM ALL ABOUT THAT.

YES. AND I DO APPRECIATE THAT.

I THINK THAT THE CBAC DID A GREAT JOB OF REALLY TARGETING WHERE WE CAN LOOK IN EXPANDING OUR BUDGET, WHICH, I'M JUST GOING TO BE OPTIMISTIC.

I'M GOING TO SAY THE STATE'S GOING TO JUST THROW BUCKETS OF MONEY AT US, AND WE'LL BE ABLE TO FUND ALL OF THESE FANTASTIC PROJECTS.

BUCKETS. BUCKETS.

MADAM CHAIR.

YEAH. ABOUT THE BUDGET.

SO I REALLY APPRECIATE THE CONVERSATION.

IT SHOWS YOU GUYS REALLY SPEND A LOT OF TIME AND NOT ONLY LISTENING, BUT GOING THROUGH THE DOCUMENTATION.

I REALLY APPRECIATE CBACS OTHER RECOMMENDATIONS.

I THINK THEY ARE BOTH VERY VALID POINTS.

YOU KNOW, WE CAN ADD TO THE LIST.

THAT'S NOT A PROBLEM. BUT AT SOME TIME WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME BACK AND DECIDE WHERE THE CUT LINE IS.

BUT I DO THINK THE EXTRA LIAISONS THAT WAS A AGAIN, AN EXPERIMENT WE TRIED A PILOT.

IT WAS BIG HIT AND IT HAS INVOLVED OUR COMMUNITY QUITE A BIT.

WE WOULD LOVE TO ADD MORE.

I THINK THE ADDITIONAL COUNSELORS AT THE ELEMENTARY.

100% IN FAVOR OF THAT.

I THINK THAT'S A VERY GOOD ONE.

[INAUDIBLE] THERE'S A LIST WE HAD TO CUT SOMEWHERE.

BUT THOSE TWO ARE GREAT POINTS.

AND I JUST THINK THE OPPORTUNITY IS AS WE CONTINUE THIS DISCUSSION THROUGH NEXT WEEK.

OPPORTUNITIES KNOWING WE DON'T KNOW WHERE OUR CUT LINE IS GOING TO BE.

BUT LET'S NOT LEAVE SOMETHING OFF THAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADD.

SO THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR.

THANK YOU, DR. DAUGHERTY.

YES. THANK YOU.

MEISTER WOULD YOU MIND I GUESS JUST COVERING WHEN THE MONEY OR WE'RE HOPEFUL.

FINGERS CROSSED THAT MORE MONEY COMES OUR WAY.

WHAT OUR NEXT PROCESS IS AS FAR AS AN AMENDMENT PROCESS? YEAH, CERTAINLY. SO THE OVERALL PROCESS I'LL START.

NEXT THURSDAY, WE'LL APPROVE SOMETHING.

MAYBE IT LOOKS LIKE THIS. MAYBE IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

THAT'LL BE THE SCHOOL BOARD'S CALL.

[01:15:01]

I BELIEVE IT WAS.

THEY'LL PRODUCE THEIR BUDGET AND MAYBE 20 BECOMES A LITTLE BIT MORE FROM THAT PROCESS WE CAN KEEP OUR FINGERS CROSSED THERE AS WELL.

TO THE EXTENT THAT THE STATE COMES BACK IN AROUND THE SAME TIME, WE WOULD THEN COME BACK TO THE BOARD IN, DEPENDING ON THE TIMING, EITHER THAT APRIL MEETING OR MAY WITH AN OPPORTUNITY FOR AN AMENDMENT RIGHT.

SO WE WOULD TAKE THE APPROVAL WE WOULD NEED TO ADOPT FIRST AND FOREMOST, WHATEVER THE COUNTY ULTIMATELY APPROVES AS PART OF THEIR BUDGET.

THAT'S A NECESSARY EVIL AS PART OF THIS PROCESS IS MAKING SURE WE FOLLOW THE COUNTY PROCESS, WHICH WOULD BE FIRST AND FOREMOST ADOPT WHATEVER COMES OUT OF THEIR PROCESS, WHICH PROBABLY LOOKS LIKE THIS WITH A COUPLE OF TWEAKS IN IT, QUITE FRANKLY.

AND THEN WE WOULD NEED TO LIKE WE DID THIS PAST YEAR.

UNFORTUNATELY, IT HAPPENED IN SEPTEMBER, BUT WE WOULD NEED TO COME BACK AND AMEND FOR WHATEVER THAT FINAL STATE BUDGET WOULD BE.

AND SO LONG AS WE DO THAT BEFORE JULY 1ST, IT'S.

SOMEWHAT PAINFUL IN ALL OF OUR PARTS, BUT IT WOULD BECOME THE BUDGET OF RECORD IN THE UPCOMING FISCAL YEAR.

NOT TO BRING IT BACK AGAIN.

HOWEVER, I DO WANT TO POINT OUT THE ANNUAL SUBS, THE EMAILS I HAD FORWARDED FROM OUR TEACHERS AT GRANGE HALL, WHO ARE OBVIOUSLY IN FAVOR AND THE IMPACT THAT THAT'S MADE ON THE SCHOOL.

AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT, AT LEAST FOR ME TO BE REMINDED, SITTING IN THIS SEAT AS AN ELECTED OFFICIAL, TO PAY ATTENTION AND HEED.

AND THIS IS WHERE IT BECOMES DIFFICULT.

YOU HAVE YOUR CONSTITUENTS WHO ARE SAYING THIS, AND THEN YOU HAVE A BUDGET PROCESS THAT SAYS THIS, AND THEN ASKING THOSE THAT ELECTED US INTO THESE SEATS AND EVEN THOSE THAT DID NOT, TO TRUST THAT WE MAKE THE BEST DECISION TO BE ABLE TO TO MOVE FORWARD.

WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE STUDENT? WHICH IS WHAT I REMIND MYSELF OF WHEN HAVING TO MAKE THESE DECISIONS OR THINKING ABOUT THESE DECISIONS, WHICH IS DIFFICULT.

SO I ENCOURAGE AND AND WELCOME THE PUBLIC FEEDBACK THAT WE'VE BEEN RECEIVING.

AND AS I HAVE, YOU KNOW, BEEN TOLD BY SEVERAL OF MY CONSTITUENTS UP HERE WHO HAVE BEEN HERE BEFORE, HEY, JUST TRUST ME.

JUST TRUST ME.

AND SO THERE IS THAT LEVEL OF TRUST THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN FROM FROM THE COMMUNITY.

BUT THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY DON'T STOP TALKING.

SO I WOULD CONTINUE TO EXPRESS THAT DESIRE.

I APPRECIATE, DOMINIQUE'S SURVEY THAT SHE PUT OUT THERE FOR HER DISTRICT AND JUST GETTING A FEEL FOR THAT.

I APPRECIATE THE EMAILS THAT I'VE RECEIVED, FROM STAFF.

AND, YOU KNOW, OBVIOUSLY MORE TO COME ABOUT THAT BEFORE, YOU KNOW, WE VOTE.

BUT, I JUST WOULD LIKE TO, TO BRING THAT UP THAT, YOU KNOW, WE CONSIDER WHAT WE'RE BEING TOLD FROM THOSE THAT ELECTED US TO, TO THESE SEATS.

THANK YOU. THANK YOU.

NOW, BOARD MEMBERS, WE'LL GO AHEAD.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THE BUDGET, WE'LL MOVE ON TO CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

ONE MORE POINT. JUST AS WE THINK ABOUT THIS, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT I WILL COME BACK TO YOU WITH NEXT WEEK, GIVEN THIS CONVERSATION, OBVIOUSLY THERE COULD BE OTHER CHANGES, BUT WE WILL INCLUDE A LIST OF UNFUNDED PRIORITIES AS PART OF THAT APPROVAL PROCESS.

CLEARLY, I'LL ADD ANNUAL SUB TO THAT LIST.

I'VE HEARD THAT FROM THIS DISCUSSION.

OTHERS WILL WILL WORK WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT ON WHAT OTHER ITEMS CBAC RECOMMENDATIONS, ETC.

TO INCLUDE IN THAT LIST. SO THAT WILL BE PART OF THE WHAT YOU'LL APPROVE NEXT WEEK.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[INAUDIBLE] AND SO BOARD MEMBERS, IF THERE WAS ANY DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN?

[F. School Board Discussion: FY2025 Capital Improvement Plan]

SO HERE I GO AGAIN ON THE DALE DISTRICT WE NEED SCHOOLS PITCH HERE.

RIGHT. SO WITH THE INFORMATION I WAS GIVEN, I DID ROUGH MATH USING THE MATH I WAS GIVEN HERE.

SO, FOR EXAMPLE, FOR ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS, DAVIS ELEMENTARY IS AT 139% CAPACITY.

WE'RE BUILDING AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

MAKES SENSE.

FALLING CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

HOPKINS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS AT 139%.

FALLING CREEK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS AT 122%.

BEULAH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS AT 107.

HENNING IS AT 107.

THOSE ARE THE TOP FIVE ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS IN THE COUNTY THAT ARE OVER 100%.

FOUR OF THEM ARE IN MY DISTRICT AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY FOR DALE DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO NOT TO YOU, MR. MEISTER, BECAUSE I KNOW YOU'RE NOT THE ONE THAT'S GOING TO GIVE THE MONEY BECAUSE YOU WOULD GIVE IT TO US.

IS THERE SOMETHING THAT WE CAN DO TO REPRIORITIZE WHAT'S ALREADY BEEN APPROVED BY THE BOND REFERENDUM? BECAUSE I WASN'T HERE FOR THE DECISION MAKING PART, I KNOW I STOOD WHERE YOU STAND RIGHT NOW ADVOCATING FOR A DALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL WHEN THE PREVIOUS BOARD

[01:20:04]

I DIDN'T HAVE THE NUMBERS THAT I HAVE TODAY.

BUT IF WE GO TO THE LET'S GO TO THE MIDDLE SCHOOL LIST HERE, 142% CAPACITY IS FALLING CREEK MIDDLE SCHOOL.

WE'RE GETTING A NEW MIDDLE SCHOOL, BUT IT'LL STILL BE AT A, THE CAPACITY IS GOING TO CHANGE BECAUSE WE HAVE MORE SPACE.

BUT I STILL DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEACHERS FOR WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE.

I HAVE VIRTUAL TEACHERS.

SWIFT CREEK IS AT 102.

THEY'RE THE NEXT HIGHEST MIDDLE SCHOOL THAT'S OVER 100%.

AND WE'RE GETTING A MIDDLE SCHOOL.

FOR THE WESTERN AREA, FOR THE WEST AREA, AND THEN FOR HIGH SCHOOL.

COSBY IS 125%.

WE'RE GETTING A HIGH SCHOOL FOR THAT SIDE AND THEN MEADOWBROOK IS 107.

SO AGAIN, IF WE DO TOP THREE OR TOP FIVE, DALE DISTRICT HAS OVER CAPACITY IN EACH AREA OF LEVEL OF MY SCHOOLS, AND I'M NOT ON THE LIST WITH GUARANTEED FUNDS FOR MY DISTRICT.

IT'S THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO COURSE CORRECT ONCE YOU FIND OUT WRONG CHOICE OF WORDS ONCE IT'S BEEN ACKNOWLEDGED THAT AN ERROR WAS MADE.

THERE HAS TO BE A WAY TO COURSE CORRECT SO THAT DALE DISTRICT IS NOT.

I MEAN, THAT'S FOUR OF MY EIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS.

RIGHT. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING WE CAN DO TO GET.

AND THERE'S NO ASTERISK ON THIS ONE ANYMORE.

WHERE IT USED TO BE AN ASTERISK, CAUSE IT'S NOT FUNDED.

BUT I NEED I NEED THAT TO HAPPEN.

THE DISTRICT IS HURTING ON CAPACITY.

WE NEED THAT TO HAPPEN, SO I'M NOT SURE.

DOES IT NEED TO GO BACK TO THE PUBLIC FOR A VOTE SINCE THE BOND REFERENDUM WAS APPROVED BY THE COMMUNITY, IS THAT A SPECIAL VOTE OR LIKE SOMEONE HELP ME ON THE THE PROCESS HOW TO COURSE CORRECT THAT.

SO I THINK PROBABLY THE WAY TO THINK ABOUT IT IS THE THE BOND REFERENDUM.

THE ACTUAL VOTE THE VOTERS TOOK WAS NOT PROJECT SPECIFIC IN FAIRNESS TO YOUR QUESTION.

OKAY, OKAY. BUT THEY DID VOTE ON A CERTAIN AMOUNT TO BE DONE.

NOW THAT'S WHAT WAS ON THE BALLOT.

BUT I WILL SAY, THAT OBVIOUSLY WE AS A SCHOOL DIVISION, COUNTY GOVERNMENT, REALLY CLEAR ABOUT HOW WE WOULD FUND THOSE PROJECTS.

SO IT TYPICALLY IS NOT WORDED ON A BALLOT THAT WAY, PRIMARILY BECAUSE OF THE DEADLINE BY WHICH YOU HAVE TO HAVE IT ONTO THE REGISTRAR TO GET IT ON THE BALLOT.

SO THE PREFERENCE WOULD BE CLEARLY THAT YOU COULD HAVE IT ON THE BALLOT, BUT USUALLY IT'S NOT DONE THAT WAY.

SO I THINK THE CONCERN MAYBE FOR THE BOARD TO THINK ABOUT WOULD BE JUST HOW IT WAS PRESENTED.

AND I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE NOW ON THE BOARD, BUT HOW IT'S PRESENTED TO THE VOTERS, AND CERTAINLY WE'VE ALWAYS HAD 70-80% OF PEOPLE VOTING FOR THE EDUCATION PROJECTS. I THINK IT'S BECAUSE WE DO PRESENT TO THEM A CLEAR LIST OF THE PROJECTS WE'RE GOING TO DO, AND THEN THE VOTERS CAN GO BACK AND SEE THOSE PROJECTS HAVE BEEN DONE, THEY WERE PROMISED.

THE ONLY OTHER TIER I WOULD JUST SUGGEST THAT HAS BEEN CONVERSATION IN YEARS PAST FOR THE REFERENDUM PROJECTS IS THINGS HAVE HAPPENED AND NOT THIS REFERENDUM, THE PREVIOUS REFERENDUM, ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED, IN A POSITIVE WAY, WAS SOME OF THE PROJECTS WERE PUT TO VOTERS, WERE RENOVATIONS AND AND GOING BACK YEARS PAST, THE SUPERVISORS AND SCHOOL BOARD CAME TOGETHER AND SAID AND LOOKED AT THE TIME COST BEING DIFFERENT, LOOKED AT THE TIME AND SAID, WELL, FOR THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THAT THEY COULD RENOVATE A SCHOOL VERSUS TO REPLACE A SCHOOL, ESSENTIALLY THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT CAME WITH THE SIMPLIFYING THE PROCESS CAME TOGETHER TO PUT TOGETHER THE FUNDS, OBVIOUSLY TO MAKE THOSE NOT JUST RENOVATIONS, BUT ACTUALLY REPLACEMENT SCHOOLS.

BUT TYPICALLY WE'VE NOT, AT LEAST IN CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, GONE BACKWARDS AND TAKE A PROJECT OFF THAT LIST.

SO I THINK THE, OBVIOUSLY FOR BOARD CONVERSATIONS OBVIOUSLY WITHIN YOUR AUTHORITY, BUT I THINK IT WOULD BE THE FAITH TO WHICH WE PROVIDE IT TO THE COUNTY RESIDENTS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO VOTE UPON THE PROJECT ITSELF.

SO HAVING SAT IN THAT MEETING WHERE WE WERE DISCUSSING THE BOND REFERENDUM, I WAS AT THE TOWN HALL WITH MR. HOLLAND AND MISS BAILEY, AND IN THE SLIDE DECK THAT WAS USED TO PRESENT, THE CAPACITIES A LL OF THE DALE DISTRICT ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS WERE OVER CAPACITY.

BUT THEN THE NEXT SLIDE SAID, WE'RE GOING TO BUILD AN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FOR THE WESTERN AREA.

RIGHT. SO I AND I BROUGHT THE QUESTION UP TO THEM IN THAT FORUM, WHY DOES THE WEST AREA GET AN ELEMENTARY, A MIDDLE AND A HIGH SCHOOL? NOW IF WE'RE TRYING TO BE PROACTIVE, RIGHT, INSTEAD OF REACTIVE LIKE WE HAVE BEEN, BECAUSE STRATUS IS NOT GIVING US THE RIGHT NUMBER AND THE COUNTY IS BLOWING UP WITH PEOPLE, THEN WE'RE GETTING AHEAD OF IT FOR THE WESTERN.

I'M SORRY FOR THE WESTERN AREA.

WE'RE GETTING AHEAD OF IT, BUT WE'RE ALREADY SIGNIFICANTLY HURTING IN THE DISTRICT.

THAT'S NOT GETTING ANYTHING.

AND SO I APPLAUD THE PROACTIVE THINKING SO THAT WE CAN PUT THE INFRASTRUCTURE IN PLACE FOR THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENING ON THAT SIDE OF THE COUNTY, BUT THAT DOESN'T ADDRESS THE

[01:25:04]

SO I THINK PART OF IT, THE TWO THINGS I MENTION IS, I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO REFERENDUM, I THINK A LOT OF TIMES THE TWO BOARDS HAVE COME TOGETHER TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY'RE PRESENTING PROJECTS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

AND SO I THINK IF YOU LOOK LITERALLY AT OUR NEEDS, THEY MAY ALL LINE UP IN ONE DISTRICT.

BUT I THINK WHEN IT COMES TO REFERENDUM, THE BOARDS IN THE PAST HAVE LOOKED TO MAKE SURE THEY DISTRIBUTE THE PROJECTS ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

SO THEN PEOPLE DON'T GO TO THE POLLS AND JUST SAY, I LIVE IN THIS DISTRICT.

I DON'T I DON'T HAVE A PROJECT.

AND IT MAY BE NOT VOTE AGAINST OR VOTE FOR A CERTAIN THING TO THE OTHER PIECE IS A TIMING ISSUE.

I THINK WITH SOME OF THESE PROJECTS, I THINK ALSO THE THE FINANCING OF THE BOND.

SO WHEN THEY LOOK TO KIND OF TIME OUT, OBVIOUSLY THE DIFFERENT PROJECTS TOO.

I THINK THAT OBVIOUSLY MATCHING UP, I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT KIND OF THE MONEY WE PUT TOWARDS A BOND REFERENDUM, IF WE HAD JUST DONE JUST HIGH SCHOOLS, WE WOULD DONE TWO HIGH SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN DONE WITH ALL THE MONEY TOO.

SO I THINK YOU HAVE TO YOU'RE KIND OF MANAGING COMMUNITY EXPECTATIONS AND MAKING SURE THAT THERE'S SOMETHING ACROSS CHESTERFIELD COUNTY ALSO UNDERSTANDING THE COST THAT COMES IN THE REFERENDUM AND LIMITS TO WHICH EVEN THAT FINANCIAL FIGURE IS AVAILABLE.

WE ON PAPER WOULD LOVE TO HAVE SEEN IT HIGHER, BUT OBVIOUSLY THAT'S JUST WHAT THE THE BOND COUNCIL IS TELLING THE COUNTY GOVERNMENT THAT WAS ONLY AVAILABLE.

AND THEN OBVIOUSLY YOU LOOK AT JUST THE COST DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN ELEMENTARY MIDDLE AND HIGH PROJECT AT TODAY'S PRICES SO.

AND TO THAT CHART THAT'S IN FRONT OF US.

IT SAYS OLD HUNDRED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

ACCORDING TO THE SPREADSHEET HERE OLD HUNDRED ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IS AT 106%.

SO THAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER SIX SCHOOL, ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THAT IS OVERCAPACITY, BUT THEIRS IS NOT ASTERISKED.

GRANGE HALL IS AT 89%, BUT THEY'RE SCHEDULED TO THAT'S. THAT WOULD BE A NEW SCHOOL, THOUGH.

YEAH. OLD HUNDRED IF YOUR ASTERISK MEANS UNFUNDED, IT IS UNFUNDED RIGHT NOW.

AND THEN GRANGE HALL AT 89%.

AND THEY'RE GETTING IS THAT A NEW THAT'S A NEW SCHOOL OR RENOVATION? IT WAS IDEATED AS A REPLACEMENT.

SO THERE AT. SO IT'S NOT A CAPACITY ISSUE.

IT'S THE BUILDING IS OLD.

IT'S AN AGE ISSUE FOR THAT, THAT PARTICULAR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

SO I JUST WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE BIT BETTER AT WHAT DATA POINTS WE'RE USING TO DETERMINE WHAT SCHOOL GETS IT RIGHT, WHAT SCHOOL GETS THE BECAUSE IF WE'RE LOOKING AT AGE, I CORRECT ME IF I'M WRONG.

SOMEONE IN THE ROOM PROBABLY KNOWS.

I THINK HOPKINS IS OLDER THAN GRANGE HALL.

NO. NOT YET.

OKAY. THAT'S GOOD.

THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT. THANK YOU ALL FOR THAT.

BUT IF WE'RE SAYING WE'RE GOING TO GO BY AGE, THEN THAT WILL HELP ALLEVIATE SOME OF THE CONSTERNATION.

BUT IT DOESN'T ALLEVIATE ALL OF IT WHEN YOU'RE STILL AT 138% CAPACITY IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL.

RIGHT? SO I UNDERSTAND SOME OF OUR SCHOOLS ARE OLD.

AND IF THAT'S THE TIMELINE, THAT'S WHY THOSE SCHOOLS WERE CHOSEN WHEN THE LAST BOARD CAME UP WITH THE LIST.

WE HAVE TO DO BETTER THAN THAT, BECAUSE THAT'S NOT THE ONLY METRIC.

THAT METRIC SHOULD NOT BE WEIGHTED HIGHER THAN OVERFLOWING CLASSROOMS AND 19 MEGA TRAILERS AND THINGS LIKE THAT ON ON THE CAMPUSES OF DALE DISTRICT SCHOOLS.

THE ONE THING I WILL ADD TO THE DALE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISCUSSION IS MR. DAVIS MENTIONED THIS IN THE DISCUSSION LAST WEEK.

THE COUNTY IS ACTIVELY LOOKING TO FIGURE OUT WHERE THIS COULD GO.

SO THE LAND IS THE FIRST PIECE OF THE PUZZLE.

TO THE EXTENT THAT THERE'S FUNDING, WE KNOW THAT'S AN OPEN QUESTION, I GET THAT, BUT THE FIRST STEP WOULD BE WHERE WOULD YOU PUT IT? AND THEN THEY ARE ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN THIS.

AND MY CONVERSATIONS WITH THE COUNTY UNDERSTAND THE PRIORITY.

YES, WE'LL HAVE TO SOLVE THE FUNDING THING.

BUT WE WE'VE DONE THAT WITH THEM IN THE PAST IN DIFFERENT SCHOOLS SO.

I'M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU THE TRUST YOU SHOULD ADVOCATE.

I'M NOT GOING TO SAY ANYTHING OTHER THAN THAT, BUT JUST SAYING IT IS BEING WORKED.

AND THEN THE LAST PART FOR CIP IS RELATED TO WHEN WE DO BUILD NEW SCHOOLS AND WE MOVE ANOTHER SCHOOL INTO THE OLD SCHOOL, YOU KNOW, WE JUST HAVE TO BE REALLY CREATIVE ON WHAT THOSE CHILDREN WHO DON'T HAVE AN OUTSIDE AREA TO RELEASE OR DO ANYTHING.

WE GOT TO BE COGNIZANT OF THAT, TOO.

I APPRECIATE WHAT'S HAPPENING AT MANCHESTER MIDDLE SCHOOL, MY SHARED SCHOOL WITH MISS LISA.

GETTING THEIR TRACK DONE.

THAT IS AWESOME.

AND I'M AND WHILE WE'RE ON THE ATHLETIC STUFF, YOU KNOW, BIRD IS THE HIGH SCHOOL THAT DOES NOT HAVE THE NEWER GYM INSIDE OF IT. AND SO I'M ALSO LOOKING TO SEE THAT SOMEWHERE IN THE PLAN.

AND I KNOW WE TALKED ABOUT THIS, MR. DAVIS. IT WAS ABOUT 20.

IT WAS ABOUT 16,000,004 YEARS AGO LAST TIME THE GYM, A GYM GOT REPLACED.

SO IF WE COST FOR INFLATION, IT'LL PROBABLY BE LIKE $20 MILLION TO DO THAT.

BUT BIRD AND MONICA AND I WANT TO SAY THERE'S ONE OTHER SCHOOL, MR. DAVIS, IF YOU REMEMBER WHICH ONE IT WAS, HE CAN CORRECT ME, BUT [INAUDIBLE] SO BIRD AND [INAUDIBLE] ARE THE ONLY TWO HIGH SCHOOLS.

[01:30:09]

AND I THINK THAT COVERS FOR ME.

THANK YOU, MISS CHATTERS.

BOARD MEMBERS, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION REGARDING THE CIP? THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

[G. Announcements, Communications, and School Board Comments]

DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY ANNOUNCEMENTS OR COMMENTS? OKAY. OH.

OKAY. YOU SURE? OKAY. THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING WILL BE HELD THIS EVENING, FEBRUARY 13TH, 2024, AT 6:30 P.M..

PUBLIC HEARINGS ON THE SUPERINTENDENT'S PROPOSED FY 2025 OPERATING BUDGET AND FY 2025 CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN WILL BE HELD AT THE START OF THE MEETING.

IF THERE'S NO FURTHER PUBLIC BUSINESS, WE WILL ENTER INTO CLOSED SESSION, WHICH WILL BE HELD IN THE PUBLIC MEETING ROOMS CONFERENCE ROOM.

[I. Closed Session]

SEVEN, CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL PERTAINING TO ACTUAL OR PROBABLE LITIGATION, AND EIGHT CONSULTATION WITH LEGAL COUNSEL REGARDING SPECIFIC LEGAL MATTERS REQUIRING THE PROVISION OF LEGAL ADVICE BY SUCH COUNSEL.

MEMBERS OF THE BOARD YOU'VE JUST HEARD THE ITEMS REQUESTED TO BE DISCUSSED IN CLOSED SESSION.

DO I HAVE A MOTION IN THAT REGARD? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

ARE NOW IN CLOSED SESSION.

GOOD EVENING. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE.

I'D LIKE TO CALL THE FEBRUARY 13TH, 2024 SCHOOL BOARD BUSINESS MEETING TO ORDER.

BEFORE WE BEGIN HEFFRON.

PAGE FOUR. OH.

THANK YOU.

OKAY. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS.

DO I HAVE A MOTION TO RECONVENE IN OPEN SESSION? SO MOVED. DO I HAVE A SECOND? SECOND. THE BOARD IS NOW IN OPEN SESSION.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL? WOULD YOU PLEASE, PLEASE READ THE RESOLUTION CERTIFYING THE CLOSED SESSION? NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE SCHOOL BOARD HEREBY CERTIFIES THAT TO THE BEST OF EACH MEMBERS KNOWLEDGE.

ONE, ONLY PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS LAWFULLY EXEMPTED FROM OPEN MEETING REQUIREMENTS BY VIRGINIA LAW WERE DISCUSSED IN THE CLOSED MEETING TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATION RESOLUTION APPLIES, AND TWO ONLY SUCH PUBLIC BUSINESS MATTERS AS WERE IDENTIFIED IN THE MOTION CONVENING THE CLOSED MEETING WERE HEARD, DISCUSSED, OR CONSIDERED BY THE SCHOOL BOARD. IS THERE A MOTION TO ADOPT THE RESOLUTION? SO MOVED, SECOND.

SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE STUDENT DISCIPLINARY MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-2024/13, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

EXCUSE ME. MOTION CARRIES.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE REMAINING STUDENT MATTER? IN CASE NUMBERS 2023-24/15-RE, 2023-24/16-RE AND 2023-24/17-RE, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

BOARD MEMBERS IS THERE A MOTION TO, IS THERE A SECOND?

[01:35:02]

CARRIES. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE FIRST PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/46-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/47-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/48-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/49-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/50-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/51-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/52-HR, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/53-HR, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/54-HR, IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

I'M SORRY. IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/55-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND. MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

IS THERE A MOTION REGARDING THE NEXT PERSONNEL MATTER? IN CASE NUMBER 2023-24/56-HR IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE SUPERINTENDENT'S RECOMMENDATION BE UPHELD.

IS THERE A SECOND? SECOND.

MADAM CLERK, WOULD YOU PLEASE CALL ROLL ON THE MOTION.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.