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AND WE'LL CALL THE APRIL 16TH, SPECIAL CALLED MEETING OF AIKEN COUNTY BOARD OF EDUCATION TO ORDER FOR OUR WORKSHOP.WE BEGIN ALL OUR MEETINGS WITH A MOMENT OF SILENCE AND THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.
PLEASE JOIN ME IN A MOMENT OF SILENCE.
>> THE AGENDA FOR THIS EVENING'S MEETING WAS PUBLISHED BOTH FOR THE BOARD AND THE PUBLIC IN ADVANCE.
I HAVE NOT HEARD FOR ANY EDITS OR CHANGES TO THE AGENDA, AND WE'LL CONSIDER THE AGENDA APPROVED WITH NO OBJECTION.
THE FIRST PART OF OUR MEETING TONIGHT IS A WORKSHOP, AND WE'RE STARTING OUT WITH TWO SUBJECTS; ONE, THE ONE CENT SALES TAX THAT WE'RE PREPARING AND WORKING THROUGH THIS YEAR, AND THEN LATER, WE'VE GOT A WORKSHOP ON THE NEXT YEAR'S BUDGET.
WE'RE GOING TO START WITH THE PENNY SALES TAX. WHO HAS THE FLOOR?
>> THANK YOU, MR. CHAIR. WE'RE GOING TO TAG TEAM THIS ONE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE THERE ARE A VARIETY OF TOPICS HERE, BUT I'M GOING TO GET STARTED.
IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT, AND ONE MORE, THERE WE GO.
THE FIRST THING WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT IS THE TIMELINE.
WE DID HAVE THE ONE MEETING BACK IN NOVEMBER WHEN WE HAD OUR BOND ATTORNEYS COME AND GIVE DOS AND DON'TS AND HELP US TO UNDERSTAND OVERALL THE PROCESS FOR THE SALES TAX REFERENDUM.
THEN, OF COURSE, WE'VE GOT APRIL 16TH, WHICH IS TODAY, WORK STUDY, AND POSSIBLY DISCUSS THE PROJECTS.
WE'VE GOT A SLIDE HERE THAT WAS ALSO GIVEN TO YOU ON NOVEMBER 28TH THAT SHOWS SOME OF THE POTENTIAL PROJECTS THAT WE WOULD WANT TO CONSIDER.
BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE, WE WOULD WANT TO LOOK AT GETTING COMMUNITY INPUT.
NOW, WHAT THAT LOOKS LIKE REALLY DEPENDS ON YOU.
WE'LL WANT THE BOARD TO DISCUSS AND DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT YOU WANT TO HAVE COMMUNITY MEETINGS, WHETHER YOU WANT TO DO SURVEYS, OR HOW YOU WANT TO GET INPUT FROM THE COMMUNITY ON POTENTIAL PROJECTS FOR THE NEXT ROUND OF PENNY SALES TAX.
THEN WE'D LIKE ON JUNE 11TH FOR THE BOARD TO PRETTY MUCH NAIL THAT DOWN.
WHAT THAT WILL DO IS GIVE THE BOND ATTORNEYS A MONTH TO PREPARE A COUPLE OF BALLOT QUESTIONS THAT WE'LL NEED BY AUGUST, BUT THOSE WOULD BE APPROVED ON JULY 16TH.
THERE IT IS, BY AUGUST 15TH, ALL OF THAT HAS TO BE AT THE ELECTIONS OFFICE.
THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE PRELIMINARY STUFF FOR IT.
THE NEXT PAGE, AUGUST TO OCTOBER, THOSE WILL BE OUR EDUCATION EFFORTS.
THAT'S WHERE WE'LL BE SHARING WITH THE COMMUNITY, BIG GROUPS, SMALL GROUPS, ANYBODY WHO IS INTERESTED IN LISTENING EXACTLY WHAT THE SALES TAX WOULD MEAN AS FAR AS PROJECTS IN THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
THEN NOVEMBER 25TH IS THE ACTUAL REFERENDUM, THAT'S GENERAL ELECTION DAY.
AFTER THREE DAYS TO CERTIFY THE ELECTIONS,
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WE'LL KNOW WHETHER THAT IS PASSED OR NOT, AND THEN THE NEW SALES TAX COMMENCES IN MARCH.THAT'S PRETTY MUCH THE TIMELINE FOR WHAT WE'RE EXPECTING.
WE'D LIKE THE BOARD'S INPUT ON THAT TIMELINE IF YOU FEEL THAT THAT IS AN APPROPRIATE APPROACH TO IT.
DO YOU THINK THAT BETWEEN NOW AND JUNE IS ENOUGH TIME TO GET THE INPUT THAT YOU MAY NEED FROM THE COMMUNITY? NEXT SLIDE. BEFORE WE GET INTO THIS, I'M GOING TO ASK MR. TRAXLER TO EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT THE FUNDING.
BUT ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THAT TIMELINE?
>> GOOD EVENING, MR. CHAIR, MR. LAURENCE, BOARD MEMBERS.
JUST A BRIEF SLIDE HERE ON FUNDING.
LEGISLATION REQUIRES THAT WE RECEIVE OUR SALES TAX ESTIMATES FROM THE STATE LEVEL.
IN NOVEMBER, WE REQUESTED INPUT FROM THE SOUTH CAROLINA REVENUE AND FISCAL AFFAIRS OFFICE AND RECEIVED THAT FEEDBACK BY THE END OF NOVEMBER IN ADVANCE OF THAT NOVEMBER 28 SPECIAL CALLED MEETING.
APPROXIMATELY 390 MILLION WAS THE PROJECTION FOR THIS NEXT 10 YEAR STRETCH IF SUCCESSFUL.
FROM MARCH 1, 2025 THROUGH FEBRUARY 28, 2035, THAT'S WHAT THEY WERE PROJECTING.
NOW, OF THAT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTICE, NOT ON THIS SLIDE, BUT IT'S BEEN ESTIMATED THAT APPROXIMATELY A THIRD OF THAT.
MAYBE A LITTLE BIT MORE COMES FROM FOLKS THAT RESIDE OUTSIDE OF OUR DISTRICT, SO THAT'S THE KEY HERE.
WE HAVE SIGNIFICANT DOLLARS THAT POTENTIALLY ARE GOING TO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF THAT ARE POTENTIALLY GOING TO PROJECTS IF APPROVED AND ABOUT A THIRD OF THAT ARE MORE COMES FROM FOLKS THEY ARE JUST SHOPPING HERE FROM OTHER COUNTIES.
THEY'RE IN THE AREA FOR THE MASTERS OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
LEGISLATION REQUIRES THAT 10% OF ANY COLLECTIONS GO TO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF, THE REMAINING 90% GOES TO PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AND VOTED ON AND APPROVED BY VOTERS.
THEN IT GETS A LITTLE MORE COMPLICATED.
THE LEGISLATION SAYS THAT IF YOU BOND OUT MONIES TO JUMP START PROJECTS, YOU HAVE 90% OF 90% WHERE YOU COULD ISSUE DEBT.
NOW, WE ASK OUR BOND ATTORNEYS AND FINANCIAL ADVISORS TO LOOK AT THIS, AND MIKE GALLAGHER, OUR FINANCIAL ADVISOR, BASED ON THEIR ESTIMATES, CAME UP WITH 285 MILLION IMPOSSIBLE BONDING FROM THIS SECOND ROUND IF SUCCESSFUL.
WITH THAT BOND AND IT COULD BE IN A SINGLE ISSUANCE, IT COULD BE OVER MULTIPLE ISSUANCES, BUT AS WITH THIS LAST TIME WE HAD TO DO IT WITHIN FIVE YEARS OF THE VOTE.
THE IMPORTANCE OF THESE ISSUANCES IS THAT IT'S A JUMP START ON PROJECTS.
WE GET MONIES VERY EARLY ON AND THAT DEBT IS REPAID WITH PENNY SALES TAX COLLECTIONS.
THE OTHER OPTION IS, WE SAY, WE'RE NOT ISSUING ANYTHING, WE'RE JUST GOING TO COLLECT MONIES, AND WE'RE GOING TO ADDRESS PROJECTS AS THOSE FUNDS COME IN.
IT MAY TAKE A WHILE TO ACCUMULATE SUFFICIENT FUNDS.
IT MAY MEAN THAT INSTEAD OF MULTIPLE PROJECTS ONGOING AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE A SINGLE PROJECT.
THE LAST TIME THAT WE HAD A VOTE, THERE WERE TWO QUESTIONS.
ONE QUESTION WAS, ARE VOTERS IN FAVOR OF A PENNY SALES TAX? THE SECOND QUESTION WAS, IF VOTERS APPROVE THE PENNY SALES TAX, DO YOU APPROVE A BOND ISSUANCE OF UP TO 125 MILLION? THAT'S WHAT WE WOULD BE WORKING ON WITH OUR BOND FINANCIAL ADVISORS AND BOND ATTORNEYS HERE SOON.
THE PAYGO IN REFERENCE THAT I MENTIONED HERE IS, AGAIN, IN LIEU OF OR AS ANOTHER OPTION, INSTEAD OF A BOND ISSUANCE AND A JUMP START, WE'RE JUST PAYING DIRECTLY OUT OF THE PENNY SALES TAX.
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THESE FUNDS, THIS PAST TIME, THIS PHASE 1 WORKED IN COMBINATION WITH OUR 8% FUNDS.SEVERAL OF YOU MAY RECALL THAT WE HAD 2014 SALES TAX PROJECTS THAT WERE IDENTIFIED AS PART OF THE FIVE-YEAR PLAN, AS PART OF OUR ANNUAL 8% ISSUANCE.
A LOT OF FUNDING WENT TOWARDS THE RIDGE PREEN MANTA CAMPUS, JUST BECAUSE THE COST OF THE PROJECTS, EXCEEDED WHAT WE WERE ANTICIPATED TO RECEIVE, DURING THAT INITIAL 10-YEAR STRETCH, DURING THAT INITIAL $189 MILLION ESTIMATE.
I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT DURING THIS FIRST 10 YEARS, WE'RE PROJECTED TO GET ABOUT 190 MILLION, 189 MILLION, 190 MILLION, AND IT LOOKS LIKE WE'LL PROBABLY COME IN AT 225 MILLION DURING THE FIRST 10 YEARS.
MAYBE WE'LL BE LUCKY ENOUGH THIS NEXT GO AROUND TO WHERE THINGS COME IN OVER THE PROJECTIONS.
BUT FOR RIGHT NOW, WE'RE WORKING WITH THAT ORIGINAL ESTIMATE, 390 MILLION AGAIN, CHUNK OF IT GOING TO PROPERTY TAX RELIEF AND OUR ABILITY TO BOND OUT 285 MILLION BASED ON FINANCIAL ADVISORS ESTIMATES.
I'D BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS ON THIS?
>> JUST TO REPEAT WHAT YOU SAID BECAUSE IT'S NOT ON THE SLIDE.
THE TOTAL AMOUNT PROJECTED CURRENTLY THAT WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PROJECTS WOULD BE ABOUT $350 MILLION.
>> YES. THAT'S IF WE WERE PAYING THAT OUT OF POCKET.
IF WE SAID, WE AREN'T GOING TO BOND ANYTHING, BUT THAT 90%, THE 350 MILLION THAT YOU'RE REFERENCING WOULD COVER THE BOND PAYMENTS, THE BOND INTEREST, BUT IN ESSENCE, WOULD GO IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER TO PROJECTS.
>> THE NUMBER YOU'VE GOT ON THE SLIDE IS BASICALLY HOW MUCH WE COULD GET UP FRONT, POTENTIALLY WITH BONDING AGAINST WHAT THE PROJECTED REVENUE WOULD BE FROM THE SALES TAX, I GUESS.
>> I'M JUST TRYING TO GET A NUMBER.
YOU SEE WHERE I'M GOING WITH THIS, WHAT'S GOING TO BE LEFTOVER.
IF YOU BONDED 285 MILLION, WHAT'S AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THE 10 YEARS?
>> WELL, A LOT OF THAT IS GOING TO DEPEND ON THE INTEREST RATES WE'RE DEALING WITH.
A LOT OF IT WE'RE GOING TO PAY A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT IN INTEREST.
BUT WE COULD BE IN A SITUATION SIMILAR TO WHAT WE'RE IN NOW WHERE YOU'VE ISSUED THE BONDS BASED ON THE ESTIMATES THAT YOU RECEIVED FROM THE STATE, AND YOU STILL GET TO THE END, AND THERE MAY BE SOME DOLLARS AVAILABLE FOR PAYGO THAT COULD BE USED DIRECTLY TO SPEND ON THOSE PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN NAMED ON THE BALLOT.
THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THE 90% OF 90 IS JUST SO DISTRICTS DON'T GET IN OVER THEIR HEAD ISSUE TOO MUCH, AND ULTIMATELY, WE HAVE TO ISSUE ADDITIONAL DEBT TO PAY SOMETHING OFF IN THE EVENT THAT SALES TAX COLLECTIONS DON'T COME IN AT THE LEVEL THAT THEY'RE EXPECTED.
>> JUST FOR A FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR THE BOARD, IS THAT WE'RE HIGH LEVEL NUMBERS AT THIS POINT, WE'RE JUST TOSSING AROUND IDEAS AND GETTING FOCUS AREAS.
WHEN WE THINK ABOUT IT WOULD COST THIS MUCH TO DO THESE THREE PROJECTS OR THESE FOUR OR THESE FIVE, WE SHOULD BE THINKING ABOUT THE 285 AS THE NUMBER.
>> I WOULD FOCUS ON THE 285 BECAUSE THE THINGS TO THINK ABOUT AGAIN, IF WE SAY WE'RE NOT GOING TO ISSUE DEBT, WE'RE JUST GOING TO PAY STRAIGHT OUT OF PENNY SALES TAX, IT'S GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME TO GENERATE ENOUGH PENNY SALES TAX TO COVER THE COST OF SOME OF THESE PROJECTS THAT ARE POTENTIALLY ON THE LIST.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE SOME WEIGHT, AND THEN YOU MAY BE DOING ONE PROJECT AT A TIME.
IT'S NOT GOING TO BE TERRIBLY EFFICIENT OR WE BOND THAT UP FRONT.
WE MAY HAVE SEVERAL PROJECTS ONGOING AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, AND THEN WE LATER ON PAY THAT OFF WITH SALES TAX.
ALSO, THE LONGER WE WAIT, THE MORE THE ESTIMATED COST ON THE PROJECTS ARE GOING TO GO UP.
WE'VE SEEN OVER TIME, YOU WAIT THREE OR FOUR YEARS TO DO A PROJECT, THE COST IS GOING TO BE SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER.
>> YES, SIR. ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THE MOMENT? OKAY, SIR.
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>> I DO WANT TO DRAW YOUR ATTENTION TO THE SLIDE THAT'S UP THERE NOW.
THOSE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE'VE SUGGESTED FOR CONSIDERATION.
THE SCOPE OF THOSE PROJECTS, SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE COMPLETE REBUILD, SOME OF THEM MIGHT BE RENOVATIONS OR ADDITIONS, BUT WE DO WANT TO CONSIDER THOSE.
I WILL TELL YOU THAT EVERYTHING ON THAT SLIDE IS A LOT MORE THAN $285 MILLION.
THAT'S WHERE BOARD DISCUSSION, INPUT FROM COMMUNITY, AND THOSE KINDS OF THINGS ARE GOING TO BE VERY IMPORTANT IN DETERMINING OVER THE NEXT MONTH AND A HALF OR SO EXACTLY WHAT PROJECTS WE WANT TO IDENTIFY FOR THE SALES TAX FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS.
IN YOUR BOARD PACKET, THERE ARE SOME VERY LOOSE ESTIMATES THAT THE FACILITIES DEPARTMENT HAS PREPARED FOR YOU AND YOU CAN SEE THAT NONE OF THE PROJECTS WOULD BE VERY CHEAP.
>> JUST FOR REFERENCE, AND WE'RE REFERRING TO THIS THIS HAS 1% PROJECT CONSIDERATIONS FOR TODAY'S DATE ON IT.
THE FIRST THREE THINGS ON THIS HANDOUT LISTED ARE PROJECTS AT THREE REMAINING HIGH SCHOOLS THAT REALLY THE OTHER HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT OF ESSENTIALLY ARE BEING REPLACED OR HAVE BEEN REPLACED, ALMOST 100%.
THESE ARE RENOVATIONS OR UPGRADES AND OTHER THINGS FOR THE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS.
THE HIGH LEVEL PROJECTIONS ON JUST DOING THOSE THREE HIGH SCHOOLS IS 285 MILLION. AT LEAST WHEN I DID IT.
TO MR. LAURENCE'S POINT, WE'RE EVENTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO NAIL THIS DOWN TO WHAT DO WE WANT TO FOCUS ON.
OBVIOUSLY, ALONG THE WAY, OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL MEETINGS, WE HAVE OPPORTUNITIES TO DO THAT AND SOLICIT INPUT FROM THE PUBLIC.
BUT I'LL OPEN IT UP IF THERE'S QUESTIONS OR JUST THOUGHTS THAT PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO SHARE WITH THE ADMINISTRATION AT THIS POINT. MR. SILAS.
>> ARE THESE INTENDED TO BE JUST GENERAL COMMENTS NOW OR DO YOU WANT TO DIG IN A LITTLE BIT.
I DON'T WANT TO OVERSTEP WHAT'S INTENDED TONIGHT.
>> WELL, WE WOULDN'T SEE ANY HARD DECISIONS BEING MADE TONIGHT SINCE IT'S A WORKSHOP.
BUT CERTAINLY ANY CONVERSATIONS THAT THE BOARD HAS WILL GIVE US DIRECTION ON WHAT SPECIFICS TO PROPOSE TO YOU BY JUNE 11.
>> WELL, THEN LET ME JUST GO ABOUT THAT.
>> I THINK IT'S GREAT. IF THERE'S SOMETHING ON YOUR MIND, LET'S GET IT OUT.
>> HAVEN'T ONLY SEEN THIS FOR 10 MINUTES, SO TEMPER MY COMMENTS WITH THAT.
FOR PROBABLY ARGUABLY MAYBE THE LARGEST GROWTH AREA IN OUR DISTRICT, AND YOU'RE LOOKING TO SPEND $20 MILLION IN MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL SEEMS A LITTLE UNDER FUNDED TO ME.
>> IF I CAN JUST POINT OUT, IT'S ACTUALLY 70 BECAUSE IT'S 20 IN NEW CONSTRUCTION AND 50 IN RENOVATIONS.
>> I SEE THAT A LITTLE HAPPIER NOW IN TERMS OF TOTAL EXPENDITURE.
I'M NOT SURE AND I GUESS WE NEED TO NAIL DOWN EXACTLY.
I DON'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU HAVE TO FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS NAIL DOWN THE EXACT, YOU'VE PUT A CULINARY AGRICULTURE, REGULAR CLASSROOM, SPECIAL ED CLASSROOM.
DO YOU NEED TO NAIL DOWN EVERY SPECIFIC NEW OFFICE, THE OFFICE NEEDS TO BE RENOVATED, COMPETITION GYM.
I MEAN, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF OTHER NEEDS THERE THAT I THINK NEED TO BE ADDRESSED THAT I DON'T SEE ON THIS LIST.
>> THIS IS A VERY HIGH LEVEL GENERAL LIST THAT YOU HAVE HERE.
NO, WE DON'T HAVE TO NAIL DOWN SPECIFICALLY THE PROJECTS IN THE BALLOT QUESTION.
>> THEN THE OTHER THING I WANTED TO BRING UP AND I UNDERSTAND WHERE WE ARE WITH THE 285 VERSUS THE PROJECTS WE HAVE LISTED.
BUT I THINK ONE OF THE GOALS IN IDENTIFYING THESE PROJECTS IS TO FIND
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NEEDS THAT NEED TO BE ADDRESSED ACROSS THE ENTIRE DISTRICT, SO WE SPREAD THE LOVE IN EFFECT.BUT WE'RE STILL ADDRESSING NEEDS, WE'RE NOT MAKING UP THINGS JUST TO SPEND MONEY.
WITH THAT IN MIND, I KNOW THAT WE'RE SPENDING ANYWHERE FROM $8-10 MILLION AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL NOW TO OF PENNY SALES TAX MONEY TO ADDRESS SOME ATHLETIC FACILITY NEEDS.
I WOULD PROPOSE THIS GROUP CONSIDER FOR FURTHER DISCUSSION SPENDING LIKEWISE AMOUNTS TO ADDRESS ATHLETIC FACILITY UPGRADES AT OUR OTHER SCHOOLS WITH NEEDS, AND THAT WOULD BE AIKEN HIGH, SILVER BLUFF, MIDLAND VALLEY.
I'M LEAVING WAGNER AND RIDGE SPRING OFF ONLY BECAUSE WAGNER IS BEING ADDRESSED FOR THE NEW SCHOOL NOW IN RIDGE SPRING PREVIOUSLY.
BUT CERTAINLY, IF THERE ARE SOME HANGING THINGS OUT THERE THAT SHOULD BE ADDRESSED, AND I THINK THIS IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME ATHLETIC FACILITY UPGRADES, JUST LIKE WE'RE DOING AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL.
WE CAN'T SAY WE DON'T WANT TO SPEND PENNY SALES TAX MONEY ON ATHLETIC FACILITIES BECAUSE WE ARE.
I REALIZE THAT WOULD BE SOMETHING NEW ADDED TO THIS LIST.
BUT AGAIN, I THINK THAT'S AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPREAD IT OUT OVER SOME OF OUR AREAS AND ADDRESS SOME REAL NEEDS THAT ARE THERE THAT ARE HARD TO FIND MONEY TO DO OTHERWISE.
I DO UNDERSTAND AND RECOGNIZE THAT WE ARE ADDRESSING SOME THINGS OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS OR A FEW YEARS.
I THINK WITH FIVE YEAR FACILITY MONEY, THE LIGHTS AND SOME OF LIGHTS AT OUR FOOTBALL FIELDS AND TURF.
I RECOGNIZE THAT AND APPRECIATE THAT.
BUT I THINK THIS MAY BE AN OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS SOME OTHER THINGS THAT WILL VARY SCHOOL BY SCHOOL.
EVERYBODY DOESN'T NEED A BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL FIELD, BUT, AIKEN AND MIDLAND VALLEY MAY NEED A PRESS BOX. WHO KNOWS WHAT? BUT YOU SAY SO, THAT'S MY PROPOSAL IS THAT WE CONSIDER SOME WAY TO ADDRESS ATHLETIC FACILITY NEEDS. THANK YOU.
>> WHEN I INITIALLY LOOKED AT THIS PROPOSAL, I NOTICED THAT GREENDALE WAS NOT ON THE LIST, WHICH IF YOU REMEMBER BACK TO OUR BUILDING EVALUATIONS THAT WAS DONE BACK BEFORE HIGHLAND SPRINGS WAS OPENED.
AREA 5 HAD THREE OF THE WORST FIVE BUILDINGS BY RANKING OUT FROM THE OUTSIDE FIRM IN THE DISTRICT, GREENDALE BEING AT THE TOP OF THE LIST ALONG WITH JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL.
I ASSUME IT WASN'T ON THERE BECAUSE IF WE WENT THROUGH SOME OF OUR DISCUSSIONS AND BUILT A NEW SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL, THEN WE WOULD POTENTIALLY COMBINED NEW ELLENTON MIDDLE SCHOOL AND JACKSON MIDDLE SCHOOL INTO EXISTING SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING, WHICH I WILL SAY THAT BUILDING IS OLD, BUT IT'S STILL A VERY DECENT BUILDING, BUT DEFINITELY NOT UP TO THE STANDARDS OF WHAT OUR HIGH SCHOOLS ARE TODAY TO WHAT THEY'RE COMING TO.
THAT HAPPENING WOULD ALLOW GREENDALE TO MOVE TO NEW ELLENTON MIDDLE, WHICH IS A FAIRLY DECENT BUILDING.
I ASSUME THAT IT WAS NOT ON THE LIST FOR THAT, BUT THEN, LOOKING AT POTENTIAL PROPOSALS, THERE'S STILL PROPOSALS POTENTIALLY TO RENOVATE SILVER BLUFF HIGH SCHOOL AND MAYBE DO WORK TO JACKSON, I GUESS WOULD STILL BE SOMETHING TO LOOK AT.
IN INVEST CASE, WE WOULD DEFINITELY THEN HAVE TO PUT GREENDALE ON THE LIST BECAUSE IT SHOULD BE AT THE VERY TOP OF THE LIST IF WE'RE NOT COMBINING THESE MIDDLE SCHOOLS.
>> YES, SIR, I JUST WANT TO CLARIFY TOO.
THESE ARE NOT PROPOSALS, THIS IS JUST INFORMATION.
THESE ARE THE PROJECTS THAT WE SUGGESTED WE SHOULD BE CONSIDERED BY THE BOARD.
>> WELL, GREENDALE SHOULD BE ON THAT LIST THEN, BECAUSE THIS IS GOING TO HAVE TO BE A NUMBER 1 CONSIDERATION, WHICH I ASSUME, BY THE WAY WE WERE TALKING AREA 5 MIDDLE SCHOOLS, IF WE DID GO WITH THE RIGHT OF COMBINING THEM TWO MIDDLE SCHOOLS, THAT WE WOULD TAKE CARE OF THREE SCHOOLS NEEDS WITH ONE BUILDING.
>> YES, SIR. THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION.
BUT IF THAT TURNS OUT TO NOT BE AN OPTION WE CONSIDER, THEN WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO ADD GREENDALE BECAUSE THIS GOT THE BIGGEST NEED PROBABLY IN THE DISTRICT AS FAR AS FACILITY RIGHT THERE AT IT.
THAT WAS VERIFIED AGAIN BY THE OUTSIDE FIRM THAT COME IN AND EVALUATED ALL OF OUR BUILDINGS. THANK YOU.
>> QUICK QUESTION FOR MR. LAURENCE.
WE'VE TALKED ABOUT THIS BEFORE.
I UNDERSTAND THE KITCHEN RENOVATIONS FOR PAUL KNOX ON THE LIST,
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NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE SCHOOL.WILL WE GET MORE DETAILS AS THIS PROCEEDS SO WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ABOUT WHAT NEEDS TO STAY ON THE PRIORITY LIST.
THEY UNDERWENT A RENOVATION, APPARENTLY, WAS THREE PHASES.
THE OTHER TWO FELL BY THE WAYSIDE.
WILL WE GET THE DETAILS ON EXACTLY WHAT IS NEEDED THERE AND HOW WE CAME UP WITH THIS ESTIMATED BUDGET?
>> THAT I DON'T KNOW, AS FAR AS PHASES.
I DO KNOW THAT WE DID DO A SIGNIFICANT ADDITION AT NORTH AUGUSTA MIDDLE, AND THAT WAS A LITTLE OVER 10 YEARS AGO.
THEN THAT THE ORIGINAL BUILDING THAT'S DOWN AT THE VERY BOTTOM OF THE PROPERTY AND THEN THE BIG GLASS FRONT BUILDING, THAT'S WHAT'S CONSIDERED HERE, AND THAT'S WHAT THAT AMOUNT WOULD BE ADDRESSING.
>> WOULD WE HAVE THE DETAILS ON WHAT WAS INTENDED FOR PHASE 2 AND PHASE 3?
>> I'M NOT AWARE OF THOSE PHASES.
I WASN'T PART OF THAT DISCUSSION BACK WHEN THAT WAS DONE.
I DO KNOW THAT AND I REMEMBER I WAS IN THE DISTRICT WHEN THAT ADDITION WAS BUILT, BUT I DON'T REMEMBER ANY OF THE CONVERSATIONS ABOUT IT, BUT WE CAN FIND OUT WHAT THAT WAS.
>> ONE OF MY REQUESTS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS, ALTHOUGH WE'VE SEEN VARIANTS OF THIS INFORMATION IS AN EVALUATION OF THE CONDITION OF THE FACILITIES.
THIS LIST IMPLIES CONDITION OF SOME FACILITIES.
BUT HOW DO WE RATE THE CONDITION OF FACILITIES.
THEN FROM AN OCCUPANCY STANDPOINT, HOW FULL ARE WE AT EVERY SCHOOL? TO MR. SILAS POINT.
I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE IF WE'VE GOT AREAS THAT ARE ALL 95 PERCENT FULL.
THEN WE NEED TO TAKE EXPANSION INTO CONSIDERATION WHEN WE START NARROWING THESE DOWN WITH THE PUBLIC.
BUT I DON'T THINK THE LIST OF CONDITION OF FACILITIES THAT WE GOT WITH THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND POPULATION STUDY SEEMED A LITTLE BIT OFF, SO HOWEVER WE WANT TO DO THAT? I'D APPRECIATE IT.
>> CERTAINLY. WE'LL MAKE SURE WE HAVE THAT INFORMATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY OF THAT?
MR. LAURENCE, WE DO HAVE THE ORIGINAL INFORMATION FROM THE STUDY, BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO CALL INTO QUESTION THE STUDY, WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER METHOD OTHER THAN OUR ANECDOTAL AND OUR CYCLIC MAINTENANCE.
IT JUST SOME OF THE THING, WITHOUT TOURING ALL THE FACILITIES, SOME OF THEM DIDN'T MAKE A LOT OF SENSE.
BUT IF SOMEONE'S GOT THAT HANDY, IF WE COULD SEND THAT BACK OUT TO THE BOARD AND HAVE IT DOWN ON THE TOP OF OUR INBOX, THAT WOULD BE HELPFUL.
>> WHAT ABOUT ENROLLMENT, THOUGH VERSUS CAPACITY?
>> YES, WE DO HAVE ENROLLMENT VERSUS CAPACITY.
WE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE THAT AS WELL.
>> ONE THING, MR. CHAIR, IS THE BOARD INTERESTED IN US MOVING FORWARD WITH COMMUNITY INPUT MEETINGS OF SOME KIND, SURVEYS ANYTHING ALONG THOSE LINES?
>> I THINK THE FIRST THING THAT COMES TO MIND, BASED ON THE EXPERIENCES OF THE PAST COUPLE OF YEARS IS TO DO BOTH.
WE LEARN A LOT WHEN WE HAVE THE FACE-TO-FACE INTERACTIONS AND MEETINGS, BUT WE DON'T GET A HUGE SAMPLE SIZE.
DIRECTIONALLY, LIKE A WEATHER VEIN, WE PROBABLY LEARN SOMETHING FROM SURVEYS, MORE PEOPLE PARTICIPATE.
ANYTHING ELSE? THAT WILL BE A SUBJECT OF SUBSEQUENT MEETINGS.
MOVING ON, WE'LL MOVE ON TO THE BUDGET PORTION OF OUR WORKSHOP.
I'LL GIVE THE FLOOR TO MR. TRAXLER FOR HIS ANNUAL PEP TALK THE BOARD.
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THIS YEAR MAY BE PIP THAN MANY, SO WE'LL SEE HOW IT GOES.
I'D LIKE TO START OUT THESE BUDGET WORK STUDIES WITH JUST A STATE TIMELINE.
I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT FOR THE BOARD FOR CITIZENS TO UNDERSTAND WHY WE'RE TRACKING THE STATE AND REALLY HOW EXTENDED THE PROCESS IS.
THE STATE LEGISLATIVE PROCESS STARTS IN EARLY TO MID JANUARY, WE HAD THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS VERSION OF THE BUDGET, LATE FEBRUARY, THE FULL HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
MID MARCH. LAST WEEK, THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE MET AND PRESENTED THEIR VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
THAT WILL DISCUSS THEIR BUDGET VERSION NEXT WEEK.
THEN IF THERE ARE DIFFERENCES WITHIN THOSE VERSIONS, BOTH SIDES, THE SENATE, AND THE HOUSE, COME TOGETHER AND COLLABORATE ON THAT.
IDEALLY, THINGS ARE DONE IN EARLY MAY.
THAT'S NOT ALWAYS THE CASE, AND WE HAVEN'T SEEN THAT A LOT IN RECENT YEARS.
BUT THROUGHOUT THIS PROCESS, THERE ARE CHANGES HISTORICALLY IN THE HOUSE VERSION AND THE SENATE VERSION, AND THERE ARE DIFFERENCES TO BE WORKED OUT.
I THINK LAST YEAR WAS ONE OF THE RARE OCCASIONS IN RECENT MEMORY WHERE EVERYTHING MESHED AS FAR AS K-12 FUNDING, AND THERE WEREN'T A WHOLE LOT OF DISCUSSIONS THERE.
WHAT THAT MEANS FOR US IS THAT IT'S A VERY FLUID PROCESS.
THE MAJORITY OF OUR FUNDING COMES FROM THE STATE.
AS WE SEE CHANGES IN THOSE STATE REVENUE PROJECTIONS, WE HAVE TO ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.
AS THERE MAY BE CHANGES IN THE MINIMUM STATE TEACHER SCALE FOR TEACHERS OR FOR BUS DRIVERS, WE HAVE TO ADJUST ACCORDINGLY.
WE HAVE OUR HEAD ON A SWIVEL THIS TIME OF YEAR.
AS THINGS GO THROUGH EACH LEG OF THE PROCESS, THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED GETS THE NUMBERS AND THEY PROVIDE PROJECTED ALLOCATIONS FOR EACH SCHOOL DISTRICT.
TYPICALLY, THAT'S ABOUT THREE WEEKS AFTER EACH LEG.
WE HAD THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS VERSION OF THE BUDGET, FEBRUARY 20 THROUGH 22ND, IT WAS APPROVED, AND I THINK WE WERE AROUND MARCH 10 OR SO, SOMEWHERE AROUND IT THERE BEFORE WE GOT SOME PROJECTIONS, MAYBE A LITTLE BIT LATER.
WE SAW THEN HOW THAT RELATES TO EVERYTHING.
OUR BUDGET CALENDAR LARGELY ALIGNS TO THE STATE.
OTHERWISE, WE'RE FLYING BLIND.
WE DO START OUR PROCESS IN EARLY DECEMBER, AT LEAST BASED ON THE BUDGET CALENDAR THAT THE BOARD APPROVES EVERY OCTOBER, BUT IN REALITY, THE BUDGET NEVER ENDS.
WHENEVER YOU APPROVE THIS YEAR'S BUDGET, I'M ALREADY GOING TO BE MAKING A LIST OF THINGS TO CONSIDER TO BE MINDFUL OF FOR NEXT YEAR, THINGS THAT MAY NOT HAVE MADE IT INTO THE BUDGET THAT SEEM TO BE A PRIORITY FOR FUTURE YEARS.
THINGS THAT MAYBE ARE ONE TIME THAT COULD BE PULLED OUT OF THE BUDGET.
WE KEEP AN ONGOING LIST OF THAT.
ONCE WE GET TO DECEMBER, THERE'S A LOT OF INTERNAL PREPS THAT BEGIN.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST THINGS IS PROJECTING STUDENT ENROLLMENT AT OUR SCHOOLS FOR THE NEXT YEAR.
SALARIES INFRINGE ACCOUNT FOR ABOUT 90 PERCENT OF OUR BUDGET.
THIS HAS A HUGE BEARING ON US, THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS WE HAVE, THE NUMBER OF SUPPORT STAFF AT SCHOOLS IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE BEARING ON THE BUDGET.
YEARS AGO, WE USED TO HAVE A BUDGET WORK STUDY IN JANUARY.
WHAT WE FOUND WAS THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF INFO AT THE TIME.
WE COULD PROVIDE SOME BACKGROUND INFO, GENERAL INFO, NOT A WHOLE LOT OF MEAT.
MAYBE FOUR OR FIVE YEARS AGO, WE ADDED THIS WORK STUDY.
ONE WEEK IN ADVANCE OF THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET BECAUSE IT GAVE YOU THE LATEST PREVIEW OF WHERE THINGS STOOD.
NOW, THERE MAY BE SOME CHANGES THAT COME OUT OF TONIGHT'S MEETING THAT WE NEED TO INCORPORATE IN THE BUDGET.
BUT YOU'RE LIKELY GOING TO HEAR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE NUMBERS THAT WE HAVE.
I DOUBT THAT THINGS AS FAR AS REVENUE IS GOING TO CHANGE BETWEEN NOW AND NEXT WEEK.
[00:40:03]
WE'RE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR A SECOND AND FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET ON MAY 28TH IN ADVANCE OF THAT, WE'RE REQUIRED TO HAVE A BUDGET HEARING TO GIVE CITIZENS AN OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK TO THE BUDGET.THAT MAY 28 DATE IS OUR GOAL, BUT WE HAVE HAD YEARS WHERE WE PUSHED IT BACK TO EARLY JUNE, JUST TRYING TO WAIT ON SOME ADDITIONAL INFO FROM THE STATE LEVEL.
REALLY, WE'RE LOOKING AT JUNE 11 AS A DROP DEAD DATE BECAUSE WE HAD TO CLOSE OUT THE YEAR.
WE HAD TO ROLL THINGS OVER AND JULY 5, PAYCHECKS ARE THE FIRST OF THE NEW YEAR.
THERE HAVE BEEN YEARS THE LAST TWO YEARS ARE EXAMPLES WHERE WE'VE APPROVED A BUDGET, THE STATE HASN'T FINALIZED IT, AND WE'VE COME BACK TO THE BOARD WITH SOME AMENDMENTS THEREAFTER.
BUT WE DO HAVE THAT EVEN IF THE STATE HASN'T FINALIZED ITS BUDGET.
WE'RE TYPICALLY GOING TO BUDGET CONSERVATIVELY BASED ON WHAT THE WORST CASE SCENARIO IS FROM THE STATE LEVEL AT THAT TIME AND WHAT THE LATEST INFO IS.
THE CALENDAR ADS ALLOWS FOR SOME ADDITIONS, SOME REVISIONS AS NEEDED. WHENEVER WE THINK ABOUT THE BUDGET AS A BALANCING ACT.
WE HAVE REVENUES THAT ARE GOING TO BE RECURRING THAT WE'VE HAD IN THE PAST.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME NEW REVENUES.
A LOT OF TIMES, THERE'S MAY BE NEW STATE MONIES.
IT MAY BE GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE LOCALLY.
THERE MAY ALSO BE SOME REDUCTIONS THAT WE DEAL WITH ON THE EXPENDITURE SIDE.
AGAIN, THERE ARE GOING TO BE SOME EXISTING THINGS, SOME RECURRING THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO LOOK AT.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE MANDATORY THINGS THAT THE STATE REQUIRES.
THERE ARE GOING TO BE THINGS THAT ARE UNAVOIDABLE THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD INTO THE BUDGET.
THE BOARD PERIODICALLY GIVES PRE-APPROVAL TO SOMETHING IN ADVANCE OF THE FINAL READING OF THE BUDGET.
LAST YEAR, YOU MAY RECALL THAT THERE WAS LEGISLATION THAT PASSED THAT WAS GOING INTO EFFECT JULY 1 OF 23 THAT SAID WE HAD TO GIVE ELEMENTARY TEACHERS 30 MINUTES OF UNENCUMBERED TIME.
WE CAME TO THE BOARD IN MARCH AND ASKED FOR THE BOARD TO GO AHEAD AND PRE-APPROVE THAT BECAUSE WE WANTED AND NEEDED TO GO AHEAD AND ADVERTISE POSITIONS.
COULDN'T WAIT UNTIL THE END OF MAY, WE COULDN'T WAIT UNTIL EARLY JUNE AND HOPE TO HAVE THOSE POSITIONS FILLED BY THE START OF SCHOOL IN JULY.
OCCASIONALLY, THE BOARD PRE-APPROVED SOME THINGS.
AT THAT POINT, WE SEE WHERE THINGS LAND, WHAT REMAINS, WHAT THOSE HIGH PRIORITY ITEMS ARE AND WORK TO BUILD TO THE BUDGET.
I DON'T WANT TO MAKE IT SOUND LIKE THE BUDGET IS EASIER, BUT THERE ARE SOME YEARS WHERE WE HAVE MORE BUFFER IN THE BUDGET.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER YEARS WHERE THINGS ARE VERY LEAN.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU'RE GOING TO SEE AS OF TONIGHT IN UPCOMING SLIDES, THIS APPEARS TO BE A YEAR WHERE THINGS ARE VERY LEAN.
WE CAN'T DO AS MUCH FOCUS IS GOING TO BE ON WHAT WE HAVE TO DO.
WE DO HAVE FUND BALANCE AS AN OPTION.
WE HAVE HISTORICALLY AND CAUTIOUSLY LOOKED AT THAT FOR NON-RECURRING TYPE EXPENDITURES.
THAT'S THE WISE USE OF FUND BALANCE BECAUSE THERE'S ARE NON-RECURRING DOLLARS.
WE ALSO FOLLOWED THE BOARD POLICY THERE.
KEY CONSIDERATIONS FOR THIS YEAR, AND MANY OF THESE ARE ONES THAT YOU'VE HEARD IN THE PAST YEARS AND YOU'LL CONTINUE TO HEAR.
STATE REQUIRES A STEP INCREASE FOR TEACHERS AND TEACHER LIKE POSITIONS, TEACHER-LIKE POSITIONS ARE: OTC, SYKES, OTS, PTS, AND NURSES.
ANYTIME WE SAY TEACHER-LIKE POSITIONS, ANYTIME THE STATE TELLS US WE HAVE TO GIVE A STEP INCREASE TO TEACHERS, IT INCLUDES THOSE GROUPS.
WE HAVE THE TEACHER SCALE INCREASE, THE MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE THAT'S APPROVED AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT WE HAVE TO COMPLY WITH.
WE HAVE A BUS DRIVER STEP THAT'S REQUIRED IN A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
WITH STATE RETIREMENT INCREASES THAT WE HAVE TO ACCOMMODATE IN THE BUDGET, WE HAVE STATE HEALTH INCREASES THAT WE HAVE TO BUILD INTO THE BUDGET.
[00:45:04]
STEP INCREASE FOR NON-TEACHERS, IT ISN'T REQUIRED BY THE STATE, BUT HISTORICALLY, WE'VE LOOKED AT THAT AND TREATED THAT AS A MUST.THAT'S BEEN OUR PRACTICE OF COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT.
FOR NON-TEACHERS, WE HAVE UNAVOIDABLE OR NECESSARY BUDGET INCREASES.
WE'VE TALKED OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS THAT ESSER IS GOING AWAY SEPTEMBER 30 OF 24.
WE'VE LOOKED THIS YEAR TO SEE WHAT ITEMS WITHIN THE ESSER PLAN MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO CONTINUE THAT WE MAY HAVE TO BUILD INTO THE GENERAL FUND FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR.
OF ITEMS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE ADVANCED APPROVAL, I'VE MENTIONED THE UNENCUMBERED TIME THAT WE HAD TO BUILD INTO THE BUDGET LAST YEAR BY ADDING ADDITIONAL POSITIONS.
YOU HAVE BOARD PRIORITIES, SUPERINTENDENT PRIORITIES.
WE HAVE A VARIETY OF BUDGET REQUEST.
WE'LL ALSO LOOK AT STATE AND LOCAL REVENUE CHANGES, AND HISTORICALLY, WE'VE HAD TO AVOID SOME SHORTFALLS IN STATE FUNDING TO MAINTAIN CERTAIN PROGRAMS. THE GENERAL FUND IS KIND OF A CATCH ALL IN SOME OF THESE.
BIG KEY HERE IS THAT, AGAIN, 90% OF OUR GENERAL FUND BUDGETS AND SALARIES INFRINGE.
ANY OF THESE THINGS THAT WE TALK ABOUT THAT IMPACT SALARIES INFRINGE ARE GOING TO HAVE A TREMENDOUS IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
WE HAVE THE MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE FROM THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
I APOLOGIZE THAT THIS IS SMALL, WE HAVE COPIES IN THE BOARD PACKET.
FOR THIS NEXT YEAR, THE HOUSE MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE BUMPS THE BACHELOR'S DEGREE STEP 0 PAY FOR 190 DAY TEACHER TO $47,000.
THE OLD STATE MINIMUM SCALE THAT WAS IN PLACE FOR 23/24 TOPPED OUT AT 23 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THIS ONE GOES UP TO 28 AND BEYOND.
WHILE THIS IS LABELED HOUSE, WE RECEIVED WORD ON FRIDAY THAT THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION OF THE BUDGET MADE NO CHANGES TO THIS MINIMUM TEACHER SCALE.
THIS IS WHAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH.
WHICH IS A GOOD THING, WE KNOW WHAT WE'RE WORKING WITH NOW.
WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THE MINIMUM STATE SCALE.
IF YOU COMPARE IT TO 23/24 TO 24/25 BACHELOR'S INCREASE BY $4,500 FOR THE STARTING STEP.
THE STATE HAS PUT MORE FOCUS ON THOSE LOWER DEGREES, TRYING TO GET TEACHERS INTO THE TEACHING PROFESSION, LESS FOCUS ON THE ADVANCED DEGREES.
YOU SEE THAT THE CHANGE HERE, WHILE HISTORICALLY, THE STATE MIGHT HAVE PROVIDED THE SAME PERCENTAGE ACROSS ALL STEPS WITHIN THE TEACHER SCALE OR A FIXED AMOUNT WITHIN ALL CELLS OF A TEACHER SCALE.
THERE IS SOME VARIETY HERE, BACHELOR'S PLUS 18 MASTERS, THEY'RE INCREASING THE STARTING STEP BY 3,400 ON THE STATE MINIMUM SCALE, MASTERS PLUS 30, 1,400, THE DOCTORATE, THEY'RE INCREASING THE STATE MINIMUM SCALE BY $400.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT LAST YEAR'S SCALE WAS STEP 23 IS NOW STEP 28.
THE OTHER THING TO KEEP IN MIND AND A FOCUS BY THE STATE, THEY WANTED TO TIGHTEN UP THE RANGE BETWEEN BACHELORS AND DOCTORATES.
IF YOU LOOK AT 23/24, THERE'S A $12,076 INCREASE BETWEEN, BACHELOR 0, DOCTORATE 0.
THIS YEAR, $8,000 DIFFERENCE. YEARS AGO, THE STATE,
[00:50:06]
WHENEVER THEY WOULD HAVE A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT ON THE TEACHER SCALE THEY WOULD SAY YOU HAVE TO INCREASE IT.IF IT'S A 2% INCREASE, YOU HAVE TO INCREASE IT REGARDLESS OF WHETHER OR NOT, YOU'RE A DISTRICT THAT PAYS RIGHT AT THE MINIMUM OR WHETHER YOU'RE A DISTRICT THAT IS SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN THE STATE MINIMUM, WHERE YOU PITCHED IN LOCAL DOLLARS TO MAKE IT MORE COMPETITIVE.
THERE'S A PROVISO THAT IS IN PLACE NOW IT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS THAT SAYS THAT IF YOU ARE A DISTRICT THAT'S ABOVE THE STATE MINIMUM, YOU DON'T HAVE TO INCREASE.
YOU HAVE THE DISCRETION TO DO THAT.
ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS WE HAVE TO DETERMINE IS ARE WE MEETING STATE MINIMUM, AND THEN WE HAD TO LOOK AT THE COMPETITIVENESS OF THE SCALE SO WE HAVE A LOT MORE DISCRETION NOW.
AGAIN, SMALL TABLE, BUT HOPEFULLY FOLKS CAN SEE THE RED AND THE NEGATIVE NUMBERS HERE, THE HIGHLIGHTS.
ANY CELL THAT'S YELLOW, ANY CELL THAT HAS A NEGATIVE NUMBER IN RED THAT IS SOMEWHERE WHERE WE'RE NOT HITTING THE STATE MINIMUM.
NOW, BECAUSE THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION OF THIS MATCH, WE KNOW WHAT THAT IS.
WE HAVE TO DO SOMETHING AT THE VERY MINIMUM TO ADDRESS THESE AND TO ADDRESS THESE.
SOUNDS EASY ENOUGH, BUT TYPICALLY, IF YOU'RE ADDRESSING THIS, IT CREATES A DOMINO EFFECT GOING DOWN THIS WAY AND IF YOU'RE ADDRESSING THIS, IT ALSO CAN CREATE A DOMINO EFFECT GOING THAT WAY.
THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF AS WE LOOK AT THE TEACHER SCALE.
THE OTHER THING I'LL NOTE, OUR DISTRICT AS A PAY BAND YOU'LL SEE THE EXACT SAME AMOUNT, STEP 0-3 WE HAVE A PAY BAND THAT FOR YEARS WAS SUCCESSFUL, IT BENEFITED US, BUT THERE HAVE BEEN SOME PROBLEM SPOTS OVER THE YEARS.
WE'VE LOOKED AT OPPORTUNITIES THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS TO SEPARATE THIS BAND UNSUCCESSFULLY.
IT'D BE NICE IF WE COULD DO IT THIS YEAR.
I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE YEAR TO DO IT.
WHERE IT REALLY BECOMES PROBLEMATIC IS IN YEARS WHERE MAYBE WE HAVEN'T GIVEN A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OR MUCH OF A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, AND SOMEONE MAY GO UP A STEP ON THE PAY SCALE, BUT IT'S NOT A COMPANY WITH ANY DOLLARS.
THAT'S WHEN IT'S VERY PROBLEMATIC.
THAT'S WHY WE'VE TRIED TO BREAK THAT UP.
AGAIN, I DON'T THINK THIS IS THE YEAR.
I JUST SHARE THAT FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE SALES ON OUR TEACHER PAY SCALE WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THAT TOP LEFT PORTION OF IT, WE'RE MEETING THE STATE MINIMUM BUT THEN WE HAVE TO LOOK AT OUR COMPETITIVENESS OF THE SCALE.
EACH YEAR IN AUGUST, THE STATE DEPARTMENT ASK SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WHAT DID YOU APPROVE FOR YOUR TEACHER SCALE FOR THE CURRENT YEAR? AROUND NOVEMBER OR DECEMBER, THEY POST THAT ON THE WEBSITE, AND THAT GIVES US AN OPPORTUNITY TO SEE WHAT OTHER SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE DONE WITH THEIR TEACHER SCALE AND THEN DRAW COMPARISONS FROM THAT.
THIS HERE, LIST BY DEGREE AND BY YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, HOW AIKEN RANKS OUT OF 70-SOMETHING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
I THOUGHT I HAD THE EXACT NUMBER HERE BUT HOW AIKEN RANKS OUT OF 70-SOMETHING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
IN '23/'24 AIKEN BACHELOR STEP 0 WAS 18TH HIGHEST OUT OF 70-SOMETHING SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
OUR STEP 4 WAS 32ND HIGHEST OUT OF 73.
THEN YOU SEE THESE SINGLE DIGIT NUMBERS, ALL THE WAY DOWN, WE'RE MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE THROUGHOUT THE STATE AS WE MOVE FURTHER DOWN THE SCALE.
A LOT OF DISTRICTS HAVE CUT OFF IN THIS RANGE.
SOME DISTRICTS GO DOWN TO STEP 30 AND BEYOND THAT'S WHY I INCLUDED STEP
[00:55:02]
30 HERE JUST TO SHOW THAT DESPITE US CURRENTLY CUTTING OFF AT 28, WE'RE STILL FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH HIGHEST IN THE STATE WITH OUR CURRENT SCALE.WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE VERY COMPETITIVE HERE.
IF THERE ARE ANY QUESTIONS DURING ANY OF THIS, PLEASE JUMP IN RATHER THAN WAIT UNTIL THE END.
WE HAVE A LOT OF SLIDES TO GO THROUGH.
AS I LOOKED AT THIS BECAUSE WE'RE MEETING THE STATE MINIMUM, FOR THE MOST PART ON THE SCALE I HAD TO LOOK AND SEE HOW CAN WE MEET THE MINIMUM ON ALL STEPS AND WHAT MIGHT WE BE ABLE TO DO TO MAKE THINGS MORE COMPETITIVE WITHIN THE CONSTRAINTS OF THE BUDGET.
THAT LAST PART IS PROBABLY MOST IMPORTANT.
WE HAD TO WORK WITHIN THE BUDGET TO DO THIS.
I LOOKED AT A 4% INCREASE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT THAT WE APPLIED TO ALL CELLS.
I LOOKED AT INCREASING EACH SALE BY A FIXED AMOUNT, $2,475 THEN I LOOKED AT THE DISTRICT'S APPROACH OF VARYING THOSE AMOUNTS BASED ON DEGREE TO SEE WHAT WE MAY BE ABLE TO DO THERE.
THE COSTS FOR ALL ARE DOABLE, AT LEAST IN THIS DRAFT VERSION OR CLOSE TO BEING DOABLE, AND THEY ALL PRODUCE ABOUT THE SAME COST.
THIS FIRST SCENARIO, WHENEVER I APPLIED A 4% COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT IT BROUGHT US TO THE STATE MINIMUM SCALE AND THAT'S WHY I USED 4%.
4% IS A FAIRLY LARGE NUMBER BUT BACHELOR STEP 3 WAS WHERE WE HAD THE BIGGEST SHORTFALL BELOW THE STATE MINIMUM.
A LITTLE BIT ABOVE 4% GOT US TO THAT MINIMUM.
YOU SEE HERE, REALLY HELPED WHERE WE WERE EXTREMELY COMPETITIVE.
IT BUILT THOSE NUMBERS, BUT WE'RE STILL NOT MUCH ABOVE THE STATE MINIMUM HERE.
I USE THAT FIXED AMOUNT, THE FIXED 2,475.
I APPLY THAT TO EVERY CELL, KEPT US IN THE SAME BALLPARK, COST-WISE AS SCENARIO 1 AND WHAT YOU'LL SEE IN SCENARIO 3.
AGAIN, IT'S NOT QUITE AS COMPETITIVE.
WE WOULD LIKE THIS TO BE MUCH MORE COMPETITIVE, BUT AGAIN, WORKING WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE BUDGET.
SCENARIO 3 IS WHERE WE GET A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST.
IT WAS REALLY JUST PLAYING WITH NUMBERS BECAUSE THERE ARE ENDLESS SCENARIOS HERE.
OUTSIDE OF HITTING THE STATE MINIMUM, THERE ARE ENDLESS SCENARIOS.
I LOOKED AT INCREASING BACHELORS 3,250 BACHELORS PLUS 1,830 OR $2,500, 2,250 FOR MASTERS, 2,000 FOR MASTERS PLUS 30, 1,750 FOR DOCTORATE.
SIMILAR TO THE STATES HANDLING THE ESTIMATED COST YOU SEE THERE.
MY BIG FOCUS WAS TRYING TO MAKE BACHELORS MORE COMPETITIVE.
WE SAW WHERE THAT STEP 3 OF BACHELORS STEP 2, 3, 4, WEREN'T VERY COMPETITIVE, AND THESE NUMBERS NOW ARE A LITTLE BIT BETTER THAN THAT.
AGAIN, PLEASE KEEP IN MIND, WHILE SOMEONE MAY HAVE THE THOUGHT, WELL, LET'S JUST LET'S THROW MORE MONEY AT THAT STEP AND WE CAN MAKE IT MORE COMPETITIVE CREATES A DOMINO EFFECT.
WE HAVE TO BE MINDFUL OF THAT.
CHANGING SOMETHING THAT EARLY ON IN THE SALARY SCHEDULE IS GOING TO HAVE A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT BECAUSE OF THAT DOMINO EFFECT.
IT WOULD HAVE A SIGNIFICANT COST THERE.
THIS IS THE SCENARIO THAT I FOCUSED ON IN THE FIRST READING.
THE BOARD MAY SEE FIT TO MAKE CHANGES TO THAT.
[01:00:04]
ONE DIFFICULTY THAT WE HAVE HERE IS THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO DO WITH THEIR TEACHER SCALE.WE MAY NOT KNOW UNTIL LATE MAY, MAYBE LATER THAN THAT.
WE MAY HEAR SOME THINGS IN THE NEWS THAT ONE IS DOING A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OF X, BUT THE STATE'S NOT GOING TO COLLECT THAT UNTIL SOMETIME LATE SUMMER AND THEY WON'T PUBLISH IT UNTIL SOMETIME DURING THE FALL.
WE'RE A LITTLE BLIND THERE, BUT I TEND TO BELIEVE THAT WITH THE INCREASE IN THE STATE MINIMUM SCALE, A LOT OF DISTRICTS MAY NOT EXCEED THE STATE MINIMUM BY AS MUCH AS THEY HAD IN THE PAST.
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE THAT THERE'S NOT A WHOLE LOT OF NEW STATE MONEY OUT THERE, AT LEAST AS IT RELATES TO US, AND I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY WHAT A LOT OF OTHER DISTRICTS ARE GOING TO SEE.
ANY QUESTIONS ON THE TEACHER SCALE? WE'LL HIT ON THAT A LITTLE MORE LATER.
THE SCHOOL BUS DRIVER MINIMUM PAY SCALE IS ALSO SET BY THE STATE, BUT THIS IS A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENT THAN THE TEACHER SCALE.
WITH THE TEACHER SCALE, THE STATE SAYS, IF YOU'RE ABOVE IT, YOU'RE GOOD.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO ANYTHING.
WITH THE STATE MINIMUM BUS DRIVER SCALE, THEY SAY, WHATEVER WE INCREASE THE SCALE BY, YOU HAVE TO INCREASE THE SCALE BY.
NOT DOLLAR AMOUNT OR NOT PERCENTAGE, BUT BY DOLLAR AMOUNT.
IN THE HOUSE VERSION OF THE BUDGET, THEY'RE INCREASING STEP 0 OF THEIR SCALE BY 17 CENTS PER HOUR.
WE HAVE TO INCREASE BY 17 CENTS PER HOUR.
IT LOOKS LIKE IN THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION OF THE BUDGET, WE MAY HAVE TO INCREASE AT 32 CENTS PER HOUR HENCE THE QUESTION MARKS WE HAVE HERE.
NOW, BECAUSE AIKEN SCALE STARTS OUT HIGHER THAN THE STATE MINIMUM, WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO UP 1.5 PERCENT.
WE WOULDN'T HAVE TO GO UP 2.75 PERCENT.
IT'D BE EITHER ONE PERCENT OR 1.8 PERCENT TO COMPLY WITH THAT.
RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T KNOW WHERE IT'S GOING TO LAND.
WE JUST KNOW THAT IT'S GOING TO FALL SOMEWHERE BETWEEN THE STATE INCREASE IN 1.5 PERCENT, 2.75 PERCENT.
WE'LL HAVE TO BE READY FOR THIS.
THE REASON WHY I HAVEN'T UPDATED THIS IS BECAUSE I GOT THE INFO LATE IN THE DAY ON FRIDAY, AND I'D ALREADY PUT THIS THING TOGETHER, AND IT'S FLUID ANYWAY.
BUS DRIVERS ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO RECEIVE A STEP INCREASE, AND THEIR ELIGIBILITY IS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF DAYS THAT THEY DRIVE THE BUS DURING THE SCHOOL YEAR.
OUR BUS DRIVER SCALE IS CURRENTLY ZERO THROUGH 26.
THE STATE MINIMUM SCALE ZERO THROUGH 22.
ONE IMPORTANT THING ON HERE THAT I WANTED TO MENTION IS THAT AND IT DOESN'T NECESSARILY AFFECT OUR BUDGET, BUT SCHOOL BUS DRIVERS, DESPITE BEING A CRITICAL NEED, WERE STILL CAPPED BY THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
IF A RETIREE BUS DRIVER CAME BACK, HE OR SHE WERE CAPPED AT $10,000 THIS YEAR.
ONCE THEY HIT THE $10,000 MARK, WITH SOME EXCEPTIONS FOR MAYBE FOLKS THAT ARE OVER 62 YEARS OF AGE OR MAYBE RETIRED LONG AGO, THOSE FOLKS RETIREMENT CHECKS STOPPED.
NOW, THERE'S LEGISLATION TALKING ABOUT LIFTING THE RETIREMENT CAP, SO EXCLUDING BUS DRIVERS FROM THAT CAP, WHICH COULD BE HELPFUL.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT, AND THAT'S GOOD NEWS THERE.
YOU'LL SEE THE INCREASE IN STATE RETIREMENT OVER THE YEARS.
THIS CHART SHOWS THE INCREASE FROM THE FY12 YEAR THROUGH THE UPCOMING YEAR AT LEAST PROJECTED.
AT ONE POINT STATE RETIREMENT WAS A LITTLE LESS THAN 15% PERCENT MAYBE IN THAT 14 PERCENT RANGE 12, 13 YEARS AGO.
NOW STATE RETIREMENT, THE EMPLOYER SIDE IS OVER 25 PERCENT GOING TO BE OVER 25 PERCENT.
FOR EVERY 100,000 WE PAY IN SALARIES, WE'RE PITCHING IN 25,000 PLUS INTO STATE RETIREMENT.
THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT COST THERE.
THE GOOD NEWS ONE SILVER LINING IS THAT FOR ABOUT SIX OR SEVEN YEAR STRETCH, AND YOU CAN SEE THIS BY THE INCREASE,
[01:05:03]
THE STATE INCREASED RETIREMENTS PERCENTAGE BY ONE PERCENTAGE POINT PER YEAR.THE STATE RETIREMENT SYSTEM WAS INSOLVENT.
THEY WERE TRYING TO FILL A 27 BILLION HOLE OR 20 BILLION HOLE, WHATEVER IT ENDED UP BEING AND THEY INCREASED EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS AS A RESULT OF IT.
THAT ONE PERCENTAGE POINT INCREASE THAT HAD BEEN IN PLACE FOR SEVERAL YEARS IS NOW OFF THE TABLE.
WE MAY HAVE A SLIGHT INCREASE IN RETIREMENT AND THAT'S WHAT I'M ANTICIPATING BECAUSE THERE'S AN INSURANCE SURCHARGE COMPONENT, BUT WE WON'T HAVE THAT MASSIVE INCREASE THAT WE'VE DEALT WITH IN YEARS PAST.
STATE HEALTH. WE'VE BEEN TOLD RECENTLY, AND WE SEE IN THE VERSIONS OF THE BUDGET TO DATE THAT WE ARE AT A PLAN FOR AN 11.8% EMPLOYER INCREASE IN STATE RETIREMENT.
THOSE RATES GO INTO EFFECT JANUARY 1, BECAUSE IT'S ONLY A HALF YEAR, WE'RE SEEING THE EQUIVALENT OF ABOUT A 5.9% INCREASE IN HEALTH INSURANCE.
A YEAR FROM NOW, WE WILL BE FEELING THE FULL IMPACT OF THAT, AND WE HAD A LARGE INCREASE LAST YEAR.
BUT WE'RE ESTIMATING THE COST ON THIS AT 1.2 MILLION.
THAT'S 1.2 MILLION ADDITIONAL IN THE BUDGET, THAT NUMBER CAN CHANGE A LITTLE BIT BECAUSE WE'RE GOING TO HAVE NEW HIRES.
YOU MAY HAVE FOLKS THAT ARE REPLACING SOMEONE THAT HAD EMPLOYEE ONLY THAT NOW ELECT TO HAVE FULL FAMILY COVERAGE, OR VICE VERSA, OR NO COVERAGE.
WE ARE ESTIMATING THE IMPACT OF THAT 11.8 INCREASE THAT GOES INTO EFFECT, JANUARY 1 IN '25 TO BE 1.2 MILLION.
>> WHILE I THINK OF IT, AS YOU GET NEW NUMBERS THEN YOU UPDATE YOUR NUMBERS, AND AT ONE POINT, YOU WERE WORKING WITH THE HOUSE BUDGET, AND THIS IS CURRENTLY BASED ON WHAT THE SENATE GOT.
>> IT'S IN BOTH. [OVERLAPPING]
>> WHEN WE GET INTO THE NUMBERS, I BELIEVE THE STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS AS YOU SAID THE SENATE BUDGET WAS LOWER THAN THE HOUSE BUDGET, SO WE'RE USING THE SENATE BUDGET NUMBERS THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE?
>> I DON'T HAVE THOSE NUMBERS YET FROM THE STATE.
>> BUT BASED ON EVERYTHING WE'VE HEARD AT LEAST AS FAR AS THIS 11.8% INCREASE, THAT'S WHAT IT'S GOING TO BE NEXT YEAR.
>> BUT YES, SIR, THE SENATE FINANCE NUMBERS, I CAN ESTIMATE SOME THINGS, BUT WE'VE SEEN AN OVERALL STATEWIDE POT CHANGE IN THE STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS. I'LL TOUCH ON THAT MOMENTARILY, BUT WE DON'T HAVE NUMBERS YET FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED SAYING, THIS IS WHAT [OVERLAPPING] AIKEN'S CUT IS OUT OF THAT OR IS PROJECTED TO CUT.
SCHOOL BOARD PRIORITIES ARE, OF COURSE, AT THE FOREFRONT, WHEN WE LOOK AT INPUT.
MARCH 12TH, THE BOARD HAD A VERY QUICK DISCUSSION ON THINGS IDENTIFYING WHAT THEIR PRIORITIES WERE, EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION WAS THE FOCUS AT THE FOREFRONT.
WE HAD THE SOAR PROGRAM THAT WAS MENTIONED.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE BOARD HAS NOW APPROVED.
YOU APPROVED IT AT THE MARCH 26 MEETING.
ESTIMATED COST IS 300,000, IT'S INCLUDED IN THE BUDGET ESTIMATES THAT I'LL BE SHARING TONIGHT AND THAT WE'LL BRING FOR FIRST READING NEXT WEEK.
FOR THOSE THAT MAY OR MAY NOT REMEMBER, THE EVENING PROGRAM WAS A LARGE COMPONENT OF THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS.
ATHLETIC TRAINERS WAS A PRIORITY.
WE'RE BRINGING FOR BOARD CONSIDERATION TONIGHT A RECOMMENDATION TO ADD ATHLETIC TRAINERS NEXT YEAR AS AFTER THIS DISCUSSION.
WE DIDN'T WANT TO BRING THAT TO YOU BEFORE WE TALKED ABOUT THE BUDGET, BUT THAT IS FOR CONSIDERATION.
[01:10:01]
I HAVE BUILT THAT INTO THE BUDGET IN THE EVENT THAT THE BOARD DIDN'T APPROVE THAT TONIGHT, WE CAN EASILY TAKE THAT OUT, BUT I DID GO AHEAD AND BUILD IT INTO THE BUDGET BECAUSE THERE ARE TIMING ASPECTS THERE.THERE WERE CONCERNS THAT IF WE WAITED UNTIL MAY OR IF WE HAD TO PUSH BACK THE SECOND OR FINAL READING UNTIL JUNE, THAT WOULDN'T LEAVE US ENOUGH TIME TO ADVERTISE TO HIRE TRAINERS AT A POSITION THAT'S ALREADY SCARCE AND DIFFICULT TO FILL BY THE TIME SCHOOL STARTS.
EMPLOYEE SALARIES AND THE COMPENSATION STUDY AND A HANDFUL OF POSITIONS WERE MENTIONED SPECIFICALLY IN MENTAL HEALTH WERE OTHER ITEMS THAT WERE DISCUSSED BY THE BOARD.
WHILE IT DIDN'T NECESSARILY MEAN PUPIL TEACHER RATIOS ARE A LARGE PART OF THE EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION.
LAST YEAR, THE BOARD APPROVED A HARD CAP ON THIS, AND THAT'S BEEN IN PLACE FOR THE '23, '24 SCHOOL YEAR, AND IT'S IN PLACE AT THIS POINT, FOR THE UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR.
THE 4K PROGRAM IS CAPPED BY THE STATE ANYWAY, AT 20, BUT KINDERGARTEN 25 TO ONE, FIRST GRADE 16 TO ONE, SECOND THROUGH FIFTH AT 23 TO ONE.
WHENEVER WE HAVE STUDENT PROJECTIONS THAT WE'VE WORKED ON IN DECEMBER THAT ARE FINALIZED IN JANUARY FROM THAT, ALLOCATION SHEETS ARE PROVIDED TO SCHOOLS THAT SHOWS BASED ON THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS THAT YOU HAVE IN THIS GRADE, BASED ON THIS FORMULA, YOU QUALIFY FOR THIS MANY TEACHERS.
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT THROUGHOUT THE SPRING.
WE CONTINUE TO MONITOR THAT THROUGHOUT THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF THE SCHOOL YEAR TO SEE IF THERE ARE ANY CHANGES THAT ARE NECESSARY.
WE ALSO LOOK AT THINGS ON THE MIDDLE AND HIGH LEVEL LIKE COURSE REQUEST ON THEIRS, AND WE ALSO HAVE A FORMULA THAT WE USE ON MIDDLE AND HIGH.
THERE WAS A LOT OF TALK A YEAR AGO ABOUT LOWERING PUPIL TEACHER RATIOS.
IN ADDITION TO THE HARD CAPS, WE THINK THAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING SOME LOWER CLASS SIZES WITH THESE CAPS.
THERE ARE SOME SCHOOLS THAT MAY BE ON THE VERGE OF RECEIVING AN EXTRA CLASS IN A CERTAIN GRADE.
A LOT OF TIMES WE MAY BE ABLE TO ADDRESS THAT WITHIN A SCHOOL.
YOU MAY HAVE ONE GRADE THAT WOULD BE IN GOOD STANDING IF THEY LOST A TEACHER IN THAT GRADE AND WE SHIFTED IT TO ANOTHER, SO WE DON'T WANT TO NEEDLESSLY ADD A TEACHER AT ONE GRADE WHEN WE MAY HAVE AN INTERNAL SHIFT.
ASHLEY, WOULD YOU HIT THAT, PLEASE? I'VE GOT IT BACK. I DON'T PLAN TO SPEND A WHOLE LOT OF TIME ON THESE CLASS SIZES, BUT WE DID WANT TO SHARE SIMILAR TO LAST YEAR, WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT, AS FAR AS CLASS AVERAGES BY SCHOOL FOR KINDERGARTEN, IF ANYTHING JUMPS OUT, YOU'RE WELCOME TO ASK.
I MAY BE ABLE TO COME UP WITH AN ANSWER.
IT MAY BE SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE TO RESEARCH.
BUT HISTORICALLY, WE HAVE SEVERAL SCHOOLS THAT ARE SMALL SCHOOLS, AND SOME MAY BE PUSHING THAT UPPER LEVEL, BUT WE'VE ALSO FOUND TOO THAT IF WE ADD A CLASS, IT MAY DROP THOSE CLASS AVERAGES SIGNIFICANTLY, SO IT'S NOT AN IDEAL.
THERE'S NO WAY WE'RE GOING TO HIT THE 25 TO ONE, FOR INSTANCE, FOR KINDERGARTEN.
EVERY KINDERGARTEN CLASS HAS A KINDERGARTEN TEACHER AND AN AIDE.
LOOKING AT FIRST GRADE, AGAIN, 16 TO ONE IS PUPIL TEACHER RATIO.
WE SEE THAT THERE ARE SOME NUMBERS IN THE 12, 13 RANGE.
SECOND GRADE, 23 TO ONE, WE HAVE THINGS RANGING FROM THE 17S UP TO THE 22 RANGE THERE.
THIRD GRADE, ALONG THAT SAME LINE, CLEARWATER IS ONE THAT IS A LITTLE LOWER.
WE FOUND SOME OF THESE SITUATIONS WITH A HARD CAP WHERE WE MAY BE ONE STUDENT OVER, BUT BECAUSE WE'RE DEALING WITH A HARD CAP, THAT ONE STUDENT REQUIRES AN ADDITIONAL CLASS TO BE MADE,
[01:15:04]
HENCE SOME OF THESE SMALL NUMBERS.IT'S NOT ON SLIDES HERE, BUT IN YOUR PURPLE FOLDER, I'VE SUPPLIED A MEMO THAT SHOWS THE NUMBER OF TEACHERS THAT HAD BEEN ADDED AS A RESULT OF THE HARD CAP.
HISTORICALLY, THE WAY WE LOOKED AT THINGS WAS IF FIRST GRADE, OR SECOND GRADE, OR THIRD GRADE WAS WITHIN A PLUS TWO OR MINUS TWO RANGE OF THE FORMULA, WE WATCHED IT, BUT WE DIDN'T NECESSARILY ADD.
IF YOU HAD A FIRST GRADE FOR SCHOOL, WHEN THE FORMULA WAS 16 TO ONE, IF THEY AVERAGED 16.25 OR 16.5, WE SAID, THEY'RE ONE OR TWO STUDENTS OVER.
WE'RE GOING TO LIVE WITH THAT NOW.
WITH A HARD CAP, ONCE YOU GET OVER 16, WE'RE ADDING A CLASS NOW.
THE MEMO IN YOUR FOLDER PROVIDES SOME ANALYSIS, THE NUMBER OF TEACHER POSITIONS THAT HAVE BEEN ADDED IT'S BY SCHOOL, IT'S BY GRADE WITH AN ESTIMATED COST THERE JUST AS INFORMATION.
WHENEVER WE LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S BASE BUDGET, THERE ARE THINGS AUTOMATICALLY BUILT INTO THIS BUDGET.
WE HAVE A STEP INCREASE FOR ALL ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES AS TEACHERS AND NON-TEACHER POSITIONS.
TEACHER AND TEACHER-LIKE COST OF LIVING SCENARIO THAT I USED WAS SCENARIO 3.
FOR THOSE TEACHER-LIKE POSITIONS, I USE THE MASTER SCALE DOLLAR FIGURE IN PROPORTION TO 190 DAYS.
IF SOMETHING WAS A 185-DAY POSITION, IT'S SLIGHTLY LESS THAN WHAT WE WOULD GIVE A 190-DAY TEACHER.
IF IT WAS A 200-DAY POSITION, IT'S SLIGHTLY MORE.
WE HAVE THE BUS DRIVER PAY SCALE INCREASE JUST TO COMPLY WITH STATE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS.
STATE HEALTH AND RETIREMENT INCREASES.
WE UPDATED SCHOOL STAFFING ALLOCATIONS.
WE INCREASED THE UTILITIES BUDGET.
THERE WAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE HERE.
WE'RE COMING IN SIGNIFICANTLY HIGHER THAN BUDGET THIS YEAR.
WE HAVE NEW SQUARE FOOTAGE, WE HAVE ADDITIONAL BUILDINGS.
WEATHER PLAYS A PART IN IT, INCREASED RATES PLAY A PART IN IT.
A LOT OF FOLKS ASSUME THAT YOU HAVE A BRAND NEW BUILDING, YOU HAVE A HIGHLAND SPRINGS ELEMENTARY THAT MAY BE EXTREMELY EFFICIENT, AND IT IS IN SOME RESPECTS.
BUT WE ALSO HAVE FRESH AIR REQUIREMENTS, SO YOU HAVE TO PULL IN HOT AIR FROM THE OUTSIDE.
YOU HAVE TO REMOVE THE HUMIDITY, YOU HAVE TO COOL THAT AIR, AND THEN YOU SPIT IT OUT INTO THE BUILDING.
THERE'S A SIGNIFICANT COST ASPECT THERE.
WE'VE SEEN A LARGE INCREASE THERE.
THERE'S ALSO WATER AND SEWER INCREASES THAT WE NEEDED TO BUILD INTO THE BUDGET.
SRO COSTS, WE SAW INCREASES FROM THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES ON WHAT THEIR REQUESTS WERE FOR SROS.
WE ALSO HAVE THE SECOND AIKEN HIGH SCHOOL SRO THAT WAS ADDED PART WAY THROUGH THIS YEAR, THAT'S WITHIN THIS REQUEST.
WE ALSO HAVE A SECOND SRO AT NORTH AUGUSTA HIGH SCHOOL AND MIDLAND VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL.
YOU MIGHT HAVE HEARD OVER THE YEARS THAT THE STATE HAS WORKED TO ADD SROS AT ALL SCHOOLS.
I THINK THEY HAVE NO INTEREST OR MAYBE NO ABILITY TO ADD A SECOND SRO AT A SCHOOL THROUGH STATE GRANT FUNDING WHEN ALL SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT THE STATE DON'T HAVE AN SRO.
THAT'S AT OUR COST TO HAVE THAT SECOND SRO THERE.
WE INCREASED CUSTODIAL SUPPLIES BY 150,000.
REALLY, THAT'S TO TRUE UP TO THE BUDGET.
THE LAST TWO YEARS, I'VE HAD TO COME UP MID YEAR, LATE IN THE YEAR WITH ABOUT 150,000 FOR CUSTODIAL SUPPLIES.
INCREASED USAGE, COSTS INCREASE IN STUDENTS AS WE CONTINUE TO COME OUT OF COVID.
[01:20:06]
COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO, THE BOARD APPROVED A NEW WEBSITE.WE HAD A $45,000 INCREASE IN THE ANNUAL COST ON THAT.
I MENTIONED EARLIER THAT ONE OF THE KEY CONSIDERATIONS WAS PICKING UP SHORTFALLS FROM OTHER POTS, SO WE HAVE CERDEP WHICH IS OUR 4K PROGRAM.
THE GENERAL FUND HAS COVERED THE COST OF ANY SHORTFALL THERE.
WE HAVE 33 CLASSES, WE HAVE A TEACHER AND AIDE IN EVERY CLASS.
BUT BECAUSE OF THE INCREASE IN THE TEACHER SCALE, BECAUSE OF OTHER INCREASES, WE'RE LOOKING AT ABOUT 450,000 MORE IN A SHORTFALL THAT WE'RE PICKING UP FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.
THE STATE, IF WE HAVE A 4K CLASS THAT HAS ALL 20 STUDENTS IN THERE, WE'RE GETTING ABOUT $100,000 FOR IT, AND THAT'S A FULL CLASS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
MANY OF OUR CLASSES MAY FALL A STUDENT OR TWO SHORT FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS FOR PART OF THE YEAR, SO WE MAY NOT QUITE GET TO THAT 100,000.
THAT'S PART OF THE SHORTFALL, PLUS THE COST OF AN AIDE AND A TEACHER JUST OFF THE BAT.
IT'S GOING TO EXCEED WHAT WE GET FROM THE STATE FUNDING.
WE HAVE OUR FUNDING FROM THE STATE.
IT'S CALLED LITERACY COACH FUNDING, BUT WE'RE USING IT TO FUND OUR INSTRUCTIONAL COACHES NEXT YEAR.
THERE'S ABOUT A $990,000 SHORTFALL THERE, SO 100,000 MORE THAN THIS PAST YEAR AGAIN.
THAT'S BECAUSE THAT POT ISN'T GROWING, WE HAVE THE STEP INCREASE, WE HAVE THE NEW TEACHER SCALE, WE HAVE THE FRINGE ON TOP OF THAT.
WE HAD NINE ESSER-FUNDED POSITIONS THAT WE FELT WAS IMPORTANT TO MAINTAIN, THAT ARE BUILT INTO THE GENERAL FUND BUDGET.
SIX OF THOSE WERE TECHNOLOGY POSITIONS.
WE HAVE ONE-TO-ONE TECHNOLOGY THAT WAS FUNDED WITH ESSER FUNDING.
WE HAVE A NEED FOR THOSE BODIES TO HELP MAINTAIN THAT, TWO MAINTENANCE POSITIONS TO CHECK OUR ERROR SYSTEMS AND WE HAVE A TECHNOLOGY CURRICULUM SPECIALIST POSITION.
THERE WERE A VARIETY OF OTHER THINGS IN ESSER THAT WE'VE EITHER CHOSEN NOT TO MAINTAIN OR WE'RE LOOKING AT OTHER OPTIONS THERE OR JUST ENDED.
OUR ABM PROJECT DEBT SERVICE, SCHEDULER REQUIRED AN INCREASE OF 94,000.
WE HAVE AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY AND LIABILITY INSURANCE.
WE BUDGETED FOR AN IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY.
WE, AS AN OFFSHOOT, REDUCED THE BUDGET FOR EXTERNAL ATTORNEY SERVICES, BUT THERE IS STILL A BUDGET THERE BECAUSE, AS IN THE PAST, WHENEVER WE HAD AN IN-HOUSE ATTORNEY, WE STILL USE EXTERNAL ATTORNEYS FROM TIME TO TIME.
I MENTIONED ATHLETIC TRAINERS, THAT'S BEEN BUDGETED, PENDING YOUR APPROVAL.
AGAIN, THAT'S A TIMING ISSUE, BUT IN THE EVENT THE BOARD DOESN'T APPROVE IT, WE COULD PULL THAT OUT AND ADDRESS IT ACCORDINGLY.
WE DID HAVE A BUDGET FOR CONTRACTED TRAINER SERVICES IN THE PAST.
IT WAS A COUPLE OF HUNDRED THOUSAND SPREAD OVER ALL SEVEN SCHOOLS.
WE PULLED THAT OUT OF THE BUDGET BECAUSE WE WOULDN'T BE CONTRACTING ANYMORE, WE WE WOULD BE EMPLOYING.
THE NET INCREASE THERE WAS 600,000, I THINK.
WE ALSO INCLUDED A SLIGHT BUDGET FOR TRAINING SUPPLIES.
WE BUDGETED FOR AND CREATED NEW LAWN CREW POSITIONS UP UNDER THE MAINTENANCE DEPARTMENT THAT'S IN EXCHANGE FOR CONTRACTING LAWN MAINTENANCE IN AREAS 1 AND 3.
THERE WERE SOME ONE-TIME ITEMS IN THE FY24 BUDGET THAT HAD BEEN REMOVED.
THIS IS A DRAFT OF WHAT THE EXPENDITURES BUDGET LOOKS LIKE NEXT YEAR.
I'LL FLIP OVER TWO PAGES JUST FOCUSING ON THE HIGHLIGHTS.
WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT NOW AS FAR AS GENERAL FUNDED EXPENDITURES, PENDING ANY BOARD DISCUSSION AND DECISIONS TONIGHT.
I SAY 12.3 MILLION INCREASE OVER LAST YEAR'S ORIGINAL BUDGET.
FOLKS MAY SEE THAT NUMBER AND SAY, MAN, YOU ALL ADDED A LOT.
I THINK YOU SEE THAT WHAT WE ADDED WERE ITEMS THAT WE
[01:25:05]
DIDN'T HAVE A WHOLE LOT OF CONTROL OVER OR A WHOLE LOT OF DISCRETION OVER, BUT THAT'S THE INCREASE THAT WE'RE LOOKING AT FOR THIS NEXT YEAR.>> MR. TRAXLER, WHILE WE'RE ON THOSE TWO COUPLE OF SLIDES, I'M NOT TRYING TO SINGLE IT OUT, BUT I GUESS I AM.
I WANT TO MAKE SURE I UNDERSTAND.
THE PURCHASE SERVICES INSTRUCTIONAL WENT UP 36% AS FAR AS WHAT WE THINK WE NEED TO BUDGET.
WE HAD A NEED TO BUDGET TESTING SUPPLIES, SO 125,000, AND THEN THE STATE REIMBURSES US FOR A PORTION OF THAT.
LAST YEAR, WE HAD A SITUATION WHERE AT THE START OF THE YEAR, WE NEEDED TO AMEND THE BUDGET TO COVER TESTING SUPPLIES, THAT WOULD BE SUBSEQUENTLY REIMBURSED BY THE STATE.
I TRIED TO ADD AND IT'S EXTREMELY SMALL HERE.
AGAIN, I APOLOGIZE, BUT SOME FOOTNOTES ON THIS VERY LAST PAGE WITH A HIGHLIGHT THAT I DIDN'T KNOW THAT OFF THE TOP OF MY HEAD.
>> I'LL REPHRASE. GOING BACK TO THE LINE ITEM FOR PURCHASE SERVICES INSTRUCTIONAL, REMIND ME WHAT'S INCLUDED IN THAT.
>> IF I COULD PROVIDE MORE RESEARCH ON THAT.
IT COULD BE A VARIETY OF THINGS.
SUB-SERVICE WOULD BE INCLUDED ON PURCHASE SERVICES INSTRUCTION. I'M SORRY.
YES, THAT WOULD BE INCLUDED THERE.
I WAS LOOKING AT ANOTHER PURCHASE SERVICES LINE.
THERE ARE SOME OTHER THINGS THAT ARE INCLUDED IN THERE, LIKE WE HAVE EARLY COLLEGE AT AIKEN TECH OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS, ESSER FUNDING WAS UTILIZED TO HELP COVER THAT.
WE HAVE SOME VIRTUAL COURSES TAKEN AT RCM WAGNER SALLY SILVER BLUFF.
AGAIN, ESSER FUNDING HELPED COVER THAT.
WE'RE BUILDING THAT INTO THE BUDGET.
PART OF THAT TOO IS JUST A RECLASSIFICATION OF SOME THINGS, HOW WE BUDGETED OUR IDEA, OUR SPED MAINTENANCE OF EFFORT BUDGET IS A BIG CHUNK OF THAT.
TAKING SOME THINGS THAT MAYBE LAST YEAR WERE INCLUDED IN SALARIES AND MOVING IT IN THAT PURCHASE SERVICE WHERE WE MAY HAVE TO CONTRACT FOR SCHOOL SITES, AND OTHER SERVICES.
THE ONLY THING I'LL SAY, AND I'LL MOVE ON, MR. SMITH HAS A COMMENT OR QUESTION IS, ANYWHERE WHERE WE'RE SEEING, GREATER THAN, LET'S JUST CALL IT 10%.
LOOK, A 10% CHANGE IN THE LINE ITEM.
I THINK WE NEED TO DIG IN AND GET MORE EXPLANATION AS TO WHAT'S DRIVING IT.
I UNDERSTAND YOUR EXPLANATION.
WE WERE USING EXTRA MONEY TO PAY FOR CERTAIN THINGS.
NOW WE GOT TO PAY THE TAB FOR IT. I GET IT.
IT COULD BE OTHER RECLASSIFICATION OF THINGS AND PUT THEM IN DIFFERENT BUCKETS. I GET IT.
BUT WHEN THE INCREASES IN THE LINE THEM ARE ABOVE, WHAT I THINK IS PROBABLY INFLATION, WHICH IS LOWER THAN 10%.
I JUST WANT TO UNDERSTAND WHAT CHANGED. THANK YOU, MR. SMITH.
>> HOW MUCH MONEY ARE WE GOING TO USE IN NEXT YEAR'S BUDGETS [INAUDIBLE]
[01:30:03]
>> ARP ESSER WAS 63 MILLION OVERALL, BUT WE USED IT FOR A VARIETY OF THINGS.
I MENTIONED THE BODIES, THE POSITIONS, BUT WE USED IT FOR WAGNER SALLY CONSTRUCTION.
SOME OF IT IS GOING TO BE ONE TIME.
[BACKGROUND] BUT OVERALL IN ESSER SINCE COVID, WE'VE GOTTEN ABOUT 100 MILLION SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
WE'VE BEEN TOLD TO PLAN FOR IT AND WE HAVE.
WE'VE USED A LOT FOR TECHNOLOGY.
THIS BOARD APPROVED SETTING ASIDE SOME FUND BALANCE A YEAR OR SO AGO, BECAUSE WE KNEW THAT WE WERE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE ONE TO ONE TECHNOLOGY.
WE SET ASIDE SEVEN MILLION, I THINK, FOR THAT, FOR WHENEVER WE HAVE REPLACEMENTS, AND WE'RE TRYING TO DO A LOT OF THE REPLACEMENTS NOW.
SOME OF THESE POSITIONS, WE FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO MAINTAIN, THERE WERE SOME OTHER POSITIONS THAT JUST LOOKING AT THE BUDGET WHILE THERE WAS IMPORTANCE THERE, WE COULDN'T HANDLE IT IN THIS.
>> SO OVERALL PAY WOULD BE 6-7 MILLION.
>> IN ARP ESSER OR ESSER 3 WAS 63 MILLION IN CHANGE OVER A THREE YEAR STRETCH THAT WE HAD.
BUT AGAIN, A LOT OF THAT WAS ONE TIME NON RECURRING TYPE THINGS, LIKE A WAGNER SALLY CONSTRUCTION.
A LOT OF THOSE INCREASES OVER 10%.
I DO HAVE FOOTNOTES ON THAT THIRD PAGE THAT MAY HELP.
I'VE MENTIONED UTILITIES COSTS GOING UP.
THE EXTRA DUTY LINE ITEM ON THIS FIRST PAGE, FOLKS MAY BE CONFUSED BY IT, THINKING THAT WE'VE CUT 1,000,003 OUT OF EXTRA DUTY AND OVERTIME.
IT'S NOT THAT. WE HAD THE BOARD APPROVED RETENTION BONUSES LAST YEAR.
IT WAS A ONE TIME BONUS THAT HAS COME OUT OF THE BUDGET FOR THE CURRENT YEAR, HENCE THE DECREASE THERE.
>> WE LOOK AT FUNDING OPTIONS, IF I GET TO THE CORRECT SLIDE.
IN A TYPICAL YEAR, STATE FUNDING IS WHERE WE GET A BIG PLUG.
THAT'S WHERE WE GET OUR BIG BOOST, AND UNFORTUNATELY, THIS ISN'T ONE OF THOSE YEARS WHERE WE SEE A STRONG OF AN INCREASE STATE REVENUE.
LOOK AT PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FROM GROWTH IN THE TAX BASE, PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES.
THOSE ARE NEGOTIATED AGREEMENTS BY THE COUNTY, AND WE GET THE BENEFIT OF SOME OF THOSE DOLLARS, INTEREST, AND INVESTMENT EARNINGS, OTHER REVENUE.
THIS NEXT FEW SLIDES ARE IMPORTANT.
I HAVE SEVERAL SNIPPETS HERE, BECAUSE I REALLY WANT FOLKS TO UNDERSTAND.
I'VE MENTIONED SEVERAL TIMES THAT WE GET PROJECTIONS.
WE GET ALLOCATIONS FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF ED.
THIS IS WHAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS VERSION OF THE BUDGET.
WHEN THEY PRESENTED A SPECIFIC AIKEN AND THERE'S A SHEET LISTED FOR EVERY SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE STATE.
WE USED TO HAVE A LONGER LIST, BUT THE STATE HAS ROLLED UP THESE ALLOCATIONS OVER THE YEARS, SO IT'S NOT AS LONG OF A LIST.
BUT, SOMEONE LOOKING AT THIS SHEET MAY SAY, AIKENS CURRENT ALLOCATION FROM THESE FIVE PARTS IS 121.2 MILLION.
IT CONSISTS OF THESE ITEMS. THE STATE HOUSE WAYS AND MEANS VERSION OF THE BUDGET RESULTS IN PROJECTED ALLOCATIONS OF 127.8 MILLION, SAY $6.5 MILLION INCREASE THAT WE HAD TO PLAY WITH IN OUR BUDGET.
UNFORTUNATELY, THAT'S NOT THE CASE.
THE TOP TWO LINES, HAVE AN IMPACT ON THE GENERAL FUND.
[NOISE] THIS IS ANOTHER SNIPPET.
LAST APRIL, WE GOT THE SENATE FINANCE PROJECTIONS,
[01:35:02]
AND WE HAD THESE SAME PARTS, AND YOU SEE OUR ALLOCATION WAS 126.6 MILLION.THAT'S WHAT WE USED IN OUR BUDGET LAST YEAR.
THIS 97.4 MILLION, WE BUDGET IT FOR 97.4 MILLION IN STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS. WE BUDGET IT FOR 19.5 MILLION IN STATE AID TO CLASS ROOMS FOR MIA, AND 7.2 MILLION IN RETIREE INSURANCE.
IN JULY, WE RECEIVED UPDATED PROJECTIONS FROM THE STATE.
WHAT THEY WERE CALLING FINAL PROJECTIONS.
AND IT CHANGES THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BASED ON THE 45TH DAY NUMBERS AND BASED ON THE 135 DAY NUMBERS.
WHERE THIS WAS 126.6, THEY WERE PROJECTING ABOUT 126.2.
IT'S A DECREASE, BUT WHENEVER WE'RE TALKING ABOUT A $250 MILLION BUDGET, IT'S NOT OVERLY DIFFICULT TO ABSORB THAT, ESPECIALLY WHEN WE'RE WORKING WITH SOME OTHER ESTIMATES THAT ARE GOING TO COME IN OVER BUDGET.
WHILE YOU MAY LOOK AT THIS YEAR'S MONEY, AND THESE THREE LINE ITEMS TOTALING 119 MILLION, AND IT APPEARS THAT THERE'S WELL OVER A $6 MILLION INCREASE, REALLY HAD TO GO BACK TO LAST YEAR'S ORIGINAL BUDGET TO LOOK AT THINGS, TO SEE WHERE WE BUDGETED.
IF I LOOK AT WHERE WE BUDGETED LAST YEAR FOR THESE PARTS BASED ON INFO THAT WE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE, WHAT THEY'RE PROJECTING AT THIS POINT, IT'S A NET OF 1.3 MILLION.
THE PICTURE IS NOT NEARLY AS PRETTY.
EVEN GOING BACK TO THE READING COACHES.
IF YOU LOOK AT WHERE WE ARE THIS YEAR, IT APPEARS TO SHOW A $53,000 INCREASE FROM THIS YEAR TO NEXT YEAR'S PROJECTIONS.
THEY'RE PROJECTING $1,130,000.
BUT IF WE GO TO LAST YEAR'S FINAL PROJECTIONS, THEY'RE AT A 1,128,000, A $2,000 INCREASE THERE.
THAT'S ONE OF THOSE TWO THAT IMPACTS THE GENERAL FUND BECAUSE IF THERE'S A FUNDING SHORTFALL, THE GENERAL FUND PICKS IT UP. THIS IS A DRAFT VERSION OF THE REVENUE SUMMARY THAT YOU WOULD SEE NEXT WEEK PENDING ANY DISCUSSION.
THE YELLOW HIGHLIGHT, 260,570,000 IN CHANGES IS WHAT I'M LOOKING AT ON THE REVENUE SIDE.
THAT INCLUDES AN INCREASE IN PROPERTY TAX REVENUE FROM THE TAX BASE.
THAT INCLUDES AN INCREASE IN PAYMENTS IN LIEU OF TAX, SLIGHT INCREASE ON DELINQUENT TAXES, AN INCREASE IN INTEREST ON INVESTMENTS.
I FEEL LIKE OUR LOCAL REVENUES, WE'RE CLOSE TO MAXING OUT THOSE ESTIMATES THERE.
WE DON'T WANT TO GET OVERLY AGGRESSIVE THERE AND UNREALISTIC.
FROM THE STATE, WE ALSO GET SOME ADDITIONAL FUNDING FOR THE ACT 388 ALLOCATION.
THEY PROVIDE THIS IN A LETTER THAT SAYS, WELL, TO GET A 1,889,000, THAT'S ON SLIDE 42.
WE BUILT ALL OF THAT INTO THE BUDGET TO COME UP WITH 260.6 MILLION IN SUMMARY, GRANTED, THIS IS THE FIRST READING OF THE BUDGET THAT YOU WILL HEAR NEXT WEEK.
WE'RE LOOKING AT A $740,000 SHORTFALL, WE'VE INCLUDED THE MUST ITEMS, WE'VE INCLUDED UNAVOIDABLE ITEMS, WE'VE INCLUDED THOSE ITEMS THAT THE BOARD HAS PRE-APPROVED, WE DID INCLUDE THE ATHLETIC TRAINERS PENDING THE BOARD'S APPROVAL TONIGHT.
WE'VE LOOKED HISTORICALLY CUSTODIANS POSITION THAT WE KNOW HISTORICALLY, THERE'S SOME TURNOVER THERE.
SO IF I LOOK AT EVERY SINGLE SCHOOL,
[01:40:01]
IF I LOOK AT IT EVERY LOCATION AT THE CUSTODIAN BUDGET, WHAT THEY'RE BUDGETED, AND IF I TAKE 100% OF WHAT THEIR ESTIMATE IS, WE'VE SEEN HISTORICALLY THAT'S NOT REALISTIC BECAUSE THERE ARE GOING TO BE ENOUGH VACANCIES IN THE YEAR WHERE WE MAY COME IN ABOUT 94% OF WHAT WE BUDGET.I BUDGETED 94% OF WHAT I EXPECT.
WE LOOK AT TEACHER VACANCIES, BUT A LOT OF TEACHER VACANCIES GO TO FUND LONG TERM SUBS.
WE HAVE TAKEN THAT INTO CONSIDERATION.
WE DO HAVE A SMALL INCREASE IN STATE FUNDING MORE AGGRESSIVE ON LOCAL ESTIMATES.
AGAIN, WE DON'T WANT TO BE UNREALISTIC THERE.
THIS DOES NOT INCLUDE A STEP INCREASE FOR NON TEACHERS.
I HAVE NOT MENTIONED THAT AT THIS POINT WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BUS DRIVERS.
DOESN'T INCLUDE A STEP INCREASE AT THE TOP OF THE TEACHER SCALE.
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT HAS COME UP IN RECENT YEARS, AND THOSE ARE EFFORTS THAT THE BOARD HAS MADE IN RECENT YEARS TO EXTEND THE TEACHER SCALE UP TO STEP 30.
DOESN'T INCLUDE INTERCESSION FUNDING FOR NEXT YEAR.
WE'VE USED SR FUNDING TO COVER THAT FOR THIS YEAR.
DOES NOT ADDRESS A MAJORITY OF SCHOOL DEPARTMENT AND PROGRAM BUDGET REQUEST.
I SUSPECT IT MAYBE A QUESTION STIPENDS, SUPPLEMENTS, INCLUDING ATHLETIC SUPPLEMENTS ARE NOT ADJUSTED BECAUSE WE DON'T HAVE A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT INCLUDED ON HERE FOR NON TEACHERS.
TYPICALLY, THAT FOLLOWS THE COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR NON TEACHERS.
WE HAVE A LIST OF BUDGET REQUESTS FROM SCHOOLS DEPARTMENTS PROGRAMS. SOME OF THOSE ARE RECURRING, THAT EXCEED OVER $11.8 MILLION.
THEY'RE INCLUDED IN YOUR PACKET.
THOSE ARE ITEMS THAT WE'VE SHARED IN THE PAST.
WE'VE PROVIDED A BRIEF NARRATIVE, AND WE'VE ESTIMATED COST TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.
SEVERAL OF THESE ARE REPEAT ITEMS. SOME ARE NEW THIS YEAR.
IT DOES NOT INCLUDE FUNDING IN THIS BUDGET FOR THE RESULTS OF THE COMPENSATION STUDY THAT WE WOULD BE RECEIVING HERE IN THE RELATIVE NEAR FUTURE AND WE'LL HAVE FOR CONSIDERATION AND TO SEE WHAT WE MAY DO TO IMPLEMENT THAT.
SO I HAVEN'T SHARED A WHOLE LOT OF GOOD NEWS.
THERE ARE SOME OPTIONS THAT WE HAVE AND ALL ARE WORTH CONSIDERING OR SOME COMBINATION.
WE CAN WATCH THE STATE BUDGET FOR ADDITIONAL REVENUE I DON'T HOLD OUT A WHOLE LOT OF HOPE THERE.
THE SENATE VERSION OF THE BUDGET, CUT THE STATE AID TO CLASSROOMS BY $30 MILLION.
IT WENT 230 MILLION TO 200 MILLION.
WE'VE ALREADY SEEN UNDER THE HOUSE VERSION THAT USED 230 MILLION, WHAT THE NET ALLOCATION IS.
HISTORICALLY, PRIOR TO THIS NEW FUNDING FORMULA THAT I'M STILL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT BECAUSE THINGS SEEM EXTREMELY ARBITRARY IN IT.
HISTORICALLY, IF THERE WAS AN INCREASE, IF THERE WAS A DECREASE, AIKEN GOT ABOUT 3% OF THAT.
SO IF I LOOK AT THAT HISTORICAL NUMBER, I'M THINKING, WHENEVER WE GET THE SENATE FINANCE VERSION OF THE BUDGET, WHENEVER I GET AIKEN'S ALLOCATIONS, IT MAY CUT US AN ADDITIONAL 900,000, MAYBE AN ADDITIONAL $1 MILLION.
WE'LL SEE IN A COUPLE OF WEEKS.
I DON'T HOLD OUT HOPE FOR MORE MONEY THERE.
WE CAN ADJUST EXPENDITURE ESTIMATES, PLAN FOR MORE JUST UNFILLED VACANCIES.
I FEEL GOOD WITH WHAT WE BUDGETED THERE CURRENTLY, BUT WE CAN PLAN FOR MORE UNFILLED VACANCIES.
AGAIN, A LOT OF THE UNFILLED VACANCIES GO TO FUND OUR SUB-SERVICE AND LONG TERM SUBS.
WE CAN ADJUST THE TEACHER PAY SCALE PROPOSAL THAT I SHARED.
I'M LOOKING AT AGAIN SCENARIO 3,
[01:45:01]
THAT IMPACTS THE COMPETITIVENESS OF OUR PAY SCALE.WE CAN REMOVE ATHLETIC TRAINERS THAT IS A STUDENT SAFETY ISSUE THAT WE'RE ALL MINDFUL OF.
THE LACK OF A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT, I THINK IS MAYBE AT THE FOREFRONT FOR SOME FOLKS, AND ONE OPTION THAT WE HAVE THERE IS LOOKING AT FUND BALANCE.
NOW, WE'VE CAUTIONED THE BOARD OVER THE YEARS.
NOW I'LL STILL CAUTION YOU, WE DON'T WANT TO USE FUND BALANCE FOR RECURRING TYPE OF EXPENDITURES.
BUT I THINK WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY HERE IN LIEU OF A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT TO PROVIDE NON-TEACHERS WITH A QUARTERLY OR SEMI-ANNUAL BONUS.
IT WOULDN'T BE SPREAD OUT OVER THE COURSE OF THE YEAR, BUT WE COULD PAY IT AT THE END OF EACH QUARTER IF THE BOARD APPROVED SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
ONE BENEFIT THAT WE HAVE OF THE BONUS IS THAT RETIREMENT DOESN'T APPLY TO A BONUS SO WE DON'T HAVE TO PAY THAT ADDITIONAL 25% ON TOP OF IT.
AND AGAIN, THE BONUS IS NON-RECURRING IF THE BOARD CHOSE TO USE NON-RECURRING FUND BALANCE DOLLARS FOR THAT.
WE COULD ALSO UTILIZE FUND BALANCE TO ADDRESS SOME ONE TIME REQUEST TO THE EXTENT POSSIBLE.
THERE WERE REQUESTS FOR FURNITURE REPLACEMENTS.
MAYBE THE BOARD LOOKS AT INTERCESSION AS A HIGH PRIORITY FOR NEXT YEAR AND TREATS IT AS A ONE TIME TYPE ITEM THAT MAYBE AN OPTION.
OF RUN SCENARIOS, I HAVE NOT PUT IT IN YOUR PURPLE FOLDER POSSIBILITIES ON THAT QUARTERLY OR SEMI ANNUAL BONUS FOR EMPLOYEES, BUT WE CAN PROVIDE THAT.
WHENEVER WE LOOK AT FUND BALANCE, WE WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF THE BOARD POLICY ON FUND BALANCE.
OUR DESIRE OF THE BOARD'S DESIRE FOR THE DISTRICT IS TO HAVE THREE MONTHS RESERVES.
ABSOLUTE FLOOR PER POLICY IS TWO MONTHS, BUT THREE MONTHS RESERVES GIVES US A SAFETY NET.
THERE'S A MYRIAD OF REASONS TO MAINTAIN FUND BALANCE.
IT'S LOOKED AT BY BUYING RATING AGENCIES.
IT GIVES US CASH FLOWS, IT PROVIDES US PROTECTION.
WHENEVER I CAME INTO THE DISTRICT, WE HAD LESS THAN ONE MONTH'S RESERVES, AND THE STATE CUT OUR BUDGET SIGNIFICANTLY AND WE CUT TO THE ABSOLUTE BONE TO MAKE THINGS WORK AND SURVIVE AND WE CUT ALMOST EVERYTHING IMAGINABLE.
WE INCREASED PUPIL-TEACHER RATIOS SIGNIFICANTLY, AND IT TOOK US SEVERAL YEARS TO RECOVER FROM THAT.
STRONG FUND BALANCE HELPS US AVOID SOME OF THOSE THINGS.
IF WE LOOK AT OUR FUND BALANCE AS OF JUNE 30/23, UNASSIGNED FUND BALANCE WAS 69.9 MILLION.
AGAIN, KEEPING IN MIND THAT WAS ON A $250 MILLION BUDGET.
IF WE LOOK AT THREE MONTHS EQUIVALENT OF THAT, THAT WOULD BE 65.3.
SO WE HAVE ABOUT 4.6 MILLION ABOVE THAT THREE MONTHS MARK.
I DON'T ANTICIPATE A LARGE INCREASE IN FUND BALANCE, IF ANY, IN THE CURRENT YEAR, I'M NOT ANTICIPATING A SHARP DECREASE.
I THINK WE COULD ABSORB SOME OF THESE STATE DECREASES WITHIN THE BUDGET THIS YEAR, BUT I FEEL COMFORTABLE WHERE FUND BALANCES, IT MAYBE RELATIVELY CLOSE TO WHERE WE ENDED LAST YEAR.
IF THE BOARD WANTED TO LOOK AT HOW MUCH ABOVE THE THREE MONTH MARK AT JUNE 30/23 WE ARE AND HOW MUCH WE MAY HAVE AVAILABLE FOR SOME ONE TIME TYPE COST.
NEXT STEPS, IF THERE ARE ANY DISCUSSIONS.
IF THERE'S ANYTHING THAT REQUIRES US TO CHANGE ESTIMATES, WE'LL START WORKING ON THAT IMMEDIATELY AND HAVE THAT REFLECTED FOR THE FIRST READING NEXT WEEK.
IF YOU ASK US TO RUN ANY SCENARIOS, IT MAY TAKE A LITTLE TIME.
WE COULD LOOK AT THOSE SCENARIOS.
I MAY HAVE SOME IN MY BACK POCKET ALREADY.
WE'LL CONTINUE TO TRACK THE STATE BUDGET PROCESS, BUT IT'S PROBABLY GOING TO BE A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE WE HAVE ANY NUMBERS FROM THE STATE, DEFINITELY NOT IN ADVANCE OF NEXT WEEK.
[01:50:04]
WE CAN LOOK AT OTHER CHANGES WITHIN THE BUDGET TO REDUCE EXPENDITURES, MAYBE FIRST OFF, HELP BALANCE THE BUDGET AND MAYBE FUND SOME OF THESE PRIORITIES AND REQUESTS.WE'LL CONTINUE TO PROVIDE YOU UPDATES ON ANYTHING OF SIGNIFICANCE.
WE'LL PLAN FOR THE BUDGET HEARING, WE'LL PLAN FOR THE SECOND AND FINAL READING.
AGAIN, THIS IS MY LAST SLIDE, BUT THERE ARE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF BUDGET REQUESTS FROM DEPARTMENTS, FROM SCHOOLS, FROM PROGRAMS. THEY AREN'T IN THIS. COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT FOR NON TEACHERS ISN'T IN THIS.
IS IT NO WAY TO SAY THOSE AREN'T IMPORTANT, THEY DON'T HAVE VALUE, THAT SOME OF THESE REQUESTS, WE JUST DISREGARD IT.
WE ASSIGN A COST TO THEM, WE LOOK AT WHAT WE'RE ABLE TO DO IN THE BUDGET, AND WHAT DO WE ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO DO BASED ON WHERE WE SIT RIGHT NOW, AND THAT'S WHAT'S REFLECTED IN THIS BUDGET.
WE DO STILL HAVE A GOOD MONTH OR SO.
I I DON'T HOLD OUT A WHOLE LOT OF HOPE AS FAR AS NEW REVENUE COMING IN.
I'LL BE HAPPY TO ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS.
>> DR. BRADLEY AND THEN I'D LIKE TO GO AFTER DR. BRADLEY.
>> YOU'RE TELLING US THAT THE BUDGET YOU PRESENTED TO US, WHICH IS ON THE LAST ONE HERE IS $740,000 OUT OF WHACK.
>> CURRENTLY, IS $740,000 OUT OF WHACK.
FUNDING VERSION OF THE BUDGET AND WITH THE SENATE VERSION GOING DOWN, 30 MILLION IN ALL LIKELIHOOD IS INCREASING THAT NUMBER.
BECAUSE THE ADMINISTRATION BROUGHT A PROPOSAL FOR TONIGHT, TRAOR BAKED THAT INTO THE BUDGET.
BUT EVEN IF YOU REMOVE THAT, THERE'S STILL A SHORTFALL.
EVEN IF WE DON'T VOTE FOR THAT, WITH THE HOUSE BUDGET NUMBERS, WE'RE AT A SHORTFALL OF $140,000.
MY QUESTION WAS, I WANT TO SAY IT OUT LOUD JUST SO EVERYBODY HEARS IT.
YOU SAID ON THE SLIDE THAT THE BUDGET THAT YOU'VE PRESENTED AND WALKED THROUGH THESE SLIDES THAT WE'LL POTENTIALLY HEAR NEXT WEEK A VERSION OF THAT DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY FUNDING FOR THE SPRING AND FALL INTERCESSIONS.
THE NUMBER THAT WE HAD ON THE HANDOUT THAT YOU GAVE US IS TWO MILLION DOLLARS FOR THAT, RIGHT?
>> THAT'S CORRECT. NOW, IT COULD BE A SITUATION WHERE THE BOARD SAID WE'RE NOT DOING TWO MILLION.
WE SAY WE'RE DOING ONE MILLION FOR IT FOR INTERCESSION AND MAKE IT WORK.
>> BUT TO BE CLEAR, THERE IS ZERO, CORRECT?
>> THERE IS ZERO IN THIS BUDGET.
>> I UNDERSTAND. THESE NUMBERS ARE VERY FLUID.
WE PROBABLY WON'T BE DONE WITH THIS UNTIL JUNE.
BUT RIGHT NOW WE'VE GOT A VERY SMALL SHORTFALL AND WE HAVE ZERO FUNDING FOR THAT.
>> THERE'S A REASON WHY WE COVERED PENNY SALES TAX IN ADVANCE OF THE BUDGET.
I FIGURED IT MAY DEFLATE THE ROOM.
>> OTHER QUESTIONS? ANYTHING ELSE FROM ANYONE ELSE? MR. BROOME.
>> MR. TRAOR, IN THE PRESENTATION THAT WE HAD GOTTEN A FEW MONTHS BACK AND CONSIDERING THE MAINTENANCE FOR THE DISTRICT IN THE PROPOSAL, IS THAT PERSONNEL INCLUDED IN THIS PROPOSAL?
>> IT IS NOT. THE ONLY ADDITIONAL MAINTENANCE POSITIONS INCLUDED HERE INCLUDE TWO COMING OVER FROM ACER.
I BELIEVE IT IS 12, LAWN. YES, SIR.
TWO COMING OVER FROM ACER, 12 FOR LAWN MAINTENANCE, BUT THE LIST OF EIGHT OR SO ADDITIONAL FT IS LISTED IN YOUR PACKET AMONG THE BUDGET REQUEST.
I DID NOT BUILD IT INTO THE BUDGET.
>> WHERE IN OUR CURRENT BUDGET,
[01:55:03]
I WAS LOOKING AND IT LOOKS LIKE SEVERAL PLACES IT COULD BE WE'RE OUTSOURCING A LOT OF MAINTENANCE.HAVE WE LOOKED AND DONE AN EVALUATION OF WHAT WE THOUGHT FUNDING THESE POSITIONS AND BRINGING THIS IN HOUSE WOULD BE ABLE TO CUT FROM, IN OTHER WORDS, OUR OUTSOURCE OF MAINTENANCE?
>> GOOD EVENING ONCE AGAIN. WE ARE CURRENTLY TAKING A LOOK AT SOME AREAS OF SAVINGS NOW THAT WE SEE THE BUDGET SHORTFALL.
WE ARE UNDERSTANDING THAT WE'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO ADD THESE POSITIONS INTO THE BUDGET AS IT IS.
SO WE'RE ANALYZING. CURRENTLY, I HAVE A PROPOSAL FROM IT, AND WE'RE WORKING ON SOMETHING FOR SOME OUTSOURCE SERVICES AND OPERATIONS AS WELL.
BUT I THINK THE LION'S SHARE OF OUR OUTSOURCE OPERATIONS WERE FROM THE LANDSCAPING CONTRACT FOR $450,000 FOR AREA 1, AND THAT'S WHAT WE TERMINATED GOING FORWARD.
>> I JUST KNOW THAT GOING AROUND SCHOOLS I COMMONLY SEE COMPANIES THERE APPEAR TO BE WORKING, WHICH I'M NOT SAYING ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT.
I'VE BEEN A BIG PROPONENT IN BUILDING OUR IN-HOUSE RESOURCES UP TO WHERE WE CAN BETTER HANDLE THE BACKLOG OF MAINTENANCE THAT WE HAVE.
THAT'S WHY I HAD A QUESTION BECAUSE I KNOW THAT WHEN WE INITIALLY TALKED ABOUT THIS COMPENSATION STUDY THAT WE WERE HOPING THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO LOOK AT IT PRIOR TO THIS BUDGET, WHICH SEEMS LIKE NOW THE WAY THE TIMING IS GOING TO WORK, THAT'S PROBABLY NOT GOING TO BE POSSIBLE.
THAT'S ONE QUESTION I HAD, AND I DO HAVE ANOTHER QUESTION. I DON'T KNOW IF IT.
MY UNDERSTANDING THAT IS IN CLASSIFIED POSITIONS, WE HAVE A HIGH TURNOVER RATE.
>> I'VE ASKED THIS QUESTION BEFORE, IT MAY NOT EVEN BE LEGAL.
IS THERE A WAY TO OFFER A TWO-TIER BENEFIT PROGRAM? THE REASON I ASKED THAT IS A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT COME IN YOUNG INTO THESE TYPE JOBS, THEY NEED MORE MONEY TO SURVIVE.
I THINK THAT'S WHERE WE'RE LOSING OUT.
WE OFFER GREAT BENEFITS OUT OF THE BOX, BUT THE PAY IS MAYBE NOT WHERE THEY COULD GET SOMEWHERE ELSE.
MY QUESTION WOULD BE, COULD WE OFFER A TWO-TIER BENEFIT PACKAGE? IS THAT EVEN LEGAL TO WHERE WE COULD OFFER MORE PAY AND LESS BENEFITS, AND THEN AS THEIR LIVES EVOLVE OR THEY BECOME HIGHER UP IN THE BUSINESS HERE OR WHATEVER, THEN THEY MAYBE COULD TRANSITION OVER.
I KNOW THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I'M HEARING MORE COMPANIES ARE DOING TO PUT MORE, BECAUSE IF YOU CAN'T PAY YOUR RENT OR YOUR GAS BILL, THEN HAVING A GREAT RETIREMENT IS REALLY NOT YOUR CONCERN AT THAT TIME IS PAYING THE IMMEDIATE BILLS IN FRONT OF YOU?
>> SO MISS HART, IF I MAY JUMP IN HERE, TOO, BUT WE'RE IN STATE RETIREMENT.
WE'RE IN STATE HEALTH, SO EVERY POSITION WITHIN THE DISTRICT HAS STATE RETIREMENT, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF BUS DRIVERS.
BUS DRIVERS ACTUALLY HAVE THE OPTION TO PARTICIPATE IN STATE RETIREMENT.
THE MAJORITY OF THEM DO, BUT WE PARTICIPATE IN STATE HEALTH AND STATE RETIREMENT AND HAD TO FOLLOW THOSE GUIDELINES, WHO QUALIFIES FOR HEALTH INSURANCE, FOR INSTANCE, BASED ON HOW MANY HOURS AND THINGS THEY WORK.
THAT PART, AS FAR AS THE BENEFITS SIDE, I DON'T KNOW THAT WE COULD REDUCE ANYTHING THERE.
>> I JUST WAS THINKING THAT IF YOU COULD OFFER MORE PAY IN LIEU, I KNOW COMPANIES ARE DOING THIS NOW.
THERE ARE COMPANIES DOING THIS, AND I DIDN'T KNOW HOW WE AS A STATE AGENCY IF IT'S POSSIBLE, BUT YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.
>> POSSIBLY. EMPLOYEES CERTAINLY HAVE THE OPTION TO ELECT BENEFITS, MEDICAL, DENTAL, OR ADDITIONAL POLICIES.
THEY'RE NOT REQUIRED TO CARRY ALL OF THOSE ADDITIONAL BENEFITS.
AN EMPLOYEE THAT YOU'RE SPEAKING OF MAY SELECT TO NOT CARRY ALL THE ADDITIONAL POLICIES.
RETIREMENT IS NOT OPTIONAL OUTSIDE OF BUS DRIVERS.
BUT IF I'M HEARING YOU CORRECTLY, YOU MIGHT BE ASKING IF WE COULD OFFER SOME ADDITIONAL COMPENSATION IN LIEU OF BENEFITS, WHERE SOME COMPANIES MAY SAY, IF YOU DON'T TAKE MEDICAL COVERAGE, WE'LL GIVE YOU THIS ADDITIONAL DOLLAR AMOUNT.
MOST OFTEN THOSE COMPANIES REQUIRE YOU TO SHOW
[02:00:01]
PROOF OF HAVING COVERAGE THROUGH ANOTHER PERSON, VERSUS A SPOUSE.>> I'M NOT EVEN SAYING MAYBE NO MEDICAL COVERAGE, BUT I'M SAYING JUST A LOWER TIER OF EMPLOYEE BENEFITS.
IN OTHER WORDS, WE WOULD STILL BE PAYING OUT PROBABLY THE SAME MONIES, BUT MORE WOULD GO TO THEM AND THEY WOULD HAVE LESS.
I KNOW THIS IS NOT A WONDERFUL THING TO DO, BUT IN TODAY'S WORLD, WE HAVE GOT TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO BRING PEOPLE INTO THESE JOBS AND KEEP THEM LONGER THAN SIX MONTHS.
>> AS MR. TRAXLER MENTIONED, WE'RE PART OF THE STATE BENEFIT PIECE, SO WE'RE NOT ABLE TO MAKE MODIFICATIONS TO THE BENEFIT PACKAGES BEING OFFERED.
THERE ARE MULTIPLE PACKAGES AVAILABLE.
YOU DO HAVE A HIGHER DEDUCTIBLE PLAN THAT HAS MUCH LOWER PREMIUMS VERSUS A MORE TRADITIONAL PPO TYPE.
>> THERE IS SOME WIGGLE ROOM IN WHAT THEY'RE OFFERING THERE?
>> I DO HAVE ONE MORE QUESTION, IF THAT'S ALL RIGHT, WHILE YOU ALL ARE HERE.
NOTICING LOOKING AT YOUR COMPENSATION PACKAGES FOR TEACHERS, IF YOU LOOK UP THROUGH STEP 5, WHICH AIKEN COUNTY, HONESTLY, WITH 70 IT SHOWS 73 DISTRICTS IS A VERY COMPETITIVE SALARY FOR TEACHERS.
MY QUESTION WOULD BE, WE'RE NOT AS COMPETITIVE.
WE'RE STILL IN OBVIOUSLY IN THE TOP WHAT, 30, 40%, 30% PROBABLY.
TO STEP 5 IS WHERE YOU START SEEING AFTER THAT, WHERE WE'RE OR BECOME MORE COMPETITIVE STEP 4, STEP 5.
MY QUESTION IS, AND I KNOW YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT OTHER DISTRICTS PAY, BUT I'M JUST ASKING THIS.
IF YOU'VE GOT TEACHERS COMING OUT OF SCHOOL, AND THEY'RE LOOKING PROBABLY ALL OVER, IF YOU'RE VERY COMPETITIVE IN THE FIRST STEPS AND YOU GET TEACHERS HERE, A LOT OF THEM IF THEY SETTLE INTO THEIR LIVES HERE OR WHATEVER, I WOULD THINK THAT THERE'S LESS CHANCE OF THEM UP ROOTING AND LEAVING IF YOU GET THEM HERE INITIALLY.
I WOULD THINK THAT WE MAY BE BY NOT BEING QUITE AS COMPETITIVE AND THE FIRST STEPS STRUGGLE MORE GETTING THEM HERE INITIALLY.
AIKEN IS A WONDERFUL PLACE TO LIVE, AND I'M SURE WE GET PLENTY OF TEACHERS HERE.
BUT IF YOU FOLLOW WHAT I'M SAYING, I WAS SAYING THAT ONCE YOU GET SOMEBODY ESTABLISHED HERE, I WOULD THINK THAT THE PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE THAT UPROOT AND LEAVE IS PROBABLY LESSENS EVERY YEAR AS LIFE GOES ON.
>> I THINK THE MORE COMPETITIVE SALARIES EARLY ON WOULD BENEFIT.
BUT AGAIN, IT HAS A DOMINO EFFECT.
I'M NOT SHOWING DOLLAR FIGURES HERE, BUT LET'S SEE IF I COULD PULL THAT UP.
IF WE PAY MORE HERE, WE CAN'T HAVE THESE OVERLAPPING, SO IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT DOWN THIS WAY, IT'S A DOMINO EFFECT THIS WAY, AND IT HAS A SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE BUDGET.
>> I'M NOT SAYING THAT JUST FOR THIS BUDGET.
I WAS JUST SAYING THAT IN LOOKING FORWARD, THAT SEEMS LIKE THAT GETTING THEM HERE INITIALLY, I WOULD THINK THE PERCENTAGE IS LOWER AS YOU GO OF PEOPLE LEAVING THE DISTRICT.
>> BACK TO OUR PAY BAND THAT I MENTIONED.
WHENEVER THIS PAY BAND WAS FIRST PUT INTO PLACE, I THINK IT WAS MAYBE TO BE MORE COMPETITIVE VERSUS SOME DISTRICTS ON THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF THE RIVER, SOME IN SOUTH CAROLINA AND ACROSS THE BOARD, REGARDLESS OF DEGREE.
WE WERE TOP IN THE STATE OR WE WERE AMONG THE TOPS IN THE STATE.
WE WOULD HAVE TEACHERS FROM TIME TO TIME THAT WOULD SAY, I'M IN THIS PAY BAND.
I MAY NOT GET MUCH OF AN INCREASE FOR A FEW YEARS, BUT WE COULD SAY, BUT YOU'RE GETTING YEAR 3 MONEY IN YEAR 0 AND STILL YOU LOOK THROUGH STEP 3, YOU MAY BE THE SECOND, THIRD, FOURTH, HIGHEST PAID DISTRICT IN THE STATE.
THE PAY BAND IS REALLY PROBLEMATIC, ESPECIALLY IN YEARS WHEN WE DON'T HAVE A COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT OR A VERY SMALL ONE THAT HASN'T BEEN OFTEN RECENTLY, BUT WE HAVE HAD THOSE YEARS AND SOMEBODY SAYS, I MOVED UP A STEP.
I WENT FROM STEP 2 TO STEP 3 AND I SEE NO ADDITIONAL DOLLARS IN MY PAYCHECK.
>> ANYTHING ELSE? THANK YOU, MR. TRAXLER.
[02:05:09]
>> I ENJOYED THE PEP TALK. WE DO HAVE TWO INDIVIDUAL ITEMS THAT WERE ADDED TO THIS AGENDA BECAUSE OF TIMING TO TAKE CARE OF.
THE FIRST ONE IS PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS.
WE HAD A LIST OF ADMINISTRATIVE, CLASSIFIED, AND CERTIFIED PERSONNEL THAT WERE SCREENED BY HUMAN RESOURCES AND APPROVED BY THE ADMINISTRATION FOR HIRING, AND WE MUST APPROVE THAT.
IS THERE ANY MOTION IN REGARDS TO THOSE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS?
>> YES. I MOVE THAT WE ACCEPT THE DISTRICT'S PERSONNEL APPOINTMENTS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER 2 AND REQUEST THAT ITEM NUMBER 2 BE REMOVED FROM CONSIDERATION AT THIS TIME IN ORDER TO BE DISCUSSED AT THE NEXT SCHOOL BOARD MEETING DURING AN EXECUTIVE SESSION.
>> WE HAVE A MOTION BY MRS. RHINEHART-JACKSON, SECONDED BY MR. SILAS TO APPROVE THE PERSONNEL APPOINTMENT LIST WITH THE EXCEPTION OF ITEM NUMBER 2 ON THE LIST, WHICH WILL BE REMANDED OR PLACED ON THE AGENDA FOR EXECUTIVE SESSION AT THE NEXT MEETING FOR DISCUSSION, WHICH IS NEXT WEEK, SO IT'S ONLY A WEEK.
ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES.
THE NEXT ONE WE HAD, AND AS MR. TRAXLER, AND I THINK MR. LAURENCE ALLUDED TO.
THIS WAS PROPOSED IN ADVANCE OF GETTING TO A FINAL BUDGET BECAUSE OF TIMING.
I BELIEVE, ALSO WAS ORIGINALLY CONSIDERED DURING ALL THE EVOLUTION OF DIFFERENT NUMBERS.
HOWEVER, THIS PROPOSAL IS TO A BUDGET REQUEST TO EMPLOY ATHLETIC TRAINERS ESSENTIALLY ONE PER HIGH SCHOOL FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR WITH THE THOUGHT PROCESS OF ASKING FOR IT NOW AND THAT HONESTLY, IF YOU WANT TO FIND AND RECRUIT PEOPLE, YOU NEED TO DO IT BEFORE THEY SIGN A CONTRACT AT ANOTHER SCHOOL OR EMPLOYMENT SOMEWHERE ELSE AND SOMETHING THAT'S BEEN HARD TO RECRUIT, PERIOD.
IS THERE A MOTION IN REGARDS TO APPROVING THIS BUDGET REQUEST FOR ATHLETIC TRAINER POSITIONS?
>> I MAKE A MOTION WE DEFER ACTION ON THIS UNTIL WE GET CLARIFICATION ON BUDGET.
>> THERE IS A MOTION AND A SECOND ON THE FLOOR TO DEFER THIS REQUEST TO A FUTURE MEETING IN MY WORDS, NOT YOURS, UNTIL WE GET MORE RESOLUTION ON BUDGET NUMBERS.
IS THERE ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
ALL THOSE OPPOSED, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
>> EXCUSE ME. I'LL ENTERTAIN A MOTION TO ADJOURN.
>> THERE'S A MOTION AND A SECOND TO ADJOURN, ANY DISCUSSION? ALL THOSE IN FAVOR, PLEASE RAISE YOUR HAND.
THAT'S EIGHT IN FAVOR. THE MOTION CARRIES. WE ARE ADJOURNED.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.