[laughter] >> Mike. >> We'll call the meeting to order. Can we have a roll call? >> [clears throat] >> Mrs. Krieger? >> I'm here. >> Mrs. Crosson? >> Present. >> Mr. Hartline? >> Present. >> All three. >> Next it's approval of the agenda. Be it resolved that the Finance Committee 3.1 approves the agenda for the June 11th, 2026 Finance Committee meeting. Are there any changes or corrections as allowed by law? >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> No abstentions, no objections. Next be it resolved that the Finance Committee approval of the minutes from the May 14th, 2025 Finance Committee meeting as per the attached. >> Second. >> All in favor? >> I. >> I. >> No objections or abstentions. Passes three >> Nothing. >> Three nothing. >> Next are there any public comments? >> I mean, I was reviewing the slides earlier. So I'm eager to hear your comments there. >> Okay. >> Next request for >> So we we will we will go to the presentations then. Okay. >> Yep. >> So we will jump in >> [clears throat] >> to the the Finance Committee slides >> [clears throat] >> and discussion guide. Our agenda is shared. We have an update on the financial side, a quick update on the budget. I think we've got another retiree. So we may be at 22 tomorrow. In my last message with with Tara. And then we have a couple of discussion topics that Mrs. Krieger has raised a couple of times. That's sort of the order of approval of a bill versus the approval of the the spend. RFPs and the ability to slim down the number of vendors and focus on on savings around that. So sort of open forum discussion and we can add the storm water. Although there is really isn't an update for storm water beyond we are looking to schedule a meeting with Dr. Ulmer myself and Sean Kilkenny and Warminster Water Authority. >> Who from WMA? >> Uh >> Is it Heggie? >> Yes, it's him and I think two other people. >> Dalton probably. >> Okay. So that's that's that's where we're off. >> And I just want to keep up to date on that. >> Yep. >> Because my community is going to follow suit with whatever you decide to do on behalf of the school board, they're going to do the same on behalf of the community. >> Right. Um yep, so right now I mean the board approved two meetings ago to withhold the payment. So we are we are in a holding pattern. Okay. >> And I'm assuming you're going to also ask them about not only withholding going forward, what about recapturing >> Yeah, I'm I'm not sure I'm not the law was less vague on the recapture I think, right? But certainly on on what it defined at least as well as I read it and as Sean Kilkenny read it read the same way that they called it it's not a fee, it's a tax and that that set the stage. So we'll see. All right. There were a couple of articles in the paper I sent you in the other day. You can share them. Okay. So, uh the financial update, uh the story hasn't really changed. Um I think we are we are progressing uh in in a positive fashion. Um quick looks at things like the the state revenue, state revenue difference is is really the difference between last year getting the check uh on May 30th and this year getting the check on June 30th or June 1st. So, it's just a a day's timing uh makes the the number look a little different when you are comparing year-to-date uh numbers. Uh revenue though looks looks in line uh with with what we anticipated. Revenue highlights, um uh increase in in uh local revenue really driven by the tax uh by taxes and uh and EIT are two biggest drivers in that area. De- decrease uh in revenue from state sources and as I mentioned, that's really the timing, the difference between getting the check uh on uh May 30th versus uh June 1st. Um and then uh lastly, as we've we've it's been on here for a while, right? The decrease in revenue on the federal source side is really the elimination of ESSER. Um other than that, uh as we've shared over and over again, the federal number really hasn't changed, hasn't changed in in a number of years. Looking at um title grants, looking at access funding, um are those really two key sources. Okay. Anyone have any questions? Plow along. Um on the expense side, I think we are in line uh with with where where we are year-to-date Uh the relative to expenses. I think we're a little we're we'll show you we're a little under budgeted on on the salary side. But overall, I think we are under we have a surplus on the on the expense side as well. This slide shows again the history and the comparison year-to-date through through May 31st general fund totals and the year-to-date difference really driven by increases in personnel services and employee benefits. The increase in property and technology is is really the fact that this year a year ago we had little technology was with the year we paused our recycle and this year we brought it back. So it took a year without a recycle and and brought it forward. Questions? Okay. Next slide again shows the comparison to the prior year where we were last year at this time. We had you know $3 million more in we in revenue last year compared to this year and our expenditures were you know about $3 million less than they were this year. As a percent of the budget or the full year right we're below that so our expenses continue to to have that positive positive benefit of of about 2% or about 2% under budget compared to where we were last year all in. >> Okay. I do have a question. >> Yes. >> All right. So we received $5.7 million on 6/1 from the state. It still shows that we're going to be owed another six or seven million whatever it is. >> Correct. >> Um will we be receiving that money prior to 7/1? >> Um we probably we'll receive a part of it. Uh but a large piece of it we won't get until like July or August. It it always it has always come in late. Uh and we always reflect it back into the current year financial statements. So that >> So even if the So even if the state does not have a budget, we're still going to receive that last payment. >> Correct. We we always receive the last payment. And and if we if we didn't, we would book a receivable towards it. So we would we would recognize that revenue uh either with a receivable as of 6/30 uh and then when that gets paid, we would we would uh we would you know offset that receivable. >> Where is it reflected? >> wanted to make >> What's that? >> I'm trying to figure out where you where he sees the fact that this this $6 million has not come in. >> Where Mr. Where what What are you looking at? >> looking at current state 25 million versus 39 million budgeted. On your revenue line of comparison to prior year. >> Comparison to prior What's what slide are you Are you on the year end projections? >> I am on slide nine. Am I ahead of you? >> Um No, nine shows the current year and prior year. Yep. >> Right. So, I yes, I was on the current year where it's under revenue state year-to-date actual is 25 and we got another five in from the prior slide. And then that leaves roughly another eight million that we have not yet received that was budgeted for. >> I'm not sure what you're you're reading, Mr. Hartline. I'm sorry. >> Um So, it's where we have comparison to prior year, you have prior and current. And then just to the left of the prior, it says revenue local, state, federal. I'm looking at actual year-to-date, which would be the second line down, 25 million 39,000. >> Yep. versus >> versus the 39 million, >> Yes. >> realizing that a a check for five million came in. >> Got it. I'm sorry. Thank you. Thank you for that clarification. So, it's he's referring to these two numbers here. Right? >> So, where does he come up with the eight? So, I um >> So, the 25, right? We picked up uh four million in June 1st. So, that's 20 um that's 20 uh 29, right? And that that $10,000, I think it was the the number you were looking to reconcile, right, Mr. Hartline? Is that correct? >> Yes, 10 million. Yes, 10 million. >> Yep. Okay. >> Then he said something about six. >> I thought it was six because I thought we got 5.7 in on June 1st, but Mr. Greenwood is saying we only got in four. >> Right. Okay? >> Yeah, I just want to make certain that we get the money even if they're in a budget impasse. >> You know, we we have uh we have um and I think you know, again, every year we we go through that exercise. We don't receive it all by June 30th, uh but we're really required to to lock in to what the state forecast, right? So, the state is part of the audit review. The audit goes back to the state and says, "Do these numbers match? This is what we gave Centennial. This is what Centennial's reporting." So, we're really forced to reconcile that uh backwards into the current school year for which it's for. So, it it makes sense that it comes back. >> ultimately we're expecting to have the 39. >> Correct. >> But, it'll just take it 2 months into 2 months into the new fiscal year. >> Right. It it I mean, it will come right, the cash will come and we'll recognize it in this in this year. >> Yep. >> Okay? >> Yep. >> Um this slide uh shows the full year forecast. Again, largely in line, uh but we continue our surplus continues to grow a little bit. This is showing an $880,000 negative variance on the state side. Um there's a couple of small taxes that we are sort of tweaking as we go through those. Uh the major ones seem to be in line. So, we will uh we'll see how that plays out. Um overall, there's a surplus of uh a million two um through this through the forecasted period of time, uh which would reduce our draw from our surplus from the $5 million that was included in the original budget to $3.8 million in that budget. Should those numbers hold? June's sort of a an odd year when we try to look at June independently because there's a lot of things at play. Uh the most dramatic is uh with CEA staffing, right? So, the professional staff is uh is paid over a 24 uh pay cycle. Um makes up their year, uh but we recognize it in the 10-month school year. So, we will accrue three pays. A A They And the teachers have the opportunity either to take a lump sum in June and be paid in June, or they can continue to be paid in July and August. Uh there's three pays in that window. And we accrue all of that expense back into June because it's the contract, so that August to June uh contract is where we put the funds in. So, that's a big number that comes through at the end of the the end of the school year. >> them take it as lump sum? >> Um I think more than half get paid out. So, I I think it I think the minority of the people take the lump sum uh versus the continuity of continuing to be paid over that period of time. >> Okay. >> Um on the budget update side, uh I have for you that, you know, this is our proposed final budget. Um that that has a deficit uh of 3.5. This is what we posted. This is what we've shared um with a full acting Act 1 increase of 3.5%. Um this plan shows that five-year window uh without any tax increase going forward uh just to to give it some insight. I think the meetings that we have had both um at the schools through the home and school organizations as one as well as the one at Centennial Station uh were very valuable and and insightful. Right? I thought um I thought the best probably was the Centennial Station meeting. That was our uh that was our biggest crowd and and I think one of our most engaging crowds. So, it was an interesting uh I think it gives when you're when you're in the school building uh day in and day out uh the opportunity to be there uh gives you another another view, another vantage point uh which I think was very uh was very helpful in our in our appearance now as well as we plan for as well as how we plan for the future. >> So, I think that what that says is this over communicating is very valuable. >> Yep. >> In terms of getting them to understand cuz probably a lot of this is shocking to them when they hear where their money is actually being spent. >> Sure. >> And it's hard to argue um against what it's being spent on. >> Nope. 100% that over communication we we modified uh from the slides that you saw, Mrs. Krieger, at the school. We added a couple of slides to preview that deck. Uh one of them was the the top of our um dashboard that shows student counts and shows regular education and special education. I think that is a a good one that that says it speaks volumes. Um and I think that was a very interesting uh dialogue around that. So, um while we started off with our slides and we put up slide one and we quickly jumped to slide five, I think within within 2 minutes of that conversation. And then we just went back and forth. But again, I think that was uh very very helpful, very insightful, and asked questions that that that, you know, people who have children in school may not be thinking about. So again, I thought it was very uh very helpful. Okay? >> Can we just go back to this slide um in terms of uh the the numbers? I'm assuming [clears throat] if you've got uh 22 now, it's going to reflect in here in terms of >> Yep. So I mean so these numbers these numbers I I I don't I don't keep a daily list. So this is what we shared um on May 28th, right? This was the proposed uh final budget. >> So it might have been with the 18. >> Right? So what's that? >> It might have been with the 18 people who were retiring. >> Um yeah, I'm not I might have to go back and check, right? I think it was I think it was I thought we had 14 or 15 when we were in May and we had that number come out. So I can uh I can look at that, but we you know, we adjusted them as we were going along as uh as we have shared, right? And we've carried those through the years. So the impact of them uh plays out uh over that course of time and uh we'll be finalizing it and and we'll have that wrapped up uh you know, so hoping to have it wrapped up by >> me ask you then in the uh numbers for whatever you carry forward where in 2031 you've got a 20,712,000 uh deficit. Does that reflect the initial number of retirees that were retiring or that's not in here yet? >> That would reflect the whatever whatever savings I have in 2027, right? So whatever that differential and that differential as you know gets smaller year over year because each of those new teachers are now on the ladder, so they become more expensive year over year. So that deficit would would shrink. The savings would shrink as we move across the scale. >> Right, but is this this includes the number that we had at the time >> Yes. >> and that ever slightly increasing salary and benefits number is in here for whatever it was, whether it was 14 or 15 or 18. That's already built into here. >> Yes. Yep. Yep. And that's been that's been consistent as we we moved through. >> Question for you. >> Um if you go back to the previous slide, I think it's the previous or the one above it. Yeah, this one. So, when you're talking about the the surplus reducing, I guess, the amount that you're bringing over from the fund, is that like an actual surplus that we're seeing? >> Uh >> Or are we still >> No, we're still short, right? >> short. >> Yep. Yep. No, we're still we're still short. So, the $5 million number here, right? That's still in. That's the transfer. So, you we wouldn't transfer the five and have have a profit, right? So, we wouldn't do that. That would be right? So, I I've kept it to try to keep balance and then identified the difference down below. >> Got you. So, when I was looking at it earlier, I was like, "Oh, did you actually >> turn the corner, right?" >> Yeah, generate a surplus for the year, but that makes that makes sense. >> Okay. I tried to present it in different ways. I I think that makes it in my my opinion clearest because we know the five millions out there and then this is the difference. So, the difference between that five and the 1.2 is the 3.8 million that we would need to physically >> So, ultimately at the end, that that number, the 1 million 238 is going to be zero because that's going to be reflected as 3/8. >> Correct. You got it. You got it, right? And again, it's it's a forecast. Uh so, for what it's worth, uh just been a lot of time trying to look at each of the numbers, look at the lines that make it up. Um so, uh you know, I think there could be opportunity either way on that. I'm hopefully that there's some positive uh some additional positive of movement. Uh it's been a busy year for us. We've had a lot of things going on, so um it's been It's It's It's been interesting, for sure. >> Okay. I I do have another question. >> Yes. >> So, in the proposed final budget, where you're going out the years 28 through 31, are you baking in any retirement, like a base number of five, or is that saying we're holding staffing as is through those years? >> Uh I am not. I am not, Mr. Harwood. I have the incentive in there, but I don't have any additional. So, there would be opportunity there um as we've talked about internally and I and I think within this room as well, um we would look to do this you know, a one-time, right? The incentive works best if we're able to draw people who are going to retire next year or the following year and get them to retire now. That's That's where the retirement incentive really pays off. Um so, it's not something we uh we'd think about running another one next year or another one the following year, right? We want to try to We want to try to uh manage to to some extent that process. But, you're correct that we could have people, you know, certainly there will be people retiring between the year 2027 and the year 2031. >> Yeah, I would anticipate it not being as robust as this year, regardless. >> Yep. >> But, those numbers do not have any retirees in them, so their anticipation of at least a handful every year could also drive that number down. >> For sure. >> And based upon the update by Dr. Lukeba last week, he's made it very clear that that incentive um is a one-time thing. So, if people are, you know, leaning in a direction, they better realize that that incentive's not necessarily going to be available if they retire next year or the year after. >> Yep. Yep. Yep. Absolutely. Absolutely. So, all right. >> Yep. >> Um the dashboard is is out there, continues to be updated. Um my thanks to our communication man, Chris. Uh Chris does a great job of uh of getting the information and then updating the webpage. I think the one version that uh the one demo that we had of the dashboard, I think only had September's information. It was March when we were out looking at that site. So, I think the key to the key to the dashboard is the ability for us to effectively manage it and keep it up to date. All I need, you all you need to do is have someone come in and look and say, "What's that?" You know, this is It says September or the the numbers don't make any sense. So, um I think we've been effective in trying to do that. Yes. >> So, I just have a question about on the dashboard where special ed this month is 1347 and last month it was 1322. Like, what drives >> So, in enrollment is fluid, right? So, the enrollment is fluid. It it's it's not um it's not an ADM. It's not an average daily membership number, right? That that evens things out. It's it's actually students enrolled. That was where we we were I was back and forth when we were putting the dashboard together, but we will we will lose students and we will pick some students up throughout the year. It's just a part of the the process. >> 25 in a month seems like >> Those Those seem like a large number. >> Especially in last month of the school year. >> Right. I I agree. I will I will ask and and get some information and respond to that uh in the weekly update. I'll make a note of that. >> question is the number of students that are in special ed. These are all varying levels of special ed needs. So, when we're using this average of 42,000, that 42,000 is sort of a worst-case scenario, but it's not reflective necessarily of a less needy student versus a more needy student, I think. >> And I think it amounts to an average, effectively. >> Right. Right. >> Yep. >> So, some students with an IEP may may only be, you know, $22,000, right? Uh but then there are certainly students who are out there that are $130,000, right? So, I think it is that's how that that number would most you know, I think that's the best interpretation of that number. >> Can I ask another question? Um >> Yeah. >> In that special ed number, does that include students like all students with an IEP since students who are also in gifted program? >> Um it would. It would include all of them. Okay. >> Thanks. And the drop in those students may have something to do with the students graduating. >> Right. I'm not I I think Mrs. Krieger pointed out an increase in the special ed number. >> I'm sorry, I thought it was a decrease. Okay. >> But it might be to Mike's point, next month, if you did this, that number is going to go down. >> No school next month. It'll be zero. >> Well, no, [laughter] but it's those who aren't graduating and and it's still a number. >> Yep. >> Yes, but keeping in mind too that in two weeks we do the kindergarten placement, that number's going to change almost daily. >> Yeah, but we got two months before they're here. >> Dr. Gruber, did you have a Okay. So, yes, so that that number is we will we will pause the dashboard. >> Yep. >> We'll put a note on it that it'll be paused until until the fall, but we're certainly doing a lot of work around the incoming elementary enrollment, right? Our kindergarten enrollment. Um as we've shared before, Athena Thomason has done a really crackerjack job at at bringing enrollments on sooner to hopefully, you know, have that information sooner than than we have in the past. In the past we would be registering kids in the late August, beginning of September. I think that's there's always going to be someone who comes in late or just put it off until the last minute, but I think we're doing a she's done a really good job of trying to get that number up front. Uh so, those slides, you know, just those continue and as it stays through May 31st is that window. Uh so, that brings us to the discussion topics. Um the stormwater, we good on stormwater? Check that off. Are you okay with that with the update earlier? >> up after the meeting. >> Pardon me? >> After you have the meeting with Sean, just need to follow up. >> Yep. Uh they were working on getting that on the calendar. The person from the Warminster was out on vacation, so once that gets uh scheduled, we will uh we'll provide the update. >> Okay. >> Um one of the questions that Mrs. Krieger has asked since uh since her first board meeting, I think, um was how can we better connect the approval process to the payment process, right? And and the desire to to want to be able to view the request before the money is spent. Um I think that captures it, right? So, I think that >> it's important that um there's a method to ensuring that the items that come through as a request are things that are critical, they're in budget, they're a whole bunch of things, and meet the comprehensive plan needs. >> Sure. >> And so, the problem is by reviewing it at the bill point, where it's sort of uh doesn't make any sense because we can't reject any of those bills cuz the money's already out the door. The work has been done. So, what I want to do is get in front of the process so that something shouldn't be done, we can reject it before >> Right. >> it's been spent on something that might not necessarily be a priority. >> Sure, and I and I you know, as as we look at that, right? And you guys are familiar with the bills list, right? And as we as we look at that bills list and and and our process, right? All bills get presented to the board, you know, one way or another, and and they are in then a part of the minutes of those meetings. So, that if anyone wanted to go back in time, you could go to our minutes. You could see who we paid. Um and it's all very transparent. Okay? Um we break out uh bills and and the bill list itself into two different uh reports. One is the pre-approved bills list. The pre-approved bills list you get every week as part of the board update. Right? Our uh Katie Smith, our uh AP person, runs that report uh and includes that group of bills on the weekly update. We also then include it in the board. We again approve the pre-approved bills list just to make it a part of the minutes of that meeting and assure that transparency. >> pre-approved? >> So, this list >> what what is the What is the thing that makes it pre-approved? Like, I'm assuming a utility bill. >> Yep. >> We're not We can't argue about a utility bill. It is what it is. >> Right. So, this list is in our policy uh 616, all right? Which is the payment of bills. And the list includes uh restricted grant requirements, utilities, as you just pointed out, insurance coverages, debt service, employee payroll and everything that goes with payroll, uh any rentals, any approved payments to the IU and/or to Middle Bucks, um discount uh items, uh routine operating items, um expenses for lodging and um reimbursement, employee reimbursements. Uh so, this list of uh 12 items in essence makes up what should be on that pre-approved list. Okay? >> So, where does um contracts, where does maintenance and repairs I'm assuming most of the maintenance and repairs are driven by some agreement or where does supplies um >> All right, so this so that I mean we'll get we'll get right to that, okay? So just to to clear the deck on the pre-approved. So this is what the pre-approved then looks like, right? So you get this is the the picture, this is the download from the weekly update and that's what you get, right? You get the green report um and it recognizes those and and this is just the first page of that report and it's identifying the Philly wage tax, right? So those checks were all for Philly wage tax, it's a part of payroll, we pay it. >> Okay. And everything is done by actual physical check versus ACH? >> Um we have most, right? The the majority of our transactions happen through a check. Correct. We do we do ACH with with the utility company, we do ACH um with uh with Aetna. We do ACH um for a number of other utility-like organizations, but that's uh most most of our payments are done via check. Okay. >> Is there a reason for that? >> Um no. No. I mean we've we've continued to to do it, right? So >> Right, but is there I mean we can say postage and and and and envelopes and check, you know, ordering new checks, is there a reason why >> to get to the the ability to mass process ACHs in in that fashion. So our cumulative rollout is you know, we're sort of in our second year now with cumulative. All right, tell the time my cumulative time by telling my friend Vera cuz I she's been here 2 years and she came in uh on on on D-Day. So, I think that's something we could certainly explore and and understand how that works best. If if ACH if if pushing out money, right? So, the ACH we can either push money or they can they can come and take it, right? >> The other thing is that we talked about, I think, using like P-cards to get points to try and net out based upon cuz we're spending a lot of money. So, why not use the value of a spending a lot of money to hopefully land up using those points to pay bills. So, that it's really not more cash going out the door. >> No, I think that >> all the time with my credit card. >> interesting you know conversation that we had earlier this week, right? And and we do have procurement cards and those procurement cards do pay cash every year. It's been nominal. But, it does pay cash every year. So, we just need to figure out a way to to track those and be able to confirm and and sort of document, make sure that when we the audit comes around, we this is when it was paid, this is how we did it. So, I think that would be similar to an ACH, but I think that is a something we're certainly looking into. Okay. The other bills appear on what is known as the pending bills list, okay? The pending bills list is a one is is done monthly. So, we run everything that's not a pre-approved ends up on the pending bills list. That bills list those those checks are run, the list is generated. It's put on the the first meeting of the month for the board and we approve it. Those checks don't leave the house until after the board meeting in case anything was pulled or looked at. We've had board members who have you know have gone through the detail. Hey, what was this? What was that? Uh and we're always open to to provide the explanations. As I was looking at it and and with you in mind, Mrs. Krieger, so I think one of the things is we look at this example. So, this was literally just page one of the first check register that uh that Katie sent me this morning. Um and it and it looks at and, you know, there's some small charges, right? There's a $75 tire charge. There's some charges down below uh that went to uh I think it was Amazon Amazon Capital, right? So, there's a bunch of smaller transaction sites, but there's the 94 $94,000 charge, right? And I think that's one that we'd want to know what where it came from. That $94,000 charge was a part of the VX Rail, which is shared in the description, right? But we don't say in in that description and and we say it in other times, but we don't consistently say it that that is was approved here. >> In a meeting with that >> Correct. >> um Yep. >> So >> Kristen uh comes to the ops meeting and says, "This is what I need to buy buy." Um and are we then paying these things all in one month? Are they being >> They they get paid they get paid over different periods of time, right? So, Kristen brings >> whatever's in the contract. >> Whatever the is in the contract, right? And whatever the timing of the rollout of that is, right? So, we approve Dell computers in April because we need to get on the on the list to be able to buy those Chromebooks, right? So, we we put that that will come across in an April board meeting or a March board meeting. It won't happen until July, right? Because we will that's that's when we will start those lease payments. And then typically those Chromebooks are over a lease, so you'll see that payment once a year over a three year window of time. But if we look at the example of of the VX hard hardware, right? That $94,000 was approved at the February 24th board meeting, right? And this was the minutes clipped out of that meeting just to sort of bring the circle around. And I think what would what I'd like to see us do more consistently is identify it as such. So in that description, make sure that we include board approved this day. So that no one's going to remember because of the timing isn't always in line, right? We approved that in February, this report was run in June, right? That $92,000, right? We got it. We got our order. We got the purchase order sent over. We got a lot of steps in the way and then sort of the timing of that that plan and that roll out of that technology, particularly on the technology side, right? But it allows us to get then it allows you to look at it and and say, "Yeah, I know what that is." >> So what what I would say is when I look at the rest of this report, when I see all the things ordered by Amazon as a great example, >> Mhm. >> um to me it feels like a lot of these are oh, we have an emergency, we need X and we order it through Amazon cuz it's easy and it's fast and it will be here the next day. That's what I think we have to and these are pretty low cost items, but what I think I'm thinking is if we've got repairs and maintenance that we go because something broke and somebody's got to do it, I would assume we really should have contracts for repairs and maintenance that we have these as sort of the vendor of record and when something happens, whether it's at Klinger or Law College or Davis, they know who to call and it's part of that contract versus where we're ordering supplies from. To me, Amazon should be the last. >> Yeah, Amazon's like like a drug, right? >> That's right. >> I don't know if it's a drug to my wife or not, right? But, you know, you never know when you drive up the driveway what's going to be in there. I just hope I don't run over it going into the garage. Uh but, I I agree wholeheartedly with you, right? And you know, in our discussion uh unrelated to this, but related um with uh with Michael uh Zackin, Dr. Zackin, and Christian Hermann, and the IT group looking at that and saying, "You know what? We're going to telling them we're going to do more RF P'ing. We're not going to be doing less RF P'ing, right? The buying uh uh organizations that we subscribe to and participate in, we can continue that, but we're not going to stop there, right? We can send uh we can send them the RFP, too. Those vendors that are listed uh on that list, the ven- the uh RFP, too, and and have them responding to it. So, >> When you spoke about the Dell computers, >> Yes. >> an RFP to see our best whether it be Dell or another >> We did. We did. We did. Yep. We That That went out. I can, you know, forward it to you if you want to you want to see it again, but yes. The Dell uh the Dell RFP goes out um every year. >> It was my understanding we had this conversation the very beginning. >> Chromebook one, but Dell's the It's It's tough to beat them. >> We We talked about the fact that and I don't know whether it's at the Bucks County level or at uh what level, but there are consortiums that I understood were out here where we as a county or as something smaller, we can leverage our spend. So, isn't there an ability to drive some of this stuff through that buying consortium rather than letting people go to get it quickly. >> absolutely. Absolutely. And and what I was saying earlier is I'm not I don't want us to stop at the consortium, right? I don't want us to stop and say, "Hey, you know, particularly if it's a sizeable item, right?" That we don't just look to the consortium and say, "Okay, that's the lowest bid." Because quite often we have gone back and we've sent the bid to those people who are on that list and they've reduced and and created greater savings. So, I think it's trying to balance that and I think that takes us sort of into the next the next stage, right? Your next concern, right? And and that's really um that may be the oldest conversation we've had. I remember a good snowy morning going back and forth with you and then meeting you here one night uh to go through the vendor list. And I and I think our goal should be just that, right? And I think it's a a summertime uh effort that we look at that vendor list and we look at finding ways to streamline it, right? Trying to find ways to identify those groups. You talk about maintenance and repairs. Our staff does the majority of our maintenance repairs, right? So, when things go down, when things break, Jim Wartman's on the phone to his electrician and his plumber and his roofer and his carpenter to ride to the rescue and fix it, right? So, but those guys call a select group of people in making sure that we are issuing an RFP for that circle of people. I think is what we'd want to try to get to, right? So, that we're not calling different people. We typically don't in that case. We typically they you know, they have you know, a group of vendors that they've relied on. Uh but I think utilizing that to uh to shape that process uh is important, right? And and I agree that Amazon, you know, we've got a we've got a Amazon's good because I I woke up this morning and I thought about it and I need it tomorrow or I need it in 2 hours, right? But I I don't think that's while their costs are competitive, I think we want to try to step back and and take a a wider view of that. >> So I guess the question is how much autonomy does an individual school have? So as an example, when I did that original analysis, I think it was over 6 months the repairs and maintenance um the 6-month period that was booked that way was $534,000 and it was done with 62 vendors. So how much of this is autonomy by the school that they say I don't know. Something is broken here. Go pick up the phone and call cuz we need to get it fixed tomorrow or is there a central person like Jim Workman who the school immediately says this is broken, we need you to get XYZ. Where does the line between on >> on the broken side, right? I think they're calling Jim and saying this is broken. Jim sends his men out there or his team out there and they assess it and then they fix it, right? Um I think that's I think that is centrally op- opportunity, right? Where it may be different is uh and I think to answer your question directly, I think the schools have a lot of autonomy, right? Today. Or at least yesterday. Right? What I want to see happen again through this effort is that the RFPs identify district-wide vendors of choice. So that it's not all open now, right? So uh I think I mentioned uh when we were on the phone uh the other morning we had a we had furniture, right? So we have a furniture RFP that we're going to put in front of you and and we'll seek to move forward with. >> That's for the third classroom. >> Well, the furniture RFP was for everybody, right? So, uh Donna Brazile sends out a list to the schools, what are the things you need? We issue we send that out and we get an RFP pricing on it and we move forward. The classrooms came sort of second hand, right? That was a new idea to us. We didn't realize the IU was taking all of the furniture, so we need to we needed to furnish those three classrooms, right? >> They wouldn't sell it to us? >> No. So, we had to we had to we have to furnish that, right? So, what we did was was Heather Heather in in in her in her role, she went out, identified the things that we need. This is what we have. We need to replace that. We need to replace these tables. We got big kid chairs. We have small kid chairs and she went and did that and and came up with a bill was $25,000 and it was perfect. I said to her I said, "You know what? Let's take that and look at the RFP that Donna already issued." And it saved 25% right? So, the number got cut. Uh and by 25%. That's a that's a that's in $25,000 it's not millions. >> But it's bigger. >> But it's $5,000 that you saved, right? Through that effort. So, I I've sort of taken your your your vendor push, right? And and sort of translated it for me is is a way to have district-wide vendors of choice. So, that if there are whatever they are and we'll we'll look at the vendors in the use and what we're getting and try to figure out how we can't identify them more clearly. Um and whether that, you know, whether how how Amazon plays in that is is a little harder to tell. Uh but we can certainly look and and put supplies office supplies, right? We we send out an a RFP for office supplies. So, we should be looking at those things and we should be trying to figure out a way to maximize that effort uh through that idea. >> Have we done an RFP at all for substitutes? >> Um we recently recently with Kelly services, right? That was a recent We don't typically issue RFPs for services like that. We do not. Um we >> And and did you I mean did you go out and look at other vendors other than Kelly before you made the decision it was them? >> Um I believe Tara did. I'd have to speak with her. on that. >> So if I may Um I believe they actually came to us with three people that they had gone to for substitute services and Kelly gave us the best rate. Um previously there was a maximum threshold where we would have to go out to bid. So if something was over $15,000, we previously would automatically by board policy put it out to bid. So I don't know if that policy had gotten changed or not in the in the last few years. >> num- the number the number to our policy is $25,000. It just went up last year. >> Okay. So there is that. >> Yep. Yep. 24.5 is the number now. Okay. >> Right. So that that $25,000 came back we needed to put it out to bid regardless. >> Right. But services fall into a a a a sort of a different bucket and and we need to look at not just cost. We need to look at their ability to staff them, their ability to to put them in, right? To have them >> Yeah, I mean for for Yeah, for professional services it could be different. I mean I'm thinking too for professional services, electrician, plumber, heater, the things that our maintenance team can't do, if we put an RFP out for a yearly contract rate, lock them into what their rate per hour would be over, you know, the fiscal year, we may be able to get some response on that. >> That would be an interesting one, Mr. Harlan. I'd have to We'd have to examine that because you're never sure what you get, right? So >> Right. Well, but I would >> But you could get you could get hourly rates though, right? I guess you could try to lock in on an hourly >> about what happened. Remember there was this project a couple of months ago which was $80,000? >> Mhm. >> Um and that did not go out to RFP. It just was use our vendor of record. And my answer to that would be you may decide you want to use the vendor of record. However, go out for an RFP and whatever pricing you go back get back, go back to the vendor of record said you want this job, you need to match that pricing. >> The vendor of record did go out. He He He did We did our put an RFP out for that 3 years ago and and they were awarded the business. Um >> I thought it was separate a project. I thought that that that >> No, it was it was it was the engineer of record that was question mark, right? And providing the engineering services and the design and the blueprints and all of that that goes in if you when you're at the operations committee meeting, Jim has been bringing those drawings, right? To to rehab those two classrooms at Clinger and Log, right? So a lot of those are old buildings. There's a lot going on. Um that's where that came from. But 3 years ago we did just that, right? We issued an RFP. Barry Isett was awarded that business. Um with their it's out to an RFP again now, uh but that's that's the instance that you're you're drawing on. So it was in fact an RFP was done. This is just 3 years later. It wasn't a 1-year RFP. It was a 4-year RFP. Um so it would have you know, have naturally expired at the end of next year. >> So does that mean when you award a vendor of rec when a vendor becomes a vendor of record, you give him first right of refusal on something [clears throat] that is not sort of day-to-day business, but a project? >> Um, we they provide the vendor of record, the engineer of record, it's that service, it's sort of like a legal charge, right? That they provide those engineering services to the district. So they help manage larger scale issues. If we have smaller scale problems with the buildings, they will help in that regard as well. We don't pay them anything unless we're using them, but that's that's, you know, every project that we have done when whether it was the repaving of the parking lots across the district, right? We're looking at core samples, they're taking core samples, they're making sure that the layer of blacktop is going to suffice when we're doing blacktop around the transportation center. Is that going to hold up or do we need to be doing something different? Um, so that's that's what they that's the role that they play for us. Not to get off track, but they that RFP is is posted and we should be hearing from them and we're look for the operations committee to play a part in that interview and that review. >> I'd say it also allows an emergency situation. A few years ago we had the sanitary line at McDonald's that needed to be all right, Willow Dale that needed to be replaced and it needed to be done then and it allowed for the engineer of record to come out and provide what was needed in the emergency situation. >> It it it it, you know, and and seven years ago I remember it like it was yesterday. Uh, you know, I I think I was here, it was my second month and I got a phone call in um, in August and I picked it up and hi I'm Tom yep yep and they were telling us that the high school had become structurally unsound and we're closing the doors that we weren't allowed to be in there right it was good to have a an engineer on record that you could reach out to and help begin to facilitate the repairs that were done to the high school in in rather quick order. Literally I I think we we got the call in the beginning of August the kids had to leave the building four weeks later. I think the only thing that got bumped was MIT I think they were having an induction meeting there and we couldn't couldn't do that but >> Okay. >> Right. >> So I want to ask ask one more thing about the AP check register where we were talking about the stuff that was pre-approved by the board. I think if we just put an asterisk next to the end of the description and then just make a footnote saying approved by board you know for repair or approved by board expenditure pre-approved by board meeting. >> Okay. I I was thinking of of using like a you know board approved BA and a date so that if you wanted to go back and look at it you'd have that reference point. I think that that would was was my suggestion when we were looking at things like this so if you came across and you're looking at VX hard rail $94,000 where's the support who approved that? Let's go you can you can quickly pull it up and and it will give you comfort to know that it was board approved right so if it came across this way and it didn't have any notion you'd say hey Tom where did $94,000 go right and I didn't approve that right and we can look it up but I think that would be the the measure if that works. >> So my question then becomes between these two sort of subjects. >> Yep. >> What is the order in which things will get done? Is it the RFP process? Is looking at the list of these general ledger >> Mhm. >> summary classifications and saying, "You know what? General supplies, we have 239 vendors and we spent $2.2 million versus um dues and fees, 30 vendors, $80,000." What's the way in which >> I I think as I as I said, right? That's that vendor evaluation piece, right? I I again, I think that's a summertime activity. And while you know, supplies and it says $2 million, right? There's a lot of things that go into that number. There's a lot of educational things that go into that supply line for curriculum and and things like that. But, I think it's it's doing the work, right? So, that's why I'm looking to do it in the summertime. Um doing the work to to look at that number and say $2.2 million for supplies, what's in there, right? What what chunks can we break that down to? How can we look at those pieces and and figure out what we what we bought. And then go through that ability to A, these are like things. We're going to send an RFP out for this. Send out the RFP and and then award that as sort of the district vendor of choice. So, that schools, if they need a chair, they don't call up a vendor that they know or they don't ask their assistant, "Hey, can you I need a cafeteria table?" Send it out, but they go to the one who was awarded that furniture in the RFP. >> So, is it possible then to put together some prioritization schedule for what you're going to address as a higher priority versus a lower on this so that we sort of >> have a project plan for how we're going to >> Sure. >> address these things and time frames for doing them. And so by the end of the summer, you know, are we going to have five RFPs that have gone out for different categories and know that there's a possibility you know, we lucked out when Heather Hopkins did the furniture thing and then you went back and said, "Oh, let's do this." And you lucked out and saved 25%. Well, >> And it's just because we you know, in in again >> Timing is what Timing is it worked. >> So, I think bringing driving people into Donna's office who is doing these RFPs would be helpful, right? Cuz she'll know, "Hey, I've got that, right?" >> So, one individual >> What's that? >> One individual who approves it? >> Uh uh one individual who's in charge of the RFP, right? So, she's gone through the RFP process. So, if someone with furniture, she she I I took the list from Heather and I handed it to Donna and and she came back and said, "It'll cost me $19,000. I'm going to have two chairs here tomorrow to see which one they want, right?" If they you know, just student chairs and Heather Heather and Katie Veasey came in and they tested the chairs and and we were off and running. >> So, then are you issuing So, the furniture one is done as an example, are you then issuing a memo out to all of the schools >> will come, yes. >> that says, "You need to order furniture, this is the process. Do not order from your buddy. >> Yep. >> how you where you have to come to Donna." >> ordering from a buddy, but Heather was doing, right? Heather was just ordering, right? Didn't realize that there had been a price for it. So, we will come up with a list of uh the goal would be by the start of school to have a district-wide vendor list that says if you need a if you need a cafeteria table, your cafeteria table broke or you your students flipped the chair and it broke, this is where you go. This is the person. Don't You don't need to do anything more, right? Cuz we have secured what we believe to be the best price for that. Uh I think in the priority I'm going to look at that list and look at dollars and start from that and and work my way down. >> The other thing that I would say is very important every time somebody come and I I've been doing this in the operations meeting every time that Kristen comes with another bill, my first question to her is what else do they do? >> Right. >> Because the fact is she's ordering because she has a narrow need, but if they're the right vendor and they can supply >> Right. >> five other services that we never considered them for, why not try and force the spend to them and be able to leverage and hopefully negotiate a better contract because we're giving them volume. >> Right. And and as you in the operations committee, right? We recently just did that. Excuse me, with transportation, right? So we had technology that that manages one aspect of transportation on the routing side. We had another technology that manages the inventory within the the mechanics shop. Right? We we combined those things and we saved, you know, another six, seven thousand dollars in that effort. So it's expanding to your point that view and saying, "Hey, what else do you do and how else can we do business together?" Okay. Any other questions? >> No, I just think it would be great like at some point for you to come back with Here's how I'm going to Here's how I plan on prioritizing >> All right. >> this list that is 192 unique 192 unique vendors. >> June 23rd, right? >> So let's get the budget done and then we have >> Yeah, but I'm just saying I think, you know, 492 vendors we should be able to figure out how to uh >> Yep. >> cut it pretty dramatically. >> And Also, the mindset for the schools and anybody else who's ordering is start thinking about how to plan. So, this whole issue that occurred around P-cards and people and remember we had the discussion about the P-card problem that occurred um is start planning. If you know you're going to need over a 3-month period 50 yards of rope, >> Yep. >> don't go and buy a yard now, 40 yards next week, another whatever. Plan it, buy it, and know that you're buying what you believe you're going to use on a day-to-day basis for the next 3 months or 6 months or whatever the right time is. >> Absolutely. Absolutely. All right. So, it's less emergencies. Good. >> Yeah. >> Excellent. Thank you. Thank you for hanging in there. I think that was a good discussion. I appreciate the thoughts and and and your efforts, Mrs. Krieger, as as we've moved through the year. Um So, uh that that takes us back to uh to our agenda. Um the information items, I don't have I haven't gotten received the monthly PISLAP report yet, but that'll be on the uh agenda for the Committee of the Whole. >> I look it up the morning of to see what it is. >> So, the um >> [clears throat] >> the items that are on this list, we have uh six of them. Um do you want me to read through them? Do you want me to read through them? How would you like to move forward? >> to move them forward, you should read them. >> Yep. Um All right. Item eight, request for consideration at next board meeting, award furniture bid 26 2026 20 What is that? 07? >> 2026-07 >> Okay. To Kurtz Brothers and WB Mason to the combined amount of 26,194.41 as per the attached. 8.2, award art supply bid 2026-08 to Blick Art, Cascade School Supplies, Freestyle Photographic Supplies, Kurtz Brothers, Lakeshore Learning, Medco Supply, National Art and School Supplies, Pyramid School Projects, Quill, S&S Worldwide, School Specialty, and Sheffield Pottery in the aggregate amount of $52,061.17 as per the attached. I should ask a question at the end. Yes. Award food service chemicals RFP 2026-11 to Crystal Chemical for the 2026-2027, 2027-28, and 2028-29 school years. Purchases will be as needed throughout the three school years. The cost to the Centennial School District will be approximately $12,000 per year. Award athletic equipment and supply bid 2026-12 to BSN Sports, D&G A Sports, Longstreth Sporting Goods, Pyramid School Products, Riddell, S&S Worldwide School Health, School Specialty, and Sportsman in the aggregate amount of $27,282.62. [cough and clears throat] 8.5 award the fleet repair parts and accessories bid 2026-13 to Associated Truck Sales, Brightbill Bodyworks, Cummins Sales and Service, D&W Diesel, EFP Services, Fell Valley International Truck, Fred Beans Parts, Kanco Doylestown, Freightliner Western Star of Philadelphia, Jasper Engine Works, Lawson Products, Raseed's Auto Radiator, Wright Lubricants, and Wolf ington Body Company at the attached discount levels for purchases needed throughout the 2026-2027, 2027-28, and 2028-29 school years. 8.6 awards stock supply bid 2026-14 to Cascade School Supplies, Kurtz Brothers, National Art and School Supplies, Pyramid School Products, Quill, and W.B. Mason in the aggregate amount of $23,063.29 as per the attached. All right. So. >> What's that? >> Second it. So, do I ask Can I ask questions now? >> Yep. Ask any questions you have. >> So, I don't understand, um, why all of these are grouped together the way they are, and why are we awarding bids to like 10 vendors at the awarding >> They're getting the best price for whatever they are. So, in art, there's a load of different things that you buy in art, right? So, you're buying clay, you're buying film, you're buying a host of different things. So, what that is is it it everyone gets that same list, right? And uh some vendors it it it's odd given the conversation we just had, right? You think you could have art supplies one person, um, or a handful, uh but those are that's what's driving those differences. >> So, can't you go back to them and say, "You did great on what things, but you did lousy on another three. Can you better your price?" >> Well, some some are provided and some they won't provide it, right? So, when we look at uh look at that one, right? Freestyle Photographic Supplies, right? That's a niche, right? So, they're just dealing in photographic supplies as opposed to Blick, um, who is providing clay, uh and other, you know, paintbrushes and things like that. So, we've looked at them. It's a good question, uh that we'll certainly I'll certainly come back to uh through that effort in the summertime. But, that's that >> So, what does that mean then? Does that mean we approve this and then >> Uh it's all >> Yes, that means we approve this. They get this for the following year. >> Yep. >> Even if they should really go back and say >> here's the list, right? So, this is this is what goes right? So, here's the the list that goes out. Organizations across the top. You know, Freestyle is here in the middle. They haven't They haven't bid on anything until it gets down to the bottom. That they are that they're providing stuff, right? So, we have gone across. We've taken individual bids for everything that's listed on the side. And we have I We've identified it. >> So, does that mean what Freestyle provides no other vendor can bid on it or they just don't do it and that's it? >> they could, right? You can see here you know, Kurtz and Blick are are looking for the same thing, right? Kurtz Kurtz is $13.58. Blick is $10.18. Boom. So. >> So, they did get the best cost. Right, but in total >> Right? One below down here, right? Will is $12. Kurtz is $9.64 for that line, right? I don't know what dollar was 10 each 5/8 is. >> Right, but it does not mean and because Blick did not does is the assumption they just don't want to provide or they don't do it? Like what? >> If they don't Right, if they don't have it, so the list goes out. If they don't provide that, again, like the the easiest is the Freestyle photographic one, right? When we look at that, they're only providing film, so you sort of got to we got to get down to where something uh on the film side comes into play. And then they would be they would have their charges in here. So, you know, hey, it was 219. Over here, it's 207 right there. So, again, continuing to look for that best price. All right. I think this I think get again, this is is is a process that we have done. You know, it's not that we push these out. Uh I think we needed to look at it with the lens of that preferred vendor and see if we can't return to this process. Uh this I'd like to get it approved and moved forward so that we can begin utilizing it. Uh but I think as we do that, right? As we go through the effort in the summer that we say, "Hey, when we look at that, can you not provide more things, right?" Uh and and I think the answer, you know, in some cases will be, "Yes, I can provide more." Uh in other instances, maybe not, right? So, if Kurtz was the number one guy, would he have done better uh at those prices? >> So, by approving this, this means it would not be evaluated again until the '27-'28 school year? >> It could be evaluated, you know, I think I think these are RFPs, they're not contracts, so we could we could evaluate them at any point in time, right? And again, I think we can look at at what we have going on and and move those forward. Okay? Do we Can I have a motion that to move those six items to the board for consideration? >> Yes. >> So moved. >> Thank you. >> Second. All in favor. >> Aye. >> All right. >> [laughter] >> This idea. >> All right. Additional community comments? Do we have any comments from our community? >> Uh no. >> All right. All right. Uh our next meeting will be September 10th, [clears throat] 2026. Uh look forward to seeing everyone there. Would anyone like to make a motion to adjourn? >> Motion to adjourn. >> Second. >> Have a good evening, everybody. >> Thank you.