[Music] What? I know. [Music] Are you ready? Yes. To get what? Water. Okay. You know what? First time I ever wore this shoes. If we could call to order the Centennial School District special board meeting, Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025. Could we have a roll call, please? Mrs. Roo, Mrs. Brancado, here. Mrs. Crossen present. Mr. Ghart here. Mr. Godson present. Mr. Hartline present. Mrs. Lynch present. Dr. Maguire. Mr. Martin. Phone and Mr. Sidowski. [Music] Let's see. They're supposed to be on Zoom. Mark, Tony and Kathleen, if you could check your um whether you're on mute or not. I can see you guys, but I can't hear you. We can now hear you. She can't hear us. I'm on. Yep. They said that they're both on, but Tony is muted. Okay. Oh, you're already unmuted. Yeah, you can't hear us. Speaker volume. You open this. I don't believe you on my phone. Can you hear us? I am, but I can't hear anyone. Hold on. Hold on one second because others can are having the same difficulty. Hold on. Also, if they call the number, why are you here? I'm glad to see it. Don't get me wrong. Can you hear us now? Magguire hear us now? Yes. Oh, I know why you're here. To interpret Robert's rules. Tony, can you hear us? I told you. Can you hear me now? Yes. Yes. Thank you. Thank you. Thanks, Colleen. You're welcome. I think he dropped off and he's trying to dial back in. He has the phone number for that. If that's how many six we missing, Tony, is you on the phone? [Music] Hello. There we go. There he is. already appeared. I'm here. So, we have nine members present. Go ahead. Can we stand for the pledge of allegiance, please? I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all. God bless America. Um I'd like to do community comments before announcements. We only have one and I didn't want her to have to sit here and wait. Um, Bernardet Dyer, if you want to go up and speak at the podium, you have three minutes. If you could just say what street you live on and what township. Thank you. Thank you. My name's Bernardet Dyer. I live on Ivy Street in Warster Township. And my issue is the reason why I came here is I'm very worried about misinformation and disinformation and I'm wondering if critical thinking is taught and um how effective it is and how it affects children because there are a lot of mental health issues with misinformation, disinformation and a lot of us don't have to be taught critical thinking. We don't know facts from what's real and what's not. We hear so much. And that's my issue. short. I just want to tell you that's what I'm thinking about because I I hear I don't know if this is true, but I have a feeling it is that Russian propaganda is taking over this country. They've already won in Russia. the 80% of the people believe the lies and now they're branching out to this country. They've been doing it for a long time. But what bothers me is children, young children have to be taught critical thinking. I had to learn it at an older age cuz I wasn't taught it. And that's my issue for the school. Thank you for listening to me. Thank you. Okay, so um here's my announcement. Um I left the last schoolboard meeting when we came to an impass to get home to my family to brace all of us to bury my little sister the next morning. As I'm sure all of you can relate to your own families, the need to be with family and grief. During my time on the school board, we have always been given grace when it comes to family loss or health emergencies. While going back and watching the end of the schoolboard meeting on Monday, I was disheartened to hear that grace was not extended to my loss by some of the school board, but instead took that opportunity to slander me in any way they could. Over the last few weeks, I've been the subject of nasty slurs, improper personal attacks, and blame for a power I do not hold. Board members have instead chosen words like, "Get out of my expletive face," and then throw their car in reverse instead of having a civil conversation or screeching at me over the phone that I am a I assure you, I am not. Another school board member held up a Facebook post and screeched that I'm political. Anyone who knows me knows I am the least political person on this school board. I have voted against many things my fellow school board members of the same party have voted yes to. I vote with my own beliefs and if they do not align with yours, that is a you problem. I'm not saying that to the audience. I'm saying that to my fellow school board members. If I do not get my own way on a vote, I accept it and move on. Others seem to throw a hissy fit over and over. During the last meeting, I heard several schoolboard members blame the lack of an approved budget on board leadership. Perhaps those same schoolboard members should reflect that when I reached out to them to make sure they could attend on the 24th and what percentage they were comfortable with either never responded or took days to respond and never mentioned a percentage. Or think about the many phone calls I have made only to be left with continuous ringing. Mr. Greenwood asked me to reach out and I did that numerous ways with silence on the other end. The duties of the board president as written in Robert's rule to pre president must preside over all regular and special meetings of the board of school directors. They are responsible for maintaining order and ensuring the board adheres to its agenda and policies. They can vote on issues like other members, but we do not have any special veto power. Second, execute execute documents. The president executes documents, contracts, deeds, bonds, and other legal documents that the board has approved. This includes signing official documents in conjunction with the board secretary or treasurer. Number three, appoint committee members. The president may have the authority to appoint members to board committees. leadership and governance rules. The schoolboard president is the spokesperson for the board. While not a unilateral decision maker, the president serves as the spokesperson for the board, especially in public communications. Number two, facilitator of board effectiveness. Works with the superintendent to prepare board meeting agendas. Guides the board to operate within legal and ethics boundaries. supports governance training and professional development. Number three, relationship with the superintendent serves as a key liaison between the school board and the superintendent helps maintain a productive working relationship between the board and administration. The school board president in our policies while the board president presides at all board meetings and may appoint committees, their primary role in the budget process is to work with the superintendent and the board as a whole to develop and approve the budget, ensuring it aligns with the district's visions and goals. In summary, while the board president plays a role in the budget process, it is a collaborative effort involving the entire school board, the superintendent, and often the wider community. Nowhere does it say that the budget is my responsibility alone. So, here we are again to vote on our budget that is overdue. Mrs. Broncado, please. We'll have to wait. Mrs. Lynch after that. We have several school board members who want a 4% increase but refuse to vote yes so that we have to go to court. Their hopes are that a judge will remove me for bad leadership. That is not the case at all. One board member had the audacity to say that although they want the 4%, they won't vote for it to spite me because they don't like me. Isn't that right, Mr. Martin? Over the past several years, I have said again and again there were cuts. You lie. You lie. No, I don't lie. Continue to lie. Yes, you do. Okay. All right, Mr. Martin. Mr. Martin, I'm speaking. You can speak when I'm done. No, it's not. We cut it out. Mr. Martin, you can speak when I'm finished. Well, I over the past several years, I have said again and again there were cuts we could make that were wasteful overtime to some employees while others barely get 20 hours in the same department. Simple re remedy while saving money living within our means like the community has to. But I feel like when it's not their own money, it's easier to spend. too many assistants to the assistants in certain departments. Purchasing items at an exorbitant price, even when being told the same items were available elsewhere at a reduced cost, the ticket program that other districts get free equipment, but we have drug our feet so so long. Who knows what the price is or if it's able to be gotten for free anymore. If there's a cost, I'm sure there is more than one company. Solar panels for our buildings. I've been saying it for years. Every dollar counts and 100 pennies still make a dollar, but that has been scoffed at when I mention it. There are small cuts to be had that are not studentf facing items. I live a frugal life. I'm not materialistic and I do not care about the bright and shiny. Mr. Greenwood can tell you when he joked about my new car, I told him, "It looks great, doesn't it? My husband just washed it. It gets me where I need to go. And best part, it's paid off and it's a 2011. Um, hold on. I'm not finished. There was zero collaboration with the previous superintendent and myself. He did not like me nor respect me. He didn't have to. That's okay. He did not have to like me, but his job title required he attempted to be respectful, and that never happened. I make no excuses for who I am. And while I understand I am not everyone's cup of tea, I do not deserve to be ridiculed and slammed, nor will it be tolerated. Schoolboard members are not here for the popularity contest. We are here for the kids, the staff, and our amazing community. It's high time we all act like it. Whatever personal grudges some of you have, that's your problem, and you need to do the job you were elected to do. I was absolutely floored because various members of this board have had loved ones pass away or somebody that was sick and you waited till I left to slam me. I didn't have to come to that meeting. Many of others would not have come. I came because we were in a critical time. I had to bury my sister the next morning. And I think you took a lot of guts to slander and go after me when I wasn't here. So, Mrs. Lynch, I would hope that you I would hope that um you don't go, Mrs. Lynch, go ahead. You you had a monologue last time. Um I wasn't going to go through that's okay. A dissertation. Okay. on the responsibilities of a school board member. Well, it was questioned. It was questioned. So, I you please just let me finish. Okay. Go ahead. You say whatever you want. Say whatever. Everybody can. You were talking about how bad it was for you last Thursday. And I have buried people as we all have, dear and sweet people. Um, and I understand that you could be offended by something somebody said. I understand that. You're also talking about things that happened to you. And I have the witnesses in the room. I was verbally last week. Um, some of the people that were here called the police. uh individual who you all know, but rather than bring them in with their story, it was somebody that we're all familiar with, came to my face and I have at least three of those people here tonight yelling at me. This has never happened to me. I'll be honest. I know I'm a big girl. But I was alarmed and shaken. So this is the price we paid to be on the school board. Um, as you all know, I've been here a long time and uh, this has never happened and I hope it never happens again. Um, fortunately I've had someone come and enhance my security in my home and I am alert of my surroundings more so now than ever. But I know that I am not here for a personality contest. I am here to do business. I have always been here to do business. A popularity contest, I don't think I'd win many. But on the other hand, I've been elected. I'll fulfill my obligations as I believe everyone on this board will do. So that that's all I had to say. I just wanted to add that your Thursday night of a different reason and I do understand. Thank you, Mrs. L is different than mine and we're finished. It was a very unsleepful night Thursday night. Thank you. Anybody else? Yeah, absolutely. Yes. So, you were talking about profanity that someone said to you in the parking lot. Yes. So, let's just bring up let's see if you recall two meetings ago when the act 93 didn't go through. Do you recall what you said to me? I sure do. After the meeting, I sure do. And it was I said I will never ask you for for uh financial advice. Uh no, no, no. You asked me if I was financial genius and I said no. I said we pay for one. Maybe that's what I said. pay for what? And then you told me what? I'm not going to say that in public. You told me to f off. Absolutely I did. So you want to not join a school board. It's quite a hypocrite that you say somebody said something to you in the parking lot, but then right after a school board meeting, you didn't share that with the community. You told me to go f myself. Go f off. You're right. I did. But so why are you upset that someone said it said something to you? What they said? What I said was um can I talk to you for a minute? And then that person said, "Um, get out of my blank face." And then put their car in reverse and pulled out with me standing right there. A lot more than that, Mrs. Brand. Did I be honest and tell the truth for a change? Did I? So, I'm just I mean, I'm just bringing up that, you know, you did tell me to f off. Yes, I did. But you said the full word during the school meeting. No. And he didn't do it during the schoolboard meeting either, regardless. And then you're saying it's slander. It is not slander. You did post vote for me if you don't want to pay a 4% increase. Where does it say? Where does it where does it say political? Where does it say? It's a political post from your schoolboard page that says vote for me if you don't want a 4% increase. That's not slander. That's the truth. I send it to everyone in their email. That is not slander. Slander is something that didn't happen. I took it right off your page. This is crawl. Vote for me if you don't want a 4% increase. And then you vote no for the increase. Can we move on? Yes, we can. We here for meeting. Yep, we sure can. We sure can. Um, we got the community comments. Um, I'd just like to recognize Dr. Lucal. Um, welcome to Centennial School District, Dr. Luca. You're welcome. Um, Fleming. Approval of the agenda. Be it resolved that the Centennial School District Board of School Directors 3.1 approves the July 2nd, 2025 board agenda as per attached. Are there any corrections that need to be made that are allowed by PA law? Second. Second by Mr. Ginhard, uh, Mr. Hardline. All in favor? I. Any opposed? Any abstensions? Passes. 9 nothing. Moving on to new business. Be it resolved that the Centennia School District Board of School Directors 4.1 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 156,447,125 in in expenses and with revenue of 151,94,429 authorizes the 2025 2026 annual tax levy resolution real estate tax installment payment plan and the homestead farmstead exclusion resolution as per attached second. Second by Mr. hardline. Any discussion? Make a motion to adjust the tax rate to 3.75 and revise all relevant figures to reflect the new tax rate. I would second that. Okay. May I just interrupt just from a procedural standpoint? That's been a motion to make an amendment. So, we'll have to deal with that separately before we go back to the original. Okay. Do they have to vote? So, we need to vote on the amendment. Correct. Did you have a second on the on the amendment? Yes. So, you need to vote on the amendment first before we go back. The original. Correct. Okay. Thanks. I'm sorry. Would you repeat that, please? Yes. So, there was a made motion and then there was another mo there was a second on that and then there was another motion to make an amendment or an adjustment. So that adjustment needs to be voted on as a separate entity before we go back to the original main motion. Thank you. Might be restating the obvious, but any discussion on this? Seeing none, we are now talking about 3.75. 3.75. Yes. We're voting on the amendment first. The amendment to adjust to 3.75. And get a roll call. Mr. Hartline, yes. Mrs. Lynch, no. Mr. Ghart, yes. Dr. Maguire. Welcome, Dr. Luc. And my answer is yes. Mrs. Crossson, no. Mr. Saddowski, no. Mr. Godson, yes. Mr. Martin. No. Mrs. Francado. Yes. Motion passes. 54. Does that not make uh the initial motion mute? The init I'm sorry. The initial motion. um would at this point be rescended because it's not AC it's no longer accurate. So you can go ahead Mrs. Bronado and uh res who who made the motion? Who made the motion? Mr. Ginhard, Mr. Gart, you can go ahead and um resend your initial motion. Oh, that that came from me. Oh, that came from you. Okay. I will, you know, with this, you know, within, you know, the initial motion of 4% increase. Um, I don't know if Mr. G, uh, Greenwood if we need some adjustment on numbers on 4.2. We have to We have to vote for 4.1. 4.1 is voted on. No, we have to vote on it. We you still have to vote on 4.1 as a 3.5 and then we need to do 4.2 as adjusted based upon the new numbers that would be provided by finance. Yes. And if you need to take a recess to speak with Mr. Greenwood, that's a temporary recess. That's fine. But uh the new there will be a new motion 4.1 which will be slightly different. So that would need to come to the floor again as a new motion. Okay. Okay. Would you be so kind as to repeat the motion that we're voting on presently? Mr. Greenwood, do you need a a moment to produce the proper numbers? And I'm sorry, I I do need to interrupt for a moment. You are correct. We did we needed a second on the on rescending and then we needed um we needed a vote to rescend. All right. I forgot that. A second to rescend. And it doesn't have to be a roll call vote to resend. It can be an all in favor. Would you please repeat the motion? Yes. So this was a motion that uh to rescend the original 4.1. Um it was seconded and then there needs to uh if you have if anyone has discussion or questions what's happening is that the initial motion is being rescended. That's all that you're voting on right now bec because there's been an amendment to it. So it's no longer a valid motion. So at this time uh Mrs. Branado, you could call for a vote on just the rescending of the initial motion. Needs to do that. Calling for rescending the motion of the 4% and 4.1. All in favor? I I I Any opposed? No. No. No. Any abstensions? I didn't hear Mr. Martin. He said no. Okay. So he's passing 54 rescending 4.1. And if there is any confusion, you certainly about who voted which way. You certainly can have a roll call vote if you need to do that. Okay, you're good. Okay, now you can now you can continue. I apologize. Now recess. Mr. Greenwood, would you like for us to take a recess to for you to recalculate? So we are moving into recess. Do we need to vote on that or can we just recess? Excuse me. Do we need to vote or can we just recess? We need to vote on that. I think you should vote on it. Let's vote on the recess. All in favor? I. Any opposed? No. Any abstensions? No. I think you had two oppositions. Okay. Passes 72. We are in recess. 3.75 that would increase the deficit by $228,22. So if we add that to the debt service drawd down um which is uh in 4.2 came with 6.7 million um that number is now going to be 6,995718. Okay. And your number stays the same. the the deficit is 4.7 million.4,770,718 is the general fund deficit, right? That's the increase of $228,22 based on the difference between 375 number 4.1. Excuse me. I think the revenue number needs to change in 4.1, right? Is that the the the revenue will uh will decrease right by uh by that $228,000 but we we really look at the expense number, right? So the deficit is growing. I'm just talking about the amount to read out because we're there's a number indicated there. So we need Are you reading out 4.1 again? Yeah. So we we need to read out 4.1 again to vote on it. So we need that corrected number for the revenue. change the numbers there. That's it. Oh no. So the revenue number is 1 mil 151,676,47 15167641 407 correct Is there any other members? We good? Thank you, sir. Go ahead. We will now proceed with 4.1 that says adopts the final budget of the school district of the for the 2025 2026 fiscal year on form PTE-2028 with a tax increase of 3.75 of the final budget for the school district's general fund in the amount of 156,447,125 in expenses and with revenue of 151,676,47 authorizes the 2025 2026 annual tax levy re resolution real estate tax installment payment plan and the homestead farm- farmstead exclusion resolution as per attached second by Mr. Ghart, can we do a roll call on this? Don't you want someone to ask questions for the motion? Does anyone have any questions? Yeah, we should be there. We should be go ahead and do the roll call. No, there should be a question period. Somebody has a question, they ask it now. Yeah, discussion. Time for discussion. All right. This is a a boy club. All right, guys. Uh number one, the amount that's being reduced of the millillage as Mr. Greenwood has stated is 228,000. This increases the deficit. So people will think you might be getting a bargain. You're only getting more in debt. So you could wipe it all away and just go totally indebt. How long is this school district or this board going to annihilate all the reserves and have no savings? What are we leaving future boards? What are we leaving our residents and what are we going to do to our students? This is not a good way to go. Ladies and gentlemen, it might look good. We might have waited a whole week for um Mr. Goddess to come back right back where we were deficit spending. Thank you. Any further discussion? Yes, it's Kathleen. Oh, was Mark gonna say something? Go ahead. So, um, thank you, Jane, for your comments, but I was wondering if you had a proposal. You're saying talking about the deficit, and this is not good, but do you have I was wondering if you had a proposal. Um, actually, I was waiting for yours and I haven't heard any. So, we've been going through this. make a proposal um two weeks ago or last week of 3.5 and I asked yeah I remember that last so we've been meeting as you have been to the meetings since January and we haven't come up with any cuts now do you recall any cuts that have reduced the deficit yeah we did we cut 1.3 million out Jane that was Dr. bed really doing all that. Well, that's No, that's the whole group doing all of that. All right. As the finance chair, I didn't see any come forward other than the bond issue. As the board, I didn't see any come come either. There was minimum little teeny bit, but we went from 2.6 last year, which people expressed their concerns. They voted against it. We're now seven. Wow, that's a big jump. So, thank you for the question. Uh, no, no, thank you. I appreciate it. Good. All right, Mrs. Roo, can we have a roll call? [Music] Mr. Martin? No. Mr. Mr. Hartline. Yes. Mr. Saddowski. No. Mrs. Crossson. No. Mr. Ghart? Yes. Mrs. Lynch? No. Mr. Godson? Yes. Dr. Maguire? Yes. Mrs. Branado? Yes. Motion passes 54. Thank you. We have a budget. Moving on to 4.2. Adopts the capital fund 32, depth, depth service fund 40, and food service fund 50 budget in the following amounts respectively. 4,770,718. Authorize um Oh no. uh and 6 mill 6,995,78 as per attached. I need a second. Second. Second, Mr. Hardline. Sure. All in favor? I I Any opposed? Any abstensions? only heard. Was it a yes over there from Mrs. Lynch? Since we've adopted a budget, this is part of the budget. Yes. Yes. Passes 9 nothing. Sure. Mr. Mr. Arline. All right. I'd like to add one more motion. This is the one that I had discussed at the last meeting that I would like to add a motion that by the October 2025 meeting of the whole administration have an outline for a three-year budget proposal to balance our budget with with concepts and ideas being brought forward that this board can take to have a balanced budget within the next three years. hopefully sooner than that. Um, that's it. Second. I'm sorry to interrupt, but I just want to have a discussion about this. This is not This motion is not, as I understand, on the current agenda. Correct. Correct. There are some it used to be that you could have a majority vote to add something that this substantial there's been case law that's come out that restricts that now. Okay. Um my recommendation would be to add this to the agenda for the next meeting. Can we then add this to the August agenda meeting as a motion? Thank you. Thank you. Do we need a rescending of the second by Mr. Saddowski? I can recent. Thank you, sir. Um, we have no motion. Correct. Is there any just a request to have it on the August 19th meeting? Um, I would like to suggest that uh the finance committee come back to the board with their suggestions to be incorporated in with the administration's suggestions periodically and not let everything go until June. uh if we're going to do planning really I think this is what uh Mr. Hartman is proposing only one person could speak at a time that talking over each other's got to stop um it's all right okay um okay Mrs. Cross has brought this up numerous times and I think because of the mess of deficiency that we're in right now. It's mandatory that we do something before we are totally broke at the rate we're going. We could very well be. But I would like to suggest if the board chooses that the finance committee comes back independently of their ideas of how to plan and then we would incorporate it in with the uh finance director. Thank you, Mrs. Lynch. Anybody else? I have something to say. Um, everybody's entitled to vote the way they want to vote. Um, I did not want this budget. Um, history shows I don't like this kind of budget, but I had no choice. Um, I believe we can do better, but we were at a stage where children and staff and ultimately the community would have been harmed if we didn't pass a budget. So, um, so I had to vote yes and I have to live with that. And, um, I found myself asking myself, how can I make it up to people? And I don't think I can. Um, I don't like it, but I cannot cause more harm than good to the community that I love. And I feel terrible because while $114 or whatever the amount is isn't a lot to some people, to other people that's their food for the week. So, yes, I do feel bad about that. Um, but there were people on this board that wanted 4% and chose not to vote at all. Well, they voted no. I'm sorry. They voted no. And sure, they're entitled to do that. So, they didn't want to go lower. They wanted to go higher. I'm not really sure, but I guess that's something we'll never know. Sometimes you have to do things you don't want to do. Um, and today I had to do something I didn't want to do. But I did it because otherwise we would have ended up in court. And from the sounds of the last schoolboard meeting, that's where certain school board members wanted us to end up. Um, and just for the record, it wouldn't have been just Mary Alice that could have been removed. Every single person could have been removed. And that just causes more chaos and more financial burden to our district and to our taxpayers. So there was really a no-win situation here. So I guess to add to that, yes, I did want to go to court. I'm sure you did, Mrs. Lynch, because No, I'm just answering what you're saying. Okay. Um, mainly because I knew that the judges would force us into a budget. And I know none of you, aside from the lady with the pink hat, remember the strike at Centennial. And remember, Judge Garb, which most of you have no idea who he is, took the school board and put them in the holding cell and said, "You'll get out and you get a contract." Look at that. Mrs. Lynch, you didn't have to come to that, did it? Some people Some people did the right thing because it had to be done. Other people I thought we weren't talking over each other. Uh, so if you let me finish, please. Sure. If you could excuse me keep it if you could keep it simple that would be awesome. I am trying you. You had your dissertation beginning in mine. Sure did. So they Pardon me. I said it sure did. Good. Um so the judge made them have a contract and it did and that's why I wanted to go to court. People do things they don't want to do. I understand that. Do I want to bankrupt my school district? I sure as hell do not. And that's where we're going. And I beg to differ, Mrs. Lynch, but we all have our own opinions, right? So, there was one more thing that I needed to say. And um just for for the community, for the school board, for anybody, there will be no smoking on school property. None. not by a community member, not by a schoolboard member. Not only is it a bad look, it is a violation with a fine that will be enforced. Contrary to some people, um it's just it's it's just not something that we're going to continue to allow. So, that goes for everybody. Um okay, $300 could help the deficit. Sure. Sure. Little humor. Sure. God bless you. Is that it? Yes. Thank you. All right. Thank you. I'm just asking. Okay. Okay. Motion to adjurnn. Meeting adjourned.