Carroll County, MD Board of County Commissioners Open Sessions, 11 Jan 2023

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: Board of County Commissioners and Board of Education Joint Meeting January 11, 2023

Description

https://www.carrollcountymd.gov

A

uh uh The commitment to service of our community and our quality of life, uh which goes.

A

No further well starts at uh at the school system. Really you know, and so whatever we can.

A

Do to partner- and I appreciate the joint mean we had a few weeks ago or a month or whatever it was.

A

Go uh joint meeting between the board of education, the board of county commissioners. uh Maybe I was.

A

Doing one there and the board of legislators uh yeah, but that was a really well performed well.

A

Done meeting regardless of what I say about mr burke, but that's okay, he did a great job.

A

It just gives me opportunity to mess with mr perk. um Where is he there? You are okay, that's.

B

Your limitations is up. No, I don't know, I got a couple more digs in there. So uh so again uh you.

A

Know uh thank you for uh attending. We. I will do this to quality it's at 1pm. I do know you have a.

A

Closed session at three, so that gives us about an hour and 57 minutes. But with that, why don't we.

A

Start with any opening comments, and I'm president or superintendent on behalf of the board, I would.

C

Like to thank the commissioners for hosting this meeting today, I know we all have very.

C

Busy schedules, but it is really important for both of our boards to come together.

C

To discuss the issues we are facing from our conversations we have been having- and I know.

C

Ms mccabe has been with talking with ted, like I think at least four occasions, with his team and.

C

Our team, I'm very optimistic that we can build and maintain a very successful working relationship.

C

I think the key to this is making sure that we have open communication with each other and we.

C

Look forward to many more productive meetings and we need to keep these quarterly meetings.

A

Okay, absolutely- and I would just add to um what president herbert said that today we mainly want.

D

To focus on the impact that we're seeing under the blueprint for maryland's future, the blueprint is.

D

Changing the way our funding works, it's changing the work of our school system as we implement the.

D

Policy aspects- and there is a capital impact. There is only ever so much time for the discussion and.

D

As its budget season today, we'll mainly focus on the funding aspects, but we certainly would.

D

Be glad to reference and discuss all aspects uh we wanted to spend some time with you, as we had.

D

Previously, previously done with the delegation to provide an overview of how education funding.

D

Now works under the blueprint and what we see that that will mean for us, for you and for our.

D

Schools from there we will share what is in my proposed budget to the board, which is largely.

D

Driven by the blueprint implement implications and what that means in terms of a budget request.

D

To you, lastly, today, just as a brief update, we wanted to share what we now see is a timeline.

D

For the feasibility studies that grew out of the work of the southern area, redistricting committee.

D

We have a presentation and a couple of additional handouts that are in your.

D

Packets I'd propose that mr o'neill begin to work us through the presentation and I'll ask.

D

Him to move through the blueprint material as quickly as possible, so that the two boards can.

D

Have ample time for discussion, and we also want to be sure that we answer all of your questions.

A

That sounds good. Are there any other opening comments do board? Members would like to make at.

A

This time, mr edward, do you mind if I say something real quickly? Of course um I just want to thank you.

E

Guys for having this meeting, I know we established the joint meeting of the commissioners in the.

E

Board of ed on a quarterly basis, several years ago, of course, the the pandemic in the middle of.

E

It reeked a little havoc on on everybody's schedules, but I really appreciate you guys.

E

Having the commitment to keeping up this process and this level of communication, because I think.

E

That we've got some some challenging times ahead and the only way that we're going to get through.

E

This is by open and continuous communication, so I really just appreciate all of your openness and.

E

Willingness to to keep this level of communication going on on a regular basis going forward. So thank.

E

You absolutely thank you anything else, okay, uh prior to uh mr o'neill, without further ado.

A

What I'd like to do is take a look at the minutes from uh may 10th 2022 for review.

A

On them, if so make them now, if not get a motion to approve second and move on.

F

I'll second, okay, I got a motion. I got a second any other further or any discussion.

A

Seen here, none all in favor, aye, aye, okay opposed got it. Mr o'neill, I think you are up.

G

He documents packet, I believe you should have a powerpoint slide said and that's the collection.

G

Of slides that were provided to the delegation meeting and then additionally, there are some.

G

Slides from the board of ed's budget work session in december, where the superintendent sort of laid.

G

Out what will be her proposed budget to the board of ed that she'll deliver later this afternoon, and.

G

Then, behind that you should have two one-page handouts or they're at least they're printed.

G

On one page, one might be front and back in one of our meetings with mr salusky and his team.

G

Could be challenged uh superintendent to see if it was possible to sort of come up with a visual.

G

That might help on you know on a basic level of understanding how funding shifts from before the.

G

Blueprint after the blueprint we'll reference that in a bit but that's there and then the.

G

Superintendent came up with um one page front and back of discussion points for the delegation.

G

Members following our meeting with them- and so you have those discussion points as well for.

G

Your reference, the good news, is, we are not going to go through all of these slides we're going to.

G

Jump around a lot, but we wanted you to have them for reference, even for discussion or question and.

G

Answer today, and if you look really carefully in squint and avoid the glare you can see that the.

G

Slides themselves are numbered so I'll, let you know where we're moving to and from and it'll.

G

Also be on the on the screen, assuming I can okay, I can click here, but at the beginning, we're going.

F

To start at the beginning, for about two slides- and um you know the superintendo said we want to try.

G

To focus in on funding today, even though policies tied to funding and and funding phases and over.

G

Time, um looking at what the blueprint means in the long term and and the mandates that are coming.

G

Right now uh largely her, but her proposed budgets built on that we're gonna we're gonna do our best.

G

To try to explain all of those moving parts of blueprint funding and do our best to answer all.

G

Of your questions, so the blueprint law throughout the kerwin commission, as you know, and and the.

G

Funding aspect of the of the policy followed the law uh into the general assembly and the blueprint.

G

Funding formula became effective, I'm sorry became effective with the current fiscal year, so fiscal.

G

Year, 23 the year we're sitting in so we are already receiving funding under the blueprint.

G

Formula, um it changes the thornton formula, which is the formula that existed following.

G

The bridge to excellence, commission or the alvin thornton commission and that had been in place.

G

From roughly 2001 until now and it works similarly in that we receive funds through a formula.

G

um And and the formula contains what the state refers to as program areas, so a certain amount.

G

Of money based on this educational program and a certain amount of money based on others, and we.

G

Will we will display those and talk about those, um but um but it is a little bit different in how the.

G

Funding is restricted or or no longer unrestricted, as it was under the formula we're going to talk.

G

About that a little bit too, the formula phases in over over 10 full years, at least in the initial.

G

Legislation and much like the thornton formula, the money we receive under the blueprint formula.

G

Is wealth equalized and we'll we'll discuss that throughout, but essentially the state approaches.

G

Public education and public education funding from what they consider an adequate adequacy.

G

Perspective and then an equity perspective and for them for funding equity means that funding is.

G

um Is adjusted for relative wealth so they rank the 24 jurisdictions by by the equation they use.

G

For wealth, which is it's a little more complex than this, but it's essentially your property tax.

G

Income and your inc and your um income tax level, income tax, divided by your student population and.

G

Then they they rank the 24 counties and funding is adjusted based on the relativity of that.

G

Wealth, this is loose and I understand that, but in general think of that, as more like a 60 40.

G

Split, it works out approximately there in most cases for us, meaning you funding. 60 percent of.

G

Public education in in carroll county and the state funding 40 and that's going to.

G

Become especially true when we do look at the formula here in a minute, because the formula.

G

Defines what they call shares a state share and a local share, so the the third slide and it's on.

A

The screen john out of the 24, where did we rank? We rank 10th in the um in the aggregate, so they.

G

Add up, like I said it's a little more complex than that they look at targeted populations of students.

G

As well, but we rank 10th and commissioner, that's been fairly consistent in all the years that I've.

G

Been here I would say in most of the years I've worked here, we've been tenth, maybe the.

F

Ninth- sometimes maybe even 11th here or there, but we we generally fall out about 10th, okay,.

G

um And that there might be some room for movement as our enrollment is, is rising again, but it won't.

G

Be significant enough to move that needle very far this slide or the third slide in your packet is.

G

um Is the big difference between the thornton formula and the new blueprint formula.

G

The law makes us accountable for funding specifically for expenditures, and we have to.

G

Spend a hundred percent of the funds we receive in each of the program areas and again we will.

G

Display these in a minute within the program that the funding is, is specific to or applied.

G

To and then we also have to spend 75 percent of the funds at the school level and in some cases.

G

That uh you know one example that helps explain that is their their program, areas or columns.

G

In the funding spreadsheet that address funding for specific types of students, special education.

G

Students, english learners, compensatory education, students, which refers to the number of students.

G

We have who are eligible for free and reduced meals. We have to spend the money in the program.

G

And we have to spend 75 percent of the money at the school. So so roughly in the case of some of.

G

Those targeted areas- you would say, okay, where are the farm students located within carroll county's.

G

Public schools, the state is asking us eventually to prove that we're spending that story add money.

G

At those schools or where the students where the students exist and that level of accountability is.

G

Very different than how funding has worked in the past under thornton, even though there was.

G

A formula so there were columns on a spreadsheet that added up to eventually your total state aid.

G

Those funds were unrestricted, so traditionally the board of edit, at least since 2001, and really.

G

Before has been able to sort of approach its budget, the way you I think most people would think.

G

Local governance works. The board of ed gets from folks like us. What we project next year's revenues.

G

To be state and local, and then the board of ed has a series of priorities: staffing needs facilities.

G

Needs compensation needs and so forth and so on, and you try to match those needs with those with.

G

The projected revenue define what what you think your number one, two, three, whatever priority would.

G

Be until you've sort of run out of money and make those hard decisions under the thornton formula.

G

That worked under the blueprint formula. Ultimately, that will not work and we'll and we'll try to get.

G

Into that, when we put the numbers on the screens and then two other ways that that the blueprint's.

G

A little bit different than what we're used to in the past is there's a couple of instances in there.

G

Listed here and we'll and we'll jump to them in a second, where the board of ed basically becomes.

G

um For lack of a more sophisticated term sort of a pass-through funding agency, so there are certain.

G

Certain programs, dual enrollment, are really it's more than dual enrollment. It's post college.

G

Career pathways, where we receive money under the formula, but then we have to send that money to.

G

Other agencies, and in our case that's carroll, community college and then there's a career.

G

Counseling program requirement under the blueprint for students in grades 6 through 12, where we have.

G

To work with, at least in the first three years of of the blueprint phase in with the local workforce,.

G

Development board to develop a career counseling program for students in six through twelve and.

G

We need to earmark a certain amount of money per student that comes in to that program, and so some.

G

Of the details on that are a little, I should say, they're evolving in terms of guidance from the.

G

State, so you know that may be a scenario where we send money to local workforce development and they.

G

Sort of grant it back to us to accomplish certain things, there's an mou that has to be established.

G

That's in the works, but it's it's nowhere. It's not like completion is right around you know. Next week.

G

So some of those details are are to be ironed out, but I think the big takeaway is. We need to earmark.

G

That money and set it aside for that purpose. Well, we have the opportunity to tell our own story.

A

When it comes to both the funds for the community college and workforce development and then give it.

A

To the states- and this is what the best solution looks like for carroll countyans or is the state.

A

Going to direct us in saying this money must be go here and then back yeah they've already.

D

Said that that that you know the decision is made right, you know we've already paid 500.

D

000. or more to carol community for this year's dual enrollment right and we project.

D

That next year, we'll probably be paying. uh You know more than a million right, 1.2 1.5.

D

um And again, that's coming out of our budget, the workforce development.

A

Goes to workforce development and then you said it could go back to the schools or.

G

Perhaps and I hate to sort of jump ahead of the conversation we're having with them, but.

G

So that's a three-year pro it's a three-year program for three years. There has to be this.

G

Arrangement with workforce development, career counseling has to exist throughout the blueprint.

G

But for the first year there there has to be this scenario where we earmark a.

G

Certain amount of money per pupil and provide that the workforce development realistically.

G

With a three-year window, then I think it's legitimate to say, there's questions like if.

G

It requires staffing, does workforce development want to try, try to hire staffing to implement.

G

Knowing that, in three years, that ownership of that program could shift back to the school system or.

G

Does it make more sense for the school system to hire the staffing necessary to implement and.

G

If that turned out to be the scenario, I guess in my mind, it loosely looks like there's the.

G

Money we we give to workforce development, but for that purpose they may grant it back to us.

G

To hire the staffing to implement and things like that, there'd be there'd, be other scenarios like.

G

Maybe software licenses or technology where that money might go right to workforce development and.

G

They would clearly purchase that themselves if that, if that makes the most sense yeah I mean.

A

How do we leverage the dollars best to be most effective in fishing for the kids, whether it's.

A

Using workforce development underneath of you know, because we do have workforce development.

A

Council here in the county, you know the governor's workforce to go on board and secretary of labor.

A

It may be more efficient to use that avenues and through the school system you know, but.

A

um Just that we're open to whatever makes most sense sure so, but in terms of the math, the numbers.

G

Are specified right? No, I got that okay and I don't want to repeat the things that superintendent just.

G

Said but on the screen now and I'm on slide 16, if you want to flip and follow that way, here's.

B

Here's some and maybe you're, going to talk about this you're skipping, slides the whole.

B

Bit of the formula and how bought in they are to the development of the formula and and they're.

B

Mandating stuff and telling you you've got enough money to pay for it because of the formula. So.

B

Some of the early questions you know like like, for instance, community college, can we go back to them.

B

And say you know, maybe you didn't realize this is costing us a million dollars. I think the answer.

B

Is going to be you've been given enough money to do that? If you need more see local but and.

B

I don't know if you were going to touch on that some, but I think we need to. I was in a couple.

G

Slides I could skip there first, if you no. No just if you are okay, you know I'm patient person.

B

And we'll be looking at the formula I apologize yeah. Oh no. I just wanted to ask a clarification.

E

Question so um you had said: is it possible? Is there enough leeway there that if the.

E

Best solution is for us to work with career counseling and the workforce and that they.

E

Could gift the money back to the school system? If that's the best solution for us is that allowable.

E

Under the current, so okay, in the sense that I haven't seen any definitive guidance from the.

G

State that precludes that, or so, if that's not correct, our issue would be with this. Is that.

D

We have had and we still have priorities in our school system and if given the latitude.

D

That would not be a place where we would spend over a million dollars.

D

Next year or the year after, we have pressing issues in the school system and while I agree.

D

In theory to to that that, it's that it's good for kids, it wouldn't be how we would choose to.

D

Spend that money right and we can't hold outside entities accountable like right, we're going to.

E

Be sending money to them for these purposes, but we have no authority to hold them accountable.

E

For those results, whereas what if we contain it within the school system, we would have that right.

G

Right and um yeah, and so it also the law, requires a memorandum of understanding between the.

G

The county is not part of that mou. The workforce development board is the board of ed is, and the.

G

Community college has a piece in that as well. Another reason why I think there would have.

G

To be some realistic, flexibility, mississippi is because, to my knowledge, at least based on my past.

G

Professional experiences we're blessed to have a local workforce development board and carol, not.

G

Every county does in many cases, they're regional, even like when I worked at hartford, and this may.

G

Be different now as large as harford county is. um It was a regional workforce development board with.

G

Cecil county and on the shore there it might be a collection of counties and perhaps in the western.

G

Part of the state so to say I don't understand how, in those scenarios a workforce, development.

G

Board of five counties could possibly handle that that type of workload without there being the.

G

Opportunity to sort of say this mou says the board of vet will still handle that, but we'll have a you.

G

Know a joint agreement on it. So that's that's what I was saying: uh dual enrollment at the college, the.

G

One thing I'll add to what the superintendent said is: this is a this. Is a today fiscal.

G

um uh Surprised we weren't necessarily expecting this in fiscal 23, so this isn't a next year budget.

G

Item this is a this year budget item and the law. The formula defines how much money per student.

G

Rolls into this program, and it basically uh what the law gets at is that students or parents can't.

G

Be charged for dual enrollment, so it sets up a structure where, where we used to pay a small.

G

Percentage of dual enrollment as the board of ed. Now we pay 75 percent of the college's tuition.

G

And beginning next year, so the fees the fees take place next year at fiscal 24.. So this year.

G

75 percent of tuition next year to 75 percent of tuition and all fees and parents can't be charged.

G

At all- um and you know all of this sort of ties- some level policy and theory together, but the.

G

Career counseling, leading to college and career ready loosely what the law says is that by 10th.

G

Grade all students have to be college and career, ready or else remediated to become college and.

G

Career ready and at the time, their college and career ready, they need a post-ccr pathway and.

G

That could be dual enrollment. That could be a menu of other things. I think for us, it's most likely.

G

Going to be a collection of advanced placement courses, because we already have an advanced.

G

Placement program and for our career in tech or cte students, a program of you know, industry.

G

Specific certification programs, as well so they're, most likely for us, that'll, be with the college as.

G

Well and there'll be costs associated with that. Some of those costs are much higher than what you.

G

Would think of as traditional academic courses, I think dr ball to his defense would say. I'm still.

G

Eating 25 percent of tuition, um but some days when I daydream, I think I might rather be him than me.

G

On the on this equation, but it but it changes. um This is one of those situations that I view.

G

As unfortunate in that it changes in some ways, it perhaps creates a little tension between entities.

G

Where there wasn't any tension, but it also causes us to have to reflect on where we are with dual.

G

Enrollment now it already exists and it's good for kids. I think it's your own parents and it's.

G

Successful but but we're kind of in a phase where we're sort of pulling back to say we need to get.

G

A better handle on this and understand exactly what this means before we we move forward again.

G

And I think there's some some tension there. So I'm sure dr ball would love to see the number increase.

B

As somebody said, he's saying, put this budget together. There are concerns here, plus I'm just.

F

Thinking too, um for 10th graders to know what their path is going to be at that stage of the.

F

Game I mean we probably have to do some things. You know academically and throughout the school system,.

F

To make sure that you know kids can have a good idea, because I'm sure at this time not all 10th.

F

Graders know what their path right does. This tie it all into gifted and talented programs or no.

A

It's not no okay, okay, so so middle school gives mentality. Don't do not have the.

A

Eligibility to go to community college or okay, okay, now the answer is no, except so.

G

If you put career counseling with it, you know essentially every student beginning.

G

In grade, six would have for lack of a there's an official term, but like sort of like a career plan,.

G

Right, the building to the point where you become college and career ready in 10th grade and then.

G

You would know: okay, I'm I'm looking at a future where I want to take a.

G

Collection of advanced placement courses or I'm looking at a future where I might want to.

G

Do dual enrollment at the community college, which is supposed to result in an associate's degree or.

G

60 credits by the end of your high school career, or I want to move into a cte realm.

G

And have licensure programs, so that's sort of the build here there. All of them are formula driven.

G

So there's an earmark number for how we determine that amount of money for career counseling. Just.

G

Like there was for dual enrollment, those numbers graduate by the way as the formula increases.

G

Over time at the base per pupil, you're seeing 23 numbers on the screen, but those numbers increase.

G

Over time and when we get to the restrictions, which is, I think, where mr kyler's trying to get me.

G

um That matters, especially because you have to you, have to spend the program money in the.

G

Program and you have to spend program money mostly at the school level, so it's not as if.

G

The board has the flexibility to say: well, we could save some here and do something there.

G

So this is sort of where now, and especially in the future, the rubber meets the road. The formula.

G

Has the restrictions and people keep hitting those the formula sets up shares and what you're looking.

G

At now, which is slide [music] um 18 or 19, I'm sorry yes, 18 is numbered, is kind of covered up.

G

By this slide, but this is slide 19.. These are real numbers. This is our fiscal 23 blueprint formula.

G

Actual on the screen, so this is the formula for this year. The restrictions are looming, they're.

G

Not yet quite uh we're not being held fully accountable, yet we'll talk about how we get there.

G

But these columns on this spreadsheet, which is sort of broken in half, so you can see all.

G

Of it on one screen or what I'm referring to as program areas, so each each thing with a heading.

G

Is a program area at each program area has a state share and a local share defined in the statute.

G

And so for most of them, except for transportation, which I and I'm not sure why, but except for.

G

Transportation, this the blueprint law, the formula itself- is defining how much the.

G

State's going to give us and the numbers you see for the state are the full numbers.

G

That's how much aid we'll get from the state or we are receiving from the state this year.

G

At the local level it defines the local share and again this is overly simplistic, but it's wealth.

G

Equalized to go back to that, so it's going to be roughly a 60 40 split in many cases.

G

The shares at the local level are different from moe and I know at some of the meetings I.

G

Go to statewide, sometimes you'll hear moe has gone away. Maintenance of effort has gone away.

G

It has not, in my opinion what the blueprint says about maintenance of effort is. There is.

G

Still maintenance of effort, which was slightly adjusted again last year there, but there is.

G

Still, maintenance of effort and there's the local share under the blueprint and the local.

G

Funding authority the county is responsible for the higher of those two numbers, so you would.

G

Still operate under maintenance of effort unless or until your total obligation under your local.

G

Share requirements exceeds your maintenance of effort requirement and then you would.

G

You would be responsible for paying the higher amount under the shares. I haven't spent a lot.

G

Of time on this, like at the delegation meeting, hardly at all here, you know talking to ted. We.

G

Wanted to mention it, but you are so far above either that unless you wanted to sort of be.

G

um Unless you wanted to move in a different direction than you've been moving with education.

G

Funding, I'm not sure that that either is really a topic of much conversation here. You are above.

G

Maintenance of effort you are well above local shares and so here's another important point.

G

When you, when you look back to the kerwin commission and the fiscal and policy notes.

G

On the on the blueprint, as it was becoming a law and became a law, they all showed 10-year charts.

G

County by county and said, does the county have? Is there a? Is there a required fiscal increase.

G

To the to each local and for carol you, you always had zeros and you still have zeros.

G

Because, legally, you have no requirement to fund any more than you're already funding.

D

And so that's the point makes sense does not to any of us, because we can't do what we need to do.

D

With the foundation funding and the funding we get over and above foundation is all restricted.

D

To the blueprint policy areas, and so it leaves us making decisions like do. We have electricity.

D

And heat and air conditioning in our buildings, or do we add more services to english language.

D

Learners, which is a position that no school system should be placed in so this is. This- is.

G

One of those scenarios where two things that seem incompatible are true, at least in my mind, one you.

G

Have no legal obligation to give us a dollar more two: we can implement the blueprint and.

G

Keep carroll county public schools open the way it exists today, unless you do, and at some level there.

G

Will still be change and I want to try to pull one of these program areas or one of these columns out.

G

And sort of tease that out and talk about it and I'm going to go for the low hanging fruit. Because.

G

It's the biggest number, but it's also in many ways. The easiest easiest example, compensatory ed.

G

Which is the last column on the first row or first section again, that's the amount of money per pupil.

G

We receive for our students who are identified as eligible for free and reduced meals under.

G

The federal program you can see their share, plus your share, adds up to about 26 million dollars.

G

Foreign as we move forward under the restriction that a hundred percent of that money for each of.

G

Those columns, but in this case, if history had a hundred percent of that 26 million.

G

Must be spent at the school level or must be spent in the program and 75 percent of the.

G

Dollars in that program have to be spent at the school level that is going to transform.

G

How our school system resources, which largely, would be staffing, I think, but how our resources.

G

Are aligned because we have no way around that those accountability requirements.

G

And so the way, I think about that for better or worse I'll, look to mr kyler for a better exam.

G

More understandable example, if you, if you add all those numbers up today, um minus any federal.

G

Grant funding we receive we're operating on about 372 million unrestricted dollars. Now, there's only.

G

279 million there, because your shares do not meet your full funding or your moe requirement.

G

So all of that money that you see on the screen, plus almost 100 million more, is being spent today.

G

To run carroll county public schools as it exists today, but if tomorrow we have to spend 26 million.

G

Dollars differently than we spend it today, there's only two ways I can think of that she can do that.

G

The superintendent can do that, one it well, I guess maybe three one is to cut for it or it's the same.

G

Thing either way cut something somewhere to spend it. Where they're saying under the law, we have to.

G

Spend it so that would mean something like and I'm not trying to send off alarm bells, but we.

G

Have to re-look at our resources, 85 percent of our resources are human beings or people delivering.

G

Educational services, so we're going to have to pull teachers or pull assistance or pull other.

G

Service providers counselors behavior behavior folks, whatever out of certain schools and put them.

G

In a smaller subset of schools, where our larger farms, population percentage of population, students.

G

Exist to meet the restriction requirement and without offsetting, funding from you at the local.

G

Level, that's going to mean things like at best case and I'm trying not to be alarmist, but at best.

G

Case the nice way to say it is there's going to be fewer resources than have previously existed in.

G

Certain schools and most likely there would have to be some impact on something like class size.

G

In order to meet this requirement, and the only way out of it would be.

G

To whatever extent locally, we could offset that impact, and I I'll just add to that that.

D

um You know, as I speak to my my colleagues other superintendents in other districts. They are able.

D

To solve some of this issue by pulling funding or positions from other areas and moving them.

D

To schools that have more free and reduced meals, students, more english language learner, students.

D

Because they have more positions that aren't that aren't standing in front of students every day.

D

And what I would say, the position that we're in right now is that we've had over a decade of cuts.

D

And when I mean cuts, I mean cuts to central office cuts at the school level to the point where, where.

D

We really do what we need to do every day on a shoestring most of our most of our staff is in.

D

Front of kids every single day, and so this has the blueprint, has a compounding effect for us.

D

Because we don't have anything to pull from to make sure that we're we don't have anything to.

D

Pull from outside of our schools in order to meet this requirement, so the fact that we've cut for.

D

Over 10 years means that we don't have the ability to adapt under blueprint. The way some of some of.

D

Our other school systems in in the area have they. They may be able to cut teacher specialists that.

D

Don't stand in front of kids every day central office positions that don't stand in front of kids.

D

Every day we don't have that because of our over a decade of of cutting those things in order to.

D

Meet our our budget demands no, and I I personally I appreciate that, because that is the uh that's.

A

Carroll county, I mean uh carroll, county government, went through the same over the last dozen years.

A

We're trying to write sars right size ourselves to provide the services that our community deserves.

A

um And I appreciate you using the word us because it is a total of us to include us all at the table.

A

Along with our legislators to come up with uh with ideas, um but I mean push comes to shove,.

A

It's it's dollars and it's dollars and risk, and where are we willing to accept the risk.

A

Either in the board of education and ccps budget, where are we willing to accept a risk within the.

A

Overall county government budget that is going to either provide for the schools uh which would.

A

Potentially put risk at other projects across the county, we have not raised revenue in.

A

Over a dozen years, our two largest being property and income tax revenue are, we willing to accept.

A

Risk by even associating additional revenue to meet these demands um and the input in order to.

A

Make those decisions is not the five of us in a work session, but it's all of us so getting your.

A

Insight and your thoughts about where we're going to accept those risks. What are your.

A

Thoughts about you know, uh increasing revenue is very important because we can't do this alone.

A

And it's going to be, I mean you know, this is uh 50 of the county's budget give or take. You know that.

A

Goes to our kids doesn't go to you. It goes to our kids. It goes to our lives. You know in the county.

A

um They don't mean to be on a pulpit about this, but it's all about risk management and.

A

Where are we willing to um own up to saying yes, we're going to increase revenue, and this is how.

A

We're going to do it because the demands for the schools, the demands for fire and ems as that grows.

A

And other things- and here are other services that we're going to just push off to the side.

A

um Your input is, you know, and I say you collectively, um I think, is extremely valuable.

A

To say yes, this is the amount we must have, and this is a way that we're going to achieve it.

A

And we recommend you doing it this way and we will back you up. You know, as we come up with a.

A

Holistic voice, one voice, one team, one fight and saying this is how we're going to do it.

A

um And I would just say this: this comes at a the blueprint comes to us at a really terrible time.

D

Because we're we're trying to recover from the pandemic, so our students academically, are not.

D

In a place that we feel anywhere comfortable about and at the same time we have a mental.

D

Health crisis going on that affects our schools. We have more students in need of mental health and.

D

Behavioral services than we have ever had in the past, and so that compounds these issues as well.

D

um Because you know, if, if we, if we were studying our own priorities, our.

D

Own priorities would be on more teachers, more specialists for the classroom and more mental.

D

Health and behavioral professionals in our schools to support our teachers.

D

So um yeah this this really comes at a very, very difficult time and it is- and I think.

B

um Your comments on other jurisdictions, uh covid reinforced that um you guys had uh central office.

B

Staff teaching classes, because that's how you had to do it and and the other thing disturbs.

B

Me about kerwin and now blueprint all during the process of kerwin. All that got emphasized.

B

Educators were going to make more money. Educators are going to have a better job.

B

Description more planning time, and it just seems to me, as you watch blueprint being implemented.

B

I don't know how you can afford to do any of that for the educators that this was all supposed to.

B

Benefit and- and I think again, which there's nothing we can do about it- we're being punished.

B

By uh some of the other counties, some of the other counties had more money and great some of.

B

The other counties have more problems, and so be it, and it just seems like carroll county is punished.

B

Because we don't have low performing schools, we don't have some of the issues, but but that should.

B

Be rewarded and and then to the to the budget. And- and I was going to say this closer to the end. But.

B

From this side of the table, um well from that side of the team, I would always hear they're.

B

Asking for more money, because this side talked that side into doing the one year plus five years.

B

And and that's great and uh you got to predict and and it's a great tool.

B

But when inflation changes, when conditions changes when requirements, change.

B

When you look at other jurisdictions that are given eight to ten percent pay increases.

B

um To say: well, you bought into three percent more in last year and and that's the way it.

B

Goes- and I think and and I haven't done a budget process on this side of the table. But.

B

We've seen that, with the sheriff we've seen that with other departments right now, we're.

B

Seeing that with ems and stuff, it's it's going to be very hard to say, okay, this is.

B

This is what we planned for this year and that be this starting point with, with many of the.

B

Of the groups we're funding, that's not a good starting point anymore, and- and that's that's.

B

Going to be interesting from our side of the fence, and I think exactly what you said, the more facts.

B

You can give the better and and then the other thing. That's that's always concerned me when I was.

B

On that side of the table is the time frame. Well, here, you're telling us how much money you want. You.

B

Haven't negotiated yet well as a farmer, you spend 300 000 in corn, corn and fertilizer, not knowing.

B

If it's going to rain or not rain as construction, we traditionally gave raises in march and april.

B

We didn't know how good the year was going to be. We hoped we did so so I think that the time frame.

B

Maybe we all need to better understand it, but that's that's life in the real world, so this is a.

B

Your dilemma, the timing, as you just said, is horrible from our side of.

B

The fence, developing ems and doing other things that's been done. It's a.

B

Horrible time from our side, you know, but where we are is where we are and.

C

You were on both sides of the track here, um we're not getting the thing that we want. Now we are.

C

Getting second and third choice, which is really made uh an impact on on employment here with the.

C

Educators, they are going elsewhere with that eight percent, which has always been what I considered a.

B

Disingenuous talking point, but it may now be true, and I will say that yes and you are correct on.

C

That because people came to carroll county for other reasons, but now I unfortunately the tide.

C

Has changed and we are not getting that number one uh choice anymore. We are getting second and.

C

Third choice, and that does make a big difference in the classroom. Well, the problem is that in the.

D

Past there, the the pool was large enough. The pool of teachers and assistants and others was large.

D

Enough that that we got top candidates, howard county got top candidates. Anne arundel, you know.

D

And so on and so on, but as the pool shrinks, we are truly competing with our surrounding.

D

Counties for every teacher candidate and the other thing occur when I always thought was going to do.

B

Was probably increased requirements on teacher education, but also increase the numbers get.

B

More people into it and help with the pool and and it's just the opposites happening.

G

um Concluding thoughts before the superintendent kind of forecasts, her proposed budget here, the.

G

Example with compad applies to english learners, special ed teacher, tsr, trans transitional.

G

Supplemental instruction and pre-k as well, those are much smaller numbers in the grand scheme.

G

Of things specialized not, but we spend more than that, especially in any way. So that's not a concern.

G

But so capacitory ads is the big issue and then I think, leading into superintendent.

G

Mccabe's discussion over budget the the example we we just work through.

G

That says nothing about. That example is how we're operating today and moving 26 million dollars. It.

G

Doesn't talk about other priorities or needs or mandated things under the blueprint? So if this.

G

Compounds there's a you know, there's an issue on the accountability end of things and then that.

G

Gets worse when you talk about well, what does the school system need to move forward in terms.

G

Of needs, compensation, collective bargaining, you know you name it. So all of this adds up and I do.

G

Think you know one thing: I'm grateful for in these sessions and in the delegation meeting is at least.

G

We're we're beginning to have this conversation out loud so that the community hear this because.

G

The the last thing I would think any of us want is for it to be a huge surprise whenever we feel.

G

Whatever, whatever pain comes with this and mr o'neill, if I can make a an additional point.

E

About that, I think it is very important that the community understand what we're talking about here.

E

um Because we all had some aha moments at that delegation meeting where okay, I.

E

Understand the 26 million having to pull it out of the foundation and spend it somewhere.

E

Very specifically, how that manifests itself is something like you know in certain areas.

E

Of the county, now class sizes are going to be 45. What so that we can achieve class sizes of.

E

16 in other areas right, so I would think that the community is they're going to be very cons.

E

Once they understand the implications that there's going to be significant concern right, absolutely.

D

To be very concerned, as are our students and and everyone that that we will have schools that have.

D

Class sizes, so large, I don't even you know, know how they're going to be able to fit in some of our.

D

Classrooms and then we'll have other classes that are very small in certain schools and again that.

D

The reason we have to do it that way is that we don't have anything else that we can cut, because.

D

We've cut for so long that we can't make a cut somewhere else in order to just add resources.

D

To the schools, we need to add resources to do to the blueprint yeah having the um willingness to.

A

Get up here and be very candid about this, you know it's, it's not about. uh You know becoming friends.

A

With anybody and it's not about politics, it's about resource management. How are we spending the.

A

Time, people and money to get the best quality of life for our kids and it is very difficult. We are.

A

um And it comes down to expenses and revenue, and uh you know the decisions we made.

A

Over the last few years in the budget cycles that we've created were the best decisions that we made.

A

With the information we had at the time, we have a balanced budget for this fiscal year and next.

A

Fiscal year, but you start looking at the out years. It becomes very challenging people try to.

A

Make that into a political you know: well I'm going to balance this or that we are bounce, that we are.

A

The question is: what risk are we willing to take to keep ourselves in balance by law and in order.

A

To do that, we either have to take away services for ongoing money. That's either in the county or.

A

And or in the schools or we're going to have to build revenue and that's either by growing and.

A

Building uh you know on properties that people sometimes don't want it built in areas or it's.

A

Looking at taxes, I was very reluctant same with my colleagues, especially over covid, to.

A

Even touch or think about revenue, but we're in a position now that we've got to come up with a.

A

You know a conclusion that makes sense um and it's you know it's got to be a very collective.

A

Voice saying this is what we need to do: um we're not going to go backwards with fire.

A

Ems, we're going to do it right by law. You know we're that was in 2018. We were directed to do.

A

This by law, so there are things that- and this is you know, by law what we must do.

A

Not coming up with much answers right now, but I'm recognizing the problem and the problem is that.

A

We don't have enough dollars to meet the demands. You know that are put in front of you.

A

um Because you're right, those classes will not fit 45 people in the class. You know nor.

A

Do our kids deserve that, um nor will we we have teachers stick around for very long, correct, ing.

B

I think, oh I'm sorry go ahead. I was just saying mrs savigne. The public um needs to hear all this.

B

And you guys said it: 85 percent staff of the 15 left some of that's ongoing money. We're.

B

Not talking one-time money here, we're not talking it's not going to bandage and moving we're talking.

B

About every year, moving forward correct on that's where I was going without was I I think it's.

E

Incumbent upon us to give you the commissioners, the idea of like okay, this is the one year.

E

um Predicament that we're in, but we really need a much longer term understanding, because.

E

Blueprint is not one year worth of a hit right. It's a it's a glide path. Over 10 years, you.

E

Need a better understanding of okay. Not only does it mean this for next year, but it means.

E

It means x for this year, but it means y and z for the next two years after that and then ongoing. So.

E

um We need to size that hole for you guys, so you understand.

E

um But but it's also incumbent upon us to to work every bit around the fringes that we can.

E

um To chip away at what we can um account for as part of that 26 million right like so.

E

When, when will you know for sure um that that the state's happy with what you're tripping away at.

G

I'm not sure when we'll know in full, we'll know something. Roughly around march 16th we submit our.

G

First, implement local implementation plan to the state no later than march 15th and that's.

G

Largely the policy pieces, but it at some point. It all becomes one thing so we'll know what.

G

Their response is to where we're saying our kind of baseline as a school system is, I think, a big.

G

Unanswered question and mississippi might have just alluded to it that I don't have an answer to.

G

And I kind of wish if they were going to answer one thing, that this will be one of the top ones.

G

The accountability under the statute becomes effective for sure in fiscal 25.. We're already.

G

Reporting monthly expenditures to them, and that's how we know we have a pretty good feel of as to.

G

What they're saying is qualifying in each of those program areas into mississippi's point we're.

G

Working hard to try to maximize everything we can to qualify on a story ad, but we're not moving that.

G

Needle too far yet, but what we don't know is, does that mean in fiscal 25? The state says it's all due.

G

Now you're fully accountable today and you're, not there, so we're going to penalize carroll county.

G

Port of ed we're going to withhold 25 percent of your next year. State aid. The state has said loudly.

B

They're going to hold money, if you don't do it or would they let us move it in over over some.

G

Portion of the 10-year window of the blueprint, because smoothing in 26 million over 10 years.

G

Is a lot more is a lot more acceptable to. I think us and our communities than saying in fiscal year.

G

25, all of those numbers better be how they were on. You know on that prior slide, and so that's that's.

G

A bit of an unanswered question on superintendent mccabe's uh discussion points with the for the.

G

Delegate that we provide for the delegation she had sort of at the end had a summary of.

G

You know what would be our number one. Two three asks. One of those is to push all that they can for.

G

An implementation timeline for the accountability so that it doesn't all show up in one.

G

Fiscal year and mississippi to the the excellent point that you made, I was kind of curious.

H

You alluded to this as well. um Obviously, what we spend one year is going to be a recurring expense.

H

And is going to increase over time? Do you guys have any idea or sense of what that's going to.

H

Be over the course of time, and in addition to that, do you have any sense of what the student.

H

Population projection is going to be over time. In conjunction with with this, I would say yes to.

E

Both right on on the first one we're we're trying to get our arms around that right, like we have.

E

A better understanding of what the implications are from a financial perspective this year, less.

E

So in future years, but I think that we can at least put some numbers on the page that are at.

E

Least, directional right, but you know it's going to increase. We know it's going to increase. Yes,.

E

Inflation isn't helping no, absolutely not, um and then I have a red and yellow cards. Maybe.

A

Next time, what about student population? It is starting to grow again. Yes, we're about.

D

700 students up this year than we were last year, according to our september 30th numbers.

D

um John, does it look like we have um major growth coming, it looks like we have steady growth coming.

G

And um he'll hate that I'm doing this because we officially we now produce our enrollment.

G

Projections in may, we used to do them a bit earlier, but the state department of planning.

G

Has pushed back when, for their own reasons, they push back when we can get some data from them.

G

That's needed, but looking at our enrollment and it's it's not literally student by student, it's.

G

Not I'm not suggesting that, but more or less we've sort of recovered from the impact of the pandemic.

G

The impact that the pandemic had on enrollment and appear to be growing in addition to that, and so.

G

It's this is the part he's not going to like me to say, but our very talented facility, these planner.

G

Who works on on the math behind our enrollment projections, just preliminarily? So I probably.

G

Shouldn't say this out loud but preliminarily. If you look at this year's numbers and next year's.

G

Projections and rebuild his algorithm based on that over the 10-year window. It looks like.

G

We're on a path to get back to somewhere near our all-time peak of about 29 000 students.

E

Which would be huge, that is good news and it means a lot more state funding, but it also means.

G

Depending on who, those students are potentially a lot more restricted funding, that is true.

E

But I think the good news story from that is the fact that we have recovered from.

E

The pandemic, we love, we, we were on a downward trajectory of student enrollment for many many.

E

Years it took us a while to kind of figure out where that, where, where that was gonna.

E

Equalize right and then start it start its way back up, but that happened. It started happening.

E

Before the pandemic, then we took another hit from the pandemic. We lost about 700 students is that.

E

Right a little closer to eight yeah, and I would say, with this second year of recovery, the 717 that.

G

That superintendent mentioned is, is the number a portion of that is sort of students returning from.

G

Home school students returning from private school- and it looks like I mean all- this is very loose.

G

And I know you know that, but it looks like maybe about 300 students a year going forward and that's.

G

uh You know that considering where we've been from 2009-ish on that's significant, that's you.

G

Know, that's not quite the historic growth rates of the the 80s and 90s and early 2000s, but that's.

G

You know that's close right so having lost about 800 students prior to the.

E

Pandemic but we've we've gotten almost all of those back at this point. We are.

G

um In this in this enrollment in the actuals this year, we are within two students.

G

Of our of our last projection prior to the pandemic, so we are where we expected to be.

G

Just before the pandemic, had it never happened. You just want to pat yourself on the pack on that.

G

Number, that's pretty impressive. Well, I won't. I won't make john pat himself on the back. I'm.

E

Going to pat john that's pretty impressive, I'm going to give the school system props, for I think.

E

That we actually had a lot of families move to carroll county because of the way that we.

E

Conducted ourselves during the pandemic and the way that we went about doing things and I think.

E

That's worthy of a pat on the back for all levels. Absolutely, and I want to thank the two of you for.

B

The answers because mr kane and mrs savigny could spend about an hour and a half on this.

A

um So you know and uh yeah trying to condense it all back down. um We know what's been asked.

A

For the budget this year, you know we're going to start going to our work sessions.

A

What is the ask so at the end, at the end of it all we'll go into that right now, if you turn to.

D

Page 29 in your packet, which is also displayed on the screen there um I'll be presenting the.

D

Proposed budget this evening at our board meeting and and these are asks without fully implementing.

D

The anticipated blueprint uh requirements and restrictions, um but we'd also like to start to be.

D

A little bit proactive in what we know we're going to have to start doing and the unfortunate reality.

D

For us is that we can't accomplish our system needs, let alone address the blueprint restrictions.

D

Without additional fiscal support from you, so my proposed budget is built on priorities that.

D

Increase our request of you from the 6.7 million in the county's plan by an additional 6.7 million.

D

And the slide on the screen summarizes. The system needs that I've prioritized in my proposed budget.

D

So the first issue that we just discussed briefly is inflationary impact and this rep this just.

D

Represents the cost of us doing business without making any improvements whatsoever, we expect 2.8.

D

Million in increases, even though we are seeing some successes, such as favorable health care.

D

Rate increases. We still expect about 2.8 million in inflationary impact, the blueprint mandates that.

D

Is three million dollars? These items are mandated they're already required by law for this year or.

D

Become effective next year, so we don't have a choice but to do those transportation, 2.1.

D

Million ccps contracts, pupil transportation with a group of independent local bus contractors and.

D

We renumerate the bus contractors based on a transportation reimbursement formula that.

D

Includes components such as the cost of the bus driver and assistant pay contractor business costs.

D

Etc, so the anticipated increase in that for that formula is 2.1 million. Next on the list is.

D

Substitute rate increases- that's 1.4 million, and this is truly truly an urgent need for our system.

D

At the state of the county, there was discussion about the challenges in the labor market with.

D

Supply and demand and the increased cost of labor and we're no different than any of the other.

D

Businesses and organizations out there who see this every day, one area that it's urgent for us.

D

Is that we are having difficulty having classroom coverage on a daily basis in our classrooms and.

D

Our schools and while we've recovered slightly from the worst place we were at during the.

D

Pandemic with classroom coverage we have not recovered to where we need to be, and unfortunately,.

D

Our principals are spending significant portions of their our day, putting together coverage plans.

D

Just for that day before the teachers or anyone can focus on teaching or learning, they are trying.

D

To just make sure that our students are supervised next on, our list is staffing. This is 1.3 million.

D

And there are a handful of positions that I've prioritized, for which I believe we must allocate.

D

Ongoing funding in fy24 there are seven positions that the board prioritized three years ago.

D

As being so important that the board took the unprecedented action to forward fund for three.

D

Years using board fund balance and those positions, we need to be incorporated into our operating.

D

Budget and those are additional and additional two custodian positions for our career in tech, because.

D

We've increased our square footage there. Also one of the bright spots for ccps is that the progress.

D

We've had in our capital program in recent years, the state has stepped up to provide its share of.

D

Funding on several projects, including the two large projects we have going on right.

D

Now, which is the renovation of career intact and the east middle school replacement and the good.

D

News is: is that we've, the good and bad news is that we've exceeded our human capital to manage.

D

Those funded projects so we're asking for one additional project manager when, in the past we.

D

Actually had two um next on our list, we've got our blueprint priorities which includes employee.

D

Salaries and negotiations, I'm proposing that the board approved 15.9 million for these combined.

D

Priorities- and this is an area where we need to be somewhat careful as we discuss this publicly.

D

By law, we must negotiate with our five unions on salary hours and working conditions, so we we.

D

Do not address specific parameters in public, but there are blueprint requirements on the.

D

Very near horizon that we have to be proactive in addressing, and many of these mandates have.

D

Some connection with employee workload and just one example of that is there's significant.

D

There's a significant blueprint requirement that over time, we have to move to a teacher.

D

Career ladder that includes a mandate where teachers teach 60 of the time and then 40 percent.

D

Of their time is devoted to other professional duties, and the only way we can accomplish this.

D

The only way any system can accomplish this is through additional staffing, so our best working.

D

Estimate is to get to that 60 40 split we're going to need a hundred additional fte to fully.

D

Implement that realistically, we can't wait until the very end of the timeline to hire all of those.

D

Needed people, as we know, we're all competing for people every single year um and for salary.

D

Without delving into any of the bargaining process, I want to stress the point that we are the largest.

D

Employer in carroll county we're a very large organization and we have about 2 200 teachers.

D

And roughly 3 500 total employees and while the total figure sometimes will catch people off.

D

Guard or by surprise, it costs us millions to give inadequate raise to our employees. For instance, the.

D

Cost to award our eligible staff, one annual step on their salary scales is 5.7 million and every.

D

One percent raise costs us 2.5 million and for just one percent, so we have the same pressures.

D

In the labor market that everybody's, seeing that the sheriff is seeing that the community.

D

Businesses are seeing, and we also need to be able to recruit and retain the best employees.

D

So that's where we are with employee employee raises um yes, mr mckay, while you're on employees.

B

What about recovery, tutoring and, and all that um are you covering that with current employees, but.

B

Over time, is that cost factored in this and do you have any remaining federal, cova dollars, funding.

B

Any of that, or is that pretty much run out so so right now we have we're still able to use federal.

D

Money to do the tutoring that's happening after school, our elo. We still have federal money to.

D

Do that with and when that federal money is gone, we'll have to stop offering that that program for.

D

Our students and- and you mentioned earlier, based on test scores, etc. We haven't recovered. We have.

D

Not recovered to the to the point that we need to be with our with our student achievement, so our.

D

Students really lost a lot during that pandemic, as we would expect, but we haven't regained that lost.

D

Growth as quickly as we as we would have wanted to ask a question on the uh on the budget itself,.

A

The board of education's budget, what is in the unassigned operating budget right now on a sign.

A

Ed up funds that are unassigned at this time, like I say, for emergency whatever.

A

Operations, so how much is the fund balance right now right now, um yeah.

A

So it's 12.8 and it's 3.4 percent.

A

At what is the kind of red line for risk associated with the fund balance? We can't go below.

D

3.7 yeah 3.7 yeah yeah, the the so the fund balance exists via an mou with you, and the range is one.

G

Percent of the unrestricted budget up to a cap of five, so we're in the sweet spot. And you know as.

G

You know you've been here: we annually, we try to set some priorities with it. We try to stay away.

G

From ongoing costs, except for those seven priority positions, the board tagged a few years ago, we we.

G

Do things like uh paper unanticipate a year in cost, we've been trying to help. You help us.

G

With capital infrastructure, right security and technology, no- and I appreciate I mean- and this.

A

Is also not just for us, but also like we said for the community again getting this. You know.

A

These numbers because they become complicated, you know so, but going back to that word, you know.

A

You're asking for the 6.7 million, you could put pull a significant amount out of that fund balance.

A

Okay, ongoing money: what do you have ongoing anything or no? Well we've so in this in the.

G

It's in the grand scheme of the entire budget- it's not you know it's we didn't highlight. We work on.

G

A highlighter here to david, since you asked there's two areas where the superintendent is.

G

Programming some fund balance in and what you you could at least argue is ongoing.

G

um Diesel has been volatile. uh Diesel is one of the larger drivers in the transportation budget.

E

And so we have to pick a number when we budget for the whole fiscal years to what we think visa will.

G

Be we're hopeful that the market will will come back to a more to it'll, be higher than it's ever.

G

Been but we're hoping it's it's going to be it'll stabilize lower than where we so hope is not the.

A

Course of action, but what are the trends, but what we're doing is trying to smooth that increase. So.

A

Rather than say, we need to set the transportation budget based on six dollars an hour on yeah, so.

A

We're going to base it at five or four and three quarters, I think, and if we and and we're going to.

G

Back the difference, based on what the pump price says right with fund balance for fiscal 24. and.

G

If prices adjust by next year, then the port of ed's fine, if, if prices don't adjust, then the board.

G

Of ed's, only on the hook for that you know that dollar or something and you'll use one-time funds.

A

To do that, yes, and then we have some memorandum of understanding with uh one of our bargaining units.

G

Where we've been trying to preliminarily address some joint workload concerns we it's it's it's for.

G

Pay but it's for very specific extra duty pay for some staff. We we're using fund balance to pay for.

G

That mou and then again all one time now right periodically and it's been a few years. I think.

G

Five or four fiscal years, but we supplement our security infrastructure with fund balance.

G

Our technology infrastructure and our maintenance infrastructure, so we have some preliminary plans.

G

With the superintendent, but I may to bring some numbers to the board of ed on that and those.

G

Are mostly not recurring costs that you know diesel could be so potential how much ongoing.

A

Funds could be opened up. Can you well by policy not no so like when we funded the positions or.

G

You could make the case with diesel. The board of ed is knowingly making an exception to its.

G

Fund balance policy which says fund balance cannot be used for any ongoing costs, but.

G

Difficult challenging time to call, for you know, hard decision decisions right. We've made some of.

G

Those decisions absolutely and and we've you know historically used fund balance when we, when we.

D

Need something that is a one-time cost. um You know whether it's technology or a piece of equipment in.

D

A school or something like that, but when once we know it's ongoing, we we can't use fund balance for.

D

That so then, the other question is: if push comes to shove and there is zero available.

A

Dollars that can be seen out of our budget, you know the county budget. What revenue would it.

A

Take to get to 6.7 million dollars ongoing funds and that's what's revenue. You know I mean you.

A

Have an idea about taxes, what it would take to get to six and a half million dollars ongoing.

A

Look at property tax alone that would be three cents of both more than three cents on income tax.

B

You can get a 3.2 we're currently at 3.03. I think, moving about halfway between them and give you.

A

There so so I I apologize just because he's not at the mic, his income tax, going from 3.03 to 3.2.

A

Would get us to that 6.7 and we're talking simplistic, very simplistic.

I

Or a three cent raise in property taxes simplistically, looking at this that's or.

E

Right now that is or to get us to that 6.7 roughly to meet these needs, while we're also looking at.

A

A budget deliberation and work session that we're going to go, and so just you know for my.

A

Colleagues, just to have those numbers in your head and also for the community to have those.

A

Numbers in your head, knowing that those are numbers in order to meet the demands that the.

A

Schools are saying that you need. I mean it's as blunt as that and we've got to be blunt. You know.

A

uh And there's no extra in there at all. We. We are very minimalist on this budget and we have been.

C

Running this school board like this for years so but I never come to a point where but look at it.

C

Look mandates and now it's really changed it look at the holy it's it's we as collective. This county.

A

Has you know, taken away a hundred positions over years and still met services.

A

And we were, you know really in a tough position, so now we're finally starting to hire back some.

A

Significantly, so so that we is collective, um the sheriff's department was in a world of hurt.

A

Until we tied a knot at the end of the rope and let him climb back up to meet his needs.

A

The fire in ems was in a world of hurt where they were close to closing doors. You know at.

A

Some of the services that they wouldn't be able to meet, and we collectively said we're not going to.

A

Allow that for the community so we're doing this. So it's it's not one or the other. It's, but that's.

A

Kind of the position we're at so I I know there's a lot of priorities out there in the community.

A

And uh I'm having another town hall next week and we're going to be discussing some of this.

A

I'm sure, because I'm hoping some folks will be listening to this, it's what are the priorities.

A

And if there are children and the public school system and to meet that 6.7 million there's only.

A

So many ways we can look at where those dollars are going to come from. You know I should say just.

I

To really underscore and add to what you're saying if we were required to use our fund.

I

Balance to meet this emergency issue and not get an additional funding from the commissioners that.

I

Would bring our fund balance down to 6.1 million, which is only 2 to 2.4 million above the minimum?.

I

That we're supposed to have and remember that's one-time money, and what also concerns me is that.

I

You know we have a recession learning and if I could pair it with governor-elect moore said.

I

You know he's he's resisting the notion to tap into the the surplus because of this recession.

I

And bringing our fund balance down to such a very low amount if we weren't to get.

I

Additional funds would be very problematic and troubling for me as a board of education. Member.

I

And then I'm also very concerned with the new administration, with the additional.

I

Regulations and the additional requirements that we may see levied on our school system.

I

To meet equity standards and equity goals that he has set out in his agenda when he was running for.

I

Office, so um I think it's very important that the public understand exactly the funding predicament.

I

That the county is in and again I appreciate you sitting. We, commissioner, because it is true: it's.

I

A problem that we all have to work together to and we're going to be looking at, uh you know.

A

My colleagues and I uh what's budgeted, you know, um and you know, as commissioner karen said very.

A

Well, the other day he's going to turn over all the rocks. He can to see where things are funding where.

A

Things are prioritized and if it doesn't meet the demands of the community, then we should take a.

A

Hard look at that and reallocate, um but, as we all know, there's only so much that's discretionary.

A

And a whole lot more, that's non-discretionary! So, um but that's where we're walking into so.

B

I think we have to worry whether it's the school system or ems or the sheriff or public works.

B

If we advocate using one-time money as a band-aid this year,.

B

Almost said a bad word: um what the world can we expect next year's budget, because that would be.

B

A heck of a hole to come out of that would be a disaster like I say I don't care whether you know.

F

Whatever side of that is for right and looking at our budget- and I think it's upstairs very true.

C

Kenny- and I think it's good for the community to to kind of realize too, because I think we all have.

J

Always heard, but my property taxes pay for when my property taxes pay for you know initially, you know.

J

50 percent of property tax is supposed to go towards the school system. You know or fifty.

J

Percent of the budget, so I mean if if someone were to look at their property tax and let's just say.

J

It's 3 000 a year. I mean it. Do they think fifteen hundred dollars is going to scratch a surface.

J

From one household for beneficial for a school, it's not I mean that's, that's not even covering.

J

Even remotely a smidget of one teacher's salary, fifteen hundred dollars, so I think you know.

J

If there has to be a discussion on your guys and on raising you know, raising property taxes.

J

Because you had just said, you know three cents, you know an actual dollar amount.

J

Goes further than a percent, you know when it comes to the public. Thinking about it, so I mean.

J

I mean, let's just say it's a dollar more, I, but I think, those those type of things looking forward.

J

The community just needs to look at a little bit better to have a little bit more understanding.

J

Because I mean I'll be honest, gladly add fifty dollars onto my property tax bill for more.

J

Of the school system, I I'm fine with that as a homeowner, but I know some other homeowners are not.

J

You know so I just I definitely want the community to put things in perspective. I mean I, I don't.

J

Even know, if there's a way on the property tax bill that the county could advocate to say like.

J

Such and such percent of someone's property tax goes to whatever services. Is there a way that.

J

You guys can advocate for that, so maybe even the public can see it on their bill.

A

Well, I don't think that would be the need. I think it'd be a more.

A

um Again, having these communications and getting out in front of this.

A

um You know having the ability to be empathetic to our county and our community and our neighbors.

A

um But also uh being very encouraged that we have a very educated community.

A

That's important um and uh you know it's, you know so get having the ability to have these.

A

Conversations I am energized because of how energetic uh and as educated they are.

A

um And just getting in front of it, and also that empathy goes a long ways um because you're right.

A

I may be able to do something somebody else may not but put myself in their shoes for a lot of.

A

Things that are happening in their lives, I better be prepared. So um I mean that that's our role.

A

As I see it up here so and commissioner russian, if we can help with that, I mean I know you said.

E

That you're going to be going out and doing town halls and trying to increase community.

E

Awareness and if it helps to take a board of ed member along to have some of those discussions.

E

um You know, I think that we'd be happy to help out I'm having one on tuesday, so anybody want to come.

A

Steve's coming so he'll be there, but I also really appreciate your comments about the you know. The.

E

Three cents or the you know the increase to 3.2 percent. Just so we kind of understand a magnitude.

E

Of of how that could potentially impact the community um with those changes, I think it helps.

E

Us understand, but I think it's also incumbent upon us like we don't want to look at this as just.

E

A one-year thing right like we're talking about 6.7 million for this year, but it's not a one-year.

E

Situation, I think we really want to understand at least three to three to five years out of what we.

E

Think the the trajectory of this is so that we can kind of solve it and and plan for it now.

E

Rather than say, okay, let's just fix this coming year and then have to revisit it all again. Next.

E

Year and and that's a great point um and whether or not we're going into a recession or not, I mean.

B

Part of my empathy, these same people that are paying property taxes have to fill their car.

B

Up with gas, they have to pay their electric bill, and right now I mean we just we just got off.

B

Fuel for the furnace bill and it's it's over double what we've ever seen before and and it's.

B

It's uh you know, is that stuff temporary or is that right? I hate the word new normal and it's.

I

Just very important for the public to understand that this issue before us today. It's not something.

I

That was created by people in this room. This was a mandate that was thrust upon our county.

I

From the blueprint ballot initiative that was enacted into law a couple years ago, and so I just.

I

Don't want folks to think that this is something that we're kind of inventing and creating on on.

I

Our neighbors, but also understand that there are a lot of great things associated with this.

I

Blueprint initiative: that's going to really help our community raise teachers, salaries get our kids.

I

Educated prepare them for the future. So there's a lot of great things involved in blueprint.

I

But they're very costly and they're issues that are thrust upon us. I personally would.

I

Have preferred to, as john mentioned earlier, invite these things in at a slower pace. But we are where.

I

We are and we're going to work together to get it done. No, I I appreciate steve and uh you know.

A

Going all the way back to my opening comment, there were 16 jurisdictions in the room from.

A

All the larges uh to lots of the smalls with the governor elect and only one person raised his hand.

A

And it was only because she was on the committee, so 15 out of 16 had no input to what you're saying.

A

So uh all of us on this side right. So so, just let you know um it's recognized, it doesn't mean.

A

It's going to slow down the momentum, uh but it is recognized and um uh yeah so, and I think you know.

D

I think, having spent spent so many years here in in carroll county public schools, I can say that.

D

um You know parents move here, move their children here for safe neighborhoods and.

D

For quality schools, a quality school system and a quality education for their children.

D

And, as I've said, we're hanging on by a thread and if the quality of our education decreases.

D

You know we will all see a difference in our community as a whole that we don't want to see.

B

And- and I want to thank commissioner rothstein he's now on the board of mako, of course, we, the.

B

Rest of us were newly exposed to mako, but in your board, with the ear of the new governor, you guys.

B

Made the education part and blueprint a priority. Oh absolutely I want to thank you absolutely.

A

So we have a five minute I think 225 or somewhere around there. So.

A

Allowing you to get back to your closed session at three. I recommend that we adjourn in just a.

A

Couple minutes, maybe with some closing comments, if any of my colleagues may have, I just want to.

H

Say thank you to all of you for coming out today I mean I'm really looking forward to tackling this.

H

With all of you, I know you all have good hearts. I know you are all in the right place on this and.

H

You know, as commissioner rossi has previously said, you know we are. We are one team here.

H

um This is not easy. This is not going to be a simple thing and, as I've been mentioned, this is.

H

Going to be an ongoing issue, but it's better to start looking at it now than have to deal with.

H

It after the fact or in the future- and I want to thank all of you for your willingness to.

H

Be willing to to take that on and to work with us to to do that. So thank you, kenny um and yes,.

B

Thank you very much and uh um one one request. I can't help myself because you guys have to get.

B

Going and I talk too much, can you send us like an email, just giving us a quick update of the.

B

Feasibility study and the redistricting yes yeah I mean I don't. I don't think we need to beat on.

B

That anymore, we've beat on enough stuff today, but yes thank you guys and and it's interesting seeing.

B

You from this side of the day, but I've got to ask who decided that I had to set across from mrs herb.

B

We're not going to get that far away from me I'll! Tell you that right now, because you.

C

Need to be under control, we were told when you came on this side. There's no give backs.

A

um No, I appreciate you all coming in today. um It was discussed earlier, but obviously I think the.

K

One thing moving forward with our board, and yours now, is that we consistently have those quarterly.

K

Meetings, uh communication is incredibly important. um One thing I think it was sort of mentioned, but.

K

We really didn't get into it. I don't know where this stands right now. Have we heard it anymore on.

K

um Where the state is on our numbers, I know that's something we haven't heard for a while and that.

K

Was going to be pushed off, but is there anywhere as to where they were on the internet? The academic.

C

Achievement, yes, trickling in yeah, we don't have what we need. Is there any idea when that might.

K

Come out, are we looking at maybe march february or just potentially later they're saying by the.

C

End of january yeah, okay, we're still waiting. I was just curious because I know we've all been.

K

Acting you know, anticipating that and wondering yeah. I won't, I won't say patiently waiting.

F

Donna, oh, um I just want to say thank you guys. um I think that we want to get these meetings. I.

E

Think on the on the calendar like, we just want to make sure that we have them on a regular quarterly.

E

Basis and really appreciate your willingness um to do that, and I also appreciate um your creative.

E

Thinking on the ex-officio attendance at our board meetings on a monthly basis, I think it's a great.

E

Idea just to have it kind of on a rotational basis so that all of you kind of since we are 50 of you.

E

Know give or take of the county's budget like there's some big big challenges ahead of us. I.

E

Think it makes sense that you're all kind of um at least get a taste of things that are going.

E

On on a regular basis, rather than mr speaker, when had a conflict for today, but he will be.

B

With you guys at five okay, hopefully, that your new president can run a concise short meeting.

B

Since you're, not there they've been fast.

J

um Just want to thank you again. I I've always appreciated the quarterly meetings that we've.

J

Had with the county commissioners that you know, hopefully you guys do get an insight, and mr.

J

Kyler I mean you saw, have the eyes of what was going on for four years, so you know having you.

J

On the other side of the table is extremely beneficial. You know, so you can kind of reign.

J

In the other ones, be like wait, wait a minute wait. Let me explain this one, so I do appreciate.

J

um That we have these opportunities and we continue them thanks. uh Dr dorsey well again,.

F

um Thanks very much it's a new year new opportunity for, for all of us really.

F

um A new beginning, and thank you all for listening and hearing um you know our school.

F

System is just a vital part of our community, and you know I think it speaks very loudly.

F

Where a community's values are, when we looked at what we do to to help.

F

Our children, so thank you all for listening and I think we're all trying to to grasp this.

F

um The whole idea of the blueprint and making it work for us, because we really do want the best.

F

For our our children and for our communities, so thanks for listening thanks for hearing and you.

F

Know I can go back to that old adage that you know there really isn't anything that we can't.

F

Solve that's correct, we don't all you know if we all work together. I almost put two negatives in.

F

There and it turns all good, but if we all work together, we can certainly um you know, turn some.

F

Of these challenges into opportunities, so thank you agree and the doctor to your left, dr whistler.

I

So much for meeting with us, I I will tell you that.

I

That I have, for example, I've torn under the transportation budget transmission budget.

I

We really are doing everything we can to present the leanest possible budget and I really empathize.

I

With the position of the commissioners, we know you have so many departments, so many priorities.

I

To juggle, I really appreciate the openness I know each of you personally, I know you're all fiscal.

I

Hawks as well- and I just think the county is in great hands and we're going to work together. No.

I

Matter what the outcome is to make sure that our students and teachers and parents have the.

I

Best education possible: okay, okay, I would just say thank you for your partnership with us. I feel like.

D

We are really all in this together and we will be able to provide what are what our students need.

D

What our schools need- and I will just say we do have the illustration in here- if you're dealing.

D

With the complex issue, you really tried to take a complex issue and make it as simple as possible.

D

So, thank you for your patience with us as we tried to describe the difference in that funding.

D

Formula, patience and persistence goes a long ways. Madam president, thank you so much for having us.

C

um I know we will be contacting you to invite you over for the next quarterly meeting. I will tell.

C

You it's going to be a really tough next, several years in this budget with working us together with.

C

These mandates- this is not something that we all want, but we will have to work together and.

C

We will figure this out together and that's the only way we can get anything accomplished within.

C

These next five years, it's it's going to be a tough road and people, I'm so glad that we have.

C

Talked about this openly, so the community knows what we're up against and what you all are up.

C

Against and then we need to work collaboratively together to to come to one to to get this all.

C

Straightened out so thank you. I appreciate and uh absolutely and again the the three e's.

A

Have any energy recognizing that we have a very educated community and always being empathetic.

A

To the community, as these decision being made is critical, so formal meetings are great informal.

A

Communications go a long ways, so anything else from anyone seen here none. I need a motion to.

A

Adjourn make a motion to adjourn I'll. Second, that, okay, I appreciate that all in favor aye.