[Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey. Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey, hey, hey. [Music] Heat. Hey, Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. Heat. Heat. N. [Music] [Music] [Music] Heat. Heat. [Music] [Music] Dr. McGuire. Yes, it's still yours. You have to put [Music] [Music] [Music] Hey. Hey. Hey. [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] California. Uh, let's see. Literally [Music] [Music] testing. Yeah, there we go. So yeah, I think we should. Can you hear me? Is somebody watching Jeopardy? Magguire, we can hear your TV. They can hear the Jeopardy. Got it. Thank you. Got it. Start over again. Okay. Call to order the Centennial School District Special School Board Meeting Thursday, June 26th, 2025. Could we have a roll call vote, please? I mean, roll call. Mrs. Lint Rouge. Mrs. Brancado, here. Mrs. Crossson, present. Mr. Gindart, here. Mr. Godson, Mr. Hartline, present. Mrs. Lynch, present. Dr. Maguire, here. Mr. Martin, bone. Hey, uh, Mr. Sidowski here. Good. Eight members present. Thank you. Can we stand for the pledge of allegiance, please? To the flag of Americ. Um, announcements. I have none. I have an announcement. Okay. I want to start this meeting by saying that what happened on Tuesday surrounding the budget discussion in my opinion was a shameful display of grandstanding and political maneuvering. There is no reason for us to not have passed the budget on Tuesday. This has been a long time in coming. We've known for months that we had this budget. We've received numerous presentations from Mr. Greenwood. Every presentation had the date on it that we needed to pass this budget by. Every presentation had the financial information and had the same recommendation to go to the act one tax increase level. To not come here prepared, having asked questions in my opinion is very irresponsible of board members. We have an important job to do. Arguably, one of the most important jobs we have is to pass a budget. There's no excuse for not having gotten that done. None. Everybody had months to figure out what they wanted to do, to make phone calls. They could have called Mr. Hardline, chairman of the finance committee. They could have called Mr. Greenwood, who's putting the budget together. They could have asked, they could have gotten questions answered, asked more questions. They should have come here with a solution. Just saying no for the sake of saying no is unacceptable. That's not what the responsibility of this position requires. If not having a solution, at least having suggestions. I'm just going to wrap it up by saying that I did ask questions. I formulated my opinion based on the answers I was given, the information I had at the time. And as much as I don't like doing it and I don't have no desire to raise taxes because it's my taxes, I came to what I felt was the intellectually honest decision of needing to go to the act which is why I voted. Can you wait till we get to that? I'm almost done. Which is why I voted the way I voted and the reason I'm going to vote tonight. Thank you. I knew there were I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm just going to finish. I'm going to say I knew that would come with political consequences. I'm sure it's going to cost me votes in the election. But that sometimes doing the right thing has consequences. You got to do the right thing for the right reason and everybody here needs to do the right thing and we need to get this budget passed tonight. There is no reason not to do this. Thank you. Thanks. Okay. Um I have a rebuttal. Can Can you wait? Can you just wait until we get to that part? Well, I don't think it's fair since Mr. Ginhard had his dissertation that I can't follow up with my dissertation. Sure, you can. you can follow. Could Could you follow up with your dissertation when we get to that one, please? I I didn't realize that was going to happen at that point. I I understand your position, but I I don't think it's fair and just for someone to be here and say we're almost derelct in our duties without rationale or suggestion or an opinion from someone who feels entirely different. So, I think if you would bear with me and let me have a few minutes. Sure. Sure, Mrs. Lynch. Sure. Thank you. Uh, Mr. Ginhart, when you said we're grandstanding and and I do respect you and you're a kind man and you've been very kind to me over the time I've known you, so I would predicate it with that. But how do you know that we haven't talked to Mr. Greenwood? How do you know that I wasn't on the phone on Tuesday for a half hour with him or more trying to understand certain things? What plan has this board come up with to do any reductions? In my op, humble opinion, none. So when we went through the dialogue on Tuesday night of, well, we'll go to 3.75, oh we'll go to 3.5, oh we'll keep dropping the tax rate down. Does the public know that each percentage that we would come down or the millillage we would come down would increase the debt service? I think and Mr. Greenwood. I'm probably an error, but I think the latest I heard from that was like a quarter a million per per uh a percent half a percent quarter% $25,000. So the thing with it is that would just add to the debt service. We have for a year come up with not one plan to reduce expenditures. We're at the last minute and you're saying we haven't tried. There has been none. None. None. None. And I think everybody in this board knows that we have not come up with a fair plan and we're now in crisis mode. So, we don't pass one tonight. We have another meeting. I think Mrs. Bata the second or the third and we don't pass it. Then we go to court. Maybe it's good that we go to court. Maybe we can explain to the judge that we have no plan. Thank you. Thank you. Okay. Can we move on? And if anybody else else has anything they need to say, can we wait till we get to that, please? Um there are no community comments. Um Mr. Ghart, if you could do uh three. Okay, we are 3.1. Be it resolved that the Centennial School District Board of School Directors 3.1 approves the June 26, 2025 board agenda as per the attached. Are there any corrections that need to be made that are allowed by PA law? Second. Second by Mr. Hartine. All in favor? I I I. Mr. Martin, did I hear? I Any opposed? Abstensions? Carries. 8 Z. Moving on. Moving on to number four, old business. Be it resolved that the Centennial School District Board of School Directors 4.1 approves the motion to remove from the table the adoption of the capital fund capital fund 32 debt service fund 40 and food service fund 50 fund 50 budgets in the following amounts respectively 3,647,750 $6,767,696 and 3,949787 as per the attached. Can I second? Second, Mr. Sinowski. Any discussion? All in favor? I I I. Any opposed? Extensions. Carries 8 Z. Moving on to new business. Be it resolved that the Centennial School District Board of School Directors 5.1 adopts the final budget of the school district for the 2025 2026 fiscal year on form PDE 2028 with a tax increase of 4% as the final budget for the school district general fund in the amount of 156 million447,125 in expenses and with revenue venue of 151,94,429 authorizes the 2025 to 2026 annual tax levy resolution real estate tax installment payment plan and the homestead farmstead exclusion resolution as per the attached. Can I get a second? Second. Second, Mr. Hartline. Discussion. Mr. Ghart. Yes, sir. I I want to clarify on this motion so people understand what's happening. Uh Mr. Hartline asked a question about reconsidering and some other questions as we were trying to uh figure out how this comes back and come forward. So just for the record and clarity for those who watched the last meeting, uh the question he asked was uh could this be brought back as reconsideration? uh reconsideration can only happen in Robert's rule and during the same meeting. And the second part that I did say is correct. Uh the the reconsideration also can only be brought up by for lack of a better term as Robert's rules the winning vote. So for example, if something was five for against, then one of those five people can bring it back uh up who are winning. What this does come up under is what they call a renewal of the motion. And then with some Inspector Cluso stuff with Miss Colleen over there, um, you don't word it that way. You bring it back as new mo as new business and you read the same way as a re as a renewal of the motion, but you just read it the same way. Um, and then as you can see for those who are looking, she put a note that it failed, but it's effectively a renewal of the motion to bring it back just to clean up some of the confusion from last week. Just wanted that on the record. So it was it was read and presented properly. Yes. As a new business brought back. It is in Robert's rules that way. So we are in compliance. I just had to correct some feedback I gave to Mr. Hartine's question last week for clarity. Thank you. Okay. Thank you for the clarification. So Mr. Harling. So can I amend this motion? This it will go through everything's normal now. So if if he's read it, you've got a second. you've got a disc the the discussion you can now make a request uh to amend to amend okay or they act upon it and then someone has to second it and then yada yada and then you'd act upon that motion and if it passes you would then reintroduce it with the new corrections or if it fails you go back to finishing the business as is as it's been read okay was that clear thank you so what I would like to do is I'd like to propose an amendment to amend this motion and include in it that the administrative office by the committee of the whole meeting in October of 2025 come through with a three-year plan to balance our budget and that administration has gone through a line by line item renewal of our budget brings to the board ideas and actionable items for reducing expenditures for the district with a three-year guideline or a three-year plan to a balanced budget. I'd like to recommendation to you, please, that I would not complicate this motion by doing that because you can still do the same you're asking for um as requesting something addition. And here's why. and I won't be here, but when I think about the person who's going to be sitting in this seat, we have done that and nothing seems to be what the board wants to accept at times that that the real like when we talk about the things that are meaningful reduction, you're not going to make up 4.5 million and I think projected 6 million without some major things. So that's the the challenge. So just consider that and and what you're asking to be added on to it. You can still do it, but I'm just saying consider that and make sure everyone's comfortable with that. Would you should I then consider that as a separate action item? Can I add that to the That's what I'm suggesting. Okay. um because it is not um it is dimminimous because you're not taking any monetary action right now, right? You're not uh spending money or agreeing to a contract. You could do that. But then that would be a separate motion and go through the process of people um voting on it like normal. Then I will re I will reconsider my amendment for this time. Could I could I just say that before passing any budget, I think we the board need to come together and bring down our expenses. It's been brought to us how many times over the past couple months and we always reject everything that they bring to us. As a board, we need to come together and bring down the expenses. It's they're going to be hard decisions, but we need to make it happen before moving forward. We need to bring down the expenses or we're going to be in the same spot next year. And the obvious one is classroom sizes to begin with. Well, so class size just to give you examples of what is at the board's disposal that so and this is not to bring disparaging and conflict but just to give you context. When I got here, Mr. Greenwood mentioned this that one of the things that I asked them to do was start giving you the five-year projections in addition to the budget and there was always conversation about it's very difficult to adopt a budget just looking at that one year because every budget that year impacts the next effectively what happens administratively and I think I've shared this but I'm sharing it in case I haven't the business office and the teams are told to never bring a budget forward to me to bring to the board that doesn't start with working within act one. So we automatically make reductions or changes just to comply with the state recommended act one to start with. That's how we function as an administrative team. As been mentioned, every time we go below the act one, we're compounding our inability to produce revenue to cover the expenses. Effectively what has happened is as you've seen with those lines that he show you if we had gone to the act one every year we'd be 2 four on the plus side five or something like that Tom on the plus side. So the act one is a true cost of doing business. So I say that to give you the foundation to this statement because as Mr. Martin has said we can talk about it. We didn't do it we can't go back and change. That's not the intent of sharing that. Part of what you're going to be faced with going forward is even going to the act one every year is declining and yes your expenses are growing faster. One of the tools that you're going to have to consider is not locking yourself now into the act one. So for example that neighboring district has filed for exceptions. I know the district here has had to file for exceptions because that's the only way you in the previous 5 years are able to go over the act one. So, for example, we're at 25% special ed population. At the end of the day, the bottom line is if that population is growing and has needs, you got to meet the needs of the children. And I say that to be fair to the board talking to the public. The cost of doing serving those children, that's not their fault. That's not, you know, it's what they need services. So, the board has to try to figure out how to do that. We transport 4,000 out of 5,300 students every year. So that's the bulk of our students. No one's going to, as M. Broncado said and Mr. Hartine when he just gave it as example is not willing to say we're not going to transport children because there are ramifications to that. Also example, many of our parents at 51% now free lunch who have to go to work if the bus didn't pick them up. Guess what would happen? They either late getting to school, won't get to school, our tennis is going to plummet and other things going to happen. Academic challenges. So transportation, I'm just using an example, ladies and gentlemen. No one's talking about cutting transportation. Don't freak out. But it's an easy example. We still got to do it. Even though we're not required, it has a snowball effect. So I say that to say somewhere the public also has to understand and I think and I'm sorry to step out, Mr. Ganard. I heard the beginning of your comment and then it'll tail end and Miss Crossen admitted too. We can't run away from the cost factor of six buildings, roofs, buses that are were falling apart. We played some catch-up. Um, you can't have a $300 capital fund balance. It's just impossible. If we had a air conditioning unit go out, we'd have to borrow money. Having money in that account keeps you from borrowing and being able to fix it immediately. Certain things happen. And if you don't have that reserve fund, you'd have to shut down school until you got it fixed as opposed to we can pay for it, get it fixed, and file for the state for reimbursements. Those types of things. One gentleman called was very upset about his taxes. When we explained to him how we do business, he said, "Oh, I'm good now. Raise my tax because you show me how you've cut money and I own a business and I get it. There are certain costs you can't avoid." So to your answer, Miss Crossson, or to my point, too, is any plan, and I won't be here, but I'm trying to be fair to whoever sits in this seat is going to probably need to include the idea that you have to have you can't lock yourself in right away and say you're not going to go back one. You need to keep those tools as you see the whole budget lay out. It doesn't mean you're going to go over it, but you can no longer lock yourself in to that formula anymore without seeing the whole picture. as an example. And you're going to have to example the class size conversation didn't mean we're going to have big class. In fact, we don't. We've shown the concrete numbers, but that also means that we don't get rid of key staff that help us make these academic achievements if we do those flexibilities. At the end of the day, if you can do lower class size, you want to do that. But at the end of the day, making sure the teachers have the knife and the the fork to carve the turkey and serve the kids the meal. Teaching and learning is the best resource you can give as opposed to what we had previously when we didn't update the curriculum and do things. We gave them a spoon to dig into the meat and chunk at it. That's my tirade. That's my example. I hope it made sense. Sorry. Thank you. I appreciate the explanation. Any other discussion? Yes. Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead. Thank you. This didn't begin this year. Began last year. 2.6 6 million deficit spending last year, approximately 5 million this year, two additional contracts added. What was the cost for their contracts? I'm not saying that people don't deserve a raise, but maybe we don't they don't deserve the raises that we're giving. So, we are spending money. We are not saving money. I have asked for two years in a row five 10% cut from each department. I find that the budget the way we budget here is through school. So okay fine by the 10% school people have asked for line for line like we did Mr. Harline can attest to it. It was lengthy going line by line with the budget. We haven't done that. We're at the last minute and your words of wisdom, Dr. Ben, are so accurate, but and I don't need to go through a diet. You know yourself, if you keep spending money and you don't have the cash flow, you're in trouble. This is where we are. So, how can we get a budget? So, we go, we reduce the millage. And you all think, oh, isn't that wonderful? Shall we increase the deficit? And for the two years, we are 6.9 million deficit. Now, we have been saved as Mr. Greenwood has mentioned to us numerous time by the 2.6 different billing cycle from the IU, but we're still way over budget. and how we're going to get out of it. Maybe we should go to court. Maybe we should explain to the judge the position we're in. Thank you. Okay. Is there anybody else? Okay. Mark, can we move forward? Uh, roll call it, please. Excuse me. Are we doing the roll call for Mr. Arine's original? I Yeah, I amendment. So, this is to approve 5.1 as presented. Yes. And then with the three-year plan that you were talking about, you I will add that assuming if this passes, I will add that. Okay. As a separate amendment on if this passes. Yeah. Because if this doesn't passes, I mean at some point in time once we pass a budget, I will still be making the same motion for a threeyear. I just needed clarity for myself. Thank you. To continue. Any other discussion, Mr. Martin, Dr. McGuire. Okay, Mr. Roose, roll call vote, please. Mr. Hartley. Yes. Hold on a hold on a sec. Hold on. I just want to clarify what we're voting on again. We are voting on adopting 5.1 as initially presented as it's on the agenda. Okay. I don't have tonight's agenda. It is. I go ahead. I'll read it again. Adopts the final budget of the school district for the 2025 2026 fiscal year on form PTE 2028 with a tax increase of 4% as the final budget for the school district general fund in the amount of 156 million. Okay. You don't have to go any further. I got it. Okay. Are you good? Thank you. Okay. Thank you. Yeah. Dr. Maguire. Yes. Mr. Martin. No. Mr. Ghart. Yes. Mrs. Crossson. No. Mr. Saddowski. Given that I know we have differing opinions on how we should do this and given the motion that Mr. Hardline's going to make, I don't think it makes sense to drag this out and go into court and get into chaos and ridiculousness further than we already have. So at the act one, which we should have been doing all along, yes. Mrs. Lynch, no. This is Branado. Yeah. Motion fails. It's a tie 44. Right. I make a motion that we adopt 5.1 as presented with the exception that the tax increase be 3.75%. And all necessary adjustments be made to accommodate for the new tax rate. Can I get a second? So you're now saying 3.75 Ford didn't pass. So now we're going 375. At that rate, what would that add to the surplus? About a quart of a million dollar. About a quarter of a million dollars. It would 240,000. Thank you. I'll second it. Any discussion? Roll call vote, please. Dr. Maguire, yes. Mr. Martin, no. Mr. Ghart, yes. Mr. Hartline, yes. Mr. Saddowski, no. Mrs. Crossen, no. Mrs. Lynch, no. Mrs. Francado, no. I make a motion that we approve 5.1 as presented with the exception being the tax rate be changed to 3.5% and all necessary adjustments be made. I got a second. It's not it's not at this point. I mean Magguire can second it, but I I don't know that it's going to make a difference. Yeah, it's getting further away from We need to be We tried that. So what are you going to you going to sit here all night and do nothing again? I don't know that the issue is the 4%. I think the issue runs to other other items as opposed to cuts or plans or whatever else may take be taking place. So So Mr. chair or whatever. As part of my duty as a commissioned officer in the Commonwealth um or centennial in the superintendent, I want to go on record what I've already shared with you all. Um, if the board does not agree on a budget at this meeting, based on the information and letter from the legal counsel that I previously shared with you on June 17th, the following steps and consequences may occur. The school district will lack the legal authority to spend public funds effective July 1. The non-compliance with public school code may trigger scrutiny by the Pennsylvania Department of Education and or the auditor general. Stakeholders such as taxpayers may seek a rent a mandemus mandamus which is a court order to compel the board to fulfill its duty. The district may default on debt service obligations or violate bond covenants. Payroll, benefits, and employment agreements may be disrupted, leading to grievances or breach of contract claims. The Pennsylvania Auditor General may cite the failure to adopt the budget as deficient financial governance in annual audit. Individual board members may face judicial removal under section 318 of the public school code. The board is recommended by legal counsel and the superintendent which they have done is to comp convene special meetings to try to continue adopt the final budget on before June 30th. Because of our requirements to advertise meetings, it has already been noted to the board that if it is not adopted tonight, your next meeting could not occur until the first week of July. What that means on section 318 of the public school code which is removal of school directors for failure to organize or neglect of duty. The section of the PA code outlines a process for removing the schoolboard members for fail or who fail to properly organize or neglect their responsibilities. The specific reason that would be cited in this case is neglect of duty. If the board refuses or neglects to perform any duties required by law concerning the school districts, which is the June 30th deadline, um residents or taxpayers can file this and then it starts the court process that has been referred to. So, with that said, I'm highly encouraging the board to try to resolve this this evening so that we can be in compliance with the law. Uh, we did have a conference call with legal counsel today earlier. Can I ask Can I ask who was the attorney? The letter I sent to you from Mike Leven who helped write the school code. Um, and we did get written correspondence from your solicitor who said the same thing that you won't be able to expend funds after June 30th. But I did speak to him today and he said since the state doesn't have a budget, we should be fine if it had to go to July 3rd. Again, if you go to July 3rd and you did it that day, we'd still probably make the timeline to do what we need to do, right? But I'm just telling you that here's the issue. If you don't do it then, you're getting farther farther and these things still can apply. It doesn't stop someone on July 1, July 2nd of filing a complaint. Also, so the state is one piece, but he actually we have in writing from him, right, Mr. uh Greenwood, that you still can't pay. Now, you only be two or three days to your point. So, anything that is not approved and already obligated as of June 30th would be new expenditures is a point that both attorneys are making that we as administration would not be authorized to expend or do anything with after that point. So, thank you. I would like to comment on that, please. I would rather bear the consequences of what Dr. Bon has just said than to bankrupt this school district. If it cost me an election, so be it. But if it makes my community better and safer and stronger financially, that's why I'm here. Thank you. Uh I would like to appeal to my fellow board members. Uh respectfully, Mrs. Lynch, I agree with what everything you're saying 100%. We can't go further into debt. We can't keep taking money out of our other accounts because doing that risks jeopardizing our bond rating and costing taxpayers money down the road. being unable to either borrow money at a good rate or refinance bonds at a better rate and save money. So, it's a raising taxes now is uncomfortable. Having people pay more money because we're deeper in debt and having our financial situation get even worse and going deeper into the holes if you as you said, I agree with 100%. So I respectfully ask you and suggest to both yourself and Mr. Denowski who I also am respectfully asking it sounds to me like you're both making very valid lucid and common sense points that we need to go to 4%. That we need to reduce the deficit and keep it as small as possible. So, I'm asking you to please consider it's difficult and I know nobody wants to die. I I just voted yes. Yeah. And I think mathematically we are where we are. So, you are you did vote yes. I was with you. I forgot I said it. Mrs. Lynch, I'm asking you just to reconsider. You're you're right in what you're saying. We can't go deeper. We do need to try to plug this hole. Unfortunately, the only way to do that is to go to the recommended act one. Well, right. So, the open question is, will are there any no votes on this board who will change their vote to yes to avoid what Dr. Ben just said? I I will say to you for the people who voted for last year's budget, which had a a $2.6 million deficit. What did you think about that? I voted against it. I mean, I voted no and there were some other people on this board who voted no because we thought it was the same situation. Not forecasting how bad it would be this year, but you're saying, "Well, we have to do this, we have to do that, and we need to do 4%." Well, hey guys, what about last year 2.6 deficit? This year, five. What would next year be? Eight. Well, Mrs. Lynch respectfully, I think that you're making the case that we need to go to forward because every year we don't do this as was last year, which was an unfortunate was a compromise, but every year we do this, we just go deeper in the problem. I don't recommend watching it. That's literally what I guess last year we needed to be at the Mr. Ghart. Yeah, we did. I respect your opinion, but you tell me what that's not fair. I respect your opinion. I mean, if you have a question, I'll be happy. I was going to say something else and it's not fair. U we were in the same boat last year. Mr. Martin Mr. Martin wants to say something and the budget pass. I I agree with a lot of people, but we had 11 months and three weeks to do what now is down to last week and everybody's getting all upset. I am perfectly comfortable to having a judge listen to our budget process and evaluate how we all performed and did. And if he wants to remove all of us, so be it. Well said, Charlie. Here or she, I might add, as judge. They're female judges. I wanted to be glad I can't hear you. Yes. You in five? Yeah. Let's take a five minute recess. We have a fivem minute recess, please. Is that good? Yeah. All right. Okay. Yeah. Why are we having a fivem minute recess? I don't think we have to give a reason, do we? Somebody asked for one. I guess there's something wrong. I don't really know. I thought you had to have a certain amount of people to agree to have recess. You do. If you don't want to have recess, keep talking without me then. We're good. He asked for recess. I think something's wrong. All right. volume. We're going to use Resuming our We're resuming our schoolboard meeting. Um, so if we can't pass 5.1, we have to hold off on P 5 5.2. Is that correct? Okay, then let's do it so I can go home and bury my sister. No, we we we can't do this again. This is the second in a row. We can't do this again. We need to get this done. We can't do this two nights in a row. What is holding everybody? What is the problem? Mr. Greenwood, what is our accumulative fund balance approximately right now? [Music] $25 million. So, we basically have $25 million in the bank spread out through all of our fund balances. And last year's deficit really was nothing more than a credit of an overpayment or an overestimated amount that we were anticipating in IU services that we are getting a refund on because we used less services this year, but we haven't received the money yet. Correct. So we prepaid for services that we anticipated for this year students at the IU. According to Mr. Greenman, we should get the money in September. We don't I I understand that, Mrs. Lynch. However, if we had anticipated the proper amount of students or we had shorted the number of students that we had anticipated, then the budget would have been dollar neutral last year. the way because we we planned on having hypothetically 100 students and we had 75 instead but we prepaid for 100 and would be receiving the money back. Yes, Mr. That's correct. But there is another part of that. When the budget was passed, we didn't know there would be a 2.6 credit. So the budget was passed under the impression of 2.6 deficit. We found out afterwards that the 2.6 sick was going to be. Did we not also Did we not also direct administration to do everything they could to retain and to educate our special education students the best possible way necessary and they were able to find that that was in house as well as us having students that moved on from the district. Are you talking about the IU? No, I'm talking about us as a board. One of the objects that we talked about last year was administration bringing back to us cost-saving measures. this year, including realignment of the high school curriculum, including any special education events that we could do, including other measures. And we did cut $1.3 million out of this budget, including personnel, including payroll reductions for retirements, including offsetting some of our um services. So, they're all things that we did do. Correct. Yes. and the teachers contract. What is the expense of that for three years? For three years, it's approximately 3% a year, which is still under the act one increase. No. What is the percent? What is the total amount per year for the teachers contract for three years? Are you talking about dollar value or what? I'm talking about dollars. About 2.5 it costs each year and equivalent of 2.7 meals. $2.5 million. Is it $1 million? $2.5 million per year. And it occupies about $2.7% of act one each year. Okay. So that averages out to your amount. And what is the total package for the three years? The total one year, two year, three years. What is the total amount? Well, it was a four-year agreement. What was it Tom? So you're talking 2.5 * 4 which is about $10 million. What is the act? My god just escaped me. Act one index. You have a 4.0 act one. You're talking about the act that that is included in the budget for this year but has not been passed. What is the total amount for the three years for that? Well, you don't have a three-year agreement. This is the last year of uh their agreement. Uh the budget has a 3% pay raise for both uh Act 93 and support staff, but that is yet to be passed. Right. It's in the budget. Money is included in this. I think they run Tom. I don't have it on my screen. I'm trying to find it. What is it about 300 something,000? 400,000 for Act 93. 300 something. The impact is about I'm sorry I didn't hear he's looking. Okay. Excuse me, Mr. Greenwood. Thank you. No, I mean you so the administration has looked at certain things to cut. There's no question about it. Dr. Ben has told us that many times. What other items have been actually cut? What have the suggestions been from this board that had been enacted on and actually cut? So, I don't mean to put you, Mr. Greenwood. Excuse me one second, Mike. I'm sorry. Excuse me. So, I I'm going to leave. Um, and anybody can think whatever they'd like. I have a family emergency. I'm burying my sister tomorrow and her one of her children is not um doing well right at this moment and I need to go to it. So go. Everybody can think what they need. Go. I'm sorry. No. Go. I'm sorry. He's trying to find out. I'm trying to find a slide. You had it in one of the budget slides. The dollar value. [Applause] All right. So, if you're talking about identifying cost reductions for the 2526 school year, it was 265,000 in technology, 367,000 in retirements, 51,000 at school level reductions, which was 5.1%. 560 500,000 for districtwide reductions, which was 2.3%. and 183,000 for staff reorganization totaling $1.36 million. So, okay. And the year before that was 1.7 million cut. The year before that 1.1 and the year before that 1.8. Yes. for a total of $6 million the past four years. What's the 3% equal for Act 93? So the May 23rd meeting, we presented the Act 93 agreement, right? Total salary increase over the four year, it's a 4-year deal that was considered was $579,000. That was a right total including in so that's without that's compensation right including peasers right for the additional salary the total is $748,000 over four years equates to what per year Tom so that's about $187,000 a year to serve about 36 to serve 36 people. So, it's novel. And what is the pharmaceutical plan? Would be 34 people because you and I aren't in that deal. What is the pharmaceutical plan for the teachers contract? About a million a year, is it? Yeah. The pharmaceutical plan is is several million a year. And that went up 4 million, right? And that went up close to 400,000. Yes. That continues to rise. Those costs continue to rise. And what percent? I'm sorry. I am sorry. It's not fair to you. It's not fair. I'm not gonna say anymore because we're putting you on the spot and you've worked all year for this. No, but you you bring up another I mean that's an example of a change that administration recommended that was not accepted. That cost was eating us alive. Um when we tried to modify the plan, it was not accepted and it passed as part of the new employment agreement. We pointed out that 1% of the population is costing us a million dollars themselves. And it doesn't mean they're not important. That's not my point. But we were trying to find cost-saving measures. Again, what is the medium income for Warr Centennial School District? The resin household or individual income? I thought it was around 48,000, but I'm not sure. I think that's per person. Yeah, I think it's 48,000 per individual, but not necessarily household. $48,000 a year, right? But in a twoerson household, it would be 96. So you look at the newspapers and see where we are in salaries. Um I'm not sure. I'm looking up and it's showing the median household income in Warster, PA is 94,000. Well, as you know and we all know and I'm we have some areas that have high income. We have a considerable amount of areas that have lower income and we have some in some areas that really need financial help. So, the only reason I'm bringing this out is this is not something that happened in the past three, four years. This is something that's been going on forever. Um, we have people who can't afford a lot of things. We have people who can afford everything. Um, is there a medium? Could people live on 48,000? Isn't that part of the state plan or is that council rock or central bucks of the rebate up to 48,000 that you get a rebate? Miss L again the Census Bureau reports 94,000 not 48 as a median household income. Right. When Chad GBT says that the median income for Centennial School District in Pennsylvania, the household is 97,47. But per person is the capital, the individual is shown as 4716 household income shown as 97,47. Okay. So you can only talk about taxing based on the household, right? Well, are our food banks full? No. Oh, Christ. Do people utilize the food banks very frequently? Are they quite empty, more so now than before? Is that a barometer of where we Centennial School District are? I'm just throwing it out there and like I said, it's just part of the equation of how we can deal with deficits so bloody big knowing where we are. I give up. Mr. start line. Sorry to put you on the spot, but um when we had discussed the budget the other day and um I was asking about the major tax cost drivers, you would run down a list of the ones that are out of our control. They're making this what it is. It's two-sided. The one side is that additional compensation or additional revenue from the state and federal government are essentially non-existent. So as inflation goes up 2 3 4% every year the amount of money that we receive from the state of the federal government is flat. So we are essentially losing 2 3 4% on that money. You know this year our increase from the state is 1 half of 1% as opposed to an inflation rate of hypothetically 3%. So we have lost 2.5% of $40 million. Federal funding has remained with the exception of the COVID relief fund. Our federal funding has remained stable for the better portion of probably a decade at this point. We have not seen an increase in federal funding. So that's the one side of the equation. So the money that we would, you know, anticipating getting from the state or an increase from the state or the federal government just doesn't happen. The other side of it is that we have contractual obligations and mandates that we must fulfill. So the state continues to put mandates on us, but they don't pay for what they're telling us we have to do. So that increases our cost driver. And then we have increases in service contracts that are or exceed the inflation rate or our act one index. So our benefits have gone up 8 to 10% even though we switched to a cheaper plan. So we already as a cost savings measure this year went out and shopped for a cheaper health insurance plan. And even though we did that, our rates still went up. And then you throw in the increase in number of special education students. We went from 17% a few years ago to 19 to 21 to now 25. So one in four students is a special education student and or has an IEP that needs to be dealt with. So there are expenses that go on that increase that to provide the the services that those students deserve and must have. Um which the closer we get them addressed and the possibility of correcting them will save us money down the road as they progress through their education. Um but it's still an expense that we have now. And then you throw in our contractual obligations for the collective bargaining agreements um for our teacher contracts for you know those all even though they are below the act one they still add to the increase that is a contractual increase. All of those factors kind of create this perfect storm of rising expenses and the lack of ability to even have raise taxes high enough to cover them. And you know, it's simple to say, well, you should just, you know, lay off X number of teachers. Well, one, you can't do that by law. the f the state government, you know, you have to there's only certain requirements that must be met in order to furlow teachers, but it also then increases your class size which violates our school policy and the board doesn't wish to raise those numbers because we're looking at the positive effect that we are having going forward. We have as a board and as an an organization over the last 8 10 years have made strides to do full day kindergarten. We can you know we do busing. We do have a very robust student lunch program. There are all things that cost money that we don't want to stop doing because they are for the benefit of everybody. you know, a a child that is not hungry going into class has a much better opportunity to learn than a child who may be hungry. And even though our our food service program is a gold star in the state without a doubt. Um, you know, it's still these are all things that kind of play in here. Am I missing anything, Mr. Green? Just for clarity, right, the lunch program does not impact the general fund at all. Right. It's not a part of this conversation, right? Correct. On its own, it's funded on its own. Yes. It's managed very well. It is its own basically business entity. Um, but so there are all the the perfect storm that has kind of existed in this case. And we did not even get the latest healthc care numbers and costs until May. Right. You know, we were still back in March and April looking at smaller increases and they came through with the next set of numbers and specialty drugs in the pharmacy plan is is that is a half a mill, right? Drugs, the drug increase of the drug prescription plan is a half a mill by itself. And and I know Dr. mentioned this, but that most people specialty drugs that people, God forbid, have to pay for out of their pocket are thousands and thousands. I mean, tens of thousands. Yes. Yeah. And we're lucky, our employees are very lucky. They don't have to, but and and that's a blessing for anyone who needs the 1% that need these special drugs. But on the other hand, everyone doesn't have that coverage. And please don't get me wrong, dear God, I want someone who needs them to truly have them. But on the other hand, we're looking at and and you did very well, Mr. heartline. Looking at last year versus this year, the expenditures doubled. So, can we actually say a lot of things that you mentioned we've had for years. We've had busing. We We've had um kindergarten uh boards previous and you and I were on them, not that we should pat ourselves in the back, did a lot of those things and um they were very beneficial, but we're talking about things in the past, we're talking about things of inflation now. So, have our expenditures had the inflation rate so high that they would double the deficit from last year to this year? I question that. But we have done a lot of really good things. We're now paying the piper and not closely guarding our funding. Right. Right. You don't have to answer. So basically what you're saying is that due to revenue dropping and a significant amount of factors beyond our control, the $4.5 million budget deficit, even with the act one increase is not something that can be wiped away. We're we're we're there are just things that we just it's just matter things we have to obey that we can't avoid without serious systemic changes in programs and services. I don't know that we can at this time wipe away that that deficit. Would that be a fair assessment? Absolutely right. It's going to take Excuse me. But there was a question there was a question if any of the no voters are going to change their vote then do it. Otherwise, this conversation is just prolonging something that's not going to change. So, either either vote, end it, or if you want to continue conversation, that's wonderful, but it's not going to accomplish anything if nobody's going to change your vote. And one no vote just left. So, Mr. Martin, you just made change, please do. Mr. Martin, you made an excellent point. It's time to we need to get this done. Dr. Bon and budget, just for clarity, requires five votes. Yeah. Right. So, it's not a majority. A bud a vote on a budget requires five yes votes. Mr. Ghart, if I can. Yes, sir. I I lost my temper with Mrs. Branado before tonight's meeting. For the few people who were here, I apologize. And to Mrs. Branado, I apologize. I was out of line, but I do not apologize for the sentiment behind what we were discussing. And the fact remains that we're here with eight members or minus Fleming. we don't have his input into the most important decision of our year. And when we have a board president who seems to be a hard no for any form of a budget for no stated reason, when the board leadership that is supposed to be guiding this process and building consensus around a workable solution to get five votes on this, just five, abdicates that responsibility, it is maddening and it's our kids that we're talking about here. And that's why I was upset. It's a failure of leadership. And as I told Mary Alice directly, it's cowardly to just say no, no, no out of habit. So saying that we can't do that to the community and raise taxes is it's part of what we do. It's how we pay for our schools. And if you will not fund our schools, then you're wasting the seat of somebody who wants to participate and try to find solutions, who will listen to Dr. Bettton and Mr. Greenwood and the administrators who work all year long as we keep saying and do make solutions, give us good guidance, and it's dismissed again and again. When an idea comes up, it is waved away and we never actually move forward on what those big ticket possible savings look like. If we smartly approach those things from that long-term perspective as we're talking about doing, I agree with you, Mr. Heartline, we actually need to get serious about it and do it finally instead of just saying, "Nah, that's scary." Then people can picture what that looks like. We can plan that out over the next 3 years and tell people. We can involve teachers. We can involve building administrators. We can involve everyone. So everybody has a say in what this looks like. And we do the best by our kids while recognizing that within the next few years we won't be able to pay our bills. We do have to cut our costs and we do have to continue to fund our schools because that's part of the reason I'm here. I want to make sure we have fully funded successful schools. And when my kids, everybody's kids, all future kids in this district to have the great experience they deserve. And if we're going to sit here and like juggle nose back and forth and not even consider what we might move forward on, we're wasting everybody's time. I agree. And we did consider the big ticket items last year. We did discuss lock schedule changing. We did discuss classroom size changing. And that became a huge contentious issue. I think there's very very obvious that nobody wanted that to happen actually thinking through what those look like or how that might impact folks or as part of like a one threeyear plan something like that where we can discuss what that actually means and if it actually impacts people in a major way I think it just becomes a boogeyman right because you you hear hey we're going to revisit high school curriculum oh we're going to cancel all our classes we're never going to have any cool classes again that's not necessarily what it is we're not going to do it in a stupid But when we bring something up, people kind of go, but we did do that in that last year both both with block scheduling and especially with classroom size. We did very in depth with classroom size. And if you remember last year, the the response from the community, from parents, from teachers was exceptionally overwhelmingly no one that it's always going to be. We have discussions, but we can't keep cowardly, you know, like cowardly. We're running away from it. It's it's our job, the nine of us, to get this stuff done. And and I I I think we're on the same page in it. We just got to finally move and do it right. And you know, I don't think this moves anybody to a yes vote here, but you you know, you saw I was a yes tonight. You don't mean to tell me and I hope to dear God, you don't. You're going to sit here tonight and digest some of the items that were pushed aside like class size. You're really going to talk about class size tonight without investigating anything? I'm saying we need to investigate it and actually take it seriously about it about it. It was investigating your misunderstanding last year in depth. Well, I will tell you this. Nothing's changed. We didn't really talk about it. And at the 11th hour, crucial things like this, Are you kidding me? That's my point. We did talk about it. When we bring them up, nobody takes serious. No, we took it seriously. We had several meetings last never had several meetings last year that were very contentious. This room is packed with teachers and parents that gave numerous, you know, um, community comments on why happened. I agree with Mr. Martin. vote yes or vote no and get it over with. Not making sense. What's upsetting is I have never not supported the teachers act 93. No one wants to do a tax increase. That is the absolute truth. But board leadership needs to take responsibility. Now we can go and pretend. I sent it to every board member. Did I not? Do you want your school taxes to go up again to the tune of 4%. If the answer is no, then you need to give us your vote. That is political. So when you sit here and gave your speech in the beginning, Mr. Ginhart, that was fine. That was your opinion. But saying it's political, this is political right here. What I just read to you, do you want your school taxes to go up again to the tune of 4%. If no, then you need to give me your vote. That was a question. How is that political? That's political. That is a political sign. Okay. How is it political? Keep politics out of school. Vote for me. How was that political? How was that political? But it says, "Keep politics out of school. Vote for me. Mary Mary Alice Broncado." Now you want me to say, "Okay." How? No. Explain to me how asking board members, you talked about board leadership. The board leader was asking members what they were going to do with the budget to try to get a vote together. Our board leadership is the the president and the vice president. How is that? One might be on vacation. That's fine. That's absolutely political cuz they're not giving their vote. And they said right here on this post, that's not political. It is a political post asking for a vote to win election. How is that not political? You are making an unfounded assumption. I would ask for a motion to adjourn. Close the vote. Can we instead instead of you you talked to Mrs. Lynch asking Mrs. Lynch why she wasn't going to vote and trying to persuade her, why didn't you ask Mrs. Broncado. I'm sorry. I can't hear you. Huh? Why didn't you ask Mrs. Broncado? I started asking Mrs. Lynch public so the community and everyone can hear it. You did it to Mrs. Lynch. Why did you not ask Mrs. Broncado? Again, I can't hear you. All right. Because I didn't I I asked the people. That's political. That is not political. All right. So, no, let's move on. Do we have a motion on the floor or not? because I believe at some point you had tried to make a motion for 3%. Did you want to amend that? I don't believe that it was ever secondent. So, no, it wasn't. It wasn't. Okay. So, I think it was 3.5, right? Can we start from the beginning at where we started at four, etc. Start from the beginning because we're get things are getting out of hand. Do we It was we ended up made a motion to adjourn. I believe there was a previous motion already on the floor, Mr. Martin. But there was a previous motion already. Motion to adjurnn takes precedence over any motion. Well, we would I agree with you, Mr. Martin. I know you know Robert's rules, but there's only we don't have an agenda item the same way we the issue that was left the last Mr. Kenhar, can you please continue? I want to know. The question is, did anyone second it? I don't second that it dies. No. So that's why it's died. So you all can move to whatever next item you want to move to. Correct. The meeting's not over until it's over. And so all right. So I'm going to everybody stay with it. It's been over till it started. All right. So I'm going to stop it now. Now So if I'm going to I'm just asking the question. You had a 3.5. It didn't get a second, so it fails. Was there actual motion asking for an adjournment or not? Was there an emotion made to do that or not? I didn't. Charlie mentioned it. Was there a second on that? If there's no second, it died. Oh, Mrs. Sorry, Mrs. Lynch did. I apologize. Okay. Was there a second for that motion? Oh, Mrs. Lynch and Mr. Martin seconded. Mr. Martin, did you second that? Yes, sir. I did. That needs to be taken a vote. Let's take a roll call vote. Let's take a roll call vote on adjournment. Question on question on the motion please. Even though I made the motion. Last meeting we had we went through this dialogue of not completing items on the agenda. Can you say to me that when we ended at 3.5 [Music] that ended that motion and cleared it off this agenda? You you you had a three the 3.5 right was a tie if I remember. Is that what it was? 44. Which number was that? I think 3.4 I think it was 44. Right. 4.4% was tie 44 which is equivalent of failing right 3.75 failed with 3 yes 5 no so effectively you have nothing that's moving if you don't act upon it or solve this tonight you have a hold on another meeting July second Wednesday so you either stay here and finish or not, but you need to take a roll call for your motion. It's on the that you made, Mrs. Lynch. Yes. So, what I'm saying is there's a 350. Complete the items on this agenda. Those are the only thing that's left because you can't even take action on the next one because you got to have that first one. So you only have two items on this agenda if I remember correctly. Correct. One has to happen to do the second one. If you don't do that one, you can't do the second one at all. So Mr. Hartline would have to This is not being tabled. No, it's not. It can only It will come back as new business again. Next, excuse me. The next meeting, how would this item be placed on the agenda? it would come back as new business like it did just now as a new position verbatim again because you also have no choice cuz by law you have to try to pass a budget and as your legal counsel has recommended you you have to keep showing a good faith effort to have a budget Dr. Ben I just want clarity and as your usual wonderful self you gave me the clarity there is a motion on the floor there is a second to adjurnn this meeting but it has to have at the vote. It doesn't end until a vote. She's got to do a roll call. Yeah. So, nobody leaves until there's a vote. M. Roll call vote, please. Mr. Martin, yes. Mr. Hartline, no. Mr. Saddowski, yes. Mrs. Crossen, yes. Mr. Ghart, no. Mrs. Lynch. Yes. Dr. Magcguire. No. Motion to adjourn passes 43. Shameful. 43. It can't be. Is it 43? Yes. Oh, she left for seven. Yeah. Um, your next meeting, Mr. Ghart, I can't What was it? I believe it was July 2nd. Wednesday, July 2nd. Wednesday, July 2nd at 7 o'clock. You all said that correct? Correct. That's your meeting. Uh yeah, I won't be here, but that's your meeting. Thank you. I'm no longer the superintendent then, so I won't be here.