Welcome everyone. Uh welcome to the regular meeting of the board of education. Um we'll call this meeting to order and we'll start with the pledge of allegiance. Please stand if you're able to flag the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands. One nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. All board members are present and we'll start out this evening with our truth and taxation portion of the meeting. Executive Director of Business Services, Director Ryder. Good evening. >> Good evening. This meeting at this time is a truth and taxation hearing which is required by school districts and must be held during a certain period of time at the end of November until a couple weeks into December. So this is typical for us to hold this meeting. This meeting is intended to be for the public to be able to understand a little bit better the property tax statements that they get and have any opportunity then to ask questions that they may have or make comments. As we begin the truth and taxation presentation you're about to see has been helped or um excuse me our the Ellers and incorporated which is our financial advisors as well as um PTMA which does our assists us with investments. Both of them pulled together and this is a documentation that they have provided. We have our information specific within this document but I wanted to give credit where it was due. All right. So, as part of the agenda, every truth and taxation hearing must have certain things included. And you can see the statute here as to which Minnesota statute requires these things be presented. We must talk about our current school year budget because we have not yet approved a revised budget for the current year. What that is the the current standing budget at this time. Next, you also must include presentation of proposed property tax. So, a little explanation about that, what that looks like for our district and uh what it might mean to our taxpayers. And lastly, a public comment section. These must be or may be a part of a regularly scheduled meeting we are holding at the very beginning and we do have time for public comments at the end. As part of this process, public school districts are funded by federal government, state government, local fees, and local taxpayers through our property taxes. And this is really a conversation about all of that. This slide evokes some emotion from a lot of different people. And the reality is that this is only the basic formula. Okay? This is the amount that we take times the pupil units to determine how much general education aid we receive for the very general things that are not in any way categorical or restricted. So they can be used for any of our needs. Most of our funding well of the state aid funding I'd say about 70% of it comes into this formula. And the concern is that the the blue line you see above is what would that number have been if CPI had been applied, consumer price index had been applied to the amount every year. And the green line reflects where we're at. So the concern with this particular slide is the fact that so long as there is this gap that makes it very difficult for school districts to be able to cover the general costs, salaries, benefits of their employees that are not in one way, shape or another committed or restricted for other purposes. Right? So the concern here is the gap that you see right now of 1453 per pupil. And that amount times the pupil units that you have expresses the amount of dollars then that this isn't necessarily keeping up with inflation. So when say at negotiations tables or other places the conversation comes how is it that we can afford to then make sure that our employees are able to also keep up with inflation. Right? So, it is a concern for many school districts. The adopted budget. We're going to shift into the adopted budget. Now, we have an adopted budget that is kept track of in six different funds. And you see them listed here. The ones that have an asterisk on them, those are the ones that actually receive property tax funding. Okay? So, you can see the fund name listed and you can see the common purposes for which those dollars within those funds are used. This is standard across the state. This is not unique to just us and it is how we keep track of things separately so that we can um you know report on that as necessary separately as well. So as we look at our adopted budget summary, this is a budget you guys approved the school board approved in uh June of last year and it is for then July 1 through June 30th of this year. We have um in the agenda today some discussion of a revised budget but that is still in the works and not yet approved. This is the adopted budget. You can see each of those general fund, nutritional services fund, community service fund. All of our funds are listed here. We have a few more than what you saw in the general six. I want to talk a little bit about that. The general self uh explanatory given our conversation that we will have as we move forward. Nutritional services is clearly our food and nutrition. Community service are all those things that our community education department do um for our community. Our debt service, anytime we sell bonds, oftent times those bonds will last over a number of years just like a mortgage. And when that's the case, then there's principle and interest that needs to be kept track of kept track of separately. We pay it separately out of the fund 7 and we collect the revenue largely levy from that same method. internal service fund for us. We have a self-insured health and dental plan. So therefore, we collect our premiums in this account, this fund, and we also pay our claims from this fund. And then we have fiduciary and this is a dollars that are set aside for um trust purposes. I did miss the OPED revocable trust as well. And this is something that we do a pay as you go. As you look to the next slide, this is all about our revenue for the current adopted budget and this is indicated indicating where does the money come from. So you can see 80% of our funding source comes from the state sources. When we talk about this 80% that is not just the gened formula I spoke of just a little bit ago with that graph. This is also all the categorical state sources. Okay. So 70% on gen ed another 10% or so on the other in addition then you have local property taxes which is the 14.9%. And then you see that there are some other sources and the federal sources of 1.6 in total. That's what makes up our revenue in the adopted budget. When you look at the expenditures we're going to take a look at the expenditures by object series which means this tells us like how are we spending the money right? Is it salaries, benefits? Is it other purchases for somebody else doing the work for us, supplies and materials? Is it capital purchases or other expenditures that might be related to financing for example? So, as you can see, salaries of 55.4% incl um and add that to the 23.5 which is benefits and we are sitting at the uh 78.9%. Okay. almost almost that 80% mark which is fairly common. Purchase services are around 14.1%. This does include transportation. This does include um subs. This would also include contracted services. We have then 2.9% in supplies and materials. Capital purchases are 3.5% and a small 6% of the budget is other expenditures. again adopted budget. Having concluded that conversation around the budget, wanted to point out a few things that are highlights for our school district. We have our bond rating that is listed here. There are two different ratings. There is the credit enhanced rating which follows the state primarily. It means basically if we can't afford to pay our principal and interest, the state would help out. And in order to do that, we have to pay our make our payments 3 days in advance of the normal deadline to make sure that that's done. and then if not then the state would pick that up. We've never had an issue with that, but that's just normal um how that flows and the bond ratings that you see for each of them. On our own by ourselves, it's an AA2. Financial reporting rewards we have submitted for the certificate of excellence award and the meritorious budget award book. So those have both been submitted. Now, our audit opinion was um shared with the board in November and we have um LB Carlson conducted the audit of the June 30, 2025 financial statements and issued an unmodified opinion or a clean report and then we have listed our business office team. Now, let's get into the property tax levy. When talking about a property tax levy for the school district, there's a particular timeline for us. We begin in the summer. This would have been last summer, um, excuse me, this past summer. And, um, the state asks us for information, a lot of the estimates that we would be intending to use in the calculations that they then need to use in their uh, report they give back to us in September. So, by in September, we received this report. It's about a 39page document and it's just filled with lots of formulas and based on the estimates that we've provided. In September, the board then took action to approve that, certify that at the max level that allows for any slight adjustments the state might have had on their formulas or for something else. Had we been holding elections, that would have been something also that would possibly result in that levy increasing come December. In our case, we did not have any elections in November. So that is not a non-issue this year. Between November 25th and December 30th, we have to hold our truth and taxation meetings. And this is for the property tax levy for taxes payable in 2026. That means calendar 2026 for our taxpayers. And for us, it means that this is the property tax that we will collect by the counties and distributed to the schools. and we use that then for the fiscal year of 2026 through 2027. Okay. So what's in the local property tax levy? There are the state of Minnesota has limits requirements as to what it is that the levy may be used for and a lot of formulas that go into that as well. Oftent times some of those formulas are driven by pupil counts. Sometimes it's specific eligible expenditure types, population, voter authorization, whether something's approved by the voters or not, and our property valuations come into play. We're going to get into a little bit of all of that. To start, this is a list of our current levy and this has not changed from September. And it does break it down into the three funds that receive property tax levy. That is the general fund, the community service fund, and the debt service fund. You also see a comparison of the current proposed pay 2026, which is for your approval tonight, compared to the final pay 2025. There's a dollar change column and a percent change column. I'm going to jump down to the very bottom of the of that screen, and it shows you that we're looking at a 4.7% increase. And as you take a look at the general ledger, excuse me, the general fund total levy, that is about mid-page. That's a.9% increase on the general fund. It's a decrease for our community service of 8.4%. And the debt service fund has a 9.8% increase. I had a few calls over the last week or two regarding that, wondering what's this about exactly because I know we didn't approve something recently, so why am I seeing an increase? Now, when you're talking debt service, when a bond is approved for sale, oftentimes like a mortgage, then that is then paid off over a period of time. We have, I believe, five issues open. You'll see that in a few another slide coming up. And um of those issuances, there are certain dollar amounts for prop uh principal and certain dollar amounts for interest for each of them. And we then levy 105% of that amount. that ensures that we have enough to make full payment of our principal and interest in the event there might be abatements. Okay, so let's move on to the next slide and talk about this. A property tax also breaks down by different types of categories. If you take a look at our total levy, you can see there's some that is voter approved and some that is non- voterapproved. So this is a breakdown showing you how much is voter approved and what about the non- voter approved. So for those those line items that are actually voter approved that's where the increase of 27.9% is showing there or an increase in dollar- wise which is probably more applicable is about 4.6 mil. Okay. But it is offset by the non- voter approved and some of that is debt but not much of that. That is a decrease of almost $3 million. So the net difference then you see below of 1.6 million and that is the 4.7% total increase overall. Another way to look at the levy is it can be broken down by what's the referendum market value. So that's the method that the state uses to calculate the tax and some of our dollars in the levy are calculated based on referendum market value. Obviously, the referendum would be one of those items. The total net tax capacity is oftentimes used in the formulas for all the other things. Okay. Again, you can see the combination of those two and um and that breakdown by percentage and by dollar. Debt is oftent times calculated on the net tax capacity and that's where you see that $ 1.5 million increase again. And it's going to come up again in another slide. So overall, why do we see a long-term facilities maintenance reduction of 582,462? This is something that comes into play on the levy at times. And what they call it, find this right screen here, state equalization formulas. Okay, so this is the case when you take your property valuation per student and the formulas provide for more state aid to be provided to districts when there's less property wealth per student in a category. So back to where we were sorry that is what the 582462 is. It will come to us but it will come in state funding not levy. It does not mean our total is reduced in total revenue, but it does mean it's not coming from levy. The lease levy is down by 332,775 because one of our leases is dropped off. Our debt service is increased by 1.5 million. And this again is that net change of an increase to the debt service levy because of bond payments that were approved over time and how they felt. I can tell you and I've shared this with those who called. The fact of the matter is this year pay 26 and pay 27 are the highest dollar amounts on our debt service amounts to be paid. And after that it then goes downhill. And we um complete our payments for debt service in the year of 20 get it right 2038. Yes, 2038. So, when looking at our debt service, just a little closer here, we have voter approved, we have non- voter approved, and then we have these things called adjustments and abatements. Those are adjustments that happen and they they come into your levy like two years after the fact because, as I mentioned, when we give them all the information in the beginning of the process, they're estimates, right? The actual dollar amounts comes into play with a number of our formulas. So if you don't spend what you thought you were going to spend and you already levied the taxpayers, then you need to give it back. And there's adjustments that they do and they it's a rolling schedule. And so every two years, uh, you'll see that come through. So like we might see in pay 26 adjustments for 2024 actual information. As I mentioned, there are 1, two, three, four, five issuances that are still open that we are still making payment on. Principal and interest. They're listed there. And um when that debt is approved, there's always an attempt to try and keep the amount that taxpayers are paying fairly level. And I spoke with our financial advisors today about that. Why is this looking like such an increase to us at this time from a taxpayer lens? And largely it's because at the time of the issuances of some of these bonds particularly the um 2018b I think it was the expectation at that time was is that our growth was going to grow a little bit faster and longer than it actually did. Right? So the result then is that you don't have quite as much growth as had been intended. So the intention initially was to keep that very level. Didn't exactly work out that way because the growth didn't continue as long as had been hoped. Okay. So, some levies increases increases are offset by a reduction in state aid. As I mentioned earlier, it does not change your total revenue. We talked about state equalization formulas. We noted it in the area of the um LTFM. There are many other areas within the budget that might be the ca or within the levy that that could be the case. Now, let's look at this from a lens of a taxpayer. There's a timeline for taxpayers. In March of 2025, they received preliminary valuation notices from the county for their taxes payable for the following year. At that point in time, they had on the back of their on on the back of their proposed tax levy, which might have looked something like this one. This is a sample. They had a area that is all about the appeal process and they could have taken action at that point in time to appeal. So they have that period of time of spring and early summer to to do that. Come November the 10th through the 24th, the counties deliver mailed in notice of property proposed property taxes to each taxpayer. And then from November 25th to the 30th, we hold our truth and taxation hearings. I'm not the only one holding these for our for our taxes for our taxpayers because there's the city and there's the county. They do their own as well. When we talk tonight, we are only talking about the school district portion. So on this sample tax statement, you can see there's the county, there's the city, and then there's the school district. So taxpayers when getting their their forms should take a look at only the school district rows to correlate that to our conversation we're having tonight. Um, so as they as we hold our truth and taxation hearings, it's all intended to help people understand that better and to take their questions and comments. Come March of 2026, that's when taxpayers will receive their formal tax statements from the counties for their taxes payable in 2026. They'll make payment on that in um the calendar year of 2026. And as I mentioned, that becomes our 2627 revenue. So we talked about the sample form. We have the on the back of that that would have been received last March the opportunity for appeals. Now what about the calculating of property taxes? There are three main variables of how it is that you come to the point where you actually have a property tax statement with a dollar amount and includes their valuation information. Right? So you have their estimated market value that is established for each parcel and is done by the assessor. We have property classification rates that are established by state statute. The legislature determines those. And then we have our tax levy that is established by taxing jurisdictions. So we're talking about our portion of the tax and that is for us the amount that we're discussing and we saw earlier made up of three different funds and that is something we do have control over somewhat but how much of that is limited. We'll talk about that in a moment. Property values do not rise uniformly across properties across districts. Right? So the burden of the levy oftentimes will shift from taxpayers with lower increases to those with higher increases. So if you have a higher valuation increase, you may find you're taking a larger part of that pie. Um communities that have a higher percentage of commercial properties will find they have a lesser tax burden on the residential properties. Okay. So when taking a look at this, we talked earlier about two types of tax valuations. That net tax capacity, which is most all property tax types that pay on that amount, whereas the referendum market value does exclude egg land and it does not include the seasonal wreck properties. Our district's um our district for taxes payable 2026 under the net tax capacity levy amount, that's $21.8 million. most all the property types pay on that amount. Our referendum market value levy amount is $13.8 million and again that excludes those areas. The total amount of our levy is 35,66198. So let's take a look at this from a perspective of a home value of $500,000 on average. Their property tax statement is estimated to be around 1,674 for the school district property taxes in pay 26. This screen breaks it down as to help understand what's making that up like how how's that money going to get used. So at the top you can see these are the categorical levies that are eligible for board approval. This is where the board can say yes or no to them. oftentimes if you say no to a levy if there's a state component then you don't get that either. Okay, but that has some choice there. Then you have the board approved debt. This is um this is the portion of the levy that is the board has control of solely. Then you have your voter approved bonds and capital projects levy. Over time that's been the case. Voters have approved certain bonds and capital project levy. um in our case not capital project but certainly the approved bonds the categorical levies that are eligible for board approval like local optional equity and transition those are really kind of like state formulas that most everyone goes with and it's kind of a bare minimum when it comes to things and that's the 392 you see for board approved referendum market value levy voter approved operating referendum levy is the last one on the list and that's $277 of that $1,674. So that's the portion of the voter approved operating levy. At one point in time, the last two boxes were together, but over time state statute changed and they they kind of broke out a piece and said this is going to be standard for everybody and then this amount was going to be this standard for everybody. So, it went from 3, 300 and 424 were the two numbers that they basically combined and said you're going to get that no matter what if you have a a a voter approved operating levy unless you say no as a board. And then the rest of that amount that you might have had the board voters approve at some point in time that then became the amount that is then eligible for renewal or um will end. Right? As we move on now, we're getting into what's the true tax impact to our taxpayers. So, overall, you can see the referendum market value and the net tax capacity across the um school district. And on average, you're seeing a 4.21% on referendum market value increase and a net tax capacity value of 4.54%. But when you con when you make that into the rates, the tax rates that they apply, then you see that there's actually a reduction in the referendum market value tax rate and there's an increase on the net tax capacity tax rate of 4.58. What you're looking at on this page is assuming a market value increase of 4% on property. And that's kind of the average for our school district. And that's why we're starting there. From here, you can see the valuation in the pay 2026 estimated value of let's say it's a $200,000 residential home. What would that property tax expected um be expected to be? And that would show us 613 compared to 579 for last year, a $34 increase. Okay, you see the various different valuations um 200 up through a million listed there with a dollar change and the percent change for residential homestead in the lighter blue. As you look at the bottom section, that's the commercial industrial and you can see that also for the valuations of $100,000 to $1 million valuation of commercial industrial. As we take a look at this next slide, this is it's true that not all of our our homeowners or um business owners have the same type of change in their valuation. So, this is assuming there's no increase whatsoever. And then what's that tax impact for somebody who would just see the same exact amount as they saw last year for their valuation. And so, you can kind of see this might be then the low end. um if it's at zero, we had 4% and the next slide is what if it's at something like 8% increase. So, we're trying to give a flavor of the various different types of scenarios that a taxpayer may find themselves in so they can kind of identify which one is more closely related to what they're seeing on their tax statement. And then this should this should align with what they're then seeing on their tax statement. There are other taxpayer resources available that we encourage taxpayers to to look into um particularly if they're finding that they have difficulty in making payment on those taxes. There is the Minnesota homestead property tax refund that's available. Uh there's special property tax refund program, senior citizen property tax deferral, disabled veterans homestead property tax exclusion, blind disabled special homestead classification, and the green acres and rural preserve. We ask that you reach out to tax um um sorry tax professionals with regard to those. In total, this is the form that is on the state website that we must then um have a board approval of in the month of December. By December 31st, this must be submitted both to the state um Minnesota Department of Education as well as to our county. And so you can see that it is broken down here by the limit being what was known in September. The proposed amount that would be what's showing now in December and then the certified amount assuming you do certify this final levy. So the full amount and it does need to be in cents is 35,661 197.94. that will come up later in the agenda tonight for action by the board. At this point in time, this concludes my presentation for the truth and taxation um except for the public comments. Thank you, director. Uh next will be the public comments regarding truth and taxation. This is the time the public may comment and ask questions regarding the proposed property tax levy and budget. Do we have anyone that has wants to come up to the podium and have anything to say about that? Seeing and hearing none, we will um move on to Laker Pride. Um is is director Marshall here? >> Yeah, >> he is. Very good. We are honoring the fall athletics and activities participants and their coaches. >> Director Marshall, >> thank you. >> Sorry. >> Yes. >> All right. Well, good evening, uh, Superintendent Dr. Thomas, board chair Bullan, and school board directors. My name is Jeff Marshall. I'm the activities director for the high school and for the middle schools. And it's my honor and privilege to present to you the 202526 fall activities and athletics report as well as to recognize and honor those students who have qualified for state or have achieved tremendous success in their given activities from this past fall. Before we begin bringing some students in, I wanted to share just a few reminders of our athletics and activities department for all of you. As you can see right here on the first slide, we continue to live by our vision of students experiencing an enjoyable environment of a wide array of co-curricular activities that promote pride, character, sportsmanship, and development of both personal and team excellence. With over 75% of our student population participating in some sort of co-curricular activity, this is definitely a testament to the wide array that we offer and the enjoyable experiences that our students are having within these sports and activities. And as we switch to the next slide, you'll also see what we use for a definition of success within our programs. While it certainly is always our goal to win in our competitions, when we when we reflect back on a season, our coaches, advisers, and students should be looking at creating lifelong memories, developing lifelong friendships, and teaching or learning lifelong lessons. And we certainly see this happening in the number of alumni who come back to be a part of our programs, whether it be as volunteers or coaches or adviserss within within all of our programs that we have. In addition, we use the Laker acronym to define our purpose statement within our department, starting with developing moral character skills. These are skills that we want our students to learn and display in all aspects of their lives, not just within their sports or activities. And these are meant to help shape that the relationships that they have with others. Thus, love, appreciation, kindness, empathy, and respect are all skills that our students and adults should reflect on and display in all interactions within and outside of their activities. The performance character skills of legacy, advocacy, knowledge, enthusiasm, and resiliency are skills that we want our students to display specifically within their sport or activity and are skills that we want our students to learn in their relationships with themselves. These next two slides show the participation numbers from the last two falls so that you can see a comparison of where things are at for student involvement. Most of our sports have remained consistent throughout the years. As you can see, our inter mural ping pong program has pretty much died unfortunately. Um, but we did add soccer a couple of years ago. And the other big one that we're looking at adding still this year is inter mural girls flag football this spring thanks to a grant from the Minnesota Vikings. So stay tuned for that this spring when we learn about inter mural girls flag football. >> Oh cool. >> At this point, uh we'll start to highlight some of our specific activities in sports. We'll start with our Minnesota State High School League sports from the fall. Um as you can see up here, our football program finished five and five again this year. We did advance to the section final. Four of those five losses were by one score or less. So we are right on the brink of making it to that state tournament. They have been very close every year and we know that one of these years we're going to get um over that hump. Our girls tennis team finished 8-1 in the South Suburban Conference. They finished as conference champs again. Uh this year they advanced to the section championship match where they finished as section runner up to Minnetonka. Um at this point we will start by bringing our girls soccer team in. adapted soccer >> as they come in. You can see that our girls soccer team finished five and three in the conference, which when you see that record, you don't think, okay, five and three in the conference is pretty good. >> But they ended up finishing 156 and one overall and they certainly had an absolutely unbelievable run right at the end of the season. Ladies, you can line up right here and face the audience that way. The team went on and they were seated actually fourth in the section tournament. And so we only hosted one section game. But after that, after winning that first game over Shakipi, they went to face the number one seed um Minnotonka over at Minnitankka. And they ended up winning that game in an unbelievable unbelievable result. Two to one I believe was the final if I remember. One- nothing. One- nothing was the final for that. And then they went on to the section championship game down in Chanhasson. Um, Chan was the number two seed team and they dominated that game winning four to one. Four to one. Thanks, coach. >> Four-0. All right. I The one thing I remember about that night is pouring rain. I'm sure you all remember that as well, too. So, finished as section champs in beating Chan Hassan and moving on to to uh the state tournament for the first time since 2002. Uh at state, the team started off with Lakeville North, uh where we had to travel to Monaceel to play Lakeville North, which didn't quite make a lot of sense to many of us, but um the girls were able to come back and uh rebound after losing to Lakeville North earlier in the year for a one- nothing victory uh in the in the state quarterfinals, then advancing to the state semifinals where the game took place down at US Bank. Um which was fantastic. We had a great showing of students and fans down there. We went up against the number one seed, Weisetta. Um, we scored the first goal, but Weisetta ended up scoring two more and and won two to one. Um, but the girls bounced back the next day in the third place game and they ended up taking third place again, beating Egan, who had beaten them earlier in the year for one- nothing victory for third place in the state tournament, which was absolutely outstanding. So, we have some of our some of the members of the team here with us tonight. Um, I'll go ahead and and announce all of the names for that and then girls, we'll get you together for a picture at that point as well, too. So, uh, the team members this year were Alicia Kuchinsky, Paige Layman, Abby Audi, Addie Shakala, Nikki Stra, Alli Torres, Taylor Hendrickson, Tony Fiser, Isabella Cavalaro, Giana Steam, Lauren Schindler, Brianna Phillips, Ellie Olman, Camila MSUS, Liliana Olrich, Kendall Young, Olivia Drum, Molly Trestle, McKenna, Lions, Tegan Jurich, Mattea Smith, and Veta Omen. And the coaches this year were Phil Wzac, Hannah Buttslaf, Steve May, Todd Loose, and Paula Wolf. Congratulations, girl, on an absolutely outstanding season. >> Okay, parents, if you want to take some pictures and then girls, the picture for the district will be taken out in the hallway then as well, too. So, get together real quick. So your parents can get some pictures. >> One for everybody. >> Let's just do one for everybody. >> Congratulations. >> Congratulations again, LADIES. >> NEXT, we're going to bring our adapted soccer team in. Our adapted soccer team, um, as many of you know, is involved in a co in a co-op. We co-op with Shakipi, Chask, and Chanhassen. And Chanhassen is actually the host school for the soccer co-op. Um, we actually do have a number of them here, which was kind of nice. They started their floor hockey season recently, and they had their first floor hockey game today. Um, which unfortunately didn't turn out so well, but that's okay. Um, and the one thing I will encourage you to do as they come in, if any of you have never been to an adapted sporting event, I really want to encourage you to do so. Um, and I think I've said this many times before, but you are not going to ever see a truer form of sportsmanship, of camaraderie, of um, just you name it, across the board, the the support that they give each other, um, the support that they give to the other teams. Um, these guys participate in sports for the true love of being an athlete and they're competitive. I mean, they are very competitive. Uh, I went to one of the state soccer games and you guys were so fun to watch in that very first game. Um, just exciting to see. Uh, so again, we've got um, six of us, six of them here tonight. And again, we know we you started floor hockey today, right? So, yep. And now that'll be going and then in the spring we'll be doing softball and we are the host school for softball. So all those games are over at Twin Oaks and at softball in the spring. So again, the team ended up qualifying for state. They actually got a buy to make it to state and at state. They won their first game, came back the next day, lost the second one, and then they played in the third place game. Lost a tough one, but ended up taking fourth place at state this fall. So congratulations to all of you team members who were who are from the Prior Lake Savage Area Schools. CC Brundold, Dylan Norman, John Connley, Aayup Hussein, Colin Schultz, Caleb Schultz, and Ben Madson. And Julia Ree was their coach. So, congratulations to all of you. Nice job. You guys, if you want to just get to get close together, we'll let your one of your parents take a picture here for you, and then you're going to take a picture out in the hallway afterwards. Congratulations. >> All right, congratulations again. You guys go on out there for another picture. >> So good. >> Hey, next we'll be bringing in our girls volleyball team. The volleyball team this year finished 7-2 in the conference, which was good for a tie for second place in the conference. They also finished 23 and 11 overall. This is a group of girls who came together unbelievably well at the very end of the season and um when they went into sections, they were the number two seed. Um we ended up playing Shakape in the first round, swept them pretty easily in in three games. Uh then we hosted Ian Prairie and uh Ian Prairie who had upset the number two seed earlier. So wait, we weren't the >> We were the three seed. Thank you. >> They upset the three. All right. That's why we hosted them because we were the two. Sorry about this. I can't keep it all straight. So um they came to our place again. We beat them in three which set up the section championship match over at Chanhassen and Chan was the number one seed in the section this year. And I'll tell you to be able to go down to Chanhassen and watch that section championship was absolutely incredible. Um to see how much the girls came together, how much fun they were having while they're out there playing and the excitement that they had and and just how well they played together was truly amazing. Um so they they won that. They swept Chan in three to qualify for state. The first time since 2017 that the girls volleyball team has qualified for the state tournament. They didn't went into state as the the number four seed if I remember correctly. Three seed. Okay, this is why I need to write things down. Yeah. >> Um they went in as the three seed. Uh they took care of Centennial who was the six seed first round and all of these games were down at um now called Grand Casino Arena um downtown St. Paul. Took care of uh Centennial in the first one. Swept them in three. Set up a rematch with Apple Valley, one of our conference opponents, um who actually had upset the number two seed the day before. Um and while Apple Valley came out pretty strong in that first game, we ended up taking care of them after that. um beat them four to one to advance to the to the championship match which was just unbelievably exciting. Preseason was the team ranked I can't remember on that seventh. Okay, but they certainly were not a team that was on a lot of people's radar to be able to qualify for the state tournament throughout the course of the season. Um championship match against Lakeville South didn't necessarily go our way. Lakeville South um took care of business pretty easily. Probably the best team in the state. But again, we're holding our heads up. You can see they have their medals on. end up finishing as state runners up, which is truly an absolutely amazing and incredible season. So, uh, we have some of the team members here. I know a lot of people had to get to practices tonight so they couldn't all make it. But our team members included Dylan Raing, Carly Muell, Sydney Burley, Audrey Clemens, Izzy Hawkins, Rya Cotton, Addie Barbo, Bel Gunderson, Olivia Art, Olivia Art, Katie Westerhome, May Hollerin, Kenzie Whis, Lauren Whis, Lauren Sherpa, and Abby Lindamman. And our coaches were Mike Dean, Ryan Wagner, both of whom are here, Kayn Pette, Megan Head, Janine Mesnik, and Adam Sink. Congratulations to all of you. >> CONGRATULATIONS. >> Next up, we're going to bring in both of our cross country teams. Um, our girls cross country team finished as South Suburban Conference champions this year. I believe that's the sixth year in a row. Some would call that a dynasty um to be doing as well as they are. They went on to the section tournament where they finished as section runner up. The greatest part about cross country is the top two teams from sections actually qualify for state. So this was again I believe the sixth straight year that the girls cross country team has qualified for the state tournament. Um at state they finished in 10th place overall. Sarah Gastin finished as in 24th place earning all state honors. and other teammates included Isabelle Reinders, Mackenzie Benedict, Key Mulling, Meolin Iverson, Riley Beven, Jordan Nevin, and then the alternates included Talia Bushman and Leighton Venick. Coaches were Dan Sod, Sedrin Lay, Sandrin Laymer, and Kelly Ryder. Congratulations again to our girls cross country team on an very successful season. >> CONGRATULATIONS. We also have our boys cross country runners up here. Um, this is the first time in a number of years that we've been able to honor and recognize some boys cross country runners. And certainly to be able to have two of you come in here was truly amazing this year. The boys finished sixth overall in the conference meet. At the section meet, we did have our two runners who qualified for state who are standing in front of you right now. Both Joe Ganon and Isaiah Rock. And coaches are Missy Rock, Neil Angler, and Sean Straa. So, congratulations boys on qualifying and running in the state meet AS WELL. JOIN THE TEAM. I've got certificates in my office. >> Next up, we have our girls swimming and diving team. You'll notice we have a lot of our female sports who are coming in here. And again, nothing against our males because they had some great performances and we just have that many more female sports in the fall. But our female sports did an absolutely tremendous job here this fall. Our girls swimming and diving team finished 8-1 in the South Suburban Conference, taking second overall. These are our our four individuals who qualified for the state tournament. At state in the class AA championships, the team finished in 16th place. Livby Sult was sixth in the 200 freestyle and ninth in the 100 freestyle. Kayla Haycraft finished 14th in the 200 IM and ninth in the 500 freestyle. And the 400 freestyle relay of Eller Ritz, Kayla Haycraft, Avery Obelman, and Livy Sult finished in 12th place. Overall coaches were Katie Haycraft, Justin Haycraft, who are both here tonight, and Ella Kudson. Congratulations, ladies, on an absolutely outstanding season. >> I will briefly mention as well our boys soccer team. Our boys soccer team this year finished 4-2 and three in the conference, which is good for third place in the South Suburban, 76 and three overall. And they certainly have a lot of strong underassmen who will be returning next year as well. So coming in next, we have 12 students who are choir students from Prior Lake High School who have been accepted into the American Coral Directors Association of Minnesota, the honor choir program for 9th and 10th graders. It's important to note, I think, that 392 students from across the state of Minnesota were selected for this with usually up to about 700 auditioning. And again, this is just for 9th and 10th grade. They also um do this as well for the upper grades in seventh and eighth grade and fourth, fifth and sixth. This year we had 12 Lakers plus one alternate who were selected. The most that any school can have is 12. Nine out of 10 of the South Suburban Conference schools were represented with at least one singer and four of those schools us and Egan were at the cap. A total of 84 singers from the South Suburban Conference were selected which makes 21.4% 4% of the total coming from the South Suburban Conference. So, not only can you see that the fact Prior Lake, but the conference as a whole has an unbelievably strong fine arts programs. Um, and again, truly remarkable and outstanding performances for all of them. So, our 12 individuals who have achieved this honor this year for the SSAA, and I learned that that stands for Soprano 1, Soprano 2, Alto 1, and Alto 2. We have Khloe Andrews, Lydia Chillechian, Maren Erinson, Harper Esh, Kate Heisen, Bailey Vanlar, Kenzie Olstead, McKenna Quinn, and Addie Swanson. In the SATB choir, which is soprano, alto, tenor, and bass, we have Sam Langamo. And the TTBB choir, which is tener one, tenor 2, bass one, and bass 2, Drew Schalm, and Ben Tai. and the directors for our for our choir program who do an absolutely amazing job um with all of the students that we have as part of that program are Randy Erson and Rob Han. So congratulations to all of you. You want to get together if you want to take a quick picture in here and then you can go up the hallway and take one too. Maybe if one of you wants to take one and then share it. >> Sure. Okay. Guess >> it's me. Congratulations again you guys. They'll take a picture of the hallway then too. SO, and then as you can see, we just have a number of pictures that we like to put in our slides as well um from the course of the season. Um again, you can see here our theater program, our Cinderella. Um, if you were able to see that, it was absolutely incredible. The set, the design, the acting was just incredible. They earned honorable mention achievement in musical theater as well. Um, they're off and running with the 1X at this point um as well too for this year. So, a couple of things I think it's important to note. We're moving into our winter season. All of our winter sports have started. Many of our sports and activities are off and running. The high school is a very exciting place to be right now. Um, you can go up there anytime during the day and on weekends and be able to see events that are happening. Two weeks ago, we hosted our big robotics tournament. Last weekend, we hosted our big cheer invite as well as a big gymnastics invite. This upcoming weekend, we have our swim invitational as big as well as a big wrestling tournament that we're hosting. And next weekend, we're going to be hosting the South Suburban Conference dance championships as well. So, I encourage you to come out, watch some of our students, but whether it be in athletics or activities, be able to to play a part in that. Um, again, we are very grateful. We're very thankful for the support that we receive. Um, you know, I think it's super important to note that our coaches and advisers are absolutely incredible people, and you hear me talk about that earlier in the fall. When you get a chance, if you get a copy of this, I did put a link in here to the South Suburban Conference stipen comparison. I want you to take a look at that and see, okay, across the board, we as a district are at the bottom of paying our coaches and our and our and our um our activity adviserss. And I just think it's super important that that be noticed and be pointed out because we have amazing people who are doing these positions, but we're also losing them. And we have a hard time filling spots as well when spots do become open. And while many of these statements are no longer a part of the teacher contract, I think it is important to note that we need to do something so that we can be able to retain these people moving forward as well. Um certainly our teachers and our administrators, our district office staff, our schoolboard members, uh many of you have students or have had students in the past who have participated um in our extracurricular and co-curricular programs. Um, can't thank our activities office staff enough, certainly our custodial staff with what they do, parents and community members, and and it's always so fun to see the students who are there watching our games as well too, who have that Laker pride supporting them. The very last thing that we're going to start here at this point is our volunteer of the month. And it is with great honor and pleasure that I get the opportunity to introduce to you Dick Charts. Dick provides foundational support to our entire K12 robotics program and is one of the key volunteers who makes our pipeline possible. He coordinates both theLLL Explore and Challenge, organizing teams, registrations, payments, materials, and running practices twice each week while also maintaining equipment and preparing for each season. In addition, Dick is a driving force behind our annual mini mania tournament. He works with the district and HTK to secure space, manages volunteers, oversees logistics, setup and cleanup, and ensures the event runs smoothly for hundreds of stu it's actually thousands of students and families, including handling food and hospitality for all the judges and volunteers. The scope and consistency of Dick's behind-the-scenes work is exceptional. All of our robotics programs would not operate at their current size or quality without his leadership, organization, and dedication. His impact on our students and the robotics community is lasting and invaluable. And correct me if I'm wrong, but 60,000 steps in one, no, 60,000 steps for the weekend. >> 90,000 steps for the weekend with what was the And how many in one day? >> Uh 40 40ish 45,00 >> 40 to 45,000 steps in one day at the tournament that we had just a couple of weeks ago. All of this as a volunteer. So again, it gives me great pleasure to be able to honor and recognize Dick Charts as our Prior Lake Volunteer of the Month. >> Again, thank you for having this for allowing me to have this opportunity to present this. Uh we will see you again in April. >> Thank you so much. Thank you. >> Moving on, uh we will go next to the superintendent report. Dr. Thomas. >> Thank you, Chair Bullan. Um I'll be brief. Just want to uh highlight the fact that we started um our kickoff for our incoming kindergarteners. And uh open enroll, I'm sorry, online enrollment opens this Thursday, December 11th. and we encourage all of our families to uh complete their registrations by January 9th so that we can really uh best plan for our staffing uh accordingly for the start of next school year. Um also just letting you know that uh last Friday um our board of AMSD passed our legislative platform. Um I'll defer to a couple of board colleagues probably in their board reports to talk a little bit about MSBA. Um but uh the Association of Metropolitan School Districts approved their 2026 legislative platform. a lot of key uh conversations that are overlapping with a lot of the professional organizations. I would say um first and foremost, it's uh key priorities to strengthen the educational outcomes um and get stable funding for uh education and schools here in Minnesota. That's a that's a key one. Um I would also just uh note another key one is to uh uh prevent a scheduled $250 million cut to special education cross subsidy reduction aid. um restoring the purchasing power of local optional revenue that director Ryder mentioned earlier as well as uh reducing mandates and or fully fund the mandates that are on the books um so that we can focus our resources um on our students as best to the best of our abilities. So more to come on that and um when we uh bring ours to the to the uh board here on in January. And then lastly, just to give mentioned um as we go into this uh season of giving um that the Prior Lake Chamber partners that we have with them um of uh the annual tree of warmth, it's our winter clothing drive. It's all underway right now. Um we are one of our collection sites here in the community to help um a lot of our families uh and and students who are in need. And so we're collecting new boots, new snow pants, gloves, scarfves, hats, socks, a lot of the winter apparel. Um there's three dropoff locations right here at the district center in the front office area right when you come in also um at Prior Lake uh Chamber of Common commerce as well as the city of uh Pride Lake City Hall. And uh all those uh items will be uh distributed to our students um throughout the district who are in need this season. So thank you for that. >> Very good. We have one pro proclamation this evening um on school safety and security. Uh, Director Johnson, would you read that, please? >> Fire Lake Savage Area Schools recognizes January 5th through 9th, 2026 as school safety and security staff appreciation week. Our school safety and security staff ensure the safety of more than 8,600 Prior Lake Savage Area students and more than 1300 employees. This week we celebrate our thanks and gratitude for these essential staff. Whereas National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is celebrated on January 9th, 2026. Whereas school safety and security staff at Prior Lake Savage area schools include two resource officers from Savage and Prior Lake Police Departments, campus and lunchroom supervisors, a district emergency preparedness and response coordinator, and school building crisis response teams. Whereas school safety and security staff help keep Prior Lake Savage area school buildings, students and staff and community safe. Whereas school safety and security staff aid students in developing developing positive behavioral skills, mentoring and counseling students and acting acting as mediators when disagreements arise. Whereas school safety and security staff train staff and teachers to identify and handle emergency emerging safety issues. Therefore, let it be resolved the board of education hereby extends its appreciation to the safety and security staff for ensuring a safe and welcoming environment for our students, staff, and community and declares January 5th through 9th, 2026 to be school safety and security staff appreciation week in Prior Lake Savage area schools. >> Thank you very much, Director Powers. Do you have anything that you'd like to add? >> I want to be real quick with this and be as thorough as I can. Um, thank you first off for recognizing this group. It's it's a smaller group, but they are mighty. Um right now um some of the changes that we've been able to implement over the last few years um I think are really making a substantial difference in our schools and I look forward to u many other things that we can share at a later date about things we're working on now to make sure um we are keeping our students and staff safe. Uh one of the people that I really want to highlight with this is Matt Krennic um our new emergency preparedness and response coordinator. He is doing a spectacular job and I look forward to seeing the things that he can do for us in the district in the future. So, thank you very much for all of this. >> Thank you, Director Powers. >> Uh, next we'll move to open forum. This time is set aside to receive citizen input. Speakers, we ask that you respect the 3minut time limit and please speak in the manner in which you prefer to be spoken to. We have one speaker tonight, uh, Paula Thompson. Thank you, board. My name is Paula Thompson and I'm a retired physician who practiced in this community. After retirement, I taught preschool and kindergarten Spanish lessons for seven years at local preschools. I raised two children in the district and have lived here 25 years. Raise your hand if you have ever seen the movie Forest Gump. Such a great movie. Um Tom Hanks character in the movie is being bullied and his mother does something that surprisingly brings the bullying to an end. Hold on to that thought if you can remember as I continue today. I don't want to talk so much about the victims of bullying but about bullies. Bullies need our compassion. Also, bullies do what they do for a reason. Their sense of self-worth has been deeply undermined. Bullies frequently learn their bullying behavior in their own homes. They are frequently the victims of neglect and abuse themselves. This includes emotional, physical, and even sexual abuse. Bullying behavior can and does continue into adulthood. I enjoyed teaching preschool Spanish very much because I love children and children in this 3 to six year um age range are typically so sweet and transparent and innocent. I would also always do a unit on clothing and the kids love these lessons, especially the day I would roll in a rack of fun clothing and they could choose something to wear from the rack if they could ask for it in Spanish. I brought a Vikings jersey, a Twins baseball cap, a flowered flowing dress, cowboy boots, a ruffled top among other things. Uh, we were going along enjoying our time together and there were all these smiling faces and then I came to a kindergartener who asked me something that I thought I had misunderstood. I asked him to repeat himself and he said or I want to wear the blouse. So, I started to sweat a little bit because I realized what this could mean. And time slowed down a bit for me. I knew that a situation like this could lead to bullying and that this type of bullying could be long lasting and horrific for this sweet, innocent child. But I also realized that I wasn't going to be part of keeping this child from what he loved. The heart wants what the heart wants. So, I helped him on with the ruffly blouse. And do you know what? Nothing happened. The children continue to play and smile and learn their Spanish lesson. And everyone is safe and happy just like things should be in school. I know families in this district want that kind of learning environment for their children and for their neighbors. Getting back to Forest Gump. Forest Gump's mom did something that I think we need to do in this community. She asked the bully to do something heroic. She asked the bully to protect for us from other bullies and it worked because she had compassion and respect for the bully also. So tonight I'm asking for you all to be protectors and heroes to every child who needs it in this community. Thank you. Next we'll go on to the approval of the agenda. I'll entertain a motion for approving the agenda, >> director Atinson and second by director France. All in favor say I. >> I. >> Against. Okay, that passes 70. Uh, and next we will move to the consent agenda. Consent agenda items are considered to be routine in nature and will be enacted by one motion. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a board member or citizen so requests in which event the item will be re removed as a consent item agenda item and addressed. Um I will entertain a motion and a second to um accept the consent agenda. >> Um Director Bullian um can we pull out um consent agenda um 11B please? >> Okay. and 11D, please. Okay, we'll move uh we will move 11 B and D uh down to unfinished business. Is there any other items anyone would like to have pulled out? Okay. So, uh I need to do an amended just that just Okay. So if we could have a motion to approve the consent agenda less items 11 B and D. I'll enter. >> Thank you. >> Second >> from Director Olsad and Director Atinson. All in favor? >> I I >> opposed. That passes 70. Okay, moving on. Next we have uh the resolution for acceptance of gifts. Uh this is this requires a roll call bolt. Um tonight we have several uh donors. I will list them. Uh we have uh Prior Lake Savage Savage Optimus Club for $1,000 for the community Halloween party. Uh Prior Lake Savage Optimus Club again for $1,000 for Project Laker. Rita Weaver in the amount of $43 for the middle middle school musical. uh April Bachelor and Andy Schaefer in the amount of $44,000 for a lumber donation um to the teched department, PAR Sports and Promotions with a $635 uh gift for unified programming, and Kowani's Southwest Metro Club for $250 for the FiveHawks book vending machine. I will entertain a motion to gratefully accept these gifts. So made >> by Director France. Second. >> By Director Mason. All in favor? We'll do a roll call vote. And we'll start with you. Uh Director Smith. >> I. >> Director Johnson. >> I. >> Director Atinson. >> I. >> Director Olstead. >> Hi. >> Director Mason. >> Hi. >> And Director France. >> Hi. and myself as I. So that passes 70. And next up we have um personnel items. I will entertain a motion to uh for additional educational support position >> by director Johnson. >> Second. >> Second by director France. Uh executive director of administrative services, Director Catherine. Good evening, Chair Boy and Superintendent Thomas and other directors. In your uh board packet there, you have a memo for a community education pool deck supervisor. Uh the community education is needing additional staffing to oversee the evening operations of the summer swim lesson program. The associated costs will be covered by the '04 community service fund. Um they did reduce down to one assistant swim coordinator who now oversees the morning and afternoon program and the deck supervisor would oversee the evening classes. And the cost of this position would be covered by the elimination of one of the assistant swim coordinators. >> Any discussion? Seeing and hearing none, I will um all in favor say I. >> I. >> I. Opposed. That passes 70. Uh we will go on to unfinished business with it which are the items from the consent uh consent items 11B and D. Director Actton. >> Yeah, thank you. Um I just have a question about the purchase orders. There's two documents in the board packet with purchase orders over 25,000. And my question is um um I see a list of all the different purchase orders over um $25,000 for the year so far. And my question is on the second document that sort of relates to the statute um as far as the the process for reviewing contracts and bids from anything over 25 to $175,000. Um several of those items on that purchase order of over $25,000 are within that range. And I just want to understand how our district is following that process related to the statute. >> Thank you for the question. Uh so that is the um supporting document that I would refer to first which talks about and districts can handle this very differently. Um it's kind of up to how they arrange things usually in the um administrative meeting. And so I took a look back at our January 13th of 2025 organizational um board meeting and under 7H at that point in time there was a description of what it was that was the superintendent and the person in my position executive director of business services and what authority they would have. Right? And so it does say that those two positions um are authorized to lease, purchase, and contract for goods and services within the budget as approved by the board provided that any transaction in amount exceeding the minimum amount for which bids are required must first be authorized by the board and must fulfill other applicable requirements pursuant to the statute. Um, in this case when they talk about bids being required, that's the 175,000 and more. Okay. And you can see that down below on the bottom half of that document is straight out of the legal compliance document that the um, state auditor's office puts out and that our auditors test for every time they audit us. And so you can see that for contracts over 175, sealed bids are required. Um, we also have the opportunity with sealed bids that we may not have to do the sealed bid if we use a cooperative purchasing venture um where they've already done the process of the bids and then we can then as a government agency basically make use of those as members of that particular um collaboration and we do that. Um, in fact, the UHC that you're going to talk about later today or UHL, which I'm sorry, I don't remember which one that was. >> Um, UHL, >> that is one of those examples, right? >> Um, but when you have anything between 25,000 and 175,000, then what we want to do is we want to pull two different quotes in order to be able to make sure we're getting the best price that we can. And then that PO gets accomplished or um, created. uh in the process of doing a PO on our system, it has to go through an approval process and that approval process requires that there's budget available. If that budget is negative, we won't approve that PO at our office level. So from that standpoint, that's the approval process that we're following. And with that 25,000 175,000 anything that comes through there then when we go ahead and approve that PO it is being sent off to the vendor and it is being it's a commitment for us right they're ordering the product and things are moving ahead so when we provide the information to the school board when I started it was a matter of okay how do we exactly pull this together I'm still working on finding a way on this skyward Q which is new to us since October of exactly how I can pinpoint the POS that are actually in the system that are approved but not yet um paid and that fall above this threshold, right? And you'd think it'd be easy, but for some reason or another, every time I run it, I get different stories. So, I ran instead the report you see, which is a download of all POS, and then I filtered on those dollar amounts that were over 25,000 to see what that looked like. and I compared it then to see what it was that's been provided to you for approval. When we provide the purchases purchase orders over 25,000 that's going to be after the fact. Okay, POS have already been approved and the order has been made. When I provide and when I started this process it was kind of hit or miss because I was getting emails that said this PO is above 25,000 add it to the board report. Fine, I can do that. But you, as you see, there's a couple of them that were missed along the way. And so, um, by running a report then that is by invoices now, I'm capturing anything that is paid over 25,000 and then identifying those that have POS attached to them and and looking at that. So, that's what you were seeing from me like about the first meeting in September on was a report of those that were paid already over 25,000 and not necessarily POS. um unless I went and found them. Right? So, that's that's what I need to know and understand from you. What do you want to see? Um I'll continue to look for it. Otherwise, I'm going to rely upon emails coming through and and giving me that alert um of anything over 25. I can also work with our staff member to make sure that she uses another layer of of double-checking and and providing that list to me. Um, but if it is over 25,000 and less than 175,000, just know that when it comes to you, we can't hold it up because then we wouldn't get things ordered in time. But that has gone through the approval process that we have and then now it's available for you to take a look at those. But it is after the fact. >> Um, so two things. Um, I appreciate that. I think one, I personally think this conversation should happen in January when we review this policy. So rather than tonight um just so we you know can get through the things that we have planned for this evening. Um the other thing is is it true that if an item goes out for bid that it should come before the board. I was just talking to some other school districts about how they handle this is that when something comes up to for bid it would come before the board like you're saying the UHL contract and then we give the approval. Okay fine go out to bid. That's been my leadership practice is to if it's over 175 is going to the board. Not always do districts do that. But, you know, because if they go through the bid process and they do everything like they should, um, some may choose not to, but I do follow that because I I feel as though the legal compliance when you read through it, you know, that is something that the board should be seeing, >> right? And do we legally have to accept the lowest bid as well is my understanding. >> There can be exceptions to that. it. Um, you need to be able to defend it if that's not the case, but yeah, there can be exceptions. >> Yep. >> Do you want to go on to does any other discussion? >> Oh, >> yes. >> Um, my question is around um the SAS curriculum. >> Yeah. >> So, it's got two two of them there. One of them it says in the description one year and then the other one is looks like grape mines and then it's got you know modules two and two through four savas and then so one of them the one year is for 59,310 and then the one right above that is modules 2 through 4 Savvis and vision math and that one's 74,900. >> Yep. >> Do you see those two? >> Yep I do. Um overall my my question is I understand one and this might not be a question for you maybe for Dr. Thomas since um Dr. Anderson isn't here is the is SAS going to be a yearly cost? If so are one of these two the yearly costs? Um and that's >> yeah so the um so what you see here is um our pilot resources that we purchase um for this year. Um this wouldn't necessarily be any true ongoing cost because that would be negotiated in the total package. So that has yet to be uh to be determined. >> So So these are more of the the pilot >> Yep. These are our pilot resources. >> Okay. Yeah. >> All right. Um I had something else and I was gonna hopefully it was gonna go jog my mind but um I lost it so I appreciate it. Thank you. >> If it comes back just let us know. >> Yeah I will. Thank you. >> Yeah. And any other discussion on that item and then do you want to address the next one director? >> Yeah. So that second item that um thank you for the 11D cash flow report. Um since this is the first time we've seen this um I was just wondering if director writer could just kind of walk us through just high level um for the board and for the community. >> Sure. Okay. So um you have seen this report I think in April or June of last year for the month of April for the first time from u my predecessor. Um after that then you get into the audit period where everything is still kind of in flux and so we tend not to do this report during that period of time. Now we have July, August, September, October reported. You have seen the financial reports on a monthly basis provided in this exact same format um for the revenues and expenditures and those numbers will tie back to those monthly reports. And then you see at the year-to- date actual, that's the cumulative total so far. Okay, so those are all the white columns of numbers that you see on that cash flow sheet. That which is grayed out for November through June projected, those numbers are basically taking our remaining balance and trying to understand where where those um expenditures might be incurred. So, for instance, in talking with our controller, you know, she took into consideration, we would anticipate maybe having a retropay for a negotiated group during this month, you know, and so she's adjusting for some of those things. Um, the month of June will always be far greater because you have um you have payroll for various different groups that are run, they get 24 payments, but they run it through the summer. So you end up with five of those payments coming back in the month of June. Okay? So that's why you always see June being a lot higher than the rest. The caution I have around this and the reason why when you look at your monthly report, it says cash flow basis at the top is because when you're talking cash flow, that's all well and good, but keep in mind we report our financials on a modified acrruel basis. So any bills we get in after June 30th that we're still paying that are actually for the month of June or prior, they're going to get pulled back in as accounts payable and be included in those expenditures. So that's what's challenging about this is you can be cooking along and seeing how things are coming out. That month of June is where you get everything that is not yet paid that over the next 60 to 90 days or so you're going to make sure you get those invoices all in and pay them. So just know that. Okay, because that's what makes this particular report a little concerning for me. But um that is this is bas cash basis only. Down below is an attempt to basically show you the prior year-to- date numbers, the current year-to- date, adding in those projections, what that annual forecast looks like, how does it compare to budget, and just basically tying that out. Anything further? Nope. Okay. Thank you. Any other discussion on those two items? Okay. Hearing none, uh I will um entertain a motion for accepting um 11B and D >> second >> by Director Olstead and Director Johnson. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. That passes 70. Moving on to new business, uh we'll go into the approval of the 2025 payable 2026 levy certification. The levy presentation was presented early earlier during the truth and taxation portion of this meeting and the board is requested to approve the certification as presented. Um I will entertain a motion to approve this levy certification. >> So made by director France. second >> by director Olstead and um director of business services uh director Ryder. So attached to this um agenda item is the one pager that shows the line item as it is on the MD website um showing the limit as of September, the proposed amount as of this moment in time and the certified amount assuming you approve this that would then be submitted to the state and the county. So that total amount of pay 2026 levy certification is 35,661,197.94. Any discussion? Uh seeing and hearing none. Uh all in favor >> I opposed. That passes 70. Uh, next up on the agenda is the final budget. Further discussion of the 2526 revised budget with clarification of the general fund deficit. Um, board action will be requested in January. Director Ryder. Sure. So initially there were two items that were loaded into the board packet uh prior to publication and that is one that shows the um resolution that is anticipated for the month um for the first meeting in January and it shows the total amounts for general fund food service each of the different funds that we had just actually talked about in our truth and taxation hearing for the adopted. We lay this out similarly in a resolution for the revised. Um, with that you'll notice that there does say that there is a usage of 768,423 of various fund balances for the general fund. Previously when we had this conversation at the last session um we had I had that listed as unassigned fund balance. Um so I went back through to understand I relistened to the um meetings that were held with you previously and with my predecessor and such and I can see where some of that confusion is coming from. So then I created the second document that was loaded up to show the adopted budget and how the items that were listed at that point in time that would have a reserve that would be expected to be spent down. So this is these are cases where possibly you received funding and didn't spend it all or um you anticipate spending more than what the funding is. Right? So, as of the time of the adopted budget, that would have been May June of last year, there was no um final numbers for fund balances across the restricted funds for fiscal year 2025. And as we've talked about the audit, we ran into a circumstance where we had overexpendures in areas that were largely unassigned and that then created an issue for our unassigned fund balance. So our policy is that you use restricted funds before you use unassigned funds. In that process then some of these fund balances you see for example the staff development and the compensatory those fund balances we allocated expenditures there in 25 to use up the restricted instead of unassigned. Okay. So now as we go to do the revised budget, the question is well what are those dollars that are causing this additional expenditure that's in the approval for this budget right as it's revised. It's not uncommon that your expenditures increase. Oftentimes your revenues increase as well because you have you have more information, right? But when you're coming off from an audited year in which you do have an overexpenditure of budget in some areas, you have to ask yourself, is this a continuing issue? If it's a continuing issue, then you would expect that your revised budget's going to address those things and and um address it in a fashion of either um increasing the budget to cover it or having a discussion about how it is that those expenditures might come in at the time of the audit. Does that make sense? So, in the process then I'm just laying out for you the revised budget. We have um more expenditures but we also have more revenues. the difference between the two is less than what it was at the time of the adopted budget. And then I'm showing you where are these reserved restricted reserves that are going to be spending more than what they have revenue for in the revised budget. And so similar to what you saw in literacy aid that went from 200,000 which is a total estimate at the time to what we know to be the case actually where literacy aid wasn't spent down and it was 350,000 403 that carried forward. We expect that's going to get spent now. Okay. That can be used for materials and things of that nature that are needed for the re readact. The teachers compensation or teachers compensation aid that was a one-time money. It was anticipated that 200,000 would be left to spend down. We actually spent more of that down because in our district, we had time that was already being paid to teachers that they were being asked to take that time and do the redact work. It wasn't additional hours that were being paid out because they were doing it within the time frame of their duty schedule. So therefore, some of those dollars were used in an allocation of that pay towards the redact dollars, leaving us 81,538 to use yet this year. And it can only be used for teacher compensation. So those two we anticipate and expect will be spent down and is a part of what will be the reason for our coverage of expenditures here. In addition, LTFM, I'm only using 336 482 of that spendown. There is a little bit more and I'll show you in a moment on another document, but that's what was needed in order to get to the 768 as an explanation. Okay, so those are the two docs that were loaded. Um, there were some inquiries over the course of looking and review of the documents that we had that I want to run through really quickly if possible now. So to start with, I would suggest that we look at the document. And if you don't mind, can I move up here, >> please? Thank you. >> It'll be easier if I can um allow you to see them as we go here. So, we're going to start with the one that is right here. And let's see, make this big. And I'm gonna enlarge it. >> Okay, there we go. So, this is a document that I tend to really like because it gives you your beginning fund balances, your revenues, your expenditures, and your ending fund balance. And it breaks it down by the unassigned at the top, and then all the restricted ones down below. You see this in our audit. It's in our budget book. I believe it should be at the end of any new budget that's being revised so that you have an understanding of exactly how that's going to be laid out. So that's what this is doing. I'm going to scroll to the bottom for a moment. So in total, we start out the fiscal year with the ending fund balance from the audit of 13,53161. That's total all fund balances. We have total revenues in of$12543692 that is in the proposed revised budget. Your expenditure column is the go over two more columns that's 126,204515. So there's your expenditure budget. In the end, your total um fund balances are projected to be around 12,761738 at the end of if if everything that's in the budget was received and spent as we described, that's what we would expect that to look like. So, in this scenario, and I'm I'm giving you two scenarios tonight for your consideration. Um the there was one question about can any of our levy dollars be used a different way than what it's like listed at. If you have levy dollars that are like general in nature, you can use them for more specific restricted areas. You cannot do the reverse, right? If you have something that's restricted for only that purpose, must be used for that purpose or held in a reserve. One of the items that we have in our levy is about 700,000. Um, and this year it was um for the revised budget the amount is 704,288 and it is for the facilities and equipment capital bonds. What this is is a state statute that allows for use of capital funds. You may use capital funds for payment of those bond principal and interest payments that gets made out of the debt service but there's a transfer that happens. So you have to reduce your revenue somewhere in the general fund. In this scenario the assumption is as has been in the past by my predecessor that that negative revenue that adjustment would come out of the general levy. Okay. So this scenario shows that and it leaves your capital but dollars at the $2 million mark. We have a lot of needs when it comes to capital needs. We have curriculum, we have technology, and we have operations. Right? So having $2 million to spend is easily spent in our district. Right now, if you look at the long-term facility maintenance, there is where you see that I had only identified 360ome,000. There truly will likely be a spend down of 44,000 if according to the budget as it is right now for the proposed revised. Okay, with all of this, it leaves your unassigned fund balance calculated and projected at 7.3%. When our policy is to strive to be meet the 8%. So I give you that example. Next, let's look at this other one. same scenario or same um example, but this one makes a different assumption. So now you see under operating capital, I'm going to get a little larger. Direct, is this one in our board packet? >> It is. It's just been loaded. These these ones that I'm showing now were loaded today because I >> Yeah. No, I saw the one. I'm just looking for the other one. >> Um this one is called ops sub traction. Okay. Thank you. >> Yeah. >> All right. So, the general fund, um, same numbers as far as totals go, right? But if you look at the operating capital, that $2 million of revenue is now dropped to 1.4 million, right? 1.358. And with that, that means that we would end up having a negative balance in our operating capital of 655 343, which you're allowed to do if you have a plan to make a positive. Okay. um the proceeds from the sale of this building can only be used for operating capital purposes. So they have to follow the same statute you do for operating capital. That's a possibility of how if you chose to go this path and instead of taking it out of the unassigned general levy, we take it out of the operating capital levy, which may be a choice of yours. then you would have this negative balance that either we would want to plan for in 27 to bring that positive or we would look to possibly utilize and one of the possibilities of doing that would be to utilize proceeds from the sale of this building. Um it also could be that you lower expenditures as I mentioned that will be challenging simply because running $2 million on capital operating capital needs between those three areas it's just we have a lot more needs there. So, I'm just laying that out for you. If you do that, however, then the um unassigned fund balance would likely be somewhere around 7.86%. So, it gains a little bit there. So, you have to ask yourself which do you prefer to be um the option that you might choose. And it's not to say that this is these are the only two options, but they as I got to thinking about some of the concerns I was seeing in emails, it's like, well, maybe this would be something you might want to think about. Okay. So, I lay that out there. Next, we have um there's two more documents. And oops, I went to the wrong spot here. Sorry. Okay. So, next I'm going to show you um it was asked that I prepare a Oops, there it is. Adapted budget versus revised budget in a format of what you see our financial statements look like. And so that's here for you. And I don't really have much to say about that except the fact that this is assuming we're going with my first scenario which keeps that um subtraction for the debt transfer out of the general unassigned. Um but this is this is where that layout would be and how you can compare it. So that's there for you um for your benefit of of review. Um the last document that I loaded is one that is the LTFM. There was a question regarding our LTFM projects and what changed about that this year. So what we wanted to do was provide for you and I'm enlarging this so you can see it better. Provide for you what those projects were. So we have a long list here. Um these top ones that are in white are what we used to call the old health and safety and those are very typical ones and um they aren't necessarily projects of deferred maintenance but rather they're available for the categories of health and safety and you have a budget and you spend where you need to there right so one of the reasons why you see a jump in the amount of expenditures over and above the revenue for LTFM is that we do have some fire marshall orders in the area of fire safety And so those are incurring in being incurred in the 363 finance dimension. Otherwise the list that you see below that starts at the top with green then it turns yellow and then green again. Over on the right hand side you will see the projects that are done and that are highlighted green at the top. Then you see the projects that we have put on hold. And then you see those that are in process and yet being completed, anticipated to be completed this year, but they could roll into the next year depending upon when they actually get completed. Okay? And so with that in mind, the items that were put on hold, you'll see are largely some loaded dock repair and other things that you can read for yourself. But why did we do that? because we also noted that in the levy process there was a negative adjustment from two years ago from 2024 related to LTFM of $490,000. So that means you have that much less revenue coming in. So we needed to back off on our original plan that we had put together well before you know in May and we needed to to adjust it um to match that which would be more closely aligned with the revenue. So given all of that you can see that their total projects were almost um 2.2 2 mil 2,165 of which we're anticipating that they would either be done or in process of about 1.66 mil and 53,000 were put on hold. So I add that just for clarity um given some of the um questions we had received. Those are the four documents added and I just wanted to run through those real quick. >> Thank you so much. >> Sure. any discussion on or any other questions on any of that? >> Yeah, I have a a few questions. Um maybe starting with LTFM since you hit that last. Um okay, maybe more of a process question, but like I noticed there's a few a couple things on not included on here that were on our LTFM plan. Um and then a couple of things on here that weren't on the original plan. So, when we change the LTFM plan or if we have things I think it was like replacing the drinking fountain or trash enclosures, there was a few things that weren't on the original one. Do we have to as a board does that have to come to the board for adjustments if we add things or how does that work? >> Yeah. So, when you look at the LTFM that is set before you for approval, there are two documents that the state wants us to send in. One is the revenue calculation and the other is the expenditure plan, >> right? It is laid out for 10 years and what they're looking for is how much is in the top part of the form which they call category one in the health and safety former old um definition and then what are the deferred projects. If you had a major change in um a project over a certain dollar amount they would want like particularly if it required review and comment or something of that nature you would see the state involved. Otherwise, they tell us just make sure that in total, you're not exceeding. If you're not exceeding in total, that's fine. So often when you're talking about LTFM projects, it's about timing. And it gets really tricky because it is from July to June, right? So if you start something in June and it doesn't get it completed until July, you can't capitalize it until July and you can't necessarily put it in your expense in June. So there is those timing issues that you are always going to run into and the state's aware of that and understands that. So there is that flexibility as well. If they were approving everybody's modifications to their LTFM plan, I think you'd find that they wouldn't have enough manpower or people power at the state level to to do that. Um right now I think there's one or maybe two people that actually review those plans. So it's a challenge. And so for that reason, they do not require that that get reapproved so long as you're not changing and adding to the dollar amount in total. And we don't as a district require that. Um and like I I think right now um I think our budget was like 1.53 million for LTFM and we've already overspent that at 1.6 or done it in progress. Is that right? No, the budget was at 2.1 in the adopted and so now at the revised um let's see, let's go back to the sheet rate um here. So facility maintenance um I have a beginning fund balance of 1.8 million. I then show 1.257 of revenue and then expenditure budget of 1,661. That's under the revised budget. Okay, I have to go back and look at the original. The one I had is 1.53. Um, okay, I see that. Um, okay, that makes sense. Um, and then there was um several items around largely the seal coding that were um quite over the original estimate. So wondering like are do those things are we you know we have a couple of different bids out and we're going through that process and that doesn't come before the board either um when those expenditures happen to be um quite over what we budgeted like in some like I think all the seal coding items were quite over. Director Powers, if you can come forward about the the contract per or the contractor for the chip seal. Um, from memory, I can dig into it much more at a later date. There was only two that really came in differently than the projected amounts for the seal coating. Um, and I would need to, like I said, need to dig into it much more carefully. Um, the only, um, real deviation we had, we had, um, one of them that, um, the best way to say it, we ended up developing a sinkhole in one of the locations that we had to actually repair that before we could put a seal code on top of it. Um, other than that, um, the numbers that were on this particular spreadsheet should have been, um, what the actuals were because these were based on the the bid numbers themselves. And I can go through all of those if we need to at a later date as well because I've got bid numbers from three different companies so we could show where everything ended up. >> Okay. Yeah. No, I did kind of compare them and there was like five of them that were over by at least 10 to 15,000. So I was curious. Okay. >> And just to point out that this list that you I provided is the list of budget. >> Great. >> There are some projects that are under budget and so you won't see the actuals come up to that amount. >> Director Mason, would you mind if I ask a LTFM question since you're still on that? >> Um mine is really with the ones that are in progress. If those are not completed by June, do they still get charged this year or are they moved into next year? >> If completions after July one, it goes into the next year. >> Okay. >> And that's where you'll see it reserved until then we use it. >> Got it. So part of what you're looking at for that is that the budget amount has been reserved for those projects. Y >> So it's just going to be an accounting at that point, you know, when we figure which part of the year it finishes. That's when we're looking at LTFM projects and this is a an interesting thing about that when we're looking the next year starting in July 1 for me for LTFM is is fiscal year 27. >> So the money that I have set aside for fiscal year 27 I can't start those projects before July 1. For any of the ones that were started last July 1, we've got like you mentioned until June 30th to finish those up and if they don't then they slide into the next year. But that money that was appropriated for them is still available for us to finish those projects up. >> Thank you. >> I also have a question about >> them. Yeah. >> Can then we can bounce back. I'm sorry. >> Um uh my question is is when you sent the revised uh well it's not really a revised plan but it was in um our email today about um what the revised plan will be for this year. Um the question I had was regarding the loading docks and back in May um of this year we no I'm sorry July of this year right we approved the LTFM fund our plan for this year and the loading dock um costs are significantly higher than what they were originally on the plan in the tune of like at Hidden Oaks we had projected it to be 165,000 and now it's $416,000. Can you give any insight on to and it's consistent theme after theme after theme for these loading dock repairs. Um can you give any feedback on to why those numbers how those numbers were projected back in July and now 6 months later it's significantly different. >> Those numbers were originally projected by my predecessors. Um when we were looking to actually get estimates for those things um we found out that we a needed civil engineering drawings to be included with that. um we couldn't do any of just regular replacements, demolition or anything else. On top of that, um the original estimates didn't include a couple of things that have been corrected. Like one of them, um on at Five Hawks, the the shape of the dock is actually too small for what it is. And that space, it's a tough space. Anyway, I could I would love to show you some of the stuff that they've been dealing with and those walls are decaying and everything. So, when we're looking at redoing that dock, we had to actually change the shape. We're going to have to do a little bit of excavation. So, that's where it comes in with the civil engineering side. We have to make sure that we're moving any of the sprinkler lines or anything else. So, these estimates um we went to uh a couple of civil engineering firms to get um real estimates on this. These are actual estimates, the ones that you have from that sheet of the costs that we're looking at coming forward for this season. And there's multiple bids that you're looking at from different firms. >> When we get to that point, there will be. Right now, we're just dealing with the civil engineering side. So, once we get to the point where we can um they're finishing up the drawings right now. And then my goal is is to have when those are completed to be able to bid those projects in the last part of January or first part of February so we can sign those contracts and be good to go for the middle of February and then we can be set for the summer. And then my last question about that is um I believe I recall this conversation back in July where we talked about the lighting replacement and lighting replacement I thought was not part of the LTFM funds or was not able to be used but now I see it on here. Can you help? >> So I sought clarification from several people. I actually cornered a couple of state legislators um up at Masmus and uh the determination from them is that yes, the LTFM can be used for that, but we have to have a very good story when we're doing that to fit it underneath this particular funding source. For me in particular, um Jeff Pond is an easy one. We lost more than a third of that building lighting because of the power requ the power that was coming into the building. it was surging too much. So, we lost a lot of those fixtures. Um, we're having to right now to keep the lighting at least in a decent level, we're replacing as much as we can for ballast and lights. So, that was the story that we were talking to with that state legislator and she's like, "Yes, this is exactly the type of thing that we're looking at." We have a similar type of situation where the lighting fixtures themselves at Five Hawks. Um the lighting fixtures themselves um aren't able to be upgraded. Um we aren't able to use the the newer type of lights that are the LED plug-in lights for these two pin type of lights. So those particular those two schools um I've been told that we can do exactly what we were hoping to do when I was frustrated with everything last year. Um, and then going forward, we'll make sure I'm I'm going to toss my computer on the floor. Um going forward, we'll make sure that we have um appropriate um stories to go behind these things so that we can um include these projects the way we need to because this is a it's just so expensive and I would be burning through our capital so fast that I really I this is one of those items that I would go down to the state capital and knock a few heads around because the lighting for the entire district is going to be a million and a half to$2 million. That's what we were trying to plan for last year when I was trying to put all this stuff through and they were like, "Put the brakes on that." Um, so after talking with these state legislators um to make sure that we're doing it correctly. Um, and then going forward, I'm like I said, I'm going to go down and talk to them to make it so it's a little bit easier so we aren't having to come up with these stories that we can actually come to them with these proposals. And understand, is it a priority because you can't get like say that bulb that >> that bulb will not be available after December 31st of this year. >> So you're saying you have to replace the entire fixture. >> So that's that's a actually a very good question. So when you're looking at these things, there are certain types of upgrade kits that you can get for them, but many of the fixtures that we have in these schools, in order to upgrade them to those things is actually going to cost us more than it would be to replace the whole fixture. But they've got a a type of light a bulb that's an LED replacement for these two pin light bulbs that you can put in there. Exceptionally expensive. It's not I can't talk about the expense versus other things for the replacement of these LEDs, but um because we've got other reasons that these light lights are obsolete, that they have problems already of their own that we're allowed to use that LTFM money this way. That helps. I mean, I know it's all about priorities. So, if priorities, lighting is a priority, we need to have the lights on. >> Lighting and heating, air conditioning, those are my biggest challenges right now. >> Yeah. I mean, I think for me, the the the loading dock thing is was a huge eye opener to see something that big a different and I guess my question is again priorities like do we need to redesign our loading docks? I'd love to not right now, but I'd love to better understand that um because like it's just a huge increase. A a good example of that exact issue is at Five Hawks just three, four weeks ago, a delivery truck took out two of our vehicles that were parked in legitimate parking spot. And you would have been shocked to see when those vehicles after they got hit. And this type of modification that I'm looking at for five hawks will help us eliminate future challenges like that. >> Yeah. Any other discussion? >> Just a just a clarify clarifying point. So on on the sheet that we just had up like the loading dock was on there on hold but then we received the one on email. So are the ones on email in the updated plan? >> Not all of them. So when you're looking at the things that were on hold on this >> right >> the green and yellow one right now. Um not all of those projects ended up being rolled into this year. Honestly, the between the loading docks, um the boiler replacement at Glendale, um all of those projects ended up being a substantial amount of money. If I had an extra couple million dollars this year, I would do the rest of the ones that were put on hold. Um but I honestly thought that the the loading docks themselves, the boiler replacement, those things, the lighting projects were a higher priority than some of the other things that were on hold. >> So, this replaces all the items on hold essentially. Is that a fair statement? >> Yeah, it's a that's a fair statement. >> That's a fair plan because I know and then I noticed like three items I think were brought up from 2027. So like the um boiler I think was one that was I believe in the 2027. >> Okay. >> And then uh I'm I'm hoping to give you a complete revised tenure. Okay. >> Um I'm working on that right now and um with director Ryder's help we've been able to establish a much better um revenue um idea so that when we're bringing these ideas forward there were it's almost a complete change top to bottom. So when I'm bringing that change to you, I'm bringing it to you in January so that when we go to our summer months again and go through our regular approval process that you all would have a completely different viewpoint of everything that we're going through and it won't be a surprise at that point. You know, I'm going to it'll be I'll have it all detailed out in January and I look forward to walking through that conversation. >> Very good. Thank you. Any other any other discussion or questions? Thank you. Not about LTF. >> Yeah, on budget. Not on LTF >> on on the final budget. >> Okay. >> I think part of it is we got the documents so late. I mean, it's we got Thank you for sending them. Um it was 3:00 in the afternoon or whatever it was. So, I I have quite a few questions actually and I'm wondering are we going to be bringing since we're not voting on this till January, is this going to be part of our um finance committee conversation tomorrow? >> Yes. Yes, it will be. Um, you know, I spent most of the day working up some of these documents so that there would be an answer to your questions knowing that you aren't taking action tonight, but rather we've got till January. So, um, certainly if there's something that's >> because I'm I'm trying to find the right um documents you'd like to see in a regular basis, right? So, you can expect to see from from me um at various times the the fund balance summary. I I I if you don't like this, I' I'd like to know that to be the case. But from a board perspective, if this is hitting the mark, then you can anticipate that being one of them. And in addition, this other one, which we're trying to formulize and keep all of our reporting on a monthly basis to match it. And then likewise, um your audit's going to look like that. So trying to do that as well when we have these um changes in budget, I think is an important thing to do as well. And that was a request and I had not yet had that prepared so it's there now. >> Yeah, thank you. >> Yeah, I appreciate it too. I I I mean I have several questions. I can certainly save them for tomorrow or if we want to go through any of them, but um I mean I think just generally, you know, I was trying to understand the the shifts in the restricted fund balance and um like what we took out of staff development. for example, um there was 238 planned 238K and now we're not using any. Is there a reason? >> Well, something we don't have any to begin with is the is the issue. So my question >> it was spent down during the audit process and how did those expenditures come up? Well, you can choose to spend unassigned dollars towards the staff development days or you can allocate the salaries for those staff development days towards staff development. Our practice is to begin the staff development use with the needs of what it takes to get the staff development days accomplished and then should we need to we utilize then that chargeback I call it of the salary equivalent for the days that are staff development days. So that's what we did in order as you spend on restricted your unassign goes up. So remember that was the that was our challenge at the time of the audit. Yep. Okay. Um I think you know generally too just I think I don't know as far as policy goes are we we really should be looking at corrective action to be um replenishing the unassigned fund balance to be in line with policy. Um before we can approve this I would think but um I guess that's where I'm challenged with you know what are we doing to reduce the expenses so that we can ensure that we're in line with fund balance policy. Um, and I don't see that reflected here. But in either of these scenarios, I don't there's often times your revised budget looks worse than the adopted simply because enrollment numbers may not come in as they are expected or revenues are changing or expenditures have increased or you're addressing something from the audit previous. So, it's not uncommon. I understand where you're coming from. There is slight improvement in the revised budget compared to the adopted budget overall and um you know we took a hit with the audited unassigned fund balance percentage going as low as it did and it's just now trying to recover that right. >> Yep. >> Okay. Well, and I would just I would just like to add I would like to personally see a corrective action plan because I think it's not only is it in our board policy that we have to be at 8% but it's also in Dr. promises goals to um to have that healthy fund balance. And so receiving the extra $3.5 million worth of revenue knowing that we have fewer students in our districts um who will be in incurring those expenses. Um I I think this is a great opportunity for our board to be able to bring that balanced budget where um you know expenses do not exceed revenue so we can be within our policy. And um I mean that's personally what I would like to see. I was glad we weren't voting on this tonight because to me this is not um this is not something that I um can accept. The other thing that I'm curious about is we got an extra three plus million dollars in special ed funding. Right. And I understand that's back paid and all that but I don't see a huge increase in special ed um services as far as um budgeted this year. Can you help elaborate on that? Um as we developed the adopted budget for fiscal 26, it was known the number of FTEEs we would need for special education. And so the um assumptions around the salaries and the benefits related to those positions, I think were adjusted compared to what we had seen at the time of the audit, right? And so when you look at your revised budget compared to adopted, you're not going to see a lot of changes in the salary and benefits related to special ed specifically, except that there is some positions left in the contingency in the event there are additional positions that are necessary at which point then that line item budget would move down into the special education. You would see an increase at that point in time for the audit. Right? But it's in contingency right now. Secondly, the increase that you see on the revised budget compared to adopted in transportation largely was a result of special education routes. And so, um, you know, we increased that, I believe it was 1.8 million. So, it's it's significant. And when you look at the 3.4 million I've added in for special education aid, some of that is to cover those salaries and benefits that we had already adjusted in the adopted budget. And this is where you're dealing with a cross subsidy, right? We have more special education expenditures than we have revenue coming in specifically for special education. And so that's that's our that's our challenge. It's every school district's challenge in Minnesota. >> And but we did get the three three million extra. Well, it's not really extra funding because it's back pay basically, right? >> But that will help us, I'm assuming, this year. >> Yes, it will help. And so that overexpendure you saw declining your unassigned fund balance last year. Now you're seeing the revenue come in trying not to show all that expenditure offset, you know, but at the same time it's like we knew the budget was woefully under recorded on the budget for transportation. So that had to come up. We think our salaries and benefits related to special education are more to the mark. And so we're hoping that that's going to be what we see happen for the rest of the year, too. But we're going to we'll review that again as we get more into some of this detail line item. I just think it would be nice given the extra funding if we could bring a balanced budget to our community. And I know I've heard them, you know, people say that, well, this is balanced because we're bring taking it out of fund balance, but we're still taking out of our there's two really important factors. We're still taking it out of our savings account. And the second part is it's um we're below our fund balance policy. And that's super concerning to me because I feel like this is the opport this is the one opportunity I feel like we have to be able to and I thought via policy we had to bring forth a corrective action plan for the board to review this to get it up to the fund balance policy. >> Yeah. part of uh I'm don't have the policy pulled out, but in that in that policy, it talks about um uh putting together a plan to address it if it drops below um that we strive something in that uh line of of language. >> Yeah, I have it right here. I mean, I can read it if you want to let me read it, but I know you know it. So, I think the question is when are we going to see the plan? >> Well, I think there are you could say that there are assumptions built in here and you've heard me talk about assumptions, right? So those assumptions, $3.4 million was assumed to be added in for special education revenue. I could increase that assumption. I hesitated to do so because I don't have final numbers from the state. I have their numbers run off from the numbers as of I think it was November 3rd. And at that point in time, there's a lot of school districts in the state that haven't yet reported their final audit. So until they get to like January where everyone's got their stuff in, it's had to be approved, they will rerun that calculation for state aids special education revenue. Um there's room there because I was conservative, but if I increase it too much, then you might find that I'm shortch changed when it comes to the final calculation. So, I'm trying not to go too aggressive there and to instead show a budget that I can improve upon if it if if that comes through like I hope it does. But if it doesn't, then I'm not necessarily proposing a budget that I can't I can't deliver. Um, similarly on the expenditures, um, you see an assumption there on the transportation expenses. Unfortunately, I think that assumption is accurate given the billings I see coming through. But um we could potentially reduce some of that there and bring in a balanced budget, but the challenge will be that the actuals, you know, how accurate will that be? So I I just give you that heads up right now because both are assumptions and we have to kind of work with that. So given our current state uh and and that we will be um taking action in January, how I guess the question would be how do we um from now until then get to a place where um this act you know corrective action to have our fund balance meeting policy is how how do what are our options to go to do that? If I understand from the board that the desire of the board as a whole is that we have a balanced budget with no spendown of fund balance, then you would see me moving towards more aggressive assumptions on the special education revenue and to be uh less aggressive on the expenditure um expenditures for transportation. And I would close that gap through that means increasing the special education aid that we would anticipate and decreasing some of the expenditure budget for transportation. >> By doing that would that's all uh it's a projection. It is >> all of all of this is projection and I think that's you know where the challenges we face um with school finance everything you know these are all projections and we're waiting for things to come in >> um >> I think where I'm struggling too is you know we're not asking you to like change numbers or forecast right that the mine is like let's look at these expenses and address them so transportation right I know we talked about RFP when is that coming is that going to finance committee, you know, is that like that would be part of the corrective action, right, plan to to address that? When are we going to see that? Um, or whatever other areas we think we can consider and as far as expenditures. So, I'm, you know, personally not asking you to like be more aggressive or, you know, conservative and and forecasting. It's more how do we address the expenses or do we have to express address expenses in certain areas, whether it's, you know, transportation, instruction, whatever it is. Um, that to me is the corrective action plan. >> I think my question would also be is are you are you recommending that we should even look at the policy? Are we have we gone too far? Do we need to look at policy? That's not my that is not my recommendation or by any means, but I think it has to be discussed that because you gave us two scenarios here and then I'm not saying that you were wrong in in what you said in being aggressive, right? But I I don't think that's the solution either. I think just what Director Mason was saying is that what is the corrective action? And I think we can get back to our 8%, right, with things that we've already discussed at at the table here, right? You know, we're we're looking at transportation options. We're looking at other things. That's you going the long term. And then something you you asked earlier, right? I'll just hit that. I think your new documents that you provided are phenomenal. So please, but the only thing I would ask um is continue to keep with the same documents >> that we've already had >> right >> for for this fiscal year um or right fiscal year so that we can continue to look back and have the same verbiage >> and then as we transition into next >> I would be perfectly happy and I think we can all discuss that as we move into next fiscal here transitioning to this one document so that you're not doing as much work because we know that you're >> and both of those documents are in the budget book too. So we've been you know the last two budget books have included them. We need to I I believe in both of those documents and the fact that they they resonate with the audit and they also allow you the beginning you know approved revenues expenditures and then the ending and projected. So, I mean, I think that those are important. That's important information for you to know. And so, you know, we talked about some, you know, options there with regard to which way we go with the facilities and equipment levy portion, right? Um, so I guess what I'd like to understand before January's meeting, so you have something before you that you feel comfortable with as a board is just what exactly are you wanting to see that look like? Do you want options before you? and then you make a decision between those options. Um, how would you like that to look? Because and my point in bringing this to you tonight was to give you something to think about and tell me then which way or maybe you just want me to prepare it either I you know different options that you can choose from >> and this will be coming at the study session first. >> No, this will be coming to the um finance committee but then January be coming to the business meeting. >> The business meeting. Okay. We don't have a study session before. Right. I'm >> okay. >> Can I? >> Yeah. Director >> um I just want to excuse me check my understanding here. So I'm trying to understand what some of my colleagues are asking for and what you're saying and it's it seems to me that when we say that we want to do something about the expenses, we can't do anything about the expenses right now because we're in that contract and those are not going to change until the RFP. And like you said, the only thing that you can do right now is really adjust how aggressive you are. But if you are more aggressive in lessening the expenses and raising the revenue, if you are correct about what those are. >> Yep. >> Then we're right back where we started when the budget is completed. Correct. >> That would be true. >> Yes. Now, if we're talking about $763,000, increasing the special education assumption, I could I could see doing it just there and leaving this transportation expenditure alone and balance the budget in that fashion. I just need you to know right now though, that's an estimate because I don't have final numbers from the state as to what that special ed money is going to look like. It's it it's there's components to it that when I called the state and I said how relying how much can I rely upon this number the response I heard was you have to make sure your actuals that you have in Cedra are accurate and then from there it's all about the tuition billing and how that works well tuition billing is dependent upon the your rate per student by disability and it's dependent upon all of the students that might be served elsewhere and what they calculate at the state level as to what is our share share and what is somebody else's share. So, it's not something I can get my hands on and really understand exactly where that's going to go. I have to trust from historic as to like where that might land and based on where that might land. I think there's room for me to do the 763 in increase in revenue and still be okay. But it's it's an assumption change. >> Director France. Um, now we have to discuss the cross subsidy >> uh and the percentage difference because we do not get the revenue in from the state from what I understand of what it actually costs to legally and mandatorily service the special education uh community. Um, so we're constantly getting less revenue in there than expenses are by design, by law, by statute right now by the formula that has been passed. So no matter what, we're never going to be able to balance the special education um expenses to the revenue we receive from the state. And with the federal decreases also, that makes it what I understand all the worse. Um so the only way we could do that would be to take money out of other general fund in order to subsidize it. Hence the cross subsidy. So we're constantly playing catch-up. There's no such thing as balancing the budget in that area. Um, and we're already into, as has been stated, we've already cut the budget quite a bit to the point where we we can barely I mean, our budget priorities are limited uh to basically maintain at this point only certain aspects because we simply are not getting the revenue in. So, we can't increase revenue. We can just report actual numbers >> and then hope the formula helps us. based upon the variations in the type of disability, but we're never going to be funded 100% for that. So, we're always going to be under um that's the I think that's the confusing part that isn't really being understood here is there's no such thing as balancing a special education budget because it's never been fully funded >> and you're always going to receive that revenue after the fact. Exactly. So, there's always that piece. >> Right. So, I hear you asking uh Director Ryder what the board is asking for you to present and I think um I guess that's what we as a team need to give her >> for me for a corrective action plan. I I would you know we we can't I understand we receive more revenue 3.4 per million additional revenue across subsidy but that is being you know it's basically being applied towards transportation and instructional support services and other areas really not a lot of it is special ed um a corrective action plan in my opinion is cutting expenses I realize that that is a very difficult discussion and that we don't want to have it but that's the reality right so um what does that look like do we have I mean we can reduce expenses is we it involves cutting whether it's um staff or services or transportation or I don't know what that looks like. That's my ask right to understand what that looks like to come forward with a balanced budget. So, the question, if I if I'm hearing you correctly, is um if we were to do that corrective action, cutting expenses, what could that look like before January? >> Is that I mean, >> what could we plan to cut through the end of the year? Is that >> that's one of the scenarios you would like for me that would be helpful. >> Is that even a possibility? I would like to understand is that a possibility >> or what do you just spend less on? >> Yeah. Well, it's it's going to be a spend less because I mean we have staff on contracts who are contracted for the year, you know, so unlike uh you know for-profit business is a little bit a little bit different. Um but yeah, it's it's a matter of where would we spend less or make other percentage reductions across other non-staffing budget line items. >> That's really the only areas that we >> are there things we haven't purchased yet. Maybe it's the pilot curriculum. Do we hold off or you know I don't know. I'm just you know whatever that looks like. I'd be curious. >> I think the question I have and I don't I don't know if any you know Dr. Thomas or do director Ryder if you if you could answer it is in in midyear is it you know we do have contracts that we you know and most of our expenses are our staff members are contracts. So I'm I'm help us understand is this even a possibility? >> Well it's it well anything's possible. um you know I and I'm not trying to be facitious I mean anything is possible um there it's a matter of um just what ancillary supports and then tempered outcomes are we going to expect when we reduce areas that's that's what's going to happen. So um is it possible we can find $763,000? Um, yeah, it's possible and that's going to come with the cost of um eliminated or significantly reduced service and support into the schools into the district. So that's the challenge that we're in and I think director France speaks to that is that we are at that shoestring place and so um >> yeah I'll just leave it there >> and with that too you know our the um outcomes that we keep asking for right the outcomes that we want to see we have to understand that um in doing one thing it will affect another. And so, um, I think that information helps us make an informed decision. If we do approve a budget, here's the trade-off, right? Or, >> right. >> So, for me, that would be >> I would say understanding. I mean, right now, we're not following policy. Two of our policies as a board, we're not following policy. I don't feel comfortable with that. It also doesn't align with our strategic plan where we heard loud and clear during the meetings um, a year ago that we live in a fiscally conservative community. And we saw that with the city levy fail and we saw it with the previous levy fail. And um our community expects us to optimize our resources per our strategic plan. And so I just have a really hard time. I would love to know, you know, what what does that look like? Um if we were to find $763,000, what does it mean? I understand your concern and I understand your concern um chair bullion of that every dollar um has an impact but what does that look like to me it's about priorities and you know can we find 700 and whatever it is um what it what is it and so that we as a board can have that discussion um and then we would be operating I would feel very differently if we had a positive fund balance like we have had in the past but we're in a very different space with it being under our fund balance policy and that's why I think it's important to that and before we approve this revised budget especially because the additional funding we received and I would say we have fewer students so those special those special ed students that you talk about director France we may not have those students that we received the funding for we may not have as many of those students in our district I'm not saying that's true but I'm just saying there's a lot There's a lot that's where we need your help to bring that information forward. >> Keep in mind that um increasing revenue or decreasing expense or some combination to show a bottom line zero balance of revenues equal to expenditures will effectively bring the 7.3% that I currently have identified in the proposed revised budget up to about that 7.8%. you're still going to be below the 8%. Otherwise, you have to go deeper or you have to um be open to the concept of potentially using that subtraction of the facilities and equipment bond levy coming from operating capital and being a negative balance until we get to next year where it's restored with the proceeds from the sale of this building. >> Ask a quick question on that actually too. >> Yep. If let's say worst case scenario we didn't sell the building this year and we had a negative balance like how long can that be negative? Is that could that carry into the following year? We would we would need to take action in the next year. I don't know if it allows for two years or if it's just the one year I'd have to check on statute on that one. >> Okay. I'm curious. >> Is that the statutory operating debt that we would be going into? >> It's not statutory operating debt. It's a negative balance for operating capital. um it just allows some opportunity to restore it, >> right? >> With it being negative that not many of our fund balances that are restricted allow for that. >> That's one that does >> I mean hopefully that wouldn't be the case but isn't I was just reading this recently. Isn't statutory operating debt like 2% on fund bal unassigned fund balance. I mean, we're not >> statuto operating debt. Statutory operating debt is an entirely different formula and it is not operating capital necessarily, >> but that unassigned fine balance is like >> yes, it has to do with that >> versus where we're at. We're I mean, granted, we're not far, but um that's why I'd like I think it's really important to have that corrective action plan. Um, I think like I know everyone's given their is there a way that we can try and combine maybe a little bit of everything. I know that's probably the worst answer to it, right? But is there a way that we can >> Well, that that was a combination thereof comment that I just made a second ago. And and so >> so again, yeah. Yeah. So to your question, Director Johnson, we could say adjust the special ed um expenditure forecast slightly. We could adjust the capital um reserves slightly um and then look for additional reductions in spending less elsewhere throughout the district. So yeah, you could kind of >> put a couple of to reduce the 763, right? Can can we look at 250, right? and maybe maybe start there and that's a goal, right? And see what that gets us to and maybe that's not enough, right? And and you're going to have your finance meeting tomorrow and I know you guys will probably spend an abundance of time on this discussion tomorrow. Um, you know, our community is there and you know, their voices should be heard. >> Um, >> any other any other input director said or >> Yes. Um the director writer um our fund balance policy is based on actuals. Correct. >> The policy is a guide for when doing your budgets and your actuals you want to be you know are they meeting that policy or not. So when I propose a revised budget or an adopted budget, I try to state whether or not approval of this budget will be within policy exceeding it below what where does it stand, right? And so as we talked about, currently we're at about a 7.3%. Um, and when calculating that, I'm using it off the expenditure budget, but when it comes to the audit, they're going to take the unassigned fund balance and divide it by the actual expenditures. >> Okay. I think that's really important. >> Yep. to keep in mind um as we go through this process. Um I look at you know what we looked at last time when we were kind of discussing you know something like this that staff is seeing a lot of different standards coming down. Um and you know we have rigor you know as one of our priorities in our strategic plan. Um, and then, you know, we're looking at other districts that have, you know, the MTSS staff and the interventionists, and we we don't have that. So, I don't, it's, you know, we cut into muscle before, we cut into bone before. Um, it's just, it's, oh gosh, it's so unfortunate, you know, to see, well, I just don't think the answer is just to cut for the sake of cutting. And I know I know I know that that our job is to look at this stuff. I get that. Um I just I just have a a real problem with that. And I you know they were not abiding by policy and I get it. But to say like you know are we doing something unlawful or something like that? I mean I I don't think that's correct. um not with a clean audit, not with you know the awards that we've gotten. I think if we were not abiding by policy, we'd know it. Um so it's it's yeah it's I don't think the answer is just to cut for the sake of cutting. >> Well, I think um if I may, we have spent a lot of time on that. I appreciate all that the the team has given today and all your work with bringing the um uh the information forward. Director Ryder, I think um there's been a sentiment to um be before we make a decision in January to um bring us options to look at. Um and what that exactly looks like, I don't know. But I think that um for the sake of time and the sake of tonight's meeting um unless there's any anything that someone is burning to say uh we'll move to the next agenda item. All right. Thank you so much. Uh, our next agenda item is our 2627 budget pri priorities. And I will entertain a motion to um to accept those as in our board packet. >> So by director Atinson by director Mason. Discussion. hearing and seeing none. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. That carries 70. Uh, next up on the agenda is our open enrollment. Prior Lake Savage Area Schools welcomes non-resident students through Minnesota's open enrollment program. We welcome their contribution to our community of learners. For uh school year 2627, we have capacity and are accepting applications for open enrollment up until January 30th of 2026. Prior Lake Savage Area Schools may admit your child after this deadline if there is capacity. Board approval of ex accepting open enrollment applications for 2627 is requested. Um, I will entertain a motion to um approve open enrollment for the 26 and 27 school year >> by Director Olstead. >> Second >> and a second by Director France. Uh, Director Ryder, do you have anything to share? Okay. Um, is there any discussion or questions? Um my only question is is as we um well first of all can we get an update on what our open enrollment numbers look like currently um for this year as far as numbers. >> We are in the process of working with our current open enrollment to identify their um school they would be assigned to for the next year. So that's where that's at. Open enrollment for new enrolles will open up. I think it's mid December, but it's not yet. So, we're trying to in I think it's December 11th. And so, we want to deal with the existing open enrollments and make sure that there's for K5 um their identified location and then um as we receive new applications, then we would identify from there exactly where the openings are that we can best fill um their needs. That was like actually my second part question, but um so thank you for answering that. My first question though, let me clarify. How many students do we currently open enroll given our October 1st numbers? >> Um, I can look that up, but I don't have it off the top of my head. >> Okay. Sorry, I should have sent that into you. But um I think given the um the building consolidation that we're doing, I would just love get to better to get a better understanding if if we do need to look at open enrollment by school and do we need to look at perhaps closing open enrollment for a particular campus. Um I would just like to better understand. >> Sure. Well, we can get the actual number, but I will tell you um as we shared with you the uh with the Westwood campus getting redistributed, um our highest threshold with including our currently open enrolled families was around 85% fill rate. So, we have room in all of our campuses. Now, there will be certain grade levels. So, we just met with our elementary team last week, and there will be certain grade levels that are higher or lower than others. And so as we typically do, we will sometimes close a grade level because we're at our discussion cap and things of that nature, but generally speaking, we're sitting at about, you know, no higher in one of our campuses at 85% uh fill rate and lower in every place else currently. So there is space >> and as of December 1st, that number is 1531 districtwide. >> 1531 open enrollment >> 1531. Yep. Any other questions or comments? All in favor of accepting open enrollment? >> I I >> I >> opposed. That passes 70. Next up on the agenda is the future operating levy discussion. We will be begin discussion surrounding a future operating levy. Dr. Thomas. >> Uh thank you, Chair Bullian. and board tonight is is not going to get into the uh the details of a potential referendum yet. Really, what I'm seeking from the board is um is the board's desire to um have our team move forward with bringing forth a proposal to to the board for its consideration. Um and just some early thinking for you all to be considering is the timing of when that conversation uh could happen. You've seen this here uh in the past and so I'm just bringing it forward. But some one of the things that you'll notice that is different here is that you'll see that um the May 12th and August 11th options um are a mailon ballot. Um we can't do an in-person voting um on a operating levy. If it were capital or something we could do that. Um, so the only time to do a standard kind of regular election would be November 3rd. There's obviously pros and cons with a variety of these different times and we've listed some of those preliminary ones here. May 12th, if we went um on a special election, um I I would say the biggest con there um is the fact that we would bear the cost of that special election entirely because there's nothing else that would be happening at that time. um in addition to the fact that it's mail only. Um and and I don't I don't want to make I don't want to say that's a con. I'll just say it's it's different for our community or for communities to do a mail-in ballot compared to what a standard regular election is um in our community. So that's just something to consider. August 11th um very similar to May 12th. Um it's also a mail-in only. Um the uh difference there is that that's going to happen during a primary election and so some of those costs would uh be shared compared to bearing that all on our own. And so that would be an advantage for uh the August uh date. And then obviously November 3rd is going to be our general election. Um and the great thing about that is that there will be lots on the ballot. So that cost would be shared um significantly across other stakeholders. Um, and I would say maybe conversely is that there's a lot on the ballot. And so, um, our question may get lost, if you will, um, and in a lot what's set to be a pretty noisy election in terms of a busy ballot. So, um, I just wanted to get a sense from the board tonight. one, is this a conversation that the board is interested in entertaining by way of us bringing forth um a conversation uh beginning next January um with the board and two if there's any particular timing um or if you would like to see options of time um you kind of see the the timelines there accordingly um but uh would is there a time frame that um you would like us to focus in on so that's what I would be seeking tonight primarily yes Michael go forth and build out a referendum uh plan for us to consider or no that's what I would like to have action on and then we can incorporate the various timings you know as well >> and in order for us to um gain the um consensus from the board um I don't know if there's if if we go around the table if there's any uh comments or or questions that you have in it um but then I think if we just go around on the table saying thumbs up or thumbs down or or >> this would be a vote to bring it forward in in a in a formal presentation for January. >> Okay. So, we're taking a vote to to bring forward. >> I'm asking for board action tonight to to direct me to work with our team to bring that forward. >> Okay. Very good. So, I entertain a motion for it. Okay. I will entertain a motion to bring forward the future operate operating levy. >> So, made >> Thank you. Can I ask a clarifying question? Um, because aren't we determining the date tonight if it's May, August, or November, or is that come back? >> What I >> I could come back with that. What I'm really looking for is >> are we going to move forward? >> Does the board have an interest? >> Um, otherwise, we're not going to spend the time in doing it. >> Okay. Okay. >> I think for that discussion, it would be really helpful to understand the cost difference between the three like how much are we talking? I have no idea. Well, when >> that would be something that would >> Okay, perfect. >> Okay. Any other >> I just have a question, a clarifying question for the August 11th because that will be um an in-person election for the primary. Does does the second bullet po bullet point mean that we can do a mail-in ballot or do we have the option for it to also be on the ballot with the primary? Is that an either or? No, that's that's that that's an only um according to when we talked with our attorneys and looking at the statute that if we're running an operating levy outside of the general election of November, then that's a mail-in ballot option only. If it were if it were a capital Yep. Yeah. So, I mean, we're we're continuing to talk with folks to get interpretation kind of like Mr. Powers as he kind of shook up a few folks to really understand. Um but from what we're learning as of today, this is the continued consensus that we're hearing from folks in terms of our ability to um do a standard election versus a male mail. >> Is that how we did in the past or is that a change in statute? >> Uh so there is a change in in statute and I think what we did in the past was not an operating it was a different it was bonds and okay >> we combine the operating with the bonds each time. So >> yeah, and the only time where the operating failed in the bond one because we had it separate was when we had a mothball red tail ridge for a year. >> Any other questions or discussion? Uh should we do roll call vote for this? >> It doesn't. No, I think >> no. Okay. All in favor? >> I opposed. That passes 70. Uh next up is the school calendar. A draft calendar was presented to the board at the November 24th study session. The calendar committee has met and reviewed the board suggestions. A new draft calendar will be presented and board action is requested tonight. So, I will entertain a motion to accept the uh um presented school calendar, the 2627 school calendar. So made >> also made by director Mason. >> Second. >> Second by director Olad. Um, Director Catherine. >> Good evening. Uh, Chair Boy and Superintendent Thomas and other directors. Yes, you have the calendar in there. And after the last meeting, there was some discussion around a few dates. Um, and as the calendar committee met, we had a very short timeline. um to have some discussions, but we uh did have some discussions and so I'll kind of go over some of those uh with you now. Uh one of the dates was uh January 4th and so we have now switched that to a student contact day. Um and basically then moved that day to the Wednesday uh before MEA to October 14th. Um when we decided to do that, one of the things in the initial calendar was um conferencing time during the day for our middle schools. And when we moved that, that was one of the discussions that we had to have. Um and even though it still is a priority that we would like to see that K through 8, um that will be reflected more on the middle school um when you start to see our 2728 proposals. So, we shifted back the middle schools to traditionally like where they are right now with the four evening conferences throughout the year. Uh, two in the fall and two in the spring. Um, the other date was around November 3rd. And, um, that one had a lot more conversation around it to where the um, committee really wanted to um, keep that as a non- studentent contact days. So we focused our conversations around um trying to look at that date and some of the conversations we had were operationally with kids co um shares that space or I shouldn't say shares the space but occupies the same general area as the election does the kids co group does. Um, also if uh weather had to have move recess inside um they would then be uh occupying the general same space as well along with the parking lot um uh with the with the traffic in there. And then the other thing that um the discussion was around was also that we are having people come into the building um in a different format or a different way than we would during any other days during the school year. You know, bringing proof of identification, those different kinds of things. So that's where it really uh went to. And then we did seek some, you know, feedback from the Red Tail community. I understand that it's only one uh segment of the community. Um and asked them uh for some feedback there. And we did receive that. And pretty much just like any other calendar survey, it was uh I wouldn't say split down the middle. It was about 6040. You know, the families um asking that the board um make that a non- studentent contact day. Um along with the staff as well. that one was more overwhelmingly the staff would like to see that as a non- studentent contact day. Um so those were the main things that we talked about on the committee. Then um as much of you are probably aware there was some um voice in our community in regards to spring break and where that week was falling for spring break. So we did have some discussions around that. what you see on the draft um has moved spring break kind of back to its traditional week I'd say in this community from what I understand. Um but I do want to share with the board some concerns that the committee does have by doing that. So, uh, one of the drafts that came out showed the, um, end of third quarter, um, previously to spring break, which is, you know, fairly common that, uh, Thursday is the last day of third quarter and then Friday is a is a grading day. If we kept that format, then you're looking at your third quarter at 37 instructional days, which to run a quarter class is extremely difficult with curriculum and all those different kinds of stuff to run a quarter class on 37 37 days, which would then extend to your fourth quarter as well. So now your fourth quarter would go to 47 days. So that was a concern of the committee. So then the discussion was b going back to trying to balance um the quarters and what you have in front of you would balance the quarters by basically moving um the end of third quarter to April 8th um with the grading day on the 9th with the which would start the fourth quarter on April 12th which it would have originally with the spring break of April 5th through the 9th. The concern from the committee with doing this is that you're going to have students going on spring break and then some of them having to come back and and go right into some sort of testing for potentially some of the different classes and things like that. So that really wasn't you know uh you know a huge um desire for the committee but we at least wanted to show you what that spring break would look like and then give you kind of what we felt would be the ramifications if we did move that spring break. The only way to kind of somewhat solve some of these would be one to originally go back to the April 5th through 9th and then you would still have that Thursday prior be the last day which would um be the first and then the grading day on the second which was where the original spring break was slotted. Um another option, you know, would be to um move that spring break, you know, even earlier um to then allow for more time after they return from spring break before testing. Um, we've tal we talked about that as a committee and one of the things that I shared was that some of the requests from the community was to have that same spring break as some of our surrounding districts which most of them do have that last week in March moving into that first week in April. So by shifting our spring break earlier then we would kind of not be still in line with some of our surrounding communities. So, um, and then the other, of course, the other avenue, which we've already, uh, chosen to start after Labor Day, would of course be starting before Labor Day, which would then allow you to have the same amount of days in your quarters and still align that spring break towards the end of March. But that's where we wanted to share with what putting that spring break back or putting that spring break at the end of March into that little bit of April would do and then the concerns that the committee would have with that. Um outside of that, uh we still were able to keep our elementary conferencing, uh which was a priority of the committee, um to allow them, um their time to have some of the conferencing time, um during the day as well. Director Catherine, am I correct in um my hearing of the Okay, so in our board packet for today for tonight, the um the draft number two, the that we're looking at with spring break, the the committee is concerned about the spring break as listed here. >> That's correct. Okay. Um and so we as a board would be looking at pot possibly a um you gave a couple scenarios of what that might look like. >> Yes. I mean to my understanding you you know we could still sit here and say tonight as the board you could say let's just put the spring break at the 5th through 9th and adopt the rest of the calendar with moving that with with moving that spring break. Um, we just we understand what the community was saying. So, we wanted to try to give something along those lines of what some of those people in the community were asking, but also share the concerns by doing that. >> Okay. Any can I just a question? >> Absolutely. >> Because I have the printed copy, too, and then I pulled it up on board book and the 9th is actually an additional now non-school day, staff development day, which probably you don't have in your printed. So, that's why I was wondering. So, did we move that day from somewhere? So, >> April 9th, >> that's always >> Yeah, that would have been I mean it's that that next Friday is always a is is the grading day. And so, that would have been moved from if >> if we would have kept the 5th through the 9th. That would have been Friday the um the 2nd. >> So, the first would have been the last the first would have been the last day of the quarter and the second would have been the grading day >> and then spring break would have been the 5th through the 9th. What's different FYI on here than you have printed? >> Yeah, thank you. >> Yeah, I I just looked at that. >> So, April April 9th is what's different. >> So, in our printed copy, it's showing the 25th being the last day of the quarter and the 26th as a day, non- studentent day, and now it's the 8th and 9th. >> Yes. So, the the original one that the original one that got uploaded, that's the one that we did at first say, okay, the 25th as the end, the 26th. Then the discussion became around that's where we were only going to have 37 37 quarter days on that in that third quarter and it was just to the point to where we just did not think that that would be fair to the quarter classes. So we corrected it, you know, after some discussion and then uploaded the new one with going back to the 8th and 9th. But then once again the discussion around that is you're going to be having students come back from a spring break moving into some sort of potential testing for some classes and stuff like that. And they don't have families don't have that Friday off before spring break to make it an extra correct like day essentially >> in order. Yeah. The only way to get that is by is by tagging it as the end of the quarter where you'd be shortening your your days down to 37. I personally um would like to see what's in the best interest of the students education and coming back from a weekl long break right into quarter you know midterms basically for them is probably not the best environment. >> Um I understand that there's a you know we have a fairly large community and we probably heard from like 12 13 people I believe you had to respond to them. So I think it was about that many about that. That's that's I I understand that they were that they were adamant about going someplace, you know, warm when it was still cold here, that sort of thing. But if it does if it if if that's not a lot of people and uh also we have to do our job is to do what's in the best interest of the students education. Uh not necessarily um for a vacation time for individual families. So, I would prefer that we do what the staff recommends. It's in the best interest of the students. >> I think what's interesting is that you you got the the emails that that we got and the spring break was moved, but almost every one of those mentioned in some way the random days in the middle of the week, i.e. November 3rd not being taken off. So I understand that you you pulled red tail but and then director France mentions the best interest and the education of our children a random day in the middle of the week. If we're going to talk about the best interest education of our children, we're we're we're talking about a very small community of our children. if we have to look at it from the whole, we have to look at it from the whole. And that doesn't make sense to me for for one day in the middle of the week. And Dr. Thomas said the last time the concerns that the committee is bringing up are all addressed with the the staff being there and and everyone else being there. and there's not been a concern safety-wise that that he's heard about. And please correct me if if I if I'm wrong because everyone is is there on on election day. >> Yeah, that that is that is true. I think I think the piece that the committee discussed is that u we have um the one difference that day that I think kind of warrants the concern is we have um lots of members from our community coming in without being screened like we typically have. Um so they're coming into a contained area but there's no we have no idea of who's coming into the building and I think that's the concern that was expressed. Um, but yes, since I've been here, um, thankfully we have not had an issue. Um, and >> how long have we held elections in that building? >> Martha, you might know, you've been here 2018. >> Before that, it actually was Glendale and then they built McCall Pond. So that precinct >> and then >> I mean that's maybe the answer is rather than and and I agree with you 100% director France, but I also agree with you like for if we're concerned and I agree like going on spring break and then coming back and expecting kids to test just is like a massive disaster in my head. But it also relates to November 3rd, you you're creating that disruption to the learning environment as well. And if you look at where November 3rd lies, that's the end of the quarter again. So, um I I think ultimately we have to do what's best for students. We've always had this strange random late spring break. Is it time to maybe look at bringing it up into like March? I don't know what the answer is. Spring break's tricky. There's sports. There's a lot of things. I get that. Um I'll be honest with you, I wasn't here when you guys all voted on the calendar, but I would have been an advocate for starting before Labor Day. And I don't know if that's if that is the option to go back and look at that, but it seems like the starting after Labor Day has created like a compile of different issues. Um especially particularly pertaining to the spring break. So um that's my feedback. I I don't support this calendar as is. I will have a very I I just can't vote for it. I I think it's just got a lot of a lot of concerns that that ultimately impact um our students learning. And I would say with the spring break and just the comments that we've we've gotten and especially because a lot of those are you know individuals who live in our district who are also teachers in neighboring districts who want to try and match up right. We're trying to take into consideration all those and you know it's it's not a whole lot of people but matching our neighbor districts right is an important thing because more things are planned >> right like that with families. Um we should maybe take a second look at going a week before Labor Day. >> That would probably be the best thing for us to do. I know you had mentioned uh director Catherine just some of the challenges of the calendar coming later than normal and with the senior cabinet all of the things that you know how we've gotten to where we are today. I guess the question then is how do we how do we best move forward if if we're looking at um if we're not uh liking the the draft that is brought to us in this board packet um with the concerns how do how do we move forward um and I would appreciate the >> I have a question um >> director Coin can you repeat the displacement issues with November 3rd because um I heard it and and and I I think we went right back to ignoring not just the safety issues but also the issue with Kids Co. and a few other things that were going on in the school. The operational concerns about the displacement at Redtale Ridge that day and the fact that I believe we still need not just the end of quarter but the conference day for the staff development anyways that day. So I'm not quite sure. I mean that's what I heard. So um could you just repeat that so I so I'm >> director France I just I I I go ahead and please answer. I think the question I'd like to hear is why can't it be >> I asked a question please. I would appreciate an answer without being interrupted. Thank you. >> Yeah. So yes, it was shared that Kids Co. occupies um the same general area as where the elections are, I believe. And you'll have to forgive me, I don't know the school very well, but the cafeteria, I believe, is across the hall from from the gym where the voting takes place. And so Kid Kid Kidco occupies that area. And then if there was, you know, a reason to have to have recess indoors that day, they would then have to occupy the cafeteria, um you're having lunch in the cafeteria, um as well. So then also the operational part of the parking lot with the additional traffic um in the parking lot as well as um like do like like Dr. like Dr. Thomas said the, you know, the concern of having people enter the building that is different than we do at all the other days um of the year with without validating credentials and those different kinds of things. Um in regards to um this would be a full PD day um across the board um um for all all staff where it would vary as elementary would be using this also as some sort of um time to then be starting to they get time to prepare for the conferences the following week. So then that was built into this day for them as well. And so we would need in general when we stopped the half days and went to the full days some we would have to have one day there no matter what. And the question is is is you know I have two questions. How was this handled? Um and that's why and and I believe Redill Ridge was used in the last major election also. So I'm not quite sure how it was handled then. It's been used since I've been here and I can speak to with the four years that I've been here. >> Um, it's been a it's been a polling site and my very first year here I heard some of the concerns about the usage and and running simultaneously, having school run simultaneously. And so we've made a commitment as a senior leadership team to have coverage um at that proximal door where the election um community community uh folks would come in for the election um while there could be another that could be roaming the holes as well. So that's how we've managed that since I've been there. And um in terms of an offer to offset some of the concerns that were brought forward that I learned of my first year. Well, I remember it got changed right when you came on board. We just Yeah. So, we've really only had one, >> right, >> major major election. So, that's why I was concerned about, you know, this is this is also coming from the concerns that happened in our first experience using Red Tail Ridge as a polling location. That's I'm just trying to understand that. >> Yeah. So, the day would have to get shifted someplace else. I mean we would have to then reallocate that day probably somewhere you know um before um that 12th date where the elementary would be doing some conferencing on the 12th and 13th. >> So basically the committee is trying to kill two birds with one stone there >> somewhat. Yes. Okay. Yep. >> Well and I don't see a I I don't see you know when we talked about at our study session trying to remove some of the middle of the week. this is one of them. And given the committee's feedback of having this be a PD day, um I guess where I'm standing, I don't I don't have a problem with that stating, you know, coming from what the committee feedback was. Um there the I didn't recall an overwhelming complaint regarding the November 3rd date from from emails that came in. Um so I don't think that that's the thing that we're questioning. Um, yeah, I would argue that, but >> well, we have to figure out how to how to move forward in approving whether we need to make any kind of adjustment to what's brought forward and what that might look like. Um, Director Smith, >> I just want to ask a question. Is it feasible at all to go back and have it start before Labor Day or have we passed the Rubicon on that? >> It's a great question. Um, you know, just from quickly I was talking with director writer as well. Um, that will would require, you know, all enrollments to be revised and that's going to be likely contracted for a fee um to adjust the start date of those enrollments. Um, and the other just comments that I had was because I emailed you about this. Um, and yeah, the November 3rd date, there's only been one major election there. If there is I work in a world of risks and that is just not a risk that I'm comfortable taking, having that school open on an election day given the political climate that we are in. Um, if there's something that is preventable, I think we can easily prevent something from happening. Um, not saying that it's a certainty, but it's a chance and it's a chance that I'm not willing to take. Um, so I am supportive of of having that November 3rd day. I do um I do echo the sentiments of of director of France in yes there was a lot of feedback from the community um but it's not all of the community and I think we're doing a disservice to kids especially at the end of a quarter there having them go on spring break if they have to be studying if they have to be preparing um having them take that time off and then come back and get right into that just it it doesn't seem doesn't seem fair. So, I would I would advocate for moving that spring bake back to where it was. >> Dr. Al, >> um I think uh you know, moving this back, you know, we looked at when we voted on this in the first place, either before or after Labor Day, you know, we were just looking at this 2026, 2027. Um, and then we're going to open it up, correct, for some feedback for the next year on if we want to do before or after. So, I advocate for keeping it as is. Um, November 3rd, I don't mean to be doomsday. I appreciate that. I app I really do appreciate senior leadership being on site. Um, I've also never been comfortable with that being a polling place. Um, not to be doomsday, but I we didn't think somebody would shoot through windows of a church either, and here we are. So, I'm not comfortable with kids eating lunch 20 feet away from um people who we again have not vetted coming into our school. Um, so I would advocate for keeping that there. Um, and then, uh, one final thought, I think, you know, moving spring break, um, while I appreciate we did get a lot of comments about, you know, sports and things like that and where that falls on the calendar and, you know, there's a lot of there's a lot of kids in sports and that affects that and I I truly understand that. Um, but what I'm struggling with too is the 37 and 47 days. um that's actually like taking that's asking our quarter teachers to kind of take something out of their curriculum and cut it down. Um and some of those quarter classes are not mandated but some of them are. >> And so I think you know cutting back that curriculum that's asking a lot and also not very equitable to the kids that take it at different times. So like if you take health in the first quarter you're good. if you take it second quarter or third quarter, it's going to look very different for you versus the the kids before after you. So, I think that's not very equitable either. Um, so I wanted to raise that point, too. So, I think um and again, not a whole lot of time in between this first draft that we saw at our study session and then now. Um, so I do appreciate the calendar committee coming together quickly um to look at, you know, an alternative or another option. Um, so I guess in my mind I would make I would like to make a motion that we go back to the calendar we saw at our study session and approve >> that calendar. Director said that did not have the November 3rd date off. Did it? It did. It did. >> Yeah, it did. >> It did. >> The major difference was we had the extra conference day also which I think the teachers also wanted. you need >> you had me was that Wednesday was used as um some afternoon conferencing time at the middle school level and then that would have also had the January 4th. So um just that's what that that's what that calendar had on it. So >> thank you. Yes, good point. Thank you for that. Um I'm not going to die on the January 4th hill. Um, I like giving PD, you know, to our staff, especially with everything coming down and for reading and and all the different things and, you know, having, >> you know, teachers having to spend a lot of time, you know, in a lot of these trainings and I want to make sure that they're given time to do that and not necessarily their personal time. So, um, uh, thank you, Director Atinson. I I make a motion to amend the former motion. >> I know. I'm gonna need help. >> I need Yeah, I need a second. >> So, you're you're making a you're you're making a motion to amend the original, but to actually go to the first calendar or just to >> the first calendar in its entirety or with some of the revisions of the days? >> I'll go with the entirety. >> Okay. I have a question about that too, but I know that um Director Mason had her hand up. So, >> I think we need to get a second to proceed with this amended motion. I'm I'm I'm a Robert orderer. Sorry. >> Or else we're going to sit here all night and talk about this and I have we need to follow Robert in a board meeting. >> Okay. >> Do you have a second? >> Second. >> Okay. So, we have a first and a second. Martha discussion amendment >> on the amendment. >> Okay. >> If I may comment on Yeah. everything. Um I I mean I appreciate the spring break too. I obviously it'd be nice to do that earlier, but I I agree we need to um put our students first and um it's not ideal having um that split up and having them come back for testing. Um I still am not a fan of the November 3rd date. think it's extremely disruptive to families and um especially students with disabilities and they thrive on routine and consistency and when you break that up midweek it's very very hard um so that I I'm not a fan of that day not supportive of that still um you know I would love to see that move to a Monday or Friday um or I think I had mentioned this in email too I was just looking at neighboring districts calendars and surprised I think we have um less student contact days than most of the surrounding districts so I realize Those PD days for staff are extremely important, but I just kind of question, do we need all of them? Like is reducing one? What does that what does that look like in general? Um I think you know kind of the range we I saw in other districts was like 172 to 175 student contact days. So we were a couple less in most cases. >> They build snow days and many of those surroundings where where we don't build that capacity of the snow days and they also then >> they're okay. Um, yeah. So, that was my feedback. I'm not supportive of the third. Um, and I I fully appreciate the safety aspect. Um, correct me if I'm wrong, but those gym doors are locked. Like, those people can't get into the building, right? They have a separate entrance for voting. They don't come in through >> separate entrance to go into the gym, right? For for voting. you come into the the lower doors and on the on the main entrance on that lower by the cafeteria. There's a door to the left or I guess if you're looking at the building to the right of those main doors that's open for >> it's totally locked off from there to the the rest of the gym doors themselves are not locked. They're not lockable to you can push those bars you can push those bars open. >> Okay. Um yeah, I mean I I certainly understand the student safety aspect and want to make sure that we have that covered of course. Um I do know that like most of our private schools are also polling places and and that's not uncommon for schools to be polling places. So hopefully we can figure that out. But >> Mike's a polling place as well and so is Bethesda or >> we have several and St. Lutheran the Lutheran church as well. >> Yeah, I mean it's not ideal. I understand that >> I know other districts and I don't know about the St. Mike's and then but St. Some districts don't have school that day. They don't have students that day. >> That's true. >> Um so yeah, they might be polling places, but >> I didn't see that in any of our neighboring districts like the 10 around us. >> There are there are some that we >> Yeah. >> Um Burns Burnsville is a uh they use that day as an e >> remote learning. I think that >> they use that day as an e-learning day. Um Farmington has no students. Um and then yes, Lakeville has students. Um Jordan has students um and Shaka has students. Those are the five or six that I I double checked >> and I couldn't tell from I mean I believe Rosemount Egan Apple Valley they didn't have next year's calendar out but from this year it looked like they were um were a duty day. So our student >> our solution rather than impacting our students um ability to learn on that day to have an SRO and we have SRO's available in our district to have Jackie Stanny. She's our savage SRO, I believe, to have her available at that. You know, that to me was we're thinking we're thinking of solutions that are not impacting our students ability to learn on that day and create this disruption. Um I I mean, >> so I I appreciate the >> but I think we need to go back to the original motion of do we want to go back or her amended motion. Do we want to go back and look at the original calendar from the study session? And I think we need to vote on that. I had a question about the original calendar. >> Um, by moving January 4th to Martin Luther King Day, which is normally that's not is that normally a day off for teachers also? >> No. So they usually have a staff in service day then anyways. >> So um, so if we had January 4th, would they then have the 18th off? How how did that work? Cuz I was a little confused about that since now we moved the 4th to the 18th. >> I believe the calendar had both those days as in service, teacher inservice, which is one of the concerns. >> And and I know that it's >> okay. >> Okay. Because I wasn't sure if that was a full day. I know that we have activities that day and a few other things. I wasn't sure. Um, are we actually then giving up a PD day by removing the fourth or how did that >> No. No. Um, we just shifted the 4th to October 13th. >> That's what you said. Okay. So, that's the earlier day. Okay. >> Um, >> the October was did the committee talk about the fact that we had then one less day in the second semester. Was that an issue at all or I know that they wanted the fourth to be able to get, you know, from the reasons you stated at the study session. So, I'm just again I'm looking at why they wanted it that way to begin with and if we're losing something by not keeping it the original calendar as suggested in the motion. >> Yeah. I mean the fourth did not garner as much attention and discussion time uh as far as moving that as um like I said as the third did. So no there wasn't a lot of discussion around if we you know had one less semester day in the fourth and now we were adding that day back in. Um, I think everybody, you know, when we started talking about it and some of the feedback in regards to the fourth, I mean, u, yes, it would, it was it would be, you know, nice from a standpoint of allowing staff to come back and and having, you know, that be a professional development day and then and then bringing kids into the next day, but as as when we were trying to navigate a calendar, um, everybody also understood that that might just not be possible. So I guess >> yeah in the same in the same vein what about the extra conference day because I know that the discussion was that class sizes are large. We would still have the Tuesday but then giving them that extra day uh and MEA uh during the MEA day off or whatever um was going to potentially particularly since you've got parents that have kids in elementary, middle, and high school. >> Yeah. the um the extra conferencing time was only at the elementary level because um with how we were structuring it um to to incorporate the potential for more students in those at the secondary. It wasn't um it still would have been the same amount of conferencing time as they have right now. It was just shifting those conference times to getting rid of an evening um time frame and then moving that into the afternoon. So none of the conference times uh we uh even on that first draft there wouldn't have been additional conference time at the secondary level or just mainly at the middle school level as what they're as what they're having currently right now. It was simply only at the elementary level that was going to have some additional um conference time. >> Okay. >> Chair Bowling, can we call the question please on the amendment? >> Sure. Call the question. >> No. Can we call the question? Oh, we need a second on that please. >> Question. >> Oh, okay. >> To stop discussion >> to stop. Very good. So, we will now go to voting on the >> We need to vote on calling the question. >> Okay. >> Okay. So, we will vote on calling the question. We have a first. We have a first and a second for that. I didn't write down who they were. >> I asked to call the question, please. Okay. >> On the amended motion >> and Johnson. Okay. Call to question and we'll vote take a vote on the call to question. >> All in favor? >> I >> opposed. I >> Okay, that passes 70. Next we will um enter we will vote on the amended um motion. >> The amended motion if we could repeat that is to um to to to accept the original calendar as presented in the study session of November um I think it was 22nd >> 24th I think. >> 24th. Okay. >> All in all in favor I I I opposed. Nay. >> Okay, that passes 43. >> 43. >> 43. Sorry. >> 43. That passes 43. Moving on. Um, next we will be um I will entertain a motion for the combined uh polling place resolution. Uh, as the board passed a special resolution in August of 2025 to combine the Savage polling locations for our special election, it is recommended that the board adopts the original combined polling locations, San Creek and Cedar Lake Townships as follows. >> Think Thank you. >> Oh, yeah. Sorry, Director Thomas. >> Thank you, Chair >> Dr. Thomas. It's okay. >> Can you tell that I'm completely flustered over all of that? That's okay. Um, yeah, just want to I won't read the resolution. You have it in here, but just the key thing that I read every year is at the combined polling place at Spring Lake Township Hall at 2381 Fairlon Avenue in Prior Lake, Minnesota, 55372. Um, that's just what I want to make sure I call out, but the resolution, you know, reads as is submitted that we do each year. >> Does it need to be read through? >> No, I don't I don't ever read in its entirety. >> Okay. Uh, so I will entertain a motion for the combined polling place resolution. >> So made >> so made by Director Smith and a second by Director France. >> Um, any discussion? >> All in favor? >> I It's a roll call. >> Roll call. That's right. >> Thank you. Director Smith. >> Got it. >> Uh, I >> Director Johnson. >> I. >> Director Atinson. >> Hi. >> Director Olsen. >> I. >> Director France. >> I. >> Director Mason. >> I. And I that passes 70. Thank you everyone. Moving on to the UHL contract. I will entertain a motion to accept the UHL contract. So moved. >> Second >> by Director Olad and seconded by Director Johnson. The contract with UHLHL for replacing an obsolete and no longer repairable building automation system was presented at the November study session for a for first read. Um, Director Powers, do you have anything that you want to add? >> There's any questions? I can answer them, but I don't think there's anything. >> Is there any questions or comments? >> Yeah, I have a question. After learning more about the um statute that we discussed earlier this evening for purchase orders over 25,000 um regarding the statute that basically said that we were supposed to have um two bids sealed bids solicited by public notice and subject to the particular requirements of the governmental subdivision. Um >> there is an exception for that and that's when we use state contracting pricing >> and that's written in statute. >> Yes. >> Okay. Thank you. Any other discussion >> for repeating that from the last meeting? >> I appreciate you repeating it, too, because I'm not sure everybody in our public understood it, especially after our conversation this evening. So, thank you. Appreciate that. >> Yeah. Thank you. All in favor of the UHL contract, say I. >> I opposed. >> That passes 70. Thank you. >> Uh, next up is the organizational meeting discussion. This is discussion of committee assignments in preparation for the organizational meeting in January. Uh board members, um you can expect that tomorrow I will uh be sending an email um to each of you. Uh please respond uh with your wishes for um for the board committees. Um what else? uh the roles of chair, vice chair and treasurer will also be determined via nominations and and voting at the organizational meeting. Is there any questions or um discussion regarding that hearing? And seeing none, uh we will move forward on the agenda. There are no policy items for today. Um and we will move into administrative reports. any >> I just have one in the uh in your board document there was a retirement so um we'd like to recognize the service of Lisa Ty retirement for 20 years as the health aid at Glendale um and I would like to read uh something that uh Kate Kyle our health services coordinator had sent uh that Lisa has formed countless meaningful relationships with students staff and families throughout her career. She has worn many hats in her life, but caregiver is perhaps the most fitting. She's often rushing after work to bring meals to friends or family, support a loved one, or volunteer at church. I can honestly say I feel like a better person simply being around her. Her calm, grounding presence fills every space she enters, especially at Glendale. So, we would just like to thank Lisa for her service. >> Thank you. >> Thank you so much. Thank you, Lisa. I I'm glad that you uh were able to honor her. Thank you. Um and any other no other administrative reports, board reports? Start with you, Director Mason. >> Um sure, not much. Uh looking forward to the uh finance committee tomorrow morning and we have a special advisory um committee meeting on the 17th next week. So, welcome Director France. Um we had the TAC uh discussion in which the majority of that time was spent discussing the reading curriculum for uh English learners in the secondary and we went over that curriculum in the same format that we did the um read act. Uh so that would help. um the scale the last scale meeting that you were at. Um the um leaders of scale all individually presented their legislative priorities to our legislators for this upcoming legislative session. Uh the two that concerned the school district the most was a plea to eliminate all unfunded mandates and uh actually reduce the number of mandates and leaving more local control. And the next one was a um uh part of that was also the discussion of pushing many of the um um normally state funded uh programs down to the local level also. Uh and that was a concern because of course nobody no one area no one county was the same. Um and then we have another scale meeting coming up this Friday um which will be pretty uh pretty impactful as well in the various areas that are coming down uh to our state. Everything from agricultural issues to uh uh to the impact of again our funding for uh waste management. >> Good Dr. said, >> um, let's see. Southwest Metro, um, of which I have, uh, the December meeting potentially, um, next week, but the November meeting, um, highlights the audit results. They're still working on those and those will be presented to the board on in January. Um, and we, uh, Southwest Metro also discussed its calendar. Um, for transparency's sake, they are starting before Labor Day. Um, so wanted to make uh put that out there. Um, and then um just super quick just there was a horrible fire in our community last night uh at a school and mosque. So a school is a school is a school. So um just wanted to extend what I'm sure is all of our um sympathies to that and um that you're in our thoughts. >> Yeah. So >> absolutely. >> Thank you for saying that. >> Yeah. Thank you, >> Director. >> Yeah, thank you. Um I had the pleasure of attending um the delegate assembly on Saturday with director Johnson and so I just want to give some um I'll try to give be brief with my highlights because it's late and um but basically the there was a couple there was some common themes um of course the mandates were talked about and I find it very interesting that we continue to hear this repeated theme whether it's from scale or AMSD or MSBA um of this request to fund unfunded mandates ates and we had a speaker come in Friday night who showed us a graph that what was it two since two my my memory is lacking me since 200 >> 2000 >> 2000 there was 30 unfunded mandates and now we have close to 80 unfunded mandates so I I have we hit the tipping point where our legislators will start to listen to our community that we're tired of this and we we are we're advocating for local control are we going to continue to add on um unfunded mandates um it seemed I will have to say at the delegate assembly that um school districts across the state are all singing the same thing and when there were some resolutions that were advocating for more unfunded mandates those resolutions fail resolutions failed. So that was encouraging. Um so there was um I will give this to Martha. I have a recap of every resolution that passed and every resolution that failed. Um and um there was some conversation about PSO. I will say I'm very proud to have voted no and it failed on a resolution that would have taken um opportunities away from our PSO students here in our district. So I'm very proud that that failed. Um, I am also proud that we are we did pass a resolution that is looking to reform Minnesota's PSO um because as a parent who has had two students, three students actually go through our PSO program, um the program's broken and it needs fixing and it's not um it's not a good program for our students and it's not a great program for our school districts from a funding standpoint. Um I will take I'll let you take the second half of that. But anyway, it was a great experience. I'm very proud. Um I'm both Director Johnson and I will be elected. We're on for two years now. So um I think the one thing that I found interesting and I um emailed Director Olstead earlier this morning is um as a school district we can bring resolutions to this process next year and um I'm really um excited to kind of dig deeper into that as a board to really um bring our voice to this process going forward because we didn't have any as a a district any resolutions this year. So I'm really excited about that process. So, >> Director Johnson. >> Yes. So, I'll I'll elaborate on just one or two more. We we did talk about some cyber security, some a some AI options, but I just wanted to cover that um the delegate assembly um covers all 333 school districts across the state of Minnesota. And there were 110 of us there. And basically what what happens now is the is that MSBA will take all of everything that passed and they're going to compile it and going to go advocate what's best on behalf of our students. And that's what we're and uh Director Atinson and I um have been discussing with Dr. Thomas, you know, how to enhance our own legislative agenda so that we're going along with AMSD and MSBA so that we're all maybe not necessarily on the same page, but that we can highlight, you know, what is happening in our district and it's we're we're correlating the same way. Um, so we're all preaching almost the same language, but we we now know what's going on and we can utilize those things and just enhance what we're trying to get across. And I think it's really great that what is being talked about in our district is, in my opinion, hitting all 333 districts >> across the state. It's it's clear as day. Um the only other things for me for me is um LABC and PAA are both coming up this week and next week. We also have uh policy Thursday. >> Oh my gosh, it's already here. >> Holy cow. Um Thursday. And if I may be so bold, um happy birthday to my kid, my daughter Rosalie. So it's her birthday. >> Happy birthday. >> Happy birthday. >> I haven't seen her all day today. So I went from work to here. So there we go. Thanks. >> Very good. Director Smith, >> I actually have stuff. So um uh I was able to visit uh Laola earlier today for my site visit. Um, so I got to tour the building and meet a lot of great teachers and see a lot of great students learning and engaging in the material and um, talked to the principal. Uh, some of the things that they're working on based on student feedback and um, and parent feedback was um, being able to send more positive communication home and making sure that that's a focus. And then also um, making sure that they uh, are getting students uh, in front of more adult leaders in the class or throughout the school. So, they're doing community classrooms, um, which I thought was really nice and really cool, but I don't have anything else. >> Good. Thank you. Future events. Uh, they include um the school board and the executive team retreat coming up on December 16th at 5:00 at the at here at the DSSE. There is no school for grades E through 12 December 22nd through January 2nd for winter break. We're wishing all the families a wonderful break. Uh January 5th, classes resume. January 12th will be a school or school school board organizational meeting at 5:30 followed by a regular business meeting at 6:00 p.m. So now I will entertain a motion to adjourn the meeting and transition into close session. by director Johnson and a second by director Smith. All in favor? >> I >> opposed. Meeting is adjourned.